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Matching Our Vibration with Our Desired Reality

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“Everything you can imagine is real.” ~ Pablo Picasso

We’ve all had the experience of coincidence, or as it’s more commonly known in spirituality and law of attraction circles, “synchronicity”.

Maybe we thought about someone and then we randomly see them somewhere. Or we think about a song and a minute later it’s coming on the radio.

The deeper we get in touch with our own consciousness we find that these synchronicities are not only happening more often, but also on a larger scale. Perhaps we have dreams at night that become manifest in our waking reality, or perhaps we start to notice less of “lag” time between the things we long to achieve in our imagination and the arrival of that exact thing in our physical reality.

By this point, most anyone that has any sort of knowledge on spirituality, energy, or even quantum physics topics has heard the phrase, “our thoughts create our reality.” But is this exactly the way it works?

If we think of a song and then five minutes later that song comes on the radio, did we manifest that outcome to happen by just thinking about the song? Or did we intuitively know that it was already predestined to come on because we came into vibrational alignment with the timeline in which that outcome existed?

When we think of things this way we come to the question of whether or not our future is set in stone or are we literally creating our life completely as we go along. Well, in actuality, it’s a little bit of both.

“We are actually living in a million parallel realities every single minute.” ~ Marina Abramovic

Our life comes complete with a limited amount of probabilities, and from these possible probabilities or choices, we make decisions.

When we are young, our decisions are made for us by our caretakers. But as we get older, we start to make our choices ourselves, but nonetheless, on any given day, there are only certain choices that are available for our choosing.

For example, in our present reality, we may not have the choice to hop on a plane and fly to France, but we do have the choice to get in our car and drive somewhere a few hours away for the weekend. Or we have the choice to stay home and do nothing. But each choice we make manifests as a new future, puts us in a different timeline.

So every choice we have ever made or ever will make has actually become it’s own reality, and our consciousness resides in all these. We may have found ourselves wondering how our life would have been different had we made a different decision in our past. Or perhaps we imagine ourselves living our dream life and wonder which choices we could make that would get us to that desired reality.

Technically, if we can imagine it, it also means we not only have the power to make that reality come true, but that reality actually already exists in a different timeline. We all have different visions of how we would like our life to be and the reason we are given specific dreams and ambitions means that there is a timeline that exists that already holds that outcome. Quite simply, if we are imagining it, it is already true, it is up to us to believe it.

In order to start making choices that are more in alignment with the timeline we wish to occupy, we must focus on the one thing… our vibration. The way we feel on the inside is the one true indicator as to what we are drawing to us, or rather, the timeline that we are coming into alignment with. For most, this may be hard to do because we have become accustomed to only paying attention to our physical reality as the indicator of what is happening in our life.

If we exist in a present moment that we don’t like or feel badly about we start to resonate in the vibration of “feeling bad” which is of a lower frequency, which actually ensures that we will stay on that timeline.

We start making choices that coincide with that  which keeps us stuck in that timeline. However, if we only stay focused on how we feel on the inside, and more specifically start to feel really good, thankful and happy no matter what things look like on the outside, we actually are able to shift timelines in a matter of a second.

The vibration we sit at most often is what calls forth the timeline that we will be living in. As we raise our vibration we cannot be surprised when people, places and things may start to drop out of our life because they no longer resonate with our new vibration.

As long as we are feeling good, we can be assured that the Universe is taking care of the rest. So that may mean that things or people we THOUGHT we wanted are no longer in alignment with our new self, but we must trust that all this is for the best.

Since our ego mind is not always the best at making decisions or knowing what will be the best for us long-term, we must hand the decision making over to the Universe, and trust that the outcomes that are on their way to us are not only for the best, but may even be better than anything we could have imagined for ourselves.

“Everything is energy and that’s all there is to it. Match the frequency of the reality you want and you cannot help but get that reality. It can be no other way, This is not philosophy. This is physics.” ~ Bashar

When we think about how our dream life looks compared to how our life looks now it can be overwhelming. Often when our outer reality looks nothing like the reality we wish to be in, things like self-doubt and fear kick in. We think, “How am I going to make it happen? How can I change the way my life looks now, into that awesome amazing dream life in my imagination?”

There is one simple answer… feel good. Think thoughts that feel good, compliment yourself for everything you did right today, do something kind for another person, expect that the best is on it’s way. The more we reside in a loving frequency our vibration starts rising.

