the yogini cowgirl

reflections of the Dalai Lama ...

082311.  Something I have been realizing in the past few days as I reflect on all the amazing lessons and kindnesses I received from my grandmother over the years: whether she knows it or not, my grandmother lives her life in accordance with the teachings of the Dalai Lama …

It makes sense to me now, that when I read his words they sound familiar.  She could have (probably did say) each of these things at some point in her life.  But more importantly, she lives each one each day:

“Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries.”

“It is very important to generate a good attitude, a good heart, as much as possible. From this, happiness in both the short term and the long term for both yourself and others will come.”

“If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.”

“Our prime purpose in this life is to help others. And if you can't help them, at least don't hurt them.”

“Old friends pass away, new friends appear. It is just like the days. An old day passes, a new day arrives. The important thing is to make it meaningful: a meaningful friend - or a meaningful day.”

In another life, she might have been the spiritual leader of an oppressed nation …

Sat Nam,

YC

 

another meditative thought for a Monday ...

082211.  I thought about not blogging today.

I thought about just unplugging and unhooking and un-communicating.

I even thought about un-meditating today.

And then I thought I might come undone.

Which wouldn’t do anyone any good.

Not me.

Not the LO or the OLO.

Not the superMom or the Gram.

You see, on Saturday, we got a call that Gram’s health had taken a turn for the worse.

And the sisters (my mom and her three sisters) had to sign a DNR (also known as a “Do Not Resuscitate” order) and the world seemed like it was closing in pretty fast.

We made a quick decision …

And the first flight we (me, the LO and the superStepDad) could get (for under $1,200 a piece) was Sunday … out of Salt Lake City, UT … which is a 7-hour drive from Bozeman.

SIDEBAR:  An interesting thing about living in Bozeman is that the airport is small enough that there aren’t always flights when you need or want them … which is a way different experience than living in Los Angeles, from whence one can get to and from anywhere anytime.

So …

Drop the dogs at the kennel.

Get the oil changed and the car washed.

Pack clothes.

Pack a lunch.

Stop at the bank.

Stop at the post office.

And away we go.

We were on the road by noon.

First by car.

Then by bus (from longterm parking).

Then by plane (one layover in Phoenix).

And by train (to rental car station).

Then by car again.

And at 1 am this morning, we pulled into the driveway of Gram’s house (also the home of my Aunt Eileen and Uncle Phil).

Tired.

Hungry.

A huddled mass.

So here we are.

Waiting for the LO to wake up so we can get to the hospital … where things are looking brighter today than they were on Saturday (thanks to all the prayers and all the hard work by the doctors and nurses caring for Gram).

In a house with my Aunt, Uncle, my other Aunt and Uncle (Donna and Doug), my parents and the LO.

Who all think I’m a little eccentric with the yoga and meditation and “new agey mumbo jumbo” :).

So, yes, I considered not taking a few minutes to meditate today.

Especially because the house was buzzing by the time I woke up.  Seven adults taking showers, eating breakfast, drinking coffee, chatting about the plan for the day, etc., doesn't generally make for a meditative space.

It wasn’t like I had half an hour to myself in a quiet place. 

But then it was my turn to shower and I had just a few moments alone … I realized that the things I do for my Sadhana (conscious breathing, meditating, yoga, reading) are what make it possible for me to handle the travel snafus … the tricky situations … the news that isn’t easy to hear or process.  Even if all I do is breathe consciously for 3 minutes, I know that when the flight attendant gets angry that a 2 year old would rather sit on her mother’s lap during landing than be buckled in a window seat that’s too big for her as the plane hurdles toward the ground, I don’t have to judge it.  I don’t have to get mad at it.  I can just breathe through it and recognize that it’s a temporary moment … like every other moment … and I’d like to make the best of all of them.

So pardon me, while I go breathe.

Sat Nam,

YC

 

 

a meditative thought for Monday ...

080811.   It’s Monday.

By coincidence, I had another doctor appointment this morning (not unlike my last three appointments).

Once again, I was scheduled for a test (this time a glucose tolerance blood test to see if I'm developing gestational diabetes) …

And once again …

The technician who was supposed to perform that test was not in the office today (an unexpected family funeral).

So … what I am beginning to recognize from these repeat experiences is:

"One must be able to let things happen." - C.G. Jung

(non-sequitur photo of some gunslinging ballerinas ...)

The thing is …

We prepare, plan and presume.

We schedule.  

Manipulate.  

Coerce.  

Compel.  

But when we try to control everything in our lives (as so many of us do), we actually stifle any real creative life force from becoming part of our experience. We spend so much time forcing the piece of clay that is our lives into this shape or that, we sometimes lose sight or awareness that the clay has it's own life-force ... and working with the clay, rather than against it, is more likely to produce a more beautiful piece of art.

And so today ... the Universe is showing me to let go of all those plans and preparations and presumptions ... to just live.

And once again ... I am thankful for my meditation practice ... because without it, my blood pressure would have been higher than 100 over 40.

 

in the meantime ...

071111.  Still a few hours before we find out about the baby parts … so this morning, my meditation felt pretty significant in that it was a challenge to find quiet in my mind, quiet in my body, quiet in my heart.

But I’m extremely thankful for my practice … which has developed into something different than it was even a year ago.  Sure, I still have my daily yoga practice (yes, it has changed a lot since I got pregnant).  But I spend more time in meditation with mantra these days.  And I’ve added reading to my practice … books on meditation, poetry, yoga, gardening, simplifying … books that will encourage me to look a little more deeply at life.

And today, I happened upon this quote from Yogi Bhajan. 

What is the secret to being grateful? Right now you are breathing, you are alive, and you are full of life. If you start with that, you will be prosperous, you will be rich and you will have many opportunities and friends. - Yogi Bhajan

And it was a great reminder that even though I’m waiting … I still have a life to live.

So the LO and I are headed to the Dinosaur Playground.

 

 

40-day Community Meditation begins TODAY

070611. Now that summer is in full swing, it's time to move our meditations outside.  And I can't think of a better way to do that than to use our next 40-day Community Meditation to experience a walking meditation. Walking relaxes the brain, balances the hormones, balances the glandular and nervous systems.  And when we add Mantra and very simple Mudra to that experience, the benefits are multiplied, and we gain access to our inner knowledge, we develop patience, we increase our vitality and make communication easier.   THE PLAN: We'll meet at Be the Change Yoga Studio at 7:45pm Wednesday Nights starting July 6, tune in, warm up and hit the road toward Peet's Hill for a 3.5 mile walking meditation. As with all our 40-day meditations, you'll receive daily emails to help inspire you and keep you going, you'll gain access to a community of people who are experiencing the meditation together and you'll have ample opportunity to ask questions, offer solutions, and engage in an experience that's bigger than yourself. Challenge yourself to commit to a meditation for 40 days and invite your life to transform!     COST:  $22 (or two punches on your card) for all 6 weeks.

 

conditioning ... by the Little One

061711.  One of the things I’m most looking forward to about getting home to Montana is the Community Meditation we practice at the BE THE CHANGE YOGA STUDIO.  It’s typically a 40-day meditation during which we meet once a week to practice the meditation, drink yogi tea, and talk about the meditation process.  And the one that’s coming up for the month of July is a walking meditation called Breathwalk, using the bij mantra Sa Ta Na Ma.

The plan is to start at the studio and to do the meditation either through Lindley Park or Pete’s Hill.

And the thing is … I was starting to get anxious about doing this meditation what with my realization that I’m more and more pregnant each and every day.

But then, yesterday, the LO decided to teach me an important lesson.

You see, our sublet in Los Angeles is on the border of the neighborhoods of Silver Lake and Echo Park.  On a side street that is geographically more akin to San Francisco than Los Angeles … steep 50 degree inclines, 60 degree decline, backyard chicken coops and gorgeous gardens.

 

 (this picture does NOT capture the severity of this steep hill … if anyone knows how to capture better perspective using an iPhone camera, I’d be happy for the tutorial)

And the LO is a big fan of walking.

Especially up and down stairs and hills.

A bigger fan of flowers.

And an even bigger fanatic about chickens.

So we spent about an hour yesterday marching up …

And down …

And up ...

And down the nearby hills.

In search of stairs, flowers, chickens

She’s awesome.

And I have only excitement left for the meditation.

And enthusiasm for the walk we’re about to take.

 

Q:  What have you learned lately about yourself?

 

Keeping up ...

051111.  Sat Nam, Yogis & Yoginis!

As many of you know, we've been practicing a Community Meditation at Be The Change Yoga Studio called EXCEL AND BUILD YOUR HEALING FORCE.  It's been an incredible experience and several of you are on day 51 ... CONGRATS!  (And for those of you on day 17 and day 21 ... woohoo! Keep going!)

We're going to continue to meet on Wednesday evenings to practice the meditation together, but now that the initial 40 days are up, we are also going to use that time to experience different meditations.  Perhaps we'll discover the meditation that moves you to start/continue your own daily practice.

THIS WEEK (tonight at 7:45), we're going to challenge ourselves with a Prosperity Meditation.  Practiced daily, this meditation can transform your magnetic field and give you the experience of attracting good things to your life ... in all realms.  

and NEXT WEEK, we'll come together in a Healing Circle so that we can send healing energy to our loved ones who are dealing with emotional and physical struggles.  (The more bodies we have for the healing circle, the better ... MARK YOUR CALENDARS!)

so ... Join me tonight, for a little tea and a little prosperity ...

Q:  How's your practice these days?

how to sleep when you can’t sleep … and a non-sequitur photo to celebrate Spring’s late arrival

050711.  I like to sleep.

And I’m pretty good at it.

I don’t sleep too long (usually 6-8 hours).

But it’s almost always awesome. 

Deep.

Restorative.

Blissful.

It’s just pretty great.

And His Holiness the D’alai Lama once said that it’s the best form of meditation.

So I’m pretty thankful for the good sleep.

(the LO ... yesterday ... in the first of many late Spring showers which I hope will save our tulips :)

But I’d be lying if I didn’t admit to having restless nights once in a while.

Nights when I just can’t shake all the thoughts from the day.

Nights when I get caught up in fantasies of a future that doesn’t yet exist.

And then I pull out some of my yogini tricks:

KIRTAN KRIYA for sleep (taught by Harijiwan)

I use the Kirtan Kriya (Sa Ta Na Ma) in a restorative pose that Harijiwan taught us in teacher training that’s designed for women to induce yogic sleep.

Here’s how it works (for women only): 

• POSTURE:  Lay on your stomach with your hands at your sides. 
• MANTRA:  Silently (or in a whispering voice) meditate on the mantra “SA – TA – NA – MA”
• TRANSLATION:  SA = infinity, cosmos, beginning; TA = life, existence;  NA = death; MA = birth. 
•  MUDRA (where you put your hands): when you say “SA” your index finger touches the thumb; when you say “TA” your middle finger touches the thumb; when you say “NA” you ring finger touches your thumb; and when you say “MA” your pinkie finger and thumb touch.  Then begin again with the index finger.)  Let yourself fall asleep in the meditation.

SHOULDER STAND

I use shoulder stand (Gurmukh once told a class that 15 minutes of shoulder stand is like 2 hours of sleep … and after using this technique more than I want to admit, I must agree).  Here’s a great "how-to" article (including a fun little animation that shows each step of the posture) from the abc-of-yoga.com website… And please … this is NOT a posture for you if you are pregnant or on the first three days of your moon cycle.

ALTERNATE NOSTRIL BREATHING

Sometimes I just sit quietly in a meditative posture and practice alternate nostril breathing.

• In this pranayam, the breath is always relaxed, deep and full.
• Have the left hand in Gyan Mudra (thumb and index finger tips touching, straight but relaxed arm, wrist resting on your knee).
• Use the thumb of the right hand to close the right nostril, and the index finger or ring finger of the right hand to close the left nostril. (This is sometimes called “U Breathing” because of the this mudra.)
• Close the right nostril and inhale through the left nostril.
• Then close the left nostril and exhale through the right nostril.
• Then inhale through the right nostril.
• And close the right nostril to exhale through the left nostril.
• Continue repeating, alternating nostrils after each inhalation.
• ALTERNATIVES:  INHALING LEFT, EXHALING RIGHT can help make you calm and integrate unwanted negative emotions and stress.  It’s excellent by itself before bed.   INHALING RIGHT, EXHALING LEFT can give you clarity and promote a positive mood.  Helps bring the focus to what is important.

Happy sleeping … and happy belated Spring! 

Q: What do YOU do when you can’t sleep?

 

 

a GIVEAWAY ... to celebrate spring ...

