Wave of Prosperity

Prosperity

Prosperity is, according to Raymond Charles Barker, “The ability to do what you want to do at the instant you want to do it”. Michelle and I played at the Center for Spiritual Living today and the topic of the weekly talk focused on prosperity. I found it to be serendipitous that I attended this particular talk the week I launched my Kickstarter campaign. Hmmm......

Flashback to two nights ago when my friend said, “If I was running a kickstarter campaign, I would check my page like every five minutes.” “Yah!” I replied.
The first week I checked my page waaaay too often, averaging numbers and scenarios in my head, planning my next update, announcement, email, and facebook post. And in the midst of all that, I remember that there’s music.

Playing in the church today, in a room with twenty people, looking into everyone’s eyes, and sharing my voice, is why I am doing all this side work. My real interest is in the music and the kickstarter project is the actualization of true prosperity: being able to do what I want (record a new album) at the instant I want to do it.

Bigger Dreams

And thus, in the spirit of prosperity and abundance, I added an extra reward for an exclusive house concert at the 2,000 dollar level. I had thought to include that initially as a reward, but removed it not thinking of it as realistic. But, I am opening to the possibility that a reward like that might appeal to someone!

I also added music samples to the Kickstarter page. The first track, ‘Sat Siri’, is from my first album, ‘Blissful Sadhana’. The second track is ‘Humee Hum Brahm Hum’ from my second release, ‘Power in Peace’. I did this to provide samples for those not familiar with my music. Funny how EVERYTHING else was poured over meticulously before this release EXCEPT music samples! This has been remedied :)

 

Let the Momentum Flow!

We have raised 3,375 dollars, 33% to our goal with 22 days left! That may seem like a long time, but kickstarter days are short and before we know it, we’ll have 3 days left! We’re doing great, let’s keep it going!

I’ve been thinking of ways to more creatively share this project with my friends and friends of friends. If you have a blog, I would love to be in an interview like this one that Melissa Joulwan posted on her blog, theclothesmakethegirl.com. I also have a string of shows coming up in the month of October where I mention the project:

October 13th -10:30am @ San Marcos Farmers Market
October 27th - 3:00pm @ Austin Yoga Festival

ANY suggestions about how to spread the word is much appreciated! Thank you all for your support, shares, hugs, love, encouragement, and enthusiasm! I am overwhelmed by your response! Onward and upward!


LOVE,
~Robin Dharampal

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/robinbruce/robin-dharampals-new-record-2012

Yoga Song: Yoga & Music for Wellness

What do yoga and singing have in common?

Well, nothing intellectually speaking, but they are related when you take a closer look.  Yoga is a physical practice that enhances well being.  When practiced regularly, yoga offers overall balance, clarity, and awareness.  Likewise, singing is a physical practice that enhances well being and when the vocal instrument goes unused, it becomes blocked.  In yoga, physical postures are used to enhance the flow of energy through our body; and often this is done in conjunction with sound to stimulate the vocal energy center -- ever chanted an Om before?  In my experience, yoga asana (physical postures), pranayama (breath practice) and meditation all work together to increase the flow of energy throughout the body including the vocal center.  This open flow translates to the ability to sing and speak with ease.

How does yoga affect the voice?

Yoga works in a multifaceted manner.  Firstly, through the practice of asana, energy and tension is released through the neck and shoulders to provide space and openness for the vocal chords.  Secondly, pranayama helps with breath control, so that the voice is supported by the exhale, leading to less tension and strain in the neck and vocal chords.  Finally, a regular mantra practice familiarizes the practitioner with the sound of her voice, increasing speaking and listening skills.  Often the sound of the voice is associated with communicating with the world at large, but when chanting mantra, the practitioner is both speaking and listening to themselves.

What is Kirtan?

Kirtan is a public group practice where mantras are chanted and accompanied by musical instruments.  Kirtan is also an effective practice and a great way to become familiar with different mantras in a social setting.

What is the benefit of yoga and mantra?

