KMYOGA Bondi Junction Open Days 12-13 November

11.11.11 EVENTS AT KMYOGA SPACE

Come and join us for our opening events at the new KMYOGA Space at Level 1, 28 Spring Street Bondi Junction.  Both events are by donation and all are welcome.

For more information and Bookings please contact: office@kmyoga.com.

HEALING RING OF TANTRA - Thursday, 10 November 2011 (7:00pm - 8:30pm) 

KMYoga warmly invites you to share in this global event to welcome the dawning of the Aquarian Age.

We will be practicing a special group meditation that is used at the time of the full moon to create harmony and healing for ourselves and for the Earth.

Join us as we set the stage and celebrate this new beginning.

SADHANA - Friday, 11 November 2011 (5:00am - 7:30am)

Please join the KMYOGA community to harmonise the dawning of the Aquarian Age.  Give yourself the gift of health, happiness and healing.

Visit www.kmyoga.com and sign up for our newsletter for more info on our opening weekend 12 & 13 November 2011.

Festival of Light 23 October 2011

Come and join in the Festival of Light and Awaken the Heart on Sunday, 23 October.

Contact: info@kundaliniyoga.com.au  or Karamdeep on 0416 852 609

View the full days program at www.kundaliniyoga.com.au

11.11.11 Illumination @ The Bondi Pavilion 6pm - midnight

An evening of Kundalini Yoga - TRANSCENDANCE - Music

Connection - Meditation - Breath - Laughter

Wild Celebration - CommUNITY!

LIMITED TICKETS - BOOK NOW: Pre Booked $25 or Door $35

BUY TICKETS HERE: http://111111illumination.eventbrite.com 

ENQUIRIES: connect@onetribecreation.com

Gurujivan Kaur - Awaken & Relax into life Workshop

Utilizing the powerful and beautiful technology of kundalini yoga to open our heart and move into a safe space into universal consciousness.  Join us for this wonderful workshop, bookings essential.

Date: Saturday, 26 November 2011 (2pm to 6pm)

Cost: $60   KYTANZ member - $50

Venue: KMYOGA  Level 1, 28 Spring Street, Bondi Junction NSW 2022

Registrations & enquiries: Randeep / Jaye  email: info@kundaliniyoga.com.au phone: 0414 898 262

Billabong Retreat

Thank you to everyone who attended last weekend's Cleanse & Detox Retreat at The Billabong Retreat, it was a fabulous weekend and great to meet everyone.  I look forward to seeing you all again soon.

Spirit Voyage's 40 Day Global Sadhana: Be in Flow with Your Highest Wisdom with Snatam & Gurmukh

CLICK HERE to find out more

A NEW SPACE OPENING IN SYDNEY 11.11.11

A new space for Kundalini, Meditation and Yoga is opening in Sydney 11.11.11 at Level 1, 28 Spring Street, Bondi Junction.

This is a beautiful, inspired space with excellent teachers, KMYOGA is a new home for the Kundalini Yoga community in Sydney.

Also offering Hatha, Pregnancy, Jivamukti and other yoga styles, along with workshops, events and courses, KMYOGA has something for everyone.

This warm, welcoming and exciting new space is located in the heart of Bondi Junction with convenient public transport and parking.

For more information sign up to our newsletter at www.kmyoga.com

Billabong Retreat

Cleanse and Detox Retreat, 1st - 3rd October 2011

Come and join us for a fantastic weekend!

There are still a few places left and our earlybird special price of $410 still applies, book today.

For more information email: kathryn@kmyoga.com or call 0404 195 554 

Festival of Light

I'll be teaching a class on 'Awakening the Heart' at the Festival of Light in Melbourne on Sunday 28th August from 2 - 3pm.  Check out the website and I hope to see some of you there!  www.festivaloflight.com.au

European Yoga Festival

I have just returned from the European Yoga Festival in France. This is a great event that celebrates the teachings of Kundalini Yoga.  There are are many inspiring workshops by international teachers, and lots of song, dance and fun!  It is exciting to see so many people come together for this Summer festival which ends with 3 powerful days of White Tantric Yoga. This year there were about 2,500 people from around the world!

