Yogic techniques are useful for improving balance, flexibility, a calm mind, concentration, and focus, while also releasing stress, anxiety, and worry. It strengthens the entire nervous system. Within the special needs population, there is the observed added benefit of improved sensory processing, emotional and physical regulation, and better sleep. Kundalini yoga is known as the yoga of awareness. It is a highly practical approach to the body and the mind, and is easily made accessible and beneficial to all levels and abilities. The yoga, meditation and other recommendations shared are adaptable and inclusive. For the purpose of clarity, terms such as; special needs, normal, disabled, neuro-divergent or typical, mild, moderate, or low functioning, are purely for description purposes, with respect to the fact that we are all different. The verbiage does not imply a diagnosis or label. Did you know that only slightly greater than 20% of the population must display the same pattern in physical make-up or behaviour to be considered “normal?” By that definition, normal expression represents a slim margin. Yoga honours our individual differences and similarities.

Special needs yoga may be promoted or referred to as “all abilities” or “all inclusive” classes. You are welcome to adjust your wording to fit your community. I work with children and adults on the Autism spectrum (ASD), with Down Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, ADD, seizure disorders, sensory processing disorders and many additional lesserknown disabilities, and I love them all! Remember a diagnosis does not define the person, and anyone can practice yoga if given the chance. I am a big advocate of family style classes and family participation for two reasons. One is that each child has unique abilities and/or challenges, be they physical or behavioural, that the parent or caregiver is best equipped to deal with in a studio class setting. The parent may also shadow and assist the child as needed. Secondly, caretakers need a peaceful practice as much as the kids themselves. If you are teaching in a school, camp, or recreational setting, it is important to have the teacher, counsellor, and/or faculty aides present for supervision, behaviour management, and support.

As the yoga teacher you will be responsible for defining your class parameters. I would recommend scheduling a class of thirty or fortyfive minutes, as an hour is too long. Some things to consider are: who is welcome, what ages may participate, is there any behaviour that will exclude participation, will the family be included, what is a good time to hold class, and how will the class be set up? If you are practicing at home some of these parameters may not be applicable. Of course, your best plans should be embraced with a neutral mind. Create your class plan and then be flexible to allow for change. Expect the unexpected. Participants may be set up in rows facing the teacher, or in a large circle. Setting students up in a large circle offers more visual connection and interaction with peers. Sitting in rows offers less visual stimulation and distraction. There are pros and cons to both, so experiment and take your set-up cues from what best serves your students.I do suggest seating students with more than an armslength distance between them so they cannot easily reach over and touch their neighbour. I do not encourage activities that involve touching beyond the parent child pair. This may sound counterintuitive to those who are already actively teaching kids yoga in a neuro-typical setting.

Setting up an environment that naturally supports keeping the hands to the self is wise for students with poor impulse control and those with either weak or overly strong boundaries. When teaching kids, I aim to balance a familiar, age appropriate, warm-up routine with fresh and varied themed yoga sets. I recommend moving with the kids throughout the class by demonstrating each posture so that students can follow along visually. Encourage participation by using words such as; watch, copy, and show me, rather than do this or do that. An invitation to join the posture or activity is more empowering than a direction to perform. I never force compliance or demand that students get into the postures, and I don’t wait for everyone to do the posture before moving on. Teach at a pace that works for your students.Addressing kids by their name with specific praise, rather than a general good job, builds self-esteem and motivation.

The self-regulated movement of yoga, where each individual chooses how much or how little they engage in the postures, allows individuals to participate to tolerance. Allowing for personal choices fosters a feeling of success. Physical adjustments are best kept to a bare minimum, and only with permission. Be aware that traditional yoga props such as straps and blocks may be turned into weapons. However, supervised non-traditional props may add stimulation for the senses, and fun. For example, placing weighted bean bags on the belly, or blowing bubbles, feathers, or leaves and watching the movement are activities helpful in connecting with the breath. This type of exercise, with fun props, assists in identifying between the inhale and exhale. Although, the words breathe in and breathe out are more easily understood by children. Taking a deep breath in through the nose and out through the mouth at the end of each posture facilitates a smooth transition to the next exercise. At the beginning of each class or personal practice, I suggest pausing, with intention and reverence, to connect with the Divine flow of life. In Kundalini yoga this is done by chanting the mantra Ong Namo, Guru Dev Namo three times. In Hatha traditions it may be chanting Om three times, or simply taking three deep breaths to prepare for yoga.

Mountain Pose – Get ready for a mountain camping trip. Stand tall with the arms at the sides, palms facing forward. Feel connected to the ground through the feet. Take a moment to wiggle the toes and press them down.

We made it to the campsite. Now set up the tent with Down-Dog Pose. The body forms a triangle just like a tent. For a seated variation, extend the arms out to the sides, with palms up, and bend the elbows so that the fingertips touch above the head, forming a triangle, or tent.

Hike into the woods with a Yogi March. Bring the hands into Gyan Mudra by pressing the tips of the index fingers to the tips of the thumbs. March around the room lifting the arms straight up with each raised knee on the inhale and bring them down on the exhale.

Bear Pose – Come in to Down-Dog, then spread the feet wider than the hips and slightly bend the knees. Ask the students to identify their favourite type of bear, so that all may participate with their words.

