Kundalini Yoga, Gong Meditation and Forty Days - Frequently Asked Questions

What is Kundalini Yoga?

Kundalini Yoga is a practice which, using the breath and certain poses and movements allows the individual to awaken the subtle creative power that is in each human being. When this energy is awakened and directed by the mind it creates health, awareness, creativity and an overall feeling of well-being. All types of yoga will awaken this kundalini energy. Kundalini Yoga as taught by Yogi Bhajan is designed to work faster by acting directly to awaken this dormant energy in the body.

You experience it when the energy of the glandular system combines with the nervous system to create such sensitivity that the totality of the brain receives signals and integrates them. Then a person understands the effect of the effect in a sequence of the causes. In other words, man becomes totally and wholly aware. We call it the yoga of awareness. Just as all the rivers end up in the ocean, all yogas end up raising the kundalini in man. What is the kundalini? It is the creative potential of the man. " --Yogi Bhajan, Sadhana Guidelines.

How does it work?

Using Kriya (physical movement), Pranyama (breath exercise,) and Mantra (sound current) Kundalini Yoga awakens the dormant energy at the base of the spine. This energy known as the kundalini or "coil of the beloved" is the infinite potential of the human being.

Why do dedicated practitioners practice before sunrise?

Many yogis, monks, sages and religious devotees practice during these hours before sunrise because this time as well as that time just before sunset are the most powerful times to practice anything that integrates mind, body and soul. Known as the "in between times," these hours before dawn and at sunset magnify the body, mind and soul's ability to integrate with one another. There's less sunlight and therefore less electromagnetic waves and "static." This allows the mind a clearer focus and penetration to the heavens.

What's the deal with 40 days and why is that such a sacred period in spiritual practices and religion?

Many spiritual texts discuss masters and saints who went through various trials and overcame challenges over a period of forty days. Even most military boot camps are six weeks long, about 42 days. Since the mind works in cycles, influenced primarily by the lunar cycle, any practice maintained over forty days uses the will and intent to break a habit of the mind. The mind is said to release 1000 thoughts with every blink of the eyes. Consciously, the human being is powerless over these subconscious chains of thought. Therefore setting an intent and sticking to a practice such as doing a 90-minute yoga and meditation set over these forty days leverages the mind on the sub-conscious level. Over a forty-day period the cycles of the mind are overcome and the subtle thought-chains of habit can be broken. A habit is a simple chain of thought patterns that have been repeated to the point where the resulting actions have become behavior.

What if I miss a day or two while doing a forty day meditation?

The idea is to set an intent for something new you want to bring into your life. A positive change or habit you want to break. Doing any practice over forty days with a clear intent, especially a practice as powerful as Kundalini Yoga and meditation over 40 days will magnify that intent and simultaneously remove the blocks that are standing in the way of it. Schedules can be difficult to pin down, but the general rule is you must complete your chosen practice on the given day within the twenty-four hour period.

Technically if you miss a day it lessens the effects. It also causes an slippery-slope effect in the mind. If you miss one day you'll be very likely to miss two and then more. Part of the effect of completing the 40 days without missing a day is that it builds confidence. Once you know you've done it, that carries over into other things in your life and your will becomes stronger against the tricks of the mind. It becomes a building block for other things you set your mind to do.

What is a gong meditation and why is it so great?

The Gong has all the sounds of creation within it. You'll understand better once you've experienced it. A lot like Love, you can only know it by being in it! Because The Gong contains every vibration its sounds literally cancel out your thought waves and allow you to completely relax very deeply and quickly. Since your body is open from the yoga and breath, the mind is overcome and relaxed by the gong. This allows your higher nature, or soul to come to the forefront and that magnifies the intent you've set for yourself. Just ask anyone who's experienced it and they'll tell you it 's the ultimate reset button!

Is kundalini yoga is dangerous and can it make you feel weird?

Kundalini Yoga, practiced in the presence of a Certified Kundalini Yoga teacher is perfectly safe. There have been instances of "spontaneous kundalini awakening," where this subtle energy is awakened on its own. Since it is a very powerful energy it can scare someone who has no way of understanding the experience. This yoga as taught by Yogi Bhajan is designed to gently awaken this energy, circulate it throughout the physical and mental bodies and then ground it down at the end. This leaves the practitioner with a safe, balanced experience.

Everybody says Kundalini Yoga is dangerous. I agree it's very dangerous because it makes a person their pure self. Then you are really not dependent on anybody. You know how beautiful it is to see somebody who is independent? Walking tall, carrying their God in their heart, dealing like a human: Sufficient, efficient, well mannered, well controlled, elegant, graceful. Do you have any idea how good that is? --Yogi Bhajan, 3/7/95

As the energy travels up the spine it removes sub-conscious blocks from the energy centers or chakras. These can be long-forgotten past experiences. This is sometimes why people may feel odd or experience emotions they haven't felt in some time, or remember past experiences that they'd long forgotten. This is a very positive thing. As the blocks are removed and the energy begins to flow the result is greater clarity of mind, awareness, intuition (being in the right place at the right time) and a general feeling of bliss.

Is Kundalini Yoga safe for beginners?

Kundalini Yoga is an amazing technology that works on more than just the physical body. Because of that, a student of any level or physical condition can come to class and each will get something out of it because you go at your own pace. Kundalini yoga meets the student at their level and lifts them up. Practicing in a group, especially a group that is together for a period of 40 days, creates a collective mind and multiplies the effects. Some students may be better at one exercise and others better at another. When a person feels challenged on one particular exercise, a stronger student's energy and the collective energy of the group will support them and vice versa. It's really something that has to be experienced.

How is this better than cardio or strength training?

These ancient kryias, which were once passed secretly from Master to student because of their power and potency are now available to the entire world thanks to Yogi Bhajan who taught them openly. Kundalini Yoga actually works potently and rapidly to improve the cardiovascular system, the electromagnetic field (brainwaves), the glandular (endocrine) system as well as the nervous system. Kriya, which means completed action is a series of movements and breath designed to synergize the systems of the body, depending on the particular focus. Different kriyas are designed to isolate and work on a group of muscles, organs or glands to purify and detoxify them, improving the overall function of the entire system. In some ways it works more potently than traditional, familiar fitness programs because it is a science of the human being, rather than just the physical body. By clearing the physical body of its toxins, the mind is able to relax in meditation and the soul body becomes more present, giving you greater intuition, awareness, mental clarity and balance.

Patrick Lacho is a writer, consultant and an IKYTA certified Kundalini Yoga instructor based in Los Angeles. He teaches classes and workshops as well as a yoga boot camp which takes students through a complete forty day transformation using Kundalini Yoga, meditation and sound therapy with the gong. The website: Kundalini Yoga Boot Camp is intended to be an online forum where everyone can read about and learn the many facets of Kundalini Yoga, meditation and the benefits of healthy living.

There is also wealth of information about Kundalini Yoga, philosophy, spirituality healthy living, vegetarian yogic and ayurvedic recipes and more on the Kundalini Yoga Boot Camp Blog