Knock, Knock, Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door

Posted on November 30, 2011 by Liz

When we meditate, we are literally approaching the door to the divine – to that enlightened state of samadhi (the 8th and final limb). Dharana provides us with the foundation of technique, eventually entering a state of unbroken concentration that allows us to take a deeper look within ourselves. Focusing on an object, however, is not meditation. A lot of what we hear and see about meditation are actually descriptions of meditation techniques, or blueprints for HOW to get there.

 

There will never be any description of meditation that is applicable to everyone. Why, you ask? Because in true meditation, in the state of dhyana, the mediator is not aware that he or she is meditating. Dhyana is the state in which you become one with the object of meditation, be that the flame, the smoke, the tip of the nose, or any other object or thought you choose.

In Book III of the Yoga Sutras, Patanjali describes the dhyana as follows:

 (1)….necessary for the mind to become introverted in meditation. (2) In deeper practice of the technique, the mind concentrated between the eyebrows begins to automatically lose all location and focus on the watching itself. Eventually, the meditator experiences only the consciousness of existence and achieves self realization.

Swami Vivekananda, the man who brought Yoga to the West in 1899 explained:

 When the mind has been trained to remain fixed on a certain internal or external location, there comes to it the power of flowing in an unbroken current, as it were, towards that point. This state is called dhyana. When one has so intensified the power of dhyana as to be able to reject the external part of perception and remain meditating only on the internal part, the meaning, that state is called Samadhi.

Certain hindu and yogic texts say that one has reached dhyana when he or she is able to maintain this oneness for 144 inhales and exhales. How long is that time-wise? Who knows. Those who have attained dhyana experience no time when in the state, and are even unaware of their breathing. This would make it impossible to actually count the 144 inhales and exhales, no?

The last limb, Samadhi, can only be reached once all of the other 7 limbs have been mastered. This can take a lifetime, or for most, multiple lifetimes. We may experience glimpses of dhyana in dharana, and glimpses of samadhi in dhyana. Feeling unending bliss, and an interconnectedness to the entire universe and the divine is how I would describe my personal glimpse. It is said that when you reach samadhi, you become free – all the chains of the world, of the ego, drop away. We break them down slowly through the first 7 limbs, but in samadhi, we are made one with the divine, our true Self.

This concludes the 8 limbs introduction! Feel free to post questions or comments.

Of course, these topics will come up again….they’re yoga.

But then again, so is everything else :)

 

 

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Finding Focus

Posted on November 29, 2011 by Liz

You’re sitting at your office desk staring at a computer screen, face completely blank. The work is piling up, but you can’t seem to get anywhere. You just….can’t…..focus. Sound familiar?

 

We’ve all run into that problem. So many things to get done, so little time, and a complete lack of focus. All of a sudden everything starts to pile up and we explode in frustration.

 

 

What you need, especially in this situation, is to practice dharana. Here’s a brilliant explanation, taken from my very own website:

 Dharana is a sanskrit term meaning “unbending concentration of the mind”. As humans, we are most at ease when we are able to work with complete focus and concentration. Our minds are constantly racing with ideas, worries, and judgements. This often leads to frustration because it inhibits our ability to concentrate on a task. The sixth limb of Ashtanga Yoga, dharana is the practice of focusing on one object, uninterrupted by external or internal distractions.

When we practice dharana, the mind and body are able to settle and relax. Emotions such as anger and frustration subside, and one is left with a feeling of peace. Also known as mindfulness, studies have shown that practicing this step to mediation leads to an increased ability to process and retain new information.

Another explanation from Sri Swami Satchidanada:

 “When the chittam, or sum-total of the mind, is being bound by one thing or bound in one place, it is in dharana. In other words, in dharana you are training the mind. It is the beginning of meditation. Concentration is the beginning of meditation, meditation is the culmination of concentration.”

So, once you have turned inward using pratyahara, dharana gives you the concentration need to enter a meditative state. The question remains – how do I do that?

 Exercises to cultivate dharana:

 Trataka:

  • Find a comfortable seat (cross-legged, kneeling, etc), making sure you can maintain a straight spine.

  • Light a candle or incense cone a few feet in front of you. It can be on the floor, or on a small table so it sits at eye level.

  • Gaze at the flame (candle) or smoke rising (cone). Concentrate deeply, refraining from blinking for at least 30 seconds.