Tree Pose – Traditional Tree Pose may be supported by standing side by side and holding hands with a partner. An alternate Tree Pose is to raise the arms up over head and sway from side to side and back and forth, like a tree moving in the wind.

Cobra Pose – Cobra works great for any type of snake. Lie on the belly with the hands under the shoulders. Take a deep breath in and exhale with a hiss through the mouth as you push up through the arms. Come down and repeat this hissing snake pose three or more times. For a seated variation, hold on to the sides of a chair and push the arms down while moving into a gentle backbend.

Cricket Pose – The sun is setting and the crickets are beginning to chirp. Lie on the back and lift the hands and feet off the ground. Rub the palms together and the soles of the feet together briskly. This strengthens the aura and increases communication between the hemispheres of the brain.

At this time, you may opt to set up a pretend campfire by placing a battery-operated lantern or flashlight in the middle of the room. You may cover the lantern with colored scarves so it looks like a camp fire. If your class is not already in a circle have them move so that they are sitting around the pretend campfire.

Snap the Fingers to mimic a crackling, popping fire. Snapping or rubbing the fingers together is good for stimulating nerve endings on the tips of the fingers.

Rotate the Wrists – Pretend to make S’mores. To roast the marshmallows, extend the arms straight out in front of the body and then circle the wrists in both directions.

Sleeping bag roll – Direct students to lie across their mats at one end and have the parents or helpers roll them up in the mat, as if they are in sleeping bags. Unroll, and repeat a couple of times. The pressure of this roll may be calming and grounding, particularly for ASD students.

Coyote Howl – Use your voice to imitate the howling, yipping, yapping call of the coyote. Non-verbal students do very well with this type of yoga voice exercise.

Snore – Take a few pretend snores as you move into deep relaxation. The snoring vibration helps to release anger and frustration. Relax in savasana on the floor or in a chair. Adjust the time of relaxation to the ability of the students.

Ant Pose – Let the ants take care of any leftover crumbs. Come on to the knees and elbows. Lift the feet off the floor to work on balance, and crawl around the room like ants. For a seated ant variation, students can tap lightly and walk their fingers up and down their arms for a tactile sensory experience. Parents or aides may do the walking ant fingers for those who need help.

I was getting agitated and worried. Yogi Ji had told me before he left with Tulsi that the King Pigeons would arrive soon. They were coming to collect the bottles and take them to far-off lands. They had to be filled with ointments, liquids and dried medicine. Yogi Ji was also an Ayurvedic specialist. Throughout my training, he had bee teaching me the importance of natural healing and medicine. But there were several hundreds of bottles. I knew that this was a task that could not be completed on my own. Hence why Yogi Ji had told me to enlist the help of the ants. He had said, “Several million ants occupy the Yoga Bhavan. They have their own kingdom overruled by a Queen ant. You don’t see them often, as they live inside the cave walls, rocks and crevices. They live alongside us, but not with us Muni’’. As far as I could see, everyone was enjoying practising yoga, from Bushie,
to the ant. I waited patiently for the red ant to come out of sheershasana pose which he eventually did. He lowered all his legs down to the floor. ‘‘See bhai sahib’’, whispered the ant. I could hardly hear him.

‘‘A good dose of blood to the head, when one is upside down, makes the blood go round. It makes one think clearer thoughts!’. I suggest you do the same’’. Bushie wandered over and sat down near the ant. ‘‘Dear ant please tell me more about sheershasana’’. The ant looked over at Bushie and nuzzled his fur. ‘‘You have silky fur’’ said the ant. ‘‘May I help myself to a few strands to take away for the Queen ant?’’. Bushie nodded politely, ‘’of course you can. Take whatever you need. I can grow back more. What will you use it for?’’ ‘‘To line the Queen’s bed’’, said the red ant. And with that he proceeded to pull 3 strands of fur out of Bushie’s tail . He placed them carefully to the side, while Muni and Bushie watched. After that the ant climbed up to near Bushie’s ear, and described the headstand pose.

‘‘Sheershana is a majestic pose for optimum health and well-being. As you know Bushie, if you perform it regularly it will provide you with nourishment and sustenance affecting each limb of the body, massaging internal organs, providing blood circulation boost and for invigorating you. It also feeds the hair follicles on the scalp providing them with food to grow stronger’’.

The ant looked over at Bushie, ‘‘tell us more about the technique that you were performing as Muni was not sure you were performing it correctly’’. Bushie replied, ‘‘I was practising a yoga exercise that Yogi Ji imparted to me. It is from the family of Kechari Mudra techniques. It is a secret technique and Yogi Ji told me it was for me to practise, for now. It is an ancient technique that is used to bestow powers such as being able to communicate with higher beings, – that are not seen with the invisible eye’’. Bushie continued, ‘‘and to awaken innate powers – to be able to communicate with Light beings.’’.

