Welcome back yogis and yoginis.  This early fall session is a time when I feel as if there are two New Year’s instead of one.  One in September and one in January, both bring a feeling of urgency of “I have to get back to my routine,” or more specifically; I have to get back to the things that are good, healthy and beneficial for me.  For those of you who might feel a little guilty or sad letting go of your yoga practice for the summer months, know that yoga is all around you, and it is likely that you practice yoga more often than not.  There are many ways of practicing yoga, for example, breathing deeply - I practice this almost daily when I am in my car when, either stuck in traffic or, waiting for a red light.  I practice mindfulness when I realize I am being impatient at the grocery store.  Or, when I am multitasking and my brain is a rolodex, keeping me from remembering what I came in the room for, I stop, become still, regroup and begin again with complete awareness as to what I am doing.  And, when I am really bothered by something or someone, I try to practice detachment, working on not taking things personally, detaching not from the situation or person, but rather from the bothered feeling.  If all this sounds remotely familiar to you, you have practiced yoga off the mat.  So, even if we have to leave the physical practice for a little while, there is yoga all around us, still giving us an opportunity to practice in different ways.  Having said that, if you are looking forward to your physical practice, I understand - there is nothing like a yoga class, to be guided and to share in the camaraderie with like-minded folks.  If you are ready to get back to doing the things that are beneficial to you, return to your practice, it’s the second New Year!  Looking forward to seeing you.    Happy fall! 

Entering the Realm of Sound Healing….

Arji P. Cakouros 4/13/2011

If you have heard of this thing called sound healing, but have no idea what it means, know you are not alone.  So, just keep reading for an introduction to a powerful ancient healing modality receiving much attention in today’s exciting, expanding field of energy medicine.

Pythagoras, a Greek philosopher and mathematician who lived in the fifth century B.C., is known as the Godfather of Sound Medicine.  He is credited with being the first person to take an organized approach to using music and sound as a healing technique.  Many scholars and therapists acknowledge his contribution, among them  Dr. Mitchell Gaynor,  world renowned oncologist and hematologist, and author of “The Healing Power of Sound”.

It was Pythagoras who spoke of how sound functions in relationship to the universe, and taught that each and every atom produces a unique sound due to its particular movement, rhythmn or vibration.  He further believed that all these sounds and vibrations form a universal harmony in which each element, while having its own function and character, contributes to the whole.  This great visionary of sound medicine grasped the spiritual dimensions of sound when he spoke of “the music of the spheres”; likely not highly complex musical compositions, but rather, primitive, simple, repetitive “sounds”.  This type of elemental music has survived in many world cultures as healing modalities in the form of chants, rattles, drumbeats, etc. 

Sound healing pioneer Jonathan Goldman states in the opening paragraph of his Healing Sounds Correspondence Course, that there is no better way of gaining a deep inner knowing of yourself than through the daily use of sounding techniques.  Over the entrance to the healing temples of ancient Greece, the most famous being Delphi, was inscribed the axiom, “Know Thyself”.
 
As sound healing was an integral component in the Asclepian healing tradition of those times, essentially, these amazing early Holistic Health Centers, which flourished for centuries, employed sound healing techniques as matter-of-factly as we utilize x-rays, lasers, pharmaceuticals, and all other sorts of modern medicine’s  tools.  Their therapists were, in addition to being priests or priestessses of Apollo, musicians and skilled dreamworkers.

In another ancient culture, that of India,we find many examples of the use of sound for healing. In the Yogic Tradition, Anahata Nada Yoga practice is a highly spiritual  form of yoga.  Nada Yoga means union with the Self by means of nada, or inner music or inner light.  In this ancient Indian approach to Self realization, the recognition of sound as a powerful healing tool and pathway to self knowledge is again emphasized.

So, what does this have to do with us today?  Well, a lot. Who is not looking for less costly, less invasive forms of prevention and intervention methods to address illnesses of mind, body and spirit?
 
Sound healing techniques can support many transformational benefits through the resultant positive shifting and changing in one’s vibratory field.  As we increasingly accept the idea that we are all vibrational beings, with every atom in constant motion, the opening for change leading to enhanced health and wellness is there for anyone willing to commit to a regular practice.

Again, according to Jonathan Goldman, some of the documented benefits of sound healing work on a regular basis include, but are not limited to:

Increased energy……..deep relaxation………stress reduction……..enhanced health & vitality….release of endorphins…..activation of chakras……immunological enhancement…..increased mental clarity….and expanded consciousness….

If you are interested in giving this a try, most areas of the country have qualified sound healing practitioners.  A good place to start is by attending a group sound healing experience, often offered at local yoga studios, spiritual or retreat centers.

May you enjoy the beauty of allowing yourself to be immersed in healing sounds every day, by simply listening to nature.  May you learn to tune in and truly “listen” to the pure resonance and wisdom of your own glorious inner voice! 

platonia@aol.com 

Please join her and internationally known composer, musician, sound healer and laughter yoga master Laraaji NadaBrahmananda at one of their upcoming capital region wkshps., beginning with lovely Soluna Yoga on Friday, April 29th.

I intuitively have been drawn to a yin yoga practice but never knew what it was called.  Being a type A personality by nature, and having so many yang qualities, it was surprising that at least once a week I would need a slower on the floor asana yoga practice.  The practice was not restorative, which by the way, is a deeply relaxing wonderful yoga practice, no, it was more let me feel this stretch a little longer but in a more relaxed way so I could hold the pose and still feel I was working certain areas of my body, and also feel I was being supported.  Over a few years of practicing like this, a fellow teacher told me about Sarah Powers’ DVD on yin yoga and my practice has never been the same.  Later that year, I did a training with Sarah and then a year after that I took a Yin Yoga teacher training with Paul and Suzee Grilley.  I loved and still love my Vinyasa practice, but once I discovered Yin, there is no way I can do one without the other.  Don’t get me wrong, often I may do one or the other, or both, it just depends on my day, my activity level, my mood, and of course, what my body needs in deciding which practice I will do. 

Briefly, Yin Yoga targets the connective tissue of the hips, pelvis and spine.  The muscles are relaxed and poses are held 3 – 5 minutes in a supported way in order to stress the deeper tissues of the body, i.e. the ligaments, joints and bones.  This creates more fluid in the body and begins to create more range of motion for those who are stiff or who may have minor injuries.  Over time, the body will feel at ease while in movement or in stillness.  It is a deeply nourishing practice for mind, body and spirit. 

There is yin and yang in all that we do and this includes yoga.  Most of us think of the two as opposites, but that is a misconception.  They are not opposites, but rather, they are a continuation of each other.  Just look at the symbol of yin and yang.  Where there is yang (lighter) there is a bit of Yin, and vice versa, where there is Yin (darker) there is a bit of Yang.  Yin Yoga is a compliment to all your yang activities.  Yang activities can consist of Yoga (any level) hiking, biking, swimming, golfing (yes, even golf, which I also love doing) walking, lifting weights, and any activity where you are utilizing and engaging your muscles.  In our yoga practice, for some, once we have discovered Yin Yoga, we realize that we cannot do a Yin practice without a Yang practice and a Yang practice without a Yin practice.  To have both is to be in balance with not just our outer body, but also with the internal workings of our body.  However, bringing balance to our yoga practice is only one aspect of our life.  The idea being that we bring that balance and harmony, the Yin and Yang, to all aspects of our life.  

For more information on Yin Yoga see:

Sarah Powers www.sarahpowers.com

Paul Grilley www.paulgrilley.com

Paulie Zink www.pauliezink.com