Cultivating Aspects of Prosperity

I was recently looking back on previous blog posts. I realized my blog posting on prosperity received the most views out of any of my blog posts. Moving along with the theme, I thought I'd touch base once again on my recent experiences of prosperity. In the past 9 months life changing events have beckoned me to embrace a deeper level of prosperity. I feel that I have been catapulted into a whole new container of prosperity in the past month or so. Like many of us on this courageous journey, I am being asked to shine my Light more than ever before. It's a tall order for anyone to do such a thing with grace despite the daily chaos and ongoing changes of our personal lives, community, and the world.

With that, it's taken some time since my last blog post to integrate these changes and find words to express what prosperity means to me. This is just the beginning.

Patience
Many have heard the saying that any good thing worth investing in takes patience. Yogi Bhajan said, "Patience pays. Wait. Let the hand of God work for you. The One who has created you, let Him create all the environments, circumstances, and facilities and faculties.” This has always been a difficult lesson for me. It's only now that I am embracing what this means for me. Being slow and steady in the race wasn't my forte in the past 10 years. Yet now I am noticing when I am patient and allow the Divine to work through me, it take a lot less effort. A dear teacher told me at Summer Solstice this year that all will come to me if I just sit, smile, be radiant, and welcome everything.

Recognize and resonate

On New Years Eve 2012 the Kundalini Yoga Community gathered at Hari Dass's home. It was there where we set intentions for our needs and values. Needs are the things in life that are essential for us to live out our soul's destiny, our life path. Values are the are things that we need to guide and support our needs. Values can change and fluctuate as long as they support the ultimate need of what we want in life. Over the past few months, I've had to reflect on what values and needs were being honored. If something wasn't being fulfilled in my life according to these principles then I needed to change my circumstances so they would be congruent with my life choices once again. With all that being said, there was no way I could call prosperity into my life until I knew what these values and needs were.

Once I was able to recognize my values and needs. I could then be able to resonate those intentions in my life. Something was holding me back, though. Through the help of a few very powerful teachers in my life, I was able to see the underlying beliefs that were preventing me from moving forward. A good analogy is paddling upstream with a hole in our kayak. No matter how hard we try, we just keep sinking deeper into the limiting belief until the hole is identified. When that happens then the hole can be filled in with a new belief that supports our higher Consciousness. Finally, we are then able to resonate and vibrate our Truth.

Opening

It's pretty self explanatory when we are open to receiving prosperity then it will come pouring in. However, I feel that the previous key points of recognizing your values and needs in addition to resonating your Truth is essential in order to cultivate this opening. That's why tools like Kundalini Yoga are great in facilitating this opening and balancing of the energy systems. The

Set for Opportunity and Green Energy   is  a great prosperity oriented kriya that opened many opportunities for me in a very short period of time. Just remember that everyone's process is different, though. (Kriya retrieved on 7/17/14 from http://www.bodymindgifts.com/greenenergy1.pdf)

Strength

It takes a lot of strength and courage to bring prosperity into our lives. So many people say that they want more prosperity yet are really too scared to accept it. It's a lot easier to stay in the confines of a familiar and comfortable life even those most people know they deserve better. Only the courageously strong people have the grit to walk gracefully through the tests presented on the journey of cultivating prosperity.

Practice

Repetition is the key. Having a daily sadhana (daily practice) is essential in life. When I first started on my journey through Kundalini Yoga, my sadhana consisted of a 3-7 minute meditation and nothing more. Slowly and gradually with practice, I was able to increase that time. Now my daily sadhana is an essential part of who I am in order for me to be my authentic self each day. Practicing every day has taught me what it means to commit to myself, my word, and therefore everything in life. Without a daily practice I couldn't imagine being able to understand, embrace, and accept what prosperity means for me. I often tell others that although Kundalini Yoga is quite effective and transforming, it doesn't have to be their practice. Especially in the beginning of any journey, it's important to commit to something, weather it is taking a 30 minute walk every day, eating healthier, or doing a hobby that you enjoy. Sadhana is practicing prosperity in real life. We may not want to do it every day, but we know the benefits of it are long lasting.