Occasionally whenever he went out of Cave to attend business outside with Yogi Ji he would gift one of his leaves to us. We would place it in a special jar that was kept on the 920,634591 shelf in the cave on the 90th section. When required we would take the jar down and remove some tulsi leaves and brew them to make tea. Me and the ant lay down on the floor to perform Bhujangasana which means serpent or cobra. We lay down onto our naval side and propped the upper body up onto our arms and stretched our legs backwards. In my case, I only had two legs and they were kept together. We kept our arms straight and raised our head as if we were serpents.
We inhaled and exhaled slowly, and could feel the energetic pull in our stomach area. Yogi Ji had once told me that the Bhujangasana if practised regularly will help awaken the Kundalini energy. We inhaled and exhaled deeply and through the nose. Yogi Ji had also told me that this was an ancient asana and that at Chapter II, Asanas stanza 43 of ‘The Gheranda Samitha,’ it is stated that ‘‘by practicing bhujangasana, the physical fire will increase, and
all diseases will be destroyed.

The serpent Kundalini-shakti will awaken.’’ Bhujangasana also forms part of the Surya Namaskaram set of 12 yoga exercises done in one sequence. After performing the Bhujangasana we rested for a while. The red ant said, “My name is Rudraksha Pipilika. I am a worker ant’’. ‘‘That’s a beautiful name. It holds full in the mouth,’’ I said. ‘‘I am named after a berry, that grows in the Himalayas.’’ Rudraksha Pipilika blushed so that his cheeks became black, but his face was red. His was gigantic, compared to the rest of his body. ‘‘Only few advanced yogic practitioners are proficient at performing the technique that Bushie was doing earlier.” He said. I wandered about the practise of Kechari mudra which Yogi Ji had made me practise several months ago.

We had spent many days elongating my tongue and it was painful. The purpose was for me to turn it inside my mouth upwards to the back palate of my mouth, to access some siddhis – not literally outwards like Bushie had been performing. I remained silent for a few minutes as I pondered on this. One of the reasons that I was learning Kechari mudra from Yogi Ji was to strengthen my eyesight, but also to access the power of Light. Rudraksha imparted further knowledge about the Kechari mudra ‘‘it is an advanced technique as you know Muni. It cannot be learnt without strict supervision of a teacher. Once learnt the tongue acts like a key to open a secret that is not known to us, but is then revealed. One such siddhi that is acquired by performing Kechari mudra is the ability to communicate with beings that exist in Light’’. ‘‘What do you mean Rudraksha?’’ I asked. ‘‘Muni, there are entities that occupy Light. When you see light streaming in, the source for us here in this world is principally considered to be the Sun. If you look closely Muni, with the spiritual eye – you will notice another universe – parallel to us – living and moving within Light’’.

“I will be back in a few hours,” declared Yogi Ji summoning a large Tulsi plant (Holy basil) to accompany him. Tulsi was firmly grounded into the ground, in the back room of the cave. He uprooted himself which took a while. Finally, he managed to dislodge himself and using the roots as legs he walked over to Yogi Ji. He was a mystical plant; whose reputation was impeccable. He was known to possess magical qualities for helping Yogis in their spiritual and healing tasks. Tulsi nodded towards me, ‘‘please do pour a generous amount of water collected from the northwestern point of the fauna meadow that springs from the hundredth millimetre of the valley of the Neem.’’ I nodded carefully so that Tulsi was reassured that I would do as asked. He

continued, “so that when I return, I can slide my legs back into the ground and have them nourished and soothed.” ‘‘Sure, that’s fine,’’ I said. This was a task that Yogi Ji had assigned to me every time Tulsi went for a walk with Yogi Ji, which was not that often. I waved goodbye to Tulsi and Yogi Ji as they left the cave. Waving was not something that I did usually and Yogi Ji said it was a good way to send good energy vibrations. When they left, I set about my task. I recalled that there were ants in the cave, somewhere. Yogi Ji had told me they would help me clean the hundreds and hundreds of bottles in which we would place the Ayurvedic medicine that he had prepared. The medicine which comprised liquids, ointments and even dried plants would be used for healing, wellbeing, and medicinal purposes.

‘‘We can communicate with other entities telepathically, using language, using herbs and plants, by scent and other ways,” said Yogi Ji. ‘‘These siddhis can be learnt or acquired.’’ Indeed, the practise of yoga had opened up many aspects of my abilities that I had not known of before. These came unexpectedly sometimes and other times took a while to master and perfect. Over time, I gained an understanding of communicating with other life forms. Yogi Ji often said to me that many people’s awareness of their inherent abilities, was covered with a veil of illusion. ‘‘The world is an illusion son. You are creating your reality every second. Your thoughts are creating your existence.’’ Now, after many years, I understand what he was talking about. We limit our own potential and abilities – because we do not think that we can acquire them or sometimes we are just not ‘aware’ that there are ways to learn them. Before the modern age humans devised many techniques that have become ‘lost’ to the world – to communicate, to summon, to create and shape the world around them. Yogi Ji said that we are not just one entity but in fact joined to others by a force that is invisible to the naked eye, but which can be experienced if not seen. The ancient Shamans, he told me were great masters of siddhis as were the ancient Egyptians. He also told me

that some ancient civilisations used these powers for dark purposes and that this was unethical practice. If any siddhis were acquired, they should only be used ethically. Returning to the task that Yogi Ji had set me, to enlist the support of ants to help me fill up the bottles, I continued to practise the meditation technique he had prescribed. ‘‘Consciousness is not confined to your mind, body and spirit Muni. It is everywhere. It exists all around you, and is a universal intelligence that is alive.” “Is this the same as prana shakti or Kundalini shakti?’’ I asked. I was bewildered with understanding yet another invisible energy – that I could not see with my naked eye. ‘‘You can call it shakti if you want or consciousness. Essentially it is an energy. There are diverse types but all from the same source. It’s a bit like saying waves of the ocean are different in size dependant on weather conditions, but essentially, Muni, they derive from the same source – the Ocean. Consciousness is an intelligent energy and you could even say a ‘being’ but not as you know it Muni. There are ways and techniques to shape it and to communicate with it.” I did explore the subject matter with Yogi Ji. ‘‘How will all of this knowledge help me communicate with the ants?’’

