Boost Your Digestive Fire

By admin | July 30, 2010 - 5:47 pm | In and Of The Moment, Poses, Wisdom

Some days digestion is slow.

We feel bloated, full, and pressure in the center part of our bodies. For some people these days come more often. These tips are for anyone who would like to know how to bulk up their digestive power and obtain more nutrients from the food. Inspiration for the tips came from studying Yoga, Western based Nutrition, Food Science, and Ayurveda. Ayurveda is the oldest system of holistic medicine and literally means the “science of life.” This healing modality believes that there are three types of doshas’ or groups of characteristics that describe a type of person. The type of person we are is represented through the doshas’ which denote physical, mental and emotional tendencies and habits, and reactions to the environment. Find out your dosha by searching for “dosha quiz.”

1. Begin to pay attention to your body and it’s habits. I recommend journaling your food and beverage intake for a minimum of three days. Monitor how you really consume. This practice not only encourages good lifestyle choices but also encourages mindfulness! When you live life with both eyes open, your spine stretching to the sky, and both feet firmly planted you are more aware of how to live in a way that honors your body and its unique health characteristics.

Sample food journal:

Date / Time of Day / Energy Level / Mood / Food/Beverage Description / Amount / Environment

Time of Day: Be Descriptive

Energy Level: Examples: Hyper, Sluggish, Tired, Antsy, Lazy, Energetic, etc.

Mood: How you feel, baby?

Food/Beverage Description: Ingredients of the dish preferably or the name of the item

Amount: Weight or Volume such as 1 lb. or 16 oz (2 cups).

Environment: did you eat alone or with family and friends?, were you in the car?, in front of the TV/Computer?, at home or out?, etc.

Also notice your habits how often are you going to the restroom, how many hours are you sleeping, etc.

2. Start your day out with a glass of lemon water and a piece of fruit. First thing wake up and have one-two glasses of water that are lukewarm or warmer preferably. Add a little bit of fresh lemon juice and local honey. Wait about 15-25 minutes and have a piece of fruit. Of the most commonly consumed fruits: Pitta or Kapha dosha have an apple and for Vata’s a banana. The fruit provides dietary fiber to encourage elimination and carbohydrates which easily convert to calories and provide important fuel for the body. Breakfast is an important meal of the day to stoke the digestive fire by starting out light you prime the fire. By slowly kindling the fires of digestion with this routine you body is prepared for the day.

3. Practice Asana (Yoga postures) to stimulate the organs of digestion. In general it is good to wake up and stretch out the body in the morning. Taking a moment to do a few forward bending and twisting Yoga postures will compress the organs of digestion, twist out the toxins, and encourage the downward energy of the body that aids in elimination.

Sample Sequence:

Baddha Konasana spinal warm-up

Warms up the spine and frees up stagnant energy in the lower abdominal organs.

Balasana with knees together and hands near feet

Massages the organs of digestion and calms the mind.

Cat and Cow Pose/Chakravakasana

Gently massages the spine and belly organs.

Half-Lord of the Fishes Pose/Ardha Matsyendrasana with one leg straight

Detoxifies by compression of vital organs when torso is twisted and held.

Seated Forward Fold Pose/Paschimottanasana

Improves digestion. Stimulates important organs like the liver and kidneys. Calms the mind and releives stress when one relaxes into the posture

Reclining Bound Angle Pose/Baddha Konasana

Stimulates the organs of digestion and elimination from the bladder to the kidneys and many things in between. Stretches the inner thighs, groins, and knees. Promotes the fownward, or apana, energy in the body.

4. Eat beans Beans are a good source of soluble fiber that is highly effective in promoting the movement of food through the digestive system. They also contain protein, complex carbohydrates, folate, and iron. The key here is to drink plenty of water. Be creative and try adding beans to your normal foods! Soak beans overnight in water and drain before cooking. This process activates enzymes which aid digestion, reduces flatulence, and reduces the cooking time of the beans.

5. Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate! Knowing when and how much to drink can be a tricky question because we are all unique and have different levels of fluid intake. Begin to take note of your diet for a few days with particular interest in fluid intake. Then look at the amount of water you drink compared to any other beverage. From here formulate your plan to hydrate more effectively. Drink a minimum of 75% of your beverages as pure water ideally. Dilute any gatorades or fresh juices with water to aid in absorbability!
Pitta doshas commonly experience excessive thirst! These individuals may wish to drink a heavier ratio of water to other beverages of any sort ratio

6. Eat slowly and chew well! (This one always gets me!) Be mindful of the body receiving nourishment chew each bite of food well before swallowing. Avoid drinking beverages of any kind during meals so that the enzymes, acids, and other digestive fluids are not diluted!

