It's Not About The Pose

When asked the question, "what is yoga ?", many people in Western societies think of the uber-bendy people who have the capacity to move their bodies into amazing configurations. The image is of lithe and flexible people, most often younger, white women who can easily touch their toes. And indeed, that element does exist within the realm of yoga. The renunciate yogis of India often perform extreme contortions as a representation of their devotion to their practice and how they overcome the limitations of the physical self. To me, however, yoga is not about the pose.

It's true...I, like thousands of other people, love how my body feels through the practice of yoga and to see where my current edge is each time I step onto the mat. But when the poses become the primary aim of the practice we start to deviate from the full spectrum of magic that is inherent within the more classical approaches of what yoga is all about. In the yoga sutras of Patanjali, an ancient Indian text, yoga is described as having eight limbs or facets with only one of these eight being asana (physical postures). The other limbs comprise internal and external observances and behaviors; breath work; withdrawal of outward focus of the senses; concentration; meditation and enlightenment. So if our focus is only on the poses we are only tasting  a sliver of the full yoga buffet.

This blog is inspired by a long-time yoga student who for the past few years has been working on getting into an inversion without assistance. It happened to be during her birthday week that we were practicing when she kicked herself up into a headless headstand all by herself. Having seen many repetitions of attempting to turn upside down sans assistance, the moment she found herself upside down through her own effort I threw out a cheer and reached my hands to the sky. "You did it!" I enthusiastically beamed and when she came down I said to the entire class, "that is the perfect example of persistence and patience! It's not about the pose, but the determined and disciplined effort it took to get there."

How many times have we focused on the end result, the destination rather than the journey? We look ahead perhaps holding an expectation of "I should be there by now" and in the process we miss the beauty of where we actually are. A couple of years ago, we hiked the Inca Trail in Peru to Machu Picchu. We had four days on the trail and early on the fourth day arrived through the Sun Gates to see the incredibly beautiful and iconic image of this ancient city. However, upon reflection when asked what our highlight was we felt that the entire trail was the highlight. Each step we took along the path, sensing that we were walking in the footsteps of Incans, seeing other ruins, glaciers and incredible vistas completely enriched the moment of arrival at the destination. It wasn't about just getting to Machu Picchu, it was the experience of how we got there that made it such a profound experience.

So the next time you step on your mat, realize that there's something beyond the poses. Allow yourself to become aware of the many experiences that you have with your body, thoughts and emotions. See if you can practice a sense of kindness throughout or give yourself permission to not compete with your neighbor. How often can you notice what is happening with your breathing? How often does your to-do list arise? And if you're curious about learning more, pick up a book on the yoga sutras, many translations have been written. One of my favorites is by Nischala Joy Devi, The Secret Power of Yoga. 

And just like my long-time student who persevered for years toward one pose, keep at it. The magic is in the journey and it might just turn your world upside down in the most beautiful way!

The Crown Chakra

What began at the beginning of 2016 as a journey through the five elements has extended into completing the exploration of all seven of the energy centers known as Chakras, or wheels of spinning light. Rising from the base of the spine they extend up through the body to the crown of the head and, this final week, we have been exploring the highest of these seven chakras, the Sahasrara or crown chakra.

The crown chakra is represented by the color violet and connects to all expanding consciousness. When we are balanced in our Sahasrara chakra, Geof Jowett  from his book, "The Power of I Am" states that "we understand things from a wider context with creativity, compassion, and an expansive imagination. The more balanced and stable my crown is, the more open I am to divine energy and universal consciousness" (p. 161). To paraphrase, when we are connected here, we see things from the wide angle lens of our life, to how we are merging with all that is and to not sweat the small stuff. It puts things into the big picture perspective of why we are here and how we are all connected.

When we are experiencing life from this crown center, we are coming from our highest self...who we are fundamentally, as well as who we strive to be. This feeling is one of open spaciousness where we truly feel as though we have dissolved into the whole and that no separation exists between all beings. In working with the five elements, we begin to see how each element is affected by the other as we ascend up the chain. The earth element of the base chakra, dissolves into the water element of the sacral chakra. The water element is altered as it interacts with the fire element of the solar plexus. Fire is affected by the air element of the hearts fourth chakra. Air expands into the ethers of the throat energy and all elements. As Swami Saradananda writes in the book "Chakra Meditation", "This enables you to transcend worldly experience and to understand your connection with universal consciousness."

