Month: February 2020

After journaling, I use my writing as an opportunity to pray and to cast a spell on my day. Formal prayer includes five parts: gratitude, repentance, petition, invocation, and communion.

Sifting through the material I have processed in my free writing in the journal style, I am able to find my way through this process. We are so blessed, that when we focus on gratitude, we start to shift our focus into that which is most uplifting.

Recognizing my own shortcomings, I repent for them, as I seek to improve myself daily.

I then ask for my needs to be met, petitioning the support that is surrounding us all. I invoke the divine Helpers. And then I sit in the state of communion with them, envisioning my prayers being met completely.

I take what I’ve written and place it on my altar by the candle that has been lit. I offer four little cups of tea to my Helpers.And light incense for them, as an offering.

After all of those former practices, I settle into journal writing. I started writing in my diary as a kid. it has long been a natural place for my reflection. I do so without concerns for grammar, spelling, or syntax. Initially, I wrote three pages daily. Now, I am up to six.

It’s important this writing occur in confidentiality in privacy. It is it’s own practice, and could be exclusively what is practiced on a daily basis.

My next practice involves 108 circles around each breast. From the outer chest toward the inner, first down on the outside and then up on the inside, with both hands working simultaneously, This practice increases the sharing of unconditional love from the heart chakra.

When we are in need of the experience of unconditional love, instead we could reverse the direction of the circles. From the outside of the chest to the inside, first up on the outside and then down on the inside, with both hands working simultaneously, circle 108 times.

This practice involves inhaling for 10 seconds while raising the arms to the side of the body up overhead, opened to about a 60° angle. The hands are formed into soft fists with the thumbs pointing toward one another. The breath is held for approximately 40 seconds. exhale slowly for 10 seconds, allowing the arms to come back down to the lap.

This one minute long breath gives us a chance to reset many internal systems. I repeat it twice. It is especially good for warding off repeated headaches.

As mercury continues to be retrograde, I am supported in returning to yesterday’s post, with the following further detail. Visualize each syllable entering through the crown and exiting through the 3rd eye.

Sa enters the crown and exits 3rd eye.Ta enters crown and exits 3rd eye. Na enters crown and exits 3rd eye. Ma enters crown and exits 3rd eye. For all 11 minutes, visualize truth entering as well as exiting.

This next practice involves chanting for 11 minutes. Beginning in full voice for 2 minutes then a quieter voice for 2 minutes then in silence for 3 minutes then in the quiet voice for 2 minutes then ending with full voice for 2 minutes. Sa Ta Na Ma invokes the vibration of truth.

With each syllable, press your thumb together with each of your four digits. One by one, chanting the syllables as you press them to each digit with a significant amount of pressure. This helps to anchor the vibration of truth into your body.

Conclude by taking long slow deep breath‘s, and retaining that for as long as it is comfortable, sending that vibration into all of the levels of being.

On this new moon, I share with you my next practice in the morning which I learned from Sufism. It’s called Dhikr. Repeated 11 times, inhaling, I circle my head to the left shoulder and down to my heart, and up to the right shoulder and back up to upright. Doing so I say silently “there is no God“ on the outer realm. I take a sip of water.

On my exhale, I descend my head towards my heart and say silently “but God” within my heart. Doing so, I deepen the practice of working within to find light, love, and the peace that are the attributes of the one I referred to here as God.

Continuing to utilize this Mercury retrograde phase to share with you my morning practices. Doing so now as we approach this New Moon phase will support you in setting your own intentions for the practices that will serve you the best.

Initially, I chanted the Gayatri mantra 3x with mudras. Many versions are out there, and you can chant along with me on my YouTube channel, or on our website. And many other songs could be chosen, that are uplifting, traditional, and infusing your day with light.

Ultimately, I have learned the five entire verses in the Indonesian language which are chanted throughout Bali daily, by the school kids, as well as by the priests at all rituals..

Utilizing this wintry mercury retrograde to continue to share with you my morning practices. My next balanced breath practice is regarding physical mortality.

Inhaling for 10 heartbeats contemplating Life, take a sip of water, then exhale for the same 10 heartbeats, contemplating Death. Repeat 4 times. Next, inhale for 10 heartbeats, contemplating Life in the Presence of the One, (who you may call God, Great spirit, or any of your preferred names), take a sip, and exhale for 10 heartbeats, contemplating Death in the Presence. Repeat four times.

The third set of four balanced breaths is similar with the following change. Inhaling for 10 heartbeats, contemplating Death in the Presence, take a sip, and exhaling for 10 heartbeats, contemplating Death in the Presence. Repeat four times. Lastly, inhale for 10 heartbeats, contemplating the All Pervading Light in Space, take a sip, and exhale for 10 heartbeats, contemplating the All Pervading Light in Space. Repeat four times.

Continuing to share with you details of my morning practice for your own usage…

After my chakras are cleansed, and I am grounded, I begin with four sets of four balanced breaths for each of the four Elements of the body. Earth, Water, Fire and Air all respond to breath entering and exiting differently. Feel free to start with a shorter amount of time with each breath, as needed.

Earth (physical) cleansing occurs as we inhale through both nostrils for 10 heartbeats and exhale for 10 heartbeats also through the nostrils. Water (emotional) cleansing occurs in as we inhale through both nostrils for 10 heartbeats and exhale for 10 heartbeats through the mouth. Fire (spiritual) cleansing occurs as we reverse that, inhaling through the mouth for 10 heartbeats and exhaling through the nostrils for 10 heartbeats. Air (mental) cleansing occurs as we inhale through the mouth for 10 heartbeats and exhale also through the mouth for 10 heartbeats. I take little sips of water after each breath.

How balanced are you feeling? Which elements do you most relate to?Ki to Happiness relates to all Elements with balance.