Kundalini Rising Artwork
Season 3 - Episode 6

Self-Healing for the Brain

30 min - Practice
19 likes

Description

Kirtan Kriya improves cognition, helps regain focus and clarity, and brings overall healing to the brain. This kriya, which combines mantra and moving mudra, has been proven through many research findings to benefit diseases and dysfunctions related to the brain by activating the cerebral lobes, balancing the hemispheres, and increasing blood flow to the brain. You will feel clear, relaxed, and aware.
What You'll Need: Mat

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Welcome to Kundalini Rising on Yoga Anytime. Today we are going to be doing one of the most powerful, brain-benefiting Kundalini Yoga Kriyas out there. There has been research done on this particular meditation called Kirtankriya through the UCLA Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, University of Arizona, Alzheimer's Research Organization, Alzheimer'sPrevention.org. All of these organizations and universities have done various research studies on the benefits of this particular meditation and have found that it improves cognition helps reclaim and regain focus and clarity. And it also helps prevent these degenerative diseases of the brain that develop like Alzheimer's and dementia. So I really encourage you to do this Kriya set often if you really want to work with clarifying and bringing healing to the brain. So I'm going to go into a little bit more detail once we finish our warm up about the process of this meditation. It is a seated 11 minute meditation and it will be very transformative for you. It most certainly has been for me. Let's rub our hands together, stimulating 72,000 energy channels and let's open the class into sacred space with our sacred invitational mantra. I bow to the divine teacher within. We're calling on that high spiritual self to step forward. Thumbs into the sternum, shoulders down away from the ears, eyes are drawn up to third eye center. Let's take a deep breath in through the nose to begin. Om Namo, Gurutev Namo. Om Namo, Gurutev Namo. Om Namo, Gurutev Namo. Om Namo, Gurutev Namo. Take a deep breath in through the nose. Suspend the breath, root lock, third eye and release.

Alright, let's start with our warm up before we get into the kirtan kriya practice today. Hands are on the knees. Let's roll into Sufi circles, inhaling forward, exhaling back. Feel free to start in any direction that feels organic for you, whether it's clockwise or counterclockwise. Just rolling through the heart and shoulders and the neck. Eyes are up at third eye center and we're breathing nice and deep into the chest and into the diaphragm. Four, three, two and one. Inhale, hold center and reverse the direction. Inhale forward, exhale back. Breathing nice and powerful and moving through the waistline. Inhale, exhale. Feeling nice and liberated in the low back and the chest and shoulders. Let's go for four, three, last two and one. Coming center, spinal flex. Inhale forward, exhale back. Let's charge up that pranic life force. Bring the breath into the lungs and then move it through the spinal flexes. Here we go. Four, three, two and one. Inhale, lift high through the crown of the head. And exhale, release. Hands come onto the shoulders, elbows out wide, lift through the heart. Inhale, twist left. Exhale, twist right. Getting the spinal column ready for our practice. Getting that central channel of energy ready for this practice. Eyes are at third eye center, stimulating glands in the brain. Inhale and exhale. Let's go for four, three, two and one. Inhale, lift the arms high and let's sweep from side to side, charging the energy in the palms, reaching through the fingers. Inhale and exhale. Putting a gentle smile on your face, connecting to something you're grateful for or someone you're grateful for. Feel how that emotion just moves through the body like a healing salve. Let's go for four, three, two and one. Reach arms high to inhale, exhale, hinge gently, bow forward and let's come on to tabletop. My hands are under my shoulders, my knees are under my hips and I'm going to begin my cat cow. Inhale, lift, chin and tail. Exhale, round tuck and dome. Let's go for four, three, two and one. Inhale, chin and tail rise. Exhale, round tuck and dome. Let's spread those fingers wide, curl the toes under and please press back into a downward dog. Chin is to the chest, shoulders away from the ears and we pedal the feet and wag the tail, creating length in the hamstrings and in the calves and then gently ground those heels, look toward the hands, gently step in toward the hands into a forward fold. Let's inhale, take the hands to the shins, nice flat spine. Bend the knees and then let's rise up to stand. I'm going to take my hands up over my head, I'm going to widen my feet to shoulder width or wider. I'm going to take a gentle bend in my knees and tuck my tail to protect my low back, my arms reach up high and I'm going to take some cross body stretches. I'm going to full inhale, exhale, left hand reaches over to right foot, inhale rise, exhale, right hand reaches to left, inhale rise and make sure to bend those knees as you come down if you're feeling tension in the hamstrings or low back. Eyes are closed if your balance allows at third eye center. Let's take four more, three, two and one. Exhale rise and let's bring those arms out to the side. A gentle bend in the knees, tuck the tail and let's just twist from side to side. Inhale left, exhale right and feel those arms just extend out into the energy field around you. Eyes are closed if balance allows. Let's take four more, three, two and one. Inhale, reach the arms high, exhale and let's bow forward and come down into a seated cross leg position. Alright yogis, let's get prepared to do Kirtankriya. This is a powerful Kundalini yoga meditation that brings a great amount of healing to the brain and it's very preventative for degenerative diseases of the brain. Now it involves chanting a mantra both out loud, whisper and then we bring it into silent mental meditation again to whisper and out loud and I'll explain as we go and I'll cue you for the transitions. It also involves a mudra, a moving mudra. So I'm going to chant the mantra sa, ta, na, ma and when I chant sa I touch my index finger and thumb together.

