Unconditional Love in 8 Minutes -- http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=eN3mCA1q6yI

………………………………………………………..

The Hidden Mother and the Divine Mother

There are two energies available to us here on planet earth. One is earth energy (sometimes called the "Hidden Mother"). The other is celestial energy (sometimes called the "Divine Mother").  They meet and blend in the heart chakra. I used to think I needed to wait while one energy came up to the heart and the other came down to the heart. But now I think, they're already touching. All I need to do is notice. For me, that makes feeling these energies a lot easier.

--Alice

The Chrysalis

………………………………………………………..

………………………………………………………..

………………………………………………………..

Mul Mantra

The Sikhs said of the soul that finds this deepest Heart:

There is but one truth in all creation. That truth is the Creator.

He is the Doer, He the fearless one, from whom even the seed of anger has fallen away. He never died, nor was he born. He knows his true Self through the gift of Divine grace.

Meditate then: What was true when the universe first unfurled -- that has been true through all the ages. Even now it is true. The great sage Nanak knows it shall ever be true. --paraphrase of the Mul Mantra

………………………………………………………..

Yoga to Open the Heart:

Some Pointers and Techniques Related to Posture and the Heart Chakra

from Kundalini Yoga for beginners - Lesson 19

Cultivating and maintaining good posture is one of our modern challenges. In this lesson we will cover some pointers and techniques related to posture. Some of the reasons for bad posture and the gradual humping of our spine include:

1.       A closed heart

2.       Being too mental

3.       Too much energy in the upper chakras and not being grounded

4.       Weak navel point.

(1) A Closed Heart
One of the main reasons for poor posture is a closed heart. If we are afraid, lack self-confidence and self-esteem, or suffer from any of the other manifestations of a closed heart chakra, we try to protect ourselves by physically bending in at the heart center. Much of our deep emotional pain in stored in the solar plexus (between the navel center and the breasts.) Our protective instincts are often initiated in the area of the solar plexus.

To open the heart, we must begin at the solar plexus and cultivate a deep non-verbal relationship with the emotional energies residing in that area of our body. Fear, anger and sadness are the lions that guard the gate to the heart. We must befriend them to open our hearts.

Muscularly the heart needs the support of the back muscles to stay open. If our back muscles are weak, we gradually collapse and bend over.

(2) Being too Mental
Ideally, we operate from our heart. When we walk, our heart should lead. The problem is that we have become talking and walking heads. Our body ends up being a source of transportation for our thoughts about what we think we should be doing. What happens is that our physical head actually leads when we walk and protrudes over our body even when we are eating, talking or sitting working at our computer. When our head is not evenly balanced over our spine, our posture gets out of alignment. Our body has to compensate for the weight of the head sticking out in front of the body.

(3) Not Grounded
Because we live in our thoughts and not in the sensations in our bodies, our energies stay in our upper body, from the shoulders up. When we are energetically top heavy, many things get out of alignment, including our posture. If our shoulders can't relax, our heart center is not relaxed.

(4) Weak Navel Center
Our navel center is the third eye of our physical body. It is also the physical mid point of the body. When it is weak, we literally have no physical center or way to direct our lower centers. Our physical movements should be initiated from our navel center. However, when it is weak or off center, by default we initiate from our head.

Corrective Practices

The above problems can be corrected in a variety of ways. The first is through attention and intention. We simply choose to be aware of where our energy is and balance it out by mental and physical adjustments including:

1. Slightly pulling in our navel point

2. Gently pulling the root lock (muscles at the base of the spine)

3. Breathing in our belly and making sure that the inhale expands the kidney area

4. Initiating movements, including walking from the navel center

5. Inhale before initiating movements. Usually we move and then realize we are holding our breath.

6. Pulling our spine up, especially at the solar plexus so it stays open and not caved in

7. Keeping the sternum up and shoulders relaxed

8. Checking periodically to make sure our head in comfortably over the shoulders and not forward. We can pull it back slightly.

9. Feeling the sensations in our body

10. When we have thoughts, checking to see how they register in our body

11. Standing on two feet and legs, instead of balancing on one only while standing around

12. Lie on the floor with pillows or folded blankets under the spine at the level of the heart and solar plexus.

13. While holding a strap that is at least 3 feet long in the two hands, move in various directions to loosen up the front and back of your body. Learn how to move and strengthen the muscles in the mid back. You can make up a lot of movements, which will feel good and move the energy.