7. Eat your heaviest meal of the day at lunch time when the digestive fire is at it’s strongest capacity. For dinner have something light like soup, cooked vegetables, salad, or other raw fruits and vegetables. Avoid starchy vegetables if you cook with whole grains.

Thanks for reading. Please share your questions or comments below!

Keri Rogers is a devoted student of Yoga and Registered Yoga teacher. She attended the 230-hr teacher training last July at The Asheville Yoga Center. Keri is devoted wholeheartedly to spreading the love and teachings of Yoga to everyone she can. In addition to her Yoga studies, Keri is a Nutritionist and Wellness Coach creating original recipes, sharing health tips, Yoga philosophy and details about the practice, check it out: http://yogiwellnessjourney.blogspot.com/

Popularity: 12% [?]

Is Yoga a Religion?

By admin | July 27, 2010 - 7:51 pm | Wisdom

8 Comments

This is a fairly common question.

When people ask if yoga is a religion, it first makes sense to ask them what they mean by “religion.” If what they mean by “religion” is a creed of beliefs and dogma that must be adhered to, according to an established institution – most usually hierarchical and authoritarian – then the short answer is “No.” But if we take a deeper look into the original meaning of the word “religion,” we find that its root is in the Latin word which means “to tie or bind back.” It was a word used in horticulture, used to refer to the binding and pruning of branches in order to create a stronger and more aesthetic tree or shrub.

In this sense, we find a similarity with the original meaning of the word “yoga,” which comes from the root yuj, which means to “yoke or to harness.” The English word yoke is actually derived from the Sanskrit, and both connotations of that word apply to the word yoga. It can mean “union,” or “to join together,” and it can also mean “to harness” or “to restrain,” and so by extension it has come to signify spiritual endeavor, especially the disciplining of the mind and the senses. Free of its institutional forms and meanings, the similar meaning of these two words point to the essentially religious purpose of all yoga practice.

Yoga, as such, is the generic name for the various Indian philosophies and practices (disciplines), the purpose of which is to liberate the practitioner from the existential human situation described as duhkha. This is the experience of discontent, dissatisfaction and unease that we feel in subtle and not so subtle ways. Duhkha is often translated as “suffering,” but it was a word used to describe an axle that was not centered in its wheel. It is this sense of being “uncentered” or “imbalanced” in our way of life that is meant by duhkha. Yoga is what Georg Feurstein calls “the psychospiritual technology specific to the great civilization of India.”

Now, out of this greater Yoga Tradition emerged what we may call the three major Yogic religious-cultural complexes of India: Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism. So, in the give-and-take that is a natural process of history, the teachings of Yoga became suffused with concepts that are shared with these three religious cultures. Yet none of these cultures are “religions” in the way defined in my opening paragraph. That is to say, none of them require adherence to a set creed. Indeed, there are many – even contradictory teachings – that are to be found in any of these three “religions.” Also, none of them are centralized under a totalistic institutional authority.

Perhaps the main sticking point for many practitioners in contemporary non-Indian cultures in accepting Yoga practice are the teachings of karma and reincarnation or rebirth and the many deities that are spoken about. Well, there are Yoga masters throughout history who have rejected these ideas and the notion of deities in Yoga are more akin to the idea of angels or even more abstractly as similar to Jungian archetypes of the collective unconscious.

Basically, all forms of Yoga agree that we as humans have not even begun to tap our fullest potential. All forms of Yoga assert that we are mistaken in identifying ourselves with our body, thoughts and emotions, and posit that we are something much more – boundless, limitless and unconditionally free. Yoga doesn’t expect us, nor does it want us, to just accept this idea on faith, but challenges us to test the hypothesis for ourselves by experimenting through asana, meditation, pranayama and other yogic technologies. In this sense, Yoga is a kind of science, where the practitioner is both laboratory and researcher. Rather than accept anything on faith, we are free to allow our personal experience and realization to shape our understanding.

