Can Yoga and Meditation Help Pain?

As I have discussed in previous posts, meditation has many positive effects and no negative side effects. It's amazing that most of us aren't taught from an early how to meditate or at least to be mindful. Of course, I look at my own children and know meditation can be forced upon anyone. We can model and guide people we connect with to be aware of their breath, their behaviors and what's happening in the world.

A number of clients are challenged by chronic pain. It's probably the most common complaint I hear about in my yoga therapy practice. 


Until this last year when I had a skiing accident, I didn't know what it was like to live with a constant pain--pain that keeps you awake at night; pain that discolors your day; pain that is always on the edge of your mind.

Through a variety of modalities, I have been able to alleviate the pain. I opted out of pain meds, yet I can see how someone who has chronic pains for years would be enticed by the possibility of any type of relief. 

Function has returned to most of my body and ever so slowly my brain is healing. Most influential in my healing has been my very gentle yoga practice performed 3 times a day and which includes meditation.

According to Dr. Jeremy Dean in his post called, Ancient Practice Can Heal Brains Damaged By Chronic Pain, Yoga can be an effective way to reduce the effects of chronic pain on the brain. So said Dr M. Catherine Bushnell, an expert on reducing pain without the use of drugs, at the American Pain Society’s recent annual meeting. Read more.

I am grateful to have yoga and meditation in my life to heal physical, mental, emotional and spiritual challenges. One thing for sure is that they are not quick fixes. Time, consistent practice as well as guidance from a trained professional are all necessary to get results.

I would love to hear about your experiences. To see if the work I do is right for you, schedule a wellness chat.  #meditationworks

How Messages Confirm

As I sat down to write yesterday morning, a sweet, yellow finch began to peck at my window. I looked up the significance of finch in North American Folk lore and read that finches signify- joy, energy, simplicity and enjoying the journey. The message was clear for me, enjoy the simple things in life's journey, those things that energize and bring me joy.

Reading signs or messages can be a bit of a challenge especially if we're not use to interpreting our thoughts, feelings and those synchronistic events.

You may be wondering what this has to do with yoga.

The busy-ness of many people in our technological society, interferes with our innate knowingness, our connecting with ourselves, quietly each moment, each day.

Yoga and meditation give us the opportunity to slow down, to recognize thoughts and feelings and to decipher each experience in a given movement.

Let's take a look at our chakra of will, the manipura-gem chakra, for a moment. Place your hand on your solar plexus, just under your rib cage and 4 fingers above the navel.

To connect with your gut feelings, you can sit quietly for a few minutes each day with your hand here. The seed sound for this chakra is Ram, pronounced rum. Softly repeat this sound with your hand on the chakra. Then, listen. What do you feel? What do you hear? Taking a few minutes each day can help you reconnect to

I can recall numerous accounts of knowing throughout my life. The difference for me now is that I listen to them. If I am unsure, I wait until the message is clear. I look for a confirmation from my body. Some of you may receive your confirmation in another way. I am very kinesthetic and I use my body for a living. The most important part is to take a few moments to be quiet each day.

If you are interested in delving more deeply into your feelings, you might check out my Virtual and Local Desire Mapping Workshops. 

I'd love to hear about your experiences, your ways of knowing and other ways you connect to yourself.

Isvara Pranidhana: Surrender

White Tara

Over the last 4 weeks I have discussed the niyamas, the second limb of Patanjali's ashtanga yoga. The 5th Niyama, ईश्वर प्रणिधान: Isvara Pranidhana, which means surrendering to a power greater than yourself. 

Some students struggle with the term God. I remind them that it can be nature (look at the power of the ocean, lightening, wind), it can be the class or a group of people (any number greater than one is greater than our ego flying solo), or you can think about being the best that you can be (greater than who we might be on a stressful day).

