Tuesday, October 28, 2014

Take A Break


Hello everyone - it is time to take a break from your reflections, relax and absorb all of the tarka you have done so far. It is now a time for rest. Please take some time to rest and let the teachings sink in. A part of transformation is to internalize everything you have learned about yourself and rest is a part of that transformation.

I appreciate all of your hard work on this inner journey to the self.

If you have stopped by during our break, please feel free to work your way through the past tarka exercises.


Shanti,
Swami K

Monday, October 20, 2014

A Time for Rest

Hello everyone - it is time to take a break from your reflections, relax and absorb all of the tarka you have done so far. It is now a time for rest. Please take some time to rest and let the teachings sink in. A part of transformation is to internalize everything you have learned about yourself and rest is a part of that transformation.

I appreciate all of your hard work on this inner journey to the self.

Shanti,
Swami K


Saturday, October 18, 2014

Reflections

Please take the weekend to reflect on your journal entries this week. Look for patterns in thinking, explore ideas in more detail, and summarize what you learned about yourself this week.

Swami K

Friday, October 17, 2014

Day 5 - The Benefits of Better Breathing

Daily Reflection
This week we will be talking about the breath. The breath or prana (life energy) plays an essential role in our lives. While we normally don't think much about our breathing and it happens automatically, in yoga, we learn to work with the breath in many ways. The practice of pranayama or controlling the breath (or life force) is vital because it helps us to live better and more harmoniously. It improves our healthy, our vitality, our creativity and our thinking. Although breathing is one of the simplest things we can do, we have often lost touch with our own breath so this week will be all about rediscovering our breath and the relationship we have to it.

Some of the benefits of better breathing are:

Reduced stress
Calm and quiet mind
Better connection to your inner self
Reduced anxiety
Improved focus
Reduced anger and irritability
More compassion

In your journal write down which of these benefits you feel you would like to work on right now in your life. What would be the most helpful to you?

Swami K


Thursday, October 16, 2014

Day 4 - Let Your Body Breathe

Daily Reflection
This week we will be talking about the breath. The breath or prana (life energy) plays an essential role in our lives. While we normally don't think much about our breathing and it happens automatically, in yoga, we learn to work with the breath in many ways. The practice of pranayama or controlling the breath (or life force) is vital because it helps us to live better and more harmoniously. It improves our healthy, our vitality, our creativity and our thinking. Although breathing is one of the simplest things we can do, we have often lost touch with our own breath so this week will be all about rediscovering our breath and the relationship we have to it.

So by day 4, you should have at least a beginning understanding of the way the breath works in your body. You most likely have discovered some places that the breath gets stuck or you may have found you are a shallow breather. You may also have found that you tend to hold your breath sometimes.

The goal is to let your whole body breath - to feel the breath everywhere. We can use different pranayama techniques, like the one we tried yesterday to learn to gain greater control of the breath.

In your journal write down where you think you need to gain a greater control over the breath and why. How do you think this will help you?

Swami K

Wednesday, October 15, 2014

Day 3 - Alternate Nostril Breathing

Daily Reflection

This week we will be talking about the breath. The breath or prana (life energy) plays an essential role in our lives. While we normally don't think much about our breathing and it happens automatically, in yoga, we learn to work with the breath in many ways. The practice of pranayama or controlling the breath (or life force) is vital because it helps us to live better and more harmoniously. It improves our healthy, our vitality, our creativity and our thinking. Although breathing is one of the simplest things we can do, we have often lost touch with our own breath so this week will be all about rediscovering our breath and the relationship we have to it.

Today we will practice and reflect on alternate nostril breathing. This technique helps to quiet the mind as well as open up the channels on both the left and right side of the body. I have noticed that it is very helpful to use this technique with asthma and it also works well with anxiety.

Please watch this short video for the technique.

Alternate Nostril Breathing

After you have practiced the technique record your reflections in your journal. Which nostril felt blocked? How did your mind feel after practicing this technique? Did you find it easy or difficult?

Swami K

Tuesday, October 14, 2014

Day 2 - Breath Discovery

Daily Reflections

This week we will be talking about the breath. The breath or prana (life energy) plays an essential role in our lives. While we normally don't think much about our breathing and it happens automatically, in yoga, we learn to work with the breath in many ways. The practice of pranayama or controlling the breath (or life force) is vital because it helps us to live better and more harmoniously. It improves our healthy, our vitality, our creativity and our thinking. Although breathing is one of the simplest things we can do, we have often lost touch with our own breath so this week will be all about rediscovering our breath and the relationship we have to it.

Today, I will have you lie down in Savasana. Just rest and don't try to control the breath. Try to notice your breath pattern. Are you breathing mostly in your chest? Your abdomen? Your throat? Can you feel the breath in the limbs of your body? Your toes? Your fingers? Where do you feel the inhale? Where do you feel the exhale?

