by admin | Nov 17, 2013 | Uncategorized
We live in a world driven by a culture of ‘personality’ – the bigger the better! Our public ‘personality’ can heavily influence our level of success in the world. Pressure to be outgoing and outspoken tends to override the importance of the strength of solitude and introspection; of being alone with ourselves. I recently viewed a Ted Talk by Susan Cain, author of the book called ‘Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking’ that inspired me to write this blog. Although I haven’t read her book, I noted she is starting her own ‘quiet revolution’ to support introverts to value their quiet strength and to grow awareness for others to do the same. Here here! I’m an introvert at heart. That doesn’t mean I don’t love the company of others and getting out there in the world. It doesn’t mean I can’t party with the best of them, it just means my candle burns more quickly than some and I require compensation restoration timeout at some point – my quiet cup of tea at home on the couch downtime. And I mean REQUIRE, not desire. Because the difference between an introvert and an extrovert is in where we draw energy. Extroverted people draw energy from the external, from being around others. They fuel up on stimulation and interaction. Introverted people have a high response to stimulation, making them tire after too much exposure. They draw energy from being quiet. They crave peaceful surroundings to restore their energy reserves and to be able to think straight. Without it they can just shut down and be...
by admin | Nov 10, 2013 | Uncategorized
At birth we are linked to our mother by the umbilical cord. Once this cord is cut, we are physically on our own – we are a human being beginning the journey we are meant to travel. Throughout our lives this navel centre, where we were once attached to our mother, continues to operate as a source of life-connection – but not to our mother – now a connection to our own selves; Our character, our personality, our beliefs, values and alongside that, our inner strength. When we strengthen this area we strengthen our sense of self and our committment to fulfill our potential. If this area is weak we are easily swayed and give up trying once challenged. It is a great gift to yourself to strengthen the navel centre. A strong navel centre means you will stand behind your beliefs, your actions and your character. This is the space of the third chakra, manipura chakra. Will power, committment and determination are heavily influenced by how clear and strong your third chakra is. I was recently asked to suggest a practice to build will power and determination. I suggest this meditation, practiced for 40 days: MEDITATION: Sit with legs crossed, or in a chair with a straight spine Focus: Eyes look towards the tip of your nose. Mantra: Chant with the tip of the tongue: HUMMEE HUM, BRAHM HUM meaning: “We are we, and we are one.” On a higher spiritual level, it means we are already everything we need to be. Mudra: prayer pose. All parts of the palms are touching and pressing together with equal force....
by admin | Nov 3, 2013 | Uncategorized
When I see fresh green grass I immediately think PRANA and I want some! That exquisite life-force that seems to clear and purify just by breathing when you’re close to that green grassy freshness. We refer to the breath as prana & breathwork practice as pranayama. But prana is not just breath alone – prana is PURE LIFE-FORCE – most potent in fresh, clean, unpolluted air. Also contained in good quality food. Fresh, organic food contains high levels of prana. When we eat crap food we feel prana-deficient: less alive, muted and flat. DOSE UP ON PRANA. Get a good daily intake. Don’t underestimate the benefits of simply sitting in nature! Breath deeply, regularly, in as best quality air you can get. Walk barefoot on the grass (go to a park at lunchtime to re-fuel for the afternoon). Drink green smoothies and eat fresh, unprocessed food. I personally owe my puppy for providing me with ample prana as her energy demands daily walks along river tracks or in the park. I’ve really noticed the immediate physiological shift once we get outside and every cell in my body sings with gratitude. Other...
by admin | Oct 27, 2013 | Uncategorized
These days, as time presses upon us, it’s more and more important to remind ourselves that we are not the only living beings on the planet. The best way to support ourselves to stay grounded and connected to the heart is to look out for ways to help others as much as we can. I offer you three suggestions here: 1. How to change the world by GOING TO THE TOILET: Recently, I was delighted to discover a way to change the world by simply going to the toilet. This Melbourne based organisation, Who Gives A Crap – provide recycled toiled paper, home delivered, donating 50% of their profits to improving toilet sanitation in the developing world. I’m so impressed I want the world to know and to start changing the world roll by roll. In short, every toilet roll you use, you’re providing someone, somewhere in the world with clean toilet facilities. One of the basic necessities in life. For more details and to buy your toilet paper, see the website Who Gives A Crap. 2. How to change the world by doing nothing other than SHOWING UP IN YOUR DAY: All we can really expect of ourselves on a day to day basis is to show up in life. To simply be present. More and more we give ourselves a hard time for not be perfectly prepared, in the exact right head-space for a given occasion, organised, well rested, ready, etc etc. More and more we use this as excuse to not turn up (physically or energetically). But what if we gave ourselves permission to just turn...
