Making Peace with Pain

Chronic pain is relentless; its presence wears one down, steals hope, and reduce's one's life to a constant struggle with pain. Chronic pain is one of the major reasons for suicide, and for diminishment of life's enjoyment. Pain makes our bodies seem like traitors, enemies who bring us unwelcome burdens. We want nothing more than relief from the pain; for it to just abate a little, if not go away entirely.

It is natural to want to run from pain, to pull away from it. Yet in running, we abandon our bodies to the pain, leave them basically unpopulated, ghost towns where pain alone rules. We draw away from ourselves, from our most intimate places - our bodies. Yet when we do this, we let pain rule us. Pain is in command, and we merely respond to it, however feebly or ineffectively we do. We become a slave to pain, encompassed in it, defined by it, consumed by it.

In order to break free of pain's grip, we must first begin to face it. We must do what seems counterintuitive; instead of running from the pain, we must turn to face it, head-on. We begin by observing the pain, defining it. Is it hot or cold, sharp or dull? Where exactly is it? We develop a sense of curiosity about it; how far can I move my arm with this pain? Can I move it this way? How about that way? Did the pain kill me, or did I survive?

Then we accept it for the temporary reality it is. We were not always in pain, and we will not always be in pain (although it may seem so at the time). Thus, it is temporary and can be seen as such. Pain can be a great teacher, teaching us about ourselves and how we deal with challenges and perceived limitations. By changing our attitudes about pain, we can change its nature. It is no longer an unwelcome guest or the dictator of our lives, but merely a group of sensations (intense and unpleasant perhaps, but still just sensations). The pain need not be our master; it is instead intended as our servant, to warn us of conditions in our bodies, to warn us to be careful in use of damaged body parts, to remind us to take time to heal or to get help in healing. Pain is a messenger - we may hate the message, but do not need to mistake it for the messenger.

We can put pain in perspective, in its proper place, simply by seeing it more clearly. The sensations we experience may be just as strong and the pain just as intense, but now we are in control, instead of allowing the pain to control us. We choose whether to move a limb (and experience the pain that may accompany that action), instead of letting the pain eliminate our choice, prevent us from moving as we wish in order to avoid more pain.

Of course, traumatic pain is intended to warn is of bodily damage, and we should pull away and avoid it if possible. Chronic pain however is a different story; it is always present and does not indicate any new damage is being done. It was liberating for me the first time my doctor told me I could return to the gym if I could tolerate the pain. The idea that the pain didn't really mean anything was key; it became simply a sensation that I could either tolerate or not. I tried to make a game of it, to see how much of it I could tolerate, how much I could ignore, and how much I simply had to accept (all of it).

The idea that the pain would be my constant companion was at first depressing and a source for more pain and anguish. Yet once I accepted the idea, I decided that if the pain was going to be my constant companion, I was going to make friends with it, get comfortable with it. Paradoxically, once I accepted the pain its grip on me loosened. It was still there, but not as an ominous beast waiting to devour me. It was just there, like my foot or the sky or taxes. I could bemoan the fact, fight against it and deny it with all my heart, but it would still be there. Instead, I chose to get to know it, extend a (perhaps grudging) welcome if it was going to be part of my life.

So now my pain is always there. I choose to pay as little attention and energy to it as I can. Sometimes it is insistent; undeniable. In those times I simply breathe and endure. Other times it is less insistent and I can engage in 'normal' activities. If I am lucky, I can forget it for a minute. But I never try to run from it or deny it. Accepting it is the only way to defuse it, to put it into proper persepctive. Sometimes that is enough.


AUM, Shanti, Shanti, Shantihi

All That's Required Is...

I have often read that all that is required for yoga is the ability to breathe. While breath is important to yoga and life (critical, in fact), it is not a pre-requisite to a yoga practice. The ability to breathe on one's own is a wonderful gift, but is not essential to yoga. What is essential is the desire to change and the ability to BE PRESENT. Many people cannot breathe on their own (requiring ventilators, oxygen masks, etc.), but none are excluded from yoga.

I had a student the other day who had an oxygen tank with a nostril inhaler to help him breathe. He did not feel able to breathe on his own, and was effectively tied to his oxygen. No matter - he was open to learning and growth (although over sixty), and was able to stay present for the sensations in his body, the thoughts in his mind, and the feelings in his heart. That is all that's required.

As our class did some easy breath awareness exercises, we talked about yoga, and what it could mean to us. We didn't force anything, just watched our breath go in an out with a sense of gratitude. After the class, this student came up to me with a smile on his face (and a look of mild amazement). He advised me that halfway through the class, his oxygen tank had run out ... and that he hadn't even noticed it (in an adverse way). The look of freedom on his face, of possibilities in the wing was uplifting. What had once been a anchor around his neck, a device he had depended on for his life had taken on a new perspective.

While he wasn't about to throw his oxygen away, he realized that he was not slave to it, but instead it (the oxygen) was a servant to him. He realized that he could indeed breathe, with mindfulness and gratitude (and for short periods) without his tank. The look in his eyes was that of a young eagle who was ready to fly from the nest. His not-young face was lit with the light of possibility, and it brought a tear to my eyes. He was grounded in reality, realizing that he now felt its absence and did indeed count on the oxygen to improve the quality of his life and health. But he was also simultaneously lifted up on wings of freedom, making contact with the young man in his past who didn't need extra oxygen, and with the person in his future to whom it would be a mere memory.

The light in his eyes as he practiced was inspirational to me, and the light afterwards lit my soul. This simple, nice man (a Vietnam veteran) had taught me a lot about yoga. His classmates also taught me a lot about it; coming to face a new possibility, a new challenge with nothing but their limitations, aches, and pains ... and courage. For it requires a huge amount of courage to even show up for yoga class. If you are older, out of shape, and challenged physically or mentally, the effort is elevated to one of heroic proportions.

In that beautiful afterglow that follows class, we all shared something wonderful; the brotherhood of those who have shared challenges and met them with nobility and bravery. Usually, this type of brotherhood is reserved for those in combat or other life-threatening situations, thrown closely together in a sea of chaos. This sense of brotherhood, of comradeship, of shared happiness and sorrow is what many veterans miss about the service (while simulataneously hating many other things). We had somehow tapped into that brotherhood without guns or bombs, blood, sweat, or tears.

We had done what many combat veterans are forced to do; approach the crucible of change with nothing but the shirts on our backs and hope in our hearts ... and the help and support of our brothers. We had gone to that special place for a moment, without guns or bullets, without anger or rage. It had been healing to all of us, and I had learned as much as I taught.

For this highlights one of the main lessons of life and yoga that I have learned and re-learned over time; that enlightenment cannot be obtained alone, and that we ascend together, rise with the helping hands of our brothers and sisters. Only in helping and in being helped do we complete the harmony of life, make its beautiful song manifest. Only in togetherness do we find heaven, here on Earth or elsewhere, for a heaven in which one is alone is Hell.

These brave men; young and old, soldiers and sailors, airmen and Marines. The true battles they fight are within, as they learn and grow and transcend their limitations (or their sense of limitation). While they may have formerly exhibited bravery in the service of their country, the bravery, courage and nobility they exhibit now in the service of a Higher Self and others is awe-inspiring. They prove that yoga is accessible to all, regardless of age or physical condition. They show the incredible transformative power of yoga in the simple things; the ability to be breathe for a moment without oxygen, to accept pain and limitations without accepting self-diminishment, to find honor in their simple actions of growth and change.

I am so blessed to be around students like this; I am not worthy but will nevertheless strive to be. For these are the type of students who I want the Divine to send to me; not those affluent ones in new Audis and nice bodies, but the broken, the hopeless, the forlorn. I want those in pain, in sorrow, and in suffering, for I am their brother in this. Together we will ascend beyond these illusory limitations and challenges. I want those who think they are too old or too fat, or too out of shape to practice yoga. I want those who think they are too 'bad' or angry or messed-up to have a yoga practice. I want to help guide them there, to help them see that if anything, yoga is for US; the broken and the hurt, the regular and the human. Yoga is for all. It is a gift. There is only one yoga - all apparent branches or types or divisions are merely surface phenomena, not changing the essential basis, the core from which yoga's power originates and operates.

Thank God for yoga. Thank God for students like Ed (we'll call him Ed for privacy's sake). Thank God for the chance for all of us to grow and change and learn, to help and laugh and love. Thank God ... or if you will, thank the Infinite Radiant IS.


