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Yoga
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Meditation
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Loka samasta sukino bhavantu
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May the entire universe be filled
with
peace and joy; love and light.
Articles, Yoga
Poems, Quotes, Sayings, Mantras and Readings
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My Favorite Quotes for Inspiration
Favorite
Yoga Chants,
Mantras, and more
Mantras for Japa (repetition)
Shakti Bija
Mantras to invoke the Divine Feminine
Featured
articles
The Art of Traveling
Symptoms of
Inner Peace
Solve Holiday Stress
The Art of
Traveling
Here
is something to remember when you pack your bags, whether you're
going far or staying near.
1. Travel lightly. You are not traveling for people to see
you!
3.
Travel expectantly. Every place you visit is like a surprise
package to be opened. Untie the strings with an expectation of
high adventure.
5. Travel humbly. Visit people and places with reverence and
respect for their traditions and ways of life.
9.
Travel with curiosity. It is not how far you go, but how deeply
you go that mines the gold of experience. Thoreau wrote a big
book about tiny Walden Pond.
14. Travel with the spirit of a world citizen. You’ll discover
that people are basically much the same the world around. Be an
ambassador of good will to all people.
Click here for all 14
tips on The Art of Traveling
(pdf).
Unfortunately, the author of The Art of Traveling is unknown (at
least by me).
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Favorite
Quotes and Sayings for Inspiration
Dedication of Merit ~
May the merit of our practice
encourage all beings to unveil the hidden brilliance.
Living Buddha
Again and again ~ Return like mountain
~ Release like ocean ~ Relax like sky ~ And rest ~ Rest in the
heart of pure awareness.
In Light of Merton
~ Joe Z.
At the very center of our being
is a great spaciousness that is untouched by sin and illusion. A
point of pure truth which is inaccessible
to the fantasies of our mind or
the brutalities of our will. (A Virgin Point).
It’s like a pure diamond –
blazing with the invisible light of heaven. It’s in everybody.
And if we could only see it and integrate it – we
would radiate a peace that would
make all the darkness and all the cruelty vanish forever.
Meta Meditation – Loving-kindness
~ Buddha
May I be well
May I be happy and content
May I be free from danger and suffering
May I be filled with loving-kindness
May you be well
May you be happy and content
May you be free from danger and suffering
May you be filled with loving-kindness
May all beings be well
May all beings be happy and content
May all beings be free from danger and suffering
May all beings be filled with loving-kindness
Gentle me, Holy One,
into an unclenched moment, a deep breath, a
letting go of heavy experiences, of shriveling anxieties,
of dead uncertainties. That
softened by the silence, surrounded by the light, and open to
the mystery, I may be found by
wholeness, upheld by the
unfathomable, entranced by the simple, and filled with the joy
that is You. ~ Ted Loder
Every blade of grass has its
angel that bends over it and whispers, “Grow, Grow.
~ The Talmud
Be alert for any sign of beauty
or grace.
Offer up every joy.
Be awake at all moments to the news that is always arriving out
of the silence
~ Sogyal Rimpoche
Just give me this:
A rinsing out, a cleansing free of all my smaller
strivings so I can be the class act God intended. True to my
purpose, all my energy aligned
behind my deepest intention. And just this: A quieting down, a
clearing away of internal ruckus, so I
can hear the huge stillness in my
heart and feel how I pulse with all creation, part and parcel of
Your great singing ocean. And this
too: A willingness to notice and
forgive the myriad times I fall short, forgetting who I really
am, what I really belong to. So I can start
over, fresh and clean like sweet
sheets billowing in the summer sun, my heart pierced with
gratitude. ~ Belleruth Naparstek
If I can stop one heart from
breaking, I shall not live in vain.
If I can ease one life the aching, or cool one pain, or help one
fainting robin unto his nest again I shall not live in vain.
~ Emily Dickinson
I love to watch how birds
Soar on the wind.
There appears to be such
Little effort, yet such joy.
I want to become like a bird
and let my spirit soar
On the winds that are blowing
Through my life.
I will not be crushed against the
rocks!
I will sense the rhythm,
The flow, and react accordingly.
I will trust my inner guide.
~ J. Garrett Garrison & S.
Sheperd
I pray to the birds.
I pray to the birds because I
believe they will carry the
messages of my heart upward.
I pray to them because I believe
in their existence,
the way their songs begin and end each day
– the invocations and benedictions of earth.
I pray to the birds because
they remind me of what I love
rather than what I fear.
And at the end of my prayers,
they teach me how to listen.
