Philosophy - Yoga Magazine

THE LOST WISDOM OF THE FIVE ELEMENTS IN YOGA

root@ — Thu, 26 Jun 2025 04:43:48 +0000

Words: Marin Vayu

Was yoga designed to balance the Five Elements in the human body? I’m talking about Fire, Water, Air, Earth, and the fifth element Space or Spirit. We certainly hear this statement regarding Ayurveda, but what about yoga? Is the concept of the Five Elements of Nature the lost origin of yoga? I would definitely say yes, and there are many clues telling us this. Today I will present one of them that is almost a taboo topic in the world of Yoga.

ESOTERIC TEACHINGS

Let’s examine something you won’t find in most yoga books, at least not until now.

It is a fact that the Five Elements of nature have been a popular philosophical and spiritual topic worldwide, from ancient times to the present day. Furthermore, it is not an exaggeration to say that this concept of the Five Elements is the basis of almost all famous esoteric teachings.

If you read any book on ayurveda, vastu, Chinese medicine, astrology, alchemy, shamanism, and many other similar teachings, you will often find the knowledge of the Five Elements on the first pages. However, yoga is an exception, where the Five Elements are not even mentioned sometimes.

If they are mentioned, authors mostly cite two sources: Ayurveda or samkhya philosophy, which are likely not part of the original yoga, and the chakras. While the chakras could be part of original yoga, and I will address them later, yoga presents something truly unique and authentic about the Five Elements, something we don’t find in other teachings: the five levels or layers of human existence, known as the five koshas.

FIVE METHODS IN HATHA YOGA

Well, I think you will agree that one of the main aims of yoga, or other similar well-being methods, is to balance ourselves. Therefore, if we want to create a practice that serves this purpose, we should create a method, or combine five methods, each specifically working on one of the five levels of our existence.

But luckily, we don’t need to invent new methods, because it has already been done, and it is called Hatha yoga. If we carefully analyse a typical Hatha yoga class, we can find that for every level, there is one main technique or method.

FIVE LEVELS OF OUR EXISTENCE

These are: Annamaya Kosha, Manomaya Kosha, Pranamaya Kosha, Vijnanamaya Kosha, and Anandamaya Kosha. In translation, these are the physical layer, the emotional layer, the energetic layer, the intellectual or mental layer, and the spiritual layer.

The reason why these five koshas are not widely known in yoga, except mostly for yoga teachers, is that there is not much information written about them. However, one can easily understand that they are related to the Five Elements, not only because there are five of them, but also because their names suggest a connection. Of course, many yogis and scholars have reached this conclusion. However, when they tried to relate them to the elements respectively, they encountered a problem that seems like yogis have not managed to resolve, and therefore, they often avoid discussing it.

MOVEMENTS FOR FIRE

For the energetic level, which means the Fire Element, the method is Vinyasa, or more precisely, Surya Namaskar, or Sun Salutation. When you practice these movements, or any physical exercises you definitely activate the energy and heat in your body, representing the Fire or energetic level. Sometimes, other practices, like energetic breathing exercises, also achieve a similar effect. Now is starting to get more sense that Fire is an energetic level.

RELAXATION FOR WATER

The method that works on the emotional level, or the Water Element, is Shavasana, which means a relaxation posture. Among all the elements in nature, Water is the most relaxed. The Water Element is associated with emotions and feelings because when we experience intense emotions, we cry, meaning that extra water comes out of our eyes. Originally in Hatha yoga, shavasana was performed after every posture, even when the posture was not challenging or difficult, because savasana relaxes not only your body but the entire system on each level, including the emotional level. Many teachers will tell you during savasana to observe your feelings and even cultivate pleasant feelings, such as relaxation, joy, or love.

But I believe there is a solution. I also think that this issue is why the Five Elements are not clearly presented as the foundation of yoga.

PRANA IS ENERGY

The problem is that the Pranamaya Kosha is quickly associated with pranayama (breathing techniques), and therefore, related to the Air Element. At first this looks logical but this could be the actual mistake everyone immediately makes, because after that the element fire does not have a proper kosha.

But if we acknowledge that the word “prana,” which means energy, is not only in the air but is everywhere, meaning in all Elements, then we can assign the Pranamaya Kosha to the Fire Element. Why Fire, because among all the elements, fire is the most energetic, and therefore, it can represent energy in many cases. So Fire could easily represent the Energetic level or layer which is Pranamaya Kosha while Air Element can be easily associated with intellect and knowledge, which is Vijnanamaya Kosha.

Once we agree on this, it is easy to assign all the other Elements to their respective koshas using simple logic:

• Annamaya Kosha, physical level, Earth Element;

• Manomaya Kosha, emotional level, Water Element;

• Vijnanamaya Kosha, intellectual level, Air Element;

• Anandamaya Kosha, spiritual level, Space Element; and

• Pranamaya Kosha, energetic level, Fire Element Okay, you might ask, even if this is true, what is the point? Where is the value of knowing that?

CONCENTRATION FOR AIR

Another method that works on the mental or intellectual level, which is the Air Element, is the method of concentration, usually performed throughout the yoga session, but specifically during meditation and pranayama , in which we observe or control our breathing. Interestingly when we observe our breath we are consciously in direct contact with the air element. Most teachers will instruct you during a yoga class to focus your mind on your breathing. This is another indication that the Air Element is linked to the mind or mental level (Vijnanamaya Kosha ) and not the energetic level.

STRETCHING FOR EARTH

The next method works on the physical level, therefore, on the Earth Element, and that is physical postures or asanas. This is why, in Hatha Yoga, asanas are performed with stillness in a particular posture, because the Earth Element does not move. Even though we have already stretched our body in vinyasa exercises like Sun salutation, those primarily affected the Fire Element, more than the Earth Element. This is why for the Earth we perform sitting or standing still in one position for an extended period, to be like a rock, or a mountain.

CHANTING FOR SPIRIT

And then, there is only one element left, the spiritual level or the Space Element, which in some traditions is called the Spirit Element. While we should approach yoga from a spiritual perspective, giving purpose and intention to our yoga class, a method specifically working only for that purpose, only for that fifth element, is chanting a mantra or, traditionally, a ritual called pooja, performed at the beginning with the intention to connect us with the spiritual world. And guess what? The pooja rituals are also designed on the concept of the Five Elements, but I will talk about that another time.

I hope you agree that these are the basic elements of a Hatha yoga class, meaning that perhaps yoga is based on the Five Elements of Nature, because Hatha yoga is often being presented as the original yoga or at least the closest to the original version.

MODERN YOGA STYLES

Of course, today, there are many different teachers and schools that are constantly changing traditions (trends ). I am not saying this is bad; perhaps they are even improving it, but the side effect is that sometimes, basic things are lost. For example, there are many yoga classes worldwide that do not include chanting mantras or rituals in the sessions. The reason for this is that they believe it has to do with Hinduism or some religion. But if we chant any word that connects us with the spiritual world, whether it is the name of a God in whom we believe or a pure sound like the mantra Om, the intention is connection with the whole Universe.

Another side effect of having so many different yoga styles worldwide, is that some of them stimulate one Element much more than others, which, while beneficial for some people, might be counterproductive for others. For example, Vinyasa, Ashtanga, Power Yoga, Hot Yoga, and many others stimulate the Fire Element much more than the others, and these are becoming popular because we live in a world where the Fire Element is stimulated the most in general, but that is a topic for another article.

CONCLUSION

To conclude this topic, I want to quote Sadhguru, one of the most famous yogis in the world: “The entire yogic system is based on the Five Elements , Fire, Water, Air, Earth, and Space. If you master over these Five Elements, you will not only master over yourself but over the entire creation.”

I hope I have given you a new understanding about yoga, and I hope I have inspired you to balance yourself using all the methods for all the Five Elements.

Next time, I would like to talk about the forgotten knowledge of the Five Elements in the chakras.

Om Nama Shivaya!

Marin Vayu, a mystic, yoga, and meditation teacher, is the author of books focused on the Five Elements. Following a transformative spiritual experience in India 25 years ago, he embarked on a deep exploration of ancient wisdom, including multiple visits to India. His journey culminated in a profound experience at the Great Pyramid in Egypt, where he received insights into the lost wisdom of the Five Elements of Nature. Together with his wife, he founded the famous Five Elements Retreat center in Croatia, where, over the last 10 years, they have led over 100 beautiful yoga and adventure retreats. https://yogaretreatcentercroatia. com/ https://marinvayu.com/ @MARIN_VAYU

The post THE LOST WISDOM OF THE FIVE ELEMENTS IN YOGA first appeared on Yoga Magazine.

A BOY ENCOUNTERS A WORLD GURU

root@ — Wed, 25 Jun 2025 11:30:41 +0000

Words: Gérard Sunnen, M.D.

Friday nights were special times in our Paris apartment in those post war years. My parents belonged to the Paris Institut Métapsychique. Its lively Friday evening meetings there, hosted all manner of psychoanalysts, telepathy and psychokinesis researchers, astrologers, pendulum wielders and dowsing practitioners, séance enthusiasts, Tarot readers and clairvoyants, all discussing the latest paranormal currents and the hottest spiritual news from the Far East, all accompanied by café et petits gâteaux.

How I looked forward to seeing Madame Giraud, the seasoned clairvoyant with her deep warm voice, who never failed to ask me to draw cards from her 78-card Marseilles Tarot deck’s 15th century enigmatic Italian designs, then proceeded to describe my future in such exciting narratives! Once I drew a card named “La Force.” It showed a young man opening a lion’s mouth. And the next card was “La Source,” depicting a naked woman drawing a pitcher of water from a magical stream. Madame Giraud became quite excited, “You will have a life full of adventures and you will one day meet a very high magician.”

At that time, the American parapsychologist J.B. Rhine kindled keen interest in extrasensory perception (ESP). Founding the Department of Parapsychology at Duke University, North Carolina, he generated excitement for his forays in the scientific exploration of thought transmission (Extrasensory Perception, 1940). The Paris group, for lack of resources, made their own ESP cards (Zener cards): line drawings of a circle, a square, three wiggly lines, a plus sign and a star.

