Sutra 2.31 “When the adoption of these attitudes to our environment is beyond compromise, regardless of our social, cultural, intellectual or individual station, it approaches irreversibility.” (Desikachar translations) The “attitudes” are the ones from sutra 2.30.
Yoga, or to me – reality is beyond the stories that builds the social, the cultural, the intellectual and the individual. This sutra makes me search for something – maybe not deeper – and maybe not search :-) – but leads me into an awakening into an authenticity beyond my wildest dreams and thoughts. Maybe a wordless truth… whereas the stories (just mentioned) are so full of words. I once took a great class with a teacher who lead us into a meditation which stripped us from being “academic”, “mother/daughter”, “”smart/stupid”, “fun”, “interesting”, “good looking/travelled/successful” and left was… – well I’m not gonna tell you :-) you have to give it a try – it really is amazing!!!
Desikachar writes about not adopting them abruptly, but through practice and self-examination give room for a maintaining process of the yamas. Iyengar tells me that the yamas are the vows of the yoga practitioner, which are unconditional and ought to be practiced by every yoga student.
To go for the wordless and for the unconditional, that doesn’t depend on time, place or situation -is my inspiration for the class and my week.
Love
Jenni Saunte
(I’ve been looking into the next sutra – and I look forward to that as well (the niyamas))
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Saturday, February 20, 2010
given to me through continuous practice
sutra 2.30
"Yama comprises: 1. Consideration towards all living beings, especially those who are innocent, in difficulty, or worse off than we are.
2. Right communication through speech, writing, gesture and actions.
3. Noncovetousness or the ability to resist a desire for that which does not belong to us.
4. Moderation in all our actions.
5. Absence of greed the ability to accept only what is appropriate." (Desikachar translation)
wow! Ok… my first reaction is - There is no way I can do this!! But than I'm relieved, "I" don't have to do this, this is given to me through continuous practice. "It's not about getting it and to be done with it - it (yoga) is a process... more will be revealed". Or as Desikachar writes "we strive for them… how we behave towards others and our environment reveals our state of mind".
I can relate to "consideration towards all living beings" in my everyday. When I'm in contact of how we all are connected and in my position of “I get to have a work”, I can see consideration take form. In my work I get to serve as a teacher, project manager or as a librarian. Sometime my consideration looks like "leave me out of the equation", stay in bed, and don’t met the world today. But I love to say "how can I help you?" or "If there are any questions or wishes - please come forward".
Considering "right communication" hits me especially when I write to the net, or the blog. How to communicate when the receivers eye and heart is not "there" in skin and blood (oh how dramatic) but only unified with me in mind and action. It gets very real. As honest as can be - is my guideline here.
To not be greedy, is as close as I can understand "noncovetousness", so where does this vibrate today? Well I can be greedy on making appointments, I really want to do it all and right now! To resist this desire I need help :-) yogapractice, listening to you and awareness is help!! I get to know my truth and the authentic possibility for engaging in projects. Oh, but now I can tell that not being greedy is the number four, so this one is more of not stealing? Ok, I've got to figure that word out… I'll be back on that.
Moderation in all our actions, reminds me of how I used to try to fix me a daily practice - and I figured out loong advanced schedules for training the body, and I lasted - at the most - a week, often I never got to the actual training, just kept on planning how much I was going to be faithful to my workout or practice tomorrow :-) Today, moderation vibrates on the "ambition-chord". Again "I" can't do it, but reality seems to be pretty good at making moderation happen, in one way or another :-)
Absences of greed - well I've already written about that subject.
Again, my plan is to just deliver this sutra in class – and check in during my week, to se how it unfolds in my day.
Namasté
Jenni Saunte
"Yama comprises: 1. Consideration towards all living beings, especially those who are innocent, in difficulty, or worse off than we are.
2. Right communication through speech, writing, gesture and actions.
3. Noncovetousness or the ability to resist a desire for that which does not belong to us.
4. Moderation in all our actions.
5. Absence of greed the ability to accept only what is appropriate." (Desikachar translation)
wow! Ok… my first reaction is - There is no way I can do this!! But than I'm relieved, "I" don't have to do this, this is given to me through continuous practice. "It's not about getting it and to be done with it - it (yoga) is a process... more will be revealed". Or as Desikachar writes "we strive for them… how we behave towards others and our environment reveals our state of mind".
