Divine Alignment By Guru Prem Singh Khalsa © Guru Prem Singh Khalsa and Harijot Kaur Khalsa Systematized and illustrated by Harijot Kaur Khalsa Cover illustration by Simran Kaur Khalsa Cover design by Seva Kaur Khalsa Book design and layout by Amanda Hurwitz Back cover photos by Edie Baskin All text, raphies, visual images, and the selection and arrangement thereof copyright 2003, Guru Prem Singh Khalsa and Harijot Kaur Khalsa, This material is for personal and private use as an information resource only. Any other use of the materials including reproduction, ‘modification, distribution, re-publication, transmission, re-ransmission, broadcast, public performance, public showing or display without prior permission from Guru Prem Singh Khalsa and Harijot Kaur Khalsa is strictly prohibited All meditations and yoga sets copyright 1969-2003 Yogi Bhajan. This material is for personal and private use as an information resource only. Any other use of the materials including reproduction, modification, distribution, re-publication, transmission, re-transmission, broad- cast, public performance, public showing or display without prior permission from the YB Teachings, LLC, is strictly prohibited.Acknowledgments ‘We are very grateful to Yogi Bhajan, whois the first Kundalini Yoga Master to ever teach Kundalini Yoga openly and generously to ‘Westemers. He has given us thousands of kriyas to make us healthy happy, hoy, wise and compassionate. The only way to properly acknowledge his great contibution to our ives isto serve his Teachings to the best of our ability. In that piri, we offer this book ‘We would also like to thank the friends who helped us by reading the early dafts of Divine Alignment and giving us their comments Melanie McGraw, Sada Sat Singh and Sada Sat Kaur Khalsa, Dr. Soram Singh Khalsa, Josh Fisher, Jerome Mercier, and Sat ivan Kaur Khalsa, We would especially lke to thank Ek Ong Kar Kaur Khalsa and Rafeel Gunner for their insightful ets. In addition, Guru Prem Singh would like to thank Mr. Hillsberg, his first piano teacher; George Rose, his oustanding gymnastics couch; Dan Millman, who showed him how to “think different” about gymnastics; Master Ni the wise Taoist Master who taught him how to work, ‘without working hard; Wayne Trudeau; Jorgen Christensson; and, once again, Rafael Gunner. He would also like to acknowledge his mother forthe inspiration offered by her endless pursuit of knowledge about the human body and to acknowledge his father, who frst showed him what mastery looks like. Finally, he would like to thank his wife, Simran, who isa second generation Kundalini yogi and his joyful companion in this yogic lie. arjot would ike to acknowledge that, without the help of the Slok ofthe 17th Ashtapadi of Sukhmani Sahib and the mantra “Ong Namo, Guru Dev Namo, Guru Dey Namo, Guru Deva,” this book probably would not have been writen.Introduction ‘The first words I ever heard Yogi Bhajan say were, “You are only a8 old as your spine.” Im happy to tell you that, because of my enthusiasm for my yoga practice, my spine is younger today than it was when I was seventeen. ‘Since that first time, T have had many encounters with the Master of Kundalini Yoga on the subject of yogs. Yogi Bhajan has mentored ‘me as only a Saturn Teacher can: he gave me lots of hard work to do so I could grow. I always left our meetings with some homework: a yoga kriya to practice, a mantra to set to music, or an assignment to help someone else with their yoga practice. And all along the way, he encouraged me to teach as my pathway to mastery. Thave spent my whole life studying movement, It started at the age of seven when I took piano lessons. Mr. Hillsberg, my very strict, piano teacher, insisted that sitting correctly was an important part of my musical training, Before every piano lesson, I had to sit up straight with my hands relaxed on the piano to demonstrate that my consciousness was ready forthe lesson to begin. That was how I first learned that consciousness and posture both influence and reflect each other. Thave always been fascinated by the connection between mastery and the fundamental skills of any discipline. The flashiest gymnastic feat, as well asthe most difficult yoga posture, are mainly the result of a masterful application of basic skills. I began studying gymnastics at the age of ten and it has had a big influence on my life. I found I was good at it and participated in competitions all the way through college. Teven worked as a gymnastics coach. Gymnastics taught me that learning isa linear process: one must master the basic fundamentals, apply them well, and then add variations and embellishments to them. In order to truly succeed at anything, you need three things: desire, discipline, and direction. In gymnastics, I had the desire and I loved the discipline, but there was something missing in the direction I was heading. Then, ata seminar taught by Dan Millman, the gifted Stanford University gymnastics coach, I encountered the Eastern philosophical notion thatthe purpose of practicing physical discipline was not only to develop the body and mind, but also to awaken the soul ‘This gave me a new direction and, in a short space of time, I discovered both youa and the martial arts. I learned new techniques, changed my breathing, developed my navel point, and began to release the load of emotional baggage I had been carrying. T added both‘yogic and martial arts techniques to my gymnastics. When something worked for me, I would share it with my students and fellow gym- nasts. I became a better gymnast and a much better coach. began to develop what I call the “smart navel, wise heart, and empty head” approach to gymnastics. Back then we called it being “in the zone.” My ideal was to be so technically proficient that I could do my routines by heart, using the intelligence of my navel point, and ‘without any useless chatter from my brain. I spent many years working to achieve personal technical excellence so that I could be in the zone in all areas of my life: gymnastics, martial arts, yoga, music, and in my healing practice. {All along, Yogi Bhajan encouraged this pursuit of technical skill, He nicknamed me “the technician.” When people came to him with ‘yoga questions, he would often tell them, “Just go ask the technician,” For years I prided myself on being “the technician.” I was convinced ‘that correct technique was all that was needed to unlock the secrets of the Universe and allow unlimited excellence. "Then one day I asked Yogi Bhajan a technical question about the way to do Vir Asana “perfectly.” He glowered and said, "We don’t teach perfect, we teach correct. ‘Perfect’ isa state of grace that cannot be achieved by our own efforts but is granted by God.” Then he ‘ordered me to stop being such a technician, followed that directive and left the “zone” of my own efforts behind. I pened myself up to the state of grace and found that my pursuit ‘of excellence took on a new enthusiasm. (Iam very fond of this word “enthusiasm,” which is derived from entheos, a Greek word meaning “with God”) ‘A year later, as I walked into Yogi Bhajan’s living room, he called out, “Let's give him a ttl. What shall we call him?” People in the room made various suggestions and when Yogi Bhajan called out,“Posture Master” [knew that Ihad just been given my toughest assign- ‘ment, a big title that T would have to grow into. At that moment, I made @ commitment to myself to learn how to correctly do all the eighty- four major yoga postures. {Las forty-three years old atthe time, and, since then, this commitment has taken me deep into the world of yoga: both classical Hatha ‘yoga and Kundalini Yoga as taught by Yogi Bhajan. It has been an adventure. I have learned a lot and grown & lot, fueled by enthusiasm. rather than by that attachment to my own achievement that had burdened my past studies. About two years ago I was in another “yoga meeting” with Yosi Bhajan and I expressed my frustration that a training and conditioning‘program hadn't yet been developed to prepare students to practice Kundalini Yoga. People were coming to the practice full of enthusiasm to change their lives, but lacked the basic skills needed to practice correctly and effectively. They needed a map to guide them. ‘Yogi Bhajan looked at me and ssid, “Make that map. And bring it to me in two week ‘added, “It can be a small map” ‘Two weeks became two years, and now I offer to you this map to Divine Alignment. This book is not a beginners’ book, but itis a basic fundamentals book. It explains how to tain and condition yourself so that you can successfully practice Kundalini Yoga. It explains some fundamental skills and how they can be developed and strengthened using Kundalini Yoga techniques. will not try to tell you tha this is the only way to practice Kundalini Yoga; that would not be tue, but this map is made up of the tech= ‘niques which have worked for me. Ihope they will be as helpful to you in developing your own Divine Alignment, ” He must have seen my dismay, because he Guru Prem Singh KhalsaDivine Alignment ‘Kundalini Yoga is designed to promote energy flow in all ofthe energy channels of the body, but itis most concemed with the energy ‘channels that flow along the pathway of the spine, When the spine is not correctly aligned, there are obstructions in the energy channels and the energy cannot flow as it should, Divine Alignment can be experienced when we maintain a correct alignment ofthe spine while we practice our Kundalini Yoga ‘exercises. We are often told to sit with a “straight spine,” but the spine, when correctly aligned, only feels straight. What we feel as “straight-ness” i only the feeling thatthe energy can move ina straight path. The spine itself is a series of balancing curves whose relationships must be maintained so that the energy pathway remains connected from the base of the spine to the top of the head. Divine Alignment is about working in harmony with the design of the body. It seeks to prevent misalignment through training and strengthening inner muscles to correctly support the spine, This allows us to use the appropriate muscles to hold a posture and enables us to relax unnecessary tension. Divine Alignment encourages the maximum utilization of the major joints in the body, the shoulders and hips, so thatthe spine can remain as much in alignment when itis bending forward or backward as when itis held erect. ‘When your spine is held in Divine Alignment, you can work in harmony with gravity, the powerful electro-magnetic force ofthe planet Earth. This reduces strain and brings ease into your practice. Divine Alignment of the spine serves your soul's yearning to experience the higher states of consciousness by allowing the vitality ofthe lower chakras and the wisdom of the higher chakras to flow into your heart so that you can live in alignment with your own Divine nature.‘Yoga is a life long study, Everyone's body is different. Their training and level of ability are different. We offer this book to help people along their path, tis nota beginner's book, although beginners can benefit from it. We encourage you to use care when determining your ‘own ability to use the exercises and instructions offered in this book. Do not aggravate an existing injury. ‘The benefits attributed to these practices come from the centuries old yogic tradition, Results will vary du to physical differences and the correctness and frequency of practice. The authors and publisher disclaim al liability in connection with the use of the information in individual cases. As with all unsupervised exercise programs, your use of the instructions in this book is taken at your own risk. If you have any doubts about the suitability of the exercises, please consult your physician,Table of Contents Bandhas Roots Breath Warmups: The Gatekeepers Growing Your Postures Navel intelligence Sat Kriya Focus Mantras Endnotes a 32 D 61 78 MW 120 124 152.Ong Namo Guru Dev Namo Ong Namo Guru Dev Namo Ong Namo Guru Dev Namo Every Kundalini Yoga session begins with chanting this Adi Mantra, By chanting it in proper form and consciousness, the student becomes open to the higher self, the source of all guidance, and accesses the protective link between himself or herself and the divine teacher. See “How to Recite the Adi Mantra” page 128.Bandhas ‘oga is an experiential process of transformation. Yogis designed their exercises so that, when repeated correctly, these exercises ‘would pass on the yogis’ wisdom to the new practitioner. Instructions about the general form of an exercise can be communicated in words, but fits and absorb the wisdom encapsulated within it. This wisdom is not like verbal information that can be passed from mind to mind, but is the process of turning the practitioner into the wisdom by changing his or her intemal makeup. is through the regular, and generally long-term, practice of an exercise that we really come to understand its bene- In other words, yogic exercises function as guides to a transformational process. Arguably, the greatest ofthese guides are the combina- tions of muscle contractions called bandhas, or “locks.” These ultr-sophisticated yogic practices have many benetits, but their primary fune- tion isto create inner strength to hold open the main spiritual energy channel, the Sushumna, and, atthe same to create an hydraulic pressure to encourage energy to move freely within that channel. ‘The Sushumna is a spiritual channel, but its physical counterpart is the spine. It is because of the way the bandhas keep the Sushummna channel open by creating a correct alignment in the spine that we acknowledge them as the great guides to Divine Alignment.