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

Yo-greeni smoothie

Cheers to good health and glowing skin:


Try this when you dust off your juicer! 


one bunch Kale - any kind (dark, curly)
Spinach if you have any
An apple
1/2 lemon
big chunk ginger


wash everything - I add vinegar to the water to get rid of any lurking germs and sand
I core the apple and slice the ginger
stuff it in and juice


now, a couple of times there were small spatters and one outright explosion so don't wear white clothes :-)


enjoy,
Rana

A Warrior’s Mind by guest blogger Rachel Stroud of Alive in the Fire

Please welcome my friend, Rachel Stroud, as guest blogger.  We are doing cross-border blogging and she has graciously hosted my words on her blog, Alive in the Fire is colourful and inspirational whether you are a yogi(ni) or not...Read on and enjoy, Rana

A Warrior’s Mind

By Rachel Stroud of Alive in the Fire

Winter is pressing in. The cold settles, chilling me. At home, I layer on fuzzy socks and warm slippers, and get out a blanket for my legs when I’m on the couch.

As I bike to work in the wind and snow, I meditate myself away from the freezing temperatures and focus on my breath. In, out, in, out: the mantra I must use as I pedal along the frozen streets.

On the mat at home, my body feels cold and stiff. But I persist through the first few sun salutations, and I return to deep pranayama to warm myself up from the inside out.

In order to survive the cold of winter, I must be a warrior. I must set my mind in springtime.

Lately I’ve been thinking about how it’s easy to let ourselves hibernate a little throughout this season – both on and off the yoga mat. For me, the effects of winter manifest in simple ways that undermine my yoga practise and healthy habits: I want to stay cosy on the couch after dinner instead of going barefoot for a vinyasa flow in the living room; I crave filling comfort foods instead of clean, green juice; I hardly ever make it to my local Bikram studio; and in general, I feel the effects of SAD creep in when the cloudy days go on for a week or more at a time.

So how do I make it through a full winter season doing yoga while I feel lethargic and uninspired?

I don’t. I re-set my thinking. I make myself the warrior, instead of the sufferer.

I remember that it’s my choice to enjoy my life instead of wasting the little moments.

In wintertime, the meditative aspects of yoga actually prove more important than the physical postures themselves for me.

Instead of getting down on myself about what I can’t do, I try to focus on the positive. Instead of saying, “I’m so tired,” or “My hamstrings are tight,” or “I really don’t want to have to wear a face mask in order to bike today,” I think, “I can manage 20 minutes of yoga,” or “My hips feel amazing after I do pigeon pose, so I’m going to,” or “I am saving money and helping the environment by going car-free.”

And once I’ve put in the time on my mat, or pulled up to work breathless from the bike ride over, I realise: I am OK, and I feel good, and what’s more – I’m proud of myself for setting my mind to something I can do.

I’m grateful for the blessings I do have, and that gratitude makes all the difference. Especially when it’s -10˚ outside.

Photos in this post via GetWags, Tranquil Hearts, Flickr user aubergeinn, Flickr user davidfreiheit, and Something Sweet Pea on Tumblr

Yoga Breathe, Yoga Relax, Yoga Stretch

Yoga BREATHE…studies show that diaphragmatic breathing is associated with the relaxation response.  Learning to breathe properly can lengthen life span, slow the heart rate, decrease blood pressure, and help you maintain a calm inner state during stressful situations. 

Good breathing increases energy.

Good breathing helps overcome headaches.

Good breathing helps restore emotional/mental balance.
Good breathing helps decrease anxiety and sleep disorders









Yoga RELAX…. studies show that regular practise of relaxation has numerous benefits:

Smoother heart rate, reduced blood pressure, stronger immune system, feelings of peace, satisfaction, tranquillity and improved performance in all aspects of daily life.

A relaxed mind is a centred mind,

A relaxed mind is able to observe without reacting

A relaxed mind is able to let go of worry and open up to creative thinking,

A relaxed mind is open to the present moment.

