DAY 35: JUNE 16

The Two Monks and a Women

A senior monk and a junior monk were traveling together. At one point, they came to a river with a strong current. As the monks were preparing to cross the river, they saw a very young and beautiful woman also attempting to cross. The young woman asked if they could help her cross to the other side.

The two monks glanced at one another because they had taken vows not to touch a woman.

Then, without a word, the older monk picked up the woman, carried her across the river, placed her gently on the other side, and carried on his journey.

The younger monk couldn’t believe what had just happened. After rejoining his companion, he was speechless, and an hour passed without a word between them.

Two more hours passed, then three, finally the younger monk could contain himself any longer, and blurted out “As monks, we are not permitted a woman, how could you then carry that woman on your shoulders?”

The older monk looked at him and replied, “Brother, I set her down on the other side of the river, why are you still carrying her?”

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This Zen story implores us to be here, “Now”, in the present moment and to let go of what does not serve us. Our judgements, resentment and anger takes a lot of energy and sometimes keeps us from abiding in peace. Look to find peace and contentment in this very moment.

In the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, Svatmarama explains that following too many rules may be detrimental to yoga practice. Kindness and compassion are more important than some rules.

Gassho

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VINYASA

WITH maria filippone

TOMORROW, THURSDAY, JUNE 17
5:30-6:30pm PT / 6:30-7:30pm CT

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40 Days of Practice Resources:

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DAY 34: JUNE 15

The Great Vow

II:31 जातिदेशकालसमयानवच्छिन्नाः सार्वभौमामहाव्रतम् ॥३१॥

jāti-deśa-kāla-samaya-anavacchinnāḥ sārva-bhaumāḥ mahā-vratam ||31||

“The Yamas make are the Great Vow
that everyone can make
regardless of social status, age, place or other circumstance.”

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The yamas should be followed and practiced by the yogi all the time, without exception. They are not Patanjali says that practicing the yamas are the mahavratam (great vow) of the yogi. These vow as are not confined to class, place, or time. They are to be followed all the time without exception.

Sukkhasiddhi The Great Yogini

Ramaswami states:

The yogi takes this vow:

I will never harm any person. I will never harm any being.

I will never say anything false.

I will never steal on any occasion.

I will maintain brahmacharya on all occasions.

I will not accumulate things.

There may be an exception because of conflicting dharma. This was the case for ahimsa and satya. It may happen here as well. For instance, if the harming of one may save a hundred then it may be the right thing to do. But generally the yogi does not find himself in this situation.

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40 Days of Practice Resources:

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DAY 33: JUNE 14

Aparigraha

अपरिग्रह

Aparigraha (non-accumulation, greedlessness) is the 5th and final of the Yamas (non-harm, truthfullness, non-stealing, continence, and non-accumulation). It means you only take what is necessary. Anything beyond what you need you don’t try to accumulate. Aparigraha is for the yogi, it is not for the business person.

Here is a story from our teacher Srivatsa Ramaswami:

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Vinyasa

with Janet Stone

Tomorrow, Tuesday, June 15
6:30-7:30pm PT / 7:30-8:30pm CT

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40 Days of Practice Resources:

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DAY 32: JUNE 13

Excerpt from an Interview
with Meneka Desikachar

Do you have a favorite story from the Vedas?

My father-in-law (T. Krishnamacharya) used to tell me, God is always inside you, so you do not have to go to the temple to find him there. I liked that very much. He also told a story to accompany that idea. Long, long back God was moving like us in this world. But because people knew he was God, they used to chase him everywhere. And even though he was providing everything, they were so greedy, they only asked "give me this", "give me that". So he got fed up and he said I have to hide myself from these people, so that they don’t find me. So he went inside the heart of each one. And only those, who don’t look for more outside, but start looking for God within, will find him. 

What is for you the most important text for Yoga and Therapy?

For me the Yogasutra and the Bhagavad Gita. The Bhagavad Gita is very spiritual yet practical. The Yogasutra is also practical, but also good for the intellect. We need to put that into practice what we read in these teachings. This is the most important thing.

