Rockin the Bindi

So recently I decided to rock a Bindi. Rock a Bindi? Huh? A Bindi is a traditional decorative addition to the forehead for Indian women. Often times it is recognized as fashion, also it is connected to the third eye chakra (Ajna). While people assume that it is a Hindu symbol for marital status, actually it is commonly seen among all Indians regardless of religious creed. As it is worn at the third eye, people believe it to ward off dark spirits, to deepen intuition, and also to bring beauty to a woman.

Two reasons I have been wearing the Bindi.

1) Reason #1 This past weekend, my amazing Daddy and some other amazing Indian Men (Uncles as I call them) were honored for being the past presidents for the South Indian Malayalam Samajam (Association) in Southern Ontario. The beauty of this honor is that my Daddy, was one of the first Presidents to Unite Hindu's, Christians, and Muslims in Canada to celebrate traditions and festivals that would inspire the second generation South Indians, such as myself. We would have Talent Shows, Summer Picnics, Celebrate Festivals like Onam and Christmas in order to recognize and unite in a venue that brought the community together. For many youth in the community the Samajam provided a stage for the arts, a place to make friends, and a platform for group sports.

Since I was missing the festivities, I snapped a picture of my Bindi and texted it to my Big Brother saying that I am wearing the Bindi in honor of our Daddy, and he said jokingly...."Geez, wish that was all I had to do". Apparently, the best part of the evening was that my 4 year old nephew came onto the stage with my dad, and one of the past Presidents jokingly asked my dad "when was he President?" LOL. Congratulations to all the amazing Presidents who have united South Indians to celebrate culture, tradition and inspire future generations of Maloo's in peace & harmony.

2) Reason #2 This Wednesday marks Diwali!!! Diwali is the amazing Festival of Light, to remember how Good conquers evil, Light outshines the darkness. Light your lamps, lanterns and eat your sweets!!! Happy Diwali Folks!

Story Time with Karma Kids

Today was Story Time with Karma Kids....The Yoga Adventures of Priya & Pooch was introduced to an amazing group of adorable little Yogis. I am so grateful to Shari from Karma Kids for inviting me to share my book, some of my music and Yoga with the lovely kids. Despite the Rain we had an amazing turn out of little kiddies!!! They spread out all over the room, slowly crawled towards me, and at the end crowded around for photos! As we progressed more Kids entered into the Karma Kids Studio and joined us for the fun adventure!!!

We began with the Karma Kids Om Song, and as The book is filled with many yoga poses we did the poses from each page, occasionally did a musical number to coincide with the Story, and at the end I played my guitar and led them in a few more of my Yoga Tunes. With Elephants, Monkeys, Butterflies, Tigers, Camels, Trees and many more poses to explore, these kids maintained the most inspirational level of energy!!! Kids have the most sincere way to inspire people to Yoga. When we were on the floor rolling like Caterpillars, one gorgeous little yogini pointed out how her Caterpillar was growing! When asking the kids to count or name the animals, the enthusiasm & excited responses were awesome. Many of the kids come to Karma Kids, and are familiar with the practice of Yoga from the incredible guidance of Karma Kids Yogis.

5 YOGI Lessons we can learn from Kids:

1. When the music plays they shake and sing with all their hearts

2. When they fall, they get back up with a Giant Smile

3. When they practice yoga....the approach is with tremendous JOY

4. When someone else knocks them over....they laugh and get back up as well.....and most often go and play with the person who accidentally knock them down without any memory of the fall

5. Tree Pose is really not that serious.

Thanks Shari for inviting me to your amazing Studio, and helping in demonstrating the Yoga Poses during the Story and Songs, YOU ROCK!!! Thank you to all the amazing kids, parents and nannies who particpated....You are all amazing!!!

