Kundalini Yoga is a combination of movement, breath (pranayama), meditation, and chanting. Its goal is not only to make the body stronger and more energetic, but also to increase your level of self-awareness and consciousness. The Kundalini energy is untapped and coiled at the base of the spine; it can be drawn up through the body, awakening each of the seven chakras. The belief is that full enlightenment occurs when this energy reaches the crown chakra at the top of the head.

The term “Kundalini” comes from the Sanskrit word “kundal,” which means “circular.” It also refers to a coiled snake. And according to practitioners, Kundalini energy is like that coiled snake: It sits at the base of your spine, sleeping and unaroused. A form of yoga that involves chanting, singing, breathing exercises, and repetitive poses, the purpose of this practice is to activate your Kundalini energy, or shakti. This spiritual energy that’s said to be located at the base of your spine. As Kundalini yoga awakens this energy, it’s supposed to enhance your awareness and help you move past your ego. Sometimes, the practice is also called “yoga of awareness.”

Although Kundalini yoga is practiced worldwide, its origin is unknown. The concept of Kundalini energy has existed for centuries and was mentioned in ancient Vedic texts from 1,000 B.C. In the US, this practice is most associated with Yogi Bhajan, a yoga teacher from Pakistan who introduced it to Western countries in the 1960s.

Hari Kirin Kaur Khalsa, who was taught by Yoga Bhajan, is Hope’s Kundalini teacher. The author of Art & Yoga: Kundalini Awakening in Everyday Life, Hari Kirin has taught hundreds of 200-hour certification programs with her daughter, world-renowned Kundalini musician Ajeet Kaur. Hope received her 200-hour certification from this dynamic duo in 2016 at the Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health. In the years since, Hope has gone on to take additional certifications with Hari Kirin and other Kundalini masters in Peterborough, New Hampshire.

The power of Kundalini yoga, which is practiced to activate this energy, allows it to move up and through the seven chakras along your spine. As Kundalini energy rises, it’s believed to help balance these chakras and contribute to your spiritual wellness. With regular practice, Kundalini yoga is said to lead to spiritual enlightenment. This is called a “Kundalini awakening.”

In yoga, chakras are the seven energy centers in your body. They include:

• root chakra
• sacral chakra
• naval, or solar plexus, chakra
• heart chakra
• throat chakra
• third eye chakra
• crown chakra