by Kara-Leah, Maya is a Hindu, or Vedic concept - the word refers to the illusion of physical and mental reality that we operate under. Piercing the veil refers to seeing or perceiving past this illusion to glimpse the transcendent truth. It means waking up, becoming enlightened, becoming conscious. So what does this have to do with us in our every day lives and how can we use it? We all live our lives with the expectation that the reality we perceive and experience is True. Yet this reality … [Read more...]
Kara-Leah Grant gets up close & personal about life on and off the yoga mat as she puts her life back together after a Kundalini Awakening experience.
What plank pose can teach us about transformative power
by Kara-Leah Grant In the novel I have just finished reading (and highly recommend) - People of the Weeping Eye by W. Michael Gear and Kathleen O'Neal Gear, one of the main characters is a "Contrary". She goes by the name of Two Petals, and ever since her mother died, has had trouble staying grounded in reality. She hears voices, sees visions, and is overwhelmed in crowds because she connects with every single person's soul. What makes Two Petals a Contrary is that everything is also … [Read more...]
The wise do not waste time on meditation
Do not think that because you take an hour a day to sit and meditate that you have arrived. You have not arrived. Because when you get up off your mat All full of pride That you can stop your thoughts and focus your attention for an hour YOU Have not arrived The wise man does not meditate … [Read more...]
On moving toward a world with no moral codes, rules or regulations
There is no authority that exists, or need exist externally from our Selves. We need no moral code. We need no rules. We need no regulations. All we need is be completely honest with ourselves (conscious!) and understand the implications of our actions. All we need is to understand and know that we are a part of the Whole, and anything we do to another we do to ourselves because we are all One. … [Read more...]
What is this yoga stuff all about?
Yoga. It's not about twisting yourself into a pretzel - although many who practice yoga can manipulate their bodies in incredible ways. It's not about going to classes and learning how to do this posture, or that breathing technique - although practicing asana and pranayama is part of yoga. It's not about chanting, or meditating every single day no matter what because that's your sadhana - although establishing a sadhana ( a daily spiritual practice) is also a part of yoga. So what is yoga? … [Read more...]
What yoga can teach us about opening to the flow of life
One of the reasons I absolutely love teaching yoga is that I learn so much from the experience. My students are as much my teachers as I are them. I am sure this two way flow is common to many other teacher/student relationships, and also professional/client relationships as well. Take a moment to think about your interactions - whether it's teaching yoga or something else - how do you learn from the experience (and feel free to share your insights in the comments below!)? One of the … [Read more...]
How yoga will give you a body you LOVE
by Kara-Leah Grant, Common wisdom holds that if you are unhappy about your body, the only recourse is to lose weight via exercise, or dieting, or pills, or some combination of all three. But there is another way. It doesn't involve starving yourself, forcing yourself into an activity you hate or risking your health with dodgy chemicals. Instead of focusing on changing the external - i.e. your body - focus on changing the internal, i.e. your PERCEPTION of your body. Stop the hating and the … [Read more...]
How to choose your own experience of reality
One of the most valuable lessons that yoga can teach us is to observe our reactions to the world. When we practice, we pay attention to our breath, we are aware of physical sensations in the body, we notice our emotions and we watch our thoughts leaping and dancing about in the mind. In the watching, we begin to see space between thought and action. We begin to understand that we can choose our action. This gift of yoga could lead to the single biggest leap in evolution we could next make as … [Read more...]
On the power of paying attention to your words
by Kara-Leah Grant All around us lie opportunities for us to take our yoga off the mat - not just in a physical way, but in the way in which we relate to everything around us. When we practice, we listen to our breath, we let it guide us into postures, we accept ourselves right where we are, and we surrender into our body. When we live our lives, do we take the time to stop and listen to our breath? Do we allow our breath to take us into situations that we might find stressful? Do we … [Read more...]
How to find true love
Somewhere out there in the world is the perfect person for you. Someone who will love you unconditionally, and meet all your needs, and shower you with love. Right? Absolutely. And you already know this person. In fact, you are extraordinarily close to this person. For this person is you. You are the one responsible for loving yourself unconditionally, for meeting all your needs and for showering yourself with love. And when you do this, you will discover something … [Read more...]