The Happy Monks
Changes
My journey is continually evolving and changing. This is a part of life. It is actually the one thing in this world that we live in that is actually certain. Change.
How we adjust to these changes becomes a large factor in how much we enjoy life. We can fight the changes that are inevitable or we can learn to accept things as they are. Within the acceptance of where things are at, something amazing occurs. We become aware of what we need to do next.
Our business seems to be constantly evolving. Our main focus is always to help people to discover inner peace within. A part of this includes helping people to reduce and eliminate stress. Stress is something that affects everyone. We are constantly meeting people that could benefit from our services and using our effortless techniques.
Within all of this, we have an idea of how we can best serve and help people. We do what we need to do to put this into place. And as the days pass, sometimes we aren't helping as many people as we would like. And things become clear that we need to make some changes. A large part of this change really starts within. It starts with our intent. What is our intent with this business? And as that becomes even more clear, the steps that we need to take fall into place. Without attachment to how things are going to look and without trying to force everything to be the way we want it.
We are living in an exciting time. More and more people are realizing that there is more to life then money, status and things. People are realizing that their inner experience of life matters. Actually, that its everything! People are realizing how important it is to treat others with respect and kindness. People are realizing that their community and families really matter.
And within all of this we are always seeing the world from our own viewpoint. One thing that you will find is that as your inner experience changes, the experience of the outside world also shifts. There are so many good things happening in the world, we only need to open up and be aware of them.
Wishing you all the best,
Kevin/Agni
Ayurveda - An Introduction
I've personally had a lot of experience with Ayurveda to bring more balance back to my health and well-being. I've done a lot of reading as well as worked with a couple different Ayurvedic practitioners. If you've never heard about Ayurveda before I highly recommend checking it out. Here is some information on it:
Ayurveda is India's traditional, natural system of medicine that has been practiced for more than 5,000 years. Ayurveda is a Sanskrit word that literally translated means "science of life" or "practices of longevity." Ayurveda was the system of health care conceived and developed by the seers (rishis) and natural scientists through centuries of observations, experiments, discussions, and meditations. For several thousand years their teachings were passed on orally from teacher to student; about the fifth to sixth century BC, elaborately detailed texts were written in Sanskrit, the ancient language of India. For many years Ayurveda flourished and was used by rich and poor alike in India and Southeast Asia.
Ayurveda emphasizes prevention of disease, rejuvenation of our body systems, and extension of life span. The profound premise and promise of Ayurveda is that through certain practices, not only can we prevent heart disease and make our headaches go away, but we can also better understand ourselves and the world around us, live a long healthy life in balance and harmony, achieve our fullest potential, and express our true inner nature on a daily basis.
Ayurveda provides an integrated approach to preventing and treating illness through lifestyle interventions and natural therapies. It is based on the view that the elements, forces, and principles that comprise all of nature - and that holds it together and make it function - are also seen in human beings. In Ayurveda, the mind (or consciousness) and the body (or physical mass) not only influence each other - they are each other. Together they form the mind-body. The universal consciousness is an intelligent, aware ocean of energy that gives rise to the physical world we perceive through our five senses. Ayurvedic philosophy and practices link us to every aspect of ourselves and remind us that we are in union with every aspect of nature, each other, and the entire universe.
There can be no mental health without physical health, and vice versa. In Ayurveda, symptoms and diseases that could be categorized as mental thoughts or feelings are just as important as symptoms and diseases of the physical body. Both are due to imbalances within a person, and both are treated by restoring the natural balance mentally and physically. In Ayurveda your whole life and lifestyle must be in harmony before you can enjoy true well being. Lifestyle interventions are a major Ayurvedic preventive and therapeutic approach.
(Information from http://www.holisticonline.com/ayurveda/ayv-introduction.htm)
Meditation Course for Inner Peace
You have asked....and we have listened!
We have a new meditation course that is shorter in length to fit your schedule and your needs. You will learn a powerful meditation tool; receive follow-up from the teacher and a workbook that can be used as on-going reference. How does it get any better than this?!
You can create your own course with a group of friends, which many people are doing, or join us for one of our scheduled classes.
Meditation Course for Inner Peace
Learn a simple and effortless meditation technique called Ascension which will allow you to have appreciation for yourself and your life.
This technique can be used with your eyes closed to reduce stress, relax the body/mind and create Inner Peace. It can also be used with your eyes open during your daily activities allowing you to live more in the moment and enjoy all aspects of your life.
Price: $75 Time: 5 hours total (over 2 sessions)
* Create your own course with a group of friends or join one of our scheduded classes.
Check our our events page or contact us to setup a course in your area.
Peace,
Happy Monks
Peace is Within
Nothing on the outside can affect your peace. This is a statement that had a profound affect on my life and it could have that same affect with you. It is something that you need to experience for yourself though. I know that I did.
Personally, I read a very simple book that shared this sentiment with me. It stated that no matter what someone said to me, no matter what someone did, no matter what happened on the outside – it did not have to affect my peace. This was a big statement for me to hear since at the time I was experiencing the opposite. I thought that everything was happening to me. I felt that I had no control over my own experience. And worst of all, I had lost the hope that there was more in life.
I read the entire book in one night. As I read this book, something clicked in me. Some major perspective shifted and for the next two months I experienced this principle fully. All of the situations at work that used to stress me out disappeared. In each moment I was simply aware that they could not affect my peace. I was able to deal with any of the “problems” that occurred by simply doing whatever felt right to do or was necessary at the time. There were meetings that I was a part of in which people were upset and sometimes even yelling. I remember simply observing this behaviour and observing any reaction within myself. Some part of me knew that everything was okay and none of it disturbed my peace. I was blissed out!
This was a beautiful experience that I had, especially since it followed over 10 years of depression. Interestingly enough, this perspective did not last and I lost the experience. I re-read the book over and over but I couldn’t quite experience it again. And that was the beginning of my spiritual journey. At that point, I knew that it was possible to experience eternal peace. If it happened to me, I knew that it was possible for anyone, including you! Reading books never brought me back to this experience although they did help. What most of the spiritual books did teach me is that meditation is a tool to experience peace within.
The beautiful thing with meditation is that it is not about reading about other people’s experiences. It is not about trying to figure something out. It is simply about experiencing life fully right now, experiencing the peace and silence within. All of the peace, joy and happiness that you’ve ever been searching for are already within you. None of it is found on the outside. Meditation can be a simple, effortless way to experience the saying “nothing on the outside can affect my peace.”
Love,
Agni
p.s. this article is posted on VividLife: The Worlds Ultimate Life resource. They have articles on all subjects of life. Check it out at VividLife
Jim Carrey on Awakening
Jim Carrey candidly discusses his encounter with authentic Awakening. Recorded at the 2009 Inaugural GATE Event (Global Alliance for Transformational Entertainment) Video was Shot and Produced by Eckhart Tolle TV.
Alkalize Your Body for Health & Vitality-Is Your Water Alkaline?
Did you know 60%-70% of our body is water? In order to maintain a stable well-being, pure clean water must be found in our system. The recommended daily requirement is 2 or more liters of water per day. So, imagine how your body will respond after a few days of drinking unhealthy, unclean and unsafe water.
Water is life without it we can not survive. Hence, we need it...we drink it. But then again, we wonder, has there been life left in the water we drink? Our water is recycled continually and many chemicals and toxins are used into these processes that are very harmful to our body.
Drinking water is not just about the intake of the basic chemical compound H2O. Water naturally carries trace minerals and other compounds that may put more value into it, or may just do the opposite.
Clean and healthy water is determined by the trace or dietary minerals present in it. We need these minerals to regulate bodily functions and to boost the immune system that fights diseases. There are only two groups of soluble minerals found in water: (1) the acids and (2) bases or alkalis.
