Day 20 - Yogi Tea

I think it is time for some Yogi Tea, even though it should be Lemonade weather by now!

Ingredients

For each cup

10 oz of water (about 1 1/3 cups)

3 whole cloves
4 whole green cardamom pods, cracked
4 whole black peppercorns
1/2 stick cinnamon
1/4 tsp black tea
1/3 C Milk (Soy, Almond, Rice)
2 slices fresh ginger root

The ingredients of Yogi Tea are said to have the following properties:
Black Pepper - Blood Purifier
Cardamom pods - digestive aid

Cloves - beneficial to the nervous system

Cinnamon - strengthens the bones

Ginger root - healing for colds and flu, increases energy

The milk in the tea helps in the easy assimilation of spices. A homeopathic dose of black tea acts as an alloy for all the ingredients, creating just the right chemical balance. While it is not a part of the original recipe, the use of soy, rice or almond milk can be used.

Instructions
Bring water to a boil and add spices. Cover and boil 15-20 min, then add black tea. Let sit for a few minutes, then add the milk and return just to the boil and remove from heat, strain and sweeten with honey if desired.
Enjoy!

Day 19 - Why do YOU Meditate?

Day 18 - Kriya and Meditation for Sleep

If you want to Get Up, Set Up and Keep Up, it really starts the night before.  If you go to bed late or you have trouble sleeping you won't want to get up.  Here are some tips to wind down in the evening.

1.  Stop watching Television or other activities later in the evening and spend a few minutes writing a list of things you want to do the next day. 
2.  Avoid over eating, drinking caffeine or having sugar in the evening.  It is helpful to have some protein before bed.
3.  Drink a glass of water (don't go to bed thirsty)
4.  Give your feet a massage with Almond or your favourite Oil.  The feet have 72,000 nerve ending so by massaging your feet you're soothing your nervous system and organs.
5.  Breath exercise - start with long deep breathing - about 10 breaths, and then block off the right nostril with your thumb and inhale and exhale deeply through the left nostril only.  If the mind is too active think 'Sat' on the Inhale and 'Nam on the Exhale.  The slower your breath the calmer your mind. Sat Nam gives your mind something to focus on and calms the mind.
6.  You might also try sleeping on your right side, this allows the left nostril to be more dominant during sleep.  Check your posture, if you are sleeping on your side you can put a pillow between your knees, this takes pressure off the lower back. 
7.  Keep your room dark.  If you are exposed to light between 1.00am and 3.00am your melatonin levels decrease and your biorhythms are thrown off balance. 
8.  Use Lavender Oil - put a few drops on your pillow. 
9.  Train your subconscious by practicing setting your mental clock when to wake up ( best to have a back up to start)
10. Follow along on the Video below for a Bedtime Yoga Series and the second video demonstrates the Meditation Shaybd Kriya to help with sleep.

Day 17 - Don't Give Up

An inspiring video if you are feeling that 11 minutes of Meditation is hard to keep up with!!!

Arthur Boorman was a disabled veteran of the Gulf War for 15 years, and was told by his doctors that he would never be able to walk on his own, ever again.

Day 16 - Breath for Energy

This breath meditation helps to overcome anxiety and confusion through conscious breathing and will give your energy a boost.
Posture - Sit on a chair or in easy pose with a straight spine.
Palms together at the heart centre
Eyes closed and focussed between the eyebrows
Inhale through the nose in 4 equal parts like sniffs
Exhale in 4 equal parts
On each of the sniffs powerfully pull in the navel
Continue 3-5 minutes

Day 15 - Restraining Compulsive Eating

Got the Munchies??  Try these quick fixes -  Breath of Fire for 2-3 minutes before you head for the fridge.   Or if you are in the store heading for the ice cream aisle, stop and take a breath - actually you will need 7 breaths.  Inhale deeply, hold as long as comfortable and then breathe out. 
'If you can inhale and hold seven breaths, your oxygen will be completely circulated through your blood system, and you shall not need what you are longing to have.'  Yogi Bhajan

Or if you have a chronic problem try Left Nostril Breathing every day for 90 days.   Block the right nostril with the thumb of the right hand.  Deeply inhale through your left nostril, hold the breath in to your capacity.  Then exhale through the left nostril and hold the breath out for the same amount of time as you held it in.
Continue for 31 minutes

Day 14

Day 13 - Childrens Meditation

Here is a meditation Snatam Kaur did with the children but it is fun for adults too.  The words are
Gobinday, Mukanday, Udaaray, Apaaray, Hariang, Kariang, Nirnaamay, Akaamay

Day 12 - Check in

Thank you for checking in on the weekend and Congratulations to Sherry for winning a relaxing Lavender Eye Pillow! 

