Six Steps to Finding Inner Harmony

Finding inner harmony is something we all desire. So how can we find peace within? Here are six simple ways to find that inner sanctuary.

1. Find a quiet place. Many times this can be difficult unless you live out in the country so make the best of what you have already.

2. Find a comfortable position. Whether you are lying down and gazing up at the sky or sitting comfortably in a chair, just be sure your posture doesn't interrupt your breath.

3. Connect with your senses. This is the time to tune into the ambient sounds of nature that surround you. Notice the gentle breeze that crosses your body, the warmth of the sun, the scent of flowers wafting and birds singing. This is a time to become fully aware of the beauty of nature.

4. Be at peace. Connect with your breath and the natural vibration of the universe. Really take in this tranquil feeling.

5. Look within and accept. This is your true spirit and nature. It is honesty and integrity at its best. This is the time to let go of the ego-mind and let your spirit shine through.

6. Interact with Mother Nature. Touch and feel the plants, trees and the ground. Connect to the spirit of nature with your own spirit. Feel free to talk to the plants and animals that surround you. Connecting your soul with the soul of Mother Nature is powerful and energizing.

The above steps are very simple to do and yet they can have such a profound effect on your life. Take time everyday to engage with Mother Nature and you will find inner harmony.


Namaste,

Mary Jane Kasliner ~ Feng Shui Master & Yogi
www.fengshuiyoganj.com

Trusting and Letting Go: The Energy of the Serpent

Snakes have long held numerous interpretations in our world; being revered in certain cultures to the ultimate symbol of evil in others.In the Medicine Wheel the snake represents the south direction and the root chakra. Therefore, this symbol is about shedding the past and making sure our physical requirements are being met. It is about walking upon this earth softly so we can spend time to tend spirit.

The snake tells us to surrender to the "small stuff," and when we do so the organizational principles of the universe manifests so things can happen for us. Just letting go allows things to align and fall naturally into place.When we cast out worry then divine action can take the lead and the life you were always meant to live takes form.

Here's to giving the universe a chance to take the lead today.

Namaste,
Mary Jane Kasliner - President Body Space Alignment
wwwfengshuiyoganj.com

Blogs:  bit.ly/A1UhnG
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I know this title sounds rather strange; Yoga Class and New Window Treatment. Well, the truth of the matter is after taking a yin yoga class this morning, a type of yoga class I never usually take, I came back to my home office and was planning on doing some work. Instead, I found myself starring at the window treatment while sitting at my computer. I thought to myself, "forget it and get back to your work." But for some reason the ever so chatty conscious mind was shuffling through different types of fabric, color, curtain rods, and the list goes on. Alright I thought to myself, I will feed this urge. So off I went shopping. As luck would have it, the first store I went into I found the perfect curtain and rod, and both on sale. Okay I thought, the universe is really working with me now.

Hauling the bags inside and up to my office, I thought once again,"Why am I doing this? The curtains presently dressing the window look just fine."  Down the steps I went and into the garage to grab some tools and the BIG ladder. I realized the new curtains were marked down because they were 95 inches in length. Yikes, the curtains hanging on the window now were 84 inches. Okay, no big deal. I'll just create a more dramatic look and raise the new rod closer to the ceiling. This will give the impression of a higher ceiling and bigger room. Perfect I thought.

Patience Being Tested:

I'm struggling now to open the encased rod. It's as if this thing was made of gold the way the factory packaged it. Take a breath I thought, just a few more cuts with the scissors and I'm in. The sweat is now starting to drip from my brow.  For a moment I thought this was more of a work out then my yoga class this morning.

At this point, I decided to stop arm wresting with the curtain rod package and remove the old rod and brackets. Now the can of worms really opens. So, did I forget to mention that I had painted my office at least three different colors over the years, and you guessed it, I painted around these brackets to save time and now they are stuck to the wall like feathers to tar. Time for the hammer I thought. Oh yes, things are getting ugly now. I step back and again think to myself..."Why and I doing this?" Several bangs later and off pops the old wooden brackets only to find they were anchored in with screws that looked like they could hold up the Brooklyn bridge. Where's a power screw driver when you need one? Needless to say, those screws were not coming out. I thought, no problem I'll paint over them and the new curtains will cover them up.

