“But can we see from [our ability to know the mind of others] what the origin is of the state of mind?” Desikachars translation of Sutra 3.20, answers: “No, the cause of state of mind of one individual is beyond the scope of observation by another”
Ok, so in asana and teaching situation I can see symptoms of what’s going on in the student. I can have an idea of the origin of these symptoms, but I cannot know for sure. The more experienced I get, the more qualified are my ideas, but I still cannot know. And maybe it’s not important. “It’s not why, why, why it just is” like Van Morrison sings. Let’s just go with the answer “it’s the big bang” to all the “why” questions. Iyengar writes that for a yogi to try to look into the minds of others is a waste of time and a risk to loose “the grace of yoga”, unless it is to know how to act best towards this person. I have personal experience with this, it’s like staring into an abyss, to try to understand some people in my surroundings that act so… let’s call it negative. Trying to relate to this or trying to understand this and worst: trying to change this – I loose my contact to consciously knowing that I live in grace.
So here I am in my graceful morning. 1. I’m alive! 2. I love life and being 3. I love my idea for today! –whatever-
Iyengars translation is somewhat different, and he points out that this sutra is sometimes omitted, because it should be a later addition. I’m just keeping it simple and going with what makes sense to me right now. Desikachars translation gives me contact to my perception, experiences and it fits into a whole.
For this weeks class I’m going with “grace”. Right now it means to me; going with the position as “treasure-hunter” the one who receives and gets to experience. Not deserving the grace of yoga, just receiving it from showing up on the mat.
Namasté
Jenni
Showing posts with label gratitude. Show all posts
Showing posts with label gratitude. Show all posts
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Saturday, September 04, 2010
a new begining: chapter 3
Do you know the feeling of getting something that is very important somehow to you personally, and not being able to describe and tell anyone about it? And it feels so big that it is pointless to try to start writing about it, it will take forever to get it done. –well :-) that’s me right now!
So, I’m gonna try to keep it short and sweet.
In Iyengars start to the third chapter he talks about our quest in general terms. He describes how we, when we vigorously engage in this path, can achieve some power;
the eight siddhis:
(anima=to become as minute as an atom, mahima=to wax in magnitude, laghima=to become light, garima=to become heavy, prapti=the power to dominate and obtain what one wants, prakamya=the freedom of will and attainment of wishes, isatva=supremacy over all, vasitva=the power to subjugate anyone or anything)
However, Iyengar writes, that Patanjali “holds them to be obstacles” to meditation and oneness because they create attachment and affliction. We kind of get sidetracked. The powers of the siddhis are only of use if we have forgotten the aim of yoga. “”Discard them”, he says, “and devote all energies to the realization of God””
This is what is overwhelming to me. It feels like my heart is on fire for these sentences and singing; “listen jenni! Listen jenni!”
I have not felt like supremacy over all, as in supremacy over all other fellow human beings :-) but yoga-practice and regularity of daily practice have given me a sense of this feeling towards for example my emotional life, like there is something above this. And this could be such a kick that it suddenly could be the goal for me, instead of using this new freedom to realize oneness, unity or something greater than…
I had the urge to shift goal the first couple of times I felt the extreme lightness that yoga can give me, like all flesh is gone and there is only breath and spine left – an urge to go for experiencing this instead of a neutral acceptance and back the realization of the great reality.
I can’t write more about this, I have to sit with it. Back to the next sutra:
Sutra 3.1!!! “The mind has reached the ability to be directed (dharana) when direction towards a chosen object is possible in spite of many other potential objects within the reach of the individual” (Desikachar translation). I have so many relating points to the sutra and the text about them that I have to discard a lot :-)
I love the part that Iyengar writes about how absorbed we can become, how “dharana is the art of reducing the interruptions of the mind and ultimately eliminating them completely, so that the knower and the known become one”. Yes, I can relate to this. This is a part of both my work as a teacher and work in the projects at the library, this year especially with the young inventors and the innovation. It does bring humility and gratitude. And there is very little sense of ego, but not destruction or fight the ego. Something else. Dharana, I’m tasting the word, right now it tastes best whispering…
I am grateful for the suggestions that an external focus object should be associated with purity and that internal focus in reality is “pure existence”. Thanks.
