My last post talked about what Mudras are and what they represent. There are many mudras and variations in each country for usage and meaning. Ive put together a list of some of the most common ones found in Buddhism and Hinduism.

It is often helpful to know these variations when looking at temple art, especially Buddhist art, as the iconography and imagery can help bring the figures and stories to life.

Here’s some info on Mudras for you to get started:

• Dhyani Mudra   Gesture of Meditation
• Vitarka Mudra         Gesture of Teaching
• Dhammacakka Mudra     Turning the Wheel of Dhamma
• Bhumisparsha Mudra      Gesture of Touching Earth – Enlightenment
• Abhaya Mudra         Gesture of Fearlessness/Protection
• Varada Mudra         Gesture of Granting Wishes
• Uttarabodhi Mudra      Gesture of Supreme Enlightenment
• Anjali Mudra         Gesture of Greeting and Veneration
• Vajrapradama Mudra      Gesture of Unshakable Confidence
• Maha Mudra         Gesture of Supreme Wisdom

Dhyani: Gesture of Meditation

Dhyani Mudra

In this mudra, back of right hand rests in palm of other with tips of thumbs lightly touching. The hands rest in lap. The right hand, resting on top, symbolizes state of enlightenment; the other below, the world of appearance. This gesture expresses overcoming the world of appearance through enlightenment, as well as the enlightened mind where samsara and nirvana are one.

In another form of this mudra, middle, ring, and little fingers of both hands lie on top of each other ande the thumbs and index fingers of each hand, touch to form a circle, which symbolises the world of appearance and true nature of reality.

Vitarka: Gesture of Debate

Vitarka Mudra
This mudra is a universal sign outside of its Buddhist context, and appears in Christian iconography.

Both hands are in Abhaya and Varada, but with thumbs touching tips of forefingers. The right hand is at shoulder level, the left at level of hips.

This mudra is used for images of the Great Buddhas, and symbolises one of the phases of the preaching of Buddha, of discussion or teaching of the dhamma.

The circle formed by the thumb and the index, a complete form, having neither beginning nor end, is that of perfection; it resembles the Law of the Buddha, which is perfect and eternal.

A variant is left hand rests palm up in lap, and right hand raised to shoulder level with thumb and index finger forming circle. Another form is with index finger and little fingers of both hands fully extended, middle and ring fingers curved in. The left hand points up, right points down.

Dhammacakka: Turning the Wheel of Dhamma

Dhammacakka Mudra

This mudra comes in a variety of forms. Generally, the right hand is held level of breast, palm outward, with index finger and thumb, joined at tips to form the mystic circle, touching the joined index and thumb of left hand, whose palm is turned inward. The left palm is turned in (toward body), right out, and circles formed by thumbs and index fingers of each hand touch.

It symbolises one of the most important moments in the life of the Buddha, the occasion when he preached to his former companions the first sermon after his Enlightenment, in the Deer Park in Sarnath.

This mudra is particularly steeped in the rich symbolism of the wheel in Buddhist metaphysics. Apart from Buddha Gautama, only Maitreya (the Buddha of the future) can, as a dispenser of the Law, form this mudra.

The circles made by the thumbs and forefingers represent the Wheel of Dharma, and in turn, the union of method and wisdom.

Bhumisparsha: Gesture of Touching the Earth, Enlightenment

Bhumispara Mudra

This is the mudra to particular to seated images of Buddha, with the left hand resting palm up in lap, and right hand hanging over knee, palm inward, pointing to the earth.

The mudra portrays Buddha taking earth as witness at the bodhi tree, witnessing Shakyamuni had fulfilled the discipline and duty of a Bodhisattva. Shakyamuni’s instantaneous transformation from a Bodhisattva to the Buddha is the superiority of the knowledge of the Buddha, which is pure bodhi perception and the means that enables the Enlightened One to triumph over demons.

Sometimes the left hand holds a begging bowl. This is the gesture Buddha summoned Earth as witness to realization of buddhahood, and it is a gesture of unshakability. Akshobhya (the Unshakable) is depicted with this mudra.

Abhaya: Gesture of Fearlessness

Abhaya Mudra

This mudra is made with right hand raised to shoulder height, arm crooked, palm facing outward, fingers upright and joined. The left hand hangs at side of the body.

This mudra originally sprang from natural movements. The outstretched hand is a universal iconographic symbol, and since antiquity it was a gesture asserting power. Here it is the gesture of the Buddha Shakyamuni immediately after attaining enlightenment.

It is also the gesture of appeasement made by Buddha when a drunken elephant, goaded by the malevolent Devadatta, attacked him. The Buddha’s gesture immediately stopped the animal in its tracks and subdued it. Accordingly, it indicates not only the appeasement of senses, but also the absence of fear; and it confers absence of fear on others, which is a liberating factor.

In China, Japan and Korea, this mudra of the right hand is often used in combination with another mudra made with the left hand.

Varada: Gesture of Giving

Varada Mudra

This mudra is the charity of the Buddha, and is the gesture of dispensing favors.

The right hand is directed downward with palm open to the viewer, empty; fingers may be slightly bent as if to support a round object. If standing, the arm is slightly extended to the front. If seated, hand remains at breast level, a little to side, palm up, and often the other hand holds a corner of the kesa.

This mudra represents offering, giving, welcome, charity, compassion and sincerity. It is the mudra of accomplishment of the wish to devote oneself to human salvation. The open hand and extended fingers symbolise the flowering of the Buddha’s Gift of Truth.

The Varada Mudra is frequently seen combined with Abhaya Mudra,where right hand makes the gesture of fearlessness, the left of wish granting. Standing Buddha figures are often shown this way

When Shakyamuni is shown with this mudra, it symbolises summoning Heaven as witness to buddhahood. In a variant, thumb and index finger of down extended hand touch.

Uttarabodhi: Gesture of Supreme Enlightenment

Uttarabodhi Mantra

The Uttarabodhi mudra is called the mudra of supreme enlightenment

Both hands are held at level of chest, two raised index fingers touch, remaining fingers are crossed and folded down;thumbs touch at tips or crossed and folded.

It is a hand gesture that evokes a sense of unshaked unity within oneself in aligning with the One source. Try holding the Uttarabodhi mudra for a couple minutes and sense the subtle energy shift. As the sun of enlightenment dawns, fears are dispelled.

Vajra Mudra: Gesture of Supreme Wisdom

Vajra Mudra – Mudra of Enlightenment

This mudra is made with the extended forefinger of one hand enclosed within the fist of the other, a Tantric gesture in Japan and Korea. The Japanese name is Chi Ken-in. This mudra is associated with Vairocana, one of five transcendent Buddhas, and stresses Knowledge in the spiritual world.

It the Mudra of Supreme Wisdom. The five fingers of the right hand represent the five elements protecting the sixth, man. One interpretation is the erect finger represents Knowledge cloaked in the illusion of the material world. Another version says the index finger is man, and the five enclosing fingers are the elements of earth, air, fire, water and ether encircling man.

Another interpretation says the erect forefinger represents Knowledge, hidden by the world of appearances (right fist). In Tibet, this mudra is perfect union between the deity and feminine power. It is unity in the manifold as embodied in Buddha.

