Yoga is a Continuum of Theory and Practice

Posted July 19, 2015

Filed under Himalayan Tradition, Insights, Musings

Part 6 of “How do you Qualify Yoga?”; this should have been Part 5. I accidentally skipped a section… Oops

We will, ultimately, put this whole series on its own page in the menu bar. In addition to guest contributors, we’ll be moving older post into pages that can more easily be accessed for future reading.

This is probably my favorite post in this series. It reminds me of a quote I learned almost twenty years ago, when I was a member of Siddha Yoga, “Muktananda, put down the book and meditate”.

We live in an amazing time where information is accessible instantaneously. If you’re like me, attachments are a real issue, a hindrance as the Buddhist described them, even attachment to more “knowledge”. I can easily find myself listening to an audiobook during my commute, taking numerous workshops, and trying out new techniques.

It’s not that this is wrong–it’s simply that it is, according to Ma Tri, “mere knowledge”. Furthermore, the quest for acquisition is insatiable–whether it is material or intellectual.

According to the Yoga Sutra 1.7, there are three ways of gathering correct knowledge, “…there are three ways of gaining correct knowledge (pramana): 1) perception, 2) inference, and 3) testimony or verbal communication from others who have knowledge”.

Swami J goes further to explain, “…you should not believe what you hear, but should seek direct experience… The second part is that of reasoning, whereby you want that experience to be understood in the light of your own inference or reasoning. The third part is that you seek the validation through some respected authority or testimony [scripture]… When you can get these three to converge, meaning that experience, reasoning, and authoritative validation all agree with one another, then you know, and you know that you know…”

Swami J draws a metaphor of Yoga Meditation and mastery of an instrument. A virtuoso knows the technique and theory; but, the also play from the heart.

My teacher will often appear cryptic when I ask a question, recently, when I was perplexed he said, “You’ll find it in the light of Atman”. In other words, I needed to go inside–I am the one I am seeking after all.

Swami Rama described us scientists and encouraged us to “experiment” on ourselves.

The Buddha famously explained, his path was working for him. But, if it doesn’t work for you, don’t do it.

But, how will you know if you don’t go inside–often?

Ripples and Tsunamis

Posted July 17, 2015

Filed under Insights, Musings, Quotes, Simple Tips

I saw the quote above on PDAN Teen. The I rememebred, Ma Tri once described thoughts as ripples on the lake of the mind. She went on further to described emotions as Tsunamis. Then she expounded, “Imagine you could harness the energy of a Tsunami. Imagine if you directed that to whatever your life’s goal is”. It left me speechless. I long to crave self-realization with the same fervor as any other Tsunami which has roared through me. Until then, I’ll ride the waves and learn to surf.

Moving towards Mindfulness

Posted July 16, 2015

Filed under Guests, Insights, Musings, Simple Tips

Rena Kilgannon is our first guest blogger of FGTS. Please contact us if you would like to share lesson, personal experiences, meditations, and poetry from dharmic traditions and mindfulness. Thank you for blessing us Rena.

A balance stone in a zen water

When I was a child, my family suffered a significant tragedy. I was eight years old and trying to adjust to our new normal was difficult. One of the experiences I remember is riding in the family car and finding myself going into a deep state of consciousness. I retreated so far back into my mind that it transported me. The experience was so profound; I remember it fifty years later. I also remember being shaken and frightened by this – I had no name for it.

Those who practice mindfulness and meditation, you know exactly what I’m talking about. For many, the ability to move into a quiet and peaceful place in your mind where you can shut out the noise is a great goal to achieve. Since I began my practice nearly one year ago, I am in the beginning stages of understanding what it takes to get there.

