Commit to your PRACTICE

I don't know about you, but for me November brings with it the stress and busyness of the the Holidays. I used to think when I got busy that my practice could become optional in order for me to "save time". What I found was that its especially when I don't think I have time for my practice, that is precisely when I need to MAKE time for my practice. We all have the same amount of time in the day and we get to CHOOSE what  we prioritize. I now know I must prioritize my practice, especially during the holidays so I can stay more sane, more calm, and more giving through this part of the year.

This doesn't mean I need to do the same two hour advanced practice every day, but for me I have found choosing a practice and doing it everyday helps me feel steady and calm.  

A yoga practice gives us the opportunity to PRACTICE being CONSISTENT and COMMITTED. If you need a little nudge to get more consistent in your practice, here it is: **nudge nudge wink wink**.

If you want to take it one step further, join me for a 40 day sadhna (personal practice).
I will be doing a 40 day practice starting November 11th (11/11 which an auspicious date with all those 1's and gives this day extra potential to shift our awareness) and ending on winter solstice (12/21).

To join me for this sadhna, all you have to do is pick a daily practice (list of suggestions below) and make a commitment to show up for your practice every day for 40 days. If you miss a day, that is OKAY. Use it as an opportunity to see how you feel when you do the practice and when you do not. A big suggestion is to pick something realistic, especially if this is your first 40 day practice. By completing a 40 day sadhna you build your practice muscles and you get a big self esteem boost. Pick something you can commit to doing everyday and then do it even when you do not want to (find out why below).

Here are some ideas:
5 sun salutation, 3 minutes of meditation
1 minute of meditation 2 x a day
11 rounds of a mantra (suggestions below)
108 rounds of a mantra (use mala beads to count)
Meditation 3 or 11 minutes
or your own thing

Suggestions:
Inhale: I love you, Exhale: Thank You
Inhale: Sat, Exhale: Nam
Exhale Breath Meditation: same count for inhale. retention, exhale for example: 5 count in, 5 count hold, 5 count out. Closed eyes gaze toward 3rd eye.

Mantra Suggestions:
The mantra: Om Shanti Shanti ShantiTranslation: Om Peace Peace Peace
May there be well-being for all,
May there be peace for all.
May there be wholeness for all,
May there be happiness for all.

The mantra: Sat Nam
*Sat is extended longer than Nam, radiate the mantra from the base of your spine to the center of your head
Translation:Truth is my identity

The mantra: (Siri Gaitri Mantra) Ra Ma Da Sa Sa Say So Hung
Why chant it: It Sends healing energy to ourselves and others.

The mantra: Om Namah Shivaya Gurave
Translation: I bow down to all the teachers and teachings that lead me from the dark to the light

The mantra: (Lakshmi mantra) Om Shrim Maha Lakshmiyei Swaha
Why chant it: purifies and cleanses your heart, opening doors of opportunities that will transform your life. This mantra cultivates abundance and the connection to the abundance that is every present with in.

The mantra: (Gyrati mantra) Om Gam Gaņapateye Namaha
Translation: Om and Salutations to the remover and installer of obstacles.
Why chant it: helps you move through obstacles.
 

If you do this please let me know which one you are doing, I would love to know!. Feel free to message me for support or if you have any questions. There is something so powerful about being consistent for 40 days,  because at some point you are not going to want to show up for yourself. When you choose to show up, even though you don't feel like it over and over again...... That feels AWESOME!

Winter Solstice, Kali, and Transformation

Theme: fiercely cut away the old leave it in the darkness and move forward free with the light. 

Anecdote: winter solstice and Kali 

Kali the dark mother is portrayed fiercely dripping with blood, tongue out, wearing a garland of skulls, a belt of severed arms, and holds many weapons. She is the destroyer that brings transformation and shows us the importance of cycles that we see everywhere in seasons, relationships, moods.... We are reminded of this with winter solstice. That out of the darkness comes new light. Change can be scary and it is Kali who transforms our fear into freedom as she cuts away negative habitual patterns inside of us. During Yule, ask yourself: what do you want to leave behind in the darkness? What do you want to grow with the light? 

