Ignite the FIre - Agnistambhasana

Agnistambhasana - Fire Log Pose - 9:30 AM Yin/Yang Fusion Thompson Park

     In the Rig Veda, fire is personified as Agni, which means to ignite. Agni is said to be present in the fire of the sun, the stars and lightening. The ritual of building a fireplace was the center of Vedic civilization. Fire is the agent of transformation and portal between the worlds, where prayers and intentions could pass from the earth to heaven and blessings could descend from heaven to earth all through the medium of fire (Agni) and its logs (Stambha).

     The Himalayan tradition teaches the path of agni vidya, the understanding that our own bodies are vehicles of liberation. From this perspective, the body is a living alter of the sacred fire, and the physical world contains all the tools and means that we need to discover heaven. 

     Our yoga practice is a process that requires patience, just as it requires patience to build a good fire. The foundation must be firm yet receptive to what comes next, logs and kindling so the fire can burn brightly just as your mat and props serve to transform your mind and body to reveal your spirit. Think about how your practice may be influenced if you approach each session as a sacred offering and an opportunity for transformation.

     While in this pose, think about the sacrifices you make for the sake of your practice. How do you feel that your practice is transforming you? Note what comes to mind and then apply it to your life experience.

Om!

Mary Jane Kasliner

Feng Shui Ygoa Girl - www.fengshuiyoganj.com

Honor Your Body and Your Environment

     

     Your body is an extension of your environment. Honoring both is a perfect way to balance your life. If you think of your body as a means to access the world, then taking care of it is of utmost importance. If you think of your environment as a means to protect and nurture your body, then tending to it also becomes important. 

     It is through your body that you experience sight, sound, touch, taste and smell. Your body is made up of countless complex systems that collaborate to enable you to move, be still, to laugh, cry, and to experience pain and pleasure. Honor your environment and your body by treating them with respect and awe. 

     Sauca, is the first of five Nyamas, or "observances." It is a spiritual practice to experience higher consciousness. At the most basic level, sauca addresses the need to avoid illness through cleanliness. The practice of sauca may include fasting and eating healthy foods. On a physical level, sauca increases vitality and longevity. 

     Sauca in the environment relaxes yet energizes the mind and body. When we know our environment is clean and orderly, we can focus on the present moment and engage with life as it unfolds. It creates an felling of expansiveness and energetically clears our path for growth.

     On a deeper level, sauca purifies the mind through self exploration. It is a mental landscape of our attachments, fears and need to constantly judge self and others. With the process of sauca, we heat up our consciousness and work to release what no longer serves us. Then, we can turn our mind and heart to what is good. Our focus shifts to what is positive and as a result our life changes for the better.

Simple Ways to Honor Your Environment:

• Assess your environment on a weekly basis for any extras things that you really don't need and remove them. 
• Spruce up your walls, floors and furnishings. Move things around to create a new look and feel, especially when seasons change.
• Create focal points with interesting artwork, books or sculpture.
• Infuse natural scents and soothing sounds.
• Less is more when decorating, so be mindful of what you choose to place in your rooms.
• Create an inviting look from the outdoors to draw the positive energy inside.

Simple Ways to Honor Your Body:

• Commit to exercise
• Eat healthy
• Groom
• Meditate
• Love yourself 
• Embrace challenges
• Live mindfully
• Be present
•  Sing or chant on a daily basis

     Living in an embodied state means to honor the your house; the one that houses your body and the one that houses your soul. Cultivating a practice of "sauca" for your inner and outer landscape will benefit your life. Keep the practice up on a daily basis and notice how your environment and your "true self" will shine like a precious gem.

Om!

Mary Jane Kasliner

Feng Shui Yoga Girl

www.fengshuiyoganj.com

THe Symphony of Living!

