thula-thula

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Q: Between the spirit and the body, is it love that provides the bridge? M: What else? Mind creates the abyss, the heart crosses it.

I Am That - Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj

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Behold, the real experiencer is not the mind, but myself, the light in which everything appears. Self is the common factor at the root of all experience, the awareness in which everything happens. The entire field of consciousness is only as a film, or a speck, in ‘I am’. This ‘I am-ness’ is, being conscious of consciousness, being aware of itself. And it is indescribable, because it has no attributes. It is only being my self, and being my self is all that there is. Everything that exists, exists as my self. There is nothing which is different from me. There is no duality and, therefore, no pain. There are no problems. It is the sphere of love, in which everything is perfect. What happens, happens spontaneously, without intentions -- like digestion, or the growth of the hair. Realise this, and be free from the limitations of the mind.

I Am That

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Let go your attachment to the unreal and the real will swiftly and smoothly step into its own. Stop imagining yourself being or doing this or that and the realisation that you are the source and heart of all will dawn upon you. With this will come great love which is not choice or predilection, nor attachment, but a power which makes all things love-worthy and lovable.

I Am That - Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj

[thula-thula]

#autumn #love 😍 #eppingforest #instalove #instahappy #instagood #autumleaves (at Epping Forest)

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The Importance of Purification in Yoga

I've been having a rough day.

Partly I think it is due to the way it started. Yesterday I got straight out of bed, a little earlier than usual, to have my Qi Gong and Kundalini Meditation practice. I felt invigorated, alive and balanced.

Today I went straight for my phone and a cup of green tea, lying in bed for 45 minutes answering emails.

I started with my yoga practice way too late without having had any breakfast and was agitated from tending to work first thing.

None the less, I ended up having an energetically charged two hour practice that brought this issue on the importance of purification to light.

It is clear to me that purification is key to experiencing the full energetic effects in yoga.

I've been practicing yoga for almost a decade. I've had out of this world experiences that range from full body orgasms brought on by asanas to consciousness altering states. I've felt the activation of all of my chakras and experienced the sensations of energy moving through my body.

Today was incredible. The sensations were so specific and accurate to the teachings. My intuition and experience tells me that, regular and consistent practice aside, purification has been a key role in enhancing these sublime effects.

Certain things will dull the effects and experience of the yogic practice. Most common are things like meat, cigarettes, coffee and alcohol. The reason for this, believed by the yogis, is that it clogs the subtle energy channels of the system. By practicing regular purification techniques it fine tunes the system and puts us into greater resonance with macrocosmic energies.

Everyday is a day on its own, but it is interesting to note the intensity and precision with which the energy moved through my system after doing a simple purification practice like shanka prakshalana.

The yogis believe that shanka purifies all of the 72 000 plus nadis or energy channels in the entire system.  

I've always benefited from the healing effects of the practice, especially with regards to my emotions, digestive and overall physical health. Never before have I experienced this high calibre of effect after its practice.

There are many other purification practices in yoga. The simple practice of asanas or pranayama brings about purification in itself.

Starting your day off with simple cleansing techniques such as scraping the tongue or washing the eyes allows for a purification of not only the physical body but the chakras too.

Purification of the mind and emotions involves chanting and reading sacred scriptures or texts. To take this further one could even say a high level of introspection allows for a purification at the level of the subtle body.

The more we clean out and fine tune our machine, the more we catch on to the higher vibrations of the universe, allowing for a harmony and flow with all of existence.

And that is when the magic begins.

Namasté

Hajnalka 

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My Love Tank - The Money Issue

I find myself at the end of the work week with a desperate need to check in on my self love tank. 

  After my dazzling start to loving Self, things started to get busy and I noticed my tendency to fill my time with work while putting myself last. The knock on effect was that I couldn’t be as efficient in my work as I would have liked. My energy was depleted. 

  I had put my mind towards a state of valuing myself more. Selling myself short had depleted me of vitality, self worth and self confidence. 

Most of us seem to have a pretty warped idea of yoga, yoga teachers and the whole money issue. Many people, not only students but teachers as well, seem to think that Yoga must be a cheap deal, a community project and almost entirely free. I do agree entirely that Yoga is a great service that is offered to the world. But it must be known that Yoga teachers invest a ludicrous amount of time, effort, energy and money to be able to bring these wonderful teachings to the West. 

In India it is believed that in order to live a completely fulfilled and even spiritually acceptable life, you need to adhere to 4 laws. These are: 

Kama - Desire/Pleasure satisfaction through the five senses

Artha - Success including wealth, friends and possessions

Dharma - Virtue and adherence to universal law

Moksha - Liberation of the Self  

I heard a fellow teacher answer the question on how to know what to charge for your work. I absolutely loved his answer and used this to navigate myself towards putting value on what I have to offer to the world. 

His answer was simple. 

  He would look at his basic outgoings like rent, travel, food and costs of running his business. Then he would look at all the extra things that he would like to do to keep himself happy. Things like going to the movies or taking dance lessons. He would also look at how much time he needed to do things that make him happy. From this perspective he could easily determine how much to charge clients. 

  In this way he was honouring his time, work/life balance and putting value on what he offered to the world. 

Of course this is all done with integrity, upholding basic principles such as satya (truthfulness) asteya (non-stealing), brahmacharya (self-restraint) and aparigraha (non-grasping). 

  This is one of the most inspirational methods of how to put value to earning a living that I have heard. 

  So with that, darlings, I present to you my newly improved price list for private sessions. Gone are the days of £30 for a 2 hour session! Because let’s be honest, my 60 minutes sessions always last 90 minutes and my 90 minute sessions go on for 2 hours! 

  There is one thing that I have learnt for sure: If you really really really want and need something, money will never be the thing to stand in your way! It is time we honour our deepest needs and desires as well as those who help us to achieve it. 

  You can’t put a price on fulfilment.

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Chakras, Tantra, Yoga ... What's That All About?

