The Black vinyl Chakra symbols look great on this Hammered Gold finished, tunable, MILLTONE, steel tongue drum. There is also a Man sitting in the lotus position displaying the Chakra locations  in the body and a Sri Yantra graphic inside.

Model 4G-HGLD-342, Dec. 24, 2009

Man in Lotus position displays Chakra locations

Sri Yantra inside, Chakras and Om on the Tongues

Fun and Easy to Play, Enjoy!

Click here to visit the eBay auction for this beautiful Steel Tongue Drum.

Thank You, and HAPPY HOLIDAYS

Author: Leonard Lee
Source: download

At times the soul undergoing transition is led across rivers with the aid of an escort. In Greek myths, Charon, the boatman, was assigned the task of guiding souls to the Otherside. Hermes,, indian incense
, acting as psychopompos, led deserving souls to Olympus. The ushabtis, or statuettes buried with the dead among ancient Egyptians, could conceivably represent escorts or soul-bearers, aside from the usual, indian incense
, interpretation of scholars of them being servants in the afterlife. In other religions, the escort of the soul is the Angel of Death, the grim reaper wielding a scythe as depicted in one of the cards, indian incense
, of the Major Arcana of the Tarot–although the average Christian sees that being not, indian incense
, as an escorter but as an avenger. Muslims call this Angel of Death, “Izrail.” There is a possibility that escorts of the soul do not always fetch departing souls from the Otherside. They may, in fact, also come from our physical dimension aiding souls in their transition. What we are intimating is that the mastery of astral projection or lucid dreaming actually gives the mystic or psychic the power, indian incense
, to act as psychopompos, or guide of the soul. Our own personal experience may suggest this, as we will relate below, however, we are not implying here that we have personally, indian incense
, mastered the art of occult mobilization, or attained a spirituality of a high degree:
We (I, me, myself) once had a dear friend who was a Theosophist. Although there were decades of physical years between us, we were rather close. One day, we received a call informing us of her demise. Her passing was sudden and unexpected. Wondering, indian incense
, what her condition was like in the bardo, that night we decided to be by her side to offer assistance. And so with affirmations, intense mind-programming, and a strong desire, we spontaneously attained a projection without strenuously going through the usual steps as taught in occult books and schools. Moments, indian incense
, later, we were by her side, leading her to a certain place, to a certain spiritual guide or master with whom in the astral state we were well acquainted with. When we reached our destination, we said to her: “from hereon you are on your own. We shall meet again.” After bidding her farewell, we were once again back in our physical body.
All along the projection, we were lucid and aware–aware that a part of us was asleep in bed; while another aspect, was active in another world. This is one of the signs indicating that the experience was not a dream. Soul-travel as we have mentioned before, is a mystery to the average religious devotee. Eventhough mystics, prophets and saints have alluded to this particular occult ability possessed by man, the average person still remains unconvinced and skeptical as to its reality; or from another perspective they fear it as a satanic gift. However, at least the Bahแi’i faith firmly states the possibility for one to experience the afterlife while yet still alive and embodied on earth. Many modern saints such as Padre Pio were adepts of soul-travel.
Soul-travel,, indian incense
, or astral travel is a natural mode of rest, indian incense
, for the incarnating soul from the vicissitudes of everyday life. This usually occurs through sleep, but may be induced through various means. It is through this occult faculty that knowledge of the various dimensions may be, indian incense
, gained. Ancient Greeks were familiar with the art of astral projection. In their myths there are many references to heroes visiting the underworld, such as Hercules, Aeneas, and Odysseus, or sorceresses such as Medea accompanying Jason, the captain of the Argonauts in his adventures–although she in her astral body. These myths probably refer to the astral aspects of the secret initiations of the ancient Mystery Schools.
The Occult Tradition
Before explaining the death process from the occult and metaphysical point of view, we ought to possess some knowledge of man’s occult anatomy, for man’s hidden structure and physiology play an important role in the release of the soul from its confinement to the form and the disintegration of the, indian incense
, physical body, indian incense
, and they are, therefore, a pertinent factor to our understanding of transition. It is also of some relevance to know the, indian incense
, structure of the various planes or dimensions. We shall, therefore, consider these two essential topics briefly before discussing, indian incense
, the process of transition from the occult perspective.
The Microcosm
Man, the microcosm, possesses several bodies, principles, or vehicles. According to Theosophy, these principles/bodies are seven in number: Monad, Atma, Buddhi, Higher Mental/Causal, Lower Mental, Astral Body, and Etheric/Physical. Christianity divides man’s components, indian incense
, into body, soul and spirit. The concept of man possessing several bodies is also to be found in Hinduism, the Qaballah, and Islam; and is in fact based on the teachings of the Ageless Wisdom; it is to be found underlying all spiritual traditions in one form or another. The Initiates of ancient Egypt, for instance, had a clear understanding of man’s subtle anatomy as we can see from the following suggested correspondence with the Theosophical system:
Physical Body – Khat
Etheric, indian incense
, Body – Khaibit (shadow)
Astral Body – Ka (double)
Lower Mental – Ba (heart-soul)
Causal Body – Sahu (spiritual body)
Higher Mental – Ren (name)
Buddhi – Khu/Ab (spiritual soul)
Atma – Sekhem (power)
Monad – Khabs
In average cases, the bodies directly involved in the death process and in the afterdeath state are of the first five-the physical body, etheric, astral, lower mental, and causal. In certain conditions it may involve the first two or three.
Each body or principle has energy-centers fully developed and functioning, or in the process of unfoldment. These energy-centers are called chakras in Hindu occultism and there are seven of major importance. In the physical body the endocrine glands and the plexi correspond to these chakras. The following are the Hindu terms for these chakras as well as their correspondence to the glands and their location:
Muladhara – gonads – base of spine
Svadishtana – spleen/pancreas – naval
Manipura – adrenals – solar plexus
Anahata – thymus – heart
Vishuddha – thyroid – throat
Ajna – pituitary – center of eyebrows
Sahasrara – pineal – crown
Every vehicle of consciousness possesses chakras, some of which are not functioning to its full potential or fully-developed as yet in the average, indian incense
, human being. Chakras are channels and, indian incense
, transformers of energy. They receive the influx of energies originating from higher spheres and distribute those energies to a lower principle. The frequencies or qualities of these chakras are associated with one’s evolutionary development; this, indian incense
, account for the many colours attributed to them by various authorities who often seemingly contradict one another. These chakras vibrate at a rate determined by the quality of the indwelling soul. During transition, indian incense
, the soul escapes through one of these, indian incense
,, indian incense
, portals. One’s evolutionary development determines, indian incense
, where the soul, indian incense
, would make its exit. According to occult teachings, it is favorable for the soul to be released through the crown chakra or other higher, indian incense
, centers; escape, indian incense
, through the lower centers results in a transition to one of the lower worlds. Generally speaking, the average person evacuates the body, in the process of transition, through the solar plexus chakra. This is because the manipura chakra is associated with the qualities of self-centeredness, and is the normal expression and polarization of the average person. Aspirants and servers of humanity often emerge out of the heart chakra, as this chakra is related to an expanding love for all sentient beings. Enlightened, spiritual souls pass out of the physical form through the crown chakra. This major center is associated with pure, lofty thoughts and feelings, with a sense of oneness and identification with all beings. It is this crown chakra that Hopi Indians believed to be the exit of the soul, indian incense
, at death. Occultism declares that the point of exit indicates the realm that the indwelling soul would sojourn, whether it be in the lower regions of “hell,” or in the upper localities, indian incense
, of “heaven.”
Connecting, indian incense
, the various bodies together, like beads on a string, is the sutratma. This sutratma is sometimes, indian incense
, referred to as the “silver cord.” This term comes from one of the books of the Old Testament.
“Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern.” (Ecclesiastes 12:6)
