This week is still in the name of pranayama, sutra 2.50 “Pranayama has three movements: prolonged and fine inhalation, exhalation and retention; all regulated with precision according to duration and place.” (Iyengar translation)
This is really a hard text for me to read, this much I get; during inhalation the inner body (the seer) moves toward the outer body. In exhalation the outer body moves towards the inner seer. The first three components of breath we’ve touched and consciously contacted in pranayama classes with Glenn and also the retention following inhalation (antara kumbhaka).
Iyengar gives us some guidelines or focusing points. If the retention after the inhalation “establishes consecration of the seer” if the retention of the exhalation establishes “frees one from the four aims of life”.
Dear – if you want to know more about these four aims of life ;-) you have to keep on working the sutras (or your yoga practice) because Iyengar refers us to the very last sutra, and there are no shortcuts in this…
I forgot my papers about sutra 2.48 in Italy, so now I’ve spent some extra time to recreate the reflections that came in that weeks meditation on the sutra (and maybe some new ;-)
2.48 “From then on the sadhaka [yoga-practitioner] is undisturbed by dualities” (Iyengar translation)
Just for myself I remind me that it is after performing asanas has become effortless ;-) that we can become undisturbed by dualities…
Iyengar talks about, in this sutra, how the practitioner gets undisturbed. I love that, I have a guide who suggests that we should make "getting undisturbed" our top priority. He also says that if there is something "wrong" it’s not with them or the situation; it's with us - we're disturbed :-)
I also love that it is undisturbed by dualities - I can surely relate to how often dualities are part of me being undisturbed. Typical example is when I think I have to choose this or that, and (I) drive me crazy, thinking of what to do, and then the, never thought off, third option comes along –haha
I guess that there is no opposition any longer when the effortless state has been reached.
In Desikachars translation he writes about how external influences get minimized. This is a great motivator for me. He talks in terms not being influenced by age, climate and diet. But for me the big promise (in this days) is from other persons, their judgements, opinions and wellbeing as well as not being influenced by situations that might evolve and negativity or … bad energy (in lack of a better description).
Back to this week’s sutra: 2.50 it calls for some more pranayama work, to follow up on what have been granted me to learn and to explore life under water in the air :-) And I have to figure out what this consecration of the seer means – since it is a measuring point for the pranayama work.
Namasté
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Friday, July 23, 2010
change
I’m back from a beautiful and challenging retreat in Italy (Quercia calante). We were about 25 yoga-teachers from all over the world that met in the most beautiful nature and worked about 7- 8 hours a day with Glenn Ceresoli (Iyengar yoga) with change. Around the practice every possible comfort, that I can imagine, was seen to.
Personally my focus point was change – so it suited me just fine, that he stressed this as a fellow-focus-point, for the retreat – I was so grateful for this. Other main subjects occurred during practice, for example there was a pranayama focus, for me. My pranayama-practice was both disturbed and developed, by changing the sitting position so drastically. Sometimes I had to open my eyes (secretly ;-) to check if it was really true – that I moved so much or so little… Often it visually didn’t look like so much – that I internally experienced the movement.
I brought 3 sutras to my three weeks of travelling. They beautifully matched the yoga-work. My teacher even used some of the pictures that Iyengar uses to describe prana :-) in the sutras I was studying the night before.
Now, I start posting about sutra 2.47 and 2.49 – since I have the papers from my contemplation and meditations on these sutras with me home. Somehow I have lost the papers for sutra 2.48… But it’s all in me, so I will write it down soon.
2.47 "Perfection in asana is achieved when the effort to perform it becomes effortless and the infinite being within is reached" (Iyengar translation)
The first experience that I remember, when I read this, is learning to drive a car or a MC for that sake. In the beginning I had tension in every muscle, even my tongue :-) when I was driving, as the effort to make the vehicle move and join traffic became ... almost subconscious - effortless I often experience "the stream of life" or the truth of the travelling position, while driving. Effortlessness.
I can also relate this to my yoga-asana-practice. But right now, I’ve done (to me) seriouse challenging yoga, so the effortless is a bit further away from me, but I can relate :-)
A more tangible experience is when the prop I've been using to hold a pose is no longer needed or when the pose I've been struggling to get into, suddenly (typically for me, by learning a small technique) is just there and available and easy.
Iyengar writes that there is a balancing edge for us, between the effortless state and the way to get to this state; through "perseverance, alertness and insight". I get this, sometimes I can try too hard. Often I give up before I even tried, the two "out of balance" or off the edge positions that lead nowhere. From the yoga-work I've been doing in Italy, this reminds me of the words from our teacher about not to lose our goal in the techniques and details that gets presented to us. To me the most significant touchable goal is lightness and ease. (tak gud)
Sutra 2.49 "Pranayama is the regulation of the incoming and outgoing flow of breath with retention. It is to be practiced only after perfection in asana is attained" (Desikachar translation)
The first thing I read is the clarity (in all my different translations) that pranayama comes AFTER mastering asanas. I take this as a very clear guideline. Don’t mess with this. And my tiny experiences of how huge I experience the subtlest of movement in my body – while doing pranayama – makes it easy for me to understand why this is so.
I only teach pranayama, for longer times with more experienced students, that chose to take this class. But I also do introductions, small “conscious contact” to the breath in every class, I think it is so important to start having a relationship with our very essence of life, or as Iyengar writes: Prana is "the prime mover of all activity. It is the wealth of life"
I love this poetry that comes in trying to describe prana "Prana is an auto-energizing force which creates a magnetic field in the form of the universe and plays with it, both to maintain, and to destroy for further creation". This is significant to me. The both destroying and creating, the both being and non-being - the all inclusive. And maybe this is change? Does all change include something dying? Our teacher said that the only thing that hurts in change is our resistance to the change. But can the death of something (like an old idea) be felt?
I’ll be back on sutra 2.48
Namasté
Jenni Saunte
Personally my focus point was change – so it suited me just fine, that he stressed this as a fellow-focus-point, for the retreat – I was so grateful for this. Other main subjects occurred during practice, for example there was a pranayama focus, for me. My pranayama-practice was both disturbed and developed, by changing the sitting position so drastically. Sometimes I had to open my eyes (secretly ;-) to check if it was really true – that I moved so much or so little… Often it visually didn’t look like so much – that I internally experienced the movement.
I brought 3 sutras to my three weeks of travelling. They beautifully matched the yoga-work. My teacher even used some of the pictures that Iyengar uses to describe prana :-) in the sutras I was studying the night before.
Now, I start posting about sutra 2.47 and 2.49 – since I have the papers from my contemplation and meditations on these sutras with me home. Somehow I have lost the papers for sutra 2.48… But it’s all in me, so I will write it down soon.
