Monday, March 31, 2014

A Contained Woman: It's All About the Chuni

By: Sat Purkh Kaur Khalsa


Most religions include some element of a head covering. Whether it’s gotten lost over time, or translated in different ways to meet contemporary cultural norms, it’s a practice that has endured.  It protects the solar center and, in the case of the Sikh Turban, it draws the energy to the arc line located from ear to ear—our “halo”. As women, there is a practice of covering our second arc line, nipple to nipple, in addition to our halo. And in the same way that the turban or head covering protects the solar center, this second covering protects the projection of the arc line at the heart center.
When I first began wearing a head covering, it was purely for the experience. I was a new teacher of Kundalini Yoga and I didn’t want to ask anything of my students that I hadn’t experienced for myself. I made it 27 days in a row before I couldn’t do it one more day. I wore my hair down that 28th day and I remember the experience to this day!  Let’s just say, it was exhilarating. I took me another few months to make the commitment to wear a head covering every day. But once I did, it was from my own experience, not simply something I was doing because I was supposed to. In the same way, years later, I experimented with the chuni, the covering at the heart center.
I’ve always had a reputation for being a blunt, truth-teller, but I had reached a point in my life that I wanted to change my projection. I wanted to soften. And so I made a commitment to the chuni. At first I was going to wear it for 40 days; then 40 days became 90 and 90 became 120. In the end, I eventually wore it for about 18 months. It brought a grace to my projection, my speech, and my demeanor that I wear even now that I no longer wear the chuni every day.
The chuni is a challenge because, even more than the head covering, it demands a certain grace just to wear it and wear it successfully. Try to keep from tripping on it, closing it in car doors, strangling on it in a hard wind so common here on the plains of Northern New Mexico! I was taught to wear the turban by a young woman who looked like a queen, so radiant, so beautiful. I was taught to wear the chuni by a woman who had served these teachings for 40 years. We were walking around the prakarma in Amritsar on our way to a small gurdwara dedicated to the most devoted female student of Guru Gobind Singh’s. She served him until the very end, when no one else remained.  She did. And so on this warm evening, as we walked together on our way to practice Mere Man Loche, this elder showed me how to wear a chuni properly. Bring the right side across the heart center and drape it over the left shoulder. This covers the heart center and protects and filters the arc line.
But why wear it? Especially when it’s such a pain! The arc line is where we hold things. It is the arc line that contains our relationships. Every man we have ever been with is contained in this arc line—a bit of a frightening prospect for some of us, me included! This same arc line allows us, as mothers, to contain and sense where and what our children are doing: are they safe or not?  When we wear the chuni, we protect this arc line, we give ourselves a container, a grace, in which to move about the world in. And that was my experience. The longer I wore the chuni, the more contained I felt. And over time, I grew more graceful in my speech, in the way I carried myself in the world, and in my approach to conflict.
The chuni can be both a shield and a weapon. If you wear it faithfully, it becomes your container—and you become the epitome of the graceful woman; you become a contained woman.
"If a woman sits with folded hands in her lap for a few minutes every day, and feels she is a container so vast that she contains the whole Universe, she will never feel weak or have any problems. There is nothing beyond woman except God." –© The Teachings of Yogi Bhajan, July 18, 1987
Sat Purkh Kaur Khalsa has been singing for as long as she can remember. Her journey with the sound current began many years ago and doesn’t seem to have an end—instead it has become an infinite quest for the anaahat, or unstruck sound. 
A student of sound for more than 20 years, she integrates the Naad into her music, teaching, and healing practices. She has studied with some of the great Sound practitioners in the West: David Hykes, Shanti Shivani, and Pandit Mukesh Desai and is also influenced by the Shabad Guru—the sound current in the Sikh tradition.  Her music focuses on using sound to move the body, the mind and the breath toward powerful transformative experiences that uplift the individual and serve the soul.
A writer, editor, poet, singer and songwriter—and a pretty good cook, too—Sat Purkh is a KRI Certified Kundalini Yoga Instructor and Practitioner as well as a Professional Trainer in the KRI Aquarian Trainer Academy. Sat Purkh joined the KRI staff in 2006 and was instrumental in the development of the Level Two Teacher Training curriculums. Currently she serves as Curriculum Coordinator for The Kundalini Research Institute’s Immersion Level One Teacher Training, offered annually each August. She has five albums of sacred music, Nectar of the Name, Beautiful Day: The Aquarian Sadhana, Queen Be: The Goddess Within, Love & Other Miracles, and Another Beautiful Day: Live Aquarian Sadhana; she is also the author of Everyday Grace: The Art of Being a Woman, an introduction to the Women’s Teachings of Yogi Bhajan. She’s currently completing her sixth album, One: Light, Love, Life. She lives with her husband, Abhai Raj, their two cats, Fatty and Slim, and their dog, Vinnie. 

