http://www.jivadiva.com/index.htmlArticles, Insights, Inspiration from Alannaenalanna@jivadiva.comCopyright 2007 Alanna Kaivalya2008-02-04T20:37:13-05:00 hourly 1 2000-01-01T12:00+00:00 Sun, 11 May 2008 13:47:18 -0400Alanna KaivalyaJivaDiva Blogjivadiva@mac.comyoga, jivadiva, alanna, jivamukti, power yoga, health, wellness, well beingalanna@jivadiva.comBlogasana2008-02-04T20:37:13-05:00http://www.jivadiva.com/page18/files/74b494797ce4ac95bd33fc3ba0f1430f-15.html#unique-entry-id-15http://www.jivadiva.com/page18/files/74b494797ce4ac95bd33fc3ba0f1430f-15.html#unique-entry-id-15alanna@jivadiva.comBlogasana2008-01-15T20:35:00-05:00http://www.jivadiva.com/page18/files/49e6905e8e8a4bf62c3c43f1a9d9d569-14.html#unique-entry-id-14http://www.jivadiva.com/page18/files/49e6905e8e8a4bf62c3c43f1a9d9d569-14.html#unique-entry-id-14Harold and Maude? Cat Stevens was pretty clever at voicing the right to be whatever we choose. But, often we get so caught up in our daily dramas and obligations that what we choose to be either gets put on the backburner or shelved completely. We work crazy hours, dedicate our lives to the needs of our family – which isn’t necessarily a bad thing – and we often are just so exhausted by the end that we zone out in front of the TV. What about the yearnings of your childhood-self, the one that wanted to fly kites on Saturday afternoons, or take a belly-dancing class? What about that deep desire for a massive career change that seems impossible at the moment? Try setting aside a few stolen moments every day to sing out and be free, and recognize whatever way you most strongly choose to be.]]>alanna@jivadiva.comBlogasana2007-12-30T17:00:56-05:00http://www.jivadiva.com/page18/files/b8cf1b528ebef71bdbe0d4d1a12c3dae-13.html#unique-entry-id-13http://www.jivadiva.com/page18/files/b8cf1b528ebef71bdbe0d4d1a12c3dae-13.html#unique-entry-id-13Ever think of saying “I love you” to no one in particular? According to Hawaiian master healer, Ihaleakala Hew Len, saying this simple phrase often, and to no one and nothing in particular can transform your life. He calls it a form of “cleaning,” similar to wiping a chalkboard clean. We tend to extract from people and situations exactly what we expect, based on past experiences and memories. By telling all those people and situations that we love them, it invites us to have a whole new perspective, and in essence, get out of it something brand new, and unexpected. How refreshing would it be to start seeing the things that made you fall in love with your partner once again? Or, to fall in love with your job, or for that matter, your boss? The best part of this phrase is that it works even when you don’t say it out loud. Try saying it mentally to yourself, and notice the way it transforms you, and the expectations that you have of any experience. There’s a reason why these three little words have at times, altered the course of history!

(This entry is part of a regular contribution to bethree.com)
]]>alanna@jivadiva.comBlogasana2007-12-15T17:00:11-05:00http://www.jivadiva.com/page18/files/491b933e8da0df957b357bd230f6297e-12.html#unique-entry-id-12http://www.jivadiva.com/page18/files/491b933e8da0df957b357bd230f6297e-12.html#unique-entry-id-12Did you know that psychologists tell us that 90% of the words we speak are completely unnecessary?  Imagine all that arbitrary chatting we do every day abandoned in favor of using that energy to devote to our practice, to charity, to solving the real problems of the world: hunger, global warming, animal cruelty, etc. Maybe we just don’t have to say so much. Maybe instead of chatting with our friends in the evening about the mundane activities of the day, we could spend that time truly listening to their desires and dreams? The most important thing that one can do in any relationship is listen. It’s in the moments when we stop complicating things through our speech, and simplify through our listening that we begin to cultivate a sense of humility, gratitude, and the ability to turn our love into action. Actually, that’s a good place to stop. Now, get to work on the things in life that really matter.