2.47 "Perfection in asana is achieved when the effort to perform it becomes effortless and the infinite being within is reached" (Iyengar translation)
The first experience that I remember, when I read this, is learning to drive a car or a MC for that sake. In the beginning I had tension in every muscle, even my tongue :-) when I was driving, as the effort to make the vehicle move and join traffic became ... almost subconscious - effortless I often experience "the stream of life" or the truth of the travelling position, while driving. Effortlessness.
I can also relate this to my yoga-asana-practice. But right now, I’ve done (to me) seriouse challenging yoga, so the effortless is a bit further away from me, but I can relate :-)
A more tangible experience is when the prop I've been using to hold a pose is no longer needed or when the pose I've been struggling to get into, suddenly (typically for me, by learning a small technique) is just there and available and easy.
Iyengar writes that there is a balancing edge for us, between the effortless state and the way to get to this state; through "perseverance, alertness and insight". I get this, sometimes I can try too hard. Often I give up before I even tried, the two "out of balance" or off the edge positions that lead nowhere. From the yoga-work I've been doing in Italy, this reminds me of the words from our teacher about not to lose our goal in the techniques and details that gets presented to us. To me the most significant touchable goal is lightness and ease. (tak gud)
Sutra 2.49 "Pranayama is the regulation of the incoming and outgoing flow of breath with retention. It is to be practiced only after perfection in asana is attained" (Desikachar translation)
The first thing I read is the clarity (in all my different translations) that pranayama comes AFTER mastering asanas. I take this as a very clear guideline. Don’t mess with this. And my tiny experiences of how huge I experience the subtlest of movement in my body – while doing pranayama – makes it easy for me to understand why this is so.
I only teach pranayama, for longer times with more experienced students, that chose to take this class. But I also do introductions, small “conscious contact” to the breath in every class, I think it is so important to start having a relationship with our very essence of life, or as Iyengar writes: Prana is "the prime mover of all activity. It is the wealth of life"
I love this poetry that comes in trying to describe prana "Prana is an auto-energizing force which creates a magnetic field in the form of the universe and plays with it, both to maintain, and to destroy for further creation". This is significant to me. The both destroying and creating, the both being and non-being - the all inclusive. And maybe this is change? Does all change include something dying? Our teacher said that the only thing that hurts in change is our resistance to the change. But can the death of something (like an old idea) be felt?
I’ll be back on sutra 2.48
Namasté
Jenni Saunte
Sunday, June 20, 2010
The body, mind and soul are one
Sutra 2.46 "Asana must have the dual qualities of alertness and relaxation." (Desikachar translation) I’m given the understanding that sthira can be understood as; alertness, firm, steady (without tension) and sukha can be understood as ease, delight or relaxation (without dullness or heaviness). So I’m given a guideline to my asana work. Sthira points in the direction of sneaking up on my limitations and enjoying the steadiness as a gift, not as me doing it. When I try to produce stability it often turns into rigidity… addiction to habits (unflexible, one form as the only right one). Asana lets me experience that stability is already there and I just have to show up alert. Sukha points me towards the peace and ease there is to experience when I am in this stability and firmness. Sometimes I find myself clinching my teethes even though it makes no difference what so ever for the asana, except my attitude gets (or is) locked and hostile (remember driving a car for the first time, my shoulders wore sour and my face...).
I experience in this sutra-work, that asana often can be replaced with “my actions in life”, and thereby I can apply the wisdom of the sutras on every action that is in my life. And now I have a guideline for actions in Jennis life :-)
Iyengars translation; "Asana is perfect firmness of body, steadiness of intelligence and benevolence of spirit." He writes that this sutra is the "how" asanas should be "understood, practised and experienced."
Asana "should be done with a feeling of firmness in the body; goodwill in the intelligence in the head, and awareness and delight in the intelligence of the heart"
One way I experience this is that my joints are still, my thoughtlife is loving and accepting of whatever experience I have in the sutra, including my non-ability at certain times. And when I experience the stillness, firmness and my mind is loving and tolerant then there is very little noise from the ego :-) and the awareness and delight of the heart (that I suspekt is always present) can be experienced.
Iyengar continues; "when this is done a rythmic flow of energy and awareness is experienced evenly ...throughout... the body". I can relate to this from two very different experiences. When I work the sun salutations, I sense this rhythmic flow and being full of awareness and feeling complete, whole. This is a very dynamic, rhythmic experience, but I have the same experience when I do a sitting, sometime I experience this rhythmic flow throughout all of me, and sense of being complete and… “getting together” or with Iyengars words: "A pure state of joy is felt in the cells and the mind. The body, mind and soul are one."
This week the balance between sukha and sthira is my working guideline.
I will be travelling for some time (taking part of a yoga-teachers retreat) so I will write the next couple of sutras in hand and transfer them to you when I get back. Maybe I can get one more online before leaving, maybe not :-)
Love, kindliness, tolerance and light
Namasté
Jenni
I experience in this sutra-work, that asana often can be replaced with “my actions in life”, and thereby I can apply the wisdom of the sutras on every action that is in my life. And now I have a guideline for actions in Jennis life :-)
Iyengars translation; "Asana is perfect firmness of body, steadiness of intelligence and benevolence of spirit." He writes that this sutra is the "how" asanas should be "understood, practised and experienced."
Asana "should be done with a feeling of firmness in the body; goodwill in the intelligence in the head, and awareness and delight in the intelligence of the heart"
One way I experience this is that my joints are still, my thoughtlife is loving and accepting of whatever experience I have in the sutra, including my non-ability at certain times. And when I experience the stillness, firmness and my mind is loving and tolerant then there is very little noise from the ego :-) and the awareness and delight of the heart (that I suspekt is always present) can be experienced.
Iyengar continues; "when this is done a rythmic flow of energy and awareness is experienced evenly ...throughout... the body". I can relate to this from two very different experiences. When I work the sun salutations, I sense this rhythmic flow and being full of awareness and feeling complete, whole. This is a very dynamic, rhythmic experience, but I have the same experience when I do a sitting, sometime I experience this rhythmic flow throughout all of me, and sense of being complete and… “getting together” or with Iyengars words: "A pure state of joy is felt in the cells and the mind. The body, mind and soul are one."
This week the balance between sukha and sthira is my working guideline.
I will be travelling for some time (taking part of a yoga-teachers retreat) so I will write the next couple of sutras in hand and transfer them to you when I get back. Maybe I can get one more online before leaving, maybe not :-)
Love, kindliness, tolerance and light
Namasté
Jenni
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
my evening review -new format :-)
Inspired by the sutras I will start a new evening review. I've added two areas of review and I speciefied three or four things, that acctually comes from my old formula.
How did the following yamas and niyamas unfold in my day (was I.../where there...?):
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. (dishonest, fearfull, resentfull?)