042011.  Even though we were hit with 5 inches of snow yesterday, I'd like to take this opportunity to celebrate Spring!

With joy!

With bright spring colors (that remind me of Easter eggs)!

With grippiness (because couldn't we all use an opportunity to get a grip?).

And lightness (ahhh ... the sun ... the light ... the goodness).

And an eco-friendly excuse to get yourself back on the yoga mat!

The Kulae tpECOmat looks great (in vibrant and excellent color combos), it's light (2.0 lbs), durable (I've used mine near-daily for 6 months and it's still in perfect condition), has great grip, and is 100% biodegradable, with no rubbery-gross smell.  It's basically just awesome.

And one lucky reader will have his/her pick!

 

All you need to do is answer the following question in the comment section here on the blog ... before Friday at noon (MST).

Q:  What are you doing to celebrate spring? 

Winner will be selected at random and announced Saturday!

Good luck!

NOTE:  The folks at Kulae don't know the Yogini Cowgirl ... have never heard of the Yogini Cowgirl ... and have not supported this giveaway in any way ... I just happen to love their mat, and want to share it with you all.

40-Day Community Meditation to "Excel & Build Your Healing Force"

031811. There are so many changes and shifts happening lately (as evidenced by the fact that Japan is now 13 feet closer to the United States than ever before ... and the quake that rattled Southeast Asia sped up the earth's rotation so now our days are just a little bit shorter) ... it seems like life is moving at warp speed.

I’m lucky in that I am part of a beautiful sangat (community) of yoga teachers here in Bozeman. And Jessi, the owner of BE THE CHANGE YOGA STUDIO, has opened her heart and her door to share Kundalini Yoga and Meditation as part of the line-up at her studio.

And even luckier still that she supports some of my off-the-wall ideas.

The thing is, I've been looking for a mediation that would develop the strength and the will to sit peacefully amid the changes that are happening, but also develop the stamina to keep up. I realized I’ve been doing one particular meditation off and on now for about a year. Now, maybe it’s time to commit.

So starting next Wednesday (March 23rd), we’re going to begin our first COMMUNITY 40 DAY MEDITATION.

The great thing about doing a meditation as a community meditation is that you have support in knowing that you're not doing it alone. There are daily emails of encouragement. Weekly meetings to practice it together, drink tea and talk about what's going on as you wind your way through the process. There's a shared energy that can lift you up when you need it ... or maybe you're the up-energy one day and you help elevate your neighbor.

Committing to do the meditation every day for 40-days will use the physical flow of your energy to activate your body's own healing force and give you access to that store of energy in your solar plexus.

Yogi Bhajan said "when you want to excel despite all your deficiencies, do this kriya:"

The meditation we’re going to do is called EXCEL AND BUILD YOUR HEALING FORCE (from the manual Reaching ME in Me). I’ve mentioned it before on this site. But here are the particulars once again:

THE POSTURE, MUDRA and EYE-FOCUS:

• Tune in with the Adi Mantra (Ong Namo Guru Dev Namo – 3 times, like we do in class)
• Sit in Easy Pose with a straight spine.
• Interlock your fingers and raise your hands over head, so your arms become a halo around your head. Make the halo as round as you can (not stretched too high ... not too close to your head).
• Concentrate at your navel and meditate to the sounds of the Mul Mantra (no singing ... just listening).
• To end, inhale and hold your breath for a few seconds. Exhale and hold your breath out for a few seconds.
• And then close with a Long Sat Nam (like we do in class)
• Recommended to do it for 11-31 minutes a day.

Sure, it's a challenge to keep your arms up, and yes, keeping your focus on the navel while you let all other thoughts drift away can cause frustration and anxiety. And then of course there’s having the willingness to let the sound current (the Naad) of the Mul Mantra (the root mantra, which aligns us with our destiny) do its work on your psyche … that’s not always easy. But it's also a worthwhile effort when life seems like it's becoming unmanageable, like there's too much on your plate, and there's not enough time in the day to get it all done.

Cost - $11 for the entire 6 weeks (includes the weekly meetings, daily emails, and a journal to write about your experience).

So … join us at BE THE CHANGE for tea and meditation, this Wednesday, March 23rd. 7:45 pm. “Keep up, and you’ll be kept up!” - YB

EMAIL me with questions or to sign up!

Global Meditation for Japan | 3HO eCommunity

031611.  The Kundalini Yoga Community is gathering today (at 11 am MST) all across the globe to meditate for healing and recovery in Japan.

Join in with the RA MA DA SA meditation, which only takes 11 minutes.   How many 11 minutes do we waste each day just "ptutzing" around the house or at the proverbial water cooler? ... let's give one up for the people of Japan.

The link will bring you to the 3ho.org site and a video about how to do the meditation.

Sat Nam!

via www.3ho.org

who's up for a little group meditation?

031411. Let's all meditate together!

EMAIL me for more information or to sign up!  (Even if you can't make it to the weekly meetings, you're welcome to join the meditation ... the more the merrier, I always say.)

 

love the ladies ...

030611.

International Women's Day has been celebrated since 1913 ... it's a day for the global celebration of women and their contributions to the world.  

Yogically speaking, women are the manifestation of the primal creative force of the universe.  We are "The Adi Shakti."  

And as women ... as this creative force ... we have the power (and the responsibility) to change the world through the example we set in our communities, through the compassion we show to our friends and neighbors, and through the values we gift to our children.  

We can raise consciousness and affect real change.  

And it begins now!  

Join me Tuesday night for a special evening of yoga and meditation to honor, manifest and celebrate girl power!

since I'm up anyway ...

030611. It’s just after 4:30 am on Sunday and I’m wide awake.

Unlike everyone else in the house.

And I must admit it’s kind of nice to have a little quiet time.

I’ve already done my meditations for the day.

And I wasn’t interrupted by dogs begging for food.

Or a Little One, not-so-subtly-sneaking them food.

There are no contractors outside the kitchen windows working on the house. (Believe it or not, the new windows are in and the siding is finally up after nearly 9 months since the hailstorm that damaged the building and blew out the windows… and no, we didn’t go with the green.  Instead, we found a gorgeous red brick color and the Cottage looks like a home where people live once again!)

So now what?

Here are my choices:

• Take a few minutes to work on a new website design (for this site, as well as a new site I’m building called mommyandmemontana.com – which is shaping up to be a blog/clearing house of ideas of what one can do with their Little Ones throughout Montana – will be up and running in probably 4-6 weeks … if anyone has any ideas to include on that site, feel free to EMAIL ME.).

• Organize the curriculum for a special INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY yoga class I’m teaching at BE THE CHANGE on Tuesday.   More on that tomorrow … but until then I’ll say this … find someway to celebrate the women (moms, sisters, friends, girlfriends, daughters, coworkers, etc) in your life on Tuesday because boy-o do they deserve it!

• Build playlists for all of my classes this week. (Too daunting.  I'm not sure where this idea came from.)

• Read up on a movie project that just sort of landed in my lap (more on that later, when the details become clear … but if it’s real, it’s pretty cool and I’d be happy to “come out of retirement” to work on it).

• Begin “De-cluttering my life” – step one of Elaine St. James’ SIMPLIFY YOUR LIFE book (She has 100 ideas in this book and I’m going to spend the next few months incorporating as many of her ideas as possible.  Will share the process along the way).

• Go back to bed.  We have brunch plans at 11:30, so there’s nearly 5 hours before anyone really needs me to do anything (assuming the LO doesn’t wake up before then).

Hmmmm.

What to do … what to do?

Pause.

Pause.

Pause while I consider.

No pressure, please.

I think, this beautifully quiet morning, I’m going to climb back into bed.

Not because I don't have things that need to be done (note: laundry and dishes and housework are not on the list, but they should be).

But because none of them have to be done right now.

And because I remember a piece of advice I got from my SuperStepSis when the LO was born – sleep when the baby sleeps or you may not sleep at all!

 

Q: How crazy is it that it’s already March?  Where is 2011 going?  And why is it going so dang fast?

 

Om Namah Shivaya ... aka ... and now for something I know very little about ...

030311.  Apparently, in the Hindi tradition, tonight (the night before the New Moon usually celebrated either in February or March) marks the MAHA SHIVARATRI.  The Night of Shiva.

In brief, Shiva is one of the deities of the Hindu Trinity.  He’s the God of Destruction.  Which is not a negative thing … because every new beginning comes from something’s end.  (Think of it this way ... thank goodness you broke up with that loser, so you could open the space for the right person in your life :)

He’s also referred to as the god of yoga and meditation.  Because in deep meditation (samadhi), we let go of everything … we let go of our ego … we let go of our thoughts … we let go of old habits and attachments.  Shiva represents a letting go of every worldly thing so we can become one with The One … which is the whole point of meditation.

One of the myths I found says that tonight is the night that Shiva saved the world from destruction.  There was a poison in the water, and after the pleas and prayers from Lord Vishnu and all the people in the world, Shiva took that poison into his throat.  But the poison was so strong it nearly toppled the god, so a snake was placed around his neck, which abated the affects of the poison.  Although, it left Shiva’s neck blue (he’s often depicted with a blue neck … which also happens to be the color of the throat chakra).

Other myths suggest that tonight marks the day that Shiva married Parvati, and is an auspicious day for women to pray for the men in their lives … or to pray to find a new man in their life … and that he be like Shiva … the ideal husband (brave, strong, loving, protective, honorable, etc).

Hindi people who honor Lord Shiva all over the world will fast today (either eating a diet of only fruits and milk … or nothing at all), and then join in the festival tonight in honor of this powerful deity.

So … what’s interesting about this for the Catholic girl from New Jersey who practices kundalini yoga and lives in Montana?   Let me tell you …

The thing I keep finding (in the “research” I’ve been doing on the internet) is that tonight is a celebration of our transition from the darkness of ignorance into the “dawn of divine joy and knowledge.”

After my first winter above the 45^th parallel, it’s a great reminder that we won’t live in this cold darkness forever.  It’s a beautiful, dance-filled acknowledgement that the darkness of winter might finally be coming to an end … that light and knowledge and spring flowers and sunshine are at our fingertips. 

And despite being raised Catholic, I recognize that mine isn’t the only faith that offers insight and experience in the world.  I love the parallels that exist across world religions.  I love the similarities in the stories and I celebrate the differences.

So today … in my yoga classes and in my activities with the LO (which include swimming lessons, a trip to the dinosaur museum and dinner with Nana) … we’re going to dance.  We're going to meditate.  We're going to let go of the past.  We’re going to celebrate the light.  We're going to experience the now.  

Q:  What are YOU going to do today?

a Monday meditation to know the field

012411.  It’s Monday … okay … well … there’s still an hour left of Monday (okay ... 30 minutes), so I’m getting this in just under the wire.  So, once again, it's Monday, what better day to talk about meditation?  Plus, it’s been a while … and I’ve been practicing this meditation for a few days now and I feel like I am starting to get a real sense of it.

(this is from the Beartooth Highway in Southern Montana ... an amazingly scenic road that I recommend everyone drive at some point in their lives ... and on it's own, an incredibly meditative experience.)

 
This is called a “Meditation to Know the Field.”  Yogi Bhajan originally taught this mediation in 1973.  It’s a meditation to help develop the ability to know and feel the energy flow in any situation … like at work … if you’ve got a co-worker who’s “opposing” you … or at home … if you’re kids are sneaking out with the “wrong crowd.”  For me ... I decided to start this because I'm about to start a new workshop.  I'll be meeting a fair number of new people. And I'm feeling like it's important for me to be present and be conscious for the sake of the folks who signed up ... and I have the sense that this particular meditation is the one I need right now.

This meditation can help you develop your expanded awareness.  It creates a sensitivity … it expands your aura so it more easily picks up on the energy shifts of those around you.

It’s pretty neat.

So while I’m finding it to be a bit of a challenge because it’s 22 minutes (and that can be a long time when there’s a toddler to contend with), I’m also finding it to be a pretty blissed-out experience, and I must admit to feeling pretty sensitive to everyone around me … even strangers … like the dude at the coffee shop where I was earlier today who had clearly married his metaphorical mother.

So here goes:

NOTE:  precede this meditation with a vigorous yoga set  or vigorous work-out which includes pranayam (focused breath).

Sit in Easy Pose (cross-legged) with a straight spine.

EYES:  Eyes are 1/10^th open, with the eyes looking downward.  Concentrate your mind at your Brow Point … your Third Eye Point.

MUDRA (hand position):  Hands are in Gyan Mudra (index finger and thumb are connected at the tips, rest of the fingers are straight, but relaxed … wrists are resting on your knees).

