YOGA TOWARDS

EMOTIONAL FREEDOM

Evolving Towards the Light










MANUAL FOR STRESSED MOTHERS

OR

YOGIC TIPS FOR MOTHERS
RAISING A DISABLED CHILD










Franky Lewis


YOGA TOWARDS
EMOTIONAL FREEDOM
















RESEARCH PAPER PRESENTED IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE
REQUIREMENTS
OF YOGA AOTEAROA
INTERNATIONAL YOGA TEACHERS ASSOCIATION (N.Z.) INC.
POST GRADUATE COURSE
IN YOGA STUDIES

Evolving Towards the Light
Yoga Aotearoa
International Yoga Teachers Association (N.Z.) Inc.
Post Graduate Course 2008-9
Franky Lewis





















Copyright 2010 by Franky Lewis. All rights reserved.
Printed in New Zealand by
Divine Yoga
Web: www.divineyoga.net.nz
For more information or to order your own copy, please contact Franky by email:
divineyoga@orcon.net.nz


ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS


Writing this research paper has been made possible first and foremost thanks to the
Yoga Aotearoa Post-graduate Course, its tutors and its students (the Pgies).

I particularly dedicate a special thank you to Trish Dye, Courses co-ordinator,
personal friend and caring mentor; for seven years now, Trish has been contributing
to the nourishing of my soul and I am ever so grateful to her for her constant
thoughtful availability, commitment and Presence.

I am most grateful to all the mothers out there who, day in and day out, keep faith in
their childrens future and who inspire me to keep doing the same while looking for
ways to highlight the richness and meaning of our life.

I am thankful to my husband Lew and son Keegan for their patience and support,
for listening to my yoga stuff and for being so understanding of the many hours I
spend on my yoga mat and in front of the computer.

I would also like to extend my thanks to all the people who like beacons in the night,
and sometimes unknowingly, steer me in the direction of Oneness. This includes
people against whom my personality sometimes rubs its seeming imperfection, in a
universe full of contrasts.

Finally, I am more than appreciative to Sarah Young, who very willingly accepted to
edit my work and who patiently read and reviewed the final version of this book.

May you all be blessed and live in the Love and Light of Foreverness.











Life is like a grindstone.

Whether it grinds you down....

Or polishes you up....

Depends on the material

Youre made from.

So lets shine!

Radiant...

Strong....

And at peace with the world...

Reflecting ourselves in all that we experience.




TABLE OF CONTENTS

Preface 1
Introduction 2
Chapter One: The Foundation of Yoga 4
Chapter Two: Dancing Life 12
Chapter Three: Life is Energy 19
Chapter Four: Letting Go 23
Chapter Five: Energy Follows Thought 32
Chapter Six: Become the Witness of Your Life 37
Chapter Seven: A New Paradigm 43
Conclusion 45
Glossary of Sanskrit words 46
Bibliography
List of Practices
Practice 1: The Four Agreements
Practice 2: Happiness is Gratitude
Practice 3: The Four Ss of Fitness
Practice 4: The Peace Flow
Practice 5: To Heal Self and Others
Practice 6: Yoga Nidra
Practice 7: Happiness Relaxation
Practice 8: Choose Your Soul Qualities
Practice 9: Meditation on the Heart Sutras
Practice 10: Meditation on the Violet and White Lights
50

10
11
15
18
21
26
29
33
34
36
1

PREFACE

When my son Keegan was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy after being born very
prematurely at 26 weeks of gestation, I naturally turned back to Yoga. My parents
themselves had taken up yoga when I was born, and successfully managed my
asthma that was quite severe. They were very proud to say that I never received any
medication such as steroids and antibiotics. I remember my father spending
countless nights sitting in vajrasana (sitting pose) next to my bed; listening to his
slow rhythmic yogic breathing had a calming effect as I gradually regulated my
breathing to his. I also remember something their yoga teacher used to say: Smile at
your pain, which I learnt to use at the onset of asthma attacks, as well as cold sores.
As soon as I would feel the onset of one or the other, I would become aware of my
whole body and start the visualisation process of smiling at my pain. It usually
worked, except once when I tried to convince myself that I was not allergic to
peanuts and ate a whole bag. Luckily, due to the large quantity ingested, my body
almost instantly expelled the intruders.
What worked then still works forty-four years later. For many years after Keegan
was born I felt submerged by stress. Reconnecting with yoga has enabled me to deal
with the stress inherent to being the mother of a disabled child and to discover that
at some level, I have a role to play in society.
No more am I the helpless mother who thought others knew Keegans needs better
than I did. Although aware of being a part of what Eckhart Tolle refers to as the
pain body of the disabled community, I am in charge and feel much empowered
by the current evolutionary changes. As humanity is becoming conscious of its own
evolution for the first time in the history of our human experience, I am very excited
at the role mothers like us are playing. If we want, we can creatively, responsively
and with very clear and immediate results, embrace the spiritual movement, which
is nowadays awakening our planet. Slowly but surely, humanity is starting to open
up to a bigger reality, at a scale beyond imagination. Values such as compassion and
universal love are starting to become more entrenched in our interactions with each
other. As we shift our consciousness from positions of power and control to a place
of Big Love, our wildest dreams for peace on Earth are becoming possible.
Let go of hundreds of years and relax completely.
Open your hands and walk, innocent. Shitou
2

INTRODUCTION

Yoga is the science of living. Its wisdom comes from ancient texts written in Sanskrit,
which provide practical advice and theoretical context, and from an oral tradition
that is about five thousand years old. Its practice leads us to find inner peace and
outer harmony.
Yoga means to yoke or to unite. Therefore, our goal in yoga is a goal of Oneness.
It is union at all levels: body, mind and spirit but also union with others, with the
end result of creating peace on Earth for all.
It is with this goal of Oneness in mind that I believe each one of us is born. Each of
us has a soul plan, a plan we set for ourselves before being born and which we
design to heighten the level of our consciousness, incarnation after incarnation. The
original Oneness we belong to, in its magnificent glory, chooses to experience itself
and does so through the effects of duality. So out of this Oneness emerges
individuality and here we are, little specks or sparks of Divine Essence. Each of us
comes with a very personal life purpose, a niche, and a set of associated beautiful
and divine gifts. Our mission in life contributes to the overarching goal of Oneness
for the whole Universe. For the Many yearns to become One again.
When you see life from the perspective of your soul you may notice how life has
been placing events in front of you ever since you were born, not just by chance but
with purpose. Synchronicities may suddenly make sense to you, and where
yesterday you saw no meaning in some events that happened in your past, today
you see a chain of events leading up to where you now stand. We are all called to
awaken to our lifes purpose; failing to do so causes our soul to keep triggering life
events which facilitate this awakening. Under this light, we better understand the
importance of removing judgement from our life and from society. We all need
support to carry out our life purpose, not punishment because it is through our
experiences and mistakes that we learn and grow.
Unfortunately, society still carries the stigma of judging others and their experiences
by comparing them. We all seem to want a better job than our neighbour has, more
money, a nicer car... and we still park people in jail instead of helping them. Maybe
your neighbour feels lucky that it is you the parent of a disabled child and not the
other way around, saying I wouldnt want to walk a mile in your shoes. Viewing
3

life from such a narrow perspective, we forget the main goal of our existence:
playing in Gods playground and experiencing Oneness.
Learning in Gods playground is in reality only a remembering. According to Peter
O. Erbe, each soul has all knowledge within itself. Any learning is merely an
unveiling of ones own light. (Erbe,2001, p25)
The first rule in Gods playground is the rule of Free Will. When the Creator or
Intelligent Infinity became aware of itself, it decided to experience itself. This is the
reason why we are all here: in our own time and with our own free will, we choose
to experience many-ness. Neale Donald Walsch explains this concept by asking us
to imagine a white being in a white room. If a being were made of white light were
in a completely white room, how would we see that white being? Contrasts are
necessary to be able to see that being. Similarly, the contrast of our experiences in
life is our main teacher. The seeming dualities we see in our life (pain and joy, love
and hate...) always and continuously offer us a choice destined towards the
awakening of our soul to a greater reality. Nevertheless being awakened does not
completely eliminate experiences. The pain is felt as energy, which is then
transmuted into a renewed energy of love. Darkness dies in the Light. It is by
focusing on what we want that what we do not want ceases to exist!
I would like to help you discover your own beauty and magic. You have a choice:
you can either keep treading the same old path or decide right now to give your life
the sense it always meant to have. Even though the return home to Oneness is
guaranteed, the ultimate choice lies in how we choose to take the journey home.
There is no wrong or right way, just a choice.
The following pages have the purpose to share with you how changing our
perception on who we are and on our experiences can lead to a stress free life of
beauty and equipoise, whereby we allow ourselves to connect with our soul and
respond to its calling.
By discovering our stillness within, our strength becomes our softness and our
perceived softness becomes our strength.
We are much bigger than we think we are. We look in the mirror, and we assume that we
are the size we see . . .and the planet is so much bigger than us. This is an illusion that our
eyes play on us. It is a trick. Size does not matter, but small perceptions do.

