Into the Mystic: The Magical World of Nine Treasures Kundalini
Nine Treasures’ Kundalini Yoga classes take place in a part-time taekwondo gym on Sunset, right above a McDonalds and across the street from a liquor store. But sure enough, every morning a healthy stream of Kundalini-loving Angelenos in all white make their way to class to enjoy the chanting, movement, magic and jokes of Tej Kaur Khalsa. Kundalini Yoga -- the mystical arm of the yogic tree -- is having a moment. Wellness lovers like Gabby Bernstein, Oprah, Gwyneth Paltrow and even Russell Brand have waxed poetic about the benefits of Kundalini. Although the practice is still a bit of a black sheep compared to more asana-based techniques like Vinyasa and Hatha, Kundalini followers are true die-hards… because this stuff actually works. Class is usually lead by one or two gurus who sit on an elevated platform at the front of the class. They give students chants, mantras and kriyas to repeat for a set number of minutes, sometimes performed in conjunction with a repetitive movement. There are thousands of different mantras, and all have a specific meaning or issue that they’re meant to help with -- my personal fave? The mantra for miracles.
While you can certainly practice Kundalini at home (because there’s minimal physicality, there’s little chance you’ll injure yourself) there’s something completely magical about practicing with other people in a place like Nine Treasures.
The studio is completely unassuming (you literally roll your yoga mat out over padded taekwondo mats!), and that unfussy attitude is part of its charm. In a place like LA, where you can easily be turned away from your favorite workout class because you are one minute late, a studio like Nine Treasures that happily welcomes students even when they walk into class 45 minutes late is truly a godsend. You can rest assured in knowing that Tej Kaur Khalsa will be gracefully melding her humor, spirituality and practical advice into every 90-minute class she teaches. You’ll step out of the studio after a session with Tej and swear you’re buzzing with new energy!
