Ideally, the very first thing we do in a yoga posture (asana) is set the foundation. We place our feet and/or our hands in a very particular way, with great intention and keen attentiveness to detail. We position our feet and hands carefully because the way the rest of the asana unfolds will be directly affected by the placement of the parts of us that are touching the ground.

Then, before we build the rest of the asana, we soften a little. When the foundation is strong and sure, we are able to breathe freely. Almost instinctively, we pause and we are able to open to the possibility of how the next few moments might unfold. From the clear physical foundation, with openness to the present moment, we then build the rest of the posture.

When we practice in this way, there is an internal surrender that can occur. The strength and support of our foundation sends subtle cues to our entire system so that some layers of tension can dissolve, muscles can release and space can open up.

Once a strong foundation is set and that openness occurs, it is tremendously satisfying and liberating to flow, either within a posture or between postures, taking just as much care to ensure that each foundation is clear so that we can fully experience freedom. With that freedom comes ease, not only in the body but also in the mind. We feel light and capable and discover that we are able to open more than we thought possible.

Practicing this way is a very different experience from casually moving into an asana without consideration for the foundation and quickly moving between postures before the first posture is fully expressed by the body. In my experience, when I move quickly without taking care with my foundation, I begin to gather internal tension, with deep internal muscles trying to compensate for the work that the larger muscles are meant to be doing. Beyond the physical, I notice I also begin to feel anxious or agitated.

Similarly in daily life off the mat, I notice that if I set my foundations wisely, I can soften and open to the possibility of what a given day or a given situation may hold. When I have my feet on the ground figuratively, I am far more able to go with the flow of life. If I neglect to take care of myself, everything else in my life suffers – I become tense, situations seem impossible, other people’s shortcomings become unbearable, I worry more, I demand more, I sleep less, I give less, I live less and I achieve less.

Consider the things that help you to set your foundation. A regular yoga practice is invaluable to creating internal steadiness. What else helps you to put your feet on the ground? What connects you to your innate wellbeing and joy? What food, drink and company make you feel healthy and whole? What activities light you up inside? What do you absolutely need to feel fully like the very best expression of yourself? THESE are the things you need to make sure you get. They aren’t luxuries. They are necessities. The world NEEDS you to come fully alive every single day.

I would encourage you to spend a few minutes in reflection and write down your answers to the questions above. Choose three non-negotiable things that you need to do to “set your foundation”, whether they be daily or weekly things. Then make setting your foundation a priority for at least three weeks (that’s how long it takes to form a habit). Notice how your life unfolds differently when you’ve got the internal softness that’s possible when you’ve properly set your foundation.

In my experience, the way that you take care of yourself has a direct impact on everything and everyone else in your life. When you’ve got the strength and surety that comes from setting your foundation, you can be open and responsive in your body and your mind instead of tense and contracted. Because of this, you are able to offer more kindness and be of greater service to every single person around you and to the world in general. You can go with the flow and live more fully.

~Kelly Fisher

The practice of yoga conditions us for life and helps us to tolerate and integrate the challenging experiences that we encounter in our lives. Elena Brower, a teacher I admire greatly, often says something like, “We accumulate moments of healing in the time spent on our mats”.

As someone who has had a consistent daily practice for years, I can attest to the truth of her words. As often happens however, when something beautiful is perpetually right in front of you, I lost a little of my reverence for the nourishment provided by my practice. It took missing out on that practice for a few days during my recent trip to North America to help me to regain my gratitude for the healing power of yoga.

Over the course of my three weeks overseas, I was never in one bed longer than five nights and more often than not, I only spent one or two nights in a given place. From a physical and energetic point of view, moving around so much in a short period of time has the potential to leave a person feeling very ungrounded, scattered and vulnerable. It wasn’t until I went home to Nova Scotia in the middle of the trip and lost connection with my practice though, that I really felt like I lost my ground.

My time in Nova Scotia was mainly dedicated to seeing the new nursing home where my father has been moved and tending to some of his personal business and financial matters. My father was diagnosed with a form of dementia about four years ago and is completely non-verbal. Despite the fact that he looks like he’s in perfect health, it’s difficult to tell how much he understands and it is almost impossible to communicate with him. He is a mere shadow of the father I remember and his illness has been devastating to witness.