At this point, our physical reality has no other choice but to reflect back to us our own vibration. We not only start recognizing little “coincidences”, but we also find that as our vibration rises, the people in our life become more loving.

Their vibration begins to match our own, and for the ones who subconsciously make the choice to not rise to our vibration, they begin to fall out of our lives to only be replaced by people who are more in alignment with our new frequency.

We must also be patient. When we realize that the world we see outside of us now is only a result of past thoughts and feelings, we can be less affected by it. And even though our now moment is a result of past feelings, the way we FEEL in our now moment is what is creating the future. Choose wisely, choose lovingly.

Five Yoga Postures to Open the Heart Chakra

“The heart is the place where we live our passions. It is frail and easily broken, but wonderfully resilient. There is no point in trying to deceive the heart. It depends upon our honesty for its survival.” ~ Leo Buscaglia

Yoga Postures to Open the Heart Chakra

The fourth chakra or Heart Chakra is the seat of unconditional love, compassion, joy and emotional wisdom. In Sanskrit it is known as “Anahata Chakra”, meaning, ‘Unbeaten,’ ‘Unhurt’ or ‘Unstruck’.

It rests in the center of the chakra system at the core of our spirit, integrating the world of matter (the lower three chakras) with the world of spirit (the upper three chakras).

Our spiritual growth, the nature of our relationships with others, the feeling of peace, contentment and harmony, all these aspects of everyday living are integrated within Anahata chakra.

Related to the element of Air, a balanced Heart Chakra is the reason for the free flowing prana in the body and smooth blood circulation. An imbalanced Heart Chakra on the contrary, is the reason for heart problems, emotional instability, and inability to express love or repression of love.

We have trouble loving ourselves, and we are therefore paranoid and afraid to love others. Many issues of love, grief, hatred, anger, jealousy, fears of betrayal, loneliness, as well as the ability to heal ourselves and others are centered in the fourth chakra.

Here is a quick guide to the Anahata Chakra:
Colour: Green with secondary colour Pink
Element: Air
Glands/Organs: Heart, Thymus gland, circulatory system, arms, hands, lungs
Gems/Minerals affecting it: Emeralds, Green and Pink Tourmaline, Rose Quartz, Ruby, Green Jade, Malachite, Green Aventurine, Chrysoprase, and Kunzite.
Foods: Green fruits & vegetables

The yoga poses to expand the feminine Heart Chakra usually include shoulder openers, passive chest openers, arm positions, and backbends. Empowering us with the ability to surrender and let go with trust, practicing the yoga poses mentioned below dissolves fears and ignites love.

Here are 5 yoga postures to open the heart chakra

Bhujangasana or Cobra Pose

bhujangasana cobra pose 1

How to: Lie in prone position, place the elbows on the floor and the hands extended forward with the feet joined. Inhale & lift the torso up, while the hands pressed down. Gaze upwards and elongate the neck. This is Ardha Bhujangasana or Half Cobra for beginners, if you want to challenge yourself further, follow the instructions below for the complete pose.

Begin lying prone position, and bend the elbows with the hands placed flat on the floor beside the chest. The legs are extended, joined together, pubis, thighs and feet pressed on the floor. Inhale, lift the chest up while pressing the palms into the floor.

The shoulders are pressed back, gaze upwards and neck elongated. Ensure that the belly button is on the floor. Hold here for 5 to 7 breaths, exhale slowly and return to the starting position. Repeat two more times.

Why to: Opening and strengthening the shoulders, your back muscles and arms, Cobra pose allows prana to flow freely. Expanding the Heart Chakra, it draws energy in and automatically brings focus to the chest. Focusing on the Heart Chakra during this pose can be highly beneficial.

Ustrasana or Camel Pose

Ustrasana or Camel Pose

How to: Kneel down on the yoga mat with feet hip width apart, the sacrum is tucked in, not swinging forward or backward. First, place your hands on the lower back, the elbows bent and fingers facing downwards (Refer to Image on the left).

Exhaling, bend the shoulders backwards, chest open and hips slightly forward and gaze backwards. (Refer to image in the centre). At any time, the neck should not be left hanging. Stay for a few breaths in the pose. If you feel dizzy, the gaze should be fixed forward.

Now elongating the spine, once more, push the hips forward, the shoulder blades back while you bend backwards. Slightly tilting towards the right, place the right hand on right heel, lean slightly towards the left and place the left hand on the left heel.

