Categories
Jason's Articles

Why is It Better to HOLD Asana Poses Instead of Constantly Moving Through Them in a Yoga Class?

By Jason Winters.

Current modern yoga is filled with this style of Asana practice, leading students towards one goal… identification and personification of the external shape of the body! And for what reason?

If the true purpose of yoga is to experience & move through the densest aspects of ourselves, which we obviously recognize as the physical body, towards our true nature, as light, subtle eternal, divine consciousness… then Asana as continuous movement is simply a ‘preparation’. So… Why do all the work with no pay off? Why set the stage for no performance? Why build the temple, and not bask in its glory?

Traditional Hatha Yoga teaches us to…

  1. Do less poses (Asanas)
  2. Hold Asanas longer
  3. Remove all voluntary movement
  4. Observe (without judgment) involuntary movements
  5. Ease our effort
  6. Sit back as the ‘Witness’

So the next time you feel frustrated in a class because your being challenged to remain steady, calm, & truly present in the moment… even in something as simple as Tadasana (mountain pose)… ask yourself these questions and be willing to seek the answers with a sense of passionate curiosity.

  • Why choose to run away, fidget, check your phone, or avoid a new/challenging situation when life is so gloriously presenting an opportunity to learn something?
  • What is this feeling that there’s something better to be done or that you’re ‘missing out’? As if there is anything more important than devoting time, awareness, & patience to discovering your greatest purpose & potential?
  • How can there be ‘Life changing’ moments, wisdom, enlightenment, or clarity if Life is one endless multi-tasking event filled with notifications, swimming in a sea of spinning thoughts?
    Every chance you get in traditional Hatha Yoga practice to hold an Asana for an extended period of time will directly address these topics, and so much more.

We ARE energy ‘beings’ made of many layers with differing vibrations, so let’s get to the deep and meaningful ones through the most important aspect of Asana practice… to steady ourselves mentally & physically… to prepare, purify, & remove obstacles that are blocking us from realizing the immense beauty of our own inner LIGHT! And finally to remember that we are not separate from our Source, but instead a spark of infinite expression destined to return home.

Categories
Ami's Articles

Breathe

By Ami Effendy.

The breath is the thing closest to us.  It is tangible, believable, understandable and controllable.  The gentle inhalation and exhalations sustains us, calms us, affects our thoughts and is itself affected by our activities, emotions and thoughts.

We have all had times where we have felt upset, our breathing quickens, we take shallow breaths, feel panicked and light headed. People’s advice is always to “take some deep breaths”, and they are right! Breathing deeply, inhaling slowly, filling your mind and body with oxygen calms us down, both physically but also mentally, and exhaling release tension and CO2 out of the system and body. 

It might sound funny, but in world today, we often forget to breathe. Not just the type of breathing that we do automatically (and keeps us alive), but the deep, belly breaths that fill our lungs completely.

Plenty of common habits lead to shallow breathing, which can lead to feelings of stress and anxiety.  Having an unconscious lifestyle – all of that results in us not using our lungs to their full potential. Most of the time, we don’t even notice we’re breathing shallowly. 

Breathing brings us energy. We need to breathe to send oxygen into the cells in our body, which constantly need a new supply so they can produce energy. When breathing, we also allow our bodies to get rid of the waste products and toxins it creates, which can easily stagnate in our bodies and damage vital functions if not expelled. 

Breathing is a curious process, unlike any other in the human body. We do this unconsciously for a large proportion of the time much like the blood flowing around our body, but at any given moment we can choose to change its rhythm.

In the Yoga world, the practice of Pranayama, we become deeply familiar with the breath.  A good knowledge of the respiratory system will, therefore, aid and enhance the practices, and help in a better understanding of their physiological parameters. 

The classical yogic practices of Pranayama have been known in India for over 4,000 years.  The science of pranayama was developed by highly evolved yogis through an intuitive and experiential understanding of prana (vital force – a force in constant motion.  Prana exists in sentient beings as the energy that drives every action, voluntary and involuntary, every thought, every level of the mind and body) and its influence on the human mechanism at various levels. Scientific research describes prana as a complex multidimentional energy: a combination of electrical, magnetic, electromagnetic, photonic, ocular, thermal and mental energies.

The breath being the medium of pranayama, the system is based on the three stages of respiration: inhalation (pooraka), retention (kumbaka), and exhalation (rechaka).  By permuting and directing these three stages, the different practices of pranayama are obtained. 

Technically speaking, pranayama is actually only retention.  Yoga Sutra 2:49 state – Pranayama is the pause in the movement of inhalation and exhalation when that is secured.

There are several types of breathing but the majority of people breathe into their chest rather than their stomach. Throughout our lives we will have all experienced changes in our breathing patterns when processing different feelings, for example those of fear, anger, sorrow or physical exercise. Some of us sometimes unintentionally set up physical responses in our breathing when reacting to emotional triggers, for example when we see a rat!

Oxygen feeds your mind after all, and if you are not giving your brain enough oxygen, then it cannot cope sufficiently with your emotions.

We have all had times where we have felt upset, our breathing quickens, we take shallow breaths, feel panicked and light-headed. People’s advice is always to “take some deep breaths”, and they are right! Breathing deeply, inhaling slowly, filling your mind and body with oxygen calms us down, both physically but also mentally.

How Can I Breathe More Effectively?

A lot of you won’t know that most of us only use around a third of our actual breathing capacity.

There are three main compartments to the lungs and for the most part we take shallow breaths that only involve the upper lobes (the top part of our lungs).

Try this:

Find a quiet place and sit comfortable cross legged or kneeling so you can feel and experience your whole spine long and elongate.  This way you will be able to feel the movement of the breaths more freely.   You can do it as a standalone pranayama or preparation for meditation. 

MUKHA BHASTRIKA – known as the cleansing breath

Function – To clear the lungs of stale air.  It can be used before any class, as preparation practice.

How – Done from kneeling, sitting or standing, inhale fully and then as you fold forward blast the breath through the mouth in one rapid “whoosh” followed by a series of short cough – like spurts by forceful movement of the diaphragm.

MAHAT YOGA PRANAYAMA – Three Part breathing

Function – Complete deep breathing using three sections of the lungs (lower – mid and upper) to form one complete wave like breath. Promotes immunity, increase vitality and longevity. Healing and grounding.  Increase the breathing functions and lungs capacity.

How – Both inhalation and exhalation through the nostrils are initiated from the bottom up. 

The abdomen is pushed out as the diaphragm is lowered to pull air into the bottom of the lungs; then the rib cage is expanded out to the sides to fill the mid-lungs and finally the whole chest is raised to pull the air into the top lobes. 

Exhalation follows the same sequence; the diaphragm is raised, and abdomen drawn in to expel the air out of the bottom lobes. Ribs are then pulled in towards the centre, forcing the air up and out and finally the chest is dropped down, forcing the last of the air out of the top lobes. 

Begin to count your breath to internal 6 counts (divide it in to 3 different part of the lungs), meaning 2 second at each section on both inhalation (2-2-2) and exhalation (2-2-2).  After about 5 minutes of this, you can move to the next one..,

SAVITRI PRANAYAMA

Function –  Another name for this pranayama is Gayatri which considered to be the most sacred ‘meter’ for chanting Mantra. There is no other breath that offers such supreme balance to the nervous system and mind.

How – After the balance breath through MAHAT YOGA PRANAYAMA, begin to lengthen both the inhalation and exhalation to an internal 8 counts. 

After becoming established, begin to hold the breath in for 4 counts at the top of the inhalation and at the end of the exhalations. 

The complete practice will be:

Inhale for 8 counts, hold the breath in for 4 counts, exhale for 8 counts, hold the breath out for 4 counts

8:4:8:4

Continue to practice Savitri for 27 rounds which will take between 12 – 15 minutes. 

Once you master this breathing technique, it will help you to build more awareness and instantly feel how the breaths is able to nourish your mind and nervous system, create more healthy breathing patterns.

Love,

Ami

Categories
Octavio's Articles

Tantra is Not About Sex. Don’t Get Distracted.

By Octavio Salvado..

Today, Tantra’s innocence is being robbed by charismatic perverts, fooling the masses that Sex is Tantra and sensuality can lead to enlightenment. Its nonsense. Don’t buy into the hype. You’ll only slow down your progress, and probably create an absolute mess of your relationships in the process.

This grand deception is a prime example of Maha Maya (cosmic delusion) in Her most dazzling cloak, where She has even tricked us into poisoning life’s greatest medicine – practice itself. Such fun She has! But the time has arrived for us to wake up to the reality that although sex can be sacred and should certainly always be conscious and beautiful, for yogis like us, it cannot be truly Tantric.

Why can’t Sex be Tantric?

Because the ritualistic rigours of the Left-handed path (the aspect of Tantra that involves sexual practices) are far beyond the reach and capacity of general practitioners. Ask yourself, can I:

  • Sit perfectly still for 3 hours?
  • Sense, guide and direct my own Prana perfectly?
  • Focus my mind in a non-distracted way for long periods of time?
  • Activate my own Kundalini Shakti at will?
  • Remove all sense of lust and desire from the sexual act?

Now ask yourself, would I:

  • Want to perform sexual practices in the presence of other people?
  • Be willing to learn the hundreds of necessary Mantras and long list of Mudras and Pranayamas required to perform the Tantric sexual ritual correctly and safely?

If you cannot answer YES to every single one of these questions, then forget about the Left-handed path. Its not for you. 

Dabbling in this façade is pure distraction and will only increase our addictive tendencies and unhelpful habits, which will slowly weaken the mind, destroy memory and concentration power and keep our Pranic force bound to the lower Chakras – the exact scenario Tantra is designed to combat.

Just to clarify, a true Tantric Guru would never initiate a practitioner who hadn’t first demonstrated a clear mastery over their own mind and energy and a strong capacity to access their own vast inner pool of Kundalini Shakti. So, if this is not yet a part of your daily Sadhana, let go of the idea.

You cannot sleep your way to Samadhi.

Anyone who tells you differently is either trying to steal your money or get in your pants. Having lived minutes away from one of the biggest (and most notorious) ‘Tantric’ schools in the world for several years, I’ve seen every Tantric hustle in the book. Yet surprisingly, I’ve never met a self-proclaimed Tantric Guru, or even teacher that emanated the true essence of actual Tantra, Yoga, or just human decency. 

My advise is to get a grip on your own life and practice first by mastering the methodologies laid out in Tantric texts like the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, or study with solid Tantric Hatha Yoga teachers who’s lives, practices and relationships truly inspire you. What does a Tantric Practice actually look like?

  • Asana (postures)
  • Kumbhaka (breath retentions)
  • Bandha (Energy locks)
  • Mudra (The fusion of Asana, Kumbhaka and Bandha)
  • Kriya Meditation (Meditations involving inner light, sound and Pranic movement)
  • Mantra Japa (Silent repetition of Mantra)

I am not saying don’t work on intimacy, or ignore the value and wonder of a loving, sexual connection, because these things are a beautiful part of being human. My suggestion is that out of respect, we stop insulting actual Tantra by calling these couple’s workshops, sensuality seminars and masturbation books ‘Tantra’, because they are not. They do not even belong to the same universe.

In reality, if we did manage to find a true Tantric text on the left handed path, we probably wouldn’t even want to read it – far too dry, technical and unsexy! Forget about 50 shades of grey! Think instead, 50 chapters of dense technical information!

