21 Days To More Balanced Chakras

21 DAYS TO MORE BALANCED CHAKRAS
In today’s non-stop world, how does one find balance? By looking within to balance the
chakras, the body’s energetic centres.
By holding positive energy, we attract positive results.
To balance your chakras, you can incorporate simple steps throughout your busy day…even
if you only have a minute to spare.
When your chakras are balanced, energy is able to freely flow through your energetic
system which leads to a greater sense of peace, happiness, and wellness.
Our body actually has over 70,000 chakras. Each time our meridians (nadis) cross, that
junction is called a chakra. Seven main chakras make up our energetic system. These seven
are energetic centres located at the endocrine glands.
According to the law of attraction, we can attract what and who we want into our life by
holding space for that thought. By holding positive energy, we attract positive results.
Negative thoughts, feelings, foods, and inaction can adversely influence the chakras, thus
our energetic health. The long-term effects could lead to mental, emotional, and physical
imbalances, density, or blocks in the chakras.
Having balanced chakras impacts your aura, or energetic field. A balanced aura will allow
you to attract positive results.
There are numerous ways to balance and cleanse your chakras from eating foods associated
with the colors of each of the chakras to practising yoga where particular poses help to open
up certain chakras.
Just like maintaining a clean home and work environment, the sacral chakra needs to be
maintained regularly too.
Each day, begin by doing the Anuloma Viloma Chakra Balancing Pranayama, then focus on
balancing one chakra each day. By the end of the first week, notice how you feel when you
have a more balanced chakra system.
Balancing the Chakras 1

CONTENTS
The Lower Triangle
The first three chakras deal with the physical needs of the body and the basic needs of life.
They focus on elimination and reduction.
 Day 1: Balance Your Sense of Security - The Root Chakra
 Day 2: Balance Your Creative Energy - The Sacral Chakra
 Day 3: Balance Your Inner Strength - The Solar Plexus Chakra
Balance Point
The Heart Centre, or Fourth Chakra, is the balance point in the body between the flow of the
upper energies of the Heavens and the lower energies of the Earth, where experience shifts
from “me to we” or “me to Thee.”
Day 4: Balance Your Love and Compassion - The Heart Chakra

Upper Triangle
The chakras in the upper triangle and the aura – which combines the effects of the other
seven chakras – accumulate, create, and refine the energy. There are no specific gross
elements associated with the Sixth, Seventh, and Eighth chakras, as they correspond to the
more subtle realms.
Day 5: Balance Your Authenticity - The Throat Chakra
Day 6: Balance Your Intuition - The Third Eye Chakra
Day 7: Balance Your Spiritual Self - The Crown Chakra
Appendices
Appendix 2: The Eighth Chakra
Appendix 1: Breath of Fire Yoga Pranamaya
Appendix 3: The Four Main Body Locks

Chakra Balancing | Anuloma Viloma Pranayama
Background:
Chakra Balancing Breathing Exercise is designed to purify the psychic channels (nadis)
through which Kundalini Energy and Prana (life-force) flow. There are three primary
channels for the flow of this energy:
1. Ida
2. Pingala
3. Shusumna
It is essential to balance the flow of energy between the Ida and Pingala channels which run
alongside and intertwine the spine. Through the spinal column runs the Shushumna Nadi,
the central master channel. The Ida and Pingala can be considered the lunar and solar
channels, respectively, with the Ida Nadi responsible for cooling, feminine, passive, mental
energy and the Pingala Nadi responsible for hot, male, active, physical energy. As the flow
through these two channels is harmonise, prana and Kundalini start to flow through
Shushumna. This flow through the Shushumna Nadi activates and balances all the seven
chakras.
Benefits:
Primary:
 Activates Kundalini Flow through the Shushumna, thus awakening the chakras.
 The flow of Kundalini through the Shushumna also induces meditative states of
consciousness.
 Calms the mind, promoting peace and tranquility.
 Creates balance, harmony and rhythm in the entire system.
 Prepares the system for more advanced Pranayamas.
Secondary:
 Improves the respiratory system.

 Strengthens the nervous system.
 Purifies the body by oxygenating the blood supply.

Cautions:
 As with all breath control practice, only do as much as you are comfortable
with. Start slowly and build up steadily.
 Do not do this breathing exercise if one nostril is blocked or you are requiring force
to breathe through it.
Simple Anuloma Viloma Pranayama:

 To practise this breathing exercise sit up in a comfortable position. Preferably in a
variation of sukh asana (cross-legged).
 Elongate your spine upwards, lengthen your neck and subtly bring your chin back
and in like a soldier at attention. This will align the spine with the back of your head.
 Fold your index finger and middle finger into the palm of your right hand so just the
thumb, ring finger and pinkie are extended. Hold your knee with your left hand.
 Close your eyes.
 Bring your attention to your breathing and take 5 deep, slow breaths though the
nose. This will oxygenate your blood and relax you. For the rest of the exercise the
attention should remain on your breath.
 Now with your right thumb gently close the right nostril and breathe in slowly and
completely through the left nostril only, counting mentally from 1 to 4.
 Now gently close the left nostril with your right ring finger and pinkie and releasing
the right nostril breathe out through it only, counting mentally from 1 to 4.
 Now breathe in through the RIGHT nostril only, keeping the left closed, counting
mentally from 1 to 4.
 Finally, re-close the right nostril and breathe out through the left only, counting
mentally from one to four. This completes one cycle of Anuloma Viloma Pranayama.
 Start with five rounds a day and start to add one additional round as you make
progress. Also, start to add to the count, based on your level of comfort, by one for
both the inhalation portion and exhalation portion till you reach a count of 12 for
each phase. When you can comfortably manage that move onto Intermediate
Anuloma Viloma Pranayama.
Intermediate Anuloma Viloma Pranayama:
 All steps are the same as above except you should now build up to 15-20 rounds a
day and your count should be built up to 24:24 for inhalation and exhalation. After

you reach 24:24 (even with less rounds if you don’t have much time) you can
progress to the Advanced version.
Advanced Anuloma Viloma Pranayama:

 In the advanced version you will introduce the optimum ratio for inhalation to
exhalation. The ratio should be 1:2. In other words for every count of 1 for
inhalation, exhalation should last twice as long. So now perform Nadi Shodhana
Pranayama at the ration 12:24 worry about over doing it unless you are hitting this
limit.
 The above breathing technique should be practised for at least 4-6 months first
before combining with breath retention or body locks.(12 counts for inhalation phase
and 24 for exhalation). Build up to 30 rounds a day, or as many as time allows you
to do. The upper limit allowed is 80 rounds 4 times a day, so don’t worry about over
doing it unless you are hitting this limit.
Hints and Tips:
 30 years. It took Yogi Bhajan 30 years to master and perfect the flow of breath
through either nostril without the use of his hands. This is a worthwhile mental
exercise to try. By bringing the power of your attention to the flow through a
particular nostril see how well you can modulate it.
 Apply the knowledge from this breath control technique to your everyday life and
monitor the effects. If you are looking for active energy, breathe exclusively through
the Right Nostril, on the other hand, if you are looking to relax or do mental work
breathe exclusively through the Left Nostril. Experiment, learn and enjoy.

Day 1: Balance Your Sense of Security - Clearing the Root Chakra
The root chakra, located at the base of the spine, is associated with your sense of
security. The root chakra is also tied to situations involving your career, money
mindset and sense of belonging.
When balanced, this helps your ability to handle conflicts with a calm and
constructive mind. An imbalanced root chakra can lead to fatigue and anxiety.
Balance your root chakra:
1. Going for a walk in nature will help you stay grounded.
2. Surround yourself with earthy smells, such as essential oils of cedar or clove.
3. Wear red, the colour associated with the root chakra, to enhance your
connection to the Earth.
4. Yoga exercises: front stretches, crow pose, chair pose, frog pose, root lock
5. Journal prompt: Are there belief patterns that still influence your thinking
but are no longer valid?
Foundation, survival, security, habit, self-acceptance.
Location: End of the spine between the anus and sexual organs.
Organ/Gland: Organs of elimination (e.g., colon).
Colour, Element: Red, Earth.

