www.BrittanyTrubridge.com

Hey guys! So JadeShakti.com is going be expiring soon, and I wanted to change my domain name to BrittanyTrubridge.com and switch over to a hosted page as well. So I have transferred this entire blog to BrittanyTrubridge.com and will continue from there. Be sure to update your bookmarks! If you were subscribed to JadeShakti.com I have added you to my new mailing list and will send out a letter in a couple of days giving you the option to unsubscribe if you choose.

Ok, so…go to

Peace and love, Britta

The 8 Limbs of Ashtanga Yoga

Patanjali Maharishi teaches of the 8 Limbs of Ashtanga Yoga, all of which must be attained consecutively in order to build a solid yogic foundation and eventually attain spiritual liberation. Upon mastering each sadhana (spiritual practice) the sadhaka (spiritual aspirant) attains a *siddhi (a manifested sign of perfecting the practice) The 8 Limbs of Yoga must be practiced on both gross and subtle levels in order to attain complete achievement of them. The 8 Limbs are:

1. yamas: The 5 restraints of thought, word and deed:

-ahimsa (non violence) *siddhi: no animosity/no enimies

-satya (truthfulness) *siddhi: the perfection of speech

-asteya (no stealing) *siddhi: all riches come to the yogi

-bramacharya (celibacy) *siddhi: tremendous energy and virtues spontaneously manifest.

-aparigrapha (non acceptance of gifts) *siddhi:knowledge of past lives and the purpose of this one.

2. niyamas: The 5 observances:

-saucha (external and internal cleanliness) *siddhi: gains absolute indifference towards the body and purity of the mind.

-santosha (contentment, avoiding complaining) *siddhi: supreme happiness

-tapas (austerities, self control but in a gentle way, not one that harms the body) *siddhi:clairvoyance and other supernatural powers

-swadhyaya (self study and study of the scriptures) *siddhi:vision of God/the divine

-ishwara pradhihana (self surrender, abide in the presence of God at all times) *siddhi: samadi

3. asanas: steady postures used for for meditation and the transcendence of the body. *siddhi:mind transcends the pairs of opposites (pleasure/pain, hot/cold etc.)

4. pranayama: life force/breath control. The mind is said to ride upon the breath, so upon controlling the breath mind-control is achieved as well. Pranayama is an essential preparation for absolute control and concentration.*siddhi:destroys negative karma and breaks the veil of ignorance

5. pratyhara: The withdrawal and internalization of the senses.

6. dharana: concentration. The act of internalizing all of ones senses and bringing them towards the mind.

7. dhyana: meditation (deep dharana)

8. samadi: realization (deep dhyana)

The final 3 limbs are essentially of the same nature but of varying degrees.

Reaching Samadi allows for the mind to unite with consciousness and to reach full potential allowing it to extract complete understanding of the reality of all things. Siddhis resulting in solidifying the yamas and niyamas can also lead straight to samadi, which is why the foundation is so crucial.

Peace and love, Britta

6 Sounds for the Benefit of the Inner Organs

While I was in New Zealand, I delved into some of William’s mum’s books and found one on the Tao. I was especially interested in a part that I read called, “6 Sounds for the Benefit of the Inner Organs”. On our way back to the Bahamas, as we swung through Santa Monica, we had a Kundalini class with Maya Feines, and I was surprised when she used one of these sound mantras in her class. The sounds are:

Ha: vibrates at the heart

Hu: vibrates at the spleen

Shi: vibrates at the solar plexus

SSSSS: vibrates at the lungs

Shu: vibrates at the liver

Fu: vibrates at the kidney

Practicing the repetition of anyone of these sounds while in a seated upright position, from the beginning of a full inhale until the breath has been extinguished, and with the mind fixed on (healing intention) the corresponding organ, is said to greatly benefit that particular organ. I have not yet tried it myself, but I have great faith in ancient wisdom and am an advocate of incorporating any preventative or healing methods into one’s daily life.

Side note: I have added heaps of new course information on the side bar.

Peace and love, Britta