The first time I chanted a mantra, I thought it was strange. I had done yoga for years, but only as exercise. My body was on the mat and my mind was in the office. I was convinced I was simply incapable of meditating.
Then, somewhere in that first class, my mind stopped. Mind and body in the same place, at the same time. It felt like finding the key to a door that had always been closed for me.
If you are curious about Kundalini yoga but something is holding you back, this post is for you. It won't show you a perfect class. It's an honest look at what a first class feels like: what seems strange, what is harder than you think, and what you might notice the next morning.
In this post:
- What you don't need for your first class
- What feels strange in a first Kundalini yoga class
- What is harder than you think
- What you might notice afterwards
- Practical details for beginners
- Frequently asked questions
What you don't need for your first class
Most people who never come have a reason that sounds practical. A voice, a body, a belief. None of it is required.
A good voice
The mantras are chanted to breathe through sound, not to sing in tune. In a room of ten people, your voice disappears into the group. Your breath stays. Most people surprise themselves.
Flexibility
The exercises are there to make the body work so it can truly let go afterwards. I invite you to find the strength not in anger but in love. The body works best when it is led with softness, not force.
Experience, or a new set of beliefs
Every class is open to first-timers. And you don't need to become someone else to join. I don't wear a turban and I don't live in a parallel world. I work in finance, I coach executives, I am a mum of three. The only thing to believe is what you notice the next morning.
To already be calm
People wait until they feel ready. The racing mind, the fidgeting, the shallow breath are the reason to come. Not the reason to wait.
What feels strange in a first Kundalini yoga class
Some parts of Kundalini yoga will feel unfamiliar, especially if you know yoga only as a workout. That is normal. It was the same for me.
The chanting
Every class opens with a mantra. Chanting is not about your voice. It is a breathing technique that anchors the mind. While your mind is busy with the words, it cannot run through tomorrow's to-do list. My only ask is that you stay open, patient, and curious.
Breathing as the practice
Most people arrive wanting action, something to do. In Kundalini yoga the breath is not a warm-up before the real work. It is the practice itself. It teaches the lesson busy people find hardest: not doing, but being.
Not knowing what comes next
Every class follows the same arc: we open, we breathe, we move, we release, and we return. You learn it by doing it once. If you want to know more about each part before you come, I describe a full class in my post Yoga in Nyon.
What is harder than you think
For most beginners, the hardest part is not physical. It is lying still.
Near the end of every class there is a deep relaxation with a sound bath on Tibetan singing bowls. You lie down under a blanket and do nothing. For people who believe stillness is wasted time, this can feel almost impossible. The mind fidgets. The body wants to get up. You wait for it to be over.
I know that feeling well. I was the woman who was sure she could not meditate. But letting go is not the reward at the end of the class. It is the practice itself, and it is the most important work we do.
What you might notice afterwards
My advice for your first Kundalini yoga class is simple: judge it the day after. Notice how you feel, not how it looked.
Students often struggle to explain what changed. They just know they feel better. The words I hear most are "I feel grounded", "I finally had a moment to relax", and "I could let go of something."
One class is rarely enough to feel the full effect, though. The practice builds over time. One of my students arrived breathing shallowly through his mouth. Over two years, he visibly changed in the way he speaks, breathes, and carries himself.
"Since I discovered Kundalini yoga I have regained flexibility and my back pain has more than decreased." Souny
"I've been going regularly for at least three years. I'm never disappointed because every class is different." Alina
Practical details for beginners
When:
- Tuesday evening (Kundalini yoga): 7:15pm to 8:30pm.
- Thursday lunchtime (Kundalini yoga and Chakra Fit): 12:15pm to 1:30pm. A break in the middle of your day, made for people who work and have a lunch break. Come and feel this new energy and joy. Chakra Fit is my own practice, combining Kundalini yoga, meditation in movement, fitness dance, and relaxation.
Where: Evolution Club, Rue de l'Industrie 1, 1260 Nyon, in a quiet courtyard in the old town, a short walk from the station. Parking Perdtemps is about five minutes away on foot.
Group size: Twelve people at most, usually around ten.
What to bring: Nothing. Mats, cushions, and blankets are provided. Wear comfortable clothes you can move in. There is a changing space at the entrance and a shower.
Your first class: The discovery class is for first-timers and costs 10 CHF.
Frequently asked questions
Is Kundalini yoga good for beginners?
Yes. Every class welcomes first-timers alongside students who have practised for years. Every exercise can be adapted, and the arc is the same in every class, so you quickly know what to expect.
Do I need a good voice to chant mantras?
No. Chanting in Kundalini yoga is a breathing technique, not a vocal performance. In a small group your voice blends in, and most people surprise themselves.
Do I need to be spiritual to do Kundalini yoga?
No. You don't need any beliefs to join a class. Come with an open mind and pay attention to how you feel the next morning.
How many classes before I feel a difference?
Some people feel it after the first class, often as a moment of real rest. But the practice builds over time, and students who come regularly notice the biggest shifts in how they sleep, breathe, and carry themselves.
What should I wear to a Kundalini yoga class?
Comfortable clothes you can move and breathe in. Everything else, from mats to blankets, is provided at the studio.
The strange part doesn't last
My first Kundalini yoga class felt strange. It also opened a door that had stayed closed for years.
Yours might feel strange too. That is fine. You don't need a good voice, flexibility, experience, or a calm mind. You need one class, an open mind, and the patience to judge it the day after.
Is part of you curious, even if another part still finds it a little strange?
The discovery class is made for exactly this moment. One class at Evolution Club in Nyon, for first-timers, to feel what Kundalini yoga does in your own body. No experience needed.
Open this door. You might find yourself.
This article was written by Daria, founder of Evolution Club in Nyon. She runs her own finance company, works as an executive coach, writes, and is a mum of three. She teaches Kundalini yoga classes for busy people who want to find their way back to themselves.