It is thought that when we are connected with universal consciousness we experience feelings of freedom (moksha) and bliss (ananda), but in order to connect more frequently, we need to do the work. "Doing the work" means to truly commit to getting to know and understand the geography of our own inner landscape. It means turning our awareness away from the outer world to our inner world. We withdraw our senses by stopping, closing our eyes and finding stillness (pratyahara). We begin to bring our focus into one thing such as the movement of our breath or a mantra (dharana). As we continue, we begin to find an inner state of peacefulness (dhyana) which leads us to moments of expanded bliss (samadhi).

Now most of us have only fleeting glimpses of what pure ecstatic bliss feels like, however the yogis believe that disciplined effort can take us into these states more and more frequently. As Sharon Salzberg said recently, "Holding onto thoughts is like holding a bird in our hands. When we realize we're doing it, we can release our grip and let go of the bird". The same is true for thoughts. What can keep us from reaching expanded states of consciousness is that we hold onto thoughts and perpetuate their energy by going into the past or future or making a story out of it. When we recognize that we're holding, we can open our hands and let go. And we might have to do this over and over, but when we do we experience the realness of the present moment and when we're in the present, it's easier to connect to the big picture.

Six of the chakras have bija (seed) mantras: Lam, Vam, Ram, Yam, Ham and Om but the seventh chakra is silent (there is no sound in space). Another way to connect to the seventh chakra is by wearing violet and repeating affirmations such as:

I connect with spirit.

I invite sacred transformation.

I embrace the unity of all beings.

When we raise the vibration of consciousness we begin to listen to the wisdom and truth of our individual soul as it connects to the whole cosmos. And as I did last week, I would like to finish my thought of the week, by sharing a quote from Geof's book:

Crown Chakra Prayer

Gracious and pure guru consciousness, may I realize my oneness with Source.

Help me to recognize the goodness and beauty in all of creation.

With gratitude, I identify and accept the limitless possibilities gifted to me.

My channels are open to receive the divine and eternal wisdom of the ages.

May I master my spiritual nature and achieve the awareness of higher self.

Allow me to accept and teach the wisdom of the miracles of love, faith, and charity.

Enable me to know the I AM presence and be the essence of Eternal Source.

Om shanti to that!

The Third Eye

Last week we completed our exploration of the five elements: earth, water, fire, air and space/ether. All of these elements are associated with the subtle energy systems of the chakras. We have seven chakras or spinning wheels of energy that run from the base of our spine to the crown of our head. When we experience our connection to the elements we are able to deepen our sense of an inherent relationship to all that's around and within us. Each chakra represents varying aspects of ourselves from the most physical to the most ethereal. And although we have completed the five elements two remaining chakras exist: the third eye and the crown chakras. 

The sixth chakra or spinning wheel of energy is called the Ajna chakra and is represented by the color indigo. In his book, "The Power of I Am" author Geof Jowett describes the color of this chakra through the visualization of flowers. Two that I can see and relate to most vividly are annual lobelia and bearded iris. Their deep rich blue/purple hue brings us into the third eye. We visualize a spinning or expanding wheel of indigo light to open and connect with our intuition, that place of deep inner knowing. When we are connected to our intuitive selves, we have a sense of simply knowing something to be true. 

Think of a time when you made a decision based on a flash of insight that in your heart, bones and gut, you just knew it was the right choice. Debating, arguing or intellectualizing wouldn't make any difference to the decision. You simple had the insight of the "right" answer.

When we are focussing on our third eye, it allows us to open the door to a widening consciousness. Geof Jowett says that this chakra can be represented by light which makes complete sense as we deepen our awareness around something, it's as though we are bringing it from the dark shadows into the light so we can see it more clearly. The overall practice of yoga is one of awareness. We become more aware of the blind spots that exist in our bodies as we move them. We start to notice the thoughts that arise during our practice and begin to see if our inner critic/judge/performer is making an appearance. We peel away the layers of our spiritual awareness and conscious connection through turning inward. As we close our physical eyes, we open our third eye to the inner realm of who we are.

In order to explore the sixth chakra we move away from the more physical practices and toward the practices of meditation and contemplation. We can work on opening and aligning our third eye chakra by wearing indigo and chanting the bija mantra-OM, often described as the sacred sound of the universe and using such affirmations as:

I honor my intuition.

I accept my path.

I am healing body, mind and spirit.