The answer is simple – Do your practice! Do it correctly and consistently. Do it daily. Meditate every single day and touch in on that self-luminous being that exists inside of you, full of beauty and free of fear. This is the goal of true Tantra. To transform the inner world and become a living shrine. Then, everything you do, including making love, will be Sacred.

This blog was originally published on the Moon Sun Fire App.

 

Categories
Emma's Articles

Anandamayi Ma – The Bliss Permeated Mother

By Emma Salvado..

Anandamayi Ma was born Nirmala Sundari (Translated- Immaculate Beauty)  in 1896 in West Bengal. Her name was extremely appropriate for her , because she was not only spiritually beautiful , but physically beautiful too.

She was regarded as a happy and contented child by all who knew her, but not particularly intelligent. As a child she had a tendency to stop all activity, and stare off into space for long periods of time, which made her parents and those who knew her extremely uneasy.

Their concern started the day she was born, because their newborn infant didn’t cry. Years later, when asked about this Anandamayi Ma responded “ Why should I cry? I was watching the tree’s through the slats in the window”

After 2 years in school Nirmala was taken out of education to begin full time housekeeping, and at 13 yrs old was betrothed to her future husband Bholanath.

Five years later she married him, and they moved in together, but much to Bholanath’s annoyance his beautiful bride refused to consummate their relationship.

His annoyance with his new wife grew greater, when he awoke in the night to find his wife, contorting her body in mysterious ways on the floor , and making odd sounds.

He became convinced that his wife was possessed and asked for some help from an exorcist.

Neither Bholanath nor Nirmala had any kind of formal training, so they didn’t know at the time that Nirmala was actually spontaneously assuming Hatha Yoga postures, and the strange sounds she was channeling were actually sacred Mantras.

Throughout most of her early life Nirmala passed through various stages of Sadhana, without realising. She remained in a lucid witnessing state in yoga called Sakshin. She was unaware that she was doing anything, it was all just happening.

She shocked her family, and husband even more, when she refused to Bow down to her elders , which was customary in India. Nirmala said she heard a voice that told her “You are not to bow down to anything….. You are everything.”

Through this message, she realised, the universe was her own Manifestation.

This was such an unbelievable realisation for an illiterate young woman , who had never had a Guru to guide her.

So she was encouraged to seek out a teacher to formally initiate her into spiritual life. So Nirmala went to all of the local pandits to initiate her, but none of them would, they were uninterested in teaching a poor low caste illiterate girl.

On the 3rd August 1922, in a break with the entire history of Hindu tradition , Nirmala initiated herself. Such was her self Realisation. 

Yoga teacher, the Guru, the mantra he or she imparts, and the mantra are all one. The Guru receives the mantra from the sages of the lineage through meditation, and initiates the student into it. Amandamayi Ma dramatised this unity, when she played the parts of teacher and student simultaneously. Her higher self conferring the mantra to her lower self, she received the mantra directly from the divinity within.

In 1922 after her initiation, her husband finally realised that she had not been possessed by demons, but realised in fact that she had been possessed by God.

So he asked to become her first student…

This unorthodox act was criticised by many people around them, because it was seen as improper for a male to bow at his own wife’s feet.

Anandamayi Ma ( Joy Permeated – In Sanskrit).

As she was now known as , followed her husband to Dhakka where he was given a job as gardener of an Estate. He and his wife moved into a cottage there, and she began her work of healing devotees and chanting the glories of God.

In 1924 Anandamayi Ma stopped feeding herself , her hands would simply not carry food to her mouth , so from that moment onward until her death , she was only ever fed by her husband or her devotees.

Her Inner Guide (Kheyal) directed her life course, and was seen as sometimes being impulsive or erratic.

The esteem for Anandamayi Ma grew, and was reflected in her appearances at the Kumbh Mela ( the biggest religious gathering in the world). The Kumbh Mela is a religious fair which draws millions of pilgrims, and is seen as an opportunity for religious leaders to promote themselves and often rival other religious dignitaries. However Ma’s appearance there was revered by all who went to see her. Disputes and and Egoism were left at the door, by all who went to see her, just to sit in silence in her presence.

It was here that Anandamayi Ma was given the title of UNIVERSAL MOTHER. A saint whose compassion knew no boundaries , caste or religious background. All were AWED into stillness in her presence.

Many Westerners’ introduction to the UNIVERSAL MOTHER was in Paramahansa Yogananda’s “Autobiography of a Yogi” when he asked her about herself, and she replied….

“My Consciousness has never associated itself with the temporal body. Before I came to this earth I was the same. As a little girl, I was the same. I grew into Womanhood, but I was still the same. Ever afterwards through the dance of creation changes around me in the hall of eternity, I shall remain the same.”

Her message was not one that she taught… it was what she embodied…And what she was.

She was a radical example of a truly liberated woman. She loved everyone who came to her, as if they were her own children, and yet she remained unattached to anyone or anything. She selflessly served others, traveling from place to place to give people access to her “Divine Presence.”

She was a living example of the Goddess.

She supported you in whatever Sadhana you had, it didn’t matter what religion you were. If you were Christian and came to Ma, she would initiate you with the name of Jesus as your Mantra. She saw no separation, she never stressed loyalty. But ultimately the people who came to her knew who their Guru was…

She took Samadhi in 1982 at the age of 86 leaving behind the Bhav of emotional legacy of being…

“The most perfect flower Indian soil has ever produced.”

 

Categories
Ellen's Articles

Vedic mantra and Kirtan what’s the difference?

By Ellen Arthur.

Chanting mantra has a physical, mental, emotional and energetic affect on us. Meaning, it is a powerful tool that is able to influence all dimensions of the human system. 

Vedic mantra was traditionally only chanted by Brahmin men, a member of the highest caste or varna in Hinduism. There are 4 varna‘s, Brahmin, Kshatriya’s, Vaishya and Shudras. Those on the outskirts of these 4 varna‘s are called Dalits, who are ostracised and considered untouchables.

It is from the Brahmin caste that priests are drawn from. Brahmin priests study religious texts such as the Vedas (large body of religious texts, of which there are 4 Vedas) and the Puranas (wide range of Indian literature, of which there are 18 Puranas). It is their responsibility to teach these scriptures to members of the other caste systems to maintain sacred knowledge. For thousands of years this was the only way for house-holders or common folk, to have access to such sacred teachings, through the Brahmins. In many ways this knowledge was kept only for those “worthy” of receiving it. 

It is said, T Krishnamacharya (Indian yoga teacher, Ayurvedic healer and scholar) opened up Vedic chanting to all, in the twentieth century. Revolutionising the way that is was shared and received. No longer a priestly offering but a practice that could be accessible by many. 

Vedic chanting, as the name implies is when you chant the Veda’s.

These mantras are expressions of hymns from the Vedas. This practice dates back to at least 3000 years ago and is said to be the worlds oldest continuous vocal tradition.

There are precise guidelines around Vedic mantra and the recitation of it. The teacher will chant, whilst the students listen closely and then repeat the mantra back in exactly the same way. This form of teaching is called adhyayanam, the journey to our inner most self. The process of transmission is as follows;

1 Śravanam = listening 
2 Grahanam = what is heard is grasped 
3 Dhāranam = it is held onto 
4 Mananam = reflected upon 
5 Uccāranam = recited 
6 Anubhavam = experienced 
7 Pravacanam = sharing what you know/teaching others

It is a strict way of practicing mantra. 

Not only is there a process of transmission, there are also 6 rules of chanting;

1 Varṇa (Not to be confused with the 4 levels of the caste system, note the diacritic mark, nasal n) = pronunciation 
2 Swara = notes or pitch (only 3 notes are used in Vedic chanting) 
3 Mātrā = length 
4 Balam = amount of strength used 
5 Sāma = musicality 
6 Santāna = continuity or stream  

This precision is what defines Vedic chanting. Whereas with kirtan and bhajan, the rules are less structured and the one who is chanting can allow their personality and their musical ability to shine through.

Kirtan and bhajan tend toward group experiences of devotion, offering, reverence and service. 

In the early 16th century a Hindu saint by the name of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, known as the father of kirtan, made it his duty to travel far and wide spreading the message and power of kirtan.  Beginning a movement that still continues to this day. 

Kirtan is shaped in a way that encourages the audience to participate, in this call and response method. Including instruments both rhythmic and melodic to inspire a community feeling, a sense of togetherness and to help those feeling less confident to sing out loud. A Bhajan, is experienced as a sing-a-long or offered as a silent prayer. 

Chanting the names of the Divine, the eternal one, the many facets of The One God, is what eventually and with practice allows you to then merge back into that field of unified consciousness. 

Unlike Vedic Mantra, the idea with Kirtan/Bhajan is to build a connection with the participates, to invoke emotion, share a common experience and to offer a safe place for emotion to be conjured up. This setting is more so about exploring ones voice and the connection between the voice, divinity and our inner strength and resilience. 

In many cases the kirtan experience will reveal excitement, outwardly expressed emotion through movement, clapping, swaying and dancing. 

What can be agreed upon and honoured is that both offerings of mantra practice, lead the student toward better mental cognition and clarity. Mantra is an agent for purification of the mind and helps to dissolve lingering emotional or energetic baggage that leads to stagnation. Proven to be a method that increases mental focus, listening and communication skills.

The methods may differ but the idea is the same, that you as the student be guided back into a revered and sacred aspect of the self, known as Ātman. From that place, there is no questioning your infinite potential and eternal nature. 

Categories
Ami's Articles

Sankalpa Shakti – The power within you

By Amy Effendy.

Behind every achievement, every success, there is Sankalpa Shakti, the power of will and determination. 

Shakti is a power.  Without Shakti you cannot be successful.  All the great ones on the earth needed Shakti.  There was a shakti behind to inspire them.  Without inspiration, even the greatest ability is scattered. We need to stoke and sustain our inner fire if we want to pursue our personal growth. 

And now what is sankalpa…

Let me break down the words for you…Sankalpa which is the compound of two Sankrit words; Kalpa, which means “a way of proceeding” or, move revealingly, “the rule to be observed above or before any other rule,” and San, “a concept or idea formed in the heart.”

Thus, sankalpa means determination or will, an intention, conviction, vow, or, most commonly, a resolution, one that reflects your highest aspirations.  In practical terms, a sankalpa is a declarative statement, resolution, or intention in which you vow or commit to fulfil a specific goal.  A sankalpa at first glance looks a lot like a modern-day resolution or intention.

Each New Year we find ourselves looking towards the future, eager to make new goals and promises of who we want to become and how we will shape our lives with big changes. Then halfway through the year, perhaps we start to feel discouraged about the lack of progress towards our set goals and maybe in guilt we abandon them altogether. However if we look deeply, perhaps it’s not our lack of effort that’s the issue, but rather a flaw in the traditional practice of goal setting. 

When we set general goals, we tend to only focus on a vague outcome, for example – we create intentions to lose weights, find a more rewarding career, get organized, or attract the ideal relationship, we resolve to change our diet, be more disciplined, work harder, work less hard, spend more time in nature or with our families, do something about our stress levels, enrich our spiritual life, write or read more, stop smoking, get a degree, be a greater force for good in the world, or any one of countless other things we aspire to achieve….

and forget to define the process of getting there – the structure that brings our goals to fruition.  By fixating on the outcome rather than the journey, we set ourselves up for discontentment in the present. The goal-oriented mentality of “I’m not good enough yet, but I will be when I reach my goal,” teaches us to continually put happiness and gratitude off until the next milestone.  By committing to a process rather than a goal, it takes the stress off our shoulders and creates a structure we can operate within to enjoy progress and accomplishment each day.

