Nanci

Jainism is one of the worlds oldest, if not the oldest religion. The guru of Gandhi was a Jain monk and this beautiful religion has greatly influenced many other world leaders and influential people. It teaches that all living beings, from microbes and insects to humans and animals, have equal right to thrive in complete peace free of violence and suffering. The concept of ‘ahimsa’, meaning non-violence, is well known in the world of yoga. It is one of the 8 main principles and teaches that we should be mindful with our thoughts, words and actions to not cause any pain to other living beings. To yogis this means taking a diet and lifestyle free of animal product and working to avoid speaking or thinking poorly of others. To followers of Jainism this is only the beginning!

Jain monks take very extreme measures to ensure that their existence does not cause any suffering whatsoever to other beings. Some refuse to shower or brush their teeth for fear of killing the living bacteria and germs in their mouths and on their bodies. They wear a mask at all times to avoid inhaling any small insects. Walking at night is forbidden as they may step on bugs or other small creatures. In the daytime they carry an “ogho”, a soft broom used to gently sweep the ground in front of them clearing any living things which may not be visible to the naked eye. Often they will not wear any clothes so they are fully aware of anything crawling on their bodies or in their bed, and if they find any beings they gently move them somewhere safe. Even root vegetables are not allowed as picking them is thought to disturb the homes of underground creatures.

Non violence is just one aspect of the extremely devout spiritual quest of these people. In India you may find them walking by the side of the road, sometimes completely naked, roaming their entire lives from one village to the next. They never stay in one place for longer than a couple of months so that they do not develop any attachments to their surroundings. Over a lifetime a roaming Jain monk will walk tens of thousands of miles, spreading their teachings and philosophies of love and compassion. Jains also preserve all resources they need to use, recycling water whenever possible and only setting fires when absolutely necessary. They strongly advocate the respect and preservation of our planet itself in addition to all beings.

The teachings of Jainism obviously can not be practiced by everyone. But by simply seeing how they live and what they live for, surely in our own lives we can be inspired to be a little more compassionate, and a little less attached.

Written by Jordan Dore

The main theme for April is UNSETTLED!

This month we are acutely aware that we are in transition. We have mental anxiety about what we might be forgetting or not keeping track of or not keeping up with. Our sleep is interrupted and light at best and non-existent at worst. We feel we might be missing something. It is hard to settle down and easy to get distracted. Even if we manage to cross everything off our to do list, there is a nagging feeling that something has been left undone.

This is the current state of affairs, necessary for change and evolution but extremely uncomfortable for many, especially for those with the “need to know” and a need for security. The Spring Equinox and the eclipses of March have left us in an unsettled place of asking, “what happens next?” We know it is not business as usual but we also cannot see around the bend or trust that what is showing up today will be the same as what shows up tomorrow.

Think of a puzzle. There are pieces coming together, some that are still missing, and the final picture has not yet emerged. This month requires a great deal of trust and flexibility. Anything can happen. To be proactive with the month you will need to be very clear in your intentions and have good solid practices to keep you grounded. You will also need to be comfortable with, and accepting of sudden changes that come as a result of these unsettled times.

Attachments will be a big lesson this month. The less attached you are to how things are or ought to be, and the more you can practice flexibility, the better. When energy is unsettled there are more opportunities to make personal changes and to restructure many aspects of your life. This is the advantage. When energy is fixed and stable this is harder to do. So use the month’s unsettled energy to proactively restructure what is needed in your physical, emotional, mental and spiritual life.

Action cures fear. Fear will come up this month especially for those of you with a security need. Instead of withdrawing from actively engaging in life, ask how you can actively work with the unsettled energy in a way that supports your own desire to evolve into a new place in your life. This is an excellent month to reset your intentions, dream bigger and harness some inspiration, excitement and enthusiasm for the magic, eccentricity and miracles of life.

The challenge this month will be around dealing with attachment, stubbornness and fear for some of you, and impatience, irritability and anger for others. These are two different reactions to the same unsettled situation. One reaction blocks the energy flow and ends up in withdrawal, causing an experience of being truly stuck. The other, impatient one, may cause conflict and out of control expression leading to poor choices and rash behaviors. Neither reaction is a good one and both stem from a fear that things are not OK and that nothing will work out. Remember to stay proactive instead of reactive and to practice trust.

If you are in the impatient aggressive camp, you need to watch the aggression. Remember that we have aggression as the mode for the year and it is important to learn to use it wisely. Using it wisely is to stop and think before you say or do something you will later regret or that will push people away. Using it wisely means learning to project focus and discipline into your intentions without wavering or being scattered and ambivalent.

A poor use of aggression will only serve to heighten your sense of being unsettled and cause unnecessary anxiety not to mention the consequences of potential conflict that may come of it.

If you are in the stubborn, fearful, dependent camp, you will have to motivate yourself to take a few risks and to say yes to opportunities that come your way even if they come with unknown factors. Remember to put some fuel into your own intentions so that when the pieces of the new puzzle start coming together you have had some say in what the new picture looks like. Otherwise you may end up with something you don’t want.

The great opportunity this month is to harness this unsettled energy and to use it to propel your own growth and evolution. If there is a bit of chaos, celebrate it. If your carefully organized plans suddenly fall apart, be flexible and embrace the opportunity for a restart, creating an even better plan. Rely on yourself and your daily practices to give yourself stability and stay grounded as much as possible. (Monthly Mp3 is helpful here)

How the month shows up

YOU PERSONALLY

This month is uncomfortable for the personality that wants to feel supported, instructed, successful, accomplished and knowledgeable about where things are headed. The instinctive center is on alert and we are hyper vigilant and anxious about what we don’t know. This month trains us to be more comfortable with and accepting of the things we do not know and cannot control. Building flexibility and acceptance into your life will only help you harness the opportunities that come out of this time of unsettled and unstable energy.

This is a great time to make personal changes. After years of doing the same negative behavior or acting out of the same dysfunctional pattern, you have an opportunity to make some very deep and permanent changes. It will take discipline and determination and focus as well as being somewhat unattached to the outcome. You may go through time periods this month of feeling like you don’t really know who you are any more or what you want any more. This is actually a good place to be as it means you have some potential to revisit what is important to you and to recreate your life in a better way using the unstable aspects of the unsettled energy.

Be spontaneous when you have the opportunity to, be flexible when you need to be and rely more on your inner stability than anything from the outside.

