Holdin' Space

Holding Space: Energy & Intention

You can find many helpful hints and advice about holding space from a variety of traditions and resources. I will share my opinions and techniques about it here! To hold space, one has to create a space to hold in the first place. A sacred, special environment, ideal for the energetic journey of self-transformation and self-discovery.

"Holding space" is an action that is generally invisible. It is one of the mystical and energetic practices used by holistic healers and instructors. However, anyone is capable of holding space. Individuals hold space for themselves all the time on their yoga mat! Do you have a spot at your home that is all yours, you designed the area, you spend time in the area as your place to retreat, to relax and feel safe, at peace?

The space held knows no borders or judgements, it does not discriminate, it welcomes everyone. The "space" is a specific area of energy where we deeply belong for a direct purpose, such as healing, worship, protection, ritual, or simply being. The holistic healer, instructor or individual uses their deep intentions and personal power to summon protective energy into a space. This can be done for oneself or for others on a small or big scale.

Our Teacher Holding Space: Yogi Vishvketu in Rishikesh, Utterakhand, India

Sometimes the space being held is very large. One person can conjure special nurturing and grounded energy for an entire room, yoga hall, building of worship and beyond. Perhaps some are able to hold space for an entire group of dispersed people. A whole city, a country, a region. Some may even be holding space for us that spans the entire globe, right now! Many are surely praying or meditating or calling on sacred universal energy to protect and heal humanity as I type/you read this. Those of you who have been in the presence of a great spiritual teacher, have felt cradled, accepted and safe because of their powerful intentions of holding space.

Maybe you can remember a time when you held space for yourself. You feel grounded and protected in a space you have created for yourself. You may have noticed the boundaries of the space you are holding when someone else enters the space unexpectedly. Often we hold space through objects in our physical surroundings. Special pictures, candles and objects that have meaning for us decorate a "sacred space". Sacred space is another whole blog post altogether!

Holding Space as a Yoga Instructor

Every time I do yoga, I hold a space for myself. Every time I teach yoga, I hold a space for myself and for others. The space I hold for myself when I teach yoga to others is a very special energy. The energy that I ask to receive is protective, so that any negative energy is not transferred from me to the students or the students onto me. We release a lot during practice so its natural to absorb the energy of others if you aren't conscious. This is an issue for holistic healers and instructors especially.

Afterwards, ground your energy by coming into direct contact with nature. If this is not available then sit on the floor. Place your hands palms down on the ground or floor. Use your intention to direct unnecessary energy out of the chakras in the middle of your palms. This is a place where lots of energy gathers, and it is a more direct opening from which to conduct energy. Perhaps you are already familiar with the power points in the hands, if you work with them energetically as a healer, instructor or individual who does energy work. There are lots of ways to ground oneself before, during and after holding space.

 

Holding Space for Myself in Lotus Pose

 

The general intention to practice and to lead others in practice will relax you into your seat (asana). As the hips begin to sink down in sitting pose, a connection is created with you and the ground. This communion is an immediate signal to the energy around you that effort is being made for sacred space and sacred activities, such as yoga.

To take it a step further, you might visualize a shape from sacred geometry surrounding and protecting you. Perhaps you work with crystals and will choose some gemstones that can be with you, to offer balance and protection for yourself and for others. Maybe you activate a colour (could be corresponding to a chakra you wish to invoke), which starts to emanate from your aura and forms a circle, square or pyramid shape around your person as an energetic "shield".

Merkaba - Sacred Geometry - Holding Space in the Auric Field

"How Yoga Transforms Your Body"

via Huffington Post.com

Solar Plexus: Techniques for 3rd Chakra (Manipura)

 

THIRD CHAKRA: MANIPURA

or SOLAR PLEXUS

personal power + assertiveness + vitality + digestive fire + strength  

 

Focus of Attention: Solar Plexus

Affirmation: I align my personal energies and find my place in the

 

world.

Matangi Mudra: Gesture of the Goddess of Transformation.