FOCUS:  Keep the spine straight and begin releasing all the tension from the spine outward.  Let each segment of the spine release and each area of the body relax.

TIME:  22 minutes.  In my experience, it takes the first 10-15 minutes to release all the tension, so it’s in the second half of the meditation that I start to enter that “blissed-out” state, and really start to feel things shift in my consciousness.

So there you have it … a meditation for a Monday.  As I mentioned, I started this a few days ago and have plans to continue on … Tuesday will be day four of 40.   Let me know if you decide to join me in this meditation … I’m always happy to have a “partner in crime” on these adventures …

 

Q:  Have you started anything new lately?

 

 

as the days get shorter … time for yoga and meditation runs out?

121710.  Five more days until Solstice.  Five more days until the full moon.  Five more days until the total lunar eclipse. 

And as we lead up to the shortest day of the year, I’ve been practicing my Surya Namaskar and Surya Kriya (Sun Salutations and Sun Set) so I can invite the energy of the sun back into my life.

I must admit, I haven’t had a ton of time these days for my yoga practice.

My classes at BE THE CHANGE are on hold until the first week in January, so I haven’t had to get up for Sadhana three days a week.

Then that stomach virus last weekend really knocked it out of me.

And the Little One got it.

And then the Cowboy.

And then I realized how little time there was before Christmas and I’ve been rushing around to finish last minute “stuff” before the SuperMom and SuperStepDad arrive next Wednesday.

So wherever I am ... whenever I can ... I look for moments to connect and reconnect.

I’ve been “stealing” moments to practice and to meditate.

I wake up a few minutes early.  Three Sun Salutations.

The LO falls asleep in the car on the way home from her tumbling class.  I plug in my iPod and practice the SA RE SA SA: Meditation for the Chakras  (from the book Yoga for Prosperity by Siri Kirpal Khalsa) for 11 minutes while sitting in my car, waiting for her to wake.

The Cowboy runs an errand to the store, a few more sun salutations and a minute of Breath of Fire.

Struggling to sleep, I spend a few minutes in shoulder stand to get a few extra moments of "yogic sleep" and then silently chant SA TA NA MA as I climb into bed ... before it begins again.

 

Q:  What do you do with your stolen moments?

Sa Re Sa Sa: Meditation for the Chakras

POSTURE: Sit in any meditative posture, i.e., Easy Pose or in a chair with a straight spine with a light neck lock (Jalandhar Bandh).

Let the arms extend straight and rest over the knees. Make Buddhi Mudra with both hands (touch the fleshy pad of the thumb tip to the nail tip of the little finger). The other fingers are relaxed but straight. (The yogis associate Buddhi Mudra with the planet Mercury. It is for invoking mental and psychic powers of communication.)

Become completely still in the posture, both physically and mentally, like a calm ocean. Listen to the chant for a minute. Feel its rhythm in every cell. Then join in the mantra.

EYES: The eyes are closed, looking upwards into the third eye point.

BREATH: Let the breath come naturally.

MANTRA:

Sa Re Sa Sa, Sa Re Sa Sa, Sa Re Sa Sa, Sa Rung

Har Re Har Har, Har Re Har Har, Har Re Har Har, Har Rung

Translation:

That Infinite Totality is here, everywhere.

That creativity of God is here, everywhere. 

 

the dreaded SNOOZE button ...

120910. A reader recently sent me an email that got me thinking.  She wanted to know how I manage to get up in the morning for yoga and meditation.  And the thing is … I recognized myself a LOT in her email.  Here's her dilemma:

I desperately want to get up early before work to do some yoga/meditation, go to the gym and get to work at a decent time. This would then allow me to come home at a decent time and have time to relax / study (Indian Head Massage) or catch up on minor housework chores.

Instead I reset the alarm clock, get up at the latest possible moment, get to work later than anyone else, have to stay later at work, have to go to the gym after work (which I'm failing to do), have less time for study (which I'm failing to do), housework and relaxing (fail, fail). This all combines to make me feel that I'm failing at everything and it all becomes a downward spiral.

I have a clue that the answer may be in changing my thinking about getting up early before work, and the benefits that will bring. I just find it extremely difficult to motivate myself.

I just wondered if you had any words of advice.

Here’s my thinking about what happens when we keep hitting snooze:

First off, we make all these grand plans:  “I’m going to get up an hour early, get to the gym for an hour of cardio … or there’s a yoga class at 7 … if I can get there and get home by 8:45, I’ll have time for a quick shower and still be to work by 9:30.”

Uh huh.

They are great plans.

We set our alarm clocks with the best of intentions.  We know that it’s a good thing to wake up early, practice some yoga (or move your body in some way), meditate, get settled and focused for the day ahead.  Really good.  The world is easier to deal with when you start the day with a little sweat … a little laughter … and a little meditation.

But then the alarm goes off.

And our mind gets to work (If you’re anything like me, there’s a real dialogue that goes on in your head):

“Five more minutes.”  “I can still get to the gym if I skip a shower.”  “I’ll take a yoga class during lunch.”  “I’ll get to the gym after class.”  “It's only five more minutes.”

Snooze.

ZZzzzzzzz.

Alarm.

Snooze.

ZZzzzzzzz.

Alarm.

Snooze.

ZZzzzzz.

Alarm.

“Crap. Now I’m late.”  “No time for yoga.”  “No time for the gym.”  “No time for the meditation.”  “I can’t go during lunch because I have that meeting … hmmmm.”  “I can still get there tonight. … Oh no … I forgot I have that thing tonight … Aaaargh.”

And it’s proof-positive that our minds/egos are pretty powerful.

You see, the ego likes to have that control – keep us doing what it wants, ratherthan what we want/know we need.

It’s just so dang easy to get caught in this cycle.

But there is a way out.

Although it does take a little effort.

I’m speaking from experience here … I had the same problem when I was just starting out in my own practice.

Two things helped me make a shift (to take the power away from my ego and give it to my "soul" or "self"):

1 - START SMALL.  Instead of making grand plans (to get out of bed, get dressed, get to the gym, get home to shower and dress and get to work ... basically adding more than an hour to my morning), I started small ... if all I did was wake up and do 5 sun salutations and meditate for 3 minutes, I was a winner.  Some days, all I did was a 3 minute wake-up set (1 minute of stretch pose w/breath of fire, 1 minute of knees to nose with breath of fire, 1 minute of ego eradicator with breath of fire) and 3 minutes of a simple meditation before jumping in the shower to start the day.  After about a month (probably more like 40 days), I wanted to do more ... so I kept adding more ... Ishnaan (cold shower), kriya, meditation ...

The other thing I did:

2 - CREATE A SITUATION THAT DOESN'T GIVE YOU AN "OUT."  What I mean by that is ... if someone is waiting for you to pick them up to take them to the gym or yoga studio, you can't very well turn off your alarm.  Or, if you invite a friend to your house to practice with you ... you've got to be up and ready when they arrive ... you've created a situation that won't let you turn off your alarm.  Early on, I had a neighbor who agreed to meet me for walking meditations 2 or 3 mornings a week.  We started out walking for 30 minutes ... worked up to about an hour ... we both lost weight, we both "got happy."  And she just completed her third marathon.  The idea of her waiting outside my door in the morning got me up and out ... 

I don't know if these suggestions will help you ... but I hope so ... because I think if you add yoga and meditation all of those other things (work, home, study) get easier.

Q: How do you quiet your mind when it's working against you??

 

boy-oh, that buckin’ horse is hot … or, why it’s important to maintain your self-care … even when you’re in Vegas

120510.  The LO went to her first rodeo last night.

And I think she had a good time,

She was, at the very least, mesmerized by what was going on in the arena …

The buckin’ broncos.

The bull riding (these guys all put themselves in serious danger ... takes a certain mindset, I think).

And the “nay-nays” (that’s what she calls horses) riding like the wind.

It was wild.

And it was fun.

And it was major sensory overload.

Basically … it was Vegas.

And when we got back to our room last night it took about 4 minutes for both of us to fall into a deep deep sleep. 

The Cowboy stayed out for a bit … when you’re a rodeo veteran, the NFR is like a family reunion … and it’s important to spend time with the old gang.  To laugh.  To reminisce.  To reconnect with friends.

And what I realize today that maybe I didn’t realize five years ago is that it’s equally important (even when you’re on vacation) to find a few minutes to stay centered.  Because it’s easy to say “I don’t need to do my yoga.”  “I don’t have time to exercise.”  “I don’t have time to meditate.”  “I don’t need to eat right.”  “I don’t.” “I can’t.” “I won’t.”

But here’s the thing … a conscious, committed 10 minutes can make your vacation 10x more relaxing … make you 100x more present … and 1000x happier.

It’s a well-spent 10 minutes.  I promise.

So next time you find yourself waking up in a hotel room … before anyone else wakes up … take 10 minutes to do the following wake-up set and see how things go …

Tune in with the Adi Mantra (it’s okay to tune-in silently, so as not to wake your roommates):

    Ong Namo Guru Dev Namo

As you silently chant the mantra 3 times, you’re calling upon that subtle divine teacher within, to allow you to have a complete experience.

Now bring yourself to standing for 2 or 3 sets of Surya Namaskar (sun salutations).  Feet together.  Spine straight.  Hands in prayer pose at your heart center.

• Inhale and raise your arms overhead.  Look toward your hands.
• Exhale and fold forward.  Hands to the ground.
• Inhale and lift up … (hands to shins, spine parallel to the ground).
• Exhale and fold forward again.  Hands on the ground.
• Inhale and jump or step back into high plank.
• Exhale and lower to low plank position.
• Inhale, straighten your arms, lower your hips, lift your head and arch your back, bringing yourself into Cobra.
• Exhale and, using your navel, raise your hips to the sky, drop your head, bringing yourself into downward facing dog (In Kundalini Yoga, we call this “triangle pose.”)  Legs are straight. Arms are straight (elbows are turned in so the pressure/weight is on your thumb and first finger).  Neck is relaxed.
• Remain in Triangle Pose for 3-5 complete breaths.
• On an inhale, step or float your feet between your hands.
• Exhale bringing yourself to a standing forward bend.
• Inhale and come to standing, raising your arms overhead.
• Exhale and bring hands to prayer pose, and lower arms so hands are at your heart center.
• Repeat … 2 or 3 times …

To end, sit in easy pose (cross-legged) with a straight spine.  Close your eyes.  Focus on your third eye and silently meditate on the sound current Sat Nam (truth is my identity).  Inhale, exhale, and relax.

Tops, this takes 10 minutes.  And as I mentioned, it can change everything … for the good.

 

Q:  Why do you let your practice lapse when you get busy or when you’re on holiday?

 

 

UPCOMING CLASSES - EVENTS - WORKSHOPS 

PLEASE NOTE:  My class schedule at BE THE CHANGE is currently on hold as I enter the third trimester of this pregnancy.  HOWEVER, Private Consultations for Meditation and Yoga are still available.

In the meantime, for Kundalini Yoga, check out Ravi Inder Kaur's classes at Montana Lotus and The Birth Place.  For Vinyasa Yoga and meditation, keep heading to BE THE CHANGE YOGA, where Jessi, Jen and the rest of the teachers are there to care for all your yogic needs :)

PRIVATE YOGA & MEDITATION CONSULTATIONS:

Private consultations include personalized yoga practice that is designed for you and what's going on in your life.  Meditation consultation includes a 60 minute interview, a tantric numerology report and meditations specifically for you.  Meditation consultations also include daily email support to help keep you going as you work your way through a 40, 90 or 120-day meditation, and can include a weekly meeting to practice the meditation together.

 

YOGA & MEDITATION (90 minutes) - $75

PERSONAL MEDITATION CONSULTATION - (60 minutes + 40-90-120 days of personalized support/inspirational emails) - $50-$75-$100 (+$25 to add the additional weekly meetings)

*EMAIL me for more information or to arrange your personal consultation.

when does a challenge become a gift?

111710.  It was “challenging” to wake up this morning. Which is sort of putting it mildly.

You see, my alarm went off at 4:40 am … as usual.  All I could think was “why do I do this?  Why do I subject myself to waking up at this Godforsaken hour when I know no one’s going to show up for Sadhana?  What’s the point?”

And then I hit snooze and rolled over, falling fast into a deep deep sleep.

Tick tock.

Tick tock.

4:50 am

Bzzzzzzzzzz.

Snooze.

Tick tock.

Tick tock.

4:59 am

A mere seconds before the alarm again, I shoot up.

Angry.

Anxious.

Frustrated.

Arrrrrggh.

Now I’m going to be late.

Rush around.