‘There are three principal bandhas: Mula Bandh, the root lock; Jalandhar Bandh, the neck lock; and Uddiyana Bandh, the diaphragm lock: According tothe Hathapradipita, a classic manual on Hatha yopa written in the 4th century, “This i the foremost tiad of bandhas and is practiced by all the great yogis. ‘These locks are very powerful techniques that should be learned under the supervision of a qualified teacher and practiced with respect. ‘Traditionally, yoga students were introduced to bandhas secretly and only after first mastering many postures, pranayams, and mudras. In ‘Kundalini Yoga, however, bandhas are introduced in the early stages of study, Bandhas are considered fundamental tothe practice of ‘Kundalini Yoga, because while Kundalini Yoga promotes energy flow in all the energy channels ofthe body, itis through the Sushumna, ‘channel thatthe Kundalini rises. Therefore, itis of primary importance to maintain the integrity and alignment of the spine so that this chan- nel can remain open, “Tes assumed that a beginning student of Kundalini Yoga practices and perfects the application of the locks. Although in many of the ‘exercises and meditations the locks are not specifically mentioned, itis assumed thatthe student has learned how and when to apply this technique.” MSS Gurucharan Singh Khalsa” In every posture, due consideration must be given to the position of the spine so that we keep the central channel open. Bandhas are not just strong measures used occasionally to create an energy surge, but are also subile intemal contractions that can be consistently applied to hold the spine in correct alignment. Through using one or more of the bandhas we can consciously construct an internal framework that cre- ates and supports the correct alignment ofthe spine in any posture we attempt.Bhandas represent a wealth of inner wisdom and technology that unfolds as our skill with them develops. The communication between the conscious mind and the inner muscles stimulates the areas ofthe brain associated with those inner muscles and broadens our awareness of the inner body. Through the practice of applying the bandhas, we can lear how to precisely control the intemal muscles, transcending blanket control of entire muscle groups, releasing unnecessary tension, and pinpointing where internal tension should be applied to achieve our objectives. ‘The degree of tension with which we apply the bandhas is determined by how much grip on the internal muscle framework is needed to correctly hold the alignment of the spine. There may be a greater or lesser degree of tension depending on the posture. In the beginning, we pay a lot of attention to holding the internal contractions, bu, as our strength develops, holding this internal framework becomes more of @ natural part of our practice. ‘With a correctly bandhed internal framework, our postural alignment uses only the most appropriate muscles to hold the position and this allows us to release unnecessary tension in the rest ofthe body. The resulting posture inhabits the whole body from the inside out, and is ‘no longer just a form rigidly imposed on the outside. We can fully become the posture. Bandhas protect and project, that is what they are for. They protect the alignment of your spine and project your energy where you want it 10 go.Mula bandh ula bandh, the root lock, develops the inner muscular and energetic ‘control that is the root of every yoga posture. As Swami ‘Buddananda discusses in his book, Moola Bandha, the Master Key, the precise energetic objective of the muscular contraction we call root lock is the stimulation of the trigger point of the Muladhara or “root” chakra, in order to awaken the Kundalini energy. While the Muladhara chakra itself is etherc, it has a physical trigger point, whichis located in the perineum. The perineum is a complex group of muscles that covers and supports the pelvic floor and includes the urogenital and anal ‘muscles. (When you are instructed to contract the anus and sex organ, you are exercising these muscles in the pelvic floor) Gaining precise control of | area takes practice because the urogenital and anal muscles are so interconnected that it is very difficult to contract one set of ‘muscles without contracting the other set atthe same time.? a‘The muscular contraction of Mula bandh builds the strength of the navel point so that it can correctly rotate and anchor the pelvis, thus protecting the lower spine from harmful compression and keeping the base ofthe spine (the area in which the dormant Kundalini energy resides) in correct relationship to the rest ofthe spine. This maintains the integrity of the lower end of the Shushumna channel so thatthe energy of the lower centers can begin their upward journey. ‘The pelvic floor isthe botiom of the torso and all the weight ofthe upper body rests there. Inernal muscular control of this area is very helpful in moving or Fiting the weight of the body. (Perhaps at some time you have lifted a paper shopping bag filled with heavy items and found that the weight within the bag is beter supported when the bag is lifted from the bottom.) ‘Mula bandh should not be practiced by persons with high blood pressure, vertigo, high inter-cranial pressure, or ammenorhea. Nor should it be practiced by women who are pregnant or on the first day of their menstrual cycle, If you have any question about whether Mula bandh is appropriate for you, please consult your physician ©) the Navel Foint ‘The ancient Shastras tell us that all yoga starts atthe navel point. To locate the outer territory of the navel point, place three fingers ‘across your stomach right under the belly button. The navel point is right below the bottom finger (about 1 to 1!/2 inches below your belly button).Applying Mula bandh In Kundalini Yoga we leam Mula bandh as a contraction of the anus and sex organ in combination with pulling in and up on the navel point, For beginners, the root lock is taught as three separate external contractions, applied sequentially and held simultaneously. First con- tract the anus, and hold that contraction; contract the sex organ and hold that contraction; and finally pullin and up on the navel point. Once all dee contractions have been applied, they are briefly held, and then released all atthe same time. With practice it becomes possible to pecform all three contractions in a smooth manner, almost simultaneously “This three-part root lock technique is the frst stage of learning Mula bandh and gives vital preliminary practice in locating, isolating, sand contracting the muscles ofthe pelvic floor. With practice, Mula bandh becomes more refined so that the contractions can be applied pre- cisely, smoothly, and with litle effort. I becomes more & matter of internal control rather than of squeezing outer portions of the body. ‘We pull in and up on the navel point when we apply Mula bandh, which causes the lower part of the pelvis to tlt forward. This protects the lower back from harmful compression because of the special structural relationship between the pelvis and the sacrum:‘The pelvic bones are firmly attached to the sacrum (the last five vertebrae of the spine) atthe sacroiliac joints. When the pelvis rotates, the lower part tits forward. This pulls the sacrum down, which stretches the spine, and elongates the lower back. The lower spine stays in ‘correct relationship with the rest of the spine and in correct alignment to support the weight ofthe upper body. Pulling in and up on the navel point also increases the intemal pressure within the abdomen so the internal organs cushion and support the lower spine. Palling the navel point causes the pehis to rotate Which pulls the sacrum down viag HEB cndlenghens the over spineRefining Mula Bandh As your navel poi becomes stronger, you can refine your practice of Mula bandh. You will no longer need to use the three-stage con- traction. When you pull in and up on your navel, you can simultaneously engage the muscles ofthe pelvic floor. The navel point, sex organ, and anus will feel like one line being pulled up. This is called “pulling Mula bandh.” It directs the energy upward while, atthe same time, ‘anchoring the position ofthe pelvis to ensure thatthe lower spinal pathway is kept open. All movement should begin from the navel point, because of the navel points ability to control the position of the base of the spine.The ‘navel point must become the organization point for postures and physical activity. Getting a Feel For Pulling Mula Bandh oe) “To get he felng of using the navel pont o poston the pelvis and hol tin position: lie down on your back and center your atsntion at your navel point Place your palms flat gsnst your lower abdomen, Inbal and use your inter ESO ‘muscles to pull in and up on the navel point (the area approximately two inches * aaa below your belly burton) until you can fel your pelvis nd your lower back press against the floor, Hold the breath as long asi confortable for you and then exhale Tension inthe muscles ofthe abdomen and hips may make it dificult to it he pelvis and pres the lower back aginst the Noor Practice this simple movement for few minutes each day tl you can ik your pelvis jst by pling i and upon the navel, Avoid tensing your buttock muscles, because tht wl compress the sacrum and obstruct he movernent of he pvPas Jalandhar Bandh Neck Lock “chin in, chest out” posture that still allows for the passage of air whi Ed‘without some degree of neck lock applied, the flow of energy is blocked at the neck and unhealthy pressure can build up in the heart, behind the eyes, inthe inner ear, and in the brain, Applying Jalandhar Bandh To apply Jalandhar bandh, first pullin on your navel to anchor your pelvis. Then lift your chest. Pull your chin in (not down) to straight- en the natural backward curve of the neck. [As the chest lifts up, you must counterbalance by dropping the shoulder blades down so that you can avoid hunching your shoulders and rounding your upper back. (Keep your navel pulled in so that you are not compressing your lower back in an effort to lift your chest higher. The chest will rise higher asthe muscles of the upper back and shoulders loosen up.) Holding ths position may feel lke a bit ofa strain a first, but with practice it will improve your ability to sit with a straight spine. Yogi Bhajan often indicates that a kiya requires neck lock by telling the students to “sit straight, chin in and chest out” Tis gives a clear short hand description ofthe postion ‘Todo Jalandhar bandh coretl requires @ good amount of flexibility in the upper and mid back. Keay, in full neck Tock, once the pelvis has been anchored, the chest rises high enough so thatthe chin easily fits into the notch inthe sternum atthe base ofthe throat. It is nota matter of bending the head forward; rather, the chest rises up to the chin and the back ofthe neck lengthens. ‘The more flexibility you have in your back, the more easily you can lift your chest, and the more successfully you can apply the neck lock, The area between the shoulder bades is generally one of the tightest areas ofthe body and this tension makes it dificult to strech the upper back without liting and tensing the shoulders ‘Translating “Jalandhar bandh” as “neck lock” can be misleading, The muscles ofthe neck are not excessively tensed, The chest ses, the 10chin is pulled in, and the head is balanced over the heart. The muscles ofthe neck are held with only enough tension to keep the chin pulled in. Neck lock creates the stractural environment to train your head to surrender to your heart. All ofthis is working inthe direction of Divine Alignment. What we are explaining is just the mechanics of it. You create a clear pathway and your heart will do the work Getting a Feel For Jalandhar Bandh Spinal flexes with the hands on the knees open up the mid back and give us a feel forthe position of the chest and shoulder blades in Jalandhar bandh. As the spine flexes forward, the body comes briefly into Jalandhar bandh position atthe top of the forward flex, when the inhalation fils the top of the lungs and the chest rises. Upper Spinal Flexes AARARARARARA Sitin Easy Pose with your hands on your knees. Pullin on the navel to anchor your pelvis and keep your lower back elongated and stable. Inhale and use your arms to guide your spine into the forward flex position. As your shoulder blades drop down, your chest moves forward ‘and up. The chest rises up toward the chin as if you were going into Jalandhar bandh. Re-affim the navel pull as you exhale fully and flex the spine backward, spreading the shoulder blades apart. Holding the pall at the navel point will Keep your spine from collapsing as you flex backward, Keep your neck muscles relaxed. Continue this spinal flex, breathing fully and deeply. 1-3 Minutes.bd} pall ula Bondh Center your ‘Asyouinhale, use yourarmsto —-_Asyou exhale and flex your weight trough your stbones. guide your upper body ita pine baclword, maintain enough Jalandhar bandh, Mula bandh 20 that you can _asoid collapsing your chest. (On the inhalation you use the Mula bandh to connect your pelvis firmly to the floor so your chest can rise up with the forward flex. As the chest rises and the breath expands the ribcage, the flex takes you into Jalandhar bandh. Lead the movement from your navel, not from Your head. The navel makes a strong upward connection with the heart on the inhalation, This creates an integrity to the posture that caries Only the spine flexes forward and back. through the exhalation. Your head stays level, floating in vertical alignment with your pel Spinal flexes get the head to float on a stable heart center platform. 