What is Tantra Yoga?

Tantra is the weave or technology that connects everything in the universe. Yoga is the science that brings the microcosm (human) in resonance with the macrocosm (universe). Tantra Yoga is thus an accurate science that relies on specific techniques and practices to reach the goal of union, which results in samadhi or enlightenment.

What makes Tantra Yoga different from other forms of Yoga?

Actually … Nothing. All forms of Hatha yoga are Tantric. Anything that embraces the body and uses it as a tool in evolving is Tantric. Ancient yogis sat up in the mountains thousands of years ago and developed the asanas (physical postures) for a specific reason: To deepen their spiritual practice and speed up their evolution.

Just practicing yoga stretches as part of a fitness or health routine will of course yield some holistic benefits. When we know the intricate details of how to awaken the power within us, our standard yoga practice is transformed and propels our lives in the direction of limitless possibilities, pure bliss and the grand prize of enlightenment.

In Tantra Yoga we work with energy, shakti, kundalini. Any tantra yoga class will involve the conscious direction of energy to the chakras. The chakras are main energy centres that act as vortexes through which universal consciousness penetrates.

How we receive that information depends on our level of consciousness and how receptive we are. In tantra yoga receptivity relates to how open, pure and balanced our systems are. The more tainted the energy centre, the more distorted the message coming through will be. The more open a chakra is, the higher the chance of resonance.

It is through this connection that we start to see ourselves as part of a whole and start our ascent towards Self-Realization.

What can you expect in a Tantra or Chakra Yoga class?

Tantra works towards spiritual evolution and life development. An average class will move energy from the lower chakras up to the higher more spiritual ones. A class could also be dedicated to working on a specific chakra, like the heart chakra.

Classical Hatha yoga postures are used in conjunction with concentration techniques, music meditation and breathing practices that focus on directing different forms of energy to the chakras.

Staying in line with Patanjali’s recommendations on how to practice yoga, all asanas are held steady for longer lengths of time. The benefits of this on a physical level is that the body actually gets enough time to open and process the changes that have happened . It also gives us the time to quiet and steady the mind so that we can concentrate on the direction of energy and activation of the chakra.

Many other styles of yoga barely hold asanas for longer than a minute. On top of this there is a grand race to jam in as many postures into a session, not allowing enough time between postures for the real work to happen.

As the old saying goes:  "Something is better than nothing.“ Having said this, we all know that cooking an organic and balanced meal at home has farther reaching benefits than a McDonald’s Happy Meal.

Can you find Tantra Yoga anywhere?

To teach Tantra Yoga you need to have spent a good amount of time studying in the presence of a self-realised guru. Tantra holds many secrets and when reading the ancient texts it can easily be misinterpreted. For this reason the guru will deliver the teachings through a long standing oral tradition.  In this way energy is transmitted and sacred initiations are taken. Because of this and the scarcity of authentic and traditional tantra schools, especially ones that are open to westerners, it is not easy to find tantra yoga as taught in India and Tibet.

Unfortunately Yoga has been adjusted to "western mentality”. When prevalent Yogis first came to the west they changed the structure of their teachings so that yoga would attract more people.  Initially it was used as a tactic along the lines of “Come and try this exercise and see what benefits it brings” after which the real story of what yoga is would unfold.

In most western studios today this “real story” of what yoga is has completely fallen away. It’s all about cramming as many people into a space pushing them beyond physical limits. If the room can be heated to some bizarre temperature even better,  because then at least they will feel like they worked hard. It’s more about profit and physical exercise. This is not yoga.  A student cannot progress in the 8 stages of yoga if all components are not practiced.

The same can be said for Tantra. If you Google Tantra right now you will see posts and pictures of what the west has labeled Neo Tantra. What is Neo Tantra?  That’s the stuff that gets us hot under the collar and blushing when we hear the word tantra.

The same as Yoga, the emphasis is on physical and sense gratification, with healing and spiritual enlightenment as a far off option for only some.

Is Tantra Yoga for me?

Tantra Yoga is suitable to any person who wants to live the life they were born to live. That is a life of abundance, ease, prosperity, joy and love. It is our birthright to have a good life. Everything that we’ve ever dreamed of is at our fingertips. Come and learn the Secrets of Yoga and make the magic happen.

Next Course Starts May 7 ! 

A few spaces still available. 

Book Now! 

Namasté

Hajnalka Wray

www.thulayoga.com

www.facebook.com/thulayoga

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I Orgasmed From My Heart Last Night . . .

I am pleased to announce that yesterday I broke a destructive pattern ALL BY MYSELF!  High Fives all around!

Being an Aries girl I am fiery and argumentative by nature. Argumentative can be a bit of an understatement, to be honest, I’m up for a good old brawl at any time. I am first to admit that my short fuse and scorching hot fieriness is one of my short comings. Especially when I allow myself to explode and react with violence and aggression. Having said this, I know  that my short coming is a sign of a latent potential that can help to empower me and others in the world around me.

I have been in a relationship with my husband for eleven years now. Like most regular couples we have the same kind of mundane issues that lead to some disagreements. We often make mistakes and allow ourselves to become trapped in repetitive, unconscious patterns and behaviours. My husband and I have been faced with many ego breaking challenges over the past few years. These highlighted what those senseless patterns were in a most significant manner, showing how destructive they could become if left unchecked.  

Yesterday we received some surprising and rather irritating news. I was upset by what had happened and of course, as I do, I blamed it all on the husband. Throughout the day I witnessed myself move from responding to the situation in a firm and empowering way, to getting trapped in what I call the “Anger Loop”.

The Anger Loop is not a particularly pleasant place to be.  It’s that point of no return in any marital disagreement. You know that stage where you have said all that had to be said, but still you continue to make remarks and drag events up from the past. Even worse than this, you start to fabricate the future based on your clouded judgement, anger and disappointment.

This stage of any marital spat should be avoided at all costs!  

