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MY TEACHER

EMPATHY

“You have to reach people’s hearts first – THEN their minds!” – so says my teacher whom I vacillate between loathing and loving! <3

The people in our lives are all teachers whom we learn life lessons from: some good, some not. The teacher I’m referring to is Milena Origgi, a guru in the truest sense.

I get it. If I’m closed off emotionally because of some invisible mental barrier I’ve constructed over a lifetime to protect my self, I’m not coming from a place of empathy, and thus, I can’t be as effective as a teacher/healer.

So this damned nuclear-resistant mental wall of mine (which would give Little Fingers a hard-on) has to come down. I literally have to change my view of MYSELF – to embrace and love myself – if I’m going to help others do so; in short, I need to walk the talk – though in this case, the walk conjures up images of walking the plank!!

INTROSPECTION

At our essence, we are EACH miraculous.

The entire purpose of meditation is to tap into something deep within us: an aspect described as indescribable, immutable, intangible, eternal, compassionate, curious, impelling, pervading, impelling, aware, intuitive, and blissful.

The only way to reach people’s hearts is to speak from our own – and the only way to do that is to come from a place of empathy and compassion (to be truly selfless).

One way to foster compassion for ourselves and others is through meditation or introspection: consciously and benignly observing our otherwise sub-conscious fears and desires, effectively, reverse-engineering our behavior at an intuitive level, and in the process, venting the underlying emotions triggering our behavior.

When we meditate, we lovingly and non-judgmentally accept, absorb and release the energy triggered by our negative memories – consciously, embracing and accepting that energy for what it is: something which has been affecting our body/mind, but which CAN’T affect the essence of who and what we are: our consciousness. Without awareness we wouldn’t even realize we were alive – so wtf would be the point?!!

LEGEND OF OUR DIVINITY

Milena also shared the following old Hindu legend with me this morning:

“…there was once a time when all human beings were gods, but they so abused their divinity that Brahma, the chief god, decided to take it away from them and hide it where it could never be found.

Where to hide their divinity was the question. So Brahma called a council of the gods to help him decide.

“Let’s bury it deep in the earth,” said the gods. But Brahma answered, “No, that will not do because humans will dig into the earth and find it.”

Then the gods said, “Let’s sink it in the deepest ocean.” But Brahma said, “No, not there, for they will learn to dive into the ocean and will find it.”

Then the gods said, “Let’s take it to the top of the highest mountain and hide it there.” But once again Brahma replied, “No, that will not do either, because they will eventually climb every mountain and once again take up their divinity.”

Then the gods gave up and said, “We do not know where to hide it, because it seems that there is no place on earth or in the sea that human beings will not eventually reach.”

Brahma thought for a long time and then said, “Here is what we will do. We will hide their divinity deep in the center of their own being, for humans will never think to look for it there.”

All the gods agreed that this was the perfect hiding place, and the deed was done. And since that time humans have been going up and down the earth, digging, diving, climbing, and exploring-searching for something already within themselves.” – Author unknown

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DEVOTION

Devotion connotes faith (the belief in something unverifiable) and determination (persistence in the face of all personal cost).

Consciousness

How did I become a faithful devotee of Patanjali, Sachidananda and Amma? Each have helped bring me closer to the essence of who we all are: our consciousness.

I found faith in the existence of God when I realized the reality of our three dimensional nature: we each have a physical body, non-physical thoughts and an immutable, intangible awareness OF our thoughts: our consciousness.

Make no mistake: consciousness is as different from our non-physical thoughts, as our thoughts are from our physical body! Without the awareness OF our own thoughts, WTF would be the point?! We wouldn’t know we’re alive, let alone reading this angry yogi’s rant!

You won’t find consciousness explained in any Western textbook. Your best chances to gain insights into it are the four paths of yoga:
• Raja Yoga – mind-control
• Bhakti Yoga – love, specifically of the Divine
• Jana Yoga – study
• Karma Yoga – service

In the process, may you come to better understand the miracle that each (yes, EACH!) of us is.

Inspiration

Whether fact or fiction, “Ammachi” [one of the texts available at 50% of cost to members of the Yoga Instructors Association] is tremendously inspirational.

Amma was in her early 20’s at this point in her life, and by all accounts a force of nature!!

“One night during Krishna Bhava, Sudhamani [Amma] called her father and told him, “My devotees will come from far and wide. Many of the devotees will settle here permanently.

You will have to face many obstacles, but do not be afraid. Endure everything. Do not take revenge against anyone. Do not be envious. Do not seek anything from anyone. Everything you need will come to you unmasked. Always give part of what you receive in charity.

 

In time, this place will become a great spiritual center. The little one will travel around the world many times. Though you may have to suffer a lot in the near future, God will always bless you and provide for your needs. Your relatives and even the villagers will hate you and abuse you, but in time they will become your friends. Thousands of My devotees will become like your children. From this day on, the little one is ever pure.” [As though the Divine was speaking about her, through her!]

