Yoga and Self -Realization

It has been many moons since I wrote in my blog, February to be exact.  I am grateful to say it has been an incredible journey.  I was fortunate enough to return to NYC in the Spring to attend the graduation ceremony with my beloved teacher Sri Dharma Mittra, for the 500Hr LOAY Teacher Training. 

The team of mentors, my inspirational fellow yogis in training, and of course to be reunited with a true yoga master, it was awesome.  I have written enough blogs, and over the years I have encouraged every student of mine to take at least one class with Sri Dharma Mittra, because it truly is transformational experience in the most authentic way.  I cannot write enough words to express my humble devotion and gratitude for this magnificent teacher.  I am so grateful to call him Guru.

While I began the first three months of this year in India, then back in NYC, I wound up being called back to the mother land in June and July.  I had the amazing opportunity to teach daily classes, 200Hr Riya Yoga Teacher Training, and Reiki at the beautiful Ram Yoga House, McLeodganj, India.  Ram has a deep part of my heart, and I am grateful for every chance to teach along side and at his center.  Also in my mind we share a beautiful Puppy named Bella.

Like with every chance of teaching yoga, I feel like I evolve while teaching the course.  These amazing yogis allowed themselves to immerse completely in every challenging aspect of asana, meditation, and self exploration.  They maintained humble appreciation for the practice, and I felt tremendously blessed by their presence.  One month intensive courses can be very challenging for students, and I am always impressed by the dedication students have to learning.  We had such a diverse group of people for daily classes, which is always great for Yoga Teacher Training, because you can see how a teacher navigates everyone, offers adjustments, demonstrates, includes everyone, and addresses therapeutic concerns/modifications, as well as encouraging advanced practitioners to dive deeper into asana practice.

Having the majestic Himalaya Mountains as the backdrop of our daily classes was an amazing bonus.  These students were "receptive" as Sri Dharma says, and therefore, had incredible out of body experiences during meditation, and healing.  Both the girls had their own awakening experience and challenges during teacher training, which is common and made it to the finish line victoriously.  I am very grateful to have been part of their journey.

I had a unique experience the following month where I had unexpected cancellations, and one solo student desperate to enroll in TTC.  I was still scheduled to be in India the rest of July, and I have been open to teaching one to one in the past and it has always been an amazing experience, so I agreed.  This particular student displayed some serious anger management behavior towards hotel guests, the owner Ram, and finally me.  There were even a number of racist comments toward Indians, that while I can acknowledge as an individuals ignorance, perhaps when embarking on a Yoga TTC in the birthplace of Yoga, India, with a teacher of Indian decent....silence may be a better option.  Om Namah Shivaya, Halleluia!  Each day I would calmly encourage peaceful reactions, love and compassion, and silence during class times to make full use of class time.  While her final outburst was directed at me because I requested her to "please come on time/complete assignments so we can utilize time effectively", the anger erupted in her, eventually transformed into tears explaining how she has a short fuse, and she has been through a lot.  I knew that this repeated behavior would take time to heal, and our clearly limited time was not enough for me to facilitate what she needed.  Since she did not pay a deposit or tuition fees, I asked her to return her manual, assured her that one day she will find the right teacher for her and possibly make an amazing yoga teacher, encouraged her to look into other teachers or an ashram setting, and calmly said the course is cancelled. 

This experience taught me to respect my boundaries, to maintain my sense of calm, and be true to what I believe in.  Students earn certification, and perhaps some students resonate better with other teachers.  It also taught me "Bear Injury, Bear Insult, that is the highest form of yoga." because she quickly decided to spread twist the story saying the course was cancelled because I yelled at her.  Well lucky for me my calm reputation has left an imprint with the locals in McLeodganj.  While I was unable to certify her, I wish this young lady all the best in her journey.

