Kundalini Yoga for Purifying the Self by Onkartej Kaur

Sat Nam radiant souls,

I’d love to share with you a Kriya (set of exercises designed for a specific purpose) for Purifying the Self. This Kriya is beautifully energizing and helps to purify the mind and body of the stress and toxins that we accumulate through our internal and external environments. If you are a healer, massage therapist or work with people, this set is wonderfully helpful in preventing you from becoming drained, helps you to sustain your energy and guards you from absorbing other people’s energy by strengthening and expanding your aura so you can keep in what’s yours and keep out what’s not. Wahe Guru!

It’s a simple set with only 5 postures and takes about 15-20mins to complete.

Holding your own space is an amazing way to deepen and expand your practice as you really get to explore your body and breath in your own time and on your own terms.

Here is how to do it:

1. Tune In with three repetitions of the Adi Mantra:

Ong Namo Guru Dev Namo

Follow with three repetitions of the Heart Protection Mantra:

Aad guray nameh

Jugaad guray nameh

Sat guray nameh

Siri Guru devay nameh

2. Pranayama: 3mins

Breath of Fire or Alternate Nostril breathing

3. Warm up: 10-15mins

Warm yourself up with your favourite postures. Feel into what your body is craving and where you need to release tension and fatigue. Explore into your fibres and have fun with it. Hold each posture for 1-3mins.

4. Kriya (see below): 15-20mins

5. Relaxation: 5mins

6. Meditation 3-11mins

Sit in Easy Pose (cross-legged), eyes closed and rolled to the Third Eye and mentally vibrate Sat on the inhale and Nam on the exhale. Long, steady, deep breathing. Expanding with every inhale and connecting with every exhale.

7. End with the Longtime Sun Blessing:

May the longtime sun shine upon you,

All love surround you,

And the pure light within you,

Guide your way on.

Sat Nam

I trust you will enjoy practicing this Kriya and will find it highly beneficial in supporting you mentally, physically and spiritually through this festive season.

It’s been such an honour and a privilege to share the teachings of Kundalini Yoga with you all over the years. Thank you all so much for your continued commitment of self-discovery, self-love and growth. Keep smiling and keep shining.

Wishing you happiness.

Abundance in all that nourishes and nurtures,

Onkartej.

Kriya for Purifying the Self

1. Begin in a lunge position with the front leg bent at the knee with the ankle positioned below the knee, foot evenly planted, toes forward. The back knee, shin and back of the foot rested against the floor. Bring the hands into Prayer Mudra at the chest and focus the eyes at the Third Eye point.

Inhale deeply and raise the back knee off the floor, take three deep breaths in this posture, suspending the inhalation for a count of 8 seconds each time. Switch legs and repeat two more times on each leg. (You can choose to have the back of the foot, toes or knee rested against the floor in this posture).

*This posture raises the Kundalini and digestive energy.

2. Sitting in Easy Pose, place the hands on the hips. Four fingers on the front, thumbs around the back. Lifting the diaphragm high, begin to push all your weight down into your hands and bring the shoulders as high as you possibly can. Lengthen through the spine, inhaling and exhaling deeply while holding the posture. 2-3mins.

*This posture takes the energy past the diaphragm lock and opens the lungs and Throat Chakra.

3. Sitting in Easy Pose, bring the hands into Bear Grip (hooking the fingers together at the Heart Chakra) left palm faces up and right palm faces down, applying tension and pulling on the lock. Forearms and elbows are parallel to the ground. Inhale deeply, exhale forcefully and completely and apply Mulbandh. Inhale- hold the breath, apply Mulbandh and mentally raise the pranic energy from the base of the spine to the crown. Continue this breath cycle for 3mins.

*This posture opens the Heart Chakra and the central channel of the spine.

4. Sitting in Easy Pose, extend the arms out to the sides at shoulder height, parallel to the ground. Press the palms out with the fingers together and pointed up. Eyes closed and rolled to the Third Eye. Inhale deeply, suspend the breath, apply a firm Mulbandh and hold for a count of 20 seconds. Exhale and repeat. 2-3mins

5. Sitting in Easy Pose, bring the hands into Prayer Mudra about 5cms in front of the chest with the fingers pointing straight up. Pull the spine straight and press the palms together with 13-22kgs of pressure. Breath long, slow and deep. Hold the position for 2mins. Rest.

*Postures 4 & 5 increase healing power in the hands, strengthens your aura, increases circulation to the upper chakras and powerfully enhances presence and projection.