The path of Jnana Yoga is a deeply mysterious yet simple path. It is pronounced "Gyaana..". Jnana means wisdom. The purpose is to discover our own wisdom, find our own answers, discover and improve our own Self esteem and to heal from past injury and wounding. The path of Jnana Yoga is also known as the path of Self-inquiry.
In Jnana Yoga we take responsibility for our own actions. We think about our life and what has transpired up to the given moment. And it is practice to just be in the moment. In Jnana Yoga, connections are made to our childhood and how our patterns affect today and how these can be improved and transformed.
In Jnana Yoga, the constant question, "Who am I, Why Am I here? Why do I exist? What is my nature and the nature of the world in relationship to me constantly asked and contemplated, both in formal meditation and in the day to day.
By doing so, the mind is eventually calms down. It stops seeking answers outside of our own being and focuses inside. In this calmness, enlightenment finally dawns because we realize we do not depend on anything outside of us. We are in our own power.
A mental cleansing process occurs. We stop playing games with others' hearts, we stop hurting others' feelings. Our viciousness ceases and we spontaneously want only purity of mind, balance of mind. We stop seeking attention and then waiting to get a rise out of others to feed our own ego and selfishness. We do not depend on admiration and adoration of others because our mind expands and our Self esteem grows and does not need these to feel good about ourselves. Humility increases and we realize that others' are there to support and help us.
Ultimately mind merges with the Universal Self and we experience oneness. We experience peace through the calmness of the mind.
We become more and more intuitive. Our wisdom is uncovered. We know what to do and when we ought to do things in precise timing, ease and grace.
Journal writing, group discussion, group meditation, group therapy and individual therapy are all forms of Jnana Yoga. Our own Self-help reading is also a form. Anything that brings us back to our own knowing, the contemplation of who and what we are is a form of this practice.
Dr. Rama
Dallas
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Part 5 Bhakti Yoga-Path Of Devotion--Ripening the Heart--Dr. Rama Dallas
So to continue with useful Yoga info hints and tips. I thought I would write about Bhakti Yoga the path of devotion. If you check out my other blog
http://www.drramamdheartinspirations.blogspot.com/ you will see I have been writing about purity of heart--this blog entry ties in with heart inspirations.
What is Bhakti? Bhakti is the deepest feeling of the Soul that percolates through the heart and out into this world. It is the underlying melody and rhythm of the heart that brings out the song of our truly pure emotions into dance and play in this world. It is the feeling of passion, enthusiasm, love, devotion, and longing of the heart. It is pure love for the Divine and for ourselves.
A baby has pure bhakti. Before the ego hardens, a baby is spontaneously happy and joyous. A baby is the purest reflection of God. They are so filled with love, spontaneity, connection, sparkle and laughter--is it not so?
The baby reflects our inner child that has no boundaries.
Yet as adults life gives us so many hurdles that can harden our heart. Our wounding, pain and sorrow our issues get in the way of our original innocence. The wounded inner child turns to many things that create a life that can be upside down and all around.
The practice of devotion like Karma Yoga cannot be written or expressed in words. It has to be experienced. Devotional practices open the heart and this is the form of Yoga.
So this is why chanting, singing and joyous prayers and music are performed: it is all to open the heart; this is the heart of Bhakti Yoga. All cultures have this and all paths know this mysterious power that opens the heart and burns away negative karma. The open heart spreads to others as the joy within spreads through ourselves. Yet, it does not have be chanting and singing. Anything that we find joyous--art, creativity, music can be considered as this all opens the heart as well.
As Karma Yoga is the Yoga of Love in Action, sacred duty and tasks, Bhakti Yoga is the Yoga of Love that emanates and percolates through stirring the heart inside through devotion. It is this devotion that is offered to others, without strings attached--without any agenda --purely to share joy and love. In Bhakti, you may or may not be performing tasks for others as in Karma Yoga. One's very presence uplifts others because the heart is so opened by the Soul that everyone is attracted like a magnet.
Only practice will help us understand the interplay between Karma Yoga and Bhakti Yoga as each is so interrelated.
Without real devotion in life we are all like dried prunes. Bhakti or awakened inner love is the ripening force of the heart, just like a fruit becomes juicy and tasty through the mysterious process of ripening.