It is said that average American makes 1.8 resolution per year.  However, based on the research it shows that at least 80% of us do not achieve our resolutions.  A recent study found that “four out of five people who make New Year’s resolutions…will eventually break them.” What explains this failure of at least 80 percent of us to fulfil our resolutions?

One very important reason, is that we too often focus on fulfilling our desires without giving much thought to how our desires serve the greater meaning and purpose of our lives.  Another reason, from the perspective of the Tantric tradition, is that there is a science to the process for manifesting intention, and if you don’t apply it, you will likely end up as part of the 80% percent who don’t see their resolutions fulfilled.

The simple truth is when a resolution is little more than a wish, even one that you think many times a day, it has relatively little or no impact or power to affect your destiny.  However, when you work through the steps involved in achieving a resolution methodically, its reach and its power to affect your destiny become nearly limitless.

The yogic practice of Sankalpa Shakti gives us a tool to shape meaningful intentions and guides our journey towards inner transformation. In its simplest term, a sankalpa is an intention or inner resolve. In its deeper, more profound meaning, it’s a connection to your highest truth and life purpose, your dharma. What’s beautiful about the sankalpa practice on any level is that it starts from the belief that you already embody these qualities and by drawing your attention to them in practice, you’re refining and sharpening your connection to this deeper purpose and desires, and direct that energy in a positive way. The next layer to this is working with Sankalpa Shakti in the more subtle layers of the minds programming. Often, a sankalpa is stated before beginning and ending your Yoga Nidra Meditation to serve as a guide for planting seeds in this deep practice of relaxed states.

Sankalpa or resolution holds a special and highly esteemed place in the ancient teachings.  The concept of sankalpa appears even as early as the Rig Veda, the most ancient of all the Vedic text.  The art and science of applying sankalpa was considered to be the foundation for achieving or becoming anything of real significance.

Throughout the Vedic and Tantric traditions it is made exceedingly clear that a student cannot make meaningful progress toward any worthwhile goal without first cultivating the power of resolve, what the yogic tradition calls sankalpa shakti. 

On this path you must first awaken your sankalpa shakti, the power of will and determination,’ said SWAMI RAMA, ‘overcome your resistance.  Expand your capacity…you must order your body and senses to function under the leadership of your mind.’

The ancient concept of Sankalpa is predicated on the principle that your mind has measureless capacity to affect the quality and the content of your life.  The ancient traditions, including the Veda, Tantra and Yoga venerated the mind and appealed to the Divine for the mind to be filled with ‘auspicious thoughts’ because they saw the mind as the chief architect of our lives.  In other words, they viewed your mind as the ruler of your fate. “The mind is everything.  What you think you become,” said the Buddha.

The power to affect your future, therefore, begins by learning to focus your mind.  “Each thought influences your mind and creates therein a vibration that affects your whole life, your destiny”.

It is critical to recognize that there is a difference between having a desire and having a sankalpa.  You may want something, but that is not the same as creating a sankalpa that you will achieve it.  Consider this: a desire is little more than a feeling (sometimes strong and sometimes not so strong) related to a want – to have, to become, or to achieve – something; a sankalpa, on the other hand, is a desire that you are absolutely determined and committed to achieve.

It is not always easy or convenient, but you manage to fulfil your resolve despite the challenges. You make it happen, come hell or high water.   Its no longer just a desire, something you would like to happen – it has become a sankalpa, which means that practically nothing can stop it from happening.  The essential requirement is that we must have the desire (make it happens no matter what), and, concurrent with that desire, the determination that you will fulfil it.  Indeed, according to the Tantric Tradition, this principle of marrying desire with determination is the key to making a Sankalpa truly effective. 

Here is the key points for crafting your sankalpa, which is simply to ask yourself of these two questions:

  1. What do I want to achieve or become?
  2. What would having it look and feel like to me?

The most efficient way to set down your sankalpa in writing is to imagine that you have achieved your desire; now decide on the words you would use to tell someone that you have done so.

In putting your sankalpa into words, you may also want to include the emotion you would feel when you’ve accomplished it.  A statement that is affirmative and clear, and it has the power to influence your thoughts, your actions, and the forces of destiny toward achieving your desires. 

Key points to keep in mind when drafting your sankalpa:

  1. Your sankalpa can focus either on the result you are seeking, the attitude that will help you achieve it, or both.
  2. Your Sankalpa needs to be specific.
  3. Your Sankalpa needs to be achievable in six to eighteen months. It is important especially in the beginning, to develop confidence in your ability to achieve your goals.
  4. You need to believe you can achieve your sankalpa. 
  5. Your sankalpa needs to be worded in the present tense and stated actively.  It is essential that your sankalpa statement reflect that you’ve achieve your intention, not that you hope to achieve it someday.
  6. Your sankalpa needs to be stated in worlds you would actually say. Avoid getting overly poetic or dramatic.  Make it simple, direct, clear, believable and concise.  Don’t overthink it!

Categories
Emma's Articles

Healing The Feminine

By Emma Salvado.

In India there are more saints per capita, than anywhere else in the world.

1000’s of them were Female Saints, but there was never a lot of information documented about them. During the Vedic period women were culturally held in very high esteem, and enjoyed the same equal rights and opportunities as the men of that time.

They had the opportunity to study the Vedas and were given training in archery, yoga, music, and drama.

Gradually however over time as India became suffocated by battles against foreign invaders woman’s positions became less esteemed and her freedoms were minimised, women lost the privileges they enjoyed in the Vedic times, and began to lag behind in education due to their family responsibilities, and because of the controversial caste system in India many of these women remained with their families, and so women began practicing yoga in their homes, away from prying eyes.  

These women would arise in the mornings before their families wakened, sit at their altars worshiping and praying in their homes… and uncaring for fame and notoriety, not even the people in the next village are unaware of who they are…

The Caste system in the Indian culture meant that many women were betrothed to their future husbands at an early age, because love was not necessary for a successful Indian marriage. Girls had no part in the decision of who they would marry. This was, and still is, in many respects the choice of a girl’s father.

Bad marriages frequently spurned Indian women to immerse themselves in spiritual life, as a way to alleviate the shortcomings of the rest of their lives.

Mira Bai the devotee of Krishna and Mahadevi the devotee of Shiva, were two such Yogini’s who even though they were married,  immersed themselves in devotion to their Guru, and were then seen as being mad, as a way of discrediting them and their devotion.

Tantra was a tradition of Spiritual practice that flourished across India because of its inclusivity. Gender and caste were not a conversation when it came to Tantra. The desire to want to experience divine presence in your heart, through self discipline, motivation and sincerity was all that was required.

This is why many women Sages were Tantrica’s.

This is also mirrored in Hinduism, as it is practiced morning and evening in indian households, primarily by the women of the home at their personal family altar. They are the backbone of Hindu Religious Life, and pass most of hinduism’s highest principles to their children. This is the way things have been for thousands of years.

Women are the backbone of religious life in India and they pass on the principles of worship to their children.

Deities are commonplace on the walls and altars, and Indian children grow up hearing the mystical stories of love, war and life lessons based on these avatars.

How different if the population of the west grew up not with Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty or Ultra unhealthy Models or Tv Personalities as role models, but pictured themselves as these divine beings, who could move at will through the corridors of the universe.

It’s no accident that in India the deity who governs education, the arts and knowledge is Saraswati, the deity who governs strength and protection is Durga, the deity who rules wealth and commerce is Lakshmi – They are all Goddesses.

The Goddess is adorned in these households reminding the devotees of the spiritual dimensions of life and the compassionate motherhood of God.

Women in India are free to worship the Goddess freely and even imitate them.

This has also trickled down though Yoga’s lineages, one after another the male heads have been passing their spiritual mantles to women.

Some examples of this have been:

  • Ramakrishna (Devotee of Kali) who passed his spiritual authority to Sarada Devi, his wife.
  • Paramahansa Yogananda – One of the keepers of the Kriya Yoga lineage to American Born (Daya Mata)
  • Swami Sivananda  passed the teachings of Sivananda Yoga to Shivananda Radha Saraswati  (German born Sylvia Hellman)

In the 1900’s the tantric adept UPASANI BABA taught that women are capable of “ Faster Evolution than Men”,  and that all male devotees needed to cultivate “Feminine qualities such as Egolessness and Purity, in order to progress.

I am so grateful that in this century Women have taken even greater strides to empower themselves spiritually,  even though they have had to face tremendous obstacles to fulfill their spiritual desires.

When Tantra describes the Goddess, it is not talking about a multi armed deity in a Sari. The goddess is Reality… she is what we mortals call existence.

Whatever is at the root of you and me… That is She…

Through these women saints we can see the incarnate of the divine, because they unselfconsciously evoke her in us!!!!!

Honour the embodiment of what they represent in you…

BOTH ON AND OFF THE MAT

Love Emma x

Categories
Octavio's Articles

The Howler

By Octavio Salvado.

Several hundred years ago, when the West was first being exposed to the philosophies of the East, many of the key concepts were simplified, or miscommunicated. Orientalists at the time, in doing their research on advanced topics, unskillfully questioned the common folk instead of adepts better suited to answer questions dealing with the intricacies of the subtle world.

Imagine asking a rice farmer about molecular biology. Undoubtedly their response would be lacking in both accuracy and depth. The same thing happened with Tantric philosophy. Complex questions were asked, yet very basic answers were given. We can clearly see this demonstrated with the concept of Rudra, the Howler.

The Layman’s understanding is that this primal version of Lord Shiva is so fierce and violent that he causes us to howl in fear and cry out in terror. Yet nothing could be further from the truth. Rudra is howling out of deep compassion and love for humanity, seeing our deep pain and anguish, having separated ourselves from Him.

So then who, or what is Rudra?

Rudra is that primal force that breathes life into everything, causing life to thrive. The word Rudra is a composite of two root-sounds. RUD means ‘that which lifts us up’ and DRA translates to ‘that which calls forth’. Rudra is about calling forth the power within us that lifts us up out of darkness, out of fear and worry. Rudra is determination and will, the inner motivating force that protects us from sloth, laziness, procrastination and inertia – the inner drive within all beings to fight in favor of life!

On the grandest level, Rudra is the energy that ensures that all of life, nature and the cosmic order continue to exist in symbiotic harmony. Biologically within us, Rudra is the governing force behind our breath, our heartbeat, our lungs, the metabolism within the cells, the fire that breaks down and assimilates the food we eat. Rudra is that which fills us with energy and vibrancy.

In short, Rudra is Kundalini Shakti Herself. Forget about gender here, folks. Personified expressions of Deities are nice, but from Tantra’s lofty perspective, they are for knuckleheads who lack the subtle sensitivity required to register pure, vibratory truth. The reality of God is beyond all divisions and all form. Rudra is both our heavenly Mother and Father, existing eternally inside of us and all around us, as the spark of life within all things – the sacred Fire at the source of all creation.

The connection between Kundalini, Rudra, the sacred Fire and our own human excellence is the central most theme, or pillar of Tantra.

It is therefore a great calamity that the concept of Kundalini, along with its complimentary fire-based practices, have been so widely misunderstood, or ignored by modern Yoga.

