Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Diet for the Golden Age

In Matthew's message on the Golden Age he says the following about diet.


Diets will change from meat and seafood to plants as people learn to respect and honor all animal life. The herds of food animals will decrease through the cessation of breeding and natural transition, and as plants become diet staples, any that were harmfully genetically engineered will shed those properties.

Animals in the wild will instinctively know not to overpopulate and those that are carnivorous will turn to the plant kingdom for sustenance.

So while a lot of people would like to become vegetarian to "respect and honor all animal life" as Matthew says, many find it quite difficult to do in practice. In my experience having a daily spiritual practice is key, for then as your vibration rises your desire and need for meat and seafood is gradually eliminated. You will actually find it even difficult to eat meat/seafood no matter how much you may have craved and savored them previously.

The Founders in their book "Earth Changes and 2012: Messages From the Founders", provide a more detailed view of the dietary changes one should pursue/expect as we enter the Golden Age.


For those of you that are committed to remaining with the Earth by entering fourth or fifth density states, it is essential that you reduce your dependence on the things of this world. You can start by simplifying your lives so that you require less resources in order to keep your lives going. As you raise your vibration, you will naturally need to consume less and less of Earth's resources anyway. You might start by reducing your intake of products from mammals (beef, pork, dairy, etc.) since the production of these foods consumes a great deal of natural resources. As you continue to raise your vibration, you will likely reduce your intake of all animal products, becoming what is termed "vegan." Eventually, you will find that only a tiny amount of highly nutritious food will be necessary to keep your body healthy. At some point in your ascension process you will eliminate food altogether and drink only water. Then the water will also become unnecessary and you will become what some call a "breatharian." Finally, as your light body becomes fully activated, you will exist on direct etheric energy and even oxygen will no longer be necessary.

There are many stories of breatharians that can be found, but I'll once again quote "Autobiography of a Yogi". The following is a conversation between Paramahansa Yogananda and Giri Bala.

Chapter 46: The Woman Yogi who Never Eats (Giri Bala)


"Tell me, Mother, from your own lips-do you live without food?"

"That is true." She was silent for a few moments; her next remark showed that she had been struggling with mental arithmetic. "From the age of twelve years four months down to my present age of sixty-eight--a period of over fifty-six years--I have not eaten food or taken liquids."

"Are you never tempted to eat?"

"If I felt a craving for food, I would have to eat." Simply yet regally she stated this axiomatic truth, one known too well by a world revolving around three meals a day!

"But you do eat something!" My tone held a note of remonstrance.

"Of course!" She smiled in swift understanding.

"Your nourishment derives from the finer energies of the air and sunlight, and from the cosmic power which recharges your body through the medulla oblongata."

"Baba knows." Again she acquiesced, her manner soothing and unemphatic.

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

The Kundalini Kriyas

In the book "Kundalini Tantra", Swami Satyananda introduces the Kundalini Kriyas of Kriya Yoga as follows:

The following tantric kriyas provide what is possibly the most efficient method for systematically evolving man's consciousness that has ever been developed. They are said to have been the teachings for the transcendental sadhana which Lord Shiva gave to his disciple and wife, Parvati.

Before beginning to learn the Kriyas, it is essential that the previously discussed Beginner and Advanced courses have been completed, and the student has attained a state of good physical, mental and spiritual health. If this is not the case, then it is entirely possible these Kriyas will result in physical illness, mental imbalance and/or psychic dislocation. These Kriyas are very powerful and adequate preparation is critical for a successful practice.

The following table lists the 20 Kriyas taught by Swami Satyananda. The student should first master all 20 Kriyas at the reduced number of rounds, then if time permits, gradually start practicing at the full number of rounds.

Kriya Full Reduced
1 Vipareeta Karani Mudra 21 11
2 Chakra Anusandhana 9 9
3 Nada Sanchalana 13 5
4 Pawan Sanchalana 49 11
5 Shabda Sanchalana 59 11
6 Maha Mudra 12 6
7 Maha Bheda Mudra 12 6
8 Manduki Kriya 1-3 min 1-3 min
9 Tadan Kriya 7 7
10 Naumukhi Mudra 5 5
11 Shakti Chalini 5 5
12 Shambhavi 11 5
13 Amrit Pan 9 9
14 Chakra Bhedan 59 11
15 Sushumna Darshan - -
16 Prana Ahuti ~1 min ~1 min
17 Utthan 2-3 min 2-3 min
18 Swaroopa Darshan 2-3 min 2-3 min
19 Linga Sanchalana 2-3 min 2-3 min
20 Dhyana - -

I will briefly describe each Kriya over the course of 20 future posts, but for an immediate full description of each Kriya please refer to either of my two favorite yoga books.