Evolve Festival Sydney

I'm really excited to be part of the Evolve Yoga and Wellness Festival in September in Sydney.  I'll be taking a Kundalini Yoga Class on Sunday 4th September from 9am - 10am and then a Kundalini Gong Meditation from 11am - 11:45am.  I hope to see you all there - its always a great experience when the Yoga community to comes together.

Meditation

        Meditation means awareness and whatever you do in your life with awareness becomes a meditation. Listening to music is a meditation if it is free from any distraction to the mind.  Meditation is a tool for understanding the nature of the mind, rather than fighting with it.  Many of us are controlled by our thoughts or feelings and we often think we are those thoughts and feelings.  Meditation is the state of simply being, just pure experiencing, with no interference from the body or mind. It’s a natural state but one which we have forgotten how to access. Techniques are needed only until the state of meditation – of relaxed awareness, of consciousness and centering becomes an intrinsic part of your life.

London Workshop 16 & 17 July

Hi Everyone,

Just reminding all of you based in London that I have a workshop on this Saturday 16th and Sunday 17th July at Alchemy.  We will be going on 'A Journey Through The Chakras'.  I welcome you all to come and hope to see you there.

Love and Blessings

Kathryn

www.alchemythecentre.co.uk/workshops-events/workshops

Is Kundalini Yoga a Religion?

No, Kundalini Yoga (and yoga in general) is not a religion.  It is a technology for health and consciousness that predates religion. It is practiced by people of all faiths and Kundalini yoga teachers represent many paths including Christian, Buddhist, Jewish, Sikh, and others. Yogi Bhajan's background was in Sikhism and he was influential in originally presenting Kundalini yoga in conjunction with the path of Sikh Dharma.  As currently taught, Kundalini teachers can be recognized by the use of white clothes and head covers - often turbans - which, aside from outward religious appearance and personal beliefs, are practical yogic techniques for enhancing the aura and containing energy.

Candelight Puja Ceremony

Last Thursday at my Meditation group we welcomed Khandro Thrinlay Chodon, an inspiring Buddhist teacher who lead us through a Candlelight Puja Ceremony.  This is a beautiful ritual and in the words of Khandro:  'We work together and create a mandala of your heart. The beauty of the mandala brings peace to our planet and accumulates merit to benefit countless beings’.  For more info on Khandro and the work she does please see  www.khachodling.org 

Eating, Vegetarianism and Yoga

You don’t have to be a vegetarian to learn yoga, but we do encourage and recommend it, as there are many benefits over a non-vegetarian diet. Your body will feel lighter and your mind will feel clearer. But at the end of the day, we are all responsible for ourselves, and our lifestyle choice should be our own, with no judgement from anyone else.

There are three types of food (see below) and a non-vegetarian diet comes under the second category. Foods that enhance a vegetarian diet are called Satvik foods, which include lots of fresh fruit, vegetables and grains which gives you more energy and focus.  It is your choice whether you want to feel tired, lethargic and sleepy or energized, focused and alert?

a) One that causes activity (Rajasik).

b) One that causes sleep or lethargy (Tamasik).

c) One that keeps the mind calm and centred (Satvik).

It is good to wait about two hours after eating before you practice yoga and meditation, as this will help you to digest your food and gain the maximum benefits. It is easier and more comfortable to practice asanas on an empty stomach. In addition when there is little food in the digestive track and waste in the bowels, energy moves more freely throughout the body. If you eat too close to yoga practice, gravity causes food in the stomach to slide up the esophagus. At worst, regurgitation may occur or a burning sensation may be felt as stomach acid reaches the sensitive tissue of the oesophagus.  If you must eat before a class, eat something light and easily digestible, like a piece of fruit or soup!

How do I know if Kundalini Yoga is for me?

     If the answer is YES to any of these questions then it probably is!