Today, Kundalini is considered, for the most part, a myth, or at the very least, an inaccessible aspect of the Yoga tradition, particularly for regular, daily practitioners like us. It isn’t. Nothing could be further from the truth. Kundalini is VERY accessible under the right circumstances and EXACTLY for people like us.

Here’s why –

Our gross and subtle bodies are designed specifically to be conduits of activated Kundalini energy. Why do you think you came equipped into this life with a more advanced nervous system and Nadi system than all other creatures in God’s grand and vast creation? Did nature make a mistake?    

Nature does not make mistakes. We are living shrines to Rudra, the life-force power that guides and governs all creation and as humans, our primary directive in life, is to yoke ourselves so completely to this sacred Fire, to Rudra, to Kundalini Shakti that we illuminate every space we enter and positively activate everything we touch. Therefore, the practices that connect us to Kundalini Shakti were designed precisely for people like us.

Tantra says that the very reason there is so much darkness, forgetfulness, anger and corruption in the world today, is because we have renounced the idea that each person is a living Kundalini shrine.

As a result of this, we no longer live in ways that are aligned to Kundalini’s power and glory – which is OUR true power and glory – and we continue, against our own best interest, to neglect the practices designed to remedy the situation.

It’s time to end this madness, born of inner spiritual poverty and absolute confusion about who we are. It’s time for humanity to reclaim its rightful throne as sovereign protectors, healers and guides for all of life’s creatures and to embrace the hidden power buried deep within us. And this all starts with practice.

Tantra invites us to ignite the sacred Fire through the time-tested, complimentary sciences of Hatha Yoga and Rudra Yaga (Tantric Fire ritual). These methods, when performed accurately and with the right intention, are how we slowly, safely and systematically empower ourselves to move beyond all fear, doubt and disease and regain the fundamental trust in ourselves and in life necessary to lead a truly exceptional inner and outer existence. Everything else, in regard to practice, is a distraction.

Any practice that doesn’t address Kundalini, simply isn’t real Yoga. It is a fake, plastic log-fire pretending to burn, giving off artificial light and only pseudo-comfort. Do not believe the lie that you are not worthy of Kundalini, or are unable to reach Her. She is your Mother. He is your Father. It is the source of your own true being, calling out to you – Howling.

Yogi, Yogini, I’m talking to you right now. Renounce the modern Yoga lie that Kundalini is a far off dream, only fit for Sages in caves. This idea is nonsense and it is destroying Yoga. It is destroying us, one fear, one doubt, one unhelpful reaction at a time.

Practice is about one thing and one thing only – providing practitioners with the precise tools and means required to become a living embodiment of the sacred Fire, the force of Rudra – the most vibrant, energetic, determined and valiant expression of Kundalini Shakti. So strike the match, Yogi. Stoke the flames, Yogini. Offer up for sacrifice everything that is holding you back from stepping into your power and then do what you were designed to do.

Ignite the whole fucking world with your brilliance.

Categories
Ellen's Articles

The Hanumān Chālīsa

By Ellen Arthur.

A Hindu devotional mantra that goes about addressing the great Lord Hanuman in fine detail, symbolising strength and devotion. It is believed to have been created around the 15th Century by an India poet and philosopher Goswami Tulsidas.

Chālīs translates from the Hindi language to the number 40, hence the name, as this mantra has 40 verses in total, not including the couplets at the beginning and end. The 40 verses of appraisals to hanuman are said to be the link between God and the masses. Allowing us mere mortals to have an experience of the divine through this mantra.

Who was Tulsidas?

An esteemed poet, preacher, writer and philosopher, who encouraged many to seek refuge in God, through devotion. Having wrote over 12 books, he wrote these books under the direction of Hanuman.

Regarded as an incarnation of Valmiki, the author of the epic Hindu tale the Ramayana. Tulsidas founded the Sankat Mochan (reliever of troubles) Temple dedicated to Lord Hanuman in Varanasi.

A young Tulsidas was said to have been running with bad company, drinking, gambling, moving in low moral crowds, when his father insisted that he turn his attention toward God. Being born to a noble family Tulsidas had the opportunity in his lifetime to become an enlighten being. Advised not to waste his precious life in sexual pleasure, but to repeat the name of Ram and attain liberation. After some time of dedicated practice and service, his name was spoken throughout the streets as a great master. A nearby emperor demanded that Tulsidas perform a miracle for him. Tulisdas replied “I am merely a servant of Rama, he is the worker of miracles, not I”. The emperor was angry and threw him in jail for not obeying him.

Tulsidas coined the 40 verses of the Hanuman Chalisa from the emperors prison, 40 verses for each day that he was confined.

The mantra became a prayer to Hanuman, to save him from the predicament he was in. At the end of the 40 days an army of monkeys appeared at the prison and caused much chaos and turbulence. They clawed at people, tore clothes, entered homes, destroyed gardens and buildings. The emperor finally realised this must be the work of the man he imprisoned. Falling at his feet the emperor begged for forgiveness and eventually Tulsidas was released. Tulsidas set about preaching the power and strength of these verses far and wide.

Who is Hanuman?

Hanuman is a Hindu monkey God, with a human body and a monkey head, that represents our monkey, distracted, chaotic mind. If we harness the power and intelligence of the mind we are able to use that power for good, rather than exacerbating our fears and doubts.

Hanuman is a devotee of Lord Rama & Goddess Sita, and one of the central characters of the Ramayana. Hanuman is praised for his strength, courage, resilience, wisdom, celibacy and his pure devotion to Rama. All of his qualities are detailed within the Hanumān Chālīsa at great length.

When we chant the Chālīsa, we rid our physical and mental weaknesses, our tendency toward negativity decreases and anything inauspicious in our lives dissolves. We are also asking for the boon (a divine blessing) of grace, so that the discomfort, pain and suffering we endure in our lives be eased, as we hold God in our hearts at all times.

As we wipe the dust from our own hearts, through the guidance of the Guru (the remover), we call upon Rama, who bestows the four fruits (phalam) of life, honesty (Dharma), riches (Artha), delight (Kama) and freedom (Moksha). Triumph to Hanuman, Ram’s greatest devotee, who is the epitome of knowledge, devotion and strength, every difficult task in this world become easy by your grace.

Jai Hanuman Ki Jai.

Words and translation of the Hanumān Chālīsa found here.

Categories
Emma's Articles

Journaling

By Emma Salvado.

Journaling is a canvas for our thoughts and feelings, a canvas for how things fit, for how WE fit, for how we refine Unity.

Journaling is how we stay in conversation with the Universe.

Journaling is how we sketch truth within our heart.

In a deep and lasting way, Journaling is how we practice the art of correspondence within ourselves. Where a diary is a place to track the circumstances of our lives, a journal is a place to unfold the events that lift and drop us through our days, a place to ask all the questions that have no answer, a place to find and gather meaning from all we go through.

The Inherent Sequence of Learning

The threshold of all learning is question and response. It’s the gift of inquiry that draws an inner response from us. This is how we return to promise, this is how we turn into our possibility. By inquiring and inwardly responding, we become authentic.

Real thinking involves question and response, which is at the heart of dialogue. When honest, we enter and engage true questions and stop seeking answers. While the surface world requires answers…. Which foods are safe to eat…? Can I drink the water in Bali …? Etc …The things that give us meaning – Truth , Love, Peace, Paradox .. – are unanswerable. They reveal themselves when we are in relationship with them, not when we answer or try to solve them.

A journal is a private , sacred place where we work out these relationships. The base of all learning is wonder ….. Our chief task as teachers , seekers, students, is to re establish and reaffirm the inherent sequence of learning, to open wonder with a question, and then to respond, to see how things go together, and then unify them.

Any practice, instrument, experience or technique that fosters the sequence of learning is a significant aid in the art of living.

One Common Assumption

One such instrument is the journal. Its use is extremely versatile. Its can serve as a lamp, a mirror, or magnifying glass.

A journal is a personal workspace of inwardness, a soul’s logbook.

These descriptions all share one common assumption – that there is something worth inquiring into, and something worth responding to. It’s the fundamental belief on which all learning is based. We often react to life, before inquiring into it. The importance of self study through a journal, is that is actualizes who we are by exploring our relationship to everything we encounter.

Once committed to the practice of reflection as a conduit between our soul and the universe, a journal can animate our concerns and curiosities, providing a way to weave a tapestry of all the different strands of life …, ( This is living Tantra)

We are always on a journey, and so there are always spaces waiting to be entered and explored. The journey of learning, whether we like it or not, never stops.

We question , then respond.

We correspond, feel and become real.

What sketching is to a painter , Journaling is to an awakened soul.

The Workspace

What then is the nature of this tool, a journal?

It is a daily and personal practice , that is significantly tied to the rest of our lives. Its a travel log, of our souls journey through the world. Just as exercise strengthens our muscles, our practice of question and reflection can enliven us, keeping us open, acute , perceptive, and thorough.

By being faithful to the art of inner dialogue, searching for meaning in events, issues , ideas and feelings we can inhabit the life we are given by engaging the world.

The Manner and Reach of the Journal

A journal seems to work best when its established as a daily or regular practice. I would encourage you to regard it as an intimate place where you can enter time and bear witness to the wonder of your life and all its hardships and wonders. Where you can be honest about how life is happening around you.

It’s a place where you get to tell the truth as only you see if, even when you’re wrong. Write as if no one will see it. Only after you have possibly for meaning from your questions, should you share what you have found…. Do the work yourself first…What’s most important is that you remain honest, without fear of invasion ( others reading it)
Above all, It’s YOUR journal.

I also encourage you to make the space of your journal personal. So it matters what it looks and feels like. It should be chosen with care, something that you have a connection too, something you want to return too. Something welcoming. It doesn’t need to be well organised, or logical, or neat. Let it unfold organically in a way that mirrors the questions moving through your heart and mind. It could be full of sketches or scribbles….. (I write upside down and back to front sometimes)

Generally is most effectively entered in three ways :

  • It can be written in by responding to the impact of your experiences
  • Responding to the things you read ( when I’m moved by a poem or text from a book)
  • By inquiring into a journal question ( I am always on the lookout for questions that stir me, or others….. The kind of questions that have no immediate answers.

Ultimately these questions are carried by us like lanterns, that we swing in the dark to help us find our way.

The Life of Oneness

After initially beginning to journal, we can sometimes get frightened at times , because of the depth of life that opens up for us. In a world where we have grown accustomed to separating what matters from what needs to be done, your journal might seem a little disorientating.
It brings us back to our innate yearning for unity, for a life of oneness, for what we have in common, rather than what separates us.

We return to the art of correspondence, to see how things go together, so see how we fit into our life. Be ready to be opened as you enter a life of new depths. Because you may start to see your life differently, you might start to see all of life differently. You may have to allow other views in that you once thought didn’t belong.

We cannot make anyone learn but ourselves…… so work in your journal , by living closely to the heart of your experience. Feel it within yourself. Do not try to run or escape from the feelings or sensations that might arise from the work. Acknowledge them , and journal through them.

Discover what your thoughts and feelings point to, rather than summarizing what you already know.

Remember your journal is an experiment in authenticity. There is no right or wrong way.

Trust whatever comes.

The Magic you’re looking for, is in the work you’re avoiding.

Categories
Uncategorized

Fall in love with taking care of yourself = Yoga

By Amy Effendy.