We ripen when we are open. If we are not open and yet long to feel this love then we practice many devotional methods to get the heart recharged and refreshed. Through devotion we regain and remember the true innocence of a child at wonder and play--free and unbounded as if running through blue bonnet fields.
Dr. Rama
Dallas Texas
http://www.drramamdheartinspirations.blogspot.com/ you will see I have been writing about purity of heart--this blog entry ties in with heart inspirations.
What is Bhakti? Bhakti is the deepest feeling of the Soul that percolates through the heart and out into this world. It is the underlying melody and rhythm of the heart that brings out the song of our truly pure emotions into dance and play in this world. It is the feeling of passion, enthusiasm, love, devotion, and longing of the heart. It is pure love for the Divine and for ourselves.
A baby has pure bhakti. Before the ego hardens, a baby is spontaneously happy and joyous. A baby is the purest reflection of God. They are so filled with love, spontaneity, connection, sparkle and laughter--is it not so?
The baby reflects our inner child that has no boundaries.
Yet as adults life gives us so many hurdles that can harden our heart. Our wounding, pain and sorrow our issues get in the way of our original innocence. The wounded inner child turns to many things that create a life that can be upside down and all around.
The practice of devotion like Karma Yoga cannot be written or expressed in words. It has to be experienced. Devotional practices open the heart and this is the form of Yoga.
So this is why chanting, singing and joyous prayers and music are performed: it is all to open the heart; this is the heart of Bhakti Yoga. All cultures have this and all paths know this mysterious power that opens the heart and burns away negative karma. The open heart spreads to others as the joy within spreads through ourselves. Yet, it does not have be chanting and singing. Anything that we find joyous--art, creativity, music can be considered as this all opens the heart as well.
As Karma Yoga is the Yoga of Love in Action, sacred duty and tasks, Bhakti Yoga is the Yoga of Love that emanates and percolates through stirring the heart inside through devotion. It is this devotion that is offered to others, without strings attached--without any agenda --purely to share joy and love. In Bhakti, you may or may not be performing tasks for others as in Karma Yoga. One's very presence uplifts others because the heart is so opened by the Soul that everyone is attracted like a magnet.
Only practice will help us understand the interplay between Karma Yoga and Bhakti Yoga as each is so interrelated.
Without real devotion in life we are all like dried prunes. Bhakti or awakened inner love is the ripening force of the heart, just like a fruit becomes juicy and tasty through the mysterious process of ripening.
We ripen when we are open. If we are not open and yet long to feel this love then we practice many devotional methods to get the heart recharged and refreshed. Through devotion we regain and remember the true innocence of a child at wonder and play--free and unbounded as if running through blue bonnet fields.
Dr. Rama
Dallas Texas
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Useful Yoga Tips, Hints, and Thoughts Part 4--The Path of Karma Yoga--Dr. Rama
Karma Yoga involves selfless service to others with those around us and for the world at large. It is the path of offering our heart, mind and soul to some dutiful service that benefits others, while we release any selfish or self-centered motives behind our work via our ego. It is designed to purify our heart and mind so that we can experience greater and greater enlightenment and expanded, innovative thinking.
Karma Yoga exists upon all paths of Light. It is called love in action. Electricity can be static but made dynamic through transformers, generators, circuitry, wires, and so on. It is the same with Karma Yoga when love is put into action--it becomes manifest through our service. Another word for karma yoga in Sanskrit is called Seva.
We can sit and meditate for hours, stand on our head for days, or do breathing practices until the earth runs out of oxygen. We can also do nothing and continue to suffer and focus on our own problems--- but until we really begin to think and do for others, then we miss the entire point of our evolution upon this planet and that is to realize our Oneness through others by connecting to others in a way that is meaningful and inspiring to us.
We can never advance or expand without getting out of our own Self-absorption, selfishness, and self-centeredness of our ego. No matter what the source of our selfishness, even abuse and pain---until we start doing and thinking of others despite what we have gone through we will never completely heal. Selfless service actually heals the wounds of the heart in a very mysterious way. We somehow exchange our pain for the gain of helping others in their pain and other issues.
Karma Yoga is called karma yoga because we lessen and dissolve our karma--through service.
