Yogic Seeds

Listen, listen , listen

2012-01-23T08:01:00.000-08:00

Woke up...got out of bed..drag a comb across my head...brushed my teeth..lit a candle.. and asked for inner guidance.
Thus, I am here - told to write about the angel cards I drew this morning.
First I picked the card Chakra clearing which I then did by using my imagination and visualized an image (a cube of purple and green color) beginning at the top of my head sinking down into my crown and continuing through my forehead, throat,heart, naval, sex organs and end of my tailbone. I did that 3X and was really able to feel the vibration of change in my body.

Second, the card Hello from heaven presented itself and I felt immediately a warmth from all those in my family and friends who have passed. I realized that I don't go there that often and by that I mean to say hello to them and know they are around for comfort and for help.

Third, the claraudience (listening) to words and thoughts that come to my mind and I had ones(ideas) this morning to aid with work I am doing. But not just those in my mind but listen to words that I hear today as I go about life.

Tuning in - that's what I teach in yoga, awareness at all times and staying focused. Being as real as possible with yourself and others in as many moments as you can in your day,soooo going to post as it's almost 8 am - Happy New Year! Tune into the Dragon's strength and fire away blocks that keep you from your highest Self.

Kriya to Solve Communication Problems

2012-01-13T13:01:00.000-08:00

Love is the basis for all communication

To love one another you must try to understand one another, and to understand you have to be able to communicate. Whether that communication is done in words or in silent action matters not, as long as it is done in Love, your heart is open and the Love flows freely. You have to be very loving and very tolerant towards your fellowman (and women).

13 January 2012

Guidance from Eileen Cady

Kriya for Communication

Posture: Sit in Easy Pose with the spine straight.
Mudra: Touch the thumb and Mercury (pinkie) finger
of one hand to the thumb and Mercury finger of the other
hand. Bend the Sun (ring) fingers in toward the palms,
but do not let them touch the palms. Leave the Jupiter
(index) and Saturn (middle) fingers pointing straight up,
but not touching.

Time: Start with 11 Minutes and work up to 31 Minutes.
Effects: This meditation activates the Mercury power
of communication.

Guidance from Eileen Caddy

2012-01-06T15:24:00.000-08:00

Constantly Seek Within

Now is the start of the new year. No one knows what this year will bring, but your attitude towards it can make it the most glorious of years. Waste no time listening to predictions for the coming year, simply hold in your consciousness that this will be the most wonderful year possible and help bring it about. Your whole attitude and outlook are so vitally important. Constantly seek within, work from that innermost part of your being which is the same yesterday, today and forever. I AM within each one of you and your conscious awareness of I Am will carry you through all turmoil and confusion.

6 January 2012

From Today's Yogamint

2011-11-21T08:49:00.001-08:00

Some Nerve

Foods That Calm

Nerves frayed? Feeling anxious? You could take mega-doses of vitamins or get your doctor’s advice. You could turn to food…but we don’t mean chocolate cake or a tub of ice cream (even the healthy kind). Yogis have used food and herbs for thousands of years to calm the nerves, reduce stress and take away the edge of hormonal fluctuations in women.

Lots of foods make up the arsenal of self-nutrition to support your nervous system. Celery hosts wonderful minerals for your brain. Beet greens, daikon radishes and turnips are a women’s best friend when you feel argumentative or cranky. Try Golden Milk or Yogi Tea for repairing damaged nerves from stress or substance abuse. A cup of herbal tea, like chamomile or kava, can really chill your jets after a hectic day. So, just remember, when you're feeling on edge—your kitchen is your “yogic medicine cabinet” to keep your spirits up and to warm your soul.

video: Calm and Collected: Vegan Cream of Celery Soup & Kriya for Nervous Balance

Recommended: Food As Medicine by Dharma Singh MD and Yogi Kava Stress Relief Tea

Thanksgiving

2011-11-18T18:54:00.001-08:00

Gratitude is one of the most powerful emotions. More and more studies are showing that gratitude leads to increased well-being.

As Charles Burke says: "Success is a skill. Happiness is a skill. Gratitude is a skill. Like all skills, they must be practiced clumsily before they can be done naturally. So, if you'll devote ten honest days to the practice of feeling true gratitude and happiness, I can promise you a dazzling new skill. A skill that just naturally attracts success like a magnet draws iron. Because nothing attracts good fortune and success like a joyous, grateful heart."

This Thanksgiving strengthen your gratitude with one or more of these exercises for 10 days:Keep a gratitude journal and list at least 10 blessings a day

Write and give a letter of gratitude or appreciation to someone
Begin and/or end each day by meditating on your blessings
Surprise your family and friends by leaving gratitude notes in unexpected places
Acknowledge a stranger who does a good deed
Spread the spirit of gratitude by sharing these ideas with others

These exercises only take a few minutes a day for the effects are long-lived. Remember to be grateful for some of your challenges as they often turn out to be gifts in disguise.

It is my hope that you will try at least one of these exercises and benefit from more well-being, happiness and success!

"Love what is ahead by loving what has come before." - Yogi Bhajan

Reposted fromhttp://www.vegacommunity.com/profiles/blogs/the-attitude-of-gratitude-is

2011-10-26T17:57:00.000-07:00

Remember that commercial by AT & T - reach out and touch someone? I thought of that when someone called me this morning to say hello. I felt really good, almost joyous that someone was thinking of me. That led me to writing - how often do we call someone and let them know we are thinking of them? Or send an email which takes a few seconds to send a quick message? There are very few people that stay in touch on a daily basis and there are even fewer I think that connect once a month. Maybe I am wrong and I'm not here to debate that issue, I want to suggest that whoever reads this - can relate to what I am saying and knows how they feel when a friend or loved one does reach out so....perhaps they will call someone now and keep those good vibes rolling on!

40 day Prosperity Plan

2011-10-06T08:36:00.000-07:00

So...I'm out here in Oregon thinking I better stir things up! I need to ramp up the Prosperity and Abundance thoughts. A friend suggested I look within for my supply not in outward jobs, money,status. I took their advice and did 1000 mantras that day. Before I even began to chant - I received a call re an interview. Simply because I turned to Spirit in my thoughts.

To my plan...I went to a Unity church this weekend where the minister?preacher? began the service with a reading from the Bhagavad Gita! Afterwards, I wandered into the bookstore and found The Abundance Book by John Randolph Price and inside was the 40 day plan. Have been on it 4 days - seems like each day I feel better and the pot is bubbling! Things to remember about drawing to you what you need or want - Love, meditation,visualization, kind thoughts,kind words all contribute to your well-being. But, most of all - The Universe is the Source of My supply.

Patience

2011-09-19T12:18:00.000-07:00

Boy! I have taken on a challenge here in Oregon. No family members, although, Jesh did drive out with me and stayed for awhile, no friends and no work at the present moment.

Now is when I rely on my inner strength and yoga practice to keep me going.
The weather has been delightful, the bike rides along the river so good for me and green plants everywhere.

Neutral mind? Negative mind? Positive? How do I relate when placed in a new situation?

So..let me explain - the Neutral mind is for meditation, watching, observing - keeping that still point and not choosing.
What seems to be "good" often turns out differently than expected. (This is true for my experience here and "expecting" positive.)

What seems to be "bad" often turns out differently than expected.

