The gift of Yoga

My journey to the heart began in my very first yoga class, although I didn’t know it then.  I knew that the class made me feel wonderful, but at the same time was unaware then of further discoveries, it was more a physical experience.  But I was aware after some time of some sort of connection going on somewhere but I couldn’t explain it.  It was only over time and practice that I knew that my journey was only just beginning and I had so much to develop and discover.  Throughout the history of man there have been the great explorers, those that have set sail across the seas, those that have ridden across the deserts on camels and those that have flapped their arms in search of flight.  There have always been people searching, but it is the discovery of the self that is the greatest journey of all and the biggest adventure you will ever have.  Full of light and darkness, pain and elation, full of surprises.  We can be the most amazing philosophers or speakers, but if we don’t feel it, why?  We can put our bodies into the most amazing yogic postures and look so pretty, but if we don’t feel it, why?  There is so much importance put on the physical body these days that we have forgotten our hearts, we need to develop our hearts.  When it comes to that point when our physical bodies die off, we will wonder what all that time working on it was for, when it is what is in our hearts that stays with us, this is what we need to work on.  In your heart lies the eternal truth, a blooming lotus, an everlasting light, all cognition of memory is in the heart, like a jewel waiting for you.  Through our effort with our practice we can start to remove the layers that hide this jewel to us, and dive deeply into an internal ocean.  Develop your hearts, remember your oneness and wholeness with the rest of humanity, with animals and birds, with plants and the oceans.  There is no separation so be compassionate to your brothers and sisters.  I would like to share this poem with you by Swami Sivananda- I have a message.

I have turned away

From the wealth of the world

I have a mission

A great task before me

In my heart there is a mighty flame

I dive into that flame

And find brotherhood, peace and love

I spread

Brotherhood, peace and love.

You too have mighty flames in your hearts, so let go of all this meaningful consumerism, let go of your attachments they only cause more pain to you at the end of the day, and find that ocean of deep peace that lies within you.  Develop your heart, open your heart and learn to love yourself and all those that surround you.

Om Shanti, I am so grateful to the beautiful lady called Mala that gave me my first ever yoga class, what a wonderful gift.  I hope you all find that gift too.

Mangala – Nicky.

Raise your heart to the Sun and receive a ray of light.

Suryia Namaskar; the sun salutation, is a vital technique of our yogic repertoire of practice and has been practiced ever since yoga was.  The sun rises and falls around us every day bringing light into lives; illuminating the world unconditionally.  Without light there is nothing.  The sun known as Suryia in Sanskrit allows us to grow, to nourish and to develop, it gives us the vital energy we need as human beings, all plants need to grow and in turn nurture us within the food we eat and allows us to lead a meaningful life.

Without the sun there is no creation, no seed can grow and no fruit can flourish.

Practicing Suryia namaskar should become part of our daily routine like brushing our teeth, and practiced with sincerity, effort and dedication will bring so many benefits to us completely recharging our batteries.

It should become a form of self-expression where you can feel creation itself not practiced just merely as an exercise to maintain physical health.  It allows you to tune into the rhythms of the 24 hours in the day, the 12 zodiac phases of the year, each posture representing one of these phases, and the rhythms of your own body. 

For me there are four forms to Suryia Namaskar

1. A physical form; improving circulation, flexibility, providing lubrication for the joints and stimulating all the internal organs and ensuring their proper working condition.  It allows us to live dynamically and bring back physical balance, which is vital for mental balance.
2. A mental form; improving focus and concentration, allows us to begin to let go of our stresses and anxieties, allows us to let go of irrelevant thoughts thus enabling us to live more joyfully.  Suryia Namaskar can be the most powerful tool for mental wellbeing, which is essential for spiritual growth.
3. A spiritual form; allowing us to sublimate our ego and lower emotions and thoughts and turn to a higher level of thinking.  We can begin to slay the demons of greed, selfishness and anger and have time to be gracious, humble and thankful to this giver of life.
4. A pranic form; allowing us to receive the solar energy itself and in turn become that energy; shinning like a ray of light both inwardly and outwardly.  The practice has a direct effect on the solar energies of the body bringing totally wellbeing and long life.