Singing and chanting gives one the experience of the spirit.  With this comes satisfaction that comes from within.  The tendency is to look outside of oneself for fulfillment.  One of the cornerstones of wellness is to feel good about oneself from within, not due to outside sources of validation or gratification.  So, the main benefit of yoga and mantra is wellness.  The ability to go within, knowing just what to do for yourself, and opening to spirit is empowering and one of the first steps to physical, emotional, and spiritual wellness.  

To experience this combination of Yoga & Mantra, join me on November 17th, at Yoga Yoga South from 2-4:30 for a special workshop.  Looking forward to seeing you there!

Failure is not a Bad Word

“The courageous person goes into the unknown in spite of all fears.” -Osho

“If you’re not failing, you’re not trying hard enough.  Redefine what you think failure means.” -Jillian Michaels

“5, 4, 3........get up, Robin” said the personal trainer

“I can’t” I said in the midst of exercise fatigue

“Don’t say that, you just pushed your body to failure.  You can do it.  Failure is not a bad thing.  Take a break and we’ll start again.  5, 4....come on 5, 4......”

Who the hell does he think he is, calling me a failure.  “I don’t like that word”, I said.  

“It’s not a bad word.  It just means you’ve pushed yourself to the limit and your body failed, it gave up, which is what we are trying to do.  The next time, you will be stronger because of it.” he replied.

That gave me something to think about.  Being a thinker, analyzer and yogi, I look at what triggers me.  It could be a word, an attitude, or situation.  Then I break it down to see why it bothers me so much.Well, that day, I was convinced that the trainer was wrong, out of line, and ideologically base.  How could it be as simple as embracing failure?  

Later on that day I was watching The Biggest Loser reality show.  Yeah, I like it. Don’t judge me.  My favorite part is when the female trainer, Jillian, pushes her clients physically and then digs around for the emotional source of their weight gain.  Think exercise psychotherapy.  She pokes, provokes, confronts their issues and then elevates them so they can separate from the issue.  In this particular episode she ran her client on the treadmill so long, the client was pushed to tears and Jillian asked her, “what are you so afraid of?”.  And the client replied, “I’m afraid of failing.”  To which Jillian replied, “We all have failed at some point.  It’s okay to fail as long as you’re trying.  If you’re not failing, you’re not trying hard enough.  Redefine what you think failure means.”

Whoa...failure twice in one day?  I knew it was more than a coincidence.  So I delved deeper into it.  What does failure mean to me?  It means public embarrassment, making mistakes, stumbling around in the dark, and well, you know, FAILING!  Nobody wants to fail.  But the aforementioned personal meanings of failure are all centered in fear and simply protect my precious ego.  The result is a risk-less life filled with ‘what-ifs’ and ‘I should ofs’. 

So, the next time I am fumbling around in the dark, teaching a class differently, or simply doing stomach crunches, I will embrace failure; and know, that it is a necessary part of pushing past blocks to create room for a new way of being to flow.  

Looking in the Mirror: A Year of Teacher Training

I'm back!  It's been a while since I've authored a blog post....about 9 months.  We all have finite amounts of time and much of mine was occupied as a pre-applicant in Yoga Yoga's 200-hour Kundalini Teacher Training Program.

The last time I was in teacher training, I was the student.  I watched my teachers intensely, trying to identify what made them so...well, cool.  And now, with the tables turned I am sitting on the other side of the room, among my teachers.  I saw the reflection of who I was when a student in teacher training - intense, inquisitive, and at times, overwhelmed.  


As an intern this year I felt, well, intense, inquisitive and at times overwhelmed!  Each weekend I learned a lesson and watched my teachers share the same information I received when training to be a teacher.  Yet now, there is an added depth.  It's funny how the same message can affect you differently depending on where you are in life.

The students themselves showed me where I was four years ago, and themes that I can work on now.  

So, in many ways they acted as a mirror, showed me my true colors. And in that way, they were my teachers.  At the end of it all I learned two very important things:

1.  The "cool factor" that my teachers posses comes from their personal practice.  So, it is attainable through practice.

2.  No matter what side of the classroom you are on -- we are all teachers and students, learning and supporting each other. 