Interlace the fingers in front of the solar plexus. Extend the middle

fingers, pressing them together.

above*as seen on Iytyogatherapy.com

 

ASANA FOR SOLAR PLEXUS CHAKRA:

SITTING/KNEELING:
PASCHIMOTTANASANA - FORWARD FOLD
NOKASANA - BOAT POSE
YOGA MUSRA - folding forward from sitting on knees or crosslegged, arms bound behind you
ARDHA YOGA MUDRA - CHILD'S POSE
USTRASANA - CAMEL POSE
BHAGERASANA - TIGER POSE
DANDASANA - STAFF POSE
ON THE ABDOMEN:
BHUJANGASANA - COBRA POSE
SHARPASANA - SNAKE POSE
DHANURASANA - BOW POSE
UDDIYANASANA - FLYING BIRD POSE
STANDING:
UTTHITA HASTA PADANGUSTHASANA - EXTENDED LEG POSE
GARUDASANA - EAGLE POSE
EKPADASANA - BALANCING STICK POSE
NATARAJASANA I & II - SHIVA DANCE POSE I & II
DHURVASANA - TREE POSE
VISTRIIT PADOTTANASANA - WIDE ANGLE FORWARD BEND PSOE
VIRBHADRASANA I & II - WARRIOR POSE I & II
UTKUTASANA - CHAIR POSE
(ARDHA) CHANDRASANA - (HALF) MOON POSE
PADHASTASANA - HEAD TO KNEE POSE
ON THE BACK:
ARDHA SETUBANDHASANA - HALF BRIDGE POSE
PAVANMUKTASANA - WIND RELIEVING POSE
MERU UDDARAKUNCHANASANA - LAYING SPINAL TWIST POSE

PRACTICES:
UDDIYANA BANDHA - NAVAL LOCK

BHUJANGASANA - COBRA POSE

 

PADHASTASANA - HEAD TO KNEE POSE

UTTHITA HASTA PADANGUSTHASANA - EXTENDED LEG POSE

Benefits of Yoga Asana (Pose/Posture)

Pure Posture, Pure Benefit!

 

There is so much more to the practice of yoga than asanas (poses/postures). There is an unlimited amount of yoga postures, and new ones are being invented constantly (perhaps by you and me!) YOGA =UNITY. A very internal practice! The external features of the practice are gift giving.

Twisting/Revolved Triangle Pose
Parivrtta Trikonasana

 

Here are some of the benefits of pure posture:

grounds emotions

circulates prana (life force energy)

expels carbon dioxide and other toxins

strengthens muscles, nervous and immune systems

provides fresh oxygen to cells and rejuvenates them

improves absorption of food nutrients

regulates metabolism and circulations

stimulates the pituitary glands

treats subtle energy channels in the physical (and astral) spine

clears energy channels essential to meditation and higher spiritual experience

harmonizes and balances internal elements 

(earth, fire, air, water, ether)

creates space and expansion in our physical body

ENJOY THE BENEFITS OF PRACTICE!

NAMASTE

 

 

 

DIY Yoga Mat Cleanser

Simple process to make this DIY recipe for a yoga mat cleansing solution! "Kriyas" are actions, processes, deeds, or efforts. They are a variety of Kriyas - cleansing/purifying techniques that we use in yoga. It may be best to extend the practice of cleansing and care towards the materials that allow for our comfort in practice. Happy Prana for our home on the mat!

 

 

MATERIALS:

spray bottle (glass, plastic, etc)

essential oils

water

RECIPE:

5 drops lavender oil
5 drops tea tree oil
1 tsp witchhazel extract (optional)
1/2 tsp alcohol (optional)
1/8 tsp white vinegar (optional)
water (enough to fill the remainder of the spray bottle)

Some essential oils are best for cleaning, freshening and disinfecting. Use oils with natural antiseptic, antifungal, and antibacterial properties. Ideal options for this are using tea tree oil and lavender oil together or separately. The scent will probably stay with the mat for a little while. However the solution shouldn't be strong enough to create a perfumed yoga mat!

DIRECTIONS

Spray liberally onto a clean cloth and wipe down both sides of the mat.

NOTE
For a deeper cleanse, put the spray directly on the yoga mat and scrub, scrub, scrub! Leave your yoga mat out to dry in an outdoor environment. This allows the prana (fresh life force energy) of the wind to purify and dry your yoga mat at the same time.

Did you know that you can throw your yoga mat in the washing machine with a little bit of eco friendly detergent? Do not put it in the dryer though! At first when its wet out of the machine, it will be very wrinkly...but no worries! It will straighten out and smooth nicely when hung to dry.

