YOGA
Tej TV

I’m so happy to share about a project I worked on for most of this year and successfully launched a few months ago. Tejtv.yoga is a streaming platform broadcasting Kundalini Yoga and Meditation every day live from Los Angeles with Tej Kaur Khalsa.

I’ve been a student of Tej and Harijiwan since my first teacher training in 2006 and my life has been completely transformed and uplifted since then.
In 2015 I went to Russia as Tej’s assistant to help with a KY teacher training and that was kind of a turning point in a way.. I’m not sure I have the words right now to explain how much I’ve gained from giving my time and energy to helping the Dharma wherever I can.. but I can see the evidence of the stream of blessings all around me.

The mission of Tej TV is something I’m deeply aligned with so it was a great honor to help bring this project to fruition. The mission statement is as follows:

  • Our Goal is to bring the energy of the Golden Chain onto the planet to heal and uplift humanity.
  • Our Goal is to help elevate people to their highest potential, the inner potential that we all have within. Through these teachings we are here to help people bring an awareness of their higher selves.
  • Our Goal is to dedicate our focus and love to spreading the Teachings of Kundalini Yoga as taught by Yogi Bhajan.
  • We are building an inclusive world-wide community, beyond religion, race, or nationality, that will encompass Earth and Sky.

The 6 month journey it took to bring Tej TV from concept to reality was deeply transforming for me. We encountered a lot of challenges along the way and each one we overcame by just keeping up .. and not backing down. It was an interesting time to be creating this platform as we began in March as the world went in to lock down, while simultaneously the 3HO Kundalini community imploded on itself. It felt more important than ever to put these teachings out to the world in this way.

Have a look at tejtv.yoga and let me know what you think! I’m tremendously proud of what we created and am so excited to see how it grows and evolves into the future.

Group photo after our first live broadcast!

YOGA
Sarbang Dande Kriya

Somehow I was convinced to try doing 11 minutes of Sarbang Dande Kriya every day for a year. I’m so glad. In the last two months of this daily practice, my entire consciousness has totally shifted. Things that seemed impossible are now totally happening. This kriya has immense benefits for the physical body but it also works on the other 9 bodies too, so it’s extremely effective for shifting your entire perception of reality… because it’s working on many levels of your being at once.

The best instruction out there on the internet is from my friend Harimander. Check out his video for complete instructions on doing this correctly. It’s an easy repetitive pattern but it’s important to get the breath right.

If you are like me and don’t historically really enjoy exercise and therefore kind of out of shape.. this kriya is for YOU! 11 minutes every day and you can change your whole relationship to your body – to all 10 bodies. Just set the timer and show up. Do it at the pace you can and just accept where you are at. Go slow, like I do, or take rests as needed. Commit to showing up for the 11 minutes daily and you will see improvement, in all areas.

If you are NOT like me, and already pretty fit, this kriya is also for you! This kriya is a sophisticated technology that will work you out in an entirely new way. Because Kundalini Yoga is a 10 body system, you are getting many more benefits than a regular workout. Try it for 40 days to start and see for yourself.

I’m committed to doing this for a year, thanks to the birthday request of my teacher Harijiwan. He said if we wanted to get him a present, to just do this every day for a year. Somehow that request got through my thick skull and I just went for it. I’m so incredibly glad I did. I can’t tell you enough how deep an impact this has had on my life. I wish for you the same. Keep up and let me know how it goes 🙂

Instructions (from Harimander’s Youtube) :

Between the veins and the arteries, spaced every few inches, are tiny valves. This is how the blood gets circulated through the system. These valves are responsible for the rejuvenation of the cells in the body. In this exercise the spine is worked from one vertebra to the other so that if there are any stoppages, they will get worked out. When these valves get stopped up and don’t work, the area that isn’t receiving the blood gets sick. This kriya is good for menstrual problems, digestion, eye troubles, circulation and anything that ails you.

There are three postures to the kriya:

1. Triangle Pose. Heels pressed to the floor, separated by one foot, palms flat on the ground.

2. Platform Pose. Face down and body flat, parallel to the floor. Only the hands and feet touch the ground.

3. Cobra Pose. Arms straight, head up. Lower body remains down. Toes stay in place; do not roll onto top of feet.

Inhale in position (1) then exhale and go into position (2), Inhale into position (3) and then exhale back to position (1). Repeat.

Be sure to Tune in with Ong Namo Guru Dev Namo 3 x before beginning.

YOGA
Kundalini Mantra Boxes : A step by step guide

Playing kundalini mantras in your living environment is one of the easiest and most powerful ways to upgrade your life. Through yogic wisdom and modern science, we know that reality is created by sound – every physical object, everything we see, touch, taste, smell and hear is created by sound waves. When you intentionally play mantras in your living environment on repeat it helps shape the space in a powerful way because it’s re arranging the patterns that make up our energetic world. If you are inquisitive and open minded you can do the research .. or just experience it for yourself. In my personal life, using this technology has helped me tremendously so my mission is to inspire others.

