Kundalini Yoga engages me: the breath work opens me up; the mantras inspire me; the movement enlivens and challenges me; the meditations shift me; the internal, silent repetition of Sat Nam (I am Truth) brings me back to who I am again and again. The engagement is what makes it such a doable practice. If I'm not fully engaged, I'm distracted. If I'm distracted, my thoughts take over -- and that is not what I want in my spiritual practice. 

In this series, I explain 5 of the elements that make Kundalini Yoga an all-consuming, enjoyable, beautiful and healing practice. Each ingredient is, on its own, good for you. And together, they are a recipe for physical, mental, spiritual health and happiness. 

Breath of fire is a breath practice that is used throughout Kundalini Yoga. The three things I love most about it are: 1) how practicing it interrupts my churning mind, 2) how I feel a little buzzy and wonderful after a round of it, and 3) how it helps me through challenging postures. 

It's an activating, fueling, fast (about the speed of a panting dog), belly-moving, and audible breath, usually done through the nose. With all that going on, it's actually difficult to let the mind wander.  You're in it. You're present. 

In addition to how it brings presence, breath of fire offers MANY tangible benefits, including:

• detoxification 
• expansion of lung capacity
• strengthening of nervous system
• activating the navel chakra
• increasing stamina 
• reducing addictive impulses
• boosting the immune system

In her book A Woman's Book of Yoga,  my teacher Hari Kaur Khalsa, describes breath of fire as "a super energizer and a stress buster," and I couldn't agree more. 

Like everything in this practice, it's in the experience of it. So, try it (unless you are menstruating, pregnant, or fewer than three months post-partum, in which cases breath of fire is contraindicated). Here are two ways to learn or continue to move toward mastery of this awesome breath:

1. Lie down on your back with your hand on your lower belly. Inhale through the nose as you let the belly fill up like a balloon. Exhale through the nose as you feel the belly move in toward the spine. Begin as slowly as you need to in order to get the coordination of the breath and the belly. Speed up when you're able to. Move toward 2-3 cycles of breath per second. 
2. Another way to learn is to sit tall with a straight spine, open your mouth, stick out your tongue and pant like a dog. Feel the speed of that and then notice the belly movement, which is hopefully moving in on the exhale and out on the exhale. After you've done that for a minute or two, close the mouth and try to replicate the pace through the nose. 

If you feel dizzy at any point, stop and take some deep breaths. If you feel you may be reversing the belly action, stop and start again. The most important thing is to be patient. "Patience pays," as Yogi Bhajan said. You'll get it; it will become automatic.

And you'll love it! You'll love doing it. You'll love the benefits. You'll love how it brings you in the moment. And, if you're like me, it'll help you fall in love with the practice of Kundalini Yoga. 

When I first began my Kundalini journey, the mantras (sacred sounds) were a strange and confusing element to me. My first teacher used to shout out Sat Nam Sat Nam Sat Nam Sat Nam Sat Nam Sat Nam Wahe Guru with no explanation. Back then, I regarded mantras as an inaccessible aspect of a powerful practice that I could just choose to tune out, and in so doing, not embrace the full “weirdness” of it all.

Little did I know that mantras would enter my heart and remain there ever-available for my healing, for my soothing, for my transformation. In fact, much to my surprise, mantras became the most accessible aspect of my practice. Over the more than two decades I’ve practiced, my body and mind have been in different states. I’ve experienced minor injuries, fluctuating strength and flexibility and my mind has moved all over the spectrum from chaotic to peaceful. At times, I’ve had to pull back from a robust physical practice. At times, the mere suggestion of sitting in silent meditation will send me running away from the mat. But mantras — Sat Nam Sat Nam Sat Nam Sat Nam Sat Nam Sat Nam Wahe Guru — are always there in my consciousness, rising to the surface when needed, redirecting my distracted mind, reminding me that I am a spiritual being, and bringing a feel-good aliveness to every cell.

The word mantra means mind projection, and that definition tells so much of the story. In Kundalini Yoga, we repeat sacred sounds to bring our attention to beautiful and uplifting messages and to give our bodies the experience of a higher vibration than our everyday thoughts and language achieve. We draw on an extensive cannon of mantras, which come mostly from sacred Sikh texts. Although they come from a religious tradition, these mantras are for people of all faiths. They access something deeper — heart and soul — than tenets.

The above beautiful mantras, along with many others, are another tool in the toolbox of things that make Kundalini Yoga, oh-so-engaging and therefore oh-so-doable. There are three ways to work with mantras in a Kundalini Yoga practice.

1. Play them in the background of a physical practice and allow for a gorgeous undercurrent of support. Just playing the music begins to uplift the environment.
2. Repeat the mantras silently and internally to focus the mind. Regardless of how busy the mind is, you can bring your focus to a sacred sound to redirect.
3. Chant them aloud, either in a monotone or along with a musical track. This is my favorite! It is joy! It is expression of Truth, of that which I cannot even understand with the limited mind but that is all about the magic of life.

Bringing mantra in in these ways has an impact. Like everything in this blog series, they add to the mix a way of staying in the moment.