It was then thought that children were the best subjects to test ESP’s potential because they were still uncontaminated by society’s repressive forces. This perspective was the likely outgrowth of the 18th century French philosopher Jean Jacques Rousseau, a major figure of the European Enlightenment period, who championed the idea that all humans are born fundamentally pure and good, blaming society’s machinations for leading them to their dark sides. The outcome was that, as the only kid around, starting at seven, I was repeatedly solicited for novel ESP experimentations, which, in retrospect, were thoroughly stimulating!

Knowledge of its practice is handed down orally, teacher to student, as sparse written guidelines exist. It is said to have been gifted in the 18th century to Mahavatar Babaji, a legendary Himalayan yogi. Babaji taught the technique to his disciple Lahiri Mahasaya, who then passed it on to Swami Yukteswar Giri. Swami Giri, in turn, initiated Paramahansa Yogananda to Kriya Yoga science, who then brought it to the West in the early 20th century.

The word “Kriya” means “action” in Sanskrit. Indeed, the Kriya meditator diligently activates all mental functions in the process. In the context of Kriya Yoga, it refers to meditative techniques designed to fuse the practitioner’s consciousness with universal cosmic energies. These techniques involve infusing breaths with organismic energy, maintaining attentiveness and using mantras that serve to engage resonant meditative states that, in modern terminology, are called states of “pure consciousness.” These special states of sentience are called “pure” because they contain no thoughts, no emotions, no memories, just the distilled energy of core sentience. Achieved then is a fundamental and coveted experience achieved by the separation of our “consciousness nature” from its “consciousness content.” Achieving the experience of “pure consciousness,” even for brief periods of real time, is transformative, because it connects us to the fundamental nature within ourselves (Experiencing “Pure Consciousness:’ A Catalyst in Psychotherapy?” http://www.triroc.com/sunnen/topics/ experiencepureconsciousness.htm).

The aura bathing the Self Realization Fellowship in Los Angeles is remembered as suffused with a holy ambience, as in a cathedral amidst the silent energies of radiant nature, the trees, cacti and flowers, all wildly exotic to me. In this milieu, people seemed to move more slowly as if time had gummed the clocks. Voices were strangely muted, bathed in silence even as they were spoken.

A man appeared. He had long dark hair and a flowing ochre robe. He too moved slowly, with poise and grace. His face emanated noble peace, which in retrospect, would be described as some form of bliss. Soon, a small group of five or six adults agglutinated themselves to him. As the kid I was then, trained in dutiful French politesse, I stayed outside this circle and looked on.

The Institut Métapsychique, founded in Paris in 1919, remains one of the oldest organisms dedicated to the serious research of paranormal phenomena. Currently, with increasingly developed tools, its thrust now centers on the scientific study of the yet still far-from-solved phenomenon of sentience, namely how the nervous system (presumably) creates the stuff of emotions and the miracle of experiencing.

In those lively evenings, the psychanalysts often robustly defended their respective positions. Freud and Jung were names most often heard, but Ferenczi, Adler and Wilhelm Reich worked in their way, sometimes in thermic discussions. My parents were distinctly Jungian and regularly countered the Freudians with introjections about archetypes, ancient universal symbols shared by all humanity, and the “supraconscious,” that higher cosmos-connected dimension elevating humans far above the lowly impulses lurking in the Freudian unconscious and its wild repository of primal terrors, rage and unfiltered sex. All these good seekers were, each in their own way, intensely searching for clarity and deeper understandings of their existential questions, questing for higher personal meaning and self-realisation.

India, Nepal and the Himalayas, all were hot. As were ancient texts, from the Bhagavad Gita and Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras to biblical scrolls and the Kabbalah, as were promising techniques of hitherto unknown yoga systems, recently discovered Egyptian tombs, the potential of hypnotism, mysterious hallucinogens and the enigmatic predictions of the Mayas.

Many travelogues were devoured by this effervescent segment of Parisian society. The bouquinistes along the Seine’s quais were flowing with works on esoteric parasciences. Books on the occult were the rage, as for example, “Méthode de Dédoublement Personnel,” by Charles Lancelin (1925), a book on how to willfully separate consciousness from the physical body, otherwise called “astral projection,” so it may be free to travel in space, and maybe even time. Paul Brunton, the English spiritual explorer, came out with immensely popular books, among them, “A Search in Secret India” (1934), and “A Search in Secret Egypt” (1936).” He wrote about exotic humans in faraway lands who performed the most unprobeable feats that transgressed all common notions of the possible.

Alexandra David-Néel, an iconoclastic French spiritual explorer was inspired in her youth by Jules Verne’s fantastic adventures. Her fascinating travelogues brought her readers to undiscovered temples in Nepal and introduced her to their meditation secrets. In 1924, she was the first Western woman to enter the forbidden city of Lhasa, in disguise, then a brazen feat (My Journey to Lhasa, 1927).

In those post-war years, new geopolitical tensions emerged, the “Cold War.” My father, along with many European engineers, was invited to the U.S. to contribute his electronic engineering skills to defense missions. With this wonderful opportunity, my parents decided that we would first visit their teacher, Paramahamsa Yogananda in California. We eventually drove cross-country in a green Buick, staying in many stunning national parks along the way.

Gérard Sunnen, MD, Board-certified in psychiatry and neurology writes about the many clinical and self-development uses of medical hypnosis, imagery, meditation, Autogenic Training and yoga. He practies in New York. triroc.com/sunnenDrsunnen.com

Spontaneously, there developed a fissure in the group, and in this opening, I was suddenly directly face to face with Yogananda, eyes steadily locked, no words, no movement, just stillness out of time, and now the recipient of a wave of violently profound kindness and benevolence, if only for several seconds of real time. My entire body took part in it, shaking it deeply in its entrails, the turbulence still there with me to this day.

In 1817, Stendahl, the author of “Le Rouge et le Noir (1830),” visited the Florence Basilica of Santa Croce. Gazing at the archetypal beauty of the frescos painted by Volterano bathed by the transcendent luminosities offered by multicoloured windows, he began to feel, in his awe, a disruption of his normal state of consciousness, with widespread visceral discharges translating into cardiac activation, vertigo, spinal chills, even faintness.

So profound was his experience that he extensively wrote about it, and it is now known as the Stendahl syndrome, a unique phenomenon triggered by wondrous beauty, also called “esthetic shock.” This global frisson of body and mind in response to stunning works of art, architecture or music has been described in other localities. Visitors to holy sites that embody high religion and spirituality can experience similar marking experiences, leaving them indelibly tagged. Thus the “Jerusalem syndrome” and similar experiences noted to occur in Far Eastern temples.

Analogous phenomena have long been recorded as occurring in certain special human-to-human communications, usually involving a holy figure and a receptive aspirant.

In 1935, Dr. Thérèse Brosse, a determined Frenchwoman, traveled to India with a portable EKG machine. For its time, that was quite a feat. Lugging around a bulky machine required dedicated fortitude. She connected electrodes to accomplished meditators and unequivocally demonstrated that cardiac rhythms could be influenced by meditative volition. Remarkably, the electrocardiogram tracings of some yogis demonstrated a progressive willful slowing of heart rhythm, and in one instance, an amazing complete cardiac stoppage lasting fully a few seconds!

In this bouillon of the esoteric, Theosophy also flourished. This movement held that all humans belonged to a common family and that all religions emanated from a single truth. Madame Blavatsky, a Russian émigré, founded the Theosophical Society. Her protégé, the enfant prodige Krishnamurti, became a world-loved philosopher. Many years later, Krishnamurti gave a series of lectures at the New School in New York that my family and I attended. A slight man with concentrated presence, especially as he intensified the power of silence, in perfect posture as he sat on his lone straight-back chair facing his audience with riveting behind-the eyes energy, he spoke for an approach to life that sought out “total awareness,” clarity, and a “free mind,” namely a mind purged of all habits and rote reactions, capable of being supremely present in translating the full intensity of every moment.

“Autobiography of a Yogi” came out in 1936. It quickly became a best seller and a Parisian event, devoured not only by spiritually leaning audiences but also by a public seeking alternative existential model. Its author, Paramahansa Yogananda, tells of his life from early on in India and his spiritual expansion, activated by his teacher who guided him through the discovery of ever wider layers of consciousness. Preceded by a long lineage of sages, his teacher told him that the West urgently needed the assistance offered by Kriya Yoga, one of the “mental Yogas,” namely yoga systems that center on the discovery of human energy dynamics, so that all of humanity could benefit from the accelerated evolution that they can offer.

Yogananda’s spiritual philosophy can be summed up by the following quotes: “True wealth is measured by the richness of one’s inner life; “The greatest obstacle on the path to self-realisation is the ego;” and “The journey to self-realisation is a lifelong adventure, and the destination is love.” Kriya Yoga is an ancient meditation discipline, handed down through eons of oral teachings and meditative discoveries, promoting the experiencing of one’s core life forces, as a precursor to attaining fusion with universal energies. Kriya Yoga evolved from thousands of years of introspective journeys by explorers of human sentience. Derived from countless dedicated meditative forays, a human energy model evolved that is often represented artistically by colourful hubs of organismic energies called Chakras. While seven major human psychic energy hubs are named, there are said to be dozens of lesser ones, and thousands of minor energy roundabouts, all connected, and all intrinsically implicated in our biological workings. This is the model conceptualised as one fusing our physical self to the life forces that animate its existence.

Kriya Yoga is a form of yoga that combines peaceful physical postures with supraconscious breathing and activated mentation. In a certain perspective, it could be described as a kindling of our nervous system.

They can be found in texts deemed sacred, such as Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, the Bhagavad Gita, the Koran, the Kabbalah, and the Bible. Shaktipata, for example, is a spiritually driven phenomenon described as a profound experience where a being with higher access to life’s fundamental knowledge, imparts an experiential perception of it via consciousness-to consciousness communication. This phenomenon assumes a medium, an ether, permitting this transfer.