AUM, Shanti, Shanti, Shantihi

Four Simple Truths of Nowism

Part of the Nowism Primer, from a Facebook post in 2010...

Four Simple Truths of Nowism

by Mark Mullen on Sunday, February 7, 2010 at 10:27am

Four Simple Truths of Nowism

…as told by the Multiverse

1) We exist (and act) only in the Eternal Now
     a) No one truly knows what the future (and thus what ‘the afterlife’) holds
     b) Thus, all belief systems based on a projected afterlife (or lives) are equally valid (or invalid)
     c) Therefore, all deserve the same respect, consideration…and skepticism
     d) If God or the Divine is to be manifest, it can only be in the Now

2) The universe is what it IS; not how we want it to be or think it is
     a) If we expect the world to be other than what it is, we set ourselves up for disappointment & suffering
     b) We cannot control the thoughts and actions of others: only of ourselves
     c) Our true freedom consists not in the ability to perform unfettered actions, but in how we respond to the   

         world via our conscious choice of attitude (and if possible, action)
     d) If our intentions and actions are in harmony with what IS (and thus with what is possible), we exist fully 

         in the Now 

3) Only by concrete actions in the Now can we manifest love & goodwill towards ourselves and others
     a) Words and attitudes do not feed the hungry or cure the sick, they are only soil from which the seeds of 

          action spring 

     b) We cannot act without also choosing a concrete reaction (its attendant results)
     c) Love is a verb, consisting of concrete, loving actions
     d) The highest values, morals, and thoughts are useless unless they result in positive actions

4) None can know the reality of another
     a) Thus, none can truly know another, or save another, or act for another, or do another’s work
     b) Thus, none can justly judge or evaluate another: people cannot be compared like objects
     c) There are as many paths to God/the Divine/Enlightenment as there are people
     d) While all subjective realities differ (and the world thus appears illusory), only the IS exists: here & Now

Considerations in Phantom Limb Pain Care

Typically, pain experienced by an amputee in the amputated limb(s) is called 'phantom limb' pain. It is most commonly viewed as an epiphenomenon or by-product of the brain's operations, or as an 'incorrect' operation of the brain. The amputee is told by caregivers that the pain he or she experiences is not 'real,' that it is merely a 'trick' of the brain, a psychosomatic disorder or sorts. Psychological (and medical) caregivers stress the need to accept that the limb is 'gone,' and that the pain and sensation the patient experiences is somehow false.

Yet the patient feels a limb, experiences something quite real, in spite of what an endless series of doctors and therapists, psychiatrists and bodyworkers might say. Who is to be believed? Obviously, a physical limb is not present; it cannot be counted on to perform work in the physical world. Yet just as obviously, the limb is present in the energetic and experiential worlds, the worlds where we primarily live.

Up to now, most care has ignored the patient's experiences, sensations, pain, and calls for help. They have tried to convince him (or her) that what they feel is wrong, and that with time (and plenty of expensive therapy) it will eventually (hopefully) go away. No direct care is given to the missing appendage (or phantom limb- a term that reduces it to an ephemeral mist of the imagination), instead it is focused on getting the brain to think and feel what it does not, and focusing attention and care on the 'remaining' limbs, while pointedly ignoring signals and sensations from the 'missing' one.

This is a natural result of a paradigm of pseudo-empiricism; pseudo because it is not based on true empirical knowledge throughout the range of possibly verifiable perception, but limited only to what can be seen or directly measured. Thus, since the limb cannot be seen, it is not there. This matches well with the western medical view of the body, which sees the body as merely a physical machine (of incredible complexity, but still a mere physical entity performing merely physical functions). This view does not explain the well-known phenomenon of sensation in missing limbs, except perhaps with vague guesses at possibly malfunctioning nervous system or brain.

The Ayurvedic concept of the body (much older than that of western medicine, which is relatively new) easily explains these phenomena; the body is more than merely a physical envelope. It (the physical body that western medicine insists is the only one) coexists simultaneously with an energetic body. When the physical limb is amputated, the energetic body is unharmed, and remains complete. At the interface between the physical and energetic bodies (the consciousness), the presence of the energetic limb is still experienced, even though the physical limb may appear to be 'missing.'

The incongruence between the physical and energetic bodies can be felt as sensations ranging from mild tingling to severe pain. The pain originates from the energetic body, which while undamaged, has disrupted flows of energy, which the brain (and consciousness; two separate things) interpret as pain. The solution is not to ignore the pain, or try to convince the patient that the pain does not really exist, or that it is merely a trick of the brain; it is to treat the symptoms the patient brings to us, not only on the superficial level, but at the root cause of the symptoms. This cannot be accomplished with a limited understanding of the human body, one which ignores obvious realities, or tries to explain them away as epiphenomena or not yet understood functions (or malfunctions) of the brain and nervous system.

Thus, I would suggest that healing of phantom limb pain starts first with an acknowledgement of its reality, both to the patient and medically, in the energetic body. This validation of what the patient experiences as reality can be immensely healing in itself, when the patient is simply being understood and not doubted or seen as someone suffering from a 'condition.'

The next step in care does not come from outside, but from within the patient, as they come to terms with the reality of the missing physical limb and the presence of the energetic limb. As they learn gentle acceptance, they can begin to send good thoughts, energy, and intentions to the limb. This healing intent and response needs to be sent there just like we send it elsewhere in our bodies when we are sick or hurt.

Eventually (once the patient has resolved the apparent incongruity and it has been determined by their psychiatric care professionals that the imagery will not be counterproductive), the patient can begin to cradle the missing limb, stroking it and holding it close just like they would for a wounded physical limb. This helps resolve the incongruity within the brain and also within the perception, and focuses healing intent on the limb.

Once the patient has mourned and accepted the loss of the physical limb, and once they have accepted with gratitude the presence of the energetic limb, they can begin to exercise it, to regain control over it. By moving the limb with mindful intention and clear visualization, they can begin to move energy through the energetic limb, eventually restoring the disrupted energy flow channels.

The combination of awareness of the energetic limb, focusing of healing intent and mindful control of the limb add synergistically to effect a restoral of energetic function and relief of 'phantom' pain. For like all phantoms, with observation in the clear light of perception, they melt away. As the patient's caregiver team becomes more aware of the existence of the energetic body and its implications in healing, they can begin to address the issue head-on, as a synchronized team.

Bodyworkers can perform work on the 'missing' limb, doctors can educate the patient about it and treat it (as nearly as possible) as they would a 'real' limb. Yoga instructors can cue the patient to use the missing limb energetically and intentionally, and physical therapists can use the visualization of a concerted action by existing physical and energetic bodies to improve performance (and healing) on the physical level. Most importantly, the patients can become part of a therapeutic alliance, between the caregivers and themselves, and aimed at the healing, recovery and integration of the entire body, not just the one that can be seen in the examination room.


AUM, Shanti, Shanti, Shantihi

In the Presence of the Lord

I experience dualism in my psoas, my piriformis, and of course, in my heart and soul. I try to be on guard for its insidious entry into my thoughts, for it is ubiquitous, unavoidable it seems. I'll be cruising along in perfect harmony with the universe, seeing everyone as a person I could be if not for a few slight details and then...ba-zinga! I'm having a thought about how that person is somehow separate from me, as my mind and ego struggle to fit them into the round hole of a pre-conceived notion, to categorize them or analyze them, or compare...to distill them down into a tidy little image I can have of them, a simple word I can evoke to describe them.

In doing this (or allowing myself to respond to my ego's attempts to influence me to do it), I unwittingly (and unwillingly) objectify the person, try to make them small enough to fit into my mind. That is a terrible disservice, since a person (any person) is an incredibly unique, special, and powerful being whose total essence and glory cannot be fully perceived without spiritual sunglasses. To gaze directly at a shining soul (or even a flickering aura) is like gazing at the sun.

So while we must to some degree simplify our perceptions of each other (lest we become overwhelmed, like two young lovers first discovering each other), we must be aware the person beheld is much more than our conceptual models of them. If we are to place them in convenient categories, let's be sure we place them in categories that honor them, not limit them. If we are to dilute their essence in order to behold them, lets' be sure we concentrate on the good, not the bad in the process.