I now choose to rise above my personality problems to recognize the magnificence of my being. I am totally willing to learn to love myself.” – Louise L. Ha

For many of us, the concept of self-love might conjure images of self-obsession, perfection, or even with the label of narcissism. According to study, self-love and compassion are key for mental health and well-being, keeping depression and anxiety out of the windows.
There are huge different between self -love and self-obsessions. It is important to understand the difference between these two. Self-love means acceptance, kindness, encouragement, and care.
When you love yourself, you show kind behaviour to your soul and encourage it. Self-obsession, on the other hand, compels you to compare yourself to other people.

We lived in an incredibly fast-paced world, that is constantly on the move – between jobs, relationship, family, friends and everything in between to be who we are, to accept who we are seems required a big amount of work. With high level stress on demands and expectations, looks, appearances, professional achievements, social elevations that constantly urge you to compete to the need of perfection on everything you do.
Most of the time, when we’re being too hard on ourselves, we do it because we’re driven by a desire to excel and do everything right, all the time. This entails a lot of self-criticism, and that persecutory inner voice that constantly tells us how we could’ve done things better is a hallmark of perfectionism.

“Why is self-love important?” you may ask…

For many of us, self-love might sound like a luxury rather than a necessity, too much investment on your time, money and energy — or a new-age fad for those with too much time on their hands.
Ironically, however, self-care and -compassion might actually be needed most by those of us who work too hard and who are constantly striving to surpass ourselves and grasp the shape-shifting phantasm of perfection.
Studies have shown that perfectionists are at a higher risk of several illnesses, both physical and mental, and that self-compassion might free us from its grip. Therefore, perfectionism and self-compassion are inextricably linked.
We think that by giving our absolute ALL to others was the right thing to do – and in believing this we miss a vital piece of the puzzle. The truth I’ve learned is “in order to be able to serve others we first need to serve ourselves and to look inward and practice loving our own unique spirit”. Going through this stages help me got the conviction that doing so will help me to lead a happier, more fulfilled life.
Self-compassion and self-love are largely used interchangeably in specialized literature. Research shows that having more self-compassion builds resilience in the face of adversity, helping people to recover more quickly from trauma or romantic separation. It also helps us to better cope with failure or embarrassment.

According to the researchers, “Self-kindness entails being warm and understanding toward ourselves when we suffer, fail, or feel inadequate, rather than flagellating ourselves with self-criticism”. Mindfully trained self-compassion

‘Be kind to yourself in the midst of suffering and it will change.’ Mindfulness says, ‘Open to suffering with spacious awareness and it will change.’”

NOW the question is how to start….

Invest yourself to SELF STUDY, the yogis called this as Swadhyaya….it can be spending time with your holy beings, reading spiritual text, practicing mantra japa, mindful yoga, affectionate breathing, and meditation practice that will cast a light on the mind and reveal its shadows.

Mindfulness exercises that one can do to develop self-compassion are various.
For me studying and practicing Tantra Hatha Yoga have change my life immensely. Moving from Corporate World to being a wife and mother of three beautiful princess, and a Yoga Teacher….

Yoga with no doubt strengthen my personality, to know myself in a deeper and intimate levels, radiate my luminous capacity to love, to heal myself so that I can love and heal others.

Yoga is about cultivating self-knowledge. “It’s a system and methodology to awaken clear perception and the light of both self-knowledge and knowledge about the world we live in”. Yoga allow us conjure an image of a mirror with which we can look inside ourselves.

And in fact all the great texts introduce us to ways of seeing that create opportunities for us to recognize ourselves better, allow us to remember who we are, figuring out (and owning) who we are not. It evolves self-inquiry and inner contemplation. When you do your yoga practice mindfully (this include meditation, because yoga is meditation) you are able to listening to yourself.

It can mean two things :
Firstly, paying attention to how you internally talk to yourself is crucial for learning to cultivate an intimate feeling of self-love.

“What type of language do you use with yourself when you notice a flaw or make a mistake? Do you insult yourself or do you take a more kind and understanding tone? If you are highly self-critical, how does that make you feel inside?”

We are much harsher to ourselves than we would be to others, or than how we would expect others to treat us. So, to replace this harsh inner voice with a kinder one, you can simply notice it — which is already a step toward quietly subduing it — and actively try to soften it.

Finally, you can try to rephrase the observations that you may have initially formulated quite harshly in the words of a kinder, more forgiving person.

With love always,
Ami Effendy

Categories
Octavio's Articles

Dharmic Lives Matter

By Octavio Salvado.

It’s time for us to renounce the lie, that somehow in the eyes of God, certain people are more privileged than others when it comes to finding happiness and success in life. This is the exact opposite of what the Yoga Tradition stands for.

To suggest that race, color, or economic class provide the upper hand when it comes to true liberation and freedom, as certain high-ups in the Yoga world are currently pushing, is a complete dishonoring and distorting of the Yoga Tradition and an indication of lack of loyalty to it.

If, on the other hand, what we are talking about here is a soulless, controlled, mediocre existence, then yes, I agree wholeheartedly. Certain demographics definitely have an advantage when it comes to achieving averageness.

Racism exists, as does sexism, fascism and many other ‘ism’s’. There is no denying it. Yet there is a broader reality governing humanity and all of life, called Dharmic Law, that when understood, obliterates all obstacles to greatness and all arguments regarding privilege.

This is a universal truth that applies to all. You will not be happy unless you achieve your Dharmic potential, which is the singular reason that you incarnated onto this planet. Dharma is the ONLY way to find lasting happiness in this world and there are no exceptions to this rule.

As the Bhagavad Gita states:

Life and Death are not nearly as important as ‘How’ we live. Only Dharma gives our lives meaning.

Please hear it again so it penetrates through the layers of indoctrination and conditioning: only Dharma, only Soul-aligned purpose brings happiness and success. No exceptions. No special privileges.

People who are selling the ‘poor me’ or ‘poor them’ narrative and still calling themselves Yogis, are hypocrites and are not helping people, or their students evolve, but perpetuating a limited view of what it means to be human and the gift that it is.

If you truly want to serve humanity, then teach people about Dharmic Law and lead by your own radiant example. Communicate and demonstrate that everyone can be a force of nature, no matter what their skin color or circumstances. Teach people that Life strives to assist those who strive to help themselves.

Personally, my role models have always been black or brown. As a kid and all through my high school years, I worshipped Michael Jordan. Now as an adult (and realizing that I probably won’t make it to the NBA) my focus has shifted.

Now, instead of Air Jordan posters on my wall, I have Pandit Rajmani Tigunait posters on my alter.

The common thread: Dharma

The common thread connecting both of these extraordinary men, apart from their skin color is Dharma. Both men came from relatively poor families, in relatively poor communities. No special privileges. Yet they heard the inner call, as we all do at one time or another and they committed to that mission uncompromisingly.

They endured the storms and hustled, each in their own way, harder than all the rest. More practice, more study, more failure, more growth. They rose above their circumstances.

Its time to evolve the narrative. If you are pushing the pity card for yourself or others, then you are trapped in a self-created, extremely flawed vision of reality that only leads to one place – suffering.

Let me spell it out for you. This is how you succeed in life and the only way you will be happy.

Get clear on what you love – figure out that one thing that lights you up more than anything else. Then ask yourself if by committing to that thing, you can serve the world and make it shine a little brighter.

Now, for the rest of your life, commit to that thing with the full force of your soul and with every ounce of energy that you have, indefinitely and without wavering.

Next, expect ridicule, criticism, failure, un-follows, set-backs and difficulties. Train yourself to be resilient. Train yourself to get up, time and time again, brush yourself off and keep going with increased tenacity towards your goal. Then train yourself to trust in life.

The result, 100% of the time, without fail, because this is Universal Law, will be that the forces of nature and the broader universal forces, such as those governing timing, opportunities and synchronicity will conspire to assist you in your Dharmic mission and provide you with everything that you need to succeed, or at least to get to the next step.

Will you be rich? Maybe. Will you be happy? Undoubtedly. This is true success.

If your path is the correct one and truly aligned to your grandest reasons for being here, then NOTHING can stop this process. It won’t be instantaneous and it won’t be without heartache, loss and sacrifice, but if you commit fully, it must come to fruition. This is the Law.

If you want proof, first look at nature and see how empowered every single creature is to do its allotted ‘work’. This power comes from alignment to the higher design. From this alignment, each aspect of nature is compelled to act with precision and power and life unfolds harmoniously and with immense beauty.

The reason human beings are not connected and empowered in the same way is largely because of free will, which is a gift or disaster depending on how it is used.

When we are not connected to the guiding principle of life, then free will moves us towards experiences of separation and lack. This will ultimately orchestrate our downfall via mediocrity, or self-initiated destruction and is exactly what we are seeing on a major scale across the planet right now.

The real global pandemic is lack of connection to God and to the forces of goodness that sustain all of creation.

If you want further proof of the laws of Dharma at work, research the vast number of ‘true’ success stories that have come from nothing, or very little. Those who have come from poverty, abuse and hardship, overcome the greatest of odds to achieve their own unique version of greatness.

Typically, these are the success stories that warm our hearts, because we sense the truth in them. All succeeded because either consciously, or unconsciously they understood and tapped into the Eternal Law, a law which is incorruptible.

Privilege can be a major obstacle to happiness.

The concept of ‘Privilege’, as it’s being pedaled today, can actually be a major obstacle to true happiness and success. Why? Because it usually goes hand in hand with money and education.

Education is not synonymous with intelligence. Academics are some of the dumbest people I know, because a lot of the time they lack the inner access to their intuition and God-given capacity to ‘feel’ into what is true. Too much time spent in the left brain analyzing things and being told what to think and HOW to think.

As a result, critical thinking and gut instinct are devoured by memory and book knowledge. Curious minds become submissive, left-brain robots bowing to every command, no matter how unjust or insane, coming from those who they deem ‘above them’ intellectually and higher up the food chain.

Being born into money is another potential obstacle to Dharma. Do you seriously think that money buys happiness? Look around you. Money not earned through hard work often corrupts the personality and makes it weak. Money can also pad us from the necessary blows from life that are meant to shape us.

Furthermore, those who offer the money, whether its parents, or a benefactor will likely have some pre-established agenda for the direction ‘they’ think we should take in life. At the first sniff of rebellion, they will bring the authoritarian hammer down, tell us to get back in line and threaten to withdraw the income flow.

Its time to evolve beyond this worn out idea of ‘privilege’. Its time to evolve beyond fundamental flaws in perception regarding core spiritual truths about life. Its time to evolve beyond hiding behind slogans that allow us to play small, or that keep others small.

We are ALL equal in the eyes of God. Every living Soul has the same potential to be happy and succeed. Therefore, let’s stop whining, complaining and blaming others. Our destiny is in our hands.

Get up. Be brave and go make something of your life.

Octavio is now delivering live-streamed weekly philosophy lectures on Wednesdays at 2pm Bali time. Book your spot online.

Categories
Ellen's Articles

When the mind is still we see ourselves as we truly are

By Ellen Arthur.

Do you experience yourself being confused, conflicted, unsure or doubtful? Perhaps not all day every day, but often enough that it causes disruptions in your life? I was under the impression that once I started practicing yoga these distracted, dull thoughts of mine would disappear. Right?!

