Energy Healing

Yoga beyond Stress Strain and Anxiety

June 19, 2011January 14, 2014 Kristin Russel

Over the last two decades, the researchers studied the brain’s response to yoga in great detail. Yoga is an easy way for relaxation. Stress relief is the main advantage of yoga exercises. Ten minutes Mindful meditation with yoga is a good combination for health benefits.

Stress relief starts with identifying the sources of stress in your life. You can do daily kriya yoga pranayama.

The stress hormones cycles among these three glands, namely hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis works in a feedback loop. When you’re faced with a major stress, the cone-shaped hypothalamus at the base of your brain releases CRH (corticotrophin-releasing hormone), which then does a hula dance on your pituitary gland, stimulating it to release another hormone called ACTH (adrenocorticotropic hormone) into your bloodstream.

ACTH signals your adrenal glands to release cortisol and facilitates production and then release of norepinephrine (also known as adrenaline, the fight-or-flight chemical). These four chemicals serve as your body’s SWAT team—they respond to emergencies.

Adrenaline increases your blood pressure and heart rate, while cortisol releases sugar in the form of glucose to fuel your muscles and your mind. Then, to close the loop, cortisol travels back to the hypothalamus to stop the good production of CRH. Stress over, hormones released, body returns to normal.

Regular yoga exercise revitalize the feedback loop. Walking in the morning is a very good practice.

You can do Pelvic Tilts, Cat – Cow Stretches and Sun Salutation are good example for yoga. You can practice dance yoga, water kriya yoga are helpful.

“If you want to conquer anxiety in life – live in the breath, live in the moment.” – Amit Ray

Mantra Chanting in Daily Life:

May 17, 2011May 17, 2011 Kristin Russel

Mantra chanting is an ancient way for getting success, healing and prosperity in life. There are many mantras. However some of the most useful mantras are discussed here.

Mantra chanting is easily practiced anywhere, as when repeated mentally, no one can see what we are doing. It is one method for regaining and maintaining peace during stressful times. When we are feeling stress, a few moments of mantra meditation can clear away the dust obstructing the view of a good resolution. And, upon lying down for sleep, mantra repetition can calm the mind, letting the body relax.
A mantra is a syllable or group of syllables – sound vibrations – that clear the mind of debris; much as sound vibrations clean jewelry. When first practicing, the mantra can be spoken, and as we concentrate we can begin mental repetition.
Swami Prabhupada writes in the Srimad Bhagavatam: “Unless one follows the disciplic succession, the mantra one receives will be chanted for no purpose. Nowadays there are so many useless gurus who manufacture their mantras as a process for material advancement, not for spiritual advancement. Still, the mantra cannot be successful if it is manufactured. Mantras and the process of devotional service have special power..”
As with all types of meditation practices the practice itself is not the goal; the goal is a calm mind and relaxed body, so that harmonious thoughts more easily come to mind followed by their product of kind and caring actions.
When our mind is calm and clear we make the best decisions for all concerned. Peace and harmony in our own life influences others’ feelings of peace and harmony. Our positive and kind words and actions bless ourselves, because we feel good in the process of positive thought and action, and the recipients of our goodness benefit by our actions and examples.

When mantra does not work?

A mantra must be received from your Inner Guru. Mantras received from any other type of external gurus, like unrealized head of some spiritual organizations generally does not work. Generally mantra which includes the name of a dead person “incarnations,” does not work. Mantra with too many words does not work.

Real Mantras:

The yoga cum meditation cum spiritual business is flourishing these days. Modern-day “incarnations,”, “messiahs,” with all varieties of mantras, are a dime a dozen, as eager customers flock to the feet of self-styled saviors. The Mundaka Upanisad states that “In order to learn the transcendental science, one must approach the bona fide spiritual master in disciplic succession, who is fixed in the Absolute Truth.”

The Power of Mantra Meditation

The Vedas, scriptures containing the timeless spiritual knowledge of ancient India, state that an awakening process is desperately needed because everyone in this material world is in a sleeping, dreamlike condition. We have forgotten our original, spiritual identity, accepting instead a temporary material body composed of physical elements as our real self. The Vedas compare the material body to the subtle forms we experience in dreams. While sleeping, we forget our normal waking identity and may find ourselves enjoying or suffering in different types of bodies. But when we hear the ringing of the alarm clock, we awaken and return to normal consciousness. We remember who we are and what we should be doing. Similarly, by hearing the powerful transcendental sound vibrations of mantra, we can gradually wake up to our original self, the soul, which is characterized by eternality and is full of knowledge and ever-increasing pleasure.

The sages of ancient India therefore tell us that the goal of human life should not be to try to enjoy our temporary dreamlike situation in the material world. Rather, we are advised to awaken to our original, spiritual nature and ultimately return to our true home in the spiritual world, where we may enjoy an eternal relationship with the Supreme God.

The transcendental potency necessary for developing complete psychological and spiritual fulfillment is already present within everyone. It must, however, be uncovered by a genuine spiritual process.

How to Chant

There are two basic types of chanting. Personal meditation, where one just remember the power of the word, is called mental japa. When one chants in responsive fashion with others, this is called kirtana. Kirtana is usually accompanied by musical instruments and clapping. Both forms of chanting are recommended and beneficial.

There are no hard-and-fast rules for chanting. The most wonderful thing about mantra meditation is that one may chant anywhere — at home, at work, driving in the car, or riding on the bus or subway. And one may chant at any time.

The OM Chant
If there is no religious preference than the sound vibration ‘OM’ is a universally recognized mantra.

If using ‘OM’ draw the sound out like this – oooooommmmmmmmmmm – emphasis being on the last part. To use in conjunction with breathing take an in breath, and then on the out breath repeat ‘OM’ remembering to draw out the ending.

Therefore chanting OM (AUM) will bring us to a state of purity in body mind and soul.

Sri Amit Ray in the Book Om Chanting and Meditation beautifully explained the details of Om meditation and AUM chanting.

AUM

The Purity Chant

The Om is composed of three letters, A, U, and M. These symbolize the practitioner’s impure body, speech, and mind; they also symbolize the pure exalted body, speech, and mind of a Buddha.
All Buddhas are cases of beings who were like ourselves and then in dependence on the path became enlightened; Buddhism does not assert that there is anyone who from the beginning is free from faults and possesses all good qualities. The development of pure body, speech, and mind comes from gradually leaving the impure states arid their being transformed into the pure.

The path is indicated by the next four syllables. Mani, meaning jewel, symbolizes the factors of method-the altruistic intention to become enlightened, compassion, and love. Just as a jewel is capable of removing poverty, so the altruistic mind of enlightenment is capable of removing the poverty, or difficulties, of cyclic existence and of solitary peace. Similarly, just as a jewel fulfils the wishes of sentient beings, so the altruistic intention to become enlightened fulfils the wishes of sentient beings.

The two syllables, padme, meaning lotus, symbolize wisdom. Just as a lotus grows forth from mud but is not sullied by the faults of mud, so wisdom is capable of putting you in a situation of non-contradiction whereas there would be contradiction if you did not have wisdom. There is wisdom realizing impermanence, wisdom realizing that persons are empty, of being self-sufficient or substantially existent, wisdom that realizes the emptiness of duality-that is to say, of difference of entity between subject an object-and wisdom that realizes the emptiness of inherent existence. Though there are many different types of wisdom, the main of all these is the wisdom realizing emptiness.

Purity must be achieved by an indivisible unity of method and wisdom, symbolized by the final syllable hum, which indicates indivisibility. According to the sutra system, this indivisibility of method and wisdom refers to wisdom affected by method and method affected by wisdom. In the mantra, it refers to one consciousness in which there is the full form of both wisdom and method as one un-differentiable entity. In terms of the seed syllables of the five Conqueror Buddhas, hum is the seed syllable of Akshobhya – the immovable, the unfluctuating, that which cannot be disturbed by anything.

