IDA NADI

Plain and simple, TONIGHT'S FULL MOON is the PERFECT time to write my blog on this upcoming Thursday night's class which will be all about the MOON ENERGY...AKA IDA NADI.

Last week was all about the Sun (relates to right channel, YANG, positive, inner masculine, expansive, extroverted, concentration, projective, focused, pingala, RA) and this week it's all about the Moon (related to left channel, contraction, introverted, YIN, inner feminine, relaxed, calm, receptive, MA). The Sun and the Moon relate to the shushmana or the central channel in the spine...(ever hear of Lord RA MA?)

The full moon is the time of the month where there is the greatest connection between sun and moon. Therefore, if we meditate on the full moon, it may be easier to direct the PRANA,OR LIFE FORCE ENERGY through the Shushmana or central nerve channel in the spine.

The nadis are the ida, pingala, and the shushmana. The sun nadi is the pingala and the moon nadi is the ida. Ida is a Sanskrit word which means "comfort". It starts and ends to the left of the shushmana. It terminates in the left nostril, but is also connected to the left testicle in males.

Ida Nadi is the feminine energy and has a cooling effect. It is associated with the right side of the brain and the left side of the body. Ida Nadi controls all of the mental processes; purifies the body and the mind". If you want to calm down and "get comfortable", you can breathe out of the left nostril only which accesses the IDA NADI and the moon energy.

The moon has different phases which each possess a certain character. You can find the chart for the Moon cycles on the Kundalink website. The full moon is when your subconscious mind is closest to the surface..therefore it's a really effective time for healing and meditation; a really perfect time for your energy to go into digesting what is laying around your subconscious mind instead of digesting what you eat. You are naturally accelerated on a full moon; at your highest energy level. The new moon is a time to focus your energy on NEW BEGINNINGS. If fasting is not an option for you, or not what you prefer, try to eat sattvic foods and adhere to a spiritual template for your day. The New Moon is when you are at your lowest energy level. It's a good day to fast on lemon and water from sun up to the next sun up.

Yogi Bhajan taught that the 11th day after the New Moon is the day when you are most in balance. The glandular system readjusts itself on this day and your metabolism changes. It's a good time to eat lightly on green foods or just lemon and water. Eating one meal and then lemon and water throughout the day is recommended.

MORE FASCINATING INFORMATION: Women have eleven moon centers throughout their bodies. These eleven centers are sensitive physical areas on the women's body that are responsive to lunar energies and affect how she deals with every day life. During her 28 day cycle, the location shifts every 2.5 days. Each woman has a different sequence, but it remains constant with her and does not coincide with her menstrual cycle. These are the moon centers: arcline, navel center, thighs, ear lobes, clitoris, vagina, back of the neck, breasts, lips, cheeks, and eyebrows. I'll write more about this some other week, but this will have to do for now. Men have a moon center on their chin which corresponds to the trigeminal nerve...and it is reponsible for how men relate to their emotions. That is why men in the Kundalini Yoga community generally grow beards; to help them buffer how they interact emotionally with the outside world.

Thursday night, February 9 we will be practicing Kundalini Yoga exercises, pranayam (breath exercises), and meditations which bring out the moon energy in you. Be prepared to say good-bye to tension and fatigue and say hello to deep relaxation and contentment. Bring a friend, a mat, a blanket and a cushion if needed. There will be yogi tea and cookies served afterwards. Donation ($15 recommended). For more info visit the website.

Sat Nam,

Raghubir

HERE COMES THE SUN

Thursday February 2.......... HERE COMES THE SUN

Have you noticed lately that your computer is acting weird or that telephone, satellite, or radio reception is a bit "off"? Have you noticed a change in your behavior or emotions? If you have you are just like everyone else on earth who is experiencing the effects of the most recent solar flares. A solar flare occurs when the magnetic energy that has built up in the solar atmosphere is suddenly released. Solar flares cause the earth's atmosphere to become more ionized and it has a profound effect on radio signals and wireless communication. The magnetic fields of humans have also been shown to respond to the changes in the sun's magnetic field.

"You are a magnetic psyche. This Praanic energy is nothing but an electromagnetic field. This whole Universe is just the co-existence of magnetic psyches within a working electromagnetic field...every electromagnetic field within an electromagnetic field has its own frequency, its own rhythm, its own axle, and it own orbit." - Yogi Bhajan

In last week's class we balanced the praanic energy through the manipulation of breath and through physical exercise working with 5 major areas of energy called vayus. This Thursday night, we will learn about the nadis a.k.a. channels of energy through which praana travels. We will be focusing primarily on the Pingala, one of the three most important nadis: namely the Shushmana, Ida, and Pingala.

These three channels meet at the first chakra located at the base of the spine. The Ida and Pingala rise from here and circle around the spinal column traveling in opposite directions. The join again at the brow point. The left channel is called the Ida, governs the moon energy and terminates at the left nostril. The right channel is called the Pingala, governs the sun energy, and terminates at the right nostril. The shushmana is the central channel of energy through which the Kundalini energy makes its ascent. When the Kundalini energy rises and energizes all the chakras, it makes you calm, creative, non-attached and in harmony with the infinite. You're "in the flow". It's a scientific process to raise the Kundalini but it takes commitment and discipline to "keep up".

So now that you have the general landscape, I'll get back on topic and tell you specifically about the sun and the moon energies. We are energetic beings and energy flows through the ida and pingala nadis all the time. You might notice that at different times of the day, one nostril is breathing more predominantly than the other. This is the work of your pituitary gland which operates much like a thermostat to balance the energies in your body.

If the Ida is dominant, then the flow of energy in our magnetic psyche is mostly negatively charged and is cooling, imaginative, and calm. It is the energy of the moon. If the Pingala is dominant, then the flow of energy is mostly positively charged and its focused, energetic and active.It is the energy of the sun. Once we become aware of these energies, we can use them to put our lives in better balance.

Even though the glandular system monitors the body temperature and emotional state throughout the day, Kundalini Yoga provides the technology to override that system if and when necessary. If you are nervous and have anxiety for example, you can breathe out of the left nostril to activate the cooling and calming moon energy. Conversely, if you are spaced out and unfocused, you can breathe out of the right nostril to activate the positively charged sun energy which will give you concentration, focus, and energy.

WHAT WE ARE WORKING ON THIS THURSDAY NIGHT IS ACTIVATING THE SUN ENERGY. WHEN YOU HAVE A LOT OF SUN ENERGY, YOU ARE EXPRESSIVE AND ENTHUSIASTIC, ENERGETIC AND FOCUSED. YOU CAN DO MANY THINGS AT ONCE. YOUR DIGESTION IS WORKING WELL AND YOU ARE VERY CLEAR AND ACTION ORIENTED. IT IS THE ENERGY OF PURIFICATION. We will also practice several pranayam which will positively charge your magnetic field giving you an "energy boost" that is literally at your fingertips! HERE COMES THE SUN!

Thursday February 2 at 7:00.

Bring a mat, blanket, cushion or whatever you need to sit comfortably. We move around, meditate, chant, breathe, and lay down for long GONG relaxations. Bring a friend, bring a donation ($15 suggested) and bring a desire to transform. For more information visit the website. Yogi tea always served afterwards.

Sat Nam,

Raghubir