Camel Pose
Below, you will find two illustration of Kundalini Yoga Camel pose. The first is a modified
version that should be practised by beginners, following that is the full version of Camel
Pose, which you should try only when ready.
Modified Kundalini Yoga Camel Pose
Kundalini Yoga Camel Pose
Practice Details:
a. Step-by-Step Instructions for Kundalini Yoga Camel Pose:

 To start this yoga pose, come up onto your knees and have your feet hip distance
apart, with toes extended.
 For modified Camel pose have your hands, fingers pointing downward supporting
your lower back and arch back as far as comfortable (Illustration #1 above)

 Now tilt your head back and such that you are facing the ceiling.
 You should be pressing forward with your hips and also expanding your chest region,
by pressing your elbows back.
 In the full version of Camel Pose, drop your hands back and hold on to your
heels. Again you should arch your back, press your hips out and expand your chest.
 Begin Breath of Fire Yoga Pranayama, in either pose.
b. Duration:
 30 seconds – 7 minutes
c. Benefits:
 Excellent yoga posture for overall health and wellbeing.
 The pose expands the abdominal region, helping digestion and elimination. It helps
to heal and balances the Navel Chakra.
 Opens and heals the Heart Chakra by expanding and stretching the chest
region. Excellent for the respiratory and circulatory systems. Bestows softness of
character.
 Releases tension in the ovaries and helps the immune system by working on the
lymphatic system.
 The posture, activates and balances the Throat Chakra, and works to heal and
rejuvenate the thyroid and parathyroid glands.
 The exercise opens up the hips and builds strength in the thighs and arms.
 Stretches and strengthens the shoulders.
d. Practice Tips:
 Start with the modified version of Camel Pose and work your way to doing the full
version over time.
 If the Breath of Fire makes you dizzy or uncomfortable, just switch to normal
breathing instead.

Crow Pose
The first illustration is a modified version of crow pose, while the second is the full
version. Unlike other kundalini yoga exercises, this posture is done with the eyes open.
Modified Crow Pose
Crow Pose

a. Step-by-Step Instructions:
 Swat on the floor with legs shoulder width apart and feet flat on the ground with the
toes pointing outward.
 Reach forward with your arms and have your index finger pointing forward, while the
other fingers are interlaced.
 Gaze over your extended arms and stare out into infinity.
 Keep your back straight and begin Breath of Fire Breathing Exercise.
b. Duration:
 15 Seconds – 3 minutes.
 Start slowly and build up your time steadily from there.
c. Benefits:
 Opens and clears the root chakra bestowing great sense of security, connectivity to
nature, good health, fit body, proper perspective on diet, ample wealth and clear
practical, down-to-earth thinking.
 Balancing the root chakra also helps remove fears.
 Balances and heals the heart chakra, allowing love and compassion to flow.
 Increases flexibility in the groin and hips.
 Good for the health of the knee joints and ankle joints.
 Very good for toning and healing the elimination system of the body.
d. Practice Tips:
 Use the modified version illustrated above. You can also place a rolled up blanket or
hard cushion under your heels to help you with this posture.
 Be careful with your knees and only go as far down as comfortable, regardless of
whether you are doing the modified posture or the full pose.
 If Breath of Fire is too much, then switch to long deep breathing or normal breathing
which continuing to hold the pose.
 Feel your heart center expanding as you reach forward and stare out over your
hands into infinity.

Chair Pose
Side View Picture of Kundalini Yoga Chair Pose
Front View Picture of Kundalini Yoga Chair Pose

Hands Position Picture of Kundalini Yoga Chair Pose
Picture of Kundalini Yoga Chair Pose Hands Close-up

Side View of Modified Kundalini Yoga Chair Pose
Front View of Modified Kundalini Yoga Chair Pose

Practice Details:
 Stand and place your feet shoulder width apart, with toes pointing outward.
 Lean forward till your back in parallel to the ground.
 Reach down and grasp your ankles, such that the elbows are passing from the inside
of your knees.
 Keep your head up and begin Breath of Fire Breathing Exercise.
b. Duration:
c. Benefits:
 Excellent yoga posture for toning your thighs and buttocks.
 Improves sexual health and builds sexual virility and vitality.
 Helps the body burn fat to promote healthy weight loss.
d. Practice Tips:
 Use the modified versions illustrated above.
 Take a break, if the legs start to burn too much and then restart the exercise again
once ready.
 Be careful with your knees and only go as far down as comfortable, regardless of
whether you are doing the modified posture or the full pose.
 If Breath of Fire is too much, then switch to long deep breathing or normal breathing
which continuing to hold the pose.
 You can also do the modified version of chair pose by standing against a wall and
working your way lower as your legs get stronger. This is the technique used in
physiotherapy in general.

Frog Pose
Kundalini yoga frog pose is a hardcore kundalini yoga exercise that is quite unique to this
type of yoga.
Certainly, frog pose is fantastic for building lower body strength, and specially good for
shaping the legs and thighs, but at the same time this exercise is also indicated for working
on the heart and root chakra and the associated functions of those regions. The health of
the heart, respiration and overall circulation are all improved by practicing frog pose.
Although some flexibility in the hamstrings helps one to practice froggies, this exercise is
primarily a strength move. You will find lots of important details in the practice section
below the illustrations.
Squat down on the toes, knees wide apart. Heels are touching, and raised up off the
ground. Place the fingertips on the ground between the knees. The face is forward. Inhale
as you raise the hips up, keeping the fingertips on the ground, heels up, knees locked.
Exhale down, face forward, knees outside of arms. 10 times. On the tenth, stay down and
take three deep breaths. On the third breath exhale completely and suspend the breath out
as you apply mulbandh. Suspend the breath out 10-20 seconds.
Repeat Frog Pose 26 times. On the last time, stay down and take three deep breaths. On
the third breath, suspend the breath out and again apply mulbandh. Feel energy rise along
the spine as you suspend the breath out. Do not strain.

Day 2: Balance Your Creative Energy - Clearing the Sacral Chakra
The sacral chakra, located below the navel, is associated with your creativity. It’s
your pleasure centre and the human emotional drive. The sacral chakra is basically
tied to your sensuality and intimacy.
When balanced, this gives you the ability to experience pleasure and helps nurture
your sense of abundance and well-being. An imbalanced sacral chakra can lead to
difficulties in relationships, jobs and health.
Balance your sacral chakra:
1. Taking a step back for reflection to become more aware of the emotional
drivers in your situation.
2. Take on creative activities: designing, drawing, painting, scrapbooking,
writing, playing, doing crossword puzzles.
3. Wear orange, the colour associated with the sacral chakra, to boost positive
emotions.
4. Yoga exercises: cobra pose, butterfly, sat kriya, cat-cow, frog pose, maha
mudra, pelvic lifts.
5. Journal prompt: How often do you express your creative energies?
To feel, to desire, to create.
Location: Sex organs.
Organ/Gland: Sex organs, reproductive glands, kidneys, bladder.
Color, Element: Orange, Water.

Cobra Pose
Cobra pose can also be done with the eyes open or closed. With eyes open, one should look
up as that also helps tone the optical nerve and is beneficial for your eyes and vision.
Kundalini Yoga Cobra Pose w/ Straight Elbows
Picture of Kundalini Yoga Cobra Pose w/ Bent Elbows

Practice Details:
 Lie flat on the floor, stomach down and feet extended.
 Place your hands near your shoulders and then raise your upper body and torso up
off the ground. The upper thighs should remain on the floor. You back should arch up.
 Turn your head up and look upwards as well. Stretching your neck.
 You can either do Long Deep Breathing or do the Breath of Fire Breathing Exercise.
 As a variation, you can go up and down in cobra pose. Coming up and breathing in,
holding the position for a few seconds and then coming back down and exhaling.
b. Duration:
c. Benefits:
 Very good for improving the health of the back and spine. Good for toning all the
back muscles and tissue related to the vertebrae.
 Massages all the digestive organs improving both digestion and elimination. Works
on balancing both the manipura (navel) chakra and the swadhisthan (sex) chakra.
 Works on all the nerve junctions that lie along the spine, as well as the important
psychic channels that run through the spinal cord.
 Works on improving functions of the ovaries and reproductive glands.
 Works on the thyroid and para thyroid glands and the vishuddhi (throat) chakra.
 Opens up the heart chakra (anahata) promoting softness of character.
 Good for improving vision and toning the optical nerve.
 Builds upper body strength. Specially the shoulders (deltoids), triceps and chest
(pectoral) muscles. This is more true if you use the modified version of cobra pose
where you go up and down.
d. Practice Tips:
 Careful with your lower back! Do not over strain.
 Also, careful with the elbows if you are using the bent arm version.
 Going up and down in cobra pose is excellent for building strong arms, shoulders and
chest muscles without risking injury.

Sat Kriya
As Sat Kriya directly stimulates kundalini (potential energy stored at the base of the spine)
it uses the beej (seed) Mantra SAT NAM to ensure that kundalini is being approached with
respect and reverence. Using this mantra creates a humble and devotional attitude towards
kundalini shakti, so that her ascent is peaceful and trouble free.
The vibrations of the SAT NAM mantra are also used by Sat Kriya to stoke and hammer the
sleeping energy at the base of the spine, thus stimulating her to awaken.
The physical posture and movements of this tantric technique, increase the strength of your
sexual energy and also direct it upwards so that it can be used by the higher centers.
Body locks (bandhas) are further employed by Sat Kriya to channel the sex energy upwards
to be used for spiritual growth.
Benefits:
 Awakens Kundalini Shakti.

 Improves the entire sexual system and increases the vibrations of sexual
energy. Also, channels sex energy upwards to be used for higher functions.
 Cures deep seated fears, sexual or otherwise, and makes you courageous.
 Massages the internal organs to promote health and wellbeing.
 Helps the elimination system.
 Cures sexual dysfunctions.
 Balances and harmonizes the personality with the higher self.

