From Me To You | July 2022

The Blessing of Elevation – for Yourself and for Others

Sat Naam and greetings to you!

When I took my first Kundalini Yoga class – in September of 1989 – I actually didn’t experience much of anything.  I wasn’t swept off my feet, I didn’t feel surges of energy or waves of peace.  If I hadn’t been signed up for a 7 week course, I may not have even gone back!  By the end of those 7 weeks, I thought that maybe, just maybe, I was feeling something from the kriyas.  So I signed up for another 7 week program.  And that time I was sure that I was feeling some effects.  

What was it that made me keep signing up for each new block of classes?  I didn’t have words for it at the time, but looking back I think ELEVATION is a good description of my experience.  I’d guess that you’ve also felt that mix of energy, focus, calm, and overall just feeling good after a strong Kundalini Yoga class.  The sequences of exercises and meditation just seem to work like magic – elevating my mood, lifting up my energy, and expanding my consciousness – elevation on multiple levels!

It didn’t take long for me to go through a teacher training program and begin sharing the techniques with others.  And I quickly discovered another level of elevation – the pure joy that comes from elevating others.  As a teacher, and especially as a teacher trainer able to see students deeply transform and grow through their own 9 month teacher training program, I have felt so blessed and honored to experience students awakening to their own fullness of purpose, embracing their true identity, and learning to love both their light and their shadow.

And now in my role as CEO of KRI, this joy of being a part of the elevation of others is what gets me up each day!  Thousands and thousands of people are uplifted each day through the practice of Kundalini Yoga and Meditation.  I hope that someday soon there will be millions and millions of people benefiting from these practices!  

Practicing Kundalini Yoga and Meditation, by themselves, won’t reverse global warming or stop wars.  But for sure we won’t be able to solve these kinds of problems (and the smaller ones we each face every day!) without elevation.  As Einstein said, “No problem can be solved from the same level of consciousness that created it.”  We all (collectively and individually) desperately need elevation right now.  Elevating, connecting to our spirit, is the true antidote to literally everything, because it is what allows us to see “the way through every block.”

There was one thing I learned early on that still comes back to me over and over again as one of my most important life lessons.  Sometimes we can’t control our circumstances (our external world).  But we can always control our attitude (our inner world).  When we can elevate our attitude (especially when we’re most stressed out, when it’s toughest to do!), we can be happy and grateful and serviceful, no matter what life throws at us.  We all are flying through life.  If you’re flying 6 inches off the ground, you’ll keep bumping your nose into every little obstacle along the way.  If you can elevate yourself, you can sail over the same obstacles and better enjoy the view.  Only with an elevated perspective will we see the way through every obstacle that we know is there.  Otherwise we will fail, get frustrated, or react in ways that will cause more damage and pain.  

Over these next two months, as we focus on Elevation, KRI’s prayer is that you are always able to elevate yourself and able to act from your True Self.  As always, KRI has a TON of support for you!  Check out some of these highlights:

Highlights of this month

Kundalini Beyond Borders

KRI and IKYTA have teamed up to support KRI certified teachers who are bringing Kundalini Yoga to underserved communities.  Generous donations flowed in from around the world, and then 75 applications were submitted for cash grants.  A world-wide team of teachers reviewed the applications and selected 10 amazing grant recipients for this year (100% of the money raised was distributed).  Inspire yourself by reading about these projects here.  And keep your eye out in a few months for the opening of the 2023 Kundalini Beyond Borders program (for both donations and grant applications)!

21 Stages of Meditation

If you’re looking for a chance to just sit with yourself and meditate; this is the course for you!  No long lectures, no reading assignments, just a lot of meditation!  You can take all 6 days (three consecutive weekends in October), or sign up for just one of the weekends.  Elevate yourself!  Give yourself the gift of a few days to just be with your mind.  This course is online, so anyone, anywhere can take it.  But you won’t need to interact online, so you won’t need to sit close to your computer the whole time.  You’ll have the convenience of being at home and the power of a group experience, without adding to your Zoom burnout!

Authentic Relationships Level Two Teacher Training – Asia and Oceania

Due to popular demand, KRI is offering an online Level 2 teacher training course in blocks of time convenient for those of you living in Asia and Oceania. Though of course, everyone is welcome!  KRI is offering this online course in September.  Read more about this course, check out the dates and the training team, and register here.  

There are many, many amazing KRI certified teacher training courses around the world; so I hope you will find one that works for you. They will all facilitate you gaining invaluable experiences and take-away tools for stronger relationships. Harmonious and fulfilling relationships are possible and available to everyone.  

KRI Monthly Specials

Each month KRI offers a special discount on select products and classes.  Take advantage of these sale items in July – for yourself or as an uplifting gift for your yogi friends!

The Kundalini Meditation Oracle

I am really excited to announce KRI’s newest physical “book” product.  60 powerful Kundalini Yoga meditations, in a beautifully designed deck of cards.  Each card focuses on a different aspect, and a small booklet can help you dive deeper into each card’s theme.  Let your intuition guide your practice! 

Yogis United in Social Change – Passion with Purpose Bundle

As I mentioned above, Kundalini Yoga and meditation can give us the elevation we need to successfully tackle seemingly impossible challenges.  Which is so important as the world seems filled with really, really hard challenges right now!  We love it when passionate yogis take their courage, imagination, energy, and resiliency off the mat and make a real positive difference in the world.  So this month we’re offering a deep discount on over 20 hours of amazing online learning content – all focused on using the intersection of Kundalini Yoga and social justice issues.  If you have even the smallest urge to help make our world a more fair and just place for all people, check it out!

• FREE D&I webinar “Close the Gap between Self & Social Awareness: How to Unpack Cultural Biases, Privilege, & Micro-Aggressions” with Atma Chanan
• Social Justice Resource; Embodying Anti-Racism: Being the Change! 6 episodes. Presenters include: Kenn Strickland, Priti Darshan, Faith Hunter, Gurumukh Mark Harris, Yinka Adeniji, Japa Khalsa
• The Yoga of Intersectionality with Gurumukh Mark Harris.
• Revolutionary Love: Open your heart to social justice with Nirinjan Kaur Baker & Valarie Kaur

50% OFF the courses listed above

KRI 50 years Timeline

KRI is celebrating our 50th anniversary in 2022.  To commemorate some of the amazing work that’s been done in these past 50 years, we’ve assembled a timeline history of KRI that you can check out here.

May we elevate ourselves and elevate others.  May we lean on our spirit and elevate our consciousness so that we can be a flow of universal love into the world.  Let us allow this elevating practice to be available for anyone who wishes to participate.  May we be blessed with the perpetual remembrance of our True Self, our Sat Naam, and may our actions always come from that elevated place.  May we each act to alleviate suffering in the world in whatever ways we are uniquely able to.  

Peace in our hearts, peace in our homes, peace in our communities, peace on our planet.

Have a blessed month,

Amrit Khalsa,

CEO of KRI