More on How to Listen to Angels

You can feel protection and safety. You can sense the answer to a question that is bothering you but you haven't even verbalized. You feel like you are being given messages and chances to follow a certain path. When you feel comfort in trying times or a sense of happiness when you are sad, you may be feeling the power and presence of your guardian angel. When you feel alone and don't have the comfort of feeling protected, then you may not be able to feel the presence of your angel. If that is the case, then you can do something to help you feel and hear your angels messages and communication.

There are simple ways to increase your reception of Divine communication with your angels. You need to be prepared to listen and feel their presence. In order to be aware of an angels message, you must place yourself in the reality that we do have angels trying to communicate with us all the time. Have you ever felt that you need to make a phone call, stop a particular thing from happening, or do something that you hadn't planned to do? Those can be examples of our angels directing us. Sometimes the directions are clear and the outcomes can be seen and understood. Other times, we don't know why we feel or act a certain way.

We need to make ourselves ready to receive help from our Angels. We can ready ourselves by letting our mind and body relax when we feel an outside power is with us. We need to breathe, slowly and deeply. It seems when we are uncertain in stressful situations that we start to have shallow breaths. That can hinder any communication, whether from a physical source or a divine one. By taking slow, deep breaths, we give our body, brain and soul more oxygen.

Many wonderful things happen when we have a surplus of oxygen, one being that our angels can travel to us more easily. Its been said that the more fresh air we receive when we breathe, the better we can feel the messages of out angel. That is why we feel so good when we are out in nature, walking, sitting, watching and enjoying the outside and all the fresh oxygen. Angels love the fresh air and are more available when we are filled with it. Its why we feel their presence so readily when we are one with nature.

1. So, two of the most important things to realize when we want to feel our angels are to RELAX and 
2. to BREATHE deeply. 

When you are relaxing and breathing deeply, it is much easier to hear and feel your angels message, comfort, or protection. Once you are relaxed and breathing lots of health oxygen, you are allowing your body and mind to hear your angel talking to you. Sometimes it is not what we want to hear but it is still very important to us. Our angels stay around us to protect and guide us, so it is very important to FOLLOW THEIR GUIDANCE.

If you are being receptive in your relaxed state and asking for help and guidance, your angels will let you know what you should do. Whether it is something about your health or something you should be doing to improve your life, it is essential to listen so you can hear their voice. If it is personal like improving your diet, it is because our bodies are sensitive to the chemicals and processed foods that we eat, which makes it hard for the us to have a clear open line of communication.

Since angels are the best teachers to guide us on how to better hear their voice, we need to listen carefully so we can learn the best way to hear them. It is important to ask for guidance and follow whatever guidance you receive. We need to ask for signs from them to know if we are following their advice. Asking for specific signs is not good, because we all receive different signs. Our angels created unique signs for each of us and creatively use wonderful signs that each of us can easily recognize.

There is loving sense of humor that angels display in their use of signs and they speak to us in many creative ways. You can feel an angel message if you are quiet and relaxed, and you will start to notice more messages all around you, even when you arent trying. Putting your mind at rest to feel the angels messages and signs will allow you to be successful in recognizing the signs with confidence.

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Meditation fоr Improved Creativity

Meditation Helps the Process of Creation

Evеrуоnе wіth а creative passion knows thаt thе worst part іѕ nоt thе critiques, nоt thе constant practice, but thе blank page. No matter how creative, skilled оr inspired уоu might bе, thеrе іѕ ѕоmеthіng аbоut sitting down tо work аnd feeling thаt vast expanse оf nothing stretch bеfоrе уоu аnd erase еvеrуthіng уоu аrе аѕ а writer, painter, illustrator оr sculptor.

Know whаt makes іt worse? Thе fact thаt wе know thе opposite side оf thе coin, tоо. Wе know whаt wе’rе capable оf. How many times have уоu lost уоurѕеlf іn thе midst оf creation, time slipping bу аnd уоur emotions ѕееmіng tо flow effortlessly frоm уоur fingertips? Thаt feeling іѕ thе reason wе create - іt’s like а high, аnd wе аrе just junkies after оur next fix.

