The 8 steps of YOGA (ashta-anga)

YOGA:  From the Sanskrit, “yug”, to join or connect, the state of the mind when it is still, a union of body, breath, mind and spirit….

HATHA YOGA:  Consists of 8 limbs of practises which build one upon the other:

These 8 (ashta) limbs (anga) are cultivated with practise, progression, patience, surrender...in effortless effort one reaps numerous benefits in all areas of life; thus YOGA is a practical methodology for living a meaningful, happy and healthy life...






1.  The YAMAS (how we relate to others: our actions/thoughts/speech)

AHIMSA (Consideration for all living things) qualities such as kindness, patience, tolerance

SATYA (Right communication) qualities such as honesty in behaviour and thought, integrity, sincerity

ASTEYA (Non-covetousness) not taking something that is not yours, reining in those desires so that you do not live in a constant state of unfulfilled desires.

BRAHMACHARYA (Moderation in actions) Not indulging the senses above all else, rather channelling these energies to cultivate higher states of consciousness, celibacy as a tool for self-discovery

APARIGRAHA (Non-greediness) Consider what are your true needs, as opposed to desires, instead of grasping, enjoy what you have.

2.  The NIYAMAS (how we relate to ourselves)

SAUCHA (Purity) Cleanliness of body, mind, spirit, environment.

SANTOSHA (Contentment) Accepting the present, feeling satisfied with what we have in this present moment, to the extent of being peaceful but not complacent, when times are tough to be able to keep one’s equanimity.

TAPAS (Burning enthusiasm) Strong resolve and self-discipline

SWADHYAYA (Self-study) turning attention inward leads to self-discovery 

ISHVARAPRANIDHANA (Celebration of spiritual) Surrender to a higher power, and knowing that this omnipresent force lies within each of us

3.  ASANA (postures) yoga Asana is a posture where you are externally still yet internally alive.  To take part in asana practise is to use your body as a doorway through which to experience and remember the truth about who you are.  Since we have a body we have an opportunity to use it as a tool.  From the Sanskrit “seat” the English translation “pose”, implies that there is a “holding”, an action that requires effort and mental presence.  By holding an asana we can integrate the body and mind; the breath is the link between the two.  In fact, more than poise or some idea of “perfect’ posture, the breath should always remain graceful.  The posture itself, according to the Yoga Sutra which dates back over 2000 years, should have the qualities of alertness and relaxation


4. PRANAYAMA (Control of the life force/prana) Conscious regulation of the breath and prana, through different techniques


5. PRATYAHARA  (Withdrawal of the Senses) The senses look outward and can be distracting and stress-inducing; learning to go within to find the calm inner sanctuary


6. DHARANA  (Concentration) To maintain a mind undisturbed in its focus requires mastery over it through practise


7.  DHYANA  (Meditation) One-pointed single focus around a subject.  Quiets the mind, a state of restful alertness known to decrease blood pressure, decrease stress-related conditions such as hypertension, heart disease, asthma, insomnia, digestive problems etc.  In Latin, “meditator” means “healing” and meditation practises is key in alternative medicine.  Also, studies show meditation practises increase intelligence, memory, and decision-making abilities and slow the ageing process.

8.  SAMADHI (Bliss state) The goal of YOGA is to abide in this sense of Oneness, the mind is mastered and thoughts are stilled in this illuminated trance-like perception

YOGA practise is like tending a garden.  Allow yourself to be immersed in the organic and on-going journey, without judgement, criticism or expectations.  You will reap the benefits!



A few guidelines

-Leave a few hours after eating before practising postures and pranayama, so there is no competition with digestion

-Wear non-restrictive clothing; it is nice to cover yourself during relaxation

-It is not a competition; listen to your body, your own pace, and your own voice

-Rather than a sense of “perfecting” anything, use everything as practise and self-discovery

-Practise peacefully, allow yourself that time and space to “empty” your mind, turn off the cell phone, whatever it takes.

-Relaxation is a process of conscious rest, and allows the subtle energies stirred up by the asana to be directed towards self-healing and to re-energise and re-balance the system, practise! 
om shanty shanty shanty,
Rana

Rainbows

"One who perseveres on the path of noncovetousness gains deep understanding of the meaning of life"

"aparigraha-sthairye janma-kathamta sambodhah"

                           Patanjali Yoga Sutra 11.39 

From: The Essence of Yoga by Bernard Bouanchaud

My grandmother, who, as I write this, is 100 yrs old! always used to say “the grass is never greener on the other side.”  She taught us to work diligently and honestly, and that no matter what it looked like we should always consider ourselves fortunate; there is always a rainbow in every situation you just have to look for it.

I have spoken to people in French and Spanish, and it seems every nationality understands the principle, and has somehow translated it.  I write about it today in light of two episodes that stand out from last week.

