Since my first trip to India in March of 2008 for a 500 hour yoga teacher training program with my teacher Yogi Vishkvketu ji of World Conscious Yoga Family, I am on my way there for a 5th time. It marks my third anniversary on the day of departure this time around March 2, 2011 and arriving March 3 from that very first trip March 4, 2008.
Honestly, I never imagined I would be back, let alone 4 other times. I came to that conclusion that I probably would not come back because I was going for a yoga teacher training course. I wanted an immersion with an Authentic Teacher in an Authentic Place and done. Who knew?
I am not going to get into the whole history between trips as I have written about it but it is just not that. I have been feeling that it may be some time that I will go to India again. Not sure why. Just feeling. I am going for 6 1/2 weeks. Two and half weeks with a group that I am co leading and teaching but then I will take a month for personal reflection, study and some holiday time. It has been a challenging year for me and I really need a break and India is where I run too. I have some things booked, a meditation course, spending time with a beloved Swami and teachers but also there is a good chunk of time that is unaccounted for. We will see. I will figure it out when I am there.
The feeling that is accompanying this decision is that I feel I need to shed some layers and get some clarity as life has been a bit foggy. Actually this is an oxymoron because India can get a little dusty and foggy??? Hmmmm....maybe I just need a hand to shake some of it off.
So Dharamasala is one of my stops where I will take a meditation course and from there I am not too certain. Will visit some friends and their family for a few days which I am quite looking forward to.
Going back to feeling that I won't return for sometime. A friend mentioned to me, well there are plenty of other places to go and yes, I do agree, but I just don't travel to India for a vacation. This is something deeply spiritual and profound and like there is something there but at the same time I am not chasing to find something. Always with an open mind, no expectations, no judgement...just "we will see"...it usually works for me.
There has been some huge shift and some small over the years...shifting and sliding along. One thing I must say from all these trips is that I find certain things intolerable. Things that I once thought were part of human nature, everyday life...just has no place in my life anymore. The word "hate" makes me cringe. How often do you hear people talking about good news...okay..things happen in this world. That is life. I am not saying being in denial, but I am finding that people are addicted to being miserable and are totally oblivious. They live in this blanket of illusion. We are right and everyone else is wrong. Strong opinions flying here and there never stopping to think maybe there is another side to the story. I just listen but it just drags me down. I obviously have to learn something here or I would not be irritated by it.
India has taught me patience in some manner and a more go with the flow and ultimately the universe is going to decide what is going to happen anyways so why fight and get so upset?
Going back to living in the cloud of illusion. That is what separates us. We live in Canada and we think we should look, act, dress a certain way, others do that in their country or community. People have perceptions of others and way things should be and if doesn't fit into their status quo...well it is just wrong and silly and offensive. So they get together and gossip about it ... getting back to what they are comfortable with.
On a positive note - shifts are happening around us...doesn't take going to India for it to happen. People are starting to realize that they are just not happy with the way things are. At the end of the day we are a drop of water in one big ocean.
So Ham
Monday, February 28, 2011
Spring Renewal: Rest and Rejuvenate Mind Body Spirit
Spring Renewal: Rest and Rejuvenate Mind Body Spirit
I have taken inspiration at what typically happens at the end of a yoga class to reflect upon and write about new beginnings. This inspiration comes from a yoga asana; otherwise known as yoga posture, called Savasana. It is a yoga asana often used to conclude a yoga class. It is a relaxing resting posture intended to rejuvenate body, mind and spirit
At the conclusion of every yoga class, there is a period of rest, where we lay comfortably down on our mats. It is a period of complete stillness and integration of the shifts that occurred in the body just earlier in the class from exercising the bodies with asanas ( postures) and pranayama (breathing exercises).
This welcomed part of the class, Savasana (pronounced Shavasana derived from the language Sanskrit) literally meaning “corpse pose”, brings to the practitioner an awareness of the stillness and peace of the posture in body, mind and spirit. Initially, when we hear and think of the word “corpse” or final rest, we immediately feel some apprehension to finality that accompanies that word and what it means to most of us.
