There is a sacred stillness to which we may return,
There to rediscover our true nature.
In this present moment, merely breathing in and out,
Illusion falls away and we are free.

This is a minimalist poem I once wrote immediately after meditating. I was really “blissing out” after twenty minutes of mantra meditation that was preceded by about a half hour of asana practice. Those moments were, in fact, a time of “sacred stillness” — sacred in the sense of being set apart for spiritual practice. When we return again and again to that sacred space and rediscover our true nature, we can feel the illusions that cause us to suffer fall away with every breath.

Our joy can increase with every breath as well. We can feel it gradually spread to every part of our bodies and minds until it becomes truly limitless. There’s a reason love, joy and peace are everyone’s deepest heart’s desire: they are our true nature; the states we’re all trying to return to. Living in forgetfulness, we’ve lost sight of who we really are. Going through life unconsciously, we’ve allowed ourselves to be brainwashed into thinking that the perpetual accumulation of material goods will make us happy. When they fail to do so again and again, our unconsciousness blinds us to the fact that we’re on the wrong path. Instead of changing course, we blunder ahead, convinced that all we need is just a little more. We’re caught on a treadmill that never gives us true satisfaction.

What will bring us happiness is mindful living; simple awareness of what’s going on inside us and around us. This kind of awakening will produce a deep sense of connectedness to self, other beings, and the earth. Mindfulness begins with simple awareness of our breath. When we sit quietly, simply observing the miracle of ongoing in- and out-breaths that sustain our lives, we become deeply happy. We can start by silently saying to ourselves, “I’m aware of my in-breath.” As we exhale, we say, “I’m aware of my out-breath.” This brings present-moment awareness to the forefront of our consciousness. Instead of our bodies being in one place while our minds fly off in four or five different directions at once, body, mind and spirit come together and are joined as one.

If this seems simplistic, it’s because it is simple. A child can do it. You can do it while waiting in a doctor’s office; you can do it between appointments, you can do it while you work. Full awareness of breathing brings a quality of life that our ever-growing piles of material possessions cannot.

Boundless joy is available anytime, anywhere. To obtain it, we merely have to make mindfulness meditation a way of life.

All the best,

William

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A potential happy place...a grassy meadow

Lately, I’ve been doing some research on mental health. Without a doubt, yoga and meditation are part of my physical and mental health but I am always open to other possibilities, methods and techniques.

Much like the rest of the country, I’m no stranger to therapy either, and have certainly seen my fair share of excellent, and not so excellent, therapists. So it was actually one of my therapists who first mentioned meditation to me and introduced me to all the different forms that it can take. It was on the proverbial doctor’s couch that I learned about finding my happy place.

Yes, it may sound corny and like something your mom told you to do when you were little. But there is a lot to be said for finding a place in your mind that you can instantly go to when you need to remove yourself from a stressful situation. In fact, this practice is used in many different kinds of therapy, including Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), a form of psychotherapy, which aims to help people cope with and process traumatic experiences. You can read more about EMDR here. “Happy Places” are also used in many different kinds of mediation, allowing the person meditating to mentally bring themselves back to the present, and into a mental state that is immediately calming.

They say you can pick any place; somewhere you’ve actually been or somewhere you haven’t. It can even be a single moment or a memory from your past, or even excitement about the future. Just a moment that makes you happy and that you can focus on every single detail, creating a perfect picture in your mind.

So for meditation purposes, I’ve been trying to come up with my “happy place.” And it would be an understatement to say that my search has been a long one: I’ve been trying to find the elusive location for the last ten years. I mentioned in an earlier post that I have a hard time meditating but even harder for me is to describe a place that puts me perfectly at ease. And so, I thought I would do it here, amongst friends.

For the sake of realism, and since as a writer, they say to write what we know, I think I prefer my happy place to come from a real memory. And I have a lot of great memories to choose from and have been blessed to have a kind a loving family. But as a child, I was often wrought with worry, and inherently, residual effects of that anxiety remain with me today as an adult. This means that many of my memories from childhood are robbed with equally persistent thoughts of my own stresses. So my happy place won’t be originating from my childhood.

So when I think of when I’ve been happiest, the moment that comes to mind is when I’m writing a novel or a story, by hand. Now there have been countless numbers of these moments in my life, so many that I can’t even fathom the total. But when I have a pen in my hand and a pad of paper in front of me, that’s when I feel the most at peace. And perhaps you’re thinking, BY HAND? ARE YOU NUTS? It’s possible, that indeed I am. But I have to say that the most creative things I have written have been done with my hand, not at the computer, which often means I write them out and then type them out. Maybe this is why it’s taken me so long to finish!

When I close my eyes and think of my happy place, I am with a pen and I can smell the ink on the paper. The paper is rough against my hands and I can hear nothing but my own breath. My happy place is spent doing what I love.

So tell me about your happy place! What gives you peace? What memory snaps you out of stressful moments and brings you into the present? What scene do you create in your head when practicing yoga or meditation? Whatever the place, I do recommend that you find your happy place. Create it, hold on to it, and use it whenever you need to get away, relax, or simply smile.