1 always ask people to lift the chest up and not to contract the neck 1 hold the head in place. Head and neck can stay very relaxed because ideally the head is being balanced and held by the heart, so you don’t have to tighten the neck up.‘Another way to get the feel of Jalandhar band is by using a prop. A prop is any tool which helps you to experience what it fels like when your muscles are in the correct position for a posture. The idea isto prac- tice the position briefly with a prop, then remove it, and try to re-create the exact feeling that you had when using the prop. Practicing Jalandhar Bandh with a Prop ( * ‘To get the feeling for the right position of the neck and chest in Jalandhar bandh, try using a one-inch thick paperback book as a prop. Sit in easy pose holding a steady Mula bandh. Drop your shoulder blades and lift your chest up as high as you can without compressing ‘your lower spine or hunching your shoulders. Keep the chest elevated without bending the neck forward. Pull your chin in and place the prop between your chest and your chin. Hold the position. Turn off any unnecessary tension inthe neck and shoulders, Sit fora few long, deep breaths letting your muscles get the feeling ofthe position, then remove the prop, and relax the neck lock. Return to normal breathing.Kriya for Strengthening Jalandhar Bandh ‘Yogi Bhajan taught the following kriya which uses Jalandhar bandh and mantra for meditation on the throat (ith) chakra. Practicing this ikriya every day will develop your neck lock and provide priceless physical and spiritual benefits. Make sure to keep Mula bandh applied so that you do not collapse your lower back as you hold the neck lock. Meditation for the Fifth Chakra* ‘As taught by Yogi Bhajan on February 19 & 20, 1991 Sit in Easy Pose with your spine straight and your hands in Gyan Mudra, Pull in on your navel and lift your chest up, stretching the spine up so that there is little weight on your buttocks. Apply neck lock. Focus your eyes atthe tip of your nose. Chant along with the reconting of Hummee Hum, Brahm Hum by Nisinjan Kaur. The chanting is done atthe root of the tongue, deep in the throat, A mild pres- sure and vibration will be felt inthe throat, Start with 3 minutes and work up to a maximum of 11 minutes a day. (© Yogi Bhajan ‘Yogi Bhajan said that by correctly practicing this kriya for 11 minutes a day for 18 months, one could slay young in spirit and appearance. This meditation forthe fifth chakra isa rare exception where a chanting meditation is done with a heavy degre of neck lock applied. It is done fora specific purpose, with the chanting coming from deep in the throat Usually, when a kriya includes chanting, the neck lock is hheld 10 a lesser degree so that the throat is more relaxed and the sound emerges from much higher in the throat. 4Stretching the Spine Neck Lock Root Lock ‘The root lock and the neck lock are used together to effectively stretch the spine and keep it in alignment. To create any kind of stretch, ‘one end of that stretch must be anchored while the other end pulls in the opposite direction, In this case we use rot lock to anchor the spine atthe bottom and then stretch the chest, elongate the neck and stretch the spine from the top with neck lock. These two bandhas hold the spine in alignment so thatthe thoracic spine the part ofthe spine that attaches tothe rib cage) can safely stretch upward, ‘This combination may be used any time the spine isto be held straight but is practiced most intensely at the end ofan exercise when you are instructed to hold the breath and stretch the spine, Great emphasis can be applied to the root lock and neck lock so that the maximum, amount of prana from the kriya can be distributed and absorbed by the body.is worthwhile to spend extra time working to master Mula bandh and Jalandhar bandh. Until you have acquired a certain degree of strength and competence in applying these locks, i is difficult to understand how they work within postures. The wisdom within these bandhas makes itself known only through practice. Once you have an experience of that wisdom you will be able to use the bandhas as tools to experience divine alignment in every yoga posture you do. Stretch Pose Stretch pose is a classic posture for strengthening the navel point and one that should be mastered if you wish to develop the power of, floor and control the position of the pelvis. Stretch pose requires both Mula bandh and Jalandhar bandh. Three minutes a day of stretch pose ( done correctly) will build the strength you need to develop your posture technique. It is a ‘your navel point to engage the pelvi demanding exercise, but the rewards are worth the effort Lie down on your back with your legs stretched out straight, hhcels together and toes pointed. Pull in and up on your navel pt Som S rotating your pelvis and pressing your lower back firmly into the floor. (See page 8). Lift your heels up six inches from the floor. Lift your chest and come into neck lock to raise your head up six inches from the floor. Gaze at your toes. Your arms are by your sides, palms facing your thighs but not touching them. Breath of Fire. 1-3 Minutes. (See page 41 for how to do Breath of Fire) 6In onder to lift the head up, itis necessary to lift the chest up into neck lock, otherwise the tendency isto try to pull the chest up with the hhead and this puts excessive strain on the neck muscles, Keep the lower back pressed against the floor. If you lose your Mula bandh, you will not be able to hold the Jalandhar bandh, and both ‘your lower back and neck will suffer strain. If your lower back arches up off the floor, then lower your body back down to the floor, rest briefly, and, when you are ready, rise back up into the correct position. Stretch pose strengthens the navel point only when itis done with the locks correctly applied. If your buttocks become tense, it means you are trying to use them to rotate the pelvis and not using the navel point correctly. This tension in the butocks interlocks your muscles, compresses the sacrum, and actually blocks the rotation of the pelvis. To counteract this tension, rl the tops of the leg bones slightly inward to press the insides of your legs together. This will help to open the sacrum area, creating a wider ‘base in your hips and helping your lower back to stay on the floor.Uddiyana Bandh Diaphragm Lock ay ‘The diaphragm lock moves pranic energy from the navel up through the heart area and ‘This bandha develops our conscious control of the thoracic diaphragm. To develop Jung capacity, it is vital thatthe thoracic diaphragm have the flexibility to expand down- ward on the inhalation andthe freedom to move upward fora complete exhalation. Sometimes the diaphragm is stuck and can’t move freely. Diaphragm lock frees the diaphragm and stretches the muscles between the ribs so thatthe rib cage can expand, When Uddiyana bandh is fully developed, it can connect to the navel point, engage the pelvic floor, and consolidate the entire core of the upper body. Ba DP ance. ADP rao, ‘The diaphragm lock is generally done sitting or standing. (If standing, keep your legs a litle apart with your hands resting on your knees or 8 litle above them.) Sometimes people find it easier to Team ths lock while lying on ther backs. 18Applying Uddiyana Bandh ‘To apply Uddiyana bandh, bend your torso forward, lifting the chest and keeping the neck aligned. Exhale as deeply and fully as you ‘can. Hold the breath out and pull your chin in to seal your throat. This will create a vacuum in your chest so that you can suck your thoracie Practice this kriya to develop the movement and range of your breath within the rib cage. Use your ribcage like wings. Each posture sives you a slightly different way to feel where the breath expands the tight areas of your back and ribs. As with any Kundalini Yoga kriya, practice the exercises in the exact sequence given. Keep your navel pulled in and press your sit bones into the floor in each exercise. Maintain this stillness at the navel so that your inhala- tion can expand your ribcage from the inside. Fel your shoulder blades spread apart with the breath. Begin with only 1 minute of practice lity to hold the posture correctly. ‘ime for exch exervise and slowly work up to the stated times 2s you develop your: 1. Sitin easy pose and stretch your arms straight up over your head with the palms together. Roll your armpits toward each other to open up your back. Your arms will hug the sides of your head. Lift your chest and arch your spine backward as far as you comfortably can without 47compressing your lower spine or neck. This is double bandhed posture: both root lock and neck lock are applied. Let your head be supported by the arch in your chest so that your neck is stretched and not bent backward. Inhale slowly and deeply through your mouth with a whistle. Exhale slowly and completely through your mouth with a whistle. Continue this breath pattern for $ Minutes and then relax. a) & aL 2, Interlock your fingers with your palms facing away from you. Inhale deeply and stretch your arms straight out in front of you, spread- ing your shoulder blades apart and stretching your ribs open. Exhale completely, narrowing your ribeage, and bringing your arms back in toward the chest. Continue this movement, working toward a full and rapid breath pattern. 2 Minutes, Then move directly into exercise #3 4/44 3. Inhale and stretch your arms out straight in front of you, fingers interlocked, palms facing away from you. Hold your breath as you without pausing. ‘aise your arms straight up over your head with your palms facing the sky and bring the arms back parallel to the floor. Then exhale as you ‘ring your hands back in toward the chest. Continue this sequence for 2 Minutes. Then move directly into exercise #4 without pausing, 48ee 4, Stretch your arms out to the sides ata sixty-degree angle. Your arms are angled up as if you were about to hug the Universe. Inhale and slowly clench your fists. Hold your breath and, with great tension in your arms, bend the elbows and bring your fists in toward your ‘chest, Use this tension to spread your shoulder blades apart, When your fists touch your chest, exhale and stretch your arms out to begin the ‘movement again. Continue for 3 Minutes maintaining a tense and angry face throughout the exercise. CL ‘5. Place your hands behind your neck with your fingers interlocked and the palms facing up toward the sky. Keep your neck straight, chin in and chest out. Keep your shoulder blades stretched open. Inhale and stretch your arms up overhead. Exhale and bring your hands back behind your neck. Continue for 2 Minutes. 496, Stretch your arms straight overhead palms together, thumbs locked. Rell your armpits toward each other so that your arms hug the sides of your head. Inhale and twist eft. Exhale and twist right. Move from your navel so that your upper body moves as one unit, Continue for 2 Minutes. 7. Interlock your fingers with your palms facing down, Hold your forearms parallel to the ground with the hands about chest level. Inhale and bring the hands up to eye level. Feel your breath expanding your upper rib area, Powerfully exhale, closing the ribeage, as you bring your arms back to chest level. Continue for 2 Minutes 50,8, Place your hands on your shoulders, fingers infront, thumbs in back. Keep connected to your oot line and move the torso as one unit. Inhale and twist tothe let. Exhale and twist to the right. 2 Minutes. 9. Sit in Easy Pose with your hands on your knees. ak |A. Inhale and flex both shoulders up, Exhale powerfully and completely and bring your shoulders down. 2 Minutes. Move directly into part B. aBB. Then begin upper spinal flexes, putting extra attention into rooting your sit bones so that you can get a strong lft to your chest in ‘your forward arch, Inhale as you arch forward. Exhale, spreading your shoulder blades, as you flex backward. Do not let your lower spine collapse. 2 Minutes 10, Sit in Easy Pose. Hold root lock and neck lock, keeping your spine straight and stretched. Close your eyelids and roll your eyes up as {at as possible. Concentrate atthe top center of your head, the Crown Chakra point, 15 Minutes. 11, Lie on your back with your arms by your sides, palms facing up. Spread your feet a comfortable distance apart. Close your eyes and completely relax. © Yogi Bhajan wDWarm-ups you are not warming up before you exercise, you will not get the maximum benefit from your practice and you risk injuring yourself | The body takes alittle time to respond tothe demands of physical exercise. Moderately paced exercises warm up the body by getting the blood and lymphatic fluids flowing freely. The joints need to be moved, the muscles lengthened, the navel point must be awakened, and even the skin needs to be stretched before any serious demands are made of the body. The idea of warm-ups isto create some heat in the body. Ideally we warm up to the point thatthe body begins to sweat before we ask it to stretch its physical limits. When the body is warm, it means that its systems are turned on and ready to perform. During warm-ups, apply the basic tols you have been learning: establish your root line, keep the heart area open, and use a bandhed breath which opens up the rib cage.