The SANCTUM movement therapy, energy, Kundalini and Spiritual Awakening
Sanctum movement is designed to empower the body and expand the mind, Sanctum is a holistic moving sequence rooted in multidisciplinary forms of kundalini yoga, martial arts, animalistic flow, breath work and primal fitness.
A transformative wellbeing practice that explores energy frequencies with mindful movement. The method is curated to music inspired by Amsterdam’s electronic scene, enhanced by spoken word and elevated with orchestral pieces to compliment mindful and meditation moments and spiritual awakening.
The Sanctum Movement Therapy as described on the site presents a fascinating blend of various movement modalities, each with its own unique contribution to the overall experience. Let’s break down the elements you’ve mentioned—Kundalini yoga, animalistic flow, and primal fitness—to understand how they fit into the holistic practice.
However, many movement therapy practices (such as Dance/Movement Therapy, Somatic Experiencing, and others) often draw from early pioneers in the fields of psychology, body awareness, and alternative healing methods. People like Wilhelm Reich, Ida Rolf, and Carl Jung had foundational impacts on how movement and the body are understood in relation to emotional and mental health.
In a broader sense, the idea behind Sanctum Movement Therapy could be influenced by a blend of approaches from different areas of somatic therapies and mindfulness-based practices. This can include:
- Movement-Based Therapy Founders: People like Marian Chace, who helped develop Dance/Movement Therapy, and Trudi Schoop, who worked with people through movement to explore emotions and mental states.
- Trauma and Somatic Awareness Pioneers: Founders of trauma-based therapies like Peter Levine (Somatic Experiencing) and Bessel van der Kolk (The Body Keeps the Score), who explored how trauma is stored in the body and its connection to movement and bodywork.
- Mindfulness Teachers and Breathwork Innovators: Influential figures like Stanislav Grof (Holotropic Breathwork) and Gabor Maté, who have done significant work around mind-body connections and the use of breathwork for emotional healing, may also influence the holistic principles of Sanctum.
Kundalini and Holotropic breathing
It’s possible that the term “Sanctum Movement Therapy” is used by different practitioners or centers in various forms, making it more of an evolving practice than one with a single definitive founder. The integration of Kundalini energy, breathwork, and movement is a relatively modern synthesis of ancient and contemporary healing techniques. The founders or developers of any specific Sanctum Movement Therapy modality would likely be those leading the particular centers or initiatives using the term.
Both Kundalini and Holotropic Breathing methods can be seen as complementary practices within Sanctum Movement Therapy, depending on the approach the practitioner takes and the goals of the individual undergoing therapy. These methods are powerful, transformative techniques that can support emotional and energetic healing, and they align well with the core principles of Sanctum in terms of movement, embodiment, and emotional processing.
- Kundalini:
- Kundalini practices often involve a combination of physical movements, breath control (pranayama), chanting, and meditation to awaken the body’s latent energy. In the context of Sanctum, Kundalini practices can be integrated to activate energy flow, release stored emotions, and deepen the connection between mind and body. It is particularly useful in helping individuals access deeper layers of consciousness and enhance their emotional and spiritual awareness. Its inclusion would likely focus on movement sequences, breath techniques, and meditation that help release blockages and increase vitality.
- Holotropic Breathing:
- Holotropic Breathing is a form of accelerated breathing designed to induce altered states of consciousness. It is often used in therapeutic settings to facilitate deep emotional and somatic release, allowing individuals to access repressed emotions or unresolved trauma. In Sanctum Movement Therapy, Holotropic Breathing could be integrated as a technique to help clients enter a deep state of body awareness and emotional release through breathwork. It would complement the movement aspect of Sanctum by creating a space for profound emotional processing and self-exploration.
Both methods would be included to different extents depending on the specific therapeutic goals. They would likely be used in combination with other movement and mindfulness practices in a safe, guided way, aiming to help individuals experience deep emotional and physical release, while fostering a sense of balance and integration. The scale at which they are used would depend on how advanced the client is in their healing journey and how comfortable they are with accessing altered states of consciousness.
