Sunlight streams through the window while rhythmic New Age music fills the air. This is the atmosphere specially created by  Stephanie Churchill for yoga practice. It is the early morning, and a fresh chance to shape ourselves for the coming day. What kind of person will we be today? Generous, kind, and humane? The yoga space is ripe with possibilities. It has been too long since I have practiced yoga, yet I sense a new beginning with Stephanie’s expert guidance.

Stephanie begins with meditation and breathing suggestions that form the backbone of the session. Her calm voice encourages the deep breathing that has me inhaling the good and exhaling the toxic. With each breath I feel more centered in my body and more relaxed for the workout to follow. On a spiritual plane, every inhale invigorates my life force for good, and every exhale sheds the negative energy that keeps me from being all I want to be. I meditate, like many others, with eyes closed. I follow Stephanie’s beautiful narrative and breathing suggestions. She suggests that my inhales be white light that I guide to my body’s center. I cheat here. I direct the white light of breath to far reaches of my body, that have been neglected of deep breathing for far too long.

Stephanie segues from meditation and gentle stretching to some more formal postures. She alternates more strenuous postures with relaxing ones, giving my body a respite and my mind precious moments to ponder the postures. At different moments, Stephanie interrupts her own practice to ensure that my positioning is the most that it can be for me. Sometimes she is a brace, and sometimes she lengthens and coaxes a stretch. Stephanie intuits easily when I need an assist.

As the session moves forward, Stephanie juxtaposes the positions of downward facing dog to the cobra. My mind is an empty slate, but then I reflect upon the rich imagery of these positions. I think of the submissive dog, bowed low, simultaneously humble and regal, and intensely loyal. Then I bring to mind the cobra, strong and proud, crown reaching toward the sky, vertebrae elongated. With these two images in my mind, I form the positive intention to live my day with both humility and strength.

Thank you, Stephanie for a meaningful reunion with yoga practice!

There have been historic amounts of snow falling in Philadelphia and the Northeast; so, it is easy to find yourself being cold. Yesterday, I woke up to a snowed-in morning and before I got out of bed I realized I was thinking about the ability to express love in my half-sleep/wake mode. It felt like I was thinking but I realized I was projecting what I thought to someone else as if I felt my thoughts through the other person and not myself. I was feeling as though I had “stepped out” of my being and into another persons’ being.

Either way, I was feeling different and thinking of the sad reality that most of us are prisoners of the self, or the self that is imposed by our immediate surroundings and family, our society, culture, upbringing, circumstances and predispositions. As a whole most of us do not take the time to express and live through love. It is quite possible that the world tears at you and slowly your heart can become closed.; this can be limiting yet a protective and pointed way of living a modern life. But, what about when you feel like you want to say or do something different in a situation and you are almost debilitated, incapacitated by your old behavior, by the old you? It prompted questions: How long have you been living in the old, same you? When do you feel you will be strong enough to overcome your old self and break the chains to change? When will we say enough and surrender to truly open our heart center and live from there?

This morning I turned on my heart light and I opened my heart a little wider. I don’t know how long it will stay this open. I don’t know if it will get discarded, like the snow that covers the ground as the sidewalk gets shoveled. I do know that for a full 15 minutes I felt this warm buzzing, so strong, and it was my heart resonating, vibrating L O V E. I didn’t need a particular person to claim it or cherish it. It didn’t need to be sent to anyone, I let it radiate out into the Universe as far as it could go. Funny, it really didn’t go that far and maybe that is because I needed the love myself. It is said in spiritual practice that you must first love yourself before you can love others. I truly believe that idea. Loving with an open heart yourself, your life and others is a process and exercise of letting go.

Funny, I hadn’t even think of the whole Valentine’s Day connection; but, it popped into my mind and suddenly I really savored the idea of taking time to open my heart and using these moments to pledge to myself that I will live connected to and from the heart. For me having an open heart has been a bit by bit process to embody. In the past, I was scared to express these types of emotions to others or myself. Today, I feel rewarded to get further into the realm of Open Heart and Universal Love and Consciousness and further away from a selfish me that thought the world did me wrong and closed me down. It is only I who can send out the Love I want to give and receive in living life.

