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 Khalsa, Mukta 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.

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.

[sourced from: http://www.kundalini-yoga-info.com/hair-beard-turbans.html]

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 Khalsa, Mukta 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.