"Mindful ... "

“ ... in this weightless state

we form to become more mindful

connected to each other as one

the cycle completes 

our arms are lifted up

now we understand

to become more mindful

connected to each other as one

the cycle completes ... “

~ Born Of Osiris ~ Mindful ~ 

***

There is a new fad, and its called meditation also known as mindfulness.  Mindfulness is fairly new buzz word used to sell lots of ... stuff.  And as usual, the fad is marketed to you in a way that you can conveniently “fit it in” to your busy life.  

Yet what is at this heart-centre mindfulness?  Experienced meditators will say it is the notion of living for the moment, a carefree existence.  An appealing concept where most of our lives are full of chaos and yang.

With our environment becoming increasingly dis-tractable, meditation may well become a survival mechanism.  My truth is if I want to stay sane and healthy, I won’t be able to afford not to meditate.  

For many that are intimidated by mindfulness ... don’t know how to do it or for how long ... short stints of meditation can be transformative.  Trust me ... mindfulness can free you from the very thoughts you are trying to avoid.  

“Unhealthy thoughts can chain us to the past. We can, however, change our destructive thoughts in the present. Through mindfulness training we can recognize them as bad habits learned long ago. Then we can take the critical next step. We can discover how these obsessive thoughts cover our grief, insecurity, and loneliness. As we gradually learn to tolerate these underlying energies, we can reduce their pull. Fear can be transformed into presence and excitement. Confusion can open up into interest. Uncertainty can become a gateway to surprise. And unworthiness can lead us to dignity.” -- Jack Kornfield

And there is no “right” way to practice.  It is best to encounter each moment with a sense of starting again.  It is best to honour one’s own direct experience and not worry too much about whether this is what you are suppose to feel or see or think about.  

“If you practice this kind of trust in the face of insecurity and the strong habit of wanting some authority to anoint your experience with
his/her blessing, you will find that something of a deepening nature does happen along the path.” -- Kabat-Zinn

Let go of the preconceived notion that you will experience bliss.  Don’t even expect to feel better.  Just commit to the practice and LET GO.  Feelings of annoyance, boredom and even happiness may arise ... release them as they distract from the present moment.

"The answer to HOW is always in the present moment" -- Baptist Baron

With practice, you will hone the ability to stay neutral and objective by simply returning to the changing sensations of your breath.  This is where you realize that awareness of your busy mind is part of the practice.

" Research shows that being mindful can have tangible benefits, such as alleviating chronic pain and helping to curb depression and anxiety. Various studies have linked mindfulness practice to improvements in attention, eating and sleeping habits, weight management, and recovery from substance abuse. Research also suggests that mindfulness can help people cope better with heart disease, breast cancer, fibromyalgia, asthma and other conditions ... “

Practicing mindfulness in my everyday life has allowed me to understand the concept of self-acceptance ... and understand that we are messy creatures inclined to negative emotions at times.  It is of vital importance to me and my self-growth.  I find this to be perhaps the greatest appeal as it empowers me to ... step back, pause to assess the situation and recognize what I’m feeling.  This allows me to choose how to respond rather than letting my responses happen to me.

www.walkstrong.ca

" Pranayama ... "

I'm finding my way back to sanity again

Though I don't really know what

I'm going to do when I get there

Take a breath and hold on tight

Spin around one more time

And gracefully fall back to the arms of Grace

~ Lifehouse ~ Breathing ~

***

Breathing is a necessity we dont’ really think about on a moment to moment basis.  But the more thought we do put into our breath, we can get more out of it than we realize.  Pranayama deep breathing is a way to restore imbalances within us.

Pranayama is the art and science of yogic breathing techniques ...

Our conscious life begins with our first breath and ends with our last.  We can correspond patterns of breathing with every emotional state we experience.  The word “inspiration” itself refers to both the act of breathing in as well as the state of being filled with spirit and energy.

“Pranayama” is a Sanskrit word made up of two halves, “prana” and “yama” (or “ayama”), and is most often translated to mean “mastery of the life force”, or sometimes, 

“removal of obstacles to free the flow of life force.”

In ancient times, it was believed that many dis-eases were connected to disturbed nasal breathing, as our nose is directly linked to our brain and nervous system.  And breathing from the left nostril versus the right nostril provides different benefits ... the left is for calming whereas the right is for energy.  For thousands of years, it was believed that breathing.in through your left nostril will access the right “feeling” hemisphere of your brain, and breathing in through your right nostril, will access the left “thinking” hemisphere of your brain.  Hence, alternating your breath between either nostril will  allow you to activate and access your whole brain.

