Holiday Survival With Kundalini Yoga

The holidays have a funny way of bringing out the best inus and the parts of us we thought we’d already healed.

One minute we’re sipping tea by the fire feeling deeply

grateful, and the next we’re overwhelmed by family

dynamics, travel chaos, or the sheer amount of

“togetherness” December holds.

Winter naturally pulls our energy inward, and Kundalini

practices give us tools to steady ourselves so we can

experience the beauty of the season without losing our

center, and so we can move through the holiday season

with grace and awareness.

Here are a few of the practices that can help you stay

grounded, radiant, and sane(ish) during the holiday swirl:

When You Need More Patience (and Tolerance)

Even the calmest among us can feel stretched thin this time of year. Long lines, travel delays, extra family opinions- your patience can get tested fast. This is where Sitali Pranayam comes in. It’s literally the “cooling breath,” and it works wonders when you’re on the edge of snapping.

 Sitali Pranayam

How to do it:

1. Roll your tongue into a tube (or simply sip over your extended tongue, if your tongue doesn’t roll)

2. Inhale long, slow, and deep through the rolled tongue.

3. Exhale long, slow, and deep through the nose and repeat.

Just 1–3 minutes cools the emotional heat and expands

your tolerance. It’s like hitting the “chill” button on your nervous system.

When overwhelm creeps in it can be, well, completely

overwhelming. Too many plans. Too many emotions. Too

many expectations, both internal and external.

Kundalini Yoga has a wonderfully honest practice called

Meditation for The Most Restless Mind (aka the "Meditation

for Insanity"). It’s simple and it clears mental clutter fast.

This meditation helps break the loop of spiraling thoughts.

It gives your mind somewhere healthy to land so you can

breathe again.

A few minutes of this, and you’ll feel like someone finally

turned the volume down inside your head.

Meditation for The Most Restless Mind (aka the "Meditation

for Insanity")

How to do it:

1. Sit in Easy Pose with a straight spine and a light Neck

Lock.

2. Relax the arms and hands in any meditative pose.

3. Focus on the tip of the nose.

4. Open the mouth as wide as

possible.

5. Touch the tongue to the upper palate.

6. Breath through the nose

   
   

   Continue 1-3 minutes

When Your Digestion Needs a Little Love

Let’s be real: holiday food is delicious… and sometimes a

little much. Heavy meals, weird eating times, rich treats-

your digestive fire can get sluggish.

A classic yogic reset for digestion is Shoulder Stand.

Gentle inversions help stimulate the thyroid, soothe the

gut, and give your body a chance to recalibrate.

If a full shoulder stand isn’t your thing, legs-up-the-wall

totally counts. A few minutes after a meal can make

everything move more smoothly, both physically and

energetically.

With these practices in your back pocket, you will be able

to stay centered so you can enjoy everything the holiday

season has to offer. And remember, Presence can happen

in small pockets of time:

• a deep breath, mentally reciting the word “victory” when

things get tense

• a moment of gratitude before eating

• a silent mantra (try Sat on the inhale, Nam on the exhale)

while wrapping gifts

• a brief meditation before sleep

These small, intentional pauses anchor you into the

present moment, so you can be your best, most joyful self,

no matter what the day holds.

While navigating the holiday season can be uniquely

challenging, we can also see it as an invitation to

presence. When approached with awareness, it becomes

a time to reconnect with your inner truth, honor the cycles of nature, and remember that your presence is the is the greatest gift you can offer.

Sat Nam. 😊 🙏 🎄