Our neutral mind allows us to hold a larger vision which is not inclined to make snap judgments or take sides.

Negative mind is important to discern - It is protective and reactive.
The purpose of the negative mind is to signal danger and to protect you from harm.
When out of balance, you live in a fear state-of-mind and symptoms include hiding inside your head instead of living from your soul, seeing only negative aspects of every situation, isolation due to fear of life, and repeating patterns without learning the lessons. If you are frozen by fear you will remain captive in the cage of your self-limitations.
(This is where I have been sometimes here in this isolated time and space.)

Enter the positive mind - This part of the mind seeks fulfillment and possibility. The purpose of the positive mind is to encourage optimism, excitement, and enthusiasm. (by Anmol Mehta )
You need all 3 most of the time but one may step forward to clarify the situation more than the other 2.
Keep up! Keep going! Be patient and aware - I can do it! I can do it! I can do it!

Guidance from Eileen Caddy /Founder of Findhorn

2011-08-26T06:53:00.000-07:00

Guidance from Eileen Caddy

Colourful Weave

My beloveds, always remember you each have your own specific work to do in the whole scheme of things, that each one of you can be likened to a particular coloured thread of a very intricate pattern which is being woven, and each one is needed to create that perfect blend of colours. You cannot all be the brilliant colours; the quiet somber ones are needed also, the pale delicate ones are needed to soften and tone down. Therefore realise that no matter what your colour, what your gifts and qualities, you are each one needed in your rightful place doing your specific work so the whole pattern can be perfected.

26 August 2011

When the time is on You - start, and the pressure will be off

2011-08-19T09:01:00.000-07:00

Diamonds are forever. Maybe so, but did you know that diamonds come from coal? Under pressure, an unromantic lump of black coal transforms into the crystalline strength of a sparkling diamond. Just as heat and pressure turns a piece of coal into a multi-faceted gemstone of prized value, so the pressures in your own life can allow your unrealized potential to become successes. It takes some time and challenge, but it is so worth the effort to realize your inner diamond.

Life is not always peaceful and calm. Yet, the very difficulties and heartaches that test your inner grit can ultimately create a purity and strength of spirit. As you keep up and go through the pain, whether it’s physical, emotional or mental, you put the pressure on the lumps of coal that are your doubts and insecurities and chisel out the brilliant diamond that is your true being. The result? Priceless!

www.yogamint.com

Time to remember this powerful way of Being

2011-07-25T11:52:00.000-07:00

Recent books I am reading or just finished reading: The Secret of Shambala by Redfield, The Corporate Mystic by Hendricks and The Mind It's Projections and Multiple Facets by Yogi Bhajan.
I want to remind everyone of the basic formula/tenet or shall we use his (Redfield's) term - Insight - of Love and Compassion. And more so, conscious action towards others. Here is an example: on the way to an appt. the other day I got lost. I was feeling very frustrated and upset. Hence, I drew to me another situation that was not pleasant.
I thought two things. One I could discuss what happened to me over and over today to everyone I come into contact with - relying my anxiety, and ugliness of an interaction or I could keep it to myself and send good energy out. Well, I chose the second thought and guess what? my day was smooth and more importantly - I did not keep that energy with me at all. Poof! It was gone.
I believe that we draw to us what we put out. Yes, you've heard this before but have you experimented? I urge you to do so - for part of one day - examine what comes up in your energy field when certain things happen. Are you able to amplify your field and protect yourself with love and beauty or do you let the field (aura) down and immerse yourself in fear and anger?
I'll end with a YB note - "For all your troubles, your own mind is responsible. For your successes, your mind is doing it."

Sat Nam

True Good-Byes

2011-06-06T06:19:00.000-07:00

The Art of Letting Go

It is said that life is nothing but practicing for death—the ultimate letting go. Every day presents an opportunity to foster the awareness that with every breath you are saying “good-bye” to something. Perhaps you are letting go of old habits, disposing of a favorite sweater or shirt, watching your youth slip away or saying good-bye to your children or a loved one. There’s no way to hold on, no stopping the forces of nature.

You only have the power to control your level of acceptance and gratitude for the ebbs and flows that life brings. To help pass through a particularly difficult parting, do the following: Sit quietly, close your eyes and breathe long, slow and deeply. Go inside yourself, to your heart center. Visualize what you have lost. Hold it there in your loving embrace. Be grateful. Then, open your arms and let it go, knowing there is a plan, that all is in harmony—a perfect practice for that final moment of letting go.

from Yogamint

From Yogamint :-)

2011-04-29T08:37:00.000-07:00

The shape of your ear forms a perfect replica of your body as an infant in a fetal position. Your earlobe connects to your heart, the inner ridge is your spine and the points inside the ridge correspond with the inner organs. Ear massage employs some simple acupressure techniques, known to increase energy and mental focus, aid in pain relief, reduce substance cravings and support detoxification.

To massage, simply use gentle to firm pressure with your index finger and thumb on one ear, starting at the earlobe and working your way up. Spend 4-6 seconds at each point. Move in small increments, giving a little extra attention to any particularly sensitive areas. Breathe slowly and deeply. Close your eyes and visualize sending healing energy to each body part. Take a few deep breaths and continue with the other ear. Every cell will thank you.

Time Spent in Silence is Never Wasted

2011-04-22T06:37:00.000-07:00

These times spent in silent communion together each day, radiating out to individuals and world situations, do help tremendously. Every positive loving thought falls on fertile ground and, in time, will germinate and grow and flourish. So never feel for a moment you are wasting time when you spend time radiating out in the silence; simply know that a tremendous work is being done and that you are helping to lift a soul or a situation into the light by your action. When you can really accept this and understand what is going on, you will want to spend more and more time in the silence, in united prayer.

Guidance from Eileen Caddy

22 April 2011

Guidance from Eileen Caddy

2011-03-25T06:25:00.001-07:00

In Stillness Your Whole Life Changes

Take time to be still and listen to all the wonderful sounds around you, give thanks that you can and enjoy them to the full. How many sounds can you hear? Then turn your attention inward and listen to these inner intangible sounds, which can only be heard in absolute stillness and silence, that stillness which passes understanding when you become in tune with the things of the spirit, with the things that really matter in life? In that state of perfect peace and stillness your whole life changes and a deep inner tranquility and serenity are radiated from within. You are filled with divine Light and you can see things clearly, you understand things not with your mind but with the higher consciousness and with your heart.

25 March 2011

Emotions and Releasing

2011-02-27T13:01:00.000-08:00

Today's Kundalini yoga class was a kriya (or action) to help the colon, liver and stomach - 3 organs whose sole purposes are chewing up and spitting out with a bit of detoxing too. The class ended with a chant to Heal Me and Heal My world.
What has this to do with my emotions and changing them or letting things go that are bothering me?

The colon. liver and stomach are all part of the digestive system which relates to the 3rd chakra where inner balance, inspiration and good health is developed. If one is focused on the Shadow side - then, one sees obstacles everywhere and may have problems with digestion in a physical sense and in an emotional way such as avoidance of responsibility or feeling weighed down by structure. Are you seeking to empower self or power over others?

Building up the naval area with stretch pose, breath of fire or any exercises that train the abdominal muscles will help and then add a chant or mantra to train the mind and elevate your consciousness to acceptance of what is and not what should or can be. Break through maya's facade - The transitory, manifold appearance of the sensible world, which obscures spiritual reality. Reach into the higher realms, the seat of the soul - lay your heart down.

