Sat Nam & Happy
December Dear Yogis! It's almost Winter Solstice (Sunday 12/21) and that means that just when we are in a busy holiday month where every minute counts, we get the shortest day of the year!!! But the good news is that this elfin day is a golden opportunity for spiritual rebirth. With the right tools and intention we can transcend the residual pain of Christmases past and opt to infuse our lives with Christmas Spirit every day! See more on this below... Love, love, LOVED all of your fun Kundalini Yoga bumper sticker ideas! Here are some of our favorites: Kundalini: Raising Spirits everywhere! --Kate Poulos
Kundalini gets you there faster. --Jenny Ambrose
If you add Har to your hurry, you've arrived!!!
Drive the Ek Ong Car. It has enough leg room for all your 10 bodies.
Try Kundalini yoga, the perfect way to have your wheels (chakras) aligned!!! --Divya Sharma VernenkerThanks to owner Cosmin, and everyone who came to our workshop at RYK (Raise Your Kundalini) Yoga in Las Vegas. There's a movement afoot for us to do a Teacher Training at RYK in 2015. In this case what happens in Vegas won't stay in Vegas, but will resonate throughout the Universe! If you're interested in Training in Las Vegas, please reply to this e-mail and we'll put you on the list for updates.
Perfect 10
December 2014 is a "10" month. We can't go wrong by being impeccable in everything we do and are. Let us be Warriors in Spirit. All of our actions and thoughts can either be informed by low self esteem or Higher Self esteem. Think about the implications of applying this sacred touchstone to our choices! This project is not overwhelming if we begin to create this momentum in small ways. Small victories will lead to amazing attainments. Of course 12/21 is the Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year. This is when our night side is closest to the surface. Don't repress, or depress, process! Meditate like you mean it so that you can get a running start for beautiful breakthroughs in 2015. New Years Day in Naples
Start the year in a great way! We hope you can join us on 1/1 in Naples, Florida: Thursday, January 1, 2015 Bija Yoga, Naples, FL 1250 Tamiami Trail N, Naples, FL Life in the Vast Lane: 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.,, $35 pre-reg. 239.775.0888 / www.bijayoganaples.com
Springfield Teacher Training Module 4: The Healing Path!
It's not too late to join us for our new Teacher Training in Springfield, MO. Springfield is home to a vibrant yoga scene and a fantastic group has come together for this event. You can still jump on board! You can enter our Teacher Trainings at any time and do not have to complete our six modules in order. You can also complete the various modules at any place we offer a Training. There is no time limit to complete our Training.
Please note that we will be offering a class open to the public from 9:30 a.m.- 11:30 a.m. Sunday 12/14. Download flier here!Info/reg.: Cheryl Hemmert: 417-987-6415 / cherylhemmert [at] me.com
 See You in Sedona
The Sedona (Arizona) Yoga Festival is a great event taking place February 4-9. We are very happy to be participating again. Last year's experience was amazing and this year promises to be even more grand! Come join the caravan of great yogis from all over the world. We'll be teaching on Saturday February 7th (Kundalini Yoga for Hip Opening and Inner Uplift) and Sunday February 8th (The Body Electric). Sedona is a magical place known for its red cliffs, amazing desert scenery, and its magical energy vortexes. Register for our classes here. Check out the whole schedule here.
Our Next Teacher Training!Our next Teacher Training will be in Orwigsburg, PA (only 2 hrs. from NYC!). Module 1 begins on April 10th! You may not want to be a Teacher of Kundalini Yoga right away but possibly you want to enter into this Soul Training to deepen your practice and accelerate your inner evolution. Download flier here!
 Treat Yourself (or a Loved One) to a Phone Consult with Ravi Are you ready for a breakthrough? Do you have specific goals for which you would like to apply the most appropriate inner technology? Would you like some clarity with regard to the person you're meant to be and your Mission on this earth? Do you have an emotional or physical health issue which has resisted your best attempts? Ravi Singh will draw upon his long experience as a Teacher and Spiritual Adviser and provide counseling and a personal Meditation practice for going forward. Each consultation is one hour and 108 dollars. Please reply to this e-mail if you'd like to set up and appointment. Let us know the best day/time for you as well as your birth date.
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The summer solstice (June 21) is the longest day of the year and the winter solstice (December 21) the shortest. Both of these days represent potent possibilities for self-growth.
We imagine ancient people panicking as each day got shorter and shorter. But the Ancients were pretty wise! They understood the principle of "As Above, So Below," and perceived that what's happening in the Universe is a metaphor for what is happening inside of us. Many powerful rituals were created, not to simplistically change the course of the sun and entice it back towards earth, but to change the course of our lives. Throughout the dark days of Self we are summoning our inner light to illuminate our lives.
The story of the legendary King Arthur has different layers of meaning. One interpretation has the knights of the round table as signs of the zodiac and King Arthur the sun. King Arthur also relates to the Great Bear (Arthur means Bear) constellation known as Ursa Major. These seven stars of the pleiades have strong Spiritual significance. The great mysteries of many traditions reveal that these stars are portals for entrance to the higher worlds. The yogis tell us that the seven stars of the pleiades focus the spiritual energy of the great light of Heaven to sirius, then to the sun, then to the god of Earth (Sanat Kumara), and finally through the Seven Rays (chakras) to the human race.
There's an ancient story about the first Winter Solstice. The sun felt the need to take a winter vacation to regenerate. Before he left he told all of the trees and plants not to worry, because he'd be back soon. After the sun was gone for a while, the earth got chilly. Many of the trees wailed and moaned. They felt abandoned and feared that the sun would never return. Some of them get so upset that they dropped their leaves.
Far up in the hills, above the snow line, the fir and the pine and the holly could see that the sun was still out there way in the distance.They tried to reassure the other trees who continued to cry and drop more leaves. Eventually, the sun made his way back and the earth grew warmer. When he finally returned, he looked around and saw all the bare trees. The sun was disappointed at the lack of faith and reminded them that he had kept his promise to return. As a reward for believing in him, the sun told the fir, the pine and the holly that they'd be able to keep their green needles and leaves all year long. However, all the other trees still shed their leaves each fall, as a reminder to themselves that the sun will be back again after the solstice.
Here is a meditative set perfect for the Winter Solstice. It will help us quiet our internal dialogue to help us remember that our inner sun is always there even during the darkest days. It will balance our energy and psyche. Yogi Bhajan said that, "You will not need to sleep long if you practice these before bed."
 Part 1: Gyan Bhand
Sit in Easy Pose with your index fingers and thumb tips meeting. Raise your left arm to a 60 degree angle in front of you. Raise your right hand as if taking an oath, 8-10 inches form your right ear.
Rhythmically repeat Wahay Guru silently for 3-5 min. Switch sides and repeat for 3-5 min. more.
As you as holding this pose think of those times in your life when your faith was tested. When everything seemed hopeless. Remind yourself that the Universe has a timetable and a plan for you and that it was orchestrating in your best interest all along and that that's grounds for ecstasy! Ghyan Bhand is the great seal of Wisdom. Maintaining an overview of the Great Plan is the ultimate wisdom.
To end: Inhale deeply, and hold the breath as the energy circulates. Relax your arms down and meditate for 1-3 min. before continuing.
Gyan Bhand is an excellent self healing meditation. You may feel a pressure in behind your eyes in your shoulder or spine as your nerves adjust. This technique will lead to a very advanced state of meditation. It builds nerve strength and disease resistance. It will give your mind the power to penetrate into deeper meditation. It also tones the digestive system and is said to prevent heart attacks. The angle of 60 degrees is a lever into our psyche and helps us to access our deep self.
 Part 2: Satya Bhand
Sit in Easy Pose with your left palm over your right, both palms facing down. Your hands are framing your sternum about four inches apart. Men have your right hand on top. Focus at your Third Eye and hold this pose with a normal breath for 11 min. (you can build up to 31 min. over time).
As you are holding this pose feel perfectly balanced between your past and future. Your willingness to be steady and perfectly present can give you the power to redeem your past and determine your future. Satya Bhand is the great seal of Truth. Live your authenticity and be Sat Nam.
To end: Inhale and relax your hands down. Then interlace your fingers, extend your arms parallel and hold the breath as you stretch forward. Relax and meditate for 1-3 min. before continuing.
This will stimulate your glandular system to balance and secrete properly. Normally one side of the body has more tension than the other. This will bring deep relaxation, balance and healing. It will also balance the energy flows on either side of your spine. Satya Bhand will increase your powers of concentration and give you energy when you need it.
 Part 3: Yoga Bhand Raise your arms as if taking a double oath. Your index fingers and thumbtips are meeting. Focus at the tip of your nose. Chant Ra Ma Da Sa Sa Say So Hung to the melody of the Sa Ta Na Ma Meditation (in the key of C: the melody would be E,D,C,D). 11 min.
As you practice this technique feel that you are the Universe, beautiful, timeless, and infinitely creative. Yoga Bhand refers to the great seal of yoga: activation of the shushumna, the central pathway of the spine, the main trunk of the tree of Heaven.
To end: inhale deeply, interlace your fingers and stretch in all directions.
Comments: These ancient practices are considered very sacred in the lineage of exclusive yogis. You can practice these individually or in one sitting as given here. A bhanda is a lock of the Self. Concentrated essence. It balances mind, body and Spirit to help us be Teachers and Healers. This meditative sequence realigns us with the rhythm and flow of the Universe. Do this leading up to the Winter Solstice and on that day. When the sun energy is at its lowest ebb we need to stabilize, consolidate, and elevate. Through this practice, as the sun begins its ascendency, so will our life and Destiny.
An Ancient Solstice Prayer
O Great Spirit/Goddess/God/Holy Ones, grant us Thy protection;
And in protection, strength;
And in strength, understanding;
And in understanding, knowledge;
And in knowledge, balance in all things;
And through that balance, love;
And in that love, the love of all existences;
And in the love of all existences, the love of Great Spirit/Goddess/God/Holy Ones/the Earth our mother, and all goodness.
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Give the Gift of Spirit!
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So Darshan Ancient or New?
Greetings! I find your explanation of SoDarshan Chakra Kriya fascinating. What proof is there that this Kriya is ancient? And not something Yogi Bhajan created himself. And are you teaching that the protocol for practicing has remained in tact for thousands of years? A lot of new evidence is being released about Yogi Bhajan fabricating his Kundalini Yoga System, and yes if he did "borrow" meditations that actually work, then Wahe Guru! I have done this one and I definitely place it number one on the list. It is hard to buy the hundreds of Kriyas Bhajan created and all the lofty promises he made about them. Thank you.
Thanks for your excellent question. So Darshan Chakra Kriya is an updated version of an ancient Brahmin purification technique. That is well documented. The ones who did the updating were the lineage of Sikh Gurus who elevated everything yoga to a very high Spiritual plateau. So Darshan Chakra Kriya is described verbatim in the Siri Guru Granth, the Holy book of the Sikhs. Please check our post on So Darshan Chakra Kriya In our A-Z Health Archive on our website.
Kundalini Yoga is the "greatest hits," of the Saints and Sages of the Ages. Yogi Bhajan didn't "fabricate" Kundalini Yoga. If what came before (in yoga) was like jazz musician Lester Young then Yogi Bhajan was Charlie Parker. Charlie Parker was a musical genius but his innovations were built upon what came before. There are elements of the K. Yoga we know and love in the Bihar school of yoga and in the esoteric branch of Sikhism, but Yogi Bhajan, Master that we was, tied it all together into a cohesive system to make it more accessible than it's ever been. Sat Nam & Blessings!
Hello, do you think you can chant effectively whilst driving? Regards,
Thanks for your great question! One of Yogi Bhajan's main Teachers, Virsa Singh, walked all over India chanting mantras. He was recognized as a great Saint. If he had a car he very well have driven it all through India doing mantras. If we can do it walking, there's no reason we can't do it while driving. Of course, we don't want to get so blissed out so that we lose our situational awareness, but please be assured that chanting while driving definitely "counts." In fact it represents the most profound multi-tasking you'll ever do. Due to our teaching schedule we are on the road constantly. We are fond of doing the mantra Har Haray Haree, Wahay Guru while driving. We've noticed that when we do this, everything flows more readily. We also feel very protected. We've also come to realize that those benefits are a metaphor for what this mantra does in our lives. Drive and be Divine! Intense Headaches
Hi - I have been doing your DVDs for years and been to a few of your workshops and they are great. I have a health issue that I wondered if you had any advice about...I get headaches monthly when my hormones change - I've tried everything- it starts in my neck and gets worse until I lose 2-3 days. I've tried meds/ supplements/ neck exercises, etc. and nothing helps. I have had an MRI etc. and all is fine - it's my bodies' reaction to the change in my hormones- I wondered if you had any suggestions to help? Hope you are well
So sorry to hear of your debilitating headaches! We recommend that you alternate our Yoga Cleanse DVD with our Yoga Flow Bootcamp DVD - with the Bootcamp one, we suggest doing some warm-ups and then the Ringing the Bells of Heaven segment. The Yoga Cleanse focuses on the liver which has to filter the rush of hormones during this time of the month. If the liver isn't functioning well, we get sluggish and puffy and lots of other symptoms (head-achey too!) We also recommend doing a 31 minute version of the Sa Ta Na Ma meditation, starting a few days before your headaches usually begin and continuing for a few days after. As you do it imagine the consonants (S,T,N,M,) coming in through the top of your head and the "ah" projecting on a parallel line out your brow point, like the letter "L." Of course the usual suspects: sugar, coffee, alcohol, fried foods, foods with chemicals and preservatives should be avoided as they can exacerbate the situation. We hope this helps. We wish you joy, health, and abundance!
Intense Food Cravings
(This next question is from our Facebook Raviana group where a wonderful group of teachers, healers, and beautiful souls on the path have gathered. If you would like to join us there please see the link at the end of this newsletter. We look forward to seeing you there!)
Hello beautiful people! What do you suggest for managing intense food cravings- cravings for quantity as well as salty and sugary. These hit me when the weather turns cold and at that special time of the month.
Healthy fats and protein overcome salt and sugar. And something healthy and salty will take away the cravings for sugar. When you are in the midst of your cravings practice this: inhale through your left nostril, hold the breath for as long as you comfortably can, feeling the craving as intensely as you can, exhale through your right nostril and let it go. Do this as long as it takes to feel like you are in control. We also recommend the Delete Depression set on Yoga Quick Fixes DVD. Another factor around food cravings is candida. This yeast organism that normally lives in our intestinal tract can proliferate through our body due to use of antibiotics and too much sugar. When it craves sugar we crave sugar. Please check the candida post under "c" on our A-Z Health Archive on raviana.com. The ultimate cure for food cravings is to give ourselves a taste of the inner sweetness of Self. Chant your favorite mantra and very soon the inner nectar will start flowing.
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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, fun, and joyful December!
Sat Nam & Blessings!
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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