Update on February 14, 2012: Links to the description and video for each Kriya have been added to the table above.

Monday, January 3, 2011

Kriya Yoga Advanced Lessons

The following techniques are described and demonstrated in my free to download Kriya Yoga Advanced course.

Month 1 Video

Asanas

  • Ardha Padma Paschimottanasana (half lotus back stretch pose)
  • Paschimottanasana (back stretch pose)
  • Pada Prasar Pschimottanasana (legs spread back stretch pose)
  • Yoga Mudrasana (psychic union pose)
  • Baddha Padmasana (locked lotus pose)

Pranayama

  • Nadi Shodhana - 1:8:6:2:1:8:6:2 (inhale:hold:exhale:hold:inhale:hold:exhale:hold)

Chakra Sadhana

  • Anuloma Viloma with Prana Shuddhi
  • Trataka
  • Shambhavi Mudra with Aum Chanting

Month 2 Video

Asanas

  • Dhanurasana (bow pose)
  • Sarvangasana (shoulderstand pose)

Pranayama

  • Nadi Shodhana - 1:8:6:2:1:8:6:2 (inhale:hold:exhale:hold:inhale:hold:exhale:hold)
  • add Jalandhara Bandha (neck lock) during hold

Chakra Sadhana

  • Locating Mooladhara by Touch
  • Locating Mooladhara by Breath
  • Moola Bandha - Contraction + Breath Retention
  • Moola Bandha - Rhythmic Contraction
  • Moola Bandha - Mental Contraction
  • Nasikagra Drishti or Agochari Mudra

Month 3 Video

Asanas

  • Kandharasana (shoulder bridge pose)
  • Matsyasana (fish pose)
  • Garudasana (eagle pose)

Pranayama

  • Nadi Shodhana - 1:8:6:2:1:8:6:2 (inhale:hold:exhale:hold:inhale:hold:exhale:hold)
  • add Jalandhara Bandha (neck lock) during hold
  • add Moola Bandha (perineum/cervix lock) during hold

Chakra Sadhana

  • Locating Swadhisthana Kshetram by Touch
  • Vajroli/Sahajoli Mudra
  • Locating Swadhisthana Kshetram by Breath
  • Locating Swadhisthana Chakra by Touch
  • Ashwini Mudra
  • Locating Swadhisthana Chakra by Breath

Month 4 Video

Asanas

  • Janu Sirshasana (head to knee pose)
  • Ardha Padma Paschimottanasana (half lotus back stretch pose)

Pranayama

  • Nadi Shodhana - 1:8:6:2:1:8:6:2 (inhale:hold:exhale:hold:inhale:hold:exhale:hold)
  • add Jalandhara Bandha (neck lock) during hold
  • add Moola Bandha (perineum/cervix lock) during hold

Chakra Sadhana

  • Agnisar Kriya
  • Nauli
  • Locating Manipura Chakra by Touch
  • Locating Manipura Kshetram by Breath
  • Uddiyana Bandha
  • Union of Prana and Apana

Month 5 Video

Asanas

  • Sirshasana (headstand pose)
  • Tadasana (palm tree pose)

Pranayama

  • Nadi Shodhana - 1:8:6:2:1:8:6:2 (inhale:hold:exhale:hold:inhale:hold:exhale:hold)
  • add Jalandhara Bandha (neck lock) during hold
  • add Moola Bandha (perineum/cervix lock) during hold
  • add Uddiyana Bandha (abdominal lock) during hold after exhale

Chakra Sadhana

  • Locating Anahata Chakra by Touch
  • Locating Anahata Kshetram by Touch
  • Anahata Purification by Breath
  • Bhramari Pranayama
  • Ajapa Japa
  • Heart Space Meditation

Month 6 Video

Asanas

  • Halasana (plough pose)

Pranayama

  • Same as Month 5

Chakra Sadhana

  • Jalandhara Bandha
  • Locating Vishuddhi Kshetram/Chakra by Touch
  • Khechari Mudra
  • Ujjayi Pranayama + Khechari
  • Vishuddhi Purification by Breath + Ujjayi + Khechari
  • Vipareeta Karani Asana

Month 7 Video

Asanas

  • Chakrasana (wheel pose)

Pranayama

  • Same as Month 5

Chakra Sadhana

  • Moorchha Pranayama
  • Vajroli/Sahajoli Mudra with Bindu
  • Bhramari Pranayama
  • Perception of Inner Sound
  • Shanmukhi Mudra
Month 8 Video

