Anger Into Inspiration

Greetings Friends!!

What a beautiful day we are having, yes?!! 

This weekend my group, Answer The Muse recorded our first cd at Wilburland Studios!! What an amazing journey and experience it is to watch more of my own personal dream unfolding. Everyone that participated in the recording session brought such heart and musicality to the project; AMAZING!! I am so grateful.

As beautiful and fulfilling as this process is and has been, there is this little nagging voice,(I'm sure you will recognize it because I've shared it with you before and you may have your own personal version) it sounds something like, "Oh am I good enough to do this"? or "Did I bring enough Soul to the music"? or "What about the laryngitis I was recovering from"? and on and on....sounds like doubt and longing for validation and attention. 

Well, looking through my notes and yoga manuals for this week's class I found some very interesting reminders about the ego that helped me put this "voice" into perspective and I'd like to share this with you now. It is quite long, but I found invaluable and informative.

Taken from "Mastering the Self, Volume One"

"The ego is here to serve us, but just as we must train the mind in order to make it into our faithful servant; so, too, the ego must be trained and aligned to the soul's purpose, our True Identity. Otherwise, it simply plays out all of our unresolved subconscious agendas and uses our anger, pain, childhood resentments and phobias to serve its own ends. You've go to admire the ego's fortitude as it strives, against all odds, to get attention and recognition. This unending quest for attention and recognition is an addiction we all share. It must have it at any cost, and it will take it in any form it can get it. Praise is welcomed, but if that's not available, the ego will accept sympathy,  and if that's not available then abuse will do. Its hunger is insatiable. No matter how much attention it gets, it's never enough. It eats and eats and eats but can never be satisfied. 

The ego is housed in a body that is but a speck of animated matter, on this tiny dot of rock we call Earth, hidden in a far corner of a minor galaxy in a seemingly unending universe. Add to that equation the billions of other tiny animated objects that garner more attention, accumulate more wealth, or worse, even become famous--and let's face it, it's a recipe for disappointment. No matter how hard we strive, we simply never get the respect we are due; or the status we believe we have earned; or the love we think we deserve. No wonder everyone seems so angry!

Anger expresses itself in a variety of ways: your anger may bubble up to the surface of your personality ready to explode at the slightest hint of provocation; or, terrified by this wild uncontrollable force, you might control your anger by dominating it with your rational mind, which always finds reasons to calm you down and explain away your frustrations; or you might simply keep it veiled by a thin veneer of civility and social manner. But when you scratch the surface, you are really angry! No matter how hard you try to cover for it or control it, your anger is going to express itself. And no matter how it expresses itself--overtly or covertly, consciously or unconsciously, externally or internally, that anger is going to harm you.

Why does it stay with us perpetually? Because it becomes ingrained in our psyche as a neurosis. Yogi Bhajan gave us a simple formula to understand this: ego plus anger equals neurosis. Neuroses are habitual reaction patterns. When we're confronted by life's challenges, our neuroses are triggered automatically, which sets off a series of actions and reactions, a sequence of cause and effect we call the "wheel of karma". Trapped in our own particular self-fulfilling prophecies, which bring us back, angain and agin, to the same point,  confronting the same situation over and over, with the same results, whcih cause the same effect ad infinitum; our neuroses lock us into a circular pattern. Like a hamster on its whell, we find ourselves spinning the wheel of karma and never getting anywhere.

So your ego is an attention-seeking junkie, who will do anything to get the attention but will never be satisfied no matter how much it gets, which causes frustration that in turn triggers anger, which creates a neurotic pattern that traps you, over and over again. Luckily there is some good news: You are not your ego. The essence of your being is a little piece of God we call the soul. If you identify you Self with your soul, then the fire tattva, often expressed as anger, transforms into will power, which you can use to break the karmic cycle of cause and effect. By consciously acting, instead of unconsciously reacting to the challenges of life, your ego is given the chance to perform its most important functions: individuation, protection and survival. The ego is your fundamental survival mechanism whose job is to create an individual identity for you, providing boundaries, information and motivation to get you what you need. This is the recipe for consciousness: soul plus will power equals consciousness." 

