Get Shaktified!

The ancient stories are either myth or scripture depending on which house you were born into- either way they are here to teach us lessons.

Once upon a time there was a family- Shiva and Parvati, the father and mother, and 2 sons- Ganesh and Skanda.  Shiva and Parvati found a near perfect mango, ripe and beautiful.  So beautiful that they had the sons compete for the mango by proposing a race around the universe.  Skanda immediately went to his vehicle, a peacock, and sped away.  Ganesh, on the other hand, first sat in meditation.  Skanda was already 3/4 of the way before Ganesh finally got up and went to his vehicle, a mouse.  Ganesh and his vehicle made a circle around his parents and he said you are my universe and I have completed a circle around you.  And so Ganesh won the race and collected his prize, the nearly perfect mango.

The lesson from the story is that there are always many different paths available to us.  There is not one perfect way to get from point a to point b but rather a choice of different means and methods to accomplish the task and to arrive at the desired destination.  Ganesh as an archetype represents the energy that clears obstacles- sometimes Ganesh goes around an obstacle and sometimes he pushes right through the obstacle in order to clear the path.

Ganesh is an elephant god.  He has enormous ears for listening.  In our story, Ganesh first sits in meditation before the race while his brother immediately dashes off.  Meditation is the act of actively listening to the Divine- whatever your name is for the Divine.  When we study the Ganesh story, we are reminded that we get more clarity on the different paths that are always available to us when we sit regularly in meditation.  It is by quieting the mind and listening regularly that the possible pros and pitfalls associated with each distinct path are made clear to us.  When Ganesh meditated he discovered that his parents were his universe- when we meditate we naturally begin to see what is most important to us in life and we tend to focus more on what we do want rather than obsessing about what we do not want.  Ganesh has a huge belly and it is said that in his belly he holds the entire universe.  In Tantra we are taught that all humans are an exact replica of the universe- microcosm/macrocosm.  We really do hold the entire universe in our bellies, just like Ganesh.

There is not one perfect, one size fits all way to practice asana.  Because all humans are beautifully unique, there are many different traditions and ways to practice asana- some styles are heated, some are not, some practice the inverted poses, some do not, backbends may come first, forward bends may come first, some use the ujjayi method of breathing, some do not- the list and differences go on and on.  One point we stress in our Yoga teacher trainings is that in Yoga it is not a question of what is right and what is wrong, but rather what is appropriate and therapeutic for me right now.  This week in the shala, we will practice our asana sequences without sun salutations at the beginning of our practices (gasp!), which is a departure from our normal flows.  There are different paths to get from point a to point b and we can prepare for meditation with or without sun salutations.

Ganesh has long twisting trunk which represents the kundalini energy- the highly creative energy that in Tantra we are taught is inherent in every single human being in a dormant seed like form.  Spiritual practice awakens this energy and when it is awakened it is called Shakti- a vibrant force of Grace and Transformation.  This week we will also explore the many means and methods for awakening Shakti- to get Shaktified.  We will work with mantra, mudra, bandha and meditation.  The awakening of Shakti is the quickening, the fire lighting that propels human beings toward enlightenment- the realization of our greatest potential.

Om Gum Ganapatayei Namaha is the mantra, the sound vibration that brings us into alignment with the Ganesh wisdom.

Chakra Flow

In a study I saw recently the US ranks 23 out of 29 countries for math and science proficiency in students. We are near the bottom of the list.  But, what I found even more interesting was that when the researchers asked the students how they thought they did on the tests the American students ranked #1 in confidence, a misplaced confidence apparently.  Because our children are a reflection of us, my conclusion is that we think we are smarter than we really are.  There is a perception problem with we Americans- a lack of clarity of vision.  In Tantra, this is considered a problem with the Ajna Chakra energetically- the 3rd eye.  We don't know what we don't know and worse, we think we do know.

The image above is the cadudeus- it is the modern symbol of the AMA- the American Medical Association.  This image is also a representation of the Chakra system in the human body- the part of us that is energy.  Where the snakes criss cross are chakras- major intersections of energy lines, where the snakes meet is the 6th chakra- the 3rd eye where the 2 energy lines that the snakes represent, ida and pingala, merge and the center staff is the central line of energy- sushumna.  We can reasonably conclude from this image that at one point, healers in the west knew about chakras and energy and used that knowledge for healing.  The vintage medical term and concept humours are part of that past knowledge.  I can easily see how when scientists began to learn about viruses, bacteria and the like, that doctors chose to let go of this knowledge and methods in favor of all the new wonderful things they were now able see under microscopes. Only recently do we have holistic physicians who are choosing to practice medicine using a fusion of the old knowledge and the new.