RELATIONSHIPS

Stay out of conflict!

Relationships will be touchy, vulnerable and on the edge of conflict, blame and projection. In unstable and unsettled times, relationships always take the hit, as relationships hold most of our dependencies, expectations and attachments. Watch aggression and don’t take things personally.

On the other hand, there is great potential for rearranging some relationship platforms to support better communication and more harmony. Especially with intimates, families or close partnerships, whatever you can do to take on the unsettled aspect of the month together as an adventure in change, will end up strengthening the relationship instead of breaking it down.

Look for some relationships that have never been settled to break apart and some relationships that have been overly settled and stuck to go through some kind of change. It is a good month to put your relationship with yourself first and to pay attention to what could use a restructure, reset or even more stability.

Watch for the unexpected. Someone new could suddenly come into your life, or you could just as suddenly lose someone close to you. Anything is possible.

HEALTH AND THE PHYSICAL BODY

Health takes on the unsettled energy in the form of challenges around digestion, fatigue, sleep issues, weight fluctuation, vertigo and balance. Just because you may fell one way today does not mean you will feel the same way tomorrow. If you have a routine or practice that keeps your body healthy and exercised, be even more disciplined this month to keep up the schedule. This is especially important for those of you who have trouble being motivated to act and your tendency is more towards stagnation and stubbornness than impatience and aggression.

Your relationship to your body can shift in a positive way this month with more attention given to self care and putting yourself first. Because of the unsettled quality of the month, the quantum field where all possibilities exist is more accessible. Magic and miracles can happen around your health as well as around your general well being and positivity about the future.

ENVIRONMENT

The environment is unstable and unsettled. Look for earth movement around the planet as a result of air, water or quakes.

But more than the actual land, living and social environments are unstable and unsettled. It is hard to be grounded in a sense of home unless that home is also a spiritual home for you. It is also hard to find your “place” in a social environment that does not fit who you are inside.

As these things become clear, there may be transition and migration from one environment to another whether it is in work, home or community. The unsettled energy will in fact create opportunities for change. If it happens suddenly, welcome it and stay flexible.

BUSINESS/PARTNERSHIPS/PROJECTS

Everything is unsettled and it is best to be comfortable with not knowing. We will see the financial markets go up and down. We will see businesses move to the edge of collapse and suddenly restructure in a new a better way. We will see sudden shut downs and disappearances of what we thought were stable and settled enterprises.

The saying: “When one door closes, another opens” is very true this month. Because things can disappear suddenly, they can also appear suddenly and you have to be ready and present in order to take advantage of these opportunities. If you are asleep or still attached to an old form, you may not notice the new open door until it is too late.

Don’t be afraid to dissolve, restructure or start a project or partnership during this time. There is great support for innovation, new ideas, and the inspiration of the higher mind. Remember that anything can happen! Intend for it to be fantastic.

DATES AND TIME FRAMES

April 1-7: This week we experience all the ups and downs of the unsettled energies of the month. It is a good time to set up well for dealing with the different aspects of instability. Notice when you are irritable or aggressively looking for trouble. Notice when you feel lethargic, foggy and unfocused. Notice when you seem aimless with regards to your goals and intentions. Notice the doors that are closing and the ones that are opening.

There is always something you can do. Set up a good routine of practices. Be disciplined about putting your needs and self care first. Have a way to motivate yourself to action if this does not come naturally to you. Think before you speak or act and consider approaching everything with patience commitment and trust.

Include humor and community connections whenever possible.

April 7: New Moon is Thursday, April 7 at 5:25 AM Mountain Daylight Time (MDT). A good time to launch just about anything as the energy of this moon is one with a great deal of power. Watch the aggression. If it comes from another, do not take it personally. Things could be a bit unstable and unsettled today so take some time to ground and center yourselves as well as to set some clear intentions.

April 8-15: This is the greatest window of things dissolving and coming back together in new ways. Don’t resist if something you have relied upon is beginning to crumble and no longer the support you thought it was. This is a good week to look at your attachments and see just how flexible you are.

When something releases it discharges energy. When it happens suddenly, the energy discharge can sometimes end up without a proper channel to move through and this can be more unsettling and even destructive. Pay attention. You can harness any energy discharge and use it to fuel your own intentions but beware of the fine line between appropriate directed aggression and the negative destructive aspects of it.

April 16-21: This is the week to focus on your clarity, commitment, intentions and self-care. No one is going to do it for you. Watch the tendency to blame others for feeling unstable and unsettled. Focus on moving your attention to your inner life and building your own trust and inner stability, which is something no one can away from you.

As we move towards the full moon, the emotional center is activated and old wounds may surface, some of them surprising you. This is another layer, a deep one, and probably something that needs clearing before you can bring all the pieces of the puzzle together for the new picture of your life. The good news is that this process may be short lived and you may get through your unsettled emotions much quicker than you thought possible.

April 21: Full Moon is Thursday, April 21 at 11:25PM Mountain Daylight Time (MDT) Reach out to community today and have some fun. Put yourself first. Do a ceremony. Give yourself a gift. Unplug for a few hours and send some time in beauty, inspiration exploring the higher mind and new ideas.

April 22-30: This is a time frame where paying attention to the details that are showing up to support any new project, partnership or business is important. Despite feeling foggy at times or unfocused, there are certain disciplines and details that are claiming your attention. Things may still feel unsettled but they are definitely moving in a direction of more clarity and stability.

Work with what you have and with what is showing up. If you are one of the lethargic ones, this would be a good time to take a risk and take some action. If you are one of the impatient impulsive ones, paying attention to the details will be especially important at this time. Remember to “keep don’t know mind” and “only go straight!”

Have a great month,

Lena

Forecast via www.thepowerpath.com

After Mumbai and Arambol, we head down the coast to the Holy town of Gokarna.  Gokarna is one of seven places of pilgrimage in India and therefore holds great spiritual significance and is home to many powerful people and devotees. Just outside of town the coast is lined with beautiful beaches, hippy shacks and relaxing cafes. This stop is a perfect mix of beach life and the more traditional, cultural tones of India. After getting such a full on serving of global culture, workshops, music and shopping in Arambol it’s a welcome shift to take in this very different place. We stay outside of town at Namaste Guest House on Om beach, a beautiful stretch of sand which from above looks like the ancient symbol OM. There are several other beaches around offering their own unique take on the beach vibe, and if you want to go into town for the real India, full of temples, Sanyassi’s (renunciates), monks and pilgrims, it’s only a ten minute rickshaw away.