Illustration #1 – Kundalini Tantra Yoga Sat Kriya Front View
Illustration #2 – Kundalini Tantra Yoga Sat Kriya Side View

Illustration #3 – Kundalini Tantra Yoga Sat Kriya Hand Position
Guided Sat Kriya:
 Sit in rock pose. (Rock pose means to sit back on your heels with your back straight
– Illustration #1 & #2).
 Stretch your arms straight up such that the upper arms are hugging your ears. The
elbows should be straight. Clasp your hands together, such that all the finger are
interlaced, except for the index finger of each hand. The index fingers are pointed
straight up and pressed together (Illustration #3).
and in, like a soldier at attention. This will align the spine with the back of your head.
 Now begin to chant SAT NAM as follows out loud. Speak the sound SAT powerfully
and as you say it pull your navel up and in towards the spine. Feel the sound SAT
hammer the base of the spine. Next, relax the belly as you say the sound NAM. The
sound NAM is made softly, as opposed to the sound SAT which is made powerfully. The
only movement you do consciously is the pulling in and relaxing of the navel.
 Continue to chant SAT NAM along with the navel contractions at about 8 repetitions
every 10 seconds or so. Find a good rhythm.
 To end, inhale deeply and apply root lock, diaphragm lock and neck lock with your
breath held in. Root lock is the contraction of the rectum, sex organ and lower navel,
diaphragm lock is pulling up and in of the diaphragm and neck lock is to pull the neck
muscles back while tucking the chin in and back slightly. As you apply all three locks,
visualise energy being propelled up the spine and into your brain. You may repeat the
application of triple lock (maha bandh) as above 2 more times if you like.

 After completing Sat Kriya you must rest (preferably on your back in corpse pose
[See Page 31]) for a time equal to that spent doing this technique.
Hints & Tips:
 Start with 1 minute a day, then work your way up to 3 minutes as a regular
practice. If you would like to master this technique, you can build up to 11 and then 31
minutes / day.
 You will notice that there is no special breathing associated with this technique, this
is because the breath takes care of itself during the exercise.
 When you apply Maha Bandha (triple lock) and hold your breath in towards the end,
only do so for a period of time you are comfortable with. Do not overdo it. In addition,
do not apply diaphragm lock during this stage, if you have heart problems or if it makes
you uncomfortable.
 An advanced hand posture is to have the hands pressed together (like in namaste
pose), instead of the finger interlaced. This advanced technique should only be
practised after you have mastered the basic method, as it will promote even greater flow
of energy which you must be ready to handle.

Butterfly Pose
Below are some illustrations of this simple yoga asana - two variations for the hand
position and two variations of how this stretch can be done, which is discussed in the
practice section.
Butterfly Pose 1
Butterfly Asana 2
 Sit up straight and bring the soles of your feet together in front of you.

 Wrap your fingers around your toes (illustration #1) and gently pull your heels in
towards your groin.
 Keeping your back straight, lean forward from the waist as far as comfortable.
 You should feel a good stretch in your groin region.
 Use your elbows as levers to push down on your calves or inner thighs.
 You may do this stretch with the Breath of Fire or with Long Deep Breathing.
b. Duration:
 1 – 5 minutes.
c. Benefits:
 Excellent yoga asana to improve the flexibility in the groin and hips region. Both
important regions for helping to sit in meditation.
 This asana transmutes sexual energy into higher frequencies, allowing it to be used
to nourish and heal the higher chakra points.
d. Practice Tips:
 A hand position variation you can use for this asana is shown in illustration #2. Here
I wrap my hands around my ankles instead. This technique can sometimes provide a
more intense stretch. Also, notice in illustration #2, how I am using my elbows to
accentuate the stretch by pressing down on my inner thighs.
 Another variation to how this asana can be practiced, is by bouncing your knees
gently (like a butterfly flapping its wings), instead of holding the stretch steadily. In this
variation, make sure you don’t force the legs too much. To assist in this variation you
can also hold your knees and press down gently on the downward stroke. This
technique, helps open up the hips more.
 As the end of this asana, you can inhale deeply, hold your breath and apply root
lock* to help redirect the energy back into the spinal cord.

*Root Lock (MulBandh)
What: Root Lock is like a hydraulic lock at the base of the spine. It coordinates,
stimulates, and balances the energies involved with the rectum, sex organs, and
navel point (i.e. the lower three chakras).
How: Three actions are applied together in a smooth, rapid, flowing motion. First,
contract and hold the muscles around the anus. Then contract and hold the muscles
around the sex organ (like stopping the flow of urine). Finally, contract the muscles
of the lower abdomen and the navel point toward the spine.
When: Frequently applied at the end of an exercise. Sometimes applied –

continuously or rhythmically – throughout a meditation or exercise. Breath held in or
out. Women on their moon cycle should not apply Root Lock.
Why: Crystalises the effect of an exercise. Blends prana and apana at the navel
center which, when mixed, opens the entrance to the sushmuna for energy to flow
up the spine. Stimulates the proper flow of spinal fluid.

Maha Mudra
The Great Seal
maha = great, mighty, strong
mudra = sealing, shutting, closing
Breathing:
Executing this pose properly while engaging all three bandhas is considered to be the
ultimate test of the breath because maha mudra restricts all the normal respiratory
movements out of the body cavities: There is strong stabilizing action in the pelvic floor and
abdominal muscles, the rib cage is held in a lifted position, the costovertebral joints are
immobilized by thoracic twisting, and the sternum is lifted into the chin by the scalenes. All
in all, the body is forced to find another, unusual way to breathe.
This is the structural reason why, when all the usual, visible, external breath movements
have been stabilized, something deep in the core of the system must mobilize via a new
pathway. That pathway is commonly referred to in Yogic literature as Susumna – the central
channel.

Day 3: Balance Your Inner Strength - Clearing the Solar Plexus Chakra
The solar plexus chakra, located at the stomach area, is associated with your inner
strength; your ability to be in control of your life. It represents your willpower.
Basically, the solar plexus chakra is responsible for your ability to be confident and
in control of your life.
When balanced, this gives you the sense of self-assurance and courage. An
imbalanced solar plexus chakra can lead to feelings of inadequacy. Other symptoms
include indecisiveness and constantly second guessing yourself.
Balance your solar plexus chakra:
1. Challenge yourself! Step out of your comfort zone by changing your daily
routine.
2. Dressing sharp (even if you don’t feel it)!
3. Wear yellow, the color associated with the solar plexus chakra, to brighten
up your mood, raise your vibrations and increase your confidence.
4. Yoga exercises: bow pose, fish pose, dancers pose, sat kriya, Breath of Fire,
Dolphin Plank (core)
5. Journal prompt: What do you like about yourself? Are you working towards
changing the things you don’t like about yourself?
Willpower. Personal power and commitment

.
Location: Area of the Navel Point, solar plexus.
Organ/Gland: Solar plexus, liver, gallbladder, spleen, digestive organs,

pancreas, adrenals.
Color, Element: Yellow, Fire.

Bow Pose
Picture of Yoga Bow Pose (Dhanur Asana)
Practice Details:
 Start by lying on your stomach with your chin on the floor.
 Next, bend your knees and bring your heels towards your buttocks.
 Beginner Yogis: Reach back and grasp your ankles, keeping the rest of your body
on the floor. Pull your heels into your buttocks.
 Intermediate Yogis: Raise yourself up off the floor as shown in the illustration
above, by pressing your ankles away from you. Your chest and thighs should be raised
off the floor.
 Advanced Yogis: Rock back and forth in bow pose, inhaling as you come forward,
exhaling on the way back.
b. Duration:
 15 seconds – 5 minutes.

c. Benefits of Kundalini Yoga Bow Pose:
 The ultimate yoga pose to improve and perfect your digestive system.
 Excellent for your respiratory system, to relieve breathing problems and ailments
such as asthma, etc.
 Good for the entire spine and back.
 Great pose for improving the overall flexibility of the entire body.
 Helps improve overall health and wellbeing.
 Good for weight loss.
d. Practice Tips for Kundalini Yoga Bow Pose:

 Progress gently towards the advanced version. For some, even the beginner version
is difficult to get into, in which case just bring your heels as close to your buttocks as
you can, and reach as far back with your arms as possible.
 Do not eat for at least 2-3 hours before practicing this posture, or you will be quite
uncomfortable.
 Careful of your knees and back when doing this pose.

Fish Pose
The combination of stretching and opening quite literally is like a huge sigh of relief for the
entire body, making me one happy fish!
Benefits
Fish Pose offers a deep stretch for the shoulders, chest, and the front body, including the
throat, abdomen, and hip flexors. The pose also strengthens the musculature of the back
and neck, encourages better breathing, and can help relieve spinal tension and improve
posture.
Those with neck or lower back issues should practice this pose with caution, and modify
accordingly.
Step-By-Step
1. Begin lying on your back with your knees bent and the soles of your feet flat on the
floor.
2. Lift your hips and tuck your hands slightly beneath your buttocks, palms facing
down. Draw your forearms and elbows in toward your body.