The Symphony of Living! Mary Jane Kasliner - Wisdom Buffet Writer Flow Like the Stream      One of my favorite bands in the late 1960s was Simon and Garfunkel. Not only did they write and sing songs that were a glorious mix of both raw realism and dreamy romanticism, but their timeless harmonies were pure and nothing short of absolute perfection. With different voices, styles, opinions and being two completely personalities, they came together in the music that they produced and it all worked brilliantly.      Now, not always can our lives together produce such lovely melodies or poetic lyrics, but we can create a life of harmony once we acknowledge, respect, and accept each other's differences. When we put in the effort to understand and compromise, our lives can become magical, musical and harmonious.      About the same time that I was listening to Simon and Garfunkel on the radio, I stumbled upon the Japanese philosophy of Wabi Sabi. Wabi Sabi is known as the "art of imperfection," or simply, finding beauty in all things; things that are imperfect, ever changing and impermanent. For example, when looking through Wabi Sabi eyes, we would... Read more chapter 2 Book of Harmony - The Symphony of Living.   The more in harmony your are with the flow of your own existence, the more magical life becomes. -Adyashanti Nature Does Not Hurry! The Law of Least Effort states that nature's intelligence functions with effortless ease. Just looking at the natural ebb and flow of the ocean tides or blooming flowers supports this law. If you notice flowers and trees do not strain to bloom but rather there is grace, perfect timing, and finesse when it comes to transforming energy. The Law of Least Effort tells us that we can do less and accomplish more when we let go of resistance and simply accept what is. There must be more to living a life of harmony than just learning how to accept 'what is.' And in fact, there is...Read more chapter 4 Book of Harmony - The Symphony of Living available of Amazon. Eat Seasonal Foods To live a balanced life, one needs to be aware of the cycles of nature and follow their flow. In nutrition, this means practicing the Chinese tradition of eating seasonal foods to align your body with nature's rhythms and the five elements: spring (wood), summer (fire), late summer (earth), autumn (metal), winter (water). Each of these also represents the major organs that we must nourish and keep at their top efficiency: the liver, heart, stomach, lungs and kidneys. Take your cue on what to eat from your local farmer's market or grocery store produce section and avail yourself of the cornucopia that awaits you. Autumn is the time of harvest around the globe - a time...Read more chapter 6 Journey to Health - Living Well from the Inside Out.  Learn From Vata - Air Air or wind is an element that can teach us how to let go and be free. Wind does not resist but rather is free in spirit. When we let go of resistance life is joyful and we are blessed abundantly. Wind is the voice of higher self, the sage, the seer, and the impeccable word. It is a matter of relying on your intuition. When you listen to higher self and use "the word" impeccably, then you experience heaven on earth. Vata urges us to become the dreamer, the creator and initiator in life. This is the freedom  within that...Read more chapter 5 Strong Perfect Whole - Becoming Who You Want to Be. Happy October! Mary Jane - Wisdom Buffet Writer Happiness Health Harmony Love Power Whole Copyright © 2019 Wisdom Buffet Writers, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you opted in to our newsletter at our website, or one of our live classes or seminars. Contact us: http://thewisdombuffet.com/about-our-authors/ Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.

The Waxing Gibbous Moon

Waxing Gibbous Moon

     The gibbous moon this week is waxing towards its ultimate full moon status. During this phase, it is beneficial to focus on expansion and growth. This is an opportunity to apply it to areas of your life you feel stuck. You can focus on releasing the binds that may have taken hold over the past few months. 

     Take advantage of opportunities that present. Listen, look and feel with your intuition and then forge ahead. This is a powerful phase of the moon for the manifesting process, the moon is not fully illuminated, which means it can take a little bit of time for your accomplishments to come to full fruition. Don't let that stop you however. Instead, hone in on the details of unfinished goals or projects in process. Concentrate on that final push for you to reach your end result.

Ardha Chandrasana: Half Moon Pose - To Ardha Chandra Chapasana

Click for video here!

     As the light grows in the night sky from the waxing gibbous moon, so does our creative energy. Half moon pose cultivates confidence, strength and balance. Take up space in this pose and let the universe hold your back!

Simple Steps:

     Start in mountain pose, Tadasana, and then take a big step back with your left foot, turning your toes out slightly while keeping your right toes pointing forward. Lift your arms up to a "T" with palms facing down and shoulders relaxed. Place left hand at your waist, and begin to hinge forward at the waist, bending the right knee gradually shifting your weight into the right leg and you lift your left foot off the floor. Draw your right hand towards the ground or a block as you extend your left arms to wards the sky. Keep your gaze down. Engage your left thigh and foot strongly, as you lift your left leg in line with the left hip and parallel to the earth. Left toes should point away from you. Take several breaths and repeat on opposite side. If you like challenge yourself, bend the back extended leg and nab the ankle with your left hand. Pull the heel closer to left sitting bone for a deeper stretch in the quad. Spin your chest open to the cosmic universe. Breathe for several breaths and release back into half moon pose. Exit by looking towards the right foot, then lower left hand to your waist, and finally lowering the left leg back to the ground. Root down and rise up to stand.

Embrace the Vata:

     The vata dosha is strong this time of year representing air/space. This energy represents the heavens, the prana inhaled by God and released for spiritual growth. It is the ethereal aethers that connect the opening of the crown chakra to the angelic realm. The twelve sides of the aethers encapsulates the four cardinal points with three doors of entry. It is the journey of the soul to navigate these door entries - exploring the roots and connection to humanity, the human race family, sage advice from the elders, soul mission to serve other beings towards enlightenment, and keeping creation in perpetual motion. 

