I was blissfully unaware of what Kundalini yoga was before entering the suspended studio nestled into the roof of Remedi London. After all, this is a place that offers aesthetic treatments and medical consultations, but that is all part of their 360 approach that really does delve into every corner of wellness. 

Remedi London is the new wellness hub in one of London’s coolest new neighbourhoods, Nine Elms, just a stone’s throw away from Vauxhall. Branching into many aspects of wellness from IV drips, advanced aesthetics and diagnostic testing, to reiki healing, sound therapy and (of course) kundalini yoga, this all-encompassing space blends modern medicine and holistic spirituality under one roof. Co-founders, Dr. Nima and Yasmin come from a background in integrative medicine and holistic practices, the vision with Remedi London is a combined approach with the idea that the different dimensions of wellness will ultimately help you live the most fulfilled life.

Kundalini yoga is a spiritual journey to balance the chakras, with twists and turns, sweat and stillness, vibrations and energy shifts. Boosting your mental and physical state, Kundalini intertwines mantras, kriyas, mudras and meditations to awaken our “Prana”, helping to deal with stress, depression and anxiety. The practice is designed to unlock your Kundalini energy, located at the base of your spine, through a series of chanting, singing, breathing exercises and active poses. Aligned with the moon cycles, each session embarks on a unique sequence at Remedi London, led by wellness guide and inner transformation expert, Jayne Ellis.

Fundamentally, Kundalini pairs movement with breath. Sounds familiar right? Well, this is yoga in a whole new entity. It draws in energy from deep within you. The teacher started by introducing the new moon in Leo that we were entering. A time to be bold and fearless. The Leo energy knows its worth, something I could learn from! 

The breathwork felt foreign, everyone around me seemed to be more than comfortable releasing colossal breaths. Wholeheartedly throwing myself into it, I followed suit, in the bid to reap the benefits, and wow did I feel them!

I couldn’t relay everything we did as I was fully immersed in the pattern of breath and movement, but one episode that distinctively stood out was raising the legs with a deep inhalation and exhaling them down, using the navel (aka the core) to control the movement. The breathing grew aggressive as time went by. Around 2 minutes in, the heat flooded through my body and as the movement grew more challenging, the euphoric sensations heightened until suddenly Jayne cut us off. ‘Hold the breath, mula bandha, stuck in the navel, pull up through the pelvic floor….and then release’. The feeling that followed was still yet exhilarating, and that’s when I understood what all the fuss was about. 

There were moments I felt lightheaded, waves of sickness rippled over me, like my body was purging the bad energy to cleanse my mind and body. Don’t be put off by this, it’s completely normal for newbies to experience this kind of reaction. 

To close off the all-encompassing practice, we chanted in harmony, eyes closed, egos forgot and let the reverberating energy hum through us. I floated out of the studio, 1 hour and 45 minutes had passed, not that I had the cloudiest idea what the time was. I can liken Kundalini yoga to Reiki healing, yet there wasn’t a holistic practitioner hovering over me…did this mean I had become the master? I had initiated this energetic flow, zipping around my body like an electric current, blown away by this newfound spiritual skill I had just unlocked, I was in awe of the power of this practice.

I was reborn into a beaming sunset across the skyline of Nine Elms at 8pm on a balmy August evening, with a lilac haze on the horizon…possibly the most striking sky I’ve ever seen in London. Call it a coincidence, but it struck a real cord with me and added to the cathartic spark that had been lit in my spirit. 

Permission to be bold, proof that stepping over the edge can open new pathways. My soul was smiling, it’s not often we allow ourselves time to reconnect with our spirit. Will I be back? Absolutely. It’s not always I’ll have 2 hours spare in my schedule, but knowing that I can call on Kundalini yoga at any time I need a sense of grounding, feels like a sacred discovery that I have in my back pocket for when life gets overwhelming.

Click here to learn more about Kundalini yoga at Remedi London