Why Kundalini Yoga for Addiction Recovery?

Kundalini Yoga | Chakras & the Subtle Body

Kundalini Yoga is rooted in science, it is an energetic practice that not only works with the body systems (skeletal, muscular, lymphatic, respiratory, digestive, nervous, endocrine, and cardiovascular system) but energetically shifts stagnant, unbalanced, or dormant energy within the nadis (energy channels), and the body’s chakra system. The chakra system is a vortex of energy that meets at central points of the body, working with your subtle energy. It is a transformational system designed to release blocks to the reservoirs of untapped energy within us. When energy moves freely through the chakras, it stimulates the mental, physical, and spiritual health of the being. There is a clarity that arises that combines perception, thought, and intuition.

Subtle energy is:

A medium in which consciousness expresses itself and is processed. Read that sentence again…. : )
Comprised of life force, which grants us our vitality in which we move through life with.
Transmits information as frequency, which is defined as either the number of traveling waves in a given period of time, or at the rate at which particles are vibrating. I know…wow! : )

In the same way that information travels through a computer network, electricity network, or mycelium network to sustain and maintain connections with other systems, energy flows through our bodies, and even outside our bodies for purpose of expression, transmitting information, and communicating. Emotions are also information, and sometimes we may choose to hold this information inside. When this information is held onto without being expressed or released, this can affect our subtle energy system in ways that will leave us with more to deal with later on. Our subtle energy body’s quality is affected by external circumstances, our thoughts, emotions, and vise versa.

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Kundalini Practice for Addiction Recovery

Kundalini yoga, when practiced, will move, clear, and balance energy within our subtle body energy system. It clears the pathways of consciousness, to assist change and self-limiting habits. Our daily experiences, waves of emotions, and thoughts, are continuously expressed and held onto within our subtle body, giving us that “weight of life” that we constantly feel. In active addiction, life is usually a tailspin, even if you think you have it under control, and now in recovery, you may still feel unsteady as your sober self. Unhealthy patterns and even cravings may still exist. This is why it is so important to have a kundalini practice, so that you can work with your subtle body, and shift your state of consciousness, transforming you in the most authentic way possible.

Also, in the human condition, we are creatures of creativity, creatures that want to manifest and accomplish great things. When stuck/stagnant energy lies dormant within our energy vortexes, this is where we can suddenly find ourselves living a life rooted in the past, in energetic patterns that are unhealthy, leading us no where towards spiritual and evolutionary growth. Where creativity lies dormant. Many people have expressed a rush of creativity that comes from this practice, giving them the information, desire and stamina needed to create, what has been a procrastinating mindset. Where life becomes an experience within ourselves, merging seamlessly with the universe and what is presented to us, instead of an experience outside ourselves.

By committing to a Kundalini practice as a recovering addict, you are committing to a new life full of mindfulness, emotional control and understanding, along with a shift in consciousness that will transform you into the person who you are suppose to be. You will open yourself, in a way where you will begin to vibrate at a different frequency, attracting the very circle of people you want in your life, people that will support you in becoming your best self, and no longer vibrate towards the people who bring you down. Your intuition will come to the surface, and you will naturally know how to navigate the world with confidence and clarity.

“You cannot stay the same when you practice Kundalini Yoga. The very nature of what we do is to awaken the energy of consciousness, to practice in a way that sheds light on our self-imposed limitations, and invites us to think out of the box and develop our intuitive mind. Being able to live from our intuitive mind is one of the main goals of a Kundalini practitioner.”

— Kia Miller

What is a Kundalini Practice?

In this practice, the primary focus is on the movement and transformation of energy. There is no one practice or series. Instead, the practice focuses on kriyas, which are each a specific sequence of yogic techniques and meditations to create a specific result in consciousness. This could be something very concrete (like better digestion) or something more etheric (like an open heart). Each kriya (which means “action” in Sanskrit) and comes with precise instructions and usually includes most of the following techniques:

Asana: body postures
Mudras: hand positions
Pranayama: breathwork
Mantras: intentional, repeated sounds
Bandhas: constriction of particular area of the body
Drishti: directing the gaze of the eyes
Shivasana: relaxation at the end of practice

While they may be made up of multiple components, kriyas are one complete action, designed to be practiced as a whole set for an intended purpose. Reference: 3HO