Any motion carried out throughout Kundalini Yoga observe might be known as a kriya.

Kundalini kriyas contain respiratory strategies, chants, and bodily actions that assist awaken the kundalini shakti from its dormant state.

In Kundalini Yoga, launched to the West by Yogi Bhajan within the Seventies, kriyas observe particular directions and are practised to attain a particular consequence.

When practised diligently, Kundalini kriyas unblock and activate the chakras, subtly or immediately remodeling the physique and thoughts of the practitioner. Additionally they goal organs such because the liver, backbone, abdomen, intestines, and eyes.

These kriyas are practised in the identical approach Yogi Bhajan taught them, following the steering of Kundalini lecturers. A typical Kundalini Yoga class begins with a gap mantra, adopted by a warm-up, performing a kriya, and concluding with meditation.

Chances are you’ll typically see Kundalini Yoga practitioners sporting white clothes and a white turban, however this isn’t necessary. Sporting white is recommended as a result of it’s believed to beat back destructive power and strengthen the aura.

White can also be an emblem of peace, which can assist promote a relaxed and targeted thoughts when practising kriyas.

By practising kundalini yoga kriyas, one can awaken the dormant kundalini power that lies on the base of the backbone in root chakra. In its woke up state, the power travels by means of the backbone to the crown of the top, activating the seven chakras.

This course of enhances self-awareness and encourages the free move of prana power.

Within the following part, we’ve talked about 10 frequent kriyas which can be typically carried out by practitioners. You will need to focus in your breath, gaze and sounds you make throughout the kriya as they assist in unblocking energies and growing focus.

1. Breath of fireside

The Breath of Hearth is a necessary and integral a part of Kundalini Yoga kriyas.

This kriya is a respiratory approach that generates interior warmth, aiding in detoxing and energizing the thoughts and physique. In Breath of Hearth, you inhale passively and exhale forcefully with out pauses. The tempo and size of every breath must be equal.

Breath of fireside kriya works on stimulating the Photo voltaic Plexus chakra which is the seat of willpower, dedication, and interior power. 

Comply with the steps under to carry out Breath of fireside kriya;

• Sit in a cross-legged yoga pose, prefeabbly; lotus pose or straightforward pose or thunderbolt pose. Sit tall along with your again upright.
• Place your palms on the knees, both in Gyan Mudra or just palms opens dealing with upwards. 
• Interact your stomach and inhale by means of your nostril. You need to really feel your stomach and diaphragm increasing.
• With none pause, exhale forcefully. Your stomach and diaphragm ought to snap again into the backbone. 
• Ensure the size of inhaling and exhaling are equal. Set up a rhythm and repeat the method for not less than 30 seconds.
• Step by step improve the time restrict to 5-10 minutes.

After you have completed practising BOF, come again to secure respiratory.

This respiratory kriya is usually carried out in the beginning of the kundalini yoga class to heat up internally.

2. Sat kriya

Sat Kriya is among the basic kriyas of Kundalini Yoga. In keeping with Yogi Bhajan, practising Sat Kriya for simply three minutes a day can present the advantages of a complete yoga class.

The kriya is known as Sat Kriya as a result of it entails chanting Sat Nam in sync with the breath. Sat (pronounced sut, as in “minimize”) means fact, honesty, or righteousness, whereas Nam (pronounced naam, as in “calm”) means title. Chanting Sat Nam is a approach of invoking the divine and aligning with the reality inside your self.

Sat Kriya immediately stimulates the awakening of Kundalini Shakti. It gently massages the inner organs, regulates blood strain, and strengthens the guts. Moreover, it fosters the awakening of sexual power and promotes deep leisure.

The three decrease chakras Root, Sacral, and Photo voltaic Plexus—are stimulated concurrently, serving to to calm the thoughts and enhance focus.

Comply with the steps under to carry out Sat kriya.

• Sit in a Vajrasana or Rock Pose. Your again must be straight, knees collectively and the highest of your toes must be on the bottom.
• Stretch each your arms overhead and be part of your palms. Your higher arms must be touching your ears and your elbows mustn’t bend.
• Interlock all of your finger besides the index fingers of each arms. Ideally, females ought to cross the left thumb over the fitting and males ought to cross the fitting thumb over the left. This hand place is named kali mudra.
• Begin chanting Sat Nam in a relentless rhythmic method 8 instances in 10 seconds.
• On inhalation, pull your navel in and up in the direction of the backbone, chant Sat. Whereas exhaling, chant Nam and chill out the stomach.
• You don’t want to have interaction any locks or bandhas as root and the diaphragm locks are mechanically engaged once you breath. All through the method of chanting, your backbone stays straight.
• Focus your gaze on the center of the brows along with your eyes closed. 

