Transforming emotion to Devotion.

 

The chanting of Mantras and bhajans or devotional songs and verses is an important part of the yogis daily practice.  Now we all love to roll out our mats for our asana practice, for our pranayama and meditation - but chanting is something I have always practiced during my years of Yoginess - but haven't quite connected to so deeply until recently.  It really is a way to transform our emotions into a deep feeling of joy and love - turning away from our negative thoughts and channeling the mind in a positive way - it really is very up-lifting.  Even if you don't fully understand all the Sanskrit or indeed any of it - the true meaning of what we are chanting is in our hearts and it is a sure way to connect to that deep place within and keep purifying ourselves.  It is only the one with a purified mind that can hear the voice of the soul. Through the chanting the heart starts to soften and open and you can indeed reach the real meaning within you.  And this meaning is love.

Divine and unconditional unified love.

We are all looking for love - each and everyone of us is looking for happiness and love - if only we could stop looking in all the wrong places - love for the external things or people is only an unconscious effort and urge to merge with all things into oneness.  Our minds though are constantly tossing entertaining this and that or obsessing about this or that - complaining about this or that - this person isn't how I want them to be, this job isn't what I want it to be, this place isn't what I expected it to be etc etc and the list goes on.  In acceptance of everything for what it is we can become untouched by it, if we can accept then we are transforming ourselves, chanting is a way to channel the mind, focus and reveal the joy and love that we essentially are.  All beings have this capacity to find this love; the love that we all are - if you have a desire to transform your situation - job, partner etc etc you are going to create more problems - but if we can transform ourselves then the obstacles or problems become an opportunity.  Chanting is a tool box of delights to start the transformation.  It is a way to journey within connect to the whole - the universal love that is within us and around us.  It is a powerful practice - maybe even more so than other practices as it is accessible to everyone - it is a way to let go of grasping and let the Sanskrit carry you - like putting yourself on a Divine river and flowing with the water.  I don't think I can put into words the feelings I have experienced  from chanting.  I can only tell you that it is amazing and you don't need or want for anything else.  Years ago in the 1980's and 1990's I was hooked to chemicals to bring these similar feelings - the beats of heavy dancing - it was, in a way a place to unite but I have never experienced such unity as I have through my yogic practices - and recently chanting has enabled me to dissolve completely - this feeling then you can come back to time and time again - or indeed it never leaves - the only true refuge is in the nature of our true self.  Chanting in Sanskrit can and with dedicated practice over time - take you.

Join the journey to the depths of a beautiful beautiful soul that you are - chant with me here on soundcloud the link is below -

https://soundcloud.com/nicola-zammit/devi-devi-devi-jagan-mohini

Sanskrit -       Devi Devi Devi Jagan Mohini 

                       Chandika Devi Chanda Munda Harini

                       Chamundeshwari Ambike Devi.    (chanting to the Divine Mother full of protection and unconditional love.)

Have beautiful days and be inspired in your practice - be safe - be happy - be free

Love to all shanti shanti shanti

Mangala / Nicky                    

A little bird and a fruit.

 

A little story from Sri Swami Sivananda 

sometimes a little story is just what we need!

Parable Of The Bird And The Cotton-Fruit A bird has its nest on the branch of a cotton-tree. Near the nest there was an unripe fruit. Every day it would look at it and think: “Let it ripen; then I will eat it. It waited and waited. Suddenly one day, even as it was eagerly looking, the fruit burst and its content flew away! The bird was sorely disappointed. A young man thinks that when he grew old he would practise Sadhana. Days roll by. Suddenly one fine morning life departs from the body. He had spent his life in vain. Therefore, take time by the forelock; do it now

Sadhana - spiritual practice. 

Take time now to practice and then surly the fruits of your efforts will start to pay reward, a little at a time, day by day - take time to connect to a higher awareness. Communicate with the source through yogic postures, breathing, withdrawal concentration and meditation.  We all have time, it is just organising yourself.  Get up out of bed a little earlier and roll out your mat.  You will feel held and inspired and connected to all after time you will settle and feel greatly contented.  What could be more important than that? 

I couldn't be without Sadhana - without my practice - it brings me so so much, to balance our energies, emotions and keep the body strong and healthy, what a very precious gift.  It has given me sight, expression and release, guided me through extremely challenging times and deep insecurities.  Has enabled me to find my inner medicine and healing,  my wish is for you to find it too.  Please visit my facebook page for sessions that you can follow - YOGA mangala 

Have a beautiful practice

In deep gratitude of my glorious Gurus.  

Om Namah Sivaya OM OM OM 

Mangala - Nicky

Nurture yourself with meditation as you nurture yourself with your food.

