1) Commitment
Make
your practice a priority. You have experienced the duality of life. You have experienced
the shallowness, the compulsiveness, and the neurotic behavior. Now, you are
ready for something deeper. You can feel it deep in your being. Don’t hesitate!
Make the commitment to personal transformation, personal development and
embrace your daily spiritual practice (Sadhana). It takes time and patience to develop a
strong daily practice. Being committed to success will give you the strength to
see it through. No doubt there will be days when you rebel against doing your
practice, —do it anyway! You have the power and that power is your
commitment. If you haven’t established a daily Sadhana yet, now is the
time! If you have, congratulations and keep it up!
2) Create Your Sacred Space
Create
an altar using things that inspire you and keep you going! Use pictures of your teacher(s), stones or
objects that hold a high vibration, candles, incense…. whatever! Just make sure that when you look at your altar
it reminds you of your highest potential and inspires you to practice
daily.
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| The Adi Shakti Sacred Healing Space of Boulder |
Get
your yoga mat, sheepskin, wool mat, etc. and create a sacred space where you
can stretch out, breathe, and meditate. Do your best to eliminate any and
all distractions. Now that you have decided your Sadhana is the most important
thing to you, create a space that reflects your commitment.
3) Find your Supportive Community
Finding
a network in your town or city will provide you with invaluable support in your
Sadhana and will inspire you to keep up! Find out where yoga classes are being
held and attend as many as you can. Find Kirtans (there’s one here!),
gatherings, meditation groups, sanctuaries, etc. Look for people you resonate
with, and who support your authenticity and commitment to your daily practice.
Don’t be afraid to reach out and talk to new people. You will be pleasantly
surprised by the connections you make in a class or gathering of conscious
people who are also committed to bettering their health and wellbeing. Exchange
information, stories, and keep in touch. Talk to the singers, facilitators, and
teachers if you get a chance and don’t hesitate to ask questions!
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| Boulder Kundalini Yogi Community |
4) Find Your Teachers
One
of the best ways to grow your own supportive community is to attend different
classes and get to know different teaching styles. There are thousands of
different yoga sets (Kiryas) and meditations taught by Yogi Bhajan. There are
also many different excellent teachers who each express themselves in unique
ways when teaching yoga. As such, it is great to find teachers that you
resonate with and attend their classes. Talk with them, ask them questions, and
show your commitment to participating and practicing. It has been said that
when you take one step towards the Guru or Teacher, the Guru will take 10 steps
towards you!
5) Find Your Music
One
of the most profound parts of a Kundalini Yoga class is the music teachers’ use
throughout class, which often consists of reciting mantras. Never underestimate
the power of divine sounds in their ability to fully support you in your
practice. In fact, my students almost always comment on how much they enjoyed
the music during classes!
Personally, I listen to mantra music throughout the
day. These vibrations keep me feeling
elevated and in the eternal flow of love and life. Find music that inspires you
and listen to it daily. It’s always easier to do house work with divine music
in the background and the same is true for inner work (in fact, I'm listening to some right now as I write this). Some of my favorite
artists are listed HERE! I LOVE teaching Kundalini Yoga and I
also have a deep passion for playing the guitar and singing. One of my
specialties is inspirational conscious hip-hop. I also thoroughly enjoy playing
acoustic music. You are welcome to check out some of my sounds HERE!
6) Don’t Make Excuses
In
today’s fast paced world there are so many distractions. Stay steady! Set your
space for success when you begin your practice. Turn off your phone, tune out
the distracting world, stay focused, and tune in to your Self! A million things
will come up as soon as you begin your practice. Forget about that email that
you need to send, forget about your Facebook post. Sit down and go within, be
disciplined. Whatever it is, you can do it later. Remember your commitment.
Initiate your practice and let it consume you. Afterwards, when you are clear
and balanced, you can take care of all those things much more efficiently and
without the stress!
7) Enjoy It!
Finally,
don’t take yourself too seriously. If your practice becomes too serious, it
tends to lose its sense of freedom and flow. Practice a little in the morning
and a little at night. Have fun with it and switch it up as necessary to stay
solid! Throw in a creative movement
piece or do some Tai Chi. Find a way to weave it into your day so that it feels
natural and not like an obligation. Enjoy the mantras as you chant them. Feel
their vibration through your whole being. Feel the depth of your meditation.
Bask in your beautiful inner space. Feel at home within you and embrace your
practice as the wonderful gift and blessing that it is. Rise up and dive in!
Sat
Nam,
Eric
Gurmukh Klema*
Certified
Kundalini Yoga Teacher
www.eternalsunyoga.com
*Gurmukh
teaches a weekly donation class at The Adi Shakti Center of Boulder on
Thursdays from 7:00-8:30p.