If you’re a newbie, do sat kriya for not less than 3 minutes. Step by step improve the time to 31 minutes.

On the finish of three minutes, inhale deeply and squeeze the muscular tissues from the buttocks previous the shoulder blades. Maintain your breath for just a few seconds whereas specializing in the Crown Chakra after which exhale utterly.

As quickly as you finish the Sat Kriya, it’s best to observe it up with an extended deep leisure. The everyday time for leisure is twice the size of time the kriya was practiced. This leisure time is a should as it should give time to your physique to assimilate with itself.

Notice: Sat kriya of kundalini yoga shouldn’t be misunderstood with Shat kriyas of Hatha Yoga. In kundalini yoga, sat kriya is a chant synch with respiratory motion whereas in hatha yoga shat kriya (shat means 6) is named to the gathering of 6 yogic kriyas used for inner physique cleaning.

3. Ego eradicator

Because the title reveals, Ego Eradicator kundalini kriya is practised to convey that openness within the coronary heart which removes the sense of I-ness and calms the thoughts.

Ego Eradicator kriya is carried out by opening the arms up & sideways. Then with this arms place Breath of Hearth is carried out. This can be a very talked-about kriya amongst kundalini yoga practitioners.

Practising the ego eradicator will open your coronary heart and stability the 2 hemispheres of the mind. It is going to cleanse and strengthen the lungs and enhance spinal power as properly.

Furthermore, this kriya can even stability your chakras, making certain a smoother move of prana power. This can promote psychological readability, consciousness, alertness, and tranquility.

Comply with the steps under to do that kriya.

• Sit in an Simple Pose (Sukhasana).
• Stretch your arms overhead at an angle of 60-degrees. Curl your fingers in order that the fingertips contact the bottom of the fingers. Maintain the thumb prolonged and pointed in the direction of the sky.
• Shut your eyes and deal with the Third Eye Chakra.
• Start Breath of Hearth and proceed for 1-3 minutes.
• On the finish of the kriya, be part of the thumbs on the recommendations on an inhale and apply the foundation lock on exhale. Take one other inhale and chill out your physique on exhale.

4. Spinal stretch

This kriya is much like the Cat-Cow pose in Hatha Yoga. The one distinction is that you may be practising the spinal stretch in a seated place. By way of the spinal flex kriya, you may cut back the tightness and stiffness within the backbone. 

Doing spinal stretch will be sure that, bodily, there may be an uninterrupted move of the spinal fluid from the mind to the backbone. Spiritually, all of the chakras will probably be stimulated and promote a free move of prana. 

• Sit in an Simple Pose (Sukhasana) with eyes closed.
• Maintain each your shins or knees.
• Inhale and flex your backbone ahead and open your chest. Exhale and flex the backbone backward.
• At any time, the shoulders mustn’t contact your ears and be relaxed. Additionally, pay attention to protecting your head straight.

Repeat the train for 3 minutes.

5. Spinal twist

The spinal twist train successfully loosens your backbone, particularly decrease and mid-spine. It releases any stiffness or stress within the backbone and again muscular tissues, strengthens the lungs and cleanses your aura.

• Sit in an Simple Pose (Sukhasana).
• Place your arms in your shoulder, fingers within the entrance and thumb on the again. Your higher arms must be parallel to the bottom and elbows must be in keeping with the shoulders.
• Twist to the fitting as you inhale after which on the left as you exhale. Whereas twisting, your head and backbone will stay straight. Chant Sat on inhale and Nam on exhale.
• Don’t be stiff. Enable your again and head to simply twist with the move.

Repeat the train for 1-3 minutes.

6. Stretch pose

The stretch pose is a difficult and superior train that usually causes issues to the practitioners. However if you’re conscious of your breath and deal with drawing your power from the navel heart, it is possible for you to to simply conquer this pose.

This pose works on the whole physique. It resets the nervous system, strengthens the stomach organs, purifies and rejuvenates the blood. The stretch pose additionally focuses on the third eye chakra which calms your thoughts and enhances your shallowness.

Ladies can particularly profit from this pose because it strengthens the reproductive organs.