A mantra to honour Kali within you is: Om Sri Kalyai Namaha - Om is the cosmic sound, Sri the divine mother, Kalyai, the remover of obstacles and Namaha is a way of embracing these aspects within us all.

UPA: shins in thighs out (SITO) Her fierceness and intensity is seen and felt with shins in and the freedom and transformation is felt with the thighs out. Thighs out is part of inner spiral, it is the widening aspect. Shins in is from outer spiral and helps keep the knee tracking over the second toe. 

Heart quality: transformation and freedom 

Apex pose: bound Parsvakonasana 

Pranayama: Kali's sword breath Benefits: Revitalizes the spirit, enhances mental clarity, recharges the subtle body, releases stuck energy. 

To begin: take a wide Goddess Pose stance and visualize you have Kali’s swift sword of freedom and detachment. This dynamic pranayama has three strong inhalations followed by a full exhalation through the mouth—Kali-style, tongue out. First inhale: Bring your hands together below your navel, drawing them up the front of the body overhead. Second inhale: from overhead position, expand your arms out wide to the sides and up. Third inhale: Bring your hands back together below your navel, drawing them up the front of the body overhead again. Full exhale: pull your hands fiercely down the front of your body, leaning forward, and exhaling through your mouth with your tongue out. Visualize yourself cutting away negative habitual patterns and freeing yourself from false concepts that imprison you. Surrender into your heart and call forth the essence of Kali within you to transform fear into love. REPEAT Complete 10 rounds of this breath practice to honor the form of Kali with 10 arms. (This breath technique is from the wonderful Sianna Sherman) 

Sequence: 

Warm up

Uttanasana- ardha uttanasana 3x 

Uttanasana manual SITO hands press on outer shins 

High runners lunge manual SITO front leg- high runners lunge twist 

Basic

Warrior 2

Mod. Parsvakonasana - Parsvakonasana 

Warrior 2- reverse warrior - Parsvakonasana - w2 3x 

Scandasana - half moon - standing pigeon 

Goddess pose with Kali Sword Breath- wide leg forward fold- flat back work SITO action in legs - clasp hands behind back

Harder 

Pincha manyurasana 

Anjaneyasana quad - Anjaneyasana twist with quad- half moon - eagle 

Bound Parsvak (apex) 2x

W1 - twist 

Cool down 

Double pigeon 

Compass pose 

Partner Uptivista konasana partner uses their feet to yogis ankles to provide resistance for shins in while yoga then does thighs out 

Ardha matseyendrasana 

Baddha konasana

Shavasana

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meditate and breath

During the holidays I find my mind wondering all over the place. To help myself stay balanced and calm during this often hectic season I have been practicing pranayama minimum 10 mins a day. Normally a combo of Nadi Shodhana and Kapalbhati (great heating breath during the cold winter months). Here is a pranayama blog post I wrote a few weeks ago for more breathing techniques. I also meditate 20 minutes 2 times a day. It is always my intention to do this, but I often find myself making excuses "I have so much to do, like cleaning the hair out of the drain... better not meditate". During this busy time of the year I have even more excuses not to meditate. But in my experience the more I have to do and the less time I have to meditate is a sure sign that I must mediate or I will turn into a mess. Its not just me that gets upset when I miss my meditation but my family, students, dog, and community all suffer when I don't take time to sit.

So let this be a reminder to meditate and breath!

pranayama + meditation

This week I have been practicing the first level of Nadi Shodhana Pranayama. In this practice you breath in and out of your left nostril five times, after your fifth exhale close off the air to the left nostril and breath in and out of the right nostril, then you realise your hands down and breath in and out five times through both nostrils. (For more information read my last post). I just recently found out of this modification of nadi shodhana. I always practiced with alternating nostrils with every breath cycle, instead of breathing in these sets of five.

