Awakening Ganesha

March 2, 2006                       Monthly  Newsletter                                            Volume 16         

Namaste, 

Please join us for a special Kirtan on Sunday, March 15th at 7:00pm - your donations will assist the community in bringing Karunamayi once again to Sedona for blessings and healing this April.

We are delighted to welcome Barbara Marciniak and the Pleiadians to celebrate the spring equinox March 18-19th, a not-to-be missed event.  Catch up on current events, politics, social issues and practical advice as to how to navigate the current acceleration of energies and challenges.            

Our heartfelt thanks to Cindy Shuster for her generous donation to 7 Centers of art by Navaho artist David John, Arlene Connally and Sherab Khandro.

The Adventures of Lionheart,  Temple Cat

        The Practice of Trataka - Blinkless Gazing

Also known as concentrated gazing, this is an ancient yogic practice cultivated by felines as a useful skill for hunting. Trataka may be performed at any time but the best time is at dawn or dusk when the stomach is empty.

Preparation:  Sit in any comfortable meditation position with the sacrum firmly planted on the ground with head and spine erect.  Close the eyes and relax the whole body, especially the eyes.

Practice:  Be aware of keeping the body steady and tail still during this practice. Open your eyes and gaze steadily at the object you have chosen to focus on - a lizard on a tree for example. Try not to blink or move the eyeballs in any way. Do not strain, as this will cause tension and cause the eyes to flicker.  If the mind begins to wander, gently bring it back to the practice. After a minute or two, when the eyes become tired or water, close the eyes and focus on the after image. When the image fades open the eyes and continue external gazing. After completing, cover the eyes with the paws and gently pat.

Note:  The aim of this practice is to focus the mind and to diminish tendencies towards chattering the teeth and uninhibited chirping noises when seeing a unsuspecting bird -- making the mind one-pointed and awakening inner vision.

Photo courtesy of Dawn Justice

Ambaya's Corner....Practical Ayurveda

Here are some Important Nutrients for Vegetarians to include in their diet in order to get proper amounts of protein and minerals.

Nutritional Yeast

• Most valuable source of B vitamins (including B-12)
• Good source of complete protein (more so than meat)
• Contains trace mineral chromium.
• Contains 18 amino acids and 15 minerals.
• Grown from molasses. At the end of the growth period, the culture is pasteruized to kill the yeast.

Nuts and Seeds

• 1 handful of sunflower and pumpkin seeds will supply over 1/2 your daily requirement of protein.
• Pumpkin protein is the highest source of iron (30%). It is also the best vegetarian source of zinc.  It also has phosphorus, essential fatty acids and magnesium.
• 2Tbs of mixed seeds like flax or pumpkin can provide your entire intake of essential fatty acids, calcium magnesium and zinc.
• Sesame seeds are 20% protein and the best seed source of calcium and iron also including protein and zinc.
• Sunflower seeds are 25% protein and contain iron, calcium and vitamin B.

Kelp and Dulse

• Kelp and Dulse are sea vegetables high in iodine, calcium potassium, magnesium and iron and can be used as a salt substitute.

Blackstrap Molasses

• A by-product sugar syrup after the sucrose has been crystallized, it contains calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, zinc, copper and chromium.

Vedic Astrology: Rahu and Ketu                                  

The North and South Nodes of the Moon

 In Vedic astrology the nodes of the Moon are called Rahu, the north node, and Ketu the south node, and they take on planetary status. As the nodes are called “shadow” planets, their placement in the chart is harder to see or interpret.  They are not real planets, but two points on the ecliptic path where the Moon intersects the path of the Sun orbiting around the Earth. Therefore, they are involved in eclipses (solar and lunar). In Vedic mythology, Rahu is the head of the snake, and Ketu the tail.  Keeping in mind the symbolism of the snake (head and tail) for the nodes of the Moon, they also indicate the kundalini energy. Prominence of the nodes in a chart may also indicate the experience of unusual events in life. Rahu and Ketu are also the “karma” planets, and indicate areas in which we will experience life lessons. Rahu is known to act like the planet Saturn, and Ketu is similar to Mars.

From an Ayurvedic standpoint, Rahu is vata dosha, and Ketu is pitta dosha. On the higher side, Rahu can give inventive, innovative, cutting-edge qualities. Rahu is a worldly, materialistic planet and can create deep desires and strong ambitions and a sense of urgency. It also rules things that are “foreign” or unconventional.  Ketu, however, is the planet of moksha or spirituality. Other significations of Ketu are detachment, renunciation, meditation, introspection, and pilgrimages. Ketu can also make one doubt and create dissatisfaction in life. The nodes are important this March, as there will be two eclipses occurring. A lunar eclipse will take place March 14 on the full moon, and a solar eclipse happens on March 29 on the new moon. Traditionally it is recommended that eclipse days are for spiritual practice and meditation, times for going within. As the nodes are involved, we may possibly experience some surprising, unexpected events! 

Debra Infante, Vedic astrologer, can be reached at (928) 639-0623 for astrological consultations, either in person or by phone.

 7 Centers Yoga Arts

Upcoming Yoga Trainings and Special Workshops

May 8-12        Chakra Yoga Course - NYC  

                    Ruth Hartung/Rockefeller Center

                    5-7am daily

                    Contact Mary: 617-905-6296

Teacher Training Alumni News

We are pleased to announce the graduates of the January/February 2006 Teacher Training Course:

Colleen Webb, Sacramento, CA

Ceileth Drucker, Terlingua, TX

Dennis Richard, Phoenix, AZ

Tashi Campbell, Rapid Creek, Australia

Yehnemsah Oneha, Alburquerque, NM

Jennifer Jibb, New Liskeard, ON

Marya Bradley, Milwaukee, WI

Miya Signor, Brooklyn, NY

Dawn Justice, Santa Rosa, CA

Sonja Englund, Halifax, NS Canada

Lillian Strange, Las Vegas, NV

Krisanne Bender, Bluff, UT

Jennifer Johnson, Condon, MT

Bob Olson, Onamia, MN

Bibiana Domit, Mexico City, Mexico

Congratulations and best wishes in your teaching endeavors.  It was a great month! 

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Rebekah we miss you.  Hope all is well in Costa Rica.

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Mira Murphy (June 05) is teaching yoga and soon will start a yoga nidra class.  Her plans are to volunteer her teaching time at a women's center to propitiate her Saturn. (She obviously did pay attention in Debra's Astrology class!)