Om Namah Shivaya – A Song of Peace and Love (VIDEO)

Katrina Ariel

Music moves us in so many ways. Mantra in particular can help us to find ourselves again.

How you resonate, or the vibration you feel, can be a conscious choice. The more you choose your vibration consciously, the more you can influence life to unfold in the direction of your choosing.

For instance, if you continually bring yourself back to love, peace, joy, kindness, and the like, then these are the influences that will most often show up in your life. This is the “thoughts become things” theory in practice on a moment to moment basis.

But sometimes it isn’t so easy to stay in a pattern of love and joy, is it?

That’s where music can be so very helpful.

When you listen to (or create your own) music that brings a resonance of light and goodness, it is so much easier to bring the harmony you desire into your own vibration and surroundings.

So, without further ado, here is a music video that has both music and images to help brighten your heart and your day!

If you enjoyed this, please share! You’ll help others grow the feelings of love and peace in their own hearts (and therefore the world)!

This song is on my album, “Gratitude.” Click on the image to the right to purchase on iTunes.

Creating a Feeling of Freedom

Katrina Ariel

To all of us, freedom is something that is of the highest importance. We each want to feel sovereign to ourselves, able to choose what is best for our own lives and act accordingly.

But for so many people that liberation is blocked by feelings of scarcity (not enough time/money, etc.), or by very real obligations that seem to get in the way of you feeling truly free.

The key is to create freedom within.

In the words of the great Bob Marley, “None but ourselves can free our minds.”

And once you have found freedom within, that feeling informs the rest of your life–no matter what you are doing in the outside world.

Mini-Meditation:

Sit tall and comfortably, letting go of any tension in your face.

Take three slow, deep breaths: in through your nose, and out your mouth.

Feel the Earth below you, supporting you and sending you tremendous love.

Now, bring your focus to your heart.

Feel the rise and fall of your chest as your breath moves.

Your heart center calls you back to your true, divine self.

Remember who you truly are: a child of the Universe, infinitely loved. Take a moment to acknowledge that you are a bright, beautiful spirit!

Keep breathing deeply, bringing your awareness now to your third eye.

Imagine the purest light in the center of your head, even with your brow.

This light bathes your pineal gland and helps to clear your mind.

Take three (or more) slow, steady breaths, allowing this light to literally free your mind and align your mental energy with your heart energy.

As you feel this alignment and the light of your mind and heart come into harmony, bring that beam of light down into your root chakra at the base of your pelvic floor. This aligns your mind, heart, and body, bringing forth the light of your true self into the manifest world.

Take as long as you need, making sure you feel grounded and at ease.

To the freedom of us all!

Katrina

P.S. Music often creates a feeling of freedom without you having to work at it (isn’t that great?!) Check out my mantra album, which so many people have said makes them feel uplifted, peaceful, and free.

How to Stop Worrying

Katrina Ariel

This is a very simple (though perhaps not easy) way to stop yourself from worrying:

1. Focus on the Now
2. Think about “what IS,” not “what if”
3. Breathe deeply and trust yourself
4. Repeat

Focusing on beauty is a great way to shift your thoughts and feelings.

I don’t pretend to have this mastered, but when I catch myself obsessing on thoughts that aren’t true or serving the moment, this is what helps me get out of that thought pattern.

Women seem to have a particular talent for worrying, though men can excel at it as well. Sometimes I think I’m hard-wired to fret over things completely out of my control, or things that haven’t happened and may not come to pass. I’ve been this way since I was a little girl.

But that doesn’t mean I have to live in a constant state of worry for the rest of my life! We are all able to make choices and changes in our thought patterns at any time.

So, I choose to practice these steps, over and over and over again, as much as necessary until my thoughts naturally stay on “what is,” rather than straying to “what if.”

