Observe - The Niyamas

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Niyamas are things that it is suggested we observe. The five points of the yamas and the niyamas are very similar to the Ten Commandments and the ten virtues of Buddhism. All faiths have these same codes of ethics and morals. These are the foundation upon which to build a spiritual life. Without them nothing we build can ever last. Just like the things we abstain from (yamas) these should be practice in thoughts, words and actions.

Purity is the first niyama. It is different than celibacy which means to simplify your life. Purity means to cleanse. Purity of thought means to lift your consciousness above the level of power and survival and into the pureness of the heart chakra energy. Mental purity is acquired by practicing compassion, understanding and kindness, or whatever brings about peaceful and pure thoughts.

Words are very powerful. It is said that a wound from an arrow will heal, but the wound from words last forever. Words that are consoling, harmonizing, gentle, uplifting and straightforward are purity of speech. Mantras such as OM are often used to invoke purity. If you always speak the truth a time will come when all you say will come true. Established in purity our life becomes an open book. We have no need to fear anything.

When it comes to the body it means cleanliness both inside and out. That means we should eat clean and pure foods, as well as keep the body groomed and our environment clean. One of the ways to cleanse the body is to practice asana or the yoga poses. Let’s get started.

 

When our thoughts, words and actions are pure we are in harmony with life. Things come easily to us. We simply flow with life. Concentration is easy when the mind is clear. When the mind is clear we can accomplish anything. Purity means to cleanse our thoughts, words and deeds. If something negative should rise replace it with something positive. If you should speak a harsh word replace it with a word of kindness. If you act in ways that harm yourself or the environment replace the action with healthy choices. In this you will be pure. Follow the truth with a pure heart and you will have nothing to fear because the truth will always be with you. Be pure.

Doctor Lynn

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Non greed

 

 

 

 

 

Non greed – it I said that if we could practice this one suggestion we would not need to practice the others. Greed creates craving and cravings cause us to act violently.  Greed causes us to lie and manipulate for our own gain. With greed we take what we want without respect.  The mind is always scattered because with greed we always want more.

Non greed does not mean we should not enjoy life. It simply means we should not reach out beyond our soulful propriety to physically take, mentally want or verbally try to persuade, coax or flatter someone into doing something for our own benefit.

When the mind becomes obsessed with greed the life forced gets scattered. Therefore the mind needs to detach; not from the object of desire, but from the obsessive desire to possess. On a verbal level we should not talk too much especially about other people and trivial things.

Physical non-greed means we should not be too attached to anything; even our family and friends. Do not become jealous or envious of others good fortune. Be aware that even good fortune brings with it certain obligations and complications. Be satisfied with what you have and what you have earned through your own efforts.

It is also important to pay your debts. These include be indebted to your parents, family, friends and your culture. For a noble soul it is easy to repay debts. It means to make the world a better place.  This is called the noble obligation. If you receive more in this life than you need; funnel your wealth into noble and humanitarian causes.

The soul established in non-greed begins to understand what he or she is, what he or she has and what he or she is mostly likely to encounter in the next reincarnation.  We are simply souls passing through this incarnation. Do with this life as you will. It is suggested that you Practice non-greed – be generous.

 

Yoga is about balancing the energy of your body, mind and soul. The yamas are suggestion or guidepost for achieving a state of contentment and happiness. Use them to improve your life and you will make the world a better place. The yamas should be followed as they pertain to each situation in life. If you are craving something like a candy bar the mind will become scattered by the craving. Perhaps it is better to buy the candy bar, eat half of it, throw the rest away and then spend the rest of the day without a scattered mind. There is no cookbook for life. Each situation in life is uniquely different. So it is suggested that with each situation in life we; be kind, be honest, be respectful, be pure and be generous. In this we make the world a better place.

