It happened very organically.  A new teacher was hired.  Even though I had attempted to have Kundalini Yoga at my studio before, the Universe had never allowed it to happen.  Enter, Jenn M..  Young and newly certified but also bringing with her years of teaching experience from Martial Arts, she began introducing us to Kundalini Yoga.  A type of yoga that was only taught to the Royals and the wealthy, until the 1950's when a Yogi introduced it to the USA, exposing the secret teachings and allowing all of us to benefit!  Those of us who are brave enough to try it!  Wow!  Kapalbhati Breathing (breath of fire, a cleansing breath) doing each Kriya (cleansing posture) for 1 - 3 minutes for beginners, 7-31 minutes for more advanced students, and resting for a minute in between.  Kundalini, effectively raises up the dormant energy that is stored at the base of your spine, the Kunda energy.  As we move up the spine with the energizing breath, the energy is released.  It is said of this practice that it is the 'shortcut' to enlightenment.  Moving along the path in 2 years, what normal yoga can do for you in 10.  Now to get to the sheepskin.  Sheepskin is the tradition 'mat' that was used to practice yoga outside, being cool in summer and warm in winter.  I HAD to get one!  They are expensive!!!  I HAD to have one!  I wanted my Kundalini practice to feel as authentic as if could.  It arrived today!  I couldn't wait to unroll it and see how it looked.  The man I ordered it from in California, was having trouble with English.  For all I knew I could have been out $200 and no sheepskin would have arrived.  I had faith in the Universe.  My sheepskin is 6 feet long and 2 feet wide!  Perfect size to lie down in full savasana after the Kriya sets, and as I laid down on my sheepskin, freshly showed for the first time, I felt like this kitty pictured above; BLISS!!!  My point of this blog is,  do not be stopped from ordering a 'tool' for your practice that will encourage you, make you feel authentic, and ultimately ENCOURAGE you to practice!  I can not WAIT for my next Kundalini class, to set up my sheepskin, and to FEEL like a kundalini yogini!  We practice Kundalini Yoga at Methuen YogaMat on Mondays at 10am and Fridays at 5pm.  Join us for a very uplifting, non judging and energizing experience!  We would love to meet you!
Namaste,
Jeannie
www.MethuenYogaMat.com

I'll admit, I have read many articles which discuss tears on the mat, but for me, in all of my years of yoga, it had never happened, until tonight!  I'll admit to crying once per month, you know the time of the month.......all it takes is someone to look at me wrong, correct my speaking or raise their voice and ask why the cat litter wasn't cleaned.; but tonight, it was during a vinyasa class, which I found challenging, that the tears began to flow.  I am in the middle of what I call my mini vacation week -- the boys I am care giver for are away at the beach!  I have some extra days to myself to do whatever I want.  What happened, was a meeting with the new landlords of my studio.  I had been practicing being in the moment about this meeting which could have meant a big change for me, because as I saw it, the outcome had already been decided by the Universe, so why get upset either way, right?  It was a trying experience.  My new landlords are Chinese.  The Universe was gracious in sending me a Chinese speaking yoga student who is also a college business student in a nearby town.  They speak the same dialect, he was willing to help -- everything was set up.  The meeting was surprisingly easy!  Everything went my way!  All that fretting was for nothing!  Great!  I smile to myself, I'm happy, "See?"  I reassure myself, "the Universe really does provide".... time to go to Vinyasa.  I start to flow, I feel my energy is not there, I go to child pose and stay there.  Everyone else is flowing through vinyasa's, I start to shake, tears start to flow, thank the GODDESS for my new Skidless yogamat cover because I am DRIPPING tears onto the mat!  WOW I think,  "This is a first"  but I go with it -- I am not embarrassed, I am not judging myself, on the contrary, I am in deep Yogic Self Study.  On some level I'm enjoying the tears, "I must have just broken through a blockage" -- then I remind myself, "no it's probably simply the emotional relief of having the meeting over and done with" -- Then I go another place, "allow......allow the tears to cleanse and heal whatever needs to be healed, try not to judge why they came, just be thankful for them."  They stop, they start again, they stop and start once again.  Finally by savasana they are gone.  I am able to take my final relaxation posture to the place of no thought.  My body is asleep.  Class ends.  I feel renewed and happy.  I wanted to share.  If you are like me, perhaps you are reading this and thinking, "Thant will never happen to me." Well, maybe it won't, but maybe it will.  When it does, IF it does, enjoy the moment and allow your beautiful tears to help heal your heart!

Namsate