Got Energy?
We’re excited to review a Kundalini Yoga flipchart made by Gurutej. The easy to use flipbook includes Breath of Fire, Sitali Breath, Thymus Thump, plus 13 other life enhancing and stress reduction programs.
The exercises take no more than three minutes and can re-charge your day and improve your mental focus. Many of these exercises can be done in a work environment when necessary.
The above picture shows Breath of Fire. This Kundalini Yoga exercise is excellent for rejuvenating and energizing. The basic breath is combined with many other exercises in the science of Kundalini Yoga.
Spinal Flex, which can be done seated at a desk, takes one to two minutes to relieve lower back tension and enhance the flow of spinal fluid to the brain.
Gurutej has been a life-long student of Yogi Bhajan and Kundalini Yoga. Her intuitive insight give her a unique advantage. She has presented what we all need, the key to having more energy. You can contact this senior level instructor at The Energy Gurus or call 310.734.6776.
We would also suggest following a gluten free vegetarian diet for more energy and getting some great Vitamin D from the Sun.
Yogi Tea
Back in the early 1980′s, I worked at the Golden Temple Restaurant. These were vegetarian restaurants sponsored by Yogi Bhajan.
My first job in the morning was to make eight gallons of fresh Yogi Tea. My husband had taken Yogi Bhajan’s Ayurvedic recipe and counted out the spices for the larger batches. Over the years I’ve adjusted the spices for different size pots. We like our chai spicy, so we use extra peppercorns and ginger.
Place one gallon of water on the stove to boil. Add 2 cloves and 1 teaspoon peppercorns. Let the water come to a boil. Meanwhile, grate 5 ounces of fresh ginger. Crumble two 3-inch sticks of soft Mexican cinnamon. Crush and open 1 teaspoon of cardamom pods. Add this mixture to the pan once the water begins to boil.
Turn the pot down and simmer for one hour. After an hour, we shut off the heat and add one tablespoon of fine quality black tea and one teaspoon of jasmine flowers. Cover and let steep for four minutes.
Strain the mixture to remove the spices and tea. You now have nearly a gallon of the best chai tea! Add milk or soy milk and sweeten if desired.
Enjoy a tea that cleanses and energizes the body!
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Many have asked where to get the Yogi Tea spices!
Well, here.
~ SAT NAM ~
Laya Yoga in the New Year
Greetings,
It has been a while and life progresses.
On the New Year, we agreed to extend our Laya Yoga practice to 45 minutes. Well, haven’t found your navel yet?
It is very interesting to assess where you think you are at during a meditation.
Chin in? Is there really a 3rd eye point? The eyes can’t seem to lock, when there is so much interesting (?) stuff going on inside. Is that a real diaphragm lock? Or just a little muscle squeeze?
Feel like hanging from the top of your head? Spine straight is one thing, then the shoulders raise, the ribcage lifts and then, Ya Gotta Take a Breath! I find myself chanting and pulling the locks and wondering where my Air is. Only time to grab a breath is just before releasing all the locks for the next “EK” and starting all over again. Those of you who have practiced Laya Yoga, know the rhythm is very “immediate”, since the mantra starts as soon as the previous round is finished and the breath is kind of playing catch-up.
Please see if your meditation is serving. Maybe add to your time by 15 minutes and see if there is a new “interest” in the process.
Pray for the citizens of Egypt!
Wishing you all a lovely weekend.
~ SAT NAM ~
Second 40 Days
My!
That actually went quick. Cold weather moves things right along.
So, I think Nabhi Kriya is good.
I don’t have a 6 pack.
I have lost weight…!
My digestion is awesome! I don’t find myself wanting to eat very late, because of rising so early. So, by the time I’m into the WC in the morning, everything is ready to leave the system. This is most unusual for this body.
I keep wanting to hold my navel in. I think this will become natural as time goes on.
Those muscles are learning a lot. Having a tendency to push my stomach out is probably from those questionable “Badge of Authority” days of earlier life, when a Man “needed” to display his “wealth”. Well, we jokingly called it, “Survival Food Storage”. Shoot! I can even do Plow Pose without choking on my “Badge”.
About the statement, “Kundalini Yoga, the Yoga of Awareness”…
2 weeks ago, I discovered, through the lovely messenger, pain, that I’ve been clenching my teeth during much of the yoga and meditation. I thought I was squeezing my jaws together. More like pushing my lower teeth forward into the backs of the uppers. My right jaw joint started to hurt like a fever. Hence, the discovery that even during chanting, the jaw can be clenched too. Stick the tongue in there and relax the jaw. How easily we mask our pains, eh?
So, I appear to be sleeping between 4-6 hr a night. Oh, I must caution, if you plan on a strenuous sadhana like this, you will find yourself sleeping at some odd times as your energy starts to shift. Some mornings feel like a complete nervous system blow out. I find myself crashed for up to 2 hours. This may be due to the convenience of some weekends…
Still, this is something else to add to the mix. Your nervous system will not rebuild in just 40 days. It will get a good start!