4

CHAPTER ONE: THE FOUNDATION OF YOGA

We find the foundation of yoga in its moral principles, yamas, and social
observances, niyamas. They serve as the guidelines of our choices. Applying them
into our life is giving us a reassuring and positive set of tools and values. I
personally refer to them as the moral points of reference for my actions, especially in
difficult situations such as when dealing with the numerous disability and health
related organisations involved with Keegan. In times of uncertainty, when feeling
despondent about choices we face to meet the needs of the whole family, they can
become a strong base of support and a valuable anchor.


NON-VIOLENCE - AHIMSA

The stress we face in trying to adjust our everyday disabled life to the life of a
society that does not understand our uniqueness is not negligible. We may
experience feelings of impatience, anger and frustration, leading to outbursts of
violence towards others and towards ourselves. A sense of non-violence can be
fostered through the various practices offered in this book so that we can truly
empower our children to do the same in their life.

TRUTHFULNESS - SATYA

Some of us deal every day with a considerable number of supporting people, which
can be a real logistical nightmare in order to preserve continuity of care. As parents,
we know that WE know best the needs of our disabled child; we are the most expert
professionals about our child. Yet we often either hear You dont trust us or You
need to trust us. We know. From experience, we most often know that they do not,
simply because the needs of our child are so idiosyncratic that the only way to know
these needs is to live with him/her as we do! When constantly being challenged
about our expertise, we may develop feelings of guilt and loss of confidence in
When we are firmly established in non-violence, all
beings around us cease to feel hostility. (sutra II.35)

When we are firmly established in truthfulness, action
accomplishes the desired end. (sutra II.36)

5

ourselves. It takes courage to stay true to ourselves, to who we really are and not to
whom society assumes we are or even should be.
Do not deny your own experience or belittle it for what may be a common though false
belief. To thine own self be true. (Courtenay, 2006, p196)

NON-STEALING - ASTEYA

True abstention from theft refers to our own life responsibility and duty, dharma. As
souls, we made the precise life plan of our experiences. Trying to change this plan
and live someone elses life (someone who does not have the challenges of raising a
disabled child) may actually end up shortchanging us by taking away our
opportunities for growth. These opportunities may be seen as negative but when we
step back and look at them in hindsight, we are able to draw the lessons and
appreciate them as opportunities for growth and reflection.

SELF-CONTROL - BRAHMACHARYA


By staying focused on our goals and anchored in our true life purpose, we avoid
dissipation of our vitality. We preserve our vital energies, which can then be
transmuted into dynamic and meaningful communication with the rest of the
outside world.

NON-POSSESSIVENESS - APARIGRAHA


With the endless spiral of our needs for equipment and services, we may lose sight
of our spirituality. We may start identifying with WHAT we are instead of
remembering WHO we truly are: beautiful Divine sparks of Infinite Universal
Wisdom. Through non-attachment, we become grateful for the support we receive
and we realise that happiness is in our inner Self rather than in anything external.
When we are firmly established in integrity, all riches
present themselves freely. (sutra II.37)

When we are firmly established in our search to know God, subtle
potency is generated. (sutra II.38)

When we are established in non-attachment, the nature and
purpose of existence is understood. (sutra II.39)

6

PHYSICAL AND MENTAL PURITY - SAUCHA



Purity is a quality of the spirit. By cultivating purity at all levels (physical, mental,
emotional, and energetic), we refine our various bodies: physical, mental, emotional
and etheric. We become united with our true essence, creating gentle stillness
within our bodies and letting it shine through our daily actions. Alice Bailey says:
He gets a vision of the reality which is himself, and finds out the truth of the words
of the Christ that the pure in heart shall see God. He beholds the soul and
henceforth his desire is forever towards reality and away from the unreal and the
world of illusion. (Bailey, 1989, p207)

CONTENTMENT - SANTOSHA

Resist no evil. Resistance to our life experiences only serves to feed and reinforce
what we do not want. Worrying is praying for what we do not want. Acceptance of
our life circumstances enables the channelling of more positive energies, which can
then be used towards appreciating and further developing what we already have.
Remember that every experience is an opportunity for growth. You may want to
keep a gratefulness diary by your bedside and record three acts of gratitude or
happy moments every night before going to sleep (three things that happened to you
that day for which you are grateful). Happiness is gratitude
1
.




1
See practice 2 on p11.
Physical purity destroys identification and brings freedom. (sutra II.40)
From mental purity arises cheerfulness, mastery of the senses, one-pointedness
and fitness for the vision of the Self. (sutra II.41)

From contentment, unsurpassed happiness is gained. (sutra II.42)

7

BURNING FIRE - TAPAS


According to Alice Bailey, the lower man is the man (or woman) who has yet to open
his/her heart and connect with the soul. Before this connection is established we are
mainly influenced by our lower personality, so called because it encompasses the
chakras physically located below the heart. The lower personality sees itself as a
victim of society and life as being unfair. It is overwhelmed by negative emotions; it
resists pain and tries to gain control over daily situations.

Sahasrara: enlightenment
Ajna: spiritual clarity, visions
Vishuddhi: communication (Self and others)
Anahata: heart, Big Love
Manipura: external control, internal power
Swadhistana: creativity, emotions, sexuality
Muladhara: physical safety and security


Being stuck at this lower level is indeed very dark and painful. Through yogic
practices, we learn to become aware of higher energies such as Love and
Compassion. In the seat of our heart, we find remembrance of our essence. This is
not an intellectual exercise but a letting go of internal barriers and an acceptance of
our vulnerability, which Love then transmutes into strengths. The faith in this
process is what generates the burning fire of our energy system. The fire ascends and
barriers are burned; the breath expands and limitations disappear. (Bailey, 1989, p208)


The breath of God is felt as the cleaning breeze and is the response of the soul to the
aspiration of the disciple. The soul then inspires the lower man. (Bailey, 1989, p209)

8

SELF-STUDY - SWADHYAYA


According to Plato, we live in a world of forms or ideas, which he describes in his
famous Allegory of the Cave. Plato imagines a group of people who have lived all
their life chained in a cave facing a blank wall. These people watch shadows
projected on the wall by things passing in front of a fire behind them and begin to
ascribe forms to these shadows. According to Plato, the shadows are as close as the
prisoners get to seeing reality. Most of us are like these prisoners but the good news
is that we can choose to free ourselves from the cave and understand that the
shadows on the wall are not constitutive of reality at all. We can learn to perceive
the true form of reality rather than the mere shadows seen by the prisoners.
Practices such as meditation help us lift the veil of the form; the faculty to
concentrate developed in such practices gives rise to a deep awareness of our Divine
Truth and Essence.

SELF-SURRENDER -ISHWARA PRANIDHANA


In Sanskrit, Ishvara means the Lord of our Self or our Divine Essence. It is often
meditated upon in a contemplative manner to imbibe oneself of its divine qualities.
When we allow life to be just as it is, in the same way as described by Eckhart Tolle
when he teaches us to live in the Now, we let life flow through us and we become
instruments of peace. We connect with our Presence. Firmly established in the
Mansion of our Heart and illuminated by the light of our soul, we allow
synchronicities to present themselves to us. This does not mean relinquishing all
actions.


Self-study results in contact with our Divine Essence. (sutra II.44)

From surrender to Ishvara, the goal of meditation is perfected. (sutra II.45)

9

In the Baghavad Gita, Arjuna
2
is despondent, as he does not want to fight his own
cousins. Krishna exhorts him with these words:

Through selfless service your life will always be fruitful and
you will find the fulfilment of your desires.
Strive constantly to serve the welfare of the world.
Do your work with the welfare of others always in mind.
What the outstanding person does, others will try to do.
The standards such people create will be followed by the whole world.
The unwise work for their own profit, Arjuna.
The wise work for the welfare of the world without thought for themselves.
You must work, but always work carefully, and be guided by compassion.

In surrendering to life, we find inner peace, tranquillity and joy. Life becomes the
Field of our play, lila. When the journey matters more than the goal, we live in a
meditative state and in complete union with the Universe. The blissful effects we
briefly experience during meditation are extended into the Field of our Life. I
believe that this is a goal that we are all called to live in this lifetime. Even more, the
incredible opportunities presented to souls like ours in this shift of the Ages are so
strong and full of richness, that they inevitably prod us towards our awakening.
There is no doubt in my mind that this chosen Path is part of our soul plan.


2
Hero of the Baghavad Git, Hindu sacred scripture considered among the most
important texts in the history of literature and philosophy. The content of the Gita is
the conversation between Lord Krishna, revered as a manifestation of God, and
Arjuna and takes place on the battlefield before the start of a war. Responding to
Arjuna's confusion and moral dilemma about fighting his own cousins, Lord Krishna
explains to Arjuna his duties as a warrior and prince and elaborates on different
Yogic and Vedantic philosophies, with examples and analogies.

