Personal reflection from Chapter 14 of, ‘An Ordinary Life Transformed’.
‘In your own words, how is the process of meditation related to recognizing and understanding how the gunas influence your experience?’
“The gunas are the very essence of prakriti (nature) and it is they, not the Knower, who are responsible for all the changes arising in the field from moment to moment. Understanding the gunas helps us to see the origin of all action and to keep us from becoming entangled.” (page 173)
What a relief! The gunas, not me, are responsible for life’s ups and downs. That’s a load off! The constant cycle of good, bad and in between is, in general, beyond me. So what I can change instead is how I react to those things. Everybody is going to have good and bad days. Meditation is the tool that allows us to avoid the suffering associated with this cycle. I’m always reminded of the saying, ‘In life, we cannot direct the wind, but we can adjust the sails.’ Meditation is our course in sailing. We learn to direct our sails to make the most of the wind we have. We watch our thoughts in our meditation practice and start to learn that they don’t really belong to us. As our practice progresses, we gain experience observing our thoughts and their origins, and are capable of recognizing the patterns/habits we’ve developed. Through recognition of these cycles we are able to apply this to our daily life. By seeing the root of our actions we are able to choose whether we repeat the cycle, or rise above.
~Jenn 5/12/08
Monday, May 12, 2008
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Pratyahara Blog from Beth
Pratyahara in practice
Extension and expansion always stay firmly rooted in one’s center. They originate in the core of one’s being. When most people stretch, they simply stretch to the point that they are trying to reach, but they forget to extend and expand from where they are. When you extend & expand, you are not only stretching to, you are also stretching from.
Overstretching occurs when one looses contact with one’s center. If the stretch extends from the core and the foundation of the asana, it creates space within the body and the stretch is even throughout the whole body, there is no strain at all. This does not mean that there is no exertion. There is exertion, but this exertion is exhilaration. When one stops straining the brain is passive.
When one ceases grasping outward with the mind, with the eyes and with the extremities, one cultivates a knowledge and awareness of the deeper parts of the body and the deeper parts of the consciousness. This becomes spiritual yoga.
Adapted from Light on Life, B.K.S. Iyengar
Extension and expansion always stay firmly rooted in one’s center. They originate in the core of one’s being. When most people stretch, they simply stretch to the point that they are trying to reach, but they forget to extend and expand from where they are. When you extend & expand, you are not only stretching to, you are also stretching from.
Overstretching occurs when one looses contact with one’s center. If the stretch extends from the core and the foundation of the asana, it creates space within the body and the stretch is even throughout the whole body, there is no strain at all. This does not mean that there is no exertion. There is exertion, but this exertion is exhilaration. When one stops straining the brain is passive.
When one ceases grasping outward with the mind, with the eyes and with the extremities, one cultivates a knowledge and awareness of the deeper parts of the body and the deeper parts of the consciousness. This becomes spiritual yoga.
Adapted from Light on Life, B.K.S. Iyengar
Thursday, February 7, 2008
An Ordinary Life Transformed - Readings Ch 5&6
Chapter 5: Renounce and Be Free: renounce all that is fleeting to realize the eternal
How to know joy in the midst of sorrow: It is only through dis-identifying with that which causes pain and identifying with that which cannot know suffering that this is possible. This is renunciation.
On Monday - let's discuss times when you were able to do this and examples of times when it just did not or would not feel possible.
Chapter 6: The Inner Sanctuary: discipline and refine the mind through meditation
For the all day - let's discuss our meditation experiences and/or any topic or personal reflection related to Section I.
These two chapters complete Section I- Karma Yoga, The Path of Action. We'll begin Section II next session - March/April.
See you Monday or sooner.
Sat.Chit.Ananda.
Love/truth. Knowingness.Bliss.
~Maureen
How to know joy in the midst of sorrow: It is only through dis-identifying with that which causes pain and identifying with that which cannot know suffering that this is possible. This is renunciation.
On Monday - let's discuss times when you were able to do this and examples of times when it just did not or would not feel possible.
Chapter 6: The Inner Sanctuary: discipline and refine the mind through meditation
For the all day - let's discuss our meditation experiences and/or any topic or personal reflection related to Section I.
These two chapters complete Section I- Karma Yoga, The Path of Action. We'll begin Section II next session - March/April.
See you Monday or sooner.
Sat.Chit.Ananda.
Love/truth. Knowingness.Bliss.
~Maureen
Thursday, January 10, 2008
from Carol
Hi everyone & Happy New Year, I wanted to say hello to everyone and welcome the new members/students/yogis to the teacher training group. Its truly an awesome group of people to learn with and learn from as we explore yoga.