Rush around.

(In the dark … I don’t want to wake anyone else in the house … including the dogs)

Still in PJs, I don a coat and grab the keys to the Cowboy’s truck (the one blocking my car) and run outside to start the engine. (It’s 22 degrees … need the car to be warmed up a bit)

Back inside.

Human popsicle.

Get dressed.

Brush my teeth.

Put on my hat.

Grab my bag and I’m out the door before 5:30 … so I get to the studio EARLY!

Wouldn’t it be a fun story if I did all that running around and someone actually showed up to Sadhana this morning?

But at 6:05, I knew it would just be me.

And now … after sitting silently in the studio for 20 minutes listening to Japji Sahib I realize the solitude of the space … the beauty of the room lit up by Christmas twinkly lights … the quiet.

So I open my book and practice.

Nabhi Kriya.  (It’s a yoga set that focus’ on one’s Third Chakra … Navel Center … aka “abs” … and it’s really more intense than I remember from the last time I practiced it.)

And then the Aquarian Sadhana meditations.

But I’m feeling “weak” this morning, so I literally lay down and let the sound current wash over me for three of the seven meditations.

I find myself lost in the meditations, actually.

And before I know it, my time is up.

Just a few more moments before students start showing up for the 7:30 class (because people always show up for the 7:30 class ... it's pretty awesome).

And barely enough time for the closing song “Longtime Sun.”

So I’m not surprised to hear the outer studio door open.

But I am surprised to hear another voice join in the song.

“May the long time sun shine upon you.  All love surround you.  And the pure light within you, guide your way on.”

And my heart is filled with joy.

That’s why I came to Sadhana today.

Because sometimes, the challenges bring with them beautiful fleeting gifts.

 

(Non-sequitur photo of the LO, who offered her own challenge today … not wanting to wear a coat, and insisting upon wearing my hat and scarf … ahhhhhh youth)

 

Sat nam …

 

Q: What challenges are you facing today?

 

life lessons from the UC

111110.  As most of you know ... I’ve been taking horseback riding lessons in effort to fulfill my dream of actually being a Montana cowgirl.  Once a week.  For an hour.  Either on Wednesday or Friday. Whenever the Ultimate Cowgirl can fit me into her schedule.

(this is me on the Cowboy's horse RED ...Red understands me ...he forgives me ...and he tolerates all my mistakes with grace ...lookout Cowboy, there's a new boy in town!)

And every week I am surprised by how much I learn about myself, about horses and about the world from these lessons.

Some of those lessons come from Laurie, whose 50-some-odd hard-livin’, movie-stunt-ridin’, elk-huntin’, cattle wranglin’, rodeo-in’ and teachin’ years on the planet have given her some incredible insight into humankind.  Like her awareness that the kids she teaches (her youngest students are 4 years old.  FOUR!!!) don’t have a timetable.  They just have an experience.  They get on the horse and ride.  They don’t judge it. They just live it.

It’s not until puberty that folks start to be aware of how bad they are … they over think their body (“relax on your sits bones, sit up straight, feet turned out, heels down, use your thighs, quiet your hands, blah, blah, blah”) … they get anxious about not being excellent from the get-go (“we’re going to stay in the round-pen for another lesson? Arrrgh)… and they create this timetable for themselves (“by my second lesson, I should be able to do this or that”)

I like to pretend that I’m pretty evolved.  That I have an awareness of my body.  That I have an awareness of my ego.

But NEWSFLASH TO MYSELF:  I’m not an exception.

(yesterday, the UC told me that when I get out of balance I look like one of those stocking stuffer plastic "drinking happy birds" ... ugh ... I think I'm in trouble)

Sure, the daily yoga and meditation helps a LITTLE. 

I mean … I can feel when my hips aren’t open, and when my feet are too deep in the stirrups.  But my brain is working over-time … I’m stuck in my head and not letting my body just do what it’s supposed to … except occasionally, when I am.

Because once in a while … once in a very great while … it comes together.

They are fleeting, brief, but beautiful moments that UC assures me will get more and more frequent as the days pass and I practice, practice, practice.

And then … in a fun twist of events … while I was looking up something for my yoga practice, I happened upon this little quote from Anne Wilson Schaef:

 “When we are one with ourselves and our process, we are truly one with the process of the universe.  When we are one with ourselves, our lives seem to fall into place effortlessly.  All of us know the feeling of moments of effortless living.  When we have the courage to trust our intuition, life begins to live itself.”

It’s amazing how much this quote applies to horseback riding and to life.

Next week I plan on finding a few more effortless moments on the horse … and in life, too, if I do any of this right …

 

Q:  Are you living effortlessly these days?

 

you're probably tired of hearing me say it ... but here I go again ...

110810.  I have this friend … He’s a New Yorker.  But he lives in Los Angeles.  And before I left town he was telling me about his daily ritual:

He wakes up a few minutes early every day so he has time to brew himself the perfect cup of coffee.  He whips out the espresso machine.  Grinds the beans.  Steams the milk.  He’s got it down.  And he doesn’t leave home without it … even if his first meeting of the day is at a coffee shop.

 

It’s his daily practice.

His sadhana.

I’m sure he appreciates the caffeine … but I think, if you asked him, the caffeine is secondary to the process … And it’s an important part of his day because even though it’s just a few extra minutes, they are the minutes he devotes to his own meditative space.  And it prepares him to face the day.

And that’s the benefit of sadhana.

Louis’ sadhana is making his coffee.

Your sadhana is whatever your sadhana is.

Even the LO has her sadhana.

 

(relax ... she's not drinking coffee ... promise)

Mine happens to be the Aquarian Sadhana that Yogi Bhajan outlined back in the early 70s.  My sadhana is comprised of a short kriya (yoga set) and seven meditations with seven mantras to get ready for the day. 

Mantras are specific sound currents that are organized in a way that have been proven to elevate our consciousness. 

Different mantras have different effects because the sounds within each mantra have different meanings, but they also each have a specific “Naad.”  The Naad is the essence of the sound current … the vibrational harmony in the sound current that gives us access to God/The Infinite.  So each of the seven mantras we use in sadhana has a different purpose.

The first one … The ADI SHAKTI MANTRA (aka Long Ek Ong Kars), which lasts 7 minutes, initiates the kundalini … it initiates the relationship between our soul and the Universal Soul.  It’s like picking up the phone and dialing the number.  And it’s a simple one.

(NOTE:  Unless otherwise noted, sit in a comfortable meditative easy pose, with a straight spine.  Eyes rolled in an up toward the Third Eye):

            Ek Ong Kaar

            Sat Naam Siri

            Wha-hay Guroo

Then we move into 7 minutes of the WAAH YANTEE, KAR YANTEE mantra.  This mantra represents thousands of years of prayer.  With it, we call directly on the Macroself, beyond the Guna, beyond creation.  And it’s a tad more complicated than the Adi Shakti mantra:

            Waah Yantee, Kaar Yantee

            Jag Doot Pate, Aadak It Waahaa

            Brahmaadeh Traysha Guroo

            It Wha-hay Guroo

The third mantra is the MUL MANTRA (Mul = Root) and it gives an experience of the depth and consciousness of your soul.  There are 108 elements in the Universe, and 108 letters in the mul mantra (in the original Gurmukhi script).  This mantra expands creativity and projects us into action in line with the Creator, and with our destiny:

            Ek Ong Kaar

            Sat Naam

            Kartaa Purkh

            Nirbho

            Nirvair

            Akaal Moorat

            Ajoonee

            Saibung

            Gur Prasaad

            Jap!

            Aad Such

            Jugaad Such

            Hai Bhee Such

            Nanak Hosee Bhee Such

Then comes number four … SAT SIREE, SIREE AKAL.  Another seven minutes.  Yogi Bhajan called this the “Mantra for the Aquairan Age.”  With it, we declare that we are timeless, deathless beings:

          Sat Siree

            Siree Akaal

            Siree Akaal

            Mahaa Akaal

            Mahaa Akaal

            Sat Naam

            Akaal Moorat

            Wha-hay Guroo

Number five is one of my favorites (it’s also one of the more challenging ones what with all of the Gurmukhi).  RAKHAY RAKHANAHAAR.  Seven minutes.  This is a shabd (sound current) of protection against all those negative forces (inner and outer) which move against one’s walk on the path of destiny.  “It cuts like a sword through every opposing vibration, through, word and action.”

          Rakhay Rakhanahaar aap ubaaria-an

            Gur kee pairee paa-I kaaj savaari-an

            Hoaa aap da-iaal manaho na visaari-an

            Saadh janaa kai sang bhavajal taari-an

            Saakat nindak dusht khin maa-eh diaari-an

            Tis sahib kee tayk Naanak mania maa-eh

            Jis simrat such ho-I sagalay dookh jaa-eh

Number six is a big one.  It’s the WAHE GURU WAHE JIO mantra.  And it’s 22 minutes.  Chant this mantra sitting in Vir Asan: sitting on the left heel with the right knee up, right foot flat on the ground and hands in Prayer Pose.  Eyes are open and focused at the tip of the nose.  There is no direct translation for this, but we could say “Wow, God is great!”  Jio is an affectionate but still respectful variation of the word Ji which means soul.  So with this mantra, we establish ourselves for victory and the right to excel.

          Wha-hay Guroo Wha-hay Guroo

            Wha-hay Guroo Wha-hay Jeeo

And the last mantra of the Aquarian Sadhana is only 5 minutes.  It’s the Guru Ram Das Chant and invokes spiritual light, guidance and protective grace.

            Guroo Guroo Wha-hay Guroo Guroo Raam Das Guroo

I've probably said it before ... but the thing about sadhana is ...Sadhana is a conscious daily spiritual practice – a regular and daily practice that keeps the mind clear and the actions true.  It gives us the skill and awareness to recognize our own negative patterns and the strength to break those patterns and elevate ourselves.

Whatever it is YOU do to prepare for the day ... it's a good idea to do it every day. 

 

Q: What’s your sadhana?

 

P.S. Guru Shabad Singh has a CD called ILLUMINATION that has all 7 mantras on it.  It's pretty great and available on spiritvoyage.com 

 

meditations ... a handy guide to meditations and yoga archive

When we pray, we ask God (or the Universe, or whatever/whomever it is you pray to) for whatever it is we want/think we need.  When we meditate, we listen for the answer.

Meditation is basically the process of connecting the Self (your intuition) to the mind, and the mind to the body.  Not only does meditating give you access to your intuition, it also gives you a sense of well-being, inner peace, stability and calm.  Meditation will make you true to your true Self, which is generally a pretty good thing.

 

THE AQUARIAN SADHANA

BEGINNER'S MANTRA MEDITATION FOR THE CHAKRAS

BREATH OF FIRE

DHAN DHAN RAM DAS GUR (Meditation to Manifest Miracles) 

EXCEL & BUILD YOUR HEALING FORCE

LOTUS PRAYER FOR PROSPERITY AND PROJECTION UNTO VICTORY

 MEDITATION FOR MASTERY

MEDITATION TO KNOW THE FIELD

SA RE SA SA: MEDITATION FOR THE CHAKRAS

SHABD KRIYA 

SO PURKH

 

 

 

 

there's a skip in the record of my mind ...

102410.   I can’t shake this one idea from my head these days … that the “thing” that sabotages our success in life is our mind. 

That voice in your head saying “go ahead … eat the cupcake … you’re never going to lose those last 10 pounds, anyway, why does one cupcake matter?” … or the one that says “five more minutes … just hit the snooze button … you’ll get to the gym after work” even though you know you have plans that night … or the one that writes you an excuse for not writing your blog for a few days because “you’re just so busy.”

 

(photo courtesy of slashfood.com - because I haven't made any cupcakes lately) 

Hrmph.

The thing that I’m starting to understand is: that voice isn’t who I am.

It’s just a voice.

It’s just my ego.

It’s just my mind.

And it has nothing to do with my Authentic Self.

Knowing that doesn’t always make it easier to ignore the voice.

But I must admit, that yoga, meditation, mantra and practice make it a lot easier to know the truth… to ignore the cupcake, to wake up for Sadhana, to sit at the computer even when I’m not sure what to write.

So … my mind didn’t win this morning!

It’s 4:30 am …

I’m up …

I’m writing …

I’m about to get ready for Sadhana …

And I’m not going to eat the cupcake …

Unless, maybe, it’s a coconut cupcake …

I’m a sucker for coconut cupcakes.

 

Q: How do you quell the voice in your head?

