Every conscious breath is a meditation.” Yoga instructor Bethany at Kundalini Rising Yoga
I had been hearing about kundalini yoga from a friend for at least a year before I went to my first class. During a weekend getaway to Nashville this past June, a few weeks before my wedding, I took time Monday morning to go to Kundalini Rising Yoga.
The studio is a short Uber ride outside of downtown, where I was staying. I figured since there was a kundalini studio nearby, it was the perfect time to give it a shot.
My First Kundalini Experience
My knowledge of kundalini yoga going into the class was very limited. I had tried a video on Hulu once, but I had no idea what I was getting myself into when I stepped inside the studio.
There were words written on a whiteboard in the front of the room. I didn’t understand them or why they were there.
Since it has been a few months since the class, my memory is a bit fuzzy. But I remember that there was chanting/singing, meditation, and repetitive yoga moves that were borderline aerobics class.
It was very interesting to say the least! The words written on the whiteboard were the lyrics to the repetitive chant/song. It seemed like everyone in the class was already familiar with this particular chant, or at least the concept of chanting. The chanting and yoga moves were eventually done simultaneously.
I remember loving the meditation. And I remember feeling like I was getting a very challenging workout from the fast-paced moves. I also remember looking around and thinking how wacky yet wonderful the class was.
My favorite and most memorable part of the class was the Prayer of Love, Peace, and Light that our instructor read at the end of class. I thought this prayer was so beautiful, I went up to the instructor after class and asked her where she found it. She gave me a website, and I had it written into our wedding ceremony as one of the closing prayers because it seemed so perfect for the occasion. I adapted it slightly so it would fit, because I wanted it to sound like the officiant was reading it to both Michael and I and our guests (the original version uses “me” instead of “you”).
The Prayer of Love, Peace, & Light
Love before you
Love behind you
Love at your left
Love at your right
Love above you
Love below you
Love unto you
Love in your surroundings
Love to all.
Peace before you
Peace behind you
Peace at your left
Peace at your right
Peace above you
Peace below you
Peace unto you
Peace in your surroundings
Peace to all.
Light before you
Light behind you
Light at your left
Light at your right
Light above you
Light below you
Light unto you
Light in your surroundings
Light to all.
Doesn’t reading that make your heart rate slow down just a smidgen and your breath deepen a bit? I know it does for me, and I figured sneaking in a little meditation at our wedding couldn’t hurt!
I’m sure not all kundalini classes are like this one that I experienced. It might have been a special type of class that I attended, but it was definitely at a kundalini studio, so I would bet that at least some of the elements of true kundalini yoga were there.
I haven’t been back to a kundalini class since, mostly because I haven’t looked to find a studio that offers this particular practice. I really enjoyed it once I got over how different it was.
Have you tried kundalini? Does this at all sound like your experience? Please share your thoughts!
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