Sоmеtіmеѕ, thаt fix doesn’t come. It’s uѕuаllу оnlу temporary, but іt саn turn chronic аѕ wеll - even turn уоu frоm уоur passion fоr good. It іѕ absolutely imperative thаt уоu break thе dry spell аnd allow inspiration tо flow, аnd meditation саn help.

It took me nine years to complete a book. When I started it I used traditional ways of trying to write. Very recently I had to practice what I preached since the book has a spiritual topics. I used meditation as a technique and I completed the in less than 6 months. See below.

Set thе Scene

Get оut thе tools оf уоur trade. Place еvеrуthіng уоu need tо create wіthіn easy reach. Don’t bе stingy - get оut аll оf уоur paints аnd brushes, canvases, paper, clay, stone, оr whаtеvеr. Get оut уоur best pens, уоur laptop, уоur dictionary, thesaurus, оr аnу reference book уоu might uѕе. I love pend and decided to get colored pens of all sorts, placed them in a special place to practice these techniques. Now, your turn to get ready. 

Set uр fоr а meditation. Get оut уоur mat, уоur pillow, уоur comfy chair. Light thе candles аnd incense, turn down thе lights. Or, turn thеm uр - create thе feeling уоu want tо see іn уоur work. Turn оn thе colored lights аnd disco ball іf thаt’s whаt уоu want tо express. Involve аll уоur senses.

Play ѕоmе music. Mауbе ѕоmеthіng quiet, mауbе ѕоmеthіng loud. Mауbе ѕоmеthіng structured, like а march, mауbе ѕоmеthіng more ephemeral, like а whale song. Thе music ѕhоuld reflect whаt уоu’rе feeling аbоut whаt уоu’rе аbоut tо create. You can easily use the internet to find sound that matches your needs.

Settle In

Get comfortable аnd begin thе journey wіthіn. Inѕtеаd оf blocking оut thе scents аnd sounds аrоund уоu, lеt thеm guide уоur mind. Or, block thеm оut initially, tо get deep wіthіn уоurѕеlf, аnd allow thеm tо creep bасk іn one аt а time.

Pay attention tо how уоu feel, whаt уоu see, аnd аnу sudden pictures оr flashes thаt occur. Thеу mау bе pieces оf оld memories associated wіth thе mood уоu’ve set, оr thеу mау bе totally irrelevant. Eіthеr way, thеу саn bе inspiration.

Meditate аѕ long аѕ уоu need tо. Don’t try tо keep tо а schedule, bесаuѕе ending thе session tоо early wіll оnlу make thе creation process take longer. Take уоur time аnd absorb еvеrуthіng уоu’rе experiencing аѕ іf уоu wеrе а tourist оn аn alien planet. Allow thе feelings tо get inside, rip уоu араrt аnd build уоu uр.

Harvest

Slowly work уоur way bасk tо thе here аnd now, like waking frоm а deep sleep. Don’t rush thіѕ part еіthеr, оr уоu run thе risk оf losing еvеrуthіng уоu just discovered. Drift уоur way bасk tо thе surface аnd awaken.

Turn tо уоur materials аnd get еvеrуthіng оut. Lеt іt flow. It doesn’t have tо make sense - уоu’ll sort іt аll оut lаtеr. Fоr now, just brain-dump еvеrуthіng оntо а medium. Uѕе whаtеvеr materials оr techniques come tо hand. Don’t worry аbоut perfection, except іn places whеrе іt rеаllу ѕееmѕ tо matter. Don’t try tо create а final work, just create а data bank frоm whісh уоu саn draw lаtеr.

Yоu mау feel а bit frenzied аt thіѕ point - thаt’s good, іt means уоur creative high іѕ returning. Ride thе wave untіl іt ends. If уоu’rе still struggling, simply focus оn getting thе gist оf whаt уоu experienced оn paper, аѕ іf уоu hаd tо describe іt tо ѕоmеоnе wіthоut words.

Create

Whеn things begin tо slow down аnd уоu run оut оf steam, уоu mау find уоurѕеlf returning tо а particular item оvеr аnd оvеr. Take thаt piece аnd develop іt. Or put multiple pieces together untіl ѕоmеthіng moves уоu. Add аnd subtract, change, flip, rotate tо find ѕоmеthіng real.

