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Where am I?
Where am I?
I am on the back of a motorcycle…
I am on a massage table…
I am flying over New Zealand….
I am meditating in a temple…
From moment to moment, I am somewhere. However, my moments merge as my consciousness goes back to my past moments and jumps into my future moments. As a multi-dimensional being, I can be anywhere.
John Hagelin says, “In our quantum view of the universe, consciousness is ubiquitous. Intelligence is everywhere. And the deeper you go beneath the surface, the more intelligence, the more dynamism, the more awareness, until at the foundation of the universe there is a field of pure, abstract universal existence – universal Consciousness…the unified field.”
My mind can go to the past, and to the future, however, all I have is the present moment. Eckhart Tolle reminds me that I will die in the present moment. So it is true that I can be anywhere, but real living is in the present moment.
The mind is always looking for the next moment. To settle into the present moment is challenging for the mind. If you let your life be guided by the present moment, then you are not attached to the moments. They come and go like the breath.
The breath is a beautiful example of life and death. The life part of the breath is the inhale and the death part is the exhale. Like all things in life, there is a fading until death. Now we know that death isn’t so scary because we are part of it every moment.
So where am I? I am where my consciousness resides.
Namaste, world.
World Turtle
Running with the Breath
A couple of years ago, I ran a 10K for MuckFest MS. My group, “Dirty Naked Axons,” had novice runners and athlete runners. I somehow ended up in the athlete group. It was tough keeping up! However, I learned how to use mindfulness breathing while running.
MuckFest MS was held at a ski resort so you can imagine all the hills. I remember running up a steep part of a deeply wooded hill. It was steep, rocky, and muddy. I was getting tired, and I wanted to give up and stop. But then I decided to connect with my breath. I was breathing deeply, but my breath was light. I focused on the lightness of my breath rather than the heaviness of my body. Once I was mindfully running, I realized that the breath transformed my effort. I finished the race – with the athletes.
Another breathing technique that I use for exercise, Yoga, and to help me fall asleep is called Ujjayi. In Sanskrit (Iyengar, 1966), it means “expanding victory or triumph.” It is also sometimes called “oceanic breath” because of the sound ebbs and flows like the sea. The Ujjayi breath is created by constricting the laryngeal muscles and partially closing the glottis in the throat (Brown, 2005). This slow breathing is 2 to 4 breaths per minute. Increasing airway resistance produces a longer inspiration and expiration. Several physiological effects that make the practitioner feel calm and alert. Zope et al., (2013) stated that the nervous systems shifts to a parasympathetic state via vagal stimulation and increases respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA).
Ujjayi breathing has been shown to induce sleep (Brown, 2005). Many people who suffer from depression experience insomnia. According to Brown (2005), “Many patients find that an extra 5-10 minutes of Ujjayi breathing while lying in bed at night with the lights out will help induce sleep” (p. 712). Ujjayi relaxes the body, reduces obsessive worry, and creates mental calmness conductive to sleep (Brown, 2005).
How to perform Ujjayi breathing (Iyengar, 1966):
- Start to breathe in and out through your nose naturally.
- Empty out all the air in your lungs. Then take a slow, deep breath through both nostrils. The passage of the incoming air is felt on the roof of the palate and makes an oceanic sound (sa). The sound is audible.
- Exhale slowly, deeply, until the lungs are empty. While exhaling the passage of the outgoing air should be felt on the roof of the palate, and the air should make an aspirate sound (ha).
- Repeat the cycles for five to ten minutes.
Using mindfulness and the Ujjayi breathing technique help to ease the mind and body. Breathing techniques are tools to help us in challenging moments. I finished the MuckFest MS race because I ran with my breath.
Namaste, world.
References
Brown, R.P., & Gerbarg, P.L., (2005). Sudarshan kriya yogic breathing in the treatment of stress, anxiety, and depression: Part I – Neurophysiologic model. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 11(1), 189-201.
Brown, R.P., & Gerbarg, P.L., (2005). Sudarshan kriya yogic breathing in the treatment of stress, anxiety, and depression: Part II – Clinical applications and guidelines. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 11(4), 711-717.
Iyengar, B.K.S. (1966). Light on yoga. New York, NY: Schocken Books, Inc.
Zope, S.A., & Zope, R.A., (2013). Sudarshan kriya yoga: Breathing for health. International Journal of Yoga, 6(1), 4-10
Acts of Yoga
Burning zeal in practice, self-study and study of scriptures, and surrender to God are the acts of yoga. – Patanjali
Death is Like Floating on Water
Death is like floating on water.
There’s a lot of death in my life right now. My father died, a childhood friend died, my best friend’s grandma died, and now my hospice patient died. I was with my hospice patient, Glenda, during her last moments.
Glenda laid peacefully in her hospital bed. She was motionless except for her slow, rhythmic breathing. I gave her a gentle foot massage. As I rubbed her feet, I noticed that I kept my eyes on her face. I knew at that moment; I was bearing witness to her death.
