Guest guest Posted March 31, 2009 Report Share Posted March 31, 2009 Sat Nam everyone, I understand that this post may seem like I'm trolling this forum by asking these questions on this board, but these are actually questions that have been gnawing at me for a while now, and hope that you can provide me with some answers. I seek not to confront, only to be enlightened. 1) I was listening to a Kundalini yoga lecture, and the lecturer mentioned that we have 108 bones in our body. After doing a bit of research, I later found out that this was untrue, and that the adult body has 206 bones. Source: http://www.classbrain.com/artaskcb/publish/article_145.shtml Did YB think that we had 108 bones, or is this an oversight on the lecturer's part? I attended a Kundalini Yoga seminar this past weekend, where we were told that: -Alzeihmers is caused by too much sugar in the body (I thought it was aluminum?); -that the ida and pingala meet at the throat chakra (I thought it was the third eye?) My point is that I'm getting conflicting information, and don't know who to believe anymore. Where can I get accurate information that pertains to Kundalini Yoga? 2) OK, this is a toughie for me. I've been told many times now that you don't need to be Sikh to practice Kundalini Yoga, but it seems that many of my teachers are. Since Kundalini Yoga is so intimately linked to Sikhism, is it only natural to become Sikh once you've become a Kundalini Yoga teacher? Also, I have a hard time coming to terms with the fact that some people decorate themselves and their belongings with the Adi Shakti, Ek Ong Kar symbols and other Sikh symbols, read the Siri Guru Granth Sahib, recite Japji in the morning, and yet not consider themselves Sikhs. How can that be? Wouldn't this be like reciting the 5 daily prayers and facing mecca to recite the Muslim prayers yet simultaneously considering oneself Catholic? 3) Yogi Bhajan instructed that ALL students place this picture, http://yogibhajan.tripod.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/ybgaze.jpg, on their altar, and that they should meditate on this picture on a daily basis. I also find this picture in pretty much all Kundalini Yoga centres I've been, and frankly, I find this picture disturbing. I don't mean to offend anyone here by saying this, but I just find that it simply doesn't resonate with me. Why did Yogi Bhajan ask this of his students? Wouldn't it be better to substitute his picture for, say, the written form of a prayer? Thank you for taking the time to read these questions. Humbly, Nadh Singh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 1, 2009 Report Share Posted April 1, 2009 I understand why you're confused. Even I hear a lot of contradicting mumbo jumbo from different kundalini yoga teachers these days...one saying one thing and then the next saying the complete opposite. And when you confront them, they turn all philosophicol on their little pink cloud. This is what annoys me. Some days I don't even feel like listening, because whatever they say is so far out in strange cosmic new age terms that they almost seem to be in their own little universe talking to themselves rather than their students. We all sit there trying to understand, but hardly any of us understand anything. I have stopped taking classes and started my own sadhana instead, here I'm much more comfortable and here I can do and practice whatever relates to me...no new age talk, no talk about feeling cosmic or universal...just me and Y.B. But I fully understand you reg. the conflicting information.. Hope you find some answers - I have gone my own way, and I'm happy as it is...no longer feeling confused! So I'm staying here for the time being... Sat Nam Kundalini-Yoga , " terrarium44 " <terrarium44 wrote: > > Sat Nam everyone, > > I understand that this post may seem like I'm trolling this forum by asking these questions on this board, but these are actually questions that have been gnawing at me for a while now, and hope that you can provide me with some answers. I seek not to confront, only to be enlightened. > > 1) I was listening to a Kundalini yoga lecture, and the lecturer mentioned that we have 108 bones in our body. After doing a bit of research, I later found out that this was untrue, and that the adult body has 206 bones. Source: http://www.classbrain.com/artaskcb/publish/article_145.shtml Did YB think that we had 108 bones, or is this an oversight on the lecturer's part? > > I attended a Kundalini Yoga seminar this past weekend, where we were told that: > -Alzeihmers is caused by too much sugar in the body (I thought it was aluminum?); > -that the ida and pingala meet at the throat chakra (I thought