The evidence base for kundalini yoga is growing and there are now many studies that have shown the therapeutic benefits of the practice. Kundalini yoga is an effective tool for stress reduction, improving mental health and physical wellbeing. As a BIYOME teacher, you will be able to offer your students evidence-informed kundalini yoga classes that can help others improve their lives. Therapeutic kundalini yoga classes can also be used as part of a wider treatment plan for people with mental health issues, such as anxiety and depression. If you are interested in teaching kundalini yoga, or if you are already a teacher, BIYOME offers evidence-based training that will give you the skills and knowledge you need to teach classes effectively.
Below, we take the time to list out some off the growing evidence behind the practice of kundalini yoga for you.
Kundalini Yoga for Mental Health
Kundalini yoga is an ancient practice that has been shown to be effective in treating a variety of mental health conditions. In addition to the techniques listed above, kundalini yoga and meditation can also be used to treat traumatised children, adolescents, and adults; anger (chronic, “deep long-lasting variety”); bipolar disorders (one for the manic phase, one for the depressed phase, and one to resolve the condition in general); chronic fatigue syndrome; impulsive behaviours; ADD; multiple complex personalities; mental illness in general; and nightmares. This system also has many non disorder-specific meditation techniques that can be used to improve overall mental health. (Khalsa, 2004).
Kundalini yoga has been shown to alleviate generalised anxiety disorder more than the typical treatment conditions (Gabriel et al., 2018). Randomised control trials that span years have also supported the idea that Kundalini yoga is very efficacious in treating anxiety (Simon et al., 2021).
Research also suggests that the attunement of mind and body, alongside the self-awareness promoted by Kundalini yoga, is powerful in treating PTSD (Jindani & Khalsa, 2015).
Kundalini Yoga for Inflammation
Yoga and Meditation as Lifestyle Medicine interventions also reduce stress, therefore we consider here how the influence of stress increases inflammation and how kundalini yoga may help. Chronic inflammation hinders healthy bodily activity and can lead to poor health and dysfunction. Discipline through yoga and meditation & the practice of lifestyle medicine tends to reduce inflammation. Though not specific to Kundalini yoga, research from a meditation retreat involving yoga, meditations, and kriyas has been shown to alter inflammatory markers (Cahn et al., 2017). For example, after a 3-month practice, participants had increased anti-inflammatory IL-10 levels while decreasing pro-inflammatory IL-12 levels (Cahn et al., 2017).
Kundalini Yoga for Chronic Pain
Chronic Pain is now so common, especially in the lower back, and can be a debilitating disease, now worldwide. Often, the symptoms of this pain are considered untreatable and a necessary part of life. However, plenty of research suggests that mindfulness can help alleviate the suffering of such pain. Kundalini is one such method that can help. For example, a randomised control trial suggests that practising Kundalini yoga twice a week can significantly reduce chronic back pain that keeps someone from showing up to work (Brämberg et al., 2017). Additionally, neck pain and stiffness due to cervical spondylosis are also alleviated through a kundalini practice (Sugumar & Ponnuswamy, 2018).
Kundalini Yoga for Addictions
We now turn our attention to kundalini yoga for addictions. When studying meditation and yoga, one may reflect upon the mind and our ability to observe it without necessarily giving into its direction. Addiction is the inability to resist the mind’s temptations. Kundalini yoga has long explored addictions and techniques to alleviate these tendencies.
Teaching Kundalini Yoga therapy for addictions can be both a rewarding and challenging experience. It is important to remember that each person’s addiction is unique, and therefore each person’s recovery will be unique as well. In order to be an effective teacher, you must be patient, compassionate, and understand the different stages of addiction and recovery.
Kundalini Yoga for Sleep Health
Sleep is an essential part of a day that allows our body to conduct critical rejuvenating physiological processes. A recent randomised control trial has revealed that Kundalini yoga increased sleep efficiency, decreased sleep onset latency, and increased sleep time, resulting in an overall decrease in sleep insomnia scores (Khalsa & Goldstein, 2021).
Kundalini Yoga for Gut Health
Kundalini yoga therapy is an effective way to improve gut health. This therapy uses a combination of techniques, including breath work, to help increase the good bacteria in the gut. This can help improve digestion and reduce inflammation.
Gut health is vastly underappreciated in many people’s eyes. Not only are most of the cells that make up our foreign body species, such as gut microbiota, but they affect aspects of our health beyond digestion. For example, gut bacteria content is related to the development of mild cognitive impairment (Wei et al., 2020). The gut microbiome may affect the mind, however mind training also can affect the microbiome. Mindfulness meditation techniques, which alter vagal tone, have alleviated symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBD) (Breit et al., 2018; Househam et al., 2017). Though not precisely mindfulness meditation, Kundalini and meditation share fundamental similarities. Though no direct studies have been made, it has been postulated that Kundalini yoga may have similar effects on microbiome-related diseases such as IBS (Shannahoff-Khalsa, n.d.). It is also very important to note that the breath of fire that is so often employed in kundalini yoga, may be giving a certain pattern of intense stimulation of the abdomen that can liberate immune cells and counter infection.
