The Hearts Center Yoga Musings

L O V E Y O G A

Gurudevi Ma — Fri, 31 Dec 2010 15:29:45 GMT

Yoga....the first thing that comes to most people's mind is the stretching exercises. If you are wanting to do Yoga there are many aspects to learn. These include: the asanas (postures); relaxation, concentration and meditation. Also the cleansing of the physical body and getting on a better diet. It is helpful to set yourself a time to practice every day, even if it is for a short time.

The Pranayama Yogic techniques (breathing techniques) are the most important Yoga practice, because the breath sustains our life and Prana (vital force or the energy of God) is increased in the body through the breathing process. Pranic energy is needed to increase the light in the spine (sacred centers - the chakras or energy wheels) which enables us to advance more quickly on the spiritual path. Advanced Yogis or Yoginis practice Kriya Yoga. This is accomplished through controlled breathing, and through concentration on the Prana flowing in the body with the in-breath - prana flows down the spine to the base; where it charges the Kundalini energy (Shakthi - serpent power)- and then with the outbreath, the prana flows back up to the top. Extra Prana is stored in the solar plexus area of the body for when it is needed. This is one Kriya. 108 Kriyas are practiced in one round. The Yogi uses Mala beads of 108 on the necklace to count the Kriyas.

During meditation, the OM (AUM) mantraa is chanted inwardly (called Japa) to hold the mind's attention from wandering. Yogi's eventually enter a very high state of bliss in meditation; with their concentration either on the heart center (Anahata Chakra) or the third eye (Ajna Chakra). Either place is fine. This is the beginning of deep meditation. Yogis learn how to use this prana for healing others; either by hands-on healing or even distant healing. It is important to control one's energies; such as sudden bursts of anger or engaging in mindless chattering with other people. These are two examples of how a person's energy, or prana, may be wasted in great ammounts, causing the person to eventually experience depression, and even a physical collapse.

This is why it is important to practice Yoga. Health, happiness, love and joy will all be increased in your life. Also, you have better stamina to perform your daily tasks and put much more pure effort into your Decrees and Prayers to the Great Masters and to the One Creator that we are all one with. Practice, practice, practice. This is the key to learning anything. And we continue to learn, to grow, and to blossom. In love and light, ~Gurudevi, Shri Swami Mahashaktiananda - GURUDEVI BROADCAST > http://gurudevi.podbean.com/ - Free Download - Audio MP3

Chanting OM in E flat

Wayne — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 13:09:01 GMT

I knew from past research that the vibration of Aum, according to the Divine Scale, corresponded to E flat above C3 (the 12th black key from the right on a piano keyboard), which can be sung comfortably. But I never tried chanting it at that frequency until today. When I did, I experienced something interesting. When my lips came together to draw out the mmmmm, the vibration caused a powerful surge of energy.

There's is something very special about the note E flat. At 639 Hz, it is close to the frequency of the kung note in the Chinese system of music. According to David Tame, "this foundation note was considered to be the earthly manifestation of divine will, and a sacred, eternal principle, upon which was based the proportional system (the weight, size and tone of all things) of the entire state." If the kung was wrong, civilization would decline. Unfortunately, the ruler of each dynasty changed the value for the kung because they reasoned that if the previous dynasty had been right, it wouldn’t have ended. The last Chinese dynasty put the kung at 601.5 Hz, a D. They were wrong.

The central role of the E flat note was also pointed out by Barbara Hero in her collection of musings and sketches on the mystical aspects of music, "Eyes + Ears = Ideas." She found that it was at the beginning, end, or other key locations in 18 different musical, mathematical or metaphysical patterns. She wrote, "It’s the place at which we find the beginning of life, and the fastest musical pulse of the thirty second note... It becomes the boundary of the end of the time where space begins... it is at the limit of the macrocosmos."

When I researched songs that are in E flat, I discovered that there are many love songs in E flat major.

Surya-Yoga: Yoga of the Sun

Nicola — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 14:17:33 GMT

A quotation on sun yoga from The Splendour of Tiphareth by Omraam Mikhael Aivanhov says: "Each of the other types of yoga helps to develop one particular aspect of oneself, whereas Surya-yoga activates all our psychic centres. When we unite our selves with the sun we are bound to get results, for we are uniting with the central power that governs and animates all the planets of our universe. This is why I say that all the other kinds of yoga, which were once considered so wonderful - and which are, indeed, still wonderful - will one day be replaced by Surya-yoga which surpasses them all, for when you work with the sun you are working with God Himself.

