Tag Archives: yoga
PBP2012: B- “Bindi” aka What does that little dot on your forehead mean
Through my yogic journey, I have had the opportunity to take initiations into different aspects of yoga. Through yoga we also learn different ways to bring a fuller connection to aspects of our practice. The “bindi” is one of the tools I was least familiar with, but now use fully in my practice. Most of us have seen Hindu women with the traditional red marking on the center of the forehead, and a big misconception is that this marking only signifies marriage.
The “bindi” is also applied to bring awareness and attention to the third eye. One of my favorite kirtan singers BhagavanDas says it best, “The bindi brings
Bhagavan Das
full awareness to the third eye. People will look, you will see it when you look in the mirror, and this adds energy to your third eye.” Just to be completely honest, people will stare… especially if you are male and wearing this symbol. I personally feel most connected when I take a moment to apply it. It’s a very personal act of connection with the divine, a deep connection to the third eye center.
There are a couple of important reasons to wear it, and I’ll also talk about application in case any of you reading might want to take the bindi for a test drive:
One of the reasons I like wearing it is not just the significance of the third eye energy, but that it helps me to connect deeper to my spiritual path. When others stop and look, or even talk to me about the bindi it gives me a chance to share my journey with someone else. We live in a world where life is moving quickly, and little things like this catch people off guard and it slows them
down, causes them to stop, and connect for a moment. A bindi can be worn by both men and women. It is a connection to the divine, and in some ways is an outward representation of that connection. It focuses the energy into our intuitive center and helps us to focus.
The bindi is traditionally applied with sandalwood paste and kumkum powder. Sandalwood is important for many reasons. It’s fragrance has calming properties, and when applied to the forehead allows us to smell it, feel it and embrace it. We know that it is there, and the forehead is where we hold most of our worry, so it brings cooling to our “worry center”. The kumkum is the red powder that is applied on top of the sandalwood paste. You can easily find powders in different colors, and different methods of application. I’ll detail my personal process, and feel free to apply it as you see fit.
Some people just apply the adoration as a fashion statement, and where there might be nothing wrong with this, there are deeper energies present in simple actions. There are individuals that take yoga solely as a physical practice, but the spiritual aspect is inherent whether you want it or not. So just keep that in mind when connecting to practices that may have a latent spiritual symbolism.
You can use as a tool to focus your meditation, you can use it to build your connection to your intuition, and it can outwardly help you connect to your spiritual path.
1) I first take a moment to center myself and I call in my personal deity, guides and angels.
2) I apply a small amount of water to my left palm, and add a small amount of sandalwood powder then mix them with my left ring finger until a paste forms.
3) once the mixture has formed into a paste I take my right ring finger and apply it to the spot right above my nose, centered between the forehead. I apply it by making small circles, and its usually no bigger than the size of a nickel. While I apply it I usually say a mantra. This mantra penetrates into the third eye during the application process.
4) Now to apply the kumkum powder. What I have found best for getting the perfect little circle is to take the eraser end of a pencil, lightly tap the powder covering the eraser fully. Then take the eraser and press firmly into the center of your sandalwood past circle. I hold long enough for me to say the mantra one more time, then release.
Some people apply the bindi without the sandalwood, some use their finger when applying the kumkum, some use applicator kits, and there are many other ways of adorning oneself. The most important part is finding what works for you, and finding your reason for applying it.
Have fun with it. Even if you don’t find yourself drawn to using this spiritual tool, hopefully now you will have a deeper understanding of its meaning. Namaste!
Mahayogi Das CFT CSN MAT PAT
www.michaelbrazell.com
michael@michaelbrazell.com
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Pagan Blog Project: Bhatki Yoga- The Path of Devotion
Bhatki Yoga: The Path of Devotion
Many of us in the west are familiar with Asana Yoga or the yoga of the body. Asana connects us to the body’s flow, it brings in alignment, and it gives us a pretty decent workout. Asana practice in and of itself is not yoga. Yoga is 
divided into four main forms and Asana is one method of connecting to a particular yogic path. Bhatki is one main form of yoga that has its full roots in the spiritual side of the yogic experience.
Bhatki is the path of devotion. This is also known as the “yoga of the heart”. Most of us that walk a spiritual path have in some way devoted ourselves to our journey, our cause, and/or our community. I want to take a deeper look at Bhatki and how we can apply its deeper roots to our personal practice in order to deepen our connection to the divine. Devotion does not necessarily mean throwing ourselves in front of an altar to any specific deity, devotion is an action of commitment to the divine through our actions. Bhatki truly is the embodiment of seeing the divine in everything around us. To see God or Goddess in everything: In the air we breath, in the trees on our walk to work, in the homeless person asking for change, in the sky above and in the earth below–and to the divine reflection staring back at us in the mirror.