Through my practice of yoga and meditation, I have made a certain amount of peace with my father’s condition. On the first day I was to go see him, I could feel my anxiety levels rising and so I prioritised getting on my mat for yoga and meditation. I wanted to make sure I was anchored within myself before heading into an upsetting situation. Despite my good intentions, I was completely unprepared for the impact of seeing how much he’s deteriorated in the two years since I’ve seen him. I was shaken to my core.

I was fortunate enough to be surrounded by loving, helpful people who did their very best to take care of me. For the remainder of the time in Nova Scotia, I relied heavily on the support of others and, to a certain extent, absolved myself of my responsibility to take care of myself. There didn’t seem to be time or space for my practices and I didn’t create time the way I normally would have. I had a lot to accomplish in a short period of time and I made an unconscious decision to run on my reserves of energy rather than to take any time to replenish them.

I was so disconnected from myself that I didn’t even realise how much I needed my practices until I got on my mat in California on the way back to NZ. Within seconds of getting on the mat and tuning into my breath, I re-discovered a familiar sense of internal ease. After losing my ground in a place that is supposed to be “home”, I was able to truly come home to myself by simply breathing and being consciously aware of my body. It didn’t matter where I was on the globe. In the sanctuary of my mat, I was home.

In that split second, I realised that even though I had done myself a disservice by not practicing when I needed my internal anchor the most, the ground work I have laid over the past few years served me well. Although I felt the definite sense of the depletion of my reserves, I was also aware of how very accessible replenishment is when I simply invest a few conscious moments in myself.

We train ourselves in the safety of our mats to connect with our own inner anchors and compasses so that when things get chaotic in the real world, we have something to hold onto and be guided by – ourselves.

~Kelly Fisher

For a small city on an Island at the bottom of the globe we are very well served by the international yoga community! Many wonderful teachers visit our country each year, and offer us the opportunity to deepen our knowledge of yoga practice and yoga philosophy.

Several years ago, a flyer about a seminar on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali caught my eye. Having studied the Yoga Sutras as part of previous teacher trainings, and in a small study group with friends, I had some idea of the subject matter, but this seemed to me to be an opportunity to gain a deeper insight into the application of this knowledge in the context of our modern world.

Kausthub Desikachar

The seminar was led by Kausthub Desikachar, a man with a very direct line to the source of our modern Hatha yoga practice. Kausthub’s grandfather, T. Krishnamacharya, was the teacher of B.K.S. Iyengar, Patabhi Jois, and T.K.V. Desikachar. Kausthub himself began to study yoga at the age of nine, so the language of yoga is indeed his native tongue! He has traveled widely, and makes easy connections with people from all cultural backgrounds. His lovely sense of humour, and his deep passion for the subject matter made his teaching style very accessible and enjoyable.

I realized after attending that first seminar that I had just opened a doorway to a very rich and deep well of knowledge. I am happy to say that since my first introduction to his teaching, Kausthub has visited Wellington every year, as he continues his exploration of the Sutras in depth in a series of seminars called ‘The Apex of Yoga’.

This year, he will be continuing his presentation of chapter two. One of Kausthub’s senior students and the organizer of these seminars, Ruth Diggins, says:

“This second part of Chapter 2 is an excellent place for newcomers to start as it covers the eight limbs of yoga and in some ways I think this part of the Yoga Sutras is the nuts and bolts of yoga. I am sure that Kausthub will give it an excellent rendition with a modern practical interpretation for us to take and implement in our daily lives.”

These seminars are open to all. You do not need to have attended previous seminars to come along. As Ruth points out, this is a wonderful starting point for exploring the sutras, since chapter two has very practical advice to offer us.

The seminar will be held at the Wellington Buddhist Centre on Cambridge Terrace. It begins on Friday, September 24, at 10:30am, and concludes at 5:30pm on Sunday, September 26. The full cost of the weekend workshop is $325, but the earlybird price of $285 has been extended to the end of August.

I hope many of you will join me, as I am sure you would find it a most enjoyable and informative weekend! If you would like more information, please contact Ruth by emailing ruthyoga@paradise, or calling 04-905 6224.

~ Lynda Miers-Henneveld

Yoga offers us the opportunity to find balance. The physical practices of asana and pranayama can generate, strengthen and direct prana (life energy) throughout our being, allowing areas of tension to be softened and physical pain to be healed. As we learn to balance our energy and find ways to release tight muscles and strengthen weak ones, we develop confidence in the wisdom of our physical body.

