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Yoga Help

CAN YOGA HELP CALM YOUR BODY AND MIND?

THE YIN TO THE YANG
My greatest asset in life has always been my fiery self-drive. I've always worked hard in every point of my life, whether at my investment banking class in New York, my class at Bain & Company, and of course, my yoga journey.
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However, this eventually took a great toll on my health, forcing me to reevaluate how to balance my fiery-drive to succeed and my personal health.

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In this section, I'll provide you my exclusive collection of inspiring readings that have helped me on my path to peace.

OVER THE YEARS I’VE LEARNED I HAVE TO BALANCE THIS FIRE WITHIN MYSELF.

BELOW ARE SOME INSPIRING READINGS THAT I’VE FOUND HELPFUL IN MY OWN PATH.

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WHY SLEEP IS IMPORTANT

For many decades I thought that more hours of work made one more effective.  One needs to work hard, but only to a point.  It took me decades to figure out that I’m much happier, smarter, and present better results in school and at work when I sleep more.  Fewer focused hours are much better for me than many exhausted, unfocused hours. Check the study and document down below to learn more.

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ANXIETY & RELAXATION

Anxiety is another problem that has plagued me for years, yet yoga has helped me manage it to the point it’s not even a problem anymore. Check out The Anti-Drug for Anxiety, by Stacie Stukin. I'd also recommend you check out Peter Axt's new book on relaxation, called Relaxation Helps you Live Longer. Both resources are available below. More Info

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CONDITIONS FOR CALM

This excellent document by Roger Cole helps explain why it’s important to counterbalance an active vinyasa practice with something slower and how to do it. Find out more below.

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THE IMPORTANCE OF COMMUNITY

Finally, I found out that we need community as yogis to achieve an overall meaningful journey. This articleby Matthew Hutson outlines some very interesting studies which show that people prefer a shock to being alone.  Perhaps we as yoga teachers need to focus even more strongly in our efforts to build more community in our classes and studios.

CALMING THE MIND

Modern scientific helps us understand how our mind becomes disturbed.  When humans become stressed, our neocortex turns off and we begin to rely upon our limbic brain.  Our hypothalamus activates the sympathetic nervous system via the vagus nerve.  The signals sent by the hypothalamus producers neurotransmitters and chemicals such as Cortisol, which send our bodies into a perpetual Flight of Flight Response.  The Flight or Flight State eliminates our ability to process information well, as we cannot activate the neocortex.

THE BRAIN
The brain can be divided in three parts:

Yoga for Body

The Brainstem: “Survival Brain”

  • First part of the brain to develop in humans and comes from reptiles

  • Responsible for survival instinct, the body’s automatic response such as breathing and beating the heart, balance and regulation of motor skills.

  • Regulates body movement related to sense of time and space and activates the center related to concentration and learning abilities

  • Overrides the limbic system and neocortex

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The Limbic System: “Emotional Brain”

  • Second part of the brain to develop in humans (after the brainstem)

  • Responsible for motivation, interpersonal relationships, memory, emotions, and learning

  • Amygdala, within the limbic system, is the brain’s alarm system

  • Hippocampus, within the limbic system, is responsible for learning and long-term memory

  • When overactive overrides the neocortex

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Neocortex/New Cortex/Prefrontal Cortex, Frontal Lobe: “Thinking Brain”

  • Not fully developed until 25 years old; human is the only animal to have a fully developed prefrontal cortex

  • Responsible for concentration, thinking, conscious memories, planning, and control of impulses, empathy, and ‘gut feel’

  • Regulates ability to speak and to express oneself and verbalize emotions

  • At any age, the prefrontal cortex is vulnerable to go off-line in response to threat

  • Trauma can impact the prefrontal cortex, especially of children, because it develops last

