BANDHA BLOG from Beth

I can't stress enough the importance of approaching this practice of shaping the breath with a sense of exploration, curiosity and playfulness.

Movement very literally begins in the mind as an image guiding movement. (Thanks Rachel for your question about visualization). Effort to change movement inevitably leads to a distortion of the intended pattern. I look at the more advanced and subtle aspects of this internal practice of Banhdas not as something to gage my own performance against but as a context in which to explore the internal experience in my practice. In other words, forget about the idea of "getting it" or "not getting it".

Along this vein, I love these words from David Swenson:

"There is no end to the refinement of practice. Yoga has no limit or finality. Rather, the greater the depth of knowledge obtained, the greater the understanding that there is infinitely more to know."

Share your visualizations!
Beth

Global Mala

Check the link for photos from Saturday's Global Mala event.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mmillernh/sets/72157602114621330/

Thanks to all that participated.

Peace,
~Maureen

Breathing Blog from Beth

In the practice of Yoga we move from the gross to the subtle. We move from the outward expressions of the practice to the inward expressions of the practice: Drishti, Breath, Bandhas. Through these unseen parts of the practice, our postures become about moving energy rather than using muscular effort. Yoga becomes a way of expanding the ability to know our own mind and a way to open to the tremendous sensory information within our own body.

We all must start with the most gross aspects of the Ujjayi breath, breathing through the nose, lengthening the breath like a whispering from the back of the throat. Once we can stay with these aspects of Ujjayi, we are ready to begin to experience the breath as the movement of Prana, the ubiquitous life force energy that rides on the breath. Our attention then resides with the direction of movement of the air we are exchanging from within us and around us rather than primarily with what we are "doing" with the outer movements of the body. This is the beginning of articulating the deeper parts of our selves both mentally and physically. We begin literally to know where we are in space from the inside out.

I invite you all to explore this in your asana practice or simply sitting and breathing and share your experience with the group on our BLOG.
Inhale, direct the breath all the way down to the base of the body, the tailbone and the feet. Exhale, direct the breath upwards all the way from the base of the body through the crown of the head.

Victorious breath-
Beth


FROM KURT:
Last night was great! A special thanks to "Mary-Beth Poppins" with her umbrella, for totally confusing me on what I thought I understood. But its good as I now have to re-examine what I thought I knew. Love having the 2 different styles of teachers...it adds a lot of depth and breadth to the instruction.Kurt
September 18, 2007 5:41:00 AM PDT

Talitha said...
Thank you Beth & Maureen for a great experience last night!! I really took a lot from the time. It left me craving for more more more. :) I have been practicing my ujjayi breath since I left LY last night. I had my "Aha" moment with my breath this morning. It will be a good day. Enjoy the day everyone!!

Living Yoga Teacher Training/Develop Your Practice

Hello everyone.... welcome to the world of LYTT/DYP blogging.... it will be fantastic to have as much participation as possible to explore the various aspects of our program as well as to stay connected in between sessions. Current LY teachers will also be weighing in on the blogging and offer their words of wisdom, having been where you are now!!In this first posting I would like to offer the opportunity for us to post - living the Yamas off the mat.... please post how you do that, others you have observed, anything really.
Peace.

Yamas ~ moral codes/ethical disciplines ~ establish yourself in peace
Ahimsa – non-violence in your thoughts, words, actions
Satya – truthfulness, integrity of thoughts, words, actions
Asteya – non-stealing/not taking what is not yours/not taking more than you need
Brahmacharya – healthy expression of sexual activity
Aparigraha – generous in every thought, word, action