yoga humor, yogini style, yoga personality, yoga tips - Y is for Yogini

instant heart chakra opener { simple 40-day kundalini meditation }

artwork credit: ann marie maxwell { w/color + text additions by YIFY }

This meditation is as easy as pie — pumpkin, apple, sweet potato, your pick. Sometimes the simplest things can be the very most powerful, bringing great shifts in energy and spirit.

Why work with the heart chakra? When it is open + balanced, we are:

• COMPASSIONATE
• ACCEPTING
• LOVING
• CENTERED
• PEACEFUL
• GRATEFUL
• CONTENT

1. Close your eyes.
2. Inhale deeply through pursed lips, whistling as you fill yourself with air, "Whewwwwww."
3. Exhale deeply, chanting a long "Laaaaaaaaa."

{ NOTES }

• this meditation has no notated direction from Yogi Bhajan in terms of timing or posture.
• it seems designed to be done anywhere, anytime, for the duration that fits for you.
• if you feel the need to do it while you are in your car (or anywhere else), do just that. if you can take the time to sit down quietly in Easy Pose and practice this meditation, that's excellent, too.
• i will be practicing this for 3 minutes each day. at the end of each meditation, i will close (as i do with all my meditations and kriyas) with a long "Sat" and a short "Nam."
• you are always welcome to email me with any questions you have or to simply share your experience. i love hearing from you. :)

Grateful for you, the gift of opening our heart chakras, and the healing power of love,

humming bee breath { 40-day pranayama kriya }

photo credit: desktop.qkype.com

I buzzed past this breath exercise by happy happenstance a few days ago. With a quick glance, it {thankfully!} pollinated my mind and I used it later that evening to quell a swarm of anxiety. I'm excited to share it with you and practice it as a kriya for the next 40 days, because this busy bee needs it. :)

Humming Bee Breath is also known as Brahmari — the Sanskrit word for bee. Akin to chanting Aum, the vibrations created here calm the mind, body, and spirit. When we tap into sound, we tap into the present. Bee here now.

Benefits:

• Calms like no other. You'll see.
• Brings you to the honey-sweetness of the moment.
• Melts tension, letting it drip-drop away until there's none left.
• Teaches and furthers smoothness and evenness of breath.
• Increases circulation, tones the vocal cords, and quiets the mind.

How To:

1. Begin in Sukhasana or an even, comfortable-for-you seated pose.
2. Rest your hands on or near your knees. (Palms up for receptivity. Palms down for grounding.)
3. Close your eyes.
4. Inhale slowly and deeply through the nose.
5. Hum the letter M — "Mmmmmmmmm" — in an even tone as you exhale. Hum until the very bottom of your exhalation, but do not strain.
6. Repeat this inhale/humming exhale cycle for as long as it feels good/as long as you need to. (For some this is a few breaths, for others, a few minutes. If you'd like a set amount of time, try 3 minutes.)
7. With your last humming exhalation, take a few normalizing breaths and close.

Notes:

• The longer your humming exhalation, the more it soothes, but make sure to stay in a comfortable zone.
• See yourself as a golden, peaceful, content bee blessed with a life of sweet petals and honey.

Humming Bee Breath Videos:

• #1
• #2

Are you feeling fly yet? ;) Purify your inner hive with humming bee breath.

nine merry mantras { the 12 days of yoga }

On the 28th day of December, yoga gave to me

nine merry mantras...

{ eight gifts for giving }

{ seven chakras shocking }

{ six sirsas bobbing }

{ five moody mudras }

{ four heavy breathers }

{ three third eyes }

{ two turtle yogis }

{ and a yogini in the pose tree. }

This, my friends, is the time of the year you need your mantra most. The new year is right around the padded cell corner, you've spent the last week cheerfully greeting one and all, deftly answering probing questions from fuzzy ol' Aunt Roberta { "what's that? you're not sure you ever want to get married?!?! why, that's not ladylike! preposterous!" }, and whipping up treats guaranteed to make Grandpa's false teeth quiver. All without breaking a sweat. That's yoga. So don't feel poorly if you didn't "practice," because believe me, you practiced.

Now that you're free to breathe — and talk all the shiz you wanted to, I've got nine glorious gems to cleanse your tongue and purify your soul.

9 Merry Mantras:

1. Sa Ta Na Ma { "Infinity. Life. Death. Rebirth." }

2. Sat Nam { "Truth is my identity." }

3. Lokah Samastha Sukhino Bhavanthu { "May all beings everywhere be happy and free, and may the thoughts, words, and actions of my own life contribute to happiness and freedom for all." }

4. Gayatri Mantra: Om Bhur Bhuvas Svaha, Thath Savithur Varaynyam, Bhargo Dheyvasya Dhimahih, Dhyoyonah Pratchodhay-yath { "May all beings reach enlightenment." }

5. Adi Mantra: Ong Namo Guru Dev Namo { "I call upon the divine wisdom. I bow to the divine teacher within." }

6. Mangala Charn Mantra: Ad Guray Nameh, Jugad Guray Nameh, Sat Guray Nameh, Siri Guru Devay Nameh { "I bow to the guiding consciousness, I bow to the wisdom through the ages, I bow to the true wisdom, I bow to the great, unseen wisdom." }

7. Har { "Creative infinity." }

8. Siri Gaitri Mantra: Ra Ma Da Sa, Sa Say So Hung { "Sun, Moon, Earth, Infinity. Totality of infinity, I am thou." }

9. Aum 

Bonus mantra: "COOKIES!!!! Ummm-Nummm-Nummm-Nummmm." — Cookie Monster

What will your mantra be?  :)

{ 3 more days of Decembery goodies! }  

healthy, happy, holy breath { new 40-day kundalini kriya begins saturday! }

 artwork credit: Ann Marie Maxwell

The timing couldn't be more perfect for this next 40-day kriya, which begins on Saturday. I have a forever love affair with the month of December. The air is crisp and people seem jolly and more open. Our surroundings are lit up with warm, glowy lights and joyful faces. It's magical and dreamy.