While I prefer to write posts about positive experiences, I choose to look at the positive in this experience.  I share this to encourage everyone contemplating teaching yoga to spend some time with the practice, cultivate some gratitude, peace, and joy as much as possible because this is energy which shines beyond a sexy instragram photo.  Nobody is perfect, and it is true that we all have our own painful past experiences, our own karma, and some people even battle with serious anger or mental health issues that are carried in the subconscious.  Yoga aims to calm that monkey mind, the poses are just one limb of an eight limb path, so before you want to teach someone else about it, spend some time doing your own inner work.  The saying "hurt people, hurt people" is far too often true, and even a yogi with years of experience is still working through the 8 Limb practice, so before we try to become a yoga teacher, spend some time cultivating a peaceful heart and devotion to the practice.  There is nothing to lose, and only peace to gain.  This is also a positive lesson for Yoga Teachers, to react with compassion for both yourself and others.

This experience was challenging for me, because I wanted to help this young girl. The beauty is the reminder that yoga is a life long practice, so everyone has a chance to continue their journey of self-realization.

Art of Adjustments in Yoga Class

On Star Wars day (May the 4th be with you), I was inspired to write a post about adjustments in Yoga Class.  While I have studied Hatha Yoga (Sivananda), Ashtanga (Sri K. Pattabhi Jois), Iyengar (B.K.S Iyengar), and Vinyasa (Sri Dharma Mittra...), I am grateful for having wonderful adjustments in class.  I have also enjoyed taking new classes, experimenting with various styles of yoga including Anusara, Hot Yoga, Bikram Yoga, Acro Yoga, all in efforts to keep a positive and open mind, taking myself outside of my comfort zone.  Like everyone, I have a preference of style and teacher that I tend to gravitate to.  While I do like to keep an open mind and support new teachers, I also know my body, and if I feel an adjustment is not what my body needs in that moment, I have gestured or whispered to the teacher while in class. 

Ultimately, we are wanting to quiet the monkey mind, so if a teacher can take me to a place where my physical body blissfully swirls in fluid movements that are devoid of distractions, I am grateful.  As a teacher, it is important to understand the body, especially when adjusting.  I have heard horror stories of people getting injured in classes, and teachers giving painful adjustments, which result in injuries.  This should not be a reality.  Since it is an inward practice, I always prefer to say that our injuries are our biggest teachers, when we study the chakra system we understand the injury is a physical manifestation of unresolved mental fluctuations.  It is easy to blame yoga, blame the teacher, blame the snow that we had to shovel, but what happens when we look inward is liberation, which is the purpose of yoga. 

As a teacher when I train new yoga teachers we spend a good amount of time on adjustments.  The reality is, as nervous as some students are to be touched or adjusted by the teacher, some new teachers are equally nervous to adjust the student.  Much like the yoga practice is a practice, it is also a practice period for new teachers to get used to adjust different people into different poses.  The main reasons we adjust students is to ensure safety & alignment in poses, to bring people deeper into the pose, and to provide support when a student may not be able to maintain balance.  It is important to note that every body is unique, with their own history of injuries, physical limitations, fears etc, therefore every adjustment should be unique to the individual.  The goal should never be to get the pose exactly like the teacher/photograph, but to be able to breathe deeply in the pose to the full extent of that individual practitioner.

Here are some helpful hints to approach the art of adjusting.

1. Lose the nervous energy, when you are calm the student will feel that.
2. Ground yourself so you can provide adequate support for the student.
3. Notice their breath, Cue their breath, and move them with the breath. 
4. Notice their face and toes for tension, adjustments should be done when face is relaxed.
5. Notice their foundation, once they are secure....gently place your hands and adjust
6. Stay with the student during the adjustment, and support them out (it's not a game of tag).
7. Be gentle with your hands, (no need to make it a wrestling match)
8. If you adjust on one side, be kind and adjust the other side too. 
9. Keep your hands away from bathing suit regions.

