Figure 8 group work

Here is yesterday's  Figure 8 exercise done in a group .  I love to practice it in a group like this because the energy is so stronger when we practice together .  We begin by working the energy flow as in the solo exercise and once  we have established this,  we then expand our awareness  and   imagine and feel the energy circulating  through   everyone in the group , imagining the thumbs directing energy in the top of everyone's head down through all our hearts etc.   This is a great way of expanding one's energy and connecting with each other.

Double Figure 8 Exercise

Here is one of John Kells Figure 8 exercises . In this exercise we work both hands simultaneously , drawing  ' earth's ' energy up through our body filling the heart and as it spills out like a fountain we direct it up to
 ' heaven  '  imagining that it reaches to eternity and beyond. We then turn the hands over and direct
  ' heaven's ' energy down through the top of our head  once again filling the heart with energy  ( this time heavens energy ). The hands turn over and direct the energy out from our heart and send it down into the earth to complete one cycle of the energy circuit. The energy can be imagined as a light  ( white or gold ) which cleanses and recharges the body as it passes through.  One can also feel it as a flow  through the body just like an internal shower.

How beautiful  from my dear tai chi friend and companion Pat  I just had to share it.

 " Do you know Yeats's translation of the Upanishads?  According to the introduction, the same Sanskrit word for essence, being, served for honey, and Yeats, being the poet he was, chose 'honey' to use in his translation.  I've attached the section where he uses it,  which is one of my favourite bits.  The book ends@

This is perfect.  that is perfect.  Perfect comes from perfect.  Take perfect from perfect;  the remainder is perfect.
May peace and peace and peace be everywhere.


The Ten Principal Upanishads
put into English by Shree Purohit Swami  and W B Yeats

Book V

This earth is the honey of all beings;  all beings the honey of this earth.
The bright eternal Self that is in earth, the bright eternal Self that lives in this body,
are one and the same;
that is immortality, that is Spirit, that is all.

Water is the honey of all beings;  all beings the honey of water.
The bright eternal Self that is in water, the bright eternal Self that lives in human seed,
are one and the same;
that is immortality, that is Spirit, that is all.

Fire is the honey of all beings;  all beings the honey of fire.
The bright eternal Self that is in fire, the bright eternal Self that lives in speech,
are one and the same;
that is immortality, that is Spirit, that is all.

Wind is the honey of all beings;  all beings the honey of wind.
The bright eternal Self that is in wind the bright eternal Self that lives breath,
are one and the same;
that is immortality, that is Spirit, that is all.

The sun is the honey of all beings;  all beings the honey of the sun.
The bright eternal Self that is in the sun, the bright eternal Self that lives in the eye,
are one and the same;
that is immortality, that is Spirit, that is all.

The quarters are the honey of all beings;  all beings the honey of the quarters.
The bright eternal Self that is in the quarters, the bright eternal Self that lives in the ear,
are one and the same;
that is immortality, that is Spirit, that is all.

The moon is the honey of all beings;  all beings the honey of the moon.
The bright eternal Self that is in the moon, the bright eternal Self that lives in the mind,
are one and the same;
that is immortality, that is Spirit, that is all.

Lightning is the honey of all beings;  all beings the honey of lightning.
The bright eternal Self that is in lightning, the bright eternal Self that lives in the light of the body.
are one and the same;
that is immortality, that is Spirit, that is all.

Thunder is the honey of all beings;  all beings the honey of thunder.
The bright eternal Self that is in thunder, the bright eternal Self that lives in the voice,
are one and the same;
that is immortality, that is Spirit, that is all.



Air is the honey of all beings;  all beings the honey of air.
The bright eternal Self that is in air, the bright eternal Self that lives in the hollow of the heart,
are one and the same;
that is immortality, that is Spirit, that is all.

Law is the honey of all beings;  all beings the honey of law.
The bright eternal Self that is in law the bright eternal Self that lives as the law in the body.
are one and the same;
that is immortality, that is Spirit, that is all.

