Kundalini Yoga Practice Guidelines

Before You Begin:

  • Consume only a light snack and water in the 2 – 3 hours prior to practising.
  • The best thing is to take a bath or shower before. Please do not wear heavy perfume as it may disrupt other people.
  • Turn off all cell phones, pagers, and other distractions.
  • Have water in a closed-lidded container handy.
  • Wear lose, comfortable clothing and a natural-fiber head covering
  • Have a sheepskin or blanket (natural fibre) to sit on and a shawl or second blanket to cover yourself during relaxation and meditation.
  • If you are tight in the lower back, hips, or legs, have a pillow or cushion to elevate yourself on during meditation and seated postures.
  • Why natural fibres? Through time, yogis found it to be the best insulator to keep grounded during meditation.
  • Tune-in with the Adi Mantra Ong Namo Guru Dev Namo: chant three times

During Your Practice:

  • Kundalini Yoga is the yoga of awareness. Listen to your body; do what works for you.
  • Challenge yourself to extend just past whatever you think your limits are.
  • Follow the directions!
  • Feel free to ask for clarification on an exercise or other aspects of the practice.
  • Drink water as needed between exercises.
  • Remember the Moon! During the heaviest part (one to three days) of a woman’s monthly menstruation, avoid strenuous yoga. In particular, do not do: Bow Pose, Breath of Fire, Stretch Pose, Camel Pose, Locust Pose, Root Lock, Sat Kriya, inversions (e.g., Shoulder Stand), or strenuous leg lifts. Instead, visualize yourself doing the posture or ask the teacher for a modification.

After Your Practice:

  • Drink lots of water. Pay attention to your physical, emotional, and mental self.
  • Incorporate what you experienced in class into the rest of your life, particularly the “simple” things like long, deep breathing and a graceful, royal posture.

Please make sure that you have read our Disclaimer before attending. Your class attendance means that you agree to our terms and conditions.

Mantras

A central aspect of Kundalini Yoga as taught by Yogi Bhajan is the conscious application of ancient mantras. Mantras are typically in Gurmukhi, a sacred Indian language, and occasionally, in English. These mantras contain the vibrations of peace, prosperity, connection, and many other qualities and are understood by their impact, even if the meaning of each word is not known. The explanation of the mantras used in every class is given below.

Ong Namo Guru Dev Namo (the Adi Mantra)

I bow to the Creative Wisdom, I bow to the Divine Teacher within.

This mantra is used for “tuning in” to the divine flow and self-knowledge within each of us, and linking us to Yogi Bhajan and the Golden Chain of teachers. Chant it three times at the start of each Kundalini Yoga class.

Aad guray nameh, jugaad guray nameh
Sat guray nameh, siree guroo dayv-ay nameh
(Mangala Charran Mantra)

I bow to the primal wisdom. I bow to the wisdom through the ages.
I bow to the true wisdom. I bow to the great unseen wisdom.

This is a mantra clears the clouds of doubt and opens us to guidance and protection. It surrounds our magnetic field with a protective light. Chant it three times at the start of each Kundalini Yoga class.

Sat Nam

Truth is my identity.

This mantra reinforces the divine consciousness in everyone. It is used as a greeting as well as the mantra for Kundalini Yoga exercises, inhaling Sat (truth), exhaling Nam (name, identity). Chant it three times at the end of each Kundalini Yoga class.

The closing prayer:

May the Long Time Sun Shine Upon You;
All love surround you, and the pure light within you, guide your way on.