‘When Yogi Bhajan was studying with his Teacher, Surya Namaskara, the Sun Salutation, was used as a warm-up exercise before starting the Kundalini Yoga kriyas. This series of asanas increases cardiac activity and circulation, stretches and bends the spine, massages the inner ‘organs, aids the digestive system, exercises the lungs, and oxygenates the blood. f “IW Surya Namaskara In each asana, be aware of your root line and how your weight is distributed. Keep the navel pulled in with your chin in and your chest ‘out. The Sun Salutation allows you to practice all of your fundamental skills in an even and flowing manner. Synchronize your breath with the movements to create an uninterrupted rhythm throughout the sequence of positions. (When we say synchronize what we mean is that we ‘want the breath to lead the movement.)1. Stand up straight in Mountain Pose, Your fet are together, thighs rotated inward to spread the sacrum, tos and heels touching, weight evenly dsuibued between both feet. Apply root lock and neck. lock The arms are by your sides, fingers together 2, Inhale and bring your arms up over your head until your palms touch. As your arms lift and your shoulder blades drop, there will come a point at which you will feel your chest lifted. At that point begin to raise your head to gaze at your thumbs. Keep your neck elongated, do not let it collapse as you gaze ‘upward. Roll your armpits toward each other to spread your shoulder blades apart it %3. Exhale and bend your torso forward. Rotate your pelvis atthe hip joint. As you bend forward, keep fou were reaching forward with your heart. Draw your kneecaps up. ‘When you can no longer keep your spine straight, elax your head as close to your knees as you can. Keep your spine straight, elongating it as your knees straight. Place your fingertips on the floor on either side of your feet in line with the tips of your toes, Gaze atthe tip of your nose. 4, Inhale, pull your shoulder blades away from your eas, lit your chest, straighten your spine, and raise ‘your head, keeping your fingertips on the floor. Gaze at your third eye point. ‘5. Exhale and bend your knees, stepping or jumping back so that your legs are straight out behind you and you are in a“‘push-up” position. You will be balancing on the bottoms of your bent toes and th pln of yor ads, Lver your aly oh ts pall te Morn a sei ne fom fo bead anes Mae sue your saves ulin Keep youself equ balaced beeen yur hands GES anf Dont pus fervar with ou. Your ows lb et uss your cage, and Youle ile lao he Nor nde our ules Yor ges ae pet ide pr 56ee ee aging Your eget ey ver you vn Unt anata tp aroer som (AE collapsing.) 6 From this postion, inhale, straighten your elbows and arch your back. Drop your shoulder blades and stretch through your upper back, sill pulling in on the navel so that you do not put pressure ‘on the lower spine. Point your forehead atthe sky and gaze atthe tip of your nose. Your body is bal- anced on the palms of your hands, with your fingers spread wide apart, and on the tops of your feet. ‘Your thighs are off the ground, 7. Exhale, lift your hips up so that your body is balanced in the inverted v-shape called Downward Dog. Your feet and palms are flat on the floor and your elbows and knees are straight. Your fingers are spread wide apart. Gaze toward your feet or knees and hold this position for five breaths. F8. Inhale and jump or step into postion #4, 9. Exhale and bend forward into position #3, with your head close to your knees. 10. Inhale and come all the way up into position #2 with your arms over your head, palms touching. (Before you come up, first bring the head into alignment withthe spine. ‘Then use the navel and the backs of the thighs to lift dhe torso all the way up.)11. Exhale and return to the starting position with your arms by your sides ‘Three to five repetitions ofthe Sun Salutation will warm up the body and prepare it for further exercise, This isa very basic version of the Sun Salutation, Even though itis simple, it utilizes many of the fundamental rules for proper alignment. There are many variations that are equally correct and effective as a warm-up. Please use the version with which you are most comfortable. 9There are two ways to do a posture: the easy way and the wrong way. Ease comes from moving in harmony with the design of the body and the force of gravity. Most postures are balance postures, not strength and endurance postures. 60The Gatekeepers he spinal column is generally divided into four sections: two which are very flexible and two other sections, which are less flexi- ble because they are attached to major bony structures. The cervical spine, in the neck area, is one ofthe very flexible areas “The thoracic spine, inthe chest area, is less flexible because itis attached to the rib cage. tts Flexibility is dependent on our ability to cause the ribs to spread apart: “The lumbar spine, the lower back, is the second very flexible area “The sacral spine, the last five vertebrae, i attached tothe pehic bone and its ability to move is dependent on the ability ofthe pebic bone to revole cither forward or backward around the hip joint. éDespite their more structured location, the less flexible sacrum and thoracic spine areas both have the great advantage of each being Tocated in close relationship to one of the two most flexible joints in the body. The sacrum is near the hip joint and the thoracie spine is ‘lose to the shoulder joint. I is for this reason that we call the hips and shoulders the “Gatekeepers” of Divine Alignment, because, when both of these gates are open, we can bend forward or backward and keep the spine in alignment atthe same time, If these gatekeepers are stuck, then the flexibil bend” syndrome. When the lexible and the pelvis cannot rotate around the hip joint, we ask the lower back to bend more than it should to make up for the inflexibility of the hips. When the shoulders are inflexible and we cannot arch the mid-back to support our back bends, the neck is asked to bend more than it should to compensate for this inflexibility in the shoulders. ‘of the lower back and neck areas can keep us in the “bending-where-you-can-already- {Ifyou really want to change your body and open up those stuck places, itis best to do your stretching exercises after you are thoroughly ‘warmed up. Your body requires a lot of internal heat to change. Stretching is easier when your body is warm and loose. Three to five repetitions of the Sun Salutation can warm your body and get it ready to work on releasing specific areas of excess tension Be wise in your approach to this reclamation work. Listen to your body and don’t push it into pain. Work gradually and allow your ‘muscles to open up. Don't push them. Move into a stretch carefully, hold, and then gradually come out ofthe pasture, using your breath 10 uide you. There is no benefit in forcing a position and injuring yourself. It will only slow down your development. aThe Hips, the Pelvic Gatekeeper ‘The sacrum is attached to the pelvic bones and this whole structure is designed to be able to revolve forward around the hip joints or to revolve backward around the hip joints so the spine can move as one aligned unit. &Potentially there is a wide range of movement available inthe hip joints. When the muscles of the pelvis and upper legs are too tense, they resist the rotation ofthe pelvis and the pelvis gets stuck in one position. The spine cannot move as one aligned unit in forward and backward bending poses because the sacrum and pelvis are not free to rotate around the hip joint. This forces the spine to bend above the sacrum in the more flexible area of the lumbar spine (the lower back), disrupting the connection between the sacrum and the rest of the spine and often causing pain and injury. Exercises to Increase the General Flexibility of the Hip Area ‘The following individual exercises are classic “hip openers.” (They are not arranged as a sequence or set of exercises. You may like 0 add one or two of them to your regular practice. ) These exercises bring a stretch to places that are generally full of tension, so be sure that you are completely warmed up before you attempt any of them. Start with one minute of practice on each side and gradually work upto the point where you can hold these stretches for two or three minutes, working with a complete breath, and consciously relaxing your muscles. ‘Only do the version of any of these exercises that you can do by moving from the hip joint. If at any time you feel painful pressure at your knees, it indicates that you are trying to stretch beyond what your hips can accommodate and a potentially harmful strain is being placed on your knees. 64Pigeon Pose: Lying on Your Back Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet onthe floor. Lift up your left leg and place your left foot on top of your right leg {ust above the knee. (Your left shin will be perpendicular to your right thigh and your left knee will point out to the left side.)Bring your right knee to your chest, pressing your left leg toward your chest as well. This will create a stretch in the left hip joint. To increase the stretch, clasp your hands around your right leg just below the knee (Your left arm will go through the space between your legs.) Gently pull the right knee toward you, allowing your left leg to rotate atthe hip. Hold the postion for one minute with long, deep breathing. Then change sides and repeat aPigeon Pose Stretching Forward A ae Sit with the heel of your left foot in front of your pubic bone, with the left foot flexed, and your tight leg stretched out behind you, with your right kneecap facing the floor. Place your hands on the floor on each side of your bent left leg. ( For a deeper stretch, you can lie for- ‘ward over your front leg, stretching your arms along the floor above your head. ) Breathe slowly and deeply, consciously releasing all ‘unnecessary tension. Hold the position for at least a minute, then change sides and repeat, If, as your hips open wp, you wish to intensify the stretch, you can gradually move the position of your front foot until the thigh and calf form a right angle on the floor in front of you. Take this in stages, increasing the angle over time, 66Double Pigeon JS Sit with your legs stretched out straight in front of you. Bend your right knee placing your right foot under your let knee. Bend the left knee, and place the let ankle on top of the right knee and the left knee on top of the right ankle, Keep your feet flexed so thatthe soles of, ‘your feet face out tothe sides, Breathe slowly and deeply. Hold the position for atleast a minute, then change sides and repeat. [Ff this position causes no discomfort to your knees, you can deepen the stretch by bending forward, resting either on your hands, forearms, ‘or bringing your chest to rest on your folded legs. Stop where you feel a comfortable stretch in the hips and buttocks. Bend only as far forward ‘as you can while keeping your buttocks in contact with the floor, 7Stretching the Psoas Muscle [Bend your left knee and place your left shin beside your left hip withthe top of your foot touching the floor. (AS ifthe left side of your body was in Celibate Pose.) Bend the right knee and rest your right foot on top of your left knee, keeping the right foot flexed. Hold this posi tion, Breath slowly and deeply. Hold for atleast one minute, then change sides and repeat. For a more advanced stretch, you can lean backward supporting yourself on your elbows. To deepen the stretch stil further, lie all the way back, ‘on the floor. In tis position, be sure to keep your lower back elongated and relaxed down on the floor BS eo 68The Shoulder Blades, the Gatekeeper of the Ribcage and Heart ‘The shoulder blades are bony plates that, when correctly placed, can be used to leverage the lifting of the chest or the backward arch ofthe thoracic spine. They can be positioned to help the shoulder joints hold the arms up in the air without strain or make it easier forthe arms to support the weight ofthe body. They can open up more space within the upper lungs when they spread apart. Opening up the ‘area of the shoulder blades opens the way to the heart center. Exercises to Increase the General Flexibility of the Shoulder Area Bach ofthe following exercises works to open up the shoulder area. (They are not aranged as a sequence or set of exercises, but individ- ual exercises from which you may like to choose one or two to add to your practice.) Remember to warm up the body well before working ‘on your stuck places. Start with one minute of practice on each side and gradually work up to the point where you can hold these stretches {for two or three minutes, working with a complete breath, and consciously relaxing your muscles Inall ofthe following exercises, be sure to anchor your spine with Mula bandh so that you do not let your lower back collapse. 38Eagle Pose Sit in easy pose with a straight spine. Root yourself through your sit bones. Gently riss-cross your arms in front of your chest two or three times to open up your shoulders. Then swing your arms across each other, resting the upper portion ofthe lef arm in the crook of the ‘ight elbow. Let the shoulder blades rest low on your back. Bend the elbows so that both forearms are perpendicular to the floor. Wrap the forearms so thatthe palms are pressed together. (They will be at slightly different heights and will not meet exactly.) Squeeze the palms and ‘arms together. Hold the position and breathe deeply. Continue for up to a minute then release the posture, Change arms and repeat. {f you wish to intensify the stretch, gently raise your intertwined arms moving your elbows up and away from the chest. Do not strain, Breathe and hold the posture for up to a minute. Then release the posture, change arms, and repeat. 