Experiencing Zen

Upstate NY hides the most magical place on earth....The Zendo. It was an honor and privilege to be invited to share in the Buddhist Monastery informal practices, and also provide Yoga Classes. First let me start by saying, I set the intention a month ago to teach yoga in spiritually enlightened places, and literally two days after I wrote my intention, an amazing friend/Fellow Ohashiatsu Alumni contacted me, and insisted that I visit this Buddhist Zendo....WOW the Universe is quick to respond! I had missed visits to the Zendo in my Ohashiatsu classes, so this was an amazing treat! The setting was absolutely magical..... The magical lake, the Zendo Meditation Room for daily "sits", the Chanting Room, the Gong, the practices of the Monks, the Silent Meals that begin with beautiful Buddhist Chanting, the Beavers, Deers and Bears that play in the surrounded landscape in peace & harmony was just a touch of the magic that I experienced. From the first moment I stepped onto the grounds, I knew I was blessed. To share in the Samu practice, which is similar to Karma Yoga (selfless service) was so amazing.....I have never loved sweeping the floor more in my life! The monks were the most incredible individuals with kindness and purity of heart. The icing on the Vegan Cake was that I got to teach them Yoga....and every resident participated. The collective energy was magical. I look forward to this amazing new relationship, and I am grateful to this magical place, and for the invitation to share Yoga with the Monks. This is a place for transformation, reflection, spiritual evolution and joy! Thank you so much Mark & all the Monks & residents at the Zendo for welcoming me into your family. It was amazing to experience how receptive you all were to the practice of yoga. ~ Om Shanti

" Do not dwell on the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment" ~ Buddah

FULL MOON - Manifest your dreams

Tonight is the full moon in Aries. This is a powerful night where we can set intentions for our life and experience the amazing changes this moon can bring into our life. This full moon and season are all about letting go of things that no longer serve you, like fear, grudges, grief, clutter, and anything that is occupying space in your heart without purpose. We are connected to all things in this Universe, therefore it is important what we place our attention on. Let go, Recycle, and Restore your life with loving energy.

For me, I am so grateful for the amazing addition that crystal healing has brought into my life. For those who practice yoga, you can use crystals to meditate or with chakras. It is a lovely tool. Many times I would wear crystal jewelry for specific energy during a yoga session, or place them on the altar of the given yoga studio. A lovely Altar Crystal Layout I enjoy is Apotholyte (upper chakras & Angelic Realm), Rose Quartz (to open the heart chakra and create a sense of love), and Amethyst (for a peaceful energy). A while back I had huge Black Tourmaline Pieces (a stone that absorbs negative energy of others & psychic attacks). The stones broke and powdered, and I was told that it was due to psychic attacks which was actually what I was going through. Crystals, Rocks, Stones do have powers which is why many yogis of old used to wear them to generate specific energetic qualities.

Set your stones out in the moon light to get charged, and notice how they twinkle in a special way. Find an amazing Crystal Healer to help you or a loved one in your specific desires, and see how stones can magnify your happiness.....Get Stoned (LOL)!

Some amazing people who have helped and inspired me on my crystal journey include:

Angel at Union Square NYC

Mary Henry of Mukti Healing

Krista the Rock Whisperer

Heather from Stick Stone and Bones

The Rock Store Toronto

As Autumn relates to the Metal Element, the lungs....do some pranayama to awaken this energy. The Lung Meridian is located in the arms, so challenge your practice with Arm Balances.

For me, Arm balances ironically come with some remnants of fear from many accidents (dislocated collar bone, wrist injury, spinal injury from a few car accidents which thankfully have healed but the fear of a repeat injury sometimes lingers). Nevertheless, since I am letting go of things that no longer serve me, I decided to jump to the challenge and work on some arm balances to truly highlight the Lung Meridian with Yoga Asana. Feel free to enjoy the yoga video inspired by the Metal Element.

Click on this link to watch the video: Yoga for Metal Element

Namaste & Enjoy the Full Moon!

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.

Celebrating Yogi's - The Art of Subbing

This post is long overdue... to celebrate the magnificence of fellow Yogi's, and how amazing they are as subs. I once had a very well known teacher refuse to sub my classes at a Yoga Studio, because according to him, he dislikes subbing for a popular instructor because people are never receptive. While this can be true "sometimes", as people do get attached to their favorite Instructor, I actually don't agree with this sentiment, because people who want to practice yoga, just want to practice yoga. That being said, it can be intimidating to sub or take over a class for a popular Instructor, I had to take over the classes for the Amazing Andrew Tanner, and initially I was intimidated, but with his encouragement/vote of confidence, I jumped into the role.

