Peace begins with me meditation

I can't believe how fast this month has progressed.  I just realized I haven't made space to blog for so long.  I have had a nice time this month - been busy art journaling, writing and also teaching. 


This past week I was teaching meditation to my students and thought I'd share this one with you also.  This technique comes from Gabrielle (Gabby) Bernstein who has a Kundalini background.


Warning!  This will make you feel relaxed & enhance your wellbeing!!!


You begin by taking your thumb and touching each finger in turn.  As you do so you add in a mantra (japa) a silent repetition of the sentence, "Peace begins with me".


Take your thumb and touch your index finger and say "Peace"
Thumb to middle finger, "Begins"
Thumb to ring finger, "With"
Thumb to baby finger, "Me"


Here's how I taught it to my classes:
What I love about this is you can do it with eyes open or closed!  You can use it while waiting for a scheduled meeting, your turn in line or anywhere you choose.


1st time through spend several minutes connecting words with movement.


Next:
After several minutes change the timing according to your breath.  One repetition per inhale.  One repetition per exhale.


After several minutes change it again to two repetitions per inhale, followed by two repetitions per exhale.


Then lengthen it one more time to three repetitions of the phrase, "Peace begins with me" per inhale and three per exhale.


It feels simply amazing!


Have a great week.
Much love,
Tam
x


PS.  You normally do this with both hands but if your hands/fingers are feeling tender while doing this just skip the finger portion but keep the repetitions going mentally.

Feeling lethargic?

Here's a technique for those days when you are feeling lethargic that you may or may not have heard of.  It's beginning to incorporate the Bhandhas throughout your day.

 

These are the internal locks applied similar to valves to direct the prana upward through the subtle energy system (nadis, chakras, meridians).

 

The bhandhas are mulabhandha (root lock), uddiyana bhandha (belly button lock) and jalandhara bhandha (neck or throat lock).

 

Like the breath they can be illusive as our focus slips away from them. Give it a try to see what I mean.  Begin to breathe deeply and evenly and allow the breath to be your sole focus for a least a minute.  If this practice is new to you it will be challenging as every 30 seconds or so we have a new thought to take our focus away. 

 

Traditionally they are used in a yoga practice which can deepen if the bhandhas are utilized. Apply them as you move through the asanas (physical postures).  However you need not be on the mat to apply them to your life.

 

Here’s how to apply the lower two:

At the end of the exhalation apply mulabhandha by drawing up on the muscles between the perineum and the anus. These are the same muscles that stop the flow of urination. Keep holding it.

Take a full breath at the end of the exhalation come to the belly button lock by drawing the abdomen in and up thereby applying uddiyana bhandha. It’s not a hard holding or crunch of the core, but rather a lifting … concentrated holding the abdomen up and in.

Here we’ll skip Jalandhara, but know it is mostly used for pranayama (loosely described breathing) practice. The bhandhas can significantly shift and change your yoga practice taking you to entirely new levels of concentration, focus and present moment awareness.

Give it a go even off the mat and see, sense and feel how your energy can & will change!

Let’ s begin to use them today. Here is link to a video I did awhile ago explaining locks further:
http://tinyurl.com/energylocks

Thanks for watching & reading!
Namaste,
Tammy






PS.  Joining in the energy today to honour our soldiers and give thanks for our freedom.  Lest we forget.

PPS.  Please subscribe to the youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/ganesharocks
 & follow on twitter @tllc

Dawning of the Age of Aquarius

Yogi Bhajan predicted back in '92 the dawning of the new Age would begin at 11:30am (PST) on Nov. 11th 2011. He left behind (which I say because he's dead) a meditation which is to begin on Feb. 14th. It is a 1,000 day meditation....meaning it will end on Nov. 10th 2011.

Now I'm pretty sure I won't be doing the entire thing...a 40 day commitment can be challenging let alone 1,000 days! But some people will.

It's an 11 or 31 minute chant.

I will introduce it to students this coming week.

Meditation for an Invincible Spirit in the Aquarian Age

A 1,000-Day Sadhana

We are quickly approaching the long awaited transition to the Aquarian Age. Much has been written about this. In essence it is humanity’s transition from adolescence to maturity. We leave behind the Piscean Era and enter into an age of global awareness, radiance, intuition and cooperation, an era that will usher in an age of equanimity and prosperity, accompanied by an evolution in our capacity to perceive, think, feel and sense. Such growth would mean that much would need to be left behind—old structures and ways of thinking, communicating and living will pass. Confusion, depression, and conflicts will increase as the old ways of holding power—politically, religiously, socially and personally—all fight their last fight. This period of testing and growth will last until 2038, when a new stewardship of this planet and our selves will be realized and peace will have an opportunity to prevail on Earth.
http://www.kundaliniresearchinstitute.org/1000day/1000_yrs_and_beyond.htm

PS. You will find the chant along with the word sheet located at the above site.