Carol Miers

Pavan Pavan

Pavan Pavan.

Pavan Pavan

Play more and think less - that's a part of yoga basics!

This is a quirky video from Box of Crayons. I like it - it's called the 'Eight Irresistible Principles of Fun' Why eight? I disagree with one point, because I think everyone should live a life they hope WILL be remembered in 100 years from now. Watch it, if you have some time -

Yoga transitions to a heart-centered world

That's the title of the book by Gururattan Kaur,Transitions to a Heart Centered World: Through the Kundalini Yoga and Meditations of Yogi Bhajan Transitions to a Heart Centered World  and we started the same warm-ups. It was just the weather for them, about -5C and falling. This picture was taken in December, just to remember what the sun looks like. '

It was dark, the fire only just lit, my eyes closed and I just carried on. Beginning with stretch pose 2min, then 1 - 2min each posture. Today the hard one was: 

'Bend legs wide apart, grabbing on to toes, and inhale, exhale head down to alternate knees for 1 - 2min' 

Then onto 'Electromagnetic Field' set when I overcame some resistance, to do the arm swings.  With someone next to you, you can't give up as easily!

My friend finds the arm exercises warming, good for loosening the muscles, that then helps focus the mind on the posture and the flow of energy. This in turn makes it easier.  The flow keeps you going - or singing to a mantra does for some people.  I was playing the CD 'Here I Am' by Karta Singh and friends' The set works mostly on the heart chakra and throat, helps to lift the chest and raise the energy after the warm-ups.  Gives a more positive outlook on the day. The more you can connect into the flow of energy or the 'life energy' whatever you like to call it, the easier it is.  Karta once said, the reason you find it hard is because you have not connected - you will only make progress when you make the connecton!

I was told by my so-called good 'friend', I have to come off the sweet foods, that I was behaving as if on the Coca Cola diet!   Interestingly, I just found a book published in 1969: Yoga: The Key to Life by James McCartney The Key to Life James McCartney and a slip of paper and the word 'Sleep followed by page references':  This is the first one; 

"Yoga teaches that there is an intimate relationship between the kind of food we eat and our mental states.  It teaches that the finer lighter foods go to feed the mind (and quotes as an illustration that when butter is churned its finer particles rise upwards and form butter)  the 'medium' particles got to feed the body, and the coarser elements are eliminated.  As nothing on this earth is really 'dead' (for what appears to have died is just changing form) every physical thing has its subtle counterpart, and it is this subtle part of the food which goes to feed the mental aspects"

to be continued.                                The road from Le Martinet, Amritnam Sarovar

Yoga warm ups

Tuesday morning 26th Jan we did a lot of warm ups - including leg stretches, crunches, stretch pose, cobra variation and bow. Then 'Exercises par fair respirer la peau' that is ' to make the pores breathe'.

The yoga mudra is one posture, and this is different to some descriptions in that, the arms are up at 90' behind, instead of the palms together and pressing into the small of the back. I felt it in the upper arms - and my friend said 'how do you do it?' because he was trying to take his arms round in an arc of 270' because I hadn't explained it properly.

I said ' It'll give' and he said 'I know that's the problem' I didn't find it very relaxing, whereas camel pose is, until your legs begin to ache of course.

A bit skew wiff this morning

We repeated more or less, the same warm ups. I am torn between the thought of building up the prana with meditation in this cold weather ( -5C today) and developing a strong navel centre to have the drive to get through it.

I remember I used to concentrate on the lower chakras and being directed - but was given a meditation on the yoga training course at Amritnam Sarovar by the teacher, which was like 'flying' - sitting and raising/lowering the arms, and this prepared me for all the next courses which worked on the upper part of the body, because the focus was on the higher chakras and the higher ideals and on communication and meditation.

I would never have chosen it. So sometimes it's not what you think!

Yoga sets - Yoga Mudra, Back platform, crow

This morning Tue 19th January

I did a short set after some warm ups with a friend - Foundation for Infinity from the Kundalini level 1 teachers manual – with Yoga Mudra, back platform and crow and I was really stiff! but it was so great to start to feel that incredibly strong energy coming through and knowing that others are going to be doing the set too. I think I have to do more energetic sets though to wake up the energy for both of us, after the winter.

The main thing is to try to build the prana, as there's not a lot of energy from the sun at the moment! The stiffness is only that – just tight muscles which have not had enough use. I remember being told that, as you get older, you need to do more exercise, eat less, and sleep less. I usually remember after I've eaten a piece of cake. And they say as you get older, exercise more often because you have to work harder to be flexible. They also said to kill that thought that says – I am getting old and can't do it! AND it's not the life, it's the courage you bring to it.

Le Bugue Monday Yoga Classes

Hello fellow yogis -

This morning when I went for a walk, the thermometer read  -7'C and the only car tracks I saw on the road were from tyres with chains.  So the snow that fell yesterday is still there, outlining the trees. The weather forecast does not go above freezing before Tuesday at Villefranche-du-Périgord! I am sadly having to cancel the yoga class tomorrow 11th January.

I will keep you updated and look forward to seeing everyone soon. I had a good conversation with Rebekah about what everyone would like to see in the yoga class, and I am sure I can adapt the Kundalini, to suit people. The important thing is that we keep together and keep going and that we communicate what we need.

So, here is a little information about a Kundalini yoga by way of a review, for those of you who are interested.  And when we meet we must discuss organising a trip to the Buddhist centr.

**There is a new book out, by Maya Fiennes (Ralph Fiennes sister-in-law) who is a kundalini yoga teacher. It was reviewed by the London Evening Standard 

and a few other notes on it.

"It is based on Kundalini Yoga and infused with practical ways of incorporating yoga into everyday life. It includes recipes and tips for healthy living combined with exercises, mantras, breathing exercises and meditations, all linked to Maya's own story to explain how Kundalini yoga creates a healthy happy life."

Let me know your thoughts.  In the meantime here's a link for the yoga school where I completed Level1 and Level2 teacher training.   Yoga Training School