Anjali: Gesture of Prayer

Anjali Mudra

This is the  mudra of offering and devotion. It is formed by joining palms, held at the breast, fingers interlocked at the tips, right thumb covering left.

Anjali Mudra is also known as Namaskara Mudra, the oldest of Indian gestures. The word “anjali” means “two handfuls”, derived from the cupping of both hands together as if holding something within.

The gesture formed by union of the hands, is the co-existence of the two inseparable worlds, which are really one: Diamond World – vajradhatu and Matrix World – gharbhadhatu. These worlds are expression of two aspects of one cosmic life and represent the spiritual and material, the static and dynamic. The harmony of union.

This is a gesture of adoration, giving homage to a superior state, and it is never represented on a statue of the Buddha. It is a gesture, which belongs to Bodhisattvas and to give homage to Buddha or to Dhamma. It is often seen on multiple-armed Quan Yin.

Universal in India and South-East Asia as salutation, it evokes an offering of good feelings and veneration if it is made at the face. Used as a mudra, it expresses “suchness” (tahata).

Vajrapradama: Gesture of Unshakeable Trust

Vajrapradama Mudra

This mudra represents unshakable self-confidence and inner strength.

It emanates a glowing river of golden energy; soft, kind, radiant, healing, everlasting. It is the gesture of confidence in the Self, the real Self that is one with Divine energy. This confidence is centered in the heart; the bridge between personal and spiritual faith. When faith is strong, the Heart communicates strength and confidence in the Heart Self.

Vajra means “thunderbolt” or “lightening bolt” and “diamond,” and suggests something luminous, powerful and indestructible. Vajra also means the true self, and Pradama means trust or confidence. In Buddhism the thunderbolt represents the ultimate weapon against doubt. Vajrapradama Mudra symbolizes unshakable confidence and it is personal power and faith in something greater. Let go of self-doubt, mistrust of others or hopelessness in the face of obstacles.

मुद्राis mudrā, literally means a “seal” in Sanskrit.

A mudrā is a symbolic gesture in Hinduism, Taoism and Buddhism, and a spiritual and energetic seal in the spiritual practice of East Asian religions. Some mudrās involve the entire body, but most are shown with hands and fingers.

In Tibetan Tantra, the body, speech and thought of the Buddha are the Three Mysteries. The mystic power (Adhisthana) of the Buddha can be expressed through humans, with our body, speech and thought.

• Body: Mudra
• Speech: Mantra or Dharani
• Thought: Yogic concentration or Dhyana

In yoga, mudras are helpful in meditation and pranayama to stimulate different parts of the body and affect the flow of prana in the body. Mudras are also used in classical Indian dance and martial arts. Mudras are believed to affect the energy in our body, to connect mind, body and spirit.

Mudra History

The earliest mudras are found in Mantra Shastra (book of incantations), Upasana Shastra (book of worship and prayers) and the Nritya Shastra (book of classical dances). The mid-7th Century C.E. Mahavairocana-sutra notes over 130 mudras: 31 for Great Buddhas, 57 for great deities, and 45 others.

The Babylonian sun God Damuzi held a gesture as he descended into the underworld, and the mystical whirling dervishes of Islam use hand signs for various rites and rituals. In the West, cheironomy is the science of hand gestures (mudras), and in Christian art Jesus, John the Baptist and Virgin Mary use gestures. Roman art and Egyptian hieroglyphics also show many mudras, including kings and queens as mummies holding mudras into the afterlife.

Five Elements of the Hand

The fingers also correspond to the Five Elements, as well as emotions and the major organs.

• Thumb represents Earth, the stomach and the emotions of Worry and Meditation.
• Index finger represents Metal, the lungs, large intestine and the emotions of Grief and Courage
• The middle finger is Fire, the heart, small intestine, circulatory and respiratory systems, and the emotions of Joy and Depression.
• The ring finger is Wood, the liver, gall bladder, nervous system and the emotion of Anger and Love.
• The little finger is Water, the kidneys and the emotion of Fear and Compassion.

Mudras can be practiced seated, standing, lying down or walking. The body needs to be loose, relaxed and cantered to connect with the flow of energy. When fingers touch, use a light pressure with hands relaxed. Just exert a bit of pressure to feel the energy of your hands.

Some Important Mudras

My next post includes more information on individual Mudras, and a review of some common Buddhist and Hindu ones. You might find the information helpful in your yoga and meditation practice.

• Dhyani – Gesture of Meditation
• Vitarka – Gesture of Teaching
• Dharmachakra – Turning the Wheel of Dhamma
• Bhumisparsha – Gesture of Touching Earth – Enlightenment
• Abhaya – Gesture of Fearlessness/Protection
• Varada – Gesture of Granting Wishes
• Uttarabodhi – Gesture of Supreme Enlightenment
• Anjali – Gesture of Greeting and Veneration
• Vajrapradama – Gesture of Unshakable Confidence
• Maha – Gesture of Supreme Wisdom

Bhutan Glory

As I was researching on the web for Thanksgiving travel to Bhutan, I found this post from Yeshey Dorji in Thimphu, Bhutan.

His description on his profile stopped me along with the arresting image of the new National Butterfly of the Kingdom.

“The decadent concept of measuring success by the amount of material wealth one possesses is the sole reason why the modern society suffers from acute intellectual impotence. It is also the reason why we unfailingly take a million miles walk to arrive at the point of departure. And yet, I like to think that there is a pattern to the madness that is life. To believe otherwise is to lose hope – and to lose hope is to render life meaningless.” ~ Yeshey Dorji

Butterflies Fly Free

A male Bhutan Glory butterfly (Provided by Yasuyuki Watanabe)

The Kingdom of Bhutan is a fabled haven for butterflies, with 90 – 120 species  and 28 of these endemic to the eastern Himalayas. Such a degree of biodiversity is available because of the wide range of habitats found in the mountainous terrain together with a  strong culture of stewardship.

Bhutan has made a well-deserved place on the biodiversity map, ranking in the top 10% of countries in species richness per area unit. In Bhutan, 26% of the country is protected land, with another 9% designated as corridors connecting protected areas. The government has left 60% of the country under forest cover.

Here’s a link to some snapshots from another Bhutanese photographer

Birds also love Bhutan so it is a prime location for catching glimpses of many unusual feathered species. The Kingdom of Bhutan has over 670 bird species identified, and the lush ecosystems promise plenty of wildlife. Snow leopards and Bengal tigers reside in high-elevation forests, and the southern tropics are home to the clouded leopard, one-horned rhinoceros, elephants and a rare primate unique to Bhutan – the golden langur.

Here’s more about the brilliant butterflies of Bhutan - click here and a link to a printable guide of Butterflies in Bhutan, found between 800 and 3,000 meters.

National Butterfly of Bhutan

The new National Butterfly of Bhutan has been announced as the Bhutan Glory - Bhutanitis lidderdali, from the Family – PAPILIONIDAE and subfamily – PARNASSIINAE. The Ministery of Agriculture and Forestry sent a research team from Bhutan in collaboration with the Butterfly Society of Japan (BSJ) and NHK Japan to locate these rare butterflies.

The team had first sighting of this butterfly on August 12, 2011 and another five more butterflies were spotted on the same day, which is the historic date when this butterfly was first discovered in 1933. Four more butterflies were sighted after crossing the army camp near Longkhar (Trashiyantse) -  also the point where the re-discovery was made.The butterflies were found fluttering above treetops in a small forest in the Trashiyangsi Valley in eastern Bhutan.