• Do I need greater energy levels?
• Do I feel lacking in enthusiasm and creative inspiration?
• Would I like to reduce my stress levels?
• Do I have excess weight that I would like to lose?
• Do I suffer from headaches?
• Am I feeling isolated or disconnected from life?
• Do I feel detached from myself?
• Do I suffer from lack of self -love?
• Am I lacking in self- confidence?
• Do I have problems with commitment?
• Do I have an illness that I would like to heal?
• Do I suffer from insomnia?
• Am I working in a job that requires constant sitting?
• Do I have a desire to attain a higher level of awareness?
• Do I have trouble concentrating?
• Do I have trouble completing a task?
• Would I like to gain more flexibility?
• Do I suffer from asthma?
• Do I, or have I suffered from addictive behavior or addiction of any kind

How Often? Head Coverings? White Clothing?

      How often should I do Yoga?

      Ultimately, a yoga practice is best done daily. Even a few minutes every day can make a big difference!  This gets you centered for your day and provides maximum progression.  But any practice, however often, will be beneficial.  Two to three times a week will provide noticeable results.  Many people find that they feel so good when they do yoga, they want to do more and more! 

      Why do some teachers wear a headscarf or turban?

      Head coverings of any kind are useful for a meditative practice.  Turbans in particular are useful for holding energy in, and for creating a meditative focus at the third eye point (brow point).  In addition, the turban provides a nice cranial adjustment. Some teachers wear a turban or head covering for these yogic reasons alone. 

      

      Why wear white yoga clothing?

      For the practice of Kundalini Yoga it is helpful to wear white, natural fiber clothing.  The color white is good for the body energetically and for the nervous system.  Natural fiber clothing (cotton is suggested) allows the body to breathe and is comfortable during yoga.  White clothes can enhance your Kundalini experience by expanding your electro-magnetic field (aura), your personal awareness and makes it easier for the teacher to see how you are breathing and moving during class.

What happens in a Kundalini Yoga Class?

Each Kundalini Yoga class follows a similar structure designed for optimal results physically, mentally, and emotionally, but no class is completely the same as there are over 8,000 yoga sets and meditations to choose from.  All Kundalini classes begin with a time for centering. The teacher leads the class in the mantra, Ong Namo, Guru Dev Namo. Students may chant or listen, as they like.  The class then is lead in 10-20 minutes of warm-up exercises, which prepare the body for the yoga sets (kriyas) that follow.  After warm-ups, yoga sets (kriyas) are begun.  Each yoga set involves physical postures (asana), breath work (pranayama), and meditative focus. Yoga is followed by a short meditation. Class ends with a long, deep relaxation that allows time for regeneration, stress release, and peace.  Each class closes with a song of blessing, in which students can sing along or listen.  After class, students may relax or visit. At this time, the teacher is also available to answer questions. 

The Background of Kundalini Yoga

      The earliest known written mention of Kundalini Yoga is in the Yoga-Kundalini Upanishad, which is the eighty-sixth among the 108 Muktika Upanishads, associated with the Krishna Yajurveda, originating from India.  The origin of this particular writing is difficult to substantiate but it is believed that all Upanishads have been passed down through oral tradition.  Some have estimated that the composition of the Yajurveda texts date as far back as between 1,400 and 1,000 BC.

In 1969 Kundalini Yoga was formally introduced to mainstream American culture by Yogi Bhajan, a Kundalini Yoga Master from India.  Before this time the teachings had only been passed on from teacher to student throughout India and Tibet and the ‘technology’ developed by the yogis, saints and sages was still relatively misunderstood.  Yogi Bhajan revealed this technology to the West as a comprehensive spiritual system for personal growth.  Observing the many Westerners arriving in India seeking a spiritual experience, Yogi Bhajan initially set about teaching Kundalini Yoga as an alternative and transformational technology for self-development, and to counter the drug abuse of the 60's.

This was the first time Kundalini Yoga was openly taught by a recognized Indian Master teacher in a Western format outside of India. Throughout his 35 years teaching until his death in 2004, Yogi Bhajan built up a legacy of information and teachings around the subject of Kundalini yoga, including the publications of over 100 related books on the applications of the yogic technology in a multitude of different fields of spirituality – covering yoga, meditation, drug rehabilitation, women's and men's yoga, psychology, body-work, healing, re-birthing, teaching, business, relationships, and marriage.