Practicing Suryia Namaskar can really make a huge difference to your life slaying all woes and worries and making you a more confident and happy person.  It doesn’t take long to finish a few rounds each day which I’m sure we can all find time for even in our busy lives, taking care of ourselves is imperative that we then can take care of the rest of our duties and commitments.  Without our own health and peace of mind we can’t make a good job of what else is going on around us.  So take time each day to honour yourself with Suryia Namaskar, feel stronger and more contented and give thanks to this beautiful shinning light in your life. 

Join me for 108 Sun Salutations on Saturday the 26^th October at Pranamaya Yoga Studio, Moksh, Patan, Kathmandu, Nepal, @ 2.30-4.30pm.  Come and experience the sun in a collective energy, this is not a time to count how many rounds you complete or compete with others, this is a time of reflection and to come and join a physical meditation, know when to rest and when to energise yourself, feel refreshed and cleansed and float out of the studio ready for the rest of your day!  Learn about the which chakras are activated during the practice and why 108 is relevant.  Also enjoy the beautiful mantra of the Sun whilst you move.

wishing you all joyfull and peaceful days

Om shanti

Mangala  -  Nicky

The Art of Complete Relaxation - Yoga Nidra

Yoga Nidra is the art of complete relaxation; it is a state of deep sleep for the body whilst keeping the mind aware and conscious.  In today’s world when we take time to relax, often we are creating more stimulation to the body and mind system, putting more pressure on this delicate system of ours instead of real rejuvenation.  Sitting in front of the TV or watching movies creates all kinds of vibrations depending on what you are watching but there are many reflections and lights keeping the eyes and ears stimulated.  Drinking a cup of coffee puts more stress on the body than any relaxation should do.  Going out for food and drinks creates all kinds of stimulations not only internally from what it is you are ingesting but also from noise of others, music etc etc.  Reading books creates all sorts of thought waves not what we want to do to allow the mind to have space.  These kinds of relaxations are just sensory diversions.

What Yoga Nidra gives to us is a place to really relax and allow the body and mind to re-balance and harmonise itself.  Often when we sleep at night, the body is still tense and never fully relaxes as it hasn’t been instructed to do so, the mind is still busy from the day or thoughts of what is necessary for the next day are coming and going.  But with the practice of Yoga Nidra we can leave all our stresses and anxieties behind and allow our cells and the whole body mind system to simply be and breathe.  It is a gift from the Universe to allow us to live gently again and in this busy world it is imperative for the health of our whole being.  Anxiety, stress and depression are our three main illnesses today and by practicing the art of relaxation we can start to relieve these symptoms.  The body and the mind cannot keep being pushed in all directions without something finally snapping, we have to take care of ourselves, then we can take care of all our other duties and the beings and environment around us.  At the end of the day, what is more important, a big fat pay cheque and sickness or having less but a happy heart?

The practice of Yoga Nidra is so simple; you don’t need any equipment or any special clothes, just a quiet place and the ability to turn your phone off for a while.  It will provide you with complete physical, mental and emotional rest, and within a short space of time of doing the practice you will begin to feel the benefits  You can find many CD’s and MP3’s of the practice and once you know it you don’t even need that, you can just mentally take yourself through the process, even whilst you are lying in your bed!

My CD Yoga Nidra with Nicky is a 17 minute long practice, not too short, and not too long so that you haven’t got time for it and is available and ready to go.  If you are living in Kathmandu please drop by to any of my classes to pick up a copy, the suggested donation is RPS150, and if you are outside of Nepal we will have to work out a way of getting a copy to you.

For now take time to relax and relax properly.

Om Lokha Somasta Sukhino Bhavantu

May you all find peace, balance and harmony

OM Shanti

Nicky / Mangala

15 minutes of practice for busy people!

For many a daily practice of an hour and a half or even longer sounds like a daunting prospect, and I hear thoughts of how am I ever meant to fit that in every day!  If you are one of those busy people but still want to maintain your balance and harmony then here is a short 15-minute practice that may make that a little bit more manageable. 