In karma yoga we perform a "karmic energy exchange---" Over so many lifetimes and of course this one, we have accumulated so many toxins, burdens, sorrows, negative actions and thoughts that have affected us and are buried inside us, especially our hearts. When we perform selfless actions for others, we begin to cancel out and nullify our own negative karma. We then feel more and more joy and we feel lighter and lighter if we practice this regularly.
Karma yoga can be anything from stopping to help an elderly lady, tithing or offering money for good causes, tying a shoe for a toddler or broader work of any kind that helps global humanity. The type, magnitude and scope of service does not matter, it is the feeling behind and the energy of heart that burns up the negative karma. Even meditating and praying for others, offering our good wishes to others is a form of service.
If we continue down a selfish path we become a burden to Mother Earth: always taking, taking taking. We do not care about others' feelings and how we are affecting others' lives. It is always all about us and our own drama and trauma. We are obcessed and concerned about our own money name and fame. We stop at nothing sometimes to get ahead no matter what the cost is: even if it means sacrificing our principles and our Self esteem. If we remain Self-absorbed we can play into the wrong hands and think that we are going to gain material wealth only to find that we have been exploited on any level we can think of and we end up exploiting others. We then begin to harm the planet and the innocent people upon it. It is then that Mother Earth and thus the Divine feminine "turns against us" through our own negativity our own choices and decisions to go negative rather than into Light and we begin to suffer and create disease within our mind and body. This is not judgment but rather the result of our own choices through cause and effect.
We perform actions that harm society rather than help because we have not learned to keep our ego in check. Our heart is closed, jaded, indifferent or numb so we either refuse to see what we are doing or we live in denial about what we are doing or not doing for this world that so much needs our love and light in whatever form possible.
Or we are so focused on what we want that we forget to see the forest from the trees--we get lost in the jungle of our dreams that sometimes become nothing but dead ends.
Karma yoga teaches us through experience. One cannot really talk about or write about karma yoga that much. It has to be experienced. So many blocks, issues, and difficulties and disagreements can come up while doing service. This internal dialogue is part of the ego trying to fight to stop us from expanding our hearts.
You see, the clean-up and clearing of our selfishness in a way means the death of the ego--- and it does try to die a hard death by remaining self-righteous, stubborn, resistant, and being a "know it all." It knows that if the heart wins then it will dissolve into love.
However, sooner or later our Soul has to express itself through the vast, vast infinite portal of love and not through the small donut hole of the ego.
The more selfless service we perform, the greater our clearing and the better and better we feel. It has to be experienced over time.
We can then step out of our fear, narrowness, pettiness, haughtiness and so on (all elements of the ego) to realize that the world does not revolve around us. We are not Apollo and Venus to be worshipped and adored. We are not the center of attention always. And remember even if we are Apollo there are trillions of bright suns all equally beautiful but different and countless planets so Venus does not stand alone, folks.
We realize that we grow and do not need to be the center of attention, admiration and worship to hold up our Self esteem. In this real humility is born. Not low Self esteem but the realization that our role in life is just as vital as anyone else. We are great because of all the right reasons, not from thinking we are great because of exaggerations or distortions based in our pain that we use as a defense and an excuse.
Our Self-esteem grows stronger and broader and our ego expands to understand that we are good people without such external, constant attention and praise.
We fill our emptiness with good works so that we realize and open up to just how much we can offer the world and what real talents are truly within us. This is truly what Self-esteem is about---realizing that we are good just by being who we are.
That is the beauty and mystery of karma yoga--one of the limbs of Yoga.
Dr. Rama
Karma Yoga exists upon all paths of Light. It is called love in action. Electricity can be static but made dynamic through transformers, generators, circuitry, wires, and so on. It is the same with Karma Yoga when love is put into action--it becomes manifest through our service. Another word for karma yoga in Sanskrit is called Seva.
We can sit and meditate for hours, stand on our head for days, or do breathing practices until the earth runs out of oxygen. We can also do nothing and continue to suffer and focus on our own problems--- but until we really begin to think and do for others, then we miss the entire point of our evolution upon this planet and that is to realize our Oneness through others by connecting to others in a way that is meaningful and inspiring to us.
We can never advance or expand without getting out of our own Self-absorption, selfishness, and self-centeredness of our ego. No matter what the source of our selfishness, even abuse and pain---until we start doing and thinking of others despite what we have gone through we will never completely heal. Selfless service actually heals the wounds of the heart in a very mysterious way. We somehow exchange our pain for the gain of helping others in their pain and other issues.