10

Practice 1: The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz.

Everything we do is based on agreements we have made - agreements with
ourselves, with other people, with God, with life. But the most important agreements
are the ones we make with ourselves. In these agreements we tell ourselves who we
are, how to behave, what is possible, what is impossible. One single agreement is not
such a problem, but we have many agreements that come from fear, deplete our
energy and diminish our self-worth."
"In these agreements we tell ourselves who we are, how to behave, what is
possible, what is impossible."
In this powerful book that has remained on The New York Times Bestseller List for
over eight years, Don Miguel reveals the source of self-limiting beliefs that rob us of
joy and create needless suffering. When we are ready to change these agreements,
there are four deceptively simple, yet powerful agreements that we can adopt as
guiding principles. The Four Agreements offer a powerful code of conduct that can
rapidly transform our lives to a new experience of freedom, happiness and Love.
1. Be Impeccable With Your Word
Speak with integrity. Say only what you mean. Avoid using the word to speak against
yourself or to gossip about others. Use the power of your word in the direction of Truth
and Love.

2. Do not Take Anything Personally
Nothing others do is because of you. What others say and do is a projection of their own
reality, their own dream. When you are immune to the opinions and actions of others,
you won't be the victim of needless suffering.

3. Do not Make Assumptions
Find the courage to ask questions and to express what you really want. Communicate
with others as clearly as you can to avoid misunderstandings, sadness and drama. With
just this one agreement, you can completely transform your life.

4. Always Do Your Best
Your best is going to change from moment to moment; it will be different when you are
healthy as opposed to sick. Under any circumstance, simply do your best and you will
avoid self-judgment, self-abuse and regret.
11

Practice 2: Happiness is Gratitude
by Louise Wiggins

12

CHAPTER TWO: DANCING LIFE

As Shiva dances the world into creation,
we too can become inspired to let our
feet tap the rhythm of our Life with
lightness and joy rather than weight our
body down with endless worries and
fear. Poses or postures, asanas, are
actually so much more than just
physical movements. The physical work
on the body is a purification tool used to
develop deeper inner awareness of our
mental, emotional and spiritual aspects.
Ultimately, our goal in yoga is to
practise asanas to achieve union, to
transcend our lower self, our
personality, and to unite with the
indweller, our soul.
The first and almost immediate effect one discovers when starting the physical
practice of yoga is a feeling of balance, well being and liveliness.
Regular practice fortifies our nervous system and redirects energies where they are
most needed.
Stretching and strengthening the body when practised with awareness also
positively affects our mind and emotions. Yoga teaches us that awareness of our
body helps us find our centre of equilibrium in life. Our physical aspect is a
reflection of our emotions and thoughts; so are the poses. The Warrior Pose has a
strengthening effect while the practice of the Tree develops concentration and
balance. The physical practice of these poses transpires through to reach our
thoughts, emotions and ultimately our soul.
When on our mat, we step into a dimension where we become whole and where the
centering of our physical body allows a deeper alignment and union with our soul.
Each movement becomes a dance and an inner reflection of our connection with the
Divine. This is achieved through effortless ease. This means that a posture is
13

mastered and the Divine experienced, when the effort to attain the posture is felt to
be relaxed.
Steady and comfortable should be the posture. (Sutra II.46)

Therefore, the practice of postures aims at creating an inner well being on our yoga
mat, which can then be carried over into our daily life. The regular practice of Raja
Yoga
3
leads to finding equilibrium in everyday life. It can be described as living in a
room with a serpent, always poised but just poised and relaxed... It means constant
awareness of that equilibrium and then letting go of tensions as they arise, be they
physical, mental or emotional. Patience and sustained effort will yield glimpses of
that complete and deep surrender, where everything around seems to be just p-e-r-f-
e-c-t. Sanskrit has the perfect word for this sweet feeling: atmasusi.
The application for us, stressed mothers, is undeniably highly valuable. Developing
inner tools to cope with the numerous serpents of our daily life will have a long-
term effect on our stress level and ability to adjust to stressful situations. Being able
to maintain calmness or even to restore our original place of equilibrium is very
empowering and life saving, as we are so often the main pillars holding the family
roof above our heads...
Regular practice does not have to be long; it can be five minutes a day. It is the habit
and the space created for it that counts. So hop on your mat and let your body talk,
it knows. As you learn to align yourself in your very own way with the Divine, use
your intuition to practise movements that feel right to you. Even close your eyes
and let your inner Self guide you through self-expression. Learn asanas at a class but
then practise on your own, letting go of the shoulds and should nots and going
with the feeling.
Use the four Ss technique to determine what is right for you on any particular day:
Suppleness
Strengthening
Stamina
Sensitivity (Dye, 2004)
4


3
The whole science of yoga as described in this book - not only the physical practice.
4
See practice 3 on page 15.
14

If you do not feel like stepping onto your mat, simply wander out in nature,
preferably bare feet, or regularly look through your window at the wind blowing in
the trees or at the playful quality of the Sun. Nature is where the Universal Energy
is stored and emanates from. It is our most nurturing environment; daily connection
with Nature invigorates us, especially when feeling depleted of energy.
When we create the space to dance with our soul, we learn to turn each movement of
the day as an opportunity to dance our life with beauty, joy and lightness of heart
and as an offering to the glory of who we truly are.


15

Practice 3: The Four S's of Fitness
by Trish Dye

Dan Millman, in his book 'The Inner Athlete' suggests that fitness is 'composed of
four primary qualities each of which begins with the letter S: strength, suppleness,
stamina and sensitivity.
While this was suggested in relation to the athlete, it could also apply to the Hatha
Yogin. All these qualities add up to' a strong physical and mental foundation, which
allow for the kind of body / mind balance in which the consciousness of more subtle
soul energies can be felt and expressed.

Sensitivity
In general, this is part of the yogin's consciousness at any time; it is particularly
highlighted when she is about to execute an asana or meditation programme.
The following factors need to be noted:
1. How the physical body works. Knowledge of the various systems and organs
needs to be in place, not just a theoretical knowledge of them, but a feeling
appreciation, both at rest and in action. This .takes in:
a.' Body awareness - A kind of whole body sensitivity arrived at through direct
experience
b. Body alignment - Body 'laws' need to be understood, so that good posture is
maintained at all times and especially when asana routines are being practised and
when sitting for formal meditation.
c. Centering - This puts you in touch with your inner 'gyroscope'. It dovetails in with
the alignment process, refines a sense of body balance, fosters whole body
awareness and bioenergy flow.
d. Relaxation - Relaxation is the release of inhibiting tension in the body/mind. We
play and work at our best and our most enjoyable in a freed-up body. We also get
more satisfaction from our asana routines. Dan Millman's comment that 'inner
athletes recognise that less effort can create more results' could well be observed by
the yoga practitioner, in life as well as in asana practice.
e. Bio-energy Balance - This is the 'Goldilocks Principle': 'Neither too much nor too
little.' It applies to all departments of life.
f 'Animal' grace - this involves qualities like poise, coordination, sense of timing,
rhythm, fluidity of movement
2. Awareness of emotional colour and mind-state - If you tune into your feeling self,
16

you will find that there is always some kind of emotional 'colour' or 'hum' going on,
even when there is nothing special happening to make you feel a particular way.
Likewise, the mind is always occupied with something.
To be aware of these energy patterns not only gives insight into your basic subtle-
energy 'sets' and awareness of what your 'automatic pilot' is up to, it allows you to
change them, should you so wish, for energy patterns more conducive to your
comfort.
Before beginning an asana or meditation programme, check these out and make
changes where you feel the need. It will make your experience more vibrant and
fulfilling.

Stamina
Stamina allows one to work over a period of time, with minimum fatigue. Not
featuring in many yoga programmes, it nevertheless needs to be considered as part
of an overall fitness.
Aerobic capacity reflects one's degree of stamina. If your yoga programme does not
include exercises that increase your aerobic capacity, it can be supplemented by
jogging, cycling, swimming, dancing, the aim being to achieve a threshold of about
60% maximum heart rate for 15-60 minutes, three to five days a week.
Some kind of aerobic activity should be undertaken before commencement of a
stretching programme, as a wake-up call and a muscle warm-up for the body. These
warm-ups could be: jogging, skipping, hopping, side-stepping, jumping, bounding,
leaping, fast dancing and games. These should be done at a graduated pace, so that
blood circulation is increased, joints and muscles are warmed and lubricated under
comfortable conditions.
A general warm-up may need to be followed by a more specific warm-up for
particular postures.

