Just breathe

Just Breathe by young girl

breathe_by_sibayakSome simple and oh-so true words….

I hope they inspire you to breathe

Clara

 

“Breathing affects your respiratory, cardiovascular, neurological, gastrointestinal, muscular, and psychic systems and also has a general effect on your sleep, memory, energy level and concentration. Everything you do, the pace you keep, the feelings you have, and the choices you make are influenced by the rhythmic metronome of your breath.

As you are challenged with the increasing levels of psychological, physical, and biological stress, the internal metronome that determines the quality and state of your breathing and health may be set at faster and faster speeds. You may have the feeling that your life has become like that of a hamster–endlessy running on a little wheel, with no way to stop an get off. You say you feel “stressed out” or “burned out”, and the tension and anxiety that accompanies that all-too-familiar state of over-load seems to be undermining your genuine desire to take care of yourself. You may remember a time when you were full of energy, and wonder where that time whent and how you can recover it. In looking for a solution it is wasy to get caught up in details, in theories, and in complicated strategies, for we very seldom explore the easiest and most fundamental concepts. The process of breathing lies at the center every action and reaction we make or have and so by returning to it we go to the core of the stress response. By refining and improving the quality of our breathing we can feel its positive impact on all aspects of our being.” 

–Donna Farhi, The Breathing Book

 

PS.

Practice yoga online with me or catch me at my next yoga event

 

 

clararobertsoss

Teacher of Yoga, Mantra & Meditation
Seeker of the Sacred.
Facilitator of conscious movement.
#PracticeWithClara

Clara Roberts-Oss

Meditation

Meditation

While there are many treatments for physical treating your body, you need to meditate to train your mind. Just like you do exercise for your body’s wellness, you have to meditate to keep your brain healthy and well. According to Buddhist traditions, meditation is as important as sports are in the US. Meditation is not just one thing. It is a collection of different activities that are done to train the mind. As a beginner, it would be very difficult for you to sit in one place and keep your mind empty. This is very hard to do since we always have something on our mind, even if it is not relevant. There are a lot of tools for beginners such as beginner meditation DVDs that beginners can use to focus on their breathing and empty their minds.

Concentration is one of the most important aspects of meditation. In this kind of meditation, you have to focus on one point. It could be a single word, image or your own breath. Some people focus on a candle flame while others listen to one song on repeat. No matter what you are doing, your whole focus has to be on one thing. As a beginner, this could be challenging as your brain would drift from that one focal point but this gets better with time. Meditation is a great way to improve your concentration as you let go of any random thoughts and fixate your mind on one thing.

Mindfulness Meditation

Mindfulness meditation makes you more aware of yourself and your thoughts. Instead of getting involved with every thought that comes to your mind, you just have to acknowledge its presence. The aim of this technique is to see the pattern of your thoughts. With time, you will notice how you perceive thoughts and what kind of thoughts commonly drift through your brain. If you continue doing this, you will reach a point where you will be able to balance your thoughts.

Sometimes, different meditation techniques are joint together to have a full-blown effect. For example, concentration and mindfulness can be joined together to create a stillness of mind for scanning through one’s thoughts.

Aim of Meditation

The aim of meditation has been very precisely explained by Chogyan Trungpa who says that meditation is for attaining blissfulness of mind and soul. It is a method for you to become a better person and be more aware of who you are.

‘Meditation is not a matter of trying to achieve ecstasy, spiritual bliss or tranquility, nor is it attempting to become a better person. It is simply the creation of a space in which we are able to expose and undo our neurotic games, our self-deceptions, our hidden fears and hopes. We provide space through the simple discipline of doing nothing…The basic practice is to be present, right here. The goal is also the technique. Precisely being in this moment, neither suppressing nor wildly letting go, but being precisely aware of what you are. Breath, like bodily existence, is a neutral process that has no ‘spiritual’ connotations’.

—Chogyam Trungpa, The Myth of Freedom

 

 

Yoga Playlist-Yuppers

Yuppers yoga playlist

Yoga is one of those practices that is beneficial for all five of your senses and let you connect with yourself. From spiritual wellness to physical wellbeing, Yoga helps in all regards. In some cultures, religions and regions of the world such as Hinduism, Yoga is an essential part of their belief. It is a common practice and people do it to support their emotional, physical and spiritual stability. There is more to yoga than just touching your feel and chanting Om. This practice lets you get in touch with your inner self, if done properly.

