Healing: Self-Care in Heart Chakra

"Anahata" the name of the 4th or Heart Chakra, located in our chest, means "Unstruck" in Sanskrit. Think of a note sounding eternally, no ending and no beginning: the soul or our heart singing eternally with Creator and Creation, resonating "Om", "amen", "hum" or "aum" as various societies have heard it. Anahata, life force song of healing, unity.

More practically, in "life application yoga", my aim to make ancient teachings accessible today, Anahata helps us to forgive, accept, and thus to heal.

Heart Chakra's affirmation "I have the right to love and be loved" means unconditional love and acceptance. As Tara Brach, in her book "Radical Acceptance: Embracing Your Life With The Heart Of A Buddha" quotes, the Buddhist aphorism "cold eye, warm heart" teaches that healing comes when we see with absolute clarity ("cold eye") what is within us, and yet with absolute compassion ("warm heart") accept what we see. Then we can apply it outside of us. A very tall order, both.

Healing includes Self-Care: making sure we get our daily yoga, even a few minutes if it's all we can get. Not obsessing if we don't. Refueling after exertion: banana is good, coconut water, nuts and fruit, yogurt. Taking a bath, power nap, restorative yoga. It may be journaling, prayer, meditation, including Tibetan TongLen, or healing mantras. It may be inspiring music, reading. It can be Julia Cameron's "artist dates" with oneself. For me it includes my weeklong artist date, my February retreat with students. Judith Lasater, restorative yoga guru, reminds us that none of us can give from an empty cup. Practice self-care to refill your giving cup.

Caribbean Retreat

Relax. Explore. Tune the 7 Chakras, one for each of these 7 days. Snorkel. Sail. Breathe. A few spots left, with $100 discount extended for my students! Morning and evening Yoga tailored to the actual levels of the group, from beginner to advanced.

A Valentine's gift for your own heart and healing; maybe for a dear one!

Mantras, Yantras, Postures for Heart Chakra

Visually, Anahata's color is green, with the Yantra, or image, of a blue, 6-pointed star. One triangle points down and one up, balancing our 3 physical and 3 spiritual chakras, above and below.

Heart opening poses such as Cobra, Camel, Bridge, Wheel, Dancer, done with abdominals firm to safely extend the lumbar spine, all benefit Anahata. Supported backbends such as Bridge with a block underneath the hips offer a restorative release for a longer held pose.

The Mantra sound "Yam" (as in "yum") invokes the healing vibrations of Anahata. A long "a" vowel (as in "hay") helps unseat the particular block for Heart Chakra, which is Grief, as does affirming "I have the right to love and be loved".

A Sanskrit mantra that can be chanted for oneself or another is "Om Shree Dhanvantre Namaha". (Pronounced Don-von-tray, this historical Indian physician's name is invoked to awaken our bodies' own healing energies.)

Web Sites & Links

I am working on a new website which will archive past issues and list charitable and yoga links I've featured in prior ENews! Watch for it in February!

Meanwhile at sidebar I list a few favorite links this month. GoodSearch is an Internet search engine that donates one penny per search to a charity of your choice! I've made it my Home page. Heifer teaches community self-sustenance and donates livestock in your loved ones' names for a multiple giving opportunity. The Hunger Site donates with your daily free clicks, and has 4 sister sites for equally easy giving.

Last but not least, my partner & husband Raul has his website up, and one can purchase CDs or see pictures of our princely boy upon it!

Class Schedules/Flow & Restore!

My winter class schedules remain the same, still mostly privates. Yoga Works and NY Health & Racquet Club classes - see sidebar.

My "Sweat & Restore" pilot format at Yoga Works on Fridays feels superb! 40-minutes Vinyasa, 20-minutes delicious Restorative! We are changing the name to Flow & Restore. Come 'n try!

Healing for Abundance

A recent book I read, "The Maui Millionaires" surprised me by defining wealth as not a monetary measure at all, but as the abundance we feel in living our dreams, passions, talents, joys, relationships, fully in this and every moment. How yogic is that! More curiously, reading it made me soul-search my own heart to discover pockets of unforgiveness and of unhealed grief which I can surrender for a more open heart. "Supersize your dreams" the authors urge. Our creativity and passion, our hope and generosity, create ever more wealth of the greatest kind, in the world.

Anahata healing from a finance book? Why not? Healing our heart wounds helps spiritual, physical, AND material health. How can YOU practice self-care this month? This week, this day, this minute? Tell me your thoughts!

Namaste, Mary

In This Issue:

Chakras and Chiropractic

Our chakras reside in Susumna Nadi, the central channel that flows in our spines. Spinal misalignments, subluxations, can block both nerves and energetic flow for a host of minor and major ailments. If you are ready to give chiropractic a try, this is a healing place I like, and it accepts most insurance plans.

Esprit Wellness Center

Yoga Works Schedule

Yoga Works has nutrition counseling, Yoga Advisors, prenatal, kids, baby classes, Ashtanga, Iyengar, Pilates, and Ishta plus more, at 4 Manhattan and 1 Westchester location, plus many in California. Open seven days a week: a very welcoming place, with great New Student deals, such as their 2-Weeks Unlimited $25 package.

My classes at NY East Side studio, 3rd Ave/75 St.:

*Thurs. 12-1 Level 1
*Fri. 10:45 Flow & Restore Level 1&2

Yoga Works

Health & Racquet Schedule

NY Health & Racquet Club's terrific Maryann Donner is supremely responsive to members, and supports Yoga in Health Spas.

My Chelsea HRC class:
*Tues. 1-2 pm Vinyasa Flow (Open Level)

NYHRC 23 St.

Year of Boar: My Family!

24 years ago I left my Toronto, Canada family to move to NYC and marry this musician, actor, & director. I was 24, he was 36. It was year of the Boar, our Chinese Zodiac year, 1983.

This Feb. 18, Boar Year comes 'round again! Our son Raphael, born 1995, our baby Boar, will turn 12 in November.

For more on Boar Year see links further below!

Raul's Website

Retreat; Respond; Rejoice

Pack your swimsuit and escape the winter blahs! Do you have air miles sitting around? It's not too late to book your Retreat spot! See link, and email or call for questions.

My ENews is a Sangha, or Community, also. Feel free anytime to respond via email, or forward to friends using the links below. Or, just enjoy and delete, or File! I rejoice in our community.

Tropical Retreat