MAKING A LIST AND CHECKING IT TWICE

When I was growing up, my father was my spiritual advisor although he wasn't officially anything but a track coach, educator, and my dad. He was the one who taught me that "God is in your heart, not in the church or temple". He taught me many other valuable lessons like "if you can't say something nice about someone, don't say anything at all" and instead of feeling sorry for yourself, "take out a pencil and make a list of all the things you're grateful for". He was right because by the time I got to the second item on the list, the mood had vanished. This is what I thought about when I read the lastest installment of YOGAMINT , "The Best Present".

It reminded me that not only was a Gratitude List a terrific tool for self-reflection, but that NOW IS THE PERFECT TIME to write one.

Yogamint is an informational newsletter on the surface, but it is REALLY a great excuse of linking like-minded conscious souls and giving them tools and ideas to share with others. These tools are useful, inspirational, and are easily distributed and shared with others via email AND as handouts because they are printed instantly with a click of the mouse! As Yogamint grows, so does its archive of information AND its audience is growing, too. You can become part of that audience by signing up on their mailing NOW.

THE SHORTEST DAY OF THE YEAR WITH THE BIGGEST RETURN

Today is the Winter Solstice and Hari Bhajan Khalsa, the "mother" of Yogamint, has written a little about this subject in one of the installments of Yogamint called "Winter Solstice - This Little Light of Mine.

She writes, "I always find that when I focus on three particular practices in my life - meditation, service and art - I’m able to maintain a healthier balance. Meditation provides that vital internal conversation, service engenders gratitude and connections with others, and writing (which is my art) brings joy and fulfillment. Each demands I stay present, committed, and trust that all is unfolding in a divinely ordered way."

I write, "couldn't have said it better myself."

What does the Winter Solstice mean to YOU?

Aside from being the shortest day of the year, when the sun energy is smallest and our spiritual depth is most accessible...its a wonderful time to revisit the age-old question, "How do I want to live my life?" During the holidays, people are gathering to sit around the hearth, to break bread and be with their friends and family. Celebrating. Going to great expense to entertain, exchange gifts, and prepare lavish feasts. But this time of year is the perfect time to meditate, access your self, and go within. Spend less money and give more of YOURSELF to others. Open Your Heart. Feel Gratitude.

Its the perfect time to "reckon". A DAY OF RECKONING is what I write as my Facebook status a lot these days. What this means to me is that I'm looking at my deeds and misdeeds and checking them twice. Isn't that what Santa Claus meant when he said "I'm making a list, and checking it twice"????? I'm not a believer in Santa Claus, but have you ever considered that "Santa Claus" is just another name for your own higher consciousness doing this winter solstice work for you?

All I know is that I'm trying to figure out where I am, where I'm going. How can I be happier? And Kundalini Yoga is the car I drive to get there.

This is why the gratitude list was so important to me when I read it in Yogamint today. I don't do it ON PAPER every day, but I do it every day in my heart....which, according to my dear departed father, my first teacher, is WHERE GOD DWELLS, anyway.

GONG TAWK

Sat Nam everyone! I am so excited to have the opportunity to put some info on BLOGALINI about my teacher Harijiwan and some things he's up to. To those of you who are going to Winter Solstice, you'll have the blessing of attending some of his workshops and to those of you who are HERE in Los Angeles, you are blessed to have the chance to attend his workshop this weekend-FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY AFTERNOON at Golden Bridge Yoga in Hollywood. It's called FREEDOM FROM NEGATIVE MEMORIES. Wouldn't you like a bit of that? Just scroll down to his workshop and order on line to save a few bucks!

Also you can visit his website www.harijiwan.com and learn about his classes and workshops and all about the GONG, his area of expertise, AND lots of other wonderful, interesting things about Kundalini Yoga and the teachings of Yogi Bhajan.

I just finished putting a link to ordering Harijiwan's Gong Meditation CD, Resound, on the Kundalink website which basically means that you can go directly to OmStream and download it directly from them. Easy as pie! ( The same is true for Ally's yoga mat which you order directly from her. I'm just giving it some psyber- space!!!!!)

And while I'm on the subject of Harijiwan, I have to give a shout out to the TEACHERS TRAINING which is happening starting in January 2010. Its a level one course with Harijiwan, Tej, and Erin and takes place in Santa Monica, CA from January - July.