Also, the following is a website that has the Ashtanga invocation chant. It has a call and response chant version to practice with as well as a version of them chanting it from start to finish. I'm finding it a helpful tool for learning. Interestingly a little different style than Living Yoga or Patabi Jois, but its all good. http://www.paulfoxashtanga.co.uk/asana/mantra.htm
Just wanted to share that with everyone,
Be well,
Carol
Also, the following is a website that has the Ashtanga invocation chant. It has a call and response chant version to practice with as well as a version of them chanting it from start to finish. I'm finding it a helpful tool for learning. Interestingly a little different style than Living Yoga or Patabi Jois, but its all good. http://www.paulfoxashtanga.co.uk/asana/mantra.htm
Just wanted to share that with everyone,
Be well,
Carol
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
Yoga for Householders (grihasta)
According to Krishnamacharya's biography, the Yoga Korunta contained not only the vinyasa system but also the Yoga Sutra of Patanjali and its commentary, Yoga Bhasya. These were bound together in one volume. This means that, in ancient times, what today is regarded as two systems that only share the same name--the Ashtanga Yoga of Patanjali and the Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga of the Rishi Vamana--were in fact one.
Vinyasa Yoga is one of the authentic representations of Patanjali's sutras that is still alive. This system is significant and relevant today because it was conceived by the ancient seer Vamana, the author of the Yoga Korunta, especially for householders. The Vinyasa Yoga described in the Korunta text was thought to be the ideal form of Patanjali Yoga for householders, since it required only around two hours of practice per day. Essentially, nearly all of us contemporary yogis are householders, somebody who has a job and family, and lives and works in society as opposed to a monk, hermit of ascetic. Some forms of yoga are designed for hermits who have no social responsibility and can be engaged with meditation techniques all day long.
The eight limbs of yoga are interwoven into the vinyasa practice, in the moving meditation, in the constant change of form, which we never hold on to. It is itself a meditation on impermanence. As with the other limbs of yoga, the 7th limb meditation, dhyana, occurs in all stages of vinyasa practice. First we meditate on the position of the body in space, which is asana. Then we meditate on the life force moving in the body, which is pranayama. Moving through each stage, to meditating on the senses through drishti and listening to the breath, pratyahara, ultimately meditating on the binding together of all aspects of the practice, we find concentration, dharana. Through this practice the mind becomes like a clear jewel, reflects faithfully what it is directed at and does not just produce another simulation of reality. The highest state of Samadhi arises when the inner breath, prana enters the central channel and truth or deep reality suddenly flashes forth.
The Bhagavad Gita explains, "One who outwardly performs his/her social duties but inwardly stays free is a yogi." If everybody ceased performing their social responsibilities, the Gita tells us, this world would be ruined, for obvious reasons. So we need not be disturbed if responsibilities keep us from devoting more time to our practice, since fulfilling one's duty is also practice. But what is important is how we practice. How do we spend the precious time we can allocate to practicing?
Adapted from Gregor Maehle, Ashtanga Yoga Pratice & Philosophy
Vinyasa Yoga is one of the authentic representations of Patanjali's sutras that is still alive. This system is significant and relevant today because it was conceived by the ancient seer Vamana, the author of the Yoga Korunta, especially for householders. The Vinyasa Yoga described in the Korunta text was thought to be the ideal form of Patanjali Yoga for householders, since it required only around two hours of practice per day. Essentially, nearly all of us contemporary yogis are householders, somebody who has a job and family, and lives and works in society as opposed to a monk, hermit of ascetic. Some forms of yoga are designed for hermits who have no social responsibility and can be engaged with meditation techniques all day long.
The eight limbs of yoga are interwoven into the vinyasa practice, in the moving meditation, in the constant change of form, which we never hold on to. It is itself a meditation on impermanence. As with the other limbs of yoga, the 7th limb meditation, dhyana, occurs in all stages of vinyasa practice. First we meditate on the position of the body in space, which is asana. Then we meditate on the life force moving in the body, which is pranayama. Moving through each stage, to meditating on the senses through drishti and listening to the breath, pratyahara, ultimately meditating on the binding together of all aspects of the practice, we find concentration, dharana. Through this practice the mind becomes like a clear jewel, reflects faithfully what it is directed at and does not just produce another simulation of reality. The highest state of Samadhi arises when the inner breath, prana enters the central channel and truth or deep reality suddenly flashes forth.
The Bhagavad Gita explains, "One who outwardly performs his/her social duties but inwardly stays free is a yogi." If everybody ceased performing their social responsibilities, the Gita tells us, this world would be ruined, for obvious reasons. So we need not be disturbed if responsibilities keep us from devoting more time to our practice, since fulfilling one's duty is also practice. But what is important is how we practice. How do we spend the precious time we can allocate to practicing?
