The Backbone of Well-being: The Importance of a healthy spine in spiritual practice.

Our spine, often taken for granted, is one of the most crucial parts of our body. It is not just a structural framework; it is the lifeline that supports our ability to move, function, and live a life free of pain and discomfort. The significance of maintaining a healthy spine cannot be overstated, as it plays a pivotal role in our overall well-being.

The spine is the backbone of our well-being, both literally and figuratively. By taking proactive steps to maintain spinal health, we can enjoy a life of mobility, strength, and comfort. A healthy spine is not just about avoiding pain; it is about enhancing your overall quality of life.

In yoga, the spine is considered more than just a physical structure; it is seen as a conduit for spiritual energy and a pillar of well-being. Maintaining a healthy spine is crucial not only for physical health but also for spiritual growth and practice. This is why I’ve decided to dedicate the next few months to focusing on the health, flexibility, and healing of the back.

Here are 5 reasons why working on our spine is important

1. Alleviating Back Pain 

Back pain is one of the most common complaints worldwide. Poor posture, sedentary lifestyles, and improper lifting techniques can lead to chronic back pain, which can be debilitating and affect daily activities. Those who have experienced back pain need no encouragement to practice yoga regularly. A healthy back is a side effect of regular yoga practice. Many people have told me that their back pain disappeared since they began practicing yoga consistently. Before becoming a full-time yoga teacher, I also worked in an office and was one of the few people who never complained about back pain. This is a testament to the benefits of Kundalini Yoga.

Additionally, in yoga, we say that age is measured by the flexibility of the spine, so to stay young, mobile, and healthy - stay flexible.

2. Enhanced Practice

A flexible and aligned spine ensures the unobstructed flow of spiritual energy. Blockages or misalignments can hinder this flow, leading to physical discomfort and a lack of spiritual progress. Maintaining spinal health helps keep this energy flowing smoothly.

Proper posture is essential for meditation and breathwork. A straight and comfortable spine allows for deeper, more focused meditation, helping practitioners remain still and attentive for extended periods. This stability facilitates inner peace and spiritual insight.

3. Protection of the Nervous System 

Encased within the vertebrae is the spinal cord, a critical part of the central nervous system. The spinal cord acts as a communication highway between the brain and the rest of the body, transmitting signals that control movement, sensation, and reflexes. Kundalini Yoga practice focused on the back will have a huge impact on nervous system functioning, helping us feel safer, calmer, and more open to the changing streams of life.

4. Chakra System 

The chakra system, central to yoga and other eastern spiritual traditions, aligns with the spine. The seven main chakras are positioned along the spinal column, each representing different aspects of spiritual and physical well-being. A healthy spine ensures the free flow of energy through these chakras.

5. Kundalini Energy 

In Kundalini Yoga, the spine is viewed as the central channel (Sushumna Nadi) through which the Kundalini energy rises. This energy is believed to lie dormant at the base of the spine and, when awakened, travels upwards through the chakras, leading to spiritual awakening or enlightenment.

Conclusion

The spine is truly the backbone of both physical and spiritual well-being. Its health impacts not only our daily functioning but also our spiritual practices and growth. By prioritizing spinal health through mindful posture, regular physical activity, and holistic practices, we can enhance our spiritual journey, facilitating a deeper connection with our inner selves and the divine. Embrace the path to a healthy spine and experience the profound benefits it brings to your spiritual practice.

Follow this link to join us on the mat to maintain a healthy back and happy life. This summer, we will be working with the theme of a healthy spine, engaging in kriyas that physically support the health of the back, improve energy flow, and promote healing through meditation.

Also, let me know in the comments why a healthy back is important to you :-)

Prosperity as a Journey of Self-Exploration

In the pursuit of prosperity, many of us envision a path paved with material success, financial stability, and career achievements. Yet, what if true prosperity lies not only in external accomplishments but also in the depths of our own self-exploration? What if the journey to prosperity is as much about inner growth and fulfillment as it is about outward success?

Self-exploration is a deeply personal and transformative journey that involves delving into the depths of our being, uncovering our true passions, values, and purpose. It requires us to question our beliefs, confront our fears, and embrace our vulnerabilities. Through self-reflection, introspection, and mindfulness practices, we begin to peel back the layers of societal conditioning and discover our authentic selves.

Here are 5 reasons why prosperity can be a beautiful journey of self-exploration. 

