Sunday, January 31, 2010

whats your practice?

Sutra 2.28 “Practice and enquiry into different components of yoga gradually reduce obstacles such as misapprehension (kap.2.3) Then, the lamp of perception brightens and the distinction between what perceives and what is perceived becomes increasingly evident. Now everything can be understood without error.” This is the “what can be done” sutra. At first I think that I am clear on “what perceives what the means of perception is and what is perceived”. But than statements like “you are not your feelings (I am in love/I am angry)” or “you are not a human doing, but a human being (I am a writer/I am an actor)” and “you are not your opinions (I am a conservative/I am right-haha)” well these statements started rocking my boat. And when I see that they are bound to the changing human condition it becomes apparent I am not… so many different things I thought I was. And my need to distinguish between the perceiver in me and my tools of perception and what is perceived becomes apparent! Then this sutra answers what to do. Practice! Enquiry! Into yoga.
Thanks. I will.
This is what I do: I write to you, one sutra a week, I enquiry into what yoga can clarify for me. I apply this into my everyday and I share it with others. I have a practice physically, even though it has been tiny in January, it is mostly an everyday practice of asanas, pranayama and meditation and contemplation. In my everyday I also have a practice of self examination it is pure yoga it brings perspective, proportions and continuous awareness. And I recognize my truth in this sutra – practice and enquiry works. How pertinent that I should read this sutra just today when I get moved into new lands of daily practice. This is it for now!
Love Namasté
Happy “world yoga day” who ever came up with that idea :-)
Jenni Saunte

7 comments:

Kitty said...

Jenni, you are brilliant! "You are not your thoughts/feelings" is the crux of my practice. If people could just grasp this, impulse control would cease to be a problem.

Jenni said...

hi Kitty :) How are you? and what are your daily practice.. I forgot one important - a cup of coffe while still in bed - not especially yogini of me - I guess it should be hot lemon water - but I enjoy that moment and maybe that's more important than what the stimuli is to the senses? good day..

Kitty said...

doin' good in the hood. thanks for asking - you? my practice involves lots of spontaneous sitting meditation, studying dharma, a little vinyasa and yin yoga as needed. right now i am really concentrating on pranayama, though i don't teach it in class other than ujjai breath and alternate nostril breathing. i don't want any shattered nervous systems in my classes, and i don't feel qualified to teach the more advanced techniques (though i do them). oh, yes, and lots and lots of coffee. i don't drink wine, so i justify my consumption with my need for antioxidants! xo your kitty!

Jenni said...

Hi Kitty - remember you talk to a naive Scandinavian :-) when you say hood, I immediately picture you in a spike lee movie or something like that.. precious ... Thank you for this sentence "my practice involves lots of spontaneous" I often rule out all the spontaneous actions I do - like I have an inner hierarchy, and to get to the "level of practice" It has to have the qualities of regular, persevere and on-going. I can tell that spontaneity in my life have all these qualities, it unfolds itself on a regular basis, and it breaks down all my efforts to control and schedule and is one of the most on-going forces of my nature :-)

Kitty said...

Hi Jenni, I saw your comment as soon as I rolled over, turned off the alarm, moved my puppies over and checked my phone. You made me laugh first thing in the morning: no easy feat, so thanks for that. I live in the polar opposite of Spike's "hood," but I grew up between Chicago and Gary, Indiana in the hood and at my core, I still identify with that culture. Plus, I listen to gansta rap whenever I'm down - which is the reality of life right now! I just know that the minute I start feeling icky, stressed, compressed or anxious it's time to stop whatever I am doing and invert myself. Angry and wrathful? Time to go sit and breathe by the shrine. Contracting too much into my body? Time for some chest-openers. Slothful? 3 sun salutes. That sort of thing. Hope you have a great day! Love kitty
PS have you ever seen my yoga website? the link is www.innerspaceyogas.com

Jenni said...

Hi Kitty
Is that you on your icon-pic? I've tried to chek out your blog-adress, and it seem to be a well put together site - but is it you that write it all? or do online-shops write some of the adds? I lack a word for "faneblade" but hey - lets try anyway, on which "faneblad" is your blog? local? or ...learn? Is that you writing in "learn"? Sorry I'm confused, your blog just seems so proffessional, compared to this home-made full of lumps- blog blob :-) love jenni

Kitty said...

No kitten, that's not my picture on the kitty blogs. when i started the organic orgy blog, i thought the stock photo of the girl with the perfume was perfect for my icon, but alas i am a brunette. as for my yoga website, yes I do all the work on my trusty mac! i used to be a journalist among other things. i own that domain. i will email you a real picture so you know who your friend really is. thanks for checking out my site. feel free to add your insight any time, and if you would like to post some stuff i would love to publish it. xoxoxo kitty