Sat Nam

Guidance from Eileen Caddy

2011-02-04T07:41:00.000-08:00

All Is Working Out Perfectly

Let nothing discourage you nor diminish your faith in any way. Be steadfast and know that all is in Spirit's hands, and therefore all is working out perfectly. Rise above seeming setbacks and realise as with everything, that the timing must be right and that only good comes out of every situation for those who truly love.

4 February 2011

Turning 60 and feeling 45?

2011-01-20T16:59:00.000-08:00

Hard to tell really how old I feel other than I am Healthy with hearing and vision intact. LOL. I have no major problems, a few aches, some TMJ, but otherwise I'm good and I plan to stay that way. I credit most of this to eating a good diet, not much sugar (birthday cake :-)), and lots of Kundalini yoga. Keeping the spine flexible is the way to go. The spine is imperative to all organs and glands of the body working in harmony. I do spinal flex when I wake in the morning and before I go to bed, I often do cat/cow exercise and always rotate my head around my shoulders.

As for diet, I eat a big green salad everyday, which includes: beets, carrots, onions, flaxseed oil, sunflower and pumpkin seeds. Lots of veggies is key to life for vitamins, fiber and minerals. I make sure I get lots of good fat and protein to start my day.

Meditation is also important to begin and end the day. It releases emotions, thoughts that stand in the way of a joyful heart or a restful sleep. Ummm 60 is here - I embrace it and look forward to newness in my life.

Sat Nam!

New Year soon / try this!

2010-12-27T07:23:00.000-08:00

Okay, so you're a busy person and you rely on your social networking and email to stay on top of the latest news and trends. In between checking your phone messages and texting your friends and planning your week, how about taking a minute to look around at the people in your life? Say "hello" to an elderly neighbor, smile at a stranger in the movie line and connect with your family and friends for some real, live face time. Challenge yourself to "network" in the real world. Being with others will do you a world of good physically, mentally and spiritually…and that's priceless!

Especially now in this time and space .....from

Yogamint

Guidance from Eileen Caddy

2010-11-12T06:25:00.000-08:00

Make Room for the New

Life is full and overflowing with the new, but it is necessary to empty out the old and make room for the new to enter. The emptying out process can be very painful, but it is necessary. You have to be willing to unlearn so much to make room for all those new and wonderful truths to enter and to become part of you. It is more difficult to unlearn than it is to learn. You may experience that feeling of barrenness, of having nothing to hold onto, of being alone and bereft of everything, a life dead and empty and with no meaning to it. Realise that it is a process of being emptied of the old so you can be filled with the new. Never give up faith. Then you can begin again in newness of spirit and of truth.

12 November 2010

Wearing White!!!????

2010-11-07T15:43:00.000-08:00

Hello - this is about why I wear white when I teach Kundalini yoga and why some students choose to do so as well.

One reason for wearing white clothes and head covering is to neutralize your identity ,which, as a teacher,is a good thing.

It enables you to hold the space for your

students or be in a healing space as a neutral being. It's

suggested that we cover our heads when we teach in order to

contain the energy at our crown because Kundalini Yoga

works with the chakras or energy systems. Wearing white projects your aura or

electromagnetic field further out, thereby protecting and uplifting yourself.

Word Power

2010-11-01T10:21:00.000-07:00

Commit to Uplift

We’ve all heard the saying: “You’re only as good as your word.” It implies the power in what we express. In this age of instant global communication, it seems so easy to send your word out into the universe, with hardly a thought about how it might be received. But the facts are the same: Your word is your bond, your connection to others. It’s your commitment to delivering the truth—and to understanding your own personality as a means to do so--that determines not only your success, but also the ultimate nature of your relationships with others.

Amid e-mail, text messages and social networking, people are still the source of events and information. In fact, with all these ways to communicate, the bond of commitment is even more important than ever. How many politicians have a dirty secret uncovered by an errant e-mail? How easy is it to brighten someone’s day by posting a random uplifting thought online? Devote yourself to your words. Reflect before you hit “Send.” Shine a light into this increasingly interconnected world.

from Yogamint

Guidance from Eileen Caddy

2010-10-01T07:07:00.000-07:00

How can you expect things to go right and to go smoothly when you are full of doubts and riddled with fear? You immediately put up a barrier creating the wrong conditions and so bring about failure.

See your mistakes and failures and learn by them - be determined not to make the same mistakes again. Then move on, giving thanks for all the wonderful things life has endowed you with: for life, for health, for beauty all around you, for friends, for the very breath you breathe, for everything, everything. Realize more and more how happy you can be. And as you do so all feelings of self and self-pity will disappear because your hearts are full of love and gratitude and you are in tune.

Challenges

2010-09-20T09:33:00.000-07:00

"If you do not understand that life exists to challenge you with every breath, you do not understand living. If you do not challenge your life yourself, somebody will challenge it."
— Yogi Bhajan 3/12/89

I don't know about everyone else but around me are life's big and small tests that come our way everyday.
Some are very intense - losing a loved one (human or animal), or having your house burn down.
Most are less intense but still relevant on how we handle them.

Do we react or act in the moment? Are we regal and graceful in how we experience the space and time?

1st step - to breathe and close yourself down, if you can from the stimulus by merely walking away or closing your eyes. Next, act from the heart. Then allow.

On another note of challenging oneself - are you doing something new that is difficult? Are you brave and deal with your feelings?, confront the negative mind? Are you stepping up to the plate?

Food for thought for these times.

Seasonal change

2010-08-24T05:46:00.000-07:00

Cannot believe I have not posted since May. So much time has sped by. Summer Solstice was fantastic this year - seeing dear friends and making some very special new ones. In fact, I am bringing a beautiful woman singer to town in October.
As I write it is raining outside and the temperature has dropped. It will be a cool day after the blistering summer ones and a welcome relief.
I have to say though that I don't want "cold" just yet. My tomatoes have yet to ripened and more are on the way. I love going to the Farmer's market and eating fresh squash, making pickles and buying long-stemmed gladiolas.

Full moon today and the energy of the past week has been electric and almost like dynamite - please slow down, look around and be aware of your fellow human - take this stimulating charge and use it for work, play or a creative outlet. Do not let anger rule as you drive or come across conflicting viewpoints or ideas. Remember the other person is you. Think about that - how can that possibly be? I can bet you'll find similarities. Remember that perception of reality is, of course, based on whatever is inside you.

Sat nam

Names

2010-06-05T09:18:00.000-07:00

Just have to reprint in case you are not connected to Yogamint:
No matter where you come from or where you intend to go, you are known to those around you by a word. But names are not just words, they are special, even magical, because they are an embodiment of something that is incredibly difficult to sum up—you.

This is why almost all names have a spiritual meaning. For example, the common name "John" means "gift from God.â" Any baby-naming book will confirm this. Today it is easy to lose sight of the profundity within your name, but if it is to be an emblem for you, don't you want it to say something great? This is why so many people take on other, "spiritual" names. By adopting one, you reclaim and affirm your highest nature. What is more, the change is a commitment, a projection that propels you to live your fullest, most fulfilling life. Whether or not you make a change of name, a change in consciousness as to the magnitude of your name makes all the difference, because, hearing others use it, you are surrounded by your own uplifting mantra.
And that is why I have my other name - Siri Kirin, meaning Ray of God's Light.
Sat Nam

from Guru Singh in LA

2010-05-17T07:10:00.000-07:00

Where you are actually located right now in this life is what is referred to as your fate

. . . the actual conditions and consciousness and emotions and thoughts

of this very accurate — yet un-progressed and un-regressed — moment.