The fingers are pointing towards the toes. The head comes last, lifting the chest into an arch, look backwards. Hold for 5 to 7 breaths, slowly contract the abdomen to lift the chest forward, bring the hands on the lower back and return to the initial position.

Why to: Camel Pose clears blockages created by past incidents, and strengthens the spine, shoulders and arms.The opening of the chest cavity stimulates and opens the heart chakra.

Marjariasana or Cat pose & Bitilasana or Cow Pose

cat pose
cow pose


How to: Come in a table top position and ensure the knees and hands are positioned in one line & the shoulders and wrists are positioned in one line. As you inhale, raise your chin and tilt your head back. Raise your tailbone, creating an arch in the back and hip out.

Follow this by a countermovement: as you exhale, drop your chin to your chest, scrunch the back, looking downwards in Cat pose; relax the buttocks. Hold this pose for few seconds and return to the initial table top position.

Why to: The movement of contraction and expansion helps to soften and release the tension in the entire back and neck that keep you from letting your heart open.

Supta Baddha Konasana or Supine Bound Angle Pose

Supta Baddha Konasana

How to: Sit in butterfly pose, i.e., join the base of both feet and allow your knees to fall. For additional support, you can place bricks underneath both your knees. Now gently fall back on the yoga mat with the palms facing upwards.

If you feel the need, you can also use a bolster underneath to rest the whole back and head on the bolster. Beginners are suggested to use props initially. Close your eyes and rest here. This pose can be practiced before or after a session.

Why to: Relaxing the whole body, this pose increases the circulation of blood in the lower body and allows the Heart Chakra to work freely. We can also imagine green color energy moving in and out, with every breath, to enhance the effect of the pose.

Matsyasana or Fish Pose

Matsyasana Fish Pose


How to: Lie down in supine position, hands facing down and placed underneath the buttocks. Press the hands down, lift & extend the legs with feet pointing outwards. Slightly bend your elbows to lift the head. Tilt the head back and place the crown of your head on the floor. The majority of the body weight is resting on the elbows here and not on the head. Hold the pose for as long as you comfortably can or for 5-7 breaths, taking gentle long breaths in and out, and release.

Why to: Fish pose is a deep backbend, it opens the intercostal muscles in the rib cage, creating enhanced space for the heart to pump blood smoothly. Also it strengthens the chest muscles, opens the shoulders and improves overall posture.

Seed Mantra Meditation

“Mantras are powerful spiritual formula that when repeated silently in the mind, have the capacity to transform consciousness.” ~ Eknath

YAM (pronounced as YUM) is the seed or beej mantra of the Heart Chakra. Sit cross legged or lotus pose away from any support and take deep breaths. Focus on the heart chakra and start chanting ‘YAM’. Imagine the chakra opening with the energy flowing in a horizontal movement.

Chant YAM three times, then chant ‘OM’ three times out loud, and feel the flow of the energy vibrating vertically from head to toe. Now repeat the chant silently; first YAM then chant OM. This is one set. Continue to chant YAM and OM, till you wish to.

Why to: The seed invocation is a form of a charged mantra. The sound when chanted resonates and reaches directly to the centre of the heart chakra and immediately activates it. The beej meditation will increase the circumference of the chakra and balances it. The expansion of the heart from the “I” into the cosmic energy is a wondrous transformation.

Some other poses to harmonise and expand the Heart Chakra that can be practiced under expert guidance or only by an advance level of practitioner are: Urdhva Mukha Svanasanaor Upward Facing dog, Mermaid Pose, Two Foot Inverted Staff Pose, Urdhva Dhanurasna or Wheel Pose and Anjaneyasana Crescent moon pose.

Image Source

Sarah Moore – Heart chakra

Dreams of our Childhood: The Poetics of Space

 “We are never real historians, but always near poets, and our emotion is perhaps nothing but an expression of a poetry that was lost.” ~ Gaston Bachelard, The Poetics of Space

Philosopher Gaston Bachelard, writer of The Poetics of Space, writes in theoretical and poetic prose on the nature of space; the macrocosms and universes within the house, as well as the microcosms; nests, drawers, shells and corners.

Places which the hermit or lonely child may look for solitude, shelter and places to indulge in day-dreaming amidst the dusty architecture of houses.