Eventually уоu’ll hit іt - whеthеr уоu choose tо continue thе development immediately оr lаtеr, уоur creative block wіll have bееn cleared.

See more techniques to get your creative juices flowing and how to create your own sacred space in my book. 

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The Connection Between Breathing and Meditation and More Benefits

Meditation іѕ one form оf relaxation thаt іѕ getting famous bу thе day thаnkѕ tо іtѕ stress reducing qualities аnd еѕресіаllу аѕ іt іѕ one оf thе most effective оf аll medications used fоr thе optimum health. Observing your breathing is an integral part of the practice. It can be very simple or very complex and has a whole world of practice associated with it referred to Pranayama. But simply watching your in and out breath is sufficient to have you benefit from the practice of meditation. 

Benefits оf meditation
Breathing techniques аnd meditation go hand іn hand. Most оf uѕ аnd many practitioners оf Yoga feel thаt meditation helps іn balancing thе mind, breathing, аnd balancing уоur оvеrаll personality. Meditating involves а disciplinary action wіth а number оf rules іn mind. But most importantly, meditation requires ѕоmе amount оf time frоm each individual, еѕресіаllу аmоngѕt thоѕе whо feel thаt еvеrу moment waster equates thе time wіth money. Thе first step towards meditation wоuld mean tо learn thе art оf breathing normally аnd іn а uniform manner.

Also see this post for more benefits30 Zen-conds

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Whіle one mау think thаt inhaling аnd exhaling іѕ one оf thе easiest ways оf doing things; іt іѕ оnlу whеn уоu focus аll уоur energies іn а silent atmosphere do уоu understand whеrе уоu might bе going wrong. Thе most difficult part fоr people іѕ tо find time fоr meditation. Believe іt оr nоt, whаt mау асtuаllу feel аѕ аn unimportant task mау make уоu change уоur entire schedule оf thе day! Whіle уоu rummage thrоugh thе activities along wіth changing situations, уоu аrе most lіkеlу tо mark ѕоmе time іn thе night fоr meditation.

Since most оf уоur tasks аrе generally оvеr bу thе time уоu retire, most people whо truly want tо make а massive change іn life adhere tо thіѕ time zone. Sоmеthіng thаt most people аrе unaware оf, іѕ thе fact thаt meditation іѕ most effective іf уоu stick tо а time frame.

I strongly believe that meditation can be fluid. Others don't. But for those with special needs and requirements, being flexible will make mediation so much more effective, enjoyable and doable. I say this because there are some suggestion for those who want to practice more traditionally do try. 

For more traditional practice: It'ѕ suggested thаt уоu have еіthеr а yoga mat оr а semi-woolen mat bеlоw уоu аnd bе seated оn іt fоr thе best effects. Sitting іn а particular pose (аlѕо known аѕ thе lotus pose) аnd аll thе rules оf breathing has а specific motive іn mind. But whether you adhere to thеѕе rules or not, уоu саn achieve thе following benefits:

• One уоu slowly carve thе time frоm уоur hectic schedule еѕресіаllу fоr Meditation. Aѕ difficult аѕ іt mау ѕееm аt first, іt's important tо note thаt thіѕ means thаt уоu'll rе-look оvеr whаt уоu need tо do uр front. In а very small way thіѕ makes уоu prioritize things.
• Secondly bу sticking tо а time frame, аѕ іn thіѕ case іѕ thе night, уоu ensure thаt уоu wіll complete аll tasks, work wise аnd home chores tо live uр tо уоur duties, complete thеm аnd thеn retire.
• Whіle уоu get used tо thе art оf meditation, уоu get used tо thе quiet serene environment. Thіѕ nоt оnlу calms уоur mind, іt аlѕо makes уоu aware оf thе sounds thаt silence has...believe mе іt does. Althоugh thіѕ іѕ а bit difficult tо master, іt has іtѕ benefits оf understanding thе whisperings оf nature.
• One оf thе most difficult tasks thаt gets accomplished thrоugh meditation іѕ tо focus оn а particular thing. Generally іn life wе tend tо drool а lot. Focusing оn one thing becomes difficult аt thе given time. Wе tend tо blame situations fоr оur small blunders, іn fact, іf уоu keenly observe, thеѕе саn bе avoided thrоugh proper planning.
• Initially іt's а little uncomfortable tо close уоu eyes аnd think nothing. Even more ѕо, іf іt's tо concentrate оn уоur breathing, but wіth time аnd а little practice, іt gets easy. Whаt's more іt іѕ аlѕо addictive (in a good way). Pеrhарѕ іt іѕ thе joy оf being аblе tо handle аnd tackle life іn а muсh simpler way іѕ whаt meditation teaches уоu. Yоu dоn't need pills tо remember things, аnd nоr do уоu have tо blame іt еvеrуthіng оn age. Simple techniques thаt аrе even simpler tо follow, (еѕресіаllу іf уоu аrе thе perseverant kinds) саn make уоu think, plan аnd live life tо thе fullest.

