Downing - Kundalini Yoga Demystified, A Modern Guide to What It Is and How to Practice

Llewellyn Publications

Woodbury, Minnesota

Copyright Information

Kundalini Yoga Demystified: A Modern Guide to What It Is and How to Practice 2021 by Erin Elizabeth Downing.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any matter whatsoever, including Internet usage, without written permission from Llewellyn Publications, except in the form of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

As the purchaser of this e-book, you are granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on screen. The text may not be otherwise reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, or recorded on any other storage device in any form or by any means.

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First e-book edition 2021

E-book ISBN: 9780738767734

Book design by Samantha Peterson

Cover design by Kevin R. Brown

Interior illustrations by Julia Marina Massimino

Interior illustrations on by Llewellyn Art Department

All Kundalini yoga kriyas, meditations, and concepts from Kundalini Yoga as taught by Yogi Bhajan are used courtesy of the Kundalini Research Institute. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Reprinted with permission. To request permission for any such items, please write to the KRI at PO Box 1819, Santa Cruz, New Mexico, 87567 or visit www.kundaliniresearchinstitute.org .

Llewellyn Publications is an imprint of Llewellyn Worldwide Ltd.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Downing, Erin Elizabeth, author.

Title: Kundalini yoga demystified : a modern guide to what it is and how to

practice / by Erin Elizabeth Downing.

Description: First edition. | Woodbury, MN : Llewellyn Worldwide, [2021] |

Includes bibliographical references. | Summary: This book is designed

to help the reader find balance, increase strength, and begin or

embolden their own personal Kundalini practice Provided by publisher.

Identifiers: LCCN 2021027540 (print) | LCCN 2021027541 (ebook) | ISBN

9780738767475 (paperback) | ISBN 9780738767734 (ebook)

Subjects: LCSH: Kundalini.

Classification: LCC BL1238.56.K86 D69 2021 (print) | LCC BL1238.56.K86

(ebook) | DDC 204/.36dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2021027540

LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2021027541

Llewellyn Publications does not participate in, endorse, or have any authority or responsibility concerning private business arrangements between our authors and the public.

Any Internet references contained in this work are current at publication time, but the publisher cannot guarantee that a specific reference will continue or be maintained. Please refer to the publishers website for links to current author websites.

Llewellyn Publications

Llewellyn Worldwide Ltd.

2143 Wooddale Drive

Woodbury, MN 55125

www.llewellyn.com

Manufactured in the United States of America

For Momma

Momma,

You were always the light, paving the way through the darkness

The grace in my stance and the gumption behind my convictions

Now, I see you, as the wind beneath my wings

The angel ever valiantly fighting by my side

My companion in the silent battles that only my heart can see

You always loved me in my entirety

The one who saw my strengths and weaknesses

Celebrating the duality and complexity of both

Ensuring the love from your heart was always my lighthouse home

I love you, Momma

This dream fulfilled is dedicated to you

Dedicated to the sacrifices you made each day so that I might thrive

Dedicated to the tenacity in which you loved me

And to the loyalty with which you honored your friends

You were an angel in life and now in death

I pray this work makes you proud

I pray that it aids in putting your soul at ease

The knowledge that its contents will help so many

And that it was your heart that paved the way

The way for your daughters love to pour so freely to others

Gratitude will never be enough to encompass this moment

I love you, Momma

More than all of the stars in the sky

Rest in peace knowing that I still feel your warmth and love

Each and every day

Rest knowing that you will forever be my lighthouse

And through my life, the light that is you will always shine

The work within is not my own.

The dialogue that follows represents my intuitive interpretation of these teachings and how to apply the techniques in modern life, but to be clear, this did not begin with me.

These lessons and teachings have been passed down through millennia; there have been generations of practitioners honoring and evolving this medicine with the ebb and flow of life. I express my sincere gratitude to my teachers and those who have dedicated their lives to this work. Without their wisdom and openness to share these ancient traditions, I would not be capable of sharing their knowledge with you.

The lineages on which Kundalini was founded, the texts and traditions in which these teachings reside, deserve respect. I am but a vessel, humbly translating these traditions with the prayer that they may serve. Serve the highest and best for all. Serve across all religions, races, and cultures; across socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, geography, and gender.

Again, I would like to reiterate that this book contains my interpretations of these exercises, techniques, philosophies, and practices. The words within are but a jumping-off point to begin a lifelong journey inward, tools that will help us do as Kundalini intendsbring us home to ourselves.

Contents

: Kunda What? (Kundalini Basics Explained)

: Manifest Like a Yogi (Routines to Create Your Practice)

: Shine Like a Yogi (Chakras Demystified)

: Balance Like a Yogi (Balancing the Masculine and Feminine Within)

: Nourish Like a Yogi (Nutritional Wisdom of the Yogis)

: Sit Like a Yogi (Alignment and Postures Explained)

: Breathe Like a Yogi (Breathwork to Detoxify and Realign)

: Gesture Like a Yogi (Directing Energy with Mudras)

: Squeeze Like a Yogi (Push Past Blockages Using Bandhas)

: Sing Like a Yogi (Utilizing the Vibration of Mantras)

: Practice Like a Yogi (Kriyas to Amplify Intentions)

: One-, Three-, and Eleven-Minute Exercises

: Helpful Charts

Exercise List *

* Denotes Kundalini yoga teachings as taught by Yogi Bhajan.

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Disclaimer

The information in this book is not meant to diagnose, treat, prescribe, or substitute consultation with a licensed healthcare professional. If you are experiencing any medical conditions or are unsure if a pose or exercise is safe for you, consult your doctor. The techniques in this book are not recommended for children. Some yoga postures and techniques are not advised for adults who are pregnant or have just given birth.