Kundalini Yoga in Sanctum Movement
Kundalini yoga is often referred to as the “yoga of awareness” because it focuses on awakening the dormant energy at the base of the spine (known as Kundalini energy). It incorporates a combination of physical postures (asanas), dynamic breathwork (pranayama), chanting (mantras), and meditation to help elevate consciousness and release stored emotions and energy blocks. In the context of Sanctum Movement, Kundalini yoga forms one of the central pillars of the practice by:
- Energy Activation: The physical postures and breath techniques in Kundalini yoga are designed to activate the body’s energy channels (chakras), helping to open up pathways for emotional and spiritual healing. This is especially important for personal empowerment, as the practice works to balance both physical and energetic health.
- Breathwork: In Kundalini, specific breathing exercises, such as Kundalini breath (rapid, focused inhalations and exhalations), help stimulate the flow of prana (life force energy) throughout the body. These techniques are a critical part of the Sanctum practice, as they promote deep cleansing and transformation, supporting the release of physical and emotional blockages.
- Spiritual and Emotional Release: Kundalini yoga also focuses on deep emotional release and spiritual growth, which ties into the holistic healing that Sanctum aims to provide. It helps individuals connect with their deeper selves, encouraging introspection, emotional awareness, and transformation.
Animalistic Flow
The animalistic flow aspect of Sanctum Movement taps into primal movements inspired by the natural, unfiltered actions of animals. This part of the practice can be quite powerful for several reasons:
- Reconnection with Primal Instincts: This component draws on the idea that humans, too, are primal creatures, and reconnecting with those roots can unlock deep healing. Animalistic movement encourages freedom and expression, often tapping into physical gestures that remind us of animal movements—such as crawling, pouncing, rolling, or twisting. These movements help to release tension in the body and facilitate more organic, intuitive expression.
- Movement without Judgment: The animalistic flow can also create a safe space for participants to let go of societal constraints and judgments. This unstructured movement helps break free from rigid body patterns, encouraging spontaneity and emotional release. The freedom of movement can be deeply therapeutic, allowing individuals to reconnect with their physicality and embodiment without inhibition.
- Primal Fitness: Animalistic flow often overlaps with what could be considered primal fitness—working the body in natural, functional ways that mimic the physicality of animals. This could involve low-to-the-ground movements like squatting, crawling, twisting, or even jumping. The focus is on fluidity, strength, and agility, improving physical flexibility and endurance while also stimulating energetic shifts in the body.
Kundalini, Animalistic Flow, and Integration in Sanctum
When Kundalini yoga is blended with animalistic flow in Sanctum Movement, you get a dynamic fusion of energy activation (through the focused breath and movement of Kundalini) with freedom of expression and primal bodywork. The two practices together create a balanced environment where the practitioner can both ground and elevate themselves—grounding through the animalistic flow (connecting to natural, earth-bound movements) and elevating through Kundalini (rising energy and spiritual awakening).
This synergy supports:
- Body-Mind Connection: Kundalini yoga’s structured movement combined with the free-form, instinctual flow of animalistic motion helps connect the mind and body more deeply. The practitioner learns to be more in tune with their body’s natural impulses while simultaneously activating deeper consciousness and energy through Kundalini practices.
- Emotional Release and Healing: Kundalini yoga’s focus on releasing energy blockages, paired with the raw, uninhibited movements of animalistic flow, offers an ideal environment for emotional healing. The movements in animalistic flow allow stored emotions and trauma to be physically expressed, while Kundalini’s spiritual components facilitate emotional and energetic release.
- Empowerment through Movement: Both practices are designed to empower the individual. Kundalini’s work on activating and balancing the chakras can create a sense of personal strength and vitality. Meanwhile, animalistic flow builds a sense of physical power and freedom, enhancing self-expression.
The Role of Music and Sound
The Sanctum practice also mentions the integration of Amsterdam’s electronic music scene and orchestral pieces, which serve to enhance the experience. Music plays a significant role in guiding emotional and physical experiences in movement therapy. The rhythms of electronic music can sync with the body’s flow, facilitating deeper immersion into the movement practice. The orchestral pieces elevate the spiritual and meditative moments, helping to guide practitioners into states of deeper awareness or mindfulness.