That being said, subbing at a studio is very different than subbing for a Private class. Regardless of where you are, the best advice is to be yourself, sincere, appreciative, and make em' sweat :)

For me, the reason why I continue to enjoy taking classes with a variety of Instructors, and highlighting their efforts, is because learning, is part of the reason why many of us, including myself, embarked on becoming a Yoga Instructor. It is important for us to show appreciation & gratitude for every Instructor, for we are all on the same mission "to inspire to a healthier mind-body & Spirit".

The Art of Subbing is exactly that sometimes, an art. You have to be able to paint a fresh picture, create a landscape, stir up a rhythm, inspire an energy, cultivate a passion that allows people to escape on a magical journey that leaves them yearning for more, or just show up and teach a forgettable class....but no one wants the latter.....therfore, to Sub can be a sense of intimidation for both the Sub Instructor and the student....a chance for us to practice abhyasa-vairagyabhyam (detachment, non expectations)

Since I have been in Canada, I am grateful to have explored teaching up here, embraced the beauty of nature with daily outdoor practice, embraced the beauty of stillness (anything is still compared to NYC LOL), embraced Raw Vegan Lifestyle, and had the honor to receive endless, magnificent feedback from two AMAZING yoga Instructors!!!

While I encouraged all of my Private Yoga Students to embrace the yoga practice with a substitute teacher in my absence, only two of them agreed to this (which I was so happy about, as I wanted them to continue their practice), and Joseph took this task on with such awesome energy. The other class was a group class at a local Temple in the Bronx, Jessica had been covering these classes, and has gone on to inspire people to follow her at other locations where she teaches!!

The feedback for both of these Instructors came as no surprise, since Joseph has experience as an incredible Martial Arts teacher, PreK teacher, Reiki Master Healer & Crystal Healer and overall AWESOME person!!! And Jessica also has experience as a NYS school teacher (which takes a lot of patience since she works with the hormonal age group), she does Crystal Healing and also is an overall AWESOME person!!! Both of them have an awesome presence, compassion, and ability to inspire.

WOW! These two individuals are absolutely remarkable! The feedback on these two individuals has been "Awesome Energy", "Love Yoga with Joseph" "Jessica has an incredible presence, I felt so relaxed" "Loved the class", "I want to take more classes with Joseph", "Jessica Rocks!", "You should be so proud!"....and much more!!!

Both Joseph & Jessica embarked on the Zoga Yoga Teacher Training experience this year, learning with me and various other amazing Instructors. They continue to learn and grow from other AMAZING Instructors, as I always encourage them to do, and have since gone on to be AMAZING YOGA INSTRUCTORS themselves. I have heard tremendous feedback from all the graduates, but these two individuals were gracious enough to cover some of my classes in my absence, and students went out of their way to email me feedback, send pics and RAVE about both of them!!! so I had to share the awesomeness!!!

Thank you Joseph & Jessica for sharing your AMAZING love & light with people. I am honored to have taught you, learned from you, and shared with you. ~ Om Shanti

Photos: -Joseph Instructing a private class which judging from the feedback is now his to teach permanently.

-Jessica & Ambria @ The Zoga Yoga Teacher Training Gradutation

Yoga and Religion

For quite some time there is the controversy of "Is Yoga Religious?", as there are some religious groups who frown upon the practice of yoga, in fear that it violates a religious code. Yoga is translated as "union" or, connection of the mind-body-spirit. I would think all religious groups would want people to experience this. Yoga is a way of life, yoga is a beautiful practice that allows the individual to improve, discover, and become self aware, regardless of religious beliefs.

Yoga truly does stem from Sacred Vedic Texts, and therefore we should acknowledge/respect this, and that it is meant for the individual to reach "samadhi" or union with God. The actual/specific "God" is not mentioned, and is open to ones on personal experience. Often I tell my students to allow the practice to deepen their own personal faith, or when focusing on the 3rd eye, allow oneself to focus on the faith that inspires them. This allows the individual to make their yoga practice into a beautiful moving prayer. Fortunately for me, I have student who are Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Jewish, and Buddhist, and they all agree that YOGA MAKES THEM FEEL AMAZING and they LOVE YOGA!

