I’m back. In Denmark – but the “I” is questionable if it returned, it surely turned… but maybe to a new direction :-)
My sutras went with me on a fierce, intense yoga travel- it was great!! I was more challenged than ever and ego had a hard time (didn’t find much to build pride upon, haha).
I thought the time in Italy, was only going to be about sutra 2.2 and 2.3 but last post became important. The teacher Glenn Ceresoli said the first day, that if I get confused about what I’m doing just turn back to essence – self-examination was one of the things he declared as essence of yoga- soo… since I had brought the first sutra too, I’ve spent some extra time with this one as well :-) (see last post)
2.2 Desikachar: “Then such practices will be certain to remove the obstacles to clear perception.”
This intensifies and confirms my effort to seek clarity – collect the experiences of which asana take me there (today) – I find that this clear state, can be found anywhere and nowhere. I lack words here.
I find clarity within; sometimes the asana can be the spark that connects me to this clear source. In Italy I had this clear experience, my body felt pure in some of the asanas, like after a long hot shower, or after a good nights sleep – but it was for example the trikonasanas that gave me the sensation…
2.3 “-“- “The obstacles are misapprehension, false identity, excessive attachments, unreasonable dislikes and insecurity.”
“Misapprehension” reminds me of what my guide have told me; “it’s not about finding the truth, it’s about getting rid of the untrue”. It makes me happy, when it all comes together. One of the “false identity” I wrestle with is, believing that I am my feelings, or believing that I am my thoughts.
Or all I am is one special thought or feeling… This often comes with the idea that the thought or feeling (identified with) is very important…
When the sutra says “excessive” attachments – I recognize one of my yoga-teachers words of comforts to me, about my attachment to providing for my children – he told me that some attachments were just part of being human. Sutra 2.1 tells me I’m not the master of everything I do. I think this might apply fine here – I don’t think I have to figure out when I’m too attached, or when the attachment is driving me. I can trust reality to show me in a very clear way when I get driven. This sutra is also one of these transformation sutras, that list what we are moving towards.
Here are some obstacles that my yoga journey re-moved (provoked a change in): “being a teacher” – I got to feel like a beginner, first I hated it, to feel incompetent, but than I fell in love with it again, to have soo much to learn!
“I can take time off, I can do holiday” well I find that I don’t operate to well with that idea, everyday-holiday soo I just call every now a holy now, and what we call it in society I consider a game, a play. I CANNOT do it, not even take time off. I get to experience it, it’s the best and the worst at once. This probably doesn’t make much sense, unless you’re a bit like me :-)
I got to look some of my dislikes in the eye, When I just did it, it was sometimes ok, like performing again, (no matter how short and little), it was ok. Or finding, that my most hated asana (oh yes I have one, sukhasana, maybe different in different yoga directions, but the one with the heel under the knee, and to hurt ego a little more it translates into “easy pose” haha), was going to be part of daily asana practice and I was going to be pushed deeper and deeper into it… it was provoking, destroying, vitalising and motivating. The experience of how insecurity left as I became “part of” was a loving beautiful including experience. Insecurity is like having no balance in a balance pose, very little possibility to feel clarity because you wobble, and tend to focus on the wobble – well there isn’t a balance to focus on yet… This focus-thief is insecurity for me in every area that it appears in, suddenly I’m all focused on the wobble (fun word) the insecurity.
Love and Namasté
Jenni
Showing posts with label love. Show all posts
Showing posts with label love. Show all posts
Monday, August 03, 2009
Friday, May 15, 2009
truth and connection, see and share
Another promise, “Then, what one sees and shares with others is free from error.”(1.48 Desikachar)
In the yoga state there is connection to a truth of recognition of true inner being and a diamond clear experience of outer reality, this connection has the nature of unification.
I can trust that, what I see and share is free from errors of separation and isolation (we are not one) and free from the identifications with “I am my thoughts and feelings”.
In yoga, I know this is the when my thought stops and my mind is blank, I am just a breath, the asana is not long or short, the breath is breathing me, the movement is leading (serving) me. There is no judgement, so there is no error to be seen or shared. There is no past or future to give a colour to the now and there is not another place or person to compare the “here” to :-) this is the promise of right here and now, the “atha” in the sutras. I am grateful to have a source, an experience base of this in my yoga practice. Last weeks sutra was about know me – and my inner being, my inner truth. Well working this sutra in the classes made it clear to me, that one way that promise looks in my life is that yoga gives me knowledge about me in the bodyconscious kind of way, in knowing my strength, me limberness (flexibility) and my relaxing skills. It teaches me about my character and how perseverance and surrender looks like “the jenni way”. I am grateful to get to know me – I like the company :-) Love and serenity
Jenni Saunte
In the yoga state there is connection to a truth of recognition of true inner being and a diamond clear experience of outer reality, this connection has the nature of unification.
