This month, our Moving into Meditation class is focusing on the Yoga Ethic of  Isvara-Prañidhânâ: surrendering to one’s highest ideal.  This practice of devotion is a path to realizing Samadhi – the state of perfected concentration or the deep absorption of meditation.

Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra:

PYS II.45  samâdhi-siddhir îsvara-prañidhânât

From an attitude of letting go into one’s source (ishvarapranidhana), the state of perfected concentration (samadhi) is attained.

samâdhi = oneness, integration
siddhiï = perfection
îsvara = divine ideal of pure awareness
prañidhânât = surrender, dedication, application, alignment

In our group practice I invited students to surrender the sense of separate self to explore an interdependent being with the web of life. From an attitude of letting go into this state of inter-being we might realize Samadhi.    We drew on the work of eco-philosopher, Joanna Macy – particularly her wonderful book:  World as Lover World as Self.

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Our Moving into Meditation class continues to focus on the Yoga Ethic of Svadhyaya or “self-study.”   Self-reflection involves listening to ourselves and also listening to each other.  In his latest book, The Lost Art of Conversation, Tibetan Buddhist scholar, teacher and writer Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche encourages us to approach listening as a form of auditory meditation.  He writes:

“When we practice meditation, we strip away the words and come to an inexpressible experience of our own being that happens only when we let ourselves relax, feel who we are, and be there for it.  . . . when we feel who we are in our hearts, then no matter what experience we are having, we are staying . . .

Meditation . . . allows us to rest in our own vulnerability and strength.  . . . The first step is to allow ourselves just to feel.  In feeling, there is a sense of unknowing and knowing.  Instead of relating to it as a minor sensation, connect to your sense of feeling as a sign  that you are alive.

. . . Equanimity toward what is happening engenders a quality of steadiness, and at the same time frees you to . . . move . . . into the space of possibility.”

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This month our Moving into Meditation class is focusing on the Yoga Ethic of Svadhyaya or “self-study.”  The first part of the word—sva—means “self.” The second part—dhyaya—is derived from the verb root dhyai, which means “to contemplate, to think on, to recollect, or to call to mind.”  We also drew inspiration from Buddhist meditation teacher and writer, Pema Chodron’s extensive teachings on how we can befriend ourselves in meditation. (See Shambala Publication’s A Pema Chodron Primer.) Continue reading →

This month our Moving into Meditation class continues study of the Yoga Ethic of Tapas.  The principle of Tapas, self discipline, is part of Yoga’s Eightfold Path of living a conscious life.  The powers of “I Will” and “I Won’t” correspond to Patanjali’s Yamas and Niyamas.

“I Will” roughly corresponds to the five individual guidelines or observances, in Sanskrit called the Niyamas:

Saucha  – purity, care for one’s physical, mental, emotional and spiritual well being

 Santosha   – contentment, willingness to accept what is

Tapas – self-discipline, inner-fire, ardor

Svadhyaya – self-reflection, study of wisdom teachings

Isvara-Pranidhana – surrender to that which supports our lives, devotion

“I won’t” corresponds to the five social guidelines or restraints called the Yamas:

Ahimsa – nonviolence, compassion for self and others

Satya – truth in thoughts, words and deeds

Asteya – not taking that which has not been freely given, generosity

Brahmacharya – moderation, conservation of energy

Aparigraha – non-covetousness, generosity in spirit and action Continue reading →

This month our Moving into Meditation class continues study of the Yoga Ethic of Tapas.  In his article, Yoga Philosophy Basics:  The 5 Niyamas, yoga scholar Rolf Sovik, translates Tapas as self discipline.  He advises practitioners:  “Through the ardor of Tapas, choose to make healthy changes in your life . . . Self-surrender is . . . the act of giving ourselves to a higher purpose.”

Radiance and clarity are the core of Tapas. The term ardor – originates from the Latin “ardere” to burn. With Tapas, we are gathering the fire within—overcoming sloth and inertia while becoming active and engaged.

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This month our Moving into Meditation class continues study of the Yoga Ethic of Santosha.  Santosha inspires us to cultivate contentment.

“When at peace and content with oneself and others (Santosha), supreme joy is celebrated.”  Yoga Sutra 2.42 translation by Nischala Joy Devi, The Secret Power of Yoga

Today we drew our inspiration from Roger Keyes beautiful poem, Hokusai Says (link to Roger’s reading of the poem).  The poet Roger Keyes is an American professor of East Asian studies. This poem is apparently his cross-media translation of the art of Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849) into poetry. The poem says: “. . . Contentment is life living through you. Joy is life living through you. Satisfaction and strength is life living through you . . . “  Our guided relaxation incorporated  lines of this extraordinary poem of mindfulness.

