What is Conscious Movement & Sound?

A meadow lark giving his masterful sermon of song. 



The practice of conscious movement transforms us. A new life begins to take shape internally as well as externally. Our physical bodies are not our property, it is a gift which must be appreciated and returned. If we remain sensitive to the needs of the body we can respect the vessel we were given in humility. It simply is not yours to destroy, abuse, or exploit. Walking, standing, sitting and moving with intent can refresh the mind the way a simple shower refreshes the body. When tension leaves the body natural re-balancing takes place. Relaxation is the absence of tension created by the body and caused by going against our own bodies and feelings. Health care professionals and providers are often tuning themselves out for the sake of their patients or clients. This is a symptom of unrestrained sharing which is itself un-balanced. Creating and maintaining healthy boundaries at work (and home) promotes healthy sharing and in the long run will prevent injury, loss of income and professional burn out. TMS teaches you to choose a mental projection point from within the body (drishti/focal point) in combination with primal sound scales. Gurucharan Singh Khalsa, PhD. writes in his book titled Breathwalk "There is also a reflex code that connects the movements of the tongue with the neural patterns of the brain."  The simple units of primal speech which distinguish one utterance from another are called phonemes. They form the bedrock for all natural language. A sequence of primal sound scales have a universal character and patterns which activate our brains and evoke different states according to the patterns of the sounds. In Kundalini yoga as taught by my teacher, Yogi Bhajan, PhD. Sa Ta Na Ma is toned vocally while practising Kriyas (specific body postures). The sounds are not connected to a specific language or culture and may be used by all. I teach movement in combination with these types of sounds to promote well being. Whenever I fall out of balance I simply imitate the mastery of the meadowlark and sing my way back into harmony.

Luli Rochel    

Eileen Escarda | See.Me

Check out the amazing photographs of Snatam Kaur Khalsa and family taken in Costa Rica recently. Enjoy... eileen escarda See.Me

What's Your Dosha Kenny?

Winter and early spring are related to Kapha dosha. In Ayurveda the body is comprised of the five elements which form a specific body type or dosha. The dosha's are classified into three categories and manifest our physical constitution at birth. Our minds can also be reflected in the dosha's even though it is subject to change and fluctuation. Our body types may also be subjected to change when illness, or ageing takes place but our primary constitution remains intact.

This dosha evaluation is for Kenny. The physical characteristics of Kapha are that they are thick boned, medium to medium large muscular skeletal structure, oily, and soft. Kapha tends towards a slow and deliberate progression and is seldom in a hurry. They have a connection to Earth energies and have a reputation for being the very best hugger's! Typical maladies for Kapha's are fatigue, chronic upper respiratory congestion, poor circulation, grief, and attachment. When I first met Kenny I thought he had a head cold. I later learned that he was suffering from chronic nasal congestion and tinnitus.

Water is a vital element for sustaining life functions. A river has the ability to cut right through the earths core, produce powerful waterfalls, nourish and fertilize soil making regions productive of crops, and support animals and humans. Our oceans are teeming with life and fishing has been a part of humanity for thousands of years. Water also flows downwards into the depths and recesses of the earth where there is an element of mystery,  danger, and negativity. Water goes everywhere and when water is stagnant it becomes a breeding pool for bacteria. Kenny when Kapha is out of balance, which may be the case for all of us during winter/early spring, we may experience melancholy, depression, an unconscious intake of food, and we may seek out increased visual, and sensual stimulation. Up north when people are snowed in on gray days...

The purpose of therapeutic yoga is to assist us in returning our bodies and minds to the balance of our individual dosha or constitution. We correct dosha imbalance by introducing the opposing qualities into our practice, diet, and environment so that you ( and us,we all have Kapha by varying degrees) can emulate the qualities of love, calm, strength, vigor, stability, and forgiveness that are inherent when Kapha is balanced.

Yoga for Kenny...consists of active Vinyasa practice, Sun Salutations, and Pranayama to promote movement, produce sweat, and prevent stagnation which could lead to depression. Body salt scrubs with essential oils such as grapefruit or citrus to uplift spirits and decrease edema (water retention in the body) and stimulate lymph function. Breath of Fire to cleanse Kapha and right nostril breathing for increasing heat in body and assist circulation. Because the dosha quiz for your current mental condition showed aggravated Pitta  we will end the practice with abdominal diaphragmatic breathing.