Karma Yoga is called karma yoga because we lessen and dissolve our karma--through service.
In karma yoga we perform a "karmic energy exchange---" Over so many lifetimes and of course this one, we have accumulated so many toxins, burdens, sorrows, negative actions and thoughts that have affected us and are buried inside us, especially our hearts. When we perform selfless actions for others, we begin to cancel out and nullify our own negative karma. We then feel more and more joy and we feel lighter and lighter if we practice this regularly.
Karma yoga can be anything from stopping to help an elderly lady, tithing or offering money for good causes, tying a shoe for a toddler or broader work of any kind that helps global humanity. The type, magnitude and scope of service does not matter, it is the feeling behind and the energy of heart that burns up the negative karma. Even meditating and praying for others, offering our good wishes to others is a form of service.
If we continue down a selfish path we become a burden to Mother Earth: always taking, taking taking. We do not care about others' feelings and how we are affecting others' lives. It is always all about us and our own drama and trauma. We are obcessed and concerned about our own money name and fame. We stop at nothing sometimes to get ahead no matter what the cost is: even if it means sacrificing our principles and our Self esteem. If we remain Self-absorbed we can play into the wrong hands and think that we are going to gain material wealth only to find that we have been exploited on any level we can think of and we end up exploiting others. We then begin to harm the planet and the innocent people upon it. It is then that Mother Earth and thus the Divine feminine "turns against us" through our own negativity our own choices and decisions to go negative rather than into Light and we begin to suffer and create disease within our mind and body. This is not judgment but rather the result of our own choices through cause and effect.
We perform actions that harm society rather than help because we have not learned to keep our ego in check. Our heart is closed, jaded, indifferent or numb so we either refuse to see what we are doing or we live in denial about what we are doing or not doing for this world that so much needs our love and light in whatever form possible.
Or we are so focused on what we want that we forget to see the forest from the trees--we get lost in the jungle of our dreams that sometimes become nothing but dead ends.
Karma yoga teaches us through experience. One cannot really talk about or write about karma yoga that much. It has to be experienced. So many blocks, issues, and difficulties and disagreements can come up while doing service. This internal dialogue is part of the ego trying to fight to stop us from expanding our hearts.
You see, the clean-up and clearing of our selfishness in a way means the death of the ego--- and it does try to die a hard death by remaining self-righteous, stubborn, resistant, and being a "know it all." It knows that if the heart wins then it will dissolve into love.
However, sooner or later our Soul has to express itself through the vast, vast infinite portal of love and not through the small donut hole of the ego.
The more selfless service we perform, the greater our clearing and the better and better we feel. It has to be experienced over time.
We can then step out of our fear, narrowness, pettiness, haughtiness and so on (all elements of the ego) to realize that the world does not revolve around us. We are not Apollo and Venus to be worshipped and adored. We are not the center of attention always. And remember even if we are Apollo there are trillions of bright suns all equally beautiful but different and countless planets so Venus does not stand alone, folks.
We realize that we grow and do not need to be the center of attention, admiration and worship to hold up our Self esteem. In this real humility is born. Not low Self esteem but the realization that our role in life is just as vital as anyone else. We are great because of all the right reasons, not from thinking we are great because of exaggerations or distortions based in our pain that we use as a defense and an excuse.
Our Self-esteem grows stronger and broader and our ego expands to understand that we are good people without such external, constant attention and praise.
We fill our emptiness with good works so that we realize and open up to just how much we can offer the world and what real talents are truly within us. This is truly what Self-esteem is about---realizing that we are good just by being who we are.
That is the beauty and mystery of karma yoga--one of the limbs of Yoga.
Dr. Rama
Monday, January 10, 2011
Some Useful Yoga Tips and Hints Part 3--Dr. Rama
other blogposts: http://www.drramamdpassionateperspectives.blogspot.com/
http://www.drramamdheartinspirations.blogspot.com/
The practice of a little of all types of Yoga is key for balance and progress.
Do we realize and know there are many branches of Yoga? And, all are connected to the same tree trunk and roots. The tree trunk and roots are the inner Self: the discovery, remembrance, and enhancement of who we are and all of our Higher Self qualities and through these qualities what we offer to the world. And the release and transmuting of our lower Self--so that our inner development is always actively unfolding and evolving.
