Kundalini yoga

Kundalini Yoga is the supreme technology to awaken your awareness and take you into your original Self. It is a natural unfolding of your own nature” - The Aquarian Teacher

Kundalini yoga is like no other form and has its own unique characteristics. Firstly, it is said in the scriptures that Kundalini is the fastest way to transformation, bringing lightening and enlightenment, creating an alignment between body, mind and soul. It is a complete and wholistic practice, that opens pathways to change, allowing for healing and the clearance of energy blocks. It works with both pranic (life force) energy and Z-Energy, the deeply held energy of Kundalini.

Kundalini yoga has been practiced for thousands of years, it has a long history and royal lineage, passed through the line of kings. It requires mastery and balance of our inner dimension of self, and our outer expression in the world. Everyone has the core potential and capability to practice Kundalini yoga. To harness this potential we must be ready to move through our limitations, by taking responsibility for our lives and working with purposeful intention to actively pursue a state of higher-consciousness. It is said that what would take 20 years to achieve in another discipline, can be done in one year of Kundalini yoga. Someone in good physical shape, with a balanced mind can experience real transformational changes in as little as 40 - 90 days of practice. By bringing awareness to our ego, clearing out our attachments and allowing the true light of our soul to shine.

We are born into a physical vehicle, which requires care, tuning and regular cleaning. This is the first facet we must understand and master in-order to maintain balance and alignment, which allows us to meet the demands of life, giving us longevity and endurance. Our physical body effects every aspect of our lives and the results of our actions can be felt as we age if we do not take the necessary steps to take care of ourselves. Each Kundalini class involves work upon a specific Kriya, a sequence of movements, meditation, mantra and breath-work, focused on the stimulation of chakras and particular glands or meridians of the body. Each Kriya has its own vibration and is complete in itself. Overtime Kundalini yoga practice enables us to tap into and be guided by our inner wisdom, exercise self-control, work with intuition, bring stamina and clarity to our actions and thoughts. We begin to take command of our brain, the frequency of our mind and consciously direct our consciousness. Kundalini yoga teaches us the techniques and the awareness to create and maintain health.

The second aspect that Kundalini yoga focuses upon is the mind. The mind guides our actions, thoughts and emotions. Without a true understanding of how it functions we are driving a vehicle with our eyes closed, with no direction or purpose. Everything we experience is effected by our mental state, your thoughts become your lived reality. Kundalini practice guides you to know and understand your potential and power as a creator.

The final aspect is the soul and spirit, of which a central thread is the flow of cosmic energy. We must come to know that we are Infinite Beings and move from an individual consciousness to a collective consciousness. By coming together to practice and connect with others, to elevate yourself, the group and the universe, we release the Unlimited self and enable us to experience true spiritual fulfilment.

Sound Healing

“He who knows the secret of sound, knows the mystery of the whole universe” -Hazrat Inayat Khan

Everything is in a state of vibration and therefore every cell in our body is effected by sound. Sacred texts from around the world, dating back thousands of years have described its healing power. This was something that ancient cultures understood and based their traditional practices around. Our bodies are a complex symphony of different resonant frequencies existing in our various systems, organs, bones and tissues.

Entrainment refers to the process whereby a lower frequency vibration can be raised by introducing a source of higher more powerful vibration. The higher frequency can penetrate a living cell and the cell can take on and match this new vibration. This synchronisation of frequency, can be used to rebalance and harmonise the bodies organs, bringing us back into alignment and increase our sense of well-being.

Healing sounds do not always have musical tones and sometimes our experience will not be pleasant to the ear! This is an important distinction to understand, we are not creating beautiful music (although sometimes it will be!) the focus is on healing frequencies specifically aimed to clear and rebalance the energies of the body.

Suggested further reading: The Alchemy of the Voice by Stewart Pearce

Intention

“If words come out of the heart

They will enter the heart.

But if they come from the tongue

They will not pass beyond the ears.”

-Al Suhrawandi

At the heart of the power of sound, is the energetic intention that created it. What we hear and others receive, is the consciousness behind its manifestation. It is therefore possible to use a variety of different sounds to have a desired effect, if the intention behind the sound is focused on a particular outcome. This opens up many exciting possibilities for healing ourselves and others, as we can determine where we would like the healing to take place by giving it our full focus.