Doctor Lynn
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Celibacy – this can be very confusing

 

 

 

 

Celibacy – this can be very confusing. Most people think of celibacy as abstaining from sexual intercourse. It really means to refrain from being obsessed by cravings of sensual desire. Sexual desires, however, can become sensual cravings.  The senses left uncontrolled will cause over indulgence and scattered our energy. Celibacy therefore means purification.  Whenever we crave anything of the senses; taste, touch, smell, sound, or sight we suffer and lose our ability to focus on what is important in life and that is our health, happiness and peace of mind. Craving means we become obsessed with having what we want and not necessarily what we need. We are not satisfied until we possess. But remember whatever we have right now can disappear in a moment. A drug addict spends all his or her energy searching for the next fix. How can there be happiness in this?  

All things in life are separate from the real us, which is our soul. We experience life through the senses. We say I am hungry or I am tired, but it is not you that is hungry or tired it is your body. You can change your outfit to fit the occasion, but no matter how you dress or where you go, you are always the same soul. Become the observer of life and not the sensual addict.

Detachment from worldly desires is to practice celibacy. We should enjoy the pleasures of life, but never be so attached that we become obsessed. Everything in life comes and goes. The addict is happy until it is time for the next fix.

There are three important areas concerning celibacy:

1.     Always hold the opposite sex in high regard

2.     Consider sexuality to be the means by which souls are brought into the world. It should be an act of love and respect

3.     Nothing scatters the life-force more than sensual cravings. Therefore:

Avoid obscene and lewd expressions and jokes. Sensual experience should be for the enjoyment and beauty of life. Be kind, loving and be respectful. The sensual experience is the closest we get to touch another perosn’s soul. The joy a soul feels when moving into the physical plane of sensual enjoyment is pure bliss. When experiencing the physical aspect of sexuality you are opening up a doorway for another soul to enter. Whether the soul chooses to enter or not love is the best way to direct this energy. Celibacy is not about abstaining. It is about refraining from being obsessed by the sensual desires of life. It is about experiencing all of life with the purity of un-obsessed love. Be pure.

Doctor Lynn

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The Life Force is always Good

 

 

If a person injures, lies or steals the life force which is always good gets scattered. When the life force is scattered we experience anger, hatred, bigotry, envy and deceit. To practice nonviolence, truthfulness and non-stealing is to gather the life force and move it in a direction that will only bring good into your life.

Our earthly work is the attainment of a balanced and harmonious life. This cannot be achieved when your energy is scattered and misdirected. Therefore you should never:

Do violence, be untruthful or steal from another person

Do violence, be untruthful or steal from yourself

Allow others to be violent, untruthful or steal

Encourage others to do violence, be untruthful or steal

 

Practice compassion and understanding for others and for yourself.  In this you will find the good and the good will lead you to happiness and peace.

Doctor Lynn
http://www.doctorlynn.com

Non-stealing – a suggestion

Non- stealing – involves thoughts, words and deeds. To most people this means not taking something that does not belong to you, or that you have not paid for, or been given. In yoga it means we should not think about taking something that does not belong to us.  It is best defined as not improperly taking something that belongs to another.  That includes their possessions, their dignity and their freedom of thought. If you want something you must earn it. If it has not come into your life you have not earned it yet. Anything coming into your life that you have earned will bring you happiness and anything that comes into your life that has not been earned will bring you struggle, difficulty and unhappiness.  Don’t confuse stealing with simply taking things. It also means to not take another person’s self-confidence and self-esteem by ridiculing and criticizing. We are all entitled to our own beliefs and freedom to walk the soulful path. If you must disagree do it with respect.

To think of stealing that which is not yours is as much stealing as physically stealing. Verbal stealing means that you should never steal another person’s dignity, pride, happiness, moment of glory and mental values. And of course we should not take anything physically that does not belong to us. Anything taken through deceit, force or without permission will only bring you difficulty and unhappiness. If you must take something leave something of equal value. Only take what you have earned. If you do not have something it simply means you have not earned it yet. Be content.

Doctorlynn

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TRUTH

Truthfulness means to conduct your thoughts, words and actions according to the truth. The truth however can get somewhat murky. Thoughts, words and action that harm even if true should not be done. The guiding factor when it comes to walking the soulful path is to do no harm. However, if you must do something that will cause harm make sure you are doing it for the greatest good and for the greatest many. Look to intention.

