Maintaining a beautiful posture or seat in meditation is part of why the practice of asana is such a foundational and integral part of the practice.

So sit beautifully.

Whatever that means for you.

And enjoy your practice.

Ujjayi Pranayama Meditation

Begin by taking a breath of spaciousness

From the inside expand creating more space for your breath to move

Let your pelvis be heavy on the earth

Through your next inhale let your breath lift your heart taller

Your  side body, ribs, and chest rise

Shoulders slide sweetly back

There is a connection between the individual and universal sense of self.

Feel your breath. Allow it to move.

Honour the breath with your awareness. Receive it willingly and gratefully.

And then invite it to dance.

Ujjayi is like an embrace of the breath, inviting the sound of waves in the ocean of breath.

Breathe evenly in Ujjayi. Accepting the inhale and releasing the exhale in a smooth and respectful flow with the divine dance of prana.

Breathe.

Feel.

Be.

These are powerful nights to observe with mantra and meditation. Come out and celebrate or have your own ceremony wherever you are.

If you’re not in Kamloops for the gatherings, feel free to let the intentions and mantras below guide your own experience.

Friday, March 18th, from 7:00-9:00pm: Full Moon and Spring Equinox Celebration

Come celebrate New Growth and Abundance with this powerful Full Moon gathering!

Plant seeds of intention in the fertile soil of this Spring, and increase your awareness and powers of perception so you can open to willingly receive each moment of delight as Nature reveals her nurturing green and colourful beauty to us.

Mantras:

• Om Namah Shivaya (Anusara yoga Opening Invocation)
• Om Gam Ganapataye Namaha (to Welcome New Beginnings)
• Om Shri Lakshmi Namaha (Honoring Beauty, Abundance, and Benevolence)
• Shiva Shambo (Into the Abode of Joy)

Each person will receive a seed, which you can charge with intention and plant. No matter if the plant lives and thrives, or if the seed just is a gift to the earth and mulches into the soil, the energy of your intention will be received by the spirit of Spring.

Friday, April 22nd, from 7:00-9:00pm: Earth Day Celebration on the Waning Moon

Come nurture yourself and the earth, and enter the Sanctuary of the Heart.

Go deep into peace and effortless release of anything that no longer serves. Healing meditation for the Earth, Pachamama. Make sure you are settled and ready in your seat by 7:15 for the Opening of Sacred Space, honouring the elements of Life and Nature.

Mantras:

• Om Namah Shivaya (Anusara yoga Opening Invocation)
• Om Shanti (Meditation into Deep Peace)
• Om Shri Gaia Ma, Purnatva Gaia Ma (Beautiful, Abundant, Benevolent earth Mother, You are the Fullest Perfection divine mother Earth)
• Shiva Shambo (Into the Abode of Joy)

Each person will receive a crystal to charge with intention, love and light. You can then plant this crystal somewhere on the earth. In your garden is an excellent spot!

Here’s some footage from the Maha Shivaratri New Moon Gathering

Here’s one mantra that you can try right now:

Om Shanti is the vibration of deep peace.

This mantra is a wonderful friend and guide whenever you need to de-stress or return to center. (Also good to help you prepare for a peaceful sleep.)

Take a moment to sit beautifully, take a deep breath, and turn to your heart. Chant, for at least 5 times (5 deep breaths), and feel the shift within.

“Om Shanti, Shanti, Shanti”

Each breath takes you deeper into peace.

Come.  Go deep. Sing. Listen. Receive. Enter into the great Joy of the heart.

Smudging: You will have an opportunity to be smudged with the cleansing blessings of Sage as you arrive at 7pm.

What to Bring: You do not need to bring anything but yourself, however, if you have meditation beads, a personal blanket, shawl, or pillow you like to meditate on, or anything to place on the alter to be charged with the powerful energy we create with mantra, meditation and song, please feel free to bring them.

Drums: If you have a hand drum or shaker, you are welcome to bring it and play so long as you can stay receptive and follow my lead, remembering that we are making one harmonious sound together.

If you would like to bring an offering of flowers or prasad (sweet and nourishing food offered as a blessing after the meditation), please email me to arrange it. Thank you!

