Kriya Yoga Pranayama

December 27, 2010December 27, 2010 Kristin Russel

Simple Kriya Pranayama:

Breath is the life force that sustains our life. Human body is physical manifestation of one’s consciousness and in that, primarily, Central Nervous System (brain and spinal cord) is densely concentrated with abundant consciousness. So, all the yoga practices always revolve around CNS with an intention being to grow ones awareness towards consciousness. Kriya Pranayama practices focus on getting the glowing awareness of main three Nadis (Ida, Pingala & Sushumna) and seven Chakras (Mooladhara, Swadhistana, Manipura, Anahata, Vishudhi, Ajna & Sahasrara) and opening them for the free flow of Prana. There are variations in the techniques. But, all have the same goal “to get the realization of the self”. Kriya pranayama is the most important technique of Kriya Yoga.
You must practice few techniques at a time for sometime and get mastery in it before moving onto next techniques. Do not attempt to master everything in one day. It should be mastered only gradually.

Benefits of Kriya Pranayama

Pranayama teaches the “proper” way to breathe. Instead of breathing from our chest and under-using our lungs, you can increase the capacity of your lungs by breathing slowly and deeply.
Pranayama helps reduce the toxins and wastes that accumulate within your body, and may act as a preventative for illness.
Pranayama is helpful for digestion; learning to breathe properly helps improve metabolism.
The concentration and focus required to effectively practice yoga breathing exercise methods helps improve self-control and willpower.
Pranayama repels stress and allows the body to relax.
When the body is relaxed and the mind is focused, yoga breathing exercise methods allow for a more fulfilling spiritual journey.

Groundwork for Kriya Pranayama

Sit in a comfortable position, without having external support for back. Let the spine stay in natural S curve. Take a few slow and deep breaths and relax.
During the entire course of Pranayama, let your breath follow natural rhythm. Do not force to hold the breath or struggle to keep the breath slow.
During the entire course of Pranayama, if for any reason you lost control of your awareness then do not worry or struggle to forcibly bring the awareness back to from where it left from the practice. Instead, let go of the situation, and easily start all over again without worrying that something happened.
Always do normal abdominal breathing (breath using diaphragm). Abdominal breathing relaxes and calms the mind. This is the natural way of breathing. Observe how baby breaths! Contrary to that, breathing using upper chest will create anxiety and high blood pressure.
Curl up your tongue to form Kechari Mudra (Khechari Mudra). After few thousand hours of practice, tongue will naturally enter the nasal pharynx and into the nasal septum. This is king of mudras. Kechari Mudra will bring mental stillness, mind will naturally calm down. One should be in Kechari Mudra throughout the practice.

Mental Kriya Pranayama
Mentally move your awareness from Mooladhara Chakra to Sahasrara slowly, mentally touchingeach chakra in the upward path. Stay a while for a comfortable duration at Sahasrara and then slowly move your awareness from Sahasrara to Mooladhara Chakra while mentally touching each chakra in the downward path. This completes one mental Pranayama.

Repeat this Pranayama few times daily for some days till you are comfortable in tracing and visualizing the paths up and down. After getting complete mastery over this, move onto the Kriya Pranayama.

Variations of Mental Pranayama

Visualize a narrow hollow white tube running from Mooladhara to Sahasrara. Visualize all the seven Chakras on it (Mooladhara – Red four petal lotus, Swadhistana – Orange six petal lotus, Manipura – Yellow ten petal lotus, Anahata – Green twelve petal lotus, Vishudhi – Blue sixteen petal lotus, Ajna – Indigo two petal lotus and Sahasrara – Violet & White thousand petal lotus). Do the mental Pranayama along with these visualizations tracing the path up and down the white tube while mentally touching all the Chakras in the path.
While doing Pranayama, mentally chant OoooUuuuuMmm at each Chakra in the path. You can use hum-So mantra.
Visualize the smooth candle flame (about two inches in length) going up and down the white tube while mentally tracing the path.
Visualize the smooth & bright Sun (soothing white Sun) going up and down the white tube while mentally tracing the path.

Kriya Pranayama Cycle

Inhale, and while inhaling move your awareness from Mooladhara Chakra to Sahasrara, mentally touching each chakra with mantra in the upward path. Stay a while for a comfortable duration at Sahasrara while chanting the mantra and then exhale slowly. While exhaling, move your awareness from Sahasrara to Mooladhara Chakra mentally touching each chakra with mantra in the downward path.

While exhaling, contract the lower throat/glottis so as to create the resistance to the outgoing breath. This will make the duration of exhale lengthier compared to inhale and help in opening the spiritual (third) eye.
This completes one Cycle of Kriya Pranayama.

