Hey there! I'm Serena Savitri Kaur, and I've been a Kundalini Yoga teacher since 2013. By 2018, I had completed my 500 Hour teaching course as recognized by the Yoga Alliance. Kundalini Yoga has been my saving grace, especially during those hectic times when I was juggling three restaurants with my sister, Sunaina, in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
There's a rich history in Kundalini Yoga and the first book I read was called "Kundalini Yoga in the West" by Swami Radha Sivananda, a Ukrainian born female dancer turned Swami. I thought it was so cool that she started an ashram in British Columbia called Yasodhara. I saw myself in her, led by love and devotion she found herself in a culture foreign but familiar. That led me to her teacher Swami Sivananda, a doctor turned yogi, and I read "Raja Yoga". I kept reading different spiritual teachers and their books from Osho to Deepak Chopra to Krishnamurti and so on. I devoured it all and tried to connect the dots. I saw where some spiritual leaders fell short when it came to their ethics and where others knew things I would never be able to comprehend.
As I delved deeper into my practice, I realized that while spiritual teachings offer valuable insights, no one philosophy has all the answers. Our needs and desires are ever-changing, and that's okay. It's all about embracing impermanence and finding growth through change.
On my spiritual quest, I felt a strong connection to Kundalini Yoga. My first class I had an experience of the eyes of Buddha. It is a vision that often means seeing beyond the material world, which was in tune to my subconscious feelings at the time, feeling unfulfilled in a capitalist world. At the time, I didn't know what it was but I left the class with a warm feeling of fullness and content. It was a feeling I wanted to experience again and again.
When I delved deeper into the yoga practice - there they were: rules, requirements, uniforms and standards to uphold but as I met more and more people in the 3HO (Healthy, Happy, & Holy) community I wondered if anyone was even walking the walk? My sister and I met many sincere teachers, Yogi Amandeep was one of them, and many who had succumbed to spiritual ego. It wasn't important for us to judge them and shame them, it was important for us to recognize the need to share this type of yoga but also to release people from the idea that it was attached to Yogi Bhajan alone. That it was necessary to be a Sikh to benefit from the mantras. There was misinformation. It is a creative expression with no religion attached to it but love.
Ambar Yoga was born out of love – a practice rooted in breathwork, kriyas, and meditation, designed to nourish your body, mind, and soul. It is inspired by that Kundalini Yoga class but it is not labelled as Kundalini Yoga. That label in itself is a trap. The Kundalini energy flow is present but no yoga practitioner should seek to raise it, manipulate it, and gain from it. It happens automatically when you align with your personal goals. Not everyone needs to become a yoga teacher, but everyone wants to cultivate more self-love.
At Ambar Yoga, we believe that yoga is for everyone, regardless of background or belief system. Whether you're a devout yogi or a complete newbie, you're welcome here with open arms. Our mission is simple: to help you connect with your inner truth, find joy in the present moment, and embrace the beauty of life's journey.
So come join us under the wide open sky as we embark on this transformative journey together. Because when we practice yoga, we're not just aligning our bodies – we're connecting with the universe and each other. And that's a pretty magical thing, if you ask me.
Love and Light,
Serena Savitri Kaur aka Siri Bear
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