More Classic Mantras

Yoga Teacher Student Prayer 

OM saha navavatu
saha nau bhunaktu
saha viryam karavavahai
tejasvi navadhitam astu
ma vidvishavahai
OM shanti, shanti, shanti
May we be protected together.
May we be nourished together.
May we create strength among one another.
May our study be filled with brilliance and light.
May there be no hostility between us.
Om peace, peace, peace.
Gayatri Mantra
Om bhur bhuvah svaha
Tat savitur varenyam
Bargo devasya dhimahi
Dhiyo yona prachodayat
I reflect on the unity of Divine Spirit, which pervades everything in the earth, the atmosphere and heavens.
May this Supreme Consciousness protect me and illuminate my intellect that I may realize my inherent oneness with That.
I meditate on the great luminous light that enlightens all three worlds.
May it enlighten all.

Namaste’
~~ I honor the light in you and in all – used as a greeting and goodbye
Loka samasta sukino bhavantu
~~ May the entire universe be filled with peace and joy, love and light.
Asatoma sad gamaya ~ Tama soma jyotir gamaya ~ Mritorma amritam gamaya
~~ Lead us from the unreal to the real. Lead us from darkness to light. Lead us from death to immortality.

Mantras for Japa (repetition)
108 Beads on a Mala, 125,000 for mantra siddhi

Om
~~King and Queen of all mantras ~ sound of infinity and immortality. Contains supreme wisdom.
Om Namo/Namah/Namaha ~Shri
~~ Used to invoke, appreciate and honor a deity Swaha – giving of self, let go
Om Shanti Om Shanti Om or Shanti, Shanti, Shanti, Om
~~ for peace
So Hum
~ I am that. Universal mantra sound of the breath ~ so is inhalation, hum is exhalation.
Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya
~~ to the divine indweller in all. Oneness.
Hari Om
~~ Purifies and removes obstacles. Opens the heart. Awakens prana (natural energy) in the body.
Sita Ram ~ opens the heart and celebrates love
Om Shri Saraswataya Namaha – for help & inspiration in art, music, literature
Om Shri Kali Durgaya Namaha – dispels negativity, provided protection
Om Shri Ramaya Namaha ~ Ram is a name for God. It engenders God consciousness, truth, blessings
Om Namah Shivaya – honors the divine within oneself & others – destroys negativity & replaces with positive
Om Gum Ganipati-ya Namaha – to remove obstacles and bring success
Om Shrim Lahshmi-ya Namana – for noble abundance, prosperity, beauty, grace
Om Tara Tu Tara Tu Ray Swaha ~ for rescue & benevolent help – for compassion
strength & healing
Gate gate Para gate Para sum gate Bodhi Swaha ~~ Gone beyond the beyond to enlightenment (Buddhist)
Om mani padme hum – the Jewel of the lotus of the heart (Buddhist)

Bija Mantras for the Chakras

Chakra Bija sounds for activation

1 Lam
2 Vam
3 Ram
4 Yam
5 Hum
6 Om
7 Silence or Ommmmmm

Vowels to share and spread energy

1   O as in toe
2   O as in two
3   Ah as in awe
4   A as in play
5   E as in Speak
6   M as in mmmmmmm
7   Silent or ommmmmm or NG as in wing or silence

Shakti Bija Mantras To invoke the Feminine Divine 

Aim
Saraswati,
Art, Music, Literature, Wisdom
Hrim
Parvati
Purification,Transformation
Klim/Krim
Kali
Fiercely conquers obstacles, energizes
Dum
Durga
Warrior of Protection
Shrim
Lakshmi
Abudance, Beauty, Grace
Tam
Tara
Mercy, Compassion, Removes fear. Protects

