5 Ways to Strengthen Relationships

Those who struggle to create and experience lasting relationships may be unaware of the power we each hold to reframe or turn our lives around.  This requires introspection, shadowork, deep honesty.  Before making hasty decisions, consider 5 Ways to explore new approachins to existing relationships:

1. Give & receive without judgement

2. Treat others as you would like to be treated (or better)

3. Derive strength and inspiration from relationships

4. Act to enable your partner to feel seen, heard & valued

5. Cultivate courage to speak your truth with compassion, understanding and love

Now, doing the above whole-heartedly opens you to deeper insight within yourself. If, when you communicate, you still do not feel loved, valued or heard and still do not feel on the same wavelength, then this invites you to step back and recognize your needs are not being met and other actions must be taken.  Positive, lasting change can only result when you consistently listen and align with your true self. 

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This is of course, the tip of the iceberg. Connect with us to join one of our related courses to help renew, revilaltize or reframe key relationships in your life. 

Secrets of 5 Vāyus of Yoga

The five prana (vital energy) currents are the Vāyus ("airs" in Sanskrit; The Sanskrit word Vāta literally means 'blown'; Vāyu, 'blower' and Prāna, 'breathing' (note: the breath of life; the *an- in animate). To be aware of these currents and how they influence balance, imbalance is to gain valuable insight and pointers to sustain well-being.

1. Prana Vāyu (feeds energy into other four)

PRANA vāyu is responsible for the INTAKE (forward-moving air). It moves downward and inward, providing the basic energy that drives us. It is primarily located in the head, lungs and heart. Imbalances in Prana flow can show up as anxiety, fear, anger (head); breathlessness, asthma, sleep apnea (lungs); heart palpitations or stroke (heart).

Yoga asanas to focus on balancing the Prana Vāyu:

Inversions

• Kriya Asana Vanekom -Earth Salutation
• Ardha Salabhasana – Half Locust Pose
• Paripurna Salabhasana – Full Locust Pose
• Urdva Mukha Svanasana - Upward Facing Dog Pose
• Nindra Kokkusana -Crane Pose

Poses with Raised Arms

• Talasana -Palm Tree Pose
• Virahdrasana I -Warrior I Pose
• Utkatasana -Chair Pose

Heart Openers

• Ustrasana -Camel Pose
• Setu Bandha – Bridge Pose
• Urdva Dhanurasana - Upward Bow Pose
• Bhujangasana – Cobra Pose

Some breathwork to use in conjunction with Prana Vāyu asanas:

• Ujjaii Breathing (Ocean Breathing)
• Bhastrika Pranayama (Breath of Fire)
• Nadi Shodhana (Alternate Nostril Breathing)

2. Udana Vāyu

It circulates in the head and neck and is responsible for growth. It moves upward and results from other vayus working properly. It governs our ability to stand, our speech, effort, enthusiasm and will. It is concentrated near the diaphragm and throat and is responsible for certain respiratory functions, speech and mental functioning (by supporting the blood movement to the brain). Imbalances in Udana vayu functioning include asthma, emphysema; stuttering, voice hoarseness; depression, poor memory, lack of creativity, direction or goals.

Yoga asanas to focus on balancing the Udana Vāyu

• any of the Warrior Poses
• Gardusana -Eagle Pose
• Minasana-Fish Pose
• Pathi Minasana -Half Fish Pose
• Vilasana- Bow Pose
• Vibaritakarani Asana (Half Shoulder stand)
• Kalapoy Asana - Plow Pose

Some breathwork & other practices to use in conjunction with Udana Vāyu

• Focus on Exhalation, particularly diaphragmatic breathing
• Udana Breath (IN: Breathe in through the mouth, attention at the throat chakra EX: Chant OM)
• Chanting (i.e. Om Kriya Babaji Namo Aum; So-Hum- Om Namah Shivayah)
• Meditations that highlight raising awareness of head and neck

3. Vyana Vāyu

VYANA vayu is responsible for distribution. It moves outward in a circular, pulsating motion. It is located in the heart and lungs and is involved in cardiac activity, circulation and voluntary nervous system. Imbalances may show up as poor circulation, blocked arteries, heart attack, edema; peripheral neuropathy, symptoms of MS.