Of course, you can always use soap and water, or even just water to clean your mat!

DIY - DO IT YOURSELF                                                                          
KIS - KEEP IT SIMPLE

A Closer Look at Plank Pose

Plank Pose is an asana that we perform often, the fifth of twelve moments during rounds of sun salutations (with 24 movements in a complete round).

Since this posture is one we experience quite a lot, its best to examine this sometimes challenging and strength building pose. Be kind to your body and practice ahimsa (non-violence/peace) when working on tuning up this asana in your sadhana (practice).

The palms are flat on the ground. The middle finger and middle wrist point straight forward. Allow the wrists, elbows and shoulders to be in a line. The breath, core muscles and arm strength will stabilize you here. Keep the shoulders back, leaving space between them and the ears. Draw the shoulder blades together on your back, letting the chest/heart stay open. Imagine a long line of lengthening from the tailbone, through the neck and out the crown of the head. If the body isn't straight enough, step back a few inches with the feet. Make sure the facial muscles aren't too contracted as you keep the breath steady. Often we hold the breath during this pose before we exhale out of it, when transitioning in sun salutation sequence.

above image: from The Yoga Mechanic

Plank can be modified by putting the knees and/or elbows down onto the mat.

While keeping the elbows to the sides of the body, the knees, chest and then chin/forehead are lowered onto the mat between the palms. The movement opens you forward into a chest rising pose (ex. king cobra, baby cobra, upward dog) as sun salutation continues.

Plank pose can be intense and one can acquire tension in the neck/shoulder/shoulderblade area if this pose is continuously practiced incorrectly. This blog post was inspired by my own difficulty with plank pose alignment, as well as some students who were curious about improving their plank aswell. Hopefully we can all progress on our yogic journey's of inquiry together! Share feedback and constructive criticism to this post please! There are lots of resources where you can acquire more information. It is probably best to consult a teacher or be your own guru and learn from your own experience on the mat!

Inviting You To Yoga East: Oct/Nov Session

Namaste Greetings from Happy Prana!

There is a magical little place in London Ontario's East Village called Yoga East. Its the gorgeous and welcoming home studio of Mary McCullough located at Ontario St. & Princess St. (537 Ontario St).

For the upcoming months of October and November, I will be personally offering an 8 week session of yoga classes on Thursday evenings from 7:15 to 8:30pm. The cost is only $10 per class for a total of $80. If you are interested, please let me know asap so that I can sign you up. There is room for 10 people to get on the list for this session so its best to decide about your participation sooner than later! Reply to this by emailing happyprana@hotmail.com or on my facebook. I am eager to answer any questions you may have about the (very accessible) yoga being offered or about the studio we will be enjoying together.

Lets spend the changing autumn months together on our mats and transition inside this beautiful sacred space that has lots of luxurious yoga props and restorative comforts!

Whether you are interested/available or not, please forward this invitation to any others who you think could benefit. Thank you deeply for your time in considering this opportunity,
Om Shanti Shanti Shanti

Happy Prana - Nicole

Gratitude Yoga

Gratitude Yoga

thank you yoga

thank you so much for giving me a place to land

for opening channels of prana each morning to flow through the day

much gratitude yoga as we fold and bow and step down

chakral realignment

cultivating the glow

a service to keep my life straight

an offering to spiral with change

a power rising to the top

rooting in four directions

prayer pose with gratitude

yoga thank you for shaping my life

for ringing me out and inviting me in

this gift is for everyone

thankyou with the essence of a million universes

light and dark interwoven

to balance and grace our gaze

oneness

Recently returned from a fortnight B.C. visit to some friends, I have some yoga travel photos to share! More to come as I am doing a yoga photo shoot with my photographer friend soon! Yoga photos can be important to spread the visual inspiration to practice as well as giving others an idea of your presence as an instructor. Often then can be quite instructional in terms of posture and form. Also i think its just awesome to do yoga poses in interesting places and document the process as an artistic photo journal of one's yogic journeys. Thanks for visiting the Happy Prana blog!