3. Noncoventousness or the ability to resist a disire 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."
6. Cleanliness, or the keeping of our bodies and our surroundings neat and clean.
7. Contentment or the ability to be happy with what we have and do not crave what we do not have.
8. The removal of impurities in our physical and mental systems through the maintenance of correct habits such as sleep, exercise, nutrition, work and relaxation. (do I owe an amend? need to share about something?)
9. Study and the necessity to review our progress.
10. Actions done more in the spirit of service than for personal gain.”
11. What did I put into the stream of life today?
12. How have I unfolded unity with my pastand how have I lived meditation and visions for today?
Anybody wanna try asking yourself this every evening befor going to bed?? I would love to have fellowship in trying this - let's say for three months :-)
Namasté and love
Jenni Saunte
How did the following yamas and niyamas unfold in my day (was I.../where there...?):
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. (dishonest, fearfull, resentfull?)
3. Noncoventousness or the ability to resist a disire 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."
6. Cleanliness, or the keeping of our bodies and our surroundings neat and clean.
7. Contentment or the ability to be happy with what we have and do not crave what we do not have.
8. The removal of impurities in our physical and mental systems through the maintenance of correct habits such as sleep, exercise, nutrition, work and relaxation. (do I owe an amend? need to share about something?)
9. Study and the necessity to review our progress.
10. Actions done more in the spirit of service than for personal gain.”
11. What did I put into the stream of life today?
12. How have I unfolded unity with my pastand how have I lived meditation and visions for today?
Anybody wanna try asking yourself this every evening befor going to bed?? I would love to have fellowship in trying this - let's say for three months :-)
Namasté and love
Jenni Saunte
Friday, June 11, 2010
spirit of serving
Sutra 2.45
"Actions done in spirit of service promote the ability to completely understand any object of choice." (Desikachar translation)
"Surrender to God brings perfection in samadhi." (Iyengar translation) Iyengar writes; "the power of samadhi (profound meditation or unity) comes to the practitioner who takes refuge in God."
Since in my understanding God is reality, and understanding any “object of choice” means to me that there is something real besides me (experiencing reality) – there is no difference in these two translations or two unfolding of sutra 2.45.
The essence, for me, is that when I’m in a position as a servant I see things clearer than from any other position.
When I do my yoga-practice in spirit “to serve” my body or my health, I get to be rich and giving.
In my work as a teacher, if I get to serve the student, I get to be so wealthy that I can keep on trying to give it a way and what I give a way is not even mine, so I cannot get in a lacking state.
In my library work place, I can be rich in knowledge and serve by answering, finding or helping the user, I can be a rich person giving back to the local community or a rich person giving back to the treasure of wisdom, knowledge or arts. Fantastic. All I have to do to live in this wealth is to serve. And by serving I give something away and that's the only way I ever can have something (truely- everything else is a story of owning). And it becomes clear I’m not the source (and the only source;-) and there is something real and objective besides me.
“How can I best serve my body, my mind or my practice – right now?” is my starting point for classes this week. How can I serve by challenging or by going softer, easier? A possibility to serve by expressing the most authentic and loving me in every asana.
Namasté
Yours servant
Jenni :-) Saunte
"Actions done in spirit of service promote the ability to completely understand any object of choice." (Desikachar translation)
"Surrender to God brings perfection in samadhi." (Iyengar translation) Iyengar writes; "the power of samadhi (profound meditation or unity) comes to the practitioner who takes refuge in God."
Since in my understanding God is reality, and understanding any “object of choice” means to me that there is something real besides me (experiencing reality) – there is no difference in these two translations or two unfolding of sutra 2.45.
The essence, for me, is that when I’m in a position as a servant I see things clearer than from any other position.
When I do my yoga-practice in spirit “to serve” my body or my health, I get to be rich and giving.
In my work as a teacher, if I get to serve the student, I get to be so wealthy that I can keep on trying to give it a way and what I give a way is not even mine, so I cannot get in a lacking state.
In my library work place, I can be rich in knowledge and serve by answering, finding or helping the user, I can be a rich person giving back to the local community or a rich person giving back to the treasure of wisdom, knowledge or arts. Fantastic. All I have to do to live in this wealth is to serve. And by serving I give something away and that's the only way I ever can have something (truely- everything else is a story of owning). And it becomes clear I’m not the source (and the only source;-) and there is something real and objective besides me.
“How can I best serve my body, my mind or my practice – right now?” is my starting point for classes this week. How can I serve by challenging or by going softer, easier? A possibility to serve by expressing the most authentic and loving me in every asana.
Namasté
Yours servant
Jenni :-) Saunte
Saturday, June 05, 2010
Study, brings one close...
2.44 “Study, when it is developed to the highest degree, brings one close to the higher Source that promotes understanding of the most complex.” (Desikachar translation) From reading both Iyengar and Desikachar I get at least three ways of unfolding “study”. It is the understanding of weaknesses and strengths in us that can nullify the weaknesses and make us use our strengths. It can be the study of sacred scriptures and reciting of mantras. But I love the suggestion that it is the communicating process in which the sensations and experiences gets through the skin and all our inner sheaths to the inner seer and from the inner seer to the outer layers of the seers abode :-) Study as the process in which the inner seer breaths through me, the expanding and contracting motion ever ongoing – I get really happy.
To my yoga teaching (and practice) this becomes the mantra reciting :-) and the exploration of what the inner seer tells each and everyone of us.
In my life this gets united with what my dear friend, used to tell me, (before exams) that there is no use focusing on what we didn’t have time to read and work through, he said lets focus on what we know and did. I just love that! Today this turns into the wisdom of the sutra - to get the weaknesses nullified and the strengths in use. And I’m grateful for a guideline to live life today, keeping my eyes on the price :-) what already is working, free and filled up with love.
Namasté
Jenni Saunte
To my yoga teaching (and practice) this becomes the mantra reciting :-) and the exploration of what the inner seer tells each and everyone of us.
In my life this gets united with what my dear friend, used to tell me, (before exams) that there is no use focusing on what we didn’t have time to read and work through, he said lets focus on what we know and did. I just love that! Today this turns into the wisdom of the sutra - to get the weaknesses nullified and the strengths in use. And I’m grateful for a guideline to live life today, keeping my eyes on the price :-) what already is working, free and filled up with love.
Namasté
Jenni Saunte
Saturday, May 29, 2010
removing impurities
2.43“The removal of impurities allows the body to function more efficiently” (Desikachar translation)
To me; the removal of impurities refers to my daily practice – body refers to physical existence “being” in this form and efficiently is measured against (towards :-) my authentic inner guidance and meaning (to be happy joyous and free). Iyengar gives me some extra translation on “tapasah” as the ascetic devotion, and self-discipline. In these days self-discipline is out of my hand, it’s not my business, I can’t make me pure :-) I just do the dishes and the practice and follow the next direction and reality takes care of the rest.
My (small) self cannot discipline my (small) self – there is need for an other instrument – I guess spirit (grand self) is a good one! All this small and grand from the sutra about the God-spark in all of us being the big self and the little self being the ego who is part of human existence.
