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Ana Brett & Ravi Singh July Yoga News
"...the fireworks of my love burst apart
And scatter the sky with a blazing heart!"
--Amy Lowell
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News & Notes
Happy July everyone! It's been a fun and creative time working on our book, music CD, and next three DVD's, all to be released in late fall. We love the fact that Facebook and Twitter have given us the gift of getting glimpses into the lives of many of you we may not get to know otherwise! (see links below to join us there). We do plan to get back on the road soon, teaching on a regular basis, so we can meet all of you in person!
We'd love to get your ideas for a book title!!!! Please submit your title suggestion(s) on the Raviana Fan page on Facebook (see link below). The best title and the two runners up will receive free books! So you might try doing KY for creativity(Throat Center exercises from Journey Through the Chakras, etc.) and get creative! What would your perfect Kundalini Yoga book be called? A title which encapsulates everything you've experienced with your yoga practice and everything to which you aspire!
There's been lot of talk lately about reducing one's "carbon footprint." Kudos to whosoever takes the responsibility to make some small sacrifice to make the world a better and more sustainable place! That is part of the overall process of learning to make conscious decisions and to reduce one's karmic footprint. Karma means the immutable laws of cause and effect. Anyone who thinks that they have a special dispensation from fate does so at their own peril. It's common, especially when we're young, or when everything is going swimmingly, to feel immortal. It's only when reality hits us right between the eyes that we are humbled by the realization of our mortality and accountability.
Some people believe that God set the Universe in motion and stepped out of the way, leaving the rest up to sentient beings to make a go of it. That's not a bad idea to assume, with the understanding that we have it within our power to help one another and ease human (and other creatures'!) suffering even as we work on easing our own.
Everything hangs in the balance. That's why when we learn to live in balance we gather and broadcast blessings. It's that simple, it's that profound! More on this in this month's Top Ten list below.
We're # 1
 Thanks to all of you (and to Erica for letting us know), our Fat Free Yoga DVD made it to #1 (again) in the top selling yoga DVD list on Amazon.com last week!! Kundalini Yoga is the perfect solution to lighten and enlighten oneself! In addition to glandular balance, and all the benefits of exercise, Fat Free Yoga also delves deeply and works on emotions, and moves energy through "problem areas," in one's body and psyche. It revs up metabolism without the heart having to hammer and engenders the vitality to make positive changes in your life, to be a Kunda-lean-i!
Teacher Trainings!
We believe that we're all Teachers to one another and that each of us has gifts which make us unique in our ability to heal, uplift, and inspire. We also believe that Kundalini Yoga is the perfect practice for this time and space and can and does transform the lives of everyone who practices it. It is one of the most powerful and beautiful gifts you can share with people. We are happy to announce that we will start our Teaching Training project with a Introduction to Teacher Training Weekend at Give Yoga in Memphis October 3rd and 4th. Everyone is welcome to attend and if you continue on to particpate in any of our Teacher Trainings, the hours you accrue will be applicable towards your Teacher Training certification.
Ravi-isms #2
There have been countless "Ravi-isms," over the years. You've heard some on our DVD's or in workshops. We're sharing some may not have heard.
"If you want to fly high you have to ruffle some feathers!" *
*inspire people to grow
Check Out These Links!
Raviana Fan Page on Facebook - Become a fan and you'll be eligible to win free copies of every new product we create and experience other fun stuff too!
Raviana Group Page on Facebook - Join us, meet your Kundalini compadres and support each other in our group meditation,raw food discussions, and anything else on your mind!
Be Ana Friend On Facebook! - Post your thoughts and comments on Ana's wall and talk to Ana on her
Ana on Twitter! - Follow Ana's activities and thoughts on lifestyle, health, and the joy of living!
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Top 10 Ways to Reduce Your Karmic Footprint
"They call him Captain Karma. He's the Lord's own right hand man. He's the one who put the worm in the apple that you stole from the fruit stand." --- Khalsa String Band
1. Practice Kundalini Yoga and Meditation. Kundalini is known as the yoga of awareness. Awareness is the key to the direct experience of how everthing is connected. When you practice Kundalini Yoga, especially the meditative practices, you are literally burning off karma, incurring new blessings, cultivating compassion, and paving the way for a brighter day, and life for you and all!
2. Know that most everything has a back story. Feeling rage against the person that just cut you off in traffic? Maybe they're distracted because earlier that day their boss went off on them and they just had to sit there and take it. When we give people the benefit of the doubt the Universe is very forgiving with us too!
