practice
Yoga simply means to bring together, unite, yoke... To remove the illusion of dualism. Yoga or union is intended for all that we experience and perceive. In the West, Yoga is often reduced to a form of physical exercise while its deep philosophical system and roots are at times lost in translation or completely disregarded.
Yoga is a system to practice often, over a long period of time and is intended to shift your perception, to cut through the veils and reveal what has always been there.
No matter what style of yoga you practice, it's good to practice what you love and are drawn to. The well is deep, go far and see what you discover. Have fun playing with a variety of possibilities!
The benefits of yoga are unlimited from my point of view. I'm constantly amazed at the changes in my mind, body and emotional state.
The primary methods I've studied and practiced are Ashtanga Yoga (not to be confused with the popularized system by Sri K. Pattabhi Jois, however, this is also part of my practice),
Jivamukti Yoga and Yin Yoga.
Ashtanga Yoga (Eight-limbed Path or Raja Yoga)
This is a system of yoga, outlined in the Yoga Sutras thought to be compiled by Patanjali,
an author, mystic and philosopher in ancient India.
Yamas - our relationship practices and observances towards others
ahimsa - love, compassion and kindness
satya - truth/honesty
asteya - generosity
brahmacharya - moderation
aparigraha - letting go
Niyamas - our relationship practices and observances towards ourself
santosha - contentment
saucha - cleanliness (thought, words, actions)
tapas - austerity/practice/discipline/heat/burn off
svadyaya - self study (mind, texts, sanskrit, chanting, etc...)
ishvara pranidhanava - surrender to something bigger than
yourself (eg., God, Universe, Nature, The Void...)
Asanas - physical poses
Pranayama - working with the breath, our life force
Prathayhara - detaching/withdrawing from the senses
Dharana - practicing our concentration on one point
Dhyana - concentrating on one point for a long
time with out being disturbed - meditation
Samadhi - concentrating with out disturbances for even longer,
until eventually no disturbance - enlightenment
Jivamukti Yoga
Founded by Sharon Gannon and David Life in 1985.
I'm am very blessed to have found my teachers, they have opened my eyes and my heart...
Core Philosophy*
As a path to enlightenment through compassion for all beings, Jivamukti Yoga is grounded in the original meaning of the Sanskrit word asana as “seat, connection” - relationship to the Earth. Earth implies all of life. Citing Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra, which states that asana should be sthira and sukham, Jivamukti Yoga maintains that one’s relationship to others (asana) should be mutually beneficial
and come from a consistent (sthira) place of joy and happiness (sukham).
The Five Tenets*
Ahimsa
A nonviolent, compassionate lifestyle extending to other animals, the environment and all living beings, emphasizing ethical vegetarianism (veganism) and animal rights.
Bhakti
Acknowledgment that God/Self-realization is the goal of all yoga practices; can be expressed through chanting, the setting of a high intention for the practice or other devotional practices.
Dhyana
Meditation: connecting to that eternal unchanging reality within.
Nada
The development of a sound body and mind through deep listening; can be incorporated in a class using recorded music, spoken word, silence or even the teacher’s voice.
Shastra
Study of the ancient yogic teachings, including Sanskrit chanting,
drawn from the Focus of the Month to the extent possible.
*extracted from the Jivamukti website.
“Love is the heart of all religions.”
Sri Ramana Maharshi