So this week practice will be about removing impurities (rotations, conversions, pranayama, oh… everything can do it) and lets look at the results in practice and measure our efficiency – why we do yoga.
Love
To me; the removal of impurities refers to my daily practice – body refers to physical existence “being” in this form and efficiently is measured against (towards :-) my authentic inner guidance and meaning (to be happy joyous and free). Iyengar gives me some extra translation on “tapasah” as the ascetic devotion, and self-discipline. In these days self-discipline is out of my hand, it’s not my business, I can’t make me pure :-) I just do the dishes and the practice and follow the next direction and reality takes care of the rest.
My (small) self cannot discipline my (small) self – there is need for an other instrument – I guess spirit (grand self) is a good one! All this small and grand from the sutra about the God-spark in all of us being the big self and the little self being the ego who is part of human existence.
So this week practice will be about removing impurities (rotations, conversions, pranayama, oh… everything can do it) and lets look at the results in practice and measure our efficiency – why we do yoga.
Love
Sunday, May 23, 2010
I'm the practitioner not the propeller
“The result of contentment is total happiness.” (Desikachar translation)
This is what I read: when I get a practice over a longer time, with the yamas and the niyamas I get cleansed and clarity unfolds. Then contentment comes out of being clear and on this path, and out of contentment comes this total happiness or “supreme happiness” as Iyengar calls it.
It is granted, because … I’m the root of my own troubles and when the cleansing process puts this “I” in perspective something else than ego can fill up time and space..
Iyengar writes about the propelling power of the tapas, the devoted practice, which will propel the practitioner into a transformation. This is a part of being on a path of concentration which makes self-study (inventory) possible and leads towards God or reality or what you understand (or don’t understand) as a higher power.
The practitioner is not the propeller neither is the practitioner the power that drives the propeller. This is given through practice. I’m the practitioner. That’s it. Everything else is a gift. I’m the observing receiver of this gift. Thanks. Tak.
Now, my teaching is influenced to be about seeking the contentment and not trying to force the asana but enjoy the force that starts up in every asana by just meeting up on the mat and follow instructions.
Namasté
Jenni
This is what I read: when I get a practice over a longer time, with the yamas and the niyamas I get cleansed and clarity unfolds. Then contentment comes out of being clear and on this path, and out of contentment comes this total happiness or “supreme happiness” as Iyengar calls it.
It is granted, because … I’m the root of my own troubles and when the cleansing process puts this “I” in perspective something else than ego can fill up time and space..
Iyengar writes about the propelling power of the tapas, the devoted practice, which will propel the practitioner into a transformation. This is a part of being on a path of concentration which makes self-study (inventory) possible and leads towards God or reality or what you understand (or don’t understand) as a higher power.
The practitioner is not the propeller neither is the practitioner the power that drives the propeller. This is given through practice. I’m the practitioner. That’s it. Everything else is a gift. I’m the observing receiver of this gift. Thanks. Tak.
Now, my teaching is influenced to be about seeking the contentment and not trying to force the asana but enjoy the force that starts up in every asana by just meeting up on the mat and follow instructions.
Namasté
Jenni
Saturday, May 15, 2010
cheerful and benevolent :-)
2.41 “When the body is cleansed, the mind purified and the senses controlled, joyful awareness needed to realize the inner self, also comes.” (Iyengar translation)
When I experience “clarity of mind and body”, do I feel joy? Yes. Not exaltation or bubbly but… Joy, as being free, light and at ease. When I move away from this clear centre, do I experience pain? Yes. I once heard a wise man say that pain is only a signal to guide us back into centre (the broad highway)
And Iyengar passes on the promise that “When the consciousness is cheerful and benevolent, the seeker becomes ready to receive the knowledge and vision of the soul.” I know that insights that come to me, when I’m cheerful or benevolent, reminds alto more about the words of the wisdom literature.
We are halfway through the sutras and I’m giving an event to celebrate this. It will be about subtleness and cheerfulness and benevolence. Yoga, meditation and fellowship. I look forward to it.
Love jenni
When I experience “clarity of mind and body”, do I feel joy? Yes. Not exaltation or bubbly but… Joy, as being free, light and at ease. When I move away from this clear centre, do I experience pain? Yes. I once heard a wise man say that pain is only a signal to guide us back into centre (the broad highway)
And Iyengar passes on the promise that “When the consciousness is cheerful and benevolent, the seeker becomes ready to receive the knowledge and vision of the soul.” I know that insights that come to me, when I’m cheerful or benevolent, reminds alto more about the words of the wisdom literature.
We are halfway through the sutras and I’m giving an event to celebrate this. It will be about subtleness and cheerfulness and benevolence. Yoga, meditation and fellowship. I look forward to it.
Love jenni
Sunday, May 09, 2010
guidelines about cleanliness
Sutra 2.40 “When cleanliness is developed, it reveals what needs to be constantly maintained and what is eternally clean. What decays is external. What does not is deep within us.”
I discover I have guidelines about cleanliness, how often I shower, brush my teeth, how and when I do laundry, how my living areal is kept clean, how my minds jumping and messing things up- is inventoried, amends gets done and how often I do these things.
The guidelines have not been passed down or pointed out to me but aroused from a trial and error over many years. What are your guidelines on keeping clean (body and mind)?
It’s not unimportant. Iyengar points out that the cleanliness of body and mind creates a good temple for the seer, the dweller deep within us. And Desikachar hands down the promise of getting freed from attachment to outward things will get reduced. Thank God! As I wrote last week, these attachments hurt…
Namasté
Jenni Saunte
I discover I have guidelines about cleanliness, how often I shower, brush my teeth, how and when I do laundry, how my living areal is kept clean, how my minds jumping and messing things up- is inventoried, amends gets done and how often I do these things.
The guidelines have not been passed down or pointed out to me but aroused from a trial and error over many years. What are your guidelines on keeping clean (body and mind)?
It’s not unimportant. Iyengar points out that the cleanliness of body and mind creates a good temple for the seer, the dweller deep within us. And Desikachar hands down the promise of getting freed from attachment to outward things will get reduced. Thank God! As I wrote last week, these attachments hurt…
Namasté
Jenni Saunte
Saturday, May 01, 2010
great river of life
Sutra 2.39 "One who is not greedy is secure. (S)He has time to think deeply. His (her) understanding of himself (herself) is complete." (Desikachar translation) In me, the sutra awakens the word; “what we own - owns us”. We spend time and energy getting it, keeping it and fearing the lost of it.
Iyengar translates it into: "Knowledge of past and future lives unfolds when one is free from greed for possessions." And he points out that holding on to ones thoughts, can be possessive. We are given the guideline to shun the holding on to thoughts and material possessions.
I relate to the aspect of past and future lives, it reminds me of letting go.