In addition to bringing us into presence, each mantra carries with it a specific benefit.
Sat Nam, which I will discuss more in depth in Part 5 of this blog series, brings us into alignment with our authentic self.
Gobinday Mukunday lists qualities of divine energy and works to cleanse the subconscious mind and break through deep-seated blocks.
Chattr Chakkr Vartee speaks of divine support and helps to release fear.
Pavan Guru reminds us of our life force and the nourishment of the breath. It is said to increase energy.
Sat Narayan is about the sustaining force in the Universe and it serves to protect the heart and allow us to go with the flow.

You can sample my favorite musical versions of each of the above mantras here. Enjoy them. Enjoy the beauty. Enjoy the effects. Enjoy that they are available to us, to make our Kundalini practice that much more meaningful, real, and high.

If all you know of meditation is the stereotype of “close your eyes and empty your mind,” it could feel impossible. The Kundalini approach to meditation is quite different, and in my opinion much less intimidating than other forms. Each Kundalini meditation (and there are many) has, like a kriya, a specific intention or outcome. In order to achieve the outcome, there is a combination of tools, which can include an eye focus, a breath pattern, a hand position, an arm movement, and/or a mantra. Having those tools what makes the meditations easier. The tools hold us every step of the way and keep us from straying into a torrent of thoughts. 
​
This is so key for me. See, I didn’t go into this yoga in order to meditate. I wasn’t interested in meditation or convinced of the benefits of it. I wanted to move and feel good. But as I’ve experienced these meditations and trained, I’ve become more and more interested and more and more convinced -- to the point that Kundalini Meditations have become an imperative in my life and more than that, they’ve become a reminder of magic. But I can only get to the magic by doing and I’m only willing to do what feels doable and stuff only feels doable when I know I’ll feel engaged. (This is why reorganizing my bathroom cabinets hasn’t gotten done. Not so engaging for me.)

Here are some Kundalini Meditations to try that draw on tools to engage you. 
​
Meditation to Conquer Self-Animosity
Draws on an eye focus, a breath pattern, and a hand position.
This meditation is particularly helpful in dealing with self-sabotage. Here how: ​​

1. Sit tall with the chin pulled in toward the throat. 
2. Relax the arms at the sides , bring the hands into fists and point the thumbs start up to the sky;  press the fists together so that the knuckles and the sides of the thumbs are touching; hold the hands just below the chest.
3. Direct the eyes down and in at the tip of the nose.
4. Inhale through the nose and  exhale through the mouth; then inhale through the mouth and exhale through the nose. 
5. Continue with this pattern for 3 minutes.

Meditation to Experience & Project the Original Self
Draws on an arm position and a mantra.
Practice this meditation in order to  return to your True Self. 

1. Sit tall. Place your left arm up parallel to the ground with the elbow bent, hand in front of your heart center with your palm facing down. Place your right arm out to the side with the elbow bent, palm facing forward, and hand in gyan mudra (thumb and pointer finger meeting). 
2. Close your eyes and chant Ram Ram Hari Ram, Ram Ram Hari Hari. (I love Snatam Kaur’s version. Sample it here. Continue for 11-31 minutes. 
3. To finish, inhale and hold the breath and the posture for 20-30 seconds if you can. Exhale, maintaining the arm position. Inhale and hold the breath and the posture again. Exhale, relax, and sit in silence.

Meditation to Open the Heart
Draws on an eye focus, a mantra, and an arm movement.
This  meditation is for those times when you feel your heart has closed and you need to re-initiate the flow of love.

1. Sit talls with the eyes closed and focused up and in at the brow point. 
2. Chant the mantra Sat Kartar as you move the arms. As you chant sat, place the hands in prayer at the heart center. As you chant kar, extend the hands out from the shoulders with the elbows bent, halfway to the final position. As you chant tar, stretch the arms straight out from the shoulders, with the palms flexed (fingers pointing up). ​I love this version of the mantra. 
3. Continue in this manner for up to 11 minutes. 

May this meditations engage you. May they woe you. May they treat you to magic! 

Any amount of Kundalini Yoga and meditation that you do is beneficial. But I want you to gain everything you can from this amazingly rich tradition. I want you to experience all the promised benefits. I want it to infect your whole life so that you reach the full potential of your vitality and creativity.

Good news. There is a way. There is a way to accelerate your Kundalini Yoga practice, to receive more benefits: begin a 40-day Daily Practice or Sadhana. 

What is a 40-Day Sadhana? It is the consistent practice of the same kriya (sequence) or meditation for 40 days in a row without missing a day. If you miss a day, you have to go back to day one. 

It is said that in order to get the full benefits of any given practice, you must do it every day for 40 days. According to yogic wisdom, it takes 40 days to the remove any of the bad habits and blocks that might prevent the outcomes from fully emerging. It takes 40 days to retrain the mind. 

Forty days is significant, and not just according to Kundalini Yoga. In the world of religion, this number represents a threshold for fasting and prayer. In psychology, researchers have shown that one's personality could be changed through handwriting exercises done over a 40 day period. 