The Beaches Around Gokarna

Gokarna the town is built around a beach called ‘Main Beach.’ This is a simple, sometimes very busy spot where mostly locals hang out, along with a few cows, an ice cream vendor and some food stalls. Here you can watch fishermen come and go, check out the very interesting and sometimes peculiar visitors, or enjoy some simple local snacks by the sea. Moving down the coast line the next beach over is Kudle. Here you find evening fireside jams, a small gypsy market in the evening and an all around very relaxed vibe. Just above the beach is a very good Italian Iyengar teacher we will be offering classes with. He has a very specific and entertaining approach to alignment, the body and the overall awareness of yoga. After Kudle we find Om Beach, where we will be staying for our time here. Om beach is the most lively, with an awesome selection of restaurants serving everything from continental to Asian and Indian dishes. Our guest house is built right on the near corner of the beach and is a great place to kick back and take it all in. Beyond Om we find Paradise, Half Moon and Friends Beach. These are all small, very quiet places with mostly villagers around and the odd place to grab a coconut or two.

Where to Eat

If you head into town you have a chance to check out some very tasty, very cheap local food. We have tried nearly everything on the menu and can do our best to help you pick something right for you. Some of our favorites are Masala Dosa, Idly, Thali, Daal and Gobi Manchurian. If you are spending your day on one of the beaches, there are many places to choose from. In Arambol you will have noticed a very creative, modern and health focused approach to food, where as in Gokarna you find more of a classic travel menu with all the best of India, continental favorites like pizza and pasta, asian fried rices and very tasty, fresh seafood.

Masala Dosa

Shiva Statue at Murudeshwara

About 2 hours away from Gokarna we have the option of taking a day trip to see the second largest statue in India, and the second largest Shiva statue in the world. This statue is built high above the beach, surrounded by beautiful temples and right in front of a very impressive, massive viewing tower. We made the journey out and the experience of being there far out did any photos that we have seen. There is a very powerful, beautiful energy at Murudeshwara and we highly recommend checking it out!

I can recall many times I made lists of resolutions in December only to forget them by February:

“Stop biting your fingernails.

Learn to relax.

Find a career that you love”

Despite my good intentions, it wasn’t until I made a huge transition—booking a one-way ticket to Costa Rica two Januaries ago—that my life really began to change. But it wasn’t living in the remote jungle that caused me to magically change.

Real change happens from the inside out, not the outside in.

In fact, what travel has taught me more than anything, is that wherever I go, there I am. When I’m in a world where the only constant is me, it becomes spectacularly obvious where—internally—I struggle or thrive.

So how did I transition from an anxious, workaholic, serial monogamist into a beach-bumming, solo female, world traveler?

Practice.

Thousands of miles from the people and the patterns of my past, with more free time than I knew what to do with, I began to evaluate my daily habits and decided how I wanted to change them. In the process, I developed a set of daily practices. When I find myself slipping from myself, falling into past patterns of unhappiness, or feeling overcome with anxiety, I come back to these. Perhaps we can practice them together?

Photo by Megan Kimble

1. Ask Ourselves What We Want

This sounds simple, but many times we get so caught up in our routines, our responsibilities, and our relationships that we don’t stop to ask ourselves, “Uhhh…is this even what I want?!” 

What do you want? If you struggle to answer this question, try asking yourself, “What would I do if I could not fail?” Be prepared for your answer to this question to change often. Know that that’s okay.

2. Believe That it is Possible

We are what holds us back from actualizing our dreams. We must believe that what we want is possible; that itcan happen and we can do it. I remember the first time I saw a yoga teacher push his legs up into crow position. For yoga novices, this is a posture where the yogi crouches down, rests his knees into his armpits, shifts his weight forward into his hands, then floats his feet off the ground.

If you’ve never done it before, it looks impossible. Yet today I am able to do crow with little effort. A posture I once laughed at my teacher for even suggesting. How did I get there? I first had to believe that I could do it to give myself the courage to try. I use this as a metaphor for my life—a reminder that I am capable of achieving things tomorrow; that today might appear impossible. First, I have to believe that I can.

3. Live Life on Purpose

We must decide what we want and then focus our actions to support it. By doing everything—eating, speaking, breathing, behaving—with purpose, our actions become sacred rituals that yield intentional results. Eating something because it’s what we actually want to eat to nourish and please our palates and our bodies. Saying something because it needs to be expressed and heard. Breathing in a way that supports our thoughts, feelings, and movements. Behaving in a way that makes us feel proud of who we are.

4. Set Intentions

It’s easy for us to drift from our purpose with distractions—not only within our own minds, but those from the world around us as well.  We can stay focused on our purpose by beginning each morning with one clear intention: concentration, generosity, gratitude, peace, joy, energy, clarity, balance, or anything we want to harness in our lives. Throughout the day, we should remind ourselves of this intention and bring ourselves back to it often. The more we remember our intention, the more effortless living it becomes.

5. Think Positive

People say this all of the time, but how do we actually put it into practice? A little over a year ago I was sitting on my favorite beach, Punta Uva, in Costa Rica. I was reading “A Thousand Splendid Suns” and—wow—did that book ever remind me of what I have to be grateful for. I began to make a list of all of the positive things in my life. Yet a few minutes later, wandering down the shore, I noticed my mind wandering into negative thinking. I then began beating myself up for thinking negatively in the first place. I began listing all of the things that were wrong with me and my life.

But a voice inside me spoke up: “Ahem, excuse me, Mind. You do not control me.”

In that moment, I decided to play a game. Every time I noticed a negative thought creep into my head, I gave it a positive spin. “You’re not as skinny as you were a year ago. What are you doing wrong?” became, “You have become so dedicated to your yoga practice. Look at how much stronger you are today than you were one year ago!” This game became a daily exercise.

I noticed that the more I practiced, the more automatic positive thinking became. Try shifting your self talk to a positive, kind, supportive dialogue. Our thoughts become our actions and our actions become our lives.

