The Dog, Again

I know I talk about Shiner a lot on this blog, but I honestly believe that canine companionship has furthered my yoga journey in many ways.

My first yoga class ever, we learned, Downward-Facing Dog.
A week or two later, after practicing the pose daily, Shiner the dog ate my eye-pillow and gave me a yoga-breakthrough.
Midway through the semester I met Milo, Dr. Schultz's Golden Retriever, and Milo set the tone for an amazing yoga session.
Then, Shiner again reminded me the importance of detachment (and of putting away valuable items).

Now, Shiner joins me in most of my practices as my silent coach and fan.
When I spread out my yoga may in my bedroom, Shiner hops up on my bed, and lays down with her head resting on the edge, ready to observe my every move. Admittedly, I was a little creeped-out at first. Shiner rarely falls asleep, usually contenting herself to studying my poses, and her glare made me feel a bit nervous.

Obviously, I got used to it. Shiner is not an essential for my home practice- there are times when our schedules don't meet up and I must practice alone. But, for the most part, she is my companion in yoga. The domestic Dog has a certain energy that radiates positivity. Puppies are great teachers of detachment. Dogs are great examples of the fluctuation between rajas, tamas, and sattvas.
I strongly suggest that anyone new to yoga get a roommate with a puppy.

Downward Facing Dizzy

On Thursday, I walked into yoga feeling great. I was in a great mood, had the night off of work, and I was ready to do some yoga. Class started normally, with some Downward Facing Dogs and some Tree Poses. Soon we progressed into Inversions. 

When I started my handstand, I noticed that I began to feel very dizzy. At first, I thought maybe I was doing the pose wrong, and I tried to readjust. My dizziness worsened. I stood up out of the pose and told Dr. Schultz that I wasn't feeling great. She recommended a different pose to try, and I continued on with my altered practice. After about 5 minutes, Dr. Schultz called us all back together and showed us how to perform a shoulder stand, and then a headstand. 

Not wanting to miss out on the new poses, I went back to my spot on the wall and tried my hardest to follow my teachers directions. The 5 minute break from inversions helped a ton; I felt like a brand new person. I was upside-down! I started to relax my face an focus my breathing, and quickly felt calm and attentive to my body.

My bout of dizziness was pretty weird. I'd never really felt that way in a pose. The break I took helped a lot though, and really taught me a valuable lesson. In yoga, and in life, sometimes you have to take a break to reassess before moving on. If I had continued in my dizziness through that handstand, I probably wouldn't have been so successful in the later part of my practice. I could have even hurt myself. We all need to step back sometimes and give ourselves a break, then, it may be helpful to flip things on their head, and see from a different perspective. Maybe I'm just reading too far into it...

Yoga at Work

A few weeks ago, my yoga gave me a job opportunity. Meg, a Supervisor at the Baylor Call Center, told me of some job openings for people to call Baylor parents and alumni and ask for money for the University. Fun right? 

Well, I took the job, and I'm so grateful for it. My job at the Call Center is difficult at times, and often stressful. Talking to people that usually don't want to talk back to me can get exhausting, but in these times of stress and annoyance, I've found a place for yoga.

When I get particularly freaked out at work, or get nervous or stressed about my job, I sit up straight and firmly plant my feet into the floor. I try to spread out my toes and to squeeze my quads.I open my chest, pull the outside of my shoulder blades together, and then try to rest my shoulders. 

This subtle practice helps to keep me calm and focus, and usually does a great job of relieving my stress by reminding me of my yoga. When I consciously think about my practices of yoga, detachment, and meditation, I can remember what is truly important and make the calls that my dharma, and my boss, demands I make. 

When Yoga Makes You Sweat

On Thursday, I went to my Yoga class expecting another day of philosophical discussion and a good yoga practice. What I got was a yoga butt-kicking in the 3rd degree. There were only about seven of us in the class, which meant that we all got to name some specific parts of the body and types of poses that we wanted to focus on. For my back soreness, acquired after my long and uninterrupted hours of scholarly work (hahaha), Dr. Schultz suggested that we get a chair.

These chairs, like those supplied in Morrison 100, are not truly chairs, but some non-Platonic deviation from what a chair is supposed to be. In essence, these chairs are torture tools.

Working with the chair gave me a yoga experience I'd never had before. Using the chair allowed me to focus more specifically on perfecting my poses. The chair practice left me exhausted physically, as well as mentally from trying to remember how to do the poses for my home practice. I had worked up quite a sweat from trying to twist and bend my body with the chair, and my muscles would shake when I had to hold a pose for a bit. After performing numerous twists, bends, inversions, and of course, downward facing dogs, I was feeling great. My yoga felt better than even and I saw that the practice gave me a sense of calmness that I don't often get to feel.

The chair work was hard, and I certainly didn't enjoy every minute of it, but the chair helped me to perform better, and Dr. Schultz careful instruction allowed me to fix poses that I had been doing wrong. Although it was hard work, Thursday's yoga practice was probably my favorite one yet.

Krishna Commands

In my reading for this week, three particular shlokas stood out to me.

