Addiction and Your Glands: A Kundalini Yoga Perspective

In Kundalini Yoga, we say that real healing is not only about healing your body. 

It’s also about balance inside your body — especially the glands that affect how you feel and how you behave. 

Two very important glands are the pineal gland and the pituitary gland. 

The Pineal & Pituitary Glands: Why Kundalini Yoga Teachers Should Know About Them

The pineal gland helps you feel connected to yourself and to something bigger. 

The pituitary gland is called the “master gland.” It controls hormones that change how you feel, how much energy you have, and how you handle stress. 

When these glands work well together, you feel calm, strong, and balanced. But when they are not in balance, you can feel restless or empty. Then you might look for comfort outside yourself. 

This can lead to addiction. 

I know this from my own life. When I started Kundalini Yoga, I thought addiction was only about things like smoking, drinking, or drugs. But during my own practice, I saw that I also have addictive habits. For me, it was about praise and compliments. When someone said, “Well done!” or “You’re amazing,” I felt happy — for a short time. But soon, I wanted more praise. It became like a drug. It might not look like a serious addiction. 

But always wanting praise makes you feel stressed inside. You depend on what other people think. And you feel less connected to your true self. 

As a Kundalini Yoga teacher, why is this important? 

Because many people come to yoga for more than just exercise. They want inner peace, healing, balance. 

When you understand how the pineal and pituitary glands affect emotions and habits, you can: 

--> Teach with more knowledge about the body and mind. 

--> Understand why students sometimes struggle with feelings or habits. 

--> Share yoga exercises that help people feel calm and balanced inside. 

At Yogaleraar Academy, we believe ( and see!) this is not just theory. It’s a practical tool for helping your students — and yourself — live with more balance and freedom. 

Remember: Yoga is not only about poses. It’s about finding balance inside, so you can feel whole and happy. 

Soon, I’ll share another blog with practical Kundalini Yoga exercises to help balance these glands in your classes. 

👉 Curious how our Teacher Training goes deeper into topics like this?

Join our next Online Intro Workshop.

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Written by Jagat Prem Kaur