Easy Peasy

Here is a step by step guide to playing non stop mantras in your home ( or office!)

You have two choices. The easiest thing is to use old mobile devices. Take your old phone and plug it in a corner and play a mantra or playlist on repeat. 

Your other option is to make a mantra box. This is a little bit of a project but it’s worthwhile. This is what you need : 

  1. Small Speaker with Micro Sd Card  $8 – $20 :  like this  or this  
  2. Micro SD Card with Adapter (small memory is fine) $8 : like this
  3. USB plug $10 for 2 : like this

You’ll need a SD card reader for your computer, some computers have this built in, but if you don’t you can buy one that fits in to a USB plug  ( like this ) . 

Time to pick the mantra ! Check out some ideas on this post. It’s nice to pick a mantra that works on a particular issue and a version that you love. Check out ‘kundalini mantras’ on youtube and spotify to get a sense of whats out there! A great place to start is any album by White Sun, especially their White Sun II (which they won a Grammy for) and White Sun III.  Check out this wonderful interview with the lead singer Gurujas that explains how mantras work and why we use them. Another great option is to use the sound of a properly played Gong. We recommend this one. 

Time to assemble :

  1. Insert the Adapter with Micro SD Card in to your computer. 
  2. Go to the Music folder and pick your track/s 
  3. Make sure your song is in MP3 format. If its MP4 you will need to convert it so it will play in your new device. 
  4. To convert an MP4 to MP3 – Use a free online service like this
  5. Drag your MP3 file to the card and eject
  6. Insert Mini SD Card in to your new player and you’re done !
  7. Choose a good place for your mantra box – If you only have one, the bedroom is a great choice because listening to mantras while sleeping is one of the most powerful things you can do for healing your mind.

We have mantra boxes in every room in our home, because we are super in to the benefits we have noticed over the last 10 years of doing this. In some rooms, like the bedroom, we have up to 6 mantras going at the same time. This is an acquired taste however ! Start with one and add from there 🙂 

A few added notes :

If your partner doesn’t like the mantras, they can be played at extremely low volume and in out of the way rooms, and still be beneficial. You can also play the sound through a set of earphones and it still works !  If you or your partner are too distracted by mantras in the bedroom try the gong. This is a very soothing “white noise” type of sound that most people find very relaxing. 

YOGA
Meditate
“Yoga Rose” Irving Penn x Jamila Tazewell © 2015

You must know you have an unlimited reserve of energy. Once you invoke your energy, there is nothing that is small in you. All the environments start flying towards you. It’s beautiful.

Yogi Bhajan

DESIGN
The Creative Process
“Magical Buck” Digital Collage by Jamila Tazewell – Available in many forms on 11:11

Artists don’t have a monopoly on creativity! Everyone is creative every single day by virtue of being a human on the earth.We have co-created everything we are and everything we see, touch, taste, feel and think. It is a creative universe and we are a part of it! Each unit of the hologram contains the whole hologram. We are all creative beings whether we know it or not. Being an artist involves one thing – deciding to be an artist. ANYONE can be an artist. If you need proof of this just google Jeff Koons or Richard Prince. Creativity is a mindset.. making art work is a decision. Plus no one said it has to be good. I think it is more important to be having fun with it than to be making a living or being recognized. In fact, those 2 things can be deadly for the creative spark unless you are clever and fierce in your desire to keep it real. What is real is your flow state. You, being in your game.. losing track of time as you bang away at whatever it is you do. This applies to all mediums. The flow state is better than any drug.. you are the drug. The art is all you need to elevate your whole perspective. It is a means and an end. You just have to do it.

HOW TO TAP IN?

  1. Meditate. This can be any practice that gets you in the zone. I obviously think Kundalini yoga is the most potent and effective form available today. It is a technology to open the energy of your Soul through the body. It is something to experience, instead of just read about or “believe in”. For great online Kundalini Yoga check out RA MA TV.
  2. Start something. Just pick something and start it. You don’t need to know what it is going to be. You don’t need to know how it is going to turn out. You do need to just start. Start today.
  3. Do it everyday. And then just.. keep going. Really thats it. The work will unfold itself through you. But you have to show up. If the inspiration just stays inside your head.. you will never really understand what it could become. You will be fulfilled in direct proportion to the effort you put in. And if you don’t feel inspired anymore.. go back to step one.

Thats all there is to it. The world needs what you are carrying inside you and now is the time.

GO FOR IT !!!!!!

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“The most pernicious aspect of procrastination is that it can become a habit. We don’t just put off our lives today; we put them off till our deathbed.
Never forget: This very moment, we can change our lives. There never was a moment, and never will be, when we are without the power to alter our destiny. This second we can turn the tables on Resistance. This second, we can sit down and do our work.”

Steven Pressfield The War of Art

 

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