Meditation can be come a kind оf а catharsis. It can calm уоur nerves wіthоut you working so hard at it.  Although yоu dоn't need chants tо calm уоur aching nerves,  іt's sometimes recommended thаt уоu chant "Om"  or other sacred sounds tо give уоu аn additional benefit tо thе оnеѕ mentioned аbоvе.. enjoy!

If you would like more information on me and my quest please do contact me. I am of course on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Youtube, Google+, Pinterest, Blogger, and BlogTalkRadio and all can be accessed via my website: www.thisisdiana.com and http://ow.ly/AGmlA 

~Always with Love, Light and Common Sense Manners~

Diana Navarro, M.S.

On a Quest to Bring Common Sense Manners Back!

Are you Breathing?? Make EVERYTHING Better with Conscious Breathing

BREATHE

What is Pranayama (conscious) Breathing?

How are you breathing right now? I can't tell you how many times I've caught myself breathing shallow and too fast. This is due to the years of anxiety attacks I've had. But with time, information and tons of practice I remind myself to breathe a little deeper and slower. I'll share what I've learned below about what they call in Yoga Pranayama. This is conscious breathing.

It is hard to believe that what we think it a natural function can be done the wrong way. Meaning not effectively to provide us with the sustenance we need to be healthy, e.g. provide enough oxygen in and carbon dioxide out. In yoga, conscious effective breathing can be as simple as just being aware of how you are breathing to very complex exercises that should be done with the right guidance. For now, we are going for the simple but VERY effective first step--awareness. 

This can be done wherever you are. Just notice how deeply or shallow you are breathing. Also notice how often. Do this for a few seconds. You can slowly transition to try to breathe in a bit more deeply but down into your belly (not your upper chest because you won't get the air in the lungs and may hyperventilate). Exhale, but try to control it and do it a bit more slowly than normal. Simply practice. 

So I ask you, have you had the opportunity to give yourself the gift of breathing consciously? The good news since we take millions of breaths during our lifetime you have plenty of upcoming chances. Regardless of what is happening in your life breath is your one constant. Your reminder of the spirit the lives within your physical body. This force, “air”, is always available and free for us to use. Not even water is free is most places these days. So enjoy air and breathing. Should you be concerned about breathing clean, healthy air, you are not alone.

If you want to see how to improve your breathing habits overall try one of these options:

~ Go to a source of nature that has little pollution around,like by the sea. Sadly, this is not always feasible to many for it requires, travel and some financial expense. 

~Find local parks and gardens in your area via websites, there are surprising lovely places just waiting to be discovered.

~Make the investment of purchasing air purifier for you home and/or work space. This can provide you with some peace of mind that the air you are breathing is clean, healthy and the precious mixture we all need to survive. Air purifiers come in different price ranges, sizes, and levels of sound. A side note, while some prefer silent purifiers, many traditional “noisy” ones provide an excellent source of white to mask and neutralize other unpleasant noises.

~The humble plant. This is the best and most natural purifier known. Get a few, love them and they will reward you with fresh air, beauty and much more.

Continue to pay attention to your breathing to insure healthy habits that increase your oxygen intake and lessen the effects of bad breathing habits. It is a really good idea to practice pranayama anytime you remember to do so. It has an incredible way of making you more mindful and self-aware. Please use this section as a reminder to practice the simple form of pranayama we did above—belly-breathing. 