What is the truth? All you need to do is get quiet and search within your soul. You will know. Then with a quiet mind speak and act in truthful ways, but always keep your intentions in mind. If the intention is to hurt and the truth hurts refrain from speaking or taking any action.

Physical truth means to unify yourself so as act in ways that uplifts you and all those you encounter. Truth that has been understood intellectually and expressed in words will manifest itself into worthy and good actions.

Another aspect of truthfulness is keeping your word. However, there may be times when keeping your word is not possible. Again it comes back to intent. Circumstances in life may make the truth a difficult choice. Here is something to thinks about:

Once upon a time a yogi sage was meditating in the woods. A beautiful deer jumped past him and ran off into the woods. Very soon a hunter came by and asked the yogi if he had seen the deer and which way it ran. If the yogi tells the truth the hunter will kill the deer. This will create harm. If on the other hand he does not tell the truth the hunter and his family will starve. What should he do? Always choose the greatest good for the greatest many.

Some say the truth should only be spoken from a place of wisdom and some say truth should be spoken without consideration of loss or gain. In our modern day society it is important to use wisdom.  The world will often hurt each of us if we are not wise in how we think, speak and use the truth. If the truth will hurt or cause dissention be silent and do nothing. Nonviolence and truth together bring about peace. What is the truth? You are the truth. Just listen and you will know.

Doctor Lynn

 

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How did you do this week with practicing nonviolence?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Last week we worked on the practice of nonviolence. Remembers it should be practiced in thought, word and deed. How did you do last week? Did you lose your patients, utter a harsh word or raise your voice? Did you criticize yourself?  Did you eat well and get plenty of rest or did you exhaust yourself with stress? Practicing nonviolence is not an easy task. Being consciously aware of your thoughts, words and actions is the first step.

Before we get into the next yama it might be good to distinguish between what is meant by spirituality and what is meant by your soul. Sometimes people call themselves spiritual. This can be confusing.

When we come to the earth according to Karma Yoga we come as a soul taking on this body and this mind for our evolution. We choose the life that will gives us the best way to get onto the spiritual path. Spirituality is a path and the attainment of it is enlightenment.  Even someone like Gandhi did not reach enlightenment. He still had earthly desires. As long as you are alive you are a body, mind and soul with the ability to walk the spiritual path. Whether you get on it and stay on it or venture off is your choice. The yamas and the niyamas are simply suggestion that will help you to stay on the path.

Self-centeredness, inconsideration, lack of compassion and violence will take you off the path. Your “soul” purpose for being here is to find and walk the  spiritual path. It matters not how far you get. Reincarnation will give you another chance to get back on the path. However, the farther you get in this lifetime the shorter the journey in the next. Let’s begin our practice.

Nonviolence does not mean only outward violence. It also means violence towards you. Self-criticism always hurts the soul, just as cruel and angry thoughts, words and deeds toward others will take you off the spiritual path. You are not about your body and your mind, but your body and your mind are the vehicle and the GPS for your soul. So treat them well and be kind to yourself. That kindness will come from the inside out and be received by everyone and everything you encounter.

Symbol of wisdom – flip your palms up. Focus on your index finger the symbol of your ego. Bend it in toward your palm reminding yourself to be kind. Place your thumb on top. This is the symbol of your higher power. By surrendering your self-centered ego to your soul you will be wise.

Doctor Lynn

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A Guiding Path to Peace

 

 

 

 

 

 

We all need a moral and ethical code to live by.  This is what guides us towards deciding what is right and what is wrong. Yoga suggests we follow the yamas and niyamas which are the things we should abstain from doing and the things we should observe.

Something we can all benefit from is practicing the yama of nonviolence. It is to be practiced in body, mind and soul.  If we could remove violence what a peaceful world this would be.

When we think of violence we think of physical pain and although that is one kind of violence, thoughts that are negative and words that hurt, slander and disrespect are also violent. Someone or something always gets hurt. Fundamental to yoga is to do no harm.

