In my introduction to yogic knowledge, I was fascinated to find out about the three Gunas. What are the Gunas you ask? Great question. Well in basic terms they are the three “characteristics” of energy in the mind and in the universe. They are divided into three classifications; Rajas, Tamas and Sattva. All of us have a bit of all three qualities and depending on the prevalence of one particular one, that’s usually how we can describe our personalities.

• Rajas means restless, stressful, dynamic and active

• Tamas means inert, lazy, dull and lethargic

• Sattva means balanced, harmonious, pure and calm

All in all, yogis strive for balance. For me in particular, I have a tough time with that. My personality tends to lean towards the Rajas side. I am constantly in the habit of trying to squeeze too many things into a short length of time! And it takes its toll on me.
I’m sure I’m not the only one who suffers from that. In fact, I think this tends to be an American phenomenon considering we feel like we’re defined by what we PRODUCE instead of who we ARE.  Well to slow myself down, I just decrease my Rajas and increase my Sattva. What do I mean by that? Well, whenever I notice that I’m in a Rajas state of mind, I just slow myself down and visually picture putting the breaks on whatever I’m doing.

I breathe and meditate, reminding myself that where I am in that moment is all I need to be and there’s no end result that can ever convince me that I am perfect . And then, I step outside and sit down, look at my bougainvillea flowers, take a deep breath as I take in the perfect balance of nature and remember that the moment that I’m finding myself in that minute is perfection itself.
That usually works for me. Now, you try it!

Mantra comes from the root word “manas” which means “mind” and “tool”. When you expose yourself to the power of vibrating sounds, you can understand their effects. The repetition of the vibration of various mantras can help you tune into the different frequencies of energy in the universe in order to effect and transform energy on the plane of consciousness.

Each “energy center” in our body a.k.a. “chakra” has a specific base sound that can be used to balance that energy center. Ready for what they are?

1. Root (located at perineum)- Lam (luhm)

2. Sacral (located in the sex organs)-Vam (vuhm)

3. Solar Plexus (located at navel)-Ram (ruhm)

4. Heart (located in heart area)-Yam (yuhm)

5. Throat (located in throat)- Ham (huhm)

6. *Third Eye (located at spot just above the area between the eyebrows)-Kesham

*This center opens once the lower energy centers are balanced**

7. Crown (located at the crown of the head)-Om

Most of us are out of balance in one of the chakras on a regular basis. A good practice is to regularly chant the mantras for the corresponding energy center for a good two minutes per center. At the end of the fourteen minutes, you will feel a general state of calm and peace. Now go forth and be..BALANCED! Oh yeah, and don’t forget to have fun..

For it is not inertia alone that is responsible for human relationships repeating themselves from case to case, indescribably monotonous and unrenewed: it is shyness before any sort of new, unforeseeable experience with which one does not think oneself able to cope. But only someone who is ready for everything, who excludes nothing, not even the most enigmatical, will live the relation to another as something alive and will himself draw exhaustively from his own existence.

By Rainier Maria Rilke

This week I wanted to share a quote from a favorite poem of mine! When I first read it seven years ago, it opened my eyes to a truth that I knew existed but yet didn’t know how to put into words.  When I decided to live my life according to the words in this poem, I noticed a significant shift. The more I think about it the more I have an understanding of why that is. We have 7 energy centers in our bodies also known as chakras and the 4th one corresponds to the heart.

Ancient yogis understood that the secret to attracting whatever you want in your life is by having an open heart chakra. Unfortunately, most of us live from our lower energy centers which emit feelings of fear. And ultimately, fear makes us feel the need to either close up and hide away from the world OR face the world with a hardened heart and a perspective of control.

So the next time you’re feeling like a hermit’s lifestyle is for you or that you need to control a situation by maneuvering or manipulating an outcome, remember this poem. And with arms wide open, let your heart’s magnetic pull bring all your dreams to you as you draw exhaustively from your own existence and live as you truly were meant to!

As a writer, I love words! They have the power to create and destroy. Because of this, we have to be careful with them. When I first read this excerpt from Rilke,  it acted as a portal that opened to some unseen imaginary world where all of a sudden I felt I had the power over my own destiny! I hope that these words do the same for you. If you want to read more and get the context from which this excerpt comes from, check out Rilke’s Letters to a Young Poet (Letter 8), written in August 12, 1904.

Speaking of words, the ancient yogis used mantras as sacred words that held enormous power. Let’s all together now recite a powerful mantra that opens the heart chakra.  Ready?? Begin! (I’m saying this in the most obnoxious cheerleadyish way possible). Sit in a comfortable position. Keep your spine straight. Close your eyes. and repeat after me..
HUM DUM HAR HAR.  Now continue with this mantra for 3 minutes. And when you’re done, grab the person closest to you (preferably someone you know cause hey we’re just getting started) and give them a humongous hug!

Great job everyone and let me know how the opportunities you start to see flowing in to your life!

Christina Gianoulakis, PhD a professor of psychiatry and physiology at McGill University, and colleagues published some interesting findings in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research.  These findings showed that light to moderate drinking triggers “feel good” chemicals in the brain that can reduce anxiety, but heavier doses don’t.  Scientists in Canada say they’ve found that while low and moderate doses of alcohol produce a general feeling of well-being, having just a tad too much might reinforce the desire for more, or trigger depression or feelings of desperation.
“Drinking only low amounts of alcohol will increase endorphin release and produce pleasant effects. Thus, if after consumption of about two drinks of alcohol an individual does not experience the pleasant effects … he or she should stop drinking.” Gianoulakis says.

Personally, I believe that drinking can actually be a result of not being able to express feelings. Men especially tend to keep their feelings in to a level where they feel they might explode and so they drink and the body releases endorphins which make the person not feel pain- this is a lot like taking a drug. And like any drug, it can become addictive. So it becomes a pain management tool. Unfortunately it is it is not very healthy and can become increasingly dangerous over time.
The ancient yogis understood that the body has a wisdom of its own. In today’s technologically bombarded society, that wisdom is very often not listened to.  But if we become more attuned to our bodies and try hard to express the feelings and movements that it wants us to, then we are more likely to feel better.
The first step to becoming clear on what your feelings are (in order to express them healthily) is to become AWARE of your body and what it’s telling you.

Listen to it! Ask yourself:
What is my body saying to me?
What does my body think I should do in this situation?
What does my body need to express?
How can I calm it down?
How is the relationship between my mind and body? Am I listening to both?

There are a variety of ways to release endorphins that are non dangerous for you and these are via yoga, visualization and exercise to name a few. But, today I want to focus on one area.
Yogic deep breathing is just one great tool in that it helps you pay attention to your body and also acts as a bridge between the body and the mind.
Deep yogic breathing balances the pituitary gland (master gland which secretes endorphins) and helps alleviate stress. It also helps to release the endorphins into the body and give you an automatic high. Another important feature that deep breathing offers is the trigger that it evokes in the parasympathetic nervous system bringing about the relaxation response. Recent neuro-psychological studies have shown how yogic breathing is likely to affect stress response system in individuals while calming the mind and body. Deep breathing also comforts and soothes symptoms of trauma.

So let’s begin. Sit in a comfortable position. Place the tongue on the roof of the mouth and inhale as slowly as possible, allowing only a thin stream of air to flow.  When you can’t inhale any more air, begin to exhale at the same slow, steady pace.  Inhale and exhale just through the nose. Fill the lower portion of the lungs first, allowing the abdomen to expand then the middle (expanding the diaphragm) and then the top (expanding the chest).  Try to slow your breathing so that you’re inhaling 5 seconds and then exhaling 5 seconds. This stimulates your pituitary gland which controls your intuition and calms you. If you can slow down to 7 ½ seconds per inhale and exhale then you’ll activate your Pineal gland and get instant cosmic high.

Remember, your body is your car and your mind is the driver!! Think of breathing as the gas pedal that connects the driver w/the car and makes the car run smoothly!! You always want to go at a moderate and even pace. Don’t rush!! Breathing is what takes you on your journey in life! So breathe well. Let go of the fears. Love is what waits for you at the end of every finish line.