Energy Conservation

As prosperity continues to flow into our lives, it's important to know we always have a choice. For me, prosperity tends to comes in huge waves of transformation. Other times, it comes in little spurts, which is just as beautiful. Either way, it's important to know what opportunities to accept and what we can say 'no' to. My life's path is to be of service to others. However, many times I have to learn that being given opportunities to be of service doesn't mean I have to sacrifice my sanity or health. That's why energy conservation has been very important to me. It's important to have the clarity of what opportunities to accept and if it's the right timing to accept it. Many people, including myself, have had experiences that they took on too much responsibility only after already committing to the project. That's why it's important to be committed to ourselves first and having our needs met before adding more onto our plate.

Relax

This is something that we can all work on no matter how good we think we are at relaxing. It also coincides with patience. None of the things I mentioned above can happen if there isn't a sense of relaxing into the process as it unfolds in it's perfect timing.

I got a big dose of what this means while at Summer Solstice this year. Countless times I would be solely focusing on my process, often working through an intense blockage or emotion. Yet I smiled, relaxed, and sat through the uncomfortable moments knowing they would pass. When I allowed the process to be what it was, something profound would happen to me. Someone would come and start talking to me, having no idea what was going on with me internally. An unexpected experience in my surroundings would occur, like a unexpected rain storm in the middle of the desert, or an entire walkway of the bazaar clearing in my presence to name just a few. It was only in these moments of relaxing into patience and the uncomfortable feelings of transition where the deepest healing was able to occur. 

 

Intuition

As in everything in life, it takes accessing innate intuition to know clearly what prosperity looks like. It's unique for everyone and can reach far beyond the realms of financial prosperity. There's a lot I could say about intuition, but I'll save it for another time.

Thankfulness

Having an attitude of gratitude alone in itself can create plenty of transformation. When we are grateful for all the perceived good and bad experiences, we can remember it is all One. It's easy to be grateful for the good, but sometimes difficult to be grateful for the challenges. These polarities are essential for anything creative to occur.

Yes!

It's appropriate to end this post with reminding us all to say, “yes”, to prosperity. Sometimes the most difficult thing to do is say, “yes” to all the gifts that we are given. Saying yes can also be simple and easy. May you know it is your birthright to be happy, be bright, and be the healing Light we all need to cultivate prosperity within ourselves and for others.

So Purkh: Stepping into the Power of the Feminine

Light of Venus

These dark winter months call many of us to turn inward into our womb like nature for deep reflection. For me, the last few months in particular have been very energetically and emotionally charged. Time has seemed to become a blur and also pass very slowly at the same time. I rested in self nourishment on the Winter Solstice integrating the last 40 days of chanting a very powerful mantra, So Purkh, and how mantra has brought immeasurable depth to my personal practice.

Embracing the Gifts of the Shabad Guru

Chanting mantra is quite common in many Kundalini Yoga classes. The specific rhythms and sound current is often what initially attracts beginners to this practice. These mantras are designed specifically to cut through the ego so that one's Truth is unveiled. That is why it is called the Shabad Guru, a special sound that is a teacher. It allows one to unite the personal and Infinite experience of and within one's self. Some feel hesitant to chant initially, due to feeling that it is projecting a certain faith, religion, or belief. However, Yogi Bhajan was very clear in expressing his thoughts on this by saying, “We do not need another religion. We need the experience of a lifestyle or path- a dharma- that creates the spiritual fitness to act believably on our beliefs. The Shabd Guru is a special kind of technology with a unique contribution to develop potentials and handle the problems of the new age-The Aquarian Age....in each person's consciousness it builds the clarity to act with fearless integrity” (p.77, The Aquarian Teacher). I've chanted quite a few mantras since my first discovery of Kundalini Yoga, often finding that no matter how many times I've chanted the same mantra, it reaches a part of my soul in a unique way. The last 40 days in particular have brought insight not only into a new relationship with the the Shabad Guru but the powerful effects it has had on my life and the relationship of myself and with others.

