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".
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Monday, February 21, 2011
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.
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.
Saturday, February 19, 2011
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
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
Monday, February 14, 2011
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.
Please check out the podcast HERE.
Namaste.
Friday, February 11, 2011
We are ready to pod cast!
I feel so fortunate to be a part of this community of like minded sadhakas (seekers). Our first live gathering was an inspiration and we are set to do it again this Sunday, February 13. The discussion we had last time was so meaningful, and my recording device was so faulty, that we have decided to "go high tech" and create a pod cast using podbean.com, where you'll also be able to find our new website, www.wayoftheyogi.podbean.com .
In our next meeting, I would like to pick up where we left off last time, with the question, "what is yoga?" The answers I heard ranged from "stretching" to "union of body, mind, heart and spirit". I think I'd like to hear something a bit more subjective, so I'll rephrase the question, "what is yoga to you?"
For instance, in my life, yoga helps me to stay centered, focused on what is important in the moment. It reminds me to stay mindful and not to react to situations, especially when I don't have all the facts at my disposal. The daily practice of asana (postures) and meditation allows me to check in with myself, see where I'm at before I go into my day and approach my tasks from a balanced perspective, without getting overwhelmed. There are benefits that are too numerous to mention in one post, but as time goes by be sure I'll be mentioning them as they apply and as I apply them.
I am grateful to have found this path and to be able to make my avocation my vocation. And I am especially grateful to be able to share it with others.
Aum shanti, Namaste
In our next meeting, I would like to pick up where we left off last time, with the question, "what is yoga?" The answers I heard ranged from "stretching" to "union of body, mind, heart and spirit". I think I'd like to hear something a bit more subjective, so I'll rephrase the question, "what is yoga to you?"
For instance, in my life, yoga helps me to stay centered, focused on what is important in the moment. It reminds me to stay mindful and not to react to situations, especially when I don't have all the facts at my disposal. The daily practice of asana (postures) and meditation allows me to check in with myself, see where I'm at before I go into my day and approach my tasks from a balanced perspective, without getting overwhelmed. There are benefits that are too numerous to mention in one post, but as time goes by be sure I'll be mentioning them as they apply and as I apply them.
I am grateful to have found this path and to be able to make my avocation my vocation. And I am especially grateful to be able to share it with others.
Aum shanti, Namaste
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Next Discussion Group Meeting
Hello, All!
Our next meeting is scheduled for February 13, 2011. We will meet at:
Centennial Tower
Fireside Lounge
2515 4th Avenue
Seattle, WA 98121
6:00pm - 7:30pm
We will be discussing the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, Verses 1-22.
If you have any questions, please email us at
We look forward to seeing you!
Namaste.
Namaste.
Friday, February 4, 2011
We are beginning our study of the philosophies with Patanjali's Yoga Sutras. Any translation/commentary is fine, the diversity of interpretations can only add depth and dimension to our shared experience.
Our first meeting, which was Sunday, January 30th at the Centennial Tower in Seattle, was an inspiring and thought-provoking experience. Below, please find a sampling of what we discussed, along with more thought-provoking words.
"Why are you here, what brings us together, what are we searching for?"
Some answers:
"To discuss our practice."
"To learn more about the postures, their energies and benefits."
"Searching for the Self/ a Path."
"To go deeper in to the philosophies."
"To make connections on every level."
"To put faces to the names online."
"On this path, effort never goes to waste, and there is no failure. Even a little effort toward spiritual awareness will protect you from the greatest fear. [my comment: fear of death?]
-Sri Krisna (Bhagavad Gita)
The smallest effort is not lost,
Each wavelet on the ocean tost
Aids in the ebb-tide or the flow;
Each rain-drop makes some floweret blow;
Each struggle lessens human woe.
-Charles Mackay
On the spiritual path, no effort goes to waste. Even if we meditate only 30 minutes ( Debra says, "only 30 minutes?!!!) every morning, and try to practice the allied spiritual disciplines to a small extent during the day, this can go a long way toward guarding us against many dangers, known and unknown. To be truly secure, we must begin to find a source of security within ourselves.
We must make every effort to move forward even if it is little by little, even if every day we keep making mistakes. Sometimes we are so insensitive and preoccupied with ourselves that when we try to put others first we simply are not aware of their needs. Our mistakes begin to haunt us; but rather than sitting in a corner and crying over the day's errors, or developing a guilt complex (at some point during our meeting it was mentioned that guilt is the lowest form of energy- good point!), we should repeat the mantram and make sure we do not repeat the same mistakes the next day. -Words to Live By; Eknath Easwaran
Inquiry: To be truly secure, we must begin to find a source of security within ourselves.
How can we utilize the Sutras as a way to look inward for security and contentment?
(I would answer, by putting them in to practice, taking action!)
What is the difference in having an outward sense of security and an inward sense of security?
(For my thoughts on this, see my face book notes for today 2/1)
Debra remarked afterward that part of building our spiritual practice is to look within for strength, rather than searching for it externally, which always proves unreliable.
(My note: everything in the world, of the world, is in a constant state of flux, nothing outside of the 'still center within' can withstand change, so that center is our only reliable source of security.)
What are your thoughts on this?
I then asked for clarification: "What is security?"
Some answers:
"Support in times of hardship."
"Equanimity- immunity to life's ups and downs."
"Self confidence."
"To be grounded/ have discipline."
"To be detached."
"To find the quiet space within."
I then read a quote by B.K.S. Iyengar, from his book "Light on Life":
"To a Yogi, freedom implies not being battered by the dualities of life, its ups and downs, its pleasures and its suffering. It implies equanimity and ultimately that there is an inner core of one's being that is never out of touch with the unchanging, eternal infinite."
Our first meeting, which was Sunday, January 30th at the Centennial Tower in Seattle, was an inspiring and thought-provoking experience. Below, please find a sampling of what we discussed, along with more thought-provoking words.
"Why are you here, what brings us together, what are we searching for?"
Some answers:
"To discuss our practice."
"To learn more about the postures, their energies and benefits."
"Searching for the Self/ a Path."
"To go deeper in to the philosophies."
"To make connections on every level."
"To put faces to the names online."
"On this path, effort never goes to waste, and there is no failure. Even a little effort toward spiritual awareness will protect you from the greatest fear. [my comment: fear of death?]
-Sri Krisna (Bhagavad Gita)
The smallest effort is not lost,
Each wavelet on the ocean tost
Aids in the ebb-tide or the flow;
Each rain-drop makes some floweret blow;
Each struggle lessens human woe.
-Charles Mackay
On the spiritual path, no effort goes to waste. Even if we meditate only 30 minutes ( Debra says, "only 30 minutes?!!!) every morning, and try to practice the allied spiritual disciplines to a small extent during the day, this can go a long way toward guarding us against many dangers, known and unknown. To be truly secure, we must begin to find a source of security within ourselves.
We must make every effort to move forward even if it is little by little, even if every day we keep making mistakes. Sometimes we are so insensitive and preoccupied with ourselves that when we try to put others first we simply are not aware of their needs. Our mistakes begin to haunt us; but rather than sitting in a corner and crying over the day's errors, or developing a guilt complex (at some point during our meeting it was mentioned that guilt is the lowest form of energy- good point!), we should repeat the mantram and make sure we do not repeat the same mistakes the next day. -Words to Live By; Eknath Easwaran
Inquiry: To be truly secure, we must begin to find a source of security within ourselves.
How can we utilize the Sutras as a way to look inward for security and contentment?
(I would answer, by putting them in to practice, taking action!)
What is the difference in having an outward sense of security and an inward sense of security?
(For my thoughts on this, see my face book notes for today 2/1)
Debra remarked afterward that part of building our spiritual practice is to look within for strength, rather than searching for it externally, which always proves unreliable.
(My note: everything in the world, of the world, is in a constant state of flux, nothing outside of the 'still center within' can withstand change, so that center is our only reliable source of security.)
What are your thoughts on this?
I then asked for clarification: "What is security?"
Some answers:
"Support in times of hardship."
"Equanimity- immunity to life's ups and downs."
"Self confidence."
"To be grounded/ have discipline."
"To be detached."
"To find the quiet space within."
I then read a quote by B.K.S. Iyengar, from his book "Light on Life":
"To a Yogi, freedom implies not being battered by the dualities of life, its ups and downs, its pleasures and its suffering. It implies equanimity and ultimately that there is an inner core of one's being that is never out of touch with the unchanging, eternal infinite."
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