Monday Mantra

Greetings all, and happy Monday! It's time for another Monday Mantra installment. I'm writing this from the cozy warmth of my parents' house in the US of A. I'm visiting for the holidays. It's been so lovely to connect with family and old friends. It's just helping to me to realize even more how blessed our lives really are. From a place of deepest gratitude, I'd like to bring back the beautiful mantra, Aham Prema.

Here's the original post:

This Monday's Mantra is coming from a beautiful blog I recently found called The Way of the Mantra. I was looking for a gratitude mantra, in honor of this month of Thanksgiving that is in full swing. What I found was something even better -- this beautiful blog post on gratitude. Please give it a read, it is worth it.

Following Aly's lead, this week's mantra is:

Aham Prema (ah-hum pray-mah)

Source

This mantra translates to I am divine love. We all carry divine love and light within us, and what better way to show gratitude to all those who love and support us than to tap into it everyday. This mantra invokes our inner divine light and love, sending it out to the world.

Here's a great recording of it by Deva Premal. Feel free to listen and/or to chant along. Also, as always, you can do 108 repetitions of the mantra on your own. Or you can do as many as you feel you need to tap into the energy of the chant.



Cheers! and have a great week!

Monday Mantra

Ahoi hoi and happy Monday everyone! This weeks Monday mantra was inspired by the great Nelson Mandela.

We are here to love. I truly believe that. In that spirit, our mantra is the Shanti Mantra:

Shanti Mantra 
Om Saha Naavavatu  ohm sah-ha nah-vah-vah-too
Saha Nau Bhunaktu  sah-ha nau boo-nahk-too
Saha Veeryam Karavaavahai  sah-ha veer-yahm kah-rah-vah-vah-hai
Tejasvi Naavadheetamastu  tei-jahs-vee nah-vah-dee-tah-mahs-too
Maa Vidvishaavahai Om    mah vid-vi-shah-vah-hai ohm

Translation: May the Lord protect and bless us. May he nourish us, giving us strength to work together for the good of humanity. May our learning be brilliant and purposeful. May we never turn against one another.

This mantra is very close to my heart, as we chanted it before every class during my Kripalu teacher training. One recitation of of the mantra before you greet your day is a wonderful way to set the tone for things to come. Also right before bed, it is a wonderful reminder of our purpose here. If you'd rather listen, find a great video recording below.


Cheers!

Monday Mantra

Ahoi hoi and happy Monday. It's hard to believe that it's December already. I've got holiday's on the brain. It was nice to have last week's mantra be one of calming the mind. I would like to continue in that vein with this week's mantra being one of groundedness. Even for folks who don't celebrate during the holidays, the frenzy of energy that gets swirled up can throw one into a tailspin. Our mantra this week will help get your feet back on the ground and keep them there. It is a very simple mantra, making it easy to call up in those times of frustration. This week we are practicing the Lam Beej mantra.

The lam beej mantra is attached to the root chakra. The chakras are energy fields that are believed to be a part of our body's make up. We have seven major chakras that spin and create energy in the body. For more information on chakras, click here. The root chakra is associated with grounding, family, and the color red. Each chakra has a seed sound. The seed sound of the root chakra is lam (lah-m)

Source

To practice the lam beej mantra, simply repeat the seed sound lam 108 times. To strengthen the power of the mantra, try to channel the color red as you repeat it. If you would rather listen and absorb the energy of the chant, here's a recording of it:

Have a great week! 

Random Thoughts

I can hear the sound of birds chirping outside my window and the whizzing of motos down in the street. There is a cool breeze causing tiny ripples in my curtains. The neighbor is playing musica romantica. This is where I live now, the quaint little neighborhood of Salina Chica. I have planted my feet and my bike wheels on these streets and am overlaying them with stories and feelings that make them home. The shop owner across the street greets me, now. We exchange pleasantries and smiles as I wait in front of his place for a taxi. Downtown means a warm hug from my friend J. and sinking into cozy couches at Mogagua restaurant. Slowly the skin of newness is slipping off, and I am settling in to this island's rumbo. It hasn't been an easy transition. I have slept away days just hoping that "tomorrow" would be better. But the truth is that all we have is today. Today with the birds singing. Today with the motos whizzing down the street. Today with the breeze of the tail end of a norte rippling the curtains. Today with me opening the door, yet again, to greet the salina and the promise that if I just keep my eyes and ears open, beautiful things will be laid at my feet.

