Charleston Yogi

The alarm rings and I barely stir.  My muscles are sore, still tired and though the sun is starting to come out all I want to do is bury my head in the covers.  I am instantly faced with a choice and this decision will determine the course of everything. 
I have come to realize that choosing ‘comfort’ rarely leads to it, but only makes me more uncomfortable.  As I unroll my mat I start to wonder what the next hour and ½ will bring.  Will I be able to do it?  Will they ask me to do something difficult, or worse yet something that I don’t want to do?  And then I smile, knowing that choosing authentic development is a harsh mistress, indeed.  The things I fear will always be hurled right in my path and I know the answer is ‘yes’ to all of the above.  I will again be faced with a choice and this decision will determine the course of everything.  
We have been in warrior II for at least a minute.  My legs are starting to shake, I want to give up, and then he says ‘are you breathing?’….oh, right I forgot about that part.  The minute I inhale that sweet dose of oxygen, I feel everything release and I move into a place of ease.  He walks up behind me and puts his hands on my shoulders, moving them down a few inches.  My neck and shoulder blades begin to release and I wonder how I didn’t even realize how hard they were working?  Why is it that trying so hard is, well…so hard?  It was only four years ago in this very class that I began to discover that resistance is so much more difficult than surrender.  That trying to be perfect at every asana was so much more difficult than allowing myself to melt into it with ease.  Many of us consistently move through our day with absolute confidence that we are actually in charge.  We fool ourselves into thinking that we consciously know what ‘perfection’ is and that we can attain it whenever we want. 
This practice is based on the premise of cultivating awareness of where we are in relation to time, space, and the continuum of development.  I am always grateful to reach that perfect balance in class when I am pushed far enough to be uncomfortable, while simultaneously given enough time to be present inside of my head, alone with my thoughts even for just a few seconds.  In the middle of this struggle I am challenged to be still in the face of the internal chaos.  As I am confronted with the limits of my abilities, I am also given the opportunity to witness how interested I truly am in development.  When I focus on where I am and where I want to be, I know I have to ‘mind the gap’ between what I know and how I am living.  The practice isn’t over when I roll up my mat and walk out of the studio.  It is only just beginning.  I know that I will be given hundreds of opportunities to close the gap between what I know and how I am walking my talk, and the choice that I make in that moment will determine everything.

 
Amy Jo Gengler, LAc
Re-Soul Acupuncture & Chinese Herbal Medicine

843.566.2855

www.re-soul.com

In the first sūtra in Sadhana Pādaḥ, Maharṣi Patañjali  gives us the 3-step method to realizing the goal of Kriya Yoga-the yoga of purification.

महर्षि पतञ्जलि योग सूत्र ।२।

Maharṣi Patañjali Yoga Sūtra |2|

तपः स्वाध्यायेश्वर प्रणिधानानि क्रिया योगः॥१॥

tapaḥ svādhyāyeśvara praṇidhānāni kriyā yogaḥ ||1||

“With intensity of spiritual practice, sacred study, and devotion; here lies the work to get back to a state of equilibrium, purity, and brightness.”  -Translation by śrī Sharon Gannon

Tapaḥ-This word is often translated as heat.

This sūtra is the first in the Pāda entitled Sadhana (conscious spiritual practice) and follows the first book entitled, Samādhi (where Master Patanjali expounds on the goal of yoga).  It therefore stands to reason that in this context he’s referring to the spiritual practices of Yoga.

He goes on to describe how they should be pursued with intensity.  Think of gold.  The more the gold is heated, the higher the temperature, the more impurities are burned out.  We can usually find the time to sleep a little later, or not twist deeper into ardha matsyendrāsana (seated spinal twist).  This is a mental exercise.  We generally chase after things which bring us pleasure while we shy away from those which may seem challenging.  By coming to class AND staying focused, giving our full attention to the work at hand, we purify the mind.  By accepting things which may cause us discomfort, we may actually be happy to receive this pain knowing the purification it will bring.  This cannot be practiced in the meditation rooms, only in our daily lives.  We should always look for ways to expand our ability to evolve.  We should be wary of becoming stuck in a routine which may lead us to moving on autopilot.  Our asana sequence, for example, may become rote execution, taking the “consciousness” aspect out of it.  We may seek classes which don’t challenge us because we don’t want to feel like we can’t “do” a posture.  We may resist giving a few dollars to someone less fortunate because we’re scared to make eye contact.  We may never try a delicious vegan Biscuits and Gravy (One of my recipes: www.bahamayogi.com/Recipes.html) recipe because we mistakenly think “I could never go Vegan”.

Intensity is relative.  For example, to someone who is proficient at salamba śīrṣāsana (supported headstand), going through the preparations of dolphining, half headstand, balancing with knees into chest, and with knees raised may be very intense, both mentally and physically.  My Teacher śrī David Life suggests that if we are a fiery personality, one who needs movement, then we should take a slow class and vice versa.