Kundalini Yoga for Cardiovascular Health
Kundalini yoga may also help alleviate various forms of pulmonary or cardiovascular issues, possibly also having a distinct effect on the electromagnetic field of the heart. Research involving a 12-week Kundalini yoga routine showed a statistically significant decrease in hypertension, suggesting a natural positive effect on cardiovascular health is possible through yoga (Wolff et al., 2013).
Kundalini Yoga Training Options
We have taken the time to summarise on our BIYOME blog the mounting evidence around the therapeutic application of Evidence-Based Kundalini Yoga. Kundalini Yoga has been well researched for over 20 years now, with the leading Harvard Associate Professor of Medicine at its helm: Sat Bir Singh Khalsa, Ph.D.
In coming years, we have two wonderful Senior Kundalini Yoga Therapists and Lead Trainers joining us to spark your interest further, educate and tweak your teaching skills and hone your mind and heart.
Now is a great time to begin your Kundalini Yoga Training, to be educated by this wonderful team. If you would like to include kundalini yoga in your meditation teacher training, yoga teacher training or yoga therapy training, please ask us how and get started as soon as this weekend.
- CPD07 Therapeutic Application of Kundalini Yoga 19-22 August, 2022 with Samantha Lindsay-German (starts Friday and ends Monday!)
- CPD19 A Kundalini Yoga Approach to Cultivating the Therapeutic Space with Siri Bhagvati 21-24 July, 2023
- CPD21 Evidence Based Kundalini Yoga Therapy with Dr Khalsa 16-19 August, 2024
Join us on the path that sparks your heart.
Kundalini Yoga Teacher Training is one of the many options we offer for your interest. Contact us today to find out more.
References
Brämberg, E. B., Bergström, G., Jensen, I., Hagberg, J., & Kwak, L. (2017). Effects of yoga , strength training and advice on back pain : a randomized controlled trial. 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12891-017-1497-1
Breit, S., Kupferberg, A., Rogler, G., & Hasler, G. (2018). Vagus nerve as modulator of the brain-gut axis in psychiatric and inflammatory disorders. In Frontiers in Psychiatry (Vol. 9, Issue MAR, p. 1). Frontiers Media S.A. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00044
Cahn, B. R., Goodman, M. S., Peterson, C. T., Maturi, R., & Mills, P. J. (2017). Yoga, meditation and mind-body health: Increased BDNF, cortisol awakening response, and altered inflammatory marker expression after a 3-month yoga and meditation retreat. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 11, 315. https://doi.org/10.3389/FNHUM.2017.00315/BIBTEX
Gabriel, M. G., Curtiss, J., Hofmann, S. G., & Khalsa, S. B. S. (2018). Kundalini Yoga for Generalized Anxiety Disorder: An Exploration of Treatment Efficacy and Possible Mechanisms. International Journal of Yoga Therapy, 28(1), 97–105. https://doi.org/10.17761/2018-00003
Househam, A. M., Christine, ;, Peterson, T., Mills, P. J., & Chopra, D. (2017). The Effects of Stress and Meditation on the Immune System, Human Microbiota, and Epigenetics.
Jindani, F. A., & Khalsa, G. F. S. (2015). A yoga intervention program for patients suffering from symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder: A qualitative descriptive study. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 21(7), 401–408. https://doi.org/10.1089/ACM.2014.0262/ASSET/IMAGES/LARGE/FIGURE1.JPEG
Khalsa, S. B. S., & Goldstein, M. R. (2021). Treatment of chronic primary sleep onset insomnia with Kundalini yoga: a randomized controlled trial with active sleep hygiene comparison. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, 17(9), 1841–1852. https://doi.org/10.5664/JCSM.9320
Shannahoff-Khalsa, D. (n.d.). Stress Management for Gastrointestinal Disorders The Use of Kundalini Yoga Meditation Techniques.
Shannahoff-Khalsa, D. (n.d.) (2004) An Introduction to Kundalini Yoga Meditation Techniques That Are Specific for the Treatment of Psychiatric Disorders.
Simon, N. M., Hofmann, S. G., Rosenfield, D., Hoeppner, S. S., Hoge, E. A., Bui, E., & Khalsa, S. B. S. (2021). Efficacy of Yoga vs Cognitive Behavioral Therapy vs Stress Education for the Treatment of Generalized Anxiety Disorder: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Psychiatry, 78(1), 13–20. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2020.2496
Sugumar, D., & Ponnuswamy, V. (2018). Effect of simplified Kundalini yoga in the management of cervical spondylosis. 5(5), 71–74.
Wei, W., Khine, T., Lian Voong, M., Kheng, T., Ng, S., Feng, L., Rane, G. A., Kumar, A. P., Kua, E. H., Mahendran, R., Mahendran, R., & Lee, Y.-K. (2020). Mental awareness improved mild cognitive impairment and modulated gut microbiome. Aging, 2020(23), 24371–24393. www.aging-us.comwww.aging-us.com
Wolff, M., Sundquist, K., Larsson Lönn, S., & Midlöv, P. (2013). Impact of yoga on blood pressure and quality of life in patients with hypertension – a controlled trial in primary care, matched for systolic blood pressure. BMC Cardiovascular Disorders, 13(1), 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2261-13-111/FIGURES/2
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