Yoga: Route to Wellness

Firstly, Yoga is beneficial for physical wellness, especially for increasing strength and flexibility. Many patients are advised to do yoga or meditate every day by their medical healthcare professionals. This is because Yoga helps in healing you faster. Moreover, it increases flexibility which is something anyone who is aging could really use. Secondly, yoga increase physical strength. Therefore, if you have been feeling weak lately, you can try yoga to strengthen different muscles in your body. With regular yoga, you will become aware of your body. Thus, if you ever find yourself slouching, you will be able to fix your posture.

Relax your Mind

Yoga is not only for the body but also for the mind. This practice is a great way of relaxing and separating your body from the burden of the present for some time. While aerobic exercises help you sweat, Yoga helps you breathe better and be less stressed. In some routines of yoga, certain breathing techniques are involved and they calm your mind. It has been scientifically proven that doing yoga might help in lowering bad cholesterol levels and reducing triglyceride accumulation in the body. Some studies have also linked yoga to a better immune system.

A Catchy Playlist for Yoga

Just like you would play your workout playlist in the gym, you need a playlist for doing yoga. The songs for yoga playlist are chosen according to the kind of activity you are doing. The beat and sound of music resonates with the slow and refined movements involved in yoga. You might not find the popular beats in this playlist because the playlist is curated by keeping the needs of any yoga-doer in mind. Since this playlist is on Spotify, you have constant access to it on your phone. So, even if you are doing yoga in the park, the playlist goes with you. The next time you decide to pull out your yoga mat, play this list playlist, with songs like Ganapati and Sea of Love, and get involved in the rhythm of the music.

1. Let Your Heart Be Known (Remix)-Steve Gold
2. Ganapati-Susheela Raman
3. By Your Side (Neptunes Remix)-Sade
4. Sometimes-Raphael Saadiq
5. Diferente-Gotan Project
6. Stay For Awhile (Feat. Angie Stone)-Anthony Hamilton
7. 100 Yard Dash-Raphael Saadiq
8. Until the Morning-Thievery Corporation
9. Ernie-Fat Freddy’s Drop
10. Fire and Rain-James Taylor
11. Sea of Love-Cat Power
10. Into Dust-Mazzy Star

House Yoga Playlist

House yoga playlist

When you think of a yoga playlist, some soothing, slow songs come to your mind. But it does not always have to be this way. Sometimes, the yoga playlist is quite upbeat and might have some funky songs. The variation in songs is suitable for different kinds of yoga. Commonly, yoga songs are instrumental or are taken from Indian traditional practices. A lot of ethnic music and natural sounds are present in yoga music as they are very easy to synch to. Also, these beats and music patterns are quite steady so you can do repetitive movements.

Whichever music you choose for yoga is your own choice. Depending on which kind of yoga you like to do, you can choose the songs that you like. Some people can easily meditate with sounds of nature or instruments in the background while others need to listen to words in order to center their thoughts in their yoga practice. A faster-paced yoga would require faster songs while yoga done for meditation will require slow, soothing music that sounds relaxing to the ears.

Upbeat Music for Yoga

There is no rule that all yoga music must be somber. It can be upbeat too, depending on which moves you are doing. Some yogis like to do their exercise to fast-paced music. The best part about this kind of yoga is that it allows you to transition from one pose to another. Most of the times, this fast-paced music is contemporary and has tabla beats in it. Also, New Age music is present in such playlists as this music s very vibrant and fills the yogis with energy.

A genre that is normally present in upbeat playlists is House music. It is a genre that is popular with disc jockeys and electronic dance music. It came into being in 1980s and since then, it has become a popular music genre in clubs. House music is a combination of different genres such as pop, rap, jazz and Latin music. Coming from New York, this is a music started by DJs. Nowadays, it is used in different yoga playlists by yogis who like to do fast-paced movements. Back in the day, it was a symbolic song for black LGBT community in America but now it is a mainstream music genre. Our March playlist has a lot of House tracks that you can use for doing yoga. There are songs from artists like Jill Scott, New Funky Generation and Daft Punk. These artists are popular for their music and you would love to sway to their music beats.

House
1. There’s something about Us-Daft Punk
2. Manvantara-Bliss
3. The Messenger-New Funky Generation
4. This Is the Time-Dubtribe Sound System
5. Free (Deep House Remix)-Jill Scott
6. After Hours
7. 2 Please U (Losoul Surreal Visits Dub)-Freaks
8. Someday-Beard
9. On My Own-Amma
10. The Rhythm in Your Mind-Dubtribe Sound Syste
11. Bangla Soul-Baul Dimension
12. Silent Stations Pt 1-Project JPO
 
 

PS.

