The New Moon at zero degrees Leo is conjunct Mars at 2 degrees Leo. The Sun and Mars are at exact conjunction July 26 at 4 degrees Leo. Their conjunction marks a new cycle in relationship to Mars themes — the masculine, motivation, will, vitality, passion, and directed, intentional action. Elevated Mars is the Warrior of the Heart, who acts with courage in the face of confrontation, life’s challenges, and all manifestations of fear.

Our Leo test is to stay in our heart, when confronted by darkness, despair, fear, and hatred. Mars in Leo supports our commitment to our daily spiritual practice that gives us the light, will, and resolve to stay centered in our heart and to shine our light during these most challenging times.

Mars will be in close proximity to the Sun through the end of August. Hidden under the glare of the Sun, we not only cannot see Mars in the sky, we may experience an inexplicable reduced level of vitality and motivation. (Now explained, so relax and don’t worry.) And we may lack clarity about our direction and what we really want. But don’t worry, at the beginning of September, and especially when Mars enters Virgo September 5, we will feel more energized as Mars distances itself from the Sun and becomes again visible. Like Mars, we will gradually regain our strength, find renewed energy, clarity of purpose, and focused direction.

You can learn much more about Mars and Martian energy by reading Issue 32 of the New Millennium Being.

At the Leo New Moon and through August, we can take advantage of the cosmic plan to give ourselves time to clear out negative and abusive expressions of the masculine that linger in our psyche. As the Sun’s rays burn away the arrogance, egomania, self-centeredness, manipulation, greedy excess, and bullying manifestations of abusive male power, we can purge our own shadows. And we can watch how this cosmic energy works on those in power. Perhaps we may witness a humbling, exposure, and even an extinguishing of some abuse of power. Stay tuned. Things could get interesting.

Awaken Your Kundalini

We can profit from the ‘hidden’ Mars through August to focus inward and to devote our spiritual practice to awaking our Kundalini. As we quietly ignite the spark of our soul, we can raise our consciousness out of fear into the frequency of love and open our hearts.

Listen carefully to what your heart is telling you and where it is directing you. What lights your fire? What drains your energy? Choose to let go of the past and to build your self-esteem. Commit to carefully nurturing and containing your life force and building the glow of your radiant body.

The fire signs remind us that we are in fact beings of light and that our most important ‘fire’ task is to cultivate and take care of our light and radiant body. It is the our fiery light that gives us vitality, sustains our passion, ignites our creativity, and determines the intensity of our radiance.

Leo is ruled by the Sun. Our inner Sun is activated at our navel, solar plexus, and heart chakras. The strength and centering at our navel chakra determines the power of our will and our ability to define and hold an energetic definition of our identity. Our solar plexus holds the wounds that dim our light and self-esteem. The fire at our navel must be strong enough to bring light to these shadows and move up our spine to open our heart.

The Locks

Applying the locks or Bhandas is a basic practice to awaken and raise the Kundalini. This topic is covered in detail in my book Your Life Is in Your Chakras, which explains the subtle application of each lock according to the element that is being activated. A shorter version is summarized on pages 41-43 in Volume 1 of Introduction to Kundalini Yoga. The locks are also explained in Lesson 8 of my free online introductory Kundalini Yoga course.

Yoiur Life is in Your Chakras by Guru Rattanha PhD

We apply some form of the locks after and during most exercises and meditations. We each need to work with the process and find what subtle movements actually activate our Kundalini. Below are some suggestions to perfect your individual practice.

Kundalini Awakening Begins at the Navel

  1. Begin by inhaling deeply into the nostrils, feeling the breath go up to the bridge of the nose to activate the 3rd eye. Maintain a soft focus at the 3rd eye using the inhale as an activator mechanism.
  2. Activate Navel – mix prana and apana with powerful breath of fire and navel exercises to create tappa/heat.
  3. Activate Root and connect with Earth to receive Kundalini energy from Mother Earth. Feel gravity keeping you anchored to the Earth.
  1. Relax the belly and allow the flow of energy from the root up your spine.
  2. On each inhale feel your belly and chest expand (in addition to awakening third eye).
  3. On each slow exhale, when the exhale is about half way out, pull in the navel and then pull the muscles at the root-first chakra. This is the beginning of the root lock on the extended and suspended exhale.
  4. Feel the fire/tappa at the navel reach down to Kiss the Kundalini at the 1st chakra.
  5. Lightly pull on the sex organ to add sexual energy to Kundalini energy. Keep the belly relaxed so that the energy can flow up the spine to the third eye.
  6. With a combination of relaxation and muscle action, coax and allow the flow of Kundalini and sexual energy up the spine.
  7. Add fire energy at navel to empower the flow up to the heart using diaphragm lock, by pulling the diaphragm in and up. (done on the exhale)
  8. Pull spine up to adjust the neck, open the throat, and connect body and head. Neck lock is an adjustment to position the head ‘to float’ on the spine so the shoulders, neck, throat, and face can relax.
  9. Keep a default focus at the third eye to direct Kundalini energy to awaken the neutral mind.
  1. Feel and focus at the top of the head to release energy to open the crown chakra.
  2. The exhale ends at the crown chakra. The next inhale begins at the third eye.
  3. The breath can become a circular breath. The inhale is an expansion down the spine. Theexhale is a release up the spine.
  4. To keep the Kundalini up, periodically pull in the navel and ‘kiss the Kundalini” on the extended and suspended exhale.

Recommended Practices to Activate the Fire at the Navel Chakra

Breath of Fire

Sat Kriya

Long Ek Ong Kars

Pump Navel with Mantra Meditations – Ad Nad Kriya Meditation

All Navel Kriyas and exercises to activate the navel chakra. Some of my favorite include:

‘Third Chakra: Exercise Set to Develop Navel Power’ in Your Life Is in Your Chakras, pp. 272-3

‘Solar Plexus: Awaken Your Core’ in Your Life Is in Your Chakras, p. 278

‘Kiss the Kundalini’ Introduction to Kundalini Yoga, Volume 2, p. 117

To complete your practice do any heart opening meditation. Jod Kriya is easy and effective. From Your Life Is in Your Chakras, p. 311.

Jod Kriya: Meditation for Heart Chakra

This meditation is very relaxing and good for the nerves. It heals a broken heart and opens one to receive love.

Palms are pressed lightly together in front of the face, tips of the middle fingers are at the level of the brow. Forearms are horizontal, parallel to the ground. Look within at the brow and feel the heart. There is no specified mantra or breath. Simply hold the position and connect within.

Practice for 11 or 31 minutes. To end, inhale deeply, press the hands together, pressurize the whole body, and pull the locks. Exhale powerfully and repeat two more times. Then stretch up and shake out your whole body.

References

Trinkaus, Emily, Leo New Moon – July 23, The Mountain Astrologer, June/July 2017, p. 99.

Visit Link