Regardless of what level your practice is at–beginner, intermediate, exploratory or advanced–the eight limbs of yoga (ashtanga) are vitally important stops along the way to the ultimate goal of transformation.

My last post focused on sustainability, and living a simpler, more beautiful life.

To continue along that thread, I wanted to talk a little bit about purity, or saucha, one of the observances belonging to the second limb.

Saucha is purity that operates on many levels. And it’s this purity of thought and action that can lead us to a more sustainable, contented lifestyle.

On a daily basis, we aspire to cleanliness for our bodies by washing ourselves, maintaining clean, organized homes, eating well and drinking clean water. Even more importantly, we must also aspire to an intellectual “cleanliness,” by not polluting our minds or speech with negativity, or clinging to emotional and physical obsessions. In other words, we must strive to find a balance that will provide us with a prescription to helps us keep ourselves clean, inside and out. This is such an important concept, as saucha is itself a pre-condition for experiencing the fullness of yoga and enlightenment.

It is believed–and true–that cleanliness and order within our minds and our lives helps lift our self-esteem and reinforces our knowledge that we are in fact deserving of good experiences. It helps improve our personalities, so we can experience the ultimate proposition of our practices–balanced self-awareness. And on a very practical level, when we feel pure and clean, we can be clear and precise about our intentions, unfettered by the imbalances that can often plague our bodies and our minds.

Every day we can practice purification in a variety of ways. In addition to the basics like bathing and taking care of our teeth, there are some less obvious ways we can achieve purification. I like to take mindfulness walks in nature (yes, all year round), singing, chanting my own personal mantras, burning incense and other natural oils, brushing my tongue (I know, but it does help), fasting from sleep or food for a day, and much to my friends’ delight, mona, which means refraining from talking for a day. I have all but removed watching television (haven‘t quite been able to remove it entirely J ) on a daily basis, religiously clear out clutter and excess, recycle, and laugh–a lot. These are all great and practical ways to purify your mind and your environment.

In yoga, there are several methods that are used to purify energies. My very favorite is the practice of tarka, which is a daily reflection on our activities and how we respond to them, done at the end of each day. Or you can use your own creativity to incorporate new purification techniques into your life to bring you more joy. The rituals themselves are important, but it is the acts and the intentions that are crucial.

I know this seems like another layer to add to your very busy lives and days. However, incorporating some of these techniques will move you much closer to achieving the purity of mind, spirit and body we are all trying to strive for with our own practices.

Once you move closer to that purity of mind through daily, prescriptive actions, you’ll see your own transformation begin to take place, with an enhanced clarity of thought and awareness.  New, comforting and pure.

Peace.

Post from: EveryJoe

The Pure Bliss of Yoga

There’s no doubt, most of us are feeling the tough economic times in one way or another.  We’re cutting back on extras, and finding ways just to afford the bare essentials.

But the last thing that should go is our own standard of self-care.  Yoga really should be on the short list of things to hang onto, and here’s why.
Scraping money together for that extra gallon of gas, groceries, all of the basic necessities can be stressful. Worrying about your family’s future can be stressful. Figuring out how you are going to make it until your next paycheck can be very stressful. 

Yoga reduces stress.  And you don’t have to attend a formal class to reap the benefits of a practice.  One of the most satisfying ways to pursue yoga is in a very solitary, private way–at home.  You don’t even have to have a yoga mat.  Skip it.  Just find the right towel and use that as your mat.  Right there you’ve saved about $75 from your budget.  I’m the first one to drool at some of the hot little clothing items now on the market as yoga wear, but do you really need them to practice.  Well, no.

While the right teacher can be very inspirational, you can check out yoga DVDs, CDs and books at your local library that will get you
pretty far along in your practice.  True, it is nice to share the experience with others, but why not your family and friends?  Set up a neighborhood session and practice that way if you prefer.  

If you’re strapped for cash and stressed out to the max, meditation in combination with yoga can be a very powerful way to divert your attention from thinking about the thousands of “what-if” scenarios that can race through our minds during times like these.  And meditation doesn’t even require a towel.  It helps you center yourself and think in the present, which keeps you on an even keel, and helps you manage your anxiety.

Sure, there are tons of cool things you can purchase and try as an accessory for your yoga practice.  But what yoga is really about is purity of thought, and leading a simple, blissful life, and neither of which costs a penny. 