When we are in this state of dullness or confusion and we attempt to make decisions from that place, our own mind loses faith in its conviction and begins to turn on itself. Loss of faith in one’s own mind leaves us feeling mistrustful and defeated, and as a consequence we begin to lose faith in the world around us. This unfolds as thinking “the world is against me”, not wanting to socialise, fear of decision making, questioning why everything bad happens to us and forgetting our truest nature, which is one of sublime peace, ease, power and purpose. 

What the yoga tradition says about doubt is that it can single-handedly derail our pursuit of spiritual illumination. Doubt, confusion and uncertainty are some of our biggest hurdles on the path of self-discovery. These qualities arise out of a clouded, unstable mind. A mind that is easily distracted and pulled in whatever direction the senses, manas (reactive mind), the ahamkara (i-maker or ego) and citta (storehouse of memories) decide. 

How do we pull ourselves out of this predicament?

It is essential to learn how to still the fluctuations of the mind, to settle into a single-pointed focus so that clarity and clear vision (viveka) arise. Only once the mind is still, are we able to see its potential, and that is, to be used as an instrument for liberation (moska), connection back to source and remembering ones highest purpose (mahad).

Take the meditation Still lake of the mind, it gives us the clarity and the vision to peer into the still and tranquil nature of the mind. Once we taste that depth of mental ease and stillness, we begin to crave it (in a very positive way – creating positive samskaras). The more we access and rest in that space of stillness and silence, the more our mind merges with that state making it less likely that we dwell and ruminate in our fear and doubt. 

Abhyasa and Vairagya

Our practices act as a spotlight, a device we can use to illuminate parts of the mind that have for many years been steeped in darkness, habit and fear. Through consistent and intelligent practice (abhyasa) and a great amount of surrender/non-attachment (vairagya) we are able to see the tendencies of confusion, doubt and fear, see them for what they are, outdated mental constructs that cripple our momentum forward in life. Through compassion, practice and a desire to evolve we are able to liberate said constructs and turn that dormant energy into something positive. 

Ultimately where our practices have the ability to take us is into a space where even during hardship and challenge, doubt and fear, we can remember and access a still and stable mind. From that stability our mind becomes quiet, introspective, observant and peaceful.

We notice that our minds are in-fact pure consciousness itself, perfectly constructed instruments to guide us back home, back to source. 

Categories
Ellen's Articles

Faith and Devotion

by Ellen Arthur.

I’ve always been very devoted. As a child I remember sitting in the church pews, head bowed in respect and honour, holy communion, eulogies, older people hugging and kissing you saying how much you had grown. We were a devoted family, to community, tradition and faith. Then came school and my friends, relationships and work, all with their own kind of devotion.

Throughout our lives faith is present, in many ways it is what binds one moment to the next, one thought to another. Faith and devotion are often spoken about together. With faith comes devotion, when we have faith, the devotion we need in order to commit to something is taken very seriously, our spiritual evolution depends upon our faith and devotion.

As soon as I was exposed to mantra I knew it was something worth exploring. I connected instantly and deeply with its purity and the way it somehow (magically) fulfilled me. It was as if I was being summoned, mantra was an elixir, a clear voice guiding me down a path I recognised, the path of devotion.

This path of yoga is called Bhakti Yoga and it comprises many different aspects of devotion from the gross to the subtle, from the outwardly expressive to the internal and silent. To western yogi’s, Bhakti yoga is synonymous with Kirtan, but it is so much more. This path is all about devoting oneself to seeing God everywhere, listening to scriptures, meditating upon and acting in service of God.

True Bhakti Yoga or true Bhaktas (those who practice Bhakti Yoga) see God as a personified form, something the devotee can relate to like a mother, a father, a sister. That way the devotion can be sent directly to God or to divine love.

Our true self can only find fulfilment once it has merged with divine love. How do we do this? It is said this union is made possible through the gateway of the heart. If practice is persistent and earnest the portal of the heart opens us to an all pervasive universe that connects us both physically, energetically and spiritually to an inner knowing, to the big idea of life, of dharma. Here the development of sweetness and devotion unfolds.

To invite this sweetness in, it is best to surround yourself with people who sing to God, pray to God and devote themselves to the divine, because naturally and overtime our own hearts begin to blossom. True devotees have hearts like flowers, they are constantly pointing their hearts and their devotion toward the sun, toward Source. This then, enriches and sustains their very lives. Increasing their level of faith and their ability to draw more and more abundance toward them and those around them.

Bhakti Yoga is said to be one of the most accessible forms of yoga due to its simple requirement of opening the heart to God. However this simplicity can be misleading. Throughout our lives we have developed many preferences, opinions and ideas about ourselves and the world. Which in turn begins to hardened the wall around our hearts making the journey toward that sacred place turbulent. Our ego can persist and deny our entry, our fears and doubts can halt our expedition. So the message is to go simply and to go sweetly. To remain the witness, the curious traveller. To honour emotion and any discomfort as new territory, new terrain for you to explore. Over time and very subtly our hard exterior begins to soften.

For some of us this softening takes months, for others years, and for most of us decades, even life times. Don’t let this deter you, we must remember that it is not the pace of our awakening that determines our “success” but our dedication and unwavering commitment to showing up for ourselves again and again. For the sake of clearing and cleaning the heart and living from that place of compassion and divine love. Let your prayers be simple and humble. May we pray that the grace of devotion touches our lives and purifies our hearts.

The heart is limitless and, because it has no form, it can contain totality.” – Ramana Maharshi

Categories
Uncategorized

The Truth About Tantra

by Octavio Salvado.

What is Tantra?

To answer the question ‘what is Tantra?’ we would need a thousand years just to begin, so vast is the span of its constituents. Instead I will offer a few insights gleaned from my own personal Tantric sadhana and a few others that have infused themselves into my heart through proximity to my beloved teachers.

What I know for sure is that our bodies are living shrines sporting internal architecture adorned with luminous alters that exude beauty the likes of which outer eyes will never see. Tantric sadhana offers us the precise road map to pilgrimage deep inside of ourselves, plus instructions on the appropriate etiquette required to lay our flower-offerings at the feet of the Lord. As a result we become a light unto ourselves, and a light to others, learning along the way that we can only give to others that which we already have.

Tantra is the relentless inner pursuit to be with Her, that great Shakti who lives inside of us and the subsequent desire to bud open and share Her light with the world, which is an out-petalling of our own soul. Botanists claim that flowers open for selfish reasons; to attract insects and pollinate. Let the scientists have their morbid lists about how selfish nature is. We know the truth! Flowers bud and open for the pure joy of it. The blossoming is unconditional. A flower shares its beauty and aroma for no other reason than to give of itself, because sweetness and beauty are its nature.

Similarly, Tantric practice ultimately leads us to our own inner blossoming and to an understanding of that goodness and beauty within us and what it is here to offer the world. If a flower can share so much purposeful light and life with the world, imagine what we can do with our advanced nervous systems, dexterous limbs, spinning chakras and free will!

As a process, committed Tantric sadhana provides us the intelligence and empowerment to access the primordial pool of healing required to mend our inner scars from this life and all others, which is the highest service we can offer to this world. It is easy to get emotional over the trees, oceans and animals, but fixing one problem will simply cause another to spring up. Until we cut out the root, which is ignorance and fear, oppression and greed will live on.

To truly serve this world, which is the highest Tantric motivation, we must first overcome our own inner poverty. Then, effortlessly, like a blooming flower we will enrich the lives of all who enter our field.

Knowing this, practice becomes service, a way to light our own lamp. Only when our own lamp is lit are we able to help light the lamp in the hearts of others. In luminosity, everything we do then becomes purposeful; all actions, thoughts and words express our inner essence, our sacred aroma, the beauty of our Soul. We walk in freedom and give others permission to do the same.

Tantra today – innocence robbed

Today, Tantra’s innocence is being robbed by charismatic perverts, fooling the masses that Sex is Tantra and sensuality can lead to enlightenment. Maha Maya in Her most dazzling cloak, even enveloping the remedy in poison. Such fun She has! Eventually we will come to understand that sex can be sacred, sex can be conscious and beautiful, but for us, it cannot be Tantric.

The ritualistic rigours of the Left-handed path are far beyond the reach and capacity of people like us. Dabbling in that façade will only increase our addictive tendencies and weaken the mind.

But let’s not dwell too long on dull discussions of delusion, there is only one Mother and She who conceals also reveals. All mothers let their kids play in the muck for a time.

True Tantra teaches us there is no substitute for ‘personal’ sadhana

Tantra, true Tantra, teaches that there is no substitute for ‘personal’ sadhana and there are no shortcuts to Samadhi. We must do the work ourselves. Tantra offers us the framework; a precise science that when practiced and understood, leads to a sacred life marked by spiritual and worldly joy and success.

What I know for sure is that your body is the living abode of the Divine. A vortex of Shaktis! To be born is freedom, if we choose to live in constant remembrance of this. All practices, arts, sciences, disciplines and human endeavours are an outgrowth of this desire to experience oneness with Her. Tantra then, is where the consummation of this desire is finally fulfilled.

Jai Maa.

Categories
Ami's Articles

Changing Our Outlook, A Practice to See Things as They are

by Ami Effendy.

Yoga begins in the present moment, and the present moment begins in silence.  From that silence, words are born.  In the Yoga-Sutra attributed to Patanjali (third century B.C.E), considered to be one of the core text of yoga psychology, we begin with a simple sentence: “Atha yoganusasanam.”  This is translated as ‘in the present moment is the teaching of yoga. 

The first word in the Yoga-Sutra – atha- literally means ‘now’, ‘what is here in this moment.”  Yoga begins in the present moment.  Yoga is the present moment.  We could more concisely translate this opening line as: “Yoga begins now”.  The teachings of yoga orientate us towards this very moment, rendering the future invisible and the past no longer in reach.  Many scholars and practitioners translate yoga as a manifestation of the verb yuj – ‘to unite” – which turns yoga into something one does, a form of willful activity.  Yoga is the act of uniting one thing with another (breath with movement, body with mind, self with other). 

Yoga is a way of being and a mode of existing.  Existence is a play of interconnectedness, and the more we clarity our perception and ways of organizing our experiences, the more openness and compassion we bring to the profound and sometimes confusing undertaking of being in the world.  The authentic practice of yoga is an unremitting attention to present experience, weather in mind, body or heart, with a baby on the hip, preparing breakfast, or balancing the breath in a headstand.

According to yoga philosophy and psychology, the only place to begin an investigation of yoga – or of anything for that matter – is the present moment, because this is all that is actually occurring.  The future has not yet arisen, and the past is passed; the only thing there is to investigate and the only way to begin paying attention is within this very experience as it unfolds right now, right here.  That is why an investigation into the nature of reality and the true nature of the mind begins in this life, this body, and this moment.  The mind, with all its fantastic, distracted and creative potential, is so used to weaving conceptions and preferences all over the present moment that we are often relating not to what is actually occurring in life but reacting to life with our perception which is likes and dislikes.  That is why psychological inquires in the service of awakening begins with what is happening in the here and now – a form of present-centered attention with acceptance.

