This Month's Article:
 
"Transformation is Magick!"
by Renee Bastet

     [This month, my dear Spirit Sister, Renee, offers her thoughts on transformation in the featured article.  Renee is a Stone Priestess and creator of Bastet Jewelry - wearable healing stone medicine.  You can check her out at www.BastetJewelry.com]

     Transformation. What does it mean to us? How do we recognize it? How do we facilitate it? How do we complete it? Why do we need it?

     Transformation is “the change in form or outward appearance of a condition, nature, or function.” For myself and my craft, I define transformation as letting go of a particular condition, trait, or situation in my life in order to allow something else to be born and blossom. It can also be looked at as a growth spurt or change in perspective. Transformation can occur on its own, or we can open ourselves up to having the power to create transformation ourselves. That’s magick! That’s power!

     Here are some wise words from my elder and Spirit Mama, Luna Crow, Teacher of the Moontime Mysteries:
     "Grandmother Moon is the ultimate guide for self transformation. We see Her when she is mirroring her partner, the Sun. When she does Her beautiful dance with Sun and Earth, we appreciate and relate to Her.  But what about when we can’t see Her with our eyes? Then, She is in the underworld, looking within. She reflects off no other. This is a natural, regular aspect of her monthly cycle.    

    What can we learn from Grandmother moon? When we need transformation, we often feel stuck in a rut or like we are treading water. We find ourselves saying “if only X was different.” We are stuck because we are trying to change other people, places, circumstances, and things. We are expecting other people, places, or situations to be our reflections of how we are doing. We are refusing to dance alone. We give up our power, so feel powerless. Transformation is needed when we have been dancing too long with the reflections around us. Transformation is needed when we are hooked on expectations of others, and therefore always feel let down. I use the word “hooked” because this is an addictive pattern, heavily induced by our patriarchal culture. Addiction disempowers us. We can take back our power by breaking this addiction. To do this, we must take time every month to look at our personal reflection honestly and with humility, to look at our true face rather than how we reflect off of the outside world. We must put aside the dance we do with others (reflecting the Sun) and focus on the dance with ourselves (looking inside). Here is where we become aware of and accept that we are responsible for our own lives. We acknowledge that we have become addicted to outside substances, situations, and people to provide approval. In doing so, we can release expectations and dive deep in to our own wellspring of Holiness. Here we find we can change ourselves. By changing ourselves, our personal world changes. And if our personal world changes then the world changes, because we are one with all that is."

     The key to creating transformation is to detach ourselves from the ultimate outcome. In this way, transformation is different from manifestation techniques. I’m not talking about manifesting prosperity, a new job, a big house, or a hot lover. I'm talking about transforming how we perceive ideas, how we communicate, or how we handle emotional situations. It’s about taking our spirituality to another level. It can be about becoming a better friend, lover, child, parent, or sibling. And it is not limited to these: There are many other aspects of your life you can transform.

     Transformation cannot occur without a letting go, a release. In order for something to become something else, we must let go of our desire for that something to stay the same. If we want to manifest a new pattern, object, or perspective for ourselves, we must create room by letting go of the old pattern, object, or perspective. There are many methods of release. If you follow an earth-based spirituality, a waning-moon releasing meditation, a fire-burning ceremony, or the wearing of stones that enhance the releasing energy can be helpful. If you are truly ready for a transformation, the releasing act flows with ease and grace.

     After releasing the old, it is important to purify. Purification allows any residual energy to be cleansed. Burning sage, sitting in a sweat lodge, or wearing cleansing stones can assist with this. This is an important step, as we often forget that there are energies we are unable to see or feel. Allow yourself to have an open heart and mind during your purification; this will enhance the cleansing.

    After letting go and cleansing, you can begin manifesting the transformation. Voice, write, or pray about what it is you want to transform. Discuss it with your favorite healer, teacher or mentor. Working with stones is a fun and easy way to facilitate change. Be open to the change happening at its own pace, and try to avoid specific expectations. True knowledge is knowing that we don’t have all the answers, which leads to growth. Leave yourself open to the universe bringing you unexpected gifts and you will reach levels you never dreamed of.

     How do you know when a transformation has occurred? My favorite astrologer has some wonderful words on this: “As far as transformation is concerned, the trickiest part is: You’ll never know if you’re truly transforming until after the process is done, or very close to completion. Only the “new” you will be able to recognize any significant distance traveled from the “old”. Your best clue to a real transformation in progress is the sudden deep wondering, with more than a bit of panic in your mind’s voice, about who you are and where you’re headed and whether you’ve become totally crazy having strayed this far into uncomfortable, unknown territory—and, at the same time, the profound awareness that there’s no going back. Transformations, by the very nature, usually involve some type of personal grief or mourning. After all, we are ‘killing’ off a part of ourselves to create room for something more. We mustn’t gloss over the emotional responses we inevitably feel when we’re forced to say goodbye to familiar ways of being.” Astrobarry

     When a transformation has occurred, I encourage you to study how it is affecting your life. Log your dreams and ask your closest loved ones if they see a change. Finally, give thanks! Finding a way to offer a gift of thanks can help facilitate more positive change and transformation in your life. Thank the Goddess/God, thank the Great Mother Earth, thank La Bella Luna! Whatever your source is, thank it profoundly. Transformations make us great beings, bring us more love, and allow for the greatest healing!

