Beggar's Bowl

Wednesday, January 24, 2024

INFINITE ABUNDANCE MEDITATION

 

Art by Brittany Blythe-Williams

Welcome back new, returning and crash n burning R & B Yogis! Happy New Year! Another year with more opportunities for us to burn karma and clear the way for our blessings to reach us. These are crucial times for us collectively and individually. We are being asked what are core values are and what we are willing to sacrifice, if anything, to make this planet better. We are also entering an election year and it looks like fascism is officially on the ballot. We need our minds clear and our channels flowing freely so that we can be properly guided and receive the abundance that is ours. So lets start by recommitting to our own deep spiritual practice. And when we reap our harvest, we will share the fruits of our labor with those less fortunate than ourselves with the intention of creating a more equitable world. Lets build it together. One breath at a time.

TO BEGIN: Sit in an Easy Pose, with a light jalandhar bandh, or neck lock. Keep the spine straight. Rub your hands together. Press your thumbs against your sternum holding your hands in prayer pose. Roll your eyes in and up towards your third-eye by crossing your eyes at the bridge of your nose and then lifting your eyes about an inch and a half. If you are unable to sit in "easy pose," you may sit on a hard chair and cross your feet underneath you. 

On two breaths, chant the opening mantra ONG NA MA GURU DEV NAMO which means I bow to the infinite wisdom within. Do this 3 times. For the proper cadence and pronunciation, listen here. If you like what you hear, you can purchase my mantra music on Bandcamp.

MUDRA: Bring the thumbs to touch the mound of the Mercury finger (pinkie) and fold the fingers over the thumb to make tight fists. Bring the forearms parallel to the floor at the Heart Center. Knuckles face each other with a one-inch gap between the hands.

FOCUS: The eye focus is on the tip of the nose.

MANTRA: Chant HAR 4 times out loud, 4 times in a whisper continuously. Make sure the tongue flicks up to the upper palate. The upper palate is connected to the pineal gland. The translation of Har from Gurmuhki to English is God. 

TIME: 11 minutes.

COMMENTS: This meditation contains the ego and allows you to focus on your true identity as a spiritual being with unlimited potential and self-worth. When we put the thumb (ego) at the mound of the Mercury finger, we transform our ego identity through the influence of Mercury, Sun, Saturn and Jupiter. This transformation includes mastering expansion (Jupiter), wisdom and patience (Saturn), endurance (Sun) and communication (Mercury) towards our spiritual identity. We use the mantra HAR to bring new opportunities into our life. By creating mastery at the heart center, we can transform our passion and heart energy into personal and financial success within our spiritual life. Remember—doing meditations creates the opportunity to change our attitudes towards our world. When you do this meditation for at least 120 days, your subconscious can shift into a larger, more expansive attitude about being prosperous (pro-spirit).

TO FINISH: Resume your normal breathing and let the mantra, mudra and pranayama circulate in your body, mind and spirit. Then say aloud the Warrior Healer's Affirmations.

TO CLOSE: Rub your hands together and bring them to prayer pose, palms touching thumbs pressed against your sternum. Chant Long SAT NAM on one breath. Repeat this for a total of three times. Bring your hands to your forehead and bow. This seals the work in your frontal lobe. Your center for decision making. 
So there it is yogis! Lets release what remains of previous years and invite new expansive energy and abundance into 2024. This will be a critical year for ourselves and the planet. 

To participate in our online healing collective, send a heart donation of $15 or more dollars thru PayPal (use the beggars bowl above or email: jogobonitoink@yahoo.com) or CashApp: $hangriLuz. And follow my yoga IG @ rhythmandbreathyoga to ask questions, share your insights and receive encouragement in our group discussion. 

And please, if you choose not to participate but you receive benefits from the contents of this blog, any donation of any amount is greatly appreciated. At the very least, mention me by my name in your prayers and positive thoughts : )

Thank you for taking the time to read and being a part of the Rhythm & Breath healing collective. 


- mama luz 



Tuesday, January 9, 2024

DZIKR :: SUFI PRAYER CIRCLE FOR G A Z A

Salaam, peace, R & B Yogis, Beloveds, lovers, believers, seekers and those that question. I, like many of you, am absolutely devastated by the crimes of humanity being committed against the people of occupied P@lestine by the Iz r a hell i government. I've been crying every day since the most recent carnage began. Although, the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians from the Holy Land (that of the three Abrahamic religions) has been going on for 75 years. I am unbelievably sad. And angry. I feel despair. Guilt. Helplessness and basically feel paralyzed. I try to fight my way out of depression as I have for the majority of my life. 

As I was walking the other day, I asked myself why does this "conflict" feel different than any of the other battles I have engaged in. Probably because every battle I have signed up for, whether it was in a Capoeira jogo (game) or spiritual warfare, I had a deep knowing that victory was mine. Also my faith was unshakeable. But when one puts ones efforts whether they are boycotting, divesting and sanctioning Iz ra hell, or showing solidarity through wearing a kufiyeh, or praying for Gaza, or spreading knowledge about the genocide through posting and sharing on social media, it seems like they are futile against the gargantuan imperialist, colonial war machine backed by Amerikkka's deep pockets. 

But then I remembered, my greatest battles in life were won solely on prayer. And I am reminded of the power of Islam every time I witness the grace the Palestinian people exhibit every time tragedy befalls them and they cry out, "Allahamdulilah! All Praise to Allah!" 

There are 99 Beautiful Names of Allah. There are 99 Divine attributes mentioned in the Quran. There is only one God (La Ilhah il Allah) with 99 different essences. When they are invoked, we call upon that attribute and become that essence. It is the same premise as mantra and meditation. Just a different language and religion. 

The one we will "remember" through Dzikr, is AL MUNTAQUIM. Which means The Avenger.  

We will say: YA MUNTAQUIM which means Oh Avenger. 1,000 times. Which takes a little more than a half hour. 

We will gather online through Zoom on the first new moon of 2024, January 11th at 8- 9pm EST. We will have time to share information and ask questions afterwards. 

One of the best pieces of wisdom I have ever received was from my Sheik in Bahia when I was in the depths of despair after my husband was murdered. I was very sad and angry. Very similar to how I am feeling now. He said:

Let Allah fight your battles. 

I did. And I was able to complete the hardest task I have ever had to see through in life. Let's trust Allah's plan for Palestine, the Palestinian diaspora, the Middle East, the world and ourselves. Lets focus on what is within our ability to do rather than focus on the evil that is escalating and will always be here until it is not. Lets continue to boycott, divest and sanction Iz ra Hell. Lets share actions that are taking place in our cities and throughout the world. Lets wear kufiyehs in solidarity with the Palestinian people. Lets discuss over coffee and at our dinner tables what we are doing to make positive change in our lives and the world. Lets spend our blood dollars at business that are on the right side of history. We have more power than we realize. Let's remember and be comforted by that power. That power is Allah. 

- mama luz