Monday Mantra

November insists on going out with a bang, and my mind is totally keyed up these days. While appreciate all of the energy stirring, I'm really feeling the need to ground that energy. So, this week's mantra is the Bhaja Man Mere mantra:

bhaja man mere hari ka nam, hari ka nam sat nam (bah-jah mahn meh-rei ha-ree kah nahm, ha-ree kah nahm saht nahm)

This mantra comes from the Kundalini yoga tradition, and its specific purpose is to calm the mind. It can be translated as, "Oh my mind, meditate on God's name. God's name is the truth of my identity."
We are all pieces of the divine, and we all carry within us the abundance of divine grace. What could be more calming than knowing that?

Here is a lovely interpretation of this chant by Guruganesha Singh. Feel free to chant along or to listen and absorb the energy. Also, feel free to practice 108 repetitions on your own.




Namaste and happy Monday, everyone!

Monday Mantra

It's another beautiful beginning of the week. I really enjoyed practicing last week's mantra to the beautiful Yemaya. It definitely helped me stay in flow and just ride the waves that came. This week's mantra is to another powerful goddess figure from the Tibetan Buddhist tradition. Her name is Green Tara, and she called "The Mother of All Buddhas".

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Green Tara has the ability to move many obstacles from our path, one of which the is samsara/illusion. For more information on Green Tara, click here.

Green Tara's Mantra is:

Om Tare Tuttare Ture Swaha (ohm tah-rei too-tah-rei too-rei swah-ha)

The mantra is an entreaty to Tara to spring to action in order to remove the veil of samsara. As with other mantra, this is traditionally practice with 108 repetitions. However, as with most mantra practice, the use of this mantra can be tailored for your needs. Repeat it as many times as you feel the need. Or, if you prefer to listen and absorb the energy in meditation, here is a recording of this mantra by Chinese artist Su Ching-yen



Happy Monday, everyone!

Monday Mantra

Happy Monday, everyone! Back with another Monday mantra. This week's mantra is all about the beauty of life's ebbs and flows, so we'll be calling on the glorious Yoruba orisha, Yemaya.

Source

Yemaya is the goddess of the ocean. This mantra to her celebrates the moment the river meets the ocean and praises Yemaya. Every life has its ebbs and flows. But the river continues to flow and the ocean is endless. This chant is a reminder that no matter how high or low the tide or how stormy the see, we still persist. 

This week's mantra:

Yemaya Assessu  (yem-ah-yah ah-say-soo)

Assessu yemaya   (ah-say-soo yem-ah-ya)

Yemaya olodo      (yem-ah-ya oh-lo-doh)

Olodo yemaya      (oh-lo-doh yem-ah-ya)

Below is a recording of this chant by Deva Premal. Feel free to follow along or to just listen in meditative silence.

Here's to a beautiful week, riding the waves of whatever comes our way.

Monday Mantra

This Monday's Mantra is coming from a beautiful blog I recently found called The Way of the Mantra. I was looking for a gratitude mantra, in honor of this month of Thanksgiving that is in full swing. What I found was something even better -- this beautiful blog post on gratitude. Please give it a read, it is worth it.

Following Aly's lead, this week's mantra is:

Aham Prema (ah-hum pray-mah)

Source

This mantra translates to I am divine love. We all carry divine love and light within us, but only tap into it occasionally. But what better way to show gratitude to all those who love and support us, than to tap into it everyday. This mantra invokes our inner divine light and love, sending it out to the world.

Here's a great recording of it by Deva Premal. Feel free to listen and/or to chant along. Also, as always, you can do 108 repetitions of the mantra on your own. Or you can do as many as you feel you need to tap into the energy of the chant.



Cheers! and have a great week!

Monday Mantra

Another week has come and gone, and it's time for the Monday Mantra!

