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It’s been a while since I’ve written.. I’ve been so busy! Which is funny, because that’s exactly what I want to write about – busyness.

It IS the Aquarian Age after all, right?! The age of Facebook and Google, fast paced information exchange and a society that puts value on productivity. “It’s just the way things are,” I’ve said to myself.. and I’ve got to “keep up!” People are just busy these days!

A conversation often had in my home growing up:
“So how was your day?”
Answered with “It was good, I got a lot done” or “It wasn’t great, such and such happened, and I couldn’t finish my to-do list.”

Sound familiar?

How about these:

Your usual response to “how are you?” is “so busy”, “crazy busy” or “busy, but good.”
You spend time worrying about how busy you are going to be tomorrow.
Your busy life keeps you up at night thinking about everything you didn’t get done.
You volunteer for things you don’t care about.
You spend time complaining about how busy you are.
You make list after list to make sure you don’t forget anything during your busy day.
You regularly eat in your car.
You use a phone in the car because “it’s the only time you have to talk.”
(sourced from http://zenhabits.net/silly-busy/)

Do I even need to mention the neurotic e-mail and Facebook checking? (OK, guilty!)

While there is nothing wrong with productivity and having a full life, I think it’s important to remember we are not humandoings!

Less doing. More being.

Busyness is something I’m having to take a look at on my own personal journey. Busyness can be like anything else used to numb feelings (alcohol, food, sex, etc). Sometimes these addictions can be sneaky. I have noticed within myself, going through a recent tragic experience with my family, that I was becoming incessantly more busy. I wasn’t aware I was doing it at first. Thanks to Kundalini Yoga and meditation, which for me pushes a lot of these truths to the surface, I was able to see that through my busyness, I was actually avoiding pain. If I stopped, even for a second, then I would have to feel the pain of the present moment. Who wants to feel pain?! Not me! But I also know from experience that you can’t avoid pain without also avoiding love. It’s all or nothing. Feel it all, as it is, or be numb. Live life, or don’t.

In thinking about how to make my life less busy, and tap into the present moment, I love keeping it this simple:

Identify what’s most important to you.
Eliminate everything else.

For me, the most important thing is being a good person, friend, daughter, sister, and teacher. Remembering that, and determining how I can go about expressing that in my life, is my practice. It takes some deep listening to my body and tapping into the deepest parts of my heart. It’s also been helpful for me to have community, to have friends that remind me to ask myself “Why am I doing this?” It’s all a process! It’s all a journey! Let’s make the best of it all.

Less doing. More being. Who’s with me?

This is me, not being busy.

Kyla Maher (Geet Anand Kaur) graduated from Pepperdine University with a B.S. in Sports Medicine. She is a KRI Certified Instructor of Kundalini Yoga as taught by Yogi Bhajan® having completed her 200-hour teacher training program at the Tenth Gate Center for Yoga and Meditation in Portsmouth, RI, and is certified in SuperHealth, a yogic therapeutic technology for addictive behavior. She has had the privilege of studying under many master teachers including Hari Kaur Khalsa, Mukta Kaur Khalsa, and Mahan Rishi Singh Khalsa. Kyla is a contributing writer for the Spirit Voyage Blog and the Kundalini Yoga Boston Blog. She is also co-owner of Long Time Sun Apparel, a Kundalini Yoga clothing company. Kyla spent the summer of 2012 teaching at the Ponderosa Tazland Festival in Germany and is currently enjoying spreading the teachings of Yogi Bhajan throughout New England.

‘I’m better now …’

It was born out of a spontaneuous moment. I was a few months into the Level I Teacher Training and I was trying desperately to get to Hari Dass’s Tuesday evening class. To get to the KYB studio during rush hour and find parking can be quite a challenge to say the least. After one particularly grueling trip I was greeted at the door by Hari Dass who asked me, ‘How are you doing?’ My quick reply was ‘I’m better now’, at which she smiled and said, something like, ‘that’s great to hear, now let’s do some yoga!’

During our class, Hari Dass spoke about what I had said to her. I don’t recall the exact words but it was about the way we condition ourselves to a certain type of thinking, acting and reacting to certain events and/or places. She reasoned that because of all the work I was doing with my training, as soon as I walked in the KYB studio I began to feel better, lighter, and brighter. She also wondered how much energy it would take to alter the reaction when entering a more negatively charged place.