Of course, yoga affects much more than just the physical aspect of our being. The mind too begins to find balance as we learn to focus and direct our attention to all the sensations and reactions that arise as we practice. The ability to see the mind’s own fluctuations more clearly is one of the treasured gifts of yoga. Being able to see our thoughts as ripples on the surface of our consciousness also lends us the opportunity to see that there is a quiet awareness behind our thoughts that is an ever-present witness to these fluctuations.

As yogis we are well aware that everything is connected. What we do on the mat has a flow on effect into our everyday lives. As we find a more balanced way of being, our interactions with others become more easeful. We become more aware of how our actions affect our relationships and we gain the space and clarity to choose how we process life.

We can also look at this relationship between our practice and our life the other way around. Our diet and lifestyle choices have a very direct effect on the potency, as well as our enjoyment, of our practice. Getting enough sleep, choosing appropriate foods and balancing activity with rest will mean that the energy and attention we are able to bring to the mat is clear and strong.

The more we practice, and the more we learn about ourselves, the more confidence we develop in being able to deal with the challenges that living in a human body will sometimes present.

One way in which we can begin to appreciate our individual make up and our specific needs is to explore the science of Ayurveda. This ancient Indian health system is a perfect companion to our yoga practice. Ayurveda, like yoga, dates back 5,000 years to the ancient Sanskrit texts called the Vedas. Like yoga, the aim of Ayurveda is to remove obstructions to the flow of our vital life force.

An opportunity is at hand to find out how this ancient wisdom can benefit you on a personal level. Arihia Latham will be presenting a workshop called ‘Ayurveda one-oh-one’, on the 29^th of August, at Yoga Unlimited. The workshop runs from 2:00 until 5:00pm, and costs just $50.

Arihia is a valued member of our sangha. Many of you will already know her, as she is often at the studio, either in her role as Ayurvedic Practitioner and Massage Therapist, or on the mat in one of our yoga classes. She has a great deal of experience in combining the wisdom of Yoga and Ayurveda, and I can tell you from my personal experience that she is also a wonderful teacher.

Please read what Arihia has to say about ‘Ayurveda one-oh-one’. If you would like to join me in attending this workshop, call her on 021 167 2556, or email arihia.latham@gmail.com

Namaste.

~ Lynda Miers-Henneveld.

Ayurveda one-oh-one

Do you ever wonder why one person can eat what they want and never seem to have any ill effects, while others have to eat with great restriction? Why some people feel fantastic after two coffees while others would be reeling with anxiety and stomach cramps? Why is that for some people winter is a lovely time of containment and groundedness while others feel depressed and sluggish?The answer, simply is of course that  we are all different. Sometimes understanding what exactly is different and therefore what to do differently to feel good can be the challenge.

Ayurveda is the traditional health system from India, the sister science to Yoga.

Ayurveda looks at each person in their individuality and encourages a series of life principles that support and maintain our own unique balance.

When we step onto our yoga mat, the awareness of how we are on many levels is often heightened. This awareness often starts to filter in to other aspects of our lives, highlighting the challenging parts along with the enjoyable ones.

Ayurveda is about understanding what works best for our individual constitution and employing those concepts to our lifestyle, food, exercise, actions and thoughts.

The idea is that if we are creating balance with everything we ingest- food as well as stimuli, this translates into every aspect of life. Ideally this means that when we begin our yoga practice, we start it with a sense of balance and wellbeing, allowing the real magic of the practice to begin.

Ayurveda ‘one oh one’ is a chance to explore the fundamentals of Ayurveda and how they relate to our modern existence. It is a practical and interactive workshop that incorporates asana and meditation tools to enhance our individual wellbeing.

~ Arihia Latham.

Since I’m away, I thought I’d offer you a breathing meditation practice you might recognise from one of my classes if you’ve come along recently. This practice is tremendously balancing and helps me to remember my connection to the rest of the world and encourages me to carefully cultivate the kind of influence I would like to have on the people around me. It has evolved from my own practice, taking influence not only from the Yoga tradition but also another form of eastern wisdom, the Japanese Jiu Jitsu form –  Seishinkan. The philosophy and breath form are from the Yoga Perspective while the movement pattern is based on a Jiu Jitsu warm up.