Lovely Laya Yoga.
Very interesting as the motion smooths and “mellows”. Yes…it will turn from mechanical and shrill and pumped wrong and eyes no where near the 3rd eye point and that neck lock just not responding…to…well, the shrillness gets under control.
The rhythm is much better. Even the action is smoother. The navel pull is still to the rear center. I can’t always tell if the other 2 chakras are keeping in line. The navel movement is really good to get that mind back to center.
Another little “key” for a moving meditation such as this one is to keep the fingers straight and the palms turned out. As soon as the palms lock in this “ideal” position, the elbows tend to straighten and are easier to lock. This helps bring that ribcage back up so it floats, instead of hangs. The movement tightens to more of a navel grind than a “big”grind. Feels really CORRECT. Um, that seems to last about 4 rounds.
Focus is still totally quantifiable. Easiest way to see if I’m focused is to see if my eyes are looking at the 3rd Eye or gazing over that vast Viewscreen just below, conversing with what/whomever is available. Nothing new here, though there is a definite distinction that certain thoughts come from “below” and when focused on the 3rd Eye for that scant moment of presence, the thoughts tend to be more “evaluative” of the meditative process than the recitation of the volumes of drama that come from that “below”.
No matter what, 31 minutes shows up and there is the matter of 3 breaths with Mulhbandh and Mahabandh.
That FIRST inhale and hold! We both tend to forget. Then, the held out exhale and Mahabandh. Seconds are eternity or sheer essence. Then we do it 2 more times. The quiet meditation right after is becoming very sweet (on weekends).
We’re off for a good Indian Meal. Need to give our new-found abdominals some nourishment!
Blessings.
~ SAT NAM ~
40 Days!
Greetings,
I’ve just impressed myself. Haven’t done a 40 day sadhana in decades. This morning is “960 Days Until the End Time”. Cool, huh?
Nabhi Kriya is getting much smoother. I can be relatively stunned and tired in the morning and somehow, those legs start lifting. Sometimes takes up to 8 minutes to clear the nostrils. I think this is a combination of a late Spring and adding more yogurt to the diet. Well, could be.
Nonetheless, MOST of the leg muscles and joints are comfortable with the routine. At this point I can see how I want to be lazy; not breathing very strongly, letting my attention follow my loose eyeballs, glancing at the clock again and again. 40 days, and still not trusting how long 10 minutes really is. It is actually funny to look over at the clock and realize 17 second have gone by. Keep that Infinite Mind occupied!
Which gets funnier when practicing Laya Yoga. Oh! What a way to get the morning going!
I have not had one morning without at least a chuckle during the Laya Yoga meditation. Invariably, I find the chant and the movement getting totally lost. A few mornings ago, my wife said I was doing spinal flexes instead of a circle. I remember that one, as I was actually falling asleep! Lots of times, I’m just not there and find myself chanting from my nostrils or my eyes have left their perch at the 3rd Eye and wandered into Inattention Land…quite a big place! I’m so glad I’m not taking that part seriously. Overall, I see an improvement…from the Inside.
So, cruising right along in Laya Yoga…
Pulling the navel is a better routine. I’ve found the “sweet spot” in the rotation where pulling the navel affects the muscles evenly. Sometimes, during a round, when all focus is splattered, I’ll find my navel pump occurring in a diagonal part of the rotation. This can affect into the ribcage and certain vertebrae. Maybe a little ‘twinge’. It does not feel good to pursue that. This is something to be very aware of.
Here is one of the most interesting experiences I have ever had, and it is REPEATABLE.
At the end of the meditation time, the standard has been to do 3 breaths to end the rounds.
On the inhale, hold in and apply Neck Lock and Mulh Bandh. On the exhale, hold out and apply Maha Bandh.
Repeat 2 more times.
If Maha Bandh is performed correctly on the exhale, just at that point when you know you want to inhale, a unique phenomena comes up. Immediately, the mind wants to pursue it. And then the breath comes in and it can only be pursued on the next held out breath, at that last moment and, seemingly, for only that last moment. It is enticing, even!
All I can say is, WITH PROPER PREPARATION, try it!
Well, I can say a little more. When the breath is held OUT, all of the body’s survival systems come screaming into high gear. The Immune System comes on line in the biggest way it can.
What’s happening?
Fairly simple. What you are experiencing at this moment is: I’m DYING!
The funny part is, you know you’re just holding your breath out, but a lot of things are going on in a very short amount of time. My understanding is those who perfect the Held Out Breath can overcome many internal diseases because the Immune System comes in gear so strong. The glandular system starts to balance and over time the body becomes purified and strengthened. Stories came out of that early Tucson Drug Rehab Program verifying Yoga Therapy. I hope someone publishes…
Well, dear Ones, thanks for riding with me. My intention is to pursue the Nabhi Kriya and Laya Yoga. I am curious where the next 50 days can lead.
Blessings.
~ Sat Nam ~
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