What is the difference between Kundalini yoga and AYAMA yoga?
Before you begin reading, please know that ALL my classes have both AYAMA and Kundalini principles in them. It is impossible for me to totally separate the two. The difference lies in the main focus, which is what I am explaining here in this article.
Kundalini
To me, Kundalini is like the “holistic” school of yoga. It combines repetitive movement (asana), mantra, breathwork, and meditation. We have to remember that most of the yoga we experience today in the West has been greatly modified from its original form. Yoga was much “safer” to the masses when combined with calisthenics and marketed as a form of exercise. Thus mantra, breath focus, and meditation were essentially removed so people didn’t think yoga was a “religion”. (And sadly, many still falsely believe that yoga is a form of religion.) Anyway, Kundalini brings the more spiritual and intentioned aspects of yoga back into practice.
Mantra and changing seems weird. Why do we do it?
I hate to break it to you, but you already use mantra pretty much every day. The question is, what mantra are you using?
I can’t believe you did that.
I am so stupid.
My job sucks.
Nothing ever goes right for me.
Pay attention to your thoughts. You will be amazed at what you find running in the background.
Mantra translates to “mind tool”. It is a tool to focus your mind on a particular intention, thus not allowing your mind to distract you with all it’s ramblings. When we have so much noise in our heads, we can’t listen to that inner wisdom, that inner voice, that is trying to come through.
The beauty of using the Sanskrit (ancient Indian) language is that it uses the science of seed sounds to elicit a particular vibration. And when we chant these sounds, the vibration moves through our bodies, stimulating every cell and changing our brain waves. There is a lot of scientific research on the efficacy of mantra and sound healing. I am not going to get into that here, but if you want to learn more, just Google it.
Why do we do so much breathwork?
The reality is that most people don’t breathe properly. They use shallow, often reversed breathing which keeps the body in a fight or flight stress response. By learning to breathe properly, as well as understanding the various types of breath and how they impact the body, you are in a position to help yourself move through any difficult emotions you are experiencing. Breathwork reduces anxiety, reduces blood pressure, improves sleep, boosts your immune system, supports addiction recovery, and much more. The breath / prana / chi is our life force energy. Without breath, we do not exist.
I also see Kundalini as “yoga for the lungs”. It is important that our lungs are healthy and can properly do their job.
You will also find that Kundalini classes are set to music with songs that typically use mantra to reinforce the overall intention of the class.
Who are my Kundalini classes for?
Those who are looking to promote overall healing, wellness, and emotional self-regulation.
Those who are prone to anxiety and have a “busy” mind.
Those who want to get more in touch with their greater purpose and their guiding voice within.
Those who wish to break the cycle of bad habits.
Those who desire a more spiritual experience.
Those who aren’t afraid to try weird stuff.
And those who still want the strengthening benefits of AYAMA yoga (read more below).
AYAMA (Applied Yoga Anatomy and Muscle Activation)
AYAMA yoga brings in breathwork and some meditation, but is more rooted in Hatha yoga which promotes intention, alignment, and stillness in certain positions. Most of the familiar asanas show up here: down dog, plank, warriors 1, 2 &3, triangle pose, cobra, bridge, etc. However, it is not fast-moving like a “power” yoga or Vinyasa class.
What makes AYAMA different from any other school of yoga is that it is anti “stretching”, and instead focuses on muscle activation to strengthen the body for greater stability, mobility, and range of motion. It incorporates physical therapy techniques to repair weakened muscles and tissues, and activates the areas that become stiff and tense due to excessive sitting and computer use.
The goal is to give people pain-free yoga experiences, and help repair existing damage.
We avoid passive stretching in all my classes (but it’s especially emphasized here in AYAMA). The best way to describe this is using a slinky toy analogy. When the slinky is treated with “respect”, it expands but then contracts back to its original shape even after several rounds of bouncing down a flight of stairs.
Your muscles are like slinkys. They are designed to expand and contract. But if we take that slinky, and stretch it waaaayyyyy out (come on, I know you tried this as a kid), it doesn’t go back to its original shape. Rather, it’s a bit misshapen and wonky. This is what happens when we passively stretch our muscles past their natural range of motion. They start to behave like the unstable, outstretched slinky. How are they then supposed to support your body? Have you ever thrown your back out while bending over to pick something as small as a pen off the floor? Anyone, anyone?
The yoga industry has taught us that flexibility is needed to be healthy and to be a “good” yogi. Unfortunately, this misguided focus has led to injuries, chronic pain, hip / knee replacements, and various surgeries. AYAMA yoga is designed to help restore muscle integrity.
You will quickly notice that we don’t do certain asanas like child’s pose or pigeon, for good reason. Nor do we practice yin-type yoga, or long stretches. Come to one of my AYAMA classes and you will find out why.
Who are my AYAMA classes for?
Those with chronic neck, shoulder, back, knee and/or sciatic pain and who just want to be pain-free.
Those who want to do yoga yet want to PREVENT future injuries and/or need for surgeries in, ahem, cough, cough, older age.
Those with former injuries that are easily re-triggered.
Those who want to feel stronger and more stable in their body, while maintaining a good range of motion to do the activities / sports they love.
ALL my classes are beginner friendly no matter what class you come to.