602 – Healing traits to have

Plant seeds of happiness, kindness and friendship; it will all come back to you in abundance. This is the law of Nature. – Swami Niranjanananda Saraswati

He further says that within all of us there is a very special quality—Sam Rakshan, the caring nature. Sam means complete and Rakshan means to protect and preserve. It is this innate nature that takes one out of one’s self-centered ego and puts the comfort and happiness of others first.

Oxytocin is a powerful hormone which functions as a neurotransmitter in the brain. While it is traditionally associated with sex, breast feeding and childbirth, almost any form of social bonding or positive physical contact can trigger oxytocin. It is linked to warm, fuzzy feelings and it has been shown to reduce stress and anxiety in some studies.

It has the power to regulate our emotional responses and pro-social behaviors, including trust, empathy, gazing, positive memories, processing of bonding cues and positive communication. On account of oxytocin, one feels good with persons one likes. So, the more we care about others, the better we will feel.

Women have higher oxytocin levels because it is a key hormone in childbirth and lactation. It is been found that both men and women experience oxytocin in the same ways. It facilitates bonding with children, increases romantic attachments and plays an important role in reproductive health.

Research has also revealed that oxytocin in males improves the ability to identify competitive relationships and navigate their fight-flight-response. In women it tends to improve the feelings of kinship. This maybe because of the behavior of oxytocin in the male and female amygdala which is responsible for emotion and behavior.

The practice of Breath Awareness and Meditation can increase levels of oxytocin in both males and females.

Breath Awareness

  1. Awareness means being aware of one’s breath.
  2. Visualizing oneself inhaling prana with the breath, pausing and then exhaling and pausing.
  3. Counting one’s breath backwards from 54 to 0. No errors to be made, because then one has to repeat the process.

Outcome one is aware of one’s breath, one is detached as one is engaged in a neutral activity, and one’s prana is being balanced.

Antar Mouna

In this practice one is withdrawing one’s senses externally. The sadhana is Antar Mouna (Inner silence). One must sit still, with eyes closed. By practicing breath awareness, one has quietened one’s mind. One’s thoughts cannot engage with one. Now one listens to the external sounds. Paying attention to the loudest sounds and the softest sounds. After a while switch to the internal sound of the breath. Go back and forth between external and internal awareness. After twenty minutes open eyes. One will feel refreshed and calm.

Sam Rakshan comes into play, and one finds that one has a sense of well-being which is transferred to others also.

Aim Hrim Klim

Photo by Lina Trochez on Unsplash

588 – Where the mind is without fear

Where the mind is without fear
And the head is held high
Where knowledge is free
Where the world has not been broken into fragments
By narrow domestic walls
Where words come out from the depth of truth
Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection
Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way
Into the dreary desert sand of dead habit
Where the mind is lead forward by thee
Into ever-widening thought and action
Into that heaven of freedom, my
Father let my country awake. – Rabindranath Tagore

This poem was written by Rabindranath Tagore during India’s pre-independence days. The poet is writing that a country should have people living without fear and with dignity. Continue reading

566 – Chant with your heart – part 5

Spinal passage rotation with kundalini visualization and Soham.

Be relaxed mentally and physically. Practice deep rhythmic breathing. Become aware of the spinal passage and take the ingoing breath from ajna chakra at the top of the spinal passage down to mooladhara chakra at the base. As the breath moves down the spinal passage, try to feel it piercing each chakra in turn, but do not try to name them or stop at any one. Continue reading

558 – The dust of the feet

To fulfil our dreams. A visualization of Maha Shakti.

Close your eyes. Sit straight. Chant Aim Hrim Klim three times. Breathe in and out of your left nostril and then breathe in and out of the right nostril. You are clearing the Ida and Pingala nadis. Now breathe in and out of both nostrils so that the Sushumna can flow. Be still. Continue reading

556 – Negative 4 traits to positive 4 qualities

What are the negative four traits? They are the characteristics which we all have. They are ignorance, greed, anger and delusion. The positive four qualities are based on stability, physical, emotional, mental and spiritual, and the conversion happens through some simple yogic practices. Continue reading

554 – Brahmari Sadhana

Transform yourself

Brahmari Sadhana is the practice of Brahmari pranayama, with the mantra Soham. In Sanskrit Brahmari is bee, and the pranayama is akin to a bee humming. It comes from the humming sound made while exhaling. Brahmari pranayama is the life-force that vibrates the whole brain by control of the pituitary gland. The pituitary gland is the master of all glands at the bottom of the brain that controls the entire nervous system. Continue reading

551 – Butterflies can’t see their wings

Butterflies can’t see their wings. They can’t see how truly beautiful they are, but everyone else can. People are like that as well. – Anonymous

Behold the joys of beauty. Admire the brilliance of the diamond in the darkest coal mine. Look at the luster of the eyes in the ugliest face. To one blessed with insight, whatever s/he sees is touched by the divine painter, who expresses himself in such infinite and ineffable beauty. – Swami Sivananda

Continue reading

533 – Are We Needy?

What are our basic needs? Food, water, shelter, clothing, sunlight and sleep. Abraham Maslow was an American psychologist who created the Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. His description is given below. The first is physiological needs, second is safety and security, third is love and belonging, fourth is self-esteem and last is self-actualization. Continue reading

519 – Reduce our carbon footprints

I have a confession to make my dear ones, I write about the environment and yet I am not completely aware of Mother Earth and the carbon footprints I leave.

I read over the weekend a report about coffee, water and new clothes. I have been feeling guilty ever since. I try my best but I am failing. You must be wondering what this is about? Continue reading

501 – Practice Atmabhava every day – Part 2

Yesterday I wrote about the daily practice of atmabhava and making it a part of our life. I also wrote about the different days of the week dedicated to the Gods. The point I am making is that we must be aware of God’s presence all the time. Many of us by fasting, only remember the specific God, because we desire something. The point here is fasting is good, it purifies one only if we have unconditional love for the divine. There is to be no expectations. The outcome is the divine is all knowing and without demanding, one’s wishes are fulfilled. Continue reading

473 – How do we interpret Awareness?

Is it possible to become aware by the daily practice of Asanas and pranayama? When we have finished our sadhana, do we rush off into our daily life activities? Do we snap at our children, dogs, partner and our colleagues? Do we feel empathy for someone who is not able to perform a task properly? There are so many daily issues and how do we react to them? Continue reading

469 – Individual or collective consciousness

What is consciousness? Consciousness is your individual awareness of your unique thoughts, memories, feelings, sensation and of the environment. The complete meaning of consciousness is your awareness of yourself and the world around you. Continue reading