My Life is My Sadhana

Kundalini Yoga Level II Vitality & Stress Vlog

2012-03-11T21:26:00.000-07:00

http://www.youtube.com/user/iamthebreathoflife?feature=mhee

Video Blog #2 Vitality & Stress, Kundalini Yoga Level II Training

2012-02-27T19:47:00.000-08:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCccxIE9pP4&feature=player_embedded

My Video Blog of my Level II Kundalini Yoga Training "Vitality & Stress"

2012-02-27T19:45:00.000-08:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEVrAKTE8Ls&feature=share

Viriam Kaur and Kundlini Yoga for Stress and Anxiety 01/18 by southbayyogaconference | Blog Talk Radio

2012-01-17T20:09:00.000-08:00

Viriam Kaur and Kundlini Yoga for Stress and Anxiety 01/18 by southbayyogaconference | Blog Talk Radio

2012-01-13T09:12:00.000-08:00

Viriam Kaur and Kundlini Yoga for Stress and Anxiety 01/18 by southbayyogaconference | Blog Talk Radio

NEXT Wed. Jan. 18th, 2012 at 10:30 a.m. Pacific Standard Time: I will be talking to Jules Mitchell of the South Bay Yoga Conference about Kundalini Yoga! Please call in with questions!

Creating your "New Year" Happy 2012~ Making "Intentions", Letting go of the past...

2011-12-31T09:12:00.000-08:00

I love how Webster defines "Intention"~"the object for which a prayer, mass, or pious act is offered". Write your prayers this New years Eve. If you don't pray, write your wishes.

First, take a moment to write down all that you want to let go of from your past; burn it, tear it up, make an offering to your highest self to start this year anew. Each time we do this we peel away another layer of who we are not, to become who we truly are. Let go of fear, anger, self-loathing, jealousy, guilt, doubt, things you think you can't forgive....YOU name it, what's your issue? What's holding you back from reaching your highest potential in THIS life?
OK, so once you've done that, write down all your wishes for 2012. Don't edit yourself! Just write down what you are creating, what you want to create, what you wish for, what you would like to happen, dream big! Write it, write it, write it! The act of writing brings it into the physical plane, to the earthly manifest.
Then, put it in an envelope, bless it, write on it "This or something better Spirit, THY will be done". (After all, we can't see the big picture, it's not for humans to know) I draw Om's, Ek Ong Kar's and Reiki symbols all over mine & put it on my altar. If you don't have an altar, put it in a safe place like your jewelry box or under a stone, crystal or candle. Read my blog about creating a sacred place in your home Creating Sacred Space That's it! Let it go, release it to God, Guru, Spirit, Father Sky, Mother Earth, whatever that is to YOU!
I love doing this as my New Years Eve Ritual! I've been doing it about 10 years now and am always amazed when I open mine from last year on New Years Eve and see what I have accomplished. If I didn't accomplish it, I often see that something else happened in it's place, or it just wasn't meant to be. I still want to create it, I put it on my list for the next year. Remember many people make resolutions that never stick, but I promise if you write down your "intentions" this year something magical will happen!

Om Sat Nam, Viriam Kaur

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My Life is My Sadhana: A Spiritual Mom's Yogic Journey Through Life~"Some...

2011-10-16T18:41:00.000-07:00

My Life is My Sadhana: A Spiritual Mom's Yogic Journey Through Life~"Some...: Why is it that sometimes I don't want to do EXACTLY what I need to do? I teach this stuff! It's crazy those days I have to force myself to ...

A Spiritual Mom's Yogic Journey Through Life~"Somedays I don't want to practice Yoga"

2011-10-16T18:12:00.000-07:00

Why is it that sometimes I don't want to do EXACTLY what I need to do? I teach this stuff! It's crazy those days I have to force myself to go to yoga/meditation! I always feel better after I do it, I LOVE yoga and meditation, this is my passion! I LIVE it. So.....some days I still don't want to go.