I have to come back and write about my focusing points and unfoldings. I’m a bit to overwhelmed right now. Your are welcome, to make suggestions :-)
Love and light
Jenni Saunte
So, I’m gonna try to keep it short and sweet.
In Iyengars start to the third chapter he talks about our quest in general terms. He describes how we, when we vigorously engage in this path, can achieve some power;
the eight siddhis:
(anima=to become as minute as an atom, mahima=to wax in magnitude, laghima=to become light, garima=to become heavy, prapti=the power to dominate and obtain what one wants, prakamya=the freedom of will and attainment of wishes, isatva=supremacy over all, vasitva=the power to subjugate anyone or anything)
However, Iyengar writes, that Patanjali “holds them to be obstacles” to meditation and oneness because they create attachment and affliction. We kind of get sidetracked. The powers of the siddhis are only of use if we have forgotten the aim of yoga. “”Discard them”, he says, “and devote all energies to the realization of God””
This is what is overwhelming to me. It feels like my heart is on fire for these sentences and singing; “listen jenni! Listen jenni!”
I have not felt like supremacy over all, as in supremacy over all other fellow human beings :-) but yoga-practice and regularity of daily practice have given me a sense of this feeling towards for example my emotional life, like there is something above this. And this could be such a kick that it suddenly could be the goal for me, instead of using this new freedom to realize oneness, unity or something greater than…
I had the urge to shift goal the first couple of times I felt the extreme lightness that yoga can give me, like all flesh is gone and there is only breath and spine left – an urge to go for experiencing this instead of a neutral acceptance and back the realization of the great reality.
I can’t write more about this, I have to sit with it. Back to the next sutra:
Sutra 3.1!!! “The mind has reached the ability to be directed (dharana) when direction towards a chosen object is possible in spite of many other potential objects within the reach of the individual” (Desikachar translation). I have so many relating points to the sutra and the text about them that I have to discard a lot :-)
I love the part that Iyengar writes about how absorbed we can become, how “dharana is the art of reducing the interruptions of the mind and ultimately eliminating them completely, so that the knower and the known become one”. Yes, I can relate to this. This is a part of both my work as a teacher and work in the projects at the library, this year especially with the young inventors and the innovation. It does bring humility and gratitude. And there is very little sense of ego, but not destruction or fight the ego. Something else. Dharana, I’m tasting the word, right now it tastes best whispering…
I am grateful for the suggestions that an external focus object should be associated with purity and that internal focus in reality is “pure existence”. Thanks.
I have to come back and write about my focusing points and unfoldings. I’m a bit to overwhelmed right now. Your are welcome, to make suggestions :-)
Love and light
Jenni Saunte
Saturday, August 07, 2010
rythm of our every day
Sutra 2.52 “The regular practice of pranayama reduces the obstacles that inhibit clear perception”
How can I relate to this?
Well regular practice of anything gives me perspective. It is only the last 7-8 years I’ve been given a steady practice. But I can tell that perspective is a part of clarity, it gives proportions. And proportions give me that some things actually shrink and become insignificant – they don’t fill up my sight, so that’s contributing to clear perception. Right now the regular practice of staying in my centre, when talking to a very negative person on a returning almost daily occasion gives me clear vision that the other person is not my problem, I get clear vision into me. My yoga practice can teach me something here.
Smiling helps to stay centred in the asana, not to become a fighter a militant gymnast :-) In order to smile in real life, I share my experience (the strugle with the negative person), with somebody outside the whole situation. We can smile and laugh at my reactions and sometimes confused actions – well I experience the same release into a centeredness and lightness, as in the asana. In this centeredness I experience clear perception.
I’m not avoiding to write about the “pranayama-part” in this sutra :-)
I’m very grateful to get, yet another push into action on everyday basis.