Chakra Meditation

  • Ajna Awareness
  • Mooladhara Awareness
  • Swadhisthana Awareness
  • Manipura Awareness
  • Anahata Awareness
  • Vishuddhi Awareness
  • Chakra Awareness in Sushumna
  • OM Chanting

Chaturtha Pranayama

  • Breath Awareness
  • OM Breathing
  • Bhrumadhya Awareness
  • Chakra Piercing
  • Bhrumadya Japa

Additional Kriya Practices

  • Unmani Mudra
  • Bija Mantra Sanchalana

The goal of this course is twofold. First, all Chakras/Kshetrams are to be awakened such that the student is able to locate each one in the body. Second, all techniques used in the Kundalini Kriyas of Kriya Yoga are introduced such that a reasonable level of proficiency may be achieved.

The course length of eight months does not account for the rising 2012 energies currently happening on Earth, so it may be possible to awaken each Chakra after only two weeks of practice rather than a full month. This would allow the course to be completed in only four months rather than eight, at which point the Kundalini Kriyas may be started.

Saturday, January 1, 2011

Kriya Yoga Beginner Lessons

The following techniques are described and demonstrated in my free to download Kriya Yoga Beginner course.

Week 1 Video

Asanas

  • Goolf Ghoornan (ankle crank)
  • Ardha Titali Asana (half butterfly)
  • Shroni Chakra (hip rotation)
  • Utthanasana (squat and rise pose)
  • Kawa Chalasana (crow walking)
  • Chakki Chalanasana (churning the mill)
  • Gatyatmak Meru Vakrasana (dynamic spinal twist)
  • Greeva Sanchalanasana (neck movements)
  • Saithaly Asana (animal relaxation pose)
  • Marjari Asana (cat stretch pose)

Pranayama

  • Sit in Sukhasana (easy pose)
  • Yogic Breathing
  • Samaveta Pranayama

Meditation

  • Naukasana (boat pose)
  • Shavasana (corpse pose)

Week 2 Video

Asanas

  • Simha Kriya (lion's yawn)
  • Shashankasana (moon pose)
  • Sarpasana (snake pose)
  • Bhujangasana (cobra pose)
  • Shashank Bhujangasana (striking cobra pose)
  • Supta Pawanmuktasana (leg lock pose)
  • Meru Vakrasana (easy spinal twist)

Pranayama

  • Nadi Shodhana (stage 1)
  • Nadi Shodhana (stage 2)

Meditation

  • Heartbeat Awareness
  • Breath Awareness

Week 3 Video

Asanas

  • Surya Namaskara
  • Poorna Titali Asana (full butterfly)
  • Kashtha Takshanasana (chopping wood)
  • Vayu Nishkasana (wind releasing pose)
  • Vyaghrasana (tiger pose)
  • Ushtrasana (camel pose)
  • Utthanpadasana (raised legs pose)
  • Agnisar Kriya

Pranayama

  • Nadi Shodhana - 1:2:1:2 (inhale:exhale:inhale:exhale)

Meditation

  • Anuloma Viloma and Prana Shuddhi
  • add Ujjayi Pranayama and Khechari Mudra

Week 4 Video

Asanas

  • Padmasana (lotus pose)
  • Siddhasana/Siddha Yoni Asana (accomplished pose)

Pranayama

  • Nadi Shodhana - 1:2:2:1:2:2 (inhale:hold:exhale:inhale:hold:exhale)

Meditation

  • Kaya Sthairyam
  • Agochari Mudra

Week 5 Video

Asanas

  • Shalabhasana (locust pose)
  • Ardha Matsyendrasana (half spinal twist)

Pranayama

  • Nadi Shodhana - 1:6:4:1:6:4 (inhale:hold:exhale:inhale:hold:exhale)

Meditation

  • Trataka (outer then inner)

Week 6 Video

Asanas

  • Trikonasana (triangle pose)
  • Dwikonasana (double angle pose)
  • Dolasana (pendulum pose)

Pranayama

  • Nadi Shodhana - 1:8:6:1:1:8:6:1 (inhale:hold:exhale:hold:inhale:hold:exhale:hold)

Meditation

  • Shambhavi Mudra with Aum Chanting

The final practice of Nadi Shodhana with breath retention is fairly strenuous. For example, using an inhale time of 4 seconds, means 32 seconds of holding the breath, followed by a slow exhale of 24 seconds, then 4 seconds of holding the breath out, before beginning the next inhale of 4 seconds. A person with heart disease or high blood pressure may trigger a heart attack or stroke with this practice, so please be careful. However, for a person in sound health, breath retention is an extremely powerful technique that provides for rapid spiritual advancement and is extensively used in the Kundalini Kriyas of Kriya Yoga.

