OPAL FLY

The endocrine glands produce hormones to help the body function optimally. The endocrine glands work with the nervous system, the endocrine system, the chakra system, other glands and the organs.

The Pineal is a gland that sits inside the middle of the brain is about the size of a grain of rice. The Pineal Gland is associated with the 7th Chakra aka the Crown Chakra. This tiny gland is responsible brain activity and sleeping patterns. The Pineal is affected by the cycles of the sun and secretes both melatonin and serotonin as a result. Melatonin is responsible for sleep quality, dreams and a positive “warm and sunny” disposition; whereas serotonin is responsible for your overall energy level.

Think about when you have traveled over several time zones and adjusted to the time. Your body clock eventually adapts to the time due to the sun through the Pineal. Just as plants need the sun to survive, so do humans. Our cycles for sleeping, eating, etc are all dictated by the sun. In fact, around 9:00PM no matter where you are, your Pineal will begin to secrete melatonin to make you sleepy.

The relationship between the Pineal Gland and the Sun shows how much influence the Sun has on us. It is our body clock. The Pineal Gland also reads the Sun and informs animals when it is time to hibernate.

Many primitive cultures related to the Sun as the closest physical structure to God due to it’s influence on daily life. Without the Sun life would be over, but the Sun shows up everyday and on-time. The Sun not only influences human bodies internally, but provides the energy for the food humans need to survive to grow. Thus the Sun is the source of life on this planet.

The Pineal Glad is said to be the highest gland and believed to be our connection to God. It is also said to be the “Angel” Gland that connects us to that realm. It isn’t a coincidence that the Pineal has similar spelling and pronunciation as the Christian Archangels: Michael, Raphael, Gabriel, Ariel, Haniel, Raziel, etc.

Emotional issues that can affect the Pineal gland stem from issues with male authority. These authority figures may be God (or male aspect of God), your biological father, male role models or your husband.

A person with blocks in their Pineal always believe they can solve a problem and never want any help. They think that they have total control i.e. they believe in some capacity that they are God. This person will also be overly logically and believe that intuition has no place in daily life. Logic is important, but sometimes life isn’t completely black and white and the data doesn’t tell the whole story. This person can be very narrow minded and not open to other diverse suggestions. They will have trouble thinking outside of the box.

A few yogic remedies for the Pineal Gland that Yogi Bhajan suggested are 4 breaths per minute, the Gong and eating sesame seeds. Caffeine intake can also adversely affect sleep patterns and the Pineal Gland.

  Kundalini Yoga is an ancient science that has been refined over thousands of years to help all people live to thier highest potential.  it blends many aspects into one practice (referred to as a Kriya).  Kriyas include; asanas (postures), pranayama (breathing exercises), bandhas (body locks), mantras (sound vibrations), mudras (hand positions), and mental focus to do their work.  It integrates the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual aspects of our being.  Kundalini Yoga is more than a system of exercises; it is a powerful tool for expanding our awareness.

What will Kundalini Yoga do for me? 

1. Strengthen and balance all parts of the body: nervous spstem, muscles, joints, glands, immune system, and circulation.

2. Works on the mind to increase your mental clarity, and gives you balance with a deep inner calm.

3. Increase your ability to handle stress.

4. Increases the flow of your natural energy and improves your vitality.

5. Strengthens your connection to your spiritual self.

Our  1st chakra (Muladhara in sanskrit- meaning Rooting---to have.  animals are the elephant, ox, bull)* is the focus.  To study this chakra creates quite an eye opener.  Some words associated with it are: Earth, survival, grounding, matter, body, physical plane, home, family, roots, discipline, foundation, stillness.  This chakra involves the feet, legs, base of the spine, coccygeal plexus, and large intestines.  How do you feel about these areas of the body?  Journaling can help enlighten to how you feel and what you wish to manifest.  Our purpose here is to build a strong foundation that will support all our subsequent work.  We can create a foundation with roots solid and deep, a body healthy and strong and stability on our livelihood.  These are not easy tasks; in fact this first chakra work can be the most challenging of all.

 In order to grow strong we must first experience energy moving downward- down to the base of our spine, down to our legs and feet, down in our gut.  As we move downward, we move into the associated element of the Muladhara, which is Earth.  We, as Matter, operate on the principles of gravity---the pull.  Gravity draws matter towards the center (of the Earth) from all sides.  Gravity can be seen as in inward pull of the center.  Pulling things together is what this chakra is all about.  This is manifestation. The ability to survive and prosper depends on our ability to manifest. what we need.    To manifest requires us to be very specific about what we need and want so that we can pull those qualities toward us (to manifest a good dinner--we don't just throw food together, but follow a recipe, measure, cook, stir, etc.).  Strengthening this chakra helps us to focus our attention long enough to work out the specific nuts and bolts of a situation.  Instead of things getting unmanageable  and every task seeming monumental; we run our life smoothly and have the stability to accomplish dreams from the crown.