There are 6 species in the genus Bhutanitis, all large and magnificent butterflies with black wings marked with fine creamy or white lines. The hindwings of all species bear prominent red patches, greyish ocelli, and a set of 3 or 4 long spiky tails.

And here’s Yeshey Dorji’s Butterfly post helping us identify the Bhutan Glory from Ladlow’s Swallotail:

SATURDAY, MARCH 3, 2012

Bhutan Adopts A National Butterfly

GREAT NEWS! We now have a national butterfly. The Cabinet, upon the recommendation of the Hon’ble Minister for Agriculture and Forests, His Excellency Lyonpo (Dr.) Pema Gyamtsho, has approved, on 16th February, 2012 the Ludlow’s Bhutan Swallowtail (Bhutanitis ludlowi) as our national butterfly.

The butterfly is truly magnificent – and very, very rare. Notwithstanding the unproven claim made by Chou that it is also found in the southwestern Sichuan province of China, it is generally accepted that the butterfly is endemic to Bhutan and is found nowhere else in the world. Even in Bhutan, it is so rare that, as of today, the Ludlow’s Bhutan Swallowtail is found NO WHERE ELSE – except in Tobrang areas of Trashiyangtse, Eastern Bhutan.

The photo below of the Ludlow’s Bhutan Swallowtail is of the sample collected by Sonam Wangdi, Wildlife Conservation Division, Department of Forestry, Bhutan and Dr. Yago Masaya, Butterfly Society of Japan, during August, 2011:

Ludlow’s Bhutan Swallowtail

Another equally majestic and rare butterfly that is found in Bhutan is called the Bhutan Glory (Bhutanitis lidderdalii). It was first discovered in Bhutan in 1868 by Dr. R. Lidderdale. The drawing shown below was prepared and described by Mr. William Stephen Atkinson from one of the samples collected by Dr. Lidderdale from Bhutan in 1872.

The butterfly is found in Assam, Sikkim, Manipur, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam and the Szechwan and Yunnan provinces of China. In Bhutan, I know that they are found in Gedu, Khaling and Pemagatshel areas.

Both of these butterflies are Swallowtails. Unless one takes a careful look, they look almost identical:

Bhutan Glory

Bhutan, Land of Thunder Dragons & Kingdom of Tantra with Cora Wen ~ November 17-24, 2012

from $4,950 Luxury Tour for 8 Days Land Only
Deposit of  $1200 by May 15 2012 to hold your spot

Prayer at Tiger's Nest

Explore Bhutan’s unique Buddhist culture and stunning landscape of high peaks, dense forests and illuvial glacial plains. Each area we travel has its own unique, regional cultural traditions and topography.

This luxury tour explores the heartlands of a pristine and undiscovered Himalayan kingdom, staying in some of the most exclusive hotels in the world. Soak in the culture and traditions of the rural towns and villages peppered across the country, and come home to exquisite suites and divine spa treatments – guaranteed to make this the trip of a lifetime.

Bhutan is the last Shangri-La; a pristine jewel nestled in the Himalayas, east of Nepal, north of India and south of Tibet. It is the last Tantric Buddhist Kingdom, in a landscape dotted with a myriad of spiritual symbols. Chortens rise from hillsides, prayer flags flutter in the wind and prayer wheels, turned by the rushing waters of mountain streams, stand like sentinels at the entrance of most monasteries.

Breakfast looking at the Hims!

Known for its pristine culture and spiritual heritage – this is a land of people fiercely independent and proud of tradition. Religious festivals and pilgrimages fuel the spirit of the Bhutanese and provide time for both rest and celebrations.

Uma Paro will be our base, as we immerse ourselves in Bhutan’s extraordinary landscape and cultural heritage. Uma’s experienced guides will lead us through the Paro valley on day hikes, including Taktsang ‘Tiger’s Nest’ Monastery, the National Museum, Drukgyel Dzong and a visit to the ancient temple of Kyichu Lhakhang. Enjoy blessings in a local monastery and spend a day exploring underground caves, or try your aim at Archery, the national sport on Uma’s private Bha Cho ground!

All levels encouraged. Yoga practice will accommodate daily excursions: leg focus for hiking, back focus for jeep journeys, breath awareness for altitude.

8 Days in the Kingdom of Bhutan, Land of Thunder Dragons

From the alpine valley of Paro to the bustling capital city of Thimpu, the magnificent Dzong at Punakha and the remote Phobjikha Valley, this journey takes you across the whole Bhutanese landscape, giving you a glimpse into a land that time seems to have forgotten. Thimphu, home to Bhutan’s young King, is the starting point of this journey and one can see modern influence merge with traditional culture in this small capital city. Striking eastwards the modern world quickly gives way to progressively more rural and traditional scenes where village life has remained largely unchanged.

DAY 1 Saturday, Nov 17: Arrival at Paro International Airport and Thimphu Sightseeing.

Your guide will welcome you at the airport for the 90-minute scenic drive to Thimphu, winding alongside two snaking rivers and passing countless fine examples of the quaint, traditional farmhouse architecture of Bhutan.

The drive to Thimphu will be through some of the most beautiful terrain in Bhutan. You will see southern Bhutan as we wind up the Himalayas with spectacular views of waterfalls, lush vegetation and far flung villages. The capital sprawls up the  wooded western hillside of the Wang Chhu and is the centre of government, religion and commerce.

After checking in to the Taj Tashi, we are at the gateway to a land steeped in mythology and magic. The mountain kingdom of Bhutan remains one of the old world’s last few strongholds, as yet unspoilt by civilization. In the charmed isolation of the Himalayan heights, Bhutan’s ancient and alluring ways of Mahayana Buddhism continue richly intact to this day, and permeate every aspect of Bhutanese life and art. We will be in Thimphu town center, an ideal base to explore spectacular monasteries, centuries-old street festivals, scenic mountain passes and pristine wilderness, all within easy reach.

The Thimphu Chorten temple (Gelay Jamtsho / Flickr)

By afternoon we arrive at the King’s Memorial Chorten, continuously circumambulated by people murmuring mantras and spinning prayer wheels. This landmark was built by His Majesty Jigme Dorji Wangchuk, the Father of modern Bhutan, who wished to erect a monument to peace and prosperity. It serves as memorial to the beloved King and as a monument of world peace.

This is the center of government and religion, site of the throne room and seat of Je Khenpo, Chief Abbot. Built in 1641 by the unifier of Bhutan, Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, it was reconstructed in traditional Bhutanese manner, without nails or architectural plans.

Thimpu offers many wonderful places to visit (exact itineraries are dependent on opening times and interests): The National Memorial Chorten, Trashi Chhoe Dzong, the National Institute of Traditional Medicine, the National Textile Museum, the weekend market, and Folk Heritage Museum. You may wish to just go window shopping or try the one-hour walk up to Tango Monastery at the head of the valley. The day ends with Tashichhodzong, “Fortress of the Glorious Religion”.

Thimphu Farmer's Market

DAY 2 Sunday, Nov 18: Thimphu Sightseeing, Punakha Valley via Dochu La, Chimmi Lhakhang.