In an article published by HuffingtonPost, Mindfulness Meditation Benefits, there are a number of reasons why you might want to consider incorporating mindfulness meditation into your daily life. Here are a few of them:

It lowers stress — literally.
It lets us get to know our true selves.
It could help people with arthritis better handle stress
It changes the brain in a protective way.
It works as the brain’s “volume knob.”
It could help your doctor be better at his/her job.
It makes you a better person.
It could make going through cancer just a little less stressful.
It could help the elderly feel less lonely.
It could make your health care bill a little lower.
It comes in handy during cold season.
It supports your weight-loss goals.
It helps you sleep better.

This practice is new to me as it is for many who have chosen a different path to physical and mental well-being. I was always a runner and reached levels of calmness (runner’s high) through my running routines. In my 30s and 40s, I ran for exercise regularly – from 3-4 mile a few times a week to 10Ks, half-marathons and, eventually full marathons. Like many who run, I ended up with too many injuries and eventually had to give it up.

Then came my 50s when I was diagnosed with a health challenge that forced me into seeking gentler forms of exercise. I tried many: Pilates, tai chi, yoga, strength training, group cycling, and low-impact classes. More injuries sidelined me, but I kept searching.

My search led me to restorative yoga, mindfulness and meditation. I have found this to be instructive, strengthening, and most important, it brings awareness to my practice as a beginner. My yoga and meditation coach, Avril James-Hurt, an experienced exercise physiologist with Piedmont Healthcare in Atlanta explains how to begin a practice in this video:

I have already seen health improvements as a result of this practice. Working mindfulness meditation into my life will always be challenging – and I welcome it for it has truly been the start of a journey to life long well-being and peace.

Rena Kilgannon runs Kilgannon Group, LLC, a small business consulting firm. She ran an advertising agency in Atlanta, Georgia for 25 years before selling her firm in 2012. Her book, What’s the worst that could happen™ is available on Amazon.com or at www.renakilgannon.com.

Lux Interior

Posted July 6, 2015

Filed under Poetry

light surrounds
shines through
glows behind
heads crowned
It’ll guide you
to a safe place
an infinite space
deep inside you
shown true
in forever light
ignited by
an embrace of
the great heights
we aspire to

All Yogic approaches require a commitment to radical self-transformation.

Posted July 1, 2015

Filed under Himalayan Tradition, Insights, Musings

Part 5 of “How do you Qualify Yoga”

While I understand why Georg expounds, Yoga requires a committment to radical self-transformation, I also feel as though it can be stated differently: Yoga requires committment to self-recovery. There is an alchemy to it; but, there is not really anything to transform, you are already who you are seeking. However, our lives, karma, addictions, experiences–whatever you want to call them have veiled the Truth that we are seeking.

About a year ago, I cannot believe this endeavor began a year ago, I wrote a post “Setting it All Down“, in which I shared how my beloved teacher reminded me that the gift of Yoga meditation is setting aside all of the false identities to, hopefully (and with consistency and committment), gain realization of who we truly are.

Sometimes these false identities are so heavy; especially, when life isn’t doing what YOU want, when people aren’t showing up how YOU want, when you realize that in our current incarnation we don’t control– we are part of the karmic wheel– the goal of Yoga being to un-yoke ourselves from this, potentially, never-ending journey.

Yoga is about using every moment in your life to become fully present to what is really going on. To see the only locus of control is your inner environment. It’s not about getting limber on the outside. It’s about limbering up inside.

And, as I mentioned in the posting, “The Practice is Perfect“, you have to do this every day, every minute, every second. And when you slip, you say “Ah, I have something to learn here”.

This has been a time of slipping for me; my life isn’t showing up how I want it to. But, it’s showing up how I, obviously, need it to. Divine consciousness makes no mistakes. So here I go again, maybe one step closer to who I truly am.