     As vata rises there is movement and change. This movement and change is represented by the phases of the moon. One of the greatest lessons the yogi can learn from the moon and the sun for that matter,  is that everything we experience has an internal source of energy. Within our bodies, the sun and the moon occupy opposing halves. The moon presides over the left energy channel (ida nadi), and the sun presides over the right one (pingala nadi). Ideally, we strive to seek balance between both sources of light, basking in the moon as much as the sun and learning to work with both types of energy as we progress on the path to enlightenment.

     Within our yoga practice, we learn the truth of age-old wisdom, "as above, so below." As with the sun and the moon in the sky, we seek to find as much joy in the shadow and lunar places or our lives as we do in the bright and solar places. We move past the source of our troubles, avidya or the cloud of unknowing into spiritual knowledge of pure abundance.

Om!

Mary Jane - Feng Shui Yoga Girl

www.fengshuiyoganj.com

Expand, Grow and Trust!

Expand, Grow and Trust!

     The month of October is about growing, expanding and trusting yourself.  This week in particular, growth and expansion is magnified. That's because the moon enters a waxing gibbous phase in combination with the trigram zhen entering the center of the loshu.

     When the moon enters this phase, there is opportunity to break free of anything that is binding you from completing your goal. Keep your mind's eye open and forge ahead in manifesting the end result of your efforts. Opportunities will arise. Trust your instincts, gather information and be straight forward with your response.

     Integrity is also top of the list for this month. The Dog month (October), in Chinese Astrology elevates the level of honesty, loyalty and trust. Therefore, these are qualities to look for in others and, more importantly, in yourself. Being forthright in your actions and words in your relationships is productive this month especially when it comes to business dealings. 

     There is plenty of abundance to go around as resources are readily available.  Trust you have the ability to influence those in decision-making positions. Keep your aspirations to yourself and be patient and modest when serving others.

     The movement and change brought about by the dosha vata (air/space), adds to the growth process. This element however does need root so you don't feel flighty. The best way to anchor movement of air is to ground through the earth. Make it a point to spend time in earth directions such as the northeast or southwest. Plan on daily meditation or chanting mantras. The sound vibration of chanting aligns perfectly to the throat chakra (vishuddha) and the element of air. The grounding effects of this practice builds trust and clarity.

Loshu Movement:

The loshu grid (workings of the universe), continually flows. This month the triram Zhen (loshu 3), takes residence in the central point. As all things in the universe are driven from the center, then this trigram powers the entire grid. In the process, the remaining trigrams shift from their home-base postions to another house. How does that impact YOU? From a generalized perspective the following are energy vibrations to bare in mind as you navigate through the month of October.

•  Family, growth and expanding your horizons are forefront this month. Engaging with family for dinner or weekend entertainment is beneficial. Seeking new perspective with business or growth opportunity is essential. Consider where you can branch out and move upwards just as trees do in nature. Feet, legs and neck are vulnerable this month with 3 Zhen expending its energy in the earth position. This is especially so for males.
•  Family connection bodes well for career opportunity this month. There is a natural flow between long-term venture and family. This is especially so for male lineage. Organized plan of action is essential for this to fly.
•  Some resistance in financial dealings this month that literally can cause stomach upset and especially for female. Keep your daily finances in order. Double check your ledger and be clear as to where your money is going.
•  Creative marketing and sales for business owners is stifled this month. Appeal to clients with a more grounding approach. This will let potential clients feel centered and clear about in their decision-making process. Watch for teeth sensitivity especially to temperature hot foods and liquids. Trust me, I took a pasta noodle directly out of the boiling water to taste it and I felt a shoorting pain in my molar. Of course this was a few days ago prior to preparing this report. And wouldn't you know, there are two sectors in the loshu that show aggravation of teeth! 
•  Travel in order this month and especially for eldest daughter. There is connection to mentors and helpful people during this excursion. Older male can place pressure on younger female, but nothing that good communication can't fix. Right hip is vulnerable this month and especially the outer aspect of the hip (IT band insertion). Inflammation is likely, so ice it up!.
•  In sticking with the theme of growth, expansion and trust, finances and resources soar in career. Get yourself noticed and the universe will take care of the rest! Left hand and wrist is vulnerable this month.
•  Meditation allows you to tap in to higher consciousness. Help is available on the other side of the veil. The assistance of vata (air/space) connects you naturally to the heavenly realm.

*For personal assessment of this energy email me directly!

Om!

Mary Jane - Feng Shui Yoga Girl

www.fengshuiyoganj.com