“Be kind and pure and never waver in your determination or dedication to the spiritual life. Give freely. Be self-controlled, sincere, truthful, loving and full of the desire to serve. Realize the truth of scripture; learn to be detached and take joy in renunciation.”

These words from Krishna tell us to “walk the walk.” In many of our other readings, out of The Bhagavad Gita and other yoga texts, we learned the philosophy behind yoga, and the broad ideas behind how to live a good life. Here, in Chapter 16, Vishnu’s avatar gives readers direct instructions for living right. Obviously, it’s nothing we haven’t heard before. Jesus, my pre-school teachers, my parents, and the cartoon characters on the shows I watched have all told me the same things over the course of my life. Just because Krishna’s revelation isn’t new news, doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t pay close attention to it. In fact, perhaps it’s because we’ve heard these seemingly simple instructions so often that we should listen all the more carefully.  

“Do not get angry or harm any living creature, but be compassionate and gentle; show good will to all.”

This particular shloka turns the commandments out word. Most of the first shloka focused on things we can do internally to be happy and become enlightened, but, as we’ve learned, yoga isn’t just about focusing on one’s self. Krishna tells us to treat every living creature as we would treat ourselves. When I first read this I groaned a bit; is Krishna seriously gunna drop this cliché on me again? Then, I flipped back to the cosmic realization, the description of Krishna’s awful and terrible true self, and decided not to question the avatar of God.

“Cultivate vigor, patience, will, purity; avoid malice and pride. Then, Arjuna, you will achieve your divine destiny.”

I picked the third shloka  to share because it sums up the other two quite nicely, and then reminds us exactly why we are following these rules in the first place. Krishna tells Arjuna that if he obeys these commands, he will be able to “achieve [his] divine destiny.” After all, isn’t that what we’re here for?

Krishna as God/The Terrifying Destroyer of the Universe

I’ve really enjoyed reading The Bhagavad Gita over the past few weeks. The text is very accessible and the chapters are concise enough to read in one quick sitting. The Gita travels with me to work, lunch, errands, and occasionally even to friend’s houses.  Throughout my reading, and our thought provoking discussions of the text in class, I’ve come across many interesting ideas and topics, ranging from Love to Violence and from scripture to evolution. One particular aspect of The Bhagavad Gita that intrigued me was the cosmic vison that Krishna shows to Arjuna.

            The Gita’s depiction of God’s true form startled me, and captured my imagination long after my initial reading. Before I start to discuss the chapter, a brief report of the leading events may be necessary. Here it is: Sitting on a battlefield, in the middle of two opposing armies, an avatar of Vishnu is teaching Prince Arjuna the true nature of reality and of God. Having heard about the various paths to enlightenment, an explanation of terms, and the nature and power of God, Arjuna becomes free of delusion and proclaims his understanding of the divine. In Chapter 11 of The Bhagavad Gita, Arjuna asks Krishna to show his “immortal self.” Krishna, loving his friend and student, grants Arjuna “spiritual vision to perceive [His] majestic power.” Here, the scene breaks, and the reader is brought back to Sanjaya, the story’s framed narrator, who tells his selfish King about Arjuna’s cosmic vison.

            Krishna/Vishnu/God is revealed to Arjuna through a dazzling, terrifying, and awe-inspiring scene. Krishna is described as displaying “an infinite number of faces, ornamented by heavenly jewels, displaying unending miracles and the countless weapons of his power.” Arjuna is amazed. The Gita invokes imagery of miraculous sunrises, infinite bodily forms, celestial objects, and wise and ancient sages. The text involves a variety of images in an effort to convey the sublime nature of God through words, a truly impossible mission.

            Krishna, having been described, now speaks to Arjuna. His words seemed shocking and horrifying to me at first, but with closer inspection I soon realized their meaning and purpose in The Bhagavad Gita. Krishna says to Arjuna:

“I am time, the destroyer of all; I have come to consume the world. Even without your participation, all the warriors gathered here will die. Therefore arise, Arjuna; conquer your enemies and enjoy the glory of sovereignty.”

            After 10 chapters describing God’s loving and caring nature, and of Vishnu’s supporting role in the cosmos, Krishna scared the hell out of me with his sudden doom and gloom. Beyond my initial alarm, his call to action provoked me, and made me pay closer attention to the text. Throughout my studies of literature, I’ve learned that good writing always provokes a reaction from its reader. The Bhagavad Gita masterfully draws its audience in with its promise of divine understanding. Then, the text shocks you with its sudden intensity.

            Krishna’s words help to sew the philosophical and situational threads of The Bhagavad Gita into a more cohesive story. After all, Arjuna is a warrior and as we learned in the earlier chapters of The Gita, warriors (like all living things) have a dharma to uphold. Arjuna’s dharma is to slay his brother’s enemies on the battlefield. In his cosmic manifestation, Krishna scares Arjuna into action, and calls for the young Prince to be God’s tool in restoring balance to the world. The chapter also inspires readers to action. Arjuna represents all spiritual aspirants, and we can all look to him and his conversation with the divine for guidance in our own lives.

Krishna seems terrifying, but our dharma may often look that way. We are all faced with struggle: problems to be solved and battles to be fought. Obstacles are often hidden at first, but always have a way of revealing themselves in time. Krishna tells those who seek enlightenment to face their obstacles head-on, with an understanding of God’s power and of their duty to fulfill His plans.

