 Sat Nam Yoga Friends! Thanks to all of you who came to celebrate the start of this beautiful autumn season with us at Raven's Wing Yoga in Branford, CT, a couple of weeks ago! We were all part of something groundbreaking, as well as super fun: Kundalini Yoga done to live music! Sal Annunziato, and his amazing rockin' mantra group Love Tribe Vibe, teamed up with us to celebrate and elevate. Love Tribe Vibe is going to join us at select venues in 2013 as we launch into our Ready, Set, Sat Nam! Tour
. And if you're anywhere near the East Coast this Sunday, Sal and band will be joining us at 700 Voices (see below) in Carmel, NY (near Danbury CT).
On our Ready, Set, Sat Nam! Tour we are going to criss-cross the country and world and let Breath of Fire take us all higher! If you are a studio owner, attend classes at a yoga studio, or have access to a large open space, let us know and we'll do our best to accommodate you, and you can become an official point of light of the raviana network. We love this line from the Doors song: "We chase our pleasures here. Build our treasures there." It's a fact of life that we can't have both. Or can we? Having those treasures here is the ultimate pleasure. That entails living in Spirit and consecrating our mind and emotions to Sat Nam, that Certain Self which is our True Identity. How do we make that so? KEEP UP and BREAK ON THROUGH TO THE OTHER SIDE. Let's celebrate Spirit together. Have a beautiful October!
Teacher Trainings Beginning This Fall
We our happy to announce that we will be offering two **NEW** Teacher Training courses this Fall, one in Syracuse, NY, and one at Yoga Soul Center, Minneapolis, For into on the Syracuse Training contact us at ravianayoga@aol.com. The Minneapolis Training will be beginning in November. We are going to be presenting a weekend of workshops Oct. 12th - 14th (see below).
Your Destiny: to use your gifts to heal, uplift, & inspire. No better time than now! Think about how many people you know who could benefit immensely by what K.Y. has to offer. As a Teacher you provide people hope and a better way. There is no higher Path. Please note that Teacher Trainings are invaluable even if you're not planning on becoming a Teacher right away. If you would like to deepen your practice and meet positive people on the Path, a Training is the perfect thing.
P.S. We will be teaching in Manchester, UK in November with a UK Teacher Training soon to follow. Please contact Andrea: and_fitness{at}yahoo.co.uk to let her know you're interested and we'll keep you updated!
Upcoming Workshops / Events
Sun. Oct. 7th, Carmel, NY (near Danbury, CT): 700 Voices Yoga / Chant Fest Ana & Ravi + Live Music by Love Tribe Vibe and other inspiring Teachers, Chanters, www.700voices.com / Tickets: Brett Duback: 860.921.1314 Download a Flier
Fri. Oct. 12 - Sun. October 14th. A Weekend of Workshops at the Yoga Soul Center in Eagan, MN contact: Angad Kaur: 651.452.5789 / tarisa{at}yogasoul-center.com Download a flier.
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 Beauty News: Get Your Glow On!
I made a mental note to investigate the RMS color line. Then, the other day, as would only happen in NYC, I was shopping at LIVE LIVE for some facewash (Fabulous Foaming Face Wash) some olives for my salads, and some raw cashews for my sweet kale shakes (recipe coming soon!). I was checking out when a woman from behind complimented my (her words!) "fabulously long fit legs," and asked what I did to get them so fit. So I told her, "Kundalini Yoga" (of course!). When I turned around to see who I was talking to, I was face to face, with (whom I would later find out was) Rose Marie Swift!! haha! Turns out she is a huge fan of Kundalini Yoga. She even got down on the floor in the middle of the shop and demonstrated some of the most supple and awesome Frogs I have seen anywhere. She told me that, of all yoga styles, Kundalini Yoga is her ABSOLUTE FAVORITE. She loves that it contains so much variety. For example, you can find yourself working on your aura in one class, your navel in the next, and your nerves and glands in the next! Of course there is the global (Glow-ball) effect, and just as important it works her body and keeps her fit ('it even does something for your a--!') It wasn't until she gave me her card (and I pulled a Yoga Bliss Hips out of the back of our car to gift her in honor of that amazing Frog demo) that I realized that this was THE Rose Marie Swift! Her dewy youthful skin probably should have given her away as someone who knew her beauty stuff! This woman glowed with energy and super radiance! She is the real deal, lives breathes, eats, and exudes health! I adore her simple beauty philosophy which is: Heath is Beauty! Right On! Her make up advice is: Less is More: We agree! I love that she believes in health from the inside out, and that what we put on our skin should feed our skin while it makes us sparkle and shine a little brighter. And of course she had me at that Frog demo! Now, do I believe any of us really need make up? No! Our beauty is a reflection of our health. It's what we do on a day to day basis. Doing our Kundalini Yoga practice and maintaining a healthy and positive lifestyle represents the ultimate beauty brand! But makeup is fun. It invokes our special creativity, and when we do choose to gild the lily, it's nice to know there are conscientious brands such as RMS beauty color line now available. Also check out Rose Marie Swifts blog for amazing skin care advice! Things are getting better and better for hair too! I was so excited when Bryan Thomson Di-Palma (my favorite hair guy) let me know his shampoos and conditioners were officially on the market! I have known Bryan a long time and know how high his standards are for his all organic hand crafted hair beautifiers. Also, knowing Bryans exceptional talent, I knew they WOULD WORK! Oh my, do they ever. The shampoo lathers so nice and creamy without stripping (no sulphates!) and the conditioner softens and smooths without silicones. Perfect! I love the Tangerine Shampoo and the Lavender Conditioner. The aromatherapy has added another awesome dimension to shower time. Word is that guys will be dipping into that Lavender Conditioner (I am ordering Ravi his own!) so you might want to get two.