Meditation is the Royal road to freedom, a short practice each day will really nurture you and help to bring balance, clarity and peace back after maybe a busy or stressful day or just dealing with the trials and tribulations of life.   The benefits of meditation are unlimited and are so profound, however you have to practice - 10 minutes each day is not too much to ask for is it?  You have to take care of the mind as well as everything else, it is like a work out for the mental activity, think how your body feels after a fabulous asana session - now take your mind to that same place with this simple and accessible meditation for everyone.  Enjoy your practice and the journey on which it will take you.

Click on the link below.

Om shanti shanti shanti 

Mangala / Nicky

https://soundcloud.com/nicola-zammit/10-min-meditation-on-the-breath-and-om

Herbal tea to Boost your Immunity.

Om Namah Sivaya - Hello Everybody!

It seems like a long time since my last blog posting but here we are now and with a really great and important herbal tea recipe to keep the immune system strong and give you a boost.  I was really honored to be able to attend an ayruvedic lecture this morning with the lovely Dr Shanti Kamlesh and here is his recommendation for this tasty as well as beneficial tea that is easy to make with easily sourced ingredients no matter where you are.  This is not in any way a cure for Covid 19 but it is a strong way to keep healthy and maintain your health alongside your yoga practice of asana (yogic postures and exercise,) meditations and breathing techniques and appropriate diet and lifestyle including enough rest.  So share the recipe with your loved ones and enjoy a lovely cup of tea! I will allow you a biscuit seeing as you have all been so good!!  And it is interesting to see that in countries that use these herbs daily in their cooking such as in India, the actual infection rate especially compared to the population is low, hmmmm the power of herbs from the earth. 

10 grams fresh Basil leaves

10 grams ginger powder

5 grams black pepper

5 grams cinnamon 

5 grams cloves

Boil in half a litre of water for 10-15 minutes then filter, you can add some jaggery or pure honey for taste and enjoy!  

Take morning, lunch time and evening.

Wishing you all peace, time to reflect, time to be with your wonderful self and find that the whole universe is within you. 

Take care of yourself and love yourself please

AUM shanti shanti shanti 

Mangala / Nicky

Dr Shanti Kumar Kamlesh

www.kamleshayurveda.com

Yoga Mangala goes facebook live - with mixed feelings!

Traditionally we learn yoga and the yogic way of life - Dharma by living, working and studying with the teacher: this is called the Gurukula system.  Guru meaning teacher and Kula is home.  In ancient times students would usually remain at the ashram for 12 years, taught philosophy, the main paths of yoga  as well as the practical elements of pranayama, asana, meditation and karma yoga.  Today Yoga and yoga classes seem to be available in every shape and form and have been stretched further and further to suit fashions, glamour and fads.  Yoga Mangala holds high importance of keeping the teachings as a living tradition and always taught from personal experience.  In today's current climate where we are staying home due to covid -19 outbreak I have been asked to go online.  This is something I have never approached before or had any inclination to - in fact I have to say it is something that actually I have not agreed with at all.  It has always been of upmost importance to me that when you come to my sessions that you feel that you are being looked after, cared for, given what is needed and energy transferred through me to you.  How is that possible through a screen where I can't even see you and know if you need a little help? However considering our current situation and of a way of offering support I agreed to make facebook live sessions, to keep people in practice, elevate spirits and give a set of tools to help address the difficulties that we may be going through.  In fact now after making 16 of these sessions, I am almost feeling that somehow and even though the sessions are short mini practices that some sort of Gurukulu system is taking place.  I am not sure at this stage where this is going to go and what it means for me as a teacher, but one very wonderful thing is that I have been able to re-connect with many practitioners that I have taught from all over the world, that normally wouldn't be attending my sessions here in Casablanca where I am based for now.  I am still in the very mixed feeling stages of this process and there is certainly not an enjoyment of instructing an image of myself in a little box, however I have received some wonderful messages from people that are finding these sessions helpful or are even helping them to get back into practice.  So lets see what happens, for now you can view these 'little Mangala' practices that include asana (yogic postures) pranayama (breathing techniques) meditations and a little chanting on the YOGA mangala facebook page or on my personal page - Nicky Zammit.  Please do also feel free to connect with me there and to leave a comment under the clips to say hi and let me know how you are doing.   

For now breathe, observe how you are feeling and know that everything is going to be alright.

Sending my thoughts and wishes to everyone, to your time and finding inspiration within yourself.