 

Sage Pose I & II: Bharadvajasana

Thankyou for these adaptations from:

"YOGA MIND, BODY and SPIRIT: A Return to Wholeness -
for students of all levels and traditions" by Donna Farhi

Its always a delight to discover the sensations of a new asana in your practice! Sage Pose 1 and 2 have been added to my sadhana (practice) as of this morning. What an incredible and releasing twist! It took me a few tries to align my legs properly with the pillow prop. Its not very often that I use props on the mat, but this one is especially worth providing the extra support for. These are the instructions I've worded myself so please check other resources for variety and clarity. Please offer corrections or modifications if you have them. Give it a try until the pose "feels" right for your body.

In my practice I direct poses to the left first and then the right. Traditionally we twist or move to the right first. Shifting the motions to the left first honours our feminine goddess aspect. This is especially important since we practice so many sun salutations and often leave out moon salutations in common sequences. Experiment with awareness of your body's abilities. Exercise caution at all times and use the gentleness and compassion AHIMSA (non-violence) throughout your yogic experience!

Sage Pose 1

Breathe. Kneel in Vajrasana (sitting on heels). Shift the weight of the body to the left so that both left feet are to the side of the pelvis. Put a blanket or pillow prop under the left hip so that both sides of the pelvis are level. Breathe. Inhale, lengthening the spinal column through the crown. Exhale and twist to the left with the core and both arms/hands. Maintain breadth of chest by expanding shoulders. Breathe. Reach the left arm around the back and rest it there or lightly connect to the inside of the upper right arm.
Notice and Feel! Slowly release after the bind and repeat on the other side, adjusting the prop as needed.


Sage Pose 2

Breathe. Kneel in Vajrasana (sitting on heels) and extend the left leg. Cross the foot over the right thigh into a half lotus position. Breathe. Shift the weight of your body down slightly to just inside of the bent right leg. Put a blanket or pillow prop under the left hip so that both sides of the pelvis are level. Breathe. Inhale, lengthening the spinal column through the crown. Exhale and twist to the left with the core and both arms/hands. Maintain breadth of chest by expanding shoulders. Breathe. Reach the left arm around the back to take hold of the foot from the right side of the body. Breathe. Notice and Feel! Slowly release after the bind and repeat on the other side, adjusting the prop as needed.

Benefits, Cautions and Contraindications:

Releases hips and lower back. Opens the shoulders, chest and lungs. Stimulates the large and small intestines (digestion).

Only practice in first or second trimester of pregnancy if comfortable.

Namaste

Yoga Block Asanas!

Ayurvedic Oil Pulling Cleansing Technique

AYUR = LIFE      VEDA = KNOWLEDGE  :   AYURVEDA = LIFE KNOWLEDGE!

VERY EXCITED!

OK so as I type this, I am currently finishing up my first experience with.......

 

 Ayurvedic Oil Pulling!

 

The sensation felt a bit overwhelming at the beginning and at the very end of the experience. I was able to hold the oil in my mouth for 20 minutes relatively comfortably. You will notice that later when you spit it back out, the oil has turned into a milky white substance! Its best to perform this detox method in the morning. You will appreciate setting aside at least a full 1/2 hour to relax and experience this ancient behaviour. This can be a very detoxifying process, so nurture your body afterwards! I found it best to drink lots of water and eat fresh foods that day. Sometimes detox therapies can be intense and bring up toxins of various kinds in order to be eliminated. The practice of oil pulling is complimentary to other Ayurvedic observances. Treat yourself to a long yoga practice afterwards!

Method:

1 tbsp. unrefined sesame oil (do not injest!)

Rinse after with warm salt water

Gently swish the sesame oil around in your mouth for approx. 15 - 20 minutes. This is so the oil has enough time to pull out significant amounts of bacteria. It has to be give time to transform into a milky consistency. Do not swallow anything in this process! Breathe through the nose, keep the body calm. If you have to swallow, push the oil to the front of your mouth and swallow a small amount of saliva from the back of your mouth. Recommended to dispose of it in the toilet after, as the oil will probably contribute to clogging sink pipes. I found it nice to drink a mild concoction of hot water, pure honey and lemon, avoiding food or strong drinks for at least 1/2 hour  after the experience.

The idea is, that the oil draws out toxins in the body, especially the mouth. This technique has affected many aspects of health and is said to be curing for a large variety of ailments.