7OChest Opener (Yoga Mudra) Arms move away, plling the shoulders down, Then the amms lift up and hola Stand straight with your feet a comfortable distance apart. Pullin on your navel point and root your weight through your feet. Interlock ‘your hands behind your lower back. (Try to keep your palms together.) Lower your shoulder blades and lift your chest. As you inhale, stretch your arms away from your body (Keeping your shoulders moving away from your ears). Then begin to lift the arms up as high as you comfortably can, but still keep the arms stretching away from the body. Your shoulder blades will be squeezed together. Keep the arms lifted and breathe as slowly and deeply as you can. Hold the position for up to one minute and then relax your arms dawn,Downward Dog (Triangle Pose) ‘Start in a hands and knees position on the floor with your toes flexed. Position your hands so that your wrists are parallel to each other. Keep your fingers spread apart to evenly distribute the weight across your hands. ‘Straighten your legs, iting your hips to create an inverted “v" shape with your arms and shoulders as one line of the “W” and your ‘thighs and legs as the other line, Pull in on your navel to rotate your pelvis. This directs the weight of the pelvis down through your heels into the floor. Your body weight should be evenly distributed between your hands and feet, Roll your armpits toward each other to stretch ‘your shoulder blades apart and to align your shoulders in a supportive position, Roll your thighs inward slightly to widen your hips. Tighten the top of your thighs to draw your kneecaps up, which will help to release the muscles in the back of your legs. Apply a gentle neck Tock ‘and press your arms against the floor to lengthen your spine. Breathe slowly, and deeply. Hold the position, with long, slow, deep breathing for up to one minute, and then relax. ‘This exercise is a good way to stretch the back and to warm up for Jalandhar bandh, RDolphin Pose Come onto your elbows and knees, with your palms and forearms flat on the floor. Your forearms are parallel to each other. Spread your fingers wide open. Simultaneously push against the floor with your palms, forearms, and feet as you straighten your legs and lift your pelvis, raising up into an inverted * v "shape, Let the heels drop toward the floor. Pull your shoulder blades away from your ears, Roll your armpits toward each other, keeping your forearms parallel. In the beginning your heels may not touch the floor and you may have to bend your knees. Hold the position, with long, slow, deep breathing for up to one minute and then relax.shoulder opening hand clasp Sit eross-legged or on your heels. Raise your right arm straight up, roll the right armpit inward, bend the elbow, and reach back and ‘down along your spine with your palm facing your spine. Bend the left elbows, also rolling the armpit inward, and bring your left arm behind the lower back with the palm facing outward, Reach the left arm as far to the right as you can before sliding it up and across your back to ‘grasp your right hand. {Ifthe hands don’t comfortably reach then hold a strap between them to complete the connection. Lift your chest, and pull in on your chin. Bring your right elbow up vertically, o that it is alongside your head. Draw your shoulder blades down your back. Avoid squeezing them together, The elbows should be parallel tothe spine, but don’t strain your shoulder joints. Sit with long, slow, deep breathing for up to ‘one minute, Then slowly relax, release the hands, change sides and repeat 7+Keeping the Gates Open Because the mast flexible joints ofthe arms and legs are the ones atthe shoulder and hips, itis wise to begin the positioning ofthe arms and legs by fist adjusting the postion ofthese major joins. Otherwise, there may be excessive strain atthe knees andlor ankles because the hip join isnot psiioned properly. Or the elbows andor writs may be stained to compensate forthe improper position ofthe shoulders. Be aware that f you fee stress in your smaller joints, its time to check the position ofthe big ones. Generally, tension locks up the muscles ofthe hips and shoulders because inappropriate posture has created a dysfunctional relationship with gravity and muscle tension has replaced alignment and balance, In addition to chronic tension in these areas, most people have the habit of straining to hold a yoga posture by tensing and lifting the shoulders and/or tightening the buttocks. Using the Shoulders to Position the Arms “Rolling the armpits inward” or “toward each other” is an instruction you will find with many exercises in this book. This phrase is used 10 help you figure out how to position the shoulder joints for those postures. Since the armpits cover the front of the shoulder joint, tuy to roll the armpits inward, you are actually affecting the position ofthe shoulder joint itself. aeGetting a Feel For It Reach your arms up over your head withthe palms of the hands facing forward, thumbs touching above your head. The palms and the ‘armpits will bth be facing in the same directions. Without moving your wrists or elbows, roll your armpits inward so that the palms of your hands touch in prayer mudra over your head. You will feela stretch between your shoulder blades. Hold for up to a minute and then release. ‘Using this method you ean keep your arms over your shoulders without hunching your shoulders or putting excessive strain on your clbows. This is helpful in kriyas like Sat Kriya, where the arms must stay straight and hug the ears, and in those positions, like Downward Dog where the weight ofthe body is being supported in some measure by the arms being extended above the head, 76Using the Hip Joint to Position the Legs “Rolling the thighs inward” describes one way of positioning the legs in the hip sockets. You will find this phrase used in the instructions for many of the postures in this book. Often we roll the thighs ousward when we are straining to hold a position. This pinches the sacrum, locks the pelvis, and interferes with the correct placement ofthe leg bone in the hip socket. Rolling the thighs inward counteracts this ten- dency. Getting a Feel For It Lying on your back with your legs together and stretched out straight, roll your thighs inward toward each other, moving from the very top of the leg. Your entre leg will move inward and the insides ofthe leg will press together. Rotate just enough to align the insides of the legs. This will widen the space around the sacrum and create a broader base of support atthe pelvis. In order to break the abit of squeezing your buttocks and compressing your Sacrum in difficult postures, you might want to hold a prop like a foam yoga block between your thighs to remind you to roll the thigh bones inward,Growing Your Postures ice you have a good understanding of breath and bandhas, you will see that all postures use the same fundamental tools in terms ‘of body geometry. When you use these tools you can create an internal framework around which your posture can grow in a ‘supported manner, This allows you to grow into the complete, correct posture as your strength develops. 1, Use the root lock and neck lock to protect the spine and keep it elongated. 2, Establish a root line for the posture so that you can work with gravity and its rebounding force. 3, Use the shoulders and hips to maximize the flexibility of the sacrum and thoracic spine, 4. Breathe deeply and fully to use the breath to gently stretch the posture from the inside. 78sd ‘Put devotion in the motion. Forward bends are all about devotion, You are surrendering your head to your heart and offering yourself to ‘your higher Self Forward-Bends. Correct forward bends result when you have the root lock and neck lock in place so that your upper body can operate as one consolidated unit, evolving atthe hip joint, The legs are held stable and the hip joint acts as a hinge between the upper and lowver halves of your body, ‘When you bend only atthe hip joint, the upper body can stay bandhed and aligned and the heart area can remain open. Your lungs are not ‘compressed and you can let your breath move you to greater flexibility ‘Use your fingertips to draw a horizontal line from your navel point (not your belly button, see page 5) to your hipbones. This isthe line ‘at which you want to fold as you bend forward, This is your hinge line. 79Standing Forward-bends ‘Stand with your feet one to two fist widths apart Pull Mula bandh and root yourself from your navel through your feet into the ground. Lift your chest up and come into neck lock. This consolidates your upper body and connects it to the root line, [Imagine thatthe pull ofthe navel is so strong that it engages the muscles ofthe front and insides of your thighs, drawing the kneecaps ‘upward. Engaging these muscles on the front of the legs helps to release the hamstring muscles on the back of the legs and reduces the risk of hyperextension to the back of the knee. Rotate your thighs slightly inward to avoid compressing the sacrum, Inhale deeply, expanding your ribs. As you exhale, bend forward at the hinge line, evolving your upper body at the hip joint. 80Maintain the root line and keep your upper body bandhed as you bend forward at the hip joi ‘As you continue your bend, there will come a point when your torso is parallel to the floor At this point your head will be pointing in one direction and your sit bones will be pointing in the opposite direction. From this point, only continue. bending as far forward as you can without rounding your back or compressing your chest. As you fin- {sh your exhalation allow your head to drop forward. Break the habit of bending forward by rounding your back and tucking your head toward your chest This will restrict your breathing and you will not be able to open up the areas of the body that this exercise is designed 0 lengthen, It is beter 10 bend forward correctly, even if you do not bend very far, Flexibility wil develop with practice. 81Ifyou have a chronically curved back caused by years of collapsed breathing, your spine will not stay perfectly straight as you bend forward. Be patient with yourself: Maintaining a straight spine in the forward bend isthe goal that you will reach through correct practice. You may not be able to do it immediately. Don't try to force results and injure yourself a B& ‘Torrise back up: gently lift your chest and raise your head back into neck lock. Keep the thighs rotated inward to protect the sacrum, Inhale, poll in on your navel point, and use the root line to push through your feet into the ground. Pushing against the ground will allow you to catch the rebounding force and you can ride it up. Let your legs do the work of raising you up, do not use your back. It will feel as if your body floats into the upright position as your ribs expand with the breath 82.Forward bends are designed to stretch the hamstring muscles, which atach the sit bones (those protruding bones atthe bottom ofthe pelvis) tothe backs of the legs below the knees Is the hamstring muscles that determine the depth and flexibility of your bend, becanse they can stop the pelvis from revolving forward around the hip joint. If you compress atthe chest to create the illusion that you are able to bend farther forward than you really can, you will not stretch your hamstrings and your posture will not grow. Bending forward correctly from the hip joint, no matter how short the bend, will put stetch on the hamstrings and increase the flexibility of your forward bends. Sitting Forward-bends Sitting forward-bends are done using the same tools as standing forward-bends. Using root lock and neck lock, the upper body bandhs 10 the root line and moves as one consolidated unit, revolving atthe hip joint hinge. Problems arise when the hamstring muscles are very tight, because the pelvis will want to remain fixed atthe hips. &Sit on your sit bones with your legs extended straight out in font of you. (If you are unable to balance on your sit bones sit on a folded blanket as shown on page 29.) Inhale. Pull in on the navel, root through your sit bones, and let the root line spread into your legs. Lift your chest and pull your chin in Roll your thighs inward to protect the sacrum. ‘As you exhale, bend forward atthe hinge line and grab your feet. Stay stretched forward and breathe slowly and deeply. Draw your kkneecaps up to help release the muscles on the back of the legs. ity will grace- Do not try to pull yourself downward. As you lengthen your spine and relax, the force of gr fully pull you downward, Place your attention on keeping your spine straight and bending only at the hip joint. Use your arms to pull against your feet as if you were tying to pull your legs back into your hips. This will keep the leg bone aligned in the hip socket and create an anchor to help you lengthen your back, Maintain the integrity ofthe alignment of your spine. Do not be concemed how far down you can bend. It is not necessary (o bring your hhead to your knees if that means that you bend your chest and compress your heart. 