Regardless of my theoretical knowledge of those facts, there I eventually am, in literal and physical pain that resulted almost directly from dualistic thoughts, perceptions, or paradigms. I feel the error of this not only in theoretical or philosophical terms, but in my kidneys as well. Since I have begun to deepen my yoga practice over these past few years, my body and mind have become much more sensitive to disharmony, and respond to anger and aggression like they do to toxins; they cause an ache in both my heart and body.

So I guard my thoughts, tune my spirit, seek to see one in all and all in one... until next time that I find myself out behind the barn, a big clump of dualism in hand. Then I just remember that dualism is what brought us wars and pogroms, pillage and rapine, hatred and anger throughout history. The insane idea that the problem is somehow outside ourselves, blamable on another...that there even is an Other.

I deviate less and less this way, and feel our commonality more and more. The other day while pedaling through the spring sunshine (yay!), I grokked us all as being individual blades of grass in a field, or leaves on a tree; ostensibly distinct and separate, but undeniably connected and part of a whole. I've been getting this strong feeling of connection, hearing the minds turn and the lives churn, all waving and undulating together in the winds of change, like leaves in the breeze since I was a child. It is now becoming exponentially more frequent.

I love that.

Thou art God
All that groks is God

Sat Nam

AUM, Shanti, Shanti, Shantihi


"iamheasyouareheasyouaremeandwearealltogether"
            -John Lennon (and the rest of the Beatles) 

Our Sacred Trust

As caregivers (and I include yoga instructors in this group), we are bestowed with a sacred trust; the well-being and care of our students. Nothing could be more important, especially for yoga instructors, for we are entrusted with the physical, mental, and spiritual well-being of our students. When we hear of instructors (or other caregivers in positions of trust) abusing their trust, we are perhaps shocked, and certainly saddened. Yet as much as we may be tempted to, we know from our own experiences and our yogic learning that we cannot and should not judge others, especially when we are ignorant of the complete facts.

We know as well that we should honor and respect all people. To engage in sexual or romantic relationships with our active students not only disrespects, dishonors, and objectifies our students, but it does the same to our own selves. Even as understandably human as some of the actions may be, they also do harm to the practice of yoga itself (insofar as that is at all possible), which the ignorant may perceive to be reduced by the actions (or mis-actions, to be more accurate) of its adherents.

A good precedent has been set with medical professionals that may be applicable and pertinent to all caregivers: one does not give care (of any type) to those in their immediate family. The closeness and bias have proven to reduce the effectiveness of care. It is understandable that we may be attracted by some of our students, and may even judge it acceptable to enter into an intimate relationship with them. Yet that is the point that we must recognize that our relationship has evolved beyond that of student-teacher, and it is no longer appropriate to attempt to hold onto such a relationship. To do otherwise is to risk dishonoring ourselves, others, and our practices. We then refer our new loved ones to other caregivers that can provide more objective care.

If love, honor, and respect guide our actions, they will not result in disrespect. If we act in a fashion that we would be proud of no matter who was watching us, then we will most likely avoid troubles. Yet when others cannot avoid troubles, or act in ways that seem to us less than honorable, we must remember that we have not been in their position and thus cannot judge, nor is it our position to judge others. We can and should set high standards of personal performance and excellence for ourselves, and hope that others might adopt them through the consistent actions of their lives, but we must refrain from forcing them on others. They can only be adopted freely, and those who fail to live up to their self-imposed standards should answer not to individuals, but to duly entrusted standards bodies or ethical review boards, just as ‘professional’ and traditional caregivers do.

While being judged by the (usually uninformed) court of public opinion may be unavoidable, we as individuals can avoid contributing to it, extending instead the benefit of the doubt, or at least the compassion for a fellow human who has proven to be as fallible as we are. As to guidance for teachers who find themselves in questionable circumstances, the solution is easy:

             -Ask ourselves who we are, or remember who we are

             -Remind ourselves that yoga is about union and integration

              -Remind ourselves that we teach what we live, not what we say

-Ask ourselves if our actions will contribute to increased harmony, togetherness, and integration, as befitting a caregiver and yoga instructor

-If we discover that our contemplated actions might contribute to separation, alienation, require lies and deceit (or cannot stand the light of public view), then we should understand that these actions do not reflect our true selves, and act accordingly.

This is a personal process, one that cannot be evaluated after the fact by others. Only the person involved can decide and choose, exercising an act of will that will result in actions that (in part, at least) defines them (as the old sayings go: ‘by their actions ye shall know them’ and ‘handsome is as handsome does’). If we feel the urge to judge another, perhaps we could follow some simple steps as well:

             -Ask ourselves who we are, or remember who we are

             -Remind ourselves that yoga is about union and integration

              -Remind ourselves that we teach what we live, not what we say

-Ask ourselves if our actions will contribute to increased harmony, togetherness, and integration, as befitting a caregiver and yoga instructor

-If we discover that our contemplated actions might contribute to separation, alienation, require lies and deceit (or cannot stand the light of public view), then we should understand that these actions do not reflect our true selves, and act accordingly.

We might also remind ourselves that our capacity as people and caregivers is not to judge, but to forgive; not to sentence, but to set free.  We might remind ourselves that we are off duty, maybe were never on duty in the first place. Let someone else do the judging and instead spend the energy on improving ourselves.

Just a thought…

I dunno, who am I to say? I’m just another fallible human being.  I’ll let you (or others) decide.

AUM, Shanti, Shanti, Shantihiii

“You can’t talk to a man with a shotgun in his hand…”

             -Carole King/Smackwater Jack

Kundalini and I

Kundalini yoga is not a practice that resonates with everyone; it is not the traditional yoga practice one would expect. Its rituals and observances are much different than traditional (Samkhya-based) yoga, and the physical practice is almost non-existent. Alone, it may seem to be a branch of yoga one would not care to explore. Yet when seen as a petal on the flower of yoga, it can augment existing and more traditional practices.

Kundalini is more mystical than it is practical. Based on Sikh tradition, it differs in concept and implementation from Ashtanga yoga. Kundalini seeks to raise the prakriti, the essence of Life from the base of our spines. Some say we raise the Kundalini to rise and meet the Pranic life energy outside us, while some envision us as drawing the Divine energy down to meet the Kundalini energy. Either way, the Shakti energy internal to us meets with the Shiva energy external to us, the Divine meets the human, the animal nature synchronizes with the higher nature.

Like yoga, people come only when they are ready. Unlike yoga, raising the Kundalini before you are ready can be dangerous. Gopi Krishna describes this in some of his fascinating but scary books. The closest parallel in traditional yoga is the admonition in the Hatha Yoga Pradipika (and Yoga Sutras) about misuse of Pranayama (loosely translated as breath control)..."and the practitioner will be destroyed."

Kundalini shakti (energy) is likened to hot lava. Our untrained bodies are like paper cups. Until they are hardened and readied by gradual, regular, and devoted yoga practice, they will be unable to tolerate the rise of Kundalini energy. Thankfully, Kundalini is not easily invoked, commanded, or encouraged to rise. This is the protective nature of life, which will not unleash its power until the recipient is ready. Also, most practitioners sense intuitively if the practice is helpful and the time is right, or not.

The specifics of Kundalini practice seem a bit vague to me; not as intuitive as Hatha regarding what is being worked, or how or why (in both physical and energetic bodies). Yet the comradeship is heartening, as is the tendency to keep our eyes closed and stay in our own spaces, within the boundaries of our mats. I like that many people use furs or soft pillows on their mats. Yet the most moving part of the practice to me is at the end, when instead of the traditional AUM, the practitioners sing the following verse, three times. The first time is an intention for one's self, the second for those closest to you, and the last for all beings in the world. It goes like this:

         May the long-time sun shine upon you and all love surround you
         And the pure light within you guide your way on

One other song from the practice moved me deeply, resonating deep within my soul, as it does every time I hear it. It is an old Sikh song (or kirtan or mantra) originally sung by women to make their men holy or to get a good man (as it was told to me, a story I love). It is called So Purkh and I loved it even before I knew what the words meant. It was written by Ram Das in the 1500s (not the modern day Ram Das, the former professor Alpert and author of the excellent book Be Here Now). You can find both English and Punjabi lyrics on You Tube for free. Sometimes I play it in a track and get in a blissful trance state, feeling as holy and pure as my future companion would want me to be.