Wisdom

The Bhagavad Gita in Chapter 7 discusses  Hindus ideas of "jnana" meaning spiritual wisdom and "vijnana" meaning, an intimate of practical familiarity with God. These terms exists in every religion, albeit under  different monikers and, I believe, every religion seeks to support their own idea of jnana through specialized practice. Catholics believe they know the true nature of God and worship accordingly. Christians, Muslims, Jews, Buddhists, and Hindus are all the same. All people have a glimpse of spiritual wisdom, but depending on circumstances, people find different ways to praise honor their deity.

Krishna says "when a person is devoted to something with complete faith, I unify in that."

I believe that God sees faith, regardless of the wrapping individuals place it in. God honors faith, because those with faith honor God, in whatever way they choose. I believe that God is bigger than any denomination or religion, and that God cares not for the Earthly labels we place on our faith. This passage from The Bhagavad Gita really stood out to me, and I cherish it as Truth in textual form.

Goodbye Advil

Aches and pains are as much a part of life as laughter and smiles. From the day we are born to the day we die, our bodies get sore and hurt and trouble us in manifold ways. Thankfully, in my current life as a College Student my body doesn't hurt as much as it did years ago when I was a High School Wrestler, or as much as it will in coming years when I'm an Arthritic Old Man, but I still have my days of discomfort.

Lately, I've been staying up late at my desk studying. After hours of unchanging posture, I often notice that my back is sore, or I have other random aches. I also write a lot, and tend to do so with a feverish flick and firm grip that always leaves my hand in pain. In the past, I would have taken a few Advil and tried to forget about it, and this method worked great! My aches would usually subside, often not to return, and I could continue on my day. However, now that I have Yoga, I've replaced this effective chemical method. 

Now when I start to feel sore or my body starts to ache, I break out my yoga mat and get to work. 

When my back hurt from sitting too much, I found some yoga postures really helped to ease the pain, and much more quickly than an Advil regime would have. Although I don't have a moral aversion or any other type of issue with OTC and other medicines, I do think that there is an almost calming aspect of healing the body in more organic ways. Yoga has become my go-to remedy for various minor hurts. 

Yoga Friends

My Yoga Class is wonderful, not only because it has taught me so much about Yoga and Yoga Philosophy, but also because it has given me a chance to get to know some truly beautiful people. My first day in class I knew only two other students, and only on a first name basis. Now, although I haven't spent time with them outside class or even talked to them for longer than a standard "class conversation," I feel that I know my classmates fairly well and I'm thankful. 

Yoga is a small class, like most in the BIC. It's also a class where the students are truly engaged and interested, like all in the BIC. My class mates and I probably chose this course for various reasons, but now, we are united in our pursuit of yoga knowledge. The relationships I've made so far in Yoga are unlike those I've made in other classes for two main reasons.

First, Yoga is a physical exercise, and demands more intense interaction with "class material" than other classes. In my Comparative Government class, we take notes, take quizzes, and take tests at the same time and this builds a certain bond. However, in my Yoga class, we discuss morality and mortality together. Synchronously, we stretch our bodies into poses we never thought possible. As one, we focus and control our breath. Yoga is a intimate act between the body and the Soul, but also between the individual practitioners in a class. My class mates have seen me sweat and hurt from trying the splits, they've witnessed my bare, smelly feet, and pressed my thighs downward to aid my practice. I certainly can't say the same of my fellow political scientists.

Yoga also reminds us of the sanctity and beauty of the Soul. Yoga teaches us that the Soul is prefect, undying, magnificent, and that the Soul's of every living thing are connected in the Atman. In this class, I'm forced to see my classmates not as competitors, or as study aids, but as sacred and beautiful individuals. I've found that I truly cherish the personalities and individualizes of every class mate, and I look forward to the time we spend together each week. Although I can't necessarily tell you anything about their personal lives or actions outside of class, I can vouch for the positive energy and happiness that they bring to those around them. 

The Bhagavad Gita: Krishna As God

Restorative Yoga

As a newcomer to the world of Yoga, I feel that my perspective of yoga is very narrow. I certainly understand the philosophical texts associated with the practice, but know very little about how yoga is practiced and viewed be the millions who practice yoga in America.

            In class on Tuesday, our instructor shared a type of yoga meant to relax and rejuvenate the body and mind and in doing so, helped to expand my understanding of American yoga. This particular practice took us through a sequence of poses mostly done on the back. With the help of a bolster, straps, and blankets, we performed various supine poses that expanded the chest and groin, aligned the spine and neck, and relaxed the entire body. These poses allowed me to focus on my breathing and shut out distractions more fully than I ever had before. When my torso was lifted by the bolster, my lungs and airways felt clear and capable. My mind was calm and focused.