84‘To rise up out of a sitting forward-bend, inhale and press the legs into the floor to leverge the sing ofthe toro. tay rooted and move the torso as one consolidated unit. Just as in a standing forward-bend, press 7 r=) the leg muscles against the floor and float up with te inkalation. S Forward-bending, legs spread Sit with your legs pata parts yu can an sil gab he es of ach fo Pal Mula bandh and cxsbsh rete no yours bones ad outage uk fours Pl your ec Inhale and res down into the 0 ie 00 ise your est pad pl our chin in Tis wl on code your upper bad keep ou sie Sai. Pl aint your fect pling you es bck in he hip sockets. ‘Exhale and straighten the spine as you bend forward at the hip joint. Go as far forward as you can while keeping your spine straight. Hold the locks and concentrate on your breath. Allow gravity to gently pull your torso down toward your legs. ‘When you are ready, inhale, pull in on the navel, pres the legs into the ground, an float back tothe upright position. IF you cannot reich your fet while Keeping your back straight, se yoga straps to lengthen your reach, Zo 85Lying Down Bends Lying on your back and raising your legs off the floor makes use of the pelvic hinge in a slightly different way from standing and siting forward-bends. When you are lying on your back, the upper body stays stable while the legs revolve at the hip joint Leg lifts Gr Lifting your legs to ninety degrees and then lowering them is a dynamic form of forward bend atthe hip joint hinge. Lie down on your back, root through your lower back, letting this root lin spread into the upper body. Use the root lock to anchor the Tower back against the floor. Lift the chest and apply the neck lock to keep the neck stable. Press this root line into the floor to leverage the raising of the legs 86‘To lower your legs, first reaffirm the locks. Then begin to exhale as your navel presses the lower back into the floor to stow the descent ofthe legs without losing the root line, Use the upper body to countes- balance the weight ofthe legs as they are being lowered. ‘The common mistake in leg lifts 1s that people lose their root line and try to leverage the legs ‘up by using the neck. They arch their head backward. They try to anchor the back part of the ‘head into the floor to compensate forthe fact that their lower spine has arched up. Once you cre~ ate an arch in the lower back, you must create another arch in the neck to balance i. This places ‘Painful stress on the neck and lower back. (Placing your hands under your buttocks can help you to maintain a rooted connection between your lower back and the ground.) 7Lyjng on the back holding onto the feet Another kind of forward bend atthe hip hinge is done when the upper body remains on the floor and ‘one or both legs are raised up straight and grabbed with the hands. ‘You will use the same tools asin the other forward-bends, Lie on your back and pull in on the navel, pressing the lower back into the floor. In this posture let the root line spread into the upper body. Raise your legs up to ninety degrees. Rotate the thighs slightly inward to broaden the sacrum, Draw the kneecaps toward the hip to create a release in the hamstrings. Reach up and grab your feet. Use the arms to pull the legs back into the hip joint. This will encourage the top of the leg bone to revolve backward in the hip joint. IF you simply pull the foot down toward the head, you risk tearing the hamstring muscles. ‘What you are trying to achieve is a tealignment of postion of the leg bone in the hip joint so the hip joint can open up to release the leg toward the head. Working in cooperation with the design of the hip joint is how people get really flexible in all kinds of forward bends. If you can’t reach your feet while keeping your back on the ground, use yoga straps to increase the length of your reac, 88Backward Bends Backhends require avery powerful rot ine from he navel trough the es. You must be strong enough to keep your peli aed and push powerfully through te rot line nto the lor with you Tes and feet. I you are not strong enough though the least i almost impossible to ‘open up the area that need to bend. If your legs are weak, your over back will shi, you wilt goof your root ine, and you won't beable to atch the mid-spine. Strengthening the Root Line Through the Legs: Sit on your heels in Rock Pose. Apply root lock and neck lock consolidating the upper body. Create a root line through your knees and shins into the ground. Inhale, push through the root line into the floor, and rise up onto your knees. If your locks are strong, you will float up as if you are being pulled upright by a sting attached to the crown of your head. Your upper body must remain perpendicular tothe floor ‘throughout the movement. Your legs revolve in the hip socket so the body can rise straight up, Exhale and keep your spine stright as you 89lower yourself back into rock pose. If you let go of the locks in this movement you will not be able to keep the upper body perpendicular to the floor. vy ee ee ear C Pelvic Lifts S e Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the ground near your buttocks. Place your feet about two fist-widths apart, Rest your arms by your sides with the palms facing down. (You may hold onto your ankles only when you can do so without either com- pressing your back or tensing your buttocks as you raise your pelvis up and down.) Inhale, pullin on your navel point to apply root lock and rotate your pelvis. The root lock is very important in pelvic lifts. The navel 90absolutely has to lead the movement, ‘Keep your pelvis rotated during the entire exercise, so thatthe spine is lifted up and lowered down without at any time compressing the lower back. ‘As you press down the root line into your feet and raise the pelvis upward, keep the thighs rolled slight parallel to each other. (If you squeeze a foam yoga block between your knees, while you are holding the root loc, it will remind you to roll {Your thighs inward to keep the sacrum area open.) Exhale, still holding the root lock and maintaining the rotation ofthe pelvis, as you lower the spine back tothe floor, inward so that the legs remain Do not let your knees spread apart, because this will compress the sacrum. ‘and block the rotation of the pelvis,Supported Backward-Bending, Getting the Feel of Rooting Down, Lifting the Chest up, and Releasing the Head Over In order to coordinate holding a strong root line while bending over backward, itis essential to practice in a supported posture until you ‘have built up the strength in your navel to hold the pelvis in position and push through the root line into the floor. The pelvis must keep the lower spine stable and elongated while the chest lifts and the shoulder blades drop, leveraging the opening of the ribs, The backward arch must be developed in the mid back so that you do not compress the lower back. (In doing backward bends, you should only allow your head to drop back when your chest is lifted high enough so thatthe head can drop back without compressing the neck.) itStand about two feet from a wall with your back toward the wall. (As you practice, you can adjust the distance according to what fels comfortable for you.) Apply the root lock to rotate your pelvis and establish your root line. Reach backward with your arms to brace your palms against the wall. Your fingers will be pointing toward the floor. Hold a stong and steady root lock, keeping the pelvis rotated, Turn {Your thighs slightly inward Once you have established the root line, use the upward lft of the rebounding force to raise your chest as high as you can. Roll your armpits toward each other to keep your shoulders open, Don't let your elbows fan out to the sides. Stay in this position and breathe deeply for about a minut, ‘To come out of the position, slowly walk your feet backward toward the wall until you come out of the arch. Then slowly bend forward and let your body hang or come into Downward Dog as a counter-pose to stretch your back. ‘This exercise requires special attention in order to Keep the gatekeepers open in both the hips and the shoulders. For the hips, the great challenge is to keep the pelvis rotated so thatthe sacrum remains in alignment with the rest ofthe spine : Hold the root lock steady to keep the lower pelvis tilted forward. Because the lumbar spine isso flexible, there is tremendous pressure to let go ofthe root lock and allow the lower back to bend. Ifthe buttock muscles are tensed, this pressure willbe very hard to resist, because the tension in the buttocks willbe fighting the rotation of the pelvis. Keeping your thighs turned slightly inward will protect the sacrum and help the buttocks to remain relaxed. (It is very helpful to hold a yoga block between your thighs to remind you to Keep the thighbones turned inward.) ‘The challenge in the shoulders isto keep the armpits rolled in toward each other so that the elbows do not open out tothe sides. When the elbows fan out it will poll your arms out of parallel alignment and lock your shoulder blades so thatthe chest cannot lift. Widen your cdshoulders, do not collapse them in order to straighten your elbows. And, when focusing on the shoulder gate, be aware of maintaining the root lock, so that you don’t collapse your lower back and compress your spine. (Af you have difficulty keeping your arms parallel, you may want to use a yoga strap looped loosely around your upper arms to keep them parallel to each other.) Camel Pose Camel Pose combines all the skills you need for most backward bending exercises, The most important thing for bending backward into Came Pose is how you ae rooted. The rooting from your navel to your knes into the tps of your fet has tobe very, very strong inorder to safely arch into position Sit on your heels. Use the root line to push the tops of your feet into the floor. Rise up to your knees, pressing through the root line into the floor to give you leverage to arch your chest. The chest must be arched up as high as it can go before you lean over into Camel Pose, ‘The image is “down into the ground and up into the heavens.” Press into the floor: the toes and tops of the feet must press fairly hard to lift the chest up. Keep pushing the chest up in opposition tothe press of the lower body agains the floor. The legs must be vertical from knees to hips when you are up in Camel Pose, ‘Once your chest is arched as much as you can, pull your chin in to connect your neck to the upper spine. Exhale, hold the root lock and keep the chest lifted as your reach back for your heels. Allow your head to go back as far as it can without disconnecting it from your arch cor compressing your neck. a+BBY ‘You can use several methods to support your Camel Pose. You can reach back and grab your heels leaving the tops of your fet fat on the floor. Tis i the classic position. You can lift your heels up so that you are balanced on your knees and toes, rising your heels up and shortening the distance. Or you can support your backbend by placing your hands on your hips. Only do the camel position you can achieve with your locks in place. Do not release your root line while you are in Camel Pose. You can practice Camel Pose against wall o get the fee ofthe coret position. Kneel facing a blank wall with you knees touching the wall. Have your knees about two fists distance apart. Come into Camel Pos, pushing through your root tne from navel to knees. A the same time keep your ips pressing aginst the wal, creating a perpendicular tne from hips to knees, baIn backward-bending postures we are trying to open up the heart center, the ribcage, and the thoracic spine. This area is not very flexi- bile, but it isthe area that needs to be stretched. Backward bends that do not engage this area create over-compression of the more flexible areas of the spine in the neck and lower back. It is not as important how deeply you bend backward as how much you stretch the upper back and open the chest. 9%Upward-facing Dog Lie on your stomach with your palms flat on the floor under your shoulders and the tops of your feet resting on the floor. Roll your thighs ‘inward so thatthe sides of your feet are touching. Apply root lock, rotate the pelvis, arch the chest upward, and straighten your arms. Lift up until ‘you are balanced on the palms of your hands, your knees, and the tops of your feet ‘Because many of us ae very tense inthe back, Upward-facing Dog is good posture to learn before trying Cobra Pose. In this posture the thighs are not on the floor so the arch ofthe back is not as pronounced as in Cobra Pose. Keep your chest arched upward and your lower back. clongated,Cobra Pose Lie on your stomach with your palms flat on the floor under your shoulders. Apply root lock, rotate the pelvis, elongate the lower back, and arch the chest upward as you straighten your arms. Lift up until you are balanced on the palms of your hands and the tops of your thighs, ‘Keep the fronts of the thighs rolled toward each other to protect the sacrum and keep your feet touching.