What is Kundalini Yoga?

There are so many different kinds of yoga out there, it can be hard to know what they all include, and which one is right for you!
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Kundalini Yoga is a unique style of yoga that is offered monthly at our studio, and it may be a practice unlike any you have ever tried before!

Kundalini is the Yoga of Awareness. Kundalini helps us find the expanded sense of Self and tune in to the infinite reality of our shakti (personal power). We do this with the rhythm of breath, movement of body, and thunder vibration of mantra. 

In Sanskrit, “Kundalini” means “coiled snake.” The foundation of this common style of yoga is the intertwined energy flowing up and down the spine. The use of this style is to uncoil, unknot, and undo any twisted up energy there. Through life, these two coils of energy – masculine and feminine – become tangled and blocked. In Kundalini, we can unblock these paths and allow the energy to flow; leading us to a greater sense of connectedness to the Divine within all of us.

This summer at Santosha Yoga Collective, we offer monthly Kundalini workshops on special topics! Check out our full class schedule, but here is this year’s Summer Series with Patti (pictured above): 

May 18th - Finding Strength in Your Voice
Come join Patty for an invigorating Kundalini practice to build confidence, awaken Shakti (your personal power), and create sound with the voice through chanting with will and purpose.
Do you feel uncomfortable speaking up for yourself and setting healthy boundaries? Chanting is a practice to clear out stuck energy of the body and mind. The vibrations soothe the nervous system, calm anxious emotions, and can help you feel more joyous, honest, relaxed, and compassionate towards others.

You will learn:

• Basics of the throat Chakra and breathing techniques for empowerment
• How an imbalance of the throat can prevent you from being your optimal Self
• Chanting techniques to practice at home
• Tools of movement and mindfulness to support your real life

June 15th - Healing Through Loss
Come and experience breath, movement, and chanting to release the energy of anger, fear, and grief. Honoring your personal healing process with loving-kindness, practices of Kundalini help us to refine our own medicine within. Through the process of chanting, the body-mind experiences vibrations to soothe the nervous system, calm anxious emotions, and can help you feel more centered, relaxed, and compassionate toward yourself and others.

This class will focus on the energy of the heart; the center of our emotions of love and grief, as well as the root, our connection to stability and a sense of groundedness, where grief is often felt first. Learn tools to embrace acceptance and feel more grounded and positive, with movement and mantra to awaken the grace of our personal power.


July 20th - Intuition and Wellness
How does yoga support our ongoing well-being and prevent illness and disease? Come and learn the practices of movement, breath, and chanting to connect with your inner source of body-mind wisdom.

This class will move vital energy that rules our sense of strength and happiness up to the third eye, which is where intuition and wisdom connect. Intuition is often considered to be our natural instinct to act, feel in tune, and acquire knowledge. Developing a strong intuition can help us awaken the brain’s potential, achieving greater mental clarity, improving decision making, and forming a deeper connection with the inner Self.

Practices of Kundalini can also stimulate the body’s endocrine system, which is responsible for our hormones (chemical signals from the brain to the rest of the body’s vital organs) and controls our metabolism, energy level, and responses to injury, stress, and mood. Come and learn how to feel vibrant at every stage of life!


August 25th - Energy and Vitality
Release stress and anxiety to feel bright and energetic heading into the Fall! In this class we’ll focus on practices of breath, movement, and chanting to withstand the pressures of time. These exercises are designed to strengthen the nervous system and increase prana (life-force energy).

Breathwork (pranayama) is an invigorating way to connect with your parasympathetic response, which is all about rest and digest. When we are stressed and worried, our breath can be shallow and disconnected. Slowing down our breathing creates a sense of presence and calm. In this class we will learn about the contrasting effects of long deep breathing, breath of fire, and alternate nostril breathing.

“Santosha” is a sanskrit word that means contentment. Our Loomis-based Yoga studio brings together decades-long practitioners and new students alike. We believe Yoga is beneficial for every body and will make sure you find the right classes to support your yoga journey. With 24 weekly yoga classes from Vinyasa and Balance, to Chair, Yin, Kundalini, Iyengar, and Restore, our aim is to provide a space of contentment for students and teachers of yoga as we honor movement, holistic wellness, and community as a way of life. We serve the beautiful community of Northern California. 

We offer these yoga styles and many more through workshops, our community room, and themed classes. Please reach out on our “Contact Us!” page if you have a yoga theme you’d like to experience in the beautiful Santosha studio. 

Post written by Stephanie Alston ERYT200 and Annie Schwab RYT200.