To get back to my point, I started to use the ‘better now’ phrase more often. It became a cue to bring me back to the mindfulness of the moment. For me, it was a huge relief to just get IN the door of the studio. I knew everything after that was going to be great. I had made it. Although it might not have been 4:30 am, it was my sadhana for the day and I had made time for it.
On airplanes, the attendants will tell you that in event of an emergency you should secure your own breathing mask/flotation device before assisting others. We must recognize the same sort of emergency need for love and compassion with regards to our own life. Our lives are so complex, filled with anxiety, stress and tension that often times we neglect the most important part of our day, the part when we honor ourselves. We are so busy that we don’t ‘make it’ to the part where we tune in to the higher self and tune up with meditation and exercise. Some people are so busy that don’t even breathe properly or enough! Shocking, I know… I was one of them. I’m better now.

Truthfully, I am so much more than just ‘better now’. Because I take the time to heal and help myself with love and compassion I will continue to get better and better, regardless of where I am going or where I just came from.

Sat Nam

Love is the ultimate state of human being where compassion prevails and kindness rules. ~ Yogi Bhajan 

Jason Osburn graduated with a BFA in Fine Arts in Printmaking & Graphic Design from the University of Arizona. After more than a decade in the advertising industry he has turned his focus and energies to living his ‘real’ life; his family and his art. Jason has been doing Yoga for 6 years and specifically Kundalini for just over 2 years. Kundalini Yoga has been a huge part of this change of focus and he hopes to help others discover their own true potential. He teaches out of the Oceanside Pilates & Yoga Studio in Winthrop, MA (www.oceansidepilatesandyoga.com).  You can find out more about him @ his website: www.wrenchwear.com

The Heart Chakra, the 4th chakra, the Anahata is often thought of as the energy center of love, joy, and inner peace.  In the Kundalini tradition it is known as the “Balance Point” between the flow of the upper energies of the Heavens and the lower energies of the Earth, where experience shifts from “me to we” or “me to Thee.” 

Some quick Facts about the Heart Chakra (sourced from www.3ho.org):

Fourth Chakra: Love and Compassion; Awakening to spiritual awareness; forgiveness and service.
Location: Middle of the chest on the breast bone at the level of the nipples.
Organ/Gland: Heart, lungs, thymus gland.
Color, Element: Green, Air.
Yoga Exercises: Ego Eradicator, Baby Pose, Yoga Mudra, all pranayama, all arm exercises.

Let us come together and experience that shift from “me to thee” together at KYB’s VALENTINE’S Celebration with Gurunam Singh, Siri Bani Kaur and Gurusangat Singh

“Give up all your hopes and your dreams. Give up all your plans and your schemes. Give up the fear of darkness surrounded in the light. Give up fear of being wrong, and the need to be right… I give everything I am unto Thee.” ~ Gurunam Singh

If you can’t join us on February 16th, here is a meditation for the 4th Chakra.  Happy Valentine’s Day!

PS. We have a great version of the Hummee Hum Mantra used in this meditation by Gurusanget Singh available at the studio!

Meditation — For the Fourth Chakra

(Physical Wisdom, Kundalini Yoga as Taught by Yogi Bhajan, Compiled by Harijot Kaur Khalsa, p. 36)

Posture: Sit in easy pose or in a chair with your spine straight. This meditation is done holding an apple in the palm of each hand. Your elbows are bent with your forearms parallel to the ground. The hands are palms up and the fingertips are nearly touching each other at the center of the chest, near your heart center. Each hand is relaxed and holds the apple without gripping it.

Focus: The eyes are closed and focused at the third eye point.

Breath: The breath will come automatically.

Mantra: Chant “Hummee Hum Brahm Hum” using the tip of the tongue when you chant.

Meaning of Mantra: We are we and we are one. On a higher spiritual level it means, “We are already everything we need to be.”

Mudra: From the starting position, the hands move in and out alternately. As one hand brings an apple in and offers it to your heart center, the other hand moves out to the side and offers its apple to the Universe.

Time: 11 minutes. This mantra is to be done only in the morning between 6 am and 9 am.

End: Inhale, hold the breath 15 seconds and release. Repeat this two more times and relax.

You may now eat your apples!

Yogi Bhajan Comments: “After three minutes of this exercise you will experience yourself becoming cranky and serious. If you can smile at this time it will open your heart center.”