Some other tips that can help you be free from worry:

  • Get grounded: connect to the earth and focus on the beauty of the natural world.
  • Smile for no reason.
  • Do yoga, or move your body in a way that feels good. This is always a great way to come into the present.
  • Focus your thoughts on what you DO want to happen in your life. Create a positive imprint in your mind and emotions.
  • Sing or put on music that makes you feel good.
  • Get creative in whatever way appeals to you.
  • Pray, if you are so inclined. But do it in a way that states that you are grateful for whatever it is you’re asking for, as if it has already come to be. Having faith (in whatever way naturally calls to you) helps build trust in yourself and in the Universe.
  • Do something that helps you to relax.

What are your tips to stop worrying? Please share them with me in the comments. We can all use all the help we can get. 🙂

The Scent of the Sacred

Katrina Ariel

The scent of the sacred permeates all life.

It is most fragrant at times of awe, love,
beauty, and even sadness.

Sometimes it is fouled by fear scents,
or blown about by the winds of struggle,
but the sacred is always to be found
if you are seeking it.

To breathe is to dance with the sacred,
to move is to explore and expand.
To imagine, delights all that is sacred,
And the universe sparkles on one divine hand.

To be still and pulled into the present,
to breathe and feel and belong in the now,
reminds you that you ARE the sacred;
that you are the singer of the song.

Presence of Gaia by Josephine Wall

It’s funny, I haven’t written poetry in such a long time. It was an incredibly ally in my youth, and then I began to sing and I tend to write songs now instead. Which is also good. 🙂

I did have a time in my life where I would wake up and sit down with a cup of tea and my book of Rumi. And often I am inspired by the prose of authors both humble and well known.

Please let me know in the comments if this has inspired you in any way . . . or better yet, leave some lines of your own poetry to continue the lyric.

 

Taking Leave from Teaching Yoga

Katrina Ariel

Sometimes the best thing to do is to let go, step back, turn inward, and refocus.

This is where I am at in my life. I’ve (happily) spent the last 7 years teaching yoga, nurturing others, and focusing on my business.

I am now at a place where I need to focus on nurturing myself, my family, and my home.

To do this I need to totally withdraw from teaching.

For how long? I don’t really know. I do know that there needs to be no time limit or expectations around this: I just need to let it all go so that I can take care of myself.

Many of my students have become my friends over the years. You know who you are. I do love you, care about you, and wish you all the joy in the world.

All of the classes I was teaching are continuing. I have done my best to ensure you are in very capable hands by asking Deandra to take over my teaching. Enjoy her fresh energy, and please encourage her as you have done for me. Click here and “Like” Deandra’s Yoga Facebook Page so you can benefit from some of the goodness she is sharing!

Thank you so much for being a part of my teaching, and my life.

Here are some things I’ve learned along the way…

1) Many gifts come from tragedy.

Read More “Taking Leave from Teaching Yoga”

Navigating Pain and Loss with Grace

Katrina Ariel

A rather talented intuitive once told me, “Your life is a demonstration.”

I took this to mean that by living my truth, I am often able to bring inspiration or insight to others. I also think that it means I am demonstrating to myself the depth of courage, love, and wisdom that lives within me, and all others.

This particular sharing is a very personal one, and I ask you, as always, to simply take what speaks to your heart, and respectfully leave the rest.

On Sunday I miscarried at 10 weeks of pregnancy.

I started having signs on Friday, and it was scary, not knowing what would happen. However the fear subsided when I knew that I was miscarrying. It was no longer unknown once the process started, and I realized all there was to do was let go and ride it out. My body did a very good job of naturally going through the process, though I will be recovering for some time.

I know that this is very common; that many women miscarry their first pregnancy, and that they often go on to have as many children as they wish. I have friends who have been through this and now have little ones, and this gives me great comfort.

The love and support I have been receiving from friends and family is so appreciated. If you choose to email me with your own words of care, please know that, though I may not reply, they will be gratefully received.

It happened on Thanksgiving weekend, and I find that interesting, especially since we had a house fire 5 years ago at the same time. I think it is a reminder to stay focused on what there is to be grateful for, even within the intensity and emotions of loss.