Kelly

Related posts:

1. Making a Place for You: Creating a Space for Yoga at Home

Vipassanā is a Pali word meaning “insight” or “clear vision.” Vipassanā or Insight Meditation is an ancient meditation technique that emerged thousands of years ago in India. It is traditionally credited to Gautama Buddha, but it is more likely that he resurrected it from an earlier tradition and popularized it. The Insight Meditation practitioner sits quietly, simply observing her mind. Rather than using a mantra or following the breath (as in Samatha, or calming the mind), she simply witnesses her own mental states with steadfast attention, becoming fully aware of the impermanence of all things.

All sentient beings are said to be defined by three concepts: anicca or “impermanence;” dukkha or “dissatisfaction;” and anattā or “non-self.” This is not nearly as bleak as it sounds! If impermanence were not the way of all things, we would never experience our children growing up, never find relief of pain, and never improve our lives. The teaching on dukkha is a simple acknowledgement that all beings with sense organs experience dissatisfaction: hunger, desire, and pain.

The concept of anattā is central to every school of Buddhist thought. It is the idea that there is no such thing as a separate “self;” all selves are part of a whole. Part of the goal in Insight Meditation is to become fully cognizant of this stunning fact. We are all made of “non-self” parts—traits inherited from our parents, elements derived from our environment, and our feelings, desires, and other mental states. Take away any one of these, and we would cease to exist. When one becomes convinced of the reality of non-self, compassion and nonviolence become as natural as breathing. The “other” is a part of you, as you are a part of me. It makes no sense to think of preserving the well-being of another in terms of personal sacrifice; in taking care of another, you take care of yourself.

What about Nirvana? What does it actually mean, and how does it inform this particular worldview? The word is Sanskrit, and translates roughly as “blowing out.” In the Buddhist context, it means the extinction of the three fires of hatred, greed, and delusion. It is the opposite of samsara, the endless cycle of birth, death, and rebirth. Many in the west are surprised when they first learn that reincarnation was not viewed positively in ancient India (as a second chance to get things right); it was a cycle from which one sought release. Nirvana for the ancient Indians meant the extinction of the self, the end of samsara and union with the Self, an idealized, transcendent identity. For the Buddha (whose point of view was nontheistic), it simply meant bliss: the extinction of all desires that resulted in ultimate peace.

Samadhi is required for Insight Meditation: it means “concentration of the mind.” When one achieves this, it leads to prajñā, or “wisdom.” It was thought that achieving prajñā while living according to the Mindfulness Trainings (abstention from killing, stealing, sexual misconduct and intoxication) would lead the practitioner to Nirvana, the ultimate goal. The individual would become enlightened and released from samsara.

Can these concepts be helpful for those who do not believe in reincarnation? I believe they can. The Mindfulness Trainings are applicable to anyone who wants to follow a spiritual path—anyone who wants to be fully human, in fact. Impermanence is an observable fact; we are in a perpetual state of flux, as is everything around us. We all experience dissatisfaction and long for enlightenment. There’s no question that greed, hatred and delusion cause us to suffer, just as it’s clear that a “non-self” attitude of compassion for others leads to happiness. The honing of insight through Vipassana meditation can be of immeasurable benefit to all of us.

Related posts:

1. Happiness: One of the Major Benefits of Yoga and Meditation
2. Make your Next Walk a Meditation

“May she dwell in safety.
May she be happy and healthy.
May she be free of afflictions.
May she be at peace.”

*     *     *

Siddhartha, after he had become the Buddha, prescribed the Metta Prayer for his disciples. While I am not a Buddhist (I’m a Humanist who practices holistic spirituality), I’ve found this and many of Siddhartha’s prescriptions very practical and beneficial.

Metta is from the Pali, meaning “good will” or “lovingkindness.” The Metta Prayer is designed to intentionalize good wishes and a sense of benevolence for oneself and others. The idea is to wish the good things we all naturally desire; first for oneself, then for a close loved one, then radiating out by degrees until one has encompassed all sentient beings everywhere. The Buddha said that the benefits of saying this prayer were many: deep, restful sleep, fewer bad dreams, good relationships, and a serene countenance, to name a few. I’ve found this to be the case; I’ve adapted the original language of the prayer for my own use. I share it here in hopes that other practitioners will find it useful.

Begin by assuming the meditation posture that comes most naturally to you (for me, it’s the half-lotus position). Breath in and out mindfully several times. Then, when you are fully centered, begin by wishing good things for yourself. On each out-breath, say something like the following quietly (or merely inwardly):

May I dwell in safety.
May I be happy and healthy.
May I be free from afflictions.
May I be at peace.

Next, open yourself to the presence of a dear loved one, a person for whom you have natural feelings of affection. Repeat the process, using the pronouns “he” or “she” in place of “I.”

May he dwell in safety, etc.

After that, you should find yourself open to considering the happiness of someone neutral in your life. It may be a clerk you see at the grocery store, or any other individual you encounter regularly but have essentially neutral feelings about. Repeat the intention for him or her.

By the time you’ve wished these good things for yourself, a close loved one, and a neutral person, you may find yourself more open than you may have thought to wishing the same for someone your mind identifies as an “enemy” or opponent. When you wish the same good things for this person, and an amazing thing happens: his or her identity is transformed within your mind. It’s hard to retain feelings of antipathy for someone for whom you are actively cultivating feelings of benevolence. When that sense of antipathy falls away, you are apt to feel free, light, and relieved.

Next in your ever-increasing series of concentric circles of well-wishing comes “all human beings, without distinction:”

May they dwell in safety.
May they be happy and healthy, etc.