1. Always start with a little relaxation in savasana, it is very easy to leave out the relaxation when there are time constraints, but this is the most important part of the practice, to tune into the nature that makes your very being, let go of other thoughts and give your body the essential time it needs to rejuvenate. 
2. Chant Om even if it is only once, this will help you to focus your mind and uplift you.
3. Suryia Namaskar- sun salutations 4-6 rounds depending on the speed you like to practice, however remember slowing yourself down may be more beneficial to your body and give yourself time to breathe within the postures and receive the benefits from each one.  Suryia Namaskar is a great boon for the whole body and mind, helps to improve flexibility and circulation, improves concentration levels and takes care of the spine your whole communication system for the body.
4. Single leg raises, helps to relieve lower back pain, stretches the hamstrings and keeps the veins in the legs healthy.
5. Sarvangasana – shoulder stand, this is a most important posture bringing a rich supply of blood to the thyroid gland keeping it healthy and regulating your metabolic system.  Brings the thyroid gland to a normal level of activity.  Slows down your heart rate and regulates any high or low blood pressure, feeds the spine abundantly with all the nutrients it needs, helps to relieve any problems with the veins in the legs and helps to maintain a youthful figure.  Also it calms the mind and helps to release any stresses or mental sluggishness.
6. Matsyasana – fish pose, helps to remove any stiffness in the back and brings greater flexibility to the spine.  A natural massage is given to the shoulders and neck.  The chest is expanded and deep breathing encouraged bringing a greater potential of energy back to the system.  The pituitary gland located in the brain is massaged and in turn then takes care of all other glands, regulating your emotions.
7. Paschimothanasana – seated forward bend, gives a complete stretch through the whole body and invigorates the internal organs.  Tones all the digestive organs and increases digestive fire, invigorates the entire nervous system and regulates energy flow.
8. Ardha Matsyendrasana - half spinal twist, helping to keep the spine healthy and elastic.  All the ligaments around the spine receive many nutrients and the toxins held in the liver, kidneys and bowels are released.  This posture brings a real calmness to the mind.
9. Savasana – your final relaxation.  Whatever your time restraints do not leave out your relaxation, it is imperative for the health of your whole body and mind system and after your asana’s you deserve it!  Give yourself some time to be still and enjoy your breath, listen to your inner sounds and find peace.

Enjoy your practice everyone; remember looking after your family, your job and the world around you starts with looking after yourself.  You start to shine and the rest of the world shines around you.

Om Om shanti Om

Nicky / Mangala

How we Eat!

Food is our daily medicine, the quality and quantity of food we take each day largely affects how we think and feel, the whole body and mind system is governed by what we are putting into our bodies.  In fact it is the very food that we eat that makes our physical body, the seven Dhatu’s or body tissues are formed from what you have for breakfast, lunch and dinner and anything in between!  And they are constantly renewing, in fact it is written that our whole physical being renews itself every seven years, so maybe now is the time to start thinking more of what is making your plasma, lymph, blood cells, muscles and bones, nerves and everything else. 

It is imperative that we look after ourselves, all progress, and all awareness starts at home, if we look after ourselves then we can take care of others.  If we take care of others the Universe starts to feel better.  If we start to shine the Universe starts to shine.

Recently I have been made more aware of the Ayurvedic diet and ways of eating, which has been a bit of a revolution to me.  How we can balance ourselves through what we eat and heal ourselves.  All diseases no matter how big or small if they are physical or mental begin through our bodies and minds being out of balance, and through how and what we eat is a way of re-balancing.  Here are some points of the Ayurvedic ways of eating that might help you to be more mindful as to how you take care of that body car of yours

1. All food should be freshly cooked, fresh produce and where possible organic.  Tinned, canned, frozen and foods in packets are dead foods, full of toxins that are only going to impair how your body and minds are working
2. You should sit down and eat your meal with a calm and settled mind.  Avoid watching TV, being on the phone/ computer or walking down the road.  Sit peacefully with good posture and enjoy the food.
3. Try not to eat too quickly or slowly this will lead to indigestion.
4. The quantity of food taken is important, try not to overeat, the stomach should be ¾ water, ¾ food and ¾ space so as good digestion can take place.
5. There should be a gap of 3-6 hours depending on your metabolism between eating.
6. Try not to drink whilst eating as it impairs the digestion, have some water before your meal then wait at least half an hour after eating before again drinking.  Tea and coffee after a meal are disastrous for the digestion!
7. A good Ayurvedic meal should contain a little of the 6 Rasa’s or tastes- sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter and astringent.
8. Lunch should be the main meal of the day as it is when the digestive fire is highest, in the evening time the digestive fire is low and slow, so having a big meal can leave you lethargic the next day.
9. Ice cold drinks and foods should be avoided as they impair the digestion greatly and reduce energy levels.
10. After food sit quietly for a few minutes and then have a little walk to aid digestion, sitting in a chair will slow down the process and induce more toxins into the system.
11. Don’t eat before going to bed, if you are hungry try drinking a little milk, or eat a small portion of fruit.
12. Food should be tasty and be good to the eye; digestion actually starts here as we look at the food.
13. Enjoy your food, it should be wholesome and satisfying and give good energy.