According to TKV Desikachar, isvara pranidhana means, "Reverence to [a Higher Power] promotes the ability to completely understand any object." By giving ourselves or surrendering to something greater than ourselves, we are able to understand ourselves, others and situations that we might have struggled with in the past.

We develop focus and faith. Sometimes it seems that we do not reap the benefits of a practice as quickly as we'd like. Yoga is a gradual practice. As we cultivate our practice, our lifestyle and our lives, change is many times subtle. 

Yoga is not a band-aid, at least not for very long. Continued practice brings us to a deeper, subtler place. We must also be diligent. If I let a practice go, my old ways eventually show up. I am not suggesting that our practices don't change over time because they certainly do and should.

How can you begin to connect to your Higher Power and let go of your ego?

• If you have a spiritual practice, you might begin there.

  

  happyubloggityblog.files.wordpress.com

• Sitting 5-10 minutes per day and focusing on your breath. If you're not sure of how to sit and you live in the SLC, UT area, join me for an introduction to meditation, June 3rd, 6-8 pm, Bliss and Baklava.
• Reading spiritual or inspiring literature first thing in the morning or right before bed.
• Recite the mantra ॐ OM (according to TKV, OM means isvara). The more you recite OM, the closer you will come to your Higher Power.
• Focus on a picture, statue or image of your Higher Power or something that has the qualities of your higher power (moon, ocean, mountain).
• Use a word or sound, a mantra, from your religious or spiritual upbringing that has meaning to you. Repeat it aloud or silently.
• Dedicate your asana practice to your Higher Power.
• Let go of judgement and criticism in your life and in your practice.

Thank you for reading about Surrender. For many of us, surrendering makes us vulnerable. A dear friend told me many years ago that to be vulnerable, makes us stronger. It has taken decades for me to understand and feel her words.

I would enjoy reading about your practices and experiences with surrender and with a Higher Power.

How to Boost your Immunity: Meditation and other remedies

Aaron Meditating in Capital Reef

Meditation is a simple and lost cost (free) way to boost your immunity. In recent research studies, meditation was shown to lower levels of cortisol (stress hormone), increase antibodies (a large part of our immune response) and stimulate connections in the brain, which helps with our thinking process, creativity and our level of happiness. WOW! If you've wanted to know how to meditate or build a home practice, click here to register for my 28-days to a personal meditation practice. 

Some other ways to boost your immunity as change seasons are to take:

Turmeric Honey

• 1/4 c local, raw honey

• 1 t freshly squeezed lemon juice

• 2 t ground turmeric

• 2 T raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar (I like Bragg's with the Muther)

• pinch of freshly ground black pepper

Mix turmeric and black pepper in a mortal and pestle to create a fine powder. Then add in the honey, lemon juice and apple cider vinegar. Stir until smooth. Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. You can use this in your tea (1-2 t) or take it straight from a spoon every day.

Immunity Tea Recipe 

• 1 part nettle

• 1 part astragalus

• 1 part licorice root

• 1 part echinacea

• 1/2 part ginger root

• 1/2 part ginseng powder

• 1/2 part peppermint leaf

Mix dried herbs and store in airtight container. Use 1 T mixed herbs per cup of boiling water. I like to boil water in a pot and place herbs in to steep. You can reuse the herbs 2-3 times.

Neti Pot- with 1/8 t sea salt (How to Neti)

Abhyanga self massage 

Oil ears- simmer 2 T olive oil with a pressed clove of garlic for 30 minutes. Place 2-3 drops in each ear as needed (after the mixture has cooled). 

Add a dash of horseradish, chili peppers or hot mustard to your food — all act as natural, temporary decongestants. 

Avoid foods that you’re slightly allergic to--some common ones--dairy, wheat, eggs.

There are many ways to naturally boost our immunity. I've listed just a few. Give some of them a try and let me know how it goes.

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!

One-pointed focus: Meditation

quiet space

"Yoga is the practice of quieting the mind." Patanjali

We are so busy that many of us cannot fathom stopping to "just do nothing." Yet, what we need most is peace and quiet to nourish our deepest selves. 