For this reason, Yoga can and in fact has been practiced by people with widely varying philosophies and beliefs. One can practice from the perspective of a believer in God who wishes to devote her life to honoring and surrendering to God, or as an atheistic humanist intent on maximizing his fullest human potential of compassion, joy, and peace. Some believe in a personal God, while others believe in a more impersonal Ultimate Reality, and others have no interest in such metaphysical speculation. Yoga is simply and primarily a tool for exploring the depths of human nature, of diving deeply into the mysteries of the mind and of the body.

Whether you identify yourself as a religious or spiritual person, as a Christian, Jew, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, an atheist, agnostic or whatever, Yoga can aid all persons in becoming a more peaceful, calm, loving, compassionate, authentic person. The practices of Yoga help to balance the nervous system, support the immune system, strengthen the skeletal and muscular system and help calm the mind. More than that, who can find fault with the yogic recommendations to live a virtuous life dedicating oneself to nonharming, truthfulness, compassion, tolerance, generosity and freedom from greed, anger and ignorance?

Ultimately, through the consistent and dedicated practice of true Yoga – which is essentially meditative – whoever takes up the practice of Yoga will find themselves less conditioned and reactive in their life, and freer and more creative in their response to all their experiences and relationships.

And that is the greatest gift of a Yoga practice – liberation from our conditioned patterns of thinking and behavior – freedom!

Poep Sa Frank Jude Boccio is a certified Yoga Teacher, Interfaith Minister, member of Thich Nhat Hanh’s Order of Interbeing, and Zen Buddhist Dharma Teacher ordained by Korean Zen Master, Samu Sunim. His eclectic approach is influenced by his study of a variety of Yoga approaches and his many years of Dharma practice, evidenced by his emphasis on mindfulness and compassionate action. His book, Mindfulness Yoga: The Awakened Union of Breath, Body, and Mind is the first to apply the Buddha’s Mindfulness Meditation teachings to yogasana practice. Based in Tucson, he travels worldwide, leading workshops and retreats. Please contact him through www.mindfulnessyoga.net www.zennaturalism.blogspot.com

Popularity: 17% [?]

Waiting for Godot … er Guru

By admin | July 25, 2010 - 9:58 pm | Wisdom

2 Comments

“To know a thing, you must become that thing. You can know nothing outside of yourself, but you are everything.” -Author Uncertain

I had an experience that was revelatory a couple of years ago when I still lived in a small town in central Ohio that I would like to share with you. I had decided that I was going to take up trotting (I refer to it as trotting because it is only a slight increase in the speed with which I walk, and that is fairly slow) at the nearby park in order to spend some much needed time outdoors soaking up the healing prana (universal energy). And, lest I be less than honest with you, let me also share that I was looking for something (I am always looking for something). I was sure that if I stayed home, I would not find what I was looking for. So, going to the park seemed a good idea. I wasn’t convinced that I would find what I was looking for there either, but at least I was out, and so statistically my chances were improved- albeit remotely.

My desire was to find a Guru. Someone who could help me remove my darkness, bring me into the light. Gurus are personal spiritual teachers. It is believed that when you are ready, one will show up. And, not only will one show up, but he will be the perfect Guru for you. Your very own personal Guru! Holy crap! I mean, who thought that up? It is genius… brilliant. The clever maker-upper of this ideological promise deserves respect (or at least an authentic tip of the hat).

I have always been attracted to this idea- which is why I so highly revere that which promulgated it into existence. And the guru-envy that I experience when learning that someone, other than myself, has found her personal Guru, curiously continues to plague me. I mean, what could be more exciting than having someone show up (just showing up is in and of itself a feat worthy of praise) who can help you move through your darkness… your perceived obstacles to enlightenment? So, finding someone who has the potential to show me how incredibly limited my perceptions are (I am not putting myself down here as some of you may think, just being realistic. After all, when you think about it, aren’t we are all fairly ego-centric and constricted when it comes to understanding things of the spirit?), is someone I want to spend considerable time with.

Now call me needy if you must, but I look at it this way: Somehow, something, somewhere out there gave us these Gurus who are awake enough to be able to bring us into a state of remembrance or unity consciousness, and the only thing we need do is get ready.

Well, yippee cuz getting ready is what I do best. I mean, I get ready for the day by drinking coffee. I get ready for practicing yoga by putting on my yoga clothes. I get ready to go out dancing by having a cocktail. I get ready to write by talking about it. I get ready for enlightenment by practicing techniques. It seems, I am always getting ready to live or die or whatever it is I am always getting ready to do. Yadda, yadda, yadda… you get my drift because you are most likely doing the same getting ready that I am.

So, where is my Guru?

Hmmm… perhaps, I have misjudged. Maybe, just maybe, I have it all wrong. Perhaps, what I really need to do is to actually BE ready. Maybe I have spent a little too much time with the GETTING ready part. But, I digress. I was relating my story from a few years ago when I decided to go to the park and trot. Let me get back to that because it is a really good story and I think you will like it, and, believe it or not, it has everything to do with ‘getting’ and ‘being’ ready.

So, there I was at the park to trot and I was totally delighted, even excited to be there. The outdoors was inviting, and I was completely and thoroughly wrapped up in my aloneness. The solitude was addicting. I have always enjoyed being with myself– however, so this was no surprise, and adding nature to the mix was definitely a pick-me-upper.

Imagine, my frustration then when, only a few minutes into my satisfying experience, I heard behind me, and not too far in the distance, the rantings of our local (some have dubbed him lunatic, but I always found that somewhat harsh, though part of me, I must admit, concurred) un-medicated schizophrenic. Now, I am not one to dispassionately condemn a man (or a woman) for lacking in ability to conform to social mores (a much nicer way to describe mental instability). God knows, I have had my own struggles, but did I have to put up with this bellicose and excessively verbose disruption of my quiet moving meditation?

The interesting thing here is that almost immediately after I called into question this man’s character and how his presence would affect me, I ordered myself to stop. I remembered that one of the reasons that I was out, after all, was to find a Guru. Perhaps, this fellow who perceived things quite a bit differently than most, would be able to offer something up. Could I open myself up to the possibility that I could learn? That everyone was a Guru of sorts? Instead of ‘getting’ ready for a Guru, could I ‘be’ ready? Well yes, I believed that I could. (As I think back on this, I realize how unfortunate it was that, as a proclaimer of non-attachment and non-judgement, I had to talk myself into interacting with another human being in a way that required a moment-to-moment- suspension-of-judgement presence, and then only for my own selfish gain. But, what can I say, this is just how it was.)

What light could I glean from an encounter with the man who was infamous for his outspoken opinions? Ones that frequently led to bursts of rage and then quickly shifted from one topic to the next without any clear demarcation? I knew this because he was frequently a caller-inner on the local radio talk-show (this is also one of the reasons why everyone knew of him). However, I would often turn him off without really listening to what he had to say because of the way in which he said it. I had no tolerance for what I perceived was unjust anger and ear-hurting loudness. In fact, when he called in, I would roll my eyes, sigh, and resign myself to my self-righteous belief that he was obviously ignorant, mentally unhealthy, and had nothing to offer that I cared to hear. He was just another one of those ignorant, small-minded, “the world will end soon if we don’t change our ways“, religious, conservatives who could not think beyond his own fears. I felt I was way better than him (liberals are better than conservatives, right?).

Well, I didn’t have time to contemplate these harsh judgments for long, because without too much preparation there he was, trotting beside me (he was forced to slow his pace down considerably, but as he learned I was willing to listen, he was keen to do it). So, there we were. Him and me. Trotting in the park. Having a conversation (well, it was more or less me listening to him switch from one really intense topic to the next, but I did occasionally get a word in). And actually, as I listened to him (I mean, really listened), I began to connect his thoughts and understand what it was he was saying, why he was saying it, and, more importantly, why he was saying it in the way he was saying it. Turns out, he isn’t so crazy, narrow-minded, fearful, or even unjustifiably angry after all (those are adjectives that better describe me!).

I do remember telling him that he should try getting quiet every now and again and actually listen to what some else had to say. He told me that no-one had ever said that to him before and that he would give it some serious thought. I liked that. I thought that was really sweet and intelligent. It made me feel good to have offered up something that he could use, because he was absolutely informing me.

Well, you know, we talked about all sorts of things and I was learning so much and having such a good time that I cannot even begin to tell you. It was fantastic. He was removing some of my darkness. Whoa… he was (in those moments) my personal Guru. I guess I was ‘ready‘… ?

How cathartic. How absolutely intentionally unintended that was. I recognized and allowed myself the opportunity to experience information that ordinarily would have been difficult for me to internalize and accommodate. In essence, I chose my reality. I opened the gift placed before me. The gift of being present with another human being that I had previously felt had nothing of value to offer me. I suspended judgement, came into the moment, and tasted the honey of transcendence that is a natural outpouring of “going with the flow“.