So while Kundalini may not be the shortcut to nirvana that some claim, neither is it the demon others claim. Instead, it is yet another petal on the flower of yoga, another branch on the tree of Life. It is neither good nor bad, it simply exists. If it resonates truly within you, join the group and give your all. If it doesn't, keep an open mind and let it be until later. Until then, keep in mind my third favorite thing about Kundalini, the thing that shows it to be part of the One Yoga I hold dear: the saying of greeting or goodbye, the statement of fact that is so similar to the Hindu blessing and truism: Sat Nam (Thine name is Truth). This resonates in me as much as the more traditional yogic greeting of namaste (No Mind Between or, more loosely translated, the Divine within me recognizes, respects, and salutes the Divine within you).

So until then, Sat Nam and may the long-time sun shine upon you and all love surround you and the pure light within you guide your way on.



AUM, Shanti, Shanti, Shantihiii


Post Scriptum:

Some good books on Kundalini (for the curious or those who approach through theory) are:

The Experiment of Life

One of the things I love the most about yoga is that it asks us to take nothing on faith. Yoga science realizes that only we can perform the experiments on our own lives, that only we can evaluate the results. It also recognizes a fundamental fact of epistemology (the study of how we know what we know); that we can truly know only by experience, not by words of others or by theories or the experiences of others.

Prior to performing this experiment, we must dissociate ourselves from our bias; discover who exactly is the Observer. We must learn to distinguish our real and authentic selves from our minds, our memories, emotions, thoughts, and perceptions. Once we have contacted this higher Self, this Divine Indweller, this Observer, we can begin the experiment. Then our lives can truly begin, exercising the one true freedom we have (the freedom to choose our responses to the world and our actions and reactions to it), setting out on the Higher Path of self-knowledge, self-acceptance, and self-transformation.

This is an experiment unequalled in science, and unparalleled in importance. For knowledge of the world outside us is moot until we have knowledge of ourselves. We cannot hope to help or heal others without first helping and healing ourselves. The inner universe is a microcosm of the larger universe outside us. Until we harmonize this universe and find peace within ourselves, we can never harmonize with or find peace with others. Thus, this experiment deserves all our attention, our energy, and our abilities. This is an experiment worthy of Einstein, daVinci, and all the greats of external science. It is an experiment worthy of Ghandi, Jesus, Buddha, and all the greats of internal science as well. It is an experiment worthy of YOU.

This experiment can change the way the world is; can add either another angry and bitter person, or one who is peaceful, calm, and helpful. Only you can decide which type of person you wish to be, and which type the world needs most now. Only you can know what your authentic truth is, and ensure your actions and thoughts are in alignment with this truth. Only you can manifest this Truth, and only you can be present and do the work required. Only you can walk your own path and learn your own lessons. Yet this function is not only valuable to the world, it is essential to it. For the world needs you, needs each and every one of us to be at our best, to give our all, to lend our hands in the transformation of self, society, and global consciousness.

The great thing about the experiment of Life is that every person has different lessons to learn, and every person derives different lessons from similar experiences and perceptions. The lessons you are on this planet to learn might be obvious to me, and those I am here to learn may seem blindingly obvious to you. Thus none can judge another, or even evaluate another's conclusions, as each is unique to the individual.

In this experiment, there are no foregone conclusions, and hopefully no expectations.Along the way, we learn lessons we never expected to learn, and perhaps fail to learn lessons we thought were critical (or learn something other than we thought we would). We are blessed to be able to learn, to interpret freely and choose accordingly, each according to their own internal wisdom, each according to the God of Their Understanding. We are truly the lucky ones.

This is our honor and our calling. Let us honor it as the sacred work it is.


AUM, Shanti, Shanti, Shantihi....



"So for a while we conducted experiments in an apartment by the river road..."
               -Sonic Youth/Chemistry

"There are so many paths up the mountain..."
               -Little River Band

Some More Quotes from a Course in Miracles

Here are some passages I had previously underlined, from a randomly-selected page of A Course in Miracles:

When a brother [or sister] acts insanely, he [she] is offering you an opportunity to bless him [her].

Every response you make is determined by who you think you are.

Teach no one that he [she] is what you would not want to be.

Love everything He [She] created, of which you are a part, or you cannot learn of His [Her] peace and accept His [Her] gift for yourself and as yourself.

You cannot know your own perfection until you have honored all those who were created like you.

Give, therefore, of your abundance, and teach your brothers [sisters] theirs. Do not share their illusions of scarcity, or you will perceive yourself as lacking.

Projection always sees your wishes in others.

You are the will of God.

...of course, just because they are underlined does not mean I think them to be true, only that they have resonated somehow with me (either by seeming untrue, obviously true, or deserving at least consideration as a novel idea).

Just a quick FYI and something to think about while stalled in traffic or during a commercial. I may include more selections later, but I typically prefer to post only my own unedited, extemporaneous prose. Anyhow,

Sat Nam (Your Name is Truth)

Namaste (No mind between; the Divine in me groks with the Divine in you)


AUM, Shanti, Shanti, Shantihiii



"To the wise, the world is full of teachers and to the fools the world is full of enemies."
           -Talmud

A Call to Service ... or a Misbegotten Dream?

I have a dream ...

I dream of providing an introduction to yoga to all people. I dream of guiding others into this life-changing and self-transforming practice: all people, especially those who think they cannot 'do' yoga, or that their bodies are too old or painful or injured, those who think they cannot afford to begin a yoga practice, either for lack of money or for lack of time.

I dream of taking yoga to those who really need it; the dispossesed, the alienated, those living on the fringe. My dream includes not just myself (for 'I' am not in this dream); it includes a network of care-givers who will donate their time pro-bono (without charge): bodyworkers, yoga therapists and instructors, massage therapists, personal trainers, and all manner of other healers and helpers.

For one lesson life has taught clearly is that true honor is found in helping others, and that the ultimate end of self-improvement or self-transformation is to extend ourselves and offer service to others. To do this for purely altrusitic reasons is elevates us even further, for often those who need our services most can pay for them least. Yet I think I have a solution...

If we can develop a network of instructors willing to provide free classes once in a while, I can make a schedule of free yoga classes, adding instructors as they are available to fill slots. In this manner, we can perhaps provide one free yoga class every weekday, and similar services as well. The Carriage House Community Center for the Homeless in Boulder has a holistic medicine day once a week, offering free massage, acupuncture, holistic medicine, and yoga on Tuesdays. I used to volunteer classes for this and got a space reservation for both Tuesday and Wednesday. If enough instructors volunteer, we can provide free yoga classes every day, and not just to the homeless, but to all who need them. If enough other caregivers sign up to donate services, we can also offer the other services every day.

I'd like to implement this both in Boulder, and in Denver, at the Veterans' Administration hospital and outpatient therapy center. My basic models for this effort are the Carriage House plan, Musicians on Call (which offers free music therapy to people in the hospital), and Prison Dharma Network, which offers free Buddhist meditation and counseling services to prisoners nationwide.

This is perfect for new instructors and therapists wishing to gain experience working with homeless, veterans, PTSD, and recovering drug and alcohol addicts, as well as 'normal' everyday people of all types. It is also perfect for more experienced and well-known instructors, as part of a (tax-deductible) seva, or practice of service to others. In addition to simply providing regular services at scheduled times, I'd like to pair amenable clients with a mentor who will support them in their progress and practice, much as an Alcoholics Anonymous sponsor does, or as many mentors in business and government do, although in terms of personal development rather than economic or career success.

If the service-donators wish, we could pair them with apprentices or unpaid interns, clients who volunteer their own time in order to learn from those more experienced and to grow themselves through personal experience. This would allow their wisdom to spread, and provide the chance for former students to develop a service practice of their own, sharing what they have learned (through donated time) by donated time to the consortium of instructors, therapists, care-givers, and healers.

One need not even be a accomplished yogi/yogini or instructor, for we will have timeslots for simple companionship, a chance to listen to others, provide a sympathetic ear. Plenty of lessons can be learned simply by listening to the experiences, thoughts, dreams, hopes, and fears of others. This service is as valuable to the service provider as it is to those who receive the service. In this age of alienation that some live in, simply being able to connect to another human being is critical, essential, potentially life-saving. (This service already exists and has needs for volunteers, through the VA's program of volunteer visitors for inpatients both in medical and psych wards).

