How Kundalini Yoga Can Help Improve Your Spiritual Health

If you do a search on the health benefits of yoga, you’re certain to get a lot of feedback on the many (and very real) physical and mental benefits. Yoga has helped people improve strength and flexibility, reduce stress and anxiety, and much more. But what about the benefits of yoga as a spiritual practice?

If you’re interested in a powerful, ancient spiritual yoga practice that was only taught to royal and noble families until very recently, we’ve got you covered.

What is kundalini yoga?

Kundalini, which is the Sanskrit term meaning ‘life energy’, refers to a dormant energy living at the base of your spine. Through practices such as meditation and yoga, this energy can be activated and channeled up through the seven chakras of your body. The fully activated kundalini is believed to help promote health and a higher level of enlightenment.

Kundalini yoga is a blended technique drawing from Bhakti, Raja, and Shakti yoga practices. In Bhakti yoga, practitioners focus on devotion towards a chosen deity. Raja yoga is primarily a meditation-based technique while Shakti is a combination of yoga flow and chanting. Each of these elements are pulled together in a kundalini yoga session.

How is kundalini yoga different?

Unlike yoga practices where physical strength and development is a priority, kundalini yoga takes a spiritual approach. This unique and powerful practice is focused on awakening the mind, promoting improved awareness and a higher level of consciousness. While kundalini can help with improving physical strength, that is not the primary goal of the yoga practice.

How does kundalini yoga work?

The entire concept of kundalini yoga is based on releasing the dormant life energy at the base of the spine. The life energy is often referred to as a coiled snake, which uncoils and moves up through the chakras along the spine during the yoga practice. The rise of this energy “snake” is said to balance your chakras, which is connected to improved spiritual health.

Consistent practice is said to help you achieve spiritual enlightenment, referred to as a “Kundalini awakening.” Practitioners who experience the awakening generally describe it as a transcendent, freeing, and euphoric experience on every level.

What are some kundalini yoga benefits?

Kundalini yoga has been proven to help people reduce stress immediately after a single practice, and then maintain that effect throughout months of consistent practice. In one study, just 8 weeks of practicing Kundalini yoga helped the practitioners feel less anxious than before they started.

Kundalini helps improve cognitive abilities, including memory and problem-solving skills. It has also helped people improve self-confidence and body positivity. By becoming more connected to yourself and those around you, you may also experience increased levels of peace, energy, and creativity.

How do you practice kundalini yoga?

Kundalini yoga can be practiced just about anywhere, whether at home or at a yoga class. To prepare for a session, you will just need to dress comfortably and avoid eating right before your practice. Each session consists of three parts, starting with an opening chant, followed by breathing exercises combined with yoga poses, and ending with meditation.

To learn the proper way to practice kundalini yoga, you can find expert-led audio or video resources, or even book a kundalini yoga class at a local studio. Ollovus makes it easy for you to connect with experienced kundalini yoga teachers, where you can search for experts across the US to schedule either a virtual or in-person session.

If you’re ready to enhance the spiritual aspect of your health and wellness journey, kundalini yoga is just the practice for you. With the resources you need right at your fingertips, there’s no better time to get started than now.