Ahh, snow angels, give me wings, I am on my way..

MEDITATION FOR ANYWHERE- (3- 5 minutes) –

Try focusing on yourself or another person in your life and visualize pure love flowing from your heart into theirs or your own heart.

Deep breathing through your intention, focusing on the energy you are sending out. You could see the color green, feel the heart opening and streaming, pouring love into the heart. You can even put your hands over your heart to connect the mind and body to the spirit. When finished sit quietly and absorb the sensations you created through the practice.

This is a practice to become more heart centered/connected and one that hopefully reminds you of the beauty in Love.                                            

Happy Valentine’s Day!!

http://www.history.com/content/valentine/history-of-valentine-s-day

]]> http://www.totallyzen.com/living-with-an-open-heart.html/feed 1 http://www.totallyzen.com/breathing-exercises-to-train-the-mind.html http://www.totallyzen.com/breathing-exercises-to-train-the-mind.html#comments Fri, 02 Jan 2009 19:26:32 +0000 Stephanie http://www.totallyzen.com/?p=326 Continue reading →]]>                                                                 

Breathing allows us to live each and every day. But, did you know that the breath could train the mind? In meditation we train the breath to clear the mind. The first step is a strong, constant breath. Then, building your concentration to clear the mind by breathing white light or breath without thought. There are many forms of meditation but they are all tools to quiet the mind and be one with your true self.

Another concept for breath training that facilitates mind training is using the breath to create positive thought, intuition.

In a breath cycle we have an inhale and exhale. What if we used each part of the breath to create intention?

When we breathe deeply we send new oxygen, energy, and vitality to the whole body. If we attach a message to that breath the mind, body and sprit receive this message and can integrate it into your consciousness.

For example:

If you want to become aware of the energy you create, you can breathe in to receive energy and breathe out to give energy.

If you are feeling run down you can use a cleansing breath to renew your energy. Breath in white light and breath out grey light.

If you feel you need good things to enter your life. Try and breath in what is good and breath out what is bad.

If you want to be surrounded by positive energy; then, breathe in positivity and breathe out negativity.

To balance your energy, you can breathe in the force of yin and breathe out the force of yang.

To connect yourself with the Universal energy all around us, you can breathe in to absorb energy and breathe out to emit energy.

With all these slightly different messages you can send your brain to help develop and/or sustain a balanced, positive approach to life.

Most of us have become familiar with the concept of the laws of attraction. We can use our breath as a way to develop our mind. It will help to reinforce the positive forces you want or have in your life.

Breathing Exercise:

Take time in your daily life to breathe in one or all of these qualities.

It doesn’t matter where you are, if your eyes are open or closed or if you take 1 breathe or 15 minutes to breath in these powerful messages.

You can look at the list while you do your breathing exercise or learn the intentions and go through them in succession. This will build a balanced mind and energy field around you.

Try one round and then build up to 9 breaths of each. 9 is the number of completion in Chinese.

If you think one message serves you better focus to that repeteviily.
This will enhance the intention ad strength of this message.

You CANNOT go wrong with breath, mind training. In fact, the benefits are endless!

Breathe In:                                                      Breathe Out:
                 Receive energy                                                   Give energy
                 White light                                                          Grey light
                 What is good                                                      What is bad
                 Positivity                                                             Negativity
                 Force of yin                                                        Force of yang
                 Absorb energy                                                    Emit energy

More Truth Will Set You Free is a Transformational Healing workshop. I attended a session this week in Philadelphia that was facilitated by Toby Lerner. Toby is one of my yoga students, I have always been surprised by how connected and vocal she is about her connections to the light we cultivate in yoga practice and now I understand why.

One day after yoga, I saw this symbol Toby wears on a chain fall out of her shirt. I stopped her and asked her what it was she was wearing. The answers to that question lead me to the workshop.