I'd be glad to donate the time required for logistics and coordination, and give a few classes of my own (until we can get better instructors, that is). I would dream that I could get the word out to enough instructors and caregivers to be able to do this, but I suppose I know few enough instructors to really be able to do it. That's okay though; dreams need not be immediately realizable to be valid. I am perfectly happy for now providing my simple class here and there. Perhaps it's my ego that wants to implement things on a wide scale, to effect great and far-reaching changes. Service to one person is enough, attention to one moment and one person and one relationship and one activity is enough. I'll just let enough be enough. That has been a recurring theme and a key lesson in my life thus far, so I will live it and manifest it.

For they are out there; the wounded and the sick. All the health care plans and HMOs in the world will not provide the care they need. All the pills and prescriptions and pharmacies in the world will not ease their pain ... and their numbers are growing. If we were smart (or thought that way) we would be cranking out care givers in response to this crisis just like they crank out Marines and soldiers in response to a military 'crisis.' Yet we know that these things cannot be rushed, and that they must occur naturally, without forcing. Care-givers must be called, not made. As the time is right, patients meet with and match up with their intended caregivers. We just aim to provide the framework where this can occur, ensure we miss no opportunities and provide the broadest range of opportunities to the broadest range of people possible.

Or so the dream goes. The reality is that right now I need to give care to myself.



AUM, Shanti, Shanti, Shantihiiii


"Give, therefore, of your abundance, and teach your brothers [and sisters] theirs. Do not share their illusion of scarcity, or you will perceive yourself as lacking."
              -A Course in Miracles

"Physician, heal thyself"
              -Yeshua the Nazarene

Yoga Class in a Psychiatric Ward

This one is honored to teach yoga in the psychiatric ward of a hospital not too far from my hometown (I also teach a class in a PTSD ward of the same hospital). Last week, one of my classes was composed entirely of people on walkers, mostly older gentlemen. So while we waited for the Therapeutic Recreation person to bring any others wanting to come to class from the other side of the same ward, I got ready to give some chair yoga classes. We were getting set when Lakshmi (names have been changed to protect the innocent) brought back our only student from the other side of the ward: an athletic-looking young man.

I have this compulsion to try and please everyone. I have discovered that (as ole Honest Abe had promised) this could rarely be done, and almost never to the degree that all are pleased. The guy seemed okay with doing chair yoga, and focused his intense ex-sniper gaze on me as I began. Keeping things easy and gentle, I focused on keeping the attention on the breath, and on being fully in the present. I stressed the fact that the physical portion of yoga is not the entire practice, nor is it the core of the practice.

We moved gently through practice, and I handed it over to my assistant instructor while I moved around the cramped area helping make adjustments or lending encouragement. Seated cat-cows resulted in a range of motions, from one nice fellow who was barely able to make discernable movements, to the youngest and fittest, who exhibited a wide range of motion. The degrees of physical ability and contact with their bodies varied as widely as did the range of mental connection to and control of their bodies.

In either case, these were incredibly brave people, and I acknowledged this fact and recognized its worth and beauty at the start and finish of class. To simply arrive here, when one could just stay in the room and read or wander and smoke cigarettes, is a feat worthy of note. To decide to go to yoga class, an unknown with potentially scary undertones and against the general populace of the ward must have taken immense courage. The resistance against that first step must have been incredible. And the more physical and mental challenges one experiences, the greater the exponential increase in difficulty. One guy had a broken and barely healed shoulder (scapula), yet he tried along with the rest. It was inspirational, to say the least.

While I was not a stellar instructor, nor were my students stellar performers (outside view, at least), the class went off smoothly, and before we knew it the other people ont he ward began banging on the door complaining about the coffee getting cold and lunch being ready (we were practicing in their dayroom/lunch room). So with some fast goodbyes, well-wishes, and see-you-agains, we cleared the room. One student hugged me and thanked me, while others told me how they felt better. They seemed sincere, and it warmed my heart. Leaving the ward, I felt a spring in my step and a smile on my face.

I hadn't changed the world, and it was doubtful I'd changed even a single life, but I had contributed, no matter how small the contribution. I felt great! No one had busted a sweat and there were no pretty girls in tights. No music had played, and we had not acvhieved any fancy postures or impressive results. Still, we had practiced yoga for those here that couldn't, had sent good intentions for ourselves and others into a place of pain (and healing). The ripples (however small) had been sent out to the world, in hopes of healing and transforming ourselves, but the entire planet and universe.

As I had reminded them, they had taken the hardest steps, and the hardest part of yoga was over: showing up. They had done the two hardest poses in yoga: standing ready (Samastihi) and corspe pose (Savasana). All the rest was downhill and easy. All we had to do now was fill ourselves with gratitude and acceptance for where we are Now. Just the simple idea of knowing it is okay is an incredibly huge step forward. Being able to conceptualize that change is possible, that a newer and better self can be manifested is huge, brobdingnagian, life-changing.

All has been done.
Nothing more to do ... until the next class, that is.

I am so thankful. I think I have finally found my true vocation; introducing yoga to those who cannot afford it, and to those who think they are incapable of it or ineligible for it. Jai!


AUM, Shanti, Shanti, Shantihiii


"You know that it's time for a cool change."
           -Little River Band

Caterpillars and Butterflies

Who in a world of caterpillars, can know of the world of butterflies?

This question (or something like it) was asked originally (at least in this form of analogy) by Jed McKenna, in one of his books (Spiritual Warfare, I believe). I wish I could attribute it to myself, for it rings so true. Jed didn't go into too much detail beyond presentation of this marvelous analogy, but here are some of my thoughts on the matter:

Throughout history, wise people (caterpillars like ourselves) have claimed to have knowledge of how it is to be a butterfly, what that world is like, and how we can become butterflies ourselves (or accelerate the natural process of becoming butterflies). They often imagine us evolving into a sort of super-caterpillar, an advanced version of our current selves. Many claim our enlightenment and actualization into butterflies will be mostly internal, and to outside appearances we will still be caterpillars, yet somehow will be butterflies within (on on another plane, or in eternity, the afterlife, or in the realm of spirit), far beyond the material manifestations of butterflies and caterpillars.

Some of this rings true, for we sense within ourselves that we are more than our current manifestation, that we possess potential far beyond what we are now manifesting, far beyond our current constraints or limitations. We sense this and want desperately to believe it, but nevertheless remain caterpillars and unsure if there is anything more, if this whole concept of butterflies is something we dreamed up, a sort of opiate of the masses (to paraphrase Karl Marx out of context). 

I guess the big point of this is not whether we are caterpillars or not, or whether we will evolve into butterflies or something else, but the simple statement of the truism that since none has come back from the afterlife to show us what awaits, none alive can possibly know what (if anything) awaits. This is one of the fundamental tenets of Nowism: that since none can truly know (from direct experience) what the afterlife holds, none can say with any certainty. Thus, all religions are equally valid (or invalid) and all deserve equal respect and consideration (and skepticism). *

My desire is not to be something I am not, but to be as complete and present a caterpillar as I can (if that is indeed what I am), and to help other caterpillars as much as I can. I'll leave the butterfly stuff for later; I'm too busy and ahppy being a caterpillar for now. Before I would wish to know the joy of wings and caress of the wind, I want to know the solace and stability of the Earth beneath me, supporting me and grounding me. These things are as much pre-requisites to flying as wings are (or so I imagine in my caterpillar brain).

Yes, none can know for sure, and that is as it should be. Our time is so precious, it makes little sense to spend it in the nebulous realms of possible pasts and imagined futures, both of which are merely thought forms. There is too much to experience and learn from here in the present, the only place we can possibly be and the only place we can truly manifest ourselves and fulfill our potential. If our potentials lead us to later become butterflies, that is moot in the present, and becoming must first start with being.

So let us be, let it be and all shall be well... right here and now, in the present.


AUM, Shanti, Shanti, Shantihii


"All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well."
          -Dame Julian of Norwich, 1637 (?)


* A corollary of this is that if God exists, She/He/It must (and indeed can only) manifest in the Now.

The Ambrosial Hours

The hours before sunrise are known in Vedic tradition as Amrit Vela, the ambrosial hours. In that special time, the world sleeps; crack heads and partiers have gone to bed, and even the night hunters like foxes have quit their roaming. The early birds are all asleep, dreams of worms dancing in their heads. The ubiquitous sound of traffic has slowed to a barely perceptible hum. Even the police are idle, napping in their cars, eating donuts, or preparing for their shift to end. Night shift workers have just passed the ebb, where life force is at its most dim, and it is a struggle to stay awake. It seems that virtually no one is awake. In these pre-dawn hours, it seems I share the world with God alone.