Namaste

Ash

Forward Bending

Forward bends are not just to see if you can grab your toes, they serve a bigger bang than that satisfaction.  Forward bends teach patience. It takes a long time to enter them deeply.  As a beginner should bend knees if the hamstrings are tight.  When forward bending  Enlightenment doesn't necessarily occur when the head reaches the legs.  Some will eventually find that they are at a point in their practice where they can't reach the floor or can bring the forehead to the shins. The realization of yoga is to be fully conscious, present, and content at whatever stage of the practice you have attained.  Every student is on a different path and place in their practice.  Your practice is unique.  Cherish that uniqueness!  Interestinglying, when you are truly satisfied right where you are, your pose often opens up and you can easily move forward. Some Benefits of forward bends include: - Calms the mind and helps to relieve stress and mild depression. -Stimulates the Liver and Kidneys -Stretches the Hamstrings, calves, and hips -Strengthens the thighs and knees -Improves digestion -Fatigue and Anxeity reduce -Relieves Headaches and Insomnia -Theraputic for ailments such as: asthma, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, and sinusitis It truely is amazing how the body, when stimulated through different poses and pranayama, can heal itself.  Your body is your temple.  You have one chance.. one opportunity to worship, maintain, and celebrate the body your spirit inhabits.  Treat it well and reap the benefits Namaste Ash Here are some Forward Bends to kick off the weekend!!  Uttanasana Padangusthasana (Big Toe Pose) Uttana Shishoasana Ahdo Muka Svanasana

Vinyasa.. Like Beads on a Garland

Vinyasa arises from merging breath and movement into one another. Asanas become the pearls on a thread, thoughts like raindrops in the ocean, practice becomes an energetic track in the ether, the breath like the rush of the sea...

 
Vinyasa (movement) connects the individual postures (Asana) like pearls on a garland.The Ujjayi breath runs evenly through the movements (Vinyasa) and postures (Asanas), like the thread in the centre of the garland. This sequence of breath and movement of Ashtanga yoga, according to the tradition has been practised in this way for thousands of years. Each Vinyasa is supported either by an inhalation or an exhalation. Often, extra breaths are connected to the vinyasa. It can take a while until you have understood the system, but then you can ride effortlessly along the garland.

It is like using the body to pray with a rosary. Your thoughts are dissolved in the flow of movement, like raindrops that fall into the Ganga (=Ganges) and carried to the ocean.

Meditation in movement is created; in breath – Vinyasa – Ujjayi – movement - breath … - no thought. „ 
yogah chitta vritti nirodhah (योगः चित्त वृत्ति निरोधः, yogaḥ citta vṛtti nirodhaḥ) (Yoga is the suspension of the fluctuations of the mind)“ Yoga Sutra 1.2.

Everything that we do has a consequence. A footprint is left behind, a energetic track in the ether.When I stand on my mat in the morning, I can feel the gigantic energy field. For thousands of years, yogis have practiced this sequence of movements. The practise is already there, waiting for me, it calls me anew each morning. I stand on my mat, like at a bus stop. I wait for the practise. It’s energy field is strong, strong enough to carry me from vinyasa to vinyasa.
„

Why is there a Vinyasa between each Asana (static Position)?“.This question is bordering on a misunderstanding: The Vinyasa is not between the Asanas, rather the Asana is between the Vinyasas. The postures are pauses in the flow of the movement.

If you try to bend glass while it is cold, it will break. Only when it is heated can it be formed.Your body behaves in the same way. If you try to perform asana without the necessary heat, you can injure yourself. Your vinyasa practise creates this inner fire. 

The traditional practise method is repeated in the Vinyasa-Count :Name of the asana, complete vinyasa count, vinyasa number, at which the asana is reached. A detailed description of the individual movements follows: Traditional numbering, supporting breath (IN/EX), additional breaths in brackets, traditional duration in an asana (xBR). The count listed is always the complete count, from standing back to standing. The movements actually performed during the vinyasa sequence are printed bold.

Purvattanasana
Vinyasa: 15Asana: 8
1 IN raise hands up
2 EX stretch forward and down to Uttanasana
3 IN open the chest, look to third eye
4 EX float back to Chaturanga Dandasana
5 IN roll up to Urdhva Mukha Svanasana
6 EX roll back to Adho Mukha Svanasana
7 IN float up to arm balancing
(EX) lower slowly into Dandasana, place hands behind the back
8 IN lift hips up to Purvattanasana
5BR Purvattanasana
9 EX lower down to Dandasana
10 IN roll up to arm balance
11 EX float back to Chaturanga Dandasana
12 IN roll up to Urdhva Mukha Svanasana
13 EX roll back to Adho Mukha Svanasana
14 IN float forward, look to the horizon
15 EX head down to Uttanasana
16 IN head up, leave hands on the ground

(*via www.ashtangayoga.info)

4th

"May it be to the world, what I believe it will be ... the signal of arousing men to burst the chains ... and to assume the blessings and security of self-government. That form, which we have substituted, restores the free right to the unbounded exercise of reason and freedom of opinion. All eyes are opened, or opening, to the rights of man. ... For ourselves, let the annual return of this day forever refresh our recollections of these rights, and an undiminished devotion to them."

-Thomas Jefferson in reference to the Declariastion of Independence

In spirit of the great country we live in, the idea of it and what it can be, and the strength of "the People" when we come together.. here are some strong poses to allow that energy and pride flow through your whole body.  Enjoy this day.  A day of rest, a day of bbq, a day we are all proud to be American at the same time.

Happy Forth of July!

Garudasana : Eagle Pose
Vrksasana : Tree Pose
Virabhadrasana I : Warrior I
Virabhadrasana II : Warrior II
Virabhadrasana III : Warrior III
Chaturanga Dandasana : Staff
Tadasana : Mountain

ॐ

Namaste ॐ : The meaning is more than just the spoken.

The gesture Namaste represents the belief that there is a Divine spark within each of us that is located in the heart chakra. The gesture is an acknowledgment of the soul in one by the soul in another. "Nama" means bow, "as" means I, and "te" means you. Therefore, Namaste literally means "bow me you" or "I bow to you. To perform Namaste, we place the hands together at the heart charka, close the eyes, and bow the head. It can also be done by placing the hands together in front of the third eye, bowing the head, and then bringing the hands down to the heart. This is an especially deep form of respect. Although in the West the word "Namaste" is usually spoken in conjunction with the gesture, in India, it is understood that the gesture itself signifies Namaste, and therefore, it is unnecessary to say the word while bowing.
We bring the hands together at the heart chakra to increase the flow of Divine love. Bowing the head and closing the eyes helps the mind surrender to the Divine in the heart. One can do Namaste to oneself as a meditation technique to go deeper inside the heart chakra; when done with someone else, it is also a beautiful, albeit quick, meditation.
For a teacher and student, Namaste allows two individuals to come together energetically to a place of connection and timelessness, free from the bonds of ego-connection. If it is done with deep feeling in the heart and with the mind surrendered, a deep union of spirits can blossom.
Ideally, Namaste should be done both at the beginning and at the end of class. Usually, it is done at the end of class because the mind is less active and the energy in the room is more peaceful. The teacher initiates Namaste as a symbol of gratitude and respect toward her students and her own teachers and in return invites the students to connect with their lineage, thereby allowing the truth to flow—the truth that we are all one when we live from the heart.
 

(*via yogajournal.com Recognized as one of the world's top yoga teachers, Aadil Palkhivala began studying yoga at the age of seven with B.K.S. Iyengar and was introduced to Sri Aurobindo's yoga three years later. He received the Advanced Yoga Teacher's Certificate at the age of 22 and is the founder-director of internationally renowned Yoga Centers™ in Bellevue, Washington. Aadil is also a federally certified Naturopath, a certified Ayurvedic Health Science Practitioner, a clinical hypnotherapist, a certified Shiatsu and Swedish bodywork therapist, a lawyer, and an internationally sponsored public speaker on the mind-body-energy connection.