​In this world, in these times, there are so many distractions, so many options, so many reasons not to roll out the mat and stay with the same process over time. So when we do, we conquer all that. We conquer our egos. When we commit and build up our discipline muscle, we see that we can do anything, and we see that this yoga works like magic. 

It does. It works like magic. I've experienced myself -- such specific and deep change within. Magical!  I've seen it in my students and private clients. Magical! 

Happy Breath. Breath of fire is one of the foundational breath techniques of Kundalini Yoga. If you've practiced breath of fire, you know that it delivers a nice, buzzy feeling in the body. For me, it provides instant relief in the mind because its rhythm and sound take over and everything else recedes. The equation is simple: Buzzy Body + Relaxed Mind = Happiness.

​TRY IT: Breath of fire is a quick, rhythmic breath through the nose with an equal inhale and exhale. On the inhale, the belly expands a bit. On the exhale, the belly contracts. Ideally, you'll breathe at a rate of 2-3 breaths per second. If you are just beginning to learn, you can start slow and begin to pick up the pace as the navel action becomes natural. So, sit tall in a chair or cross-legged on the floor and try for 1-3 minutes. Do it everyday. You'll be HAPPY you did. Note: if you are pregnant or menstruating, do not practice breath of fire. If you become light-headed, stop, take some long deep breaths and start again when you feel better, focusing on an even inhale and exhale. 

Happy Energy. In Kundalini Yoga, there is often an emphasis on dynamic movement. We do this because we want to get the energy flowing, the blood circulating, the spinal fluid moving. When we feel this pulsing aliveness in our bodies, we feel good. So too, through dynamic movement matched with the breath, we can move through old patterns of tension, pockets of emotional blockage, and stagnation in the body. We are also focused on raising the Kundalini Energy. Kundalini is so much: it is vitality; it is soul energy; it is awareness; it is our potential. Most of the time for most of us the Kundalini energy lies dormant at the base of the spine. We move to awaken it; to clear the pathway for it. Here's the energy equation: Pulsing Aliveness - Blocks + Awakened Kundalini = Happiness.

TRY IT: Cat-Cow is a great movement for the spine. Begin on the hands and knees, hands shoulder-width apart and knees directly under the hips. Inhale and tilt the pelvis forward, arching the spine down and lifting the head. This is the cow position. Think udders hanging down.  Exhale and push the mat away and curve the spine like a mad cat, allowing the head and neck to relax down. Continue this movement for 2 minutes, moving rapidly. Do this everyday. You'll be HAPPY you did. 

Happy Meditations. The mind isn't always our friend. We can make ourselves unhappy and suffer if we allow the stream of thoughts to overtake our experience. That's where meditation comes in. The meditations in Kundalini Yoga have specific intentions. We have a meditation to release anger, to calm the heart, to increase cognitive function, to relieve stress, to reclaim happiness, and many, many others. Regardless of the intention though, meditating daily and addressing the mental storms through meditation, will help you be happier. Meditation helps you cultivate a different relationship to your thoughts, so your thoughts don't own you, don't define you. When your thoughts don't own you, you realize you don't have to suffer with them. When you suffer less, you are happier. The meditation equation (maybe the most important one) is:  One Meditation Per Day  = Happiness .

TRY IT: There is a beautiful practice called Meditation to Reclaim Your Happiness. Don't you love that? We are reclaiming, rather than building, happiness because happiness is our natural state. If you'd like to give this practice a try, you can go to this video with Sirgun Kaur, Kundalini Yoga teacher and devotional artist. Try this meditation everyday and do this same meditation everyday for 40 days. You'll get the full benefits that way and RECLAIM YOUR HAPPINESS.

Happy Authenticity. One of our primary focuses in Kundalini Yoga is on the authentic self. Through the practice, we shed the baggage, peel back the layers of falsehoods in order to connect to our truth. How do we do that? One way we approach it is through the repetition of the mantra sat nam, which means Truth is my identity. Repeating sat nam to ourselves creates a focus on and a resonance with Truth. We thread this mantra throughout our practice and it becomes a ritual reminder to drop the masks, forget the expectations of others, and be our truest selves. In my mind, that is the path of happiness. If we are trying to live anything but our true purpose, what is aligned with our soul, we create inner turmoil. If we align, we lift that turmoil and bring ease and joy. Here's the equation: Sat Nam + Sat Nam + Sat Nam + Sat Nam + Sat Nam + Sat Nam + Sat Nam + Sat Nam + Sat Nam + Sat Nam + Sat Nam + Sat Nam + Sat Nam + Sat Nam + Sat Nam + Sat Nam + Sat Nam + Sat Nam + Sat Nam + Sat Nam + Sat Nam + Sat Nam + Sat Nam + Sat Nam + Sat Nam + Sat Nam + Sat Nam + Sat Nam = Happiness
​
TRY IT: Repeat Sat Nam. You can do this anywhere any time. Inhale and silently repeat the sound sat  (rhymes with hut); exhale repeat the sound nam (rhymes with mom).  Continue as long as you like and when you're done, say to yourself, "I am in my Truth." Do this every day, several times a day. You'll be HAPPY you did. 

Happy Mantras.  Mantras and beautiful music remind us of the magic of the universe. Each and every mantra in the Kundalini Yoga tradition is a reinforcement of the fact that we are part of something larger than our finite selves, that the Universe supports us. Here are just a few examples: 

• Sat Narayan Wahe Guru Hari Narayan Sat Nam: This mantra means "True Sustainer, Indescribable Wisdom, Creative Sustainer, True Identity." We chant this mantra when we want to remember that we are supported and when we want to create inner peace and project happiness. 
• Ek Ong Kar Sat Gur Prasad: This mantra means "the Creator and Creation are one, the truth and experience of this is the Guru's gift." This is said to be the most sacred of all mantras and when you chant it and know it, bliss flows through you.  
• Ang Sang Wahe Guru: This mantra means "the Great Infinite Wisdom dances in every cell of my being". It is said to adjust the mind so that you can experience the Oneness. 

In chanting mantras, we embody their messages. When we chant in the sacred language of Gurmukhi (not our first language), we bypass the intellect and inscribe the sound and meaning in our hearts. Besides, just the beauty of it is uplifting. This is the simplest equation of all:  
Chanting = Happiness.

TRY IT: Chant. Here's a link to a sample playlist of songs with the above mentioned mantras. You can also search for each mantra on Youtube and find wonderful versions. Listen. Learn them and, most importantly, chant along. 

I want to share one of the best pieces of advice I've ever received: Lower your standards.

Not everyone agrees with this advice because it sounds, on its surface, like a road to mediocrity, but I believe that it's a road to steadiness.
​
The advice comes from poet William E. Stafford (1914-1993) who famously woke up everyday at 4am and wrote a poem. One poem every day before his family woke up.

How was that possible? The poet e.e. cummings said that a writer could spend 25 years on one line of one poem, and we know that writers agonize over their words and can be reluctant to call anything complete.

When Stafford was asked how in the world he writes a full poem every day in the space of a couple of hours, he replied, "It's easy. I lower my standards." 
​
What I took this to mean is not that he didn't go back and revise ever but that he wouldn't let perfectionism stop him. He wrote a poem to an end in the allotted time every day. 

The advice -- lower your standards -- applies to so many things in life (my favorite application is house cleaning), but I think it applies especially well to meditation. From one day to the next, we don't know how our meditation is going to be. One day it could be full of distracting thoughts. The next day, it could be very peaceful. We could feel a darkness pervading one day and showered with light another. In all scenarios, we are meditating and more importantly developing the habit of meditating. In all scenarios, we are showing up for the deep work of connecting to our inner wisdom and however messy it is in the mind, I believe our souls take notice. 

So please don't let perfectionism stop you. Please drop your expectations of how meditation should be. You closed your eyes; you went within; you sat for the allotted time... you meditated. 

It's not about having a perfect experience or blissing out, it's about showing up and moving through it. If we can liberate ourselves from perfectionism and keep showing up, we can be steady in our practice. And steadiness is the most important thing, providing the container for the wisdom to pour through, the insight to burst forth, the peace to rise to the surface day after day. That's what Stafford did with his writing practice.

Lower your standards and let the soul respond. If Stafford's body of work is any indication, it will. You can read one of my favorite of his poems below. 

I know that some people avoid meditation because they think they can't do it or they won't get it right. If that describes you, I pray you will lower your standards because the rewards of doing so are many. 

Right NOW -- this weekend -- is a great time to make a positive change. It will be the New Moon in Taurus. As we learn in the teachings of Kundalini Yoga, the New Moon is always a powerful time to set a new intention. With this New Moon, the energy of Taurus  supports lasting change. You can think of yourself as the bull -- determined and grounded in strength and confidence. 

Are you thinking of making a change? Do you want to eat better? Move more? Wake earlier? Drop a bad habit?  Shed a self-limiting or hurtful thought? Then, let's start NOW. If you've been considering a positive lifestyle change, start NOW. Give yourself every advantage. 

I've put together a list of 10 tips (which includes seizing the opportunity of the New Moon in Taurus) for giving yourself the advantage and anticipating and helping yourself through some of  the challenges of change because change can be tricky. Before I get to the tips, let's look at why it isn't always easy to step into new good habits.

No matter how much we want to step into a positive future full of good habits, our old patterning may threaten to overpower our positive intentions. Old patterning gets in the way in the form of discomfort. For example, you can imagine that you may feel off if... 

• ...you're used to plowing through a sleeve of cookies when stressed but instead you try to focus on your breath. 
• ...you're used to falling asleep in front of the TV but instead you lie in bed, scan the body for tension to release, and then wait for sleep to come. 
• ...you're used to hitting snooze a bunch of times and crawling to the kitchen for coffee but instead you try to get right out of bed, splash cold water on your face and sit in meditation. 

We are wired to relieve discomfort, not ride it out. This doesn't mean we are bad or unable to create a new habit. It just means we're human, and we need to help ourselves in our human tendencies. If we anticipate these tendencies and use helpful practices to deal with them, we can indeed get to other side of discomfort.  Tips for that are coming.
​
In addition to the old patterns, we also have the constant chatter in our minds that can knock us off course. At times, many of us are flooded with unhelpful and distracting thoughts. Our minds can throw us off track. For example... 

• In the midst of a 40-day practice, you might think, "Well, I've gone for 22 days. That's a lot. That's got to be enough. What do they want from me?"  
• If we're endeavoring to eat more whole foods and less processed junk, you might think, "This isn't fair. Other people get to eat junk. I deserve treats too."
• A reminder goes off on your phone that it's time to go to yoga class. You might think, "But there are bills and dishes piling up. That's more important. Yoga is a luxury." 

We have to deal with our chatty, chatty, chatty minds who may get even chattier when we have made a decision to do things differently. We can observe these thoughts and not be upset. We can say to ourselves. "That's just the mind doing it's thing. I don't have to listen." Again it's about anticipating and using tools to support ourselves through the storms of the mind, with those lightning streaks of sabotage. 

Kundalini Yoga has a plethora of techniques for overcoming the tricks of the mind and the entrenchment in old patterns. I've put together a list of them below with a couple other things thrown in. Pick the tips that appeal to you; pick the ones that you feel will nourish you and carry you through. But, for goodness' sake, support yourself. Spoil yourself with support! You deserve it! 

 Don't know who Syd is? Well, he's this super chipper Buddha who believes in you, believes in your vision and your ability to change. You can tell that he's saying, "You've got this. I love you." At MKY, we have a special connection to Syd because his creator is our dear friend and student, Ellen Atkins, aka the Suburban Monk. We are a proud Suburban Monk affiliate. You can click here to see all 14 colors of Little Syd, meet Big Syd, find out a little bit of how he came to be, and purchase a Syd for yourself and for your change.  

I hope these ideas serve you as you move closer and closer to a vision of your life that is the most expansive and joyful and aligned. Happy New Moon! Happy Change! 

If you sleep well and arise refreshed, then you don't need this routine or this blog. If you struggle with falling asleep, getting quality sleep, staying asleep, or feeling rested when you wake up in the morning, then try it. It works! You really can access deep restorative sleep.

The routine consists of a 15 minute meditation, a quick body scan, and a trick for beginning to fall asleep.

If I lost you at "15 minute meditation" because you don't like to "be with your thoughts," please know that in this meditation you are NOT with your thoughts. You are with mantra and a breath pattern. You don't give your thoughts the microphone. You give mantra the mic and the thoughts recede like muzak at the grocery store. 

1. Meditation for Deep Sleep. Just before bedtime, sit in any comfortable posture with the spine straight. Place the hands in the lap, palms up with the right hand over the left. The thumbs are together and point forward.  Focus the eyes on the tip of the nose with the eyelids just a teeny tiny bit open, letting in a sliver of light. The eyes are 9/10 closed.  Inhale in 4 equal parts, silently  repeating to yourself the mantra Sa-Ta-Na-Ma. (Sa means Infinity, Ta means Life, Na means Transformation, and Ma means Rebirth.) At the top of the inhale, hold the breath, silently repeating the mantra 4 times (Sa-Ta-Na-Ma, Sa-Ta-Na-Ma., Sa-Ta-Na-Ma, Sa-Ta-Na-Ma) for a total of 16 beats. Then, exhale in 2 equal strokes silently repeating  Wahe Guru (Wahe Guru means Great is the Infinite wisdom). Continue for 15 to 62 minutes. Those of you who go past 15 minutes, kudos. But you only need 15 minutes to get the benefits. I can't emphasize enough how well this meditation works. You can wake up feeling better. With consistent practice, you can reset your circadian rhythm. 
2. ​Release Body Tension: Get into bed and lie on your back. Consciously, relax. Tell your limbs, your muscles, your organs, and all your cells to soften. Remind yourself that it's okay to let go. Feel into a relaxed state of being. Remain in awareness as you begin at the head and scan the body for residual tension. Be curious and detailed. Feel into every nook and cranny and command each part of you to relax. Scan from head to toe. For example, relax your temples, your jaw, your eyes. Moving down the body: soften the neck, the shoulders, the arms, the fingers. Let go of tension in all the muscles around the spine, the lungs, the diaphragm, the belly, the hips, the buttocks, the thighs, the knees, the ankles, and the feet.  (If you have trouble accessing a feeling of relaxation and release, try tensing parts of the body and then relaxing them. In other words, squeeze the muscles of the face and relax, pull the shoulders up toward the ears and relax, makes fists of the hands and relax, etc.)
3. Turn onto your right side.  Use your right pointer finger to block the right nostril and take 10 deep breaths in and out of the left nostril only. The left side is our relaxing side, our moon side and we want it to be dominant to access drowsiness and sleep. (Throughout our day, which nostril is dominant changes. See if you can tune into that and notice that at times.) After 10 breaths, remove your right finger and let go of conscious breathing. Adjust to your desired sleeping position and sweet dreams. 