BACKGROUND

There are seven energetic centres along the spine that, within the Yoga tradition, we call chakras. In Western medicine, these energetic centres correspond with massive crossing points of nerves, the communication channels within your nervous system. In yogic theory, it is thought that you can have an excess or a deficiency of energy in any of these centres which will affect your way of being in the world. There are many techniques of balancing the various energies in the body, but from my experience, pranayama is among the most effective.

Beginning just above the pelvic floor, we find Muladhara chakra (root chakra). This centre is said to govern your sense of foundation in the world – your family, your home, your finances. A little further up, just in front of the sacrum is Svadisthana chakra(sacral chakra) which is your emotional, creative, sexual centre, governing the gifts you have to offer to the world. Next between the navel and the sternum is Manipura chakra (solar plexus chakra), your personal power centre which influences the way you assert yourself in the world. Then at the level of the chest is Anahata chakra (heart chakra) and this is the turning point in the chakra system. It’s your connection with the outside world – how you manifest all of the things you generate in the lower chakras in relationship to other people.

In the first phase of the practice (described below), I spend a few rounds of breath drawing energy from the root to the heart, smoothing the breath, regulating my own energy. After some time, I move up the chakras to the final 3 which have more to do with your relationships to the outside world and to spirit.

 At the level of the throat, Visshuda chakra (throat chakra) governs the way you communicate with others. At eyebrow center, Ajna chakra (third eye chakra) is your connection with your intuition and the vast amount of wisdom that is available to you from the universe if you are open to it. Finally at the top of your head and just beyond is Saharara chakra (crown chakra) which connects you to Source. (Universal Energy, God, Spirit, Divine or however you see it).

In the second phase of the practice, after I’ve spent some time generating energy for myself, I consciously choose the kind of energy I would like to send out. Energy must be exchanged to be sustained. You can’t horde the energy you generate for yourself and expect to nourished by it. Yes, first you generate energy for yourself but in order for it to live, to breathe and to be manifested the way that is most life-affirming, it must be shared. It must be perpetuated. To create abundant energy, you must share what you have and in a timely fashion. Energy that is hidden is wasted.

THE PRACTICE

This breathing meditation can be done from seated or standing. If you’re sitting, take your time to establish a good, steady seat, grounding through your sit bones and inner thighs while extending tall through the spine. If you’re standing, have your feet hip distance apart and second toes parallel. Ground through the four corners of your feet and lift tall through the spine. With your eyes closed, let your awareness come to your breath. Gently begin to lengthen and deepen it, using the ujjayii technique if you wish.

Check out the video for visual instructions of the first two phases of the breath

PHASE ONE: Nourishing yourself

Once you’ve got a sense of breathing fully and deeply, begin first phase of the moving meditation, which helps to balance and harmonise your first three chakras.

Interlace your hands and let your arms hang straight down in front of you, palms facing up just in front of muladhara chakra. Inhale to a count of three and as you do so, draw your hands up to the level of anahata chakra (chest-height). In the pause between the inhale and the exhale, flip your hands to have the palms facing down. Then exhale to a count of three and, keeping your hands interlaced, release your arms to hanging in front of you again. In the pause before the inhale, flip your hands to face up again. Repeat this for 10 cycles of breath or two to five minutes, as you like. You might like to visualise your spinal column being filled with light from the base of your spine to the level of your heart as you inhale. See that light getting brighter and brighter with each inhalation. Feel that you are offering nourishing energy to yourself and attracting more of the same with every breath.

PHASE TWO: Offering your energy

When you are ready to move to the next phase of the breath, extend the inhalations and exhalations to a count of six. Beginning with the hands interlaced, palms facing up in front of the base of the spine (as before), inhale to a count of three and draw the hands up to the level of the heart. Continue counting and flip your palms to face up (signifying the transition from internal to external) and extend your arms straight, palms reaching past sahasrara (crown of your head) facing the ceiling. In the pause before the exhale, release your hands and face the palms forward. As you exhale for a count of six, radiate your arms wide and scribe a semi-circle with them until your hands are hanging by your hips. In the pause before the inhale, interlace your hands again, palms up in front of the base of the spine. Continue with this breath for 10 cycles or two to five minutes. As you inhale, visualise drawing light up your spinal column from the base all the way past the crown and then as you exhale, visualise radiating that light out through your fingertips, surrounding yourself with white light. Consider what type of energy you would like to be radiating and consciously send it out along with the light.