Toby has been studying for two years under Derek O’Neill founder of SQ Wellness. He is her teacher and trainer. She is a certified practitioner and has now begun to step out and teach the workshop as a service to others. “Because service to man is service to G-d.” She told us that she feels she needs to reveal more about her spiritual side and nurture and develop its presence in her life.

The SQ Wellness system is “founded on the five human values of : Love, Truth, Peace, Right Conduct, and Non-Violence.” ” SQ Wellness can enable you to transform yourself spiritually, personally, and professionally and bring more self awareness into your life.”

“More Truth Will Set You Free workshops are a life changing event. The goal is to show you how to access your untapped potential, change things for the better, and discover how it all works in the mind, body and spirit. You will learn how old programs and beliefs keep you trapped and how to change these beliefs and programs with real healing techniques. You won’t be surprised at what you learn from these workshops, you will be transformed.”

Through this workshop Toby used stories, music, meditation and readings to invoke and reveal ourself to ourselves. The beautiful and powerful thing about healing is that it can happen and you can feel it happening in your mind, body and spirit. The road to spirit, the journey of healing and the path of transformation is a long one. It is continuous and changing if you want it to be lasting in effects and intensity.

I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Toby’s guidance and channeling of the healing spirit through her Masters system’s and traditions. It was truly a gift to share in the energy and force field that was present there for our time together. I felt my meditation growing deep and almost unwilling to come back from the place she helped me to reach in my meditation. This proved to me that her system was engaging and meaningful. I do believe and many others have said it is practice that is the key to tapping into this place within yourself that has the ability to unlock all that we hold on to that prevents love and light in our lives.

The end of the workshop finds you and the others learning how to draw the Prema Agni. It is a symbol that comes directly from the Masters. It contains several healing symbols whether implied or literally represented within its structure: the God’s head, the culmination of the five elements, the heart, Om, Ankh, The Lightening Bolt, The Caduceus, the cross, the Hindu Swastika, the Seal of Solomon, the Karmic Wheel of Life, the human figure and the five pointed star.           

“As you can imagine it is a perfect mandala to meditate on to open your heart center. Because when you open your heart to let love flow IN and OUT true healing. The symbol can be drawn on the back at the heart chakra and then the right hand is placed on the heart chakra and the left is placed on the left shoulder. Then repeat to yourself, ” Prema Agni, Prema Agni, Prema Agni.”"

Luckily, Toby will continue to teach these workshops and you can email her for more information and schedules at bucklern@earthlink.net.                                                    

ALL QUOTED MATERIAL was provided by  SQ Wellness system.

Continuing our Qigong Fundamentals Series with some thought into, How to Practice Correctly. Like anything you engage in practicing Qigong correctly is the key to receiving the greatest benefits of this energy exercise form. Qigong is a very powerful healing discipline and should be engaged in with concentration and focus.

The most important element of Qigong is the breath. Breathing is the key to the creation and movement of energy. Without a constant stream of deep breathing the body is unable to cultivate true chi (vital energy).

Usually you begin Qigong with a meditation to connect to your breath and relax your body. After you sink into meditation it is useful to begin visualizing the breath as white light that flows through your body. As your practice progresses you will be able to channel the energy to places in your body that need to be healed.

The system of internal arts or healing discipline is based on the Traditional Chinese Medicine Theory. Using the acupuncture points to circulate energy throughout your body. This will allow your body to naturally balance the yin and yang forces.

Proper posture is imperative each and every time you practice. Mentally scan your body to see that:

• The feet are planted firmly into the ground at the ball, heel, left and right side of feet
• The knees are bent slightly
• The legs shoulder width apart
• The buttocks tucked under the hips
• The head tucked under so the nostrils are flesh to the Earth
• The tip of the tongue is curled up so that it rest on the back of the upper teeth
• Arms should be engaged on the outside and open and easy on the inside
• Usually the arms are rounded and lifted away from the torso to let the body breathe fully

Practicing with an educated teacher will prevent unwanted mental or physical side effects.

