A poem "Encouraging Words" by Zen Master Guishan, via friend and fellow yogi Paul. Make sure you read all the way to the end!
"Some day you will die. Lying on your sick bed about to breathe your last, you will be assailed by every kind of pain. Your mind will be filled with fears and anxieties and you will not know where to go or what to do. Only then you will realise that you have not practised well. The skandhas (matter/form, sensations, conceptions/apperceptions, impulses/mental formations, and consciousness) and the four elements in you will quickly disintegrate, and your consciousness will be pulled wherever your ancient, twisted karma leads it. Impermanence does not hesitate. Death will not wait. You will not be able to extend your life by even a second. How many thousand more times will you have to pass through the gates of birth and death. If these words are challenging, even insulting, let them be an encouragement for you to change. Practise heroically. Do not accumulate unnecessary possessions. Don't give up. Still your mind, end wrong perceptions, concentrate and do not run after the objects of your senses. Practise diligently. Be determined not to let your days and months pass by wastefully."
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Yogi Gregor Maehle recently wrote this blog post called What is Authentic Yoga? It is a brilliant discussion of the diverse and often misunderstood practice of yoga, the ultimate goals of the practice, where Asana and the other limbs fit in, religion versus spirituality, and the perversion of Asana as "physical exercise" and still calling it Yoga. It is definitely worth reading in its entirety. I am copying some of my favorite parts below.
"...there are actually two different yogas out there. The authentic one that mainly deals with spirituality (and has health arising from harmony and wholeness as a side effect) and a new exercise regime that is only called yoga for namesake. This new so-called yoga has been castrated to such an extent that it can now be introduced pretty much anywhere because all ‘offensive’ aspects have been removed." "There is an eternal, sacred core to each being and once this core has been seen, the individual can place itself in the service of humanity and the whole. It is to the search for this core, its cultivation and then the placing itself in the service of all beings that historical, true and authentic yoga was dedicated to." "...And this is exactly what true yoga is about. It is not what a particular religion says about the experience but having the experience yourself, and the way and methods to get there." "...Then Ramakrishna developed his teaching (as it was the teaching of the mystics of all ages) that THERE IS ONE UNDERLYING TRUTH AND ESSENCE IN ALL SACRED TRADITIONS OF HUMANITY. It is to this one underlying truth and essence that our practice must be dedicated. While there may be cultural differences in metaphor, these are only at the surface and once the mystic enters the mystical state, they all vanish." Maehle's website is here. He is among the most advanced and authentic yogis I have come across. From my teacher Tony Sanchez:
TRAITS OF A YOGI Silent stillness Youthful vitality Pure intentions Flawless character Infinite love Clear understanding Creativity, humility and generosity May you be endowed with these characteristics during the holidays and beyond. The world needs people like you. Merry Christmas and happy new year. "The practice of asana invites us to embody all of life's greatest and most enduring qualities, including courage, willpower, self-awareness, concentration, surrender or letting go, the pursuit of excellence, the empowerment that comes from overcoming resistance (both internal and external), and skillful action."
From The Four Desires by Rod Stryker. This continues the discussion of the elements of yoga in the light of yoga's goal: to see things as they truly are. For more discussion of other elements, read Part 1: Introduction, Part 2: Physical Postures/Asana, and Part 3: Energy Control/Pranayama.
With Concentration and Meditation, we begin to enter the higher realms of yoga practice. Physical Postures (Asanas) use the body to access the mind, and Energy Control (Pranayama) uses the breath. Concentration and Meditation no longer use physical tools to access the mind. They deal with it directly. Concentration is the first limb to deal with the mind alone. No longer are we accessing the mind though external means like the muscles or breath. Concentration is learning how to focus the mind all by itself. Can we keep the mind from wandering? Can we maintain our attention on a single point? Concentration "is the beginning of meditation; meditation is the culmination of concentration. They are more or less inseparable." (1) As we improve our ability to focus the mind without wavering, the concept of Meditation comes closer. In Meditation we release our grip on the mind and it stays still, like a bird you hold in your hands. First you must train it to stay put. After you have trained it, you may open your hands and it will not fly away. "Once it's tamed, it will just listen to you. You will be able to say, 'Okay, sit there quietly.' And it will. At that point you are meditating. Until then you are training yourself to meditate." (1) Such is the mind. If the mind wanders, we need to work on Concentration, training the mind to be still and unmoving. There are many forms of Concentration - objects and ideas upon which we can focus the mind. I won't deal with those in any detail, only mention a few of them. Common types of Concentration (some call them Meditations) are 1) Single Point Concentration, where the mind is focused on one thing like a candle, a picture or the sound of the breath, 2) Compassion Concentration, where the mind is focused on another person and the nurturing of loving thoughts, and 3) No Point, which is the release of focus of the mind, allowing it to rest quietly. In the tradition of yoga, 'No Point' is what is meant by the term Meditation. Each type of Concentration and Meditation has its own value to the mind and self. Practice each type until the mind will sit still without needing to be compelled. These practices bring clarity, ease, intuition and happiness. When the mind comes under control, we cease to be controlled by our reactions. The senses no longer create automatic responses in the mind and body. We begin to see things as they are instead of as how we react to them. This is the purification of the senses. The Purpose of Yoga, Part 1: Introduction The Purpose of Yoga, Part 2: Physical Postures/Asana The Purpose of Yoga, Part 3: Energy Control/Pranayama *1. The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, translation and commentary by Sri Swami Satchidananda In our yoga practice, it is tempting to return to the places that have brought us joy and satisfaction. We seek the postures, the breathing and the teachings that spoke to us once. They become the structure for our new reality.