FAQ's

We've decided to dedicate the next month answering some of the frequently asked questions about Kundalini Yoga and Meditation.  If there is something you'd like to know - get in touch!


What makes Kundalini Yoga different from other forms of Yoga?


Kundalini yoga as taught by Yogi Bhajan is different to other forms of yoga as it is based on kriyas, (specially formulated sets or exercises) instead of just postures. The benefits experienced from these kriyas which combine asanas, pranayam, mudras and mantra are far greater than doing random postures, which is one of the reasons that Kundalini Yoga works far more quickly and effectively than other forms of yoga such as hatha. It is much more precise and it allows you to focus on specific areas that need work. It  enhances the nervous system, glands, mental faculties, balances the chakras, and builds spiritual strength while it integrates the flow of kundalini energy.  Kundalini Yoga, at its highest form, is practiced for the purpose of attaining bliss, opening the heart center, developing power, serving others, attaining self-realization and ultimately merging into God consciousness.

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KMYOGA Flyer

Check out the new flyers that we've recently been putting up around town.  They are so bold and vibrant and we've had really great feedback.   My current class schedule for both Yoga and Meditation classes are there.  Just click on the images to get a larger view.  And for those of you new to the meditation classes at my studio in Tamarama, I offer the first class for free.  So come, bring your friends and try it out! Looking forward to welcoming you soon.

The 7th Chakra - The Tenth Gate or Crown Chakra

‘The Angel’  - How I feel my purpose.  Humility.

The Crown Chakra is located at the top of the head.  It is the seat of the soul, the centre of all perceptions, all dimensions and all forms of being (we are ONE).

This chakra is associated with cosmic sound, like the sound of the gong.  If you listen to the gong carefully as is cascades into crescendo, all the nerves are stretched to their limit.  The pressure of the sound gives a chance for the body, mind and spirit to merge and become one with the infinite. You have the choice to let go and surrender or to contract and pull out of the experience.

The 7^th Chakra has the key characteristic of surrender – the humility that fills you as you bow before Infinity. That is one of the reasons that so many traditions use the act of bowing. The top of the head, the 7^th Chakra is brought all the way to the Earth, so the blood circulation and Prana becomes focused at the 7^th Chakra and the person is given a new purpose of openness and strength (experience of the Divine) so that you flow spontaneously in rhythm with the Universe.

Colour: Violet

*When this chakra is balanced/unblocked it can manifest as bliss, unity, enlightment, secure relationship with the unknown and the experience of all as ONE.

 

*Suggested Affirmation:  “I acknowledge and rejoice in my spirituality.”

The 6th Chakra - The Brow Chakra

‘The Visionary’ - How I perceive Myself.  Known as the third eye (intuition, wisdom).

The brow Chakra located in the middle of the forehead just above the space between the eyes.  It is the centre of vision and perception.  The pituitary gland (master gland) is located here and it is there that you reach the integrity and integration of personality.  It is from here that you get the sense of intuition and the direction you want to take.  It is where the major channels of energy come together (positive = sun+ moon = negative / Ida+ Pingala +Sushmuna).  It is the eye that goes beyond the 2 eyes.  The 2 eyes give you dimension in the normal world and the third eye gives you depth and dimension into the subtle worlds.

ELEMENT:  Light (beyond the elements)

COLOUR:  Indigo

*When this chakra is balanced/unblocked it can manifest as, clear perception, developed intuition, psychic abilities-clairvoyance, seeing energy within and beyond matter and form, power of projection and understanding your purpose.

*Suggested Affirmation: “I always receive and perceive the guidance I need.”

The 5th Chakra - The Throat Chakra

‘How I express Myself’ - The power of the word, communication, speaking the truth and the Teacher.

The Throat Chakra, located at the top of the breastbone, is the centre for the expression of creativity, love and abilities.  It influences the thyroid gland which effects the balance of the entire nervous system, metabolism, muscular control and body temperature.  The throat chakra must be cleared in order to express your potential, once the heart chakra is open.