"The act of swishing oil in the mouth acts as a powerful cleanser, pulling out these potentially harmful substances and thus producing a serious detoxifying effect."

This Oil Pulling Website, along with other resources such as the Wandering Bodhi (referenced above) will provide a lot more information. There are other sources that will recommend sunflower seed oil or coconut oil. I would say its important to acquire exactly the right product for this exercise.

Oil Pulling is one of many Ayurvedic cleansing techniques that clean the body. More about these topics to come in the form of future experiential blog posts : )

Happy Prana Inspirational Intention of Today:

Willingness to Experiment: the Peace of having Patience with Yourself to Do something New!

Happy Prana Kids Yoga at Grickle Grass Fest 2013

The annual Grickle Grass Sustainability & Music Festival in London, Ontario was a hit again this year! An amazing afternoon of children's programming and evening of fun for the big kids with a plethora of musical entertainment. I was honoured to have the opportunity to volunteer and teach yoga throughout the day outside London's Children's Museum. It was an interesting and inspiring experience to teach a flow of short classes when a small or large group sat down on the mats in front of me! Constant ceremony of breath and movement, continuous ritual or summoning energy and practice. A lot of the little ones were responsive to trying something new in such a dynamic and high energy setting of the outdoor space! Very Happy Prana! Thank you Grickle Grass 2013!
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Yoga Groove Workshop May 11th

An honour to host the upcoming workshop "Yoga Groove" in London, Ontario! This Saturday May 11th from 1 - 2:30pm, I will be leading a yogic dance inspired practice as we move along our bodies and breath to the beat. Here is a sample of the dub flows we will be grooving to! The cost is $20 at the door of the Downtown Yoga Holistic Centre across from the Central Library on Dundas St. Come and explore asana, pranayama and musical rhythm combined! Hope to see you there to play and flow together : )

Yoga is Radical: Toronto Conference Inspiration

Yoga is all over the world! It is amazing to observe the many incarnations and manifestations of this ancient practice. With an unlimited scope of form and content, the art of yoga has and is spreading widely and wildly. Attending the Toronto Yoga Conference last weekend was an invigorating and interesting experience. There was a lot of energy, a lot of action, a lot of frenzy over the culture of modern, urban yoga! The show floor was busy with attendees, a lot of smiles and health samples with everything from red beet crystals, to mushroom extract, to alkaline coffee.

In the middle of the show floor, there was a space with ongoing classes of many varieties. I attended a half an hour workshop of Kundalini yoga and how to de-stress as well as relax before bed. The meditations and movements from the school of 3HO Kundalini Yoga were so effective that I experienced an immediate change in my vibratory energy field. What a calming peace, emotional peace and exquisite serenity! I look forward to exploring Kundalini yoga more in the future. I received more from that short experience than I ever could have by buying into the consumer health products and fashions available. Overall it was a fabulous experience to more closely discover the range of levels and expressions in the yoga community in Toronto and beyond. The ongoing Kirtans were a special treat aswell. Hare Om!

A few highlights from the vendors were:

Toronto Kundalini Yoga Teachers Association which put on the meditation I mentioned above

The Lily Foundation - charity to benefit Vietnamese children supported by fundraising in Ontario with funds also raised from the artistic endeavours of Toronto's creative community.

Michael Moon and the Temple of Sound - healing and meditative music compositions focused on the power of sound during practices of consciousness and relaxation.

The teacher training workshop I attended was for Pre & Post Natal Yoga with Monica Voss. Learned so much about the female body and emotional landscape during pregnancy. Hopefully one day I will have the honour to guide women on a yogic journey during that sacred time. Most of all, I was inspired by the deep practice of teaching yoga in general that Monica Voss shared. She is one solid and grounded yogini! A few highlights from her class may touch you also.

Thankyou Monica! Thankyou Yoga!

"drop deep inside"

"postures give opportunity to teach the skills of life" (open, surrender, ground, expand)

"teach to the spine"



"empower women, empower yourself"

 

"'accomplishment' of poses is not important: where is our experience?"