A Personal Reflection of So Purkh

My intention to start chanting So Purkh was very different on the first day compared to the last day. My ego felt empowered knowing that I am this strong woman chanting a Shabd for a very special man in my life. What better way to be of service than through the strength of a woman's connection with the Divine? My focus and dedication would be towards elevating this man's circumstances so he could be prosperous amongst all the transitions he was going through. It would also bring clarity to our relationship and cut through any negativity between us. After one of my teachers, Ramdesh Kaur, strongly suggested that I recite this mantra she said something that left me confused for quite some time. Although I perceived that I was already doing so much, she asked that I ask myself in what ways I need to help him. It was clear that I needed to keep the message close to my heart due to the resistance of receiving these words.

The following days proceeded with not so subtle hints to revisit my behavioral and relationship patterns with men. The ways these patterns were revealed in deeper levels were surprising. Within the first two weeks I soon began to receive much healing of my past through a variety of insights during meditation and also being physically confronted with past relationships that needed karmic healing and completion. These series of serendipitous events were starting to become comical. It didn't take long to notice that my intention for chanting So Purkh needed to be tweaked. Once again, I was learning what it truly meant to be of service to another. As I continued to chant So Purkh I noticed my perception and ideologies embodying the actions of giving and receiving. About half way through my 40 days I noticed my focus transitioning from him towards myself. The small part of me felt selfish for redirecting this focus, especially since there wasn't much externally changing in this man's situation. Nonetheless, I kept doing my part and focused on giving what I could. As resentment and frustration slowly began to build, I noticed that the giving also needed to be equally balanced with receiving. A big part of it was once again healing the blockage of allowing to receiving. I began to understand that having clarity about my own personal needs was important, but it would be of no value if I wasn't open to receiving. Furthermore, I had to ask myself if I was even clear in knowing and expressing those personal needs.

I continued to sit with this lack of clarity only to be confronted with more issues surrounding patience, commitment to myself/others, self worth and self compassion. I soon came to a crossroads where there was nothing to do but surrender to the Divine and Trust the unknown with fearlessness, knowing whatever outcome came to me I would be infinitely supported. The more I tried to work at this Trust thing, the more it became less clear and less tangible.

One morning I was completing my practice and I felt the presence of Yogi Bhajan compassionately holding me yet at the same time telling me to stop feeling sorry for myself. This helped me get out of the trenches of my mind and take action. Within a day or so I came to a better understanding that I must learn to receive by expressing my Truth and be open to all outcomes. On the 38th day everything seemed to consolidate and become more clear. The unknown was still very tangible, but I had a different relationship with it because I opened up to a different relationship with myself. For the first time I was able to express my Truth and my needs with remarkable clarity and ease. I was able to speak what I needed from the voice of my Highest Self. At the same time I felt the most vulnerable than I ever had been with another.

Despite being vulnerable I felt protected and supported knowing that the support originated from within. Although I still had questions about the future in many aspects of my life besides my relationship, they weren't fueled by fear. In the end, I was filled with gratitude not only for the healing I received but the unfolding of the prosperity that was coming into my life throughout the process in many different ways. Through this I also remembered that when I don't think I have enough, I have to be even more thankful for what I already have. The message from my teacher came back to me full circle. In order to be of service to this man and to heal the relationship I have with him, I can only do that through myself. I still may not know the outcome will be, but I do know that when I surrender to my Truth, I am being of compassionate service to another in the highest form. As daylight slowly starts to emerge throughout the remaining winter months, I sit in quiet reflection and gratitude for this Shabad and sharing authentic vulnerability with another so that we may experience a glimpse of the unconditional love of the Divine.