Rise Above Your Limitations
Kriya for Elevation is a series designed to improve flexibility and strength of the spine, stimulate the circulation of prana, and balance the chakras.
1. Ego Eradicator
Posture & Mudra: Sit in Easy Pose (Sukhasana) with a straight spine. Raise your arms out to a 60-degree angle, elbows straight and palms facing forward. Curl your fingers into the palms, placing the fingertips on the mounds of each finger. Extend your thumbs straight up with the hands parallel to the ground.
Movement & Breath: Hold the posture and breathe Breath of Fire.
Eyes/Drishti: Close the eyes and focus on the Third Eye Point (Ajna Chakra).
Duration: Continue for 1-3 minutes.
Ending:
- Inhale deeply, exhale, and relax.
- Inhale deeply, suspend the breath, and bring your thumbs together above your head. Open the fingers wide, stretch the spine, and focus above the Crown Chakra.
- Exhale completely, hold the breath out, and apply Root Lock (Mulabandha).
2. Spinal Flexes
Posture & Mudra: Sit in Easy Pose (Sukhasana). Grasp the ankles with both hands.
Movement & Breath: Inhale and arch your spine forward, lifting your chest. Exhale and round your spine back, keeping your head level.
Duration: Continue for 1-3 minutes.
Ending: Inhale, exhale, and relax.
3. Spinal Twists
Posture & Mudra: Sit in Easy Pose (Sukhasana) and grasp your shoulders with fingers in front and thumbs in back.
Movement & Breath: Inhale and twist the torso to the left, exhale and twist to the right. Keep the upper arms parallel to the floor and the elbows pulled back.
Duration: Continue for 1-3 minutes. Do not reverse the movement or breathing.
Ending: Inhale to center, and exhale. Relax.
4. Life Nerve Stretch
Posture & Mudra: Sit with your legs straight out in front. Grasp the legs where you can or the toes using the index and middle fingers hooked around the big toe, with the thumb pressing the toenail.
Movement & Breath: Exhale as you lengthen the spine, bending forward from the hips and bringing the chest toward the legs. The head follows the movement. Inhale and use the legs to push yourself up. The head rises last.
Duration: Continue with deep, powerful breathing for 1-3 minutes.
Ending: Inhale up, hold the breath, and apply Root Lock (Mulabandha). Hold the posture, exhale completely, and hold the breath out. Inhale and relax.
5. Modified Maha Mudra
Posture & Mudra: Sit on the right heel with the left leg extended forward. Hold the left big toe with both hands and press the nail. Engage Neck Lock (Jalandhara Bandha).
Movement & Breath: Exhale and lengthen the spine; bend forward from the hips, keeping the spine straight and and bringing the elbows toward the floor. Finally, relax the head down towards the knee. Maintain this posture while breathing Breath of Fire.
Duration: Continue for 1 to 2 minutes. Switch sides and repeat this sequence one more time.
Ending: Inhale, exhale, and hold the breath out while stretching the head and torso forward and down. Then inhale and relax.
6. Alternating Life Nerve Stretch
Posture & Mudra: Sit straight and tall with your legs wide apart. Hold onto the legs where you can or the toes using the index and middle fingers hooked around the big toe, with the thumb pressing the toenail.
Movement & Breath: Inhale and stretch the spine up. Exhale and bend forward from the hips, bringing the chest towards the left knee. Inhale back up to center. Exhale and bend forward from the hips, bringing the chest towards the right knee.
Duration: Continue alternating with powerful breathing for 1-2 minutes.
Ending: Inhale up to center. Exhale and immediately begin the next exercise.
7. Life Nerve Stretch
Posture & Mudra: Remain in the posture from the previous exercise.
Movement & Breath: Inhale and stretch the spine up, exhale and bend forward from the hips, bringing the chest toward the floor between the legs.
Duration: Continue for 1 minute.
Ending: Inhale up, stretching the spine straight. Exhale, bringing the chest and forehead to the floor. Hold the breath out as you stretch forward and down. Inhale, exhale, and relax.
8. Cobra Pose
Posture & Mudra: Lie on your stomach with legs extended together and the soles of the feet facing up. Place the palms on the ground underneath the shoulders.
Movement & Breath: Engage the Navel Point and, pressing against the floor, straighten the arms and lift the chest and upper back off the floor. Keep the pelvis and legs pressed against the floor. Look up and arch the spine up and back. Breathe Breath of Fire.
Duration: Continue for 1-3 minutes.
Ending: Inhale, suspend the breath and arch up and back to your maximum. Exhale and hold the breath out, applying Root Lock (Mulabandha). Inhale. Exhaling slowly, lower the chest and upper back to the floor. Relax with the chin on the floor and the arms at the sides.
9. Shoulder Shrugs
Posture & Mudra: Sit in Easy Pose (Sukhasana). Place the palms on the knees.
Movement & Breath: Shrug your shoulders up on the inhale and down on the exhale.
Duration: Continue with this rhythmic movement and powerful breathing for 1-2 minutes.
Ending: Inhale and exhale deeply, then relax.
10. Neck Circles
Posture & Mudra: Sit in Easy Pose (Sukhasana) with an elongated neck.
Movement & Breath: Slowly roll your head in a circular motion.
Duration: Continue with the circles for 1-2 minutes. Then reverse the direction and rotate the head in the other direction for another 1-2 minutes.
Ending: Inhale the head to center, exhale, and relax.
11. Sat Kriya
Posture & Mudra: Sit in Rock Pose (Vajrasana) with your hands overhead in Ksepana Mudra. Keep the arms straight and the shoulders down.
Movement & Breath: Chant “SAT” as you pull your Navel Point in and up, and chant “NAM” as you release it, at a pace of 8 repetitions per 10 seconds.
Duration: Continue for 3-7 minutes.
Ending:
- Inhale and relax.
- Inhale deeply, apply Root Lock (Mulabandha) and squeeze your muscles firmly from your buttocks to your shoulders. Mentally visualize the energy flowing out through the top of your head (Crown Chakra).
- Exhale, hold your breath out, and apply the Great Lock (Mahabandha).
12. Deep Relaxation
Posture & Mudra: Lie in Corpse Pose (Savasana). Ensure your body is comfortable and free from tension.
Mindful Attention: Close your eyes and bring attention to your breath. Allow yourself to feel and integrate the changes that have occurred in your mind and body during the kriya practice.
Access Level
Public
Lineage
Kundalini
Does this practice have mantras?
Yes
What is the time range for this practice?
12-31 Minutes
Teacher
Yogi Bhajan