To see my latest playlists follow me on spotify

 

 

 

clararobertsoss

Teacher of Yoga, Mantra & Meditation
Seeker of the Sacred.
Facilitator of conscious movement.
#PracticeWithClara

Clara Roberts-Oss

 

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2013 New Year’s Intention

new years

Om Tat Sat are three mantras that are found in Bhagavad Gita of Sanskrit origin. Om is Brahm’s mantra, Tat is Parbrahm’s mantra and Sat is the mantra of Prambrahm. If translated in English, this would read ‘Three Mantras of Complete Salvation’. One does not merely have to recite them but also understand their meaning and try to manifest it in their lives. Om is the priest or God and every mantra starts with his name.

Understanding Tat Sat

Tat refers to the ideology that God owns everything. When a person does anything, they have to do it selflessly without wishing for any fruit in return. Since everything is God’s, man must keep this in mind when looking for liberation. Sat means that all actions must be done truthfully. Sat also refers to the satisfaction of the One Supreme Being. When every duty is performed with complete honesty, it leads to satisfaction of that one deity that is above all.

What can I let go of?

In these verses, a question is posed about letting go of things and freeing yourself. A man wonders what he can possibly let go of to feel lighter. In life, one has to stop clinging to things that make one feel caged or imprisoned. By letting some things go, one can feel lighter. Life becomes brighter and more spacious once those things are gone. And who knows, this change might even make the heart sign out of liberation and joy.

What can I let go of?

What will make my load lighter?

What am I clinging to?
May I set it free.

What do I want to welcome into my life?

What will create more space and lightness?

What will make my heart sing?
May I recognize it as it flows towards me.
Hari Om Tat Sat

Spring Equinox

spring equinox

There are different natural events throughout the year that mark some important times in the earth’s journey around the Sun. the Spring Equinox occurs twice a year, once in March and then in September. The Spring Equinox marks the time of the year when the center of the Sun is above the Equator directly. The word ‘Equinox’ comes from Latin. On this day, the day and night duration is the same all over the world.

Mantra for the Spring Equinox

The Spring Equinox marks the beginning of Spring. We can associate this with goddess Lakhsmi. She is the Hindu goddess of beauty and fortune. This is the season when we welcome prosperity and goodness. The air becomes more beautiful in Spring as flowers bloom and colors spread joy all around. It is also the season of goodness as it marks the time for new beginnings. Spring is associated with starting over. Plants and trees start all over again during this time. They lose their leaves and flowers during autumn and get them back in spring. This is hope for you that if you have lost a part of yourself, you will soon get it back or something much better.

Just like trees get back their new leaves, this is the time when we should also start new things. I hope we all can analyze what we have learned since the previous Equinox. This is the time for us to see how we have come through the past six months. Just like trees, we can also start over and grow new leaves.

Take inspiration from the trees and get new foliage. This means that you can adopt new habits and let go of the old ones. If there are any people that you might want to let go of, this is the time to make new relationships, start a new friendship and work on those people who might need you.

A Chant for You

Goddess Lakhsmi holds a high place in Hindu scriptures as she is one of the Tridevi. Every woman is her emanation, which means that she exists in every woman. Sri Kamala Stotram says that Lakhsmi is present in every woman during her childhood and her old age. A prayer to the goddess asks for spiritual and material wellness. You can use the Spring Equinox as a chance for starting over and asking for things for this new beginning. Chant the praise to Goddess Lakhsmi so that she can bring with her goodness, prosperity, spiritual wealth and material wealth to your abode.

May you step out of your cave/spiritual basement and enjoy the coming light.

 

May we remember all the internal work we’ve done in the last 6 months as we shift from our internal worlds to the external world.

Happy Spring Equinox!

 

Here’s the chant we did today:

Om sreem hreem kleem kamale kamalalaye prasida prasida sreem hreem kleem sri maha lakshmyi namaha.

 

Underlying Vibration of all creation, abundance please, cherishing your lotus feet, be pleased Great Lakshmi Goddess, I bow to You.

Source: http://www.saibabaofindia.com/gayatris_and_other_mantras_for_help_in_daily_life_welfare.htm

PS.

Practice yoga online with me or catch me at my next yoga event

To see my latest playlists follow me on spotify

 

 

clararobertsoss

Teacher of Yoga, Mantra & Meditation
Seeker of the Sacred.
Facilitator of conscious movement.
#PracticeWithClara

Clara Roberts-Oss

Yoga Playlist-Istanbul

Istanbul Yoga

Music is the best companion for everything, whether it is a road trip or a yoga class. For doing yoga, you need music that you can synchronize with. Most of the songs that you hear from your favorite artists are not the best when it comes to yoga because the beats to do not match with the rhythm of yoga. This is why you need a special playlist for doing yoga moves. Just play this playlist every time you are doing yoga at home or you decide to take your yoga mat to the park. With the right music playing in the background, you will be able to enjoy the spirit of yoga much more effectively.