You see, last weeks sutra made me start my morning yoga-practice again – it was soo nice!!!! Until Tuesday (haha), where me and the girls left for a mini-vacation on an island… I just couldn’t get it done. Yoga and meditation become the walk alongside the water, the engaging in the kids play, tales and the sound of the waves and the amending meeting with oldtime friends and family. Which is all fine, but not the same, so continuity…
But this weeks sutra gives me, that this is fine. It’s true that we do all sorts of things in life and situations change, continuity breaks and we follow along. Then when we are back – there can be a rhythm in our everyday, that unfolds in for example a yoga-routine, a pranayama practice. Keep coming back, like in meditation. Not to do the same thing every day, but to keep coming back to what works..
My teaching will start up soon. This sutra encourages me to go for clarity in teaching situations. To try on whatever tiny start up level to introduce pranayama or conscious contact to the breath. It also tells me that I as a teacher is not the “problem remover” but the practice is. I love that!!
Namasté
Love and light
Jenni Saunte
How can I relate to this?
Well regular practice of anything gives me perspective. It is only the last 7-8 years I’ve been given a steady practice. But I can tell that perspective is a part of clarity, it gives proportions. And proportions give me that some things actually shrink and become insignificant – they don’t fill up my sight, so that’s contributing to clear perception. Right now the regular practice of staying in my centre, when talking to a very negative person on a returning almost daily occasion gives me clear vision that the other person is not my problem, I get clear vision into me. My yoga practice can teach me something here.
Smiling helps to stay centred in the asana, not to become a fighter a militant gymnast :-) In order to smile in real life, I share my experience (the strugle with the negative person), with somebody outside the whole situation. We can smile and laugh at my reactions and sometimes confused actions – well I experience the same release into a centeredness and lightness, as in the asana. In this centeredness I experience clear perception.
I’m not avoiding to write about the “pranayama-part” in this sutra :-)
I’m very grateful to get, yet another push into action on everyday basis.
You see, last weeks sutra made me start my morning yoga-practice again – it was soo nice!!!! Until Tuesday (haha), where me and the girls left for a mini-vacation on an island… I just couldn’t get it done. Yoga and meditation become the walk alongside the water, the engaging in the kids play, tales and the sound of the waves and the amending meeting with oldtime friends and family. Which is all fine, but not the same, so continuity…
But this weeks sutra gives me, that this is fine. It’s true that we do all sorts of things in life and situations change, continuity breaks and we follow along. Then when we are back – there can be a rhythm in our everyday, that unfolds in for example a yoga-routine, a pranayama practice. Keep coming back, like in meditation. Not to do the same thing every day, but to keep coming back to what works..
My teaching will start up soon. This sutra encourages me to go for clarity in teaching situations. To try on whatever tiny start up level to introduce pranayama or conscious contact to the breath. It also tells me that I as a teacher is not the “problem remover” but the practice is. I love that!!
Namasté
Love and light
Jenni Saunte
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
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
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, January 09, 2010
freedom kaivalya * *
In the previous sutras I’ve found that the only purpose for me to perceive is; to perceive (2.21). And to perceive has but one purpose to clarify the distinction between my inner seer and the nature/world/objects, all the ever changing.
Now, sutra 2.25 gives me the ultimate goal of yoga practice; “As misapprehension is reduced there is a corresponding increase in clarity. This is the path to freedom.” (Desikachar translation)
Freedom, emancipation (Iyengar) or “Kaivalya”.
Desikachar gives me a starting definition of freedom. “Freedom is the absence of the consequences of obstacles and the avoidance of actions which has distracting and disturbing effects.” I try to remember a time or situation where I’ve felt free - - -
Ok, I’m back, a friend called and we talked about freedom, and both of us have the exact same experiences of being free:
- In flow experiences, these can for me happen when I do yoga, experience art (literature, pictures, movies, music, theatre, dance all the arts all!) or in nature, walking up a mountain and suddenly I am free – an experience of enormous lungs :-) unity, purpose, no thoughts or few – almost unconscious and contentment.
