Comments on: Mind/Body Harmony http://www.charlestonyogi.com/881/mindbody-harmony/ Your resource to the yoga community in the Lowcountry - Yoga Schedules and Charleston Yoga Studios Sun, 22 Jan 2012 03:03:56 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Mark Knowles http://www.charlestonyogi.com/881/mindbody-harmony/#comment-279 Mark Knowles Fri, 28 May 2010 15:41:33 +0000 http://www.charlestonyogi.com/?p=881#comment-279 It's what Yoga Philosophy has been saying for centuries. You're 100% about the disconnectedness. We may even feel that others don't feel pain as we do, that they can't think, and feel as we do because they may be covered with hair or scales. We may think they're ours to use, or even eat. In Yoga there are five bodies, with corresponding "sheaths" which cover them. These in turn cover the ātman -soul or true you. The goal of yoga is Self-realization, or the dissolving of these sheaths to realize we are not in fact them, but ātman. अन्नमय कोश annamaya kośa food body प्रणमय कोश praṇamaya kośa breath body मनोमय कोश manomaya kośa mental body विज्ञानमय कोश vijñānamaya kośa wisdom body आनन्दमय कोश ānandamaya kośa bliss body Certain practices such as āsana आसन , prāṇāyāma प्राणायाम , and dhyāna ध्यान (Meditation)help to dissolve these sheaths. As such even a yoga class should not feel this seperation, concentrating only on physical. Great point that's so often missed! It’s what Yoga Philosophy has been saying for centuries. You’re 100% about the disconnectedness. We may even feel that others don’t feel pain as we do, that they can’t think, and feel as we do because they may be covered with hair or scales. We may think they’re ours to use, or even eat. In Yoga there are five bodies, with corresponding “sheaths” which cover them. These in turn cover the ātman -soul or true you. The goal of yoga is Self-realization, or the dissolving of these sheaths to realize we are not in fact them, but ātman.

अन्नमय कोश annamaya kośa food body
प्रणमय कोश praṇamaya kośa breath body
मनोमय कोश manomaya kośa mental body
विज्ञानमय कोश vijñānamaya kośa wisdom body
आनन्दमय कोश ānandamaya kośa bliss body

Certain practices such as āsana आसन , prāṇāyāma प्राणायाम , and dhyāna ध्यान (Meditation)help to dissolve these sheaths. As such even a yoga class should not feel this seperation, concentrating only on physical. Great point that’s so often missed!

]]> By: Natasha Alexandra Akery http://www.charlestonyogi.com/881/mindbody-harmony/#comment-275 Natasha Alexandra Akery Tue, 25 May 2010 22:25:25 +0000 http://www.charlestonyogi.com/?p=881#comment-275 This is a beautiful post, Matthew. I really like Watts' insight regarding possessiveness of the body parts rather than seeing the body as integral with the whole. For instance: "my foot hurts" as opposed to "I hurt." It's interesting. Today, I did a lot of cleaning. I overextended myself. From my excessive vacuuming, I aggravated a muscle in my chest and then a nerve down my left thigh was throbbing with sharp pain. Sometimes, I think I consider my body as a machine. It should operate as I want it when I want it, as much as I want it. Your words brought this to my attention. My attitude toward my body is the same attitude I tend to project toward others. There is a lack of grace and certainly a lack of interconnectedness. Perhaps when I consider my body as "me" rather than a separate aspect, grace will overflow. And maybe that grace will overflow onto others. Thanks for this. This is a beautiful post, Matthew.

I really like Watts’ insight regarding possessiveness of the body parts rather than seeing the body as integral with the whole. For instance: “my foot hurts” as opposed to “I hurt.” It’s interesting.

Today, I did a lot of cleaning. I overextended myself. From my excessive vacuuming, I aggravated a muscle in my chest and then a nerve down my left thigh was throbbing with sharp pain. Sometimes, I think I consider my body as a machine. It should operate as I want it when I want it, as much as I want it.

Your words brought this to my attention. My attitude toward my body is the same attitude I tend to project toward others. There is a lack of grace and certainly a lack of interconnectedness. Perhaps when I consider my body as “me” rather than a separate aspect, grace will overflow.

And maybe that grace will overflow onto others.

Thanks for this.

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