Mantra for a New Beginning

Om Gum Ganapatayei Namaha

"Om Guhm Guh-nah-puh-tuh-yea Nah-mah-ha"

This mantra is chanted to Lord Ganesha in order to overcome obstacles, and bring positive energy to starting new beginnings/projects (etc.)

~Lord Genesha~

~ Son of Lord Shiva & Parvati

~ Remover of Obstacles

~ Brings Success

~ Deity most called upon by students

~ Called upon for blessings of Auspiciousness

Full Moon in Leo

The characteristics of Leo are: courageous, strong willed, enthusiastic, collaborative, powerful.  Leo's energies balance pleasure with hard work. Go out and have fun, time to accept the idea of work and allow it to transform you. We have been bogged down in the heaviness of winter for a while- Leo is fire sign and ruled by the sun, bringing vitality and authority into your life. Embrace playfulness! Creativity is brought out at this time- express yourself in a new way. Put your full self into your endeavors- attack with fierceness and you will have no choice but to succeed.

Full moons are completions of what we star on new moons. The previous new moon asked us to take a look at our life path and check if we are still on course, resurrect areas in our lives and plant seeds for long term goals. This full moon in Leo asks us if we are brave enough to carry out our plans.

Aquarius is opposite the sun: bringing up a broader world view and larger ideals nicely balancing Leo's energy of self focused desires. Saturn (contracting energy), Jupiter(expanding energy), and Pluto(transforming energy) are linked, which lifts intensity to allow for reconstruction. We are now more eager than ever to break away from old ways.  

The blocks in the road are cleared. Go for what you want with full force...Leo is here to help!

Internal Alchemy

Yoga is practiced to purify the body and mind. Our body/mind is made up of five different koshas (bodies or coverings).

The Five Koshas:

1) Annamaya kosha (physical body/material body) -most superficial layer-

2) Pranamaya kosha (energetic body)

3) Manomaya kosha (emotional body)

4) Vijnanamaya kosha (intellectual body)

5) Anandamaya kosha (bliss body) -deepest layer-

Yoga practices that purify the koshas:

1) Annamaya kosha: asanas, vegetarian diet, kriya (cleansing) practices

2) Pranamaya kosha: pranayama (breathing practices), kriya

3) Manomaya kosha: karma yoga (selfless service), bhakti (devotion), chanting, yama and niyama practices

4) Vijnanamaya kosha: study of scriptures, study of sanskrit, meditation

5) Anandamaya kosha: purified by obtaining samadhi

Our physical body is the vehicle for our more subtle layers of consciousness. Often times we get stuck in this vehicle, working with stagnant energy, thoughts, and patterns. Yoga helps us to break through stagnation and let our highest form of consciousness shine through.

When we hold asanas for a long period of time in Yoga practice, it gives us a chance to work through these layers. The longer we stay in a posture, the more time we have to notice the body: where is energy blocked, what emotion is stored here?

These samskaras (impressions left in the body/mind from past karmas and actions) show up as strong sensation or numbness and prevent the flow of energy in the body. Emotionally, holding back a full expression of the feelings. The work being done physically to maintatin a stable asna for a period of time creates an emotional clearing at the release of the pose. Deep blocks can lead to physical and mental illnesses. To break up energy and restore a natural state of flow, we bring breath and awareness to the sensation filled areas.

By transmuting and bringing balance to the five koshas, a balance of the body-mind is achieved. Through Yoga practices, we can evoke transformation of the koshas from gross to subtle layers. Physical and emotional clearing in this form allows space for internal energy to flow more freely. This process can be a form of alchemy.

“Turning led into gold is a metaphor for the liberation of spirit from matter, which is the primary goal of both alchemy and yoga.”  
-Tim Miller

THE BLOCKED ROAD

I wish I knew what you wanted.

You block the road and won't give me a rest.

You pull my lead rope one way, then the other.

You act cold my darling!

Do you hear what I say?

Will this night of talking never end?

Why am I still embarrassed and timid about you?

You are thousands. You are one.

Quiet, but most articulate.

Your name is Spring.

Your name is wine.

Your name is the nausea

that comes from wine!

You are my doubting

and the lightpoints

in my eyes.

You are every image, and yet

I'm homesick for you.

Can I get there?

Where the deer pounces on the lion,

where the one I'm after's

after me?

This drum and these words keep pounding!

Let them both smash through their coverings

into silence.

-RUMI

WATER FROM YOUR SPRING

What was in that candle's light

that opened and consumed me so quickly?

Come back my friend! The form of our love

is not a created form.

Nothing can help me but that beauty.

There was a dawn I remember

when my soul heard something

from your soul. I drank water

from your spring and felt

the current take me.

