 Woweee... Our Sun is all fired up!!
|
Moon Dates
Full Moon February 7
New Moon February 21
|
|
|
|
 Warm Greetings
Now is the time to dive consciously and fearlessly into the heart
We've arrived! We made it to the year that has been promoted to bring unprecedented changes into our lives. Whether you believe that in 2012 our world will perish in some sort of catastrophic demise, or that humanity is just now entering into a golden age of enlightenment.... we are all here together, collectively creating and participating in this epic journey.
Ramana Maharshi, one the greatest enlightened sages of modern India, taught that the Heart is the only realty and the mind is only a transient phase. It is my heartfelt hope that as we experience changes in our lives, no matter how significant or minor, we may learn to connect deeply into the eternal light, love and wisdom of our hearts and allow our minds to be guided from this source. Thank you again for being here! I am wishing you the lightest and brightest illuminations in this season of unlimited possibilities.
|
 Ramana Maharshi
As far as space extends, so far is this space within the heart. Placed in it are both Heaven and Earth, in it are both Fire and Wind (Agni and Vayu), both Sun and Moon (Surya and Chandra), both Lightning and the stars, whatever is here and whatever is not here, all of that is placed within the heart.
---Chandogya Upanishad VIII.3
...Teachings of Sri Ramana Maharshi
Abide as the Self
Whatever the means adopted
you must at lastly turn to the self,
so why not abide as the self here and now.
What is not permanent is not worth striving for.
You are the self, you are already that.
Return to your original source.
Q: What is the Heart?
Call it by any name; God, Self, the Heart or the seat of consciousness, it is all the same. The point to be grasped is this: Heart means the very core of one's being, the center without which there is nothing whatever.
The Heart is not physical; it is spiritual. 'Hridayam' equals 'hrit' plus 'ayam'; it means 'this is the center'. It is that from which thoughts arise, on which they subsist and where they are resolved. The thoughts are the content of the mind and they shape the universe. The Heart is the center of all.
Q: How is the mind to dive into the heart?
The mind now sees itself diversified as the universe.
If the diversity is not manifest, it remains in its own essence, that is the heart. Entering the heart means remaining without distractions.
The heart is the only realty. The mind is only a transient phase. To remain as one's Self is to enter the Heart.
|
'
meals
Winter Ayurveda
Winter is Kapha Season
The Kapha dosha is comprised of Earth+Water elements
Attributes of individuals with a predominant Kapha constitution include:
- Easygoing, relaxed, slow-paced
- Affectionate and loving
- Forgiving, compassionate, nonjudgmental nature
- Stable, reliable; faithful
- Physically strong, sturdy, heavy build
- Steady enduring energy, not explosive
- Slow moving and graceful
- Slow speech, reflecting a deliberate thought process
- Slower to learn, but never forgets; outstanding long-term memory
- Tend toward being overweight; may also suffer from sluggish digestion
- Prone to heavy, oppressive depressions
- More self-sufficient, need less outward stimulation
- Excellent health, strong resistance to disease
- Slow to anger; strive to maintain harmony and peace in their surroundings
- Possessive and hold on to things, people, money; good savers.
- Don't like cold, damp weather
- Physical problems include colds and congestion, sinus headaches, respiratory problems including asthma and wheezing, hay fever, allergies
-
-
Signs of aggravated Kapha are:
- Sluggish thinking, Dull thinking, groggy all day
- Apathetic, no desire
- Depressed, Sad, Sentimental
- Slow to comprehend, Slow to react
- Procrastinating, Lethargy
- Clingy, hanging on to people and ideas
- Greedy, Possessive, Materialistic
- Sleeping too much, tired in the morning, hard to get out of bed
- Weight gain, obesity
- Mucus and congestion
- Nausea
- Diabetes
- Hay fever
- Pale, cool, clammy skin
- Edema, water retention, Bloated feeling
- Sluggish digestion, food "just sits" in the stomach
- High cholesterol
- Aching joints or heavy limbs
-
Suggestions for maintaining balanced Kapha:
- Get plenty of exercise
- Avoid heavy foods
- Keep active
- Avoid dairy
- Avoid cold food
- Vary your routine
- Avoid fatty, oily food
- Eat light, dry food
- No daytime naps
- Rise by 6 am
KAPHA food guidelines
Balancing tastes - Pungent, Bitter, Astringent
Aggravating tastes - Sweet, Sour, Salty
- Bitter
- Astringent
- Pungent
- No dairy
- No cold food
- No fatty, oily food
- Eat light, dry food
- Eat invigorating foods
- Eat vegetables,
- Enjoy spices
|
 anjaneyasana(crescent moon pose)
January AsanaThe low lunge... simply beneficial!!
