The Year of the Horse

31 Days of Continuous Practice (well, almost:)

For 31 Days have practiced the Mother Sequence (minus two days). Attended a New Year Yoga Intensive in Ventura, Felt good after the workshop, and  decided to commit to the practice for one month. On some days only had 15 minutes, but was able to do the whole thing. Other days, 40 mins, sometimes and hour or hour and a half. Consistently feel improved upon completion of The Mother Sequence.

As an Ashtangii I learned the value of daily practice. This Sequence beckons with love, and life has improved. Feeling more emotionally balanced, have been able to grow physically stronger, feel more courageous and able to give and receive love, peace with equanimity.

So will keep going.  Practice to feel in sync with the Love and peace,  The practice of being joy and peace. Of breathing the Prana in the breath. Enhancing that eternal connection and deveoping the ability to nurture oneself and perhaps others is balancing. I breathe in this gift daily, and hopefully continue to share it freely.

Happy, Joyful, Peaceful Year of the Horse

Namaste,
Melissa

The Mother Sequence

Spent the New Years in Ventura and attended a Yoga Intensive based on The Mother Sequence by Jehangir Palkhivala. I had been previously introduced to it a couple of years ago by Brian Legere, the outgoing director of Ventura Yoga Studio. My partner bought the book, but it did not 'take'. I had practiced it a couple of times and shown it to my friend June who resonated and bought the book herself. Fast forward two plus years.

Granted we did the whole entire sequence for three hours at the intensive. Whereas before it was only fits and pieces. But I was blissed out after the first day. This sequence is not difficult. It sounds like a lot of yoga for three hours, but this is not hard core stuff. Anyone can do these simple poses with some modifications for beginners or those with limitations. There is a feeling of groundedness and well-being. It got me to uncovering a real sense of well-being. A balanced sense of peace and joy that is transcendent of worldly concerns.

I think what I like about it is that it does not feel daunting in anyway. You know when you go to think about the practice it is something you look forward to and anticipate. It is now day 5 for me; I have been practicing it everyday and it is making me feel better, a deep abiding sense of well-being and peace. It is helping come back to center and stay detached.

All the poses or positions have 12 breaths or movements, except shoulderstand which has 24. Today I did half due to time constraints and I even feel better:) Anyway, I want to put the word out there. Jehangir Palkhivala will be at the Ventura Yoga Studio in April for a 3-Day Workshop; I plan on attending. Also noticed he will have one in Kona in March. http://www.venturayoga.com/Jehangir.html


All the best
Healthy, Happy and Prosperous New Year
Melissa

Mother's Day Talk, Asteya; Non Stealing and Ashtanga Yoga

I think I got to see clearly just how difficult the Yamas are today. At SRF Lake Shrine a nun led for Mother's Day, in celebration of the Divine Mother that features large in Paramahansa Yogananda's story.
But today she spoke from from Paramahansaji's younger brother's book, and told a story about stealing. It all seemed pretty innocent on the surface of things.
As a child, their family was at a party, and a little girl was playing with a stack of picture cards. (This was in India over one hundred years ago.) He became very desirous to obtain one. Just as the girl was leaving, she happened to drop one on the floor. He quickly picked it up and put it in his pocket.
Later in bed that night, he cringed remembering the card he had left in his pocket. Whereupon, his is mother who was preparing their clothes for the morning found it.
She waited until Father left the room, and quietly, softly called his name. Reminding him that taking something without the owners permission is stealing, she asked him, did he not remember the lessons taught him about not taking what was not his? Would he remember in the future to not take what did not rightfully belong to him?
Then she took the picture card, wrote an amends letter that seemed to my western mind to be disproportionate to the injury. She returned the card and sent sweets to the mother of the girl along with a note, siting that her son had stolen and begged their forgiveness.
The nun's talk began with the profound, moving idea that the parents' real role is to instill a relationship with god in their children, and help them develop and become confident through that connection. That the mother always intuits and fulfills the needs of her children.
Although the punishment seemed severe to me, it was exactly what that child at that time, in that family needed to set his dharma, his way. The success of his life, he himself a Guru, was based on being rooted from an early age in Asetya, non-stealing: the forth Yama of Ashtanga Yoga.

Sharath Talk in Encinitas 2012 via Julie

Hi Ashtanga Yoga Friends,

Here's Julie Southwell's recap of attending class in Encinitas with Sharath and Saraswati (Pattabhi Jois's daughter and grandson)--Julie recorded the talk on her Iphone

Sharath led the Primary series in the traditional simple-rhythmic-Sanskirt counting method.  The few "additions" he made were to remind people to BREATHE, (free deep breathing), and "Why you hurry", when folks would rush through the vinyasas or transition breaths. "DON'T HURRY" was loudly proclaimed more than once in the class.  The deep joy and kindness came through in his teaching despite the loud corrections.  And the room was transported, myself included,  He gave a 20 min. Q & A talk afterwards:

Q: How do we get going for practice, is coffee ok?

