Spinal Warmup Yoga Exercises – Free Book of Kundalini Yoga Poses & Kriyas – Ch 1

The first Kundalini Yoga Kriya we we will explore is a very handy set called the Spinal Warmup Kundalini Yoga Exercises.

Kundalini Yoga Kriya #1 – Spinal Warmup Kundalini Yoga Exercises

Video of Spinal Warm-up Series from the Free Online Yoga Video series. 

Purpose of Spinal Warmup Kundalini Yoga Exercises:

This kundalini yoga kriya is a very good set for doing as a warm-up before doing more advanced kriyas or doing independently if one is starting to put together their yoga practice.  It very effectively warms up the most important part of the physiology, which is the entire back and especially the spinal cord region.   Through the spinal cord runs the main subtle energy channel (shushumna nadi), which is considered the most important conduit for the movement of kundalini energy throughout the body.  Also, along the spine lie the primary energy centers (chakras) and as kundalini energy moves up and down the spine it activates and balances the chakras and the associated organs and glands of that region.

Description of Spinal Warmup Kundalini Yoga Exercises:

1. Yoga Stomach Grind: 

a. Guided Instructions for Yoga Stomach Grind: 

• Sit up with your legs crossed.
• Hold onto your on your knees.
• Grind your stomach in a big circle counter clockwise for half the time of the exercise.  Visualize drawing a big circle with your naval.
• Switch after half the time and grind your stomach clockwise.

b. Duration for Yoga Stomach Grind: 1-3 minutes

c. Benefits of Yoga Stomach Grind: 

• Excellent yoga exercise for your digestive system as it gives all your important digestive organs a massage, forcing out toxins and waste into the elimination systems of the body.
  
• Works on the ileocecal valve insuring the proper direction for the flow of nutrients and waste.
  
• Warms up and loosens the lumbar area of the back.
  

d. Practice Tips for Yoga Stomach Grind: Make sure you are not leaning forward and back from the waist, this is the most common mistake people make.  You have to arch your lower back as you move forward and arch back as you move in that direction.

2. Spine Flex Yoga Exercise: (also called Yoga Camel Ride)

a. Guided Instructions for Spine Flex Yoga Exercise:

• Sit up on your heels and rest your hands on your knees (rock pose).
• Inhale and arch your back forward pushing your sternum out.  Exhale and bring your sternum in, arching your back out.
• Continue at a comfortable pace and rhythm.

b. Duration for Spine Flex Yoga Exercise: 1-3 minutes

c. Benefits of Spine Flex Yoga Exercise:

• Stretches the middle back and spine.
• Opens up the solar plexus promoting better flow of energy between the lower and higher centers of the body.
• Improved emotional balance.

d. Practice Tips for Spine Flex Yoga Exercise: If you have hard time sitting on your heels you can place a small cushion under your feet/ankles for added comfort.

3. Cat-Cow Yoga Exercise:

a. Guided Instructions for Cat-Cow Yoga Exercise:

• Come onto your hands and knees, placing your hands shoulder width apart and knees hip distance apart.
• Inhale as you arch your back by pushing your stomach down and bringing your head up.  Open your eyes and look upward. This is cow pose.
• Now, while exhaling, arch your back up by pushing your stomach up and bringing your head down (like a cat).
  
• Continue at a comfortable pace and rhythm going between the 2 poses.

b. Duration for Cat-Cow Yoga Exercise:  1-3 minutes.

c. Benefits of Cat-Cow Yoga Exercise:

• Works on stretching your entire spine and strengthens all the nerve junctions that lie along the spinal cord.
• Give your entire system a glandular tune-up.
• Improves your eyesight and works on the optical nerve.

d. Practice Tips for Cat-Cow Yoga Exercise:  Make sure you are not rocking back and forth, but, that just your spine (and head) are moving.

4. Yoga Twist:

a. Guided Instructions for Yoga Twist:

• Sit up with your legs crossed.
• Hold your shoulders with your fingers in front and thumb in back.
• Your elbows should be parallel to the ground and at shoulder level.
  
• Inhale as you twist to the left, exhale as you twist to right.  Your head goes with your torso.

b. Duration for Yoga Twist:  1-3 minutes.

c. Benefits of Yoga Twist:

• Promotes flexibility in the entire back.
• Massages the inner organs.

d. Practice for Yoga twist:  The motion should be continuous and keep the pace at a level you are comfortable with.  Slow down if you start to feel dizzy.

5. Yoga Neck Rolls:

a. Guided Instructions for Yoga Neck Rolls:

• Sit up with your legs crossed.
• Open your mouth as if in a half yawn.
• Roll your neck in a big circle going in one direction for half the time and then switch directions for the rest of the time.

b. Duration for Yoga Neck Rolls: 1-3 minutes.

c. Benefits of Yoga Neck Rolls:

• Releases tension in the neck and shoulders.
• Promotes better blood flow to the brain and higher centers.

d.  Practice Tips for Yoga Neck Rolls:  Spend additional time working on areas which feel particularly tight or knotted.

That concludes the Spinal Warm-up Kundalini Yoga Exercises.