The Daily Bandha: How to Use Your Shoulders to Deepen Uttanasana

The Daily Bandha: How to Use Your Shoulders to Deepen Uttanasana: "Uttanasana illustrating the anterior deltoids and quadriceps contracting to stretch the posterior kinetic chain The deltoids a..."

Contemplating Yoga

"There are as many concepts on what Yoga is as there are people who practice it.  And the scope of different ideas on what constitutes Yoga is also very vast.  Yoga has its roots deep in human experience.  All cultures, in one form or another have Yoga...though not all cultures practice Down-dog, or Warrior 2.  Certainly, we call the practice of asana and pranayama Yoga...but Yoga is also so much more than just posture and breath.  Yoga actually includes our whole human experience, and every moment of our lives. 

Yoga is the universal aspect of our Heart longing to be conscious, to be happy, and to experience freedom.  So, there are many things that we can call Yoga, but in its deepest regard, Yoga is what we experience when we bring consciousness to our lives-- whether that is in a posture in a Yoga class, or it is in washing the dishes.  Everything in our lives can be Yoga when we are one with the activity or circumstance in front of us.  And, we can also miss out on the Yoga of life if we limit Yoga only to practicing poses, breathing, and chanting OM.  Practicing Yoga means giving up our small ideas, and embodying the Love that we are.  If that is taken care of, than everything we do is Yoga." ~Adi

Lets explore what Yoga is to you.  What does it mean to you?

I am...Life

I am...
Green growing toward the sun
Breeze dancing branches
Roots growing toward the source
I am... All

I am...
Light
Life
Water
I am... Love
a poem that came to Steph while meditating in a friend's garden

What is Yoga?

Is Yoga exercise?  Is it breath, meditation, and/or spirituality?  Is Yoga everything?  Is Yoga nothing?
The most agreed upon definition of the Sanskrit word yoga is "yoke" or "union".  It is also possible that the word yoga derives from "yujir samadhau," which means "contemplation" or "absorption."  Historically, a yoke was used to unite a pair of oxen to allow them to pull a load.
In the west, most of us hear the word yoga and we think of a series of asanas, vinyasas, or kriyas that create a physical practice.  Experienced practitioners understand that infusing these physical movements with the breath, philosophical, meditative, and inspirational aspects of yoga creates a much greater benefit than just the physical.

The physical postures and vinyasas that are popularly practiced today are modern compared to the ancient history of Yoga.  Most of the physical practice we know today has been developed in the last 100 years.  Anthropological evidence, however, shows that the meditative and contemplative aspects of Yoga are thousands of years old.  Hatha yoga, or the physical practice, is growing, changing, transforming, and developing every day.  However, even yoga postures are just exercise unless they are infused with presence, breath, prana, and awareness.

Here's the thing...anything you do...walking, kiting, biking, sitting, cleaning, pruning, gazing, dancing, talking...anything...if done with real presence, infused with the wisdom of the breath, united with deep energy connection, and ultimately creating deeper awareness and loving acceptance in your life is further yoking or uniting you with what is True.  The realization that we are all yoked, united, connected...that ultimately there is no separate self.  We are all connected through a matrix of energy, life, love, God...whatever you like to call what is True. This is Yoga, and all its practices, styles, and paths seek to deepen our consciousness and understanding of Truth.

So, at Flow, as we add classes like Fly or Fusion, you will see that they are challenging the body in diverse and unique ways, but they are infused with the Heart of Yoga.  This presence, breath, energy, joy, and awareness will inspire and empower you beyond the body.

Thank you for creating a community of Yoga at Flow by your beautiful & diverse presence.
Our theme this month at Flow - is Yoga - all ways.  Lets explore what Yoga is to you.  What does it mean to you?

Much Love to All of You,
We Are One,
Steph

ANANDA ~ Bliss

In Sanskrit, there are basically four words for happiness—sukha, santosha, mudita, and ananda—each of which points to a different level of happiness. Together, they constitute a path that leads us to the kind of happiness that really cannot be shaken. Here, we explore ananda or bliss.

The result of looking very deeply at ourselves is the Realization that in the deepest aspect of our being is everything that we've ever wanted.  When we see who and what we actually are, rather than what we imagined ourselves to be, bliss is the result.  Life is always giving us the opportunity to look deeply at ourselves and at our lives to recognize that we have within us the source of supreme happiness and bliss.

If we can, for just a moment, stop looking outwardly to be fulfilled, or recognized, or adored and turn our focus to look at what is at the deepest core of our being, we will touch a bliss that can never be forgotten, never be destroyed.  And, although our lives may continue to present challenges and obstacles, we will know that the bliss of our own Self is always available to us.  Bliss is always here, underneath the layers of our mind, identity, and stories as the true and eternal ground on which this dance of life happens.