When we raise the vibration of consciousness we begin to listen to the wisdom and truth of our individual soul.  As we begin to trust this intuitive, knowing self we become more open to the unseen messages and truths being given to us on a regular basis. This truth is a reflection of our higher self and purpose. To finish off my thought of the week, I'd like to share a quote from Geof's book:

The Wise Intuitive Consciousness

The intuitive consciousness offers me the gift of insight, imagination, and wisdom to understand the essence of life. Freely accessing me the awareness of my inner knowing, which provides me guidance through life. I fully trust and accept the messages, insights, and wisdom provided to me and I recognize and believe in the synchronicity of my life.

I AM intuitive and I listen to my higher self. 

I AM one with universal mind.

The Ether/Space Element

This past week we have come to our final element of the five: earth, water, fire, air and ether/space. This week's focus is on the ether or space element, located in the throat or fifth chakra. It's name in Sanskrit is the Vishuddha chakra and has the color of vibrant blue. 

As previously stated, these elements are an integral part, not only of our Universal environment, but of the subtle energy systems of the chakras. We have seven chakras, spinning wheels of energy, that run from the base of our spine to the crown of our head. When we experience our connection to the elements we are able to deepen our sense of an inherent relationship to all that's around and within us. Each chakra represents varying aspects of ourselves from the most physical to the most ethereal.

My first impressions of ether were from the movie, "Cider House Rules" where one of the characters would sniff ether and pass out, so I looked up its definition. Ether is described as "the clear sky; the upper regions of air beyond the clouds". And this makes beautiful sense as the heart chakra (the fourth) is represented by air and ether is the next element beyond the heart chakra..."the upper regions of air beyond the clouds". As we begin to explore the higher chakras, we start to see that they are a bit more difficult to sense, more ethereal in nature with less concrete examples of their essence. The first three chakras and elements, earth, water and fire are familiar to us in that we know what each of these are, how they look and how we interact with them. This more vague concept begins as we rise from the lower three chakras to merge into the heart/air chakra. We all know what air is but it becomes more difficult to actually see. And so it goes as we rise into the upper three energy centers and into the realms of expanding consciousness, intuition and our connection to something that is often difficult to comprehend.

Yet all of the energy centers and elements interact and align with one another. The lower three create the foundation upon which our energy rises toward the heart and when we begin to open to the elements of the heart, connecting to breath we start to tap into the vast potential that lies within each of us. 

When I was growing up, my father, who was a metallurgical engineer doing research in aerospace, would talk about outer space. In doing so, my reaction was often one of incomprehensibility - how could anyone imagine infinite space that moves into ever expanding realms? It was difficult to wrap my head around and, in a sense, as we move away from the lower physically grounding chakras and into our own potentially expanding spaciousness, it can seem difficult to comprehend. What does it mean to "speak my truth"? How am I connected to something bigger? "How am I connected to all else that is?" "What is my purpose?" 

In order to investigate the ether element we move away from the more physical practices and toward the practices of meditation, mantra and chanting. We can work on opening and aligning our throat chakra by wearing vibrant blues and chanting the bija mantra-ham, ham, ham and using such affirmations as:

I play in my imagination.

I create my reality.

I know and speak my truth.

When we raise the vibration of spaciousness, we begin to share our purpose with others by speaking our truth. This truth rises up from the heart and speaks from a place of authenticity, love and compassion. This center is connected to our creativity, so if you're an artist, musician, writer or someone generating new ideas, then spending time on the throat center can encourage things to move into manifestation. Sing, chant, hum and meditate to get the good vibes going. Share your unique voice with the world and trust that what you have to say is worthy.

The Air Element

This week we continue our exploration of the five elements: earth, water, fire, air and ether/space. This week's focus is on the air element, located in the heart or the fourth chakra. It's name in Sanskrit is the Anahata chakra and has the color of vibrant green. 

As previously stated, these elements are an integral part, not only of our Universal environment, but of the subtle energy systems of the chakras. We have seven chakras, spinning wheels of energy, that run from the base of our spine to the crown of our head. When we experience our connection to the elements we are able to deepen our sense of an inherent relationship to all that's around and within us. Each chakra represents varying aspects of ourselves from the most physical to the most ethereal.

Air energy, the fourth of the seven chakras lies in the center of all the chakras, forming a meeting point of the lower three, more physically bound energy centers to the upper three more ethereal realms. 