When did we move so far away from being into doing? I don't know. I spent a lot of time with my brothers and cousins outside, in nature, pretending, looking at stars and fireflies. Now there is fear attached to not being busy. Are we afraid of our potential?

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.” ~Marianne Williamson

I invite you to join me in 5 minutes of quieting your mind by focusing on your breath. If you like this, you might want more with my 28-day online meditation course and challenge to build a home practice, "Spark your Creative Genius."

Enjoy! I'd love to hear about your experience; any questions you have about meditation or more that you'd like to see.

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.
 

How to Build Better Relationships with Everybody

Bee n Flower, Costa Rica

"The flower doesn’t dream of the bee. It blossoms and the bee comes." Mark Nepo

 Relationships are the touchstone of human interaction. Patanjali

Relationships have been the highlight of my life--my partner, kids, family, friends, students--as well as the biggest stress possible. It's one of the main parts of our lives that we don't get training for. 

In nature, there are 3 types of relationships: mutualism (win-win) like in my pic of the bee and flower, commensalism (one party wins and the other party is along for the ride i.e.a spider building a web in a plant so the spider has shelter but the plant just has visitor),

www.hdwallpapersinn.com

Mitchy with a pretend flea-I just wanted to show him off.

and finally there's parasitism (one party wins and the other party is harmed i.e. dog with a flea).

Why the Bio lesson? I would suggest that most of us want win-win relationships although we might choose a commensalistic relationship if we are in need of help or want to support another. Even though parasitic relationships exist with humans, most of us don't strive for them. 

So, how do we develop healthy relationships?

Well, I learned many things from my birth family about being in relationship-some good and helpful like honesty, love and integrity-some not so helpful sarcasm and  fear.

Many wise people say that to have a healthy relationship with someone else, we need to start with ourselves. I agree.

"How?" you ask. With Meditation.

You will find a short, guided meditation on my website homepage. Be careful. I hear it puts people to sleep.

How can meditation help us with relationships?
1. When we meditate regularly, we know what we want and need more clearly.
2. We are more centered and peaceful.
3. We are less stressed and less anxious.
4. We are better able to understand other people through our understanding of ourselves.
5. The brain develops differently when we meditate. The gap between feeling and thinking fills in.
6. We are generally more present and able to be in the moment.
7. Meditation increases our connection to our creativity-helping with problem solving amongst other things.
8. Meditators are more comfortable with themselves.
9. Meditation helps us to sleep better.
10.Meditation lowers blood pressure, increases your immunity and boosts your thinking ability.
With all of those changes, you are better able to interact with others.

If you are interested in developing a personal meditation practice, I am offering an online course that begin November 1st. The course is for beginners who have never meditated and intermediates who want to create time, space and technique to meditate regularly with guidance and support. Click here for more information.

Let me know if you have any questions below. Stay tuned for more information and tips on meditation. 

Tips for Developing a Meditation Pracitce

Peaceful Meditation

"To make the right choices in life, you have to get in touch with your soul. To do this, you need to experience solitude, which most people are afraid of, because in the silence you hear the truth and know the solution." --Deepak Chopra

Where do we begin to find the time, the space, the motivation to be alone and to be quiet? I have found the easiest way to create a new habit is to attach it to an existing one i.e. I use my tongue scraper after I brush my teeth; I do my evening practice after I brush my teeth at night.

I sit in the same spot each morning and evening to do my practice. I repeat the same practice over and over until I know it by heart. 

 TIPS:

·      connect your meditation time to an existing habit

·      sit in the same place and at the same time if possible

·      repeat the same practice for at least a week (start with 5 minutes)

Students some times tell me after a week that they are bored with doing the same practice. I tell them that I too felt the same way before I had faith that my teacher knew more than I. She said, "Trust me, do this practice for 90 days and then we'll talk about it." I did. What happened? The benefits of discipline, peace and clarity started to enter my life. Instead of feeling bored, I looked for new ways to be mindful during my practice. I felt safe and a level of comfort in the repetition.

