A friend of mine used this word with me yesterday, thanking me by text for companionship of the day, even though we'd been in the same place for almost 8 hours but had spent almost all of the time separated. So I was surprised at the use of that word in particular.
Is companionship just the fact that you both knew you both were there or would companionship have been the actually having sat together through each little performance (it was a musically oriented day) and being able to share the experience with the person rather than alone and meeting up at the end? Obviously I feel one way and he the other, so that brings it down to a fact of perspective right?
So isn't everything about perspective? You and I go and have one experience, both in the same place at the same time, say watching the same play and both have completely different stories about what happened in the play and it made both of us feel completely different. And life is filled with these little situations where we all think everything is completely opposite of what someone else who was thought it was. Which is right? Why does one have to be right and one not? If you questioned everyone who had watched the play perhaps you'd get a different response from each and every one of them, so then how would you determine who's right? You wouldn't, you'd just have to agree to disagree and know that everyone has their own truth.
I do know why my idea of companionship would have ideally been the two of us, both sitting together, discussing each performance as it happened, enjoying the situation (or not as it may have been) and milling about together, eating together and leaving and heading home together.
Part of it is that its fall and I'm in the mood for a snuggling partner and to settle in for winter with someone to hibernate with so as to keep one another warm. The other part is that I'm ready for a companion in life. Ready to share everything with someone, waking up, morning yoga practice, breakfast and shower after and then dinner in the evening, if not lunch in between. Talking about everything that pops into our heads. Listening to music together, perhaps even singing and playing music together. Taking long walks in the fall coolness. God, I could go on forever (I'm feeling a bit romantic today!). But you get the picture right?
So, I'm also a yogi, so am practiced at being resolute within myself, whether the above scenario is in play or not. So I am happy and enjoying life and feel great. Funny thing is that those things make you want to share your life with someone even more! You feel so goddamn good that you want someone else to be there who'll benefit from that, and maybe you'll inspire them to feel good too, or vice versa. Share in the feeling good. So while I'm okay being where I am in life, I am also still in want of more.
Now, I have great friends to spend time with, I have a great family to do the same with but the type of intimacy I speak of now is different and you all know what I'm saying, so I won't patronize you by describing it any more fully than I already have.
I'm just putting it out in the universe that its time. Studying Abraham-Hicks teachings on the law of attraction, its all about putting it out there and letting go of the results and keeping your vibration in line with the things you want even though you don't have them and they will come to you. This is true I know, I have proven it time and again to myself and when I'm not lined up vibrationally it doesn't come and I feel frustrated because I can feel it there waiting for me and not coming.
So now, I'm putting it out there fully and completely and am letting go of the outcome. I am making peace with where I am, or have already made peace with it, but am now letting go of it and letting the universe take care of it. Done!
(wow, that started in one vain and completely went another way I had not anticipated)
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Yogi Bhajan quote . . .
Meditation is not what you do in the morning, that is your practice. Meditation is the way you feel the rest of the day after your practice.
This quote has been on my mind a lot lately. I used it as a theme in a class this morning encouraging the students to concentrate on what they were doing, be present and then the meditative experience would come after that.
In classical yoga as laid out by Patanjali dharana (concentration) comes first, then dhyana (meditation). It makes sense. I don't always agree that the limbs of his yoga are meant to be performed linearly but happen when they are ready to happen, but in this case, having practiced yoga for almost 10 years I do. If you pay attention to what your doing during your practice, breath, movement, energy, alignment of the bones and muscles, in other words be fully present, that the rest of the day it will be easier to focus, easier to move, easier to feel whats going on inside your body, easier to be present with whomever you are with at the time or with whatever situation comes up.
Its funny how lazy people are, myself included sometimes. THinking about being awake usually for 18 hours a day and to take an hour and a half of said day to focus and get yourself together doesnt' seem like a lot of time to dedicate towards your own happiness, peace of mind, contentment, does it? Am I asking too much? I don't think so.
The students this morning responded well to the ideas I threw out during class and commented on it after, so I think they felt what I was saying, you know, they got it. It felt to me like a great class and many of them said so after, so I guess the theme got across.
Thats what I want to do, express ideas, be creative and inspire others to open themselves up to being more aware and being more present in their own lives. Thats what I want from my teaching, right now anyway. I want to draw the students to my classes that want to learn tools to delve into themselves more and feel whats going on and make decisions from that point and maybe, just maybe I am!
