What to expect during a Kundalini Yoga Class + Gong Relaxation

During a Kundalini Yoga Class you can expect pranayama (breathing exercises), warm ups, asana (physical postures), mantra, relaxation and meditation. During my classes I often also incorporate the Gong during the relaxation.

​We always begin the class by tuning in with the mantra:  

Ong Namo Guru Dev Namo
Ong=Creative Vibration of the Cosmos
Namo=Bow
Guru=Inner or outer wisdom (sometimes personified as the teacher)

​We then often do some pranayama breathwork exercises. Prana is the vital energy connected to the breath and yama means expansion. In yogic philosophy mind patterns (samskaras), moods and emotions are seen as being intimately connected to the breath, so when we balance our breathing we help to calm and balance the heart-mind (Chitta).

​During the class we then go and do some warm-up exercises, to tone and exercise the body and to make sure we are sufficiently warmed up and resourced before we do the Kriya.  

A Kriya is a series of exercises that has a particular purpose and effect. In the wider Kundalini tradition these could be spontaneous but in the Kundalini Tradition as that we offereach Kriya is specially designed to have a certain, predictable effect. The Kriyas may work on particular parts of the body, like the digestive system, lungs or glandular system.

After practising the Kriya we go into a time of relaxation, often accompanied by the crystal bowls or symphonic Gong.

Then we practice a Kundalini Meditation that again will have a certain focus. 

During our classes we often focus on and work with the Seven Major Chakras. During each class we focus on one moving through them each week. The word Chakra means something like wheel or vortex of energy and is a focus for subtle energy pathways. In Yogic philosophy we have the Nadhis the subtle energy pathways and like the spokes of the wheel and Chakras act like the hub where important energy pathways congregate.

There are Seven Major Chakras. 

•  Through working with and exploring Root Chakra we find stability and security
• Through working with and exploring Sacral Chakra we find creativity, intimacy and flow
• Through working with and exploring Navel Chakra we find motivation and resilience and joy
• Through working with and exploring Heart Chakra we find compassion, love and connection
• Through working with and exploring Throat Chakra we find deep listening and expression
• Through working with and exploring Third Eye Chakra we find intuition and deep seeing
  
• Through working with and exploring Crown Chakra we find alignment and transcendence and Unity consciousness 

At the end of the class we close with the long time sun song. This is a song that comes from Irish folk music. The words are:

May the Long Time Sun
Shine upon you
All love surround you
And the pure light
Within you
Guide your way on

We then chant three long Sat Nam’s to end the class. Sat means truth and Nam means identity. So when we chant this we are seeking to unite our personal identity with the deepest truth.

A typical class will last one hour and fifteen minutes. After the class you will feel more aware, rejuvenated and stretched in the body and revived and spacious in the mind. I am currently running classes in Bristol, and the South West. 

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