Kundalini Teacher Training Class 2011-2012

The Healing Energy of Guru Ram Das

Three years ago I attended my first Guru Ram Das chant.  I lived in San Antonio at the time and just completed level one teacher training in Austin.  I drove and hour to Austin the night before the chant and slept at a friend’s house.  I love to chant and meditate, so this was right up my alley.  The energy was dense and sweet.  I drove home that morning in the pouring rain and felt changed somehow.

From that point on my life wasn’t the same.  Having a vata and consequently flighty nature, I was never quite sure of my purpose.  After my first Guru Ram Das chant though, my purpose revealed itself to me clearly.  Flash forward three years and I now live in Austin and this is my second time planning the birthday celebration.

This time I had a different experience than years past.  This is my first year planning the 11-day lead up to the long 2.5-hour chant.  As I planned the 11-day lead up  a month in advance, I felt the energy of Guru Ram Das working through me.  This continued and intensified into the 11-days before his birthday.  He worked through me in subtle ways: I noticed the energy as a vital attention and consciousness with my everyday interactions and choices.  On his birthday, during the chant, I helped with administering students.  Rain poured down and we greeted each person with towels. Despite the rain many of us gathered in sacred space to chant.

Instead of chanting, I remained in the lobby with my friend Jap Bhagat.  We began a flowing, healing conversation that fully engaged us both.  When Guru Karam came out of the main yoga studio we both realized that we talked nearly the whole 2.5 hours!  The content of our conversation was in the flow of the healing energy of Guru Ram Das.  The content of our work was outside the yoga studio, not within.

It goes to show that spiritual energy may be experienced in many forms.  For me that morning it was delivered in the form of a conversation.  May we all be blessed to see the many forms the divine takes shape.  

Love & Light,

~Dharampal Kaur

The Austin Yoga Festival

On October 8th & 9th the yoga community of Austin gathered together for the first Annual Austin Yoga Festival!  The festival was conceived by Russell Burns who thought Austin ought to have a yoga festival.  With over 44 yoga studios in Austin alone, I couldn't have agreed more!  What is remarkable about the festival is Russell's decision to showcase local yoga teachers and kirtan artists.  The other remarkable aspect is that he worked to put it on completely for charity.  The energy flow of the festival was embued with the essence of seva, selfless service.  All the teachers got a chance to shine, meet other teachers and studio owners.  I had the opportunity to play kirtan and teach kundalini yoga to a new group of people.  Thank you Russell and all of his support team for all your work.  I'm so excited to experience it next year.  Here are some pictures from the festival:

Finding Guru Dev

In Kundalini Yoga, we begin class by tuning in with the Adi Mantra.  It's a way to join together in one vibration before we begin our practice.  Chanting 'Ong Namo Guru Dev Namo' tunes us into a particular frequency and is a way to tell our cells, 'Yoga is about to happen'!  The translation of this mantra ranges from simple to poetic.  Translated directly it means 'I bow to the subtle divine wisdom, the divine teacher within'.  There is a deeper understanding of the mantra.


Ong Namo means I call upon the creative consciousness.  Well, what do we call upon the creative consciousness to do exactly?......We call upon it to reveal 'Guru Dev'.  Guru Dev is not a person but a divine force that moves us from the darkness into the light.  When we tune in with Ong Namo Guru Dev Namo during our yoga practice we are saying, I call upon the ability to see the essence of Guru Dev as it is revealed to me.  Guru Dev can take any form.  It could be in the form of a challenging relationship, circumstance, or interaction with nature.  When we can recognize the essence of the creator working for us to provide the necessary situations and challenges on our path, we can more effectively work through them in a way that is in alignment with our personality.


However, the essence of the divine doesn't always have to be a challenge.  The support of the universe can appear to us in many ways.  Today I found Guru Dev in the form of a James Brown video.  After a long weekend of teacher training, I found myself at a low energy level.  I attended a one-on-one session at the Apple Store and the trainer showed me this video.  The energy level of James Brown immediately woke me up and made me smile.  It made me remember what my yoga practice is all about:  finding the truth about oneself and shining!  James Brown did it in 12" clogs!


It's good to keep an eye out not only for the challenges that will make me grow, but also for the joy that makes my spirit soar.  The James Brown video is posted below.  Enjoy.