We all know how easy it is to fall into emotional traps. What happens if you pass the point of no return? Is there any chance of saving the day?

The best thing to do when you are fueled by anger is to acknowledge what you are feeling, say what needs to be said in a way that will be helpful to the other and then let it go. Yup. Easier said than done that “just let it go” stuff is. I know because I have been trying for three years to drop the drama and express my thoughts in a positive and helpful manner.

Last night was a game changer. Having been aware of this Anger Loop all day, I arrived home late determined to expand the loop and take the fight to a whole other level! I probably would have done this if I was not so aware of how horrible the energy was making me feel in my body, mind and heart.

I decided to drop it and stop it. Simples.

I had already thrown some wedding photos in the bin, as one does, and luckily I had not broken anything valuable yet (come on now, I know you do it too!) The moment I decided to shift my energy I took the photos out of the bin and put them back in their places. My husband would have no clue of the big transition that had just taken place.

The poor man arrived home with a nervous and heavy heart, expecting the wrath of Bhairavi to be unleashed all over him. To his surprise and relief, all he found was a lovely smile and a warm hug.

This is where the fun part comes in.

I was super impressed with myself. Already I had managed to move my energy from my third chakra to my heart chakra, just by consciously deciding to choose love over fear.  The benefits of this decision extends all the way into the bedroom!

The next natural step to follow was to devote some time to connecting and healing after a day of arguing, or as we call it “special husband and wife time”.

I looked into my husbands eyes while we were making love and I felt my heart expanding. His every move, every facial gesture, every thrust helped grow a feeling of admiration and expansion at the level of the heart.

One thing you should know about us: We don’t have normal sex, we have Tantric sex. Part of what this means is that we consciously direct our powerful sexual energy from the lower chakras to the higher more sublime chakras. Last night we moved it into the heart plexus. With every deep breath I took I felt the energy jitter it’s way up into my heart until I melted into a looooong and blissful orgasm.

If you have been following my posts or if you have attended any of my workshops, you will be familiar with the concepts of different female orgasms. The deeper the orgasm the more spiritual it becomes. As my sensual pleasure was building, I focussed closely on the pleasure that was originating from my cervix (as opposed to my clitoris). Simultaneously I was directing the energy up from my yoni to my heart chakra in the centre of my chest, while also moving energy into my husbands heart chakra. The deeper I was going into the sensual pleasure, the more the sensation was expanding until it resulted in a full body orgasm that must have lasted 5 minutes or more.

As soon as I started to feel the physical orgasm from my cervix I started to experience fine vibrations at the level of my heart plexus. The movement of energy was prominent and the activation of the chakra was clear. The key to this kind of an orgasm is to go into it slowly and with control. That’s when the magic happens!

As the orgasm was intensifying so was the movement of energy in my body and the sensations at the level of the heart. The sensation had developed from being energetic to being more mental / emotional. I felt my heart crack open. It was sore. Not physically, but emotionally.

My heart was sore from what was seeping out of the crack. I surrendered and allowed myself to heal through the love and light of the god lying beneath me. For about 5 minutes I felt as if i was suspended in awe of life and love and our beautiful hearts. For about 5 minutes I meditated deeply at the level of my heart and realised once again the true nature of my being.

The day was saved. Our sanity was restored. And to top it all off, we are still reaping the benefits of such a powerful movement of energy and a profound connection at the level of the heart the day after.

It was what you would call a grand orgasm 😉

Namasté

Hajnalka

http://www.thulayoga.com/

Learn more about Tantra and how you can bring healing and love to your relationships on one of Thula Yoga’s workshops.  

Coming up on Valentine's Day: Journey Into The Heart Chakra  

Spaces are Limited - Book Your Space Now

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What we teach our children . . .

"Stop ringing me Richard, you're not the dad. I don't love you anymore. I hate you now!"

These are the words of a 4 year old playing a fantasy game. She was filmed during her day at school as part of an experiment to discover the secret lives of 4-6 year olds.

I wondered to myself where she could have heard that. It could only have been from an adult or the television.

As funny as the statement is, it is disconcerting to observe young and impressionable minds obscured with a tainted idea of what love is.

This reminds me of a 7 year old I taught in one of my children's yoga classes last year. We spoke about love and I had asked everyone if they thought it would be possible to love many people at the same time.

Her answer was that it was possible to love many people, as long as you kept this hidden from your nearest and dearest (like mom or dad) because you loving someone else might hurt their feelings and they might stop loving you.

This kind of unconscious eduction is contradictory to the true nature of love. Love is not quantifiable, but if you had to measure it, you would discover that love is unbounded, overflowing and limitless.

We have become so conditioned by ideas of right and wrong imposed on us by society, our parents and religious/educational institutions. How much of these norms and expectations are based on fear? Is it not just a feeble attempt at making that which is ever changing more permanent so as to appease the grasping and clinging nature of the mind?

I don't know all of the answers but I do know this:

"Stop ringing me Richard …” is not part of love. It is the opposite.

It is not a truthful representation of love, but rather a representation of the perversion of love. This is not the sound way of growing up our children. There is no power in there but a lot of fear and ego.

And then we wonder what happened to us between the innocence of childhood and the dreadful repression of adulthood.

Join us in London on the 28th & 29th of November for our very last Tantra Relationships workshop of the year and discover The Art of Loving. 

http://www.thulayoga.com/#!art-of-loving/hunz9

[thula-thula]

Orgasmic Bliss

What on this good earth does an orgasm have to do with spirituality? Isn’t the idea that orgasms can lead to expanded consciousness, healing and spiritual evolution just a wee bit far fetched? 

I am here to tell you that it is not at all that far fetched. Women are capable of having up to 7 different types of orgasms! 

It’s a divinely delicious skill that all women have available to them. 

Why is it that out of all the potential different orgasms that we can have, we resort to having one of the most common and feeble orgasms?  If we have any at all!  Because, let’s face it, not all of us are dipping into our wells of divine pleasure. 