Swami Satchidananda uses the term Integral Yoga@ http://www.integralyogainternational.org/ to describe the "integral" balance of all Yogas working to help harmonize, heal, and evolve the human body and mind to help rediscover the Spirit within.
Do not confuse the basic branches with all the "brands" of Yoga out there. That is merely everyone putting their own twist and spin on the basic premise of Yoga for business purposes and many other reasons.
The Western mind is ingenious in marketing, but remember it is marketing. That is not to say it the only reason but it is part of it. The original principles of Yoga remain sacred and constant no matter what the brand is.
So it is vital to consider a little daily practice of all branches of yoga (not necessarily the man-made brands of Yoga) for the best result.
In a balanced diet, if we only at fats, carbohydrates, proteins, fiber for long periods of time and so on what would happen? We soon would become ill. What if we at foods that only had some vitamins and not others.--- Balanced diet is key, is it not so?
If we were too serious always and absorbed in our problems what would happen?
If we never used humor or had fun in addition to other "less than enjoyable chores," how would we be?
If we only studied, remained a computer geek, worked 20 hours a day or only kept house--remaining hidden and isolated etc. and never exercised other aspects of our Selves--how could we live?
It is the same with Yoga--in order to reap the full benefits, practice of all methods leads us gradually into greater and greater mastery, discipline, mindfulness, and purity of heart. Body and mind need the sustained practice of Yoga to bring out its highest and best qualities and expression.
Hatha Yoga is only one aspect of Yoga. "Ha-Tha" means "sun/moon" yoga. Heating or Sun energy exists along the right side of the body, (male energy) while cooling and soothing energy exists along the left axis.(female energy) This corresponds to the left brain and right brain respectively. So Hatha Yoga works right away when practiced to balance these two aspects of Self:: classically noted as Yin Yang, god/goddess energy and so on.
Hatha Yoga involves the physical postures and breathing practices. It is the one most seen and known in Yoga studios, shops and classes. The body is twisted, turned, bent and placed into many static and dynamically moving postures to gain agility, flexibility, coordination strength and tone. The brain is re-programmed into remembering to keep the body supple and agile. Hatha Yoga slows down the aging process dramatically and keeps body age youthful even though of course we age. Studies in the future will show that it retards osteoporosis and other degenerative diseases of the bones and muscles.
The regular practice of Hatha Yoga allows one to sit longer and longer comfortably in formal meditation. (Formal meditation needs a comfortable steady posture that one can remain in for periods of time). Regular Hatha Yoga--also works on the internal organs: to keep them optimally functioning.
Regular Hatha Yoga enhances detoxification by stimulating the lymphatic system, the liver, pancreas spleen, colon and small intestine and other organs to help eliminated waste products that often circulate through challenging diets, stressful lifestyle and imbalanced eating that we all do from time to time. It helps govern and regulate the life force in all organ systems for that matter and their functioning. As a result we really do feel more lightness and balance as each organ and muscle group functions in harmony. All the cells line up and communicate with each other in their language with great harmony, clarity and efficiency. Chaos and confusion is harmonized. Our DNA inside each cell is harmonized and energized so that we express more and more of what we are in this world with greater and greater beauty, poise, balance, steadfastness, consistency and regularity through stimulation of the DNA codes that are inside us from this lifetime and other past lifetimes. On the contra ry, it helps to burn away and release the negativity that exists in our DNA so that our inner qualities become cleaner and cleaner, purer and purer.
It helps to enhance and balance our mood and lower our anxiety ---among many things within our nervous system.
Hatha Yoga strengthens what are knows as the inner nadis: these are the subtle nerve channels that carry the subtle life force of prana. They also help to unblock the chakras so that we can expand our consciousness into other dimensions and realities.
Yet, Yoga does not stop here. More next time on the other branches of Yoga that all work synergistically with each other.
Dr. Rama
Dallas Texas.
http://www.drramamdheartinspirations.blogspot.com/
The practice of a little of all types of Yoga is key for balance and progress.
Do we realize and know there are many branches of Yoga? And, all are connected to the same tree trunk and roots. The tree trunk and roots are the inner Self: the discovery, remembrance, and enhancement of who we are and all of our Higher Self qualities and through these qualities what we offer to the world. And the release and transmuting of our lower Self--so that our inner development is always actively unfolding and evolving.