3. Make conscious decisions as a matter of course. If you are reading this you are a yogi. Wean yourself off of that 'just one more time,' mentality. Everything counts: every moment, every breath, every action. But don't equate discipline with the kind of self-denial which makes you a matyr to your self. A life of spirit is the perfect balance between celebration and discipline!
4. Consider gravitating towards a vegan lifestyle. If you've been practicing Kundalini Yoga then the idea of giving up animal products is probably already percolating in you, but maybe your old habits have precluded that leap. Diet and lifestyle are not ends in themselves or the "answer," but how you live makes a huge difference. Humanity is evolving and picking up speed! Animals are evolving too, they always have been. If something has a mother, as the argument goes, we shouldn't kill it. There is no taste sensation that you you will miss on a vegetarian diet!
5. Intention is everything. Do good as it's own reward. Always do your best as its own reward. If you are expecting a reward let it be that you have made life a little easier for someone and let that be more than enough. This is called Karma Yoga. The path of selfless service.
6. Celebrate people's gifts! Everyone has something which makes them special. When we support people in their unique talents we are helping to cultivate Destinies and our own. Next time someone invites you to their art opening, try to go!
7. Turn it off. Tune in. Rock out! Be selective with your exposure to popular media. Most TV is like mental fast food and gives your mind the same value in nutrition! Instead of using the remote and zoning out, turn it off and see what happens. You may just find yourself doing something fun and creative like redesigning your space or you may get a sudden urge to dance your dance, or maybe write your own uplifting screenplay, or book! Using your creativity is instant Good Karma!
8. The old masters were pretty savvy! For instance, the Five Precepts of Buddha are commitments to abstain from violence, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying, and intoxication. Buddha made a vow to meditate under a tree until he got an answer to the cause for human suffering. Part of his enlightenment was the realization that human suffering is caused by the vicious circle of karma and our attachment to it.
9. Whenver the opportunity presents itself, teach people what you have found works for you. Yogi Bhajan said that if you want to master something, teach it. If someone complains to you about their stress level, offer to show them what they can do about it. If you know someone trying to quit smoking, teach them the joys of yoga breathing! If you have experienced things which have made a difference for you, get out there and spread the light!
10. Be Positive! Most of the Karma we create ememates from the negative emotions we hold on to. Kundalini Yoga and meditation help us to be present and frees us from the pain of the past! So... onward and upward with a smile and open heart! See the soul in everyone. Sat Nam!
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 ***SPECIALS OF THE MONTH***
(click on the titles to go right to their pages on Amazon.com)
Amazon.com is currently offering our 3 new titles
on sale for as low $12.99! All 3 for $41.97!!!:
Yoga for Beginners & Beyond: Stretch, Strengthen, Be Stress Free! - $12.99 - is the best of both worlds: Kundalini Yoga's dynamic aspect with the focused intensity of Power and Ashtanga Yoga.
Kundalini Yoga Cardio, Stretch, & Strengthen - $14.49 - is also the best of both worlds: an amazing Kundalini Yoga set with its spiritual depth and power, as well as a complete fitness experience: stretching, in-depth ab work, an effective and a fun dance-influenced cardio routine, and more!
Kundalini Yoga for Energy & Super Radiance- $14.49 - Live on fire. Shine like the sun! This is a Kundalini Yoga "old school" workout with cutting edge music and more. Features a complete whole body workout including some extended exercises which will test you, and bring out the best in you!
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and here are our July recommendations for a new body, new life, and to reduce your karmic footprint!
please note that all of these (among others) are currently on sale on Amazon.com for as low as 11.99. If you buy more than one title on Amazon.com, you also get free shipping!
Am/Pm Yoga - $14.49 - NEW &
IMPROVED. NOW w/the MATRIX! Two Sets to Start & End Your Day In A
Great Way! Featuring the Morning Wake Up Series with continuous Breath of Fire! Also: 2 Meditations, 2 Breathing Exercises, Bonus Material,
and more!
(It's said that if you do
the A.M. Meditation on this, a.k.a. Long Ek Ong Kars, for 2.5 hrs. per
day, starting pre-dawn, with devotion and focus, for 40 days, you are
"liberated," meaning that all your karma is cleared. That may sound
like magical thinking, but there's a real mechanism at play here. Japa
(repetition of a mantra) creates Tapa (the fire of purification, which
according to yoga, is more than just physical, it burns up lifetimes of
accumulated "stuff.").