As we come to the end of the lovely Aura Sweep Kriya today, I feel like it is time to set ourselves aglow with bliss. So I've chosen the Healthy, Happy, Holy Breath Kriya. It's perfect. You deserve to be happy, healthy, and holy each and every day of your life. Shall we begin? :)

Healthy, Happy, Holy Breath:

1. Sit in a comfortable position { Sukhasana, Siddhasana, Lotus } wherein you can keep a straight spine.
2. Place your hands palms-down on your knees, in Gyan Mudra. { See artwork above for a visual guide. }
3. Close your eyes and bring your internal focus to your third eye { brow point }.
4. Take a deep breath, inhaling through your nose. Fill your lungs in three parts: bottom, middle, top. Hold this breath.
5. While holding the breath calmly and gently { no strain }, silently say this mantra 3 times:

"Healthy Am I

Happy Am I

Holy Am I."

6. Exhale slowly and as you exhale, repeat the mantra out loud 1 time.
7. Continue for 11 minutes. { If 11 minutes is not possible at the present, begin with 3 minutes and work your way to the full 11. }
8. As you continue the kriya, visualize yourself being filled up with health { vitality! }, happiness { bliss! }, holiness { your spirit, energy, soul in perfect balance }.
9. To close, inhale deeply, release your breath, and sit in peaceful silence { with normal breath } for as long as you like.

Healthy, Happy, Holy Breath Kriya written by Y is for Yogini, adapted from the writings of Yogi Bhajan and Gururattan Kaur Khalsa.

A few notes on this kriya from Gururattan Kaur Khalsa, Ph.D.: 

"A person who does this meditation properly will breathe two and one half times per minute. This shift from the normal 12-15 breaths per minute is significant. According to Yogi Bhajan, once the breath rate is slower than 4 breaths per minute, the brain starts functioning intensely. The pineal and pituitary glands shift their relationship to each other and in this condition, the effects of inner and outer sound is greater and the mantra will penetrate. A larger portion of yourself will be able to synchronize and carry out your intentions." { Source: Transitions To a Heart-Centered World }

It is also noted { by Yogi Bhajan and Gururattan } that each repetition of the kriya's mantra should take about 5 seconds. From my own perspective, if you cannot do as they have suggested, do what works for you and what you can do. This is what I do and I'm able to experience profound effects. I believe that any work in a positive direction is brilliant.

'Tis the season to fill yourself with health, happiness, and holiness. I'd love to have you join me. We'll be connected in spirit and bliss. Who's in? :)

11 songs perfect for 11 minute kriyas { or simply for relaxation, meditation, + lounging }

artwork credit: headphone meditation by illusive mind 

Now that I'm sailing along in my first 40 day kriya { Sat Kriya - read about it here }, I've found that music can be the perfect complement to the practice. No one enjoys being buzzed out of bliss by a harsh alarm. Having a song that lasts approximately 11 minutes is the perfect timer. When the song ends, your kriya is complete.

11 Songs Perfect for 11 Minute Kriyas:

click the song title to hear a sample at iTunes

1. Satnam: Reaching Your True Identity | 11:07
   { Album: Universal Mantra, Artist: SatKirin Kaur Khalsa }


2. Jap Man Sat Nam | 11:07
   { Artist: Snatam Kaur, Album: Anand Bliss }


3. Sat Nam - Energise | 10:55
   { Artist: Maya Fiennes, Album: Kundalini Mantras }


4. Chakra Flow | 10:55
   { Artist: Dakina Mandarava, Album: Yoga Meditation }


5. Samadhi | 10:58
   { Artist: Shaman Dream Project, Album: Kerala Dream }


6. Vishnu's Dream | 11:37
   { Artist: Swaha, Album: Vishnu's Dream }


7. Extract from Cloud Tress | 10:43
   { Artist: Midori, Album: Blissful Calm }


8. Waves of Om | 10:56
   { Artist: Angelika, Album: Shiva Shakti Om }


9. Aum | 11:22
   { Artist: Motom, Album: Active Agent of Sound }


10. La Forme - King of the Mountains Mix | 11:31
    { Artist: Kraftwerk, Album: Aerodynamik / Remixes }


11. Sonata No. 8 d major 1777 | 10:57
    { Artist: Beethoven, Album: Beethoven for the Heart }

All songs can be purchased at iTunes. My apologies that the ones at iTunes require purchase of the whole album! It seems to be a trend that the longest songs in a set are "Album Only." Perhaps you'll find an album you like so much, that it'll be worth it to buy the whole shebang. Also, some of the songs can be found at Spirit Voyage as one-offs. :)

These songs are also lovely for meditation, relaxation, and lounging around on a chill day. Enjoy!