Let’s take a closer look at the Poetics of Space –

Nests and Shells

“Even at the level of an isolated poetic image, if only in the progression of expression constituted by the verse, the phenomenological reverberation can appear; and in its extreme simplicity, it gives us mastery of our tongue.”

The architecture of the imagination and its role in the process of enlightenment can be beautifully summed up by the nest and the shell. Rather than an image of the human consciousness, the poetic image of the nest is much like the house; our own little corner of the world and therefore an expression of comfort and shelter, a perfect construction of symmetry and delicate strength.

Though an illusion of stability, the nest is also a wholesome one, the shell a place of withdrawal, an introversion, an ‘envelope’. Like a rabbit in its burrow, the nest and shell provide the child with imaginings of security and submersion, though the illusion of safety is not to last and eventually we must emerge into the light.

Drawers, chests and wardrobes

“Our past is situated elsewhere, and both time and place are impregnated with a sense of unreality”

the Poetics of Space

The image of the drawer and other heavy wooden containers; of keep-sake boxes and treasure chests where the excess baggage of thought; objects with no purpose and keys that open mysterious doors to various parts of the subconscious provide the child with a playground of poetic images.

The back-less wardrobe and the bottomless chest lead us into other lands, the drawer contains treasures only the child can appreciate and use on their adventures through the tangles of the unknown at the bottom of the garden.

The storage of time and container of artifacts, drawers and chests represent meticulous organization and the hoardings of memories the mind should have long since disposed of.

They contain the bizarre collectibles of our wilting and eccentric elders; layers of intimacy and objects the past forgot, they are the ‘veritable organs of the secret psychological life’.

Corners

“Sometimes the house of the future is better built, lighter and larger than all the houses of the past, so that the image of the dream house is opposed to that of the childhood home.”

child-in-corner

The corner, though not always associated with a place of punishment, is more often than not a place of silence. The corner is a place of immobility that can appear to be a trap but actually, like the nurturing darkness of a cave can be a haven.

Corners can be the places we find ourselves, the blank walls and lack of stimuli a trigger for inner reflection. As with the naughty child sent to the corner to think about what they have done, the corner can also mirror the emptiness within and the potential for manifestation. The true nature of being is a blank canvas, a cloudless sky… but also a corner.

The corner is the ideal place for daydreaming and realizing the nature of our existence:
“The child has just discovered that she is herself in an explosion toward the outside, which is a reaction, perhaps, to certain concentrations in a comer of her being.”

Attics and Basements

“If we look at it intimately, the humblest dwelling has beauty.”

attic

The house as a ‘verticality’ of the universe; a universe within a universe is what makes the polarities of the traditional house; the attic and the basement such reflections of heaven and hell; one is rational the other, irrational. Both are spaces that the child might spend hours playing in, and should each be as essential as the other, polarities in perfect balance.

Perhaps one is visited more than the other, but what we do know is that the basement is invariably a place to fear; a place of questionable smell and clogged exits. It is a place that harbours mistaken monsters and deep sea beasts, a place most would not like to be trapped in. The basement represents the subconscious and our shadow lurking there.

The attic, on the other hand, is lofty; reaching towards the heavens like the tower of Babel. It is the hill we climbed to experience the lightheadedness of pure oxygen, as far as we can get from the mundane.

The attic is not quite pure consciousness, but the place we find ourselves when free from the pulls of the world. It is freedom, and we might gaze out of a stained glass window or find a few pillows to lie on and look up through the skylight at the passing clouds and dream of things bigger than ourselves.

It’s in the attic that, not unlike the corner with its lack of distraction that we might bump into our true selves, without any worldly worries obscuring it.

Candle in the Window

“Winter adds to the poetry of a house.”

3163390804_dd4338f075

The candle or lamp in the window seems to be the ultimate image of the daydream. When the storm is raging around us, and the hermit seeks out a hut, the candle burning steadily in the window is a symbol of hope. It is one that has associations with All Hallows Eve and the happy conclusions of all life changing adventures.

Although it’s often an image symbolizing age and great wisdom, for the child the candle is the light that drowns out all darkness and should be our focus through the long winters of uncertainty and compromise that lie ahead.

A symbol of the fragment of the Divine burning brightly within all of us, the candle draws us towards it like a magnet, and is perhaps the best way to sum up the true meaning of our lives.