This week's mantra is:

Waheguru Waheguru (wah-hey-goo-roo, wah-hey-goo-roo)

This is a Sikh chant used to invoke the name of God, the wondrous enlightener. The breakdown of the seed sounds is as follows:

Wahe- wonderful/awe-inspiring
Guru- teacher/guide

The chant is traditionally used to invoke Divine light in the removal of spiritual darkness.

Source

Below is a beautiful recording of this chant to sit and listen to in meditation or to chant along with. If you would rather do the meditation without the recording, go for 108 recitations or as many as you feel are needed to make a connection.





Cheers! And here's to a great week!

Monday Mantra

I call upon the Creator. I call upon Divine wisdom.

holding light

This week's Monday Mantra is one of my favorites, the Adi Mantra:

Ong Namo, Guru Dev Namo (ong nah-mo, goo-roo deiv nah-mo)

This mantra is used at the beginning of Kundalini Yoga practice in order to tune a person to his/her higher self. The words call upon creative energy and wisdom to manifest; I call upon the Creator, I call upon Divine wisdom. 

There is a divine light within us all. This chant invites us to awaken it, to tune our spirits to our higher vibrations. There is a lot of power in that. 

I will be practicing this mantra along with the following recording, as I find it more relaxing to follow someone's voice. This recording is a great one by Snatam Kaur, but there are plenty of others out there. If you find chanting with a recording isn't for you, you can practice the mantra with 108 repetitions, or simply as many repetitions as you feel you desire. Find a quiet space and time where you have about 10-20 minutes to yourself. Make sure you have a comfortable seat and a tall spine. Close your eyes, breathe deeply, and let the meditation carry you.



Happy Monday, everyone! May your week be blessed, beautiful, and abundant.

For  more info on meditation practice, click here.

7 Things I Think About on Rainy Days

It's raining outside. The kind of rain that makes it hard to see in front on your own face. I've always been a fan of the rain, so I figured I'd give a think about why. Here's my list of 7. Feel free to add your thoughts in the comments section. Cheers!

cloudy light

7 things I think about on Rainy Days

1.       How much I love the smell of rain. I was dating this guy once and we were taking a walk after the rain. I was in heaven. I said out loud, “I just love the smell of rain.” And he looked at me like I was nuts. Not everyone may relate to this, but the smell of the world during and after rain is something so refreshing and lovely to me. You can smell the water in the air, the soil soaking it in, the plants smell stronger. Everything smells earthy and refreshed. I just love it.

2.       Hot chocolate. Rainy days are cozy days, and what’s more cozy than hot chocolate? Whenever a downpour hits, I just want to break out a pot and melt some chocolate. That’s right, this isn't a Swiss Miss house (nothing against it). I want thick dark chocolate melted in cream with red chili and cinnamon. Perfect for a rainy day.

3.       Snuggle time! Rainy days are great for getting under cover and spending some time with a movie, book, or special someone. I don’t have a someone right now, so I’ll by cozying up to The Truth About Cats and Dogs J

4.       Taking photos. I've definitely got a yin to cover my beloved Nikon in some plastic and hit the streets to get some rain shots. I’m especially fond of hitting the beach at the tail end of a rain. The clouds and the sea are just spectacular.

5.       Sleeping. I taught a workshop in the mountains once, in this adorable house with a tin roof. One day it rained and one of my participants stop in the middle of the activity and said, “I’m sorry, but I have to go to bed now.” Something about rain on a tin roof took her there. I get it. Rainy days are great for napping. The temperature drops to perfect, and there really isn't much reason to go outside in a down pour.

6.       Unless you’re going to play. Once at a friend’s house it started to pour outside. I was cozied up on the couch with the cat, very close to sleeping, when I heard my friend’s five year old son ask his dad if they could go play in the rain. I don’t know who was more excited, dad or the kid. They rushed out the door and hit every puddle. When they came back in, they were both soaked and full of the giggles. Loved it.

7.       Sun. I love rainy days for many reasons. One being that it makes me appreciate the sunny days. There is a balance in everything. Darkness helps us appreciate light. Cold helps us appreciate warmth. And rain, with all its charm, makes the sun peeking through the clouds even more exciting. And when rain and sun get together and play, we get rainbows. You can’t be that.