Dr. Joseph Campbell taught mythology and the power of myth for the bulk of his lifetime.  He taught that the truths that we discover in myths come from the study of the symbols and metaphors in the myth rather than looking at the story of the myth literally- he even believed it was a perversion of myth to study the stories literally.  Trying to use energetic methods of healing alone for say, a broken bone, is a perversion of the energetic method and using modern western medicine alone is just as foolhardy. Both systems work best when they are practiced together- using wisdom and techniques from both models.

What causes stomach ulcers?
For years scientists and doctors thought that stomach and intestinal ulcers were caused by stress, eating spicy foods or drinking too much alcohol.  But in 1982, two Australian doctors discovered that H. pylori, a bacterium that lives in the lining of the stomach can cause what is known as peptic ulcer disease.
BUT, it turns out that h. pylori infection is common in 2/3 of the world's population and most people will never experience negative symptoms.
The holistic view for the cause of stomach ulcers is that both theories are true- they are caused by a bacterium AND something compromised the immune system enough for negative symptoms to manifest.  Holistic healing would address both systems- physical and energetic.

The same could be said for any illness including the common cold.  We know from modern science that colds are caused by viruses but not everyone who is exposed to the virus will develop a cold.  This is where the building of health and wellness comes in which is integral to energetic methods versus the focus on cessation of negative symptoms which is integral to western medicine.  The efficiency of immune system can be cultivated - making it better at discerning what to let in and what to keep out of the system.

This week in the shala we'll be practicing a flow through the chakras- developing the energy system of the body for healing and we'll learn some methods for cultivating the clarity of vision that comes with balancing the 3rd eye chakra.

2011 Holiday Schedule

Happy Kwanzaa, Chanukah, Yule, Winter Solstice, New Year, Chinese New Year and Merry Christmas!

Satuday, Christmas Eve:  9 am All Levels Flow with Sherri - only class of the day
Sunday, Christmas Day:  9 am All Levels Flow with Sherri  -only class of the day
Saturday, New Years Eve:  9 am All Levels Flow with Shri- only class of the day
Sunday, New Years Day:  11 am All Levels Flow with Sherri and Sound Healing Concert with Living Sound 5-7 pm by donation


Happy Holidays!

Yoga Teaches Us How to Think and Not What To Think

Yoga teaches us how to think and not what to think.
Shri Hamilton-Hubbard- with many thanks to Ted for an amazing conversation over a Thanksgiving feast!  (And Yoga teaches how to not think at all which is when the answers truly come!)

Yogas chitta vrtti nirodhah.
Yoga is the cessation of the fluctuations of the mind.

Tada drastuh svarupe vasthanam.
Then the seer rests in his/her own true nature.

Yoga Sutras of Patanjali 1.1 and 1.2

Yoga teaches us that if we can quiet the mind then we will know who we are.  Patanjali tells us how to know who we are but does not go so far as to tell us who we are.  I love this about the Yogic system!  It lets practitioners discover Truth on their own.
The same state of mind- quiet enough to hear divine guidance and inspiration- serves us well in life practically.  We make much better decisions if we are fully present in the moment.

"When our perceptions are no longer dressed up or boxed in by our endless list of ideas,



we can understand what is meant by "Seeing things as they are."


When we are very, very still, in the way that meditation allows us to be,


we can find the space to let everything be as it is.


It is from that space that you will find the room you need


to see who you are and how you fit in the world."



Angel Kyodo Williams

Bliss Yoga 200 Hour TT Program

Our next 200 Hour TT program (Feb 2012) includes a weekend retreat with Sandra Anderson at the Himalayan Institute in Honesdale, PA!!!
http://www.himalayaninstitute.org/

Sandra AndersonCo-author of the award-winning Yoga: Mastering the Basics and a senior editor for Yoga International magazine, Sandra Anderson’s work draws on her studies of traditional yoga texts and her extensive visits to India, where she conducts an annual yoga teacher training program. Sandra holds a degree in geology and began her studies in yoga while working in the environmental protection field. Initiated into the Himalayan tradition in 1988, she lives at HI and teaches all aspects of yoga.

200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training with Shri

This will be my last teacher training program until 2015 so if you are thinking of taking TT with me- then now is the time!

Bliss Yoga Shala

200 Hour Vinyasa Yoga Teacher Training with Shri Hamilton-Hubbard
February through November 2012

Tuition: $3000.00 -includes unlimited classes at Bliss Yoga Shala for the duration of the TT program and all workshops including a weekend of Yoga with Sandra Anderson at Himalayan Institute in Honesdale, PA. (transportation to Honesdale is not included) All workshops are in the Jacksonville area except for our weekend at HI.  (Absolutely no refunds will be issued)

Participants must be registered by Feb 1 in order to book workshops!