Mudita ~ Spiritual Happiness

In Sanskrit, there are basically four words for happiness—sukha, santosha, mudita, and ananda—each of which points to a different level of happiness. Together, they constitute a path that leads us to the kind of happiness that really cannot be shaken.  Let's explore mudita or spiritual happiness.


"The only thing greater than being loved is being Love itself" -Adyashanti

Mudita, or spiritual happiness really becomes possible when our attention goes to Loving Life just as it is, right now.  Luckily, there's never a moment when that is not possible.  This moment right here is the only opportunity for real happiness.  Being alive in this moment is being alive with Love!  Real spiritual happiness doesn't follow whether your yoga class went well, or after meditation was a success, it comes only from inside our own Being.  Spiritual happiness, Joy even...is what we all want because in the depths of what we are, we are Joy. Please celebrate the happiness of your inherent joy together, alone, and in all moments of your life.

Santosha - Contentment

In Sanskrit, there are basically four words for happiness—sukha, santosha, mudita, and ananda—each of which points to a different level of happiness. Together, they constitute a path that leads us to the kind of happiness that really cannot be shaken. In April, we explore santosha or contenment.

Contentment
Contentment is the afterglow of living honestly and truthfully. Santosha is present when we stop defining what makes us happy. ~Sybil

When we let go of our past stories, patterns, habits, that create our illusionary identity, When we surrender seeking or striving for some future happiness,
NOW
We
ARE
Contentment.
~Steph

Santosha has been, for me, a real ego buster...it shows me something greater that letting myself feel disappointed or discontented with any given situation...switching it to being in a place of contentment or acceptance...I see that in some way we think we are deserving of a good day or a positive experience...I am the same loved and loving person in every situation and santosha is a constant knowing that my life is blessed and filled in every way...It has taken out the need to evaluate or put labels on my "special or particular way of feeling" I learn to rest into santosha or contentment and know its Truth.~Sybil

SUKHA ~ Pleasure and Spaciousness

So many of the people I talk with really believe that they want spiritual awakening, and with a little looking find out that what they're really after is pleasure. We think we want Truth, but what we usually want is to feel better. Which is perfectly normal. However, what I often see is that as soon as one feels better, the desire for Truth (or awakening) suddenly seems unimportant.

It is important that we strive to feel better, but mistaking the desire for spiritual awakening for pleasure is like mistaking a band aid for total health.

Pleasure is great, I encourage it...but to believe that pleasure, or feeling good, will last in the long run is to invite yourself over and over into suffering.

The happiness or fulfillment of awakening is much more like spaciousness. In open space there is a sense of clarity, openness, freedom, and of non-changing.

So let's be very very clear about what it is that we're after...
Do we just want one more good feeling?
One more experience?

Real spaciousness and what is discovered in authentic spiritual awakening is really the end of all that...This is the wilingness to bear pain, to bear hardship, to bear suffering without running for a dose of pleasure.

Heart

Focus:  4th Chakra - Anahata

First, be in Love.
Then, if there is any time left, you can speak of it.
No head is needed to speak of Love, only Heart.
In this Heart there is no need for maps to get home.
The easiest thing is to be Here in this Love,
all else is effort and takes effort.
Remove all ideas: This is Love
Love, the Heart, this Moment, Is the Truth.
To see this Love everywhere see only from Love.
See from Heart and you will see only Heart,
but see from ego and you will see ego.
The moment of Love does not belong
to a "me" or to a "you" so there I am in Love.
When mind is no-mind it is Heart.
Heart is Self, is Atman, is Emptiness.
~~Papaji

Ishvara Pranidhana

What does it mean to surrender to one's True Self?  Probably not what we imagine it to mean...  How does one go about surrendering to one's own self?   The answer is definitely not what we think....
To surrender to one's self is not a matter of simply submitting yourself to all that is beautiful and wonderful within you, but it is to also give up those beautiful images that we have of ourselves.  It is both the beautiful and ugly aspects of ourselves that are equally untrue.  Beneath the notions of beautiful and ugly, is a formless, shapeless, empty fullness that is truly who one is.  Allowing any image we have of our selves to be sunk into that Mystery...is to truly surrender to one's True Self.

We'd love to hear about what Ishvara Pranidhana means to you?  Has there been a moment of realization that you've experienced related to this niyama that you'd like share?

