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"Men play the game. Women know the score." --Roger Woodis  |
Ana Brett · Ravi Singh
July Kundalini Yoga Newsletter
Dear Yoga Friends,
Happy July! In honor of the Summer Solstice, when the solar energy is most pronounced, we're declaring this the men's issue, featuring the 10 Things Every Man Needs to Know (see below). Things are so confusing for men and women right now. There is so much, often conflicting, information coming at us from so many directions. Much of this is media driven and usually reflects the lowest common denominators of the general sensibility. This has helped caused the moral compass of our culture to go haywire. Everyone is getting mixed messages about everything. If there's money to be made, advertising and popular media have no scruples about indulging people's
basest instincts. So what's to be done. Counter it with consciousness!
And now the news of the Universe. There was a Lunar Eclipse on June 26th and there will be a Total Solar Eclipse July 11th (We
look forward to seeing all of you July 9 - 11 in Memphis. July 11 will be a
special class to help you ride the energy of the Solar Eclipse to new
levels of self-growth).
If you can keep your practice strong now and throughout the next month, you can resolve many old issues, circumvent unconscious entanglements, and pave the way for super expansion. If you let your worries and fears get the best of you, then life can get confusing and murky. This is always so, but now everything is magnified.
One day Yogi Bhajan took a personal
poll among people who came to him for counseling. His results
indicated that those who had been doing a morning sadhana (daily
practice), felt more able to deal with the issues in their lives and
were happier overall. He used to tell everyone that they shouldn't rely
on his energy and wisdom because, if they'd learned anything from him, it
should be how a person, everyday, can generate their own. Everything each of us does in terms of our Kundalini Yoga
practice, engenders a double blessing: it helps us on our paths and it
helps those in our lives and in the world. Now, more than ever we
want to encourage you to "up the ante" with regard to your
Kundalini Yoga discipline. We hope that you will forge the
habit of getting down onto your mat every day and doing your practice.
If you can do it for yourself everyone wins!
Blue Ridge Mountain Yoga Retreat July 30th - Aug. 1st
Thanks for your great response re: our retreat in Dahlonega, GA. We are just about SOLD OUT (we have 2 spaces left). If you live in the area, 1.5 hrs
from Atlanta, you can attend individual workshops. Escape the heat in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains! To register e-mail us: ravianayoga@aol.com.
July 9-11 Give Yoga Memphis:
Shake Your Chakras/Rock Your Soul!
Public Classes for All Levels
July 9 - 11 is the sixth session of our 200 hr. Teacher Training Certification at Give Yoga in Memphis! In these sessions we'll experience what it means to be radiant beings. Featured will be sacred movement, exercises for "star power," and an ecstatic journey into the heart of Self.
Each of these sessions will include a comprehensive physical workout, profound meditative techniques, and more! Fri: Shine Like the Star You Are! 5 - 7 p.m. - $45
Sat: Sweat & Glow! Kundalini Sacred Movement, More! 10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. and 2 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. - $45 ea. / $80 both.Sun: K. Yoga Superset: Journey thru the Psyche! 9:30 - Noon - $45 (Entire Weekend: $165)
To register: hannahlovesyoga@gmail.com / 901.846.5070
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10 Things Every Man Should Know*
 1. Be noble. Take the high road. To be successful as a man turn ego into E.G.O.: Excellence. Grit. Organization (also, Opulence of Spirit!). As a man, there are powerful compensations for living in higher consciousness.
2. According to yoga, one's first lifetime in the cycle of human births is as a man (one step removed from the animal kingdom). Also, it's said, that as a woman, any lifetime can be one in which you graduate (liberation). As men, to transcend our animal natures isn't being "tamed," we're turning angry gorilla into conscious warrior.
3. Don't run after women. Get your act together and when the time is right, make yourself available. Women represent maya, illusion. As a polarity to that, what they want is for you to be authentic. Don't pretend you're spiritual if you're not. Don't pretend you're a cowboy if you're not, or a tough guy if you're not. Be who you are, but also, don't pretend to be less than you are either! Be great in your own way.