Your destination in this life . . . the reality of who you ultimately are

— who you can become through all your activated options

— is referred to as your destiny.

The journey of a human life is to travel from where you are

— your fate — to who you are — your destiny.

Most people consciously or unconsciously distract themselves

from living in either of these locations.

They are neither where they are, or who they are,

but a chaotic mixture of being distracted from the actualities

of fate and doubting the possibilities of destiny.

All this while life — patiently and dutifully — waits on some parallel track

. . . waiting for consciousness to awaken to at least one of these opportunities.
The process of destiny has forever

. . . the awakening however, will take place in a single given moment

. . . welcome its arrival with all your heart and with every breath

GMO - this is Highly Importante!!!!!!! Please write or email

2010-05-12T15:50:00.000-07:00

Representative(s)
Subject: Label and Safety Test Genetically Engineered Foods
Dear Representative,
I am writing to urge you to support and co-sponsor legislation to require the mandatory labeling and safety testing of genetically engineered foods. The Genetically Engineered Food Right to Know Act would require labels on gene altered food, and the Genetically Engineered Food Safety Act would call for federal standards for safety assessments of these experimental foods now in our stores.
It is shocking that the FDA has never developed binding federal rules to protect consumers from the food safety risks of genetically engineered foods. Unlike crops from traditional breeding, genetically engineered crops contain antibiotic-resistant marker genes, viral promoters and foreign proteins never before consumed by humans. Yet the FDA relies on the very companies that have a financial interest in bringing these biotech crops to market to assess their safety. FDA has stated, "Ultimately, it is the food producer who is responsible for assuring safety" of gene altered foods.
Congress must step up and fill the gaping regulatory hole left by the FDA to protect American consumers. The Genetically Engineered Food Safety Act would fill this hole by requiring mandatory pre-market safety testing for all GE foods.
The Genetically Engineered Food Right to Know Act would require mandatory labeling of genetically engineered foods. Here in America, we pride ourselves on having choices and making informed decisions. Under current FDA regulations we don't have that choice when it comes to GE ingredients in the foods we purchase and feed our families. Labeling is essential for me to choose whether or not I want to consume genetically engineered foods. Genetically engineered foods are required to be labeled in the 15 European Union nations, Russia, Japan, China, Australia, New Zealand, and many other countries around the world. As an American, I firmly believe I should also have the right to know if my foods have been genetically engineered. If food makers like Kraft and Kellogg's can label the products they sell in these countries, they can certainly do it in the U.S.
A recent poll released by ABC News found that 92 percent of the American public wants the federal government to require mandatory labeling on genetically engineered foods. As ABC News stated, "Such near-unanimity in public opinion is rare."
I hope you will listen to me and the other 92 percent of the American public who want mandatory labeling and show your support for American consumers by supporting and co-sponsoring the Genetically Engineered Food Right to Know Act. I look forward to a written response confirming your support. Thank you!

Sincerely,

kathe forrest

Cancer Information

2010-05-04T08:43:00.000-07:00

Suzanne Somers has written a stimulating and informative account of alternative options for those with cancer or really any life threatening disease. In her newest book, Knockout, she interviews doctors, reseachers and naturopaths about the different ways to battle cancer and win. I am writing about this here because Everyone should read this book to be informed not only about why cancer is not being cured but to have the Option of another choice rather than chemo or cutting out parts of yourself or radiation. I have learned so much about what is available both here in the United States and in Mexico, Germany and Greece. For instance, there is a test that can tell a person specifically what will help his or her particular cancer and how ozone therapy works as well as how much these treatments cost.
Please do yourself a favor and get this book - you will not be disappointed!

Lead With the Heart

2010-04-14T05:28:00.000-07:00

In every yoga pose, when there is a bend at the hips, the instruction is to "lead with the heart." It's a measure that physically insures the spine stays aligned and the neck muscles are not over-exerted. But it's also a life-lesson, one that underpins all yoga philosophy.

In yoga anatomy, the heart chakra balances the three chakras below and three above it in union. Also called the Anahata chakra, which translates to "untouched" or "unstruck," the implication is that the heart remains pure no matter what you encounter. It can be challenging to accept this as true. But when you become aware that the mind influences how you see things, a space opens that allows you to recognize the heart's purity. You also align yourself to the precise reason for letting the heart lead the way. The ancient yogis knew that every one of us has the capability to be holy. All it takes is a willingness to listen to your heart.
....from Yoga Mint

You Need Seek No Further

2010-04-02T06:36:00.000-07:00

You Need Seek No Further

You have many lessons to learn, and one of the most important ones is to be still and turn within, where you will find you contain all things, for I AM within each one of you. I AM the very centre of your being. You need seek no further; your quest in life has ended, when you realise that I AM within you, that you are completely self-contained, I in you and you in Me, that you have all wisdom, all knowledge, all understanding within you, that all light and love is there to be drawn on at all times, to be used for the benefit of the whole.

Guidance from Eileen Caddy

2 April 2010

Own Your Aura

2010-03-29T06:37:00.000-07:00

It’s no longer the stuff of etheric New Age types. Science has concluded, by measuring the electromagnetic frequencies surrounding the body, that you do, in fact, have an aura. To experience it, make claws of your hands, tightening the fingers and holding the arms out to the sides, parallel to the floor with the palms up. Begin quickly and rhythmically moving the arms from the position, crisscrossing them over your head. Exhale with a sharp tug at the navel when the arms cross and when the hands are furthest apart. (A little breath of fire here)
Keep the fingers tight and continue for three minutes. To end, inhale deeply with the arms extended. Then meditate on your own sense of boundaries, consciously extending your awareness into your field. Visualize a powerful force field radiating from your center. Expand your magnetic field and you will find your energy increasing, your confidence growing and your prosperity blooming.

Find Your Own Centre

2010-03-09T07:17:00.000-08:00

Be not affected by outer conditions and circumstances, be not swayed by the moods or the state of mind of those around you. Be not like a piece of mercury, up one moment and down the next, dependent entirely upon what is going on around you. Find your own centre deep within you. Know the I AM, the centre of your very being and nothing and no one can affect it, ruffle it or destroy it in any way. Your foundations must be rock like and unshakable at this time and each individual must find that depth and stability within themselves. No one can find it for you.

One of the co-founders of the Findhorn Community, Eileen Caddy, received guidance from the "still voice within" and shared it with others in the community for more than 40 years.

Lessons

2010-02-26T06:55:00.000-08:00

Lessons for me this week anyway - when writing an email, do so with the intention that everyone in the world may read it.
I sent an email to a friend asking or implying not to share but of course it was.
Here is the lesson - write and talk with grace. That means, always speak with kindness about everyone because what goes around comes around and more than that - why not be loving? I am both embarrassed and ashamed that I wrote without thinking -did I need to say this in this way at this present moment? No and I hope I am forgiven.
The truth (Sat Nam) is that no one knows another as well as they may think they do. I judged. Wrong thing to do. And more than that - I spread bad feelings.
So...these are my thoughts for today, take them as you will. If they help - wonderful- and if not - Peace!