It is advisable to assess your dosha quarterly and to practice with an experienced yoga teacher who can create a therapeutic yoga practice which will promote optimal health and well being. An Ayurvedic medical practitioner can evaluate specific health concerns, and create a plan for proper diet and nutrition based on your particular constitution.  Always consult with your medical doctor prior to participating in any physical activity. Have your physician provide medical clearance prior to yoga or any other exercise which may result in injury. 


   

"Nishmat": Ancient Hebrew Meditation at Sea

Diane Bloomfield on Torah Yoga, yoga for Jews, yoga with Jewish teachings- Beliefnet.com

Diane Bloomfield on Torah Yoga, yoga for Jews, yoga with Jewish teachings- Beliefnet.com
Many of my students want to know how I reconcile yoga with being Jewish.

 

I would like to share this information with anyone who is Jewish and practicing yoga. In my own personal experience yoga has served as a foundation for the study of Torah. It has brought the experience of G-d inside my core self  and assisted me in creating a personal relationship with the creator.  Prior to the work of Diane Bloomfield, Audi Gozlan and others, it was difficult to reconcile both these rich traditions.

As a teacher I have always been careful to select the music of the Kundalini yoga as taught by my teacher Yogi Bhajan. In addition I use the Psalms of King David to inspire and uplift when it is appropriate. The choice is however, very personal and a student can always request to have a yoga teacher focus more on the body and its well being during a class with exclusion of all else. Our bodies are the repositories of old baggage and pain, simply performing the physical aspect of yoga can assist anyone in clearing their energy fields to promote harmony within their own bodies and minds. At that point your soul will naturally be attracted to exactly what it needs, so if you are Jewish you will be more able to fully live a Jewish life. 

All The Best,

Luli Rochel

YOGA/MOVEMENT/SOUND

"When one looks at movement and sound as vibration and considers them from the point of view of physics, there appears to be no distinct point at which movement becomes sound. The only difference between movement and sound is the velocity of the vibrations". Frick & Hacker, 2001, pp. 1-16

Worms will not eat living wood where the vital sap is flowing: rust will not hinder the the opening of a gate when the hinges are used each day. Movement gives health and life. Stagnation brings disease and death.
Proverb: Chinese Medicine

YOGA/MOVEMENT/SOUND

A basic Tomatis law states that the voice only contains that which the ear can hear. By bringing the damaged ear lost or compromised frequencies, these are instantly and unconsciously restored in the vocal emission. Sufficient auditory stimulation will provide a lasting improvement of the ability to listen and consequently reproduce sound.

A recent study published in the current issue of The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) reported that hearing loss among teens is on the rise. The study was conducted by Joseph Shagorodsky, MD, MPH and colleagues at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston concluded the prevalence of hearing loss among a sample of US adolescents aged 12-19 was greater in 2005-2006 compared with 1998-2004.

One in out of five adolescents in America shows evidence of hearing loss! It’s not surprising considering their generation has been exposed to a lifetime of iPods, video games, mobile phones, and an increasingly noisy planet. A newsletter recently stated that “When kids are constantly plugged in they overload their auditory system, which loses its protective mechanism with sustained exposure to sound levels over 85dB.”

New events in a child’s life; growth spurts, puberty, family dynamics, grief, trauma or crisis within social or school structure may further compound problems with learning, attention, and communication. Auditory processing problems make it difficult for the brain to understand what it does hear. The TheraPeeds H.O.P.E. Academy curriculum utilizes the HOPE method to identify the specific areas of the brain in need of support with a multidisciplinary approach.

As the senior listening specialist at TheraPeeds I am fortunate to have access to the latest technology for sound intervention therapy. As a medical ultrasound technician (OB/GYN ARDMS) for more 10 years I became proficient in ultrasound physics (understanding how sound travels and affects our anatomy and physiology) as well as fetal development. When I attended my first training and learned of Dr. Tomatis and his research through Ron Minson, MD and Kate Minson of Integrated Listening Systems in Boulder, Colorado everything began to resonate for me.

In addition to working with listening I am creating a pediatric yoga model for the special needs child and a yoga teacher training curriculum. As with all things worth obtaining it will require effort and additional certifications on my part in order to realize this dream. By writing this paper today I am holding myself accountable to this goal.

Luli Chandra, CYT
Senior Listening Specialist