Kundalinilife's Blog
Kundalini Life Yoga's Blog Health & WellnessArchive for March, 2011
Fear, Love, Yoga and the Divine all combined Oh My!
Greetings to you yoginis and yogis
I do hope you are enjoying this beautiful weather of spring we are having…….
I’ve been practicing my yoga off the mat and on the mat and combining the two and witnessing the unfolding of the shape of my yoga. How is your yoga off the mat? How are your yoga poses on the mat? Where is your mind these days, frantic, fearful or full of love and light? These are some good questions to ask ourselves as we ponder the beauty of Spring and marvel at the unfolding of the daffodils in our gardens.
Yoga on the mat is easy because we are being lead by either our own home practice or a certified yoga instructor. What I’ve found is that it takes more than just a thought or breathe or book to bring my yoga practice to my life. It takes an experience, whether large, traumatic, or small, blessed, and peaceful to really open up and practice the wisdom we learn from our classes to apply it to real life.
What comes into our lives happens for a reason, there is a divine structure to the madness or sweetness that enters our lives, whether that is to teach us a lesson that we need to learn from or a message or person we are suppose to meet, it greets our lives in perfect harmony with the divine code. It is how we react to this experience that leads us to bring our yogic practice into it.
The Sutras teach us this. How we react to the outside storm, where we are to remain calm and collected within. That is a giant stride for some and an easy leap for others. The thought that is created within the mind, then turns into an emotion, which then turns into a reaction within the body. So witness the next time you react to a situation, notice how you react. Is it peaceful and loving or personal and threatening? Maybe neither, just notice, observe and witness yourself within the eyes of your own worst fear and enemy…..our own reactive self.
How will your yogic practice take shape off the Mat?
Sat Nam
Drea
Yucca Pose
Strike a Pose……vogue….vogue……
Strike a Yogic Pose and it doesn’t have to be glamorous. Trust me on this one. Strike the Yucca Pose…. a combo between mountain pose and warrior II. While out in nature, mimic your yoga poses to that of the nature next to you. It is inspiring and amazing. Try it next time your in nature or in a park or next to something green, get inspired and try it!
Which pose will you Strike?
Sat Nam
Drea
Yoga, Hiking, Grand Canyon Oh My!
I recently returned from the Grand Canyon Hiking the many facets of this lovely canyon.
There were nooks and crannies of elevation changes, rock slides, cacti, water falls, and friendly animal faces trying to snatch our food in the wee hours of the morning. I spent most days hiking, a grand total of 30 miles from Hermit Trail to the top of Bright Angel trail. What excitement and blessing that I found upon this journey. I carried a 45 pound pack on my back, carrying my food, water, shelter, and clothing all in my snail of a back pack upon my back. Who would have thought that all we need is within us and available to us when we get down to the bare necessities? I thanked my lucky stars every night for the grace and beauty of this wonder of the world. What I most admired about the canyon was its splender of roughness and yet graciousness at every corner I turned. I saw the journey of life within every step I took and witnessed the pain, the bliss, and the challenges of my everyday yogic life. It was not an escape, but a discovery of my true raw authentic self-hood on my 30th birthday. Thirty years behind me, many more ahead of me, but the present moment nods in acceptance of what is. Accepting what is and embracing each and every day as it comes no matter where I am and no matter where my practice shall lead me. May the journey of this magical practice grace you with its presence.
Sat Nam
Drea
Habits Habits Habits
Good Morning
Habits, it’s that word again, that word of ugh when I look at my habits. I look at all my habits and just witness the journey they’ve taken me. I look at where they’ve taken me, what they’ve done to my life and what power they have over me. I call habits they because it’s like a separate entity that takes over the body from the mind. Wow! They are strong and are like a magnet at times, makes me see how powerful the mind is. When I realize that it is all in the mind, my habits, I know that over time I can over-come them in profound ways.
It is through the mind that I practice overcoming the habits that aren’t so hip in my life. I’ve got at least two that I dread, two habits that only flare up every now and again. I have looked these two habits in the eye, ran away from them and faced them head on. Facing them head on was the most powerful way to conquer them.
I acknowledged the two habits, okay good, then I began a meditation that helped simmer those two puppies down. My mind was weak at first when I began the meditations and now I look back and see where I’ve come from this meditation. It is subtle, and yet I know when I am being challenged by these two habits.
The reason I bring up habits today is because I am conquering a 30 mile hike in the Grand Canyon this weekend, and last time I did this same hike with 42 pounds of food, shelter, clothing, and water on my back I realized everything we perceive is in the mind. I struggled up the last 4 miles of switch back trails, 6,000 elevation change, snow, and mud. After I reached the rim again, I said to myself, “If I can do this, I can do anything!”