4. Your job as a man is to bolster your woman's radiance. When you give other women the kind of attention which is anything less than noble, you are stealing radiance from the woman in your life. Honor the woman in your life and amplify her radiance through your love. That light will shower you with blessings! It could be said that a good
woman is your secret weapon. Her prayers, intuition, creativity, and
love make all things possible and shield you. If you have been blessed
with a good woman, remind yourself daily how lucky you are! Also, don't
resent your woman because she wants you to be present.
5. A man wants to feel that he has it all under control. In the long run, trying to bluster your way through life doesn't work. The only way to keep it all together is to maintain a settled mind and a victorious spirit. The only way to achieve and maintain those things is through daily Kundalini Yoga (or similar discipline) and meditation (or prayer). It is important for men to feel that they have everything covered, but the ability to give up control and be flexible is a also a sign that a man is comfortable with his masculinity.
6. Boys will be boys and men will be men. As a man, find your path and purpose and stick to it. Committed relationship and family are among the highest Spiritual Paths. This is not a patronizing statement meant to incite you to behave. Whomever you are, and whatever you do, if you view your life as anything less than a Spiritual Path, you are just spinning your wheels.
7. A woman doesn't want a sensitive man, she wants a man to be sensitive to her feelings. Be a rock, but don't be afraid to open your heart!
8. Each man is primarily influenced by his mother or father. As a man, it's important to know which category you fall into. Be honest with yourself. If you were more influenced by your mother, you need to be harder on yourself (more discipline), by your father, easier on yourself (less self-recrimination and trying to live up to impossible standards). Mother men, like women too much (need more positive father energy). Father men need to respect women more (need more positive mother energy).
9. As Oscar Wilde said, "It's not our job to try to understand women, only to love them." Women are ruled by the moon. They wax and wane. Men are ruled by the sun. How can you commit to a woman if she's different everyday? The answer: commit to commitment, shine steady!
10. One of
the highest attainments as a man is to find a woman with a beautiful
soul. The only way to accomplish that is to make your own soul
beautiful. Dedicate yourself to a daily Spiritual practice and extend that into your life.
*Gay men please extrapolate. Also, we realize that men and women have masculine and feminine qualities and that's it's a little glib to make these types of sweeping generalizations. Nevertheless, many men need guidance and we hope this helps.
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Specials of the MonthMany of our titles are on sale on Amazon.com for as low as $11.99. If your order is $25 or more you get free shipping!
  
Amazon.com Specials
Kundalini Yoga Transformer All-In-One Workout - 20% off
The Kundalini Yoga Meditation & Breathing DVD - 20% off
Kundalini Yoga Solar Power All-In-One Workout - 15% off
Fat Free Yoga - 20% off
Kundalini Yoga for Beginners & Beyond - 20% off
Ultimate Stretch Workout - 15% off
Best Yoga DVD's for Men
Potency, Endurance, Nerves of Steel: Warrior Workout, Yoga House Call (Fertility & Potency Segment), KY Cardio
Strength: Yoga House Call (Strong Bones & Muscle Tone Segment),Kundalini Yoga for Beginners & Beyond (The 5 Tibetans Segment)
Hip Release, Flexibility: Yoga Bliss Hips, Yoga for Beginners & Beyond: Stretch, Strengthen, Be Stress Free, Ultimate Stretch Workout
Confidence, Personal Power, Focus, Will: Navel Power
Heart Opening: A Journey thru the Chakras (Heart Chakra)
Freeing Oneself (from self imposed restrictions): Kundalini Yoga for Beginners & Beyond (Rise & Spine Segment)
Stress Relief: The Kundalini Yoga Meditation DVD
Cognitive Functioning: Brain Booster on Yoga House Call
Prostate Health: "Bhanda," Meditation on A Journey thru the Chakras
Creativity: Throat Center on A Journey thru the Chakras
Radiance & Attractability: Kundalini Yoga for Energy & Super Radiance
Positive Weight Control: Fat Free Yoga
Detoxification: Yoga Cleanse
Please note that many of our DVD's are also
available on amazon.co.uk as well as amazon.ca
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 Questions of the Month
Quitting Drinking
Good afternoon, I have purchased Kundalini Yoga for Beginners & Beyond, Solar Power and Fat Free Yoga. What is the best way of alternating these DVDs, i am a beginner, never done yoga before, started with Kundalini for beginners, not sure if i need to progress in that first and get comfortable and then switch to others.
I am also trying to quit alcohol (when i drink, i drink a lot, like my father) was successful for 2 weeks while doing yoga but then had to stop due to a physical condition, and started drinking again, not on a daily basis but i tend to drink a lot, can't feel when to stop, and i can't relax and enjoy company until i had someting to drink. Tried past life regression, meditation, may be there is something you can recommend using yoga that will be successful. Thank you very much for all your help.
Thanks for writing and congratulations on beginning your Kundalini Yoga practice! All of our DVD's are for all levels so you can alternate them from the beginning of your practice. Each of DVD's is designed to provide a complete workout on all levels, so there is no one right way to alternate them. Some people do one DVD for 40 days, others do a different workout every day. The most important thing is to get your practice in. Listen to your body and if you feel that you are overdoing it, then it might be good to do a more meditative practice that day. Generally though, you will find that no matter how uninspired or tired you feel, you always miraculously feel better after doing a Kundalini Yoga set!
Re: quitting drinking. Drinking has become endemic in our culture and is an indication that people are overwhelmed and don't know where to turn. Kundalini Yoga provides the energy and inner resources to help people understand that the place to turn for energy, Spirit (as opposed to spirits), and answers, is within!
A very important piece of the puzzle is that alcohol is pure sugar and it effects one's brain chemistry and metabolism (metaphorically, people turn to alcohol because they've become estranged from the sweetness of Self). Please be sure to keep your blood sugar levels stable. Eating foods lower on the glycemic index and eating smaller portions but more often during the day can help. Eating a few raw brazil nuts between meals would be good. Oats in any form are very good. Please read the "Candida" post on the A-Z Health archive on raviana.com as well. The amino acid supplement L-Glutamine can be very helpful in helping to diminish the craving for alcohol (and sugar overall).
Obviously, many people drink so as to become oblivious to their inner pain, but ironically, substances like drinking and drugs simply compound that pain. It is a very exquisite experience to go into one's "stuff," resolve it, and be clear! Any and all of Kundalini Yoga can help you do that. Pick any meditation and set an intention around it. The most expedient one is So Darshan Chakra Kriya (under "S" on the A-Z Health Archive on raviana.com. We also highly recommend the Sa Ta Na Ma Mediation on Yoga Quick Fixes.
Speaking of setting an intention, whenever you're trying to redirect a habit which has become habitual, the first thing to do is strengthen your Navel Chakra. This will give you the one-pointedness and will to tip the scales in favor of a positive outcome. There are Navel Chakra exercises on all of our DVD's, most notably Navel Power, A Journey thru the Chakras, and Fat Free Yoga. We wish you joy, health, and and success in all of your endeavors!
CommitmentHi, My cousin introduced me to kundalini yoga about a year ago and I am absolutely loving it! My question is this- a few years ago, my parents, after spending most of their lives together, suddenly got a divorce without any real explanation. Their attitudes toward the divorce and each other, as well as their inabilities to find healthy relationships, having left many in the family reeling. I've noticed with myself and dating I tend to have trouble with the idea of commitment and with letting someone get close. I did the So Darshan Chakra Kriya, and that seemed to help, and I've been doing a lot of navel center work. Is there anything else I should be focusing on? Thanks for all you do do!
Thanks for writing and congratulations on being proactive with your
Kundalini Yoga practice! So Darshan Chakra Kriya (and navel work) are
probably the best things you could be doing. We recommend that you keep
up with those practices. Try to work up to 31-62 min. per day of So
Darshan Chakra Kriya. If possible, do it early a.m..
People resist commitment because they feel deep down that they don't deserve love, their freedom will be taken away, or they are afraid of being made vulnerable. Also,, endemic to our culture is the desire to sustain youth as long as possible. That translates as dancing lightly through life, flitting from one thing to another. Maturity represents embodiment. At some point, ideally sooner rather than later, we have to come to earth and make a decision to involve ourselves in the human experience without the crutch of an escape clause.
In order to share intimacy with someone, we have to give something to get something. What we are giving are our pettiness and fixed ideas as well as our willingness to be present and to open our hearts. What we are getting are new experiences, deeper levels of love, and an end to loneliness. Of course in any relationship their are major and minor adjustments necessary. Like anything else, it's about balance, teamwork, and trust. Ideally, through the work on ourselves, we want to come to the table as whole beings and through our relationships create a shining alloy great than the sum of its parts. A daily spiritual practice can helps us to realize that ideal.
Be
patient with yourself and observe the process. Analyze your feelings
before your act on them. Then you can do the conscious thing. It is not necessary to jump into a relationship right away. Many people on the Spiritual Path feel the need to have some quiet time at certain junctures in their passage through life so that the inner work can matriculate. You will often find that the powers that be will organize your life based on exactly what you need. It is not necessary to try to push the river. You will find in retrospect that things worked out best when you were willing to go with the flow. We wish you joy, health, and blessings!
Reviews on Amazon.com
Hi, Ana and Ravi,I'm wondering if you've seen the reviews on Amazon.com for your Transformer DVD. Most are favorable, but there's a very lengthy, rather disturbing one titled "Question Everything," written by Scott J. Bullard on June 15. So far there are no replies to it. It might be a good idea if you'd post a reply and address some of the points he's made. I'm afraid what he's written may very well scare off a lot of people who might otherwise be inclined to give Transformer a try. Thanks for your time and God bless
Thanks for writing and for bringing our attention to that review. We very much appreciate your support! You are right, many people misrepresent Kundalini Yoga through lack of understanding, lack of familiarity, or for any of the other reasons people make trouble online! If someone has a bone to pick with our presentation of Kundalini Yoga, that's one thing, but for the sake of this amazing practice, we feel that it is important that the information about Kundalini Yoga to be accurate. For instance there's a review near the top of Kundalini Yoga for Beginners & Beyond which says, "This is NOT Yoga." People need to know that Kundalini Yoga is definitely YOGA.
P.S. (to everyone)
Not everyone feels the calling to be a Teacher of Kundalini Yoga, but if KY has made a positive difference in your life, there are other ways to pass on your good fortune! Many of you who are reading this came to Kundalini Yoga by purchasing a DVD on Amazon.com, probably Kundalini
Yoga for Beginners & Beyond, Fat
Free Yoga, Ultimate Stretch Workout, Transformer.etc. Please consider telling your Kundalini Yoga story in the form of a review on Amazon.com. We are sure that your words will inspire others to begin their own Kundalini Yoga journeys. Let us know if you placed a review. We look forward to reading your words!We wish you joy health, and blessings!
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 Meditation of the Month
Ananda, Buddha's cousin, friend, and devoted disciple, once asked him if there was a particular practice to best foster awakening. Buddha said:
"Be mindful of breathing. Having gone to the shade of a tree, or empty building, hold your body erect, and be mindful. Breathe in mindful. Mindful, breathe out.
"Breathe in long and discern that you are breathing in long. Breathe out long and discern that you are breathing out long. Train yourself to breathe in calming bodily processes, and to breathe out calming bodily processes.
"Train yourself to breathe in pleasure and pain and breathe out pleasure and pain, until you are beyond pleasure and pain. Train yourself to breathe in letting go of judgment, and breathe out letting go of judgment, until you are the dispassionate witness to the play of mind.
"Train
yourself to breath in as the fulcrum of movement and rest, and breathe out as the fulcrum of movement and rest. Train
yourself to breathe in aware of awareness and breathe out aware of awareness until you are awareness itself. Breathe in and be breathed and breathe out and be breathed. Train yourself to simply be."
***
Now Focus at Third Eye. As you inhale think Sat and as you exhale think Nam. Inhale Sat with reverence and devotion. Exhale Nam with reverence and devotion. Continue to blend Sat Nam (True Identity) with the breath. Luxuriate in the rapture of this beautiful Name. With every breath, name yourself Truth, and with every breath live it! Live as if your life were your practice and practice (and live!) as if your life depended on it!
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Links!
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Our Website - Check out our tour schedule, A - Z Health Archive, More!
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We wish you an exhilarating, joyful July!
 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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