Is it human nature? The child in me? To resist that which we need the most? I love eating vegan as well, but with my recent health-scare I realized (after I healed myself/was healed, see previous blog post for details 'Woman Heal Thyself') OMG, I'm going to have to eat like this ALL the time. That realization stopped me in my tracks. It's so much fun to watch my mind go through these fluctuations and not react to it.

As a spiritual person I always try to "work" on myself, stay aware of my own self-defeating behavior and grow. It is the mind that has all these "wants, likes, and dislikes". This is why a spiritual discipline is SO important. I can watch myself resist and do it anyway, work through the resistance, and as we say in Kundalini Yoga "keep up!"

I am participating in the 40 day Global Sadhana right now and I love it, I feel so great after, and my 7 year old daughter occasionally does it with me. Here is the link if you would like to jump in and do it with us! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qzu-JzmnAM0&feature=player_embedded

The most important thing I can do as a mom is to teach my daughter how to work through resistance through my actions, I can show her, through my practice and my discipline. As we know, children learn by what you do, not what you say. I love that saying "your actions speak so loud, I can't hear what you are saying". Resistance is nothing but the negative mind/ego being afraid to grow and change. After a while it might get tired and give up!

Sat Nam, Valinda/Viriam Kaur
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"Woman Heal Thyself"

2011-09-08T17:00:00.000-07:00

I love that book by Jeanne Elizabeth Blum and have used it more than you know........

First of all I want to thank all of you for your support this past two months, yes, even those of you who I don't personally know in cyberspace. Second of all, I want to acknowledge that I am one of the lucky ones, and I can't explain why. I have incredible health insurance, and a husband who works very hard 12 hours a day at his job to provide that for me and my daughter. So it gives me the privilege of having health care that so many people in our country do not have. It gives me the privilege to go from Dr. to Dr. getting all of this support and help and I DO NOT take it for granted. I am very very humbled and grateful.

For those of you who know me personally, it has been a roller-coaster ride to say the least! I have had so many people praying for me. Thank-you so much. For those of you close to me who will ask me why I am choosing to share this with the world, here you go:

I tell my story in the hopes of helping even ONE other woman out there in the world with the same issues as me.
I tell my story because I am human and realize, even as a deeply spiritual person, I do not control life, I just might affect it.
I tell my story because I am a teacher, but even more so, because I am a student.
I tell my story because I have to.
I tell my story because it scares the hell out of me to tell my story.

Because of chronic pain in my uterus, I was first told on July 12, 2011 I needed a full hysterectomy, I possibly had ovarian cancer and I was definitely going to lose my right ovary.

After several ultrasounds, I was told I had a 5 cm "complex cyst" on my right ovary (meaning it had tissue in it which could be malignant=possibly ovarian cancer + two other diagnosis I won't even go into......).

Of course I immediately began doing research on-line about what this meant. I found forums, chat rooms, blogs, you name it, about women with my same issues and what they had been through. I pretty much resolved that I needed to go the "medical route" with this one. Ovarian cancer takes you FAST, it ain't nothin' to mess with, I have a small child for God's sake!

When I asked my Dr. how bad does it look, she said "it doesn't look good, we definitely need to biopsy it to make sure it's not cancer, you will probably lose the ovary, and quite possibly have a hysterectomy while you are under anesthesia". So ok, I thought, this is the card I was dealt......my husband and I both cried and hugged leaving the doctor's office that day. I apologized to my husband for having to deal with this, and then thought "wow, I'm a yoga teacher, spiritual leader and health promoter in my community, how is this going to look?". Yep, I actually thought that.

I am a classic generation X'er. I believe in alternative and occidental medicine. I use them both. I have been criticized for this in the yogic community, but hey, I'm strong, I can take it. I did decide to get several opinions before moving forward with the surgery. I had 3 specialists (EXPERTS in the field of oncology and uterine issues) tell me it was "impossible" for a complex cyst to go away and I should be more worried about it being cancerous than trying "alternative healing" techniques. My surgery was scheduled for August 24th! My 45th birthday, which I saw as a good omen :). I accepted this........and was getting prepared. I got all of my classes covered for 2 1/2 weeks for my surgery and recovery, and continued to teach all of my Yoga classes.