If you’re a newbie, don’t power your physique to carry the pose for 3 minutes. Should you can’t maintain the pose for greater than 10 seconds, it’s advantageous to let go of the place and chill out for just a few seconds. Begin once more after enjoyable. You possibly can step by step improve the time whereas alternating between holding the pose and enjoyable for just a few seconds.

• Lie down in your again.
• Lengthen the again of your neck and raise your head and higher chest collectively. Draw your chin in to maintain the top straight and lengthened. 
• Carry your decrease leg, protecting the decrease again on the bottom, roughly 6 inches from the bottom. Repair your gaze within the ideas of your toes.
• Maintain your hand stretched out in entrance of you with palms down however not touching your physique. You may as well place them beside you, with palms dealing with inwards and never touching the bottom or your physique.
• Should you really feel any discomfort in your decrease again, place your arms underneath your buttocks for help or calmly relaxation the heel on the bottom. 
• Observe Breath of Hearth on this pose.

7. Entrance life nerve stretch

The Life Nerve Stretch in Kundalini Yoga is identical because the Seated Ahead Bend (Paschimottanasana) in Hatha Yoga. This train strengthens the legs and pelvis whereas stimulating the sciatic nerves. The ahead fold additionally promotes spinal lengthening and strengthening.

• Sit along with your legs stretched out in entrance of you.
• Seize your large toes along with your finger. Wrap the index and center finger across the toe and press the toenail with the pads of your thumb.
• With an elongated backbone, interact your navel and bend ahead whereas exhaling. On the following inhale, push up with the power of your legs and the navel. In each instances, the top follows final.
• Proceed this train for 1-3 minutes whereas respiratory deeply.

8. Cobra pose

The observe of this pose is much like Hatha yoga however the intention to carry out is barely completely different. In Kundalini Yoga, the cobra pose is practised to stability the apana. It additionally will increase the prana power move in order that the power circulates in the direction of the upper centres.

By specializing in the Apana, it additionally stimulates and balances sexual power.

• Lie down in your abdomen and place your forearms beside your ribs. Maintain your legs joined collectively.
• Deliver your arms under your shoulders and unfold your fingers to create a agency help and unfold the burden evenly.
• Inhale and raise your head, chest and backbone upwards whereas protecting your pelvis and legs on the mat. Maintain your shoulder away out of your ears and shoulders blades pressed in the direction of the again. 
• Keep on this pose for 1-3 minutes whereas training Breath of Hearth.
• On the following inhale, stretch your backbone to the utmost. Maintain your breath within the subsequent exhale and apply the foundation lock. Inhale and exhale whereas slowly coming right down to lie down on the mat utterly.

9. Archer pose

Bodily talking, the archer pose will strengthen your quads, legs, knees, shoulders, and arms. Internally, it should stimulate the third eye chakra and promote emotions of fearlessness, willpower, and dedication.  

• Begin by standing within the Tadasana (Mountain Pose).
• Step your left foot to the again by approx. 3 toes. Place your left heel on the ground and switch the toes to a 45-degree angle. Your left leg must be straight.
• Bend the fitting knee in order that your thighs are parallel to the ground and your knee is in keeping with the ankle. Ensure your proper foot heel is in keeping with the arch of the left foot.
• Curl the fingers of each arms into your palm besides the thumb. Put your arms in entrance of your with this hand formation.
• Pull your left hand again in order that the fist is close to the left shoulder as should you had been pulling the arrow from the bow. Your proper arm must be parallel to the bottom and each the shoulders must be in line.
• Focus your gaze on the tip of your right-hand thumb.

Observe this pose for 3 minutes on every leg.

10. Deep Rest

Simply as a Hatha Yoga session ends with Savasana (Corpse Pose), Kundalini Yoga additionally incorporates a deep leisure approach. The aim is much like permit the physique to soak up and benefit from the adjustments led to by the kriyas. You possibly can bask within the rejuvenating power of your aura and let your physique totally chill out.

Merely lie in your again along with your arms by your sides, palms dealing with up. Shut your eyes and chill out for 11 to fifteen minutes..

Conclusion

The kriyas talked about above are just some among the many many Kundalini Yoga kriyas taught by Yogi Bhajan. By stimulating and activating the chakras and prana power move, you permit the Kundalini power to align and rise upward.

By combining breath, gaze, and sound, you additionally activate the third eye and crown chakras, fostering a connection to divine consciousness the final word aim of any yoga observe.