OPTIONAL PHASE THREE: Balancing internal generation with external radiation

As a reminder that it’s important to balance the energy you offer out to the world with the energy you direct to your own self-care, it’s nice to combine phase one and two of this practice for a few cycles of breath or even a few minutes. Begin with a three count breath as described in phase one, lifting the hands to heart height as you inhale and exhaling to take the hands back down. Let the next breath be a six count breath as described in phase two, lifting the hands all the way up to over head as you inhale and radiating them outward as you exhale.

When you’ve finished your practice, it’s nice to stand, sit or lie quietly for a few moments, absorbing the experience of this meditation.

~article by Kelly Fisher

Sthira sukham asanam – this aphorism, which can be found in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, tells us that a yoga posture is intended to be an expression of the balance between effort and ease. In fact, some translations of this sutra state that unless this balance exists in the posture, it isn’t yoga.

Sthira means stable, strong and resolute. Working with this quality hones our ability to be present – to be attentive to our physical, mental and emotional experience of each asana. The stability this creates in the mind and the body brings a sense of confidence.

Sukham refers to a feeling of ease or comfort, which can be experienced as spaciousness on a mental or physical level. In fact the last part of the word sukham (kham) means space. Su-kham means more space. The opposite of sukham is dukham, which means a lack of space, and is often described as difficulty, or suffering. As we work with the quality of ease, we encourage self-acceptance and non-violence.

Asana means seat, posture, or situation. It is sometimes used to describe a series of postures that prepare us for seated meditation. It is said that the root of the word asana (as) means being present in one’s body – existing, inhabiting and living fully in it.

The principals of Sthira Sukham Asanam can be taken off the mat as well. The Yoga Sutra defines asanam to also mean ‘situation’- how we relate to our surroundings. Sthira-sukham offers ideas for how to be attentive in all situations. Sthira helps steady and clear the mind giving us the courage to face people we need to confront, stay true to ourselves even when our beliefs are not the popular opinion or when experiencing new things. Sukham allows us to go with the flow, have an open mind and remain calm in uncomfortable moments. When we allow ourselves to soften we release the ego and exaggerated feelings of self-importance. Sukham grants us an open heart to release control when appropriate and ultimately, to be compassionate. ~ Yoga teacher Carrie Godesky.

So how do we begin to apply this wisdom in practice? In reflecting on the evolution of my own yoga practice over the past 17 years, it has become clear to me that the application of this wisdom looks very different according to where we are in any given moment. In his book The Heart of Yoga, T.K.V. Desikachar says that it is only possible to find the qualities that are essential to asana if we recognise our own starting point and learn to accept it. This means starting each practice by checking in, really listening to ourselves, and being very honest about what we find.

When I first began to practice yoga on a regular basis, my practice had a strong physical focus. I was a thirty-one year old mother with two small children, and I was recovering from knee surgery. There was much to do in the way of strengthening my body, and the discipline to commit to a regular asana practice also took some time to develop. The emphasis on sthira was therefore justified, and the confidence I gained from practicing strong physical postures, such as deep backbends and exhilarating arm balances, stood me in good stead in all aspects of my life.

More recently I have found myself gravitating towards a practice that emphasises sukham. This makes perfect sense too, since I am at a very different stage in my life. I am now forty-eight years old. Some days my body requires a less challenging practice. Earlier this year, both of my children left home. Adapting to their absence has been emotionally and energetically challenging. As I look to my practice to nourish and support me, I find balance in other ways. That doesn’t mean that I no longer have a strong asana practice. In fact, some days I find that arm balances and backbends are exactly what I need. But there are also days on which I find meditation and pranayama are enough. The key to sthira sukham asanam is to be attentive to the way things change from day to day.

What about applying this wisdom in a yoga class, when someone else decides what happens? If you attend classes regularly, you will know that sometimes the focus of the class will be exactly what you need at the time. It is as if the teacher read your mind, and your body, and designed the class just for you. But what if the opposite is true? How do you find balance in a class when you feel the tempo is too fast, or the practice is heating when you think you need to chill? You can still explore the concept of sthira sukham asanam, and benefit from attending the session by honouring your needs.

Interestingly, in a group situation it can require sthira to practice sukham, because choosing to pause when the rest of the class is moving requires a different kind of strength. On the other hand, you might discover that a strong physical practice can actually help you burn away the lethargy that is clouding your mind. So by going with the flow of the class you might find energy and inspiration that would not otherwise have been available to you. Again, the key is to be attentive to the way you are responding from moment to moment. Your breath is your greatest ally in this process, because it will show you if the practice is serving you. The breath, like the posture, should be steady and comfortable.