I also find it interesting that I miscarried a week after I had announced my pregnancy. It would have been much more convenient if it had happened before. Then I could have kept it all to myself and gone on with life without so many people being aware of what I’ve been through.

Yet, that isn’t really my way – to quietly pretend the world didn’t just shift for me. It is much more appropriate that it happened as it did. Because now I can tell you, with my characteristic open honesty, how I feel and what is helping me through.

All is Full of Love

First and foremost, this has been another deepening of Trust.

You can call it “Faith” if you prefer, as there definitely is an element of believing in something unseen. However, it is much more than that, since I have been shown time and again that I am truly taken care of. No matter what.

I keep leaning on that, and looking back on my life at the proof that I see: even in the most scary, uncomfortable, emotional times everything truly has turned out in the best possible way.

And so I stay with that trust. I remember in my heart and think often about how beautifully the mystery and magic of life unfolds when I allow it to do so, especially when it doesn’t look as I think it should.

Read More “Navigating Pain and Loss with Grace”

Inviting Bliss and Beauty through Yoga

Katrina Ariel
Every heart's natural state is full of bliss.

It’s curious, to me, that so many of our sacred texts tell us that bliss is our true nature. I find it curious because this is a common experience when practicing yoga, and yet something that is seemingly harder to find in every day life.

So the question is: How do we invite that blissful nature to linger, to come forth fully in each moment?

Part of the key lies in being able to take in the beauty around you. In order to recognize beauty, you must be present in the moment. If you are present, you are less likely to be worrying or preoccupied with thoughts that pull you out of your natural state of bliss.

For some, bliss is a concept that is only “allowed” in small doses. I think that our culture has created a perception that no one is supposed to be happy all the time, that hardship is normal, and that struggle is part of life.

But these are not rules, only ideas that you can choose to adopt or release. You might know someone (or BE someone) who is truly happy most of the time. Why is that? It’s an inner attitude, and a perspective on life that allows happiness to be your natural state.

Yoga is so excellent at helping us check in, let go of anything in the way, and return to that state of blissful experience.

The deeper I go in my practice, the more I am able to find bliss even when my computer dies, or when my dog jumps on my freshly printed posters and ruins them in his excitement.

Okay, maybe I fall out of bliss for a while when this stuff happens all at once, but I am able to come back to center SO much faster than ever before in my life! I recognize that it doesn’t feel good to dwell on what can not be changed, and I choose new thoughts that DO feel good, trusting life to turn out perfectly no matter what.

That, to me, is the biggest contributor: choosing thoughts that feel good, and living in a state of trust in the mystery of life.

And all of the tools yoga offers, including movement, breath, meditation, and contemplation, strengthen your ability to make these choices, with awareness, in each moment.

Quotes about Bliss:

“Now may every living thing, young or old, weak or strong, living near or far, known or unknown, living or departed or yet unborn, may every living thing be full of bliss.”
~ Anonymous, The Dhammapada

“Follow your bliss and the universe will open doors where there were only walls.”
~ Joseph Campbell

“Nothing is more important than reconnecting with your bliss. Nothing is as rich. Nothing is more real.”
~ Deepak Chopra

How Yoga Helps You Trust in Yourself

Katrina Ariel

“To thine own self be true.”

This is a central theme in life, and one that yoga invites you to visit over and over again.

Satya, one of the yamas (guidelines of yoga), is all about being truthful–especially to yourself! For if you are not being honest and honouring of your own truth, then how can you extend that out into your family and life?

Every time you come to your mat to practice asana, every breath is asking you, “What is true for me right now?” How the pose looks for you today may be very different from what it looked like yesterday, or how you will express it tomorrow.

Meditation is a constant practice of truth. There is nowhere to hide from your thoughts in meditation. Instead, this practice helps you quiet and choose your thoughts more mindfully. It creates a more intimate relationship with the essence of who you are, which is also the essence of your truth.