Change That And You Will Change Everything

2010-02-19T06:23:00.000-08:00

Guidance from Eileen Caddy

Let all you do be done with joy, then it can never be a burden, nor can you bowed down by it nor exhausted by it. Your right attitude to everything is vitally important. You all know this in theory, but what do you do about it in practice? That is what matters. Life is what you make it. What are you doing with your life? Are you bowed down by the weight of it? Do you feel you have too much to do, that there are not enough hours in the day to get everything done? Why not stop and take time to search your hearts and see exactly what your attitude is towards life? Change that and you will change everything, it's simply up to you.
19 February 2010

One of the co-founders of the Findhorn Community, Eileen Caddy.

Soul Connections

2010-02-06T07:13:00.000-08:00

This week - with students talking about experiences of the heart and overwhelming feelings of tenderness that elicit tears, joy and yes the awakening of the Soul.
These occurrences happen because we are open to our love of self.
Deepak Chopra writes, "It vibrates in sympathy with you anytime you try to free yourself from limitations."
And this familiarty comes often in moments of stillness (meditation) or oneness in body, mind(yoga).
Deepak says, "There's a similar sense of expansion and liberation when you experience beauty or truth. (Sat Nam) You are freeing up soul energy and letting it flow."

Remeber love expands the Soul and that you turn the switch on or off. Daily practice (whatever your sadhana is ) arouses or stimulates that understanding and connection to what everyone of us is made of - stardust - the essence of G-D.
In Peace

Angels in Disguise

2010-02-01T13:46:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I was in Boulder and my friend and I went out to breakfast. On the way home, the car began to sputter. We were running out of gas. Well, we went as far as we could by drifting in neutral and then just as we had the gas station in our sights, we came to a standstill.
I got out and tried to push but to no avail. Then the angel arrived in a White pickup and with only the use of one hand (he had had surgery on the other) he gave us a push.
Unfortunately, we did not make it into the station. Just then another angel appeared and ran over to us and both of the guys got the car into and at the pump.
This story is to remind you that there are angels on this earth and that we bump into them often; we only need to keep our eyes open and our Awareness in top form.
We can do that not only by having a regular practice of yoga and meditation but by allowing our hearts to be free of criticism, unforgiveness and anger.
So...be alert in your everyday world to those helpful and loving individuals that come your way. Yesterday my day became so much brighter knowing people/angels are available to us at any time and anywhere we need them to be!

from Yoga Mint

2010-01-22T06:33:00.000-08:00

Super charge your system and clean out your organs with this powerful combo of beets, carrots, apple and ginger juice. Your taste buds will be happy, too!

Beets have long been known as a strong liver detoxifier and carrots for their B6, vitamin A, antioxidant and detox characteristics. Apples need no introduction - their wonderful enzymes, vitamins, minerals, fiber and a most delightfully alkaline pH speak for themselves. Then, to an already Herculean Mega Drink, we add ginger root. Famous for its blood cleansing quality, ginger also cuts through layers of mucous and build up in the lining of the lungs and intestines. Clogged organs can ultimately lead to nutritional mal-absorption, toxin build up and a compromised immune system.
An 8-10 ounce glass of this delicious juice a couple of times a week is a gift of bountiful and vital health to your organs, your cells, and yourself - a gift that keeps on giving!
Super Juice:

1/2 small beet (a little beet juice goes a long way, so go easy on it)

4 carrots

1 apple

1-inch of ginger root

This is a Great drink - sometimes I add a little celery.

Sun-ai

2010-01-12T07:12:00.000-08:00

Listening -

Truth, contentment, and spiritual wisdom.

Listening -

this is part of the Japji verse I read yesterday.

10th Pauri

I awoke and did my meditation and it came to me to write on my Blog about listening. Well, the Infinite had other plans for me as I received a call from someone I had not spoken to in 10 years!

I was excited to listen and no thoughts existed except Gratefulness.

I wanted to listen. I wanted to hear -my world turned 360 degrees. I became aware of so much by truly paying attention.

Can you hear the sound of your own breath, consciously noticing how your body feels?
I ask you today to practice this and see what you learn about the person talking to you, what nature says to you, and take note of how you feel at the end of the day.

Listening-

intuitively grasp the essence of meditation.

Listening -

great media story/video: Kundalini Yoga in the Holy Land

2010-01-05T07:35:00.000-08:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXa8kAQ8rzwhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXa8kAQ8rzw

Numerology for 2010

2010-01-01T07:25:00.000-08:00

This is taken from Louise Hay's book Your Personal Colors and Numbers.

2010 is a 3 meaning Creativity and Enjoyment. A year for what was started 2 years ago to come to life. In the world at large - let's hope for Obama being able to get his plans going and his dreams fulfilled that began 2 years ago. The general scope for us all, however, is to be in love with life and enjoy it - laugh, smile, dance.

For your personal yearly number - add your date of birth without the year and then add that to the number 3. So for me Jan. 19 is 11 plus 3 = 5. Taking it one step further to reach my monthly number, I add 5 to 1 for Jan. and get a 6 - the flavor of the month. Feb. will be 7 and so on....

Here is a sketch of how the numbers play out.

1 is for beginning.
2 is for patience.
3 is above.
4 is work.
5 is change.
6 is home matters.
7 is inner time.
8 is business.
9 is to finish up, complete.

From a Kundalini perspective - you can go deeper by going to http://www.3ho.com/ and on the left side of the page is Numerolgy.

Have a great beginning to the New Year! Sat Nam!

Mercury Retrograde Dec. 26th, 2009

2009-12-26T11:36:00.000-08:00

Today's Perfect quote from YB

Give us the power to understand the

meaning of the words we speak. Give us

the strength to face the effect of the words

we speak. Give us the tranquility to hold

ourselves to the words we speak.

Awareness and Sensitivity

2009-12-16T07:40:00.000-08:00

Yogi Bhajan taught his students a very important tool in life and relationships. He used to say, "Act, don’t react".

Kundalini yoga trains the mind to bring it- through meditation-into a neutral space where one can act consciously, rather than react habitually. It can be very difficult at first to understand what it means to "not react" and how this can have a positive effect in your relationships and your life. Reaction means that someone else is determining your behavior. Reaction takes a person away from the control of his own destiny. Remember you are the Master of your own fate. No one can make you do anything or say anything. Practice tracking the arising of thoughts, feelings, emotions and desires and develop the ability to witness and be sensitive to others before taking action.

End-of-Year Sky Show: Geminid Meteor Shower

2009-12-12T07:13:00.001-08:00

Catching the Last Shooting Stars

As for the Geminids, patient stargazers might've already caught its beginnings on December 6, but the meteor shower reaches its peak on the nights of December 13 and 14. For those disappointed by November’s Leonid show, the outlook for the current Geminid shower, which lasts until December 18, is good.

Astronomers believe the Geminids are increasing in intensity every year, yielding 120-160 meteors per hour during the shower. Astronomy magazine expects great conditions for viewing "100 'shooting stars' per hour—an average of nearly two per minute." People in China and Indonesia have the orchestra seats for the Geminid show, and might be able to see more than "300 meteors per hour."