People should not practice when they are:                      

• Pregnant
• Have a fever
• Dizzy
• Internal bleeding
• Infection

Try to practice Qigong at the same time every day to establish a body rhythm and habit of practice.

Practicing three days before and after the full moon increases the blood and chi’s circulatory ability because of the gravitational force of the moon.

Practicing outside is best because you absorb the energy of the natural elements around you. If you practice around trees in the park you will feel differently than indoors. I just experienced a lovely session of Qigong in the park. The sun was warm and the light perfect. The temperature outside was moderate with a small breeze and the change of season ripe in the air. I felt so calm; but, still buzzing with energy after the session.

Practice Qigong correctly and you will experience tremendous energy, vitality and health improvements.

Thanks to all the people who came out and supported and participated in Greenfest Philly 2008. It was a blast! It was my first time being an exhibitor ever; so, there was so much to do. Now that I have the hang of it there will be much more of the same in the future!

Meeting old and new friends. I am so grateful and appreciative to have had the opportunity to be a part of such a meaningful day with a wonderful message!

You could truly sense people educating themselves, discovering new ways to be more aware of the environment, different products to do the same thing as their old but better for the environment, alternative methods to the same end. There were all kinds of people at Greenfest trying to help others make a difference. Props to all those that organized, facilitated, managed, participated and attended the event!

Water was the theme of the event and water is a metaphor for healing energy in Qigong. So, the organizers asked me to share some Qigong exercises. Around mid afternoon dead heat we connected and cleared our energy through meditation & breathing, then we expanded and contract our energy and finally we washed the healing energy over our bodies like water to cleanse, strengthen and purify the self. I was very happy that some strangers took the time to join me.

Helping and reaching to make a difference feels good.

Thank You!

Meditation is the next layer you add to a yoga practice once you have found posture and breathing. Building a yoga practice bit by bit takes hard work, just like anything you really want to succeed at in life. Indeed, yoga is a life skill and in this hectic world we live in meditation can be as essential as yoga. They compliment each other; but in yoga the real work does not begin until you learn how to meditate because then you can tap into the internal and external energy. It is my deep belief that if everyone meditated there would be a lot less hostility in our world. This is how powerful, transformational and critical meditation can be to your health and happiness and everyone else’s.

Moments of time connected by nothing but breath & clear presence are the crux of meditation. Finding things you might have lost along the way we engage in meditation to reconnect to the source. Deep relaxation can be achieved by participating in a regular practice of meditation. Awareness to the self and others can be cultivated by means of meditation.

When we were babies we had no constant ticker tape of thoughts trailing our every move. We had no information highway, bills, business, relationship woes, concerns or considerations. As we get older the chips start to stack and the pile gets so large just thinking of it can raise your blood pressure, make you sweat, frown, curse and sometimes a lot worse. Just think of all the tragic abuse and killings we hear about every day in every corner of the world.

Meditation helps you regain your center so that all these problems become manageable and approachable. You can take action instead of get stuck in stress of many types; like: fear, anxiety, worry, anger and other more negative emotions.

How do we learn to meditate?                                              

It starts with your breath in a quiet place and an intention to build breath energy without thought. (Refer to the breathing post from 7/3.)

Once you learn how to deep breathe in a constant, cyclical manner you have begun the rhythm or energy.
To transform this energy, which is your breath into clear and positive white light. 

People suggest many different types of concentration and awareness tools:

Some people like to chant, others like to visually see the breath as white light, another method is connecting to the sensation that is your breath. Focusing on a point outside the self or within the self are still other forms of meditation. I began by counting the breath because it is hard for thoughts to enter in your mind when you are counting.

Don’t try too hard and do not get discouraged. I did not learn to meditate for about two years. It depends on your concentration and focus, your openness and effort, your intention and desire.

Start with nine deep breaths without thought once, twice or three times a day. Later you can sit, lie or walk in meditation for longer periods. Build your meditation strength and skill as you would any other learned skill or behavior.