Preparing for my surgery, I continued to do my acupuncture, juice my veggies, eat mostly vegan, stay off coffee, take my minerals and supplements, do my Hatha and Kundalini Yoga practice (yes, even with my pain) and added Yoga Nidra everyday. I then dropped a yoga class, because after having a conversation with my cyst (Yes, Louise Hay in full effect!) I learned I was putting too much in the out-put box and not enough in the in-put box (e.g. self care). I continued to think positively and used ALL of my tools everyday, without fail.

My pain was getting less and less and exactly 6 days before my scheduled surgery, my pain was completely GONE. This, after being in chronic pain for almost 2 months. I called my doctor immediately and told her I needed an ultrasound because my pain was gone and I had an image of going into surgery and them finding NOTHING. She tried to tell me it was impossible for the cyst to be gone, but I begged her to "humor me" (she's the one that backed my home birth, so she knows me well). She told me to come in that day.

When I went in and she did the ultrasound she could not believe it, the cyst had shrunk to about the size of a cherry and was filled with fluid, it was no longer 'neoplastic'. She was literally shocked. She sent me to the radiologist right away and I went 4 days before my surgery. I am so happy to tell all of you that as of Aug. 23rd, the cyst is as small as a raisin. Only 2 cm. "Ok great!" I thought, "I'm cancelling the surgery".

When I called the surgeon's office they really could not believe it and the nurse told me they still needed to do a

laperoscopy to biopsy it; to make sure it's not cancer.
The nurse then told me and I quote "the cyst could have burst and be spreading cancer in your uterus".

Meanwhile, 2 other doctors told me cancer does not shrink in size, and I did not need the surgery. However the oncologist/surgeon STILL INSISTED I needed the surgery!

YOU HAVE TO BE SO STRONG, YOU HAVE TO BELIEVE IN YOURSELF SO MUCH

I told them I WOULD NOT be coming in for surgery, and hung up.

I then called the other specialist I had seen in Van Nuys who told me complex cysts DO NOT go away~(to share the great news). The nurse then shared with me that yes, by gosh she did remember one woman whose went away, and "it came back 6 months later with a vengeance". (Can I get a break here?)

YOU HAVE TO BE SO STRONG, YOU HAVE TO BELIEVE IN YOURSELF SO MUCH

I went ahead and made another appointment with YET ANOTHER SPECIALIST/EXPERT in the field, this time at one of the most reputable institutions in the country (possibly the world), Cedars Sinai.

After seeing the oncologist at Cedars Sinai last week, he confirmed it was not cancer, cancer does not shrink, and also confirmed I DID NOT need surgery. He could not explain how the complex cyst had shrunk, he said, it "rarely, if ever happens". He did however tell me I must continue to monitor it and have ultrasounds regularly and keep "doing what you're doing, you did something right". His only question to me was "I'm just curious, why did you go back for another ultrasound before your surgery?". I told him, "intuition". Yogi Bhajan says "intuition is everything".

Again, thank-you all so much for being on this journey with me and allowing me to share my deepest truths. I LOVE you all! Om Om Om, Sat Nam, in radiant health :)~ Valinda~Viriam Kaur

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My Life is My Sadhana: ~ A Spiritual Mom's Yogic Journey Through Life~My ...

2011-08-03T17:16:00.000-07:00

My Life is My Sadhana: ~ A Spiritual Mom's Yogic Journey Through Life~My ...: "I recently completed a 90 day sadhana. One of the most common questions I get asked as a kundalini yoga teacher (besides what is kundalini y..."

~ A Spiritual Mom's Yogic Journey Through Life~My 90 day Sadhana (daily spiritual practice)

2011-08-03T17:13:00.000-07:00

I recently completed a 90 day sadhana. One of the most common questions I get asked as a kundalini yoga teacher (besides what is kundalini yoga?) is what is a sadhana? and why would you do that? Well, here you go!

