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JANUARY 21 in North Hollywood
Sign up for your private or group psychic reading from the phenomenal
Namjeev Kaur Khalsa
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Yoga Bits
Morsels of yogic wisdom and information
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Jan. 9 - 15, 2011
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Find out about
classes, workshops, pricing, and more at my new website! | |
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NORTH HOLLYWOOD
Restorative Yoga
10:30 a.m. to noon
Lunchtime Hatha Yoga
12:30 to 1:30 p.m.
Kundalini Yoga
7:30 to 9 p.m.
Kundalini Yoga
10 to 11:30 a.m.
PASADENA
SUNDAY 1/29
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Living Out Loud
Open the Fifth Chakra and let yourself be heard
"Sing / Sing a song / Make it simple / To last your whole life long / Don't worry that it's not good enough / For anyone
else to hear / Sing / Sing a song"
-- Joe Raposo for Sesame Street
It's the new year and we're picking up where we left off with our discussion of the chakras. We're now up to the Fifth Chakra, which represents truth, effective communication, authenticity and the embodiment of God's will (for those of you who roll like that).
Kids are great examples of healthy, open Fifth Chakras (until we teach them to shut up, of course). When my niece was about 7-years-old, she was spinning a rather lengthy tale one night about...gee, I don't remember what. My sister told her it was time for bed. "It can't be beditme," she said with complete sincerity. "I'm not done talking."
I LOVE that story! But don't get me going on anecdotes about the various beloved children in my life or we'll become quite sidetracked. That won't do when there are chakras to be studied.
So, back to business. The Nov. 14, 2011, Yoga Bits, "Your Roots Are Showing," introduced these concepts and I explained a bit about how the system works:
A chakra is a center of energy where, ideally, prana (life force) is flowing freely. In Chinese medicine, this is referred to as chi. We all have zillions of chakra points but in yoga we focus on seven main centers that are aligned along the spine and correlate to different aspects of existence. (In Kundalini yoga, we also work with an 8th chakra, the aura, our personal magnetic field which is the totality of all the other chakras.)
The cool thing about working with the chakras, in my humble opinion, is that you don't actually have to get all up in the mystical to find them helpful. If talking about energy and prana is just plain goofy to you, the chakras can simply be viewed as symbols for various parts of the body, mind and spirit. By contemplating these areas, we can assess where we may need attention or improvement physically or emotionally.
In 2011 we explored the first four chakra points, from the root to the heart. The Fifth Chakra is also known as the Throat Chakra thanks to
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| its location. When the Fifth Chakra is out of balance, it manifests physically through speech, hearing and thyroid problems as well as neck and throat issues. Emotionally an imbalance here will present itself as weakness of expression, shyness, lying or gossip, fear of other people's opinions and lethargy. Although people most often associate speech and expression with the Throat Chakra, it's useful to remember that this energy center is as much about listening as it is talking.
The Fifth Chakra includes the lower brain stem, sometimes referred to as the "reptilian brain" because of its dominion over the subconscious. The implication here is kind of exciting: balancing the Fifth Chakra is one way to manage our subconscious. (Okay, maybe you don't find that exciting but, as a yoga geek, I sure do.)
"Uh, thanks," you say. "But I'm managing my subconscious just fine." Well, more power to ya! But, you know, it's called your subconscious for a reason. There's lots of stuff going on in there you don't know about and it can definitely muck up the works. Furthermore, the yogis believe your subconscious is loaded up not only with unresolved stuff from your childhood, it's also toting along about seven generations of baggage that you were blessed to inherit from those wacky folks you call family.
Fear not! Yoga to the rescue!  | | Shoulder Stand with blanket (Salamba Sarvangasana) |
All forms of chanting open and balance the Fifth Chakra. The mantra meditations often used in yoga classes are based upon the knowledge that sound is a form of energy having structure. This energy can resonate through the body and brain and tune it like a musical instrument.
But some people are extremely uncomfortable with mantra. I've found the two most common reasons for this are shyness and superstition. If you feel shy about letting out your voice, that is precisely why mantra meditation is good for you. As for superstition, for some people chanting in Sanksrit or Gurmukhi feels like a form of sacrilege against their personal beliefs. Yoga is NOT a religion, but if you don't wish to chant, you may simply listen. The sound current created by the other voices around you will still have therapeutic effect.
The truth (and let's speak the truth in honor of the Fifth Chakra) is that it's just as important what a mantra does than what it means. The Kundalini mantras used most often in my classes are made up of precise sounds and sound patterns that stimulate the brain. Chanting vibrates points in the upper palate of the mouth, and sitting just above this area are the hypothalamus and pituitary glands. These glands are hugely influential in psychological processes.
The most recommended postures for the Throat Chakra are Shoulder Stand, Plow Pose and Cobra Pose. However, there's only one little wrinkle: if you have neck problems, these are some of the worst poses you can attempt. Instead, simpler exercises to open this area are Cat-Cow, shoulder shrugs and neck rolls -- but I still recommend strongly doing these movements slowly and gently. Remember, if a chakra is blocked, there is a reason and forcing it open is a bad idea. I hope you'll join me for this week's classes on Tuesday or Saturday to explore opening and balancing these areas. On the drive home from class, you can roll down your windows and sing your song! |
NEW CLASSES & TIMES for 2012
beginning Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2012, at 10:30 a.m.
"The fact is that there is nothing more beautiful, more worthy or more conscious than you."
-- Yogi Bhajan
 EVERY TUESDAY
Restorative Yoga
10:30 a.m. to noon
(Two spaces max)
Lunchtime Hatha Yoga
12:30 to 1:30 p.m.
(Six spaces max)
Kundalini Yoga
7:30 to 9 p.m.
(Six spaces max)
EVERY SATURDAY
Kundalini Yoga
10 to 11:30 a.m.
(Six spaces max)
THE FOURTH SUNDAY OF EACH MONTH
Yoga at the Armory Center for the Arts in Pasadena
10 to 11:30 a.m.
(No space limit)
PRIVATE CLASSES
By appointment
PROMO FOR NAMJEEV
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Why Reserve Online?
Because the online reservation system...
...is free and easy to use ...generates an email reminder before every reserved class
...gives you control over your own class scheduling ...allows you to make and cancel reservations anytime ...adds your name to a waiting list if class is full and notifies you if someone cancels
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Yoga at the Armory:
January 29
Armory Center for the Arts in Pasadena 10 to 11:30 a.m. Join me in this extraordinary space in Pasadena for a vibrant, fun and relaxing 90-minute Kundalini yoga class. As an added bonus, you will enjoy your practice in the center's Community Room surrounded by original works of art. Bring your friends, your mats and your blankets! $15 suggested fee ALL LEVELS WELCOME!
Armory Center for the Arts
Community Room
145 N. Raymond Ave.
Pasadena CA 91103
PLEASE BRING YOUR OWN MAT & BLANKET. NONE ARE PROVIDED.
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The techniques and suggestions presented in Yoga Bits are not intended as medical claims or to substitute for proper medical advice. Consult your physician before beginning any new exercise program. If you are elderly or have any chronic or recurring conditions such as high blood pressure, neck or back pain, arthritis, heart disease, and so on, seek your physician's advice before practicing.
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