"When you are angry, your entire energy consolidates into the wavelength of the angry thought; you stay in anger perpetually Your anger takes away nourishment from your body, takes away heat from your stomach and energy from your circulation. If you realized the cost for even one moment of anger, you would never become angry." Yogi Bhajan

WHEW!!! So guess what we are working on this week folks? You got it, removing inner anger. This is a big one; even if you don't consider yourself to be angry person, chances are your body/mind is or has been affected by anger at some point. Please join me this week to release anger and clear the subconscious mind so that we can be more of who We trulyAre!!

ALSO, Answer The Muse ensemble will be joining Vox Lumina on Sat, May 5 at Fine Spirit Studio for Yoga, Music, Healing and More!!  There is a free Yoga Class at 6:15pm. See below and Join Us!!

Peace to you.

Love to you.

Jai Hari

DEAREST MUSIC FRIENDS...DEAREST SPIRIT FRIENDS....

I AM  SOOOOOO PLEASED BE PLAYING WITH ANSWER THE MUSE, AND JOINING MY DEAR FRIEND BROOKE SMOKELIN (VOX LUMINA) THIS COMING SATURDAY NIGHT...CHECK OUT THE DETAILS BELOW ALONG WITH OUR VERY GROOVY FLYERS ATTACHED...WITH VERY GROOVY PIX OF US!!

THIS WILL BE OUR MAIN GIG FOR THE MONTH OF MAY....SO DO TRY TO CATCH US....MEET BROOKE...AND SPEND SOME TIME WITH THE SPIRIT AND THE MUSIC

SUSAN!

VOX LUMINA

and the River Gypsy Medicine Show

with Answer the Muse

@ Fine Spirit Studio- 201 Dey Street

http://www.finespiritstudio.com

SATURDAY MAY 5

7:30- 10:30 pm (right after FREEYOGA CLASS)......$12 suggested

Earthy, rootsy, Organically-grown SOULmusic from the brand spanking new cd, Vox Lumina'sSONG OF LIGHT- 

as well as trance-chant/kirtan favorites from her MUSIC IS MEDICINE album! 

www.voxlumina.com 

  With very special guests:

*** Erik Lawrence on flute and sax (from the Levon Helm Band, Honey Ear Trio) ***

***Brian Dozoretz on upright bass (Jennie Stearn's Band and others)***

***and Zaun Marshburn on drums!*** 

PLUS a special set from ANSWER THE MUSE- 

Ithaca’s own new music collective with a unique 

style of Transformative Musical Performance Art.  They create a fusion of Originals, Covers, and Ambiant music that includes Sacred Chant and meditations with Yogic audience participation. With Jai Hari Meyerhoff on lead vocals, Jonathan Meyerhoff on back up vocals and guitar, Ceili Murphy (composer/lyricist) on keyboards and woodwinds-whistles, and Joey Arcuri on bass. 

http://answerthemuse.com/

 

Wow! WOW! And more WOW!  

HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE!!!!!

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Experience the spirit of a saint and the fearlessness of a warrior

 Sat Nam,

This week in Kundalini Yoga we will be doing a kriya called, "To Master Your Domain".  "To master your domain you act from the center of your being, your command center. Mentally, this means that youa re able to hold and project a thought, an idea, into reality. In the physical body, you are able to circulate blood from the core to all the outlying limbs and glands. This kriya gives you command in both the mental and physical realms." 

Our meditation, a beautiful meditation, is called, "Removing Fear of the Future".  What a great way to start this week; a kriya to master yourself and a meditation to help remove fear. The mudra used in the meditation "helps to neutralize your mind's frantic calculations to avoid fear and pain. It is the calculations themselves that produce anxiety and get you out of touch with the resources of your intuition and heart. " Guru Charn Singh Khalsa

Come to class and take care of yourself in this very simple and beautiful way so that you can be and do all that you envision for yourself! I look forward to seeing you soon.

