Kirtan Kriya
Kirtan Kriya is one of the many gems of Kundalini Yoga. When I was first introduced to Kirtan Kirya I was intrigued by its claimed benefits. The mystic in me understood that it was a powerful practice, but the scientist in me was intrigued as to how it worked. After practicing Kirtan Kriya for the first time, I felt as if I had just given my entire brain a shower for the first time in years. My sensory perception felt enhanced- sounds and colors were more vivid, and I felt a sense of novelty, openness, fluidity, and grace.
In October 2022 I contracted Covid-19 for the first time and experienced brain fog like nothing before. After two days of experiencing dense brain fog, I decided to practice 30 minutes of Kirtan Kriya and the relief was immediate. In just three days, the fog had dissipated and my cognition returned to baseline.
Studies have shown that in just 12 minutes a day, the regular practice of Kirtan Kriya meditation can slow the aging process by increasing telomeres by 43%, increase executive functioning, cognition, reduce depression and anxiety, reverse memory loss and so much more (Sales & Chou, 2019, Eyre, et. al, 2017). From a mental health perspective, this is astounding. Dr. Dharma Singh Khalsa, an anaesthesiologist and founder of the Alzheimer’s Research and Prevention Foundation is a pioneer in this field and has spent decades researching Alzheimer’s prevention through a holistic framework. A list of journal publications on his work can be found here.
Below are some key notes for an effective practice:
Tune in with the Adi mantra.
Maintain the L shaped light visualization to avoid headaches.
Keep the spine straight and slight jalandarbandh (neck lock).
Practice in a quiet place where you will not be distracted.
Immerse yourself in the sound current of the mantra.
Tune out.
Instructions on how to practice Kirtan Kriya can be found here.
Alzheimer’s Research and Prevention Foundation, 2022. Retrieved: https://alzheimersprevention.org/research/
Erika Sales, Ying-hui Chou. Yoga as Advanced Cognitive Training: How Kirtan Kriya In Kundalini Yoga Changes the PTSD Brain. J Yoga & Physio. 2019; 7(5): 555722. DOI: 10.19080/JYP.2019.07.555722
Eyre, H. A., Siddarth, P., Acevedo, B., Van Dyk, K., Paholpak, P., Ercoli, L., St Cyr, N., Yang, H., Khalsa, D. S., & Lavretsky, H. (2017). A randomized controlled trial of Kundalini yoga in mild cognitive impairment. International psychogeriatrics, 29(4), 557–567. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1041610216002155