Thus the six syllables, om mani padme hum, mean that in dependence on the practice of a path which is an indivisible union of method and wisdom, you can transform your impure body, speech, and mind into the pure exalted body, speech, and mind of a Buddha. It is said that you should not seek for Buddhahood outside of yourself; the substances for the achievement of Buddhahood are within. We have within us the seed of purity, the essence of a One, that is to be transformed and fully developed into Buddhahood.

om mani padme hum

The Gayatri Mantra

The meaning of the Gayatri mantra is as follows

We contemplate the glory of Light illuminating the three worlds: gross, subtle, and causal.
I am that vivifying power, love, radiant illumination, and divine grace of universal intelligence.
We pray for the divine light to illumine our minds.

Om: The primeval sound
Bhur: the physical world
Bhuvah: the mental world
Suvah: the celestial, spiritual world
Thath: That; God; transcendental Paramatma
Savithur: the Sun, Creator, Preserver
Varenyam: most adorable, enchanting
Bhargo: luster, effulgence
Devasya: resplendent,supreme Lord
Dheemahi: we meditate upon
Dhiyo: the intellect,understanding
Yo: May this light
Nah: our
Prachodayath: enlighten,guide,inspire

Om Bhur Buvaha Suvaha
Thath Savithur Varenyam
Bhargo Devasya Dheemahi
Dhiyo Yonaha Prachodayath

Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra Chant:

Anybody can recite this mantra and attain good health, release from mental bondage from ideologies and other problems.

OM TRYAMBAKAM YAJAMAHE

SUGANDHIM PUSHTHI VARDHANAM

URVARUKAMIVA BANDHANAT

MRYTYOR MUKSHEEYA MAMRITAT ||

Tryambaka is the name of Lord Shiva as the father of the three worlds – bhu, bhuva and svarga lokas.

Meaning: We remember the Three-Eyed Lord Shiva who is naturally fragrant, immensely merciful and who is the Protector of the devotees. Remembering the name may we be liberated from death for the sake of immortality just as the ripe cucumber easily separates itself from the binding stalk i.e. “By your Grace, Let me be in the state of salvation (Moksha) and be saved from the clutches of death and sorrowness”. Remembering Lord Ganesha and then Brahmrishi Vasishta who has given us this mahamantra.
It brings health, wealth, peace, prosperity, satisfaction and long life. It is a Moksha-Mantra too.

The Hare Krishna Mantra

Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna
Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare
Hare Rama, Hare Rama,
Rama Rama, Hare Hare
The HU Chant

Chanting HU (pronounced “hue”) aloud or to yourself can open your heart to God’s love and transform your life. This daily practice can help you experience more love, joy and spiritual freedom. You can also try chanting this inwardly when faced with challenging situations. HU is a ancient name for God and is a very uplifting chant when singing it with a group of people.

HU (hue)

Mantra for success, mantra for healing and mantra for peace is the ancient way for happy life.

Dance Yoga

December 8, 2010December 8, 2010 Kristin Russel

Dance yoga is a marvelously unified and dynamic composition expressing the rhythm and harmony of life. There are hundreds of dances such as kathak, garba, Bhangra and special dances observed in regional festivals. However, yoga dances are slightly different. You are your own master. Let your body mind and soul dance together. You are your own judge.

There are several benefits of dance yoga:

* improve and maintain mobility

* to build and improve confidence

* to learn and develop new skills

* to help and improve coordination

* to help and maintain weight control

* develop, learn and maintain communicating skills

* removes the blockages and provides enjoyment.

The requirements for dance yoga are:

Devotion — This is a grace. To willingly submit ourselves to Allah/God in Whom we live, and move, and have our being. Hypocrisy may be the only sin. How wonderful it is when we actually feel like bowing in humility before the eternal truth. These dances can be worship: the celebration of the Divine Presence.