6. Be Selfish

How often do we give others compliments and gestures of kindness? How often do we give that treatment to ourselves? We deserve to feel healthy and happy and no one has the power to offer us that except ourselves. Do at least one thing every single day that is completely, absorbedly, selfish. Take a long soothing bath. Sit in a chair and read a book. Wake up in the morning and do yoga, not to burn calories, but to feel good. Prepare a beautiful meal and enjoy it alone.

Photo by Jordan Ross Dore

7. Become Aware of Our Breath

Our breath is our life. Without it we would cease to survive. It literally moves life energy throughout our body affecting every function of our being. By gaining awareness of our breath and learning to control it, we can control our physical and mental state. Check in with the movement and pattern of the breath. Allow its supportiveness.  When life feels stressful and we feel out of control, we can calm our breath. Slow it down. Deepen it.

Remember: as long as we keep breathing, we keep living. And nothing is ever as serious as it seems.

8. Drink Water

Drink clean, pure, fluoride-free water. Drink a huge glass first thing in the morning. Drink it throughout the day. Carry a big bottle of water wherever you go as a constant reminder to drink, drink, drink!

9. Feel More, Numb Less

Sometimes feelings are intense. Pleasure, pain, sadness, joy, anger, anxiety, fear, hope…it can all be overwhelming. In our society we have created so many tools designed to make us feel less. We escape the intensity of sensations with food, alcohol, drugs, television, the internet, small talk, violence, sex.

Why are we so afraid to just feel?

When I feel an uncomfortable emotion creep in (especially loneliness or boredom), I notice that, suddenly, I have an urge to eat something or get online. However, the same way a throbbing headache is a signal that our bodies need something, boredom is a signal that our spirits need something. Our bodies are not telling us they need a pill the same way our spirits are not telling us they need distraction. We must stop quieting these signals and instead start listening.

10. Eat a Salad

This piece of wisdom comes from my dear friend and food blogger, Andie Mitchell. Eat a big, satisfying, crunchy, varied, balanced salad every single day and, trust me, you will feel amazing! My favorite salads include a crunchy lettuce (like romaine or cabbage) mixed with dark, nutrient-packed greens, something sweet (like fruit, corn, or tomatoes), quinoa or beans, a sprinkle of nuts or seeds, and a tangy dressing with lots of fresh herbs.

11. Move Our Bodies

Run. Jump. Dance. Move. Sweat. Our bodies are filled with energy channels; let them flow! Somehow we’ve adopted this mentality that movement is about calorie burning and weight loss. It has become a chore and a “should” rather than a “want.” Moving our bodies is detoxifying, liberating, energizing, relaxing, and it’s downright fun. We should do it because our bodies want it and because it feels damn good!

12. Start Setting Boundaries

When we feel taken advantage of, taken for granted, or generally out of control, the chances are we are not setting boundaries in our lives and in our relationships. It is each of our responsibilities to define what makes us feel respected and communicate that to others. If we don’t want to loan our favorite sweater to a friend, we should respectfully say it. If we are too busy to volunteer at an event, we should be honest. If something makes us feel uncomfortable, we shouldn’t do it. We can never expect others to behave in accordance with our wants or expectations. However, we can absolutely determine what we are willing to receive and kindly express what is and is not acceptable to us.

13. Don’t Take Things Personally

Did you know that nothing is ever personal? Really. Nothing. What someone says or does that strikes an emotional chord with us is always a reflection of our own insecurities, values, and perceptions. Therefore, the way that someone treats you is the mirror image of what they are personally feeling inside. Knowing that nothing is personal, release the burden of what other people think and how they behave. Know that really, it’s not us. It’s them. In turn, when we find ourselves judging or mistreating someone else, we need to look within and ask ourselves what our thoughts and our behavior say about us.

14. Put Things Into Perspective

A few years ago a co-worker was telling me about her divorce. I will spare the details, but it sounded like an emotionally devastating experience. At the time I was going through my own never-ending breakup in an on-again-off-again relationship. Seeking guidance, I asked her, “How did you get through it?”

“I went to the Holocaust Museum,” she said.

Sometimes, the best way to move on from our problems is to simply put them into perspective. Things are rarely life or death, everything will always be ok and nothing is ever good or bad unless we think so.

15. Spend Time Alone

With the internet at our fingertips, many of us are never alone. I find that my greatest moments of peace and clarity are those when I allow myself to fully separate from other people and outside distractions. My alone time fuels and energizes me when I return to the social world. Years ago, I hated being alone. Really, I hated it. It was uncomfortable, boring and lonely. Usually the thing that we want to do the least is the thing that we most need to do.

Take a long walk by yourself (without your iPod). Go out to dinner and sit at a table alone; don’t bring a book or your phone. Sit by yourself in nature and just stare at what surrounds you. Notice what you feel in your body. Notice where your thoughts go. Realize that you are not only capable of maneuvering the world with your own strength, you are cable of maneuvering your thoughts and your feelings. Find freedom when you realize how good it feels to be alone.

16. Lead With Your Heart

When we experience completeness within ourselves—alone—we may forget about the outside world. Lower the walls we’ve built to protect ourselves. Be honest with people about how we feel. Take a chance on love. Trust people knowing that we might get hurt. Leading with our hearts means being true to ourselves. When we are true to ourselves, we can live without regret.

17. Learn the Words Pura Vida

Why I love Costa Rica can be summed up in two words: pura vida. This simple phrase embodies the most beautiful philosophy I have ever known:

‘Everything is good, life is beautiful, go with the flow, surrender to what is, let things go, enjoy your life.’

We can say, “pura vida” on a sunny day as appropriately as we can in a storm. Pura vida is all about accepting the beauty in the world in every form. Learn these words and live them.

18. Seize the Day

The best time to take a step toward what we want is when the idea is fresh in our minds and the motivation is strong in our spirits. Live in the now. Tomorrow may never come, so do it today. Do it now.

19. Make it a Habit

My experience has shown me that to actually change, I must practice consistently. This is why drastic shifts, like moving or leaving a relationship, seem to affect us in the biggest ways: the aftermath of these actions have results that remain consistent day after day. For anything to really change we need to do it often enough that it starts becoming a habit or a pattern. Choose something that we really want and do it. Every. Single. Day. Practice discipline. Do it until we don’t have to remind ourselves to do it anymore. Then keep doing it. Again. And again. And again.