Breakfast at hotel and opportunity to look around Thimpu in the morning, before heading off along a scenic mountain route towards the former capital of Bhutan, Punakha.

We will pass through Dochula ( 10,000ft) where a large Chorten and forest of prayer flags greet us high up on the Himalayan range! On a clear day you can see an endless chain of Himalayan Peaks including Gangar Punsum (24,000 ft), the highest unclimbed peak in the world, Ganchenta, Teri Gang, and others all above 20,000 ft. From there we descend 5,500 ft through temperate forests coloured with rhododendrons and magnolias down to the semitropical zone of oranges, banana and cacti.

There is time to stretch the legs with a short walk across rice paddies to Chimmi Lhakhang, a fertility temple dedicated to Drukpa Kuenley, a Tibetan Buddhist saint known popularly as the Divine Madman. The temple sits atop a picturesque hill surrounded by rice fields. Drukpa Kuenley built a chorten on the site in the 14th century, and it has long been a pilgrimage site for childless couples.

Upon arrival check–in at hotel and dinner.

DAY 3 Monday, Nov 19: Punakha Dzong, Khamsan Yuley Namgay Chorten Walk, Wangdue Phodrang Dzong and Bazaar.

We have a full day for further exploration of the scenic Punakha Valley, which is low enough (1,200m) to allow bananas and oranges to grow.

Contemplation in the Mountains

The destination for this morning’s walk up through whitewashed homesteads and farmland is Khamsum Yuley Namgay Chorten, a shrine recently built by the royal family. It is a startlingly ornate and elaborate structure with a rainbow of Guru Rinpoche images and superb views. Heading down along the riverside the massive architectural edifice of the 17th-century Punakha Dzong soon looms into view. The fortress-monastery was built in 1637 by Shabdung Nawang Namgyal in a commanding position at the confluence of the mighty glacial rivers, Po Chhu and Mo Chhu (Father and Mother rivers), which descend from the lofty heights of the Himalayas..

It once served as the seat of the Kingdom’s government and is now the winter home of Je Khempo, the head abbot of Bhutan, along with a retinue of 1,000 monks. The day finishes with an afternoon stroll through the quaint bazaar at Wangdue Phodrang to visit its dzong. Founded in 1638 by the Shabdrung, Wangdue Phodrang Dzong is located on a high promontory overlooking the Punak Chhu river. Afternoon visit to Punakha Dzong, the winter residence of Je Khenpo and monks of Tashichhodzong.

DAY 4 Tuesday, Nov 20: Punakha Valley to Paro, Chuzom, Tamchog Lhakhang to Paro.

THE Himalayan Range!

We have time to retrace our steps back over the Dochu La for a second chance of that wonderful view of the Himalayan range!

Returning to the Chuzum or confluence we catch a glimpse of the three shrines in Nepali, Tibetan and Bhutanese style which were built to ward of evil spirits near the checkpoint. Time permitting the journey can be broken with a visit to Tamchog Lhakhang built by Thangtong Gyalpo (the so-called Iron Bridge Builder). This former saint from the 14th century introduced the art of building suspension bridges with iron chains; the only way to reach his temple is by one of these bridges.

On the final leg the road snakes alongside the Pa Chhu river, through apple orchards and rice paddies, past quaint homesteads to our home in the mountains, Uma Paro. After check-in and a show round, we invite you to spend the rest of the day relaxing around the property, enjoying the facilities or perhaps trying some other activity like the Bhutanese national sport of archery or a traditional Bhutanese Hot Stone Bath.

DAY 5 Wednesday, Nov 21: Drakhapo Monastery and Adventure Cave.

Young Monks say Hello

After a short drive from Uma Paro, start your 1.5 hour easy walk to Drakhapo Monastery. This has a small community of monks living nearby.

The main temple room is precariously perched on the edge of a rock cliff and there are some sacred sites not to be missed such as the body-imprint of Vajrayogini or a stone boot belonging to Guru Rinpoche. The monastery is built on a mountain which is dotted with underground caves. One of these caves has a small ladder leading to a large cavern that soon turns into a very narrow crevasse. The cave is only recommended for those who are keen on adventure caving.

Archery at Uma Ba Cho

In the afternoon, come and try your hand at Bhutan’s two most popular sports on Uma Paro’s very own archery ground (Bha Cho). Archery is the national sport of Bhutan. High-spirited competitions, usually accompanied by a banquet, feature in all festive occasions. Using bamboo bows (although modern compound bows are finding their way into the kingdom) teams of archers shoot at targets only 30cms in diameter from a distance of 140 metres. Each team has a noisy crowd of supporters (‘jeerleaders’). Kuru (darts) is another very popular traditional Bhutanese game played by men and women.

DAY 6 Thursday, Nov 22: Highlights of the Paro Valley–Taktsang Walk

Taktsang Monastery ~ Tigers Nest

After breakfast, we hike up to Taktsang monastery (The Tiger’s Nest). For people unaccustomed to the altitude it takes about three hours at an average walking speed to reach the temples. Enroute up the mountain, a stop at teahouse for refreshments and a classic view of the monastery. The path may appear somewhat hair-raising at times, but it is well groomed and worth the views!

One of the most amazing and important pieces of architecture in Bhutan, Taktsang Goemba defies logic, gravity, and reason. Taktsang monastery is one of the most venerated pilgrim sites of the Himalayan world and it contains 13 holy places. Taktsang, the “Tiger’s Lair”, gets its name from the story of its birth.

Flying into Tigers Nest

In the 8th century, Guru Rinpoche came to Taktsang in a miraculous manner, flying on the back of a tigress from Khenpajong in the region of Kurteop. According to Bhutanese legend, the tigress was a form taken by one of the Master’s consorts for the occasion. Guru Rinpoche meditated for three months in a cave at Taktsang and converted the Paro valley to Buddhism.

Lunch will be served in Takstang. Return walk is all down hill and takes about 1 1/2 – hour.
NOTE: THIS IS A VERY STEEP HIKE OF AT LEAST 3 HOURS. IF YOU FEEL YOU CANNOT DO IT, WE SUGGEST ALTERNATE VISIT TO KYICHU LHAKHANG.

Return to Uma Paro in the afternoon for some time to rest and relax and enjoy the facilities such as the steam rooms, swimming pool or a Bhutanese Hot Stone Bath followed by a soothing massage. Dinner will be served in the hotel.

DAY 7 Friday, Nov 23: Daywalk to Zurig Dzong, Rinpung Dzong, Ta Dzong, Paro town, Kyichu Lhakhang and Drukgyel Dzong.

Wind through pine forests high above Uma Paro to the pretty grounds of the fortress-like monastery of Zurig Dzong. Traverse across to Ta Dzong, housing Bhutan’s National Museum with magnificent views over Paro, and on down to Rinpung Dzong (Fortress on a Heap of Jewels). The trail then leads across Paro Chhu (river) via a traditional covered bridge (Nyamai Zam) and then past the main archery ground, Ugyen Pelri Palace and into Paro town.

Farewell Dinner at Uma Paro

Drive a few kilometres north of Paro, and we pay our respects at Kyichu Lhakhang; this is one of the oldest temples in Bhutan with its magic orange tree that bears fruit all year round. Time permitting, we drive further up  the valley to Drukgyel Dzong, built in 1648 by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal to control the northernroute to Tibet (from here, it is only a two-day hike to the border with Tibet, dominated by Mt Jhomalhari).

