A KUNDALINI RITUAL TO CALM YOUR HEART
Amy Shea talks about her journey to self love and awareness through Kundalini Yoga, the practice which has changed her life and allowed her to awaken to her true self. Amy invites you to try Kundalini Yoga with a three-minute meditation for opening and calming our hearts.
Over 10 years ago, when I told my father about my new found love for Kundalini Yoga, he joked in the way Dads from Boston do, asking, “is that some kind of Italian noodle?” Right then and there, I realized I had a mission to share what I initially intended to be a journey and practice for my own soul and that he would be my very first student. He and others were hungry for this and I wanted them to have a taste. This powerful technology cracked my heart wide open and I knew it could do the same for others. That’s when I began teaching this magical practice.
I always share with students that Kundalini Yoga finds you, or you find it, when you are ready. Ready to immerse yourself in a practice that allows you to awaken to your true self. Kundalini Yoga is known as the yoga of awareness. A blend of physical postures, dynamic breathing techniques, mental focus, meditations, and mantras, such as “Sat Nam” which means “I am truth” or “truth is my identity,” the kriyas work to strengthen your nervous system, balance your glandular system, expand your lung capacity, purify your blood, and elevate consciousness.
Kundalini Yoga changed my life and transformed me in ways I didn’t know were possible. It still does to this very day. I have practiced kriyas that left me blissed out, high, joyful and others that provoked me and challenged me to the very core of my being. Through it all, I learned to be patient, calm, and balanced, allowing the pleasure and the pain to move through me equally. Committing to this practice has allowed me to discover the truth of who I am, to connect to my soul, to open and expand my heart, to breathe deeper, to slow down and relax.
It has not been easy and is not to be taken lightly, but boy is it one hell of a ride. It’s like taking the Acela express train from Boston to NYC, or what I imagine Elon Musk’s Hyperloop will feel like. One straight shot. And no short cuts or alternative routes. My hope is for you to try it, to have an experience of Kundalini Yoga, to meet and experience your true self. After one class, you’ll know if you’re ready for the journey.
Kundalini Yoga has something to offer for everyone. For me, it is the journey home. A journey into my heart, soul, and body. A self-discovery, to self-love, to connecting deeply with my heart and soul. A meditation I love and would like to invite you to try is for opening and calming our hearts. We live in a time now when opening our hearts to ourselves and to others will allow a deep compassionate love and elevated consciousness to spread. As Yogi Bhajan said, “Open the hearts of the entire humanity. Give people hope, give them strength so we may not fall back into the dark ages and lose what we have achieved with great sacrifice.” Noodle on that quote as you dive into the following meditation.
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*Meditation for a Calm Heart*
This meditation creates an overall feeling of calmness , especially at the heart center. It brings clarity to our emotional state and to our relationship with ourselves and others and strengthens the lungs to expand and grow. The lungs and heart are the home for the subtle force of our prana, our life force. By placing our left hand over our heart, we are creating a deep stillness at this point. The right hand is placed in a position of peace and receptivity.
Posture: Sit in easy pose. Place the left hand over the heart with the palm flat against the chest, and the fingers parallel to the ground, pointing to the right. With the right hand, make Gyan Mudra (touch the tip of the index finger with the tip of the thumb). Raise the right hand up to the right side as if giving a pledge, with the palm facing forward and the three fingers not in Gyan Mudra pointing up. Keep the eyes closed, or look straight ahead with the eyes 1/10th open.
Breath: Inhale slowly through both nostrils and deep into the diaphragm. Suspend the breath, allow the chest to rise, holding as long as possible. Exhale smoothly and gently, releasing the breath completely. Lock the breath out for as long as possible. Be sure not to strain the breath.
Repeat the cycle for 3 minutes. To end, inhale and exhale strongly and deeply three times. Relax.
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Sat nam!
Much love,
Amy XO