Location: We’ll be gathering at Let’s Move Studio ~ 925 McGill Place | 250-372-9642. Come up the driveway to the Sunmore Ginseng Spa building. ***If the parking lot in front of the studio is full, you may park in the lot above or below and walk up. Please drive slow, watch for people and keep the road clear.***

DONATIONS: Suggested donation is $15, though you are welcome to offer more if you are inspired to do so or less if necessary. I would sincerely rather you come and not be able to donate as much, than not come at all.

*The collection from these sacred gatherings of the heart will go to deepening my studies with Great Teachers including John Friend (Anusara® yoga’s founder), and Jose’ Luis Herrera (Peruvian Incan Shamanism). It will also support the creation and recording of an album of my singing.*

In my teaching and studies I combine ancient tradition and wisdom with innovation, natural cycles and current needs.

I deeply honor and appreciate that so many of you resonate with this, and am genuinely grateful for your support and participation in the community of the heart. It would mean a lot to me to have you as a part of this gathering if you are able to come. If not, may the beauty of each special night hold you with great love!

Set intention, sing, chant, and meditate. This is an excellent practice to help you with whatever challenges or transitions you’re experiencing right now, and a perfect beginning to welcome in the coming season.

Have you been to a Music, Mantra and Meditation night with Katrina Hokule’a Ariel?

Please leave a comment below with your feedback and anything you want to share about your experience. Thanks!

It is a Maha Mantra; a great mantra that has been passed from teacher to student for thousands of years.

It brings you back to the simplest, most comforting truth by affirming that the essence of everything that is, is good. You are a good person. You are connected to so much that is auspicious and divine.

Om Namah Shivaya guides you into your heart space and holds you in a warmth that reveals a deep peace that has always been with you and is always available if you simply follow your breath and the pulsation of your heart.

I would like to offer you a free download of me singing this mantra. It isn’t a perfect recording, but it carries the vibration of love, peace, and beauty. May it bring you great joy.

Right click to download this song: Om Namah Shivaya to Amazing Grace

I intend to, at some point, get into a recording studio and do this properly, but for now, this is what I have to give. If you enjoy it, please share it with friends and family by bringing them to this page.

May this great mantra resonate love and peace into the hearts of all beings.

Om Namah Shivaya.

Katrina Ariel

You can also watch this video to see me sing Om Namah Shivaya. Just imagine me singing this to you as you ride the pulsation of your breath in savasana at the end of your yoga practice.

Meditation is one of the best things you can do for yourself.

It has been celebrated by an overwhelmingly wide spectrum of people, from western doctors to the humblest of practitioners. Meditative practices are perhaps the most universal of techniques used in the pursuit of happiness and health, spirituality and success.

Remarkably, it doesn’t matter who you are or what your background is in order to reap the benefits. One of the biggest obstacles people have as resistance to starting is something like this:

“I can’t meditate, there’s no way my mind would slow down enough for that.”

Here’s the good news – you don’t have to make your mind slow down. It may do so on its own, but don’t get caught up worrying about the idea of trying to sit still for a length of time with no thoughts at all in your mind. That isn’t realistic, and doesn’t really happen for most people.

Instead, try approaching the idea of meditation as a momentary retreat; a way of reconnecting to who you truly are so that you can enjoy life more fully and on your own terms.

Also, keep in mind that there are a good many kids who have been labeled as ADD and ADHD who do yoga and meditate. These practices have brought them to a place where they can sit still and concentrate. If they can do it, so can you.

What are some of the benefits of meditation for you?

• It is, hands down, one of the best ways to de-stress, bringing many physical benefits such as lowering blood pressure.
• In addition to the physical blessings of being less stressed out, you also receive more balance and serenity mentally and emotionally.
• It helps you focus and creates clarity of mind, thus allowing you to be more productive and successful.
• It creates a state of calm and feeling of well-being.
• Meditation can be a significant and transformational healing tool.
• It helps you connect with the bigger energy that you know in your heart (whatever your belief is – God, the Divine, Creator, Universe, Source), and experience yourself as a direct expression of that supreme energy.
• Because you feel happier and more centered, you become even more of a blessing to those you are in relationship with; people enjoy being with you and your brighter energy.

These are only a few of they myriad benefits.