Swami Satchidananda uses the term Integral Yoga@ http://www.integralyogainternational.org/ to describe the "integral" balance of all Yogas working to help harmonize, heal, and evolve the human body and mind to help rediscover the Spirit within.
Do not confuse the basic branches with all the "brands" of Yoga out there. That is merely everyone putting their own twist and spin on the basic premise of Yoga for business purposes and many other reasons.
The Western mind is ingenious in marketing, but remember it is marketing. That is not to say it the only reason but it is part of it. The original principles of Yoga remain sacred and constant no matter what the brand is.
So it is vital to consider a little daily practice of all branches of yoga (not necessarily the man-made brands of Yoga) for the best result.
In a balanced diet, if we only at fats, carbohydrates, proteins, fiber for long periods of time and so on what would happen? We soon would become ill. What if we at foods that only had some vitamins and not others.--- Balanced diet is key, is it not so?
If we were too serious always and absorbed in our problems what would happen?
If we never used humor or had fun in addition to other "less than enjoyable chores," how would we be?
If we only studied, remained a computer geek, worked 20 hours a day or only kept house--remaining hidden and isolated etc. and never exercised other aspects of our Selves--how could we live?
It is the same with Yoga--in order to reap the full benefits, practice of all methods leads us gradually into greater and greater mastery, discipline, mindfulness, and purity of heart. Body and mind need the sustained practice of Yoga to bring out its highest and best qualities and expression.
Hatha Yoga is only one aspect of Yoga. "Ha-Tha" means "sun/moon" yoga. Heating or Sun energy exists along the right side of the body, (male energy) while cooling and soothing energy exists along the left axis.(female energy) This corresponds to the left brain and right brain respectively. So Hatha Yoga works right away when practiced to balance these two aspects of Self:: classically noted as Yin Yang, god/goddess energy and so on.
Hatha Yoga involves the physical postures and breathing practices. It is the one most seen and known in Yoga studios, shops and classes. The body is twisted, turned, bent and placed into many static and dynamically moving postures to gain agility, flexibility, coordination strength and tone. The brain is re-programmed into remembering to keep the body supple and agile. Hatha Yoga slows down the aging process dramatically and keeps body age youthful even though of course we age. Studies in the future will show that it retards osteoporosis and other degenerative diseases of the bones and muscles.
The regular practice of Hatha Yoga allows one to sit longer and longer comfortably in formal meditation. (Formal meditation needs a comfortable steady posture that one can remain in for periods of time). Regular Hatha Yoga--also works on the internal organs: to keep them optimally functioning.
Regular Hatha Yoga enhances detoxification by stimulating the lymphatic system, the liver, pancreas spleen, colon and small intestine and other organs to help eliminated waste products that often circulate through challenging diets, stressful lifestyle and imbalanced eating that we all do from time to time. It helps govern and regulate the life force in all organ systems for that matter and their functioning. As a result we really do feel more lightness and balance as each organ and muscle group functions in harmony. All the cells line up and communicate with each other in their language with great harmony, clarity and efficiency. Chaos and confusion is harmonized. Our DNA inside each cell is harmonized and energized so that we express more and more of what we are in this world with greater and greater beauty, poise, balance, steadfastness, consistency and regularity through stimulation of the DNA codes that are inside us from this lifetime and other past lifetimes. On the contra ry, it helps to burn away and release the negativity that exists in our DNA so that our inner qualities become cleaner and cleaner, purer and purer.
It helps to enhance and balance our mood and lower our anxiety ---among many things within our nervous system.
Hatha Yoga strengthens what are knows as the inner nadis: these are the subtle nerve channels that carry the subtle life force of prana. They also help to unblock the chakras so that we can expand our consciousness into other dimensions and realities.
Yet, Yoga does not stop here. More next time on the other branches of Yoga that all work synergistically with each other.
Dr. Rama
Dallas Texas.
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Some Useful Yoga Tips Part 2 --Dr. Rama
also: http://www.drramamdpassionateperspectives.blogspot.com/
http://www.drramamdheartinspirations.blogspot.com/
Yoga Tips Part 2
"Yoga does not mean just standing on the head or holding the breath til the eyeballs pop out. It does not mean sitting down for meditation and then going about here and there doing whatever we want." (It encompasses so much more) ----Swami Satchidananda http://www.lotus.org/. http://www.integralyogainternational.org/
Character development is equally important along with the practice of any form of Yoga. Without ever increasing purity of heart and mind, what is the use of practicing? We end up as the same people if we just do the physical postures.
