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National Meditation Month | What are the Yamas and Niyamas
“Keep your thoughts sacred, and your world will become sacred. It’s the quiet place inside where you return over and over again which nurtures your thoughts sacred, your heart expanded and your dreams alive. Meditation helps you to create your sacred place.”
-Billie Topa Tate
The Practice of The Yamas and The Niyamas in Meditation:
The practice of the Yamas and Niyamas definitely inspires us to remember that meditation is a way of life — not just something we do for 20 minutes three times a week. In fact, if they are interwoven in every fabric of our life.
The Power of Yama – Control
Yama is a process by which the actions of the body and the functions of the mind are volitionally restrained. It purifies one’s words, thoughts, and deeds, enabling the aspirant to reach the deeper aspect of his or her own self that remains dormant in an undisciplined life. Through the practice of yama, an unknown inner power is experienced, because the body becomes quiescent and the mind becomes tranquil and able to function better.
The 10 Yamas:
1. Non-Violence
2. Truth
3. Honesty
4. Sexual Continence
5. Forbearance
6. Fortitude
7. Kindness
8. Straight-Forwardness
9. Moderation in Diet
10. Purity (Bodily Cleansing)
The Power of The Niyama – Golden Rules of Contact
After following the yamas, one will be able to follow effortlessly the rules of conduct, thus enhancing the development of one’s spiritual nature that makes one harmless, selfless, friendly, loving, and respectful to all creation, from mineral to man.
The 10 Niyamas:
1. Austerity
2. Contentment
3. Belief in God
4. Charity
5. Worship of God in any form
6. Openness and constant study by reading or listening to explanations of teachings or doctrines and scriptures
7. Modesty
8. Having a discerning mind
9. Repetition of payers
10. Observance of vows and performing sacrifices
Join us, each week for our Free Friday Night Community Meditation. Click here for more information.
National Meditation Month
To see all our special weekly meditation offerings during the month of May, click here
Connecting with Your Energy Stones and Crystals
Crystals and Stones experience their consciousness through the energies that flow through them. This means the energies of the natural forces and other minerals around the crystals connect you, your beautiful intentions and your interactions with your crystals.
When you connect with your crystal or energy stones you are initiating this crystal to the virtuous action of co-creating with you. Always clean and de-program your crystal before beginning your co-creation with your crystal.
The Importance of Cleaning your Crystal or Gemstone:
There are many ways to energetically clean your crystal or gemstone. Crystals and or gemstones are structured to absorb energy, utilize energy, magnify energy, transmit and receive energy. The general operating system of a crystal is to collect and absorb from its environment and this is why it is important to clean them. The following information is how I clean my crystals, however, there are other methods to cleaning crystals and gemstones.
Depending upon the use of your crystal or gemstone it is advisable to clean them weekly or monthly or daily.
Cleaning Instructions for Crystals or Gem Stones:
- Use one part salt (regular salt is fine), and two parts water. The water is best at room temperature or tap water.
- Submerge the entire crystal in the solution. Allow for the crystal or gemstone to remain in the solution for at least 15 minutes – 1 hour. If the crystal or gemstone is too large, use a spray bottle and mist the crystal or gemstone with the solution. As you are spraying the solution on the crystal or gemstone it makes for a more powerful cleansing if you chant while spraying.
- After a thorough saturation, use clear water to rinse the crystal or gemstone.
- Use a towel to dry the crystal.
- The recommended chant is “I ask that any previous program on this crystal to be removed” and “ may this crystal be empowered with peace, peace and perfect peace”
You can also use Witch Hazel as a replacement for the salt component for the cleaning solution. These two solutions are the deepest and simplest way to clean and clear your crystals or gemstones.
Share Love & Kindness Today
Today is a day to celebrate love and friendship. Karma is the spiritual principal of cause and effect. A belief that what you put out in the world spiritually and emotionally is what you in return will receive. Today is a day of giving and receiving love. We are encouraging all our followers to increase the love and kindness they bestow on others. And as a result we will provide you with tools to attract people to bestow love and kindness onto you.
Loving Kindness Mantra to do today:
“I tap into the power of the Universe.
I am beautiful and everyone loves me.”
Instructions: Repeat the above mantra in your mind like you are singing a sweet song throughout your day.
Loving Kindness Meditation to share today:
Send this Loving Kindness online meditation to three people in your life today.
About Billie Topa Tate:
Billie Topa Tate’ is the founder of MSI Healing INC an earth friendly educational institute located in Evanston, Illinois. Billie is Mescalero Apache and is dedicated to presenting the sacred principles, doctrines, and teachings of her Native Culture and many ancient wisdom systems from around the world, creating synthesis through harmony of many lineages. She is dedicated to be of service to anyone who is seeking wellness, spiritual growth, mindfulness and training to build on current healing practices. She has been offering services for over 25 years in the North Shore Evanston.
How to Have a Magical and Mystical Holiday Season…
We at MSI Wellness Center wish you and yours a very mystical and magical holiday. We know that sometimes the holidays can be stressful, but to the mystic, it can be a time of filling our energy with happiness, peace, sharing and surrounding ourselves with great opportunities and empowering people.