ELEMENT: Ether

COLOUR: Light Blue

*When this chakra is balanced/unblocked it can manifest as, always voicing the truth (honoring the word), authenticity, knowledge and the ability to communicate that effectively, inspiring, teaching and embodying God’s will.

*Suggested Affirmation: “I express my deepest truth gracefully, respectfully and confidently.”

The 4th Chakra - The Heart Chakra

‘Love & Compassion’ - The one who cares, how I care about myself, Awakening from ME to WE (Finite to Infinite)

The heart Chakra is located in the centre of the chest (thymus).  It is the seat of our source of caring, intuition, compassion and unconditional love. This is where the opening of the higher consciousness and the higher self takes place.

COLOUR - Green

ELEMENT- Air

*When this chakra is balanced/unblocked it can manifest as humility, unconditional love for all, seeing the Divine in All, harmonious relationships, acceptance that all is as it should be, compassion, kindness and forgiveness.

*Suggested Affirmation:  “I am open to give and receive love, freely and effortlessly.  I forgive and release the pains of my past, and I am free to love in the present.”

One For The Heart

Come join me for this workshop on the 19th June in Bondi Junction, Sydney to stimulate the heart chakra - the centre of compassion and kindness.

All welcome.

The 3rd Chakra - The Achiever

'What I think about myself' - Action & Balance

The Solar Plexus Chakra, located just above the navel is the centre of our self-confidence (will-power).  It stores faulty concepts of power and its misuse, situations and people that have threatened your self-esteem.

Its energy allows you to accomplish and achieve.  It is the seat of our mental body. In this Chakra we explore personal power; is it to empower oneself or is it to have power over others?

COLOUR: Yellow

ELEMENT: Fire

*When this chakra is balanced/unblocked it can manifest as - willingness to initiate and complete action, confidence, willpower, awareness of the effect of one’s actions upon others, leadership skills.

*Suggested Affirmation:  “I claim my personal power and accept responsibility for all areas of life.”

The 2nd Chakra - The Sacral Chakra

‘To Feel, To Desire, To Create’

The vision of the second chakra is about desire and passion, about duality and polarities, about movement and change, and fundamentally about creativity. The element associated with the second chakra is water and so the qualities of water (flowing, moving freely, no set shape, more mobile than earth, limitless movement) are a like a mirror to the feelings connected to this chakra.

Language in the second chakra is often sensual, colourful and goal-oriented. It is flexible and fluid just like water. From the yogic point of view, the experiences of the second chakra provide the first taste of merger, of going beyond one’s isolated self, dissolving with, through, and into another.

In the second chakra, desires, pleasure, and the pains and struggles of finally expressing your creation in the light, are all mixed together. When all the other chakras are balanced in relation to the second, sexuality becomes joyful, varied and expressive.

The emotions and passions expressed through the second chakra, and the thoughts and assessments that are give through the sixth chakra stimulate each other. Thoughts and imaginations about different things produce feelings and feelings regulate the flow, intensity, and believability of thoughts.

Taste is the sensory system connected with the second chakra. Without passions life has no taste. When you experience great passion, then the tastes within your mouth also change. In the state of yoga, you unite with the Infinite, at that point your brain produces an amrit, a sweet nectar and the tastes within your mouth change. To the tantrics, you are blending the polarities to stimulate the passions with the tongue representing the male organ and the lips representing the opening of the female organ. You can create on the gross level directly through the second chakra and the physical organ, or you can create through the word and through vibration.

COLOUR: Orange

ELEMENT: Water

 

*When this chakra is balanced/unblocked it can manifest as- positive, genuine intimacy, mature relationships, creativity, passion for life, willingness to share, patience, relaxed, positive attitude to sexual functions.

*Suggested Afirmation: “My emotions are great teachers; I listen to their lessons and respond to them in ways that are loving and respectful to all involved.”