Suppleness
According to Millman, this is 'the embodiment of non-resistance'. The components
of suppleness are:
1. A relaxed mind. A tense mind will keep your body uptight, no matter how
many
stretches you do.
2. Appropriate stretching exercises. These should be approached experimentally
and intuitively and should be pleasurable.
17

The following factors also need to be kept in mind:
3. Appropriate warm-ups should precede any kind of stretching.
4. Do not bounce or jerk while stretching. This can result in damage to muscle fibres.
5. Ten minutes of efficient stretching in the morning sets muscle tone and stretching
capacity for the whole day.
6. Observe 'accurate' alignment throughout.
7. It is possible to over-stretch. Stretching needs to be balanced by strengthening
exercises, to prevent laxity in joint ligaments.
8. Keep consciousness in the muscle(s) being stretched. You need to feel the stretch.
Go slowly and with control.
9. Pain is 'God's voice telling you to stop doing what you're doing' and go back to
your comfort zone.
10. Breathe out when moving into a stretch. In general use the inhalation for
realigning and the exhalation to increase range of stretch. Visualise the outbreath
melting muscular resistance.

Strength
The gaining of body-strength involves the principle of resistance. This may be
experienced and developed by going to a gym, which has all kinds of equipment for
the efficient increase of body strength. For the yogin who likes to be self-sufficient,
the regular practice of angle poses and weightbearing asanas, along with isometric
exercises, involving static muscle contraction against a floor or wall, are a viable
alternative.

References:
LUBY, Sue & ST. ONGE, Richard. 1986. Bodysense. Faber & Faber, USA.
MILLMAN, Dan. 1994. The Inner Athlete. Stillpoint, USA.
ST. GEORGE, Francine. 1994. The Stretching Handbook. Simon & Schuster, Australia.


18

Practice 4: The Peace Flow
by Jane Wiesner

19

CHAPTER THREE: LIFE IS ENERGY

As oil fuels an engine, what is the force that animates us?
In yoga, we call it prana, our life energy.
Breathing techniques, pranayama, are practised to help expand
our life energy. Wherever we direct our awareness, we direct
our breath and there will our energies be channelled.
The physical benefits are plentiful. These practices enable us:
1. To extend our breathing patterns to strengthen our nervous system;
2. To direct our breathing to become aware of and release tensions in certain
parts of our body;
3. To increase lungs capacity, causing better oxygenation of brain cells and
therefore maintaining our immune system;
4. To develop awareness of our emotions by focusing on the movements of our
breathing;
5. To manage stress and breathing disorders such as asthma.
6. When we weave breathing techniques into our physical practice, we also
develop the capacity to slow our body right down, therefore slowing the
jumble of our thoughts and emotions.
Beyond these almost obvious benefits lay more subtle ones.
Vivekananda points out:
When the posture has been conquered, then this motion is to be broken and
controlled, and thus we come to pranayama; the controlling of the vital forces of the
body. Prana (...) is the sum total of the cosmic energy. It is the energy that is in each
body, and its most apparent manifestation is the motion of the lungs. This motion is
caused by prana drawing in the breath, and is what we seek to control in pranayama.
We begin by controlling the breath, as the easiest way of getting control of prana.
(Bailey, 1989, pp217-218)

As the goal of yoga is a goal of Oneness, our pranayama techniques will also focus on
techniques that encourage alignment and connection with our soul. These include
healing practices because it is where the breath can find its most useful applications.
20

Example of a practice can be found on the next page but many more exist to suit
everyones individual needs.
When we take the time to breathe, we tell our body that we care about it. Our breath
teaches us to pay attention to the present moment; it draws us deep into our
Presence and brings forth the positive energies we desire to impress into our daily
life.
So breathe beauty in, and then out all around you!

21

Practice 5: To Heal Self and Others
by Dharma Singh Khalsa

Tune in and center yourself by chanting "Ong Namo,
Guru Dev Namo" 3 times.
Posture: Sit in Easy Pose or in a chair with your back
straight.
Focus: The eyes are nine-tenths closed. Breath: The
breath will come automatically as you chant. Inhale
completely before you start chanting.
Mantra: "Ra Ma Da Sa, Sa Se So Hung." The mantra should be sung in one complete
exhalation. As you chant the first "Sa;" your navel point is pulled in so that this
syllable is abbreviated. You should rest for four beats between the first "Sa" and the
second "Sa"



Meaning of mantra: This mantra literally means "I am Thou," but is also used to mean
"The service of God is within me."
Mudra: The hands are parallel with and facing the ceiling; fingers are together and
pulled down. Your elbows are snug at your sides with the forearms in close to your
upper arms. Your hands are at a 50-degree angle, halfway between pointing forward
and pointing to the sides.
Time: 11 minutes. Very gradually, over a period of years, the time may be increased
to a maximum of 31 minutes.
End: Inhale deeply, hold your breath, and visualize the person you want to send
healing to. Make that image in your mind very clear and see a glowing green light
around the person. Keeping that vision in your mind, exhale. Inhale deeply, hold
your breath, and continue to send the person green healing light. Still keeping that
vision in your mind, exhale. For the last time, inhale deeply, hold your breath and
22

see the person very clearly, and see the green healing light bathing the person,
bathing every cell in the body. Exhale and relax.
COMMENTS: Strive to maintain your chant at full volume (loud, but not raucous)
throughout the meditation. This highly effective meditation deals with vayu siddhi,
the power of air. It brings health and many other desirable positive changes. If you
wish to heal yourself, imagine a glowing green light around yourself as you
meditate.
(Khalsa, 2002, p272)

23

CHAPTER FOUR: LETTING GO

There are two good reasons for learning to let go:
1. Physical: When a muscle has been exercised,
it needs to relax in order to reap the benefits of the
practice.

2. Emotional and mental: Similarly, when we
exercise our mental and emotional bodies, we
also need to learn to let go of our thoughts and
emotions. The reason why stress is so rampant in
our society these days is that we neglect or have
forgotten how to relax.
Although stress can be good in that it stimulates us by giving us an adrenaline kick,
too much stress will stretch us beyond the range of our muscles, be they physical,
mental or emotional. We then witness what is called the stretch reflex, which is the
protective response to prevent injury of a muscle contracting beyond its ability. At
an emotional and mental level, the reflex creates resistance and blockages. When
stress was tested on rats, it was found to be the most addictive of all addictions...
This clearly highlights the importance of relaxation!
Relaxation techniques can be described as withdrawal from
our senses (pratyahara). The mind is like a cage full of excited
monkeys. When we practise detachment from our thoughts
we learn to deal with stress, therefore strengthening the
nervous system. Practices involve specific types of relaxation like Yoga Nidra
5
, where
the mind is completely aware while the body is in an intense state of relaxation to
the point where it feels detached. Other types of relaxation such as listening to
inspiring soft music combined with affirmations are also very valuable, especially if
you have trouble falling asleep or if you simply need help working through stormy
feelings, such as anger, anxiety, self-esteem... Angel Therapy is another calming
method that helps to create a nice feeling of peace around you.
6


5
See practice 6 on p26.
6
Check out Doreen Virtues website: www.angeltherapy.com.
24

Acceptance of the unacceptable is
the greatest source of grace in this world
(Tolle, 2006b)

With letting go, we ultimately touch at the notion of forgiveness. True forgiveness is
the real miracle, according to A Course in Miracles. This is because forgiveness
collapses time. Time is what it takes to get from where you are now to where you
will be when you reunify with yourself as the one infinite Creator, as the infinite
Intelligence this cosmos is built from, says David Wilcock in his latest video.
7

Forgiveness is the letting go of fears and surrender to what is. It is viewing crisis as
an opportunity for spiritual growth rather than a struggle. With forgiveness, not
only we acknowledge our life as it is but we also take ownership of its beauty.
Instead of reacting with anger to the events presented to us, we proactively look for
solutions based on unity. We demonstrate to others that the total amount of our
disabled experiences is no less than their experience. By accepting our souls plan
with grace, we show others a way forward, the way of unconditional love,
compassion and forgiveness.
Forgiving is one of the biggest ways to give love away...



