Most of our lives are spent doing things out of habit — how we walk, talk, dress, eat, and especially how we think! Some habits are beneficial, but many are not. They weaken us and only give temporary pleasure. These are called self-defeating habits. When they get out of control, they become addictions.
The problem of addictive behaviors and an unhealthy lifestyle spans all cultures and is becoming increasingly acute as globalization spreads.
In 1969, Yogi Bhajan, Master of Kundalini Yoga, came from India to the United States. He found young people taking drugs to escape the emptiness and isolation of their cultural environment. Middle class housewives were taking pills with a distorted hope of numbing themselves from an inner unhappiness. Businessmen used alcohol to deal with stress and to help them to relax.
To address the problem, Yogi Bhajan founded a program called SuperHealth. SuperHealth is a system of complementary practices and techniques -- yoga, nutrition, meditation and breathing exercises -- that work together to provide you with the psychological advantage necessary to remain calm and non-reactive under the most challenging situations. Further, it gives you the immunity to protect yourself from the pressures of society which can lead to addictions initially. It is effective with today’s behaviors linked to smoking, food, alcohol, drugs, co-dependency, stress, anxiety, depression and other disorders. This process results in freedom from pain, fear, guilt or resentment which often cause addictive behavior.
Components of the SuperHealth Program:
Kundalini Yoga is known as the “Yoga of Awareness.” Its practice rebuilds and strengthens the nervous system which has been weakened by substance abuse, stress and other addictions. Kundalini Yoga gives you back your own strength; it provides discipline, changes the chemistry of the blood, stimulates the glandular system and teaches a person to relax.
Meditations are tools to encourage better concentration and relieve chronic stress and nervous tension. The daily meditation practice brings about a positive self-image, a feeling of wellness and enhances peace of mind and a greater awareness or consciousness. The discipline allows you to deal with obstacles in life that seem insurmountable which are necessary in overcoming behavioral addictions.
Deep breathing exercises help you to develop increased breath capacity which allows more oxygen to reach your brain. This in turn helps to create a heightened sense of awareness. Conscious controlled breathing can elevate your mood, promote relaxation and shield you from the effects of stress, aid in pain control, and alleviate a wide range of symptoms like headaches, indigestion or insomnia. By changing the rhythm and depth of your breath you can begin to change addictive behavioral patterns.
Nutrition is an important component of the SuperHealth technology. A specific detoxification and rehabilitation diet with therapeutic juice formulas and recipes strengthens the nervous system. The diet accelerates the cleansing and rebuilding process during the restoration of the body’s health and healing phase.
Today, in the fast-paced times that we live in, many people are lost and depressed amidst a world of confusion and unknowns. SuperHealth offers a system to enhance a conscious awareness and greater fulfillment in life.
Mukta Kaur Khalsa is a worldwide trainer and lecturer to healthcare specialists, government officials, academic institutions and yoga communities. She has most recently conducted trainings in Spain, Germany, Bolivia, Chile, Peru, Brazil, Colombia and throughout the United States.
Mukta Kaur will offer a specialty teacher training based on the SuperHealth model in Espanola, NM, USA from April 2-9, 2016. This teacher training program counts towards CEUs in the United States for the American Holistic Nurses Association (AHNA), the NAADAC; and the State of California Board of Sciences for MFTs and LCSWs.
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