​
Will you give this a try? If you have any questions, please leave a comment below and I will respond as soon as possible. I'd also LOVE to have you come back and leave a comment when you're experiencing the results... because you will. 

How do you like my title? It's beyond bold, I know, especially since I'm no expert on solving problems. But I came across this quote (at left) from Yogi Bhajan today, and I felt the truth of it. What if, instead of trying to "figure out" our issues with our minds, we addressed our souls? Here's the quote in its entirety: 

“Whenever you have a problem, if you put your problem at the touchstone of the spirit, the consciousness and the soul, you will be surprised how easy it is for you to solve that problem. But whenever you take a problem and look at it from the ego's point of view, it will not only bring you confusion, but it will also bring you destruction.”

How do we avoid following the ego into confusion and destruction? How do we access soul advice? I think it is through meditation, cultivating and accessing the meditative mind. In meditation, when we have some distance from our thoughts is when our soul can speak. Then, we can lay a problem at the feet of the meditative space and see what emerges.

Imagine the time and mental energy we'd save if we didn't dwell in our problems and follow thought after thought. Alternative after alternative. 

Here's a beautiful meditation to bring you into the state of listening to and from your innermost self. If you have a problem and you don't know the answer, try this meditation and technique.

May the Truth in you guide you to the wisdom of your soul, to your own inner knowing, to the Infinite within. 

Our minds may reflect the chaos of our world. We may fall under the spell of chaos, seduced by endless threads of thought, endless dramas, endless worries. We must break this spell. This state of distraction can prevent us from seeing the right way forward, from living our Truth. 

WE CAN BREAK THE SPELL. There is a simple, beautiful, and easy meditation that is the antidote to a mind going every which way but Truth.  It's called Seven Wave Sat Nam Meditation. In this meditation, you pulse a mantra through the chakras and in so doing weave it through your consciousness.  The mantra is Sat Nam, the seed (or bij) mantra of Kundalini Yoga, which means Truth is my identity. According to the teachings of Yogi Bhajan, each of us innately has the divine spark of Truth and within that spark is the potential for a fully authentic and magnificent life. 

As I see it, the meditation both reinforces that you are truth as it also cleanses you of all that is not Truth. How does it do that? Your focus is Sat Nam. And it's more than just focusing on the sound. You're vibrating it in a very specific way that requires all your concentration (as you'll see below). So the other stuff -- dramas, worries, falsehoods -- recede to the background. At the same time, the vibration of the ancient sound moves through your consciousness, cleansing all the background noise that doesn't match the resonance of Sat Nam. According to 3ho.org, if you can practice the meditation for 31 minutes, "...the mind will be cleansed just as the ocean waves wash the sandy beach." 

To do Seven Wave Sat Nam Meditation, follow the instructions below. It is very helpful to use this recording by Madhuir Nain-Webster on her album Meditation Collection. ​

1. Place the hands in prayer at the heart center.
2. Inhale deeply and on your exhale chant, pulse, and extend the sound Sat through the chakras from the root to the third eye. Do it in this manner: SA (mentally focused on the root chakra at the base of the spine), AH-AH (mentally focused on the sacral chakra at the pelvis),  AH-AH (mentally focused on the navel chakra at the navel/solar plexus),  AH-AH (mentally focused on the heart chakra at the center of the chest),  AH-AH (mentally focused on the throat chakra at the throat),  and AT, (completing the sound mentally focused at the third eye chakra at the brow point). Then chant the sound Nam (as you focus on the crown chakra at the top of the head). Refer to the image above.
3. Continue for 11-31 minutes.

Here's what Yogi Bhajan said about the cycle of the mantra -- six beats for Sat and one beat for Nam. 

Cate discovered Kundalini Yoga by accident over 20 years ago and was surprised and thrilled by how engaged, energized, and inspired it made her feel. She's been practicing ever since. In 2008, Cate completed her Level 1 (200 hr) teacher training with Hari Kaur Khalsa of Hari NYC. In 2012, she broadened her knowledge with a very special Holistic Hatha Yoga training (300 hr) with Amy Witmyer of Sacred Space. Kundalini Yoga is her home, her go-to sanctuary, her point of peace and insight. She believes that it is a wonderful tool for busy times and busy minds. Join Cate on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday and Friday mornings for Kundalini Yoga & Meditation. ​

I love Kundalini Yoga. It was love at first chant.

About three years ago I took my first Kundalini class with Cate Baily. I had just made some major breakthroughs in my life. After spending many years in the darkness, I was in the light again. Kundalini just felt so right and exactly what I needed to maintain my happiness. I kept taking classes and taking classes. I couldn’t get enough!  I took classes with Savitri. She talked about spirit and the world most of us know nothing about. I was fascinated by her outlook on spiritual life.

I studied every night. I must have watched hundreds of Yogi Bhajan videos on YouTube. The more I watched, the more I loved Kundalini. I was like a person who hadn’t eaten for days. I couldn’t get enough knowledge into my brain fast enough. I wanted to know more!

