Breath Gives Life

living yoga, ayurveda,sadhana & natures earthy ways

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  • Yoga – the practice
    • Heart to Heart – Why i teach yoga
    • Starting Yoga for Good Health & Calmness
    • Yoga Nidra – Anyone can do it
    • Private Yoga facilitation with Carmen
    • The role of yoga in cancer
  • Retreats
    • Yoga & Nature Immersion Retreat- Wonderland Lodge, Makarora
  • Learn to Meditate
    • How meditation can help
  • Testamonials
  • Home
  • About Carmen
  • Yoga – the practice
    • Heart to Heart – Why i teach yoga
    • Starting Yoga for Good Health & Calmness
    • Yoga Nidra – Anyone can do it
    • Private Yoga facilitation with Carmen
    • The role of yoga in cancer
  • Retreats
    • Yoga & Nature Immersion Retreat- Wonderland Lodge, Makarora
  • Learn to Meditate
    • How meditation can help
  • Testamonials

Inspiration

abundant.earth abundant.earth. edible weeds recipes abundat.earth ancient awakening awareness ayurveda ayurveda upper clutha Ayurveda with carmen Cha Dao cultivate discipline daily routine deep listening dinacharya EcoHaven ethicalfarming fat-hen saag gentle yoga for good health & calmness health kriya yoga maori meditation Mountain Spirit Retreat natural law nature wisdom no way Hollyford highway organicfood ritucharya self development self realisation shamanism simple sourdough spiritual musings staple recpies the holy cow true happiness wanakacommunityyogawithcarmen Wu De yoga yoga for cancer yogainthecommunity yogainthecommunitywithcarmen yogateacherwanaka yoga wanaka yoga with carmen
  • ayurveda and old age
    ayurveda/self care,  yoga

    Ways to support your Yoga practice as you get older

    carmen / March 8, 2021

    The ripe age of 65 marks the transition to “old age” if, we are lucky enough to live this long!! Ayurveda views this stage as the age of Vata dominated by the element…

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  • breathgiveslife
    ayurveda/self care,  purposeful living

    Energy into Nature – the Autumn influence of Yama Damstra

    carmen / June 5, 2020

    Autumn,  wrapped up,  hats on, we head outdoors catching the last of the lingering light.  Forest foraging for fungal friends, their timely presence favored to boost immunity & moods for the  Winter season. …

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  • organics/lifestyle resiliance,  purposeful living,  Uncategorized

    Misuse of intelligence

    carmen / September 12, 2018

    Within the pages  of the  ancient  Ayurvedic text  Charaka Samhitta  is the pulse of timeless wisdom on the disease and suffering of the  human experience. According to the Charaka – Misuse of intelligence…

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  • abundant.earth, milk, organic
    ayurveda/self care,  organics/lifestyle resiliance

    Holy COW batman; the truth about our milk & stories about cows

    carmen / March 13, 2016

    I like cows.  I love the element within hindi culture that esteems a cow as a symbol of the goddess and divine bounty of the earth. Ayurveda reveres milk and its by products…

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Categories

A brief affirmation practice developed by Paramahamsa Yogananda: cultivating the consciousness of perfect health