Lack Of Education and Interest   

The first thing I discovered when I started practicing sexual tantra, was that I didn’t know my intimate bits at all as well as I should have.   

I was aware of one or maybe two orgasms: Clitoral and G-Spot. The clitoris was an easy one to pinpoint but anything happening inside my yoni (vagina) was a complete mystery!  Many women relate to their vaginas like they were cities in China,  never tapping into the magic they carry inside of them. 

I didn’t have an instruction manual to show me the different orgasmic points I had available to me. To be quite honest,  I also didn’t bother to find out for myself because sex was mostly my husband’s interest and instigation. 

The common complaint in most couples is that “she is never interested” and “he is overly interested". 

I think the main reason for a lack of interest in sex from women comes down to a lack of education and experience. When we don’t know that there is more to orgasming than stimulating the clitoris, and we when we don’t know how to trouble shoot our way towards a smoother and pleasurable orgasmic experience … Well, then how are we ever going to experience earth shattering pleasure? 

Of course there are many other reasons that promote a lack of interest in sex such as trauma or fear of intimacy. 

Pleasure/Performance Pressure 

Some men have a tendency to ejaculate within or under 7 minutes. It takes a woman 20 minutes or more just to warm up! Her first orgasm can come anywhere from 30 minutes to much further into the love making session. I’m not talking about you ladies who are able to orgasm from the moment your beau touches you until you fall asleep! In general it takes longer for women to reach orgasm than it does men. 

From my own past experiences and from the countless stories that I’ve heard from other women, there is nothing more frustrating than putting out and not getting anything back in return. 

Because of this many women feel extra pressure to perform and race towards the slightest glimpse of orgasmic pleasure … anything will do! The quickest and easiest orgasm that most women have comes from clitoral stimulation. If we do not have the skill to sublime the potent life supporting energy that comes from this type of orgasm, it becomes the nemesis in developing our full feminine potential. 

Fear of Intimacy 

Having quick and explosive orgasms doesn’t help the cause in cultivating a deeper connection with our partner or our Self. 

My husband has always been a sensual and generous lover. The sexual chemistry between us has always been compelling. But, like most long term relationships, we too have hit our bumps in the road where it comes to frequency and quality of love making.

The victory of any couple relationship is reliant on the dissolution of the ego and the unveiling of the true Self.   

Every time we make love with our partners we give and take the perfect opportunity to reveal and witness the Self. 

When I realised how ignorant I had been with regards to my full orgasmic potential, it dawned on me that I was holding back on intimacy. I was holding back on discovering who I really was. I was holding back on showing my husband the truth of my being. I was so busy holding on to fear and control that I couldn’t surrender. Without my complete surrender I could not allow complete intimacy … I couldn’t let my husband in. 

The Spiritual Connection 

I’ve had enough mystical experiences through sex and orgasm to know the healing abilities and how it connects to the Divine … especially when we consciously direct our attention to God.   

A few years ago I was going through a rough time. Everything was collapsing mentally, emotionally, physically. I was exhausted from holding on to control and hurt,  the past,  the future,  self limiting ideas and bad habits. 

After spending a week apart from my husband I longed to see and feel him again. Intuitively I knew that his good and deep loving would make me feel better. Before we made love I told him not to worry if I cry or speak or make different sounds, to just go with it …. that there was something deep deep deep inside that needed to be touched. It was like I had a fever … I just surrendered, the orgasm took soooooo long (which at that time I didn’t like) and I just gave up on focussing on that and started praying to God to please just help me and take me and make me better … my eyes were closed but looking up … everything up … face, chest, back arched and focussed on God …. and then it came … I was lifted up into His arms … high … elevated … I could breathe … I could let go of control … I was safe, I was better, I was whole. 

That was my first experience of a Tantric orgasm consecrated to healing and spiritual liberation. 

The biggest thing that opened me to my orgasmic potential was a shift in the way I looked at sex. Before it was about control, sense gratification, and a tit-for-tat. Now it is about surrendering, healing and connecting to Self in the most sublime and meditative way.  

Sexuality is such an intricate part of our day-to-day lives. It is possible to elevate this experience and use it as a tool to cultivate a life of abundance and love. 

It is through embracing our existence and the power we hold within us that we align ourselves with dharma, a natural way that supports life, spirit and evolution.

Being a woman in today’s world can be tough, so why not be a Goddess instead? Our new Tantric Goddess Series delves deep into all things sacredly feminine to guide you into a divinely effeminate and empowered way of being.

Every Thursday evening 18:30 -21:00 in Paddington Central, London. 

Sign Up Here

[thula-thula]

Orgasmic Bliss

What on this good earth does an orgasm have to do with spirituality? Isn’t the idea that orgasms can lead to expanded consciousness, healing and spiritual evolution just a wee bit far fetched? 

I am here to tell you that it is not at all that far fetched. 

Women are capable of having up to 7 different types of orgasms! 

It’s a divinely delicious skill that all women have available to them. 

Why is it that out of all the potential different orgasms that we can have, we resort to having one of the most common and feeble orgasms?  If we have any at all!  Because, let’s face it, not all of us are dipping into our wells of divine pleasure. 

Lack Of Education and Interest   

The first thing I discovered when I started practicing sexual tantra, was that I didn’t know my intimate bits at all as well as I should have.   

I was aware of one or maybe two orgasms: Clitoral and G-Spot. The clitoris was an easy one to pinpoint but anything happening inside my yoni (vagina) was a complete mystery!  Many women relate to their vaginas like they were cities in China,  never tapping into the magic they carry inside of them. 

I didn’t have an instruction manual to show me the different orgasmic points I had available to me. To be quite honest,  I also didn’t bother to find out for myself because sex was mostly my husband’s interest and instigation. 

The common complaint in most couples is that "she is never interested" and “he is overly interested". 