Urdhva Dhanurasana : Current Asana Goal

Upward Bow or Wheel Pose

Urdhva Dhanurasana

(OORD-vah don-your-AHS-anna)
urdhva = upward
dhanu = bow
Step by Step
Lie supine on the floor. Bend your knees and set your feet on the floor, heels as close to the sitting bones as possible. Bend your elbows and spread your palms on the floor beside your head, forearms relatively perpendicular to the floor, fingers pointing toward your shoulders.
Pressing your inner feet actively into the floor, exhale and push your tailbone up toward the pubis, firming (but not hardening) the buttocks, and lift the buttocks off the floor. Keep your thighs and inner feet parallel. Take 2 or 3 breaths. Then firmly press the inner hands into the floor and your shoulder blades against the back and lift up onto the crown of your head. Keep your arms parallel. Take 2 or 3 breaths.
Press your feet and hands into the floor, tailbone and shoulder blades against your back, and with an exhalation, lift your head off the floor and straighten your arms. Turn the upper thighs slightly inward and firm the outer thighs. Narrow the hip points and lengthen the tailbone toward the backs of the knees, lifting the pubis toward the navel.
Turn the upper arms outward but keep the weight on the bases of the index fingers. Spread the shoulder blades across the back and let the head hang, or lift it slightly to look down at the floor.
Stay in the pose anywhere from 5 to 10 seconds or more, breathing easily. Repeat anywhere from 3 to 10 times.

Anatomical Focus

• Wrists

Therapeutic Applications

• Osteoporosis

Benefits

• Stretches the chest and lungs
• Strengthens the arms and wrists, legs, buttocks, abdomen, and spine
• Stimulates the thyroid and pituitary
• Increases energy and counteracts depression
• Therapeutic for asthma, back pain, infertility, and osteoporosis

Contraindications and Cautions

• Back injury
• Carpal tunnel syndrome
• Diarrhea
• Headache
• Heart problems
• High or low blood pressure

Beginner's Tip

The knees and feet tend to splay as you lift into this pose, which compresses the lower back. In the beginning position, loop and secure a strap around your thighs, just above the knees, to hold the thighs at hip width and parallel to each other. To keep the feet from turning out, place a block between them, with the bases of the big toes pressing the ends of the block. As you go up, press the feet into the block.

Variations

Eka Pada Urdhva Dhanurasana (pronounced ACHE-ah POD-ah, eka = one, pada = foot or leg)
Perform Urdhva Dhanurasana. Shift your weight onto the left foot and, with an exhalation, bend your right knee and draw it into your torso. Then inhale and extend the right leg at about a 45 degree angle relative to the floor. Hold for 5 to 10 seconds, exhale, bend the knee and return the foot to the floor. Repeat with the left leg for the same length of time.

Modifications and Props

Often the armpits and/or groins are tight and restrict full movement into this pose. You can support either your hands or feet on a pair of blocks to help yourself realize the full backbend. Be sure to brace the blocks against a wall, and if you like, cover them with a sticky mat to keep the hands or feet from slipping.

Partnering

A partner can help you learn about the work in the shoulders in this pose. Have your partner stand at your head, facing you. Perform the pose. Your partner can bring his/her hands around the sides of your torso so that his/her palms cover the shoulder blades and encourage them to widen away from the spine.

Preparatory Poses

• Bhujangasana
• Setu Bandha Sarvangasana
• Urdhva Mukha Svanasana
• Virasana

Follow-Up Poses

• Ardha Matsyendrasana
• Supta Padangusthasana

Deepen The Pose

Once in the pose, lift your heels away from the floor and press your tailbone toward the ceiling. Walk the feet a little closer to the hands. Then, from the height of the tailbone, press the heels into the floor again. This will increase the depth of the backbend.

(*via yogajournal.com)

This asana tends to give me anxiety.  My mind is what holds me back from doing something I know my body is able to do.  Also I think I try to move into the asana way too fast and I end up not even getting close.  This above instruction gives good direction.  If I can do salamba sirasana I can work into Urdhva Dhanurasana :)

Tonight is restorative.  Love this class.  Love the teacher.  Carrie uses aromatherapy and does this amazing light movement of her fingers over your forehead (your third eye).. it instantly relaxes the body further and the mind calms even more.  

Restorative yoga resets the nervous system, calms the mind, relaxes the body, and is supported by many props.  Depending on the sequence a Bolster or two, two blocks, one sand bag, two blankets, and a strap.


Ash

Doshas.. Which mix are you?

Discover Your Dosha

What are Doshas you ask?  Well the three doshas—vata, pitta, and kapha—are principles. They can't be seen with the naked eye, but their effects in the body can't be missed. Thought to be condensed from different combinations of the primal elements earth, water, fire, air, and ether, the doshas are the life energies behind all of our bodily functions. Each of them commands a specific force in the body, and each is associated with certain sensory qualities.

