Yoga Alchemy

Yoga Alchemy · Courses

Kalari Shakti, the Art of Kalarippayatu

With Gurukaal Sathyan Narayana

100% of proceeds go to CVN Kalari.

Kalari Prana Flow Yoga with Shiva Rea to prepare body, heart and mind for Kalarippayatu.

Coming Soon

Explore the practices 

Overview

Welcome to Kalari Shakti, the Art of Kalarippayatu. Explore the traditional practice with CVN Gurukkal Sathya Narayan, alongside Kalari Prana Flow Vinyasa with his longtime student, Shiva Rea.

Our practice centers on Meithari: embodiment techniques and foundational Kalarippayatu movements that cultivate balance, agility and dynamic power through grounded stances and fluid transitions.

Body Mudras · Vadivu

Explore the qualities of the animal forms through four foundational body mudras:

  • Gaja · Elephant: stability and grounding.
  • Varaha · Wild Boar: rooted strength.
  • Sarpa · Snake: flexibility and awareness.
  • Marjara · Cat: agility.

Our weekly rhythm · Two new sessions a week

The weekly rhythm brings together these complementary areas of practice:

  • CVN worldview, Meithari and Vadivu: traditional principles and foundational practice with Gurukkal Sathya Narayan.
  • Movement technique: progressive training in footwork, stances and conditioning.
  • Kalari Prana Flow Vinyasa: fluid sessions with Shiva Rea, integrating CVN Kalari warm-ups and Prana Flow Yoga namaskars to cultivate prana and mindful presence.

Kalari Prana Flow prepares body, heart and mind for the initiated form of Kalarippayatu, with respect for the lineage and its guidance.

About CVN Kalari

CVN Kalari Sangham at East fort, Trivandrum was established by Sri C. V. Govindan Kutty Nair Gurukkal following the lineage of Sri C.V. Narayanan Nair Gurukkal in the year 1956 coinciding with the formation of the state of Kerala. This pioneering institution was the first traditional school offering training in northern style Kalarippayat in the southern part of Kerala. During the last 6 decades, it has pioneered many schools of thoughts and practices and guided the evolution of the tradition of kalarippayat. The centre has spearheaded the promotion and propagation of the tradition of Kalarippayat by organizing many international and national level performances and workshops of Kalarippayat and by running an year round training program for local and foreign students at Trivandrum, Kerala, South India. CVN Kalari also runs a traditional Kalarichikitsa clinic specialising in Ayurvedic orthopaedic treatments.

https://www.cvnkalari.in
Official Website of CVN Kalari Sangham, Fort, Trivandrum, India.

The Puttara, the seven step Shiva Shakti altar of the Kalari

Written by Shiva · Sutra Journal 2016

Kalari Shakti

All is quiet inside the Kalari practice space. I enter the space slowly, first touching the red clay and then my heart as sign of respect. My teacher's voice echoes in my mind, “When you enter the Kalari, leave everything behind.”

What's inside

Coming Soon

New sessions are Coming Soon. Join an eligible membership to practice the previous program below while you wait.

Kalari Shakti Original Program

Previous program

INTRO
1 lessons
Docs

GETTING STARTED

Namaskaram. Welcome to Kalari Prāṇa Flow. Begin with the introductory practice and Session One, returning to the foundations before moving onward. The reference sections support your practice: Warm Ups, Stances, Body Mudras, Preliminary Leg Movements and Kalari Vandanam. Follow the guidance in the Sessions and revisit each movement until you feel ready to progress. Prepare a clear practice space with room to move freely. Take time to arrive and set a personal intention. Explore the articles and film in Resources to understand the roots of the practice. This journey is for personal practice in respect for the CVN Kalari lineage. Please read the Code of Respect; participation does not confer permission to teach the Kalari system. Every journey begins with a single step. Let yours begin with attention, patience and respect.
Sessions
9 lessons
Docs

Overview

Session One: Intro to Practice Interview with G. Sathya Narayan - Audio Intro to Course with Shiva Rea - Audio Body Warm Ups All Nerkal Single Leg Kick Tutorials Kalari Vinyasa intro below All Feet Stance: Vaidavu - horse stance Session Two: see practices below Side Angle Kicks Gajavadivu (elephant) Simhavadivu (lion)
6:13

Kalari Prana Vinyasa Session 1: Traditional warm-up
Audio

Session 1 Call: Intro and Overview
18:25

Kalari Prana Vinyasa Session 2: Kalari Namaskar
Audio

Session 2 Call
59:09

Kalari Prana Vinyasa Session 3
Audio

Session 3 Call: Body Mudras
1h 15m

Kalari Prana Vinyasa Session 4: Full Sequence
Audio

Session 4 Call: Kalari Puttara Vandanam
Stances
5 lessons
1:12

Stretched Foot
0:56

Placement of Foot - Circular Foot
1:15

Transitions of Circular Foot
1:22

Placement of Feet - Angle of Foot & Transitions
1:46

Transitions Between the Postures
Vativukal — Body Mudras
10 lessons
0:54

Marjaravadivu - Cat
0:55

Asvadivu - Horse
0:58

Simhavadivu - Lion
0:33

Kukkuvadivu - Rooster
0:44

Varahavadivu - Boar
0:53

Sarpavadivu - Serpent
2:17

Gajavadivu - Elephant
0:53

Simhavadivu - Lion - One Hand
1:12

Simhavadivu - Lion - Both Hands
3:32

Vaidavus Gaja-Horse-Lion Sequence
Kal etupp — Preliminary Leg Movements
5 lessons
4:56

Nerkal (Straight Leg Kick)
1:01

Straight Leg - Gajavadivu - Elephant Combination
2:47

Straight Leg Kicks - filmed in Kerala
3:40

Diagonal Leg Kicks - filmed in Kerala
4:16

Diagonal Leg Kicks 2 - filmed in Kerala
Kalari Vandanam — (preparation for the namaskar sequence)
4 lessons
0:59

Kalari Vandanam Prep I
1:24

Kalari Vandanam Prep II
1:22

Kalari Vandanam Prep III
7:12

Vaidavus Namaskar Prep and Full Namaskar
RESOURCES
4 lessons
Docs

RESOURCES

Please enjoy the article and reading about kalarippayatu below. To learn more about CVN Kalari, check out www.cvnkalari.in
Docs

📖 Ebook (issuu 34592782)
Docs

📖 Ebook (issuu 34559941)
Docs

📖 Ebook (issuu 34592805)

Bios

Sathya Narayan

Gurukkal at CVN Kalari in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. Sathya Narayan guides the traditional practice of Kalarippayatu.

Shiva Rea

Shiva is a global movement & yoga teacher, founder of Prana Flow, creative catalyst, lover of life, energy activist, and explorer.

Register

Join Vital Living or Evolutionary Teacher's Path to begin the Kalari Shakti Original Program now. The Art of Kalarippayatu program with Gurukaal Sathyan Narayana is Coming Soon. Sign up for interest to hear when new sessions are ready.

Your previous course purchases remain unchanged. Asking for course updates does not enroll you or subscribe you to the general newsletter.

This course shares the flowing form of Kalarippayatu for personal practice. Participation does not authorize teaching the Kalari system or Kalari Vinyasa without the appropriate training and permission.

The original program remains available with Evolutionary Teacher's Path / Vital Living.

Kalari Shakti · Coming Soon

Leave your email and we'll let you know when new Kalari Shakti sessions are available.

Begin preparing body, heart and mind now with the original Kalari program, available with Vital Living or Evolutionary Teacher's Path.

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