Watch your Breath — Breath is life. Breath is movement. Voice is breath. Let breath breathe. Return to awareness of breath in silence between dances. Notice the subtle changes in breath with each dance.

Listen — Don’t simply recite the sacred phrase. Listen to the other voices. Listen to the person directing the dance. When you listen, your voice automatically begin to harmonize. Find the center of the sound.

Feel — The dances are designed to take us more and more into the universe of feeling. Stay with your feeling. If you go off into the world of thoughts, don’t judge yourself; simply bring your concentration back to feeling. The heart center, found in the middle of the chest, is the natural place to begin.

Ecstasy — These dances can lead to states of ecstasy. Joyously invigorating! In dances where you are brought to the center of the circle, especially soar. But soar with your whole being. Taste all planes at the same time. If your feet are grounded on the earth, then your head can be in the heavens.

Amin (ah-meen) — These mean “so be it”. We say this at the conclusion of many dances. (Other phrases such as the Sanskrit Svaha, or the Native American Ho, are also used. The important thing is not to say it, but to mean it, to affirm with one’s whole being.

Silence — There may be a silent meditation before the dance starts… As the sound and music of the dance stop, enter the Silence. This is your opportunity to hear what has been created. In this silence one can absorb the qualities evoked during the dance. This is the most important part of the dance. It becomes all-encompassing.

Prana Healing – Works

November 27, 2010November 27, 2010 Kristin Russel

Anyone can learn Parana healing. It’s really very simple to learn. Parana healing is not taught in the traditional sense. The innate ability to channel healing energy through thought is simply awakened through a series of initiations by a trained teacher called a Prana healing Master. These initiations, knows as “attunements”, align the energy centers in the body (the Chakras), facilitating the healing process. The Prana healing student also learns special symbols that enhance the healing process. If you want to learn Prana healing, you can find a Prana healing Master in every city of the U.S. and in most every country in the world. You can even find DVD’s where Prana healing Masters pass on the attunements through your computer screen. There are several schools of Prana healing.

The traditional Indian prana healing medical discipline views injury, dysfunction and disease as manifesting when subtle energies are weak, distorted or out-of-balance. These subtle energies called “auric energies” surround our bodies while the “internal energies” are within our bodies. Both are unseen to the normal human eye as are bacteria and viruses. Prana healing, Tai Chi, Acupuncture, Homeopathy, Hatha Yoga, Shiatsu, Radionics and herbal remedies are all means of optimizing subtle auric and internal energies.

The Movement of Prana

Prana moves with your breath and mind – these include your mental images, thoughts, sensations and emotions. Keep in mind that the following variables work in a domino-like effect. For example, a change in emotions can also change the thoughts and mental images of a person. When your mind is relaxed, your emotions will also be relaxed.

By breathing exercises, you can unlock, guide and control the flow of prana which will help you to stabilize your mind and body for meditation.

Only recently have Western scientists and proponents of traditional Western medicine considered the role that subtle energies play in the functioning of the immune system. Triggered by new studies in Vibrational Medicine, which explores the relationship between matter and energy, western science is now acknowledging the common links between traditional Asian medicine and the science of modern Quantum Physics.

Religion and Spirituality

It’s heartening to know that Eastern medical practices are now beginning to look more scientific (and subsequently more acceptable) to the Western practitioner; however, Prana healing (like other Eastern practices), while not considered a system of religious beliefs, is not entirely devoid of a spiritual side. The name “Prana healing” actually means, “Spiritually guided life force energy”. The energy vibrations Prana healing accesses in the healing process come from the mysterious, unexplained energy that animates all living things. In addition, the colorful history of Prana healing includes a Buddhist monk, transcendental initiations and his experience with spontaneous healing.

But whatever one chooses to believe, the practice of Prana healing has been shown to heal individuals on four distinct levels – physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually. Prana healing is a catalytic factor in personal evolution, no matter what beliefs are held. The experience of Prana healing is a vehicle to becoming conscious of your own being regardless of faith of concepts.