 

again ... and again ... and again ... until I get it right

102010.  There’s currently a “So Purkh Challenge” happening in the Kundalini Yoga community, in which women all around the world are committing to doing the So Purkh meditation in order to clear their karma with men (aka, get over one’s “daddy issues”) and to elevate the men in their lives to activate their divine selves (to be the best men they can be).

It’s a pretty powerful meditation.

I’ve heard stories of divorce, engagement, enlightenment and bliss.  I don’t know anyone who isn’t challenged and inspired by the time they spend doing this meditation.  So even though I came to the challenge late (many of the ladies are almost done with their 40 days), I'm still excited to be part of the program.

The idea is pretty simple: recite the mantra 11 times a day for 40 days … or 90 days … or 120 days … or 1,000 days.

And I committed to 90 days (because no matter how sane I seem – hey!  I heard that!  No laughing! – we’ve all got “daddy issues”).

Not because I think my issues are that intense.  But because to do a meditation for 40 days will break old patterns and habits.  And I'm a 40-year old woman ... I'm sure I've got some patterns and habits that need a little adjustment.  (The number 40 is a powerful number in the numerology of life … we see it everywhere … it rained for 40 days before Noah built the arc.  Moses was on the mount for 40 days before he received the 10 Commandments, the Israelites wandered for 40 years in the desert, Jesus fasted for 40 days, He was tempted for 40 days, women are pregnant for 40 weeks … and the list goes on …)

To do it for 90 will integrate new patterns and behaviors into one’s life.  120 days and it becomes part of who you are on a subconscious level.  And at 1,000 days, you master it. 

So (feeling too daunted yet to experience 120 or 1,000 days of this particular meditation) I had committed to 90 days.

But it’s a long one (by my standards … not necessarily by yours).  It takes 31 minutes to recite this mantra 11 times.  At least, it takes 31 minutes to recite it correctly, because how you recite this one is important, too.  (Check out Ramdesh’ excellent explanation of the meditation for more info.)

 So Purkh

And here's a link to Nirinjan Kaur's So Purkh CD from spiritvoyage.com, in case you want to hear Nirinjan's dulcet tones chanting this beautiful mantra ... or maybe even buy a copy of the CD so you can try the meditation, too.

I have to admit ... finding 31 minutes alone … in a meditative space … in which I can devote the time to the meditation and to myself … has been a challenge.  (Although I suppose I could be doing the 31 minutes right now, instead of writing this post?)

Which brings me to today’s post … because for 10 days I was able to find some time to get it done.  For 10 days, I recited the mantra with intention, with enthusiasm, with bliss. 

And then … day eleven.

And somehow, those 24 hours got away from me.

I woke up this morning with the realization that I didn’t do the meditation yesterday.

Oh no.

But I was 10 days in!

Ugh.

So now I have to start again.

Because you don’t get a free pass in the meditation world.  If you miss a day, you begin again.

I suppose I could just pretend it didn’t happen.

But that defeats the purpose, doesn’t it?

If I can’t be true to myself, how can I be true to anyone else?

And so … I begin again.

Big sigh.

So Purkh.

  

Q: How honest are you with yourself?

 

 

SO PURKH - the meditation

THE MUDRA / POSTURE:

 Sit in a comfortable meditative posture with a straight spine.  Eyes closed and rolled up to one's third eye point.

 

THE MANTRA:

Raag aasaa mehela chauthaa So Purkh.
Ik ong kar sat gur parsaad.
so purakh niranjan har purakh niranjan har agmaa agam apaaraa.
sabh Dhi-aavahi sabh Dhi-aavahi tuDh jee har sachay sirjanhaaraa.
sabh jee-a tumaaray jee tooN jee-aa kaa daataaraa.
har Dhi-aavahu santahu jee sabh dookh visaaranhaaraa.
har aapay thaakur har aapay sayvak jee ki-aa naanak jant vichaaraa.

tooN ghat ghat antar sarab nirantar jee har ayko purakh samaanaa.
ik daatay ik bhaykhaaree jee sabh tayray choj vidaanaa.
tooN aapay daataa aapay bhugtaa jee ha-o tuDh bin avar na jaanaa.
tooN paarbarahm bay-ant bay-ant jee tayray ki-aa gun aakh vakhaanaa.
jo sayveh jo sayveh tuDh jee jan naanak tinH kurbaanaa.

har Dhi-aavahi har Dhi-aavahi tuDh jee say jan jug meh sukh vaasee.
say mukat say mukat bha-ay jinH har Dhi-aa-i-aa jee-o tin tootee jam kee faasee.
jin nirbha-o jinH har nirbha-o Dhi-aa-i-aa jee-o tin kaa bha-o sabh gavaasee.
jinH sayvi-aa jinH sayvi-aa mayraa har jee-o tay har har roop samaasee.
say Dhan say Dhan jin har Dhi-aa-i-aa jee-o jan naanak tin bal jaasee.

tayree bhagat tayree bhagat bhandaar jee bharay bay-ant bay-antaa.
tayray bhagat tayray bhagat salaahan tuDh jee har anik anayk anantaa.
tayree anik tayree anik karahi har poojaa jee tap taapeh jaapeh bay-antaa.
tayray anayk tayray anayk parheh baho simrit saasat jee kar kiri-aa khat karam karantaa.
say bhagat say bhagat bhalay jan naanak jee jo bhaaveh mayray har bhagvantaa.

tooN aad purakh aprampar kartaa jee tuDh jayvad avar na ko-ee.
tooN jug jug ayko sadaa sadaa tooN ayko jee tooN nihchal kartaa so-ee.
tuDh aapay bhaavai so-ee vartai jee tooN aapay karahi so ho-ee.
tuDh aapay sarisat sabh upaa-ee jee tuDh aapay siraj sabh go-ee.
jan naanak gun gaavai kartay kay jee jo sabhsai kaa jaano-ee.

 

TRANSLATION:

That Lord is Immaculate; the Lord God is Immaculate.  The Lord is Unapproachable, Unfathomable and Incomparable.  All meditate, all meditate on You, O Dear Lord, O True Creator.  All beings are Yours; You are the Giver of all beings.  So meditate on the Lord, O Saints; He is the One who takes away all pain.  The Lord Himself is the Master, and He Himself is His own servant.  O Nanak, how insignificant are mortal beings!

You are totally pervading within each and every heart; O Lord, You are the One Primal Being, All-permeating.  Some are givers, and some are beggars; all of this is Your wondrous play!  You Yourself are the Giver, and You Yourself are the Enjoyer.  I know of no other than You.  You are the Supreme Lord God, Infinite and Eternal; what Glorious Praises of Yours should I speak and chant?  Unto those who serve, unto those who serve You, slave Nanak is a sacrifice.

Those who meditate on the Lord, those who meditate on You, O Dear Lord, those humble beings dwell in peace in this world.  They are liberated, they are liberated, who meditate on the Lord; the noose of Death is cut away from them.  Those who meditate on the Fearless One, on the Fearless Lord, all their fears are dispelled.  Those who have served, those who have served my Dear Lord, are absorbed into the Being of the Lord, Har, Har.  Blessed are they, blessed are they, who have meditated on the Dear Lord; slave Nanak is a sacrifice to them.

Devotion to You, devotion to You, is a treasure, overflowing, infinite and endless.  Your devotees, Your devotees praise You, O Dear Lord, in many and various ways.  For You, so many, for You, so very many, O Dear Lord, perform worship and adoration; they practice penance and endlessly chant in meditation.  For You, many - for You, so very many read the various Simritees and Shaastras; they perform religious rituals and the six ceremonies.  Those devotees, those devotees are good, O servant Nanak, who are pleasing to my Lord God.

You are the Primal Being, the Unrivalled Creator Lord; there is no other as Great as You. You are the One, age after age; forever and ever, You are One and the same.  You are the Eternal, Unchanging Creator.  Whatever pleases You comes to pass.  Whatever You Yourself do, happens.  You Yourself created the entire Universe, and having done so, You Yourself shall destroy it all.  Servant Nanak sings the Glorious Praises of the Creator, the Knower of all.

an ancient Sanskrit poem (author unknown)

Look well to this day for it is life …

the very life of life!

In its brief course lie all the realitites and truths of existence...

the joy of growth!

the splendor of action!

the glory of power!

For yesterday is but a memory,

and tomorrow is only a vision

But today, well lived,

makes every yesterday a memory of happiness

and every tomorrow a vision of hope.

Look well, therefore, to this day.

 

Q: What will you do today to make a good memory for tomorrow?

something in the cold cold air ...

101210.  It wasn’t easy to get out of bed this morning at 4:30 am (my usual Tuesday morning wake-up so I can get out the door by 5:30 for Sadhana at 6).

And it was cold.

24 degrees, to be exact.  (Two degrees warmer than the weatherman predicted … and I’ll take those 2 degrees any day.)

My eyes stung just a little with the rush of cool when I opened the front door.

And when I stepped outside, my breath fogged the air in front of me.

Have you ever noticed the effort it takes not to hunch up in the cold? … to really breathe it in … to let your shoulders relax … to acknowledge it, accept it, and let your body do what it’s supposed to do and warm itself?

Even the Cowboy’s truck needed a little warming up before it started purr like the kitten she is.

It’s still dark at 5:30. 

In case you were curious.

The stars still light up the sky at 5:30 in the morning.

And there’s a silence in the air that doesn’t exist any other time of day.

And this morning I felt it … in my bones.

The Amrit Vela … the “ambrosial hours” … the 2 ½ hours before the sun rises (which today turned out to be 7:37 am in Bozeman) … when the sun is at the prefect angle with the earth to really give one a boost … the time when, energetically, we can set ourselves up to handle anything that comes our way the rest of the day.

(photo from Albuquerque, NM, when I was there in 2008 ... not from Bozeman ... and not today)

So when no one showed up to Sadhana today, I had a choice to make … do the practice, do the meditations, or get back into the truck, head home and crawl back into a warm bed.  And let me tell you … that bed was warm and soft and making a big pull to drag me back.

But then I realized … I was up … I was there … might as well take advantage of the solitude and the peace and do the practice.  So … bring it on … I’m ready for today.

 

Q: Are you?

 

PS - don't forget to register for the eco-friendly yoga mat giveaway!  CLICK THIS LINK and comment for your chance to win a Kulae tpECOmat Plus!

meditate to manifest a miracle!

100310.  I’ve mentioned before I’m on this email list where I receive these emails from Kundalini Research Institute called “I Am a Woman: Quotation of the Day” by Yogi Bhajan. 

So today, I woke up wanting to share this “Meditation to Manifest Miracles” I’ve been doing … and then this was the quote:

“Life for a rich person or a poor person, for a healthy person or an unhealthy person, for a tall person or a short person, means the same thing: what you put in you will get out.  It’s an investment.”

It was a little bit of a thunderbolt moment.

Because right now, the Kundalini Yoga community is celebrating the upcoming birthday of Guru Ram Das (the 4^th Sikh Guru) by practicing a meditation dedicated to Guru Ram Das.  (At this point in my practice, my knowledge of the Sikh Gurus is a very basic one.  And what I understand is that there have been 10 gurus.  And each represents a different aspect of God.  One represents courage.  One humility.  One clarity.  Etc.  And Guru Ram Das represents God’s ability to manifest miracles.  He’s like the “patron saint” of miracles.)

So … back to this meditation … according to my Kundalini Yoga teachers, doing this meditation on the days leading up to Guru Ram Das’ birthday on October 9^th is a powerful time of year to do it.  Guru Ram Das has no choice but to answer your intention, to intercede to God on your behalf … because “his reputation is on the line” … :)

And I’ve been doing the meditation for a few days now (since last Wednesday) and while I haven’t witnessed a miracle to this point, I am feeling an overwhelming peace and confidence in the Universe that everything is going to be just a.o.k. 

And like the daily quote says … life is an investment … and I’m willing to invest 11 minutes a day toward manifesting a miracle (not just for myself, but for my loved ones and for the world). 

Because who couldn’t use a miracle?

So this is what I’m doing:

It's called DHAN DHAN RAM DAS GUR.

POSTURE:  Sit in easy pose, with a straight spine.  Eyes closed, rolled gently up and in toward your Third Eye.

MANTRA:  (I’m using Snatam Kaur and Prabu Nam Kaur’s version from their CD Mother’s Blessing to guide my meditation.  It's available at spiritvoyage.com ... as are other versions of the meditation.)