To this day, I work to understand my special moment of electric interaction with a highly spiritual human because the experience is easily brought back to life in its full intensity, as if traveling in a space-time wormhole, as fresh and alive as if occurring in the now moment. In flights of musings, thoughts also flash back to Madame Giraud, the cards drawn, and how they eventually concorded with reality. Whatever the logical explanations my scientific mind attempts to construct, from the Stendahl syndrome to neurological origins, and on to Shaktipata, they are all in vain. Regardless of logical explanations, what remains is the now so familiar perennial real frisson for which I extend my deep gratitude to Paramahansa Yogananda.

The post A BOY ENCOUNTERS A WORLD GURU first appeared on Yoga Magazine.

Rest of with Rejuvenate These Soothing Self-Love Rituals and Mantras

root@ — Wed, 25 Jun 2025 10:22:03 +0000

BREATHE AWAY AGEING

Words: Ashwini Guru Ji of Dhyan Ashram

“I’m absolutely beautiful as I am.” I said as I looked in the mirror this morning

I haven’t always felt this way. For decades I avoided mirrors, deflected compliments, deleted tagged photos, all because of shame and insecurities. I was at war with myself. The victim, my body. When things weren’t going well in my life, my body was to blame. I thought, “If only I were thinner, I’d be more successful, popular, and finally meet my soulmate.” It never ended. No matter what size my body, whether I was 40 pounds underweight or 40 pounds over, I always felt unworthy.

The problem was never my body or the actual weight; it was my beliefs about the weight. I thought I wasn’t
good enough because of the size of my body, because the way I looked mattered most, and that pain stayed with me for years. But all that changed
when I made falling in love with myself, despite my plus-size body, my full-time mission. Today I accept and love myself. I don’t negotiate with my insecurities anymore, and this not only helps me feel better during the day, but I also now sleep more soundly at night. I used to stay up with insomnia
obsessing about my insecurities, but creating a solid bedtime routine that included self-love mantras and selfcare rituals helped me turn my selfdoubt into self-compassion and love.

When we realise that we have more power than we were taught, we will begin to like ourselves exactly as we are. Acceptance and accountability have become my new go-to behaviours, which have replaced several unhealthy ones.

Acceptance and accountability have become my new go-to behaviours, which have replaced several unhealthy ones.My body, just like my life, is a work in progress, but in order to love myself, I needed to stop doing some things first.

I stopped comparing myself to everyone else.
I stopped speaking down to myself.
I stopped listening to what others said about me and instead listened to my own inner voice.
I stopped worrying about the outcome; instead, I accepted the moment as it was.
I stopped ignoring my body’s needs.
I stopped thinking I was wounded, broken, or needed to be fixed.
I stopped trusting others’ opinions about my own needs and life.
I stopped trusting others’ advice and instead learned to trust myself.
I stopped thinking there was a destination that would make me happy;
I learned to appreciate the journey.
I stopped taking my habits and myself so seriously.

When is the last time you looked in the mirror and thought only nice things about yourself? If you are like most people, self-doubt can keep you blocked and feeling like you are not good enough. Ninety-one percent of women hate their bodies, and 95% of people want to change something about themselves.

Try these self-love rituals for your rest and rejuvenation:

When we don’t practice self-love, life can be a lot harder, we’re more likely to be critical of ourselves and others and fall into people-pleasing and perfectionist tendencies. But when we truly love ourselves, we build healthier relationships with all of life. Self-love affirmations can help you build your selfesteem, release negative thoughts, and welcome in compassion. Can you relate? We live in a culture that tells us that going after what you want and focusing on yourself is selfish and egotistical. But the truth is, genuine self-love is not selfish at all, but rather a form of true care and compassion that we give ourselves and can then extend to others

. The way we feel about ourselves and the things we say to ourselves matter.
Self-love doesn’t always come easy, but affirmations can help. As someone who used to suffer from insomnia, restless sleep, and night time overwhelm, I started to realise how important our daily routine is to our evenings, and if we aren’t sleeping well, then we are not living well. I realised I needed to make a change. After a series of health tests and a sleep study, I was diagnosed with severe sleep apnea, and my blood work revealed off-the-chart levels of cortisol, all due to stress and anxiety. It tunes our mental health and informs our physical health, and I could no longer separate them.

I overhauled my entire lifestyle, starting by focusing on my bedtime routine. No longer was it okay to ignore my needs at night, and by prioritising them with mantras and nightly rituals, my overall health improved, and I slept better at night.

Mantra #1: I connect with my
inner child though compassion and joy.
Restful Ritual #1: Happy-baby yoga pose
Invite a carefree vibe to your sleep tonight with the happy-baby yoga pose: Lay on your back and bring your knees to either side of your chest, holding the bottoms of your feet

and gently rocking from side to side. Stay in this position for several deep and joyful breaths.

Mantra #2: I honour my sadness tonight.
Restful Ritual #2: Butterfly hug somatic exercise
Send yourself to sleep with a butterfly hug—a somatic exercise for self-soothing. Wrap your arms around your body and hold yourself like you would hold a dear friend you unconditionally love and accept.

Mantra #3: The gifts of life are within me.
Restful Ritual #3: Moisturise with selfapproval.
Tonight, moisturise your entire body with your favourite lotion as you appreciate your natural gifts and talents. Tuck yourself into bed feeling cared for,
honoured, and loved.

Mantra #4: I add immense value to the world.
Restful Ritual #4: Thank your body .
Before bed, concentrate on moisturising your feet with intention. As you massage your toes, heels, soles, and the tops of your feet, thank them for taking you where you need to go in the world.

Mantra #5: Love is my guide—it never fails me.
Restful Ritual #5: Create your own essential oil relaxation spray.
Rest in an atmosphere of love tonight. Put several drops of jasmine essential oil (or your favourite scent) in a spray bottle of filtered water and mist your
pillows before bed.

Mantra #6: I acknowledge my limitations to grow past them.
Restful Ritual #6: Speak from your heart.
Commit yourself tonight to personal accountability. Reach out to someone you’ve hurt, even if unintentionally, and make it right. Speak from your
heart and apologise.

Mantra #7: The cells in my body vibrate in perfect
harmony.
Restful Ritual #7: Try music therapy.

Your vagus nerve loves calm as much as quality sleep! Listen to meditative music or an audiobook narrated by someone with a calming voice to usher
yourself into peaceful rest tonight.

Mantra #8: I sail through life’s changes with grace and ease.
Restful Ritual #8: Cold water therapy to release anxiety and stress.
Tonight, consider taking a cool shower or giving yourself an ice-water facial. Fill a large bowl with water and ice and submerge your face for 10-15 seconds at a time for 3-5 minutes. This can jumpstart your system back into peace and presence for a good night’s sleep.

Mantra #9: I take courageous chances on myself.
Restful Ritual #9: Engage all of your senses.
As you prepare for sleep, focus fully on this moment by engageing all your senses—what do you see, feel
(touch), hear, taste, smell? Which of these senses resonates most with you? Return to it for additional grounding.

Mantra #10: I conclude my day with love in my heart.
Restful Ritual #10: Focus on love as you prepare for bed.
Place a rose quartz crystal in a sacred space in your bedroom to evoke compassion and heart healing in the entire room.

These mantras and rituals inspired by Shannon Kaiser’s new book ‘365 Happy Bedtime Mantras’ (Beyond Words/ Atria, 2025).

Shannon Kaiser is a world renowned spiritual and self-love teacher, speaker, and acclaimed empowerment coach; a bestselling author of six books on the psychology of happiness and fulfillment including The Self-Love Experiment, named number one of the “20 Self-Love Books That Will Lift You Up” by Oprah magazine; and the designer and creator of two other oracle decks and two mantra decks. She guides people to awaken and align to their true
selves so they can live their highest potential. Shannon’s signature teaching is transformative, bridging spiritual and ancient wisdom with modern
practical wisdom. Her self-inquiry and personal transformation books, programs, social media channels, and viral reels have reached 22 million people a month. She’s been named among the “Top 100 Women to Watch in Wellness” by mindbodygreen, “your go-to happiness booster” by Health magazine, and “one of the freshest voices in mental health and wellness” by Chicken Soup for the Woman’s Soul.
Connect with her on social media @ShannonKaiserWrites and her websites PlayWithTheWorld.com and RadicalBodyLovewithShannon.com.

The post Rest of with Rejuvenate These Soothing Self-Love Rituals and Mantras first appeared on Yoga Magazine.

WHY I CONTINUE TO PRACTICE HOT YOGA

root@ — Wed, 25 Jun 2025 09:42:36 +0000

Words: Saijal Chauhan

A JOURNEY TOWARDS HEALING

Whilst looking for something that incorporated exercise and detoxification, the practice of hot yoga was appealing. Suffering from eczema for over 30 years, I had trialled a number of conventional treatments and medication as well as holistic remedies and therapies. One of the most noticeable benefits I had observed was through the process of excess sweating experienced, for example, whilst in a sauna. So, when I heard about yoga in a heated room, it had to be tried. Moreover, I was aware that the practice of yoga itself was also very beneficial.

The ancient practice of yoga as an exercise has shown to have profound physiological benefits that then positively impacts mental and emotional health. As science begins to appreciate the mind-body connection, yoga has become a well-recognised practice for reducing stress and improving wellbeing. Asanas is a form of yogic practice involving certain postures. The practice of asanas removes distortions of the physical body and brings it into discipline and balance.

THE DAUNTING START TO HOT YOGA

The initial experience of hot yoga was pretty daunting for me as it took a couple of sessions just to get used to the intense heat and sweating during a 75-minute class. Not everyone tolerates such heat, and it is always advisable to drink plenty of water before attending. However, after the first difficulties, it became easier to sit through the class and start actually doing the asanas, allowing the body to sweat and cool it down.

I persevered with the early challenges to see what results I could attain. Regular attendance to weekly sessions allowed my skin to cleanse and release toxins. As I got familiar with the sequence of asanas, my discipline increased. In time, the heat became less overwhelming, and the focus was then turned towards learning and improving each individual posture.

BUILDING FOCUS AND RESILIENCE

Maintaining focus required concentration and determination, and these aspects strengthened considerably over time as losing concentration and mental distraction would cause me to come out of balance or alignment and, therefore, fall out of a pose. Keeping a “one-pointed” focus helped interrupt wasteful energy and thoughts, making me more present and mindful.