                   "

YOGA IS NOT ABOUT CONFORMING

YOGA IS RADICAL

YOGA IS ANTI-AUTHORITARIAN

 ITS NOT ABOUT DOING WHAT WERE TOLD, ITS ABOUT FINDING OUT

                                                     "

Family & Kids Yoga

Yoga as a family can be a very rewarding and special experience! It is amazing to see people come together from the same family unit and consciously unite in breath and movement. It can create an ideal space for bonding and releasing together in relaxation and fun. This is especially true of incorporating partner yoga postures to cultivate sharing and trust with your family members.

Below are a few links with creative ideas and tips for practicing together. Whether you have mats or an ideal space in your home or not, these poses can be performed together in manageable amounts of time during your weekly routine together. Perhaps you will find that adding some time to focus awareness to breathe and body as a family will increase the level of mindfulness and peace in your lives independently and as a group!

It has been such an interesting pleasure to teach yoga to children as young as 3 years old! Just being in a space set intentionally for a yoga practice can benefit a child even if they can't focus on breath or postures. There seems to be a noticeable difference in each age groups response and ability in a yoga class. I feel that it is healthy to let the children explore movement and breathe instinctually, especially if they have impediments to concentration. Just being allowed to move and express in their own way can be a very relaxing and releasing process. As long as the class isn't being entirely disrupted consistently, I think that a productive and beneficial activity is taking place.

Singing bowls and other instruments are very useful to get the attention of a kids yoga class and can also be employed to create interest in yogic traditions and sound healing. Using sound and simple mantra an be very exciting for kids who get to let out free noises and engage with Sanskrit - a mysterious and ancient language foreign to them. For example, having the class lay down in relaxation pose and chant the sound of the vowels can be a wonderful throat chakra release that can help with communication and release of stored, repressed energy. Often children are told to be quiet and to listen, not the opposite of allowing sound to be freely released!

A - ahhh
E - ehhh
I - ihhhh
O - awe
U - uhhhh

Om Trayambakam Yajamahe - Mantra

“Mantra is a mystical energy bound to a series of sounds“. This and many other aspects of yogic knowledge will be featured on this page! Many of the quotes and information come from my yoga manual from an ashram. With gratitude, I was able to attend a 200 hour yoga teacher training in Rishikesh, India in the fall of 2012. The Anand Prakash Yoga Ashram is an incredible place in central Northern India directly next to the Ganges and Himalayas! Our teacher Yogi Vishvaketu Ji  opened and expanded us during our month together. We were eager for further enlightenment and that is what we found! We were open enough to allow the guru inside us develop. All of the various practices and teachings will stay with us, and will hopefully be shared throughout our lives and practices as eternal yoga students and teachers. Chanting mantra was a part of the ashram life and it is a tool that I hope to always engage. This is a particular mantra that we chanted often and its effects were very harmonizing! Much gratitude and grace to the World Conscious Yoga Family for giving me such a vehicle of transformative experience! It is my humble hope that I may share it with others in some capacity.

It is a joy and honour to communicate various lessons, observations and more through the medium of this yoga blog. I hope to use it to share my experiences and mostly, spread and cultivate the knowledge and love of yoga in all of its forms - which are limitless!

This powerful healing mantra is used to send ancient vibrational energy throughout the mind, body and soul. It clears, it opens, it releases. It is even supposed to elevate the immune system! This mantra is called the Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra. Perhaps you are accustomed to chanting and maybe you have never tried it before! I know that before I tried meditations longer than Om Shanti Shanti Shanti I was reluctant to dive into these mysterious words so foreign in content and purpose!

I have particularly noticed its healing effects when I send the effort of vibrations to the areas of my body that carry tension and act as a storage space for emotional baggage. Saying it enough times in a mantra meditation in a group or on your own is very powerful and you will feel noticeably different after this practice!

All you can do is try! Take a listen to the mantra in the video and try it out, probably a lot slower at first! Perhaps it is useful to begin with breaking down the words to experiment with pronunciation. Maybe chanting along with the song in the link can aid you. Soon you will be able to confidently chant this healing mantra!

Om triyambakam yajamahai

sugandhim pushtivardanam

urvaukamiva bandhanan

mrityor mokshiya mamritat

 

we meditate on Shiva - the 3 eyed one

knower of past, present and future

who permeates and nourishes all like a fragrance

as in due time the stem of the cucumber weakens

and the gourd is freed from the vine

so release us from attachment to the material

and liberate us into the eternal


THANKYOU INDIA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!