Cate turned out to be my mentor and spirit guide. When I asked for advice on my practice, she willingly helped guide me in the right direction. She gave me my first 40 day practice, Meditation for a Calm Heart. She gave me songs and artists to listen to. She explained everything I had questions about. Cate's love of this practice was infectious. Watching her at our first Sat Nam Fest together was inspiring. The joy in her face as we took classes and went to concerts was beautiful to see. The first time I saw Snatam Kaur perform “The Long Time Sun” (See the link to the song in the comments.) I was overwhelmed with such joy. The tears were flowing from both of us.

We went to Sat Nam Fest again the next year, and this time I stayed the entire 5 days. Wow! I met so many amazing people. I met all the artists that perform the music I love, and I took pictures with all of them. Cate always teases me that I’m going to publish a coffee table book with all picture of me and the artists. I do it so I can remember the bliss I felt at the time.

After coming home from Sat am Fest, it was obvious what I had to do next. Teacher training. As Yogi Bhajan said, “If you want to learn something, read about it. If you want to understand something, write about it. If you want to master something, teach it.” Then came a sign from the universe: Hari Kaur was coming to Montclair Kundalini Yoga to do teacher training!  Hari worked directly with Yogi Bhajan for ten years as director of teacher training. Yogi Bhajan said “ I don’t believe in miracles, I rely on them” This was my miracle. Who else but Hari could I learn from? So I signed up.

In November 2018, I started my journey to become a Kundalini Yoga Teacher. Hari, and the great Dharma Devi led the training. Our class was relatively small. 13 women and me. But it turned out for the best. We became a family. We cried and laughed together. We celebrated our accomplishments together, and most importantly, we supported each other. Guest teachers came and were so giving with their knowledge of the practice. The months flew by. We all did our practicums for each other, and it really felt like we were almost there, teachers.

When we all went as a group to White Tantric Yoga (a day-long meditation event), that took things to the next level. We rented a bus so we could all be together. This was such a powerful part of our training, and we were all very moved by it.

When we all graduated in June, it was like a dream. We all went to lunch together to celebrate our accomplishment. At the end of the last class together with Hari, she brought us all in close and had us close our eyes. I will never forget her next words. “I bless you all now as teachers.”  Tears were flowing.

When I taught my first class, some  of my classmates came to support me. Friends from Montclair Kundalini yoga came. After the final blessing, when I arose from bowing, tears flowed again.  I am a teacher. It still gives me a little chill when I say that to myself.

This past week many of us went to Sat Nam Fest together. This was my third year there. But this year was very different. I went with the eyes, ears and heart of a teacher. It was like watching a movie in a language you don’t understand. You enjoy the movie, but don’t entirely get it. Then you watch it again with subtitles and you get it. Classes I took and the words of the teachers now were so much clearer to me. Some of the words used that I had heard before, now had power. I knew the philosophy behind them.  Yogi Amandeep said “The one who knows how to hold the breath, knows how to hold life.”  I understand totally. In training, we learned all about breath and it’s importance. About the body locks. All so important and critical to this practice. The wonderful Gurmukh said “ Get back, get back, get back to where you once belonged.” I understood. A common thread through all the presenters was childhood. Why are people attracted to babies? Because they are pure. Pure light. As we grow up and lose our true self, our Sat Nam, we lose sight  of our pure light. We still have it inside us. Its just buried deep. Kundalini Yoga teaches us to find it again, to go back to our Sat Nam.

One of the other great things about my Sat Nam experience this year was meeting people who I have only known online. I have a Facebook page "Friends Who Like Montclair Kundalini Yoga"  (Link to it here and join). I post quotes from Yogi Bhajan, or something inspirational every day.  I love doing it, and many people share and comment on the posts. I got to meet many of them in person at SNF! Another miracle. New friendships were made, old ones were strengthened. I could have floated home instead of driving the 3 hours.

So that’s my journey. But it’s really only the very start. I look forward to teaching more and more and sharing my love of this practice. I just want to go deeper and deeper.
​
I’m still hungry.

I'd love to hear from you. What is your journey? How did you find Kundalini Yoga? Please share in the comments below.
​

It is an understatement to say that Andy is very excited to begin his Kundalini Yoga teaching career at Montclair Kundalini Yoga. His journey toward becoming a spiritual teacher began with the book The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz which offers a philosophical framework for living. The book literally saved his life and brought him joy and happiness. Soon after finding this book, he discovered Kundalini Yoga. He was instantly hooked and began studying and deepening his practice with the guidance of Cate and Savitri at Montclair Kundalini Yoga. Andy likes to say, "When I finished The Four Agreements, the light came back into my life. When I found Kundalini, that light went to technicolor."  Andy recently graduated from 200 hour teacher training with Hari Kaur and Dharma Devi.  His love of this practice and life is very deep and evident in his presence at the studio. Always learning from the master, Andy posts daily quotes from Yogi Bhajan on the Facebook group he manages, Friends Who Like Montclair Kundalini Yoga. Join him on Thursday nights for Kundalini Yoga & The Four Agreements. ​

I was 10 or so and thrilled to be with my cousins for the day. With them, there was no self-consciousness, no hesitation. I could be myself, and I even had a bit of bravado as the oldest cousin. The day’s plan: Have a touristy time at the Statue of Liberty with my larger-than-life, super-fun uncle leading the way. I don’t remember if I cared about the ferry ride or Lady Liberty — probably not. I was with people who loved me and there was an exuberant safety in that.