Ujayii Breath:

As all yogis know the ujayii breath is the breath to calm the mind during yoga. Well, it was time to engage in this pranayama off the mat and onto my ladder. It was time to screw in the new brackets. Using the eyeball measuring method, I proceed to mark off where "bracket number one" will go." I'm on a roll now I thought. As I proceed to tap in the nail to prepare for the molly bolt, the nail comes to an abrupt halt. Low and behold I hit a stud or something that feels like the Great Wall of China. Okay, option two. Let's forego the molly bolt and just sink the screw. Unfortunately, to no avail. The screw will not budge through that cement brick or whatever it was. Without a handy drill I'm pretty much up the creek without the proverbial paddle. Now I find myself banging and tapping the wall to see where it is hollow. Four more inches over to the left and I find myself making new holes for the bracket. This time its going in. Not a chance. Off my ladder I go to dig deep into my toolbox for shorter screws. I come back into my office and shocked to see all the holes I have created around the window frame. Looks like I am going to be doing some painting as well.

I manage to get all three brackets in place and in alignment. Next, find the original paint. Digging through my garage storage tubs, I find it. Running up the steps with paint and brush in hand, I take a small stumble and spill a tiny bit of paint on one of the new curtains. I draw the breath in slowly, find a towel, moisten it, and blot away. Not bad I think to myself. I touch up all the nail holes with a little spackle, paint over them, and like magic the wall looks reborn. Up go the curtains and here I am writing this blog, green tea to my right, and a smile on my face.

It's amazing how the conscious mind pulled me from my desk today to this window adventure. It is also amazing how patient and calm I remained during the "not so easy project." Without the breath and yogic mind this could have been a different blog.

May you enjoy patience today.

Mary Jane Kasliner - Feng Shui Master & Yogi
President - Body Space Alignment
www.fengshuiyoganj.com
Aligning Your Inner & Outer Landscape Blog: http://fengshuihealthydesigns.blogspot.com/

In the book The Power of Now, author Eckhart Tolle discusses how to relinquish negativity. He points out resistance is the basis for negativity and this negativity can come in the form of irritation to full blown anger. The ego believes that through negativity it can manipulate reality and get what it wants. There is an unconscious belief that unhappiness buys you what you want. This of course does not work and in fact you only attract an undesirable result. The only useful function of using negativity this way is to strengthen the ego, and that is why the ego loves it.

Negativity is totally unnatural and in fact a psychic pollutant. There is no other life-form on the planet that knows negativity, only humans. So how can we stop negativity from arising? Simple... STAY PRESENT. When you reach a certain degree of being fully present, you don't need negativity anymore to tell you what is needed in your life situation.

Whenever you notice that some form of negativity has arisen, don't beat yourself up but rather look to it as a helpful signal telling you: "Wake up. Get out of your head and be present."  Don't ponder the situation. If that is too difficult to do, then feel yourself becoming transparent and allow the irritation, or whatever is causing the negativity to pass right through you. Let go of the resistance and just let it pass through you. At first this will be difficult to do because the tendency is to search for something else. The key is to surrender to the moment and to completely accept where you are.

Masy you enjoy the presence of this moment.

Namaste,
Mary Jane Kasliner - Feng Shui Master & Yoga Teacher
President - Body Space Alignment
http://www.fengshuiyoganj.com/ 

Grounding Your Body & Space

Here's to feeling more grounded! 

Mary Jane Kasliner - Feng Shui Master & Yoga Teacher 
www.fengshuiyoganj.com

Finding balance in life that gives you both strength and effortless being.

Greetings!

Welcome to this weeks news brief from Body Space Alignment. Today’s discussion is about Downward Facing Dog, one of the most common poses in yoga. It is a pose that balances all seven chakras, balances the heating and cooling system of the body, strengthens the legs and shoulders, and creates an overall sense of calm for the nervous system.

Teaching Points.

1. Begin in table-top position and release back into extended child’s pose.

2. Inhale and glide the hips upward lengthening the spine and engaging the bandhas fully.

3. Spread fingers wide and rotate upper arms outward.

4. Exhale as you strengthen legs and walk heels from side to side to deepen into the stretch. When comfortable, draw both heels towards the floor and hold the pose.

5. Once in the pose, find a point of balance between the front body and back body, then sink deeper.

6. Widen the shoulder blades so you can relax the head and neck. Keep this area soft.

7. With each breath draw the energy up through the hands and arms, through the soles of the feet and into the legs. As you exhale allow the energy to radiate out from the core.

Modification:

If you have any injury to shoulder or wrists then you will want to modify this pose.

