Kundalini is something I stumbled into when I was attending pregnancy yoga classes for my first child. The teacher, (who would later become the doula in the births of both of my children), would insert little bits of kundalini practice into the yoga class. I always found myself extremely invigorated and energized by these little practices, and would often take them home and use them in moments when I had anxiety in my life or wanted to work on my mental and physical endurance before childbirth.
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"What is Kundalini?
Many are her name. The Inner Woman, the Serpent Power, Kundalini Shakti. Present in many esoteric traditions, Kundalini refers to an energy that is coiled at the base of the spine. It’s been there since birth, and in most of us, it lies dormant. In a way, it is like a cable with a plug point that might not have found its energy socket. Today, many look for this socket through practices such as kundalini yoga, hatha yoga, and tantra.
The concept of Kundalini is present in the Upanishads, Sanskrit texts with essential philosophical concepts and ideas of Hinduism. Some of these concepts are also shared with Buddhism. No wonder it is such a present word in tantra: traditionally, tantra comes from the esoteric arms of Hinduism and Buddhism. But the same energy exists in different traditions, with different names. In Kabbalah, for example, it is called Shekhinah.
This mystical energy is described as a coiled snake with heads at both ends; a snake that when awakened can act either creatively, or destructively. The snake comparison is by no means by chance: the poison of a snake can take one’s life, but if prepared correctly, it can save one from great illness.
What kind of energy is Kundalini?
Kundalini is the ultimate life force. Creative power, divine feminine energy. Put simply, it is our “inner fire”. So simple, and yet so abstract. Once activated, this energy is felt like liquid fire: electric, timeless, paralyzing.
When we activate this energy, it flows within us resembling the wavy shape of a serpent: curving from the base of the spine, into the gut, then into the heart and into the head.
As the energy flows through this “pipe”, it goes through all of our chakras, giving each of them a “boost” as the energy activates them (both kundalini and chakras live in the subtle body), all the way to our head, the crown chakra. It also passes through our nadis (energy “pipes” in our bodies that allow the energy to flow). The result is an expanded state of consciousness."
( Taken from: https://medium.com/mindfully-speaking/kundalini-energy-what-it-is-and-how-to-awaken-it-within-you-a542f8aa39ed )
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Basic Kundalini yoga classes are generally comprised of three parts:
A warm up that involves stretching and chanting, which allows you to tune into the practice and calm your mind.
The people practicing are led through a series of asanas and bhandas, grouped into sets (Kriyas), each set with a specific physiological or psychological purpose.
The class concludes with a meditation and wind-down period.
There is a lot of info out there about if Kundalini is good for helping with chronic illness, autoimmune issues, and other immune system dysfunction.
Here are a couple articles to check out, but please look for your own also:
http://suni-ai.com/en/2017/05/27/kundalini-yoga-and-traditional-medicine-together-to-treat-diseases/
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How could Kundalini help me heal from mold toxicity?
"Kundalini is very much about directing energy and directing blood flow to certain chakras or organs. That’s why it is called the science of angles. For example, a certain angle of the arms is going to direct energy to the heart."
-Dr Nicole Some
In navigating mold detox or other detoxes, we are seeking to remove the offender by moving it through our body- our organs, our blood. Sometimes because of the nature of our toxicities we are backed up. Our organs don't work so well, our blood is not flowing correctly, our lymph is backed up. Kundalini is all about practices that allow for movement of physical and energetic forces throughout our bodies. These help open detox pathways, and support organs that are struggling to function in aiding detoxing, and helps disperse oxygen throughout the deprived body. All of this is good for mold detox and in turn helping the immune system return to a more functional state.
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Since having my children a few years ago and moving on to acquiring a metric-fuck-ton of toxicities and other goodies in my body, I have recently felt energetically drawn back toward Kundalini and it's practices. I didn't know that it would be so extensively good for detox before I started practicing again, but quickly noticed a difference in my body. I researched afterward and found that it is great for detox.
I usually go on Saturday mornings and take a week off in between classes because I can tell that the practice moves so much energy and lymph in my body. I noticeably have a different quality of energy and infectious happiness post-class. It's like my body and energy rediscovers my natural personality- which has long been dimmed from the mold and co. I feel alive and vibrant, connected and passionate.
There are a lot of people that doubt that Kundalini does much of anything at all. I would not hesitate to reply to them that they aren't fully investing or giving themselves to the practice. I literally can not imagine how a person isn't affected by Kundalini- either mentally, spiritually, energetically, or physically.
I personally find Kundalini to be totally lovely, wild, and affective. I find myself cackling with glee during class a lot because so much is coming up from within me and is moving or being released.
Physically I know things are moving in a big way; case in point, last week I lost hearing mid-class.
This is something that would have freaked me out in the past, but I stopped the practice and sat with my feelings and physical state and simply allowed it to be present.
I scanned my body and nothing else was off or feeling bad.
I realized that when this happens to me it is a manifestation of my MCAS response. (Hearing loss from MCAS usually happens to me when my histamine intolerance has already been rearing it's head for a few days, and in tandem the MCAS gets testy in my body. Hearing loss is one of my symptoms.) Within 5 minutes of relaxing and accepting my hearing loss, and noting that I was pushing too hard/moving too much internally at once- my body to a state of calm, my ears opened right back up and I was able to continue practicing.
This for me, this easily affirmed the power of how much Kundalini can do.
If my MCAS could be activated within a one hour class of aligning breathwork, movement, and kryias.... then this shit is for real.
(So take note, and always listen to your body if you take classes. Go "slower and lower" than the rest of class- it is absolutely for the best until you build up your abilities. Don't overdo it. )
I practice under the teachings of a wonderful person, Rebecca Mercurio who owns and operates https://www.wholeninewellness.com/ (and also co-owns https://www.caryhousebuffalo.com/ for those looking for anything pregnancy or postpartum related).
I could never say enough about this magical being, as she has seen me through many of my life's most difficult moments (childbirth of two children in medically different ways, and now my ongoing recovery from mold and co.). She always supports and encourages the best out of me, holds space for all I need to share, and is a positive beacon of positivity and strength. I imagine anyone that works with her feels similarly.
If anyone would like to begin their Kundalini journey, Rebecca hosts in person and virtually (in tandem) on Saturdays at 9am. If you are interested in reaching out to join in a class, visit https://www.loveinmotion.yoga/services-2 (this is the studio she teaches out of.) There is a zoom link posted on the site. Class is $20 a session.
If this isn't an option for you, I understand as I only recently have made that switch of moving around our absolutely meager finances to be able to afford this myself. Maybe see if you can try some online. I checked out this one myself: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVMgt2eWmgc
When you do your movements, do them with intention. When you make your noises, let them out and get lost in them. Don't worry about knowing the words. See if you can truly tune into your body and your breath.
Also stay hydrated! <3
I wish you health, friends!
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