Belief in All its Forms

Those of you who read my blog know that I'm a very spiritual person. I am always looking at the world through the lens of the Divine. Because of that, people rarely question my chosen religion. I am one of someone's fold, and that is a place of comfort in our society.

 I admit to bristling at even hearing the word atheist. It has such a negative association in our society. Which is why I was so heartened to see this video clip from Upworthy. I truly appreciate the beauty of Diana Nyad's view, and her honesty about her position. She wasn't cagey or defensive, but expressive and eloquent. I feel like she gave me a new perspective on atheism, and for that I thank her. Atheism doesn't have to be something dark or scary or defensive. These kinds of dialogues are valuable because they show us our sameness. Please take a few moments out of your day to watch. It is well worth it.

Monday Mantra

This past week has been a rough one. I am sad to admit that I didn't make it through the entire week with the Lakshmi chant. I got hit really hard with depression this week. I managed to muddle through the days by watching a lot of YouTube and keeping my hands busy. That said, I feel like I'm on an upswing, so this week's chant will hopefully give an even bigger push. Without further ado, this Monday's mantra is the Siri Gaitri mantra!

Ra ma da sa, sa say so hung (rah mah dah sah, sah sei so hung)

This Kundalini yoga chant, created by Yogi Bhajan, is one of the most powerful healing mantras out there. It is a combination of several seed sounds that bring balance and new energy to the body. It is also said to tune a soul to the vibration of the Universe. For more information on this chant, click here.

As with other mantras, the most common number of recitations is 108. Below is a link to a wonderful version of this chant by the lovely Snatam Kaur, if you would rather listen to the chant and absorb the energy that way. Also feel free to chant along with her.

Happy Monday, everyone!

The Bully Project

I love Upworthy's videos; so when this one came up in my queue, I watched immediately.



This young man, Caine, is one of countless children being harassed daily in school. As a school teacher, I've seen first hand the struggles that so many of our young people face. It is incredibly difficult to be a kid these days. There are so many more ways for them to be hurt. You would think that as our population becomes more open and more diverse that people would be more accepting. However, that is not the case for so many children in small town America.

What I love the most about Caine's message is that he is using the administrative channels available to him to make change. He's not just trying to end suffering for himself, but for as many kids as possible.

Caine is just one of the representatives for The Bully Project. Please check out their website; and if you're so moved, get involved. We only have one world, and it is imperative that we learn to get along with it and with each other.

If you've had any experience with bullying, please share in the comments below. The more we talk about these issues, the easier it is for us to deal with them.

Cheers!

Monday Mantra

This Monday's mantra is in devotion to the Hindu goddess, Lakshmi. Lakshmi is the goddess of wealth, prosperity, and fortune.

Source

Now that we've been blessed by Ganesha to remove obstacles, it's time to draw in some abundance through a mantra to Lakshmi:

Om Shrim Mahalakshmiyei Namaha (ohm shreem mah-ha-lahk-shmee-yei nah-mah-ha)

This mantra is most commonly translated to mean: Salutations to great Lakshmi. May you pour your blessings upon me. 

This mantra is used to draw abundance and prosperity.

As with most mantra practice, to be most effective this mantra is chanted 108 times. Below is one of my favorite recordings of this chant by the amazing Deva Premal. Feel free to chant along with her or to just listen and take in the energy.

Here's to another great week!
Cheers!

Ganesha Mantra *update*

This week's mantra was in honor of Lord Ganesha, remover of obstacles. (For details, click here.)

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I did this mantra all week, and I will admit it was tough. A lot of obstacles presented themselves this week, maybe because I was focusing my energy on removing them. In any case, chanting this mantra really helped me stay motivated. And oh, the things I was able to achieve:

*I moved into a new apartment.
*I worked on my photo portfolio.
*I painted my first sign.
*I finally found work.

And the biggest hurdle of all, I finally got my photos done for my yoga teacher business cards.

photos by Sandra Herrera, photo editing by me

I am excited about the next steps, but also terrified. It finally feels like things are in motion for me to reestablish myself, and the fear of failure is looming. Or is it the fear of succeeding? I can't be sure. What I do know, is that mantra practice is helping me to focus and keep my energy at a high vibration. Simply put, the practice works.