Once more, Sugunanandan was wonderstruck! His dark blue daughter, who had suffered countless beatings at his own hands, was going around the world?! Why, she had never been as far as Cape Comorin! Thousands of people were coming to [the remote village of] Idamannel? Where on earth would they all stay? The house was tiny! And what was the meaning of her saying that the little one was ever pure?

Though these words left a deep impression in Sugunanandan’s mind, at the time he dismissed them as crazy utterances. Only after years had passed did he realize the absolute truth of what his daughter had said to him that day.”

God bless.

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THE ANGRY YOGI

Raja Yoga, the science of meditation, is a selfless expression of worship, love and devotion. It originated several thousand years ago replacing the concept of “external” sacrifices to appease the Divine. In this context, the Divine is the source of our consciousness.

My teacher says that I’ll be more compassionate when I accept the pain and suffering fueling my anger. But it runs deep, and it masks an even deeper pain.

I feel like a wounded lion. I want to shred and devour something. That’s a LOT of negative energy but I know she’s right.

WHAT’S NOT HELPFUL

Ahimsa (the absence of violence) is the first of Raja Yoga’s ten rules of personal conduct and therefore the most important.

Directing my negative energy toward others, even passive-aggressively in the pursuit of justice, is not yogic. If I’m not practicing self-awareness and exercising self-restraint/control I’m not practicing what I teach.

TECHNICALLY SPEAKING

The tension between our conscious/thinking mind (the aspect we “hear”) and our sub-conscious/acting mind (the aspect that “runs the ship”) gives rise to the voice in our head.

Our sub-conscious mind stores sensation-triggering memories of virtually every thought (and by extension, experience) we’ve ever had. EVERY one. Including all of our fears and desires.

It’s no wonder our sub-conscious mind wants to be unburdened, to be heard, to vent!! It’s under a tremendous amount of ever-increasing stress – mostly through no direct fault of our own – and the unnaturally rapid pace of change in our environment is exacerbating the problem!

Our conscious mind doesn’t want to dwell on our unpleasant memories either, and the energetic interaction between the two aspects of our mind is like a game of “hot potato”, the stress from which manifests mentally and physically.

Eventually something more pressing comes along to occupy our mind and the negative energy associated with our unpleasant memories settles deep in our sub-conscious mind, but like a thorn under our skin, can become “infected” and irritated.

HOW

How do I tear down an invisible impenetrable wall, a sub-conscious mental construct that’s withstood 60 years of new and triggered net negative energetic thoughts? The invisible wall is a natural defense mechanism, created to avoid re-experiencing sensations associated with unpleasant experiences. If you’re human and live on planet Earth, that’s 50% of them. All our conscious thoughts – except when we’re being mindful or meditating – are either net positive or net negative.

By meditating….

When we meditate, we ask for nothing other than a closer connection with the Divine; expressing sincere appreciation “just” to be alive, and accepting and embracing whatever was, is, and will be.

HOW LONG

When we meditate, we patiently hold our conscious mind “open” and wait to become aware of sensations and images as they arise in our conscious mind. Eventually, we hope to compassionately and energetically accept even our deepest, darkest fears and desires.

Before that happens, our sub-conscious mind must feel relaxed and safe. That’s why we meditate in a safe, comfortable setting that we control, at a time and place of our choosing.

PATIENCE

Meditation builds patience – partially because of our sub-conscious mind’s limited ability to communicate (it communicates subtly, intuitively: in images and sensations – not words), but also because it’s naturally reluctant to re-experience our deepest fears and desires!

As we continue to meditate, lovingly accepting whatever our sub-conscious mind shares, our memories lose their energetic hold on us and become neutralized through a deepened, intuitive realization that neither the precipitating events, nor the memories thereof, affect our essence: our consciousness. [Note: consciousness, or the awareness OF our thoughts, is as distinct from our non-physical thoughts, as our thoughts are from our physical bodies. We are truly three-dimensional beings!]

Gradually, as we holistically embrace our self, and accept and absorb the negative energetic sensations associated unpleasant memories, they lose their ability to stimulate emotions – which affect our thoughts, which precipitate our actions.

MINDSET/INTENT

Meditating can be tremendously comforting when done in a self-nurturing, caring, and loving manner (e.g., with hands over one’s heart) with full recognition of the miracle we are (our energetic body and mind is virtually as miraculous as our intangible consciousness!)*

I like to think of witnessing the rise and fall of our sub-conscious mind’s contents as a grandparent might listen to a two year old granddaughter trying to form and express her thoughts: adoringly, patiently, reassuringly, lovingly. This is the part where we learn to love our self: to foster a state of heart and mind in which we can accept our anger, and unmask the deeper emotions, the consequence of an infinite number of net negative life experiences we all carry with us as memories.

MEDITATION = MIND CONTROL = WORSHIP

Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras outline a code of conduct, and physical and mind-control exercises intended to help realize our own true nature, and in so doing, find faith in the existence of God.

Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras are the source of the universal Serenity Prayer. The practice of Raja Yoga is a discipline in selflessness founded in faith, love and gratitude.