Dhan dhan raam daas gur jin siri-aa tinai savaari-aa

Pooree hoee karaamaat aap sirajanhaarai dhaari-aa

Sikhee atai sangatee paarbrahm kar namasakaari-aa

Atal athaa-o atol too tayraa ant na paaraavaari-aa

Jinee too sayvi-aa bhaa-o kar say tudh paar utaari-aa

Lab lobh kaam krodh mo maar kadhay tudh saparvaari-aa

Dhan so tayraa thaan hai sach tayraa paisakaari-aa

Naanak too lehanaa toohai gur amar too veechaari-aa

Gur dithaa taa man saadhaari-aa

If you’d like to join me for the meditation, I’ll be leading it at BE THE CHANGE YOGA Studio in Bozeman at 7 am every morning this week (Monday-Friday).  I'm also going to lead a 31-minute version of the meditation at the close of Jessi's 6 pm class on Thursday.  Hope to see you there!

 

Q: What miracle do you want to manifest?

 

What's the big deal about Sadhana?

091410. First, a shout out to the SuperMom … “Happy Birthday!!!”

And now back to our regularly scheduled conversation … Sadhana.  What’s the big deal?  What’s so good or important about waking up, getting a good sweat up and meditating?  Everyday?  Why do we need a daily practice?

Because that’s all Sadhana is, really.  A daily practice that keeps you grounded, raises your consciousness, enhances your radiance, gives you strength, tenacity and courage to face the day and all that goes into it.

And who doesn’t need a raised consciousness, a radiant spirit, strength, tenacity and courage?  I know I do.

But it’s more than that.

Because Sadhana is a commitment.

It’s a daily commitment to give yourself an amazing gift.

Because no matter how short, it’s good to do some kind of Sadhana because “every effort of the individual mind to meet the Universal Self is reciprocated a thousand-fold.” (The Aquarian Teacher, by Yogi Bhajan, p. 151)

And it doesn’t have to be daunting.  Sure, it would be great if every day one could find the two and a half hours outlined by Yogi Bhajan to help lead us into the Aquarian Age (the Aquarian Sadhana is beautiful.  I promise to outline it here for you some day).   And yes, if Sadhana can happen in the amrit vela (2 1/2 hours before the sun comes up), you get the leg up of having the angle of the earth to the sun helping charge the energy of your experience.  But it's okay if some days your Sadhana is 90 seconds of Breath of Fire in your car before you have to go into a big meeting and need a burst of energy and courage.  And maybe some days it will be just reading about breath of fire.

The thing is, if we don’t have the willpower to wake up a few minutes earlier, how do we expect to have the will to fill in the blank (eat right, be honest, work hard, stay committed in our relationships, keep up, et al)?

The important thing is that we commit to doing something.  Everyday.  Commit to give ourselves the gift of a daily practice.

 

Q: What is your Sadhana today?

 

Mondays can be good days ... if you take advantage of the time you have off

091310.  After a cowgirl-crazy weekend (we drove two hours to Dillon to meet the Cowboy at a round-up/clinic for an old fashioned BBQ-pot-luck), we’re ready to start Monday renewed, refreshed, and ready to yoga.

But first … a few notes on the weekend:

• The LO schooled me in cowgirl fashion.  SHE picked out her shoes.  I swear.  She wouldn’t leave the house without them.
• I wish I had taken pics of the food – Cowboy caviar (aka corn salsa … soooo good), BBQ beans, pasta salads, and a grill filled with meat (and fire … there was a lot of fire) … and a coconut cream pie … YUM!!!

• I used my first outhouse.  Ever.  And yes, that says HFRS. As in heifers.  As in lady cows (not great for the ego … but pretty darn funny, if you ask me).  (NOTE, if you haven’t used an outhouse before … the toilet paper is under the can, which is held in place by the rock … that was the only thing that confused me.)

• We saw some of God’s prettiest country … and loved every minute.

But like I said, we are home again and renewed and ready for the week …

More Sadhana (Tuesday morning at 6 am we’re going to “Awaken the 10 Bodies”) … 6 AM - BE THE CHANGE YOGA STUDIO IN BOZEMAN  ... hope to see you there!!!

More Mommy & Me (we have a “Meditation for a Calm Heart” - because every mom I know needs to find calm in her heart).

And more personal practice … I’ve been using the Shabd Kriya before sleep and I think it’s helping me and the LO (who is happily sleeping about eight hours before waking in fits and starts … if I keep doing it, maybe she’ll sleep the whole night through … fingers crossed!)

 

Q:  Are you ready for the week ahead?

 

think, work, share, love and exercise better ... in just 15 minutes a day

090610.  Happy Labor Day, everyone!

In honor of this holiday that marks the official end of Summer, the start of the new school year, and the beginning of a new financial quarter, I’m going to share a meditation that Yogi Bhajan taught for more than 30 years so we can experience stress-free sleep. 

I know I’ve been writing a lot about stress these days … maybe it’s because I’m feeling a bit more than usual, lately.  Starting a new job (tomorrow!).  A change in living situation (the Cowboy’s finally home!).  Construction on the house (workers are here most days).

But I think we’re all under a tremendous amount of stress these days.  Every day there are new challenges, new changes, new stresses being added to the docket.  And not just personal stresses (like keeping your job and paying the bills) … it’s a time of major universal shifts: environmentally, financially, globally and locally. We can't pretend anymore that it's not happening ... so we need the tools to deal it.

For me, some of the changes that happen when I just START to feel stress include: 

My breath gets shallower.  Breath (Prana) is life.  I have to consciously remember that it’s not enough to breathe into my chest.  I need to feel the air fill my abdomen.  I need to feel it tingle in my finger tips and toes.  I need to exhale completely.  I need to fill my body with Prana to have the vitality to face the challenges ahead.

I get hungry.  Not really.  But I am constantly searching the cabinets for something sweet or salty to eat.  Food converts to energy.  But not all food is good.  Too much sugar, too much salt, too much fat and the body doesn’t convert to energy.  It makes one lethargic and can cause depression.  I need to consciously make the choice not to eat bad food.

And I forget to set aside time for myself.  I worry only about getting done for others what needs to get done.  What I forget is that if I'm not on top of my game, no one wins. So I need to find time for myself (to sweat, laugh and meditate, everyday) – which can be challenging when you have the demands of children and work and family calling.

And I need to sleep.  Because when I get overly stressed my sleep gets disrupted.

So today … I’m offering up “Shabd Kriya” – a meditation to bring about a stree-free sleep.  It is apparently best practiced right before bed.  YB said that this meditation can give one radiance and patience.  He said that done nightly, it can make you “think, work, share, love and exercise better.”  It can make your sleep deep and relaxed and can help regenerate your nerves.

I’m going to give it a try.

I don’t know about you, but I’d be happy to have some good sleep and regenerated nerves.

So here goes (from The Aquarian Teacher: Vitality & Stress, p. 195):

 

POSTURE: 

Sit in any comfortable posture with the spine straight.

 

MUDRA: 

Place the hands on the lap, palms up with the right hand over the left.  The thumb tips are together and point forward.

 

EYES: 

Focus the eyes on the tip of the nose, the eyelids half-closed.

 

BREATH & MANTRA: 

Inhale in 4 equal parts, mentally vibrating the mantra Saa Taa Naa Maa.

Hold the breath, vibrating the mantra 4 times for a total of 16 beats.

Exhale in 2 equal strokes, projecting mentally Wahe Guru.

 

TIME:  15 to 62 minutes

  

Q:  What is your stress response and how do you manage it?

 

sweat, laugh & meditate ... every day

090310. It’s been what many might call a “stressful” week. The siding is being taken off the house, the roof is being replaced, the front fence ripped out … and all the while: the LO started daycare, we’re getting ready for the Cowboy to return on Saturday, the Ferrier needed to re-shoe the horses in prep for Fall/Winter, and I start teaching at a new studio in four days.

And these are on top of the daily stresses that pop up all the time (clothing and feeding ourselves, paying bills, cleaning the house, doing laundry, taking care of the dogs, packing, unpacking, etc.)

It’s that time of year:  The end of summer. Beginning of a new school year. Start of a new quarter. A change of season.

And that’s stress, right?

Change.

And what is life without change?

Pretty boring.

But we need the tools to deal with stress.  Without the right tools, we gain weight, we stop sleeping, we get ornery.  We freeze.  We fight.  We fly.

The truth is, no matter what life throws your way … you can handle it.

You are human, after all. “HUE” “MAN” – you are “a being of light.”

But you have to retain your human-ness. You have to retain your connection to that light.

And while this may sound too simple, one of the most important lessons I’ve learned since starting this whole yoga thing is that in order to retain the connection, it’s incredibly important to SWEAT, LAUGH and MEDITATE … EVERY DAY.

And I believe this is universally true for everyone. There are other things that contribute to a general sense of well-being (like remembering your breath, eating right and getting enough sleep) … but sweating, laughing and meditating are the keys.

Sweating gets the toxins and poison out of your body.

Laughing releases the endorphins in your brain to make you feel good.

And meditating gives you access to your Soul … your intuition … your “gut.”

So get out there and Sweat! Laugh! Meditate! (Look at me on my soap-box again ... that's TWICE this week!)

It’s so simple. And we make it so challenging.

Ah … to be human.

Q: How do you deal with stress?

why do yoga?

083110.  In preparation for teaching at BE THE CHANGE YOGA next week, I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about how all this started.  Why do I do yoga?

When I first started (more than 10 years ago, now) it was just a relatively inexpensive way to get a sweat up and a work out.  And in most cases, it was a really good sweat up.  And a great workout.

I went to Vinyasa classes.  Hatha.  Ashtanga.  I tried Iyengar (great for alignment, less-so for sweating).  I took Bikram from Bikram (once … not my thing …I want my yoga teachers to be nice to me).  And if it was scheduled at a convenient time for my schedule, I was there.

(non sequitur photo by my brother-in-law of a yearling moose that was outside my sister's house in Alaska yesterday morning ... I love this photo ... what a great reminder that we don't live on this planet alone)

And then I found Kundalini Yoga, which for me, was transformative in a way that I hadn’t experienced before.  My self-confidence grew.  I left unhealthy relationships behind.  I dealt with stress better.  My career started to take off.  I lost weight.  And I generally became a much happier person.

Maybe it’s the mantra.  Maybe it’s the mudra.  The meditation or the breath.  Or maybe it’s just that I like to dance with abandon, and it’s the only yoga in which dancing is part of the kriyas.

Everyone’s experience is different.  Kundalini is right for me.  Vinyasa might be right for you.  And Bikram could be your calling.

The thing is … yoga is yoga is yoga …and if you just add yoga, things will get better.   They have to.

Yoga, which means “yoke” or “union,” connects your body-mind-spirit.  Because beyond just giving your body a much needed tune-up, yoga trains the mind to give you perspective on your life.  It can give you the regular experience of an infinite horizon … infinite potential … and help you maintain it.

And finally, yoga can give you access to your “higher Self” … your “Soul.”  Basically, we are all looking for access to “God,” or “the flow of Cosmic energy.”  And our spirit is what gives us that access.  Our spirit is our origin.  It is our future.  And yoga can help us experience that spirit as a reality.  And when you do that … you have no choice to be happy.

So, when your body is “in tune,” and your mind is focused and your experience is through your spirit, the Divine will shine through you … and that’s what the practice of yoga can do for you.

With that in mind, I’m going to post my new teaching schedule for the Fall a few times in the next week.  If you’re in the Bozeman area, I’d love to see you in class one day!

TUESDAY

6 am - 7:15 am     Sadhana

1 pm – 2 pm         Mommy & Me (and daddies, too!)

 

WEDNESDAY

6 am – 7:15 am    Sadhana

 

THURSDAY

6 am – 7:15 am    Sadhana

1 pm – 2 pm        Kundalini Yoga (all levels)

 

Q: What brought you to where you are today?

when the cowgirl and yogini collide ...

082610.  I had my 2^nd riding lesson today.

I am really good at riding lessons.

Just ask Slick.

(Can't you see how much he likes me?)

I can brush a horse with the best of ‘em.

I can clean out their hooves (don’t use your fingers … that stuff in there is NOT dirt).

And if I hadn’t taken that Vinyasa class yesterday I totally would have hoisted that 40 lb saddle onto Slick’s back perfectly, but my shoulders were rendered useless by at least three too many asanas.

And if only I hadn’t done those Hanuma poses (splits … ow! … I had to use TWO blocks) … I would definitely have been able to get on the horse on my first try.  I know it!

But I have to admit something embarrassing.

And I’m reluctant.

Because it really shows off my dorkiness.

But it also shows my commitment … to be the best cowgirl I can, while remaining true to the yogini of my soul.

So … here goes:

You see, one of my teachers said it’s a good thing to play mantras during the day (and at night, and while you sleep, et al), because “if you’re groovin’ to the Cosmos, the Cosmos will groove with you.”  That’s a real quote from him.  He also said it doesn’t have to be loud.  Because even played really soft, you still get the benefit of the vibration.