In this balanced moment, as the star-spangled sky slowly fills with pre-dawn light, one can feel the shift; the past recedes into the present, as the new day unfurls, as night gives way to day. The dark bulk of the mountains is slowly painted with shape and form, clouds are accentuated with gentle and subtle eldritch light. I watch in awe as the Master Artist paints a new day, stroke by loving stroke, creating a new world with the growing light of Life.

This special time is when I sit in meditation, when I perform my kriyas and pujas (rituals and observances), when I perform my ablutions and prepare for my morning yoga class. Sometimes I sit in my Yin poses and read something inspirational. Sometimes I just stand there and gaze at the stars. I typically am accompanied by gentle Celtic flute and harp music, or crystal singing bowls (prayer bowls). Sometimes I just sit in silence and feel the life rush into my body, feel the hope dawn in synchronicity with the new day.

Now, when the ether is free of electronic detritus like cell phone signals and the endless radio waves we use to signify communications, my thoughts, prayers, and intentions float free and unobstructed. I send out gratitude and hope, intentions that the rest of the world experience the joy and peace I wish for my own loved ones. In the pre-dawn silence I hear only the whisper of the wind, the soft singing of the creek. The air unmarred by man-made sounds, I can almost hear the still, calm voice of God, of the AUM that underlies all other sounds, the sound of the universe turning and of grass growing; the sound of change.

Eventually, the spectre of time intrudes, and I gather my things for my morning pedal; pack with yoga clothes and gym clothes (for after yoga), an orange and a headlamp. Most of my stuff was prepared the night before, as my Mom taught me when I was young. This keeps me from having to rush around getting ready, frees my time for enjoyment of these rare and special moments. I relish them. Finally, I am ready and step out into the new day. The stars have faded in the east as the glowing colors spread, leaving only the bright dot of Venus and a crescent moon (or whatever astronomical configuration exists that day).

For a while, the only sound is that of my tires on the pavement and my softly sung Hare Ramas. The occasional car turns into a growing stream of cars, all the early birds rushing to wherever it is they go. The pastel marvel grows in the east, a gorgeous panoply of colors that would make Rembrandt or C.M. Russel's jaws drop in awe. Or perhaps it is a relatively colorless dawning, obscured by clouds or enhanced by the gentle fall of snowflakes. Either way, I ride gladly through the gathering day, feeling the life and gladness well up in my chest like a wave.

Finally I arrive, moments before or after the instructor for that morning's class does. It is six AM, and dawn is approaching. Exchanging a few quick greetings, I set up my yoga mat (trying to avoid staying in the same old place) and head into the locker room for one of my favorite morning rituals: the warm shower before yoga. I let the water wash over me like the rains of Shambala, cleaning away the past, the dirt  of the world outside, purifying and preparing me for the best ritual of all. I may sing gently, or just enjoy the sensations of the water on my body, the growing energy and gratitude within. I am all alone here, in a place where no one dare enter. It is safe and special, and smells good.

My eagerness to get into the warm womb of the yoga room pulls me away from my rejuvenating waters. I make my way onto my mat, usually the only one in the room. Gathering in the last of  the ambrosia, I release the last of the previous day's worries, cares, and toxins (or so I think). I gently begin to come into my body, occupying every cell and filling each with love and gratitude. I slowly work each limb, to the Rice Krispies crackle and pop of waking joints. As people begin to trickle into the room, I slowly finish my preparations and come to a gentle child's pose until I hear the instructor's voice greet us, signalling  the beginning of our morning Vinyasa flow.

As we begin, the day is truly dawning and the last of the ambrosial hours fading. The night is already a distant memory, and we send each on their respective ways with a grateful AUM to unite our breaths and send our love out to the world. We are 'doing yoga' for all those who cannot, and we feel honored. We truly are the lucky ones, as we synchronize our energy in Sun Salutations, while the the sun slowly rises. Our spirits soar ands our bodies sweat, and eventually we lay there in corpse pose, having gone through a minature cycle of life; beginning in embryo pose, moving to child's pose, through the range of Vinyasa poses, and finally ending up in Savasana, the corpse pose.

We lie in our puddles of sweat, invigorated and relaxed, grateful and peaceful. Our bodies, minds, and spirits have been turned on, each part energized, harmonized, and synchronized. Each part has been invited into allegiance by the ancient and timeless sequence of movements that have been developed over the millenia, by generations of dedicated sages and yogis. We lie there not in a state of bliss, but as manifestations of bliss. We are well-tuned instruments, the hands of the Divine, content to rest now that we have re-established our identities as children of Divine Light. After a quick shower, we are on our separate ways, bringing our yoga off our mats and into the new day. It before eight AM, and the world has mostly woken up, or begun to.

On the weekends, my ambrosial hours differ slightly. I think I will sleep in ... and do; until at least five thirty or six. At this time of year, I am still in the edge of the transition: between the end of the ambrosial hours and the beginning of the dawning time. I perform my yoga alone outside, as the rest of the world sleeps in innocent weekend oblivion. I enjoy the emptiness of the house, perhaps cleaning up a bit and then maybe reading something inspirational before finally turning to the computer to type a few words before my grandson awakes for a Play Day.

These special ambrosial hours are a way to add sacred time to your day; time that is transparent to and not conflicting with your 'normal' schedule. These hours can be used for yoga, fitness, walking, reading, or doing extra chores. In ancient tradition, they are sacred and used for praise, meditation, or reflection prior to the beginning of the day. By adding these hours to our lives, we add special time, time that is sacred, time that is much-needed for our own personal growth and development. Typically, no one else will be crazy enough to wake at this time, so it is guaranteed Alone Time; time to get to know and nurture one's self, time to be spent effectively or frittered away, however one feels at the moment, for it is your time and yours alone. Cell phones do not ring at this hour, nor are e-mails exchanged (unless you have virtual or actual friends online elsewhere on the planet). No one is awake to intrude on your time, or to expect anything from you. Even without the sacred and spiritual components, this alone provides critical ballast and balance to hectic modern lives, where quiet time or time alone is rare and precious, or even non-existant.

Amrit Vela, the perfect preparation for the dawn. And any day that one can experience the dawn hours is a good day ... no a great one, no matter what happens later. A day started well will have positive momentum, to grow and expand as the day progresses, to spill over and into the lives of others, sharing the gift with even those who have slept in and missed their own ambrosial hours.

The ambrosial hours are a true gift we can give ourselves, moments that await only our presence. These hours will serve to ignite the entire 86,400 seconds of each day, put a shine in your eyes and a smile on your face. Experiencing the ambrosial hours are a gift to your Self that keeps on giving. I invite you to try experiencing yours.



AUM, Shanti, Shanti, Shantihiiii




"Right here, right now, there is no other place that I wanna be. Right here, right now; watching the world wake up from history."
                 -Jesus Jones (?)

"Here's to you, my love, with blessings from above and let the day begin."
                 -The Call



Complete lyrics to Let the Day Begin, by The Call

Here's to the babies in a brand new world
Here's to the beauty of the stars
Here's to the travellers on the open road
Here's to the dreamers in the bars

Here's to the teachers in the crowded rooms
Here's to the workers in the fields
Here's to the preachers of the sacred words
Here's to the drivers at the wheel

Here's to you my little loves with blessings from above
Now let the day begin
Here's to you my little loves with blessings from above
Now let the day begin, let the day begin

Here's to the winners of the human race
Here's to the losers in the game
Here's to the soldiers of the bitter war
Here's to the wall that bears their names

Here's to you my little loves with blessings from above
Now let the day begin
Here's to you my little loves with blessings from above
Let the day begin, let the day begin, let the day start

Here's to the doctors and their healing work
Here's to the loved ones in their care
Here's to the strangers on the streets tonight
Here's to the lonely everywhere

Here's to the wisdom from the mouths of babes
Here's to the lions in the cage
Here's to the struggles of the silent war
Here's to the closing of the age.