AUM shanti shanti shanti

Love and in gratitude of our great Guru's 

Mangala / Nicky

https://www.facebook.com/nooster108/?ref=bookmarks

https://www.facebook.com/nicky.zammit.3

A great opportunity for positive thinking

Our energy is very much connected to our thoughts, mental activity and emotions, at this time when we are staying home, it is a great opportunity to tune our attention inwards, to put ourselves on pause, stop ourselves in our tracks, give ourselves time to breathe, reflect, make wise changes and heal.  It is a time when less positive thoughts can arise as there is a sense of uncertainty or unease as we think of the welfare of our loved ones, our employment and future but it is important for our health both mental and physical to observe how we are feeling and start to turn around our worries to positive intentions and vibrations.  Positivity is going to boost the immunity, mental health and whole system and a wonderful way to do that is to take some moments each day to share, write down or even make a little craft project of what we have gratitude for.  Positive thinking can help make you feel stronger and more vitalized - cultivate joy, contentment, appreciation and gratitude.  Share 5 points of gratitude each day such as "I am grateful for the fresh air I can breathe."  "I am grateful for the songs of the birds."  "I am grateful for the good and healthy food I have today."  Or my husband would say "I am grateful for Crystal Palace football team!" I would say "I am grateful for this moment to be able to stop and reflect."  Why not take an empty clear bottle or jar and each day add something you are grateful for by felt marker or pens or stick on paper, then if you keep water in that bottle and drink from it those words of compassion and love will filter into the water and filter into you - a wonderful boost, honoring the water as you drink as it becomes part of you.  Keep your mind elevated and strong - this supports your immune system, what we think so we become so it is important that we are aware of our thoughts and work towards turning any negativity around.  

Make a little project and see where it takes you, plant love, water love and watch love grow.

Now is the time to make a change and for those of us that have time on our hands as we self- quarantine by turning our time into positive actions it is also a way that we can honor those working so hard for all of us - such as those in the hospitals and those keeping our food supply coming in.

Be positive, be love, be compassion because essentially that is what you are and now is a great opportunity for us all to remember.

Love to all from the heart

Mangala / Nicky.  

Increase strength, health and confidence

Performing mudras (yogic gestures or even attitudes) are energizing and powerful means to arouse energy or shakti and to unite the individual vital life with the universal or cosmic energy or Divine consciousness.  They can be known as a way to uplift and create a certain psychic, emotional, devotional and aesthetic attitude and really enhances how we connect to a higher force of energy. Performing mudras can develop our concentration, deepen our awareness and change our perception, they can be simple hand gestures or involve the whole body - here Prana Mudra or otherwise known as Shanti Mudra is explained.  It provides a direct link between the body, mind and energy increases our strength, overall health and sense of confidence and connection with the universe.  It is a beautiful mudra when performed after your asana practice and pranayama it really invokes the subtle flow of energy throughout the system and brings an inner sense of peace and equanimity as it brings an attitude of offering and receiving energy to and from the divine source of life.

1. Sit in any comfortable meditation posture with the right hand resting on top of the left - palms facing upward. 

2. Close the eyes and become settled, bring your awareness to your easy breathing and relax the body in your stable position.  Inhale deeply and fully then exhale completely.  Contract the abdominal muscles inward to really push out all the exhalation and retain the breath here, creating udyhana bandha.  Contract the pelvic floor muscles creating moola bandha hold for as long as is comfortable without strain.

3.Release the two bandhas and begin a deep inhalation - breathing into the abdomen, at the same time release the hands the palms facing the body and bring them in front of the navel.  Feel a sense of lifting the energy upward within the body.

4. Continue the inhalation expanding the chest and raising the hands until they are in front of the sternum at the centre of the chest, keeping the sense of the energy being lifted.

5. Continue the inhalation slightly raising the clavicles and raise the hands to the front of the throat - still raising the energy.

6. Retain the breath now and spread the arms out to the sides the palms facing upward the arms are not straight.  Bring the concentration to the crown of the head and visualize and aura of light emanating from the head.  Hold the retention for as long as is possible without forcing or straining and feel the whole being radiating vibrations of peace throughout your system and to all living entities.  Radiate vibrations of peace to the whole universe.

7. Begin the exhalation slowly and with control and bring the hands and arms back down to the original position in the same way they came up - past the throat, chest and abdomen.  And feel the energy progressing down the body.

8. Apply the moola bandha - contracting into the pelvic floor muscles for as long is as comfortable.  Then release and relax the whole body and the breath.  Sit in the love and the light of your whole complete self and Divine energy.

With this mudra benefit your whole system but also the whole universe - be an ambassador for peace.

Have beautiful practice and beautiful days

AUM shanti shanti shanti 

Mangala / Nicky