it was the third eye?) > > My point is that I'm getting conflicting information, and don't know who to believe anymore. Where can I get accurate information that pertains to Kundalini Yoga? > > 2) OK, this is a toughie for me. I've been told many times now that you don't need to be Sikh to practice Kundalini Yoga, but it seems that many of my teachers are. Since Kundalini Yoga is so intimately linked to Sikhism, is it only natural to become Sikh once you've become a Kundalini Yoga teacher? > > Also, I have a hard time coming to terms with the fact that some people decorate themselves and their belongings with the Adi Shakti, Ek Ong Kar symbols and other Sikh symbols, read the Siri Guru Granth Sahib, recite Japji in the morning, and yet not consider themselves Sikhs. How can that be? Wouldn't this be like reciting the 5 daily prayers and facing mecca to recite the Muslim prayers yet simultaneously considering oneself Catholic? > > 3) Yogi Bhajan instructed that ALL students place this picture, http://yogibhajan.tripod.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/ybgaze.jpg, on their altar, and that they should meditate on this picture on a daily basis. I also find this picture in pretty much all Kundalini Yoga centres I've been, and frankly, I find this picture disturbing. I don't mean to offend anyone here by saying this, but I just find that it simply doesn't resonate with me. Why did Yogi Bhajan ask this of his students? Wouldn't it be better to substitute his picture for, say, the written form of a prayer? > > Thank you for taking the time to read these questions. > > Humbly, > > Nadh Singh > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 1, 2009 Report Share Posted April 1, 2009 Sat Nam Nadh Singh, Your name, Nadh, represents purest truth resonating within a sound. As a Singh you would fearlessly pursue merging with such purity. There are no questions, no lower expectations. But take away the name Singh, the Sikh, the Truth seeker, and there is Nadh and not Nadh and partial Nadh in everything--judgments, doubts, false starts, mystery and frustration. Pure Nadh is still pure Nadh, such as Guru's words, which give mastery of the ten bodies and effortless union with the Divine. You need not call yourself a Sikh or wear a turban. Most of the saints whose writings are in the Siri Guru Granth Sahib were not Sikhs. They were Muslims, Sufis and Hindus--hippies and yogis like us, some solitary, others living in spiritual communities with their spiritual teachers, who happened to compose one or more poems in God consciousness. While compiling the Siri Guru Granth Sahib, Guru Arjan put out a far-reaching request for such submissions and filtered through them all to find the gems. Sikhism is not a religion. It is a conscious lifestyle. Yogiji's meditation photograph was planned for and taken while he was in a deep meditative state of samadhi. He opened his eyes only long enough for the photographer to take the picture. His expression mirrors or counters--challenges, your state of consciousness at first glance. Receptive meditation on his image, inhaling through the left nostril and exhaling through the right, breathing Sat Nam from your crown into his eyes, enables you to transcend the physical photograph and a judgmental state of mind and engage with a vast energy field. The photo changes expressions, talks, answers your questions and addresses one's deepest spiritual issues. He later admitted that it would be impossible for him to duplicate the state of consciousness in that photo. It is priceless. Loving Blessings, S. S. Guru Prem Kaur Khalsa http://www.yogagems.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 1, 2009 Report Share Posted April 1, 2009 Sat Nam everyone, I understand that this post may seem like I'm trolling this forum by asking these questions on this board, but these are actually questions that have been gnawing at me for a while now, and hope that you can provide me with some answers. I seek not to confront, only to be enlightened. 