            This sequence of restorative poses was an exciting new practice for me. I feel that Tuesday’s lesson showed me a glimpse of what yoga practice in studios throughout America might look like. In our modern culture, especially in modern fitness culture, people tend to isolate and specialize to a high degree. In the weight room, this is shown to be the norm, and probably for good reason. Lifters typically isolate a region of muscles to focus on in a single workout e.g. “today I’m working back and biceps” and “don’t skip leg day.” I’m assuming that this habit of separation extends into the yoga world, where instructors might lead their class in restorative poses one day, and core strengthening poses the next. This segmentation makes a lot of sense, especially in a world we’ve organized into rigid categories. Yoga sequences that isolate one type of pose or aim for a few, select benefits in particular show that yoga is a practice that can benefit everyone in many ways and can be adapted to an individual’s own needs.

            The acceptance of tools like bolsters, straps, blankets, and blocks also shows that yoga can be molded to fit any individual. Uses of these tools are often personalized so as to meet the individual’s specific situation. Yoga is truly a practice everyone can benefit from. 

The Dog's Most Recent Teaching

Remember my roommate’s Black Lab puppy? The dog who ate my favorite eye pillow? This semester living with Shiner and all the messes and all the puppy kisses she comes with has certainly been a mixed bag of blessings and curses. I’ve begun to think of Shiner as my own personal Karma dispenser, a powerful and terrible entity charged with dealing out my cosmic fortune one chewed belonging at a time. She’s certainly claimed many of my things, the eye pillow being only one of many.

            When she vanquished my eye pillow, Shiner led me away from detachment. She helped me along my yoga path in her own canine way. I was certainly thankful for her aid, and I soon adopted a mindset of acceptance whenever I noticed she had torn through another of my socks. Recently however, Shiner waged her quiet puppy war on an object so important, so valuable, that even my considerable skills of carelessness couldn’t assuage its loss: my new pair of glasses.

            My glasses are integral to my survival. Without them, not only am I blind, but I also feel that I lack the confidence and “me-ness” my spectacles seem to provide. Due to my optical difficulties and penchant for bold eyewear, I had chosen a pair of thick black-rimmed Ray Bans and wore them with pride. That is until Shiner decided to snack on them.

            I still feel sick when holding the mauled plastic carcass of my most valuable accessory. My parents just recently bought them as a replacement for a pair I had lost, and this will be no cheap fix. I will certainly be without clear vision (and impeccable style) for a while before they can be fixed or replaced, and even then, who knows how long they’ll last before Shiner gets them again?! I have been crippled by the loss of my glasses. I’d like to imagine that even Patanjali couldn’t expect me to practice detachment at a time like this, but I know I’d be in error. My glasses are not a part of my true Self. My eternal soul is not blemished by my lack of vision or by my negative thoughts and emotions associated with their loss.

            My glasses have been taken from me just as easily as they were given to me. Shiner has fulfilled her dharma of destruction, my psyche has been shaken, yet my Self remains perfect and undying and, of course, free from chew marks. 

Downward Facing Depressed.

When I first started doing yoga, the poses were difficult, but I soon felt that I had reached a point when I could do at least a few poses fairly well. I was wrong. Yoga is much harder, and takes MUCH more practice than I had previously thought and this realization brought with it a flood of negative gunas. 

From about week 3 to week 6, I had started seeing real improvement in my practice. I could finally get my heels down in Downward facing Dog, my Tree Pose was more steady, and I even felt more calm in Shivasana. This illusion of my apparent ability to perform poses I had just began to practice was ridiculous looking back, and I feel stupid for taking pride in my poses that were so close from perfect. looking at Iyengar's pictures and then analyzing my own posture, along with more closely watching my teacher in class, and YouTube yoga instructors, showed me that I still have a ton of work to do. 

At first, I was a bit upset. The progress I had seen was false and I became dejected and unmotivated to practice.  I think that leading discussion on Thursday, and having to engross myself in Patanjali in preparation for our discussion, helped to remind me what really matters, And it isn't prideful feelings about poses.

Yoga Evangelist

The first response I usually got when  I told my friends that I was taking a Yoga Philosophy class through the BIC was an almost freak-interest. I think they were shocked that the Honors College would provide a course like yoga, and shocked that their most nonathletic and uncoordinated pledge brother would sign up for a class like yoga. They quickly became used to seeing me and my mat either heading to class or after a practice at home, and they slowly began to show interest.

They started to ask about the poses, and wanted to look at the pictures in Light On Yoga. One day, my next door neighbor and good friend told me that he had bought a yoga mat online and wanted to do yoga with me! I was shocked, but excited. When his mat arrived he and I planned to do a practice and a little discussion of what I had been doing in class later that night.

I was a little anxious that I would look like a poser, but being the "nonathletic guy" of my friend group, Edmonds was a bit shocked that I could do some of the poses. We watched a few YouTube videos of pose instruction, and ended the practice with Shivasana and a discussion of the 8 Limbs of Yoga.

I was so happy that the practice went well, and Edmonds seemed to like doing yoga. It has certainly been really fun bringing these new ideas that yoga has shown me to my own friend group, and I hope that those I practice with begin to see yoga in a new light.

The Bhagavad Gita: Arjuna's Dilema

         I really enjoyed reading the Intro and first few chapters of The Bhagavad Gita this weekend. I found the text strangely reminiscent to The Illiad and a few other great texts I had read in the past, and had no time maneuvering the very clear translation.

