Ancient Teachings for Modern Day Change KundaliniYoga&Recovery

By Patty Wildasinn

Kundalini yoga is known as the yoga of awareness, and it is a precise technology of breath and movement in the body, which affects the mind and spirit All forms of yoga tap into a reserve of Kundalini energy within the body, with the intent being energy integration It works to clear, heal, and integrate the practitioner.

Although the practice is precise, it is also very forgiving I am a firm believer that the benefits of yoga are accessible to anyone and everyone You do not need to have prior experience, be flexible, have a certain body type, or possess any particular belief or faith All you need to do is show up! Whether you show up in your living room, a yoga studio, or a gym, you are welcome just as you are right now.

It is true that the whole person, even the shadow side, is welcome in yoga and in the journey of recovery, be it the 12 Steps or other recovery modalities There is, however, a clear correlation between the 12 Step principles and the 8 limbs of yoga. Just the like 12 Steps, the Yoga Sutras, which include the 8 limbs, unfold as a path of suggestions for the practitioner to facilitate self-discovery. The ideals weave together to support the realization of our full human potential and the power to create a happy and healthy life, free from active addiction. Both recovery principles and yoga philosophy indicate actions for spiritual growth, with an emphasis on community, being of service to others, and daily practice There are no hard, fast rules but instead, suggestions and choices

The point of Kundalini yoga is not the perfection of posture, but rather the experience This practice, although sometimes out of the box and seemingly strange, is the perfect antidote to feeling stuck, anxious, fearful, or depressed because it is all about building a relationship with the intuitive and authentic self

Most of us cannot even begin to identify our full potential, and if we tried, we would probably vastly underestimate ourselves. The idea is that there are no limits benefits of yoga are accessible to ne and everyone You do not need ave prior experience, be flexible, certain body type, or possess any ular belief or faith. All you need to do is show up!”

Kundalini yoga encompasses the use of asana (postures), pranayama (breathwork), meditation, mantra (repetition of a sound, word, or words) mudra (symbolic gestures/poses, often using the hands), and deep relaxation

I personally find that Kundalini yoga can be accommodating for all levels and abilities. It wakes the body up from the inside out, and it makes you feel good Moving the body through yoga kriyas (cleansing techniques) aids the subconscious in letting go of old ideas, patterns, and experiences. The practice is compassionate in the sense that you start where you are and honor your body

That being stated, the process itself may not always be warm and fuzzy You may love some of the exercises, and others may push your buttons. I do not share this to be disheartening or as a warning, but the reality is, in any area of life, work is required to achieve desired results. The type of work I’m referring to in both yoga and recovery can include honesty, commitment, effort, being present, being intentional, and simply showing up

I’ll let you in on a little secret - 75% of the work is just showing up Once we have shown up, we only need to apply the remaining 25% to get the full benefit Now this 25% may sometimes feel like a warm breeze or a soft caress and other times, it may feel like course grade sandpaper rubbing on the skin.

The grit of sandpaper needed is determined by the project at hand. For instance, in a woodworking project, the piece of lumber starts out raw and possibly bumpy and rough The carpenter would need to begin to tame the unfinished log with a lower grit sand paper Once the project becomes smoother and more manageable, a higher grit paper may be substituted, increasing the grit slowly, to achieve a seamless polish

People entering the recovery process are typically pretty rough, similar to a newly felled log The practice of yoga and meditation may feel, at times, like harsh, scratchy sandpaper, but as we begin to smooth out our rough edges, the sandpaper feels less gritty too Since recovery is a continual journey, there is no destination; our yoga practice and the refining effect of the sandpaper changes with us, and it adjusts grit to take care of any bumps, bruises, or splinters we may encounter along the way. In this analogy, the sandpaper is the practice of yoga and especially meditation

If there is a posture, mudra, or mantra within your yoga practice that feels a bit like sandpaper, it probably means you need to do it more often I’m not talking about an exercise that causes pain, but one that pokes and provokes in a mental, emotional, or physical way Never push through a posture that causes pain.

Kundalini yoga may include exercises or meditations that are new and different, but they are designed to create positive change. To change and release unwanted habits, or create new healthy ones, we need to do something different. I personally resonated with a Kundalini practice immediately because I felt like there was something tangible about the yoga and meditation, and it was in total accord with my personal recovery. It helped me to connect with the present moment, calm my mind, and increase emotional stability Learning new things helps to keep our life force strong. The further we move away from our comfort zone, the more we grow Yoga works cohesively within the 12 Step principles to support meaningful change. Remember yoga and addiction recovery are about how you feel and not about how you look

A simple and traditional, feel-good exercise is pelvic rotation It is helpful for physical grounding, and emotionally, it effectively reduces anxiety, insecurity, and feelings of being stuck. This exercise is also good for the liver and digestion, as well as flexibility in the spine Many Kundalini yoga teachers affectionately refer to this exercise as “liver rolls ” Pelvic rotation may be done seated on the floor or in a chair with the hands on the knees as described below. Or, practitioners can stand with the feet about 18 to 24 inches apart with the hands on the hips

PelvicRotation:

Sit in “Easy Pose” (a comfortable cross-legged , seated position), hold on to the knees and rotate the torso on the pelvis as you move the spine in a big circle

Find your own range of motion, make it slow and gentle if needed, and move with the breath Inhale and exhale with each rotation Move in each direction for equal amounts of time for 1 to 3 minutes This posture opens the flow of energy at the base of the spine.

About the author:

Patty Wildasinn is a Kundalini yoga teacher, author, and recovering person based in the Los Angeles area. She has written two books, Yoga for Addiction Recovery: 8 Limbs, 10 Bodies, 12 Steps and Yogable: A Gentle Approach to Yoga - For Special Populations

By Sarah Millman