Raja Yoga for breath

The word Yoga is derived from the Sanskrit root ‘Yuj’ meaning to join or to yoke or to unite.  As per yogic scriptures the practice of Yoga leads to the union of individual consciousness with that of Universal Consciousness, indicating a perfect harmony between the mind and body, between man and nature.

We focus on exercises as yoga, however, it is the union or rather harmonizing of matter which is body and spirit or consciousness.  In many ways humanity, with the influence of materialism, has become disconnected from the inner self, the spiritual self. This disconnect has resulted in internal conflicts and discontentment in everyday life, which gets exasperated by the continuous change in our external world.  That is one reason why we are finding how this discord and conflict is being revealed through our bodies.

We all know that mental stress leads to lowering of our immunity and a varied number of other psychosomatic illnesses. That is why yoga is so relevant in today’s day and age – we need to realign and harmonize internally first so that we can then harmonize with our world.

The various asanas of yoga are helpful to relax and center oneself; however, an internal alignment can only truly occur when we understand and give time to reconnect with our spiritual nature.  This is the alignment of our mind and intellect with our innate qualities or inherent divinity of the soul – the attributes of peace, love, bliss, purity and power.  This is Raja Yoga – to realign with this inherent self.

So, it begins by firstly recognizing and understanding that the true nature of the self is non-physical.  I am consciousness, I am soul, and the soul is eternal.  Perhaps we have this as an understanding but we have to translate this into an experience and further into an attitude so that I view my world and I respond to my world from this premise that I am a soul.  When I come from soul consciousness, I come from the awareness of being eternal, of being energy, of being divinely created – so it results in me creating a capacity within me or attitude within me to respond from a place of love and peace.  Why?  When I truly connect with myself as being eternal I am secure and I free myself from the most basic fear, the fear of death.  This internal security, this internal peace, this internal attitude of focusing on what is beyond the stream of constant change emerges two powerful personality traits. Firstly, I build the capacity to be stable emotionally and mentally irrespective of the change around me.  Secondly, it helps to engage with others with the attitude and understanding that the innate nature of every soul is goodness.  So a spirit of love and respect for all emerges, not only for people but also for nature and all creatures. When love emerges then love creates a feeling of connection and harmony.

How to begin this practice?

Just as when we are unwell we end up breathing in a shallow way, sometimes gasping for breath – in the same way, a mind that is too busy and has far too many thoughts is a soul gasping for inner peace. How do we create silence in the mind?  Silence is not emptiness, but silence is a mind resting on a pure thought.

Extract: the Man who loved angels by Anthony Strano.

A second is the unit of time, just as a thought is the basic unit of consciousness.  A body has many cells and so do time and consciousness.  Whether we measure time in terms of eternity, ages, cycles centuries years…hours minutes, the basic unit or cell is a second.  We may measure consciousness in terms of awareness, attitudes, beliefs, feelings, behaviour, aliveness, responses but the basic unit or cell is always a thought.  If these basic units of time and thoughts are weak then the whole of time and consciousness suffers.  So how do we create inner silence, we begin by a practice of taking one thought in one second and make them work together.

Take one second to think one thought

Slowly and faithfully think: I am

Add another second and another thought: a soul

Add another second or two and think: I am peace

Add another second or two and think: I am a being of peace.

Repeat these thoughts gently to yourself, paying special attention to them.  There is no need to rush, no need for second thoughts or ideas going anywhere else.  Just focus on the original self.

Practising this daily several times, we teach ourselves to think the right thoughts at the right time.  We free ourselves from the internal chatter and begin to feel more, listen more and be more.  As we reconnect with ourselves we harmonize mind with breath, spirit with body, consciousness with nature.  When I am aligned internally I can easily harmonize and connect with others and nature, but moreover, I open myself to connect with the Divine Source, with God.  This allows me to draw spiritual power and truly experience the state of Yoga – which is Union with the Highest Source.  The experience of this highest love then flows through my being, my relationships, my work and I become an instrument to create a better world.