Dosha is a Sanskrit word that means "fault," "defect," or "that which darkens." It comes from the root dush, meaning "to become corrupt or bad; to sin." A classical text of Ayurveda, the Charaka Samhita, employs it mainly to indicate excess that is capable of causing disease.

We each have all three of the doshas in our physiology, but each individual has different proportions of each, so everyone’s dosha is unique. Ayurveda explains that human being are made up of the five elements- air, space, fire, water, and earth. We breathe air to oxygenate our tissues. Space fills up the hollows in our body cavities. Fire takes place in our digestive tract, as we break down food and burn energy. Water makes up 2/3 of us, and earth makes up our bones. These elements make up the doshas. Vata is air and space, while Pitta is fire and water, and Kapha is earth and water.

Analyzing everything from teeth and nails to temperament and sleep habits can help you identify your Ayurvedic constitution.

Dosha Test!

Select the trait under each category that most applies to you. (A) responses correspond to vata, (b) to pitta, and (c) to kapha. When you are finished, calculate your results to discover your dominant constitution.

Height

1. Tall or very short
2. Medium
3. Usually short, but can be tall and large

Frame

1. Thin, bony, good muscles
2. Moderate, developed
3. Large, well-built

Weight

1. Low; hard to hold weight
2. Moderate
3. Heavy; hard to lose weight

Skin Luster

1. Dull or dusky
2. Ruddy, lustrous
3. White or pale

Skin Texture

1. Dry, rough, thin
2. Warm, oily
3. Cold, damp, thick

Eyes

1. Small, nervous
2. Piercing, easily inflamed
3. Large, white

Hair

1. Dry, thin
2. Thin, oily
3. Thick, oily, wavy, lustrous

Teeth

1. Crooked, poorly formed
2. Moderate, bleeding gums
3. Large, well-formed

Nails

1. Rough, brittle
2. Soft, pink
3. Soft, white

Joints

1. Stiff, crack easily
2. Loose
3. Firm, large

Circulation

1. Poor, variable
2. Good
3. Moderate

Appetite

1. Variable, nervous
2. High, excessive
3. Moderate but constant

Thirst

1. Low, scanty
2. High
3. Moderate

Sweating

1. Scanty
2. Profuse but not enduring
3. Low to start but profuse

Stool

1. Hard or dry
2. Soft, loose
3. Normal

Urination

1. Scanty
2. Profuse, yellow
3. Moderate, clear

Sensitivities

1. Cold, dryness, wind
2. Heat, sunlight, fire
3. Cold, damp

Immune Function

1. Low, variable
2. Moderate, sensitive to heat
3. High

Disease Tendency

1. Pain, inflammation
2. Fever, edema
3. Congestion

Disease Type

1. Nervous
2. Blood, liver
3. Mucous, lungs

Activity

1. High, restless
2. Moderate
3. Low, moves slowly

Endurance

1. Poor, easily exhausted
2. Moderate but focused
3. High

Sleep

1. Poor, disturbed
2. Variable
3. Excessive

Dreams

1. Frequent, colorful
2. Moderate, romantic
3. Infrequent, disturbed

Memory

1. Quick but absent-minded
2. Sharp, clear
3. Slow but steady

Speech

1. Fast, frequent
2. Sharp, cutting
3. Slow, melodious

Temperament

1. Nervous, changeable
2. Motivated
3. Content, conservative

Positive Emotions

1. Adaptability
2. Courage
3. Love

Negative Emotions

1. Fear
2. Anger
3. Attachment

Faith

1. Variable, erratic
2. Strong, determined
3. Steady but slow to change

Totals

1. ____
2. ____
3. ____

When you are finished, calculate your results to discover your dominant constitution. (A) responses correspond to vata, (b) to pitta, and (c) to kapha.

My scores:
a  7
b  9
c  11

With that being said I am prodominatly Kapha, followed by Vata, and last is Pita!

Now the fun really begins :) 

Ash