Variations in Visual Kriya Pranayama

Visualize Sushumna nadi as narrow hollow white tube running from Mooladhara to Sahasrara. Visualize all the seven Chakras in Sushumna nadi (Mooladhara – Red four petal lotus, Swadhistana – Orange six petal lotus, Manipura – Yellow ten petal lotus, Anahata – Green twelve petal lotus, Vishudhi – Blue sixteen petal lotus, Ajna – Indigo two petal lotus and Sahasrara – Violet & White thousand petal lotus). Do the Kriya Pranayama along with these visualizations.
Visualize the smooth candle flame (about an inch in length) going up and down the Sushumna nadi while doing Kriya Pranayama.
Visualize the smooth white ball (about an inch in diameter). While inhaling and going up the Sushumna, white ball increases its size gradually. While exhaling and coming down the Sushumna, white ball decreases its size gradually.
While inhaling and going up, trace the dorsal side of the Sushumna nadi. While exhaling and coming down, trace the ventral side of the Sushumna nadi. (Dorsal side is towards the back side of the body and ventral side is towards front).
Visualize two narrow hollow white tubes running on left and right of the Sushumna nadi. One on the left is Ida nadi and the one on the right is Pingala nadi. Inhale and move awareness from Mooladhara to Sahasrara thru Ida nadi. After reaching Sahasrara, keep awareness there as long as possible to keep comfortably. Exhale and move awareness from Sahasrara to Mooladhara thru Pingala nadi.
While inhaling, imagine cool air is entering your body, gradually filling your body from Mooladhara to Sahasrara. While exhaling, imagine hot air is going out gradually from Sahasrara to Mooladhara.
With repeated practice, one will gain mastery over breath and mind. Exhale will take more time than inhale and, each breath will span over a minute. Mind will rest in peace. This is the time to move on to next step.

Yoga Nidra and Kriya Yoga Meditation

December 24, 2010December 24, 2010 Kristin Russel

The term ‘Yoga Nidra’ is mentioned several times in Puranas in different context. Markandeya Purana, Vishnu Purana, Devi Bhagvat and other scriptures highlight the importance of Yoga Nidra. Yoga Nidra is very well defined by Adya Sankaracharya in his text Yoga Tadavali. Yoga Nidra means Aware Yogic Sleep. It is a state of conscious Deep Sleep. In Yoga Nidra, you leave the Waking state, go beyond the Dreaming state, and go to Deep Sleep, yet remain awake. Yoga Nidra is a tool for attenuating, and eliminating habit patterns or samskaras, which are not useful. It prepares the mind for spiritual evolution.

Yoga Nidra Kriya Yoga Meditation Technique is not in the traditional Kriya yoga as popularized by Babaji and Paramhansa Yogandana. It is much different from traditional Kriya yoga. The word “Kriya” means “action or movement.’ These meditations that Yogananda’s Babaji did were mind movement exercises.

There are two kinds of meditations, “Passive and Active.” Most teach “passive” meditations. In true Kriya Yoga and Siddha Yoga and Daoism/Taoism one learns “active meditations”. The reason for this is that, “active meditations” create alot of Chi (qi) energy. It is this activating your body and mind and spirit with Chi (qi) that results in one becoming physically energetic and one having what are called the Siddha abilities. (Nirodhanada)

Eight Steps of Traditional Yoga Nidra:

1. Groundwork:

Yoga nidra should be done in a quiet place where no interruptions can take place. A meditation room is ideal. The practitioner lies down on the floor or a firm bed. The surface should be comfortable but not soft so that sleep comes easily.

Lie flat on your back (Savasana) with the body stretched out, the head in straight line with the body, feet apart, arms besides the body and palms of the hands facing up. Be relaxed and comfortable. Now close your eyes. There should be no movement during yoga nidra. Remember you should not sleep, but remain awake all through the session.

So say to yourself: “I will not sleep; I will remain awake.”

Please follow the voice with full awareness and feeling. If your mind is distracted during the practice, do not worry. Just continue the practice.

2. Physical and Mental Relaxation

Take a deep breath and as you breathe in, feel the coolness and calmness spreading throughout the body. As you breathe out, feel your cares and worries flowing out of you. Become aware of the body and relax completely. Relax your body mentally.

Now be aware of the sounds in the room. Allow your hearing to follow the sounds for a few seconds, going from sound to sound, without trying to identify them. Develop awareness of the room itself… the four walls, the ceiling and the floor, and your body lying on the floor or bed. Visualize your body lying down. Feel your body lying on the floor, feel the sensations of your whole body lying down, your whole body lying on the floor.

Say to yourself mentally, “I am going to practice yoga nidra. I will remain awake all through the session.”

3. Resolve

Now it is the time to make Sankalpa (resolve). State your affirmation mentally three times with feeling and awareness.

4. Rotation of Consciousness

During these steps, focus your mind on the parts of your body and not on your breath. Relax each part of the body in turn.

During this exercise it is helpful to see your body as an object and your mind as an instrument of your inner spirit directing the flow of prana into your body. As you go through the step of relaxing a specific part of your body, imagine that the prana, the essence of life, is flowing through this part relaxing and revitalizing the whole part, as you inhale and exhale freely.

We will now rotate our consciousness through different parts of the body. Repeat the part in your mind at the same time become aware of that part of the body. Do not concentrate, but remain alert. Become aware of the right hand.

Right side

Right hand thumb, second finger, third finger, fourth finger, fifth finger, palm of the hand, back of the hand, lower right arm, upper arm, the shoulder, the armpit, the right side of the torso, the right upper leg, the lower leg, the ankle, the right foot, the right toes.

Left side

Left hand thumb, second finger, third finger, fourth finger, fifth finger, palm of the hand, back of the hand, lower left arm, upper arm, the shoulder, the armpit, the left side of the torso, the left upper leg, the lower leg, the ankle, the left foot, the left toes.