This program is not just for students who want to teach, although WATCH OUT you just might start teaching spontaneously like I did. You would take this course if you wanted to deepen your understanding of Kundalini Yoga or just transform your life for the better on every conceivable level. Its like having a love affair with your true self!!!!! It's challenging and the transmission of energy is off the charts! And most of all, this course is so much fun...I've done it twice so far and I'll be there again in 2010!

So that's the news of the day.

SPOTTED! Kundabini in Siberia!

Yes... this is my friend Elena's niece in Siberia wearing the internationally famous Kundabini©. Doesn't she look stylish? She's getting ready to do a yoga set and she's certain it won't fall off when she does triangle pose. See????The 3HO World Market has been very good for business!

While I'm on the subject of publicity, I decided to take out an ad in LA Yoga Magazine. I've never done anything like this before in any of my "other" professions, but I thought it was time to take the plunge. I see this magazine everywhere and I figured, if I'm seeing it, other people are seeing it, too. The ad that I put together with my rudimentary Adobe Illustrator skills features people wearing the headcoverings and carrying the bag....it looks pretty good and I like it so much, i've put the image on the homepage of the Kundalink website. In fact, if you have a picture of yourself in a Kundabini or a Kundawrap (or carrying a bag) email it to me so I can put it up on the website.

Now my next hurdle is getting the products into yoga studios and into the retail marketplace. If anyone out there has any ideas....you know where to find me. I have a wholesale price list and will offer discounts for 10 pieces or more.

But what is REALLY important is the fact that I have new products coming out and I'm going to debut them for Christmas. My plan was to to go to Winter Solstice, but I have too much to do here.....so they'll just have to debut on the website. Be on the lookout for laminated bags in new patterns AND denim bags, too! Respectible and stylish yoga clothes are just around the corner......

The Sheepskin CAN be with you at White Tantric Yoga!

Kundabinis, Kundawraps, and Bags...in Action at White Tantric Yoga

this weekend at UCLA. Always a pleasure to see Yogis donning the headcoverings and carrying all their things around in one of our

bags! It's true...now the sheepskin CAN be with you!

and lots lots more!

There is no way to describe the thrill of looking

across a crowded sea of Kundalini practitioners and seeing our comfortable and affordable Kundabinis and Kundawraps....everywhere! Yoga people are discovering how handy The Bag is....keeping everything in one place...and knowing they can pop it into the washing machine when its time for Spring Cleaning. I learn a lot when I take a table at a bazaar at one of these events...talking to people eye to eye, listening to what they have to say about what THEY would like to see on the Kundalink Table! Its an interesting experience to have such profound meditative experiences and then be called on to be PRESENT to do business. It's fun. And THATS what life is all about anyway. Keeping the presence of divinity in your everyday affairs...being present, available, responsible, focused, and at the same time, blissful. Bliss for me is not some spaced-out affair. Bliss for me is having the presence of mind to stay in a state of happy concentration, being a highly functional and responsible human being. Living generously and gratefully from the heart and mind simultaneously. Well, back to the wares. I find that customers are genuinely happy to wear or to use these products, knowing that they are made with love and care in an elevated state of consciousness. WAHE GURU.

Kundalini Yoga in High School

For those of you who don't know me, I teach Kundalini Yoga and Art one day a week at the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts. My class is made up of 21 very beautiful teenagers who are anywhere from 14-18 and very talented in their area of expertise, which could be Visual Arts, Dance, Theatre, or Music. This class which is called "Kundalini Yoga and the Spark of Creativity" is made up of teenagers from all these disciplines and so the class is varied in many ways. ANYWAY, we are using space that belongs to Cal State LA and so even though we have the college classroom for our use, we have to change it a little so it can become a yoga studio.

When I come to class, many of the kids are already rearranging the desks and chairs so we can spread out our yoga mats on the floor and all have enough room to move around. Other kids are busy changing into yoga clothes or getting the yoga mats that LACHSA provides for us. Last week when I came into the classroom, I found this on the blackboard.

When you're in high school, you are usually drawing obscene pictures on the blackboard or writing things like "Ms. Kintisch sucks"....so imagine my joy and surprise when I found this.