The path of devotion can take many forms, it is up to us to decide where we want to find that connection. In Hinduism, Hanuman is the embodiment of Bhatki. He was fully committed to Rama. Hanuman completely devoted his energy to serving Rama which freed him from the binding nature of the physical. To be single pointed in our focus on the divine, allowing ourselves to transcend the physical.
Each day we have an opportunity to deepen our connection to our divine self. Here are a few things you can do to deepen your practice through Bhatki:
1) Say a mantra (prayer) to your chosen path, deity, or energy. Do this through your day. Say a mantra that connects you directly to that divine energy. Hanuman’s mantra is: Sri Rama Jaya Rama Jaya Jaya Rama. You can use anything that connects you. It could be a line from Charge of the Star Goddess, or just simply a positive high vibration word like “love” or “peace”. Doing mantra work through our day brings the divine into the randomness of our day. We do not have to sit in front of our altars to bring in the divine energy.
2) See the divine in everything. Connect through your heart. Giving selflessly is one way to lead with your heart. Volunteer at a homeless shelter. Give to those that are in need. Choose not to argue with those you love. This allows us to BE the divine. Take this further and connect to the world outside. Touch a tree and see it as divine. Pause and see the divinity in a single blade of grass poking its way through the concrete. Go vegetarian for a day (or longer) to extend your compassion to
3) See perfection in all of your imperfections. See yourself as the divine. There is a story of Hanuman rushing off to get an antidote for Rama’s brother who was poisoned. He gets to the sacred mountain and forgets which flower is the antidote–so he lifts the entire mountain and brings it back to Rama. We aren’t perfect. We sometimes forget about our connection and stop showing up. We must show up, even if we forget the details, show up with a mountain of love on your shoulder for all of your parts.
The world is your altar, commit to your path, and devote yourself to this life fully. Each breath is a mantra, each day another chance to be in that space of devotion.
Rock On Hanuman By MC Yogi
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The Ritual of Fitness: Intergrating Intention into Your Gym Workout Routines
Intention, Motivation, and Connection to Your Physical Practice
The alarm clock goes off, and your feet hit the ground, and of course the first thought on your mind is heading towards the gym. I can already hear the “Yeah, right” screaming from the recesses of your soul. Many will sleep in until the very last possible second, some rush to the computer the moment feet 
touch the ground to check email/Facebook/twitter/or the latest foursquare updates. Then after a long day at work, we are faced with our second opportunity to step into the sacred grounds of the gym, yet… we would much rather curl up to Netflix and catch up on the latest episode of Cake Boss.
The toughest part of any workout routine is setting up a steady routine. There is a frustration when it comes to working out. We have to remember that it took us a while to get to where we are, and it is going to take some time to see the results of our work. As spiritual people we know that when it comes to manifesting things take time. The universe/God/Goddess hears our call and life begins to synchronize and align to bring about the desired outcome. Our time in the gym is a microcosm of grand universal effect. The first step is to set a realistic goal for yourself. Ok, let’s pause right here. Many of you immediately added up some magical goal weight that must be achieved, some of you might have seen muscles ripping out of every crevice of your clothing, others may have seen themselves coming across the finish line of their first marathon. Let’s take the goal to an even smaller and simpler place: Just show up. That’s it. If you do not show up to your workout, then the goal will just remain a dream. The dream is also dangerous, because it can hold us in an expectation that is too far for ourselves to reach. If my goal is to run a marathon, but I’ve never even jogged a mile, I might be frustrated if in one week, I’m not wearing that gold medal around my neck. We have to be realistic about our expectations when it comes to our fitness. Even better is to release all expectation. Just show up and engage your experience.
You’ll also need a workout plan. Not knowing what to do in the gym can be intimidating. The machines can be complex, the classes can be intimidating, and at times we might just be overwhelmed by the multitude of choices in front of us. Simplify your direction. Start with cardio and build, do not be afraid to ask questions and take a class or two. Group fitness classes are a great way to burn calories, connect with others that are moving towards similar goals, and just have fun! When I was teaching and taking classes at a gym in Norfolk, I looked forward to my class, they became my “gym family”. You share stories, and get excited in each others progress.
Now, let’s take our workout a step further. What if I told you that you could add to world peace simply by engaging your process in the gym? Take a moment and think of something that is important in your life, something that you want to dedicate energy to. The next time you are in the gym set your intention, and dedicate your workout to that goal/place in the world/or person that might need it. A simple affirmation might go like this, “I dedicate the energy from this workout to all the homeless in my area. May they find peace, love and happiness this day” “I dedicate the energy of this workout to my friend Jim, who is going into surgery today, may the energy created guide him into greater health.” You get the hint… Be creative.
By setting an intention, you create a deeper connection to your workout. It gives the action new life and purpose.
Set the intention the night before and you might feel new drive to get those feet moving towards greater health the moment that alarm clock screams you awake.
I’ll be posting specific workout plans and tips to help ease the process and to make gym life less overwhelming. For those of you that are not members of a gym, I’ll be posting specifics for you as well.
