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Health, Happiness, Rejuvenation through Yoga |
Truth? Consciousness? Bliss?
(Sat-Chit-Ananda)
Do you know what your Truth is? Your Consciousness?
How about your Bliss?
I was recently re-introduced to the work of Joseph Campbell by a friend who encouraged me to watch the movie, Finding Joe. If you haven't seen the movie, I highly recommend it. You can easily find it on Netflix or iTunes. It's great for the whole family (and may just help your teens and college kids with their writing assignments!) Campbell encouraged us to:
"Follow your bliss"
From Wikipedia: One of Campbell's most identifiable, most quoted and arguably most misunderstood sayings was his admonition to "follow your bliss." He derived this idea from the Upanishads:
- Now, I came to this idea of bliss because in Sanskrit, which is the great spiritual language of the world, there are three terms that represent the brink, the jumping-off place to the ocean of transcendence: Sat-Chit-Ananda. The word "Sat" means being. "Chit" means consciousness. "Ananda" means bliss or rapture. I thought, "I don't know whether my consciousness is proper consciousness or not; I don't know whether what I know of my being is my proper being or not; but I do know where my rapture is. So let me hang on to rapture, and that will bring me both my consciousness and my being." I think it worked.[50]
He saw this not merely as a mantra, but as a helpful guide to the individual along the hero journey that each of us walks through life:
- If you follow your bliss, you put yourself on a kind of track that has been there all the while, waiting for you, and the life that you ought to be living is the one you are living. Wherever you are-if you are following your bliss, you are enjoying that refreshment, that life within you, all the time.[51]
Sounds fabulous, huh! But the reality for most of us is we follow our conditioning, our habits, our thought processes to such a degree that we may not really know our true bliss. Right now, pause and take a few deep and easy breaths and imagine:
If you had NO OBSTACLES.... if you had all the money you desire, and all of the time you desire, and the optimal, radiant health you desire... what would your life look like? How would you feel? How would you express and share your GIFTS, TALENTS, HOPES and DREAMS?Close your eyes, keep breathing deeply and slowly and evenly, and give yourself some time to marinate in your imagination for a little while, and... Welcome Your Bliss!
Thank you again for being here! I am wishing you the lightest and brightest illuminations in this season of unlimited possibilities.
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"When you follow your bliss doors will open where there were only walls" ~ Joseph Campbell
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Jala Neti
Keep your Nose Clean
Jala Neti is a process of cleaning the nasal passage with flowing salt water.
Using a neti pot, lightly salted water is poured into one nostril and allowed to flow out of the other nostril.
As we transition into the warmer months of spring (pitta season), our respiratory system needs to flush out accumulated mucus still lingering from the winter months (kapha season).
The benefits of jala neti include preventing allergies, colds and sinusitis, removing headaches and insomnia, soothing the nervous system.
Not too long ago, you would have to locate an ayruvedic clinic or India marketplace to find a neti pot... But now they are common and you can find a neti pot in most drug stores!
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Staying Calm Through Adversity and Uncertainty
As we experience yet another senseless and tragic event... we can't help but contemplate just - how are we to sustain a vibrant, joyful existence in the midst of the unthinkable? We know that everywhere we look there are positive, wonderful beings who bring our collective experience into a higher vibration. Positivity is evident every day in the simplest expressions like a smile from the supermarket cashier or someone letting you pull into a line of traffic. It is our true human nature to be positive and loving.
As we do all we can to help those most closely affected by adversity, we can help even more by staying fully present and connected to the energy of life. We may not even be aware of it but most of us allow the feeling of fear to linger on. Fear is a natural emotion, but when we focus on our fears we actually provide fuel to the fear - we actually feed the fear. When we become overly attached to our fears, we limit our awareness - and this can limit our ability to thrive and fulfill our potential in life. We may overlook the positive, joyful, loving, uplifting events and circumstances that surround us at all times.
We live in an environment saturated with a full spectrum of vibrancy. In order to keep your maximum potential accessible to you, it is important to develop the ability to observe your thoughts, feelings and emotions. As fearful, anxious thoughts and emotions arise, simply breathe and observe. Allow the fear to exist, observe the fearful feelings and know that you do not have to let them limit you in any way. Allow the fear to release... let it go. Pranayama is a HIGHLY EFFECTIVE method for releasing fearful feelings. Here is a link to a breath of fire technique called "Ego Eradicator." It's one of my favorite pranayama techniques.  | |
Kundalini Yoga Meditation: Ego Eradicator with Anne Novak
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Raw Coconut Almond Macaroons
These are one of my favorite, easy sweet treats! Yummy!
- 2 1/2 C Dried Unsweetened Coconut
- 3/4 C Almond Flour (you can grind almonds in the food processor)
- 1/4 C Coconut Oil
- 1/2 C Maple Syrup or Agave Nectar or Coconut Nectar
- 1 1/4 tsp. Vanilla
- Pinch Sea Salt
Mix all ingredients together and form into balls. Roll in dried coconut or ground almonds. Refrigerate or freeze until ready to serve. You can vary the recipe by adding cacao nibs or tiny bits of goji berries. Enjoy!!
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How About a Good Laugh!!!
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Teaching ScheduleGainey Village: 6am Monday/Wednesday
Gainey Village: 10:30 Tuesday/Thursday
Prema Yoga: Coming Soon
Private Appointments for Pranayama, Yoga and Life Enhancement Coaching available, please contact me to schedule.
602.332.4584 deb@eternalradianceyoga.com
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About Deborah
"I am passionately committed to help people look and feel radiantly healthy and vibrant through authentic yoga practices."
Deborah has been teaching yoga for over 13 years. She is a certified Registered Yoga Alliance RYT E-500 teacher specializing in Yogic Breathing and Yoga for Rejuvenation. 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, Gurmukh Khalsa, Hari Jap, 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 breathing.
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"I feel it in my fingers
I feel it in my toes
Love is all around us
And so the feeling grows"
~ The Troggs (written by Reg Presley)
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