  • Close your eyes for 30 seconds, visualizing the flame or smoke in your mind’s eye (thus maintaining the focus).

  • Repeat this process for 3-6 times per sitting.

 

Nasarga Drishthi (Nose-gazing)

(This one you can do right at your desk.)

  • Find a comfortable seat (cross-legged, kneeling, etc), making sure you can maintain a straight spine.
  • Gaze, with eyes open, at the tip of the nose.
  • Hold this concentration until you feel tension your eyes.
  • Close your eyes, but imagine that you are still gazing at the tip of the nose.
  • Hold this visualization for 15-20 seconds and then re-open the eyes.
  • Repeat 3-6 times per sitting.

 

After working with these exercises, you will find that your mind and body have both calmed,and the frustration has disappeared. You have taken a step back, turned inward, and tuned into your inner being. Now, you can easily work through your pile of papers with ease, maintaining focus and clarity on the task at hand.

 

Remember : A daily dose of dharana is good for the body, mind and soul!

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Break on Through……

Posted on November 28, 2011 by Liz

The remaining four limbs of Patanjali’s eight allow, upon mastery, the yogi to do essentially that – to break through to the other side.

Daylight savings time happened a few weeks ago, and it was definitely a shock to my system. My good friend Val, a teacher who enlightens her middle school students about the yogic path,  was also a little dismayed about the sun rising much earlier than usual. In a Facebook posting, she commented on how she enjoyed her early morning NYC commute in the darkness.

I hit the “like” button and we chatted about how the darkness makes it much easier to slip into a meditative state. My morning sadhana (yoga practice) occurs at 6am, with the darkness making it a much more intimate – and personal experience.

 But now, now Mr. Sun rears his bright and shiny self right smack in the middle of everything. 6:30am and rays of light penetrate the blinds of the studio. What to do? Turn inward, or practice Pratyahara.

Pratyahara is the withdrawal of the senses. Closing the eyes, ceasing to listen to the noise around us, no touching, no tasting. This is where yoga becomes a meditative practice, not just folding up into a pretzel. When we withdraw sensually, we gain the opportunity to look at ourselves from another vantage point. We start the process of being able to examine our habits, and eventually, our thoughts, with an objective all-seeing eye.

Try practicing yoga with your eyes closed. It’s an amazing experience. Albeit, its much more amazing in the darkness! So, until darkness graces my mornings once again, I’ll be practicing Pratyahara so that I don’t even notice the sun shining.

As Val tells her 6th grade students:

“Yogis practice Pratyahara – and then they study without any breaks so they can pass their tests”

 

(I’ll address the second part of that statement next time).

 

 

 

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Just Breathe!

Posted on October 24, 2011 by Liz

When the Breath wanders, the mind is unsteady, but when the Breath is still, so is the mind still.” – Hatha Yoga Pradipika

The fourth limb of yoga is Pranayama, or breath control. They (enlightened yogis) say that if you can control the breath, you can control the mind. The word comes from two Sanskrit words – prana meaning life force or energy, and ayam meaning expansion. There you have it – expansion of life force. Pretty heavy stuff, right?

Let’s break it down. As living creatures, we breathe in oxygen that sends energy to our organs, tissues, cells, etc. We exhale carbon dioxide and other toxins, which allows for a cleansing of our organs, tissues, cells, etc. When we get stressed out, which in this economy can be almost a permanent state of being, our breath gets faster. We experience rapid, shallow breathing. When this happens, you fail to take in the energy your body needs to remain in balance, and the toxins are not fully removed. Many different disorders and diseases can be caused by a persistent lack of oxygen.

Learning how to control the breath allows one to continue to breath, even when life gets stressful. In the most intense situation, if you concentrate on lengthening your inhales and exhales, you will find that your mind becomes calm. Lengthening the exhale calms the central nervous system and rids the body not only of extra toxins, but also of stress.

There are four stages of Pranayama:

Arambha – the beginning stage wherein the person’s interest in Pranayama is awakened.

Ghata – the stage where the three sariras merge to envelope the soul. The three sariras are gross, subtle, and causal.

Parichay- the stage where the yogi experiences the knowledge of Pranayama.

Nispatti- the stage where the yogi goes beyond his physical body, and unites with the divine.