What could prevent us from this intensity?  Fear.  A friend of mine has a great definition for this:

F  alse  E  vidence  A  ppearing  R  eal

We think we’re not capable.  That somehow we may be less than Divine.  Maharṣi Patañjali says “I thought you might say that, here’s what you can do…..”

svādyāya – Study of  the Self/spiritual books

Anything that will elevate your mind and remind you of your true Self should be studied, absorbed, and then PRACTICED.  We cannot just become walking libraries.  Remember, we’re in the book called Sadhana-PRACTICE.  We can study Yoga Sūtra, Bhagavad Gītā, Bible, Koran, or any uplifting scripture.  We’ll find that these sources are essentially the same in their guiding words.  They never become old.  A true scriptural source lasts forever, it is timeless because the Self is timeless.  We must be wary of “New and Improved” Yoga, or of others who say “That doesn’t apply anymore.”  We must go to the source of the scripture.  In śrī Swami Satchidananda’s words “If I say every day you must tell 10 lies in the name of Yoga and you can find no scriptural source to back that up, it should be suspect.”

Furthermore, if it is a true scriptural source many other sources of the world must agree.  The commandment “Thou shalt not kill” is a good example of this.  Also of how we can change it to suit us, “Thou shalt not kill HUMANS, animals okay, just not humans, except of course if they kill someone first, and then also maybe if they threaten to kill you, or someone you love, or if they have a country that has more oil than you, or maybe have weapons of mass destruction, and if they happen to be around an area we think is a hideout for bad guys…”  Scriptures and teachers may present information, but is up to us to decide how to practice and apply it.  We should then sit in meditation DAILY to observe the effects of these practices on our minds.  We may find the spiritual path is not an easy one, that the truth may be inconvenient yet we will find an easeful, peacefulness in it.

īśvara praṇidhānāni-offer with devotion to God

Maharṣi Patañjali reminds us, as he has throughout the first book, Devote everything to God.  He uses the term īśvara.  This translates as Supreme Being, God in personal form.  He doesn’t say Jesus, Mohammed, śiva, or Kṛṣṇa.  Yoga has been around for thousands of years.  There are no doctrines in Yoga which conflict with the beliefs of others.  So Maharṣi Patañjali tells us to offer the intensity of our practice towards realizing the Divine within ourselves.  He says offer all your efforts to God, whoever you believe Him/Her to be.  This is necessary because he knows our tendencies to become attached to our actions.  As my Teacher and Co-Founder of the Jivamukti Yoga method David Life says in Jivamukti Yoga Practices for Liberating Body and Soul :We recommend this dedication because asana practice is very powerful.  It can stir up a lot of energy, and the student may wonder, “What do I do with this energy I feel pulsing through my body?”  A teacher who is teaching Yoga only as an exercise- not as a spiritual, psychological, and physical system of purification- responds “I don’t know , do what you want with it,” might as well take the student to the edge of an abyss and say “Go ahead, jump.”

Students who are not taught to dedicate the energy released by an asana practice to God tend to do one of two things.  They may let all that power manifest in their bodies and personalities and become highly charged and very charismatic.  If you look at their faces, however, you may see rage, as well as anger, jealousy , and selfishness.  These are emotions that were stirred up by the practice but were never turned over to God.  Or, the students may fall to pieces, destroyed emotionally and physically by the practice.  These students will probably lose interest in Yoga.  Neither of these outcomes will occur if you apply Maharṣi Patañjali’s sound advice: Give it to God.  Devote all effort to God Realization.

Maharṣi Patañjali’s eight-limbed system is predominantly an effortful path, but the last two limbs-Dhyāna (meditation) and Samādhi (enlightenment)-cannot be attained through effort.  They are the result of Grace.  Yet it is only through intense effort that we can prepare ourselves to receive such grace.

I humbly bow at the lotus feet of my great teachers.

om śānti śānti śāntiḥ

All of us have been shocked and saddened by the news of a devastating earthquake that struck the nation of Haiti on Tuesday, January 12th. Reports estimate that 3 million people have been affected, with as many as 100,000 feared dead. Many people have been wondering how they can help respond to this tragedy and ease the suffering of Haiti.

On Wednesday, January 20th from 6 to 8 PM, a benefit yoga class will be offered at the Avery Research Center for African American History and Culture. A $10 donation at the door is suggested. All proceeds from the class will go to Partners in Health, an agency that has been working on the ground in Haiti for over 20 years. Your donations will go towards vital medical care desperately needed by those impacted by the earthquake.

Yoga, more than just a form of exercise, is a tool for creating harmony, compassion, and peace – both within ourselves and in the world we share. No prior yoga experience is necessary. There will also be a time for quiet meditation and prayer for those affected by this tragedy.

The class will be taught by Matthew Foley, a Yoga Alliance Certified Instructor. Music will be provided by DJ Anwar Staggers.

For more information, please contact Matthew Foley at (803)361-3842 or foleym@cofc.edu.

$10 Donation Suggested

For me, yoga is a practice.  It is not a performance, not an on-again-off-again thing, nor is it perfect. In this practice I have found a lifestyle–a way of moving and flowing and being that keeps me and my ego in checkity-check mode! 

