My question…if I want to learn and incorporate kundalini yoga into my asana/meditation practice, and I don’t have a teacher or class available, where do I start?
Does anyone have any recommendations on books/dvds/audios based upon personal experience? I’ve 2 books - one from Maya Fiennes (very approachable read) and another from Diti Datta (haven’t read it yet).
Hello Kris,
I’m not an advocate of that particular practice and therefore I don’t have the response you request. My view of yoga is that the tools within it are very powerful and not at all intended for self-instruction.
Thanks Gordon. I respect and value your balanced, intelligent and well thought-out replies in this forum. Is your opinion based upon first hand experience and if so, would you care to share more of it?
I have heard things - more like heard hints of the dangers of kundalini - and yet in my initial research, it really just strikes me as perhaps more pranayama and movement that the hatha yoga I’m accustomed to. I did read that there are a ‘bazillion’ kriya’s and so I’m sure some of them are ‘out there’.
One of the breathing exercises I read about was left-side nostril breathing for up to 40 minutes - potentially assists with high blood pressure control. Another of interest was applying your thumbs to pressure points on the sides of the head and repeating a mantra for addiction issues.
I don’t want to get involved with something dangerous - or harmful. And I’m not (at this time) into what I call the woooo-woooo side of things. I’m just looking to learn more, establish more consistent asana, pranayama and meditation and potentially heal certain aspects of my life.
Would you have any sources (balanced or unbalanced) that you could point me to for further reading and evaluation?
I second InnerAthlete’s opinion and here are my reasons:
What is called ‘kundalini’ is body’s natural energy source that remains weak, uneven and ill-distributed. This energy generates at the muladhara chakra by a fusion process and a supplementary energy source exists at swadhisthana chakra that works in the fission mode. Kundalini is this energy’s full-throttle expression but ordinarily it remains in the form of lower grade of prana.
All spiritual paths lead to a purer body-mind system with less blockages for the energy distribution. Prana itself gets purified into higher grades. Awareness of chakras makes the prana path accessible; muladhara - swadhisthana - manipura - anahata - visshuddhi - sahasrara - ajna (back to) visshuddhi down to muladhara. Prana has its own rhythm of inhalation (from the Cosmic energy) and exhalation (distribution in the body). In Yoga, pranayama (control of prana) is achieved by first using air-breathing to carry prana back and forth and ultimately dealing with prana directly by suspending breathing (kumbhaka).
Thus, the spiritual practices do deliver a better energy system through some form of pranayama. But the goal is to use improved and energized body-mind system to release captive awareness and thus, prepare for a state of pure consciousness. When kundalini becomes a goal by itself, one runs the risk of forcing huge energy generation even while the energy channels are not ready yet and there is no spiritual practice advanced enough to consume it. This is pure energy and the unused one can be dangerous.
@ Kris
I’ve PM’d you with a reply.
gordon
Regarding kundalini I’ve always wondered how they do the various head
and inverted poses (sirsasana et al) with their turban and assorted
headgear. Even down dog can’t be that easy with a hat 
In other words, do they tailor their poses to accommodate their sartorial
requirements?
I don’t think the kundalini aspect will harm you.
I think its the organization Kundalini Yoga as tought by Yogi Bhajan that is suspect. Think fraud.