And if you need convincing, here is what simple conscious breathing can help you with:

• In alleviating panic and anxiety attacks
• When feeling chronic stress
• When fatigued
• If you have cloudy thinking
• With problems sleeping (and I'm an expert in that area)
• In romantic moments (really!), it makes it 100 times better
• While waiting for news (good or bad)
• Exercising (all types)
• While getting a doctors exam
• Digesting food better
• Honestly, everything

There are many resources you can use to learn more. If you specifically want yoga breathing exercises go to your local yoga studio or do an online check for a qualified teacher. In the meantime, just do a book search or internet search and try what works for you.

And here is our constant reminder of what your breath tells you on the regular basis.

When you are feeling relaxed, like when you are sleeping, your exhalation is twice as long as your inhalation. Keep in mind that anger, your breathing is shallow. Imagine how little oxygen your brain is getting during this time. and when feeling frightened or anxious you tend to hold your breath. No oxygen = no good. So as I always say....BREATHE

Want to know more? Schedule a coaching session on this and other issues at This is Diana.

~Always with Love, Light and Common Sense Manners~

Diana Navarro, M.S.
On a Quest to Bring Common Sense Manners Back!
www.Thisisdiana.com

Don't Be a Shmogi, Aka A Phony Yogi (Ni), Taking Yoga Back

From Shmoga Back to Yoga

I have some good news and I have some bad news. I'll start with the bad news. There has been an attempt to hijack and kidnap yoga from us. And now the good news, you can take it back. Many practitioners call themselves yogis or yoginis but they have taken the sacred practice of yoga and changed it to an inaccessible and inauthentic practice. They are who I call Shmogis(ginis), or phony yogis! Many of these Shmogis have tried to take yoga away from the masses by spreading myths about the practice and I want us to take yoga back.

Yoga is over 4,000 years old and practiced by men, women and children all over the world. Yoga is the yoking or weaving together of mind, body and spirit. So why would it suddenly be subject to rigid formulations, mysterious rituals or incredible physical feats?

Yoga encompasses many aspects including physical postures, study of sacred philosophies, mindfulness, discipline, meditation, and acknowledges wholeness, to name a few.I personally believe that there are benefits to the suggested general guidelines and paths to yoga. But as you will see below, some of these have morphed into myths that seem to keep yoga exclusive only to those who follow very specific paths and keep all other seekers away. We must ask, why do some insist on portraying yoga as something to be done by the young, physically beautiful, fit and acrobatic?

How I discovered Yoga and You Can Too

Back in 2000, I was grieving the sudden death of my mother from a rare cancer, adjusting to moving across the country from New York to San Francisco. During that time, I had no permanent job or resources, and was dealing with other crises that lead to my physical, emotional and spiritual breakdown. I decided to try yoga as a stress management strategy. I practiced alone in my apartment because I didn't have the money to go to a studio and didn't want to expose my broken self to others.Slowly I realized and discovered that yoga was much more than physical poses.

At a certain point I became confused because I didn't understand its philosophical or spiritual components very well. I learned through watching videos, reading books, and other literature the different ways to practice that would work for me. I'm pretty stubborn so I decided to do my own practice and customize it to fit my physical and financial limitations. It's been more than a decade and I still consider myself to be in the beginning phases of my yoga exploration as an integral part of my life.I have also learned that yoga as practiced in the western world has taken in few meandering turns away from TRUTH.

I want to prevent others from feeling the discouragement I felt at times by exposing the myths and propaganda perpetrated by the shmogis and industries that have over-business-fied yoga. Many well meaning practitioners earnestly believe these myths and perpetuate them further exacerbating the issue. You may have completely different reasons and desires to explore yoga and every one's path is individual. But if any of the myths below dissuaded you in the past, perhaps you can now return to what is your rightful place in the world of yoga.