“Muni, think for one moment please. You are communicating with me. So, if you can communicate with me – what is preventing you from communicating with other beings? – except your ego?’’ This answer caused me some discomfort as it implied that I was arrogant or that I was so self-important that I could not communicate with an ‘ant’. I realised the answer was for me to find. Yogi Ji told me that I too had to search for answers, using my own modes of thinking. “Practise of regular yogic techniques, as I have taught you, over the course of many years will gradually awaken many different siddhis.” It was a cold morning and the temperature in the Yoga Bhavan was dropping very quickly. I could feel the cold air wrapping my bones, as if it was a scarf. The scent of distant fauna from the Himalayan meadows was in the air and felt refreshing. I wandered in my mind that if I was shivering, surely no ant could survive such weather. Bushie the snow leopard helped me light a log fire. It took a while to light, as the charcoal from the previous sessions had to be removed and boxed. Yogi Ji did not want us to waste anything. ‘‘There is a purpose and use for everything. We live in a wonderful world Muni.

Every single aspect of creation is reusable, even if it is not in its original form. We merely change form and with that change is a change in consciousness.” The left over burnt wood which often contained herbs, leaves and other plants, that Yogi Jee and I had been mixing to sanitise the air can only be described as magical. The fine powder felt silky to touch. We carefully scooped up the powder and placed it into two large boxes. It would be used for whatever suitable purpose that was needed, from soothing grazes, cuts, cleansing the pores of the skin and for sharing with other creatures.

The fire was eventually lit and me and Bushie sat down and enjoyed the warmth. Bushie lay down onto his spine and brought his front legs into padmasana pose. His back legs remained in an upright position. ‘‘Bushie you are becoming highly proficient at yoga practise.” I said, stroking Bushie’s head. The snow leopard purred and smiled. He began rocking first to the right and then the left. I stood up and laughed, ‘‘that’s not how to perform padmasana Bushie! You have a lot to learn.” Bushie stared at me, his eyes wide open. They were gentle and I could see some tears swelling up.

I laughed louder as Bushie moved his tail side to side, while rocking. His tongue came out of his mouth and the tip of it was placed on his Ajna chakra point (third eye). I bellowed even more in laughter so that I had to hold my stomach. I made so much noise that an army of ants came marching from all corners of the Yoga Bhavan foyer to where I was standing. I didn’t notice them at first but I felt a bite on my ankle and I yelped in pain and hopped on one leg. ‘‘Ow, ouch, arrgh!” I grabbed the red ant that was still biting into my ankle and forcefully pulled it off. ‘‘What are you doing ant? Have you gone mad?’’ The ant was a giant red one with black eyes. ‘‘Stop making so much noise Muni. We can all hear you in the crevices of the cave rocks.” I was amazed at the mischievousness of the ant. Bushie continued whatever he was doing. I sat down on one of the large granite, rocks situated on the southeast corner of the cave foyer, rubbed and patted the ant bite with some charcoal to soothe the pain. Pointing to the red ant who had assumed sheershasana pose, I said, “Well while you are out and about, please kindly polish up the bottles that Yogi Ji has left over there’’. The ant was upside down and did not flinch.

I spent a few hours with the Owl in the meditation cave learning about mantras and then returned back to Yogi Ji and the snow leopard.

‘‘I see that you disappeared for a long time Muni.” said Yogi Ji. ‘‘Yes Sir, I was with the Owl learning sacred mantras and prayers for healing so that I can use them for the benefit of Bushie. One such mantra I learnt was the Green Tara Mantra, ‘‘Om Tare Tuttare Ture Soha.” Yogi Ji was pleased that I had made a conscious effort to learn about the power of healing mantras. ‘‘I know that you learnt that mantra with all your heart Muni because I can feel its energy in mine even without you speaking it out aloud.”

The green Tara mantra is a Tibetan Vajrayana Buddhist mantra which is used to bring about ‘change’ on a physical and also spiritual level and offers protection and healing. Ideally it is recited 108 times in any one sitting which is what I practised for Bushie. Tara is known as Dolma in Tibetan Buddhism translated simply as the mother of mercy and compassion. She is a feminine Bodhisattva. She manifests in different forms and is invoked not just for compassion but in her other states for abundance and prosperity and for protection. Tara is invoked for many other things, for example when one is experiencing severe emotional blocks, bad karma, bad luck or even disease.