While the indwelling soul is incarnated in the physical form, the sutratma remains intact, connecting the lower form to the higher principles. It functions primarily as a channel for divine life forces–the energies emanating from the Monad. In sleep and in the astral state, when the awareness-principle roams about in the higher dimensions, this cord serves as a connecting link between the material body and the astral form. So long as this cord exists intact, the soul is bound to the physical body. Once the cord is severed, as occurs in the death process, the, indian incense
, soul loses its connection with the physical body. A person may be in a coma, or in a cataleptic, indian incense
, state with a resemblance, indian incense
, of death, but, indian incense
, so long as the cord endures, it is always possible for life to return–it is possible to “raise, indian incense
, the dead,” so to speak.
Another point to consider concerning man’s occult anatomy which is relevant to our discussion, indian incense
, of the process of transition are the seed-atoms. These atoms are vortexes of energies which collectively speaking, may be considered as the records of the unfolding soul, or as the soul’s “book of life.” They correspond to “Kiramun-i-Kaitibun,” the recording angels in sufi teachings. Occultism teaches the existence of three seed-atoms–the mental, astral and the physical seed-atom. These atoms register all of the thoughts, feelings and actions of the incarnated soul. They are records of the quality and nature of the soul, and may be thought of as the memory book of all the experiences of the soul’s past incarnated lives. They, therefore, also contain the records of one’s karmic history, indian incense
, . It should be noted that although Buddhism teaches reincarnation, they do not believe in a “self” that reincarnates. To Buddhists, that which reincarnates are the karmic traits of the awareness-principle. Although we will not consider the question of what survives and, indian incense
, reincarnates, it is interesting to know that these “karmic traits” correlate with the contents of the seed-atoms.
The mental seed-atom is associated, indian incense
, with the soul’s consciousness, indian incense
, and mental world of thoughts and ideas. In the physical, indian incense
, body it resides in the pineal gland. One’s feelings, negative and positive, are registered in the astral seed-atom. The liver,, indian incense
, indian incense
, is the temporary home of this seed-atom. The physical seed-atom abides in the heart. It is associated with the life-principle within the body. In the death process, the seed-atoms emerge out of the physical body in sequence, as we shall see presently.
According to occultism in general, in the beginning of a manvantara, or cycle of manifestation and creation, the First Cause emanated from Itself streams, indian incense
, of energies of varying densities; or Spirit vibrating in a whole spectrum of frequencies. These, indian incense
, energies, structured electronically in high and low densities, are, indian incense
, the various dimensions, planes, realms, or mansions of the manifested Cosmos, indian incense
, . In the Qaballah, these dimensions and planes are referred to as the 4 worlds and the sephiroths. According to theosophical teachings, there are seven planes that concerns, indian incense
, man’s present evolution. These, indian incense
, seven planes are collectively called the cosmic physical plane. Though there are higher planes, we will not consider them, as they have very little to do with man’s evolution, and are far beyond our status as human souls.
The seven planes, in theosophical teachings are called: Logoic, Monadic, Atmic, Buddhic, Mental, Astral, and Physical. Certain Sufi teachings refer to these various planes as: “Alam-i-tabi-at,” “Alam-i-surat,”, indian incense
, “Alam-i-ma’na,” “Alam-i-malakut,” “Alam-i-jabarut,” “Alam-i-lahut,” and “Alam-i-hahut.” Each of the seven planes mentioned are subdivided into seven lesser realms, indian incense
, making 49 in, indian incense
, all. The various heavens and hells (realms of joy and suffering) which the human soul sojourns and dwells are to be found in the Mental and, indian incense
, Astral, indian incense
, regions. In the upper regions of the Mental subplanes is to be found what is called the Causal plane. This is paradise proper where most souls go to rest before reincarnating in the physical dimension. Tibetan Buddhism refers to the Physical, Astral and Mental planes as the six worlds: the world of gods (Devaloka), of Titans (Asuraloka), of hungry ghosts (Pretaloka), of hell, of animals, and of humans. These, indian incense
, descriptive realms symbolically, indian incense
, refer to, indian incense
, human behaviour and evolutionary, indian incense
, development with a predominating characteristic vice: for instance, pride, envy, greed, hatred, ignorance, and desire. These six worlds are the abodes or heavens–or hell, as the case may be–of souls of varied spiritual development. Below we give the evolutionary level of souls in correlation with the six worlds that they vibrate in harmony with:
Causal-Higher Mental Planes – World of gods – Saints, masters . . .
Lower Mental Planes – World of Asuras – Philosophers,, indian incense
, heroes . . .
Higher and Mid-Astral Planes – World of Pretas – Average man
Lower Astral Planes – World of Animals, indian incense
, – Purgatory, temporary abode of, indian incense
, average man.
Sub-Lower Astral Planes – World of Demons – Hell, temporary abode of evil and, indian incense
, wicked men.
Physical Plane, indian incense
, – World of Humans, indian incense
, – Physical world, all types of souls.
Transition and the after death state
We have already discussed the various relevant parts of man’s occult anatomy that are directly involved in the death process. We shall now see how they fit together in the soul’s birthing process into another realm. It should be noted, however, that there are variations in the death process. We shall be considering the normal process of death for the average, indian incense
, person, but before we do, let us consider how occultism advocates the method of assistance to the, indian incense
, dying.
Occultism teaches the necessity for absolute quietness surrounding the dying. The moanings and wailings of relatives and friends should be kept, indian incense
, at a minimum and away from the presence of the one undergoing transition. The dying’s sense of perception is heightened during transition and is focused strongly on the bardo, and, therefore, it is imperative at, indian incense
, this stage that nothing disturbs the dying person. To do so would distract the soul from liberating itself in the early stages of the bardo, indian incense
, and prevent it from being reborn in a higher realm. It is said that orange light in the room of the dying helps the awareness-principle, indian incense
, to maintain consciousness so that it would not miss the Clear Light of the first stage of the bardo. Oneness and identification with the Clear Light is what causes liberation for the soul–liberation from the necessity to reincarnate. Sandalwood incense and chanting of mantras also aid the dying to remain focussed and mentally alert. In the Tibetan tradition, certain guidance is given verbally to the dying pilgrim, that it may recognize the various stages of the bardo and what it should do once they are encountered and experienced. Occultism advocates similar assistance to the dying, since the basic purpose underlying both systems are one and the same, that is, the liberation of the soul from an unfortunate rebirth in one of the lower regions of the cosmos which causes evolutionary, indian incense
, stagnation. The techniques for aiding the dying as well as dying fruitfully is well worth knowing–especially to practicing metaphysicians.
What, indian incense
, is important to learn is the maintaining of one’s mind and consciousness at a lofty level through constant meditation and mental reflection in everyday life. This polarizes the, indian incense
, consciousness in the head chakra and facilitates the recognition of the dawning light in the first stage of the bardo. Dying consciously is more advantageous than dying in an unconscious manner for the above reason.
Strangely enough, depending upon our perspective, highly evolved souls are aware of the time and onset of their death. This inner knowing is derived from intuitive impressions from the Oversoul, or Higher Self. Such initiates are knowledgeable of the process of death and they transit in full awareness without a break or a hiatus, indian incense
, in their consciousness. Some even attain what is called “the Rainbow Body.” This is the transformation or the absorption of physical particles of the body into one’s spiritual light during transition, leaving no empty corpse behind. This is alluded to in the biblical passage concerning the prophet Enoch, where it is said that he walked with God “and was not.”
Those having seen the Clear Light and have united with it, or acquired the divine gnosis called “marifatullah” in Esoteric Islam encounters various esoteric/exoteric signs months and days prior to the death process:
[Note:, indian incense
, The table of the esoteric/ exoteric signs may be seen as originally published at our website]
Copyright ฉ 2006 Luxamore
Luxamore