Have a lovely day! Sat Nam.
This quote has been on my mind a lot lately. I used it as a theme in a class this morning encouraging the students to concentrate on what they were doing, be present and then the meditative experience would come after that.
In classical yoga as laid out by Patanjali dharana (concentration) comes first, then dhyana (meditation). It makes sense. I don't always agree that the limbs of his yoga are meant to be performed linearly but happen when they are ready to happen, but in this case, having practiced yoga for almost 10 years I do. If you pay attention to what your doing during your practice, breath, movement, energy, alignment of the bones and muscles, in other words be fully present, that the rest of the day it will be easier to focus, easier to move, easier to feel whats going on inside your body, easier to be present with whomever you are with at the time or with whatever situation comes up.
Its funny how lazy people are, myself included sometimes. THinking about being awake usually for 18 hours a day and to take an hour and a half of said day to focus and get yourself together doesnt' seem like a lot of time to dedicate towards your own happiness, peace of mind, contentment, does it? Am I asking too much? I don't think so.
The students this morning responded well to the ideas I threw out during class and commented on it after, so I think they felt what I was saying, you know, they got it. It felt to me like a great class and many of them said so after, so I guess the theme got across.
Thats what I want to do, express ideas, be creative and inspire others to open themselves up to being more aware and being more present in their own lives. Thats what I want from my teaching, right now anyway. I want to draw the students to my classes that want to learn tools to delve into themselves more and feel whats going on and make decisions from that point and maybe, just maybe I am!
Have a lovely day! Sat Nam.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
addiction
Addiction has been coming up a lot this week, on tv, with friends and even in yogic circles.
There was a guy on a news story at my hotel in Knoxville, TN about a man who runs now, having replaced his drug and alcohol addiction with that. The story was about replacing one addiction with another and is it better to have the healthy addiction or the unhealthy one or is an addiction an addiction?
I think an addiction is an addiction, because even if you have an addiction to a healthy thing, too much of it can be bad. Its about the balance right?
This weekend my roommate and I were in Tennessee for another White Tantric Yoga: a Kundalini Yoga day long event that incorporates movement, chanting and pranayama into a 9 hour or so extravaganza of energy building. Its quite and amazing thing and the energy you feel traveling through your body during and after (for about 40 days) is palpable. Almost feeling high, all of the time, to the point you have to really concentrate to function in regular life, as well as do a lot of grounding work. I've been walking in the park and doing hatha yoga to balance it out. It also has life changing qualities if you can maintain and handle the intensity of the energy moving through your life. It will change and for the better, maybe bringing out the bad stuff, or less desirable stuff in the process. But its intense for sure.
Anyhow, the point being, after taking part in this and feeling its effects I can see where it could be an addiction. Feeling good, what can be better than that right? And so you get attached to it, and attachment is not what yoga is about. Its about using the techniques and the energy created, built up or let free from its bindings within your body to find non-attachment to the things of life. Not its bad having or doing things, or wanting things, but being attached to them seems to me not such a great thing. When you can't let go it can become a problem. For sure.
Not judging anyone for being attached, for gods sake we're all human and attachment is part of it. Finding ways to let go can be part of it, especially if you're following a yogic path, since it teaches you tools to become less attached to things.
Addiction seems to me to be just an over-attachment to things, or people, and lack of presence in your daily life, moment to moment living. I know, I know, that has got the be the hardest thing but if you're not giving your present the awareness it deserves it will become something you think about with regret later. Maybe, maybe not.
I say stop thinking about it so much. Thinking about the people, places and things and just being. Just finding ways to feel good in every moment, thinking the thoughts that will help you feel better rather than dwelling on those things that are not making you feel good, which we are wont to do right?
Oh well, I'm done. I can talk about it forever but either you'll get the idea or you won't and think I'm crazy and thats okay too (I may be crazy) but I'm just like you, trying to get through life with as much happiness and peace as possible and leaving as little in my wake as possible.
So find a little happiness, right now, even if its just a thought that makes you feel better. If not, go on my facebook page and watch the old lady give her raunchy and abrupt version of advice and if that doesnt' make you laugh and feel better, nothing can.
Take care, sat nam!!!
There was a guy on a news story at my hotel in Knoxville, TN about a man who runs now, having replaced his drug and alcohol addiction with that. The story was about replacing one addiction with another and is it better to have the healthy addiction or the unhealthy one or is an addiction an addiction?
