7 Lessons to Live by in 2013

BSA discusses 7 Lessons to Live by according to the greatest minds that this world has ever seen. As today marks the mid point between the winter solstice and spring equinox, what better time to reevaluate the principles that we live by.

The Mind and Its Power Over Us

 The mind has a funny way of taking over our emotion. By quieting the busy mind messages become clearer and as a result we are calmer and see things for what they really are.

The Mind and Its Power:

Have you ever given much thought to how your mind runs your life? The sages were all very familiar with the power of the mind. Negative mind, positive mind and conscious mind all play a part in how we experience life.

Negative mind is one that lives in fear and what if's. When we live in negative mind we are not living through the soul but rather hiding in the cluttered mind. One tends to repeat patterns in life and then wonder why circumstances do not change. It is easier to stay in a static state rather than move into a conscious mind. Living in a conscious state of mind sees opportunity as a blessing and not a threat. This is something we should bear in mind. History tends to repeat itself when we live in fear and the result of a negative mind.

Positive mind is all about finding opportunities and acting upon them. A balanced positive mind is enthusiastic, optimistic and constructive. This is a mind-set we should move towards to grow and make our mark in this world.

Sometimes, however, a good thing can get out of alignment and when that happens to positive mind there is an over confidence and a forcing nature to get what you want in an over expansive way.  This can be  dangerous and only lead to problems. Obviously on a grand scale this can be very problematic.

A neutral mind is somewhere in between. It deliberates the information from positive and negative mind and makes a conscious decision. The neutral mind sees things for what they really are. In order to move towards neutral mind one should meditate. Through meditation practice one moves towards a neutral mind. This helps you personally open up to your soul and this is a way to change your life and the nation at large. It is then we may all live fully and as one.

Enjoy your day!

Mary Jane Kasliner - Feng Shui Master & Yogi

www.fengshuiyoganj.com

The Gift of Intuition

Our intuition is a simple direct mechanism of the absolute truth.It is the wisdom that knows everything without having to learn it first. Your intuition is your inner voice that communicates with your higher self, your soul.It is part of the multi-sensory body or beyond the 5 senses.

Moments of Awareness:

We all experience one time or another a gut feeling that something is going to happen and then it does. Or perhaps you find yourself thinking about a friend and then he or she soon call you.  Whether you remember things like this happening to you a lot or a little, they are always happening. These moments of awareness carry important information that is worth paying attention to.

This information is coming from the core of your being, designed to guide you through life with as little tension and stress as possible. That sounds like a magic wand and if this is true then why are so many of us worried, stressed and walking around wondering what it is we should be doing in life. The answer is simple; we are simply not tuned in.

Blocked Intuition:

Your intuition is naturally with you from the day you were born and will continue to be with you until your last breath. As we move through life there is more and more that our intuition has to compete with whether it is friends, family, media, teachers, etc. Some of those influences conflict with your natural instincts eventually leading to tension and stress. When we are stressed our intuition is automatically blocked and we lose that communication portal with higher self.

How Can You Tell if You Have Wandered From Your Inner Voice?

A good way to test your intuition is to look at your life and see if any areas are in disorder. For example, perhaps you are experiencing financial challenges or health problems it is likely there is an internal conflict going on inside of you. There could be a clash between what your rational mind is telling you and your innate instincts are saying. Below are a few examples of what a blocked intution may feel like.

• Self-doubt.
• Worry
• Second guessing yourself.
• Frustration with other people or events that do not change.
• Having a nagging pain that can't be explained.
• Looking for approval from others.
• Having poor boundaries.
• Experiencing anxiety.
• Fear of speaking the absolute truth.
• Being part of things that may not be in your best interest.

When our intuition is ignore then over time it gets out of shape. The easiest thing to do to wake it back up is to bring it to the surface where you can hear it more clearly. This can easily happen through meditation.

Meditation to Wake up the Intuition:

This is a process that can be turned on inside of you to work continually to tune into your intuition.  You want to find yourself in a quiet space and take a meditation seated position (easy pose). Close your eyes and sink into your mat or the chair and take 5 slow and deep breaths to become aware of your senses. On the next out breath let go of your ties to the outside world including your worries. Now draw your attention to your body and send gratitude to all your cells and body parts and let all your cells come alive toward your best life.