During a time when personal circumstances had affected my mental health, this allocated time to practice enabled me to switch off or zone out from worries and concerns and just concentrate on myself. This “moving meditation” helped to process negative emotions and concerns, therefore elevating my mood and giving me a sense of fulfilment, especially after manageing to complete a whole session.

TRANSFORMATION BEYOND THE MAT

My practice has taught me to get comfortable with discomfort so as to push past my boundaries. Getting out of my comfort zone has helped to build mental and physical resilience and reap benefits way beyond what I had anticipated.

The physical practice has led me to better understand my emotional state and improve my spiritual outlook. When my outer world has often been uncertain and ever-changing, the need for consistency by showing up to regular practice enables stability in my life.

The practice provides me with an environment of no judgment and encourages me to be kind and compassionate towards myself first.

PHYSICAL AND EMOTIONAL BENEFITS

The directors of the studio have observed similar benefits in their students, explaining how “many have found the practice helps manage stress and enhance mental clarity,” contributing to a deep sense of relaxation and calmness.

Research has shown yoga to be a comprehensive system of moving meditation, which involves movement, breath, and mindfulness, therefore cultivating positive mental health. Yoga helps to reduce the “stress” hormone cortisol, which spikes during times of increased stress. This increase leads to all sorts of bodily dysfunctions such as high blood pressure, digestive system shutdown, and sleep deprivation.

Sleeping well is important in allowing the body to replenish and restore, and this was something I had been struggling with for years. The regular practice of hot yoga brought about many benefits, including improvements in my sleep and balancing my hormones, therefore regulating my menstrual cycle and calming down any eczema exacerbations prior to a period. The added benefit of intense sweating purifies the body, thus nourishing and improving skin tone. In time, I started noticing an improvement in my eczema and the overall appearance of my skin. The detoxification process was happening, and blocked pores from years of using strong creams and steroids were now starting to unclog. The skin was healing and rejuvenating well. On a deeper level, the release of toxins felt like I was releasing a lot of negativity and emotional baggage. I felt good and motivated to continue with the practice. I came to realise that this holistic approach to my health encompassed all aspects of who I am, moving beyond the notion that my physical suffering is “skin deep.”

Gently letting go of any resistance within the body and mind has allowed me to move to the flow of practice on the mat and the flow of life off the mat. This form of self-care has led to a journey of self-discovery, allowing insights and a deeper understanding of myself, enabling the outward physical healing to enhance and accelerate my own inward healing process.

THE ROLE OF BREATHWORK AND POSTURE

The session starts and ends with a breathing exercise. The breathing carried out at the beginning allows the lungs to expand and maximise the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide. In combination with some of the chest and heart-opening asanas, I observed a noticeable improvement in my lung capacity and general asthma after practising these breathing exercises — this was a gain I was not expecting.

he “classic” hot yoga session has a sequence of standing and spinal/ lying-down postures, all with their individual advantages. Many of the standing asanas involve engageing the core to protect the lower back. For me, the process went one step further so that I would focus on the correlating chakra of the solar plexus. Concentrating on this allowed me to let go of stuck emotions in this area and “just be,” hence moving to the subtle flow of each posture and surrendering to the process.

When doing the triangle posture, I imagined a “shaft of light” passing down into my sacral and root chakras, helping to strengthen the physical foundations. Metaphorically, for me, this built up to a more centred approach to life, having better awareness of my emotions, leading to more balance and stability. The spine strengthening series was particularly beneficial in helping to strengthen my lower back and reduce pain. Studies have shown specific yogic asanas to improve bone density in the spine.

INSIGHTS AND TEACHER SUPPORT

A personal account from one of the studio directors explains how she alleviated chronic back pain from scoliosis through the practice of hot yoga, giving her a new lease of life and inspiring her to help create the studio for others and the wider community. The directors have observed several benefits in their students, such as enhanced flexibility, strength, and fitness. The feelings of being empowered and refreshed when leaving the class have only motivated students to want to come back for more.

One of the teachers of the studio goes on to explain how rewarding it is to celebrate the achievements of her students, even if it is something as simple as being able to stay in the class and just get used to the heat for the first time. Seeing people become more confident and fulfilled in their own practice has been very joyful for her. Overall, the leaders of the studio have seen a growing community of positivity, which has been life changing for many. They continue to strive for excellence in hot yoga and teaching methods to support the wellbeing of this community, holding a safe space for connecting and supporting one another in their individual journey.

Saijal Chauhan is a Clinical Pharmacist working in GP practice reviewing and prescribing treatments for patients with long term conditions. Contrary to her profession I have had a very holistic approach to my own health, hence her interest in hot yoga.

The post WHY I CONTINUE TO PRACTICE HOT YOGA first appeared on Yoga Magazine.

PRANAYAM

root@ — Fri, 30 May 2025 10:34:57 +0000

BREATHE AWAY AGEING

Words: Ashwini Guru Ji of Dhyan Ashram

BREATH AS AN INDICATOR OF YOUR STATE OF HEALTH

If you trace a person from being an infant to a full grown adult, you will notice, in most cases, a progressive decline in the skin texture and complexion. A baby is glowing pink whereas most adults, even in their prime youth, are plagued with a diseased skin and dull complexion. This is because, in the process of growing up, one is exposed to certain unnatural practices and stimuli from which it was kept protected in the womb.

Take for example, the simple act of breathing. If you observe a baby breathing, you would notice a pronounced abdominal movement. The stomach inflates as it breathes in and deflates as it breathes out. If you observe your own breathing patterns, most likely, you will find it to be the opposite and with little or no abdominal movement… this breathing pattern of yours, holds the key to the way you look and your present state of health.

YOG IS A HOLISTIC SCIENCE

Yog is often mistaken as a healing system of the body. Actually, it is not a healing science, it is the sum total of yam, niyam, asan, pranayam, pratyahaar, dhaarna, dhyan and samadhi. Asan and pranayama as detailed in yogsutras, are not to cure diseases, Patanjali says sthir sukham asanam – a posture in which you are still. Stillness here refers to inner and outer silence achieved by silencing the vrittis of mind; experiences of yog follow.

THE SCIENCE OF PRANAYAM

In this article we will delve on the science of pranayam. There is no dearth of masters and teachers selling pranayam as an exercise to increase oxygen supply to the physical body and boost adrenalin. The fact is, pranayam does not pertain to the physical body or the annamaya. It is a salutation to prana, and prana runs in the pranamaya kosha, which directly affects the annamaya.

When you perform a pranayam, the oxygen levels reduce. In the lungs, there are tiny sacks called alveoli where exchange of gases happens. For the absorption of gases by alveoli, a difference in pressure is required for a specific time period. Pranayams like nadi shodhanam equalises this pressure and as a result diffusion of gases does not happen. Even in a hyper-pranayam like bhastrika and kapalbhati, the movement is so fast that there is no time for absorption of gases. So, the oxygen supply reduces, and carbon dioxide levels increase. A process is initiated as a result of which, you get into certain states where the lower functions of brain reduce due to lack of oxygen and certain higher centers, which the modern science does not understand, get activated.

A TRIANGLE PROCESS

T he process of pranayam is in form of a triangle. The kundalini energy is in the form of an upward pointing triangle at the mool chakra. If you notice, in a pranayama, the movement of breath is in a triangular manner. There is an erectile tissue in our nose, which inflates when there is more blood flow. You might have observed that when you are sexually more active, at times the nose blocks (sometimes called the honeymoon nose), it is because of the erectile tissue inflation only. In a pranayam, you make a triangle and press the erectile tissue at the nose constantly on both sides. This triangle pushes the kundalini energy upwards, when optimum areas of brain are awakened. The optimum activation happens when the three nadis – ida, pingala and sushumna are balanced. T hen the kundalini energy rises and spiritual experiences follow. That is a pranayam.

ABDOMINAL BREATHING AND AGEING

We began our discussion with how a baby engages his stomach in the act of breathing. Abdominal breathing maximizes the up and down movement of the diaphragm and ensures that lungs function at their optimal level, that is, they throw out spent air completely and also adequately replenish the body with fresh air from the environment. A decreased lung activity causes toxic residue to stay put in the body manifesting as disease and loss of natural radiance.

Our physical body, formed of the five elements, is a grosser reflection of the next layer, commonly known as the aura or the pranamaya, which comprises of various energy centers and channels, called chakras and nadis respectively. T he physical lungs and respiratory system, for example, are a reflection of the functioning of the anahad chakra in the etheric body. These chakras interpenetrate the physical and etheric layers, spiraling three and a half times in clockwise, and three and a half times in the anti-clockwise direction. When a chakra moves clockwise it is pulling fresh prana in, and while in reverse motion, it is throwing out heavy prana.

Our hyperactive lifestyle and artificial environment, results in decreased activity of the chakras hampering the proper exchange of prana. As a result, there is a congestion of prana in the pranic layer and the physical body being a reflection of the pranic body, shows symptoms of old age and disease.

RE-LEARNING HOW TO BREATHE

Sit with a straight spine. Close your eyes and become aware of your breath at the tip of the nostrils and watch the rhythmic pattern of the breath. Gently take your awareness to the navel and as you inhale, inflate your stomach and as you exhale, contract it. With every breath, make your breath deeper and longer. This is abdominal breathing. As you get comfortable with this breathing pattern, take a long breath and as you exhale open your mouth and with the abdominal exhalation let out a sigh of relief. If you have done this exhalation with awareness you will realize that the air went out touching the interiors of your throat with a gentle hiss. Follow the same process now with your mouth closed. Feel the air traveling through your throat with a gentle hissing sound without apparently touching your nostrils. Slowly practice the abdominal inhalation as well with awareness of your abdomen but with the air flowing through your throat gently making a rustling sound through it. This is UjjaiPranayam. Ujjai Pranayam, is a complete balancing and purification technique, that rids the body off toxins (released during the respiration process), by heating it to a temperature where toxins are removed and simultaneously cooling it making for a complete balance. The effects of this pranayama are not felt instantly, but take 2 months of regular practice to manifest completely.