The reality is, every pose has their own proper adjustment methods.  There are books and classes revolved around the concept of adjustments.  In a private class setting there is more freedom for adjustments, whereas in a group class the teacher needs to maintain the collective consciousness of the group, and still be ready to provide hands on adjustments when verbal cues are not enough.  Often times a gentle hand, accompanied with a clear verbal cue is enough to guide a student to safely get deeper or aligned into a pose.

This inspiration came from a recent post on Facebook where a video of Sri K. Pattabhi Jois was posted in the early days, that depicted some very intense hands on adjustments.  There were different opinions of the adjustments based off the footage, and everyone is entitled to their own view.  While I would say Ashtanga Yoga is one of the most intense approach to asana practice out there, I feel like it has evolved and grown like many forms of yoga.  I have not had the honor to practice with Sri K. Pattabhi Jois, but I have practiced with incredible teachers who learned from him, and respect the fact that he was one of the yoga masters who brought yoga to the western world, and inspired what we popularly refer to as Vinyasa yoga, Flow Classes, Power Yoga etc..  While some teachers get certified, open studios and have the honor to guide people to the practice of yoga, it is important to respect the Gurus of India who started a worldwide movement that is truly a spiritual practice.  When we get to that place of undisturbed mind stuff, we embody the eight limbs of yoga, we see all things with beauty, understanding and gratitude which as teachers, should be our ultimate goal. While I practice ashtanga and vinyasa, I do it because my body enjoys the challenge, yet I do not recommend it for everyone.  I enjoy taking Iyengar classes, because an entire class that focuses on my trochanter forces me to quiet the monkey mind like nothing else.  Stay positive and grateful with every breath.

4 ways to deepen your practice with Satya

सत्यप्रतिष्थायं क्रियाफलाश्रयत्वम् ॥३६॥

satya-pratiṣthāyaṁ kriyā-phala-āśrayatvam ||Yoga Sutra 2:36||

Once a state of truth (satya) has been permanently established, each statement will form the basis for a truthful result. ||Yoga Sutra 2:36||

“When one is firmly established in speaking truth, the fruits of action become subservient to him."

The 2nd Yama (morale observance) as highlighted by Patanjali in the Yoga Sutras is Satya, translated as truthfulness or living with highest integrity.   Patanjali explains how when the yogi bases their actions in truth, the results will always be truthful.  Truth is sometimes referred to as supreme consciousness, that which prevades the universe, without distortion, and equal to love.  The obvious expectation is to refrain from telling lies of any degree and speak, act, thing with integrity and compassion.  We see truth in all the Universe, and as a Yogi it is important to be example of this concept of divine truth.  Our truth can be seen in our words, and Patanjali highlights it as a Yama (restraint) to point out what we should refrain from doing, highlighting how we place a filter on our words so that we maintain harmony with the first yama of ahimsa (non-harming).  This interpretation of a filter is refraining from judgement.  Whenever we judge, we impose our perception on the world, and as explored in the calming of the monkey mind, seeing and speaking with "satya" is silencing our perceptions.

The Yogi should always acknowledge the difference between judgement and observation.  Judgement will create limiting beliefs while observation in the moment will allow for freedom of growth and flexibility of mind.  Our biggest truth is when we acknowledge that no person or situation is the creator of our suffering, but rather it is our interpretation/perception that makes us the creator of our journey.

The amazing reality is when these Yamas are applied in every area of our universe, the monkey mind becomes quiet, the ripple effect is the truthful result.  Words that are rooted in Satya have the ability to inspire virtue in others, every soul feels at home, and harmony is the successful result.

“Before you speak, ask yourself: Is it kind, is it true, is it necessary, does it improve upon the silence?”