7
2012 Event Horizon: (4) Prophecies and Science of a Golden Age,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hl2sf5fuIBA

25



Where there is hatred, let me bring love

Where there is doubt, let me bring faith

Where there is falsehood, let me bring truth

Where there is pain, Ill comfort you

Where there is silence, let me sing praise

Where there's despair, let me bring hope

Where there is blindness, let me bring sight

Where there is darkness, let me bring light

And with these words I speak

Grant that I may not so seek

To be heard but to hear

To be consoled but to console,

Not to be seen, but to see

To be loved but to love

For when we give love we will receive

When we forgive love, well find reprieve

It is in dying well be released

Make me an instrument of peace




Instrument of Peace, Olivia Newton-John,
based on the Prayer of Saint Francis
26

Practice 6: Yoga Nidra

Preparation
Lie on your back, arms alongside your body, palms facing up with your feet slightly
turned out. Yoga Nidra (YN) or the psychic or dynamic sleep is a powerful
relaxation technique during which the body is completely relaxed but the mind stays
awake. Regular practice of YN opens the doors of our consciousness as it trains us to
eliminate the clutter of our senses; 20 minutes of practice is equivalent to a few hours
of sleep. In YN, there should be no movement, neither conscious nor unconscious,
so take your time to arrange your body in a comfortable position. Keep your eyes
closed until the practice is over.
Relaxation
Take a few deep breaths in and as you breathe out, feel your cares and worries
simply melt away. Allow now your breath to go back to its natural flow. Your body
relaxes as you breathe out and expands like a balloon as you breathe in. Mentally
say to yourself I am about to practise YN. I will stay awake throughout my
practice of YN. Breathe in and as you breathe out, mentally say aum. Breathe in
and out and say aum again. Now quickly become aware of your right side, your left
side, the front of your body, your back and your head. Awareness of the whole
body, the whole body, the whole body. You are now comfortable, still and
completely relaxed. Your breathing is rhythmic and slow.
Resolve
Now is the time to choose your sankalpa. A sankalpa is a resolve that you make; it is a
short positive statement made in the present or the future tense. Choose your own
sankalpa as required. If you do not know what to choose, one which I like is I
release all my needs. Repeat your sankalpa to yourself three times and be sure that
if you say it with awareness, feeling and emphasis, your sankalpa will come through.
Rotation of consciousness
The practice of YN is about to start. Now we are going to rotate the consciousness
through the different parts of the body; the consciousness will move around your
body parts and should keep on moving. As it moves, it changes into prana, the vital
energy, in the form of a current of energy. The only thing that is required is to listen
27

to my voice like loosely holding onto a rope. Do not concentrate; simply give each
item your bare attention. Mentally repeat, feel and visualise: right hand thumb,
index finger, ... right shoulder, side, hip, thigh, .... Now move your attention to your
left side: left hand thumb, ..... Both heels, knee caps, spine from bottom to top, back
of the neck, back of the head, top of the head, temples, eyes ... chest ... abdomen ...
pelvis. The right leg, the left leg, both legs together; the right arm ... both arms
together. The right side, left side, back, front, the whole body together, the whole
body together... and so on moving through the details of your whole body.
Sounds
Now become aware of the sounds surrounding you, first the most distant sounds.
No need to analyse them or to know where they come from. Just barely notice them.
Move from one sound to another.
Now become aware of the closest sounds. They are the sounds of your own body,
your own blood, your own breath. Be immersed in them.
Breathing
Feel the breath flowing between your navel and your throat. Do not force it, barely
observe it. Imagine a transparent tube between your navel and your throat; your
breath goes through it. As you breathe in, your breath moves up from your navel to
your throat; as you breathe out, your breath moves down from your throat to your
navel. Visualise now a golden liquid following the flow of your breath; moving up,
moving down. Add a mantra. A mantra is a sound being used to help concentration
and stilling of the mind. The mantra or sound for the breath is SO-HAM, so mentally
say SO as you breathe in and HAM as you release your breath. SO-HAM.
Release the mantra, release the golden liquid and release the tube.
Visualisation
Now concentrate on the space in front of your closed eyes. Imagine a transparent
screen through which you can see infinite space, a space that extends as far as the
eyes can see. Be aware of any phenomenon that manifests within in. Continue with
detached awareness.
Imagine yourself on your favourite beach; it is a hot summer day, kids are at school,
no one is around, the beach is all yours. The tide is high, pleasant and the fragrance
from all sorts of flowers reaches your awareness and makes you feel happy. Birds
28

are singing and waves are making a relaxing crystal sound as they break onto the
soft sand and shells. You are still wet from the nice swim you have just had and
your body is now relaxing and drying in the velvety warmth of the sun. Right now
you are experiencing calmness and stillness. Your eyes are shut and you let yourself
drift into a spacious state of happiness, where you feel at-one with the rest of the
Universe. A sense of deep peace and harmony surrounds you.
Slowly let the picture fade. Keep your awareness on the dark space in front of your
eyes. Rest your mind in this warm and friendly darkness.
Resolve
Now remember your sankalpa; repeat it three times using the exact same words, with
the same clarity, emphasis and feeling.
Finish
Become aware of your breathing, the way your body feels and the points of contact it
makes with the floor. Let your mind flow out to embrace your external
environment; using your memory, try to remember the room, its objects and other
people. Take your mind out, completely externalise it and lie quietly for a few
moments with your eyes closed. Then with your eyes still closed, start stretching
your toes and fingers, your legs and arms, your whole body. Stretch it in any which
way you feel. When you are ready, slowly come up into a seated position, rub the
palms of your hands together until they are warm, place them on top of your closed
eyes and let their energy penetrate through your eyes. Open your eyes; the practice
of YN is now complete.
29

Practice 7: Happiness Relaxation


"You do not have to be good.
You do not have to walk on your knees
for a hundred miles through the desert
repenting.
You only have to let the soft animal of your body
love what it loves."( Mary Oliver)

Lying on your back in an animal pose, become aware of each part of the body and
slowly let them release onto the floor. Practise the Full Yoga Breath with hands
positioned on your body in order to become aware of the breath in the different
parts of your lungs: take a few breaths first placing your hands on your stomach,
then a few breaths with hands on your solar plexus and finally on your chest. Then
combine the three by splitting the length of your breath; you can use a count of six.
Mentally counting 1-2, inhale in your belly (feeling with your right hand); 3-4 in
your stomach (feeling with your left hand); 5-6 in your chest (moving your right
hand up). Practise in reverse order to let the breath out.

Now take a deep breath in and as you exhale, feel your thoughts, worries and
tensions move away. As you breathe in feel calm and cool. Breathe out, feel your
muscles letting go and feel the contact of your body onto the floor. Breathe in, feel
your body expand; breathe out, feel your body relax and surrender into the floor.
Let your breath become natural, do not force it but be aware of your whole body,
expanding like a balloon and then relaxing in peaceful harmony. Let go deeper and
deeper; just be on your mat, without judgment. Be who you are in this moment,
with your joys and your pains.

Now as you breathe in, mentally say to yourself BE. As you breathe out, say HERE
and in the pause at the end of your exhale and before inhaling again, mentally say
NOW. Follow your breath between your navel and your throat as it moves in and
out. If a thought comes in, acknowledge it and then re-focus on your breath. Be
gentle with yourself as being with the breath takes practice.
30


BE HERE NOW because NOW is really all there is. We create our world with our
thoughts. Practising Yoga helps us to fine tune our awareness of these thought
patterns. Yoga is the art of listening and in listening being present to our thoughts
and feelings. We then understand that our life is really an expression of our mind.
There is an old Indian saying that says: If you want to know what your thoughts
were like yesterday, look at your body today. If you want to know what your body
will be like tomorrow, look at your thoughts today. Every cell of my body
responds to every single thought I think and as our thoughts create our actions, we
create our own happiness.
Practising awareness of the breath allows us to live in the NOW moment by
moment. In the NOW, there are no worries because worries are generated by the
mind and projected into the future (and the past). In the NOW, we connect with
who we really are, we allow ourselves to just be and in that connection, we find
harmony. Harmony means that we are at peace with life; we surrender to it not
because we do not care but because we accept the ebbs and flows of our experiences
as opportunities for growth. When we do this, we are able to clearly see our
purpose. We become aware of our intuition or inner voice that knows best how to
meet our needs. With practice and experience, we learn to listen to it and trust it. It
is pretty much a question of openness and personal experience.

We have the choice to stay attached to our negative thinking patterns or to create the
reality we would like for ourselves, our children, our family and our society. In the
present moment, my disabled child is perfect; he has no needs and I am not the
victim of society. I am free to express pure love for who he truly is. For in the NOW,
there is no fear, just unconditional love. In the NOW, my tainted thoughts do not
see my child as needy, as every moment is a new moment and in that moment, he is
the whole of who he is, perfect Gift of Nature. His impairments are just the finite
aspects of his manifestation; his mind, not coloured by his senses of perception, is
limitless and infinite. His finite shell or body is only a concept created by the Divine
Thought for the benefit of wisdom and awakening. Beyond this, he is the other part
of me who I choose to devote myself to in order to gain my own life experiences and
wisdom. These experiences are neither good nor bad and I do not need to blame
anyone for them, myself least of all. Releasing the need to hate or blame cleanses me
and purifies the attitudes I have that are anchored in deep emotions.

31

So allow yourself to experience love and positivity. Now breathe in your favourite
colour and breathing out visualise it surrounding your heart. Each in-breath brings
in more of your colour and each out-breath expands it outward until your whole
body is completely saturated with it. In that colour, include anyone you would like;
send that light too to people you feel in conflicts with.

Giving selflessly is very powerful; the more we give, the more we receive. In the
word GIVE, we have:
G for gratitude
I for intention
V for vision
E for effortless ease.

When we are grateful, we acknowledge that what we have envisioned and intended
in the past has come through; life becomes effortless, transforming us into loving
beings.