We all have them–egos that is.  But what do we do with them?  To me, humility is huge.  Humility is being brought to my knees after falling down a time or twenty in handstand and getting back up.  It is coming right back to my mat with a smile and tear after my mother’s death, expressing that loss in the form of movement and receiving energy from the practice.  It’s moving deeper into my faith after many sleepless nights, on hands and knees in deep prayer and meditation after a longtime relationship fell apart, then picking up the pieces (or lessons) from it all, understanding and taking what I need from that moment, inhaling a deep breath, then moving on.  Most can relate…right? 

I believe yoga should be accessible to all types of hearts, souls, bodies, and minds.  Many of us start our yoga journey on the mat…we then take the choice of conscious movement and intention and apply it to other areas of life–eating, socializing, sharing, speaking, loving, and connecting.  On the mat, we deepen our understanding of compassion for ourselves and then dedicate that same expression of compassion to the rest of the world as a whole.  Personally, if I come to class and take care of myself, then once I roll my mat up and go back out onto the street and see someone who needs a hand, a dollar, a ride, or a meal, I feel more open to give.  And in turn, when I am down, I feel deserving of receiving that same love. 

Power Yoga also pushes me to my edge, takes me right out of my comfort zone and challenges me. This too is a HUGE help in my life off the mat.  When I am in a situation that is uncomfortable or challenging, I no longer run away or get pissed off, but rather breath and see the lesson in it all.

The practice of yoga is so humbling and beautiful and whole.  Yoga can touch all areas of our lives, leading to a greater understanding of liberation from attachment, faith, connectedness, love, and so much more.  I believe a strong dedication to the physical practice–every day on the mat, moving energy and cleaning out the body–is a huge tool in creating a sense of balance and well being.  I really could go on and on, however, I have a class to get too so with that being said… I hope to see you on the mat soon or on the street for a chat and hug! 

Namaste People!

Sarah Finn

Charleston Power Yoga

See us in action!

The infamous question this week….yes, you got it! “SO what is your New Year’s resolution?” My response this year is I don’t have one. My hope is that I continue to be more aware, conscious and mostly present in whatever I am doing, from being with my family and friends to eating a meal.

The Apostle Paul shares with us in the letter of Philippians encouragement to set our goals. He expresses, “Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers and Sisters, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do, forgetting what lies behind and reaching towards what is ahead.  And I press on toward the goal.”  Some of us continue pressing the rewind button on the video cameras of our minds, like a horrible scene that doesn’t go away! Some of us fix our eyes of what is to come, “when I have this much in the bank, then I will be happy.” How many of us just press on toward the goal?  Or even know what the goal is? First let’s define a goal…“The end toward which effort is directed.”  Synonyms for the word goal are, “target; purpose, object, and intention.” Ah HA, now those are familiar words we hear in yoga.  Set your intention for this practice. Or is it a practice? Shiva Rea stated in an interview on her DVD of Fluid Power, “I don’t practice yoga any more, practicing yoga is like practicing the violin as if you have to achieve perfection. So, I don’t practice yoga, I live yoga, I am yoga.” So in essence within yoga we yoke or join with the Spirit of Life on and off our mats. The goal is simply to BE present with the I AM.  Present within a posture, as we position our bodies to receive the fullness of life. The goal that Paul is talking about is living a life of purpose, BEING in relationship with God. It is not about being perfect; if we were to be perfect then we wouldn’t need Divine intimacy or saving Grace. The indwelling of the Holy Spirit or Prana within our bodies wouldn’t need to be obtained if there was not a goal.  So this year perhaps we just continue onward to forget the past, reach toward the future, and press on toward the goal.   The goal of yoga is to create harmony with mind, body, and soul. Let’s connect with prayers and poses.

For how to get in and out of the poses go to www.yogajournal.com and there will be links with descriptions and photos of the poses below.

Breathe in and out:  “I forget the past”

Our hearts hold on to past wounds, back bends are postures that can release stale and stagnant energy. Postures/Asanas that open the heart and draw the shoulder blades on backside of heart release the past;  the heart bolsters forward and is open to the future. Maybe something comes to mind in this pose, acknowledge it and then release it.

Some Back bends to exlpore-Bridge, Wheel, Cobra, Upward facing Dog, Bow

Breathe in and out: “I reach towards what is ahead”

Standing Mountain Pose with arms reaching towards heaven

Child pose reaching arms long with hope

Warrior II reaching arms equally to the back and front symbolizing the balance between faith and action

Breathe in and out: “I press towards the goal”

In Downward Facing Dog press the heel of the hands and feet into the earth, experience the balance and connection with the Creator of the Universe who holds you up. As your head releases below your heart feel your brain being bathed with new vitality; a fresh start. Fix your eyes on the goal, an internal/external positioning of your whole body with purpose and BEING.

May we grow deeper in love with who The Spirit made us to be in this new year.

Peace and Health-Rachel Glowacki, RYT/HYT