Schedule:

Orientation: Saturday 28 at noon (We meet for an hour)

Sat and Sun February 11 and 12: Meditation weekend with Dr. Rolf Sovik (Jax)

Sunday March 11: Restorative Yoga Workshop with Kate Cordell (Jax)

Saturday March 31: Temple of Sound/ Nada Purification Workshop with Kirtan Master Bagavan Das (Jax)

Sat April 28: TT at Bliss

Sunday May 6: Meditation retreat at Honeycreek Retreat Center in Georgia (an hour away)

Fri through Sunday May 18-20: Yoga and The Vayus Weekend Retreat with Sandra Anderson at HI in Honesdale, PA.

Sat June 9: TT at Bliss

Sunday June 24: Therapeutic Yoga for the Back with Joan Ryan (Jax)

July, Sat 7/14 and Sat 7/21: TT at Bliss

Aug, Sat 8/11 and Sat 8/25: TT at Bliss

Sept, Sun 9/16 and Sun 9/23: TT at Bliss

Oct, Sun 10/14 and Sun 10/28: TT at Bliss

Nov, Sun 11/11 and Sun 11/18: TT at Bliss

Other guest teachers include: Anatomy with Derek Gill and the Yoga Sutras with Stan Hubbard

The Head and the Heart

The ancient stories are either mythology or scripture- depending on which house you were born into.....
either way, the stories are here to teach us lessons.

Once upon a time, the archetype Lord Shiva decided that he would go to Earth and teach the humans how to live a life of devotion.  He would incarnate in the body of Hanuman- half monkey and half man.  His wife at the time, Shakti, would not let Shiva go alone for his task so she came with him as the tail of the monkey.  Shakti is energy and monkeys play and have fun swinging by their tails.

Hanuman took his birth on Earth and as a baby he looked up at the Sun and thought it was a ripe, juicy mango.  He made a giant leap up toward the Sun to eat it and Lord Indra shot a bolt of lightning at the baby monkey to prevent him from eating the Sun.  The bolt of lightning broke Hanumans jaw- his name literally means one whose jaw was broken.  Hanuman was taken to a hospital for healing and was taught the science of mantra- sacred sound- in order to facilitate his healing and recuperation.  So, the breaking of his jaw was actually auspicious because it was his initiation into mantra.  Often in life, what appears to be a challenge eventually becomes a blessing.  After Hanuman was healed, he decided to continue his studies in mantra in earnest and asked around for a mantra teacher.  Everyone told him that the Sun was the very best mantra teacher.  Hanuman asked the Sun to take him on as a disciple but the Sun was still upset about Hanuman trying to bite him so he initially refused.  Hanuman continued to ask and promised that he would be very good and the Sun finally relented and took Hanuman on as a dedicated student of mantra. Hanuman eventually becomes a master of Mantra and a living example of a life of surrender and devotion.

We are taught in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali that mantra brings union with one's beloved deity (source of inspiration) and obstacles are cleared.  Hanuman's beloved deity (ishta devata) is Ram and the ancient stories are filled with tales of Hanuman's loyalty and devotion to Ram.   Hanuman's actions and his practice of sacred sound (mantra)  brings him union with Ram.  In one story, Hanuman rips open his heart to show the world that Ram is there residing in his heart.

For many people, the 11.11.11 auspicious date that we just experienced is thought of as a portal, an entryway into a new age- an age of higher consciousness and increased harmony.  Jyotish, Vedic Astrology, agrees in that it predicts a 14 year cycle which begins now for humanity- a cycle where the prevailing theme is the urge to merge.  Inverted poses facilitate the lessons of Hanuman because in those shapes, the head is lower than the heart.  We are reminded that ideally the mind should serve the desires of the heart.  In this age, we will all feel the impulse to merge the heart and the mind.  Sometimes the heart wants one thing and the mind talks us into another.  This conflict will often affect our physical health in negative ways.

Chinese medicine teaches a strong connnection between heart and mind.  It is said that when we sleep, the mind is housed in the heart, which is why we wake up in a good mood, feeling refreshed.  Conversely, when we do not sleep, we are often cranky - like a dog that is agitated because it cannot get into its house.  Most major organs in the body have their own meridian, but the brain does not have its own meridian because it is said to be ruled by the heart meridian, which ends in the pinky finger.

This week in the shala, we will honor Hanuman and learn about Bhakti Yoga, the Yoga of devotion, by practicing inverted poses and mantra and paying particular attention to our pinky fingers in asana and mudra work.  And, we'll practice a pose that reminds us of Hanumans auspicious leap toward the Sun- his initiation into the magic of mantra- the Mango Pose!