Dear Yogis.

Another wonderful weekend (apart from the tree in my yard coming down in the wind).  Christmas, Christmas.  It gets better every year.  

CHRISTMAS DAY (25th):  OPEN DAY HERE AT THE STUDIO  I always have an open day (afternoon 2pm to 4pm) here on the 25th.  If you get a chance to drop in for a Christmas pie and a drop of bubbly or something, you are welcome.  I hope to see you.  37 Morris Road in Woodend if you have not been before.  Come straight around to the yoga room at the back of the house.  Last year the gang didn’t leave until about 7.30pm!  Every year is different.

ZOOM CLASSES

SATURDAYS: THE TAROT/ART CLASS.  We had our last studio class on Saturday – we are back to zooming next week for 3 weeks.
SUNDAYS at 10am: STUDYING THE ‘GITA.  We take three steps forward and one back.  There is so much to know, and to understand.
MONDAY: from 11th January.  HYPERMOBILITY LECTURES
TUESDAYS: The DIAMOND SUTRA. 7.30pm
WEDNESDAYS: Could be a craft class.  Starting with Lino Cuts (your call, could even be “SECRET BOOKS”, or  “Making your own Art Equipment”)
FRIDAY:  Free Pendulum/Tarot class 6.45 (Tarot Readings available thru Christmas Break – even on zoom)

*MASSAGE  over the Christmas Break.  Yes, 15 minute “Tension Tamers”  available if you don’t have an hour to spare.
*HERBS can be sent out, whenever you need them. I am almost finished the “Wild and Weedy” book which makes using herbs and foraging available for everyone with details and recipes.  A must for every kitchen.

 

MORE ON THE ELUSIVE CBD.

If you’re suffering from neuropathy,  Cannabidiol (CBD) has shown to provide tremendous relief for a number of medical conditions and symptoms. However, studies into the effects of CBD on nerve pain are limited and in Australia the ingestion of CBD by humans is illegal.  Yes, nothing has changed – your pets can have it, but you can’t.  I was hoping the government would be looking at ways to raise money after covid,  and would have used legalising cannabis for humans even marginally as an easy way to do this – but they have not.  I suppose to raise money they could lift the government impost on wine and cigarettes, and may do so.

CBD and Nerve Pain
I hear a lot about this from both physicians and patients.  There is much controversy because there has been little or no study of this herb due to its illegal status since 1937.   For licensed doctors, they are NOT told there are 500+ different strains and strengths of CBD, there is no concentrated study in this country, and for CBD to be effective there is a need for it to be prescribed properly.  In Canada for instance you can go to your local “Cannabis Barista” who is trained and experienced in prescribing (at least this legalisation across America is one good thing to come out of Trump’s Administration – I hope Biden does not reverse it).

In my experience and in general, the limited amount of studies on CBD and pain  have shown that CBD can help reduce inflammation. In addition, CBD helps lower the buildup of immune cells in spinal fluid. Lower inflammation and immune cells may lead to a reduction in pain.

Nerve pain, also known as neuropathy, doesn’t work the same as other types of pain including inflammatory and central pain. Nerve pain affects the body’s nervous system. Patients may feel stinging, burning, or shooting pain in the affected area or throughout the body.

We know that CBD which works by building the endocannabinoid system in the body (unlike marijuana which deadens it), is achieving some wonderful results.  This is spoken of at length in many TED TALKS.

CBD studies in general are limited. CBD for nerve pain studies have not determined the exact effects of CBD. However, the research shows promise. CBD’s high chance of efficacy and low risk of side effects makes it a worthwhile alternative to traditional pain relievers and opioids.  I hope it is legalised in Australia soon.  This will end the independent importation of dubious oils, some with petroleum based carrier bases, which cause as many problems as the initial condition requiring the CBD.  Take care.

ENLIGHTENMENT..