After you observe your breath in Savasana write down the answers to the above questions and reflect on the breaths movement and your breathing pattern.

Swami K

Monday, October 13, 2014

Day 1 - The Breath of Life

Daily Reflections

This week we will be talking about the breath. The breath or prana (life energy) plays an essential role in our lives. While we normally don't think much about our breathing and it happens automatically, in yoga, we learn to work with the breath in many ways. The practice of pranayama or controlling the breath (or life force) is vital because it helps us to live better and more harmoniously. It improves our healthy, our vitality, our creativity and our thinking. Although breathing is one of the simplest things we can do, we have often lost touch with our own breath so this week will be all about rediscovering our breath and the relationship we have to it.

In your journal today, I want you to begin by just simply observing your breath. Just notice it in your body. Where do you feel it? Is there anywhere in which it feels stuck or restrained? Where does it flow easily? How do you feel about your breath? Does breathing come easily to you or do you suffer from an illness or medical condition that makes it hard to breath? Write down any thoughts you have on the breath and its role in your life.

Swami K


Saturday, October 11, 2014

Reflections

Please take the weekend to reflect on your journal entries this week. Look for patterns in thinking, explore ideas in more detail, and summarize what you learned about yourself this week.

Swami K

Friday, October 10, 2014

Day 5 - Meditation 4 Object of Beauty

Daily Reflection

Please listen to the following short audio meditation after reviewing the post on October 6th. In your journal write down any reflections you have about this meditation and your experience with it.


Swami K

Thursday, October 9, 2014

Day 4 - Meditation 3 Meadow Mountain Waterfall

Daily Reflection

Please listen to the following short audio meditation after reviewing the post on October 6th. In your journal write down any reflections you have about this meditation and your experience with it.


Swami K

Wednesday, October 8, 2014

Day 3 - Meditation 2 Sipping Breath

Daily Reflection

Please listen to the following short audio meditation after reviewing the post on October 6th. In your journal write down any reflections you have about this meditation and your experience with it.


Swami K

Tuesday, October 7, 2014

Day 2 - Meditation 1 Isha Mantra

Daily Reflection

Please listen to the following short audio meditation after reviewing the post on October 6th. In your journal write down any reflections you have about this meditation and your experience with it.


Swami K

Monday, October 6, 2014

Day 1 - Setting up a Meditation Practice

Daily Reflection
This week's practice will be about meditation. Today, Monday, you will read through how to set up a meditation practice (see below) and Tuesday-Friday, I will provide sample meditations that are 4-5 minutes long that you can incorporate into your practice.

While people all over the world practice meditation in a variety of ways, today I want to talk about five basic components you can use to create your own meditation practice.


1. Preparation - when you sit down to begin your meditation, it is a good idea to prepare yourself for the practice. It is here, during preparation, that you begin to shed the thoughts of the ego, the thoughts of the mind and the emotions of the day. The first step is to turn your head to the left and exhale twice. These exhalations should be short and quick rather than long and extended. This double exhalation alerts the body and the mind that it is time to begin the meditation. You then turn your head back to center and begin to watch your breath. To watch your breath, you simply breath in, hold, breath out, hold and observe yourself breathing. This whole process only takes a few seconds. If done each time you meditate, your body and mind will know that you are preparing for meditation.


2. Creating your sacred space - as you are watching your breath, begin to draw all of the energy from the limbs of the body to the trunk of the body and then send that energy up the spine and out through the ajna chakra or third eye. Visualize the energy projecting out a few inches in front of your forehead and then sweep the energy around your body until you are completely encased in a circle of energy. Many people visualize themselves sitting on the inside of a golden or white ball of light. You can project this energy out as far as you need to or keep it close to yourself. You are now sitting in your own sacred space and are ready to begin the meditation.


3. Blessings - there are many different blessings you can use to begin your meditation. I begin by thanking all of the saints and sages that have come before me and I invite my Ishta Devata (my chosen form of the divine) to be present during my meditation. I thank them for giving me the courage to walk this path and I ask them to bless my meditation practice and bless my life. I then ask them to bless all sentient beings and all of life. Essentially, I am projecting loving meditative energy out into the world for all who wish to accept the blessings. During this time, I also say a prayer for any people in my life that have requested a prayer. I pray for others and I pray for myself. Sometimes, I repeat a prayer, such as the Lord's Prayer or a passage from a sacred text that is appropriate for my day.


4. Focusing the Mind - after you have said your blessings, it is time to focus the mind. During the time we are trying to focus the mind, we are attempting to let all things fall away from our minds so that we can come to an effortless, uplifted, and one-pointed state. This is meditation.