“ ... in yoga, the life force, known as prana, refers to the energy that animates, controls, and permeates the world in and around us. Digesting our food, changing our heart rate in response to exercise, and fighting off infections are all highly complex and variable tasks, yet each of them happen spontaneously, effortlessly, and automatically through the functions of prana. This same force is behind great migrations, the interdependence of species, and the changing of seasons ... “

From my own experience, pranayama breathing is one of the most therapeutic calming rituals by revitalizing you, providing clarity in thoughts, cleaning lungs and organs, slowing the mind, clearing energy channels, merging of left and right brains and encouraging and overall calmer emotional state.  

Caution: Consult with your practitioner FIRST.  More advanced methods of pranayama (alternate nostril breathing) need to be practiced with an experienced practitioner.   Practicing on an empty stomach is preferred.

Incorporating a form of breath-work in your daily life ... via yoga, meditation, etc has infinite rewards.  Breath, movement and energy is life and life is breath, movement and energy.  This ancient yogic practice combines theses into an integrative experience, once tried, may become a part of your every day life too ...

www.walkstrong.ca

" Suffering ... "

“ ... Let's sit back and relax and get comfortable

Now close your eyes, now make it right

I've got my mind set at ease

Don't you know it's you why you're suffering?

You're why you're suffering

I've got my reasons to live

Don't you know it's you why you're suffering?

You're why you're suffering ... “

~ Rebelution ~ Suffering ~

***

This past weekend, I had the opportunity to participate in a transformational event ... the Medicine Buddha Empowerment and Healing Retreat.  Bright-eyed and curious, my beautiful girlfriends and I, received empowerment by our teacher, learned how to apply the teachings of the Medicine Guru ... and prayed and chanted and prayed and chanted and prayed and ...  The retreat in itself is what you make of it ... whether those who attended were there for relief from their own mental or physical illness, or their loved ones ... our intentions were pure and our faith was fed.

And when attending a three day session like this one, you hope that one, two or more little morsels of wisdom you hear will find a place somewhere within you.  Allowing you to take the time you need to process and see if it resonates within you.  The beauty is that these morsels pop up like little clouds of inspiration, just when you need them ... our inner voice, our inner sense, our inner knowing ... 

“ ... Tibetan doctors rely on Medicine Buddha for their healings. Regular practice with the Medicine Buddha also empowers one with powers to heal others. In China and Japan, Medicine Buddha is a refuge in times of illness. Around the world, literally millions call out the name or mantra of Bhaisajyaguru (भैषज्यगुरु). It is even written in the sutras that if you speak the name of the Medicine Buddha in the ears of a dying animal or human they will be ensured good rebirth regardless of their past karma ... “

From the Buddhists perspective, illness is part of life, not the cause of your death.  Those words in themselves, for me personally, were profound.  From my own journey it is about finding the courage ... with determination ... to make a breakthrough, and I fully understand that doesn’t mean I’ll be saved from death by cancer.  

Personally it is about having a constructive attitude.  Because the cancer in this body I call mine in this lifetime has provided a doorway to give thought about my death, and to reflect on my life thus far.  I am learning that by using the “suffering” of this ill-ness, I come face to face with some of the deepest issues of life ... and death.  

“ ... Aside from visualizing and mantra recitation, a common healing practice is to chant 108 of Medicine Buddha’s mantras over a glass of water. The chanter, preferably one who has chanted the mantra in regular practice, then blows on the water and offers it to a sick person. The empowered water has healing powers. The patient can also be requested to speak the name of the Buddha 108 times, or chant the mantra, or read the sutras, or just to gaze up on a loving picture of the Medicine Buddha. Many miraculous cures have been attributed to the Medicine Buddha. Tibetan doctors tend to begin each day with Medicine Buddha practice, and when making herbal medicines chant the Mantras while working to further empower their medicinal benefits ... “

When we think of suffering, we think we must stop it, it is bad, it is painful, it is harmful.  Yet what if we view suffering as a fuel of wisdom, opening the way to happiness.  So maybe illness and suffering isn’t all that bad ... said that blogger living with cancer, who has NOT lost her mind, not just yet anyhow ;)

Putting this into perspective, how you cope with your illness will determine how well you live your life.  Rather than making excuses for what you have been “diagnosed” with ... start with ACCEPTANCE.  When you begin to accept your illness, you open yourself up to seeing what’s really on your plate, a process which takes time.