Looking for a chuni? We've got 'em! Another option to wearing a chuni is to wear a scarf or shawl to protect the arc line. Check out our collection at Long Time Sun Apparel. Sat Nam!

Thursday, March 6, 2014

An Everyday Guide to Mala Meditation


By Sat Purkh Kaur Khalsa
When you see images of saints and sages, you often see a mala in their hand. So which came first, do you think? The saint or the mala meditation? The chicken or the egg? I can’t say but Yogi Bhajan was always running a mala while teaching, while meeting with students, in business meetings. And for myself, my mala has saved my grace more than once in business meetings when things weren’t going my way, or I was becoming impatient. Run the beads, chant the name, slow the breath and be the victor. 
Malas have been used by every religious tradition, so there must be something to it. My first experience with a “mala” was creating prayer ties for a vision quest I was embarking on above the hills of Ojai, California. I sat for days, weeks, placing a pinch of tobacco into a tiny square of cloth, saying a prayer, and then folding, twisting and tying it onto the line with all the many others. In this way, I created my very own mala of 408 “beads” which became my only shelter during my three days on the mountain. And essentially this is how malas work: the prayer we offer as we pass the beads between our fingers shelters us from our own neurosis, our duality, our straying thoughts, our emotions and brings us back again and again to the name—the reality within. 
Malas take us both deeper into reality and also shield us from becoming too engrossed in maya’s play. For example, Yogi Bhajan suggested running a mala while you watched a movie so that the mind doesn’t become too immersed in the fantasy.  You can also use your mala to go very deep into a meditation. One recent example for me was practicing the Miracle Mantra: Guru Guru Wahe Guru Guru Ram Das Guru (5 times on a breath) in a group. We had decided to complete 100 malas or just over 1000 repetitions of the mantra. It took just over three hours to complete and the mala kept our minds focused and alert to the present moment.  
If you find yourself in a situation where you don’t have your mala with you, but you still need the support of that ritual movement and recitation of the name under your breath or silently in your mind, simply use your fingers: each joint becomes its own bead upon the mala that is your hand. I like to move in a spiral shape toward the center and out again, but you can simply just move from fingertip to fingertip and recite Sat Naam or Wahe Guru or Ram or Jesus, or whatever name liberates you and delivers you to peace and ease. 
Remember: it’s the prayer that makes the mala. Yes, the beads have certain qualities depending on the stone or metal they are made from, but it is the simple, humble act of running the beads that makes it work. A beautiful, even priceless mala, is worth nothing until it is running between the fingers of the devotee.



