Cultivate Clarity and Soothe Your Nerves

How we breathe provides a window into your current energetic state. Simple breathing (Pranayama) practices can function as tonics to invite calm and equilibrium. Before you start you should take a moment to check in with yourself. Become aware of how you are breathing, how each inhalation and exhalation feels.

Nadi Shodhana Pranayama This is a great breathing technique that relaxes your body and mind while boosting your alertness. Curl your right ring finger and pinky fingers into your palm. Join your middle and index fingers and point your thumb upright. Rest your left hand on your thigh. Gently press the extended two fingers to seal off the left nostril as you inhale for 4 counts through the right nostril.  Close your right nostril by pressing down with your thumb, releasing the left nostril as you exhale out of it for 4 counts.  Close the left nostril, open the right, and breathe out of it for a count of 4. Practice 4 - 6 rounds. Take a look at the video for further discussion: Om Shanti Peace, Mary Jane Kasliner

Feeling Anxious?

Meditation

Feeling anxious? Do you feel the need to settle the mind? Mantra meditations are a wonderful way to raise your vibration and discover your higher consciousness. Mantras use the quality of sound to raise the frequency of our physical body.

Om is the most powerful of all the meditation mantras. It is known to be the first sound of the universe representing the infinite nature of the cosmos. It literally gave birth to all the other sounds.

Try chanting the sound of "om" for 5 or 10 minutes daily and you will automatically raise the vibration frequency of your body and calm your mind. You can incorporate your chanting meditation with prayer and your exercise routine. This is a perfect way to adjust the subtle energy centers of your body and mind for better physical and mental health.

OMMMM!

Simple Ways to Shed the Old

Letting go of the old can be hurtful. It's like claws leaving a mark on your skin. It's real easy to put those old habits on the back burner but not worth the stuck residue it will leave behind. The first step is to set the intention to let go. Perhaps write a mantra or word phrase and repeat it several times during the day. You can combine it with a breathing meditation. For example, breathe in for a count of four, then retain the breath and silently repeat your mantra. Exhale the breath for a count of four, retain the breath and repeat the mantra again.

Letting go of old ways may also require forgiveness. If you hold on to grudges it's like feeding yourself poison. You'll feel pretty sick after awhile. Besides, there are not just physical benefits to forgiving but also spiritual ones. The Lord's Prayer includes the line, "Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors."

Practicing mindful meditation is another simple way to shed the old. This is a powerful way to let go of past thoughts and old scenarios. In addition, remaining present sharpens the mind and reduces stress.

Albeit remaining present is noble and beneficial, you also need to move forward. Having a goal that reaches beyond you is very helpful in the letting go process. A powerful way to meet your goal is to create a vision board and hang it in a place you spend time in. The repeated image works subliminally and has a tremendous impact on seeing your goal to fruition.

Make a point of mindfully speaking up instead of holding things in. This simple approach goes a long way to release stress while you are in the process of releasing the old. Growth can be an erratic forward movement: two steps forward and one step back. Let go, have patience, and trust the process.

5 Tips to Being Strong!

No doubt this is a stressful time with COVID-19 pandemic. However, there are many ways to navigate during this crisis so that you can bounce back, survive and carry on. Here are a few ideas from the sixth book "Strong, Perfect, Whole - Becoming Who You Want to Be."

1. Let Go! Whenever you are attached to something-- whether a material object, person or in this case the fear of COVID-19, you are giving it permission to represent the concept of being strong. The first step to being strong is to let go of your belief about the strength these objects hold. The reality is that attachment is an obstacle to obtaining your desires including the desire to be strong in mind, body, and spirit.
In yoga, one of the ten living principles, or fifth Yama, is Aparigrapha. Aparigrapha translates as "non-attachment." It teaches us to accept the present situation as it is. Making a point of bending with the blows life may throw us (in this case COVID-19), makes room for new things to bloom.

2. Positivity. We all have thoughts that lie deep in our conscious and subconscious mind. Those we pay attention to are the ones that sprout. We are all capable of feeling strong if we practice appropriate attention to the thoughts that nourish us. It is simply good food for the mind. A simple approach is to remember that everything has an opposite. In other words, if you are feeling fearful, it is easier for the mind to focus on the fearful thoughts. These are seeds you do not want to nourish. The opposite nature of fear is feeling safe and secure. Therefore, if you  practice mindfulness of feeling safe and secure everyday, then those are the seeds that will take root. You have to choose to be positive. 

3. Mindful Strength. Mindfulness helps us to embrace our weaknesses, and in doing so, it allows us to get in touch with our strengths. With each breath, we can appreciate our body and connect to the blessings that have been bestowed upon us. We begin to realize that there are many things available to us in this very moment, and just knowing this can make us feel strong, vibrant, and joyful.

4. Focus. There is enormous power in a focused mind. It gives us the capacity to diminish negative thoughts instantaneously so we can break through anything. Existing in the here and now requires great focus and concentration, but once we have it we explode with energy. 

