Prana Pages

An Energetic Read of Obama’s Redesigned Oval Office

TeriLeigh — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 19:12:44 +0000

I am not one to get involved in political debates. I don’t claim to be a Democrat or Republican or Independent. At my own fault, I tend to pay less attention to government and politics than is probably healthy. This is all a disclaimer to state that what you are about to read is purely an energetic read on Obama’s redesign of the Oval Office, not to make any political statements or to support or refute the current or any past administration.

That being said… I find the following facts about Obama’s redecorating of the Oval Office rather interesting.

First of all, the timing of the redecoration is no accident from an energetic and spiritual perspective. The redesign was unveiled on the same day that President Obama announced the end of military involvement in Iraq. While most presidents choose to do some sort of redecoration of the Oval Office, Obama waited some eighteen months or more to put his own flavor on his office. My personal energetic read on this is that Obama needed to invoke some energy of George W. Bush (the man who initiated the military actions in Iraq) in order to bring the military action to a close. He left the Oval Office much like Bush’s office as he continued the job that Bush started, one which Obama openly and vocally opposed. Now that that job is complete, Obama is claiming the office and the power within it as his own. I would not be surprised if we see Obama stepping into more ownership of his role as President and taking more of a stand on issues he supports since this re-design of his work space.

Secondly, the look and feel of the Oval Office is geared towards Obama’s campaign promise of Hope as well as his intent to be of service to the average everyday American. The new rug as well as the artwork of Norman Rockwell and mechanical items all represent the American Dream, Hope. While at the same time, the furniture has taken a more relaxed feel, speaking to the average American living room.

Finally, it is a little known fact that President Obama carries in his pocket a tiny statue of Hanuman, the Hindu Monkey Deity of Devotion, a symbol of Selfless Service. Obama carries this keepsake as a constant reminder to himself that he is in service to the American people at all times. The redecoration of The Oval Office is no exception. According to the New York Times “The makeover was not done at taxpayer expense; the White House said the costs were covered by the White House Historical Association, a non-profit group, through a contribution from the committee that paid for Mr. Obama’s inauguration.” ’Tis no surprise as the Obamas paid for the remodeling of their White House Private Residence out of their own pockets. Maintaining a very clear boundary between his personal life and his responsibility as a public servant. On another level, the new rug in the Oval Office spouts quotes from many of American History’s famous and respected public servants: Franklin D. Roosevelt, Martin Luther King Jr., John F. Kennedy, Abraham Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt.

On an energetic level, it could be surmised that this redecoration of the Oval Office marks the turning point in Obama’s administration, from one of continuing the work that Bush left unfinished (something every new president must do) to one of stepping into action in his own goals and ideals of the job at hand. It’ll be interesting to see what happens.

Spiritually Inspired and Magically Charged Jewelry

TeriLeigh — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 19:57:29 +0000

Spiritually Inspired and Magically Charged Jewelry

Before Ted and I began our elder initiation experience, we had the pleasure and opportunity to work in tandem to help facilitate the healing of a dear friend of ours, Gary Stucchi, before he had surgery. While Ted performed QiGong healing, I offered an aura/chakra reading complete with prescriptions for Gary. An hour after the session, we packed our bags into the car and headed to our initiation.

As is occasionally the case, we asked that instead of financial payment for our services, Gary bless us with his own talent, jewelry design. We asked him to make us something special in return for our service to him. He made us the most beautiful pendants, a gold one for me with Ted’s birthstone, and silver one for Ted with my birthstone.

When we opened the gift from Gary, we felt the power of the intention behind the pieces. In the card that accompanied the pendants, Gary wrote, “My intention was to make something that would somehow mark that day, the day you left to begin your journey into eldership, and also the day the two of you first worked together…The theory behind the pendant is to mark the sun’s position in the sky relative to you on that particular day. The stone in the center is your birthstone, and the diamond represents the sun…so when you wear the pendant you have a part of each other with you, and also a reminder that when you are together, magic happens.” I have worn the pendant every day since, and have received countless comments and compliments on its design.