-RUMI

The Guest House

This being human is a guest house.
Every morning a new arrival.

A joy, a depression, a meanness,
some momentary awareness comes
as an unexpected visitor.

Welcome and entertain them all!
Even if they're a crowd of sorrows,
who violently sweep your house
empty of its furniture,
still, treat each guest honorably.
He may be clearing you out
for some new delight.

The dark thought, the shame, the malice,
meet them at the door laughing,
and invite them in,

Be grateful for whoever comes,
because each has been sent as a guide from beyond.

-RUMI

New Moon in Capricorn

A new moon in Capricorn brings realism and structure. It's a time to plot and execute plans that will take a long time to accomplish. Committing to a big plan can be a challenge but Capricorn helps us rise to the occasion teaching us to give up things that are not essential (daydreaming falls into this category) to our lives and keep us from achieving our goal. Values come up here: What is important? What is worth your time and energy? How much do you value yourself? When it comes to relationships, what kind of signals are you sending out? What are you really available for? This is a time to sober up about things: money, relationships, goals, make it realistic and make it happen! Capricorn energy is hard working, methodical, and purposeful. 

Mercury has been in retrograde since Dec 29th, and comes out today. Yay! There are five plants in Capricorn right now: Sun, Moon, Mercury, Pluto, and Venus, and Saturn is in retrograde Libra. The Sun, Moon, and Venus sextile Uranus in Pisces. These energies combined help us to look at things from a non emotional view (opposite of the very emotional full moon we just had) allowing us to get real with things and be more authentic. Venus lights up responsibility when it comes to love. Saturn closes doors putting us in new emotional territory which force us to make breakthroughs with our emotions. Uranus pushes us out of the norm opening our eyes to a world beyond on our imagination. 

This New Moon provides the motivation needed to make your manifestations a reality!

Lokah Samasta Sukhino Bhavantu

May all beings everywhere be happy and free. 

And may my life contribute in some way to that happiness and that freedom for all.

Salutations to the *Sun*

Arogyam bhaskarad icchet

One should desire health from the sun

The Vedic culture believed the worship of the Sun Gods brought continuous bliss throughout life, joy, happiness, and contentment, keeping the body/mind young and healthy, and strengthening the sense organs. The practice of Surya Namaskara (sun salutations), are said to be a blessing to the sun gods. It is said that worship of the sun should always be in Namaskara form.

Hridrogyam mama surya harimanam cha nashaya

Remove, o sun, the parlor unhealthy to my heart and mind

The shastra is a scripture, which explains the meaning of mantras, and depicts the rules from practicing Surya Namaskara, saying it should include the following:

-       Vinyasa (breathing and movement system)

-       Puraka (inhalation)

-       Rechaka (exhalation)

-       Dhyana (mediation)

-       Drishti (sight or gazing place)

-       Bandhas (muscle contractions/locks)

Method for doing Surya Namaskara:

Begin in Samasthiti: stand with your legs together, heels and toes to touch. Lift the chest and drop shoulders down the back. Find a straight spine extending out the crown of your head. Gaze at the tip of your nose.

1)      1)  Inhale in through the nose and lift the arms over head.

2)      2) Exhale through the nose, lower the hands to the floor on either side of the legs, and      bring the nose to touch the knees, coming into Uttanasana.

3)     3) Inhale, lift only the head

4)     4) Exhale, press the hands firmly on to the floor and send the legs back and support the body only on the hands and tips of toes, bend your elbows and hug them into your body, lower so your body is hovering right above the floor. (Chaturanga Dandasana)

5)     5) Inhale, use the strength on the hands to send your chest forward lifting the head up and bending at the waste.  Straighten the arms keeping the pelvis, thighs, and legs lifted. Point toes and press tops of feet into the floor. (Urdhva Mukha Svanasana)

6)     6) Exhale, lift the waste sending sacrum to sky, drop the head, and send your heels to the floor and press firmly through the hands. (Adho Mukha Svanasana)

7)     7) Inhale, jump the feet to the hands, and straighten the legs, press legs and feet together.

8)     8) Exhale, lower the hands to the floor on either side of the legs, and bring the nose to touch the knees, coming into Uttanasana.

9)     9) Inhale, raise the torso back to Samasthiti and lift the arms over head.

“…Afflictions can definitely be cured by Surya Namaskara. Yogis speak of afflictions as being associated with the nadis. To keep the body, which is the foundation of the performance of all sorts of meritorious deeds, pure and free from obstacles such as disease as much as possible, the Surya Namaskara and yogasanas are very important. Indeed, in the present world they are essential to all men and women, young and old.” – Sri K. Pattabhi Jois

The Pursuit of Happiness

“Giving up attachment to the ego and the world perceived by the five senses is not a negation of the ego or the world; it is an effort to end the suffering caused by ignorance. This is the true pursuit of happiness”- Sharron Gannon and David Life (Jivamukti Yoga)

Kleshas are obstacles that slow us down on the path to enlightenment. There are five of them:

1-    1) avidya: ignorance

2-    2) asmita: egoism

3-    3) raga: excessive attachment to pleasurable things

4-   4)  dvesa: excessive aversion, hatred

5-   5)  abhinivesha: fear (of death)

All of the kleshas arise from the first one, avidya (ignorance). Strong identification with the senses causes us to be ignorant to our true nature, which is the consistent Self. Overcoming kleshas will allow us to experience deep self-awareness and bliss. Letting go of these attachments allows us to observe ourselves and live to our highest potential.

 Avidyasmita Raga Dvesabhinivesah Klesha

"ignorance, egoism, attachment, hatred, and clinging to bodily life are the five obstacles"

Yoga Sutra  2.3

When we practice Yoga, our fears, ignorance, and attachments in our body/mind are all brought to surface. Examples of this are: fear of bending backwards or inverting, being ignorant to the needs and limitations of your body, being attached to the depth of your asana instead of the integrity of it, or staying in the ego and only practicing poses you are advanced at. These emotions and tendencies lie inside our bodies. Opening areas such as hips, shoulders, hamstrings, groin (just to name a few), help us break through the kleshas internally thus effecting our lives outside asana practice. Where do the kleshas arise in your everyday life? In your yoga practice?

Detaching from the perception of the five senses brings an end to the suffering caused by ignorance. When we have new experiences or put ourselves in situations that make us uneasy, it makes us stronger and wiser.  Learning more about our higher Self opens up doorways to enlightenment and our Yoga practices (asana, pranayama, personal ethics, devotion…) keep us in check on the journey.

Daring Enough to Finish

Face that lights my face,

you spin intelligence into these particles

I am. Your wind shivers my tree.

My mouth tastes sweet with your name

In it. You make my dance daring enough

To finish. No more timidity! Let

Fruit fall and wind turn my roots up

In the air, done with patient waiting.

-RUMI

You are the Knower

Hayem Duhkham Anagatam

Pain that has not yet come is avoidable 

YS 2.16

Drastr Drsyayoh Samyogo Heya Hetuh

The cause of that avoidable pain is the union of the Seer (Purusha) and seen (Prakriti) 

YS 2.17

Prakriti is the constantly fluctuating material world around us. We tend to identify ourselves with Prakriti: what we possess, where we are, what we look like…

“The identification with other things is the cause of all our pain. Instead, if we are just ourselves always, things may change or stay as they are, but they will never cause us pain because the changes will be in the things we possess and not in us. Stay in your true Self. You are the knower.”

-Sri Swami Satchidananda

Purusha is the true self or “one who sees”. You know yourself better than anyone else does. You know what makes you happy, what tastes good, what drives you nuts, when you are suffering and when you feel good. You can loose things but you can never really loose yourself. By detaching from Prakriti: “I am not my body”, “I am not my possessions”, “I am not my job”, we come to see that what fluctuates is not real.

Prakasa Kriya Sthiti Bhuten-Dryatmakam Bhogapavargartham Drsyam

The seen is of the nature of the gunas: illumination, activity and inertia; and consists of the elements of the sense organs, whose purpose is to provide both experiences and liberation to the Purusha 

YS 2.18

There are 3 Gunas:

Rajas- passion, desire, heated, dependant

Tamas- dull, gloomy, resistance

Sattvas- calm, peaceful, clear, light

The Gunas are qualities, or limitations that fluctuate in the mind and weave the web of Prakriti. Yoga practice helps us slow down these fluctuations, detaching from what is not real and experiencing only the true self, which does not fluctuate.

“Nature is a combination of elements and organs. The organs include intellect, mind, senses and the body. Normally, we think of nature as being something other than our own bodies, but when we feel we are the true Self even the body becomes part of nature.”

-Sri Swami Satchidananda

We can avoid pain that has not yet come in our body and mind through the physical practice of yoga! Asana and Pranayama keep the body/mind in a consistently balanced state. The physiological benefits of Yoga work to prevent future injury and illness. It is much easier to step of Prakriti and into Purusha when there is internal softness and ease.

Tat Tvam Asi, "Thou Art That"

-Chandogya Upanishad 

Recognize the Beauty in Change

“If something changes, we should let it go- something else will come. We should watch the changes like passing clouds. But normally, we don’t want to watch them. We want to hold on to a section without letting go. Then the tension comes in. Changes are like flowing water. If you just allow water to flow, it is very pleasant to sit and watch.”

-Sri Swami Satchidananda