Need to supercharge your focus ? Deepen your meditation or to get that report written in a jiffy ? Hakini Mudra can help ! What is Hakini mudra? What does this mudra mean ? Who is the Goddess Hakini who gave her name to this yoga mudra?
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“Reiki” comes from 2 Japanese words “Rei” and “Ki”. “Rei” means “mysterious, sacred” and “Ki” is the vital or universal energy.
Reiki is “sacred or mysterious energy“. So what really is Reiki? And how can we connect to it?
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What plants are burned for energy cleansing? Where do these sacred plants come from? Some of these plants and their habitats are under threat. How can we use the plants responsibly and with respect for them, their ecosystems and the communities that live with them?
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Stagnant energy? Need a mojo uplift? Reach for the Plant! Burning dried plants or incense is a way to cleanse energy that is not only beautiful, but also connects us to the Earth and our human ancestral practices. In this article, I also explore the practice of burning special or sacred plants in world cultures and talk about what is cultural appropriation.
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Do you make a circle with your thumb and index finger when you meditate? That is Gyan (or Jñana) Mudra! What does it mean? And how can this mudra help?
“Gyan” or “Jñana” is a Sanskrit word meaning “knowledge, wisdom”. A mudra is a symbolic or ritual hand gesture.
See What is a mudra?
Hence, Gyan Mudra is known as the “Knowledge or Wisdom Mudra”.
When placing hands on the thighs or knees, this mudra can be done either with palms facing up, or palms facing down.
When palms face down, it is often also called Chin Mudra, the Mudra of Consciousness. And when palms face up, it is called Gyan Mudra.
(Note: There are different variations around the names of Gyan (or Jñana) and Chin Mudras. Some teachers call it Gyan Mudra when your palms are up, others when they are down. Some speak of Chin Mudra when the palms are up and Gyan when they are down. For this article I based the info on Indu Arora’s extensive work on mudras, in which Gyan Mudra = Palms up and Chin Mudra = Palms down). Just know you’ll find the same mudra called differently).
Make a circle with the tips of your thumb and forefinger touching. Soften the other fingers.
So get your Gyan Mudra on in meditation and in pranayama practice!
Besides meditation and pranayama, Gyan Mudra helps concentrate when learning / studying, and when taking an exam (pen in one hand, mudra in the other!).
I remember learning this mudra when I was in elementary school, and doing it to study for assessments (it wasn’t as convenient for piano lessons)! Then, by the time I was in high school and university, I no longer practiced this mudra for exam cramming. Sigh! Maybe a more regular practice would have saved me long evenings in front of my books!
In yoga, Gyan Mudra (Wisdom) or Chin Mudra (Consciousness) are most often done sitting, for meditation or pranayama.
For example, you can place your hands on your thighs, in Sukhasana (sitting cross-legged), in Virasana (Hero’s Pose), in Padmasana (Lotus Pose)… Many yogis also do this mudra in more active postures, like Vrksasana (pronounced “Vrikshasana”), Tree Pose, or any other pose where the hands are free!
In Ayurveda, the Thumb represents the element Fire (Agni), and the index finger symbolizes Air (Vayu). In this mudra, you connect the thumb and index, meaning your are connecting the elements Fire and Air. From an Ayurvedic point of view, this mudra increases the element Air in the body. Air, or Vayu, is associated with the functions of the nervous system and the brain (among others things). This explains the effect of this mudra on concentration and relaxation.
The index is also associated with the Ego, the Individual Self or Individual Consciousness. The thumb is associated with the Universal Self or Universal Consciousness, with the Universe.
With this mudra, we are connecting our Individual Self to our greater Self and the Universe that is greater than us.
Well, that’s quite a feast! Rock your Gyan Mudra and become the entire Cosmos! WOOT!
More on mudras and the elements (Fire, Air, Water, etc.) associated with the fingers, check out: What is a mudra?
Info on mudras in meditation, pranayama and asana and how to use them to deepen your yoga practice, see How to use mudras? (coming up – Read it in French!)
And here are some other mudras to inspire your hands, body and soul!
Vishnu Mudra, the Mudra for Alternate Nostril Breathing (coming up)
Ahamkara Mudra to live the life you want!
Ganesha Mudra, to cultivate courage
Abhaya Mudra, to dispel fear and be You!
Padma Mudra, Lotus mudra, to open up your heart to Love
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Chakras and Colors: each chakra is associated to a specific color. There’s Red for Muladhara Chakra, Green for Anahata Chakra, etc. And we seldom even wonder where these colors come from in the first place! So why are chakras and colors paired up? Is there any historical significance of the chakra colors? We’ll delve into this chakra question, rainbow-side!
Let’s have a quick chakra review to start!
Chakras are the body’s energy centers. “Chakra” comes from Sanskrit and it means “wheel, vortex”. Chakras lie within the body, or close enough, within our body’s energy field.
Most spiritual schools and traditions talk about 4 to 7 main chakras (and up to a thousand secondary ones!!).
In this article, we’ll be talking about the 7 main in-body chakras. These chakras align along the axis of the spinal column, from the tail bone all the way to the crown of the head. Each chakra is often associated to a specific color.
Muladhara – Root Chakra, RED
Svadhisthana – Sacral Chakra, ORANGE
Manipura – Solar Plexus Chakra, YELLOW
Anahata – Heart Chakra, GREEN or PINK (as the mix of Red –from Muladhara Chakra, and White –from Sahasrara Chakra)
Vishuddha – Throat Chakra, BLUE
Ajña Chakra – 3rd Eye, PURPLE (or deep blue)
Sahasrara – Crown Chakra, WHITE (or Purple, or Violet)
We see these color/chakra associations so often –in yoga, meditation, energy work, even in home decoration, we barely ever question it!
Well, actually : no!
The Vedas, India’s ancient scriptures, mention the chakras, as do ancient Buddhist or Jain texts. Also, old illustrations of the chakras show divinities, mantras and shapes (circles, squares, lotus…) associated with the chakras, but mostly no specific colors.
However, according to certain Tantric texts, the Chakra colors are linked to the 5 elements. We find:
Muladhara (Root Chakra) – Earth / Yellow
Svadisthana (Sacrak Chakra) – Water / Light Blue or silver,
Manipura (Solar Plexus Chakra) – Fire/ Red,
Anahata (Heart Chakra) – Air / Green,
Visuddha (Throat Chakra) / Ajña (3rd eye) and Sahasrara (Crown) – Ether / Indigo Blue / Colorless
(thank you to Zoila of Zazenda Yoga Retreat for sharing her knowledge and studies of the Tantra Chakra system)
It wasn’t until the 1970s that the idea of chakras paired up with colors came to be! Spiritual author Christopher Hill wrote about the chakras associated to rainbow colors in his book called “Nuclear Evolution: Discovery of the Rainbow Body”. And from there, the rainbow chakras were born!
The rainbow contains ALL the colors in the visible spectrum of electromagnetic radiation. (The entire spectrum covers U.V light, radio frequencies and even those used by your microwave oven).
Basically, color is energy vibrating at a frequency that we CAN SEE. So it’s kind of cool to associate the idea of energy centers with the energy of colors. I find colors make working with the Chakras visual, accessible and down-to-earth.
I don’t think so. Just like everything else in this world, the perceptions of chakras and ways of working with them have evolved. They have adapted to different cultures, different times and different needs. Humanity is constantly evolving, and to me, spiritual techniques and technologies also evolve. We welcome the rainbow chakra system!
I personally don’t see the chakras as colors, but I perceive them as moving balls of energy, and I’ll sense the stickiness or fluidity of the energy flow. I sense them more like fields of energy and not so much as seeing through funky color tinted lenses. And that’s me! Each person will see and feel chakras differently. If you are seeing colorful chakras, that’s the way it works for you!
Plus, I do love a good rainbow, in the sky or on puffy stickers. So, inviting a rainbow into my chakras? Yes please!
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Spring is here! Here’s a sweet ritual to celebrate Spring, rebirth, renewal, Mother Nature AND plant seeds for all your life’s projects!
Spring is here in the Northern Hemisphere on the March 20th Equinox. After the long winter months, the cold and the cozy cocooning, here come longer days and Nature awakening from slumber. If you are a Sun child like me, Spring is magical!
Let’s tap into the season’s rebirth and blossoming energy and call renewal and fresh new beginnings in our lives! YES!
How? With the Seed Planting Ritual!
Yep, we’re going to plant seeds. “Real” plant seeds and symbolic seeds of what we want to see grow and flourish in life.
This spring, we sow what we want to harvest : yummy salads yes, as well as the seeds of projects we want to see bear fruit.
1. Prepare your ritual space: choose a clear place, a candle, a song, your seeds, your soil (dirt) + pots if you plant indoors, your watering can etc.
2. Choose your seeds (we planted basil, yum yum! Plant what you want, edible plant, flowers, a tree!)
3. Choose a project, a part of your life that you want to take care of, that you want to see sprout, grow, and flourish!
4. With intent, plant your seeds! For example, say “I plant these basil seeds and the seeds of my project”
5. During planting, be open to any message from your intuition, or from the Universe.
6. When you have finished, water your seeds, give them Reiki, and close your ritual.
7. Remember to take care of your seeds! Just as you care for your plants, “water” and give light to your seeds of life!
What are YOU planting this spring?
Nurture your dreams!
Express the depth of your ideas and emotions, flow as you speak in public, and get clear about your path. Give YOUR VOICE some oomph with the Mantra HAM!
The Throat Chakra, or 5th Chakra is called Vishuddha. In Sanskrit Vishuddha means “pure, purifying”.
The Throat Chakra is located between the Heart Chakra (the 4th, Anahata Chakra), and the 3rd Eye Chakra (the 6th Chakra, Ajna Chakra). Vishuddha links your heart to your head!
More on Chakras here
The Voice is associated with the Throat Chakra. We use our voices to communicate and to express ourselves. A balanced Throat Chakra allows us to express ourselves clearly and with compassion. We give voice to our ideas, our creativity, our needs, our emotions, our decisions. And we also listen with the same compassion!
Our Voice is a powerful way to bring us out into the world.
When Vishuddha is in harmony, the connection between your thinking head and your feeling heart is fluid. You feel connected to yourself and connected to others.
Here’s a simple Throat Chakra balancing exercise. Try it before teaching a class, to prepare for public speaking, or to build confidence in your voice and your place in this world every day.
The Throat Chakra’s elements are ether and sound. For today’s Chakra harmonizing exercise, you’ll just need your… voice!
We’ll use the Throat Chakra’s Bija Mantra, HAM.
The musical note corresponding to Vishuddha is usually G (So). But go ahead and try different notes and see which works best for you.
(HAM’s “A” is pronounced as in “arm”, not as in “green eggs and ham, Sam I am“)!
1. Sit comfortably, or lie down if you prefer.
2. Take a few deep breaths to center. Close your eyes if you want.
3. Inhale and chant the Bija Mantra HAM: “HAAAMMM”
4. Let the vibration of the Mantra HAM resonate in your throat, and surround you.
5. Inhale and start again! Chant HAM for as many or as few breaths as you wish!
6. When you are done, resume regular breathing.
7. Gently open your eyes!
How do you feel ? Ready to speak with your true voice!
Find your Voice and your path with the mantra HAM!
HAAAAMMM!
Did you catch the super moon this week? Dive into the lunar cycle and read about the symbolism of February’s Full Moon!
I was lucky to see the super full moon this week! I had a beautiful clear sky and moonlight flooding my balcony.
I’m in Singapore right now, and here the full moon was the last day of the Lunar New Year. New Year’s Day was on the new moon on February 5th, and two weeks later the full moon marks the end of the two weeks of festivities (and eating goodies!).
For those who celebrate the Lunar New Year, the new and full moons in February symbolize RENEWAL and new beginnings. The first full moon of the year is also called the Budding Moon.
Yep, spring is on its way soon and a new cycle is starting!
In parts of North America and Europe, spring still seems far away. In February, the full moon is more about the persistent cold and winter.
The February full moon is called Snow Moon, Death Moon, Hunger Moon... The Celts also call it the Ice Moon. The Cherokee in North America call it the Bone Moon : stocks of food are running low and survival often means getting by with what’s left : bones and marrow! For the Lakota –also in North America- the February full moon is the Moon of the Tree Branches that crack in the Cold. Icy and poetic.
Brrr !!
It’s not winter all over the world though! Other February full moon (or month) names are : Corn Moon or Barley Moon. It’s harvest time in the Southern Hemisphere!
And don’t forget : after the Snow Moon comes the Sap Moon. I’m telling you, hang in there, spring is coming!
Is your February Full Moon a Budding, Bone or Icy Moon? Happy Moon cycle!
Heard of Power Animals? Maybe you have even met your own Spirit Animal! What is a Power Animal? How can you find yours? What do they do and mean? Read on and find out!
A Power Animal is a compassionate energy that comes to support you. Often, we’ll say that they walk with you in your life. This means that they accompany you and can offer guidance and help on your path.
In the shamanic view, everything is ALIVE, and you can communicate with everything. You can ask questions and receive answers from people, animals, plants, but also minerals, rocks, or elements like water or fire, spirits of place … EVERYTHING!
In the case of Spirit or Power Animals, the positive and helpful energies come in the form of … animals.
Spirit animals bring you their medicine! In general, they offer you strength and power to live the life you want. And each individual Power Animal also offers you his own message: Snake brings you Snake wisdom, Tiger brings you Tiger wisdom, Dolphin that of the dolphins, Wolf that of the wolf …
For the shaman or shamanic practitioner, Spirit Animals are essential and powerful helpers for shamanic work.
Everyone has one or more Power Animals, not only shamans! All you have to do is … meet them!
A Power Animal may stay with you all your life. Other Spirit Animals walk with you for a certain time, maybe to help you through difficulties or changes. And then they may leave and are replaced by other Power Animals.
Meeting your very own Power Animals is like opening a beautiful door to life. The more you cultivate your relationship with them, the deeper, more beautiful and more powerful it becomes.
This work transformed my life and this is why I offer you the opportunity to deepen your relationship with your Power Animal through the mentorship program Spirit Animal, Power Animal. In this training, you’ll learn practical applications of this very special relationship. Because, yes, shamanism is useful tech in the modern world!
Here are 3 ways to meet your Spirit Animal:
When you consult a shaman or a shamanic practitioner, he / she will do a shamanic journey for you, called Power Animal Retrieval. This ceremony is the beginning of a beautiful love story, and I love to do it for my clients – get in touch if you are interested!
If you would like to meet your Power Animal yourself, you can learn shamanic journeying. It’s a skill I teach in group classes or as privates. The mentorship and training Spirit Animal, Power Animal offers a fantastic way to meet one of your spirit guides, and then learn how to deepen the relationship. All classes are possible in person and online.
Can you find your Spirit Animal without shamanic journeying? Yes absolutely! Open up your intuition, be receptive to messages, listen to your dreams, inquire in your meditations, observe the “coincidences” of your life. Power Animals have many -and sometimes very funny- ways, to ask for your attention!
You’ll find lots of cool resources in books and online. I’m pretty sure that if you have already met your Power Animal, you have Googled his/her meaning online!
Meanings, symbols and stories for the same Spirit Animal vary from culture to culture, and very often depend on geography. It seems normal that a penguin could be a Power Animal for someone who comes or is the descendant from cold climate people. And this same penguin will likely not be known as a Spirit Guide for people from the Amazonian forest. and its fascinating to find out.
However, some Power Animal share common meanings across cultures. Other times, we’ll encounter different animals in different cultures that share symbolic characters. Bear and Elephant are an example, as are the similarities between different families of felines. All this makes for many interesting discoveries, and I wish you happy reading!
For me, direct revelation is a great way of knowing what my Power Animals’ specialties are. Hence, asking them directly is the best way to find out about their medicine. Their answers are sometimes surprising and can be quite different from external resources. Their message is specially tailored for you instead of being a one-size-fits-all
There are thousands of ways to honor your Power Animal ! I’ll talk about that in another post.
My Power Animals and I say “Bye bye and talk soon!”
