Kundalini Yoga

Kundalini is a sanskrit word meaning "circular" or "coiled". Kundalini yoga is a type of Yoga. The main purpose of kundalini yoga is to fully awaken and improve the consciousness or awareness. Kundalini Yoga activates the energy located at the spine of the body. The energy when gets activated move up through the chakras along the spine.

Kundalini Yoga is a combination of movement, breath, meditation, and mantra chanting. Kundalini yoga works to awaken the kundalini energy located at the base of the spine. When Kundalini Yoga is practised every day it activates the Kundalini energy and the energy moves upward thorught the seven chakras located in the body. Kundalini energy when activates increases the self awareness and makes the person fully conscious about oneself. The full enlightment in Kundalini Yoga is achieved when the Kundalini energy reaches the seventh and last chakra i.e., the crown chakra.

History of Kundalini Yoga

The origin of Kundalini Yoga is still unknown, but it is mentioned in the ancient Hindu Vedic texts. People have been practising Kundalini yoga for thousands of years. It is believed that Kundalini Yoga was practised in India by the warrior class in the Sikh religion.

Yogi Bhajan, a yoga guru, has made important contributions to Kundalini yoga. He is the one who introduced the concept of Kundalini yoga to the United States in the 1960s. He taught Kundalini yoga to students from all over the world. He made Kundalini yoga famous in western countries.

Elements of Kundalini Yoga

There are 5 elements to Kundalini Yoga:

Kriyas: Kriyas means a set of movements, poses, or postures done with specific breathing techniques.

Mudras: Mudras are hand signs or gestures made during yoga practice. Each hand sign or mudra gives a different message or directs a different energy to the body or mind.

Mantras: Mantras mean chanting positive affirmations that will help manifest positive things in life. Mantras have the power to affect your brain and body.

Meditation: Meditation is a technique that involves focusing and clearing the thoughts of the mind while sitting with closed eyes in a tranquil location for some time.

Benefits of Kundalini Yoga

Kundalini yoga has a number of benefits for the human body. Some of the major benefits that one can experience from Kundalini Yoga include: 

Stress and anxiety relief: One of the most important benefits of Kundalini yoga is stress and anxiety relief. Kundalini yoga can help cure stress, anxiety, and some psychiatric disorders as well, such as addiction, phobias, insomia, dyslexia, depression, and more. The meditation techniques used in Kundalini yoga have vast benefits for a person's mental health. Many studies have been conducted and have confirmed that Kundalini Yoga can relieve stress.

Improve physical strength: Apart from meditation, Kundalini yoga involves physical movements as well, which can help build physical strength. The physical movements are combined with breathing techniques and target different muscle groups in the body, which ultimately help the body improve strength.

Improved intelligence and mental ability: People who practise Kundalini yoga have noticed significant improvements in cognitive function. Their memory, reasoning, and problem-solving skills have improved. People who have practised Kundalini yoga for a few months have seen both short- and long-term mental improvements.

Increased self-awareness: Self-awareness is the ability to recognise your own feelings, emotions, thoughts, and behaviors. Kundalini yoga focuses on increasing self-awareness and achieving the highest consciousness. Self-awareness and high consciousness help people recognise their strengths and weaknesses, make better decisions, become more confident, and communicate properly.

Spiritual enlightenment: Kundalini yoga is regarded as the most spiritual form of yoga compared to any other form of yoga. Yoga helps individuals enlighten themselves spiritually. Spirituality has many benefits, such as internal peace, improved self-esteem, stress reduction, etc.

Where can one learn Kundalini Yoga in India?

There are many places in India where Kundalini Yoga can be learned, but one of the best places in India to learn any type of yoga is Rishikesh in Uttarakhand. Rishikesh is a city located in the Indian state of Uttarakhand. Rishikesh is located on the banks of the Ganga. The Ganga is considered the most sacred river in Hinduism. Every year, lakhs of people visit Rishikesh to take a holy dip in the river Ganga, and various gurus/sadhus pray and meditate on the bank of the river Ganga in Rishikesh.

Rishikesh is called the "Yoga capital of the world." Rishikesh is a hub for yoga retreats, ashrams, and yoga teacher training. There are many yoga schools in Rishikesh. Some of India's most famous and reputed yoga schools are located in Rishikesh. Rishikesh offers spiritual vibes and wonderful scenic views of the great Garhwal Himalayas. The yoga schools in Rishikesh are registered yoga schools with Yoga Alliance USA. The yoga schools offer different levels of yoga teacher training courses, yoga retreats, and workshops.

Kundalini yoga is considered the most spiritual form of yoga. Various yoga schools in Rishikesh offer Kundalini Yoga Teacher Training, Kundalini Yoga retreats, and Kundalini Yoga workshops.

The different levels of Kundalini Yoga Teacher Training (YTT) offered in Rishikesh are:

• 100-hour Kundalini Yoga Teacher Training Course (YTTC) 
• 200-hour Kundalini Yoga Teacher Training Course (YTTC)
• 300-hour Kundalini Yoga Teacher Training Course (YTTC)
• 500-hour Kundalini Yoga Teacher Training Course (YTTC)

Below are the names of some of the best yoga schools in Rishikesh that offer Kundalini Yoga Teacher Training courses: 

• Sanskar Yogashala, Rishikesh
• Vinyasa Yogashala, Rishikesh
• Kundalini Yoga Ashram, Rishikesh
• Yoga Essence, Rishikesh
• Samadhi Yoga Ashram, Rishikesh
• Shri Yogaashram, Rishikesh
• World Peace Yoga School, Rishikesh
• Yoga Vidya Mandiram, Rishikesh
• Adi Yogapeeth, Rishikesh
• Nada Yoga School, Rishikesh

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