Chakra Eight - May 28, 2020 - Divine Light

Chakra Eight is not often discussed in connection with the standard seven. I discovered this one some years ago in my study and use it in my classes at The Yogatorium.  We each place our hands back to back at the eighth chakra above our head and draw the light around our body moving our hands all the way down to the earth, symbolically opening sacred space.  Then, at the end of the class, following savasana and meditation, we close sacred space bringing the light back up to the eighth chakra.

Below is a diagram showing the location of the seven chakras.  Peter Sterios.   Gravity and Grace: How to Awaken Your Subtle Body and the Healing Power of Yoga.  P. 119.

Chakra Seven - May 27, 2020 - "I connect with Spirit."

Chakra Seven.  The "crown" chakra symbolizes your spiritual side.  I connect with Spirit.  I invite sacred transformation.  I embrace the unity of all beings.
When I reach my crown chakra, I have increased my "breath of fire" count to seventy (seven times ten).  This took many weeks of practice but has become comfortable.  Over the years, I have taken breaks from the practice of ten breaths with chakra one, twenty with chakra two, etc.  At such times, I begin again with ten for each one gradually adding ten to each and progressing to the seventy with chakra seven.
At other times, I meditate with only one of the chakras as my focal point.

Chakra Six - May 25, 2020 - I am healing body, mind, and spirit.

Chakra Six - I honor my intuition.  I accept my path.  I am healing body, mind, and spirit.

The sixth chakra is located at the third eye, that spot on the brow between the eyebrows and slightly above.  The Third Eye represents intelligence, intuition, and the ability to see the big picture, and it governs the brain, nervous system, eyes, ears, and nose.  (Prevention Magazine, Oct. 2013.)

For me, the major line is: I am healing body, mind, and spirit.  I find the other two sentences very powerful also:  I honor my intuition.  I accept my path.  

All of the messages from the Tibetan prayer flags I find meaningful, but this one is most inspiring to me.  It seems to bring me closer to my Self than any of the other flag messages.

Have you a favorite?

Chakra Five - May 21, 2020 - I create my reality.

Chakra Five is associated with the throat, neck, and head region.  The color blue is associated with this chakra.
Words on the 5th Tibetan prayer flag are:
I play in my imagination.  I create my reality.  I know and share my truth.
All of these sentences inspire me but perhaps the most frequent standout is "I create my reality."  This puts the responsibility squarely on me and while it is a big load, I look at it as a great opportunity for growth.  Since blue is my favorite color, perhaps that, too, makes for a strong connection.

Once you have begun  meditating with the chakras, your thought choices may surprise you.  Listen carefully.

Chakra Four - May 20, 2019 - The Heart

Chakra Four - The Heart.  I am loved; I let love in.  I am kind to myself.  I live in peace and gratitude.

All of these words resonate with me, some more than others on different days.  They are related, I believe, to my mental and emotional state.  I am often drawn to "I am kind to myself."

I have not discussed the colors related to each chakra, but you may be interested in them.  They are the same as we see in rainbows:  red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet.  This places the green with the heart.  Chakra One, red; Chakra Two, orange; Chakra Three, yellow; etc.

If you are trying meditating on the chakras, associating the appropriate color may be of help.
I do find it a help placing my hand on the heart when using Chakra Four.

Chakra Three - May 16, 2020 - I am whole.

Chakra Three:  I am courageous.  I am whole.  I stand in my power.
The third chakra is located at the navel.  When meditating I often place one hand at my navel.
The most powerful words from this prayer flag for me are I am whole.

Today I want to share a Mary Oliver poem with you.  My connection to Spirit is most directly felt by connecting to nature and her poems are a good source for me.

Is the soul solid, like iron?

Or is it tender and breakable, like

the wings of a moth in the beak of the owl?

Who has it, and who doesn't?

I keep looking around me.

The face of the moose is sad

as the face of Jesus.

The swan opes her white wings slowly.

In the fall, the black bear carries leaves into the darkness.

One question leads to another.

Does it have one lung, like the snake and the scallop?

Why should I have it, and not the anteater

who loves her children?

Why should I have it, and not the camel?

Come to think of it, what about the maple trees?

What about the blue iris?

What about all the little stones, sitting alone in the moonlight?

What about roses, and lemons, and their shining leaves?

What about the grass?

Mary Oliver, "Some Questions You Might Ask"

P. 53 "The Lost Language of Plants" by Stephen Harrod Buhner.

Chakra - May 15, 2020 - I surrender to this moment.

Chakra Two - I feel my emotions and my pain.  I reawaken my passion.  I surrender to this moment.
Much has been written about living "in the moment."  My favorite reminder is from "The Peaceful Warrior."
Where are you?  Here.
What time is it?  Now
What are you doing?  The moment.

Surrendering to the moment is a reminder for me to be still and listen.  It is in these moments that I attempt to connect with my inner Self during meditation.  It is not essential to be sitting or lying down to meditate.  It is something that can occur no matter where you are or what you are doing.  Try it sometime - you might like it.

