Kundalini yoga in Malta

Here’s the honest answer: if you want kundalini in Malta, you may have to wait for it. PowerYogaWorld has offered it through a guest teacher’s workshops, the Gozo retreat Shesha Veda lists it among its styles, and a women’s retreat on the theme is scheduled for October 2027. None of the providers listed here shows a weekly class you can walk into on a Tuesday. That may change, so check what’s on before giving up.

What is kundalini yoga?

The word kundalini comes from older Indian tantric and hatha traditions, where it describes an energy said to lie coiled at the base of the spine. Practices aim to draw this energy upwards through the body’s energy centres. That’s a spiritual belief, and you’re free to treat it as one. Plenty of people attend for the breathwork and the mood it leaves them in.

As a class format, what most people call kundalini yoga today is the system Yogi Bhajan taught in the West.

What should you know about Yogi Bhajan?

Yogi Bhajan (Harbhajan Singh Puri) arrived in North America in the late 1960s and founded the 3HO organisation, which spread this style around the world. He died in 2004. After a former close follower published an account of abuse in 2020, an independent investigation commissioned by the community heard from many others and found their accounts of sexual abuse and misconduct credible.

The community has been divided by this since. Some teachers have stepped away from his name and legacy, while others keep teaching the practices and acknowledge the harm. Bodies such as the Kundalini Research Institute, which grew out of his teaching, still shape training standards. You don’t need to take a position on any of this to go to a class. But it’s reasonable to ask a teacher how they relate to that history, and any teacher who presents him as beyond question deserves some caution.

What happens in a kundalini class?

It feels quite different from most yoga. Classes commonly open by tuning in with a short chant, three times over. Then comes a warm-up, followed by a kriya: a set series of movements, held postures and breathing, each done for a fixed number of minutes. Arm raises, spinal flexes and rhythmic pumping movements are common, sometimes with your eyes closed. They can look simple and become surprisingly hard after three minutes.

After the kriya there’s a long rest, sometimes accompanied by a gong, then a meditation that often involves mantra, finishing with a closing song. Breath of fire, a fast rhythmic breath through the nose, appears often, and some teachers add body locks known as bandhas.

Experienced students may do far longer kriyas and meditations, but these aren’t where to start. A first class should feel manageable, and if the group seems to be chasing an intense experience, you can always go at your own pace.

Who does it suit, and who should be careful?

Kundalini tends to suit people drawn to breathwork, sound and meditation, and those who enjoy the idea of a practice with a spiritual side. Its poses aren’t demanding, so flexibility doesn’t matter much, although stamina does. It may help with mood, focus and stress. If you’re mainly after strength or alignment, or you dislike chanting, it’s probably the wrong class.

It is also more intense than its gentle postures suggest. Please take care if any of these apply:

• Pregnancy. Breath of fire, breath retention and strong abdominal pumping are generally avoided. Choose a dedicated pregnancy class, and check with your midwife or doctor.
• Heart problems or high blood pressure. Fast breathing and long arm raises can strain you, so ask your doctor first.
• Epilepsy. Rapid breathing techniques may be a risk, so seek medical advice.
• Mental health conditions. Some people report strong emotions, disturbed sleep or disorientation after intense practice. If you have a history of psychosis, bipolar disorder or severe anxiety, or have experienced trauma, talk to your doctor or therapist first and start very gently.
• Light-headedness. If you feel dizzy or tingly, return to normal breathing and rest.

Any good teacher will tell you to stop whenever you need to, and if a teacher pressures you to carry on, that’s a good reason to leave.

How does kundalini compare with other styles?

Hatha and vinyasa focus mostly on poses, whereas in kundalini, breath, repetition and sound do most of the work. It’s far more overtly spiritual than most gym or studio yoga. The closest neighbours are meditation and breathwork classes, some of which may give you a lot of the same benefit if a kundalini class isn’t available. The guide to choosing the right yoga style can help you weigh up the alternatives.

Where can you do kundalini yoga in Malta?

Workshops

PowerYogaWorld is the one studio listing kundalini, and only through guest teacher Amir’s workshop series in November 2026. It isn’t a regular class. The studio’s site gives conflicting details about its location, so confirm the address before you go.

Retreats in Gozo and Malta

Shesha Veda, a small Ayurveda and yoga retreat in a converted farmhouse in San Lawrenz, lists kundalini among the styles it offers, along with hatha, restorative and vinyasa. Its programmes are residential, so this is a week-long commitment. It’s worth asking in advance how much kundalini a given stay includes. See the yoga holiday guide if you’re thinking of a longer stay.

A six-day, kundalini-based women’s retreat run by Kundalini Goddess (Katie Ingham) is scheduled for October 2027, with two nights in Valletta and three in Gozo, visiting Malta’s temples. Details are on what’s on.

Satori Gozo Centre in Xagħra appeared in a 2019 listing mentioning kundalini classes, but there’s no recent evidence of them. It’s a hireable retreat venue, so what’s on depends on who’s hosting.

What if you can’t find a class?

You have a few sensible options:

• Ask around. Small classes often run through word of mouth and social media. Ask a teacher at your local studio whether they know of anyone. Meditation and breathwork groups are a good place to start.
• Take a live online class. Kundalini works reasonably well on a screen, though a teacher can’t watch you closely, so stick to beginner sets and steer clear of long breath work.
• Try a neighbour. Ananda Marga in Gżira teaches yoga within a spiritual tradition, with meditation and breath control, although it’s a separate tradition from kundalini. Sound baths and meditation sessions, listed on what’s on when they’re scheduled, offer a similar quiet ending.

If you come across a teacher, ask where they trained, how long they have been teaching, and how they handle first-timers.

What’s practical to know for Malta?

If a workshop does come up, book early, because one-off events have limited places. Long kriyas in a Maltese summer can leave you drenched even without heating, so take plenty of water and a small towel. Outdoor sessions and retreats often take place in the early morning or evening, when it’s cooler, though a breeze can make instructions hard to hear, so set up near the teacher. If you’re heading to Gozo, allow time for the ferry from Ċirkewwa, as summer queues can be long.

Wear loose, comfortable clothes and a layer for the rest and meditation, because you’ll cool down quickly. Eat lightly beforehand, and bring a cushion if sitting cross-legged for a long time is difficult. A thin blanket is useful too. For a fuller list, see what to bring to your first yoga lesson. Workshop and retreat costs vary widely, and regular class rates elsewhere are on the prices page.