          The first chapters of The Gita show Arjuna, a great prince and little brother of the rightful King, preparing to go to war against, “fathers and grandfathers, teachers, uncles, and brothers, sons and grandsons, in-laws and friends.” Arjuna is certainly in a tough dilemma. His brother should have inherited the throne from his uncle Dhiritarashthra, but the boy’s uncle, favoring his own son, disobeyed the King’s orders and refused to relinquish the throne to Yudhishthira. Arjuna now must choose to fight for what is right- his brother becoming king, against an army of his closest friends and family. Many scholars argue that this conflict established in the beginning of The Gita is a metaphor for Arjuna’s inner conflict, but either way, Arjuna must decide whether to stand up for what is right, even if it means going against all he knows and loves.

          I have had a similar conflict, although not of such epic proportions. When I had set my mind on Baylor, found an acceptable roommate, and attended Orientation, I was faced with a huge choice. Like many 18 year olds, I still had no idea what I wanted to choose for a career, but had to pick a major before I could become seriously invested in my university academics. I had studied all the options and knew my strengths, talents, and passions well enough, and I knew I wanted to be an English Major. However, my friends and some family tried to convince me of a more reasonable and direct route to a well-paying career. Most of my buddies were going to attend Business Schools and couldn’t understand why I would pick something with no clear career line after graduation. After having an internal conflict and after being mentored by my own Sri Krishna, my father, I decided to major in English and Political Science, and also to join the BIC. Although it may be too soon to tell, but I think I chose the right option. 

Yoga from the Inside Out

For my first Yoga memoir I chose to read about Christina Sell in her book, Yoga from the Inside Out. I really enjoyed the memoir. From the first chapter, aptly titled “War and Peace,” Sell shows remarkable openness with the reader while discussing her tragic past. The author narrates an early life of sexual abuse, abnormal self-consciousness, extreme physical exertion, as well as issues with bulimia and depression. Sell is candid and tells the story of her life with a detached acceptance. Later in the chapter, Sell tells about her emotional healing, breakthrough, and epiphany through yoga under the instruction of John Friend. Through Friend, Sell becomes more accepting of her body and engrossed in Tantric style yoga. Friend’s reinforcing teaching style and Tantric yoga combine to form Sell’s idea of “yoga from the inside out” and “accepting the body through yoga.”

Throughout the memoir, Sell’s deep understanding of yoga philosophy is revealed through her well explained descriptions of ideas like dharma, karma, samsara, and the atman. Sell’s memoir is rooted in Patanjali’s sutras, which is what one would hope to find from a yoga instructor and educator. Along with evidence of the sutras, a prevalent motif of body image and acceptance of one’s natural body. Early in the book, Sell explains her own issues with her body, her movement towards acceptance, and why others should learn to love their flaws and imperfections. She also diagnoses the root of many of society’s, and especially women’s problems as the unattainable preferences for beauty instilled in individuals by “The Sleeping World.”

One thing that really stuck out to me about the Yoga from the Inside Out was the chapter about body acceptance and the mention of Tantric yoga. Patanjali in his sutras does speak about using the body as a vehicle to gain enlightenment, but he also describes the need for practitioners to develop a segregation of body and self and a “distaste for one’s body.” Self, on the other hand, repeatedly remarks on the need to love one’s body and accept one’s physical form. This is far from the teaching of developing distaste as described in sutra II.40. As a beginning yogi, I was this deviation as an example of the versatility of the yoga practice. In class, we learned about how Patanjali describes many ways to enlightenment through yoga. The term yoga itself is broad enough in meaning to incorporate many different ways of practicing. Sell’s memoir maintains a close relationship with Patanjali’s first description of the practice, but makes changes where a modern American society needs changes to be made.

The way Christina Sell used yoga to overcome serious life challenges, along with the way Sell adapts the sutras to a modern audience, were really interesting. Her memoir was captivating, tragic, uplifting, inspiring, and reinforcing in one. I’m eagerly anticipating Ms. Sell’s visit to our yoga class later in the semester and I hope that she is able to sign my copy of Yoga from the Inside Out.

Namaste

     From the very first asana practice we did in class, I felt that the end, particularly the bow of gratitude, was one of the most calming aspects of the entire experience. After lying in Shavasana, meditating of how the asana practice changes the way I feel, a sense of calmness seems to settle over my entire body.

     These moments of tranquility are rare and valuable in my busy life, and I cherish them for allowing me to rest and forget about the daily stress and tedium that seems to come with life in Modern America.

     When my yoga teacher instructs us to bow, "here on the mat, in Waco Texas," I can release the tension that life builds on us all, and glimpse the serenity of my "True Splendor."

When you cant nap, Yoga

    We all reach a point in our day when we'd love to just sit down and take a second of rest to catch up on exactly what is happening in our lives, or maybe just catch up on some sleep. I often choose the latter option, but recently replaced these occasional naps with yoga time.
   When I substitute my nap for yoga, i feel more rested and alert for the rest of the day. I get a chance to consciously reflect on myself and how I feel, and that beats hitting the snooze button six times while laying in bed.
    After a 30 minute asana practice, I put my shoes back on, roll up my mat, and continue on with renewed vigor and energy, thankful that I don't have to deal with bed-head.