Sadhana 101:

A sadhana is a daily spiritual practice. Something that connects you to your deepest self (dare I say soul); everyday. Why would you want to do that? The idea is that we have these neuropathways in our brains (old patterns) that we want to re-direct, or at least affect. We all have left over patterns or ways of being from our childhoods that no longer serve us. We don't want to keep repeating these patterns in our lives again and again. Especially as adults! These patterns can be things we say to ourselves over and over (that most likely are not true), or ways of being in the world, that don't work for us anymore based on how we survived our family dynamics.

Every spiritual path I know of has some sort of daily practice. In kundalini yoga we say it takes 3 minutes to affect the magnetic field, 11 minutes to change the nerves and glands, 22 minutes to balance the three minds (positive, negative, neutral) 31 minutes to affect the cells and rhythms of the body , 62 minutes to change the gray matter in the brain, 2 1/2 hours to change the psyche, the whole being. So you decide how long you want/need your sadhana to be. I would say at least 30 minutes-1 hour a day to see the positive effects in your life. Not only will you feel more centered, clear, and happy, you will be less stressed.

After being on a healing path for over 20 years, the only way I know to truly correct/change these patterns in our brains and lower stress levels is meditation and yoga. Kundalini yoga is a powerful tool to use because it uses mantra (sound current), pranayama (breathing techniques), mudra (hand gestures), dhristi (gaze of the eyes) and asana (posture) in one practice.

The "aquarian sadhana" is a practice most American Sikhs do (and many kundalini yoga teachers). This is a special sadhana at 3:45 a.m. done everyday until 6:30 a.m.. Here is a GREAT description: http://www.3ho.org/kundalini-yoga/kundalini-yoga-yb/sadhana/ if you live in the LA area http://YogaWestLA.com has it everyday, and its FREEEEEE, so try it!

I have done the aquarian sadhana many times in my life, and every time I do, I love it and feel great. But you don't have to do all that. The latest 90 day sadhana I completed took about 45 minutes, and I did it at home first thing in the morning (around 6:30 a.m. most days) before I did ANYTHING, that is KEY. I did the "Kriya to Experience Your Own Greatness".....it was GREAT :) I saw huge shifts in my life, the way I dealt with stress, my daughter and my husband. It's really true if you change yourself you can change your (the) world.

Students ask me all the time, "if I don't want to do aquarian sadhana, can I just pick a kriya to do everyday and just do that?" Absolutely! I always say pick a set (kriya, it means action, or set of exercises) that you really like. If you go to a kundalini yoga class the teacher would be happy to help you pick one or try this site: http://pinklotus.org they have some great stuff.

Find a special quiet sacred space you can create in your home (mine is between my bed and closet!). Clear it of clutter, put an altar or something sacred, pictures of saints or people who inspire you. I also have a prayer box full of prayers for people I am sending good thoughts to. Really just anything you love that inspires you, make the space yours! Put fancy pillows, pictures, there are no rules. If you have an extra room that's even better!

Sit down, be comfortable, tune in "Ong Namo Guru Dev Namo" http://www.yogavibes.com/videos/watch/lyfe-yoga-vignette-1/ here's how. Then begin your kriya. Here's a FREE 15 min. one from me! http://southbayyoginis.com/video/ at the end, rest for a few moments on your back and then sing "May the long time sunshine song" to yourself. Do it first thing in the morning everyday. If you miss it, do it whenever you can in that day. If you miss the day completely, you have to start over.....40 days in a row!

Then, begin your day and let the magic begin. You can keep a journal, write down things you would like to accomplish or write down things you wish to release, dedicate your sadhana to someone as a prayer, really anything. Some say it only takes 21 days to change a habit. In kundalini we say it takes 40 days to change a habit, 90 days to confirm the new habit, 120 days you have mastered the new habit, 1,000 days the new habit is who you are, so try it for 40 days (or more) and let me know what happens!

