This is when the coiled serpent of subtle energy that lies dormant at the base of the spine, awakens and begins its inexorable journey through the seven chakras of a woman’s psychic body. Farah Baria shares her recipe for nurturing physical strength and flexibility

Life’s tough for teenagers. Then suddenly, one day, you turn the corner. The zits vanish, the throb in your loins ebbs, and that Prince Charming in your head is told to take a hike. End of Act I. You step gingerly off the hormonal roller coaster, look around, and discover, to your surprise, that it’s great to be on terra firma after all; to finally take root.

For a woman, the 20s are prime time. This is when kundalini, the coiled serpent of subtle energy that lies dormant at the base of the spine, awakens and begins its inexorable journey through the seven chakras of your psychic body. The chakras themselves are whirling discs of energy that guide the physical body and mind. The first of these is Mooladhara, the root chakra, kundalini’s original address. Located near the perineum, Mooladhara is active in childhood, providing a sense of groundedness, solidity and stability.