1. Follow the aforementioned instructions above only keep your knees in a bent position throughout the pose.

2. For even further modifications, stand facing a wall, bend at the hips and press your hands into the wall.

Downward facing dog can be as relaxing as child’s pose when practicing yoga. It’s all about finding that point of balance between the upper body and lower body. Take your time and be patient with yourself and let the stillness of this pose spread throughout your body.

Welcome to Body Space Alignment’s informative news briefs. This week a discussion about backbends. These heart openers tend to be the most nerve racking of all asanas in yoga practice. Once you understand the fear behind the backbend, then it becomes more manageable.

Enjoy the read!

Backbend Basics:

Backbends can be one of the scariest asanas in yoga. Most of us have a fraught relationship with them, having to ease slowly into the pose. These heart openers tend to stir up anxiety and unleash fear.

From a historical perspective, the great yogic sage (Patanjali) states: “Mental afflictions or Kleshas is our tendency to misperceive our true nature of the world around us.”

There are five kleshas outlined in the yoga sutras:

1. Avidya (Ignorance)

2. Asmeta (Identifying the ego)

3. Raga (Attachment)

4. Dvisha (Aversion)

5. Abhinivesha (Fear especially of death)

Avidya is considered the root Klesha with the other four being ramifications. The Kleshas are things that damage the heart and as a result cause human suffering. We tend to physically feel the Kleshas in the chest area. The best way to open up and recognize our sufferings is do perform heart openers or backbends. By practicing backbends we gain a better understanding of ourselves.

Backbend Basics:

Below are a few pointers when it comes to backbends. Take your time with the process as yoga is all about a practice rather than trying to be perfect.

1. Keep your lower back long while relaxing the buttocks. Think length when it comes to your tailbone.

2. Relax your jaw in order to safely enter the pose.

3. Work your arms and legs to support the body in the pose.

4. Keep breathing!

5.Engage the core for further support and stabilization.

6. Roll the shoulders back and down continually.

Example Backbends to consider for your practice:

1. Camel pose

2. Cobra pose

3. Bow (full or half)

4. Bridge pose

5. Wheel

6. Upward Facing Dog

Namaste!
Mary Jane ~ National Yoga Teacher
www.fengshuiyoganj.com

Welcome to Body Space Alignment’s informative news briefs. This week a discussion about Yoga – A Healthier State of Mind. Yoga is not just about postures. The meditation aspect encourages a healthier state of Mind & Body. The easiest way to incorporate the meditation aspect of yoga is to use the breath. all too often I find my student s holding their breath during their yoga practice. the first rule of thumb is to allow the breath to move freely and in sync with the asanas.

During every yoga class there should be a time devoted to breathwork. This can boost the level of your practice and the results are amazing.

Enjoy the read!

Yoga – A Healthier State of Mind:

Yoga is not just about the asanas (postures) but mainly about the meditation process. Unfortunately here in the states the focus is more about the activity rather than the higher spiritual alignment. Yoga actually can calm the mind and bring about a healthier state of being. This occurs because yoga targets the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system in the human body.

The sympathetic nervous systems is responsible for the stress hormones in the body while the parasympathetic system regulates breathing which is so important when it comes to relaxing the mind and body.

Kapalabhati Breath:

This yoga breath is fantastic when it comes to detoxing the mind. It is important you perform the breath properly to gain its benefits.

1. Sit in a comfortable position. Align the spine and allow the crown of the head to float upwards as the chin slightly tucks.

2. Take ordinary breaths and find your rhythm.

3. Allow sudden exhalation through the nostrils. This will allow the diaphragm to take control. The focus is on the exhalation rather than the inhalation.

4. Air is expelled from lungs as you draw the abdomen inward. The abdomen muscles will automatically relax.

5. perform 3 rounds of 11 breaths per round lasting for 1 minute.

* Note: always use the diaphragm instead of the chest to breathe.

Mary Jane Kasliner is a Feng Shui Master in Compass School Methods. She studied at elite feng shui schools under some of the world’s best receiving several certifications. She is also green certified, an expert dowser, and nationally certified in hatha yoga. Mary Jane is the President of Body Space Alignment and Director of the Teaching Tortoise School of Feng Shui – a Gold level member school with the International Feng Shui Guild. Mary Jane is a Red Ribbon Professional with the guild, member of the International Feng Shui Network and registered with Yoga Alliance.