Adapted from Gregor Maehle, Ashtanga Yoga Pratice & Philosophy
Monday, December 17, 2007
Yoga Relax & Renew music info from Tina
CD- Kirtana by Robert Gass
On Wings Of Song
The music is put together by Spring Hill Music.
Tina taught a wonderful Yoga Relax & Renew class this past Friday and we so enjoyed the music, that she wanted to post the info for everyone!!
Peace!
On Wings Of Song
The music is put together by Spring Hill Music.
Tina taught a wonderful Yoga Relax & Renew class this past Friday and we so enjoyed the music, that she wanted to post the info for everyone!!
Peace!
Sunday, December 16, 2007
Ashtanga and Anusara Yoga ~ From Jeanne Ann
Question: What’s the difference between Ashtanga and Anusara Yoga?
I’m reminded of something one of my acupuncture teachers said once: “ If you keep practicing, regardless of what style you’ve been trained in, at some point you’ll be doing your own style of acupuncture.” To a beginner this was a scary idea--who am I to be creating something new? And what if I like feeling protected by identification with a style?--but over time I’ve come to see that it’s a fundamental truth: even as we learn from others and honor our teachers and traditions, each of us is inevitably creating something absolutely unique as our lives and experience and understanding unfold according to our unique dharma. And as the Bhagavad Gita tells us, it’s better to do our own dharma imperfectly than someone else’s perfectly!
This is my preface to addressing different styles of yoga. So much practice has been done by so many dedicated yogis over such a long period of time, and out of that have emerged traditions, lineages, and styles of practice. Each style represents someone’s (or a group of someones’) insights and understanding of yoga practice, often building on insights of prior generations. Every style by necessity focuses on some things, and is less focused on other things. Each style is worthy of respect and honor. Ultimately each of us chooses what resonates for us, perhaps from a variety of traditions, and makes it our own--for our own discovery and enjoyment. Even for those of us who feel totally at home in one particular style of yoga, it can be a stimulating experience to explore other approaches to practice, and it just may enhance our own in unexpected ways.
Anusara Yoga is a style that was established in 1997 by John Friend, after many years of study, teaching and leadership within the Iyengar Yoga tradition. Anusara Yoga reflects both this central focus on alignment that it shares with the Iyengar method, and also the Tantric philosophy of John’s meditation path (Siddha Yoga). Anusara Yoga is deeply grounded in a Tantric philosophy of the intrinsic goodness of life and each person, and each class has a heart-oriented theme that aims to inspire students to perform each pose “from the inside out,” with a constant awareness of the grander spiritual purposes of yoga.
Anusara Yoga has a concise system of alignment principles known as the Universal Principles of Alignment--“Universal” because they all apply in every pose. For me, the Principles of Alignment are like a treasure map that helps us explore and open the body and heart to a greater flow of prana/shakti/life force. I think this opening and enlivening influx of shakti is what creates the transforming and empowering effect that yoga has had on so many of us and our students. Also, working with a clearly articulated set of principles brings great clarity and independence in practice, helping students answer their own questions--for instance, when you come up against the kind of question like “What am I supposed to be doing with my back leg in this pose?”
So back to the question of differences: Although my experience of Ashtanga Yoga is somewhat limited, I think of it having a strong focus on naturalistic flow--moving at the speed of "normal" movement--through vinyasa, moving with the breath, and generating internal heat. My Anusara Inspired* classes will move less quickly, though still moving with the breath, but often with more time spent in individual asanas to explore a particular alignment focus or dynamic. I think of it like cranking a microscope down a power or two to look and feel at a greater level of detail, or of slowing down a movie to allow more analysis of what’s happening in individual frames. An Anusara style practice can be as strenuous as a practitioner wants, but Intro level classes will tend to focus on basics--one person described this as "We make the easy things hard so the hard things will be easy." My experience has definitely borne this out--after focusing on "basics" I have returned to challenging poses with a new level of ease, even though I hadn't been practicing those particular poses at all. Alignment insights, once integrated into our bodies, become available to us more quickly in a faster-paced practice or in everyday movement.
Over the six weeks, I’ll introduce the fundamentals of the philosophical context and alignment method as expressed in basic yoga asanas--most of which will be familiar to Ashtanga students, though there may be some small variations. There are no set sequences in the Anusara Yoga style--each teacher creates each class “from scratch,” but there are principles of sequencing that are used so that each student can move safely through a range of poses, and progress from more basic to more complex variations. Modifications, props, verbal and hands-on adjustments, and demonstrations are all used as needed. The course can serve as an introduction to further exploration of the Anusara style, an opportunity for a few alignment epiphanies to bring back to your current practice, or just a taste of a different flavor from the wide world of yoga!
