A DAILY PRACTICE

There are many practices to get the body ready for the day ahead.  Some people choose to go for a walk or a run; others meditate or take an early morning exercise class.  Whatever it is, a daily ritual of energizing the body and calming the mind is a wonderful way to ground yourself in preparation for a new day.  A new day heralds a new beginning, and I like to set the foundation with a few dynamic exercises from the tradition of Kundalini Yoga as taught by Yogi Bhajan.

Kundalini means "the curl of the lock of the hair of the Beloved".  It's a poetic way of describing the flow of energy within every living being, and is symbolised as a serpent waiting to unleash its powerful potential.  This group of exercises begins with Sufi Grind, which helps to loosen up the spine; an important first step that gently warms up and unlocks the muscles.  At the end of each exercise, inhale deeply and hold the breath, exhale, and take a moment before the next one.

Sufi Grind

To awaken the kundalini energy, you must stir the metaphoric serpent that lies asleep, coiled three and a half times around the base of the spine.  Sit with your spine straight with your hands on your knees, and start rotating the torso in an anti-clockwise direction.  If you use the sternum at the centre of your chest as the pivotal point, the rest of the body will follow.  Keep your chin slightly tucked in, and start grinding the hips.  Rotate the upper body to its full extent, inhaling as you go forward and exhaling as your go backwards.  After a minute, change the direction and grind the hips clockwise for another minute.  As in all the exercises, try and keep your eyes closed with the focus at the Brow Point.