20. Let Everything Go

Perhaps the most transformative practice of all is the act of letting go. In order to change, we must first make space to allow growth to happen. Let go of our expectations. Let go of our past pain. Let go of who we were yesterday and who we think we might be tomorrow. Let go of everything that is not making us better individuals right now. Most importantly, let go of thinking that we need to be perfect by adhering to anything. And that includes this list.

Via Camille Willemainon on elephantjournal.com

Photo by Jordan Ross, Co-Founder of Breathe in Life

Formerly known as Cape Camorin, KanyaKumari is the southern most tip of India, located in the state of Tamil Nadu. Here in a stunning mix of wind, waves, color and temples, the three oceans surrounding the Indian Subcontinent meet. The town is named after the Hindu Goddess Devi Kanya Kumari, a sister of Krishna to whom women pray and give ritual in hopes of finding marriage.

Being the most extreme tip of India the town has much mysticism, history and ritual surrounding it. Swami Vivekenanda, one of India’s most famous monks and philosophers, came here on pilgrimage as directed by his Guru and swam out to a large rock about 500m from shore. It is said that he attained enlightenment here and in 1970 a beautiful monument was built on the rock in his honor, along with meditation hall open to visitors. On the large rock next to that holding the Vivekenanda memorial sits a very impressive statue, standing 133ft tall of Tamil poet and philosopher Tiruvalovar. There is a small boat running through the day taking visitors and pilgrims out to the rocks to walk around and contemplate the spiritual and historical significance of these remarkable rocks.

Visiting major pilgrimage points such as Kanyakumari in India is always an incredible experience. Beyond the amazing architecture, energy and environment, it is truly something special to see the devotees who have come to give their thanks, prayers and love to the Gods. For many Hindus it is a must to come to Kanyakumari once in their lives, and for the poorer communities it can be a great challenge. We are always amazed and the sheer joy and elation of watching groups arrive by the dozens to celebrate, splash in the water, and fully surrender to the moment.

This stop is one of our personal favorites and we can’t wait to share it with you on our 20 day South India adventure in February 2016.

Photo and blog via Mystic Mamma

“Woman is the creator of the human race. She is the first Guru, the first guide and mentor of humanity.”

“Think of the tremendous forces, either positive or negative, that one human being can unleash upon the world. Each of us has a far-reaching effect on others, whether we are aware of it or not.”

“The responsibility of a mother, when it comes to influencing inspiring her children, cannot be underestimated. There is much truth in the saying that there is a strong woman behind every successful man. Wherever you see you happy, peaceful individuals; where ever you see children endowed with noble qualities and good disposition; wherever you see men who have immense strength when faced with failure and adverse situation; wherever you see people who possess a great measure of understanding, sympathy, love, and compassion toward the suffering, and who give of themselves to others  you will usually find a great mother who has inspired them to become what they are.”

“Mothers are the ones who are most able to sow the seeds of love, universal kinship, and patience in the minds of human beings. There is a special bond between a mother and a child. The mother’s inner qualities are transmitted to the child even through her breast milk. The mother understands the heart of the child; she pours her love into the child, teaches him or her the positive lessons of life, and corrects the child’s mistakes.”

“If you walk through a field of soft, green grass a few times, you will easily make a path. The good thoughts and positive values we cultivate in our children will stay with them forever…”

“…A woman who has awakened her innate motherhood brings heaven to earth wherever she is. Only women can create a peaceful, happy world. And so it is that the one who rocks the cradle of the babe is the one who holds up the lamp, shedding light on the world….”

~Sri Mata Amritanadamayi Devi from The Awakening Of Universal Motherhood: Geneva Speech

Sometimes sleep eludes us.

Maybe our brains won’t shut off, or we find ourselves tossing and turning all night, unable to get comfortable. Whatever the reason for your lack of sleep, it takes a toll. Studies abound linking sleeplessness with increased risk of serious health problems such as diabetes and stroke, as well as depression, impaired judgment, memory lapses and other cognitive deficiencies.

Thankfully, there are some easy yoga-based techniques you can use nightly to fall asleep and stay asleep. It only takes about six minutes to leverage your body’s natural sleep-facilitating processes.

These are the same stretching, breathing and meditative methods used by my professional athlete clients. As a yoga trainer for numerous sports teams, it’s my job to help athletes restore their bodies and minds to perform at optimum levels. This includes creating sleep-facilitation programs to counter the effects of grueling game and travel schedules, so players can feel refreshed and ready.

I’ve designed this six-minute sleep program to be effective and accessible for most people, not just athletes.

It begins with two postures done bedside to address the tension that builds over the course of the day, particularly in your lower back and hip flexors. By lengthening and realigning these areas, you can prevent waking in the night due to stiffness, aches and pains.

Functional squat

Lengthens spine, especially low back; realigns pelvis and hips

Standing with your feet hip-distance apart and arms extended at shoulder level, exhale and sit back into a deep squat. Maintain weight in your heels. Avoid allowing your knees and/or toes to turn out. If you have difficulty squatting all the way down without lifting your heels or feeling unsteady, hold onto something secure, like your bed frame, for support.

Take three long deep breaths while squatting. Focus on relaxing your lower back with each exhalation.

If you experience discomfort in your ankles, knees or shins, try widening your stance and making sure you’re dropping back into your hips as opposed to pushing forward into your knees.

Warrior one with side bend

Lengthens calves, hip flexors and side waist muscles

From standing, step your right foot back, placing your heel down with your toes angled slightly out. Bend your left knee to align above your ankle. Keep your back leg straight. Place your left hand on your left hip. If balance is a challenge, place your left hand on your bed or other support, instead of your hip.

Inhale as you reach your right arm up and over your head to the left, stretching your right side and front of your hip. Exhale to hold the posture. Inhale and return your arm to your side. Step back to standing. Repeat on the opposite side, then get into bed.

Once in bed, practicing a gentle twist to promote blood flow in the abdomen helps initiate the parasympathetic nervous system, also known as the “rest and digest” aspect of our autonomic nervous system, which lowers your heart rate and blood pressure and inhibits the production of stress hormones.

Supine bent-knee twist

Stretches hip, groin and low-back muscles; increases blood flow in the pelvis and abdomen; enhances mid-back mobility; opens chest

Lie on your back with your legs extended and arms at your sides. Place a pillow under your head, if desired. Hug your left knee into your chest. Inhale as you place your right hand on the outside of your left thigh and reach your left arm to the left. Exhale fully as you gently twist from your mid-back to bring your left knee across your body to the right.