The sound of Om, is according to Hindu Sacred Texts is the sound of God, but this is also a Hindu Science, as they understood how we are vibration, we are all made up of atoms that vibrate at various frequencies, and sound, or sound wave energy restores us to balance, each sound also coincides with one of our Chakras in our subtle body. Our scientific genetic make up is similar regardless of religion. The reality is much of Western Medicine is inspired by Ayurveda the oldest system of Science of the Body around, does this mean we are violating our religious code?

Some modern medicine Doctors are now discovering how using sound wave energy alters cells in the brain and body. Even Doctor Oz admits to practicing Yoga daily for its unlimited health & wellness benefits.

Therefore is Yoga a religion? It is up to interpretation. In my eyes, I have gratitude and respect for the fact that it is stemming from the beautiful Hindu Scriptures, and it is an Ancient Science that allowed people to strip away layers/habits or vritti as the yogis would call it, only to reach a sense of calm, peace and enlightenment.

For me, it is a chance to deepen my personal faith, and my practice is an offering to God as a moving meditation/prayer. When I teach I like to just allow the practice to unfold naturally so that I become a vessel for an awesome experience for the student. I have no pulpit, and they have no obligations except to be present and receptive to the Grace of God that exists within them as it unfolds in their practice.

What is this enlightenment? This Connection with God? Can it only be achieved on the Yoga Mat?....NO!!! The yoga practice is meant so that we can carry the lessons of love into our lives off the matt!!! The practice of Pranayama, Asana are all ways to detoxify physically, and theYamas & Niyams, Pratyahara, Dharana and Dhyana are ways for us to detoxify spiritually and mentally. So that we can achieve Samadhi, or connection with God, which is also achieved when we connect to others.

Therefore, while we are on this planet, we can experience this enlightenment when we allow ourselves to connect to everyone, "LOVE OUR NEIGHBOR AS WE LOVE OURSELVES", look at those who hurt us with compassion, Look at those who suffer with compassion, forgive, have an attitude of gratitude, lose our ego, lose our judgement of ourselves and the world around us, lose our arrogance, lose our greed, lose our jealousy, loose our "vritti's.

For some who are obsessed with how amazing their asana practice is, may find this concept so irrelevant to Yoga, but try it out, and watch how suddenly your asana practice flows effortlessly after. You are no longer grunting, pushing, struggling, or pouring sweat when you approach your asana, because you are connected on a deeper level. You are no longer doing a happy dance after you nail a pose, or looking to see if anyone saw you do the pose, or feeling bad if you didn't do the pose, YOU JUST ARE CONTENT TO BE PRESENT. You will be happier. Often times the tightness we are experiencing in our asana practice stems from something deeper, spiritual or mental or karmic blockages.

So Ultimately, in order to get to this enlightenment, connection with God....It is not mastering any asana, or doing Nauli, it can be easily interpreted as "Love Your Neighbor As You Love Yourself".......and ironically the world religions agree on this.

• You shall love your neighbor as yourself. ~ Judaism and Christianity. Bible, Leviticus 19.1
• Whatever you wish that men would do to you, do so to them. ~ Christianity. Bible, Matthew 7.12
• Not one of you is a believer until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself. ~ Islam. Forty Hadith of an-Nawawi 13
• One should not behave towards others in a way which is disagreeable to oneself. This is the essence of morality. All other activities are due to selfish desire. ~ Hinduism. Mahabharata, Anusasana Parva 113.8
• Comparing oneself to others in such terms as "Just as I am so are they, just as they are so am I," he should neither kill nor cause others to kill. ~ Buddhism. Sutta Nipata 705
• "What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbor: that is the whole Torah; all the rest of it is commentary; go and learn."~ Judaism. Talmud, Shabbat 31a
• You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it, You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the law and the prophets." ~ Christianity. Bible, Matthew 22.36-40
• One going to take a pointed stick to pinch a baby bird should first try it on himself to feel how it hurts. ~African Traditional Religions. Yoruba Proverb (Nigeria
• A man should wander about treating all creatures as he himself would be treated. ~ Jainism. Sutrakritanga 1.11.33
• Try your best to treat others as you would wish to be treated yourself, and you will find that this is the shortest way to benevolence. ~ Confucianism. Mencius VII.A.4

Investigation for this post was inspired by a recent conversation after a Yoga class! Thanks to the owner of that studio who has invited me to teach, and for also sparking such interest in this topic in me. ~ Namaste