Also, don't be concerned if you are unable to master Nadi Shodhana in a mere 6 weeks, as this practice is continued throughout the advanced course, which I'll provide an overview of next.

Thursday, December 30, 2010

Kriya Yoga Course

My Kriya Yoga Course has two parts available for downloading: beginner and advanced. Download details are provided on my Download page. In this post I'll provide an overview to help give you an idea of whether this course might be useful for you.

Yoga is a spiritual practice, similar to any other spiritual practice, where the purpose is to discover your true self, also known as achieving Self-Realization. The state of being where the true self is realized is known as Samadhi. This state of being is achieved through the process of Kundalini Awakening.

By awakening the Chakras, awareness of the true self increases, until Kundalini Awakening in achieved. Within yoga there are many different paths, and after investigating most of them, I feel Kriya Yoga is the safest and most efficient method for achieving Kundalini Awakening.

To ensure the practice of Kriya Yoga leads to a positive result, some preparatory practices need to be completed to prepare the body/mind/spirit complex for the magnitude of energy that is generated by the Kundalini Kriyas of Kriya Yoga. The book "A Systematic Course in the Ancient Tantric Techniques of Yoga and Kriya" provides those preparatory practices. In my beginner course, I cover the first 12 beginner lessons given in this book which I expect to take about 6 weeks to complete depending on your level of fitness. In my advanced course, I continue to go through the lessons in this book, but also combine them with the practices given in the book "Kundalini Tantra". The advanced course is designed to take about 8 months to complete.

There are three types of practices involved in each lesson: Asanas (postures), Pranayama (breathing), and Dhyana (meditation). Each type of practice has a special role to play and prepares you for the next type. With each practice your mind is gently and progressively turned inward, but each practice also has a distinct spiritual effect. The primary effect of the Asanas is to unblock the Nadis (spiritual pathways) and allow the Prana (spiritual energy) to flow freely in the body. The primary effect of Pranayama is to increase, balance and purify the flow of Prana in the Nadis, while the primary effect of Dhyana (at the beginner stage) is to balance, purify and awaken the Chakras.

In my next two posts, I'll provide more details on the beginner and advanced courses respectively.

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Chakras and DNA

Over 5000 years ago in the ancient Sanskrit texts of India, the Chakras were first documented. Today spiritual teachers of the East and the West both still refer to them as being key to spiritual development. All spiritual practices, either directly or indirectly, will awaken the Chakras and eventually the Kundalini. However, with our relatively recent understanding of DNA (discovered 140 years ago), spiritual teachers can now bring DNA activation into the picture and explain its relationship to Chakra awakening.

The Founders claim to have created the energy pattern that manifests at our level of reality as DNA. They say our DNA is actually composed of 24 strands in 12 double helix pairs. If you remember from an earlier post, the number 12 also corresponds to the number of densities in the universe. Essentially, as you activate additional DNA pairs you also evolve into higher densities of existence. Scientists are currently only aware of a single double helix, which corresponds to our physical body in the 1st dimension, but ordinary animals and humans have already activated 3 double helix pairs, where the 2nd pair corresponds to our emotional body in the 2nd dimension, and the 3rd to our mental body in the 3rd dimension. Remember that these are not spacial dimensions but parallel realities.

Now let's bring the Chakras into the picture. The Founders identify 12 Chakras that of course correspond to the 12 DNA pairs and 12 densities/dimensions. By awakening a Chakra you will in turn activate the corresponding DNA pair, raise your vibration to the corresponding density, and gain awareness of your body that exists in that dimension. Like the Chakras, the dimensions have also been named in Sanskrit as Lokas (see table below).

It is possible for anyone to have a momentary experience of all 12 levels of existence, and through a disciplined spiritual practice, eventually raise the Kundalini and achieve a more permanent higher level of existence for yourself. For the Golden Age, we will need to fully activate the fourth DNA pair, raise the Kundalini to the fourth Chakra (Anahata/Heart), raise our vibration to the fourth density and become aware of our fourth body (Astral) in the fourth Loka (Mahaloka). All of this is summarized as being in 4D. Enlightenment or Self-Realization is said to occur when a person reaches 7D.

So while most spiritual practices don't involve Chakras 8 through 12, the Founders say the following about them:

The eighth chakra is about two inches above the head; the ninth chakra is about a foot above the head; the tenth chakra is about two feet above the head; the eleventh chakra is about two meters above the head; and the twelfth chakra is very diffused, but it is several meters above the head and can vary greatly in size. All of the chakras can vary in size, shape, color and intensity.