1) I was listening to a Kundalini yoga lecture, and the lecturer mentioned that we have 108 bones in our body. After doing a bit of research, I later found out that this was untrue, and that the adult body has 206 bones. Source: http://www.classbrain.com/artaskcb/publish/article_145.shtml Did YB think that we had 108 bones, or is this an oversight on the lecturer's part? This is the lecturer's error, he or she did not know what they were talking about. I attended a Kundalini Yoga seminar this past weekend, where we were told that: -Alzeihmers is caused by too much sugar in the body (I thought it was aluminum?); -that the ida and pingala meet at the throat chakra (I thought it was the third eye?) Sounds again like mis-information. Refer to the Aquarian Teacher Manual for some of these answers. Better to do your own research when you question the validity of a teacher. You can also search the KRI lectures on the KRI website for Yogi Bhajan's direct words. My point is that I'm getting conflicting information, and don't know who to believe anymore. Where can I get accurate information that pertains to Kundalini Yoga? See the suggestions above 2) OK, this is a toughie for me. I've been told many times now that you don't need to be Sikh to practice Kundalini Yoga, but it seems that many of my teachers are. Since Kundalini Yoga is so intimately linked to Sikhism, is it only natural to become Sikh once you've become a Kundalini Yoga teacher? Absolutely not, you do not have to be a Sikh to be a yoga teacher - Actually Sikhism is the 5th and newest world religion in the world and probably only 1% of Sikhs practice yoga. Most of them are Indian. Some of the yogic practices like wearing a white head covering while teaching Kundalini Yoga still apply, abstaining from meat and alcohol is recommended as well. Many of Yogi Bhajan's students became Sikhs and all are welcome to do that if they want, but in no way should it stop you from teaching Kunalini Yoga if you are not a Sikh. Also, I have a hard time coming to terms with the fact that some people decorate themselves and their belongings with the Adi Shakti, Ek Ong Kar symbols and other Sikh symbols, read the Siri Guru Granth Sahib, recite Japji in the morning, and yet not consider themselves Sikhs. How can that be? Wouldn't this be like reciting the 5 daily prayers and facing mecca to recite the Muslim prayers yet simultaneously considering oneself Catholic? Sikh Dharma includes the yogic gifts that Yogi Bhajan brought from the East. The commitment of becoming a Sikh goes beyond that of a Kundalini Yoga Teacher. A Sikh makes to commitment to their higher self in front of the Guru and in front of the Sangat to let their weaknesses be part of their past and move forward into their infinite potential without limitations. They are committing to live as a Sikh, selflessly serving humanity everyday of their lives. The reason Yogi Bhajan introduced Sikhism to us is because we inquired about it. We were interested in it. We wanted to know more about the path of Sikhism. We, his yoga students and teachers, decided we wanted to become Sikhs. In his magical way, he helped us to integrate Sikhism into our yogic practices. He knew we needed the yoga and meditation to help us move through our neuroses. So he combined the real deal of Sikhism with a Kundalini Yoga life style and now we have the opportunity in the West to become Sikhs and live healthy yogic life styles all at the same time. The commitment of becoming a Sikh in this yogic life style is extensive and demanding and as Baba Ram Das once said, it's the toughest dharma in town. Because the commitment is so extensive to become a Sikh, people need to experience the life style and have a taste of the commitment. No one is initiated into the commitment of Sikhism. Everyone is free to experience the teachings and commitments of Sikhism and the yogic life style at their own pace and in their own time. There is protocol that is followed for many of the practices, but there are no rules about non-participation. Everyone is invited. Our motto is that, we do not proselytize. Anyone who is interested in becoming a Sikh must be proactive. Hope this helps. 3) Yogi Bhajan instructed that ALL students place this picture, http://yogibhajan.tripod.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/ybgaze.jpg, on their altar, and that they should meditate on this picture on a daily basis. I also find this picture in pretty much all Kundalini Yoga centres I've been, and frankly, I find this picture disturbing. I don't mean to offend anyone here by saying this, but I just find that it simply doesn't resonate with me. Why did Yogi Bhajan ask this of his students? Wouldn't it be better to substitute his picture for, say, the written form of a prayer? Do what works for you in this matter and do what resonates with your soul. You are a blessed soul and has been gifted with a great technology. Adapt it to you life in the way that works for you. Thank you for taking the time to read these questions. Humbly, Nadh Singh -- Atma K. Khalsa -- Atma K. Khalsa 951.696.9063 ext. 105 http://www.yogamurrieta.com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 1, 2009 Report Share Posted April 1, 2009 Namaste Nadh Thank you for these questions as I can appreciate your confusion. Not being Sikh myself I had quite difficulty