There are many yoga studios, and private yoga instructors, that specialize in Kundalini yoga. Yoga on Main, Philadelphia, PA and Studio 34, Philadelphia, PA are well-known studios as they are excellent; The Yoga Garden, in Narberth, PA is another Kundalini hub. Allison Smith, a broadway actress who played Annie at age 9, and starred in Kate and Allie as Jane Curtin's daughter, Jenny, on the long-running television show, prefers Kundalini yoga. She claims that there is more emphasis on the stretching and the breathing instead of some of the really repetitive, strength-focused yoga that other methods provide. She is one of many famous, or not-so-famous, people who has gravitated to Kundalini yoga.
Pertinent topics like slowing down, the chakras (energy points of the body), and really taking in the moment, are discussed. Kundalini helps with relaxation and centering. Kundalini yoga awakens the snake at the base of your spine. It is the first chakra of seven, and it is known as the "coiled one." The energy allows for the other six chakras to open up: a) base of the spine; b) midway between the groin and the belly; c) above the belly and under the chest; d) the heart chakra; e) the neck; f) between the eyebrows; f) the top of the head. All of these points are imperative, healing and important in kundalini yoga. Each is symbolic and opens up a flow of the body for balance, harmony, and joy in your life.
Infinite potential releases itself from the base of the spine, coiled like a spring, and eager to jump to life. This is the "axis" of the body; it is a universe in miniature and, in turn, our spine is the ladder of consciousness, starting at the bottom of the spine, and extending upward to self-knowing. Kundalini yoga helps you get to the top of your game.
Kundalini Exercise:
Sit in any simple asana and calm your breath. Picture kundalini at the base of your spine in the form of a smoldering fire. In your imagination, use your inhalations to fan the fire, and watch it gradually rise up along your spine, through your head. Once at your crown, feel the warmth spread downward, along the surface of your head and torso, back to its source at the spine's root.
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