I can trust that, what I see and share is free from errors of separation and isolation (we are not one) and free from the identifications with “I am my thoughts and feelings”.
In yoga, I know this is the when my thought stops and my mind is blank, I am just a breath, the asana is not long or short, the breath is breathing me, the movement is leading (serving) me. There is no judgement, so there is no error to be seen or shared. There is no past or future to give a colour to the now and there is not another place or person to compare the “here” to :-) this is the promise of right here and now, the “atha” in the sutras. I am grateful to have a source, an experience base of this in my yoga practice. Last weeks sutra was about know me – and my inner being, my inner truth. Well working this sutra in the classes made it clear to me, that one way that promise looks in my life is that yoga gives me knowledge about me in the bodyconscious kind of way, in knowing my strength, me limberness (flexibility) and my relaxing skills. It teaches me about my character and how perseverance and surrender looks like “the jenni way”. I am grateful to get to know me – I like the company :-) Love and serenity
Jenni Saunte
Friday, February 13, 2009
sensory perception adventure, 1.35
“Objective sensory perception stabilizes and focuses our thought.”
My perception of my selves and others, is not objective, neither is it one thing. The more I discover that my perception is depending on my attitude or my experienced reality, the more I’m set free (=objective) from the idea that my perception is the one and only way to experience my selves and others. (loove the plural form of “selves” :-)
I don’t think my attitudes are obstacles in their nature, but thinking my attitudes (or my opinions for that sake) is me – well that often lead to trouble…
So, I know from experience that thinking that sensory perception is personal makes a lot of unmanageability, through this I can relate to this sutra.
Right now I’m working with theories that claim our bodies are like spaceships, gathering information about the surrounding space – it’s through our bodies we relate to each others and the world around us. We often forget how enjoyable and satisfying this experience can be. I love this picture. And the consequences it has.
When I get really tired in the dynamic asana work, I love the suggestion of; “maybe I’m not tired,(haha) maybe it’s a story :-) Or when the perception “I lack flexibility in a joint” offers it’s service, I can try another story; “how is this joint perfect right now…”
Bouanchaud talks about perspectives, I think this is what I get from having a long time daily practice, it gives a perspective - an entity, to the asana and thereby lets the asana be just a part of something bigger, get a proportion.
To my teaching this sutra encourage working on “judge not” and search for the reason (attitude, or perspective) to do yoga today – and bring that into every asana.
But since it’s valentines day, my Saturday will be about love, love, love - and I will give an extra class on partner-yoga-asanas and a chocolate meditation – that can be a sensory perception adventure !
Love and peace
Jenni Saunte
My perception of my selves and others, is not objective, neither is it one thing. The more I discover that my perception is depending on my attitude or my experienced reality, the more I’m set free (=objective) from the idea that my perception is the one and only way to experience my selves and others. (loove the plural form of “selves” :-)
I don’t think my attitudes are obstacles in their nature, but thinking my attitudes (or my opinions for that sake) is me – well that often lead to trouble…
So, I know from experience that thinking that sensory perception is personal makes a lot of unmanageability, through this I can relate to this sutra.
Right now I’m working with theories that claim our bodies are like spaceships, gathering information about the surrounding space – it’s through our bodies we relate to each others and the world around us. We often forget how enjoyable and satisfying this experience can be. I love this picture. And the consequences it has.
When I get really tired in the dynamic asana work, I love the suggestion of; “maybe I’m not tired,(haha) maybe it’s a story :-) Or when the perception “I lack flexibility in a joint” offers it’s service, I can try another story; “how is this joint perfect right now…”
Bouanchaud talks about perspectives, I think this is what I get from having a long time daily practice, it gives a perspective - an entity, to the asana and thereby lets the asana be just a part of something bigger, get a proportion.
To my teaching this sutra encourage working on “judge not” and search for the reason (attitude, or perspective) to do yoga today – and bring that into every asana.
But since it’s valentines day, my Saturday will be about love, love, love - and I will give an extra class on partner-yoga-asanas and a chocolate meditation – that can be a sensory perception adventure !
Love and peace
Jenni Saunte
Friday, January 30, 2009
the eyes on the price “a quiet mind” 1.33
This is one, is a big one for me!!!
“The mind becomes quiet when it cultivates friendliness in the presence of happiness, active compassion in the presence of unhappiness, joy in the presence of virtue, and indifference toward error.”