Once immersed in this deep, relaxed state, out from the distance, we hear the voice of the yoga teacher, softly calling us out of Savasana. By this point, many of us are now relishing every last second of this delicious rest and taking our sweetest time to come back. The class is over! “No, no… “, exclaiming silently in our minds. Now we are thinking Savasana was too short or how we could just remain here a little while longer. What do we want? Sometimes we want things to never come to an end, or to close a chapter for good. We are eager to see a light at the end of the tunnel or a continuous flow of everlasting joy. We can have both! Seems like a paradox. Doesn’t it?
Now let’s get back to Savasana. Once we are called out of this rest period by being guided by the instructor’s voice to wiggle our fingers and toes, moving our head from side to side and other gentle movements so not to suddenly disrupt this energy, we are then asked to turn over to our side into a foetal-type position. It is a sign of rebirth; a sign of starting anew. As we slowly get up, then we move into a seated meditation and final closing of the class and journey onward off the mat, out of the classroom and back into our world until the next class, the next day, the next chapter with a renewed sense of optimism and peace.
Life is a cycle. Now, we are welcoming the spring. This is Mother Earth’s seasonal time of being born anew being reflected by warmer and longer sunnier days, blooming flowers and budding trees. Signs of life are everywhere. Birds are singing and so are we. Mother Nature is waking up from a three month Savasana. Very well rested and ready with a renewed sense of optimism and peace.
We can certainly learn a lot from a yoga class besides how to stretch, balance and perform a myriad of yoga posture as well breathing techniques, meditation and rest. We can learn to take wisdom from this 5000 year old plus tradition off our mats and integrate this philosophy of beginning anew into our everyday lives same way as Mother Earth teaches us (on a side note every yoga posture has a virtue and symbolizes something in nature). Take from this what you will. It can be bidding adeu to a long stressful day and being thankful it is all over or sadly having to let something go; always grateful from lessons learned. However you want to look at this paradox, letting something go or not wanting to let go at all, it is a cycle life, rest, and rebirth and integration, and once we are aware and accept this and embrace the cycle as we often do with the spring, then we live life with a little more equanimity with a renewed sense of optimism and peace.
Take a moment to enjoy a short rest and experience renewal for yourself. Find a comfortable and quiet place to lay down. Place a small pillow under your neck and cover yourself with a blanket. An eye pillow is optional. Scan your body from head to toe. Systematically releasing and letting go each part. Next just observe your breath. Watch the rise and fall of the natural inhalation of your breath and when you feel ready, begin counting back from 27 to 1. For example, inhale 27, exhale 27, inhale 26, exhale 26, inhale 25, and exhale 25 until you reach 1. If at any point, you lose count or your mind drifts away, that is okay, but you need to start over until the count is complete. Once it is complete, remain for a while and when you are ready, wiggle your fingers and toes, move your head gently from side to side, raise your right are overhead and slowly turn to your left hand side (right side if you are pregnant) and stay a little while. Again, when you are ready, using the help of your hands and preferably with your eyes closes, come up to a comfortable seated position. Take a deep breath in and out three times, cover your eyes with your hands and slowly remove your hands from your eyes and slowly open your eyes. With this short 15 minute experience like this, you will have a rejuvenated mind, body and spirit.
I have taken inspiration at what typically happens at the end of a yoga class to reflect upon and write about new beginnings. This inspiration comes from a yoga asana; otherwise known as yoga posture, called Savasana. It is a yoga asana often used to conclude a yoga class. It is a relaxing resting posture intended to rejuvenate body, mind and spirit
At the conclusion of every yoga class, there is a period of rest, where we lay comfortably down on our mats. It is a period of complete stillness and integration of the shifts that occurred in the body just earlier in the class from exercising the bodies with asanas ( postures) and pranayama (breathing exercises).
This welcomed part of the class, Savasana (pronounced Shavasana derived from the language Sanskrit) literally meaning “corpse pose”, brings to the practitioner an awareness of the stillness and peace of the posture in body, mind and spirit. Initially, when we hear and think of the word “corpse” or final rest, we immediately feel some apprehension to finality that accompanies that word and what it means to most of us.
