Animal Postures | Your first encounter with the Kalari practice is through Vadivu, the Animal Postures. Practicing these ancient, simple, and yet profoundly powerful and deep postures alone can trigger a powerful process of transformation. They constitute the psychophysical foundation of the Kalari practice. Become familiar with the concept of posture in Kalari, and also learn how it differs from what you might have learned in other traditions like Hatha Yoga.

The Salutation Form | Watching the opening sequence of the Puthara and Kalari Vandanam can be mesmerizing. This ancient sequence is flowing with sublime grace, yet grounded and structured at the same time. The Salutation Form has been opening the space for regular Kalari practices, as well as ritual duels for millennia, its practitioners utilizing its subtle power to enter a state of detached clarity and awakened energy.

Introduction to the Male Form | Male and female sequencing takes us deep into the heart of Vadakkan Sampradayam, the Northern Style of Kalarippayat. We will start with the Male Form, tapping into what the scriptures call “transformative fury” with a one-pointed focus, which is ultimately a fierce invitation for our Kundalini to rise, as well a powerful tool of personal transformation.

Outlook on the Female Form | Now we are ready to take our first steps in the Female Form, expanding our senses outwards into a state of maximum sensory awareness. This is where we put the energy previously created in the male form into action, losing and regaining focus, jumping, crouching low and rising high. The Arapukai is not just a set of techniques, it tells an ancient story of cosmic creation.

Cultivating Flow | Kalari practitioners are called Abhyassi, „the repeating one“. In the closing session everything we have learned this weekend culminates and comes together in its traditional order and tempo, providing you with a taste of how a traditional Kalari practice feels like. We will let our bodies do the talking and cultivate the flow. Surrender, and maybe you will get a taste of what it feels like „when the body becomes all eyes“.