I also found it necessary to have a teacher. I tried for a long time to sit on my own. It wasn't until I started to accept guidance and sit with others that my experience moved to a deeper level.

I agree with Deepak that it is scary to sit in quiet. We have so many amazing distractions available to us. The thing is the consequence of not spending time with yourself, is that you won't really ever know your true self.

I am offering an online opportunity for you to practice meditation on your own yet in the safety of a group. Click here for more information. 

Over the next few weeks, I will continue to offer helpful tips on meditating. Stay tuned and let me know if you try any of them and how they work.

5 Simple Steps to Change Your Relationship with Food

Tropical Fruit

I've been talking a lot about food lately and one of the most powerful tools we have to deal with how we eat is our mind.
We all know willpower is not an innate trait. Can we train our mind to relate to food in a different more positive way? Absolutely!
How you ask? Mindfulness. What is mindfulness you ask? It is simply becoming aware of what we are doing. In this case, eating.
Here are five simple steps that will begin to change your relationship to food:

1. Sit for a moment before you eat with your eyes closed (even if it's a snack.)
2. Open your eyes and look at the food in front of you.
3. Think about the nourishment you are about to consume. (If you don't like what you see on your plate, don't eat it.)
4. Eat slowly; chewing your food and tasting each bite. If it doesn't taste fulfilling, stop eating.
5. When you are partly through your meal, check in with yourself. Complete your meal when you are 2/3 full.

Try this exercise with each and every meal. I know time is limited. It will literally take a few moments. And yes, those moments can rock your world. Note the thoughts that occur while you go through this experience.

Some things you might consider:

• How and who prepares your food?
• Where does your food come from? 
• How are the people treated your harvest your food?
• Make sure you are in a safe place when you eat, with people you enjoy. 
• Avoid arguments, electronics (i.e. TV, phone), and negativity during meals. 
• Set up your eating experience to feel warm, safe, comfortable. 
• Prepare your food thoughtfully. I like to chant when I'm cooking. Some people enjoy music.

I can hear the distention already-"TIME", "I can't control who makes my food or where it comes from", "NO TIME." If you've stayed with me thus far, thank you.

I know you are busy. We are all busy and it seems as time passes, we are getting busier. I am of the mindset that we need to change our level of busy-ness. Some things need to be fast--like our internet connection, but some things were meant to be slow--like building relationships and eating.

The next few weeks I'll be taking a look at easy ways to slow down and build a mindfulness practice. 

You might even consider building a meditation practice if you don't already have one. I am offering a month-long program to build a meditation practice in November. Click here for details.

I would love, love, love to hear about your experiences with this eating mindfulness exercise. Please share below!

Soothing Spring Ayurveda Style

Though we have 4 seasons here in parts of the US and other parts of the world, Ayurveda generally considers three. They are based on the qualities of the seasons which are most closely linked to the doshas or constitutional principles. 

The three doshas- vata, made of the elements air and space (also known as ether) has cold, dry and windy qualities and depicts Fall to Winter; kapha, made of the elements earth and water has moist, dense, and sluggish qualities and defines winter to spring; and pitta, made up of fire and water, has sharp, hot, and oily qualities which depicts spring into summer. There are other qualities and I am simplifying, yet I think you will all get the picture.

In Utah we are completely into Spring and will soon move into Summer. We experienced the waking up from winter, the necessary cleansing and now we make sure that we are prepared to move into a hot, dry Summer. Of course, all of my suggestions will depend upon your personal constitution and your general health.  Take this test to find out.

What can you do?