Bhukari Restaurant at Uma Paro

In the evening you are invited for a firelit farewell dinner in the courtyard at Uma Paro.

DAY 8 Saturday Nov 24: Breakfast at the hotel and proceed to airport to connect flight home with memories and inspiration to hold in your heart these great Himalayan mountains. I hope the trip leaves you with the lasting love for a kingdom hidden in the Himalayas, and a love for its people in the deepest part of my own heart.

Programme includes:

• Accommodation on a full-board basis (excluding beverages) at luxury accommodations of Uma Paro and Taj Tashi in Paro and Thimphu
• Double Occupancy sharing for 7 nights. If you do not have a roommate, we may have to assign, or charge a single supplement.
• Accommodation for three nights on a full-board basis in locally owned hotel
  

  Yoga at Uma Paro

• Seven days of privately guided day excursions with picnic lunches taking in highlights of Punakha and Paro Valleys, including Taktsang (Tiger’s Nest) Monastery, National Museum, Drukyel Dzong and a visit to temple of Kyichu Lhakhang
• The services of an experienced English-speaking Bhutanese guide
• Private lunch hosted at AmanKora Punkaha Lodge
• One COMO Shambhala Massage (60 minutes) per person
• Private airport transfers and transport in Bhutan
• All Bhutanese Government Visa Fees and Royalties
• 

  Uma Paro Suite

  Inclusive of 10% service charge and 10% sales tax

• All museum and visitor centre entry fees and road permits
• Daily Yoga class whilst at Uma Paro
• Complimentary use of the library, internet facilities, swimming pool, steam room and gym at Uma Paro
• Single Upgrade and Villa Rentals available on request
  

  We made it up the Tigers Nest! May 2010

Not included are any expenses of personal nature such as laundry, table drinks, telephone calls etc. Any tips or gratuities either at airport or hotels or to drivers or accompanied Guides. Airfare on sector Paro – Transfer City quoted separately.

Spring = Wood energy = Liver

In Chinese culture, the world is a harmonious place where all beings live in balance with Nature. Seasons have rhythms, and we are part of this holistic entity, and influenced directly and indirectly by changes in weather and season.

Seasons have rhythms, and each season represents an organ of the body, corresponding to one of the Five Elements. As parts of the body receives energy throughout the year, the organs are nurtured, cleansed and supported to promote wellness and health.

In spring, earth begins anew, and it is a season of birth and growth. Energy builds, as animals rise from  hibernation, seeds sprout, and blossoms appear. This is a season of fertility, beginnings and new ideas, growth in relationships and planting seeds for the future.

As we transition to spring, our bodies feel the brighter, longer days, and we want to get moving more. In dark, cool winter, Chi enters deep into the body, and it’s natural to want to sleep longer, decrease activity and do less outdoors.

As the days get milder, it is important to still stay well covered and warm, to prevent getting chilled. We must adapt to changing weather, and we are susceptible to seasonal problems, like allergies, flu and colds. Spring is the windy season, so wind and heat can cause respiratory problems. Changing activity, diet and emotions can help  the body and mind to avoid illness. Chinese medicine can help relieve symptoms, balance the immune system and prevent infection. Acupuncture and herbs focus on treating the root cause of disease as well as the symptoms.

More information on Spring in Chinese Medicine here

Spring Tips

Spring is associated with the element of wood, Liver, Gallbladder, tendons and joints.

If we eat seasonal foods similar to the seasons, we are in harmony with the environment, adapting to seasonal changes and staying in synch with nature’s health. Chinese believe we are what we eat, and most diet guidelines follow nature. Winter warming and storing foods are replaced by cleansing and revitalising foods like leafy greens and sprouts to harmonise the body with rejuvenation and growth in the spring.

Yang flows outwards and occupies the body surface in spring and summer so we get depleted of Yang and need replenishing. The principle is “nourish yang in spring and summer, and nourish yin in autumn and winter.”

The Liver governs the flow of Chi., and when chi flows smoothly all is well, so it’s is a good time for a liver cleanse, to clear out the heaviness and any stagnation of winter.

Go to sleep earlier, to help the liver eliminate toxins and excess. Eat lighter, and add fresh greens and foods with sour taste to rejuvenate the liver. Go outside and breathe deeply to help Chi flow, because when it flows smoothly in your body, the mind relaxes. Flexibility in thought and emotions keeps you from feeling overwhelmed or frustrated with the vibrant energy of spring.

Soothe the liver with pungent, sweet, cool or slightly warm foods. Avoid processed foods (refined flours and sugars), high fat foods (meats, fatty oils, eggs, milk, cheese and nuts) and any heavy foods that can tax the liver. Green is the colour of spring, so eat plenty of fresh leafy greens, seeds, sprouts, and lightly cook foods or steam instead of stewing or frying.

Recommended foods for spring include onions, leeks, mustard greens, Chinese yam, wheat, dates, cilantro, mushrooms, spinach and bamboo shoots. Basil, fennel, marjoram, rosemary, caraway, dill, and bay leaf are pungent spices good to add to meals. Complex carbohydrates like grains, legumes and seeds are sweet and also good for spring eating.

Here’s some yoga poses that might invigorate your Spring energy – click here

Images of colorful prayer flags fluttering in the wind, a dance of shadow and light against the majestic Himalayas. These speak of freedom and wishes for goodness and peace on the planet

In the high mountains, it is a simple way to gain merit by putting up prayer flags for the benefit of all beings. Prayer flags are ancient Buddhist prayers, mantras and symbols that have a powerful spiritual vibration carried by and into the wind.

Prayer flags date to ancient Tibet, China, Persia and India, and the texts and symbols are based in Buddhist philosophy. Pre-Buddhist shamanistic priests used colored flags in healing ceremonies, arranging them around the ill harmonising the elements for physical and mental health. Colored flags were used to appease gods and spirits of the mountains, valleys, lakes and streams, thought to cause natural disasters and disease.

Tibetan word for prayer flag is Dar Cho
“Dar” ~ increase life, fortune, health and wealth
“Cho” ~ all sentient beings

Traditionally in Tibet, prayer flags are in sets of five of five colors. The colors represent the five elements, and the Five Pure Lights and are arranged from left to right in specific order. Chinese medicine trusts health and harmony are produced through balancing these 5 elements.

The order of color is always: yellow, green, red, white and blue. In vertical display yellow goes at the bottom and blue at the top. For horizontal display the order can go from right to left or left to right.

Nyingma (Ancient Ones) School:

Blue ~ sky/space
White ~ air/wind/cloud
Red ~ fire
Green ~ water
Yellow ~ earth

When raising prayer flags proper intention is important. If they are put up with “I will benefit from this” – which is an ego-centered motivation, benefits will be small. If the attitude is “May all beings everywhere receive benefit and find happiness,” the virtue generated by such motivation increases the power of prayers.

Tibetan tradition considers prayer flags to be holy, and they bear sacred texts and symbols that need to be treated respectfully. They should not be put on the ground or in the trash. When disposing of old prayer flags the traditional way is to burn them so the smoke carries their blessings to the heavens.