You don’t need a telescope to see the streaks shooting across the heavens. For optimal viewing, NASA pinpoints 12:10 a.m. EST/9:10 p.m. PST, and suggests going somewhere away from the “light pollution” of cities and towns, to an area dark enough to see the stars clearly. Keep your eyes roaming all areas of the sky to spot a meteor. (And dress warmly, bring a blanket, and fill up on hot drinks.)

2009-12-07T07:17:00.000-08:00

Every spiritual tradition intends, in its own way, to bring together the heavens and earth. And they do it the same way. How? It's as easy as joining your two hands together.

Every one of the thousands of nerves in your body can be stimulated through the hands, but that's not all. These nerves both give and receive information. When you join your hands together you create a closed circuit, through which you begin to balance the two hemispheres of the brain. The rest of the nervous system follows suit, energizing your entire system, evoking both calmness and clarity. To complete the posture, press your thumbs gently into the sternum, at the center of the chest. This stimulates the thymus gland, which boosts your immune and nervous systems. The result is a sense of well-being, biological reverence and spiritual experience.

Astrology in December

2009-12-02T11:25:00.000-08:00

Let Go, Ground and Expand

Astrological Weather Report December '09
November’s emotional roller coaster may have you feeling a bit weary and uncertain. Your success among December’s planets depends largely on how much you’re able to release. This month offers exciting opportunities for growth, expansion, and abundance – but only if you are willing to let go of the old and create space for something new.

First, examine your relationships. As the month kicks off, Venus moves into optimistic Sagittarius and you are asked to expand your horizons. Make sure the one you love is nourishing you on a mental and spiritual level. Consider taking a class, an extended vacation or vipassana (silent meditation retreat) together. If the one you love recoils at the thought, maybe you are with the wrong person. If you are single and on the lookout for someone new, follow your own spiritual or academic path and see who you meet along the way. You’re likely to find that special someone at yoga class, a meditation retreat, or train station.

Monday the 7th starts a week of grounded, no-nonsense perspective. Your mind will be more focused than usual, and your work ethic will be strong and efficient. Use this time (through the end of the month) to examine your work aspirations. Contemplate long-term goals and ask yourself if your current situation is helping you move any closer to them. If it isn’t, try an entirely new approach.

The planetary mood sobers around the 22nd, when the Sun moves into Capricorn. Root yourself in the Earth and get serious about who you want to be. Look at how you can improve your diet. Review your finances and create a budget. The changes you make will have lasting effects throughout the coming year. Be conscious of what you can let go of so you can open the door to abundance, success, and other exciting opportunities that are coming your way.

Japa Kaur

Stars, Tunes, Kundalini Yoga

japakaur.com

The essentials to Kundalini Yoga

2009-11-29T07:51:00.000-08:00

All yoga raises your Kundalini, but Kundalini Yoga combines the essential parts of several different yoga styles to raise your Kundalini faster. As a friend of mine said recently, it's Ferrari Yoga... You can feel effects from 0-60 in 4.8seconds!

With Kundalini Yoga we have certain 'protections' that we observe to channel the flow of energy in a safe, practical and paced manner. Here are some of the essential ones:

#1) Put on your seat belt by tuning in. We always turn in prior to exercises and meditations with the Adi Mantra: "Ong Namo, Guru Dev Namo". Three times. With a particular vibrational chant. You can find the description why, with musical notations on the internet. I suggest go to Google Books, and search "Kundalini Yoga" and click on the book with the yellow cover (Kundalini Yoga By Shakti Pawha Kaur Khalsa) and turn right to page 13.

#2) Don't overheat your engine. In KY Yoga we always, always ALWAYS take a deep relax after a set of exercises. This can be anywhere from 5-15 minutes or more in Corpse Pose (Shivasana) in total relaxation. It can help to cover yourself, dim the lights and stay warm. This is ESSENTIAL for integrating the energies raised by the practice, and will help keep your engine from boiling over.

#3) Learn from the professionals. Take some classes with established Kundalini Yoga teachers. Ideally a senior 3HO teacher, or certified instructor, who will be able to bring proper aspects of mentoring and insight to your experiences, and who will be maintain you in the proper flow of progress by keeping your practice within your own limits. Learn the system from the best, and represent it on your own.

#4) Use only the finest premium gas. Perhaps the most essential component of KY yoga that makes it different than other styles is the focus on breathing. Breath is prana. Breath is power. In the specifics of KY yoga breathing is essential for oxygenating your blood, like a ‘carburetor’, and works to keep your 'engine' healthy and clean. Powerful, but calm, and controlled breathing helps maintain a proper level of energy flowing in your system. All racecars have extra large air intakes... but this means you have to be especially focused on the calm control of this intake, as well as the exhaust you put out.

#5) Observe road signs. Be an observant yogi. Kundalini yoga is the yoga of awareness. Awareness of your own energy, spirit, and soul, and ultimately your infinite creative potential. You know your own body best, so take it easy by breaking in between exercises and working at your own pace. Listen to your intuition, and let it guide you.

There are many more such analogies and tips one could talk about... But essentially, know that Kundalini Yoga as taught By Yogi Bhajan is a deep, powerful and ancient system of yoga that should be practiced with reverence and grace... Treat it like you would like someone else to treat your body.

Sadhana

2009-11-24T06:31:00.000-08:00

Whether or not you consider yourself a "morning person," you know what it's like to wake up refreshed. It may not happen often, but what if it could? What if you were guaranteed a fresh start every day with a clear mind, healthy body and the best attitude possible?

This is the question the ancient yogis asked, and which led them to discover "sadhana," meaning both "daily spiritual practice" and "personal victory." The yogis recognized that when the sun comes up in the morning, it creates a special kind of energy. The "amrit vela" or ambrosial hours, are not only a time of profound stillness, but also moments of transition, providing you increased access and ability to impact your own psyche. All it takes is commitment. Though you may not wake up readily at first, your whole system will soon acclimate, and the process will always start your day off right.

Thanksgiving

2009-11-23T06:46:00.000-08:00

The Giving Prescription

By Lynn Okura

Just one month after her wedding day, Cami Walker was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, an incurable neurological condition. The life she loved was gone—her symptoms became unbearable and she lost the use of her hands, the vision in one eye and eventually the ability to walk. She was spiraling into a deep depression and an addiction to pain medication. In need of a friend, Walker called her old neighbor, a spiritual teacher named Mbali.

"I called her thinking I would have a little pity party," Walker says. "Instead, she told me, 'Stop thinking about yourself.'" She gave Walker a prescription: Give something away every day for 29 days.

Walker was skeptical at first, but when a new series of medical treatments failed to help her symptoms, she decided to take Mbali's advice.

For one month, Walker focused her energy on simple acts of kindness, like calling a friend going through a tough time or handing a flower to a stranger on the street. Though the gifts weren't always extravagant and often didn't cost a dime, Walker says the meaning behind her gifts created a shift in her life. "Our thinking has a lot of power, but I think it goes a little deeper," she says. "There is definitely a spiritual element."

As the days went on, her altruism began to have a life-changing impact on her physical and mental health. "By day 14 I was able to walk," she says. "By day 29 I was working part time again." Although the giving cycle couldn't cure her MS, Walker says she regained the ability to live her life.

Since finishing her 29 days, Walker has continued to find ways to give daily and has created a global movement on 29Gifts.org. She is still feeling the positive effects. "I've had three MRIs showing no new damage. That's a really good sign," she says.