So, it’s about quieting the mind, I tend to focus on all the other great things in this sutra, and I really need to
“keep the eyes on the price” :-)
Jealousy and envy are big serenity robbers (my guide tells me that; comparison is the shortest way to insanity:-), and so are condemnation and judgement.
I guess this is why we say (at least in Danish yoga rooms) “Mind your own mat”. Not as a “non-sharing” kind of thing, but to nurture the serenity – to quiet the mind.
For me – wanting what I don’t have (sometime happiness or virtue) and fear of loosing what I already have (respect, worth, my happy mood or being right ;-) – can make my life a true mess.
When I started out as a yoga teacher, I never told my colleagues- whose classes I attended - that I also was a teacher. I was afraid of their judgement of me. I had this story of, having to be good (better), perfect and never sick and sad – man it was hard :-)
I’ll do anything to avoid this lonely place.
Today I always introduce myself as a colleague. I get to be part of a community. I take classes, with some of the most wonderful, inspiring teachers and when I can love them for their virtue and thank them for the challenge they bring me. I get to be in safe, loving relations – I realize that it’s my attitudes that are safe to live within. My mind quiets. Nice!
I’ve been given the power to delegate :-) and so I do. I delegate: reading the newspaper to my boyfriend, big bosoms to some of my girlfriends, eating sugar to my kids, enjoying hunting to the hunters and giving the kids a cat to my ex. (at his house).
What I get out of this practice, is SERENITY. If I really believe we are all one – than I truly can enjoy soo many things.
When I was younger it was all about the passion, mostly for him :-) or some prestige-action…
It kind of still is about passion... Today I’m passionate about being in rhythm, madly in love with contentedness, wild about perspectives and proportions, excited about getting one more day-awake! In these states my mind quiets and I find peace.
Sure- there is still the part of me that gets such a kick out of a good inhalation, that I just want to continue, breathing in- until my lungs burst and my head explodes, because… well I just really love breathing :-9 and being alive. It’s not exactly my serene moment… neither is it an ego-boost, just life-bubbling in an overwhelming way.
What to do, with classes?
Gratitude to what is easy for each and every one of us, compassion with what’s hard for us, neutrality towards the errors we- and those around us make and let happiness and contentment be a friend. Minding my own mat – the “here” in atha (here and now) and the eyes on the price “a quiet mind”.
Namasté
Jenni Saunte
Christine on sutra 1.33
Dharmayoga also on this sutra...
“The mind becomes quiet when it cultivates friendliness in the presence of happiness, active compassion in the presence of unhappiness, joy in the presence of virtue, and indifference toward error.”
So, it’s about quieting the mind, I tend to focus on all the other great things in this sutra, and I really need to
“keep the eyes on the price” :-)
Jealousy and envy are big serenity robbers (my guide tells me that; comparison is the shortest way to insanity:-), and so are condemnation and judgement.
I guess this is why we say (at least in Danish yoga rooms) “Mind your own mat”. Not as a “non-sharing” kind of thing, but to nurture the serenity – to quiet the mind.
For me – wanting what I don’t have (sometime happiness or virtue) and fear of loosing what I already have (respect, worth, my happy mood or being right ;-) – can make my life a true mess.
When I started out as a yoga teacher, I never told my colleagues- whose classes I attended - that I also was a teacher. I was afraid of their judgement of me. I had this story of, having to be good (better), perfect and never sick and sad – man it was hard :-)
I’ll do anything to avoid this lonely place.
Today I always introduce myself as a colleague. I get to be part of a community. I take classes, with some of the most wonderful, inspiring teachers and when I can love them for their virtue and thank them for the challenge they bring me. I get to be in safe, loving relations – I realize that it’s my attitudes that are safe to live within. My mind quiets. Nice!
I’ve been given the power to delegate :-) and so I do. I delegate: reading the newspaper to my boyfriend, big bosoms to some of my girlfriends, eating sugar to my kids, enjoying hunting to the hunters and giving the kids a cat to my ex. (at his house).
What I get out of this practice, is SERENITY. If I really believe we are all one – than I truly can enjoy soo many things.
When I was younger it was all about the passion, mostly for him :-) or some prestige-action…
It kind of still is about passion... Today I’m passionate about being in rhythm, madly in love with contentedness, wild about perspectives and proportions, excited about getting one more day-awake! In these states my mind quiets and I find peace.
Sure- there is still the part of me that gets such a kick out of a good inhalation, that I just want to continue, breathing in- until my lungs burst and my head explodes, because… well I just really love breathing :-9 and being alive. It’s not exactly my serene moment… neither is it an ego-boost, just life-bubbling in an overwhelming way.