Obviously, anjaneyasana provides a deep stretch in the thighs and groins. When practiced with an open heart, and conscious awareness, this asana can begin to expand the energetic heart center, anahata chakra. - Find a very stable base by activating the legs and feet
- Keep hips low and steady the sacrum
- Lift pelvic floor (mula bandha)
- Draw navel into spine and lift up (uddiyana bandha)
- Breathe from navel to throat
- Lift sternum to the sky
- Lift up and out of the lower back
- Extend arms upward
- Bring triceps back beyond the ears
- Breathe slowly and smoothly into the entire chest area
|
Creamy Vegetable Barley "Risotto"
- 6 cups vegetable broth
- 3 T olive oil
- 2 C barley
- 1 C chopped crimini or shitake mushrooms
- 1 C chopped swiss chard
- 1 C chopped kale
- ½ C chopped baby spinach
- ½ C peas (thawed)
- ¼ C chopped parsley
- 1/4 C ghee (or butter)
- salt and pepper
Simmer broth. In a separate large saucepan (I like to use a heavy dutch oven) heat the oil and lightly sauté the barley for a few minutes. Add vegetables to the barley and saute them until translucent. Begin slowly adding broth, 1 ladle-full at a time. Occasionally stir gently. As the broth is absorbed, gradually add a little more at a time until all the broth has been added. Simmer very slowly until barley is soft and creamy. Adjust broth as needed. To finish, stir in the ghee (clarified butter) and sprinkle with more chopped parsley.
|
Energetic Mastery -
Cultivating Pranic Awareness
Ancient Teachings
of Prana Vidya
February 4-5
Paradise Valley, AZ
Join Mary Bruce and Deborah Garland for this very special, intimate, weekend workshop experience.
Through the practice of yoga, the awareness of prana, our vital life force, becomes awakened. Higher, more subtle forms of pranic energy become more accessible to us.
In this workshop, we will deeply explore Prana Shakti, your vital energy; and cultivate Prana Vidya, knowledge of your subtle energy body. This develops Energetic Mastery in order to be fully aware, fully alive in your highest intelligent, living presence.
Day 1 Saturday, February 4 Noon to 4pm
Chakras - vibrating centers of energy
Koshas - energetic layers or sheaths
Pancha Vayus - five sub-pranas of the energy body
Day 2 Sunday, February 5 Noon to 4pm
Nadi - Fourteen primary pranic energy channels
Marma - Energy points on the body gateways to nadis
Prana Vidya, Pranic Healing - Techniques to direct
the flow of prana for optimal health and well-being
Each day will include:
Discussion
Meditation
Mantra
Pranayama
Asana
 About Mary Mary Bruce has been practicing and teaching yoga for over 15 yrs. She is an ERYT 500 Registered Yoga Alliance teacher and Anusara Certified by John Friend. She is also a senior student of Rod Stryker's and a Level II Certified Para Yoga® Teacher. The synthesis of Anusara biomechanical principles of alignment along with heart-centered themes and the lineage and depth of knowledge of energetics of Tantric Hatha in the Para Yoga® style, is a complete yoga. All elements are present: Attention to detail (alignment), awareness of breath (pranayama), open to grace (attitude), intelligent sequencing (vinyasa krama), as well as Ayurveda, visualization, meditation and mantra. Both systems are based on the philosophy of Tantra, which is to blend, to weave, a treatise, a study in self, to thrive on all levels, to blend the material with the spiritual. It is the meeting of two oceans, powerful and deep, full and complete. She skillfully blends these two systems to create what she calls the perfect yoga for it allows you to see yourself as you are: already perfect and divine.