Image Source

Nest
Corner
Candle

There’s More to Life than Being Happy: Five Things More Important than Happiness

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“Everything can be taken from a man but one thing, the last of the human freedoms — to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.” ~ Viktor Frankl

There are a plethora of get-happy-quick schemes out there. As a culture, we seem to be obsessed with being happy at all costs. And yet, with all our creature comforts; with all our gadgets and toys and things-things-things designed to make us happy, we are generally a miserably unhealthy people living in an unsustainably lost culture.

We smother ourselves, we smother each other, and we smother our environment with our human waste; mostly because we selfishly seek happiness at the detriment of healthy order itself. Sometimes in order to get the horse back in front of the cart, we need to make happiness secondary instead of primary to other things.

There is more to life than being happy. Here are five things we ought to make primary over happiness in order to achieve an optimal healthy evolution for our species.

1) Healthiness, then happiness

“One valuable insight to emerge from modern psychology is that unconscious motivations can cause an individual to engage repeatedly in unhealthy and counterproductive behavior. Such a cycle is ordinarily not broken unless the individual somehow becomes aware of the underlying mechanism that is driving his or her behavior; only then can a person initiate corrective action.” ~ Leonard Shlain

o-MEDITATION-HEALTH-BENEFITS-facebook

The pleasure-pain dilemma is a quagmire for the human condition. It always has been and it probably always will be. One way out of the quagmire and onto at least some reasonably firm footing, is to use the scale of healthy-unhealthy, which is dictated by nature.

The degree to which we become self-actualized, is the degree to which we gain the ability to adapt to and overcome each moment in a healthier way. The primary goal should be a healthy process, not a good quarterly statement.

When we’re healthy (mind, body, and soul), we are fine-tuned for happiness. We may get some happiness out of a good quarterly statement, but if we are not healthy then the happiness gained is marginal. True happiness comes from healthiness. Like Aristotle said, “Happiness, whether consisting in pleasure or virtue, or both, is more often found with those who are highly cultivated in their minds and in their character, and have only a moderate share of external goods.”

The question of our culture being unsustainable is the question of where to draw the line between scarcity and abundance. The problem isn’t comfort; it’s too much comfort. The problem isn’t cities; it’s too many cities. The problem isn’t roads; it’s too many roads. The problem is if you have too many unhealthy people it makes the world unhealthy for healthy people to live in.

Extremism is the bane of health. The healthy way has always been through moderation, balance, equilibrium, and the Middle Way; to live compassionately so that others can compassionately live. The solution is sacrificing comfort and extremism, which means making healthiness primary to happiness.

Some people might ask: what’s the point? The point is to have a healthy process so that one is able to ask: what’s the point. A healthier process might “hurt” more in the short run, but in the long run the happiness gained is not only more abundant but more rewarding.

Like Alexander Lowen said, “People living closer to a survival level may experience more discomfort, but they also know the greater pleasure of fulfillment when their basic needs are met.” Or Henry David Thoreau: “The man is richest whose pleasures are cheapest.”

2) Meaning, then happiness

“There are more ways of being a person than meets the I.” ~ Julian Baggini

the-meaning-of-life

The pursuit of meaning is unique to humans in the animal kingdom. It’s what sets us apart from other animals. So it stands to reason that in order to be better, healthier humans it behooves us to discover our own meaning. Even despite meaninglessness. One could even say that the meaning of life is about making life meaningful.

But within the “Society of the Spectacle” there is an addiction to immediate gratification: so great is people’s fear of unhappiness, they flock to the slightest distraction. But the problem with distraction is that it obeys a diminishing law of returns.

Better to face unhappiness full-on. Let it pull you into the abyss. Allow it to fill you with emptiness. But it’s an emptiness that you can then fill with your own meaning. It’s a painful process, but a necessary one. Like Viktor Frankl said, “If there is meaning in life at all, then there must be meaning in suffering.”

Who we are is a cosmic gift to us; who we become is our gift to the cosmos. Discovering our own meaning, especially in the face of meaninglessness, is the act of un-wrapping our gift for the cosmos.

When we un-wrap this gift we are revealing our soul-signature, our life’s purpose. We are proving to the world that being a free, independent person who struggles is far superior than being an unfree, codependent person who is comfortable.

In other words, we are declaring to the world that meaning (purpose, no matter how painful) is primary to happiness (comfort, no matter how pleasurable). True meaning can only be discovered through freedom.