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DVD Spotlight
 
Your great e-mails to us often say it way better than we can. They are real life Divine dramas describing how being proactive with your Kundalini Yoga practice brings real health and happiness. Here a recent e-mail which says it all:
"Hello Ravi and Ana - I just wanted to let you know about the debilitating insomnia that I was living with for past few years. I'm in my mid forties and peri-menopausal so, needless to say hormones have to lot to do with lack of sleep. So, a couple of years ago I started using the nighttime sleep aids. I went to the doctors and they did all kinds of tests and they suggested that I go see a shrink or sleep therapist. The good Doctors also prescribed some very nice pills (X....x and L...a) that would help me fall asleep. They worked great in the beginning but I would need to keep increasing my dosage and even that stopped working and I would be up in the middle of the night wide awake and take another dosage to help me make it thru the rest of the night. The past two years have been hell with continuous nights of no sleep... THEN after my last visit to yet another doctor I decided enough. I started rotating your DVD's with diligence. One day I decided to do the AM set on the AM/PM Yoga. I enjoyed doing the AM set so much. One morning I remember just going thru the set and halfway thru I just felt my body just waking up (this was after another sleep night so, I could really feel the waking up!!). By the third day - I was laying in bed at night and I fell asleep!! The next morning I was kind of "huh" what happened"... so, I did the set again... and I was able to fall asleep again. It still didn't register that the AM yoga set was doing anything... so, I skipped it for one day - and I'm tossed and turned all night long.....Many Thanks!!
Long story short.... I wanted to share my experience with you - as your dvd's have made a profound impact on my life... I don't know why or how the AM portion of this dvd is helping me sleep (and only doing the PM won't - however I'm noticing that if I do the AM first thing in the morning then the PM is a perfect complement and I sleep even better) but, since so many people have similar issues I am hoping that you can share my experience and results. Some other sets that are AMAZING: Body Electric DVD - the 20 minute body bliss - just doing this one set makes my all "glowy" (that's the only way I can describe it) - I get a LOT of compliments from random folks too when I do this set that "you're just glowing!!" I don't know how a bunch of leg and arm lifts can have this affect - but, its truly amazing. Yoga Beauty Body - I only do set 1 and Set 2 - and the weight just melts off. It also helps curb my appetite - but, I still eat like a normal person and the weight just falls off. Kundalini Yoga Energy and Super Radiance - when I want to be noticed (going to a party or something) I do the Body Electric and the Tiger Claws on this DVD and WOW - people just gravitate towards you. It's really amazing!! All of your DVD's are amazing and I could just go on and on... but, for my current moment - the AM set just blew me away with its simplicity and efficacy - again I am in awe at how something sooo simple can be so profound. Many Thanks! Our titles are often on sale on Amazon for as low as $11.99. Order $25+ & get free shipping! Many of our DVD's are also available on amazon.co.uk as well as amazon.ca
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 Dire Straits
Sat Nam, Needed some help in where I am at the moment. I am going through a lot of problems with relationships and having a hard time.Whatever I try seems to go wrong. Unexpected people and even family have turned their back on us.
Don't know what I am doing wrong and where I am going wrong. Can you please suggest a practice/mantra that will help me. Thank you and can't wait till you come to the UK. Sorry to hear that you're going through a difficult time. We recommend the Ap Sahaee Hoa Meditationt which is at the end of our Dance the Chakras DVD (it is on Amazon.co.uk). That's an exceedingly powerful mantra which, according to Yogi Bhajan, will make even, "your enemies your friends." It's also for prosperity, inner peace, and world peace.
Our perception of current conditions is based largely on the thoughts we choose to give credence to. Remember that emotions, commotions, and complexes are not us. We are the sky. Everything else is just the weather! Sometimes people turn against us when we are moving to a higher echelon of being and they subconsciously want to hold us back. All we can do is bless them and move forward. The family dynamic is often a closed system but our soul's creativity, and uniqueness are open ended. That creates a certain kind of friction. Friction creates sparks, and the fire of illumination blazes. Be loving to all but firm in your commitment to Self. That's all one can do, and that's everything! Have faith in the fact that better days are coming. The rhythms of life dictate that when there is a lull there will soon be a crest. Please keep us posted.
Prayer and Meditation
Can praying from my own religion for lets say half hour to an hour a day have the same benefits as meditation..or would I need to both pray and do a kundalini meditation to get the life changing benefits? That is an excellent question! First of all congratulations on your daily prayer practice. That is a very meritorious and beautiful thing to commit to. Yogi Bhajan said that prayer is when we talk to the Universe, and Meditation is when we let the Universe speak to us. Meditation makes our prayers more powerful. Prayer is a blessing, but Meditation is a must, in the context of life as we know it. It is the most streamlined way to be happy and clear and succeed in the game of life.
Most people pray from a place of desiring something. Re: the phrase, "Be careful what you pray for..." The most powerful prayer is on behalf of another. When we pray for someone else the whole Universe prays for us. Equally powerful is a request the inner recognition that we are the answer to our own prayers and that the whole Universe is behind us. True prayer can be a powerful area of focus on the Spiritual Path. There are many ways to pray. You can build yourself an altar which is your console with which to tune in to Universal energies. Make lists to focus and clarify your thoughts. Have a dialogue with your Higher Self or a Higher Power. Commune with the Creator and verify your acceptance of Divine Will. These are all valid and beautiful forms of prayer.
The Meditation practices in Kundalini Yoga are literally the "greatest hits," of the Saints and Sages of the Ages. They are powerful tools and amazing gifts and it is our hope that you will be inspired to draw upon these to deepen the experience of your prayerful practice.
Kundalini Question
Hi Ravi and Ana, Have been doing your DVDs every day after work, have lost weight, better energy, and sleep more deeply. Have been studying Metaphysics with a Teacher for about 5 years. This work is remarkable and I do not want to do anything to interfere with it.
My Teacher says that the work I am doing with them gently stimulates kundalini and that if I am "truly" doing kundalini yoga it may interfere with the Metaphysical work. I am not sure exactly why, but I am assuming that the Teacher is concerned about overstimulating the kundalini.
I personally do not feel that happening with me, but at the same time do not want to contradict all the hard spiritual work I have done. My teacher told me hatha yoga poses are fine. I have done hatha yoga and have not had the same results I get doing your DVDs. Although many of the "poses" or "kryias" are similar. I now feel conflicted. Is this a western variation of the Kundalini yoga taught in India?
Thanks for writing. Re: "...the work I am doing with them gently stimulates Kundalini and that if I am "truly" doing kundalini yoga it may interfere with the Metaphysical work."
Actually, we feel that the opposite is true. Through your practice of Kundalini Yoga, your Metaphysical work will be greatly enhanced, because every form of self-healing, inner Wisdom, intuittive prowess, creative genius, and Spiritual growth, is predicated on the presence of Kundalini, which is synonymous with Spirit. Each of us was meant to live in the Grace of this evolutionary energy, and the fact that so few people do is a tragedy of the human condition.
Our advice is to follow your heart and trust your own experience. The Kundalini Yoga we practice and teach was gifted to humanity from the lineage of the Saints and Sages of the ages, all the way back to the Infinite. What we present on our DVD's, and in our classes, is the same Kundalini Yoga which has been taught to very exclusive yogis in India for thousands of years. In history as we know it, it has been considered a "secret," practice. Now, as we move into the Aquarian age, it belongs to the people who practice it.
You cannot overstimulate Kundalini, because on this graceful path you never access more energy than you can easily accommodate at any given time in your development. Teachers are people too, and sometimes the politics of control takes hold. Or maybe your teacher doesn't understand the beauty and scope of this system. Again, believe in yourself and trust your own experience. You owe it to yourself to do so.
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Meditation for Incredible Lightness of Being
Sit with a straight spine, hands in Gyan Mudra. Eyes closed. Lift your weight up off of your buttocks. Feel that you are pulling yourself up into the air. Feel very light. Pull your energy up. Elevate your weight. Stretch your lower spine. Now inhale deeply and pull your body weight up with the breath. Lift this energy to your head. Let your brain be suffused with energy. Let this energy expand. Exhale very slowly through your nose. As you exhale mentally repeat Wahay Guru 16 times (can be increased to 27). Practice this for 11 - 31 min.
Note: Please do not practice this Meditation if you have high blood pressure, glaucoma, or are four or more months pregnant.
Yogi Bhajan's Comments: "Life is really a mystery. When the mystic perfects this kriya, all life becomes known to him. He gains the power to go beyond time and space. He knows the past, present, and future, but doesn't talk about it. He gains the power which is known as Divine Silence."
Additional Comments: In that Divine Silence let the beautiful music of Truth resound. Lightness of Being is to be like the lotus flower which has its roots in the mud as its beauty flares in light and air. Spiritual practice gives us the means to step out of the shadows of our own fears and express our unique creativity and Consciousness. |
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Our Website - Check out our tour schedule, A - Z Health Archive, More!
RAVIANA NEWSLETTER ARCHIVE - Just click on this link to read past newsletters.
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We wish you an exhilarating, fun, and joyful October!
 All Best, Ana Brett & Ravi Singh 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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