- In playing, when I get to arrive at a playful position in a situation I am free. This is clear especially in situations where I used to be serious like exams… my academic life turned out to last for 16 years (different kind of studies) and the last two years my exams turned from anxiety to a playground. Freedom.
- In gratitude. When I find what I am grateful for I get to arrive in freedom.
- In admitting. I was wrong or I am an ass – there is huge freedom, not that I don’t have to care, since I’m sooo bad, but in honesty and sharing it with you, I can be authentic and free.
- In release from human solution, for example “if I had a partner/if I didn’t have a partner” I would feel free. When the story of what should set me free lets go, I get set free :-)
Oh this was nice. I think I will bring this into my yoga teaching today, to connect to our experience of freedom and aim for it in the asanas.
Namasté love and light
Jenni
Now, sutra 2.25 gives me the ultimate goal of yoga practice; “As misapprehension is reduced there is a corresponding increase in clarity. This is the path to freedom.” (Desikachar translation)
Freedom, emancipation (Iyengar) or “Kaivalya”.
Desikachar gives me a starting definition of freedom. “Freedom is the absence of the consequences of obstacles and the avoidance of actions which has distracting and disturbing effects.” I try to remember a time or situation where I’ve felt free - - -
Ok, I’m back, a friend called and we talked about freedom, and both of us have the exact same experiences of being free:
- In flow experiences, these can for me happen when I do yoga, experience art (literature, pictures, movies, music, theatre, dance all the arts all!) or in nature, walking up a mountain and suddenly I am free – an experience of enormous lungs :-) unity, purpose, no thoughts or few – almost unconscious and contentment.
- In playing, when I get to arrive at a playful position in a situation I am free. This is clear especially in situations where I used to be serious like exams… my academic life turned out to last for 16 years (different kind of studies) and the last two years my exams turned from anxiety to a playground. Freedom.
- In gratitude. When I find what I am grateful for I get to arrive in freedom.
- In admitting. I was wrong or I am an ass – there is huge freedom, not that I don’t have to care, since I’m sooo bad, but in honesty and sharing it with you, I can be authentic and free.
- In release from human solution, for example “if I had a partner/if I didn’t have a partner” I would feel free. When the story of what should set me free lets go, I get set free :-)
Oh this was nice. I think I will bring this into my yoga teaching today, to connect to our experience of freedom and aim for it in the asanas.
Namasté love and light
Jenni
Monday, August 25, 2008
Deep sleep and heaviness (sutra 1.10)
Well it’s perfect! After some weeks of confusion and unusually bad sleep, I found the releasing ending and the nakedness of a new beginning – and suddenly I can sleep again!
Yoga sutra 1.10 tells me that “deep sleep is when the mind is overcome with heaviness and no other activities are present”. I love that one of the mental activities is a “non activity”!!! That’s my experience, sometimes the most powerful and demanding act is to do nothing. So this is my practice this week (and last week). Sit on my hands and let things go. Watch it pass.
In this “don’t act!”-practice; I find how my daily yoga+fellowship +philosophy +spiritual- acts is carrying me and being my center when everything is unstable and confusing. GratefulJenniSunbeam. I love that that Bouanchaud calls deep sleep a meditative state, in which I’m just not conscious! And that there are people who believe that, when sleeping, we are with our greater power, getting nourished by this power and therefore are so refreshed after a good nights sleep. In my class (only hold one this weekend) I planed to take time to do a yoga-nidra, but since it was even longer time since we made a pranavidya, we did that. It affected me to use words like “bring wholeness”, “bring harmony”, “bring heaviness” and “release any blockages”. Grateful for my work! My personal attention, every night for some time, has been on; what am I letting go, into the stream of life today?
Yoga sutra 1.10 tells me that “deep sleep is when the mind is overcome with heaviness and no other activities are present”. I love that one of the mental activities is a “non activity”!!! That’s my experience, sometimes the most powerful and demanding act is to do nothing. So this is my practice this week (and last week). Sit on my hands and let things go. Watch it pass.