The mantra (sacred sound) is a technique to alter consciousness. We find sacred sound in all religious and spiritual traditions and these are invoked and used for many different purposes. The same is true in the yogic traditions. ‘Tare’ is called upon to help ease suffering and afflictions. ‘Om’ has no meaning. It is a universal sound that resonates in the whole universe and symbolises past present and the future. ‘Tuttare’ helps liberate one also from the eight fears that cause untold misery such as attachment, anger, pride, jealousy, miserliness, doubt and confused thinking. Each of these are represented by an animal symbolising its quality. ‘Ture’ helps free you from the suffering of diseases. ‘Soha’ refers to the process of connection between one’s heart and that of Tatra so that there is a deep connection. There are other subtler meaning of this mantra as with all sacred sounds and these are revealed as one practices them more and more intensely.

I practiced other short mantras as well, that the Owl had taught me. And on alternate days recited the Gayatri mantra to help Bushie out of his physical pain. ‘‘Om Bhur Bhuvah Suvaha, Tat-savitur Varenyam, Bhargo Devasya Dheemahi, Dhiyo Yonah Prachodayat.” This prayer (or mantra as it is also referred to) is a meditation to the Supreme and Omnipotent Creator of the worlds whose divine light illuminates all creation and at all levels, physical, astral, causal. Being the source of all creation, deserving of worship, radiant one who illuminates everything, we meditate on you and awaken our intellect.

The Gayatri prayer is ancient and is recorded in the ancient divine scripture; the Rig Veda that is thousands of years old. It holds great powers of healing and the subtle metaphysical and esoteric meanings become revealed the more one practises it. I also learnt other mantras.

Sometimes the yogi would place a red paste on my third eye point, and I would sit cross legged. I could feel his skin next to my face as he stood over me. I could smell the scent of his skin. I could feel the warmth of his arms as he stroked my head chanting mantras. As he applied the paste, my lips would be pressed against his chest because the bindu had to be marked correctly. He would also ask me sometimes to loosen my legs so that he could bend down over me to apply the paste on the back of my head as there was a special nadi situated there as well. He told me instead of wasting time I should just close my eyes, concentrate and start chanting mantras. Sometimes, it was difficult to chant as a part of one ritual was for him to press the bindu point for a few minutes while standing over me. Yogi Ji advised me not to worry and continue chanting.

I began to enjoy these rituals because they helped me connect with my spiritual Master and Guru. I would perform trataka on a candle flame in the fire and the yogi would sit opposite me in the same posture. I too would apply red paste on his forehead and it was beautiful and shining especially when the flames flickered. Yogi Ji then would telepathically direct me to perform trataka on him and to concentrate only on him. He was my supreme Teacher and Guide and I was to dedicate myself to him which I wanted to do whole heartedly. He told me that if I was to succeed on the spiritual path and to have my kundalini awakened then I must totally dedicate my practise and allow him to guide me. He taught me to chant mantras on him as well which I did with great passion and devotion.

I wandered why Yogi Ji spent so much intense time and effort with Bushie. I then realised it was showing compassion to other beings.

As the night began to unfold, I set about lighting the wood fire inside the cave foyer and meditating on the flames of fire by performing trataka. In between, I gazed also upon the baby snow leopard and directed my attention to him reciting the Om mantra repeatedly and praying that he would heal. I learnt to feel a connection with Bushie and grew to

love him. I nursed him slowly as if he was a child and nurtured him. I felt a deep connection to him as he had been separated from his parents.

I sat next to the snow leopard nursing him and reciting some healing mantras for many days until his paw healed and he was able to move around without physical pain. ‘‘Well done, Muni,’’ said Yogi Ji, ‘‘Bushie is now healthy and fit. He cannot return home as his mother died and so he will stay here with us at Yoga Bhavan where we will provide him with a place to live.”

It was time to eat our afternoon meal. I had gathered red berries a few days back. ‘‘Let us eat and rest,’’ said Yogi Ji. I carried over the berries in a large stone bowl. They glistened like red rubies, as the flames flickered to and from the log fire. I boiled some flower tea over the fire in a copper cup and then carried it over carefully to where the Yogi Ji was sitting. ‘‘Come Muni, let us sit together and enjoy this tea. The flowers of the Himalayas are from heaven. They contain magical properties. They can heal and cure many illnesses and make the body and mind strong.” I took a sip of the tea and it was deliciously warming.

I munched on some sweet red berries and so did the Yogi Ji. He began to laugh, ‘‘The other day Muni, when I asked whether or not you could hear the sound of the chaiwala what

I was trying to test you on is whether your ability of clairaudience has improved or not.”

I was interested to know what he meant, ‘‘what is clairaudience Sir?’’

‘‘It’s having the ability to hear sounds that are not within the normal ability of your human capabilities. It is a skill that is learnt through intense yoga and spiritual meditation and training. With this skill you can hear anything in the universe, if you listen carefully. Sounds that are thousands of years old can be heard, sounds of yesterday, today and in the future can be heard. Every sound Muni has a purpose. Every sound that is spoken by you, by anyone, by anything is recorded in the Universe. It can be replayed, overheard and remembered. It never dies. That is why I can hear the sound of a chaiwala selling his wares in Delhi thousands of miles away from where we are situated. I can hear the sound of many people if I consciously choose to tune in or out. It’s really up to me. You too will soon learn this skill.” I was shocked. ‘‘Are you telling me that you can hear anyone anywhere?’’ The Yogi Ji answered ‘‘yes’’ quite factually as if it was a normal thing to do.