(This entry is part of a regular contribution to bethree.com)
]]>alanna@jivadiva.comBlogasana2007-11-30T16:59:33-05:00http://www.jivadiva.com/page18/files/a9aa317714722695553a053a0e3b05f2-11.html#unique-entry-id-11http://www.jivadiva.com/page18/files/a9aa317714722695553a053a0e3b05f2-11.html#unique-entry-id-11As much as you’d like to blame the opposite sex for the ills of society, it’s kind of impossible to do when you realize that you also have that opposition working right inside you. This simple Sanskrit mantra embodies both the masculine and feminine principles of the universe; principles that we all carry within us. Think “there cannot be light without dark” kind of stuff. Opposites are essential to finding balance, because if you don’t have two end points, there can be no middle. And when the middle path is what you seek, opposites are necessary to guide your journey. If you’re feeling a bit sluggish, you need to exert some force to stop downing potato chips and get out of your pajamas. When you’re feeling overwhelmed and overworked, there must be a sense of calm and relaxation to bring you back into a state of balance. Think about this in regards to your relationships as well…that age old statement that “opposites attract” takes new meaning when you now know that your partner’s annoying habits could be exactly what you need to feel centered.

(This entry is part of a regular contribution to bethree.com)]]>alanna@jivadiva.comBlogasana2007-11-15T16:58:39-05:00http://www.jivadiva.com/page18/files/537a574dd6b58359dc1ae09c97004d56-10.html#unique-entry-id-10http://www.jivadiva.com/page18/files/537a574dd6b58359dc1ae09c97004d56-10.html#unique-entry-id-10Do you remember hearing that Marianne Williamson penned that Nelson Mandela made so famous at his inauguration? The one about how “it is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us?” The smallness that we tend to get away with on a daily basis really isn’t serving…well, it isn’t really serving anyone or anything. Each of us has the potential to make a tremendous impact on our world, starting with ourselves, and getting by is no longer an option. Does the sun yawn and roll over and hit the snooze before getting up? No, it dutifully shines as brightly as possible day in and day out. Let this be your day to shine on and be the biggest, brightest star. Smile at the new kid, pick up after a coworker, let someone else off the subway first. Take the initiative and shine on in a way that brightens others, while keeping yourself luminous.

(This entry is part of a regular contribution to bethree.com)]]>alanna@jivadiva.comBlogasana2007-10-30T16:54:39-04:00http://www.jivadiva.com/page18/files/40ab747a3cb98d067838ffa8cc4c577c-9.html#unique-entry-id-9http://www.jivadiva.com/page18/files/40ab747a3cb98d067838ffa8cc4c577c-9.html#unique-entry-id-9Hey Captain Negativo, ready to put the lid on the downer thoughts for a while? It’s a good notion, but hard to do considering that thoughts tend to fly around our minds faster than a caped wonder. The great sage Patanjali, who authored the Yoga Sutras, gives us some sound advice as to how to transform our mind into a good friend. He tells us that when disturbed by disturbing thoughts, we should think the opposite. Basically, it’s a “fake it ‘til you make it” approach to positive thinking. And it works, because whatever you think becomes who you are, and if you’ve been on the downward spiral, you know it’s hard to pull yourself out. But you just have to start somewhere, even if it’s telling yourself over and over again that you are having a good hair day. Eventually those positive thoughts will start to dominate, and you’ll start the upward spiral, and be on your way to happy lands faster than a speeding bullet.