I do not know what it is like to die in this life. I am still living! However, after I did some Reiki for Glenda, I had a feeling of death. I balanced her Chakras, with my hands, starting with her head and then down to her feet. When I hovered over her high heart chakra, I felt a tingling sensation and vibration. There was a lot of peace and acceptance in Glenda. She died that night. The next morning during my meditation is when I received the message that death is like floating on water.
When I float on the water, I have to relax my whole body and trust that I can float. If I’m nervous or scared, I can’t float. There is a surrendering that happens. Maybe death is like that. When we die, we need to relax and trust the process. And surrender.
Surrender to something familiar and unfamiliar. A journey of comfort and love.
Choose to stay with your experience, seeing it not as the death of the self you’ve come to know, but the birth of your new life as Light. – Llyn Roberts
Namaste, world.
Meditation is Simple!
“Life is complicated, but meditation is simple.” – Bhante Kamalasiri (www.triplegem.org)
Life can be complicated. We have our jobs, bills to pay, children and elderly parents to take care of, household tasks, etc. But meditation is simple! When we sit on the cushion, we must remember not to make it complicated. Just sit on a cushion or a chair, close your eyes, and watch your present breath. If thoughts come into your head, just observe them, and then return your attention back to your breath. Don’t worry if you’re not doing it correctly or not sitting long enough. Just sit. Make it simple!
Namaste, world.
Forgiveness
Forgiveness – The Key to Freedom
My dad died four weeks ago. One thing that I have learned so far since his death is that I need to forgive. I forgive to let go. Resentment and fear hold me back. How can I make myself light as a bird? Forgiveness.
After my dad had died, I was surprised about how people reacted. For example, all my co-workers knew that my father died, but only a few said anything to me. I understand that some people do not know what to say. So, therefore, in this case, I need to forgive people who did not acknowledge my dad’s passing.
I am learning that I have to do what is right in my heart and mind. No matter what other people are doing, I need to do what is right.
Please remember from my older post “Metta for All,” that we all need to show loving-kindness and active interest in others. When you show someone that you care about them and think about them – this is true Metta. Your presence and compassion create the spiritual leap we need as humans.
When I walk down a busy street, and I make no eye contact with other humans – this is not loving-kindness. When I walk down a street, and I make eye contact and chat with strangers – this is loving-kindness.
When my co-worker’s mother was just in the hospital, and I do not show concern or ask questions – this is not loving-kindness. When my co-worker just attended a funeral, and I express concern, ask questions, and offer help – this is loving-kindness.
Remember small gestures of kindness go a long way.
Namaste, world.
Divine Nature
I took this photo on August 10th, 2016, in New Zealand. I used my Nikon camera, and I did not download the photos until I got home. After I saw this picture, I could not take my eyes off it. Each day I look at this picture, I see more and more symbolism. When I first saw the photo, I recognized a bearded man or an angel wearing a robe. When I looked closer at the head, I could also see a veiled woman. Today I noticed the figure holding an Egyptian ankh.
According to Wikipedia, the ankh is known as the breath of life or “life,” and is an ancient Egyptian hieroglyphic character. The character represents the concept of life, which is the general meaning of the symbol. The Egyptian Gods carry it by its loop, and it appears in the hand of almost every deity in Egyptian pantheon (including Pharaohs).
This photo that I took of an angel blows me away. When I look at this picture, I see magic and mysticism. I know for a fact that we are not alone. This photo is proof that angels are with us all the time. We are divine creatures. We are taught early on in life that we are sinners, not divine beings.
Beloved sisters and brothers, we are divine.
When I was in New Zealand, my dad died. He died on Sunday, August 7th, 2016. I was wondering if I would receive a sign from him. He knows that I love photography. In my mind and heart, this photo is from him. He wanted me to see heaven, and to know that life continues after death. For one photo, he pulled the veil between this dimension and the dimension that he entered.
I am changed forever.
Namaste, world.
Guided By the Present Moment
Living in the present moment can transform your life. What would it be like if you have no expectations? What possibilities would open up? Can you trust yourself?
I am learning to live in the present moment. It’s not always easy since I’m a planner. Also, I noticed that I am hard on myself. I need to trust myself more. For example, one week ago, I did hospice massage for a patient that I have seen for a few months. Well, my patient’s wife walked in the room. We chatted about his massage, and then I mentioned that he’s doing well and may not continue receiving hospice services. I received this message via email from my supervisor that morning (I did not tell my patient’s wife that). My patient’s wife was clueless about the news and seemed shocked to hear it. She said that she hopes hospice services will continue.
I left that room kicking myself. I told myself, “I shouldn’t have told my hospice patient’s wife information that I don’t know if she received.” In the hospital world, everything is confidential. However, as I spoke to my patient’s wife, I was in the present moment. I had love and concern in my heart. After the conversation, I sat in my car and thought about words and messages. Maybe this information was beneficial to my patient and his wife. Maybe this information will help her be proactive.
When I live in the present moment, I need to learn to trust my words and trust my intuition. They may hold crucial information. This society locks us in with rules and customs. Society says to do this, talk this way, don’t talk like that, etc. When I honor myself and my words, I no longer fear that I am saying the wrong thing.
Namaste, world. I will be visiting New Zealand for two and half weeks. I will write more when I return mid-August.
Tunnel Vision 8 