Here are some comments about your meditation:
Lin said 'I'm tangled up inside of myself and this is reminding me that I need to take that me time to undo myself'  (love it, thanks Lin)

Carmen said  'Meditation is going well, enjoying Ether Tattva.  Even with the chanting I find my mind wanders to other thoughts but I keep coming back to the words I am chanting'  (that is great you are aware and keep coming back to the words, thanks Carmen)

Raven said 'Can't figure out how to put the comment on your site - I am going great with it, love your challenges' (commenting by email is easier so no worries, thanks Raven)

Brenda said 'I love this Meditation.  The simplicity of perfect for those busy days when focus is difficult.  Up until now I've been doing it when everyone is in bed but we are away on holidays, so last night was a little more difficult.  My 6 year old joined in and my toddler sat on my lap!'  (Wow, that is fabulous and I agree this is a great meditation in that you don't have to think about mudras or breath so much, you just chant and enjoy, thanks Brenda

Sherry said 'I am enjoying my daily meditation, and like someone else said on your blog, the song sticks with me through the day'.  Thanks for the tips and posts, they are helpful.  (Yes, I'm the same with the mantra, thanks Sherry)

Janet said 'Thanks for the check in, and the interesting information on your blog which I have been reading.  I'm enjoying doing the meditation in the evening and haven't missed a day.  (There are several doing the meditation in the evening -  a great way to end the day, thanks Janet)

Day 11 - Interesting Quote!

Day 10 - Gyan Mudra

What is a Mudra? 
A mudra is a position of the hands that locks or seals and guides energy flow and reflexes to the brain.    Each area of the hand connects to a certain part of the body or brain, representing different emotions and behaviours.  The hands become a keyboard for input to our mind body energy system.  Each finger relates to a planetary energy and the quality that each planet represents. 

In a Kundalini Yoga class you are usually asked to have your hands in Gyan Mudra which is the the tip of the thumb joined together with the tip of the index finger.  This stimulates knowledge, wisdom and the power to compute.  The energy of the index finger is associated with Jupiter, representing expansion.  It gives receptivity and calmness.

Day 09 - Commitment

I hope you are enjoying the long weekend.  With the new moon today it is a great time to plant seeds literally in the garden but also in your mind.  Perhaps you've been struggling with your meditation and if you have missed a day the best thing is to get back into it and re-commit; - don't waste energy on yesterday but focus again on today.  What can I do right now to get back on track? - what are my obstacles? - too tired at night - then change the time to the morning.  You keep getting interrupted - set boundaries, no place to meditate - create a corner in a room - get creative. 
Let me know how you are doing. 

'It was character that got us out of bed, commitment that moved us into action, and discipline that allowed us to follow through'.  Zig Ziglar.

Day 08 - Boosting your Immune System

Pranayam (Breathing Exercise)
Sit in easy pose with your chin in and chest out.  Stick your tongue all the way out and keep it out as you breath rapidly through the mouth like a pant which is probably why it is called Dog Breath.  Continue 3-5 minutes. 
To end -  inhale and hold the breath for 15 seconds and press the tongue on the upper palate, exhale and repeat twice more.
This exercise brings energy to your immune system to fight infection. 

For the month of May only, Yogi Bhajan recommended the following remedy:
Take a handful of cloves and soak them overnight in water at room temperature.  First thing in the morning when you brush your teeth, take 3-4 tablespoons of the water. 
This helps fight viral diseases

Day 07 - Earth, Moon, Sun & Stars

How are you doing with your Meditation?  We have a new moon coming up on Sunday which also gives an opportunity for new beginnings.  This new moon also coincides with a Solar Eclipse and an alignment of the Earth, Sun and Moon with the Pleidian Star System making this an important astrological event and bringing great energy shifts and change.  
All the more reason to spend some quiet time, meditate and get out into nature this long weekend.