How To Understand It:
Sanctum Movement Therapy brings together the transformative power of Kundalini yoga, the raw, primal energy of animalistic flow, and the rhythmic influence of music to create a holistic and empowering practice. The Kundalini yoga component focuses on energy activation, emotional release, and spiritual awakening, while the animalistic flow taps into our natural, instinctual movements to reconnect us with our primal essence and enhance physical freedom. Together, these elements create a comprehensive experience that supports both mental clarity and physical vitality, all within a deeply personal and transformative journey.
The Tension:
Now let us raise a thoughtful and important point about the tension between self-control and the embrace of “animalistic” behavior. There is indeed a balance to strike when we explore practices like Kundalini yoga or any form of movement therapy that encourages emotional release through uninhibited expression.
The Dangers of Uncontrolled “Animalistic” Behavior
Animalistic movement and behaviors, as described in practices like Sanctum Movement, can sometimes push participants to disconnect from societal norms or self-regulation, tapping into a primal, instinctual state. While the goal of these practices is often to release built-up emotional tension and trauma, there is an inherent risk when we let go of too much control—particularly in a spiritual or moral context.
- Loss of Boundaries: If unchecked, the freedom of expression in animalistic movements could lead to a sense of losing one’s boundaries—either physical, emotional, or psychological. As humans, we are gifted with the capacity for self-reflection, rationality, and moral discernment, which help us navigate our world with a sense of responsibility. A practice that promotes letting go of those boundaries might create confusion, particularly if there isn’t enough integration of mindfulness or guidance during the process.
- Confusion of Identity: There is also a risk that individuals may begin to lose sight of who they are, seeing themselves not as beings created with purpose and dignity but instead identifying with their primal instincts in a way that undermines their higher capacities for self-discipline and spiritual growth. The Christian perspective, for example, holds that humans are made in the image of God, with an inherent dignity that transcends mere animalistic behavior. Overindulgence in primal expression could risk dehumanizing a person, encouraging them to operate solely from instinct rather than reason or spiritual guidance.
- Excessive Emotional Release: Uncontrolled emotional release can also be a double-edged sword. While it’s important to express and release pent-up emotions for healing, excessive or uncontrolled emotional outbursts, particularly without proper grounding, can lead to further instability rather than healing. Practices like Kundalini yoga, especially when they reach ecstatic or trance-like states, can stir up deep emotions, which might not always be processed in a healthy, integrated way. Without a foundation of self-control, there’s a danger of falling into emotional chaos, rather than achieving the balance and peace that practices like yoga and mindfulness aim for.
The Role of Self-Control and the Holy Spirit
From a Christian perspective, the pursuit of self-control is deeply rooted in Scripture and spirituality. Galatians 5:22–23 speaks of the fruit of the Spirit, which includes self-control, as a key virtue for believers. Self-control is seen not as a suppression of emotion, but as the wise management of one’s passions, desires, and impulses.
- Spiritual Discernment: As Christians, the guidance of the Holy Spirit is essential in moments where we might be tempted to act on raw, uncontrolled urges. The Holy Spirit helps believers discern when to release, when to resist, and when to act with wisdom. Through the Spirit, we can process deep emotions and spiritual experiences with clarity, rather than being swept away by them. The Holy Spirit is seen as our helper, not leading us into chaos or unbound freedom, but guiding us toward healing in a manner that aligns with godly wisdom and restraint.
- The Importance of Moderation: Practices like Kundalini yoga that encourage ecstatic or intense experiences might be dangerous if they encourage a loss of control. While brief moments of emotional release or ecstatic experiences can sometimes be therapeutic, moderation is key. It’s essential to approach these practices with discernment and mindfulness. As humans, we are meant to be stewards of our bodies and minds, managing them responsibly, rather than indulging in chaotic or unfiltered expressions.
