September Yoga Awareness Month - Last Days

September is Yoga Awareness Month.
Some are seasoned practitioners, some have never set foot in a shala or studio.  Please take a gander at the following questions and answer back if you feel connected.  I will write a follow up piece and include the answers (publicly or anonymously) in my next article and would love to include some personal antidotes should you chose to share (picture(s) welcome!):

-        If you have never practiced yoga before…would you get out there and give it a shot/what’s holding you back?


-        What did you do (if anything, this year) to support Yoga Awareness Month?

-        What is your ‘edge’ when you practice/why do you love yoga?

-        What are you most grateful for in life?

Much Gratitude and Love,

Zahara Jade

Get out and celebrate Yoga Awareness Month before it's over!  Be sure to check out some of the best hotels in America to practice yoga:  http://www.gogobot.com/blog/2013/09/11/om-ing-in-on-the-best-hotels-for-yoga/

The Un-Story: It's All Happening

 Life Happens While We’re Not Looking.

More to reality, everything we need is here and now, but sometimes the mind wants to escape, or emotions cloud experience.

"The next message you need is always right where you are." — Ram Dass

  

I’m building a dream.  A vision.  A creation.  To inspire, to heal, to re-create, re-formulate, undo, redo, shift, transform, revolutionize.  The juiciest parts are in the NOW, the process, the Un-Story.  

At times, though, I feel as though I’m in a waiting station.  I’m “waiting” for my vision, P.R.A.Y., to take off.  I’m waiting to inspire.  Inspiration is not always immediate.  Sometimes as on facebook I send out a post and receive immediate feedback, or write an article on, say, Elephant Journal, and feedback comes back almost too immediately and I feel inspiration or deflation, for that matter, from around the world, in a matter of seconds or hours.  I teach a yoga class and those moments, immediately following the class I feel the gratitude from students.  This is one of the reasons working in the healing arts is so fulfilling. 

But other work, blood, sweat and tears of day in and day out is delayed gratification as in many of our jobs.   I’m waiting for the business to be financially abundant.  The most precious moments are in the waiting.  Since flipping over to less direct means of healing, through material energy on a grand scale, the impact is larger but the feedback. 

This IS the story. 

To quote my incredibly talented, successful sister; I feel like a “homeless man”; all three – myself, her, and her husband – travel the world for our visions and the closest thing we have to material grounding is a trunk in Mysore, India which we share.  Will I have a home once this……?  Once this, or once that?  Will I meet a partner…….once this, or once that?  

No, no, no, no, no.  Simply, no.  I prove to myself on a daily basis that everything IS possible NOW.

I can manifest what I want in this moment, regardless of external circumstances, everything is impermanent anyhow.  I wish to connect with a particular person and POOF!  The connection happens.  I send out the intention to become a published writer in Elephant Journal and BOOM, here I have it.  Gluten/ dairy free delicious frosted something, the closest thing which may mimic my favorite dessert from America I’ve been craving?  NO waaaay---wait a second!  Delicious frosted Avocado-Ginger muffins to die for at my local organic shop.  Seriously, yum.  Oh and a sweet road bicycle to ride around town, gifted to me.  100 monks at P.R.A.Y. jewelry blessing ceremony?  No problem.

Buddhist monk ceremony during which P.R.A.Y.
amulets were charged w/ powers

“It’s all happening” as goes the favorite hippie quote of the day.  My mind gets caught up in what it believes the story is and I nearly miss the Un-Story, or rather my life: reality and the present moment.  Truth is, I am handed gifts from the Universe left and right.

"Prolong not the past 

Invite not the future 

Do not alter your innate wakefulness 

Fear not appearances 

There in nothing more than this" — Ram Dass

  

www.purerockangelyogi.com 

10 Signs You've Hit the "India Wall"

10 Signs You’ve Hit the India Wall

1.     3 months ago when you were bounding out of bed for yoga, now you are quite happy when there’s a day off for Moon Day, or you take an extra day during Ladie’s Holiday and “accidentally” sleep through your 3:30am alarm clock.

2.     The rich, colorful air that warmed your heart, awoke your spirit and opened a porthole to your soul now reeks of urine and garbage everywhere you turn.

3.     Rickshaw drivers, hustlers, hasslers, street people, even slum kids- you were more than happy to entertain, bargain with, smile, engage in conversation a few months ago – now ignite every last nerve as your patience wears to the bone. 

4.     That cool Indian Winter breeze so friendly and welcoming on the skin, arriving from colder weather has now turned to scorching, unbearable monsoon heat, inflaming internal heat.

5.     The Footloose-esque “No Dancing” rule in town is really killing your inner Goddess Dance Spirit which needs to move.

6.     Kirtans that opened your heart, allowed beautiful emotions to flow, now feel stifling and uncomfortable in the dead heat and hard floor. 

7.     You’ve been groped one too many times now to find the attention, stares and questions endearing as you did a few months back.

8.     Chapati, chapti, dosa, idli, chapatti, rice, thali, dosa.  Um, can I have some salad, PLEASE!!!?

9.     You gag when someone mentions visiting another temple. 

10. The 3 near death experiences you’ve had are enough.  Having to visit the Vedic Astrologer, Past Life Regression Therapist, do Mindfulness Meditation, all to get your sh--- straight has been enough.  