Be on the look out for a new mantra on Monday!

And please share your experiences with mantra practice in the comments below.

Cheers!

Monday Mantra

I talk a lot about meditation practices here on this blog because meditation is an integral part of my life. I find that it helps me set the tone for my day and keeps my heart, mind, and spirit centered. For the month of September, I hosted a Peace/Joy Meditation Cyber party where I invited anyone who was interested to practice the mantra lokah samastha sukhino bhavantu. (For more info on that click here.) It was so nice to be able to share my meditation practice with others that I decided to start a new feature here on this blog: Monday Mantra.

Every Monday I'll feature a mantra that I intend to use for the week. This is an invitation to anyone who is interested to try mantra meditation using the Monday mantra.Traditionally a mantra is recited 108 times from a comfortable seat with the eyes closed. For more information on mantra meditation, check out this article. You can also check out my blog post on my experience with meditation here to get a little more insight.

Since this Monday marks the end of September and the beginning of a new month, I thought it would be great to invoke a mantra that would help remove any obstacles that might be in the way as we move into October. The Hindu god Ganesha is known as the remover of obstacles. He is also one of my favorite deities. So with that in mind, I present to you the Monday Mantra for the week of September 30:

Om Gam Ganapataye Namaha (oh-m gah-m gah-nah pah-tah-yei nah-mah-ha)

A loose translation of this mantra is: I offer my love and devotion to Ganesha; please grant me success in my noble endeavor.

Here's a little breakdown on why Ganesha is so cool.

Source

And here is a recording of Deva Premal, one of my favorite artists, reciting this meditation 108 times. If you feel that reciting this chant out loud may be difficult, feel free to sit in noble silence and absorb the energy of Deva's chanting.

I hope that this chant makes your entrance into October a little smoother. Please feel free to share your experiences with  this chant or chanting in general in the comment section below. 

Cheers!

By the sea, by the sea, by the bea-ooo-tiful sea!

I have spent the month of September practicing meditation everyday. Usually I do my practice at home by my altar, but today I decided to head to the beach. It was glorious out this morning as I left my apartment to walk to one of the neighborhood beaches here on Isla Mujeres.

Beautiful Limestone Cliffs

Pelican Party

 This beach is not frequented by tourists at all. You won't find any drink sellers, music, or pretty baubles. What you will find here is nature at it's best ~ ocean, sand, sky, and rock.

Perfect Perch

 I could hardly hear myself saying the words of my mantra over the sound of the ocean. It was like I was being absorbed. It was great to experience the force of the water, not just on my toes, but in my ears, my breath.

I live in a beautiful place. So often I take it for granted.

We live in a beautiful world. So often we take it for granted.

How to Stay Encouraged

Almost a month ago, I made the decision to work solely on my art (click here to read more about that.) The first week was magical. Everything seemed to be falling into place. I was writing, painting, and making jewelry. The ideas were flowing. Inspiration was alive and well. Now as I approach the end of the month, those old demons of "you need to get a job" and "this will never work" are coming back to hang out on my shoulders. My yoga practice has suffered, my meditation practice is burdened, and my art just makes me shake my head. I know that every life has it's highs and lows. So I've tried to distract myself by going to the beach, helping out with a local library project, and catching up with my favorite bloggers. This morning as I made the rounds, I found this inspiring video of actress Jenifer Lewis speaking at a conference (warning: she uses a few strong words).



Two of the gems in this video for me were:

"The elevator to success is broken, take the stairs."
What a visual. We all know that good things take time and work, but this image just hit home for me. I know a lot of people who are living their dream write now, and it's easy to get down in the dumps on myself because I'm not where they are. They didn't get there overnight, though. They fought their own battles to get to where they are. Sometimes this staircase seems endless, and the stairs almost to tall to step up on, but I have to keep pushing. This is the journey, it's the only one I get, and I want to be present for it.

