The word Yoga comes from the Sanskirt root "Yug" meaning to join. Yoga literally means yoke or union and speaks of the union of the individual spirit with the universal consciousness (Divine Spirit, God, the Goddess, The Force)

Yoga is not a religion but a path that can be practiced within the framework of any religion or belief system. Many are the yogic paths or disciplines. They are like the fingers on the same hand. The first of the ancient yoga philosophers to write down the yogic knowledge was Patanjali who wrote of the five primary systems of yoga. All of these systems are part of and contained within kundalini yoga - the mother of all yogas.

1. Hatha - Physical Culture, yoga postures, exercises, personal development.

2. Karma Yoga - The science of right action

3. Bhakti Yoga - The yoga of devotion

4. Jnana Yoga - The science of mental development and discipline.

5. Raja Yoga - The Royal Path or supreme yoga. It is the path of the development of the latent powers in man for self-healing and spiritual works

Important to all yogic disciplines is the direction of a teacher who reveals technique, answers questions and provides guidance along the pathway. In ancient India the pupil mastered at least one of the five disciplines listed to be referred to a Kundalini Yoga teacher. Yogi Bhajan brought Kundalini Yoga to the United States and the world. He began to teach in December 1968 creating the worldwide 3HO Organization. He is a shining star in the Age of Aquarius.

Kundalini Yoga deals with our vital energy or life force (prana). It teaches us how to use it to. This yogic discipline activates the Kundalini (hair of the beloved) within a human. Kundalini Yoga is the experience of the infinite within the finite. It balances the glandular system and strengthens the nervous system, calms the mind and strengthens meditation, facilitates healing of the body, mind and soul connection. It activates and balances the chakras

A door is opened by a key much as the yogi or yogini opens the door of awakening the Goddess (Kundalini Shakti) who lies sleeping at the base of the spine, her luminous form coiled 3 1/2 times between the second and third chakras. When she wakes, through any number of techniques like yoga or meditation, She descends to the root chakra, is turned upward and channeled up through shusumna, the SILVER cord. She lights the chakras and strengthens them on her journey to the crown chakra. Finally the nectar drips from the thousand peddled lotus at the crown.