Focus on the clarity of everything, how crisp and clear and beautiful things are. Your senses are sharpened throughout your body and you can feel so much more. Now tune into the sensations in your body. Notice everything from chills, to sinking feeling, etc. Move your focus up and down your legs and arms, to your heart center, and then to your throat. Welcome the inner voice and what it needs to reveal to you. After several more breaths begin to bring your focus back to the physical body and the surroundings. By doing this meditation you will realize the truth behind life situations you are facing.

Namaste,

Mary Jane

www.fengshuiyoganj.com

Ahimsa ~ The Yogic Philosophy to Peace

There is a way to achieve harmony with our environment and others according to Hindu belief  and yogic philosophy. In Hindu philosophy the principles of divine law inspire men and women to live in compassion and nonviolence. The rishis were mystics who believe all beings exist in interlaced dependence. In other words, the whole is contained in the part and the part in the whole. Based on this concept, oneness arose for the basis of noninjury or nonviolence.

Hindus believe in the existence of God everywhere. This basic belief  creates the attitude of sublime tolerance and acceptance towards others. The concept of ahimsa is based upon one not wanting to hurt something which one revered. Ahimsa is not about good and evil but rather abstaining from causing harm whether physical, mental or emotional. All the experiences in this life are of one's own creation, though it may be acted out through others.

Pantajali (circa 100 ce) regards ahimsa as the yogis vow which those seeking truth must follow it strictly and without fail. This was meant not only to condemn killing but also harm caused by words, and deeds including injury to the natural environment.

Ahimsa is wisdom, a cumulative knowledge of divine laws and the sacredness of all things. Peace is a reflection of spiritual consciousness and violence is a reflection of unevolved consciousness. The unevolved or lower nature on this planet right now are seen as the antagonists and protective of only their immediate environment. All others are their enemies where jealousy, fear and anger run rampant. In time, those of lower nature will come into a higher nature so humanity may progress from the darkness to higher divine light.

Om Shanti~

Mary Jane - Yogi and Feng Shui Master

www.fengshuiyoganj.com

When the ancient sages and prophets talked about having "belief" or "faith" they were talking about something very different then what it means today. The call for having belief or faith was akin to taking action. It was not a call for intellect or a decision to be a believer or not a believer. Being a believer meant you were committed to living your life a particular way. And that way was to live according to the Golden Rule: To do onto to others what we would have them do to us.

Belief was a journey towards God. It was something you could grow into in a practical way rather than an intellectual way.The idea was to have people commit to live by the Golden Rule and by doing this it naturally led to a spiritual upsurge to God consciousness. In yoga one of the Niyamas is called "Ishvara Pranidana" which translates to "God-Focus." It means we should let go of the ego and surrender to God. We should never forget our divine nature and get lost in the physical egotistical nature.

The ancient sages all gave the same message; "let go of the ego." They saw the ego to be the source of all problems.This is because the ego takes us away from our natural essence. A believer says "no" from being disconnected from the whole. A believer seeks the joy that comes from being connected to the whole and open to divine grace.

Let's all become believers today and make a change for the better.

Namaste,
Mary Jane Kasliner
President
Body Space Alignment
www.fengshuiyoganj.com

Oregon ~ 2011

William Wordsworth was an English poet who poetically expressed his love of nature and respect for humanity without regard to class distinctions. In his poem Nightingale! Thou Surely Art, he exemplifies how spiritual values take root in nature. Simply by taking the time to enjoy the the sounds of nature we can be inspired and become whole.

Immersing yourself in the present moment and shutting out all distractions that tend to busy the mind, you can allow the joyful sounds of nature to take the main stage in your mind and body and find instant peace. I am sure if you recall back to the most joyful and peaceful feelings in your life it will take to a place in nature. It is not by accident that some of the world's most famous poets have found nature to be their source of inspiration. As you read Wordsworth poem try to imagine what he felt while writing it. Understand that this poem goes deeper than a bird singing, but rather he is telling us all to let go of our obsessions and seek out the harmony and insights that nature provides.
 

