If you remember, I mentioned 2025 is a 9 year in numerology, a year of completions. In Chinese astrology it’s the year of the wood snake. I have mentioned many times about the snake archetype – serpent energy of Kundalini, the spiral geometry, Ouroboros & medical caduceus, shedding its skin/shedding our illusions, its belly being connected/grounded to the earth, a symbol of death and rebirth. Snake medicine is powerful in its wisdom, urging us to use our energy wisely.
That’s why this month’s musing is on the benefits of yoga – not the physical but the mental, emotional & spiritual. Tuning inwards in order to move forward. The astrological alignments of 2020 were intense. 2025 is going to be similarly intense but on a bigger scale. It’s a year where so much truth is going to be revealed. You will need great discernment and time grounding inward. There is no looking back, so buckle your seat belts!
After October’s musings explaining the difference between animism, shamanism & reiki, I received a lovely email from one of my subscribers, a midwestern minister, who asked a great question about my statement “All you need to do is stop and listen carefully.”
He wrote: That last line—stop and listen—is more important than most people realize. You are correct, our current culture and addictions have fairly destroyed our ability to be still. By "still" I mean quietness of the mind. However, many people cannot get past the stillness of body required for stillness of the mind.
I would like to see what you would offer in the way of instruction for both these aspects—body and mind stillness.
I often quote Psa 46:10 "Be still, and know that I am God" along with Elijah's experience—[1Ki 19:11-12 ESV] 11 And he said, "Go out and stand on the mount before the LORD." And behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. 12 And after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound of a low whisper.
We simply have a difficult time finding the 'god within' (God) in our scurry of events. Christians are as guilty of this as the rest of the population and we are ALL at the effect of TOO MUCH NOISE (even those of us who understand and practice the quiet).
How can those who dwell in the cities find or make time "to go within and re-connect with nature?" What would their practice look like?
I believe your insights would be as beneficial to your readers as I am confident they would be for me.
Here's what I wrote back…
From the yogic perspective, you move the body first, that connects the breath, and finally you can deal with the brain. Body-Breath-Brain, in that order. The body serves the breath which serves the brain. Bliss (samadhi) is a gift for doing the work. So, any type of movement practice followed by mindfulness is beneficial. I think it's important for each person to find the style of movement and meditation that works best for them.
I'm partial to yoga nidra as it is multi-modality and addresses the monkey mind/mind chatter (chitta vritti) uniquely. I frequently refer people to my meditations page and the yoga nidras there.
“And after the fire, the sound of a low whisper.” This really struck a chord with me as I spoke about an experience with Nada Yoga in June 2023’s musing…
During one of our shamanic journeys with my siStars group, we were exploring sound healing. Even though we use drumming with journeying, in this case I learned that the external drumming was drowning out the internal sound. I couldn’t hear anything from my spirit guides with the drumming this particular time, so I ended up journeying later in quiet. It was then that I was introduced to a black panther and her song. I merged with her and could hear her subtle sound. It was a combination of a low purr or hum as well as the sound of her paws against the earth. As she runs, there is more of a quiet grunt. So, panther’s song is not an external vocalization but an inward one. A quiet power of stalking one’s dreams (or navigating the “valley” of death). It’s like being underwater and hearing your own breathing or blood pulsing and everything around is dull and just falls away.
It's hard to get away from the external noise but it's the internal noise that's the problem. Most people have experienced getting so absorbed in an activity or meditation that everything fades into the background; they are completely oblivious to the outside world.
Most cities have parks (i.e. NYC central park) that one can reconnect to nature and then sit in contemplation. Or gazing (Drishti) at a house plant or the sun, moon, stars, etc. Also, there are noise drowning headphones. I like to put on mine with Mhz music (here’s my spotify playlist) playing at night while I'm sleeping. I have a whole playlist, but my favorite right now is the "God frequency", one of the solfeggio tones.
Then there is the shamanic practice of drumming & rattling. We give babies rattles because it puts them to sleep. For a similar reason, we use drums & rattles to put us into a deep, relaxing trance state. You don’t need to buy a drum or rattle, I use this track with my private clients and this one in yoga class, it has drumming & the solfeggio sounds.