Navel Power (Develop the will to take a stand: turn negatives into positives. Also, the meditation on this will help you blast through money blocks) - $14.49 - for a Stomach of Steel & Personal Power
Kundalini Yoga for Energy & Super Radiance (Make your effort an offering. Bow to your soul and let the experience of Spirit become the driving forcei your life!)
Warrior Workout (Put your body on the line to be Divine!) - $12.99 - A perfect workout for 2009! A non-stop energy feast!
Yoga Cleanse- $12.99 - Purify your body: purify your mind and emotions.
Also, how about incurring copious blessings and starting someone on the Kundalini Yoga path by buying them:
Kundalini Yoga for Beginners & Beyond - $11.99 - A Kundalini Yoga 'must have,' for any level. Featuring the essential Rise & Spine set, followed by strength building "5 Tibetans,," Kundalini Yoga style.
Fat Free Yoga $11.99 - LOSE WEIGHT & FEEL GREAT! Four 20 min. sets: Start Your Engines, Burn Baby Burn, No Impact Aerobics, Your Life Is In Your Own Glands! Also: 2 Meditations and More!
Ultimate Stretch Workout - $11.99 - best of both worlds combining the great dynamic elements of Kundalini Yoga with deep stretching of Power and Vinyasa
Dance the Chakras Yoga Workout - $12.99 - 2 yoga sets and movement work. A perfect balance of flexibility and strength work and fun low impact cardio dance.
Yoga Beauty Body - $14.99 - The "Perfect" Yoga Workout. Includes the Magnificent Seven. Daily "must," yoga exercises.
Yoga Bliss Hips - $15.99 - Kundalini Yoga for Hip Opening & Mood Mastery
Yoga Quick Fixes - $15.99 - almost 4 hours of workout options. Pre-set workouts plus Quick Fixes for everything from Depression to Headaches.
Yoga House Call - $15.99 - 4 hours of workout options. Pre-set workouts plus short segments include Eagle Eyes, Heart Helper, Strong Bones & Muscle Tone and much more!.
A Journey thru the Chakras - $14.49 - Climb the Ladder of Lights. A Great Inner/Outer Workout.
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***QUESTIONS OF THE MONTH***
We want to thank all of you for the insightful questions, nice words, and comments you send to us! If we don't reply to your question within 3 weeks please resend. It probably means that it was lost or somehow never got to us!
How Does Ana Do It?
 Hi! I wanted to ask Ana, what has she been doing lately? She looks absolutely amazing!! I wanted to know what exercises does Ana do on a regular basis? Is it all Kundalini Yoga only? I read somewhere, she was a dancer , and wondered if Ana and Ravi might incorporate some dancer-moves into their Dvd"s?? That would be Great! I 've always wanted to learn some basic ballet dance/exercise moves!! Anyhoo!! Keep up the Great Work Guys!! So very Glad I've found You Both..and Kundalini Yoga!
Thanks for writing and for the nice words! We are so happy to hear that you are enjoying our DVD's! I do Kundalini Yoga almost exclusively. I augment it with hiking when I can, spin once a week, and lift light weights occasionally. I eat a mostly raw food diet and smoothies a few mornings a week which include raw protein powder, pineapple, banana, blueberries and parsley.
It's true I have always danced, and I keep my dance alignment principles in mind with whatever workout I do. I truly think it is good alignment that builds the best body. This is why we add my personal alignment tips to all our DVD workouts. Our Posture Primer on our new Yoga for Beginners & Beyond: Stretch, Strengthen, Be Stress Free! is a good starting point to learning these important principles.
We do plan to do a Kundalini Yoga/Dance Floor Barre Fusion down the road. Right now we have Dance the Chakras Yoga Workout , and Kundalini Yoga Cardio, Stretch, & Strengthen. The first is somewhat more free form organic dance. The second is more structured traditional cardio dance.
Anti-Wrinkle Yoga
Hi Ana, I am really excited for your new titles that will come out in December. I have a quick question, do you think you can incorporate yoga facial exercises to combat wrinkles in one of your future DVDs? Thank you and hope you have a great weekend!
Great suggestion! In the meantime, the exercises on Yoga Beauty Body will help combat wrinkles, especially Shoulder Stand with Breath of Fire. The "Headache Helper" exercises in Yoga Quick Fixes are actually great against wrinkles. The "Hands Like a Teapot" meditation on Fat Free Yoga is said to prevent wrinkles for a lifetime.
