October 1, I am  going to trek the Annapurna Circuit, a circumlocution of one of the major Himalayan peaks. This what is called a ‘teahouse trek’ as I’ll be staying in village huts along the route and eating with the villagers. The trek will take 2 1/2 weeks and will go from semi-tropical lowlands to one pass that is slightly under 18000 ft. and  possible zero degree temperatures. Wish me well.

I WILL RESUME BLOGGING ON MY RETURN — November 1

ESSENCE OF BEING

Awareness floats up to the crown chakra. A yarmulke of ultra-violet is over the skull. Here the illusion of the individual self is dissolved. One is their own real true self, at one with the cosmic principles within the body that govern the entire universe. This is the essence of being, a reflection of the cosmic absolute where it is possible to realize the divine.

With grace, awareness floats above the head into the super conscious, the domain of existence beyond our physical plane. Being is now released from familiar foregone dimensions. Being, the quintessence of infinity, shimmers, a thousand-petal lotus with a radiance of such a pure white that all the colors of the spectrum glisten within its brilliance.

ULTRA – VIOLET

WEIGHT LOSS THROUGH YOGA, JEWEL IN THE LOTUS    page 63

THE MINDS EYE

The color of the third eye chakra is a deep dark blue, like the sky on a moonless night. The sixth chakra is not associated with an element because self-realization places us beyond the material universe. The third eye is the seat of awareness. Another name for the third eye is the mind’s eye. It is utilized to form all visualizations. Its location places it with the pituitary gland. Medical science can measure increased production of beneficial brain chemicals such as endorphins, melatonin, and serotonin when attention is focused on the third eye during meditation.

In Sanskrit, the yogis lumped all the pleasurable brain chemicals together calling them ‘Amrita’. A mudra is performed, curling the tongue to the back of the roof of the mouth as if to taste the Amrita. This helps to stimulate its production and is called the Shiva Mudra.

Awareness of eternal knowledge comes when all desires move up to the sixth chakra. All the body elements are balanced and being is centered in blissful non-duality and realization of oneness. The elements are present in their pure essence, fostering self-realization.

NON-DUALITY = PURE ESSENCE

“My karma just ran over my dogma.”

— as seen on a bumper sticker

Dogma is the tool used to prevent individuals from looking inside. What is that human tendency that would rather have someone figure it out for you, rather than explore your true nature for the divine that is in all of us and every bit of creation? Philosophies and Religions that would gain power by attempting to place themselves between the individual and God — these are the closest thing to evil, because they would delay the natural process of self discovery embodying personal familiarity with our Godhead.

The answers are within each of us, and a true teaching doesn’t pretend to offer answers, rather suggestions of how and where to look. Anyone offering to do for you what is your most satisfying and joyous undertaking is no friend. Especially be cautious of any teaching that promotes fear. As an example both Catholicism and Tibetan Buddhism put forth elaborate versions of ‘hell’.

Be calm, at peace, and open your inner eye — that you may know the Divine through your own direct experience.

WISDOM BLOSSOMS WITHIN

Victorious Breath, Ujayi, can be incorporated into asana practice. You breathe so the breath is purposefully audible. The breath resonates in the back of the throat, nose and mouth in such a way as to resemble the sound of waves and wind at an ocean beach. As well as maintaining attention on the breath, Victorious Breath energizes and strengthens the physical body.                                     WEIGHT LOSS THROUGH YOGA, JEWEL IN THE LOTUS     page 114.

A BEAUTIFUL CHLOROPHYLL GREEN

The fourth, or heart chakra’s, color is a beautiful chlorophyll green and its element is air. The lower three chakras are the material universe and the fourth chakra is the transition point to our divine spiritual manifestation. The heart chakra is the point of transition and the upper three chakras are the higher, or spiritual centers. The ascending line of energy through the Sushumna parallels the evolutionary ascent of humankind from animal to spiritual being. A horizontal line, the point of transition, forms a cross. This is the symbol of the fourth chakra. The teachings of Jesus are fourth chakra teachings. “…And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” The Beatles’ ‘All You Need is Love’ is also an expression of fourth chakra teaching. Astrology, based on observations of earth in relationship to its slowly changing stellar influences, divided earthly time into two thousand year segments, or ages. We are now leaving the segment when the teachings of Jesus were to manifest as the prevailing order. This era, the Piscean Age, shares with Jesus the symbol of the fish. The new age we’re starting to enter is the Aquarian Age, the age of understanding. If we can get our tails over the fence, we will begin to share the promise of the miracles Jesus taught are our birthright.

TRANSITION FROM MATERIAL TO SPIRITUAL IS REPRESENTED BY THE SYMBOL OF THE FOURTH CHAKRA — THE CROSS

BEAUTIFUL BRIGHT RED

The first chakra is a beautiful bright red and is representative of the element earth. The first time the meditator may feel fear. The first chakra is associated with the birth process and entering the world for the first time. Everything is new. This experience mirrors the aspirant’s entrance into meditation. Both are natural processes and promise wonder and growth.

This is the part of the body housing the organs of digestion and elimination. The sacrum center is primordial. It has to do with our most animal nature, sexual passion, which brings forth human form to clothe another soul. As the most inherently physical of the chakras its realm is that most physical of pleasures, sexual ecstasy.

SEXUAL

I won’t be posting for a couple days because I’m going on Mt Rainier.

Base Camp Muir