So, let’s recap:
1) Just start by showing up. Not just to the gym, but to your life. Choose health, choose life, choose to better yourself on all levels.
2) Set a goal for yourself. Be realistic and release all expectations other than to be present in your gym experience.
3) Ask questions, have a plan of action. If you can spend 10 hours on Facebook, you can spend a few minutes looking up workout routines. Also feel free to email me directly if you have questions. I will also be posting a resource list in the next couple of days.
4) Give your workout a greater purpose by setting an intention. By doing this you make it more than just about you. You are creating and giving energy to the world around you. This alone should help drive your desire to get moving.
You are loved, you are beautiful, you are perfect in all of your imperfections.
Mahayogi Das CFT CSN MAT PAT
www.michaelbrazell.com
michael@michaelbrazell.com
The Importance of Physical Fitness in our Spiritual Lives
We live in a world that is dominated by technology. We spend our lives moving from one place to another at rapid intervals, speed seems to dominate our direction, and in all this many of us lose the connection to our physical bodies. I see a lot of very spiritual people who have become very out of touch with their physical bodies. Everything from how we move, to how we sit, to how we interact with everything in this experience is made possible by the temple we 
were given by the divine. If you do not care for the temple it will deteriorate into rubble. We as divine individuals owe it to ourselves to take charge of our bodies just as much as we devote to ritual, meditation, or crafting community. Making a move into a healthier is easier than most think. Most tend to put too much between the desire and the action ex: We feel that we want to work out, so we first have to research which gym to join, what program we should do, what type of shoes would make the experience better… Stop adding hurdles to your path and just engage it. Engaging fitness can be as easy as walking, taking the stairs instead of the elevator, and being mindful of how the body feels. We often reach out for convenience foods rather than healthier options. Ordering take out just so that I do not have to get up from my computer is not going to make what I am writing better, and the guilt that often comes with damaging our bodies keeps us in negative loops and patterns. Would you go to a healer that is constantly sick? Many lightworkers do more for others than they do for themselves, we readily offer healing yet refuse to just sit in our own space to give ourselves the same healing connection. What we put into our bodies and how we engage the physical process says a lot about how we are truly dedicated to our paths.
We are given these temples for a short time, we must do all that we can to ensure that we are able to be part of this experience. A damaged temple ensures that it will not stand long, but it is never too late to do repairs, to tidy up, and to upgrade the carpet. I am going to be posting a special series on fitness, engaging the mind/body connection, and how to trust your intuition even in the fitness arena.
Take time to be healthy. Take time to connect to improving your body as much as your spiritual practice. Take action now.
Mahayogi Das CFT CSN MAT PAT
www.michaelbrazell.com
michael@michaelbrazell.com
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Finding Your Flow: Finding Your Yoga Through Surrender
For the past few weeks I have been able to re-center myself in my practice. For many of us yoga itself is an act of surrender, for those of us that teach, it becomes an even greater struggle at times to let go of the reigns and allow someone else to steer the car. To be a great teacher you also have to be a great student, we never truly stop learning. I’ve had the joy to be able to workout with some amazing yogis through my life journey, and as of recent I have found some great teachers at my local gym. Many here in the city feel the only way to get a great yoga workout is to join a high price studio, to purchase the fanciest equipment, and to have the coolest pair of yoga pants in class, or to do a hybrid of yoga and power movements. Stepping into unfamiliar territory is the 
what I love most about yoga. Hearing the powerful Sanskrit names, moving into pretzel like postures, holding each one until if feels like the world itself is going to end, then relaxing deeper into the internal space of our mind. Many of us view the world only through the external. Yoga (whether you want it or not) is designed to also connect you into that internal part of being. Each asana is an action of meditation, and when we connect this way we are surrendering to yoga itself.
One of the worst things we can do as instructors and practitioners is to become complacent in our practice. I am guilty of this from time to time. We can sometimes feel like we are just going through the motions, or we skip out on our practice all together. This was part of the drive that got me back into the gym, and back into class as a student. It has been amazing surrendering to someone else. To let them guide me deeper into my own practice. If you ar finding that you are growing tired of your practice to not be afraid to step out of the bounds of comfort. Try something new! Take a hot yoga class, try acro- yoga, if you are a fast flow yogi–try slower restorative classes, try power yoga, the idea is to dip your toes in new waters. Each time we attempt something new the ripples echo out into ever aspect of our being, our practice and our connection to our paths. Yoga is an action of surrender. Surrender can be a foreign word for many of us, let yoga be your guide. If by chance yoga is not your thing, the same rules apply. Shake up your life a bit, get up, get out, and move–find your flow, and breath in all this life has to offer. Each moment a is a gift, don’t waste it.
Mahayogi Das CFT CSN MAT PAT
www.michaelbrazell.com
soulinteraction@gmail.com
757-839-3531