     © 2007 Renee Bastet

SUMMER CHAKRA SERIES RETURNS!!!
7 weeks  (plus one for July 4th week!) on the 7 chakras, or energy centers in the body.  This is a transformative annual tradition during the summer in my Tuesday and Friday morning classes at YiY.  Each chakra symbolizes and embodies an aspect of the evolution of a human being, and we work with each one through yoga postures, breath, visualization, mantra, mudra, and more. 
   Weekly Schedule:
      June 25 & 29     - 1st Chakra
      July 2 & 6         - Nadis, the system of energy channels + review of 1st
      July 9 & 13        - 2nd Chakra
      July 16 & 20      - 3rd Chakra
      July 23 & 27      - 4th Chakra
      July 30 & Aug 3 - 5th Chakra
      Aug 6 & 10        - 6th Chakra
      Aug 13 & 17      - 7th Chakra

NEW AYURVEDIC SPA IN FREMONT!  Sharmila Shankar of Prakruti Ayurveda, a highly skilled Ayurvedic practitioner from India, is opening an Ayurvedic spa in the new location of Mind-Body Zone in Fremont on July 3rd. I highly recommend her!  If you are interested in genuine ayurvedic treatments and consultations, you can find out more by visiting her website:  http://www.enjoyayurveda.com

HIP OPENER workshop coming to YiY on SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 15TH from 2-5pm.  Mark your calendars, and look for more details in August newsletter

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      July brings us up to the high point of summer, and often tempuratures rise considerably.  As the outer heat reaches the 90s and 100s, it becomes vital to have some regimens to keep ourselves cool within.  Ayurveda, the healing science of India, and Yoga have much to offer us to maintain a calm and cool body and mind.

    Nature has provided us with some good rememdies for keeping cool during the hottest time of the year.  Many water-laden and sweet fruits and vegetables are available now to help quench the body's thirst.  We know how refreshing the taste and experience of cold watermelon on a hot summer's day!  Sweet melons are known to be some of the most cooling foods one can eat.  Just remember to eat them alone - melons digest so quickly that they can cause indigestion when mixed with other foods that are slower to break down, and can cause toxins to be created in the colon.

    It's no secret that we should be drinking plenty of water to keep cool within.  If a car runs out of water or coolant, it can cause some pretty big damage from overheating.  Make sure you're taking care of your own internal combustion system and balancing it with plenty of fresh, filtered or bottled water.

    In India, one of the most refreshing drinks I experienced was fresh coconut water, right from the coconut.  It's hard to find the same quality of coconut here in the US, but if you do and can crack open one without spilling the milk, it can go a long way to soothing an overheated body.  So can fresh lime-ade.  Lime is known to be more cooling than lemon: add some fresh lime juice to water and put in cane sugar to taste, and you have another great cooling option.

    For vegetables, sweet and water-laden choices like winter and summer squash, zucchini, and sweet potato can balance out the heat of summer.  Vegetables can be lightly sauteed in olive oil or steamed for easier digestion.  But at this time of year, digestive fire is so high that you can also enjoy many salads and fresh, raw veggie snacks, such as carrots, cucumber, and water-laden celery, to keep you cool.  Essentially, even if we are of other body-mind types, when we're overheated in the summer, following a Pitta-calming diet as recommended in Ayurveda is helpful for many.

Some people experience accummulated heat from the day in the evenings, often before bed, and can feel feet, hands, and even the face or other parts of the body hot and swollen.  Cool foot baths, washing down the face and body with a cold, wet wash cloth, and wearing a wet t-shirt to bed in extreme heat will help lower temperatures and improve sleep on those hot summer nights.     Some cooling choices for yoga practice?  Think expansion and openness.  Compression tends to make things heat up (think about pressure cookers!), so most things that gently and passively open the body will help cool it down.  You can set up a supported Bridge Pose to help release excess heat from the mid-torso region, where it tends to accummulate in the body. Fold a couple blankets so they are long and slightly narrow (but wide enough to cover the width of your back) and lie over them.  Slide your shoulders gently onto the floor, until the chest and stomach are receiving a gentle backbend opening.  Bend your knees with feet flat on the floor to release the low back and keep it neutral.  You can find a decent photo of this pose (here, with the legs elevated on blocks instead of knees bent) at this website (scroll down to Supported Bridge): sunandmoonstudio.com/restore.html     Wide-leg forward bends help release heat from the body and calm the mind.  This includes seated and standing variations of wide-leg forward bends, such as Prasarita Padottanasana (standing) and Upavistha Konasana (seated angle).  In general, avoid overheating through your practice!     At the end of your day, you may find it helpful to release the blood and stress that can build up heat in the feet by taking the legs up the wall, into Viparita Karani.  This can be done by sitting with one hip against the wall, then turning onto your back as you swing the legs up against the wall.  Scoot away from the wall to whatever degree it's necessary to allow the legs to straighten easily.  Then, enjoy the release of pressure in the feet and the reversal of circulation, which can rejuvenate, cool, and calm body and mind. Remember that heat tends to expend our energies, so any restorative poses will generally be good at replacing those lost resources from the blazing day.     As you go off to sleep, you may wish to imagine a cool shower of water, a trickle or a refreshing waterfall, flowing down over you from head to toe, washing out not only the heat but anything you want to let go of, leaving you refreshed and relieved.  Let it wash away thoughts, emotions, and worries, allowing inner and outer coolness to prevail.  Thank the water element for giving you this wonderful reprive as we continue our journey through summertime. © 2004, 2007 by Constance L. Habash