What to do, with classes?
Gratitude to what is easy for each and every one of us, compassion with what’s hard for us, neutrality towards the errors we- and those around us make and let happiness and contentment be a friend. Minding my own mat – the “here” in atha (here and now) and the eyes on the price “a quiet mind”.
Namasté
Jenni Saunte
Christine on sutra 1.33
Dharmayoga also on this sutra...
Sunday, December 21, 2008
expression, being loving entity, Sutra 1.27
“Its expression is the sacred syllable”.
It’s my experience, when I call something a problem, the best thing I can do is to let go of it and focus my attention into the “here and now” the loving actions that is life/reality/truth unfolding into my day. Often the problem just… vaporizes into thin air, by itself, just- by not getting fed by my attention :-) I guess this is one way the sutra guides me: focus on how to express love, wisdom or truth, in the actual action I’m in, and the problems vanish.
I’m so grateful that instead of using the non- genderised “he”, “him” the translation uses “it”. That is simpler and less connotations for me. Personally the word I choose for God is, most days, not important, as long as it takes me “there” to the summit.
I want to work with this, partly by giving room for the aum in my class. I love that syllable. That mantra. Just love that it has no meaning to me, just a fantastic soft vibration, in me.
One of my yoga masters told me, that it doesn’t matter; I could say coca cola – if that was nice for me. I appreciate his advice a lot. The sutra also reminds me how including yoga is, that we can practice yoga even though we come from different cultures and have different world-views. This is for me, in the teaching situation, including all of our different personalities.
First we sought the inner wisdom, than we sought the wisdom carried in the asana, now I think, I want us to explore our expression. Maybe work some asanas in, that creates contact to the sahasrara chakra. I want to work with the attitude: “how can I make this asana the most loving expression of me right now?”
Desikachar writes on this sutra, first his own question: “How should we refer to God?” and lets the translated sutra answer: “In the way most appropriate to the qualities of God”.
So for me, the interesting thing is still: How do I express reality, wisdom, love- in the most appropriate way, in my being (and in the asana).
The word is not important at all for me. The being is however. I think the English language has a beautiful word: LOVE it’s so nice phonetically. The singing of Sanskrit hymns, it’s a bit bogus for me, but the vibration of the sound and the surrendering, to something I don’t get is… fine, good practice.
I don’t see yoga as a religion, more a spiritual path. In my understanding spirituality is universal. A very recognized professor in “science of religions” Mircea Eliade, has written a book about Patanjalis yoga sutras and Theresa of Avilias spirituality and found that it is the same path :-) I’m a sucker for unity, so I just love that theory.
Tonight I’m giving a workshop in “being part of”, entity and being whole, complete. I love that – what a fantastic job I have.
I’m getting ready for Christmas- wich I will enjoy at home. But I’m leaving Copenhagen and all the festivities around new years, tired of fireworks-the sound of them…to go as far north as possible in Denmark, Skagen. It’s a beautiful place, nature is wild, to seas are meeting and I can watch it happen. Better than firework.
Kærlighed og julefred Love and Christmas peace to you all and your families.
Jenni Saunte
It’s my experience, when I call something a problem, the best thing I can do is to let go of it and focus my attention into the “here and now” the loving actions that is life/reality/truth unfolding into my day. Often the problem just… vaporizes into thin air, by itself, just- by not getting fed by my attention :-) I guess this is one way the sutra guides me: focus on how to express love, wisdom or truth, in the actual action I’m in, and the problems vanish.
I’m so grateful that instead of using the non- genderised “he”, “him” the translation uses “it”. That is simpler and less connotations for me. Personally the word I choose for God is, most days, not important, as long as it takes me “there” to the summit.
I want to work with this, partly by giving room for the aum in my class. I love that syllable. That mantra. Just love that it has no meaning to me, just a fantastic soft vibration, in me.
One of my yoga masters told me, that it doesn’t matter; I could say coca cola – if that was nice for me. I appreciate his advice a lot. The sutra also reminds me how including yoga is, that we can practice yoga even though we come from different cultures and have different world-views. This is for me, in the teaching situation, including all of our different personalities.
First we sought the inner wisdom, than we sought the wisdom carried in the asana, now I think, I want us to explore our expression. Maybe work some asanas in, that creates contact to the sahasrara chakra. I want to work with the attitude: “how can I make this asana the most loving expression of me right now?”
Desikachar writes on this sutra, first his own question: “How should we refer to God?” and lets the translated sutra answer: “In the way most appropriate to the qualities of God”.
So for me, the interesting thing is still: How do I express reality, wisdom, love- in the most appropriate way, in my being (and in the asana).
