Shake it Out

Dec20

Regrets collect like old friends

Here to relive your darkest moments

I can see no way, I can see no way

And all of the ghouls come out to play

And every demon wants his pound of flesh

But I like to keep some things to myself

I like to keep my issues strong

It’s always darkest before the dawn

And I’ve been a fool and I’ve been blind

I can never leave the past behind

I can see no way, I can see no way

I’m always dragging that horse around

And our love is pastured such a mournful sound

Tonight I’m gonna bury that horse in the ground

So I like to keep my issues strong

But it’s always darkest before the dawn

Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh woaaah!

Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh woaaaah!

And it’s hard to dance with a devil on your back

So shake him off, oh woah!

I am done with my graceless heart

So tonight I’m gonna cut it out and then restart

Cause I like to keep my issues drawn

It’s always darkest before the dawn

~Florence and the Machine, “Shake it Out”

Sutra Saturdays (Book 1, Sutra 2)

Apr7

2. The restraint of the modifications of the mind-stuff is Yoga.

In Book 1, Sutra 2, Patanjali is still giving general information about the purpose of the sutras and of Yoga in general.  He has not yet started discussing the ways in which Yoga is practiced.  Personally, I hate doing anything if I do not know why I am doing it, so I very much appreciate that Patanjali tells us up front why the heck we are doing all of this.

Patanjali believes that there are 3 parts to the mind, or chittam:

  • Ahamkara – the idea of “I”
  • Buddhi – discriminative faculty/intellect
  • Manas – senses, or the part of your mind that desires things

When I read this initially, I noticed the similarities between Patanjali’s three parts of the mind and two later systems of thought regarding the mind and brain – both Freud’s (superego, ego, and id) and the triune brain theory (reptilian, limbic, and neocortex).  I find it amazing that this idea has been around for over a thousand years, and that it keeps getting revamped based on the popular theories of the day.

What each of these theories says is basically that the human part of the mind (ahamkara/superego/neocortex) puts a human spin on very neutral stimuli.  Sri Swami Satchidananda gave a fantastic example in his commentary on the Yoga Sutras.  The smell of cheese wafts into the room you are in. Your lower brain (manas/id/reptilian) perceives it.The middle level of your mind/brain (buddhi/ego/limbic) remembers what cheese is and that you LOVE it.  Then, the highest level (ahamkara/superego/neocortex) decides that you should definitely have some cheese.  This last part of your brain – the part that plans what you should do – is exclusive to humans.  As such, it is the part that contributes to all of the problems that are almost entirely human, such as depression.  It colors everything you see, smell, hear, taste, and feel with impressions that are based solely on perceptions, rather than the objective nature of the sensation.  Although totally annoying – there is a silver lining here.  Once you learn to stop your mind from modifying your sensations, you will be free of turmoil.  Pretty exciting, right?

Patanjali’s sutras give the framework for stopping the human part of the mind or brain (ahamkara/superego/neocortex) from taking over and modifying how your mind sees the world.

Different Strokes

Apr2

I don’t know about anyone else who is going through / went through teacher training, but it is interesting to me that there are SO many different viewpoints.  Some yogis believe that anyone can teach yoga (and actually should not get certified) because yoga is such a personal experience.  Some teachers give the direction that you should keep directing students with their breath, so that they focus on it.  Others say that including breath direction is too many words.  Some say to create a sequence and to stick with that one sequence for the first year or so of teaching.  You should not get bored teaching the same sequence (because you are a YOGI gosh dang it) and your students should not get bored practicing it because they need it and it helps them build strength.  Others take the more varied approach.

For instance, today in Gwen’s class, we did peacock pose.  For those who care – Mayurasana.This pose is a little nuts. You get into it by:

  • kneel/crouch on the floor
  • holding your arms in front of you, elbows bent, palms up
  • place your hands on the floor in front of you, fingers pointing towards your feet, keeping the forearms and hands less than torso width apart
  • put your weight onto your hands
  • engage your core
  • squeeze your legs together and lift them off the ground

It looks impossible. Legitimately impossible.  But, you know what?  It is not.  I ALMOST got it. Not that I am saying I am amazing or anything, I am not.  I just want to point out that you can learn to do things when you already have the alignment and strength down.  I agree 100% that people cannot just jump into poses safely and that new teachers should not be teaching potentially super-dangerous poses.  However, I do think that once you have the experience and knowledge of your students enough, that it is great to challenge their bodies as well as their minds.