I think an addiction is an addiction, because even if you have an addiction to a healthy thing, too much of it can be bad. Its about the balance right?
This weekend my roommate and I were in Tennessee for another White Tantric Yoga: a Kundalini Yoga day long event that incorporates movement, chanting and pranayama into a 9 hour or so extravaganza of energy building. Its quite and amazing thing and the energy you feel traveling through your body during and after (for about 40 days) is palpable. Almost feeling high, all of the time, to the point you have to really concentrate to function in regular life, as well as do a lot of grounding work. I've been walking in the park and doing hatha yoga to balance it out. It also has life changing qualities if you can maintain and handle the intensity of the energy moving through your life. It will change and for the better, maybe bringing out the bad stuff, or less desirable stuff in the process. But its intense for sure.
Anyhow, the point being, after taking part in this and feeling its effects I can see where it could be an addiction. Feeling good, what can be better than that right? And so you get attached to it, and attachment is not what yoga is about. Its about using the techniques and the energy created, built up or let free from its bindings within your body to find non-attachment to the things of life. Not its bad having or doing things, or wanting things, but being attached to them seems to me not such a great thing. When you can't let go it can become a problem. For sure.
Not judging anyone for being attached, for gods sake we're all human and attachment is part of it. Finding ways to let go can be part of it, especially if you're following a yogic path, since it teaches you tools to become less attached to things.
Addiction seems to me to be just an over-attachment to things, or people, and lack of presence in your daily life, moment to moment living. I know, I know, that has got the be the hardest thing but if you're not giving your present the awareness it deserves it will become something you think about with regret later. Maybe, maybe not.
I say stop thinking about it so much. Thinking about the people, places and things and just being. Just finding ways to feel good in every moment, thinking the thoughts that will help you feel better rather than dwelling on those things that are not making you feel good, which we are wont to do right?
Oh well, I'm done. I can talk about it forever but either you'll get the idea or you won't and think I'm crazy and thats okay too (I may be crazy) but I'm just like you, trying to get through life with as much happiness and peace as possible and leaving as little in my wake as possible.
So find a little happiness, right now, even if its just a thought that makes you feel better. If not, go on my facebook page and watch the old lady give her raunchy and abrupt version of advice and if that doesnt' make you laugh and feel better, nothing can.
Take care, sat nam!!!
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Autumn again
This time of year always seems to start people turning inward. Me included. I have been doing some more intense hatha and kundalini practices to keep my energy from going in the bucket and its helped exponentially. But it still feels like the right time to be internal, fold into myself, even if its just a bit.
Its the weather that makes me want to snuggle up and read a good book (of which I'll be doing tonight, reading the Harry Potter series) or snuggle up with a cuddly someone and just chat and watch tv. The latter being moreso where my mind has been lately, and yes I have someone in mind, not just sure if said someone has me in mind though so so far thats been a no go. So far.
Last year I remember having a hard time with this time of year, not even wanting to get out of the house, but this year its different. Example; today I had to teach in the park, the park class has been humongous this year, so for sure I wouldn't be being alone! But the whole while I was teaching I felt internalized and like I was there by myself. I hung out for a bit after and then went off to read in my car and see a movie, both alone. So even though I was in the public eye, I still had the ability to keep my energy within and not overextend myself to the point I felt drained. Last year I had a hard time doing that, this year I've been practicing kundalini so intensely (twice a day, most days) that its nice to see the difference in my will power.
As far as the being alone part, I think I'm mostly okay with that. My practices have helped me come to terms with that. Even though I have been spending time with that certain someone a bit more often, I'm not pushing it and trying to move faster, because I've done that before and the response is not a good one lol. But in biding my time, I was never a good one. Not so this time around. I seem to be okay with it most days, some days not so much, I am human anyway. At least partially.
My teaching has also started to shift again. Not so sure what the turning point was but I have noticed I've been laying out more alignment instructions during my flow than I was and doing more static poses. Whereas this past year has brought me back to teaching some strong vinyasa. And my physical practice has been some strong vinyasa, hmmm, maybe I'm just seeing a lot of bad alignment and its coming out automatically. Who knows. Classes have picked up attendance-wise since its been cooler.
Not much to say in the way of profundity for sure, just felt the need to write a little something acknowledging the change in the season, the changes in myself and in those around me I'm noticing.