Prayer flags move with the wind, quietly harmonising the world, impartially increasing happiness and good fortune to all beings. These prayers are blessings borne on the breath of nature. All beings touched by the wind are uplifted and a little happier. As a drop of water returns to the ocean, prayers dissolve in wind to fill the spacious sky.

May the winds rise to carry happiness along…

“For as long as space endures, and for as long as living beings remain, until then may I too abide to dispel the misery of the world” – Shantideva prayer

Have you ever felt some things just don’t translate completely?

I was recently having a conversation with my Tibetan friend Thinlay, who lives deep in the Himalayan range of Northern India. Thinlay and I met years ago at Sarnath, in a circumambulation (Kora), around the stupa, and the small miracle of a Tibetan national and Chinese national doing Kora and talking about teachings of the Buddha felt like a good drop into the cosmic ocean of peace, and we have been friends since that day.

We have always had a good time discussing how words translate the teachings of the Buddha from  Sanskrit and Pali to English or Hindi or Chinese. The way young Bhuddists in Asia learn about the teachings has a lot to do with repeating words and understanding into the cells of the body a relationship to the word or mantra.

Words like Karuna, translated as Compassion or Metta/Maitri as Loving Kindness have a different feeling tone in an Asian language than English. Many asian languages are Sanskrit based, like Indonesian and Thai, so the familiarity of personal and cultural context colours understanding. Our own history, culture and personality will often collide with the experience of things. Just as you and I can feel differently after a musical concert, as after a deep savasana. I may love a piece of music, teacher or class and have a very different perception with some of my dearest friends who are in the same room attending the same concert or yoga class!

As a multi-culti Chinese yogi straddling East and West, the chants of Buddhist monks in repetitive drones of Pali or Sanskrit words are a lullaby to my senses, as Gregorian chants might be for someone steeped in western culture. We  carry our experiences of life in our hearts and minds, and the influences of the past can colour our view darker or lighter.

Thinlay the Thangka Painter

Thinlay Gyatso was born in Darjeeling in West Bengal, India, and his family helped many Tibetan people escape to Darjeeling from their difficult journeys over the worlds highest mountain passes.

Yonten Gyatso, Thinlay’s father was the son of a deadlocked Tantric master Tari Lama (Lama Lhawang) who lived in Dagyab, Eastern Tibet and his mother a native to Tsang province of Rimbung. The family left Tibet and found refuge in the Indian Himalayas, and when Thinlay was as a teenager, they found an old monk, who lived in a small wooden house, so dark that one could hardly see, and requested the favour of teaching the young boy the art of Tibetan thangka.

Thinlay studied Tibetan arts at Gyumed Tantric University, and worked on a special commission (of all Dalai Lamas I – XIV) for H.H. the Dalai Lama, which hangs in Dharamsala, home of the exiled Tibetan leader. Working closely with Lama Dagyab Kyabgon of Gelukpa linage, and under tutors of H.H. Dalai Lama, Thinlay has been immersed in the traditions of his Tibetan roots, far away from my own history of East-West blended masala mix.

We often talk of the differences in Buddhist traditions and practices. I love learning about his culture, and he is often befuddled by mine. Both the Chinese side, and the Western one.

One thing we love sharing is the definitions of words and thought patterns.  I once asked him about the western idea of “self esteem“, and he had very little idea of what I was talking about. Self Esteem is not a word found in Tibetan language – it just doesn’t exist. There is no Tibetan or Sanskrit word that can truly explain the suffering that can come with this word and thought. And what an idea, that we would never have this as part of daily mind fluctuations!

Lost in Tibetan Translation

So I mentioned something about how I see Yoga changing in the United States, and how confusing it is to see it move from a traditional path, with deep, and sometimes misguided respect, for teachers and ancient teachings, to the modern proliferation of teachers and teachings measured by popularity and financial success. I explained that I am seeing more and more that “Western yogis are beginning to confuse Status for Respect, for ourselves and others”.

The next question from Thinlay stopped me in my mind tracks -
“what does that mean – Status?”

When we stop and think of what does this really mean “status,” and what it would mean to a person who grew up in the Himalayas, living in community steeped in traditional Buddhist thought. A community that asks from childhood to be selfless, think of others, and move in all aspects of life with kindness and compassion. A community that were traditionally nomadic mountain people who bartered and traded what was needed, and had no understanding why we would ever take or have what was not needed.

His world and mine are diametrically opposite – a Hong Kong city girl raised in boarding schools and things=love attitudes, versus a Tibetan thangka painter raised by reincarnated lamas and monks.

What does “Status” mean to us in our lives?
How much of our suffering is caught in the ideas that float through the disconnect of what is “needed” in life.

I responded with words trying to say what I wanted – Power was the next one I tried. And again, Thinlay responded quizzically -
“power without wisdom?”

Oh, that’s right, he lives in a mind where power only comes from wisdom. What a different view of the world we have!

So we try a few more words back and forth, and think we are moving toward the same ballpark of thinking, and he reminds me:

“its actually normal with every education these days; people thinks that they don’t have time…in fact the time is always the same…it is only the people minds are busy, but they will realize… ”

Time.

Time is the great equalizer of us all. We all have the same amount of time.

Just enough.

Take time to look inward on your journey of this yoga practice. As I stand on my head, or try to get steady in that arm balance, I am at the end of the day, the same. It is how I live my life and what choices I make with my brother, lover, friends and students that affects this lifetime. It is who I am in the darkest of the night, as well as who I am in the happiest of celebrations. It is who I am when I know no one is watching that counts at the end. What residue do I leave in my wake.

So take time, and reflect on what this practice of yoga is. What is it we practice and meditate for? Why do we chant and discuss yoga sutras and philosophy. Why do we do it all? What changes? Who changes? What remains?

Take time for yourself and take time on the mat, or take a nap and spend time with your beloved. Life can be the most challenging yoga pose of all. How much does that arm balance with your legs behind the head compare to the art of staying balanced while going through a divorce, or caretaking your aging parent?

I took this conversation as a reminder to stay in myself looking inward, and look at how I see the world, and what parts of me are seeing.To draw my senses inward and downward, into the very existence of my true nature. Into the seat of my heart. Home.

As Patanjalis Yoga Sutras remind us in PYS I.3:

Then, pure awareness of the Seer can abide in its very nature.

“The wise nourish life by flowing with the four seasons and adapting to cold or heat, by harmonising joy and anger in a tranquil dwelling, by balancing yin and yang, and what is hard and soft. So it is that dissolute evil cannot reach the person of wisdom, and they will be witness to a long life.”
– Huangdi Neijing Suwen

Chinese Medicine and Winter
Chinese medicine is based in a deep understanding of the patterns of nature, and the implications and applications to the human body. In winter all things in nature wither, hide, return home and enter a resting period.  Animals hibernate as the cold weather comes in, trees and plants move back to seed, and the waters of the earth freeze as snow falls. This season is pure Yin energy – feminine, dark, cool, slow and restful. To act in accordance with seasonal, geographic, and personal factors is the way of health in China.

We are intimately connected to the flow of energy, and one can see and feel this energy in the patterns  of the sun and moon, and their changing trajectory across the sky throughout the year. This Yin season keeps me feeling dark, down and deep in my practice. And exhaustion is part of Natures reminder to store and sleep for Springs arrival soon.