Sat Nam (truth is your name) and happy sadhana,
Viriam Kaur
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~A Spiritual Mom's Yogic Journey through Life: Follow Your Bliss???

2011-05-16T19:13:00.000-07:00

When I hear/see spiritual people saying "follow your bliss" I always cringe. If I followed my "bliss" all the time I might be sleeping late, sitting around eating bon bons and drinking cappuccinos! I get what they are trying to say~listen to your heart, do what drives you deeply, I get that it's not that superficial; but do the majority of people get that? Ahhh Discernment.....

The spiritual path is hard! Hate to say it guys but it's work....(I say on day 51 of my 90 day sadhana <daily spiritual practice>). It takes DISCIPLINE, actually giving up what you might "think" you need (like cappuccino for me), and it's not always blissful or pleasant! That is why it's so important to have a teacher, spiritual friend or therapist to be able to gently confront you on your "demoting habits" or blocks. Yogi Bhajan tells us

"Let me teach you about meditation. When you meditate, the entire garbage of the subconscious starts floating. Meditation is not pleasant. Meditation cannot be pleasant, otherwise it is not meditation. You are doing something else. Meditation is just cleaning the house. Now, you have a Hoover going on, and you say there was no noise? There is no dust? How is that possible? Whenever you are going to clean the house, you are going to see the whole thing upside down, and when you are going to release the subconscious, you are going to find not only dirt of this life, but of lives and lives and lives and lives and lives".

I also love this quote from Dr. Mark Vinick, Ayurvedic Specialist, "If you are in balance you crave that which keeps you in balance, BUT if you are out of balance, you crave that which keeps you out of balance, ah ha! Hmmm so, if I am craving a big steak or a shot of tequila (which I never do btw, I crave other things), does that mean I eat/drink/do it because "my body is craving it?...I'm following my bliss damnet!!!!" Well, no, or maybe.......I might need to look deeper into what's going on with me spiritually, emotionally, physically. Your mind might be craving it, not the body. That is why I highly recommend cleansing (at least 2x a year), and yoga and meditation (everyday) as part of your regular routine. The mind WILL lie to you, clean it out.

I am beginning the http://21daydetox.com in June. This will be my 5th time to do this particular cleanse thanks to Marla Wedge, my food guru. I do it 2x a year and believe me 21 days REALLY can change your life. You get really clear that the mind is addicted to a lot more than the body. You tune in deeply to your eating patterns and habits and detox spiritually, emotionally and physically.

There are 3 levels to this cleanse, so it really is for everyone! I love it because it is ALL food, no crazy suppliments or added stuff, just the "superfood" in your morning shake. This video I made is the main thing you eat on the cleanse called "energy soup" the last 7 days, or if you are an experienced cleanser you can jump into this the second week of the menu and eat it for 2 weeks!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6jsVq2EpU0

My sister always asks me why I do these things, like getting off sugar and coffee, doing 90 day sadhanas, cleansing, etc....."why do you make yourself suffer?" she says (the suffering part is optional). Well, in yoga we call it "Tapas"~according to Wikipedia~"in the yogic tradition, tapasya may be translated as "essential energy", referring to a focused effort leading towards bodily purification and spiritual enlightenment". I call it "Discipline". Challenging yourself to grow and change; to NOT get stuck in old demoting habits. Yogi Bhajan asks us to observe our daily habits, they make us who we are. Are they "promoting" or "demoting"? Are they serving your highest aspirations/self or not. If they are not-DROP them.

It takes 40 days to change a habit, that is why in Kundalini Yoga traditionally we do 40 day sadhanas. Jump in, do it! Here's a Kriya you can do for 40 days to help you cleanse/deal with addictions!.....and be careful "following your bliss" hehe.....http://www.pavanguru.com/kriyas.html

~Viriam Kaur http://SouthBayYoginis.com for upcoming workshops, retreats & on-going yoga classes

"The Smallest Banana"

2011-03-05T23:58:00.000-08:00

I've done this in the past you know, choosing the smallest banana in the bunch on the kitchen counter. The smallest, oldest, yuckiest, because I have to save the "good ones" for everyone else. My husband, my daughter, anyone.....really....it doesn't matter who, I've done it forever, it's automatic, and it's not just bananas! It was always about putting myself last, saving the 'good stuff' for everyone else. It's a spiritual virtue right? being humble. I would say "no really, YOU go first", "I'm so sorry", "You're right"..... I could go on, I was a doormat, you know a 'people pleaser'......I think the essence of this behavior was low self-esteem. It was about not deserving; thinking that everyone else was more important, deserves more than me.