Back

Become aware of the right shoulderblade, the left shoulderblade, the right buttock, the left buttock, the spine, the whole back.

Front

Now go the top of the head. Become aware of the top of the head, the forehead, the right eyebrow, the left eyebrow, the space between the eyebrows, the right eye, the left eye, the right ear, the left ear, the nose, the lips, the throat, the right chest, the left chest, the middle of the chest, the navel, the lower belly.

Major Parts

The right leg, the left leg; both legs together. The right arm, the left arm, both arms together. The back of the body, the front of the body, the head, whole body, the whole body, the whole body (repeat one more time).

Are you awake? Repeat to yourself: “I am awake.” Total awareness. Awareness of the whole body. The whole body lying down. See your body lying down. Visualize your body lying down.

Breathing

Become aware of your breath. Feel the natural rhythm of your breath, feel your natural, spontaneous breath. Do not force the breath; just awareness

5. Awareness of Sensations

Now awaken the feeling of lightness—as if the body is made of cotton.

Your body seems to be floating away from the floor.

Next, Feel the body getting heavy – so heavy, it’s sinking into the floor. Feel the head heavy, the arms, the torso… heavy. Feel the legs heavy and the feet heavy. The whole body is heavy… feel the whole body heavy…sinking into the floor… heavy… heaviness… the whole body is heavy.

Awaken the sensation of heat, the experience of heat.

The whole body is hot.

Now experience bitter cold in the body.

Now feel your body becoming alert… you are so alert. Feel yourself become alert… you are awake…you are awake…you are awake.

6. Visualization

Yoga nidra is also augmented by incorporating visualization and mediation

There are many different techniques you can use.

This is the final stage of yoga nidra relates to mental relaxation. Generally such images and symbols are chosen for the visualization that has universal significance. To quote a few: the mountain, river, ocean, temple, church, cross, saint, flower etc.

Use your feeling, awareness, emotion and imagination to develop images in your mind.

Vividly visualize yourself in your favorite place

Be relaxed.

Stay in that situation for few minuses. You mentally get more more and more relaxed.

Now move to next step.

7. Resolve

Once again the resolve or sankalpa is intently thought of or even visualized repeat your affirmation mentally 3 times with feeling and emphasis.

Thus, consciously one tries to direct the unconscious mind about the goal in life. This time the unconscious is very susceptible and therefore may accept the suggestion from the conscious mind with more intensity.

8. Return to Full Awareness

Now start taking normal natural breath, spontaneous breath. Now bring your awareness to your body lying stretched out and relaxed on the floor. Be aware of your physical existence. Become aware of the environment, room… the floor, the walls, the ceiling, and the noises in the room. Let your mind become completely external. Don’t make hurry to open your eyes. Lie quietly until your mind is completely awake and externalized. Start moving yourself slowly, stretching yourself. When you are sure you are awaken, open your eyes.

Yoga Nidra and Kriya Yoga Meditation:

Steps of Kriya yoga Yoga Nidra is many way different from traditional yoga nidra. I know, after doing 15 rounds of nada sanchalana, 50 rounds of pawan sanchalana, 60 rounds of shabda sanchalana and 60 rounds of chakra bhedan you will get tired.

These are not Kriya Yoga. These are to keep the mind busy. True kriya yoga is beyond these activities.

According to my yoga master Sri Amit Ray ji of Himalaya, Uttarkashi, “When Yoga nidra and Kriya yoga goes hand in hand you are in the hand of eternal bliss. Kriya yoga without yoga nidra is not effective. If you really want to transform your Samskars (habit patterns) and burn your bad karmas, you must practice Yoga Nidra and Kriya Yoga together in a systematic manner.”

Yoga for Skin Care – 5 Simple Steps

December 18, 2010December 18, 2010 Kristin Russel

Shine and smooth skin is a valuable asset for everyone. Skin is made up of very specific cells and tissues, and their collective purpose is to act as the boundary between “you” and “the world”. Need a ехсеƖƖеחt anti-aging skin care guide? Here іѕ tһе beginning. Five things уου ѕһουƖԁ חοt ԁο tο уουr skin, аחԁ a guide tο ехсеƖƖеחt anti-aging skin care treatments wіƖƖ improve tһе appearance аחԁ health οf ουr skin. Although іt mау bе much voodoo аחԁ hype tο expect anti-aging skin care іѕ חοt аѕ hard аѕ уου rесkοח.

1st Do Kapalvati Yoga Pranayam for healthy Skin

This pranayam is sufficient for a person’s health if performed for 15 minutes. a day. Everyday get plenty of rest, yoga exercise, and sleep.

Kapalbhati is known to be the most useful of all pranayamas and always been able to fight against many medical problems and disorders. It is especially known to be useful against several types of tumors and chronic skin problems. It also assists in controlling diabetes mellitus by stimulating pancreas, which further promotes the production of insulin in the body.

Kapalbhati is especially useful in fighting against problems related to the liver of people. Though Kapalbhati is known to be the most effective in sorting any skin problem, it is especially known for the benefits it provides by purifying the blood of people performing it.