4 simple ways to implement Satya to your practice include:

1. Be True to yourself - On the mat be in the moment embracing the fact that you are partaking in a yoga "practice", therefore if you cannot do a pose today, or it causes pain, be good to your body, it is something to work towards with practice.  Off the mat, if someone or a situation disturbs your inner peace, rather than allowing it to disturb your inner peace, walk away with compassion.  We can never control someone's actions, but we can always control our reaction.  If this is someone in your immediate family or work environment, look with compassion (ahimsa) before allowing judgement to formulate into anger or gossip.
2. Speak your truth - Words are powerful enough to harm or heal.  Perhaps in your journal or meditation reflect on areas of your life where you can be more truthful.  Often we cannot be true to ourselves till we acknowledge the areas where we refrain from being truthful due to consequences we have created or fears we have built up in our own mind.  Whatever truth we speak, while it is great to be direct, always abide by ahimsa (non harming) when we choose our words.  On the mat, be a witness to your internal dialogue, judgements, expectations, blame, excuses and remind yourself to bring focus back to your breath, replacing negative self talk with gratitude & love.
   
3. Be True with Love - There is no need to please or deceive people when we speak with truthfulness.  We can stay true to our convictions, goals and love of nature always in a loving way.   Communicate with love so to avoid misunderstandings.  Therefore rather than assume the yoga teacher is ignorant, take a childs pose in class (love yourself), and ask the teacher afterwards if you have concerns.  Respect another persons point of view, we do not always need to be right.  The moment we take a current life situation with the emotional reaction that places us in the victim role, we need to dig deeper and acknowledge that the scenario is bringing up unresolved feelings from a previous situation. 
4. Be your best truth - For yoga teachers acknowledge your time is value, and you deserve compensation, studio owners should always compensate their teachers, money is an exchange of energy and a yoga teacher should always be compensated for their time.  While there is Karma Yoga in many ashrams and yoga centers, be mindful of not taking advantage.  Yoga students remember to recognize the teacher is your guide and your classmates are there for an experience too so refrain from chatter and distracting or disrespectful behavior in class.  On the mat if your body is tight, or you have limitations embrace that moment, rather than push and strain muscles.  Off the mat, always strive to do your best for yourself and your self development.  Truth has a beautiful way of allowing us to be vulnerable, expose our ego, and find liberation past limiting beliefs. 
   

Truth is a foundation of our yoga practice, our relationships, our business ventures, our families, and ourself.  When our foundation is cracked it will affect everything.  While many people get caught up in living a lie, or profiting from a lie, the laws of karma always come into play, and liars & cheaters never seem to go too far.  Take some time to re-evaluate your life with truth, and eliminate things that need to be let go, so you can maintain your truth. Re-evaluate your yoga practice with truth, and recognize if this practice has inspired you to better relationships with yourself and others. 

Highlights of my Adventures in India

New Bike Rickshaw job in Delhi and shopping in Paharganj.

Exploring Handicrafts in Delhi with my favorite Thai Yoga Massage teacher, Ram.

Enjoying some Hot Chocolate and the Magical views of Dharmshala with Catherine.

Picking Gorgeous Green Tea Leaves.

My visit with the most incredible Tibetan Doctor.  One check of the pulse and he knew all my bodily troubles.

So much gratitude for another magical adventure in India.  A chance to explore, share yoga, practice, teach, visit my family and friends.  Here are a few snaps from the adventure so far.  I also had the special blessing of attending a Dharma Talk by his Holliness the 14th Dalai Lama, on 11/11.  What a beautiful experience!!!  The room was filled with devoted Tibetan Buddhist Monks. Let go of hatred and anger was a special theme of his talk.  So grateful to be here.

Recap of Yoga & Reiki from Ireland to New York

The past few months have been a glorious adventure of Yoga, Kids Yoga and Reiki.  From Ireland with three beautiful Goddess (Mia, Mielle, and Donna) as they immersed themselves into the transformative 200Hr Yoga Teacher Training, to New York City where Sandi took the same journey, then Joseph, David, and Anthony embarked on the incredibly fun and exciting Kids Yoga, and Stephanie, Mike, Dana and Doris all found healing and light in Reiki Level 1.  I am so grateful to have been invited to share and inspire new Reiki Healers & Yoga Teachers, and Kids Yoga Teachers.  Congratulations to these amazing individuals!  Keep shinning and spreading this beautiful holistic practice, inspiring more people to love & light.  Thank you all for being receptive to the practice of Yoga.  Special thanks To Sun Moon Yoga Healing Center in Limerick, Ireland and Yoga Nidra Studio in Brooklyn, New York.