I felt on top of the world, and it had nothing to do with climbing the 354 steps to the crown because I don’t even remember if we did. It had to do with my heart. An open and free heart is the top of the world.

At some point, we went for lunch at the crowded cafe. With no tables available, we found a ledge above the fray where we kids could perch while my uncle waited on line for our food. Just below us, stressed, exhausted adults with furrowed brows wove around each other with their brown plastic trays. We watched the scene below us, contentedly. Then, I got a “brilliant” idea.

A pinched-faced woman with a severe bun (or maybe she’s become that caricature in my memory over the years) walked by trying to balance an overflowing tray. I thought, “I’m going to make my people laugh. I can always make them laugh.”

“Watch this,” I said to my cousins. “I’m going to do something.” I reached out as if to steal a soda from the woman’s tray. My cousins’ eyes widened. It was a scandalous and thrilling action. I enjoyed showing off. But then…

…the woman stopped in her tracks and looked right at me: “What are you doing?” I don’t know what I’d expected her reaction to be or if I even thought that part through, but she was NOT amused.

Mortified. Momentarily mute. Blood rushed to my face. Please walk away. Please walk away. Please walk away. I silently prayed. But she held my deer-in-the-headlights gaze. Finally, I managed to stammer, “Just joking.”

“Joke with yourself!” she spat and huffed away.

Joke with yourself. My spirit plummeted.  My heart closed a little. Joke with yourself. Don't try to be funny. Keep it all in.

That moment when my feeling of freedom diminished was just one of many "assaults" throughout my life to my identity, to my belief that I am loved and accepted, to my willingness to take risks and put myself out there. Those moments are commonplace in childhood. Aren't they?

This is why I need Kundalini Yoga. I need it to reclaim my liberty, my free, open, top-of-the-world inner self. I need to sit tall in my truth, roll my shoulders up, back, and down, lift my heart and feel supported in who I am. I need the repetition of Sat Nam Sat Nam Sat Nam. I need to connect to my breath. I need to meditate to restore my Self, return to myself.

This is why I think we all need a practice. No matter how charmed a childhood we had and adulthood we lead, we encounter people who reject what we project; we store little shocks to the system along the way which seem to be a sign that we are not good enough.

If your karma is a hard karma and your story includes truly harsh treatment, injustice, devastating loss or any of the many things that are more painful than a humorless woman making a nasty comment a practice is also a cure. Wherever we fall on the spectrum of harm a practice is a cure.

EVERY meditation speaks to the need to fortify our psyche and rebuild and reconnect to the aspect of the Self which is True. But there’s one Kundalini meditation in particular that speaks to it quite directly: Meditation to Experience & Project the Original Self.

The Original Self is your Sat Nam, True Identity. What is your True Identity? You know it, even if you don’t know you know it. It’s the deepest part of you, the aspect that knows your right from your wrong — even when you can’t find the words. It’s the essence of you that never picked up anyone else’s expectations or disappointments. It’s your untainted, quiet center. It’s your confident, fearless, open heart.

Practice this meditation for 40 days to become one with the original you, the you you came here to be. Reclaim your liberty. Here’s how:

Meditation to Experience & Project the Original Self

1. Sit tall. Place your left arm up parallel to the ground with the elbow bent, hand in front of your heart center with your palm facing down. Place your right arm out to the side with the elbow bent, palm facing forward, and hand in gyan mudra (thumb and pointer finger meeting). (See the image with my bio below for the full posture.) 
2. Close your eyes and chant Ram Ram Hari Ram, Ram Ram Hari Hari. (I love Snatam Kaur’s version. See the link in the comments section below.) Continue for 11-31 minutes.
3. To finish, inhale and hold the breath and the posture for 20-30 seconds if you can. Exhale, maintaining the arm position. Inhale and hold the breath and the posture again. Exhale, relax, and sit in silence.

Commit to it. Commit to shedding all the cranky lady comments and reconnecting to your open, free heart. It is one of the most important endeavors of all.

AND … Don’t be disapproving with children. Smile and accept them as they are — even if it’s a bad joke in a stressful moment.

What are your thoughts? I'd love to hear from you. What meditation helps you feel that you are coming home to yourself?

Cate discovered Kundalini Yoga by accident over 20 years ago and was surprised and thrilled by how engaged, energized, and inspired it made her feel. She's been practicing ever since. In 2008, Cate completed her Level 1 (200 hr) teacher training with Hari Kaur Khalsa of Hari NYC. In 2012, she broadened her knowledge with a very special Holistic Hatha Yoga training (300 hr) with Amy Witmyer of Sacred Space. Kundalini Yoga is her home, her go-to sanctuary, her point of peace and insight. She believes that it is a wonderful tool for busy times and busy minds. Join Cate on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday mornings for Kundalini Yoga & Meditation. ​