Sat Nam!
Its the weather that makes me want to snuggle up and read a good book (of which I'll be doing tonight, reading the Harry Potter series) or snuggle up with a cuddly someone and just chat and watch tv. The latter being moreso where my mind has been lately, and yes I have someone in mind, not just sure if said someone has me in mind though so so far thats been a no go. So far.
Last year I remember having a hard time with this time of year, not even wanting to get out of the house, but this year its different. Example; today I had to teach in the park, the park class has been humongous this year, so for sure I wouldn't be being alone! But the whole while I was teaching I felt internalized and like I was there by myself. I hung out for a bit after and then went off to read in my car and see a movie, both alone. So even though I was in the public eye, I still had the ability to keep my energy within and not overextend myself to the point I felt drained. Last year I had a hard time doing that, this year I've been practicing kundalini so intensely (twice a day, most days) that its nice to see the difference in my will power.
As far as the being alone part, I think I'm mostly okay with that. My practices have helped me come to terms with that. Even though I have been spending time with that certain someone a bit more often, I'm not pushing it and trying to move faster, because I've done that before and the response is not a good one lol. But in biding my time, I was never a good one. Not so this time around. I seem to be okay with it most days, some days not so much, I am human anyway. At least partially.
My teaching has also started to shift again. Not so sure what the turning point was but I have noticed I've been laying out more alignment instructions during my flow than I was and doing more static poses. Whereas this past year has brought me back to teaching some strong vinyasa. And my physical practice has been some strong vinyasa, hmmm, maybe I'm just seeing a lot of bad alignment and its coming out automatically. Who knows. Classes have picked up attendance-wise since its been cooler.
Not much to say in the way of profundity for sure, just felt the need to write a little something acknowledging the change in the season, the changes in myself and in those around me I'm noticing.
Sat Nam!
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Love
So, maybe love is the scary thing? I was thinking about it. Don't we all really just want to love? To be loved? Even sharing love with those we may not know? If our spirits are all one or connected, can we really not know someone?
You see it all over, in stores, walking down the street, runners, sitting in a cubicle, in Whole Foods for gods sakes--people all walking around slouching their shoulders forward all around their heart, protecting that area so as to not be hurt.
I think thats what drew me to Anusara in the first place, the emphasis on the shoulders back and the lift of the chest, or shoulder loop if you're in the know;). It felt scary and unsafe, opening up the front of my chest like that, having a concave chest from slouching as a kid the last thing I'd want to do is open up. But once I embraced the scariness of it and how I love to test myself I fell for it and realized that opening my heart area or heart chakra physically was going to open my heart metaphorically as well. And it has.
The expansion on that came when I began incorporating more and more kundalini into my practice and it opens up and moves the thymus glad which is in essence your heart chakra. That energy was no longer blocked. I had taken the time and effort to open up my three lower energy centers and the link between them, the physical ones, and the three upper ones, the spiritual ones is the heart center. The one area where you feel spiritual and physical together, bringing balance. And that was where I needed to open up and did.
And there is where most people need to open up. I know some who actually are working towards it and I'm glad for it, I'm working on it daily. Now though, the work is how to incorporate that work into my life. To love? To just love freely, with no care for reciprocation? Yes! That is the answer methinks. I am working on it diligently, I hope anyway. I'm trying to observe that I'm being open and free and loving to any that approach me and any that don't.
I did find that when I let go a bit too much with someone I was interested in it seemed to backfire on me, but that friendship seems to be mending itself and I am still just letting myself love him and give him the space he needs to figure out where he wants to go with it, which may end up being nowhere near where I want to go with it, and does that bother me? Maybe, but should it let me stop giving the love freely? I think not. I think it feels good to give love, of course it feels good to receive it as well but is that the point? I don't know, maybe to learn how to receive it is a point in and of itself, but not the point of this message.
I am of the mind that one should take care of oneself first, ones own connection first and foremost, but then move out from there and become loving and giving to oneself and then out to others in your immediate life and then out from there. It starts at home and with a little impetus moves out, ... from your heart.
So lets all work on being more loving and more embracing of one another, even thru what we would view as their faults or their triumphs and create a global community based around acceptance of diversity and love. Sounds nice doesn't it? It does to me and I'm starting at home. With my practice, making it a priority to keep opening me up, unblocking all my barriers and then moving to those I live with, with love, and then to those I love but don't live with, and then out to my students, then out beyond that.