by admin | Oct 20, 2013 | Uncategorized
This week I’d like to facilitate new shifts, birth new ideas and ways of being, to shed the old skin and make space for fresh, new things to come through. Spring is the time for time RENEWAL – for new life to blossom and fresh starts to begin. Renewal, as I see it, is a healthy form of personal recycling. Taking the time to reflect on what we have, rethink what we want and invite new perspectives. New perspectives can be all it takes to re-ignite fires, to cultivate happiness and to ensure you feel ‘on track’ and connected to your personal truth. Renewal is not necessarily about ditching the old to have the new. We don’t always need to have major shifts in our lives to continually renew. Renewal can be ‘re-freshing’ or ‘re-inventing’ what you already have in your life and building from there. Re-inventing your relationships, renewing your commitment to the things that are important to you, reminding yourself why you do what you do. The process of renewal involves looking at whether your choices are still relevant or is it time to set new goals, to view life through a different coloured lens, or in fact make some bigger changes? Renewal reflects the true essence of life – that we are in a constant state of ever-evolving change. This meditation, lead by Gurmukh Kaur Khalsa, will help with renewal on any level that serves your highest good. I invite you to practice this as a 40-day sadhana (daily practice). Other...
by admin | Oct 13, 2013 | Uncategorized
I recently came across a Ted Talk by Ann Cuddy, Associate Professor at the Harvard Business School, on how body language can be the determining factor in whether you get the job you’re going for or stand out in the crowd. Her research shows that holding a ‘power pose’ for a couple of minutes can raise testorone (dominance hormone) levels in the body and lower cortisol (stress hormone). A power pose is one that opens the body – that makes you large and expansive. That the mind/body are linked so intimately that adjusting one can directly impact the other doesn’t surprise me. I have learnt this from intimately studying my own body structure according to how I’m feeling emotionally through a daily practice. As well as watching and working with others, hearing their stories and noticing how this is reflected in the body. Yogi Bhajan was big on “fake it til you make it”. Meaning to use all you have to bring yourself to a point of feeling empowered, centred, certain and confident. We tend to think our mind is seperate from the rest of us – but in my opinion, the body is mind and the mind is the body – integrated and connected. CHANGE YOUR BODY TO CHANGE YOUR MIND Yoga is not just about exercise and that’s where it’s power lies. Yoga is an excellent life tool in this way as it works across all levels – physically, mentally and emotionally. We’ve all experienced the immediate and powerful mental shift post yoga practice – and more and more of us include some form of yoga/meditation daily...
by admin | Oct 6, 2013 | Uncategorized
“Circumstances are 10%. Your talent and your capacity are 10%; the other 80% is unknown to you.” Yogi Bhajan. I recently attended a workshop with Kundalini yoga teacher Guru Dass Khalsa. One thing he spoke about really helped remind me that there is more at universal play than we can ever really know going on in our lives. He highlighted the two things required for change in our lives to occur: MOMENT and MOMENTUM. Sometimes you have the moment, but you either don’t see it, don’t respond to it, are not ready for it or reject it. Sometimes you have the momentum; the desire, the energy for, the readiness… but there’s no moment. It’s when moment and momentum come together that you can move forward and shifts and changes occur. Thing is, we can’t force the moment and we can’t force the momentum. As simple and obvious as this may seem, somehow accepting that as a basic universal law allows for a little less controlling and a little more allowing. In short – it will happen when it’s supposed to happen. Or in other words when you’re ready for it. We’ve all experienced both moment and momentum together and apart. We’ve also experienced the realisation for the reasons things happen as they do -sometimes years after the event. So, there are two things to practice here: ACCEPT WHERE YOU ARE AT. Be here now until the time for change is right. REMOVE THE EXPECTATION BLINKERS: Don’t miss the moments by looking for something specific that you think you need. Those blinkers could distract you from what...
