Category: Beautiful Rituals

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Recalling the majestic … Mt. Shasta…
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My apologies. I said tomorrow night is New Moon at tonight’s class. Like one of those people with a jet lag, I was a bit off – New Moon evening is TONIGHT (or more like tomorrow morning) not tomorrow night! I was looking at my Japanese lunar calendar but realizing now that Japan’s time zone is almost a day ahead (i.e., 18 hours to be exact) so it’s tonight. No worries though, even if you set your intention tomorrow night, I learned that it’s better within 24 hours AFTER rather than before – doing something like setting an intention before its time is apparently too desperate. It is the law of Universe that if you chase too much, if are too needy and grasping and attached to the idea of getting and possessing, you will not catch “it”, hold “it” or realize “it”.

Key words for New Moon is … seeds, detox, fresh new start, ending and a beginning, a new beginning in the cycle, intuition.

Great time to review a Bija mantra – or what’s known as seed mantras.

First of all for some of us – What is a Mantra anyway? A sound, syllable, word, or group of words that is considered “transformative”. The Sanskrit word mantra consists of the root ‘man’- “to think” (also in manas “mind”) and the suffix, ‘tra’ meaning “instruments” or “tools” … So a literal translation would be “instrument of thought” encapsulated into a phonetic phrase or sounds.

Then, what is “Bija” Mantra? Bija means seed. A seed is the origin of life where growth is founded on. “The Bija mantras are one-syllable seed sounds that, when said aloud, activate the energy of growth in the chakras. That sound travels to purify the mind & body. When bija mantras are used, you resonate with the energy of the associated chakra that Bija strums. Bija mantra, strikes a chord of that specific chakra region.

What is a chakra? In Sanskrit, chakra translates into “wheel”. These “wheels” can be thought of as vortexes that both receive & radiate energy. There are 7 major energy centers (aka chakras) in the human body. They run from the base of the spine to the crown of the head. Mind and body balance & mental clarity is determined by how open or unobstructed chakras are to let the flow of prana travel, filtering the energy, nourishing the body and mind – prana flow. Just like “energy” cannot be seen, chakras cannot be seen – its in the astral body energy flows (or the case may be, stagnates or dissipates).

In traditional Hatha Yoga, the 7 bija mantras associated with the chakras are:

“LAM”- chakra 1 (root)
“VAM”- chakra 2 (sacral/navel)
“RAM”- chakra 3 (solar plexus)
“YAM”- chakra 4 (heart)
“HAM”- chakra 5 (throat)
“U” (as in “U”ber) chakra 6 (third eye/brow)
“OM”- chakra 7 (crown)

Chanting or recitation of the bija mantra associated with each energy storehouse can allow you to detox the built up impurities that may be blocking the clear flow of prana. There are methods in chakra cleansing which greatly improves your meditation practice. Combining body scan, visualizing the kundalini rising up the spine, stopping at each chakra… reciting bija mantras… is an exquisite cleansing practice when we are in the darkness of a New Moon. Start the practice with intention setting. Try it – or we can try in our class as done of group, energy felt is…something else.

Happy New Moon… May all your intentions, allow you to sow the seeds of hope and affirmations. All it takes for the seeds to grow and sprout is… FAITH:)

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If I create from the heart, nearly everything works;
if from the head, almost nothing.

― Marc Chagall

I was going to mention how much I love Chagall’s colors in all his images… it’s exactly as he says – there’s a vibration, energy you feel from his painting because the colors speak, the hues sing to our heart…nourishing our soul.

Color is all. When color is right, form is right. Color is everything, color is vibration like music; everything is vibration.

― Marc Chagall

Everything IS vibration…
In yoga-speak – there’s PRANA:)
& when you stand before his ORIGINAL painting… it’s amazing how you can feel it even after his physical passing…L O V E <3

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Wanderlust!

At the Highest Place as a volunteer, I observed the following classes and for Jes’s class, recruited by her for the partner poses – so fun!

Hatha In Depth taught by Jason Wiley
Oxygen Cocktail Bar: Breathing Techniques taught by Jes Rosenberg
Great Big Heart, taught by Martin Scott

The location of these classes – atop Squaw Valley at 8600ft. is just… breath-taking. Jason taught basically Bikram yoga in a non-heated environment and since I used to do Bikram yoga, the progression brought me back memories of my old practice. Jason really has ways with words – very articulate – such mastery of detailed instructions. He might have been talking non-stop for 90 minutes… Marty’s class was Dharma Mittra flow-ish and he also brought his charm…and a playlist:) I especially enjoyed Jes Rosenberg’s class – Her class is essentially vinyasa flow served like a “cocktail” – no, no, not that kind of cocktail – just very very lovely. It’s not your sweaty workout but plenty sweaty in a euphoric way – but at the same time, tranquil …and soooo fun!Her enthusiasm, her quick wit and quirky sense of humor in addition to a very blended style that draws from multiple styles, traditions and teachings appealed to me greatly. I would love to take her class again (next time on a mat!) – too bad she’s from Minnesota. I will just have to re-create it with my own blend and a twist – and serve up my fruity version of a “cocktail”!

So all of the above-teachers were new in that it was their first time ever teaching at Wanderlust and for that, it was so refreshing to encounter them. This is in stark contrast to the kind of teachers I learned from last year – Last year, I took Tantric Yoga from Rod Stryker; Vinyasa Flow from Sean Corne; then another Vinyasa Flow with MC Yogi. As they are “celebrity” instructors, the classes were packed, maybe 300-500 large. That kind of class is of course so amazing but I also enjoyed this year’s more low key, smaller classes with teachers with little name recognition. Unlike the rockstars from last year, Jes kept on exclaiming how thrilled she was to be teaching us, so thrilled to be there at a most beautiful place – she exuded gratitude & electric excitement – and she was so genuine. Just such a lovable and lovely yogini with an infectious energy – she is brilliant.

This year, I took classes from the following Three:

Live with Love Yinyasa (vinyasa flow paired with yin) taught by Bashi Saunders
Becoming Like Angels – Experiencing the Kindness in you, taught by Gurmukh … goosebumps, yes, Gurmukh!
Kula Flow: Sweetened with Honey taught by Schuyler Grant

I loved Gurmukh’s class – there’s so much wisdom she imparts as probably the oldest yoga teacher there, at age 70, she was glowing with aura… you literally can feel the vibe as you step into her presence. Her fills the void and brings the gift of sacred space and community – her teachings to a packed adoring audience – so many in their 20’s and 30’s, hearing the words of the legendary teacher. She must be one of the few remaining Flower Child from the 60’s still teaching – I mean, who can talk about Woodstock and Hippies with the authenticity that she has. She’s lived it.

I took her class on Saturday but apparently, her Thursday class had cancelled because of the thunderstorm brewing – she said something like (not with conceit but with humility and humor) – “you know, it seems every place I go, I seem to bring the place down with rain” – then guess, what?! There was an exclamation among students who were not under the tent because… yes, it started raining… Those students in the periphery of the crowded tent weren’t trying to stay dry in seeking refuge under the tent – they sort of dashed out onto the green lawn and really, and we under the cover of this huge tent were witnesses to some impromptu rain dance:) Perhaps many of us, at that point became convinced that she’s indeed a rainmaker:) What California needs!

Towards the end of the session, my belly was in stitches laughing – I couldn’t stop the ripples of laughter from taking over – when we realized how ridiculous we must look doing some of her “poses” – she really makes us “feel” what “relief” from pain and suffering is all about. In the end we were all rolling on and off the mat and just laughing! Her class is pure “LOVE FEST”! Pure Joy! Sat Nam!