Okay, we feel a little more peaceful and more stretched and limber. However, this is only a small fraction of what Yoga really is. Real Yoga is the remembrance of our inner innocence and love as we release our conditioning, our false masks, our inflated ego that exaggerates our Self esteem. One example is an Adonis or Venus complex where we think we are little gods but we do not measure up to the part in reality).
Diet and detoxification is vital in the practice of Yoga. One cannot practice regularly Hatha Yoga or other forms and not be aware of one's eating patterns: quality, quantity, frequency, and so on. Meat consumption has to be reviewed and possibly reduced. Meat consumption and the practice of Yoga ultimately can clash, as the ingestion of excessive or too much meat also incorporates more of the energy of violence into our system. The practice of Yoga is to gain peace and compassion and so the two are like mixing oil and vinegar.
Gaining observance and awareness of our motivations and intentions are important in the practice of Yoga. Are we coming from a sincere selfless place or are we about number one? Are we here to help and serve or are we here to exploit at any cost including our heart, body, mind and Soul?
Body, mind and Spirit are integrally intertwined. What affects one affects the other.
The type of company we keep enhances or blocks our progress in Yoga.
Good company--those who are truly uplifting, selfless, loving, supportive, confidant, those who truly care about us and the world are those we have the choice to associate with or not. It is through good company or what is known as Satsang that mysteriously allows us to progress upon the path of enlightened thinking and greater love. Good company keeps our heart pure and allows us to see what we need to heal and let go of that is lodged inside us. Good association is thus also part of Yoga practice.
more later, thanks
Dr. Rama
Dallas Texas
http://www.drramamdheartinspirations.blogspot.com/
Yoga Tips Part 2
"Yoga does not mean just standing on the head or holding the breath til the eyeballs pop out. It does not mean sitting down for meditation and then going about here and there doing whatever we want." (It encompasses so much more) ----Swami Satchidananda http://www.lotus.org/. http://www.integralyogainternational.org/
Character development is equally important along with the practice of any form of Yoga. Without ever increasing purity of heart and mind, what is the use of practicing? We end up as the same people if we just do the physical postures.
Okay, we feel a little more peaceful and more stretched and limber. However, this is only a small fraction of what Yoga really is. Real Yoga is the remembrance of our inner innocence and love as we release our conditioning, our false masks, our inflated ego that exaggerates our Self esteem. One example is an Adonis or Venus complex where we think we are little gods but we do not measure up to the part in reality).
Diet and detoxification is vital in the practice of Yoga. One cannot practice regularly Hatha Yoga or other forms and not be aware of one's eating patterns: quality, quantity, frequency, and so on. Meat consumption has to be reviewed and possibly reduced. Meat consumption and the practice of Yoga ultimately can clash, as the ingestion of excessive or too much meat also incorporates more of the energy of violence into our system. The practice of Yoga is to gain peace and compassion and so the two are like mixing oil and vinegar.
Gaining observance and awareness of our motivations and intentions are important in the practice of Yoga. Are we coming from a sincere selfless place or are we about number one? Are we here to help and serve or are we here to exploit at any cost including our heart, body, mind and Soul?
Body, mind and Spirit are integrally intertwined. What affects one affects the other.
The type of company we keep enhances or blocks our progress in Yoga.
Good company--those who are truly uplifting, selfless, loving, supportive, confidant, those who truly care about us and the world are those we have the choice to associate with or not. It is through good company or what is known as Satsang that mysteriously allows us to progress upon the path of enlightened thinking and greater love. Good company keeps our heart pure and allows us to see what we need to heal and let go of that is lodged inside us. Good association is thus also part of Yoga practice.
more later, thanks
Dr. Rama
Dallas Texas
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Some Useful Yoga Tips--Dr. Rama
In todays World, there is a Yoga shop and studio everywhere and so many are taking on many different forms of Yoga through classes, sessions, lectures, meeting with various teachers and so on. Here are some useful tips and hints to contemplate to navigate your journey.