Every area of life invites a deeper discovery of what is true for you in this moment. The food you eat, the activities you choose, the people you spend time with, the way you arrange your home, and on and on.

For me, part of my journey of personal growth has been, in large part, realizing how to be true to myself and not focus on external sources (other people, culture) to tell me what is true for me.

Yoga has been enormously valuable in this self-evolution of releasing that which is not my truth, and allowing my true self to shine forth.

“Defining myself, as opposed to being defined by others, is one of the most difficult challenges I face.”
~ Carol Mosely-Braun

Sometimes it’s difficult to be true to yourself because you feel responsible to someone else. This is hardest with those you’re close to, such as family, as well as in the realm of business.

In these situations, where the path is not always clear, it takes a dedicated practice of being open to many different perspectives–not necessarily the perspectives of others, but seeing things from your own view in many different ways.

Yoga is great at helping reveal different perspectives!

If you’re struggling with wondering how you can fully live your truth without letting someone else down, remember that it is not up to you to fulfil the expectations of others. Instead, ask yourself how you can make decisions that align with your truth in ways that are as harmonious as possible.

By choosing to be true to yourself you actually empower others by showing them it is possible, and a way to live in the highest integrity. Take your time making decisions, especially when they involve others, but be sure that you are choosing what is best for your own heart and path in life.

You may find that by communicating clearly and skillfully, with kindness and respect–even if it’s uncomfortable at first–you can release the expectations you feel others have for you (and those they actually hold, which are not always the same thing).

And what a huge relief that is, eh? Letting go of expectations is like taking all the pressure off your shoulders.

However, we never have control over how someone responds to our own choices. So if it doesn’t go as you envisioned, but you are doing what you need to do for yourself, trust that somehow things are unfolding as they need to, and that the other person now has an opportunity to reflect and grow if they so choose.

Ultimately, it is up to you to live YOUR life, while allowing others their own experiences.

Trust yourself.

When in doubt, take a deep breath, and let your heart guide the way.

Being True to Yourself:

“Above all, be true to yourself, and if you cannot put your heart in it, take yourself out of it.”
~ Hardy D. Jackson

“Accept everything about yourself–I mean everything, You are you and that is the beginning and the end–no apologies, no regrets.”
~ Clark Moustakas

“A bird doesn’t sing because it has an answer, it sings because it has a song.”
~ Maya Angelou

“Don’t compromise yourself. You are all you’ve got.”
~ Janis Joplin

“Find out who you are and do it on purpose.”
~ Dolly Parton

“Few are those who see with their own eyes and feel with their own hearts”
~ Albert Einstein

Yoga Invites Spaciousness and Simplicity

Katrina Ariel

Seeking Simplicity and Spaciousness

I’ve been unlpugging a lot lately.

As much as our computers, internet, smart phones, iPods, iPads and other gagets are incredible tools, they can also drain our energy in a big way. I don’t mention TV in there because I unplugged from that a long time ago. It just isn’t a part of my world.

Sure, Facebook is a great way to keep in touch with people and let others know what’s happening. But too much time on email, social sites and the like can leave us feeling scattered and drained.

Yoga, on the other hand, invites us to just BE.

Yoga asks us to breathe, move, slow and still . . . to connect to that which is the essence of life and remember how simple and profound that connection feels!

I’ve noticed that, by spending less time on email and Facebook, I have more time to myself. I feel like I have more energy and focus.

But there’s always a catch, right?

For me it’s difficult because, as a self employeed person, if I don’t send out an email or post on Facebook then you might not think about coming to class as often. And as much as I sincerely love your presence and would totally teach with joy if money wasn’t a concern, the bottom line is this is also my livelihood. So I have to be online and maintain a presence as a part of my business.

Yet it can feel overwhelming, and there are other things I want to focus on in life right now, such as buying our house and creating an environment in which to raise a family.

So, I’m asking for help.