Metaphysical teacher, counseler, healer and merchant of occult/magickal items of Indonesia.

http://www.indotalisman.com/

http://www.bezoarmustikapearls.com/

This does NOT represent me

I have been involved with polyamory groups for a few years now, both in Philadelphia and Atlanta.  I have met some pretty cool people through these groups, and have had some interesting discussions and learned a lot from people.  But one thing I have noticed in the past, and it is true here in Atlanta as well, is that there is a very significant overlap of polyamorous people and Paganism.

Now, the term Pagan is too large to try and define here, so I will not try.  But there is also a large segment of the Pagan population that is also into certain things which I, as well as many other skeptics, often refer to as Woo.

What is Woo, you ask? Woo is is chakras, vibrations, and astrology.  Woo is metaphysical silliness that uses words like ‘energy’ (but not even close to it’s physics meaning) or even worse ‘energies’.  Woo is the New Age, or as some call it, ‘newage’ (rhyming with ’sewage’). It is a significant part of the new Paganism, while having little or nothing to do with pre-Christian Paganism.

And at the same time it has its own life outside of pagan communities.  Some of it lives within liberal Christian communities as well.  Some of it lives by itself in psychics, Tarot card readers, and in pseudo-scientific practitioners that use techniques that are proven to not be effective.  Charlatans, unconsciously or deceptively, they all are.   As far as all of the skeptical inquiry into such matters has so far shown, these beliefs are not justified.

In an age of Twilight, Oprah, and the liberal love of spirituality mixed with pseudoscience, it is sometimes difficult to be a skeptic without sometimes feeling cynical.  There are people convinced that vaccines are dangerous, an idea which endangers people.  There are people who don’t take their children to doctors, only to pray while they watch them die.  And while these ideas are dangerous on a personal and societal level, Woo is downright annoying and insipid.

When people start talking about their energies merging with someone else’s energies, with their chakras opening up, crystal power, or something about their quantum Secret, I wonder how bad our educational system is in terms of preparing people for scientific literacy.  I wonder how people can swallow such idiotic crap without even trying to question it skeptically.

One good book that I read recently concerning this subject is Quantum Gods by Victor Stenger.    In this book, Stenger talks about such things as What the Bleep do we Know?, The Secret, cosmic consciousness, charlatan-Gurus who filch millions from credulous people, and the vast misunderstanding (and possible intentional deception by people such as Deepak Chopra) of all things ‘quantum.’

Paired with a few chapters about how physics actually works, Stenger shows how such New Age beliefs simply do not hold up to scrutiny.  Real physics–science in general–is a beautiful thing that does not need to be made artificially more beautiful by adding in chakras or even prophecies (Celestine or otherwise).

Another great resource is the James Randi Educational Foundation, which offers a million dollars to anyone who can prove the reality or effectiveness of paranormal abilities.  So far, nobody has won the money, even though people like Sylvia Brown and Uri Gellar are very aware of Randi and his challenge.  The same goes for chakras, energies, and other New Age ideas; none have stood up to any serious scrutiny by the larger skeptic community.

None.

And so as I navigate the world of polyamory, more so than other areas of my life, I find myself confronted with these kinds of New Age ideas.  In other aspects of my life I find myself confronted by evangelical Christians, people whom are sometimes chastised by Pagans for their views while the Christians see them as Satanic.  Now, the Christians I understand, even if I disagree with them about most things; they were raised in an environment that derives from an ancient book that has cultural grips on them.  It is embedded in our culture and becomes part of them at a young age.

But New Age, despite its attempts to claim its ancient origins, is new.  Quite frankly, I have studied some of the old Pagan traditions and found them nothing like the new religious movements such as Wicca and other communities which I have observed.  And while they tend to be more liberal and open-minded about many social issues, they are muddle-headed about the nature of reality, perhaps more so than many of the fundamentalist Christians I meet.

And what is so frustrating is that because they view themselves as so open-minded, so tolerant, etc, they sometimes take criticism worse than Christians ever do.  I have seen Pagans become enraged at hearing tough questions about their beliefs.  Perhaps because so much of the New Age worldview encourages emotional openness, many of them are thin-skinned because their beliefs are almost never criticized, especially while they are in ear-shot.  They are not as used to the criticism as more well-known beliefs, such as Christianity, might be.

But since I am told that I should keep an open mind about such things (which I do by the way), I will end this little rant with an excellent video by qualiasoup about open-mindedness.

We should keep an open mind, but not so open that our brains fall out.

Durante nuestro tercer fin de semana juntos hemos conmemorado la muerte recién de Swami Satyananda con la repetición del Mahamrityunjaya Mantra:

Om trayambakam yajaahmahe

sugandhim pushtivardhanam,

urvaarukamiva bandhanaan

mrityormuksheeya maamritat.

Hemos realizado una práctica al aire libre en parejas para contemplar la mente en relación con su orientación principal del tiempo. Y después de la charla sobre las distintas ramas del yoga y una introducción a la nueva postura: Paschimottanasana, hemos practicado una clase de Agama al aire libre. Después de comer hemos hecho una meditación y pintando Muledhara chakra con su simbología. A continuación descubrimos los 5 cuerpos del ser humano: Panchakosha, donde apreciamos la complejidad y sutileza del aspecto energético, emocional y mental del ser humano y como nos afecta no solo en el contexto de la practica del yoga sino en todos los aspectos de la vida, desde la salud física y emocional hasta los sueños y relaciones con los demás. Para explorar y desarrollar conciencia de esto, hemos practicado una meditación de expansión y contracción mental. Concluimos el día con kirtan. Cantamos Aat Guray Namay, Jai Shiva Shankara y Sat Siri Akal.

Al día siguiente, después de la práctica de Surya Namaskar hemos introducido la teoría energética y beneficios de Trikonasana y hemos contemplado aspectos de la construcción de la postura. A continuación hemos realizado una clase larga incluyendo las posturas y técnicas introducidas hasta ahora y alguna postura más del primer nivel. Incluimos una meditación con música para energética y después de la clase profundizamos con una charla sobre el uso de música en el yoga, especialmente para trabajar con los chakras. Comentamos aquí también como usaron los músicos tantricos la Rudra Veena (instrumento) antiguamente en la sanción y magia.

Hemos introducido el uso de la mala (de 108 cuentas) para acompañar la técnica de meditación que comenzamos el mes pasado.

Comenzamos la serie de charlas sobre los Yamas y Niyamas. Hoy profundizamos con el primero de las Yamas: Ahimsa (no-violencia). La charla nos dio mucho de comentar y pensar. Ahimsa debe ser reflejado en las acciones, palabras y pensamientos del yogui para aligerar su camino evolutivo.

Cerramos la sesión con la meditación anahata de Agama con música, y como es de esperar después de tal experiencia no nos despedimos sin compartir unos abrazos y cariños.

Comenzamos el curso este fin de semana aportando elementos personales en la creación del altar. Participantes trajeron un objeto personal o ofrenda. Abrimos la primera sesión con una meditación breve y a continuación hablamos un largo rato sobre las experiencias durante el mes, también consultando alguna duda. La primera charla era sobre la técnica Sahaja Agnisara Dhauti que se introduce en un momento concreto en el orden de asanas para estimular el fuego digestivo y purificar los nadis. Hicimos una clase con las asanas impartidas hasta ahora y algunas mas que serán explicado teóricamente a lo largo del primer nivel. Para comer algunas alumnas prepararon comida rica para los que quisieron quedar. Durante la digestión aprovechamos para comentar cada uno sobre el libro de la biblioteca que habían estudiado durante el mes previo. Intercambiaron libros para leer algo alternativa en el periodo hasta la próxima reunión. Había después una charla sobre los Indriyas que ofrece una visión mas física para diagnosticar desequilibrios en los chakras e indicaciones sobre como acercar un programa de sanación. Para facilitar la investigación personal, hicimos una actividad en parejas. Seguimos con una sesión de Surya Namaskar. Aquí el enfoque fue en el aspecto físico… las posturas, el movimiento y la respiración.

El día siguiente abrimos con una meditación y bendiciones para las 2 alumnas que faltaron por cuestiones de salud. Había una charla después sobre los raíces de la secuencia surya namaskar, que viene desde la Vedanta y no del yoga originalmente, y como podemos practicarlo respetando su intención devocional y para sintonizar con la energía solar. Hicimos una practica de 12 rondas para transmitir la técnica con su enfoque energética. Hubo una charla sobre el siguiente asana, y una clase de Agama yoga incorporando esta asana. Cerramos la clase con una meditación para tomar consciencia de la respiración y de anahata chakra. Compartimos fruta y seguimos con una charla sobre los 8 fases de yoga (el Asthanga Yoga de Patanjali), donde exploramos sus definiciones de yama y niyama, asana, pranayama, pratyahara, dharana, dhyana y samadhi. Hicimos una meditación con sonido, usando la voz para tomar consciencia de los chakras. Grabamos este meditación para facilitar su practica en casa.