Next, Chakra Three.

Chakras - May13,2020 - I am safe

Introduction
This morning I'm beginning a series of posts to introduce you to the chakras.  Please know that you can find a world of information on line by simply going to "chakras."  My intention here is to give you my personal practice in hopes of inspiring you to think about these energy centers within your own body.  After all,  there is much more to yoga  than  practicing the asanas (physical poses).

The Subtle Body
....it is widely held in and outside India that the physical body has a subtle counterpart made not of gross matter but of a finer substance, or energy.  George Feuerstein, PhD. "Yoga Tradition.  Its History, Literature, Philosophy and Practice.

What are chakras?  Seven Energy Centers located within the body originating along the spine.
When they are functioning properly, we feel better.  Just as we feel better when our physical body is functioning properly.
"Illumination" is the name of the process I perform for others.  It is basically a cleansing of the chakras.
 I can also teach you how to cleanse your own chakras.

During my meditation practice, I use words from my Tibetan prayer flags (a gift from Joanne).
Chakra One is the root chakra, located at the base of the spine:
I am safe.  I trust more; I fear less.  I am centered and grounded.

More next time.

Connecting - May 9, 2020 - A Good Day - Distractions

What made yesterday a good one?  (It's very early Saturday morning now.)  Distractions.
First, we shopped at Food Lion at 7:30 am.  It was Frank's first visit inside a store since April 7 when his intestinal bacteria attacked and then a week later a broken kneecap.  He thoroughly enjoyed driving the vehicle around in the store and finally actually saw empty shelves and a few people social distancing and wearing masks.  (He's still wearing a brace and using a walker for another 10 days.)  This early-in-the-morning shopping is a great benefit for those of us who are truly attempting to avoid human contact.
And so we do.
The rest of the day I never sat at my laptop and only checked my iPhone a couple of times.  I didn't watch the news until about 5 pm for about a half hour and then again at 9:00 (Rachel Madow is our favorite.)
So what did I do?  I napped a couple times, did laundry, met with Robert who will repair our bathroom floor so the toilet doesn't fall through, listened to two therapists visiting Frank, (social distancing not total for us because of these necessary visitors).  I fixed hot dogs for lunch ( a request by Frank - we'd never done that before!) and a pork tenderloin for supper.
Instead of watching news, we watched a Perry Mason show!  Truly fun!  We'll do more of that - finding old favorites on TV.  Although, we actually spend less than 2 hours a day at the tube.
My go-to when I just want to escape and not think?  A booklet of pictures I draw by connecting numbers - even better than crossword puzzles which require thinking.
Enough for this morning.  My coffee mug is empty.

Connecting - May 7, 2020 - Change

It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.  Charles Darwin, 1809

I am very fortunate since I generally like change.  Although, the changes occurring now are certainly not making for added happiness except for the challenge to find ways to be at least content in spite of the sickness and death that are happening throughout our country.  How does change affect you?  How does the current change affect you?  How are you adapting?
Certainly at this time of our lives, all of us are subjected to change - whether we like it or not.
What I am seeing now, is an opportunity to be more than do.
My life is pretty well dominated now by taking care of Frank with his healing kneecap, and continuing exercises for myself for my healing wrist and shoulder.  Other than that, I have much time for choices.
The biggest change has been the loss of Frank's help with the grocery buying, cooking suppers, and doing little maintenance chores around the place.  For now, I am the one who is doing all of that, plus laundry, cleaning up the kitchen, and once in a great while vacuuming the house.  Since we don't leave the house often, we are not tracking in dirt - or so I excuse myself.
Anyway, the most pleasant things I have found myself doing are observing the natural world from our glassed-in back porch looking right over the pond.  I'll write more about that tomorrow.
In the meantime, are you finding time to BE?
Here is a short section from another poem Donna sent to me:

I want to know 

what sustains you

from the inside

when all else falls away.

I want to know

if you can be alone 

with yourself

and if you truly like

the company you keep

in the empty moments.

By Oriah © Mountain Dreaming,

Connecting May 6, 2020 - And people stayed home

I'd like to share with you a particularly timely poem I received from Donna Toland.  Still no classes at The Yogatorium, but I do want you to know that you are all in my thoughts.  From time to time I'll share thoughts with you. Please share yours with me. Text or call 864-506-4063.  Or, add a comment to the posted item.

A poem by Kitty O’Meara – updated.

And people stayed home

and read books and listened

and rested and exercised

and made art and played

and learned new ways of being

and stopped

and listened deeper

someone meditated

someone prayed

someone danced

someone met their shadow

and people began to think differently

and people healed

and in the absence of people who lived in ignorant ways,

dangerous, meaningless and heartless,

even the earth began to heal

and when the danger ended

and people found each other

grieved for the dead people

and they made new choices

and dreamed of new visions

and created new ways of life

and healed the earth completely

just as they were healed themselves.

Kitty O’Meara