Breathing, posture and even sound play a role in Kundalini yoga.
From Hatha to Bikram to Vinyasa, it's easy to get lost in the world of yoga. Among the many types of yoga, Kundalini focuses on blending the spiritual with the physical via a mixture of controlled movement, breathing exercises, meditation and, in some cases, the chanting of mantras. Like virtually all varieties of yoga, Kundalini owes its identity to a long and storied history, one that, in this case, stretches all the way back to the eighth century.
Beginnings
Kundalini yoga initially derived from the Indian practice of Tantric yoga in the 700s A.D. During the period known as the Puranic Epoch, which spanned from 800 to 1469 A.D., a move away from spiritual growth through asceticism -- severe self-discipline or self-denial -- gave birth to the Shakti philosophy, by which was influenced. The word "kundalini," which appears in the classical literature of Hatha yoga, actually refers to the energy stored in a coil at the base of the spine, a "serpent energy."
Early Development
The development of the Kashmiri Shaiva philosophy during the 900s further defined the identity of Kundalini yoga, as its literature outlined the three key philosophies of Kundalini. These core beliefs include the universal energy of para-kundalini, the energizing mind-body complex of prana-kundalini and the consciousness known as shakti-kundalini.
Origins in America
After being practiced for more than 1,000 years, Kundalini yoga saw a rebirth of sorts in the 20th century. This yogic tradition's western origins date back to 1969. At this time, Sikh leader Yogi Bhajan, born in 1929, brought Kundalini yoga to North America. Bhajan formed the Happy, Healthy, Holy Organization, or 3HO, around the same time to organize and promote Kundalini yoga practices in the West. According to Shakti Parwha Kaur Khalsa, Bhajan's first American student and the former Executive Secretary of 3HO, Bhajan came up with the idea for 3HO while making soup in the kitchen at the East-West Cultural Center in Los Angeles.
Kundalini Today
As of April 2013, 3HO still serves as Kundalini yoga's official steward, overseeing more than 300 Kundalini yoga centers around the world. The New Mexico-based nonprofit survives under the leadership of Chairman Sada Sat Singh, President Sumpuran Kuar and Secretary Tarn Taran Kaur, who seek to create new beginnings for Kundalini yoga around the world.
Tags: Kundalini yoga, around world, more than,