Yoga does however teach us that sometimes violence is the best course of action to take. If you take it from a good moral and ethical position violence has its place. Although this seems like a contradiction think of it this way: if someone you love was being attacked would you kill the attacker? Your love is much stronger than nonviolence; as it should be.

As humans we kill animals to eat the meat. We are meat eating mammals. Meat sustains life just as killing a tree provides us with paper and books. Everything in life sacrifices. The question is intent. If you intend to hurt, for the sake of hurting, you are being violent.

The opposite of violence is kindness. All violent thoughts, words and deeds paralyze the soul. Perhaps it might be better if we reflected on our thoughts and then only spoke words that were kind.  Mastering this duality will help you to live a more peaceful life.

 

 

The practice of nonviolence should not be taken too rigidly. Yoga takes into account that most of us live a social life with many different cultural norms. The easiest way to practice this yama is to remember to always try to do the greatest good for the greatest many.  Examine your moral and ethical code and follow the path that gives you the least resistance. It will bring you peace.

When a negative thought pops up in your mind, replace it with something positive. This is the path of nonviolence. Step back, take a breath, change the way you look at things and the way you look at things will change.

 

Doctor Lynn

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The Tree

If you find yourself experiencing violence think of the tree pose. No matter how hard you try eventually you will lose your balance. Life is not meant to be stationary.  Practicing the tree is about finding your balance and then remembering to return to it each time life throws you off balance; and it will.   This week you may experience an argument, a misunderstanding or gossip. Regain your balance and you will be practicing nonviolence.

 

 

 

How to live Above the Blur of Life

 

 

In yoga we use the postures and the breath to help us establish balance, improve flexibility and find strength, as well as a sense of tranquility. In yoga the cleansing of the mind is called the cleansing of the astral channels. This cleansing takes place so that we can arrive at higher levels of consciousness.

The astral channels correspond to the physical nerves. The nerves are the only part of our body that never regenerated during our lifetime. The astral channels are higher mental channels that connect us to the spiritual force of the universe. Just as we reach out and experience touch through the sensation of our nerves, we have the ability to reach out with our mental force and touch higher levels of consciousness. We do this through the study and implementation of the Yamas and Niyamas which are the abstentions and observances. These cleanse the mind state and allow us to reach higher levels of consciousness by cleansing the astral channels. The posture and the breath help us to cleanse the astral channels associated with the body. Together they create a state of purity in body and mind.

To understand these focus on your spine. Think of it as a long channel from which we move energy from the lower levels to the higher lives of being.

Over the next several months we are going to work on opening and cleansing the astral channels in both body and mind by focusing on the yamas and the niyamas. So let’s get started.

 

When the astral channels are clear the body becomes healthier and the mind becomes calm and serene.  By gaining control over the life force we raise our level of consciousness so that the every day experiences of life become a blur in comparison to the higher levels of consciousness. This simply means that life becomes what life does. Clear the polluted energy  out of your body and your mind and you will begin to live a life that is healthy, happy and peaceful.

Doctor Lynn

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Asking for Help-it’s OK

Don’t be afraid to ask for help. It is not a sign of weakness. It is a sign of strength. We all need support from time to time. Yesterday a student and good friend of mine sent me an email. She has been diagnosed with colon cancer. She reached out for emotional help and support. More than anything I think the word cancer scares us all. I reminded her that she is a survivor in life. She also takes care of her health by eating well, exercising and taking time to relax every day.

So let’s get started today with a focus on taking care of our health. Eat well, exercise and take time to relax and enjoy the moments because in life they fly by way too fast.

Affirmation -: “Bones, muscles, movement, I surrender now; anxiety, elation and depression, churning thoughts — all these I give into the hands of peace.”

We never know what life will hand us so it is best to be prepared. When I went through my cancer surgery and recovery I was coming from a healthy body-mind and that along with my determination to survive was my savior. So each day take care of your health because it is your wealth. Lose it for only a minute and you will wish it back above all else in life. It is the most important thing in your life – don’t take it for granted.

Doctor Lynn

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The Pendulum of Emotion- finding pure joy

 

 

 

Think of your consciousness as a calm still body of ever flowing water. The overall height of the water is always the same even when we add the waves of emotion. It is the waves that disturbs the calmness of the water; the higher the wave the deeper the trough. The waves of happiness are counter balanced by the trough of sadness. That is because all of life is a duality. It is like a pendulum swinging back and forth. The only way we know anything is by its opposite swing.  The swing of success is only realized by its opposite swing of failure. The only place where joy, love and peace are not balanced by opposites is in pure still ever flowing consciousness. It is a state void of opposites. To understand this we first need to become aware of the waves and the troughs and how the pendulum swings.  When we practice yoga we seek balance. We only discover it by experiencing a loss of balance.  In seeking to find peace we need to understand all that is counter to peace; impatience, anger, hatred and fear. The pendulum of life is like the waves of the ocean. It will rise and then it will fall.

The farther the pendulum swings in one direction the farther it must swing back. We get caught up in thinking that if we push the pendulum toward more possessions, greater fame and intense pleasure we will increase our happiness. The problem is the pendulum always swings back. The only way to end the eternal rising and falling of life is to be content right here right now. That is why we do the sitting Zen; to experience moments of pure joy. Let’s get started.

 

The farther the pendulum swings in one direction the farther it must swing back. The only way to find happiness is to be content with what you have, with what comes into your life and what leaves your life. It is ego consciousness that keeps you in the constant swing of emotions.  Bend your ego to your higher power and you will discover the wisdom of pure joy.

Doctor Lynn

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What is the Practice of Yoga?

 

 

 

 

The Practice of yoga involves not only the poses (asana) and the breath (pranayama), but also the yamas and niyamas or the things we should abstain from and the things we should observe if we are to live a spiritual life. The object of these four stages is to cleanse the body-mind so that the life-force can flow through and lead us to higher levels of consciousness. This means to become more balanced and aware.

The poses are not yoga, but through the practice of the poses we have an opportunity to discover yoga. For example; balance can best be understood when we do a tree. It takes strength, focus and stillness to find balance. In life you will need all of these to maintain your balance when life’s stormy emotions pervade your life.

Pranayama is the control of the breath. It is not the breath, but the life force that gives rise to the breath. When we sit in Zen and take a few controlled breathes we clear the astral channels and allow a flow of energy throughout our body-mind and this produces contentment and peace.

The astral channels correspond to the nerves of your body. The nerves are the only part of your body that does not regenerated throughout your lifetime. When we clear the astral channels we touch the soul. Think of this like touching something with your body. We need the nerves to be able to feel. Damage the nerves and the ability to touch disappears. Damage the astral channels and the ability to touch the soul becomes impossible.

The yamas and niyamas are guides for living a spiritual life. In the weeks to come we will discuss each of these. For now let’s focus today on the poses and the breath.

 

Using the body and the breath we learn to harness prana or the life-force. This week pay attention to your sense of touch and your breath. Flow with the force of life and you will bring balance and harmony into everything you think, say and do.

Namaste

Doctor Lynn

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The Greatest Obstacle

The greatest obstacle in your way is your mind. Our thoughts often time direct our life without us even being aware of it. Thought patterns repeated become habits. These habits can be positive or negative. Positively they free the mind to focus on other things. For example – tying your shoes is a habit. You can do it without thinking.  You can focus on other things at the same time you are tying your shoes.  Habits therefore can be time saving and a great sense of freedom. However, habits can also make us their servant. Repeat a bad habit over and over, like smoking a cigarette, and soon we are enslaved.

Now there are several ways to free the mind of negative habits. One is to feed it positive thoughts and the other is to deny it negative thoughts. But this requires controlling the conscious mind. The conscious mind has a tendency to move in many directions and is easily influenced.

How do we control the mind?  By paying close attention to our thoughts, words and deeds.  If they are serving the greater good you have removed the negative and replaced it with the positive.