It feels great to be open, scary? yes, but thats okay. Fear is the mindkiller, so let loose of your fears and love them away!
You see it all over, in stores, walking down the street, runners, sitting in a cubicle, in Whole Foods for gods sakes--people all walking around slouching their shoulders forward all around their heart, protecting that area so as to not be hurt.
I think thats what drew me to Anusara in the first place, the emphasis on the shoulders back and the lift of the chest, or shoulder loop if you're in the know;). It felt scary and unsafe, opening up the front of my chest like that, having a concave chest from slouching as a kid the last thing I'd want to do is open up. But once I embraced the scariness of it and how I love to test myself I fell for it and realized that opening my heart area or heart chakra physically was going to open my heart metaphorically as well. And it has.
The expansion on that came when I began incorporating more and more kundalini into my practice and it opens up and moves the thymus glad which is in essence your heart chakra. That energy was no longer blocked. I had taken the time and effort to open up my three lower energy centers and the link between them, the physical ones, and the three upper ones, the spiritual ones is the heart center. The one area where you feel spiritual and physical together, bringing balance. And that was where I needed to open up and did.
And there is where most people need to open up. I know some who actually are working towards it and I'm glad for it, I'm working on it daily. Now though, the work is how to incorporate that work into my life. To love? To just love freely, with no care for reciprocation? Yes! That is the answer methinks. I am working on it diligently, I hope anyway. I'm trying to observe that I'm being open and free and loving to any that approach me and any that don't.
I did find that when I let go a bit too much with someone I was interested in it seemed to backfire on me, but that friendship seems to be mending itself and I am still just letting myself love him and give him the space he needs to figure out where he wants to go with it, which may end up being nowhere near where I want to go with it, and does that bother me? Maybe, but should it let me stop giving the love freely? I think not. I think it feels good to give love, of course it feels good to receive it as well but is that the point? I don't know, maybe to learn how to receive it is a point in and of itself, but not the point of this message.
I am of the mind that one should take care of oneself first, ones own connection first and foremost, but then move out from there and become loving and giving to oneself and then out to others in your immediate life and then out from there. It starts at home and with a little impetus moves out, ... from your heart.
So lets all work on being more loving and more embracing of one another, even thru what we would view as their faults or their triumphs and create a global community based around acceptance of diversity and love. Sounds nice doesn't it? It does to me and I'm starting at home. With my practice, making it a priority to keep opening me up, unblocking all my barriers and then moving to those I live with, with love, and then to those I love but don't live with, and then out to my students, then out beyond that.
It feels great to be open, scary? yes, but thats okay. Fear is the mindkiller, so let loose of your fears and love them away!
Friday, August 21, 2009
Do something once a day that scares you...
I have seen this lately every day, as a bumper sticker, as a magnet at Borders, on a tshirt on Tuesday. Somewhere, on something it has reared its message to me once a day for at least two weeks.
So, what am I supposed to do about it? I am not scared of much anymore. I fear talking in front of people and yet that is what I do for a living, so daily I confront that. Can't be that. I am not a social person and yet have to live again to make my living in a semi social situation, especially at my market in the park classes where its a big social event, so it can't be that.
I fear commitment I think, maybe not, but I always avoid it but when I realized that and committed myself to my kundalini practice it began changing me and expounding the results almost instantly, it takes that to make kundalini work. Do I fear other types of commitment? Maybe. I'm not sure. I commit to daily trying to live by my best example, but fall short a lot I'm sure, I am human.
Hmmm, what scares me that I can tackle that I don't already tackle daily? I feel I'm being led in this direction to embrace my fears and come out on the other side of them, so let me think about it and see what I can today to make it happen. Start the movement to the other side of a fear. I don't like to be afraid of things, but must say that I am because we all are, and are raised to be scared of everything and I've done a lot of work to let go of the ones I thought were the big ones. The irrelevant ones like my fear of sharks only matter if I'm visiting Maui, so I'm not talking about that.
What scares you? Not a big thing, start small. If you're scared to tell someone in line ahead of you they smell nice, then today make yourself do it. Something along those lines, easy and something that won't really matter in the end. If the person thinks you're crazy does it matter? You may never see him/her again, so who cares, tell 'em!