One wisdom that you have learnt from your teacher that has accompanied you through your work and life?

If you have really learnt yoga well it should change you. You have to try to apply a little bit of it in your life and try to become a bit better than you were yesterday. It should make you a better person. It might be difficult, but we can try our best. It will take a long time and many births. 

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40 Days of Practice Resources:

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DAY 31: JUNE 12

According to The RZA

“Jewels are minerals, compressed pieces of earth, stacks of crystalline carbon.  What gives them the shine is their history.  It’s the same with man.  When a man recognizes himself, he recognizes his true jewel and his body expresses that wisdom.  He becomes a jewel himself.  If his mind is sharp, the way he walks and talks has a certain beauty about it.  Attain wisdom and you have all the bling you ever need.”

~ RZA

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Here are the 12 Jewels of Islam 

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“Linear logic measures only the four dimensions: length, width, depth, and time. But in the fifth dimension, energy surpasses time. Light surpasses time. Time is just a controller of certain planes. It’s not the master. The true master is consciousness, and I mean true consciousness—not simply being awake—I’m talking about the consciousness that never sleeps. The part of you that is aware of your consciousness. There’s a part of you that’s always there, always consistent, that represents your true self—the part connected to God. That’s who you gotta get in touch with.”

~ RZA

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40 Days of Practice Resources:

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DAY 30: JUNE 11

Svadhyaya Cont.

Knowledge of Self.

“Knowing others is wisdom. Knowing yourself is Enlightenment.”

~ Lao-Tzu

“In order for one to find God, he must first look inside himself. Through are the key to life, just as a man thinks them. One thought can change the world. So brothers and sisters, don’t let the Devil tell you that you can’t change things, because you can. THe only thing you can’t change is the truth, for the truth is that which in time changes things back to their original state.”

~ RZA

“The knowledge of self is the most important thing, because how are you going to know God if you don’t know yourself? How are you going to know anything if you don’t know yourself?... The word "knowledge" itself, we like to break it down into two different words, "know" and "ledge." You've got to know the ledge. Know the limitation of things. Know where they go, know where they start from. We say knowledge is the basic foundation of the universe. But everything is first based on something being known. Then, when it's known, then it can be manifested."

~ RZA

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[Sunday Session]

Tend to you

with Ariffa Lalani

tomorrow, sunday june 13th
8:00-9:30am PT / 9:00-10:30am CT

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40 Days of Practice Resources:

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DAY 29: JUNE 10

Svadhyaya

स्वाध्याय

THE study of the scriptures, self-study

Traditionally svadhyaya was the study of the sacred yoga scriptures (Vedas, Upanishads, Yoga Sutra), to get to know the truth. If one wants to be a yogi, they should study relevant yogic and spiritual texts. Svadhyaya also means to study thy self to get knowledge of self.

“All the scriptures tell us one thing: ‘Know thyself.’ If you have known yourself, you have known everything else.  Know That by knowing which, you will know everything else.  The Bible says, ‘Seek that kingdom within you.’  It is not outside.  Seek That within you.  Once you have found That, then everything else will be automatically added unto you; you don’t have to go looking for outside things, they will all come to you. So learn that first.”

~ Swami Satchidananda

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Vinyasa with Sanchia Legister

tOMORROW, friday, june 11
6:30-7:30am PT / 2:30-3:30pm UK

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40 Days of Practice Resources:

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DAY 28: JUNE 9

Brahmacharya

The fourth Yama is Brahmacharya.

Brahmacharya is continence, control of the senses (moderation), wise use of creative energy. Brahma (creation, god) Charya (to move, to walk the path). It is to utilize our live force for our highest purposes.

Brahmacharya in the olden days means a student or one who studies the vedas, traditionally the students maintained celibacy. Some traditions this does mean celibacy (to monks and nuns). According to Krishnamacharya, Brahmacharya means to not transgress the institute of marriage (faithfullness).

“To most people, Brahmacharya simply means that if you want to be a spiritual person then you should be permanently celibate. However, since it would presumable be a good thing the the whole world wanted to be spiritual, we would soon have a planet populated by dogs and cats and cows. If God has intentions, I can’t believe this is one of them. Sexual self-control is something else.”

