YOGA FOR THOUGHTS

Image from www.shree-hanuman.blogspot.co.nz The inspiration for practice today is to salute the 12 names of the Sun while we move throughout the Surya Namaskar - the classical one as done in Hatha Yoga. 1 - om mitraya namah - the friend of all 2 - om ravaye namah - the shining one 3 - om  suryaya namah - the one that guides all 4 - om bhanave namah - the illuminator of all 5 - om  khagaya namah - the stimulator of the senses 6 - om pusne namah - the nourisher of all 7 - om hiranya garbhaya namah - the creator 8 - om maricaye namah - the destroyer of disease 9 - om adityaya namah - the inspirer 10 - om savitre namah - the purifier 11 - om arkaya namah - the radiant 12 - om bhaskaraya namah - the illuminator And have a nice practice, dear friends! Namaste, _/|\_

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The mantra is like music because it opens the door to our soul and is also pure vibration. Can be a prayer depending on the intention that one brings to it when chanting.  But not all of them are prayers related to the Hindu Gods or Goddess. Many mantras are songs related to nature and the abundant universe that surrounds us. Some are related to our consciousness. The mantra on this post is a simple one that salutes the Sun: "Om Suryaya Namaha." I feel a deep connection with this one as those words: salute to the sun; have been part of my everyday life since 1999. When I first stood on a yoga mat and did my first "Surya Namaskar." It says it's supposed to bring positive vibrations. And I can tell I'm a total life proof of it. "Om, dear Sun, I'm so thankful for the amount of joy and vitality you bring to my soul and my journey. It's been an honor, and many times a challenge keep saluting you 'pretty much' every damn day." W...

The new release from Donna De Lory "The Unchanging" is one of the Sutras from Patanjali and the translation means posture (asana); stable (sthira) and comfortable (sukha). Translated also as "resolutely abide in a safe space." Because Patanjali's primary intention was in developing the meditative mind, this sutra originally referred to the quality of practitioner's meditation pose or seated posture during meditation. It can also mean the source of valuable guidance for living in rhythm with our prana (life source). Good practice dear friends. On and Off the mat ;-) Namaste.

Saraswati  ( Sanskrit :  सरस्वती ,  Sarasvatī ) is the  Hindu   goddess   or Devi of knowledge, music, arts, wisdom, and learning.  She is  worshipped throughout  Nepal  and  India . This mantra is one of many that salutes her presence. One of my favorites. 

Last Sunday around 1.45pm a group of cool yogis :-) got together for another chakra workshop with me. I was just making one of my dreams come true: to do a yoga moment on that spot right there. With stunning nature around us. Felt so "good" being there. One of those moments it seems that is meant to be. It was my fourth workshop about chakras this year. It was all about the AIR element and our heart center of energy. The Anahata chakra. It was an exceptional yoga moment. We started our practice 'off the mat' and completely emerged into nature. One of the suggestions to work with the heart chakra energy is to walk close to nature. And so we did. Our meeting point was at MAKORORI HEADLAND. Situated at the end of one of the gorgeous beaches here in Gisborne; called Wainui. Pure magic. It was an uphill walk towards the top of this incredible mountain. Not an easy one as we were mostly walking uphill, but it's just breathtaking. We were a group of 14 ...

The external sun and moon divide each twenty-four hours into night and day, and the internal sun and moon, i.e.; ida and pingala, are responsible for our perception of night and day; that is duality.  Ida nadhi predominates at night, the parasympathetic nervous system is active, there is a greater release of melatonin hormone within the brain and the subconscious mind is active. During the daylight hours pingala predominates, the sympathetic nervous system is more active and seratonin hormone is released within the brain which brings conscious functions to the fore and the subconscious mind submerges. The two nadis, ida and pingala, and the nervous systems, pull the awareness from one extreme to the other, binding us to the duality of mundane circumstances because of the interrelationship with the external force of the sun and moon. The entire biological system is programmed to the movements of the sun and moon cycles. However, a yogi c...