I have experienced these or similar sentiments, emotions, situations, feelings.  That is when I take a flight out of Ma India.  Inevitably, months after leaving the country that drags up all of the darkness, redness, heat, anger, love, intensity inside of me, I am aching for her and wishing I were there.  This is the beauty and love affair I will forever have with India.

   

   In the next India article:  10 Signs You’re Ready to Go Back to India

Seak Peak –

1.     A dear friend traveling India has symptoms of “Hitting the India Wall” and while laughing, you dream of the magnificent places he’s experiencing

2.     You’re eating Indian food weekly but would eat it daily if you had the budget; you’ve been craving Indian (food) since you got over your “I hate India” mood

Breaking The Mirror: Bad Luck, Art, Expanding Consciousness - What will the superstitious think?

A few weeks ago a monsoon passed through.  Not rare given monsoon season in Thailand.  It rains just about every day, sometimes multiple times a day.  Although the storms are powerful I don't often think about contents of my room being affected, for I don't have much.  Jewelry, jewelry supplies/ table, clothing, yoga mat, small bed, Buddha parchment, protective, blessed cloth from monk, personal altar - most is kept away from harm.  One item I thought little of, until recently, was the Mirror.

This mirror measured 11x8 inches or so, and I used it as one does a mirror: to see how jewelry looked on me, to see how clothing looked on me, to put makeup on.

One balmy Thai evening an extra powerful monsoon plowed through, high winds accompanying the torrential downpour.  Standing at the foot of my door, I heard a loud CRASH!  Wind smashed through the window, the screen, forcing the mirror, which was previously haphazardly propped on my shelf against the window, tumbling onto the ground into pieces.  Given my non-attachment mindset, I paid little mind to the incident, swept up, threw out broken pieces and went on my way.  A flash of the old "7 years bad luck" superstition ran through my mind, but I let it go as quickly as I allowed it in.  What good could come, holding on to that notion?  The mirror had already broken and if I choose to buy into "7 years of bad luck" superstition that most Americans abide by, well, that would just simply be quite negative, victimizing and debilitating.  No THANK YOU.

In fact, there were a few pieces of the mirror that were quite funky, not sharp and worth keeping.  They added a cool-yet-functional element to my room so I chose to keep them and I've been using them for the past few weeks.

It was not surprising that as I tried to dig up information about the "Spiritual reasons a mirror cracks", the only search results Google produces relates to the traditional American superstition.   How indoctrinated have we become to buy into such nonsense and isn't there other information to at least read giving a broader perspective on the subject?  Surely it isn't this small, narrow-minded culture's way, or the highway?

Uh, huh.  Must kill proxy server.  Alas, I found ONE article that debriefed the Mirror Myth a bit further, offering a more general historical perspective on cultural mirror beliefs.  I hate history when I was in school.  I feel I must be a sleuth to de-code unrealistic, unTruths that society has indoctrinated mankind to believe.  I am surely not the only one by any stretch of the imagination and The Mirror is the least of our worries.  However, it is interesting to take apart.

Turning out to be a historian I am fascinated by ancient cultural beliefs, where they originate, why, how/ if they are useful to us today.  The intention of my research is always to provide healing, protection, consciousness, expansion, transformation for people.  May we rise out of the small, strict ideas that have chained us, to a more expanded perception of Oneness.  


Old, Dried-Up, Death-Based Mirror Superstitions:

- Broken mirror = 7 years bad luck
- A mirror falls & breaks by itself, someone in the house will die
- Seeing one's reflection in a room where someone recently died, this person will soon die themselves
- If a mirror falls from a wall someone will soon die
- Babies should not look in a mirror the first year of their life
- To see your reflection in a mirror is to see your own soul; cracking a mirror means a portion of the soul will not be able to reunite with the body


Neutral/ Benevolent Mirror Superstitions:

- In Feng Shui, mirrors can serve as magical tools to improve one's life.
   ---If a mirror cracks it is no longer able to absorb negative energy
- Ancient Chinese: mirrors frighten away evil spirits.  Cracked mirror, the protection is broken.
- To see your reflection in a mirror is to see your own soul
- A couple who catches a glimpse of themselves first in a mirror will have a happy marriage
- A woman may see the image of her future husband by sitting in front of a mirror, eating an apple, brushing her hair.  His image will appear behind her.
- A cracked mirror may be upcycled, modern piece of art.  It is all in the eye of the beholder

Ancient Gods & Mirrors:

- Aztec God Tezcatlipoca used "smoking mirrors" to reveal others true character, including that of Quetzalcoatl who was shamed into exile as a feathered snake once revealed.
- Quetzalcoatl, ancient Mayan God, himself was often depicted with a mirror on his chest.  Known as lord of healing & magical herbs, thought, arts, poetry, all things good & beautiful he was the Lord of Hope and Morning Star.  This account suggests the mirror of high moral, aesthetic and spiritual value.
Note: These two accounts are discrepant, something to consider as we take on ancient mirror beliefs and superstitions.

To see your reflection in a mirror is to see your own soul; cracking a mirror means a portion of the soul will not be able to reunite with the body.

One account states, "Obviously, without a portion of the soul, a person would be in for some bad luck.

The seven years thing comes from the Romans. They believed that aperson's health and fortune changed every seven years."

Eye of the Beholder: Custom Made Cracked Mirror Mosaic

I find this conclusion anything but obvious and not necessarily the case.  Who do you know that has had bad luck after the breaking of a mirror?  I venture to guess only if they themselves have chosen to take on this superstition as true.  Another way to look at this is that if indeed a portion of the soul is in the mirror, perhaps the mirror is protecting us from an "evil" aspect or negative energy within "the soul" thus absorbing it so we are able to move forward with only positive energy and vibration.

Any and all of the above is possible; if we give power to beliefs, they have power.  Clearly these beliefs contradict one another depending on one's lineage, background, belief system.  It is up to you what you want to draw from.  Like any scenario, we can become the victim, draw negative aspects, become powerless to "superstitions", or we can find value, expand and grow from a situation.  While our ancestors do have powerful knowledge to share with us, I also take every droplet individually, deconstruct and ask: does this apply today, does it make sense, is this appropriate in my reality, does it raise consciousness?  A broken mirror may help to raise consciousness- it protects from negative energy, perhaps evil spirits.  Depending on what you choose to take from this information it may even block negative, harmful aspects of one's soul (in ancient times ancestors may have considered this "death").  All of it is true and false at the same time.  Our reality is moldable, flexible, changing every moment.  For we are the creators of our reality and we only take on what we choose.

How do you choose to allow the broken mirror into your reality?

www.purerockangelyogi.com

Pictures:  Love This Look Mirrored Floor , Girl Glass Mirror,  Broken Mirror Shoes

Uncovering the Shine: Remaining Still, Grounded, Present in "Less Than Bliss"

From one country to the next it's easy to let life slip by.  Get caught up in the buzz of a new scene, new people, new climate, new food, new emotions, new YOU.

Living in the same city these past 4 months, a city which seemed to choose me rather than the other way around, has helped me come back to myself and find the yummy juicy place inside from where all love resonates.  It is in this place that I find mySELF.  This is my essence, my truth, my shine, my bliss.

The shine gets muddled as I move around and lose myself - only to be found again - this time with less clutter.  In this way travel is like washing ourselves, cleaning away the filth of society-laden masks burdening the soul.

My sister and Adam, her husband are en-route back to Asia this moment.  They are the closest family to me both relationally and physically, spending a good chunk of the year together in our homes in Asia (India, Thailand, soon Bali).  When I saw their airport send-off picture today, tears flowed from my eyes: over joyous for their return, releasing the pain of being without them for so long - for they are my heart, soul, support, and they will at least be a country away now, rather than the other side of the globe.  Their presence grounds me.


Remaining in Chiang Mai has unexpectedly proved grounding, uplifting, soul-inspiring.  I welcome evening bicycle rides around town, morning "hello's" with Pen my coconut mom, games played with the cat that tirelessly tries to sneak in my room; all routine scenarios which only become so when one remains still for some time.  This includes not moving from my home within the city as well, as I am known to do in so many cities; changing bungalows, houses, guest houses.  This time for one reason or another in all of the discomfort, noise, ridiculousness yet incredible family vibe, friends, community, I have remained.  And it is proving to support me rather than undermine me even if a few weeks ago I woke up listing 50 things I would change about the situation.  Now I wake up happy to be where I am, grateful for the space, my life, the people in it, opportunities presented to me in this space.

It is like yoga; if you remain steady with practice, over time the only constant is change.  Three months ago, even one month ago for that matter, my daily yoga practice was digging dirt up from the darkest spaces in my soul and spirit.  These deep, dark, uncomfortable spaces sat with me all day long, while I experienced this town and physical space.  It was so easy to take out my "soul" issues on the space around me.  "Less than bless" is a pleasant way to describe the experience I was having, leg infection, chaotic living situation and all.  Now that I have processed through much of the shit, I feel more clearly the space around me, rather than projecting the space around me.  For it is what it always IS; a reflection of me.  This does not mean I stay some place where I am terribly unhappy.

In complete honesty if it were not for PRAY, I would have long been gone from Chiang Mai.  


Thanks to PRAY, I am cleansing my energy, working on re-balancing, shifting and manifesting awakening.  My path is to remain put in order to see the bright, shiny self inside when only a few weeks ago all I could see was red, dark muddy anger and discomfort.  It was not Chiang Mai, it was emotions releasing.

Anyone not familiar with this type of deep process of transformation or would like an idea of where one would begin, my path began simply with yoga.  Ashtanga Yoga, the 8 limb path, is my truth and way of sifting through meaningless surface nonsense to get to the heart of it all.  A few self-evolutions later, PRAY is my material manifestation of art-creation-healing-awakening tool for mankind.  It is my hope that others may use the energies I have spent years discovering and now sourcing to re-balance, transform and awaken, and that one by one we can heal the world, 1 piece of jewelry at a time.

www.purerockangelyogi.com