To me, the concrete action, to not gather possessions (material or thoughts/stories), symbolically represents my honouring of the spiritual truth; that I actually cannot own anything and that human life and material conditions will eventually die. This sutra makes me face my mortality.
Sometimes (ok- my darker moments) I wonder if everything I experience has the purpose of making me realize that life in this human body will end. Love stories end, people, situations, conditions I love disappears. “It” hurts, but I guess what hurts is my "attempt to hold on".
Other times (my lighter moments ;-) I see a big slow great river, the stream of life, and I courageously step into it and I lay down and let it carry me - wherever.
The dark and the light stories are the same; the stories just evoke different emotions in me.
This sutra makes me think of "panta rei" -everything flows, Heraklitus statement. I've loved it since I was a teenager and heard it the first time. I thought I could see this great flow in life in glimpses.
I want to let yoga be the big river of life and my role as a teacher is to invite my students to step into the water and let it carry them :-) flow, being carried and not greedy…
Namasté
Jenni Saunte
Iyengar translates it into: "Knowledge of past and future lives unfolds when one is free from greed for possessions." And he points out that holding on to ones thoughts, can be possessive. We are given the guideline to shun the holding on to thoughts and material possessions.
I relate to the aspect of past and future lives, it reminds me of letting go.
To me, the concrete action, to not gather possessions (material or thoughts/stories), symbolically represents my honouring of the spiritual truth; that I actually cannot own anything and that human life and material conditions will eventually die. This sutra makes me face my mortality.
Sometimes (ok- my darker moments) I wonder if everything I experience has the purpose of making me realize that life in this human body will end. Love stories end, people, situations, conditions I love disappears. “It” hurts, but I guess what hurts is my "attempt to hold on".
Other times (my lighter moments ;-) I see a big slow great river, the stream of life, and I courageously step into it and I lay down and let it carry me - wherever.
The dark and the light stories are the same; the stories just evoke different emotions in me.
This sutra makes me think of "panta rei" -everything flows, Heraklitus statement. I've loved it since I was a teenager and heard it the first time. I thought I could see this great flow in life in glimpses.
I want to let yoga be the big river of life and my role as a teacher is to invite my students to step into the water and let it carry them :-) flow, being carried and not greedy…
Namasté
Jenni Saunte
Friday, April 23, 2010
right communication=there's been some wrong communication here...
Sutra 2.39 – but before I write this I kind of glanced down the “paper” and saw me going from 36 to 38 hmm let me look into this..
Ups – what I’ve called 2.36 seems to be 2.37 Soo… Hmmm I guess this will be a little loop –a pertinent one..
Because, my dears – sutra 2.36 states “When the sadhaka (the practitioner) is firmly established in practice of the truth, (her)his words become so potent that whatever (s)he says comes to realization.” (Iyengar translation)
And then he moves into a cellular plane, where all the cells have to agree, for something to be a truth – and I actually don’t have a problem with that – my body knows when there are no cells opposing. Often it sound like “we all want to play” my inner nun, kid, fame fatale, professional, grey mouse and so on – they all agree to play :-)
but oh! It hit’s me… right communication. The only right communication, I know this week; is to be as true to the now and my ideals in the present as I can be… I can’t make them communicate, so that I recognize love and respect, and I cannot communicate as they seems to wish… But being true to the most loving, respectful and honouring I know, seems to be right communication to me this week.
(just a little check in)
“One who shows a high degree of communication will not fail in (her) his actions” (Desikachar translation) I get to love my communicating skills through this week, and to realize I cannot do it as (a Buddha) perfect as I would love to, and exactly that is perfect!! In mercy, I communicate in mercy.
When I love what I say -I get to act on what I say.
When I’m in truth (attha – here and now) what I could have done with an asana or what might be possible tomorrow disappears – then I get to act in success. In the now!
Namasté
Love and light
Jenni
Ups – what I’ve called 2.36 seems to be 2.37 Soo… Hmmm I guess this will be a little loop –a pertinent one..
Because, my dears – sutra 2.36 states “When the sadhaka (the practitioner) is firmly established in practice of the truth, (her)his words become so potent that whatever (s)he says comes to realization.” (Iyengar translation)
And then he moves into a cellular plane, where all the cells have to agree, for something to be a truth – and I actually don’t have a problem with that – my body knows when there are no cells opposing. Often it sound like “we all want to play” my inner nun, kid, fame fatale, professional, grey mouse and so on – they all agree to play :-)
but oh! It hit’s me… right communication. The only right communication, I know this week; is to be as true to the now and my ideals in the present as I can be… I can’t make them communicate, so that I recognize love and respect, and I cannot communicate as they seems to wish… But being true to the most loving, respectful and honouring I know, seems to be right communication to me this week.
(just a little check in)
“One who shows a high degree of communication will not fail in (her) his actions” (Desikachar translation) I get to love my communicating skills through this week, and to realize I cannot do it as (a Buddha) perfect as I would love to, and exactly that is perfect!! In mercy, I communicate in mercy.
When I love what I say -I get to act on what I say.
When I’m in truth (attha – here and now) what I could have done with an asana or what might be possible tomorrow disappears – then I get to act in success. In the now!
Namasté
Love and light
Jenni
Sunday, April 18, 2010
on moderation
Ultra short
I have tiredness swimming around in me…
Desikachar translation sutra 2.38 “At its best, moderation produces the highest individual vitality”
I relate strongly to this even though my experience with feeling “alive” or “vital” is ego-experiences and have very little to do with moderation :-) too much of anything surely doeas give problems (just gave up eating a whole litre ice cream :-)
Iyengars translation goes toward a discussion about continence, celibacy here and chastity. I love his writing “The life-force which finds sexual expression also serves to find the warmth of our emotions, the passion of our intellect, and our idealism.”
Love and light
Jenni
I have tiredness swimming around in me…
Desikachar translation sutra 2.38 “At its best, moderation produces the highest individual vitality”
I relate strongly to this even though my experience with feeling “alive” or “vital” is ego-experiences and have very little to do with moderation :-) too much of anything surely doeas give problems (just gave up eating a whole litre ice cream :-)
Iyengars translation goes toward a discussion about continence, celibacy here and chastity. I love his writing “The life-force which finds sexual expression also serves to find the warmth of our emotions, the passion of our intellect, and our idealism.”
Love and light
Jenni
Sunday, April 11, 2010
now about stealing :-)
Now about stealing :-) sutra 2.36 continues to unfold the yamas. I’ve found myself in class to pass the yamas along as: non violence, truthfulness, not stealing, moderation in action and non greediness. I know it’s not the abbreviations that Desikachar and Iyengar uses, but translated from English to Danish and now back into English – this is what happened :-)
Iyengars translating sutra 2.36: “When abstention from stealing is firmly established, precious jewels come.” And Desikachar writes about being trustworthy and gaining confidence.