Take two more long, deep breaths. Unwind and repeat on the other side.

Employing deep diaphragmatic breathing supports the restorative action of your parasympathetic system. And because the diaphragm also works as a postural muscle, attaching to the ribcage and lumbar spine (low back) and running through the hip flexors, diaphragmatic breathing promotes proper ribcage, back and pelvis position, which decreases the likelihood of waking due to discomfort or the need to change position.

Pairing deep breathing with backward-counting meditation is a simple yet effective way to focus and relax a wandering mind.

Diaphragmatic breathing and backward-count meditation

Get comfortable with your head on one pillow and another placed under your knees. If you prefer a side-lying position, lie on your left side with a pillow between your legs.

Close your eyes. Inhale through your nose, filling the lowest lobes of your lungs and back of your ribcage. You should feel your lower ribs expand outward, as opposed to only inflating your upper chest. Exhale and focus on your lower ribs internally rotating and descending. It’s important that you feel your ribcage release downward as you exhale for proper function of your diaphragm. And a full exhalation is necessary to raise CO2 levels in your blood enough to inspire a natural, functional inhalation. When you think you’ve fully exhaled, contract your abdominal muscles to see if you can push out any remaining air. You’ll likely find some! Once you’ve fully exhaled, pause before inhaling.

Try to lengthen and deepen your breathing to match this pattern: 5-count inhalation, 5-count exhalation, and 2-count pause after exhalation.

Once you’ve established the breathing pattern, begin counting your breaths backward from 20 to 1. Concentrate your mind on an image of each number and the sensations of your breathing. If you still haven’t drifted off after 20 breaths (approximately three to four minutes), repeat the process, starting at 30 or 40 breaths.

Practicing this six-minute yoga program before bed should deliver consistent quality rest by creating an optimal physical (muscle relaxation and body positioning) and physiological (parasympathetic nervous system and diaphragmatic breathing) foundation for falling asleep and staying asleep.

Sweet dreams.

Blog from CNN.com

Photo by Mystic Mamma

You cannot get healthy by “trying to be healthy”, continuously bantering yourself that you “should eat better”, reading articles and looking at healthy recipes and getting takeout anyways then being hard on yourself for your behavior. It creates an energetic disconnect from the health you are in fact seeking. The health that you in fact already are.

An ongoing reminder that thoughts create things, a truth now being proven by metaphysics, must be used in your creation of your own health. This is one of the strongest, most effective tools I coach my clients through and it works not only in health, but in so many other areas of your life… an absolute must if you want to actually get anything you want out of life.

“You already have inside you everything you’ve ever wanted or looked for elsewhere.” –Sara Avant Stover, author of The Way of the Happy Woman

When I tell people they are already the health that they seek – they think I’m crazy at first. But hang in there with me for a minute. Let me walk you through a few mindset shifts that you can use yourself right now to start on your own path. Take a deep breath and start with a few shifts in your language. Here’s a few suggestions:

Shift: “I need to go to the gym.” to “I am a gym monkey and I love working out.”

Shift: “I can’t control what I eat.” to “I make conscious choices about everything that goes into my body.”

Shift: “I don’t know what to eat or how to make it.” to “I know exactly what is the best nourishment for me and I prepare it with ease.”

See, most people wait for circumstances to change in order to change the way they feel, rather than changing the way they feel in order to project new circumstances. Write that one on your wall. I’ve witnessed and experienced for myself over the last decade going from “I am terrible in the kitchen…”, “I don’t like my job” “I don’t know what to do with my life” to saying “I am a happy, healthy nutritionist and natural foods chef who inspires people around the world.” I’ve travelled around the world from Dubai, Columbia, Peru, New York, becoming a world travelling chef and nutritionist… all starting from the words I would speak in my 9-5 office job. I’ve watched clients who said they were going to workout three days a week check in the next month confessing they hadn’t been once and couldn’t figure out what was wrong with them. I had them use shift #1 above and they went to the gym the next day and have been going ever since.

Remember to watch your thoughts as you start this process – you may already be skeptical and shift right back into “this doesn’t work”, etc. That itself is just the mind playing more tricks. It’s an ongoing process… a daily one. To consistently self talk yourself back into “I am healthy and vibrant and all good things come to me.” “I don’t have to get this perfect right away – or ever.” If you are really far off track, give yourself a break and tell yourself it’s all going to get better from here. The letting go and surrendering to the health that you already are is a refreshing feeling. And in that refreshing feeling you will unveil more of the inspired actions that will keep you there.

Written by Kristin Fraser from Inner Glow Nutrition. She will be the nutritionist and chef on Breathe in Life’s Rejuvenation Retreat – Live Food + Yoga.

Photo by Monika Hoyt

The main theme for March is “SURRENDER” with subthemes of TRUTH and TRUST.

SURRENDER is a word that tends to trigger a definition of failure as if we are surrendering to the enemy and as if we have failed in something we believed in and have been striving for. Our definition of SURRENDER for the month is a giving up, a release of a stance, position, or belief that we have stubbornly held onto for way beyond its useful and practical life. It is time to let go of what should have been, could have been and what ought to be in the future. It is time to SURRENDER our anger, our resistance, our judgement and our need to know.

SURRENDER is an act of power that takes the reins away from the false personality and hands them over to essence. SURRENDER is letting go of the attachment to being “right” and the attachment to drama and suffering. SURRENDER is letting go of fear, giving up the need for control, and finally releasing emotional wounds, shame, guilt and resentments we have been carrying around for eons.

Seeing the TRUTH is what will inspire us to finally give up our stubborn positions. It takes courage to surrender but once we see the truth of something that has been hidden, and we can face it with courage, surrender becomes the obvious choice.

Surrender offers freedom. If you are feeling stuck in your life, there is probably something that needs to be surrendered. When you resist change, and many of us are probably resisting the changes we see happening around us, you block the flow of energy. Resistance is born of fear and is certainly an aspect of stubbornness. Resistance also takes a great deal of energy, like pushing against the tide.  It will exhaust you to the point of collapse and despair if you don’t consciously give it up.

