Yamas and Niyamas: Tapas

Here is my teacher, Deborah Adele, talking about the 3rd Niyama, Tapas or Self-Discipline. For more information visit www.theYamasandNiyamas.com.

Restorative Music

I often have folks ask me what music I play for Restorative class. My favorite albums include (click on the image to visit the website):

In Om Sanctuary the most sacred of universal tones is chanted, accompanied by harp and synthesizer. The sounds generate an atmosphere of peaceful renewal. Ideal for yoga, meditation, massage, etc.

Miracles & Healing is a compilation of meditations, prayers & blessings by Hari Bhajan Kaur and Livtar Singh. It includes Ra Ma Da Sa, the original meditation taught by Yogi Bhajan for healing, a sweet 'Guru Ram Das, for miracles & healing, an angelic 'Ardas Bhaee', a prayer which answers all prayers and a beautiful closing of Long Time Sun, to bless you and others.

These mantras and prayers are a part of the 3HO(Healthy, Happy, Holy Organization) lifestyle and practices. Meditate with & listen to these special chants each day for self healing, to bless those you love, to accompany your prayer & spiritual practices, and to merge with the Infinite.

Shamanic Dream: A relaxed heartbeat drum rhythm accompanied by the sacred mantra "So be it" draws the listener deep into the healing power of mother earth. Ethereal and mystical sounds on the second track Chakra Journey vitalize and harmonize the subtle energy centers of the body.

Om Namaha Shivaya contains an extended chant of the ancient Sanskrit seed syllable Om, with powerful Tibetan and Mongolian overtone chanting.

Yamas and Niyamas: Santosha

Here is my teacher, Deborah Adele, talking about the 2nd Niyama, Santosha or Contentment. For more information visit www.theYamasandNiyamas.com.

Yamas and Niyamas: Saucha

Here is my teacher, Deborah Adele, talking about the 1st Niyama, Saucha or Purity. For more information visit www.theYamasandNiyamas.com.

Clothing Exchange

Is this Yoga?

Last week I got together with a few girlfriends for our annual clothing exchange. We had the whole evening planned. 6PM at my house for the clothing exchange followed by Full Moon Yoga at 8PM at Spiritual Deli. Well, the clothing exchange took a lot longer than we thought and we were all having so much fun we didn't mind letting go of our original plans (after all the full moon will happen again next month and we can go to the yoga event then).

Here's what we do for the clothing exchange: Each summer we all clean out our closets, bring the bags of things to the host's house, and try to "sell" the discard items to someone else. (We don't actually sell, we give, but I mean we try to get someone else to like what we are getting rid of - talking up its virtues and such.) We've been doing this for about 4 or 5 years now. Some folks come every year, some are new, some miss a year or two.

There's a lot of modeling, giggling and catching up that happens. And we all feel good that we are getting new clothes without buying more new things, and we are clearing out our space of things we don't wear, want or need (or don't fit). Actually the whole experience is a great exercise in practicing the Yamas and Niyamas: nonexcess, nonpossessiveness, self-discipline.

And it's super fun!

Yamas and Niyamas: Aparigraha

Here is my teacher, Deborah Adele, talking about the 5th Yama, Aparigraha or Nonpossessiveness. For more information visit www.theYamasandNiyamas.com.

Inner Awareness

Moving into Awareness of the Formless

I am reading Eckhart Tolle's book, A New Earth, Awakening to Your Life's Purpose. I came across a passage in the second chapter (Ego: The Current State of Humanity) under the subheading, Feeling the Inner Body which I want to share.

Tolle talks about developing awareness of the inner body by doing the following exercise: Close your eyes for a minute and find out if there is life inside your hands. Don't let your mind answer, bring your awareness directly to your hands and see if you can feel anything such as a slight tingling or an indefinable presence. Once you can feel this presence move on to feeling it in your feet, and then on to other body parts until you can feel this "being-ness" in your whole body.

Tolle says,

What I call the "inner body" isn't really the body any more but life energy, the bridge between form and formless. Make it a habit to feel the inner body as often as you can. It almost seems like a paradox: when you are in touch with the inner body, you are not identified with your mind. You are no longer identified with form but moving away from form-identification towards formlessness, which we may also call Being. It is your essence identity. Body awareness not only anchors you in the present moment it is a doorway out of the prison that is the ego. It also strengthens the immune system and the body's ability to heal itself."

This is exactly like Restorative Yoga. In Restorative Yoga we practice being one-pointed, focusing our mind/attention on our breath and the sensations inside our bodies to bring peace and quiet to our minds and our bodies. This "inner body" awareness exercise of Tolle's is a great way to focus the mind while doing your Restorative Yoga practice.