Kundalini Yoga affects everyone in the most wonderful ways.

Busy cutting and sewing the fabric for Kundabinis and Kundawraps today....getting lots of orders thanks to the 3HO website. http://www.3ho.org/worldmarket.html

Being a part of the World Market has introduced Kundalink.com to a lot of people and I am so grateful. I'll be sending them a check for a per centage of my earnings very soon!

Yogis with Stogies

These days, I feel like a real schmatah salesman...don't i look like one with my cuban stogie? This is my pal Haridass and I at the summer solstice after an exhilarating afternoon of White Tantric Yoga.
I've been very busy with getting a new fabricator for the bags and designing new products which has the wheels in my head turning. When you find the right person to work with, it is very inspiring. Did you know that there was a Decorative Arts district in Los Angeles? I didn't! Its on Slauson off the 110. That's where I've been hanging out this week.

I was on line at the post office last week and there was a young woman with a fantastic shoulder bag.....it was made out of laminated fabric. BINGO... I thought, well, my fabric would look so amazing laminated, so I'm coming out with a laminated version/different fabric of the bag for Winter Solstice! These yogic gatherings are like trade shows because you have to come up with something new and different. I'm also going to take it to the next level and try to get into yoga studios, etc. now that i've put together a wholesale price list and figured out how to make everything with integrity and still be cost effective. Its such a learning curve! YAY KUNDALINK

I can't believe that last year at this time, I was in India. My cronies are going again this year but I have to stay at home and keep everything running. Also, this year I am producing a calendar, tee shirts and mandalas which I hope to have at W.S. and of course on the website. www.kundalink.com I put the company on the World Market on the 3HO website. I'll be giving a portion of the earnings to them....and well worth it from a business standpoint.....ever since I've been on it, i've been getting more and more orders! I guess this marketing stuff really works.

I just came back from the sewing machine repair place to clean up my serger because I'm making kundabinis for christmas!!!!!!! You can order many things on the website other than headcoverings and bags....check it out!

Knee Deep in Bliss

This is a great picture of the three of us (Lynn, Elena, and me) knee-deep in the narrows. The water got up to my waist and I really was very happy about the whole thing...except I would have been happier to have hiked in my underpants since i was pulling my wet pants up to the panty line every 30 minutes or so. Wearing wet linen is very claustrophobic. The hat was very handy. And if you decide to do this sort of thing, sticks are a must. Elena had her Keens on and even though I had the very same shoes as she did, recommended that Lynn and I rent boots and booties, which I greatly appreciated AFTER the experience. I don't like wearing closed shoes and booties made of wet suit material underneath water hiking boots made me want to pull my hair out. But once I got in the water, I was very happy to have the support.

You've got to be narrow in order to get wide

Here I am in Zion National Park in the Narrows....completely wet from the waist down. Hiking in water is my favorite thing in the whole world, except for doing & teaching Kundalini Yoga and maybe skiing...and maybe lake swimming. But this place was amazing for its natural beauty and scale. I had never been to Utah before and I noticed that, on the whole, Utah is very "diagonal" the way that you would say Arizona is "horizontal". The colors are all warm pink and red and ochre and dusty and golden. You absolutely cannot say this place is not gorgeous. NO way. It looks like the glow from piece of gold. Then in the narrows, the rocks are wet and they reflect the blue sky so there are streaks of bright blue against the warm pinks and ochres on the rocks and you could just keel over from the natural beauty.

I went with Elena (who took this great picture and many others) and my dear friend Lynn who came all the way from New York to visit. We were on our way to teachers training in Utah at our friend Melanie's yoga studio, Sage Hills Yoga in Cedar City. It was her birthday on the 29th and we went to be part of the celebration....and to take yoga with our favorite teachers, Harijiwan, Tej, and Erin. It turned out to be a very memorable weekend. But back to the narrows...

There is something very transcendental about hiking in water on the rocks; keeping your balance and your feet securely planted while the water is rushing against you and then being overwhelmed by the vastness of the space and the beauty of nature. The sounds, the temperature, the presence in your own body...these are all contributing to the profound experience of oneness with universal consciousness, energy, God, whatever you want to call it. You feel completely part of the whole energetic whole and so humbled and so alive. Last year at Yogi Bhajan's birthday meditation, (2.5 hours of long Ek Ong Kars), I got a message from "headquarters" which was "You've got to be Narrow in order to get Wide". One must consolidate the energy into a one-pointed force and this opens up the horizons for expansion...or at least this was what it meant to me. And when I was in the Narrows, as the watery path led to smaller and smaller spaces in which to hike, I was reminded of how progressively more expansive my experience became.