So, what am I supposed to do about it? I am not scared of much anymore. I fear talking in front of people and yet that is what I do for a living, so daily I confront that. Can't be that. I am not a social person and yet have to live again to make my living in a semi social situation, especially at my market in the park classes where its a big social event, so it can't be that.
I fear commitment I think, maybe not, but I always avoid it but when I realized that and committed myself to my kundalini practice it began changing me and expounding the results almost instantly, it takes that to make kundalini work. Do I fear other types of commitment? Maybe. I'm not sure. I commit to daily trying to live by my best example, but fall short a lot I'm sure, I am human.
Hmmm, what scares me that I can tackle that I don't already tackle daily? I feel I'm being led in this direction to embrace my fears and come out on the other side of them, so let me think about it and see what I can today to make it happen. Start the movement to the other side of a fear. I don't like to be afraid of things, but must say that I am because we all are, and are raised to be scared of everything and I've done a lot of work to let go of the ones I thought were the big ones. The irrelevant ones like my fear of sharks only matter if I'm visiting Maui, so I'm not talking about that.
What scares you? Not a big thing, start small. If you're scared to tell someone in line ahead of you they smell nice, then today make yourself do it. Something along those lines, easy and something that won't really matter in the end. If the person thinks you're crazy does it matter? You may never see him/her again, so who cares, tell 'em!
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Magic and other things . . .
Magic has been on my mind a lot lately, and yes because of Harry Potter. I saw the last movie for the second time today with a friend who had been wanting to see it and asked me to go. After I saw it the first time I was finally influenced to read the books which I had been avoiding and swore I would never read, not sure why, but that was where I stood. But after they killed Dumblodore I had to read this stuff that seemed deeper than what I would have expected. Not to mention it was a brilliantly made film, the cinematography and everything. But I digress.
So I've now read the first 3 books and picked up another one called The Magicians by Lev Grossman which is a grown up more gritty Harry Potteresque type story, but not at the same time. I'm only half way through it but love it very much.
As a child I was obsessed with magic, not the magicians and David Copperfield brand, but sorcery. Making things happen by shear will power and intention, it amazed me, along with Sci Fi. Then when 30 and I found hatha yoga, it seemed like alchemy was a real thing at least. Changing my body chemistry and my brain to function more clearly, my eyes to see better, my hearing improved, sense of smell, everything. Became alkaline from a super acidic physicality and improved every area of my life.
At that time I was doing Gurmukh's kundalini tape once a week, but it seemed like super hard repetitive movements, not something esoteric that worked on my energy like kundalini can be, then I discovered a class and deeper teachings, books upon books of meditations and kriyas given to us by Yoga Bhajan and began to feel the magic. These weird little breathing patterns, coupled with a movement and sometimes also a mantra started to move energy into and through my body in ways I hadn't imagined would be a possibility.
Then the real alchemy began, especially this year that I've been studying and practicing kundalini yoga so intensely. My heart began to open up and I voluntarily put it out there and with that energy around me people are more open to coming up and talking to me and asking me questions. My yoga teaching became better and my classes bigger, especially that crazy park class with 90 some odd people showing up weekly! I met someone that I am in love with but who doesn't necessarily feel the same way and I'm okay with that and am just staying out there and seeing what will happen with it or with someone else (no I'm not hopelessly going to wait around for him! LOL). Before I would've been heart broken and sad for months. I can sense energy in my students and others around me and when they are blocking it off, being fearful or reticent, not letting it flow. I can feel the energy of a thing I'm doing, in my body and around my body and can tell whether its the right thing or not necessarily the best for me at that moment based on that.
All kinds of things like that, things that a Baptist upbringing will tell you are crap and things of the devil, not to be messed with. Even though they feel good and intuitively right and like God leading me in the direction I'm supposed to head in, or telling me when I've veered off course from that direction.
Is that not magic? Magic as described by wikipedia is the consciousness manipulation and/or autosuggestion to achieve a desired result, usually by empirical techniques. Sounds like hatha and kundalini yoga to me? The results are layed out more specifically in the kundalini tradition so maybe moreso it that hatha but none the less, sounds like magic right? It makes me happy to believe there are these things in the world, in life. It makes me happy to know that the only way to be is not the way I was raised to understand things to be, but that somewhere deep down even as a child I knew there was more underlying all that stuff.