Yoga for Body
The neocortex has two halves.  The left half of the neocortex is responsible analytical and intelligence functions.  The right side of the neocortex is responsible for creativity and idealistic thoughts. Counter intuitively, activity in the left neocortex can be stimulated with joy, love, and emotional engagements.  The right neocortex is stimulated by fear and anger. 
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The Fight or Flight Response (also known as the Stress Response) has helped our ancestors survive threats.  When the Fight or Flight Response is engaged, the hypothalamus activates the sympathetic nervous system. The body releases high levels of adrenaline, epinephrine, and norepinephrine, and one feels the need to run or fight.  The Fight or Flight Response is characterized by uncertainty, paralysis, powerlessness, and avoidance.  This response was developed through evolution to help us run away from predictor or fight them off.  It helped save our ancestors from being eaten (stop thinking deeply and get away from that Lion!).  Today the level of reaction triggered by the Stress Response has becomes less necessary and riskier in a world where others depend more on their prefrontal cortex and less on their ability to kill one another.
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The hypothalamus controls Pituitary which releases cortisol during the Fight or Flight Reponses.  Cortisol is the body’s main stress hormone that usually peaks around 5am and slowly tappers until bedtime.  More intense, shorter cortisol bursts along with adrenaline occurs when the brain senses danger.  Chemicals cross the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis and sends a signal to the pituitary gland (the general of the hormone army), triggering a fight or flight response. If our brains remain on perpetual, high alert either via stress, Red Bull, or other situations, then we are always inundated with these excess cortisol and adrenaline which make sleep more difficult and result in panic attacks over time.  Over time practicing Half Lotus, Peacock, and Breath work can help develop adrenal glands that respond in a calmer manner but engaging in a yoga pose during a Stress Response is not always practical.
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Extreme the stress responses can cause acidosis.  Acidosis causes central nervous system depression as one’s body tries to protect itself, leading to comatose state.  Alkalosis causes hyper-excitability of the central nervous system.  By lower hydrogen levels (linked to CO2) and lowering our breath rate, one reduces acidosis and activates the parasympathetic system. Lower hydrogen levels slow the breath.  
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The Fight or Flight System is controlled by the Sympathetic Nervous System.  The Parasympathetic System controls the Relaxation Response.  The Fight or Flight Response can be tuned down by engaging the Parasympathetic Nervous System.
An important survival technique critical to adapting to our modern world involves engaging the relaxation response.
The relaxation response counteracts the Fight or Flight Response via lower the heart rates, blood pressure, sweating, and many other body systems.   The Parasympathetic Nervous System also stimulates digestion, stimulates gallbladder, contracts bladder, and contracts pupils.
One of the most powerful ways to engage the Parasympathetic Nervous System is breathing to activate the vagus nerve, also called 10th (X) cranial nerve.  The vagus nerve is the longest and most complex of the cranial nerves and runs from the brain through the face and thorax to the abdomen. It is a mixed nerve that contains parasympathetic fibers.
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Deep, slow breathing activates the vagus nerve and allows for all the organs linked to it to start to release their “Fight or Flight” response.
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The sympathetic nerves on the left side of the below diagram are most often activated but by closing the eyes via the oculomotor nerve (CNIII), a deep breath relaxes the vagus nerve (CN X), which is linked more directly to the parasympathetic system.  Organisms are extremely parasympathetic in nature as they come about via the splanchnic nerve.
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Vagus Nerve

Perhaps this is because we laugh more and this enables the vagus nerve to Relax. 

Breathing activates the vagus nerve.  Think of one’s main lower chest diaphragm as a jellyfish that leads the motion. The diaphragm tightens and flattens, allowing air into the lungs. To breathe out (exhale), the diaphragm and rib cage muscles relax. This naturally lets the air out of the lungs.  During inhalation, the diaphragm contracts and pulls downward while the muscles between the ribs contract and pull upward.  The chest should expand with proper breathing.  Yogis rely upon chest breathing, not belly breathing.  There is much more room in the lungs for air in than in the belly.  Belly breathing can be used as a short term, intermediate step to stop superficial rapid breathing, but it will never achieve the same oxygenation levels or benefits of true chest breathing that has been taught by yogis for millennia.  The increases the size of the thoracic cavity and decreases the pressure inside.  The diaphragm pumps blood and lymph fluid.  The lungs are also known as a prana pump.  The body also has a diaphragm in the throat and the pelvis which are beyond the scope here.  Mastering the lower chest diaphragm is most important for building prana.

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A few minor tweaks can improve the benefits of one’s breath.  The best breath is via the nose.  The nose cools the air which prevents disease.  Nasal hairs act as our own air filter, which generally self-clean but can be aided by neti. Equalizing the inhale and exhale makes the breath slow over time.  BP is lower when one slows the breath.  Inhaling and stretching the lungs can potentially reduce depression.  Engage the transverse abdominals.  Rib ring closure improves via engaging upper transverse abdominals to close the lower rib cage and pull it in and down. One’s energy then follows the intention, sending blood and oxygen to the area of target when breathing properly.  Chanting or “bees breath” (making loud buzzing sounds) and singing helps stimulate the vagus nerve. Ones salivates when related via vagus nerve.  Laughter, long slow breaths also help it.  The tip of the tongue to the roof of the mouth or cold-water wash for face also help. Crystals may help, as will being outside. Light touch, blanks, sand banks, and darkness help with PNS.

 

The lungs have 300 million air sacs in each lung. Alveda changes with the blood.  Heavy sweat when breathing intensely is a sign of proper breathing in yoga.  The sweat glands are micro kidneys and filters.  The skin removes salts and toxins. Rejoice in your sweat.  Proper breathing can extend our lives.  Turtles breath 4 breaths a minute and live for hundreds of years.  Could we live longer if we slowed our breath?  On average a human breathes 21,600 times a day.  Many yogis believe that they will live longer if they slow their breath.  Slowing down can boost one’s immune system, boost serotonin and produce a longer life as Dr. Peter Axt outlines in The Joy of Laziness. Laughing according to Dr. Axt does more for health than running.  Running is health too but laughing is even more important.

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Breath is the same as prana, which is the same as energy.  Breath keeps everything flowing.  The exhale symbolizes the surrender of the conscious mind.  When breathing send the energy up the spine. Heat is a symptom of anger or blocked prana.  Heart vibrations are silent but expanding into the flow of consciousness or spanda.

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Proper breathing calms and harmonizes the nervous system and detoxifies our body.  Erratic and shallow breathing makes for erratic and shallow thinking.  Slower breath allows the Vishuddha Chakra to more carefully purify the air into pure prana.  Harvard Medical School in a January 2015 report suggests that breath control is the key to the relaxation response which can lower blood pressure, reduce heart disease, and lower anxiety and depression.  The Mayo Clinic is actively engaged at simulating the vagus nerve via electrical impulses.  Our most current information suggests that keep yoga breath can stimulate the vagus nerve in the same way without the need to electrocute ourselves.

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If one’s breath is loud it will quiet the mind. If one breath is quiet it will quiet the body. We take over 6 million breaths a year or about 20,000 per day. 

 

Respiration causes an exchange of cells. Gas exchange linked with circulation via the lower respiratory tract, not the upper part. 

 

The diaphragm is the most important muscle in breathing. Innervated by the phrenic nerve linked to vagus nerve from the C3/C5. Central tendon is not attached to bone. Diaphragm only attaches to zyphoid process, spine, and 6 lower ribs (1 true, 3 false, 2 floating). Inhale via the nose to filter, heat air, and humidify via the mucous.  COPD is caused by a flat diaphragm and it not being domed. Emphysema, asthma, also result in not being able to get air out. 30% of people have dysfunctional breath.  80% of anxiety issues are linked to the breath. Short breaths produce anxiety.  People who have their butt out typically (anterior pelvic tilt) typically have weak abs and a weak diaphragm. This will cause lower back pain over time.  

 

The blood becomes dirty and requires oxygen to release carbonic acid and impurities.  Breathing is an essential exercise for the internal organs that cleans the blood and helps prevent less severe sympathetic nervous system reactions if done over time.

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Prana is recharged via the breath.  Prana is absolute energy and unites all things.  Prana coexists with nerve endings including the solar plexus which is the most important part of one’s envious system—it is one’s abdominal brain.  Prana comes from the air and can be stored in the body to send via magnetic fields.  Prana is exhausted via thinking, acting, and doing things.  It must be replenished.  Our magnetic nature increases with age.