3. On an inhale, bend your elbows and press firmly into your forearms and elbows to lift
your head and upper body away from the floor and begin to find the natural curve of
your spine.
4. Firm your shoulder blades into your back and lift your chest higher toward the
ceiling, elongating your spine.
5. Gently release the crown of your head (or the back of your head, if the crown doesn’t
feel available to you) back down on the floor, placing a minimal amount of weight on
your head.
6. Remain here with your knees bent, or, if it feels comfortable, extend both legs
straight down on the mat in front of you with your muscles strongly engaged.
7. Stay in the pose anywhere from 5 to 10 deep breaths. To come out of the pose,
engage your core, press firmly into your forearms, and gently lift your head away
from the floor. Tuck your chin into your chest and place the back of your head down.
Tips
 To ease any neck or back strain in this pose, try taking a bolster, a tightly rolled
blanket, or a towel perpendicular to your spine, placed below your shoulderblades. A
folded blanket or towel can also be placed beneath the head to help bring the floor
closer.
 Think of the head only as a balance point for the pose, and keep the weight firmly
grounded in your legs and the muscles of your back as your support system.
Remember to keep your throat soft and your face relaxed.
 For an added challenge, take the traditional variation by crossing your legs into
Padmasana (Lotus) and holding on to your big toes, or by coming into the pose with
your legs extended then lifting your legs 45 degrees away from the floor, pressing
actively through your heels.

Dancer Pose / Natarajasana
Step by step
 Stand in Tadasana. Ground and center through your feet and take a point on
eye level to focus on.
 Exhale bend your left knee, left foot to the buttock, and hold the outside of
your left foot with the left hand. The top of the right thighbone draws back
and engage your right thigh and knee to make the standing leg strong.
 Keep the torso upright, the chest open and draw the pubic bone to the navel
to keep length in the lower back. Now on an inhale pushing the left foot back
into the hand, raising the leg so the thighbone ends up parallel to the floor
and the lower leg in a right angle with the thigh bone and vertical with the
floor. You can lift your right arm up in front of you, parallel to the floor or a
little higher next to the ear.
 Hold for 5-10 breaths.
 On an out-breath release the leg back down to the floor.

Dolphin Plank
Benefits - Dolphin Plank builds strength through resistance of your body's weight, which
helps to increase bone density. This pose strengthens the arms, legs, and core muscles,
including the abdomen, chest, and low back. It also strengthens the muscles around the
spine, which helps to improve posture. In addition, Dolphin Plank stretches the shoulders,
hamstrings, calves, and feet.
The concentrated effort required to hold Dolphin Plank calms the mind and regulates the
nervous system — benefits that are also therapeutic for stress and mild depression.
Practicing this pose for several minutes will build stamina, endurance, and focus.
Cautions - Do not practice Dolphin Plank if you have a recent or current shoulder, back,
arm, or neck injury. Also avoid this pose if you have high blood pressure, or infections of
the eye or inner ear. Always work within your own range of limits and abilities. If you have
any medical concerns, talk with your doctor before practicing yoga.
Instructions
1. Begin on your hands and knees. Align your wrists directly under your shoulders, and
your knees under your hips. Lower your elbows to the floor directly beneath your
shoulders. Keep your forearms parallel to each other and to the side edges of your

mat. Distribute your weight evenly across both forearms. Breathe smoothly and
evenly through your nose.
2. Tuck your toes and step back with your feet, bringing your body and head into one
straight line. Align your heels over your toes.
3. Keep your thighs lifted and take care not to let your hips sink too low. If your butt
sticks up in the air, realign your body so your shoulders are directly above your
elbows.
4. Contract your abdominals and draw your pelvic floor muscles toward your spine.
Keep your head in line with your spine.
5. Broaden across your shoulder blades and collarbone. Gaze between your hands, or
toward the top edge of your mat.
6. Press the front of your thighs (quadriceps) up toward the ceiling while lengthening
your tailbone toward your heels.
7. Hold the pose while breathing smoothly for five breaths. Advanced practitioners and
those using the pose to build stamina can hold for up to five minutes. To release the
pose, slowly lower onto your knees, then press back into Child’s Pose and rest.
Repeat up to 10 times.
Modifications & Variations
Dolphin Plank is a great modification for those with wrist pain and carpal tunnel syndrome
— but it's also a challenging core strengthener in its own right! It can take some time to
build up enough strength to hold the pose. Be sure to take it slowly and not over-stress
your shoulders. Try these modifications to find a variation of the pose that works for you:
 If your core muscles or arms are not yet strong enough to support your full
bodyweight, lower your knees to the floor (this is called Half Dolphin Plank). Be sure
to keep your head and spine in a straight line.
 To deepen the pose, try lifting one leg at a time. Flex your foot and lift your heel
toward the ceiling. Hold the lifted leg for five breaths. Then, repeat with the opposite
leg for the same amount of time.
 To deepen the shoulder stretch, press your palms together with your forearms on the
floor, or clasp all ten fingers together.

Tips
Dolphin Plank and regular Plank Pose will benefit the whole body when practiced in correct
alignment! Keep the following information in mind when practicing Dolphin Plank:
 Do not allow your hips and butt to sag too low or poke too high — it’s important to
keep your body in one straight line, from shoulders to heels.
 Keep your shoulders aligned directly over your elbows.
 Keep the space between your shoulder blades wide while broadening across your
collarbones. This action helps to prepare you for other arm balances, like Crow Pose
(Bakasana).
Strong to the Core

Dolphin Plank can strengthen your core and shoulders fast! Practise the pose several times
a day to tone your muscles and re-gain focus. Try holding Dolphin Plank for extended
periods to build stamina, focus, and endurance. For extra variety, change up your regular
Sun Salutations by practising Dolphin Plank and Dolphin Pose instead of Plank
Pose and Downward-Facing Dog.

Day 4: Balance Your Love and Compassion - Clearing the Heart Chakra
The heart chakra is associated with love, compassion, and forgiveness. It is

responsible for relationships and self-acceptance.
When balanced, the energy produced by the heart chakra allows us to have
meaningful relationships and to feel empathy, passion, and care for others.
Jealousy, anger, bitterness, and resentment are symptoms of a closed heart
chakra.
Balance your heart chakra:
1. Meditate to raise self-control of your thoughts which will lead to the positive
choice of giving unconditional love.
2. Perform an act of kindness every day for a week. Notice how it makes you
feel.
3. Wear green, the color associated with the heart chakra, to enhance the
heart’s vitality to give and receive love.
4. Yoga exercises: arm exercises, upper torso twists, breathing exercises, baby
pose, ego eradicator
5. Journal prompt: Are there relationships in your life that require healing?
Awakening to spiritual awareness; forgiveness and service.
Location: Middle of the chest on the breast bone at the level of the
nipples.
Organ/Gland: Heart, lungs, thymus gland.
Color, Element: Green, Air.

Side Twists
Sit on the heels. Place the hands on the shoulders, fingers in front and thumbs in back.
Inhale, twist to the left. Exhale, twist to the right. Twist your head to each side as well.
Gradually feel an increased rotation in your spine. Keep elbows parallel to the ground,
allowing the arms to swing freely with the body. This exercise can be done standing up,
Continue 1-2 minutes or 26 times.
To end: Inhale center, hold the breath, apply rootlock, exhale, relax and feel the energy
circulate, especially at the level of the heart.
Benefits: This exercise opens up the heart centre and stimulates the upper spine.

4-Part Deep Breathing
Background:
Sespite being a simple breathing exercise, the ability of the 4-Part Deep Breathing Exercise
to open up and get one’s energy going is astonishing.
Benefits:
 Rapidly oxygenates your blood, thus helping the body heal, detoxify and remove
waste more effectively.
 Increases the amount of Prana (life-force) you are bringing into your system.
 Improves the elasticity of the lungs and increases respiratory capacity.
 Activates the energy flows in your body.
Cautions:
 If you feel dizzy when practicing this breathing technique, you should stop and
substitute normal breathing. If you suffer from vertigo, you should use caution in
practicing this breathing exercise.
 You should be careful practicing this pranayama if you have high blood pressure,
heart disease or suffer from stroke or epilepsy.
Step-by-step Instructions:
 To practice this breathing exercise sit up in a comfortable position.
 Bring the palms of your hands together at sternum level (like when you pray), but
have them 2-4 inches away from your chest. Your elbows should be up such that your
forearms are parallel to the ground.
 Press the palms of your hands together applying equal pressure to both sides. The
pressure should be firm but not excessive.
 Relax your diaphragm and stomach muscles.
 Now inhale in 4 sniffs and exhale in 4 sniffs. So you are breaking up 1 inhalation
into 4 equal parts and breaking up 1 exhalation into 4 equal parts. By the fourth sniff,
during the inhalation, you should have completed filled your lungs with air and by the
fourth sniff, during the exhalation, you should have completely expelled all the

air. Completely inhaling and exhaling by the last sniff is a key part of this breathing
technique. That’s it, continue for 1-5 minutes.
Secret of Yogic 4 Part Deep Breathing Exercise:
The real benefit of this yoga pranayama is hidden in benefit number three listed above
(increases lung capacity). According to Yoga, your evolution can be triggered simply by the
capacity of your respiratory system. When it reaches a critical threshold relative to your
size, you evolve. By partitioning the breath, this particular breathing technique forces you
to maximize the use of your lungs. Thus, helping them expand and absorb more prana
(life-force) from the air.
Generally, in everyday life we don’t use our full lung capacity and over time this capacity
diminishes. So take a bold step towards your spiritual growth and include the Yogic 4 Part
Deep Breathing Exercise into your daily yoga practice. It is a great way to start and will go
a long way in helping you finish.