Como complemento al curso de Agama Yoga se entregó información adicional sobre Surya Namaskar tomada de un texto de Swami Satyananda. Incluimos la practica del Chakra Breathing meditación activa de Osho para explorar y activar los chakras. También introdujimos una técnica nueva de meditación especialmente orientada al desarrollo de la concentración mental, al terminar cada uno tuvo que escribir sus experiencias para destacar y analizar para si mismo lo ocurrido. Cantamos los mantras:

Jay Shiva Shankara

Jay Shiva Shankara

Jay Shiva Shankar Hare Om

Hay Shiva Shankara Parameshwara

Jay Shiva Shankar Hare Om

Om Namo Shivaya

Durante el primer fin de semana del curso de la formación en Agama Yoga hemos comenzado a explorar lo que significa el yoga o mejor dicho, lo que hace el yoga, para que sirve, y para que lo podemos usar. Descubrimos que el yoga es mucho mas que la practica física que lo define hoy en día en Occidente. Hemos considerado los principios fundamentales en el yoga: la correspondencia (lo que existe en ti existe también en el universo, lo que no existe en ti no existe en ninguna parte) y la resonancia (como establecer una conexión con la energía universal). También comenzamos a entender la ciencia de los chakras, empezando con una visión de los chakras y nadis como órganos de la anatomía energética, y después pasamos a ver como cada chakra esta asociado con aspectos de la personalidad. Hemos explorado los primeros dos asanas y aprendido sus circuitos energéticos, como trabajan con la energía telúrica y cósmica, respectivamente. También pudimos ver que chakras se activan y los beneficios que puedan tener. Hemos explorado el concepto de polaridad en el yoga, y descubierto que Hatha yoga alude a este concepto ya que ha significa sol y tha se refiere a la luna y que es un símbolo de la polarización energética con que se trabaja en yoga física. Se ha explorado la polaridad en los chakras y como afecta la personalidad del individuo y por lo tanto visto como podemos usar el yoga para equilibrar no solo a nivel físico si no también formas de comportamiento y pensamiento. Viendo la necesidad de activar los chakras y provocar cambios para reequilibrar hemos visto la necesidad de purificar los nadis gradualmente. Este mes comenzamos una serie de kriyas de purificación (shatkarmas) para preparar el cuerpo.

En paralelo a estos cursos de yoga hemos comenzado la preparación para la meditación usando la meditación Kaya Sthairyam para conseguir inmovilidad física. También incidimos en la meditación dinámica Kundalini Meditación de Osho. Nuestra practica física ha incluido media y completa surya namaskar, la respiración completa yoguica y otras asanas del primer nivel de Agama Yoga.

As I mentioned before in my previous post, the root chakra forms the foundation and support for the rest of the chakra system.  The root chakra, which is associated with the earth element, is red and represents the densest energy of the visible light spectrum.  It is also associated with the planet Saturn, which represents structure, stability, and limitations.  Limitations is not to be taken negatively; in this sense, when we are aware of our limitations as human beings, we can make intelligent choices and take our duties and responsibilities seriously.  The number 4 is associated with the root chakra; in numerology the number 4 relates to stability and structure.

The Root Chakra - Muladhara

The Sanskrit names for the root chakra is “Muladhara” which means “root, base of support.”  The root chakra is found at the base of the spine.  Each of the seven major chakras is linked with a corresponding gland; the root chakra is connected to the adrenal glands, the glands that sit on the tops of the kidneys and release hormones related to “fight or flight” situations.  Interesting, the root chakra is related to our survival; it provides us with the energy we need to pursue safety, security, and self-preservation. 

The root chakra’s main function is to help us with our embodiment.  Embodiment means “to fully enter your physical vehicle and experience life through it.”1    The root chakra relates to our connection to the earth and the nourishment we receive through it.  It also relates to our physical senses, particularly our sense of smell.

When the root chakra is balanced, we find ourselves down to earth and grounded, stable, practical, able to let go, organized, comfortable in our physical bodies, and healthy in the feet, legs, bones, spine, knees, neck, and large intestine.

When  the root chakra is imbalanced, we are rigid, fearful of change, lazy, stubborn, hoarding, materialistic, have a dislike of our bodies, have a lack of confidence, and suffer from constipation, hemorrhoids, sciatica, back pain, and knee problems.

When working with the chakras it is important to take a self-assessment to determine what are needs are.  Some questions to ask are:

How do you feel about your body?

How do your hips, knees, ankles, and feet feel?

Do you feel safe and secure?  Or worried that you won’t have enough?

Do you feel a sense of wonder about the world or do you find yourself caught up in your personal dramas?

Feel free to respond to any of these questions or to add any of your own if you are familiar with the chakras!

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1 Opening to Spirit by Caroline Shola Arewa

So what are chakras and where are they located?

Each chakra relates to a particular energetic function.  The first chakra, at the tip of your spine, relates to survival and the energy of your physical life.

The word ‘chakra’ is derived from a Sanskrit word meaning ‘wheel’; but perhaps even a better translation would be spinning wheel. If you could see chakras (as many of us whom work with them do) you would be able to see each primary chakra as a spinning vortex or wheel of energy.

There are 7 main chakras in the body and the first one is at the tip of your spine.  It’s about survival.  The second one is located 2 finger widths below your belly button and is about sensuality, sexuality and relationships.  The third chakra is located in the soft part of your solar plexus and is about control, resistance and manifestation.  The 4^th chakra is located where the sternum bones meet in your chest.  This one is about love and self love, and love of others.  5^th one is communication and creativity, and is located in the soft part of the neck.  The sixth is the 3^rd eye and located just above and between your physical eyes.  It’s also the spirit part of you.  The seventh is located 2 inches above your head and is the connection to the source, supreme being or whoever it is for you.  It is also how you take yourself out into the world and how people view you.

By Vickie Parker

www.windsweptcenter.net
www.windsweptinnerhealings.net

As we approach the new calendar year I’ve been reflecting on the changes I would like to make.  One of the major changes I would like to make is in the area of discipline.  As an iyawo (new priest in the Yoruba/Orisha tradition) I’ve definitely had to let go of ideas of image (no looking in the mirror for three months; no makeup for a year!) and have had many lessons in humility.  But there are many things that I would also like to get in order, especially in regards to my diet, exercise, and time spent in meditation and prayer.

I’ve been studying the chakras for many years and I have started working with them but never went through the fully.  (I have also realized how impatient I am…I tend to want immediate results!)  I’ve been feeling that the chakras are the place I need to start as far as my spiritual discipline.

The Seven Chakras

The chakras are points of energy in the body.  There is some debate on where the word originates but many students of energy work believe that it comes from the Sanskrit word meaning “wheel.”  To many clairvoyants (people who can see into the spirit realm) the chakras look just like that – wheels of energy that are located along the base of the spine that permeate the physical body.

There are seven major chakras and each one has a different function and quality.  They are listed below.

The Root Chakra: associated with the earth element.  Has a grounding quality.  Helps us to create a solid foundation on which to grow.  Located at the base of the spine.  Color is red.

The Sacral (or Sexual) Chakra: associated with the water element.  Has a fluid quality.  Helps us to own our emotions and develop a strong sense of self.  Located a few inches below the navel.  Color is orange.

The Solar Plexus: associated with the fire element.  Has a fiery and vigorous quality.  Helps us to develop our sense of will and utilize our inner power.  Located at the navel.  Color is yellow.

The Heart Chakra: associated with the air element.  Has an aloof and objective quality.  Helps us to develop unconditional love.  Located near the heart at the center of the chest.  Color is green.

The Throat Chakra: associated with the element of ether. Connects to sound.  Helps us to develop or creativity and own our own voice.  Located near the throat.  Color is blue.

The Brow Chakra: associated with light.  Opens our spiritual insight.  Helps us to develop a connection to the spiritual realms.  Located at the center of the forehead.  Color is indigo.

The Crown Chakra: associated with God.  Connects us to God.  Located at center of the head (the soft spot).  Color is violet.

Many times, when people hear about the chakras, people want to immediately start with the brow and the crown chakras.  After all, what could be better than having one’s third eye opened and viewing all sorts of spiritual sights?  Or connecting God and being able to have access to Her wisdom?  But real spiritual work is not about being able to see spirits or do magic tricks; it’s about growing, evolving, and relishing in our embodiment while being conscious of the lessons we are hear to learn.

In chakra work, it is the root chakra that connects us to the nurturing energy of the earth, helping us to build a stable base and foundation on which we can grow.  If we attempt to grow spiritually without a firm foundation we will certainly crash, no matter how enlightened we may think we are.

I’ll be writing more about the chakras, especially my own experiences as I work with them.  And I’m starting with the root!!

Kumbh Mela : A place where many great saints gather.  One should attend to the Kumbh Mela.  In terms of Yoga, Kumbh means or refers to the head and mela is a gathering of the prana (withdrawn from the entire body).  When that happens, one can say, we have attended the kumbh mela.  Here all great divine souls are there.