I think the main reason for a lack of interest in sex from women comes down to a lack of education and experience. When we don’t know that there is more to orgasming than stimulating the clitoris, and we when we don’t know how to trouble shoot our way towards a smoother and pleasurable orgasmic experience . . . Well, then how are we ever going to experience earth shattering pleasure? 

Of course there are many other reasons that promote a lack of interest in sex such as trauma or fear of intimacy. 

Pleasure/Performance Pressure 

Some men have a tendency to ejaculate within or under 7 minutes. It takes a woman 20 minutes or more just to warm up! Her first orgasm can come anywhere from 30 minutes to much further into the love making session. I’m not talking about you ladies who are able to orgasm from the moment your beau touches you until you fall asleep! In general it takes longer for women to reach orgasm than it does men. 

From my own past experiences and from the countless stories that I’ve heard from other women, there is nothing more frustrating than putting out and not getting anything back in return. 

Because of this many women feel extra pressure to perform and race towards the slightest glimpse of orgasmic pleasure … anything will do! The quickest and easiest orgasm that most women have comes from clitoral stimulation. If we do not have the skill to sublime the potent life supporting energy that comes from this type of orgasm, it becomes the nemesis in developing our full feminine potential. 

Fear of Intimacy 

Having quick and explosive orgasms doesn’t help the cause in cultivating a deeper connection with our partner or our Self. 

My husband has always been a sensual and generous lover. The sexual chemistry between us has always been compelling. But, like most long term relationships, we too have hit our bumps in the road where it comes to frequency and quality of love making.

The victory of any couple relationship is reliant on the dissolution of the ego and the unveiling of the true Self.   

Every time we make love with our partners we give and take the perfect opportunity to reveal and witness the Self. 

When I realised how ignorant I had been with regards to my full orgasmic potential, it dawned on me that I was holding back on intimacy. I was holding back on discovering who I really was. I was holding back on showing my husband the truth of my being. I was so busy holding on to fear and control that I couldn’t surrender. Without my complete surrender I could not allow complete intimacy … I couldn’t let my husband in. 

The Spiritual Connection 

I’ve had enough mystical experiences through sex and orgasm to know the healing abilities and how it connects to the Divine … especially when we consciously direct our attention to God.   

A few years ago I was going through a rough time. Everything was collapsing mentally, emotionally, physically. I was exhausted from holding on to control and hurt,  the past,  the future,  self limiting ideas and bad habits. 

After spending a week apart from my husband I longed to see and feel him again. Intuitively I knew that his good and deep loving would make me feel better. Before we made love I told him not to worry if I cry or speak or make different sounds, to just go with it …. that there was something deep deep deep inside that needed to be touched. It was like I had a fever … I just surrendered, the orgasm took soooooo long (which at that time I didn’t like) and I just gave up on focussing on that and started praying to God to please just help me and take me and make me better … my eyes were closed but looking up … everything up … face, chest, back arched and focussed on God …. and then it came … I was lifted up into His arms … high … elevated … I could breathe … I could let go of control … I was safe, I was better, I was whole. 

That was my first experience of a Tantric orgasm consecrated to healing and spiritual liberation. 

The biggest thing that opened me to my orgasmic potential was a shift in the way I looked at sex. Before it was about control, sense gratification, and a tit-for-tat. Now it is about surrendering, healing and connecting to Self in the most sublime and meditative way.  

Sexuality is such an intricate part of our day-to-day lives. It is possible to elevate this experience and use it as a tool to cultivate a life of abundance and love. 

It is through embracing our existence and the power we hold within us that we align ourselves with dharma, a natural way that supports life, spirit and evolution.

Being a woman in today's world can be tough, so why not be a Goddess instead? Our new Tantric Goddess Series delves deep into all things sacredly feminine to guide you into a divinely effeminate and empowered way of being.

Every Thursday evening 18:30 -21:00 in Paddington Central, London. 

Sign Up Here

[thula-thula]

                                                    Fearless Love

How many of us live our lives with our hearts tucked away and protected? We're afraid to give love and unable to receive love because of the false idea that we might get hurt or lose something.

The Sanskrit word for the heart chakra is "anahata". Translated it means "unstruck". This broadly implies that at this level of consciousness the being realises that they cannot really be injured or harmed. That is why people who live at this level of consciousness are selfless because they know that they have nothing to lose.

Yes, in love there is something to lose: The Ego. It is undeniable that breaking down the constructs of your carefully crafted personality will hurt … but only as much as you allow it.

It’s funny how there is such a big gap between the first 3 chakras and the heart chakra (the 4th). It’s also quite fitting, really, because it shows how big a jump we need to take to get from ego to love.

We stand there on the edge of it all petrified that letting go might leave us stranded in an unknown abyss. Filled with fear we play it safe and go down the same road again and again and again. What if we were to take a leap? What would be waiting for us on the other side?

Love … Only love will be waiting … In the presence of love the fear and uncertainty we had before becomes silly and almost unintelligible.

That is why, if you want to live a fearless life - choose love.  But be warned, this true love is only for the bravest of the brave. Not many people on this earth have attained this great love completely.

We could all be the next heroic ones to take that leap into eternal bliss … It’s just a matter of conscious choice, every moment of every day.

Namasté

Hajnalka 

[thula-thula]

Chakras, Tantra, Yoga ... What's That All About?

What is Tantra Yoga?

Tantra is the weave or technology that connects everything in the universe. Yoga is the science that brings the microcosm (human) in resonance with the macrocosm (universe). Tantra Yoga is thus an accurate science that relies on specific techniques and practices to reach the goal of union, which results in samadhi or enlightenment.

What makes Tantra Yoga different from other forms of Yoga?

Actually ... Nothing. All forms of Hatha yoga are Tantric. Anything that embraces the body and uses it as a tool in evolving is Tantric. Ancient yogis sat up in the mountains thousands of years ago and developed the asanas (physical postures) for a specific reason: To deepen their spiritual practice and speed up their evolution.

