Many of us begin our day with a shower or bath. It seems to wash away the previous day and helps us to feel and smell good. Students of Yogi Bhajan take the morning shower a step further, making it a true wake up of the mind and glandular system. He brought to our attention that we could feel amazing after a cold shower and tune-up, via Kundalini Yoga and meditation, on the One who rotates the earth and takes care of our routines.
He spoke regularly about the importance of cold showers in improving blood circulation and strengthening the immune system. Ironically, cold showers can help to ward o common colds and illness. He even recommended it to students as one of the quickest ways to get out of any depression or indecision.
Before stepping into a cold shower you may choose to feed and warm the body, massaging it with natural oils. Almond oil is nourishing for the skin and is often used in massage.
Living in the Northeast USA where cold water can be icy during the winter, I use generous amounts of almond oil to provide a crucial barrier to the coldness. It took me quite a few years to ‘warm up’ to cold showers. Now I find them exhilarating on several levels!
Yogi Bhajan said that if you feel the need to cut a bit of warm water into your cold shower – do it, preferably at the beginning of the cold shower. Get started any way possible! If you feel able to end with more cold in your shower, it’s better to end with cold water than warm water.
“You do not understand discipline. Discipline is the only friend other than God that you have.” ~Yogi Bhajan, 10/01/99
This article is courtesy of morningsadhana.org
Excerpted from ‘The Essential Element’ book, by Jot Singh Khalsa.
Jot Singh Khalsa grew up in the Boston area on the east coast, USA. He studied art and gold and silversmithing in upstate New York for six years beginning in 1972, where he also began practicing Kundalini Yoga. Yogi Bhajan wrote him a letter ca. 1978, encouraging him to “use his artistic gifts to create things that uplift and inspire people.” His work has been featured on book covers, magazine covers, in museum exhibitions and in print media published in nine languages. For 30+ years, he managed 3HO Foundation’s Summer and Winter Solstice kitchens, where he learned that serving others is a privilege and can be a profound blessing.
Jot Singh enjoys teaching around new paradigms of prosperity, the importance of being a spiritual warrior today, and utilizing one’s unique gifts to authentically fulfill one’s destiny. He also enjoys facilitating and participating in men’s groups. His hobbies include downhill skiing, bicycling, swimming and the martial arts.
He lives with his wife and has a small manufacturing facility on the grounds of Guru Ram Das Ashram in Millis, MA USA.
His original work can be viewed and purchased at: www.thekhalsaraj.com and www.khalsakirpans.com
Jot Singh wrote and published a book on morning sadhana in 2014 which has received numerous positive reviews from longtime practitioners, teachers and trainers of Kundalini Yoga. You can preview and purchase the ebook ‘The Essential Element – How to get the most out of Yogi Bhajan’s core teaching, Morning Sadhana, and why you won’t want to miss it’ as an Apple iBook, Adobe pdf and physical book or the Kindle ebook. He is honored to be supporting this aspect of Yogi Bhajan’s teachings, by acting as the website content administrator for this website, MorningSadhana.org.
Jot Singh has commenced writing a second book focused solely on the Aquarian Sadhana, morning sadhana practice, entitled “The Aquarian Sadhana by Yogi Bhajan – Handbook of Suggested Guidelines.”
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