I haven't written in a while, but I think I'll pick up the proverbial pen again.

Just got back from Summer Solstice in New Mexico and it was fantastic....it's really heaven.  I met so many new people and saw so many of my friends, everyone radiant, happy, and beaming love. I don't  think I've ever seen so many beautiful faces in one place.

I think it's a bit like returning to your childhood; challenges are many but most all of them on the physical level. My favorite things are my teacher, Harijiwan's, gong class/workshops  (www.Harijiwan.com) and my seva which was serving breakfast.  I love serving breakfast and especially the bananas.  You get to look into everyone's eyes at the beginning of the day.  It's really wonderful. 

But the biggest surprise was my KUNDALINK.COM table at the Bazaar. I hadn't even opening all my boxes and I was selling kundabinis, kundawraps, bags and cushions.  It was outrageous.  I received wonderful feedback and will come back next year with more good things to share with my community.  I was really happy to see my products on people's heads and helping them to either elevate or relieve their burdens. good stuff. I'll also be very happy to send a check to KRI www.kriteachings.org 

because 1% of all my profit goes to them.  Did you know that?  

Now that I am home, I will work on bringing better and more beautiful products to the Kundalini yoga community.  Let me know if there's something that I can improve or something you'd like to share.  Sat Nam!

When is a turban NOT a turban?

when it's a Kundawrap©, that's what!

I've been working all day on my treasure trove of headcoverings that I'll be bringing up with me to soltice in New Mexico.

http://www.3ho.org/events/yoga-retreat2.html

This is the link for the 3HO and its chock a block full of Kundalini Yoga info.  I've been sewing all day and then tomorrow I'll rent my car, pack, and hope for the best!  I'll pick up Elena (ek ong Kar) on saturday morning and then we'll be on our way. Loving live!!!!!!

Belly Dancing....I want some of that!

I teach Kundalini Yoga at Dance Garden LA in Atwater Village and its just about the best belly dancing studio in Los Angeles. I originally wanted to teach there because I thought Kundalini Yoga and belly dancing were a PERFECT fit.Jenna and Zahra run the most professional and friendly dance studio i've ever been in...and they took me in as part of their "dance family". 

Yesterday was Dance Garden's second anniversary and Spring Fiesta party....and I got completely inspired to study belly dancing....FOR REAL this time. I start and stop all the time.... but it is such a wonderful way to celebrate the female body. Actually, there was a man dancing a classical flamenco style at the party and it IS essentially belly dancing.  (men look great doing it, too). The teachers and the students put on a show of choreographed and improvised dances.. and it was off the charts wonderful.  If you are interested in belly dancing, check this out: www.dancegardenla.com. There are so many forms of belly dancing.  Princess Farhana,  belly dancer extraordinaire, explains the different styles on the website laraqs.com  http://www.laraqs.com/styles.html 

Did you know that belly dancing is the perfect class to take if you are pregnant? Take a look at this link if you are interested in knowing more: http://www.shira.net/dear09-pregnant.htm. A great friend of mine, Shelly Girard who is an amazing midwife, was telling me that she  recommended belly dancing to her patients. www.socalbirth.com

Each and every person who performed was radiant and lovely.  There were women of all shapes and sizes, all ages, and at all levels of expertise.  When they were performing, they were GORGEOUS  and emitting so much self confidence and majesty it took my breath away.  You could see them reveling in their ability to express themselves through the movement of their bodies. 

I want some of that!!!!

I haven't written in a LONG time and there has been much action around these parts. First of all, I'm busy with the products and putting together a respectable amount of bags and cushions for sale at the Solstice Bazaar. I'm working on colors for the head coverings because I REALLY like the hemp/cotton. I've been wearing mine and I love it.