What magnifies the significance of the air element in yoga is its relationship to the breath. We can go through our entire lives without being conscious of how we breathe. And what makes yoga unique is the connection to breath. If we practice yoga postures without any awareness of what's happening with our breath, we are simply doing calisthenics. It's the ability of pranayama (altering breath to change states) that penetrates through all the levels of our being from the most obvious physical body to the most blissful aspects of consciousness and it can be incredibly powerful. 

Research has shown that 80% of anxious symptoms can be reduced within a minute of diaphragmatic breathing. In other words, when we feel the stressors of life building up, we have one immediate tool to tear them down...deep, belly breaths that emphasize a longer and slower exhalation.

In order to expand the air element of our heart chakra we can incorporate within our yoga practice a regular pranayama (breath) practice as well as deepening our knowledge and awareness as to what is happening to the breath as we engage in different postures and sequences.  Poses that "open the heart space" such as backbends and expansions of the chest are also useful.  But in a deeper sense, everything comes together in the heart...the very physical grounding of the lower three chakras come to a sense of balance within the heart and at the same time, support the expansion and create a foundation for the energy to expand in this love focused part of our being. It also is a transitional point for how we speak our truth, follow our intuition and connect to higher consciousness through the upper three chakras. When we can come fully into our heart and embrace the air element, we begin to recognize how all of us are connected.

One of the ways this connection to all beings is evident is that we are all breathing the same air: the air that our ancestors breathed and that all beings are breathing throughout the world. We all share a common breath. Imagine if each of us literally lived and breathed these breaths from an intention of peace, compassion and love, what an incredible gift each of us, with every breath, would be offering to all beings everywhere. Truly, a breath of the heart.

We can further manifest the air element through wearing a rich, bright green color and chanting the bija mantra-yam, yam, yam and using such affirmations as:

I am loved. I let love in.

I am kind to myself.

I live in peace and gratitude.

We know that the air element is capable of touching all beings and that it is fundamental to simply being alive, we can't last long without air. So let's connect into this powerful place that dwells within the heart by moving our bodies from a place of self-care, by truly getting to know our breath, to recognize how this energy connects us to all beings everywhere and to support ourselves in creating a life that lives from a place of love...more powerful than any other emotion or action. Let's live in our hearts. Let's infuse ourselves and our communities with love. Let's enjoy this same breath that we all breathe as one.

The Fire Element

As we continue our exploration of the five elements: earth, water, fire, air and ether/space this week's focus is on the fire element, located in the solar plexus or third chakra. This location can be found where the soft abdomen connects with the more rigid rib cage on the torso. It's name in Sanskrit is the Manipura chakra and has the color of vibrant yellow. 

As previously stated, these elements are an integral part, not only of our Universal environment, but of the subtle energy systems of the chakras. We have seven chakras, spinning wheels of energy, that run from the base of our spine to the crown of our head. When we experience our connection to the elements we are able to deepen our sense of an inherent relationship to all that's around and within us. Each chakra represents varying aspects of ourselves from the most physical to the most ethereal.

Fire energy, the third of the physically oriented chakras is about digestion, not only the physical aspect of digestion but also how we "digest" what's happening in our life.  Additionally, it represents the center of our own power and the transformation and self-esteem with the seed (bija) mantra of RAM. When we chant the seed sound, it's as though we are plucking the string of a violin or guitar that begins to vibrate. This vibration awakens and opens the energy of the chakra, helping us to connect to it more fully. The most powerful tool we have through chanting this sound is through our own voice. When we chant it alone or in groups and connect to the sound current,  we awaken our own energy and its potential to shift.

If we think about the energy of fire it's all about change, absorption and courage. To fully stand in our own power, we often have to "walk through the fire" of change. It's about finding the courage to begin the process of shedding limiting beliefs, about fully understanding our self-worth and standing up for ourselves. When in balance, we stand in our own power and in doing so, set the platform from which the upper four chakras begin to express themselves. This place of transformation can be wrought with challenges. Think of a time that required you to invoke your most courageous self. What did it feel like before you faced this challenge? How did you source the energy to face this situation? Were you able to overcome feelings of inadequacy and move forward? Did you let the strength of your convictions flow easily? What did this experience teach you?

In order to charge up our fire energy, we can incorporate within our yoga practice things that challenge or scare us, such as an inversion or that "difficult" pose that we avoid practicing at home. Twists and poses that engage the core muscles can "fire" up the Manipura chakra. We can add layers into manifestation through wearing bright yellow, chanting the bija mantra-ram, ram, ram and using such affirmations as:

I am courageous.
I am whole.
I stand in my power.

A blocked third chakra might be evident by someone who feels powerless, has low self-esteem or who hasn't been able to be heard. It is a place in which those who've been victimized may eventually find healing from their trauma. On the opposite end of the spectrum, people with an over-inflated element of fire (that which is out of balance with the other elements and energy centers), might seem "full of hot air", boastful and without substance. A great example of this are politicians seeking election. Bringing the fire element into harmony with our whole self is vital in creating a sense of power underlied by a sense of humility.

We know that fire is a transformative element with the example of a wild fire clearing the undergrowth of the forest in order to enrich the soil, clear debris that prohibits some plant species from thriving and awakening new growth...a true rebirth of energy. Although fire can be powerful and sometimes painful and even deadly, we know that it is often the spark that is needed for us to move along our own path of growth.

So what are you holding onto that could be cleansed out of your being in order for the next layer of growth to take place? How about working with the fire energy of your third chakra and see what happens. Move wisely as too little energy here will leave things unchanged and too much might blow things out of balance. Step into the fire with intelligence and let yourself be mesmerized by the flames.

The Water Element

Last week we began exploring the five elements: earth, water, fire, air and ether/space with the focus being on the earth element which lies within the muladhara chakra. This week, we've been working with the element of water which is housed in the second or Svadistana chakra.

As stated last week, these elements are an integral part, not only of our Universal environment, but of the subtle energy systems of the chakras. We have seven chakras, spinning wheels of energy, that run from the base of our spine to the crown of our head. When we experience our connection to the elements we are able to deepen our sense of an inherent relationship to all that's around and within us. Each chakra represents varying aspects of ourselves from the most physical to the most ethereal.

Water energy is associated with the sacral chakra and is located about two finger widths distance below our navel. This center is about fluidity, empathy, femininity, our connection to sensual energy and emotions. It has the color of vibrant orange and the seed (bija) mantra of VAM. Throughout the week during classes, we have been chanting vam which when broken down, the "V" sound buzzes at the lips, the "A" sound opens the throat/chest and the "M" (as in m-m good) hums throughout the body and skull. When we chant the seed sound, it's as though we are plucking the string of a violin or guitar that begins to vibrate. This vibration awakens and opens the energy of the chakra, helping us to connect to it more fully. The most powerful tool we have through chanting this sound is through our own voice. When we chant it alone or in groups and connect to the sound current,  we awaken our own energy  and it has the potential to shift.

If we think about the energy of water it's all about fluidity. When the water in a mountain brook takes its dowhhill journey and comes across a rock, it doesn't think "here's an obstacle, I'd better give up and turn around" but rather finds a way to move around it. Sometimes it gathers more energy waiting for more water to arrive, other times it moves over, under or around the boulder. If we think of the movement of the ocean, the tide ebbs and flows, the waves roll in and out. Within the water element there exists a definite feeling of freedom and letting go.

The second chakra is related to emotions. When this chakra is in balance, our emotions flow through us, just as the element of water does and whatever emotions are present are simply there without judgment. When we connect to this energy, we begin to recognize what emotions might be present. For example, if the emotion of fear is found, our practice supports us in seeing that fear is here without judging if we are good or bad. We begin to "befriend" fear by bringing it into our awareness and perhaps exploring what underlies the emotion. It's as though we are bringing whatever emotion is nestled within our bodies from the dark shadows of the unknown to the light that sits in front of us. We begin to recognize what fear looks like so that we can invoke the element of water and let it flow through us without allowing it to take up permanent residence. All emotions are valid and seeing them arise and fall away, like the ebb and flow of the tide, is the second chakra finding balance.

A blocked second chakra might be evident by someone who we know who seems to always be fearful or angry (or some other seemingly permanent emotional state). It's as though the emotion becomes lodged within us and expresses itself as "who we are", yet we know that if we become conscious of the deep seated pattern, we do have an opportunity to change our course. Part of this process is undertaken through guided meditation, chanting, affirmation, yoga asana and breathing practices. In order to know this, however, we must find silence in which to hear it.

We can also use affirmations to bring healing and balance into this energetic center. Helpful statements might be:

I feel my emotions and my pain.

I reawaken my passion.

I surrender to this moment.

So let's continue this journey together as we undertake some basic steps to understanding the second chakra, the element of water, and learn to let go and go with the flow.