One of my students introduced me to a 3 min long meditation aimed at those who have little time and the busiest minds, it’s called "F*ck That". I was hesitant at first, but she asked me to make it mine, so I did. (It's also on my website.)
I rarely swear in yoga class, so my students giggled when I tested it out on them with their permission. My dad would hate that one for the language. LOL. Most (not all) found it surprisingly effective, especially for those who can’t quiet their minds. It works because you're not yelling at your mind or getting frustrated with the incessant thoughts. Rather it's like…not again, piss off (if you're English), another thought...sigh…f*ck that. It brings your awareness to the train of thoughts and then the magic happens.
That was my off-the-cuff answer to the midwestern minister, but I want to elaborate on that…
I think it’s safe to say that most people know the benefits of yoga. Physically, it keeps the body strong & flexible. Breath awareness keeps you present in the here & now as well as regulates hormone balance. Mindfulness not only regulates the nervous system but also the experience of surrendering, granting access to the subconscious and ultimately peace of mind. Utter and complete surrender. Krishnamacharya used to say: “Inhale and God approaches you. Hold the inhalation and God remains with you. Exhale and you approach God. Hold the exhalation and surrender to God.”
The Mahanarayana Upanishad concludes that giving up completely (nyasa) paves the way for the highest mental state. Just a point to ponder.
The Forgotten Limbs of Yoga
Here in the West, yoga is associated primarily with physical postures. What most people don’t know is that there are 8 limbs of yoga.
Yama — ethical disciplines; social ethics; restraints; what not to do
Niyama — self-observance; personal virtues; lifestyle alignment; what to do
Asana — postures; steady & comfortable poses prepare the body for meditation
Pranayama —breath awareness/observance (yama); direct participation in the life energy (prana)
Pratyahara — withdrawal of senses
Dharana — concentration; intense focus (drishti)
Dhyana — state of meditation; integration of body, breath, brain, and spirit.
Samadhi — state of oneness; bliss, peace, joy, contentment; identification with Source/unity Consciousness; transcendental superconsciousness
Notice that only 1 limb has to do with the body and 1 with the breath. FOUR have to do with mindfulness. Did you also know that asana (yoga poses) is only mentioned in 3 places in the Yoga Sutras? The Sutras are often referred to as the Bible of Yoga.
Although the imagery of branches on a tree implies a sequential approach, in practice, the limbs can work simultaneously to draw us closer to our true nature. All 8 limbs of yoga are equally important and work together as a vehicle for this multidimensional being.
There are EIGHT limbs of yoga (union). Do them all!
– Mary Dunn
These 8 systematic steps culminate in Samadhi (bliss). The yamas and niyamas offer us a series of guidelines and concepts that can and should be adapted in our daily lives. With constant practice and awareness that our asana (movement/postures), pranayama (breath work), and meditation practices give us, we will reach samadhi — a state of union with the Divine. Samadhi is the highest meditative state in which a person transcends their ego and merges with divine Consciousness.
Approaching asana practice as a discipline of mindfulness is a fundamental starting point. Yoga is about your relationship to body, breath, and brain (the 8 limbs). Vinyasa means breath connected movement. Asana is a container for the experience (not a goal).
The Yoga Sutras tells us that the practice of yoga entails attaining mastery over the mind. Twenty-two hundred years ago, Patanjali concluded that a confused mind is not fit to follow any path. The mind is often run by uncontrolled and aimless thoughts, feelings, and desires. It is influenced by preconceived notions, prejudices, and preoccupations and is driven by our ego's demand and the cravings of the senses. As a result, the mind continually drifts from one state to another – from disturbance to distraction to confusion and back again.
In the Sutra “Yogah cittavrtti nirodhah”, Patanjali gives us the definition of yoga – Yoga is the cessation of the activity of the mind. So that my yoga teacher trainees remember this famous sutra, I paraphrase it to “Don’t be a Chit-head!”