‘’Muni you will not want to turn on your clairaudience antenna regularly anyway. You will soon tire of listening to others because you simply don’t have the time or the patience yet.

But it is a valuable skill and something that is useful. I will teach you a secret exercise to improve this skill. But for now I want to rest.”

‘‘Yogi Ji how can a mantra follow me?’’ I asked perplexed. Instead of answering my question Yogi Ji asked me to help him wash some empty glass bottles that were filled with some dust. ‘‘I need these clean and shiny,’’ he said pointing to the bottles of all sizes and shapes. I gasped. ‘‘But there appear to be several hundred bottles and jars here! Where did all these come from?’’ Yogi Ji replied, ‘‘I summoned them from one of the cave rooms. You have not seen the bottle room but I will take you there one day. It’s a seven days’ walk inside this cave to arrive at that destination. Yes, Muni you have to wash all these bottles in the next 72 hours as I need them for some potions and ointments that I have been busy making. They need to be sealed so they don’t lose their potency. You can call on the army of red ants that are lodging in the crevices of the cave walls on the south side. They are visiting only for a few weeks before they travel onto warmer climates. If you can convince the leader to help, you’ll have thousands of ants to help you polish these bottles until they are sparkling. You may have to give up your usual sleeping patterns as the matter is quite necessary and urgent Muni. In 72 hours, I will receive a delegation of King Pigeons who will collect several hundred bottles to take to neighbouring lands for the benefit of my spiritual companions.

The other technique of Trataka which I performed regularly was on a flame of fire from the log fire. But it can also be done on a candle flame.

Occasionally on a few rare occasions, Chinese travellers who passed through the valley stopped at Yoga Bhavan. They would gift Yogi Ji with a box of beeswax candles. ‘‘See Muni, my Chinese companions in my spiritual chain have sent these to me. See how beautifully crafted these candles are.” I was delighted at seeing such well-crafted candles that smelt divine when lit. The sweet smell of the beeswax mingled with the scent of pine inside the cave creating a wonderfully inviting and cosy atmosphere. “Muni, I will teach you how to perform Trataka on a candle flame and the same technique can be performed on the fire,’’ said Yogi Ji, ‘‘Perform all the preparatory steps as you would do if you were practising Trataka on a bindu, except this time your attention will be on a candle flame, not a dot. The candle can be placed on a box that is in alignment with your shoulders and neck, at least 10 inches away, so that you do not need to restrain your shoulder muscles.

When you are practising trataka for long periods of time, you will find that ‘thoughts’ begin to arise. They will at the start of the practice come fast – so that you may find it difficult to even make sense of what is going on in the mind. But keep up the practise and persist in making this special technique an important and integral aspect of your practice. It is a ‘key’ to unlock the subconscious mind which Yogi Ji taught me was the ‘soul’ or an aspect of the ‘soul’. As you practice regularly, and for longer periods your concentration and awareness significantly improve. Under a trained teacher and supervision, this technique can be used to access ‘thoughts’ from previous time-tracks in your life and even unlock ancestral locks and energy patterns, accumulated over generations and bring them to the surface of the mind and deal with them. You will also enhance your perception, awareness, appreciation that nothing in the world is really static, that whatever we place our observational awareness upon, has the capacity to change or move.

Just by ‘observation’ we are unlocking ‘thoughts’ that may have dredged themselves deep inside our subconscious mind. These thoughts may be both toxic or pleasurable. ‘‘Eventually Muni, the observed can become the observer and vice versa and then the realisation of your true identity may emerge,’’ Yogi Ji told me.

The toxic thoughts, just like the pleasurable ones are charged with a current. This current can be negative or positive. The more negative thoughts you have harboured in the mind, the more it becomes like sludge or dark energy.

This dark energy is living and breathing. The more denser and volume this dark energy has, the less room there is for prana to move freely. Prana is a life force energy. It signifies vitality, spirit and life. It is light energy. When it flows through the chakras (energy centres of the body) it activates them and with that activation comes a heightened emotional sense of wellbeing.

When I first started practising trataka, it was difficult to control the acrobatics of the mind and to concentrate. Every time I tried it, instead of concentrating on the dot, I found my mind wandering to what events had passed during the day or the night before or recently; even seemingly unimportant things. I tried my best. It was frustrating. How was it possible that I could not keep my attention on one thing I thought; that confused me. I was perplexed and sought constant advice from Yogi Ji. He told me
that the mind does wander and thoughts are difficult to control. However, if I persisted on learning, I would eventually overcome such difficulties.

I had complete faith in Yogi Ji. He was my Guide and I lived for him in his service. I was totally dedicated and there was nothing more that I liked than to serve him every day. He was connected to me in spirit. I was bonded to him he had told me from centuries past. It was in my destiny to be connected to him. My mind, body and spirit belonged to him and his task was to shape them.