Author: Pratiba Daya

How do you stay calm, sane and focused when everything around you is in a state of flux? Here are 7 tips to help you keep a cool head.

1. Breathe– Yes breathe.  The act of breathing slowly and deeply helps to relax your body, but also slows down your thinking. Thinking fewer thoughts gives your mind the space it needs to find clarity and calm.
2. Traffic control – That is, traffic control of your mind. Get into the habit of taking mental breaks for a minute or so, to notice the world around you. This will make you aware of and help you put a stop to the stream of thoughts in your head. It helps to focus on a mental image you associate with peace and calm, or to play some music that soothes you when you take these breaks. The best practice, however, is simply to look around and observe life around you – without thinking! This practice, if used frequently and consciously, will help you develop an ability to stay present and centered.
3. Self-reflect– Make time to reflect on the experiences of your day. What insights can you draw, what can you appreciate, and where could you realign your behavior with your values? Self-reflection allows time to process what has happened and to consider where you could improve as a person. The process of self-reflection will help you to stay focused on what matters most.
4. Focus– In chaotic situations, other people’s urgencies and agendas can hijack us. We take on those urgencies as our own, and so our own sense of peace becomes disturbed. It is important to remember your own priorities, beliefs and values. Consider other people’s perspective, understand their fears, and be sympathetic to their situation, but never at the expense of your own sanity.
5. Stay centered– A tendency most of us share is to feel responsible for fixing any chaotic situation we find ourselves in, by becoming a part of it. But chaos can never be fixed if you’re a part of it. Chaos can only be fixed if you remain centered and calm, and hold onto your inner peace, which will allow you to reorder the energy of chaos into energy of balance. If you are internally balanced, you will be able to see things from a bird’s eye view and, when solutions present themselves, you will be able to act on them. The alternative is to become emotionally tangled in the situation, in which case finding solutions will be difficult and acting on them nearly impossible.
6. Be flexible– The rigid oak crashes in the storm, but the flexible bamboo survives. Don’t be too fixated on your ideas or preferences. Be flexible. This will allow you to invite newness into the situation, which can lead to something better than what you had planned. So be open to diversity and new perspectives – don’t lose your principles, but understand that there are many ways to be in the world.
7. Hold onto your sense of humor– Laughter really is the best medicine. Don’t take things too seriously and try, always, to look on the light side of things. Do not view your responsibilities as a burden, but rather as an opportunity to serve with love. Learn to look at life with the innocence of a child and respond with the wisdom of a master. Call it an art or call it a challenge – but ultimately, it is about experiencing the best of what the moment has to offer, and letting go of the worst.

September 21 was International Peace Day and October 2 is International Day of Non-violence.  Both days symbolize the desperately needed energy for our world.  Right now the world is experiencing the highest number of displaced persons.  When there is instability it leads to fear and anger.  So the rising violence and intolerance is a result of this increasing instability.

Where do we begin to heal and restore a sense of wellbeing.  It begins with the self.  When we think of the events of the world we can feel overwhelmed and helpless however just look around you and ask the self what difference can I make.  “All change happens with a small group of committed individuals “, quoted from Margaret Mead.

Let me begin by firstly making my mind stable.  Irrespective of what goes on around me have I invested in a practice that allows me to withdraw and return to a centre core of peace.  Finding your inner centre of peace becomes your anchor.  Where there is peace there is clarity.  A clear mind can always seek out creative solutions.  When we let go of the emotional charge in the way we see things we are able to be more objective and hence the path forward becomes more clear.

Secondly, nonviolence is rooted in the knowing that life is sacred and every individual deserves the right to live with dignity.  It is when we acknowledge that our lives are a sacred gift to be cherished, this awareness means I need to reflect deeply on my values.  My values create my priorities and so often we prioritize competitiveness above cooperation, accumulation above generosity, things above people and tasks above relationships.  When we loose sight of the sacred we then disregard life.

So let us use this opportunity to restore peace and nonviolence as my central values.  And it begins with you and me to create a shift in society, and the world in general.

