KRIYA — DETOXIFICATION

(Self-Experience, Kundalini Yoga as Taught by Yogi Bhajan, pp. 9-10).

1. Lie on the Back. The legs are straight. Apply Root Lock. Your heels are together and your toes point upward. Keeping your heels together, spread your feet apart so that they both point out to the sides. The right foot points to the right and the left foot points to the left. Then close your feet so they once again point straight upward. Continue quickly opening and closing your feet, keeping your heels together (4 minutes).

2. Still Lying on the Back. Put your hands under your head. Apply Root Lock. Raise your legs up about two feet and scissor the legs up and down without letting the descending heel touch the ground. Keep your legs straight, do not bend at the knees (4 minutes).

This exercise clears up inner anger when done vigorously.  

3. Cobra Pose. Roll over on your stomach and stick out your tongue. Exhale through your mouth and push up into Cobra Pose. Raise the head up, chest up and now smoothly push yourself up. Make sure the arms are shoulder-width apart, fingers pointing forward, elbows rolled back and down, chest high and head back. If you’re flexible, the whole pelvic area is on the ground.

Inhale through your mouth as you lower yourself back to the ground. Continue, keeping your breath and movement strong (6 ½ minutes).

(There are two ways to move into Cobra Pose. The classic way is to engage the hands under the shoulders with palms flat on the ground. The feet are together with the tops of the feet on the ground. Arch up with the upper body first. Pull the shoulders down and back. Then pull the head and heart up. If you are flexible, straighten the arms. Alternatively start out in Platform Pose and drop down into Cobra, gradually moving into the posture, even keeping the pelvis off the ground. If you are not very flexible keep the forearms on the ground like a sphinx or do not straighten the arms. Either way, stretch up across the abdomen and chest and away from the lower back.)

Cobra Pose in general opens the diaphragm and chest, energizes the navel and heart centers. It is a great stretch for the total spine. It adjusts the internal organs. It benefits the kidneys and adrenal glands.

This exercise in particular removes toxins from the body.

4. Turn over on your Back. Bring your knees up to your chest. As the knees touch the chest, raise your arms up to 90 degrees (parallel to each other). Straighten your legs and lower your arms and legs back to the floor at the same time. Continue this movement vigorously (3 minutes). This is a controlled movement. There should be no noise when the arms and legs touch the ground.

5. Easy Pose. Apply Root Lock and Neck Lock. Revolve the torso around the base of the spine. This churning movement is done in a counter-clockwise direction. Move as quickly as you can during the last minute (3 minutes).

6. Stand Up. Bend over and grab your ankles. While holding onto your ankles, sit down in Crow Pose and come back up, Continue this movement for 2 minutes.

7. Easy Pose. Chant “Sat Nam, Sat Nam, Sat Nam, Sat Nam, Sat Nam, Sat Nam, Wahe Guru.” One full repetition of the mantra takes 7-8 seconds. Continue for 11 minutes.

To Finish, inhale deeply and stretch your arms over your head with your palms touching. Hold your breath 20-40 seconds as you stretch your spine upward. Exhale. Repeat this sequence two more times.

Comments: We detoxify continuously throughout life. We process food, thoughts and all forms of energy. When that flow is continuous and clear, we are steady and flexible. The trouble is that we accumulate more than we process. We become weighted down under the ash of metabolism and the remnants of old emotions. This set systematically moves the energy of the body and mind to keep you light and vitalized.

Originally taught by Yogi Bhajan on May 29, 1984.