A Special Visit

Posted June 29, 2015

Filed under Himalayan Tradition, Simple Tips

Ooh Formless Divine Mother…. hear my longing, hear my prayers for strength to keep going to use every moment for increasing awareness and to allow the surrendering into formless Love. None of the sensory impressions are me, none of the thoughts are me… ooh take me in Your formless arms, take it all, as I have nothing to loose as none is my. Most deepest gratitude for the sages and the selfless offerings to show us the path… humbly I walk in these golden footprints together with my fellow sadhakas friends, which company I value tremendously. Standing ever stronger for what I know to be true: Aham Brahmasmi ♥ And so are all of you! We are all sparks in the divine ocean of bliss, splashing around but One is true essence. See the Absolute smiling, giving and sharing through the human beings… What a joy to be aware in Vaishvanara! ♥ Have a wonderful day ahead full of play, love and giving ♥

Swami Ma Tripurashakti Bharati Workshop Registration

This Cartoon Is Going to Become Iconic | Mother Jones

Posted June 28, 2015

Filed under Insights, Musings

http://m.motherjones.com/contributor/2015/06/the-gays-won-the-civil-war

All Yoga Paths Subscribe to Dharma

Posted June 11, 2015

Filed under Himalayan Tradition, Simple Tips

Part 4 of “How Do You Qualify Yoga”

Please let me forewarn you, this may be a polarizing post. Humans, on many levels, enjoy their misidentification with nonself (to borrow a Buddhist term). We cling desperately to all that we are not–all that we are attached to. The ego is a collection of false identities, which the teachings of Yoga systematically deconstruct. The ego gets particularly obnoxious when we perceive we are being told that we are doing something “incorrectly” (or at least differently from how it was intended).

Dharma is a Sanskrit term which is utilized in many traditions; however, it has no true English translation. Dharma can mean, law, right-way, and order; Feurestein ascribes it to morality. Jainism, Buddhism, Sikhism, and Hinduism are all called “dharmic traditions (or religions)”. Truthfully, there really is no “religion” called Hinduism. Hinduism is a term that originated from the British trying to describe the various traditions of the people Sindhu River. Hinduism is a collection of philosophies, among them: Shaktism, Vaishnavism, and Shaivism–all of whom, like the branches of Yoga, describe the Ultimate Reality in different ways. Sanatana Dharma means the “Eternal Way” (or law, morality, etc.). It is the wellspring out of which the dharmic traditions sprung.

Yoga and Sanatana Dharma cannot be separated. Their lines are intrinsically blurred. While it’s possible to practice Yoga and still adhere to other religious tenets–Christianity is very much a Bhakti Yoga practice–the origins are one and the same. Conversely, it is possible to be a Hindu and not practice Yoga; however, they originate from the same source.

All types of Yoga (not mere asana practice), have a dharmic component. In some paths the tenets are spelled out in recommended actions and restraints. In other paths, there is a call towards looking inward towards ones own moral compass. Regardless, there are no Yogic recommendations towards: competitiveness, hyper-sexuality, greed, or lying. However, that is often the case in the contemporary Yoga scenario. Studios are selling expensive clothing, hyper-mobility is lauded, scant dress is praised, and teacher’s don’t have a personal sadhana. It’s not a judgement, you aren’t bad if you’re doing these things.

Yoga is not about a punitive deity waiting to judge–it’s about becoming so clear and so aligned that you wouldn’t want to do these things. Patanjali calls this the “great vow”. It is not about becoming pious either; but, there is nothing wrong about being aware of what Yoga is and is not.

Brilliant

Posted June 7, 2015

Filed under Poetry

A wind’s blowing
sunlight’s shining
on a river flowing
Silver’s lining
flowers growing.
Chakras aligning
in spirits glowing
Facets combining
in a tender loving
of the all knowing

Yoga Has Many Branches

Posted May 29, 2015

Filed under Himalayan Tradition, Insights, Musings

Part 3 of “How Do You Qualify Yoga?”

