August 2025 Five-Week Kundalini Yoga Series with Anne Taylor, Ph.D.
There is a radiance the body remembers,
a light not imposed from above,
but rising from below—
from breath, from stillness, from soul.
The Summer of the Soul is a 5-week Kundalini Yoga journey into the Soul Body, the first of the Ten Bodies in yogic philosophy and the energetic expression of the root chakra (Muladhara). It is here, at the base of the spine, that the soul anchors into form—where presence becomes embodied, and where our connection to earth, lineage, and deep self begins.
Depth psychologist Carl Jung often spoke of the psyche not as a vertical hierarchy but as a rhizome—a web of roots spreading laterally, horizontally, and unpredictably. Like rhizomes in nature—ginger, bamboo, ferns—our psychological and ancestral roots grow underground, weaving complex networks that nourish unseen growth. For Jung, healing and individuation begin not by climbing away from the earth, but by becoming conscious of these hidden root systems—our early imprints, our collective inheritance, and the soul’s timeless source.
In yogic philosophy, just beneath the root chakra lies the kanda—a subtle energetic bulb described in classical texts such as the Hatha Yoga Pradipika as the origin point of the 72,000 nadis, the body’s vast network of energy channels. It is also known as the resting place of dormant Kundalini energy. This mirrors Jung’s image of the psyche as rhizomatic and nonlinear—a tangle of unseen psychic and energetic roots that must be tended with care, not forced into awakening.
In this series, our aim is not to raise Kundalini, but to prepare the psyche-soma—the integrated mind-body—for the possibility of awakening should She rise when the ground is ready. We honor the kanda not as a site of ambition, but as a seedbed of potential—a sacred space to be cultivated through breath, movement, and presence.
We draw on both yogic and Jungian wisdom to explore what it means to be soulfully rooted. Through grounding kriyas, meditations, and mythic reflection, we begin at the root and ascend gently through the central channel toward the seventh chakra (Sahasrara), the crown, where awareness expands into stillness and light.
Just as the aurora borealis dances between heaven and earth, this is a journey from the sacred dark of the root to the luminous expanse of soul.
We do not rise by bypassing the root.
We rise because we have rooted well.
We do not chase transcendence—
We remember our wholeness, from ground to sky.
📿 Weekly Kriyas & Meditations
This series balances grounding, ancestral integration, and upward movement toward radiant stillness. It weaves 1st chakra (Muladhara) activation with a gradual opening to the 7th chakra (Sahasrara).
Course Outline: The Summer of the Soul
Root to Radiance: A Journey from Muladhara to Crown
Each week includes breathwork, kriya, and meditation aligned with the energetic and symbolic theme.
Week 1: The Soul Beneath the Surface
Theme: Rooting in the Soul Body and the sacred bulb of the kanda
We begin where all true journeys start—below the surface. This week honors the Soul Body and the energetic seedbed (kanda) where Kundalini rests. We awaken somatic awareness and establish the body as sacred ground.
- Focus: Soul Body | Grounding | Subtle awareness
- Kriya: Basic Spinal Energy Series
- Meditation: Stillness and Stability or Sitting with the Self
Week 2: Where the Roots Remember
Theme: Jung’s rhizome theory and ancestral grounding
We explore the psyche as a living root system, drawing from Jung’s idea of the rhizome to examine how soul, memory, and instinct spread through us. A week for grounding into the ancestral and collective unconscious—not to get stuck, but to grow in awareness.
- Focus: Lineage | Subconscious | Ancestral clearing
- Kriya: Kriya for Lower Spine and Elimination
- Meditation: Meditation to Clear the Subconscious
Week 3: Simplicity, Strength, and Soul
Theme: Embodied minimalism and trust in the body’s rhythm
We distill down to what is essential. This week invites inward quietude and strength through repetition and breath. In this simplicity, the inner lift begins—a subtle preparation for ascent.
- Focus: Stabilization | Breath coordination | Subtle upward flow
- Kriya: Foundation for Infinity
- Meditation: Meditation for a Calm Heart
Week 4: Rising from Within
Theme: The bridge from root to crown
This week initiates vertical movement from the base of the spine through the central channel. Using breath, bandhas, and subtle sound, we activate the rising of awareness—not forced, but felt.
- Focus: Sushumna | Light channel | Integration of upward energy
- Kriya: Kriya for Awakening the Ten Bodies
- Meditation: Sodarshan Chakra Kriya (short form)
Week 5: Crown of Light, Root of Grace
Theme: Radiant integration and wholeness
We close the series at the crown—not leaving the body behind, but expanding into spacious presence. This is where root and sky, dark and light, stillness and radiance meet. Like the aurora, we become the meeting point between heaven and earth.
- Focus: Sahasrara | Radiance | Wholeness
- Kriya: Kriya for the Radiant Body
- Meditation: Self-Sensory System Meditation + Silent Sit
🔍 Definition and Context of Kanda
1. Yogic Anatomy & Energetic Systems:
The kanda (sometimes called kanda sthana) is described in classical yogic and tantric texts as the energetic bulb or egg-shaped hub at the base of the spine, often seen as the origin point of the nadis (energy channels), especially Ida, Pingala, and Sushumna.
It is located just above the perineum, near Muladhara chakra, and is sometimes described as being behind or slightly below the chakra itself.
The Sushruta Samhita and later Hatha Yoga Pradipika refer to the kanda as the place from which the 72,000 nadis emanate.
📖 Hatha Yoga Pradipika 3.112:
“The kanda is like a bird’s egg, situated above the genitals and below the navel. From it emerge 72,000 nadis.”
2. Kundalini Yoga Context:
In modern Kundalini Yoga (as taught in the 3HO tradition and others), while Muladhara chakra is often referred to as the seat of Kundalini, some teachings clarify that Kundalini shakti lies dormant in the kanda, beneath or within Muladhara.
It is not the chakra itself, but the energetic potential at its root.
Awakening Kundalini involves activating and clearing the pathways beginning in the kanda.
🧘♀️ Summary Distinction
Muladhara chakra = the first chakra, psychological and energetic foundation (survival, stability, presence).
Kanda = subtle energetic root bulb just beneath or behind Muladhara; origin point of the nadis and the resting place of Kundalini.
The two are intertwined but not identical.
🔗 Additional References
“The Serpent Power” by Arthur Avalon (Sir John Woodroffe) – classical study of Kundalini, chakras, and tantric anatomy.
Swami Satyananda Saraswati’s “Kundalini Tantra” – includes references to kanda as the seat of nadic origin.
Dr. Hiroshi Motoyama, in his research on chakra physiology, also maps the kanda in connection to Kundalini.
⚠️ Disclaimer
These classes are intended for educational and experiential purposes only and are not a substitute for medical or psychological care. Please consult your physician before beginning any new physical or breath-based practice. Always honor your body’s limits and rest as needed.
This series draws from a wealth of ancient yogic, psychological, and spiritual themes rooted in diverse traditions. While Kundalini Yoga has been popularized in the West through various lineages, including that of Yogi Bhajan, I do not endorse or condone the actions he has been accused of. My teaching is informed by years of study, personal practice, and a deep respect for the timeless wisdom that transcends any one individual.