~ BKS Iyengar

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40 Days of Practice Resources:

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DAY 27: JUNE 8

“Yoga is not a work out, yoga is a work in.”

~ Father Joe Periera

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Hatha Yoga: Sivananda Sequence

with Christine Chénier

Thursday June 10th, 5:30-6:30pm PT / 8:30-9:30pm ET

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40 Days of Practice Resources:

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DAY 26: JUNE 7

Pratyahara Cont.

Pratyahara can be practiced by doing Savasana (corpse pose) and Sanmukhi: 6 (shan) gates/ports in the head/face (mukha) mudra (seal). Thus allowing the mind a rest from distraction of the senses and the sense objects.

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Paul Harvey refers to Sanmukhi or Sat Mukhi Mudra as:

A means to ‘Listen’ to

the Space within the Heart.

Krishnamacharya in Shanmukhi Mudra

With practice of pratyahara the senses can be brought under control.

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40 Days of Practice Resources:

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DAY 25: JUNE 6

Pratyahara

प्रत्याहार

The fifth limb (anga) of the eight limbs (ashtanga) of yoga is Pratyahara.

We’ve gone through the first 3 yamas (non-harm, truthfullness, non-stealing), the first 3 niyamas (cleanliness, acceptance, self-discipline), asana (postures), pranayama (breathing) and now we arrive at pratyahara.

“Pratyahara is withdrawing the senses, mind and consciousness from contact with external objects, and then drawing them inwards towards the seer [self].”

~ Yoga Sutra 2:54; Iyengar

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Pratyahara means to restrain or withdraw the senses, to withdraw or close the sense organs (indriyas) that often distract the yogi. Prati means against, or stopping. Ahara means to take something in. This word, ahara is usually used for food. Pratyahara literally means “to fast from the senses”. The food for the ears (sound), the eyes (sight), etc. The period of time where you shut everything out and go inward is called pratyahara.

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40 Days of Practice Resources:

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DAY 24: JUNE 5

A STORY OF 2 FROGS

as TOLD BY PARAMAHANSA YOGANANDA

A big frog and a little frog fell into a milk pail with tall, slippery sides. They swam and swam for hours trying to get out. The big frog, exhausted, moaned, "Little brother frog, I am giving up!" and he sank to the bottom of the pail.

The little frog thought to himself, "If I give up I will die, so I must keep on swimming." Two hours passed, and the little frog thought he could do no more. But as he thought of his dead brother frog, he roused his will, saying, "To give up is certain death. I will keep on paddling until I die, if death is to come, but I will not give up trying, for while there is life there is still hope."

Intoxicated with determination, the little frog kept on paddling. After many hours, when he felt paralyzed with fatigue and could paddle no more, he suddenly felt a big lump under his feet. His incessant paddling had churned the milk into butter! Standing on the butter mound, with great joy the little frog leaped from the milk pail to freedom.

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Remember, we are all in the slippery milk pail of life, like the two frogs, trying to get free form our troubles. Most people give up trying and fail, like the big frog. But we must learn to persevere in our effort toward one goal, as the little frog did. Then, we shall churn an opportunity by our God-guided, unflinching will power, and will be able to hop out of the milk pail of trials onto the safe ground of eternal success.
By not giving up, we develop will power and win everything we undertake.

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Breathwork as Ceremony

with Malina Dawn

Tomorrow, Sunday, June 6th
8:00-9:30am PT / 9:00-10:30am CT

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40 Days of Practice Resources:

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DAY 23: JUNE 4

TAPAS

तपस्

Self-discipline, enthusiasm, ardour austerity, control of body, breath and senses, control of tongue and restricted food.

The third of the niyamas (“all the time” or daily personal observances) is tapas.

Tapas may be understood in different ways.  Tapas literally means “to heat or to burn”.  As gold is purified by heating and removing its dross, a yogi is purified by a well planned regimen of purification (tapas - generating heat, asanas and pranayama). 