Some traditions mention Christ consciousness, that is how Jesus got his abilities because he was so connected to the source that he could do them and said even greater than these things that I do shall you do, and I believe we can. I am working toward what some call Christ consciousness and want to be leading my students, friends and whomever else in that same direction. This is what will create the paradigm shift, or rather move the paradigm shift that is already beginning to happen into the critical mass stage where all of us will be there and get it and move into the light that life really has to offer us, I can't wait!
The process started for me years after I'd started hatha yoga with the study of Kabbalah. The first teaching I read that resonated was act, don't react. I was like WTF? Thats what you do, react to things, but no it is a choice to react. You can chose to act once you've given it time to gel and see how you really feel, not let your ego get hold of you with a knee jerk reaction that will affect many and not be coming from your true place. That choice is magic. Really, once you realize you can make a choice or not and learn how to recognize it before you've had the reaction and stop and change it into an action is magic. You've changed yourself on a chemical level the very first time you've done that=alchemy=magic. Love it!
So I've now read the first 3 books and picked up another one called The Magicians by Lev Grossman which is a grown up more gritty Harry Potteresque type story, but not at the same time. I'm only half way through it but love it very much.
As a child I was obsessed with magic, not the magicians and David Copperfield brand, but sorcery. Making things happen by shear will power and intention, it amazed me, along with Sci Fi. Then when 30 and I found hatha yoga, it seemed like alchemy was a real thing at least. Changing my body chemistry and my brain to function more clearly, my eyes to see better, my hearing improved, sense of smell, everything. Became alkaline from a super acidic physicality and improved every area of my life.
At that time I was doing Gurmukh's kundalini tape once a week, but it seemed like super hard repetitive movements, not something esoteric that worked on my energy like kundalini can be, then I discovered a class and deeper teachings, books upon books of meditations and kriyas given to us by Yoga Bhajan and began to feel the magic. These weird little breathing patterns, coupled with a movement and sometimes also a mantra started to move energy into and through my body in ways I hadn't imagined would be a possibility.
Then the real alchemy began, especially this year that I've been studying and practicing kundalini yoga so intensely. My heart began to open up and I voluntarily put it out there and with that energy around me people are more open to coming up and talking to me and asking me questions. My yoga teaching became better and my classes bigger, especially that crazy park class with 90 some odd people showing up weekly! I met someone that I am in love with but who doesn't necessarily feel the same way and I'm okay with that and am just staying out there and seeing what will happen with it or with someone else (no I'm not hopelessly going to wait around for him! LOL). Before I would've been heart broken and sad for months. I can sense energy in my students and others around me and when they are blocking it off, being fearful or reticent, not letting it flow. I can feel the energy of a thing I'm doing, in my body and around my body and can tell whether its the right thing or not necessarily the best for me at that moment based on that.
All kinds of things like that, things that a Baptist upbringing will tell you are crap and things of the devil, not to be messed with. Even though they feel good and intuitively right and like God leading me in the direction I'm supposed to head in, or telling me when I've veered off course from that direction.
Is that not magic? Magic as described by wikipedia is the consciousness manipulation and/or autosuggestion to achieve a desired result, usually by empirical techniques. Sounds like hatha and kundalini yoga to me? The results are layed out more specifically in the kundalini tradition so maybe moreso it that hatha but none the less, sounds like magic right? It makes me happy to believe there are these things in the world, in life. It makes me happy to know that the only way to be is not the way I was raised to understand things to be, but that somewhere deep down even as a child I knew there was more underlying all that stuff.
Some traditions mention Christ consciousness, that is how Jesus got his abilities because he was so connected to the source that he could do them and said even greater than these things that I do shall you do, and I believe we can. I am working toward what some call Christ consciousness and want to be leading my students, friends and whomever else in that same direction. This is what will create the paradigm shift, or rather move the paradigm shift that is already beginning to happen into the critical mass stage where all of us will be there and get it and move into the light that life really has to offer us, I can't wait!
The process started for me years after I'd started hatha yoga with the study of Kabbalah. The first teaching I read that resonated was act, don't react. I was like WTF? Thats what you do, react to things, but no it is a choice to react. You can chose to act once you've given it time to gel and see how you really feel, not let your ego get hold of you with a knee jerk reaction that will affect many and not be coming from your true place. That choice is magic. Really, once you realize you can make a choice or not and learn how to recognize it before you've had the reaction and stop and change it into an action is magic. You've changed yourself on a chemical level the very first time you've done that=alchemy=magic. Love it!
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