The power of intention is further supported by the work of Japanese scientist Dr Masaru Emoto and author of the book ‘Messages from Water’. Dr Emoto experimented with collecting water samples throughout the world, freezing them and examining the samples under a ‘dark-field’ microscope. He observed the structure of the water from fresh, healthy springs and compared them to those from polluted water sources. He discovered that the spring water had beautiful geometric shapes like snow-flakes and the polluted water lacked structure or form. He then introduced different sounds to the water and found these also affected the water structure in a similar way. Finally he experimented with taping words to the bottles containing the water samples and found that these words transformed the water inside. Positive words and gratitude such as ‘thank you’ again created snowflake like, geometric forms and ‘you make me sick’ created a mud like, unstructured form. These experiments show the power of our consciousness on physical form. When we consider that our bodies are 75% water, we can truly change our physical, emotional and spiritual health when we use this knowledge to our benefit. Not only can we use external sounds to change our energetic vibration, we must consider our internal thought patterns and what we are manifesting into reality.

Our ability to transform our physical reality with our intention is further demonstrated by the power of the 'placebo’ effect. Pharmaceutical trials use a placebo, a basic sugar pill to compare the therapeutic effects of the drugs they are testing. Participants in a drug trial are divided into groups and a proportion will be given a placebo. What is fascinating, is that participants receiving the placebo report the same beneficial effects from the sugar pill, to the supposed drug that they believe they are taking! Demonstrating the astonishing power of our belief to effect our physical and emotional experiences! This same principle applies to the ‘nocebo’ effect, the power of negative beliefs and thoughts to determine health outcomes. Bruce Lipton, author of ‘The Biology of Belief’ writes extensively on the detrimental effect of negative thinking and its impact on our lives; as our biology adapts to our beliefs! Learning to harness the power of the mind, through our focus and intention, is key to living a happy, healthy life.

Recommended reading: The Biology of Belief by Bruce Lipton

Mantras

Your beliefs become your thoughts

Your thoughts become your words

Your words become your actions

Your actions become your habit

Your habits become your values

Your values become your destiny

-Mahatma Gandhi

The sacred singing of Mantras is an ancient practice that unites the power of voice and intention to manifest a desired outcome. The translation of the word Mantra is ‘that which protects and purifies the mind’. Mantras are a rhythmical repetition of sung or spoken words, that bring our awareness to a point of focus, helping us move away from excessive thoughts. Regular practice over time can impact our ability to handle everyday situations and challenges with greater ease, by elevating our state of consciousness and bringing about a deep state of relaxation. By shifting our awareness, we can learn to harness our minds potential, creating positive, life-affirming and meaningful beliefs. Our thought-waves create vibrations, which directly effect how we feel and what we project out into the world. By chanting mantra, we choose to be the creators of our experience, we resonate and vibrate on a cellular level to shape our physical, emotional and mental state.

Within the mouth there are 84 meridian points on the hard palate, the movement of the tongue stimulates these meridians which sends messages directly to the hypothalamus area of the brain. The hypothalamus regulates vital functions such as hunger, thirst, body temperature and sleep. It is also involved with the regulation of mood, emotional behaviour and sexuality. By voicing mantra we create sound vibration that dissolves the part of the ego that obstructs truth and directly alters our consciousness. Sound vibration effects the chemistry of the brain by triggering changes within the endocrine system and metabolism, creating a balanced mind and strengthening the immune system.

Voice

The human voice is a reflection and solidification of thought. With our voice, we express our beliefs, values, attitudes and physical presence. It is a unique expression of who we are, just like a finger print, no voice is alike. When we understand its power, we are able to use this incredible instrument towards the creation of a happier, healthier life. The sounds we can manifest are composed of a of our tone, resonance, energy, breath and emotional expression, that convey who we are and communicate with the world around us. Our voice is a gift! When we connect our voice to our hearts, true transformational change is possible.

Gong

The Chiron gong used at a Space 2 Breathe is a planetary gong, named after the planet Chiron discovered in 1977. A minor planet, Chiron is a connecting point between the planet Saturn (governing the Root chakra) and Uranus (governing the Crown chakra). Named after the Wounded Healer, a Centaur, half man and half horse; who when punctured by a poisonous arrow, went on an arduous journey in search of healing. The Chiron gong affects all aspects of our physical, emotional and spiritual wellness.

Planetary gongs are precisely tuned to the celestial bodies in the solar system (stars, constellations and planets) and when played it is possible to experience the energy of these planets and stars through the gongs beautiful vibratory tones. Based on Hans Cousto’s, Cosmic Octave; each planetary gong is hand-made to match the frequency of the planet it is connected with. The Chiron gong is pitched at D# relating to the Sacral chakra, Third eye and Throat Chakras. Whilst the Chiron is particularly resonant in these energy centres, the tones and vibrations will wash over your entire being. Depending on what aspect needs healing, the energy will flow to where it is most needed, removing blockages and clearing, right down to a cellular level.