"Do your work."
I have always felt that if I did my work, the work of my passion, then everything else would fall into place. I got a little lost these past few days trying to wrap myself in other people's success, instead of doing my own work. I know some days I will have to fake it 'til I make it, but I know if I just do my work then the rest will come. I have to believe that.

So, I'm feeling a little more encouraged today to push through the dark cloud that has been hanging over me. I know that this is all a process and that I have to yield to it.

Something that Broke my Heart a Little

Happy Saturday, everyone. Today's post is a bit of a serious one, but I feel like I have to put my hat in the ring here. A lot of conversation is happening around the new Miss America. That conversation is leading us back to one of the biggest challenges America faces these days, racism. No one wants to talk about racism anymore, because somehow we've decided that it doesn't exist anymore. Maybe because we have a black President. The fact is that it does exist, and we do need to talk about it, because that is the only way we will be able to improve the situation. I could go on, but I think this video by Chescaleigh does a good job of highlighting why racism is still a problem and still something that needs to be discussed. And that is exactly what I am hoping this post will do, start conversation.
Cheers.

Taking Time to Notice

Yellow Hibiscus

When I was living in the Marshall Islands, occasionally I would walk or bike home with a certain friend who lived in my neighborhood. Without fail, whether walking or biking, that friend would always stop at one of the neighbor's homes to smell the roses. This wasn't an exaggerated showy thing or a preachy "smell the roses" thing, but my friend genuinely appreciated the beauty and scent of the flowers. She would take her time smelling one or two and admiring the deep magenta color, then she would continue on her way home. When you live in a place and look at the same things everyday, it is easy to forget how beautiful your surroundings may be. I have lived on islands for six years now, and very seldom take the time to indulge in the majesty of the plants or the ocean. It's pretty shameful, I admit. So today, walking downtown to meet a friend for breakfast, I took a moment and "smelled the roses". Granted these aren't roses, but they are stunning yellow hibiscus flowers. I've seen my share of hibiscus flowers, but don't recall ever seeing yellow ones. It was lovely to take the time to breathe and see something beautiful.

What beautiful things live in your neighborhood?

One More Day until the Meditation Party

I've been practicing the loka samastha sukhino bhavantu chant all week, and can't wait to share the energy with all of you tomorrow! If you're not sure what "tomorrow" is, click here for info.

Japa Meditation and Chanting

The first memory I have I seeing someone doing meditation and chanting is from the movie What’s Love Got to Do with It. 

This was a pivotal moment for a number of reasons:

1)      While I had heard of meditation before, this scene was the first time I had ever seen anyone who looked like me doing it. It made me feel like maybe meditation and chanting were something I could do, too. It took something that was previously a very “woo woo” thing and made it accessible for me.

2)      You could see that each time she picked up the beads and did her chant, she was planting her feet more firmly on solid ground. Having that strong, immediate visual of the effects of meditation was very motivating for me. I could literally see what the transformation of this practice looked like.

3)      There was a visible change in her facial expressions, her tone of voice, and even how she stood. This shift was more than strength, it was an inner calm. Again, the ability to see that change on the screen was very impressionable.

Since that fateful day I have been a student of Buddhism, yoga, and meditation. By far my favorite aspect of all of these practices is meditation. And my favorite part of meditation is chanting. There is a Sanskrit saying, Nada Brahma, which can be translated as “The universe is vibration/sound.” While I appreciate the stillness of seated meditation, for me to get to the higher vibration that makes the sitting work, I need to chant.

When I first started my meditation journey, I simply chanted om as many times as I needed to to feel some kind of vibration. Since then, I’ve learned about the significance of 108 repetitions and acquired several japa mala beads to practice with. There was even a point when I made japa malas as a kind of meditative practice.

Earth Mala for Root Chakra Meditation

I’ve also acquired quite a few chants that I love to use when meditating. Some of my favorites are:

Om Mani Padme Hum

There are many translations for this chant, but most commonly it is said to mean through the practice of a path that is a union of love and compassion with wisdom, you can transform your impure body, speech and mind into the pure exalted body, speech and mind of a Buddha. 

Om Namah Shivaya

Most often translated as meaning, “I bow to Shiva”, where Shiva represents supreme reality and the inner/true self.