If you have a special occasion, or just want to have a beautiful talisman to present to a loved one that holds spiritual significance and a magical charge, contact Gary Stucchi of Stucchi Jewelers in Natick MA for a custom design of your own. Gary is a yoga instructor, Reiki practitioner, jeweler, artist, and friend. His custom design jewelry is inspired by yogic tradition, astrology, shamanic teachings, esoteric wisdom, love, and divine guidance.

Restaurant Review: Maxwell’s in Natick MA

TeriLeigh — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 19:56:25 +0000

Restaurant Review
Maxwell’s
Natick MA

As a yoga teacher, for years I have been teaching the value of eating mindfully, denying the cultural bad habits of treating food as the enemy and granting it the respect and honor it deserves. Last month, I had the pleasure of dining at a restaurant that embodies these teachings. Maxwell’s in Natick, MA. Mitchell Maxwell, founder and head chef at Maxwell’s, is fulfilling his karmic life purpose as a chef, preparing and serving food as nourishment to the bodies and souls of his patrons.

I ordered a simple kobe burger, and started with an appetizer of cool sesame noodles, finished with an almond marscapone cheese torte. But, I dined with five friends, and we were compelled to dine “family style” and pass the plates around the table. I tasted many items from the menu and enjoyed everything to the fullest. However, unlike any other fine dining experience where my tastebuds usually overide the size of my stomach, at Maxwell’s I only ate until I was satisfied, not craving a bite more than my body needed. Despite the fullness of the flavors and the delight of my tastebuds, something stopped me from wanting more than was nourishing. I felt complete, satisfied, and took home enough for dinner the next night. I have never experienced this phenomenon in a restaurant before.

A few days later I had the pleasure of offering a chakra reading to Mitchell Maxwell, and I learned quickly why my dining experience at his restaurant (on an energetic level) was so fabulous. Mitchell is a born chef. Everyone has a dominant chakra, and sometimes my clients reveal to me a secondary dominant chakra. The dominant chakra is the one that holds the energy most closely related to that individual’s divine purpose. A secondary dominant chakra is one that feeds and supports the energy of the primary dominant chakra. Mitchell’s dominant chakra, the root, and secondary dominant, the heart, support his life purpose to nourish people with food, provide sustenance and support on the physical nutritional level.

If you live anywhere in the New England area, Maxwell’s Restaurant and Mitchell’s loving support to your digestive needs is an experience you cannot miss!

Getting off the drugs

TeriLeigh — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 19:55:24 +0000

Body Wisdom
Getting off the drugs

Always consult your physician before attempting to change your medical treatment!

Many clients come to me with the desire to eliminate the dependency of drugs such as anti-depressants, anti-anxiety, and sleeping aids. Some of them deal with panic attacks, others are facing menopause symptoms, some struggle with eating disorders, and others battle with depression. While the drugs seemingly “do the job” of addressing the symptoms, they also tend to leave the patient in a state of neutrality, often described as “numbness”.

When you want to reduce or eliminate your use of prescription medication, ALWAYS CONSULT YOUR PHYSICIAN!

Mental health conditions such as depression, addiction, eating disorders, anxiety, etc. appear to me energetically as a separate energetic entity, almost like a monster, feeding off the energetic system of the client. Like alcoholism, the monster is fed to a level of tolerance and then the desire only increases. The longer the client suffers the condition, the more the “monster” takes over the energy of the person. Prescription drugs essentially put the monster to sleep, but also at the risk of numbing the energy of the client as well. This is why one of the most common side effects of anti-depressant and anti-anxiety medication is excessive drowsiness.

When you want to reduce or eliminate your use of prescription medication, ALWAYS CONSULT YOUR PHYSICIAN!

Please take serious note that this article is written from a PURELY energetic approach. I cannot and will not speak to the physicality of such situations, and thus a doctor MUST be consulted to safely reduce or eliminate use of prescription medication. When one has been living with an energetic monster like this for some time, the monster can be mean and ugly, and letting him awaken from his drug induced slumber could be extremely hazardous!