Yesterday, something unusual happened.  We were at another physicians place.  A group of people were sitting.  I remained silent.  This was a different kind of silence.  Silence of the mind and was at the same time I was within.  While I was within, the mind, the people and the room was vibrating with my presence.  The people in reality were dead – meaning dead from the reality of God and his vibration. But Jesus told him, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead.  Everything was vibrating and the vibration was me.  I believe this was the universal prana and the beginnng of being established in Atman.  This is also known as Christ consciousness or son of God. 

Where is the proof?  The proof for me and me alone was the thoughts of everyone in the room were relatively more clear, their thoughts and their feelings. Not only that silently observing it, I was able to have some influence and control over it. 

I can understand why the great rishis call this world Maya – an illusion.  They refer to it as the divine lila.  This is because at t his level, it is an illusion since te world seems to be working based on the thoughts that arise from me!.  I could only stay in that for about an hour but it was interesting.  Interestingly there was no feeling in me.  A silent spectater. 

This reminds me of my experience a while ago.  I had an encounter with Maya or Satan.  Everyword that came from the divine was twisted and turned!  And suddenly this one maya became multiple and every multiplicity twisted everything, misrepresented everything that came from the Divie.  If the divine said Good, maya made and turned it into bad.  This was done by Maya not out of disrespect or hatred or uncaring.  It was just a royal mischief!  This is the beginning of creation.  A royal mischeif.  I am definately not at the stage where I can call it maya or sport.  For me it is a mischief – a very unpleasant mischeif.

These thoughts are similar to those of Mother, Sri Aurobindo, Bible, Paramhansa Yogananda. 

He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature; for he is a liar, and the father of lies.” (John 8:44).  The word he refers to Lucifer / Satan. 

Father of lies !  Lies refers to this creation.  Everything in this creation is a lie.  How is it a lie.  Everything is God and yet we see it not!  Everything is his love and we see it not!  Isnt that a great lie?  Satan, Maya makes us see this universe, this entire creation in a way that it is not!  What a mischief! What an illusion!  What a Lila!

The beginning of this witness truly occurs at the Agna chakra.  However, for the soul to experience this, the soul has to fully surrendered to God.  This complete surrender occurs when the Anahata chakra turns upwards.  When the anhata chakra turns upwards, the sound is that of the gong bell or a drum.  Some may experience it like hum, hum, hum. Out of the initial sohum, sa and aham gets dropped off and becomes hum.  This is the sound of Paundra – the conch bell of Bhima. The ego gets disintegrated.  Lately I have been able to to turn the anahata chakra upwards and remain in this for a while in meditation.  (ref God talks with Arujuna – Paramhansa Yogananda)

Depression.

When it’s minus thirty eight degrees Celsius outside and with the wind chill, you might have fifteen minutes tops outside before your skin gets hard and crispy. This far north we get about seven and a half hours of daylight at the winter solstice and it feels like an eternity since I’ve been warmed by the sun.

I always get squirrelly in winter, having traveled and lived in the heat of the tropics.  Even though I belong in the hot sweaty sheet sleeping world of salsa hip swinging and lime juiced beers it is for the love of my family that I come back to my  frozen tundra home this winter wonder hell.  Winter solstice comes and you’ll find me locked up scheming and dreaming of Southbound escape routes.

That’s right, this time of year I’m all about the seasonal affective disorder or S.A.D.ness.  This may sound odd to those of you that know me as I’m almost always bringing the leg shaking freak out joyful vibe to the dance floor of life, the shimmy dip spin of hope and the two stepping polka positivity that radiate from my potato sack soul.

So you might be surprised then to find out that I too suffer from sudden bouts of paralyzing depression.  This usually happens when the jagged rock of reality takes me off my big life wave.  When the future I’m building falls suddenly apart, when the love is torn asunder in some kind of blunder, when I’m thrown from the cockpit of my one way ticket to happy land, you will see me sink like a brick.

In these moments you might find me in my bathrobe staring listlessly at the ceiling with the vague notion that it’s been a few days from my last shower.   All those dreams burn out like a film reel on fire and I take comfort in the dank stench of my Superstar armpits.

Accompanying the secluded darkness of depression is the frustration that I can’t do anything to change the way I feel.

I’m happy, I know I’m happy so then why don’t I feel happy?   Come on buddy, be happy.

Instead I find myself embroiled in a one man pasta eating competition or an after eight binge date like a stoner baked at an all day bake sale.

Luckily I live my life in fast forward and find the light fast.  A good way to find the light is to call a good friend that shares your sprit.  My friend Katherine K. gets me like the mail and just happened to be super excited about her snaggle tooth debut on YouTube when I called her ready to cry about my unfortunate circumstances.   The loving pitch changes in her voice immediately gave me a deep soul smile and soon we were fathoms down into a discussion on the true nature of depression.

She told me that she thinks that some depression (not the chemical imbalance kind) is the body’s natural way of healing our spirits.   When things happen in our lives they cause a shift in our perceptions, energy levels and ideas.    Whether you call it soul, spirit, chakras or chi there is a consensus that we are more than just replicating cells.   This otherness can be shocked by sudden negative input, radical change or the loss of a profound connection.

First she gave me the light hearted example of finishing university.  After the celebration of finishing her last class there came the post partum depression that mother’s, artists and lovers feel when things are suddenly done.  .

“Suddenly I had to deal with the whole new possibility of what I would do instead of school.  My world had shifted and that shift tore some part of my subconscious will.”

The loss of a relationship is probably the hardest thing to heal back together.  Whether it’s the death of a loved one or a break up the depression that follows can be awful.  Suddenly there is a hole in everything about our lives that wasn’t there before.   All the dreams we had of the future with that person are suddenly gone, burned like paper and become ashes blown away in the wind.  Letting go of those ideas and dreams is sometimes the hardest thing to do in the healing process.

Depression could be likened to darkness and one of the things we usually do in darkness is sleep.  Sleep is the body’s way of restoring itself and re-energizing to face a new way.  Consequently when we are depressed we often feel like doing nothing else but locking ourselves in a dark room and sleeping.

So I’m not an expert on this but I have some recommendations that work for me that help me get through the restorative process of depression and maybe they can help you or someone close to you that is depressed.

The first thing to do is embrace the depression with you arms wide and your soul willing. Take that day off and stay in your robe.  Mope around the house and watch endless hours of the Dog Whisperer or the cooking channel.  Use your alone time to cry fat tears of grief, choking sobs of self pity and moans about the bleak future you must face. Turn off the light and sleep the sleep of the want to be dead.

Sounds like bad advice doesn’t it?   For some people it is…like the clinically depressed.   Please, if you are already on the edge take a step back and for don’t down those sleeping pills with that bottle of vodka.   If embracing depression is equivalent to taking a warm bath with a clock radio then stop reading this blog and go see a professional.

As well, try to keep the Facebooking to a minimum.  There is nothing pleasant about opening up to some random friend you haven’t seen in years.  Pick the friends you talk about it with wisely.  At first go to the depressed ones to complain and when you are ready to wake up then the positive ones.

What I’m trying to say is that by fighting what your spirit needs you will only make it last longer.  There is a reason you feel this way and even though you can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel you still need to keep walking to get to it.  Don’t stop in the middle and wait for the light to come to you.

I know for me it’s a process and that I must push through the process in order to wake up again.   I feel like I’m sleeping in a dark room and then suddenly I’ll see a light go in the hall, the sun will come in through the window or a spark will start a small fire in your room.

Again, if you really start a fire in your room when you are depressed then please get out before the smoke inhalation takes you down.   It’s just a metaphor.

Some people, once they have embraced the darkness like to stay there and shut themselves in long after the process should be finished.  Just as you have let yourself be depressed it’s important to embrace the light again when it comes.    Some stay long past their due and suddenly alarms start going off everywhere.   An example of this alarm might be getting disturbingly drunk at the Christmas work party, swearing at your boss, puking in the tree and then passing out under the snack table.

The problem with the light is that you can see your problems clearly there and like the drunk lights that go on at the bar at the end of the night, what you see might not be pretty.   The darkness hides what we are ashamed of or unhappy with and sometimes it’s an easy place to stay.  If you can’t seem to shake off the sleep or feel like the sun has gone out for good then it’s time to change something dramatically in your life.  This might be your job, your relationship or your location.  It might also mean that you need the professional help of a specialist to turn on the lamp in your darkness.