The Eight Fold Path

Today I will lead a class discussion of the Eight-Fold Path of Yoga. I found the reading to be really interesting, and decided to post the notes so that any of my readers, if I have any, can see exactly what we’ll talk about in class. In bold are the questions I have planned, although I'm sure many more will come up.

The yamas provide the ethical code for the yoga path. What are the yamas?

-Nonviolence, truthfulness, refrainment from stealing, celibacy, and renunciation of unnecessary possessions

-Nonviolence is more than a negative commandment, but also means to love. To kill is an insult to the creator.

            -violence is triggered by greed, anger, or delusion

-Not stealing also means that if you hoard things we don’t need, we are in the wrong.

            -freedom from craving

-Celibacy develops vitality, energy, a courageous mind, and a powerful intellect.

            -but do your part in society

- Not hoarding shows faith in God.

What should one do upon being harassed by negative thoughts? Why is this often difficult to do?

Radiate positive thoughts. Be happy and helpful to those who are being violent towards others. Hate the sin, but love the sinner.

What aspects of discipline does Patanjali describe?

-Purity of body. One develops distaste for gross physical body. Cleansing of impure thoughts. Purity of food- being vegetarian is ultimate way for yoga. Don’t eat too much. Purity of surroundings- need a clean place to do yoga.

-Santosa or contentment must be cultivated. Contentment and tranquility are states of mind.

-Tapas of motivation. Yogis must have a burning effort to reach enlightenment. Three types- body, speech, and mind.

-Svadhyaya or studying scripture. Self-education and studying divine scripture is very important to healthy, happy, peaceful lives.

-Dedication to the Lord.

What kind of environment does Patanjali say we need to practice Asana?

How should our asana postures look and feel?

            -Steady and comfortable

How can we make our postures steady and comfortable?

What comes after Asana Yoga? And why does this come after?

-Pranayama. It comes after because pranayama is a very powerful thing and if done poorly, can really cause damage.

What is Pranayama?

            -Control and extension of the breath. Three parts symbolize everything.

What is Pratyahara?

-Control over the senses. Occurs when senses do not interact with the world. Withdrawal

of the mind.

-Comes from the highest control of the senses.

What is Dharama?

            -Concentration of the mind one one single task.

            -AUM is something we concentrate on in yoga. Each letter represents everything ever.

            -Danger in a concentrated person becoming egotistical.

            -Niruddha is when the mind, intellect, and the ego are restrained so we can focus on God.

What is Dhyana?

-Meditation, or remaining in a state of consciousness that has no qualification whatsoever.

-You become light.

The yogi who can meditate well displays all of the signs of the progress of Yoga.

What is Samadhi?

            -Oneness with everything

            -Enlightenment

            -Awesome.

Am I Seriously Sore from Yoga??

Despite the calm, happy, feelings I often get after practicing yoga, the practice itself is sometimes far from “calm” or “happy.” As a novice yogi, many of the poses we do in class are difficult. Sometimes I lack the flexibility, or the strength, or the balance to perform a pose without serious effort. For example, the first few times I did Downward Facing Dog, my calves and quads hurt as the muscles struggles to stretch. I still have a hard time with Tree Pose, because I find the act of balancing on one foot enough without having to stretch my other leg up to my thigh. Even when we lie down at the end, I cannot always focus my mind on remaining calm enough to create a steady breath.

Yoga is hard. Even though I’m not running, or lifting weights, or tackling other men for the possession of a ball, my body strains and struggles to pull my leg behind my head, or stretch and contort my body in seemingly unnatural postures. Practice helps, as does further instruction, and helpful tools like bolsters and straps; at the end of the day though, perfecting and refining the poses to be more like my teacher’s or Iyengar’s requires the same exertion and effort I’m used to exhibiting in organized sports or the gym. What a strange practice is yoga, that can strengthen the body and the mind so deliberately at the same time. 

The Dog Ate My Attachment

     I vividly remember the first day of yoga class, and I should, since it was only a few weeks ago. At the end of class, after we had done “the lying down pose,” our instructor told us that we would be receiving eye pillows to help us relax in practice. I was eagerly anticipating their arrival date, and when they finally came I was ecstatic. I was given a richly colored, burgundy eye pillow that smelled like lavender and the essence of relaxation. The very small beads or seeds or kernels inside were enclosed in a slightly stretchy, and very smooth, fabric. Needless to say, I became very attached to my wonderful eye pillow, and used it often before dozing off for the night (Shamefully though, I must admit, because I always felt it had a sacred and reserved use for yoga only). Some may say that my eye pillow and I were inseparable, and they would be right. My eye pillow was always within reach, or at least in a spot on my desk that I once believed was safe.

     One day, after I came home from class and began to work on homework, my roommate’s black lab puppy came to visit me in my room. While I was absorbed in my work, the dog stole my beloved eye pillow and began to chow down. By the time I realized what nefarious deeds took place behind my back, the pillow was utterly destroyed. The pup had chewed through the soft and delicate fabric to access the sweetly scented beads beneath. I was devastated.