The following table provides an overview of the Chakras for densities 1 to 7. The "Body" column is provided by the Founders, while the other columns are based on the teachings of Swami Satyananda Saraswati.

Chakra Location Body Loka
1D Mooladhara Perineum(m) /Cervix(f) Physical Bhuloka
2D Swadhisthana In Spine, one inch above Coccyx Emotional Bhuvarloka
3D Manipura In Spine, opposite Navel Mental Swahaloka
4D Anahata In Spine, opposite center of Sternum Astral Mahaloka
5D Vishuddhi In Spine, opposite Cricoid Etheric Janahloka
6D Ajna Top of Spine, opposite Eyebrow Center Causal Tapaloka
7D Sahasrara Top of Head, directly above Ajna Soul Satyaloka

This table of Chakras, along with their Kshetrams and Bindu, are used by Kriya Yoga to facilitate Kundalini awakening (download my free course for full details), however, there are other systems that use different sets of Chakras for meditation and spiritual practice. For example, Diana Cooper, uses the following set: Earth Star (1 foot into the ground when standing), Base, Sacral, Navel, Solar Plexus, Heart, Throat, Third Eye, Crown, Causal, Soul Star, and Stellar Gateway. I haven't studied her system in detail, so I'm not sure how well it correlates with Kriya Yoga, but I'm sure you'll have good results if practiced regularly.

In a future post I'll discuss my Kriya Yoga course in more detail, but if you're relatively fit and healthy and looking for a challenging spiritual practice that requires strength, flexibility, muscle control and breath stamina, while providing rapid spiritual advancement, then Kriya Yoga might be for you.

Sunday, November 21, 2010

The Ringing Cedar (book 1 chapter 1)

One of my objectives for this blog is to present Anastasia's teachings, so if you haven't done so already, please read my previous post on Anastasia as way of introduction. I plan to go through each book in the Ringing Cedars Series, presenting what I feel are the most important teachings. The first chapter of the first book "Anastasia" explains what a ringing cedar is. The word cedar is translated from the Russian kedr but actually refers to the Siberian Pine. The ringing part is explained by Anastasia's Grandfather to Vladimir.


God created the cedar to store cosmic energy...

When someone is in a state of love they emit a radiant energy. It takes but a second for it to reflect off the celestial bodies floating overhead and come back to Earth and give life to everything that breathes.

The Sun is one of those celestial bodies, and it reflects but a tiny fraction of such radiance.

Only bright rays can travel into Space from Man on the Earth. And only beneficial rays can be reflected from Space back to Earth.

Under the influence of malicious feelings Man can emit only dark rays. These dark rays cannot rise but must fall into the depths of the Earth. Bouncing off its core, they return to the surface in the form of volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, wars, etc.

As an aside, before the Golden Age can begin, the Earth must release all of this negativity that has built up over thousands of years, which is why volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, etc. will increase first before they end at the start of the Golden Age.


Cedars live to be five hundred and fifty years old. Day and night their millions of needles catch and store the whole spectrum of bright energy. During the period of the cedars' life all the celestial bodies pass above them, reflecting this bright energy.

Even in one tiny piece of cedar there is more energy beneficial to Man than in all the man-made energy installations taken together.

Cedars receive the energy emanating from Man through Space, store it up and at the right moment give it back. They give it back when there is not enough of it in Space - in other words, in Man - or in everything living and growing on the Earth.

Occasionally, though very rarely, one discovers cedars that have been storing up energy but not giving back what they have stored. After five hundred years of their life they start to ring. This is how they talk to us, through their quiet ringing sound - this is how they signal people to take them and saw them up to make use of their stored-up energy on the Earth. This is what the cedars are asking with their ringing sound. They keep on asking for three whole years. If they don't have contact with living human beings, then in three years, deprived of the opportunity to give back what they have received and stored from Space, they lose their ability to give it back directly to Man. Then they will start burning up the energy internally. This torturous process of burning and dying lasts twenty-seven years.

With all of this Anastasia's Grandfather had tried to convince Vladimir to cut down a ringing cedar he had found and make pendants out of it for people to receive the spiritual energy, but at this point Vladimir felt this was all nonsense and left.

Diana Cooper in her book "2012 and Beyond" has the following to say about Fir and Pine trees in general.


These trees both offer healing, rejuvenation and regeneration. They lift the spirits and purify you. Walking amongst them can restore your health and raise your consciousness to the fifth dimension if you are ready.