 

Merely replacing negative with positive energy is like trying to fill a cup that is riddles with holes. No matter how much you try to fill the cup it will be empty. First you need to fill the holes by paying attention to your thoughts, word and deed and then fill the cup. How? Be at peace and content with what comes into your life, as well as with what must depart. And always think, speak and act towards the greatest good.

The ego pulls you away from the center. The higher power brings you back. Live from your center and you will be wise.

Doctor Lynn

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Making Spiritual Progress

 

 

 

 

 

Spiritual progress should be natural like the growing of a tree and not forced, frenetic and chaotic. It requires commitment and patience and the greatest obstacle in its way is the “chitter” or chattering of the mind. Although we like to think that we construct and direct our world from our conscious thoughts, it is really from the subconscious that our life takes shape.

The subconscious mind is the storehouse of all your thoughts and experiences in this life and in past lives. To best understand the subconscious mind thinks about driving a car. How many times do you automatically drive your car while your mind is a million miles away? Suddenly you realize you have been driving without awareness of where you are or where you are going. The subconscious mind does the driving while the conscious mind speaks on the phone.

The subconscious mind is responsible for the automatically triggered feelings and emotions that you suddenly experience upon facing a new situation. You begin a new job feeling a bit insecure or unsure of yourself. This is the subconscious mind bringing emotions to the conscious mind.

The conscious mind on the other hand is responsible for logic, calculations and all actions that are performed while you are conscious. The subconscious mind also controls other functions in your body like breathing and heart beats.

Right now you are breathing without any conscious effort. But if I ask you to stop and focus on your breathing each breath becomes conscious. This is how we lift from the subconscious to the conscious mind relaxation, peace and serenity.

We need to go deep into the subconscious and then cultivate it so as to bring to the conscious mind health, happiness and peace. How? Quiet your thoughts stay present and focus on discovering balance, strength, flexibility and peace.

Let’s get started.

 

Just like your body has got its defenses against physical wounds and injuries your subconscious mind has got its defenses against emotional shocks and wounds.

These are called ego defense mechanisms or unconscious defense mechanisms.  Some of these mechanisms are denial, suppression, anger and regression. The ego defense mechanisms' main function is to protect your well-being and to help you overcome emotional shocks. But it doesn’t always work because the ego is what separates us. To unite the subconscious and the conscious we must be willing to surrender the ego to something higher; our higher self.

 

Doctor Lynn

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Finding Peace in a Restless World

 

 

 

 

 

The process of spiritual growth should be natural like a growing tree and not forced or frenetic. It requires patient to find stillness and contentment. Think about how many things you do in hopes of resting after you have achieved your goals. First let me get this and then let me get that and then I will relax and enjoy life.

Thus we acquire the habit of seeking more and more in an attempt to be able to relax and enjoy our life. The problem is that we never arrive. We get caught up in the rat race. Stress becomes prevalent in our lives. Soon the stress leads to illness.

It is not that we should cease to be active. It is that we should be peacefully active in all our activities. When we are doing we should be doing with a sense of peace and contentment no matter the outcome.

Yogananda once was asked if the spiritual path had an end. He said “No end. You go on until you reach endlessness.”

Don’t let your approach to life be so achievement oriented that you forget to enjoy the moments. In the end you can’t take with you even one copper penny.

Let’s practice today not to achieve anything, but simply to enjoy the process of discovering peace.

 

Peace isn’t waiting for you over the next hill. It is not something you construct like a house. It is something you already possess deep within your soul. The ego will constantly pull you here and there searching for satisfaction, but the soul, if you let it, will teach you to be, as Yogananda said,” Calmly active and actively calm.” This is how to find peace in a restless world. Be at peace with what is…

Doctor Lynn

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The Tunnel of Consciousness

In yoga the spine is considered the tunnel of consciousness. Along the spine we find the chakras and as we ascend each chakra from the root at the base of the spine to the top of the head at the crown we raise our level of consciousness from survival to enlightenment.

To begin we move up through the spine and past the primitive brain or the limbic system located at the base of the skull pushing the energy forward toward the frontal lobe or the point between our eyebrows known as the third eye. This is our intuitive all-knowing self.

