Riyaaz, developing your voice through song.

Harmonium Practice with Snatam Kaur

This summer I was blessed to study music with Snatam Kaur as well as with an Indian man she has studied some with, Professor Paramjeet Singh.  They both emphasized the importance to paractice a series of vocal exercises daily.  They call these exercises Riyaaz, which translates as "practice."

The Riyaaz is similar to Western vocal training, consisting in singing scales to strengthen the voice and expand the vocal range.  In the Classical Indian music tradition, each note of the scale is designated a sound, Sa, Re, Ga, Ma, Pa, Dha, and Ni.  In a typical practice you will begin singing the middle Sa (the note of C) for several minutes.  Next the lower octave is practiced, and for the longest period of time.  Taking a few minute break you then progress to a shorter practice of the middle octave.  After another short break the shortest practice time is at the high octave.  This practice time can increase over time as the voice becomes stronger.

I consider the Riyaaz like Hatha Yoga for your voice.  The systematic exercises practiced daily create a voice that is smooth like cream yet strong like steel.  The aura is polished through the vibrations of your own voice and many emotions locked in the body are processed and released through vocalization and deep vibratory expression.

I will be offering lessons in the Riyaaz technique of voice expansion.  Please contact me to join in the experience!

What's in a Name?

My parents gave me the name Robin Cathleen Oleata. I'm the sixth child in the Oleata brood and I often feel it is a name that carries some weight in the Southern California town I've spent my life in. My siblings have paved my way as someone a bit renegade, creative, and charismatic. "one of the Oleata's" people say upon my introduction. Of course this association is usually crippled by the far greater aknowledgment as "Tim Bessell's girlfriend!" Growing up I had other names too. At girl scout camp every summer they would call me "Twiggy" on account of my long skinny legs, a childhood friend and I had about a dozen play names for each other, some not-so-nice boys had their own play names for me too! When I was confirmed into the Catholic Church as a teenager, I choose the name Adelaide in honor of an ancient queen who had done great acts in her life. As a teen I travelled to South American and began to have my name butchered, "Roe-Bean" is how they like to say it. And ten-thousand times I've had a latino man call me Roe-Bean Hood! or ask me "¿Dónde está Batman?" where's Batman? Later when I was twenty and went to live in Brazil, where no single word ends in the letter N and an R at the beginning of a word sounds like a Yiddish Huh, I thought ahead and gave myself a cute brazilian name based on my middle name, and I became Kaite, Kay-Chee. It was a fun name that I loved being called. Some friends made it extra authentic and started calling me Kaite Maria. I can pinpoint when and where someone entered my life by the name they choose to call me.

Now in my Yoga Journey I have entered a new world of names. Like the chosing of a name for Confirmation into the Church, in Yoga traditions you are given a name by your teacher as a form of initiation into a committed way of life. At this initiation you are also often given a personal mantra, or prayer, to repeat throughout your life. The names are either one of the many names of God from Hindu mythology, or some other word that describes a holy attribute or divine message. I recieved a Spiritual Name and Mantra Initiation as part of my Yoga Teacher Training at the Sivananda Yoga Farm, an Ashram located in Grassvalley, California. Swami Sitaramananda gave me on that date my Mantra and the name Prem or Prema which means love, or specifically love for God and the love you receive from God, Divine Love! What a simply beautiful name! I have not chosen to educate the people around me to call me by this new name, but in the Sivananda community, I am called by this name, and I am happy to answer to it. I just returned from a week at the Yoga Farm and enjoyed the opportunity to live by this name and the message it carries.

I consider Prem to be my Hatha Yoga name, and I received this name in 2005. In the past two years I have been exploring at depth the 3HO community, which includes practitioners of Kundalini Yoga and practitioners of Sikh Dharma. These practices were brought to the West by Yogi Bhajan. As he began to receive followers, he would very often give them a new Spiritual Name from the Sikh Tradition. This Summer I applied for a Sikh Spiritual name, based upon my numerology, meaning the numbers related to my birthdate. Your Sikh name is also based upon divine concepts, and the name reveals to you an important messge about your Dharma, or life's purpose. The Sikh's gave me the name Puranjot Kaur. All women receive the last name Kaur, which means Princess of God, and all men receive the last name Singh, which means Lion of God. My first name is comprised of two words, Puran and Jot. Puran means perfect, complete, full and Jot means light. Together it means that I am completely filled with the perfect light of God. My Dharma is to beam this light out from my Soul, sharing it with all those around me. Yet again another beautiful name that I fell Graced by God to answer to this name, especially within the Sikh community.

If you would like to receive a Sikh Spiritual Name you can apply on-line and your name will be e-mailed to you...directly from God!

http://www.3ho.org

My first 40 day Meditation

It may be hard to read the text for the above meditation. This is a Kundalini Yoga Meditation that was given to me by Gurmukh Kaur, owner and founder of the Golden Bridge Kundalini Yoga Center in Hollywood. Initially I decided to practice this meditation for forty consecutive days. Most days I woke up before dawn in the time of the day know as the Amrit Vela, and practiced this meditation then. It is a beautiful time of the day. It is very still and quiet, until the birds begin to awaken and you hear them sing. This meditation focuses on the breath and has no mantra, or sound, to chant or mentally focus upon. This was challenging for me, as I am used to meditating with a mantra. After awhile I decided the mantra is the sound of my breath as I sipped the air throughthe "O" of my mouth. I think this meditation has made me feel cool and refreshed despite the summer heat. I also feel disciplined and committed to have made it to the forty day mark last Sunday. I have decided to continue with this meditation to the 90 day mark which falls on the Vernal Equinox in late September, but for now I have cut the length of the first position in half from 22 minutes to 11 minutes. I have added some other prosperity meditations in to my routine which I will share with you at a later date. If you try this meditation, please leave a comment to let me know how it made you feel. Thank you so much for reading this posting! Blessings to you on your Journey!