The final phase of the prayer includes “all sentient beings, without distinction.” This is a wonderfully liberating phase, the point at which you gain the sense of your benevolence extending to every living being. Your lovingkindness now encompasses all beings: those known to you, and those as yet unknown.

May they dwell in safety.
May they be happy and healthy.
May they be free of afflictions.
May they be at peace.

Your lovingkindness has now extended like ripples in a pond, starting with yourself and moving out in concentric circles until it has encompassed all life. I can tell you in all honesty that the first time I did this, it was a transcendent experience. Most amazing, perhaps was what it did to my sense of the “enemy.”

Someone has said that the best way to destroy your enemies is to make them your friends, and I believe that. The wonderful thing is, you don’t even need the other person’s permission! You can simply allow his or her identity to take a new shape in your mind through focused meditation. When you actively wish the best for an “enemy,” over time she gradually becomes someone you care deeply for. You realize that she’s a person with good and bad qualities (just like you); greed, ignorance and anger in each of you have simply found a temporary point of intersection. Either one of you has the power to disengage that collision of energy and transform it into something beautiful. You may find that person becoming a good friend (such was the case once with me), or the transformation may stand only in your own mind. Even if you never have another interaction with that person, the transformation will be nonetheless genuine.

When you arrive at “all human beings without distinction,” you find yourself being inclusive of people you may have regarded previously with fear, suspicion, and even hatred. Again, the inner transformation of these people is the key. Perhaps you’ll have the opportunity to meet one of those “others” and discover that (again) they’re flawed human beings just like you.

But the real action is in the final phase, when you include “all sentient beings” in your circle of compassion. After doing this meditation a few times, you may find yourself drawn to animal welfare causes. You may even find yourself becoming a vegetarian without fanfare or announcements. I very quietly stopped eating meat for a year after starting the Metta Prayer, and it was neither a “cause” or “advocacy” on my part. It was just a natural outgrowth of wishing all sentient beings safety and happiness on a regular basis. (I later made peace with the fact that I’m part of a natural food chain/ecosystem and returned to eating meat on occasion. What remained, however, was mindfulness about how animals are treated before becoming part of our diets.)

I recommend the Metta Prayer for all the reasons Siddhartha mentioned, and those I’ve discovered as a result of my own practice. It really is a wonderful way of transforming your intentions toward the wider world, and cultivating deep affection in your relationships with those you love.

All the best,

William K Ferro

Related posts:

1. Happiness: One of the Major Benefits of Yoga and Meditation
2. Why Prayer Hands in Yoga?

…and Other Yogic Joys!

I love the Cobra asana! I’m a writer who spends about ten to 12 hours a day in front of a computer screen; as a result, I get some monumentally stiff necks, sore backs, and headaches. I find Cobra to be one of the most liberating poses…and on the rare occasions that I get to do it outdoors (on the grass, as in the picture above), it’s even better. I feel my midsection getting in touch with the earth with while I try to touch my head to my feet.

Have you ever tried going through your favorite series of asanas while repeating your mantra? That’s another beautiful combination, and it helps you to keep your focus on your breath.

Speaking of focusing on the breath, on to other yogic joys of the meditative kind.

After I’ve completed my sequence of asanas (details on that in my next post), I begin my meditation period, ideally for at least twenty minutes. In my last post, I described the pre- and post-meditation ritual I follow when I’m able to meditate in my sacred space. Now, please allow me to share the details of my favorite English-language mantra, one that I created for my own use based on the mindfulness teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh. Actually, it’s a gatha, a short poem composed for use during sitting or walking meditation. Maybe you’ll find it applicable to your own practice.

Breathing in, my body settles;
Breathing out, my mind.
Solid, free, and lucid,
With the Infinite I dwell.

I’ve been using this for so long now; it takes no effort at all to keep it going for twenty minutes. It’s relatively long, though, and it may take some time for your mind to keep from wandering away from it at first (such was definitely the case with me!). As always in meditation, don’t allow this to throw you, and don’t try to force your attention back to the gatha. Instead, simply observe the wandering of your mind without judgment, and calmly redirect your attention.

In the first line, I’m acknowledging the need for my body to “settle.” It’s been pulled in a hundred different directions since I last meditated; now it’s time to rein it in and gather it to one place, my personal center.

On my out-breath, I acknowledge the same about my mind. Of course there’s no actual division between my body and mind; they are one substance. But my mental processes have likewise been pulled all over the place and scattered for awhile. This is an opportunity to bring those processes back to my center along with my physical body.

On the next in-breath, I focus on the fact that I am solid, like the trunk of a tree, or a great mountain. My thoughts and emotions cannot be easily scattered, as the uppermost  leaves of a tree are buffeted by the wind. I am also free to be myself without restrictions. Finally, I am lucid; like still water, I reflect things clearly.

On the final out-breath, I say “With the Infinite I dwell.” This is a reminder to myself of my essential connection with the Infinite, the Divine, or the Source. It is the source of light that we honor when we say “Namaste” (“The Light in me recognizes the Light in you”).

Repeating this mantra (or, more properly, this gatha), everything I am declaring eventually becomes real for me. Some practitioners like to keep themselves sitting up straight throughout their sitting meditation; I prefer to allow my body to do what it chooses to do. If I find myself gradually bending over, I go with it. If my body becomes so relaxed that it actually winds up in a lying-down position, I allow that to happen. (If you try this, I recommend that you set a very quiet, bell-tone alarm clock. If you keep meditating while lying down, there’s a strong tendency to fall asleep.)

Frequently what happens is that my head droops further and further, and my whole body gradually falls forward. When that happens naturally, it’s an excellent, organic opportunity to practice the ritual that Buddhist practitioners call “Toughing the Earth.” Your head is in contact with your mat; you then allow your hands to follow suit and you are in the ideal position to pour all your inner toxins into the earth. Gaia is vast and strong; she can absorb whatever poisons you may have accumulated and transform them into precious things. Greed becomes generosity, hatred becomes love; ignorance becomes enlightenment. Frequently when this happens, it’s a result of my having left those poisonous things unattended within my body/mind; it is wise enough to take advantage of the opportunity to be rid of them. Don’t worry about Gaia’s ability to absorb and transform. You’ll feel the glorious opposites of your inner toxins flowing into your body/mind as you release them in this posture. There have been times when I found my cheeks wet with tears by the time I finished; it’s a deeply cathartic, cleansing experience!

Best regards,
William K Ferro

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Photo Credit- Jessica Dozois of Girls With Film

Hello to all yogaflavoredlife.com readers! My name is Kelly Thompson, a freelance writer/editor/yoga lover.  It is a pleasure to “meet” all of you and I’m really excited to be writing for this blog where we’ll delve into meditation, total wellness and all things yoga!

I have practiced yoga for over a decade, which is saying a lot for my young twenty-seven year-old self. I have always found peace in each pose and solidarity in each breath. And in fact, I’d even say I’ve become pretty good at it. I can bend and stretch with the rest of them, despite a nasty knee injury. But here’s a little secret about me: my hours spent practicing yoga are the only hours of my life in which I feel any semblance of calm. The rest of my existence is spent in a constant state of anxiety and stress. Essentially, I need to take the techniques that I learn in yoga and apply them to the rest of my life. I need to meditate.

The problem is, I believed that some people are incapable of meditation, and that I am one of those people. We often hear, “My brain is never silent!” or, “But I can’t stop thinking about my To-Do list!”. Oh, fellow practitioners who are mediocre at meditating, I can relate. My mind runs at full speed, 24/7. When I try to go to sleep, my mind whirs with a complicated array of thoughts that grip me like a choke hold and refuse to let me drift peacefully into sleep. It’s so bad that I now keep a pen and paper by my bed so that I can put my anxieties on paper and get it all out of my system. Only then can I fall asleep and turn my brain over to a bout of fitful dreams.

To make things even more complicated, recently, I’ve been diagnosed with Grave’s Disease, an autoimmune disorder that attacks the thyroid, and on Monday, I’m having my thyroid radiated with radioactive iodine. (For more information on Grave’s Disease, please check out this link to the thyroid foundation of Canada.) Grave’s is also known to heighten any feelings of stress, since patients often experience a feeling of constantly being “on the go”. So because of all this, I find that my mind is rapidly carrying away with me and creating scenarios that might not actually come to fruition, especially before some major medical intervention. What if something goes wrong? What if I end up feeling more rotten after treatment than I did before? What if, what if, what if?! Haven’t we all played this mental game at some point or another in our lives, when we allow our anxiety to get the better of us? The What Ifs can quickly control our lives.

My symptoms led me to discuss my mental health with my doctor, an endocrinologist and quite possibly the most compassionate and kind human being in existence. He said, “Kelly, my prescription is you need to chill out. Look into meditation.” He’s right. I need to calm my mind for both my mental and physical health.

After lots of determined research on Google and Amazon.ca, I thought my first step would be to read a book on my new obsession. The book I picked as being worthy of my attention is The Best Guide to Meditation by Victor N. Davich. When it arrived, I held it before me like some sort of religious text that would solve all my problems and answer all my questions. Unfortunately, this can never really be the case.

I should say, that the book is great. What makes it so fantastic is that it isn’t only accessible to newcomers to meditation like myself, but rather, the book goes into the deeper meaning of calming your mind, the origination of the practice itself, and holistic approaches to health that go beyond medications. It also simplifies things for the laymen but offers a more focused approach for those more learned and experienced. All in all, I felt I learned a lot when I read the final word on the last page.

So all filled with new-found information, I sat on the floor, relaxed my pose, and felt myself slip into peaceful relaxation. Or at least, that’s what I thought would happen. It didn’t really. My mind was concerned with what was happening around me. When am I supposed to start cooking dinner? Man, these pants are feeling kinda tight in the mid-section! What time is it? Oh dear, here we go again. The old Kelly rears her ugly head. Not the most successful meditating session. I was allowing myself to stress over the fact that I couldn’t relax! All in all, it was little more than counter productive.

But when I really took a few minutes to calm myself, focus on my breath and the teachings I’ve received in years of yoga classes, I realized that we all have our own path to meditation and finding balance. Mine might be a little more muddled than others. But in finding patience and permission to allow myself the time for my body, and this pesky brain of mine, to calm themselves, I will eventually find the peace I am looking for.

Rome wasn’t built in a day, was it? Neither will the perfection of my meditation practice. In fact, it will never be perfect. Then again, nothing worth having ever is.

All the best to all all readers on your own meditating paths. Just remember to give your brain all the time it needs. Dinner can wait.

Kelly

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When we engage our body, speech, and mind with the motivation of achieving harmony with our own Divine Essence, we have created a ‘holy trinity’ of power within ourselves that allows us to achieve our goals with less effort.  Mantras and Mudras offers mantras that act as wonderful aids to living a more reverent life; these mantras have incredible power to awaken us to the spiritual path, and when coupled with mudras representing the same wisdom, form a subtle ‘inner reverberation’ within our core, awakening this three-fold power within us.

Mantras and Mudras provides not only a selection of Mantras for every aspect of living, but also includes English translations for those who are not comfortable chanting them in their original language.  Although there is additional power inherent in chanting these mantras in their native tongue, it is the spirit in which you absorb them into your being that will determine their effect.  A story told by Rinpoche explains the truth of mantras beautifully:

A monk once visited a hermit who lived alone on an island doing retreat.  The hermit had given himself three years to complete chanting ten million of the powerful six-syllable mantra of the Compassionate Buddha.  The hermit had been told that attaining this level of practice would awaken his Yogic powers.  The mantra was OM MANI PADME HUM…

The monk listened as the hermit did his mantra and, with the best intention in the world, leaned over and whispered:  “I think you have the pronunciation wrong.  The mantra should be chanted this way…” and he proceeded to demonstrate.  The hermit listened attentively and then watched as the monk walked back to his boat to leave the island.  Ten minutes later, when the boat was halfway across to the other shore, the monk heard his name being called and, looking around, spied the hermit as the hermit called, “Listen to this, have I got it right now? The hermit proceeded to chant the same mantra, but with the monk’s intonation.  Astounded the monk realized the hermit was walking on the water next to the boat.  In that instant, the monk realized that the hermit’s faith and sincerity had given his mantra recitation far more power than he had realized.  Getting the intonation correct seemed almost irrelevant…

Learning humbleness through prostrations

Buddhism is prominent throughout Mantras and Mudras, I’ll grant you.  In the book’s defense, if you look beyond the philosophy that Buddhism is and see to its core, it is truly your intent that will determine the results.  There is no difference in the truth of the spiritual life of a Taoist, a Catholic, or a follower of Islam. According to Mantras and Mudras, prostrations while repeating a mantra are a powerful prayer that crosses all belief systems and spiritual philosophies.  In example, reciting the Lord’s Prayer while kneeling at the altar, or performing daily prayers in Islam – both are forms of prostration and mantra recital.

To prostrate before an image or object that represents The Divinity within you is to surrender oneself symbolically at the feet of God.  It is a way of saying that we are nothing without the spirit that resides within us and all around us – a fundamental truth of our existence.  Prostrations teach us genuine humility and lead us to overcoming arrogance and pride.  Through our act of surrender, we open ourselves to the gifts of what is known in Buddhism as the “Guru-Triple-Gem.”  This three-fold strength unfolds in the following manner:

We take refuge in Buddha – again, substitute here as you need…The point of course, is to surrender to God or your own Personal Truth and realize the strength in that surrender.

We take refuge in the Dharma…Dharma in this usage is equated to Scripture.  When we are faced with problems or simply questions that arise in our own paths to The Divine, we have the gift of all of those who came before us – many who faced the same questions, and already found the answers.  To read the holy books of our beliefs or chant mantras aloud is to “speak Truth” and deepen our own connection to our image of The Divine.

We take refuge in Sangha…When the winds of life threaten to blow down even the most faithful, the third and final component of this powerful spiritual talisman is there to cushion us and provide assistance and guidance.  Sangha is nothing more, and everything that is – community.  Not one of us stands alone, no one ever has, and no one ever will.  Having faith in community is having faith in The Divine.

Mudra

The use of Mudras or ‘hand-gestures’ dates back far beyond recorded history, and yet is still prominent even in modern culture.  To repeat this gesture while focusing on similar intent or being mindfully aware of its meaning is to harness the power of all of those over many generations who have used it as well.  Performing a mudra is a conscious action that has the unconscious effect of aligning ourselves with the mudras meaning in body and mind – thus facilitating our spiritual growth.  A mudra need not be necessarily spiritually based to have effect…

Of course, an easily recognizable mudra in modern culture that exemplified a way of live and attitude towards life is the “hang-ten” mudra.  As far as religious and spiritual mudras are concerned, the most obvious is “prayer hands,” hands facing palms inwards and pressed flat together.  This mudra is one of not only reverence, but “bringing together” the elements of the body, mind, and spirit and focusing them all towards the same means.

Holy existence

Mantras and Mudras uses speech and body to guide us into a way of living a more reverent life.  The hidden secret that runs in the depths of the book is awesome in its simplicity:  Perform every action of life with reverence, awareness, and the realization that as a vessel of The Divine itself that you are indeed performing holy deeds.  When we give Life the reverence it is due, every task becomes an opportunity to serve our higher self and brings a level of joy and satisfaction beyond our expectations.

A housekeeping mantra

I used to hate house-keeping…you know; dusting, endless cleaning, vacuuming sweeping, washing…aargh!  Over time I learned to turn mundane chores into opportunities for mindfulness and reflection.  A powerful way to keep this at the forefront  of your mind is to see yourself purifying the space in which you do your Yoga practice (your home, classroom, etc…)  As you clean, think of anger, attachment, worry – anything that you see as a blockage in your life – all of them erased, disappearing as you physically renew your surroundings.  A powerful mantra found in Mantras and Mudras to recite while cleaning is “DURUPANG TIMAPANG.”  In essence, “this is to sweep away all negative thoughts and obstacles that block my true awakening.”

Modern Living

If ever there was a time in the history of humanity that reverence for life and all that it teaches us is a profound shortcut to The Divine, now is the time.  Our planet and her citizens are facing the winds of change, some of which may be difficult to understand or accept.  To find an aspect of God in all we do creates a positive environment from which our earthly viewpoints will begin to dissolve in the face of our own spiritual truths.  Mantras and Mudras reminds us of the ‘creative reverberations’ that mantras are:  Seed syllables from the beginning of time that ripple outward from the one who is chanting – a positive creative force that can alter matter itself.

Meaningful moves

In Yoga or meditation, we consciously perform many various mudras, often with only half-conscious awareness of their meanings.  Developing awareness of their meaning and consciously focusing on this while performing these mudras will enrich your practice as well as your own spiritual growth. (Reverence, respect and ‘bringing together the three holistic elements of mind, body, and spirit; the meaning of prayer hands, in example…)

Don’t be afraid to have some fun when it comes to life.  All of nature loves to fool around (just look at otters) and one way to worship The Divine and show reverence to Life is to play.  In my garden, I have one of my own mudras similar to the one followed by the phrase, “These are not the droids you are looking for…” in Star Wars…Except after I wave my hand I say, “These are not the plants you are looking for” to the robins who have taken to ripping the young juicy leaves directly off my vegetable plants.  Does it work?  I guess so.  I still never get mad at the birds, and they continue to treat me with playful, mocking indifference as they mow down my hapless plants in small but growing numbers.  All is as it should be, and I remain focused on the Divine Light within me…AUM MANI PADME HUM!

Book Info
Mantras and Mudras
Meditations for the hands and voice to bring peace and inner calm…Lillian Too, (1^st)2002
ISBN: 0007129602
Lillian Too 2002
Harper Collins Publishers 2002

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1. Integrating Chants or Mantras with Yoga

In 1927 a remarkable gentleman by the name of Edwin John Dingle founded an institution light years ahead of its time – the Institute of Mentalphysics.  The goal of this institute was to spread to western culture method’s brought out of Tibet and other parts of the East to heal the body, prevent illness, balance the mind, and bring unity with spirit to conscious light.  Few copies of his work are still available today, but years ago I was fortunate enough to receive the entire ‘training course’ based on ancient Tibetan practices in original 1930’s copy…

A body healing meditation

This week’s article is a little different; below is a transcript to a wonderful short meditation written by Ding Le Mei (Edwin’s spiritual name from Tibet) roughly eighty years ago – and at the bottom, I have included an mp3 recording you may download and use at your convenience.  I am just slowly working my way into a voice-over career, and I need the practice!  Please enjoy this spine and body healing Light meditation, and I hope the music chosen contributes to your few moments for yourself:

Sit and relax!

Sit in a comfortable position, with your back straight, and not resting on the support of the chair.  Place your feet flat on the floor in such a position that your knees form a ninety degree angle, feet together as in Tadasana, hands turned palms up and resting on the knees.  Touch your index finger and thumb together lightly, allow your remaining fingers to gently stretch themselves straight…close your eyes, breathe comfortably and easily…

Imagine a great light hovering at the top of your head…The top of your head is heavy and relaxed, your forehead becomes relaxed, your eyes are heavy and relaxed…The muscles of your face grow soft, there is no pressure on your teeth…your jaw drops gently as it too relaxes.  Your arms and hands are very heavy, and you are comfortable and warm…and happy.  You feel joy and happiness throughout every particle of your body, but especially your face.  Your face is bathed in the warmth of your own inner smile…You feel a gentle outwards pressure from within, taking all the little wrinkles of worry, trouble, fear, doubt…you feel this radiant happiness all over and through your being.

The light at the top of your head now begins to slowly move down your seated form, relaxing, healing, all the way to your toes, and then slowly back up your body until the light comes to rest at the back of your neck.  Allow yourself to become the light, and imagine you are now looking down hovering over your spine.  It appears that you are seeing a great sparkling waterfall of energy with sunshine dancing upon it.  You can see the countless tiny specks of iridescent light and you are aware that your entire body is filled with this light…

You have the realization that every cell, every atom, every particle in your body is a light, a lamp, a torch – bringing you to the light of Divine Wisdom that is within you.  Your spine becomes young again and fully flexible as particles of light cascade down your back…you feel every cell of your body rejuvenating, remembering its divine origin, and you are at peace.

Allow the feeling of youthful joy and happiness to radiate outwards from every facet of your being…content…loved…and at peace.  Take a deep slow breathe, hold it for a moment, and then exhale…Take a second slow deep breath in and breathe out as you open your eyes.  Find the nearest mirror, smile at your-self, and let yourself know that you love all of yourself, exactly the way you are…divine, joyful, and at peace.

This four minute meditation can be performed any time you require, but I recommend starting your day with it as soon as you are awake in the morning.  Over time, you will develop what the Tibetan Buddhists call “your inner smile.”  This is a state of awareness that ultimately, everything that needs to be is exactly as it should be, including you.  The choice to accept joy and happiness as a fundamental part of your being instead of seeing it as a result of anything external is in your hands.

Download body healing meditation

Photo courtesy of: Tjook

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If you have yet to try a Yoga style that already includes the use of chanting or Mantras, I would encourage you to integrate either or both of these powerful tools into your own Yoga practice.  Yoga is designed to bring about an eventual focusing of the mind and the ability to give anything your full and undivided attention.  Mantras or chanting enhance this process and help calm the mind while giving your Ego something to keep it occupied – and therefore relatively quiet.

The power of Mantra

An easy demonstration of how powerful a Mantra can be in keeping the mind from wandering is as follows:  Sit with your back straight in a chair, close your eyes, and pay attention to the number of random thoughts that arise in your own mind for about thirty seconds.  Done?  Now repeat this again, except this time repeat a word or phrase either out loud or in your head that has meaning for you.  Notice the difference?

There is no limit to what you may use when it comes to your Mantra or chanting choices, as long as you choose that which has deep meaning for you personally.  It is true that certain Mantras have been spoken so many times throughout history that their resonances are already deeply embedded within us and all of nature.  Use of any of the following Mantras can have profound effects in both the short and long term.  Say these words with reverence, and do not feel like you must be bound to this short list.

Great Mantras

Aum Mani Padme Hum or “The Jewel at the Heart of the Lotus” is a very common mantra and is used throughout Tibet and parts of India.  It is a reminder that within us lays a shining piece of the Creative Essence of the Universe itself.

Aum or Om is not a word but rather an intonation; like music, it transcends the barriers of race, culture, and age. It is made up of three Sanskrit letters, ‘aa,’ ‘au’ and ‘ma’ which when combined together makes the sound Aum or Om. It is believed to be the basic sound of the world and to contain all other sounds. Aum or Om is a mantra or prayer in itself; if repeated with the correct intonation, it can resonate throughout the body so that the sound penetrates to the centre of one’s being, bringing awareness of the soul.

Ong Namo, Guru Dev Namo – Normally used as the opening Mantra to Kundalini Yoga practice, Ong is defined as “Infinite Creative energy in manifestation and activity”.  Namo means “reverent greetings’ implying humility.  Guru means “teacher or wisdom”, and Dev means “Divine or of God”.  Lastly, Namo reaffirms humility and reverence. When used as a Mantra, it is taken to mean “I call upon Divine Wisdom”.  This is a beautiful Mantra as it reminds us to call upon the Divine in a spirit of humility and reverence – not for something outside of ourselves, but humility and reverence for our – selves.

Bija or Seed Mantras

Bija Mantras (Seed Mantras) – Each seed is conceived of as the sound-form of a particular Hindu deity, and each deity is in turn a particular aspect of the Absolute (Brahman). It’s said that just as a great tree resides in within the seed, so does a god or goddess reside in each Bija. When we chant the Bijas, we identify each syllable with the divine energy they represent.  Use of these Mantras is quite effective in awakening Kundalini and energizing the core Chakras of the body.

Lam – Curve the tip of your tongue up and back, and place it on the rear section of the upper palate to pronounce a sound like the word alum without the initial a. Concentrate on the base of the spine.

Vam – Place the upper set of teeth on the inner section of your lower lip and begin with a breathy consonant to imitate the sound of a fast car. Pronounce the mantra like “fvam.” Keep your attention on the genital area.

Ram – Place the tip of your tongue on the roof of the front section of the upper palate, roll the r as when speaking Spanish, and pronounce the mantra like the first part of the word rumble. Bring your awareness to the abdomen.

Yam – Inhale audibly through your mouth, and pronounce the word hum (as in humming); allow the breath to extend beyond the end of the consonant. Breathe into the Solar Plexus and heart Area.

Ham – Inhale noiselessly through your mouth, and pronounce the sound like the word yum (as in yummy); allow the sound along with your breath to fill your mouth and throat cavity.  Bring your awareness to your throat.

Om – Inhale audibly through your nostrils, and direct the stream of air to the point between your eyebrows. Pronounce the sound along with your exhalation as a subtly audible whisper, allowing the sound and breath to resonate in your head. Concentrate on the third eye or space between your eyes in the center of your forehead.

In our daily lives, we must be aware of the Mantras or chants we tend to repeat in our minds.  Carrying your Yoga chants or Mantras into daily activities will bring you more focus in these areas as well and allow you to determine what signals you are sending out into the world around you.  Remember, chants or Mantras like “I’ll never make it” can be just as powerful as positive chants like “I accept love into my life.”  The side-effect of getting into the habit of reciting a chant or Mantra is to become more in tune with the world around you, and more aware of what your own mind is saying or chanting to you when you are not paying attention.

Peace, goodwill and joy towards all beings…

Namaste

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1. Mantras and Mudras

photo credit: www.jhongdizon.com

It never ceases to amaze me that the overwhelming majority of people wandering around this jewel of a planet will pay attention to their physical appearance, but give no thought to their thoughts…pun intended!  We train our physical selves; provide fuel through food, water, and sunlight to nourish our bodies – it is a daily routine.  How much time is given to paying attention to our wonderfully dangerous little minds?  What ways do we use to turn the self-serving, petulant little fiend known as our Ego – into our very best friend?

Why “I” is a problem

Ask someone who they are and you will invariably get a name as a response.  Ask someone to point to themselves and they will more often than not point to their mid-chest or heart area – but rarely if ever to their own head.  This happens because that what you think you are already knows better, and that’s why what you think you are is always afraid. In response to that fear, there is very little our own Ego will not do to maintain control, fulfill its needs, and protect itself.  The Ego accomplishes this by doing whatever it takes to avoid the truth in the moment of being fully “in the Now.”