I carried on trying to perform trataka first on bindu and then on a candle flame. Yogi Ji told me that I should not actually force thoughts away but let them arise, because eventually they would pass. So, in this way and using this advice I was able not to resist or push thoughts away forcefully but to allow them to rise, acknowledge them and then let them go. I found that this way I was able to concentrate longer and longer on the dot and so my attention became one-pointed and stronger. When I tried it on the candle flame, I could see beautiful colours of different shades and glow. Eventually as time passed, I began to see that the flame was a gateway to another dimension in which I began to see shapes and movement. I took the skills I learnt from this exercise and began to apply it to my day-to-day life and noticed that I became efficient and that the work I did during the day was of a far higher quality. Yogi Ji noticed a big improvement in many of my day-to-day activities. I also noticed that one of the skills arising from mastering trataka is mindfulness. The stronger this skill is, the better will become the way one performs other tasks that are part of day-to day living. Masters of their professions such as great musicians, poets, writers and other talented individuals including inventors also experience such states or flow which, in turn, results in the creation of works of art and related end products.

Yogi Ji also asked me, as part of my training under his tutelage that I should stay up throughout the night for 10 days, reciting prayer and mantras for the snow leopard so that he recovers peacefully. I did not really understand the true power of mantra until I practised them practically. And as I did so I became more and more experienced in the way they healed my restless mind and heart.

I was surprised at the request. ‘‘Sir, I am too busy learning about spiritual matters to be sitting for 10 days just for one snow leopard,” I exclaimed. Yogi Ji twisted my ear a little, ‘‘Kaam chour’’ he declared. ‘‘You are a lazy person. Go and cleanse your mind and your thoughts and develop some compassion and then return to me later today!’’

With those words ringing loud in my ear and feeling the pinch on my ear lobe I hurried off to the meditation cave. It was another cave inside the main cave and its walls were probably as high as the largest mountain in the valley. All kinds of mantras, charms and Sanskrit script were scribbled on the walls Mantras and Yantras of all kinds, sizes and colours shimmered brightly under the flame of the natural beeswax candles that I lit up.

An Owl was already meditating inside the cave. He opened one eye and I heard his thought in my mind, ‘‘Come Muni, I have been expecting you here for quite some time. In fact, I have been keeping vigil here in deep Trataka meditation for over 3 years now. Now you have arrived.” I thought I was dreaming or hearing voices. But the words surely were uttered by the Owl; but in my mind.

The Owl peered at me and I looked into his eyes and asked ‘‘If you can hear my thoughts please nod.” The Owl promptly nodded not just once but twice and lifted his wings in reassurance. ‘‘I see that Yogi Ji wants you to learn compassion, so that you can then embrace it to share with Bushie the snow leopard, to affect his healing.” I replied rather quietly and indeed embarrassingly ‘‘yes please Owl.” It made no difference whether I spoke out the words aloud or in my mind because the Owl understood.

The Owl uncurled his wings that were crossed over his chest and flew down from a crag on the cave wall. He perched on a small branch of a pine tree that was growing inside the cave. He then fell down into upside down headstand while the claws on his feet clung to the branch as if he was bat.

‘‘Muni, if you are not compassionate and cannot develop kindness how will you become a first-rate Yogi? You are half way there yaar (friend), but you must work at this skill because if you have chosen the spiritual path then it is mandatory that you exercise love, compassion and kindness as these are just some of the many emotional states that must be sharpened.”

‘‘Yogi Ji is unhappy with my attitude.” I told the Owl. ‘‘He told me to read some prayers and healing mantras for the snow leopard, but I said I was too busy with other things. Can you believe Yogi Ji called me a Kaam Chour!’’.

The Owl laughed so loud that some of his feathers flew off his belly.

‘‘Thanks for your support, Owl! I do not understand how sitting for hours practising prayer and mantras can help anyone. Such activities are not tangible or measurable like ointments.” The Owl stared at me for a quite some time and then told me that it was best to follow Yogi Ji’s advice and that intangible activities do have an impact on the mind and body. ‘‘They can help the healing process. Just because we can’t see with our naked eyes it does not mean they do not exist. You cannot see a lot of things but you know they exist – such as air and the wind,” said the Owl. I nodded in agreement. ‘‘I feel rather faint,’’ exclaimed the Owl bringing himself out of the pose he was in and sitting upright. ‘‘I haven’t practised sheershasana (headstand) for some time now. Muni, you should try it – it’s very good for the head. I was watching the army of bats that are nesting here the other day and I thought to myself I should also do the headstand.” I laughed and replied “well I have been practising it but my hair follicles have shrunk, but my brain capacity seems to have increased tremendously.”

The Kundalini Memoirs of a Yogi
To be continued in the next issue of YOGA Magazine

This is a very poignant and auspicious article for me to be writing about, as my Kundalini woke up in 1995, through the mantra and me chanting the mantra ‘Om Namah Shivaya’. I was 21 years of age, and I went to India for the first time. As soon as we arrived, my friend and I were strongly guided to travel north to the Himalayas.
We arrived at the Himalayas and we met a group of people from Birmingham. Whilst all having the time of our life in Manali, we got a letter from a member of the Birmingham group, saying that he was in Chamba and that we all must go to Chamba. We all departed that day, feeling the urgency of this message to go to Chamba. And as soon as we arrived there, I recognised my spiritual brother, Dean Christopher. Dean Christopher suggested that we take a very intense trip up a high Himalayan mountain to visit our friend Junks, in his orchard called the “Valley of Hills and Peace”.

WE ALL AGREED, PACKED OUR BAGS, AND SET OFF THE NEXT MORNING.