Ashwini Guru Ji is the facebook.com/official.yogamag energy and inspiration behind various initiatives of Dhyan Foundation. Dhyan Foundation conducts regular sessions on Sanatan Kriya in London and at Yogashram in Wales, UK. For more information, you may reach out to info@ dhyanfoundation.org.uk

Please note. While practicing any pranayam, sit in a well-ventilated room. Pranayam must not be practiced in a breezy or dusty environ. Similarly one should not sit directly under the direct blast of air cooler or fan while doing pranayam. It is essential that pranayam be done under the supervision of the Guru.

SUM TOTAL OF CREATION

Sun, moon, earth, water, sky, fire as well as human body are various aspects of creation, yog is the sum total of it all. When you do yog under a Guru, you start interacting with these various elements and forces and slowly you become one with them. Take, for instance, the five elements. We know the body is made up of the f ive elements, yet we cannot see them. As you do higher practices of yog, you begin to realize all these in your body and understand their basis. Then the elements listen to you and follow you. You are able to interact with them and affect changes in the body using them. As you go deeper into yog, you realise that all the heavy things leave you, age doesn’t touch you, strength of the body increases. But for this, you have to go to an ashram, make a Guru and do yog, buying off-the-shelf remedies is not going to get you that because what is sold is tied to maya, and what is tied itself cannot release you from your bondages. Yog is getting released from the body, then you access the force or energy of creation.

The post PRANAYAM first appeared on Yoga Magazine.

BE STEADFAST AND PATIENT

root@ — Fri, 30 May 2025 09:55:01 +0000

TEACHINGS TEACHINGS OF OF MASTER HSU YUN

Words: Victor Parachin

Be steadfast and patient. You’re not alone in your struggle.

In 1953, after years of civil war and political upheaval, China was entering an era of stability and experiencing economic growth, political unity and a transition from military rule to civilian rule. Hoping to become part of the new China, a Buddhist monk formed the Chinese Buddhist Association and with the support this new organisation petitioned the government to accept and abide by three resolutions:

To immediately cease all further destruction
of monasteries and temples as well refraining
from the desecration of images and the
burning of texts;
To completely abandon all attempts to force monks and nuns to leave their monastic orders;
To promptly return all monastery properties seized during the civil war along with arable acreage so that Buddhist centres could be self supporting.

Amazingly, that bold initiative was approved by the Chinese Communist government establishing a legal foundation ensuring the support and growth of Buddhism. The monk who formed and led the Chinese Buddhist Association was Hsu Yun believed to have been born on September 05, 1858. At the age of fourteen and in spite of parental disapproval, Hsu Yun declared his decision to become a Buddhist monk. He took the name Hsu Yun which means “empty cloud.”

Initially, he spent several decades living as a hermit to “purify” his mind but later began to travel widely and broadly seeking out teachings and teachers. He spent time in Tibet, India, Thailand, Vietnam, Ceylon, and Burma all the while continuing to clear his mind and strengthen his faith before returning to China where he taught tirelessly.

His major publication was Empty Cloud: The Autobiography of the Chinese Zen Master Hsu Yun, which contains not only his life story but many of his teachings. Through that writing, it’s evident that Hsu Yun offered wisdom which could be readily understood and easily applied. For example, he reminds people that judgments distort perceptions so he advises simply recognising and respecting that reality, He explains: “The small ego self also misperceives reality whenever it imposes arbitrary moral judgments upon it.” Hsu Yun provides this incident of how easily misperception takes place when judgment is introduced. “If one woman sees another woman who is wearing a green hat and says, ‘I see a woman who is wearing a green hat,’ there is no problem. But if she says, ‘I see a woman who is wearing an ugly green hat,’ she is making a judgment. Somebody else might find that hat beautiful. But in reality, it is neither beautiful nor ugly. It merely is.”

Another example of his pragmatic wisdom concerns giving, something he advises doing quietly and invisibly: “Perform a good deed in silence and anonymity! Forget about rejoicing. A good deed should have a very short life, and once dead, should be quickly buried. Let it rest in peace. Don’t keep trying to resuscitate it. Too often, we try to turn a good deed into a ghost that haunts people, that keeps reminding them of our wonderful service – just in case they start to forget.” But, on the other hand, when being the recipient of a good deed, it’s important to allow it to become a source of praise and a reminder of another’s person’s goodness and kindness: “What happens when we are the recipient of someone else’s kindness?” Hsu Yun asks and answers: “Well, then, we ought to let that good deed gain immortality. Letting someone else’s good deeds live is much more difficult than letting our own good deeds die.”

Along with teaching Buddhist basics, Hsu Yun consistently promoted meditation as a vital spiritual tool for developing life balance, insight, wisdom and eventually experiencing enlightenment or awakening. His approach to meditation was gentle and kind in vast contrast to the traditional Chinese approach which was harsh and unforgiving. At the time it was common in many Buddhist centres to designate a monk to observe meditators and, when they appeared to be drowsy or sleeping, to strike them hard on the back with a wooden paddle

His objection to this approach is clear: “You know, in some styles of Chan, it is the custom to strike someone with a stick if he begins to show signs of sleepiness. Up and down the aisles patrols a fellow with a stick. No one is allowed to move or make any breathing noises or, heaven forbid!, to nod sleepily. The fellow with the stick will strike him! This is foolish and, in truth, violates the First Precept of nonviolence.” Hsu Yun strongly promotes understanding and compassion writing: “What shall we do when an elderly nun or priest begins to slumber in the Meditation Hall? Should we strike him with a stick? Are we confusing laziness with sleepiness? Perhaps the sleepy person has been up most of the night tending to the sick. Should we punish him if, in his exhaustion, he begins to drift into sleep? No. We should offer him some strong tea. If he wants to perk up, he drinks the tea. But if he takes a little catnap we should let him rest. Perhaps a person’s noisy breathing or restlessness is actually a symptom of illness. Should we punish the sick person and add to his discomfort? No. This is not the Zen way.”

Hsu Yun died on October 13, 1959, the age of 101. Sensing his time of transition was near, Hsu Yun instructed his successors to earnestly and vigorously apply themselves to the cultivation of precepts and seek out wisdom, in order to counteract greed, anger, and “stupidity”. In his honour, the Hsu Yun Temple in Hawaii is named after him. It was built by one of his disciples who was sent to the West by Hsu Yun and is considered said to be Hawaii’s first Chinese Buddhist Temple and possibly the first in the Western world.

Victor M. Parachin, M. Div. (CYT) is an author, Vedic educator, yoga instructor, and Buddhist meditation teacher. He is the director of Tulsa Yoga Meditation Centre (USA). Victor researches and writes extensively about eastern spiritual philosophy and is the author of numerous books. His work is published regularly in YOGA Magazine. His book – ‘Think Like a Buddha: 108 Days of Mindfulness’ was published by Hohm Publishers and his latest book ‘Buddhist Wisdom for Beginners: An A-Z Guide’ is published by Sunstone Press. tulsayogameditationcenter.com

WORDS OF WISDOM FROM HSU YUN

We cannot step into the same river twice for the water is constantly flowing. We, also, are not the same person from one minute to the next.
In Zen our task is to discriminate – not between the false and the false, but between the false and the real.
Ignorance of the truth is a disease. Now, as the Buddha taught, the Dharma is like a hospital that has many doors. We can open any one of them and enter into a place of cure. But we must have faith in our physicians and in the efficacy of the treatment.
Discipline is the foundation upon which enlightenment rests. Discipline regulates our behaviour.
How often, when we want something badly, do we promise that if we are given what we desire, we will dedicate our lives to demonstrate our gratitude? But then, once we receive what we so ardently sought, our pledge weakens and dies, almost automatically. We quickly bury it, without ceremony.
There can be no spiritual progress without morality.
If we seek liberation from the travails of this world, we must have a firm faith in the Buddha’s assurance that each living being on earth possesses wisdom and, therefore, has the potential of attaining Buddhahood.
Steadiness becomes steadfastness and it is this which produces wisdom.
A good teacher is indispensable.
What prevents us from realising wisdom and attaining this Buddhahood? The answer is that we simply do not have faith in his assurances. We prefer to remain in ignorance of this truth, to accept the false as genuine, and to dedicate our lives to satisfying all our foolish cravings.

If we have acquaintances whose company leads us easily into error, we should avoid contact with those acquaintances.
Constant striving results in constant strife.
It’s easy to become discouraged when we think we’re not making progress. We try and try but when enlightenment doesn’t come we want to give up the struggle. Perseverance is itself an accomplishment.
Some people who cannot control their own minds strive instead to control the minds of others.
We think that words are not deeds, that they have little power and a short life, that somehow words just evaporate with the breath that speaks them. But words do have power and they can live forever; and, furthermore, they can heal as well as harm.
This is the destination of even the smallest deceit. Our reputations are like the label on a shipping box. Once we are known as liars and cheaters, we consign our intentions, no matter how innocent, to the place of doubt and mistrust.
There are those who say, ‘An occasional drink won’t hurt anyone.’ But an occasional drinker is still a drinker. It is rather like the state of being “a little pregnant.” Either there is a pregnancy or there isn’t.
We exert right effort when we discontinue bad habits and practices and develop good ones. This is easier to say than to do.
People think the world intrudes on them. They do not understand that they are the gatekeepers of their own minds, that they can easily shut and lock the doors to their minds.

The post BE STEADFAST AND PATIENT first appeared on Yoga Magazine.

VEDIC INVOCATIONS

root@ — Fri, 14 Feb 2025 11:43:16 +0000

SACRED SOUNDS FROM ANCIENT INDIA

Words: Manish Vyas

THE POWER OF THE VEDA

The Veda (Rigveda, Yajurveda, Samaveda, Atharvaveda) is not the creation of human beings. It is divine and created by the visualisation of ancient seers, being one of the most ancient documents of the planet, and at the same time eternal – its wisdom is beyond age and time, eternal, universal.

