Kundalini Yoga, I have to admit, is one of the more spiritual forms of yoga. I absolutely love the experience of it, the effect it has in my life and I am incredibly grateful for how it has changed me and my life. But I don't like the word spiritual. It is so hippy!

I never planned on becoming a teacher. I did the teacher training for the experience — and it was incredible — I did not want to become a teacher. The teachers had strange names, wore white and turbans and said things like Sat Nam and Wahe Guru. It was so hippy!

The teaching, however, found me. One of the people on the teacher training turned out to work at my office and asked me to teach at his home with him. And so it began... I found I love teaching.

Whilst I have avoided using the word spiritual, I can't really avoid the fact that it has been my path for the last 7 years. So what does it actually mean? Well to me spirituality is just a connection to oneself and to one's life and an exploration of the meaning of this for the individual:

Who am I?
What is most important to me in my life?
What do I believe about life?

I believe everyone should be allowed to have their own beliefs and values, whether religious or purely secular and scientific. And what I encourage is the investigation and the exploration of those beliefs and what they mean to you. And I don't mean to find the "right one". I mean to find the depth of meaning in life that is heartfelt for you and that will bring joy and passion to your life.

Kundalini yoga provides an experience of consciousness on a different level. Just an hour of Kundalini yoga can put me in that space of deep and silent connection with life which I would struggle to attain on a week of silent meditation retreat. It feels incredible. All you have to do is experience it and explore it for yourself. There are no rules, no dogma for students. If you want to wear white, wear white, if you prefer purple polka dots: go for it!

So I want to teach this, to share this experience. And if it means wearing white and a turban then I will do that even if it makes me squirm a bit. And it doesn't any more, I've got used to it.

Image thanks to Ali Abdul Rahma and Unsplash

So when in emails you see Sat Nam ji, don't panic! Sat Nam is used as a greeting. Sat Nam means Truth is my identity or, to me, this is the truth of this moment. I rather like it — it reminds me of mindfulness, respecting what is here in each moment and it feels a bit like two fingers up to the "shoulds" (I shouldn't feel / think / be like this). It doesn't matter how much you think it should be different, this is what is here, this is what is true right now. Sat Nam.

And Ji is a term of endearment, like dear.

Love,
Amrit Jiwan or Anna — either is totally fine! x

Sat Nam — what's that all about?