Sat Purkh Kaur Khalsa has been singing for as long as she can remember. Her journey with the sound current began many years ago and doesn’t seem to have an end—instead it has become an infinite quest for the anaahat, or unstruck sound. 
A student of sound for more than 20 years, she integrates the Naad into her music, teaching, and healing practices. She has studied with some of the great Sound practitioners in the West: David Hykes, Shanti Shivani, and Pandit Mukesh Desai and is also influenced by the Shabad Guru—the sound current in the Sikh tradition.  Her music focuses on using sound to move the body, the mind and the breath toward powerful transformative experiences that uplift the individual and serve the soul.
A writer, editor, poet, singer and songwriter—and a pretty good cook, too—Sat Purkh is a KRI Certified Kundalini Yoga Instructor and Practitioner as well as a Professional Trainer in the KRI Aquarian Trainer Academy. Sat Purkh joined the KRI staff in 2006 and was instrumental in the development of the Level Two Teacher Training curriculums. Currently she serves as Curriculum Coordinator for The Kundalini Research Institute’s Immersion Level One Teacher Training, offered annually each August. She has five albums of sacred music, Nectar of the Name, Beautiful Day: The Aquarian Sadhana, Queen Be: The Goddess Within, Love & Other Miracles, and Another Beautiful Day: Live Aquarian Sadhana; she is also the author of Everyday Grace: The Art of Being a Woman, an introduction to the Women’s Teachings of Yogi Bhajan. She’s currently completing her sixth album, One: Light, Love, Life. She lives with her husband, Abhai Raj, their two cats, Fatty and Slim, and their dog, Vinnie. 

Thursday, February 13, 2014

What's with the White Clothes?


By Kyla Rose Maher
I remember the first time I heard everyone wears white and covers their head in Kundalini Yoga.  “Everyone wears white?”, I thought to myself, “This screams CULT” … 
Luckily this did not scare me away from a practice that ended up changing my life in many ways and ironically, I now make my living selling white Kundalini yoga clothes.  No, I have not (nor will I ever) sacrifice my favorite black jeans or my colorful scarf collection - but I can say that I have experienced the depth of the teaching and wear white as part of my spiritual practice.  
There are two main reasons behind the teaching.  The first is that wearing all white clothing expands your aura.  A bright auric radiance gives you a strong sense of self and protects you from negativity.  Yogi Bhajan said, “We wear white because it’s a simple scientific fact that every piece of matter or material has a foot and a half aura. Every animal has a three and a half foot aura. Every human has a nine foot aura. And if we wear the cotton and we wear the white, this color therapy gives us one extra foot of aura.” 
I certainly have been witness to this, especially when I’m teaching.  It’s amazing how much more confident, secure, and powerful I feel when I’m dressed all in white.  Often times, I will change back into my street clothes right after I teach - and WOW what a different energy.  People also respond to me very differently.  This makes sense, as Yogi Bhajan also said, “Colors create an uncontrollable action in your subconscious mind of inspiration, productivity and expansion. Colors have an effect on consciousness.”
The other reason for wearing white is that it is an exercise in awareness.  I can’t even tell you how many white clothes I’ve ruined, rushing my meal, spilling something right down the front of my shirt.  God forbid I’m trying to eat in my car while I’m driving (I recommend not doing this).  When you are wearing all white, you are forced to be more conscious of keeping yourself together.  It’s a practice in mindfulness.
To be honest with you, when I started Kundalini Yoga I didn’t care so much about aura expansion and mindfulness. I started wearing white just so I could fit in with everyone in the class.  What started out as a way to fit in turned out to be a much deeper practice. Without hiding behind those slimming black yoga pants or wearing my usual dark shades of gray and brown, I felt completely exposed and vulnerable.  This was a place that was NOT comfortable for me at the time.  But I kept showing up, in white, kept practicing, and kept doing my best.  Eventually, the discomfort of being vulnerable started to leave and a self love and acceptance started to creep in.  I discovered that I am perfect just the way I am, whether I’m wearing my black jeans and a colorful scarf, or I’m dressed head to toe in white.
Sat Nam, 
Kyla
….Oh, and I know an awesome place to shop for white clothes ;-) www.longtimesunapparel.com

About the author: Kyla Rose Maher, creator & owner of Long Time Sun Apparel  is a KRI Certified Instructor of Kundalini Yoga as taught by Yogi Bhajan® and is certified in SuperHealth, a yogic therapeutic technology for addictive behavior.  She has had the privilege of studying under many master teachers including Hari Kaur KhalsaMukta Kaur Khalsa, and Mahan Rishi Singh Khalsa.  Aside from running Long Time Sun Apparel, Kyla has been a contributing writer for the Spirit Voyage Blog and the Kundalini Yoga Boston Blog. She spent the summers of 2012-2013 teaching at the Ponderosa Tazland Festival in Germany and is currently enjoying spreading the teachings of Yogi Bhajan throughout New England along with having a blast growing with Long Time Sun Apparel.