Loka Samastha Sukhino Bhavantu

A wonderful chant for happiness and freedom for all beings, and also the chant for my upcoming meditation party. For more info click here.

Chants are great for meditation, but it is the intention behind the words that truly holds the power. Saying the name of someone you love, or saying peace or love or joy 108 times will also yield powerful results. One of my all-time favorite chants is simply “Thank you”.

If you’re looking for a way to distress, to find calm, or to tap into something bigger than yourself, japa is a wonderful way in. Here are some instructions:

Find a comfortable seat. This can be in a chair or cross-legged or kneeling on the floor.

If you have mala beads, hold them in your right hand between your thumb and index finger. Place your thumb on the first bead after the guru bead (the big bead connected to the tassel). If you don’t have mala beads, simply place your hands in your lap.

Close your eyes or bring a soft gaze to the floor. Bring your attention to your breathing, noticing the rise and fall of breath entering the body. Call up a word or phrase that resonates with your heart in that moment. Say it out loud or to yourself.

If you are using mala beads, continue saying that word or phrase, each time moving to the next bead until you return to the guru bead. If you are not using mala beads, simply continue to repeat the word until you feel a stillness in the mind.

After chanting, take a moment to sit in the energy you created. Bring your attention back to your breath.

Slowly open or lift your eyes, and gently bring yourself back to your surroundings.

Joy/Peace Meditation Party

It has occurred to me that when people gather together with a goal in mind, there is power in the energy that is created. With all that is happening in the world right now, I thought it might be nice to send some positive love/light energy up in a big way. I would like to invite anyone who reads this blog or even stumbles upon in by accident to join me on Friday, September 13th in doing a round of japa (108 repititions) of the Sankrit chant Loka Samastha Sukhino Bhavantu. One translation of this chant is:

“May all beings everywhere be happy and free, and may the thoughts, words, and actions of my own life contribute in some way to that happiness and to that freedom for all.” (www.jivamuktiyoga.com)

 Japa usually takes about 20 minutes to complete. Feel free to choose anytime on Friday that you will have space to do the chant. If 108 repetitions is a bit much, do what you can with as much intention as possible. If this is your first time chanting, here's a wonderful recording of this chant by Miten & Deva Premal.




 If chanting is not your thing, then maybe just take a moment on Friday to say the English words aloud, sending up this prayer for freedom and happiness for all. 

So often we focus our energy on what we don't want, but there is so much more power in uplifting what we do want. I hope you will join me on Friday to uplift happiness and freedom for all beings, which most of us would probably say we want in the world.

Overcoming Obstacles and Living Dreams

Overcoming Obstacles and Living Dreams

This past three months has been a whirlwind for me. I've managed to leave the place I called home for five years, quitting my job in the process. I also visited Frida Kahlo’s house and achieved my Kripalu Yoga Teacher 200 hour certification. Which brings me to the present moment, sitting in an apartment in Isla Mujeres, Mexico, looking out at paints, beads, canvases, fabrics, oil pastels, Sharpies, drawing pencils, and lots of silk thread.  How did I get here?

New Creative Space

Well, like most people traveling long distances, I arrived on a plane. This particular plane trip, however, brought some insight that I had not previously had the presence or quietness of mind to receive. The insight came when I opened my backpack to dig out my “plane read” for the trip. I've been reading a book by Bill Bryson called Mother Tongue, and was really looking forward to finishing it. I was sure that was the book I had put in my bag. The book that was waiting for me, however, was The Alchemist. I have read this book more times than I can remember, and I always have a copy with me. In fact, I read it at the beginning of June after leaving behind my life in the Marshall Islands. At many points in my life I have taken in the ups and downs of Santiago’s (the main character), journey as a gentle reminder that the treasure I seek is always within reach. So, when I saw that it was the book I had for this trip, my initial reaction was, this again? But I jumped in, since it was what I had, starting with Coehlo’s Ten Years On introduction, which I usually skip. Imagine my surprise to find that, despite having written the introduction in 2002, Coehlo was speaking directly to me. That’s right, he must have had a premonition that in 2013, at a pivotal moment, I would need to read just the words he was writing, detailing the four obstacles to achieving a dream.

