The organ related to the winter season is the kidney. From a yogic perspective the kidneys are connected with the element of water and the second chakra related to our emotions, passion, creativity, relationships, and connections with other people. Since the kidneys operate like a filter to remove toxins and surplus of water out of our bodies, they are important for detoxification. The kidneys store essence, govern birth, growth, reproduction, and development. They also produce the marrow which fills the brain and controls the bones. On an energetic level, the kidneys are storing vital essence or “fluid of life” that our bodies need to sustain themselves. Here are some tips for nourishing your kidneys this season:
- Drink lots of water!
- Keep the Kidneys warm! The Kidneys like to be warm by nature. The start of the Kidney channel (Kidney 1) is located at the bottom center of the foot. It is very important to keep the Kidney channel warm. Do not walk on cold floors with bare feet, keep the feet warm, and keep the lower back covered and warm.
- Black sesame seeds strongly nourish the Kidney Qi! They are a great source of energy due to the affect on Kidney qi as well as the high fat content. They contain healthy fats like polyunsaturated fatty acids and Omega-6. They also contain fiber, iron, calcium, magnesium and phosphorus and can be used to treat premature greying of hair, constipation, and back ache. One note of caution is to not take sesame seeds with an irritable bowel, or diverticulitis.
In Oriental Medicine the Kidney Qi is the source of life. So long as you have a strong source of Kidney Qi, you will have Energy, Vibrancy, and Long Life!
“What does you do to you? Yoga works, to unite you, it gives you energy so that you can be transformed. Yoga does nothing more and nothing less. What does White Tantric yoga do to you? It cleans your subconscious of your neuroses and gives you unison. It’s a science of unison to bring you from many to One, from darkness to light, that is the purpose of White Tantric Yoga. To bring you from unawareness to awareness is the purpose of Kundalini Yoga. It is a proven fact in that the last eight or nine years we have seen people who were not having any kind of good awareness, become very aware. They become very disciplined, they achieved a state of consciousness which they would otherwise could not have achieved. And people who had a very dirty subconscious had it become clean and now they have a very pure consciousness. Now they can relate to the Oneness of God.”
~Yogi Bhajan
Khalsa Womans Camp: 1978 Aug 20th
A reminder for when you’re on the go, crunched for time, download the Light on Kundalini Yoga App to practice full length yoga classes, video included, watch shorter videos for your favorite Kundalini meditations and chants, and use the follow-along timer once you’ve learned, and finally, stay motivated by tracking your daily progress with the calendar. Remember, spiritual practice starts anew and we are reborn every single day.
Sat Nam!
Karuna
www.lightonkundalini.com