Relaxing the Psoas can also help ease the Fight or Flight response.  The Psoas is the only muscle that links the upper and lower body together via the spine and the legs.  The Psoas is linked to the root chakra, which naturally engages the parasympathetic system.  The Psoas allows the hip to provide lumbar support.  Laying in the fetal position can help yogis learn to feel how it relaxes and then ensuring that the Psoas is relaxed during regular savasansa practice, body scans and in meditation.

 

Self-massage or massage from someone else can help activate the presymplectic system.  Marma Points and essential oils and crystals can also be of help to some.  Further information on Marma Points and Crystals can be found in chapters to come or on my website investinprana.com.

 

Smiling for 20 seconds has been shown to release neuropeptides that unleash serotonin, dopamine, and endorphins. 

 

Playing with animals or young children can also divert the mind from the Fight or Flight Response and provide reassuring, calming textures of a rabbit’s skin for example, which helps stop the Fight or Flight Response. Who would run from a soft bunny rabbit?

 

Hugging a big blanket for 5 minutes can also help to activate the presymplectic response.  Hugging the blanket helps blood return to the center of the body, which helps calm the nerves located in one’s gut center.  Furthermore, as blood is drawn from muscles in the limbs that relax it is also available to the brain.  The brain and gut are linked via the stress response.  Gut processes, thoughts, and emotions are all closely linked.    When we hug in we relax the nerves in our gut.  Many animals such as dogs and wolves will protect their gut at any cost because they know it’s an important nervous center.  Forward folds and headstand good for hypothalamus, pituitary, and pineal glands to help strengthen the parasympathetic system over time but are rarely practical during a Fight or Flight Response.

 

Closing the eyes also helps to activate the parasympathetic system.   Closing of the eyes helps tune out stimulus, which is activating the hypothalamus. Closing the eyes also allows for the activation of muscarinic receptors by parasympathetic system, which causes smooth muscle contraction. The contraction of circular muscles constricts the pupil while contraction of ciliary muscles allows further muscles to relax.  The body’s systems are linked.

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Meditating on compassion will help with unification and change the brain. Scientists have seen clear changes on EEG and in fMRI images when they study those who are meditating versus those who are not.  Meditation on emptiness and compassion increases gamma waves. Treating others with compassion is a win/win. One looks for flaws less.  Meditation has been shown to create limbic revision and enhanced limbic resonance.  Meditation has also been shown to increases the effectiveness of the flu shot. There can be no doubt about a deep mind body link. Limbic resonance improves with meditation.  Limbic resonance is when we recognize the emotional states of others.  Limbic resonance has been shown to improve limbic revision, which create brain plasticity and allow it to change.  By loving others one can improve their own brain.

 

Optimists benefit the most from trauma as it allows the realistic part of their brain to activate.  But being totally realistic is not always best.  Optimists have a 50% lower probability of a heart attack.  Most humans are more resilient if difficulties and trauma that occurs before 30 years of age because brain plasticity is higher at younger ages.  Hope and curiosity improve health.  Old age, sickness, and death are inevitable, but we choose how we respond to them.  Smiling may lower throat tension and has been linked with lower depression symptoms.

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Several Harvard studies have concluded the biggest predictor of longevity is one’s social connections.  Perhaps this is because we laugh more and this enables the vagus nerve to Relax. 

 

Anger is a defense mechanism that comes from the limbic system.  Our enemies, just like us, seek only happiness.  We lose our critical thinking abilities when we activate the limbic system too strongly.  The best remedy for envy is gratitude.  Try to reframe the situation.  Suffering can either embitter or embolden us.  Deep down we grow in kindness when we are tested.  Empathy circuits do not activate until we see others as part of us.  Yoga helps us understand the same basic oneness.  Laughter can be the most powerful response to pain.  Crying works too but it’s less effective.  If one laugh, everyone knows one are not too pompous.   Everything one do to others is reflected back on one.  If one inflicts pain on others it also pains one to inflect this pain. Remember Jerks are just people trying to be happy who have not found their happiness yet.  Why do we only get angry at the person? Under different circumstances this person could become a good friend perhaps.