That being said, I recommend a three prong approach:

1. Talk to your doctor. Continue your psychotherapy. Discuss the potential side effects, the warning symptoms, and the potential outcomes of going off the drugs. Follow your doctor’s orders based on the physical and medical needs of your situation.

2. Begin a daily mindful exercise program such as tai chi, qigong, or prayerful yoga. It is essential that this exercise practice be one that focuses the mind on the spiritual benefits of healing. Spring Forest Qigong Master Chunyi Lin talks of the energetic and cellular level changes in the body that occur when you accompany positive thought and spiritual intention with physical activity. These energetic changes DO NOT occur when exercise is performed mindlessly. Although an exercise program will help the body produce the chemicals in the brain necessary to combat mental health issues, it is does not change the body on the cellular level. The mindful and spiritual approach provided in tai chi, qigong, and by some yoga classes will shift the energy to support the physicality. In essence, develop a meditation using a positive affirmation of healing to be applied to your physical practice.

3. Complement your therapy with an energetic healer such as a Reiki Master, QiGong healer, Healing Touch Practitioner, or Acupuncturist who has an understanding of the energetic systems of the body and how they are affected by chemical and physical changes.

Warning: skipping savasana could be hazardous to your health.

TeriLeigh — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 19:54:30 +0000

Pose of the Month
WARNING: Skipping SAVASANA could be hazardous to your health!!!

this article is dedicated to all those yoga teachers out there who have struggled to teach their students the value of savasana.

Recently in class, just as I took my last ujjayi breath and wiggled my body into a happy quiet place, the woman next to me started rolling up her mat, and the woman in front of me started shoving her yogitoes into her mat bag, and the woman two rows over sprayed off her block. One by one, four students in the class skipped savasana, packed up and left, shuffling through the room, opening the door, letting in the cold…disturbing the peace.

Throughout the process of a yoga class, many wounds are opened. It’s like removing the bandages on the wounds of life to get some air. We start slow with an integration series, and slowly, piece by piece, we peel away the bandage. Sometimes it sticks to the wound and opening the energy is a little painful. Other times the fresh air feels nice. By the floor series, the wounds are fully exposed. The exposure is good, allowing the rawness inside us to breathe. Now, a doctor wouldn’t undress a wound, clean it, and send you back out onto the streets raw and exposed. A nurse would lovingly redress the wound and provide instruction for promoting further healing on your own. The same is true for a yoga class. Every yoga class ends with a savasana, usually a namaste or closing chant, and a diligent teacher reminds students to drink plenty of fluids and keep smiling. Savasana is the re-dressing of the wound. The sealing of the energetic space to provide protection. A similar procedure is offered in an energetic healing session such as Reiki, Healing Touch, Qigong, or even a simple Swedish Massage. It is a necessary component of the process to offer protection and further the healing.

When you skip savasana in your own practice, you are leaving class as an open channel to receive whatever energies come your way. Imagine it, you spend almost ninety minutes sweating, detoxing, breathing, and working to bring yourself to a pleasurable state of bliss, then you leave early because you have to get to an appointment. As you open the door to leave there’s bound to be one or two yogis in savasana slinging a couple of energetic arrows of disgust for your rudeness your way. Those arrows hit you in the back and they are coated with yogic love, so you don’t notice them right away. But, when you get to your car, suppose there’s a parking ticket on your windshield. It doesn’t really bother you at first, but what you don’t realize is that the meter maid was in a particularly pissy mood that morning, and she was taking out her aggressions on the cars with expired meters. Her anger went into the ticket, and as you picked up the ticket, your wide open energy accepts all that aggression because the filter of savasana pose wasn’t put into place after you left. Driving out of the parking lot, you get flipped the bird from a man in a hurry. His middle finger sent a laser beam of aggression right into your heart. By the time you get to the second stoplight, you’re tapping your own fingers on the steering wheel when the car in front of you didn’t notice the light change right away. By the time you get to your appointment, thirty minutes after your yoga class, most of the calming effects of the practice have been completely erased by the negative forces you have encountered, and you don’t know how to be sweet with the receptionist when she tells you that your appointment needs to be rescheduled.