--

Love to all,

Jai Hari

760-5386

Kundalini Yoga Classes for Health, Vitality and Wellness

Monday 7:30-9pm, Fine Spirit Studio, 201 Dey St, Ithaca

Wednesday 6:45-8:15pm, Pure and Simple Yoga, 75 E Court St, Cortland

Thursday 10-11:30am, Fine Spirit Studio

Also, Smart Girl Yoga, Tuesday 3:45-5pm, Fine Spirit Studio

New Lungs and Circulation!! Breathe Easier!

Sat Nam,

We all knew the weather would return to a more appropriate temperature for this time of year, didn't we? What a gift we had of warmth and sunshine and color. No problem with energy or vitality for me last week? What about you? I felt great and had tons of energy. Now with the change in temperature I can feel myself already wanting to retreat and hibernate again. UGH!! 

This Sunday we hosted the monthly Sunday Sadhana at our house; it was a lovely morning mediation and yoga time shared with friends who felt called to come out at 4am to join in.  Abhai Raj led us in a great set that I had forgotten about called, "New Lungs and Circulation". This very energizing set "retools  the lungs and improves circulation throughout the body." It is challenging and invigorating!! I will be teaching this kriya in class this week.  I urge you to come and keep your own energy alive despite the change in weather. We cannot count on the weather to always be optimal but we can count on the moving of our bodies and the use of our breath to feel energized, warm and alive. I hope to see you this week.

Please remember to let any girls ages 9-13 know about Smart Girl Yoga. This class rocks!!  My intention with this class is to offer tools and techniques for help girls cope with today's challenges.  There is still space, so spread the word. See the attachment above and feel free to pass it along.

Love to all,

Jai Hari

760-5386

Kundalini Yoga Classes for Health, Vitality and Wellness

Monday 7:30-9pm, Fine Spirit Studio, 201 Dey St, Ithaca

Wednesday 6:45-8:15pm, Pure and Simple Yoga, 75 E Court St, Cortland

Thursday 10-11:30am, Fine Spirit Studio

Also, Smart Girl Yoga, Tuesday 3:45-5pm, Fine Spirit Studio

Smart Girl Yoga flyer (1).pdf 1182K   View   Download

Lighthouse

Sat Nam,

I took a long overdue walk with my 12 year old daughter, Sat Ardas today. It has been customary for me to take each of my children on a walk to the lighthouse on their 11th birthday. The lighthouse is a symbol for the number 11 and it represents integrity, inspiration and the highest consciousness. Being that Sat Ardas was born in February, it has been more challenging to take that walk with her; weather, busy schedules, etc....So one year and a few weeks late, today was the day, especially with this incredible weather we have been having. 

As we walked, we talked about what it means to be a conscious human being. And while I am still striving to understand this myself, I did say to her that I believe it means we think about who we want to be in the world, and in particular in any situation that may arise in our day to day life. She understood that. She said, "I want to be a person that brings happiness, joy and love into the world" (Mom smiles quietly). Now, I believe she already does do that in the world. However, I can see there is a new consciousness and awareness that she wants to integrate into this process. She is a light, yet wants to do that consciously. It becomes a choice. 

Think about the lighthouse for a moment. It's job is to light the way; to keep the sailors from smashing into the rocks. If you ever stand next to a lighthouse you can see it has a very solid structure; it can withstand most weather. Then at it's top, windows to allow the light to shine. To tell you the truth, I don't even know if the lighthouse at the base of our Lake, Cayuga even works. But the image is a powerful one for me. It helps me to remember to be solid and shine the light; a choice I make. But that takes work and intention and practice and more practice. It is so incredibly easy to get thrown off balance by life. So, I do my yoga and meditate and learn and grow and do my best to be a person living from the highest consciousness.