1. Yoga is not a competition. The Western approach is to sometimes superimpose the Western idea of competition into Yoga, as if it is a sport. If sports are part of the Yoga class or method, then it is not original Yoga but something someone has created, and remixed into Yoga, so the effect behind the Yoga practice can be diluted or even tangential. Yoga is a sacred ancient science and path that leads ultimately to enlightenment and the unleashing of very powerful dormant forces that lead to the discovery of inner light and love. It is NOT a competition in my opinion but rather a getting in touch with one's own body and mind without judgment and working with where one is at any given moment in time. Everyone must honor themselves and go at their own pace.
2. Be Cautious in going beyond one's capacity. Be cautious of teachers who push you into doing strenuous postures and rigorous routines right away. This defeats the entire purpose of Yoga. Going beyond your capacity can cause permanent injury and damage to the muscles, nerves, and even mind.
Use common sense. Stop and even leave the class if you are feeling you are being pushed too much and compared to others.
3. Be aware of the consciousness of the teacher. Are they trying to practice what they are teaching? Are they only stressing the physical postures? Yoga is about peace of mind, balance, greater love, release of stress and so on. Does your teacher help or harm you?
4. Different forms of Yoga are not for everyone. In my opinion, the various forms of heated Yoga are actually doing more harm. The body is artificially being stretched through heat and the intensity of the heat and steam can affect and agitate the mind more. Some of the heated methods are very militant and controlling in my opinion, forcing discipline and and other measures which I feel defeats the purpose of relaxing. We are already dealing with enough authority and control in the world. We come to Yoga for love, support and nurturing, not for a military drill.
5. One cannot practice physical postures and then lead a life that is unbalanced. Yoga is a way of life and is about mindfulness and spirituality of any understanding. The physical postures are not separate from Spirituality. Surveys have shown that many do not know that the very thing they are practicing called Yoga actually has a goal of enlightenment and more surprising is that people did not care. Yoga is a Sanskrit word that means "Union" with the Higher Self, the Divine, Supreme Light--anything you want to call it. Also there are many types of Yoga, not just the physical postures. Becoming familiar with all is important.
More next time,
Dr. Rama
Dallas Texas
1. Yoga is not a competition. The Western approach is to sometimes superimpose the Western idea of competition into Yoga, as if it is a sport. If sports are part of the Yoga class or method, then it is not original Yoga but something someone has created, and remixed into Yoga, so the effect behind the Yoga practice can be diluted or even tangential. Yoga is a sacred ancient science and path that leads ultimately to enlightenment and the unleashing of very powerful dormant forces that lead to the discovery of inner light and love. It is NOT a competition in my opinion but rather a getting in touch with one's own body and mind without judgment and working with where one is at any given moment in time. Everyone must honor themselves and go at their own pace.
2. Be Cautious in going beyond one's capacity. Be cautious of teachers who push you into doing strenuous postures and rigorous routines right away. This defeats the entire purpose of Yoga. Going beyond your capacity can cause permanent injury and damage to the muscles, nerves, and even mind.
Use common sense. Stop and even leave the class if you are feeling you are being pushed too much and compared to others.
3. Be aware of the consciousness of the teacher. Are they trying to practice what they are teaching? Are they only stressing the physical postures? Yoga is about peace of mind, balance, greater love, release of stress and so on. Does your teacher help or harm you?
4. Different forms of Yoga are not for everyone. In my opinion, the various forms of heated Yoga are actually doing more harm. The body is artificially being stretched through heat and the intensity of the heat and steam can affect and agitate the mind more. Some of the heated methods are very militant and controlling in my opinion, forcing discipline and and other measures which I feel defeats the purpose of relaxing. We are already dealing with enough authority and control in the world. We come to Yoga for love, support and nurturing, not for a military drill.
5. One cannot practice physical postures and then lead a life that is unbalanced. Yoga is a way of life and is about mindfulness and spirituality of any understanding. The physical postures are not separate from Spirituality. Surveys have shown that many do not know that the very thing they are practicing called Yoga actually has a goal of enlightenment and more surprising is that people did not care. Yoga is a Sanskrit word that means "Union" with the Higher Self, the Divine, Supreme Light--anything you want to call it. Also there are many types of Yoga, not just the physical postures. Becoming familiar with all is important.
More next time,
Dr. Rama
Dallas Texas
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