Sweet Surrender - Ishvara

Ishvara can be defined as the True Self, or purusha.  The Bhagavad Gita stanza 18.61 refers to the "transcendental Self that abides in the heart region of all beings".   Pranidhana is to "throw down", "give up", or "surrender".   So, the last of our niyamas (yogic guidelines for living) Ishvara Pranidhana is to surrender to what is True within each of us.

As we shine the light of awareness on our lives through yogic practices, we give up attachments to egoic pursuits, identities, patterns, and delusions.  We live from Heart, Truth-- staying sincere to what is True to our experience with curiosity and interest and Love.   With bhakti/devotion, exploring freedom from the ignorance/avidya of living a contrived life of shoulds, expectations, and attachments.

Simpy living a life devoted to surrendering each moment to Truth.  To what you KNOW to be True in your Heart.  This Truth can not be taught, but only experienced.  The yogic practices may or may not ready you for the experience of Truth, depending on your sincerity.

Once in a Blue Moon...

The blue moonlight mist on this New Years Eve is beautiful.  I, too, am reflecting like the moon, with grateful presence, on the joys and challenges of this Life.  Adi and I began today harmonizing yoga with sweet sounds of truth sung so amazingly by Michelle...in 2009, we welcomed a son and lost a mother.

Moving into 2010, I am reminded that our Flow sangha/community is growing into its seventh year.  The tradition of new year reflection and hope toward the future is as natural as the change of seasons.  However, this year, I am shining the light of awareness on my perspective a little more wholly.
Goals tend to be external and time-focused, and although they can be empowering they are only temporary.  This is why some of us have given up this tradition.  The yoga approach is more internal and presence aware.  Realizing that we truly can not change anything about who we really are.  Who we really are is eternal, present, Truth.  We are not these beautiful bodies, brilliant minds, and talented hands (although deeply grateful for this experience of them), but something more.  

So, this year, instead of goals, I am fine-tuning my affirmations/intentions to become reminders written in the present tense.  Now, once, during this blue moon, I write this with the full awareness that these are perspectives that I shine and reflect...on this divine play, lila, called Life.  I also completely release any attachment to them, surrendering them to the blue moon sky and the whole of the universe with faith and gratitude...simply shining the light of awareness:
~Resting each evening, knowing the many facets of the jewel I shine & reflect
~Gracefully surrendering to mothering, giving SO MUCH LOVE with humor & gratitude
~Feeling healthy, cultivating vital energy, & resting when it feels natural
~Pausing to reflect, being gratefully present with those I love, including myself
~Finding inner silence and stillness

There is no lasting change, everything is temporary.  However, I have experienced the grace of transformation.  Transformation occurs naturally when awareness allows true acceptance of what is and the Truth of who you are.  All the goal-setting, trying, effort, intending, affirming, etc in the world may provide you temporary change, attachment, pleasure.  However, true transformation is effortless..GRACE...naturally arising from the presence of awareness and acceptance.

Silence, Winter, & Svadhyaya

When trees have blossomed, fruit has ripenened, and leaves have fallen, we are left with just the bare naked self.  In the dead of spiritual winter we have this deep invitation to turn our attention inward, to look at ourselves very deeply.

We may look, as in svadhyaya, at the patterns, conditioning, phenomena of the mind, body, and emotion.  And we may look simply through silence, through remaining in the still dark quiet beneath thought, body, and emotion.  This time of cold, of short days, of resting, is opportune to begin investigating our lives so that this season may be used to get to the root. When springtime comes, the fruit blossoms very sweet.

Svadhyaya

Svadhyaya is the movement to understand one's self on an intellectual, emotional, and mental level.  As we become more conscious of our body, mind, and breath, our yogic practice allows us to become more aware of how we react or rejoice to each moment of success, challenge, or stillness.

It is when we can understand the nature of our thought and feeling that we can discover what we are not.  Finding out who you are not gives rise to the spaciousness in which you find your Self as you really are--Unknown, Mysterious, and Unconditioned.

Svadhyaya allows us the opportunity to learn about all the little ins and outs of our little person, and how we've come to believe in this story called "me".  When we see that our lives have been toward living out this little story, there is the grace of something much more vast taking over our lives, our being.

Santosha

Santosha is the practice of relaxing into life. Realizing that there will always be ups and downs in life. Like the Chinese say, “10,000 joys, 10,000 sorrrows”. Accepting that chaos can interrupt even the greatest effort to “balance” our lives, we don’t have a choice in that. However, we do have a choice in how we respond or react to life’s disruptions. Really trusting that all is unfolding perfectly; and, that everything that happens offers a life experience for deepening our awareness and understanding. Flowing through life with gratitude, appreciation and trust, so that we can allow ourselves to be more relaxed, more present, and, therefore, more content.