Just before we left Chamba, an Italian lady appeared in the foyer of the hotel, she ignored everyone else in the group, and she made a specific beeline for me. She came up to me and said, “You must chant the mantra, ‘Om Namah Shivaya’. Please promise me you will chant the mantra, “Om Namah Shivaya” She asked me to repeat the mantra a few times, and then she looked deep into my eyes and begged me to promise to keep chanting that mantra. I had never heard of the mantra, ‘Om Namah Shivaya’. I was 21 years of age and I was very naive on a spiritual level. I didn’t know about bhajans, I didn’t know about mantras. I didn’t know about Kundalini energy and I barely even knew about chakras. However, the lady was so adamant that I chant the mantra, Om Namah Shivaya that, which is exactly why I did. We then, embarked on a 12-hour, horrendously gruesome trek up a very, very steep Himalayan mountain, and I was carrying a backpack that weighed over 25 kilograms. Throughout the journey, I was repeating the mantra, ‘Om Namah Shivaya’ and truth be told it was the hardest and most gruesome journey of my entire life. Eventually, we reached the top of the mountain and I had a very strong urge to be on my own. I left the group, and I was still chanting the mantra, ‘Om Namah Shivaya’, which I must have chanted at least 30,000 times on that one day. All of a sudden, I looked up at the sky, and I saw this huge flash of light. At that moment, my third eye blasted wide open. And I went from a person who was blind to a person who could see. I felt the presence of many ascended beings, such as St. Germain, Archangel Michael, Mary Magdalene, Mother Mary, Bob Marley, Yeshua, John Lennon, and Gandhi. And there were many others that I could not identify. They were all cheering and playing the maracas. And I felt this most profound celebration in the heavenly realm that one soul had truly woken up. The light blasted my third eye open. And at that moment, I went into God-consciousness. I understood intricately and intimately the oneness of all of creation. And I was shown that every blade of grass is assigned a guardian angel. I was shown that God’s grace permeates and penetrates every aspect of creation. And we are also blessed to have spun forth from the creation of God’s heart. I received an encyclopedia’s worth of spiritual knowledge that was instantly downloaded into my consciousness, in what felt like seconds. And I understood deeply the oneness of creation and the beauty of God’s grace. As the light entered my sacral chakra. This was the place in my physical vessel, where I had stored all of my trauma and all of my fearful thoughts. As the light interfaced with my sacral chakra, I felt allof my fears dissolve back into eternal oneness, and I realized at that moment that if it isn’t love, it isn’t real.

FEAR ISN’T REAL, FEAR IS AN ILLUSION AND BELONGS IN THE REALM OF ILLUSION.

It was such a huge relief for me to understand this and know this at the deepest level of my being. And I felt such a huge relief as I released all of the fear that I had carried in this lifetime and other lifetimes. In that moment of my spiritual enlightenment, I understood deeply and implicitly the origins of the soul, where the soul originates from, where the soul returns to and the purpose for souls on earth. It was revealed to me that our purpose on this earth, is to bask in God’s eternal grace in every single moment of our existence. After this experience, I was guided to go and share what had just happened to me with my brother, Dean Christopher. And he also shared that something very similar had happened to him when he was 21 years of age.

We then spent the night together like innocent children bathing underneath the Himalayan stars. The next morning, I woke up to experience the most profoundly powerful Kundalini rushes, and all day for the next six months, I experienced the sensation of my Kundalini energy rising in my spinal column. This brought with it a feeling of profound bliss and angelic glory. I was subjected to angelic downloads of the highest order and all aspects of God’s creation were revealed to me. Prior to my enlightenment, I had no clue what the word love meant. I knew that I loved my mum, but other than that, I wasn’t really sure what love truly, truly meant. I was completely unaware of what the word eternity means. I was completely unaware of timelessness, of what infinity means, but suddenly in my enlightenment, the deepest understanding of these words became apparent to me.

There is so much to speak about, but I will say that finding a mantra and committing to a mantra is a foolproof way to awaken your Kundalini. The practice that I did, was just repeating the mantra Om Namah Shivaya for one day. And that was enough to awaken me spiritually. As the years have gone by, I have studied the Yogis of Tibet, and I understand now, that I am a Western Yogi, and many Yogis go through very difficult experiences, i.e. Yogic challenges of all manner of description, as a way to create the contrast that will enable them to have the exalted experience of God consciousness.

I understand now, that my yogic initiation was my traveling up the Himalayan mountains, carrying a rucksack that weighed 25 kilograms. I wouldn’t change my experience, it has been the greatest thing that’s happened to me, my family, and my spiritual community. I’ve been able to bring through so many books, knowledge, information, videos, Tarot cards, and Oracle cards that have profoundly assisted many of my soul family to fully awaken spiritually. When I had my experience on top of the mountain, I was left with this almighty feeling of deeply needing to share this truth with my brothers and sisters. I was touched by the grace of God. And in many ways, it could even be said that I had a near-death experience without going through the drama of dying. This experience deeply transformed me on a cellular level and I became one with my higher self. My deepest passion and deepest motivation in this life are to share the grace that I experienced on top of the mountain with my brothers and sisters so that they can feel peace and at home in themselves, and understand the glory of the God that resides within and without them.