A: You take coffee it's a boost up, it is a "boosting up" it can remove the sleep from your eyes and bring you back to this world. (laughs) and helps your practice and prana.

Q: What about sleep, how many hours do you recommend per night?

A: 5-6 hours is enough, if you go to a deep sleep.  Sometimes if you take sleep too much your body also will ache.  Bodyache will come if you sleep longer.   For yoga practitioners, 6 hours is enough.

Q: You said free deep breathing, is that different from "Ujjayi breathing"?

A:  Ujjayi is a pranayama, there's lots of confusion here. Ujjayi is a pranayama, it's a kumbaka (breath retention) pranayama, not what we are doing in practice.  There are 8 kumbaka's to eventually practice. With the deep breath (with sound) , the air will freely come inside and out, and it activates the practice.  Ujjayi has contraction, it is totally different but looks similar. Some student long ago asked Guruji "is it Ujjayi breath" and he just said "yeah, yeah" referring to something else, and everyone started calling it that.

Q: What are daily min. practice guidlines, like if we are sick. or busy is there a baseline min. practice recommendation?

A: If a yogi stays in one place, it is Important for yogi to stay in one place, as recommended in the Shastras.  Yogis travel around too much, and the environment changes too much.  A yoga practitioner must follow a certain strictness within him to practice with consistent rhythm.  Whenever you go to a different place the environment, climate changes, you can feel it straight away, it takes a long time to get used to that. That's why when a student comes to Mysore, we ask them to do first week only primary, to do a gentler practice. This is because of jet lag, time changes etc. The "baseline" depends on each individual's certain practice, what they are working on.

Q: What is the mantra that you are chanting alone after the invocation?

A: That is my personal mantra, thanking lineage for giving us this practice.

Q: What is the role of meditation practice, dhyana in ashtanga yoga?

A: It is not "practiced".  Meditation should happen within us. The four external limbs are "practiced" (yama, niyama, asana, pranayama), and when these are perfect then the others happen pratyahara, dharana, dhyana, samadhi.  Meditation is to withdraw all the senses and to bring oneness within you.  Many close their eyes and meditate, this is not meditation, it looks like meditation but is not real meditation.  You are just "trying" to meditate, not letting it happen automatically as a result of the practices. Yoga means without distraction, or yoga citta vrtti nirodhah, in the 2nd yoga sutra. It's the final stage of yoga, how do you get that stage?  In order to bring this into the body and mind one must do asana, pranayama, yama and niyama. Meditation is automatic when these become strong within us. Even when sitting here you can just go to meditation, automatically it can happen.  You can go and try to concentrate in one place, sit and try to bring oneness within you.  Real meditation means to withdraw all the senses. If we develop certain qualities within us we can reach those levels of yoga.  There is nothing fancy, it's as simple as that.  This happens when breathing is correct, that's why the breathing is very important in asana, sometimes the breathing just happens on its own (chuckle), we have to control it. When we control our breathing, and we can control our body through the mind, and then we can control the mind through this correct breath, so then there are no distractions...This is very important in yoga.

Q: How would I teach my children astanga yoga, encourage them to practice?

A: Let them watch you practice. Let them be there for yoga. That's how I learned. Guruji wanted me to be in the yoga classes, and i wanted to go out and play. To teach, encourage them, children will take interest, they like to try to imitate parents, copy their parents.

Q: Recommendations for people in their 50's and 60's for yoga practice?  Should they change their practice?

A: Practice. There is no age for yoga. It should keep happening even past asanas.  If you are not able to do certain asanas then do the other limbs. Many people think ashtanga yoga means only physical...jumping back, handstands, jumping around...If you can jump through with straight legs or do handstand it doesn't mean you will reach Samadhi that doesn't mean you are a yogi.  Yoga is that which there is a spiritual development in you.  Once it develops in you, there is no age, it keeps happening in you. Wherever you go, whatever you do, it keeps on happening. Asana is so attractive, that is why yogis start with asanas, but that is not the final stage. Final stage is spiritual practice. SO you have to understand that, once you understand that there is no age. Guruji always used to quote a verse meaning the young, old, sick, and those with no strength can all practice...the only man who can't practice is a lazy man. Lazy person, they can't practice (laughs from students).

Q:Can you describe Samadhi?