Ideally kapalbhati should be done in the morning in empty stomach. One should sit in sukhasana or padmasana and should inhale passively and exhale forcefully. Inhalation and exhalation should be from nostril and abdominal muscles should come into act. For normal person 5 to 10 minutes are more than enough.

The aasana should be performed along with other aasanas like Anulom Vilom, Ujjayi and Bhramari for the best results.

2nd Avoid SunBurn for healthy shiny Skin:

Avoid sunburn οr even sun overexposure. WһіƖе one mіɡһt look ехсеƖƖеחt sunscreen, іt’s one οf tһе wοrѕt things уου саח ԁο tο уουr skin. Sunlight һаѕ damaging UV rays tһаt burn уουr skin wһеח уου аrе іח strong sunlight fοr tοο long, аחԁ tһе age οf tһе skin аחԁ һυrtѕ іt severely. Sunburn іѕ one οf tһе wοrѕt things уου саח еνеr ԁο fοr уουr skin. If wе ɡеt tοο much sun ουr skin ѕtаrtѕ tο һυrt tο tһе cells frοm wһісһ tһе skin οr dermis experience, аѕ scientists call іt. Tһіѕ leads tο tһе loss οf a substance known аѕ hyaluronan. Hyaluronic acid іѕ аח vital component οf ουr skin аחԁ іѕ responsible fοr helping ουr skin tο repair itself, ѕο wе ԁο חοt want tο burn υѕ, ѕο tһе volume οf hyaluronan tһаt tο repair tһе һυrt. Tһіѕ ԁοеѕ חοt mean, уου ѕһουƖԁ חοt ɡο іחtο tһе sun, please ԁο חοt misunderstand. Aחԁ аחу ехсеƖƖеחt anti-aging skin care guide ѕһουƖԁ חοt advocate staying indoors аƖƖ day. Oυr bodies need sunlight. Exposure tο sunlight helps ουr body produces vitamin D, vitamin аחԁ vital. It іѕ חοt tһе exposure tο sunlight, wһісһ іѕ реrіƖουѕ fοr ουr skin, іt іѕ overexposure. Tο avoid direct sunlight frοm аbουt 1:00 until аbουt 16.00 clock, tһе mοѕt реrіƖουѕ time, especially іח summer. Uѕе a ехсеƖƖеחt hat аחԁ long sleeves. Uѕе sunscreens sparingly, аѕ tһеу chemicals tһаt аrе tο bе cheeky, ουr skin саח аחԁ саח contain іח ѕοmе cases, tһе hazard іѕ suspected.

3rd Keep your Skin Clean

Cleansing : Try to keep your skin clean with water, removes excess dirt, pollutants and pore-clogging oil from the

epidermis. The soap products you use on the rest of your body are typically too harsh for your face. And, as with most skin-care products, you need to pick one that suits your skin type. For very dry skin, you might want to go with a creamy cleanser. Always go alcohol-free, whether creamy or not. Do not use too much hot or cold water.

4th: Eating Habits to keep your skin young and healthy

Avoid junk foods, heavily processed foods, and foods heavy in sugar. Dο חοt eat tο rυіח уουr skin. Or уουr health fοr tһаt matter. Tһе American diet іѕ one nearly tο tһе age уου аѕ soon аѕ possible. Aחу ехсеƖƖеחt anti-aging skin care guide ѕһουƖԁ stress tһе importance οf ехсеƖƖеחt nutrition, ουr skin аחԁ overall health. Bесаυѕе remember, tһе two ɡο together. Sο, іf уου recall іח tһе next burger οr pizza stuffed іח mind tһаt уουr diet affects уουr skin’s health аחԁ уουr overall health. Focus οח a diet rich іח fruits аחԁ vegetables, especially green leafy vegetables. Spinach аחԁ broccoli аrе especially ехсеƖƖеחt. Pay attention tο уουr body wіtһ ехсеƖƖеחt nutrition (аחԁ exercise), аחԁ іt wіƖƖ work better аחԁ look better. A diet high іח vegetables improves уουr levels οf antioxidants against

tһе effect οf free radicals іח уουr body аחԁ skin.

5th Drink Sufficient Water to keep your skin young and silky:

Dο חοt dry out уουr skin. Water flushes toxins out of the body, allows our cells to absorb nutrients, and keeps our digestive processes moving smoothly. Sο many οf υѕ ԁο חοt һаνе enough fluid іח ουr lives. Specifically, water. ѕһουƖԁ drink plenty οf water іח аחу ехсеƖƖеחt skin care play a major role. Oυr body іѕ mаԁе οf more water tһаח anything еƖѕе, аחԁ іt mυѕt bе taken іח water еνеrу day. Oυr skin іѕ ουr Ɩаrɡеѕt organ аחԁ іt needs tοο much water, аחԁ ԁο חοt react well tο dehydration. Drink plenty οf water daily. Mаkе sure tһеrе іѕ water, filtered tap water іѕ חοt аѕ fаחtаѕtіс. Unnatural air conditioning from home or office heating and cooling systems keeps the air dry by removes moisture from your skin. Room humidifiers can be employed to keep air moist.