Be warned if you know someone in a depression that there is a time and place to attempt them to wake back up to the light. It’s best to wait until they ask for help as they might need that extra time to sleep.  We all know what it’s like to wake a sleeping dragon.

This time, in this depression, I embraced it and let myself take a long sleep full of self pity and anger.  Before I knew it I was thinking about the future and ready to get back outside into the sun.  In this winter solstice of my soul I had to find the light within and then stoke it until I am back to my stoked self.

Now if only I can find a way to get out of this city…

Here is a scanned watercolor I did in seminary the other day in meditation with added computer manipulation. I don’t know the first thing about chakras, their colors, and meditation, but since my fellow student invoked the chakras, I figured I would call my watercolor “The Seven Chakras.”

“The second centre is the centre of Swadhisthan. It has six petals and caters on the physical level to functions of the aortic plexus, and is the one which supplies us with the energy of creativity, of thinking, of being futuristic. It supplies Power to the brain cells by converting fat cells into brain cells.” – Shri Mataji

Yesterday, my lovely Yoga teacher Julie gave me a beautiful Christmas card that she had made herself. In it she wrote a quote which I really like:

Life is not about how to survive the storm but how to dance in the rain.

Opening up Julie’s wonderful card which she created with love, and her incredibly apt choice of words, made me cry.

We had finished our Yoga lesson with some candle gazing, sitting in a close circle together in the dark, focusing on the light of the flame and after some time, closing our eyes and visualising the flame in our Ajna or third eye Chakra. Then we visualised moving the flame down into our Anahata or heart Chakra, feeling its glow and warmth there. We then held hands and visualised sending this golden light out from our hearts, down our arms, feeling it pass from our hands to those next to us and around the circle. It was a lovely, intimate moment. We each silently affirmed love and well-being for ourselves and for the whole group.

I returned home, opened my card, and sat on the bottom step of the stairs, not being able to stop the tears. Julie’s kindness and thoughtfulness touched me and the words she had picked for my card couldn’t have been more well chosen. If I could sum up what I believe my major life lesson is then this sentence would be the one that would express it best. I have spent so much time and energy surviving storms but I am coming to realise that when we engage with our hearts – with that Anahata centre – survival strategies are a poor substitute for dancing in the rain.

There is a wonderful book by Anodea Judith called Wheels of Life: A User’s Guide to the Chakra System (Llewellyn). She writes well of Anahata and its connection to love:

Love is not a matter of getting connected; it is a matter of seeing that we are already connected within an intricate web of relationships that extend throughout life. It is a realisation of ‘no boundaries’ – that we are all made of the same essence, riding through time on the same planet, faced with the same problems, the same hopes and fear. It is a connection at the core that makes irrelevant skin colour, age, sex, looks, or money.

More than anything, love is the deep sense of spiritual connection, the sense of being touched, moved, and inspired to heights beyond our normal limits. It is a connection with a deep, fundamental truth that runs through all of life and connects us together. Love makes the mundane sacred – so that it is cared for and protected. When we lose our sense of connection with all life, we have lost the sacred, and we no longer care for and protect that which nourishes us.

We are that love. We are its life force, its expression, its manifestation, its vehicle. Through it we grow, we transcend, we triumph, and surrender to grow again ever deeper. We are renewed, cut down, and renewed again.

In the Chakra system, we ideally express ourselves through all our energy centres but it is the heart that balances and connects these various energies, ‘the central wheel of life from which all others turn’. To close any part of ourselves down will cause pain but to close the heart causes the greatest pain of all.

When we stop trusting in life, when we have become overwhelmed with fear or have contracted with hurt, the true route to healing is ultimately through the opening of the heart. It’s not about being brave; it’s about feeling oneself a child again.

For some reason, I just can’t finish a blog entry. I have several started and almost finished, including Nepal and the Annapurna circuit, Kathmandu, Tibet (over 6 weeks ago!), and now, India. I’m not sure what it is exactly – I think the knowledge that I will be home in less than a week pressures me to be out doing something rather than sitting with my face in the laptop. My other excuse is that that I’ve found it very difficult to find comfortable, quiet places to write in Nepal and India. A positive to this delay is that completing these entries once home will allow this portion of my trip to live a little longer as I revisit them. OK, enough with the lame excuses, the truth is I haven’t had  clarity to write my more meaningful entries, those involving the self. I have been exploring some very subtle aspects recently around my past and my ego. The simple concept of “To be or Not to be” has been occupying a lot of space – can I exist in this world without the desire to become anything? What does that look like? My ego desires are rooted in this concept of becoming, even when they are directed towards loftier ends. How does one separate ambition from energy or vitality? Questions, questions, questions. A more recent focus has been around my first two chakras, root and sacral, as time and time again, body and energy workers have confirmed that they are disconnected and not functioning as they should. Yesterday I experimented with a Korean method called Su Jok, where the therapist found my sacral chakra blocked. No surprise! In addition to my own psychological and spiritual work around these, how can I exist materially in this world (career, actions, hobbies) to improve the Kundalini flow in my chakras? Kundalini is Hindi for "sacred transformative energy that awakens consciousness".  Examples from self proclaimed Internet Gurus (my most recent Google search) on grounding and opening the root chakra include things like touching the soil every day, having red flowers in the home (red is the color associated with the chakra and mother earth), anything that involves the use of muscles, raw love-making, walking barefoot and eating food that comes from the ground. Let the experimenting begin.

Really, this was just an excuse to connect with everyone, letting people know that I am well, enjoying my final days and am really looking forward to continuing this conversation at home. My next update will likely be from Boulder – Namaste!

WE WILL ALWAYS HAVE PIX LIKE THIS, LOTS. LYNXES. YAY.

we love lynxes. why? because.. LOOK AT THEIR EARS! ALIEN CATS! THAT’S WHAT THEY ARE! AND THEY’RE SO CUTE! ANTENNAE EARS! LYNXES! MIND CONTROL! ahem. anyway, we love them so much we’re dubbing our weekly (or multi-weekly..?) links post.. S-N-T LYNX. (hohoho we so clever hohoho) we’ll round up the awesome/weird/ridiculous/repulsive links we found during the week and post them to you with a.. PICTURE OF A LYNX(ES). it’s really supposed to go up at the end of the week, so don’t ask why we’re posting this on a tuesday. we don’t know either.

* top 10 quirky science tricks for xmas parties [richard wiseman]

* dance routine set to electric six’s ‘dance commander’ [youtube]

* slacker parkour.. aHAHA (but we don’t like your website name.. why would you want to be a hipster of any sort, let alone an artificial one?) [the artificial hipster]

* i LOVE me some muppets. especially when 3 muppets who don’t actually SPEAK in the regular sense of the word are SINGING (?!) ‘carol of the bells’ [youtube]

* i’ll realign your chakras, muthafucka! [my love for you]

* amazing photography of abandoned/industrial NYC areas [kensinger photography]

* a letter that will seriously melt your heart (and includes the phrases ‘disco menace’ AND ‘bunnyhead genius’) – AMAZING [icing]

* super crazy vibrant HD photography.. whoa [too much glass]

* on the subject of lynxes.. OHMYGODDDDD [apparently i can't write 'flickr' without it disappearing out of this post, so.. FLICKR, fuck you wordpress]

* ahem. if that didn’t blow your mind with cuteness, TRY THIS [youtube]

This is a bit out of the ordinary- for me anyway:
Sitting comfortably on the floor at Borders-Time/Warner Building in between meetings/gigs and charging my cell in an outlet. (I had the charger with me since I was spending the night in the city with a friend). I wasnt the only one sitting on the floor reading, eating, or simply relaxing. No more comfy chairs anymore.  In front of me was a great meditation-chakra-yoga section of books on one side- so I happily reviewed chakra information- and on the other side in front of me was Paulo Coelho’s section- 11 books!! I’ve only read 3, and am a big fan, so I know what one of my winter projects will be…it all reminded me of hanging out in the warm library at SUNY Buffalo, many moons ago.
Namaste, Eileen

In one of my classes a question came up. If a man wants to make love to a woman but the woman resists him, which chakras in the woman’s body will be blocked, overstimulated or understimulated? The person who answers correctly will receive by email detailed information about one of my favourite crystals, the amethyst.