Yoga asanas to focus on balancing the Vyana Vāyu include:

Side- Bending Asanas

• Preparatory Sidebend (on the back)-
• Utthita Trikonasana- Extended Triangle Pose
• Supta Garduasana- Reclined Eagle Pose
• Balasana-Child's Pose
• Sukasana- Easy Pose
• Parsva Tadasana- Sidebending Mountain Pose
• Parighasana -Gate Pose
• Utthita Parsvakonasana- Extended Side Angle Pose
• Prasarita Padottanasana -Wide Legged Forward Bend
• Janu Sirsasana -Head-to-Knee Forward Bend
• Parsva Upavistha Konasana -Side Seated Wide Angle Pose
• Parivrtta Janu Sirsasana - Revolved Head-to-Knee Pose

Heart Openers

• Sun Salutations
• Namaste Prayer

Breathwork or Pranayana that balance Vyana Vāyu:

• Focus on Inhalation and expansion -Pulse Breathing
• Retention of breath (hold after Inhale)- Wim Hof Breathing
• Vyana Breath (Place the hands on your chest. IN: Bring the arms out, expanding from the center out into the periphery, filling up the lungs; hold 2 seconds; EX: Place the hands back on your chest. Keep your focus at the heart center)
• Any breathing activities that give you joy, touch your heart

4. Apana Vāyu

APANA vayu is responsible for elimination. It moves down and out and also helps retain things in. It is primarily located in the lower abdomen and is associated with functions of elimination, reproduction and bone health (regulating the absorption and retaining of minerals). Imbalances in Apana flow can show up as constipation/diarrhea, IBS; menstrual problems, sexual issues; bone density issues. It helps us go deeper in our seated forward folds. It can also bring a sense of calm and inner strength. Bringing awareness of Apana-Vayu in any yoga pose creates a focus to ground and stabilize the lower body.

Yoga asanas that focus on balancing the Apana Vāyu:

• Standing postures (especially standing on one foot)- Eka Pada Utkatasana-Figure Four
• Paschimottanasanas-Seated forward folds
• Half Bound Lotus Forward Bend | Ardha Baddha Padma Paschimottanasana
• Parivrritta Sukasana - Seated Twists

Breathwork, Pranayama or other Practices that help balance the Apana Vāyu

• Nauli Kriya- Abdominal Massage
• Agni Sara Kriya- Fire Essence Purification of Abdomen
• Ashvini Mudra

5. Samana Vāyu

SAMANA vayu is responsible for processing things and moves toward the center in a churning motion. It is concentrated around the navel. It is responsible for digestion on all levels, including the mind. It is associated with processes of digestion, absorption and assimilation. Imbalances in Samana vayu function include metabolism issues, poor digestion, bloating, loss of appetite.

Yoga asanas to help get Samana vayu re-balanced:

• Supine Twisting Postures
• Planks
• Arm-balancing poses

Breathwork, Pranayama & other practices to help get Samana vayu back ' on-track':

• Focus on Exhalation with abdominal contraction (i.e. Kapalabhati)
• Suspension of breath (hold after Exhale)
• Progressive abdominal contraction (Zip-up)
• Uddiyana Bandha-like practices
• Samana breath (IN: Imagine pulling the energy in toward your belly EX: Contract the abdomen, imagine the energy becoming more concentrated; hold contraction for a moment.)
• Kapalbhati (to stimulate agni)
• High-vibrational food & fasting

Tune into Kairos Time

Notice part of you already knows the outcome but you are here anyway as events must still play out to activate the alchemy. Life unfolds as energy flow which is the ultimate timekeeper. Among all creatures, HUmans are the only ones who measure time and suffer fear of time running out. Ancient Greeks spoke of two types of time: Chronos time is linear time, measured in seconds, minutes, hours, years. It is required to do normal everyday "time." Chronos is the forward propelling time that we measure with clocks, on watches, and by the evolutionary phases of the moon. Kairos time is soul time. It is the point at which all healing happens, where all wisdom and intuition resides, where all serendipity happens and where all creative ideas arise into consciousness within you whole. Retrain the mind: more kairos and less chronos time. Love more. Work less. Connect with the wise, greater part of yourself. Embody all you came here to be. Express who you are at soul level, fall into harmony with the universe. Imagine your inner light, soul, spirit, ancient self. The part of you bridging heaven and earth, constantly whispering the best course to take. This timeless, tender part of you invites you to listen and allow it to navigate the most compelling life direction.