Tһеrе аrе three simple things уου саח ԁο іח order tο reduce tһе impact οf aging οח tһе skin, bυt tһеѕе аrе חοt taken three bу itself sufficient. A ехсеƖƖеחt anti-aging skin care guide ѕһουƖԁ аƖѕο focus οח skin care products tһаt work. Mаkе sure уου һаνе a ехсеƖƖеחt anti-aging skin care. Unfortunately, уου аrе probably familiar wіtһ skin care products tһаt ԁο חοt work now. If уου аrе using mainstream household name products аѕ a ехсеƖƖеחt chance tһеу wіƖƖ חοt ԁο anything. Aחԁ tһеу probably contain ingredients tһаt сουƖԁ bе реrіƖουѕ, tοο. Tһе best skin care treatments аrе organic skin care products, tһе ingredients tһаt come frοm sources such аѕ plants, rаtһеr tһаח included іח tһе laboratory.

Kriya Yoga – Pranayama Techniques

December 17, 2010December 17, 2010 Kristin Russel 1 Comment

Simple Kriya Pranayama:

Benefits of Kriya Pranayama

Pranayama teaches the “proper” way to breathe. Instead of breathing from our chest and under-using our lungs, you can increase the capacity of your lungs by breathing slowly and deeply.
Pranayama helps reduce the toxins and wastes that accumulate within your body, and may act as a preventative for illness.
Pranayama is helpful for digestion; learning to breathe properly helps improve metabolism.
The concentration and focus required to effectively practice yoga breathing exercise methods helps improve self-control and willpower.
Pranayama repels stress and allows the body to relax.
When the body is relaxed and the mind is focused, yoga breathing exercise methods allow for a more fulfilling spiritual journey.

Groundwork for Kriya Pranayama

Sit in a comfortable position, without having external support for back. Let the spine stay in natural S curve. Take a few slow and deep breaths and relax.
During the entire course of Pranayama, let your breath follow natural rhythm. Do not force to hold the breath or struggle to keep the breath slow.
During the entire course of Pranayama, if for any reason you lost control of your awareness then do not worry or struggle to forcibly bring the awareness back to from where it left from the practice. Instead, let go of the situation, and easily start all over again without worrying that something happened.
Always do abdominal breathing (breath using diaphragm). Abdominal breathing relaxes and calms the mind. This is the natural way of breathing. Observe how baby breaths! Contrary to that, breathing using upper chest will create anxiety and high blood pressure.
Curl up your tongue to form Kechari Mudra (Khechari Mudra). After few thousand hours of practice, tongue will naturally enter the nasal pharynx and into the nasal septum. This is king of mudras. Kechari Mudra will bring mental stillness, mind will naturally calm down. One should be in Kechari Mudra throughout the practice.

Repeat this Pranayama few times daily for some days till you are comfortable in tracing and visualizing the paths up and down. After getting complete mastery over this, move onto the Kriya Pranayama.

Variations of Mental Pranayama

Visualize a narrow hollow white tube running from Mooladhara to Sahasrara. Visualize all the seven Chakras on it (Mooladhara – Red four petal lotus, Swadhistana – Orange six petal lotus, Manipura – Yellow ten petal lotus, Anahata – Green twelve petal lotus, Vishudhi – Blue sixteen petal lotus, Ajna – Indigo two petal lotus and Sahasrara – Violet & White thousand petal lotus). Do the mental Pranayama along with these visualizations tracing the path up and down the white tube while mentally touching all the Chakras in the path.
While doing Pranayama, mentally chant OM (AUM) at each Chakra in the path. You can as well use the Bija mantras of the chakras or mantras of deities.
Visualize the smooth candle flame (about an inch in length) going up and down the white tube while mentally tracing the path.
Visualize the smooth & bright Sun (soothing white Sun) going up and down the white tube while mentally tracing the path.

Kriya Pranayama Cycle

Variations Visual Kriya Pranayama

Visualize Sushumna nadi as narrow hollow white tube running from Mooladhara to Sahasrara. Visualize all the seven Chakras in Sushumna nadi (Mooladhara – Red four petal lotus, Swadhistana – Orange six petal lotus, Manipura – Yellow ten petal lotus, Anahata – Green twelve petal lotus, Vishudhi – Blue sixteen petal lotus, Ajna – Indigo two petal lotus and Sahasrara – Violet & White thousand petal lotus). Do the Kriya Pranayama along with these visualizations.
Visualize the smooth candle flame (about an inch in length) going up and down the Sushumna nadi while doing Kriya Pranayama.
Visualize the smooth white ball (about an inch in diameter). While inhaling and going up the Sushumna, white ball increases its size gradually. While exhaling and coming down the Sushumna, white ball decreases its size gradually.
While inhaling and going up, trace the dorsal side of the Sushumna nadi. While exhaling and coming down, trace the ventral side of the Sushumna nadi. (Dorsal side is towards the back side of the body and ventral side is towards front).
Visualize two narrow hollow white tubes running on left and right of the Sushumna nadi. One on the left is Ida nadi and the one on the right is Pingala nadi. Inhale and move awareness from Mooladhara to Sahasrara thru Ida nadi. After reaching Sahasrara, keep awareness there as long as possible to keep comfortably. Exhale and move awareness from Sahasrara to Mooladhara thru Pingala nadi.
While inhaling, imagine cool air is entering your body, gradually filling your body from Mooladhara to Sahasrara. While exhaling, imagine hot air is going out gradually from Sahasrara to Mooladhara.
With repeated practice, one will gain mastery over breath and mind. Exhale will take more time than inhale and, each breath will span over a minute. Mind will rest in peace. This is the time to move on to next step.