~ Terry Tempest Williams
Just for Now,
without asking how, let yourself sink into stillness. Just for
now, lay down the weight you so patiently bear upon your
shoulders. Feel the earth receive
you, and the infinite expanse of the sky grow even wider as your
awareness reaches up to meet
it. Just for now, allow a wave of
breath to enliven your experience. Breathe out whatever blocks
you from the truth. Just for now,
be boundless, free, with awakened
energy tingling in your hands and feet. Drink in the possibility
of being who and what you really
are – so fully alive that the
world looks different, newly born and vibrant, just for now. ~
Danna Faulds
Let yourself fall.
Let yourself fall. Too much holding yourself up
holds things up. Let yourself fall into the arms of the One
who sometimes pulls the rug out
from under you just so that you may know the sweetness of being
caught.
May my
feet rest firmly on the ground.
May my head touch the sky.
May I see clearly
May I have the capacity to listen
May I be free to touch
May my words be true
May my heart and mind be open
May my hands be empty to fill the need
May my arms be open to others
May my gifts be revealed to me so I may return that which has
been given completing the great circle.
– Terma
Loka samasta sukino bhavantu
May the entire universe be filled with peace and
joy; love and light.
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Favorite Yoga Chants,
Mantras, and more
Yoga Teacher Student
Prayer
OM saha navavatu
saha nau bhunaktu
saha viryam
karavavahai
tejasvi navadhitam astu
ma vidvishavahai
OM shanti, shanti, shanti
May we be protected together.
May we be nourished together.
May we create strength among one another.
May our study be filled with brilliance and light.
May there be no hostility between us.
Om peace, peace, peace.
Gayatri Mantra
Om bhur bhuvah svaha
Tat savitur varenyam
Bargo devasya
dhimahi
Dhiyo yona
prachodayat
I reflect on the unity of Divine
Spirit, which pervades everything in the earth, the atmosphere
and heavens.
May this Supreme Consciousness protect me and illuminate my
intellect that I may realize my inherent oneness with That.
I meditate on the great luminous light that enlightens all three
worlds.
May it enlighten all.
Namaste’
~~ I honor the light in you and in all - used as
a greeting and goodbye
Loka samasta sukino
bhavantu
~~ May the entire universe be filled
with peace and joy, love and light.
Asatoma sad gamaya ~ Tama soma jyotir gamaya ~ Mritorma amritam
gamaya
~~ Lead us from the unreal to the
real. Lead us from darkness to light. Lead us from death to
immortality.
Mantras for Japa (repetition)
108 Beads on a Mala, 125,000 for mantra siddhi
Om
~~King and Queen of all mantras ~ sound of infinity and
immortality. Contains supreme wisdom.
Om Namo/Namah/Namaha
~Shri
~~ Used to invoke, appreciate and honor a deity Swaha – giving
of self, let go
Om
Shanti Om Shanti Om or Shanti, Shanti, Shanti, Om
~~ for peace
So Hum
~ I am that. Universal mantra sound of
the breath ~ so is inhalation, hum is exhalation.
Om Namo Bhagavate
Vasudevaya
~~ to the divine indweller in all. Oneness.
Hari Om
~~ Purifies and removes obstacles. Opens the heart. Awakens
prana (natural energy) in the body.
Sita
Ram
~ opens the heart and celebrates love
Om
Shri Saraswataya Namaha – for help &
inspiration in art, music, literature
Om Shri Kali
Durgaya Namaha – dispels negativity,
provided protection
Om Shri Ramaya
Namaha ~ Ram is a name for God. It
engenders God consciousness, truth, blessings
Om Namah
Shivaya – honors the divine within
oneself & others – destroys negativity & replaces with positive
Om Gum
Ganipati-ya Namaha – to remove
obstacles and bring success
Om Shrim
Lahshmi-ya Namana – for noble
abundance, prosperity, beauty, grace
Om Tara Tu
Tara Tu Ray Swaha ~ for rescue &
benevolent help – for compassion
strength & healing
Gate gate Para
gate Para sum gate Bodhi Swaha ~~ Gone
beyond the beyond to enlightenment (Buddhist)
Om mani padme
hum – the Jewel of the lotus of the
heart (Buddhist)
Bija
Mantras for the Chakras
Chakra Bija sounds for
activation
1 Lam
2 Vam
3 Ram
4 Yam
5 Hum
6 Om
7 Silence or Ommmmmm
Vowels to share and spread
energy
1 O as in toe
2 O as in two
3 Ah as in awe
4 A as in play
5 E as in Speak
6 M as in mmmmmmm
7 Silent or
ommmmmm or NG as in wing or silence
Shakti Bija Mantras
To invoke the
Feminine
Aim
Saraswati,
Art, Music, Literature, Wisdom
Hrim
Parvati
Purification,Transformation
Klim/Krim
Kali
Fiercely conquers obstacles, energizes
Dum
Durga
Warrior of Protection
Shrim
Lakshmi
Abudance, Beauty, Grace
Tam
Tara
Mercy, Compassion, Removes fear. Protects.