This example is superficial in nature. However, I have worked with a couple of clients who spoke to me about how their worlds had been shattered in more ways than one since beginning a yoga practice, about how they are realizing the hugeness of the traumas of the world on a whole new level, and they don’t know how to handle it. In each case, the result was major injury or illness that brought the yoga practice to a screeching halt. The client had to develop a whole new approach to yoga, learning the value of yin, the power of Sukha (surrender), and the necessity of savasana, as that was the only pose their body allowed anymore.

It’s true. Yoga opens up the wounds. It changes your life. It makes you face your shit. It’s hard enough to open up your own wounds and face the issues and results of them on and off your own mat without having to deal with the crap of everyone you encounter.

So take savasana.

Allow yourself two minutes (more is better) to redress the wounds, to seal the surface so that you can maintain the blissful state just a little longer each day you practice and not accept other people’s dirt into your rawness. If you absolutely MUST leave class early, skip the hips or the final twist and take savasana early.

Oh, and be kind to those around you, set yourself up in the back of the room, inform the teacher of your intentions to leave early, and get your little butt out the door before their savasana begins. The Emily Post of yoga would thank you.

Eldership - a life of service: friendship, all the time, anywhere and everywhere

TeriLeigh — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 19:52:54 +0000

Eldership - a life of service
Friendship, all the time, anywhere and everywhere

When I was a little kid, I used to marvel at how my dad could make friends with anyone. Some of his friends were only temporary, like the the waitress at a restaurant, or the man in front of him in line at the DMV, while others were more consistent like the teller at the bank, or the clerk at the grocery store. He always made an effort to call them by name, and they remembered his. Their faces always lit up when he returned to their places of business. He burned no bridges, and supported many joists within community.

So when I asked him to come support the community and myself through my elder initiation, I had no doubt that Dad would make friends with everyone on the land. Within minutes, he had made himself right at home. He happily cleaned up the kitchen mess left by a goblin peanut butter and jelly lover. He swung an axe splitting wood while asking questions to elicit lifetime stories from fellow workers. By sharing my childhood stories with my friends, he unwittingly brought a deeper level of intimacy to my friendships. He observed everything quietly from behind the scenes, and did whatever he could to soothe bruised egos, to smooth rough waters between individuals, and to soften the jagged path of daunting tasks.

At the Homecoming Celebration, Dad was acknowledged by the community. As I was honored as an elder, my friends and fellow elders also honored my father for his willingness to serve, lovingly and unconditionally. Somehow, the words spoken by others to me about my father matched almost identically the words spoken by others to my father about me. Like father like daughter.

Although I cannot express in words the power of my initiation experience, I have realized that since becoming and elder I have a greater capacity for love, a greater ability to appreciate and validate every person, despite and because of their faults and failings. In essence, becoming an elder has imbued upon me the responsibility of being a friend to anyone and everyone, at their best and at their worst, at any moment in time, as I have witnessed my father do my whole life.
I have come to learn that the wisdom I attained during my initiation has always been in my DNA, gifted to me by my father. For this, I am forever grateful.

Almond Butter - Yum

TeriLeigh — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 19:48:41 +0000

During my elder initiation we ate African Stew everyday. We sat around the fire with our fingers in clay bowls of stew and drinks in calabashes and talked about what American food we missed and looked forward to enjoying at our Homecoming. Of course, my tastebuds yearned for a chocolate chip cookie (see photo). Ted, of course, missed his daily injections of peanut butter. But alas, several of our fellow initiates commented to him that Almond Butter is better than peanut butter…and so a month later we found a gift on our doorstep from one of those friends…an 18 pound bucket of almond butter! So, I’m looking around for good uses for almond butter as I don’t want to give it all away (although we have plenty of friends and family willing to enjoy our gift with us). I found this recipe at www.bestnaturalfoods.com.

If anyone else has any great Almond Butter recipes of favorite ways to eat it (beyond the typical substitute for PB), I’d love to hear them.

