Recap: Healing Intensive at Park Slope Brooklyn June 2-3, 2017

“Healing and Prana”
Prana holds together the elements that allows our physical existence.  Prana is the flow that comes from the earth through the hara and is transmuted into life energy that can be projected back into the world from the higher chakras.

“Healing Perception”
Many conditions that interfere with the flow of existence and the healthy flow of prana are due to a bias associated with one’s perception.  If we can find the point of perception that holds a viewpoint, it can be “flipped” to allow for a new configuration that leads to self-healing.

We held a meditation and healing intensive at Kundalini Yoga Park Slope, Brooklyn on June 2-3, 2017.  Here is a recap of the meditations we performed.

Increase the Flow of Earth Within You

Pranic Energy – the Earth Element Balanced by Ether

NM0394 – Live Above Denial

The Alchemist

Meditation: LA741 – 921125 – Dance of Shiva

Shuniya Meditations as Taught by Yogi Bhajan, Yoga West, 1994

LA0967-Division and Oneness

LA004 780109 Innocent Thumbs

Milarepa’s Song to Lady Palderboom

Today: True fellowship must be based on concerns that are universal – from the I Ching

True fellowship must be based on concerns that are universal. It is not the private interests of individuals that create lasting fellowship, but rather the goals of humanity (see yesterday).  When personal or egotistical interests coming from the leadership dominate, the fellowship will be broken and factions will form that are in conflict with each other.  Though difficult, the constituents must inform the leadership of the error of their ways.  This will not be taken kindly, but with enough decorum and grace the message will get through and have an impact.

Read the text from Richard Wilhelm's translation of the I Ching
True fellowship among men must be based on a concern that is universal. It is not the private interests of the individual that create lasting fellowship among men, but rather the goals of humanity. That is why it is said that fellowship with men in the open succeeds. If unity of this kind prevails, even difficult and dangerous tasks, such as crossing the great water, can be accomplished. But in order to bring about this sort of fellowship, a persevering and enlightened leader is needed – a man with clear, convincing, and inspiring aims and the strength to carry them out.
There is danger here of formation of a separate faction on the basis of personal and egotistic interests. Such factions, which are exclusive and, instead of welcoming all men, must condemn one group in order to unite the others, originate from low motives and therefore lead in the course of time to humiliation.
The situation is really difficult. That which is strongest and that which is weakest are close together. The weak follows behind the strong and worries it. The strong, however, acquiesces and does not hurt the weak, because the contact is in good humor and harmless.
In terms of a human situation, one is handling wild, intractable people. In such a case one’s purpose will be achieved if one behaves with decorum. Pleasant manners succeed even with irritable people.
 

Meditation
Previous readings
Today: I Ching

“Life is not set up for us to suffer ” Yogi Bhajan

“Life is not set up for us to suffer. Happiness is the birthright of the person, provided you feel ~ at least a little honestly ~ that God is within you. God is prana, life. If God is not life, then what is God? Dead? There is no dead God. God is alive. His existence is alive. As long as you live, there is a God for you. The moment you don’t live, forget it.” Yogi Bhajan
(via Ram Anand)

 

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Today: A fellowship requires a spiritual basis and a strong leader – from the I Ching

A fellowship requires a spiritual basis and a strong leader.  Only a strong moral force can unite the world.  Then, great achievements can be realized.  Recognize the obstructions and join with friends of like mind.  From this organic convergence, leadership arises.  Unswerving inner purpose will bring good fortune in the end.  Obstructions that last only for a time are useful for self-development. This is the value of adversity.

Read the text from Richard Wilhelm's translation of the I Ching
The gathering together of people in large communities is either a natural occurrence, as in the case of the family, or an artificial one, as in the case of the state. The family gathers about the father as its head. The perpetuation of this gathering in groups is achieved through the sacrifice to the ancestors, at which the whole clan is gathered together. Through the collective piety of the living members of the family, the ancestors become so integrated in the spiritual life of the family that it cannot be dispersed or dissolved.
Where men are to be gathered together, religious forces are needed. But there must also be a human leader to serve as the centre of the group. In order to be able to bring others together, this leader must first of all be collected within himself. Only collective moral force can unite the world. Such great times of unification will leave great achievements behind them. This is the significance of the great offerings that are made. In the secular sphere likewise there is need of great deeds in the time of GATHERING TOGETHER.
Often a man feels an urge to unite with others, but the individuals around him have already formed themselves into a group, so that he remains isolated. The whole situation proves untenable. Then he ought to choose the way of progress, resolutely allying himself with a man who stands nearer to the centre of the group, and can help him to gain admission to the closed circle. This is not a mistake, even though at first his position as an outsider is somewhat humiliating.
Here an individual is confronted by obstacles that cannot be overcome directly. In such a situation it is wise to pause in view of the danger and to retreat. However, this is merely a preparation for overcoming the obstructions. One must join forces with friends of like mind and put himself under the leadership of a man equal to the situation: then one will succeed in removing the obstacles. This requires the will to persevere just when one apparently must do something that leads away from his goal. This unswerving inner purpose brings good fortune in the end. An obstruction that lasts only for a time is useful for self-development. This is the value of adversity.
 