 About Deborah Deborah Garland has been teaching yoga for over 11 years. She is a certified Registered Yoga Alliance RYT E-200 and RYT 500 teacher specializing in Yoga for Scoliosis and Yoga for Every Age and Body, utilizing the yoga rope wall. She teaches in a fun, fluid style based in the classic traditions of yoga. Her classes incorporate breath (pranayama), alignment, fluid sequencing (krama vinyasa), meditation and energy movement (pranic flow). She encourages students to discover their highest sense of self-awareness, peace, and radiance from profound inner-knowing. Deborah's path in yoga, ayurveda and tantra has led her to many contemporary Master Teachers. She has studied extensively with, and is eternally grateful to Shiva Rea, and to Swami Shankardev Saraswati of the Bihar School of Yoga (Satyananda Yoga). Her teaching style and methods are also influenced by Erich Schiffman, Bhavani Maki, Elise Browning Miller, Gurmukh Khalsa, Dr. Vasant Lad, and Dr. David Frawley (Pandit Vamadeva Shastri).When she is not studying or teaching yoga and ayurveda, Deborah is enjoying her two children, creating wood fired ceramics, gardening, hiking, traveling, and simply being.
Contact Deborah or Mary to Register
deb@deborahgarland.com
602.332.4584
*We are currently taking requests for additional offerings of this workshop. Please contact us to place your name on the waitlist.
|
 Radiant Heart Breathing Sit quietly in any comfortable position with your eyes closed. Allow your legs to feel heavy and grounded. If you are sitting in a chair, keep your feet securely on the floor and feel your buttocks balanced evenly. Feel your tailbone becoming heavy and at the same time become aware of a sensation of lightness at the crown of your head. Breathe comfortably and naturally. Direct your attention to the area of your heart. Imagine your breath originating in the center of your heart. You may want to imagine a color or peaceful image here. As you inhale slowly, imagine your breath coming in from all directions into your heart. As you exhale slowly, send your breath out in all directions from the centerpoint of your heart. Continue this in an even, slow and steady pace. As you become more relaxed and comfortable, imagine your breath inhaling into a fine point of brilliant light deep within your heart space. Pause. As you smoothly exhale, imagine all of your breath traveling outward as far as you can send it.... out to the farthest reaches of the cosmos. Pause. Continue to smoothly and evenly breathe in to a very fine point within your heart, and exhale into the vast distance. Imagine your breath drawing deeper and deeper into the core of your heart as you inhale and pause, and sending your breath farther and farther away into the distance as you exhale and pause. As your meditation feels complete, begin to breathe normally and naturally then very slowly open your eyes. Sit quietly as you become fully aware of your body, and your physical surroundings. Notice any changes or sensations that you may be feeling. Stretch and move your body, and smile. 
Hridaya Mudra You may wish to place your hands in Hridaya Mudra while doing this heart-opening practice. This mudra facilitates channeling prana into the heart. Place the tips of the index fingers at the root of the thumbs. Very gently press the tips of the thumbs into the tips of the middle and ring fingers. The pinkie finger stays straight. Place the hands on the knees with the palms facing upward. Close the eyes, be still, and breathe into the area of the chest.
To further enhance the practice, you may wish to add the following mantra: hrim, shrim, klim
Hrim (hreem) is the energy of the heart Srim (shreem) is the devotion of the heart Klim (kleem) is the love and wishes of the heart The mantra may be recited aloud or silently, and it should be the same duration as the breath.
|
|
|