I did the Yogic Cleanse at Yoga West. It was fantastic! I got up and drove clear across town when I could, which was most of the mornings, for a 7 am yoga class. I fell in love with juicing again and most of all, with taking the time and energy to take care of myself.
I'd do it again in a minute. I feel incredibly clear and healthy and full of vitality. I like not eating dairy and not eating wheat or corn. Wheat and dairy has been my link to bad health....so good-bye !

I'm continually tweaking the bag and the kundalift and the website. I have put my friend Ally's powerful yoga mat up for sale. I want to feature a few other products as well as have a sort of "bazaar" page where many items are for sale. I'm hoping that the bazaar at solstice will be an indicator of how I am serving the community as well as informing me what else is needed. I am working on other products which I plan to launch there as well. May the sheepskin be with you!

Coming Out at the White Tantric Bazaar

YES!!!!! The cotton/hemp jersey Kundabinis and Kundawraps are here...and I'm working

on yogic-appropriate colors so that by Summer Solstice I'll have an array of fantastic new

head coverings available.  

White Tantric last weekend...intense and amazing. I think I'm feeling

it more AFTERWARDS than ever before.  At the BAZAAR, I introduced the Kundalink.com line to the Kundalini Community with a very positive response.  I learned what you all wanted and now i can go back into my workshop and make it happen!  The best bit of news is that the bags

were very well received.  After much tweaking and obsessing, I have a bag which is strong, large and very beautiful.  My main concern was making it comfortable to carry and extremely useful and I think I've achieved that. Everyone seems to think so, too!

The Kundalift was a big hit, too.  I've figured out a way to make a "firmer support" model....so that is now available for those of you who don't want such a soft cushion.  (I do, but I'm not everybody!)  Everything is moving forward with Kundalink.com.  I'm working on a lunar calendar, t-shirts and other simple and white yogic clothing, and I'll soon be starting to work on my altar supplies idea.  Hmmmmmmmmmmmm. Also, very important, is the Kunda-links page. If you are reading this and you have a product or service you'd like me to link to, bring it on!  Let me know about it so you can be included. 

Spring is here!

Hayride

This is one of  the many reasons I love living in Los Angeles.  You can drive down the street in the middle of the city and right in front of you is a flatbed truck toting bales of hay. This photo was taken with my  iphone which has become my favorite tool for recording the wonders of life!  

Well, i haven't written in a month and so much has happened so I don't know exactly where to begin.  Last weekend, I taught a Kundalini Yoga Prosperity Workshop at the Crystal Matrix on Accessing Creativity.  It's a subject near and dear to my heart! The second chakra is "CREATIVITY CENTRAL" and we did a kriya to balance it as well as meditations to take ideas to completion and to get the creative juices flowing.  My Kriya of the Moment is the Surya Kriya, a set to get the sun energy moving and it was a perfect set to teach because of all the second chakra balancing  and activation going on!  My life has become supersonically creatively charged lately and so I want to get everyone turned on to the power of these meditations...

In the Yoga Classes I've been teaching lately,  there's been a lot of Ra Ma Da Sa-ing going on. This healing meditation is wonderful for sending healing energy to others as well as activating and strengthening our own healing abilities.

I'm busy getting ready for the White Tantric Yoga "Bazaar".  I am going to have a table there and introduce the Kundalini World to the Kundalink Experience!  There's so much to do, so much to sew!  I think its the perfect venue for exposure...  and speaking about exposure,  can you just faint from the smell of roses and jasmine and citrus in the L.A. air????? I'm amazed I can walk straight. So, I am happy to be here, enjoying the spring, enjoying the creativity that

spring brings, and loving the wonderful people and experiences that Kundalini Yoga has brought into my life.

Life is good.....  

JUST IN CASE.......TO ALL YOU FORKLIFTS OUT THERE

Riding the Feelings

Friday night I went to Harijiwan's Gong Workshop on reformatting neuron patterns in the brain which involved fear releasing exercises and breaking up insidious thought forms that just keep attracting more bad stuff.  Saturday I taught a workshop on "cleaning up one's act" which involved relieving inner anger, erasing bad childhood memories, detoxification and cleaning yourself inside and out. Sunday I taught a class that ALSO involved relieving inner anger and moving forward with clarity. Today I taught a class...still focused on the waste removal of inner anger...with meditations to erase stress and emotional trauma  and (of course) leaving the past behind. BRUTAL STUFF.  I'm really asking for it!