- Self-Control as Freedom: True freedom, from a Christian standpoint, comes not from indulging in every impulse or abandoning self-control, but from being free to choose what is good, right, and true. Practicing self-control is an expression of the freedom that comes from being in relationship with God, not from abandoning that relationship for the sake of personal indulgence. When we let the Holy Spirit guide our actions, we move with a sense of purpose and direction, rather than being at the mercy of every instinct or emotion.
Navigating the Balance
It’s essential to remember that emotional release and expressive movement are not inherently wrong or harmful. Practices like Kundalini yoga can offer profound benefits when done mindfully, under guidance, and with an awareness of their potential for imbalance. However, in order to ensure that these practices don’t slip into chaos or lead to a loss of self-control, it’s crucial to:
- Incorporate mindfulness: Remaining present and conscious during any release of emotion or energy, ensuring that it is done with intention and awareness.
- Seek spiritual grounding: For those of Christian faith, it’s essential to ensure that spiritual practices don’t lead to a disconnection from God’s will and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Prayer, discernment, and seeking wisdom from Scripture can help maintain balance.
- Avoid excessive indulgence: Allowing ourselves moments of release is important, but it’s equally important to avoid becoming addicted to or dependent on ecstatic moments for healing. Healing should come from a well-rounded approach that includes self-discipline, spiritual grounding, and emotional integration.
Ultimately, we are indeed human, and our design includes both the capacity for self-control and the potential for deep emotional and spiritual growth. Practices like Kundalini yoga or animalistic movement are dangerous tools for that growth.
Kundalini, Hinduism and Demons
The relationship between Kundalini yoga, Hinduism, and demonic possession is a complex and often sensitive topic, especially for those with Christian or other monotheistic faith perspectives. Understanding the different perspectives on this issue requires considering both the spiritual teachings of Kundalini yoga and the Christian framework for understanding spiritual warfare and demonic influence.
Kundalini Yoga and Its Roots in Hinduism
Kundalini yoga is a spiritual practice that originated in Hinduism and Tantric Buddhism. It centers around the concept of Kundalini energy, which is believed to reside at the base of the spine and can be awakened through specific physical postures (asanas), breath control (pranayama), meditation, and chanting. The goal of Kundalini yoga is to awaken this energy, allowing it to rise through the chakras (energy centers in the body) and ultimately reach the crown chakra at the top of the head, leading to higher states of consciousness and spiritual enlightenment.
In Hinduism, the idea of awakening the Kundalini energy is not viewed as dangerous; rather, it is seen as a natural process of spiritual awakening that can lead to enlightenment, self-realization, and union with the divine (often referred to as moksha or liberation). Kundalini yoga is often practiced with the intent of spiritual growth, healing, and connection with the divine, which, in Hindu belief, is a pantheistic and non-personalized concept of God.
Concerns from a Christian Perspective
From a Christian standpoint, there are several concerns that arise when considering practices like Kundalini yoga, particularly with respect to their potential connections to demonic activity or possession.
1. Spiritual Awakening vs. the Holy Spirit
For Christians, the Holy Spirit is the primary means of spiritual awakening and transformation. The idea of pursuing spiritual growth through the awakening of Kundalini energy can be seen as a counterfeit or an alternative to the guidance and power of the Holy Spirit. Many Christians believe that seeking spiritual awakening through non-Christian means opens individuals up to deception or demonic influence.
The Bible speaks of spiritual discernment in many places (e.g., 1 John 4:1-3) and warns against practices that might lead us away from Christ, including those that involve seeking spiritual experiences outside of a relationship with God. Practices like Kundalini yoga, which encourage the awakening of spiritual energy or consciousness through methods not rooted in Christ, might be seen as spiritually dangerous.
2. Opening Doors to Demonic Influence
In the Christian faith, there is a belief that engaging in practices that involve spiritual energies or forces apart from God can invite demonic influence or possession. This belief comes from the understanding that the spiritual realm is governed by either God or Satan, and any spiritual practices that are not aligned with God’s will could potentially open the door to demonic forces.
For example, practices that involve altered states of consciousness, such as those encouraged in some forms of Kundalini yoga (e.g., through intense breathwork or meditation), might be seen as gateways for demonic forces to enter or influence a person. Christians might interpret experiences such as feelings of possession, loss of control, or unexplainable spiritual phenomena during these practices as potential signs of demonic interference.
