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Inversions for Beginners?

B.K.S. Iyengar, one of the most influential voices in Western yoga, calls Sirsasana (Headstand) and Sarvangasana (Shoulderstand) the king and queen ... (continued)

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Spotlight on Kundalini Yoga

An uplifting blend of spiritual and physical practices, this yoga style incorporates movement, dynamic breathing techniques, meditation, and the chanting of mantras, such as Sat nam ("I am truth"). The goal is to build physical vitality and increase consciousness.

BASIC PRINCIPLES: Using sound, breath, and posture, Kundalini Yoga aims to develop spiritual awareness by freeing the serpent power (kundalini) that is coiled in the base of the spine and drawing it upward through the seven chakras.

WHO FOUNDED IT: Kundalini Yoga has its roots in the Tantric Yoga tradition, which dates back to the eighth century. In 1969, Sikh leader Yogi Bhajan (born in 1929) brought the practice to North America.

WHERE TO DO IT: Kundalini's spiritual center is the 3HO (Healthy, Happy, Holy) Foundation in Espanola, New Mexico; the foundation oversees 300 centers worldwide.

SIDE BUSINESS: The Yogi Tea Company (www.yogitea.com) sells a complete line of medicinal and healing teas.

TEACHERS TO KNOW: Gurmukh Kaur Khalsa, Shanti Kaur Khalsa, Shakta Kaur Khalsa.

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Reader Comments

Eleusis D	Yogi Bhajan was here in Austin in 1974 (I was part of a group that invited him), and he was a hoot! Much funnier, less formal than I would have imagined - though he seemed rather stern compared to the other two Swamis we brought in that year. Might have been all that hot pepper! Anyway, don't get bogged down in the personalities. A guru's a guru, but samadhi's a joke! (Apologies to R. Kipling). Life to Smoochie! Leu http://www.tantraforbobos.com
Anonymous	I am amazed to read of a desire to censor anything with a particular Yogi's name on it. Simply because someone wrote something negative or someone had a negative experience does not make the teachings themselves negative. Or for that matter, they do not make the Teacher negative. Experience for yourself. We are each responsible for our own resistance and fear. Sada Bahar Kaur
Anonymous	I am losing my wife and child to 3HO.

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