This series consists of two articles and is written by Azuka Muse:
#1 Allow yourself to be guided by the unexpected
#2 A practice to invite female transformational energy in your life
A practice to invite female transformational energy in your life
“In the yoga tradition as a ‘dark goddess’ governing time, death and change. Her fierce form is portrayed with gnashing fangs, a protuding tongue, disheveled hair , dripping blood, a garland of skulls and a belt of severed arms, wielding weapons in every hand. Kali represents massive transformation, non-conformity, boundary-pushing, life and death cycles, responsibility for mistakes, karmic mess clean up, wild sexuality, total surrender and the intensity of love and compassion. Kali is the essence of freedom, she is the force within that transforms fear and sets you free.
Kali often arrives in times of crisis,when your perspective is upside down, illness, heartbreak, financial loss, career change, any time a new boundary is pushed. This fearsome goddess comes to devour what is no longer needed. She leads the way to transformation from within, standing for radical honesty and radical freedom from false attachments and delusions.
When you resist, she draws out her swift sword to cut off the stubborn head of ego, rewinding you what really matters in life. When she comes to you, certain things don’t matter anymore. Listen to the voice inside that is losing patience with the old way of doing things and let her be the initiatory force that begins to set you free.”
No need to say that when I was reading this definition, I immediately understood everything. This description made so much sense to me at that time, it was the reasons why I could connect with Kali symbols so many times in such a strong way. Naturally, I wanted to include a way in my yoga practice to invite all the qualities as described above in my life. Here a give you a short sequence that are inspired by Kali. They help you to feel grounded, encourage you to breathe deeply, and feel the energy of the earth. On its own a feeling of empowerment arises!
Left: Kali Pose – a half squat, with arms raised, tongue out if you like 🙂
Right: Kali Pose Variation
And here is a Pranayama exercise related to Kali called: Kali’s sword breath created by Sianna Sherman . It was designed to defeat fear in any time of change or transformation, to free yourself from anything holding you back. It revitalizes the spirit, recharges the subtle body, and release stuck energy.
This is dynamic Pranayama and has 3 strong inhalations followed by a full exhalation through the mouth. Mind you; Kali style tongue out. On your full exhalation stay relaxed in your body and grounded through your legs. Swiftly pull your hands down the front of your body and exhaling through your mouth with tongue out. Visualize yourself cutting away negative habitual patterns and freeing yourself from false concepts that imprison you. Surrender in your heart and call the essence of Kali to transform fear into love.
Step 1: first inhalation, hands up together above head
Step 2: second inhalation, arms opened
Step 3: third inhalation, hands down together below navel
Step 4: full exhalation, hands up together above head, exhalation through the mouth, tongue out!!
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Goa, India
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