Acceptance lives in the present moment.  Little by little as you accept your illness, what IS, you cope a little better.  And then that little better gets a little more better, and a little more better, and a little more better ...

Illness, like everything in life, changes.  Whatever new effect you are facing today, different from yesterday, stretches you and your ability to adapt.  And for those that believe, this is the ripening of your negative karma, the path to enlightenment.  Perhaps an uncomfortable subject for some, others, it gives it purpose, to understand why not this suffering is happening to me.

The wake up call ... the new lease on life ... the second chance ... 

Those that suffer, really suffer, reading this may laugh at the mere concept of seeing that suffering can be a blessing.  A karmic blessing.  Because they are conditioned to see what they see ... physical distortions, mental anguish and spiritual disarray.  What have you got to lose ... to change the anger, hatred and distress towards joy, peace and clarity.  Trust not just a dream, fully possible from what I experienced this past retreat.  You see, the outcome may be what is destined to be, but the journey can be embraced with gratitude, in each and every moment ... by deciding what this suffering means to you.

I express infinite gratitude for the 

realizations, transformations and blessings shared and received ...

Medicine Buddha mantra

Tayata Om Bekanze Bekanze 

Maha Bekanze Radza 

Sumudgate Soha

" Life ... "

How many time have your friends let you down?

Just open up your heart

Just open up your mind

How many times has your faith slipped away?

Well, is anybody safe?

Does anybody pray? ...

Oh, Life is waiting for you

So messed up, but we're alive

Oh, Life is waiting for you

So messed up, but we'll survive

~ Our Lady Peace ~ Life ~ 

***

We all know no breath = no life,  but are you familiar with Pranayama breathing?  The art of yoga breathing ...   

Pranayama is a Sanskirt word meaning “extension of prana or breath or life force” ...

• Prana is life force ... vital energy ... breath 
• ayama is to extend ... draw out

By practicing Pranayama or breathing exercise we promote proper breathing.  You see, many moons ago, the yogis realized the important of adequate oxygen supply.  That is why they developed and perfected breathing techniques to revitalize the mind and the body.

My keen interest in yoga has lead me to practice this breath control.  With these techniques it is believed one can prevent major diseases and possibly cure minor illnesses, thanks to bringing more oxygen to the blood and brain, we control the prana or vital life energy.

But don't most of us take breathing for granted?  It is something that occurs automatically, spontaneously, and naturally.  We are breathing even when we are not aware of it.  So it is nice to know that breathing is one of the ways to get rid of waste products and toxins from our body too.  Science even shows us the importance of oxygen ... essential for proper functioning of brain, nerves, glands and other internal organs.  We can survive without food for weeks, water for days but if we lack oxygen ... we would expire within a few minutes.  

And some of the basics of what oxygen does for us ...

• purifies the blood stream
• rejuvenates our skin
• supports the production of ATP, a chemical required for energy production
• reverses arterial dis-ease ...

Therefore, if we can practice healthy breathing by the use of Pranayama breathing or breathing exercises we can ensure we are not compromising our health.  Unhealthy habits can develop without even being aware of it ... slouching can diminish lung capacity and shorten your breath ... stress and anxiety can lead shallow and fast breathing ... Now how many of us can relate?

So how do we improve our life force?  
We learn to properly breath .... the first rule for correct breathing is to breath through the nose instead of the mouth.  The nose has various defense mechanism to prevent impurities and excessively cold air entering the body.  Pathogens can also enter the lungs through mouth breathing that makes it impossible to be healthy.  So to break the habit of breathing through the mouth, just keep your mouth closed and you will automatically breathe through your nose.

Out of interest,  the Yogis believe that the olfactory organ has another function ... to absorb the Prana from the air.  So if you breathe through the mouth all the time, you are cheating yourself of all this free energy.  Choosing to follow the path of ancient Yogis and relying on science, you can practice correct breathing to not only increase your health and life span, but also to attain super conscious states ... our ultimate goal.

...the Universe is filled with prana; all creation is a manifestation of force, a play of force... 

Everything that was, is, or shall be, is nothing but different modes of expression of the universal force.

Paramahansa Yogananda (1893 - 1952)