Happy Baby Pose:
Step 1
Lie on your back. With an exhale, bend your knees into your belly.
Step 2
Inhale, grip the outsides of your feet with your hands (if you have difficulty holding the feet
directly with your hands, hold onto a belt looped over each sole.) Open your knees slightly
wider than your torso, then bring them up toward your armpits.
Step 3
Position each ankle directly over the knee, so your shins are perpendicular to the floor. Flex
through the heels. Gently push your feet up into your hands (or the belts) as you pull your
hands down to create a resistance.

Day 5: Balance Your Authenticity - Clearing the Throat Chakra
The 5th chakra is associated with communication, speaking your truth, and
authenticity. It is responsible for open and honest communication with others.
When balanced, the energy from the throat chakra allows for open communication
and honest self-expression. When imbalanced, you may struggle to convey your
real thoughts and feelings to others.
Balance your throat chakra:
1. Singing, even if it’s only you in the shower, is a great therapy for opening the
throat chakra. The vibrations of the sounds allows for releasing emotions and
provides healing.
2. Take a moment to organize your thoughts. Be comfortable with your own
ideas and opinions.
3. Wear blue, the color associated with the throat chakra, to open up your
communication channel.
4. Yoga exercises: cobra pose, plow pose, camel pose, cat-cow, neck stretches,
neck lock
5. Journal prompt: Do you express yourself honestly and openly?
Hearing and speaking the Truth. The Teacher.
Location: The throat.
Organ/Gland: Trachea, throat, cervical vertebrae, thyroid.
Color, Element: Light blue, Ether.

Plow Pose
Benefits
An advanced pose that calms the mind, stimulates internal organs, activates the thyroid,
stretches the shoulders and hamstrings, Halasana improves the flexibility of your spine.
Bend so you don’t break.
It can help alleviate back pain, bring fresh blood to the brain to help with headaches,
sinusitis, and insomnia. It’s a stress reliever and energizes the body. Teachers often
sequence it at the end of a class, as it requires a supple body, open hamstrings, and a
focused mind.
I love it as a prep pose for Savasana. Yes, you heard that right, a prep pose for Savasana–
one of the most challenging poses in all yoga asana.
Step-by-Step
1. Resting flat on your back, place your palms on the mat beside you.
2. Inhale, activate your core, and lift your feet off the floor until they’re at a 90 degree
angle.
3. Support your hips and lower back with your hands as you lift them off the floor.

4. Continue to lift up as you hinge at the hips and rest your feet directly above your
head. Press your toes firmly into the mat beyond your head and energetically press
into your heels. Lift your top thighs and tailbone toward the sky and pull your inner
thigh into the pelvis.
5. Create space between your chin and your chest.
6. If you’d like an additional shoulder opener, remove your hands from your lower back,
extend them on the mat in the opposite direction, and clasp the hands. Press them
down on you mat to lift the hips and thighs up even higher.
7. To exit slowly and with control, place your hands on your back, hinge at the hips
until your feet are high in the sky above your hips (90 degree angle), and slowly roll
down vertebra by vertebra.
Tips, Tricks, and Restrictions
 Think about squeezing your shoulder blades together at the start of the pose to lift
up. Once in it, try to create space between the shoulder blades. It’s a minor
movement, but can help with proper alignment.
 Lift up, up, and up for a straight spine. We have a tendency to round through the
lower back in this posture. Instead, actively lift the hips up high and stack them
directly above the shoulders. Engage the lower abdominals and try to create that
long, strong and flat back. This adjustment is difficult as it is subtle, but that’s the
beauty of yoga–there is always somewhere to go.
 Listen to your body! If your feet can’t comfortably reach the mat beyond your head,
use a prop like a chair or a wall to rest your feet on. If it is painful at the base of the
neck, use a few folded up blankets to modify. Simply place them flat along the
shoulder line, under your upper back and base of your neck. The crown of your head
should be flat on the mat while your shoulders and upper back are slightly elevated
thanks to the blankets.
 If you have any type of neck injury, lay off this pose for a while or get the all-clear
from your doctor before trying it.
 If you’re pregnant and practice this pose often already, you can continue until it
becomes uncomfortable on your tummy. If you don’t already practice this pose, wait
until Bubba is born to try it out.
 Prep the body with a good warm up to build heat; a Bridge and a Shoulder Stand.

KY Cat-Cow
The most important benefit of cat-cow is that it helps cleanse emotional debris that we end
up accumulating in our gut/diaphragm region. This emotional debris then creates blockages
in the flow of energy both up and down our main.
By dissolving these blockages in our energy pathways, cat-cow, helps to not only resolve
remnants of old emotional traumas, pains, jealousies, anger and hurts, but also helps
restore balance to the entire system.
Illustration #1: Kundalini Yoga Cow Pose
Illustration #2: Kundalini Yoga Cat Pose

Practice Details:
a. Step-by-Step Instructions for Kundalini Yoga Cat-Cow Technique:

 Come onto the floor on all fours. Make sure your hands are directly under your
shoulders, about shoulder width apart and knees are directly under your hips, about hip
distance apart.
 Now come into cow pose by bringing your head up, while at the same time pushing
your stomach down (as in illustration #1 above). Your eyes should be open and you
should be looking upwards, thus giving your optical nerve and eye muscles a toning
massage. Inhale deeply as you come into this posture.
 Next bring your head down and your chin towards your chest as you arch your back
up like a cat (pressing your stomach up as in illustration #2). Exhale fully as you come
into this pose.
 Start off at a slow pace, holding each position for a few seconds or more, and then
begin to move faster as you feel yourself warming up. Only go as fast as you find
comfortable, moving between cow pose and cat pose.
b. Duration:
 1 minute – 11 minutes.
c. Benefits:
 Clears emotional debris, thus promoting good emotional health and balance.
 Clears blockages in the energy pathways caused by unresolved emotions, thus
helping energy flow to take place between the higher and lower chakras.
 Excellent exercise for your entire back and spine. Massages all 72,000 nerve
junctions that lie along the spinal cord.
 Helped me cure whip lash I once got.
 Great for the optical nerve and eyes. Gives you sparkly eyes.
 Good to regulate and balance the thyroid gland.
 Good for your arms and shoulders.
 Good for your digestive system.

d. Practice Tips:
 You can do this exercise, by either holding each position for a comfortable duration
of time as you move between the poses, or doing the exercise by rapidly moving
between the poses.
 Cat-Cow is a terrific exercise to start off your yoga session with. It warms up the
cerebrospinal fluid which is absolutely essential to charge in order to get the most out of
your yoga workout.
 The biggest mistake that yogis make, is that they rock back and forth. You should
simply by arching your back and moving you head as indicated. .
 All the breathing should be done through the nose.
Neck Rolls
Neck Rolls: This exercise removes tension in the neck and stimulates the thyroid.
Sit with a straight but relaxed spine. Adjust the head so that you feel like it is sitting on top
of the spine by slightly moving the head back and bringing the chin down slightly. Roll the
neck slowly in one direction and then in the other. Let the weight of the head move the
head around. Do this very methodically so that you go slowing through tight spots and work
out areas of tension. At least one minute in each direction. After this exercise, sit quietly
and be with the sensations in your body and spine.

Day 6: Balance Your Intuition - Clearing the Third Eye Chakra
The 6th chakra is associated with intuition and wisdom. It is also responsible for
your sense of identity and community.
When balanced, you tend to make accurate intuitive decisions and evaluations
about your career, family and the intentions of other people.
You often have clear sense of direction in everything that you do. When
imbalanced, you may be indecisive, uncommitted and unconfident of the decisions
you end up making.
Balance your third eye chakra:
1. Visualization exercises: Close your eyes and imagine yourself doing

something you love to do and allow yourself to daydream about yourself
doing what makes you happy.
2. Keep a dream journal next to your bed. As soon as you’re awake, jot down
the key images you saw in your dreams.
3. Wear indigo, the color associated with the third eye chakra, to open up your
intuitive channel.
4. Yoga exercises: meditating, archer pose, all exercises where the foreheads
rests on the floor (Child’s Pose)
5. Journal prompt: Are you judgmental? Are there beliefs that you would like to
change for yourself?
The union of opposites; understanding one’s purpose.
Location: Between the eyebrows (the “Third Eye”).
Organ/Gland: Brain, pituitary gland.
Colour: Indigo.