Here are some wonderful recommendations for the busy Mystic to truly enjoy the Holidays…
Are You Ready ? Here We Go…
- Say yes to healthy fun
- Create a new healthy tradition and share it with family and friends
- Sing when you are at home cooking for yourself or sing and cook for someone else – it’s good karma
- Fill your schedule with lots of self care and invite friends to join you or surround yourself with people who inspire you to be your better self
- Give a gift to someone who you might have not given to.. Like your doctor or your mail person
- Make something to give like healing soaps or organic essential oil salves -people will truly enjoy your thoughtfulness
- Rest and read some inspiring books
- Plan some mystical classes for the new year to empower your future
- Support local artisans and take some friends to stage productions that are uplifting
- Do some wonderful meditations and dedicate your practice to loved ones
- Bring a delicious healthy meal to a family or friends gathering with a note on how to create the dish
- Use expansive breaths … like your just received some great news to launch good fortune on your path
- Express gratis better known as gratitude
Many blessings to your always from our family to yours. Namaste
Click here to learn more about the wonderful events going on in 2018, https://msi-healing.com/event-calendar
Guidelines to Sacred Meditation Space
“Keep your thoughts sacred, and your world will become sacred. It’s the quiet place inside where you return over and over again which nurtures your thoughts sacred, your heart expanded and your dreams alive. Meditation helps you to create your sacred place.”
-Billie Topa Tate
What Is A Sacred Meditation Space:
It is a space you keep clean and you place simply items that represent your spiritual quest. It may contain something new or old items that you wish. It may contain the book you are reading. Diagrams, mandalas that you create. Create it with CARE and ATTENTION. It is a temple on which you can focus your good intentions. One of the best ways to activate meditation is to sit and focus on this sacred space and to remember LOVE, GOODNESS and PEACE. Keep this place simply
Often people visiting our Healing Center come from a busy and hectic work and home environment. Some take the train or drive once a week to help become part of this spiritual community. Each time they enter the front door gate – the smell of burning incense, beautiful zen garden and zen pathway , the smell of clean, balanced air, sacred statue and symbols, altars, feng shui items, and harmonic tones. All remind them they are entering a special place – a place devoted to the practice of meditation, wisdom and balance. They often comment – feeling their breath deepening and they minds slowing to a balanced rejuvenating pace. Many of our students soon find that their own physical environment surrounding them is so very important and begins them on their journey to create a sacred space at home or at the office.
Perhaps you’ve seen many other sacred meditation areas which have a peaceful fountain or waterfall, serene sitting area, zen mat, and bonsai tree.
Here are a 7 steps which will help you to start creating your own sacred space:
1. Choose comfortable clothing. Use a set of clothing which is simple, comfortable and only used for meditation (if possible). Use a meditation scarf and mala beads when meditating.
2. Because the body temperature and blood pressure tend to drop during meditation, you may get chillier than usual. Be sure to have a clean and comfortable blanket nearby.
3. Keep it away from work. If you work at home or have a desk devoted to personal business, keep it out of sight when meditating. If possible, remember to shut off your phone.
4. Find a spot in your home that is good for meditation. Sample the area and make sure your feel good meditating in this area. The more often you sit there, the more you infuse your sacred area with your meditation energy. Find a quiet space in your home which is off the beaten path of high traffic areas.
5. Fresh air, sun light and clean surroundings are important. Avoid must basements and windowless closets; these tend to lower your energy level.
6. Close to nature. If you don’t have a tree or garden outside the window, you may want to have a plant or vase full of flowers, and a few river stones nearby. Natural object radiate a certain special energy which helps us feel more whole and balanced.
7. Although an altar is not essential to meditate, it can be a creative and evolving expression of your inner life. Candles, flowers, incense, natural objects, statues of inspirational figures, pictures of your teacher(s) and sacred text, can all be part of your meditation space.
It is important that you create a space that is conducive to meditation, and use of meditation tools.
First, you may attune yourself to the energy of your surroundings. Things that can interfere with that flow are television sets that interrupt the thought process, high traffic areas like a living room that the whole family uses, or a room that is physically unappealing (a musty basement, or stifling attic).
Some of the negative influences can be lessened by turning off the TV or using the space when most of the family is in bed or away.
Dose this space have a good natural source of light? Can you use candles and incense in this space? It would most likely upset your landlord if you where smudging with sage and set off the smoke alarm. Fresh air is good for meditation. Comfortable clothes and simply surroundings are perfect for your sacred space.
Once you have made this selection it is important you consecrate the space. You should perform a ritual cleaning. The walls must be washed, the windows cleaned. When sweeping do it in a circular motion to bring the dirt and dust to the middle of the room. As you do this, chant,” this is consecrated to good, this is offered to (insert name of a virtuous deity). If any Transform ill will, any negativity”. The sweepings should be gathered and cast outside as apart of the ritual. Remember to transform all energy to virtuous energy.
Creating Your Own Sacred Space
When you moved into your house or your apartment, you probably didn’t designate a special room for you to go for peace and tranquility. If you did, how fortunate you are, but if not, it’s time to fix that. Of course you could always add an extra room for that purpose, which could be quite expensive, or you could create a sacred space in one of your existing rooms now.
Sacred Meditation Space Size
Since most rooms have four corners, I recommend a corner. The space should be wide enough for a 2 X 4 table top to fit into ( in case you want to seal it off with plants on each side) but you can even get by with less space than that. Under a window is always nice to allow the natural sunlight to come in which is especially nice for early morning devotions. The table should be low enough so when you kneel you are at a comfortable eye level for reading and focusing on the objects on the table. A soft pillow for kneeling should be placed in front but able to slide under the table when not in use.
Items for your meditation table
When setting up the top of your meditation table, keep in mind that each item should have a purpose or symbolize something that is close to your heart. Candles are needed to shed natural light as well as enhance the mood for meditation and/or prayer. A picture or a statue that is special to you, some form of plant or flower, to symbolize nature, a tabletop water fountain is nice to add the tranquil sound of a brook or river stream, you may be into gemstones and crystals due to the healing vibration they release, burning incense is always good to arouse the senses. All of these things help to create a feeling of peace and tranquility. Once you have reached that state of mind, you are ready to pray, meditate or just enjoy this sacred space you have created for your own peace of mind.
Join us every Friday night at our Evanston Meditation Center for Free Community Meditation.
