10 Points to Remember from Peter

1. I am a clearing, an infinite zero point...
through which the universe moves
in all its complexity.
2. There is no center to my existence...
just infinite space... that is inseparable from manifestation.
3. There is no seer or perceiver. When I see, I look out from nothing.
4. I am nowhere. There are just forms and appearances.
5. The universe moves in me and through me as I move through it.
6. There is no boundary between me and the World. There is no inside and outside, no place where I stop and others begin.
7. Other people are manifestations in the field of awareness in essence no different from my own body.
8. When people talk to me, it is really no different than talking to myself in a different voice.
9. When people display strong emotions, I can feel these happening in the body of my universe.
10. When I am in a group of people my mind expands and more is happening.
~By Peter

the winter is calm

You asked, “what do we do when it is cold?”
And I said, “my darling, we send out gentle thoughts of love that will lightly touch the heart of all beings. Then, when the snow flakes fall and melt, they will be warm and evaporate into ever higher and deeper love.

place

“One day I just stopped telling myself all the things I’d been telling myself and I stopped needing to know all the things I’d been needing to know, and I just actually started paying attention to things as they seemed to be in their own voices.
And you know to begin with everything went completely dark and everything seemed to disappear and I was in a very narrow place, and in that narrow place I found myself on solid ground, and from that narrow place I could take a step into something I could actually call my own life.”
David Whyte paraphrasing Dante, “Midlife and the Great Unknown”

Yoga and the Chakras

1. Muladhara Chakra:
"When our hamstrings are tight, the contraction creates a sense that we're constantly prepared to run away. As Anne slowly stretched the backs of her legs in Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend) and Janu Sirsasana (Head-to-Knee Pose), she received some of the gifts of the first chakra: calmness, patience, and a willingness to slow down and stay in one place. As she strengthened her quadriceps and opened her hamstrings, she renewed her confidence and commitment to the next steps on her life's journey. Her fears eased as she allowed herself to trust the earth and her body.
We ended our session with peaceful restorative poses, like Supta Baddha Konasana (Reclining Bound Angle Pose), Salamba Savasana (Supported Corpse Pose), and Salamba Balasana (Supported Child's Pose), all of which settle an overactive mind and encourage us to surrender to gravity. By the end of our session, she no longer felt so worried. At home in her body, she was more prepared for the challenges she faced."
"http://www.yogajournal.com/basics/898?page=2

Svadhistana
"Second chakra asanas help us with adaptability and receptivity. The leg position in Gomukhasana (Cow Face Pose), forward bending with the legs in the first stage of Eka Pada Rajakapotasana (Pigeon Pose), Baddha Konasana (Bound Angle Pose), Upavistha Konasana (Open Angle Pose), and other hip and groin openers all provide freedome of movement in the pelvis. These hip and groin openers should never be forced, for they require the subtle feminine tough of sensitivity and surrender."

Manipura
"Second chakra asanas help us with adaptability and receptivity. The leg position in Gomukhasana (Cow Face Pose), forward bending with the legs in the first stage of Eka Pada Rajakapotasana (Pigeon Pose), Baddha Konasana (Bound Angle Pose), Upavistha Konasana (Open Angle Pose), and other hip and groin openers all provide freedome of movement in the pelvis. These hip and groin openers should never be forced, for they require the subtle feminine tough of sensitivity and surrender."
http://www.yogajournal.com/basics/898?page=4

Anahata
Asanas that enliven the heart chakra include passive chest openers in which we arch gently over a blanket or bolster, shoulder stretches such as the arm positions of Gomukhasana and Garudasana (Eagle Pose), and backbends. Being an even-numbered, feminine chakra, the heart center naturally yearns to release and let go. Doing backbends develops the trust and surrender we need to open the heart fully.
http://www.yogajournal.com/basics/898?page=5

Vishuddha
"Deficient energy in this chakra leads to neck stiffness, shoulder tension, teeth grinding, jaw disorders, throat ailments, an underactive thyroid, and a fear of speaking. Excessive talking, an inability to listen, hearing difficulties, stuttering, and an overactive thyroid are all related to excessiveness in this chakra. Depending on the ailments, different neck stretches and shoulder openers, including Ustrasana (Camel Pose), Setu Bandha Sarvangasana (Bridge Pose), Sarvangasana (Shoulderstand), and Halasana (Plow Pose), can aid the fifth chakra"
http://www.yogajournal.com/basics/898?page=6

