Yoga Practice 121 - How do we get to the This-Here-Now

The practice of yoga brings us back to our Self. First, the physical practice of Yogasanas makes us aware of the injuries we carry in our physical body. Next, the practice of Pranayama connects us to our emotional body, taking us through the wall of anger, fear and grief by releasing these charged emotions and bringing us into the this-here-now present moment. It is only when we are present can the practice of Meditation connect us to our vibrational energy and to the Universal Absolute Self, Brahaman.

Michael Brown describes our experiential process as having four aspects: vibrational, emotional, mental and physical. We are pure energy or vibrations in our mother's womb, as an infant we have access only to emotions, once we begin to recognize words we develop our mental faculties that then begin to describe and ground us in our physical reality.

Overtime we tend to disconnect from our emotional and vibrational energies and move away from who we are as children into a world of pretense for our need to be liked and accepted as adults. A wall of emotions separates our adult selves from our child self. That wall is impenetrable because it is made up of anger, fear and grief. Question is how can we ever go through these emotions that are so painful in order to get back in touch with our emotional and vibrational selves?

I have carried my share of anger, fear and grief. I have found that the only effective way to "dis-charge" these charged emotions that give us our present day experience is to first become aware that they exist and then with intention and trust work through them. Awareness for me has come much more easily whereas trust has been the hardest. I am finally beginning to trust, mostly because I found a way that feels safe: a daily routine of yogasanas, continuous connected breathing twice a day and chanting at the temple on weekends.

Yoga Practice 120 - Impatient for Transcendence

So many of my Ashtanga Yoga teachers have quoted Guruji Pathabhi Jois saying "All is Coming". Even though I know through practice of asanas that I am progressing and am experiencing all is here not just coming (two months ago I could not bind in Marichasana D), I cannot help be impatient with myself when it comes to living in the understanding that I am not my thoughts rather I am energy, an energy that also flows through all beings, whose nature is the same as the energy that flows through me. I want to see, touch, feel, that energy. The yearning I have for this transcendence is similar to that of the devotee in the Indian film Baiju Bawra (1952) Man Tarpat Hari Darshan Ko Aaj, where the devotee sings about his despair to see Lord Vishnu and sings, how can I see him if I don't have a "Guru" to show me the way, prays and pleads to Vishnu to grant him a glimpse even if it is a loan that he has to beg for. See lyrics below.

Fortunately for me, I do have a teacher, John Campbell. My practice feels incomplete if I don't see him in the class. His presence alone makes me feel confident that "All is coming".


Haree Aum, Haree Aum, Haree Aum, Haree Aum

Man Tarapat Haree Darshan Ko Aaj
I Long To See Lord Vishnu Today

More Tum Been Bigare Sagare Kaaj
Without You Everything Is Going Wrong

Binatee Karat Hoo, Rakhiyo Laaj
Am Praying To You, Keep My Shame

Tumare Dwaar Kaa Main Hoo Jogee
I Am A Humble Follower Of Your Residence

Humaree Or Najar Kab Hogee
When Will You Cast Your Eyes On Me

Suno More Byaakool Man Kaa Baaj
Listen To The Prayers Of My Upset Heart

Been Guru Gyaan Kahaa Se Paaoo
Without The Teaher From Where Can I Seek Knowledge

Dijo Daan Haree Gun Gaaoo
Give Your Blessings/gifts, Lord Vishnu, I Will Sing Your Praises

Sab Gunee Jan Pe Tumaraa Raaj
You Are The King Of All Educators

Muralee Manohar Aas Naa Todo
The One With The Flute, Do Not Let Down My Hopes

Dukh Bhanjan Moraa Saath Naa Chhodo
The Taker Of Pains Do Not Leave Me

Mohe Darshan Bheekshaa De Do Aaj
Grant Me Your Presence Today, Even In Loan

Yoga Practice 119 - Tune into your senses

I practiced yoga six days this week, two days of home practice and four in the studio. I notice a shift occuring in how centered and strong I feel. In the last twelve months I have also explored several techniques to tune into my senses. Each one of them have helped tremendously in shutting out the chatter in my mind and listening more carefully to my inner voice and as result coming closer to my true Self.