Yoga meets us where we are. If we understand that the point of the practice is not to achieve certain postures, but to allow the postures to help us find our wisdom, then it can truly help us create steadiness and ease, no matter what life (or the yoga teacher) throws at us.

Namaste.

Article by Lynda Miers-Henneveld.

Fire is an amazing thing. We human beings are fascinated by its beauty and energy. When a fire is burning well, we can contentedly stare into the flames for hours on end. More often than not though, a fire needs constant tending to keep it from dying out or raging out of control. Our personal internal fire is no different.

Manipura chakra is the energy centre that governs the manifestation of our personal power. It is located at the level of the solar plexus, between the navel and the sternum and is thought to rule our will and autonomy, as well as our metabolism. The element associated with this chakra is fire and many of the practices we do to boost the energy at this centre are heating. Conversely, when our internal fires are a little too hot and this energy centre needs pacification, cooling practices are more appropriate.

As Anodea Judith states:

“When healthy, [Manipura] chakra brings us energy, effectiveness, spontaneity, and non-dominating power”.

When it’s excessive, we can become overbearing and aggressive. When this chakra is deficient, we can lack confidence. Maintaining a steady flame requires consistent care and attention. It is well worth the effort though, because a fully functional Manipura Chakra is a useful thing to have at your disposal when you’re pursuing a goal and trying to maintain good, solid relationships at the same time!

As an ambitious, driven sort of individual, I’ve never suffered from deficient energy at Manipura Chakra for any length of time. Oh sure, every now and then I fizzle out and need a confidence boost but generally speaking, my Manipura chakra blazes with all of the fire it’s meant to. And yes, sometimes the fire burns hotter than is sustainable…my apologies to anyone whose eyebrows have been singed.

Given that my predisposition is towards fire, I’ve spent a lifetime either consciously or unconsciously cultivating tools for maintaining some sort of equilibrium at Manipura chakra. I’m an expert at “Fire Practices” and can help anyone fan a lacklustre Manipura into a blazing flame. Many yoga practices that are encountered in every class are excellent ways to build strength and energy at this centre.

Unfortunately, I’m also pretty good at literally “burning myself out”. For a long time pacifying Manipura had been a huge challenge for me. One key discovery changed all that: the back of the body has a big role to play in maintaining the balance in this chakra.

In tantric philosophy as taught in Anusara yoga, the back body is associated with the Universal while the front body is associated with the individual. So often when we are out of balance at the level of Manipura chakra, our bodies tell the story. If we are excessive and our ego leads the way, our posture can be characterised by a forward thrust of the solar plexus area. Conversely, when we are deficient and lack confidence, we tend to shrink backwards, allowing the spine to round forward in a gesture of self-protection.

Interestingly enough, when we are straining towards a goal and embodying the physical characteristics of an excessive Manipura chakra, we tend to close off the back body and the area around our kidneys and adrenal glands gets squeezed. At a physiological level, we may be stressing ourselves out even more by compressing the area around the adrenal glands which kick out more adrenaline thereby making us feel more internal tension. It can become a vicious circle. On the other hand, if our self confidence is low and we curl forward, we end up stretching that area in an unconscious effort to soothe ourselves and create space around the adrenals.

In a yoga practice, when we over focus on strengthening the front body at the level of Manipura or when we thrust our solar plexus forward, we can be inadvertently saying that we can do it all alone, that we don’t need support or help. Conversely, when we curl into ourselves or resist cultivating strength in the abdominals, we can be unconsciously communicating our desire for support from the rest of the world perhaps because we need a little extra nurturing or because we feel like we lack the ability to support ourselves.

Balancing an acknowledgement and a trust that the universe has got your back with putting in good honest, personal effort is the ultimate expression of a well functioning Manipura Chakra. One practice that I have found tremendously helpful at cultivating that sense of trust is quite simple. Before beginning any practice or posture, I take a few deeps breaths into the back of my body. By inflating the area around my kidneys and lower back, there is an immediate sense of ease that comes into my body and my mind. As my friend and Anusara teacher Katie Lane encouraged me:

“Remember your connection to something greater, soften your sense of individual/separate self. As you draw the sides of your waistline back and release your front ribs down, invite your back body to shine with the buoyancy of the breath. Breathe here awhile. When you create that fullness in the midback, you’ll tap into a deep feeling of support”

It’s so true! I started consciously encorporating this bit of advice into my practice a couple of months back and the effect has been incredible and immensely healing. By opening into a sense of trust and dispersing my awareness away from my front body to include the back as well, my physical practice has gotten stronger and the level of my everyday sense of tension has eased. My internal fires burn much more steadily now and with far fewer destructive raging bonfires. And by maintaining that steadiness, more power is available to me more consistently.

As all of us know, our personal fire centres need constant tending, just like any other flame. Consider remembering the universal support that is available to help you tend yours. You may discover that you are far stronger and more resilient with less apparent effort than when you try to go it all alone!

~article by Kelly Fisher

Kelly Fisher is offering a workshop for students of all levels. On Sunday, September 12, come along to ask all of the questions you’ve been wondering about certain asanas. Check out the event listing  for more details!

Shankh mudra

Make yourself comfortable in a seated posture. Ensure that your pelvis is level and your spine feels elongated so that your breath can move freely. Rest your hands on your thighs with your palms facing up and take a few deep breaths. Now, wrap the four fingers of your right hand around your left thumb, hiding the thumb inside the curled fingers. Then extend the left fingers and the right thumb upwards, and touch their tips together, closing your hands. Bring your hands in front of your heart, close your eyes, and allow your breath to find a steady rhythm. Stay here for at least 10 breaths, then open your eyes and relax your hands back onto your thighs. Notice how you feel.

You have just practiced Shankh mudra. Shankh means shell, and you may have noticed that the mudra looked somewhat like a conch shell. The word mudra has various meanings. It can refer to a gesture, a symbol, a lock or a seal. There are mudras involving body and/or eye positions, but we often think of mudras as hand gestures, which can be practiced on their own, or in combination with yoga and meditation practices.

Many years ago, I discovered a wonderful book at my local library called ‘Mudras – Yoga in Your Hands’, by Gertud Hirschi. I thought the mudras looked fascinating and decided to experiment with them in my practice. Over time I developed some firm favourites and these have become an important part of my practice. Some mudras can help to focus a wondering mind, others can help to direct and regulate your breathing, and there are those which can strengthen your resolve or bring steadiness when you feel physically or mentally out of balance.

Did you notice when you practiced Shankh mudra that there was a shift in your awareness. Was it a little easier to access your breath and focus on the subtle sensations in your body? In this mudra the left thumb represents your higher self. As you encircle the thumb and place your hands in front of your heart space, you create a gesture of connection, comfort and security. The overall effect can be one of quiet confidence, and a sense of inner peace.

According to kundalini expert Lothar-Rudiger Lutge:

“…Kundalini yoga assumes that every area of the hand forms a reflex zone for an associated part of the body and brain. In this way, we can consider the hands to be a mirror for our body and our mind.”

Reflexology assumes that this is true for the hands as well as the feet, and that pressure points on the hands and feet can be used to great effect in healing all kinds of ailments. Gertud Hirschi adds that flexibility in the hands has a direct relationship to flexibility in the entire body. If we are tense in a certain place in the body, this tension will be expressed at a corresponding area in the hands. In practicing mudras, we use a gentle touch, keeping the pressure of the fingers light and fine, and the hands relaxed, so that energy can flow freely throughout the hands and to the rest of the body.

As another yogic tool for creating awareness and understanding of our human nature, the mudras can also help us to explore the koshas, which define the various aspects of our being from the gross to the subtle. As we bring the hands into the prescribed position we first of all experience the physical sensations of our hands touching in a particular way, and then we may feel the movement of energy within the hands, and the circulation of energy from the hands to the rest of the body. There is often also a perceptible change in the breath. As we take in all of these effects, we expand our awareness and our ability to focus our attention is improved.

Anjali mudra

Come back into your comfortable seat and now bring your hands together in front of your heart. Allow your thumbs to touch your body, to make a connection between your hands and your heart. Apply just enough pressure between your hands to be able to feel not just the touch of your skin, but also the energy flowing beneath the skin. Close your eyes, or relax your gaze at your fingertips. Visualise energy flowing from your hands, through your arms and shoulders, towards your heart. At the same time, begin to gently expand your heart space with your inhalations, inviting healing energy into your heart. Let your shoulders relax with your exhalations, and visualise the release of anything that you’d like to let go of. Continue for at least ten breaths. When you are finished, notice how you feel.