In this “don’t act!”-practice; I find how my daily yoga+fellowship +philosophy +spiritual- acts is carrying me and being my center when everything is unstable and confusing. GratefulJenniSunbeam. I love that that Bouanchaud calls deep sleep a meditative state, in which I’m just not conscious! And that there are people who believe that, when sleeping, we are with our greater power, getting nourished by this power and therefore are so refreshed after a good nights sleep. In my class (only hold one this weekend) I planed to take time to do a yoga-nidra, but since it was even longer time since we made a pranavidya, we did that. It affected me to use words like “bring wholeness”, “bring harmony”, “bring heaviness” and “release any blockages”. Grateful for my work! My personal attention, every night for some time, has been on; what am I letting go, into the stream of life today?
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Fantasy, creativity, sutra 1.9 and stones :-)
Last weekend I had several different focuses. On Saturday I told a friend to tell me what to dedicate my class to, and he wanted it to be about stones. Their quality of wanting to get grounded (get down) and stability and peace. I found that my students are the stones on top of the mountains and I’m the one helping gravity to get its way. It was a gift to me to work with, since my relations seems to be filled up with confused persons, several of them :-) so I get to be the stable stone to balance out the confusion. What a gift.
I also had access to a car for years, this arrangement have been changed lately, I was very concerned when it happened- I thought about my girls and how to get out of this big city… But it turns out that asking if I can borrow the car gives me the gift of feeling gratitude and him the gift of feeling generous (my guessing) gratitude is a great, true place to be.
Yoga sutra 1.9 tells me that; imagination is the comprehension of an object based only on words and expressions, even though the object is absent. Well the text asks me to consider how imagination/fantasy unfolds in my life – I loved that! I’m so rich in this area, there are soo many ways, and today my mind is set free from the idea that creativity has to be connected to some form of art! I mean fx; I’m creative hanging up the laundry in a beautiful way, I’m creative arranging my home, and in solving problems. This sutra restates that the mental activity (here imagination) isn’t in itself good or bad, just an activity. In my life creativity is a gift, it’s a flow. So I worked with flow and on Monday I also tried to work and play with the concept in the relaxation, but it wasn’t all good… So flow and connection and letting go and explore what happens was good experiences for me. And it was great to take out some time and review my daily life for the unfolding of creativity in my life. Tak.
Namasté
Jenni Saunte
I also had access to a car for years, this arrangement have been changed lately, I was very concerned when it happened- I thought about my girls and how to get out of this big city… But it turns out that asking if I can borrow the car gives me the gift of feeling gratitude and him the gift of feeling generous (my guessing) gratitude is a great, true place to be.
Yoga sutra 1.9 tells me that; imagination is the comprehension of an object based only on words and expressions, even though the object is absent. Well the text asks me to consider how imagination/fantasy unfolds in my life – I loved that! I’m so rich in this area, there are soo many ways, and today my mind is set free from the idea that creativity has to be connected to some form of art! I mean fx; I’m creative hanging up the laundry in a beautiful way, I’m creative arranging my home, and in solving problems. This sutra restates that the mental activity (here imagination) isn’t in itself good or bad, just an activity. In my life creativity is a gift, it’s a flow. So I worked with flow and on Monday I also tried to work and play with the concept in the relaxation, but it wasn’t all good… So flow and connection and letting go and explore what happens was good experiences for me. And it was great to take out some time and review my daily life for the unfolding of creativity in my life. Tak.
Namasté
Jenni Saunte
Saturday, February 23, 2008
What a week!
Ambitions surely have been faced. My oldest daughter has had two birthday parties, one for her school class and one for family. In my head this events gets the time that the guests are here. That’s soo not the reality, they take loads of time.
I don’t like to be the only responsible one – but I am.
I don’t like to set aside my studies – but I have to.
I don’t like prioritizing – but I get to.
Obviously this is the blessing of the week.
I get to look at my priorities, and act on them.
I get to let go of the idea of “doing everything”.
I get to be the responsible person that I sometime can be. I grow with this.
My daughter loved her birthday. It’s all good!
Today is yogaday, I am following up on last weeks viniyoga treat, and reintroducing ashtanga yoga’s sun salutation A. I think a lot of the movement’s that shows up in my programs right now is about energizing the body. I still talk a lot about “attach not, resist not and judge not”. But today the focus landed on “resist not” in form of; not fighting anyone or anything. An example from my own life is; when my older daughter criticise all the words of her kid sister – I do not fight it, I do not criticise her for doing that. Slowly the recognition grows in me, that I love to be (and I am) the person that don’t criticise. That’s what makes me happy. And after some time I can tell this to my kid, instead of telling her that what she do is wrong. Well that’s one way that yoga comes into my life, and I’m soo grateful.
Namasté Jenni
I don’t like to be the only responsible one – but I am.
I don’t like to set aside my studies – but I have to.
I don’t like prioritizing – but I get to.
Obviously this is the blessing of the week.
I get to look at my priorities, and act on them.
I get to let go of the idea of “doing everything”.
I get to be the responsible person that I sometime can be. I grow with this.
My daughter loved her birthday. It’s all good!
Today is yogaday, I am following up on last weeks viniyoga treat, and reintroducing ashtanga yoga’s sun salutation A. I think a lot of the movement’s that shows up in my programs right now is about energizing the body. I still talk a lot about “attach not, resist not and judge not”. But today the focus landed on “resist not” in form of; not fighting anyone or anything. An example from my own life is; when my older daughter criticise all the words of her kid sister – I do not fight it, I do not criticise her for doing that. Slowly the recognition grows in me, that I love to be (and I am) the person that don’t criticise. That’s what makes me happy. And after some time I can tell this to my kid, instead of telling her that what she do is wrong. Well that’s one way that yoga comes into my life, and I’m soo grateful.
Namasté Jenni
Monday, June 11, 2007
An experience and playfulness
Yes, Camilla prodded me to tell about my project. I proudly delivered a 187 pages long essay about experiences. Or more exactly, how to create a room that contains possibilities, for the visitor, to get an experience. You can read it here! If you saw my face, you would laugh,, I just have this grin! Like a cat who caught the rat… This project has given me a contented feeling. I have been a little girl playing with ideas and my group have been amazing, our last meeting, we wore crazy hats and a wig. I’ve also enjoyed my ability to structure my work, so that my parts are done, way before deadline, and this in a group that have another feeling of time. I found time to do my yoga work and being with my kids and not losing sight of my greater power all that much. So I give myself an A. And more, I consider my own grading as my reality. How I love reality, and owning, being and loving what already is! Two semesters ago, I had the blues after my exams for five days, last semester I had something like three days of blues. This semester I’ve had,,, NONE! I’ve been tired and I slept. I haven’t had energy to plan exciting things, so I haven’t planned anything. After a week I reread my essay, and I still liked it! I see this whole grade-thing as a game we play. There is so much love in playing. When I can find my playfulness and bring it into my work (all three works) I’m a more loving and living fellow human being. I’m so grateful that I chose this subject for my essay, where I could use my yoga philosophy as a guideline. I could actually use my body experiences to understand theoreticians writing at a high abstract/intellectual level. I also could chose to listen to my body experience and by opening my mind see the theoreticians that could explain and thereby be used to support my own inner knowledge. Beautiful
Thursday, May 03, 2007
Sunlight and jumping kids
Yes, that’s my day. I woke up with an inner judgemental voice, but it faded when my kids jumped into my bed and we cuddled while the sun coloured the sky red.
Sometimes during the day this cousin of my judgemental voice came, I call her ambitiousa, she is the one that wants me to do everything ,,, NOW! Lucky me! I’ve got kids, so I really don’t have time to listen to theese voices, I’m so grateful. Now they are jumping at the spring board and sun fills up my whole kitchen and it’s just perfect for me to cook dinner:)
Sometimes during the day this cousin of my judgemental voice came, I call her ambitiousa, she is the one that wants me to do everything ,,, NOW! Lucky me! I’ve got kids, so I really don’t have time to listen to theese voices, I’m so grateful. Now they are jumping at the spring board and sun fills up my whole kitchen and it’s just perfect for me to cook dinner:)
Sunday, April 15, 2007
Heaven and earth 2
Since last week I’ve had craving for a deeper dig into this topic.
So I’ve done more classes on the matter, as results I know have my own inner apple tree :)
My spine has turned into the tree and my heart and head is filled with flowers, fruits and leaves and I can feel the wind that moves me.
I love it!
So I’ve done more classes on the matter, as results I know have my own inner apple tree :)
My spine has turned into the tree and my heart and head is filled with flowers, fruits and leaves and I can feel the wind that moves me.
I love it!
Saturday, April 07, 2007
guidence
I love that I have friends and know artists (here; van Morrison) that always seems to find, yet, another angel at words or thoughts, I'm blessed to be able to hear, it turns into a picture of how I can't trust what meaning I put into words,, and out of this grows a picture of how rich reality is, of possibilities, opportunities.
Maybe I recognize the songs words (below) as my spirits word to the self, to ease it's ending.
Not to end, but to support the ending that sometime appears.
I’m thankful for the reminding not to rush, to love what already is..the present
Sometime I think it's too much - even though I recognize the truth in my "god self "to be real, and my other self as a story, my world just starts to whirl.
So let me be the whirling dervish in the dance of my life.
I see this dance of lunacy (the one-legged, the headless and the backwards), all fools can join and grab hands and circle around and around each other in a stomping waltz ;)
Let go into the mystery
Let yourself go
There is no other place to be
Baby this I know
You've got to dance and sing
And be alive in the mystery
And be joyous and give thanks
And let yourself go
You've got to open up your arms
To the sun
You know you've got so many charms
It's just begun
Trust what I say and do
What you're told
And surely all your dirt will turn into gold
Maybe I recognize the songs words (below) as my spirits word to the self, to ease it's ending.
Not to end, but to support the ending that sometime appears.
I’m thankful for the reminding not to rush, to love what already is..the present
Sometime I think it's too much - even though I recognize the truth in my "god self "to be real, and my other self as a story, my world just starts to whirl.
So let me be the whirling dervish in the dance of my life.
I see this dance of lunacy (the one-legged, the headless and the backwards), all fools can join and grab hands and circle around and around each other in a stomping waltz ;)
Let go into the mystery
Let yourself go
There is no other place to be
Baby this I know
You've got to dance and sing
And be alive in the mystery
And be joyous and give thanks
And let yourself go
You've got to open up your arms
To the sun
You know you've got so many charms
It's just begun
Trust what I say and do
What you're told
And surely all your dirt will turn into gold
Saturday, March 24, 2007
summer yoga
Some of my students wanted me to make a summer yoga course somewhere, but I didn’t have time to organize it, so they did!! How beautiful is that!!!
This is the result so far: http://sommeryoga.blogspot.com
This is the result so far: http://sommeryoga.blogspot.com
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Finally!!!
A breakthrough! Actually three!
A snowstorm have changed our grey city into a winter princess, people actually looks up and comment the weather to total strangers, with a smile (even though they complains ;)
We fought the snow-drifts to school and kinder garden, now I get the luxury of study while at the same time playing “snowed in”. My cheeks are burning :)
And,,,, We all slept through tonight!!! Yes! I had some pretty weird dreams, but I got a whole night sleep (as I preyed for).
And I’m now the lucky third of a bachelor group- let the process start!
Sunday, February 18, 2007
Sick kids
When people that I love are unhappy, unsatisfied I get eczema inside. I fear to be home with nothing happening, because I feel terrible when they are in discomfort.
Thank universe, for letting me be home when one had a holyday from school and the other were sick and a grandma that wont come as planed, since little one is sick.