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12
Symptoms of Inner Peace
~
Saskia Davis
1. An increasing
tendency to let things happen rather than make them happen.
2. An unmistakable
ability to enjoy each moment.
3. A loss of interest
in interpreting the actions of others.
4. A loss of interest
in judging other people.
5. A loss of interest in judging self.
6. A loss of interest in conflict.
7. A loss of the ability to worry.
8. Frequent, overwhelming episodes of
appreciation.
9. Contented feelings of connectedness with
others and nature.
10. Frequent bouts of smiling.
11. A tendency to think and act spontaneously
rather than on fears based on past experiences.
12. An increased susceptibility to the love
extended by others as well as the uncontrollable urge to extend
it.
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Solve Holiday Stress
Whether you’re
celebrating Thanksgiving, Christmas, St. Nicholas, Kwanza,
Winter Solstice, Navidades, Hanukkah, St. Lucia Day, Boxing Day
or New Year’s, the holidays are inherently stressful.
Decide now whether this
year will be full of the season’s stressful traps or fulfilling
with plenty of treasures to be thankful for. Take some time to
set priorities and make the necessary changes so the holidays
are inspiring and energizing instead of a drain. Pay attention
to what your needs and wishes are for your body, mind, and heart
while finding the balance with sharing with others.
Operating on automatic can add even more stress
causing unhappiness, sickness, poor relationships and lack of
energy. Why not improve your ability to handle stress by
practicing the following effective ways to cope with stress.
DARE to Relax includes: D = Diet; A = Attitude and Awareness; R
= Rest, Relaxation and Relationships; E = Exercise.
DIET: Don't deprive
yourself of essential nutrients, vitamins and minerals that can
help you reduce the effects of daily stress. Stress uses up
your supply of vitamins A, B and C which can lead to feeling
irritable and tired. Calcium is essential for your central
nervous system to function normally. Without enough, your
nerves become frayed. If you consistently eat well-balanced
meals, you can fortify your system giving you the nourishment to
guard against the harmful effects of stress.
Eat a nutritious breakfast
Choose fresh fruit, vegetables and whole
grains
Choose baked or broiled food instead of fried
Cut down on too much fat, salt, sugar,
caffeine, alcohol,
additives and preservatives
Maintain a healthy weight
Choose holiday foods with care. Eat the
special things that are delicious and bring you in touch with
warm memories. You really don’t have to eat everything to get
the taste of the holidays.
ATTITUDE AND AWARENESS:
Research shows that as much as 75% of illnesses
are the result of experiencing too much stress. Not being able
to handle stress properly can decrease the effectiveness of your
immune system. Become more aware of how you respond to tension
and stress in your life and begin to make adjustments. Are you
responding appropriately? Could you be over-reacting? Is it
possible to avoid or change a situation that causes you
anxiety? By improving your awareness and improving how you
react to stress, it might be possible to avoid some of your
headaches, stomachaches and other problems. Try laughing.
Laughter is like internal jogging. It aids digestion and
improves alertness and productivity by sending blood and oxygen
to your brain and increases the production of the body's
catecholamines.
Learn to accept situations you can't
change; give in once in a while
Learn to communicate with others; talk
your worries out
Take one thing at a time; don't take on
too many changes at once
Manage your time more effectively;
don't procrastinate
Be positive and realistic
Express your feelings in healthy ways
Create variety in your work; do old
things new ways
REST AND RELAXATION:
It is much easier to handle stress if you are rested and know
how to remain calm. Getting 7 to 8 hours of sleep every night
is essential. Although recreation and being diverted from
stress is helpful (playing a sport, watching a movie) true
relaxation is different. It involves giving yourself an honest
break from activity and excess stimulation. Breathing deeply,
smoothly, slowly and from the diaphragm is relaxing since it too
sends a fresh supply of blood to the brain and throughout the
body. It oxygenates your system and even slows down the
heartbeat.
Plan leisure time; take breaks
Spend time on a hobby; seek new
interests
Schedule some quiet time alone every
day; meditate; pray
Have fun, play and laugh
Cut down on noise levels at home and
work; turn the radio or TV off
EXERCISE: When
under stress, there is an increase of adrenalin in the system as
part of the flight or fight response, which can drain you of
energy if not effectively released. Exercise regularly to work
stresses off positively. This can improve your productivity and
increase your energy. Be sure to choose physical activity that
you enjoy.
This may be the year to tamper with holiday
traditions so the spirit and meaning of the holidays are once
again filled with tidings of comfort and joy.
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