Just practicing yoga stretches as part of a fitness or health routine will of course yield some holistic benefits. When we know the intricate details of how to awaken the power within us, our standard yoga practice is transformed and propels our lives in the direction of limitless possibilities, pure bliss and the grand prize of enlightenment.

In Tantra Yoga we work with energy, shakti, kundalini. Any tantra yoga class will involve the conscious direction of energy to the chakras. The chakras are main energy centres that act as vortexes through which universal consciousness penetrates.

How we receive that information depends on our level of consciousness and how receptive we are. In tantra yoga receptivity relates to how open, pure and balanced our systems are. The more tainted the energy centre, the more distorted the message coming through will be. The more open a chakra is, the higher the chance of resonance.

It is through this connection that we start to see ourselves as part of a whole and start our ascent towards Self-Realization.

What can you expect in a Tantra or Chakra Yoga class?

Tantra works towards spiritual evolution and life development. An average class will move energy from the lower chakras up to the higher more spiritual ones. A class could also be dedicated to working on a specific chakra, like the heart chakra.

Classical Hatha yoga postures are used in conjunction with concentration techniques, music meditation and breathing practices that focus on directing different forms of energy to the chakras.

Staying in line with Patanjali's recommendations on how to practice yoga, all asanas are held steady for longer lengths of time. The benefits of this on a physical level is that the body actually gets enough time to open and process the changes that have happened . It also gives us the time to quiet and steady the mind so that we can concentrate on the direction of energy and activation of the chakra.

Many other styles of yoga barely hold asanas for longer than a minute. On top of this there is a grand race to jam in as many postures into a session, not allowing enough time between postures for the real work to happen.

As the old saying goes:  "Something is better than nothing." Having said this, we all know that cooking an organic and balanced meal at home has farther reaching benefits than a McDonald's Happy Meal.

Can you find Tantra Yoga anywhere?

To teach Tantra Yoga you need to have spent a good amount of time studying in the presence of a self-realised guru. Tantra holds many secrets and when reading the ancient texts it can easily be misinterpreted. For this reason the guru will deliver the teachings through a long standing oral tradition.  In this way energy is transmitted and sacred initiations are taken. Because of this and the scarcity of authentic and traditional tantra schools, especially ones that are open to westerners, it is not easy to find tantra yoga as taught in India and Tibet.

Unfortunately Yoga has been adjusted to "western mentality". When prevalent Yogis first came to the west they changed the structure of their teachings so that yoga would attract more people.  Initially it was used as a tactic along the lines of "Come and try this exercise and see what benefits it brings" after which the real story of what yoga is would unfold.

In most western studios today this "real story" of what yoga is has completely fallen away. It's all about cramming as many people into a space pushing them beyond physical limits. If the room can be heated to some bizarre temperature even better,  because then at least they will feel like they worked hard. It's more about profit and physical exercise. This is not yoga.  A student cannot progress in the 8 stages of yoga if all components are not practiced.

The same can be said for Tantra. If you Google Tantra right now you will see posts and pictures of what the west has labeled Neo Tantra. What is Neo Tantra?  That's the stuff that gets us hot under the collar and blushing when we hear the word tantra.

The same as Yoga, the emphasis is on physical and sense gratification, with healing and spiritual enlightenment as a far off option for only some.

Is Tantra Yoga for me?

Tantra Yoga is suitable to any person who wants to live the life they were born to live. That is a life of abundance, ease, prosperity, joy and love. It is our birthright to have a good life. Everything that we’ve ever dreamed of is at our fingertips. Come and learn the Secrets of Yoga and make the magic happen.

Next Course Starts May 7 ! 

A few spaces still available. 

Book Now! 

Namasté

Hajnalka Wray

www.thulayoga.com

www.facebook.com/thulayoga

[thula-thula]

How To Improve Your Daily Flow In Just 10 Minutes

These 5 simple Yoga & Mindfulness techniques will set you up for a positively productive and life affirming day

Before you start with these 5 steps we recommend doing a little warm up to get the blood flowing.

Here Are Some Suggestions:

Neck Rotations - Start by bringing the chin to the chest and then slowly rotate the head towards the right ear, gently moving back and around to the left ear and around again. Do 3 rotations in both a clockwise and counter-clockwise direction.

Shoulder Shrugs - Lift both shoulders up to the ears and release. Do this several times.

Side Stretch - Stretch both arms up over the head. Gently bend your body from left to right like a tree swaying in the wind.

Forward Bend - Keeping the arms up over your head, bend your knees and gently bend the upper body forwards. Allow your arms to stretch forwards and down. Coming back, keep your knees bent and slowly roll up the spine vertebrae by vertebrae, allowing the head to come up last.

Back Bend - Place the hands on the small of the lower back with the fingers pointing down towards the coccyx. Lengthen the spine. You can imagine that you’re being pulled from the top of your head, growing taller as you do so. Gently push the hips forwards while arching the spine and lifting the chest.

Step One: LOOSEN UP

“Life is nothing to be very serious about. Life is a ball in your hands to play with. Don’t hold on to the ball.” - Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

The following technique is a yoga posture that is commonly known as the “The Eye In The Needle”. If you’re sitting at a desk all day this posture will bring great benefits to you! It is incredible how much tension we store in our hips. The effect on the rest of the body and energetic system is profound. 

Just by bringing attention and release to this area you will be setting your day up with a mind and body that is open and accepting, allowing for an easy flow of creative energy.

Benefits:

Increases mobility and release tension in the hips, legs and knees

Helps align and release tension from the lower back

Improves posture

Increases circulation between upper and lower body

Technique:

Lie on your back

Bend the right knee in towards the chest

Bring the left ankle underneath the right knee so that it rests on the right thigh

Thread the left arms through the legs

Bring the right arms around the right leg

Interlace both hands below the right knee on the shin

With the arms, gently pull the right leg in towards the chest

Breathe into the stretch

Hold for a minute or as long as you can

Repeat on the opposite side

Step Two: JUST BREATHE

“The quality of our breath expresses our inner feelings.” - TKV Desikachar

Have you ever paid attention to your breath? The way you breathe will directly influence your state of mind and emotions. 