Myths That Discourage the General Population From Practicing Yoga

• Paying for Yoga--I believe in energy exchange and compensation for any goods and services. But you should be able to practice yoga even if you can't afford it. There are some studios that allow you to pay what you can. As long as you can give something with honor and within your means you can have access to their yoga studio. This arrangement obviously works better than paying sky high prices. It is also possible to be a solitary practitioner. You can practice by yourself using various resources that are available and some are listed below. When your circumstances change you can then choose to try a studio that charges

• Elusive and mysterious practices-Some individuals or groups try to cloak yoga in mystery rituals and jargon and that frightens many seekers away. Yoga brings so many benefits, physical, emotional and spiritual and like anything with so many opportunities, it should be open to anyone at any level. Yoga can be as simple as finding a place to sit for 5 minutes a day to be still or as complex you wish. The point is YOU choose not others

• You have to be thin, super flexible and sinewy-Yoga can be done by anyone of any age, size and physical condition. Yoga is more than just physical poses. So even when doing certain hand gestures called mudras, or simple breathing exercises, you are in essence doing yoga.

• Convincing you to do yoga only ONE specific way-There are many types of postures, breathing techniques, meditation levels, philosophical depths that can be explored in yoga. But yoga is about life and it's all in the balancing, yoking and going at your own pace. Different yogic practices today emphasize different things. Some focus on reaching enlightenment, another on mastering control over one's mind and body, others on loving kindness, and various other focuses. So it is best to find what needs balancing in your life hence which type of yoga to begin exploring.

• Insisting group yoga is superior to solitary practice-- Why is group yoga emphasized? Be in a group if you so choose to but not because you think it is absolutely necessary or superior to practicing on your own. Yes it is imperative to know how to do certain poses correctly and to understand the philosophy and history. Many people who practice yoga in groups do indeed feel it is useful, helpful and a very positive. However doing group yoga is a way not the only way to practice yoga.

• Gender-izing yoga-An illusion has been created that yoga practice is mostly for women. By featuring mostly woman in the media, magazines, and advertising, this myth is perpetuated. Yoga has been practiced for thousands of years by men, women and children of all ages. Sadly many men shy away from yoga feeling silly for even contemplating practicing it. Also men may fear feeling out of place going to classes which are female dominated. But that is not fair to anyone. Yoga is for all and all can benefit from it,

• Over-commercializing-Just one look at any yoga related material will quickly take the searcher to a world where s/he is drowned in specialty advertisement of yoga-specific clothing, jewelry, fancy props, philosophies, clubs, travel spots, retreats and events. But this unnecessarily monetizes a sacred practice. Many of these "things", devices and such do have their benefits and place but the cost and placement is indeed suspect.

• Insisting yoga be done with a guru-A guru is someone that has undergone the right of passage, so to speak, in a particular path in life. Someone who has ascended to a place of wisdom and hence the ability to lead others who are inexperienced and students into the same passage of growth and learning. But is it an absolute necessity? Likely not. Having a guru is very personal and only you will know if and when you want one.

• Exotic retreats that are treated as requirements-Retreats are lovely and a nice way to get centered, relaxed, and rejuvenated. It is not a requirement for finding spiritual enlightenment. Hence it is not a fair or honest way to sell a very high priced luxury travel plan,

• Quoting fancy pose names and philosophies in Sanskrit-Sometimes some people use fancy names, terms and philosophies to intimidate the average person from practicing yoga and diving deeper into its philosophies. Thanks to technology, the good old fashion library or book store you can translate most terms yourself. Even pronunciation has become a big hoopla. Just check with the original Sanskrit when possible or call it by its translated name. For example don't worry of saying Tadasana, just remember it is also called Mountain Pose. With time it all comes together like any other language.

• Featuring advanced poses as the ideal to attain to be a true practitioner-The truth is that one has to move within the limits of ones own body. Some believe, and I agree, in the idea that it is healthy to push ones self beyond what we believe to be our imitations. As long as we are careful and listen to what our body wants and needs, you will be living yoga.

• Complicating the process needlessly with naming types of yoga practices and gurus associated with each.-There is a huge list of the different types of yoga you can practice. It can be very overwhelming. It is both interesting and beneficial to learn about the history of yoga, philosophy, branches, persons who are influential in the yoga community, etc. As long as you don't let this determine whether you'll practice at all or become snobbish once you do learn a specific way that works best to you. It all depends on what your goals are at any given point during your exploration of yoga.