Once immersed in this deep, relaxed state, out from the distance, we hear the voice of the yoga teacher, softly calling us out of Savasana. By this point, many of us are now relishing every last second of this delicious rest and taking our sweetest time to come back. The class is over! “No, no… “, exclaiming silently in our minds. Now we are thinking Savasana was too short or how we could just remain here a little while longer. What do we want? Sometimes we want things to never come to an end, or to close a chapter for good. We are eager to see a light at the end of the tunnel or a continuous flow of everlasting joy. We can have both! Seems like a paradox. Doesn’t it?
Now let’s get back to Savasana. Once we are called out of this rest period by being guided by the instructor’s voice to wiggle our fingers and toes, moving our head from side to side and other gentle movements so not to suddenly disrupt this energy, we are then asked to turn over to our side into a foetal-type position. It is a sign of rebirth; a sign of starting anew. As we slowly get up, then we move into a seated meditation and final closing of the class and journey onward off the mat, out of the classroom and back into our world until the next class, the next day, the next chapter with a renewed sense of optimism and peace.
Life is a cycle. Now, we are welcoming the spring. This is Mother Earth’s seasonal time of being born anew being reflected by warmer and longer sunnier days, blooming flowers and budding trees. Signs of life are everywhere. Birds are singing and so are we. Mother Nature is waking up from a three month Savasana. Very well rested and ready with a renewed sense of optimism and peace.
We can certainly learn a lot from a yoga class besides how to stretch, balance and perform a myriad of yoga posture as well breathing techniques, meditation and rest. We can learn to take wisdom from this 5000 year old plus tradition off our mats and integrate this philosophy of beginning anew into our everyday lives same way as Mother Earth teaches us (on a side note every yoga posture has a virtue and symbolizes something in nature). Take from this what you will. It can be bidding adeu to a long stressful day and being thankful it is all over or sadly having to let something go; always grateful from lessons learned. However you want to look at this paradox, letting something go or not wanting to let go at all, it is a cycle life, rest, and rebirth and integration, and once we are aware and accept this and embrace the cycle as we often do with the spring, then we live life with a little more equanimity with a renewed sense of optimism and peace.
Take a moment to enjoy a short rest and experience renewal for yourself. Find a comfortable and quiet place to lay down. Place a small pillow under your neck and cover yourself with a blanket. An eye pillow is optional. Scan your body from head to toe. Systematically releasing and letting go each part. Next just observe your breath. Watch the rise and fall of the natural inhalation of your breath and when you feel ready, begin counting back from 27 to 1. For example, inhale 27, exhale 27, inhale 26, exhale 26, inhale 25, and exhale 25 until you reach 1. If at any point, you lose count or your mind drifts away, that is okay, but you need to start over until the count is complete. Once it is complete, remain for a while and when you are ready, wiggle your fingers and toes, move your head gently from side to side, raise your right are overhead and slowly turn to your left hand side (right side if you are pregnant) and stay a little while. Again, when you are ready, using the help of your hands and preferably with your eyes closes, come up to a comfortable seated position. Take a deep breath in and out three times, cover your eyes with your hands and slowly remove your hands from your eyes and slowly open your eyes. With this short 15 minute experience like this, you will have a rejuvenated mind, body and spirit.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Take Yoga to Heart Inspired by February's Heart Month
Take Yoga To Heart
by Rita Linzi-Rei
We may not be aware that even the simple things we encounter everyday that bring stress to us can cause major complications like instantaneous surge in heart rate, high blood pressure, sweating, shallow breathing, muscle tension, and reduction of blood flow to the internal organs.
Thanks to Yoga, just taking deep breaths and relaxing the skeletal muscles will allow the blood to travel to the digestive, reproductive, glandular, and other systems. Therefore, improving the circulation of blood and nutrients in the body.
Yogic breathing exercises requires the practitioner to take long deep breaths, conscious relaxation, and concentration, which decreases the level of stress hormones in the body. Yoga postures also enhance the circulation of blood and lymphatic fluids in the body to maintain the normal functioning of the immune system. This will assists the body's ability to heal itself. Yoga also promotes a healthier lifestyle to the practitioner since it requires discipline and self-awareness.