Control

If you pay attention to the goings-on within your own mind, you will see that the Ego uses the past and the future as methods of preventing you from focusing on the present moment.  The problem is that there isn’t all that much material for the Ego to draw on, so it soon begins to repeat itself – over and over.  The places, events and thoughts the Ego likes to constantly remind you of are always ones where the concept of it (the Ego) is overly dominant.  Past events where ‘you’ where deeply hurt, moments of loss, and strong negative emotions are common.  To the future, the Ego will focus on those things again which reinforce itself – “what if” situations that have a snowballs chance in Hades of materializing, money concerns, upcoming events that will cause stress – this list goes on.

Avoid the Present

All of these tricks and constant chatter are designed by your own mind to do one thing and one thing only:  Avoid the Present Moment.  It is in the present moment that our false concept of what we are melts away, revealing our true nature.  In these moments, our mind is silent, or at least subdued to the point where we cease to hear ourselves thinking.  In these precious moments of connectedness and harmony, where time ceases to exist and there is nothing wrong – we know we are so much more than our name, or what we thought we were.

Signs…Everywhere

The “reality” of our human existence is nothing more than a dream we participate in for the bulk of our waking day.  If we are not in the present moment, we are not authentic, and nor are we truly awake or aware of our surroundings.  Our own bodies, Nature, and everything around us give us signs both subtle and overt that we are not paying attention; and yet we often ignore these signs until a ‘life-changing event’ is required to jolt us awake.

The Body

In order to best understand how the body works, an illustration is in order:  Let’s assume that you are having a discussion with a friend and something you have said has inadvertently caused this person to become angry.  That person then lashes out at you – perhaps defaming a personal characteristic of yours – and this is the moment when most of us ‘lose consciousness.’ This is the moment when your Ego takes full charge and by the time the once discussion now argument has concluded, you don’t even know why you said half the things you did.

I’m going to backtrack a moment, and add another illustration to provide an easy way to understand what is happening from the ‘forest vs. the tree’ point of view.  Your existence from day to day can be illustrated as a set of balance scales.  On one side of the scale, you have Ego (that which you think you are), and on the other side of the scale, you have Spirit (that which you truly are).  The goal is to balance the scales in your day to day affairs, as this represents a state of harmony where Ego gladly works with Spirit, becoming the ‘thought-channel’ from which Spirit and boundless creativity flow.

Physical reactions

Okay, so we are reeling in shock from what had started as a pleasant conversation between friends…In the moments before we lose conscious control over what spills from our mouths, we have an opportunity to catch ourselves and balance the scales of our reaction.  The body gives us many signals that the scales are tipping in Ego’s favour:

• Increased heart rate
• Tightness in the upper body girdle (shoulders, upper back, traps, neck)
• Clamping your teeth
• Changes in respiration
• A feeling of heat or hot flash, especially in the face

If we catch these signs from our body in time, we can take active steps to calm ourselves such as deepening and relaxing our breathing, and reminding ourselves that it isn’t personal – this is crucial, as the Ego takes everything personally.  Another trick I often use is to look through the person and see the glowing core of Spirit within them, to realize consciously that I am observing and interacting with the Creative Essence of the universe.

The Ego is afraid of its own death more than anything.  It knows that it is not really you, and it knows that even if it can stay in full control for your entire life, it still will have to face death.  Despite the lengths our own Ego will go through to have its way, it can be tamed with a bit of repetitive effort.  You can’t kill the Ego – that doesn’t work, and trying can have consequences in unstable individuals.  The Ego is a tool, and needs to be actively reminded of that fact if it is to cooperate.

• As previously said, de-personalize yourself in the situation
• Give the Ego something to think about and answer for you, something totally off-topic from the situation you are in.  You will be surprised how quickly the Ego forgets how offended it just was becoming.
• Take a deep breath or two, and gently let the Ego know you will handle it in a peaceful manner and will listen to it later.  Then do exactly that.
• Later on in the day, take time to revisit the situation with yourself and observe how you and the individual you had a disagreement with both behaved.  Try to rethink the situation, and in your mind’s eye re-live the event with your new outlook – this trains the mind to alter its behaviour in such situations.

Ultimately, meditation and daily practice of remaining in the present moment will quiet the mind somewhat; but the goal is to turn the Ego into a usable tool again as opposed to running your life for you.  The Ego can be your best friend, once you have convinced it that you are not out to destroy it.  Denying your desires or attempting to push out or bury your wants and needs only leads to an eruption of pent-up feelings and emotions, as the Ego forgets nothing when it comes to situations or those it perceives as a threat.  Examine yourself regularly – the journey towards enlightenment and living in the present moment is exactly that – a journey.  Do not be too hard on yourself when Ego wins and you are tempted to beat yourself up…after all, we are only human.

The heart of Thought Yoga is to bring the practitioner fully into the present moment; where all possibilities exist, harmony with the Creative Essence of the universe can be realized, and most importantly – where nothing is amiss.  True Yoga is only brought into focus during practice; it pervades every aspect of our existence and therefore its lessons should be kept in mind in our day to day routines.  In doing this, we can more easily recognize the signs that we are not fully present and do combat with the Ego in a peaceful manner.

Namaste, my friends…

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