Yoga STRETCH. …Studies show that Hatha yoga, the yoga of the body has amazing health benefits.

A fit body is the home of a fit mind.

Yoga creates a flexible body

Yoga builds a resilient and strong body

Yoga can help with cardiovascular endurance.

Yoga therapy can address special needs such as back pain, insomnia, headaches, hypertension, prostate/fertility concerns, psychosomatic illness, anxiety....

so...find your calm and yoga on....
Rana

Do You Need a New Mirror? Self-Study 2012

"Yoga teaches that everything placed before the mind is a mirror: the mind takes the shape of what is perceived.  For modern man and woman, that mirror is progressively a window upon electronic images from elsewhere - the computer or television screen.  While not intrinsically wrong, such imagery possesses a power to numb and pacify as well as to awaken and stimulate.  


Self- study engages the action of the mind..by study of texts; by closing the eyes and chanting, prayer, or meditation; or by seeking out and engaging in the company of the gifted, the elderly, and the wise. From the experience of others-through the spoken or written word-we may find the example and wisdom that lead to our own self-discovery and inspiration"      
-HEALTH, HEALING & BEYOND - T.K.V. Desikachar

"Self-study deepens your communion with your image of the divine" 

-YOGA SUTRAS 2.44 - Patanjali

Something caught my attention on twitter the other day.  It was a 2 line tweet by a woman who basically said that she did not see what self reflection was about because she did a bit over the holidays and it was depressing.  

My Yoga Teacher radar went off immediately, because in my understanding of the verb to “self reflect” does not = buy one litre of Hagen Daas, a Club Price bag of potato chips, stay in your bathrobe and have a pity-party.  I do not in anyway mean that this last form of entertainment is a bad thing.  Is it what you need to do as a stepping stone on your path to THE OTHER SIDE of whatever issue you are working through? If so, at least buy the best quality junk food, set aside a fixed amount of time to cry and feel your feelings, get it all out, and then put on your inner strength, your positive outlook, perhaps a bit of lip gloss, (gentlemen: shave?) and move forward. Someone once said to me “better out than in” which, in retrospect may have been advice about sneezing, but it seems appropriate to fit it into this conversation.

In fact, the Yogic system recognises that suffering is part of the human predicament, and awareness of this is the foundation to change. In this context, suffering is at the level of the mind. For example, if you are going through a break-up, and you become so lost in the negatives, the inadequacies, the failures that you become THAT, you are allowing yourself to become suffering embodied. On the other hand, if you perceive that every obstacle is a blessing in disguise, you free your mind up, and are able to let life move through you, you identify with the BIG picture not the temporary drama.  This radically changes outcomes in your life.

How to go about this? Yoga is a practical methodology; an action plan for wellness, if you will. As humans, we can either reinforce conditions which maintain frantic or which awaken calm within us. Hence the "plan" is three-fold, called in the Yoga Sutras, Kriya-Yoga, transformation through Practise.
These three aspects are to:
Purify the body and mind (Tapas)
Self-reflect (Svadhyaya)
Recognize our Source (Isvara pranidhana).

The word, Svadhyaya translates as Gary Kraftsow says, "to move forward to one's self". If a wave were looking in the mirror, it would see itself as the wave but also as the ocean...poetic!? Yes but also practical. If you see only the small self, your journey can be mired by insecurities, and stress.  When you elevate and nourish the perception of Self, you are likely to feel that everything on the journey happens for a reason. I call it 'research and development'.  You will likely cultivate objectivity, friendliness and an empowering attitude to nourish and adopt behaviours and strategies to further peace, positivity, and clarity.

A new year is always a new beginning.  If you can start to make a few healthier choices (food, beverage, meditation, yoga postures, nature, weed out toxic relationships and behaviours) your inner life will reflect these changes, and when you self-reflect,  your vision will no longer be distorted. Elevate and you will be elevated. Embrace and cultivate the inner dimension, and the outer will follow...