You may think that I exaggerate this chance meeting with my temporary Guru, but you are wrong. And, the pinnacle of this experience was that as we neared the end of the park’s path, knowing that I would go my way and he would go his, we made eye contact (I saw infinity in those eyes). In that instant (which was absolutely timeless), I literally became him and he me. We were one, in total union, no distinction between where his manifested form began and ended and my manifested form began and ended. Our molecules, all spacious and vibrating, commingled in an ordered chaos that must have reached the critical level. We understood ’Christ Consciousness’ as it relates to “I am in you and you are in me.”

We were in yoga.

As I left the park that day, I walked freakishly suspended about an inch or so off of the ground. I felt uniquely different, remarkably changed (which is so interesting because what I experienced felt so easy, so natural). The significance of the experience made me cry. After all the years of practicing techniques to prepare myself for what I believed was the off-chance that I might ’catch’ a meditative state and move into Samadhi (unity), in a matter of 20 minutes this incredible man had brought me out of the darkness and into the light. The crying, I believe was an expression of profound gratitude for the gift I was given… to meet one of my Guru’s and spontaneously experience (without the use of mind-altering drugs), my (all of our) natural state of unity consciousness.

Turns out, all we need to do is surrender, let go, come fully into each moment breath by creative breath and ’see’ what is already there, has always been there and will always be there.

That‘s it folks… we are indeed, ALL of us, interdependent manifestations of the one unifying Consciousness.

Written by Jeri Senor as (she puts it) just another form of experiencing phenomenal reality.

Jeri Senor has recently determined that lengthy bio’s and desciptors of achievements and such don’t really amount to a hill of beans (hmm… a hill of beans, now if those were buttered lima’s we would really have something). So, lest we fall into the trap of taking ourselves too seriously and undermining possibilities for happiness, she prefers to have ya’ll chew on this (almost as satisfying as lima’s): “be cool, be groovy, be you… and, laugh a lot too.” That pretty much sums it up. More at www.abhogaditi.com

Image: Mantas Ruzveltas / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Popularity: 32% [?]

Cora Wen: A yoga teacher’s life-changing visits to Cambodia

By admin | July 23, 2010 - 6:32 pm | In and Of The Moment, Wisdom

Restorative Yoga with Cora Wen at Asheville Yoga Center!

You don’t have to be a teacher, nor even desire to become a teacher to attend this course. Your Yoga practice will reach new heights as you become more grounded and peaceful through this ancient practice.

Over 14 hours, with each session containing asana practice led by Cora Wen, lecture and student teaching.

* 3 part breath, ujjayi, and viloma pranayama will be practiced.
* physiology of stress and relaxation
* anatomy, including injuries, scar tissue and artificial parts
* how to sequence restorative postures
* how to integrate postures with breathwork and guided imagery
* appropriate touching and adjustments
* all sessions include forward bending, backward bending, side bending (sequencing, breathing, props, adjusting)

Register Online

Share

Tweet

wordpress plugins and themes
Popularity: 22% [?]

Pages: 1 2 3

Tagged Cora Wen, Events, Featured Teacher, In and Of The Moment

Karma Burning Yoga and Blissful Living

By admin | July 19, 2010 - 9:03 pm | In and Of The Moment, Meditation, Wisdom
Leave a comment

Share

Tweet

wordpress plugins and themes
Through the practice of Yoga, normal people, like me and you, have radically changed our lives.

We’ve become strong in mind and body, endurant, healthy, happier and even gained some wisdom along the way. Why? Because Yoga, even if we only focus on asana practice, transforms our consciousness. It gives us freedom from our past conditioning and opens up a world of limitless possibilities by burning away our karmic fate.

“How is this done and how might I make the most of this secret (secret, because little understood) power of Yoga?,” you might ask. Three things will help. One, we can always practice our Yoga with intention. Two, there is a useful exercise called Sushumna Breathing (described below) that can be easily incorporated into our Asana practice, as well as our sitting meditation that follows. Three, we can consider and apply the other seven limbs of Yoga practice.