Mankind has always desired knowledge and the possibility to live a fulfilling life; that is why we are always in search of wisdom, answers, knowledge, paths and techniques that will help us to find meaning and purpose in our lives, and ultimately liberation. As we all know, in one way or another, this search continues as long as we exist, as it is inherent to human nature. In this process of seeking, many search for answers outside, through the material world, but then they discover that the happiness is not lasting as long as they would like, so then the search starts again maybe somewhere else. That is why there is a need to look beyond science and technology and instead connect to everlasting wisdom, in order to understand life in its 360 degrees and not only its tangible dimension. For this purpose, in India we have very strong roots and devices, the Vedic literature is one, which is holistic and universal, and when well understood, it has the capacity to help us go through life in its different aspects, challenges and dimensions. By embracing the wisdom in Vedic scriptures, one can allow oneself a joyful journey of discovery and that is where our spiritual adventure starts.

The word VEDA is derived from the Sanskrit root “to know.” For many centuries the knowledge of the Vedas was only made available by oral transmission, which initially was spoken only by the Rishis, or “the seers.” This is also like the very origin of Mantra, by which certain sounds were perceived only by “the seers” in their state of higher meditation – that’s why in the vast majority, there are not authors of the mantras, but certain beings were able to perceive specific sounds and identify them as mantra, so basically, this science of sound was revealed to them. That is how they started passing it to future generations by oral transmission, which has been going on for thousands of years. So, this can be traced as the origin of the Mantra science: “Mantra Brahmanyor Vedanamadheyam”: Veda is the name given to Mantras and to Brahmanas (what is not Mantra in Vedas is referred to as Brahmana).

The Veda, which is written in Sanskrit in prose and poetry, is the earliest available literature for humanity and whatever comes from the Vedas is sacred and eternal – related to the highest spiritual knowledge or “Para Vidya,” as well as the knowledge of the world or “Apara Vidya”.

VEDA AND MANTRAS

Vedic mantras are powerful tools that connect us with ancient energies and can foster transformative changes. Each mantra, whether for Ganesha or Shiva for example, offers unique benefits, from removing obstacles to protection and enhancing spiritual awareness.

It is from Vedas that most of the Mantras were derived. Mantra is a direct transmission of the wisdom of the Vedas through Sound. The core teachings of Vedanta, as we said before, are eternal and ever substantial and valid, though they were revealed several thousand years before the Christian era. The particularity is that India and its Vedic systems have always focused on the inner and not so much on the outer, have focused on raising “human wisdom,” not on raising “human-knowledge.” This is the patrimony of India. This is the legacy of Sanatan Dharma.

In fact, Vedas are the source of Mantras and also happen to be the f irst ever published form of book by humankind. So just imagine that the first ever books published by humankind were mainly mantras, that is how significant mantras are! T he whole culture from India is rooted in the Veda – sciences, medicine, yoga, astronomy, geology, agriculture, aeronautics, religion, dharma, art, music, mantra, poetry, wisdom, mystical truths. The beauty is that these texts are preserved intact even after thousands of years. Even Friedrich Max Müller (1823 – 1900) who was a German-Bristish scholar and Oxford university professor, philologist and Orientalist, has said the Vedas have such accuracy and care that there is no uncertain aspect to be found in the whole Vedas. No more words are needed after such statement!

The Mantra tradition is one of the elements very present and fundamental in the path of Sanatan Dharma. As we said before, wise beings or Rishis had the sensitivity to recognize these particular sounds and passed the science on by oral transmission to qualified seekers, who also passed it on. The power of Mantra is that it can “create” a form, a certain sound can create a certain form, and in turns we can say that sound can “create” or can achieve a certain consequence or result. That is also related to the Sanskrit language, which is in nature sound-sensitive: sounds that can have an impact on us in different ways having an effect on the mind, on the body, on emotions. It is known that specific sound-frequencies trigger certain secretions; ultimately influencing the body and mind to stay healthy or potentially enter into a healing process. That is why in mantra science, Sound has more importance than meaning.

If a mantra comes from this kind of source as described above, with authentic understanding and pure transmission of the science, then mantras can be said to be e a very effective force.

CONSIDERATIONS IN MANTRA PRACTICE

Somehow, most of the people in the west who are familiar with Mantras, are only familiar with “Mantra singing” which is a pleasant activity, but for the effectiveness and purity of the practice, Mantra needs to be done in the way of chanting and this is how this tradition has always been. Mantras are considered sacred and should ideally be received from a qualified Guru, the one who holds the knowledge of proper pronunciation, meaning, and energetic qualities, and also can tell what mantra a practitioner should choose for better benefits. In this sense, it is important to note that incorrect pronunciation or use of certain mantras inadequately may be considered disrespectful or even harmful, simply because, as we said, sound is related with form… it materializes.

ABOUT THE ALBUM
“VEDIC INVOCATIONS”

VEDIC INVOCATIONS is a collection of five sacred prayers from the Vedas and Upanishads, one of the most ancient sources of wisdom available to all of us, which originated in India thousands of years ago. This collection contains various ATHARVA SHEERSHAM – chantings from “Atharva Veda,” an Upanishad coming as the conclusion of Vedas serving as the essence of a Vedic truth – for different deities, starting with “Ganesh Atharvasheersham.” The album also has a very powerful garland of 32 names of Goddess Durga, the warrior goddess who preserves the moral order and justice, and a mantra shield called AMOGH SHIVA KAVACHAM, a powerful Stotra of Shiva to provide protection and get rid of negative energies.

All these prayers are not only invocations to these powerful deities but also a tool to cleanse and purify the energy fields in and around us, as well as invoke energies to remove obstacles, hindrances of any kind, create a shield of protection and invite abundance, peace and truthfulness into our lives.

VEDIC INVOCATIONS is a project directed by Manish Vyas and it has been recorded in India by two young Brahmin priests who have studied Sanskrit and Vedic texts in the ancient system of education from India widely known as Gurukul. It is a pure treat for lovers of sacred sounds from ancient India, who will enjoy these powerful recitations to deepen their yoga and meditation practices, as the purity of these chantings create a very deep, meditative and purifying space, slowly shifting the energy towards higher chakras. “Higher chakras” means “higher consciousness,” and that is the whole purpose of Mantra, Yoga and other more-known and less-known disciplines from India. We also do mantra chanting to receive divine blessings and grace; that is why the faith in the practice is an important requirement. (You can find more about the album here: www.manishvyas. com/vedic)

THE ULTIMATE PURPOSE

Mantras, which are in Sanskrit and have the foundation in the Veda have the potential to bring about change, because Sound can influence the physiological and psychological planes and one can make use of this for different purposes, for elevation, and all-in-all for a better life. These sacred texts and sounds from the Vedic tradition, hold immense power. More than just words, these are vibrations that resonate with the Universe, creating an inner connection and promoting harmony and peace all around us. Regularly listening to Vedic chanting from pure sources not only deepens our spiritual roots but also promotes overall well-being. The sound also purifies the atmosphere around the listener or the one who is doing the chanting, cleansing the aura, generating positivity, a sense of spiritual upliftment and enhancing the inclination towards higher planes in life. Mantra chanting can be effective also for stress reduction, improving focus and cultivating inner peace. Studies have shown it can positively impact brain function and emotional well-being.

Ancient texts of India have again and again mentioned in their scriptures highly beneficial results of these chants and their incredible healing powers. To benefit from all these treasures, it is time the world re-connects with the timeless, eternal and ancient Sound of India.

Manish Vyas, a Gujarat-born musician, is acclaimed for his fusion of Indian devotional, mystical, and Sufi music. A composer, singer, and multi instrumentalist, he trained under esteemed maestros and has released over 30 globally appreciated albums. Now based in Switzerland, he leads a music academy dedicated to preserving Indian musical traditions through in-person and online workshops. www.manishvyas.com

The post VEDIC INVOCATIONS first appeared on Yoga Magazine.

JYOTISH IS GOOD MEDICINE DEEPENING YOUR YOGA PRACTICE WITH VEDIC ASTROLOGY

root@ — Fri, 14 Feb 2025 10:56:39 +0000

Words: Anahita Rao

“Jyotish,” also known as Vedic Astrology, is the science of light (“jyoti” meaning light). Light not only refers to the light coming from the planets in our solar system, but more so, the divine wisdom or illumination that it can reveal through your horoscope, especially about your life direction and karmic bindings. One of the most useful aspects of Jyotish is to understand the “why” behind our life journey: why did I marry this person, why did I move to this city, why did I disconnect with my family, why can I not find a fulfilling career, why am I facing this health problem, and the list goes on.

SCIENCE BEHIND ASTROLOGY

According to modern science, time and space are interconnected to create the fabric in which we exist known as space-time. Fixed stars and planets affect this fabric, influencing us on a very subtle, energetic level. Though planetary alignments appear like small points of light from a distance, their energy fields are present on Earth. Astronomy has proven how planets are responsible for formations that sustain life on Earth. For instance, the planet Jupiter has protected life on Earth for hundreds of millions of years by shielding us from comets. In the astrological realm, Jupiter offers protection where it is placed in your horoscope and acts as a sort of guiding light in our birthchart as well as during its current transit. As such, planetary movements have a subtle vibrational impact on our bodies and minds.

JYOTISH AND ITS SISTER SCIENCE, YOGA

Jyotish is a way of seeing, a seeing into the deep patterns of life—material as well as subtle—in order to gain insight into their structure and movement. Similar to yoga, its sister science, Jyotish is a spiritual discipline. In yoga, we learn the practice of balancing the five elements within the body through postures (asanas) and breath control (pranayama). Astrology, too, attributes the five elements to the planets and the zodiac signs, offering insights into our inherent characteristics and tendencies, revealed in our horoscope. Yoga and Jyotish thus complement each other. Whereas Yoga aims for transcendence of time and space, Jyotish aims for greater understanding of their unfolding.

Time and space form the dimensions of our existence in this manifestation. Yoga understands them as veils upon reality and aims to dissolve them. Jyotish understands our journey through time and space as meaningful and aims to illuminate it.

YOUR PERSONAL BIRTHCHART

Once we know more about ourselves through the lens of our birth chart, it becomes easier to find a practice that supports our journey, a practice contributing to our uniqueness. Jyotish can help individualize our yoga practice.