The quiet stillness of winter allows us to nourish our life force, like seeds that burst and bloom in spring. In cold weather we naturally want to go inward and be more still, meditate or rest by a fire with a cup of  tea. The philosophy of health in winter is  to conserve and store energy.

Thisis the season associated with water, when darkness, rain and snow remind us of the power of it. Water provides the nourishment for all activities of life, birth, and growth, and contains the seeds and sustenance of life.

Happy Kidneys in Winter
Winter is ruled by water, and associated with the kidneys, bladder, and adrenal glands. Kidneys are the source of all energy (Chi) within the body, and they store the reserves of Chi we need to handle stress and change, heal, prevent illness and age in health. Much like the parasympathetic system of the body, Kidneys provide the energy to spring forward into health.

In winter, make sure to nurture and nourish Kidney Chi, as it is easy to feel zapped and easily depleted of energy. Our bodies instinctively crave the fundamental principles of winter: rest, reflection, conservation, and storage.  When we shift into this season, our body becomes more vulnerable and enhancing and restoring balance in winter creates optimal health and immunity throughout the year.

The Kidney is the foundation for growth, development, and reproduction; for healthy bones and marrow; and for brain functions of memory, concentration, and intelligence. Resting, storing and conserving energy in winter recharges us, so nourish and support Kidneys by layering them with warmth and protection.

The “Kids” want extra warmth and tonification during cold months to sustain solid energy and enhanced well being throughout the year.  Kidneys are the furnace to spark metabolic processes of the body, and they govern the low back, so conserve Kidney Chi and take care of your back.

The Gates and Springs of Kidney Kare  
Kidneys regulate metabolism, filter and purify  blood, and balance body fluids. They also supply us with willpower and motivation. The Kidneys are the “Root of Life” and house the essence or prenatal force given at conception, Yuan Chi. Between the two kidneys resides an energetic center called Ming Men  “Gate of Vitality”, at the second lumbar vertebrae.

Ming Men is known as the “roots of the navel”, and defined as the “place of conjunction of original yin and yang.” Drawing energy into the Ming Men, is rejuvenating, as this is the place where energy is in “oneness”, not differentiated into male and female. It is both infinite potential and deep fulfillment. Ancient wisdom knew our connection to earth was essential to vitality, and a meridian point on the bottom of the foot (Kidney 1) is Yong Quan – Bubbling Spring which is “major entryway for absorption of Earth Chi,” so take care of your feet!

In winter we want to hibernate, close into ourselves and be still; a time to create “yin within yin.” It is natural to feel like seeds in winter, dormant and silent, awaiting to embrace spring growth. Winter is a cold and contractive time, so clean up your diet and try a cleanse to support the Kidneys. Nourish and nurture your Kids this winter!

To live in optimum health, it is said that the root cause of illnesses must be treated. Take care of the root of your being and become aware of your Kidney health and happiness. Here’s some tips for Kidney Kindness:

1. Get enough rest. Napping is your best friend, and a good nights sleep. It is impossible to regenerate without enough sleep. Go to bed early and keep mental activities quiet and subdued. Stay warm, avoid the cold and keep from sweating.
2. Meditate in any form comfortable to you, for a few minutes every day. Make space for yourself and include activities that nourish and inspire you. Limit the time you’re in environments of stress, and consider environmental and personal stress when evaluating situations. Go outside for at least a few minutes every day, and breathe deeply to calm your mind.
3. Eat more cooked and warm foods than cold and raw foods. The kidneys love soup, sesame seeds, nuts, mushrooms, black beans, seaweed, longan and root veggies, so make soups and stews this time of year.
4. Keep warm. The bottom of your feet is where the kidney meridian begins (K1 Bubbling Spring). It pulls Chi up from the earth into itself to give life force. If it’s chilled, it is unhappy and doesn’t work well. The same is true for your center. If it is cold, it depletes Chi.
5. Stay hydrated. Both our bodies and the Earth are almost 70% water! The Kidney is the ocean of the body, and like the ocean, it draws all water to form one large body. Oceans seem vast and endless, and the supply must continue in a constant and smooth cycle. Take care of your ocean and drink water to feed it!

I’ll add tips for yoga poses on the next post, but in the meanwhile, think Twists!

因时因坻因人直 – yin shi yin di yin ren zhi yi
Act in accordance with seasonal, geographic, and personal factors

16th Century Chinese doctor, Zhang Jie Bin, describes: “The Gate of Vitality is the residence of Yin and Yang, the Sea of Essence, and it determines Life and Death.”

According to BreastCancer.org, “About 1 in 8 women in the United States (12%) will develop invasive breast cancer over the course of her lifetime.”

Breast Cancer Today

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in the United States, and currently there are more than 2½ million breast cancer survivors in the US

Breast cancer is particularly close to my own heart, so to speak, as everyone in my maternal lineage had a battle of one kind or another with breast cancer, and I myself am on a list of very highly susceptible. Given that my family were all born and raised in China, with a traditional Chinese diet, this is a highly unusual statistic. The rate of breast cancer in traditional China was low to non- existent in my great grandmother’s day, and for her to have had an issue was considered very rare. In China even today, breast cancer incidence is 6.43 per 100,000 people annually , ranking 183 in the world (April 2011), compared to the US where breast cancer death rates are higher than those for any other cancer, and breast cancer incidence of 300.2 per 100,000 people annually, ranks it at number 7 in the world.

Over the years, I have had friends and family diagnosed, fight, survive and lose the battle with breast cancer, and it has coloured my life, yoga teaching and my own view of health and well being. With a personal cloud of breast cancer on the horizon, (as I enter my “Crone” years after menopause) and watch my body change and shift with the illumination of aging, I am increasingly interested in finding ways to work with yoga and aging.

“Pink is the quintessential female color." It is playful, life-affirming, calming and a shade connected with health; like ‘in the pink.’ Pink is, everything cancer is notably not.

I spend a lot of time searching for ways that my contribution to yoga could help women living with and recovering from mastectomies, lumpectomies, radiation and chemotherapy. And the way that we view this journey of living with illness and lowered energy, range of motion and vitality. Can it be a positive experience for ourselves to live life fully, and live every moment fully and completely?

Several years ago, I dedicated a pose to Breast Cancer and lovingly call it “Pink Dog”, and I have been told it gives an amazing release to the hard to reach lymph area under the arm and around the breast. There are three versions adapted to different mobility; one in full dog twist, against the wall for some arm mobility limitations, and on a chair for limited mobility. Yoga Journal has a video of the full Downward Dog twist in my Restorative sequence called “Comfort and Joy”, and you can watch it here. It’s a great way to bring in some calm and comfort into any yoga practice!

Recent studies indicate that yoga can yield significant health benefits and improve quality of life for breast cancer survivors. Yoga is part of a complementary holistic approach to breast health and breast cancer recovery, and in studies of women with breast cancer, yoga has reduced fatigue and improved quality of sleep, physical vitality, and the overall quality of life. Reuters

Yoga and Cancer

Yoga programmes for cancer survivors have been led by researchers in universities and teaching hospitals around the world for over 10 years, and there are 50+ studies available on PubMed today that have examined the physical and psychological benefits of a gentle form of yoga. One new study has found yoga might help restore some lost vitality. New studies are begun every year and there will be more and more holistic and integrated views towards a cure.