I've been spring cleaning...I guess that's what it called and it seems like I want to take everyone along for the ride.

Not easy.  Do you remember that movie "Network" where he says, "I'm mad as hell and i'm not going to take it anymore!" ? That's  what i feel like. If it's something that isn't serving me, I want to get rid of it. Kundalini Yoga is a very effective tool for doing this.  As you can see I got on the roller coaster and now I'm on for the duration. 

I met with my amazing friend Luchi today and we decided to share a space at Summer Solstice this year. She is the founder of Le Boudoir D'Esencia Inc a company dedicated to contributing to the world-wide community by enriching , educating and healing people's lives AND with her ChiFlow line of  WONDERFUL  Chakra Oils, incredibly delectable and all natural aromatheraputic skin care products and beauty treatments.... and me with my KUNDALINK products.  Can't wait!! Check out her wonderful products and services at www.chiflow.net.

I hope some of these emotions settle down a bit.  I am feeling them and letting them go.  This is new for me.  And just like when you get past the discomfort and fear on the roller coaster,  it starts to feel good inside.

The Big Picture

Well, I said I was going to post this image larger and here it is. Just amazing.  The rain is intermittent now and on a daily basis so it's very much like "snow days" on the east coast. No one wants to do much of anything and no one knows how to drive. Enough said about that.

I am starting to produce kundabinis, bags, and cushions for White Tantric in April. I'd like to get a table there and see what the reaction is.  I am experimenting with a new fabric for the headcoverings and I'll see if I want to introduce this cotton/hemp blend into my line for those

individuals who are purists and must have 100% natural fabric.

Otherwise, the rain makes me feel internal and I usually get a lot done in the studio. 

 I am teaching a PROSPERITY workshop over the weekend at the Crystal Matrix  from 3-6 on Saturday. This workshop will focus on clearing things out of your subconscious AND your physical body so you can experience the prosperous life that keeps alluding you. We also will go over some tools to clear garbage and clutter out of your life on the physical level; everything is related! A pile of old magazines is reflective what you have going on inside of you, and visa versa!!! You can check out my website www.atwaterkundaliniyoga.com for more information or go to www.thecrystalmatrix.com.  You'll come out of the workshop with a renewed sense of clarity and an understanding of what must be done to get rid of the emotional and physical blocks that stand in your way of happiness and fulfillment.

This Friday Night at Golden Bridge, Harijiwan is doing a Gong Workshop (not to be missed!) called NEURON PATTERN VELOCITY from 7-10 pm.  You can find more information on www.goldenbridgeyoga.com. Harijiwan writes, "the thought forms that control, direct and rule our consciousness are held in place by specific neuron patterns. Without changing the neuron patterns---the basic energy holding patterns--- change is difficult, progress seems temporary and fleeting and the feeling of being trapped in endless cycles dominates our awareness and diminishes our energy".  The Gong gets in there and does its magic!!! Also check out Harijiwan's website: www.harijiwan.com

Every Thursday at 12:00 is a Kundalini Yoga Class at Silver Lake Yoga.  Its a wonderful way to cure yourself of that mid-day random and pointless procrastination.  I know I was staring into space about that time and wishing there was a Yoga Class nearby that would redirect my focus and give me energy and concentration for the rest of my day.  So I created one!  Located on the border between Atwater Village and Silverlake, its centrally located, has great parking and is a terrific way to break up your day.  Come join the class which is new in the neighborhood! www.silverlakeyoga.com.

Psychedelic Offerings

I really wanted to only post images tonight and I tried uploading a whole bunch of them in this blog installment but it looked really crowded. Here are two of them.  So, the one on the left is a detail from a wall mural at the Sherbaling Monestary in nothern India.  There was so much to look at there, and especially in the wall paintings. You could snap a picture anywhere and you would have a complete painting.  Just LOOK at that coral and the little fish swimming around it in the vase!  Wild, huh?  And then on the right is an offering which looks like a psychedelic cake decoration. That's from the monestary also.   I'll have to blow it up so you can see it.  It's insane.  A real labor of love!  I was blown away by all the visual stimulation there.  Anway,  I wanted to share something tonight but its not really words.  Its raining here and I'm sewing bags and reading my Yoga books. Very quiet.  I've been clearing things out;  cleaning up and organizing. I've been planting new things in the garden as well as in my mind.