Tapas has a wide range of meanings according to the teachings.  Iyengar defines tapas as “self-discipline and a burning desire to remove impurities.”

Ramaswami defines tapas as austerities and complete control of the senses.  According to Iyengar and Ramaswami’s teacher, T Krishnamacharya, it is also moderation in food and speech.

“Speaking the Truth (rtam) is tapas. Following the right path /conduct (satyam) is tapas. Study (srutam) is tapas. Being calm/equanimity  (santam) is tapas. Keeping  the senses under control (dama)  is taps. Controlling the mind (sama) is tapas. Giving / Charity (daana) is tapas. Doing prescribed religious duties (yajna) is tapas. Meditating (upasyai) on the ultimate reality Brahman is tapas.”

~ Mahanarayana Upanishad

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40 Days of Practice Resources:

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DAY 22 : JUNE 3

REMEMBER

~Joy harjo

Remember the sky that you were born under,
know each of the star's stories.

Remember the moon, know who she is.

Remember the sun's birth at dawn, that is the
strongest point of time. Remember sundown
and the giving away to night.

Remember your birth, how your mother struggled
to give you form and breath. You are evidence of
her life, and her mother's, and hers.

Remember your father. He is your life, also.

Remember the earth whose skin you are:
red earth, black earth, yellow earth, white earth
brown earth, we are earth.

Remember the plants, trees, animal life who all have their
tribes, their families, their histories, too. Talk to them,
listen to them. They are alive poems.

Remember the wind. Remember her voice. She knows the
origin of this universe.

Remember you are all people and all people
are you.

Remember you are this universe and this
universe is you.

Remember all is in motion, is growing, is you.

Remember language comes from this.

Remember the dance language is, that life is.

Remember.

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40 Days of Practice Resources:

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DAY 21 : JUNE 2

Asteya

non-stealing, non-appropriation, honesty

अस्तेय

The third of the yamas is asteya (non-stealing, non-covetousness,non-appropriation, honesty). We are not to steal or covet others possessions. This extends to not taking credit for other peoples work, not dirtying up the city which we all pay taxes for, not stealing peoples time, and not ruining the Earth for future generations by stealing from nature.

“To aquire some insight from the sages or from the tradition without paying something back with a corresponding responsibility is theft.”

~ Ravi Ravindra

The opposite of stealing is giving. A yogi practices generosity. When grounded in asteya the yogi all precious gems (not necessarily material) come to the yogi.

“There is a kind of vegetable in Vietnam called he (pronounced “hey”). It belongs to the onion family and looks like a scallion, and it is very good in soup. The more you cut the he plants at the base, the more they grow. If you don’t cut them they won’t grow very much. But if you cut them often, right at the base of the stalk, they grow bigger and bigger. This is also true of the practice of generosity. If you give and continue to give, you become richer and richer all the time, richer in terms of happiness and well-being. This may seem strange but it is always true.”

~  Thich Nhat Hanh 

According to the Indigenous teachings I’ve received, being generous and charitable is a very important way of being. My elder said what every we give comes back seven-fold. Remember the Da Da Da story from the Upanishads (Day 2). In that story the human beings were told by the Creator to one thing: to practice Dana (to give, to be charitable).

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40 Days of Practice Resources:

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DAY 20 : JUNE 1

Our thoughts and prayers for all affected by the heartbreaking news in Kamloops.

Rest in Power and Peace little ones…

For those who don’t know… Canada’s last residential school (in Saskatchewan) closed only 25 years ago (1996). I feel ashamed of our Canadian government and the churchs, who ran these schools. Praying for the 215 children, their families and the residential school warriors who been re-victimized by this news.

You all are in my heart and I stand in solidarity with you.

Note: While you may need to create a free NY Times account to read this article, you do not need to have a paid account to access the article.

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40 Days of Practice Resources:

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DAY 19 : MAY 31

Keep practicing y’all. We have a great deal of work to do...

“We must become bigger than we have been: more courageous, greater in spirit, larger in outlook. We must become members of a new race, overcoming petty prejudice, owing our ultimate allegiance not to nations but to our fellow men within the human community.”

