Dallas’ Newest Kundalini Teacher

By: AJ Crowell, Publisher & Kundalini Enthusiast

Photography by: Chloe Saltarelli

Brenda Stone is a Reiki Master, Kundalini Teacher, Meditation Instructor and Healer.  After studying with shamans and healers around the world, she decided to immerse herself in Kundalini yoga. She currently teaches meditation, Kundalini yoga and takes individuals through journeys of release, healing and activation.  She offers individual instruction and group classes, as well as, a menu for corporate offerings. Her love for helping others has led her to many highly qualified instructors, healing modalities, practices and spiritual teachings. She has studied metaphysics, shamanism, psych-K, Emotion Code, Reiki, Dowsing and Tapping energy release, Gong and Sound Therapy, Kundalini Yoga and Meditation/Stress Relief.  Brenda currently resides in Dallas where she also teaches and is a partner at Larry North Fitness a nationally renowned health club organization.

How did you get started in the yoga and holistic community?  In 1998, I was working out with a fitness trainer and he encouraged me to go to yoga. I went to my first class and I didn’t have clue what to expect but I was always naturally flexible so I thought I’d give it a try.  It actually was a Power Yoga class and in a heated room. I had no idea about breathing or anything but I just powered my way through. It’s completely different from what I do today with Kundalini.

You mentioned you also read Angle Cards, when did you venture into the readings? I started doing the readings in the mid 1990’s.  I began doing them for myself and my friends.  I also got into the tarot but I used it for my spiritual growth and guidance.  The cards have helped me keep my mind focused by getting me out of the negative and into the positive.

Tell me about your massage therapy sessions and your experience in that domain? I did massage for almost 20 years and that pulled me into the more esoteric community.  It was such a healing experience. My mom is German and my dad is military and I grew up with a very stoic family.  I wasn’t used to being touched so it was a very deep healing process for me. Even the school and the whole process of being able to have someone work on me and then me working on other people. It was very powerful.  Through the entire journey I knew I had more healing I had to go through and that’s when I met Linda Ball.  She does Reiki but she adds in her own style of energy work.  Immediately when we met she knew things about me that I did not understand how she could have known.  She took me in like a big sister/mother figure and helped me through the healing process.  I still work with her to this day, she is amazing.

Another person who is a significant part of my journey is Stephen Firley. He is a Master Dowser and Healer and has shown me many healing techniques.

You have been in the yoga and holistic community for many years. How did you find your path to Kundalini? One of my best friends called me and told me to go to this yoga class.  She said it was a little different and to just bring myself.  So, my 12 year old daughter went with me, to downtown Deep Ellum, and the class was it was packed with people.  This woman was one of the first who taught Kundalini in Dallas, but I did not know it at the time.  After class, my daughter and I walked out and we were both saying “What just happened?” We were so amazed. It completely transformed my idea of yoga and we were immediately hooked on Kundalini. We kept going back until suddenly the teacher moved on and we were left without our classes.

What happened at that point? I was invited by a friend to meet her for yoga at Cosmic Café and when I got there it was a Kundalini class. I couldn’t believe it! I felt so blessed because I felt like I had found my home. Adrian Wolfe was the teacher and she has been such a huge inspiration for me to get certified in Kundalini.  I’m so grateful to be where I am right now because I never thought I could or would want to be a teacher but now I’m so passionate about it.

How would you explain Kundalini yoga to someone who knows nothing about it? It’s the Kundalini of consciousness. It allows you to expand you consciousness and see life in a completely different light and allows you to see where we are limiting ourselves.  It also shows us where we can expand and see we are greater and more than what we thought.  It enables us to tap into our intuition where we are completely directed and you know the next step to take.  You start creating a bond with the universe and it becomes stronger and stronger.  You see signs every step of the way, it’s so powerful.

