I've never written about my 40 day kriya adventures before. Well only in my personal journal, particularly at the beginning of my kundalini journey. These days I practice, I feel, I notice and I enjoy the sensation of power as I return home to my soul space.
It's easy for me to tell you to try a 40 day kriya....I can give you all the well known reasons why this is a good thing to do...
It’s hard to make time to do something every day! Just making the commitment to prioritize your wellbeing is transformational.
The repeated practice of a single kriya also allows you to really develop an awareness of and relationship with that practice. You can’t really know what the experience of a kriya is until you get to know both it and yourself. It takes time to experience change. According to yogic philosophy, 40 days is the amount of time it takes to develop a new habit and really internalize the effects of the kriya.
There are all sorts of personal changes that take place when you allow the kriya to take hold of you during 40 days. And these changes are not the same for everyone. I thought it may help you feel what happens in the mind, the ego, the body and the heart when you commit to a kriya. My honest, open voice is a more heart-felt way of describing the effects of a 40 day kriya than any rational text book.
Sat Kriya was never my go-to practice. I didn't feel it. I remember my shoulders screaming at me after 3 minutes which prevented me from diving inwards. I was always leaping outwards, particularly towards the timer....."shit, still 8 long minutes to go!!!" I can honestly say I preferred 3 minutes of navel burning Stretch Pose than shoulder tormenting Sat Kriya.
And so I'm bewildered by this decision to do an 11 minute Sat Kriya 40 day practice. It was one of those silent whispers that come to me during my moments of silence....simply saying "Sat Kriya".
And so here I am, on day 5.
The first 4 days have been a delicious connection with a kriya I used to run away from. No shoulder pain. I don't even feel my shoulders....I don't feel my body. I sink into the hypnotic sound of an emphatic Sut followed by a whispered Naam and my ego has gone. It can't cope with mantra. When my ego disappears there is no time and space so I'm not connecting to the timer. I'm floating upwards. In fact the stretch at the end makes me feel like an elastic band that will never snap.....heavenly!
I know the bliss will not be there for 40 days.....just not possible. Our ego's are always with us. We do need them. They actually perform a perfect role in our everyday in making sure we get up, dress appropriately, organise our daily tasks.....however, they do like to keep us in fear and stop us from re-connecting to our Divine Self. Day 5, and I'm wanting the kriya to end quickly. Heat is building in my body, at the base of the spine and even into my face....it's not unpleasant but I prefer to feel light, cool. This is why I've been given heat. Embrace it. Move through it. Complete the 11 minutes please.
My energy levels have definitely moved up since starting the kriya....I can feel myself busying around the house at a tempo that could be described a bit manic. Note to myself to keep that in check. my digestion has also improved.....bloating issues under control.
And so, that's where I'm at. I'll report back after a few days.
Feel free to join me with this one. We can compare notes.....