The mind has a hard time watching anything for very long, especially its own nature that is constantly moving, looking for something that is more interesting and challenging.  The mind has a hard time being present as the breath moves in the body, or as sensations arise and fall away in different yoga poses, and as a result, we are not often here most of the time, we are so easily distracted or interrupted.  This is true not just in relationship with our own bodies and emotions but interpersonally as well.  Other people interrupt our ideas about the way things are supposed to be.  This interruption is precisely what yoga is all about:  becoming flexible enough to have our preconceptions and our elaborative tendencies interrupted.  We usually discover a lot more in the silent space between thoughts and through all the interpretations, ideas, and views our minds generate.  Moments of psychological stillness remind us that there are ways of knowing other than intellectual or habitual.  Yoga practice, both on and off the mat, opens up the heart by revealing our patterns of grasping and inflexibility.  Through a disciplined and appropriately designed yoga practice, we not only see clearly our conditioned ways of living but we learn how to let go of those patterns so that our questions radically outnumber our answers, thats when we arrive in the present moments of life free to respond with an open and creative heart.

Yoga is an investigation into who we are and what we are.  We are looking into the nature of existence by starting with mind, breath, and body.  This requires the ability to be patient and accepting of what is occurring in our mind-body so we can see something clearly enough to study it. 

In yoga posture practice we dissolve the technique of moving the body into pure feeling and then dissolve the mind into that deep experience of feeling.  Then, that is all that is there.  In, chanting, as another example, we dissolve seed syllables into pure sound, and then sound into quite, and then quite into stillness, and then stillness becomes nothing other than a contented mind that is open and receptive, sharp and still.  When the mind returns to this natural state, anything can arise in mind, body and heart, and there is no pushing or pulling, just arising and dissolving, one form becoming, in turn, another. 

If our practice is creating flexibility over the body without a corresponding flexibility of the heart, we need to flag the way we conceive of and engage in practice.

Yoga begins with an honest meeting of our present experience, which means seeing as best we can all aspects of ourselves and our world, including what is most difficult or painful. How much suffering we have felt through our inability to tolerate and live in the midst of change?  How much difficulty do we experience from our reactions to the interactivity of feelings, thoughts, movements in the body, and memory?

In the Yoga-Sutra, Patanjali initiates the path of yoga with two first steps: practice (abhyasa) and letting go (vairagya).  Cultivating more wholesome intentions and actions of body, speech, and mind, and letting go of historical and ensnaring attitudes, is a constant throughout the entire path.  Cultivating positive qualities and letting go of negative factors in our psychophysical makeup gives us a clear starting point for our practice, without which we risk getting lost in the futility of undirected movement.

After a few years of consistent practicing contemporary yoga, I began asking questions.  Many of the classes I commonly found in Yoga Studios were not represented in ancient texts, with the absent of psychological understanding in yoga communities and the eventual vanity that comes on the heels of superficial practice.  I saw around me, people accomplishing great feats of flexibility and wonderful posture practices, but those same practices did not guarantee psychological or spiritual insight.

What do we aspire to in practice? What motivates our practice? What is the reason for practice? Some say we practice for no reason.  But human experience seems always constructed within the context of purpose or meaning.  How does one live a good life? What is enlightenment? Is yoga just about physical accomplishment, and if not, why are the ethical and psychological underpinnings of yoga so under spoken? Does one have to finally hold their own heels in back bends, practice arm balance in full lotus, or is there some other test for the liberative validity of practice? 

Categories
Ellen's Articles

The Source of Your Fear

by Ellen Arthur.

The river of spirituality must have love and devotion woven into its flow. Without this inner experience of reverence and sweetness our practices become fruitless and we lose interest. Practice wholeheartedly, unattached to the outcome is something to be done on a daily basis. What I know to be true is that no one else can work with our mind for us, no teacher or therapist can clean our mind of confusion and make it one-pointed. Even the scriptures say “light your own lamp, no one else can give you enlightenment”. This implies that we are our own guides, our own teachers.

As I practice, both my physical teacher and my inner teacher ask that I dive deeper, into the realms of mind and habit. What I am continuously coming up against are my insecurities and doubts. Some days they are little ripples upon a quiet lake, other days they are all consuming waves of emotion which overwhelm my ability to see clearly. Within these emotions, whether they create large waves or small ripples is fear. Fear is what stifles our growth, keeps us living small and is the source of all our pain and suffering.

This is where yoga steeped in knowledge and Tradition comes in. The intention of the practices are to aid in deep healing and inner transformation. It asks us very specifically to analyse the source of our fear. The judgements, anxieties and resentments and get to the root of them. Only once we acknowledge the source of our fears are we able to liberate them.

Pandit Rajmani Tigunait, PhD, says that we should contemplate two main themes. The first is to be careful of fear and doubt. These qualities are like an army of termites chewing away at our foundation and causing the entire structure of spirituality to collapse. The second theme centres around ego. Our greatest enemy. It is in charge of emotions such as anger, hatred, jealousy, greed and the desire for revenge. Every one of these emotional enemies cause great destruction both internally and externally

In my analysis I have come up with this question, why do patterns repeat themselves? Patterns of self sabotage, unworthiness and confusion. Until recently I never knew to ask these questions or realise that they had remedies. Now that my current practices are informed by contemplation and self analysis. I am beginning to notice incremental shifts through practices such as mantra japa, emphasis on self compassion, self love and also techniques that guide us toward releasing negativity. I can viscerally and mentally feel the transformation talking place within my consciousness. I am less reactive, less driven by egotistical desires and more interested in moving toward things, people and places that inspire, excite and enable me to grow in happiness and unconditional love.

Not wanting to diminish the challenges faced coming up against the lower mind. I try to remember that what I am going through is a process of healing. Of moving away from fear and guiding myself toward love. A process that requires trust, compassion and the permission to heal. To acknowledge our negative and harmful traits and have the tools and support to gracefully move beyond them.

Blessed are we with the grace of the inner teacher, to be able to move through life in this human form, with a mind that is able to discern, decide and act. However, the great Yogis realised it’s not enough. It is important that we expose ourselves to the other three forms of grace.
Grace from the scriptures, revealed knowledge, The Grace of God,
and the sweet, nurturing Grace of the Guru.

With these four forms of Grace, really nothing can stand in the way of our liberation, our desire to evolve and meet the higher Self, the all knowing one, where we are reunited with our Soul.

All we can do is practice in an informed and honest way. To be easeful in our approach to our own wounds and desire to heal. To remember that the source of our fear is the very thing that CAN liberate us from all ignorance and suffering.

All blessings,
Elle

Categories
Octavio's Articles

Believe That Both are Possible

by Octavio Salvado.

Where have all the role models gone? Where are the radiant examples of individuals showing us that success in the inner world does not have to obliterate success in the outer world, or vice versa? Tantra’s message is Simple. Both are possible.

Tantra is two things, a life affirming philosophy that views the world as a living expression of the sacred, plus a potent set of methods providing the exact means to experience this philosophy. The ultimate goal of Tantra is to live an extraordinary life, inner and outer both.

According to the tradition, this is achieved through the skillful and willful integration of three separate yet interconnected ideas: Bhoga (Fulfillment), Apavarga (Freedom) and Bhukti (Accomplishment).

In other words, to fulfill our ultimate potential as human beings we must delight in our human lives in a way that’s connected to our highest self and from that place breathe life into meaningful ideas that serve the world.

Bhoga is often defined as the desire for material, or worldly fulfillment. It speaks to the inherent desire to feel pleasure and enjoyment. There are many paths that deny this and try to suppress it.

Tantra sees it as an inescapable part of being human. It states that by meeting this desire with self-awareness, the glory of the soul can be experienced in daily life adding much richness and meaning to it.

Tantra does not support reckless or indulgent behavior. It does not support promiscuous sex, open-relationships, or recreational drug use. This is something we in the West have made up to give ourselves permission to sanctify our general lack of inner resolve. It is much easier to stay engaged in our lower tendencies when we pretend those tendencies are somehow ‘Yogic’.

For this reason, Tantra can be described as a kind of razor’s edge. Many Yogis fall from that edge, or slice themselves in the dance. The number of sexual lawsuits against ‘Gurus’ and international Yoga teachers is a sad and disgusting example of this.

Tantra invites us to enjoy the body and delight in the world from a place of unwavering spiritual discrimination. We should always be asking ourselves ‘who is driving the bus in this moment?’, because the soul will never steer us wrong. When we celebrate life in this way, we give credibility to Yoga, instead of dragging its name through the mud.

Desire, when well informed, is also a powerful tool for spiritual evolution. In fact, without a borderline obsessive desire to evolve beyond our limiting patterns, we simply won’t. The shakti, or power held within those limitations will continue to restrict our forward momentum like a riptide pulling us out to sea.

Apavarga means liberation from these lower tendencies and a subsequent anchorage to the higher Self. Although Tantra invites us to delight in the human world, it also provides an exact set of methods for transcending the limitations of the body and mind allowing us to experience absorption into that which transcends both.

Tantra does not view Bhoga and Apavarga as being in conflict with one another. Instead it views them as major aspects of living an integrated and extraordinary life. The weaving of our human ability to thrive in the world and our spiritual ability to live in constant remembrance of who we are represent two thirds of the tapestry. Yet there is one more crucial thread to living an exalted life – Bhukti.

Bhukti translates to ‘accomplishment’. Tantra does not support shying away from worldly success in the name of spirituality. When Krishna demands that Arjuna rise from the floor of his chariot and pick up his bow to fight, this is Bhukti.

Understanding our soul’s grandest vision and bringing that vision to life is at the core of Tantra? What is your hidden gift? And will achieving that goal bring more light, more healing, more meaning, knowledge and joy to the world? If the answer is yes, then you have a spiritual obligation to exhaust every last resource you have until that dream is a manifested reality. The Gita again reminds us, “Life and death are not nearly as important as HOW we live. In the end, only Dharma gives our lives meaning.”

Tantra is not for the fickle or faint of heart, it demands that we utilize all of our intrinsic power and self-knowledge to overcome struggle and undoubtedly the ambush of inner and outer criticism to accomplish great things in the world. In this way we both serve the world and honor our soul’s innate glory and magnificence.

Believe that both are possible; inner and outer success. If we are not experiencing this, then either we have misunderstood the teachings, our methodology is inadequate, or we are not investing enough effort into our study and practice. Either way, our destiny is where it has always been – in our own very capable hands.

Categories
Ami's Articles

The Art of The Innate Joy and Self Contentment

by Ami Effendy.

Like the ability to learn a language or love another human being, the ability to feel joy is something we are all born with. We are born happy; we are born free.

However the human being has to face the facet of changes, our conditioning. Everything is changing, the season is changing, the day is changing, and our body is changing. More importantly our mind is also always changing, our mood is changing, and the world is changing. All that changes creates a certain level of uncertainty, in deeper level even fear. The other change that we rather think about is mortality.

Many of us still believe that joy isn’t innate – that is only comes with possessing a specific item or achieving a particular outcome. So we keep searching for joy through objects, relationship, and experiences, which prevents us from realizing that this essential emotion is already within us, patiently waiting to be experienced.

Unfortunately, when you resist or deny feelings of joy, your life and relationships can lose their meaning and value. For instance, when you feel you’re not living life fully, or when you’re feeling bitter or jealous about that which others have and you don’t, these feelings can overshadow your ability to feel your innate joy.

Research shows that regularly experiencing joy—whether in the form of laughter or of activities that promote happiness and well-being, can produce healthy changes throughout your body. Joy can strengthen your immune system, boost your energy, diminish your perception of pain, anxiety, and depression, protect you from the damaging effects of stress, increase your ability to sleep restfully through the night, and more. And the best thing is that you can access feelings of joy at any time through meditation.