Our mind is a powerful tool that can work for us or against us, I propose to have it work with me. After that feat I was so inspired by this that I rock and rolled at my business, I had the focus to keep it growing and booming. Now three years later, I look in awe and wonder at what new tasks I will seek and accomplish.
Check out your habits and see what they do for you for and how they can be your allie.
Happy Trails
Sat Nam
Drea
Awakening to your Yogic Practice this Spring
Greetings to you,
Feeling a little sluggish from this winter’s slumber, only it’s not a slumber, it’s reality……
Let’s Awaken that sleeping dragon within and let out all the clutter from our minds and bodies that piled up all winter long. First let’s start with our breathe, let’s get going with Dragon Breathe aka Breathe of Fire.
Awaken and stoke the inner fire and release unwanted toxins with this powerful breathe. Start with one minute and work your way up to three eventually. Ideally this is great to start your mornings off with. Your breathe should sound like a train, a locomotive. Chugga chugga chugga, chu, chu,……:)
Let’s go for a walk. The weather is much warmer these days, get out and enjoy the sun. After our walk, breath in the fresh air, let’s do Sun Salutations and open up to the Sun of Spring. Coordinating the breathe with the body movement is key here and allow the flow of your body and breathe to be the meditation of the mind. 
Enjoy
Sat Nam
Energize your Yogic Practice
Greetings Yoginis and Yogis,
Old Man Winter is still lingering here, cloudy days and Spring just around the corner, I can smell it in the air, Spring is close. I can taste the freshness awakening the senses. The days are getting longer and with that we can look forward to our wonderful Month of March! Yea for March!
With that said, we may take the inticiative to energize our practice, wake us up from the slumber of Winter!
Some poses that wake me up are Ego Eradicator and Frog. I love these poses and welcome them into my daily yogic practice. Ego Eradicator is from the Kundalini practice. For instructions please click here
My other favorite pose that gets the circulation flowing is Frog Pose also in the Kundalini Practice
Check out instructions here with visual images
Whatever you choose to awaken your senses, and energize your practice with these two and more will be on the way in the upcoming weeks.
May the long time sun shine upon you,
all love surround you
and the pure light within you
guide your way on……
Sat Nam
Drea
Spring Ahead
Greetings Spring is Upon us…….
Although the snow is still on the ground, the robins are chirping loudly and singing their little hearts out to the world. With Spring comes Spring cleaning, awakening the senses, opening the heart to the anticipation of Summer.
I welcome cleansing nourishment and healthy raw foods. Now that old man winter is out of the way we can get ready for rejuvenation within.
Shaking up your Shakti (energy) is what Spring is all about, jumping, hopping, bouncing to your next destination.
Energizing yoga poses that awaken the senses are the Warriors which ever sequence, 1, 2, or 3. I like three the best because you can clasp your hands in prayer at your heart, which always invigorates me.
Imagining Spring and Cleaning your Mind, Body and Soul. This is what it’s all about this year, come on 2011 it’s time to start taking care of what needs your attention, Your Mind, Body and Spirit, prepare the way for Summer and pave the way for a healthy life. The Time Is Now, Strike a Pose, Warrior.
Happy Yoga Poses to you
Sat Nam
Drea
Opening The Heart
Greetings,
I have had the pleasure of unfolding deeply into my poses this morning in yoga, and realized how we unfold in life.
It got me thinking, we as individuals and communities unfold into so many beautiful amazing things. Unfolding in the natural process of life is a journey in itself. When we unfold and open up, like the beautiful agave plant above, we witness a process within ourselves that helps us to discover certain gems or treasures on our path. Some treasures may be hidden or buried deep within, and we have to keep unfolding into that process to discover them. Other gems may be along the path that we pick up and put in our pockets and they stay in our pockets for a while until we are ready to use them or adorn them.
How to unfold to the natural process of life…..there are no instructions for this, no manual, just our eyes and heart to open up and allow us to unfold into our life path, what ever that may be, where ever that may be, and what ever challenges we may stumble upon. Unfold with the breathe, unfold with a song, unfold with a dance, unfold with relaxation, unfold……..
I’ve been on a sabbatical for the last month and have unfolded into this unknown space and it is lovely, gracing me with it’s presence, giving me the courage to do what I know in my heart of hearts is right for me, no matter what the outside noise of peoples’ opinions and beliefs are. I have unfolded and opened up to a raw element of organic goodness within. Unfolding each day and finding those treasures within has been a blessing, a challenge and a whimsical journey of my soul.
May you find the petals of your soul peeling back, unfolding, and opening up to the morning sun.
Sat Nam
Drea
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