 

Sleep is essential for restoring the parasympathetic nervous system. Sleep, controlling blood sugar via a higher protein and lower sugar intake, and creating a strong sense of community have all also been shown to help engage the Parasympathetic Nervous System.  Kids who get less sleep in middle and high school where schools start earlier are at much higher risk of depression, anxiety, and poor academic results.  >40% of Americans get less than 7 hours of recommended sleep per night.  >40% of Americans have not taken a single vacation day in the past year.  Risk of heart attack is 2.6x higher with insufficient sleep and the risk of a stroke is 4x higher.  56% of errors by air traffic caused by fatigue.  When Harvard Medical School interns work 5 nights shifts >24 hours in a month errors increased by 700% and patient deaths increased 300%.  Without sleep for over 48 hours most people become mean and abusive and then suffer from hallucinations and paranoia, then the body temperature starts to drop to induce sleep.  Sleep deprivation causes a rise in cortisol, the stress hormone, the next day. Sleep disturbances also interfere with our dopamine levels, increasing risk of bipolar disorder.  Less sleep is also associated with higher risks of cancer, infertility, erectile disfunction, and lower resting metabolic rate. “Sleep is the best meditation” The Dalai Lama

 

We have evolved to be strong sleepers.  Our ancestors had a more difficult time, farm animals often slept in the same room. No blackout curtains, no noise machines, and no high thread count sheets existed, yet they produced us.  25% of sleep is dreams. Dreams occur in the first phase of REM sleep.  Modern society has dismissed the importance of sleep.  Thomas Edison was convinced sleep was unnecessary.  He could not have been more wrong.  Trade unions moved from 12-hour workday to an 8-hour work day which helped reduce accidental deaths at the hands of machines.  Americans worked 163 more hours/year in 1987 versus 1969.   Now become a FOMO culture with drugs to sleep.

 

We must learn how to deal with stress during the day, which will help us learn how to sleep.  Also, we should not teach sleep as punishment to children.  Sleep should have a positive association.

 

Yoga Nidra, or yoga sleep, can be another powerful way to evoke the Parasympathetic Nervous System.   Yoga Nidra is discussed further in its own section.   Lucid Dreaming also can be a powerful way to have insights, and it is discussed later in its own section.

The sympathetic nerves on the left side of the below diagram are most often activated but by closing the eyes via the oculomotor nerve (CNIII), a deep breath relaxes the vagus nerve (CN X), which is linked more directly to the parasympathetic system.  Organisms are extremely parasympathetic in nature as they come about via the splanchnic nerve.

Breathing Exercises

Breath is the flywheel supplying energy or prana to the body.  One’s breath regulates one’s state of mind. 

The body is only the outermost layer of a human being.  The breath is how the external aspect of prana or the life force is felt.  Without prana there is no life.  Breath control gives the body life and mind mental control.  Breathing is a powerful, wonderful, free, and legal drug.

Proper breathing provides many benefits.  Conscious Breathing is a powerful resource to improve vitality and emotional well-being.    It allows one to regulate the parasympathetic nervous system, it helps the body remove waste, it allows for stronger exercise, it removes excess acidity and hydrogen in the body, and it allows many to reach deeper levels of meditation. Left nostril is cooling. Right is heating.  

​There are four levels of breathing. We will focus

Slow Deep Breathing: Target 5 breaths per minute via slow, even inhales and exhales.  Keep the breath gentile but try to use 100% of one’s lung capacity. Our normal respiration rate is 12-20 breaths per minute, and the average person only uses 1/3rd of their full lung capacity.   A yoga ideally will take 4-8 breaths a minute when engaged in meditation.  Ancient yogis believe that turtle live hundreds of years because they breath slowly, and most yogis who have lived to 100 or past it attribute their life expectancy more to their slow breath than to any postures they completed.​

​Try these Five exercises to deepening one’s breathing

Slow Deep Breathing: Target 5 breaths per minute via slow, even inhales and exhales.  Keep the breath gentile but try to use 100% of one’s lung capacity. Our normal respiration rate is 12-20 breaths per minute, and the average person only uses 1/3rd of their full lung capacity.   A yoga ideally will take 4-8 breaths a minute when engaged in meditation.  Ancient yogis believe that turtle live hundreds of years because they breath slowly, and most yogis who have lived to 100 or past it attribute their life expectancy more to their slow breath than to any postures they completed.