We must be careful of patterns and habits that we adopt. Any habit is a rut that contains the mind and prevents us from exploring new, challenging experiences. We must seek to be mindful always and not allow new habits to form, no matter how beneficial we think they are. A habit is a prison for the mind. In yoga practice, this can be summed up with two words, "Be Uncomfortable." Any time we strive to improve, whether physically or mentally, we push ourselves into unchartered territory and expand our minds. Any time we repeat what "feels good," we deepen a rut in our mind. We strengthen a version of reality, and that goes against the very purpose of yoga. Be curious, be courageous. I have always thought that teacher-worship was strange. It never made sense to me how anyone could credit a single instructor with their knowledge and growth. Maybe it is a symptom of our culture where we change teachers frequently, but I think of it more in terms of inspiration - a teacher can inspire us but ultimately we have to do the work. We have to study, practice and improve.
A couple days ago I revisited Tony's "Level 4" video. It has been awhile since I practiced with one of his videos. I have been doing my own thing for many months, following my body, curiosity and intuition as I practice asana and pranayama. Upon practicing with Tony's video, I noticed that all of these important elements in my practice - my curiosity, intuition and courage - all began with Tony. He taught me that it is okay, even necessary, to develop an individual relationship with the yoga practice. This leads me to a strange realization: that while my practice is completely my own and I am fully responsible for it, I owe it all to Tony and his teaching. Without his guidance toward individuality and self-reliance I might still be doing Bikram's class 6 days a week or looking to vinyasa classes or other traditions to cure my boredom or inspire my growth. Or I might have quit and moved on to CrossFit. Tony taught me that there is great depth in a yoga practice, as deep as we are willing to explore. But we must be willing to explore. We must take responsibility for our own growth and progress. From my teacher Tony Sanchez:
SUSTAINABILITY IN YOGA At the very beginning of my practice, in the year 1975 sustainability was the main message I got from my yoga teacher. After 39 years of regular practice I am free of injuries and loving yoga more than ever. Can you say the same thing about your personal yoga practice? This entry continues the discussion of the elements of yoga in the light of the overall goal: to see things as they truly are. For more discussion of this goal, read Part 1: Introduction. You can also read Part 2: Physical Postures/Asana. In the way that Physical Postures/Asanas use the body as a tool to change our perception, Energy Control/Pranayama uses the breath as a tool to go deeper.
The breath is more subtle than the muscles and bones. It can be controlled consciously but is also part of the autonomic nervous system, the largely unconscious part of the brain that controls things like respiratory rate and heart rate. It is this cross-over trait - that the breath is both conscious and unconscious - that gives it such transformative power. Simply put, Pranayama is breath control. We lengthen the breath, hold it in, hold it out. These conscious exercises bring us into contact with with our unconscious mind. We begin to observe and eventually even control the autonomic nervous system. This requires an incredibly still conscious mind, and this stillness is the purpose of Pranayama. Pranayama takes us much deeper than Asana. It stills the mind and directly accesses the nervous system. We begin to realize how much of our perceptions are affected and "colored" by the conscious and subconscious mind. As we proceed to quiet the mind at all levels, this coloring diminishes and we see ourselves and the world around us as they truly are. Our distortions are minimized. As we continue inward, we begin to use the mind exclusively, no longer using physical tools like the body (Asana) and breath (Pranayama). Concentration and Meditation require a very still and controlled mind. We will discuss that next. The Purpose of Yoga, Part 1: Introduction The Purpose of Yoga, Part 2: Physical Postures/Asana |
This journal honors my ongoing experience with the practice, study and teaching of yoga.
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