In fact, one of the pillars of a yoga practice and lifestyle is leading a life that is honest and centered at its very core.  So you really don’t need a lot of “stuff.”  Just bring yourself, your mind and spirit and you can get the job done for next to nothing.  If you have to, put aside the classes for a while and get back into it when you can better afford to.   

It may not be fancy, it may not be as social an activity as you like for a while, but it will serve your ultimnate purpose–to find peace within yourself.  And it’s a wonderful way to make the outside world go away for a while.

Remember, peace. 

Post from: EveryJoe

Yoga-One thing you don’t have to give up during tough economic times

With the daily stresses of work and relationships of all kinds, I had to take a moment today and ask myself–what am I really trying to accomplish?  And it came to me–ultimately, I am trying to find happiness.

Wonderful yet elusive, happiness is what we are all hoping to find, isn’t it?  Whether it’s finding the right job, the best friends or a loving partner, what is at the end of the pursuit of each of these is happiness.

Some of us characterize happiness as nirvana–the golden achievement of peace and contentment we all long and strive for with every action we take.  What many of us don’t realize–and I am only beginning to understand–is that happiness is a state of mind. 

So to achieve this blissful state, I have turned my focus to my meditation practice to see if I can get a little bit closer to the finish line, so to speak.  The first thing I had to do is accept the fact that happiness is not just a state of bliss that magically occurs, but instead it is a practice.  And the most successful practices in yoga and meditation begin with understanding what we want to do and be. 

There are several forms of happiness. The first I would call simple, easy happiness, when our lives seem to be coasting along in a very positive way, no problems, no concerns.  My favorite form of happiness is what I would consider the unexpected moments of happiness we experience–when great things happen out of the blue, blissful moments that surprise and delight us.  But the most complete form of happiness is that which comes from living a mindful, present life.  We learn to enjoy each moment we are given, and are fully capable of experiencing these positive emotions as they are occurring.

Being present and mindful is something we can all achieve through our meditation practice, and all the better that it can help us open our minds, spirits and hearts to welcoming the feelings of peace and true bliss as they take place.  Our personal growth through meditation is so important to helping us get to this critical state of mindfulness, where each and every moment is felt and considered for what it is–and that is what can truly make us happy.

Mindfulness is so important to helping us achieve true and unfiltered feelings of happiness.  Before we can understand ourselves and all the complex feelings that present roadblocks to our growth, we must work through our own individual web of feelings,  as complex and different as they are, and one of the most revealing ways to do this is through meditation and practice.  To see what is true and good and real, really does require understanding where you are and how you got there. 

Building a practice that will yield true happiness does not happen overnight.  I’ve only just begun and I have a long way to go.  But I am beginning to identify obstacles and emotions that take me in the wrong direction through meditation.  Centering myself, finding a peaceful core and quieting my mind have given me a glimpse of what may lie ahead.  And it is kind of beautiful. 

For now, I am going to enjoy the journey and open my mind and heart to it.  I hope you’ll join me.  I think this might end up being the most rewarding trip that I’ll ever take.

Peace. 

Post from: EveryJoe

Practice Happiness

Yes, indeed.  This is where yoga and our chakras ultimately connect for the big payoff.  Chakra Seven,  Sahasrara, is located at the top or crown of our heads, and means “thousandfold.”  The element it represents is thought, and it is said to produce bliss and true knowledge.  The color associated with this chakra is a radiant, pure white, and as we are supposed to meditate in silence to elevate this chakra, there are no sounds linked to it.

The yoga posture used to stimulate this chakra is the simple headstand.  If you are unable to do a headstand, the traditional seated yoga position, the full lotus also works well.  To do this pose, simply sit on the floor, legs folded up onto your knees. To engage the top of the head where this chakra is located, simply lower the crown of your head to the floor, that should do the trick.  I think a headstand is easier, myself, and I am pretty uncoordinated! 

The concepts of selflessness, devotion, inspiration and greater understanding are all connected to Chakra Seven, so it is an important one.  Give it a try, meditate quietly and pass through to an enhanced sense of place and mindfulness. That’s the goal.  Sounds simple enough, but it takes some time to truly connect and feel the transformation through this path.  But it’s all a processs.

Carry on, and Peace.  

Post from: EveryJoe

Chakra Seven: The Grand Finale