Triangle and square breathing.  Try using these graphics.

  • Chanting or “bees’ breath” or singing helps stimulate the vagus nerve. One salivates when related via vagus nerve. Laughter, long slow breaths also help it. The tip of the tongue to the roof of the mouth or cold-water wash for face also help. Crystals may help, as will being outside. Light touch, blanks, sand banks, and darkness help with PNS.

  • Philosophical breathing.   Exhale: Anything one do not like (stress, a stock, a situation, anything one want to leave behind).  Inhale: Anything one like (a 120, an emotion, a person, a food, an animal)

  • Alternate nostril breathing (Nadi Shodana): This is perfect for calming the mind. Close off one nostril, and take one gentle breath (exhale first then an inhale) through the open nostril sides. When one’s breath is full, close off the other nostril and taking one full exhale and inhale through the open nostril.  Continue to switch the open nostril.

  • Energizing Breath (Kapalbhati): Alternate short explosive exhales with strong abdominal contraction, with slightly longer passive inhales.  Contract the lower belly between the pubis and navel at the end of the exhale, contracting one’s lower belly.  It’s important not to hyperventilate or this will detract from the natural cleansing.  Kapalbhati body cleansing lower alveolar CO2. Do NOT do Kapalbhati if pregnant or have a herniated disc.

There are also more Ashtanga Pranayamas mentioned under Ashtanga Yoga.

Here are a few tips for yogis who wish to go deeper in breathing.  Again, all these exercises should only be done under the direct supervision of a qualified teacher.

  • Sit or stand with an erect spine. Sit with an erect spine. Inhale via diaphragm down, protruding upper chest, top 5-6 ribs should lift, lower abdomen draws in

  • Exhale slowly. Relax chest walls when exhale deeply. All parts of the body should allow the exhale.

  • Rib ring closure via engaging upper transverse abdominals helps close the lower rib cage and pull it in and down. 

  • Ensure that the breastbone is rising and the side ribs are becoming further separated due to side expansion of the rib cavity.  The shoulders should not raise, nor should the belly blow out.  Laying on the back and isolating two areas with a breath may help isolate your moments if your teacher is not free today.

  • Allow the hips to widen on the inhale and shoulders to fall back (shoulder blades together), creating a larger chest cavity.

  • Focus on long inhales and long exhales of equal length.

  •  The exhale is the most important part of the breath.  Breath should come from the chest, allowing the spine to straighten and expand.

  • When inhaling engage Mula Bandha to prevent prana from going downward. Diaphragm will move down.

  • The pelvic floor opens with breathing. The pelvis tilts forward on the inhale (creating tiny backbend) and backward on the exhale (flat back).

  • If depressed exhale stronger. If too calm and self-conscious inhale stronger.

  • If depressed do not pause between the inhale and the exhale. 

  • Experiment.  Make the breath right of you.  Start with perception and notice. Where do I feel it? What does it feel like? Try it with open arms. Try it with closed arms.  Frequency? Texture? Depth?

  • Breathe together with a partner for 5 minutes. Back to back. Holding one another. Belly to belly. Pause during intimacy to feel the other’s breath. Don’t just move.

  • Energy follows the intention. Try to send blood and oxygen to the area of target.

  • To enhance nerve vitality, stand erect, inhale a complete breath, stretch arms forward with fingers relaxed and pointing forward, then pull the arms back to the shoulders with fists clenched. Push fists slowly forward.  Exhale vigorously via the mouth.  Take a cleansing slow breath without move. Nerve endings govern vata or wind points.

  • Always take Savasasa (rest) after practice to regulates one’s energy and lowers digestion.  