Truth is the honey of all beings;  all beings the honey of truth.
The bright eternal Self that is in truth, the bright eternal Self that lives in this body.
are one and the same;
that is immortality, that is Spirit, that is all.

Mankind is the honey of all beings;  all beings the honey of mankind.
The bright eternal Self that is in mankind the bright eternal Self that lives in a man,
are one and the same;
that is immortality, that is Spirit, that is all.

Self is the honey of all beings;  all beings the honey of Self.
The bright eternal Self that is everywhere, the bright eternal Self that lives in a man,
are one and the same;
that is immortality, that is Spirit, that is all.

This is the honey that Dadheechi gave to Ashweenikumars.  A sage said to Ashweenikumars:  'As a reward for cutting off his head and substituting a horse's head Dadheechi gave you this honey, daring man!  I proclaim this news, as thunder proclaims the rain.  Dadheechi kept his word;  though this honey was his secret, he gave it;  gave this secret of creation.

'He made the two-footed;  He made the four-footed.  He, the great god, became the bird, entered into its body.  He is the God who lives in all bodies.  There is nothing that does not fill him;  nothing that He does not fill.

'He wanted every form, for He wanted to show Himself;  as a magician He appears in many forms, He masters hundreds and thousands of powers  He is those powers, those millions of powers, those innumerable powers.  He is Spirit;  without antecedent, without precedent, without inside, without outside;  omnipresent, omniscient.  Self is Spirit.  That is revelation.

First Lesson of the Short Form for Blackrock beginners

End of term at ARC House

What a great term we had at ARC . The other day I was writing about great teachers but great students are just as important.
In my role as teacher I have been blessed by meeting and sharing this practice with truly amazing students , many who have become companions on this inward journey of self discovery.  People  who like me aspire to having a  " Beginners Mind  " always curious for new insights , new connections, and most importantly a bit of fun along the way.

Words have Power

Words have great power.

 It was  my teacher Steven Moore who first drew my attention to the power of words.

 He would invite us to think of words such as Relax as we did our warm-ups , and asked us to notice how including the repetition of the word helped the relaxation process.

What a gift this teaching has been.

Words affect us they awaken responses in our bodies.

Take a few minutes to check this out for yourself .

Here are some Power words ,

 Love , Peace , Silence, Space, Harmony, Joy , Serenity .

Read the list slowly  notice which one resonates with you right now.

Now close your eyes and slowly repeat that word for a few minutes. .  .  .

  .   .  .


Notice how you are feeling ,  if you are like me you will have noticed a shift in your internal feeling , you will be feeling calmer , more connected , more at peace.

The reason this works  ( I believe ) is because  these words are close to our true nature and when we repeat them we tune in to that nature which is always  present.

All these words work for me , sometimes Space feels right often Love is the one. Play with them and find your own favourites.

 With Love Ann

Great Teachers

I have  been pondering  on some of the the great teachers in my life,  thinking about what they share in common.
Passion for and love of their work come to mind. All of these teachers are completely devoted to their work, it is not a 9-5 pursuit.
 They live and  breath the work , so it becomes ' them '. Every cell of their body knows the work and so their work radiates from the inside out.
 This means the energy of their work  in the space around their body it radiates out from them.
. This I believe is why we learn so much in their company, both consciously and unconsciously through  a resonance that occurs between us.
 The more we as students tune into the work the more we resonate with the teaching and teacher and the more we are nourished in and by their presence and teaching.
To recognise a teacher one must be awake to their work this I feel is why some people 'get' a teacher while others are unmoved in their presence.
 Neither person is at fault , it is just that they are on different paths.
 A teaching which is perfect for one person is not necessarily correct for someone else.
 We all come here to grow and learn .
 I believe when we  ' ask ' we are given , given directions to the teachings and teachers who will point us in the right direction for our growth and evolution.
 Each one of us has an inner compass and so we can recognise our teachers, it is our job to use our compass and  keep it close by so we stay on track.