Yoga Matters with Guru Jagat: Secrets to Invincible Living

A bit of breathing can go a long way. Kundalini yoga, which focuses on breath and the power of internal energy, is the kind of ancient, but accessible self-care practice that’s full of benefits for the modern wellness warrior. Kundalini master, Guru Jagat, is on a mission to get us all hooked on our own sense of inner balance with a personal style that is both intensely focused and disarmingly down-to-earth.

We love Guru Jagat’s refreshingly modern approach to teaching this ancient healing practice, and are exploring some of it here with her answers to our classic Yoga Matters series. Guru Jagat has studios online and across the globe, but most notably here in Venice called Ra Ma Institute. Her brand new book, Invincible Living, hits shelves next week and we think it’ll make waves in the wellness community. The book is packed cover to cover with simple, but transformative practices, some of which we’ll be sharing later this week. For now, meet Gurut Jagat and find out why she’s L.A.’s top guru…

What I do:

Founder RA MA Institute for Applied Yogic Science and Technology. Student and teacher of Kundalini yoga and meditation.

Studio LOCATIONS:

Venice Beach and Mallorca, Spain. RA MA TV, RA MA Radio, RA MA Records, RA MA Press RA MA Foundation.

What drew me to yoga:

My first Kundalini yoga class blew my mind open, almost literally.

Transformative pose for Kundalini newbies:

Cat / cow, three minutes a day for increased radiance and better skin tone. Think the word “victory” as much as possible throughout the day. Focus on the sound of your inner voice saying it. Listen to White Sun II on repeat while sleeping. Then if you really like it, listen to it during the day, when you want to be productive.

3 daily musts:

Cold shower first thing to increase blood flow and fire metabolism. Breath of fire: equal inhale and exhale through the nose; steady and rhythmic for at least 3 minutes. Read or write a poem. Either will do.

My food philosophy in a nutshell:

Green, intuitive, grateful.

I wish that more people realized that yoga…

Is a practice of mental and emotional flexibility. The physical postures are just vehicles for the agility and strength-of-the-mind training.

Transformation begins when…

You focus on the sound of your own voice. Fall in love with the sound of you.

Favorite poses:

Sit in child pose (baby pose): sitting on heels, forehead is on the ground in front of you, arms are behind you resting at your sides.

Lift up your neck and do breath of fire for 3 minutes.

From child pose, lean back until you are lying on your back (but still with your heels underneath your buttocks) and do breath of fire 3 minutes.

Chair pose: Feet flat on ground, bend over forward trying to keep the back parallel to the ground and grasp your feet from the outside, reaching inside between your knees to do so. In this position, stick your tongue way out and do breath of fire through the mouth. Continue for 3 minutes.

Biggest lesson yoga has taught me:

The deeper I go into the yoga of actually engaging in life and the living, the funnier everything becomes!

Biggest lesson I hope to teach through yoga:

Train your body and mind to create a reality that is enjoyable to you and useful to humanity.

Note on breathing/ breathwork:

Focus on your breath. All day long, breathe into the base of your spine and out the crown of your head. You will feel different immediately.

I’m passionate about helping people ____:

I just founded our non-profit RA MA Foundation where, in 2017, we will open our first RA MA Room in an underserved neighborhood in Los Angeles. Free yoga, meditation, wellness and healthy food to all who are interested. I am very passionate that anyone who wants to have a moment of inner peace, or learn meditation or yoga has the opportunity to do so.