The Heart Chakra

A Valentine's Day Special Heart-Breath Meditation

On Valentine's Day we focus on heart-centered things: our loved ones, objects of our desire, passion, romance, and meaningful or even sweet, silly gestures. But what a great excuse of a day it is to listen to our hearts. V-day is a great day to sit with the unstruck sound and the poetry of the anahata chakra, better known as the heart chakra.

This is a good day to sit quietly, and to be still, and to breathe. This is a day to listen to our hearts. Valentine's Day is a good day to focus on pranayama, as the heart center is also the breath center. This is a day to remember...

Teachers Corner

Chakras-The Play of Matter and Energy
                              &
Meditation Is Your Life: Relationship

The following excerpts from Yoga Beyond Belief by Ganga, are from both chapter eight, Chakras-The Play of Matter and Energy from the sections entitled: Chakras and Levels of Being, and Chakras and Daily Life. The additional offering is from chapter nine, Meditation Is Your Life from the section: Useful Meditation Practices: Relationship

We hope these excerpts inspire you on this heart-centered holiday.

"The fourth wheel of energy, the heart or air center, corresponds to the heart and lungs in the body. Opening this center implies the awakening of love and compassion. The heart and chest area are where we breathe and feel love, spirit, and compassion. This chakra is considered the first of the higher centers-with love, everything in life resonates at a higher level."

And further in the same chapter...

KISS KISS

Keep It Simple Sweetheart
by Tracey

Simplicity can be a rare quality to find. It can also be one of the more challenging qualities to bring into our lives. Unless, it becomes a priority. In a throw-away, more-is-more culture, keeping things refined and streamlined may actually lead us to find that simplicity is one of the greatest of luxuries.

We are busy people with busy lives, but we are often going nowhere fast. We can all be guilty of filling our lives falling down rabbit holes of sugar-coated distractions to which there is no end of content. What would it look like if your life had more simplicity? What would you take away? What might you add to ease your way?

A simple yes or no sometimes suffices. A simple gesture can...

Sven Serves up Santana

Sven serves up Santana with real heart. Such a lovely offering. Along with his jazz-fusion band members from Channel 5, Sven gives us such a sweet Valentine in the form of Santana's "Europa". The song has everything you want from sultry, to get up and dance, to sentimental sway. Thank you Santana, Sven, and Channel 5!

From the White Lotus Kitchen

Blueberry Bran Muffins

One way to brighten up the blues is to bake. Our blueberry bran muffins are full of healthy, but still rich ingredients like toasted pecans, buttermilk, and Muscavado brown sugar. Not too sweet and just a little cake-like, we think they are good for breakfast or dessert. Packed with a healthy amount of bran and using fifty percent whole wheat flour, you get a good dose of fiber which is good for keeping blood sugar levels steady and good for keeping the micro-biome happy. Enjoy these brans warm with butter, or tahini and jam, or simply naked.