Learning how to meditate when you’re troubled with anxiety is an important part of self-healing technique that you can’t ignore. It goes without saying that meditation has been widely recommended as a natural remedy for anxiety. Theoretically, it was supposed to provide mind calming experience for those who suffer from anxiety. But the reality is, most people who suffer from anxiety find it hard to meditate. Some even felt frustrated by the fact that they can’t keep their mind silent.

Here are some simple techniques to help you calm down and gently enter a meditative inner state.

Its always helpful to bring with breath.  For the next few minutes let go of any other thoughts and become aware of your breath.  Breathe in deeply filling your lungs, hold your breath for a few seconds and breathe out.  Do so for a few minutes, gently holding your attention on your breath moving in and out.

Next with each breath become aware of your body.  Turn your attention to your feet.  Relax them.  Next your legs.  Then as you move your attention up your spine breathe out the tension you may be feeling – release it.  Next be conscious of your arms and fingers, your neck and shoulders and ultimately your face.  Breathe in deeply and breathe out any tightness. Allow yourself a few moments just to feel the calmness of your body.

Now into your mind an image that you associate most strongly with a feeling of calm – it could be a setting sun, the vast expanse of the ocean or the still waters of a lake.  As you emerge the image in your mind allow yourself to feel the calmness and peace you associate with it.  Breathe in the calmness and breathe out the anxiousness – observe in your mind the colours and the beauty of the image in your mind.  Be in that calmness and feel that energy in your being.

Now tell yourself – I am this being of peace.  This is my true nature.  I am peace. Let your mind linger on this thought and just breathe in peace and breathe out peace for the next few minutes.

Return to this exercise again and again to relax the body before attempting to meditate.  We can only focus the mind when we begin by first relaxing the body and becoming more present to the body.  Thereafter one can begin to journey more deeply into the awareness of the self as consciousness and return to that sweet inner spot of peace of my being.

A simple meditation to return to Inner Peace – extracted from The Man who loved Angels by Anthony Strano

A second is a unit of time, just as thought is the basic unit of consciousness. A body has many cells, and so do time and consciousness. Whether we measure time in terms of eternity, ages, cycles centuries millennia, years, seasons, months, days, hours or minutes- the basic unit, or cell, remains the second. We may measure consciousness in terms of awareness, attitude, feelings, behaviour, choices, aliveness, responses but the basic unit, or cell, is always a thought.

If these two basic units of time and consciousness are weak, then the whole of time and consciousness suffers.

Just as cancer begins in a single cell and spreads to other cells, so the same happens in human life as the infected seconds and thoughts spread. Ultimately this results in emotional, mental and even physical disease in the human body and mind, since our conscious life is acted and expressed within and through time. … How can we begin to heal ourselves?

If we take one second, the tiniest unit of time, and one thought, the tiniest unit of consciousness we can make them work together.

Take one second to think one thought
Slowly and faithfully think:”I am”.
Add another second and another thought: “a soul”.
Add another second or two and think: “I am peace”
Add another second or two and think: ”I am a being of peace”.

Repeat:
“I am a soul
I am peace
I am a being of peace.”

Repeat these thoughts gently to yourself, paying special attention to them. There is no need to rush, no need for second thoughts or ideas going anywhere else. Just focus on these thoughts about the original self.

Throughout the day, gently but deeply repeat this one second one thought meditative exercise.

A beautiful lesson that Dadi Janki once shared in her book, Wings of Soul.  Whenever you are faced with a challenge and you need courage, take a moment of silence and invoke your courage.  With patience you will know what to do and when.

Courage doesn’t mean you are not afraid – but it means you willing to challenge your fears for what you know is the right thing to do, to say or to be.  One important lesson worth remembering, you cannot overcome your fear by avoiding it.  It only grows.  Fear can only be overcome by moving through it.

Here are some suggestions to help you cross the barrier of fear?

Step 1
Acknowledge the fear.  Take time to understand it and at least name the fear.
Many times fear sits in us as an emotion and we are not even clear what we afraid about.  By naming it becomes it becomes something more tangible to deal with.

