Oh, I am intense alright!

Intensity.  I see it all around. 

In Sutra 1.21 tivra-samveganam-asanah

Translation by Govindan:  For those practitioners who are utterly resolute in their practice, the accomplishment of cognitive absorption is imminent.

Sounds a lot like “reap the rewards” or the Little Red Hen Story! 

Per Govindan, one may have glimpses of cognitive absorption (samadhi), the experience of self in which our mind concentrates inwardly, and one is filled with absolute bliss (ananda), but the real challenge is for this to become prolonged and stable.    To do so one needs to practice with INTENSE or enthusiastic devotion…When concentration and witness awareness become spontaneous and continuous, this is known as intense and resolute practice. 

I am grateful for the rewards of practice and on most days I see the patterns of life in one bucket(my humanity-witness awareness) and the truth of being (my self, soul or place of peace-witness awareness) in another bucket.  Seeing bucket one (patterns) does not mean that I can change them, control them or stay out of being them.  On most good days, I am aware of impatience, fear, etc.  I am also aware of bucket 2, grace and peace. This is from intense practice and  I believe mostly from pranayama and meditation.

When my enthusiastic devotion wanes, I don’t see the buckets.  I am not aware and I suffer. 

Heck, this is years after Anthony Robbins, NLP and biofeedback…we can fake the enthusiasm but there is no substitute for practice-even boring, drag your butt to do it practice- if a student desires to sustain samadhi.  If we desire to sustain witness awareness!

Prenatal Yoga for all

I have been teaching the Prenatal yoga classes at Thrive Yoga over the last few months.  It has been an interesting journey in teaching.

Yoga can prepare prenatal students for labor better than any other practice that I know.  In fact the structure of a Prenatal class can prepare students for life better than any other practice I know.

It has dawned on me that there is a paradox going on here.  Here are some thoughts about prenatal yoga and your yoga practice.

Prenatal Yoga postures like Cobblers Pose; Squats; Pigeon and Warrior 2 open the hips which is required for giving birth.  Also holding postures like Warrior 2 help build stamina and strength required for hours of labor.

 

Asana Practice for All:  Holding postures help build stamina required for years and years and years of labor.

 

For Prenatal Yoga: Breathing.  Yoga practice trains students to connect the breath with movement of the body. Yoga trains students to concentrate on the sensations of the body during postures and use the breath to help increase action and release tension.   This is the top priority for a mother during active labor. 

Breathing exercises great for Prenatal yoga: 3-part breath (Dirga Breath) Ujayi breath (Victory Breath)

 

For All:  During active life, when your dad won’t come to the phone to talk with you due years of stubbornness, 3 part breath and Ujayi breathing will get you through, release tension and keep that first chakra from becoming overactive!

 

Prenatal Yoga. Rest.  Yoga practice teaches students to rest the body when not in a posture sequence (Child’s Pose).  Americans have a very hard time resting!  It is of utmost importance for a mother to rest completely between contractions so that she “labor” when the contractions come back.  Meditation is a deeper version of rest and stillness.

 

Yoga for All.  It is of utmost importance to learn how to rest completely during the contraction of your retirement plan, portfolio, credit card limit and (sorry can’t help myself) when you hear that G.W. Bush has found some obscure power to create legislation that Mr. Obama can’t undo.  Serious heart Chakra contraction?  No instead, Ujayi. (Those GW fans out there, yes, I know that Bill Clinton had the same power and used it)

 

Prenatal Yoga. Connecting with the baby.  Prenatal yoga classes guide expectant mothers to connect with their baby and feel safe.  The thought of labor for a first time mother can be scary.  By experiencing our natural state (yoga), we experience a place void of fear.  Anxiety can decrease significantly via yoga practice.

 

Yoga for All:  The thought of life after many years is very scary.  Uh but know this.  Connect with the teachings of yoga.  As a special teacher of mine (Alan Finger) taught me, the tighter the belief system, the more serious the person.  It is the grip of ego.  Connect to the lightness of life that comes from laughter and loosen up all the things that are scary-that you are holding on to because your identity is based on those beliefs.  Connect to yoga, baby!

 

Prenatal Yoga. Yoga practice during pregnancy helps a mother stay fit and strong for a faster recovery after birth.  Vipariti Karani (legs up the wall pose) helps prevent varicose veins and increases blood flow to vital organs-all helpful in getting the moms body back to pre-pregnancy state.

 

Yoga for All: Yoga will help you stay fit.  Go upside down any way that you can and bring yourself back to your true nature.

 

 

 

Oct 1st Surprises

Dave has been asking me why I got so ornery on the last two posts?  I did not think so but perhaps my pita was up!

Sure to get me on the right track-a little dose of vatta-floating on air quality-was a few events of the day.  Although I know that bliss comes from within and always is available, sometimes a dose of OUTSIDE happenstance-happy events drawing the senses to happiness HELPS!

I found out today that Thrive Yoga was featured in the Frederick-News Post read it at  http://www.fredericknewspost.com/sections/art_Life/display_features.htm?StoryID=80813

It is nice to see how the messages of yoga look in black print!  Thanks Juliet for drumming up the press for the Rockville Global Mala event.  Last year I went downtown to the DC event with 4 students from Thrive.  It is a hike down there on a family day here in the burbs.  This year we grew to 22 students plus Beryl and her team.  That is an uptick of 21 yogis for peace!

The day got better.  Today Thrive received roses from a student who had his one year yoga practice anniversary.  The card reads as follows:

To Susan, Dave & the Thrive Yoga Family (sista sledge “we are family” is in my mind as I read this for the third time)

“On October 1, 2007, I completed my 1st private yoga lesson with Susan.  This year has been an experience of transformation of mind, body, and spirit.  My stiff kness are now limber, my dripping sinus condition disappeared after a daily inversion practice and I have NOT used 1 sick day all year.  I have taken these gifts off of the mat and increased my charity and volunteer work in the community.  I wish to thank the whole Thrive Family for a fantastic year.  I am looking forward to year 2 as being great.  Objective for this year: upward facing bow with straight arms!  Jai Ma”

Dear students, Dave, Susan & Thrive teachers & staff thank you for showing up on the mat day after day creating the opportunity for you and those around you to heal and live better lives!  Om Shanti!

All my gym friends

To my friends who tell me that yoga is found everywhere…yes indeed!  Gyms, cars, fields & factories.  No offense on inviting gym rats into a studio in my previous post.  Here is the thing..when you surround yourself with deeply commited yoga practicioners, the path is different.  NOT BETTER.  It is DEEPER.  It has a different intention because more people in the room have a the intention to deepen their understanding of self.  Studios “attract” more seekers.

Thanks for your feedback Maryjean!

Did we live before?

Perhaps experiencing bliss in a yoga posture is enough for one lifetime.  Is it the thought of rebirth, reincarnation, death itself that steers us away from going deeper into yoga? 

For many years I cared A LOT about what happens after I die.  Like a hamster on a wheel, the more I questioned the more I went in circles.  One day, it all of a sudden did not matter so much.  It must have been the day that I gave up control.  Gave up attachment to KNOWING the answer. 

The next verse of the sutra is hard for me to understand.  I might have to ask Alan Finger about it this weekend at his wedding.  Well, maybe NOT then. 

1.19 bhava-pratyayo videha-prakrti-layanam

Satchidananda translates-Those who merely leave their physical bodies and attain the state of celestial deities, or those who get merged in Nature, have rebirth.  WHAT???  UH?

Next verse

1.20  sraddha-virya-smrti-samadhi-prajna-purvaka itaresam

Translation by Arya:  The samadhi of others (in whose case it does not come right from birth requires effort, in other words it is) preceded by (the practice and application) of faith, strength, memory (of practices and purifications undertaken in previous lives), (undertaking the practice of (meditation, and development of)wisdom.

Satchidananda:  To the others, this Asamprajnata samadhi could come through faith, stregth, memory, contemplation or by discernment.

That’s better, so if we are born with attachment, we practice and find samadhi.  Jesus said this did he not?  Mindfreak, you know that illusionist, he practices yoga.  I don’t mean Warrior 2, either.  He is a serious pranayama guy.  Maybe we can get him for a workshop? 

What human in history was born of nonattachment?  Can NOT think of one.  If you have one in mind, please share.  The rest of us mere humans fear death, practice yoga, burn through karma, come to samadhi and do it for many lifetimes.  Very hard work.

Monopoly is more than owning Boardwalk

I love the game Monopoly.  I used to play it with my sister and cousins over and over again.  I could not get enough of it.  It was such a large part of my childhood-so much so that when my sister passed away, I put Boardwalk in her casket.  She owned me most of the time in that game.  She had the uncanny ability to get Boardwalk AND Park Place.  When I beat her, 6 years her junior, it felt GOOOOOD! 

An interesting off-topic tidbit.  I bought a new Monopoly game recently to play with my daughter and when I opened the BRAND new game, Boardwalk was missing.  I suppose my sister really OWNED me in that game-she took it with her.

Here’s a few merging thoughts & beliefs.  There are those who play Monopoly and are unattached.  Play the game and forget it.  Not me. There are those who go through life seemingly hydroplaning.  They don’t seem to let the depth of what is possible seep in.  They don’t wrap their arms around what is in front of them and embrace, study, dig.  I am sometimes jealous (ego state, I know) of these people.  That has never been me.  I have a very dear friend who is so even keeled… Works 9-3, raises a beautiful family, has a nice house, nice husband, she is kind.  I love her.  She is special.  She never seems to care about going deep.  I sometimes feel like that is all I can do.  Why are our paths so different like that?

Yoga, more complex than Monopoly is like that to many people.  They stretch their bodies feel better, drink water, go home.  They do this at a gym.  My friend has a gym membership.  Just scratching the surface.  That has never been me from the very first practice in 1985.  Listen up!!! Many people practice yoga without stepping foot into a studio or doing asana.  Many do asana everyday and never practice yoga.  I appreciate one and all.  

However, this Sutra is dedicated to all the gym yoga goers.  Espeicailly, If you used to play monopoly or anything that took you into a deep experience of being (the NOW), try yoga in a yoga joint-it will bring you back home.

1.18  virama-pratyaya-abhyasa-purvah samskara-seso nyah

Translation per Govindan, Preceded by constant practice with the contemplation of detachment, there is the other non-distinguished state of cognitive absorption, “asamprajnata samadhi” which possesses residul subconscious impressions.

I read this thread over and over and what I understand is: watch the mind, see it, watch the mind more see it more, think that you are in true self and notice the mindstuff still.  Only supreme detachment, (this a deep practice, dude) when you are in being not observing any states of you, known (conscious) to you or not known to you (subconscious) will bring you to Samadhi.

Peace to all!

Luck of the Draw

Do you ever ask a question aloud and then turn on the radio and use the first song that you hear as the “answer”?  Have you ever turned to your favorite book, picked a page and sought that as guidance?  Tarot cards are my favorite tool.  I used them one time when I was the guest fortune teller at my daughter’s School’s Spring Fair.  The little 5th grade boys like them best-the tarot cards.  They liked knowing that they are smart, athletic, have many girls admiring them-this was in the cards of course but I mostly read it from their eyes and hearts.

Studying yoga philosphy can be a challenge.  Even in wisdom is the dual world of contradiction.  I learn this everytime I practice a different “style” of yoga and have to stay centered in “all yoga styles are perfect as they are-equally perfect approaches to healing and higher consciousness.

So, today I have decided to just pick a Sutra by fanning the book and randomly selecting one.  Thsi helps me stay engaged by the mystery of what is next.  You know reading a book in the order that it is written is a little too predictable.  So here is the magic sutra:

2.29  prasamkhyane’ py-akusidasya sarvatha viveka-khyater-dharma-meghah samadhi

As translated by Govindan:

Disinterested in rewards and remaining in discriminative discernment at all times, there follows the state of cognitive absorption known as the cloud of dharma.

The Practice offered by Govindan:  As consciousness expands, and the heart opens, do not allow them to be dispersed into mental movements, such as memories, fantasies, sensual indulgences.  Turn them to the Divine and in so doing; maintain purity, contentment and discernment.

The dharma cloud is described as a state freed from duality (right, wrong, pretty, ugly, etc.)

I have had sneak peaks at this.  So have you.  We will however, continue in action of body and mind until karma is exhausted.  When it is exhausted (you can burn it by nonreaction and stillness during the course of events), samadhi or perhaps the Year 2012.  We are all in a perfect place, relax and the cloud of dharma is your birthright.

First smell the roses

Human beings have a very high tolerance for pain and suffering.  Perhaps if she, the mental body became the emotional body for a day, she would change her ways-give up so much of her power.

In 1.17, Patanjali discusses the various types of cognitive absorption.  Remember from the last sutra, we learned that the highest form of knowledge is the knowledge that elimates suffering.  I mostly spend my time acting locally-meaning meditating myself, trying to practice, practice, practice.  I benefit greatly, of course but one day I just realized that the only way to make real change happen is to start by changing my own consciousness first. 

Did you ever have a friend that you loved and tried to talk him out of something?  Pretty hard to change someone else, isn’t it?  So, I try my darnest to “burn the citta-vritti” my citta-vritti (fluctuations of the mind), so that I can see more clearly and “be” more clear. 

I have been asked to help make changes in all different areas: global warming, child abuse, cancer.  I ty to support others toward their goals in this.  However, I have never felt this huge drive to take on a cause of any kind.  I used to hide that fact thinking that I “should” be actively “fighting” for something good!  One day it hit me like a ton of bricks.  The way human beings really “change” is when we clear out the “citta-vritti” -the fluctuations that make us mean, destructive, depressed, sick.  I can not make my friend do it but when I do it for myself, I make a change in the vibrational make-up of the collective mental body.  I am FOR all people seeking their own truth- and to some that is fighting a cause.  However, I believe that if everyone saw their true nature, there would be no fighting at all and the mental constructs of war, famine and sickness will cease to exist.  Those things will not have a chance when human consciousness does not mistaken itself as the mind.

Do you know that arcade game when you bang one of the heads down, another pops up.  This reminds me of war.  I know war is complex and I believe it is only so because the one in charge is the mind.  It is really quite simple.  Ask a child.  What is ‘right” a.) kill someone or b.) not kill someone.  Samadhi is quite simple.  It just is being in truth.  I feel like this is a downer post of sorts.  I stayed up late last night and watched Kite Runner and I have not fully recovered, really.  Ah, heck with it.  I know that the depth of human potential, love, compassion is so much greater then the depth of hate.  It is just that we as humans are taking so darn long to wake-up!  It is all in perfect order.  I am going out to rent that spelling bee movie Akheelah and the Bee (spelling?) that will help to equalize the movie heartburn!

 

Timing is everything

I have Spring Fever.  NIH Yoga Week and the Thrive ISHTA Yoga teacher Training has kept me and Dave very busy.  But there is something about Spring (I guess it is now summer!) that slows me down and has me carefree.  It came just in time. Pictures of Yoga Week coming soon!

Back to 1.16  commentary by Govindan…

By practicing yoga, the peace of mind grows.  We begin to gain some control over the desires and to cleanse the subconcious tendencies.  There is some detachment from the objects of desire, which were former sources of pain and pleasure.  But we are still subject to their memory and consequently we frequently fantasize.  At first, detachment requires effort.   

I love this next part….HOWEVER, WHEN WE PERMANENTLY REALIZE THE SELF, THE JOY AND PEACE IS SO FULFILLING THAT AUTOMATICALLY WE GAIN DISCRIMINATION BETWEEN THE SELF AND THE NONSELF, AND WE LOSE THE DESIRE FOR THE INVOLVEMENT EVEN IN THE SUBCONSIOUS MOTIVATED DESIRES, MEMORIES AND FANTASIES.  THEY LOSE THEIR FORCE AND WITHER AWAY.

I used to believe that this was not attainable.  It went something like this.  I would practice and then coast awhile and not practice and then suffer, binge, drink, whatever.  Then I would get it…got to practice, Susan it somehow feels better.  I would practice and get back on track.  Over and over. 

Now, I have lost the desire for most things other then the self that I am when I meditate daily.  Being with my teacher, Alan Finger (www.ishtayoga.com) doing ordinary things like getting coffee has taught me one other important thing-more Tantric Philosophy-Being the true self is quite ordinary and fun and not mystical or superior.  Not guru-scary.  It is non-suffering.  No BIG mystery.  I don’t even have to leave Rockville to find it.  No mystical land or sacred place.  Havng a latte with Alan Finger or by myself, I am interested in just being free from the push and pulls of who I am when I don’t practice.

I think this just happens with time.  Practice and time.  I met many teachers just in time. I meet my teacher in meditation every time.  Timing is everything.

ISHTA Blog spot and Kudos to Dr. Levine

I found a great blog about ISHTA Yoga and the ISHTA Yoga system at http://ishtasystem.blogspot.com  Yogiraj, Alan Finger will be introducing ISHTA Yoga at Yoga Week.  Alan also leads the 200 hr Teacher Training Program at Thrive and we will be announcing a 300 hr Program shortly.  The New ISHTA Center in New York has just opened!  I was delighted to be at opening night with Seanne Corne, Alan, Sarah Platt and the ISHTA teachers.  If you are in New York, take a class and check out the Ayurveda Treatments-unique and hard to find in our area…uhm…that is an excellant idea, lets bring Dr. Manjula Paul to Maryland.  More about the treatments at http://ishtayoga.com

May 19-23 is NIH Yoga Week.  Dr. Rachel Levine has worked tirelessly to put together this event with very little staff.  Most events this size are called Conferences and have staff to organize it.  Rachel’s comittment to spread the word and benefits of yoga are extraordinary and Thrive Yoga is honored to be a sponsor.