© The Teachings of Yogi Bhajan – All Rights Reserved
www.kriteachings.org

Ten Fun Facts:

1. I am studying education at Lesley University to create an education model that will be student-driven and will include yoga and meditation.
2. I studied at the University of Oregon and am certified in their Substance Abuse Prevention Program aimed at addressing the relationship to substances before they are abused.
3. I am a brown belt in Kung Fu.
4. I love cooking with and for people. The community and connection it creates deeply satisfies me.
5. I am an optimist.
6. I like surprises.
7. I am a dog whisperer (just kidding, I will be someday!).
8. Although I always wear white to teach yoga, I have have over 25 different turban colors and patterns.
9. I do Gurmukhi calligraphy as a hobby.
10. I enjoy watching soccer and I’m looking to join a team in the area.

I love teaching kundalini yoga because: I love kundalini yoga. It is my fortunate blessing to sit on the teachers bench and serve as a conduit of the golden chain.

I love teaching at KYB because: I love teaching at Kundalini Yoga Boston because the studio is a beautiful place to share and practice Kundalini Yoga. The community is amazing. Every opportunity I have to be there is a blessing.

Every Friday for the last couple of months I have been spending a couple hours with my son’s first grade class. I help out with their classroom work, reading, etc. We also spend about 20-30 minutes doing yoga. One week a student saw me come in and asked, ‘Mr. Jason, are we gonna play yoga today?’ I replied that I hoped we would, at which point he turned and said, ‘yes! I love playing yoga!’ I do too my little friend. I do too.

Yoga with kids is so much fun. All the scales seem to be tipped in their favor. They are light and limber, full of untapped creative energy (that can be hard to focus right after snack). I also think they have a closer and better connection to that innate childlike contentment with the present moment. If they are quiet they are happy sort of thing … but they won’t always listen to you.

Adults on the other hand, will listen to you. They will sit quietly, patiently waiting for instructions, giving a concentrated and focused effort (hopefully). I think that’s because as adults we need it more; the healing breath, the energizing movements, the restorative meditations. We need something that gives us that childlike contentment with the present moment. Happy, free and light. Before you began to worry about the future or regret the past.

Spend any amount of time playing with my children and you will hear “pretend that …” spoken like a mantra. “Pretend that I am this, pretend that you’re that, and pretend that we are doing this.” There are and will always be moments when their noise and energy can get to me. What’s ironic though, is that in my head I am chanting the same sort of mantras …

Pretend that I am eating prana, all day every day.
Pretend that I am the Buddha, patient and perfect.
Pretend that I am a body of light energy, possessing unlimited love and creativity.

My point is, try to enjoy being present in the moment. Be mindful that your life can be full of joy and happiness. Be mindful that you are blessed with each breath.

‘If you cannot bless yourself, then nobody can bless you. ‘ ~ Yogi Bhajan

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Well, there isn’t a clear cut, simple answer, and there is a difference between doing yoga at home and going to an actual class.  Yogi Bhajan taught that Kundalini Yoga is a yoga for householders — meaning, it’s the yoga for people who are raising a family, working full time, or who are regularly very busy.  You don’t have to sit in a cave for the rest of your life to reap the benefits.  This yoga is for everyone.

First let’s talk about doing a home practice.  Sadhana, or daily spiritual discipline, is a major element of integrating Kundalini Yoga into your life.  Every day? I thought this was yoga for people who are really busy?   There are certain kriyas and meditations can be beneficial in as little as 3 minutes! Something is better than nothing. Making a commitment to do a meditation for 40, 90, 120, or 1000 days is very common in Kundalini Yoga.

According to Yogi Bhajan:

40 days: To change a habit.
90 days: To confirm the habit.
120 days: You are the new habit.
1,000 days: Mastery of the new habit.

[If you are inspired to start a home practice definitely seek the guidance of a Kundalini Yoga instructor.  Any KYB teacher would be happy to help!]

So what about going to class?  How many classes should I go to?  Yogi Bhajan said that group meditation multiplied the individual effort, not just added to it.  “We all have an aura and a subtle body. In a group practice, those link and become resonant with each other as we chant the same sounds, move in the same rhythms, and breath is the same pattern. The result is an amplification of the impact of the meditation” (www.3ho.org).