Personally, I find a new level of focus and lack of thought when I am struggling in a particularly difficult pose.  The part that REALLY helps me in life is that I struggle through difficult poses / sequences in yoga (whether it is a large number of sun salutations, or a pose I think is impossible).  When you are spitting in gravity’s face on a regular basis, problems at work seem like nothing.  Well, maybe not nothing, but less awful than they did before.

So, I think what I am trying to say here is that, when you are teaching, take your favorite parts from each teacher and ignore the parts that do not resonate with you.  Unless, of course, the part that does not resonate with you is, “Give your students the tools to help them keep their practice safe.”  That’s an important one.  But, once you feel comfortable and knowledgeable enough about tougher poses – go ahead!  Just be present, be observant, and take care to keep your students as safe as possible.

I left the picture of peacock pose until the end, because in my searching for a picture of it, I got so distracted by the beauty of Rafael Lazzini (the hot Brazilian doing yoga below) that I forgot that I was writing a post. If you can believe it, he looks even better in his other pictures. Google him. You’re welcome.

Image

Aquarius

Apr1

I was talking to someone last night and he asked me what my astrological sign is and what the characteristics of it are.  How the heck did I not know that off the top of my head?!  Especially because every time I read it, I am amazed at how 100% me it is.  So, here they are (full explanation here):

Positive Traits

  • friendly and humanitarian
  • honest and loyal
  • original and inventive
  • independent and intellectual

Negative Traits

  • intractable and contrary
  • perverse and unpredictable
  • unemotional and detached

It is actually super creepy.  Again I am reminded that there is probably something to this astrology thing.  Two of the four “best” matches for Aquarian women are Libra and Aries.  Without realizing it, about half of the guys I have dated or liked in the past were one of these two signs.  Maybe I should start paying attention to this?  Add it to my “dating questionnaire” that I always threaten to create?  Maybe this is a sign of my lack of emotion and detachment… or my originality.

Sutra Saturdays (Book 1, Sutra 1)

Mar31

Happy weekend yogis!  I have something a little new and different for you.  Usually my posts are a bit ego-centric.  I justify it to myself that it is showing how everyone has similar stresses, struggles, and successes… However, I would like to start a weekly post that will (hopefully) pass on some of the valuable information that I am learning through this process.  There is a bit of background information you need to know before I get into the details, though…

I generally classify myself as agnostic.  Many people believe that since the existence of God (or an analogous omniscient/omnipresent/omnipotent life-force) cannot be scientifically proven, then He/it cannot exist.  I actually take it a step further, and believe that since science has also not proven that He/it does NOT exist, then there is no way I can know one way or the other.

So, not surprisingly, when I started doing yoga, I was 100% NOT into the philosophy/spirituality behind it. It all seemed pretty crazy to me before I got into it more.  During teacher training, we have had to read/digest the Yoga Sutra of Patanjali. I rebelled against this a bit.  Not only did I start off being quite cynical of what I perceived to be the religious side of yoga, but I was also very resistant to the study of its philosophy.  (I may have said this before, but I have always hated philosophy, since I see it as just conjecture.)  Anyway, the more I got into yoga and the sutras, the more I realized that it actually makes sense to me.

The Yoga Sutra is not a strictly head-in-the-clouds philosophical text.  It provides practical instructions on how to practice yoga to find your true self.  (Now, when I use the word “yoga” in reference to the Yoga Sutras, I do not mean Hatha yoga, otherwise known as the popular yoga we see today, with all of the postures.  This is actually just one of 8 sections to yogic practice.) They are broken up into four books:

  • Book 1 – Portion on Contemplation
  • Book 2 – Portion on Practice
  • Book 3 – Portion on Accomplishments
  • Book 4 – Portion on Absoluteness

I NEVER thought I would say this, but the sutras have actually helped me a lot.  I can feel myself becoming much calmer and better able to deal with the stresses in my daily life.  So, I thought that I would start posting a sutra every Saturday with an explanation of the meaning in the hopes that someone else could benefit as well.  It may help you out, it may not. :)   But, it cannot hurt, right?  So, without further ado…

1. Now the exposition of yoga is being made.

The first sutra in the Portion on Contemplation simply states the purpose of the book.  Not so deep, right?  Patanjali wanted to ensure that in the very first sentence, he stated that the Yoga Sutra is not some philosophical text with no practical application.  With the dedicated practice of what is described in this text, one can achieve anything they set out to achieve.