Sorry for the delay in posting this–full-time life happens…

Go back to the bumper sticker I mentioned in post 2 of this series, “I Love Yoga”; we have clarified, ad nauseam, Yoga is the Ecstatic State–Yoga is Union. But, even in philosophical circles, it can also mean the practices and the path that lead to the State. If I asked the driver what type of Yoga they practiced they may say, “I do Power Yoga”, “I do Vinyasa Yoga”, perhaps, “I do Ashtanga Yoga” (that is a whole other posting– Ashtanga classically denotes the eightfold-path of which posture is only one rung), or, “I do Bikram Yoga”. All of these are styles, some debatably more than others, under the umbrella of Hatha Yoga. Let’s park that for a moment and come back to Hatha…

Again, Yoga is a liberation teaching. Unquestionably, the goal of Authentic Yoga is to end the continual cycle of birth and rebirth, to realize the True Self and attain Enlightenment. I know that it’s heavy; but, it’s true.

No how are you going to do that…

The Yogis, in their infinite genius, have devises several avenues to this Penultimate Goal. They are based on your inclinations and where you are in your life. But, the goal of all is the same–YOGA.

According to Georg Feuerstein, and other scholars (there is debate of the number of paths), they are: Karma Yoga, Jnana Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Tantra Yoga, Mantra Yoga, Hatha Yoga, and Raja Yoga (Authentic Ashtanga Yoga)–I am focusing on the “Hindu” Yoga Pantheon. We can debatably add: Buddhist Yoga and Jain Yoga, too.

I will briefly summarize each path and provide links for further reading. Notice each definition refers to the Ultimate Reality as the Goal. I would at least need to do a full posting to do each one any justice–let’s see what the future holds…

Karma Yoga: A major branch of Yoga, expounded in the first third of the Bhagavad-Gita, is the liberating path of self-transcending action. All actions are given selflessly (seva) with the understanding that all actions come from the Ultimate Reality.

Jnana Yoga: A major branch of Yoga, expounded in the second third of the Bhagavad-Gita, (and numerous other texts, such as the Upanishads) which is based on the cultivation of wisdom as the path to liberation. This wisdom is derived through direct experience of the Ultimate Reality as the Transcendental Self (atman) and through constant discernment of what is real and what is unreal.

Bhakti Yoga: A major branch of Yoga, expounded in the final third of the Bhagavad-Gita, (and numerous other texts, such as the Bhagavata Purana ) is the path of liberation through devotion. Through cultivation of this deep devotion, Bhakti, the seeker connects with the Ultimate Reality as a Supreme Being or Supreme Person.

Tantra Yoga: By far the most complicated branch of traditional Yoga. Tantra focuses on the feminine energy (shakti) as the source of the Ultimate Reality. Broadly speaking Tantra can be broken down into two categories: Left-hand, which uses ritual and deities, and right-hand which is practices internally without ritual and iconography. However, as with many other traditional teachings, Tantra has often been reduced to a mere mockery of itself with focus on increasing sexual prowess.

Mantra Yoga: A major branch of Yoga, which is sometimes grouped as part of Tantra Yoga. This path uses mantras as a path to Ultimate Reality.

Hatha Yoga: A major branch of Yoga, the most renowned in the West, which is sometimes considered to be a part of Tantra. Hatha Yoga was developed by Goraksha and expounded in the Hatha Yoga Pradipika. In the HYP, one-quarter of the text is dedicated to postures (of which only four asana are described), one-quarter to cleansing and breath lengthening (shatkarma and pranayama), one-quarter to seals and locks (mudras and bandhas), and one-quarter to samadhi (the direct experience of Ultimate Reality).

Raja Yoga: A major branch of Yoga, considered to be the most complete methodology of practice. Raja Yoga is also known as Classical Yoga or Ashtanga Yoga (the eightfold path). This classic treatise of this tradition is the timeless Yoga Sutras, codified by Patanjali. The text describes the entire practice and potential experiences of meditation practice. As well as outlines the eightfold path of sadhana: yama, niyama, asana, pranayama, pratyahara, dharana, dhyana, and samadhi–which lead to direct experience of Ultimate Reality.

Despite the many branches the goal is the same. If Ultimate Reality is not the goal, it’s not Yoga. Now what is Ultimate Reality? That’s for the sadhaka to decide… See the chart at the beginning, it’s a question mark…