So I’ve been playing mantra.  On my iPhone.  At the lowest level possible.  Most times, I can’t even hear it unless I put the phone to my ear.

And, I’ll be darned, since I started doing this (about 6 months ago), the Universe seems to be a pretty generous place.  And while I can’t say it’s entirely because of the mantra, I can’t say it’s not.

But the thing is … I’m not 100 percent comfortable with my choice to do this.  I worry that it makes me seem like a "zealot," or something.  Before I hit play, I can hear all the questions from my ego:  “Does it make me seem crazy?”  “What if someone hears it?”  “Do I have to explain it?”  “Will they take me less seriously when they hear the ‘excuse?’”

So today …

At my riding lesson ...

You’ve probably guessed what happened …

I was outside … and I hadn’t lowered the volume before getting out of my car … it was a little louder than I realized.

But I don’t usually stand too close to the Ultimate Cowchick because … well … we’re riding horses.

She was helping me cinch the saddle on Slick.  And it was pretty quiet in the arena ... except for the buzzing tinny little sounds of "Sa Re Sa Sa."

The UC turned to me and said, “I don’t know about you, but I’m hearing music … do you hear music?”

And I just started to stammer and grab for my back pocket and my iPhone, clumsily turning the volume down and muttering under my breath words like “mantra,” “universe,” “yoga,” “calm,” etc.

“Uh huh.”

Awkward silence.

Slick made a condescending chortle.

Another awkward silence.

“So when you go to get on the horse …”

Sigh.

I might not be her favorite student anymore.

 

Q: What happens when two sides of who you are collide?

 

 

it's official! Kundalini Yoga lands in Bozeman!!!

082410.  The yogini in me is thrilled to report that I am officially “on the schedule” teaching five classes a week at THE BEST YOGA STUDIO IN BOZEMAN … starting September 7^th!!!

 

As many of you know, I took classes at Be the Change over Christmas last year, signed up for their newsletters, and met the owner just a few short weeks ago.  I am not ashamed to admit that I have fallen in love with the community that Jessi Smith and her gang of teachers is building. 

Be The Change Yoga typically offers Vinyasa classes (a very different style of yoga than Kundalini), but you know my teacher Harijiwan’s theory … “just add yoga!” 

And Jessi has kindly created an opening to bring Kundalini into the space!

Speaking of the space … it is beautiful (physically and energetically), and I am honored to be included on the roster.

For those of you in the Bozeman area (and for any of you who might visit one day), here’s my teaching schedule for the Fall:

 

TUESDAY

6 am - 7:15 am     Sadhana

1 pm – 2 pm         Mommy & Me (and daddies, too!)

 

WEDNESDAY

6 am – 7:15 am    Sadhana

 

THURSDAY

6 am – 7:15 am    Sadhana

1 pm – 2 pm        Kundalini Yoga (all levels)

 

I’m hoping to be able to offer New Moon meditations once a month, as well… and maybe a few other special meditation and yoga classes... but let’s start at the beginning, shall we?

 

Q: Did you notice the full moon and find peace in the lunacy?

 

doing "enough" is rarely "enough"

082310. Last week was dedicated to my bourgeoning cowgirl (riding lessons, cowboy mounted shooting, the largest potato festival I’ve ever been to…). 

So this week, I’m looking to find some balance, again.

Because even though I’ve been consistent with eating right and practicing my yoga and meditation, I’ve fallen into a routine of just doing my bare minimum.  And my bare minimum is not a lot:

A few sun salutations (Surya Namaskar, for those of you who like the “real” names).

A wake up kriya (stretch pose, knees-to-nose & ego eradicator).

And a short meditation.  (And by short, I'm talking 3 minutes short ... way short.)

All-in, it takes about 15 minutes.

I make excuses to make it seem like it's enough ("the baby is going to wake up," "I have too much to do today," "I'll do more before I go to bed," blah, blah, blah).

It sort of feels like a short-cut.

And the truth is, the only one who's getting short-changed is me.

Because just doing your minimum for too long doesn’t get you anywhere fast. 

It’s like credit card debt. 

You wrack up some bills and then pay your minimum consistently for three years.  And at the end of those three years you’ve paid three or four times what you spent, and you're STILL trapped in the mire of debt, looking for a way to get out.

 

 
It's a bummer.

So this week, I’ve committed to really doing it.

Ishnaan (cold shower) – I’ll write more about this another time.  I just had a great email exchange with someone about why Ishnaan is such a good way to start the day.  If he lets me, maybe I’ll share excerpts.

The wake-up kriya.

A Natural Adjustment kriya. (It's a 20-30 minute set from the book REACHING ME iN ME ... email me and I can send it your way.)

And today I started the first of a 40-day meditation to bring about prosperity (in health, wealth and life).  It’s 11 minutes.  And I am in the middle of working with my accountant on my 2009 taxes (yes, I filed an extension ... they are not yet late!), so … what better time to start a prosperity meditation, right?  (Also, happy to send this to you, if you like ... just pop me an email.)

Q: Are you doing enough?

Saturday Swap … on Sunday … isn’t so much a swap as a GIVEAWAY!

082210. This week, instead of a swap, I’m doing my first-ever-GIVEAWAY!

A WOMAN’S BOOK OF YOGA: Embracing Our Natural Life Cycles by Machele M. Seibel, MD, and Hari Kaur Khalsa

 

  

In the 10 years I’ve been practicing yoga, this book has been an invaluable tool.  Not only is it a great reminder of the power of women, but the pages are filled with amazing kriyas and poses and wisdom to guide us through all the stages of womanhood.

Here’s an excerpt from the preface of this incredible book:

"Women are the embodiment of creative energy.  Intuitively we know this.  When we ee a pregnant woman, we see the miracle even though a baby is born every minute.  When we see a woman relaxed, empowered, and self- assured, the power is evident.  Kundalini Yoga can bring to each woman a deep sense of her original royalty, nobility, health, happiness, and identity.  The journey of the yogini – the female yogi – is one that leads through the science of learning about the body, through the revelation of the mind and its nature and capacities for bliss, and the expansivess of the experience of the soul.  This journey can lead to an acceptance and love of the self that reveals the natural radiance that is the birthright of every woman."

It really is an amazing book, and I’m very excited to share it with you all!

SO … here’s how it goes … the FIRST THREE people to comment on the blog page (not on Facebook … here on the blog) will be the lucky recipients of a new copy of this incredible book.

Q: Would you read a book if it could change your life for the better?

over the river, and through the woods ... to the parking lot of the library

081810.  Sometimes the LO falls asleep in the car.

Sometimes it’s on the way to the market.

Sometimes on the way home from the Post Office.

Pulling out of the driveway.

And sometimes pulling in.

And I don’t like to wake her up because I think if she’s falling asleep, she must need the sleep.

So many an afternoon I find myself in the car for an extended period of time.  I’ll drive to the horses.  Or, I’ll head toward Bridger Canyon and enjoy the solitude of no cell reception.  Sometimes I go to the Sola Café drive-thru for an iced something or other.  But most days, I find myself in the parking lot of the public Library.

(My view from the parking lot.  I really love it here ... I gotta say)

But no matter the circumstances, if she’s still asleep when we reach our destination, I need something to do.  Sure … I could use the time to read a book (if I could remember to keep a book in my bag).  Or I could use the time to write my own book (I do keep a little notebook handy).  But I’ve recently found a tutorial on youtube that’s given me a great new skill …

It’s meditative … it’s fun … and at the end of it all, I’m going to have a scarf!  

(Do cowgirls knit?  Or yoginis?  This one does!)

Q: Have you learned anything new, lately?

Back on track...

081110. “There is no such thing as an accident.  It is all part of a master plan.  Play your role as gracefully as you can and relax.” – Yogi Bhajan

I got a little lost yesterday in the stress of the LO coming down with Chicken Pox and all my “plans” for the week getting tossed out the window.

But this morning, I opened my computer and happened upon this quote and realized that old adage about life being what happens when you make other plans.  So after a short kriya and meditation I resolved to approach today with a better attitude, with much more consciousness and with no fig newtons.

LO's Nana came over today and brought her this Jeremy Fisher doll (Nana's favorite character from Peter Rabbit ... I like him a lot).  My job is to keep it away from Hitcher's grubby paws!

The LO is still deep in the midst of her pox, but she’s being a trooper. My detox is back on track and we’re both ready for tomorrow.

So here’s the meal plan for day 4:

WAKE UP – juice from ½ lemon and 8 oz of room temp water.

BREAKFAST – Millet (½ c. millet, cinnamon, 2 cups spring water  - I’m putting them in the slow cooker tonight, then tomorrow I’ll add apple sauce and ½ tsp. of raw butter)

MID-MORNING – 4 oz fresh juice / 4 oz spring water

LUNCH – Raw veggie salad (arugula, cherry tomato, scallion, pumpkin seed, goat cheese)

MID-AFTERNOON – same as mid-morning

DINNER (don’t forget to drink water w/1 tbls. Apple cider vinegar 30 min before eating) – Mung beans and rice (I made a vat of this yesterday, so there’s plenty for dinner)

DESSERT (wait at least an hour, and don’t eat dessert if you’re not hungry) – yogurt & berries w/a tsp. of honey; mint tea.

Q: How do you find your focus when life throws you a curveball?

Cleaning the temple ...

080810. What I didn’t realize when I decided to start this cleanse tomorrow is that Monday is a New Moon.  And yogically speaking, every time there’s a New Moon, we have an opportunity to manifest a new beginning to our lives … to take a new step toward our destiny! 

You know that phrase “your body is your temple?”  It is.  It’s the temple that houses the mind and spirit and we need to keep it I balance and well-functioning so the rest of your experience can be a good one.  Think of it like you do a car … The car is the vehicle that takes you from one place to another.  The precious cargo is you, your family, etc …You keep your car clean.  You change the oil.  You get it tuned up.  And as long as you do that, it will take you from one place to the next.

Our bodies are the same.  And we owe it to ourselves to clean it, change the oil and give it a tune-up, so the precious cargo (your mind and spirit) can get where they are going!

So join me on this 7-day detox cleanse, and let’s step into the New Moon Happy, Healthy and Holy

A few of the basics (modified from Feeling Very Much Better by Eve Campanelli, PhD):  No refined sugar.  No caffeine.  No meat.  No fish.  No chicken.  No alcohol.  No processed foods.  Drink at least 8 glasses of water a day.  And drink a glass of water w/a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar 30 minutes before lunch and dinner.  Also, indulge in as much herbal tea as you like ... iced or hot.

Now for the details for DAY ONE:

WAKE UP: 8 oz of water (room temp) with juice of ½ a lemon

Then move your body … walk up and down the stairs, run around the block, do some yoga … whatever it is … just move the body. (I'll be doing my morning yoga and meditation here.)

BREAKFAST: 1 cup of plain yogurt.  1 cup of berries.  1 tbls. agave nectar (NOTE: I’m not having strawberries because I have a slight allergy to them …be sure to choose berries that work for your body ... a lot of people are allergic to strawberries.)

MID-MORNING:  a banana

LUNCH:  ½ cup quinoa tabouleh; And a big spinach salad (spinach, cucumber, beets, goat cheese and pumpkin seeds with a dressing of apple cider vinegar, olive oil, honey, a little Dijon mustard and salt & pepper)

MID-AFTERNOON:  an apple

Move your body again ... it doesn't have to be for a long time ... just move it!

DINNER: Black bean soup (NOTE: I’m going the easy route … Amy's organic black bean soup.  Not the most exciting ... but tasty enough ... and relatively unprocessed ... probably too much sodium, but I'm doing what I can ... we just got back to MT from our Los Angeles trip and I haven't had time to make anything yet!)

DESSERT (wait at least an hour … and if you’re not hungry, don’t have dessert!): 1 cup of fresh berries ... or an apple.

Q: How clean is your temple?

"fake it and you can make it"

080410.  Another Yogi Bhajan gem that I live and love!

You want to be happy?  Smile.

You want to be blissful?  Laugh.

 

You want to feel joy?  Hug someone (or just pat a baby's head ... that works, too).

Western science has proven that when you smile, you release endorphins in your brain and you start to feel happy.  And it doesn’t need to be a real smile … you can fake it and still get the release.  Which is pretty cool.  Just a little more proof that yoga isn’t some “whacky New Age Blah Blah.”  It’s ancient.  And it’s real.  A technology to be blissful, bountiful and beautiful!