 Some simple Pranayama exercises for you to try:

 Equal Breathing – practice making your inhale and exhale even. Breathe in for a count of 4, and out for a count of four, gradually lengthening the breath.

Alternate Nostril Breathing – using your fingers to cover your nostrils, breath in through the right nostril, pause, then breath out through the left. Breath in through the left, pause, and exhale through the right. Repeat as long as comfortable, and then begin again starting on the left side.

Ujjayi – this is the breath of vinyasa practice. Breath as if you are trying to fog up a mirror, then close your mouth. It is a raspy, throat breath, often associated with Darth Vader or the ocean. You draw the breath in and out of the nostrils through the throat. This breath takes practice, but is a calming, warming breath. It will allow you to heat your body from the inside and remain calm and focused in any yoga posture. This breath is also a go-to when you find that you are experiencing extreme anxiety or stress as it has an immediate calming effect on the central nervous system.

 Interested in learning more?

 Pick up BKS Iyengar’s Light on Pranayama,

or just comment on this post with any questions you have :)

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Asana – You gotta put your “ass” into it!

Posted on September 28, 2011 by Liz

In keeping with our continuing theme of “What is Yoga?”, here is the third limb of Patanjali’s eight – asana. Literally translated, it means “seat” (you are getting so very good at sanskrit now. Air high-five!). Dripping sweat, looking good in your lululemon crops, and getting your head to your toes. This is the physical practice, the up-dog /down -dog/ warrior II version that most of western civilization is familiar with. Is this yoga? Of course. Let’s look a little closer…

 

Photo by Listen Missy! Used under http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/2.0/

 

The physical practice was first outlined in the Hatha Yoga Pradipika (HYP). (free copy here) The word “hatha” (pronounced ha-tha or ha-ta) often refers to this physicality, but is actually comprised of two words. “Ha” means “sun”, and “tha” means “moon”. This branch of yoga was intended to represent the pairing of opposites, and is the reason your teacher tells you to “root down and rise up” at the same time. In the HYP, a number of poses as well as the purpose of asana is discussed. No, the purpose is not to get a nice booty or look extra fine in your bikini. (Note : those definitely are side benefits) The purpose is to prepare the body for seated mediation. You aren’t going to be able to sit comfortably on the floor if your legs, hips and shoulders are all cramped up, right? Asana is the solution. Stretch it out, then sit and meditate.

Easy peasy…..

photo courtesy of myyogaonline creative commons license http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/

Except it’s not.

BKS Iyengar says you can’t just do the asana mindlessly. Every particle of your being should be involved. He draws an analogy to a deer in headlights – we cultivate that level of awareness in our whole body when in an asana. Just when you thought you could check out during Virabhadrasana II (Warrior II), think again. The point is to start to form the mind-body connection that IS yoga. For example, your teacher puts you in pigeon for oh, 20 breaths. For those of you that have done this pose, you probably just flinched at the thought. Bear with me. You are in pigeon. Your mind starts to wander to that chocolate bar you ate before class and now want to barf all over your sweaty towel. Then it becomes aware of the discomfort occurring in your right hip joint. Suddenly, all you can think about it this pain and how much you want to get out of this pose. Your mind takes over, you fidget, fidget some more, try to rearrange your back leg without the teacher noticing, and….then it’s over. You totally let your mind get the best of you there. Instead of giving into the mind chatter and the fixation on the pain, you have to let go. Sink in and relax (I know, so much harder than it sounds). Focus on your breathing and empty your mind. Let this pigeon take you to a meditative place. Do this, and you’ll be calm, cool, and refreshed afterward. When you can do this in every single pose you take on, THEN the asana is yoga.

photo courtesy of brokinhrt2 creative commons license http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/

Baron Baptiste has some interesting ideas on asana as well. As a teacher, he doesn’t go too deep into the spiritual aspects of the practice. His core belief is that “when you talk to the body, you speak to the soul”. Basically, eventually something is going to get through and go deeper. He is of the power yoga lineage, which is very type A, very physical, and typically full of women looking to slim down and shape up. One is two busy trying to keep up with the pace of the class to have any thoughts. Highly addictive, many people enter this form of yoga and continue past the physical, into a more spiritual practice.