The medical community has agreed that practicing gentle and restorative yoga can encourage and improve sleep and enhance the overall quality of life. In many of the clinical trials run by teaching hospitals, research centers and clinical trials have shown women experiencing lower levels of pain and fatigue, and higher levels of invigoration, acceptance, and relaxation.

A beautiful set of PINK Restorative props from Breast Cancer Yoga

A restorative practice (with poses that are fully propped to each individual) allows the main movements and openings of each pose, and subtle adjustments of the body itself, to assist in blood flow. As breath expands and opens in the chest, it increases oxygen exchange and rids the lungs of stale air.  The physical benefits of conscious breathing alone can increase circulation and lymphatic drainage, while the additional mental and emotional benefits can decrease anxiety, fear, and depression.  A trained and experienced yoga teacher can prepare gentle yoga poses to care for people with lymphedema and risk of fracture in bone metastasis.

As the parasympathetic “rest and digest” functions are activated, responses of the sympathetic nervous system are regulated and the flood of stress hormones that create “fight or flight” states of panic and fear are diminished so the body can truly and deeply relax. A body at rest is also a body that can heal itself, so this rest is not the same as sleep, but a place for the body to absorb its own healing.

Yoga Bloom THANK PINK Eggs

Since I often teach Restorative and Therapeutic yoga and train teachers to work with props and poses to find ways to help and heal people of all ages, shapes, sizes and cultures, I am more and more obsessed with my props. Ive even made videos to just describe what types of bolsters there are or How to Fold a Blanket for my students and teacher trainees

Yoga Bloom THANK PINK Three Minute Egg

In honour of my prop love, Jason Scholder of Three Minute Egg and I have partnered in a Yoga Bloom THANK PINK Egg dedicated to Breast Cancer. Here’s a preview of the new Pink Egg!

10% of all Yoga Bloom Pink Egg sales will go directly toward breast cancer awareness and education. Three Minute Egg, Inc. has developed an “Egg Donor” program making it easy for people to make Three Minute Eggs available to yoga teachers, studios and practitioners to use in classes on Yoga for Breast Cancer. So when you are looking to add props to your studio or home practice, please consider buying a Pink Yoga Bloom Egg and helping in our work towards a cure. Think Pink and we can THANK PINK!

I have created a few short sequences for breast cancer survivors that utilise the unique nature of the Eggs and will be previewing some of them at Yoga Journal Conference in San Francisco in January 2012. We will also be working with Pink Eggs throughout Yoga Bloom Advanced Yoga Trainings in the year ahead.

Look for info and video sequences from Three Minute Egg and Yoga Bloom!

If you want to help us distribute or buy some of your own Pink Eggs, please contact Three Minute Egg here. And use my promotional code 3MEAcw6 for Eggs!

Let's work together toward a Cure

We have all experienced in our yoga practice, the increased awareness of our bodies and minds as we explore this beautiful thing we call yoga, and my hope is that as we practice yoga with awareness, we begin to feel better and are able to become sensitive to everything and everyone around us. As this awareness expands and deepens both inside and outside our body, we consciously begin to overcome obstacles of fear, pain, anxiety.

The practice of yoga then becomes “Big Yoga,” and our true nature is revealed through sensitivity and awareness; we intuitively discover how to overcome obstacles on this life journey, whether we are dealing with illness, stress, anxiety or fear. Becoming more connected to ourselves is how we can become more connected to our families and friends, and in turn connect to this great, beautiful world of ours.

Peace is possible.
And peace comes from within us.

Guardian Angel Thread Quartz with Lucky Coin
from Energy Muse

Chinese New Year – Guardian Angel Giveaway
Giveaway ends January 23, so make a comment Now to win!

We are so excited to have a very special energy healing necklace fromEnergy Muse to give away this month!

Guardian Angel Thread Quartz with Lucky Chinese Coin Necklace. Measures 18"

This beautiful Angel Quartz necklace is a $250 value! and can be yours on Jan 23 by simply entering this giveaway. Just make a Comment on this post by January 22 and we will pick a lucky winner on Chinese New Year and (Jan 23) as the energy of the Water Dragon comes in!

Cora will be wearing her Guardian Angel Necklace at the Yoga Journal San Francisco Conference, so say Hi if you are a fan of Energy Muse!

Energy Muse has generously donated a beautiful  piece of Nature’s blessing created of Rutilated Quartz, a unique crystal, which carries an ethereal or angelic vibration.This giveaway is for a special piece that is a Guardian Angel Thread Quartz with Lucky Coin Necklace. The necklace measures 18 inches.

Energy Muse make unique handcrafted jewelry and a ancient techniques to  cleanse and amplify the power and healing properties of their stones. And for readers this winter, please take advantage of a special 20%discount off your next purchase. Enter YJC20 at checkout and get your Chinese New Year Dragon Discount (*expires Feb 29, 2012)

How it works:

To enter the giveaway, just comment on this blog post by January 22, and you will be entered. The winner will be announced on the Chinese New Year, January 23.  Please note international winners may incur shipping.

This piece is made of beautiful Angel Thread Quartz and has a pendant of authentic Chinese coins estimated 100-500 years old. The round shape of the coin symbolises heaven, and the square in the center represents earth. The coins tied together can be seen as a union of heaven and earth, and the unique Energy Muse clasp reminds us of the harmonious nature of Yin and Yang.

Wear this Energy Muse piece and listen to what your angels have been trying to tell you all along.

Angel Thread Quartz

Angel Quartz contains thin threads of minerals that are visible to the naked eye, and are called Venus Hair Stone or Angel Threads. Rutilated quartz has been referred to as Cupid’s darts, Venus hair stone and Fleches d’amour. Angel Quartz dissolves depression and strengthens the will, encouraging a clear connection to your guardian angels.

Quartz is one of the most abundant minerals on earth, and makes up about 12% of the earth’s crust!

Rutilated quartz is a type of quartz where thin long needle-like forms of rutile are within the quartz. The inclusions are also known as Venus hair. Rutiles are small needlelike crystals. These can be red, black or brassy yellow. These rutile enclosures resemble beautiful, colorful fibers encased in the mineral.These thin threads of minerals that are “angel threads”, and is believed to attract angels to the wearer.

Spiritual Effect of Quartz

Angel Quartz is believed to have healing and spiritually elevating effects on the human psyche, and to help people connect to themselves and others. It is also thought to help overcome feelings of depression and sadness. Golden rutilated quartz is a particularly important healing stone to integrate energy and  heighten the energy of other quartz stones.

Angel quartz is an excellent stone to use if you need to change direction in life.It soothes dark moods, offering relief from fears and anxiety. The needle inclusions add intensity and power to the crystal. Angel Quartz is used to aid respiratory difficulties, regeneration of cells and the life force. It is also an excellent balancing stone for a sad or weak heart.

Folklore says Angel Quartz has the ability to bring forth each person’s strengths, creativity and originality. It enhances creativity and can relieve depression and loneliness. Angel Quartz is an energy enhancer because it enhances the energy of other stones that it is with, and the Egyptians believed that it helps to fend off the effects of aging and aids sleep.

Affirmation – I am guided and protected by my angels: they watch over me.