I'm getting here a little bit later today as I taught a couple of Yoga classes this morning. You can look for posts to True Yoga Life about 5 days a week. As we go into the New Year I will be providing you with all types of information regarding Health and Wellness and how to make 2006 an even healthier, vibrant year. My intention as we journey through the Holidays is to support each of us in connecting with the full expression of joy that is present within our spirits. I loved the quote by Seneca from Monday's blog: "Learn how to feel joy."

The inspiration and information I would like to share with you today is actually from one of the advertisements that I clicked here on True Yoga Life. It directed me to a website called Prayer Power and from there I signed up to receive the free e-mail on The 7 Great Prayers. I encourage you to sign up for this as these prayers are truly amazing. Because I was raised Christian, I learned The Lord's Prayer as a child growing up. As I'm writing this, though, I realize I've actually never really learned how to pray. Sure, I understand that prayer is praising our Creator and requesting support and guidance in our life, but, as I'm beginning to receive these 7 Great Prayers I am astounded at their simplicity. It's almost as though these prayers, that Paul McManus(the author) is suggesting we pray in our daily life, are more like mantras. Ah...I just found this in "Light on Yoga" by B.K.S. Iyengar. (One of the books listed in the True Yoga Recommended Reading section.)...

"The word mantra is derived from the root 'man', meaning to think. Mantra thus means a sacred thought or prayer to be repeated with full understanding of its meaning." - Light on Yoga, B.K.S. Iyengar

Precisely. Mantra or prayer can only truly resonate within us when we are connected to and have "full understanding" or feeling of its meaning. So, the First Prayer Paul suggests we pray is:

"I love you God."

That's it?! Yesterday, as I was relaxing into Savasana, I began reciting this prayer. It helped me relax almost immediately and I could feel the positive vibrations from it as I was floating away. Similarly, the mantra of "Om" is used in Yoga to express adoration to the Divine, but, if we're not connected to our intention when we say it, then we're not really feeling or connecting to anything, including our own self.

Wow, I'm beginning to understand and feel it. It's amazing, too, that I accessed this website through this blog. How encouraging that the information being created here is also opening up other channels of support. I feel blessed.

So, as you journey throughout the rest of your day I encourage you to take time to feel, feel your breath, feel your body grounding down on the chair you are sitting on right now, feel your prayers as you pray them, feel joy moving through you and all around you...

Just feel.

Namaste!Read more