At its heart, yoga is a devotion to presence. It is the art of listening inward, feeling the breath as an anchor, softening into the still spaces where truth quietly lives. Each movement and pause becomes a way of tending to the subtle layers of our being - emotionally, energetically, physically and spiritually - so that transformation can arise from the inside out.
Kundalini yoga, often called “the yoga of awareness,” weaves breath, movement, sound and meditation to awaken the powerful energy that rests at the base of the spine. Imagined as a coiled serpent, this energy rises through the chakras, clearing blocks, igniting vitality, and illuminating the path from root to crown. As it moves, we often notice shifts in clarity, creativity, purpose and spiritual connection.
“The journey through kundalini yoga can heighten your spiritual awareness and create a deeper connection to self. It’s a practice that invites you to discover your inner world and open to your true nature. The snake metaphor is significant in Kundalini because it represents transformation and rebirth.” - Kathryn McCusker - Kundalini Yoga Teacher (Soul Sanctuary + Kalm Wellbeing).
Kundalini is, above all, a practice of inner tuning, a way to connect with your truth and the subtle rhythms that guide you.
WHERE DID KUNDALINI YOGA COME FROM?
Kundalini energy is rooted in ancient yogic and Tantric teachings. The word kundalini comes from the Sanskrit kundal, meaning “coiled”, pointing to the serpent-like energy believed to lie at the base of the spine, ready to awaken.
This serpent energy, coiled three and a half times around the base chakra Muladhara, is believed to represent the creative life force within every human being. In yogic philosophy, it is the Shakti energy (the divine feminine), a powerful force of intuition, transformation, and vitality.
As this energy awakens, it begins to rise through the central energy channel - Sushumna Nadi, moving through the seven main chakras, each one associated with specific emotional, physical, and spiritual qualities. Along the way, it clears stagnant energy, balances the flow of prana (life force), and gradually unites with Shiva - the divine masculine energy located at the crown of the head, representing consciousness, wisdom, and stillness.
This journey is not just symbolic. Many who practice Kundalini yoga report tangible experiences - heat, tingling, emotional releases, a sense of expansion or deep calm - as energy begins to shift and harmonise.
Surrounding the central channel are two other vital energy pathways: Ida (the left channel, lunar, feminine, cooling) and Pingala (the right channel, solar, masculine, energising). Kundalini practices often aim to balance these opposing yet complementary forces creating a sense of inner union, vitality, and clarity.
WHAT MAKES KUNDALINI DIFFERENT?
Kundalini works deliberately with the subtle energy systems from the very first breath. Its sequences, known as kriyas, are designed to awaken, move, and integrate life force, working from the inside out, rather than the outside in.
At Soul Sanctuary, we weave these same principles into everything we share - practices that honour the physical, but are truly guided by the energy and awareness beneath. This is why bringing Kundalini into our space felt like such a natural and powerful expansion.
A Kundalini practice might include:
🌀 Kriya - specific, repetitive movements to move energy.
🌬 Pranayama - powerful breath techniques like Breath of Fire.
📿 Mantra & chanting - to activate vibration and focus the mind.
🧘🏽♀️ Meditation - to anchor you into stillness and awareness.
✨ Mudra - hand gestures to direct energy flow.
These elements work together to shift stuck patterns, increase vitality, and support deep emotional release. While it can be intense at times, the practice meets you where you are and each experience is unique.
At its core, Kundalini yoga aims to cultivate the creative spiritual potential of a human to uphold values, speak truth, and focus on the compassion and consciousness needed to serve and heal others. In other words, this practice isn’t just about personal healing; it’s about becoming a more conscious and compassionate human being in the world. It invites you to meet yourself in full presence, and then extend that presence outward. This is why many describe it as a life-changing practice - not because of one big moment, but through small shifts: greater clarity, more groundedness, deeper self-trust.
“Kundalini energy is often described as serpent energy. Just as a snake uncoils and sheds its skin, the awakening of kundalini - rising from the base of the spine - helps you release energetic blockages and shed old layers of yourself, increasing your vitality and awareness.”
- Kathryn McCusker - Kundalini Yoga Teacher(Soul Sanctuary + Kalm Wellbeing)
EXPERIENCE KUNDALINI INSIDE SOUL SANCTUARY
It’s important to remember, when trying a new variation of yoga, to keep an open mind and heart. We hope you love Kundalini yoga as much as we do at Soul Sanctuary, but it’s equally important to honour that not every practice will resonate with you in the moment. One of the beautiful aspects of Kundalini’s power is that it can continue to create subtle shifts beneath the surface long after the practice has passed.
Whether you’re brand new or simply curious, you can begin exploring Kundalini Yoga through our gentle, welcoming practices inside the Soul Sanctuary. This month, we’re honoured to be guided by guest teacher Kathryn McCusker, an experienced Kundalini teacher, who offers a powerful journey into your inner energy and serpent wisdom:
✨ Discover Kundalini Yoga: a short introduction where Kathryn shares her personal path and explains the power, purpose and energy of Kundalini Yoga.
🐍 Awakening the Sacral Energy: a 30-minute sacral chakra activation to awaken your creative and sexual energy, and stir the sleeping serpent within.
🌬 Knowing Through Intuition: a Kundalini meditation to awaken intuition, using breath to activate the pituitary gland and access inner knowing.
🔆 Balancing Kundalini Energy & Chakras: a full body 45-minute kriya practice balancing energy through the chakras with breath of fire and flowing movement.
You don’t need to chant loudly or sit perfectly still. You simply need a willingness to listen inward. This is your invitation to explore a practice that’s less about form and more about frequency. Less about doing … and more about becoming.