By practicing meditation every single day, you keep returning to a place of peace and harmony, health and happiness. As such, you are far less likely to lose these centered feelings in day to day life, and when you do it is much easier to get back to balance.

You may have known this, or perhaps learned a few things here, but now is a good time to ask yourself this:

Do you meditate every day?

If so, fantastic! You know meditation makes you feel good and helps you navigate the layers of life in a more skillful and enjoyable way. That’s wonderful.

If not, no worries. You can start small. 5 minutes a day is a good, non-intimidating goal. You might find yourself naturally wanting to stay longer, and you will, at some point, want to increase your daily meditation to 15 minutes.

It is important to remember not to be rigid with your practice. Stay devoted, yes, meditate every day, but if some days are longer and some shorter, it’s okay.

The important thing is that you connect with your breath and your higher self every single day. Even if just for a few moments.

If you’d like some help, I have many meditations available to you. It’s sometimes helpful to have guidance in your meditation practice, especially when you’re starting out.

One excellent resource is my Meditation Art and Audio Set, which gives you beautiful meditations to print out and remind yourself to center in, as well as short audio meditations where my voice guides you into a meditative state.

My blog is also filled with meditations. Here are a few favorites:

Show Up and Let Go Meditation

Meditation for World Peace

Love and Light Meditation

Blessings to you and your practice!

Namaste

***Do you meditate? If so, I invite you to share about your own practice in a comment below. What benefits do you notice the most? What is your favorite part of meditation?

It welled up within me, whispering and then singing with awareness of the complete interconnection we all have.

I have climbed to the knees of a giant Douglas Fir Tree and sang this into the moss.

I have stood in the clearest stream of water, illuminated in sunshine. This mantra singing to me from within.

~

Om Shri Gaia Ma

Purnatva Gaia Ma

~

Beautiful, Abundant, Benevolent Earth Mother

You Are The FULLEST Perfection

Divine Mother Earth

~

Which means, in it’s most expansive grace, YOU are beautiful, abundant, and of the highest kindness. YOU are perfect in your human way, exploring through finding out what works and what doesn’t – a Divine child playing.

You are part of this beautiful Earth. Gaia, Mother Earth, is a part of you.

And so, if you recognize and resonate with this intention, this affirmation of the health and harmony that is the true essence of all that is, I invite you to take this mantra into your own heart.

And see how it feels.

• Feel free to comment below with your experience or insight.

Of course, so much of the wisdom of yoga teaches us to be in the present moment. When we do, worries and stress melt away, for we realize that everything truly is okay when we just live one breath at a time.

Focusing on one thing at a time, choosing to live mindfully in the moment, can lead to such happiness. (And it can also help you have a much more productive day if that’s what you’re after.)

My friend John Stringer contributes the following offering to this train of thought:

Live Each Moment in Joy

“Most of you think about what is happening and what will happen what has happened
all simultaneously without focus on any given moment for long
what if you chose to do each action with predetermined intention
what if you choose to live each moment with the commitment of being fully present and attentive to that task or objective before you
what if you choose to live each moment with joy
peace and to accept whatever comes with grace and gratitude
what if you choose to express yourself freely and honestly in every interaction
what if you choose to give of yourself without expectation and to help those in need where you are compelled
what if you decided to trust life even in this moment knowing that all is well that there is no harm that can come to you
because you are more than the illusions and conditions society or culture has promulgated
what if you were able to let go of all the blocks in your life all the resistance to what is
all the things that don’t make you feel good and just surrender to what is
in this moment
what would that be like
freedom
love
yes
and so it is”

- Morning stream of consciousness writing from John Stringer

Photo courtesy of my friend, photographer Toshi Kawano

Okay, you know meditation helps you de-stress, find peace of mind, feel happier, and find more balance in your health. But it’s hard! We’re not really conditioned to sit still, nor is your mind interested in emptying itself of the ten thousand thoughts it’s pondering. And where do you find the time?