We could avoid heart disease and other disorders of the body if the blood flow through the body and to the heart is optimal.
When incorporating a proper yogic lifestyle that includes yoga poses (asanas), proper breathing techniques (pranayama), proper relaxation, proper diet and positive thinking and meditation, it will help in preventing serious complications. Try to do the natural way of enhancing the mental, physical, and spiritual self through through Yoga. Instead of Medication, try Meditation!
Dr. Dean Ornish, an American Cardiologist, has introduced millions to yoga's health benefits through his famous studies showing that heart disease can be reversed through diet, meditation, group support, and yoga. Dr. Ornish studied yoga and meditation for 30 years and Medicare is funding his Preventive Medicine Research Institute's research into the effects of his regimen on heart patients at hospitals nationwide.
Before beginning any new exercise or lifestyle regimen, please consult your doctor and practice under the guidance of an experienced yoga instructor.
Saturday, October 9, 2010
What is Sound Healing & How Does it Work
What Is Sound Healing? How Does It Work?
The power of sound touches and moves us deeply because we are vibrational beings in nature. Cultures the world over use sound to attune, invoke, and transform consciousness.
"Speech is the essence of humanity." All of what humanity thinks and ultimately becomes is determined by the expression of ideas and actions through speech (and its derivative, writing). Everything comes into being through speech. Ideas remain just as an idea until they are created through the power of speech.
Sound is a form of energy made up of vibrations that have the potential to heal while others can break glass. Mantras are syllables, words or phrases when repeated will bring an individual to a higher state of consciousness. They are sounds or energies that always existed in the Universe and cannot be created or destroyed.
Mantra repetition (or japa) provides you with a point to focus your mind. It also releases the energy that is encapsulated in that sound. The energy literally manifests itself, creating a specific thought pattern in the mind. Correct pronunciation is very important. With sincere practice, repetition of a mantra leads to pure thought where the sound vibration merges with the thought vibration and there is no awareness of meaning. This way, the mantra will lead you to true meditation.
What is a mantra?
The word "mantra" is derived from two Sanskrit words. The first is "manas" or "mind," which provides the "man" syllable. The second syllable is drawn from the Sanskrit word "trai" meaning to "protect" or to "free from." Therefore, the word mantra literally means "to free from the mind." Mantra is, at its core, a tool used by the mind, which eventually frees one from the fluctuations of the mind.
Mantras create thought-energy waves.
The human consciousness is really a collection of states of consciousness, which exist throughout the physical and subtle bodies. Each organ has a consciousness of its own. That consciousness allows it to perform functions specific to it. Then come the various systems. The cardiovascular system, the reproductive system and other systems have various organs or body parts working at slightly different stages of a single process. Like the organs, there is a primitive consciousness also associated with each system. And these are just within the physical body. Similar functions and states of consciousness exist within the subtle body as well. So individual organ consciousness is overlaid by system consciousness, overlaid again by subtle body counterparts and consciousness, and so on and so on.
The ego with its self-defined "I" ness assumes a pre-eminent state among the subtle disturbance of random, semi-conscious thoughts, which pulse through our organism. Of course, our organism can "pick up" the vibration of other organisms nearby. The result is that there are countless vibrations riding in and through the subconscious mind at any given time.
Mantras start a powerful vibration, which corresponds to both a specific spiritual energy frequency and a state of consciousness in seed form. Over time, the mantra process begins to override all of the other smaller vibrations, which eventually become absorbed by the mantra. After a length of time, which varies from individual to individual, the great wave of the mantra stills all other vibrations. Ultimately, the mantra produces a state where the organism vibrates at the rate completely in tune with the energy and spiritual state represented by and contained within the mantra.
At this point, a change of state occurs in the organism. The organism becomes subtly different. The person who becomes one with the state produced by the mantra is also coherent in a way which did not exist prior to the conscious undertaking of repetition of the mantra.
Mantras eventually quiet the mind and are an effective tool for meditation.
The power of sound touches and moves us deeply because we are vibrational beings in nature. Cultures the world over use sound to attune, invoke, and transform consciousness.