*”Anusara Inspired” is a registered designation for teachers who have completed a certain level of training but are not yet fully Anusara Certified. I am, however, Certified as a Hatha Yoga Teacher, and Registered with the Yoga Alliance as well as being registered as an Anusara Inspired teacher.
~Jeanne Ann
I’m reminded of something one of my acupuncture teachers said once: “ If you keep practicing, regardless of what style you’ve been trained in, at some point you’ll be doing your own style of acupuncture.” To a beginner this was a scary idea--who am I to be creating something new? And what if I like feeling protected by identification with a style?--but over time I’ve come to see that it’s a fundamental truth: even as we learn from others and honor our teachers and traditions, each of us is inevitably creating something absolutely unique as our lives and experience and understanding unfold according to our unique dharma. And as the Bhagavad Gita tells us, it’s better to do our own dharma imperfectly than someone else’s perfectly!
This is my preface to addressing different styles of yoga. So much practice has been done by so many dedicated yogis over such a long period of time, and out of that have emerged traditions, lineages, and styles of practice. Each style represents someone’s (or a group of someones’) insights and understanding of yoga practice, often building on insights of prior generations. Every style by necessity focuses on some things, and is less focused on other things. Each style is worthy of respect and honor. Ultimately each of us chooses what resonates for us, perhaps from a variety of traditions, and makes it our own--for our own discovery and enjoyment. Even for those of us who feel totally at home in one particular style of yoga, it can be a stimulating experience to explore other approaches to practice, and it just may enhance our own in unexpected ways.
Anusara Yoga is a style that was established in 1997 by John Friend, after many years of study, teaching and leadership within the Iyengar Yoga tradition. Anusara Yoga reflects both this central focus on alignment that it shares with the Iyengar method, and also the Tantric philosophy of John’s meditation path (Siddha Yoga). Anusara Yoga is deeply grounded in a Tantric philosophy of the intrinsic goodness of life and each person, and each class has a heart-oriented theme that aims to inspire students to perform each pose “from the inside out,” with a constant awareness of the grander spiritual purposes of yoga.
Anusara Yoga has a concise system of alignment principles known as the Universal Principles of Alignment--“Universal” because they all apply in every pose. For me, the Principles of Alignment are like a treasure map that helps us explore and open the body and heart to a greater flow of prana/shakti/life force. I think this opening and enlivening influx of shakti is what creates the transforming and empowering effect that yoga has had on so many of us and our students. Also, working with a clearly articulated set of principles brings great clarity and independence in practice, helping students answer their own questions--for instance, when you come up against the kind of question like “What am I supposed to be doing with my back leg in this pose?”
So back to the question of differences: Although my experience of Ashtanga Yoga is somewhat limited, I think of it having a strong focus on naturalistic flow--moving at the speed of "normal" movement--through vinyasa, moving with the breath, and generating internal heat. My Anusara Inspired* classes will move less quickly, though still moving with the breath, but often with more time spent in individual asanas to explore a particular alignment focus or dynamic. I think of it like cranking a microscope down a power or two to look and feel at a greater level of detail, or of slowing down a movie to allow more analysis of what’s happening in individual frames. An Anusara style practice can be as strenuous as a practitioner wants, but Intro level classes will tend to focus on basics--one person described this as "We make the easy things hard so the hard things will be easy." My experience has definitely borne this out--after focusing on "basics" I have returned to challenging poses with a new level of ease, even though I hadn't been practicing those particular poses at all. Alignment insights, once integrated into our bodies, become available to us more quickly in a faster-paced practice or in everyday movement.
Over the six weeks, I’ll introduce the fundamentals of the philosophical context and alignment method as expressed in basic yoga asanas--most of which will be familiar to Ashtanga students, though there may be some small variations. There are no set sequences in the Anusara Yoga style--each teacher creates each class “from scratch,” but there are principles of sequencing that are used so that each student can move safely through a range of poses, and progress from more basic to more complex variations. Modifications, props, verbal and hands-on adjustments, and demonstrations are all used as needed. The course can serve as an introduction to further exploration of the Anusara style, an opportunity for a few alignment epiphanies to bring back to your current practice, or just a taste of a different flavor from the wide world of yoga!
*”Anusara Inspired” is a registered designation for teachers who have completed a certain level of training but are not yet fully Anusara Certified. I am, however, Certified as a Hatha Yoga Teacher, and Registered with the Yoga Alliance as well as being registered as an Anusara Inspired teacher.
~Jeanne Ann
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