Kundalini has been very popular all over the country in New York City and Los Angeles.  Even here in Texas, Austin and Houston has Kundalini classes in many of the studios.  In Fort Worth, the Wellness Center has Kundalini on a regular basis but Dallas has taken a long time to awaken to Kundalini. Why do you think this has happened? I think it’s because Dallas is in the bible belt. I think some religions and people view yoga as being far-fetched or scary. People are often scared of things they don’t understand. In my eyes, they think it’s safer to be more narrow minded, but in truth, it’s safer to be more open minded so you can learn and then make your own educated decision.

It’s an exciting time for Dallas, we are seeing classes popping up here and there and for so long there were so few available. You are going to be starting your classes at the Blissful Life Studio inside Larry North Fitness Center on Luther Lane.

Yes, so I’ve already started with Thursday night mediation classes and I’m including a little Kundalini in the class. I can’t have a class and not add Kundalini to it anymore, I can’t separate it.  Plus Kundalini adds so much to the meditation, it takes you to a different level.  I’m also going to be having my Kundalini yoga class on Sunday’s at 5pm starting May 21^st and then more will be added.

You also add sound meditation to your classes, explain why you think that is so important to incorporate sound therapy with your Kundalini. I’ve have been training with Gong Therapy and I have a trip to Costa Rica coming up where I’m going to be certified. It’s the whole spiritual growth idea where you start opening up to what you want to expand out to next. For example, What is your next process? What do you want to become better in? What is my next challenge I want to get through? Then you go to a beautiful Gong Therapy session and it helps you burst through it because you are setting your intention and the sound current takes you to a higher level of consciousness.

I’ve seen your crystal bowls and I’ve never seen one with the gold lining.  Tell me about it.  I have one bowl that is rose quartz and the vibration is the frequency of the heart and it’s beautiful to open the heart before meditation.  I also have an amazing bowl that is lined with gold.  It has such a sweet sound and it is in tune with your solar plexus and it helps you to expand your powers. People are naturally drawn to what will help them stay balanced and focused…sound therapy and Kundalini does this.

You decided to get certified with world re-known, Gurmukh, in New York City, that is so exciting.

Yes, my son lives there and I was able to stay with him so it worked out perfectly. The training was a spiritual boot camp, you start at 4am and we have 12 hour days with very few breaks. People are in pain from the exercises, they want to purge you.  You are plowing through physical, mental and emotional rollercoasters.  There are people crying, laughing, some are blissed out, it’s like everyone is one drugs…but we aren’t! (laughing)

I have always wanted to train with Garmuk since I had gone of one of her classes in California.  It was an immediate connection with her and I knew I just wanted to be with her and train with her. Her soul is pure love and her classes are so beautiful it’s like she is personally guiding you as she pulls you through the tough parts.  She’s my inspiration and I want to be that kind of a teacher to pull people through the tough parts. If we work it out on the mat, then we already have the strength to push and pull ourselves through our daily lives.

Kundalini teachers are known for wearing white.  Why? The white allows your energy body to expand. White has every color reflected in it.  It allows your body to reflect the entire rainbow of colors.  Also, it keeps you from absorbing the negative energy.  You want to radiant your energy and keep reflecting. I had to get a whole new white wardrobe! (laughing)

What is your goal for your students? My goal is to take them on a journey to places they have never been before and open up like a flower, experience themselves and tap into the God essence within them.  If I can be a channel for someone and prepare that space for them, then I’m blessed.

I personally am thrilled to attend Brenda’s Kundalini Yoga classes at 5pm on Sundays at the Blissful Life Studio inside Larry North Fitness Center, 6030 Luther Lane in Dallas. I have been going to her meditation classes on Thursday evenings at 7pm at the same location and absolutely love her gentle style of teaching and guiding.  As a teacher, Brenda’s light shines bright and she has been a true blessing in my life by bringing weekly Kundalini classes back to my spiritual practice.  The big KICK OFF for her Sunday Kundalini classes will be May 21st at 5pm.  Stay after for Kundalini cocktails and friendship. Sat Nam.

Photography by: Chloe Saltarelli