Acupuncture www.acupuncture-healthcare.net
Alexander Technique www.lisalutton.com
Ayurveda www.americanayurveda.us
Essential Oils www.hgillermanorganics.com
Energy Healing www.satorispa.com
Homeopathy www.nychomeopathy.com
Jungian Analysis www.junginstitute.org
Tomatis Method www.tomatis.com
Physiatrist http://www.dringber.com/
Nutritinal and Health Counseling http://www.drsalzarulo.com/

Yoga Practice 118 - Cultivating Mula Bandh

I have been practicing Mysore Ashtanga Yoga regularly (at least 3 days a week) for almost two years now. To my dismay, much as I love this style of yoga, my studio, and my teacher I haven't been able to practice six days a week mostly because of a chronic pain in my left lower hip that radiates painfully down to my knee and ankle.

The conversation with Uta from the other night was also about flexibility, pain and practicing yoga. She suggested that I ask how I could protect my hip and leg while continuing to practice....and so promptly this morning that is exactly what I did.

I offered the question to Michael, my fellow yogin, who happened to be assisting today. He said that I needed to engage and lengthen the muscles around my core while keeping a steady breadth. I was amazed why I hadn't come to this simple awareness earlier in my practice. Thank you Uta!

Leaving class, I shared the story with my teacher who happened to be outside the practice studio. John echoed Michael's advise and added that I needed to practice daily to "cultivate" mula bandh.

And therein something else clicked for me. My yoga practice is a metaphor for my life....I am very open and flexible and that allows me to move through the primary series with relative ease. However, I am not firm and strong in my core which is why I pinched a nerve and carry pain. The key is to be open, flexible and strong.......

Yoga Practice 117: Selflessness as a path to happiness

“Wisdom ceases to be wisdom when it becomes too proud to weep, too grave to laugh, and too selfish to seek other than itself.” Khalil Gibran

I have not posted anything new in a year because nothing new came into my realm of awareness until now. I have no current income at this time yet I have a sense of inner calm that there is abundance in my life, all is well and will stay that way.

A recent conversation over dinner with my dear friend Uta helped me to crystallize and pinpoint the reason for this state of being......in one word, Selflessness. When our thoughts and actions are directed towards the well being of others, (possible only when we are able access the divine within us) then undoubtedly there will be abundance.

Your mind's selfishness
Is your all-exclusive individuality.
Your heart's selflessness
Is your all-inclusive universality.

- Sri Chinmoy

Selflessness conquers pride, expands our mind, begets true friendship and is attractive....so why aren't we being less Selfish?

The transformation that is occuring in my awareness is mostly around the idea that I have been and perhaps continue to be Selfish because my way of thinking has historically been based on fear. New found thinking based on love and connection to the divine will only lead me, the spiritual seeker, to being Selfless!

Yoga Practice 116 - Individuation through Meditation: Japa, Mudra, Chanting

Yoga Practice 115 - Taittiriya Upanishads-Vedas: Mandalas

From M.Alan Kazlev's weblog 30 June 1999: "The Taittiriya Upanishad is exceptional in that it is one of the first writings to present a systemmatic metaphysic or theory of first principles. It speaks of the individual as divided into five selves (atma, initially - as with all such terms - "breath", and then "self" or "soul"; the term elsewhere, and especially later, came to characterise that aspect of the self which is synonymous with the Absolute)

Five levels of self are referred to: the anna-maya-atma or the "Self (atma) made of Food"; the prana-maya-atma or "the Self made of Vital Breath (prana)"; the mana-maya-atma "the Self made of Mind (manas)"; the vijnana-maya-atma or "the Self made of Consciousness or intellect (vijnana)", and finally the ananda-maya-atma or "the Self made of Bliss (ananda)", where one attains to Brahman. The spiritual aspirant, in the quest for Self- and God-realisation, passes under the guidance of the Master through each of these selves in turn, finally attaining to the Absolute or Brahman, which is synonymous with the highest or Bliss Self