breath_gives_life
The mighty Kahikatea - white pine.... grows up to The mighty Kahikatea - white pine.... grows up to 60 metres, tallest of this land's native trees... It reminds us to stand tall in truth and honour, to see the wider perspective, aspire to grow and reach beyond our limited belief patterns, beyond the smallness of the ego to rise above the minds of those that have lost their way.....#barrybrailsford #wisdomofthefourwinds #gracefromtheforest #healingfromthetrees #forestbathing
Mamaku - Tree fern. A great symbol of this time, M Mamaku - Tree fern. A great symbol of this time, Mamaku grows from a spiral - Koru - the perfect example of growth carved into the shelters of the Ancestors of this land as an unfolding of the promise of tommorrow. As we stand strong we always have the opportunity to make new beginnings, we must face our past, to heal our future.... Creation unfolds and folds constantly - like the Koru and we are part of that in every way. Excerpt #barrybrailsford #upliftspirit #gracefromtheforest #mamaku #nznative #honour #wisdomofthefourwinds
Watching the #sunset - Te Taitua o Te Ra - the sym Watching the #sunset - Te Taitua o Te Ra - the symbol of completion. Moments like this are a novelty as i live in a valley and don't see the Sun travel to its completion each day, its last light giving way to night. Observing the sun set keeps me connected to the pulse of life.... this one bought forward a gift: courage, to walk deeper into #wisdom, looking beneath the surface with the eyes of a seer. Past present & future. #standtall #timeofgreatchange #wearecreators #introspection
Accordingly DNA vibrates at 52 - 78 billion cycles Accordingly DNA vibrates at 52 - 78 billion cycles per second! This same frequency is found in solar energy. Which shows that there maybe a #resonance between human DNA and #sunlight, like a tuning fork causing another to vibrate. Sunlight stimulates the production of DHEA a feel good health hormone most abundant in the body, it declines with age, exposure to stress, enviornmental pollutants and so on.....low levels linked to many dis-ease in the body. It is also possible that DHEA is strongly linked to #prana, #qi #vitallifeforce. Which essentially proves that an outside #sadhana in the morning sun can build vital life force as prescribed by the rishis and traditional practice of Yoga outside in nature. #yogarising #sunbathing #5elementtheory #energyhealingtools
The current of #healing; #bioelectricity. #energyh The current of #healing; #bioelectricity. #energyhealing. A healthy body creates healthy energy. Healthy bio electricity #qi #prana #lifeforce creates a healthy body. Physical healing is channeled by electrical messages via the nervous system. The more relaxed the nervous system the more refined the messaging to the physical body. The strength, polarity and delivery of electricity determines how and if we will heal. The #earths natural emfs have a harmonic effect of the physical body, time spent in unadulterated, chemical/toxic, non-radiation free realms of nature can be an allie in treating disease and imbalance. #theartandscienceofchineseenergyhealing #youareyourbestmedicine
"The highest virtue is not virtuous, and is thus v "The highest virtue is not virtuous, and is thus virtuous" - #LaoZi (Founder of #Taoism) that is; true #virtue is not forced or self conscious. Do-gooders or folks that please, are really afraid of or are denying their own agression and hostility. They all ways do what is "best" preferring to be placating, submissive, or self sacrificing rather than expressing or standing for what they geniunely 'feel" lest they make waves. The #sage is NOT a do gooder, says Lao Zi, The sage is true to his or her nature neither compulsively following nor rebelling against rules of conduct. The sage is capable of expressing as neccessary to the situation. When one practices #self-acceptance one becomes sage-like, when we give ourselves permission to feel what we feel, inner resistence is lessened and one is more accepting and understanding of others. - Excerpt from #thewayofqigong #kennethcohen
In the transcendental #Srimad Bhagavatam it refer In the transcendental #Srimad Bhagavatam it refers to the 22 incarnations of vishnu #avatars that appear whenever: evil triumphs over good, darkness take over the light, and tyranny rules over justice. The final incarnation is Kalki "Thereafter, at the conjunction of the two yugas, the Lord of creation will take His birth as the Kalki incarnation and become the son of Visnu Yasa. At this time the rulers of the earth will have degenerated into plunderers." [SB 1.3.25] According to Vedic philosophy we are currently in the transition of Kali Yuga (the age of darkness and ignorance) to Satya Yuga ( the age of truth) As we enter the gregorian calender year 2022, could this year be a truly significant year ascending towards free moral agency guided by right use of intelligence and dharmic living. What do you think folks? "As the Golden Age within of Kali-yuga comes to a close, the lower modes of material nature will become so strong that people will lose interest in spiritual topics. It is said that everyone will become godless. Whatever #devotees, #bhaktas, and #sages are left on the planet will be so unique in character and peculiar compared with the rest of society that they will be ridiculed and hunted down in the cities for sport like animals. Thus, they will flee the cities to live underground in caves or high up in the mountains, or simply disengage from the earthly plane of existence. In this way, they will disappear from the face of the earth. That is the time when the dark influence of the age of Kali-yuga will become so dominant that its full influence will manifest without hindrance." #Kalki will defeat the demon #Kali and start a new #Satyuga: the end of evil and re-establish dharma.