 

 

 

 

Kids Yoga TT & 200 Hr Adult Yoga TT in New York

Reiki Level 1 @ Yoga Nidra Studio in Brooklyn, New York

200Hr Yoga TT in Limerick, Ireland @ Sun Moon Yoga Healing Center

Anatomy with Sara in Ireland.

While I love teaching, I am a student to the practice of yoga and love to take classes with other teachers.  I had the special honor to take class with a beautiful young lady named Sara Cory.  Sara teaches Vinyasa style yoga, and learned with a wonderful teacher from Cork Ireland, who I forgot the name, and Sadie Nardini, and Cameron (founder of Budokon).  I always encourage Teacher Trainees and my own students to try different teachers, it allows us to remain humble and receptive to the power of Yoga, without attachment to teacher.  Sara agreed to share her passion for anatomy, and we had a brilliant afternoon.  We were happy to pose with pictures of the periformis and facia after learning so much.  Thank you Sara, so happy and grateful to have connected with you.

Sara and Myself holding a photo of facia.

My first class with Sara was in this beautiful place in Killaloe overlooking the water, the place was normally used for weddings and banquets.  The class was workshop style, alignment based with emphasis on safety of the spine.  I loved every second, and I knew it would be a valuable treat to have Sara share her love for anatomy with the teacher trainees. 

Sara and the lovely trainees so excited about anatomy!

Exploring Rotation.

While I have taught anatomy, and the section is clear in the Manual, Sara is a self proclaimed anatomy geek, with a passion for the periformis that I don't share, so I was so grateful to have her share her wisdom and knowledge with the group.  Thank you Sara for coming to Sun and Moon Yoga Center and sharing your time and incredible awareness of the spine, periformis, psoas, and all other brilliant things related to anatomy and Yoga.

Ayurveda Relief from Satmya in Ireland

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While I am here in Ireland leading the 200Hr Yoga Teacher Training, and guiding these beautiful goddesses in their own transformation I was faced with a new found allergy.  Since Ireland is having this glorious record breaking weather of incredible sunshine they are also having a high pollen count.  It is also possible I am having allergies to the beautiful cats that live at Mia’s home (Lakshmi and Kevin). 

Lakshmi the cat (she is pregnant)

I did not bring my neti pot with me, and while I knew I could do some steam (Nasya) but I chose to visit this beautiful local Ayurveda shop in Killaloe.  The shop is called Satmya and a brilliant couple, Doug Hyde (Ayurveda) and Yvette Sheridan (Holistic Medicine) provide amazing service to the community in Limerick with natural remedies.  While Doug had suggested Nasya which is an Ayurveda treatment involving gentle facial massage, steam, and then use of medicated powder/oil in the nasal passage, somehow I did not feel like doing that.  My dad and my grandmother would always do steam and pepper in the nose to clear congestion, and I was never a fan.  Instead I chose the homeopathic remedy, and it provided some relief.

 

With Doug and Yvette

The shop is very beautiful and they offer a host of body treatments, teas, herbs, creams, oils, books, and of course insight/advice.  While I was there, I also picked up some chawanprash (the Indian Multi Vitamin), Triphala (for cleansing), and a beautiful hair oil that is great for head massage and improving hair and scalp health.  I did not pack my usual hair oil, so this was a nice treat.  The teacher trainees also picked up some Ayurveda remedies of their own.