~ Haile Selassie I

image reads:

Until the philosophy which holds one race superior & another inferior is finally & permanently discredited & abandoned everywhere is war until the color of a man’s skin is of no more significance than the color of his eyes… me say war until the basic human rights are equally guaranteed to all without regard to race… there is war

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40 Days of Practice Resources:

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DAY 18 : MAY 30

Srivatsa Ramaswami was taught Yoga Sutra 2:47 by Krishnamacharya and his interpretation is worthwhile looking at when dealing with the breath particularity in asana.

2:47 prayatna-saithilya-nanta-samapattibhyam

By making the breath smooth and long and concentrating the mind on the breath, the perfection of the posture is obtained.

He states that 2:46 (refer to day 10) and 2:47 form the four main parameters of asana practice.

Asana practice: Steadiness (stability), relaxation (comfort), smoothness of breath and vigilant focus on the breath.

Sthiratva: steadiness

Sukhatva: comfort

Prayatna-shaitilya: Smoothness of breath

Ananta-samapatti: Unwavering focus upon the breath

BKS Iyengar’s translation is different:

prayatna saithilya ananta samapattibhyam

Perfection in asana is reached only when effort ceases, instilling infinite poise and allowing the finite vehicle, the body, to merge in the seer.

~ Source: English translation from Light on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali (B.K.S. Iyengar)

Check out BKS Iyengar demonstrating the Ujjayi breath:

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40 Days of practice resources:

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DAY 17 : MAY 29

Homework: Pranayama

Simply watch your breath and work on lengthening your exhale and making it twice as long as your inhale.

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The next step in Ashtanga Yoga after Yama, Niyama and asana, is Pranayama

Pranayama has two different meanings: 

Breath Control - Prana (Breath) Yama (Control)

Life Force Extension - Prana (Life Force) Ayama (Lengthening)

Breath is life.  

Krishnamacharya and a student practicing pranayama.

“…the ancients taught that each individual is allotted 21, 600 breaths per day in a life span intended to be one hundred years. We can draw our allotted breaths like a bank account. Through anxiety, short breaths and unnecessary exertion we may overdraw our account - and shorten our lives. Or we may use the breath wisely, with smooth, easy respiration, and store it up: in other words, lengthen our lives… We bring the breath consciously into a daily act of renewal.”

~ Sri T.K.V. Desikachar (Krishnamacharya’s son)

”When the breath wanders the mind also is unsteady. but when the breath is calmed the mind too will be still, and the yogi achieves long life. Therefore, one should learn to control the breath.”

~ Svatmarama, Hatha Yoga Pradipika

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Tomorrow

[Sunday Session]
Exploring The 5 Layers of Self - Pancha Kosha Vidya
with Joshua Ramakrishnan

May 30, 7:00-9:00am PT / 7:30-9:30pm IST

A practice-based approach to help us explore our inner most self: peeling back the layers that cover our true nature and how to transcend them. This workshop will focus on an explorative practice and include a talk on Kosha.

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40 Days of practice resources:

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DAY 16 : MAY 28

Asana encourages awareness of prana by giving us an opportunity to put ourselves into the various shapes and patterns of existence and experience the dynamic force that animates all form. In the Celtic myth of Camelot, Merlin teaches the young Arthur how to become a good king. The wizard transforms the boy into various life-forms: animals, plants, and minerals. As Arthur experiences the perspectives of those over who he has lordship, he is better prepared to rule with compassion.
This is Yoga, the experience of the vitality of life in all forms of life.

~ Jivamukti Yoga, Sharon Gannon and David Life

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Sri Anandamayi Ma, an Indian Saint

“As you love your own body, so regard everyone as equal to your own body. When the Supreme Experience supervenes, everyone’s service is revealed as one’s own service. Call it a bird, an insect, an animal or a man, call it by any name you please, one serves one’s own Self in every one of them... Your sorrow, your pain, your agony is indeed my sorrow. This body understands everything. You may want to leave this body. But this body won’t leave you for a single day – it does not and never will leave you.”

~ Sri Anandamayi Ma

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40 Days of practice resources:

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