at the beginning to understand what is Yoga and what is religion. In this forum also there seems to be confusion or let me risk a more radical term - limited awareness of Kundalini Yoga. I say it with all the respect to this group and with the best intention of trying to clarify certain concepts. There is assumption in this group when using term "Kundalini Yoga" to limit its meaning to the teachings of Yogi Bhajan. In fact, Kundalini Yoga is much bigger then Yogi Bhajan and by no means he has exclusivity to it. There are many Hindu traditions and many Yogis of Hindu descent teaching Kundalini Yoga even today, in India and in Americas.Being certified teacher of Kundalini Yoga AS TAUGHT BY Yogi Bhajan, I find that he left a fantastic body of kriyas, meditations and chants And THAT legacy is exclusive to him. But only that. I find his other teachings in line with other masters talking about Kundalini Yoga - they may use different language and method but the essence is the same. As to confusion between religions - I believe that there are as many paths to the Goal (which is ultimate union with God in the form of enlightenment) as there are people. It is not which religion other people are choosing and how they choose to worship. It is what resonates inside of you that you should follow to find your own way. And if you find a catholic praying Muslim prayer - more power to him/her! It is our faith, devotion and the Grace that moves us forward - not the religion we choose. love Leela Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 2, 2009 Report Share Posted April 2, 2009 Kundalini-Yoga , Guruprem Kaur <guruprem wrote: " Sikhism is not a religion. It is a conscious lifestyle. " Respectfully: Sikhism IS a religion. Any religion engaged in with balanced, self-conscious awareness results in a conscious lifestyle. There are conscious and unconscious Christians, and conscious and unconscious Sikhs, etc. To say that one is a Sikh is not to say that one is living a conscious lifestyle, although there are many Sikhs who do. And Muslims. And Jews. And . . . Nirvair Kaur Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 2, 2009 Report Share Posted April 2, 2009 Dear Nadh Singh, Your questions sound sincere to me. Yes, there are discrepancies. My teacher mentioned this when I first began practicing and found the same sets in different books, with different details. As you work with a kriya, your intuition will start to guide you. This happens in other art forms, like ballet. Some people argue about the minor differences, but it's really just a choice. It doesn't have to be right or wrong. Teachers make mistakes, too. Also, their are overlaps with the chakras. For example, although Gurmukh teaches that anger is the shadow side of the third chakra, some of us carry anger in our heart chakra (upstairs) as well. Both are correct. It depends on the individual. The idea is to develop your awareness so you can feel where your energy is flowing and where it is blocked. The techniques work! It's common for the mind to jump in and criticize just when you are at the brink of a breakthrough. I teach and practice Kundalini Yoga but am not a Sikh. Their religion has very high restrictions that I can't (or won't) meet. I do love their music, excellence, discipline, artistic ability, and high consciousness. All of these have helped me grow as an artist.It sounds like you have some " all or nothing " type thinking. Even doing a short amount of KY everyday will make a tremendous difference in your life. There is flexibility and great variety in this system. As for the photo of Yoge Bhajan. When I look at this, I see master energy in his eyes. I have seen the same look in master ballet teachers, 9 year old students with master energy, and gold medal ballet coaches from Russia. It's all there, right in the eyes. Judge Judy has it, too. No BS. Only truth. I love it. Kundalini Yoga will bring up " your stuff. " You will probably see patterns of how you react. It's like therapy...but very fast. Most people find they improve in their other areas of talent. (art, sport, creativity...) If you stick with it, you will see the benefits. It can get rocky. because this is a very fast path, but the rewards are tremendous. Satpal Kaur Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 3, 2009 Report Share Posted April 3, 2009 Urbanpr_2003 said “Some days I don't even feel like listening, because whatever they say is so far out in strange cosmic new age terms that they almost seem to be in their own little universe talking to themselves rather than their students. We all sit there trying to understand, but hardly any of us understand anything.” ---- I really understand this sentiment. I feel that a lot of teachers learn the jargon and consequently think they’ve had the experience. The end result is that potential students sense that something isn’t quite right and get turned off not just to that person but to the whole potential experience. Guru Kaur and I were very strict with ourselves while building the online Be the Woman You were Born to Be... course, to ensure we put things into plain English using our own words from our own experiences that the world, at large, could understand and related to. Personally, I think it’s vital to find a way to communicate with the general populous on their terms in a way that still fully honours and doesn’t compromise the teachings. Gratefully, Hari Karam Singh ______ Be the Woman You were Born to Be... Course & Online Community Take the Introductory Preview Programme: http://www.regallygraceful.com/ky/bethewoman/ ______ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 3, 2009 Report Share Posted April 3, 2009 Sat Nam Nirvair Kaur, To understand my statement " Sikhism is not a religion. It is a conscious lifestyle " --after living as a Sikh for 38 years, kindly visit my website, http://www.yogagems.com. Loving Blessings, Guru Prem Kaur Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 3, 2009 Report Share Posted April 3, 2009 Sat Nam Nirvair Kaur, For those who are not on the 3HO mailing list, here is the link to the page " Dharma Within the Dharma " a Gurdwara lecture from the most recent 3HO Newsletter, which explains Yogi Bhajan's view of religion and how it compares to Sikhism. http://fateh.sikhnet.com/sikhnet/articles.nsf/9dee2aa6164e1d9b87256671004e06c7/1\ 1bd302d97cc0a4087256671004e464c!OpenDocument Loving Blessings, SS Guru Prem Kaur Khalsa yogagems.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 5, 2009 Report Share Posted April 5, 2009 Being now a Sikh...and a Yogi...growing up with a Catholic, mother and Quaker, father---participated in both...currently involved with Interfaith events, I hear and respect the posts and...oh, my " Hindu " name … and was I really an atheist for a while or really a humanist. Here is my input to our dialog and mutual understanding. When I heard Yogi Bhajan say that all religions start with yoga (he might have said Kundalini Yoga…and I believe he was speaking in the bigger term, I don't recall)…it was very saddening as I had experienced both the greatness/grace of religion and its diabolical underbelly. Why have religion when you didn't need it? For me " religions " are simple the codification/organization of an " enlightened " persons personal path…who may have felt that what he/she did to " obtain' enlightment was a way others could as well. Along the way… " religions " have growth in numbers, done a lot of " good/bad " things and their history has been intentionally or unintentionally rewritten. As I understand Yogi Bhajan's view and what he was trying to " correct " : " religions " had lost the authenticity and we as individuals has forgotten/misinterpreted the power (required?) of commitment. Sat Ganesha " participate, share, contribute " Kundalini-Yoga , " Lee Majewski " <litka24 wrote: > > Namaste Nadh > > Thank you for these questions as I can appreciate your confusion. Not > being Sikh myself I had quite difficulty at the beginning to understand what > is Yoga and what is religion. In this forum also there seems to be confusion > or let me risk a more radical term - limited awareness of Kundalini Yoga. I > say it with all the respect to this group and with the best intention of > trying to clarify certain concepts. > > There is assumption in this group when using term " Kundalini Yoga " to limit > its meaning to the teachings of Yogi Bhajan. In fact, Kundalini Yoga is much > bigger then Yogi Bhajan and by no means he has exclusivity to it. There are > many Hindu traditions and many Yogis of Hindu descent teaching Kundalini > Yoga even today, in India and in Americas. > > Being certified teacher of Kundalini Yoga AS TAUGHT BY Yogi Bhajan, I find > that he left a fantastic body of kriyas, meditations and chants And THAT > legacy is exclusive to him. But only that. I find his other teachings in > line with other masters talking about Kundalini Yoga - they may use > different language and method but the essence is the same. > > As to confusion between religions - I believe that there are as many paths > to the Goal (which is ultimate union with God in the form of enlightenment) > as there are people. It is not which religion other people are choosing and > how they choose to worship. It is what resonates inside of you that you > should follow to find your own way. And if you find a