A: Samadhi is once you don't have any more desires.  Those are what is keeping you here in your body. You want this and that, and are attached to so many things. You have lots of attachments in you.  Once you get rid of all the attachments then you'll go to Samadhi. Samadhi and leaving the body is the same thing. Many yogis did this... Yogananda Paramahansa did this...he kept one desire in order to stay in his body. He was very fond of food. He kept this desire.  Every day when he gave lectures, he would get up for a break and go in the kitchen and ask his wife what she was cooking today.  She would say "shame on you" asking about food when your disciples are waiting outside there for you. She got really mad..."everyone sees you as a God, and you are coming here asking about the food again". But he continued and told her when he doesn't show interest in the "thali" (Indian plate of several dishes) when you bring it, is the time when he will leave his body within 3 days.  Sure enough one day several yrs later she served his thali plate and he turned his head.  She started crying and all and he said," there is no point in crying i must go now". Yogis have lots of tricks how to keep their bodies. 

And this first Yogi who came to the U.S. who is that? (Sharath asks) Vivakananda. Disciple of RamaKrishna also. We have so much delusion, so many desires. Get rid of the desires, and you reach Samadhi, and reach the Atman, the Supreme Soul.  Get rid of the 6 enemies. Kama (lust, addiction), krodha (anger,), moha (attachment blind attraction), mada (vanity/pride),matsarya (jealousy), lobha, (greed/avarice).  Every human has these...once you get rid of these six enemies you are free, God/the Supreme Soul is free, untouched by these. Yoga philosophy is very big, not just doing asanas for two hours. Asana is important, but we should try to go beyond that.  And try to realize what is yoga.  Once we develop certain qualities we can realize...

Thank you very Much.

Namaste,

Julie Southwell- Bend Yoga

Bend, Oregon

Warm Oil is Nectar for the Body

If you are stiff or have pain in your body there is a simple and easy method to improve your condition. It also has the benefit of grounding you, and helps you feel more centered. (There is an earlier post on this blog from Kimberly Flynn that is the more traditional approach to this treatment.) But it is a rather simple thing to warm coconut, almond or sesame oil up, stand on a towel and oil your whole body. When it is time to wash your hair, maybe twice a week, oil that too. Start with your hair and go all the way down to your feet. Do it before you bathe. I like to then lay down and take a restorative pose for 20 minutes and let the oil penetrate my pores and sink in. It actually lubricates the ligaments of the knee for example, according to Manju Jois. Try it and see if it does not make you feel softer, warmer, calmer and more focused and flexible. Also, the most amazing feeling of grounding comes from taking the Ayurvedic Hot Oil Therapy. One of the most amazing healing practices.

Sri Ram Orphanage

Spent New's Eve with the Hanuman Fellowship. They have a newish Hanuman Temple that is soo inspiring. With Arthi every am and pm during the retreat. Sitting under the canapy at 6a the first day of 2011, is an auspicious way to start the new year! On New Year's Eve we watched a brand new release of a documentary called "Lifting Dreams". Baba Hari Dass dreamed of helping the destitute children of India have decent, adequate food, housing, clothing, education, celebration and community. And they created a family for these children. A way of life for them that I think we can all learn from. I think he is changing the demographics of a nation, and showing us how Lift our own Dreams by living a certain way. http://sriramfoundation.org/ Some of the excerpts from the film are: "Don't bother dreaming, unless you are willing to work hard." and "There is always fear in everything. We have to face the fear, fight it and finish it." It gave me, personally, hope and faith in service. That I can be serviceful (something I often resisted) and still dream, be creative, and live a balanced life. It is the spirit of giving back that moves our mountains, and gives us wings to fly.

The Reluctant Yoga Teacher

One of the things the East has to offer us westerners is their acceptance of death. It is a part of life. Everything that takes birth dies. Here we avoid aging, and the natural cycles of life. And I think this avoidance is connected to our avoidance of the realities of life. I like the quote from Buddha that says, when we see someone suffering, do we ever stop and see our connection to that suffering too. Or when we see or hear of someone dying, do we stop and say "One day my time will come too." That practice brings us healing and compassion.

One of the greatest healing modalities I heard was on KCRW. It is O' Pono Pono. (I am spelling it phonetically). It is the practice of looking within when something disturbing happens. It is along the lines of what Bill Wilson (A.A. Founder) had written: whenever I have a problem with someone else, it is a spiritual axiom that there is a problem with me. The practice of O' Pono Pono, is a tool we can use to look within. With the upset in mind we say to our innermost selves, "I am so sorry this happened to you." We bring compassion to bear on ourselves and the situation. That simple practice brings about a profound shift. It brings us back to a state of love, acceptance and equality. It brings healing to our world.

It reminds me of what my yoga eskimo told me years ago, "That which you resist persists, and that which you love (accept, forgive) you gain mastery over."