The word is not important at all for me. The being is however. I think the English language has a beautiful word: LOVE it’s so nice phonetically. The singing of Sanskrit hymns, it’s a bit bogus for me, but the vibration of the sound and the surrendering, to something I don’t get is… fine, good practice.
I don’t see yoga as a religion, more a spiritual path. In my understanding spirituality is universal. A very recognized professor in “science of religions” Mircea Eliade, has written a book about Patanjalis yoga sutras and Theresa of Avilias spirituality and found that it is the same path :-) I’m a sucker for unity, so I just love that theory.
Tonight I’m giving a workshop in “being part of”, entity and being whole, complete. I love that – what a fantastic job I have.
I’m getting ready for Christmas- wich I will enjoy at home. But I’m leaving Copenhagen and all the festivities around new years, tired of fireworks-the sound of them…to go as far north as possible in Denmark, Skagen. It’s a beautiful place, nature is wild, to seas are meeting and I can watch it happen. Better than firework.
Kærlighed og julefred Love and Christmas peace to you all and your families.
Jenni Saunte
Saturday, June 07, 2008
Heart and the 1.2 sutra
The second yoga sutra defines yoga as an ability to direct and focus mental activity. This sutra has for a long time had a consequence for my classes, since I’m more inspired to teach if I use a focus for the class. When I was newly borne teacher my focus often was a physical feature, like the hips or the shoulders or a movement principal like forward bends or inversions. But the more I worked and grew spiritually, these physical themes got more connected to spiritual principals (for me) like “letting go” (detachment), non violence (ahimsa) or being here and now. The second sutra tells me why these themes work so well. It’s like the stream of thoughts and opinions pointing in all directions, gets quiet and wakeful by focusing on an object. Even when this object is a principal or an experience in the body.
Yesterday I cut tomatoes and my thoughts were on my friend’s situation and my mind produced a load of opinions. I had just prepared my meditation on the second sutra and I started to pray “I’m cutting tomatoes” again and again. It works!!! I get centered and into being, just by focusing on what already is - in the now.
This weekend my focusing point will be the heart, connecting and unfolding and letting it lead.
It’s not better or worse than any other focusing point, as far as I’m concerned. But this is what comes to me in meditation and in listening to people in my everyday.
Serenity and love
Jenniananda
Yesterday I cut tomatoes and my thoughts were on my friend’s situation and my mind produced a load of opinions. I had just prepared my meditation on the second sutra and I started to pray “I’m cutting tomatoes” again and again. It works!!! I get centered and into being, just by focusing on what already is - in the now.
This weekend my focusing point will be the heart, connecting and unfolding and letting it lead.
It’s not better or worse than any other focusing point, as far as I’m concerned. But this is what comes to me in meditation and in listening to people in my everyday.
Serenity and love
Jenniananda
Friday, September 14, 2007
yoganu yoga now
My yoga practice is a lot about one breath at a time. I also want to tell everyone about how everything already is perfect, all we have to do is to see that! So I guess I just really enjoy these words coming out of my mouth, or right now out from my fingers.
Everything is already perfect; I just have to see it.
I can improve my practice by looking at how perfect it is - the way it is today. It’s not supposed to be in any other way.
Beauty!
Everything is already perfect; I just have to see it.
I can improve my practice by looking at how perfect it is - the way it is today. It’s not supposed to be in any other way.
Beauty!
Friday, June 29, 2007
Love
This week I want to explore love, with the help of yoga :) Lets be ambitious! But I’m actually serious, I’ve tried it before, to move and do, with a loving mind and get a beautiful reward; awareness of my loving nature.
Joseph Campbell said “People say that what we’re all seeking is a meaning for life. I don’t think that’s what we’re really seeking. I think that what we’re seeking is an experience of being alive, so that our life experiences on the purely physical plane will have resonances without own innermost being and reality, so that we actually feel the rapture of being alive.”
I can relate to this. I don’t want to understand love, I want to experience it. I want to be self providing, and I know I already am. Beautiful. Free me from the object and let me just be,, love.
Maybe this is one of these summer (inner) romance things,,, ?!
Joseph Campbell said “People say that what we’re all seeking is a meaning for life. I don’t think that’s what we’re really seeking. I think that what we’re seeking is an experience of being alive, so that our life experiences on the purely physical plane will have resonances without own innermost being and reality, so that we actually feel the rapture of being alive.”
I can relate to this. I don’t want to understand love, I want to experience it. I want to be self providing, and I know I already am. Beautiful. Free me from the object and let me just be,, love.
Maybe this is one of these summer (inner) romance things,,, ?!
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