Head in the Clouds

What exactly does having your head in the clouds mean?  It means having unrealistic and impractical ideas. Well, then I definately DO NOT have my head in the clouds...even though it may seem that way! ONE HAS TO BE PRACTICAL TO LIVE as an artist AND a Kundalini Yoga Teacher!   

Today I sent the site out. I can't believe how I stood perched at the edge of my computer with my finger on the "send" button for hours.  What was I afraid of?  I thought about nothing else for these past few months and here I was acting like I was exposing a part of myself no one had ever seen before!  Well, its true in a way.  I have done many things and have done them well...but I never put together something I believed in on so many different levels.  Kundalink is an amalgam of all things important to me right now.   Fabric design, product design, Kundalini Yoga, serving my community, and linking people and yoga and products together in a whole new way!  

Back to the clouds;  I think this Kundalink idea is EXTREMELY practical and realistic.  Now that I'm getting reactions from people, I can see what the shortcomings are and how I can make the products and materials better and more usable. Like, I was looking for the best possible fabrics for the headcoverings and found beautiful cotton with only the smallest amount of lycra in gorgeous colors....but I want to provide an all natural alternative so I'm looking for that now.  I found a great fabric which is a hemp/cotton blend and very nice.  

 I hope you'll all comment and let me know what you think is missing, what you wish you could get and where, and how your services or information can help this mission...as well as giving me your link to include in the site.  

 

Giving it a "GO"

I've been tweaking this website and making sure I had it ready for publication. I asked my friends what they thought and for their reactions, and many of them made sound comments and suggestions which I not only took to heart, I utilized. This website is the result of many months of figuring it all out; including the iweb program and the whole blogging business (thank you Megan!) and how to make my ideas more viable in the marketplace (thank you Angela!). I had a litle downtime in my "regular" business life and this is what came out of it. I am a bit nervous to let it out there.... but as its a Full Moon and an auspicious time for new beginnings, I'm going to "give it go", as they say!

As you all can figure out by now, I am really grateful for the way Kundalini Yoga has benefited my life and has enabled me to manage my energy. This weekend in Teachers Training, one of our teachers Harijiwan said he was going to ask the students in the class who had taken TT before, (this is my second time) to comment on the changes in their life as a result of the course. Even though he never got to ask that of us over the weekend, it certainly got me thinking about it. Getting the tools to Manage my Energy was the biggest thing I got. I've always had lots of energy but I didnt' know how to manage it and so in the past I gave it all away. And as a result, I was always feeling depleted. And energetically abused.

Its kind of like money management. One can have the ability to make money, but not to recycle it or save it for further use. And this creates a similar depletion.

Anyway, Teachers Training taught me how to manage my energy and use more of what I had for my own use and the benefit of my loved ones and my art. As a result, it made me more conscious of what I let in and equally what I put out. The other thing is that becoming a TEACHER has really raised "the bar" for how I live my life. Since teaching Kundalini Yoga is sharing the information and energy through the Golden Chain, I am very careful about the how that energy gets through me to the students.

You can learn more about the Teachers Training I'm talking about by going to www.Harijiwan.com .

We Got The Power

The last few days have been filled with the business of head coverings;  I've been working out the final measurements, the colors, the fabric.  How are these going to be different and better than other beanies and turbans?  A very deep question to ponder!!  I've been hanging out at fabric stores looking for the right weight and stretch. Have you ever been to Michael Levine?Downtown?  ITS A FABRIC WONDERLAND.  I've been buying supplies there for this Kundalink head covering project and I love that you get 1 hour free parking if you spend over 20 dollars. That's SWEET. www.mlfabric.com

I've had some nice experiences there relating to Kundalini Yoga, too. For example, I was buying jute and ribbon and somehow, probably because I was wearing a headcovering and looked like a yoga-type person,  one of the saleswomen started telling me about how she felt the transfer of energy from her husband's hands to hers...and that it hurt her heart.  Then the discussion turned to how we have the power to heal ourselves and protect ourselves from taking on the negative energy of others.  Soon the group grew to five, including myself, and we were rubbing our hands together and feeling the energy between them. This was completely new to each and every one of them.  I told them about healing water with our vibration, placing "energized" hands on our own hearts or on others to heal them....and when I left,  we all sang "we got the power!" and hugged.  This was on a trip to the notions department! 

