Sutra I, 4.

I, 4. vritti sarupyam itaratra- At other times the seer identifies with the fluctuations of
consciousness. -Iyengar (tr.)

Now this one I can relate to through direct experience! Whenever I allow myself to identify with my "labels", i.e., yoga teacher, personal trainer, girlfriend, daughter, etc., my current emotional state (I am happy, I am depressed, I am nervous...) and/or my current situation or sense of self-worth, then I am obviously not in conscious contact with my true nature, which is essentially changeless and pure. All of these identifications are an illusion imposed upon me by the bombardment of what I perceive as reality through the filters of my manomaya kosa, my mental sheath. We discussed the kosas in detail in the first pod cast and the manomaya kosa in particular in the second. Basically, I allow my memories and past impressions, my sense of self (small"s") at that particular moment and the way I choose to integrate and relate to that information to mold my self image and inform my actions. Because this is a conditioned behavior, it is very difficult to transcend, and, of course, that is what the study of Yoga, citta (consciousness, and this work I have undertaken is all about.

Sutra I, 3.

tada drastuh svarupe avasthanam- Then the seer dwells in his own true splendor. -Iyengar (tr.)

This one is difficult to comment on with any qualification, simply because it is so closely related to the end result of the process, and I have yet so far to go. The closest experience I could hope to identify with this state is perhaps when I am feeling those moments (however fleeting) of being in the "flow", in synch with the Universe and it's intention for me. It's also those times when I feel from my heart that things are right, without any doubt or misgivings whatsoever. When I have a sense of "lightness of being", tranquility and peace. There is an absence of extremes, no turbulence caused by negative emotion, exhilaration of passion or delirium of happiness. All is just simply calm, resting in sauca, santosha, and svadhyaya- purity, contentment and Self-knowledge.

Simply put, The Soul is in the driver's seat!

Our next meeting, March 12

Hello Everyone!
Our next podcast and meeting will be on Saturday March 12 from 1:00 to 2:30 p.m.
We will be back in the Fireside Lounge at the Centennial Tower Apartments 2515
4th Ave 2nd Floor. Please listen to the previous podcasts to catch up on the
material we will be covering and try to obtain a copy of the Yoga Sutras for
study. Any translation will do, but we have found the translations by B.K.S.
Iyengar and Swami Satchidananda to be most helpful in their commentaries and
also the simple translation without commentary by Alistair Shearer to be to the
point.
I am participating in a workshop on Sunday, so we have to meet one day earlier
to have the podcast out in timely fashion.
Thanks for understanding and we hope to see you all there!
Namaste!
Xanna

Sutra I, 2.

yogah cittavritti nirodah- Yoga is the cessation of movements in the consciousness. -Iyengar (tr.)

I have also heard the translation, "Yoga stills the fluctuations of the mind-currents."
As mentioned in the pod cast, my thoughts can be like a whirlpool, constantly swirling about and sucking me in until I can no longer distinguish between what is real and what is only as I imagine it to be. The true practice of the art of yoga, which is to study and come to know the unique twists, turns and bent of my mind, allows me the space to reflect upon what I have learned about myself, my conditioned responses and perceptions and my history of impulses and reactions. This awareness gives me the power to choose to act intelligently in response to stimuli instead of reacting. Each time I consciously and intentionally use this knowledge I come closer to truly operating with my intuition and from a place of wisdom- what I call my "wise mind".

Sutra I, 1.

atha yoganushasanam- with prayers for Divine blessings, now begins an exposition of the sacred
art of Yoga. -translation B.K.S Iyengar

I really love this Sutra in particular. It sets the tone for the entire work and really allows me to sense exactly what it is I'm getting myself into.
Not only am I about to embark on a journey of gathering knowledge, but I am forewarned that this will be an exploration by experience and integration of that knowledge into my being. Furthermore, it is with a sense of solemnity and reverent demeanor that I should approach this endeavor, because I am attempting nothing less than to unite my consciousness with my Self through Divine grace.

At this time in my life I feel I am truly embarking upon the "full Yogic experience". My days are devoted to learning about and associating everything to the Yogic perspective. Mindfulness is the order of the day, every day. Awareness of my actions and their ramifications is a top priority.
Of course there are many times that I lapse into forgetfulness, or begin to allow myself to get lazy, but that voice of reason always pulls me back to the path and I simply pull myself up by the bootstraps and forge ahead.
This work is so important to me. I have been given a rare and precious opportunity. I have both the will and the wherewithal to follow this practice and create from it my life's work. I mean to honor this by applying myself wholly to the undertaking, for in this endeavor I know the benefits will equal the effort I invest.

Our next meeting, Februry 27

Hello Everyone!
I'm happy to say that we are still in full swing and the meetings are going on bi-monthly as planned. There is one slight change to our routine in that our meeting place will be different on the 27th of February. Due to a conflicting event scheduled in the Centennial's Fireside Lounge, we will be meeting instead at:
Bedlam Coffee
2231 2nd Ave
Downtown Seattle
2nd and Bell
They have a very quiet private meeting room that we have reserved. We will be meeting as usual from 6-7:30 p.m. on Sunday February 27.

We found that the first pod cast ran a bit too long, so we plan to record the next meeting in two segments. During the first segment we will discuss our experiences pertinent to the topic of the first pod cast (Sutras 1 & 2), so please give a listen or read the first two on your own and just be aware of any pertinent insights throughout the week to share with the group.
In the second segment we will introduce and discuss Sutras 3 & 4 and then as the next two weeks pass we will all again gather insights and experiences relating to them to bring back and share with one another. We will air the first segment immediately and the second the next weekend, giving us two meetings and four pod casts each month.

We believe this format will allow us all time to actually live and implement the topics of discussion, rather than making this a purely intellectual pursuit.

Again, the pod cast can be found at www.wayoftheyogi.podbean.com

Namaste,
Xanna

February 13, 2011

Last nights meeting was a bit more intimate than last, with a smaller group.  We discussed the Koshas, the Gunas, and the first 2 sutras.  Xanna illustrated some very esoteric topics in an easy-to-understand format.  Overall, an insightful meeting with a lot of interesting thoughts.


Please check out the podcast HERE.


Namaste.