*******************************************************************************

Ultimately, your goal is to return and join with universal conscious-ness, the divine power, a higher force that exists around you and within you. The One that helps you elevate your level of consciousness so that the “little things” that used to alter your mood or behavior are now more manageable because you have a tool to feed you that true power. Eventually, this leads to peace and contentment.

Based on the reactions and feedback I get from my students after practice; people love Qigong! Students agree it is one of the fastest ways to connect to your energy and get immediate results from doing energy work. Qigong originated about 2,000 years ago and there are still millions of practitioners throughout Asia today.

That being said I will offer you an overview of Qigong now. The following articles will be posted on a once a month basis. Look for the next part of this series on July 16, 2008. Here are the topics I will explore in the future:

• Variety of Different Forms of Qigong
• How to Practice Correctly
• Development of Qi
• Benefits of Practicing Qigong

Qigong is a holistic therapy that utilizes the body and mind and spirit. The movement art develops vital energy to increase your health and longevity, raise your consciousness and connect to your spirit.

It is truly an exercise form that allows you to achieve control over the body and mind. By focusing on breathing, while concentrating on engaging the body physically, as it moves through the form.

Practicing qigong can increase the body’s ability to defend itself against the environment and make the body’s entire constitution stronger. It also unleashes brainpower!

Energy, which is the breath, moves through the body along pathways, which are meridians. It collects to be used as reserve in the charkas and tan tiens.

In Chinese medicine blockages along these meridians are said to cause dis ease. Blockages can be thought of as places energy is trapped along the pathways due to physical, emotional or spiritual trauma, toxins or stress. Energy does not properly flow through these areas. These blockages can be removed using Qigong techniques.

While practicing qigong you can learn how to connect, build, circulate and direct your energy. These techniques can be used to heal the self of others.

Qiong exercises three different types of energy. These are thought of as the three treasures of the body. There is your essence’s energy referred to as Jing. Then, there is your vital energy, this is Qi. The spirit’s energy is called Shen.

Qigong exercises combines the use of shapes or postures (Xing) with your intention or concentration (Yi) and vital energy (Qi). In Chinese medicine these are referred to as the three regulations. Learning to control these components through Qigong regulates the body.

The goal of qigong is to balance your energy to promote physical and mental well being. Try some today!

http://zaza.com/spiritwind/

Yoga means to yoke or unite. The goal of yoga is to unite oneself with G-d. The practice of yoga is how you get there. In this feature we will look closely at the first element and look for the second part of the following four features in one month, June 30th.

We will use the lotus position as the primary example for posture for seated yoga, for standing yoga we use Tadasana in most types of yoga; but in Dao Yin Yoga we use horse stance. We use these postures for meditation, which is the key to finding the purpose of yoga. The first and meditative position creates the foundation from which our practice develops fully.

Moving on from our beginning posture there is the balance and difference between stillness and motion in and through various postures. Sitting in a crossed-legged position or standing upright in stillness helps to establish the control, awareness and connection to the fundamental elements of all posture/s.

There are two very important components of posture to become aware and familiar with in yoga.

Grounding

In seated yoga, beginning in lotus position, we have our sit bones (ischial tuberosites) planted into the Earth. Using the dimes you sit on every day you draw them down to ground you. Sitting we feel this connection to the Earth. Take time and experience that sensation.

Standing postures we use our feet. A good practice is to lift up your toes and replant them into the Earth. Then, feel the soles of your feet equally planted into the ground at the ball, heel, left and right side of the foot. Notice and enjoy the balance and steadiness that this grounding offers your entire body.

Although these suggestions sound simple it is essential to begin from here to make entire self: Mind. Body. Spirit present.

Alignment

In yoga we try to elongate the spine whether sitting or standing. In seated Dao Yin Yoga we start with the spine in the center of our hips and begin at the base of the spine stacking each vertebrae one on top of the next to allow our chest to be open and the shoulders drawn down, finding your nostrils will be flesh with the Earth; so, that the head is in alignment with the spine.