An empty mind is a clear mind. An empty mind allows us to see reality as it is, to connect to our higher sense of self, to become one with God, Self, Nature, Universe, Reality (it depends on which religion you are practicing - a form of meditation is used in all religious practices).


Because it is very difficult to let go of the things that are in our minds, there are many different techniques that can be used to focus the mind. Some people focus on the breath, some people focus on a beautiful object, some people just watch the thoughts flow through the mind in a stream of energy passing through, some people use a mantra, some use a particular watch word.


No matter what technique you use, each time your mind begins to wander, you use your chosen technique to gently remind yourself that you are not thinking about your grocery list but instead are sitting in meditation, emptying your mind. I say the Isha Upanishad Mantra. You should choose a technique that works for you.


Once your mind is clear and empty, you are meditating. Stay in this state for as long as possible. For beginners, this is only a few seconds. For more advanced practitioners, it is longer.


5. Closing - at the end of your meditation, it is good to close the meditation with a mantra. Using the same mantra each time, signals to your body and mind that you are finished with your meditation. Some people say one long "OM" or three shorter OM's. It is also common to close your practice by saying "Shanti, Shanti, Shanti". After you have finished meditating, you bring your mind back to an awareness of your earthly life. This can be done simply by beginning to become aware of the room you are sitting in. When you are ready to re-engage in the world, you open your eyes, gently, slowly and just sit for a minute while you re-orient yourself to your life. You have now finished your meditation practice.


Your assignment -


Take some time to do a little research on the web. Find one blessing or prayer that you would like to try out in your practice during the "blessing" portion of your meditation practice. Once you have found one that speaks to you, write it down in your journal and record some thoughts on why you have chosen that particular blessing or prayer.


You can get started by simply doing a google search for prayers and blessings in a particular religion. For example, Native American Prayers and Blessings, Catholic Prayers and Blessings, Hindu, Pagan, Buddhist Prayers and Blessings, etc.

Swami K

Saturday, October 4, 2014

Reflections

Please take the weekend to reflect on your journal entries this week. Look for patterns in thinking, explore ideas in more detail, and summarize what you learned about yourself this week.

Swami K

Friday, October 3, 2014

Day 5 - The Saturn or First Chakra

Daily Reflection
This week we will be discussing 5 of the Chakras and the goal of each Chakra. Each chakra has a message for our learning.

Today's reflection will be centered on the Saturn or first chakra. Traditionally, this chakra is associated with our community or our tribe. Here, we might reflect on our associations and the groups we belong to as well as our relationship to our families. We might also think about where we live, what culture we come from and what traditions we practice. This chakra is also associated with your emotional and mental health.

In your journal today, reflect on and write about the communities you are a part of. Make a list and write about why you belong to those communities. Why are they important and what role do they play in your life? What traditions do you practice from your culture and in your family? What traditions are important to you and why? How is your emotional and mental health? Do you feel stable and grounded?

One asana to practice to help balance this chakra is cobra pose. Try to work this pose into your practice today.

Swami K

Thursday, October 2, 2014

Day 4 - The Jupiter or Navel Chakra

Daily Reflection
This week we will be discussing 5 of the Chakras and the goal of each Chakra. Each chakra has a message for our learning.

Today's reflection will be centered on the Jupiter or Navel Chakra. Traditionally, this chakra is associated with our need for relationships with other people. This chakra is all about the power of relationships in our lives. The second chakra also relates to our need for control and our personal identity.

In your journal today reflect and write about your relationships. Do you surround yourself with positive, encouraging and caring people? Are there any people in your life that you have a negative relationship with? If yes, who and what is negative about it? Also reflect on your own sense of personal identity. Who are you? Are you happy with yourself? What improvements do you feel you need to make? What about your ability to let go of control? What situations do you find that you feel the need to control?

One asana that will help you balance this chakra is triangle pose. Try to work triangle pose into your practice today.

Swami K

Wednesday, October 1, 2014

Day 3 - The Mars or Solar Plexus Chakra

Daily Reflection
This week we will be discussing 5 of the Chakras and the goal of each Chakra. Each chakra has a message for our learning.

Today's reflection will be centered on the Mars or Solar Plexus Chakra. Traditionally, this chakra invites us to think about our relationship to our personal power. Here, we are asked to reflect on how we understand ourselves and how we relate to ourselves. We can reflect on whether or not we feel we have personal power or have lost our sense of personal power. This chakra is all about our self-esteem and self-confidence. It is here that we can think about what we want to manifest or create and how confident we feel about doing so.

In your journal today reflect on and write about your relationship to your own sense of personal power. Are you self-confident? Do you feel worthy? How is your self-esteem? How well do you understand yourself? Is there something you have always wanted to do but are afraid to? How might you go about gaining confidence and pursuing this goal?

One good asana to practice to help balance this chakra is boat pose. You may want to work this into your asana practice today.

Swami K