 

 

 

 

 

Because of evolution our level of consciousness is higher than that of other animals. An easy way to describe this is when a dog is happy they wag their tail which is located at the base of their spine. When a human is happy they smile and laugh at the top of the spine. They raise their head and body upward. That is one reason we lift the spine in yoga. It is to open the tunnel of consciousness.

 As the ego moves upward towards the higher chakras it begins to lose its importance. Now it looks to expand within its own consciousness not only its happiness, but the happiness of others.

The self-expanding ego thinks in terms of serving others rather than being served; it self-sacrifices for the good of many rather than sacrificing for its own good.

The epitome of this attitude is that of the warrior willing to sacrifice for the good of many – a selfless person willing to give his or her own life for the general good. Ideally this person is noble and self-giving. But sadly today many warriors and even political leaders are self-serving and aggressive. Which warrior are you?

The closer the ego approaches the higher levels of consciousness it begins to realize that even noble deeds are self-limiting when coming from ego consciousness. The ego separates us. The warrior then asks itself – how much good can I accomplish on my own. We all need each other to raise the consciousness of existence. So this week seek to raise your level of consciousness beyond the self-serving ego and like the mighty warrior do something good for the many.

Doctor Lynn

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Building Healthy Relationships

If we are to reach a higher level of consciousness and to change the course of our karma, we must begin with the desire to build the sacred vessel of relationship. The most sacred relationship is the relationship we build with ourselves.  The problem is that most of us are quite self-centered and spend a lot of time trying to control others in an attempt to get what we want.

How we relate to the world is found in our own thoughts, perception, and feelings about the world around us. As we gain experience, we gain wisdom and this wisdom opens us up to new perceptions that will direct the actions we take as we relate to the world.

 

 

 

 

As we reaches out from a place of inner consciousness we may encounter others who have not discovered the sacredness of relationships. That is okay, because there is a realization that we are all one, even if some of us are still stuck in the self- centered egotistical view of the world.  Everyone will experience the journey differently. However, there are certain common denominators we will all experience once we are consciously on the journey.

There will be daily practice (devotion) and conscious awareness of the process.  There will be moments of inner silence and a gradual shift from intentions and actions that are outwardly based and focused on outcomes and time frames, to intentions and actions that are based on the inner journey. This naturally leads to more harmonious outcomes.  As we shift to a place of balance and become more unified and harmonious our world reflects this inner peace.

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“Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” The best way to transcend the continual cycle of karma is to become the very expression of life as a unified whole with divine nature expressed in all actions great and small. To do this we must build the sacred vessel of relationship.

Be clear about your intentions. Openness is required.  Truth is fundamental. We must be committed to building the walls of the sacred vessel; openness, trust, and commitment; without these relationships cannot sustain their strength.

Doctor Lynn

Spiritual Fitness http://www.dcotlrynn.com

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Listen to Your Center - Yoga Today

 

 

 

Take a moment and focus on any emotional or physical pain or disturbances that exist in your life. These exist on the periphery or the circumference and not at the center. Now let’s move closer toward our center. Slowly with deep long breathes begin to remove whatever is disturbing your peace. Let go of everything and find your center. It is a vast space of calmness. Here you will find your intuition. Here you will find the answers. If you penetrate deep enough to the center everything will disappear and you will be at peace.

Now project your center towards whatever has been giving you pain. You will begin to realize that even setbacks in life have their advantage. Seek your heart center. It is the place of compassion and understanding. Now project outward towards the center of your disturbance and you will know exactly what to do. Everything in life has a purpose. Sometimes what seems to be a disturbance is really a push to grow stronger, be more flexible and to establish balance. Let’s practice

When life hands you emotional and physical pain go to your center.  Here you will find the answer. Nothing in life is permanent. Everything in life keeps moving and changing. But your center remains strong; it is flexible and maintains its balance. When you live from your center every situation in life will be tuned into an opportunity.  

Namaste- I celebrate the place where our souls meet

Doctor Lynn