3. The Counterfeit Spirituality
The idea that Kundalini yoga and similar practices can lead to higher states of consciousness or enlightenment through energy awakening can be problematic from a Christian perspective, as it suggests that individuals can achieve spiritual growth through methods other than the grace of God. Christianity teaches that spiritual awakening, growth, and healing are rooted in God’s truth, the power of Jesus Christ, and the work of the Holy Spirit, not through energies or forces outside of God’s divine plan.
In this way, practices like Kundalini yoga might be viewed as a form of counterfeit spirituality—an attempt to achieve spiritual transformation apart from Christ and His Word. Such practices may seem to offer deep spiritual experiences, but Christians would argue that these experiences, if they are not aligned with the Holy Spirit, could be spiritually deceptive.
Can Kundalini Yoga Lead to Demonic Possession?
The question of whether Kundalini yoga itself leads to demonic possession is one that is debated. While Kundalini yoga as a practice does not inherently aim to invite demonic possession, some Christians believe that it opens individuals up to spiritual danger if they are not grounded in faith and discernment. The following concerns are raised:
- Spiritual Deception: If a person is seeking a profound spiritual experience outside of the guidance of the Holy Spirit, they could fall into spiritual deception. This might manifest in unhealthy attachments to spiritual experiences that are not aligned with God’s truth, potentially leading to confusion or distress.
- Loss of Self-Control: Some individuals who practice Kundalini yoga might experience altered states of consciousness or a feeling of being overwhelmed by intense energy or emotions. In some cases, Christians may interpret this loss of control or unsettling sensations as signs of spiritual oppression or demonic influence.
- Focusing on Power Over God: The danger is not necessarily in the physical movements or meditative aspects of the practice but in the focus on personal power (through Kundalini energy) rather than submission to the power of God. Seeking to awaken spiritual energies or forces within the body can lead to an unhealthy sense of empowerment that bypasses the need for humility, surrender, and submission to God’s will, which are key principles in Christianity.
Guidance from Scripture
Christian teachings emphasize the importance of discernment and spiritual vigilance. Ephesians 6:12 reminds us that our struggle is “not against flesh and blood,” but against spiritual forces of evil. Christians are encouraged to use the armor of God to stand firm against such spiritual forces, and to trust in the protection and guidance of the Holy Spirit.
Scripture calls Christians to be cautious of practices that invite spiritual influence outside of God’s will. Jesus warns against false teachers and practices (Matthew 7:15-20), and Paul speaks about the need to guard against deceptive spiritual experiences (1 Timothy 4:1-2). For those who follow Christ, any practice that does not honor God and the Holy Spirit, or that opens them up to other spiritual influences, is a cause for concern.
If you have concern, you’re not alone in questioning the alignment of practices like Sanctum Movement with Christian values, especially when such practices take place in sacred spaces like churches. The issue you’re raising touches on several deep questions about spirituality, the sacredness of certain spaces, and the integration of secular or alternative practices into spiritual settings. In UK The Sanctum movement are renting churches where they practice their awakening fitness, which so more of like mockery to God and Christianity.
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DBvu8L6IlP7/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Conclusion
While Kundalini yoga and its practice may seem innocuous or even therapeutic to some, from a Christian perspective, there are significant concerns about engaging with spiritual practices that focus on energy activation and altered states of consciousness. The risks associated with these practices include opening oneself to spiritual deception or demonic influence, losing spiritual discernment, and seeking power through means outside of the Holy Spirit.
For Christians, it is vital to remain grounded in the truth of Scripture and seek spiritual growth through a relationship with God, relying on the Holy Spirit to guide and protect. Practices that focus on awakening energy or power through methods not rooted in faith in Christ can be seen as spiritually dangerous and incompatible with the teachings of the Bible. The Bible calls Christians to be mindful of spiritual influences and to guard their hearts and minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:7).
All Images and videos were taken from Sanctum for educational purposes.
https://www.wearesanctum.com/
https://www.instagram.com/wearesanctum/