14. Move shoulders, hands, arms, fingers, back. We are often stationary. Inaction creates stagnation of energy. Stand up and shake your limbs. Do shoulder shrugs and neck rolls while you are sitting. Be creative, but stretch and move!

Practicing Kundalini Yoga

Our daily practice of Kundalini yoga should include exercises to cultivate energy in our lower chakras, strengthen the navel point and open the heart center. Shoulder shrugs and neck rolls provide a lot of relief if practiced on a daily basis.

With rare exceptions, all exercises should be executed with an open heart. This means that we should not hump our back to try to get into a posture. This is especially true of leg stretches. Aim the belly, solar plexus and chest toward the leg and then stretch as far as it is comfortable. But do not bend the back to get the head to the leg. The back should be stretched to lengthen and open it.

Exercises to strengthen the back muscles and open the shoulder blades include exercises like cobra, bow and camel poses.

Set to Open the Heart and to Remove Negativity
Here is a short set that works on opening the heart center. It is taken from Relax and Renew page 102 and was taught by Yogi Bhajan in 1973.

During exercise one, keep the breath in the solar plexus and feel the energy and sensations there.

Exercise two actually takes stress out of the head and gives you a glowing complexion. You are so happy when it is over!

Exercise three opens up the back and heart and connects the energy of the arms and hands with the heart. This and the following one are good exercises for symptoms of carpal tunnel and numbing of the arms and hands. These conditions are partly caused by blocked energy between the hands, arms and heart.

Exercise four is fabulous to do many times a day. You can open your heart from the back. Feel your shoulder blades move down and together. A lot of stress, which is blocked heart- center energy, will be released. Enjoy.

(1) Clasp fingers in Venus Lock, but curl Mercury (little) and Sun (ring) fingers into the palms instead of crossing them. Then hook left Saturn (middle) finger over right Sun (ring) finger and pull, hard. Focus at the 3rd Eye, continuously pulling hard on the finger lock for 1-3 minutes. Removes anger and enthrones the neutral mind.   (2) Fit base of palms under the cheek bones and push as hard as you can for 1-3 minutes. It doesn't have to hurt, but if it does, you have the right spot. Makes you feel happy!   (3) Grasp left wrist with the right hand and pull the left arm as far to the right as possible, and then some more!, for 1-3 minutes. Removes tension across shoulder blades.   (4) Make wrist lock behind the back with the hands touching the spine and try to bring elbows together. Pull! Arch the spine forward and apply chin lock for 1-3 minutes. Raises energy up the spine and elevates you!   COMMENTS: This short set leaves you feeling great! Perfect for depression, anger, fatigue or stress.

………………………………………………………..

Hridaya Chakra -- the Hidden Inner Heart

Hridaya is located next to the fourth primary chakra revealed in Yogic tradition. In Sanskrit, hridaya or "hrid" means "center" and "ayam," "this." Hridaya refers to "this center" of our being. Although Hridaya typically means "heart," it is not identical with the anahat (heart) chakra, but rather with the heart of hearts which can only be realized through the complete entry into -- merging with -- absolute existence. Thus it is necessary to reach the sahasrara first through sushumna, and then enter the hridaya chakra (which is the innermost eternal core center. From the Hridayam all of creation flows like a river. It is a natural center, known through the results of meditation (Samadhi).

Hridaya is associated with the ability to make courageous choices outside of the realm of karma. In the lower chakras and a dominant self preservation instinct, humankind is bound by the precise laws of karma, and consequence, unremediated. In Hridaya, one makes decisions, 'following  the heart,' based upon one's higher self. The most powerful wish fulfillment and transformation resides here, engaging your ability to create whatsoever magnanimous good you will to bring to this world.

Hridaya is associated with unconditional love and compassion, charity to all living things and empathy that includes even inanimate objects of creation. Hridaya is at the source of the many forms of healing. Hridaya symbolizes "the center" often described as "the seat of the soul."

--regrets, source is lost. --Alice

…………………………..

Note below location of Hridaya Chakra in the left chest.

picture from http://www.bhupendratechniques.com/Research

………………………………………………………

More on Hridaya Chakra

Here they're calling Hridaya Chakra by another name: Ananda kandha chakra -- The point within whereby the Formless emerges into form, where pure blissful awareness permeates to matter. The bliss and prema [love] combined as one single blissful experience. Ananda kandha chakra is located at the point where energy and matter meet; where gross matter and Atma Shakti (Energy of the Soul) meets. It truly emanates an aroma of Happiness or Bliss, both within and without!

The Ananda Kanda lies just below the Anahata Chakra [heart chakra in the center of the chest] and it is in the family of the Anahata Chakra. It is a small golden lotus with eight petals.

-- from http://www.pranashakty.org/ananda-siddhi/

………………………………………………………..

………………………………………………………..

………………………………………………………..

--from http://www.free-bible-study-lessons.com

………………………………………………………..

Meditation on Twin Hearts -- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMYWMQ9UXdo

Meditation on Twin Hearts or Twin Heart Meditation (TWHM) is an advanced meditation technique intended to achieve illumination or universal consciousness through activation and development of the heart and crown energy centers. The heart and crown energy centers are referred to as "twin hearts". Meditation on Twin Hearts is an invaluable form of world service that helps harmonize the earth by blessing it with loving-kindness, peace, joy and goodwill. Scientific investigations performed to evaluate the efficacy of meditation practice, reveal significant positive findings following Meditation on Twin Hearts.

--more info at www.MeditationonTwinHearts.tel 

………………………………………………………..

Krishna Das

When Krishna Das sings, the heart energy in a room is so huge, it's like diving into an ocean of love. How does he do this??

https://www.facebook.com/#!/KrishnaDasMusic/posts/10150424545811879

………………………………………………………..

What Was That Moment?

What was that moment in my tender years

when I succumbed to the notion that love's a scarce commodity?

--was I left crying on the bathroom floor? Was that it?

--was I awakened at night by a stranger's hand

        as my mother -- in some faraway place --

        gave birth to my competition?

--was it the moment when my folks

        walked up the porch steps -- right past the former apple of their eyes --

        bearing that sleeping newborn babe?

        Hush! You'll wake him!

Not that? When, then?                         ?

That was the moment when I -- unknowingly --

Gave up my birthright for that all-too-human myth.

--a gift from Alice, January 10, 2012

Dedicated to Peggy Black and her Team, http://www.peggyblack.com/ , whose insightful healing work uplifts the world

………………………………………………………..

"All that we are is the result of what we have thought." --Buddha

Think Love. Be Love.

………………………………………………………..

Happiness Is an Open Heart

I spent years working on myself and reaching for spiritual growth. Looking back, I now see that the thing I needed most was an open heart, and I believe this is true of you too: the magic elixir you're looking for is big love. I don't mean more love from others, but to center yourself in love and cultivate a greater capacity to love others and radiate divine love in all you say and do.

Another turning point for me was realizing that constant mental activity wasn't a good thing. When I began to practice meditation, I realized that there are all sorts of different types of wisdom in the world, and if what I was after was enlightenment, endlessly processing things in my head wasn't smart but detrimental.

I also noted that people who seemed to truly be at peace didn't care one bit about how smart they were, impressing other people or convincing anyone of anything. Instead, they looked for the beauty in others, offered others love and support, and kept their hearts open to each moment. This was radically different from the way I was accustomed to living, which largely focused on proving that I was worthy of admiration and always right.

Love demands that we rise above the endless fears and desires of the ego to care about more than our own happiness, satisfaction and popularity. Ironically, by letting go of endlessly worrying about ourselves, we gain the peace, love and happiness we've been longing for all along.

The first thing I recommend is that you own and work with the truth that what you focus on will determine how you feel. The remedy for unhappiness is gratitude. Though your life may seem hellish in some ways, it is endlessly blessed in others. Look for things to appreciate in others, in yourself, and in every situation, and point those good things out. The more you do this, the better you will feel and the more others will be drawn to you.

Next, strive to send the warmest, highest energy you can out into the world. Instead of trying to have all the answers for people, just give them the love, support and understanding they need to get through their struggles. Strive to be kind-hearted instead of right. Whenever you're tempted to try to prove that you're lovable to others, instead, focus on uplifting them and making them feel good about themselves. Since we get back what we send out into the world, this will quickly turn your course of experience around.

Finally, take up a spiritual practice that gets you out of your head, centers you in the heart and puts you in touch with gentle, spiritual people. Yoga would be a great choice, as would meditation designed to open your heart and guide you to love yourself more while sending more love out into the world. As your thoughts, feelings and inner world grow brighter, your outer experiences will follow suit. If you sincerely try, you will see that by working with the power of love, you can profoundly transform every aspect of your life.

-- from Julia Melges-Brenner, http://www.muse-net.com

Return to home page