Day 06 - Inspiration

Day 05 - Just Breathe

Pranayam is the science of breath, controlling the movement of prana through the use of breathing techniques. It is energy management and Kundalini Yoga has a wide range of pranayam techniques, using the rhythm and depth of the breath to effect and manage different energy states of health, consciousness and emotion. The mind follows the breath. The key to controlling the mind is in controlling the breath. Here are a few Pranayam Exercises to get you started.

Day 04 - Meditation Minutes

Yoga science says that there are specific lengths of time needed for certain desired effects during meditation.  Most meditations are done for 11 or 31 minutes, but 3 minutes is a great place to start.

3 minutes of meditation affects the electromagnetic field, the circulation and stability of the blood
11 minutes of meditation begins to change the nervous and glandular systems
22 minutes of meditation balances the three minds, (Negative, Positive, Neutral Mind) and they begin to work together
31 minutes of meditation allows the glands, breath, and concentration to affect all the cells and rhythms of the body. 

Day 03 - Mantra

Thank you for the feedback on the Ether Tattva Meditation and I`m glad you are enjoying it. Faye is thinking to extend the meditation to 31 minutes, Janet says the mantra is lovely and Brenda is thinking of keeping it going for 90 days!   I'm doing the Ether Tattva as well and having just completed a 90 day - 31 minute rather challenging meditation for my second level yoga training, I feel a bit like I'm on vacation with this one.  I'm also finding that I can't get the mantra out of my head, keep chanting it while I'm driving and in the garden. 


'Mantras are not small things, mantras have power.  They are the mind vibration in relationship to the Cosmos.  The science of mantra is based on the knowledge that sound is a form of energy having structure, power, and a definite predictable effect on the chakras and the human psyche.'  Yogi Bhajan

Mantra is the use of sound to affect consciousness 'man' means mind and 'tra' means wave or 'tune the vibration' (as in tuning an instrument or the radio)

Chanting mantra produces specific vibratory frequency within the body.  The sounds and thoughts produced by the body and mind radiate out of you.  The vibratory frequency of a mantra draws to you whatever you are vibrating.  You are like a magnet attracting vibrations to you by what you send out.

In addition, something else happens when you chant.  There are 84 meridian points, or pressure points, in the roof of the mouth.  Every time you speak you stimulate them - and their associated glands and organs - with the tongue.  And every time you chant a mantra, you are tapping out a particular sequence - rhythm and position - that initiates a chemical reaction in the brain and body.  It's as if you have an electronic, computerized security system in your mouth.  Punch in the right code on the upper palate and you gain entry to the brain and your inner chambers of higher consciousness.  How cool is that!!!  Happy chanting and Wahe Guru.

Day 02 - Happy Mothers Day

Here is a Short Kriya as well as a beautiful Meditation to Neutralize Tension.

Day 01: Rise Up Rise Up

Rise Up, Rise Up - it is time to start your Meditation, Sadhana, Walk, Sacred Time - whatever you have committed to for 40 Days.  If you are doing a Kundalini Yoga Meditation don't forget to tune in.

Just Breathe - Four Stroke Breath

Not sure about Meditation? Here is a breath you could try for 3 minutes.
Four Stroke Breath
Posture: Sit in a chair or in easy pose on a cushion
Breath: Inhale in four heavy strokes, then exhale in one long stroke
Eye Focus: Focus at the tip of the nose
Time: 3-11 minutes

This 4 stroke segmented breath will open up your lung capacity to absorb more oxygen.  It will give you more patience, more tolerance.  It gives you the capacity to develop a more effective breath pattern.  On average people breath 15 breaths per minute.  If you want to have success in life, slow your breathing down to 5 breaths a minute.

Ether Tattva Meditation

If you are wondering what Meditation to commit to, here is the official Meditation for this years Summer Solstice. It is being done for 90 days but you can commit to 40 days and if you like to sing you will love it!