Guest guest Posted April 24, 2008 Report Share Posted April 24, 2008 Sat nam! I'm taking the few beginning steps in becoming a KY teacher, and have a question about KY Kriyas, specifically, the sequence of the asanas in the Kriyas. Since my background is primarily Kripalu, where I had the flexiblity of mixing different asanas that I liked into a kriya, my feeling is that I can't do that with Kundalini Yoga, and that I have to abide to the structured Kriyas. Is this true? Thank you for your time, Nadh Singh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 24, 2008 Report Share Posted April 24, 2008 Dear Nadh Singh, We are taught in our teacher traiing that the Kundalini kriyas are to be practiced and taught as given, without change. This is fundamental to Kundalini yoga and was stressed to us on a daily basis. I would strongly encourage to go through a 3HO/K.R.I. Kundalini yoga teacher training. j Peace to you, Jagatjeet Kaur Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 24, 2008 Report Share Posted April 24, 2008 That is true the only thing you can change is the length of time a asana is held. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 25, 2008 Report Share Posted April 25, 2008 Sat nam! Thank you everyone in helping me deepen my understanding of KY. I'm in a bit of a dilemma at the moment, wondering about whether I should pursue the KY teacher training or the Kripalu teacher training. Although I resonate quite strongly to the mantras and song (hence my spiritual name, Nadh or " Naad " ), and also to the exercises, I feel a bit of resistance when it comes to the rigidity of the kriyas... other types of yoga offer a flexibility in the asanas--I can, for example, choose to take out cobra pose if I want to one week, and replace it with mountain pose. I find this to be a very creative process. Is there any way that KY can offer me the chance for me to express my creativity? Thank you again! Nadh Kundalini-Yoga , Barbara Cox <blcox wrote: > > Dear Nadh Singh, > > We are taught in our teacher traiing that the Kundalini kriyas are to be practiced and taught as given, without change. This is fundamental to Kundalini yoga and was stressed to us on a daily basis. > > I would strongly encourage to go through a 3HO/K.R.I. Kundalini yoga teacher training. j > > Peace to you, > Jagatjeet Kaur > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 25, 2008 Report Share Posted April 25, 2008 However--it can be a shorter amount of time but not longer than the amount of time given. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 25, 2008 Report Share Posted April 25, 2008 Sat Nam, A couple of thoughts. First, you can take KY teacher training and not teach, but deepen your understanding of KY and in the process get a better understanding of you. Not everyone who takes the training teaches. Second, I believe that those who want to teach KY don't see themselves as teachers of poses as hatha yoga teachers, but spiritual guides for their students; as such they teach the poses in the sequences displayed in the manuals because the exact sequences have a physical and spiritual effect on the student and to mess with the kriyas will lesson the intended effect. KY teachers out there can expound on this. Thirdly, KY teachers can be very creative. Have you ever taken or seen Gurmukh's KY class? She expresses her creativity by playing great music for the different asanas. She tells funny and interesting stories. In a KY class, it's the personaliy of the teacher that makes each and every class different. A KY teacher once told me to take KY classes from as many different teachers as possible because even though the kriyas don't change, each teacher brings something different to the kriya. IMO, if teaching asanas and creative sequencing are your primary reasons for becoming a yoga teacher, then hatha yoga teacher training may be better for you at this time. Hope that helps. Kundalini-Yoga , " terrarium44 " <terrarium44 wrote: > > Sat nam! > > Thank you everyone in helping me deepen my understanding of KY. I'm in > a bit of a dilemma at the moment, wondering about whether I should > pursue the KY teacher training or the Kripalu teacher training. > Although I resonate quite strongly to the mantras and song (hence my > spiritual name, Nadh or " Naad " ), and also to the exercises, I feel a > bit of resistance when it comes to the rigidity of the kriyas... other > types of yoga offer a flexibility in the asanas--I can, for example, > choose to take out cobra pose if I want to one week, and replace it > with mountain pose. I find this to be a very creative process. > > Is there any way that KY can offer me the chance for me to express my > creativity? > > Thank you again! > > Nadh > > Kundalini-Yoga , Barbara Cox <blcox@> wrote: > > > > Dear Nadh Singh, > > > > We are taught in our teacher traiing that the Kundalini kriyas are > to be practiced and taught as given, without change. This is > fundamental to Kundalini yoga and was stressed to us on a daily basis. > > > > I would strongly encourage to go through a 3HO/K.R.I. Kundalini > yoga teacher training. j > > > > Peace to you, > > Jagatjeet Kaur > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 26, 2008 Report Share Posted April 26, 2008 Sat Nam, I wanted to second "tejkaursac" thoughts and perhaps add to it. I had a very same concerns when I took the KY teacher courses. I was put off by, what I thought, rigidity of approach. However I find now that when I teach KY class often students experience profound spiritual shifts and come out of the class transformed with the spark in their eyes. For me it is the biggest payback I can ask for. It means that collectively we were able to create a transforming field of energy helping students to do internal work (consciously or unconsciously) and teach me in the process too. For me - it is an ultimate goal of the class. I guess you'll have to ask yourself what is the priority for you. What is of most importance in the class and why do you want to teach. My understanding, after taking KYteacher training, is that we are to be transparent channel of Higher Power/Universe/KY Lineage/Divinity (or whatever the name you want to put into it). That doesn't mean that your creativity is dwarfed - rather that it is powered by something much bigger then you - Creative. All I can say that for me this is an experience of much higher order then composing asanas into kriyas. in service Leela Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 26, 2008 Report Share Posted April 26, 2008 Sat Nam! I have to make the disclaimer right off the bat that I am completely sold on Kundalini yoga as a powerful, strengthening experience. I often tell people that KY gave