Monday, February 10, 2014

7 Reasons Why You Should Use a Wooden Comb or Brush


By Kyla Rose Maher
In the Kundalini Yoga world, chances are, you will come across quite a few people with their uncut hair wrapped in a turban and lots of men rockin’ really long beards.  The hair is a very sacred thing in the Kundalini Yoga tradition, and there are some really interesting teachings on the subject, from many different spiritual traditions. Here is a great article from 3HO all about it: http://www.3ho.org/3ho-lifestyle/daily-routine/hair-care
One specific teaching is to use a wooden comb or brush for combing your hair.  I’m going to go ahead and make a bold statement based on my experience.  Once you switch to wood - you will never go back.  For me, a wooden brush just FEELS better on my scalp, and my hair seems really happy.  Here are some other reasons you might want to consider using a wooden brush or comb:
From the yogic perspective:
1. Wood does not create static electricity, which causes a loss of the hair’s energy to the brain. 
2. If you comb your hair and scalp front to back, back to front, and then to the right and left several times, it will refresh you, no matter how long your hair is. All the tiredness of your day will be gone.
3. For women, it is said that using this technique to comb your hair twice a day can help maintain youth, a healthy menstrual cycle, and good eyesight.
And some other reasons:
4. Wooden bristles gently massage the scalp and move natural oils through the hair. This aids in blood circulation, excess sebum absorption and the removal hair impurities.
5.  Massaging the scalp helps promote hair growth and stimulate acupressure points.
6. When exposed to a blow dryer, the brush stays cool because wood does not conduct heat. When hair is wet the wooden bristles glide easily through the tangles.
7. Some wooden brushes and combs are naturally hypoallergenic.  (The brushes and combs from Long Time Sun Apparel are only finished with a protective coating of beeswax or purified linseed oil.)
[Another cool things about the brushes from Long Time Sun Apparel are only wood suppliers who agree to a policy of Forest Stewardship Council sustainable forestation are utilized. This also applies to the African wood suppliers. Waheguru!]
I hope this has been helpfull! Happy hair brushing! :)

About the author: Kyla Rose Maher, creator & owner of Long Time Sun Apparel  is a KRI Certified Instructor of Kundalini Yoga as taught by Yogi Bhajan® and is certified in SuperHealth, a yogic therapeutic technology for addictive behavior.  She has had the privilege of studying under many master teachers including Hari Kaur KhalsaMukta Kaur Khalsa, and Mahan Rishi Singh Khalsa.  Aside from running Long Time Sun Apparel, Kyla has been a contributing writer for the Spirit Voyage Blog and the Kundalini Yoga Boston Blog. She spent the summers of 2012-2013 teaching at the Ponderosa Tazland Festival in Germany and is currently enjoying spreading the teachings of Yogi Bhajan throughout New England along with having a blast growing with Long Time Sun Apparel.

Saturday, January 25, 2014

What's with the Turban?