     However hurtful this feeling may be, I took it as a lesson. I had become very attached to my eye pillow and that had become a problem. I had started to rush through my poses in anticipation of  my eye pillow time. The attachment I held for the eye pillow I was given had become detrimental to my practice of yoga. Now my eye pillow is gone, as is my attachment for the object of comfort, and I am better for it. The eye pillow was a nice luxury, but pleasure is fleeting, and now I practice every pose with the focus I once paid to the pillow.

Suffering in Yoga

In the beginning of his second group of sutras, Patanjali tells us about the five impediments to yoga, karma, and the nature of suffering. While all of these topics were interesting, I found that Patanjali’s description and diagnoses on the cause of suffering really piqued my interest. Patanjali says that ignorance and the Ego are the root causes of suffering. Ignorance causes suffering because it causes us to confound the nature of our beautiful and perfect souls with the nature of our temporary, unclean, and painful bodies. When we are ignorant, we believe that what is happening in the world and in our lives is truly important. In ignorance, we forget the beautiful, unchanging nature of our soul and become absorbed in the world. Ego, then, is the aspect of ignorance which mistakes the mind for the true self. Patanjali places great importance on realizing the true self, and the Ego prevents yogis and yoginis from doing just that.

And just where does Patanjali say we experience suffering? Everywhere.

Patanjali says that everything in life is suffering, and this suffering takes place in four ways. The first is suffering caused by our actions, the second is suffering by pain itself, the third is suffering by the samskaras, and lastly, suffering is brought about by the turmoil of the vrttis. Basically, if we aren’t suffering in one way, the other three options probably remain open. Suffering is perhaps the most essential aspect of life on earth, and even when you think you are happy, Patanjali would argue you are still suffering in some way or another.

While receiving all this knowledge about my suffering, I became very thankful that I was also given yoga to help relieve it.

"Otherwise, at other times, [the seer] is absorbed in PoliSci"

As I sat at my desk, almost frantically finishing a Political Science report, all I wanted to do was yoga. The uncontrollable urge to break into a Tree Pose doesn’t strike me often, but in this particular moment, I was all but powerless to resist. I completed the bare minimum required to finish the assignment and broke out my yoga mat.

            I began my Mountain Pose, the first in my practice sequence, and suddenly realized that I had made a mistake in speeding through my other classwork. My brief foray into the world of yoga has shown me the light! My mistake wasn’t in being excited for yoga, that excitement should be cherished. The mistake was in the careless and rushed manner with which I wrote the report.

            Standing on the mat with my quads squeezing up and toes stretched out, I realized that the themes of mindfulness, patience, and serenity belonged in my everyday life as well as my yoga practice. Instead of rushing through the work I had to do, I should have stilled my mind and body the same way I try to do while performing my poses. Patanjali may have diagnosed my issue as the result of overpowering rajas, and it was also Patanjali’s teaching that helped to cure me.

            After a long and particularly difficult practice, I sat back down to complete the report, this time with Sattvic energy and a better understanding of the nature of the gunas.

Patanjali says practice

“Long, interrupted, alert practice is the firm foundation for restraining the fluxuations” says Patanjali, and my numerous other coaches from the past (but not always in such a wise and well-chosen words). We’ve all heard it: “practice makes perfect- no, perfect practice makes perfect” and now we must be told by an ancient sage too?! If I’ve learned anything through the philosophical discussion portion of class, it’s that Patanjali is pretty much always right when it comes to yoga, and so I came to the conclusion not to overlook sutra I.14 as cliché.

It turns out that the type of practice that Patanjali is talking about is much more specific than the simple repetition of an action, because he’s talking about the actual physical practice of performing yoga poses. This context brings us back to the deeper ideas that yoga rests on, that we perform the poses to still the mind. This particular sutra expounds further into how the calming of the mind occurs and, in a way, links the actual practice of yoga poses to the ideas Patanjali has been discussing.

To me, sutra I.12 means that when I practice my poses, I must truly focus on the actual pose, rather than how others look doing it, or how the room feels, or whether or not it’s almost time to rest. Patanjali tells me that the only way to reap the rewards of yoga is to pay attention to the pose while I perform, which brings us back to my less eloquent coaches of the past. All my soccer, wrestling, swimming, and football coaches told me to practice often. They emphasized practice above all else, but didn’t always specify how crucial the mindfulness of the practice is to achieving results. Although I should “practice, practice, practice” my yoga poses, I must also remember Patanjali’s advice to practice in a meaningful and focused way.

            

From "zzzz" to "ohmm"

I have a three and a half hour break between my first class on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and yoga class. Although I would like to say I spend this time studying, or reading, or bettering myself in some way, I usually just take a long nap. I try to put about forty five minutes between nap time and class time, but even with that amount of time I often arrive at class feeling a bit drowsy or lazy or tired.

            Yoga in class always seems to wake me up and forces me to become more awake. During the practice itself I’m too focused on trying to form the poses to worry about getting back to bed, and afterwards I typically feel energized and refreshed. Tuesday and Thursday afternoons have become my most productive time of the week because, after yoga, I feel alert and focused enough to work on the tasks that seemed too boring or menial just hours before.