Afterglow Almond Butter Dressing Recipe

½ cup Woodstock organic smooth almond butter
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon Bragg Liquid Aminos
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon brown rice vinegar (or rice vinegar)
1 crushed garlic clove (or ½ teaspoon minced)
1 teaspoon curry powder
¾ cup vegetable broth (canned or from powder)
¼ teaspoon salt (depends on amount of sodium in broth - taste before adding)

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender.
2. Purée until smooth. Chill.
3. Use on cooked vegetables or as a salad dressing.
4. Will keep refrigerated for one week.
Serves 10
Serving Size: 2 tablespoons
Nutrition Analysis per Serving: 90 calories, 9 grams fat, 0.5 grams saturated fat, 5 grams monounsaturated fat, 1.5 grams polyunsaturated fat, 3 grams protein, 4 grams carbohydrates, 0.5 grams fiber, 200 milligrams sodium

Thumbs Up

TeriLeigh — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 19:47:59 +0000

“Give it a thumbs up.”
“Are you all thumbs?”
“Can you keep it under your thumb?”

We have so many phrases and idioms that we use for the thumbs, an appendage that more often than not we take for granted. During my initiation, I accidentally cut the webbing of my left thumb. In order of it to heal properly, I had to tape my thumb to my hand. For three days, my left ‘flipper’ as I nicknamed it, prevented me from doing many tasks, even though I am right handed. This brought me to recognize that the thumb really allows me the capability to “do” things, to make things happen, in essence, to manifest my thoughts into action and creation.

In yoga, I often see newer students trying to do poses by propping up on their thumbs rather than resting on the whole hand. For example, they tuck their thumbs under in down dog rather than planting the whole hand and pushing into the palm of the hand. If a student continues to practice down dog in this manner, over time their thumb joint will ache because it is not meant to hold the weight of the whole upper body by itself. What these newer students learn when they plant the whole hand on the floor is that they are more supported by the stability of the palm of the hand versus the shakiness of the thumb joint. When the whole palm of the hand is open and active, it is fully receptive to the things one is trying to manifest in life. This energetically teaches the system to “try easier” and let things happen for us.

The phrase “I’m all thumbs” implies that one is clumsy, energetically this is because the thumb requires the participation of other fingers or the whole hand to perform most functions. This is metaphoric of the concept of “doing one’s part to meet the Universe half way.” In yoga language, the thumb is the sthira (effort) but cannot manifest what it needs without the sukha (surrender) of itself to the other parts of the hand. Whereas when we are trying to “keep something under our thumb” we are trying to control something. Thus, often pains in the thumb are indicative of issues of over-controlling situations. Pains in the thumb quite often radiate up to the wrist where we hold issues of perfectionism. I’m always amazed at the response I get when I ask people complaining of wrist pain if they are perfectionists and I tell them that wrists are where we hold issues of control and perfectionism. But that’s another article…

So, while my left thumb has healed, today I am nursing a scrape on my right thumb pad, the only injury sustained from a head first dive off my front step when my dog went chasing after a squirrel. I have to ask myself what am I trying to hard to manifest, and how can I let go a little, open my hand, and allow the fruits of my labors to come back to me.

Backbends, Yoga’s espresso shot

TeriLeigh — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 19:47:02 +0000

My friend Tamsy has always inspired me with her willingness to face the challenges of the world head-on, with a wide open huge heart. Her facebook profile photo pictured here is indicative of how she evenly balances strength with vulnerability, groundedness with openness in urdva danurasana, aka wheel pose, aka chakrasana, a pose that exposes the inside of all seven major chakra centers.

The Physicality of Backbends
Practiced appropriately, backbends come from leg strength. The support from the strength of the legs stabilizes the pelvis to a solid center ‘bowl’ from which the spine can lift up and out to extend into full backbend expression. If the pelvis is not stabilized, it is easy to collapse the spine into the more flexible lumbar vertebrae, resulting in low back strain and pain. At the same time, the compression that occurs on the back-side of the body in a backbend causes pressure on the adrenal glands. This is why backbends are often called “yoga’s espresso shot” because the pressure on the adrenals kicks on the adrenaline, thus waking up the system. When adrenaline is released, the sympathetic nervous system kicks into gear, raising the heart rate and blood pressure. No wonder classes get buzzing during the wheel series. Unfortunately, just like a morning caffeine kick can develop into a dependency on diet coke or thrice daily mocha lattes, it is easy for yogis to develop habit-forming backbending addictions, craving nature’s high from the adrenaline within one’s own system. Power yogis who develop this condition can suffer from symptoms of adrenal exhaustion such as exhaustion laden insomnia, back pain that cannot be relieved by chiropractic adjustments, loss of appetite, weight loss…and many other symptoms similar to someone on speed. On the flip side, backbends performed safely from leg strength develop strong muscles around the vertebrae, supporting flexibility of the spine and descreasing spinal issues that result in countless chiropractice visits.

The Energetics of Backbends
The full expression of a backbend is energetically the full expression of compassion and loving kindness. It is a place where forgiveness, sweetness, and connectedness wins out over resentment, anger, and depression. While the heart chakra has an amazing capacity for love, compassion, forgiveness, and compassion, if it is not properly ‘fed’, like any container, it can get strained. When the heart chakra is strained, the results can be disastrous: cardiac disease, breast cancer, and asthma. Thus, the heart chakra needs to be ‘fed’ regularly, through energy from from the other chakras, ultimately from the universe through the crown chakra and from the earth through the root chakra. When a full backbend is evenly supported from the legs, through the pelvis and core into the heart, the energy of the heart chakra is an expression of the unconditional love of Mother Earth flowing through the pleasure center (sacral chakra) and the power center (core chakra) and out our heart center.

So yes, when you need a little kick, try a backbend instead of a latte. But beware the effects of overdoing it and allow “less is more” to be a mantra when breathing through the sixth wheel. You just might find yourself healing some very old wounds and reconnecting with some lost loves of your life. It’s better than Facebook!

Eldership - on the yoga mat

TeriLeigh — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 19:45:55 +0000

At the end of my elder initiation, I was presented with a staff and a stool. The staff to represent the higher wisdom that has been installed into my bones, and the stool to represent the elevated status I have achieved within the community. I have come to learn that this status expands far beyond the reach of my work in African shamanism, but applies to my work as a yoga instructor as well.

My yoga practice has evolved over the years. When I first started practicing, I’d drive 90 minutes on the weekends to attend a Bikram class, and then practice at home during the week to a Bikram tape (the old fashioned audio cassette type). More often than not, I practiced alone. Then, I moved and practiced in the studio religiously. When I wasn’t inspired enough by that, I started attending yoga retreats and workshops, always looking for inspiration from the teacher. Then I developed a solid home practice, returning from whence I began, with a lot more knowledge on my resume.

Since my elder initiation, I’ve been called to attend classes again, as if to repeat the process with new eyes. Studios are hiring me to consult, to inspire their teachers, to bring the teachers into community with each other. So now, whenever I step onto my mat in a class, I am no longer there to be inspired or served by the teacher. But instead, I am there to serve everyone in the room through my practice and my support, on a subtle energetic level. I can no longer step into a class with any concept of what makes a “good” or “bad” class or any other form of judgment. Essentially, it is my responsibility to step out of my own needs and look at where the teacher and the students in the room are coming from and meet them where they are at, support and validate them for their places in the world, and encourage them compassionately and lovingly to the next step, the next level, without saying a word. My practice must be in full support of the teacher, and be a model to the students around me. Even if that means grooving in warrior pose to that hip hop song I’ve always hated, or listening to the student next to me breathe like a railroad train. It is a total surrender of my ideals and my needs to the essence of being of service to everyone else. It is finding a way to appreciate the hip hop music because it too has value, and loving the railroad breath next to me because it is ujjayi in its own way.

I give of myself, in every class, and the nicest side effect of being in service in this way is that I learn and grow even more. It is from the giving, the service, where my true growth occurs.