We are guessing you know how important it is to stay out of the sun, wear sunscreen, a hat, and stay on the shady side of the street. Doing this, a healthy diet, and plenty of Kundalini Yoga will keep you wrinkle free for years to come! Joy, health, and blessings!
Sexual Connotation
Provide some yaga tips to improve the sexual life with my partner Thanking u in anticipation
The most important thing is to love each other. Any and all of Kundalini Yoga will improve your sex life. We recommend: Yoga Bliss Hips, Ultimate Stretch Workout, A Journey thru the Chakras, and Yoga for Beginners & Beyond: Stretch, Strengthen, Be Stress Free!
Sex becomes a deeper experience when we're able to keep emotional issues of the past from limiting our ability to be completely present with someone. We recommend the So Darshan Chakra Kriya Meditation. A group of us are doing it on our Facebook Group Page. it's never to late to join in!
Inner Thighs
Hi! I have a quick question! What are the best exercises (kundalini yoga-style of course) for thinner thighs ? Especially, inner? I know frog Pose is one, but I was wondering how to get longer-looking thinner legs? Thank-You, God Bless You, Sat Nam!! :)
The best exercise to trim the inner thighs is: any exercise that targets the thighs, done correctly. It's an alignment issue. When the bones are in alignment, and the muscles can hug the bones the way they are meant to, then one gets a longer line or what's called, "the yoga body." We highly recommend our new Yoga for Beginners & Beyond: Stretch, Strengthen, Be Stress Free! It has a posture primer with important alignment tips and many exercises which will directly make a difference for you.
Public Speaking
Hi I have all your dvds, I and was just wondering if there was any way to calm myself before interviews or public speaking because i get extremely nervous when I have to speak to new people and it really gets in the way of my life.
Thanks for writing. We actually recommend the On the Spot Addiction alternative segment which is on our Yoga Quick Fixes DVD. Also, before public speaking or an interview it is good to work on one's magnetic field. Have your arms at a 60 degree angle up and out to the sides. Fingers curled in thumbs extended. Do Breath of Fire for 1 - 3 min. Feel the space around your body brightening as you breathe. To end, inhale, hold the breath and slowly bring the thumbs towards one another overhead. Let the thumbs meet and relax the breath, describing a rainbow of radiance around you with the arc of the descending thumbs. Then sit still for a minute and bask in brightness. The Kundalini Yoga for Energy & Super Radiance DVD will also give you the radiance and confidence to successfully address this issue. We wish you joy, health, and blessings.
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Like Kirtan (ecstatic chanting)? Our friend Bret Duback has organized a mini-Woodstock style chanting event:
700 Voices Sacred Music Festival
July 10-13 at the Amenia, New York Peace Sanctuary.
www.700voices.com
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 Meditation of the Month
Ganpati Kriya
This is one of the top meditations in Kundalini Yoga to make dramatic breakthroughs when you feel stuck, or boxed in with no foreseeable options.. It uses the mantra: Sa-Ta-Na-Ma-Ra-Ma-Da-Sa-Sa-Say-So-Hung. As you chant this, press your thumbtips and your index, middle, ring, and little fingertips progressively. In the course of this 12 syallable mantra, you'll be playing your fingers three times. Continue for 11 - 31 min. Your eyes are 1/10 open looking straight. You can use any melody with this mantra (which means: Existence, Life, Death, Rebirth, Sun, Moon, Earth, Infinity, I Am That Infinity I Belong To and Contain.) To end inhale stretch your arms up and tightening every muscle, stretch your body (still in a crosslegged position) every which way. Do this 3 - 5 times. Relax the breath and sit in silence for a minute, focusing on the tip of the nose, eyes 1/10 open. Then inhale hold the breath for 30 seconds and shake your body (do this 4x). Then inhale hold the breath for 20 seconds, and relax the breath and get out there and be great!
This powerful meditation is named after Ganesha, the elephant-headed god in the Hindu pantheon. Ganesha is a symbol for stability and prosperity. He is sometimes depicted riding a mouse which symbolizes the ability to get into inaccessible places and out of situations in which you feel there's no escape. This mantra is for healing, balance, creatvity, harmony, and flow.
Also, Please join us for our ongoing 40 day So Darshan Chakra Kriya and Kirtan Kriya practices on the RaviAna group page on Facebook.com
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We wish you an exhilarating, joyful Julyl!!
All Best,
Ana Brett & Ravi Singh
www.raviana.com / ravianayoga@aol.com
Disclaimer: The advice we give is in no way intended as a substitute for medical counseling. Please consult your physician before beginning any exercise program or nutritional protocol.
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