Unclogging the Prana Taps

It's 10 am, I am at the office, the day just started and I am already feeling low energy, dull physically and mentally.

Ever wonder why this happens?

Although I was feeling very fresh and energized when I left home this morning, it's already 10 am and I am feeling tired.

Why is that?

It is simply because you are sensitive to the low prana (subtle life force energy, read more about prana here) in the office space.
The space where you work doesn't always have fresh air and the prana can be very low. Sometimes, although you filled up your reserve with prana in the morning, it feels as if you cannot access it, as if you are sitting inside a space of thick dense air and you want to shake it off.

When this happens, combined with sitting in same position for a long time, we feel low energy because the taps to access the prana are clogged.

How to shake it off? And how to unclog the prana taps?
Here are a few tips:

- Wash your hands and face with cold water. Immediately you will feel energized. Also drinking water all day hydrates and cleanses the body and keeps you in a good mood.

- Do a few basic stretches (neck and shoulder rolls, wrists, arms, spine, legs, etc) and shake the hands and the body. This allows the prana to flow in the body.

- Go outside for a walk. The fresh air is a good prana refill and the walk will get the blood flowing and the prana circulating. I make sure I always go for a walk mid day.

- Eat fresh fruits and high prana food.

- If you have the luxury of a private space, take some time to close your eyes and take a few deep breaths then meditate if time permits.

- Smile. You don't have to put on a miserable face at work. Paying attention to the stiffness in the face expressions and the body can release the tensions and make the working day more enjoyable.

Mind and Clay

Clay is a fine-grained, firm earthy material that is plastic when wet and hardens when heated and dried, consisting primarily of hydrated silicates of aluminum and widely used in making pottery, bricks and tiles.

There are seven stages to clay:

1. Slip--watered down clay in a muddy form

2. Plastic--workable stage; molding stage; can recycle; can join to other pieces

3. Semi-hard--stiff and will hold its shape; join to other pieces; carve into; recycle

4. Greenware--bone dry; can be carved into; very fragile; can recycle

5. Bisqueware--fired once in kiln; can not be recycled; glazing stage

6. Earthenware (Glazeware)--second fire-low fire; can not be recycled

7. Stoneware (Glazeware)--second fire-high fire; can not be recycled; vitrified

 

Human beings are very similar.

When we are born our mind is like water, it can take shape of any container.

As kids, adolescents and teenagers we are extremely flexible like a sponge absorbing so much knowledge and getting molded by all the lessons that we learn. Our mind slowly starts to take shape and maturity. We are open to take people's suggestions guidance and wisdom and apply them in our life. As we grow older we start becoming stiff, our mind is a little more rigid but is still able to learn and get molded. After some stage for some of us the mind starts to "dry up", it can still be carved and change shape though. After some time it reaches a level where it can no longer be caved, it becomes so delicate that it breaks if you attempt to carve it.

The good side of this is that up until stage 5 clay can still be recycled, by breaking it and adding water.

Wisdom is the water that quenches the thirst of the mind and makes it more flexible so that it can be molded again.

It's very important to be in knowledge to avoid having conflict in our minds. Internal conflict reflects outside and affects people around us. This translates into external conflict with other people.

Daily Sadhana (spiritual practice/dicipline) such as daily practice of Art of Living techniques and reflection on the important questions of life, having a spirit of inquiry, keep us flexible and able to deal with any situation and challenge that come our way. It's so important to bring wisdom into our life at a young age until it becomes a habit that stays with us.

Mom's Pumpkin Kébé

Ingredients:

• 1 large pumpkin
• ½ Kg of Bulgor
• 2 large Onions
• Peakan nuts
• Salt
• Ground Black Peppper
• Corn Flour
• Canola oil

Cooking Instructions:

Cut, peel and boil the pumpkin until it is overcooked

Drain the pumpkin pieces removing all excess water. No need to mash the pumpkin, as you drain it turns into a dough.

Add the bulgor and mix until the dough becomes a bit more firm.

Add corn flour until the dough becomes drier but still soft

Fry the onions using canola oil

Add the peacan nuts and fry 

Add salt and pepper

Grease a baking tray and spread the onions and nuts evenly

Spread the dough evenly on top. Use a bit of water to even the surface.

Use a knife to cut into 8 slices and to draw on each slice.

Make a hole in the middle and poor lots of oil so as to have the Kébé swim in in (no worries, you will drain all the oil after baking is over)

Bake on 350 deg until it is golden color

Drain the excess oil

Can be served cold or hot

Skate. Play. Love. Spiritual Leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar Spreads Positivity in MTV’s “Rob Dyrdek’s Fantasy Factory” | Business Wire

Copied from the business wire.

Sri Sri and Rob Dyrdek Enlighten Viewers with a Fresh Perspective on Happiness in “Rob Dyrdek's Fantasy Factory” Airing August 23rd 9:30pm ET/PT on MTV

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--One skates, the other meditates, but when they come together on August 23^rd at 9:30pm ET/PT in MTV’s “Rob Dyrdek’s Fantasy Factory”, they share a similar mission of inspiring and empowering today’s young adults. In a meeting of two distinctly different minds, iconic spiritual leader and global humanitarian Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and professional skateboarder and reality TV entrepreneur Rob Dyrdek provide complementary insights on masterful living.

“Inner peace is the path to global peace. When we understand that our very existence is love, we can change the world. This must be a collective knowing”

Dyrdek applies the same infectious energy that he displays during skateboarding to his passion for philanthropy through the Rob Dyrdek Foundation, which is dedicated to building skate plazas for the world’s youth to safely enjoy.