I just went on a bike ride with my dog to Liberty Park sat next to a pound did this pranayama technique which calmed down my mind so much it was easy and enjoyable to slip into a 20 mins mediation. After I watched swans and ducks swim and fly across the pound. It was so tranquil. Dharma dog also had a great time exploring and laying in the sun. Then we just biked home. Although I am no longer doing seated meditation I still feel immersed in this finer vibration that flutters with love and joy dancing under my skin.

This wonderful meditation was more easeful because I have been practicing daily pranayama in addition to meditation. I feel like with pranayama before meditation it helps my mind quite so much that I am almost pulled into meditation. Like really good foreplay before sex :)

Now wokring on a yoga project and then off to the second weekend of the second moduel of Anusara Teacher Training with Adam Ballenger

Pranayama

As the days get shorter and cooler I find myself being drawn to practice more pranayama (breathing practices). Here is a summary of various breath practices:

Abdominal or diaphragmatic Breathing: In this pranayama technique you are emphasizing the movement of the diaphragm rather then the rib cage. On an inhale the diaphragm moves downward pushing the abdominal contents downward and on an exhale the diaphragm moves upward and the abdominal contents move inward. This breath massages the liver, stomach, intestines and other organs, it tones the heart and improves oxygenation of the blood and circulation.

Nadi Shodhana Pranayama: with your right hand fold the two peace finger (index and bird) into the palm of you hand. Take your ring and pinkie finger to the outside of the left nostril and your thumb to the outside of the right nostril. You will be shutting off the air to one nostril, I find it helpful to not only close the air off but to pull the check skin away from the opposite nose.

• Technique 1: Close the right nostril with the thumb. Inhale and exhale through the left nostril 5 times. After 5 breaths release your right nostril and close off the left. Inhale and exhale through the right nostril 5 times. Lower the hand and breathe 5 times through each nostril. This is round one. Practice 5 rounds or for 3-5 mins. In Asana Pranayama Mudra Bandha they recommend doing this technique for 15 days until moving onto technique two.
• Technique 2: Alternate nostril breathing: close off your right nostril with your thumb and inhale through your left nostril, release your right nostril and close off your left and exhale through your right nostril. Inhale through the right nostril close of the right and exhale through the left. This is round one. Work for 10 rounds. Keep the length of inhales and exhales equal. As you get more familiar and practiced with this breathing technique increase the time until you've reached 12:12.
• Technique 3: Antar Kumbhaka (inner retention): Close the right nostril and inhale through the left, then close both nostril and retrain the breath, inhale slightly through the left (this brings the respiratory muscles back into action). After the exhale immediately inhale through the left nostril closing off the right, retain the breath, inhale slightly through the right nostril and then exhale completely through the right. This is one round. Practice 10 rounds. During this breath technique use a constant count, for example 5. 
• A fun note on Kumbhaka: When I was at Wanderlust Squaw Valley I was listening to Chris Tompkins and Hareesh give a wonderful talk. At one post Hareesh said that sometimes when him and Chris are at a concert when the band is really rocking out Chris would turn to Hareesh and say "Kumbhaka, kumbhaka now!". Chris responded by smiling sweetly and saying this is true. Since then when I have been at a concert I have practiced some Kumbhaka.
• Nadi means 'channel' or 'flow' and shodhana mean 'purification'. Nadi Shodhana norishes the whole body by supplying extra oxygen while expelling carbon dioxide and other toxins from the blood. This breath stimulates the brain and lowers stress levels. This is one of the main pranayama techniques I use in my practice.

Sheetali Pranayama: cooling breath: Stick out your tongue and roll the outer edges of the tongue up so it forms a tube. Inhale and draw the breath through the tongue. At the end of the inhale bring your tongue in and close your mouth. Exhale through your nose. Set your awareness on the cool sensation on the tongue and the pallet of the mouth. This is one round. Practice 9-15 rounds.This practice cools the body and mind. It effects the brain centers associated with biological drives and temperature regulation. This practice causes muscular and mental relaxation.