The 1st Chakra - The Root Chakra

'The Presence’ - How I See Myself

The Root Chakra, located at the base of the spine is the centre of our regeneration and our creativity:  it stores our vital force, stimulating all the cells in every part of the body. It is concerned with basic security, survivial and existence. It represents our image of SELF, of our presence on Earth, and is full of all our experiences, particularly those of early childhood.

The first Chakra functions are very important in our modern life.  Surrounded by pollution and chemicals it is essential for our survival to eliminate these toxins through the first chakra (ie: anus and large intestine).

COLOUR: Red

ELEMENT: Earth

*When this chakra is balanced/unblocked it can manifest as - valuing oneself, being centered, secure, loyal, grounded, stable and eliminating regularly.

*Suggested Affirmation:  “The Universe looks after my needs.  I trust life.”

Making Sense of Chakras

“Chakras” are energy centers which asorb life force or ‘prana’ from the Universe and distribute it through the NADIS (energy channels) to the nervous system, endocrine glands and circulatory system.

The first 3 chakras 1, 2 & 3 are known as the lower triangle and chakra’s 5, 6 & 7 are known as the upper triangle. The fourth chakra (heart) is the balance between the two triangles, where the shift happens from ME to WE (Individual to Universal).

If you imagine the body as a tree, the lower half of the body, (navel down) are the trunk and roots, the upper half (navel upwards) are the branches/leaves.  The lower triangle focuses on elimination and are balanced by the upper triangle, which accumulate, create and refine.  So like the tree, if the root system is functioning properly then the leaves begin to grow and flourish.

By opening and balancing the chakras it is possible to connect to a larger source of energy,from which we come and to which we return.

The first five Chakras are associated with the elements (Tattvas) EARTH, WATER, FIRE, AIR and ETHER and the upper three Chakras correspond to the subtle realm.

Each Chakra resonates to a different frequency and a different refraction of the Infinite Light.

Chakra Chart

Chakras

This month we are going to focus on Chakras.

Chakras are centers of consciousness. They are focal points of energy that have a direct, immediate and profound effect on our daily lives.

But what does mean?  How do they work? And how can you recognise whether they are in or out of balance.

Over the next few entries we'll explore this and more...

MINDFOOD Article

Last month I was featured in MINDFOOD Magazine where they ran an article on an 'Introduction to Kundalini Yoga'.  I went through an introductory kriya for spinal flexibility - try it out and let me know how you go!  (If you need a better quality copy email me at office@kmyoga.com and I'll be happy to send one out to you).

Three Things to do in Life

"There are three things to do in life:  Love, Learn and Live"  

Yogi Bhajan

Meditation

“What you think you become” (Mahatma Gandhi 1869-1948)

I recently started teaching meditation classes at my home studio near the cliffs above Bondi Beach. I am blessed to have found this beautiful space where I can share the benefits of Kundalini meditation. It isn’t often that we have an opportunity to experience long meditations in a yoga class, so I was inspired through writing my book on meditation to focus more on extended meditations so students could realize the full benefits.

Our minds can be overloaded with so much information in this computer age that we become overwhelmed, finding it challenging to process our thoughts. Meditation is a great tool to download those chaotic thoughts from your brain and bring the mind back into stillness, so our information them becomes clearer and more purposeful.

The last two meditation classes I focused on simple breathing techniques to balance the mind as well as heart and healing meditations. One newcomer commented how much she enjoyed the class and how well she slept. The only problem is that she lives far away, so she said it was difficult for her to come to a class regularly.

This got my thinking, why not record the meditations that I teach and post them on YouTube.  Then everyone can tune in and experience the benefits of these powerful and effective meditations!  So I haven't started yet but this is my intention and I'll let you know when I put up my first posting.

‘Meditation brings wisdon; lack of meditation leaves ignorance. Know well what leads you forward and what holds you back,and choose the path that leads to wisdom.’ Buddha

This profound quote by Buddha reinforces my feelings about how important it is to still the mind even if it is just for 5 minutes a day!  Take the time to create space and to listen to that deep intuitive wisdom that can guide you on your path.

 ‘Go inside and listen to your inner voice. Every question has an answer. Your soul is full of wisdom and knows the way.’ Yogi Bhajan