spiral

spiral
Showing posts with label gratitude. Show all posts
Showing posts with label gratitude. Show all posts

Friday, February 6, 2015

Modern Chakra Mantras



I AM DIVINE - by Theresa Mattiello   

   Hey guys! Welcome back! Today, I'm writing a short blurb about chakras, how they are blocked, and what to do (and meditate on) to open them. It doesn't really matter how you go about it, just as long as you are focused on the specific energy center you are trying to open. Visualization is key here, which is helped out by cultivating and utilizing mantras.

   You may have heard of chakras before. They are the invisible yet ever-present energy centers that run down the length of the front of your body. There are 7 basic chakras (although in some traditions there are more) which are, from bottom to top, Root, Sacral, Solar Plexus, Heart, Throat, Third Eye and Crown. When chakras are open, one feels balanced. When chakras are closed or blocked, one feels out of sorts, maybe afraid or sad or disinterested or "in a rut." Some chakras can even overcompensate for closed ones. The key is to have every chakra opened at the same time in order to achieve mind-body-spirit balance.

  Let's go through them to get an idea of what we are dealing with. 

ROOT
  •  Located at the base of the spine/pelvis
  • Visualize the color red
  • Governs survival, security, presence, motivation, discipline
  • Blocked by insecurity, detachment, fear of unknown or what's to come, apathy
  • Modern Mantra: I am here. I am rooted to this earth. Gravity has got me, and I'm not floating off into space. I am present. I have a connection to the ground beneath me. I have a place in this world. I am safe and supported.
SACRAL
  •      Located in lower abdomen/navel
  •      Visualize the color orange
  •     Governs pleasure, sex, relationships, creativity, manifestations 
  •     Blocked by guilt, low morality, lack of passion, blame, fear of letting go
  •    Modern Mantra: I am bursting with creativity. I can do anything I set my mind on. I will allow myself to let go of that which no longer serves me. I allow myself pleasure. I banish guilt and blame. I let the past be the past. I will grow my personal relationships. I will maintain inner peace.
SOLAR PLEXUS
  • Located in upper abdomen/core/above the navel, below rib cage
  • Visualize the color yellow
  • Governs self-esteem, ego, personal power, intuition (gut instincts), self-love, mental fortitude, willpower, strength
  • Blocked by shame or giving away one's power, sensitivity to criticism, self-image fears
  • Modern Mantra: I am strong and resilient to what others think. I have positive self esteem, and I know my worth. I am not easily manipulated or intimidated. I love myself, and trust my instincts. I find strength in my powerful body and willful mind. I have tremendous will and I use my will to create the life I want. 
HEART
  •    Located in the center of chest
  • Visualize the color green
  • Governs love, feelings of abundance and happiness, forgiveness, letting go, compassion, unconditional love, trust, confidence
  • Blocked by hate, envy, jealously, lack of compassion, hatred, grief, inability to let go, loneliness 
  • Modern Mantra: I am SO loved, by people near and far, by my personal pets, and of course, I love myself! I feel only compassion and happiness for others' abundance. People want to be around me. I am able to easily forgive and forget. I let go of that which no longer serves me. I strive to see all ends of a situation. I am not quick to pass judgment. I allow the heart to lead me. I trust in love and will be filled with love and in turn give love easily to others. 
THROAT
  • Located in the throat and neck
  • Visualize the color blue
  • Governs the need for personal responsibility and accountability, truthfulness, willingness to give benefit of the doubt, expression (especially creatively), faith
  • Blocked by lies, deceit, judgmental attitudes, lack of faith, inability to express oneself or opinions, not taking care of the physical and mental body, lack of authority 
  • Modern Mantra: I express myself appropriately, creatively, and with conviction. I will continue to believe in the future, not dwell in the past. I take responsibility for my physical well being. I am honest. I give others the benefit of the doubt. I do not judge by how others appear. I trust that everything I need will come.
THIRD EYE 
  • Located on brow line/forehead 
  • Visualize the color indigo
  • Governs intuition, insight, wisdom, opening of the mind, understanding, psychic abilities, intellect, reality check 
  • Blocked by illusion, judgement, fear of truth, lack of discipline, confusion, inability to discern reality from fantasy
  • Modern Mantra: I am wise. I am intuitive, and have the ability to look past judgement to see all ends. I can tune in accordingly. I have a healthy idea of reality. I have an open mind. My intellect is strong. I am connected.
CROWN
  • Located at the top of the head
  • Visualize the color violet 
  • Governs connection to the divine, faith, communication with spirit, integration of the whole, point where pure cosmic energy enters the body, living for now
  • Blocked by earthly attachments, lack of purpose, loss of identity or meaning, loss of trust in the universe's ability to provide
  • Modern Mantra: I trust that the spirit will provide and protect. I trust that the universe will manifest what I need. I am open to receiving the goodness and abundance of the universe. I live for each moment. I am inherently connected to the divine. The divine lives in me. I am divine.