When it comes to yoga and mindfulness techniques people tend to go in two directions. They either get hooked on the asanas (physical postures) and don’t progress any further, or they want to jump straight into meditation without doing the necessary preparatory work. 

Breathing exercises, what is known in yoga as pranayama, seems to be the most avoided part of all the stages of yoga, despite the fact that it brings the most holistic benefits! 

Introducing a regular practice of mindful breathing into your daily routine will bring the mind back into balance. It is from this point that the magic in life starts to happen.

We’ve got you on your back now, so let’s get you breathing!

Deep Belly Breathing:

Gently rest both hands on the belly with the fingers pointing towards each other 

Inhale through the nose allowing the belly to push out and expand

The fingers should slowly be moving apart

Exhale through the nose allowing the belly to fall flat

The fingers should be slowly moving towards one another

Repeat this 8 times

Step Three: NO REALLY, YOU NEED TO BREATHE

“It is said in ancient scripture, there is no greater tapas than pranayama. Because pranayama burns out all the unwanted things in the system. They bring a balance between the gunas. Raises the satva.”                                  - Yogasara Upanishads

After just a couple of minutes of mindful breathing you will start to feel more calm and centred. Some of you might be feeling agitated and screaming to get out of there! Either way, keep on breathing and calming down the mind. 

The more you breathe the more you allow yourself to connect with the present moment. Many people have the tendency to hold on to their breath, which is indicative of holding onto emotional and mental patterns. 

When we hang on to our thoughts and feelings we can never truly embrace the present moment. If we’re not living in the present one could say that we’re then not truly living at all.

Try this simple yogic breathing technique! 

Nadi Shodana or Alternate Nostril Breathing Benefits:

Calms and centres the mind

Releases accumulated stress

Brings the logical and creative sides of the brain into harmony

Helps to purify the subtle energy channels in the body allowing for a smooth flow of energy

Technique:

Close the nostril with right thumb

Place the right index and middle between the eye brows

Inhale through the left nostril to a count of 3 or 4

Close the left nostril with the right ring finger

Exhale through the right nostril to a count of 6 or 8

Inhale through the right nostril to a count of 3 or 4

Exhale through the left nostril to a count of 6 or 8

Continue for a total of 8 rounds

Each round begins and ends with an inhalation and exhalation through the left nostril

Step Four: GRATITUDE IS KEY

“The beauty is when you observe, that which is negative falls off, disappears. That which is evolutionary grows up richer and richer. If you observe love, love grows. If you observe fear, fear falls. If you observe joy, joy increases.If you observe jealousy, jealousy disappears.” - Bhakti Sutras

Most of us have the tendency to jump the gun when it comes to our expectations in life. Society is structured in such a way that the mental attitude of “want more - do more - have more” is ingrained in us from an early age. 

How often do we stop to take a moment and appreciate what we already have available to us?

Before you step foot out of the door take a moment to do this simple meditation.

Gratitude Meditation

Sit comfortably with the spine erect and the eyes closed. Bring your attention to the centre of the chest at the level of the heart chakra. At this level we are connecting with the essential Self or Soul. Gently shift your attention to the top of your head at the level of the crown chakra. At this level we are connecting with the Universal Consciousness or Divine. Gradually start to answer these two questions:

What do I have an abundance of in my life?

What or who am I thankful for?

Your answers might be a simple as having a roof over your head or food to eat. There is no right or wrong here. This is a time for you to bring to light all the positive things, people and events in your life. This is your time to be thankful. Do your best to find at least 3 things that you are grateful for each day.

Keep your attention in this space and eyes closed for the final step.

Step Five: SET YOUR INTENTION

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not harm you. PLans to give you hope and purpose.” - Jeremiah 29:11

The last step is where you set your intention for the day. A wonderful way of doing this is by aligning your thoughts and actions with dharma. A simple definition of dharma is “the natural way”.

It is your birth right to live a life of joy, peace, love, prosperity and abundance. It is up to you to allow that to freely flow through you and towards you.

Here are some examples:

“Today my intention is to bring joy and love with me wherever I go.” “Today my intention is to bring inspiration into the lives of those I meet.” “Today my intention is to give 100% effort in all that I do.”

Once you are steadfast in your own intensions and can honestly answer the question “What am I doing and why?”, you will become unshakable and unstoppable. 

From this space and carrying this mental attitude you will no longer have the need to blame external circumstances, people or events for how you feel or what you do. 

There is no need to worry about the how or the outcome. 

By doing these simple steps you have aligned yourself with a source of infinite love, light and abundance. 

Live your day and allow yourself to be guided.

[thula-thula]

How To Improve Your Daily Flow In Just 10 Minutes

These 5 simple Yoga & Mindfulness techniques will set you up for a positively productive and life affirming day

Before you start with these 5 steps we recommend doing a little warm up to get the blood flowing.

Here Are Some Suggestions:

Neck Rotations - Start by bringing the chin to the chest and then slowly rotate the head towards the right ear, gently moving back and around to the left ear and around again. Do 3 rotations in both a clockwise and counter-clockwise direction.

Shoulder Shrugs - Lift both shoulders up to the ears and release. Do this several times.

Side Stretch - Stretch both arms up over the head. Gently bend your body from left to right like a tree swaying in the wind.

Forward Bend - Keeping the arms up over your head, bend your knees and gently bend the upper body forwards. Allow your arms to stretch forwards and down. Coming back, keep your knees bent and slowly roll up the spine vertebrae by vertebrae, allowing the head to come up last.

Back Bend - Place the hands on the small of the lower back with the fingers pointing down towards the coccyx. Lengthen the spine. You can imagine that you're being pulled from the top of your head, growing taller as you do so. Gently push the hips forwards while arching the spine and lifting the chest.