The Golden Key to Health is Under Your Nose

Nicola — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 14:23:10 GMT

What would we do without our breath? Ignored by most of us, it is essential to our life, and paying attention to how we breathe can upgrade our quality of living. Have you noticed when you step outdoors on a brisk, winter day that your lungs are eager to draw in the oxygen of fresh, invigorating air? Your breaths are deep and long. You fill your lungs to capacity. You are replenished and re-vitalized. Assuredly, deep breathing calms the body and harmonizes the thoughts. Shallow breathing on the otherhand––an effect of a busy life, negative emotional states, spending more time indoors and exercising less––reduces our vitality because we are not taking in enough oxygen and not eliminating enough carbon dioxide.

Breathing, for most people, is an involuntary function of the body. For you, however, it can be a conscious act. You can become skillful at consciously controlling your inhalation and exhalation, coordinating them with the movements of a yoga posture. Learn to breathe more efficiently and you will feel more relaxed and have less pain. You can even reduce the workload on your heart, thus lowering blood pressure.

Philosophically, consider the rhythmic inhale and exhale as opportunities to let go of the “old and stale” in your life (that which no longer benefits or serves you) and to draw in the “new and fresh” (that which re-energizes and nurtures your spirit).

So what is the golden key to your health? Your breath. It has always been there, right under your nose.

Memory Blips

Nicola — Sun, 03 Oct 2010 12:27:59 GMT

How often have you walked from one room in your house to another and then wondered why you were there? You had a reason, but now that you're there, you can't remember what it was. So you retrace your steps in the hope that your starting place will give you a clue as to why you left it. Sound familiar?

We lead busy lives; we have too many responsibilities. Pressed for time, our minds jump ahead to the next errand to be done and this "hurry" state prevents us from "living in the now," a state of being where we might actually accomplish more. For example, if we eat our breakfast mindfully, (that is, being aware of what of we are doing), we might also remember that we left the room to get our vitamins. Instead, we eat our meal while doing the dishes (thinking we are getting more done in the same amount of time), and then suddenly rush out of the room to get our vitamins but lose our train of thought and can't remember what we're looking for. Why? Because we don't remain focused.

Yoga can slow us down. It trains our mind to be conscious by drawing its attention to the execution of the various poses. The body becomes a tool that helps the mind focus on the present moment. Its chattering stops as we adjust our wrists under our shoulders in tabletop pose; as we press the weight to the outer side of our foot in warrior; as we stand on one leg, arms reaching high and eyes fixed on a spot to maintain our balance in tree; as we hinge from the hips, keeping a straight back rather than bending from the waist in forward bend. Paying attention to the details of a yoga posture forces us to concentrate. So it should be with all of life. We don't have to live in the mindless state of automatic pilot. We can choose to be fully present, conscious, engaged, living in the joy of the moment. It is called mindfulness.

Dig Deeper Into the Meaning of a Yoga Pose

Nicola — Sat, 25 Sep 2010 13:11:10 GMT

What draws new people to a yoga class? Perhaps it is the perception that it can be a gentle form of exercise, or maybe it is the opportunity to try a creative approach to body movement .

What keeps people coming back for more? Possibly it is the gain in firsthand knowledge of oneself: more body awareness, more mental alertness, more peace of mind, more energy, more living in the present moment, more agility, more joy.

What encourages people to dig even deeper into the meaning of the yoga poses? Maybe it is the enticing discovery that the postures are a form of symbolism named after geometric forms (triangle), animals (scorpion), birds (eagle), things (boat) and body positions (forward bend). Some practitioners become eager to explore the symbolism of an asana in order to gain a deeper understanding of what is happening in their mind and body and how the two affect one another. Take for example the eagle. It has superior vision, is not blinded by looking into the sun, uses storms to achieve greater heights, is fierce and strong, sees its prey (goal) from afar and with total concentration and presence strikes swiftly and accurately, makes a nest in cooperation with its mate, throws the eaglets out of the nest and catches them on its wings until they can fly and is careful about what it eats.

While practicing the posture, students can consider these characteristics and what message the eagle as a symbol might have for them. Maybe they do not yet feel the power of an eagle in their mind and body when they attempt to balance on one foot, their arms and legs wrapped around each other like a pretzel. Maybe they discover that even though they don't have the physical strength or concentration to hold the pose now, they will be able to do so once they have developed strength of mind in the form of focus and determination.

Thus, the symbolism in the asanas can offer a different approach for self-observation. It's not for everyone. Some students are quite satisfied with working on the physical benefits alone, and that's quite acceptable. For those who would like to investigate other dimensions of yoga, the opportunity is there.

INITIATION

Nicola — Sun, 12 Sep 2010 04:11:40 GMT

In this riveting novel, High Priest, Ptahhotep, tutors the Pharoah's daughter for her supreme initiation in the temple. In the same tale, the reader follows the trials of a 20th century woman as she grows spiritually and eventually recalls her initiation in Egypt which took place long before the time of Moses. This novel is a must-read just for its phenomenal insight on how TO BE God.

According to the author, Elisabeth Haich, who was a well-known yoga teacher in Europe, this is a true story.

Here is a passage, from the book, which discusses yoga:

In studying Yoga systematically, however, we learn techniques for developing and improving our powers of concentration, and these are methods which have been perfected through thousands of years...... These exercises develop the highest abilities of the human being, opening up his spiritual eyes, his spiritual ears, and teaching him to be master of himself... master of creative forces... master of the forces of fate. The pathway to happiness is opened up, or to express it another way, the path to self-realization––to God! The highest and at the same time the most difficult Yoga path is that of Raja Yoga.

How Yoga has Helped Me

Nicola — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 01:54:22 GMT

September is here, and once again you turn your attention to creating a routine for yourself throughout the fall months. You know you should exercise, and so a variety of classes might find entries on your calendar.

Yoga first found a place on my calendar about thirty-five years ago. I loved the postures. What intriguing names they had––warrior, turtle, bridge, fish, mountain, tree––and I appreciated them as a creative approach to developing flexibility, strength, balance and endurance in my body and ultimately in my mind and spirit as well.

At times, I left off yoga pursuing lessons in other valuable forms of exercise such as Feldenkrais, aquacise, swimming, tennis, skiing (downhill and cross-country), walking, aerobics, weight machines and tap dancing. As much as I enjoyed these forms of fitness, I always returned to yoga. In the last decade, I've noticed that my hips can get stiff when I neglect the postures and that they can regain their suppleness when I resume. That's proof enough for me as to the value of yoga. Try a class yourself this fall and find out what yoga can do for you.

The Dalai Lama Explains How to be Mindful

Nicola — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 09:32:49 GMT

Mindfulness. What is it, this term often used by teachers during their yoga classes? The respected Dalai Lama says that it is exercised “by putting your mind back on its object of meditation every time it falters, which it will often do. Initially it takes great exertion but eventually, you will spontaneously stay without effort."

Mindfulness, then, is paying attention. Mindfulness is being aware of an experience with acceptance. Mindfulness is living in the present moment––quite the opposite to the inner chatterbox dialogue we all engage in, wrestling with past and future events.

In yoga classes, students receive many opportunities to practice this process. As they pay attention to the inhalation and exhalation of the breath and watch, without judgment their participation in the precision of the yoga postures, the mind quietens, softens and enters mindfulness. It’s a quality known to us all; we enter it when we watch the gentle descent of enormous, fluffy snowflakes in the silence of a winter night. The mind lets go and, unaccompanied by thought, experiences the beauty of the moment. If you wish to become more conscious about observing and prolonging these mindful moments, consider practicing yoga as one of your resolutions for the fall.

Laughter Yoga on the Metro

Nicola — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 14:28:36 GMT

Looking for a good laugh? It's a healthy thing to do. On You Tube, you will find a video entitled "Bodhisattva in Metro." It has a five star rating and has been posted several times. As of August 11, 2010, one of the posts has received 2,537,108 views.

A guy gets on the metro in France and takes his place on an outside seat. As expected, everyone is dower, poking a nose into a book, gazing out the window, staring at an advertisement and sleeping. The man starts to giggle and eventually explodes into raucous guffaws. The travelers' faces first show startled, quizzical looks at this disturbance, but soon everyone on the train cannot help but join the man who continues to laugh, splitting their sides with belly laughs, wiping tears from their eyes. No doubt, some haven't laughed so hard all year.

This video is a perfect example of hasya yoga or laughter yoga which is a form of working with the breath. People breathe more deeply and from the abdomen when they laugh; the lung capacity expands and the stale air expells from the body more effectively. In a yoga-laughter session, participants laugh spontaneously. Jokes aren't required; you don't even have to be happy. Fake it if you have to, but soon you will be laughing with everyone else because laughter is contagious as is so well demonstrated on the metro video. Let this film be a reminder to take your daily dose of the best, healing medicine ever: laughter!

Yogic Science, Pineal Gland, the Flame

Nicola — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 04:14:16 GMT

"Theoretically this practice [staring at a flame] works toward the decalcification of the
pineal gland, considered by some to be the master gland of the body. The pineal gland ossifies around the age of puberty to 16 years of age, after which many modern scientists and biologists consider it a secondary gland. However in yoga science, this gland is said to rule all the others and that it is also related to the awakening of very high spiritual understanding in the individual. Since it is considered to be sensitive to light, the practice of flame watching acts to decalcify the pineal, allowing it to function properly for both its material and more subtle purposes."

Taken from: Daily Health in the Indian Ayurvedic System by Dr. Aja Thomas
To read the entire article, go to: http://www.skepticfiles.org/mys1/ayurdoc.htm

Give Me Some Breathing Space

Nicola — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 13:18:12 GMT

Breathing keeps us alive. But because it is an automatic process, it often receives little attention in our daily activities. Yet there is much to learn about the way we breathe and how it affects us. Short, shallow breathing increases tension and stress while slow, deep breathing brings calmness and relaxation. A yoga class purposely combines rhythmic breathing with postures in order to bring stillness to the chatterbox mind, which usually occupies itself with endless revolving of events of the past or of future ones. Focusing attention on the breath draws us away from these events and into the present moment. It is here where conscious awareness of the inhalation and exhalation helps release discomforts in the body. So the next time someone tells you they want some breathing space, tell them to take a yoga class.

The Mysterious Origins of Yoga

Nicola — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 11:01:10 GMT

Yoga. Where did it come from? Out of the blue in the 1970s, it made a splash on the radar screen of exercise when numerous Hollywood movie stars became adherents. Since then, it has rapidly become the most popular fitness program in the western world with an estimated 30 million practitioners. Yet its origins are mysterious. Archaeologists have discovered that yoga existed in several ancient civilizations such as India, Tibet, China and Mexico. That it spread among neighboring Asian countries is understandable, but how did it jump across the ocean to Central America? A mystery indeed!

Some say yoga dates back to 3000 B.C. because of references found in the oldest known book of the Indo-European language, the Rig-Veda. Others say that its origins begin much earlier, pointing to descriptions in Tibetan scrolls which are cited to be 40,000 years old. But despite this widespread and longtime existence of yoga, it wasn't organized into a system until 200 A.D. when an Indian sage named Patanjali documented it in a text entitled the Yoga Sutras. How yoga has evolved since then becomes a fascinating study.

Imaginative Yoga Postures

INACTIVEnicola — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 04:12:04 GMT

Yoga is for everyone and yoga is for life. When sports become too strenuous for the body, yoga continues to hold its place as an efficient form of exercise throughout the senior years. It is not a sport; it is not competitive. Naturally, how well a participant benefits from the practice depends on commitment and frequency of practice. In a yoga class, students learn numerous beneficial poses or asanas. Their names––often describing concrete objects such as: tree, plough, boat, fish, triangle, child, hero and warrior––capture the imagination to assist in the execution of the postures. While all poses provide good results, yoga participants eventually discover their personal favorites, the ones where the body takes startled notice saying, “ Hey, do this pose again! It works! I feel great!”

Jailhouse Bliss-out. Young Offenders Profoundly Impacted by Yoga

Nicola — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 10:21:45 GMT

Laura Sygrove, yoga instructor at youth detention centers in southern Ontario, Canada, was interviewed on the merits of yoga for kids in prison by Nick Aveling. His article was published in the National Post, on June 12, 2010, in the form of seven questions. Following is one of the questions with Laura's answer.

Q Is it working?
A Youth are telling us they notice a difference in their ability to concentrate and deal with anger. They'll use breathing techniques instead of fighting. We also hear a lot from the staff, especially the social workers, who say they've noticed a difference. I often think of one youth I've worked with for quite a long time – he's in on some quite serious charges, and I only know that because of the length of his sentence – who told me he thought the first two classes were "mostly bulls–––". Fast-track a year-and-a-half and he credits yoga with being one of the things that have really helped him change. Another youth told me it's the only time he feels like he's not in jail. And we have waiting lists, both in terms of youth who want to take classes and facilities who want us to go in. We need more funding.

What does a yogi want for his birthday?

Nicola — Sat, 29 May 2010 13:59:25 GMT

When asked what gift he wanted for his birthday, the yogi replied: " I don't want any gifts, only presence."

It's Spring! Here's How to Renew Your Spirit

Nicola — Fri, 21 May 2010 15:21:44 GMT

Spring is peeping over the horizon! Step out into the shining meadows, forests, river valleys and gardens of the pure land. See how winter’s snow-white sparkles have cleansed and prepared the ground to receive new life.

In sync with the season, we too can create new life for ourselves. Just as seeds and seedlings will “breathe” in the nutrients they require, we, too, can consciously breathe with the purpose of renewing our spirit, allowing it to blossom.

