My Body | My Temple

Conjunction in the Junction

I bought a condo in the Junction, part investment property, part assurance to my parents that I would have a place to call my own in the distant future.

In the mean time, my Studio at Queen and Dovercourt fit my life perfectly. I moved to Queen West West before the Drake, before anyone dreamed of putting up condos. The Studio was my best friend, the backdrop for my travels and healing spot for my students. “I’m staying with you until the end.” Was my mantra to my abode. In the back of my mind I knew that our time was limited. The building was getting old, the owners anxious to sell. It was built in the early 1900’s and used for manufacturing of all kinds of things – most recently a lamp factory. After 13 years in the place, I still found sewing needles popping up out of the floor boards, proof of the women who sewed lamp shades in the very spot I taught Yoga classes. In the summer the sun would come in and bounce the light off of my disco ball all over the space. And in the winter the radiator and pipes would clang as a reassurance that heat was on its way. We’ve had had blow out parties of 300 people together and lots of fun nights with lovers who have since come and gone. I always came home to my beloved Studio.

  Fast forward four years…

In February the letters from the condo company became more frequent. Pre-delivery inspection, mortgage, insurance, appliance. WTF? Between working, teaching and planning Yogapalooza in Brampton, Montreal and Dubai – my head and hands were full. I hired a realtor and asked him to take care of renting my new space. That was until I saw it.

We walked in and something tugged at my heart. The view, the newness, the compactness and ah the decorating possibilities! We took pictures and I told the Universe to take care of it by May 10. I started a meditation called Ganpatee – to make the impossible possible. And I let it go – asking for what was highest and best. On April 29, I picked up the keys to the new condo. That evening I received a notice from my current landlord confirming that our building was being torn down, everyone had to vacate by August 30. That was that.

In that moment I decided to commit to the new space to let it be perfectly suited to the new places I wanted to go in my life. “You have to move, and so arguing with it is futile” this from my friend in London. She was right, I could not argue with the synchronicity. This was a heart practice. I knew I needed to trust it would all work out, that everything would end up in a box and that the timing would be perfect.

And it is. I moved at 6am on May 14 and by 11pm on May 15 all the boxes were unpacked. Many thanks to my friends who stepped in with sound advice, my students for the vision boards and my family for blessing the new space. And of course to all the Yogis who guided the process from beyond.

Looking back i can see this was a change I didn’t even know I needed. In allowing everything to unfold there was so little effort required. In being rather than doing I found a peaceful quiet place to call my own. And it just happens to have a great view overlooking the lake.

The most challenging part about moving – was finding a new space to teach from. I love the idea of using modern technology to share the ancient technology of Kundalini Yoga. So, the next course I am offering, Yoga for Prosperity, will be held exclusively online. Cool.

We will be back together on May 30 from 7:30pm to 9:30pm. We will be using Skype (free to download) and as long as you have high speed internet connection and a camera you can join in from anywhere in the world. I am looking forward to how this will unfold and welcome you to the experience. If you are ready to explore Kundalini Yoga, have something that you want to manifest in your life and have an open mind – this is the time to check it out.

Details are here.

Love Through the Chakras - The Aura

A few years ago I had the privilege of seeing the Dalai Lama at the Rogers’ centre here in Toronto.  It was a huge venue, and thousands of people were seated in the stadium waiting for his talk.  The sound of gongs marked his entrance.  As he walked in, I had a distinct physical sensation of his presence, I actually sat back in my seat from the impact.  That sensation has stayed with me ever since. 

 We all know people like this, they light up a room, all eyes turn to look when they walk in and there is a certain shine around them.   This is the power of the electromagnetic field.  Your aura has the ability to uplift everyone – no words necessarily.  Your aura surrounds your physical body and for most people is about three feet.  For someone  consciously working on their aura, it can extend to nine feet.  Singing and chanting mantras and wearing white are all techniques that expand the aura.  The colour white is the union and reflection of all colours.  A Teacher wears white to hold the space for higher consciousness and to create a powerful presence for her class. 

 The Aura is the 8^th Chakra and also marks the last class of the Love Through the Charkas series.  It has been an inspiring and uplifting experience to work with a dedicated group of students.  It was always an adventure to see who would show up, where the conversations would turn and what topics would challenge us.  By this last class everyone was ready for their on camera moment.  Here they all are sharing their pivotal moments with us:

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFTnPkqihjo

 On a related and separate note – transformation is well underway at the YogaVision Studio.  After 13 years in Queen West its time to start fresh.  By this time next week I will be in my new digs in the Junction. 

 This is also the first step of a greater vision I have been holding for YogaVision.  I love the idea of using modern technology to share the ancient technology of Kundalini Yoga. So, the next course I am offering, Yoga for Prosperity, will be held exclusively online.  Cool. 

 We will be back together on May 30 from 7:30pm to 9:30pm.  We will be using Skype (free to download) and as long as you have high speed internet connection and a camera you can join in from any where in the world.  I am looking forward to how this will unfold and welcome you to the experience.  If you are ready to explore Kundalini Yoga, have something that you want to manifest in your life and have an open mind – this is the time to check it out. 

 Details are here.  

 With love,

 Salimah

Love Through the Chakras - The Crown

We started class on Monday with a simple question.  “What is your connection to  your soul?”

 Here are some of the answers:

 “It’s the part of me that knows more than I let myself acknowledge”

 “It is the relationship I have to my own truth”

 “It is knowing beyond the obvious”

 “My body does what my soul tells it to do”

 “I don’t know.  I never really thought about it before.” 

 The answers were all brilliant and profound, exactly the type of stuff that makes a Teacher proud and humble at the same time.  From a Yogic perspective, the soul is undying and unborn.  The soul chooses to have a human birth; the gender, the colour, the size and shape of you are all part of this choice.  The soul has no judgment on it.  Its here to do a job – elevate.  What we do with the experience is our own stuff.

The Crown Chakra is symbolized by the colour purple and the thousand petal lotus.  The unfurling of this flower alludes to the heightened functioning of the pineal gland.  This gland is located in the centre of the skull and is responsible for sleep and waking patterns and metabolism.  It works in conjunction with the pituitary gland to regulate hormones and secretions in the body.  The pineal gland is also the home for the soul.  When the body dies, the soul releases from this gland.  Pretty heady stuff – pun intended. 

The human talent of this Chakra is boundlessness, surrender to a greater power and trusting what is necessarily will happen.  The shadow of boundlessness is grief.  Grief may show up as addiction to certain behaviors or substances, ways that we block our natural sense of expansion and freedom. 

Click here to practice a dynamic kriya to activate the Crown Centre. 

On a personal note – this was one of my favorite classes.  As a group we have now spent 40 days together, enough time to add change or remove a habit.  We have evolved and transformed in both subtle and profound ways.  Its lovely to watch everyone interact during Karma Yoga and share experiences along the way. 

 Here is Nelu talking about her experience from class.

   

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