Yoga: Your Path to Self Care

Nowadays, there is a lot of discussion about self-care but no one seems to be doing it right. One of the ways to take care of yourself is to do yoga. Yoga is not just for your body but also for your soul and your brain. You get so much from it, even if you are just doing it for half an hour a day. Firstly, yoga increases your flexibility. This is extremely beneficial especially if you are getting older and your joints have started to ache. Secondly, yoga improves your muscle tone. Even at an older age, you would be able to climb a flight of stairs like your young self. People who start doing yoga at an earlier time of their lives tend to age well, physically and emotionally.

You would be surprised to know how much yoga can help in maintaining the internal balance of your body. It maintains metabolism which means every single process of your body is maintained by this practice. It also helps in weight reduction in some cases and improves athletic performance. Scientific research keeps showing us more and more benefits of this traditional practice. You name a benefit and yoga would give it to you with just a few sessions.

Playlist for Yoga

You can curate a yoga playlist for yourself, based on your taste but what if you just cannot find the right songs? There is no need to worry as I have curated a beautiful playlist for you to do yoga to. Play these songs in the background and you will be able to do your daily yoga routine with much more attentiveness and effectiveness. This playlist is called Istanbul and it contains songs from different artists. Even if you are not fond of the entire playlist, you can choose a song that you can resonate with and sync your yoga routine to it.

1. Out here, In there-Bugge Wesseltoft & Sidsel Endressen
2. Limit to Your Love-James Blake
3. Stars-The XX
4. Rapala Shad-Metamatics
5. Dogs-HVOB
6. VCR (Matthew Dear Remix)-The XX
7. Funky for You-Deadbeats
8. Howling-Ry and Frank Wiedemann
9. Epoca-La Ravancha Del Tango
10. .No Love-Little Dragon
11. Truth-Bugge Wesseltoft &  Sidsel Endressen

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Mantra to Ganesha

Mantra to Ganesha

Mantra to Ganesh

Lord Ganesh is the master of wisdom and knowledge. He is the remover of obstacles, and guardian of beauty, prosperity, grace and compassion. Lord Ganesh is the first deity to be reverenced in Hindu rites. He is a guardian of doors of houses and temples. He is the God that removes the internal and external obstacles of our success, and he is the one that grants the opening of your spiritual gifts. He is also the protector of all beings.

Stories about Lord Ganesh

There are many stories about this God as he is one of the most important Gods in Hinduism. There is a lot of speculation about his head and there is a story behind it too. It is said that Goddess Parvati, who is the mother of Lord Ganesh, carved a boy out of turmeric powder. Then, he breathed life into this idol. Lord Shiva, who is her husband, knew nothing about this. The goddess was bathing when her husband came home and Lord Ganesh did not let Shiva enter the abode. Shiva got angry and decapitated the boy’s head. Upon knowing the whole story, he went outside to get an animal’s head to replace Ganesh’s head. The first animal he saw was an elephant. This is why Lord Ganesh has an elephant’s head, which has become a mark of identification for him.

Hindu scriptures also narrate that Lord Ganesh wrote the Mahabharata. He was writing it as Vyasa was reciting it to him. They had a condition. Veda Vyasa would not stop reciting and Lord Ganesh would not stop writing. Another condition was that Ganesh would not only write it but also understand every word of this epic. According to traditions, it took both of them three years to complete this writing and recitation. When you look at Lord Ganesh’s idol, you would notice that it is broken. It is said that Ganesh broke his tusk during the time when he was writing the Mahabharata. During writing, his feather, which he was using to write, broke but he could not stop writing as it would break the condition between the two. So, he broke a part of his tusk and started writing with it.

Lord Ganesh in today’s World

Lord Ganesh is known as the Guardian of Knowledge, representing the sage, or a state of consciousness where a man reaches self-realization and plenitude of gifts. Today, he is very important for people who are out on a mission to look for themselves. It is very easy to lose ourselves in today’s world where everyone is trying to be someone that they are not. In this time and age, if you want to find your inner self and get in touch with the side of you that connects to your soul, you need to read up more about Lord Ganesh. From his stories, you can see that he is someone who would not give up. Having written the Mahabharata, he is also the protector of knowledge and traditions.

Source: http://humanityhealing.net/2012/01/om-gam-ganapataye-namaha/
 
 

PS.

