With 23 exercises, this kriya is a great total kundalini workout. It will work out all the kinks, strengthen the nervous and glandular systems, and set you up for a blissful morning meditation.
Cat Cow
Posture: Come onto the hands and knees.
Breath & Movement: Inhale and raise the head while you arch the spine down like a sway back cow. Exhale as you bring the head down and the spine up like an angry cat.
Continue for 3 minutes. Then inhale into Cow Pose, hold 10 seconds, exhale and relax.
Cow Pose Variation
Posture: Cow Pose.
Breath & Movement: Inhale and raise the right leg and the head up as high as possible. Exhale and swing the knee under the body and bring the head down. Do 30 repetitions, then inhale and lift the right leg up, exhale and hold the breath for 10 seconds. Exhale and repeat with the left leg. Do 30 repetitions.
Continue to do 30 repetitions with each leg.
Hugging Spinal Bend
Posture: Sit on the heels with knees spread apart. Grasp opposite arms just above the elbows, letting the arms rest against the chest.
Breath & Movement: Bend from side to side in a smooth motion. Inhale center, exhale to each side.
Continue for 1 minute, then inhale, hold, exhale.
Spinal Twist Variation
Posture: Still sitting on the heels, raise the arms with the elbows bent at 90 degrees and the upper arms parallel to the floor. Hands in Gyan Mudra.
Eye Focus: Focus at the Brow Point.
Breath & Movement: Twist the torso left and right, inhaling to the left. exhaling to the right. Use a powerful breath.
Continue for 60 swings side to side. Then inhale center, hold the breath, focus. Relax.
Spine Flex Rock Pose
Posture: Stay in Rock Pose on your heals and bring the knees together. Place the hands palms down on the thighs.
Eye Focus: Focus at the Brow Point.
Breath & Movement: Flex the spine in rhythm with powerful breaths, inhaling when you open the chest, exhaling when you flex back.
Do 108 flexes. To end, inhale, pull the locks, hold 10 seconds. Exhale and sit still. Meditate silently on the breath, inhaling Sat, exhaling Nam, for 30 seconds. Then inhale, exhale, and relax.
Front Bend
Posture: Stand up carefully and shake out the legs. Stand with the feet shoulder-width apart. Hook the thumbs together, palms down.
Breath & Movement: Inhale, raise the arms over the head with the arms hugging the ears. Stretch back, stretching the ribcage and using the full lung capacity. Relax the head back. Then exhale forward and bend down, touching the floor, keeping the knees straight.
Repeat 30 times. To end, inhale back and hold the stretch a few seconds. Exhale and bend forward at the waist. Let the arms hang down and completely relax for 30 seconds.
Life Nerve Side Stretch
Posture: Sit with the legs extended and spread apart. Reach down and grab the toes.
Breath & Movement: Begin stretching, inhaling up to the center, exhaling down to the left. Inhale up to the center, exhale down to the right. Keep the knees straight.
Continue for 2 minutes. Spread the legs further apart and continue for 1 more minute.
Life Nerve Center Stretch
Posture: Same position, legs wide.
Breath & Movement: Inhale up to the center, hold 3 seconds, then exhale down to the center. Then begin stretching down in the center with a continuous pressure and do Long Deep Breathing
Continue for 1 minute. Inhale and stretch down a bit further. Exhale and come up.
Butterfly
Posture: Bring the soles of the feet together and clasp the fingers around the toes. Keep the spine and head straight.
Movement: Begin bouncing the knees up and down. Let the knees move 10″ – 12″. Do this vigorously.
Continue for 1 minute.
Butterfly Bend
Posture: Hold the same posture, keeping the knees pressed down. Stretch the spine up straight.
Breath & Movement: Inhale up, exhale and bend forward from the waist, bringing the torso down as far as you can. Continue, breathing powerfully.
Continue for 1 minute. Then inhale up, hold 5 seconds, exhale, stretch down and hold for 5 seconds. Relax on the back.
Pelvic Lift
Posture: Still on the back, bend the knees, place the feet flat on the floor near the buttocks, and grab the ankles.
Breath & Movement: Inhale and lift the hips as high as you can. Exhale and lower them down.
Inhale up, exhale down 24 times. To end, inhale, stretch up and hold the breath 10 seconds. Relax down and extend the legs straight out.