Surya Namaskar : Salutations to the Sun

Surya Namaskar, or Sun Salutations, is a flowing series of movements done in coordination with the breathe.  There are twelve total positions, each alternately flexing the spine.  Sun Salutations warm up the body for deeper yoga practices.  They help to expand the capacity of the lungs and massge the internal organs.  Sun Salutations eliminate excess fat and give you sustained energy throughout the day.  The practice originated as a form of worshiop to the Sun.  Surya means Sun and Namaskar means to bow down to and make offerings.  Surya Namaskar is traditionally practiced facing the rising of the Sun.  Offerings of rice, flowers and water are made and different Mantras representing different names of the Sun are recited, either in synch with each posture or at the beginning of each new series of postures.

Here are the Mantras
Om Sri Savitra Surya Narayanaaya Namah
Om Mitraaye Namah

Om Ravaye Namah
Om Suryaya Namah
Om Bhaanave Namah
Om Khagaaya Namah
Om Pushne Namah
Om Hiranya Garbhaaya Namah
Om Mareechaye Namah
Om Aadityaaya Namah
Om Savitre Namah
Om Arkaaya Namah
Om Bhaaskaraya Namah

Journeying to see my Guru

The music of Snatam ("Sun-Autumn") has been a constant soundtrack to my life for the last 6 years. I have been to her concerts at Seaside Church, and other San Diego venues. Her concerts are always ecstatic events. Last year I visited the 3HO Summer Solstice Sadhana, a ten day festival of Kundalini Yoga in the high desert of New Mexico. Snatam was under close watch as she was several months pregnant with her first baby. I watched her from a far and enjoyed sharing space with her. I was going to attend the Solstice again this year, but then became informed of a week long intensive training of kirtan with Snatam ocurring a few weeks after the Solstice. I thought the smaller venue and focus on Kirtan with Snatam would be an amazing experience for me to develop my ability to chant and lead others in chanting. The concept of "Guru" is so powerful in Yoga. Your Guru is your teacher, but much more than that. Your Guru is like your direct connection with the divine here on Earth. First with the Sivananda Organization and next with the 3HO, I seem to arrive a few years after the Guru has died. I join the movement when everyone is grieving their loss, and I am left feeling at a loss for a Guru. Learning about these men from India second hand just doesn't make me feel a connection to them. But when I listen to Snatam sing, my heart is moved, I often cry from the joy bursting from inside of myself. I listen to her words "Let there be no space between you and God," and I feel it becoming reality in my own being. And she isn't so foreign to me. She is close to my age, grew up in California, we even went to neighboring colleges (and today I discovered we drive the same car!). I am ready to listen to her, love her, offer up prayers for the health and safety of Snatam and her family. And now I am blessed to spend a week in her home, learning from her and singing together. Thank you God for this enormous opportunity! May we all be blessed to live our dreams and connect with our Guru, on this night of the Guru Purina, the full moon where in India we honor our teachers.

Yoga Vacations

Meditating at the Durga Temple at the Yoga Farm

For about seven years now I have been going at least once a year on a yoga vacation.  These are solo trips where I immerse myself in yoga and often nature.  I have most often visited the Sivananda Yoga Farm in Grassvalley, California.  Several times I have been to Esalen in Big Sur.  And last Summer I headed to New Mexico to attend the 3HO Summer Solstice Sadhana.  These trips give me the opportunity to rest from my normal day-to-day roles.  It gives me a chance to challenge myself and increase my knowledge of yoga and the reality of maintaining a disciplined practice.

Satsang with Swami Sita at the Yoga Farm

Full class with Gurumukh at Summer Solstice

Lately I have been feeling the tug to run off and immerse myself in my yoga practice.  June is quickly approaching and I'd love to return to Ram Das Puri in New Mexico to spend time with the Sikhs.  At the Summer Solstice Sadhana you are awakened each morning at 3:30 by beautiful music inspiring you to "Rise Up!"  Bundled up against the high desert pre-dawn chill you gather with one to two thousand other seekers for morning Sadhana.  This lasts from 4-7 am and includes chanting, yoga exercises and breathing, and lots of music and singing.  It's amazing, but not for the weak!  Summer Solstice is different from the other yoga vacations I have taken in that it is an event, more of a festival.  Many people come from all over the world, and there is so much happening every day.  The Sikhs are musical people, and their early morning Sadhana gives them the energy to rock out all day!

Campsites with the dining tent in the background

My luxury suite at Summer Solstice

Later this year I am hoping to travel to India for my first yoga vacation to the homeland!  I would like to visit the Sivananda Ashram in the Himalayas for the two week Sadhana Intensive.  Now I know for most people the word vacation does not translate to be awoken well before sunrise to sit and meditate.  And I'm sure for many people the word vacation does not translate as refraining from all alcohol, coffee or meat.  But, I'm not most people!  I love the instant Karma of an orgaized system.  Tell me what to do, and I'll discover myself through the commitment to the system!