"Speech is the essence of humanity." All of what humanity thinks and ultimately becomes is determined by the expression of ideas and actions through speech (and its derivative, writing). Everything comes into being through speech. Ideas remain just as an idea until they are created through the power of speech.
Sound is a form of energy made up of vibrations that have the potential to heal while others can break glass. Mantras are syllables, words or phrases when repeated will bring an individual to a higher state of consciousness. They are sounds or energies that always existed in the Universe and cannot be created or destroyed.
Mantra repetition (or japa) provides you with a point to focus your mind. It also releases the energy that is encapsulated in that sound. The energy literally manifests itself, creating a specific thought pattern in the mind. Correct pronunciation is very important. With sincere practice, repetition of a mantra leads to pure thought where the sound vibration merges with the thought vibration and there is no awareness of meaning. This way, the mantra will lead you to true meditation.
What is a mantra?
The word "mantra" is derived from two Sanskrit words. The first is "manas" or "mind," which provides the "man" syllable. The second syllable is drawn from the Sanskrit word "trai" meaning to "protect" or to "free from." Therefore, the word mantra literally means "to free from the mind." Mantra is, at its core, a tool used by the mind, which eventually frees one from the fluctuations of the mind.
Mantras create thought-energy waves.
The human consciousness is really a collection of states of consciousness, which exist throughout the physical and subtle bodies. Each organ has a consciousness of its own. That consciousness allows it to perform functions specific to it. Then come the various systems. The cardiovascular system, the reproductive system and other systems have various organs or body parts working at slightly different stages of a single process. Like the organs, there is a primitive consciousness also associated with each system. And these are just within the physical body. Similar functions and states of consciousness exist within the subtle body as well. So individual organ consciousness is overlaid by system consciousness, overlaid again by subtle body counterparts and consciousness, and so on and so on.
The ego with its self-defined "I" ness assumes a pre-eminent state among the subtle disturbance of random, semi-conscious thoughts, which pulse through our organism. Of course, our organism can "pick up" the vibration of other organisms nearby. The result is that there are countless vibrations riding in and through the subconscious mind at any given time.
Mantras start a powerful vibration, which corresponds to both a specific spiritual energy frequency and a state of consciousness in seed form. Over time, the mantra process begins to override all of the other smaller vibrations, which eventually become absorbed by the mantra. After a length of time, which varies from individual to individual, the great wave of the mantra stills all other vibrations. Ultimately, the mantra produces a state where the organism vibrates at the rate completely in tune with the energy and spiritual state represented by and contained within the mantra.
At this point, a change of state occurs in the organism. The organism becomes subtly different. The person who becomes one with the state produced by the mantra is also coherent in a way which did not exist prior to the conscious undertaking of repetition of the mantra.
Mantras eventually quiet the mind and are an effective tool for meditation.
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Karma Yoga
Karma Yoga - The Concept
The word Karma is derived from the Sanskrit Kri, meaning 'to do'. In its most basic sense karma simply means action, and yoga translates to union. Thus Karma yoga literally translates to the path of union through action. However, in Vedantic philosophy the word 'Karma' means both action and the effects of such action. Karma Yoga is described as a way of acting, thinking and willing by which one orients oneself toward realization by acting in accordance with one's duty (dharma) without consideration of personal self-centered desires, likes or dislikes. Acting without being attached to the fruits of one's deeds.
In my previous post, I wrote a letter in regards to a project, rather an expansion of a current project. My Partner and our Founder of our non profit organization, Buddham Yoga International, Yogi Amitram ji, while visiting Canada, we coordinated a clothing drive to India which is currently in progress.
In his last days, we were tying up some loose ends with the logistics of this project. I shall refrain from over using the word project. It is a project but more importantly, it is Service. During those last days, while picking up a hoodie with fur in the hood (you can read the full story in the previous blog) I was inspired to start something else in conjunction with the clothes drive by organizing a cap knitting campaign to keep the heads warm of those who are in need with or without shelter, often there is no heating and we can cover the body with clothes, blankets, sometimes even - I have seen this - newspapers - but the head needs to be covered as that is where we loose most of our body heat. As I am typing this - more information is being downloaded to me....the feet and the hands...another portal for energy release. So maybe this can expand to mits and socks. But one thing at a time; right?