I can relate to "consideration towards all living beings" in my everyday. When I'm in contact of how we all are connected and in my position of “I get to have a work”, I can see consideration take form. In my work I get to serve as a teacher, project manager or as a librarian. Sometime my consideration looks like "leave me out of the equation", stay in bed, and don’t met the world today. But I love to say "how can I help you?" or "If there are any questions or wishes - please come forward".
Considering "right communication" hits me especially when I write to the net, or the blog. How to communicate when the receivers eye and heart is not "there" in skin and blood (oh how dramatic) but only unified with me in mind and action. It gets very real. As honest as can be - is my guideline here.
To not be greedy, is as close as I can understand "noncovetousness", so where does this vibrate today? Well I can be greedy on making appointments, I really want to do it all and right now! To resist this desire I need help :-) yogapractice, listening to you and awareness is help!! I get to know my truth and the authentic possibility for engaging in projects. Oh, but now I can tell that not being greedy is the number four, so this one is more of not stealing? Ok, I've got to figure that word out… I'll be back on that.
Moderation in all our actions, reminds me of how I used to try to fix me a daily practice - and I figured out loong advanced schedules for training the body, and I lasted - at the most - a week, often I never got to the actual training, just kept on planning how much I was going to be faithful to my workout or practice tomorrow :-) Today, moderation vibrates on the "ambition-chord". Again "I" can't do it, but reality seems to be pretty good at making moderation happen, in one way or another :-)
Absences of greed - well I've already written about that subject.
Again, my plan is to just deliver this sutra in class – and check in during my week, to se how it unfolds in my day.
Namasté
Jenni Saunte
Sunday, February 14, 2010
components of yoga
This is the sutra that a lot of people get introduced to with no reference to how to work it or what the aim is and no frame of meaning to shine light on the words. Amazing! that it is so successful and gives so much to so many in spite of this… lack…
Sutra 2.29 “There are eight components of yoga. These are – 1. Yama – our attitudes towards our environment. 2. Niyama – our attitudes towards ourselves. 3. Asana – the practice of body exercises. 4. Pranayama – the practice of breathing exercises. 5. Pratyahara – restraint of our senses. 6. Dharana – the ability to direct our mind. 7. Dhyana – the ability to develop interactions with what we seek to understand. 8. Samadhi – complete integration with the object to be understood.” After translating the sutra Desikachar moves on to tell us that they don’t necessarily has to come or be practiced in this order and that every person has to find their own way – I just love that. All these components develop as we move along our way. Beautiful.
I guess I just bring it along and read it out loud in class and take some time to focus on how the different components are unfolding in my life this week.
Namasté love and light
Jenni
Sutra 2.29 “There are eight components of yoga. These are – 1. Yama – our attitudes towards our environment. 2. Niyama – our attitudes towards ourselves. 3. Asana – the practice of body exercises. 4. Pranayama – the practice of breathing exercises. 5. Pratyahara – restraint of our senses. 6. Dharana – the ability to direct our mind. 7. Dhyana – the ability to develop interactions with what we seek to understand. 8. Samadhi – complete integration with the object to be understood.” After translating the sutra Desikachar moves on to tell us that they don’t necessarily has to come or be practiced in this order and that every person has to find their own way – I just love that. All these components develop as we move along our way. Beautiful.
I guess I just bring it along and read it out loud in class and take some time to focus on how the different components are unfolding in my life this week.
Namasté love and light
Jenni
Saturday, February 06, 2010
heart of heart
So, I’m introduced to the seven states of yoga, given to me by Iyengar. In Patanjalis words we have:
emerging consciousness - to me recognizing my human condition and limitations – an admitting process.