When I chant ta I touch my middle finger and my thumb together. When I chant na I touch my ring and my thumb together. When I chant ma, pinky finger and thumb together. Sa, ta, na, ma. Sa, ta, na, ma. And this mantra means birth, existence, death or transformation and rebirth and these are the cycles of the universe. Everything that is alive, everything that has a life force, even things that aren't considered alive are also subject to these laws, right? Degeneration and renewal, right? So we're going to hold the hands gently on the thighs, palms face up and as we chant sa, ta, na, ma, we continuously move our hands in this mudra even when we're chanting mentally and I will silently guide you while you're mentally chanting. To reiterate what we're doing, we're going to chant sa, ta, na, ma for about two minutes, whisper it for about two minutes and mentally chant it and then bring it back into a whisper and then back out loud. Okay? Eyes will be closed, drawn up to the third eye center, spine is long, shoulders are down away from the ears. All right everybody, let's begin and I'll cue you when it's time to transition between whisper, silent and out loud. Long spine, take a deep inhale. Sa, ta, na, ma. Sa, ta, na, ma. Sa, ta, na, ma. Sa, ta, na, ma. Sa, ta, na, ma. Sa, ta, na, ma. Sa, ta, na, ma. instead Satanama. Satanama. Satanama. Satanama. sah-ta-na-ma, sah-ta-na-ma, sah-ta-na-ma, now whisper sah-ta-na-ma, sah-ta-na-ma, sah-ta-na-ma, sah-ta-na-ma, sah-ta-na-ma, sah-ta-na-ma, sah-ta-na-ma, sah-ta-na-ma, sah-ta-na-ma, sah-ta-na-ma, sah-ta-na-ma, sah-ta-na-ma, sah-ta-na-ma, sah-ta-na-ma, sah-ta-na-ma, sah-ta-na-ma, sah-ta-na-ma, sah-ta-na-ma, sah-ta-na-ma, sah-ta-na-ma, sah-ta-na-ma, sah-ta-na-ma, sah-ta-na-ma, sah-ta-na-ma, sah-ta-na-ma, sah-ta-na-ma, sah-ta-na-ma, sah-ta-na-ma, sah-ta-na-ma, sah-ta-na-ma, sah-ta-na-ma, sah-ta-na-ma, sah-ta-na-ma, sah-ta-na-ma, sah-ta-na-ma, sah-ta-na-ma, sah-ta-na-ma, sah-ta-na-ma, let's whisper sah-ta-na-ma, sah-ta-na-ma, sah-ta-na-ma, sah-ta-na-ma, sah-ta-na-ma, sah-ta-na-ma, sah-ta-na-ma, sah-ta-na-ma, sah-ta-na-ma, sah-ta-na-ma, sah-ta-na-ma, sah-ta-na-ma, sah-ta-na-ma, sah-ta-na-ma, sah-ta-na-ma, sah-ta-na-ma, sah-ta-na-ma, sah-ta-na-ma, sah-ta-na-ma, sah-ta-na-ma, sah-ta-na-ma. Sa-ta-na-ma, sah-ta-na-ma, sah-ta-na-ma, sah-ta-na-ma, sah-ta-na-ma, sah-ta-na-ma. Sa-ta-na-ma, sah-ta-na-ma, sah-ta-na-ma, sah-ta-na-ma, sah-ta-na-ma. Sa-ta-na-ma, sah-ta-na-ma, sah-ta-na-ma, sah-ta-na-ma, And exhale release.