Meditation
Previous readings
Today: I Ching

“Prosperity is perpetual with people who prefer to be penetrating ” Yogi Bhajan

“Prosperity, prosperity, prosperity is perpetual with people who prefer to be penetrating, prepared and purposeful. But prosperity only comes to those who are trustworthy, those who deliver and those who are content and consistent. Basically, it boils down to commitment. If you put your soul into anything, you can win the whole world. It will be yours. You can sweep prosperity with your commitment. Contain, commit and be continuous.” Yogi Bhajan
(via Ram Anand)

 

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Grokking Boston

My wife and I visited Boston last week.  We discovered that visiting the place resulted in revisiting events in our personal and collective psyches.

Visiting with our old friends Henrietta and Don rekindled our passionate love for exploring the landscape of current social drama and politics, Martin Scorsese’s movie Silence, John Oliver’s commentaries, etc.  Unlike the midwesterner’s comment in Alexandra Pelosi’s Journeys with Georgewho said, paraphrasing, “we all get along just fine because we all hate the same things“, we get along because we love the same things, e.g., our country and way of life.

JFK

Visiting the JFK library and museum transported us to another time that remains indelibly etched in our psyches.  To know it, we only need be reminded of it.  I remember it as the realization that anything is possible.  Camelot.

I also remember the dark passages of that time.  The Cuban missile crisis. I remarked to a woman next to me as we saw a recap of that October of 1962.  I commented, “I thought we were all going to die”.  She replied “We all thought we were going to die”.

It evoked the murder of the President.  The darkest day in living memory.

It evokes the contrast between a time when a politician loved his constituents and the present where many politicians cynically express abject hatred and contmept for them.

Kennedy remains the smiling young champion of justice and human rights.  That can never be tarnished.  Those who disparage him and his legacy only tarnish themselves.

Little was accomplished directly during his presidency.  It was too short.  He did get the ball rolling.  Many years ago we visited the LBJ library in Austin, Texas.  What we saw there was astonishing.  The body of Johnson’s legislative accomplishments is enormous.  Human rights, social justice, voting rights and environmental protections owe their existence to this one man.  It seemed that he was all about fulfilling Kennedy’s dreams.  Successfully.

See JFK Library mages

Edward M Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate

We visited the institute, which shares the same grounds as the Kennedy library.  We were introduced to the history and the functioning of the Senate.  We participated in a mock debate in a replica of the senate chamber.  Very interesting.

See Institute images

The Freedom Trail

Boston seems to be unique in its long history as an American city.  It appears to be the real cradle of the American experience.  The Freedom Trail is a well marked path that winds throughout the city which visits many of the historic landmarks that led to what is now the United States.  Walking that path is a moving experience.  I was again transported to a time when events reflected the greatness of people who rose up against tyranny and formed a common purpose to eradicate injustice for all time.  Their call to unite is still irresistible.  I can see how this moves Bostonians to identify as patriots of a righteous cause with pride and defiance.  Even the Red Sox seems to be something more than just a baseball team.  It’s an identity of unity.

This creates a sharp contrast with the current state of affairs in our nation where members of one group of people with enormous power are lukewarm at best to the unity of the nation and who would willingly let go of the American legacy for short term political gain and personal wealth.

Sad.

See Freedom Trail images

 

 

Today: The creative powers rising will ignite a wildfire of accomplishment – from the I Ching

The creative powers rising will ignite a wildfire of accomplishment for all to see an participate in.

Read the text from Richard Wilhelm's translation of the I Ching
Things that accord in tone vibrate together. Things that have affinity in their inmost natures seek one another. Water flows to what is wet, fire turns to what is dry. Clouds (the breath of heaven) follow the dragon, wind (the breath of earth) follows the tiger. Thus the sage arises, and all creatures follow him with their eyes. What is born of heaven feels related to what is above. What is born of earth feels related to what is below. Each follows its kind.   

Meditation
Previous readings
Today: I Ching

“The greatest education is the science of self” Yogi Bhajan

“The greatest education is the science of self. The science of self and self-awareness is the highest knowledge a man can possess because then you can pull yourself through all circumstances.” Yogi Bhajan
(via Ram Anand)

 

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Today: Be steady in your progress toward your goals – from the I Ching

Be steady in your progress toward your goals.  Adaptability circumvents obstacles, brute force slams into them.  Be patient and strong.

Read the text from Richard Wilhelm's translation of the I Ching
The pushing upward of the good elements encounters no obstruction and is therefore accompanied by great success. The pushing upward is made possible not by violence but by modesty and adaptability. Since the individual is borne along by the propitiousness of the time, he advances. He must go to see authoritative people. He need not be afraid to do this, because success is assured. But he must set to work, for activity (this is the meaning of “the south”) brings good fortune.  

