More information on yoga...
 Classical Yoga & Yoga Sutra's
of Sage Patanjali
Classical Yoga is
based on Sage Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras. This entire book consisting of 196 sutras can fit into one single page.
Each sutra however is loaded with meaning. This scientific study of
the human mind still holds true 2500 years after it was written.
More...
The 8 Fold Path of Yoga
Yoga - A Preparation For Meditation
Meditation is not something we can do, it just happens like falling
asleep. We can prepare for it. For example, we brush our teeth,
change into comfortable clothes, lie in bed and wait for sleep to
come.
Similarly the entire 8 fold path of yoga is a preparation for
reaching self realisation, meditation being a very important aid in
achieving this goal.
Ahimsa
Ahimsa Yama (restraints
or don’t s). It is non violence, not hurting or harming of other
living beings or yourself in thought, word or deed. Since Osho has
written so beautifully about ahimsa,
I am going to share his words from The Essence of Yoga.Ahimsa is
a passive state which simply says that “I will not hurt you”. This
of course does not guarantee that you will not be hurt since we
create our own wounds and our own misery.
Be Selfish!
We are all selfish beings, but misguided about where our happiness
and well being lies. This is very apparent when we see the state of
the planet and how we are systematically consuming our way to its
destruction. As a part of nature, we are all subject to her laws.
When you help others, you simultaneously help yourself; when you
harm others, you simultaneously harm yourself.
Kriya Yoga
Kriya Yoga refers to the Yoga of action. Self Discipline, Self study and
Devotion to God is the Yoga of Action. More...
Yogic Action - Reducing your personal ecological footprint.
This idea that we need to act consciously and with care is
repeated in all spiritual disciplines.I
used to consider each natural disaster to be natures revenge! I
don't think nature is vengeful though, only humans are! I realised
that I need to make small changes in the way I use/eat/consume my
way through life.
Concentration - A natural ability of the mind.
In my last blog post I mentioned my lack of concentration.
However, today at 5:30 am after having spent most of the night
trying to sleep because my mind cannot let go of something that
upset me yesterday; I have come to the conclusion that my mind
does have the ability to be one pointed and focused. What is
apparently lacking is being able to focus on the positive,
wholesome and healthy with the same effortlessness!
Yoga as a Way of Life
Responsibility - an ugly word?!
Responsibility comes from 2 words: Response and ability, simply meaning your
ability to respond. During my Yoga teacher's training at the Santacruz
Yoga Institute, it was always emphasised that we need to learn how to react less
and respond more and more to the various situations we face daily. Below I have
tried to explore the reasons why responding is so difficult for me.
AHAR : Recipe for Baba Ganoush (Arabic Aubergine Dip)
You are what you eat! Hence Yoga emphasises that we eat small
meals of fresh, healthy and wholesome food at regular intervals.
AHAR or a Yogic diet is one of the pillars of yogic living.
Praying before you eat, being thankful and grateful for all the
people and circumstances which made it possible for this food on
your plate; tends to make the food even more delicious!
VIHAR or Yogic Recreation
A yogic life style involves 4 aspects: AHAR (healthy food), ACHARA
(a routine which provides enough time for yourself, family, freinds,
work, eating, sleeping, exercising, playing and resting at the
appropriate time), VIHARA (recreational activity) and VICHAR
(thoughts).
Yogic Action - Reducing your personal ecological footprint.
This idea that we need to act consciously and with care is
repeated in all spiritual disciplines.I
used to consider each natural disaster to be natures revenge! I
don't think nature is vengeful though, only humans are! I realised
that I need to make small changes in the way I use/eat/consume my
way through life.
Parikarmas -Developing friendliness or MAITRI
Today I woke up in a perfectly good mood, somewhere along the
way, I found myself snapping at my housekeeper and my father's
friend who called to chat. Almost immediately I realised I was
being mean and went out of my way to make amends.
So how about sharing a feeling of Friendliness or Maitri with other
people with the same generosity we show when sharing our bad mood!
The Art of Receiving Gracefully
I always have a problem receiving gracefully whether it is a
compliment, present or love. In my mind I was always a giver
hence I am not comfortable receiving. But aren't giving and
receiving 2 sides of the same coin? How can one have the ability
to give generously but not be able to receive?
ACHAR or a daily routine : Are you a procrastinator? Join the club!
Do you find yourself putting off, waiving, tabling, suspending,
deferring, adjourning and delaying certain things in your life
repeatedly?! I often find myself in this situation.
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