Juice Time

2009-11-20T07:04:00.000-08:00

I agree with this article. In fact, I'm going to make some right now!!
Drink Away Dis-ease

Super Juice Recipe
Super charge your system and clean out your organs with this powerful combo of beets, carrots, apple and ginger juice. Your taste buds will be happy, too!

Beets have long been known as a strong liver detoxifier and carrots for their B6, vitamin A, antioxidant and detox characteristics. Apples need no introduction - their wonderful enzymes, vitamins, minerals, fiber and a most delightfully alkaline pH speak for themselves. Then, to an already Herculean Mega Drink, we add ginger root. Famous for its blood cleansing quality, ginger also cuts through layers of mucous and build up in the lining of the lungs and intestines. Clogged organs can ultimately lead to nutritional mal-absorption, toxin build up and a compromised immune system. An 8-10 ounce glass of this delicious juice a couple of times a week is a gift of bountiful and vital health to your organs, your cells, and yourself - a gift that keeps on giving!

Super Juice:

1 small beet (a little beet juice goes a long way, so go easy on it)
4 carrots
1 apple
1-inch of ginger root

(Peels on or off, your preference.)

Article on singing gurus

2009-11-19T07:00:00.000-08:00

by Elyssa Page

From Vision Magazines Website:

Breathing deeply with my legs crossed on my mat, I repeatOng Namo Guru Dev Namo. The words permeate the room, filling the hearts of everyone in the class. Ong Namo Guru Dev Namo. I call to the divine teacher within. This sacred chant is an integral part of kundalini yoga. Brought to the West by Yogi Bhajan, this intensive yoga practice activates the kundalini energy which resides at the base of the spine. As I sing the chant, fully present in the sacred words, I connect to my own divine wisdom in pure bliss. This is the power of kirtan.

Snatam Kaur and GuruGanesha Singh, world renowned kirtan musicians and students of Yogi Bhajan, have dedicated themselves to sharing their path to peace with the world through yoga and devotional music. The founder of Spirit Voyage Records, GuruGanesha’s grace on the guitar is enriched by Snatam’s exquisite vocals and her gentle caress upon the violin. Their harmonies are full of devotion, elevating you with sacred chants and an inspired fusion of eastern and western musical styles.
I recently had the honor to speak with Snatam and GuruGanesha and was struck by the humble and joyful nature of these two individuals who are so greatly loved across the world.
Vision Magazine: How can kirtan bring inner peace?
Snatam Kaur: Kirtan has a physiological effect on the body. Scientific studies show a major reduction in stress by chanting the sacred words of kirtan. The tapping of the tongue at the roof of the mouth makes different vibrations. Each word is a sacred code that actually stimulates the glandular system to secrete, creating profound effects on the body.

As we know with modern medicine, the physical is connected with the mental, which is connected with the spiritual. The sacred words are positive self-affirmations of the divine within. People have been using them for hundreds, if not thousands of years. They are very powerful, especially if you chant everyday—that’s when you really start to feel the effects. That’s why we’re so passionate about getting these sacred chants out there.
GuruGanesha Singh: Yogi Bhajan said on a number of occasions that the most healing sound for a human being is that of their own voice vibrating from their heart chakra with positive affirmations. I chant mantras every single morning. It never fails to make me feel really good in my heart, about myself and about my life.
VM: What are your thoughts on the recent popularity of the fusion of eastern and western musical styles?
GS: It’s a really beautiful fusion. I came out of the late 60s rock and roll era, when there was some amazing music that my children and my grandchildren will probably enjoy as well.
Interestingly, Snatam and I have been studying a lot of music from India, including classic Indian raga. It’s ancient and so phenomenal. Learning all those beautiful ragas has enhanced our soul’s vocabulary. Music is an expression of your heart and soul. When we play for a concert, it’s really a representation of what’s in our hearts at the moment. Even though each song has a melody, a chord progression and a structure, we play very improvisationally—we never play the same piece the same way. Also, the kirtans are much more of a co-formance with the audience than a performance because we encourage people to be a part of it right from the beginning. In fact, our best evenings have been when the audience takes over and gets so into the kirtan that we follow them instead of them following us.

The fusion is really who we are. The music that comes through is a combination of western and eastern music; it’s a blend of everything that we’ve studied and everything that we’ve loved for many years.
SK: I grew up in a yogic lifestyle and a lot of the music was a natural fusion of East and West. We were learning and celebrating the traditional songs and styles of kirtan, which are very devotional and come straight from the roots of northern India. As westerners, we thought this music would sound good with some guitar. It was a natural evolution. And as GuruGanesha said, the heart and soul of where we’re coming from is doing whatever brings you to that state of bliss. If it happens to be Indian raga notes or western chord progressions—whatever it is that takes you to that place. Our major journey is coming to that state of bliss with the music and sharing it.
VM: What are some of the biggest lessons that you have taken from Yogi Bhajan’s teachings?
SK: One of Yogi Bhajan’s most significant teachings for me is to use whatever powers and strengths you might have to serve the planet and all beings. I learned early on as I was touring that it really wasn’t good enough for me to be able to sing or play the violin. What is really fulfilling is that I’ve shared a moment of peace with people, that I’ve really given something through the music, and that I’ve been able to help someone in someway. And this really comes from the attitude of service that Yogi Bhajan taught through yoga and music. He always said to be the forklift, to meet people eye to eye and be in that space of humility and service. As a performer, this has helped me to connect with people and show them that I’m real. From that space of just being who I am, which maybe isn’t all that special, we can come to that place together of having a divine experience through the sacred chants.

GS: One of the reasons Yogi Bhajan came to the West from India in 1969 was that his teachetold him that young people were throwing their nervous systems off through substance abuse. By ’71, I realized that I needed to find an alternative way to feel uplifted, or to use the old expression from back then, “to feel high,” or I was going to die like a lot of my friends did. A lot of musicians never came out of it and they pretty much destroyed themselves. So I started looking for a better way to feel at one with the universe.

Fortunately, I ran into the Yogi Bhajan’s teachings of kundalini yoga, which is a very strenuous and powerful form of yoga. I went to my first class and had an experience that was definitely as profound as any of my 200 or so LSD trips. I immediately realized that this is an opportunity to transform my life and take it in a positive direction. It was a profound gift that Yogi Bhajan brought to a whole generation of young people. Back then, when you said you did yoga, people thought it was a frozen dessert. And now, everybody knows about yoga. They’re starting to offer it in public schools—it’s amazing what’s happened in 40 years.
VM: What are your thoughts on sustainability and environmental consciousness?
VM: Can you talk a bit about your work in supporting the United Nations Peace Resolution?

