How to Use Your Mala

What is a mala?
A traditional mala मल  is made of 108 beads, usually natural materials, stone, bone, wood or seed. There is an additional larger bead, called a guru or meru bead. This bead holds space for you when you are chanting. It is also gathers your energy when you chant. 

Many religions use some sort of beads for prayer, recitation of verse or chanting, including Christians, Buddhists, Islam and Hindus. Using a mala does not have to be a religious practice.

How do you use a mala? 
A mala is generally used with a mantra मन्त्र, a sound or group of sounds. The beads are run through the thumb and middle finger. Why not the index finger? The index finger is correlated to the individual soul or ego. The Middle finger represent peace or satva सत्व . When you reach 108, you turn around and go the other way if you want to continue. This way the energy builds in the guru bead. The mala allows the chanter to focus on their mantra and not keeping count of how many times they say the mantra.

Japa जप  is the sanskrit word for the recitation of mantra. Most traditions believe that mantras should be given to the student from their teacher. Repeating a mantra can be a spiritual practice, it can be a meditation, it can soothe, heal and change the way you feel, think and are.

It is recommended not to share your malas with other because the more you use them, the more they are charged with your energy. I do have some that I share with students, yet these are not the mala that I use for personal practice.

Why 108 beads?
There are many reasons that the number 108 is considered sacred. SwamiJ has a substantial list if you are interested.

Desire Mapping Mala

I have heard criticism of people, yogis (someone who practices yoga) in particular, using malas in ways that take away their sacred standing in spiritual practice. My personal feeling is that people can use a mala is any way that is appropriate for them. 

How can you use a mala?
1. To keep track of chanting a mantra; practicing japa mantra. 
2. To identify and place yourself within a particular group. Some religious people where their beads, mala, rosary, etc. around their neck to identify themselves with their religion or spiritual practice.
3. As a lovely piece of jewelry. Malas are beautiful works of art, simple or intricate. They can be worn around the wrist or neck. My favorite new mala is pictured here.

So the next time you see a yogi with beads wrapped around their wrist or hanging around their neck, you will know what they are.
#mala #108 #desiremapping

How to Celebrate the Winter Solstice

kidsworld.com

The shortest day of the year, winter solstice, in the Northern Hemisphere has been celebrated since ancient times. Pagans, Christians and other religious and Earth-loving groups have celebrated in various ways.

My favorite way to celebrate is with my moon sisters around a fire, chanting, sharing stories, and drinking hot tea. When that not a possibility, I create my own ritual that intuitively comes to me. 

Many of my ideas have been shared or passed down. Most are inexpensive. Choose 1 or more from the list below and celebrate. 

HOW?

Moon Salutation

• share a meal with family and/or friends
• light a candle, or a candle for each person there
• remember the year and what you are grateful for
• share stories from the year 
• have a small fire and burn some dried herbs (depending on Air Quality)
• make an offering to the Earth 
• write a poem
• paint a picture
• sing or chant alone or with friends (ॐ सोमाय नमः om somaya namah) loosely translated-I surrender to the power of the moon.
• spend time in nature
• plant a seed indoors
• do some moon salutations
• meditate contemplating the New Moon (darkest moon)
• observe how you are feeling
• offer small, homemade gifts to neighbors, family or friends

WHY CELEBRATE?

Because you're happy to be alive. Because winter is on it's way. Because it's tradition. Because it's a way to honor Mother Earth. Because you can.

I'd love to hear about how and if you choose to celebrate the Solstice.

#wintersolstice

How to Fall Asleep: Mantra

Sleeping Like a Teenager

There are 2 things my main things my students ask, no beg, for help with. I'm going to talk about the first one today--sleep. In our busy, electronic age, it's getting harder and harder for people to unwind and sleep deeply for the required amount of time their bodies need. 

I've listed tips in a previous post, Trouble sleeping--look no further. Here I'd like to offer you another useful tool, mantra. Besides not using electronics before sleep, mantra with focused breathing has been the most effective tool for myself and many of my students.