If we seek authority outside of our #self, then fo If we seek authority outside of our #self, then folk are vulnerable to enter into a "state of uncertainity" whereby it becomes easy to to be dictated to. Attention robbed by the distraction of external circumstances, we then avoid the growth in ourselves. The more one exaggerates needs, adds excessive material atttachments, believes more is better and depends on the illusion that governments are there for you, will only serve to rob attention further to the point that life becomes tiresome and complex. The antidote is the awareness that life is simple, that we are completely responsible for our self. With this innerstanding is the belief that we heal, grow and change aligned with the more consciousness you cultivate the fewer choices you need. This applies to all life and #healing. NO medicine no matter how powerful can replace your own, and for those that are initiated into the the mother consciousness what is loved becomes part of our vital tissues, immunity, place and purpose in the world. When this consciousness is imbued, we no longer seek wellness from a pill or any form of external agent, because we have regained sight of our invincible force of wellness within and our profound ability to heal ourselves. Go steady folks and find the power within. excerpts from #womenspowertoheal #throughinnermedicine #mayatiwari
And... the truth shall set you #free! And... the truth shall set you #free!
In what ways are you re-imaging the world at this In what ways are you re-imaging the world at this time of transition? The old world has gone, no singular cure, country, political ideology, belief systems, religion will save us. The institutions that used to protect people don't anymore! Folk no longer consenting to be governed. Instead choosing #freedom. We, each our own #creator what do you #dream and #imagine as the cracks widen and the light shines ever more brightly.
#innerawakening is to step outside of the mass cul #innerawakening is to step outside of the mass culture of society, and live an authentic way of life - Michael Meade #livingmyth Some say that we are currently in the collective battle for the soul to become authentic: to awaken to its uniqueness that is not confined by mass culture. Which in turn is connected to the rediscovery to the nature of the #spirit of life that cannot be seen but is the #breath that gives life. #breathgiveslife #breathetocomealive #findyourself
There is so much right now that is taking inspirat There is so much right now that is taking inspiration away from our creativity, however the one thing accessible to all of us is #nature. Direct experiences with nature have the ability to awaken the higher qualities of humanity, heal & sustain our vitality. The upcoming #yoga&nature immersion retreat at #wonderland lodge this week-end is an ernest response to the need to #unplug and turn to uplifting practices such as #shirinyoku #yoga #mediation #ayurveda to step back into the realm of creating the dream. We have some day spaces and accommodation options still available. head over to #breathgiveslife.com for full details and join the powerful transmission that happens when we all come together with the intent to lift our #consciousness & #energy.
It takes skill, strength & great will to push out It takes skill, strength & great will to push out of the mainstream. #sattva #rajas #tamas #3gunas #purity #restlessness #idleness #bhagavadgita
Life is Sacred.... All life. At least that's how i Life is Sacred.... All life. At least that's how i experience it. The importance of ritual, initiations, rights of passage the embodiment of #gratitude to the #blessing of life. My practice an embodiment of sacredness. Our time is so short, why do we spend so much time in opposition, this is no way to live a #sacred life. Our ability to step outside the crazy, be responsive, to embody the wisdom of kindness towards ourselves and to others, to take things on, to be discerning about every single choice we make is determined by our ability to let things go, in turn determined by our level of #self belief. Only then can we allow all information to come to us, because we know life is sacred and discern from this awareness. Letting go is the most difficult aspect of a sustained Yoga sadhana, but what does it look like when you do? Like me, perhaps you stop taking on others beliefs and awaken to your own apathy towards your own authority. A sacred life is seeing all the ways that you seek authority outside of your own #self and suppress the self. #awakening is to know who you are. #sadhana #sacredlife #sacredearth #blessingstobealive
#unplug #replenish then move forward. It takes ski #unplug #replenish then move forward. It takes skill to step back from our plugged in world. Much of the #yoga teachings recognised the distraction of overpowering culture... long before smartphones & facebook. More pertinent than ever the simple technique of sensory withdrawl #pratyahara. Taming the senses, to draw the mind inwards then upwards to direct #consciousness into the higher sensory faculties of our being: then we awaken to the knowledge that everything exists to support us, we move out of limited beliefs towards self belief.
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~ Learn more about the method of Yoga that Carmen facilitates~

Exsistence, consciousness & bliss are the three longings of the heart

abundant.earth, yoga in the community
reflections by the lake

Yoga & Nature Immersion Retreat 25 26th September Wonderland Lodge, Makarora

breathgiveslife
Yoga & Nature Immersion Retreat, Wonderland Lodge

Yoga for Good Health & Calmness with Carmen two practice times a week

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Paramahamsa Yogananda
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