Step One: LOOSEN UP

"Life is nothing to be very serious about. Life is a ball in your hands to play with. Don’t hold on to the ball." - Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

The following technique is a yoga posture that is commonly known as the "The Eye In The Needle". If you're sitting at a desk all day this posture will bring great benefits to you! It is incredible how much tension we store in our hips. The effect on the rest of the body and energetic system is profound. 

Just by bringing attention and release to this area you will be setting your day up with a mind and body that is open and accepting, allowing for an easy flow of creative energy.

Benefits:

Increases mobility and release tension in the hips, legs and knees

Helps align and release tension from the lower back

Improves posture

Increases circulation between upper and lower body

Technique:

Lie on your back

Bend the right knee in towards the chest

Bring the left ankle underneath the right knee so that it rests on the right thigh

Thread the left arms through the legs

Bring the right arms around the right leg

Interlace both hands below the right knee on the shin

With the arms, gently pull the right leg in towards the chest

Breathe into the stretch

Hold for a minute or as long as you can

Repeat on the opposite side

Step Two: JUST BREATHE

"The quality of our breath expresses our inner feelings." - TKV Desikachar

Have you ever paid attention to your breath? The way you breathe will directly influence your state of mind and emotions. 

When it comes to yoga and mindfulness techniques people tend to go in two directions. They either get hooked on the asanas (physical postures) and don't progress any further, or they want to jump straight into meditation without doing the necessary preparatory work. 

Breathing exercises, what is known in yoga as pranayama, seems to be the most avoided part of all the stages of yoga, despite the fact that it brings the most holistic benefits! 

Introducing a regular practice of mindful breathing into your daily routine will bring the mind back into balance. It is from this point that the magic in life starts to happen.

We've got you on your back now, so let's get you breathing!

Deep Belly Breathing:

Gently rest both hands on the belly with the fingers pointing towards each other 

Inhale through the nose allowing the belly to push out and expand

The fingers should slowly be moving apart

Exhale through the nose allowing the belly to fall flat

The fingers should be slowly moving towards one another

Repeat this 8 times

Step Three: NO REALLY, YOU NEED TO BREATHE

"It is said in ancient scripture, there is no greater tapas than pranayama. Because pranayama burns out all the unwanted things in the system. They bring a balance between the gunas. Raises the satva."                                  - Yogasara Upanishads

After just a couple of minutes of mindful breathing you will start to feel more calm and centred. Some of you might be feeling agitated and screaming to get out of there! Either way, keep on breathing and calming down the mind. 

The more you breathe the more you allow yourself to connect with the present moment. Many people have the tendency to hold on to their breath, which is indicative of holding onto emotional and mental patterns. 

When we hang on to our thoughts and feelings we can never truly embrace the present moment. If we're not living in the present one could say that we're then not truly living at all.

Try this simple yogic breathing technique! 

Nadi Shodana or Alternate Nostril Breathing Benefits:

Calms and centres the mind

Releases accumulated stress

Brings the logical and creative sides of the brain into harmony

Helps to purify the subtle energy channels in the body allowing for a smooth flow of energy

Technique:

Close the nostril with right thumb

Place the right index and middle between the eye brows

Inhale through the left nostril to a count of 3 or 4

Close the left nostril with the right ring finger

Exhale through the right nostril to a count of 6 or 8

Inhale through the right nostril to a count of 3 or 4

Exhale through the left nostril to a count of 6 or 8

Continue for a total of 8 rounds

Each round begins and ends with an inhalation and exhalation through the left nostril

Step Four: GRATITUDE IS KEY

"The beauty is when you observe, that which is negative falls off, disappears. That which is evolutionary grows up richer and richer. If you observe love, love grows. If you observe fear, fear falls. If you observe joy, joy increases.If you observe jealousy, jealousy disappears." - Bhakti Sutras

Most of us have the tendency to jump the gun when it comes to our expectations in life. Society is structured in such a way that the mental attitude of "want more - do more - have more" is ingrained in us from an early age. 

How often do we stop to take a moment and appreciate what we already have available to us?

Before you step foot out of the door take a moment to do this simple meditation.

Gratitude Meditation

Sit comfortably with the spine erect and the eyes closed. Bring your attention to the centre of the chest at the level of the heart chakra. At this level we are connecting with the essential Self or Soul. Gently shift your attention to the top of your head at the level of the crown chakra. At this level we are connecting with the Universal Consciousness or Divine. Gradually start to answer these two questions:

What do I have an abundance of in my life?

What or who am I thankful for?

Your answers might be a simple as having a roof over your head or food to eat. There is no right or wrong here. This is a time for you to bring to light all the positive things, people and events in your life. This is your time to be thankful. Do your best to find at least 3 things that you are grateful for each day.

Keep your attention in this space and eyes closed for the final step.

Step Five: SET YOUR INTENTION

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not harm you. PLans to give you hope and purpose." - Jeremiah 29:11

The last step is where you set your intention for the day. A wonderful way of doing this is by aligning your thoughts and actions with dharma. A simple definition of dharma is "the natural way".

It is your birth right to live a life of joy, peace, love, prosperity and abundance. It is up to you to allow that to freely flow through you and towards you.

Here are some examples:

"Today my intention is to bring joy and love with me wherever I go." "Today my intention is to bring inspiration into the lives of those I meet." "Today my intention is to give 100% effort in all that I do."

Once you are steadfast in your own intensions and can honestly answer the question "What am I doing and why?", you will become unshakable and unstoppable. 

From this space and carrying this mental attitude you will no longer have the need to blame external circumstances, people or events for how you feel or what you do. 

There is no need to worry about the how or the outcome. 

By doing these simple steps you have aligned yourself with a source of infinite love, light and abundance. 

Live your day and allow yourself to be guided.

[thula-thula]

#silence #meditation #yogainspiration #inspirationalquotes #ramdass #lovelovelove #ThulaYoga #InspireYourSoul