So enjoy your daily medicine and think about what it is you are doing to yourself, a happy body means a happy mind, a happy mind means a happy body, so eat well and look after yourself because you have a beautiful shinning heart and you deserve it.

Om Om shanti Om

Mangala/ Nicky

Ayurveda and Yoga Weekend Retreat with Nicky

September 21 @ 7:00 am - September 22 @ 7:00 pm

 | 11500 rupees

Yoga and Ayurveda – learning to live in balance and harmony

Nicky: “We are the very nature of this universe, we contain the same elements as every bird, grain of sand, every river and mighty mountain.  We are space, we are air, we are fire, water and earth.  Through the ancient traditions of Yoga and Ayurveda we can bring our minds, bodies and souls back into harmony and awaken the memory of who we really are.”

During the weekend we will look at:

• Discovery of your constitution. Each of us is made up of the 5 basic elements making the 3 dosha’s – Vata (space and air), Pita (fire and water) and Kapha (water and earth) discover your own constitution to what level of Vata, Pita, Kapha you are and how you personally connect with the universe.
• General yoga for all 3 doshas and specific yoga practice for each dosha, what is most beneficial for Vata, Pita and Kapha.
• Meditation techniques for each dosha.
• Discussion on diet and how to keep the dosha’s balanced through dietry and daily routines.
• Demonstration on how to use Ayurvedic hot water treatment for achy joints!

Nicky has just completed the Basics in Ayurveda with Dr Nuwan Gamage, Ayurvedic Physician in Tangalla, Sri Lanka and is ready with new inspiration and knowledge to share.

Cost for the weekend is 11500 per person and includes accommodation on twin sharing basis, all meals (vegetarian), transportation from and to Kathmandu, yoga instruction and Ayurveda lectures, use of yoga mats.

This weekend will be held at the beautiful Namo Buddha resort, for more details and to sign up please look at Pranamaya's website here: www.pranamaya-yoga.com

Om Om Shanti OM

Nicky / Mangala

Meditation on AUM

In one of my very first blog posts or maybe even the very first one we looked at the meaning of Om or classically written Aum.  Today we had such a lovely meditation on AUM that I thought I would share it with you, so for those of you who missed it you can practice at home.

Om is the very breath of existence, it is the beginning of all beginnings, the creation of nature and soul.  The five elements cannot exist without OM and it is the five elements that make this universe and make your good selves.  AUM is everything, it represents all that is unreal and that which is ultimate truth; absolute existence, knowledge and bliss.  It is the waking state, the dream state and the deep sleep state and all that goes beyond, it covers the threefold experiences of man.  From OM this sense world has been projected, the world exists in OM and dissolves in OM. It is the basis of your life, thought and intelligence. 

Keeping that in mind and let us begin our meditation, chanting OM will drive away all worldly thoughts and prevent Vikshepa- the tossing of the mind.

Sit comfortably in a crossed legged pose with the spine straight.

Relax all the muscles in the body and feel the shoulders relax downward.

Close your eyes and put all your duties to one side.

Concentrate on your gentle breath without changing anything just be witness to the breath, feeling the flow of air in and out of the body.

When you feel ready begin to chant AUM with your exhalations.  On the inhalations be still.

Allow the vibration of OM to journey through your body and mind, healing and soothing.

Chant for as long as you feel comfortable, take rests if you need to and you may want to chant silently after some time.

Whilst you are chanting consider all that OM represents and its meanings.

Finish by sitting silently again and bring your awareness back to the breath.

Slowly bring your hands together in front of your heart centre and rub the palms to create a heat, cup the hands over the eyes and when you are ready gently open the eyes, then release your hands down.

Chant Shanti 3 times, once for yourself, once for all living entities and once for Mother Earth.

Hari OM Tat Sat

Have beautiful days

Mangala / nicky

www.yogamangala.blogspot.com