The amount of acid or base in any living organism is determined by its pH value. A pH scale goes from 0-14, 0 being extremely acidic and 14 being extremely alkaline. Having the right pH balance of every cell in our body is equivalent to a healthier you. Now, the ideal pH level for our bodies is around 7.365. Thus, the ideal drinking water must have a non-acidic pH, which means the water is alkalized.
How does water become alkalized? Similar to a well-balanced diet that contains more neutral or alkaline pH value rather than acidic, water must be free from any acidity caused by contamination or simply by the nature of its source. Acid water is inhabitable for bacteria, viruses and other microorganisms. It is important and healthier to alkalize the water we drink to achieve the neutralization of the water's acidic content.
There are many products available that will alkalize your water. Here is one…
The HL4Y Portable Alkaline Nano Energy Cup is the way to quickly neutralize the acid in the water you drink. Due to the minerals at the bottom of the cup, the Nano energy activation heightens the alkalescency and ionizes the water you pour into it.
The HL4Y Portable Alkaline Nano Energy Cup is made from a semi-precious gem called "tourmaline" and a mineral called "maifanite" found in Maifanshi, a formerly known region of Ancient China. Black tourmaline is known to give energy and maifanite is known as a "health stone" in Japan. These stones and its minerals are composed of magnesium, sodium, iron, potassium and calcium which can alkalize the water to a pH of 8.0-9.0. (Depending on quality of water, this will vary)
Tourmaline is a crystal containing electrical charges. The negative ions produced during the chemical reaction of these minerals with acidic H2O, helps in increasing the electrolytes needed by the major organs in our body to maintain normal levels of sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium and other dietary minerals. So, what is a better way to good health than alkalizing your drinking water instantly with the HL4Y Alkaline Energy Nano Cup!
Article by Craig Jacobs.
To Purchase your own HL4Y Portable Alkaline Nano Energy Cup,
click here.
Animals - Masters of Living in the Moment
Animals are such a gift to humans. They are our teachers, healers and companions. If we observe their behaviors and habits we can learn so much about living in the moment. The beauty is, they don't try to be present. They don't take meditation classes or do yoga or read lots of books on ‘being in the now'. They just are.
To read more of this article please visit VividLife here
Note: That beautiful cat in the picture is our buddy Moe that recently moved on.
Eckhart Tolle on Being Yourself
Here is a video of Eckhart Tolle.
Come face to face with Eckhart Tolle, for a transformational meeting with this respected teacher and influential author. In clear language, Eckhart explains the process of entering the "miraculous" state of presence that is always available to us. We are lost, he says, in the maze of our own compulsive thoughts.
Excerpted from the DVD The Flowering of Human Consciousness.
Follow Your Heart in 2010
What do you want to experience in life more then anything? What is your true hearts desire? I would like to share with you why the answer to this question has great importance in your life. To read more of this article please visit the VividLife website here: http://vividlife.me/ultimate/2010/01/06/follow-your-heart-in-2010
Peace! Agni
White Swan Re-Releasing Ameya (Kirtan Album)
This is a message from Brenda McMorrow regarding the re-release of her Kirtan album "Ameya"
I am very excited to announce that I have signed on with Colorado record label White Swan Records for the re-release of my independent 2008 album "Ameya"! I'm honoured to be among their fine roster of musicians which includes Deva Premal, Donna DeLory, MC Yogi and the fabulous eccodek!
The official US street date is March 6, but the album is available NOW through White Swan's website , on iTunes, and at all of my upcoming events! I would be oh so thrilled if you could help show some early support for this baby of mine by placing an order and spreading the word! This release contains all of the tracks from the original Ameya album PLUS a sweet new song "Sharanam Ananada" and some great new production on "Loka Samastha" and "Maha Lakshmi". Once again Ben Leinbach has worked his magic! And...Ben and I are finishing up my new album of devotional songs, tentatively titled "Love Abounds" and scheduled for release in June of this year!
More details soon... Brenda McMorrow
visit these websites for more information: