brain boost
As I enter the stage of Eldership in my life (the over-50s club!), I strongly desire to provide the best conditions for my body, mind, and spirit. I am interested in looking deeper into how yoga and spiritual practice can help support us in the West. Looking into the practice of Kundalini Yoga, I have found a growing body of evidence showing how a daily practice can improve our brain function and stress reactions.
Excitingly, studies finally support what the ancient yogis knew centuries ago: Kundalini yoga significantly benefits cognition and memory. The findings included restoring neural pathways, preventing brain matter decline, and supporting ageing. One study (UCLA) split 60 women aged 50 and over into two groups. Group One participated in weekly Kundalini yoga sessions for 12 weeks, and Group Two attended weekly memory enhancement training.
What is Kundalini Yoga?
Briefly put, the empowering world of Kundalini Yoga centres on breathing, body postures, hand positions, and intentional, repeated sounds or words, offering a unique combination of elements, or 'Kriya' as it is called. A Kriya is an ancient technology for rejuvenating and relaxing the body, mind, and spirit, enhancing cognition and memory.
What is Memory Enhancement Training?
This form of training, developed by UCLA, includes exercises such as using stories to remember items on a list or organising items on a shopping list to preserve or improve long-term memory.
What did the study find?
The study found that the Kundalini yoga group experienced several improvements, whereas the second group didn't. The Kundalini group found increased memory function, prevention of brain matter decline, increased connectivity in the Hippocampus, which manages stress-related memories, and improved anti-inflammatory and anti-ageing.
What does this mean for us?
Yoga, particularly Kundalini, offers enormous benefits that are accessible to everyone. These include an anti-inflammatory, stress-reducing, anti-ageing neuroplastic brain effect. It's a gift that's available to each and every one of us.
I recently experienced the unfavourable effects of discontinuing my daily Kundalini practice for several days. I started to feel the old and highly familiar brain fog, low energy, and general sense of anxiety, and I couldn't find peace or clarity. It wasn't a deliberate decision to break my routine; life just got busy, and I fell back into the habit of not having enough time to practice. Initially, it felt good to have extra time in the morning. However, after a few days, I felt unfocused and disconnected. It took me a little while to realise that stopping my practice was the cause of the general uneasiness I had been feeling.
We usually only realise we are stewing in our juice until pretty far down the line! As humans, we like familiarity, and even when our conditions are uncomfortable, we slowly get used to them and stay there, finding it almost impossible to get out.
I have found that by adopting a daily Kundalini practice, even if it's just for a few minutes, I have experienced an extra boost of energy and zest for life. This has helped me wake up each day without the anxiety that used to trouble me. Instead, I now feel excited about the day ahead and have developed a strong trust in myself and my intuition.
How to start?
I have found that 12 minutes daily for eight weeks kick starts a habit like brushing your teeth! You could start with this Kirtan Kriya, a meditation consisting of singing 'Saa Taa Naa Maa' and repetitive finger movements or mudras.
The sounds come from the mantra 'Sat Nam', which means "my true essence". These sounds, accompanied by finger movements, enhance blood flow to particular areas in the motor-sensory part of the brain.
Repeat the Saa Taa Naa Maa sounds (or mantra) while sitting with your spine straight. With each syllable, imagine the sound flowing through the top of your head and then leaving through the middle of your forehead (your third eye point).
For two minutes, sing in your normal voice.
For the next two minutes, sing in a whisper.
For the next four minutes, say the sound silently to yourself.
Then reverse the order, whispering for two minutes, and then out loud for two minutes, for twelve minutes.
To exit the exercise, inhale deeply, stretch your hands above your head, and slowly bring them down in a sweeping motion as you exhale.
The mudras, or finger positions, are important in this kriya ~
On Saa, touch the index fingers of each hand to your thumbs.
On Taa, touch your middle fingers to your thumbs.
On Naa, touch your ring fingers to your thumbs.
On Maa, touch your little fingers to your thumbs.
I would love to hear how you find this practice; please get in touch with me via email or Instagram.
If you are looking for ways to slow down and find suitable practices, check out our 'Where Women Gather' circles, where I share simple yet powerful Kundalini each month, or our Cacao Ceremonies and Restorative Yoga in the West Sussex Countryside, or book a 1:1 Yoga or private session.
Big love beauties,
Kim x
