I found this book to be just what excerpt on the back cover of the book states, it is an illustrated instructional book on Kundalini Yoga. This is not a book on yogic philosophy and lifestyle. Shakta Kaur Khalsa has written a great visual guide book on what Kundalini Yoga is, showing real people performing Kundalini Yoga. These photographs depict what you would do if you attended a Kundalini Yoga class. I found that these pictures give the reader excellent visual instructions on the specific nuances of how the Kundalini Yoga breathing, Mudras, and Kriyas are performed. This Kundalini Yoga book serves the following purposes, it gives the reader a clear picture of what they would be doing if they attended a Kundalini Yoga class. It also serves as a cheat sheet to help the Kundalini Yoga student who attends class to review the postures and be able to do them at home on their own, without the Yoga teacher, and it also serves as a guide to share with a spouse, children, or friends who may want to join you in doing Kundalini Yoga. If the readers is interested in finding out what Kundalini Yoga is about, or if they would like to have a visual reference for what is done in a Kundalini Yoga class, or a book of photographs which demonstrate Kundalini Yoga Kriyas, I would highly recommend this book. If the reader is looking to read about the Kundalini Yogic philosophy and lifestyle I would recommend they purchase, "Kundalini Yoga The Flow of Eternal Power" by Shakti Parwha Kaur Khalsa. "Kundalini Yoga The Flow of Eternal Power" covers Kundalini Yogic philosophy and lifestyle in great detail. "Kundalini Yoga" by Shakta Kaur Khalsa is just what the book states it is, a visual instructional book on what Kundalini Yoga is and how Kundalini Yoga is performed.
I was very satisfied with this book. I own a lot of different introductory books about hatha yoga, and this is definitely one of the best. in addition to the exercises, it contains excellent explanations of the underlying concepts and foundational techniques, it doesn't just contain a bunch of poses or a few sets, but gives you a wide variety of exercise sets and meditations a long with descriptions of the benefits and purpose of each one. the book provides a great deal of flexibility and room for experimentation, which is extremely rare in a "beginner's text." the photographs and instructions are clear and of high quality, and the book provides a good introduction to the practices and lifestyle of Yogi Bhajan's devotees.
some points of clarification may be warranted from the reviews of the other readers. first of all, "kundalini yoga" as referred to her is the name given by Yogi Bhajan to the style of yoga he developed. it is not the same as the various forms of yogi developed within hinduism expressly oriented around the development of divinity through the cultivation of kundalini. this form of "kundalini yoga" is modern, and bears a much stronger resemblance to hatha yoga than it does hindu kundalini yogis, which are primarily meditative. like hatha yoga, as taught by Swami Sivananda and the Ashtanga lineage and others, Kundalini Yoga represents a fully developed spiritual system and set of lifestyles practices. however, unlike other popular forms of hatha yoga, kundalini yoga is not grounded in Hindusm. also, whereas other types of yoga are some times taught with an emphasis placed on the exercise aspects, with the spiritual and lifestyle aspects deemphasized, Kundalini Yoga is always taught as a complete system.
a great deal of controversy surrounds Kundalini Yoga, 3HO and Yogi Bhajan. as one other reviwer wrote, a number of scandals have occurred within the community over the last thirty years, and these are chronicled on Rick Ross's website. however, a self-proclaimed deprogrammer and cult investigator, Rick Ross himself is a controversial figure and has been investigated and sued on a number of occasions. none of the actions following from Yogi Bhajan's alleged misconduct ever resulted in a conviction.
finally, Yogi Bhajan's credentials as a yogi teacher have been called into question, as has his claim to be the spiritual representative of the Sikhs in the Western hemisphere. these allegations are more or less true. Yogi Bhajan's lineage is completely unknown and many of his teachings violate the basic tenets of Sikhism. to my knowledge, Sikhs do not practice hatha yoga, and many of the beliefs and techniques in Yogi Bhajan's system were clearly borrowed from Hinduism.
all that said, I and many people I know have practiced Yogi Bhajan's Kundalini Yoga for years and have found it to be healthy and emotionally and spiritually uplifting. on that grounds, I recommend this book to anyone interested in yoga, spirituality and mind-body exercise. with regard to the other issues, I suggest you draw your own conclusions about 3HO and Yogi Bhajan, without being overly swayed either by his devotees or his critics.
Buy Kundalini Yoga Now
Having started Kundalini Yoga in Feb. of this year (2001), I was anxious to "bring home" my practice of Kundalini Yoga. My teacher is wonderful and recommend this book because I wanted to find or learn some thing so that I could do my exercies at home. Kundalini Yoga, by Shakta Kaur Khalsa, was my answer. This book is the very very best at introducing, explaining and depicting exercies, mudras and medidations relating to Kundalini Yoga, the Yoga of Awareness. The pictures are colorful, clear and the directions are precise and easy to read. I, we, are all lucky to have such an author to give us such great work and allow us to bring home our daily practice of Kundalini Yoga. My hat is off to this book and its context. Thank you.
Sat Nam
Scott Heiple Norman, Oklahoma
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I want to thank Shakta Kaur Khalsa for her incredibly beautiful books, her beautiful writing, and her beautiful teachings! Certainly her "gift number" must be 5 since she is such a talented teacher and communicator!
I bought the "Kundalini Yoga" book about a year ago and still thoroughly enjoy selecting various "kriyas" (exerices) to perform. One of my favorites is the kriya for disease resistance! The book is so beautifully produced and Shakta's writing is so lyrical. I have given many of the Kundalini books as gifts to help others discover their life potential.
Also, I purchased the companion CD to the Kundalini book and often use that music to accompany my yoga practice. The music is beautiful and the CD has so many tracks!
I would recommend this book to anyone interested in the incredible benefits yoga offers. The descriptions are very clear and the writing is so very inspirational. There is such a wealth of information that even now, a year later, I am still using it as a reference as I get deeper into yoga.
I also enjoyed the nutritious recipes. I overcame a cold very quickly by preparing a delicious datemilk. I've made some of the soups as well, all very tasty and healthy!
I plan on buying more of Shakta's books. They are my absolute favorites when it comes to yoga!
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This is a FANTASTIC resource and addition to one's yoga routine. Of course, it is only an introduction, but it is informative, accurate (to my knowledge), and easy to understand. It has a wonderful design and layout. It tells you everything you need and is a wonderful guide.
If you are curious about Kundalini Yoga this book is for you:
"Kundalini Yoga, the mother of all yogas and the most powerful yoga known. As brought to the West in 1969 by Yogi Bhajan, it produces results 16 times faster than ordinary yoga.
Its power comes from the Kundalini, an enormous reserve of untapped potential within each of us. It is normally depicted as a coiled or sleeping serpent, located in an area towards the base of the spine.
By gradually and safely awakening this serpent and employing its power, you will benefit greatly from an elevation in consciousness, promotion of physical well-being and an expansion of awareness. You will feel more relaxed and at ease with yourself. Your life will be transformed into one which is happy, healthy & harmonious."
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My five star rating for this book is because when it was published and when I first read it it was uptodate and a leader for resources. Very few books were written to give those who care for loved ones places to find answers. Most available books concentrated on specific conditions and the patients. Also at the time, the web didn't have the helpful, informative sites of today. Personally, I would love to see Mrs. Carter update the book to include the email adresses and web sites for the sources listed.