1. Connect with your truth.

At the heart of self-exploration lies the pursuit of fulfillment and meaning. While external success may bring temporary satisfaction, true prosperity stems from living a life aligned with our core values and passions. When we take the time to understand ourselves on a deeper level, we gain clarity about what truly matters to us and what brings us joy and fulfillment. 

2. Explore your subconscious patters, blockages and disconnection. 

Prosperity is about relationship with ourselves and our own infinity. If that relationship is spontaneous, we are secure, work hard, and serve people then prosperity is a flow, it flows to us and through us. If this is not the case, it’s an invitation to explore what are the blockages in this flow, where is the disconnection, how do we create this disconnection? Reflecting on those questions is going to show us our weakness, fears and blond spots. Then it’s up to us to start healing those patterns…    

3. Train your mind. 

When it comes to abundance and prosperity  - we have have believes and convictions that create our reality. Some of them are very old and unhealthy - and this is when relationship with your mind can come to play. Istead of just following our mind, we can question those beliefs and change our reality, in other words, we become in charge of our mind, instead of the mind being in charge of us telling us constantly how to think and what to do. It’s not an easy task - but work trying. 

4. Learn to trust. 

The journey to prosperity is showing us very clearly how much we trust the Universe. How much we trust ourselves…  How you feel about ourselves – when no one is watching us. This is the base for your prosperity. If we feel worthy of all the love and support from the Universe - the Universe will deliver. However, if we are controlling every step, every aspect of your life - this is precisely how we blocking that flow. So how deep is your trust? 90%? 60%? Or 2%?

5. Be guided. 

When we trust and surrender to the flow/ Universe - we will be guided on how to work, what do to and where to go. We can call it our Intuition. Instead of working hard, scheming and planning - we can connect with our Soul, increase our radiance, listen to the guidance and let our actions be aligned with the universal plan. Then we won’t be creating more karma, this is how we connect to our dharma(our purpose here). 

As we embark on this journey of self-exploration, let us remember that true prosperity lies not in the accumulation of wealth or possessions but in the richness of our inner world. Let us prioritize self-discovery, personal growth, and meaningful connections, knowing that true fulfillment comes from within. And let us embrace the beauty and complexity of our own unique journey, trusting that each step we take brings us closer to prosperity in its purest form. Join our weekly prosperity classes here.

Mul Mantra - benefits, meaning and my personal take on it.

Mul mantra is the first mantra that comes to my mind when I think about connecting with one’s soul. This mantra aligns us with our soul's purpose, our destiny. What’s more, it’s deeply healing and can transform our fate into one of prosperity, happiness, and peace. In short, it gets us closer to our soul and away from our ego.

Here are 5 reasons why I love the Mul Mantra.

1. SOUL CONNECTION

Mul mantra is the beginning of Japji Sahib, which is referred to as a song of the soul. So chanting, reciting, or listening to Mul mantra or Japji will connect you to your soul. The more connected you are to your soul, the more you will cherish and appreciate its qualities such as equality, peace, compassion, love, humility, and creativity. The less you will be guided by the ego. If you feel that your ego is running the show, it’s time to connect with the soul. Mul mantra can do it very well.

2. THE DIVINE WITHIN YOU

Not only will it connect you with your soul, but it will also show you the aspects of the Universe/ Divine/ Cosmos/ God/ Goddess - within you. The more you chant the mantra, the more you will feel the qualities of it in you. Look at the translation of the mantra below. When we practice the mantra, we affirm that we are the truth, we are the doers, fearless, revengeless, undying, unborn, self-illuminating, etc.

3. AWAKENING CONSCIOUSNESS

Mul Mantra awakens our consciousness. It awakens us to the idea that we are not only flesh and bones. It awakens us to realize that we are One with the Universe, that we are part of the cosmos. The more you reflect and meditate on the mantra, the deeper you will know yourself and the universe. This leads to greater awareness, spiritual growth, and self-development.

4. GROUNDING

It’s a root mantra; this is where your spiritual foundation is built. This mantra will strengthen the first chakra and create a strong foundation of security, stability, and grounding. It helps to develop clarity and a focused mind. With such a foundation, peace and tranquility are possible and often present.

