LexiYoga

Aquarian Shift

Written by Vera Del Vecchio.

We have been going through seasons of change as we approach the Aquarian Shift around 11/11/2011 and the first summer solstice of that shift in 2012.

aquarian shift

As the air tattva dominates this season of our shift it means we are hit with a whirlwind of ideas inside us and in the world: clashes of ideology, impulsive ideas, intuitive brilliance, and spiritual longing. The old ideas will be challenged. But we do not quite have the full sense of space that allows change to manifest. That comes with the last tattva- the ether. We are poised, energized, impelled, and impaled by arrows of thought that come in legion.

We need above all the neutral mind. We must-before taking any action-drop judgment and bias. We need a healthy scepticism to let our own certainty relax and to invite the rise of new creativity-the gentle nudges of our global kundalini.

The neutral mind only begins after the fourth chakra. The qualities of this mantra (Guru Guru Wahe Guru, Guru Ram Das Guru) tap the power of that neutral mind. Only then can healing happen-as the old battles are released, the old questions redefined. Then we can be fully engaged and present to the miracle of being human together.

This is not a time for a new leader, a new religion, a new belief, or a new promise. This is a time to awaken, mature, deliver, and live with spirit and courageous kindness. People practice this mantra around the world for healing, as a sadhana, for a 40-day practice. One act of kindness and blessing now blesses us all as One and is a legacy we can share.

The Air Tattva is associated with the Heart Chakra, home of the heart and lungs. Virtually all of the body's blood travels through the lungs every minute. So the quality of our breath has a direct impact on the quality of our overall health and well-being.

If we sit quietly and spend time breathing deeply, we will notice the lungs expanding and contracting with the breath. If we tune in more deeply, we will also notice that there are places within our bodies that feel shut off from the prana (life force) that is an integral part of the breath. Examination of these areas may reveal that emotional and physical wounds are stored therein - that the body has literally armoured itself in response to trauma. We discover that we can make a conscious decision to reintegrate these fragmented aspects of ourselves through compassionate self-inquiry. In learning how to value and care for ourselves, we begin to authentically value and care for others.

Human beings have a symbiotic relationship with plants and trees: We breathe in oxygen and breathe out carbon dioxide; they breathe in carbon dioxide and breathe out oxygen. This is a reflection of the interdependency that we share with each other and all living things. Once we begin to see the world's joy and despair as our own, the response that results from this connection is compassion.

Past Themes

Humility, healing, service, and compassion.

Theme for 2011:
The Air Tattva Takes us to the Heart of Service

2011 is the year of the Air Tattva, which is associated with the Heart Chakra, the center of kindness and compassion-where Me becomes We. We will focus on the Air Tattva at Summer and Winter Solstices and throughout the year. The mantra we will be using is Guru Guru Wahe Guru, Guru Ram Das Guru, the mantra that invokes the spirit of Guru Ram Das: A Note from Gurucharan Singh Khalsa: The tattvas represent qualities we all experience in our self and nature. They are seasons of change: from earthy solidity that forms a good base, a firm ground for habit, and at the same time resists change; to the etheric quality of formless possibility that lets intention flourish and empowers your words and ideas.

Enjoy this mantra however you can. It has immediate effects, for it taps the timelessness beyond the mind's tumult and conflict.

Meditation

Air Tattva:

The 2011 Global Meditation as taught by Yogi Bhajan

Posture:

Any relaxed, meditative posture with a straight erect spine.

Mundra:

Gyan Mudra, Jupiter (index) dinger and thumb together at the knees. Arms straight but relaxed.

Practice:

Chant in a monotone. Repeat the mantra 5 times on each breath. Take a quick deep breath between chanting cycles. 3-11 minutes. For a longer sadhana, practice 108 repetitions in the Amrit Vela before the rising of the sun. For a profound experience of the miracles of the mantra, where even the karmas are cleared, practice 11 repetitions of the mala, that is, 11 cycles of the 108 repetitions. For mental clarity, uplifted mood. And prosperity uses the faster version of the mantra (see original version on Mantra Series #1-. For emotional clearing and calm depth use the slower version. Both will heal, expand and help deal with the fast fickle mind that comes with the air tattva.

Comments:

Guru Guru Wahe Gur Guru Das Guru has a simple meaning. It is designed to take you on a journey from the personal to the infinite and back again. Guru is wisdom; that which transforms any kind of ignorance or block into light. Gu is darkness and ru means light. You start with a very personal wisdom as you chant guru. When you repeat Guru, you expand that into experience. Then you say wahe Guru and go beyond conscious knowledge and into the realm of the infinite. Again you chant Guru and begin bringing this same wisdom back into the world as Ram Das, the manifesting power of God coming into your life through service. The cycles is complete when you say Guru a final time. You are back where you started, but with the eyes of infinity and the heart of a healer filled with miracle and blessing - such as Guru Ram Das was!

Related Links