And so it is always preferable to be an unsatisfied free person than a satisfied slave. The satisfied (happy) free person is the one who has discovered their purpose and brought meaning to the meaninglessness.

3.) Art, then happiness

“One of the unexpectedly important things that art can do for us is to teach us how to suffer more successfully.” ~ Alain de Botton

earth without art

One of the most empowering ways we have to bring meaning (and as a result, happiness) into our lives is to create art, especially art imprinted with our own soul-signature. Art transubstantiates the world. It brings nature to life in a human way.

It is a human-nature/cosmic-nature union creating a seismic synergy that can stand the test of time. Objectively, art is alive in a way forbidden natural objects and, subjectively, in a way subsuming the subjects who create them. Indeed, Art is a species-wide immortality project that trumps, no tramples, happiness under its never-ending hooves of creativity.

Some people might argue that one must be happy before one can create art, but this simply is not true. Art can come from happiness, yes. But some of the most profound art comes from anger, jealousy, grief, and pain. This is because the artistic process is also a cathartic process. When we are in the throes of our creativity we become Zen-like emotional alchemists.

We’re able to sing our anger into song, paint our pain into a painting, sculpt our jealousy into a sculpture, and write our grief into poetry. The result: happiness that transcends the pain, jealousy, anger, or grief, precisely because we have taught ourselves how to turn the tables on our feelings, we have picked the lock of our emotional prisons and broken free into a new way of being human: becoming a hero in the world instead of a victim of it.

4) Gifting, then happiness

“No one seems to truly accept that the joy of giving goes to the gift-giver. We eat the “vegetable” of kindness grudgingly, mainly believing that it’s really impossible to enjoy it as much as the sweets of possession and power.

This could be, of course, because the highly stratified and market-driven world we now live in makes us all a little less able to take pleasure in connection. Like the pups of the low-licking rats, maybe our dopamine hasn’t been properly wired to our oxytocin.

But such diminution is obviously a warning sign, a harbinger of possibly increased relational emptiness and further decreased empathy to come.” ~ Maia Szalavitz

It feels good to give; really good. And radical generosity is even more profound. We each have a connection to the universe that is unique to us. We each have the capacity to learn from this connection: a particular flavor of knowledge that cannot be gained in any other way than through us. As such, it behooves us all to discover what that knowledge is.

And like Prometheus, stealing fire from the gods and gifting it to mortals, we must gift our fire to the world. Such gifting goes beyond happiness and sadness. Even if the journey taken to discover the fire is a painfully sad one, the fact that we have “fire” to gift to others is a boon that surpasses such petty notions as comfort, happiness, and security. Like David Whyte said, “To become human is to become visible while carrying what is hidden as a gift to others.”

The market-driven world has us chasing cars we don’t need so we can drive on roads we don’t need so we can get to jobs we don’t need in order to pay for food which we DO need. Gifting eliminates all the unneeded middlemen. Don’t chase cars.

Gift people things they need instead. The happiness gained from giving what’s needed -as opposed to what’s wanted- is happiness unlike any other: a prestigious happiness, a righteous happiness, a sacred and divine happiness that feels good in the bones of the soul.

Like Lewis Hyde said, “In a gift-giving society, an individual gains prestige and satisfaction by receiving, then adding to what has been received and passing it on. In a consumer society, prestige and satisfaction are gained through accumulation and acquisition. Nothing is given. Nothing is passed on.”

And there is perhaps no greater gift than the personal development of our own soul.

If everyone gave the gift of personal development, personal flourishing, personal health, personal awareness of how everything is connected, it would change the world more profoundly than any other gift could.

Like Jim Rohn said, “The greatest gift you can give to somebody is your own personal development. I used to say, ‘If you will take care of me I will take care of you.’ Now I say, ‘I will take care of me for you, if you will take care of you for me.’”

5) Wholeness, then happiness

“Meditation is nothing but withdrawing all the barriers; thoughts, emotions, sentiments, everything that builds a wall between you and existence. The moment they drop, you suddenly find yourself in tune with the whole; not only in tune, you really find you are the whole.” ~ Osho

More to Life than Being Happy

The joy of being human goes beyond the conditioned walls of culture. It goes beyond what we’re indoctrinated into believing is the case. It goes beyond right and wrong, good and evil, happy or sad.