It never ceases to amaze me how Kundalini Yoga affects everyone you come in contact with! 

A Work in Progress

January 25, 2009

Okay, this is just amazing. Here is Melanie in Utah with “the bag” and looking out over the horizon making everything look very Marlboro wo-many. Did you see those pictures on the website of Melanie and “the bag”? My friend Elena took them in Utah . Well, I’ve been thinking about this bag thing and I feel like there are many ways to go. I started with two versions of one pattern and then I realized that not everyone wants this ONE pattern. So I’ve added additional patterns and colors to the roster. I was also thinking of adding custom versions of the bag....or even doing limited additions! I have a couple of floral designs I could add....just thinking “out loud”.

I just came back from Teachers Training with Harijiwan and Tej in Santa Monica this weekend. This is my second time around and its really remarkable. It’s very different primarily because I AM SO DIFFERENT. I really blossomed last year because of it. You can check out the Teachers Training Video and other things on www.Harijiwan.com.

Since this is a website to service the Kundalini Yoga community maybe you can offer suggestions. Like someone at Teachers Training was asking about green products and I have to say, this didn’t cross my mind. Its just me and the sewing machines at this point. But I thought that I should, at the very least, check it out! See what’s out there!

Sitting Lower for Longer

January 22, 2009

I have two cushions for sitting. One I purchased because I forgot the other one. They are both useless to me now because over time, my muscles have relaxed and I can now sit lower to the ground for longer. They were hard, big, and very heavy and I never really used them. I feel about the cushions like I feel about glasses....unless its absolutely necessary, the more you use them, the less you exercise your eyes.

In the spirit of making things that Kundalini Yoga Students need, I decided to create the Kundalift© so I could get a little lift but not too much. So far, I have received rave reviews from my fellow yogis and I’m thinking about making an alternative to this one with a more FIRM touch. In the meantime I continue to take it around and ask my students and classmates what they think.

This is a photo of me at the Golden Temple sitting in meditation at about 3:30 in the morning. It was one of my first mornings in Amritsar and I am on my way to the morning prayers. I wish I had a picture of myself several hours later when I was literally thigh to thigh with about thirty women of all shapes and sizes in a 7’x7’ vestibule. I felt so happy in my cozy little meditation chamber...a far cry from the fancy hardwood floor yoga studios of Los Angeles! But I was sitting on a rolled up sweater and thinking...this is really all we need; a light little bundle to stick underneath. And so, the idea for the Kundalift© was hatched.....literally!!!

There isn't a Bag Big Enough!

Monday, January 19, 2009

I originally wanted to create a website community that served the Kundalini Yoga community. This would be a website that informed, and allowed people to network with each other . A website that gave Kundalini Yoga students products and information that they could use and share with each other. A website that enabled Kundalini Yogis to find everything they needed in one place. I purchased the domain name “Kundalink.com” for such a venture, and I got busy with other things and put Kundalink.com on the back burner. Then I went to India.

A trip to Amritsar will most certainly change your opinion about how people carry things around. No bicycle is ever TOO loaded with dry goods and no head is piled TOO high with wet cement or construction materials. Even horses are buried beneath bushels of grain. One thing I noticed was that everything was, despite the sheer volume of stuff, consolidated in one place...and as neat as a pin.

When I came back from India, I started to notice all my fellow Kundalini Yogis carrying around yoga mats, cushions, sheepskins, water bottles , books, etc. in multiple totes. I saw people dropping things, stuffing things under their arms; overflowing shoulder bags, bulging backpacks, stressed-out yoga mat bags. Nothing but disarray and confusion and arms piled high with the accoutrements of a typical Kundalini Yoga class. And I thought, THIS HAS GOT TO STOP! So that’s why I decided to design a bag for the Kundalini Yoga community that can carry EVERYTHING we have to carry around that is good-looking, light, machine washable, and easy to work with. I had a name already. I just had to make the bag and make it available. That’s how the Kundalink.com bag came to be.

This got me thinking about other things that are missing in the Kundalini world. And that’s what this website is all about.