Which brings me to this week's class....we will do "Kriya for Pelvic Balance".  "To walk with grace and strength is to feel connected to the world and ready to act. This is not only a matter of mindset but also of physical balance. When the pelvis and its muscles are out of balance, many systems begin to show stress. Exhaustion, low endurance, and lower back pain are common symptoms. This kriya is helpful for staying energetic and balanced. It helps to maintain potency if practiced regularly."  Yogi Bhajan

I hope to see you in class this week to balance your pelvis and create a stable foundation for yourself so that you can be solid, walk with grace and strength and shine your light in the world.

Also, please come to early morning sadhana this Sunday, March 25th at 5am. Last month a few of us joined together to pray, practice and meditate. It set a beautiful tone for us for the week and was a special time to come together and raise our spirits. Afterward we will share tea. If you feel like bringing a snack to share you are welcome to. The address is: 28 Michigan Hollow Rd.

Directions: Follow 96B up past Ithaca College, go through Danby.

                    Pass the Fire Hall, the Town Hall and Danby Church (on Left)

                    Next road on your right after the church is Michigan Hollow, take a right.

                    We are the 2nd house on the right, orange with red trim, #28.

                    Please park far over to the side of the road.

One more announcement: Smart Girl Yoga will be starting up again on Tuesday, April 3 from 3:45-5pm at Fine Spirit Studio. Please let any family know about this fun and strengthening class. 

Hope to see you very soon.

Love to all,

Jai Hari

760-5386

Kundalini Yoga Classes for Health, Vitality and Wellness

Monday 7:30-9pm, Fine Spirit Studio, 201 Dey St, Ithaca

Wednesday 6:45-8:15pm, Pure and Simple Yoga, 75 E Court St, Cortland

Thursday 10-11:30am, Fine Spirit Studio

Also, Smart Girl Yoga, Tuesday 3:45-5pm, Fine Spirit Studio

Smart Girl Yoga flyer (1).pdf 1182K   View   Download

Simple, Breathing

 Sat Nam,

I am continually re inspired by the technology of Kundalini Yoga. There are so many simple (and not so simple) techniques that we can tap into to rejuvenate ourselves. 

For example, BREATHING.....

How many times today have you stopped for a moment and tuned in to your breath? Can you stop right now? Stop. Close your eyes. Take a deep breath in. Exhale. Now notice how you feel. 

Are you tired? Do you need more energy? If so, take your right hand, close the left nostril with the right index finger and breathe in and out through your right nostril....Continue for 1-3 minutes.

Are you anxious? Do you need to calm down? If so, take your right hand, close the right nostril with the right thumb and breathe in and out through your left nostril...Continue for 1-3 minutes.

That's it, that's all there is to it. Simple techniques at your fingertips to help you regain your balance. 

Please join me this week in yoga. We will do a set called, "Achieving Equilibrium".  "This set of exercises is to activate the ha-tha (sun-moon or the Pingala and Ida) and the Shushmana through a pure physical force. It is the best set because you are moving all the airs of the body and bringing an equilibrium to the entire glandular system. If you just practice this one set alone, you will be surprised how much control on your mind, body and soul, and how much combination you can achieve." Yogi Bhajan

OK? It's time. Don't wait till next week or till you are in shape or you get your taxes done, or.........Now. 

Your health and well being are NOW.

See you soon. Until then, many blessings.

-- 

Love to all,

Jai Hari

760-5386

Kundalini Yoga Classes for Health, Vitality and Wellness

Monday 7:30-9pm, Fine Spirit Studio, 201 Dey St, Ithaca

Wednesday 6:45-8:15pm, Pure and Simple Yoga, 75 E Court St, Cortland

Thursday 10-11:30am, Fine Spirit Studio

Also, Smart Girl Yoga, Tuesday 3:45-5pm, Fine Spirit Studio

Recharge Yourself

 Sat Nam All,

Think of how much attention you give to the batteries in your life. Your cell phone battery for example.....how often do you plug in your cell phone to recharge the battery? What other batteries do you have to keep charged? 