restraining consciousness - to me getting a daily regular, repetitative :-) practice (think I have addressed that in last sutra writing, but it have had many forms the last 8 years, only the very last 3 years have had the form it unfolds today)
individualized consciousness – my self-examination process and joining you and others (guides, sisters and brothers on the same path as me)
consciousness – to me; a blessing that i sometime referes to as serenity, peace, fellowship or ease
attentive consciousness – for me, living prayer and meditation in the broadest possible sense of these words
fissured consiousness – for me; to experience inclusion of what is, for example being able to feel sorrow and gratitudeor even joy at the same time, being upset and serene at the same time ego and spirit, unity through fissured experiences…
pure consciousness – freedom, emancipation, neutrality and ashes (everything and nothing)
This week I chose to focus on these seven states, for some time before I move on. Iyengar also gives me Vyasas words on the seven states and I am absolutely in love with them (the first five suggestions I relate to as above):
what is knowable is known
what has to be discarded is discarded
the attainable is attained
what must be done is done
the aim to be reached is reached
untainted intelligence (no qualities can taint the intelligence) to me- placed in a position of neutrality - safe and protected, our thinking is cleared... we find that our thinking will.. be more and more on the plane of inspiration
self illuminated consciousness (the knower is self-illuminated and maintains her inner light while attending to her wordly duties) spiritual experience. my experience can be uniquely usefull, .. assuming we are spiritually fit, we can do all sorts of things my human limitedness makes unpossible.. to be at the place where you may be of maximum helpfulness to others
At last Iyengar presents the seven states in yoga Vasistas words:
right desire – my commitment to my path comes first
right reflection – engage in the process (my object of attention rubs of on me – nice to collect evidence of what I love instead of what is wrong for example))
disappearance of the mind – a blessing that comes out of the above mentioned
self realization – to know my own true self, my heart of hearts, the unfolding of authenticity in my everyday.
non-attachment - gift of process (we ceased fighting anything or anyone)
non-perception of objects - placed in a position of neutrality - safe and protected.. our thinking is cleared... we find that our thinking will be more and more on the plane of inspiration
experience of state beyond words - nearness with our creator/nature/truth
Well this is enough to rumble and wrestle with.
I wonder how it will influence my teaching, I guess we just go for pure consciousness :-) and see how far we get ;-) why not.. and the rest will come out of the process moving towards this goal…
Love and Namasté
Jenni Saunte
emerging consciousness - to me recognizing my human condition and limitations – an admitting process.
restraining consciousness - to me getting a daily regular, repetitative :-) practice (think I have addressed that in last sutra writing, but it have had many forms the last 8 years, only the very last 3 years have had the form it unfolds today)
individualized consciousness – my self-examination process and joining you and others (guides, sisters and brothers on the same path as me)
consciousness – to me; a blessing that i sometime referes to as serenity, peace, fellowship or ease
attentive consciousness – for me, living prayer and meditation in the broadest possible sense of these words
fissured consiousness – for me; to experience inclusion of what is, for example being able to feel sorrow and gratitudeor even joy at the same time, being upset and serene at the same time ego and spirit, unity through fissured experiences…
pure consciousness – freedom, emancipation, neutrality and ashes (everything and nothing)
This week I chose to focus on these seven states, for some time before I move on. Iyengar also gives me Vyasas words on the seven states and I am absolutely in love with them (the first five suggestions I relate to as above):
what is knowable is known
what has to be discarded is discarded
the attainable is attained
what must be done is done
the aim to be reached is reached
untainted intelligence (no qualities can taint the intelligence) to me- placed in a position of neutrality - safe and protected, our thinking is cleared... we find that our thinking will.. be more and more on the plane of inspiration
self illuminated consciousness (the knower is self-illuminated and maintains her inner light while attending to her wordly duties) spiritual experience. my experience can be uniquely usefull, .. assuming we are spiritually fit, we can do all sorts of things my human limitedness makes unpossible.. to be at the place where you may be of maximum helpfulness to others
At last Iyengar presents the seven states in yoga Vasistas words:
right desire – my commitment to my path comes first
right reflection – engage in the process (my object of attention rubs of on me – nice to collect evidence of what I love instead of what is wrong for example))
disappearance of the mind – a blessing that comes out of the above mentioned
self realization – to know my own true self, my heart of hearts, the unfolding of authenticity in my everyday.
non-attachment - gift of process (we ceased fighting anything or anyone)
non-perception of objects - placed in a position of neutrality - safe and protected.. our thinking is cleared... we find that our thinking will be more and more on the plane of inspiration
experience of state beyond words - nearness with our creator/nature/truth
Well this is enough to rumble and wrestle with.
I wonder how it will influence my teaching, I guess we just go for pure consciousness :-) and see how far we get ;-) why not.. and the rest will come out of the process moving towards this goal…
Love and Namasté
Jenni Saunte
great length :-)
Before I write to you on sutra 2.29 I need to take some time to digest all the information coming up here… all the translations go into detail and great length so, I will be back and right now – I start contemplating and finding what my own bullion in this fantastic soup.
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