Stubbornness is an aspect we will be dealing with this month. You may see the truth of something that involves another, but they may be too stubborn to go along with your insight. On the other hand, you may find yourself stubbornly resisting a truth that is uncovered and revealed by another. Watch for bad behavior this month as projections go rampant and Stubbornness gets channeled through all the other deadlies: Self Deprecation, Arrogance, Martyrdom, Impatience, Greed and Self Destruction. Take responsibility for your own baggage and remember to be compassionate during this time of truth telling and surrender. Resist the comments “I told you so” and “It’s your fault”.

How do you know what to surrender? All you have to do is look at what is not working out for you and release whatever it is that is holding you in that pattern of struggle and despair. Find some humor in it, and better yet, make it into a game, a ritual or a discipline.

Let’s talk about the TRUST subtheme this month. Once you surrender, you have stepped off the edge and into a space of TRUST. You have to have trust in order to successfully surrender. You have to trust that there is a bigger picture, that there is a greater order, that there is built in safety net, and that all will turn out just exactly as it should.

We are in the year of the Fire Rooster. Action, aggression, movement and evolution are all part of the plan. But if you are unwilling and unable to surrender what you need to give up and purge, those energies will eat at you causing you to become angry, irritable, belligerent and self-destructive. We are on a very big wave. You can either catch the wave and get the ride of your life or get pummeled until you don’t know which way is up or down. All it takes is TRUTH, SURRENDER and TRUST.

How the month shows up:

YOU PERSONALLY

What is that hair ball of old energy you have been choking on? Why would you want to hold on to it? Cough it up. Give it up. The good news is that what needs to be surrendered on a personal level is very easy to identify because it is always something that does not feel good. It is always something that gives you grief, makes you angry irritable and brings about the worst in your behavior and attitude. Don’t you want to feel better?

This is the best month to get over your fear, grab some courage, and finally surrender to what your essence and spirit really have in mind for you. In a way, it is now or never. There is great freedom in release and you have the opportunity for great freedom this month. Imagine how it would feel for you to be free from anything that did not feel good, joyful, loving and satisfying. The price you pay is that courage to surrender your comfort zone, show up differently, speak your truth and trust that the outcome will be better than anything you could have imagined.

RELATIONSHIPS

It’s truth time in relationships. Let’s start with your relationship with yourself. It is time to surrender any negative thoughts you have about yourself, any shame, any guilt and any patterns of low self-esteem. It is also a good month to take a look at your addictions and attachments and surrender them as well. And surrender the blame that you are the way you are because of what someone else said or did to you.

There is always posturing and projection in any relationship usually stemming from the fear of intimacy, vulnerability, rejection, failure or success. We hide behind our uncertainty and are reluctant to tell the truth and lay things out on the table. We also have difficulty giving up our positions of control, being right, or being righteous.

As truth is revealed, relationships may go through shake ups that are challenging but end up being reconfigured in a more positive way. Especially in family dynamics, family members that have absorbed more than their fair share of family secrets, peace keeping and sacrifice, may finally surrender that burden, causing some shifting in the family constellation.

And as truth is revealed, the relationship you personally have to your outdated beliefs will be shifted as you put down and surrender your own burden of struggle and limitation.

HEALTH AND THE PHYSICAL BODY

This is a big one because we never want to admit our attachment to what we get out of being unwell. It feeds the reasoning behind why we are not stepping into our lives, being seen, and why we are not taking responsibility for our own happiness. It gives us the excuse to be a victim and to be powerless. If we are not imprinted to receive healthy attention and energy by being healthy, we get it by being unwell.

This month is a good one to uncover the truth about these patterns and to surrender the position of being “not whole”. The challenges to our well-being this month will mostly be on the emotional level as we struggle with ourselves to be OK with being absolutely 100% healthy. After all, there is no drama or story of intensity if there is nothing wrong with us. So it is a tough order to give it up.

If you are to be successful in transitioning to better health this month you need to start with honor and gratitude for the physical body that you have. Say hello every day. Consciously surrender all your negative judgments and trust in your own perfect architecture.

BUSINESS PARTNERSHIPS PROJECTS

If you run a business and it is feeling stagnant, you may have to surrender to whatever truth you face about what needs to be done. Sometimes the attachment to an old intention or the way it could have happened or how something should have been done is what is standing in the way of movement. It will be challenging in business this month to navigate both the emotional conditions as well as the fire that want to inspire and spark movement.

This is a dance of patience, trust and neutrality as things in business and around projects, finances and partnerships shift and sway like tides in the ocean. Stay away from anger and bad behavior and don’t take things personally. Be a leader even if you don’t have a staff of hundreds but only yourself and your work in the world to manage.

It is a good month to uncover the weak spots in your projects and collaborations and to trust new people that are showing up in your life. The intentions you put into motion in February during the eclipse time are sorting themselves out with refinements as needed and magnetizing the support that will mobilize them into action. So pay attention to any piece of wisdom that you intuit is appropriate at this time.

ENVIRONMENT

More cleaning and clearing is needed. Surrender your clutter and the energy that it holds. Trust that the weather knows what it is doing. See everything as a blessing. Any loss, any new addition, any change: see all of it as a blessing and be blessed by it.

Surrender any disappointment you might feel on any given day about your personal environment or the greater environment.  Trust that it is all good.

The first part of the month is watery and a good time to work with the spirit of water as well as water itself. Bathing, cleansing, sauna, steam bath etc. is a good way to honor water and take advantage of the emotional surrender and cleansing that is possible. The later part of the month is fiery and dynamic and triggered to action. BE blessed by the action that shows up in your life instead of resisting how it might manifest.

In weather look for some extremes in water/fire that could include temperatures, storms, heat, sun spots, flooding and drought.

DATES AND TIME FRAMES

March 1-7: A watery time. Use it well for emotional surrender, clearing, cleansing, working with water and nourishing yourself emotionally. Music, beauty, pleasure, vulnerability, sensuality, love and serenity are all possible as long as you are in the right frame of mind and not in some battle with what you are reluctant to surrender. Slow down, take a breath, be present, be open and be kind. Allow the heart to open and the material that needs to be surrendered to surface, most of it overripe for the tossing.

This time frame is also very communal and cooperative and speaks to lots of help and support. All you need to do is ask. The more you get with the program, the more you will open to love and a deeper connection with all.

March 8-15: Watch resistance, stubbornness, disappointment, projections, people behaving badly and all the opportunities you have of acknowledging truth, taking action, giving in, giving something up and working on yourself. This can be an intense time where much can shift if it does not implode. Too much processing can create confusion and a feeling of being somehow disjointed.