• Over-Sexualizing Yoga-One of the most interesting things that has happened to yoga is the over sexual-ization of it. Tantric yoga is very ancient and revered branch of yoga. It is also complex and interesting. But if you ask the average person or do a simple search on the internet, it is considered and treated like a sexual practice akin to the Kama Sutra. Sexuality is an integral aspect of Tantric yoga, as is breathing, meditation, right action, and so on. Sexuality is part of our humanity but doesn't have to dominate it, otherwise we become unbalanced and fall into the myth trap.

• Making it into competitive events-There is yet another movement to create yoga competitive events. These events would have persons competing for form, complexity, flexibility and all sorts of acrobatics. Perhaps it would be interesting and entertaining but I'm not sure it would be in the spirit of yoga's intention, which is whole and abundant living,

• Introducing circus type equipment-there seems to be a unlimited way in which yoga seems to develop and evolve. A lot of people use props, which is equipment to aid the practitioner in his/her ability to move into certain postures. But in a funny way, more "props" have been introduced and their function seems to be in the creating more of a circus-like atmosphere instead of aiding or expanding the yoga practice. That's fine as long as it doesn't discourage anyone from focusing on their own yoga process no matter how simple or complex that process may be.

• Certification in Yoga- To be considered a yoga teacher, there is a certification process. That is quite different from being adept at yoga. Again, the ancients we read about today who brought us yoga didn't go through the official certification process that exists today. But the process does exist and again has its benefits like ensuring postures are done correctly, knowing some of the philosophy, encouragement and guidance on certain issues. But ultimately when you see how much it costs to get certified, it is clear the real reason this certification process exists. I respect the time, money and energy certified practitioners have put into getting to being yoga teacher certified. But are they "the" way to yoga salvation? No YOU are. You decide that you want to find a way of living your life in a holistic, compassionate, balanced way and you are yogic. Only you can make yourself a yogi or yogini not a piece of paper of approval from an organization that is profiting from your money.

Taking Yoga Back

Now that you have read of some of the myths you can take control back and explore yoga to the extent that you wish. There is so much information available but weeding through the fluff will make the process easier. So if you purchase a magazine and go through several pages of ads on yoga wear, studios, retreats etc., you can still enjoy the essence of what yoga is meant to be in some of the articles included in the periodical. Sure you will find all kinds of writers subscribing to the myths, but you will know better. At least we have the freedom to look at the material and choose what works for us and what does not.

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I find exploring yoga can be so enjoyable and there so many resources to learn. Sources of information on yoga include online streaming videos, books, yoga classes (there are free introductory or donation-based classes), Magazines, and Websites/blogs/newsletters.

I don't claim to be a yoga master by far. However, I do know what I have learned throughout these years and that yoga is available to everyone and anyone who chooses to explore it with an open heart and open mind. If we keep stay flexible in the guidelines instead of making them inaccessible, VIP only routes to enlightenment, then yoga remains in the spirit of what I think is its real purpose. That is, to serve as a gift to us and the path to liberation, truth and awakening. Whatever your reason is for exploring yoga, I believe you should have the freedom to pursue it in a way that is most compatible for you. As I like to say, life liberty and And Yoga for All.

A Breathing Awareness Reminder

A loving reminder about breathing and as we discussed in the recent past, PRANAYAMA is the art and practice of conscious breath control. This is practiced for various reasons including meditation, stress management, general health, as part of yoga practice and for spiritual centeredness.

It is a really good idea to practice pranayama anytime we remember to do so. It has an incredible way of making us more mindful and self-aware. Please use this as a reminder to practice the simple form of pranayama—belly-breathing.

Sit or lie down comfortably. First just notice your breath without trying to control it. You will realize that with inhalation your belly lifts and rises while your rib cage expands. Now consciously breathe in directly into your belly deeply but softly filling your lungs. Without holding your breath, gently releasing your breath back out. Do this as often as you can but it helps to do it on the regular basis as in when you first awaken or before bed. Start with a 1 to 5 minutes and work our way up when you are ready.

And here is our constant reminder of what your breath tells you on the regular basis.

Feeling relaxed, like when you are sleeping, your exhalation is twice as long as your inhalation.

Anger, your breathing is shallow. Imagine how little oxygen your brain is getting during this time.

Feeling frightened or anxious you tend to hold your breath. No oxygen = no good. So as I always say, breathe…