Balance is the key behind productive living

I stumbled onto a book the other day authored by Dr. Wayne Dyer, “Wisdom of the Ages.” I had read through this book several years ago, but it’s one of those books that just keeps on giving. I opened to a random page titled: “Balance.” Hmm, I thought, this is interesting especially since I had been working nonstop at my computer all day. It’s funny how the Universe finds ways to communicate with you.

As I proceeded to read what Dr. Wayne Dyer had to say about this topic, it occurred to me how “we” are doing it wrong. In other words, most of us have the mindset that the longer hours we put in at work, then success is attainable. The workaholic many times is seen as the smart one, the go getter, and sure to reach his goals in life. Wrong! Think about it…How many of you out there feel like you are constantly on the “Go?” No matter what you do you feel like you are two steps behind. It doesn’t matter how much work you seem to get through in one day because there is always more to do.

Do you feel as if the work pile just keeps on growing with no end in sight? I’m sure most of you answered “YES” to that question. Here in lies the problem. According to Leonardo da Vinci – Italian painter, sculpture, architect, musician, engineer, mathematician, and scientist (whew…That’s sounds like a few lifetimes), being a workaholic is the opposite of being productive. Instead, this Renaissance man did the opposite. He took time to escape from daily routine and go some distance away to become more efficient and productive. It appears that highly productive people do just that. They bring a sense of harmony and balance into their lives. They are familiar with pacing and knowing when to retreat and clear their heads of immediate concerns. The key here is BALANCE.

To avoid being consumed by anything, you must be able to walk away from it. When you do this the picture becomes clearer. When you actually let go you begin to see exactly what you need to be doing and everything falls into place. When you get out of your own way the energy can flow from the “higher self” freely and divine source is readily available to you. Magically, the answers come to you and you are “in spirit” or inspired.

In today’s fast pace world the best way to let go is to meditate. Find a quiet place where you can just sit and move your focus inward. For many the meditative practice of yoga is helpful to achieve this state of balance. You don’t need to devote hours to this practice. A few minutes a day will do wonders.

May you have BALANCE today!

Natarajasana~ Dancers’ Pose

Balance is very important to us at any age but the older we get the more likely we can fall and sustain injury. Balance is also about quieting the mind and focusing our energy on the higher self or 3rd eye chakra (anjia).

Teaching Points:

1.Begin by standing tall (mountain pose) and lengthen the torso moving the crown of the head upward.

2. Ground fully into the left leg and foot as you bend the right knee to bring the heel towards the right buttock.

3. Clasp the right ankle from the inside with the right hand, keeping the knees together. In case of shoulder or wrist injury you may clasp from the outside or hold with a strap or tie.

4. Bring the left arm overhead and lengthen through the fingertips.

5. Press the top of the right foot into the hand and the sole of the foot back and up, naturally bringing the torso forward.

6. Keep the hips relatively square, so the right leg is coming straight back behind the body and not opening out to the side.

7. Allow the left arm to come to a point parallel to the earth, and open across the chest and upper back.

8. Keep the gaze straight forward with the neck lengthened.

Allow the heart to radiate pure energy through the body and feel a sense of grace and balance in the pose.

Note: If you need to hold onto a wall for this pose go right ahead. There is no judgement in yoga simply truth.

Benefits:

Besides improving balance, dancer’s pose offers a strong opening fro the front body including the quadriceps and psoas muscles. It also offers a powerful massage for the abdominal and pelvic organs, with a special focus on the reproductive organs, kidneys and adrenal glands.

When to avoid this pose:

Those with low back pain should avoid this pose.

Trikonasana or triangle literal means three angle posture. The triangle represents the expression of the cosmic self, Brahma, the creator, Vishnu, the preserver, and Shiva, the destroyer. The pose activates all 7 chakras with a focus on the heart chakra.

Trikonasana is one of the most invigorating poses in yoga. It has a way of opening up all of your energy centers leaving you with a feeling of weightlessness. It’s as if you can rise up off your yoga mat as the prana moves from the lower part of the body skyward.

Triangle pose is one of my favorite yoga poses finding its’ way into all my yoga classes. This energizing pose aligns the legs, hips and arms while lengthening the spine. All the muscles are worked in this pose including those for respiration balancing the entire being physically and energetically.

Strike the pose:

1. Begin with a wide stand. Turn the right foot out at a 90 degree angle and the left heel back at 45 degree angle, with the back heel in line with the front heel.
2. Press the feet firmly into your mat, activating the legs. Lift the arms to shoulder height. Reach long through the right arm and stretch forward as far as possible, drawing the right hip joint back and down as the left hip swings back, up & slightly forward.
3. Lower both sides of the torso evenly and place the right hand on the shin for support. Rotate the chest open, stretching the left arm upward as a natural extension of the heart opening lengthening this energy through the arms.