Honour Being in-Limbo

Notice amidst ongoing shifts in consciousness, emotional and global upheavals, its crucial to honour the "liminal space", in-between gap or transitional phases of transformation. There are periods of being "in-limbo", when what used to make sense to you no longer does and yet, you still resist completely letting go with peace and certainty to move ahead, above, beyond. It touches relationships, situations, identity- previous foundations or perceived truths of your reality are crumbling. Its those points where the mind does not yet see clearly where to go from here, does not yet completely accept or reject new ways of seeing, know how you will survive or operate beyond the familliar. This is where surrender happens.

It is my experience that we discover a great deal of freedom during this process of shifting to think less and feel more along our winding road. A similar feeling arises during lucid dreaming as we come to sense different levels of awarness and energetic activity.  This freedom does not necessarily imply the total elimination of suffering or all our expectations. And yet, it does free us to live more fully, can lead to profound changes in character, priorites and being open and receptive to the unusual and unforeseen.

From the moment we begin to accept we do not have to know everything, that our assumptions are unfounded, that ideas of past and future are distractions to the ultimate truth, our life shifts in profound ways. New opportunities arise as if from nowhere, what we had aspired to or struggled toward unfolds without effort, teachers and invisible guides make themselves known. Suddenly, it feels natural to experience pure presence. This is about bringing the ind to the present moment, seeing blessings & wisdom in whatever presents.

3 Tips to Accept Innate Worthiness

To accept innate worthiness, implies you accept you are worthy without doing anything. The essence of your being is love, which means your basic nature, when functioning freely, is constructive and trustworthy. Love, in this sense, is not a romantic emotional state, but rather, a rational, coherent, and positive intelligence, guiding your life forward with subtle and ordered complexity toward goals the Soul aspires to realize.

In a nutshell, it is your essential loving nature establishes your worth and belonging as a human being, meaning you are inherently perfect exactly as you are right now, have been in the past, and are in the process of becoming. It’s the truth and science backs it up. The fact that your worth as a human being is inherent means it is always true. There are no conditions you need to meet, no prerequisites to qualify you, no accomplishments required to earn it. Your worth is not earned; it’s given. Your successes and failures in life neither increase or decrease your worth. Whether you live in a mansion or on the street, you are worthy. 

The research of Brene Brown reveals only one variable that separated the people who have a strong sense of self-worth and belonging from the people who struggle for it. That variable is that people with high self-worth believe they are worthy. They accept it as fact (which it is). Your unqualified acceptance of yourself as worthy is fundamentally all it takes to experience it.  Your basic nature drives you to fulfill your potentials. Something within guides you to express and activate all your talent and gifts to enrich your life and reach your full potential.  Consider 3 Tips to accept innate worthiness; 

1) List of qualities you experience when you are at your best.  Simply jot down 10 words or short phrases that describe your experience when you’re in the flow, in the zone, consciously co-creating with love and things happen. This will help you identify the experience of the directional force emanating from your essential nature.

2) Know the code for your essential nature is embedded in the very neurocircuitry of your brain, unwrapping to express the creative, curious, explorative, playful, constructive, peaceful, loving, joyful, compassionate, sharing, and cooperative forces within that move you forward toward self-actualization.

3) Repeat positive affirmations and femonstrate them to yourself in practice, What you are is good enough, and all you have to do is to be it openly. Transcend struggle, shame and self-doubt, by proving otherwise.  Although you are by your very nature intrinsically worthy and forward moving, your inherent core of worth is so overlaid with layers negative thoughts, fears, and doubts as to feel nonexistent. Thus, your challenge is to remove the layers of fear and negative thinking so your intrinsic worth can emerge naturally.