The term yoga has meant different things at different times. For Patanjali, yoga means samadhi, a state of being in which divine Consciousness flows unrestricted through us and the individual ego dissolves in this river of clarity.
Patanjali reminds us that at some point, in some way, we forgot our essential nature. We became identified with the physical world. We develop ways of thinking, attachments to our ideas; we see we are male/female, large/small, left/right, black/white, and somehow these things become our identity. The only way to know the difference between our divine Source Self (God/Goddess) and everything else is to create stillness. Like a calm lake with no waves or ripples – in that stillness, we can again see our essential nature, undisguised by the mind's movements. First, turn off the electronics…ALL of them!
In the absence of distraction and mental pre-occupation, our true nature can be experienced. Then, we need to decrease the inner noise! The monkey mind requires restraint but stilling the mind is not an easy thing to do. We need moments to contemplate who we are and that’s why Patanjali has another 194 Sutras to help explain HOW to achieve this.
Body, Breath & Brain. Asana, Pranayama & Meditation. In that order. Asana serves pranayama. Asana prepares the body and allows the breath to strengthen, lengthen and deepen, creating a deep connection between the two. Practiced without struggle, mindfulness arises naturally. Meditation may happen, and if it does, it’s a GIFT (siddhi). Yoga is connection with Consciousness. It’s a seamless process!
The siddhis, or gifts of yoga, are explained in Book 3 of the Yoga Sutras. The siddhis are “by-products” of the development of prana (energy) awareness and the activation of the chakras (subtle energy centers). Dr. Dean Radin describes that “the siddhis are presented not as magical or divine gifts available to the lucky few but as natural consequences of intense meditation practice.”
The siddhis are said to be highly reliable and under complete conscious control. They fall into 2 categories:
Psychic Abilities – Telepathy, Clairvoyance, Clairaudience, Psychokinesis
Mind-Body Control/Attainment – Invisibility, Levitation, Invulnerability, Superstrength
These abilities are also described in one form or another in indigenous cultures and religions' mystical teachings. Siddhis arise “not due to magical incantations but are a natural consequence of merging with the object of focus. For example, if one focuses on another person, one becomes the other person;” the siddhi called telepathy. If you are a Sci-Fi Star Trek fan, this was the Vulcan mind-meld. You are no longer two people, but one and the same. Now, if you want to levitate, the first step is to…to lighten up!
Another example would be when “one focuses on the processes of time, change, and transformation. The siddhi that arises is the simultaneous perception of the past, present, and future.” This is also called journeying and soul retrieval. The idea that the current contains the past is common knowledge; we call this memory. The idea that the future also influences the present is not as common a concept. However, now there is experimental evidence supporting it (quantum theory).
Swami Rama worked as a yogi grounded in science. He conducted a series of evidence-based scientific experiments to show the direct relationship between the mind & body and between the heart & brain. In the presence of scientists and researchers at Menninger's, Swami Rama created and dissolved a tumor in his body. He caused blisters on his assistant’s hands to heal within a matter of seconds. He demonstrated there is another reality, a Source power, present in human experience.
However, these yogic powers can become a major instrument of illusion (maya), resulting in the downfall of yogis who desire them. Patanjali says that we should not be distracted as we might lose our way on the path to Self-Realization. If such powers should come to you, don't use them except if you hear the voice of God/Goddess telling you to do so. It’s best just to notice and continue with your practice (sadhana). Progress on the yogic path is measured by using our siddhis either in alignment with the Divine or against the greater good.
“When you know who you are, you will know how to act.”
~ Stephen Cope
Practices like yoga help to foster nonjudgmental awareness & clarity; the ability to observe our thoughts, emotions, and sensations without attachment (vairagya). Finding hope in the uncertainty, stillness in the chaos, and wisdom in the not-knowing.
Robert Mulhall, CEO of Kripalu reminds us: “Many wisdom teachers are calling this a time of awakening, a time of transition, a shifting of timelines. They say that the order that we have known will move into chaos before it can be reordered. What that transition will be and the reordering that may emerge is entirely up to us.” He relates this to yoga and how it is “an invitation to choose how we relate and respond to our experiences.”
