Chakras with Yogi Vishvketu

While I was in India I was exploring the possibility to spend time in Rishikesh.  One of the Yoga Ashrams that caught my attention was run by Yogi Vishvketu.  Unfortunately, I became sick and was unable to add Rishikesh to my list of adventures.  Fortunately, Yogi Vishvketu teaches half the year in Rishikesh at his centre and the other half in Canada with his beautiful family, so I was able to participate in his Chakra Workshop this weekend at the lovely Jaya Yoga Centre.  While I have taught chakra workshops many times, I also love to be a student and take class, and kundalini based exercises is something I do not always do, so I wanted to take myself out of the comfort zone.  The workshop is part of a beautiful series, and this particular afternoon we focused on the Swadhistana (Sacral) and Manipurna (Navel) chakras.  Swadhistana affects our desires, passion and creativity with lunar energy, while our manipurna chakra or city of jewels is linked to the energy of confidence, determination and self worth with a lot of solar energy.  Much of the class included kundalini kriya work, postures, mantras, pranayama, bija (seed) sounds, visualization inspired meditation, and more.

“Men of great knowledge actually found out about the chakras – their workings, their petals, their sounds, their infinity, their co-relationship, their powers.  They found that the life of a human is totally based on these chakras.  They developed into a whole science.  This total science gave birth to Kundalini Yoga.  That is how Kundalini Yoga was born.” – Yogi Bhajan

While I was filling out information forms in the entrance of the studio, Yogi Vishvketu walked in with a big smile and joyful greeting to everyone.  Upon entering the class there was lovely mantra based music playing from art of living.  I sat in meditation for 30 minutes, enjoying this beautiful music.  Once we began class the collective consciousness of 20 participants was flowing, and it felt wonderful.  Between oscillating movements, dynamic and integrative pranayama techniques, Kundalini exercises can be very intense, bringing up emotions, and target energy flow within the chakras.  Our teacher was joyful and guided us to bring the same happiness to our inhalations and exhalations.  Since it is spring, many of us needed tissues to clear our nasal passage while we explored the dynamic pranayama exercises.  The experience was meant to guide everyone through transformation.  Yogi Vishvketu has a vast knowledge of vedas, and subtle body science, so when questions were asked at the end of class he provided very accurate and indepth responses to further everyone's interest in the subject of chakras.  At the end of class when I asked Yogi Vishvketu to take a photograph, he was happy to oblige.  The lovely yogini Savitri who snapped the photo initially cut out both our heads, and Yogi Vishvketu was witty and quick to point out the camera lens was focusing on the chakras we worked on today, to which we all shared in a laugh.  I am very grateful to have met this wonderful teacher, Yogi Vishvketu, and a few other friendly yogis this weekend at Jaya Yoga Centre.  Hari Om.

Day 21 - Meditation with Chakras

Welcome to day 21 of our meditation challenge, they say it takes 21 days to formulate a habit, so congratulations to all of you for making it this far.  Those of you who are just joining, enjoy and keep on going.  Today's meditation involves chakras.  Nowadays many people are making workshops on chakras, or classes with very limited knowledge on this powerful concept from Vedic Science and we must be careful when we do this.  This is an area of yoga that one should truly experience within themselves first when considering sharing with others.  The chakras are psychic energy centers that connect to our endocrine system and run along the center line of the body (the sushumna).  These chakras are active at all times, and are influenced by the elements - earth, water, fire, air, and akasha.  With training and practice we can become more aware of our chakras.  When prana flows freely without blockage through these chakras we have balance and kundalini rising.  It is important to understand that everything in this world is comprised of masculine and feminin energy, which creates balance.  Therefore within all of us is masculin and feminin energy.  We all find our balance by gravitating or finding a "connection"  with things, people, sources of enertainment, gurus who balance us out.  This also means if we are out of balance in a certain chakra, we will seek companionship in another person who is stronger in that chakra, this is the "connection" that we all seek.

There are 7 major Chakras, also called the Upper Chakras (starting from the base of the spine to the crown of the head).

Each Chakra coincides with a color, a seed (bija) sound, a Yantra (geometrical shape), Lotus Petals (color, number, seed sound), Sense, sense organ, deity, an instrument and musical frequency, a fragrance, element (shape, vayu), ruling planet, behavior, carrier (vahana of seed sound), and influences specific psychich and physical functions related within the region of the body it is associated.

When we do Surya Namaskar we are allowing energy to flow through all the chakras.  When we sit and visualize the color of each chakra while reciting seed sounds for each, we are allowing energy to flow through them.  However, even if we are not consciously sending energy to the chakras, they are active, which is even more of a reason why we should be very conscious of what we watch, say, do, and who we associate with, because these chakras are like record keepers.

A Simple chakra meditation for you to practice is using the seed sounds.  This meditation is one often done by Sri Dharma Mittra who usually does it in a melodious way.  While I hope to make a youtube that describes this method, another option is to say the seed sound, much like we do when we recite the sound OM. 

Sitting up tall bring your awareness to the base of the spine (Root Chakra/Muladhara), from there we will progress through each chakra with the seed sound mantra as written below.

1. Root/Muladhara - LAM
2. Sacral/Swadhisthana - VAM
3. Navel/Manipura - RAM
4. Heart/Anhata - YAM
5. Throat/Vishudda - HAM
6. Third Eye/Ajna - OM
7. Crown/Sahasrara - SILENCE

Day 15 - Meditation with Guiness Book Tao Porchon Lynch

Today's meditation tip is another guided meditation and it comes from one of the worlds greatest Yogini's Tao Porchon Lynch.  Tao is a Guiness Book of World Records Yogini, as she is the oldest recognized Yogini at 94 years young.  This incredible woman is like a ray of light, always bringing inspiration and sunshine to each person.  She originates from Pondicherry, India and shook the yoga world and world of ballroom dance up with her Radiance.  I was lucky enough to learn from her, and bring her teachings to the incredibly fortunate students in my Yoga Teacher Training Course a few years back.  Along with inspiring the Yoga Teacher Trainees, Tao brought her teaching to the students at the Yoga Studio and brought so much awareness to the power of Yoga.  Ever since I will forever call her my teacher and friend, as she then went on to do workshops with my beloved friends at Harmony By Karate as well.