Meditation
Previous readings
Today: I Ching

“When you concentrate and find your self” Yogi Bhajan

“When you concentrate and find your self through your own meditations, you can know the status of any person, and find the fountain of your kindness and caliber.” Yogi Bhajan
(via Ram Anand)

 

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Today: Get used to being the wanderer – from the I Ching

Get used to being the wanderer; a stranger in a strange land.  Allow what is familiar and unfamiliar.  Be gracious and don’t judge by comparison.  Bring peace.

Read the text from Richard Wilhelm's translation of the I Ching
WHEN A man is a wanderer and stranger, he should not be gruff nor overbearing. He has no large circle of acquaintances, therefore he should not give himself airs. He must be cautious and reserved; in this way he protects himself from evil. If he is obliging toward others, he wins success.
A wanderer has no fixed abode; his home is the road. Therefore he must take care to remain upright and steadfast, so that he sojourns only in the proper places, associating only with good people. Then he has good fortune and can go his way unmolested. 

Meditation
Previous readings
Today: I Ching

“A spiritual man is the one who lives for Infinity” Yogi Bhajan

“A spiritual man is the one who lives for Infinity and whose presence creates peace.” Yogi Bhajan
(via Ram Anand)

 

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Today: Keep your fire bright – from the I Ching

Keep your fire bright.  Hold to your principles as the onslaught of dark forces advances.  Under siege, be the light that prevails.

Read the text from Richard Wilhelm's translation of the I Ching
What is dark clings to what is light and so enhances the brightness of the latter. A luminous thing giving out light must have within itself something that perseveres; otherwise it will in time burn itself out. Everything that gives light is dependent on something to which it clings, in order that it may continue to shine.
Here the end of the day has come. The light of the setting sun calls to mind the fact that life is transitory and conditional. Caught in this external bondage, men are usually robbed of their inner freedom as well. The sense of the transitoriness of life impels them to uninhibited revelry in order to enjoy life while it lasts, or else they yield to melancholy and spoil the precious time by lamenting the approach of old age. Both attitudes are wrong. To the superior man it makes no difference whether death comes early or late. He cultivates himself, awaits his allotted time, and in this way secures his fate.
This pictures a time when inferior people are pushing forward and are about to crowd out the few remaining strong and superior men.   The right behaviour in such adverse times is to be deduced from the images and their attributes. The lower trigram stands for the earth, whose attributes are docility and devotion. The upper trigram stands for the mountain, whose attribute is stillness. This suggests that one should submit to the bad time and remain quiet. For it is a question not of man’s doing but of time conditions, which, according to the laws of heaven, show an alternation of increase and decrease, fullness and emptiness. It is impossible to counteract these conditions of the time. Hence it is not cowardice but wisdom to submit and avoid action.
 

Meditation
Previous readings
Today: I Ching

“Train the mind by directing it” Yogi Bhajan

“Train the mind by directing it to confront your unlimited soul. The mind will be elevated, and you will be elevated. That consistent projection and training is called a permanent state of bliss.” Yogi Bhajan
(via Ram Anand)

 

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Today: Repair the damage done – from the I Ching

Repair the damage done through apathy and indifference.  Do not allow the same mistakes to repeat.  Be decisive while instructing the inexperienced so that there is no misunderstanding of what has happened and what needs to be done.

Read the text from Richard Wilhelm's translation of the I Ching
What has been spoiled through man’s fault can be made good again through man’s work.  We must first know the causes of corruption before we can do away with them; hence it is necessary to be cautious during the time before the start. Then we must see to it that the new way is safely entered on, so that a relapse may be avoided; therefore we must pay attention to the time after the start. Decisiveness and energy must take the place of inertia and indifference that have led to decay, in order that the ending may be followed by a new beginning.
This describes a man who proceeds a little too energetically in righting the mistakes of the past. Now and then, as a result, minor discords and annoyances will surely develop. But too much energy is better than too little. Therefore, although he may at times have some slight cause for regret, he remains free of any serious blame.
IN THE TIME OF youth, folly is not an evil. One may succeed in spite of it, provided one finds an experienced teacher and has the right attitude toward him. This means, first of all, that the youth himself must be conscious of his lack of experience and must seek out the teacher. Without this modesty and this interest there is no guarantee that he has the necessary receptivity, which should express itself in respectful acceptance of the teacher. This is the reason why the teacher must wait to be sought out instead of offering himself. Only thus can the instruction take place at the right time and in the right way.

Meditation
Previous readings
Today: I Ching

“When you stretch the Projection of your mind” Yogi Bhajan

“When you stretch the Projection of your mind to reach the Infinite, to dwell in God and to abandon its cleverness for innocence, then everyone and everything senses that presence and wants to serve it.” Yogi Bhajan
(via Ram Anand)

 

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