Third Eye Chakra Meditation
Background
This great chakra meditation technique for opening the all-important Third Eye comes
directly from the school of Kundalini Yoga.
Opening and balancing the Third Eye Chakra (Ajna Chakra) is a key step in one’s spiritual
evolution, as the Third Eye is the seat of intuition, and having this centre functioning
optimally gives one access to the guidance of the Inner Guru.
This particular chakra meditation technique uses many different facets of Kundalini Yoga
technology to accomplish its goals. It uses the power of Yoga Breathing (Pranayama), Yoga
Mudras (Eye and Hand Positions), Yoga Numerology, Visualisation and the power of
Concentration Meditation to activate and open the Third Eye Chakra.
Briefly, the Third Eye chakra is located in the centre of the brain and can be stimulated by
concentrating on centre of the forehead, in between the eyebrows. As mentioned above,
the Third Eye Chakra is responsible for intuition and controls the function of the eyes and
perception. It is related to the number 16, and AUM is the seed sound for it.
.
Benefits:
Primary Benefits:
 Opens the Third Eye Chakra, building intuition and insight.
 Builds mental fortitude, mental focus and willpower.
 Calms the mind and bestows inner peace and silence.
 Promotes the acquisition of Psychic Powers.
 Helps penetrate the veil of duality and see the non-dual nature of Reality.
Secondary Benefits:
 Improves the visual system.
 Improves the respiratory system.
Cautions:
 Initially this technique is certainly challenging to do. It will take some commitment
as well as willpower on your part in order to master it, so be patient.
 If you use the additional emphasis on opening the Third Chakra by holding
Shambhavi Mudra (explained below), make sure you are not straining your eyes
excessively when doing so.

Third Eye Chakra Meditation Technique Illustration
Instructions:
 As per the illustration above, sit up on your heels in rock pose, raise your arms
straight out to the sides at a sixty degree angle and have your hands bent at the wrist
pointing outwards as shown. If rock pose is difficult for you, you may also sit in sukh
asana (simple cross legged) or even on a chair for this meditation if you like.
 Gather all your attention and focus on the center of your forehead, right between the
eyebrows. You may feel a slight pressure, or other such sensation building there as you
practice this meditation.
 Now comes the hard part :-D. Start to inhale in sixteen parts and exhale in sixteen
parts. This means that sixteen tiny sniffs will be used to make one inhalation and
sixteen tiny sniffs will be used to make the following exhalation. Continue this breathing
pattern for the duration of the meditation. If sixteen sniffs is too many, start with eight
and build up from there.
 With every sniff visualize a tiny silver hammer tapping the center of the
forehead. So 16 taps during the inhalation and 16 taps during the exhalation.
 Start with 1 minute, build up to 3 and then onto 11 mins. From there you may push
further if you like, building up to 31 minutes.

Advanced Third Eye Chakra Meditation Technique:
 If you are comfortable with the above technique, and are ready for a greater
challenge then apply Shambhavi Mudra throughout the practice to enhance the effect on
the Ajna Chakra. Shambhavi Mudra is applied by keeping the head straight, eyes
closed, but turning the eyeballs upwards such that you are trying to look through the
center of the forehead. If you do apply Shambhavi Mudra, please do not strain the eyes
and release it if the eyes tire, while continuing with the rest of the meditation.

Archer Pose
Archer Pose is often part of Kundalini Yoga kriyas geared towards expansion of energy and
self, as it helps open up your psychic channels to promote the greater flow of energy and
power. It works on all the chakras of the Kundalini Yoga Seven Chakra
System simultaneously, helping them open, heal and balance.
Picture of Kundalini Yoga Archer Pose
Kundalini Yoga Archer Pose Practice Details:
a. Step-by-Step Instructions for Kundalini Yoga Archer Pose:

 Stand and place your feet wide apart.
 Now have your left foot pointing to your left, have you right foot pointing in slightly,
the heels of both feet should be in a straight line. Your torso should be straight and
facing forward.
 Low lean to the left so that 70% of your weight is on your left leg. Your left knee
should occlude your left foot from view if you were to look down. There should be a
stretch in your right upper thigh.
 Now extend your left arm out to the left as if holding a bow and turn your head to
the left and gaze over your left fist.
 Now with the right hand pretend as if you are pulling back the bow strings. Your
right hand should be all the way past your right chest.

 Do Long Deep Powerful Breathing while holding this posture and gazing steadily over
your left fist.
 With every breath, engage the mind, and feel yourself expanding and growing more
and more powerful. Keep you gaze deadly focused, with the intent that you are
breaking through all obstacles and barriers.
 After half the time reverse the direction of the posture.
b. Duration for Kundalini Yoga Archer Pose:

 1 minute – 3 minutes / side
c. Benefits of Kundalini Yoga Archer Pose:

 Excellent yoga posture for your entire body, mind and spirit.
 Opens up and expands your energy channels.
 Builds confidence, courage and self-esteem.
 Helps the body eliminate stress from deep within the tissues.
 Expands and builds your nervous system.
 Improves concentration and mental focus.
 Expands your chest and lungs, improving your respiratory system.
 Good for toning your leg muscles and strengthening your shoulders.
d. Practice Tips:
 If you are already an ego maniac and have power issues, this exercise is not for
you. This posture is going to make you feel very powerful, strong and brave so use it
accordingly.

Child’s Pose
Child’s Pose is a true resting pose, and one that you can hold for long periods of time
without the need for props. I personally feel that Child’s Pose is often overlooked and
neglected, so let’s spend some time shining a light on all that is wonderful about this
glorious pose.
Benefits:
1. It’s super calming for the mind.
Placing your head (namely your ‘third eye’ or the spot just between your eyebrows) down
on the mat has an instant calming and soothing effect on the brain. The inward fold of the
body, with the eyes looking back towards you sends a signal to your brain that you’re safe,
and that it’s OK to rest.
This pose is amazing if you’re finding yourself in a place where you have many thoughts
swirling around in your head.
2. It’s great for your digestion.
Doing Child’s Pose with your knees closer together, so that your belly is resting on your
thighs, is a great way to massage the internal organs which may help move your digestion
along. Taking long, slow deep inhales and exhales in this pose will push your abdomen into
your legs, and then draw it back up again.
Doing this repeatedly is literally going to manually massage your intestinal tract. This is
especially helpful if you have gas! Yes, I said it. It happens to all of us and that’s OK. This
pose will help you move things through.
3. It elongates the lower back.
If you sit at a desk all day, stand for long periods of time, or are otherwise alive in the
world, chances are you have some compression in your lower back.

This is because we tend to ‘dump’ our weight down there, and usually aren’t consciously
pulling up and engaging your lower abdominals all day long (which you may be doing too, in
which case, good for you!) Folding over your legs immediately reverses the splaying of the
tailbone that can cause lower back pain.
Child’s Pose allows you to open up and stretch this area of the body.
4. It opens up the hips.
Like your lower back, your hips may be taking a beating in your day-to-day life. Sitting in a
chair for long periods of time can actually tighten all of the muscles in and around your hips.
By taking your knees wide apart in your Child’s Pose so that your belly can relax in between
them, you will be getting a nice stretch and opening through the hips. This is going to help
reduce any hip pain you may be having, as well as help improve or maintain the health of
your hips throughout your life.
5. It reminds you that resting is a good thing.
If you love to push yourself in your practice, you may be tempted to skip resting postures in
classes, or to avoid doing them in your own practice. But remember that in yoga we are
striving to cultivate a sense of balance. It’s not all about being at 100% effort all the time.
Taking time to rest in your practice may actually help you to cultivate the ability to take
time out in your everyday life. You may find that you are better able to stop and re-charge
your batteries. I always find that it is amazing how much my life on the mat mirrors my life
off of the mat, and vice versa.
If you are looking to cultivate a better relationship with resting in your life, I highly
recommend Child’s Pose and other resting postures on the mat.
Instructions:
1. Begin on your hands and knees. Centre your breath, and begin to let your
thoughts slow down. Turn your awareness inward.
2. Spread your knees wide apart while keeping your big toes touching. Rest your
buttocks on your heels.

3. Those with very tight hips can keep their knees and thighs together.
4. Sit up straight and lengthen your spine up through the crown of your head.
5. On an exhalation, bow forward, draping your torso between your thighs. Your
heart and chest should rest between or on top of your thighs. Allow your
forehead to come to the floor.
6. Keep your arms long and extended, palms facing down. Press back slightly with
your hands to keep your buttocks in contact with your heels. Lengthen from
your hips to your armpits, and then extend even further through your fingertips.
7. For deeper relaxation, bring your arms back to rest alongside your thighs
with your palms facing up. Completely relax your elbows.
8. Let your upper back broaden. Soften and relax your lower back. Allow all tension
in your shoulders, arms, and neck to drain away.
9. Keep your gaze drawn inward with your eyes closed.
10. Hold for up to a minute or longer, breathing softly.
11. To release the pose, gently use your hands to walk your torso upright to sit back
on your heels.

Day 7 – Balance Your Spiritual Self - Clearing the Crown Chakra
The crown chakra, located just above the head, is associated with enlightenment
and divine consciousness. The crown chakra is also tied to service towards others.
When balanced, you perpetually feel connected to a higher power, be it the

Universe or simply your higher self. You feel immense gratitude for the universal
love and appreciation you feel towards yourself and others. When imbalanced, you
may feel alone and despondent.
Balance your crown chakra:
1. Gratitude for the tough challenges because these times are important in your
life’s journey. The lessons from our biggest frustrations in life setbacks serve
as teachers and guides.
2. Walking meditation outdoors helps to stimulate the pineal gland and open the
crown chakra.
3. Yoga and spiritual studies will help move you forward on the path to
enlightenment.
4. Yoga exercises: meditating, sat kriya, mahabandha, ego eradicator,
5. Journal prompt: Do you make efforts to perform acts of service to others?
Transcendence. The Tenth Gate. The seat of the soul.
Location: Crown of the head.
Organ/Gland: Brain, pineal gland.
Colour: Violet.

Crown Chakra Meditation
Kundalini Yoga is designed to prepare the body for the greater flow of energy and focuses
on clearing away blockages in the pathways instead. As these blockages are cleared,
energy flow increases and the chakras are subsequently balanced and healed in the
process.
This meditation does not follow this approach. Not only does it directly activate the Crown
Chakra (Seventh Chakra), but it is even more unusual, as the Crown Chakra (Sahasrara
Chakra) is one which Kundalini Yoga seldom targets directly at all. So, what does this all
mean? It means please don’t overdo this potent chakra meditation. Start off slow and build
up from there.
The Crown Chakra represents the spiritual dimension of life. In that if it’s unbalanced you
may not have any spiritual practice, or it could be such that you are a total fanatic. A
balanced Crown Chakra would mean frequent dips in Infinite Consciousness, as well as
awareness and expression of the Unified Nature of Reality. So if you feel you need to give
this Chakra some love and attention, then this meditation is perfect for you.
Benefits of Crown Chakra Meditation Technique:
1. Experience of Bliss.
2. Detachment from the mundane and material world.
3. Experience of Oneness and Divine Consciousness.
4. Connection and guidance from within.
5. Access to the energy of beyond.
Cautions for Practising Crown Chakra Meditation Technique:
 Do not overdo this meditation. If you start to feel too spaced out or really out of
touch with reality, back off this meditation and spend some time in nature.
 Do not hold the eye position for longer than it is comfortable. If the eyes tire, just
release them and reapply the position when ready.

Crown Chakra Meditation – Illustration #1
Crown Chakra Meditation – Illustration #2

Final Pose for Crown Chakra Meditation – Illustration #3
How to Do Crown Chakra Meditation:
 Sit in any cross legged posture. You can also do this meditation sitting on a chair.
 Interlace your hands is shown in the illustrations above and place them above your
head. Elbows should out to the sides.
 Turn your eyes upwards such that you are trying to see the ceiling or sky right
through the top of your head (Illustration #1). You will close your eyes finally for this
meditation, while looking up. The illustration is just to show how the eyes are turned
up.
 Hold this hand and eye position and close your eyes (Illustration #3).
 Do long deep slow breathing and feel every inhalation saturating the top of the head
with energy and light. So to summarize. Your eyes are closed, but you are looking
upwards with your eyeballs as if trying to see through the top of your head. You are
doing long slow breathing for the duration of this meditation, and as you inhale, feel the
top of the head being saturated with light and energy. Remember if the eyes tire,
release them and re-establish the eyes looking upwards when you are ready again, but
continue with the breathing and visualization.

 To end, rub your palms together vigorously and gently place them over your eyes,
allowing the warmth to sooth and comfort them.
 Beginners can start with doing 1 minute, and build up from there to up to 11
minutes. That is the time for the entire meditation.

Maha Bandha – The Great Lock
Maha Bandha or the Great Lock combines all the three main Bandhas or locks practised by
yogis – Root Lock (Moola Bandha), Abdominal Lock (Uddiyana Bandha) and (Root Lock)
Jalandhara Bandha. Maha in Sanskrit means ‘great’ or ‘supreme’ and Bandha means a
lock. Maha Bandha is said to activate the prana shakti thereby aiding the awakening
of Kundalini Shakti at the base of the spine.
As a Mudra it helps to channelise pranic energy in a certain way. But the

terminology Bandha refers more to the energy lock that it creates. The description here is
based on how it is practiced in the modern day using the three basic locks.
*The practice of Maha Bandha must be taken up only after one masters the three locks
separately. First practice all the three bandhas separately, then integrate all of them
together to do Maha Bandha.
Maha Bandha should not be practised by those suffering from blood pressure problems,
heart diseases, ulcer of stomach or intestine, stroke, paralysis and hernia. Also pregnant
women should avoid this practice. Maha Bandha should be practised under the guidance of
an experienced yoga instructor after you have mastered the three basic locks.

How to do Maha Bandha (The Great Lock)?
1. Sit in a comfortable meditative posture. Keep the spine erect. Breathe normally and relax
the whole body.
2. Keep the palms on the knees and close your eyes.
3. Take a deep breath and then exhale fully. Simultaneously perform Jalandhara
bandha (The chin lock), then Uddiyana Bandha (The abdominal lock) and then the Moola
Bandha (The root lock) in that order. Retain the breath outside.
4. Retain the breath outside for as long as you are comfortable. During retention,
awareness can be maintained on any of the three chakras –Root (Mooladhara)
chakra, Solar Plexus (Manipuraka) chakra and the Throat (Vishuddhi) chakra. You may
also rotate the consciousness between these three chakras.
5. To release the Maha Bandha, first release Moola Bandha (root lock), then the Uddiyana
Bandha (abdominal lock) and then finally the Jalandhara Bandha (chin lock) in that
order.
6. This is one round of Maha Bandha. Repeat the process for as many times as you feel
comfortable. Take ample rest after each round by doing relaxed breathing till you are
ready for the next round.
Benefits:
1. Maha Bandha gives the combined benefits of all the three basic bandhas.
2. It also activates the three chakras – Root, Solar Plexus and Throat.
3. It activates the pineal glands and therefore regulates the entire endocrinal glands.
4. It rejuvenates the cells in the entire body and hence helps as an anti-aging mechanism.
Maha Bandha is described as the conqueror of old age and death.
5. During initial stages there is discomfort to retain the breath. But with practice, breath
can be retained for long durations. When the lock is released, there is a general sense of
well-being and bliss. The mind calms down and there is experience of a peaceful state. It
removes the afflictions of the mind like anger and lust.
6. Maha Bandha is practised by yogis to attain a peaceful and introverted state of mind
before starting the practice of meditation.
7. The practice of Maha bandha, merges the Prana (life-force), Apana and Samana vatas.
This awakens the Prana Shakti which brings about heightened levels of awareness. With
practice it will help in the awakening of the Kundalini Shakti resting at the base of the
spine as well.
8. All the desires of the yogi are fulfilled by practising this Bandha.

Ego Eradicator
Sit in Easy Pose. Raise the arms up to a 60 degree angle. Curl the fingertips on to the pads
of the palms at the base of the fingers. Thumbs are stretched back, pointing towards each
other above the head. With the eyes closed, concentrate above the head and begin Breath
of Fire for 1 - 3 minutes. To end, inhale deeply and bring the arms overhead with the thumb
tips touching. Exhale and relax the arms down.

Eighth Chakra: The Aura
Radiance.
Location: Electromagnetic field surrounding the physical body.
Colour: White.
Yoga Exercises: Triangle Pose, Ego Eradicator, Archer Pose, All arm exercises and
all meditation.

Triangle Pose
Unlike most yoga postures, the Triangle Pose requires keeping the eyes open in order to
maintain body balance.
How to do the Triangle Pose
1. Stand straight. Separate your feet comfortably wide apart (about 31/2 to 4 feet).
2. Turn your right foot out 90 degrees and left foot in by 15 degrees.
3. Now align the center of your right heel with the center of your arch of left foot.
4. Ensure that your feet are pressing the ground and the weight of your body is equally
balanced on both the feet.
5. Inhale deeply and as you exhale, bend your body to the right, downward from the hips,
keeping the waist straight, allowing your left hand to come up in the air while your right
hand comes down towards floor. Keep both arms in straight line.
6. Rest your right hand on your shin, ankle, or the floor outside your right foot, whatever is
possible without distorting the sides of the waist. Stretch your left arm toward the ceiling, in

line with the tops of your shoulders. Keep your head in a neutral position or turn it to the
left, eyes gazing softly at the left palm.
7. Ascertain that your body is bent sideways and not backward or forward. Pelvis and chest are
wide open.
8. Stretch maximum and be steady. Keep taking in long deep breaths. With each exhalation,
relax the body more and more. Just be with the body and the breath.
9. As you inhale, come up, bring your arms down to your sides, and straighten your feet.
10. Repeat the same on the other side.
Tips to do Trikonasana
 Make sure you have done a good warm-up exercise of the whole body before you do the
asana.
 While bending forward do it slowly and gently so as not to lose balance

APPENDIX 1
Breath of Fire Kundalini Yoga Pranayama
…A cleansing & energising breath, powered by abdominal contractions.
The legendary Breath of Fire Yoga Pranayama is absolutely essential to the practice of
Kundalini Yoga. It is without a doubt the most sophisticated Pranayama (breath control). It
is an amazing tool that fights against anxiety, nerves, fears, pain, and depression.
Benefits:
Primary:
 Quickly oxygenates your blood, thus helping the body detoxify itself and remove
waste more effectively.
 Builds lung capacity and helps purify the respiratory system.
 Generates heat and increases your level of energy by activating the energy flows
in your body.
 Synchronises your entire system under one rhythm, thus promoting greater
internal harmony and health.
Secondary:
 Balances and strengthens the Nervous System.
 Magnifies the benefits of exercises done in conjunction with this breath.
 When done forcefully, the pulsating of the diaphragm massages the internal
organs, thus improving the digestive system.
Cautions:
 If you feel dizzy when practising Breath of Fire, you should stop and substitute
normal breathing. If you suffer from vertigo, you should use caution in practicing this
breathing exercise.
 If you are menstruating you should not practice Breath of Fire, use Long Deep
Breathing instead.
 You should be careful practicing Breath of Fire if you have high blood pressure, heart
disease or suffer from stroke or epilepsy. Also, if you have acid or heat related gastric
issues such as ulcers you should use caution.

Basic Breath of Fire:
 To practise this breathing exercise sit up in a comfortable position.

 Rest your hands in any comfortable position.
 Relax your stomach muscles.
 Now begin to breathe rapidly through the nose with equal emphasis on the inhalation
and exhalation. It will be like very fast sniffing. Keep the breath shallow, just at the tip
of the nose. Proceed at a comfortable pace and establish a steady rhythm. Pay no
special attention to the chest or diaphragm other that staying relaxed. You will find the
stomach pulses on its own in rhythm to the breath. That’s it, continue for 1 minute.
Intermediate Breath of Fire:
 Perform the breathing at a faster pace.

 Increase the duration of the exercise to 3 minutes
Advanced Breath of Fire:
 Build up the pace and power with which you do the breathing.
 Build up the time for this pranayama to 11 minutes.
Secret of Breath of Fire Kundalini Yoga Pranayama:
The beauty of this breathing exercise, aside from its lengthy list of benefits, is that it
registers to the brain as only one breath. It is one of the real gems of Kundalini Yoga.

APPENDIX 2
The Four Main Body Locks - These techniques consolidate the effects of a
Kundalini Yoga practice and direct prana within the physical and energetic
pathways to promote healing, energizing, and strengthening of the whole human
being.
Neck Lock (Jalandhar Bandh)
What: Neck Lock is the most basic and most generally applied lock. It regulates
gross and subtle movement in the upper part of the body.
How: Lift the chest and sternum up while lengthening the back of the neck, by
pulling the chin toward the back of the neck. Neck, throat and face muscles remain
relaxed.
When: All chanting meditation, most pranayama. Breath held in or out.
Why: Concentrates the secretions of the glandular system, thereby increasing their
interconnection. Regulates blood pressure. Minimizes external distractions. Seals
energy in the brain stem and moon center (chin). Directs pranic energy into the
central channel, calming the heart.
Root Lock (MulBandh)
What: Root Lock is like a hydraulic lock at the base of the spine. It coordinates,
stimulates, and balances the energies involved with the rectum, sex organs, and
navel point (i.e. the lower three chakras).
How: Three actions are applied together in a smooth, rapid, flowing motion. First,
contract and hold the muscles around the anus. Then contract and hold the muscles
around the sex organ (like stopping the flow of urine). Finally, contract the muscles
of the lower abdomen and the navel point toward the spine.

When: Frequently applied at the end of an exercise. Sometimes applied –
continuously or rhythmically – throughout a meditation or exercise. Breath held in or
out. Women on their moon cycle should not apply Root Lock.
Why: Crystallizes the effect of an exercise. Blends prana and apana at the navel
center which, when mixed, opens the entrance to the sushmuna for energy to flow
up the spine. Stimulates the proper flow of spinal fluid.
Diaphragm Lock (Uddiyana Bandh)
What: Diaphragm Lock vertically integrates emotions, pranic energy, and functions
that occur above and below the diaphragm muscle. Tightness in this muscle – and
the emotions it stores – can make this lock more difficult to achieve.
How: Inhale, then exhale completely. Pull the entire abdominal region up and back
towards the spine. The navel point is not contracted although it will move upwards.
Lift the chest while gently pressing the lower spine forward. When held properly, the
“notch” at the base of the front of the throat becomes accentuated. Hold for 10 to 60
seconds without straining. Then relax the abdomen, gradually inhaling without
releasing the Neck Lock or raising the chin.
For many people it is easier to practice this lock in a standing position. With the feet
shoulder width apart, bend forward slightly, hands on knees and back
straight. Lifting the chest slightly, apply the lock.
When: On an empty stomach. Held after breath fully exhaled.
Why: Massages intestines and heart muscle. Stimulates cleansing, promotes

youthfulness. Strengthens the fire element, Third Chakra, and opens the Heart
Chakra, resulting in increased kindness, compassion, and patience.

Great Lock (MahaBandh)
What: The Great Lock is part of the central infrastructure of Kundalini Yoga.
How: With the breath held out, apply all three locks (Neck, Diaphragm, and Root)
simultaneously.
When: On an empty stomach. Held after breath fully exhaled. Done in various
postures and with different mudras.
Why: Rejuvenates glands, nerves, and chakras. It is said to cure many ailments
such as improper blood pressure, menstrual cramps, intestinal irregularity, and
more.

21 Days To More Balanced Chakras

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21 DAYS TO MORE BALANCED CHAKRAS

By holding positive energy, we attract positive results.

Balancing the Chakras 1

The Lower Triangle

 Day 1: Balance Your Sense of Security - The Root Chakra

 Day 2: Balance Your Creative Energy - The Sacral Chakra

 Day 3: Balance Your Inner Strength - The Solar Plexus Chakra

Day 4: Balance Your Love and Compassion - The Heart Chakra

Balancing the Chakras 2

Day 5: Balance Your Authenticity - The Throat Chakra

Day 6: Balance Your Intuition - The Third Eye Chakra

Day 7: Balance Your Spiritual Self - The Crown Chakra

Appendix 2: The Eighth Chakra

Appendix 1: Breath of Fire Yoga Pranamaya

Appendix 3: The Four Main Body Locks

Balancing the Chakras 3

 Improves the respiratory system.

Balancing the Chakras 4

Simple Anuloma Viloma Pranayama:

Intermediate Anuloma Viloma Pranayama:

Balancing the Chakras 5

Advanced Anuloma Viloma Pranayama:

Hints and Tips:

Balancing the Chakras 6

mindset and sense of belonging.

Balance your root chakra:

1. Going for a walk in nature will help you stay grounded.

connection to the Earth.

but are no longer valid?

Foundation, survival, security, habit, self-acceptance.

Organ/Gland: Organs of elimination (e.g., colon).

Colour, Element: Red, Earth.

Balancing the Chakras 7

Modified Kundalini Yoga Camel Pose

Kundalini Yoga Camel Pose

a. Step-by-Step Instructions for Kundalini Yoga Camel Pose:

Balancing the Chakras 8

Balancing the Chakras 9

Modified Crow Pose

Balancing the Chakras 10

Balancing the Chakras 11

Side View Picture of Kundalini Yoga Chair Pose

Front View Picture of Kundalini Yoga Chair Pose

Balancing the Chakras 12

Picture of Kundalini Yoga Chair Pose Hands Close-up

Balancing the Chakras 13

Front View of Modified Kundalini Yoga Chair Pose

Balancing the Chakras 14

Balancing the Chakras 15

Balancing the Chakras 16

tied to your sensuality and intimacy.

difficulties in relationships, jobs and health.

Balance your sacral chakra:

drivers in your situation.

2. Take on creative activities: designing, drawing, painting, scrapbooking,

writing, playing, doing crossword puzzles.

5. Journal prompt: How often do you express your creative energies?

To feel, to desire, to create.

Location: Sex organs.

Organ/Gland: Sex organs, reproductive glands, kidneys, bladder.

Color, Element: Orange, Water.

Balancing the Chakras 17

Kundalini Yoga Cobra Pose w/ Straight Elbows