5. Insight. Practicing mindfulness will point to areas of tension in your body. Sometimes it is a struggle to release this tension. This is when insight becomes a necessary tool in the process. It allows us to see what is there and what we might need to liberate ourselves from. Jealousy, resentment, or anger can act as barriers to strength in mind, body, and spirit. Having the insight to spend more time on your strengths and less time on your weaknesses releases the fountain of youth. When you are entrenched in your strengths it is an energy booster, a bolster to your world. Spending more time with activities and practices that make you strong unleashes the best in you. It is the single greatest thing you can do for YOU.

Om Shanti!
Mary Jane Kasliner - www.fengshuiyoganj.com

Feng Shui Astrology & COVID-19

Mary Jane Kasliner - www.fengshuiyoganj.com

So Hum Meditation

The mantra So Hum is the natural sound of the breath - your inhale making the sound So and your exhale making the sound Hum. So Hum means "I am that." It signifies the recognition when we see reflections of ourselves in the world and the world within ourselves. 

     We are a product not just of our DNA, but of every experience we have ever had, our environment, and of every person we have known. When you move through the world, recognize that everyone and everything around you shows you something about yourself. There is significance of every soul we encounter. When the experience has been passed is when you realize how the person helped you along the way, taking you to the next part of your journey, opened you up to begin learning the next lesson.

     Each moment, each interaction is important. The ones that are barely noticed, and the more significant all count. Some are hurtful and some are joyful. Either way, they helped. Everyone and everything is joined in an intricate dance, a dance in which our souls learn and grow. Honor the lessons of the planet earth and the people who help you learn them.

     Repeat this mantra, So Hum  frequently during the day and see how your relationship with the world around you shifts and deepens. This mantra is a reminder that you are divine. There is no need to hold on to stored emotions (samskaras). Instead, liberate your being by letting the sweet sound of your breath be enough.

     Join me for moving meditations in any of my yoga classes. For my Thompson Park schedule click here! I also sub in for classes at Inlet Yoga in Manasaquan, NJ.

Mary Jane Kasliner is a feng shui consultant and yoga teacher. She is the author of several books and feng shui training CD's. She has been interviewed on radio and TV and lives at the Jersey shore. FOr more information please visit her website.

www.fengshuiyoganj.com

Seeds of Time - 2020

Seeds of a New Cycle of Time

New beginnings and rebirth of time as the cycle of 12 starts with the architype of the Rat. In Chinese Astrology, the Rat is noted as the first animal based on a legend that whatever animal arrived first to meet the Jade Emperor would be awarded a place in the zodiac calendar.  The first to set out were best friends, the rat and the cat. Both were scared they would drown in the fast-flowing river if they tried to cross it. They appealed to the ox to let them ride on his back to cross the river. During the crossing, the rat was concerned the cat would outrun him to the finish line and in a devious act pushed the cat off the back of the ox into the water.  As the ox reached the other side, the rat sat atop its head and leaped off the top to the finish line and arrived first. Even though the ox had done all the work, the Buddha admired the rat for his craftiness and awarded him first place on the calendar.

The rat is known in the East for being resourceful, skillful and open-minded and one of nature's greatest survivors in times of danger and scarcity. The rat represents creativity, passion and dynamic energy. The element of water associated with the rat adds a layer of courage, purity, generosity and forgiveness.  These combined qualities create a strong and purposeful year. As you lay down your seeds of intentions, know 2020 is a time for regeneration and renewal, the perfect time to lay foundations and launch new projects.  This new cycle of time  will create significant growth for years to come and more specifically, for the next 60 years to come.

The metal element combines with the water rat in 2020 suggesting strong framework or structure to base your plans to build upon. Think big as this year is the foundation that you will build upon. In the process of thinking big, you want to lay a good base for your finances. Since the elements of metal and water are inward (representing autumn and winter months), the stock market will slow down, pull inward and stagnate. In previous rat years we have seen the market do exactly that. It's not to say you can't enjoy yourself this year, it simply means to strike a balance between spending and saving.

How will the Yang Metal Rat year (2020) impact you personally? I offer professional astrology reports for my clients. If you are interested in a report email me for more information.

Water permeates the shapes of everything it touches. It carves mountains into sand and swells seeds to fruition. It fuels the planet, our cells and all living things. Every time we encounter this basic element, we have the opportunity to gain insight about its divine essence and our own. Water is a source of creativity and love. It teaches us to be flexible, tenacious and humble. It can heal and nurture all that is in "dis-ease."

This year as the watery energy of the rat moves in, keep these meditation statements in mind:
~ I can be shallow or deep, calm or rough, but most of all I am a resource for man and animal alike.
~ I am like a chameleon - always changing my appearance.
~ I am the elixir of life.
~ I erode what is overwhelming and feed the depleted.
~ I ebb and flow like the tides of life.
~ I cleanse the body and the spirit and make all things new.

For more Nature meditations see my third book: Mother Nature A Bridge to Conscious Living.

Svadisthana

The sacral, or second chakra, is just seated below the navel in the lower abdomen. It is associated with the element of water, creativity and creation/birth. This chakra is naturally activated in the year of the Rat - 2020. As previously mentioned, this is a year where you will be inspired to create and emote your ideas. It's advantageous to keep this chakra aligned and active so you can feel supported from within your energy body. Below are some ideas of how you can activate this energy center.

