I started Kundalini yoga a few weeks ago after a relatively long break from yoga. I LOVE it. Although there is a huge spiritual component to the practice I am going to tell you who I chose to start kundalini based off of my own goals.
1. The whole hour and a quarter is dedicated to breath. There are so many different breathing exercises and the whole class you are focused on breathing correctly, deeply, and with your whole lungs. This is PERFECT for a CFer. Being conscience of my breath requires me to inhale deeper than I ever do in daily life because normally I am not paying attention and breath lazily. You know that shallow breathing that we all do when we aren't thinking about breathing...which is pretty much all the time!!
2. Its a time that I get to meditate and clear my mind! The whole yoga session is dedicated to you and being in tune with your body and it isn't about looking cute at the gym or stretching further than anyone else. It's completely 100% about YOU!!!
3. I am much more in tune with my body! I am spending time listening to ME and MY lungs and MY body. I noticed last week that I had more crackles during my deep breathing. I would never hear this otherwise because I never sit and listen to myself doing deep breathing. I proceeded to go home and vest/neb to be proactive. I never would have done this because I would have NO idea that I needed to.
4. The exercises (holding poses or doing repetitive motions for a ridiculously long time) are often mind over matter. Often my muscles are shaking while I am holding a pose and it takes all I can not to quit, BUT yoga also allows you to go to a different part in your mind. I don't know if i can explain it. I try to release my mind from my body and go into a different place (for lack of more descriptive word) and suddenly what seems impossible is very doable. This is so important for anyone, but especially for people with chronic illness. Being able to escape out bodies when we are in pain or about to undergo a procedure is a life saver! It also allows you to release a lot of fear when going into procedures because you are 100% confident you can get through it!
**Disclaimer***
My personal opinion is that the only way to get true results is to go to a true yogi. All of those classes provided at gyms are such a joke. Don't get my wrong I have been to them and you do get a workout and you do relax, but it is NOT true yoga. I call it trendy yoga and is good for a workout, but will never provide the benefits I have listed. That makes me sound stuck up huh?
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