This way the crown will be open to giving and receiving energy from Heaven and the root will be open to receive energy from the Heavens.

In standing Dao Yin Yoga, you must take time to allow the whole body to draw into alignment. Place the feet together (toes and heels). Lift up your toes, and then replace them back down into the Earth (grounding). Palms are naturally at your sides, then lift up your shoulders and roll them back.

Next, turn your feet out, then turn your toes in, then lift up your feet and place the feet straightforward. This realigns the bottom of your muscular skeletal system.

Lift your palms from the side of the body up to connect thumb and index fingers to create a triangle. Draw your palms down just underneath your root (3 inches under your navel 3 inches into the body). This signifies your root position. Bend your knees over your ankles. Turn your hips under, stack your spine, open your chest, relax your shoulders, check that your head so that it is in alignment with your spine.

Now you have properly aligned yourself in a standing posture; so, that the crown is open to giving and receiving energy from Heaven and the root will be open to receive energy from the Earth.

For the sake that I teach the Chinese form of yoga, Dao Yin, and because there is plenty of information on the alignment of Tadasana; I will leave that explanation to a link at the bottom of this post.

No matter what type of yoga you practice you want to lengthen spine in both directions to allow the elongation of the spine. Creating an isometric pull in opposite directions.

http://www.yogajournal.com/poses/492

I think it is safe to say no one is excluded from the cyclical nature of life’s turns. I know from my life experience that you can never know what a day will present you. At the root of it all can be the very way you feel on a day-to-day basis.

The daily challenge of controlling one’s own emotional chemistry can be a feat. The idea of waking up in a mood or feeling a certain way can dictate how you act and how you deal with daily events. In writing this article I have just been encouraged to reflect on my own repertoire of daily moods. I think in general my mood is consistently pleasant, good; but, energy levels tend to dictate how expressive and engaged I am in interacting with others. Then, I think about recent challenges and realize my mood is definitely influenced by what is happening in my world and that it does affect me and weigh on me.

So, how do we prepare for a multitude of people, events, challenges questions and situations at a moments notice in time?

For example, I have been trying to make sense of a growing number of difficulties in the creation of my vision Totally Zen. There are so many different people and skill sets that have to be addressed and coordinated in getting a business idea to develop and work in tandem. It can be overwhelming, disappointing, frustrating and then again it can be exciting, energizing and gratifying. All these feelings and much, much more that you must go through to get through every day of the week, month, year. How to deal with it all?

I know as a person I have grown so much more even and balanced in mood, energy and behaviors through the years since I have been practicing and teaching yoga; as well as, studying Daoism and Buddhism philosophy and integrating more healing and natural living into my life. I still see a need for improvement in other areas. I am committed to the idea of continual improvement as a part of life’s work.

From the simple tasks and conversations to the more intense and engaging ones I see growth in my behavior. So, how do we as people monitor our selves and address areas of weakness while still allowing ourselves to feel free and open in the world?

For me, I have found that yoga and the act of breathing or meditation, breathing without thought, is vital to my ability to be able to openly and honestly assess what is really going on in my life and between other people in my life. The funny thing is that sometimes it is not apparent and it takes time to move into the answer. Of course, life is perpetually changing and the answers must change. Just like yoga is a moving meditation so is life. Finding your rhythm and sticking with the practice of seeking, discovering and integrating all the aspects that make up a full life is so gratifying.

Cultivating balance and patience, focus and strength while holding or moving through postures seems like a funny way to improve one’s life; but, in fact through time that is just what I have found to be true.

I am happy to have yoga to turn to at times when I cannot find the answer on my own. It is something special to reflect on one’s situation’s and relationships and give it some time and thought, move away from it, practice yoga or meditation and slowly, carefully begin to progress through life in a more positive, focused way.

And when you find yourself going through the ups and downs of life maybe some of my own ideas can help you to process your own set of challenges.