Yoga Poses:
Wide - angle seated forward bend: (upavistha konasana)
Cow-Face: (Gomukasana)
Bound Angle: (Baddha Konasana)

Sound Mantra:
The mantra sound that aligns to the sacral chakra is the sound VAM. By chanting VAM,the vibrations will open and align this chakra.

Color:
The color for the sacral chakra is orange. Visualizing a blossoming orange flower over the lower abdomen - just beneath the navel, is an excellent way to balance this energy center.

Om!
Mary Jane Kasliner
Feng Shui Master
Yoga Instructor
www.fengshuiyoganj.com

Boundless:

Boundless We are all traveling on the road of life with some sort of map. Whether it is etched in stone, modified to a specific liking, or no map at all, we end up on a course that will take us from here to there and back again. Lao Tzu offers this piece of good advice: A good traveler has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving." Tzu's statement lends itself toward a learning process - trial and error, and ultimately growth. Life's journey is undoubtedly filled with detours, stop signs and roundabouts. These roadblocks will test our faith, courage, strengths and weaknesses. They will force us to accept what is and learn the lessons that are to be learned or let life pass us by. When we experience hardships, it is usually the universe's way of catapulting change. Like the detour sign we encounter on a roadway, life's challenges offer us another route. The question is, do we embrace the new route or do we hold tight and try to force the pre-set course? Obviously holding tight will initially seem like the easiest choice, but in the long run it will lead to suffering, pain and stagnation. Life's detours are meant to be challenged by venturing down a new path. If we don't, we stifle ourselves and lose interest altogether. We must realize that time stops for no one. We can't go back to the past or leap into the future unless we have the imfamous flux capacitor from the movie Back to the Future. However, we can take the lessons we have learned  and move on. Ultimately, the paths we create in life are our responsibility. We get to make the choices, feel the pleasure and the pain. No matter how many people cross our path, the best-mapped route comes from trusting your inner navigation system, It knows the way and only requires trust from you. Relying on it daily is the best roadside tool to finding your life's purpose; otherwise we become like fish swimming in the ocean who is frantically searching for the ocean itself. All we need to know in this life is already within us if we are only aware enough to realize it.  - Chapter 8: Strong, Perfect, Whole - Becoming Who You Want to Be.   "As soon as you trust yourself you will know how to live." -Johann Wolfgang von Goethe Belonging Like most journeys, the journey to wholeness begins with a leap of faith. This leap is not about transcending life but rather a more inclusive relationship with it. When there is harmony among the three dimensions of our lives - body, mind, and spirit - wholeness exist. It connects us to the web of life and completes us. Why is it though, we tend to yearn to "belong," when the reality is we are all connected? Why do we feel compelled to find another to complete us when the triad of self lives within? These are important questions to unravel on the journey, as the answers will undoubtedly fill the void so many of us experience. For wholeness to arise, freedom needs to express itself independently so we can ultimately... Page 260: Strong, Perfect, Whole - Becoming Who You Want to Be. Plugging In One of the easiest ways you can plug back into your spirit is to move with awareness of your breath. Let it unfold like the petals of a flower to calm the mind and physical body. When you do so, you are able to detach from the chatter that tends to override your inner voice. If you allow your breath to ride gracefully as a surfer rides a wave or a bird on a breeze you will discover who you really are. It is through silence that the breath reveals it answers. As a yogi, and teacher of yoga, the breath is the cornerstone to the practice. The sound of the breath becomes a mantra and its rhythm sets the mind in the right place - a meditation that evolves with the body in motion. This particular aspect of yoga is known as pranayama, or breath control. The regulation of the breath nourishes the body, mind, and spirit so personal insight can begin to manifest. We become more...Page 262 Strong, Perfect, Whole - Becoming Who You Want to Be. The Fundraiser I once found myself mesmerized in a yoga workshop given by a world renowned yogi. She had developed a program to raise global consciousness in the yoga community. The organization was called Off the Mat and Into the World. The idea was to take the principles of yoga and put them into action off your mat. The year was 2009, and the question posed during the workshop was: "How many of you right now can take the yogic philosophy and put it into action out in the world?" I had to admit I wasn't quite sure where she was going with this question. She expounded by telling us about her quest, the Seva Challenge, which was to raise as much money as possible for the children of Uganda who were largely uneducated and infected by the HIV virus. At the time, one million children between the ages of 6-12 were not in school and five people per minute were becoming infected by the HIV virus. Now, I was pretty familiar with the disease HIV as I had worked nearly eight years in an HIV clinic as a practicing Dental Hygienist. The facility was state of the art that offered patients the latest medications and treatment modalities - a far cry from what these innocent children in Uganda were receiving. As she continued with her presentation, ...Page 273 Strong, Perfect, Whole - Becoming Who You Want to Be. The time is ripe to plant the seeds of your intentions and desires. Delve into any one of the six-book series by clicking on the topic links below. All book titles are available on Amazon! Mary Jane Kasliner Wisdom Buffet Writer/Author Visit my website for more publications. Happiness Health Harmony Love Power Whole