Belly Breathing Kriya Yoga Meditation Technique

December 15, 2010December 15, 2010 Kristin Russel

There are several kriya yoga meditation techniques. However, navel meditation kriya yoga is unique in many ways.

Few days back I was watching the breathing of a sleeping child. I noticed their chest doesn’t expand and contract the way an adult’s would. Their lower abdomen however does expand and contract with each breath. Indian Yogis speculate that lower abdomen is the source of our creative energy, the umbilical chord. Nevertheless, for those practiced in deep abdominal breathing, that same childlike energy and passion for life is present, and we can all relearn this vital skill.

In Hindu mythology, from the navel the lotus grows, and on the top of the lotus the Prajapati, the creator is in deep meditation. Through meditation he reaches his goal. Through meditation we can also reach our goal. The flow of current of deep navel meditation will guide us to where we are going.

When I focus my mind on the abdomen I find a rising movement and falling movement of air. When I breathe in the abdomen rises; when I breathe out the abdomen falls. So rising movement and falling movement is the primary object of my lower abdomen meditation.

Christian Yoga

December 14, 2010September 4, 2014 Kristin Russel 5 Comments

Yoga is independent of any religion. There is no such thing as Christan Yoga, Buddhist Yoga, or like that.

It has hardly any relation with religion. It is like Science. Science is looking the truth in the material world. Whereas, Yoga is looking the truth in the body, mind and soul. Yoga is to keep yourself and the environment in harmony and happiness.

Yoga makes the mind body and soul flexible and prepare you for the eternal glorious life. Yoga makes you strong, firm and steadfast in every sense. Yoga makes this life and the life after as the place of Paradise.

Yoga is to increase your faith in your own religion.

Yoga is acknowledging the divine power of God within us.

If you are a Christan, Yoga will help you to increase your faith on Jesus.

It has nothing against Christianity.

Yoga increases, faith on your God, godliness, brotherly kindness; and love to every being.

References:

Yoga Sutra of Patanjali

Can Yoga be Christan?

Yoga–Dangerous or Harmless?

Characteristics Of The Principle Behind Christian Yoga

Mantra for success

December 12, 2010December 12, 2010 Kristin Russel

There are many simple mantras that can make you successful. For getting success in life your attitude to life and mantra chanting should go hand in hand. Good karma is like the seed for the crops, and the mantra is like the water and soil. The mantra helps the good karma, if it’s there, to ripen quickly. Mantras are affirmations of positive thoughts.

The mantra for success are as follows:

1. Discover what you owe to others?

Choose someone you know who is successful, then first consider what you have received from them, second what you have given to them and thirdly what trouble you have caused them. This may lead to discovering you owe others more than you thought.

2. Pay closer attention to life’s pleasures.

Appreciate what is around you. We missed so much, by the rush and busyness we submit ourselves to at work.

3. Observe your tongue.

You don’t need to control your tongue but don’t forget to observe it.

4. Get plenty of sleep, exercise, smile and laugh.

All these are necessary to enhance your mood both long and short term.

5. Enhance Your Self-Esteem

Six pillars that comprise self-esteem are:

Living consciously: The ability to be active rather than passive, to be in the moment, and to have a commitment for growth.
Self-acceptance: The ability to be on one’s side, to accept all feelings, thoughts and acts and to be compassionate with oneself.
Self-responsibility: To take responsibility for the achievement of desires, one’s behavior with others, and for one’s happiness.
Self-assertive: To know that we have the right to be who we are and that we do not have to live up to others’ expectations.
Purposeful living: To use our internal power for the attainment of our goals, including happiness, by taking responsibility for it, identifying the actions necessary to achieve it, monitoring our behavior to check if it is in alignment and so on.
Personal integrity: When our behavior is congruent with our professed values, and ideals and practice match.

Daily Positive Affirmations for Abundance

1. All the things I want and need come to me.

2. I always receive more than what I need.

3. I have a bank account with more than enough.

4. I am an abundant person.

5. I create abundance in all that I say and do.

6. I accept abundance.

7. I welcome, and am open to receive all abundance that comes.

8. I draw abundance to myself today and every day.

9. I am successful.

10. Everything I do turns into success.

11. I am filled with success.

12. Success comes effortlessly to my direction.

13. My success is contagious, other people like it, seek it and respect it.

14. I attract positive-minded people to me; I draw all things positive to myself.

15. I am very fortunate to work at what I love to do.

16. I make powerful and enjoyable business relationships and many of my business contacts are now my friends.

Positive affirmations is having enormous power. A good list of positive affirmations are available here.

Common mantra for success:

Har, Har, Har… mantra

Har, Har, Har, Har, Gobinday for a Shield of Good Luck and Prosperity

Har Har Har Har Gobinday

Har Har Har Har Mukunday

Har Har Har Har Udaaray

Har Har Har Har Apaaray

Har Har Har Har Hariang

Har Har Har Har Kariang

Har Har Har Har Nirmaanay

Har Har Har Har Akaamay

25^th Pauri for Prosperity

Bahota karam likhiaa na jaa-ay.

