learn about marilyn gabriel, phd

Marilyn has been practicing meditation for over thirty years. She was given her spiritual name, Sundari, at age 12 from an Indian Yogi who was visiting Kentucky in 1971. As a young person, she studied Christian and many non-Christian esoteric texts, practiced Tibetan Buddhism, and graduated from University of Kentucky with a Bachelor's degree in Philosophy in 1981.
 
After her college graduation, Marilyn consciously decided to move away from the study of philosophy to what she felt was a call of action in service to others. While working on her graduate degree in social work, she studied other spiritual traditions including Native American and Sufism. While completing her doctoral degree, Marilyn found her years of practice in eastern mediation linked with her experience and western understanding of hypnotic and trance states. She devoted her dissertation study to the examination of dreaming and how the engagement of therapy can potentially change dream experience. Despite her desire to blend western scientific endeavor with eastern thought, her work in dream states could not address her devotion to healing others.
 
From the late 1980's, Marilyn maintained a psychotherapy practice and worked as a clinical supervisor supporting health care providers and professional healers. She found, not only for herself but many others, the work of a healer is extremely demanding and potentially destructive. Maintaining a healthy balance of work and well-being is nearly impossible without a practice that is nourishing to all aspects of being. Professional healers need clarity of mind, a healthy body and a meaningful commitment to their clinical practice in order to ultimately excel as a healer.
 
Marilyn's first experience with Kundalini Yoga was in the early 1990's. By 2002, she was regularly practicing a blend of Ashtanga and Iyengar Yoga as well as Kundalini Yoga. In 2007, she attended workshops with Gurmukh Kaur Khalsa and traveled with her group to India in February of 2008. Energized by the power of Kundalini Yoga, in the fall of 2008, Marilyn started teacher training at Golden Bridge in New York City. She believes practicing yoga changed her awareness of her physical body and it's relationship to her emotional self. When she committed to a daily practice of Kundalini Yoga, she found it offered a technology for deeply healing the body, mind and spirit very quickly, unlike any other practice of healing arts.
 
More details regarding Dr. Gabriel's professional credentials can be found at MGabriel-PhD.com

learn about kundalini yoga

Kundalini Yoga was first brought from India to the United States by Yogi Bhajan in 1968. There are many kinds of yoga but Kundalini Yoga is thought to be the oldest and most elemental from India. It is considered the Yoga of Awareness and seeks to develop not only the physical body through exercise but to cultivate the mind through the application of meditation and mantra. Many aspects of our modern lifestyle have a negative influence and increase our risk of physical and mental disease. Kundalini Yoga brings health overall by healing imbalances encountered in the body, mind and spirit. By practicing yoga, one is able to reduce the impact of the risks encountered in daily life, thus living more healthy and happy each day.
 
Kundalini Yoga has been found to help in releasing muscle tension and keeping joints flexible. It strengthens the heart muscles, improves circulation, and teaches one how to deeply relax. Even though the kriyas are not disease based, many kriyas have been found to heal specific problems encountered in daily living through balancing the energies of prana and apana. If these energies are not in balance, problems arise that range from sleep disturbance, sexual dysfunction to depression, addiction and self-contempt. Dr. Marilyn Gabriel will be discussing the background of Kundalini Yoga and demonstrating how specific sets can be used to help people suffering from numerous psychiatric conditions.
 
Many of the basic postures (asanas) in Kundalini Yoga are similar to postures used in other forms of yoga. For over thirty years, Yogi Bhajan taught thousands of kriyas (specific sets of postures) that are designed to heal a particular problem or strengthen a particular feature of being. They typically involve timed repetitive movements, mudras, chants, music and breath techniques. Many kriyas can be understood as focusing upon balancing a specific chakra and all kriyas are designed to stimulate kundalini energy for healing and radiance. Kriyas can be practiced once for immediate benefits but they are typically practiced more over time in order to make permanent changes in health and well-being.
 
The only way to understand Kundalini Yoga is to actually experience it. No previous experience in yoga is really necessary and if done in sincerity with a certified teacher, results can be experienced in just one class.

favorite links

Kundalini Research Institute (KRI) — events, books and library of Yogi Bhajan's teachings
Spirit Voyage — Kundalini Yoga mantra music and more
3HO — Kundalini Teacher Directory

disclaimer

Kundalini Yoga comes from ancient yogic traditions and has been brought to us in its present form by Yogi Bhajan. We strive to keep his teachings genuine and unadulterated. It has been shown that yoga practice of any kind may be beneficial in maintaining health and supportive as a supplementary strategy in some health related concerns, however, no medical claims are made here. Anything written on our website or shared in classes, workshops or retreats are presented solely for information and education and not intended to be medical advice.
 
It is possible for anyone to enjoy yoga and many accommodations can be made to help everyone enjoy the yogic experience, no matter their age or health status. If you are being treated for a specific health condition, check with your physician or licensed health care provider first to ensure yoga is appropriate for your personal health condition and complementary to any medication you may be prescribed. When you register, let us know of any specific circumstances that you may have so that we can plan to accommodate your special needs.