I am currently in my advanced Kundalini Yoga Teacher Training (Level II) at Yoga West LA. It's called "Life Cycles & Life Styles". We are studying the cycles of life, from birth to death. Every 7 years our consciousness changes, every 11, our intelligence, every 18 our energy. We worked on meditations, yoga postures & in small groups working through our early 'stages of life'. We did deep healing work, I've done this kind of healing work for many, many years. Here's one of our meditations from last weekend:

In the first seven years of our lives our "patterns" are formed, our beliefs about ourselves. What happened to you in the first 7 years of your life? Look closely and you might see some 'false beliefs' that are still lingering. I've visited there all too often, believe me, I was in therapy on and off for 15 years! So here I was again sitting in my meditation thinking "oh great, I have to deal with this crap again.....again.....again....how can I STILL have patterns from this time? Divorce, abuse, abandonment......well even after all these years of healing myself (granted it's soooo much better), I still have these voices in there saying "you don't matter", "your damaged", "who are you to live in your light & teach these teachings"......and on and on.....so yet another layer, of healing is happening.

In Rumi's poem "Begin" he says:

"This is now. Now is. Don't postpone till then. Spend the spark of iron on stone. Sit at the head of the table. Dip your spoon in the bowl. Seat yourself next to your joy and have your awakened soul pour wine. Branches in the spring wind, easy dance of jasmine and cypress. Cloth for green robes has been cut from pure absence. You're the tailor, settled among his shop goods, quietly sewing." (Translated by Coleman Barks from The Book of Love)

So, lately I've been working on taking at least the medium sized yellow banana, the brightest & best is still tough........Om

Viriam Kaur

A Spiritual Mom's Yogic Journey Through Life

2011-02-08T17:36:00.000-08:00

"Not Very Yoga-Like"
This always baffles me. When someone calls me on something that isn't "very Yoga-like". Please explain to me what that means.

There are so many ideas of what being "Yoga-like" is in this society and apparently it means "don't be human, or don't tell me the truth, or really, don't tell me how you feel, especially if it ain't good".

I practice Yoga everyday and have for many years, I do asanas, I meditate, I am deeply in touch with my inner life and my "issues" which sometimes can be tough, living in the "real world". I have a deep connection to God and Guru, deep devotion in my heart. But having all this "knowing" makes my life richer, I am able to choose how I want to react. I am able to speak from which chakra people can hear me from. I am able to watch and hear what isn't being said by listening deeply to what I am feeling or watching someones body language.

I cry, I get hurt, I get upset, I get mad, Yeah, and sometimes I YELL. There I said it.

Yoga is not about NOT being human. It's about embracing what IS. Being Human. That's it. Acceptance. Don't the Angels cry to be human? or to taste that one tear? or to feel that devastation or joy? This is it ya'll. The ultimate experience.

Kundalini Yoga teaches us to do our daily practice and live in the "real world". Yogi Bhajan himself said (paraphrased) Don't try to overcome your ego, use it to SERVE you. He teaches us to use our "neutral mind", develop our radiant bodies, work out our "issues" on the mat, drop what doesn't serve your highest self. He never says, "don't be human", or "don't feel your emotions", or "don't scream and yell".

So, I will go on being a Yoga teacher, a mother, a wife, a friend, a sister, a daughter, teaching what I know, learning from life, and sometimes not being very "Yoga-like". Om Sat Nam Bless what IS~ Viriam Kaur http://SouthBayYoginis.com