Her incredibly powerful moto that she lives by is "Nothing is Impossible".

If you are lucky to meet and learn with Tao, you will feel inspired.  If not you can always be inspired by her Amazing guided meditations in her beautiful book or CD.  Her voice is like an angel, and her energy permeates through every word.  Both items are available on Itunes or Amazon.

The Yogic Journey By Tao Porchon Lynch

Reflections: The Yogic Journey of Life

Day 7 Meditation on Chakras and The Lords Prayer

We have heard it said that Meditation allows us to grow closer to a divine experience, union with God, communion with God.  So while there may be many different ways to approach meditation, one very powerful method is prayer.  While many people of various faiths are practicing meditation, this post is one that may resonate well with Christians.   People who prefer using Hindu Mantras, Buddhist Mantras or various scripture can choose to do so.


In the Bible Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that

comes from the mouth of God.'"(Matthew 4:4).  This concept is similar to Mantra, our words have power, they are affirmations that can create positive changes in our life or negative.  This Prayer many people recite "The Lord's Prayer" or "Our Father" is a beloved prayer for many around the world.  In the Book of revelation it speaks of the seven gates which are according to many scholars the seven chakras in the body.  The Chakras are energy vortexes within the body that affect the energy of our body & bodily functions.  Below is a diagram of how Edgar Cayce connected the Chakra Sacred points to this Sacred Prayer.




This Meditation combines the Lord's prayer with awareness of Chakras.  Begin in your comfortable seated position and when reciting the Lord's prayer, fix your energy and awareness on the coinciding Chakra.  See yourself surrounded by a radiant light.

The Prayer is: Our Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, As we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil.

Ashtanga Yogis explore Anatomy & Ayurveda

Welcome to the new group of 200Hr Certified Ashtanga Yogi's in 2012.  It was such an honor to share in the journey of these wonderful people in Los Angeles.  While the original plan was to be with this group from day one, I was only with them towards the last few weeks.  Big thanks to my friends Deon & Deona that invited me to stay in their beautiful home & borrow their car for my commute to Beverly Hills.  Deon (a phenomenal drummer I have been friends with since meeting at Berklee College of Music) is actually on a juice fast, after self educating himself with films like "Food Matters",  "Food Inc.", "Fresh" and many more.....in his own words, he is not anti meat, he is anti meat industry.  In just 9 days, Deon lost 14lbs, feels so energized, and notices the changes in his body....that is right, just with an adjustment to Diet!

The irony of me having to drive in LA traffic daily was amazing for me, as I have enjoyed being a NYC pedestrian/subway commuter for very long, and I have been in multiple car accidents.  This was yet another opportunity for me to face my fears, and in such a beautiful setting.....Los Angeles you are a gorgeous place!

Back to the Ashtanga Yogis....Thank you Caroline for inviting me to be a guest teacher in your Training!  This amazing group of people from all over got together in Beverly Hills for daily Ashtanga Training.  By the time I met them their bodies were ripe with purification, their spirits were open to self exploration, and their minds were eager to learn more.  I was so happy to share with them Anatomy, Chakras, Ayurveda and Yogic Diet.  The funny thing I realize from every experience of teaching is that the student teaches the teacher so much.  This particular group was very receptive, ready with questions and optimistic about sharing this new light with others. 

The responsibility of a Yoga Teacher is one that I feel should always be addressed in any training.  We are not doctors, we are not therapists, we facilitate a compassionate experience for a student to explore their mind, body & spirit through this amazing practice of Yoga.  Without attachment to their reaction (praise or otherwise), we must always be a witness to their experience.  Thank you all for allowing me to share your journey!  I wish you so much Love & Light as you share this ancient practice with others. 

"In the light of dispassion, or non-attachment, the aspirant attains freedom from his desires, whims, ambitions, and anxieties." ~ SWAMI RAMA

Crystal Healing - Tiger Eye

If you are searching for a crystal to work with that provides a sense of grounding, focus, clarity and cleansing from your past, Tiger Eye is a wonderful choice! Working with Tiger eye is a wonderful stone for this Autumn season. Tiger Eye is an excellent grounding stone. It is part of the quartz family of chalcedonies, and composed of red jasper and hematite. This season is all about letting go, which is a way for cleansing to take place in nature. In our bodies the Lungs and Large Intestine, relate to the Metal Element for this season and both meridians allow the body to let go and cleanse. In order for us to let go, being aware and accepting ourselves, along with being grounded helps.

How Tigers eye come into play are: by placing it on the 3rd eye chakra we are said to become more intuitive, and by placing it on the lower chakras it is said to stimulate the kundalini energy. It is a stone to restore self worth, especially if placed on the Solar Plexus (Manipura Chakra). Since this stone is said to provide balance to both hemispheres of the brain, it is a great stone for clarity, focus, balance and courage. This is the stone to create order out of chaos, so perfect for someone working on balance in their life on and off the yoga mat. Tiger Eye helps for protection and it was once carried to ward off curses and negative energy.

It's healing properties include the eyes, stomach, colon, digestion and broken bones.

Similar to the qualities of a Tiger, this stone inspires patience, alertness, deliberate action, perfect timing and focus. This lovely stone is a beautiful piece for jewelry, and has the healing energies that can benefit so many people.