What about you? I mean your own internal battery, so to speak. We go, go, go and unless we have a daily or even weekly way to recharge ourselves, we can end up feeling quite depleted. Think of doing Kundalini Yoga as a way to reboot yourself or charge yourself up again. I find for myself that it is essential; when I don't do my practice, I notice it. I don't feel like my self and feel quite cranky (just ask my family). It is like brushing your teeth, I do it every day, and when I don't, I notice it. The practice of Yoga and meditation in my life is a way to keep my "own internal battery" charged up and my mind clear and emotions balanced. 

Please join me this week for Kundalini Yoga to "Recharge Yourself". You will be glad you did this for yourself. Don't worry if you haven't been in a long time, or you've put on weight or you have a new injury. JUST SHOW UP and do what you can. Everyone can breathe!! You can breathe and modify any posture. 

I am clearer than ever on how important and timely this Yoga is for us in this swiftly changing world. 

We had a very sweet, early morning Sadhana on Sunday. Six of us joined together at 5am to meditate, pray, and breathe together. We will do it again in March. If you are interested keep your eyes open for this happening around the 3rd Sunday.

OK, that's all for now. I wish you all the courage you need to take each step of your life with grace, joy and love. 

Love to all,

Jai Hari

760-5386

Kundalini Yoga Classes for Health, Vitality and Wellness

Monday 7:30-9pm, Fine Spirit Studio, 201 Dey St, Ithaca

Wednesday 6:45-8:15pm, Pure and Simple Yoga, 75 E Court St, Cortland

Thursday 10-11:30am, Fine Spirit Studio

Also, Smart Girl Yoga, Tuesday 3:45-5pm, Fine Spirit Studio

Meditation for the Neutral Mind

Hello Folks,

You see this photo? This is me. I am stressed and feeling pulled in many directions and can not figure out what to do next.... I'm not a beautiful yoga model or a teacher from L.A. sharing my tips for sanity. It's me, in real life, after real life stress trying to find my way home. Or at least to a feeling of calm so that I can make clear choices on what the next best move for my day may be. This is not a moment of big life choices folks. This is: I have all of my old habits to contend with, my hopes for the future, my to do list for the day, my wish list for the day, 4 of my own children, at least 4-7 extra children in my surroundings, expectations of what I should be doing with my time from my husband (love ya babe), expectations of what I should be doing with my life from my father (still in the subconscious mind after all these years),  btw, one of those children just came in to let me know how incredibly hungry they are, right now, in this very moment. Ugh!' and what should I make for dinner and how are we going to pay those bills?.........And on and on.......

I know I am not alone.

You, reader, I'm sure have had these moments. Call it stress, call it over whelm (wait, is over whelm one word or two?), call it anything you want. I'm calling it chaos. I'm calling it drama. I'm calling it separation from my own clear knowing.

Here is the pivotal moment. Here is where I, you, we, put on the brakes and do not do another task. 

Try this instead:

Sit in rock pose (knees bent, sitting on your heals).  Easy pose or in a chair is just fine as well.

Stretch your arms, pressing palms together with fingers and thumbs together, pointing straight.

Lock your elbows, upper arms against your ears. 

Eyes are one-tenth open.

Focus on the breath. Breathe in and out deeply several times to prepare.

Breathe in slowly and deeply, hold the breath as long as you can, and then breathe out completely.  This breathing in and holding the breath should last 60 seconds. (It's ok to build this up over time).

Repeat twice more. 

Sit quietly and feel the relief as you reconnect to your own inner knowing. 

Yoga does not have to be an hour and a half of your time; it can be. But what I love about Kundalini Yoga are those quick exercises that can be done almost anywhere, almost anytime to help us regain our balance.

Try it. Let me know how it goes for you. I do it! I did it! It helps tremendously; I love knowing that when I feel like I can't breathe or I don't have answers or I want to run away, there are tools available. Thank You to all the teachers who have paved the way, experimenting with techniques, making adjustments to mudras. Thank you to all of you, the modern day teachers; practice, adjust, learn and then teach and share these techniques so that when your friend or family member is going crazy in their kitchen you have something to offer them. 

God Bless You!!

Nuertralize.