Pineal is the night light and pituitary is the daytime light.  Both are linked to the optic nerve.  Pineal gland is one of the 6 lotuses.

Although the full role of the gut in mental health is not clear, Columbia University’s Dr. Michael Gershon’s work has proven that the enteric nervous system (ENS) embedded in the gut is a smaller ‘second brain.’  The majority of many neurotransmitters such as serotonin are also known to be produced in the gut.  This 15,000 person Columbia University Medical Center study concluded that sleep reduces Cortisol and reduces depression via stimulating the Parasympathetic Nervous System.

Vibrations

Vibrations alter our neurons, chemicals, and electromagnetic fields within our body.  Just as a shark depends upon its lateral sensors for vibrations to navigate, our lateral line transmits the same vibrations from our ears via neurons throughout the body or vice versa.   The nervous system is magnetic, and the spine is the holy river of life.  Modern medicine has discovered energy moves in water via connective tissues via bio-electrical and bio-magnetic pathways.  Brain fluctuations occur in the cerebral spinal fluid (CSF).  The tentorium in the brain is especially sensitive to vibrations and is linked with the vocal cords, the diaphragm, the perineum, and the plantar facia through thin fibers.  The tentorium be a part of the central channel that yogis have known about for melena.

Vibrations explain why chanting at Church, listening to one’s favorite music, or attending a Jivamukti yoga class changes our lives can activate the parasympathetic nervous system.  Prana is a source of joy, which allows vibrations deeper into the keeper layers of the body such as the Anandayma kosha (the deep bliss layer within the body and beyond intellectual understanding.  Prana is a veyu or wind that carries these good vibrations.  Vibrations touch our outermost nature.  The universe is an ocean of ether, vibration with prana.  The soul is the core, the mind is the mantel, and the body is just the outer crust.  Vibrations or spanda are life giving forces that expand. Om forever reverberates in the depths of the human ear and the cosmos.  Amrita is the mythic drop of immortality that can be accessed via vibrations.  Every breath affects time and space. Good and bad vibrations.  Quantum mechanics is like Buddhism. Waves of energy existing. One knows a location or a velocity but not both at once.  

 

Most yogis feel the most vibrations when their spinal column is aligned.The spinal column is an important center of energy and it’s important in general to keep it aligned to allow energy to flow and to clear blockages.If seated, one should sit up straight, look forward (not up or down), and ensure their feet are well rested on the floor.If standing or laying, the similar principles apply.Kriya, or spiritual yoga chants, are intended to awaken the spine and head. Most people bow their head to release the prana back to the universe.

 

Each ear has 1,000s of hairs to sense motions and small bones to sense vibrations.The ear is one of the earliest organs to develop in a baby, which allows them to perceive vibrations before birth.Our two boys each love the separate songs that mom played in the car during her pregnancy (but stopped playing both of them after birth until our sons heard the songs around age 5 and could not stop asking Alexa to play the songs over, and, over, and over again).

 

Mantras are a projection of the mind.Mantras create a vortex.The vibrations of chanting a mantra change the mind.Listen, surrender the ego, and sing with love of God.These chants are often called Kirtans and are said to provide intense purifications to several levels of the body and soul.At least 84 meridians that start at the top of one’s tongue will start to vibrate.This will change the neurological chemicals and magnetism in one’s body. Nothing is secret but one has to be tuned to the fright frequency.Now go vibration into the cosmos!

 

We cannot hear all vibrations.Light waives are vibrating.Light and all electromagnetic radiation is both a particle and a wave. Most vibrations are relative, not absolute.  The Santiago theory suggests that mind and matter cannot be separated.We all only approximate reality. We don’t know it. We are like a cartographer who tries to make a 2D map of 3D reality.   Abstraction is a powerful tool but not a perfect reality. Spontaneous, intuitive insights occur - for example we come up with jokes. Scientific insights occur when the mind is silenced. Mind is a mirror of the heavens. Koans are nonsensical riddle like a quark.Electrons are waves, not orbits.

Vibrations emanates from love.  Love cannot be forced, only awakened. 