As I leave you with this experience of Anjali mudra, I invite you to explore these lovely gestures in your own practice. There are many resources available to help you find the ones that work for you. Gertud’s book is still available at the library, and since I now own a copy, you are more likely to find it on the shelf! Come into the studio and experience the mudras in asana practice, or check out the articles on the yoga journal website.

Namaste.

Article by Lynda Miers-Henneveld.

We are all born with fantastic intuition. As we grow older and more trained by the world, we become increasingly rational and logical. This transformation from soft, intuitive beings to solid, analytical ones is highly adaptive for the world in which we live. In order to achieve our society’s measure of success, there seems to be a collective agreement that we must deny some aspects of our natural, instinctive selves. Yet when we cultivate only the intellect and repeatedly deny or dishonour our deepest feelings, a sense of low level anxiety and dissatisfaction develops. Something within us knows we have taken a wrong turn.

Luckily, all is not lost. Just as we can strengthen a muscle that has atrophied, it is possible to dust off the cobwebs from our intuitive selves. The practice of yoga is tremendously helpful for reconnecting with the innate wisdom we all possess and also for realising our connection with the collective wisdom that is available just beyond the rational mind. Through the practice of yoga, we learn to go inside, to become sensitive to what our bodies are doing and along the way, we regain a sense of ourselves that is lost when we live largely in our heads. We begin to wake up and start living from a whole new paradigm.

Here’s a caveat though – we can’t “make” this happen. We can’t muscle our way into it, we can’t will it to happen, we can’t buy it. We can however, cultivate the conditions that allow our natural intuition to shine forth. The regular practice of yoga impacts our entire being – from the gross physical body, to our breath and our mind, all the way to the subtlest levels of intuition and spirit. By showing up for ourselves on the mat, by breathing and paying attention to our experience we start to clear the channels of debris that has clouded our ability to receive the messages being given to us by our intuition.

I am extremely fortunate. For the vast majority of my early life, having a finely tuned intuitive awareness was as adaptive for my life situation as having a sharp intellect is for most people. I lived in an environment where there was constant emotional upheaval. Because that was the case from the time I was very young, my innate intuition was still fully functional when I really needed it. Without realising I was doing anything unusual, I learned to read people and situations with exquisite precision in the blink of an eye, quite often with little concrete evidence as to why I knew what I knew. This skill meant I had advance warning for when I needed to find safety from the storm that was brewing…or to ready my defences if I had to.

Once I left home after University, I no longer needed to be as sensitive to my internal cues as I had been throughout my childhood. In addition, I joined the corporate world where sensitivity can be more detrimental than advantageous. Over time, I became indoctrinated into our culture more fully and my intuition took a backseat. As the years went by though, I felt increasingly disillusioned and disconnected. It took getting on a yoga mat to help me find my way back to my natural intuition and to begin to heal my relationship to it.

When I started practicing yoga, gradually, over time, I found I was able to soften and become receptive again. I re-developed the capacity to pick up on increasingly subtle cues from my intuition. As my intuition strengthened, I found it was important to trust it in order for my sensitivity to increase. By honouring my instincts I began to develop a self reliance that allows me to stay soft and receptive to the world, which in turns helps my instincts to remain sharp.

These days, I find when my practice is suffering, so too will my intuition. When I don’t take the time to allow the subtle channels of my being to be cleansed and refreshed on the mat, it becomes easier to dishonour my gut feelings. This disregard for my instincts has led me to make some remarkably bad choices. Ironically enough, the outcome of being deadened to my intuition creates situations where I feel the need to create a self-protective shell, which in turn makes it harder to be receptive to my intuition’s subtle whispers. So then I start over again, re-honouring myself by practicing and listening. Lo and behold, my innate abilities re-emerge, grateful for the opportunity to shine forth again.

Yoga helps us reconnect with our innate intuitive abilities by clearing us out energetically and by making us more receptive. In order to keep our intuition running strong though, we must honour it. The next time your intuition speaks softly to you, I encourage you to listen to it. Over time, you will begin to develop a trust in yourself and your intuition will no longer whisper – it will speak very clearly and often. And to keep that skill sharp, get on your mat at home or come to a class with us!

~article by Kelly Fisher