I have used mantra for many years in my yoga, chanting and meditation practice. Traditionally, a mantra is a sound or phrase given to you by your teacher. You repeat it and feel the qualities of the sounds in your body; your mind is also able to focus on the sound alone. I like using Sanskrit mantras, but you can use any sound or word as long as it doesn't contain any negative connotation for you.

Mantra is also a useful tool for falling asleep or going back to sleep if you happen to wake up in the middle of the night.  When choosing a mantra for sleep, it's important that the sound not raise your energy, trigger emotion or cause you to think. I like using single syllables like, ॐ Om or short phrases such as सोहुं so hum--inhaling so exhaling hum; it's similar to saying, "I am." You might also choose a word in your native language that means Peace, Calm, or Tranquil. 

Repeat the word silently as you exhale over and over again. Don't give up too soon. Remember that it takes time for your body and mind to get used to a new practice.

For more on meditation, join me for, "28 days to Inner Peace-Develop a Home Practice: an online mediation course."

Happy ZZZZ...Let me know if it works for you!

The Healing Power of Sound: Mantra

Photo Credit: Jim Zink

I've been writing a lot about nourishment (or lack there of) in the way of food and cleansing for the body, mind and spirit. I'd like to look at other forms of nourishment. Sound in its many forms has led me to both suffering and solace. Of late though, it is my second favorite way to feed my soul. We'll get to my first some day soon.

Sound is defined as vibrations that travel through the air or another medium and can be heard when they reach a being's inner ear. The difference between noise and sound depends upon the listener. I specifically want to look at mantra, which may or may not be audible.

Mantra is sound that can help us connect to the Divine as well as to practice focus, concentration and to extend our exhale.

There is an indescribable power in the mantra sound vibration that may be felt immediately or over time depending on what we are ready for.  A mantra can be one syllable as in OM or a group of syllables or words.  Mantra can be performed verbally or mentally, loudly or softly.  

Mere mechanical repetition is very effective, yet it does not have the same powerful affect as setting a clear intention before saying your mantra. The effects are much more potent if the same mantra is used over a period of time.

We use mantra for healing, clarity, to define our priorities, to let go of things that don’t work for us and to manifest what will support our growth.  The sound connects with our truth through its vibration.  It is especially strong in our throat (Vishudda cakra-pronounced chakra ), the instrument we use to express ourselves and to speak our truth.

In my blogpost, Why I Chant, I discuss the benefits of chanting. While using mantra will benefit us in the same way as chanting, focusing on a mantra may or may not be chanting. For instance, if you hold the sound Aum or Om in you mind, you are using a mantra yet you are not necessarily chanting. With a short mantra, we don't have to concentrate to remember the words so we can focus on the qualities, the feelings, and the vibration.

We might repeat a mantra while using a mala (historically 108 beads of some sort). Using a mala is a way to focus and keep track of how many times we say the mantra. 108 is an auspicious number. Read more on 108.

I use mantra in my asana practice to focus, feel the vibration and to lengthen my exhale. Mantras are generally given to students by their teachers.

The mantra might be connected to something we want to emulate (water: apah, pronounced a-pa-ha), something we love or something we want to devote ourselves to. 

For those of you in town, Salt Lake City, I will be offering a chanting, asana and meditation workshop this Saturday, May 31st, 2014, at the Mindful Yoga Collective from 1-4 pm. Come join me.

Please share experiences or your thoughts if you would like to add to my discussion about mantra. I realize that I've barely skimmed the surface of mantra; that is why we have a life time to learn. Om shanti. Peace

Can yoga help us overcome fear?

I'm not sure when I realized this; yoga has helped me to overcome many fears--fear of being seen, speaking in front of groups, trying new things. Insidious as it sounds, the benefits of a daily yoga practice have a way of sneaking up on you. Fear stopped me from moving ahead. I have and can use my practice to move through just about anything.