The tones and sound of the Chiron are deep and multi-layered, producing complex frequencies that are both audible and outside human hearing parameters. Never the less, all vibrations, even when we cannot hear them, still effect our whole being. As the sound of the gong envelopes you, your nervous system will begin to quieten, reducing negative feelings, anxiety, stress and worry. Aches and pains often ease. The healing tones produce a higher vibrational state, encouraging a multi-layered detoxification, allowing us to let go of unwanted energetic disturbances and trauma. As the gong reaches its peak, the sound become increasingly intense, we encourage you to breathe through the experience and keep your body relaxed, this will allow the release of anything that is not serving you to surface and clear. After a gong bath many people feel lighter, more energised, beautifully peaceful and uplifted.

This potent healing instrument, is like no-other! It allows insight and strengthens our connection with our higher selves, realigning, opening and transforming the path before us.

Sound Bowls

At a Space 2 Breathe we have a number of crystal and Tibetan sound bowls, each bowl having its own frequency. As discussed in the Sound Healing section of the Inspire Me page, everything in the cosmos has its own resonant frequency and vibratory rate that responds to life force energy or Prana of the universe. Our bodies structures, organs and tissues also have their own unique frequency and the bowls can be used to shift blockages, move and clear energy and bring about a state of harmony and balance. The vibrations from the crystal bowls can travel a third of a mile, sending out incredible healing waves that flood over our being, altering our brain state and down regulating our nervous system. The bowls can allow us to shift from a Beta brain state (awake and conscious) to an Alpha (relaxed conscious state) and support us to move into a Theta (meditative state) or Delta (sleep state) where our bodies natural healing processes can begin. The high content of water within our bodies, means we are highly conductive, the vibrations penetrate deep into the tissues and effect change at a cellular level. A sound bowl session is deeply relaxing, cleansing and a healing experience.

Energy

Prana is the life force energy that exists at a subtle sub-atomic level. It is divided into different frequencies or motions in the various areas of the body. If too much Prana accumulates or there is too little, imbalances occur, creating disorder, disease and disruption of the mind, body and spirit. Posture and breathing work, directly impact the flow of Prana within the body by moving the energy along pathways, called nadis.

Nadis are channels that move energy throughout the body, along bones, veins and across the space of physical organs. There are 72 major meridians or zones through which the nadis flow, these zones are called the Ida (left of the spine), Pingala (right of the spine) and the Sushmuna (the centre of the spine). Kundalini yoga focuses on the central zone of the Sushmuna, where the dormant energy of Kundalini resides. When we vibrate the Sushmuna all three zones are activated. The 72 meridians branch into 72,000 nadi pathways emanating from the Navel Point and ending at the hands and feet. Along these pathways prana is carried throughout the entire body, interacting with the Crown Chakra, where our mind resides and are thoughts are seeded. Our thoughts create wave-like vibrations that travel along the nadis, plucking them like a string, creating and shaping us in time and space.

Chakras

The word chakra means ‘wheel’ and refers to energy centres or vortices in the body. Our work focuses on eight of these chakras, seven of which correspond to areas of the endocrine system or to nerve plexes in the physical body and the eighth relates to the aura also known as the magnetic field of the body. The first three chakras are called the lower triangle and consists of the root, sacral and solar plexus chakras. The fourth is the heart chakra and is the point of balance, where we experience shifts from ‘me to we’. Each chakra works in unison and is part of a collective whole. The lower triangle chakras focus on elimination and reduction and are balanced by the upper triangle (throat, third eye and crown) which accumulate, refine and create. Our life force flows through these energy centres they effect our thoughts, feelings, decisions and perception of our lived experiences, impacting both on a conscious and subconscious level. Therefore we work to clear and balance the chakras to optimize our experience on a physical, emotional and spiritual level. We will briefly look at each chakra in turn:

The first is the root chakra, it is associated with the earth element and is red in colour. It relates to grounding, survival, security, habit and self-acceptance and is located at the end of the spine between the anus and the sexual organs.

The second is the sacral chakra is associated with the water element and is orange in colour. It relates to feelings, desires and creativity and is located in the sexual organs.

