Kundalini what..?

Kundalini is an energy that exists in everyone's body, usually in a dormant state. This means that most people never feel it and never know it is there. The sanskrit word "kundalini" means coiled, like a snake. It is not recognized by medical science, but I found it interesting that the official symbol of medicine, the staff of Asclepius, is a serpent-entwined rod. Which has a lot of symbolic interpretations, one of which is that the serpent crosses the rod in 7 places which are the points of the chakras.

But before talking more of chakras, energies and other mysteries… Why make a series of colorways inspired by Kundalini?

I think it is perfectly clear by now that I like to give names in my yarns that are representative of something I like… A movie (i.e. Fight club), a song (Super Girl) and even characters of a popular series (Rushing wolf, Arya Stark). So here is another part of me, one that is a bit more personal, but I felt the need to share.

When I started knitting a couple of years ago, I also had a head injury. Most people thought I had a horse riding accident or I hit myself against some rocks while kite surfing… While I did all those things, it wasn't the case. I sleepwalked and injured myself, and it was the second time that was happening. The good part is that I did not feel pain, as I fell unconscious and then had a concussion . The scary part is that I don't remember anything (yeap.. Nada!) .

Why is that scary? Because there are no warning signs, you start wondering will it happen again? When? Tonight? You try to understand why, but there is no explanation. As it was the second time that I hurt myself while sleepwalking I had to search more about it.. After meeting neurologists and surgeons, after many brain scans and radios: the conclusion was that I was healthy (no signs of epilepsy or other neurological condition) and I would not need a skin transplant (the wound was not correctly stitched and was difficult to heal). Was it enough?

At that period my first encounter with dyeing and spinning started, I was very excited, but I was also used on being a very active outdoor activities person, I missed it but was feeling "sick" and not energetic enough to go surfing or riding. A friend proposed to me to try yoga, and as I found gyms very boring I wasn't trilled by the idea. Not having anything else to do I tried it, and I have to say it wasn't love at first sight but I felt more sure of myself and gaining strength which was important to me. Also I was in a period of my life where I was decided to discover more about myself: I started doing psychoanalysis, found a yoga course that included yoga nidra (a state of consciousness between waking and sleeping) which I found it to be extremely relaxing and was hoping of unlocking knowledge about my sleepwalking. I also followed training and I am certified as a hypnoterapist, and I didn't even know what hypnotherapy was! It is simply amazing, and not scary at all, as most people might think! In this sea of knowledge that I was seeking, I got an email about "The Healing Powers of the Chakras". Chakras? What is that? No idea! I was in the subway and I remember reading two phrases and hitting the reply button to say: I am interested. Why? I have no idea, I am curious. I want to know things.  

While learning more about the chakras, a lot of stuff started making sense, I was looking and comprehending other people differently, and myself also! At the time my boyfriend asked me if I believed they exist, and I truly think it is not a matter of belief, it is a matter of logic and feeling. It was making sense, the knowledge helped me to be more focus, not agitated, to comprehend myself… So why wonder or debate if they are true or not?

This year, I found a course of "Kundalini Yoga" with an amazing teacher! If the year before I was just good friends with yoga… Now it was magic. It was surely what I needed, and a more true "yoga" course then other - not just the physical but also the mental and spiritual practice. In Kundalini yoga you focus on awakening the kundalini energy through regular practice of meditation, asana (poses), pranayama (breathing exercises) and chanting mantras. It aims to cultivate the creative potential of a person to uphold values, speak truth and focus on compassion and consciousness needed to serve others and heal others. All that is something that is very dear to me, not only to make myself better for a better world but also to help others in whichever way I can. 

Nowadays, with all the violence- racism- sex abuses stories we are constantly exposed in a fear routine that no one knows how to face or process. I have found a real comfort in color, and yoga… Hopefully one day to my full potential. Color is Power, Fiber is My Weapon and don't forget: knitting IS the new Yoga. So we are one step ahead :)