The more you practice this meditation, the more you will feel clarity of mind, deeper ability to focus in a relaxed state of being. Please come laying down onto your backs for savasana, feet and thighs turn out naturally, palms face up next to the hips, shoulders are down away from the ears, jaw softens, tongue relaxes in the mouth. shoulders fall back and eyes sink back, we have a gentle awareness of the crown of your head. Thank you. You You You You You Gently wiggling your fingers and your toes Try your knees into your chest wrap your forearms around your shins and rock from side to side Rolling on to one side into fetal position while you're down there, please take a full breath in through the nose Inside out through the mouth Gently using the top hand press yourself up seated Join me in cross leg position Let's bring our hands to the heart center and tune out with our sacred closing blessing may the longtime Sun shine upon you I'll love surround you in the pure light within you guide your way on Then we chant three powerful expressions on the mantra satnam declaring truth is our identity Let's take a deep breath in through the nose to begin May the long time sunshine Upon you all Surround you I'm a pure light within you Guide your way on Guide your way on Guide your way on Satnam Satnam Satnam Satnam Satnam Take a deep inhale through the nose Suspend the breath bringing folded hands to third eye Center blessing that you'll be guided by intuition And have the wisdom encouraged to follow it Exhale bowing forward Satnam namaste Rising up Thank you so much Satnam

Comments

Michelle F
2 people like this.
just lovely Kara - thank you!
Have a wonderful day!
loveandpeacexxx
Kara L
Michelle F So happy you enjoyed it and shared your thoughts - enjoy your day my friend :)
Diane C
1 person likes this.
Very powerful class. I will practice this often. Thank you Kara for sharing this kriya with us. 
Kara L
1 person likes this.
Diane C so happy you enjoyed it! You’ll notice a crisp & sharp mind w/regular practice! 
Lillian M
1 person likes this.
Hi I liked the meditation but I didn't chant. I am sorry I didn't feel comfortable. I did like using my fingers while being still. I hope I didn't upset you. I did one of your class before
Kara L
Lillian M Hi Lilian! this doesn't upset me at all.  I'm glad you tried it out and did what felt comfortable for you.  Admittedly, the first time I practiced kundalini yoga I found the chanting to be the MOST intimidating part of it.  I wasn't comfortable expressing myself through sound. I was self conscious of having a "bad voice" and I also noticed every time I tried to chant, I would feel like I wanted to cry.  Through further exploration and leaning into the "resistance/& discomfort" with chanting through my practice, I realized I had a very "closed off " throat chakra and leaning into the discomfort and unfamiliarity with chanting was actually very medicinal for me an it assisted me with strengthening  my voice and my confidence.  Now using my voice through chanting feels very therapeutic and expressive.  Keep me posted!
AnaSofia
1 person likes this.
Thank you!
Kara L
AnaSofia you’re welcome and thank you!
David G-
2 people like this.
Kara: I  enjoyed this immensely, moving in new ways and the chant has left my mind extremely lucid.  Looking forward to finishing this season. Thank you! 
Kara L
1 person likes this.
David G- I’m so happy to hear this! Thanks for your note an keep me posted on how the rest of the season resonates with you 🙏

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