Love has allowed me to feel the vibrations more clearly.  Bhakti yogis like Ram Das are devotional to god above all else.  Ram Das taught that all love is greater than all else.  One becomes love and leaves the ego to decent into the soul.  Fear comes from separateness, but once we live in our soul, we are all together as we become compassion and love.   The more one give, the more one will receive a vortex of magnetism.  All is born in God’s magnetism.  Bliss belongs to the unconditional reality which is greater than the body, mind, or material objects.  Love is not desire.  Be free from desire to achieve liberation (moksha). Love comes from the true self (saadhana).  Love is the nature of the divine mother.   Be here now.  Love and laugh.

What is Yoga?

Physical yoga or asana-based yoga is only a small part of overall yoga.  Asanas are just thought aids.  Yoga is yoking the mind to allow for detachment from matter.  Physical yoga postures can help lay the basis for mind control, but yoga is not gymnastics.  As Patanjali outlined in his 2,000+ year old Yoga Sutras, "Yoga is the cessation of the fluctuations of the mind."  Yoga is the restraint of the mind stuff (chitta) from taking vrittis form. Book of the lake is our true self, Lake is chitta, waves or whirlpools are vrittis.  Yoga allows one to overcome our giant illusion (maya) and come in touch with reality.  Yoga is a rebirth of absolute freedom via moksha, nirvana, and samsara.  Yoga leads to unity with God. 

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Yoga allows us to observe a practice without judgement.  We become observes and the observed at the same time.  Our thoughts can become circular, repetitive thoughts that are often one sided if we are not careful.  These one-sided thoughts create Samsara.  Yoga employs a system of discovery to break routine.  We all have desires, and yoking our mind may not remove all desires, but may allow us to see our own desires and become aware of what is healthy and what is unhealthy.  Healthy desires typically lead to long term happiness and wisdom, generosity, love and gratitude.  Unhealthy desires lead to greed and grasping, which produce anxiety.  Hold even fear with kindness. 

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Yoga removes impediments to the flow of prana, which allows connection.  Yoga is a journey and is no achieved.  Yoga is about unity and deep relaxation, not strain. The goal of all postures is Sahaja or ease, not stress.  The deepest state of yoga is Samadhi, and it can occur in many ways. It can occur via reasoning, discrimination, bliss, and an unqualified ego. It can also occur via devotion using AUM, or it can occur via lowering the chitta and restraining the breath. Can also get there by meditating on white light or giving up attachment. Many ways to the same place.

 

Yoga helps open the window by which ones can receive the enlightenment, but it does not manufacture it.   One must be open to receiving the messages and have calmed the mind to discern the vibration.  An overactive mine will not be able to focus on vibrations.  Chitta are the feelings we get from vibrations, and vritti are the vortices interrupting Asmirath’s flow.  Yoga neutralizes the ego and allows one to come in tune with Asmirath.  We are not the body, but we must quiet the mind to discover our spirt, ever blissful, ever free.

Chanting OM (AUM)

OM (pronounced A-U-M to help the vibrations move from the back of the mouth to the front which should be a nasal sound) is perhaps the most popular vibration.  A is pronounced very briefly which is why it’s written Om in English.  The front of the mouth vibrations during the brief “A” represents creation (Brahman) and the first two chakras. The front of the mouth vibrations during the “U” top represents living (Vishnu) and the second two chakras.  The front of the mouth vibrations during the “M” represents dissolution (Shiva).  Brahman, Krishna, and Shiva are the three principle gods of the Hindu religion.  Yoga comes from both Tibet and India.  Om is also sacred in the Tibetan tradition.  The Dali Lama has extensively discussed how Om symbolize the impure body, speech, and mind of a practitioner.  Om also symbolizes the pure exalted body, speech and mind of an enlightened Buddha.  Enjoy all the vibrations.  Om is the vibration of the cosmos.  It is calling the cosmos to witness what is about to take place.  Om connects, just as yoga connects.  Om is the entire past, present, and current universe. Om is linked with the holy ghost in Christianity. Cosmic waves and vibrations.

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