(This entry is part of a regular contribution to bethree.com)]]>alanna@jivadiva.comBlogasana2007-06-15T15:10:34-04:00http://www.jivadiva.com/page18/files/9e4a978751a1c4ca2592cc05532ef6e9-8.html#unique-entry-id-8http://www.jivadiva.com/page18/files/9e4a978751a1c4ca2592cc05532ef6e9-8.html#unique-entry-id-8 There are a variety of reasons people begin practicing yoga. Many wonder what all the fuss is about, some have heard that it can help with flexibility and strength, and others wonder about the stress relief benefits. More than fifteen million Americans have stepped on the mat and have explored how yoga can enrich their lives, but many only see the physical benefits. Despite the growing popularity of yoga, many instructors are left wondering if many people are really missing the true purpose of the practice.
What are yoga students missing when they are only taking class to lose weight, become fit, or relieve stress? They are missing the heart of the practice and the chance to make significant positive changes in their lives. When going to a yoga class becomes something greater than just something you do for yourself every now and again, you begin to realize that it is not just about you anymore. Dedicating the practice to something greater than yourself is what draws the distinction between just doing exercise and practicing yoga.
These days, it seems that the mention of dedication, or devotion, can be a tricky subject in yoga class. People tend to be unresponsive when the idea of the divine is mentioned. It is important for yoga practitioners to know that the philosophy of yoga is inextricably linked with divinity, no matter what name is given to it or how it is incorporated. Yoga was built on the idea that there is a force greater than ourselves, and yet we are still connected to it. This is the idea of Oneness, and the idea is more than fairly comforting. Others who are religious fear a conflicting of faiths by believing in the spirituality of yoga; however, Swami Satchidananda said, “The Truth is one, the paths are many.” Therefore, people of any faith or belief can practice yoga. Even if a practioner of yoga does not believe in any form of divinity, this does not present a problem. They must simply recognize that the nature of all beings is joy and try to connect with that.
Now that we’ve gotten that sticky subject out of the way, I want to explain this idea of dedicating your practice in greater detail. It’s not even so much about dedication as it is relinquishing or letting go of everything whether they be worries, fears, misunderstandings, or hang-ups. My teacher, Sharon Gannon, always promotes the idea that “You’ve got to get down to get up.” What she means is that you need to be rooted in the here and now and be able to let go of all the fruits of your actions. Why, you ask? Why shouldn’t you just keep on doing yoga to perfect your chatturangas, balance longer in tree pose, and get that yoga butt? The answer is a simple one. What are all those things going to get you in the long run?
Sure, nailing that Chatturanga feels great, and deepening your Hanumanasana (splits pose) can give you a bit of a rush. I’m not denying that one bit, but what is the true purpose behind the motions? Yoga practice can help you to break a cycle, stop bad habits, and transform your life. Yes, it can do all of those things, but you have to let it. You see, you can’t acquire yoga like you can dance steps or aerobic maneuvers; you have to let go of what is obscuring it. You have to let go of your preferences and simply be in the moment as a divine being.
So why do asana at all if you’re not supposed to be attached to the outcome? Because the asanas help to show you the interior of your own mind, they clearly point out what you’re holding on to and what you still need to work through. They transform you into the tree or the warrior and make you see what it is like to step outside of yourself, even for the briefest of moments. Asana also gives you the chance to see that both the world and you yourself are constantly changing. This, in turn, gives you the opportunity to find what is real and unchanging.
When you realize that the purpose of your yoga practice is not to keep you rooted in this world, but to let you move through it, you begin to have faith in your ability to reach the divine with your actions. It can ignite the soul and give you a sense of renewed dignity and worth. Because you know that you’re not just performing the motions for your own benefit, the sense of satisfaction from your practice can grow beyond the mat. For example, have you ever had the opportunity to offer selfless service to another? Maybe you’ve adopted a pet and taken on the full responsibility of loving and caring for it, and, in exchange, all you have received is unconditional love from them for giving happiness and freedom. This is what the act of devotion is all about—realizing that it’s not all about the wishes and wants you only think you need.
When you start letting go of the selfish motives for practice and try to connect with something greater, you inspire your own ability to love. This is the nature of the spirit, and connecting with that is the ultimate goal of yoga practice. Samadhi is union with the divine, a connection with the source, which is true love. Everything else is negligible. As my teachers, Sharon Gannon and David Life, would say, “The sheer desire for Oneness is the way to it.”
Realizing that all the beings in this world are connected in this way is a remarkable step for the yogi. Once the lines between ‘you’ and ‘them’ begin to fade, you realize how important it is to share love and a sense of gratitude with everyone around you.
