Begin The Begine

With the  Autumn Equinox shifting the seasons, and other profoundly energizing forces at play, including Mercury’s forward motion, Venus in Scorpio, and a Jupiter/Uranus conjunction, the legitimate  launch of dailybreathjournal is at last lovingly present and accounted for.

Like all else that is changing and re-birthing, Daily Breath was developed from a past that seems of another time, though it was only in 2004 that the first ‘Breaths’ appeared.  The website opened in 2007, beautifully executed, as is this incarnation, by DMYStudio. This third rebirth is the present answer to a future that calls us to synthesize past knowledge and learning, to understand the energies and transitions weaving life together.  The ever increasing speed, the demand to produce more with less ask awareness of  energetic forces, visible and invisible.  We are learning to use these links and layers, along with new muscle required for surrendering to the flow.

If I were to create a mudra for the website, (Mudra is a physical symbol of hand gestures, evoking emotion, healing, and understanding,) it would be of hands cupped open, lifted to heart level. This cup holds my experience and knowledge, mixed with the gifts of your ideas and responses. Let your cup  fill and then lift it up and let it pour  over you,  for this cup-mudra nourishes and replenishes us with the wit and the wonder of our interconnectedness  as we co-create  DailyBreathJournal;  a seed-pod touching worlds mind’s away.

Energetic Forces

Asana: Mayurasana/Peacock.  Not to be confused with Pincha Mayurasana/Tail feathers of the Peacock.  This is a down and dirty pose, requiring as much trial, error and re-do as the Pincha, as a good Daily Breath.  What is it about these graceful Birds that demand we grow power and  resilience through arm, legs and back?

Ideas anyone?

This Mayurasana begins on all fours, with hands inverted, fingers facing knees.  The baby fingers should touch.  Bend elbows, with forearms together, resting diaphragm on the elbows, and chest on back of upper arms.  One by one, extend the legs back, keep them together, strong and straight. On exhaling take body weight onto the wrists and hands, lifting legs off floor, if possible.  Stretch back and head forward until entire body is a plank of power, paralle to the floor. Try not to place any pressure on the ribs.  To come out of pose, lower head to floor, then the legs, then knees.  Release any wrist discomfort by doing hand rotations or stand on hands in Padahastasana- Feet on Hands Pose.

Ps Don’t confuse this pose with Hamsasana/Swan-to be discussed next week.  The difference lies only in the position of the hands being turned forward.  Stay tuned as this will be next week’s Pose.

Health Notes: Clearly, abdominals are strengthened, circulating of blood to abdominal organs, thus improving digestion, helping cure stomach ailments, and spleen.  It releases stomach toxins, moving bowels,  helping with constipation,   It produces strong forearms, elbows and wrists. It strengthens back and legs, and it can help those with diabetes.

Astrology Notes: These are the closing days of  Virgo before the Equinox on 22, (see below,) ushering in Libra energies and fall.  If you did not get your closets, book cases, drawers cleaned out while Virgo’s ruler, Mercury, was retrograde, there is still time, AND there is the demand, particularly this year.  Perhaps the most important clean out of all is our thinking process, again ruled by Mercury.  Holding ourselves accountable to every thought, every ‘shall not’ holding back our best Selves, is truly the rooting out work Virgo would like all of us to attend in her honor.  She is the refiner, and making-better-Momma of the zodiac.

Ayurvedic Notes: Because we have entered Vata Dosha (imbalances) territory with fall winds, see last week’s breath, it is time to have more dietary awareness of Vata’s needs, and the foods that throw it off center.  The following are very general guidelines if you carry large amounts of Vata energy.

Good or balancing food suggestions: sweet fruits,  but not dried fruit,  Cooked vegetables are better than raw, ie choose green beans or asparagus over salad this time of year.  Cooked oats, rice and wheat are better grains than barley, corn, or rye.  Seafood, chicken, turkey, eggs and beef are a better protein choice than pork, or lamb. Dairy and nuts are OK in small amounts.  Use your Virgo energy and simply become more discriminating