me the courage to deal with many of the losses and changes I've been through in the last few years. So I am biased. However, I have taken some Kripalu yoga classes. I like the emphasis on posture and it feels good. However, I never feel as good after a Kripalu class as I do after a Kundalini class. As a teacher, I find there is a wealth of opportunity for creativity and expressiveness within the KY teachings, while still following and respecting the traditional structure. For one thing, your class will not just involve one kriya--you will have warm-ups, a meditation and pranayam, and deep relaxation. There is room for a lot of thoughtful creativity, as there are a wealth of different kriyas, meditations, and pranayam from the teachings of Yogi Bhajan. You can do two or more shorter kriyas in a class if you wish. You can have themed classes or courses, like a course on the chakras or the 10 bodies. You can focus on a healing class. And then there's the music! So much to choose from that adds to the quality of the kriya or the relaxation or meditation that YOU have chosen. There is a lot of opportunity for expression. Finally, each teacher has his or her own style and personality. I love taking other KY classes because I pick up ideas from other teachers, some of whom have learned from the master himself. There is no rigidity when it comes to expressing yourself and letting your personality come through. I think the yoga should stay pure, should be delivered in its pure form, but there is mega-opportunity for creativity. Best of luck in making your decision! Ananda Kaur Plymouth, MA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 26, 2008 Report Share Posted April 26, 2008 Dear Nadh Singh, Yes, there are vast ways to express your creativity and the creativity of the universe that are supported by the practice of Kundalini Yoga. Simply use that time to pray for the world and all elements and beings unto Infinity. Call upon the primal female power and all the Sikh Gurus to support your meditative reach. When you bless the world the prayer includes you and blesses you many times over. Loving Blessings, Guruprem Kaur Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 26, 2008 Report Share Posted April 26, 2008 As a solution to your creative pose issue, may I offer a kinda cook book suggestion... take the Kundalini Yoga teacher training. In your daily practice, do your warm ups in the creative hatha style with a focus on pure correct posture then complete your daily practice with a KY set exactly as given with full time...full times and perfect posture! If you decide to teach others Kundalini Yoga, I can't official say do the same but it works and students like it...not the full times or perfect posture, this was a way which may work for you to create a dynamic with creativity and get deeper into it. During this time take both Kundalini and Kripalu classes and learn all you can about teaching by learning from other teachers. Perhaps after 1-3 years take Kripalu teacher training and officially teach both styles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 26, 2008 Report Share Posted April 26, 2008 There are many ways to be creative! There are hundreds (or more) of kriyas from which to choose, as well as pranayam and meditations, both of which should also be included in a class. On top of that, you can select the music to accompany portions (or all) of the class. And then you bring your own personality in too. many, many ways to be creative in KY. All the best, Jagatjeet blcox Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 26, 2008 Report Share Posted April 26, 2008 Considering that there are thousands of kriyas, I have never felt bound in any way when teaching KY. It actually keeps the ego out of it. As far as creativity, I am an artist, and just as the medium we choose such as stone or paint gives the work its parameters, the structure of a kriya gives us something to build around to serve a higher purpose. I find it more creative than teaching a hatha class, where often I slip into the same patterns because of ego and personal preference. Boundaries mean challenge which instigates creativity. All that said, I'm sure that whichever program you choose you will experience deep transformation and that is what TT is all about. Trust your intuition. Sat Nam, Kate Lynch Kundalini-Yoga , " terrarium44 " > <terrarium44@> wrote: > > > > Sat nam! > > > > Thank you everyone in helping me deepen my understanding of KY. > I'm in > > a bit of a dilemma at the moment, wondering about whether I should > > pursue the KY teacher training or the Kripalu teacher training. > > Although I resonate quite strongly to the mantras and song (hence > my > > spiritual name, Nadh or " Naad " ), and also to the exercises, I feel > a > > bit of resistance when it comes to the rigidity of the kriyas... > other > > types of yoga offer a flexibility in the asanas--I can, for > example, > > choose to take out cobra pose if I want to one week, and replace it > > with mountain pose. I find this to be a very creative process. > > > > Is there any way that KY can offer me the chance for me to express > my > > creativity? > > > > Thank you again! > > > > Nadh > > > > Kundalini-Yoga , Barbara Cox <blcox@> wrote: > > > > > > Dear Nadh Singh, > > > > > > We are taught in our teacher traiing that the Kundalini kriyas > are > > to be practiced and taught as given, without change. This is > > fundamental to Kundalini yoga and was stressed to us on a daily > basis. > > > > > > I would strongly encourage to go through a 3HO/K.R.I. Kundalini > > yoga teacher training. j > > > > > > Peace to you, > > > Jagatjeet Kaur > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 28, 2008 Report Share Posted April 28, 2008 Dear Nadh, As a teacher, you can choose the kryia based on student's needs, time of year, topical issues, you name it. You also choose the warm-ups, often the meditation, what you talk about during and at the end of class, how you bring your students into relaxation at the end of class, and, of course the music. The background music is especially key. It sets the mood, the intensity, and the level of spirituality of the class and, ideally, will be chosen to support the needs of the students in the class, the time of day, the kryia, etc. The combinations are infinite. No matter how many times you teach the " same " kryia, the class experience is always different. Lots of opportunity for creativity -- in my mind far more than in a traditional hatha class. May your journey be fulfilling whatever path you eventually choose, Simran Kaur in Minnesota > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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