Thus, going to class can offer profound growth and huge benefits.  There is no written guide on how many classes one should go to per week, nor am I familiar with any research on the benefits of going more or less for this particular form of yoga.  I can share with you my experience, which is one that I think many other Kundalini practitioners will attest to.

Going to class 1-2 times per week: Decrease stress & Increase Energy

When I only have time for 1 or two classes in a week I know it’s better than nothing!  I’m given the opportunity to have an experience, which is the most important thing in Kundalini yoga.  Decreased stress, increased energy, and clearer thinking are benefits I’ve experienced from just a couple classes a week.  I usually leave every kundalini class with some kind of new inspiration.

Going to class 3-4 times per week: Build Stamina, Strength, & Connectedness

For me, I feel the best mentally, physically, and emotionally when I’m going to class at least 3-4 times per week.  The increased vitality and peace of mind I receive from practicing Kundalini yoga are longer lasting and more pronounced.  Building stamina and strength and increased flexibility are also benefits of upping your classes.  For me, I’m more aware of my connectedness to everything (I forget less often).  Lastly, if you start going to class more you will get to know the teachers and other students.  Community and the feeling of belonging is absolutely vital for overall health.

Going to class 5 or more times per week: Experience Waheguru!

Waheguru! If I make 5 classes in a week, that is going to be a good week!  All of the aforementioned benefits apply, and for me, there is usually a heightened sense of joy through it all.  Five or more classes per week is also a challenge - for the mind and body.  There are many times I don’t feel like going to class.  If I discipline myself to go, I’m pretty much always grateful I did.

Try setting a goal to go to more classes and see what your experience is!

View class schedule and sign up online today!

Kyla Maher (Geet Anand Kaur) graduated from Pepperdine University with a B.S. in Sports Medicine. She is a KRI Certified Instructor of Kundalini Yoga as taught by Yogi Bhajan® having completed her 200-hour teacher training program at the Tenth Gate Center for Yoga and Meditation in Portsmouth, RI.  She has had the privilege of studying under Hari Kaur Khalsa (www.harinyc.com) and Mata Mandir Singh Khalsa (www.yogaofsound.com).  Kyla is a contributing writer for the Spirit Voyage Blog (www.spiritvoyage.com) and the Kundalini Yoga Boston Blog (www.kundaliniyogaboston.com).  She is also co-owner of Long Time Sun Apparel, a Kundalini Yoga clothing company, (www.longtimesunapparel.com).  Kyla spent the summer of 2012 teaching at the Ponderosa Tazland Festival in Germany (www.ponderosa-dance.de) and is currently teaching in Providence and Cambridge.  Visit her website: www.geetanand.com.

Stay tuned in for more information about KYB’s  NEW 40 Day Challenge led by Siri Bani Kaur and Kyla Maher happening in March, 2013.

My heart is open
My words are a prayer
My light is your own
My arms for your care
I touch the whole world
I hold you so close
Deepen the subtle
Forsaking the gross
I see my own weaknesses
Draw on your strength
I see my demerits
And Thy merits length

Raised up so high
Though I am so low
With so much potential
To give and to grow
I am weeded out
From the ugliest weeds
Am pulled from the worst
Of desirous deeds

Yet I shine in your glory
And stand in your grace
In the face of the world
I see only your face
And I tremble inside
While approaching my center
And lay my whole life
At the foot of my mentor
And just for a moment
I fear I’m a fraud
Then one moment later
I’m in Union with God

copyright 2013 Gurnam Singh

Gurunam Singh tours world-wide sharing his powerful and transformative music. He makes mantra chanting and devotional singing easy, vibrant, and totally accessible. “The music does all the work itself. The power of the mantras. I just get out of the way and then it’s my blessing, like everyone else who comes to a kirtan, just to be there, to be part of that energy… to sing,” says Gurunam. His enthralling kirtan sound is a cross-over with influences from folk, rock, pop and country to classical indian raag. His simple devotional songs are sweet listening to sooth the mind and heart. Gurunam’s heartfelt stories and humor bring forth a communion with his audiences. He is also known for his fast chanting style that gets people moving and dancing. Gurunam’s 2011 “Pain to Peace Tour” was met with great acclaim. His 2012 “Change” Tour, named for his new CD, will soon be underway where he will lead workshops, kirtans, intimate evenings, and benefit (seva) concerts/projects.

Gurunam Singh has released five solo albums on Spirit Voyage Records to worldwide acclaim. 
Visit his website