Kundalini Yoga: An occult superstructure to which Hatha Yoga may lead those who fall inclined to go that way is called Kundalini Yoga. Kundalini yoga is a form of yoga that involves chanting, singing, breathing exercises, and repetitive poses. Its purpose is to activate your Kundalini energy or shakti.

Kundalini Yoga is part of the tantric tradition. Tantra says that the range of mental experiences can be broadened. Based on senses the mental experiences are limited to time, space, and object, but there can also be an experience that is beyond the framework of time, space, and object. Therefore the tantric and yogis have realized that there is a potential force that is not physiological, philosophical, or transcendental. It is a dynamic potential force in the material body called Kundalini. Kundalini yoga is not abstract. It considers this very physical body as the basis. The kundalini yoga represents consciousness as the highest possible manifestation of physical matter in this body. The physical matter of the body transformed into subtle forces like – feeling, thinking, reasoning, etc for the process of evolution. The psychic and transcendental power is the ultimate goal of human evolution.

As Kundalini yoga awakens kundalini energy, it’s supposed to enhance your awareness and help you move past your ego. Sometimes, the practice is also called “yoga of awareness.” Kundalini yoga is also more precise and repetitive. Whereas other types of yoga flow with your breath, Kundalini yoga combines chanting, singing, movements, and breathing in specific patterns. 

In 1968, Harbhajan Singh Khalsa, also known as Yogi Bhajan, introduced his own brand of kundalini yoga into the United States, “Kundalini Yoga as taught by Yogi Bhajan”. Yogi Bhajan founded the “Healthy, Happy, Holy Organization” (3HO) as a teaching organization. Yogi Bhajan took yogic postures and techniques, attached them to Tantric theories and Sikh mantras, synthesizing a new form of ‘Kundalini’ yoga. 

Kundalini yoga possesses a clear knowledge of 6 chakras. Detailed knowledge of Nadis psychic nerves for carrying prana & chakras is necessary for a student who is treading the path of Kundalini Yoga.

Kundalini yoga consists of six main components, which are done in the following order:

• Opening chant. Every class begins with an opening chant, also known as tuning in.
• Pranayama or warmup. You’ll do breathing exercises, called pranayama, and sometimes also movements to stretch your spine. The goal of pranayama is to practice breath control.
• Kriya. A kriya is a sequence of postures, pranayama, mudras (hand positions), sounds, and meditation. The length and intensity of the kriya depend on your instructor.
• Relaxation. This allows your body and mind to absorb the effects of a kriya.
• Meditation. Your instructor guides you through meditation to cultivate awareness.
• Closing chant. The class ends with a closing chant.