Heart Chakra Necklace

1.  Amazonite:  Amazonite is a powerful, soothing gemstone.  It acts to filter vibrations on a mental level so that spiritual intuition is enhanced.  It relieves worry, fear and agitation.  It allows you to clearly understand both sides of a situation.  Amazonite is used to heal imbalances in the skeletal system, osteoporosis, tooth disease, muscle dysfunction, calcium deficiencies, metabolism, heart, and throat disease.

2.  Aventurine: Aventurine energizes, clears and protects the heart chakra.  It balances the yin and yang energies.  It calms irritation and impatience.  Aventurine promotes a sense of well being. It relieves anxiety and fear while summoning faith in universal love and wisdom. Aventurine is used to heal imbalances of the heart, thymus, nervous tissue, connective tissue, metabolism, blood pressure, skin, eyes, brain, adrenal glands, muscular system, urinary system, reproductive system, lungs, and sinuses.  It is used to treat migraine headaches.

3.  Chrysoprase: This beautiful stone energizes the heart chakra.  It assists in connection with the Divine through deep meditative states.  It encourages loving relationships.  It is used to treat diseases of the heart, skin, digestive system and hormones.  It has powerful detoxifying action when consumed as an elixir.

4.  Fluorite:  Fluorite aids in spiritual growth by focusing energy to improve clarity and calm.  It aids in decision making while grounding and assessing deeper levels of awareness.  Fluorite is used to heal imbalances of the teeth, stomach, intestines, bone marrow, skeletal system, skin, joints, spine, and nervous system.  It is also used to treat wounds, viruses, arthritis, wrinkles, acne, and shingles.

5.  Jade:  This gemstone facilitates financial abundance while reminding one of the abundant and loving Universe.  It assists one’s attunement with the physical body, which will desire rest and rejuvenation at times in order to receive spiritual guidance.  Jade is used to heal imbalances of the female reproductive system, arms, spleen, hips, kidneys, skeletal system, nervous system and adrenal glands.

6.  Jasper:  This stone’s colors balance, stimulate and clear the chakras.  It bolsters confidence, courage and energy.  It promotes organization skills and mental facilities to quicken project completion time.  Jasper is used to heal imbalances of the throat, liver, digestive tract, endocrine system, bladder, gallbladder, blood, circulatory system, skin, and reproductive system.

7.  Moss Agate:  Moss Agate provides a powerful connection to nature.  It promotes positive self image, financial abundance, optimism and hope.  It opens a creative channel.  Moss Agate is used in healing imbalances of the immune system, brain, and skin.  It acts as an anti-inflammatory.

8.  Peridot:  Peridot is a strong cleanser.  It purifies the heart chakra and opens it to feeling and expressing love.  It allows self-forgiveness and points to the higher meaning within.  It assists in creating prosperity in health, wealth and love.  It enables honest, trustworthy relationships to flourish.  Peridot is used to heal imbalances of the intestines, lungs, skin, metabolism, eyes, gallbladder, heart, thymus, spleen, and intestines.

9.  Pink Tourmaline:  This stone stimulates and heals the heart chakra.  It promotes unconditional love and trust.  Tourmaline has varieties that include every color of the chakra system.  It stimulates and heals each chakra.  It attracts wisdom, prosperity, inspiration and acceptance.  Tourmaline is used to heal imbalances of the endocrine system, pancreas, spine, lungs, nervous system, thymus, thyroid, and throat.

10.  Rose Quartz:  Rose Quartz is the stone of peace, love, tranquility and healing.  It purifies the heart chakra and escalates openness and acceptance.  It attracts love and harmony in relationships.  Quartz is extremely powerful.  It amplifies positive energy and promotes healing.  It intensifies spiritual awareness and awakening.  It filters distractions when used in meditation.  It improves memory, concentration and focus.  Quartz is used to heal all imbalances.  It is a universal healer.

11.  Turquoise:  Turquoise is a spiritual healing gemstone.  It promotes well being, wisdom, kindness and trust.  It dispels negative energy.  It improves communication and public speaking, stabilizes emotions and provides inner peace.  Turquoise is used in healing imbalances of the immune system, lungs, eyes, and digestive tract.  It is an overall body healer and acts as an anti-inflammatory.

Click here to read Kavita Ramdya’s “Wedded to the Chakras” in “India Abroad”.

www.bollywood-weddings.com

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“Wedded to the Chakras” by Kavita Ramdya in “India Abroad” Magazine (December 11, 2009)

In the weeks leading up to your wedding, there will be a litany of items to cross off your “Things to Do” list. Confirming the flowers with your florist, registering a marriage license, picking up the bespoke party favours are just some of the errands—never mind managing family politics, coordinating travel plans for last-minute guests and, of course, scheduling in quality time with your fiancé who is both awed and overwhelmed by your military-style oversight of planning your nuptials. But what about you? You’ve probably had a best friend or cousin, colleague or book club pal complain about a headache that won’t go away, a recurring stomach ache, or feeling low on energy in the weeks leading up to their Big Day. No one said planning a wedding would be easy, but where was the warning that it could potentially effect your health?!

Luckily enough, ancient civilizations like India managed stress in a way which is effective and respected by physicians and scientists in both the East and West. Chakras are centers of energy throughout our bodies which influence the organs surrounding them. There are seven major chakras; by practicing specific floor yoga poses we can massage and re-energize these essential chakras to maintain our health during stressful times. Combine these floor yoga poses into a twenty-minute daily morning routine, and reinvigorate your body to combat exhaustion, aches and pains. And it’s a great way to keep fit and agile in time for your debut as a bride!!

Muladhara chakra or the base of the spinal cord: sit in an easy cross-legged position on the floor. Siddhasana is a simple pose yet conducive to releasing stress because of its meditative quality. Sit Indian style and place your hands on your knees so your thumb and index fingers touch and the palms of your hands are facing the ceiling. Hold your back erect so that your spine runs straight: close your eyes and dedicate your practice to someone in need- a sick relative, close friend going through a bad break-up, a family member who was recently laid off. Practice this meditative pose for thirty seconds and increase by an additional thirty seconds every day that you practice yoga in the weeks leading up to your wedding.

Swadhisthana or ovaries: Place your palms and knees on the floor so that you are in Marjaryasana, or Cat Pose. Inhale through your nose while curling your back upwards towards the ceiling. Exhale slowly while bringing your back parallel to the ground. Repeat ten times.

Manipura or navel:  Pranayama is “the breathe.” Practice uddiyana bandha by making sitting in an easy, cross-legged position on the floor and releasing short, rapid nose exhalations while simultaneously sucking in your stomach. These short exhalations will rid your body of toxins and stir an energy you won’t believe was already inside you just waiting to be awakened!

Anahata or heart: Upward-facing dog, or Urdhva Mukha Svanasana, requires laying face down on the floor and placing your hands directly below your shoulders. Use your upper body to lift your torso. Look upwards at the ceiling in front of you and offer your heart to the sun. Hold for thirty seconds.

Vishuddha or throat and neck: Sarvangasana is the “supported shoulderstand”: Lie on your back and let your hands lift your lower back, buttocks and legs so that the bottoms of your feet face the ceiling. Make sure your elbows and upper arms are supporting your lower body and breathe through your nose. Since you are upside down, your body now has the chance to re-direct its circulation of blood and your thyroid is more active as your throat is lightly compressed against your chest. Hold for two minutes.

Ajna or brow: Sit in Balasana, or Child’s Pose. Sit on bended knees and bring your forehead to the floor. Outstretch your arms behind you. Relax your body into the grown.

Sahasrar or top of the head: Lie in Savasana, or corpse pose. Lie down on your back and allow your feet to fall to the sides and place your arms, outstretched, at a forty-five degree angle from your body. Close your eyes and mediate for on the word “Om” for thirty seconds, allowing your body to fully relax and restore itself upon completing your yoga routine.

Yoga won’t ensure your wedding day is flawless. However, these seven floor yoga poses which are meant to target the seven chakras will most definitely eliminate your worries and pre-wedding jitters in the weeks leading up to your Big Day.