Of course, for humans, fear has kept us alive historically and presently such as: fear of moving objects, not having enough food and wild animals. Fear triggers the fight or flight response whether there is or isn't a life-threatening situation. It is one of the causes of some of our stress-related habits and illnesses.

 Patanjali explains in YS 1.12 Abhyasavairagyabhyam tannirodhah - that if we do the practice [any practice], we will be able to let go of the grip of things [i.e. fear] that stand in the way, and then we will move towards one-pointed focus [our goal=no fear].  

So what practice can you do?

• Asana, yoga postures - move a muscle, change a thought
• Gratitude- each more think of 3 things you are grateful for
• Smile - even if you don't feel it at first
• Chant a soothing sound-like ah or om
• Talk to someone who cares
• Take a walk
• Write in a journal
• Pranayama, try a cooling breath practice
• Meditation
• Breathe - take 3 deep breaths, count to ten
• Spend time with positive people
• Laugh - at yourself, movies, what ever you think is funny
• Play - with animals, children, in the dirt
• Create new things 
• Participate in a sport
• Avoid people, substances and behaviors that don't support you 

Each of these things can be made into a daily practice that can move you to a better place. Some of them are better achieved with the guidance of a trained professional, yet movement towards change is mandatory. Are all of these yoga? No. Can we achieve a yogic state of mind, de-stress and start to let go of fear through them? Yes.

Tomorrow I have to meet a new group of 50 people for my new business, and I'm scared. This is probably why I chose this topic. My life has lead me here and I am ready. I will do my practice, breathe, be prepared and take the plunge. 

 I'd love to hear stories of how you've overcome fear.

When 2 Universes Collide: a chant

Arp 81: 2 galaxies collide, NASA

What happens when our worlds collide? For many of us it's when everything seems to fall apart. Yet given some support or nourishment maybe those two things can work together. 
Combing the scientist and the healer in me has been a blessing. At first it seemed like a disconnect. How could a scientist believe in all this woo-woo stuff? Then I realized, the scientist in me could prove that maybe this "woo-woo" wasn't so crazy after all. Each endeavor whether it be herbs and concoctions or chanting, I come to with an open mind and the scientific method and things work or they don't. I'll admit that I do believe in some things that can't be proven and I'm okay with that now as well.


So much of my life has been learning about and sharing how to nourish our minds, bodies and spirits. I write often about nourishment because underneath it all, it's what we all need whether or not we think so.  

For this Earth week I offer you a chant:        om vardhanam namah, 
which translates loosely to ”I nourish the universe and the universe nourishes me.”

Whether you're outside tending the garden, hiking in the mountains, walking the dogs, whatever it is you do to nourish yourself and the planet, quietly chant these soothing words. Know that it's not always explosive when two worlds combine, it's meant to be to rock and change our world. Open your heart to receiving and giving. We are nourished as is our universe.

Please share any nourishing chants, recipes, activities or ideas. We all NEED them.

By the Light of the Moon

1st full moon of 2014

The first full moon of 2014 is tonight and it is a clear, bright night. The moon is glowing with a large, beautiful aura. I feel a sense of anticipation and expectation--for the new year, my new life and the new open spaces that need to be filled up. Now don't take this the wrong way, I have a pretty amazing life as it is, in this moment. With my new found freedom after resigning from my school teaching position this year, I have time to develop my yoga-related passions, cooking, mothering and writing.

In the beginning, I felt this angst; this feeling like I had so much to catch up on. As I become more comfortable with time and setting up routines, I find my yoga practice has grown and continues to deepen. A different, new space has opened up. Articulating how I'm feeling is a bit of a challenge, but I feel at peace, at home within myself, alive, emotional, and it's all great stuff. So, as I look outside over the mountains at the glowing orb in the sky, I feel light and full at the same time. I think of Yoga Sutra 1.36, vishoka va jyotishmati. When I focus on something filled with light, I become filled with light.