It makes me remember the feeling of honouring my sources, and passing along the yoga-tradition, in my class. Sometime I honour a teacher and dedicate a whole class to this lineage of teaching; sometimes I use precious time in class to talk about differences between traditions or just passing along, from what tradition a specific movement came to me.
This makes me a less important part of the deal and the tradition stands out. But even if I gain less “ego-boost” out of class I get to be rich in “being part of” tradition and rich in safety and protection by traditions trial and error that’s been going on for centuries…
This sutra also reminds me about stealing ideas, opinions and values from others. Pretending to know (steal knowledge) or to have an opinion, robs me; even though I seem to be rich in wisdom-treasure and personality; it robs me – when I stop this stealing and simply starts to say: “I don’t know” I get to receive the precious jewel of wisdom and knowledge and the precious jewel of no opinions peace :-) ever tried that peace? I can recommend it!!!
Now I’m beat. Dead meat-as we said in my teenage years :-)
God night and a good brad new week!
Iyengars translating sutra 2.36: “When abstention from stealing is firmly established, precious jewels come.” And Desikachar writes about being trustworthy and gaining confidence.
It makes me remember the feeling of honouring my sources, and passing along the yoga-tradition, in my class. Sometime I honour a teacher and dedicate a whole class to this lineage of teaching; sometimes I use precious time in class to talk about differences between traditions or just passing along, from what tradition a specific movement came to me.
This makes me a less important part of the deal and the tradition stands out. But even if I gain less “ego-boost” out of class I get to be rich in “being part of” tradition and rich in safety and protection by traditions trial and error that’s been going on for centuries…
This sutra also reminds me about stealing ideas, opinions and values from others. Pretending to know (steal knowledge) or to have an opinion, robs me; even though I seem to be rich in wisdom-treasure and personality; it robs me – when I stop this stealing and simply starts to say: “I don’t know” I get to receive the precious jewel of wisdom and knowledge and the precious jewel of no opinions peace :-) ever tried that peace? I can recommend it!!!
Now I’m beat. Dead meat-as we said in my teenage years :-)
God night and a good brad new week!
Friday, April 02, 2010
staying still- to get into the refined and subtle
Salutes from northern jutland :-) I love the sea, the big waves, the eastern bunnys, the pheasants and hundreds of wild geese and my tiny pice of amber, that I've found...
Sutra 2.36 tells me that:
"one who shows a high degree of right communication, will not fail in his action" (Desikachar translation) and Iyengar translates to:
"when the sadhaka (practitioner) is firmly established in the practice of truth, his words become so potent that whatever he says comes to realization."
The truth, or right communication is not true at the position of the mind nessecerily but honest whole-heartedly, with every cell of our being.
I know this feeling on a physical level, when "it's all comming together..." it just fits, and it has a physical resonance in me. Nice.
Desikachar writes that:-the ability to be honest, communicating with sensitivity, not hurting others, not telling lies and necessary reflection
requires refined state of being.
To me this refined state is a state of awareness, a place where my mind and ego doesn't make a lot of noice. subtle nuances can appear.
Actually I guess that inventory or self-examination both demands this subtleness but also kind of produces it.
Latley I've had kilometer long arms in my practice, and I've enjoyed it so much. When I stretch my arms out in front of my this awareness arises and I'm just there, just by inventorying my movement and surrendering into how breath and spine is totaly connected and infuate a movement in my chest and long, long arms :-)
So this week - staying still- to get into the refined subtle nuances and messages, to get honest and in peace.
Love Jenni
Sutra 2.36 tells me that:
"one who shows a high degree of right communication, will not fail in his action" (Desikachar translation) and Iyengar translates to:
"when the sadhaka (practitioner) is firmly established in the practice of truth, his words become so potent that whatever he says comes to realization."
The truth, or right communication is not true at the position of the mind nessecerily but honest whole-heartedly, with every cell of our being.
I know this feeling on a physical level, when "it's all comming together..." it just fits, and it has a physical resonance in me. Nice.
Desikachar writes that:-the ability to be honest, communicating with sensitivity, not hurting others, not telling lies and necessary reflection
requires refined state of being.
To me this refined state is a state of awareness, a place where my mind and ego doesn't make a lot of noice. subtle nuances can appear.
Actually I guess that inventory or self-examination both demands this subtleness but also kind of produces it.
Latley I've had kilometer long arms in my practice, and I've enjoyed it so much. When I stretch my arms out in front of my this awareness arises and I'm just there, just by inventorying my movement and surrendering into how breath and spine is totaly connected and infuate a movement in my chest and long, long arms :-)
So this week - staying still- to get into the refined subtle nuances and messages, to get honest and in peace.
Love Jenni
Sunday, March 28, 2010
consideration and peace in words, thoughts and deeds
Sutra 2.35: "The more considerate one is, the more one stimulates friendly feelings among all in one's presence" (Desikachar translation)
Yes – hear, hear!
But my experience also tells me that “stimulating friendly feelings cannot be my motive when being considerate”. The first time I read about these ideas I decided that from now on, I was going to change the world by thinking and acting in a positive way. But nobody changed around me, and I got really busy trying to make them be more positive :-) and my partner was just depressed and negative. I got the feeling that it doesn’t work.
This is why Desikachars focus in this sutra; to reflect upon ones motives, really helps me. If my motive for being considerate is to become a considerate jenni, giving room for consideration to unfold I my day, I get in contact to the source and power in me that have a considerate form. When I’m in contact with this source or power, I much more easy recognize consideration in others.
Part of me really wants to write the Iyengar translation down to this week: "When non-violence in speech, thought and action is established, one's aggressive nature is relinquished and others abandon hostility in one's presence." Partly because it’s a boost to be actually working with the text of AHIMSA !!! non-violence (childhood dream), but also because his words about seeking “peace in words, thoughts and deeds” gives me clear guidelines and connects this sutra with the earlier ones.
For my yogawork this week “peace in words, thoughts and deeds” and unfolding consideration :-)
Namasté
Jenni Saunte
Yes – hear, hear!
But my experience also tells me that “stimulating friendly feelings cannot be my motive when being considerate”. The first time I read about these ideas I decided that from now on, I was going to change the world by thinking and acting in a positive way. But nobody changed around me, and I got really busy trying to make them be more positive :-) and my partner was just depressed and negative. I got the feeling that it doesn’t work.
This is why Desikachars focus in this sutra; to reflect upon ones motives, really helps me. If my motive for being considerate is to become a considerate jenni, giving room for consideration to unfold I my day, I get in contact to the source and power in me that have a considerate form. When I’m in contact with this source or power, I much more easy recognize consideration in others.
Part of me really wants to write the Iyengar translation down to this week: "When non-violence in speech, thought and action is established, one's aggressive nature is relinquished and others abandon hostility in one's presence." Partly because it’s a boost to be actually working with the text of AHIMSA !!! non-violence (childhood dream), but also because his words about seeking “peace in words, thoughts and deeds” gives me clear guidelines and connects this sutra with the earlier ones.