By Kavita Ramdya, author of “Bollywood Weddings: Dating, Engagement and Marriage in Hindu America” at http://www.bollywood-weddings.com

From a western perspective the only way to explain crystal healing is as a form of electromagnetic therapy. Even medical doctors would agree that we can find electromagnetic fields in the human body. These fields can be detected and measured. Electromagnetic changes can affect the body and the status of its health. Crystals, on the other hand, can be used as conductors. When they enter the electromagnetic field of the body, there is a strong possibility that the can alter it. Of course, none of these assumptions have been scientifically proven. And I am not certain, if pharmaceutical companies would ever fund such a research. In fact, I am certain about the opposite. Because of the lack of research in this field, crystal healers are forced to use their intuition during therapies. If we had a full understanding of their functions, we may have been able to develop more scientific methods for their usage.

Even if the western point of view on how crystals work is plausible, I prefer the eastern perspective. It sounds so much more imaginative and magical. According to Indian and Chinese philosophies/ religions, the body is healthy when its life force (prana or Qi) flows uninhibited along energetic channels (meridians). The meridians run across the body and they include minor points and major chakras. When the energetic points are balanced, the person enjoys a health life. When they are blocked, over-stimulated or under-stimulated, then illnesses arise. On the basis of this philosophy developed several medical systems in the East. Among the best known are acupuncture, ayurveda, acupressure, reflexology, reiki and others. Crystal healing is a complementary medicine that became known to the general public only in the late 1980’s. It follows the same concepts with other alternative therapies but it uses different means. That is, crystals. Crystals are placed on energetic points and chakras along the meridians. Due to their structure, they vibrate and they get aligned with the vibrations of the body. This way they balance the energetic filed inside and outside the body. Hence, they heal it.

I am certain it is impossible to understand in just a few lines how the whole system is working. However, I thought I should give you a taste. I will try to describe things in more detail in later posts. Let me know, if you would like to discuss something further.

The chakra system is one of those things–like reincarnation and soul travel–that I’m not sure I really believe in. Yet there are many things that have been known to eastern philosophies for millennia that are only now being proven by western science to be valid.  Am I going to ignore all the knowledge of other civilizations until western science vets them for me? What benefits might I miss out on by taking that approach?

When it comes to anything of that nature, I therefore ask myself: what might it cost me to dismiss this if there is actually something to it? And what might it cost me to believe in it if there’s actually nothing to it?

A lot depends on how much I am thinking of investing in that belief. For example, if you buy into something unprovable but don’t throw away a lot of time and money on it, then what have you lost by believing in it? Does believing in this thing (angels, past lives, whatever) comfort you? Then what’s the harm?

On the other hand, if you buy into something unprovable and someone talks you into giving them a lot of money for that something while your children go without mittens, well, then maybe you have a problem.

Then there’s the flip side. Why would anyone cut from their lives something that costs them nothing to explore and could benefit them? How many things might prove in 50 or 100 years to have been valid all along? The closed-minded did not avail themselves of the medicine, the open-minded did…not letting lack of western “scientific” proof stop them. We’ll call this my warped version of Pascal’s wager.

The chakra system is one of those things that I think could be complete hooey, but what does it cost me to entertain it as possibly valid?

The day I came the closest to being completely sold on the idea of the chakra system was the day I read a book called Eastern Body, Western Mind.  I was just blown away by the profile of a person with 1st chakra damage and how that damage comes about. Not only did the chapter describe my then best friend to a T, but the line drawing even looked like her. The 1st chakra damaged person, if I can be so bold as to try to paraphrase the author from memory, may have been an unwanted pregnancy. The foetus felt unwelcome in the womb. The baby never felt loved. This person grows up not feeling she has a right to be here. She tries not to take up too much space here on earth. She doesn’t feel she has a right to do more than barely survive. She doesn’t feel she has a right to thrive.

I found my own profile on a different page, a little farther up the chakra system. Again, the descriptions of the source of the damage and manifestations of that damage were uncannily accurate. I highly recommend the book. The author does not only deal with cause and signs of wounding at the various chakra levels, but how to go about healing each of those.

For many years I have opted for my own spiritual practice patched together from those pieces of each religious and spiritual tradition that resonated with me. That’s me, sort of like a crow, plucking the sparklies up off the ground wherever I go and bringing them back to my nest.  At times I have kept an altar where I might put some items the earth presented them to me as gifts: a feather, a rock, a bone. Right now I don’t have an altar, but I do sit down most every morning on my yoga mat to greet the rising sun. Sometimes I do some yoga, sometimes I just stretch. Most days I meditate.

Some days I chant Ra Ma Da Sa Sa Say So Hung, which I picked up from Elspeth.  Each syllable of this chant corresponds to one of the chakras, beginning at the bottom.  I find that the chant Ra Ma Da Sa Sa Say So Hung is especially powerful in its ability to shift my energy and put me in a clearer, cleaner, more grounded space for starting my day.

As I am wont to do with most every scrap of ritual that I borrow from another tradition, I put my own mark on it. I take something away, add something to. In the case of this chant, what I often do before getting into a regular cycle chanting is to begin by sustaining each syllable while thinking about the corresponding chakra.

Raaaaa. I ask my root chakra to open. “I have a right to be here,” I say firmly. I stop a moment and reflect on that notion before going on. I make sure I have not just uttered it, but believe it, before I move on.  I know it is important that I enter the world, enter this new day, believing that to be true.  I have a right to be here.

Maaaa. Sacral chakra. I have a right to feel. I have a right to my needs and wants.  I stop and ask this chakra to open.

Daaaa. I ask my solar plexus chakra to open. I ask for courage. I have the right to act. Daaaa. I picture this chakra opening like a flower, spinning like a pinwheel.

Saaaa. I ask my heart chakra to open and remain open as I go through my day. I envision myself being loving all day long. I envision myself being receptive to love all day long.

Saaay. I ask my throat chakra to open. I have trouble in this area. Often I am silent when I should speak out. So I remind myself of my right to speak my truth with this little quote, “Speak the truth simply and with a smile.” Or something like that. Where did I read that? I don’t know…maybe in a fortune cookie. But it stuck with me. Say what you need to say, if it’s the truth and needs to be said, but say it calmly and simply. This is a very hard one for me, and I continue to work on it. Beginning my day by asking my throat chakra to open seems to help.

Soooo. I ask my third eye chakra to open. I have a right to my perception. I know that I am in a very small minority when it comes to how I see the world, how I see others, how I see life. I have a right to this vision. Open, sixth chakra, open.

Hung (or Hum). I invite my crown chakra to open. I have a right to connect with the Divine and to interpret the Divine as I choose. When I get to envisioning this chakra opening, I smile. I KNOW I have a very active crown chakra.

Sometimes I follow this with one ringing of my little bell. For alignment of energies. Then I continue with the chanting until I feel that’s enough, and I’m ready to meditate.

Every Vedruss girl was an artist in Slavic time (before Russia had adopted Christianity) – she created clothes, towels, tablecloths for herself, her chosen man and their children. Each garment was a unique piece of art. The value of these things was not only in outward beauty, but in their functionality.

A girl put her vivid feelings and images into the garments which brought luck, happiness and joy to a person who was in contact with them.

For example, a shirt made for a husband protected, inspired, and gave him comfort. A towel relaxed a person, relieved tiredness, gave strength and set the mind at rest.

Our fore mothers paid particular attention to embroidering clothes with ornaments. Through them they expressed their perception of our enigmatic world. Through them they attracted generous forces of the Nature and protected from dangerous ones.

The main purpose of embroidery was to protect.

Special symbols were used to create the meaningful pattern:

• a straight horizontal line meant the Earth
• a wavy line – the Water
• a vertical line – the Rain
• a cross – the Fire and the Sun
• a tree – the Fertility
• a triangle – the Person
• and etc.

Certain parts of the clothes were decorated by embroidery such as a collar, handcuffs, and a hem because through those parts the negative energy could enter into a person.

At that time needlework was considered as magic. Presented symbols accumulated the power which our fore mothers put through their thoughts. That is the reason why they had certain techniques. For example, in cross-making the first stitch, left-to-right (which is the female side) should be closed right-to-left (male side.) It symbolized the strength of a family unity.

Colors also were very important. They were related to the protection of person’ chakras (energy centers.)

• Red: Root Chakra
• Orange: Sacral
• Yellow: Solar Plexus
• Green: Heart
• Light blue: Throat
• Dark blue: Third Eye
• Violet: Crown

I am very impressed with the level of awareness and abilities of our fore mothers. For me ancient needlework is not just the art but the possibility to understand ancient world outlook.

I hope one day I can reach their level. =)

Share your opinion!

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