Light and love to you all. And always remember to LIVE FOR EACH MOMENT.


 

  

Thursday, January 1, 2015

Happy New Year! 2015 = Mind, Body, Spirit Transformation

"The Spirit Tree," a beautiful Red Mulberry in my neighborhood, a great meditation spot!

   Hello again! I haven't written in this blog for many moons now (a normal occurrence for me when it comes to keeping blogs) but I figure the first day of the new year is a GREAT time to write again! I hope everyone had a great holiday season and are looking forward to 2015! I, for one, am insanely stoked that 2015 is finally here. 


One of my personal favorite mantras is Dance like the Maiden, Laugh like the Mother, Think like the Crone; drawing by me, Theresa Mattiello
      

   So I'll be honest, 2014 was equal parts awesome and rough for me. Lots of AMAZING things happened in 2014, but I also encountered many barriers and limitations in my thinking and physical body. I have done some serious reflecting on all of the issues (both physical and mental) I encountered throughout the year and realized that many of my mental/emotional issues stemmed from insecure feelings, self-doubt, guilt, anxiety, stress and just overall negative cycles of thinking. I spent a good chunk of 2014 rooting out these tender emotions, figuring out exactly why I was feeling them, and why I was allowing my own thoughts to sabotage my progress. On a physical scale, my injuries from 2013 (neck and shoulder) crept up yet again. I knew then that I had to get to the bottom of what causes all of my stress, because a lot of pain occurred right after I had stressed hardcore about something, usually something money related. So, in order to address these issues, I began practicing meditation, to find peace within myself, to decrease the negative feelings and be present in the moment. yoga for my chronic pain, for strengthening and lengthening my body, and keeping me relaxed and mindful; and gratitude, by writing or vocalizing what I am grateful for each day, in order to stop thinking about what I don't have, and in turn, feel the abundance of everything I DO have.

Moonlily feeling the love at the "Spirit Tree"

  In 2015, I want to strengthen these practices. I want to make a part of everyday routine. I want to reap the benefits of meditation for my mind, yoga for my body, and gratitude for my spirit.
Below, I am sharing some great resources for starting your own mind/body/spirit practice. These are the programs I am currently following, and I encourage you to do them too! Everyone's practice will be different. There will be different goals and different barriers to break through. But EVERYONE can benefit from doing this. You just have to do it. Do it for yourself!

"You can do it! We believe in yooooooooouuuu!"

The Benefits of a Mind/Body/Spirit Makeover
 So I've listed three great links that will tell you all about the benefits of meditation, yoga, and gratitude. And I'll tell ya right now, the lists are LONG! :-)

Health and Yoga: Meditation...Its Benefits

Yoga Journal: 38 Health Benefits of Yoga

HappierHuman Blog: 31 Benefits of Gratitude 



Find Your Mantra: Commit to You 2015 by My Yoga on Gaiam TV

 This is a fun interactive quiz that helps you develop a personalized mantra according to what you are looking to get out of your practice. The result mantra I received was I AM HERE. Perfect!

30 Days of Yoga with Adriene 

 I just discovered the amazing-ness that is the Yoga with Adriene youtube channel. Adriene Misler is a yoga teacher/actress from Austin, Texas, and she makes yoga a wonderful, benefitting, and fun experience. She has a warm, grateful, quirky attitude, and she inspires you to do what feels good for your body. Plus, she has the cutest blue heeler puppy. AWWW! I highly recommend you check it out here or go to her actual website, where you can find lots of amazing free yoga videos, tips, and instruction. She is currently holding a 30 days of FREE yoga through her youtube channel and website. For 30 days, starting tomorrow (January 2) she will post videos varying in length and sequences all designed to challenge and inspire people in their at-home private practice. Another great thing about this is you can start whenever you want. I will be starting tomorrow and I simply cannot wait! Check out this video below, and get ready to hop on your mat!



Meditation Invitation: 28 Days of Meditation 

 This is a free guided meditation spread out over four weeks, in four different modules, in which you follow guided meditations aimed at helping you successfully achieve meditation, including posture, seating positions, breathing techniques, visualization, and asanas to open up your hips. The guided meditations are designed to help you reach a "meditation current." I just did the first one today and I really enjoyed it. Though I cannot say I reach a full meditation current, I was definitely relaxed and achieved some clarity. At least enough clarity to write this blog, ha! I definitely invite you to join this program. It is completely free and you don't have to do it in 28 days, but it would be beneficial for you to do so, as each meditation session builds upon another, no matter how successful or unsuccessful it may be. Read this article by Sally Kempton, Daily Meditation Made Easy, for further explanation of what to expect from Meditation Invitation.


Good luck everyone! Namaste.

Chill out, yo!