catholic praying > Muslim prayer - more power to him/her! It is our faith, devotion and the > Grace that moves us forward - not the religion we choose. > > love > Leela > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 6, 2009 Report Share Posted April 6, 2009 Sat Nam, GuruPrem Kaur, I have actually been to your website many times, and long before this discussion. I understand the intent of your statement. I would still say it is inaccurate, in the larger world, in the greater context, in the realm that exists outside of your personal experience, in terms of the way these words and concepts have been used historically for thousands of years. Nirvair Kaur Kundalini-Yoga , Guruprem Kaur <guruprem wrote: > > Sat Nam Nirvair Kaur, > To understand my statement " Sikhism is not a religion. It is a conscious > lifestyle " --after living as a Sikh for 38 years, kindly visit my > website, http://www.yogagems.com. > > Loving Blessings, > Guru Prem Kaur > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 6, 2009 Report Share Posted April 6, 2009 Sat Nam, Satganesha, Thank you! Very well said. Very much like what my first spiritual teacher told his students. Why have religion when you don't need it, indeed. Yoga is the path of expanding consciousness. Everything else flows from that. Nirvair Kaur Kundalini-Yoga , " satganesha " <satganesha wrote: Being now a Sikh...and a Yogi...growing up with a Catholic, mother and Quaker, father---participated in both...currently involved with Interfaith events, I hear and respect the posts and...oh, my " Hindu " name … and was I really an atheist for a while or really a humanist. Here is my input to our dialog and mutual understanding. When I heard Yogi Bhajan say that all religions start with yoga (he might have said Kundalini Yoga…and I believe he was speaking in the bigger term, I don't recall)…it was very saddening as I had experienced both the greatness/grace of religion and its diabolical underbelly. Why have religion when you didn't need it? For me " religions " are simple the codification/organization of an " enlightened " persons personal path…who may have felt that what he/she did to " obtain' enlightment was a way others could as well. Along the way… " religions " have growth in numbers, done a lot of " good/bad " things and their history has been intentionally or unintentionally rewritten. As I understand Yogi Bhajan's view and what he was trying to " correct " : " religions " had lost the authenticity and we as individuals has forgotten/misinterpreted the power (required?) of commitment. Sat Ganesha " participate, share, contribute " Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 6, 2009 Report Share Posted April 6, 2009 Kundalini Yoga is a technology & a science first & foremost. Yogi B as I like to call him staked his life by bringing this to the west. I am curious as to how many of you have actually read his lectures ? especially those who have never meet or had the opportunity to sit with him? I encourage you to read his actual words on the 3ho website. This is where you will find his truth not the truth of those who interpret it from there personal point of view. As humans hear what we want to hear and if we are not in our right mind (as most are not fully)we will misinterpert his words or anyone elses words for that matter. I could say more but then I would be interpreting his words. I have my experience of the yoga , I use it as a technology for my mind body & spirit. If you have any understanding of the Aquarian age, one thing is for sure it is not about fanaticism of any religion, it is not about holding on to one set of teachings and saying this is the way or this is my way. Yoga is to unite to yoke with the infinte , the creator , god, I can sit in nature and unite, i can sit on the commode and unite, find a way, any way ( a healthy way) u can to unite with the infinite and life becomes yoga an infinite connection. your Identity is not based on the yoga. Once we break down the walls of separation and embrace all teachings and realize that all teachings have something to teach us and to find the common threads and most of all the TRUTH it is then that the world will be heading in the right direction. peace to all narayan www.narayanbeauty.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 11, 2009 Report Share Posted April 11, 2009 Sat Nam everyone, I just wanted to thank everyone who took the time to reply to my post. It took me a while to reply as I wanted to really have all the new information sink in. I am really grateful for your help. Sincerely, Nadh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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