Kundalini yoga

Main articles: Kundaliniand Yoga

Kundalini yoga is a meditative discipline, comprising a set of simple techniques that uses the mind, senses and body to create a communication between "mind" and "body". Kundalini yoga focuses on psycho-spiritualgrowth and the body's potential for maturation, giving special consideration to the role of the spineand the endocrine systemin the understanding of yogic awakening(Sovatsky, 1998).

Kundalini yoga practice

The practice of kundalini yoga consists of a number bodily postures, expressive movements and utterances, characterological cultivations, breathing patterns, and degrees of concentration (Sovatsky, 1998). None of these postures and movements should, according to scholars of Yoga (Sovatsky, 1998), be considered mere stretching exercises or gymnastic exercises.

Shannahoff-Khalsa (2004) describes several Kundalini Yoga techniques in his Kundalini Yoga Protocol. Most techniques includes the following features: cross-legged positions, the positioning of the spine (usually straight), different methods to control the breath, the use of mantras, closed eyes, and mental focus (often on the sound of the breath). The author emphasises that the techniques are not meant to be a substitute for medical care and advice (for more information on circumstances where meditation is contra-indicated, see next section).

Underlying philosophy

Sovatsky (1998) describes 'kundalini yoga' as an energetically guided yoga. This means that the discipline is informed by the Hindu understanding of pranotthana, or "intensified life-energy". Pranotthana is sometimes thought to lead to spontaneous psycho-motormanifestations which, according to Yogic hemerneutics, might be interpreted as signs of psycho-spiritual growth and bodily maturation.

The word, 'kundalini', literally means "the curl of the lock of hair of the beloved." It is a metaphor, a poetic way of describing the flow of energy and consciousness which already is said to exist within each person. The practices are said to enable the person to merge with or "yoke" with the universal Self. This merging of individual consciousness with the universal consciousness is said to create a "divine union" called "yoga."

The practice of kundalini yoga is universal and non-denominational. It is a yoga designed for householders, for people who have to cope with the daily challenges and stresses of holding jobs, raising families, and managing businesses. It does not require that the person leaves his home, become an ascetic, or sit in a cave.

However, according to many teachers of meditation, and the school of Transpersonal psychology, it is not considered wise to engage in contemplative practices, such as kundalini yoga, without the guidance of a credible teacher, or without thorough foreknowledge of the chosen spiritual path. Many spiritual teachers and psychologistsconsider any intense contemplative or spiritual practice without the support of a cultural context, or without the support of thorough psychological and physical preparation, to be unfortunate, or even dangerous. Both Bogart (1991) and Lukoff, Lu & Turner (1998) has noted the growing occurrence of meditation-related problems in western contemplative life. Bogart (1991) also discusses situations where meditation might be contra-indicated or inadvisable due to special psychological dynamics.

Medical research on kundalini yoga

Recently there has been a growing interest within the medical community to study the physiological, as well as the psychological, effects of meditation, and some of these studies have applied the discipline of kundalini yoga to their clinical settings (Cromie, 2002; Lazar, et. al, 2000):

• Arambula et. al (2001) has studied the physiological correlates of a highly practiced kundalini yogi.
• Peng et.al (1999) has studied the heart-rate oscillations, associated with slow breathing during the practice of kundalini yoga meditation.
• Venkatesh et.al (1997) has studied twelve kundalini (chakra) meditators, using the Phenomenologyof ConsciousnessInventory. They found that the practice of meditation "appears to produce structural as well as intensity changes in phenomenological experiences of consciousness" (Venkatesh et.al, 1997, PubMed Abstract).
• Narayan et.al (1990) studied the degree of relaxation of muscle under the effects of kundalini yoga with the help of an EMGintegrator.
• Shannahoff-Khalsa (2004) developed the kundalini yoga protocol for the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder. This protocol was later adapted to clinical trials.

See also

• Yoga
• Master Yoga
• Kundalini
• Tummo

References

• Arambula P, Peper E, Kawakami M, Gibney KH. (2001) The Physiological Correlates of Kundalini Yoga Meditation: A Study of a Yoga Master, Appl Psychophysiol Biofeedback, Jun 2001; 26(2): 147 - 53, PubMedAbstract PMID 11480165.
• Bogart, Greg (1991) The Use of Meditation In Psychotherapy - A Review of the Literature. The American Journal of Psychotherapy, Vol. XLV, No. 3, 1991, pp. 383?412, PubMedAbstract PMID 1951788.
• Cromie, William J. (2002) Research: Meditation Changes Temperatures: Mind Controls Body in Extreme Experiments. Harvard University Gazette, April 18, 2002
• Lazar, Sara W.; Bush, George; Gollub, Randy L.; Fricchione, Gregory L.; Khalsa, Gurucharan; Benson, Herbert (2000) Functional Brain Mapping of the Relaxation Response and Meditation, [Autonomic Nervous System] NeuroReport, Vol. 11(7) May 15, 2000, p 1581 - 1585, PubMedAbstract PMID 10841380
• Lukoff, David; Lu, Francis G. & Turner, Robert P. (1998) From Spiritual Emergency to Spiritual Problem: The Transpersonal Roots of the New DSM-IV Category, Journal of Humanistic Psychology, 38(2), 21 ? 50, 1998
• Narayan R, Kamat A, Khanolkar M, Kamat S, Desai SR, Dhume RA. (1990) Quantitative Evaluation of Muscle Relaxation Induced by Kundalini Yoga with the Help of EMG Integrator. Indian J Physiol Pharmacol. Oct 1990; 34(4): 279 - 81, PubMedAbstract PMID 2100290.
• Peng CK, Mietus JE, Liu Y, Khalsa G, Douglas PS, Benson H, Goldberger AL. (1999) Exaggerated Heart Rate Oscillations During Two Meditation Techniques. Int J Cardiol, Jul 31, 1999; 70(2): 101 - 7, PubMedAbstract PMID 10454297.
• Shannahoff-Khalsa DS. (2004) An Introduction to Kundalini Yoga Meditation Techniques that are Specific for the Treatment of Psychiatric Disorders. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. Vol. 10(1): 91 - 101, PubMedAbstract PMID 15025884
• Sovatsky, Stuart (1998) Words from the Soul: Time, East/West Spirituality, and Psychotherapeutic Narrative, Suny Series in Transpersonal and Humanistic Psychology, New York: State University of New York Press
• Venkatesh S, Raju TR, Shivani Y, Tompkins G, Meti BL. (1997) A Study of Structure of Phenomenology of Consciousness in Meditative and Non-Meditative States. Indian J Physiol Pharmacol, Apr 1997; 41(2): 149 - 53. PubMedAbstract PMID 9142560.

External links

• InteliHealth - Yoga For The Body And Mind. Article by Howard LeWine, M.D.
• Columbia Encyclopedia article on Yoga
• Scientific American Frontiers
• PBS Science Hotline - Interview with Sara Lazar of Harvard Medical School
• Institute for Nonlinear Science - University of California, San Diego
• Holistic and Integrative Medicine Group - University of California, San Diego
• Harvard University Gazette - Meditation changes temperatures
• The Internet Yogi - The Research Group for Mind-Body dynamics
• Kundalini bibliography by Kurt Keutzer
• Kundalini faq by Kurt Keutzer
• ReligionFacts.com - Kundalini Yoga

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It uses material from the http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kundalini+yoga Wikipedia article Kundalini yoga.