You’ll soon hear new voices in my Yoga Boot Camp emails if you subscribe to those, as friends and fellow yoga instructors start contributing. This will provide valuable new perspectives on topics that are of importance, while allowing me a break from writing the content.

If you would like to help me all you need to do is come to class, and invite friends and family to join you if you’re so inspired!

I’d like to re-extend the soaring gratitude I always feel when you bring friends to class. I pour all my skill and passion for yoga into my teaching, and your referrals are a vital part of my business.

Thank you so much for your support in whatever form it takes.

May you find more space and simplicity in your own life, and may yoga be a welcome support in creating the connection you seek with yourself and the world around you!

Quotes on Simplicity:

“And I learned what is obvious to a child. That life is simply a collection of little lives, each lived one day at a time. That each day should be spent finding beauty in flowers and poetry and talking to animals. That a day spent with dreaming and sunsets and refreshing breezes cannot be bettered.”
~ Nicholas Sparks

“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.”
~ Leonardo da Vinci

“Our life is frittered away by detail. Simplify, simplify.”
~ Henry David Thoreau

Happiness and a Home Yoga Practice

Katrina Ariel
Photo by Nat Anfield

Happiness is a choice. Actually, everything is a choice, or at least how we respond is a choice.

But it isn’t always easy to shift emotions, especially if you’re feeling overwhelm, fear, frustration, or sadness. So what does yoga say about that?

Well, one of the best ways to move energy and shift the way you feel is to literally MOVE your body.

To that end, yoga is an amazing tool and companion. You can simply start your practice with a few breaths to calm and center, and have an intention that you come into a vibration of peace, happiness, and comfort during your practice.

If you’re already joyful and feeling great, then your practice can simply be a celebration of life! But if you’re feeling “off,” then yoga offers you a way to feel good again.

Having a home practice is an exceptional way to care for yourself and keep your body, heart and mind healthy and balanced.

Inspiration for your Home Yoga Practice

” Approach your practice with openness and curiosity, rather than self-judgment or competitiveness.” ~ Rodney Yee

“Start slow and discover your own inner teacher.” ~ Kreg Weiss

“I try to do something twice a day, sometimes it’s just a little bit. The place that my life happens to be will determine its intensity–anything from restorative to high intensity vinyasa. I try to be true to myself each day and see what I’m moved to do. I don’t have a mold or external blueprint that I follow, but in general I’m pulled toward vinyasa, heat-based movement, moving energy through my body. Rigid routines don’t really work well for me. I like fluid practice instead. My style is based on being safe and opening the body from a place that is protecting the joint system. I do a lot of creative sequencing, and I teach people my philosophy, “To thine own self be true.” You intuitively know what is right.” ~ Baron Baptiste

Photo by Toshi Kawano

Often I do a short home practice. Or I randomly break out into yoga wherever I am. Fun stuff!

Your yoga practice doesn’t need to be an hour or longer to make a great deal of difference. In fact, often 10 or 20 minutes does the trick, and even 5 minutes can leave you feeling infinitely better!

So if you feel inimidated or lack the motivation to roll out your mat at home, just tell yourself you’ll do 5 minutes of yoga. Get started, and if that’s all you do, fine, but you’ll likely discover that it feels so good you just keep moving, breathing, and realigning with your true nature of harmony.

Of course, yoga isn’t the only way to shift your attitude.

A deep breath and conscious decision can be enough, or a moment to appreciate nature, to feel grateful for all that you have in your life, or to simply surrender the feelings that aren’t what you want to hold, and open to those that feel good. Here’s a quote that you can say out loud to create more happiness:

“I’m going to be happy. I’m going to skip. I’m going to be glad. I’m going to smile a lot. I’m going to be easy. I’m going to count my blessings. I’m going to look for reasons to feel good. I’m going to dig up positive things from the past. I’m going to look for positive things where I stand. I’m going to look for positive things in the future. It is my natural state to be a happy person. It’s natural for me to love and to laugh. This is what is most natural for me. I am a happy person!”

—Abraham