( It is helpful to place a foam ‘yoga block between your thighs. The thighs have to press together to keep the block in place and this makes it difficult to compress the sacrum as you arch backward.) ‘The root line in Cobra Pose is directly from the navel point into the ground. The shoulder blades move dawn the back to leverage the lifting of the chest. As the chest rises the arms can straighten out. Only rise up as far as you can go without compressing your lower back, Keep your elbows by your sides, do not let them fan out. 98King Cobra King Cobra is Cobra Pose with the legs lifted at the knees and reaching for the top of the head. It is a very demanding pose Make sure that you have established your root line and fully lifted your chest before you attempt to release your head backward toward your feet. You must maintain a surong internal support to avoid collapsing your neck, Its often helpful to use a wall for support in order to safely enter and hold this position, Find a clear wall and come onto hands and knees on the floor with the wall behind you. Place your shins against the wall. Engage your navel to rotate your pelvis and lift your heart atthe same time as you slowly lower your hips toward the floor. You can control the intensity ofthis position by how much you allow your hips to drop toward the floor ( Keep your elbows pulled in at your sides. Don’t let them flare out. ) King Cobra isa posture that requires a lot of openness in the heart center, ribcage, and upper back. 9Balancing on the pelvis Any posture in which you are raising both the torso and the legs off the floor atthe same time is always a heavily bandhed posture that places great demands on the strength of your navel point. It requires a strong rootline to keep the legs lifted without collapsing the heart ——— Cc Stretch Pose (see page 16 )is a classic example of this, because the navel has to strongly press the lower back into the floor to raise the legs while still supplying a base of support so thatthe chest can lift into neck lock. The rooting of the pelvis leverages weigh in two direc tions at the same time. 100thirty Degree Slant ‘The sitting position called the “thirty degree slant” and sometimes given as the instruction to “lean back to sixty degrees” reqi very solid grip on the neck lock and the root lock just to maintain the posture. This isa classic core strengthener. Sit in Basy Pose and pull in on your navel to create a root line through your sit bones. Lift your chest up and come into neck lock. Keep your upper body straight and lean back thirty degrees from the vertical. Revolve backward atthe hip joint and keep your legs in contact with the floor. (Once you are in this position, with the root lock and the neck lock set, focus on the expansion and contraction of the ribcage, really open your wings with each breath. JolBoat Pose (Legs and Torso Angled Up at Sixty Degrees) Sit with your legs stretched out straight. Apply root lock, anchor your pelvis, apply neck lock, and lean your torso back to sixty degrees Raise your legs up to sixty degrees. ‘A strong root lock and neck lock must provide the framework for the upper body to counter-balance the weight of the legs. The most ‘important element is to stay rooted and not collapse the chest. Once you establish the oot lock and neck lock, keep the chest lifted and the hheart area open. Never compromise the heart line just to hold the appearance of the posture. To straighten your legs but collapse the heart line has Tile value. ‘This exercise requires a high degree of navel strength and not everyone can keep the spine stright and the legs straight atthe same time. 102In order to keep your spine straight, you may have to modify the leg position until your navel strength develops. Once you have estab- lished your root line, then bring your legs up but bend your knees to lessen the strain on the navel point. If that is stil too difficult, then use ‘your arms to hold the legs behind the knees. As you get stronger, straighten the leys and eventually let go with your hands, 105Balancing on the Abdomen ‘Some backward bends are balanced on the abdomen and do not root through the legs. These exercises rely on a strong root line pushing directly from the navel point into the ground, Bow Fose Lie on your stomach. Apply root lock to rotate your pelvis. Roll the tops of the thighs toward each other to protect the sacrum, This will help you to keep the feet touching. Press strongly through the root line into the ground. Pull the shoulder blades down the back to leverage the lifting of the chest. Use the legs to pull against the arms to raise the body up into the position Bow Pose is hard for many people, but itis important to get beyond the “bending where you are already bending” syndrome and open new territory in flexibility. Ifyou really want to lengthen your spine out, particularly through the important pelvic muscles, you really have 10 keep the feet and knees close together and use the legs to pull against the arms. You may not come up as high, but it opens up the spine in «far more useful way: lo#Platform Poses-No Bend at the Hips Certain poses are done with the weight balanced equally on hands and feet while keeping the torso straight. The rot line connects the navel point to both the hands and fect. The hip joint hinge is kept stable, I does aot bend. The postion ofthe shoulder blades becomes ‘important because of the weight that is being supported by the arms. Front Platform Pose Lie on your stomach with your palms on the floor under your shoulders, Pull the navel in and create a root line throughout the whole body, from the navel through the hands and feet into the ground. Roll the thighs toward each other to protect the sacrum, Push yourself up by straightening your elbows so thatthe body is in one straight line from the tops ofthe feet to the head. Keep the chest lifted and the shoul- der blades low on the back. Spread the shoulder blades apart. Keep your arms perpendicular to the floor and your fingers spread wide. losBack Platform Fose Sit straight with your legs stretched out in front of you. Place your palms on the floor beside ‘your hips with the fingertips pointing toward your toes. Apply root lock and keep it steady. 4 Raise your chest and hips so that you are in one straight line from chest to toes, while still keep- — ing your fet on the floor. EZ Like Front Platform Pose, the root line spreads throughout the whole body. The hands and feet press into the floor to keep the body lifted. ‘The pelvic hinge remains stable. Roll your thighs inward to keep the sacrum area open. Back Platform can be done with the body straight from head to toes or withthe head released = backward to create a backbend. If you want to let the head drop back, you must first lift the chest so thatthe neck can move inline withthe arch of the back. The downward pull of the weight ofthe head must be counterbalanced by the upward lift of the chest. It should feel as if someone is pressing their hand between your shoulder blades and pushing upward. Do not let the ‘neck bend inthe middle and become compressed. 106Using the Root Line to Move Up and Down Crow Squats ‘Stand up straight, with your arms streched out infront, palms down. Have your feet parallel to each other. Rol the thighs inward. Apply the root lock and neck Tock: Root through your legs into the ground, Keep a dynamic tension in the upper body between the root lock and the neck lock to kep the spine straight as you exhale down into Crow Pose. Then with the locks stl in place, inhale as you push your legs into the ground, and rise back up to standing. 1073 If your hips are really tight, itis hard to keep your spine stright in Crow Squats. To help you to do this exercise and keep your spine straight, place a rolled up sticky mat under your heels. ‘You don’t have to go all the way down, just go down as far as you go correctly. Keep the locks in place and your spine straight. The pos- ‘ure will grow with correct practice. Be patient and trust your body. = If you lose your hold on the locks, collapse your chest, stick out your buttocks, and compress your neck, you are <) no longer getting the benefits of the exercise. \Going On From Here ‘A well-known jazz bassist was once talking about what it takes to play jazz from your hear. He said frst you have o work on strengthening ‘your body and developing your technique so you can actually play the instrument. Once you have done that, you can let go and just play from ‘your heart. You become a witness to the music playing through you. ‘The same idea applies to Kundalini Yoga. As you strengthen your fundamental skill it will become easier and easier to apply them to very posture you attempt. Practice your skills in individual postures during your warm-ups. Once you star a Kundalini Yogs kriya itis no longer time to be focused on these building techniques. Do not let technical details interfere with the flow ofthe kriya All the kriyas of ‘Yoga Bhajan are designed to create an enerzy flow and that energy flow itself will build your postures. Ifthe kriya has postures that you can only do as “postures in process” make sure that you are clear about how you are going to do the postures before you start the riya. 109“Yoga postures can be difficult for everyone. Give a litle bit of direction for yoga postures. Those ‘who come fo learn have different bodies, no two have the same flexibility, stamina, or nerve ‘strength. In due course of time people will get to a certain level of development and they will ‘guided by the shakti. Chant mantra be in the pos- tit. Spitit comes out of dedication, this ture, and go with the flow. “Kundalini Yoga is 3,000 to 4,000 years old. It is not to be altered. Technical ability ‘comes tothe individual through individual projection, As the mind becomes vast, the body posture becomes right’"" Yogi Bhajan 10Navel Intelligence It is good to have a wise heart, an empty head, and a smart navel. Once your navel point is strong enough, it can communicate its wisdom to you and guide you to the correct root line of every posture you attempt. a"PROM the TEACHINGS of YOGI BHAJAN Kriya to Develop Navel intelligence! ‘This kiya is for strengthening the navel point. Apply the fundamental tools that you have learned and be aware of how the navel works in each of ‘the following exercises. Begin wit only one minut of practice time foreach exercise and slowly work up tothe stated time as you develop your ability to do the exercise comely, 1, Sit on your heels, rooting through your sit bones. Interlock your fingers in Venus Lock ( see page 120 ) behind your neck. Spread your shoulder blades apart as you point your elbows out to the sides. Lift your chest up into neck lock and begin Breath of Fie. 2 Minutes. ES 2. Lie on your stomach, rooting through your navel point into the floor, Bend your knees. Reach back, grab your ankles, and press them toward your buttocks. Keep your chest on the ground. Breathe normally. Hold the position for 2 Minutes. m2———— 3. Stretch Pose. Lie on your back, rooting through the small of your back so that i presses into the floor. Raise your head and heels six inches off the floor. Point the hands toward your toes and begin Breath of Fite. 2 Minutes. Keep yourself rooted so that the small of your back is pressed against the floor. If your back lifts off the floor, keep your breath going, but come down, re-establish your root line, and come back up into the posture, ‘To do Stretch Pose correctly, you'll find that you will have to be in neck lock, The chest must be lifted to support the head. If you col- lapse your chest to get your head off the ground, it pressures your lower back to sway and liftoff the floor. = ~ ae 4, Lie on your back. Bring your left knee to your chest as you extend your right leg out straight, parallel to the ground. Then bring your right knee to your chest as you extend your left Ieg out straight, Continue alternately moving the Ieys in a piston-like motion. Keep your navel engaged so that your lower back stays rooted to the floor. Breathe deeply. 2 Minutes, 1“ 5. Lie on your back, keep your lower back rooted to the floor. Inhale and Tift both legs up to ninety degrees. Exhale and keep the root line as you lower your legs. Keep your legs together with your toes pointed. Continue raising and lowering both legs with powerful breathing, for 2 Minutes. On the inhale up, feel as ifthe breath is lifting your legs. On the exhale down use the navel to brake against gravity. 6. King Cobra. Lie on your stomach, with your hands under your shoulders. Root through your abdomen into the floor and raise your chest. Slowly arch up into Cobra Pose as fr as you can without compressing your lower back. Once you are up in the arch, bend your knees and rise you fet up toward your head. Hold 2 Minutes. (When your intemal framework is strong enough to protect your neck from com- pression, you can release your head backward to touch your feet.) 47. Lie on your back, bringing your knees to your chest to counter-balance the last postion. Hold briefly and then roll forward and back- ‘ward on your spine, Continue for 2 8. Lieon yourstomach with you ams extended in ron of you, palms togetber. Create root ine through your abdomen nto the floor anise your sams an eg ofthe ground. Hold this postion with Breath of Fir for2 Minutes. Ideally you should feel your lower back elongating a if someone is pulling your feet in one direction while someone else pulls your arms in the opposite direction. 59. Bow Pose. Lie on your stomach, once again rooting through your lower abdomen, Reach back and grasp your ankles. Use your legs to pull against your arms and raise yourself up into bow pése. Hold the position with Breath of Fre for 2 Minutes. 10, Stand up straight in Mountain Pose. (Stand with your feet together, with both root lock and neck lock applied.) Stretch your arms out to the sides, parallel to the ground with the palms facing down. Without twisting your torso, inhale and bend to the lef, exhale and bend to the right. Rhythmically stretch your ribs open, bending left and right. Maintain your grip on the root line to maximize the stretch along the sides of the rib cage. 2 Minutes 1611. Still standing, spread your feet one and one half to two feet apart. Twist your torso to the left, swinging the left arm out tothe side, parallel to the floor with the palm facing forward. AC the same time, bring your right palm to the center of your chest. Then quickly change arms as you ‘twist to the other side, Continue twisting from side to side while alternating the arm positions. Inhale as your left arm swings outward and you twist left, exhale as your right arm swings outward and you twist right. Continue for 2 Minutes. ‘Pus the steering wheel at the navel. The tendency inthis exercise Is to want fo steer with the arms because they are at the leading edge of the swing. What you want isto connect the arms to the navel, so that the torso, ‘head, and arms all move as one piece. 