Jyotish casts a light on your birth chart, which reflects your soul’s karma that has ripened in this lifetime by uncovering the samskaras, impressions on the subconscious mind, which have resulted in patterned behaviours and conditioned tendencies. And casting this light can consequently open up the path to self-awareness, further facilitated by regular spiritual practices. Your birth chart is thus a map of your overall aura, for you can only be born at the moment when the aura created by your causal body resonates strongly with the auras created by the position of the nine planets in the sky.

Though the birth chart is fixed, our destiny remains fluid. This is where Jyotish has much to offer towards the art of conscious living. In an absolute sense what is going to happen has already happened, because time itself is relative. Indeed, past, present and future are all part of the linear illusion the mind creates – a truth that mystical traditions and modern physics alike acknowledge.

Yet in a relative sense, what is going to happen depends upon what we do in the moment. Free-will is apparent, not actual, but it is through apparent free-will that our life events unfold, creating the phenomenon of time.

In this way, we are always making choices, and when these choices are from a space of conscious living, we ultimately alter that fixed karma, and re-create new samskaras – deeply ingrained impressions on the subconscious mind.

ALIGNING YOGA PRACTICE WITH YOUR BIRTHCHART

We all have unique strengths and weaknesses, and therefore, our practices should reflect this. A tailored yoga practice based on your personal horoscope can have profound benefits. Depending on the predominant elements in the chart, we gravitate toward certain practices. For instance, if your birthchart is dominant in the fire element, specifically, if you have many planets sitting in Leo, Sagittarius or Aries, then dynamic practices such as Vinyasa will appeal to you. If you have more earth element, such as Capricorn, Virgo, or Taurus, then you will be drawn to more grounding practices, which foster stability.

Ideally, however, you want to balance the five elements in your birthchart, because what has manifested in your horoscope is a reflection on what exists inside you. So, for instance if there is a predominance of earth element, then you need more water to balance it, engaging in asanas that focus on opening the hips and pelvic area. As too much earth can make you rigid and set in your ways. Hipopening postures like the pigeon pose encourage a sense of flow and fluidity. When the water element is balanced, you can connect easily to others, feel content and calm, let things to, be open to joy and pleasure.

HARNESSING THE ENERGIES OF THE CURRENT ASTROLOGICAL LANDSCAPE

The personal horoscope shows us the planetary alignments that are fixed PHILOSOPHY yogamagazine.com 23 facebook.com/yogamagazine at our birth. However, the planets are always in motion, especially the Sun and the Moon. By adapting our yoga practices to the current cosmic transits, we can harness the planetary energies. For instance, when the Sun is strong in its own sign of Leo for one month, we can engage in dynamic asanas. It can be a time when we devote our yoga practice to repetitive surya namaskar (“surya” meaning Sun), the twelvelinked asanas honouring the Sun, giver of light and life. On Sundays (calendar day devoted to the Sun), we can also chant or listen to gayatri mantra (sacred mantra from the Rig Vedas devoted to the Sun) as part of our practice to hone in on the power of the Sun, which gives vitality and strength.

When we want to harness the Moon’s feminine energy, we can find solace in restorative practices. The Moon spends 15 days in a month waning and 15 days waxing, so it is always changing. During the new moon, it is best to take time to go inward, introspect, reassess your life priorities, plant new seeds, and switch off from the outside world as the Moon is the darkest now. During the full moon, it is best to connect with others, it is a time for completion, a time when you can get powerful insights as the Moon is the brightest when it is full.

CALMING THE MIND DURING ECLIPSES

During the solar and lunar eclipses, our view of the Sun is obscured and Earth’s shadow has darkened the light of the Moon. So, we are not getting the light from both the luminaries as the Sun and Moon are in a compromised state. Naturally, these cosmic vibrations can have an impact on our energies too. It is normal to feel more anxious and confused during eclipse times, all the while sensing that there may be some unexpected surprises about to manifest.

During the days surrounding the eclipses, it is worthwhile to deepen your yoga practice as this can give us the insights we need to not only remain calm, but intuitively make good decisions. Eclipse times is an opportune time to gain immensely from our spiritual practices – to enhance your yoga practice, pranayama, meditation. A good time to go inward, go on a yoga retreat, do a fasting ritual, prepare home-cooked meals, use the time to disconnect, practice silence, write, listen to music, and drink lots and lots of water. In this way, the mind, which is impacted by the potent eclipse cycle, will get balanced.

COSMIC DANCE BETWEEN JYOTISH AND YOGA

Yoga and Jyotish, the sister sciences, intertwine as sacred threads, weaving together the fabric of our journey. Through the alignment of body, mind, and spirit, we honour the divine harmony of the cosmos, finding solace in the interconnectedness of all things.

Anahita Rao was born in New Delhi, India, and has lived and traveled across the globe. Influenced by her father’s aptitude in vedic astrology, Anahita grew up around the traditions and practices of jyotish. Growing up and beyond, astrology was always a deep passion for Anahita. She has studied jyotish for over 20 years, and has completed certificate courses with well-known vedic astrologers in India and the West. Putting this divine knowledge into practice has been a rewarding journey. Prior to this, Anahita had been a dual-qualified, practising lawyer, and had established a successful, renowned firm in London.

The post JYOTISH IS GOOD MEDICINE DEEPENING YOUR YOGA PRACTICE WITH VEDIC ASTROLOGY first appeared on Yoga Magazine.

How to Practice Yoga Off the Mat with the Niyamas -Ram Jain

root@ — Fri, 31 May 2024 04:48:20 +0000

What are the Niyamas?

Meaning ‘habits’ in Sanskrit, the Niyamas are five practices or positive habits for healthy living set out in yoga philosophy. These habits are designed to promote a holistic well-being—mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually—and make up the second limb in Patanjali’s Eight Limbed Path to Enlightenment.

How to Practice the Five Niyamas Daily?

Although monks followed the Niyamas centuries ago, these age-old actions are still profoundly relevant and beneficial for our well-being today. The fundamental principles of Niyamas remain the same, but we can adapt them to fit our unique lifestyles and tap into the same source of health and fulfilment. Below, we will explore the meaning of the Five Niyamas in yoga philosophy as well as simple yet effective ways to incorporate them into our daily lives. Remember that consistency is key; each Niyama needs to be practiced daily to become a habit that creates real and lasting change.

1. Saucha (Cleansing)

The first Niyama, Saucha, means cleanliness or purification. This not only refers to physical cleanliness, but mental as well. Physically, you can practice Saucha by maintaining a clean and organised living space, which helps reduce stress and improve focus. It also involves personal hygiene and choosing wholesome, nourishing foods that cleanse the body from the inside out.

When it comes to purifying our minds, we practice Saucha through daily meditation and mindfulness exercises, which clears the mental clutter. Positive affirmations, chants, and mantras also help calm and clear the mind of negative thoughts. Lastly, avoiding negative influences, whether from social media or in our personal relationships, is crucial to a more balanced and peaceful life.

3. Tapas (Self-discipline)

Tapas is the third Niyama. It revolves around the concept of self-discipline and inner fire, helping us develop perseverance towards our personal growth and goals. This discipline isn’t self-punishment. Rather, it’s making conscious choices that align with our deeper values and long-term well-being, even when they require effort or some discomfort.

How you practice Tapas will depend on your goals and circumstances. It might mean setting and following a strict routine, whether that’s waking up early, dedicating time to meditation or exercise, or committing to a practice schedule. Essentially, it pushes us to focus on something difficult in our lives with passion and commitment, especially when it’s tough.

5. Ishvara Pranidhana (Surrender to the divine)

Ishvara Pranidhana is maybe the most challenging Niyama, representing self-surrender to a higher divine power on a regular basis. In Ishvara Pranidhana, we let go of the ego and dedicate ourselves to the divine or to a greater cause beyond our own desires and ambitions. We practice acceptance and understand the complexities of life with faith in divine.

Ishvara Pranidhana may involve traditional religious practices such as prayer or worship to God or a higher power. For others, it might mean dedicating actions and decisions to the greater good, whether that’s through selfless service or volunteering for a charity or a cause you believe in. However you practice it, make sure your connection to this higher power or purpose is genuine and constant.

2. Santosha (Contentment)

The second Niyama, Santosha, is about finding contentment in our daily lives. This principle encourages us to find satisfaction and happiness in what we have, rather than constantly seeking more or fixating on what’s missing. Practicing Santosha can take many forms, but at its core, it’s about promoting a sense of gratitude and peace with the present moment, whether that’s in cleaning the house or receiving a big job promotion.

One way to integrate Santosha into our routine is by starting or ending the day with a gratitude practice, like writing down three things we’re thankful for today. Santosha also encourages us to free ourselves of negative self-talk and judgments. This can involve setting aside time for self-reflection, disconnecting from social media at night, or engaging in activities that bring joy and fulfilment without validation from others.

It’s also important to note that Santosha doesn’t simply mean accepting what you have and never aiming higher. You can be content with your life or a circumstance and still strive for opportunities for growth and change.

4. Swadhyaya (Self-study)

Swadhyaya means self-study or introspection. This Niyama encourages us to learn about ourselves, our behaviours, and our underlying beliefs. By understanding our inner selves, we can live more consciously and step closer toward Enlightenment.

Practicing Swadhyaya means dedicating time each day to self-reflection. This can be through journaling, meditation, or reading philosophical or spiritual texts that challenge our perspectives and encourage deeper thought. It could also be as simple as asking yourself questions like: ‘who am I?’, ‘what do I feel right now?’, and ‘why do I feel this way?’. The goal of this practice is to question our identity, purpose, and how we interact with the world around us.

Living Yoga off the Mat

Understanding and practicing the Niyamas can open new pathways to personal growth and a balanced well-being. Following each of these principles might be overwhelming at first, so start small and take it one step at a time. Even if you can only make minor changes in your routine, being consistent and dedicated in each action develops a more conscious and mindful way of living; one that honours your inner being as much as your outer world.