]]>alanna@jivadiva.comBlogasana2007-06-15T15:09:21-04:00http://www.jivadiva.com/page18/files/23a3f9d923c45a7844cf425aa8783719-6.html#unique-entry-id-6http://www.jivadiva.com/page18/files/23a3f9d923c45a7844cf425aa8783719-6.html#unique-entry-id-6During some of my first yoga classes, I remember being baffled as to how the Shoulder Stand could ever become an easeful or comfortable pose. I would listen while the teacher would try to convince me of its multitude of benefits, wondering if I would ever be able to achieve some state of grace in this seemingly impossible pose. Because the pose is fairly complex, it is rather difficult to attain all of the intricate bits of instruction needed to make this pose more refined and uplifting, as it should be. One key piece of information essential in the instruction for this pose – it is all about regaining faith in the intuition of your heart.
For those of you whose instruction of shoulder stand may not have gotten beyond the physical body, it may come as a surprise to learn that such a physical pose can have a tremendous effect on your emotional and psychological well being. The fact is that yoga asanas (postures) go far beyond creating physical health – they create much larger change – in ways that you may never have imagined. Part of this change comes from not only creating stronger muscles, and a more balanced vital structure, but also by instilling a greater sense of peace and well being in your emotions and psyche.
When yogis do a pose such as Salamba Sarvangasana (the Sanskrit word for supported shoulder stand), they do not just turn their bodies upside down, but they turn their whole world upside down. While this is not as dramatic a change as, say, headstand, for example, the shoulder stand also provides a different perspective on your physical world, and you have the opportunity to observe the state of your body in the meantime. While you are underneath your uplifted body, you can watch your breathing and the expansion of your chest, including your heart. With this view, you see that your heart is now physically placed above your head, giving you the opportunity to see from where your decisions should be made.
The yogi strives to live from the heart, but most often our daily lives demand that we live from our overactive and overworked minds. We rationalize, quantify, and qualify all our decisions. We second guess and get nervous when our heart calls us to act. But it is the spirit of the heart that allows us to feel freely and liberate our worried minds. By placing the heart above the head, and seeing it there, we have a clear reminder that our heart is there to guide us and it has a tremendous amount of intuition and knowledge that cannot be discounted as we move along our yoga path. It is difficult for us to remember that the heart can be our guiding force, because this wisdom is often discounted by those around us. But think of how often your heart has told you to go to yoga class to find some stillness and your mind has told you that you can’t because you just have too many errands to run…which was right?
When your heart finally does win and you make it to yoga class, embrace the opportunity to give Salamba Sarvangasana your best effort. You can start easing yourself into the pose by beginning with bridge pose, or Setu Bandhasana. This will give you the feeling of drawing your chest toward your chin, and stretching high onto your shoulders, just as you do in shoulder stand. To practice setu bandhasana, lay on your back, knees bent, with your feet close to your sits bones. Lay your hands flat by your hips, and tuck your shoulders under, beginning the expansion of your chest. Lift your hips off the floor, and interlace your fingers underneath you. Press your palms together, and stretch higher up onto your shoulders. If clasping your hands is difficult, instead, try supporting your hips with your hands, bending your elbows so you can support yourself. Knees should be over your ankles, and no wider than hip width apart.
As you breathe in this pose, keep in mind that drawing your chest closer to your chin and balancing on your shoulders rather than your neck is a key element to make the leap from this pose to shoulder stand. Setu bandhasana is an excellent place to start the journey toward the expansion of your heart – not to mention the healing of your physical body and balancing of your glandular system. When you are comfortable with the elements of this pose, the next pose that will assist in preparing for shoulder stand is Halasana, or plow pose.
To enter plow pose, begin by lying on your back. If you have any neck issues, it is wise to place a folded blanket underneath your shoulders and elbows to reduce strain in the cervical spine. As you lie on your back, lift your feet up and over your head, onto the floor behind you, or onto a chair or bolster if your feet do not make it to the floor. Interlace your fingers behind you and lift higher up onto your shoulders. It is very important in all of these poses that your cervical spine – specifically the part of your spine between your neck and upper back that protrudes slightly – not be supporting your body. Keep in mind that you are trying to achieve a shoulder stand, not a spine stand. It is a common problem to collapse into the neck, and this is where many troubles can occur. When in Setu Bandhasana, Halasana or Salamba Sarvangasana, a teacher should be able to place about two fingers between your spine and the floor, and between your shoulder blades – ensuring that you are not placing undue pressure on the neck.
Once the spine is properly lifted, and you have lifted up onto your shoulders in Plow Pose, try then to straighten your spine, and reach your sits bones higher toward the ceiling. Keeping the hands clasped, reaching the arms to the floor, work on straightening the spine. This can be assisted by lifting the femurs (thigh bones) toward the ceiling as well. Work on keeping your legs straight and reaching the heels away from you.
As you do your best in Halasana, keep in mind that ‘Hala’ means poison. This pose is designed to allow you to let go of any poison that may be keeping you from yoga – or union with ultimate joy. This poison could be the tightness you feel in your hips, or the uptightness that you feel in your heart. Either way, as you balance on your shoulders and lengthen your spine, remember to breathe into the tough places…in your body and in your mind.
Each asana presents you with the opportunity to create a little more space in your body. Whether you create space in your hamstrings through the yoga asanas, space in your mind through yogic breathing, or space in your heart through practicing kindness (karma yoga), you are creating space that will help you become a better yogi, and in turn affect those around you. As you better yourself, you also improve upon your relationships with others. Since it is our relationships with others that are really what make up our entire world, this is a very important thing to consider while doing a yoga practice, especially when doing plow pose. Plow pose was specifically designed for you to let go of whatever is poisoning your space – so that you could create new space for the encouragement of your heart to shine through.
When you have successfully cultivated proper alignment (so as not to cause injury) and a calm mind in plow pose, then work on Salamba Sarvangasana can begin. You may wish to start with a more modified version of the pose, especially if you are a beginner. The modified versions will help to give you a feel for what being in the full pose is like, without so much of the struggle that the full pose can bring. To start in a modified shoulder stand, sit against a wall, and have two folded blankets right next to you. Lie down sideways on the folded blankets, and then turn over so that you are lying on your back. Your seat should be against the wall, and you shoulders should be at the edge of the blankets with the head on the floor. Press your hands down next to you and press your feet into the wall to lift your seat up off of the floor. Interlace your fingers behind you and stretch up higher onto your shoulders, and press your feet into the wall so that your knees are at a right angle. Bend your elbows and press your hands to your back for more support.
This supported version of a shoulder stand will help to prepare you for the full pose by stretching your upper back and neck without the strain of supporting your entire body. You are also more able to focus on maintaining safe alignment of the neck, and lifting sufficiently so that you are supported by your shoulders rather than your cervical spine, as well as developing the muscles in your body that will help to support yourself when you are ready to come off the wall.
When you are comfortable in the modified version of the pose, experiment by straightening one leg out, and then the other while keeping the breathing steady. It is always safe to use a blanket or two as a prop in this pose, and I would suggest continuing to use a blanket until you have had sufficient practice and instruction. Moving away from the wall is the next step. If you choose to use blankets, try folding your mat over the top of the blankets to give yourself more traction so as to keep your elbows from sliding apart as you support yourself with your hands. To come into the pose away from the wall, first enter Halasana, and then support your back with your hands. When you are ready, stretch your legs up toward the ceiling. Your body should essentially be straight up and down, but this will be difficult at first – until you have built the strength and confidence to use your entire body to lift up.
While in this pose, try to watch your body correct and straighten itself as you stretch up higher with every breath. Lift the legs away from the pelvis, the pelvis away from the ribcage, and the ribcage away from the shoulders. As you observe your body lifting up, imagine that your internal organs are doing the same thing. When you turn yourself upside down in an inversion such as shoulder stand, your entire internal physiology has to adjust to the tremendous change. This causes your internal organs to strengthen and work better, your heart to pump more efficiently, not to mention the refreshing of blood and oxygen to your brain, allowing you to think more clearly. Shoulder stand is often deemed the ‘Queen of Asanas’ and it’s no wonder why. The pose carries tremendous benefits, some of the most notable being its affects on your glandular and endocrine system.
The chin lock and the fact that the rest of your body is upside down places pressure on the thyroid and parathyroid glands in the neck, as well as the pineal and thymus glands in the head and chest. These glands are responsible for many different hormone levels, and massaging them through shoulder stand can help to regulate your endocrine system by squeezing any old blood and fluids out of these vital glands, and when you release from the pose, a fresh supply of fluids helps to further flush the area out and rejuvenate it. Not only does shoulder stand greatly affect your endocrine system, but it also affects your kidneys and calms your nervous system.
Because of all of the positive changes that it inspires, it is highly recommended to do this ‘Queen of Asanas’ every day, and it is said that the pose should eventually be held for no less than five minutes. As you get more confident in the pose, try building upon your length of time. With more confidence will come more flexibility and strength, and eventually you may wish to try full Salamba Sarvangasana without the support of a wall or blanket. In full shoulder stand, extend your heels up until your body is perpendicular to the floor, and press your hands to your back to continue lifting your ribs. Draw your tailbone into the body and try not to collapse the lower back. Most importantly, use the strength of your entire body to lift and lengthen the spine upward. Move your ears away from your shoulders, lengthening your neck while drawing your chest closer to your chin. Enjoy the calming and peacefulness of the pose as you observe you heart.
The Sanskrit name of this pose literally means ‘all parts supported’. Consider this. If all parts are supported then you no longer need to carry the weight of the world on your shoulders, and you can rest in the confidence of knowing that everything is being held up. When we get to the point in our lives that things are spiraling out of control and we forget to live from the heart, this pose will help us to reconnect and find our true spirit. We can observe our own heart opening, and we can then let ourselves open up into the spirit of our heart, which is true joy. If all the parts of our lives are supported, how can we not find the peace and bliss in all situations? Have this confidence, and open up to the possibilities of living from the heart.
Each time you do a shoulder stand you have the chance to remind yourself that the power of your heart is the greatest guiding intuition that you have, and that the practices of yoga are designed to help you realize that it is your mind’s clutter that will prevent you from comprehending this truth. When you do begin to remember on a regular basis that listening to your heart is important, and staying true to your yoga practice will affect all aspects of your life, then talking about the correlation between the body and mind will no longer seem like such a stretch.
]]>alanna@jivadiva.comBlogasana2007-06-15T15:05:14-04:00http://www.jivadiva.com/page18/files/d8c2e0b21a7cc1e8e00f736c36ee15c9-5.html#unique-entry-id-5http://www.jivadiva.com/page18/files/d8c2e0b21a7cc1e8e00f736c36ee15c9-5.html#unique-entry-id-5About a year after I had begun my yoga practice, I found myself in the yoga classroom out of my element. While I had gotten comfortable chanting Om, I was shocked to see a teacher sit behind a tiny piano (called a harmonium) and suddenly ask the class to chant “Hare Ram, Sita Ram”. I sat silently through the chant and waited for the ‘real yoga class’ to begin.
Despite my original reluctance, something about that first chant stayed with me, and I found it difficult to let the tune go, and wondered exactly why the tune was so ingrained in my noggin. That yoga class transformed my way of thinking about yoga as uniquely a physical practice, and I’ve grown to learn that the mantras, chanting and sound can have a deeply profound effect on the physical realm, not only enhancing your asana practice, but bringing greater well being all on it’s own.
One of the first mantras I learned was “Om Namah Shivaya”, which is one of the oldest and most powerful mantras known. It is said to be untranslatable, but the sentiment ignites an awakening of your own divine potential, what yogic scripture would call the ‘Shiva’. Shiva is known as many things, but one among them is the transformer, and he is able to transform negativity to create room for the positive.
I’ve been hearing this mantra a lot lately. In fact, in a discussion with a group of yogis, I heard one of them exclaim, “Om Namah Shivaya”. He used it as a replacement for something like “Darnit”. And it worked. The conversation did not skip a beat. He just kept on talking, and the rest of us followed along.
While I’m not suggesting that we all start adopting Sanskrit phrases as adjectives, I think it is important to realize that mantra’s power is transformative. It is able to embody whatever energy you wish to cultivate. So while the yogi in conversation lightly dropped the mantra “Om Namah Shivaya” as a remark, it did help him to process the energy he was ready to relinquish.
How, you may ask? That particular mantra has been chanted for thousands of years, and so has gained a tremendous amount of momentum. Sharon Gannon adds, “when you chant such an old and sacred mantra, it is as if you are harnessing the power of everyone who has ever chanted that mantra. It becomes charged, powerful, and potent.” And, it is common knowledge in these times that our world is made of vibration, or sound. So it makes sense that one of the easiest ways to affect our bodies 
(which are also vibratory) would be through sound.
Mantras are composed, traditionally, of Sanskrit words, and Sanskrit has a profound affect on a vibratory level. It’s as if we’re taking a tuning fork directly to the source of dissonance when we chant mantra. And since each mantra has a slightly different focus, we have many different tools with which to tune our greatest instrument: our body.
Just as we have asanas that help to heal or realign our body, mantras help to realign our energetic bodies. And, the best part about them is that you have all the tools you need to chant a mantra with you at all times, no yoga mat necessary. You can even recite mantra in your mind, where the vibrations of it permeate your thoughts and create lasting change. When you repeat a mantra often enough, it actually gets stuck inside you, remapping your thoughts and body to embrace what it conveys.
Mantras have been used for thousands of years, and are becoming more popular these days as we discover the power of positive thinking. Choose one of the mantras below to begin with, and see if you can feel the vibrations settling into your mind and if nothing else, hopefully it will help to bring you into the present moment and reconnect with your yoga practice, while you are off the mat.