12. Stand with the feet hip- ing upward. Root through your feet and draw your kneecaps up. Inhale inthis position, lifting your chest and ‘arching slightly backward. Press your shoulder blades down to keep your chest lifted and protect your backward arch.) Exhale and bend forward at the navel point, bringing your hands tothe floor. Inhale and root your feet {nto the floor, using the big muscles of your legs to push yourself upright. Continue bending forward and rising apart. Raise your arms over your head with the heels of your palms press- up. 2 Minutes. 17CES -Gr= 13, Lie on your back and repeat exercise #4, remembering to root through the lower back, keeping it in contact with the floor. 2 Minutes a 14, Lie on your back. Inhale and keep your lower back pressed against the floor as you raise your lef leg up to ninety degrees. Exhale as you lower the leg, keeping the lower back pressed against the floor, Inhale and raise your right leg up to ninety degrees. Exhale as you lower it. Continue alternate leg lifts. Breathe deeply and fully. Continue for 2 Minutes. 1815, Come into position for Sat Kriya (see page 121 ). Squeeze your navel on “Sat” and relax the navel on “Naam.” Do not neglect the relaxation on “Naam.” Allow your navel point to release before you engage it again. Roll your armpits toward each other to keep your arms hugging your ears. Continue for 2 Minutes. Then inhale deeply, hold the breath, and apply Mula bandh. Hold for as long as you comfortably can, Exhale and relax on your back for 2 Minutes. 16. Sit straight with your legs extended out infront of you. Throughout this exercise, keep a strong neck lock and root lock to maintain the integrity of the heart center. Do not allow your chest to col lapse, Lean back to sixty degrees and raise your legs up to sixty degrees. Extend your arms parallel to the ground withthe palms facing down, Hold the postion with Breath of Fite for 2 Minutes. 17. Lie down on your back and totally relax. © Yogi Bh WeVenus Lock, (2S Women Men ‘Venus lock is @ mudra in which the fingers are interlaced. The tip of one thumb presses into the web between the thumb and forefinger of the opposite hand. The other thumb touches the fleshy mound at the base of the first thumb just above the wrist. The thumbs are not crossed, ‘This mudra is done in a gender specific manner. For women the left thumb touches the base ofthe right thumb just above the wrist. The right hand Mercury (pinkie) finger isthe outermost interlaced finger. Men do just the opposite. noSat Kriya at Kriya is the classic Kundalini Yoga bandha practice taught by Yogi Bhajan. It uses a ‘dynamic Mula bandh, with Jalandhar bandh, and mantra to raise the Kundalini energy up the spine. Sat Kriya challenges you to keep the gatekeepers of the hips and shoulders open and the spine properly sligned. Make sure that you position the arms at the shoulders, rolling the armpits toward each other so that your shoulders are open and your arms hug your ears. Maintain a steady hold fon the navel point that keeps your pelvis tilted so that your weight is balanced correctly on your sit bones. Do not collapse your lower back. Sit in Basy Pose, in Rock Pose (on your heels), or in Full Lotus. Raise your arms up over your head, interlocking your fingers, leaving the Jupiter index) fingers pointing straight up. Keep your chest lifted and your shoulder blades down, Maintain the neck lock. Keep your farms straight. Close your eyes and focus atthe Third Eye Point. ‘There is no specified breathing for Sat Kriya (the dynamic use ofthe navel point powers the exhalation on “Sat” and the subsequent relaxation of the diaphragm draws air back into the lungs.) Inhale flly and powerfully to begin. Squeeze in and up with your navel point as ma‘you chant “Sat.” Relax the navel and let the diaphragm descend as you chant “Naam.” Give equal time fo both the contraction on “Sat” and the release on “Naam. ” Start with 3 minutes and work up to 11 minutes, When you feel ready, you ean work up fo 31 minutes. With experi- fence you can extend your practice to 62 minutes or to a maximum of 2 1/2 hours. ‘To finish, inhale and hold the breath for 5-10 seconds as you pul in and up on your navel, drawing your energy up your spine to the top of your head. Exhale and repeat that sequence one more time, On the third breath inhale, exhale completely, and hold the breath out for 5-10 seconds as you apply Mahabhand, which is a combination of all three primary bandhas. (With the breath held out, apply Mula bandh, Uddiyana bandh, and Jalandhar bandh. Press your tongue against the upper palate.) Hold this posture as long as you comfortably can. Then relax your diaphragm and gently inhale, Relax the position, lie down on your back, cover yourself up, and relax. ‘To allow your body to fully assimilate the benefits of the kriya, you must relax for atleast the same amount of ti ticed Sat Kriya, © Yogi Bhajan that you have prac m2Live as you're Destined Surrender the tension The healing’s in place Call on His Grace Then follow the faith from *Communication’ a poem by Yo) Bhajan 123Focus Mantra and Dhristi Bandhas protect and projec, that is what they are for. They protect the alignment of your spine and project your energy where you want it to go. ee 24‘The focus of the eyes, or dhrist, stills the visual distraction of the mind, keeping the eyes from taking us into daydreams and away from the present moment. Most postures are taught witha specific dhristi to ereate a certain kind of response from the glandular system. If you are doing a posture and you don't seal it with the appropriate eye focus, you are not going to get that glandular secretion to happen, This dilutes the effect of your practice. (When an eye position is not specified, then the default dhrist is to focus atthe third eye point.) theTpafbeiee secant ake che Basic Dhrist 25‘There ave several basic dist which are mest often used in Kundalini yous 1. The brow poi, clled the “Tht Eye Point” and “rot of te nose”. With your eyelids closed you lok upward ata pont on your forehead in ine with the nose anda ite above the brow line. The eyes ae ooking foward the location ofthe pituitary gland, which is called the “master gland” and the scat of the intuition. 2. The tp ofthe nos. The eyelids relax down so thatthe ees are about YAoth open. Both eyes look atthe tp ofthe note, This balances the main nerve channels and stimulates the pineal gland and the frontal lobe ofthe bran. 3. The Lanar Cente, located inthe centr of the cin. Ths rst is done with the eyes closed and focused internally own into the chin, The Lunar Centr i an emotional center which is affected by the lua eel 4. The Crown Chakra or 10h Gate, located atthe top center ofthe skull. The eyes are closed and rolled up as if ooking skyward out of the crown ofthe head. This focus stimulates the pineal gland If you don’t seal your posture, your energy will leak. It won't go where it is meant to go.“Remember that intellectual knowledge does not hold and sustain you. Knowledge only becomes wisdom when you experience it with your own heart and being... Acquiring wisdom depends on your own practice and discipline: Yori BhajanMantras Hummee Hum, Brahm Hum ‘This mantra is pronounced very much the way it is spelled. “Hummee" slike “tummy” and “hum” is the same as the English word except the *m” sound vibrates longer on the lips. “Brahm” rhymes with “hum.” This manta creates lot of vibration in the mouth and upper palate “Fiummee Huns” means that “Wwe are ourselves” and “Brahim hum” means that “Wwe are God the Creatoe” With this mantra we afi that our existence is both finite and Infinite in nature, The simple translation is “We are we, and we are God.” Ong Namo Guroo Dev Namo How to recite the Adi Mantra Sitin a comfortable cross legged poston with your spine sight Place the palms of your hands together siti prayer, with the Fingers pint ing sight up, and pres the joint ofthe thumbs into the center ofthe ches at the serum. Inhale deeply and focus your concentration at the thi eye point. As you exhale, chant the entire mantra in one breath. If your breath is not capable of this, ake a quick sp of air through the mouth afer “Ong Namo" and then chant theres ofthe mantra, extending the sound 2 long as possible. The sound “Dev" is chanted « minor third higher than the other sounds ofthe mantraAs you chant, vibrate the cranium with the sound to create @ mild pressure at the third eye point. Chant this mantra at least three times before beginning your Kundalini Yoga practice. Pronunciation: ‘The “O” sound in Ong is pronounced as in “go” and is of short duration. The “ng” sound is long and produces a definite vibration on the roof of the mouth and the cranium. The first syllable of Namo is short and rhymes with “hum” and the “o” syllable is asin 'go” and is held longer. ‘The first syllable of Guroo is pronounced as in the word “good.” The second syllable shymes with “true.” The first syllable is short and the second one is long. The word Dev rhymes with “gave.” Definition: ‘Ong is the Infinite creative energy experienced in manifestation and activity. It isa variation of the cosmic syllable “Om!” which denotes God in His absolute or unmanifested state, God as the Creator is called “Ong.” [Namo has the same root as the Sanskrit word “namaste” which means reverent greetings. Namaste is a common greeting in India accompa nied by the palms pressed together at the chest or forehead. It implies bowing down. All together, Ong Namo means “I call on the Infinite creative consciousness” and opens you to the universal consciousness that guides all action. Guroo is the embodiment of the wisdom that one is seeking. The Gum is the giver of the technology. Dev means higher, subtle, or divine, It refers to the spiritual realms. Namo, in closing the mantra, reaffirms the humble reverence of the student. Taken all together, Guroo 129Dev Namo means, “I call on the Divine wisdom,” whereby you bow before your higher self to guide you in using the knowledge and energy given by the cosmic self. Sat Naam “Sat” rhymes with “what” and “Naam” rhymes with “mom.” “Sat” isthe true essence of the All and “Naam'” is that essence in manifes- tation. The usual definitions ofthis mantra are “Truth is God's name” or “Truth is my identity” but, in fact, this bij or “seed” mantra is so profound, you could spend your entire life meditating on all its levels of meaning. Wha-hay Guroo “Wha” is pronounce like the fist syllable of “water. The second sylableis pronounced “hay."‘The first syllable of “Guroo" is pro- nounced as in the word “good” and the second syllable rhymes with “true.” ‘Whois breathy sound, an exclamation of ecstacy. Think of it as mesning “beyond bliss." “Hay” isa verb meani ‘one who leads us from darkness to light, inthis connection itis referring tothe Divine guidance of God. The simple meaning is “Great, beyond bliss isthe wisdom of God.”May the long time sun shine upon you All love surround you And the pure light within you Guide your way on... BiEndnotes " Hathapradipika of Svatmarama Ed, Swami Didambarji Kaivalyadhama, S. M. Y, M. Samiti Lonavia, Dist, Poon Lesson Il (75) Page 103 2 *Mahabandha” By MSS Gurucharan Singh Khalsa Kundalini Meditation Manual for Intermediate Students © Kundalini Research Institute 1975 page 3 Moola bandha, the Master Key ‘Swami Buddhananda Bihar School of Yoga, Munga, Bihar, India Published by Swami Satyasangananda Saraswati ©1998 pages 15 -18 Bz“Meditation for the Fifth Chakra” from Physical Wisdom ‘Kundalini Yoga as Taught by Yogi Bhajan * © 1994 page 37 * Hummee Humm, Brake Humm ‘Nirinjan Kaur Produced by Guru Prem Singh Khalsa ©1992 Available from Spirit Voyage music 1-888-735-4800 or 310-838-9989 The Master’s Touch, On Being A Sacred Teacher for the New Age ‘Yogi Bhajan, Ph.D. ©1997 age 23 So Darshan Chakra Kriya” from Physical Wisdom Kundalini Yoga as ‘Taught by Yogi Bhajan © © 1994 page 39 BS"Raga Sadhana By Sangeet Kaur Khalsa and Harjinder Singh Gill Produced by Sangeet Kaur Khalsa © 1998 Available from Spirit Voyage Music 1-888-735-4800 or 310-838-9989 ° Preparatory Exercises for the Lungs, Magnetic Field, and Deep Meditation” From Sadhana Guidelines © Kundalini Research Insiute 1978 pages 85-86 "Yogi Bhajan in pivaeinstractons to Guru Prem Singh, "Kriya for Abdominal Strengthening” From Sadhana Guidelines ‘© Kundalini Research Institute 1978 pages 57-58 "what is Yoga?” By Yogi Bhajan ‘The Aquarian Teacher KRI International Kundalini Yoga Teacher Training Level I © Yogi Bhajan 2003, Page 14 BtGuru Prem Singh Khalsa has teaching Kundalini Yoga for twenty-five cars and is certified by the Kundalini A Research institute as a Trainer of Teachers % of Kundalini Yoga. He travels throughout the United States, Europe and india teaching the principles of Divine Alignment to students ofall types of yoga. He has a yoga therapy practice in Los Angeles, California, where he lives with his wife and family. Gur: Prem Singh's teaching schedule can be found at wwwdivinealgament.com. AWN | MULT 1 ram Seg bearish el