For my yogawork this week “peace in words, thoughts and deeds” and unfolding consideration :-)
Namasté
Jenni Saunte
Friday, March 19, 2010
Through introspection comes end of pain and ignorance :-)
2.34 “Uncertain knowledge giving rise to violence, whether done directly or indirectly, or condoned, is caused by greed, anger or delusion in mild, moderate or intense degree. It results in endless pain and ignorance. Through introspection comes end of pain and ignorance.” (Iyengar translation) Today “uncertain knowledge” means jennis-ego-filters in between reality and me. When I relate more to my story of what’s going on than just be part of reality. "Ignorance" means being asleep, not awakened to reality.
Greed often sound like “I want…”, “I want more, there is not enough, I will feel better when there is some put aside for hard times” :-)
I know greed in all kinds of forms: never enough money, time, or never enough love or how about enough safety, security, energy, health, strength, flexibility, respect, love and so on… Even yoga :-) I want more… yoga. The ego-greed filter, that gives an uncertain knowledge of truth and distance to reality.
Anger affects my judgement, well to me this sentence says that when angry I tend to focus more to what I tell myself about a situation, than experiencing what is – gives uncertain knowledge.
Delusion is especially hard :-) no, that’s not true, they are all though and I agree they lead to endless pain all of them, but this night –delusion- just seems so hopeless, I’m really screwed here.. Haven’t you tried for example to “let go” of something you never had, like letting go of an ex lover – like you ever “had” him/her!!! Off course it’s hard to let go :-) or letting go of “controlling the future” how tomorrow’s work or tomorrow’s situations will turn out – that’s a tough task, to let go of the control I never had. Delusion makes it clear to me how much I need a greater power (to me reality), surrender, practice, guidelines and you, my fellow travellers :-) Because when I’m in delusion, I never know it, delusion: “implies an inability to distinguish between what is real and what only seems to be real, often as the result of a disordered state of mind” (Merriam Webster dictionary).
I can have this in my asana work, if I get greedy, to become good fast, or to be able to do more than what is healthy (put in to many asanas in my daily practice) my body starts to hurt.
If I get angry on my body for not doing what I want it to do, I often end up in pains, or if I’m angry when I do yoga, I don’t connect and it all becomes superficial, and only gives me uncertain knowledge – not real connection - if I don't fall and break something, just by being distracted. If I’m deluded about what I’m doing, I easily can get hurt; by repeatedly place my body in unhealthy positions.
Therefore it’s is so giving to do it together with you, to have one (or several) masters, teachers who follow me, and reminds me to connect and be aware when I stray. It helps to read the sutras and to be given guidelines, so that my delusion is put in perspective and not holding the steering wheel.
And to look in to me, into my experience and meassure :-) do inventory or self-examination.
To search for reality, no; to unfold reality through introspection, are my guideline for yoga classes and my week.
Namasté
Jenni
Greed often sound like “I want…”, “I want more, there is not enough, I will feel better when there is some put aside for hard times” :-)
I know greed in all kinds of forms: never enough money, time, or never enough love or how about enough safety, security, energy, health, strength, flexibility, respect, love and so on… Even yoga :-) I want more… yoga. The ego-greed filter, that gives an uncertain knowledge of truth and distance to reality.
Anger affects my judgement, well to me this sentence says that when angry I tend to focus more to what I tell myself about a situation, than experiencing what is – gives uncertain knowledge.
Delusion is especially hard :-) no, that’s not true, they are all though and I agree they lead to endless pain all of them, but this night –delusion- just seems so hopeless, I’m really screwed here.. Haven’t you tried for example to “let go” of something you never had, like letting go of an ex lover – like you ever “had” him/her!!! Off course it’s hard to let go :-) or letting go of “controlling the future” how tomorrow’s work or tomorrow’s situations will turn out – that’s a tough task, to let go of the control I never had. Delusion makes it clear to me how much I need a greater power (to me reality), surrender, practice, guidelines and you, my fellow travellers :-) Because when I’m in delusion, I never know it, delusion: “implies an inability to distinguish between what is real and what only seems to be real, often as the result of a disordered state of mind” (Merriam Webster dictionary).
I can have this in my asana work, if I get greedy, to become good fast, or to be able to do more than what is healthy (put in to many asanas in my daily practice) my body starts to hurt.
If I get angry on my body for not doing what I want it to do, I often end up in pains, or if I’m angry when I do yoga, I don’t connect and it all becomes superficial, and only gives me uncertain knowledge – not real connection - if I don't fall and break something, just by being distracted. If I’m deluded about what I’m doing, I easily can get hurt; by repeatedly place my body in unhealthy positions.
Therefore it’s is so giving to do it together with you, to have one (or several) masters, teachers who follow me, and reminds me to connect and be aware when I stray. It helps to read the sutras and to be given guidelines, so that my delusion is put in perspective and not holding the steering wheel.
And to look in to me, into my experience and meassure :-) do inventory or self-examination.
To search for reality, no; to unfold reality through introspection, are my guideline for yoga classes and my week.
Namasté
Jenni
Saturday, March 13, 2010
to be present, aware and search for a centre
Sutra 2.33 answers the question of how we can examine our attitudes to us and others, yamas and niyamas… “When these attitudes are questioned, self reflection on the possible consequences of alternative attitudes may help” (Desikachar translation) Iyengar brings up the understanding many have of this sutras direction, as a focus on oppositions, when sad focus on happy and when fearful focus on trust and so on.. But I love that I read that this is ok, but maybe not the only way – instead of focusing on the opposing “sides” we can look into what is, here and now in “me” and by looking into me, instead of trying to change stuff (inside and around me) a neutrality, a centeredness will arise. I get this, this is my experience.
The fight is over, I don’t need to correct my bad feelings to some feelings I judge as good, I can just observe. Instead of trying to do the asana as the woman or man on the mat next to me, I can focus on the way it unfolds today through me and dig deeper into my experience of now and a balance and lightness will occur. One of my masters used to say; “measure”. I guess I connect his word to this sutra and Iyengars words of “knowledge of discrimination”, the wisdom to see the difference. When I measure what I do, or some other way relate to my living, self-examination – I interact and relate in a meditative awareness to my being. This brings about knowledge to see the difference. Reality gets my attention and guides me into the yamas and the niyamas.
The themes for my teaching this week: to be present, aware and search for a centre. And personally I also get to look a bit more on how daily practice of self-examination can bring about yamas and niyamas in my life.