While in Trikonasana allow the chakras to open along the spine, and visualize a rainbow of colors expanding with each breath.

Trikonasana ~ Triangle Pose

Enjoy your yoga practice…

Mary Jane Kasliner is a Master Feng Shui Consultant in Compass School Methods

&
Nationally Certified in Hatha Yoga Registered Yoga Alliance

Visit:www.fengshuiyoganj.com

For Feng Shui Classes: www.njfengshuitraining.com

Mary Jane Kasliner, RYT

There seems to be endless health benefits when it comes to practicing yoga. Many doctors are realizing the benefits of this ancient practice. Heart health is no stranger to yoga. There are several poses and breathing techniques that can be done for heart health.

1. Tree Pose & Mountain Pose are two great poses to help with heart conditions.
2.Warrior & Triangle Pose creates some heat in the body and really gives a good cardio work-out.
3. Practice Kapalabhati Breath: Sit in an upright position with your back straight and take in a few deep breaths to relax first. On your next inhalation allow the belly to expand fully, then exhale strongly through your nose as you hold in your stomach muscles. Repeat this a few times and breathe faster. Finish with a few relaxed breaths.

Try doing these few yoga poses and breath-work daily and give your heart a refresher.

Here’s To Your Heart Health!

Meditation Brings Wisdom

Meditation is very difficult. To quiet the mind for even a few seconds is challenging let alone for 30 minutes. So why even do it? Meditation is not only a healthy practice but an opening to our higher self where we can access guidance from our spirit guides. Sounds like a worthwhile practice to me.

Where to begin:

The best way to begin meditating it to commit to a few minutes a day, preferable in the morning, to sit and just be silent. Your mind will begin to race but just try to acknowledge the thoughts that float in and allow them to pass. It’s helpful to use your breath to move pass these active thoughts. The louder the breath the better, as the sound becomes a mantra for your focus.

Comfort:

Make sure you do whatever it takes to be comfortable in your meditation. An erect spine and open chest is best for effective meditation. However, this is easier said than done. It’s not easy to sit in an erect position without some part of your body beginning to speak up. Following these simple tips on staying comfortable will go a long way for your meditation practice.

1. Use props to support your hips, low back, knees or whatever area you need assistance with.
2. Make sure your hips are at least 3 inches higher than your knees.
3. Sit in a chair if the floor is too difficult.
4. Prop your back against a wall to maintain posture.

The important thing here is to do what it takes to be comfortable so your focus is on the breath and meditation rather than an uncomfortable hip, back or knee. Whatever prop you choose just stick to a routine so you develop a habit for a meditation practice.

Enroll now for Fall Series of vinyasa flow yoga at Thompson Park

Lincroft, NJ
Monday evenings 7-8:30pm

Call: 732-542-1642 x 25

Viparita Karani ~ Legs Up The Wall

Here’s a simple pose that anyone can do at any age. Legs up a wall or Viparita Karani is a pose said to cure all that ails you. This is a very passive pose that anyone can do and at any age.

What you will need:

A wall
Yoga mat or towel

How to perform Viparita Karani:

Lie on the floor and simply walk your buttocks all the way up against the wall. Your legs will extend straight up the wall. If your hamstrings are tight then pull the hips away from the wall approximately 6 to 8 inches. To relieve any pressure in the low back you may roll a towel and place under the sacrum (lowest part of the back).

Get comfortable and allow the arms to stretch out to the sides of your body with the palms facing upward to capture the surrounding energy. Relax the face, slightly tuck your chin, close your eyes and focus on the breath. Take 3 deep breaths initially and then move to belly breathing – in through the nose and out through the nose. Remain in this posture for up to 15 minutes.

Benefits:

Helps with anxiety, arthritis, and insomnia
Helps with digestive issues and vericose veins
Eases menstrual cramps and PMS
Soothes tired legs
Lowers blood pressure
Gently stretches hamstrings
Relaxes the mind and body

When to avoid this pose:

Even though this is a soothing and easy pose to practice, Viparita Karani is not recommended for those suffering from any of the following conditions:

Glaucoma or other serious eye conditions
Cervical spine injury (neck)
During menstruation for some people

Enjoy your yoga practice