SK: We have been part of an organization called 3HO, which stands for Healthy, Happy, Holy Organization. It is a non-governmental organization of the U.N. founded by Yogi Bhajan that teaches kundalini yoga to women, men, children, couples and families. GuruGanesha and I are so dedicated to sharing the technology and science of kundalini yoga as a way to create peace. Yogi Bhajan really believed in sharing with everyone, whether they’re into doing yoga or they’ve never heard the word before. I always bring a little bit of yoga in the concerts and people have really powerful experiences. We encourage them to continue with their yoga practices. It doesn’t even have to be kundalini yoga; just doing yoga and meditation on a daily basis has a profound effect on the planet. That’s our way, our path to peace.
GS: The backdrop at our concert says, “Peace in your heart, peace in your home, peace in the world.” It starts in your own heart. The goal of the concerts is to give people a deep experience of inner peace. We can only do our small part, but if people leave the concert having a door open in their hearts, that can lead to a little bit more of a peaceful household when they get home. And if there are enough peaceful households, eventually the world starts to become a more peaceful place. The television is always telling you that war is breaking out and there’s fear and terrorism everywhere. We’ve been doing concerts for 10 years now and we’ve crossed paths with thousands of incredible people all over the world from all walks of life. On the contrary to what the media is saying, it appears to us that peace is breaking out all over.
VM: Do you have a favorite mantra?
GS: My favorite mantra is, “Peace to all, life to all, love to all.”
SK: I would say mine is Wah He Guru. Wah means ecstatic bliss and joy, He [pronounced “hey”] means here and now, and Guru means from darkness to light. Essentially, it means that bliss is here now and the lack of awareness is transforming into awareness. It’s a really powerful one for me and I chant it everyday.
VM: Besides chanting, what are some practices that you consider important for wellness?
SK: I feel that it’s important to do a powerful yoga practice every day. My husband and I have been really focusing on experiencing yoga every day—and chanting right afterwards is phenomenal.
I also feel that it’s incredibly important to have a vegetarian diet. There’s actually nothing more powerful that one can do for the environment than become a vegetarian. The energy that goes into creating that piece of meat is incredible. And as human beings, we simply cannot digest it. Yogi Bhajan taught that if you can’t digest something within 72 hours, then you shouldn’t be eating it. Meat putrefies in your gut. In fact, during autopsies, they find traces of meat leftover from when somebody was five years old—even when they’re doing the autopsy on an 80-year-old. It’s just not healthy.
GS: When I was in my early 20s and a heavy meat eater, Yogi Bhajan looked at me and said, “Why do make your body a graveyard for dead animals?” And that was like a bolt of lightening; it resounded in my head and very soon thereafter, I became a vegetarian.
VM: What is your hope for the world?
GS: For quite sometime, I’ve had a heartfelt conviction that a worldwide enduring peace is going to manifest in my lifetime. That’s just not my hope for the world; it’s my firm conviction. When Obama got elected, it was a powerful move in the right direction. I believe that he’s a man of consciousness who’s not just looking out for Americans, because we’re one global family. We have to think in terms of what’s best for the whole universe—not just what’s best for me, my family, or my country, but what’s best for all of us. We’re moving into the Aquarian Age, a time when people of consciousness, like Obama and others, are moving into positions of leadership. It is my heartfelt conviction that worldwide peace will manifest in every nook and cranny on this planet in the next 20 to 40 years.
SK: My prayer is that we continue to experience the beauty of nature. In our travels, we’ve met a lot people working for peace and we’ve also seen a lot of pollution and lack of awareness. Having clean air and water is divine. Caring for each other and thinking globally, rather than in terms of separate nations, is divine. We have a big responsibility to shift the consciousness of the planet. And it’s been done before. My grandfather, who was a peace activist after World War II, said, “Our generation shifted the consciousness. We fought for peace and now it’s your turn.”

Snatam Kaur and GuruGanesha Singh have just returned from Europe where they guided sold-out crowds from deep meditation to ecstatic dancing with their uniquely colorful blend of traditional Indian instruments and Western beats.

Seek and Ye Shall Find

2009-11-18T06:58:00.000-08:00

The Promise of an Examined Life
This simple phrase, which seems to hold out a promise to all who read or hear it, hides a profound knowledge; one that can help you in all your affairs, large and small.
Seeking is not an activity to be underestimated. It is energetic, forceful. It is calm and persistent. Understanding this to be the nature of the seeker, the only question is the thing sought after. The phrase itself doesn't suggest anything, and that's part of the point.

There is an extraordinary magnetism created in the process of seeking. The yogis called it "ahangkar". When a seeker earnestly searches, he, or she, actually attracts answers. So get clear on what you want to know. Ask tough questions, but remember to bow your head to the process. Open your heart and the mind will follow. The answers, in time, are bound to come.

Kundalini yoga increases the subtly.

2009-11-16T06:46:00.000-08:00

Why Subtle Action Is a Powerful Tool to Change Your Energy

By Deepak Chopra

Subtle action is the most powerful tool we have to change our energy. Deepak Chopra explains how we can change the energy in our daily lives by viewing our bodies as a flowing process guided by energy.

Recently I've been discussing how to change your energy. Many problems—physical and mental—seem to come down to a person's beliefs, habits, lifestyle, moods and emotions. We use the words "positive" and "negative" to describe people we know, yet modern medicine hasn't been able to find the source of these factors. There's plenty of data to prove that people who undergo traumatic events, such as being widowed or losing a job without warning, suffer from lowered immune response. There are countless studies linking stress and poor health.

In my book Reinventing the Body, Resurrecting the Soul, I suggest that the missing link is energy—a term that appears everywhere in Eastern medicine, from the life energy called Chi in Chinese medicine to Prana in Ayurvedic medicine from India. The important thing, however, is to find out for yourself if you can change your energy. In fact, there are ways that do not depend on esoteric beliefs or aligning yourself with Eastern medicine.
The most powerful tool for changing your energy is subtle action. This is nothing more than having an intention that your body can respond to. When you lift your arm, your body is responding to an intention. We're used to that kind of mind-body link, yet subtle action goes much deeper. Experiments with Tibetan monks who have meditated on the value of compassion have proved that their brains actually change. The area of the prefrontal cortex associated with higher functions, like compassion, light up stronger in these monks than in any other tested subjects.

In daily life, feeling love and sending it to others is a subtle action. Experimenters at Harvard have shown the immediate effect of love on the body. Subjects sat in a room to watch a film of Mother Teresa and her work with abandoned children in Calcutta. The images were deeply moving, and clearly the audience was touched. At the same time, their breathing rates and blood chemistry changed, revealing greater calm and less stress. All these responses are controlled by the brain.

If even a brief exposure to love creates a new brain response, what about love in the long run? Older couples who enjoy good marriages have been studied, and they report that they love each other more after 30 or 40 years than when they first fell in love. But they also report that it's a different kind of love—not the overwhelming infatuation that poets compare to madness, but a steadier, more constant, deeper love. This suggests that like the Tibetan monks, the happily married are experiencing a change in their brains. I am not aware if this phenomenon has been measured with MRIs, but there are striking resemblances between the two groups. The monks expose their minds to a state of calmness, openness, peace and "non-doing," to use a common Buddhist phrase. The brain got used to that unbounded state, and thus it escaped from its own conditioning. Old lovers also experience calm, peace and openness around each other. Exposure to each other has done the work of meditation.

Exercise set for the Lymph System

2009-11-15T14:25:00.000-08:00

The lymphatic system facilitates the movement of salts, water, bacteria and wastes from the tissues. It is often the body's first point of contact with foreign bodies, chemicals and bacteria. The lymphatic system does not have its own pump like the circulatory system, so keeping it healthy is a process of constant detoxification through movement, breathing and proper nutrition. Some good foods and nutrients are onions, garlic, ginger, kelp and fresh and live foods.
Yoga helps by flushing the system and boosting immunity.