AnjaAs
"I occasionally like to work with this chakra by having my students wear blindfolds during an entire class. Temporarily deprived of sight, which provides such a huge percentage of our sensory input, students have a very fresh experience of yoga. They can't be distracted by the room, by other students, or by looking critically at their own bodies. Instead, they experience pratyahara, the drawing inward of the senses. After these classes, students have shared with me profound insights about their bodies and lives that came up because their vision was directed more deeply inside themselves. Another yogic approach to supporting the health of the Ajna Chakra is to do supported forward bends, adding an extra bolster or blanket to press upon and stimulate the third eye area. Also, creating positive images and visualizations is a practice that helps create a healthy sixth chakra. Such affirmative visions act as natural magnets, drawing the imagined situation into your life."
http://www.yogajournal.com/basics/898?page=7Sahasrar

Sahasrar:
http://www.yogajournal.com/basics/898?page=8

This needs to be read with the following book from 1932 by C.G. Jung:

what kind of human being do you want to be?

Nothing can be forced but what we need to understand is that in this entire universe - nothing can be buried, nothing can be hidden as the Supreme awareness knows it all and is with you and all of us at all times. So, what kind of human being and leader do you want to be?
Will we become more benevolent one day?
Right now... in me... there is deep peace! May the leaders of the World learn to love their people, and all beings, not just of their own country. May we truly evolve soon!

Basic Winter Practices

Ayurveda:
"The earth is relieved of its heat... sour, salty and sweet taste ), which cause unctuousness in the body grow,, as a result, human beings also progressively grow in strength (Sharaka Samhita)."
Yoga: -stronger and more challenging yoga asanas can be introduced during this time, as it is a greater time to advance and harness increased strength that comes with this time of the year.
Rest and relax: as this is the time to slow down, sit on the couch and read a good book, contemplate, journal, and meditate. Soak up the quiet time and retreat within. Make sure that the room you sleep in is not cold or drafty. Just like the black bear, hibernate and rejuvenate.
Wear warm clothe that protect from the cold and wind and cover your head and ears to maintain body heat. Do not go out with oily hair as this makes cools the head further down and attracts a cold.
General winter spices are: anise, black pepper, cardamom, cinnamon, clove, cumin, fennel, ginger, nutmeg, saffron. Ayurveda likes to use some dairy. Remember a glass of milk in India is rather small. For those who need dairy, you can add spices like ginger and cinnamon to it to make them easier digestible. Make sure the milk is taken from "organically" raised cows who did not suffer in any way because of our dairy consumption as that suffering will be in the milk and will manifest in the body.

Sleep; Go to bed early and sleep a bit longer. Do not oversleep as then stagnancy sets in and it is harder to get up. Rise between 5 and 6.20am and sleep between 10 and 11pm at night.
Do overall favor... sweet, salty, and sour tastes in moderation though.
Enjoy unctuous, heavier and more nourishing meals. like vegetable stews etc.

Seasonal local meals should be warm cooked, with more grains and root vegetables. Warm cooked fruits is another nice way to keep your digestion at ease. Add pepper and long pepper to your foods to make sure that the digestive fire is burning right and not too much weight is gained. Remember, dietary needs are different in Hawaii in Winter (which is more humid) than in lets say Northern Europe or Alaska.

Any urge for raw foods and salads is best to be satisfied during noon time. Vata people may have more trouble digesting those during the Winter season. So watch yourself carefully.

Favor more indoor activities. This is the time to gain cardiovascular and muscle strength. Do some weight training. It is the perfect time to join a health club, powerful hatha yoga school, or dust off your treadmill.

Sun salutations and longer holds of the standing positions are ideal and recommended in traditional hatha yoga, as the heavier qualities are more prevalent during this time of the year, we need to build up our inner heat.

Oil the ears, nose, head and feet regularly with sesame oil in winter as we get to dry up easier. Do not forget the legs as they tend to become itchier during the winter from the dry cold air. Flushing the teeth with sesame oil is another good way to keep the gums healthy.
Other Daily Inspirations: (Dinacharya) could be the following:
1. Morning warm oil self-massage.... sneha... self massage. Don't have oil on your head and go outside into the cold.
2. Take a short hot shower but do not wash the oil totally off.
3. Ashvaganda/Bala oil, Sesame oil, and Mahanayana Oil
4. Strengthening herbs are Ashvaganda between 3 and 4 with Tulsi Tea
5. Chayanvanprash, fortifying jam is great for those who get Winter colds.
A natural inner pull inwards maybe there manifesting in an urge to meditate more - just follow that urge.
Maintain your balance through observing an occasional technology fast by staying away from cell phone, computer for 2 days a week to make sure we do not get out of touch with the regenerative and rejuvenating flow of the season.
Sources for ayurvedic remedies:
http://www.banyanbotanicals.com/
http://www.himalayahealthcare.com/
http://www.dandelionbotanical.com/