Life is a dance, the dance between joy and pain. It is not meant to be a struggle. So
learn to dance with grace and fill your days with love, acceptance, gratitude and the
multitude of soul qualities you feel drawn to. Happiness will then become an
integral part of you.

Namaste: I honour the place in you where the Universe resides, in peace, in love and
in truth. If you are in that place in you and I am in that place in me, there is only
One of us.

32

CHAPTER FIVE: ENERGY FOLLOWS THOUGHT

Yoga is the discipline of freedom, meaning that constant effort needs to be fostered in
order to live freedom. The good resolutions we decide on our yoga mat quite often
seem to vanish as soon as we step into our daily life. Although losing sight of our
inner spiritual goals amidst the worlds daily turbulences affects all of us, for
mothers like us, the constant interactions we have with a society that doesnt seem
made for us further reinforces the feeling of separateness. Anchoring our inner
worth is therefore paramount. Planting our feet firmly into the fertile ground of our
Divine Self in order to uphold our life purpose requires the skill of sustained
intuitive effort.

According to Yogananda, concentration of
human thought and will (dharana) acts on all
the cells of the body:


Concentrated human thought touches Divine
Thought; it is that which can heal, not unfocused
fanciful thought or imagination.
(Yogananda, 2004, p334)

Therefore, yoga teaches us that where we direct our thoughts, is exactly where we
direct our energy. Through yogic practices, we learn to train our mind towards one-
pointedness. We develop the ability to concentrate, which helps control worrying
thoughts and transmutes negativity into creative activity. To achieve this, many
tools are available: the chanting of mantras
8
, the cultivation of soul qualities
(gratitude, joy, grace, beauty ...)
9
, the repetition of daily affirmations
10
or just sitting
still and focusing on our in- and out breath.
Within the spaciousness of our thoughtless mind lie the pearls of our wisdom.

8
Spiritual chants.
9
See next page.
10
You may want to set your internet browser to Louise Hays daily affirmations to
get a different inspiration every day.
33

Practice 8: Choose Your Soul Qualities

Stillness Love Truth Trust Courage Joy Peace
Confidence High Humour Nourishment Harmony
Heart connection Surrender Playfulness Beauty
Flexibility Generosity Gentleness Obedience Respect
Simplicity Sweetness Tolerance Creativity Acceptance
Patience Perseverance Higher organisation Fun
Vulnerability Compassion Unconditional love
Vision Enthusiasm Serenity Understanding Light
Soul-power Honesty Humility Mercy Oneness
Focussed action Inner silence Uniqueness Empathy
Cheerfulness Fearlessness Higher intuition
Inner strength Benevolence Detachment Discipline
Stability Service Grace Aspiration Calmness
Spaciousness Laughter Caring Discernment Fiery
Devotion Kindness Wonder Awareness Gratitude
And ... and... and more...
(Find your own)
34

Practice 9: Practice adapted from The Tenth Insight by James Redfield
Pain not only serves the purpose of telling us that something is wrong. It also points
out exactly where the difficulty is, so that we can follow it into our body like a
beacon and place our attention and energy in exactly the right spot. Its almost as if
both the pain and our concentrated attention cant occupy the same space. In cases
of severe pain, where concentration is impossible, medication may help to reduce the
intensity. When the origin of the illness or accident is very deep, it often requires
hypnosis or intensive counselling. In all cases, do not substitute this practice for
conventional medical advice! If you wish to experience this practice, start with
benign pain and/or have it checked by your doctor!

1. Identify the fear with which the medical problem seems to be connected:
Fear manifests itself in your body. Remember the nature of your thoughts just
before the health problem: what were you doing? What were you thinking?
What is the fear this problem is revealing to you? Did you sabotage yourself by
creating the pain? Explore yourself, play with it.
Do this by calming your mind so you can intuitively access the information (use
your buddhi). Do not judge. Centre yourself and connect with your Witness. It
could take a few days. You may remember an ancient incident, possibly of your
childhood, that has repeated itself over and over again. It may be a pattern, like
always breaking an arm... or for example a pain in the neck, which can carry
quite an evident explanation (someone seeming to cause the pain in the neck...).
As it may also have originated in a previous incarnation, do not panic if you do
not remember but instead explore the experiences you remember as well as the
feelings attached to them. Accidents and illnesses, although mysterious, do not
happen by chance.
Preferably try to set aside any medical diagnosis as this will only reinforce your
fear. Your mind is powerful and healing is in your hand, not in the hands of the
medical profession. Allow the diagnosis but detach yourself from it. Nowadays
the power of prayer has been scientifically proven!
This stage opens up the energy block in your body to conscious healing.

35

2. Pull in as much energy as possible and focus it at the exact location of the
block:
Raise your energy by connecting with the Divine. Choose any method that
works for you: concentrating on the Divine, on the beauty around you, on a
heightened sensation of love or a sense of gratitude for Life; wrap yourself in
your own Lorica
11
or within the Christ Light. Once you feel prana, this means
that you have raised the vibrations of your cell to the vibration of Love, which is
healing force. Using the pain as a beacon, focus that energy right into it, raising
the vibration in that area then in your entire body. Do not hold back; feel as
much as you can. In his practices, Stephen Cope suggests to dive into it or even
to ride with it. Determine the exact location; if the pain is in the neck, where
exactly in the neck is it centred. Once you have found the spot, be there with
your whole being. Do not be afraid; concentrate on it. You may start feeling a
decrease in its intensity.

3. Staying in that higher connection, consciously send higher divine energy into
the exact spot identified by the pain, intending that the Love will transform the
cells there into a state of perfect functioning.
Still feeling the pain with all your being, image now your Love energy going
right into the heart of the pain, lifting that exact point of your body, the atoms
themselves, into a higher vibration. See the particles take a quantum jump into
the pure energy matter that is their optimum state. Literally feel a tingling
sensation in that spot as the vibration accelerates.
Then, without changing your focus on the point of the pain, begin to feel your
energy, the tingle, expanding around the spot, slowly moving outward through
the rest of your body, enveloping it fully. Feel your whole body tingling with the
higher vibration. See every organ operating at optimal efficiency.


11
Lorica is a Latin word literally meaning body armour. In this context, it refers to
an armour of Light.
36

Practice 10: Meditation/concentration on the Heart Sutras
12

This meditation practice is adapted from the Live Global Peace Meditation held by
Deepak Chopra on his website on 31/10/08.

Adopt a meditative pose and become relaxed and comfortable. Center yourself in
your breath, possibly listening to some soft music such as the Eternal Om
soundtrack by Robert Slap. This encourages an atmosphere of inner stillness.
Using Deepak Chopras four heart sutras, take one at the time, hold the thought for
the split of a second, then let go like a pebble in a still pond, feeling the ripples for
about fifteen seconds, before repeating the process three more times.
Each sutra is practised in the same way. No need to keep an eye on the time;
intuition is guiding you and keeps track of the time.
The whole practice takes no more than ten minutes but can be extended for longer
periods for the advanced adept.

Peace: The world is as we are (read the Vedanta). When established in non-violence,
hostility dissolves by our presence.
Harmony: When established in the cosmic dance, we know synchronicity. Universe
means uni=one verse=song => one song. Living in harmony with cycles (circadian,
seasonal, lunar...). Minimal entropy. Spontaneous fulfilment of desires.
Laughter: Established in cosmic paradox. Ability to shift perspective. Buddha said:
The right perspective is either no perspective or all perspectives. When no
judgement, there is a feeling of light heartedness. Jokes are a shift of perspective.
Deepak tells the joke of a young attractive woman sitting on an old mans lap in hell.
Hell is for the woman but not for the old man... Haha. We need to be not serious
about ourselves and not judge others.
Love: State of unity consciousness where it is impossible to hurt and be hurt. Love is
not an emotion. It is where the observer and the observed become one being.
Enjoy the desireless spaciousness created by the effects of the ripples!

12
A sutra is an aphorism, a line of spiritual wisdom.
37

CHAPTER SIX: BECOME THE WITNESS OF YOUR LIFE



Inner silence promotes clarity of mind. It makes us value the
inner world.
It trains us to go inside to the source of peace and inspiration
when we are faced with problems and challenges.
(Deepak Chopra)



The most important quality we cultivate during meditation is inner silence.
When we create the space for meditation on a daily basis, we practise because we
feel like spending time with ourselves, not because we feel we ought to. Aside from
the many physical obvious benefits such as slowing our heart rate and lowering our
blood pressure, meditation is our most direct tool to connect with our Divine
Guidance for the greater good of humanity. The intent of a regular practice is not
only to create a link to this Guidance but also to expand our meditative state into our
Presence, that Eternal Moment which we tend to break down into the smaller
moments that make up our days.