by admin | Sep 29, 2013 | Uncategorized
Yin in its very nature is cooling and calming; it is related to the feminine – meaning to receive instead of deliver. Yang is heating and stimulating; it is related to the masculine – meaning to take action. To manifest, to build and bring to fruition. Generally, the balance in our lives swings heavily to a very Yang existence. With so much Yang (active, driven) energy in our lives, we need more and more Yin to bring balance, or we end up in a constant state of panic and eventually burn out. This is the law of balance in nature –where there is Yang there must also be Yin. Increasing Yin is a matter of shifting focus from Yang ACTION/CONTROL to Yin FLOW/SURRENDER. Here in lies the challenge as we’re obsessed with control it and cling to it desperately! Yin is all about letting go. NOT HOLDING, which takes practice as we are always holding on to something. We spend our lives holding it together, holding on until the end of the day, the week, the financial year… holding in emotions, holding back from doing whatever. Do we ever just truly surrender and let go? HOW TO NURTURE & NOURISH OUR YIN? Yoga of course! Practice on the mat to bring it into life. Yin/Restorative practice requires us to come into a vulnerable, receptive state of being, cultivating a meditative mind. It is an intuitive practice where we bring ourselves into a pose that opens the body and remain still in that pose, allowing tension to let go. The mental practice is to simply observe the process of NOT...
by admin | Sep 22, 2013 | Uncategorized
On October 9th, we celebrate the anniversary of the birthday of Guru Ram Das. Guru Ram Das is an important figure to the Kundalini community as he lead his life centred in the heart space – devoted to bringing community together, focused on the ‘we’ instead of the ‘me’. It is tradition to honour this anniversary by chanting the mantra “Guru Guru Wahe Guru, Guru Ram Das Guru” for 11 minutes each day for 10 days leading up to October 9th, starting September 28th. By chanting the mantra “Guru Guru Wahe Guru, Guru Ram Das Guru” we honour and invoke our own heart-centred consciousness: To love without attachment and to invite compassion, gratitude and abundance into our lives. Who was Guru Ram Das? Guru Ram Das was the fourth of the ten sikh Gurus, who lived in the mid-1500’s. He was known for his humility, service to the community and deep devotion. He founded the city of Amritsar in India and designed the very beautiful Golden Temple (pictured here), a place of devotion for both the sikh community and anyone who seeks to find a connection to the truth within and heart-centred consciousness. I invite you to connect to the subtle essence of Guru Ram Das and your own space of love, connection, truth, compassion, joy and abundance through this 10-day meditation. Chanting this mantra from your heart space will link you to the energy of deep joy and expansiveness. It offers comfort, connection and the experience of unconditional love. How to do it: Sit comfortably and bring your hands across the chest at the heart centre and chant: GURU...
by admin | Sep 15, 2013 | Uncategorized
Just take a moment to send some love down to your feet – for all they do for you!! They are your physical foundation. Your connection to earth. They keep you grounded. They propel you forward when walking and keep you balanced as you stand. Our feet are like little “mini-me’s”, reflecting our entire body through pressure points that correspond to all parts of you. A good foot massage can have the whole body responding with a great big joyous thankyou. The body mirrors the feet. If the feet are tense and clenched, the body will also feel tension. If the feet are tired then our body will feel tired. When the feet are out of alignment the body will also be out of alignment. Some good reasons to love up your beautiful feet. You know that gorgeous feeling when barefoot on the beach – just so therapeutic and relaxing? – that’s not just the beautiful surroundings, it’s also freeing your feet up so blood can flow freely, releasing them from tight shoes that cramp the bones together and letting them spread out and freshen up. It’s allowing the sand to move across the soles of the feet, gently massaging those pressure points so the whole body feels invigorated and fresh. We can strengthen the feet by walking barefoot as much as possible. When we walk barefoot, without support or high heels, the muscles of the feet are worked which strengthens them. Strengthening the muscles will lessen the need for insoles and arch supports as you will build strength in weak muscles needed for balance. Show...