The first one is having a new television/Internet installation.  You basically have to set aside a block of 4 hours and wait.  Which I did.  The technician came at the late end of the spectrum, and we almost got off on the wrong foot with him saying he may not finish the job by the end of the shift at 9P.M. Hmmm, I said,  “I am sure you will do your professional best.”  This shifted the drama and he started to talk, while he worked until 11PM.  The part that is interesting is that I discovered he had immigrated to Quebec from Algeria to find a better life, away from political corruption.  In his home country, he was a licenced engineer and professor of engineering.  He speaks French and English.  He has tried to get work in his field unsuccessfully despite having taken a year to qualify according to our provincial standards.  He was on unemployment until he got this job.  He told me that several of his friends, doctors, are working in MacDonalds.  He has a good insurance package and can afford better living accommodations for his family, but still feels ashamed of this work, feels he is wasting all his intellectual abilities.  During the installation, I had to call for Internet support and my call was answered by a woman in India.  He said he couldn’t believe it when so many people need jobs here.  He had come to Quebec in pursuit of his dream, but is still making sense of this pasture.  Some of it looks the same as what he left, and his hopefulness waxes and wanes like the moon.  I suggested he came here for a reason and it is all still unfolding; retain hope, trust, faith...

The second episode is the passing of Whitney Houston, who I do not know personally, nor at this point am I in the know about what her set of circumstances were prior to her death.  Nonetheless, here is this celebrity who, in appearance, was about to perform for her peers at the Grammys, and who had a rather rocky, but rich and famous lifestyle.  We have seen this happen with other people in the media.  It can look quite glamorous but maybe the smiles fade off the camera, maybe there are pressures involved that outweigh some of the more public and put together moments.  We put celebrity on a pedestal, but they are human beings on a journey, same as anyone, albeit different circumstances.

While these two events are not related, they got me reflecting on my grandmother’s motto.  I think there is always a balance at play between what we have, wanting what we have, and wanting to better ourselves and/or circumstances.  There is also compassionate understanding and non-judgement, and the principle of a non-covetous attitude at work.   Not less important is making sure we really understand how green it is right where we are standing.  Stand where you are, and I hope you see your rainbow today.


Om shanty shanty shanty
Rana

so exactly how long is the present moment?

"to be in alignment with what is means to be in a relationship of inner nonresistance with what happens" 


"there is only ever this moment"


-Eckhart Tolle
Oneness With All Life: Inspirational Selections From a New Earth


I was watching TV the other day and a very telling commercial came on.  One guy was asking his friend if he had this new cell phone...and before he could complete the sentence, his friend whips out the new cell phone...and that scene leads into another and another.  The caption was something like,  "you are so 8 seconds ago!"  when you think about it, we are bombarded with such technology  -TV, Internet, tweets, email...it all happens in seconds or less! I have seen people go without even blinking to keep up with the screen they are watching. This can interfere with our body's ability to relax and/or sleep, make creative and conscious choices.


As a Yoga Teacher, I do and have said to students things like "be the architect of your future by focusing on the present moment" (based on teachings by Gandhi) and "the present moment is all you have".  If you spend that moment resisting, what you are pushing away will persist.  Likewise, honouring  and accepting will turn anything into a friendlier lesson, an opportunity. I still say these things because the truth has not changed. If you focus on gratitude, your life blossoms, and you tend to attract more joy.  If your stance is victim, you tend to find yourself under a black cloud of negative thinking and unhappy attitudes.  A still mind is a centred mind, and a centred mind is present and still.  The goal of Yoga is this calm, as it is a spring board to deepened connection with Self, deepened feelings of purpose and fulfilment.


I remember over 20 years ago the "present" moment was not such a huge catch phrase.  Meditation was simply "being", "watching", using a mantra... I get asked from students from time to time though, especially in the last 5 or so years:

So how long is the present moment? 


I believe the 'present moment' is a sweeping awareness and assessment of all that is.  It is eternal.  It is NOW, as Eckhart Tolle says.  It is the dogs barking outside, the dishes in the sink, the pile of paperwork, the laundry, the schedule, the circumstances and situations of what you are in...but not necessarily of...It is not a quantity of time but a qualitative appreciation of it.  It is your ability in this moment, to pull your attention away from this activity and allow yourself to observe it, so that you do not become the drama, but allow it to move over you and through you.  You then become sensitive to finding an appreciative quality in your experience and aren't scrambling for the exit door all the time.  The present moment actually becomes a doorway to freedom, because you stop chasing the next thing, the next next thing and so on. "Wake up and smell the coffee (or the roses?) can now become a spiritual practise for you. MMMMMMM is a sound that relaxes the nervous system.  Try. 


The eight steps of Yoga form a holistic framework that lead one to this sense of being whole with whatever is.  It comes down to just enjoying or experiencing what you are doing while you are doing it.   Not thinking about what you did or have to do, what they said and will say, all of that gets a time out.  If you can take a time out of some sort, this fast-paced hyper-charged world doesn't absorb or drain you. 


That being said, it is called a practise so you can pretend time is a piece of chocolate cake and carve a sliver to taste it (how about 60 seconds? that is by today's standards a large portion!). Great, now take your sliver of time, close your eyes, connect with your breath and be aware...Wow! you did it! You were in the present moment...Now just think, that same minute can be spent in peace, prayer, meditation, joy, laughter, quiet, affirmation or worry, anxiety, fear, anger, hatred, negativity and doubt....the power of Now is a powerful choice...


om shanty shanty shanty
Rana