Now I know, that there is nothing to fear. I could never have imagined what a relief this odd situation would be. I fear I will be “mom from hell”, that is irritated and can’t be present and calm. How little belief I have in myself! And how good I am!!! :)
Making orange juice became an event, helping out was fun and so many songs and paintings were created! I’m blessed with beautiful kids that can play and do things by them selves. I’m so grateful for how serene this weekend became.
Thank universe, for letting me be home when one had a holyday from school and the other were sick and a grandma that wont come as planed, since little one is sick.
Now I know, that there is nothing to fear. I could never have imagined what a relief this odd situation would be. I fear I will be “mom from hell”, that is irritated and can’t be present and calm. How little belief I have in myself! And how good I am!!! :)
Making orange juice became an event, helping out was fun and so many songs and paintings were created! I’m blessed with beautiful kids that can play and do things by them selves. I’m so grateful for how serene this weekend became.
Thursday, January 11, 2007
Letting go
Yesterday a big online community I’ve been a part of closed down. So I’ve been sad.
I’m so grateful that it's been in my life, these two years that I started to study again. Since I’m a single mom and don’t have time to socialize before and after classes, I have enjoyed the opportunity at night, online. Now I have a network at the institute of fellow students, that I keep up with. So it’s ok that it closes, but still a loss. When I was younger it was a threat to feel sadness, I always feared that it never would go away. I’ve experienced that feelings goes by, if I don’t resist them, if I allow them to exist. God! How many times have I not fought- not to get sad or angry?! Now it’s a part of my “daily” yoga-practice, to find out what’s inside, before I start working.
Today the sadness is gone and there is gratitude and I’m in the present again, letting go of this beautiful supporting community.
I’m so grateful that it's been in my life, these two years that I started to study again. Since I’m a single mom and don’t have time to socialize before and after classes, I have enjoyed the opportunity at night, online. Now I have a network at the institute of fellow students, that I keep up with. So it’s ok that it closes, but still a loss. When I was younger it was a threat to feel sadness, I always feared that it never would go away. I’ve experienced that feelings goes by, if I don’t resist them, if I allow them to exist. God! How many times have I not fought- not to get sad or angry?! Now it’s a part of my “daily” yoga-practice, to find out what’s inside, before I start working.
Today the sadness is gone and there is gratitude and I’m in the present again, letting go of this beautiful supporting community.
Saturday, January 06, 2007
evening
The class was fine, I’m so happy to see that my students can trust me, to tell me when I made a program that was too though as well as, when they are comfy and satisfied.
Discontent students were a major problem for me in the beginning. Than I realized that I cannot teach big classes and give everyone exactly what they need, every time-for me it’s been a long practice in letting go! I also had the impression, in the beginning, that they came because of me, and that I have to make perfect programs, well that’s over ;) Now I tend to see myself, more and more, as a mediator, mediating between them and the yogatreasure. Today I’ve been so inspired by reading some blogs. Some people write their gratitude lists, here are some of mine, from today:
Thanks for a blue sky and sun in my eyes!, for the giant windows at my work, for a calm brain, for a silent home. For not having anybody needing me! And Thanks for letting me, be in the truth of not needing another human being, knowing that I’m whole just by myself-what a beauty to rest in. I’m sure I’ve read about this in a yoga text.
Discontent students were a major problem for me in the beginning. Than I realized that I cannot teach big classes and give everyone exactly what they need, every time-for me it’s been a long practice in letting go! I also had the impression, in the beginning, that they came because of me, and that I have to make perfect programs, well that’s over ;) Now I tend to see myself, more and more, as a mediator, mediating between them and the yogatreasure. Today I’ve been so inspired by reading some blogs. Some people write their gratitude lists, here are some of mine, from today:
Thanks for a blue sky and sun in my eyes!, for the giant windows at my work, for a calm brain, for a silent home. For not having anybody needing me! And Thanks for letting me, be in the truth of not needing another human being, knowing that I’m whole just by myself-what a beauty to rest in. I’m sure I’ve read about this in a yoga text.
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