Meditation is not a way of making your mind quiet. It is a way of entering into the
quiet that is already there - buried under the 50,000 thoughts the average person
thinks every day.
(Deepak Chopra)

Within the space of our stilled mind arises a state of equipoise, of perfect
equilibrium. It is a space where the winds of change do not affect us anymore, as
equal colour is given to our experiences, be they positive or negative. These two
poles complement each other to become a whole. Remember, white only exists in
contrast to black. So is it with life.
38

When we take the time to stop and connect with our inner quiet place, we create the
opportunity to reflect on lifes true meaning. We step back and look at our
surroundings with a new quality, the clarity of our soul. This helps us distinguish
between truth and the baggage that society and the disabled pain body have been
carrying for eons. Preconceived ideas are habits and addictions born out of stress
and fear and often reflected in our language and attitudes. Stepping back in order to
question societys mannerisms without judgement gives our life new qualities. It is
our choice to either view life as we always have or to step out of the square and taint
our experiences with fresh eyes. For example, society quite often feels sorry for us.
Why? What message do we pass onto to our disabled children when we validate
these feelings? That something is missing? That they are less than our other
children? Because they have a different body and unique needs? Should we not
instead celebrate their uniqueness?
Coming to the realisation that life is perfect just as it is, is like awakening to another
dimension of awareness. We become the witness of our own life through the eyes
of our soul and we are then able to carry our daily meditative practice into a
continuous meditative state of inner peace and wisdom, where we surrender to
Lifes flows because we trust the perfection of every moment. It is a place of
acceptance and recognition of ones own journey.
Within the stillness of the quiet point within our Self, we find our Presence, we are in
the now, where we connect with our Essence. When we are in the now, we tap into
the Field, the Universal Cosmos with its unlimited potential: there we attain peace
and transcend the dualities of the world.
The Buddha once said:

When you realise how perfect everything is,
you will tilt your head back and laugh at the sky.

39

Practice 10: Meditation with the Violet and White Lights
by Hanneke Jennings

Let us today work with the Violet Flame and allow me to explain what the Violet
Flame does. The Violet Flame transmutes energy. What is transmutation?
Transmutation is the transforming of an energy of a lower vibration like fear or
emotional upheaval, into an energy of a higher vibration. If you have emotional
dross in your body or anger, hatred, sadness or grief or fear, you can transmute this
in the Violet Flame, which has been made available to Mankind by the Spiritual
Hierarchy.
The purpose is to get rid of fear, so you can live life as you are meant to live it, as a
being of Love, as a being of vibrant health and a being of abundance. You are then
able to take your rightful place as a wonderful being of the Light, full of Love, full of
abundance in every aspect of your life.
Let us do some imaging and visualising. Let us place right in the middle of this
room, this circle, a wonderful flame of transmutation, the Violet Flame. Let us build
up, with our imaging powers, a beautiful flame of Violet Light which is the seventh
ray, the Ray of Transmutation, Freedom and Forgiveness. Let us build a vortex of
Violet Light, just add to it, until this whole room is filled with the Violet Light.
Every time you take a breath, you go deeper and deeper and deeper ... into
relaxation. Know that you are perfectly protected, perfectly safe, you are among
kindred spirits, and a whole band of Angels is around you and around us to protect
us with their Light.
Let us bring in the Violet Flame into our base chakra, which is the first chakra. Bring it
in to cleanse and purify our being. This we will do through our chakra system. Bring
it into the base chakra, cleansing and purifying.
The base chakra really rules the foundation of our life, our survival. When you feel
that your life has no foundation, no substance and no purpose, this often indicates
that the base chakra is blocked. So remove the blockage by transmuting it in the
Violet Flame, cleansing, purifying, balancing and activating this base chakra which is
situated at the coccyx or the lowest vertebrae in your spine, commonly called the
tailbone.
Let us move on up to the sacrum chakra, which is situated just below the navel,
cleansing, purifying and removing any blockages present. The sacrum chakra is the
40

second chakra. It governs the reproductive organs and the genitals. If you have any
problems in that area it often means that your chakra is not flowing.
Release all that energy that does not need to be there, let us release all sexual
experiences you may have had in the past and in the present, which can drain your
energy with their psychic hold on you.
Just release, let go and be free. Release all that psychic energy that is still hanging on
from your sacrum chakra and release it in the Violet Flame. Transmute it. Remember,
an energy of a lower vibration in the Violet Flame will be transmuted into the energy
of Divine Love. Energy cannot die, cannot be destroyed, but it can be transmuted.
Let us flow into the solar plexus, which is a very important chakra. It can be a
harbourer of many fears. If you are now ready to release some of these fears, just
breathe in and then exhale. Breathe out through your solar plexus, releasing all
those fears. Bring the fears through to the solar plexus and breathe them out. You do
not have to be polite and inhibited, you can sigh it all out and even make a noise.
Breathe out and sigh out all those fears: fear of lack, fear of loneliness, of pain, of
illness, of disapproval. All the hundred and one fears that may be there: fear of not
being worthy of receiving, fear of inadequacy. You might have one or two! Let it all
go because you are a child of the Father, and a. such you are the Beloved of the
Father. Always remember that. When the little doubts creep in, remember that you
are:
THE BELOVED OF THE FATHER
Breathe out all these fears and transmute them in the Violet Flame.
Now we move to the heart chakra which is the seat of Love, You do not have to
barricade this heart chakra; let the Love that is within your being, flow and radiate
the Love to others. You can give Love even when you do not say a word. You can go
to the grocery store and radiate that Love, be that beacon of Love and Light. Come
into your own Love and Light.
Transmute anything that is not of the Light, that is not of the purest Flame of Light
and Love into the Violet Flame.
Move up to the throat chakra. This is the seat of emotion. ln your life as a woman you
have experienced the repression of not being able to voice your feelings, not being
able to speak up, truly and openly. Some of you have had many lifetimes as a
41

woman. Allow it to go. Release that blockage in your throat chakra by breathing it
out into the Violet Flame, transmuting, cleansing and purifying. Fear is not of you:
FEAR IS NOT YOUR TRUE STATE OF BEING
ANYTHING THAT IS NOT LOVE, IS NOT OF GOD
Let it all go. Release it. Be free of it! When you surrender totally, you gain freedom.
When you can totally surrender your free will to God, you gain your freedom.
Freedom from fear. It is so wonderful to live free from fear, to be your own being, to
be within your own power. You laugh and dance and love in the Light. Put the
Violet Flame through your throat chakra and breathe out and release all the
restrictions that are upon you at this moment. Make yourself into the free being that
you truly are.
Bring the Violet Flame up into the third eye which is situated between the brows,
just above the nose. Command total recall, rend the veil, up into the crown chakra;
bring the Violet Flame out of your crown chakra. Now you have cleansed, purified,
transmuted and activated your whole chakra system.
Go back to the soles of your feet and blaze the Violet Flame right through you. With
great speed and intensity, whoosh it through three times, clearing all the debris, all
that you have dislodged in this process.
You can do this exercise with the Violet Flame no matter where you are. You can do
it walking in the park or at work. When you feel anger, depression or negativity
coming up, whoosh the Violet Flame through your whole body quickly, three times.
You will release a lot of emotional dross that is making you feel heavy.
Now that you feel clean and clear let us bring in the Light, the golden/white twelfth
ray, the Christ Light. Invoke the Christ Light. Fill the whole room with the Christ
Light. Put the Christ Flame, the golden/white flame, in the middle of the room, a
vortex of the golden/white Light of the Christ. Spin it around until it becomes an
enormously powerful vortex of Christ Light, the highest energy in the Universe.
Bring it in through your crown chakra, illumining your brain, increasing your brain
power, increasing your brain capacity and activating your pituitary gland, your
pineal gland and your hypothalamus gland near your brainstem.
Flow this golden/white Light into your third eye and into your throat chakra,
activating the thyroid gland and the thymus gland.
42

Flow that golden/white Light into your chest, into your heart chakra. Fill your lungs
with the Light. Every organ in your embodiment is working properly and normally
and efficiently. Charge every cell in your skeletal system with the Light. Charge
every cell in your body with the Light. Every cell in your blood is charged with the
Light.
Continue to flow it into your abdomen, into your liver and your gallbladder, your
pancreas, your spleen, the small and large bowel, the kidneys and the bladder, the
adrenal glands, the reproductive system, your genitals. Charge it with the Light.
Flow the Light right through your whole body, until you start positively radiating
with the Light.
Now you know the true meaning and purpose of being a Lightbeing. Know that you
are a Bearer of the Light. Jesus said: 'I AM the Light of the World'. And so are you.
You too are the Light of the World. Radiate the Christ Light to others. Anchor the
Light into this planet. Become this wonderful spiritual being you truly are.
I command that your chakra system is perfectly aligned and balanced with your I
AM Presence.
I command that your four-body system is in harmony with and totally aligned to
your I AM Presence.
Now you know that you are a wonderful, radiating being of the Light, This is your
true Self. Become acquainted with it, Live it and Be it.
Bring yourselves back very gently and open your eyes.
Feel and experience this wonderful peace and harmony and energy within you. You
feel God-centred.
It is so wonderful being with you my friends.

