Welcome Miss June! The name June originally comes from Juno who was the supreme Goddess in the Roman mythology. She was the wife of Jupiter and consequently the Queen of heaven and the Gods, according to the mythology. She also regards as the Goddess for the woman and the marriage. They found her the protector of the women and especially the pregnant woman. Her symbol is the peacock.
The peacock pose or Mayurasana is a powerful pose – practiced regularly, can cultivate inner radiance and the subtle, yet powerful essence of fire that governs higher perception and the unfolding of spiritual potential.
Practicing this pose will tone your arms, develop your physical form and increase your vitality. Mayurasana strengthens the forearms, wrists and hands, abdominal muscles, and entire back body. A steady diet of mayurasana can increase digestive power by strengthening samana vayu, or the “balancing air” of the five pranavayus. It is said that the peacock can ingest poison, and this pose, developed properly, can prevent the accumulation of toxicity in the body and mind.
When we challenge ourselves in a pose like mayurasana, we develop the courage and force necessary to develop tapas, the fire or austerity we need in order to fulfill spiritual practice that transforms.
Mayurasana requires great concentration in order to achieve the balance necessary to support the body on two hands. This concentration can lead to clarity of mind that allows our inner fire to burn brightly without becoming dim or damp from distracting thoughts or behaviors. This clarity brings about discriminating wisdom, or viveka.
Too much fire without a strong container can cause the tissues to burn, or the mind to become incensed. It is helpful to cultivate compassion, humility, non-judgment, and a sense of humor as you develop the strength of will, fire, and courage in a practice that leads to greater radiance of vitality. The peacock symbolizes immortality and love. As you practice, you may want to offer up your efforts towards the benefit of others, grounding your spiritual aspirations and progress in practice in compassion and gratitude.
Celebrate June and the peacock pose… Mayurasana step by step…
Love
In a perfect world we’d all have two hours every morning to unroll our yoga mats and do our asana practice (followed by another half hour of seated meditation). In the real world, however, we have jobs, families, pets, school, and other obligations that make two hours a day seem like an impossible dream for many of us.
Five ways to get more out of every Yoga pose, read more…
Raja means royal or kingly. Raja yoga meditation is generally based on directing one’s life force to bring the mind and emotions so into balance that the attention may be easily focused on the object of meditation.
Life force is directed to move up and down the spine until it is balanced and the mind and emotions are serenely content. Then awareness is generally directed to move forward into a point in the center of the lower forehead. This meditation point, which is about half an inch above where the eyebrows meet, is called ajna, or the third eye.
When the energy is balanced throughout the brain and body and easily moving forward in the area of the third eye, your mind becomes very calm. While your mind is not passive, it is free of meaningless thoughts and worries of the subconscious mind. This state usually gives you a very pleasant sense of well being and your mind will become completely free.
Good Luck with your Raja Yoga…
Did you know that in response to stress, levels of the hormone cortisol rise and elevated cortisol levels not only stimulate eating, they also ensure that any additional calories are efficiently converted to fat! Yoga helps reduce stress and normalize cortisol levels, which means yoga also helps to keep your weight under control…
Why not take a meditation break right now, wherever you’re sitting? You don’t need to do anything special to set the stage for your five-minute vacation—just sit comfortably and move your focus inward. This contemplation meditation is an opportunity to focus and get some energy. Here’s how to try it: Sit on the floor or sit back in your chair so that your back is completely supported. Place your hands on your knees with your palms facing up to open your awareness, or facing down to calm the mind. As you inhale, silently say so to yourself and as you exhale, say hum. These words mean “I am that”—in other words, they are an affirmation of your existence and awareness. Enjoy your Break Time…
Many believe the mantra “Om” to be the sound of the universe. Om is traditionally chanted at the beginning and end of yoga sessions. It is an acknowledgment that the universe around us is constantly moving—the setting sun, the rising moon, the ebb and flow of the tides, the beating of our hearts. Chanting it is meant to resonate that movement throughout the breath, awareness and energy to reveal a more powerful connection with the universe…
How can you find comfort or joy in Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward-Facing Dog)? If you struggle with Down Dog, be compassionate and patient with yourself, you are not the first person with tight hamstrings or weak arms. On the other hand, be diligent. Ultimately, Down Dog will start to feel so good that you will really empathize with the full-body joy that dogs display during their stretch.
The first thing about Down Dog is learning to place your hands in alignment with your shoulders and hips. If your base is out of proportion, the pose becomes unstable, your joints stressed, and organs compressed. Place your knees right under your hips, making sure first that you have fully extended your spine. When you place your hands on your mat, shoulder-width apart, lightly spread your fingers, making sure your middle finger faces directly forward. Really study your hands, and without tensing them, connect all of the joints of your fingers and your inner and outer palm into the earth.
As you lift your pelvis to the ceiling and draw your hips back, look at your feet. They should be hip-distance apart, aligned with your pelvis. Beginners will often walk their feet towards their hands to prematurely bring their heels to the ground. Have patience, your heels may or may not touch the ground, but you want to feel that you have room to continuously grow in this pose…
The Dhyana mudra is the mudra of meditation, of concentration, and of the attainment of spiritual perfection. According to tradition, this mudra derives from the one assumed by the Buddha when meditating under the pipal tree before his Enlightenment. This gesture was also adopted since time immemorial, by yogis during their meditation and concentration exercises. It indicates the perfect balance of thought, rest of the senses, and tranquillity.
The dhyana mudra may be made with one or both hands. When made with a single hand the left one is placed in the lap, while the right may be engaged elsewhere. The left hand making the Dhyana mudra in such cases symbolizes the female left-hand principle of wisdom. Ritual objects such as a text, or more commonly an alms bowl symbolizing renunciation, may be placed in the open palm of this left hand.
When made with both hands, the hands are generally held at the level of the stomach or on the thighs. The right hand is placed above the left, with the palms facing upwards, and the fingers extended. In some cases the thumbs of the two hands may touch at the tips, thus forming a mystic triangle. The esoteric sects obviously attribute to this triangle a multitude of meanings, the most important being the identification with the mystic fire that consumes all impurities. Enjoy your meditation…
In yoga, we learn to focus our eyes with precision. Instead of allowing the eyes to be soft, we direct our gaze purposefully. Our gaze (called drishti in Sanskrit) can help us direct the energy of a pose, helping us stay mentally clear. The gaze also has other benefits. In twists, using your gaze can help you turn further. In balances, setting your gaze can keep you upright. The next time you’re in class, notice how you use your eyes. See if focusing your eyes more carefully can also focus your mind.
It’s no wonder that when we begin to learn to meditate, most of us have trouble with back pain. We have developed poor sitting habits from years of sitting in improperly designed chairs. But through education and vigilance, we can learn to sit with ease. The key to sitting well is a harmoniously positioned pelvis. The pelvis, which literally means “basin” in Latin, not only holds and protects our abdominal organs but also serves as the anchor for the spinal column. The pelvis is the pot out of which the spine grows. Because of this relationship to the spinal column, the position of the pelvis is crucial to sitting properly… practice and patience…
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