Vadaa dataa til na tamaay.

Kaytay mange jodh apaar.

Kaythaa ganat nahee veechaar.

Kaytay khap tuteh vikar.

Kaytay lai lai mukar paa-eh.

Kaytay moorakh khaahee khaa-eh.

Kaytiaa dookh bhookh sad maar.

Ay-eh bhe daat tayree daataar

Band khaalasee bhanai hoe.

Hor aakh na sakai koe.

Jay ko khaa-ik akhaan paae.

Oh jaanai jaytee-aa muh khaa-ay.

Aapay jaanay aapay day-eh.

Aakheh se bhe kay-ee kay-eh.

Jis no bakhsay siphat saalaah.

Naanak paatishaahee paatishaah.

Yoga for Weight Loss

December 10, 2010December 10, 2010 Kristin Russel

When your metabolic rate decreases you may lead to weight gain. Now what is metabolism or metabolic rate? It is the rate at which our body will use energy, better known as burning calories. If your body can burn calories faster then there is no excessive weight gain. Now the more you exercise, the better gets your metabolism. And with a higher metabolism you will burn calories more efficiently.

Psychologists believe that people who experience a sense of insecurity, which may be due to real or imagined threats, may find comfort and protection in food. This results in food cravings and emotional indulge eating.

Take 30 – 60 minutes of free hand yoga exercise per day to stay healthy.

Take Yoga foods:

Food is the first thing you need to watch. Take Yoga foods. Take the fruits and vegetables that are packed with beneficial fibers, vitamins and antioxidants. They fill up your stomach fast so you feel full earlier. They are also low in calories and helps to keep your calorie count low.

Set your yoga weight loss target

Your weight loss goals should not simply be to lose weight. Weight loss is not an exercise you have to do once and then forget about it. A successful weight loss is when you manage to lose weight by changing your lifestyle and eating habits and not by just saving calories and making calculations. Eating healthy should become your second nature and exercising should become your daily friend. So, instead of just setting arithmetic goals concentrate on how to change your lifestyle to match a healthier living.

Separate eating from your other emotions

A lot of people have associated eating with their emotions. It is very common for people to eat because they are feeling stress, anxiety, depression, anger etc. This is a bad and very unhealthy habit. Usually the food you eat when in this state is unhealthy and full of fats and calories. You need to realize that food is not the medicine for your emotions. Food is a pleasure and a way to provide your body with the energy it needs to function properly. If you want to lose weight then you should seriously consider this situation and disassociate food with emotions.

Cobra Pose : Lie on your stomach. Place your hands facing down on the floor beside your ears. Supporting your weight on your palms, push up and raise the chest, looking up towards the ceiling. Breathe in while rising, and hold your breath in that position for 10 seconds. Come down to the original position while breathing out. Practice eight times.

Long Salutation Pose: Kneel down with your buttocks resting on your heels and your toes pointing forward. With your palms together, extend your arms up vertically next to your ears. Slowly bring your arms and head down as one, first bending your neck, then the whole upper body, until your fingers hit the floor, keeping your buttocks on your heels all the time. Now stretch out with your forehead and nose resting on the floor. Breathe out as you go down, and stay there with your breath held out for 8 seconds. Then rise up breathing in. Practice eight times.

Yoga relaxation:

Using the same blanket as for asanas, lie on your back with your arms by your side, making sure that your breathing is calm and relaxed. Now go through your whole body, starting at your feet, consciously making sure that each part is completely relaxed – with no muscular tension at all. Go from the feet up the legs, consciously checking each part, into the groin area, into the abdomen (also feeling that your internal organs are relaxed), into the chest and shoulders, from the fingers and hands up the arms, then into the neck and up into the face, relaxing the facial muscles, including the eyes, and finally to the top of the head, feeling that your brain is also relaxed. Check once more that you are breathing calmly, and stay like that – fully relaxed – for a few more minutes.
Yoga relaxation is especially important for those who do a lot of mental work. Do it as often as you like throughout the day. Whenever you feel mentally fatigued, even just a couple of minutes can be enough to rejuvenate and revive you.

Common Yoga postures for weight loss:

Paschimottanasana
Ardhakapotasana
Trikonasana
Uttanasana
Ardhasarvangasana
Virabhadrasana

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.

Microcosmic Orbit Yoga

December 5, 2010December 5, 2010 Kristin Russel

Microcosmic Orbit Yoga

The meridians are the energy channels of our body. This is where energy or chi circulates. There are two primary meridians in our body. One flows up along the spine. Other one flows down the chest bisecting the belly button. These two meridians connect at the base of the spine and are connected by sealing mula bhanda. On the other end they are connected at the roof of the mouth and by pressing the tongue flat into the space behind the teeth. By connecting these meridians we stimulate energy to move and flow within us opening blocked areas and imbibing us with greater power.

Meditation is one of the Five Principles of Yoga. It is the practice by which there is constant observation of the mind. It requires you to focus your mind at one point and stilling the mind in order to perceive the self. Through the practice of Meditation you will achieve a greater sense of purpose and strength of will. It also helps you achieve a clearer mind, improve your concentration, and discover the wisdom and tranquility within you.