By Kyla Rose Maher


So you walk into a Kundalini Yoga class not knowing what to expect, and you see a lot of people with their heads covered… hats, scarves, bandanas…
OK a little weird…. 
and then you look up and the teacher is decked out in a full blown turban…
Yikes. 
For a lot of people this can be a little disconcerting.
As many of us know, the turban’s importance can be found in just about every culture and religion, from the ancient Babylonians to western religions such as Judiaism, Christianity, and Islam, as well as Sikhism and other eastern traditions.  
But what the heck?! I didn’t come to join a religion… I just came to do some yoga!
Kundalini Yoga is not a religion.   It is universal and nondenominational. And students do not need to cover their head! Although it is not a requirement, here are some reasons why we do:
  • Covering the head enables you to command your sixth center, the Ajna Chakra. 
  • Covering the head stabilizes the cerebral matter and the 26 parts of the brain, which are interlocked with the neurological system and electromagnetic field. 
  • Covering the head creates a focus of the functional circuit of the hemispheres of the brain, and tunes the neurological system. 
  • Turbans in particular are useful for holding energy in, and for creating a meditative focus at the third eye point (brow point). 
  • Turbans provide a nice cranial adjustment. The skull is made up of tiny bones that are constantly moving even if only by micrometers and the degree to which they move impacts levels of calmness or anxiety. It literally helps “keep your head together.” 
(sourced from www.3ho.org)

I must be honest, even learning about these facts for the first time I was still hesitant to cover my head.  
I’m not going to look pretty in a turban! What will other people think? 
My apprehension to do a lot of things early on in Kundalini Yoga has actually turned out to be a complete blessing.  It’s been my experience that whenever I’m resistant to do anything in life, there is always an amazing opportunity for growth.  I just have to have  enough courage and willingness to really take a look at myself honestly.  What is it about this situation that scares me and why?  Am I attached to an idea or story that it’s time to let go of? 
If you haven’t tried covering your head, and you’re open to it, do an experiment! Try meditating with a head covering and then compare it to your experience without one.  I found that when I let go of the stories and just tried covering my head, I felt more self contained and could focus much better. And thus, the effects of Kundalini Yoga were amplified.
…and I also found out you can still look pretty in a turban :) 
See what works for you! 
Photo credit: Allison Parmakis [www.allisonpharmakis.com]

About the author: Kyla Rose Maher, creator & owner of Long Time Sun Apparel  is a KRI Certified Instructor of Kundalini Yoga as taught by Yogi Bhajan® and is certified in SuperHealth, a yogic therapeutic technology for addictive behavior.  She has had the privilege of studying under many master teachers including Hari Kaur KhalsaMukta Kaur Khalsa, and Mahan Rishi Singh Khalsa.  Aside from running Long Time Sun Apparel, Kyla has been a contributing writer for the Spirit Voyage Blog and the Kundalini Yoga Boston Blog. She spent the summers of 2012-2013 teaching at the Ponderosa Tazland Festival in Germany and is currently enjoying spreading the teachings of Yogi Bhajan throughout New England along with having a blast growing with Long Time Sun Apparel.

Want to know how to tie a turban?  
Check out our turban tying videos:


Visit our site for turban material, wooden brushes
and other head coverings!

Wednesday, January 22, 2014

3 Tips for Wearing White Yoga Pants


Even for those who are blessed with the nicest “kundalini yoga butt”, we think it’s safe to say that white yoga pants are just tough to pull off, for most everyone. Here are three tips for the ladies for looking graceful and radiant in your favorite Kundalini pants.

1. Nude colored underwear. This is a must!  It’s a myth that white panties disappear under white pants. Really, there are no exceptions here.  Wear nude colored undergarments, always. If you don’t own any, go buy some, now!

2. Longer length top.  This is not necessarily true for all white pants, but for tight white yoga pants - wearing a longer length top can be key.  Styles like our Fold-Over White Yoga Pants and our Churidar Style Leggings - a longer top that covers your tush is a tasteful choice.  Most of our tops are longer length, just for this reason.

3. Leggings.  For flowy style pants, like our Tiered Kriya Pants or Ananda Pants, or pants made with a sheer cotton, like our Cotton Fisherman Pants, wearing leggings underneath can be more appropriate, especially while doing yoga.  [Teachers: think demonstrating alternate leg lifts in flowy pants.  Could be more exposed leg & thigh than some of us would like!]  Our Churidar Style Leggings are great for layering and thin enough so that you’re not too warm when practicing yoga.

We hope this is helpful! Sat Nam!