Human joy cannot be contained, except in the sense that it can be felt and then let go of. It can be found within the most excruciatingly painful ordeals. It can be found in the darkest places. It can even be taught by the shadow. The human spirit cannot be bound except by the individual who allows it to be bound.

The entire cosmos is a continuous process of initiation. Like Alan Watts said, “Existence is relationship and you are smack in the middle of it.” Indeed, but is your relationship one of programming or one of purpose?

Are you a codependent aspect, or an interdependent whole? Does culture have a stranglehold on your perception of reality, or have you torn through the blindfold and witnessed the interconnected wholeness of all things? Like Rumi said, “We should split the sack of this culture and stick our heads out.”

Splitting the sack of culture and sticking our heads out is precisely an act of independence that has the potential to lead to an enlightened state of interdependence. So what if you’re “happier” in the “comfort” of your “home.” So what if your job is keeping you “safe” and “secure.” So what if your friends will “disapprove” of you if you are “irresponsible” according to their outdated, culturally-prescribed notions of right and wrong.

Leave home anyway. Quit your job anyway. Disappoint your friends anyway. Get out into nature. Discover a spiritual adventure. Discover a journey of the most high. Become holistic. Meditate. Witness the world with “over-eyes.” See beyond your preconditioned state. Reach beyond your comfort zone. Shatter the all-too-precious glasshouse paradigm where your Codependency lies curled-up in abject fear and cowardice of being “unhappy.”

Break “the rules” in order to discover Cosmic Law.

Like Shakespeare said, “One touch of nature makes the whole world kin.”

The Brothers and Sisters of Interdependence await you, out in the Garden Where All Things Connect. You are not a victim of the world, you are the world! Now is the time to prove it.

Image source:

The meaning of life is…
Earth without art
Wake up and live

4 Yoga Asanas to Heal your Solar Plexus Chakra

“People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in their true beauty is revealed only if there is light from within.” ~ Elisabeth Kubler Ross

The Solar Plexus or the third chakra is the power center of our body, radiating vital prana, the sum total of all energy that manifests in the universe. Situated just above the navel, below the chest, Manipura chakra is associated with the element of fire.

Just as fire transforms solids into liquids and liquids into gas, the inner fire transforms our unconscious into conscious awareness. This chakra is your core self and represents your ability to be confident and in control of your life.

It is also associated with digestion and movement. In this respect, our emotional self and mental correlate which are found within intuition and “gut feelings.” Those who lack confidence in life, suffer from insecurity, low self-esteem or are fearful about things suffer from an imbalanced Navel Chakra.

This chakra is responsible for a healthy, spirited, warm, hearty, radiant and a strong willed person.

A guide to the Solar Plexus Chakra:

Colour: Yellow
Element: Fire
Glands/Organs: Pancreas, adrenals, stomach, liver, gallbladder and nervous system
Gems/Minerals affecting it: Citrine, Gold Topaz, Amber, Tiger Eye, Gold Calcite and gold.
Foods: Starches and yellow fruits & vegetables

Here are some yoga asanas to heal your Solar Plexus Chakra:

Paripurna Navasana/Boat pose

Yoga Asanas to Heal your Solar Plexus Chakra

How to: Be seated in staff pose or Dandasana, gently bend your knees while you have your hands on the side and pressed to the floor. Following the variations mentioned in the image above, lean back slightly and lift your feet, bringing your shins parallel to the floor and lift your arms up with palm facing each other.

Take a deep breath if you can and gently straighten the knees, so that the legs form a 45 degree or a V shape. Bring your hands to the front, facing each other. Try to pull the abdomen in to support the spine and create greater balance. Hold for 5 to 7 breaths while you focus your awareness within.

Why to: As mentioned above the position of the Solar Plexus is our core area. Paripurna Navasana is a great core strengthening posture. Stimulating the digestive system, it balances the whole body and creates self confidence. Enhancing the sense of personal power, it awakens the go-getter attitude.

Ardha Matsyendrasana/ Half lord of the fishes pose


How to: Sit in Staff pose or Dandasana, now gently bend the right knee and place the right foot flat over the left leg. Now, bend the left knee and place the leg on the floor with the heel touching the right hip and toes pointing outward. The leg on the floor will point 45 degrees (refer to the image above).

Ardha Matsyendrasana Half lord of the fishes pose

Take a deep breath and twist the torso towards the right side. Place the left hand elbow outside the right knee. The right hand will be pressed to the floor, behind the hips. The spine should be erect at all times, while you hold the pose for 5-7 breaths and looking back. Gently untwist and repeat on the other side.