Namasté
Jenni Saunte
The fight is over, I don’t need to correct my bad feelings to some feelings I judge as good, I can just observe. Instead of trying to do the asana as the woman or man on the mat next to me, I can focus on the way it unfolds today through me and dig deeper into my experience of now and a balance and lightness will occur. One of my masters used to say; “measure”. I guess I connect his word to this sutra and Iyengars words of “knowledge of discrimination”, the wisdom to see the difference. When I measure what I do, or some other way relate to my living, self-examination – I interact and relate in a meditative awareness to my being. This brings about knowledge to see the difference. Reality gets my attention and guides me into the yamas and the niyamas.
The themes for my teaching this week: to be present, aware and search for a centre. And personally I also get to look a bit more on how daily practice of self-examination can bring about yamas and niyamas in my life.
Namasté
Jenni Saunte
Thursday, March 11, 2010
HI
Somehow my daily practice suddenly had 5½ inversion, not planned by me – but what a gift from reality!! Inversions brings such new perspectives, a sense of playing and so much energy – I’m grateful
and this is not me ;-) but some nice inversions surely...
Somehow my daily practice suddenly had 5½ inversion, not planned by me – but what a gift from reality!! Inversions brings such new perspectives, a sense of playing and so much energy – I’m grateful
and this is not me ;-) but some nice inversions surely...
Saturday, March 06, 2010
sense of getting cleaned, and being the cleaning-person at the same time
Sutra 2.32
“Niyama comprises:
1. Cleanliness, or the keeping of our bodies and our surroundings neat and clean.
2. Contentment or the ability to be happy with what we have and do not crave what we do not have.
3. The removal of impurities in our physical and mental systems through the maintenance of correct habits such as sleep, exercise, nutrition, work and relaxation.
4. Study and the necessity to review our progress.
5. Actions done more in the spirit of service than for personal gain.” (Desikachar translation)
Ok. So this is our attitude towards ourselves. Here is my "check in": 1. yes, Cleaning as an act, is very present in my life :-) two kids, 6 and 10 years – makes it very urgent to keep on cleaning – not to get It done, once and for all, but to be in the process. It is kind of a creative act (am I too weird now?) to organize and to play that I know where stuff should be, in relation to other stuff :-) creating jennis-universe through cleaning – ha. But it sometimes also brings me the position as the servant, number 5. Because I can tell that my kids loves their rooms and our place more when the surface of the table is visible and the dog is to be found. 2. contentment is a gift, and I love the thought of us – always being content, underneath :-) some five or ten years ago I was a supporter of the idea, that if I ever got mad or sad, I’ve probably always was mad or sad, but just not in touch with (suppressing) my tru depressing feelings. Well a wise person told me – it might as well be the other way around. Maybe I’m always content and happy, and sometimes I forget it in the turbulence of my ego or life’s overwhelming richness. But there is an ease and a peace of mind, in contentment that reminds me of “were the piece of the puzzle fits”. This makes it attractive to me.
3. When I sleep well and there has been a feeling of healthy food and moving of my body, I guess I feel pure – and the opposite is also true, I feel impure or like “a mess” when I slept bad or eat really only sugar and fat and didn’t move at all :-) yea that happens !
4. I love that work and study are mentioned in 4 and 5, because I feel so passionate about these aspects of my life. They melt together, but is also a true sound position for me to be in. The months after graduation before I got a job, I renamed my job-applications to “my job”. I couldn’t relate to being without job, fine lets call my new job “hired as unemployed” but the idea of: "without job"… too weird for me. My daily and weekly practice of self-inquiry or self-examination and study of yoga, is a lifeline, my beloved oxygen mask. And it reveals me to me, again and again depths of realization, patterns and brings me to bottoming out in non-functional patterns and bringing me through vague, uncertain periods into new grounds, new positions. It brings me perspective and proportion.
In my yoga practice and in the asana, it gives me: sense of getting cleaned, and being the cleaning-person at the same time. The asana gives me (most of the time) contentment. It brings me exercise and a good nights sleep. It is both my work and my study :-) and it often gives me the position to be serving a crowd of yoga-lovers <3 This little relation practice tells me that; doing the niyamas, is the same as doing my personal practice – fantastic!
Namasté
Jenni Saunte
“Niyama comprises:
1. Cleanliness, or the keeping of our bodies and our surroundings neat and clean.
2. Contentment or the ability to be happy with what we have and do not crave what we do not have.
3. The removal of impurities in our physical and mental systems through the maintenance of correct habits such as sleep, exercise, nutrition, work and relaxation.
4. Study and the necessity to review our progress.
5. Actions done more in the spirit of service than for personal gain.” (Desikachar translation)
Ok. So this is our attitude towards ourselves. Here is my "check in": 1. yes, Cleaning as an act, is very present in my life :-) two kids, 6 and 10 years – makes it very urgent to keep on cleaning – not to get It done, once and for all, but to be in the process. It is kind of a creative act (am I too weird now?) to organize and to play that I know where stuff should be, in relation to other stuff :-) creating jennis-universe through cleaning – ha. But it sometimes also brings me the position as the servant, number 5. Because I can tell that my kids loves their rooms and our place more when the surface of the table is visible and the dog is to be found. 2. contentment is a gift, and I love the thought of us – always being content, underneath :-) some five or ten years ago I was a supporter of the idea, that if I ever got mad or sad, I’ve probably always was mad or sad, but just not in touch with (suppressing) my tru depressing feelings. Well a wise person told me – it might as well be the other way around. Maybe I’m always content and happy, and sometimes I forget it in the turbulence of my ego or life’s overwhelming richness. But there is an ease and a peace of mind, in contentment that reminds me of “were the piece of the puzzle fits”. This makes it attractive to me.
3. When I sleep well and there has been a feeling of healthy food and moving of my body, I guess I feel pure – and the opposite is also true, I feel impure or like “a mess” when I slept bad or eat really only sugar and fat and didn’t move at all :-) yea that happens !
4. I love that work and study are mentioned in 4 and 5, because I feel so passionate about these aspects of my life. They melt together, but is also a true sound position for me to be in. The months after graduation before I got a job, I renamed my job-applications to “my job”. I couldn’t relate to being without job, fine lets call my new job “hired as unemployed” but the idea of: "without job"… too weird for me. My daily and weekly practice of self-inquiry or self-examination and study of yoga, is a lifeline, my beloved oxygen mask. And it reveals me to me, again and again depths of realization, patterns and brings me to bottoming out in non-functional patterns and bringing me through vague, uncertain periods into new grounds, new positions. It brings me perspective and proportion.
In my yoga practice and in the asana, it gives me: sense of getting cleaned, and being the cleaning-person at the same time. The asana gives me (most of the time) contentment. It brings me exercise and a good nights sleep. It is both my work and my study :-) and it often gives me the position to be serving a crowd of yoga-lovers <3 This little relation practice tells me that; doing the niyamas, is the same as doing my personal practice – fantastic!
Namasté
Jenni Saunte
Saturday, February 27, 2010
go for the wordless and for the unconditional
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))
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 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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