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June Akal eNewsletter
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| Sat Nam Dear One ! |
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 Dear Infinite Being,
Praana- The Breath of Life~
Breath is the place to start
The first and last things we do in this physical lifetime are to take a breath. Along with oxygen, nitrogen, and carbon dioxide, the breath contains prana, the life force. We are regularly taught we can't live without oxygen; it is also true we can't live without prana, the vital force that energizes the mind, body, and consciousness.
Principles to remember:
1. Your rate of breathing and your state of mind are inseparable.
2. The slower your rate of breathing, the more control you have over your mind.
3. The mind follows the breath, and the body follows the mind.
The breath is a fundamental tool for the Kundalini Yoga student. The average rate of breathing for most people is about sixteen times per minute. When the rate of breathing increases, or if it becomes rapid and irregular, the mind also becomes disturbed and erratic.
Try slowing down your breath, Long, deep breathing is a simple yet highly effective pranayam exercise. One cycle is one inhale, one exhale.
Breath Frequency-
8 cycles per minute:
Feel more relaxed.
Relief from stress and increased mental awareness.
Parasympathetic nervous system begins to be influenced.
Elevates healing processes.
4 cycles per minute:
Positive shifts in mental function.
Intense feelings of awareness, increased visual clarity, and heightened body sensitivity.
Pituitary and pineal glands begin to coordinate at an enhanced level, producing a meditative state.
1 cycle per minute:
Optimized cooperation between brain hemispheres.
Dramatic calming of anxiety, fear, and worry.
Openness to feeling one's presence and the presence of Spirit.
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New Moon Celebration & Meditation (view details)
Native American Fire Release Ceremony & Healing Ring of White Tantra.
Come to celebrate the New Moon, in a safe and uplifting environment.
The Moon exerts much influence on the psychic activity of humans. In astrology the Moon represents the imaginative and reflective side of a person and is linked to the subconscious mind.
The Moon rules the pituitary gland, master of the glandular system, which in turn is linked to the akashic record- the part of the collective psyche where everything that has ever been is recorded.
Actually the Moon center, or pituitary gland controls the whole reproductive process. Our sexual force constitutes... read more
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Praana: 'The Breath of Life' Kundalini Yoga Workshop with Akalsukh Singh
Saturday, June 19th
Time: 1:00pm - 3:45pm
View details
"You take your first breath when you are born, and you breathe the last when you leave the body. If that is not a clue of the importance of the breath, what else it can be."
In this workshop we will learn about praana and how it manifests in our bodies and minds, as well as practice deeply healing breathing techniques.
We'll incorporate in this course all the basic elements of Kundalini Yoga, a kriya (set of exercises) mantra meditation combined with a certain pattern of breathing as well laughing and dancing.
Your breathing is linked to your emotions; when one changes the other does so, whether you are aware of it or not.
If you breathe improperly your emotions get trapped inside your energy field.
When you breathe properly and fully these emotions and feelings are released, resulting in a feeling of bliss...read more
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"That was my first time participating in full moon ceremony & meditation .It was a very plesant experience, source of inspiration & wisdom to my spiritual growth." -D.P -Clifton NJ
"Last night's full moon ceremony was powerful. I enjoyed the company of the group meditation, breath work, and chanting. The energy was healing. It was as if my heart was being massaged in this sacred space. In fact, it was."
-Aleah -Montclair NJ
"Akalsukh's Kundalini Workshop focusing on prosperity and manifestation was extremely rejuvenating and uplifting. I left with a feeling of gratitude for the abundance I already have and a renewed perspective on the opportunities that are always available if we are open and in awareness.
I love Kundalini yoga because it connects you to your soul and then gives you the tools to take that energy off the mat and into the"real world". -Heidi, Verona NJ
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 One Minute Breath
This is an extraordinary method of
controlling and transforming your mental state,
just with your breath!
Normally, we breathe 14 to 16 breaths per minute. And when we are in shock or fear, our breath either stops or the breaths per minute increase, while the breath becomes quite shallow. But as we consciously slow the breaths down and make them very deep, amazing changes for the better occur in our consciousness! "One Minute Breath" is a super exercise for making those changes happen!
How to do it:
Sit straight, tune in:
Close your eyes 9/10 while looking at the tip of your nose.
There is no mantra (repeated words or sounds embodying spiritual power.)
Inhale very slowly for 20 seconds.
Hold the breath in for 20 seconds.
Exhale very slowly for 20 seconds.
(You never hold the breath out.) Then with the next breath, you continue as above, and so on.
The time periods for the breath that are given above are the very optimum for this One Minute Breath exercise. Simply do the best that you can, approaching your limits without stressing yourself out. The object is to put yourself into free-flowing suspension--not to cause yourself panic and pain.
As you practice this over time, you will find that these time periods will increase. But try your best to keep each of these three phases equal, no matter what length of time works for you. But to feel guilty or worthless because it is too difficult to do these full 20 second phases is really counter-productive! So, relax and expand gracefully! You can start by watching a clock as you do this so that you get a sense of the timing.
Then become aware of the rhythm as you focus without using the clock.
Be sure to inhale first from your diaphragm, meaning your belly will move out first, causing that powerful horizontal muscle at the bottom of your fixed ribs--your diaphragm to move down. As it does this, the diaphragm pulls the bottom of the lungs down to expand the lungs. Then continue by fully filling the lungs up to the tops which are under your collar bones.
On the exhale, reverse the process by moving the belly in, causing the diaphragm to push up against the lungs, and then fully empty the lungs.
Make the breath continuous and even, trying not to let it be jerky.
Doing this One Minute Breath for the yogic time patterns of 3 minutes, 11 minutes or 31 minutes creates a great single or daily meditation. Or you can use it for any length of time--long or short--at any time, especially when you need inner guidance, or things get confusing or too emotional, or you just want some peace or stress relief!
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