(key of D, if I remember correctly ... or at least that's how I used to play it)

Ode to Ganesh, the four-armed, elephant headed god who rides a rat

One of my favorite gods is Ganesh (or Ganesha), the four-armed, elephant headed god that rides a rat. Now, no one thinks that Ganesha is how God is supposed to look and be, exactly (except the Ganapataya, devout Ganesh worshippers of ancient times). Instead, they see Ganesh as depicting one facet of the unknowable and ineffable Ultimate, which no icons or ideas can encompass. I like this facet of the Infinite Radiant IS: the remover and placer of obstacles.

I like when one of my favorite yoga teachers does a call-and-response chant to Ganesha: Jai AUM sharanam, sharanam Ganesha. Gam, gum Ganapatay sharanam Ganesha, Jai AUM sharanam, sharanam Ganesha (in her crystal-clear and perfect voice). I am a Gemini, and am also both an empiricist and a mysticist. I believe Ganesha is a god icon both for a facet of God, and for atheists, as the god of Statistics and Probability.

Ganesha represents the power of the breath in the physical portion of yoga, Hatha (or asana). Ganesh need not be religious or spiritual, and may in fact be thought of as the facet of life that is continually in new beginnings.

Here's an ancient prayer to Ganesha:

"(O Lord Ganapati!) You are (the Trinity) Brahma, Vishnu, and Mahesa. You are Indra. You are fire [Agni] and air [Vāyu]. You are the sun [Sūrya] and the moon [Chandrama]. You are Brahman. You are (the three worlds) Bhuloka [earth], Antariksha-loka [space], and Swargaloka [heaven]. You are Aum. (That is to say, You are all this)"

           -Ganapati Atharvashirsa

AUM Gam Gum Ganapatayay namaha! AUM Sri hrim glim gam gum Ganapataya namahaiiiiiii!

AUM, Shanti, Shanti, Shantihiii

Divine Light Invocation

I am a child of Divine Light

I am created by Divine Light

I am composed of Divine Light

I am surrounded by Divine Light

I am sustained by Divine Light

I am protected by Divine Light

I am growing ever closer to Divine Light


AUM, Shanti, Shanti, Shantihiii


Note: not sure if this is a traditional invocation or one I adopted from Kundalini for the West, by Swami Sivananda Radha (in which case it is paraphrased). In either case, it is a virtual trusim.

A Course in Miracles - Quote 1

Here's a quote from the text of A Course In Miracles, a book I've been reading:

..."the ego perceives itself at war and needs allies. You who are not at war must look for brothers [and sisters] and recognize all whom you see as brothers [or sisters], because only equals are at peace."

Some of my Favorite Yoga Books

An exhaustive list of the great yoga books (and short descriptions of each) would make a book in itself (note to self). Still, here are a few of my favorite yoga books:

Patabhi Jois                                      Yoga Mala

H David Colter                                Hatha Yoga Anatomy

BKS Iyengar                                     Light on Yoga
                                                         Light on Life
                                                         Light on Pranayama
                                                         The Tree of Yoga
                                                         Yoga: The Path to Holistic Health

TKS Desikachar                               The Essence of Yoga: Developing a Personal Practice

Georg Feuerstein                               The Yoga Tradition

Patanjali                                            The Yoga Sutras

                                                          Hatha Yoga Pradipika

Eknath Easwaran                               The Upanishads

Krishna                                              The Bhagavad Gita (many good interpretations and translations)

Baron Baptiste                                   Forty Days to Personal Transformation

Leonard S Perlmutter                         The Heart and Science of Yoga

Bernie Clark                                      Yinsights

Paul Grilley                                       Yin Yoga

Timothy McCall, MD                        Yoga as Medicine

Deepak Chopra, MD                          The Seven Spiritual Laws of Yoga: A Practical Guide to Healing

Ramakrishna                                       The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna

Krishnamacharya                                Yoga Jalisaram

Gertrud Hirschi                                  Mudras: Yoga in Your Hands

...and that's just the tip of the iceberg, off the top of my head. If i was at home by my library, I'd recognize a few old favorites I surely forgot!

AUM, Shanti, Shanti, Shantihiii

"...Let me unfold the voice of books which the wise honor"
             -Euripides/Erectheus


Post Scriptum:

Please share your favorite books I might have missed in the comments. I'll read (and live) them all...Thanks beforehand : )

Healing the Nation, Healing the World

If we care to look, we can see a high incidence of disharmony in society (which is usually defined as statistics about groups of individuals, and not as a symptom of society itself). Yet if we see society as an individual entity, a patient requiring therapy and healing, we can more clearly see its symptoms:

                       -Sexual dysfunction and trauma as evidenced by the high rate of rape and sexual crimes
                       -Social psychosis as evidenced by numerous wars and a growing police state globally
                       -Stress disorders of all types as evidenced by social behavior in general
                       -Growing epidemics of self-induced diseases such as Type 2 diabetes and heart disease
                       -Drug addictions as evidenced by widespread hard drug, alcohol, and tobacco abuse
                       -Lack of trust in its leadership, government, and basic functions

As American (read United States) society engages in illegal wars (not voted on by a democratic majority of Congress) abroad, wars of aggression rather than defense of homeland, we lose faith in our fundamental ideals, and lose honor, respect, and influence in the world community. This is reflected in the high percentage (almost total) of veterans returning from non-defensive wars in Iraq and Afghanistan with PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder), and in spite of the cost in money, energy, and lives, our government is at the time of this writing contemplating using military force elsewhere in the Islamic world to force autonomous countries to do our bidding.

We typically see this epidemic of PTSD as concerning only veterans, but the effects of this are much more widespread than a limited segment of the population. As friends and families develop stress symptoms from being exposed to PTSD-related stresses of their own, the number of individual cases grows until it begins to encompass (or effect) a large and growing percentage of the population. But the problem goes beyond individual cumulative effects.

Society in general is in need of healing therapy, and like an individual, requires some of the same basics of restoring health and wellness; eliminating some unhealthy behaviors and encouraging other more healthy ones in their place, recognizing the problem and the need (and ability) to change, to name a few. Yet the blitheness with which we discount these societal ills, and the ease in becoming accustomed to them and thinking of them as normal (or part of 'the way it is') is indicative of not only an illness but a lack of recognition of having the illness.

To change society as a group requires consensus which is rarely achieved, and thus this revolution will require the cumulative effects of individuals to result in a widespread change that is eventually adopted as 'normal' by society in general. Thus, the therapies we implement to heal ourselves will eventually and slowly effect change, but change of any degree or at any accelerated rate would require us as a group to devise and implement healing changes, both in our individual and family lives, but in society at large as well.

Most of the ways to heal require change, which will be uncomfortable to all and resisted by many. Those living in the more affluent societies will need to give up personal comforts and conveniences, and few want to willingly give up some of their material wealth or lifestyle habits to make a change (the oil crisis a case in point, as many complained and blamed, yet few changed their won driving or oil-consumption habits). Sadly, the reality is that few would give up extra and unneeded pleasures to ensure others have basic life or survival requirements.

So what are we to do? Worry about our own selves, and hope that others do the same? Become social activists and dedicate our time and efforts to societal change (as opposed to individual change)? Try to balance both and hope for the best? The first step is to open a dialog, to begin using our top minds (and the collective and intuitive wisdom of all our minds) to address not only the symptoms of society's problems, but to work to heal and cure the source or root problems from which all the symptoms arise.

Perhaps through education and awareness, we can begin to develop a sense of commonality, of being one people and shipmates on Planet Earth, a sense of stewardship for the Earth, and some common goals on how to restore her to health and our society to peace and wellness. Perhaps we can begin to develop (and live) a new, higher standard of service to each other and to society, as well as to the planet. This all begins with a vision, a new paradigm of what is possible and desirable. Like all healing, the healing of society begins with the idea that healing is possible, and that it is desirable.

Like we need yoga (integration and transformation) for the individuals of society, we need a yoga therapy for society in general, Just like we need to incorporate a harmonious mix of healing technologies and modalities in our individual lives, so do we need to incorporate them into the life of our society. It all begins with us, and with the ideas we spread and share, with how well we listen to and consider new ideas, and respect those who present them, with how open our minds are to new concepts.

Like yoga, it may intially seem painful and beyond the bounds of what can reasonable be achieved, but also like yoga, the transformation becomes easy and natural once begun with attention and devotion. And like yoga, the effects of this transformation can spread, from our individual societies to the global society. All we need to do is begin.