            The uplifting energy that yoga gives me through practice is a huge benefit that I’ve noticed from my yoga practice in class. 

More "Ouch" Than "Ohmm"

Everyone that practices yoga will tell you that the poses relieve stress, ease pain, and improve flexibility, but no one seems to warn Novice Yogis that yoga sometimes hurts. Occasionally in class, we'll stumble upon a pose that forces me to move my body in ways my body has never moved.

The Downward Facing Dog pose is one good example. In this pose, my quadriceps and calf muscles are being stretched long and thin so that the backs of my heels may touch the ground. At first, when we tried this pose in class, this stretching caused some pain. It still does in fact.  However, I have noticed that the more I practice stretching my heels all the way to the floor, the less the pose hurts when I perform it next.

Yoga Practice in class is often difficult and occasionally painful, but I've found that the positive effects of the practice are more prevalent after a difficult session with the class.

At Least Its An Easy Read...

How Yoga Works isn't going to win a Pulitzer Prize, but it could teach a Yoga Novice like me what yoga really is all about. It turns out, yoga isn't Buddhist, as my first blog post inferred, and it's a lot more than just a hipster exercise. 

How Yoga Works treats yoga like The Force. Yoga has the power to cure pain, ease stress, unclog bureaucracy, and inspire compassion. The novel switches between a story of a detained Nepalese girl teaching the practice of yoga to her guard, and an explanation of yoga philosophy (Inner winds and channels), and how to practice the poses.The narrator explains yoga simply enough, but the awkward story line and clumsy language keep me from "abiding in the true nature" of what the novel has to teach. 

Despite literary criticisms, How Yoga Works is crystal clear in yoga philosophy and practice instruction. The explanation of how breathing provided in the book has helped me to perfect one important aspect of my practice. The propagandist says, "The breath should always be in motion,deep motion- all the air being exchanged, in and out" (Roach 73), and so I practice. 

I'm thankful for How Yoga Works, and I find myself smiling at both the awkward story and the lessons learned. 

Practice Makes Poses

When I unroll my mat at home, with my bedroom door closed and feet bare, I get to work through the poses I've learned in the past two weeks at my own pace. I'm truly amazed at how easy it is to learn and remember the poses we've been taught. I find myself repeating the words and phrases that I hear in class verbatim as I stretch into Downward-Facing Dog or a Warrior Pose.

On the first day of class, even Mountain Pose felt strange and almost uncomfortable. Slowly, through practice and repetition at home, Mountain Pose has begun to feel natural and almost relieving. At first, the Tree Pose was extremely difficult, and now.... well... I still wobble and sway like I did before, but my moments of steady calmness are longer and closer to the way Iyengar looks in Light On Yoga.

One thing I can count on when practicing yoga at home, is a relaxed body, clear mind, and positive outlook upon completion. After home practice I feel ready to conquer the world, but I'd have to put some shoes on first.

“Yoga is the stilling of the changing states of mind.”

So, as you can tell, I have officially begun my initiation into the world of yoga, and what better way to start than with a definition of yoga itself?

Pantanjali is widely credited as the inventor of yoga, and his sutras serve as guidance for those aiming to better themselves. This particular sutra stuck out to me, not only because it finally answered my burning question of “what is Yoga?”, but also because I can see why one would need to rest their weary and often overworked brain.  In Pantanjali’s life, and in ours as well, we are assaulted by sensory information. Every minute of every hour, we are hearing, seeing, and feeling things that affect our peace of mind. If you are like me, this overload of sensory information can be chaotic, and leave one feeling confused, without guidance, and agitated.

Luckily, Pantanjali tells us that through the contortions and movements of Yoga, busy people can calm the mind and lets “the seer abide in its own true nature.” Yoga, he explains, allows us to release the rajas and tamas in order to focus on the cittas.

Pantanjali has certainly sparked my curiosity in Indian Philosophy, and given me a very basic understanding of what it means to practice yoga.

Ohmm... Here we go!

       Welcome fellow bloggers and BICers to my blog! My name is Evan and I am a junior in the Interdisciplinary Core at Baylor. This semester, I will begin my Yoga and Philosophy journey and will post my thoughts, reactions, and transcendental realizations right here!
First, I feel obliged to tell you all that I have very little prior yoga experience, in fact, I have none. Throughout my life thus far, I’ve understood yoga as either a form of Buddhist prayer (stupid, I know) or as a workout that vegans, West Coasters, and hipsters practiced with obvious zeal. Despite my obvious ignorance, or perhaps because of it, yoga and eastern philosophy have always piqued my interest. When I saw that the BIC was offering this course, I jumped on the prospect of learning more about this seemingly foreign practice.
I enrolled in this course for a multitude of reasons, but mostly so that I wouldn’t be left behind as millions of other Americans who seem to have health, wellness, and mindfulness on their radar flock to yoga. I want to discover firsthand the benefits that health professionals and trainers attribute to the practice of yoga. Other than a multitude of sweet new yoga poses to show my friends and Instagram followers, I want to feel the relaxation, calmness, and enhanced mindfulness that yoga creates.
I hope you feel free to follow me on my journey as I become a more flexible and hopefully more enlightened person!