Practice yoga online with me or catch me at my next yoga event

To see my latest playlists follow me on spotify

 

 

clararobertsoss

Teacher of Yoga, Mantra & Meditation
Seeker of the Sacred.
Facilitator of conscious movement.
#PracticeWithClara

Clara Roberts-Oss

The Invitation by Oriah Mountain Dreamer

Oriah Mountain Dreamer the message

The Invitation

by Oriah Mountain Dreamer

It doesn’t interest me what you do for a living. I want to know what you ache for and if you dare to dream of meeting your heart’s longing.

It doesn’t interest me how old you are. I want to know if you will risk looking like a fool for love, for your dream, for the adventure of being alive.

It doesn’t interest me what planets are squaring your moon. I want to know if you have touched the centre of your own sorrow, if you have been opened by life’s betrayals or have become shrivelled and closed from fear of further pain.

I want to know if you can sit with pain, mine or your own, without moving to hide it, or fade it, or fix it.

I want to know if you can be with joy, mine or your own; if you can dance with wildness and let the ecstasy fill you to the tips of your fingers and toes without cautioning us to be careful, be realistic, remember the limitations of being human.

It doesn’t interest me if the story you are telling me is true. I want to know if you can disappoint another to be true to yourself. If you can bear the accusation of betrayal and not betray your own soul. If you can be faithless and therefore trustworthy.

I want to know if you can see Beauty even when it is not pretty every day. And if you can source your own life from its presence.

I want to know if you can live with failure, yours and mine, and still stand at the edge of the lake and shout to the silver of the full moon, ‘Yes.’

It doesn’t interest me to know where you live or how much money you have. I want to know if you can get up after the night of grief and despair, weary and bruised to the bone and do what needs to be done to feed the children.

It doesn’t interest me who you know or how you came to be here. I want to know if you will stand in the centre of the fire with me and not shrink back.

It doesn’t interest me where or what or with whom you have studied. I want to know what sustains you from the inside when all else falls away.

I want to know if you can be alone with yourself and if you truly like the company you keep in the empty moments.

 

Learn more about her here: http://www.oriahmountaindreamer.com/

 

PS.

Practice yoga online with me or catch me at my next yoga event

 

clararobertsoss

Teacher of Yoga, Mantra & Meditation
Seeker of the Sacred.
Facilitator of conscious movement.
#PracticeWithClara

Clara Roberts-Oss

Yoga Playlist-Aim

Aim yoga playlist

There are different genres of music and different people find solace in different sorts of music. Some can resonate well with the instruments while others like to listen to the words. For some, the loud bass might be too much while for others, it is a way to block out the rest of the world. During yoga, you have to concentrate on what you are doing. Your aim is to look inside yourself and to find peace and calmness. The music that you listen to during yoga should not distract you. It should merely provide a pattern or path for you to follow. This is why you might not want to listen to rap during yoga as it does not go with the flow of yoga.

AIM Song for Yoga

In different cultures, there are different hymns and songs that are passed through the gener

ion. Even though these music types and songs do not have a name, they do have an impact on everyone who listens to them and they hold a lot of importance in that culture or region. The song of Native American tribes is now given the name the AIM song. Back in the day, there was no name for the song as it was just popular in those tribes. It is said that the song was hummed by some child at the Crow Fair. This could be true as the vocables of the songs are quite simple. Another theory says that this song was developed by two members of the AIM or American Indian Movement.at

Since it was intertribal, there isn’t a single language in the song. However, it has vocal harmon

y which leaves the listener mesmerized. There is a repeated motif in the song which is why it is perfect for yoga. The women singers sing this repeated motif and you can find a perfect rhythm to the yoga moves in this repetition.

AIM Playlist

AIM song has been used for different purposes until now. It is often used in protests.

Also, it is used as an opening or warm-up song at powwows of tribes. The vocal harmony of this song is such that it is also used as a prayer before some performances by the tribes. This playlist will help you get into your yoga stance very swiftly. You will be able to purify your thoughts and dive deep into the spirit of yoga. It has songs like G

randma’s Hands that will make you nostalgic for a time of your childhood or a person that made you believe that everything will be well, one day

1. Spiegal im Spiegal-Avo Part
2. Grandma’s Hands-Bill Withers
3. Linctus-Aim
4. The Girl Who Fell Through the Ice (featuring Kate Rogers)-Aim
5. Guimar-Aim
6. In Particular-Blonde Redhead
7. Days to Come-Bonobo
8. Sanctuary-Antibalas
9. Groove Holmes-Beastie Boys
10. Useless-Depeche Mode
11. All in Forms-Bonobo
12. Gabe’s New Joint-Antibalas
13. Transitions-Beastie Boys
14. Sofa Rockers (Dorfmeister remix)-Sofa Surfers
14. Monsoon Point-Al Gromer Kahn & Amelia Cuni