WHAT IS YOGA?

Yoga is an ancient practice from India involving many different facets of life (not just postures). Yoga seeks to unite and connect our finite self with our Infinite Self. The practice of any type of yoga brings the participant into a realm of greater Self-Awareness, Self-Realization and freedom.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HATHA AND KUNDALINI YOGA?

Yoga is the Sanskrit word "to unite" or "yoke". According to Yogic text (Pantanjali), there are eight "limbs" of yoga, which help the practitioner access his/her highest Self. Hatha yoga uses two of the limbs, specifically postures and breathing, to bring the practitioner into a greater state of Self-Awareness and Self-Realization.

Kundalini Yoga focuses on all eight limbs, including breath work, mudras (hand positions), physical postures, mental focus, mantra, mediation, lifestyle, and ethics. According to ancient texts, results from Kundalini yoga provide the quickest and most effective route to Self-Realization.

WHAT IS KUNDALINI YOGA?

Kundalini Yoga, also called the "yoga of awareness", offers sacred, ancient teachings which involve profound yogic technology and philosophy. Its purpose is to bring about a greater state of self-awareness and unite the practitioner with his/her Life Force (the “Infinite” - however you define it). Kundalini yoga focuses on:

• Breathing
  The ancient techniques of Breath of Fire and Long Deep Breathing work to increase circulation and lung capacity, which helps you detoxify your body, clear your mind and relax.
  
• Physical Movements & Postures
  Moving the body in specific ways helps strengthen the nervous, muscular and skeletal systems, and circulate and cleanse the bloodstream and the glandular system.
  
• Sound & Music
  Music, mantra and vibrational sound therapy help focus the mind after a busy day at work, stimulate the pituitary and hypothalamus glands, and bring about a subtle yet powerful change in brain wave patterns, resulting in deep relaxation (increased alpha waves) and a more clear, focused and alter mind.
  
• Meditation
  Mediation is a physical state of deep rest (sometimes referred to as the "Relaxation Response", a term coined at Harvard University) that changes the physical and emotional responses to stress (e.g. decreased heart rate, blood pressure and muscle tension). Regular elicitation of the Relaxation Response has been scientifically proven to be an effective treatment for a wide range of stress-related disorders.

WHAT CAN KUNDALINI YOGA DO?

Kundalini Yoga classes carefully combine a series of breathing techniques, postures, movements and meditation to:

• Balance the glandular system
• Strengthen the nervous system
• Detoxify the lungs/bloodstream
• Clear your mind and leave you relaxed, refreshed and calm.

WHY FOCUS ON BREATHING?

Breath is a barometer for the energy of our lives, and measures vitality as we age. Breath is used to calm and/or stimulate and, as we begin to gain conscious control of our breath, we begin to gain conscious effect on our bodies. Breathing can help:

• Relax and calm you
• Give you clarity and patience
• Help to fight depression
• Reduce/prevent build-up of toxins
• Help make you more alert.