Another practices for welcoming joy is to spend time experiencing gratitude moments—welcoming feelings of gratitude and joy into body and mind. You do this by taking time to recall that which you’re thankful for. Research shows that people who regularly practice gratitude moments are more joyful and experience less depression than those who don’t.

Heart – Brain Connection According to Science

Many believe that conscious awareness originates in the brain alone. Recent scientific research suggests that consciousness actually emerges from the brain and body acting together. A growing body of evidence suggests that the heart plays a particularly significant role in this process.

The human heart has always been a symbol love and romance. In reality, however, it is an organ that pumps blood around our bodies, or there is something more?

Where has this emotional connection to love come from?

No other organ in the human body has this connection with an emotion, so could there be something behind the literature and poetry, and if so, could science provide an explanation?

There are neurons in your heart.

Many people assume that the brain is controlling our emotions, but Professor David Paterson, Ph.D. at Oxford University, disputes this. He says that the brain is not the only organ that produces emotions. This is because the heart actually contains neurons similar to those in the brain, and these fire in conjunction with the brain. The heart and the brain are therefore connected:
When your heart receives signals from the brain via the sympathetic nerves, it pumps faster. And when it receives signals through the parasympathetic nerves, it slows down, says Professor Paterson.

In 1991, a scientific discovery published in the journal Neurocardiology put to rest any lingering doubt that the human heart is more than a pump. The name of the journal gives us a clue to the discovery of a powerful relationship between the heart and the brain that went unrecognized in the past.

A team of scientists led by J. Andrew Armour, M.D., Ph.D., of the University of Montreal, which was studying this intimate relationship between the two, found that about 40,000 specialized neurons, or sensory neurites, form a communication network within the heart.

In each moment of every day, a conversation is taking place inside us. Without a doubt, it’s one of the most vital communications we will ever find ourselves engaged in. It’s the silent, often subconscious, and never-ending conversation of emotion-based signals between our hearts and our brains, also known as the heart brain connection.

The reason this conversation is so important is because the quality of the emotional signal our hearts sends to our brains determines what kind of chemicals our brains release into our bodies.

When we feel what we would typically call negative emotions, for instance, anger, hate, jealousy, and rage, our hearts send a signal to our brains that mirrors our feelings. Such emotions are irregular and chaotic, and this is precisely what the signal they send to the brain looks like. If you can envision a chart of the ups and downs of the stock market on a wild and volatile day, you’ll have an idea of the kind of signals we create in our hearts in times of chaos.

The human body interprets this kind of signal as stress, and triggers the mechanisms to help us respond appropriately. The stress from negative emotions increases the levels of cortisol and adrenaline—often called stress hormones, which prepare us for a quick and powerful reaction to whatever is causing us stress—in our bloodstreams. This is our instinctive fight-or-flight response.

The research has shown that when we create rejuvenating emotions, such as appreciation, care, gratitude, and compassion, the signal from heart to brain becomes more harmonized to reflect the quality of the emotions. In the presence of a harmonized signal, there is no need for the fight-or-flight response. The stress hormones decrease, allowing the heart and brain to shift and produce the chemistry that supports stronger immune response, healing properties and greater amounts of DHEA, the precursor to all other hormones in the body.

Whether it’s based in emotions from stress or harmony, the conversation and connection between heart and brain—specifically, between the sensory neurites in our hearts and those that make up our brains—is constantly occurring as a dialogue of very low frequencies.

Heart – Brain Connection According to Yoga Tradition

This is one of those places where science and spirituality overlap beautifully. While the science describes the electrical relationship and connection between the heart and the brain, ancient spiritual practices and techniques have helped people apply the relationship in their lives—and do so without a scientific explanation.

As with any technique that’s passed from teacher to student, however, the steps for creating heart-brain connection and coherence are best experienced with a seasoned practitioner to facilitate the process.

This heart-brain connection according to the Tantra is called “Pran Vayu”. The word Pran is taken from “Prana” which commonly known as energy, breath or lifeforce. The Pran Vayu is one of the five primarily Vayus.

However, the translation of word “Prana” is falls well short than the actual meaning of the words. The words “Prana” infers to a quality of alivenes, which also speak towards our emotions and feelings.

The Pran Vayu is the upward and inward subtle energy movement within the body that is responsible for recharging the mind and the body, that is located in the heart primarily (lungs and chest) and the head, related to the inhalation which is our ability to take the “life in”.

The Pran is associated with emotional Intelligence, heart intelligence. It’s constant. We can trust it. It’s important to acknowledge this, because it means that the wisdom of our heart—the answers to the deepest and most mysterious questions of life that no one else can answer—already exists within us.

Rather than something that needs to be built or created before it can be used, the link between our heart and the place that holds the answers is already established. It’s been with us since the time we were born and has never left us. It’s up to us as to when we choose to access that link as a “hotline” to the deepest truths of our life. It’s also up to us as to how we apply the wisdom of our heart in the reality of our everyday life.

This is where discernment comes in. While our heart’s wisdom may be true for us, it may not always be true for someone else. Our friends, children, siblings, life partners, and families all have their own heart wisdom.

Few simple steps to create heart-brain connection. Each steps sends a signal to the body that a specific shifts has been put into motion. Combined, the steps create an experience that takes us back to a natural harmony that existed in our bodies earlier in life, before we began to separate our heart-brain network through our conditioning.

Step 1
Settle into a comfortable sitting position with supported prop (blanket, pillow, or block) so that your lower back is fully supported, as you sit up high positioned the crown of your head over the based of your spine.

Step 2
Take one or two deep breath to ensure freedom, both in the spine and in the breath. Just relax and be aware the sensation on the breath, without trying to make anything happened.

Step 3
Continue to watch the breath, remaining completely effortless, you adsorb your body breathing. Notice if there is any tension and stress on the breath, if there is, just relax a bit more. Let go.

Step 4
Bring your awareness to the space between your brain and skull. Just relax and be aware. One of the thing you might notice is that in that space, the general area of the brain is highly sensitive to light, to presence. There is definitely a feeling of openness and spaciousness there. As you deep into your relaxation, you start to notice that there is an innate goodness or delight or ease in that space. Kind of presence of inner joy, while you stay mindful of that feeling, or of that presence, notice your body breathing again.

Step 5
Now, as you breath out, sense that light of presence, to descend to the heart, as your body breath in allow that presence to rise back up to the space between the brain and the skull. Each time you breath out, there is the descend to that heart, each time you inhale there is ascend back to the space between the brain and the skull. Continue to direct the mind to move on into the flow of the breath. Gradually the mind becomes absorb to this movement, if it wonder or drift re-direct the mind to follow the flow of the breath. To descend and ascend, the experiences of goodness, a spaciousness and joy.

Step 6
As you continuously, effortlessly to ascend and descend. As the mind increasingly absorbed on the technique, you noticed that this presence, inner delight, inner joy, contentment begins to collect in heart.

Finally in this last stage, simply rest in the heart.
Be aware that you have gain access to this inner domain of unconditioned joy and peace. As you rest in that space, there is timeles experience of oneness, and wholeness. You are no longer rising and falling through the spine, you open the door to your heart.
Where you experience a complete oneness and unconditioned joy. Rest here for as long as you desire.

Join the complete version of this Meditation including Pranayama with me at The Practice Online “Pranayama & Meditation” on August 2019’s issue.

Infinite love and Gratitude,

Ami Effendy

Categories
Ellen's Articles

Practice as Seva

by Ellen Arthur.

Why do we practice? What keeps us coming back? The reason we practice anything, whether its yoga, a language, a sport, is so that our knowledge of that thing deepens. Our thirst for understanding propels our desire to practice.

These questions were never something I considered when I first met the mat. It wasn’t so much of a conscious decision to return to practice as it was a deep visceral desire to feel good and to evolve. To feel that through practice I was able to connect to something beyond the bazaar world my mind usually dwelled in. The mind (my mind, your mind) is a tool. We can use it to enhance the way we view the world (Worldview – Santali) or we can use it to destroy and destruct. For a long time I didn’t know I had a choice, I just resigned myself to the fact that I was going to be at the mercy of the mind forever!!

It is an assumption to say, but for the most part, we practice firstly for ourselves. To make ourselves feel more energetically rich, strong, healthy and attuned to the environment around us, making us more connected and conscious of our actions. In order to progress along any path, this step is essential. To feel good within our own skin, to find love for ourselves first.

Then something magical happens. The lens of our practice starts to shift. We begin to realise that by healing ourselves we inadvertently begin to heal those around us. Our devotion, our discipline, our capacity to feel and engaged from a deeper pool of emotions has a ripple affect. After all… isn’t that why we are here? To be of service to each other and therefore to be of service to the world?

In Yoga we have a word that embodies this concept. This word in Sanskrit is Seva; having an interest in the well-being of others as well as oneself. Service gives us the opportunity to lose the concept of “self” that we have programmed/created so that we can offer our time selflessly to others.

Serving others is considered a great siddhi, a great power. In order to serve others we must confront very real and impressionable thoughts and ideas that we have about ourselves and the world. Service asks us to renounce our own selfish desires and needs. This can be quite a hurdle to overcome. Through the practice of Seva we are able to see quite clearly where our patterns and conditions arise from. Ultimately the things that we unconsciously repeat, whether they are thoughts, actions or addictions, are the very things that keep us stuck and habitual.

Karma Yoga, meaning deed or action, refers to the law of cause and effect. The idea is that every action leads to a reasonable result – and that everything that happens can be traced back to something done in the past. Actions determine destiny, this is the basis of Karma Yoga. We reap what we sow.

In the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna says that we must work not for our own sake but for the welfare of all. Pointing out that this is the basic law underlying all of creation. That each being must do their part in the grand scheme of life.

Krishna tells Arjuna, “we must perform our duties without attachment to their fruit or outcome. We must act in a selfless spirit, without ego-involvement and without getting entangled in whether things work out the way we want; only then will we not fall into the terrible net of Karma”.

Arjuna asks Krishna, what powers bind us to our selfish ways? Even when we want to act rightly, often we do the wrong thing. What power moves us?
Krishna replies… “Anger and selfish desire are our greatest enemies. They are the destructive powers that can compel us to wander away from our purpose, to end up in self delusion and despair”.

So as you can see, this is not an easy task to undertake when we are confronted by our biggest hurdles and demons in the process of serving others. This is why our practice and what we practice is so essential. Practices that amplify our demons, struggles and our ego will obviously take us further and further down the path of self destruction. Whereas practices that soften us, humble us, connect us to our hearts and challenge us mentally give us strength to walk the path of purpose, the path of Dharma.

To be of service is to ask the questions… When I do something, why do I expect something in return? Why do I think the world owes me? What am I trying to gain by giving to others? What am I trying to fulfil or suppress?

Practice brings self inquiry, and through this we are able to ask the harder, deeper questions. Our capacity to look at our darkness, our greed, without judgement or reaction based on habit, is what allows us to progress and overcome selfish tendencies.

When was the last time you really considered the impact your practice is having on you and the world around you? When was the last time you did something without attachment to individual gain? What would that look like for you? How would that feel? I encourage you to use the science of yoga as a way to deeply connect with your truest nature so that in turn you are able to share and be of service to the world and those around you.

I will leave you with this from Krishna…

“Fulfil all your duties; action is better than inaction. Even to maintain your body Arjuna you are obliged to act. Selfish action imprisons the world. Act selflessly without any thought of personal gain”.

Many blessings to you,
Namaste,
Elle