“Inner peace is the path to global peace. When we understand that our very existence is love, we can change the world. This must be a collective knowing,” says Sri Sri. “Rob is a role model for the youth as he channels his talents and dynamism to not only realize his own dreams but to also uplift the community through selfless service.”

Recently named the fifth most influential person in India by Forbes Magazine, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar has touched the lives of over 300 million people worldwide through his transformative breathing and meditation programs and global service projects. Shankar reaches college students and young professionals through YES Plus, a profound leadership and self-development workshop that has been taught at universities nationwide including Harvard, Stanford and Columbia.

In “Rob Dyrdek’s Fantasy Factory” August 23^rd episode (Sneak Peak: On mtv.com|Downloadable Version), Rob challenges his manager, Jeremy, to a happiness contest, when he discovers that Jeremy is a devout follower of Indian spiritual guru, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and that Jeremy considers Rob's version of happiness only "transitory." He agrees to take a spiritual journey with Jeremy, as long as Jeremy agrees to take part in some good, old-fashioned Fantasy Factory fun. Rob also reluctantly takes on the role of mini-pig sitter for the week.

Viewing parties will be held at college campuses nationwide where students will watch the episode and learn breathing techniques Rob and his crew learn on the show. Cast members will be onsite for a post-show chat session at the University of Southern California (USC) watch party, held at Sri Sri’s Art of Living Center in Los Angeles.

Sri Sri’s upcoming book “Life at 100%” will be released on August 23rd. Viewers can learn more about Sri Sri, check out videos, download an iPhone app and enter to win a trip to Sri Sri’s Art of Living Ashram in India at www.yourenlightenside.com. Watch Sri Sri Ravi Shankar at http://www.youtube.com/yesplususa.

About Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and Art of Living Foundation

An icon of non-violence and universal human values, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar seeks global peace through service and dialogue. Founded in 1981, his Art of Living Foundation is an international nonprofit which offers programs designed to eliminate stress and foster a sense of well-being. It works in a special consultative status with the UN's Economic and Social Council, participating in a variety of committees and activities relating to health, education, sustainable development, conflict resolution, and disaster relief. The Foundation has benefited more than 25 million people across 154 countries.

About MTV

MTV is the dynamic, vibrant experiment at the intersection of music, creativity and youth culture. For over 28 years, MTV has evolved, challenged the norm, and detonated boundaries -- giving each new generation a creative outlet and voice that entertains, informs and unites on every platform and screen. On-air, MTV is the number one rated full-day ad-supported cable network for P12-24 and P12-34. Online, MTV.com averaged 24.5 million monthly unique visitors during the first quarter of 2010 -- up +8% from Q4/2009 and up +13% year-over-year. Average video streams for the first quarter of 2010 increased +8% from the Q4/2009 and is up +6% over the same time period last year. MTV’s successful sibling networks MTV2 and mtvU deliver unprecedented customized content, super-serving young males, music fans, and college students like no one else. MTV is part of MTV Networks, a unit of Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), one of the world’s leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. Wanna know more? Come on in… www.mtvpress.com

De-stress Montreal!

De-stress Montreal!
A community service outreach initiative by the Art of Living Foundation - an evening dedicated to a happy, peaceful, and joyful YOU!

The workshop offers an opportunity to:
· Learn tangible breathing techniques to eliminate stress

· Experience a guided mediation

· Learn about the Nature of mind and the keys to deal with stress
in everyday life


The Art of Living Foundation is an international non-profit organization that has helped people in over 150 countries. The organization offers programs to uncover the strength, peace, and joy that lie at the core of every human being. By nurturing the spirit and compassion of every individual, the Foundation seeks to help build a global society that is free of stress, violence, and misery - and full of service, wisdom, and celebration.

When: 6 pm – 7:30 pm on Thursday, August 19

Admission is $10.00 but Admission is Free for Facebooker's who RSVP to the event.

Email Address: destressmontreal@yahoo.com

Wisdom from Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: What we need is inner richness and outer dynamism

Wisdom from Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: What we need is inner richness and outer dynamism

WORRIES AND FEELINGS - by H.H. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

The head worries and the heart feels.  They cannot function at the same time.

When your feelings dominate, worry dissolves.

If you worry a lot, your feelings are dead; you are stuck in the head. Worrying makes your mind and heart inert and dull. Worries are like a rock in the head. Worry entangles you.  Worry puts you in a cage.

When you feel, you do not worry.

Feelings are like flowers, they come up, they blossom and they die. Feelings rise, they fall and then disappear. When feelings are expressed, you feel relieved. When you are angry, you express your anger and the next moment you are all right.  Or you are upset, you cry and you get over it.

Feelings last for some short time and then they drop, but worry eats at you for a longer period of time, and eventually eats you up.

Feelings make you spontaneous.  Children feel, so they are spontaneous. Adults put brakes on their feelings and they start worrying.  Worrying about anything obstructs action while feelings propel action.  Worrying about negative feelings is a blessing because it puts the brakes on those feelings, preventing you from acting on them.  Usually one never worries about positive feelings.  Worries are uncertain.  Worrying takes away your energy; you cannot think clearly when you worry.

Offering your worries is prayer and prayer moves you in feelings.

When you think you are feeling too much then you start worrying about your feelings.  Let’s not worry about it and feel our food!

H.H. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar