Yoga/HealingOvercoming Fear...
So many challenging situations within our lives force us to really look at our own fears. Whether it be fear of taking the next step, trying something new, falling in love or even just looking at what we really want in our lives. It can almost be de-habilitating but when we get to that point, it only takes courage and strength to step through to the other side. Within the yogic tradition Hanuman is a beautiful teacher when we are faced with fear. This monkey god’s devotion to his guru-RAM and how he goes to the greatest depths to devote himself in ways he thought were impossible, is a powerful analogy which has helped me in my own journey through fear.
RAM merely represents the divine, so the teachings remind us to trust in something greater, the infinite that we can call upon when we do not think we can go any further, and the power this can ignite within us to accomplish our highest purpose. If we can approach our yoga practice with such conviction, then our journey will always have a purpose. The poses within yoga that represent aspects of Hanuman, all work on stretching the psoas muscle, which runs from the middle spins to the inner thigh. This muscle initiates all of our movements and is pivotal in fight or flight response which is innate in all of us. This fight or flight is then stimulated from the stress within our western lives-also resulting in a locked psoas muscle. Physically, this muscle tightens and shortens from sitting for long periods at a time. But the Psoas is also where we generally hide our fear, so the process of opening and encouraging release from this area is an opportunity to shed our fears on an emotional and energetic level. Hence the reason we embody Hanuman for fearlessness!
And then there is Virasana-the hero pose is another embodiment of Hanumans energy. It is the pose that he was in when he prayed for the grace to do the impossible-saving Sita for Ram. His faith, his Shraddah, never faltered and it is ingrained in every one of us. Even though Hanuman was cursed with forgetfulness of his own Godliness, he still turned to his faith in each challenging moment. This word could conjure up associations with religion for a lot of people. But it is merely a strong devotion and trust in whatever you consider the divine to be. And that faith and hope then gives us the confidence to go forth to change the world or even fall back in love. Recognise the divine nature of life-offer yourself to it, let it transform you in ways that you did not think were possible in order to serve your highest purpose. “And as we let out own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” Marianne Williamson
Hatha yoga Tuesday night 5.30-7pm Mullumbimby @ Yoga Peace. Seriya x Add new comment
Sun Salutations
Surya Namaskar (Sun salutations) The Sun Salutation originated as a series of prostrations to the sun. Traditionally, it is performed at dawn, facing the rising sun. In time, each of the twelve positions came to have its own mantra, celebrating aspects of the sun's divinity. It is a beautiful set of asanas that massages, detoxifies and stimulates almost every organ in the body and beings suppleness to the spine. It can be done fast, as a cardiac toner or at a slower pace to strengthen and tone the muscles and enhance the functioning of the internal organs. Even if you cannot fit an entire practice into your morning routine, just this will vitalize you enough for your day.
Balance
I have been going through some ups and downs within my life lately. I kept trying to aim to be centred in these emotions, thinking that the journey in these polarities was not healthy. I was then recently reminded an Osho teaching, where he discusses the art of living in balance is not to reject these ‘positive’ or ‘negative’ emotions but to feel them wholly, and only then we can reach the balance in between. But to know and accept that this is only temporary too, as a passing phase.
Balance is not a noun it is verb-it is balancing. The tight rope walker continuously moves from the right to the left, yes there is a moment when he is in the middle or too much to one side there is fear of falling. It is a dynamic process. You cannot be in the middle. Do not avoid extremes and do not choose only one extreme. The secret of balance is to remain available to both polarities. Both utterly happy and utterly sad have their own beauties. Both states are bound to be there! Both are inevitable and unavoidable. Life brings great pain and pleasure, by living one you live the other. You cannot avoid the negative and have only the positive. Osho says this a fallacy” they are two aspects of the two energies.’ In the same way, our personal asana practice should not be balanced but should balance us, and our asana classes should balance our students. Effort and rest. Elimination and assimilation. Yang and yin. Day and night. Extreme action leads to death and so does extreme inaction. Finding balance leads to health, happiness and a discovering of who we really are!
Simple Reminders: · Do not fight with the emotion, welcome it ; · See deep into the emotion with love, care. Be a real host to the emotion whatever it is and you will be surprised beyond comprehension; · Discomfort is a signal to pay attention; · Balance comes out of the experience of all elements of life; · Learning to live with our negative parts of ourselves we can become whole; · Balance is something that comes with the acceptance of all of these dimensions of life.
I accept all that life offers me, knowing that nothing is static. Aadil Palkhivala shares: “It is a cosmic principle that we either live in imbalance or act to create balance. Though we may be comfortable in imbalance (which we often perceive as balance), we cannot grow in such a state. It is through shining light on that which we are not—our opposite—that we illuminate the road to progress."
Blessings, May see you in the class this Saturday morning! Seriya x
Withdrawal of the Senses
When we are faced with challenging times in our lives, it is easy to search for stimulation to keep the mind distracted and not allow yourself to really feel into what is happening in your life. Pratyahara is the fifth limb of the yoga sutras, of consciously using the energy to withdraw from the outer senses. I struggle with feeling into the difference between escaping and withdrawing. How can we be in the world but not of the world? It takes grounding, it takes awareness and it takes commitment. We can begin on the mat with our asanas, but then expand this practice into our lives for our growth and learning. A turtle withdraws from its shell when it is startled or threatened. When you take the form of a turtle, you will often experience a feeling of moving inwards mentally. Pratyahara means sense withdrawal. As your senses withdraw from your outside distractions, you mind is less agitated and you feel centered. We can cultivate the inner withdrawal in our yoga practice by taking the form of Kurmasana. The Tortoise. And set the intentions to move the attention away from the external world and focus on your own physical and emotional sensations throughout the practice. What you need is not there, just like the turtle knows that when he goes into his shell, he doesn’t need help of anyone to protect him. His protection comes from within…When you develop the ability to stay neutral in the face of a difficult situation, you can better assess your choices and you will respond with clearer knowledge and an open heart rather than with emotional conflict and reactivity. Small simple reminders: · Move, feel and reflect on the sensations you are feeling in your practice; · Soften in the pose as you continue to withdraw from your senses like a turtle; · When you feel the resistance, at that point is when you surrender more; · Register the sounds, but do not allow them to disturb your body or mind; · Draw the limbs of your perception—your eyes, ears, skin, nose, mouth, and consequently your mind—into the shell of the limitless landscape within you; · Instead of reacting to and identifying with the resistance that may come up, sequence your actions this way: First move, then feel, and then reflect on the sensations. This gives you time to perceive and respond appropriately to cues your body gives you. · Discriminating the awareness; · Practice movement of the mind towards silence rather than towards things…
Peace doesn’t mean to be in a place with no noise, trouble or hardwork. It means to be in the midst of these things and still be calm in your body, mind and in your heart. "You have to leave the city of your mind and go into the wilderness of your intuition. What you discover will be wonderful, what you uncover is yourself. " Just like this image, allow your focus on the outside world to become a blur and be in your centre, where your true self can be revealed. Blessings, Seriya x
Judgement or Discernment?
I have watched myself become so involved in the stories and drama within my workplace lately. I was then recently reminded of what was important when my sister shared a quote with me, “Judging a person does not define who they are it defines who you are. “ So simple, and it brought me straight back to truth. Each judgment that arises towards others has come up as an insight for us to reflect on ourselves. Whether that be because you are judging yourself or another. Finding that difference between judgment and discernment is the challenge. In Judgement-we feel a discomfort in a situation so we turn to blame and separation. This is created by Ahamkara, the ego. To reach discernment, however, is essentially the process of self enquiry. Not allowing yourself to fall down the deep rabbit hole….and it brings us back to what is true. But why do we even go there in the first place?? There are times when judgments’ make us feel superior because our ego has a fearful need to be right. A part of us thinks that if we are seeing this person or situation more clearly, then surely we must be ‘better’ than them! And yes this supports the ego BUT this only creates separation, and the goal of yoga is union and oneness. The faults we judge so harshly in others usually turn out to be our own negativities projected outwards. We all fall into this trap, me included. How can we change our own difficult personality traits, our fears, wounds and resistances without judging ourselves for having them? Sometimes it is hard to catch yourself in the moment, but even if we have the awareness of reflection afterwards then we have already begun the healing. “Real discernment, I've always found, starts with the willingness to ask questions. If you keep asking those questions, you will often get to the place where there are no answers at all, the place where you are just...present. Judgments dissolve in that place. Then you don't have to strive for discernment; discernment is as natural as the breath.” Sally Kempton Simple Reminders... · Judgement dissolves in the present moment; · Notice any perceptions of your practice that arise, and ask yourself if it is coming from the judging mind and if so keep enquiring; · Discomfort is a signal to pay attention; · Discernment comes when you resist the tendency to blame; · The source of your discomfort will lead you to true wisdom and strength; · When we acknowledge our feelings with honesty we are listening to our authentic self.
By letting go of judgement’s of ourselves and of others, we are closer to releasing any suffering we experience. Whenever it arises remind yourself: “I am loving and compassionate. I see no separation between myself and others.” There are many realities that coexist and your truths are not always the same as someone elses. It takes courage and immensely good heart to let people be who they really are. Sometimes there are good people on both sides of the war. It does not have to always be black and white. There exists a lot of grey in between-HUGE expanses of it! For all of those people out there who I have inflicted my judgements on, I am sorry. And thank you for being my teacher. Namaste. Love and Light, Seriya x
Atha-Yoga is now
"ATHA-NOW begins the study of Yoga" Patanjali
The days are getting longer again-and we have been so spoilt in the Byron shire with this divine sunshine!
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Inspiration
“Two people have been living in you all your life. One is the ego, garrulous, demanding, hysterical, calculating; the other is the hidden spiritual being, whose still voice of wisdom you have only rarely heard or attended to. ”
~ Sogyal Rinpoche
“As you dissolve into love, your ego fades. You’re not thinking about loving; you’re just being love, radiating like the sun.”
~ Ram Dass
"The Guru is within you, not here. Guru is not outside. Guru awakens that knowledge that is within you."
~ Swami Vishnudevananda
Don't run away from grief , o soul
Look for the remedy inside the pain.
because the rose came from the thorn
and the ruby came from a stone.
~ Rumi