  To heal from any traumas in the first chakra involves going back to our "inner infant" and recreating the sense of welcoming, honoring and bonding that should have occurred.  You may wish to think or write down an affirmation  to read as a healing salve.  Here are some examples from John Bradshaw in his book Homecoming:

"Welcome to this world, I've been waiting for you.  I'm so glad you are here.  It is very safe here.  All your needs will be provided.  You have a wonderful body.  You are absolutely unique and necessary." 

 You may wish to have a friend read them out loud to you.  It may take many sessions before these affirmations take effect.  The important thing to receive is a sense of trust in the world-of trust in the Earth to support you, and trust in yourself to manifest what you need to survive.  It is this feeling of trust that creates a secure first chakra.

  Our physical universe begins with our body.  How do you feel in your body?  How do you take care of it?  Do you feel awake and alive? Sluggish and heavy?  This is a time to redefine how you connect with your body.  What things can you do to show support and love for yourself?  

     Nourishing foods is a great first step.  Protein is associated with this chakra as it is most grounding.  Think about what high quality proteins you can supply yourself-- quinoa, kamut, spelt, amaranth come to mind as they are equally protein rich and filling.  

   Massage is another way to show love and appreciation for your body; massaging the feet is especially grounding.  The importance of loving, trustworthy touch cannot be overemphasized

   Daily exercise and hydration are top on the list too. Top on the list: Squatting and pushing your feet down to the earth is energizing and helps us feel our sacrum relax, Tree pose for balance and focus, Archer for courage and confidence, Platform feeling both hands and both feet on the ground, Locust, Child's pose focusing on breathing into our backs, Bridge and Corpse.  Even stomping or jogging can be good ways to encourage feet and leg energy.

   To feel our rootedness with the Earth; spending time outdoors is very healing.  You might feel a need to make a commitment to pick up trash or plant trees or a garden.

   During the 1st chakra in depth study, you can make an altar for your own focus.  Let it represent the element earth and feature symbols of personal interest.  Try to include the 1st chakra color RED( stones include garnet, hematite, bloodstone, lodestone).  The purpose is to remind yourself of the concepts I listed in the beginning.  If family is a focus, you could include a family picture on your altar, for example.  (money-checkbook, physical health-mirror)  Overall, you should like your altar when completed.  It should be a pleasant reminder to connect with the earth, yourself and the ideas you are choosing to work with during this period

It is my desire that you find joy in learning more about yourself, your body and your goals during this time.

Sat Nam  ~Opal (Surprem Kaur)

 Learning more about the Swadhisthana chakra means thinking about flow and change and desires and direction of thought toward pleasure and release of past pain and opening the the adductor muscles and the hips, sacrum, groin, and knees (quads) AND the feet.  Are you enjoying using water even more?  This is such a good time for liquid thankfulness...a time to drink more (I mean refreshing hydrating liquids, mind ya).  Are you eating more oranges, nectarines, tangerines, damiana, cayenne spices?  Enjoying the deliciousness?  How is the goddess pose now feeling for you?  Are you massaging your inner thigh muscles?  Are they releasing tightness?  Don't forget the pelvic rock, butterfly, hip circles and flowing movements like water dancing...flow, flow, flow...let your emotions flow--don't hold...journal them out!  Journal your list of desires and what helps you to feel pleasure...delve deeper and journal your emotions---need to reslove some resentment, conflict?  This is a good time to do it---release that resentment so that you are not holding yourself back from feeling more and more joy........hey! I'm right here along doing it to...and yes this can be an area to get stuck in---some people have been taught not to allow themselves to do things that feel good (which is nurturance which is the best thang for ya) so they feel guilty and repress these ideas which can lead to lots of inflexibiltiy and illness of course.  And there are those on the otherside who can't seen to get enough- practicing Balance requires us to open to a particular energy without becoming excessively attached.  

But pleasure does invite us to expand--we can devote this energy upward toward liberation--toward limitless consciousness.  Pleasure helps the body and mind to better link up, to relax and release tension...gradually we can create a rhythmic coherent pattern which soothes our whole nervous system.  Pleasure allows us to tune into our senses...it is ESSENTIAL for the health of our body, the rejuvenation of our spirit and the healing of our personal and cultural relationships!  Pleasure and emotions are at the root of desire.  Through desire we create movement.  Through movement we create change.  Consciousness thrives on change.  This is the essence of second chakra function.   Our sacrum is the center of our emotional feelings and the initiator of movement within the body.  Your body is sacred.  Your senses can bring enlightenment, ecstasy and joy. 

 Remember nurturance (even the simple act of touching is of extreme imporatnce to the healthy functioning of a human organism) helps regulate our hormones, heart rate, breathing rate, stability and trust...which guides us toward uniting with others and breaking through the illusion of separateness....sounds delicious to me....