Although the Buddha woke up suddenly,  we do not need to regard awakening in an all-or-nothing way.  Life is a series of moments governed by the mind.  Each moment is a new creation which we inherit from something in our past and transform it to our present experience, thereby providing the seeds for our future.  A moment without greed, hatred or delusion is an awakened moment.. however, even an unawakened person can have an awakened moment.  As The Buddha says. “If one shows kindness with a clear mind – even once! – for living creatures, by that one becomes wholesome (Itivuttaka 1.27)

My suggestion after years of experience is this:  As we walk the path, let us not concentrate so hard on the destination, but carefully place one foot in front of the other and in this way move forward.  The path keeps us centred.  It may take us to the peak, but only if we have taken each step with care.  Every mindful moment is a moment in which we are awake.  If we can manage one moment of wisdom, we can manage another.

MEET YOU MINDFULLY THIS CHRISTMAS-TIME.

NAMASTE JAHNE

 

 

 

Dear Yogis,

Sunday again.  We had a fantastic Tarot Training Yesterday.  It is not just about the cards.  It is about where we find ourselves, how the cards help us to understand ourselves as well as others.  How the cards can help us find the heaven that is with us in the now.  When used properly, they can be a high TANTRIC TOOL. They are deeply spiritual and can bring the student back to the spiritual path…

According to Buddhist teachings, no matter how confused and tormented you and I may be at the moment, our underlying nature of  being is clear and pure.  In the same way that clouds come between us and the sunlight, so too our anxieties, depression and the suffering that they cause can temporarily obscure but cannot destroy or even touch the fundamentally clear nature of our consciousness..

Dwelling deep within us our heart and the hearts of every living person without exception is an inexhaustible source of love and wisdom.  According to buddhist writings, the ultimate goal of every person is enlightenment which occurs when all the delusions, greed, hatred, ignorance, presently obscuring our mind have been completely removed, and when all of our positive qualities have been fully developed.   This fully awakened state is characterised by unlimited compassion, and unlimited skill (or power).

We are taught that the  path to fulfilment is a gradual process of cleansing our mind of all its faults and limitations, and replacing these thoughts, with thoughts (and actions) of complete love and wisdom.  Because of this gradual approach of sutra, this is called the causal vehicle to enlightenment because of the emphasis on creating causes for a future result.

Compared to this sutra approach, tantrayana is a much speedier path to the goal of enlightenment.  The tantric yogi or yogini, learns to think, speak and act NOW as if he or she were already a fully enlightened buddha.  Because the powerful approach often bring the the future full awakening into the present experience, it is sometimes called the resultant vehicle to enlightenment.

According to Tantra, perfection is not something that is waiting for us in the future, HEAVEN IS NOW.  Everything that we need is with us in this moment, it is simply a matter of being able to recognise it.

This is the Tantric approach that we will be exploring… in the cards if you com to training, or here in the daily newsletters.

The present Tarot Training is closed, but I am enrolling for the next class which will start in July.  We will also be holding a on Sunday the 28th June at 2pm at the Studio.  At this time we will be coming together to learn more about the tarot, to swap skills, and generally link in with others who are looking for a deeper way.  TANTRIC TAROT.  Please let me know if you are interested… it is not an open house.  This will be a learning experience.

Have a wonderful Weekend.

NAMASTE JAHNE

 

Dear Yogis,

Now we will come to yoga.  You have read about actions and non actions and the results of both.  To learn how to control the mind you must learn how to control the mind.

“Meditation” the word is used for all kinds of practice.  When people talk to me about how they meditate I tend to glaze over as mostly it is apparent that they have confused meditation with contemplation or just thinking. As my teacher said to me “Are you a warrior? to meditate this is what you must be”.  It was not an easy thing and it was not to be treated lightly.  Meditation is the first step on the road to Enlightenment.

In order to meditate you must prepare. First watch the breath. Now I am breathing in, now I am breathing out.  I challenge you to do more than a few breaths without your mind wandering away.  If you are honest, about ten breaths.  That’s OK.  The whole point of this exercise is to bring the mind to neutral.  Watching the breath is not the act which will set you free, but knowing what is happening when it is happening will be helpful.

Ask yourself why you want to meditate.  Why are you here?  I believe it is because you want to answer the questions you have never been able to ask or answer.  The questions children ask.  Why are we here? Why do we die? Why do we get old and sick?  We teach them not to ask, and they in turn become adults who tell their children “these questions have no answers”.  The Church tells them these questions will be answered when you die.  Do you want to wait that long?

Decide here and now that you will meditate with a goal in mind – to find the answers to these questions.  Do not waste your life playing with lesser objectives.

To begin ask The Enlightened Ones and your Heart Teacher to join you.  They will come.   You bowed to them before you sat, bow to them again, and then imagining the glorious Beings in front of you,  bow down deeply in gratitude, happiness and awe, as you will when the time comes that you actually see them.. your head and hands touching their heavenly feet. Sit. Imagine the most beautiful flowers in all the world and shower your Guides with these flowers in gratitude, and ask gently for their help.

Now, clean your conscience.  You cannot take this journey with a heavy heart.  As in the 12 Step program, remember those you have wronged and beg their forgiveness vowing to keep to the the narrow path. Just doing this one thing will expand the beauty of your meditation beyond what you could ever imagine.

Now do the opposite.  Think of all the good things you have done, all the good thoughts, words and deeds.when you do this your heart will be bursting with joy to overflowing.

Now, ask your Guides here present for their guidance.  Ask them to continue to appear to you in all the ways and places that they can (and they can astound you).  Ask them to appear as teachers even as people around you – the people in the street, at the supermarket, on the TV.  That they will continue to teach you and continue to guide you along the Path.  Ask then from your heart, to always be near you, to never leave you, always teaching, always guiding.  When you do this, a great quiet will fall over you.

Now understand this –  silence is not the goal.  The silence is not the meditation.  Chickens can sit quietly and produce nothing more than an egg, as beautiful as that is, it is still an egg.  The truth is IN THE SILENCE of meditation.  Meditation is the tool, it is not the goal.  Ultimate wisdom is the heart of the path. Meditating for the sake of meditation would be like having an axe and burning it for warmth instead of using it to cut down a tree for greater warmth.   If you sat for months without thought would that be helpful?Not really, eventually you would get ill and die.

To enter the serious path to meditation you really do need to learn from a teacher.  It is more difficult to learn from a DVD, or zoom, because a teacher must disturb you in order to help you to understand where your mind is along the path at any time.

Laziness is the greatest enemy in meditation.  Many meditators waste their time in useless fog.  They tell themselves their mind is empty and this is good, and it is what they aim for.  It is not useful.  Mental dullness has become a drug to these students.  They are addicted to the excuse of inaction and nothingness. They feel nothing.

In the beginning bring the face of your Heart Teacher to your mind and keep it there, bright and real.  To deal with agitation, bring your thoughts back to your heart. Slow the breaths, count them if you must. Think of your meditation experience however it is,  as a large flock of birds, swirling and dipping as the wind changes – but always a flock of birds.

When you have mastered these steps,  and are able to keep the picture clearly in your mind you must watch for the monkey telling you that adjustment is necessary when no adjustment is necessary.  That is the final trap.  Only when you have mastered the basics, can you begin to use the meditation for problem solving.  When you meditate regularly and correctly, it will seem as if one meditation attaches seamlessly to the last no matter the time that has passed in between sessions.  You will find yourself growing in insight.

Think lastly of the way to end your meditation. Think of a pond, and imagine a drop of water entering that pond, see the ripples going outwards from the drop of water – the sacred event of your meditation.  Imagine these ripples getting longer and stronger, waves of happiness touching every living thing around you.

Are you asking yourself what to meditate on? As my teacher said, begin where you must begin.  Your heart teacher is there to teach you.  Ask for help, have faith and trust and the answer will come.  Please log on to this short video.  It may help.

Meditate, meditate meditate

Namaste – Jahne