Begin by going within to the peaceful chamber of your heart. Cup your hands on your lap, place your feet flat on the floor or sit in the lotus posture, close your eyes, allow a gentle smile and focus on the love within your breath. Feel the rising and lowering of the diaphragm as you gently breathe in and out through the nostrils. To nurture and nourish yourself, inhale the qualities of joy, love, harmony, brilliance of mind and perfection. To nurture and nourish others breathe out these qualities, sending them to your family, your friends, your colleagues, your country and the beautiful world in which you live.

Paying attention to the breath is a form of meditation often used in yoga practice. Try it. Respiration can be your opportunity for inspiration. May you be renewed by the many virtues flowering in the garden of your spirit this spring.

Building Spiritual and Physical Muscle at the Same Time!

Carol Wells — Sat, 08 May 2010 15:18:48 GMT

This morning while I was exercising on our stationary bike and praying, a way of working with the light and also building some arm and upper body muscle came to me that I would enjoy sharing with you.

I had read last week that choosing weights that really make your muscles work, even if you do less movements with them, adds more muscle more quickly. Your movements should be slow. The amount of repetitions should be less.

So I took one of my husband's 10-pound barbells in place of the five-pounders I had been using and as I was cycling I held the barbell at either end and created this routine which can be done standing or sitting as well as working out on a stationary bike:

1. Choose the heaviest barbell you can lift with both hands.
2. Grasping it with each hand around its ends, raise the barbell slowly from the base to above the crown chakra, focusing on each chakra as you move it upward.
3. As you raise the barbell, say, "Hail, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women..."
4. When the barbell is above your crown, held at full arms length above you, slowly lower it all the way to the base chakra as you recite, "Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come..."
5. You don't have to complete either prayer. Just say as much of it as required to raise and lower the weight.
6. Repeat this process, moving slowly and without over stressing your arm muscles.
7. Then holding the barbell at the heart chakra, extend it forward slowly as you affirm, "I am a son (daughter) of God." or "I am the Word incarnate." or "I am a son (daughter) of the Holy Spirit." or any affirmation related to the creation of the Christ Consciousness within the heart by the raising of the Mother light and the descending of the Father that you have invoked and physically dramatized with your exercise.
8. Repeat this movement out from the heart and back toward the heart a comfortable amount of times.

Anyone up for arm wrestling me at the summer conference? Ha!

My love, Carol Wells

Mother Mary's Heartstream on Exercise, Mastering the Physical Body and the Art of Energy Flow

Nicola — Wed, 05 May 2010 14:06:27 GMT

I am posting this message again because it was bumped off the Home page quickly last time.

Those who would be members of this holy order are those who are moving in the stream of having balanced 75% of their karma and thus must fully master the physical quadrant of being in the earth plane. Initiates in this order must understand the need for greater mastery of the physical body and this begins with the understanding of pranayama, the breath, and the delivery throughout your four lower bodies of the essence of God known as prana. I suggest that you consider carefully the need to partake of and enter into those physical practices whereby the light may reside within the physical cells of your bodies, the solar light, at a greater level than ever before, beloved ones, whether tai chi, Qigong, yoga or others of what have come to be known as the martial arts which are not martial at all, not having originated from Mars but from higher spheres of the buddhas.

When you master the flow of energy through your physical bodies, then you may become cosmic receptors, crystals in the earth, through which the light of God may not only reside and vibrate but emanate.
Mother Mary, July 2, 2006

Note: Mother Mary is referring to the Order of the Sons and Daughters of the Dominion of the Earth Element. Click on the Heartstreams button to access the entire teaching.

Couch Potatoes

Nicola — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 14:34:25 GMT

For all of you “couch potatoes” out there, I’ve got just the exercise for you. You’ll have to get off your couch, though, and onto a chair. C’mon, you have to.....because the exercise is called chair-cat yoga. But if you love your couch, well, go ahead, stay there with your cats for they understand yoga very well. Ever wonder how their spines stay in tip-top shape? It’s because they really know how to str-e-e-e-tch. Now, sit on the edge of your chair, or your couch if you insist, and start with a straight spine, long and strong, and move slowly into a backbend. Hands resting on thighs, the back bends as you expand the chest, extend the sternum forward, lift the chin, tilt the head back and look up at the ceiling. Elongate the lower spine and stretch. Now, come back to the sitting position, round the shoulders and the back, and bend forward so that you are now looking at your thighs. Bring some rhythm to the movement, breathing in as you look up, breathing out as you look down. This is an excellent spinal massage. Beware though, for as you move back and forth between the arching and bending motions, you may begin to look like a couch cat rather than a couch potato. But don’t complain because now you have a spine like your flexible feline. Me-ow-ow!