I Am the Alpha and the Omega
I Am the Beginning and the End.

(Jennings, 2000, pp179-184)
43

CHAPTER SEVEN: A NEW PARADIGM

Working up the courage to break old habits of anger and reactivity, we learn a new
way of proactively and peacefully stand for the common good of all, for Oneness.
Mothers and the feminine aspect in general, have an important role to play in the
current evolution of our human race. Not only are we the unconditional nurturing
force supporting our families, we also symbolise the archetypes of the nourishing
principle of the Universe. By being born as women and mothers, we endorse the
immense privilege of giving birth to a new way of living, a new Earth. The extreme
experiences of our childrens disabilities can be seen as urgent prompts to lead us
into offering our very special contributions to society, in a similar way to what
happens when we dream a nightmare. The intensity of the dream suddenly wakes
us up and we realise how foolish we were to feel scared. In the same way, we can
open our eyes to the reality that we do not need to fear our life. Challenges or
people who seem to stand in our way are chosen to prompt our awakening; our
learning is to overcome obstacles with peace, acceptance (no reaction, no anger), to
say no to old habits and to forgive.
Right now, we have the opportunity to awaken to our life purpose and operate a
mind shift, which is also a paradigm shift: mothers like us are here to be instruments
of peace. We can show others a different way of doing things, with love and
forgiveness. By learning to respect and love ourselves, we do not allow others to
manipulate and enslave us. We learn to regain our own power and re-write our
story the way we want it. In doing so we attract love as well as all the goodness the
Universe has in store for us. We role model a new way of being, we change others
perspectives on life and inspire them to do the same.
In this movement of awakening, our family is the first to benefit. As we let our soul
take guidance, so too will our children be touched by our Presence. Once we
awaken to our spiritual wisdom, our relationship with our disabled child changes.
We learn a new way of being with our child, a fearless way of connecting heart to
heart with him/her, through our mutual feelings, which research says is critical for
the development of childrens brain and self-confidence. Keegan had regular
epileptic seizures until I purified myself to the point of deliberately acting from my
heart instead of my head. The most beautiful gift we can hand our children is
unconditional love, allowing them to sing their own souls song on their earthly
journey.
44

Where you move with joy and grace, your child will move too!







Your children are not your children.
They are the sons and daughters of Lifes longing for itself.
They come through you but not from you,
And though they are with you yet they belong not to you.
You may give them love but not your thoughts,
For they have their own thoughts.
You may house their bodies but not their souls,
For their souls dwell in the house of to-morrow, which you cannot visit, not even in your
dreams.
You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you.
For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.
You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth.
The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite and He bends you with His might that
His arrows may go swift and far.
Let your bending in the Archers hand be for gladness;
For even as He loves the arrow that flies, so He loves also the bow that is stable.
(The Prophet, Khalil Gibran)
45

CONCLUSION

In its immense wisdom, yoga is giving us a bag of magic tools in order to help us
connect with our deepest inner Self.
It is my hope that you have now learnt how your physical practice can enable you to
create a space of equilibrium and well-being around you in order to deal with the
turmoil of your daily experiences. For me personally, yoga enables me to connect
with my inner grace and beauty. I care for my soul like a precious flower, with daily
gentleness and tenderness, as it gives me the strength to follow my destiny and
perform my duties (dharma) saturated with peace and serenity.
You are now aware how you can slow down the jumble of your thoughts and
emotions by learning to connect with your Presence and by directing your energies
to the quiet place of stillness you harbour within yourself. In that safe and quiet
place, you can let go of reactions of fear, frustration and anger and find room for
soul qualities such as compassion, acceptance and forgiveness. These qualities will
lead your life through the grander purpose of your soul and proactively channel a
higher type of energy and thoughts.
In the safe, peaceful and serene space
you settle in when you meditate, you
nurture your inner Self and take the
time to reflect on your lifes journey.
By emptying your mind, you also
become the receptacle of Divine
guidance.
More importantly once you allow
yourself to receive the gift of
forgiveness, you will start forgiving
others and yourself for not seeing
your own beauty and perfection and
you will realise that really there is
only one of us here, little parcels of
isolated unity.
No one else...
46

GLOSSARY OF SANSKRIT WORDS

ahimsa non-violence (yama)
ajna chakra brow centre; 'hird eye', command centre, seat of intuition
anahata chakra heart chakra or emotional centre
nanda supreme bliss
aparigraha non-possessiveness (yama)
Arjuna hero of the Mahbhrata; Krishna communicated the
Bahavad Git to him; little 'White One'
sana posture
asteya non-stealing (yama)
tman soul, spirit; God in us; essence
atmasusi sweet feeling of having done the right thing
aum (or om) vibration out of which the Universe originates; essence of
all mantras; sound of the movement of Creation initiated
in the cosmic stuff (chit)
avidy ignorance of Truth
Bhagavad Gt one of the most sacred book of Hinduism, part of the
Mahbhrata
bhakti devotion
Bhakti Yoga yoga discipline: the way of Love for the Divine Being
brahmacharya continence (yama)
Brahman God in the Universe
Buddha Awakened One (The)
buddhi discriminative faculty of the conscious manas; the Higher
Intelligence, concerned with real wisdom; the faculty of
valuing things for the advancement of life and conscious
awareness
chakra energy centres
dhran concentration
dharma life with responsibilities and fair action; spiritual focus of
life
47

dhyna meditation
guru one who dispels the darkness of ignorance
Ishwara supreme purusha; the son in manifestation through the
sun; second aspect of the soul; Christ in manifestation;
God in the heart of every child of God, divine Higher Self
ishwara pranidhana self-surrender (niyama)
ja sound
japa mantra repetition of a mantra
kaivalya liberation (external); freedom; isolated unity
lila all reality, including the cosmos, as the outcome of
creative play by the divine absolute (Brahman)
Mahbhrata Book (Sacred)
mahat cosmic intelligence
Mahtma great soul
manipura chakra city of jewels'; psychic centre behind the navel associated
with vitality and energy
mantra(m) Divine cosmic sounds; chanted sacred words
my duality law of creation; illusion; world illusion
mudr psychic gesture, movement or attitude; usually hand
gestures; advanced techniques of hatha yoga, allowing to
hold prna inside the body
mldhra chakra root chakra located at the base of the spine where kundalini
is nested as a serpent
nadi stream of bio-energy, channel carrying prana ( most
important ones being ida, pingala, sushumna)
nidra sleep state
nirvikalpa highest state of samdhi, beyond everything (thoughts)
niyamas observances of Rja Yoga (5): saucha, santocha, tapas,
svadhyaya and ishwara pranidhana
om see aum
Om Tat Sat Creating Created Creator
pada feet; aspect
padmsana lotus pose (the most important meditation posture)
48

Paramahamsa master (litt. Superior Swan)
paravairagya higher form of vairagya, absence of all desires in all its
forms
prana energy (first energy); life force; breath of the soul
prnyma control of essential energy; science of energy regulation
pratyahara withdrawal of the mind from the senses
Rja Yoga Yoga as explained by Patanjali in his Yoga Stras (8 limbs)
sahasrra chakra (highest) located at the top of the head; centre of
Self-realisation
samdhi union (meditative) with the Absolute; illumination stage
samyama concentration (dharana, dhyana, samdhi)
sankalpa resolution, resolve
santosha contentment (niyama)
sa infinity, wisdom
sat truth (pure Truth), Reality, Being, Excellence
sa ta na ma infinity life death rebirth
sat chit nanda nature of the supreme Reality
sat : true
chit : eternal consciousness
ananda: everlasting bliss
satya truthfulness (yama)
saucha purity (niyama)
seva selfless service
soham sweetness, space in the heart; joy
sutra thread of life, pearl of wisdom
swadhisthana chakra one's own abode'; second chakra associated with the sacral
plexus and related to the subconscious mind
swadhyaya sef-study (niyama)
tapas austerity (niyama)
tat Christic conscience
Tat tvam asi I am That - That thou art

49

Upanishads teachings (traditional) of the Vdas, called the Book of
Knowledge
vairagya dispassion, non-attachment
vajrasana thunderbolt pose
veda Truth; Gnostic, mystical hidden knowledge
Vedanta doctrine, belief system meaning 'at the culmination of the
Vedas
Vdas Scriptures (the most ancient revealed) of India
vidya knowledge
vishuddhi chakra psychic centre located at the level of the throat; centre of
purification
yamas abstinences of Rja Yoga (5): ahimsa, sattya, asteya ,
brahmacharya and aparigraha
Yantra geometric form produced by chanting a mantra
yoga yoke (to); union of the Self with God; practice leading to
Self-realisation
yogin male yoga practitioner
yogini female yoga practitioner
yoni woman












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