The good news is that almost everyone who meditates deals with these same challenges, and you can enjoy the benefits of meditation without having to be a master of it. Here are some great tips and ideas to help you get the most out of your meditation practice:

1. Relax – Really. Getting frustrated about the fact that your mind will not be quiet doesn’t help. It’s alright that thoughts keep coming through, just practice letting them go and not following them down paths of planning and daydreaming. Bring a laid back attitude to your meditation practice, and you’ll make it a whole lot easier on yourself.
2. Start Small – You don’t have to sit for long periods of time for meditation to work. In fact, forcing yourself won’t help if it leaves you frustrated. Try 5 or 10 minutes, then move to 15. Get comfortable with that, and then you’ll naturally extend the time if it’s right for you. Even just a few deep breaths can make an amazing difference in how you feel.
3. Breathe – Yes, your breath knows how to meditate more naturally than your mind. Rather than focusing on the passing thoughts, concentrate on your breath. What does it feel like as it moves through you? Can you notice the transition points between your inhale and exhale? Turning to your breath during meditation gives you a masterful guide that is ever present.
4. Use a Mantra – Repeating a word or phrase gives the easily distracted child of your mind something to hold onto. It also helps you to create a pattern in yourself, deep in your psyche and beyond the conscious mind. You can chant out loud or whisper within your heart. Try an ancient and well loved mantra like ‘Om Namah Shivaya’ (I honor the goodness within) or, if you’re not feeling the call to use Sanskrit, try an affirmation instead.
5. Visualize – One approach to meditation is to use visualization to create a different state of being. There are infinite ways to do this, but one you may like to start with is to envision a light deep within your heart growing with each breath until your skin glows and you are fully illuminated. Then you can sit and breathe within that light until you feel so sparkly that people will comment on how bright your eyes are when you come out of meditation.
6. Learn How To Sit – Being comfortable in your body is super important when you meditate, but slouching isn’t going to help you feel enlightened either. Sit in a chair, on a pillow or blanket, or right on the floor – however you need to support yourself is fine, so long as you find a way to have the natural curves of your spine and a lengthened spine. That means the lower back tips slightly forward, while the tailbone lengthens down which calls the lower abs into action to support your pelvis. Also, with a long spine, let your shoulders come sweetly back and open your throat. By having optimal alignment, you will feel the delight of meditation more easily.
7. Get Peaceful – Om Shanti, Shanti, Shanti. Peace is one of the deepest desires of all beings. By consciously setting the intention of your meditation to enter into a place of profound peace, you can access it more fully. The Sanskrit word that embodies peace is Shanti. Repeating this word out loud is an excellent way to feel the vibrations of peace, or use it in your head. Om Shanti, Shanti, Shanti.
8. Try Group Meditation – When you meditate with a group, the effects tend to be powerfully amplified. There are many resources for group meditation, which you can do via online calls (these work surprisingly well), at a center in your area, or simply by meditating at the same time as others. You may want to get some friends together, set a common intention, and start a group meditation on a regular basis.
9. Take a Class – Though meditation truly is discovered through its practice, having a teacher explain subtleties and give you different views on it can be super helpful. Local yoga studios are a great place to start a search for a teacher, or you could get together with a teacher you already trust and resonate with for private sessions.
10. Get a Guide – Guided meditations can often lead you into a meditative state faster than you would find it yourself. Some have music, some are simply a soothing voice, some combine both. Ideally, finding a teacher that speaks to your heart and using their guided meditations is best because you already have a connection with them.

I’ve had amazing reviews on my recently released Meditation Guide: Mini-Meditations Art and Audio Set. Check it out by clicking on the link above.

One person sent me this response after getting her copy of the guide:

“I am over the top with delight! There is no one in the world that would not benefit from, or enjoy your work!  You make it so flexible and that is even more magical. Katrina, you are truly a magnificent, creative, inspirational gift from the Universe!” CLB

To understand fully how special you are and what this wave of excitement from New Orleans has to do with you, check out this article: New Orleans Teaches Us About Community Of The Heart.

Mini-Meditation:

Sit beautifully and quiet your mind.

Feel your breath dance within you.

Feel your heart beat.

As you tune in to your own inner music,

Realize that each being on this planet shares

The experience of breath and heartbeat.

We all are connected through our commonalities.

The desire to be happy and free.

The need to feel like we belong,

Yet still be able to express ourselves.

Breathe, in this spacious moment,

And know that you belong.

You are appreciated for who you are.

Feel the unseen support from the

Grand global community of the heart

Of which you are a unique and important part.

Who Dat!

• Check out this profoundly beautiful Meditation Guide for more meditations.

