Overdoing it in Kundalini Yoga
The theme for kundalini yoga this week apparently is “Let’s put our students into some serious pain!” The recommended yoga set is one that includes lifting up your legs at 60 degrees angles as fast as you can. This isn’t just 60 degrees straight up, but 60 degrees out to the side as well. If you have never done this before (like me), you are in for a world of hurt once the class is over.
I performed this set in class on Sunday night and it’s three days later and my thighs are still in agony. I can barely walk. I am hobbling around like an old woman and wince in pain each time I shift from sitting to standing. When I sleep at night, even some of my regular sleep positions put strain on the tender areas and make it hard to get comfortable.
Was it worth it? Well, I would say that the set did clear out a lot of energy and emotionally I feel terrific. But my body is seriously paying the price. I’m skipping kundalini class until they’ve moved on to a kinder, gentler set.
This brings back memories of my first Kundalini class. We practiced twice in one day and leg lefts were a
major theme! I could literally barely walk the next day. That was 15 months ago and now I find myself w/ a
morning (gentle) Kundalini practice and an evening practice that combines Hatha with Kundalini and always
ends with 40 90 degree leg lifts prior to savasana.
I’ve found that I enjoy taking the things I have trouble with from my various yoga classes into my own practice
and slowly working on them. Balance poses are another example for me.
Thanks for your blogs, esp. this one. I stumbled into them while researching teacher training and this entry caught my eye!
Namaste
-Dee