Leg Lifts with Piston Motion
Posture: Lie on the back and point the toes. Lift both legs up together so the heels are 18″ above the floor.
Movement: Begin moving the legs in a piston motion. (This is not a bicycling motion.) Synchronize the motion of the legs with the motion of the breath. One leg moves in as the other moves out. Both legs move simultaneously and the feet move parallel to the floor.
Continue for 2 minutes. Then inhale and hold the legs up, extended out for 10 seconds. Exhale and relax on the back.
Corpse Pose
Posture: Relax completely on your back with arms by your sides, palms facing up.
Mental Focus: Consciously circulate the energy from the navel point all through the body.
Continue for 1 minute.
Rock on the Spine
Posture: Bring the knees to the chest. Wrap the arms around them.
Movement: Begin rocking on the spine forward and back. Massage the whole spine.
Continue for 1-2 minutes. Then rock up, turn around and lie down on the stomach.
Cobra Pose
Posture: Stretch up into Cobra Pose. Relax your lower back and buttocks.
Eye Focus: Focus at the Brow Point.
Breath: Breath of Fire.
Continue for 3 minutes. Then inhale, open your eyes, twist left and look at your heels over your left shoulder. Hold 15 seconds. Exhale. Inhale, twist right and look at the heels over the right shoulder. Hold 15 seconds. Inhale twist left again. Hold 15 seconds. Exhale, twist right again. Hold 15 seconds. Inhale center, stretch back and hold 15 seconds. Relax down.
Yoga Mudra
Posture: Carefully move into Yoga Mudra. Sitting on your heels, bring your forehead to the floor. Interlace your fingers behind your back and stretch your arms up.
Breath: Begin Long Deep Breathing. Draw the energy into the upper back.
Continue for 1 minute. Inhale, hold, relax.
Sufi Grind
Posture: Sitting in Easy Pose, hold the kneecaps with the hands.
Movement: Rotate the middle of the body in circles while keeping the head nearly still. Create a pressure at the base of the spine like a grinding wheel. Use the arms for leverage.
Continue for 1 minute. Reverse direction and circle for 1 more minute.
Arm Swings
Posture: Sit in Easy Pose.
Breath & Movement: Inhale and draw the elbows back by the sides of the rib cage. Exhale and swing the arms across the chest. Inhale again and draw the elbows back by the sides of the rib cage. Exhale and swing the arms up and back over the head. Repeat with a powerful breath and powerful motion.
Continue for 1-2 minutes. Then inhale, draw the elbows back, stretch the chest forward. Hold 10 seconds. Relax.
Shoulder Shrugs
Posture: Sit in Easy Pose with the spine straight and hands on the knees with the elbows relaxed.
Breath & Movement: Inhale and squeeze the shoulders up, exhale and drop them down, using a powerful breath.
Continue for 108 repetitions.
Neck Rolls
Posture: Sit in Easy Pose.
Movement: Gently circle the head, breathing slowly and deeply, keeping the shoulders relaxed.
Continue for 1 minute, then change directions for 1 minute.
Arm Pumps
Posture: Sit on the heels and focus at the Brow Point. Join the hands in Venus Lock, with elbows straight.
Breath & Movement: Inhale and bring the arms up 60 degrees above the horizontal. Exhale, bring the arms 60 degrees below the horizontal.
Continue inhaling up, exhaling down, powerfully for 70 repetitions.
Arm Stretch
Posture: Still sitting on the heels, bring the arms up overhead. Flip the hands over so the fingers are interlaced with the palms facing up.
Eye Focus: Roll the eyes up to the Tenth Gate and focus up above the head.
Breath: Begin a powerful Breath of Fire.
Continue for 1 minute. Then inhale and hold. Focus at the top of the skull at the Tenth Gate. Hold for 15 seconds. Relax and carefully bring the arms down.
Meditate
Posture: Sit with a straight spine, one hand on top of the other in your lap, palms up.
Mantra & Mental Focus: Meditate silently, inhaling Sat, exhaling Nam. Sit completely still and consciously expand your aura. Focus deeply.
Continue for 1 minute. Then inhale, exhale, and relax.
This kriya was originally taught as morning sadhana in 1971.