yoga bliss hips - yikes - what did i buy?

[bzar]

the used bookstore had this on clearance for $3. i recall everyone raving about Ravi and Ana. so i bit.

i watched the 20 min then the 45 min routine. i kept thinking "if my kids see me doing/watching this thing, for sure they'll call the white coats."

is all kundalini yoga like this? it must be effective because so many amazon customers rank Ravi & Ana quite highly. at this point in my life, i am game for trying anything that relaxes, calms, and brings me at one w/the universe.

[bee]

Well, I'm not an expert, but from what I've seen, yes, it's all like that. I have to make sure no one is around when I'm doing it. But, give it a shot -- some do give me a feeling like I've never had......

[MomOf2Gremlins]

Kundalini yoga is not the same as hatha yoga, that much is certain!
So yes, if you don't like this DVD, most likely you won't 'click' with any others of Ravi/Ana's. But to be fair, I have to admit I first reacted like you when I got my first DVD and put it away for a few months. When I then dug it out again (after having read some threads about it again here) I somehow had a more open mind and now I seriously love it! Maybe give it another shot in a few days/weeks/months?
If you like the general idea of Kundalini Yoga, Maya Fiennes is also a wonderful person with lots of nice DVDs, quite more calm and slower than Ana's style. There are plenty of other options if you decide it might be something for you!

Edit: I was cross posting with Betsy; clearly her answer is more in depth and thorough!

[SharonNYC]

Originally Posted by MomOf2Gremlins

Kundalini yoga is not the same as hatha yoga, that much is certain!

Well, actuallty I'd consider kundalini to be hatha yoga ( see this Yoga Journal article describing styles of postural yoga currently being taught in the United States.

And kundalini isn't for everyone (not for me for example) but Betsy's post is an excellent and very fair capsule description. I don't think Gurmukh gets her fair share of attention, considering how early she was on the media scene.

[bee]

Gurmukh was my introduction to kundalini and will probably always be my favorite. So far, I think it's the only one that has given me that tingly feeling. I did it based on a recommendation from a friend who made me promise I would do the whole thing once -- I'm so glad that's how I got started.

[eam531]

Originally Posted by bzar

the used bookstore had this on clearance for $3. i recall everyone raving about Ravi and Ana. so i bit.

i watched the 20 min then the 45 min routine. i kept thinking "if my kids see me doing/watching this thing, for sure they'll call the white coats."

is all kundalini yoga like this? it must be effective because so many amazon customers rank Ravi & Ana quite highly. at this point in my life, i am game for trying anything that relaxes, calms, and brings me at one w/the universe.

Kundalini yoga is quite unlike "regular" yoga you might be familiar with. Typically, classes begin with a "tune in" (a brief mantra connecting you with your internal teacher), warmups, a yoga set (called a kriya), deep relaxation, and a meditation. Kundalini yoga meditations often "active", involving mantras and mudras (hand and arm movements).

Some of the yoga sets can involve exercises that for lack of a better term might be called "goofy". I won't deny it! ;-)

Kundalini yoga does a lot of work on the endocrine system and the movement of energy up and down the spine, as well as working on emotional "stuff". I'm not saying other forms of yoga don't do similar things, but kundalini yoga *really* is designed for this kind of work.

Also, Ravi and Ana are not the alpha and omega of kundalini yoga video practices, by any means, although I think that they understand putting out yoga DVDs for the home market better than almost all other kundalini yoga teachers. Some other instructors whom I like are Nirvair Singh Khalsa (I think of him as the Erich Schiffmann of kundalini yoga in terms of his sweet, mellow vibe) and Sat Jivan Singh Khalsa (his "Peace of Mind in Stressful Times" DVD is wonderful). Maya Fiennes is also very popular. Gurmukh's kundalini yoga DVD is about as close as anything I have seen to the atmosphere in a live class. She is probably the best known kundalini yoga teacher among kundalini yoga students who attend live classes.

One thing to note: in the DVDs by old school instructors like Nirvair and Sat Jivan and Gurmukh, you do the yoga set as is; no slicing and dicing a la Ravi and Ana. This is not just true of kundalini yoga--Bikram yoga and classic Ashtanga hatha yoga practices are just two examples of yoga practices that have a very set order to the yoga postures. This is not meant to be critical of Ravi and Ana, only that if you should investigate DVDs by Nirvair and Sat Jivan, don't expect to be able to build your own yoga set.

HTH, and I hope you enjoy your foray into kundalini yoga.

[MomOf2Gremlins]

Originally Posted by eam531

Some other instructors whom I like are Nirvair Singh Khalsa (I think of him as the Erich Schiffmann of kundalini yoga in terms of his sweet, mellow vibe)

Yes!!! A kind VFer sent me a few of his work and love them! If I had more $ I'd want all of his DVDs!
Maya is another favorite of mine!

[ddj]

Originally Posted by MomOf2Gremlins

Yes!!! A kind VFer sent me a few of his work and love them! If I had more $ I'd want all of his DVD's!

I adore Nirvair Singh Khalsa. I wish he'd put out more dvds.

How lucky you are that someone sent you a few of his dvds!

[goldillocks]

I too was shocked when I saw my first Kundalini yoga dvd and thought "what the f... is this?"
But I totally love Kundalini Yoga now and it does make me feel so good
I still hate the tuning in part and the chanting though.
But I love the majority of the exercises which are very core intensive and I find Kundalini Yoga is a great substitute for Pilates which I find really really boring.
Also I believe that the rapid fire breathing and the long inhales and exhales really do oxygenate the body as they make me feel great afterwards and it really decreases my apetite and cravings for sweets.
I have a large collection now of many Ravianas and Maya Fiennes

[Demeris]

Originally Posted by ddj

I adore Nirvair Singh Khalsa. I wish he'd put out more dvds.

Me, too. I love his gentle, goofy good-nature