Simple Mantras and what they can be used for:

Om: The great eraser. The best way to press the reset button. Any time you need a refresher.

Om Namah Shivaya: Mantra of transformation. Use this any time you have negative energy that you need dissipated and translated into something useful for you to keep moving forward.

Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu: Sharon Gannon translates this mantra as “May all beings everywhere be happy and free, and may the thoughts, words and actions of my life contribute in some way to the happiness and freedom of all.” This mantra is a great way to offer compassion to someone who needs it, may they be a friend, acquaintance, or foe.




Repeat as often as necessary. Out loud, or silently, either way, your body is listening.
]]>alanna@jivadiva.comBlogasana2007-06-12T21:11:24-04:00http://www.jivadiva.com/page18/files/0ae7fef69211e908fc3008016c3e7ddd-2.html#unique-entry-id-2http://www.jivadiva.com/page18/files/0ae7fef69211e908fc3008016c3e7ddd-2.html#unique-entry-id-2I spent 4 beautiful weeks in Hawaii, and utterly enjoyed the weather, people, the beach, and most of all, the ocean. It is such a sattvic place, where you can literally feel the breath of god rise and fall with the ocean waves. My first few days in Hawaii were spent in Maui, and I had the good fortune of meeting good friends who enjoyed snorkeling.

The first time I went snorkeling, I ran into a gigantic sea turtle - the reptile was at least as long as I was, and it looked as if it was flying through the water. The look in it's eyes was one of fearlessness and compassion as it swam no less than 3 feet away from me. I followed it as it bobbed up and down in the water, catching a breath and then sinking back into the deep blue.

The next day my friend Mark and I went snorkelling again at another location. We saw so many colorful fish, and swam for a long distance along the beach. With flippers on, it is so easy to go fast, and we cruised along with the current at a pretty fast clip. When we decided to turn back to head the other way...it was nearly impossible.

The current kept sweeping us backward and sideways into the beach. No matter how hard I churned my legs, I could not gain any headway back to where we came from...and I had a sudden realization. I was expending so much energy fighting the waters, and I came to the conclusion that there was no way I was going to win against the ocean.

I decided that instead of fighting, I would let the ocean carry me back to shore, and I walked back to the beach towel, laid on the sand, and closed my eyes in gratitude. It was so much easier to go with the currents of the ocean, than to fight against them. How much time do you spend, expending an enormous amount of energy fighting against life, when in the end, it's going to lead you where you are supposed to go anyway? Imagine if you focused your energy on the messages and direction that life was sending you, as opposed to kicking and sucking in salt water, convinced you were meant to go the other way. We can learn from the sattvic sea turtle who flies through the ocean with ease, and know that life is going to take us exactly where we need to go.
]]>alanna@jivadiva.comBlogasana2007-06-12T21:11:21-04:00http://www.jivadiva.com/page18/files/5d49ed21a1b83bae869d663adcd89fee-4.html#unique-entry-id-4http://www.jivadiva.com/page18/files/5d49ed21a1b83bae869d663adcd89fee-4.html#unique-entry-id-4Recently, the festival of Diwali was celebrated in India. This is a weekend sacred celebration with gifts, fireworks, get togethers, prayer and, of course, food. I have heard that it is beyond any celebration we experience on a regular basis here in the states, and it is beyond our imagination. The festival celebrates the triumphant king Rama's return to his throne after a long battle involving demons, and monkeys, and....what?