Alfred, Lord Tennyson

Alfred, Lord Tennyson was an English poet who was appointed poet laureate in 1850, and considered highly representative of the Victorian age in England. In his poem I Envy Not In Any Moods, Tennyson sends us a message that is all too often ignored by those who live in fear of failing. He tells us to go on in life as if failure were not a consideration, and to ignore our fears as we proceed. Freedom is what is valued, despite the inherent risks. Read Tennyson's poem and consider the radical idea; there is no such thing as failure.
 

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/ 

The Taoist precepts were adapted from Buddhism in the 5th century, CE. These precepts are about attaining liberation in order to benefit all living beings. These precepts are similar to other traditions and emphasize avoiding unwholesome actions such as lying, killing, stealing, sexual abuse and intoxication.

The Ten Precepts

1. Don’t harbor hatred or jealousy in your heart! Don’t give rise to dark thieving thoughts! Be reserved in speech and wary of transgressions! Keep your thoughts on the Divine Law!

2. Maintain a kind heart and do not kill! Have pity for and support all living beings! Be compassionate and loving! Broadly reach out to bring universal redemption to all!

3. Maintain purity and be withdrawing in your social interactions! Be neither lascivious nor thieving, but constantly harbor good thoughts! Always take from yourself to aid others!

4. Don’t set your mind on sex or give rise to passion! Be not licentious in your heart but remain pure and behave prudently! Make sure your actions are without blemish or stain!

5. Don’t utter bad words! Don’t use flowery and ornate language! Be straightforward within and without! Don’t commit excesses of speech!

6. Don’t take liquor! Moderate your behavior! Regulate and harmonize your energy and inner nature! Don’t let your spirit be diminished! Don’t commit any of the myriad evils!

7. Don’t be envious if others are better than yourself! Don’t contend for achievement and fame! Be retiring and modest in all things! Put yourself behind to serve the salvation of others!

8. Don’t criticize or debate the scriptures and teachings! Don’t revile or slander the saintly texts! Venerate the Divine Law with all your heart! Always act as if you were face to face with the gods!

9. Don’t create disturbance through verbal argumentation! Don’t criticize any believers, be they monks, nuns, male or female laity, or even heavenly beings! Remember, all censure and hate diminishes your spirit and energy!

10. Be equanimous and of whole heart in all of your actions! Make sure that all exchanges between humankind and the gods are proper and respectful!

If we can try to incorporate even a few of these precepts into our life, then we shall see a new world.

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

Pacific Northwest 2011

We all have the potential to be Avatars, as we all possess the inner Atman. The Atman in Hinduism is that core of life in absence of which the existence of the body itself gets negated. The Atman in Hinduism stands for our soul which resides in the heart within the body.

Namaste,
Mary Jane Kasliner - Feng Shui Master & Yoga Teacher
Body Space Alignment
www.fengshuiyoganj.com
Dented face blog: http://bodyspacealignment.blogspot.com/

The Mind and its Power Over Us

Chinese Gardens - Oregon 2011

Have you ever given much thought to how your mind runs your life? The sages were all very familiar with the power of the mind. Negative mind, positive mind and conscious mind all play a part in how we experience life.

Negative mind is one that lives in fear and what if's. When we live in negative mind we are not living through the soul but rather hiding in the cluttered mind. One tends to repeat patterns in life and then wonder why circumstances do not change. It is easier to stay in a static state rather than move into a conscious mind. Living in a conscious state of mind sees opportunity as a blessing and not a threat. 

On the other hand, positive mind is all about finding opportunities and acting upon them. A balanced positive mind is enthusiastic, optimistic and constructive. But sometimes a good thing can get out of alignment and when that happens to positive mind there is an over confidence and a forcing nature to get what you want in an over expansive way.  

A neutral mind is somewhere in between. It deliberates the information from positive and negative mind and makes a conscious decision. The neutral mind sees things for what they really are. The neutral mind then acts on fulfilling you and your destiny. 


The key then is to move towards a neutral mind, as it helps you to open up to your soul and this is the way to changing your life and living fully.

Namaste,
Mary Jane Kasliner - Feng Shui Master & Yogi
www.fengshuiyoganj.com