The first obstacle Coehlo points out is that we begin to bury our dreams as children. Eventually our dreams become so deeply buried that we have trouble hearing them call us at all. I have spent the better part of 10 years working and only giving attention to my dreams of being an artist/yoga teacher/world traveler in my “free time”. I prided myself on being an artist with a job; I could pay my bills. Art happened in spurts, yoga teaching happened after l finished work, and traveling happened during breaks. When work wore me out, these things didn't happen. In this way, I managed to live what I felt like was a pretty full life, but there was something missing.

This brings me to Coehlo’s second obstacle, love. He says, “We know what we want to do, but are afraid of hurting those around us by abandoning everything in order to pursue our dream.” I have loved the arts since I was a child, but I didn't know how to be an artist and make money. All I knew about artists was that they struggled. I didn't want to struggle, and I knew I needed money to survive. But when you love something it is a part of you, and the impulse to be with that something is always knocking, pushing, screaming, and saying come back come back come back. When I said goodbye to my parents this last time, I felt my heart tear, but I knew I had to go to be with the thing I love. I need time and space that being with my parents couldn't afford me. I felt the same way when I left behind the people I love in the Marshall Islands, but I had to go for the same reasons. The thing I love was calling me back.

Love, mixed media on muslin

Now running into the arms of the thing I love, I know that Coehlo’s third obstacle is waiting in the wings. That obstacle is fear of the defeats on the path. In my world, I am a jet-setting artist yogini healer Amazon ready to fully express every aspect of my being. In the real world, I am an unemployed 30-something black woman with a lot of debt tipping the scales in my favor by running to Mexico to optimize what little savings I have. I am already a failure. Add to that the fact that I don’t know if the world even wants my art or how I will get to the world, the defeat just keeps piling up. And I am terrified. Terrified that I've made a mistake. Terrified that I won’t be able to provide for my needs. And terrified that I will just end up being another disappointment to the people who care about me. But, as Coehlo says, “The secret of life, though, is to fall seven times and to get up eight times.” Anything worth having is worth fighting for. I would add that the old adage, Believe in yourself, is another secret to life. I believe that I am a jet-setting artist yogini healer Amazon. And furthermore, I know that the people I love believe it, too. I can’t thank those people enough for being my angels. I have carried them around in my heart as my sword and shield in this time of change, and will continue to do so with every step. How could I not overcome obstacles with the strength of my angels radiating from my heart?

esperanza en el corazon, acrylic on canvas

Coehlo’s fourth obstacle is by far the hardest one to face. It is the fear of realizing the dream.

What happens if I win?

Coehlo quotes Oscar Wilde saying, “Each man kills the thing he loves.” I know that I have been guilty of this over and over again. I have asked for, prayed for, shook my fists at the sky for, and the moment it arrived I have hid and pushed it away because it was easier/more familiar to stay where I was. I am an expert at building walls while craving light and love. It is not easy to embrace our truth because it means we have to embrace the divine light that wants to radiate from us. I rarely have a problem seeing this light in others, but shining my own is frightening. Will people resent me? Will I be too exposed? But here I am, sitting in this apartment in Isla Mujeres, Mexico, looking out at paints, beads, canvases, fabrics, oil pastels, Sharpies, drawing pencils, and lots of silk thread. I am here because I can no longer ignore myself. I can no longer push down the me that wants to rise up.

Pieces of Angels

I often contemplate the question, “What would I do if money was not an issue?” My answer has always been in the ballpark of make art, do yoga, and travel. The fine folks at immigration here in Mexico have granted me up to 180 days to do just that. I have enough money to pay my rent for that time and keep food on the table. I have no idea what is waiting for me on the other side of this journey, but I am heartened by Coehlo’s closing words, “…if you believe yourself worthy of the thing you fought so hard to get, then you become an instrument of God, you help the Soul of the World, and you understand why you are here.”

I’m ready.

Change

Life gave me a whirlwind

I decided to make waves

To ride the crests back to shore

Take in the sun

Then ride them back out

And out some more

To explore