5. HEALING QUALITIES

It’s a deeply healing mantra. It can change the trajectory of your life; it’s known as a ‘fate killer’ in the Kundalini Yoga world. It removes us from karma (the world of action and reaction) to dharma (meaning: highest purpose, destiny). Additionally, chanting all the powerful words of the mantra awakens those qualities in us, healing the relationship we have with ourselves. In other words, instead of our usual self-talk (which is often ‘What’s wrong with me?’ ‘I’m so stupid’ ‘I’m lazy’ etc.), we start saying ‘I am truth, I am the doer, I am fearless,’ etc.

MUL MANTRA AND ITS MEANING.  

Ek ong kaar - One Creator.

Sat naam -  Truth is its name.

Karataa purakh - Doer of everything.

Nirbhao - Fearless.

Nirvair - Revengeless.

Akaal moorat - Undying.

Ajoonee - Unborn. 

Saibhang - Self illumined.

Gur prasaad - The Guru’s gift.

Jap! - Meditate!

Aad such - True in the beginning.

Jugaad such - True through all the ages.

Hai bhee such - True even now.

Naanak hosee bhee such - Oh, Nanak it is forever true.

I’m curious to hear from you. Does this mantra appeal? Or what aspects of the mantra do you find interesting? Please let me know in the comments below.

Connect with your soul

The new theme for the next 40 days at High On Yoga is ‘Connect with your soul’. I wanted to start the 2024 connecting with ourselves, but I knew that we had to prepare our body and mind for that connection first. So, for the last 40 days, we have been removing negativity, blockages, and obstacles on our path. Now, it’s time to go deeper. To re-connect with your higher self, with your essence and your true self. And Kundalini Yoga and meditations do it very well. 

When we are connected to our soul we are at peace, we know our purpose and often are in the flow. We are ‘guided’ and able to hear and follow our intuition. Life seems full of creativity, joy and love. Challenges are just opportunities for growth and test of our character, strength and courage. 

When we are disconnected - we feel lost, we are not sure what our purpose is and find it difficult to connect with joy in our hearts. Often we are depressed, anxious and in a rut. We may see life as a struggle, endless hussle and competition. Our head and ego are in charge. We probably find self-love and self-care difficult. 

These are all the reasons I’ve decided to focus on reconnecting for the next 6 weeks at yoga. 

This process of reconnection will look different to everybody. For people who are completely disconnected it will be about coming back to their body, mind and soul. Those of you, who are pretty connected with their soul, will be able to build a deeper relationship with yourself or heal aspects of your being that need it. Everybody will get from this process what they want and need. It will be a beautiful journey within and as a result one will feel more connected, supported, loved, authentic and at peace. 

So if you would like to deepen the relationship with yourself, your higher self, your inner light - join the classes this week. The same theme at yoga and meditation class too. Here are all the details for joining. 

I’m very excited to embark on this journey with you. 

With many blessings, Daria x 

Meditation and relationship with your mind.

Our mind is very powerful. It can do many wonderful things for us or create a lot of chaos in our life too. The relationship with our mind is directly connected to the quality of our life. We nurture and nourish the relationship with our mind through meditation.

Meditation helps us to quiet the mind, control it, and implement some positive energy. This is precisely why I am so passionate about meditation practice and training the mind. Every human being who wants to excel, develop character, and caliber that keeps the values of the soul needs a direct, fundamental relationship with the mind. 

The benefits of meditation are endless… 

• It improves concentration and focus. 

• Helps to increase emotional and mental well-being. 

• Reduces anxiety and stress. 

• Builds resilience and skills to deal with difficulty. 

• Deepens the connection with oneself, others, and the Universe. 

• It allows to create more joy, happiness, and peace. 

The potential of creating a deeper relationship with our mind is limitless. The only difficulty is we need to meditate. I know how hard it is to find time for regular practice and stay consistent, so I have started a weekly meditation class. The idea is to inspire you to meditate regularly, try different kinds of meditations, and see what works for you. Adding a weekly hour of meditation will do wonders for your well-being, will help you become a great meditator, and master of your mind. 

The weekly meditation class is on Sunday evenings at 8 pm GMT on the High On Yoga membership platform. Free for members. The class duration is one hour; we do about 3-4 meditations of various kinds. Join us to strengthen and expand your mind, prepare for the week ahead, and set your energy the right way. 

Join the membership for a weekly meditation class, Kundalini yoga classes, and much more.

The link to the membership is here.