Seeing is Believing: the Teacher-Student Relationship

Last night I was gazing at the beautiful moon and I thought of one of my students. She's been a student of yoga for quite a while-think years. Through our Desire Mapping work, she chose the word luminous, and she is amazingly luminous and beautiful. Now I can't  look at the moon without thinking of her. 

I love and appreciate the trust that people give me in my teaching. I take that very seriously. Patanjali tells us in the very first Yoga Sutra-1.1 अथ योगनुससनुं atha yoganusasanum that when we begin the study of yoga, both teacher and student commit to the practice, the teachings and to each other. It is a sacred vow that both are to honor.

Through this commitment I get to experience the change my students' have over time and they get to experience my growth and learning as well. Some of them stay for a short bit and some stay for a very long time. The teachings must resonate with us. We build trust and faith and over time, our kavaca, (pronounced-ka va cha), our protective shield starts to lift and our true selves are revealed--teacher to student and student to teacher.

#truthbomb

I pulled this card out of my truthbomb deck about a week after my first Desire Mapping workshop. How appropriate, "I see you." I realized that the work I have been doing my whole life is about learning and teaching people about uncovering their true selves. Even all of my years as a school teacher, it was more about helping young people connect with who they were more than learning the facts about wellness or science.

The point of this post is to say thank you for those students who have been or are along for the ride willing to lift the veil between human beings as well as to share that I don't always love what I find when I go digging for truth. It doesn't always feel good, and it's not usually easy. 

The same holds true in working with others. 
Some people run away at the first peak behind their protective shield (kavaca) and some stick around for the real work. Thank you to those of you who stick around for the heavy lifting, the deep excavations, the intense stuff. The miracle is that once you peel a few layers away and shed a few tears, there're often times joy, peace and a new sense of self-love. 

A dear friend who was pivotal in my growth through my early 20's and 30's told me that I had to trust and feel the bad stuff so that I could one day feel the joy as well. I didn't believe her right off. I am grateful that over time, I remembered her words and was surrounded by people to guide me through many of those layers. By the way-it isn't always painful; I've done some work that was quite humorous and uplifting as well.

So if you're looking to "to attain what was previously unattainable," according to one of TKV Desikachar's definitions of yoga, then I want to work with you. If you want to make some lifestyle changes, connect with your deepest desires and live the life you've always dreamed of, I want to work with you. I am so enjoying the magnificence I see when I truly get to see people. Have a great day! 
I'd love to hear your thoughts about change, seeing people, the masks we hide behind...

#truthbombs #desiremapping #Patanjali

How to Use Sankalpa Mudra

Anjali mudra

I first heard the word sankalpa when I was practicing yoga nidra (a deep meditation practice similar to sleep) in a group. The teacher told us to set an intention, make a commitment to change something, or a resolve.  The statement is set in present tense in the form of a positive affirmation. i.e. I move through life with joy and ease.

I may have heard the word prior to this, but I don't recall. It wasn't until many years later that I realized I had been setting a resolve in all my practices when I set my intention.

A mudra [a gesture or seal made with the body, i.e. anjali mudra (prayer hands)] can be used along with our resolve. 

Sankalpa mudra
www.arunachala-ramana.org

Using a mudra enhances our vow because energy stored in our body is released when the seal is placed.
 
Do you need to use mudra? No. Does it help? Absolutely. 

Why? In sankalpa mudra the left hand crosses the midline (heart energy center) and rests palm open (receptive mode) on the right thigh. The right hand goes over the left with the right palm facing down in a grounding mode.

When we bring our hands together with the palms facing one another, it connects both hemispheres of the brain. All aspects of us--body, mind and spirit hear the commitment and can work together to make our resolve happen.

When? We can use sankalpa mudra whenever we are making a commitment to bring something into our lives or to let some thing go. It's not to be used lightly on a whim or for every little thing we want.

Does it mean that everything we want will come to fruition? Not at all. The Universe is not Santa Claus and there are many things that come into play when we are manifesting and releasing--so much so that for centuries books have been written about it. People spend their lives attempting to manifest.

I typically use sankalpa mudra when doing a seated-meditation practice.

I will share a meditation practice with you next week so you can see where we use the sankalpa mudra. 

Please let me know if you have any questions or any information to add.
 

Brain Washing Needed?

Photo Courtesy of absurdwordpreferred.deviantart.com

gyan mudra

Whenever I see an article about meditation, which there are many lately, they always have a photo of a person holding a hand mudra (gesture).  
While mudras are very effective (more in a later post), probably the most effective part of meditation is our intention, see previous post, Intention is Everything. If our intention is clear, the next step is how to meditate.

Many people come to me seeking help with meditation. Of course, it's best to have a teacher to guide you in beginning a meditation practice, but it's okay to start on your own and see where it leads you. I suggest starting with a 5-minute commitment each morning as part of your morning routine, maybe right after you brush your teeth. How?

• Find a spot to sit upright--it can be in a chair or on the floor. Sit in the same spot each morning.
• Choose an intention.  It is good to stick with the same focus for a while. You might also find an inspirational daily meditation to work with until you figure out what you want to focus on.
• Get comfortable, yet remain upright.
• Set a timer so that you are not continuously looking at the time.
• Close your eyes.
• Focus on your breath. Notice the inhale and the exhale.
• If your mind wanders, return back to the breath.
• When the timer goes off, you are done.
• Continue this practice for a week then decide if you are ready to add 5 more minutes.

Discipline is a huge part of the practice as many of you already know. We can do almost anything for 5 minutes once or twice. 

The benefits of meditation have been proven by science over and over, increase clarity, focus, concentration, happiness, while decreasing heart rate, anxiety, depression, and violence, just to name a few.  

George Dvorsky writes, "Meditation yields a surprising number of health benefits, including stress reduction, improved attention, better memory, and even increased creativity and feelings of compassion," in his article, The science behind meditation, and why it makes you feel better.

After you try sitting for a week, let me know how it goes. I'd also love other tips from long-time meditators.