Monday, November 5, 2012

Dealing With Depression Part 2: Ancient Kundalini Yoga Tools For 21st Century Depression

The old story: unable to leave behind that which one has been taught is sensible, practical, normal, rational, proper decent convention.  Better to regard the group over the individual, the publicly acclaimed over the privately treasured, the objective over the subjectively valued.  Into a life, depression comes as a gift forcing one to listen to the voice of the self within. Depression comes as a gift wrenching one from the comfort of the collective to the isolation of ones own feeling values, from the safety of the wide gate and broad way to the doubts and fears of one's own unmarked, rocky footpath...a gift: for hidden in the seeming safety of the broad way was stagnation and illness-death to the possibility of becoming ones self.   

                                                          -Judith  Duerk, A Circle of Stones, A Woman's Journey to Herself

Move the Stagnation.  Find Ones Self.  Here is a way............


I don't even pretend to be an expert on depression.  I am not a therapist.  I have no formal training.  I did not sit hours in classrooms reading about signs, symptoms, statistics, diagnosis, etc.  I did not take any written or oral tests.  My training has come through life.  I simply share my experience.

Right now the way I am keeping myself in balance and keeping my emotions elevated is through the tools of Kundalini Yoga.  In particular I am practicing pranayama, meditation and mantra.  I am not going to sit here and write that KY has taken away my depression. Kundalini Yoga assists me with emotional elevation, inner strength, and most importantly awareness. The awareness of what needs to change on the outside and what needs to be done on the inside to implement the change.  What I choose to do with the awareness determines the difference between staying in depression and doing what I know needs to be done to move out of it, or staying in the fear and choosing depression. Even if I am scared there are tools that assist me in building courage to take baby steps forward through the sadness.

Kundalini Yoga provides tools to address the both the physiological and energetic imbalances of many psychiatric disorders including major depressive disorders.  There are several books written with case studies about applied treatments. One book that I own is : Kundalini Yoga Meditation: Techniques Specific for Psychiatric Disorders, Couples Therapy, and Personal Growth by David S. Shannahoff-Khalsa.  It is quite scientific based and geared towards practitioners in the Mental Health Field.

Kundalini Yoga assists in alleviating depression by focusing on:

Pranayama: (breathing techniques): Practicing pranayama increases oxygen supply to the brain and bloodstream. It aids in physical and emotional detoxification. When certain ratios of breath are applied through specific nostrils it can bring balance to the brain, alter mental states and emotional states, and increase serotonin levels.  Breathing through the left nostril only can bring about a state of calmness if one is upset or anxious.  Breathing through the right nostril can increase mental alertness and energy.

Renewing the Brain: Kundalini Yoga tools assist with balancing the brain hemispheres, strengthening the frontal lobe, utilizing dhristi (eye focus) mudra (hand position) and the tongue (mantra) to rewire the brain moving out old thought patterns and creating new positive ones.

Strengthening the Aura:  The Aura is an electromagnetic energy field that surrounds our bodies.  It is said our auras extend anywhere from 3-9 feet from our body.  The aura is our protection.  A strong aura keeps negative energies out of our bodies and energy field.  Energies that can cause imbalance, disease, and depression.

*One who has a small aura tends to be depressed, negative, and crabby.  The person doesn't want to be uplifted.  Conforms to others and is afraid to be ones true self.  This certainly invites in depression.

Balancing the Glandular System:  Kundalini Yoga tools balance hypothalamic, pineal and pituitary secretions which in turn balance the activity of the entire glandular system. This balancing of hormones allows regulatory processes to occur which restores health and changes in neurochemistry which result in an overall balance and feeling of well-being.

Increasing Vitality:  Specific Kundalini yoga tools assist in increasing vitality. This can be helpful especially for those times when one needs to get things done but their energy is low. Depression can be caused by a blockage of the flow of ones vital energy. Simple movements such as spinal flex or shoulder shrugs to full yoga sets  focus on stimulating and releasing core vital energy that can be utilized for forward movement.

This is just a taste of the many benefits of utilizing the practice of Kundalini Yoga for assisting with depression.  There are numerous meditations, kriyas, breathing techniques, and mantras focus on the imbalances within to change the imbalance on the outside.

Most of the depression I have experienced on and off the last 17 years has been caused by the outside circumstances I put myself in.  I had often wondered why I put myself in the situations I did.  I received my answers last year.  The awakening and breaking open I experienced shed light on many answers to many questions and allowed me a sigh of relief that I really wasn't crazy or just born to suffer.  There was a legitimate reason as to why the patterns within me led me down the path of my life.  I don't know that I would have gotten to that core place of awareness had it not been for the practice of Kundalini Yoga.

Kundalini Yoga is not the only thing I recommend for alleviation of depression. Goodness, no!  It is but one tool.  One of many. It is an ancient technology for 21st century life- recovery.  It fills in the blanks.  I could write a whole blog just on the benefits of Mantra (sound healing) for elevating one out of a depressed state......and I think I will.

The times have changes.  The world is changing and to make it through minds have to be opened and news modalities considered.  This is one of them.  I have many more tools to offer but they cannot all be shared on this blog.  I will be offering a "Dealing With Depression" Workshop in the future in which I will share more tips, tools, and Kundalini Yoga protocols for Depression.

 Pranayama Exercises and Meditations. 

 If you have any questions please feel free to contact me.

When beginning a Kundalini Yoga practice always tune in with the following mantra three times:

Ong Namo Gur Dev Namo
"I bow to the all knowing wisdom that lies within me.  I bow to creation."


Pranayama Techniques:

Segmented Breath for Depression.  

It can be practiced for alleviating mild depression:

Practice time 3-11 minutes:

Eye Position:  Closed and focused at the point in between your eye brow

Mudra:  Hands gently resting on knees in Gyan Mudra (forefinger connected to thumb)

The breath is a 4:1 ratio

A.  Inhale through the nose in four slow even segments as if you are sniffing.  (Sniff, Sniff, Sniff, Sniff)

B.  Exhale in one smooth exhalation

To end:  Inhale and hold thre breath focusing at the brow point and exhale.


 Ego Eradicator/Breath of Fire
http://www.pinklotus.org/-%20KY%20Postures%20Ego%20Eradicator.htm
*Excellent for strengthening the auric field and stimulating the flow of vital energy and strengthening the nervous system

For instructions on Breath of Fire check out my video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFsjMVHH7Cs&feature=relmfu
* Do not practice if you have high pressure or anxiety


Meditations For Depression:

Kundalini Yoga Meditation for Acute Depression
http://www.pinklotus.org/-%20KY%20Meditation%20healing%20mediation%20for%20acute%20depression.htm

Kundalini Yoga Meditation as an Antidote to Depression
http://www.pinklotus.org/-%20KY%20Meditation%20to%20recharge%20you.htm

Seven Wave Sat Nam Meditation
http://www.grdcenter.org/meditations/7-wave.php
*A friend and KY Instructor shared with me that this was recommended to her as a practice to help her move through depression.  She had only positive feedback and shared that it greatly benefited her.


Part Three Coming Soon..........


Many Blessings,

Kristianna















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