Wow. An entire celebration for a seemingly fictional historical story about a king and his monkey? Don't get me wrong, I'm a huge fan of the Ramayana, especially Hanuman, one of the main characters, but we don't even rival the Diwali celebration with our own Independence Day...and that actually happened! You see, there is a deeply ingrained sense of the sacred in Indian culture, that has largely been lost in our own Western culture. They have an entire weekend celebration in honor of what they consider to be sacred. I'm not saying that we don't have similar types of things, but I think they're more masked in our society.

I don't believe that the sacred in our society has been irrevocably lost, but it might take us yogis some extra effort to re-engage ourselves in cherishing what is sacred around us. First, of course, we have to start considering what we find to be sacred. I was discussing this issue with a friend of mine, because it's been on my mind, and he said, that westerners find plenty of things sacred...their cars, their house, their diamond rings. Not exactly the reassurance I was looking for, but lets consider the definition of sacred. Just for fun, I looked it up and among several definitions is included: "entitled to reverence and respect" and "highly valued and important". Of course, there were other definitions that included references to religion, but let's not go there for now.

What is sacred is whatever object we place that particular value on. A photo might be sacred to one person, and not to another. We choose what is sacred in our lives. I believe another important component is the way that our sacred objects make us feel. They should inspire within us a sense of reverence, respect, and devotion. They should even remind us of our highest potential, and bring us back to the true meaning of whatever we do every single day. Let what is sacred to us be our touchpoint - what we come back to when we need to remind ourselves how sacred we are.

I think also that what we find to be sacred in our lives should be there as a constant reminder, and not tucked away for when we have time for it. Again, what you find sacred is up to you, but bring it to the forefront of your life and keep coming back to it. As humans, we tend to need constant reminders of how special we are (that's what yoga teachers try to do, too!), because we so often forget. Rekindle what is sacred in your life. Allow yourself to celebrate what is sacred to you - and allow that to help you celebrate your Self.
]]>alanna@jivadiva.comBlogasana2007-06-12T18:59:51-04:00http://www.jivadiva.com/page18/files/d84d6d77a5939341f0fce368001b449e-0.html#unique-entry-id-0http://www.jivadiva.com/page18/files/d84d6d77a5939341f0fce368001b449e-0.html#unique-entry-id-0 Two weeks ago, I was on a beautiful sandy beach in Maui officiating a commitment ceremony for two of my best friends, who are both women. It was one of the most beautiful experiences that I've shared with friends, and I was truly honored to be there with them during this time - in fact, aside from the photographer, we were the only 3 people there.
It was a sacred ceremony that created a lasting bond between two people who are deeply in love. After the proceedings, I reflected upon it's title of 'commitment ceremony' and thought about it's meaning.
That commitment did not need to be recognized by any state or government. They didn't feel the need for any grand ceremony or many other witnesses. Just me and them, and the everlasting presence of the divine all around us. They could have lived the rest of their lives together without ever having any formal proceedings, but this ritual created an everlasting karmic tie that they are now bound to honor.
They didn't do it for anyone but themselves. That is who it mattered most to. Now, maybe because I myself am not married, and this is only the second wedding I've presided over (yes, a couple got married a few years ago in my yoga class), this seemed like a profound revelation for me. But, I also think it has a profound implication on anything we choose to dedicate ourselves to in our lives, whether it be another human being, a cause, or a source. Whatever we choose to commit ourselves to, it need not be recognized by anyone outside of us, but only the divine within.
Have you considered this recently? What, or who are you deeply committed to, or bound to? What does the force of love drive you to do every day? Maybe it is to wake up and make your partner a cup of coffee. Maybe it is to consume less so others can have more. Maybe it is to speak always of the highest Truth so as to inspire others to that same end. Whatever it is, create a powerful ceremony for yourself, that maybe you do once, or every day, that creates that pact, and make the commitment real and true for you. This will inspire love and devotion, which in the teachings of yoga, is the fastest way to lasting happiness and joy.
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