"Karma Yoga is the selfless devotion of all inner as well as the outer activities as a Sacrifice to the Lord of all works, offered to the eternal as Master of all the soul's energies and austerities."
Bhagavad Gita
Whatever you have to do, just do your best. If you know of a better way to serve, you must use do it. Don't hold back because of fear of effort or because of fear of criticism. Do not work in a lazy manner just because no one is watching or because you feel the work is not for you. Give it your best. Try to do such actions that can bring maximum good and minimum evil. Do Karma Yoga increasingly. Don't be attached to the results. Don't be attached to the job. All jobs are importantly equal. There is no job higher or lower.
We all have our own paths to follow but if you look deeply into your lives...you are probably practicing karma yoga already. Parent's do so with their children every day. Isn't parenting a labour of love? I know sometimes the rewards aren't exactly what we expected...I know...I am a parent of a teenager...but that is not why we love and parent and guide our children, feed them, clothe them, take care of them. Other examples are volunteers, even in our own day to day jobs.
But...there is that something extra that many long inside some of us. The need to be doing something. So just do it. Anything! Plant a seedling in a deforested area. Serve at a homeless shelter...run a community bake sale or yard sale to raise funds for your local community programs. In the end...it makes one feel so good.
When we work with devotion. It is a selfless service. It comes right from the heart. No mind. Just doing. You will feel so free!
The word Karma is derived from the Sanskrit Kri, meaning 'to do'. In its most basic sense karma simply means action, and yoga translates to union. Thus Karma yoga literally translates to the path of union through action. However, in Vedantic philosophy the word 'Karma' means both action and the effects of such action. Karma Yoga is described as a way of acting, thinking and willing by which one orients oneself toward realization by acting in accordance with one's duty (dharma) without consideration of personal self-centered desires, likes or dislikes. Acting without being attached to the fruits of one's deeds.
In my previous post, I wrote a letter in regards to a project, rather an expansion of a current project. My Partner and our Founder of our non profit organization, Buddham Yoga International, Yogi Amitram ji, while visiting Canada, we coordinated a clothing drive to India which is currently in progress.
In his last days, we were tying up some loose ends with the logistics of this project. I shall refrain from over using the word project. It is a project but more importantly, it is Service. During those last days, while picking up a hoodie with fur in the hood (you can read the full story in the previous blog) I was inspired to start something else in conjunction with the clothes drive by organizing a cap knitting campaign to keep the heads warm of those who are in need with or without shelter, often there is no heating and we can cover the body with clothes, blankets, sometimes even - I have seen this - newspapers - but the head needs to be covered as that is where we loose most of our body heat. As I am typing this - more information is being downloaded to me....the feet and the hands...another portal for energy release. So maybe this can expand to mits and socks. But one thing at a time; right?
"Karma Yoga is the selfless devotion of all inner as well as the outer activities as a Sacrifice to the Lord of all works, offered to the eternal as Master of all the soul's energies and austerities."
Bhagavad Gita
Whatever you have to do, just do your best. If you know of a better way to serve, you must use do it. Don't hold back because of fear of effort or because of fear of criticism. Do not work in a lazy manner just because no one is watching or because you feel the work is not for you. Give it your best. Try to do such actions that can bring maximum good and minimum evil. Do Karma Yoga increasingly. Don't be attached to the results. Don't be attached to the job. All jobs are importantly equal. There is no job higher or lower.
We all have our own paths to follow but if you look deeply into your lives...you are probably practicing karma yoga already. Parent's do so with their children every day. Isn't parenting a labour of love? I know sometimes the rewards aren't exactly what we expected...I know...I am a parent of a teenager...but that is not why we love and parent and guide our children, feed them, clothe them, take care of them. Other examples are volunteers, even in our own day to day jobs.
But...there is that something extra that many long inside some of us. The need to be doing something. So just do it. Anything! Plant a seedling in a deforested area. Serve at a homeless shelter...run a community bake sale or yard sale to raise funds for your local community programs. In the end...it makes one feel so good.
When we work with devotion. It is a selfless service. It comes right from the heart. No mind. Just doing. You will feel so free!
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