Why to: Targeted towards the digestive system and abdominal twisting, it accentuates the feeling of comfort and relaxes the spine and the back. Pressing the abdomen, it strengthens our will power and develops a balance in the right and left sides. Seated twists are generally directed towards harmonising the body and increasing elasticity of the spine.

Dhanurasana / Bow pose

Dhanurasana Bow pose


How to: Lie on your stomach with arms by your side, palms facing upwards. Inhale, place the chin on the floor, exhale, bend your knees, so that the feet move towards the buttocks. Grasp your ankles with your hands. Inhale and lift both your chest and thighs up, while still holding your ankles. Ensure your knees do not separate and keep them hip width apart, while you continue breathing deeply at all times. With each breath press the heels back and up, gradually increasing the back bend, keeping the spine long. Hold for 5-7 breaths and slowly release the feet.

For beginners, a belt can be used to hold the ankles, if your hands do not reach the legs completely.

Why to: Generating a sense of equilibrium in the body, the whole weight along with the blood flow is transferred to the abdomen area. This movement strengthens the abdomen as well as stimulates the digestive system, thereby empowering the Manipura chakra.

Urdhva Prasarita Padasana or Upward Extended Feet Pose


How to: Lie on your back with the hands on your sides. Now, inhale and raise the hands, placing them back on the floor above your head. If you need extra support, you can place the hands underneath your hips as well with palms facing downwards. Lift your leg up gently at 30 degrees and hold for 3-5 breaths. Keep your toes flexed. Now repeat the same process at 60 degrees and 90 degrees. Hold the pose at all the three phases for 3-5 breaths or more, if you can and come back in the same pattern.

Upward Extended Feet Pose
Urdhva Prasarita Padasana

Why to: Builds the strength of the core muscles and improves posture. This pose will challenge your limits and can build massive strength in the abdominal area. By extending and lengthening the abdomen muscles, the pose will involuntarily direct the focus towards the centre as it blurs of all other distractions.

Agnisar Kriya or Churning of abdomen

Agni means fire and Sara means wash so it literally means to wash the fire chakra or Manipura Chakra.

How to: Be seated in any comfortable pose like Easy pose, Thunderbolt pose or Lotus pose, place the hands on the knees and breath in a normal, rhythmic fashion. Focus on breathing for a while, then take a deep breath and exhale slowly. Without inhaling, expand and contract the abdomen 5-10 times or more. Each time you contract, try to suck the belly in deeply, like you are touching the abdomen muscles with back muscles.

While coming back, keep a steady stance, gently and slowly inhale deeply. Take a couple of breaths and try again. Ensure that this Pranayama practice is done on an empty stomach, i.e. minimum of 4 hours of fasting. People suffering from high BP, hernia or disease related to intestines should avoid this pose.

Why to: Instantly activating the Solar Plexus, it stimulates the digestive system and is a great way to balance the Solar Plexus chakra. Helps with constipation, tones the stomach and even low appetite, this exercise generates and circulates energy in our whole body. The video below will guide you with this breathing practice..

Seed Mantra Meditation

How to: RAM (pronounced as rum) is the seed or beej mantra of the Solar Plexus Chakra. Sit away from any support in cross legged or lotus pose and take deep breaths. Visualise the colour yellow in the region of the chakra and chant ‘RAM’ three times, then chant ‘OM’ three times and feel the flow of the energy vibrating from head to toe. Now repeat the chant mentally beginning with RAM then chant OM, three times. This is one set. Continue to chant RAM and OM, till you wish to.

Why to: The seed invocation is a form of a charged mantra. The sound when chanted resonates and reaches directly to the centre of the solar plexus chakra and immediately opens it. The beej meditation will increase the circumference of the chakra and balance it. Problems and diseases related to abdomen like digestive disorders, lack of energy, anger, fear, hatred, or excessive need of authority and power can be eased out.

The postures mentioned above can be practiced by all levels of practitioners but if you wish to challenge yourself further, here are some advanced poses you can try: Pasasana or Noose pose, Standing Splits, Urdhava Dhanurasana or Upward bow pose and Nauli Kriya. While practicing these poses, try to ensure your safety first or perform under expert guidance.

Image Source

Solar Plexus chakra