Yoga, according to the Sutras of Patanjali states that “Yoga (in reference to Samadhi) is the cessations of the fluctuations in consciousness. Then the seer abides in the bliss of its own nature.” Pattabhi Jois, world renowned Ashtanga Yoga Guru has indicated in no uncertain terms that asana postures and breath control are meant only to serve as a vehicle for unlocking our Samadhi or transcendant nature. When we are aware of what we truly are, there is no question of being happy or in the proper flow of circumstances. This all begins with proper intention!

To be intentional simply means that we “do something with a particular purpose.” Before you begin your practice, decide what your intention is. Do you want to become stronger, more beautiful, happier? Do you want to improve your health? Pick one. Then as you practice, hold that intention in your mind. As you move from downward dog, into a lunge, and then into warrior one, be aware of each movement. Feel your consciousness growing stronger and and healthier with each breath. Thoughts may come in to distract you. Emotions may rise that are unpleasant, or negative self-talk may come at you. Ignore it. Bring your focus back to your intention.

Strengthen your intention with attention to every action of your practice. Let the that which you want to let go of dissolve through innattention. I’ve found that dedicating my practice to one ideal over a week or a month is better than changing it daily. This will bring the most profound results into your life.

As you move through each asana, you may have heard your hatha yoga teacher mention that breath is very important. And that by breathing in as you move forward and up and out as you move back is most helpful. It is! What I would like to add to that is a particular technique called Sushumna Breathing. This was made popular as a preliminary technique to the advanced Kriya Yoga Practices by Paramahansa Yogananda. Here is how it works. When you breath in, imagine a cool electrical current moving up your spine from the base. As you breath out, feel/imagine a warm soothing life force current flowing from the crown to the base of the spine.

Swami Sri Yukteswar has said that if a human could live one million years in a perfectly clean environment with a calm mind and good associations, that spontaneous awakening would occur. He went on to say, that by breathing in the way described above, directing the life current up through the spine and back down, what would take a million years could be accomplished in a life time. Each repetition of this type of pranayama is said to be equivalent to exhausting the karma of one year of healthy happy living.

After your hatha yoga routine, consider taking 10-15 minutes to gently breath using Sushumna breathing while sitting up right (cross legged or in a chair) with your head and neck erect. Then sit for an additional 5 minutes simply enjoying the silence generated from the practice. You will find that your life greatly improves in multiple ways as you cleanse consciousness of useless conditioning that’s only been holding you back from “abiding in the bliss of your own nature.” You will be more focused, optimistic, and successful in all your endeavors. As the sage Vasistha would say, “You will be able to live a natural and spontaneous life, contentedly,” which according to him is the intentional purpose of Yoga.

Finally, always remember, that hatha yoga is but one limb of the Royal Eightfold Path. It is good and right to want to strengthen our bodies. That is very helpful, but the reason we are all here is to awaken to our real nature, to know what we really are as a manifestation of infinite consciousness, and to live our immortal lives well and with purpose. Once the body is strong and healthy, the nadis are cleansed, consider spending time daily just sitting in the silence. Meditate to a state of peace, and the inquire about and contemplate the nature of the divine and your relationship to the wholeness of life. By doing this, you will find that a bliss descends on you that is not connected to anything in the external world. It dawns for no reason, and since there is no reason for it, no reasons can take it away. Then our life becomes a continual expression of the fullest meaning of Yoga. A good place to start would be the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. It’s all there in those concise 200 aphorisms. We don’t have time to go over all of the 8 limbs in this blog, but for a good jump start, you can listen to a commentary on the first chapter of the Yoga Sutras here:

The above talks were recorded at Asheville Yoga Center in 2009.

By practicing Yoga in this way, you will awaken. Your vehicle (the body) becomes stronger. Your mind becomes illuminated. The karma that has adhered to your consciousness will be cast out and your life becomes free and light. With each breath, each movement, each moment of meditation you transform your once limited personality centered existence into a seamless expression of simple divine living.

Ryan Kurczak is a Vedic Astrologer and ordained teacher in the Kriya Yoga tradition of Mahavatar Babaji, Lahiri Mahasaya, Sri Yukteswar, Paramahansa Yogananda, and Roy Eugene Davis. He has a thriving astrological consultation and teaching practice, and is the director of Center for Spiritual Awareness in Asheville, NC. CSA is a learning center for meditation, raja yoga philosophy and holistic living. To learn more, please visit www.ashevillevedicastrology.com and www.csa-asheville.org. Or contact Ryan directly at Ryan.kurczak@gmail.com.

Share

Tweet

wordpress plugins and themes
Popularity: 100% [?]

Tagged 8 Limb Path, Patanjali, yoga sutras

With Regard to the Mention of Intention…

By admin | July 12, 2010 - 3:54 pm | Wisdom
2 Comments

Share

Tweet

wordpress plugins and themes
Create a definite plan for carrying out your desire, and begin at once, whether you’re ready or not, to put it into action.

At the beginning of some yoga classes, the teacher will denote a portion of time, either just before or after meditation for students to set an intention for their class. Personally my intentions are usually something like honoring my body in my practice, or developing the time for some peace out of my busy day. Both of which are both pretty down to earth realistic intentions that aren’t hard to accomplish during a yoga class. Other times, I decide to donate the selfless peace that comes when I practice to a homeless person that I passed on the way to class, or to all of the homeless people in the world. Just as a simple token of the positive energy that I develop on my mat and I send it out as a gift to each one. Other times, I donate the energy from class to a friend that has been ill recently or to one that is having a hard time in life.

Then there are other intentions that we implement off the mat. These being our daily intentions , to have a great day when we get up, to accomplish a lot during our day, to work hard, to be more organized. They are our to-do list type of intentions. Then there are our spur of the moment intentions when someone beeps at us at a stop light or worse shoots us the finger in traffic, we either intend to respond, or we intend to let it blow by like a cloud in the wind. Personally I always do the later.

Our intentions on the mat, off the mat – in our day to day lives, in our long term periods of time (even though – yes we aren’t supposed to be looking into the future we plan our intentions). Our intentions, what we put out into the universe, can have an interesting effect on what happens in our lives. It is in fact what we intend on.

For example, I can bet that the majority of the people in the world are searching for something more out of this world. Some could define it easily, like a relationship, to travel, to have a child. We meditate, pray about it, contemplate it, we wait for it, we dwell on it. But our intentions, where we place our energy and mindset are not always stated to the universe in a positive way. For example, we often state internally and externally what we don’t want. I don’t want to work so many hours, I don’t want to be frustrated with a relationship, I don’t want to be in debt. This is what the universe hears – The Dont’s.

But what the universe really wants to hear is a positive statement.

My mom told me at a very early age, give it up to the universe, whatever it is throw it out there and see what comes back. Maybe you know exactly, maybe not. Set the intention, you will get back more of what you need, what the universe has in store for you than you realize and many times you won’t even know why.

I was recently reading an article (which actually caused me to decide to write this post), by Kathryn Budig off of the Elephant Journal site. And everything became even more clear to me. Kathryn has a way of just reminding and reaffirming what we already know. I love that about her. In one of her awesome posts, she talked about a song called, Come Live the Life Your Given.

Hear it, see it.

It makes so much sense.

In another post titled Words of Wisdom, she writes about the universe and bliss. By all means, read her entire article, but what stood out to me the most was, her quote by Joseph Campbell -

“If you follow your bliss, you put yourself on a kind of track that has been there all the while, waiting for you, and the life that you ought to be living is the one you are living. When you can see that, you begin to meet people who are in your field of bliss, and they open doors to you. I say, follow your bliss and don’t be afraid, and doors will open where you didn’t know they were going to be.”

Then she talks about how the universe is looking out for you, the world should all be in true form and we should be our true selves. According the universe we should be doing exactly what it is we are meant to do while we are here. Sometimes, what we think we are meant to do, or what society says we are meant to do is different from what is really meant for us, therefore we are searching, but aren’t sure why.

So, next time you aren’t sure what intention to set, try listening – really listening, try trusting, and then try just seeing what it is that the universe has in store for you by offering it up to the universe. You might receive a pleasant surprise. And if you do know what you don’t want, state it is a positive instead of as a negative statement and see what positive energy comes back.

The author, Tiffany Cantrell, is a a computer teacher, yoga teacher and ambassador for Yoga Vibes. She is originally from Boone, NC and currently residing in Florida. Tiffany completed her yoga teacher training at The Asheville Yoga Center and is currently working on her 500 hour training (also at AYC). “It is my favorite place to go in the world!” she says. Visit Tiffany’s blog at http://tiffanytheyogini.com

Share

Tweet

wordpress plugins and themes
Popularity: 6% [?]

Tagged intention, Wisdom

Recent Posts

Post Categories

Sites We Like

Monthly Archives: July 2010