That’s bliss.

Bliss comes in many forms, from joy to deep contentment. But any way it presents itself, it’s a juicy state of goodness that takes you into the higher realms of human experience.

Feelings of freedom, happiness, peace, and so on are why we keep coming back to yoga and meditation.

These practices give you ways to not only stay centered when the world turns wildly, but also to heal on so many levels, and truly create yourself in your highest vision of who you want to be.

Meditation has been studied scientifically and proven to decrease stress and, due to lower stress levels, increase health benefits. Additionally, it shows up in most of the world’s spiritual traditions as a way to connect with your truest self.

To me and many others, meditation is a way to get clear; to strip away the layers of pressing responsibilities and ‘to-do lists’, and reconnect with the truth of who you are. For when you are able to view the world around you from a peaceful and centered place, everything else flows easier, and that which was overwhelming before becomes much more easily handled.

Meditation can help you focus and be more productive, so it’s worth taking the time to shift into that centered state of being.

The great thing about Mini-Meditations is that they help you find states of bliss very quickly.

The popular yoga and meditation service, Daily Doses of Delight, comes with ‘mini-meditations’. These are short but potent little practices that remind you to center in when you most need it. The response to these ‘instant’ yoga breaks has been phenomenal, and I’m pretty sure the reason for that is the fact that they don’t take up a lot of time, yet you still get so much out of them.

Now, you can, of course, do your own mini-meditations. Yet, isn’t it nice to be guided? Personally, I find I slip into a meditative state more easily when one of my teachers leads me there.

I’m excited about a brand new offering – The Mini-Meditations Art and Audio Set – which is exquisitely beautiful, guiding you into a meditative state both visually and through sound. Please take a look (by clicking on the link just above) and see what you think.

You’ll also receive free mini-meditations when you subscribe to Daily Doses of Delight mediation and yoga service, which you can do below.

The idea of walking meditation, just like other meditations, is to be fully present. You can bring such awareness to the way you walk, your surroundings, and the moment itself, that this practice can create a heightened state of connection and peace.

My first experience with walking meditation was at a yoga teacher training in Baja, Mexico. Each morning we got up super early, did a short asana practice, then we went out to the beach for walking meditation.

I would place my feet slowly, mindfully, listening to the waves crash on the shore. I felt the subtleties of each step, and often would close my eyes or even walk backwards to shift my perspective.

Learning Walking Meditation

The way I learned walking meditation was basically learning how to walk again – very slowly. Now, it doesn’t have to be the same for you, and you don’t have to do walking meditation super slow motion, but it’s helpful to start that way and train yourself to stay focused, then you can speed it up.

One way to do this is to stand with your knees bent, then pick up one foot, play with the balance, and place it down very slowly. Walk in place like this in super slow motion, then start moving forward (or backward, or sideways) in full mindfulness.

Another way to learn walking meditation is to simply walk and notice as much as you can in the moment.

• Can you feel every part of your body and the way your feet move?
• What does your breath feel like?
• Can you create more space inside and let your breath move deeper?
• What sounds do you hear?
• What colors do you see?
• What does the air feel like on your skin?

Ways To Focus While Practicing Walking Meditation

There are some truly beautiful ways to gather and hone your focus while doing this practice. Here are some ideas for you:

• Notice as much as you can in each moment (see questions above for cues)
• Think about planting lotus flowers with each step
• Use a mantra, such as Om Namah Shivaya, or Om Shanti
• Work with an intention or affirmation, repeating it like a mantra
• Feel each breath fully
• Think of all that you’re grateful for – see how long you can keep this up!

Oh yes, though the fresh air and getting outside is ideal, you can do this on a tread-mill as well, or pacing up and down your hallway, or anywhere else for that matter if going outside isn’t an option.

Also, if you have four legged friends along for your walk, you can still do this, just stay calm and in the moment whenever you need to help them remember what they need to do. Don’t let yourself get pulled out of your center by your companions (literally or energetically), instead, have full patience with them and yourself.

Remember, it’s a practice – just enjoy the journey!

Now that you have some ideas for walking meditation, get out there and enjoy! You might also dig my article Demystifying Meditation which gives great ideas for seated meditation.

• If you have questions or comments, please post them below.