Kundalini Meditation & Kundalini Yoga

[april]

When people ask JJ Semple what his books are about, he prepares for the customary blank stare and replies, "Kundalini Meditation." Nowadays more people have heard of Kundalini, so many say something like, "Oh, Kundalini Yoga." To which he replies, "Well, uh, yeah, sort uv."

 

Recently, he was part of a forum that began to explore the difference, if any. I say if any because some people believe there is none. JJ says there's a difference of style and substance and wants to know what others think.

Edited March 22, 2010 by april

[~jK~]

One facilitates the other. One is Left wing - the other is Right wing.

The book I use is:

The Five Tibetans by Christopher S. Kilham

It has been out long enough to find it in used book shops.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments

Preface

1. About the Five Tibetans

2. Energy, Body, and Mind

3. The Chakras

4. Kundalini

5. Breathing

6. The Five Tibetans

TIBETAN #1

TIBETAN #2

TIBETAN #3

TIBETAN #4

TIBETAN #5

7. How, When, and Where to Practice

8. Yoganidra

9. Kundalini Meditation

 

Here is a free download of the original book that the above used as a pattern:

Ancient Secret of the Fountain of Youth - Peter Kelder 2464kb

http://www.kundaliniawakeningsystems1.com/downloads.html

Actually I think the first mentioned book is a bit better on the "how to do" whereas the second book is better on "what to do".

Edited March 22, 2010 by ~jK~

[Eric23]

Officially, Kundalini Yoga is for those schools who teach the method of Yogi Bhajan. It is quite a bit different than the more familiar hatha yoga. I've done both, very fortunate to have a KY ashram in my town. I will say that the instruction is consistantly excellent at the ashram. On the other hand I've come across some really good hatha yoga instructors and some who weren't so good (none bad though).

 

I'm really not sure about kundalini meditation however. I will say that the meditation time alloted at the KY class is a bit longer than the hatha classes. The have all been focused on a particular mantra paired with a mudra, fairly active IMO. The hatha classes are more of the stillness variety.

[genmaicha]

Regarding Kundalini Yoga there seems to be the Yogi Bhajan branded Kundalini Yoga with its 3H organisation and the traditional Hatha Yoga that incorporates or is linked to Kundalini Yoga. The two might have some common points, but AFAIK are different.

Regarding the late Yogi Bhajans Kundalini Yoga it should be noted that there are reports of cult like exploitation (special women workshops with the guru, people working for low wage in the organisation's companies) and that the lineage and authenticity has been questioned. Of course I don't know if this is true or just some bad mouthing. However, it is a fact that Sikhs shouldn't practice any kind of Yoga (apparently that is advised in one of their scriptures) and a number of Sikhs seem to be surprised by Yogi Bhajans' activities.

 

Kundalini meditation to my knowledge would either be a name for a kind of meditation that Bhagwan/Osho made up and/or part of the authentic kundalini yoga. I doubt, though, that there is some kind of meditation that in India traditionally gets called Kundalini meditation.

[april]