There is a need for grounding and working with the earth. Too much water can wash away your will and leave you apathetic and ambivalent. Work things out with others, catch up with important relationships, follow persistent threads and do some more clearing of your clutter both physically and energetically.

March 12: Full Moon is Sunday, March 12, at 8:54 AM Mountain Standard Time. Pull yourself inward today and focus on the details that need attention. Our heads surface briefly out of the emotional watery soup that is supporting the deep surrender of old baggage. We may feel worn out with the process and exhausted by our own resistance. It is time to take a breath, take stock, acknowledge what has been surrendered and see what pieces are left. What are the next steps you need to take to keep the momentum going? There may be truth involved and there is definitely a need for trust.   (for those of you in Daylight Savings time zones Daylight savings time starts today as well.)

March 16-23: We move into a bit more stability during this time frame and dry out from the post eclipse emotional surges. It is a good time to turn focus to the action steps that will be needed to support you now. As we near the time of the equinox, there is more energy to vitalize action and more clarity to understand your truth. Commitments and decisions may be called for which will require trust. You may need to surrender those decisions to spirit and trust that it will all work out.

March 20: Spring Equinox is Monday, March 20 at 4:28 AM Mountain Daylight Time (MDT). Enter the fiery time of action, movement, and fruition. Use fire in a ceremony or ritual to surrender something that still needs to be unloaded. It can be symbolic as in burning a written narrative about what you are surrendering. Spring is renewal, taking the nourishment from the winter cycle and the freedom from surrender and weaving it into a new picture, a new expression and a new signature. Celebrate this newness, this rebirth in some way by doing something that represents an expansion and an upgrade.

March 24-31: This is a time of action. What have you always wanted to do that you have been afraid to do? What have you always wanted to share that you have been afraid of sharing? What have you always wanted to express that you have been afraid of expressing? Now is the time for courage. Surrender you fear and inhibitions and harness that fire rooster for your own medicine. Be seen, be heard, be acknowledged. Reciprocate this exchange by responding to others with honor, encouragement and compliment. Your container is bigger and you have to trust that it is being filled with the right intentions and experiences. Do some work during this time to fill it also with love, light and awe.

March 27: New Moon is Monday, March 27 at 8:58 PM Mountain Daylight Time (MDT). Watch for misguided aggression and fiery overreactions. Be the neutral observer instead of getting into the fray. This is a good day to put some boundaries around your newly birthed self and spend some time by yourself and way from reactivity and judgment. Use the fiery potent energy to vitalize your own intentions and fill up the spaces that are now free as a result of what you have surrendered. Work with the sun and be out on nature.

Have a wonderful month!

Blessings,

Lena from powerpath.com

A Sufi poem written in 1317, says the human heart is the spiritual organ or the interface between the body and the “other world.”(1)

The poem says it is through the special faculty of the heart that we may come to know hidden secrets.(2)

The poem further explains when body and spirit strike together like flint and steel, light is created, illuminating the two worlds.

Our life’s experiences are like flint and steel, striking together in the form of our problems, worries and everyday challenges.

Tapping into the wisdom of the heart won’t make our problems go away, but the more we connect to the innate wisdom of our heart the more we can open our heart wide enough to accommodate all of life’s experiences more fully.

The challenge is knowing how to recognize the intuition coming from the heart from the reaction coming from the mind and its societal conditioning. It requires that we listen less to the chatter of our own mind and its fears and negative conditioning.

It takes practice, like everything else in which we want to excel.

The real challenge is how to uncover the subconscious behaviour patterns lurking behind our reactions.

Our childhood experiences tend to form our perceptions and condition our responses in sometimes negative ways. This sets up a non-coherent neuron pattern that activates negative behaviour responses in spite of our best intentions.

When we consciously tune in to heart-centeredness, we create a buffer around our heart that absorbs the negativity coming from others and the environment. The heart’s innate wisdom offers us positive and life-enhancing alternatives to unpleasant situations by “knowing” the hearts of others and responding accordingly and compassionately.

One way to view the “hidden secrets” of the heart is to consider how the rhythm of the heart is harmonically connected to space-time.

For example, the heart beats 4,320 times per hour—1/10th of which when squared is equal to the speed of light (accurate to .002). The number of heartbeats in 2 hours (8,640) harmonically relates to the diameter of the Sun (864,000 miles) and the number of seconds it takes the Earth to rotate around its axis in a day (86,400).

The number of heartbeats in half an hour (2,160) is the diameter of the Moon.

The rhythm of the human heart is sensitive to changes in the heartbeat of Earth and to all life within the global community. When we realize our heart beats in time to everything in the Universe, including the fabric of space time itself, we understand that all possibilities are available to us.

The limitless possibilities surrounding the heart’s wisdom is also embedded in the physiology of the heart’s circulation system, which acts like a möbius coil that produces a self-generating scalar field of unlimited potential.

It is a self-generating field of love and harmony, sensitive to the vibrations of the thoughts and feelings surrounding it.

When we tap into the feelings of caring and acceptance, we reinforce the vibration of harmony and joy, arising from the heart’s connection to the scalar quantum field—Universal Intelligence—the wellspring of unconditional love.

The more we expand our love-buffer the less we react to people or events with anger and frustration. Instead, our heart expands wide enough to embrace and neutralize the negativity of others.

In this way, we can have a positive influence on others and our surroundings.

Love is contagious.

It takes practice to stay present in the heart’s scalar field. Its harmonious vibrations are subtle and delicate. It requires that we re-tune ourselves to its presence and gentle guidance.

One way to realign ourselves to our heart’s love field is through deep breathing.

When we deep breathe, we are synchronizing our heart’s subtle rhythms to the vibration of the Universe. In time, we will distinguish the connection to the gentle whisper of heart-consciousness from the mechanical reactionary patterns coming from our head.

At the point where we feel this connection, we can radiate this feeling throughout our body and then extend it to those around us and beyond.

When we tap into the heart’s positive vibrations, we will discover that we can ride through the events of our daily lives like riding on a magic carpet.

Circumstances magically change and obstacles present themselves as dance partners.

***

 Notes:

1. Garden of Mystery (Gulshan-I raz), Mahmud Shabistari, Trans. Robert Abdul Hayy Darr, Archetype, 2007, p. 204
2. Ibid p.89

Via Stephen Linsteadt