Ram Jain, MSc. Yoga (ERYT 500, RPYT 500 & YACEP with 40,000+ hours of Teaching Experience) grew up in India in a Jain family with rich traditions. Having studied yoga since he was 8 years old, he founded Arhanta Yoga Ashrams in 2009 to share his profound knowledge of traditional Yoga and Vedic philosophy with others. Today, he is a Master Yoga Trainer, hosting online and in-person trainings at his ashrams in India and the Netherlands. His intensive courses focus on teaching traditional yoga in a modern world, helping 18 000+ practitioners become confident yoga teachers.

The post How to Practice Yoga Off the Mat with the Niyamas -Ram Jain first appeared on Yoga Magazine.

FACIAL REFLEXOLOGY FOR EMOTIONAL WELLBEING

root@ — Mon, 06 Nov 2023 07:08:05 +0000

Words: Alex Scrimgeour

The human face is our most familiar image, it’s the first thing we see when born and in time, the faces we come to love are the deepest sources of joy and connection with the world. Unless we are twinned, the face we are born with is unique and tells a complex story of who we are, where we come from, and who we want to be. The face is a symbol of our humanity and reflects both who we are as a person and as a species. We have incredible nuance in our facial expression as a shapeshifting mask of communication and as a conduit for fully expressing and embodying our deepest delight. The more you analyse the nature of the human face, the more layers are revealed. Our ancestry, upbringing, hardships and emotional trauma, our temperament and character, our kindness, hope and wisdom― all of this can be revealed through the face. For one of our most innate evolutionary skills is to read one another’s faces. To a greater of lesser degree we are all experts at this, for our very survival depends on it.

This innate skill is part of what is called the ‘social nervous system’ and operates largely below our conscious thinking mind. It is an instinct we are born with, and gives us a splitsecond sense of who and what feels safe or dangerous. In turn, this cues our body to shift into a state of being at ease, which is essential for health and healing, or into a state of caution and alertness, which is essential for survival. Also known as the ‘orientation mode’ of our nervous system, this distinctly human ability is so intrinsic that we are mostly unaware of it, yet so patterned into our sense of self that it forms the bedrock of our worldview. Our habitual facial expressions form the emotional template that governs whether we experience a healthy ‘orientation response’. The face carries an emotional weighting, which tilts our internal compass for navigating the dangers of life. Because of this, it also plays a key role in health and wellbeing. What was once thought of as just a superficial aspect of the body, like an antennae to the world, is now known to be intimately connected to the deepest layers of both our physiology and psychology. The face does not just reflect the mind, but it is a physical parallel to our state of consciousness, so if our face is tense our mind will be tense too. This is a symbiotic relationship- when we relax our mind the face also relaxes and when we release tension from the face we also release the mind from tension and emotional stress. Conversely, when we see people with a habitual flattening and hardening of the expression, particularly around the forehead and eyes, this very often correlates with a history of suffering from trauma or depression. It is like a layer of emotional armouring has been created to buffer any future interactions that could potentially be painful.

As the neurobiologist Stephen Porges says, “faces become blank or flat when people become scared or challenged or are in pain.” [1] This armouring also hampers our ability to mirror and empathise with other people and develop positive nourishing relationships. We actually all carry a degree of armouring; it’s a natural human behaviour to wear different masks to handle different situations, but unfortunately these masks sometimes become fixed, inhibiting our freedom and growth. If we physically wake up the face and re-engage all the physiological structures and pathways, we can create a window of opportunity to break out of emotional patterns. This can be achieved through self-massage alongside using our mind to internally engage and release tension in our face and around our sense organs. In Vietnam, a unique form of therapy has been developed called Dien Chan (facial reflexology), which specialises in releasing the patterns of tension in the face.

It also works on the subtle interconnections between the face and the rest of the body, frequently being used to treat pain and illness throughout the body. Since the 1970s the creator of this therapy, Bui Quoc Chau, has mapped out over 200 pressure points on the face, which correlate with different aspects of our physiology, anatomy, and mind.It is very significant that this therapy was developed in the aftermath of the Vietnam-American war. Dien Chan was developed with a community suffering from the trauma and extreme stress of war. It is my understanding that because of this, Dien Chan is especially suited for working with patterns of stress, trauma, emotional and nervous system imbalance. However, in Vietnam Dien Chan is primarily know as a therapy for treating physical pain and illness. This begs the questions, what is the relationship between physical health and mental-emotional health? We now know that there is a strong link between emotional pain and physical pain as they appear to light up the same pathways in the brain.[2] The scientific study of pain, like emotion, is currently experiencing a paradigm shift, which is slowly filtering into mainstream medicine and therapy. Some researchers even describe pain as an emotion. Although I don’t believe the phenomena of emotional or physical pain can be entirely reduced to brain physiology, Dien Chan seems to be tapping into these pathways where physical and emotional healing are intertwined.

Regardless of whether we suffer physically or emotionally, the expression on our face is of the same dynamic, and this illustrates the deep entanglement between our physicality and our consciousness. Of course it is not just the face that is entangled in this dynamic, the whole body is too. Our emotions can be felt just as strongly in our chest or in our belly as in our face. It just so happens that the face is uniquely positioned to change our sensorial experience and also our raw perception of the world around us. It is for this reason that if we can change the relationship we have with our face we can in turn change the relationship we have with the world. Dien Chan therapists like to describe the face as a master control panel for all the physiological and mentalemotional processes of the body. I would take it further and suggest that the face contains a profound ability to reconfigure our entire relationship with the world around us. By increasing our moment-to-moment awareness of our face we can begin to map-out the layered connections that cascade through our nervous system, our breathing and heartbeat, our emotions and feelings, right down to the piezo-electric charge in our bones. This process begins with igniting a curiosity towards the nature of our sense organs and a willingness to question our senses. We form a question not with our words or even our thoughts, but at the most barenaked level: at the level of feeling. When we feel into the body, rather than searching for an answer, we are simply open to feeling what is there, a neutral listening under the skin. In meditation this is sometimes called ‘inner hearing’ or ‘inner vision’; in neuroscience this is called ‘interoception’ and refers to a very real sense we have that is distinct from the typical ‘five senses’.

By developing this felt sense of the body we are also developing our capacity to change our relationship with the body. If we remain in a state of calmness and safety as we explore the interoceptive space of our body this will sooth and re-pattern our nervous system. This can heal both chronic pain and emotional trauma. We cannot change what we cannot feel, or as James Baldwin said, “not everything that is faced can be changed; but nothing can be changed until it is faced.”[3] If we can feel how the tension around our eyes or in our throat connects to the more subtle internal sensations of our emotions, our mood, and our temperament, we can start to grasp how much our biology drives us. We can start to see how our habitual reactivity and biological stance twists our perception of the world. If our ‘social nervous system’ is orientated towards being on the defensive, for instance, then this will change how we see and hear other people and what we notice in the world around us. However, if we can retain a curiosity and openness in our orientation, then we can initiate a type of inquisitive alchemy, wherein the very act of paying attention to our perception transmutes it. Henry Corbin famously stated that ‘alchemy is the sister of prophecy’. [4] The prophetic referred to here does not mean to speak of what will become, but rather is a pointing towards awakening, towards more awakened ways of perception. So by re-patterning our senses we engage in a type of alchemy, one that smelts down old patterns of self-deception, rewires our physiology and forges new ways of being in the world. The metaphorical ‘gold’ that we produce is the experience of perpetually awakening into a more vivid and truthful beholding of the world.

Self-Care Sequence for Emotional and Nervous System Balance

Step 1, cross-hands massage for the eyebrows.

Step 2, cross-hands massage for the ears.

Step 3, balancing Dien Chan points 26 and 126. Step 2

This is where the practice of Dien Chan connects with the meditative and contemplative arts. Not only does Dien Chan offer a system of wellness, radical self-care and healing, but it also offers itself as a kind of psycho-technology that can keep our senses lucid and clear. Dien Chan directly engages our sense perception and the structures of our social orientation system, and therefore offers us a tool for guarding ourselves from self-deception, as well as a way of learning to make sense of the world with more clarity and discernment. In the era of ‘post-truth’ and the ‘attention economy’ our senses are hyper-stimulated and over-strained. I believe the methods and techniques of Dien Chan can greatly support us in navigating the way forward. However, rather than frame it as some kind of ‘magic bullet’ that will solve all our woes, it is better seen as a single thread in a woven ecology of practices. Breath-work, yoga, diet, sleep hygiene, meditation, contemplation and the social nourishment of friendship, music, and ritual are just as important in an ecology of practice. The beauty of Dien Chan is that it’s like a keystone in this ecology- it can interface between our internal and external worlds, enriching all these life habits and bridging the embodied self with external world. It can help us feel embedded and in kinship within our community and within nature as a whole. In other words, it works on both the personal, communal, and ecological.

REFERENCES

Stephen W. Porges, ‘The Origins of Compassion: A phylogenic perspective.’ Lecture given at the ‘Science of Compassion’ Convention at Stanford University in July 2012, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYXa_BX2cE8, accessed October 4th 2021.
Kirstin Konietzny , Boris Suchan, Nina Kreddig, Monika Hasenbring and Omar Chehadi, “Emotion regulation and pain : Behavioral and neuronal correlates: a transdiagnostic approach.” Der Schmerz (October 2016), 30(5):412-420. Also see Steve Haines, ‘Pain is Really Strange’ (Singing Dragon, 2015).
James Baldwin, “As Much Truth As One Can Bear”, New York Times, January 14th 1962.
Henry Corbin, Spiritual Body & Celestial Earth: From Mazdean Iran to Shi’ite Iran (Princeton University Press, 1977), xi.

Alex Scrimgeour is a licensed acupuncturist and massage therapist, with a degree in acupuncture and a diploma in Tui-Na massage from the College of Integrated Chinese Medicine. He has studied Dien Chan (Vietnamese facial reflexology) extensively with Trần Dũng Thắng, Bùi Minh Trí, and other master clinicians at the Việt Y Ðạo Center in Vietnam. He is the author of Facial Reflexology for Emotional Well-Being. He gives treatments and teaches at many of the leading spas and wellness centers around the world and is based in London. https:// www.sensoryselfcare.com/

The post FACIAL REFLEXOLOGY FOR EMOTIONAL WELLBEING first appeared on Yoga Magazine.