• eat locally grown,organic foods that are coming into season
• my sprouts are going crazy right now as are my son's strawberries
• eat lighter than in the winter and now you can eat cooler foods (like salads)
• continue with your morning and evening routines although some of you will wake up earlier with the sun and stay up a bit later
• begin with warm water with lemon, brush teeth, scrape tongue
• neti pot (nasal wash) with sterile, gently salted water helps to lessen allergic reactions
• be sure to still use your oil in your nose, eyes, gums, and on your skin
• dry brush the skin starting at the extremities and working your way in before oiling to slough off dead skin
• get outside (with sun protection-hat, sunglasses, sunscreen)
• exercise-swim, bike, walk, hike 
• continue with a breathing practice, keeping any stronger kriyas in the mornings
• asana can be a bit more vigorous if appropriate for you (halasana for digestion)
  
• spend time with family and friends
• drink lots of fluid
• although you may stay up a bit later, consider settling down when the sun goes down
• think about disconnecting from electronics an hour before sleep
• continue to meditate because it's important to still spend quiet, quality inner time with yourself
• enjoy

I'm always interested to hear what my readers are doing so feel free to let me know.

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.

The Angry Yogi

Anger: an emotional response to being or feeling threatened. The body kicks into a flight or fight response when we feel threatened. 

If you know me, you know that I am pretty level-headed most of the time, but I do get angry. I might even yell at my kids from time to time and get frustrated when driving. I have had people say things about angry yogis as if we are not supposed to have what are perceived by our society as negative emotions-fear, anger, envy, jealousy, frustration. 

One thing is certain and that is that I have less anger when I am doing my practice regularly and when it's the right practice for me. Most importantly I meditate and keep gratitude in the fore front of my mind. I also need to take care of my human needs-food, sleep, exercise. 

Is it okay to express anger when your a yogi? Of course! As with most things, there are appropriate ways to let off steam, and anger is energy, heat energy. With time, anger, like heat, will naturally dissipate. Guilt for feeling anger does not help the situation. One thing we can do is to observe and be mindful of those situations, people and places that affect us and decide if and how we will do them in the future. 

Causes: Some of the main causes of anger are that we don't get what we want; we're afraid we'll lose something we have; patterns (samskaras); driving; relationships; it's hot outside; we didn't sleep well last night; our diet sucks; we make other poor health choices, etc.

What can you do? 

Breathe 
Meditate regularly
Count to 10
Talk to someone
Take a walk in nature
Listen to calming music
Chant
Breathe
Exercise
Take Action 
Do appropriate asana for our body type, climate and age 
Follow our routines that support a healthy lifestyle

Prevention is key--being proactive can help avoid many situations that could lead us into blowing our top. Taking care of our health is the first step. Also, doing what we need to do so stress and frustration don't overtake our lives, avoiding dangerous relationships, procrastination, and other things that trigger our anger. Following guidelines and routines for our dosha, season, and ability are also helpful.

If you have other ideas, please share them.

Candle Gazing on the Full Moon

The full moon is barely visible yet the pull it has on my heart this Valentine's Day is palpable. I light the candle to prepare for the exciting month ahead. I set the intention to clear any thing that stands in the way of my heart's desire, to guide my students. I say aloud to the universe,

'On this full moon of my lion brother, Leo, please light my way, please guide me and my students down the path of life, of cleansing, of healing.

I focus on the light, the fire of the candle, to burn away any obstacles that stand in the way of our moving towards our goals.
Vishoka va joytishmati. When I focus on the light, I am filled with light. I focus on the light for a long time. Namaste.

Trataka, candle gazing, is a meditative practice where we focus on flame of the candle. According to Shloka 2.32 of the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, "Trataka eradicates all eye diseases, fatigue and sloth and closes the doorway to these problems."

I do suggest trying new practices with the support of a knowledgeable teacher.
For more information about trataka, an article from Yoga International:

Candlelight Insight: Trataka

BY Natalya Podgorny ON May 7, 2013

This simple technique has a purifying, invigorating effect on the mind and improves concentration.

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.