Step 2
Reflect on some practical steps that you can take immediately.  Doing something practical helps one to build confidence.  Often by simply mulling over the fear in the mind makes one feel more overwhelmed.  Doing something practical helps one to feel more in control.

Step 3
Take time to reconnect with the Divine Source, either through meditation or through writing if you cannot concentrate.  Allow yourself to be reassured of the positive energy of love of the Divine.  Often just taking time to reconnect to the Divine Source, will help you see the situation in a different light.  If you are unable to do this by yourself and talk through with someone you trust and have a close relationship with who can help you to see a way around what you fearing.

Always remember for every challenge there is always a solution.

Have you ever noticed that most of the people in history who have made the largest or greatest impact for positive change in society have been very humble.  And on the other hand those who have left a legacy of destruction and pain have been very arrogant. In today’s society, generally humility is seen as a weakness rather than a strength. Perhaps it is because we have misunderstood what humility is.

Humility has often been perceived as submissiveness, suppression or defenselessness. However when humility is understood from a spiritual perspective, it is the portal through which the soul steps into greatness. As Ghandhi once said, you come closer to the great when you are great in humility.

I can only be humble when I am secure in myself of who I am. I donot desire or am not dependent on how the world perceives me. I am secure in myself. In this state of being, the humble soul will never feel the need to force, control or please others. A humble soul can stand and be totally transparent so others can see. Most importantly a humble soul will be considerate of others and naturally have deep respect. They treat all live with an attitude of sacredness.

When there is humility, it inspires and nurtures creativity, co-operation and trust. Humility is a very constructive energy that nurtures life on the foundation of love and truthfulness. Arrogance uses force, and ultimately is a very destructive attitude – it ignores the very sacredness of life and breaks down relationships and human connectedness. It runs on false power.

Humility is the portal that enables the soul to reconnect and allow closeness to the Divine. The humble soul will always feel protected and anchored in higher values. Humility protects the soul from self deception, keeps the heart clean and the mind open to learning and growing. As we approaching Easter, the soul of Christ embodied humility and so drawing on that example it is helpful to create a personal focus on this virtue.

In my experience, a deeper more meaningful connection with the Divine is something I can only foster through Silence.  IT is when I consciously move away from the constant noise of the mind, be it the running commentary of the tasks I must be engaged in, judgements about people or situations, past experiences or future worries, when i quieten these thoughts it is then that I give space for my being to listen to the Divine, to feel the presence of the Divine.

In its connection with the Divine, the self, the soul is filled and feels itself complete.  Divine Love works especially through silence; the soul is awakened from its sleep of ignorance and given new life, as in the story of Sleeping Beauty.  The soul is the Sleeping Beauty, God is the prince and ignorance is the witch who casts her magic spell of slumber upon the princess.  God’s love for the soul is such that it is not stopped by any darkness or barrier but reaches the soul to awaken it, bringing it back to life, back to reality.  Love breaks the iron spell.

It is through Love that I, as a soul, am awakened and acknowledge my eternity.  My reality is far more than my material appearance.  My eternity is my reality.  This is the truth of my existence.  In Greek the word for truth is alithea, which means ‘not to forget’.  The human being is under a very deep forgetfulness; an amnesia of spirit.  I cannot achieve the awakened state, the true state of myself with my own skills of intellect.  Attainment of Truth is not a matter of cleverness.  I can only awaken when God helps me to remember.  To remember is real knowing; it is Truth.

To achieve inner change, silence has to be love-filled, not only peace-filled.  Many think that it is enough just to experience peace in the silence of meditation in order to achieve transformation of consciousness. Peace stabilizes; peace harmonises and gently quiets. Peace lays the foundation.  However, Love actively inspires; Love moves the universe.  Love moves all things towards their original freedom and happiness.

Both Peace and Love are needed, and in their archetypal form, come from God, the Universal and immutable Source.  It is this God-filled silence that restores a human being and the earth to their original state.

In silence, we realize that it is not only a return to the roots; but, even more, it is a return to the Seed, to the Beginning; it is a return to God, a return to myself, a return to right relationship.