We were chanting this last Saturday in class when I realized that light can mean something different to each person. There are the usual definitions of light, energy, waves, to ignite, illuminate, make visible, not dark; and then, there are those that we perceive because of our experiences in life, like courage, love, beauty, heat, fire, knowledge, brilliance, a spiritual guide and the list goes on.  What does light mean to you?  What does it mean to be filled with light? Can we be full and light or filled with light?

So I don't want to be busier and to fill my life with stuff.  I have enough to do and enough stuff.  I want to fill  my self, my life with light, positive energy and love and I want to be able to see things differently.  Yes, I want abundance, but I want abundance of these things I've listed and I want to share them with the other living things in my life.  So as Patanjali explains, if we focus on the light, we will become filled with light.  I want this.

Enjoy the energy and light of the full moon; bask in the raw emotion it evokes. Let it guide you to try a new sound, a new move, a new thought because all of those things are energy.

I realize that I've posted a number of mantras.  My idea is not to have you try a different mantra each week, but to find a mantra, a sound, that resonates with you and to stick with it.  Ideally, you have a teacher that you work with and can ask questions about these sorts of things (what mantra and/or meditation is good for you).  I have found that I get the most benefit out of practices that I repeat over a period time.  I did spend a good part of my life trying new things, relationships, jobs, not giving them time to work and then moving on to something new.  It doesn't work.  Trying some thing for a minimum of 10 days or times is a good start.

And of course, if you have questions, please ask me.

The Obstacles according to Patanjali

Patanjali

According to Patanjali (the sage who compiled the Yoga Sutra-195 aphorisms about yoga-approximately 2,000 years ago), there are nine obstacles that stand in the way of us developing one-pointed focus or a state of yoga.

Yoga Sutra 1.30 says that if we have difficulty attaining mental clarity, these obstacles listed below are creating distractions [citta (mind)viksepah (disturbed mind) te antarayah (obstacles and symptoms of suffering)]:
vyadhi (illness)
styana (apathy)
samsaya (doubt)
pramada (impatience)
alasya (fatigue)
avirati (over indulgence)
bhranti darsana (distorted perception)
alabdhbhumikatva (lack of perseverance)
anavasthitavani (regression)
{This translation loosely comes from Reflections on Yoga Sutra-s of Patanjali, by TKV Desikachar}

I realize that this is a simplification of the sutra, and I am trying to make it accessible to all.

As we move into the new year, I will be looking at these obstacles as they arise in my life and in my meditations.  I am inviting you to do the same.  Svadhyaya (self study) is not always easy and may at times seem impossible.  It is so important to have a teacher and/or a sangha (community of yogis) to work with.  Without sharing who we are with others, it's unlikely, we as regular humans will be able to see our defects, grow and change.

So what can we do? Daily practice of self-reflection is a great start.
One of my favorite chants is: namah namo namah
I surrender, I surrender, I surrender or It's not me, it's not me, it's not me

You can add the chant into your asana or sitting practice.  The funny thing about a practice with chanting is that you have to remember to listen to any messages that come your way.  So after you do your practice with your chant, be sure to give sufficient time for the messages to come.  How long? In the beginning, it might be 5 minutes.  Just see what happens.  I also chant in my head and aloud as I do things in my house, outside, driving.  It brings me great peace and I hope it does for you as well.

Feel free to ask questions or comment on your experiences.

Intention is Everything, in life and with chanting

Whether teaching, parenting, doing yoga poses or chanting, our intention is everything. I first came to yoga to try to sit still, not while meditating, but just being able to stay in one place without fidgeting. I was attracted to the poses and trying to get them "just right." Learning from a book isn't the best way to learn yoga, but it was all that I had. In the beginning that was enough, yet as time passed, I needed more, wanted more. I attempted various kinds of meditating and mindfulness, but I was not quite ready. I found a myself in a state of yoga, one-pointed focus, while painting and singing. So of course, I was attracted to chanting.