Here's a little ditty that I think you might enjoy ... Download 03 I Am Happy

Q: Have you ever faked it?

"keep up and you'll be kept up ..."

073010. Firstly, I’m happy to be back online.  Been struggling with the wireless connection where we’re staying in LA, and it’s a relief to be here again!  Thanks for your patience!  And thanks, SC, for figuring out what was wrong.  You rock.

And now back to our regularly scheduled post:

… “Keep up and you’ll be kept up,” is one of Yogi Bhajan’s one-liners that pointedly hits the nail on the head for me.  I use it a lot (in my past life as a movie producer, in my current life as a yoga teacher and mom, and in my own experience as a human living in this mad mad mad mad world.)

Because even though it can feel overwhelming, there’s nothing that life throws your way that you can’t handle.  When a storm takes out the roof of your house, your partner has to take a job a thousand miles away, bills are piling up and you’re starting a new career, but childcare is hard to find, your mom gets sick and your dogs are fighting, and you’ve had to move four times in less than one year … it’s pretty easy to get out of balance.

So we get stressed, and we start obsessing and forget what’s really important … and that’s when things start going haywire.  We get sick, we get tired, we run out of time, we run out of patience … we find ourselves "in the weeds."

I know for me, this is when I start to eat things I shouldn’t be eating (refined sugar, anything fried, etc.)  I stop sleeping the way I should be sleeping (my bedtime gets later and later, and I find myself on the sofa at 2 am watching reruns of Throwdown with Bobby Flay on the Food Network).  It’s when I start to make excuses to not do my own yoga practice (“I have no time”), to not meditate (“I have other things to do”), to not take care of myself (“It’s easier to stop at Astro Burger and have a grilled cheese than to make a salad”). 

But guess what?  You can "keep up."  There is time.  You have the energy.  You have the ability.  

Think about it ... it takes less than a minute to focus on your breath and “meditate,” there are yoga sets and poses that take less than 3 minutes (it's not enough, but it's something), putting an apple and a PB&J in your bag before leaving the house in the morning takes a LOT less time than stopping at any restaurant (fast food or otherwise), and turning off the television and getting to bed before midnight is the easiest thing of all.  

And if other things are more important, then why not find time to make myself ready to deal with them.  If you're not at the top of your game, those other “important things” won’t get the best you, and what good is that?

In fact, there's a pretty great post on Zenhabits this week that gives really good insight into "getting it all done." 

So … after a week of ignoring the stuff that keeps me grounded and sane and present … the stuff that makes it a lot easier to keep up … I’m going to go eat a salad ...

Q: How do you get yourself back on track?

a beginner's guide to meditating ...

072310.  I got an email yesterday from a friend asking me how to meditate.  Well … to be totally truthful … it was a facebook wall post in response to another facebook wall post in response to a blog that my friend Lacey has been writing about her 30-day green juice adventure. After completing 30-days of a green juice cleanse, she is looking for a new challenge.  I suggested a meditation.  She said she’s not really done it before and asked how to start.

And if Lacey’s curious, I figured others might be, too.

Here’s the thing, it’s easy to fall into thinking: “I can’t meditate.” “I don’t get it.” “I’m never going to be able to stop all the thoughts from coming.” “Blah, blah, blah.” 

But a simple way to think about meditation is this:  When we pray, we’re asking God (or the Universe, or whatever/whomever it is you pray to) for whatever it is we want/think we need.  When we meditate, we're just listening for the answer.

Meditation is basically the process of connecting the Self (your intuition) to the mind, and the mind to the body.  Not only does meditating give you access to your intuition, it also gives you a sense of well-being, inner peace, stability and calm.  Meditation will make you true to your true Self, which is generally a pretty good thing.

If you’re so inclined … here’s how to do it:

Find a comfortable place to sit that’s not too cluttered with “stuff.”

Your bedroom.  The bathroom.  Wherever you can be comfortable.  

If you can sit on the floor, sit in a cross legged position with your hands in prayer pose (as pictured).  

If you can’t sit in easy pose (cross-legged), then find a chair, or use the edge of your bed, or lay down … whatever works.)

Focus your concentration at the Third-Eye point (the space between and just above your eyebrows).

Inhale.

Exhale.

Inhale again.

Exhale.

Inhale one more time, and then chant in one exhale (aloud or to yourself) the ancient sounds: Ong Namo Guru Dev Namo

(Which means “I call upon the infinite creative consciousness;  I call upon the divine teacher within.”  NOTE:  here’s a youtube example of how to “tune in” before starting your meditation.)

Chant this mantra at least three times before beginning your meditation.

And now for today’s meditation:

Excel and Build Your Healing Force (originally taught by Yogi Bhajan Augst 22, 1986 – from the manual Reaching ME in me)

Sit in Easy Pose with your spine straight.  Interlock your fingers and raise your hands over your head, so that your arms become a halo around it.  Make the halo as round as you can, neither up too high nor so low that it touches your head.  Concentrate at your navel and meditate to Jasbir Kaur’s Mul Mantra.

(NOTE: If you can’t find Jasbir Kaur’s version of the Mul Mantra, use another one …for example, Guru Shabad Singh has a beautiful version on his CD Illumination which is available at spiritvoyage.com ...The important thing is focusing on your navel and listening to this mantra will give you some things to focus on besides all the radio chatter in your brain...)

 

This meditation uses the physical flow of your energy to activate the body’s healing force. 

 

Yogi Bhajan suggested practicing it for 31 minutes a day for 15 days to see results in your physical well-being.  But start with 3 minutes and work your way up to 5, 7, 11 and finally 31 minutes!

A thing to remember is that every day will be a different experience.  Some days it will be easy.  Some days more challenging.  Some days you’ll be frustrated to the point of distraction.  Your arms might hurt.  Your legs might cramp.  Someone might just need your attention.

 

And some days you just won’t be able to slow the 1,000 thoughts that come crashing into your head at one time.  It’s okay.  The more you do it, the easier it gets.  The challenge is to just do it.

“You’ll never know who you are, if you have not disciplined yourself to know who you are.” – Yogi Bhajan

Q: How do you connect to your True Self?

and away we go!

071210.  I’ve been thinking a lot about this trip back to Los Angeles. 

People I want to see (the Cowboy!!!, the superMom and superStepdad, the superStepSis and her family, and friends, friends and more friends, please). 

Places I want to go (Golden Bridge for yoga, the Zoo so the LO can see zebras in person, and Tender Greens for the best carrot cake muffin top ever made). 

And things I want to do (family, friends, yoga, carrot cake … I couldn’t ask for more… except maybe a day at the beach)

This was a very excellent day.  I wouldn’t mind experiencing a day like this again.

The thing is … if I let myself … I could totally over-think myself into a frenzy: about my old job … about the family and friends I left behind … about the cost of visiting LA and all the things I want to do while I’m there.  Yogi Bhajan said that we have 1,000 thoughts ever time we blink our eyes.  Some of the thoughts become part of your conscious mind.  Some part of your subconscious.  And Some part of the unconscious.  No matter how you slice it, that's a lot of thinking.

But these past few weeks on my own in Bozeman have definitely given me the opportunity to meditate, slow down my thoughts and really clear out some of the "maya" (that’s the yogi term for getting caught in the day-to-day blah blah that consumes so much of our time and energy).

My teacher Harijiwan said we can "vibrate with the cosmos" by playing mantra.  I've been doing that, too.

So I thought I'd share one with you ...Ek Ong Kar sung by Snatam Kaur.  She has an amazing voice.  I hope you enjoy ...and it's available on iTunes if you like it. :)

Yogini up!

062310.  Sometimes the signs are there, you just have to take time to read them.  For example:  I was feeling “blue” on Monday.  And Tuesday started out a little rough.  And I realize now that I was doing a lot of reacting.  Waiting for things to go wrong, instead of doing things right.  (Like, I waited for the LO to get hungry before making her lunch … I waited for the dogs to growl at each other before taking away the bone …  I waited until the clouds rolled in before taking a walk … etc.)

I think it might have been getting caught in a torrential downpour that finally woke me up.  It was a short storm.  But powerful.  Thunder.  Lightening.  Buckets of rain and hail.  The whole shebang.  And while we were just at the edge of the driveway when it started, we managed to get pretty stinkin’ soaked on the short walk to the front door. 

I wish I had taken a picture, but I was a little more worried about getting the LO into a warm bath and into cozy dry pajamas than I was about finding my camera … next time I’ll leave it by the door.  BUT (lucky us) here’s a video that someone else took and posted on youtube so you can experience the weather of Bozeman.

The Cowboy says it rains here most days in the summer.

For about 15 minutes.

Late in the afternoon.

Which makes it just like the island of Kauai.

(Photo is from Kauai in 2006 …fun times, I tell you)

And that’s awesome.

So anyway.

After the storm.

And after the bath.

And after the cozy pajamas.

I realized something.

I felt better.

A lot better.

And then I realized something else.

It was just like Jodi said in her comment on the post from Monday night.

Take a cold shower.  Put on some clean clothes.

And do a little breath of fire.

Except this time I didn’t have to take the shower myself … it was handed to me … and yes, it was cold!  And yes, the pajamas were clean and soft and warm.  And as for the breath of fire …not sure I was doing breath of fire, but I was sure breathing pretty substantially.

Thank you for the reminder, Jodi.  And thank you, Universe, for, you know, just being you.

Gettin' my Cowgirl on ...

062110.  You may have noticed that the title of my blog is “The Yogini Cowgirl.”  And I write a lot about the yogini part of the title – about meditations, about my practice, about classes I’m taking and teaching.  I’ve even offered up a few kriyas and meditations for your enjoyment (and maybe even your experiment?).

The Yogini is alive and well in Big Sky Country.  That’s for sure.

The Cowgirl, however, is a little anemic.

Not that I don’t want to embrace it.

I moved here.

 

I wear my cowgirl boots.

 

I’ve worn plaid (I don’t think that’s a prerequisite, but I like it … is that wrong?)

I opted not to take a picture of this ... but that's because I know all of you know what plaid looks like ... and my plaid shirt is in the laundry ... and you know ... it's plaid.

And I’ve been out to the horses… a lot …almost every day. Primarily to let the dogs run. But I also spend time petting the horses.  I’ve watched the farrier shoe them. I’ve watched the Cowboy feed and water them.  I even spied the Cowboy shovel manure and clean out a trailer (I think it’s normal that I’d like not to do that job and I’m glad there’s a cowboy around!).

But I haven’t yet “gotten my Cowgirl on.”

I haven’t saddled up since we got here.

In fact, I’ve only ridden in Montana ONCE … and that was just on a visit last September … before the big move.

(NOTE: I thought I had a picture of this ... I thought I at least had a picture of me with a horse ... I have no picture ... maybe I should go take a picture of that plaid shirt ...)

The thing is, the Cowboy wants me to take lessons first.  Which I guess is an indication of how well I did the one time he let me ride??  I don’t think he wants me OR (more likely) the horses to get hurt (I would take bets on who he’s more worried about).

So … now I begin the journey of discovering my inner cowgirl. 

We’ve talked to Laurie … a horse trainer … who will train me in the art of horsery (that’s not a word … but you know what I mean).

And I’ll document the whole dang thing for my own posterity, and perhaps your amusement?

Q: What inner life are you exploring these days?

Isn't it ironic?

061410. How long have we been in Bozeman? 

 Nine days? 

 Maybe ten? 

 It depends on whether you count the Saturday we arrived. 

And the Cowboy’s been out of town in Washington at a rodeo and picking up the horses and one of the dogs since last Thursday. (He gets back tonight.) 

We only have about 1/16th of the boxes unpacked. 

The lawn still needs to be mowed. 

But we’re really starting to like this place. It’s beautiful. 

The people have been great and welcoming. 

The restaurants are surprisingly tasty. 

(They make a Banana Bread French toast … are you kidding me???? Awesome.) 

And there are a handful of great coffee shops downtown (I love me a good coffee shop, yes I do!) 

(This one's my favorite, so far.) 

My yoga practice is flourishing. (I’m not teaching yet, but at least I’m doing it every day.) 

And now … The Cowboy’s got a new job offer. It’s a 10-week job. Just for the summer. 

But we didn’t like not seeing him for 3 months when he was off to Utah. 

So we’ve made a crazy decision. 

We’re packing again. 

Where are we going, you ask? 

Are you ready for this? 

I’m not sure I am. 

I can’t actually bring myself to write the words. 

A picture will have to do. 

Isn’t it ironic? Don’tcha think?  (Of note:  this Alanis Morrisette song was popular when I moved there the FIRST time in 1995 ...)

Q: What's your theme song for the day?