 

photo courtesy of brad.coy under creative commons http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/

Christopheray, a famous Iyengar instructor in these parts, loves the word “asana”. He screams “put your ass into it”, a slight variation on “cultivate awareness!” His idea of helping students get there is to hold a pose for 10 minutes, tell them it was all wrong, and make them do it again. A master of alignment, he forces you to go to that meditative place because you’re too scared he’ll whip you if you put your arms down.

photo courtesy of Telstar under creative commons license http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0/

I would be remiss if I did not mention alignment in this post about asana. I’m not going to get anatomical here, mostly because it will bore you to pieces, but proper alignment is key. Poor alignment (found primarily in the realm of gym yoga) can lead to injury. It also prevents the natural flow of energy in the body. Most yoga teachers will give detailed alignment cues (press into your back heel, rotate your inner thigh…) and then walk around and adjust students. I am a stickler for alignment, and tend to rush over to the guy who has contorted himself beyond belief trying to get into downward facing dog. I can sense a bodily traffic jam poses ahead of time. It doesn’t mean that you are any less of a yogi – the job of the teacher is to help you progress along the yogic path.

 

However, it is important to remember that not every body can embody the full expression of a pose. You may never get your heels to the floor in down dog, and your shoulders just might not ever open enough for reverse prayer to happen. This doesn’t mean you aren’t yoga-ing. As long as you are cultivating awareness in your body, and your energy is able to flow from heel to crown smoothly, you rock.

Just put your ass into it!

 

 

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What is Yoga?

Posted on September 26, 2011 by Liz

I was out the other night and ended up in a conversation with a philosophy professor at Princeton University. This being America, one of the first questions asked always tends to be “So…what do you do?”. “That’s an interesting question” was my response. I told him that I used to be a special education teacher in the public schools, but now I was teaching yoga. “Yoga. What exactly is yoga?”. It’s the same response I always get when I mention my chosen path. In light of this, I want to give a down-to-earth explanation of this amazing practice.

Yoga is a Sanskrit word meaning “union”. It refers to the union of the mind and body, which are connected. Ever notice that when you are worried about something you start to feel sick to your stomach? That’s the mind-body connection. Basically, you want to calm your mind so that your body can also be calm. Yoga has its origins in the Indus Valley civilization, making it the oldest mind-body science in the world  .

When most people hear the word “yoga”, they envision flexible females intertwining their limbs to look like a pretzel. This is the physical practice or “asana” (there’s another Sanskrit term for your wordbank), but its actual only one of the 8 steps to yoga. About 5000 years ago, a wise man named Patanjali wrote down everything that was known about yoga. It’s called the Yoga Sutras, and you can certainly still purchase a copy today. In his writings, Patanjali outlined the 8-limbed path of yoga.

 Let’s take a look at the first two limbs :

Yamas. The yamas are an ethical code for how we treat others and the world around us. There are 5 yamas:

Non-violence. Don’t cause harm or think about causing harm to others. This extends to animals, which is where the vegetarian/veganism comes into play.

Truth. Tell the truth at all times. Simple concept, often hard to put into action.

Non-stealing. Don’t steal tangible or intangible objects from others. Hogging attention is a form of stealing.

Self-restraint. This doesn’t mean you have to be celibate, but all things in moderation. Refrain from meaningless sexual encounters.

Non-possessiveness. Let go of the stuff you don’t need – and trust me, you don’t need most of it. Live simply.

Niyamas. The niyamas are an ethical code for how you treat yourself                                   There are 5 niyamas:

Cleanliness. Keep yourself clean on the inside and out. Shower regularly, eat healthy food, and limit your use of technology.

Contentment. Don’t worry yourself about the things you could have or could achieve. Live in the present and find happiness in where you are.

Discipline. It is only when we are made uncomfortable that we choose to grow. Show discipline in body, words and thoughts.

Study of Self. Be reflective. Cultivate self-awareness. Study spiritual scriptures of your given faith and find meaning that connects to your own life.

Devotion. Surrender to a greater force. Call it God, Buddha, Allah, but find fuller consciousness in your connection with the divine.

 You’ve probably seen most of those rules before. They’ve managed to appear in most of the world’s religions. Don’t be mistaken – yoga is NOT a religion. It can be spiritual, but at its core, yoga is a science. However, Patanjali says we must cultivate yama and niyama practice before we are ready to move onto the next limb of yoga.

How will you incorporate these teachings into your everyday life?

 

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