 

Satmya Street View

Thank you so much to the lovely couple and Satmya.  If you are local to Ireland and want to have some natural remedy for your health, I highly recommend taking the trip to Killaloe, County Clare and visiting Satmya.  You can also visit their website for more information: www.satmya.ie

 

Some purchases: Ayurveda Hair Oil, Chawanprash, Triphala, and Natropathic Allergy Relief

Yoga and Ayurveda Wellness in Ireland

This month has brought me on a beautiful adventure to the magical country of Ireland.  I was invited here to conduct 200Hr Yoga Teacher Training, Kids Yoga Teacher Training, and Workshops.  Special thanks to Mary Henry and Mia of Sun and Moon Yoga Studio for inviting me and organizing so much for the local people in Limerick.  Beginning my journey in Limerick where I got to look at Mia's beautiful yoga studio, then visiting the captivating coast of Galway, and up to Dublin where I gave a Yoga & Ayurveda Wellness Workshop for a brilliant group of Yogis at Yoga Dublin.  First, I must say that Ireland is a beautiful country with the most cheerful, and loving people I have come across.  Apparently I have brought the sunshine, because every day has been gorgeous which is not the norm.

First aerial view of Ireland

In Galway I got to see such incredible beach side views, the lush green landscapes, Salt Hill, Islands, live Irish music, Magpie birds, and I had the honor to stay in a beautiful 5 bedroom thatch house that was all arranged by my beautiful student/friend Beverly.  Bev does incredible Tarot Card Readings for anyone who is interested, you can find her on my facebook.  My host was the incredibly charming Martin (Bev's dear friend), who paraded me around all the local sites of Galway, and entertained me till I had to request returning to his beautiful home that he built himself, for some much needed sleep.

Looking out to the coast in Galway

The next day it was off to Dublin, Ireland.  The city is full of charm and incredible architecture.  I am ever grateful to have shared a beautiful 4 hour workshop for Ayurveda & Yoga to the Yogis there.  It was a lovely group of 19 Yogis who were not practitioners of Yoga Dublin (the lovely Venue), but practitioners of the practice.

It

Beautiful houses in Galway

is amazing how Yoga just spreads this vibration of love.  We explored so much about Yoga, Ayurveda Constitution, Self Healing, Rejuvenation, and much more.  It was great fun and the students were very receptive.  It was great to see a familiar face (Elaine Gemmel) a wonderful yoga teacher, and student from a Teacher Training I was a guest teacher on in Kerala, India.  I also had the chance to meet Kim's beautiful mom, Kim was also a student from Kerala.  After the workshop we enjoyed some delicious food at a local Vegetarian Restaurant, and I did some exploring of Temple Bar area.

Yoga and Ayurveda Wellness Workshop @ Yoga Dublin

With Elaine & Sarah Jane @ Cornucopia

With Bev outside Temple Bar

Thank you to Bev for coming all the way from Wales and being so generous to me with hospitality.  It was wonderful to see familiar faces and new ones in this amazing city.  I hope to be back again perhaps in the fall or next year for some more workshops in Dublin. 

Looking forward to more adventures in Ireland.  The next morning before my return to Limerick I had the chance to venture out and explore Dublin, seeing the famous Book of Kells, St. Patricks Cathedral, and Christ Church. 

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 12 - Meditation Challenge - Meditate on LOVE

We have heard the saying "You must be the change you wish to see in the world" ~ Gandhi.  We have heard that what we focus on, we create, Where attention goes, attention flows, We are our thoughts, and they all relate to the concept of Yoga being the cessation of the mind.

As found in Patanjali's Yoga Sutras:

yogash chitta vritti nirodhah ||2||

योगश्चित्तवृत्तिनिरोधः ॥२॥

When you are in a state of yoga, all misconceptions (vrittis) that can exist in the mutable aspect of human beings (chitta) disappear. ||2||

For today's meditation tip we are meditating on LOVE.  Whether it is romantic love, or universal Love, this world needs more of it, and therefore individuals need more love.  For today, sit in silence, and stillness and breathe in LOVE, breathe out LOVE.  Imagine rays of love are shinning from your heart, to your loved ones, your surroundings, your friends, your Guru/Teachers, your city, your country, your world.  Let all beings on this planet feel your love.  For a added bonus, send this LOVE to those who have hurt you, those you may need to forgive, those who challenge your ability to love, this action will liberate you from the thought of unforgiveness and bring you closer to freedom. We are all created from LOVE, and when we give more attention to LOVE it brings divine healing into our path.