So say prayers and make good intentions for the healing of the global community, and for every individual in it. Perform actions to help realize this dream, and make sacrifices and changes in your lifestyle to help speed them along. Send your healing love and intentions out to all, and let their benefical effects ripple across the universe.

AUM., Shanti, Shanti, Shantihiiii



"What you have as a goal depends on what you consider yourself to be"
            -Ramanuja

Some cool books for readers

Here's some cool books I've found to be of immense value lately (or yet again). They are especially of value to yogis, yoginis, sadhaka, therapists, and healers of all types:

War and the Soul                                                                        Edward Tick

Buddha's Brain                                                                           Rick Hanson

Job's Body                                                                                  Deane Juhan

Healing Trauma: Releasing the Tiger                                         Peter A. Levine

The Yoga Tradition                                                                    Georg Feuerstein

Beyond the New Morality: Responsibilities of Freedom           Germain Grisez

Light on Life                                                                                B.K.S. Iyengar

...I'll add more current and past favorites later. Please add your own to the comments, and we can begin a great list of enlightening, enlightened, educational, and inspirational reading. Happy Reading!

AUM, Shanti, Shanti, Shantihiii

The Mayan Calendar and The Birth of a New World

On February 11, 2011 we entered the last phase of the current Mayan calendar, which will end on 28 October, 2011 (not the 21 December 2012 based on the 360 day tun, but on the holy 260 day tun and current world's baktun).

The first of the last nine 'heavens' (or phases) began 2/11/11 and was the heaven of Sowing, controlled by the God of Fire and Time. On 3/3/11, the phases overlapped, beginning the second heaven; of Inner Assimilation of the New Wave, controlled by the God of Earth.

There is a lot of consternation about this calendar that most think claims the world 'ends' on that day. I don't think the Mayans forecast anything so apocalyptic, but will keep an open mind. Instead, I think they saw this as the transformation to a new age, based on the calendar of Gaia, and mitigated by that of the universe. The previous baktun (calendar age in Mayan) covered a long cycle (to humans) which took us through the various stages of history (and to some degrees explained the winds of history and the often baffling 'advances forward' out of the blue, e.g., DaVinci, et. al.).

I would like to suggest that perhaps this is similar to the Yurgas (ages of the universe/multiverse) in Hindu cosmology. In either case, it has become analogous to the dawning of a new age, or the ending of an old one (however you see it, and based on what you think each entails). Everyone (every optimist, at least) loves the idea of a new world and a new age, but let me suggest this as well:

Perhaps the New Age will not be brought about by ancient calendars ending, by Nostradamus predicting, or by some astrological alignments. Perhaps we (and only we) give birth to a new world every day, in our minds and hearts and (eventually, one would hope) in our actions. Perhaps the thing that will create or allow a new world to manifest is the combined intentions and actions of us all. Perhaps what makes this happen or not is not our prayers, but if we decide to drive gas-guzzlers or hate our neighbors (our beliefs and true intentions manifested in actions).

Consider the possibility that the new world could come on October 28th, 2011 and ... no one would notice it. Or at least not those not ready to perceive it. Perhaps to some, the new world will consist in increased compassion, understanding, and service to others. Perhaps it will result in us dropping old habits and attitudes like we would a dirty garment, and becoming the change we want to see (to paraphrase Ghandi). Maybe the snowball will grow, and people will begin to see each other as brothers and sisters. Perhaps enough will speak out and rise up to effect true global change.

Or perhaps the only way we can truly effect change is to change ourselves, our individual thoughts and beliefs and actions, our motivations and judgments. Maybe we don't need the government to change and have more peace, but to cultivate peace within ourselves and manifest it as peaceful actions. It's possible we don't need Exxon or BP to change, but to all simply to change our lifestyles; to pedal or walk when possible, and take public transportation the rest of the time. Perhaps if enough of us make these individual changes, then our combined transformations will gain momentum, like a snowball on the hill, until eventually all people adopt the new attitudes of acceptance and respect, if nothing else just to go along with the enlightened majority.

Maybe it's the hundredth monkey principle in action; that eventually enough social and spiritual change by will 'pull up' the rest to a new level. So all I am suggesting is that the change might be subtle, ethereal, and might come from within rather than from outside. While the change may end up being major, it may not occur with a bang or cataclysmically, but in degrees, accelerating as it goes. Could it be that the change will not occur on a specific calendar date (or at least not obviously), but maybe begin on or around a certain date?

All I know is that I do not know. All that we know as a society is that we do not know (as evidenced by our miserable record in polluting the planet and killing or harming each other). Yet having an open mind is prerequisite to receiving new ideas and concepts. If we (as a world society) can make this transformation alone - to have open minds and leave our old attitudes and prejudices behind- that would be transformation enough, a rebirth so cataclysmic as to re-define society and our world.

We understandably long for help from an outside source, a Deux ex Machina (god in the machine) of the ancient Greeks, who would come down in the middle of a play (about the trials of mortals) and make (or explain) a change that ordinary people couldn't on their own. Yes, we sometimes long for the ease of having someone else make the change for us; our parents, or society, or God, or benevolent aliens. But this change might have to be initiated by us and effected by us (the people of Earth, our brothers and sisters on Gaia) and us alone, regardless of who predicts it and when it occurs.

A wise woman once said (at a yoga teacher training portion on Vedic astrology) that giving birth to a new world will undoubtedly be painful. This may be evidenced by reactions from Nature/Gaia to our increasing pollution and misuse of her (droughts, floods, global warming, earthquakes, etc.). It could also be evidenced by social upheavals, as old regimes are challenged and react to inevitable change (which signals growth, evolution, and development), as seen in the riots and revolts in the Muslim world, and increased social change and demand for reform globally. Or it could simply be manifested in how we meet and greet each other on the street, especially those we 'do not like' or are not familiar or comfortable with.

In either way, change is as inevitable (the one true constant) as it is uncomfortable. It constantly occurs, and I am not sure if it accelerates into an exponentially apocalyptic curve or not. I welcome it, even the ostensibly 'bad' change, as it all is unavoidable, natural, and may result in benefits we could never anticipate. If we are in the End Times of the Christian fundamentalists or the Final Baktun of the Mayans, I will be glad to be there and experience it. I will blog about it as well, as long as it makes sense to do so. Perhaps the change will be so great we will no longer need words to communicate, but until then they will continue to gush forth from me as the ideas do. Whether (and how) I let them out depends on how I tune my spirit, how I perceive and manifest in the world, and (LOL) whether I have access to a computer that works

I've been reading a lot about the changing ages lately, ancient sutras and astrological stuff, the Apocalypse, and ending of the Age of Kali, and of course, the Mayans. Perhaps the most notable Mayan book is The Mayan Calendar and The Transformation of Consciousness, by Johan Carl Calleman. Still, I find every day a day of creation and of change, and will not make any special precautions or preparations for the 'End,' even if I was certain it was coming, beyond my normal personal practice and self-transformation.

I do not know what the stars or ancients may say about it, but one thing I do know; I am entering a personal New Age, the Age of Service and Compassion, the Age of the Higher Self, the Age of Self-Transformation and Gratitude. I will not count on God or society or the Mayans to do it for me, but will welcome all help that is towards the Good of all, aimed towards Integrated Human Fulfillment, no let me re-phrase that, towards Integrated Fulfillment of All Beings and of the entire multiverse. Let us experience a re-alignment towards to Good, towards, the Divine, towards the Infinite Radiant IS. I ask this through all that is good and holy. I implement it through all that is good and holy. We manifest it as a reflection of all that is good and holy.

AUM, Shanti, Shanti, Shantihiii



"I'm starting with the man in the mirror"
            -Michael Jackson

"Be the change that you want to see in the world"
            -Mahatma Ghandi

"This is the Dawning of the Age of Aquarius"
           -The (?) Mamas and the Papas

"Dontcha know we're living in stolen moments; you steal enough, it feels like we're stopping time."
           -John Hiatt



Disclaimer and note for all blogs by me: these blogs are written extemporaneously, without editing or preparation. As such, they may be disclaimed, modified, or marveled at by myself at a later date, and may not necessarily reflect my beliefs as eloquently and succinctly as I'd like. If you want well thought out and crafted words, buy my books or read my published articles, which are not extemporaneous. Oh, and ...enjoy! Namaste.