The third is the solar plexus chakra, it is associated with the fire element and is the yellow in colour. It relates to action and balance, it is located in the Naval Point. It is the centre of personal power and commitment, self-esteem, identity and judgement. It is this chakra that provides the strength, balance and inspiration for good health.

The fourth is the heart chakra, it is associated with the air element and is the colour green. It relates to love, compassion, forgiveness, service and the awakening to spiritual transformation.

The fifth is the throat chakra, it is associated with the aura and is the colour light blue. It is the centre for truth, knowledge, language and our ability to communicate. It is the seat of authenticity, of healthy self-expression and interaction.

The sixth is the third eye chakra and is indigo in colour. It is the centre of intuition, visualisation, fantasizing, concentration and determination. This is were the power of projection and understanding of our purpose is located.

The seventh is the crown chakra and is violet in colour. This is the seat of the soul and our connection to our higher-selves. This chakra relates to unity, elevation, enlgihtenment and our relationship to the unknown.

The eighth chakra is the aura and is the magnetic field the surrounds us up to nine feet in every direction, it is white in colour. The aura combines the effects of all the chakras and their total projection, also offering us protection.

When human energy flows freely along the spine and through the chakras, life is healthy and filled with ease and grace.

Therapeutic Touch

The origins of this healing modality stretch back thousands of years and span both time and continents. The word ‘massage’ is derived from the ancient Greeks and means ‘to handle, touch, to work with the hands, to knead dough’. All forms of massage help to relax the soft tissues, increasing warmth, blood flow and oxygen throughout the body. Whilst the Greeks were great advocates of massage, its roots spread back even further in history. Archaeologists have discovered artifacts tracing body work therapies to many ancient civilizations in China, India, Japan, Egypt, Italy and Greece.

In the current day massage is used widely throughout many therapeutic settings, including Intensive Care Units, Drug and Pain Clinics, Cancer Clinics and Hospices. Massage by a trained practitioner is a safe and effective healing modality for all ages, from tiny babies to the elderly and everyone in between. Massage can have therapeutic benefits for cancer patients, heart and stroke sufferers, aid with pain management and many more life impacting conditions, diseases and injuries. The benefits of massage will now be considered further.

Understanding the benefits of massage

Stimulating the tissues with massage improves the circulation of blood and lymph throughout the body. This improved circulation increases oxygenation of the tissues, boosting the distribution of nutrients to the skin which improves elasticity and texture.  Increased blood flow to the skin stimulates the sweat glands to remove toxins and supports the efficient removal of waste by the lymphatic system.

The lymphatic system plays a key role in our immune response and keeping the lymph moving and the lymph system working at optimum levels, helps our body remain healthy and able to respond effectively to pathogens.

Increased circulation in a localised area helps reduce muscular tension and chronic pain. Massage triggers the release of endorphins, our natural pain killers and sends messages to the nervous system to tell the body to relax.

The relaxing effects of massage also support healthy blood pressure and the release of tension, which further stimulates and strengthens the immune system.

Massage can increase mobility and flexibility, by improving muscle tone and body awareness, enhancing sports performance and improved posture.

This hands on healing therapy, has a profoundly uplifting, calming and relaxing effect. Touch boosts the bodies levels of oxytocin, serotonin and dopamine, the feel-good-hormones. Whilst increasing our feel-good factor, research has also shown that massage reduces the levels of ‘stress’ hormones adrenalin, cortisol and norepinephrine. Over a prolonged period these ‘stress’ hormones impair the function of the immune system. Massage can help switch off the ‘flight or fight’ response of the sympathetic nervous system and bring the body back into a state of homeostasis. Studies have shown that moderate pressure strokes can lead to the activation of the parasympathetic nervous system, bringing the body back into balance and therefore allowing giving the body an opportunity to heal and repair.

This enjoyable, nurturing experience can improve self-esteem, promote balance and harmony in the body, reduce feelings of anxiety and depression, promoting restful sleep and an enhanced sense of wellbeing.

Benefits of Harmony Treatment (Indian Head Massage)

Alongside the benefits listed above, Indian Head Massage, which forms the basis of the ‘Harmony’ massage has its own unique benefits;

• Reduction in tension of muscles and connective tissues of the scalp, neck, upper arms, shoulders and face

• Reduction in eye strain

• Increased mobility and flexibility of the neck

• Reduction in stress hormones and calming of the nervous system

• Reduction in anxiety and depression

• Reduction and or prevention of migraines and headaches

• Enhanced energy levels

• Improved sleep quality

• Improvement in mood and overall sense of wellbeing