The ninth chapter of the Taittiriya Upanishad says:
"He who knows the Bliss of Brahman (divine consciousness)... does not distress himself with the thought "why did I not do what is good? why did I do what is evil?". Whoever knows this (bliss) regards both of these as Atman (self, soul), indeed he cherishes both as Atman. Such, indeed, is the Upanishad, the secret knowledge of Brahman."

The key phrase of the Upanishads, to Advaita Vedanta, is "Tat Tvam Asi" (That thou art). Vedantins believe that in the end, the ultimate, formless, inconceivable Brahman is the same as our soul, Atman. We only have to realize it through discrimination.

From Agnisoma's weblog: "Veda are those fundamental Tattva’s, from whom the Cosmos has sprung up and grown................Akshara-Brahma, which having a central-appearance, self-originates in the womb of Jagada-Janani Mahamaya, and thus grants five Kala’s to a nishkal Awyaya thereby making it sakala is known as Param-Brahma.

The five Brahma Kala’s known are: -

Param-Brahma-----Awyaya-Brahma
Brahma-----Ananda
Vishnu-----Vigyan
Indra-----Mana
Agni-----Prana
Soma-----Wak

The Brahma-Vishnu-Indra fusion is known as ‘Antaryami’ and that of Agni-Soma is known as ‘Sootra-atma’. Later on, the Kshara creation takes place. Kshara’s also have five Kala’s namely, Pranah-Aapah-Wak-Anna-Annaada. The incessant inter-mingling of these five energies is the reason for creation of the five Bhoota’s namely, Prithvi-Jal-Tej-Vayu-Akash. These Bhoota’s become the reason for creation of the system of Swayambhu-Parmesthi-Surya-Prithvi-Chandrama.

The foremost Fundamental Veda’s for creation of Cosmos are known as “Agni-Soma”. We may also call them separately as Agni Veda and Soma Veda. The word ‘Agni’ is from symbolic language, whereas in the fundamental language the same word is ‘Agri’.

There are only two fundamental tattva’s. One of them will always reach outwards (Towards the perimeter) from centre due to its nature and thus, is known as ‘Agri’.

The other one will always try to reach towards the center from the perimeter, and thus comes to be known as ‘Soma’.

So, Agni and Soma are the only two basic Veda’s. Within the five-fold Universe of Swayambhu-Parmesthi-Surya-Prithvi-Chandrama, Agni is present in Swayambhu-Surya-Prithvi and Soma is present in Parmeshthi-Chandrama.

You, me and whatever we see within this Universe is all made of Agni-Soma in its basis. This is evident in, “Agni-Somaatmakam Jagata”. This means, All Universe is of the form of Agni and Soma.

Every individual constructs a system around itself into the distant space, because of the rays generated by centrally established energy. The ‘Pinda’ or individual is ‘Martya’ and its ‘Mandala’ or system is called ‘Amrit’. The Swayambhu Mandala is called as ‘Brahma-nishvasita Veda’. The Parmesthi (Which is the form of Aapah) Mandala is called as ‘Brahma-shvedaveda’. Surya Mandala (Also famous as Saur-mandal, Solar-System) is called ‘Gayatri-mantric Veda’. The Chandra Mandala is called as ‘Somaveda’. Prithvi Mandala is called as ‘Yagyamantric Veda’. This is a brief introduction to the Mandala or system form of Veda’s."

What I am beginning to see is that no matter whose teachings I read....Sri Aurobindo, Carl Gustav Jung, Philosophy of Tantra, or The Upanishads....they all lead to the same theme....the concept of the inner consciousness being represented by a Mandala and being a microcosm of the macrocosm!