Kundalini yoga is a dynamic blend of postures, conscious breathing, mantra, music and meditation, which can bring you relaxation, self-healing and elevation. It will balance body and mind, which will enable you to experience the clarity and beauty of your soul. No previous experience in yoga is required for you to achieve results with your very first experience!

About Kundalini Yoga

Kundalini Yoga as taught by Yogi Bhajan® is a comprehensive yoga tradition, combining meditation, mantra, physical exercises and breathing techniques. Kundalini Yoga is a householder path; that is, it has always been practiced by those with families and jobs as opposed to a renunciate’s path of celibacy and removal from society, which was the usual path of a yogi.

Kundalini Yoga as we practice and teach it, is also known as the Yoga of Awareness; its focus is on self-awareness and delivering an experience of your highest consciousness. The technology of Kundalini Yoga is a science of the mind and body, to elevate the spirit, which has no boundaries, no discrimination. Therefore it is for everyone, universal and nondenominational.

Kundalini yoga is also a Raj Yog, encompassing the eight limbs of yoga into a singular practice of excellence and ecstasy. “Kundalini” literally means “the curl of the lock of hair of the beloved.” This poetic metaphor alludes to the flow of energy and consciousness that exists within each of us, and enables us to merge with – or “yoke” – the universal Self. Fusing individual and universal consciousness creates a divine union, called “yoga.” The Upanishads, dating back to the fifth century B.C., describe the kundalini, although the oral tradition reaches back even further into history. For thousands of years, this sacred science and technology was veiled in secrecy, passed along verbally from master to chosen disciple.

Kundalini Yoga tends to use rhythmic motions, linked with conscious breathing, and chanting more than other popular forms of yoga today. It has an enormous variety of techniques and meditations, allowing the instructor to tailor programs that support the individual and her goals. It’s a safe way to stimulate the body’s natural resources and become healthy, happy, and holy—in body, mind and spirit. It’s a proven path to the Self and the Soul—to an experience of your highest destiny.

History of Kundalini Yoga

Kundalini Yoga was brought to the West in 1968 by Yogi Bhajan. Through the practice of Kundalini Yoga and meditation, your glandular and nervous systems are stimulated, and your capacity for creative potential is heightened. You gain inner vitality to compensate for the adverse effects of stress so you can excel in life.

In the early days of this new open sharing of these profound technologies in Los Angeles, it was already evident that it provided quick, transformative, and practical benefits for modern life. Prior to that time, this style of yoga had been only known by those lucky enough to be able to dedicate their lives to study and it was passed on through that means. With such a pressing global need for health and spiritual inspiration, KRI is excited to be sharing these teachings openly, so that everyone can have equitable access to this profound treasure of knowledge.

About a Kundalini Yoga Practice or Class

In any Kundalini Yoga class, anywhere in the world, you can expect to find six major components:

  1. Tuning-in with the mantra “Ong Namo, Guru Dev Namo”
  2. Pranayam or warm-up
  3. Kriya
  4. Relaxation
  5. Meditation
  6. Closing with the blessing song, “May the Long Time Sun Shine Upon You”.

Kriyas are complete sets of exercises that are performed as they were taught. They can be simple short sequences or they may involve vigorous, even strenuous exercises, and strong breath techniques such as Breath of Fire, which challenge and strengthen the nervous and endocrine systems and test the will of the practitioner beyond the limitations of their ego.

The typical class is 60-90 minutes: 5-10 minute warm-up, 30-45 minute kriya, 5-15 minute layout, 11-31 minutes of meditation.

Kundalini Yoga as taught by Yogi Bhajan® typically includes pranayam and meditation. Pranayam practices range from One Minute Breath, Breath of Fire, alternate nostril breathing, Dog Breath, Sitali Pranayam, and suspended breath techniques, to name a few. Meditations often involve movement or mantra, and generally have an eye focus (drishti) in addition to mudra (hand position) and asana (body posture). Many Kundalini Yoga kriyas and meditations include mantra and chanting. One of the first signs of the awakening of the kundalini is a new awareness of the power of our words. You begin to meditate on and develop inner sounds using mantra and naad. The use of mantra throughout our practice is very effective in attaining two particular goals of the practice—expansion of the Self and elevation of the spirit. Mantra also supports those new to meditation, who find silence and absolutely stillness very challenging. In this way it is a ‘beginner’s practice’ and can be used by anyone to attain clarity, balance and equanimity. In addition, there are many meditations that are silent, practiced in a profoundly transformative stillness called shuniya.

Frequently Asked Questions about Kundalini Yoga

Yogi Bhajan (aka Siri Singh Sahib Bhai Sahib Harbhajan Singh Khalsa Yogiji) came to the United States in 1969 and founded a non-profit organization called 3HO that same year. In 1970 he completed his first teacher’s training and the Kundalini Research Institute was formed in 1971 and went on to formalize the certification and training of teachers internationally.

KRI-trained teachers are sharing these Teachings all over the world in many amazing and unique ways! The Teacher Training school that KRI oversees has many highly experienced trainers who run KRI certification programs, each with their own unique flair and style while still delivering a globally consistent curriculum and certification standards. You can find a full directory of international trainers here. See also the International Kundalini Yoga Teachers Association for more information about local instructors in your area.

See Trainer Directory HERE

The Kundalini Research Institute has certified more than 40,000 Kundalini Yoga Teachers around the world. You can find a list of some of the active teachers in the IKYTA website. 

IKYTA Website