Deester,
I am in recovery from a "process" addiction... in case the term is unfamiliar to you, that's to distinguish my behavior (and my disease) from "substance" addiction. I've been called an adrenalin junkie, with my highs having been achieved through various forms of risk-taking. When in the depths of my addiction, to have been considered "a bit high-strung" would have been seen as moderation.
Last September, after self-admitting to a 35-day inpatient rehab facility that offered daily, beginner level yoga classes, I began every day with a gentle, hour-long workout. In the nearly five months since completing the program, I credit my yoga practice, in addition to the support of my wife, my counselor and my 12-step group, with helping me keep my head on my shoulders and my feet on the ground.
Personally, I have found it most helpful to concentrate on the breathing aspects of each asana, position or exercise... the calming effect this has had on me, both physically and emotionally, cannot be exaggerated and is simply extraordinary. Not only does it enable me to start the day in a very mellow yet clear-eyed frame of mind, there are these particularly fulfilling moments of the routine that I find are subject to quite vivid memory recall throughout the day, helping me to become "grounded" once again should the need arise. And, since I am a relative rookie at living life on life's terms, that need does arise quite frequently, I'm afraid.
I would say that my only drawback, or at least the only one I can identify at this point, is that my lack of ongoing, formal training prevents me from understanding much of the jargon I sometimes run across in this Group, the language used to discuss the deeper, more spiritually meaningful aspects of the practice. I follow my daily routine from memory, and have yet to find a class within a hundred miles of the rural area where I live, so I'm sure that eventually I'll feel the need to do some outside reading and/or DVD buying, as you've already done.
I hope you find this response helpful, and if you do decide to pursue yoga, that your experience is as life-changing as mine has been so far.
Namaste,
Michael
----- Original Message -----
From: deester
To: Kundaliniyoga@
Sent: Tuesday, February 23, 2010 9:15 AM
Subject: [Kundalini Yoga] Hi! Newcomer with a question...
Hey guys...KY had been referred to me by an intuitive reader that knows me to be a "bit highstrung" and thinks it will help me relax at the very least :) I have a CD and only did it once. I've decided to follow up on it and try this website. On other sites, I had been reading some scary stories about Kundalini Awakening with symptoms of madness, phobia, etc...so...I'
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