Kundalini meditation to overcome panic

Note: please see my article on Kundalini and sexual assault allegations

For almost two years now, I've turned to Kundalini meditations to manage specific issues. From sleep, to overcoming anxiety, strengthening my commitment, opening my heart, developing confidence, overcoming addiction, and on and on and on and on.

This particular meditation is my go to for quick relief of panic states or release of freak-out level anxiety. It's incredibly hard to do (it's not advanced, but it requires holding the breath out for extended periods of time, which makes you feel like you might die, so not recommended for all), but it works quickly and the results (for me) are undeniable: it stops my panic states dead in their tracks, and does it in under 4 minutes. 

This is the one I teach my friends and clients when shit is going down and any old meditation just won't do.

It works pretty simply: you hold your breath in and out for extended periods of time, and that combined with the hand position and eye position, triggers the survival response. You overload the system and return to homeostasis.

You can use this in one of two ways. One, you can learn it and use it in emergency situations to prevent full-blown panic attacks. Or two, you can do it every day for 40 or 90 days as a regular practice to eliminate or greatly reduce severe anxiety (over time, it helps rebuild your nervous system; it’s given me steely nerves.)

How to do kundalini meditation for balancing the nervous energies

Sitting position. Sit in an Easy Pose, with a the chin pulled slightly in and a straight spine (note, hips should always be higher than knees).

Hand/arm position. Bend the elbows so that the hands are at the level of the heart center a few inches from the body, palms facing the chest. Place the palm of the right hand against the back of the left hand. Hold the hands and forearms parallel to the ground so that the fingers of the right hand point toward the left side and the fingers of the left hand point toward the right side. Press the thumb tips together.

Eyes. The eyes are nine-tenths closed (barely open) and rolled up to the third-eye point. Note this feels REALLY WEIRD at first. To do this, I sometimes keep my eyes open, press my finger in between my eyebrows and look at it, and THEN close my eyes 9/10s of the way.

Breath. Inhale deeply through the nose and calmly hold the breath in for 15-20 seconds. Exhale completely through the nose and calmly hold the breath out for 15-20 seconds. Concentrate on the breath. The air must go all the way out on the exhale so that all the heart valves get equal pressure and the brain and central nervous system will trigger the survival systems.

Time. Continue for 3 to 5 minutes. No more.

Relax. Sit in a meditative posture, for 31 seconds up to 31 minutes. Feel the change in energy.

From 1/28/80, Praana, Praanee, Praanayam manual

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