Day 10 - Meditation Challenge - Yoga Nidra

This weekend was the grand opening of a beautiful Yoga studio in Brooklyn, NY named Yoga Nidra.  I was so thrilled to come for a weekend trip to participate in this amazing event, especially since the owner is my lovely student Stephanie.  In honor of her wonderful studio, todays tip for meditation is about Yoga Nidra.

Yoga Nidra is basically Yogic Sleep with conscious awareness.  There are a variety of techniques that yoga teachers use to help students come into this deep relaxation, and sometimes students can also opt for audio guided meditations for Yoga Nidra.  In a typical yoga class, nearly everyone's favorite part of class is Savasana, where we lay down on our mats and relax, unfortunately in many classes savasana is over in what seems to be a blink of an eye.  In the practice of Yoga Nidra, it allows the Savanasa fans to truly relax and unwind for an entire session.  In this practice we scan the body with guided imagery, connecting to each part and inviting relaxation with breath.  The soft soothing voice of the instructor or audio guides us to soften each part of our body.  Sometimes tibetan bells or singing bowls aid in this magical experience.

Yoga Nidra is considered conscious awareness and is referred to in the Mandukya Upanishads, sometimes referred to as "prajna".  Some swamis say that this is when the mind is in the middle of wakefulness and dreaming state of sleep.


 Though students lay in Savasana during this guided meditation, it is not uncommon for teachers to use blankets, blocks, bolsters and any other props to allow for the student to be craddled in a comfortable position.  Yoga Nidra is gaining popularity in the west, as people are realizing the benefits of stillness.  This practice is also beneficial for people who find it hard to sit, although the challenge is to maintain the ideal of mindfullness throughout and avoid sleeping.  With this deep relaxation, students are guided to connect with their bodies, the koshas, chakras, with conscious awareness of the sensations as they travel with the breath throughout the body.  This allows students to release stress and find a sacred connection with their body.

Soon there will be a guided meditation audio for Yoga Nidra on my Youtube Channel.  For those of you in New York, I highly recommend heading to Stephanie's beautiful Yoga Studio, Yoga Nidra.  The energy in her studio is amazing, she is dedicated to bringing you a beautiful experience, and depending on the weather you may be lucky enough to have class on her outside back porch/garden area.  Wish you all a beautiful experience in your journey with Yoga. Namaste

Day 5 Meditation Challenge - Cultivating an attitude of Gratitude

Today is Day 5 of our 30 day meditation challenge.  This is my favorite meditation to practice which

I call "attitude of gratitude".  It is simply saying "THANK YOU".  In your 15 minute time you set aside to sit in meditation, see if you can inhale thoughts of gratitude or even just the word thank you.  Being thankful for the Universe, for you beautiful body, for you family, for you friends, for your triumphs, your food, your talents, your surroundings, your home, for your struggles, for the lessons learned, for everything you can think of in the span of 15 minutes. 

Allow each breath to be an offering of gratitude to the amazing blessings in your life.  If you cannot think of things to be thankful for in your meditation, just allow every inhale to be the silent sound of thank you.  Too often we have complaints, or lack of satisfaction and sadly we may take for granted simple things like clean running water, a roof over our head, or even a healthy body.  While we may be striving towards a body that has more muscle tone or thinner physique, this is all derived from an attitude of lack.  Let us find our "contentment" for this 15 minutes allow yourself to view your life from an attitude of abundance, and be grateful. 

 Gratitude is like a domino effect, the more you are grateful for, the Universe/God provides more things in your life to be grateful for.  Thank you all for sharing and wishing you so much love in this experience.