Australian Yoga Journal - April 2018

(^88) MODELS: KIA MILLER AND TOMMY ROSEN; STYLIST: EMILY CHOI; HAIR/MAKEUP: KATHRYN MACKAY; TOMMY ROSEN: TOP: VINCE(TOMMY’S OWN); BOTTOMS: PRANA (TOMMY’S OWN); KIA MILLER: TUNIC: JOHNNY WAS; TOP AND BOTTOMS: SOYBU
april 2018
yogajournal.com.au
1 ALTERNATE LEG LIFTS
Come to your back. Inhale slowly as you
pull the low belly in and lift your left leg
to 90 degrees, toes pointed toward the
ceiling. Exhale slowly as you lower it
down. Place your hands under your
hips if you need extra support for your
lower back. Alternate left and right legs,
and continue for 3 minutes. This pose
begins to spark energy at the navel point.
ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL Kundalini
kriyas, or sequences, for fi nding the
strength to break bad habits is a series of
13 poses called the Advanced
Abdominal-Strengthening Kriya. In
part, this combination of movements
and breathwork gives you an exceptional
core workout.
On a deeper level, it activates the
third chakra, the energy centre at your
navel that is the source of willpower,
where transformation and
empowerment start. When this energy
vortex is active and balanced, you feel
grounded; the need to reach outside
yourself to feel better is quieted.
Try the practice on these pages every
day for the next 40 days—the amount
of time it takes to encode a new pattern
of behaviour, according to Kundalini
theory. Mornings are best, before you
get pulled into the drama of the day.
Make this kriya your new habit and you
will see negative thinking, self-doubt,
procrastination, and resentment—
the feelings often underlying addictive
behaviour—slowly melt away and
become replaced by contentment,
fulfi lment, freedom, and the strength to
follow through on whatever resolutions
or changes you want to make and keep
making throughout the year.
Begin by chanting the Kundalini
Adi mantra three times: Ong namo
guru dev namo (“I bow to the divine
creative consciousness within;
I bow to the teacher within”).
Start slow, taking rests when you
need to and gradually building up
to the times given for each pose.
Keep the eyes closed and focus on
the third eye—the chakra or energy
centre between your eyebrows.
Deepen your focus by mentally
repeating Sat (“truth”) as you inhale,
Nam (“identity”) as you exhale.
Make sure to pause for at least 30 to
60 seconds after each pose.
Advanced Abdominal-Strengthening Kriya
2 CROSS CRAWL
Stay lying down, with your legs out in
front of you and your arms by your
sides. Inhale and bend your left knee
into your chest as you bring your right
arm up over your head. Exhale and
straighten your left knee, lowering the
leg and right arm back to the floor.
Switch sides and continue to alternate,
using long, deep breaths, for 3 minutes.
Concentrating your awareness at your
navel point helps to build energy around
your third chakra.