“Love is the soul of yoga.”
~ Swami Kripalu
In my yoga classes, I talk a lot about releasing & letting go as well as opening our hearts. One evening, I talked about how much ego death is needed right now in the world and shared 2 teachings - 1 from my yoga mentor & the other from indigenous grandmother Nancy Andry.
At the beginning of my class, we close our eyes and center on our breath, quieting the mind. When we drop our chin down, it is the closest our head will be to our heart. In a beautiful water ceremony about flowing from our heart, water stories, and fish tales, grandmother said "the longest journey is from your head to your heart." Contemplate that for a bit. In other words, don’t be a chit-head!
It’s really important to have authority over your ego now. It’s time to discern the difference between ego Consciousness and unity Consciousness and not give any more power to the ego/mind. Instead, working with ego to become more aligned with your highest good and the greater collective good. The yogi is said to get eternal peace of mind – stop and listen - by getting rid of attachment to everything including the ego/self.
"Soul can be without the ego, but the ego cannot be without the soul."
~ Ramana Maharshi
The yogic path aims to transcend outdated beliefs, traditions, and dogma…like a snake sheds its skin. These esoteric teachings require a shift in perspective. That means trying to see from a place of why and what if? Just like a child would look at something from every direction with wonder & awe. With an open heart, discerning mind, and eyes of a mystic, one can discover timeless wisdom and ancient teachings that expand Consciousness. Teachings that are living, breathing connections to the infinite, accessible at all times and in all places.
The key lies in maintaining flexibility of thought and openness of the heart so one can access divine Consciousness. The yogi understands not all aspects of a tradition will resonate with them and uses discernment which serves their greatest spiritual growth. It doesn’t matter the path, but that love & unity Consciousness are cultivated along the way. This leads to understanding the deeper significance that ALL pathways share common threads in the grand tapestry of spiritual evolution.
Back to the minister’s point: Psa 46:10 "Be still, and know that I am God", finding the divine within. This is what people call Enlightenment. I prefer the term SELF-realized. It’s when you realize you ARE Unity Consciousness, unbounded & free; a timeless, limitless, borderless, formless, weightless, genderless, immortal, infinite intelligence, divine, multi-dimensional cosmic being of Source light. Can you settle into that beingness?
“Yoga Therapy bridges the gap from the body to soul, offering a pathway for profound transformation and awakening.”
~ Michael Lee
At the end of meditation, I often say “When you roll out of savasana, do not let savasana roll out of you. Keeping this sense of peace, connection & grounding is how you stay calm & centered in a world full of chaos throughout the days, weeks, and years ahead. That is the test of a true yogi.”
Robert Mulhall reminds us: “As we sit with the reality of our world, we want you to also remember love, to remember peace, to remember hope. As we collectively navigate these times, come practice, be in community, find pause, find rest, find power.” Do your yoga! To me this also means connection with breath. Some say that depression is living in the past and anxiety is worrying about the future. When you connect with your breath, you are in the present moment. Being here and now because…you ARE here now! Stop and Listen…to your breath.
In January 2024 musings, I said “please keep your seat belt securely fastened at all times.” Buckle up for the next couple of years. We are being bombarded with so much information – often conflicting - that it makes my head hurt/hertz. Not just in this reality, but in the astral plane as well. We are also going through some intense astrological transits that will test even the most resilient. My mantra is: Don’t take sides (neutrality). Don’t take the bait (triggers). It’s all bullshit! Stay calm & centered within the chaos (high vibe). Grab your popcorn and watch the external world with non-attachment. Yoga Sutra 2:2 says, “don’t ask how it began but how it ends!”
The very first sutra in the Yoga Sutras is “atha yoganusasanam” – NOW, we begin the practice of yoga. These chaotic times require a strong body, healthy immune system, breath connection, and inward focus. What would you rather do? Self-care by spending time on Body-Breath & Brain…or go on side-effect laden antidepressants or antianxiety meds? I hope to see you again as we meet on the mat…in person or online. See you there!
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