HOKUSAI SAYS

Hokusai says look carefully.
He says pay attention, notice.
He says keep looking, stay curious.
He says there is no end to seeing.
He says look forward to getting old.
He says keep changing,
you just get more who you really are.
He says get stuck, accept it, repeat
yourself as long as it is interesting.
He says keep doing what you love.
He says keep praying.
He says everyone of us is a child,
everyone of us is ancient,
everyone of us has a body.
He says everyone of us is frightened.
He says everyone of us has to find
a way to live with fear.
He says everything is alive–
shells, buildings, people, fish,
mountains, trees, wood is alive.
Water is alive.
Everything has its own life.
Everything lives inside us.
He says live with the world inside you.
He says it doesn’t matter if you draw,
or write books. It doesn’t matter
if you saw wood, or catch fish.
It doesn’t matter if you sit at home
and stare at the ants on your veranda
or the shadows of the trees
and grasses in your garden.
It matters that you care.
It matters that you feel.
It matters that you notice.
It matters that life lives through you.
Contentment is life living through you.
Joy is life living through you.
Satisfaction and strength
is life living through you.
He says don’t be afraid.
Don’t be afraid.
Love, feel, let life take you by the hand.
Let life live through you.

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This month our Moving into Meditation class continues study of the Yoga Ethic of Saucha.  Saucha inspires us to cultivate clarity, light, purity and simplicity.  Today we explored these qualities inspired by Rumi’s beautiful poem, The Guest House:

This being human is a guest house.
Every morning a new arrival.
A joy, a depression, a meanness,
some momentary awareness comes
as an unexpected visitor.
Welcome and entertain them all!
Even if they are a crowd of sorrows,
who violently sweep your house
empty of its furniture,
still, treat each guest honorably.
He may be clearing you out
for some new delight.
The dark thought, the shame, the malice.
meet them at the door laughing and invite them in.
Be grateful for whatever comes.
because each has been sent
as a guide from beyond.
— Jellaludin Rumi,
translation by Coleman Barks

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This month our Moving into Meditation class continues study of the Yoga Ethic of Saucha.  Saucha inspires us to cultivate clarity, light, purity and simplicity.  Today we explored these qualities inspired by the beautiful poem, Core, written by Kerrie O’Brien and Yoga scholar, Rolf Sovik’s essay:  The Gayatri Mantra: Awakening to the Sun.

You can find a tutorial that will help you learn the Gayatri mantra embedded in Rolf’s article.

Guided Relaxation

Welcome. . . . and relax. . . . sensing each passing moment . . . the state of mind, your thoughts, feelings, and bodily sensations. Let your mind land on breathing . . . feeling breathing . . . . . . currents . . . pulses . . . glimmerings . . . expanding . . . relaxing . . .

. . . you need to be very still . . . to hear the concert of your body . . . . . .
. . . you need to be very still . . . to think about what you contain . . .
salt and water . . .
. . . salt and water . . . knows what it’s doing . . . renewing itself . . . back to earth
. . . renewing itself back to earth . . . it is a quiet thing . . . . . .
this is where our riches are . . . we are all red inside . . . brimming with love . . .
. . . brimming with love . . . all fluid and quiet and fire. . . . . [adapted from Kerrie O’Brien]

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This month our Moving into Meditation class is studying the Yoga Ethic of Saucha.  Saucha is one of the Niyamas, the observances we practice to live in harmony with all of life.  These guiding principles comprise the yogic model of living a conscious life. This day of the winter solstice we invited light into our hearts in contemplation, reflection, meditation, mantra and movement.  We kindled a luminosity of being inspired by the Yoga ethic Saucha – clarity, light, purity, simplicity. The spark of luminous goodness. A Winter Solstice Prayer asks:

May we find hope in the lights we have kindled . . .
hope in one another and in all who form the web-work of peace and justice
that spans the world.
In the heart of every person on this Earth
burns the spark of luminous goodness;
in no heart is there total darkness.

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This month our Moving into Meditation class is studying the Yoga Ethic of Saucha.  Saucha is one of the Niyamas, the observances we practice to live in harmony with all of life.  These guiding principles comprise the yogic model of living a conscious life. This model is outlined in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra using the metaphor of a tree. The tree’s eight limbs describe the path.

In Yoga we climb these branches toward liberation – we liberate ourselves from unnecessary suffering. We free ourselves to embrace a deeper well being that includes all beings. Nischala Joy Devi defines the Yamas and Niyamas as “inspired offerings, not commandments, given to us gently and respectfully.” We can create harmony within ourselves and with our world relationships.

We drew inspiration from poet and philosopher John O’Donohue’s beautiful poetry.  Here are some of the resources we used in this morning’s practice of guided relaxation, mindful movement and sitting meditation.

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