Seetkari Pranayama: hissing breath: Hold the teeth lightly together. Separate the lips and place the tongue on the top palate (khechari mudra). Breathe in through the teeth, after inhale close your mouth and exhale through the nose. Place your awareness on the hissing sound of the breath. This breath realizes the mind and the muscles. It also  keeps the teeth and gums healthy. "Through perfection of this practice, the adept becomes like the god Kamadeva. Kama means 'desire' and deva means 'master', therefore, through this practice desire is mastered and a state of balanced purification is achieved" Asana Pranayama Mudra Bandha.

 Bhramari Pranayama: humming bees breath: With you teeth slightly open, lips closed and your tongue on the roof of your mouth. Bend your elbows and press the flaps of your ears closed with the index finger. Bring your awareness to the ajna (third eye) chackra. Inhale through the nose and as you exhale create a steady humming sound. This is round one. 5-10 rounds is a good start. Once you become more familiar with this pranayama technique you can increase to 15 mins. When there is lots of tension and anxiety you can practice up to 30 mins for healing. I have never practice for this long but I can imagine it would be heavenly. Bhramari relieves stress and tension. It relieves anger, anxiety, insomnia, and reducing blood pressure. The vibration of this technique creates a soothing effect on the mind and nervous system.

Ujjayi Pranayama:This is the main pranayama technique we use during yoga asana unless instructed by an instructor. To perform this breath tighten the muscles of the throat and breath in out and through the nose. It should create a gentle whispering sound, or the sound of wind blowing through the trees. Ujjayi is a calming breath that also has a heating effect in the body. In yoga this breath is used to soothe the nervous system and calm the mind. Ujjya pranayama refers o the victorious upraising of prana.

Bhastrika Pranayama: bellows breath: This breathe is a force full exhale followed by a force full inhale. The stomach should move rapidly in and out with the breath. Breath in and out like this 10 times, after the tenth breath take a  deep breath. This is round one, practice up to 10 rounds. This practice burns up toxins and removes disease from he body.

Kapalbhati Pranayama: This breath is similar to bhastrika however instead of having a force full breath on each end of the breath kapalbhakti just has a forceful exhale and the inhale us passively allowing the abdominal muscles to expand. The inhalation should be spontaneous and passive following the force full exhale. Start at 10 breaths per round and take a breath in between rounds. As the abdominal muscles become stronger you can increase how many rounds of breath. The benefits for this breath helps remove sensory distractions from the mind. It helps energize the mind for rest and helps remove sleepiness. It also balances and strengthens the nervous systems and tones the digestive organs.

Happy breathing to you all!
Smiles Kim
Source: Asana Pranayama Mudra Bandha by Swami Satyananda Saraswati

exhale fully

The breath is super important. I was listening to a podcast from Abdi Assadi (this is someone I have recently gotten very interested in he does lots of shadow work). In this podcast Abdi talked about how one of the problems that happens when we breathe is that we are not exhaling all the way. I thought this was fascinating. I do different kinds of pranayama every day and the thought that I might not be exhaling fully when I practice pranayama and on a throughout the day really intrigued me.

This means not only are we holding old energy (prana) in our bdoy but we are then inhaling on top of that stale air. When we exhale all the air out it helps slow down the speed of the mind. First we need to work on exhaling. Right now pay attention to where the breath is. It is probably in your chest, start breathing with more awareness. Notice how the breath shifts toward the belly. Now as exhale and toward the end of your exhale start to count with moving your tongue (I even whisper the letters out loud). What that does is allow the lungs to exhale the air without forcing the lungs to tighten. Continue to do this, breathe into the belly, breath out..1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18… Repeat this for the next few minutes. Lengthen the spine, relax your shoulders and relax your jaw.

Can you feel the difference in your body! Say something out loud just a word or two and see how deep your voice is. That is the relaxation. This is free, no vitamins, no diet, no belief system needed! The breath just works.

Sit back practice and enjoy.