Background of Microcosmic Orbit Yoga

This is the classic Taoist yoga method for refining, raising, and circulating internal energy via the ‘orbit’ formed by the ‘Governing Channel’ from perineum up to head and the Conception Channel from head back down to perineum. Activating the Microcosmic Orbit is a key step that leads to more advanced practices. Taoists believe that Microcosmic Orbit yoga fills the reservoirs of the Governing and Conception channels with energy, which is then distributed to all the major organ-energy meridians, thereby energizing the internal organs. It draws abundant energy up from the sacrum into the brain, thereby enhancing cerebral circulation of blood and stimulating secretions of vital neurochemicals. It is also the first stage for cultivating the ‘spiritual embryo’ or ‘golden elixir’ of immortality, a process that begins in the lower abdomen and culminates in the mid-brain. This is probably the best of all Taoist methods for cultivating health and longevity while also ‘opening the three passes’ to higher spiritual awareness.

Taoists often refer things in symbolic languages. ‘Opening the Three Passes’ is another name for this yoga method and refers to the three critical junctions which pave the way for energy to travel up from the sacrum through the Governing Channel along the spine into the head.

The Practice of Microcosmic Orbit Yoga

1. The first step is to still the body, calm the mind, and regulate the breath. With this settled mind, sit alone in a quiet room, senses shut and eyelids lowered. Turn your attention within, and inwardly visualize a pocket of energy in the umbilical region; within it is a point of golden light, clear and bright, immaculately pure. Focus attention on the navel until you feel the ‘pocket of energy’ glowing in the umbilical region. The breath through your nose will naturally become light and subtle, going out and in evenly and finely, continuously and quietly, gradually becoming slighter and subtler. When the feeling is stable and the energy there is full, use your mind to guide energy down to the perineum and back up through the aperture in the coccyx.

2. Steadily visualize this true energy as being like a small snake gradually passing through the nine apertures of the coccyx. When you feel the energy has gone through this pass, visualize this true energy rising up to where the ribs meet the spine, then going through this pass and right on up to the Jade Pillow, the back of the brain.

3. Then imagine your true spirit in the Nirvana Chamber in the center of the brain, taking in the energy. When this true energy goes through the Jade Pillow, press the tongue against the palate. The head should move forward and tilt slightly upwards to help it. When you feel this true energy penetrating the Nirvana Chamber, this may feel hot or swollen. This means the pass has been cleared and the energy has reached the Nirvana Center.

4. Next, focus attention on the Celestial Eye between the eyebrows and draw energy forwards from the midbrain and out through the point between the brows. This may cause a tingling or throbbing sensation there. Then the center of the brows will throb – this means the Celestial Eye is about to open. Then move the spirit into the center of the brows and draw the true energy through the Celestial Eye. If you see the eighteen thousand pores and three hundred and sixty joints of the whole body explode open all at once, each joint parting three-tenths of an inch, this is evidence of the opening of the Celestial Eye. This is what is meant when it is said that when one pass opens all the passes open, and when one opening is cleared all the openings are cleared.

5. You may wish to stay and work with this point for a few minutes, before letting energy sink down through the palate and tongue into the throat to the heart. This may feel as though there is cool water going down the Multistoried Tower of the windpipe. Do not swallow; let it go down by itself, bathing the bronchial tubes. Then the vital energy will bathe the internal organs and then return to the genitals. This is what is called return to the root.

6. From the heart, draw it down through the Middle Elixir Field in the solar plexus, past the navel, and down into the Ocean of Energy reservoir in the Lower Elixir Field, where energy gathers, mixes, and is reserved for internal circulation. Then begin another cycle up through the coccyx to the mid-spine behind the heart and up past the Jade Pillow into the brain.

7. Breathe naturally with your abdomen, and don’t worry whether energy moves up or down on inhalation or exhalation; coordinate the flow of breath and energy in whatever manner suits you best. However, if you reach the stage where you can complete a full Microcosmic Orbit in a single breath, it’s best to raise energy up from coccyx to head on exhalation and draw it down from Upper to Lower Elixir Field on inhalation.

If you practice this way for a long time, eventually you can complete a whole cycle of ascent and descent in one visualization. If you can quietly practice this inner work continuously, whether walking, standing still, sitting, or lying down, then the vital energy will circulate within, and there will naturally be no problem of leakage. Chronic physical ailments, Taoists believe, will naturally disappear.

Also, once the inner energy is circulating, the breath will naturally become fine, and the true positive energy of heaven and earth will be inhaled by way of the breath and go down to join your own generative energy. The two energies will mix together, both to be circulated by you together, descending and ascending over and over, circulating up and down to replenish the depleted true energy in your body.

This true energy harmonizes and reforms, so that the vital fluids produced by the energy of daily life again produce true vitality. When true vitality is fully developed, it naturally produces true energy, and when true energy is fully developed it naturally produces our true spirit.

If you have any physical problems or discomforts in a particular section of your body, focus your energy at the pass closest to the discomfort and let it throb there for a while. This will help heal and rejuvenate the injured tissues. For example, if you have pelvic problems, focus energy on the coccyx pass; for lower-back pain focus on the lowest lumbar vertebra just above the sacrum; for upper-back and shoulder pain focus on the fifth thoracic vertebra, and so forth. This Meditation may also cause the head to rock or the body to tremble, which, Taoists believe, are signs of progress.