I was introduced to devotional chanting at the Krishna temple in Connecticut early on and felt a sense of community. Chanting those chants alone wasn't something I felt comfortable or competent with. Eventually I learned some sing-songy chants that I could chant on my own and I used tapes (this was pre-YouTube, pre-Internet, pre-yoga studio on every corner time.) Finally many years later, I heard Vedic chanting and was hooked.

What made Vedic chanting so different? For me, it was the feel of it in my body, the vibration, in my heart and in my head. I was lucky to study with some people who are amazing Vedic chanters. Even though I don't put myself on the same level as these chanters, I am capable of learning and able to share and benefit from a chanting practice.

Vedic chants come from the Vedas and for centuries were passed on orally. The reason for the strict rules of Vedic chanting was so that they would be passed from person to person unchanged. Of course, they've been written for a long time now and there is not the same need to memorize; yet to reap the same benefits of Vedic chanting, you'll want to learn from a qualified teacher, who knows and follows the rules of Vedic chanting. I will discuss the benefits of chanting at a later date.

My reason for writing this post was to discuss the intention while chanting. I have asked and been asked, "what if I say it wrong?" or "what if I can't sing?" Chances are if Sanskrit is not your native language, you will say some of the sounds incorrectly in the beginning. I have been chanting for a long time now and there are still some sounds that I struggle with. I can sing and it has interfered with my chanting.

So my answer, your intention when you are chanting is more important than how you chant. Some people may disagree with me, and that's okay. It's what is in our heart, our reason for chanting, our connection to the sound and our teacher that is the key to receiving the benefits of our practice no matter what the practice is, asana, meditation, writing or chanting. We do need to do the practice regularly as well, but that's for another post.

I have wanted to share my thoughts for some time now. One of my obstacles was being fearful of what people would think. I decided that as long as my intentions were good, all would be well. I do the ground work and stay unattached to the results.

Bottom line: intention is everything.

Fresh Snow and Abundance Meditation

Waking to a snow-covered landscape is akin to the feeling of crawling under the heavy pile of blankets on my bed. Mixed feelings abound. Do I want to stay in bed all day? (not really feasible) or Do I want to go roll in the snow? (more likely to happen later in the day)

So instead I do my daily cleansing routine, put on hot water, and do a long, slow asana practice while the rest of the house sleeps. There was even some time for a short sit or meditation practice. Then I had to write.

We've been doing a meditation practice in my Saturday classes around abundance and generosity, thanks to Nancy's suggestion. The idea is that each person would choose what they would like an abundance of and who or what it would be for in a way of sharing our wealth.

Even though we have only been doing the practice for a month, I wanted to share my experience. Recently retired from teaching school, I am now a freelance yoga therapist, teacher, writer, and presenter. I have been offered a number of jobs that I really want, my partner has worked with me to create a great space in our home to teach small classes (I had a space already that would not work for group classes), and I have the desire and energy to write. Writing has been a passion for most of my life along with singing and drawing.

If I were you, I'd be wondering what the practice is. Ha, ha, you'll have to come to class. Only kidding, I am cursed with Middle School Teacher humor so pardon me.

After doing some asana (maybe some sun salutations) and pranayama (we've been working with extending our exhales), take a seat, make sure you sit in a comfortable fashion where your spine is upright and you're not likely to slouch.
Set your intention or sankalpa. Commit to the practice and decide what your focus of abundance and generosity is.

Say three Om's to warm up your lungs and voice.
Place your hands below your navel and chant:
Om shrim shriyai namah
3 times
Place your hands over your heart and chant 3 times
Place your hands on your head and chant 3 times

Sit and reflect on what you'd like to have an abundance of
Ask yourself what are your obstacles to receiving this abundance

Sit for as long as you can 5-15 minutes focusing on your object of abundance. If you find your mind wandering, chant.

Thank your body, mind and spirit and the universe for supporting you through the practice and offer any benefits you receive from the practice to those in your life or as I've been doing, to the entire planet.

Do some gentle asana like vajrasana vinyasa. And head out to your day.

As soon as I figure out how to post my stick figure drawings, I will add some.

Feel free to post anything that comes up or questions that you have.