Amma says “Divinity is the essence of our consciousness.” Consciousness is what modern religion unassumingly refers to as our “spirit” or “soul”. Similarly, the rigorous, devotional discipline of meditation has became today’s act of prayer.

BENEFITS

While the real benefit of meditating is a closer connection with the Divine within us there are obvious physical and mental benefits as well. We develop a heightened intuition and deep sense of relief, calmness, stillness, acceptance and compassion.

 

God bless. If you love someone suffering with anger, addiction, anxiety or other emotionally triggered symptoms, refer them to a Raja Yoga school.

Blessings, Allan

* Some schools of thought and practice, including Qi Gong, hold that our energetic body/mind is equally as miraculous as consciousness. It’s hard to argue otherwise; however, there are practices (e.g., Raja Yoga, Qi Gong) which can be applied to the body/mind but not to our immutable consciousness – which arguably, makes the latter slightly “closer to God”. When we meditate, we’re essentially trying to “touch the Divine within our self”.

 

Class schedule.

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“A” IS FOR ADDICTION, AUTISM AND ANXIETY

The Marblehead School of Raja Yoga (“MSRY”) has students suffering from each. Meditation provides them with coping tools and moments of relief.

Allan Dowds founded MSRY and the Yoga Instructors Association (one organization for the general public, and one for certified yoga instructors) whose essential purpose is to promote awareness of the holistic benefits of meditation as outlined in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras.

MSRY offers lessons via Skype to those don’t live within driving distance of 01907.

Wishing you peace, Allan “Skip” Dowds

Questions?

FaceBook:

www.facebook.com/skip.dowds

www.facebook.com/mableheadschoolofrajayoga

www.facebook.com/yogainstructorsassociation

Direct:

www.rajamarblehead.com

www.yogainstructorsassoc.org

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TWO REALITIES

These posts are always intended to spark change, primarily in our actions, since 70% of what stresses us out is our own behavior. Admittedly, sometimes these posts are intentionally provocative, like this one. 😉

Forget about politics for a minute – please. The screaming and ranting back and forth is deafening; no wonder people have stopped watching the news!

One of these pictures represents our outer reality (yes; there’s inner reality; that’s the entire point of meditation!!) Globally, we are split between two sides of virtually every issue. This picture just happens to beautifully capture the depth of emotion on BOTH sides!

WHO, WHAT & WHERE ARE WE?!

I encourage you to reflect for a moment on your earliest childhood memories. I sincerely hope that makes you smile. If those weren’t pleasant memories, know this: you are miraculous.

You are perfect. EACH of us.

Our outer reality is a consequence of everything that has happened since the beginning of time. That’s karma: the perpetual chain of cause and effect; the breath-by-breath explanation of evolution. If the big dinosaurs didn’t eat the little ones, or our Civil War never happened, or a single act in the fabric of our planet’s history happened differently or not at all – you wouldn’t be reading this.

It’s kind of difficult to argue that Karma isn’t real. It would be like arguing that gravity isn’t real – since we all constantly experience both.

WTF IS HAPPENING TO US?!

So how did we as a species get to this point where globally we’re quite literally about to lose our place as the most highly evolved life form on earth?

Don’t kid yourself. If either of those two little fingered, mental midgets hits the button, life as we know it changes forever. Sorry. I’m only human. <3

According to Siri, mankind has been around for a few million years (dinosaurs ruled for 50x that long), but as recently as a few thousand years ago, we hadn’t even come up with an alphabet! If you had an idea, you literally had to tell someone in order to share it!!

A few hundred generations later (not that long by dinosaur standards!) we’ve put cameras at the edge of our solar system – that send back pictures!! Within the last few generations (my lifetime, if you include the knowledge I got directly from my grandparents), we’ve gone from horse and buggies to Dick Tracy wristwatches.

Our bodies and minds are not evolving at the same rate as our environment and it’s putting a LOT of stress on ALL of our relatively outdated outer hardware and particularly, our internal software.

Humans weren’t designed to withstand this tumultuous, chaotic, leap-frog rate of environmental change. Take any other example from nature (we are nature at its finest and worst) like a tree or a flower, and you’ll see that natural change is relatively “evolutionary” or slow, steady and cyclical.

I’m not saying the sky is falling, but EVERYTHING (except consciousness) has a finite lifespan, including our species and planet. Let’s not accelerate the end of our collective lifespan!

HERE’S THE SCIENCE

Everything falls within a range of two extremes; take black and white as an example. At one end of the range is pure white, at the other pure black – and every imaginable shade exists in between.

In that same sense, everything can be categorized as either PRIMARILY black or PRIMARILY white (including each extreme). In other words, everything can be grouped on one side or the other of a median. In the context of Patanjali’s yoga, the median point or zero, represents a perfect balance of both extremes (which only exists in consciousness). It’s the mathematics behind the universal bipolar, energetic concept of Yin and Yang (or as some prefer, the Light and Dark forces of Star Wars).

POLITICALLY

Politically speaking, whatever position exists on an issue, its polar opposite also exists. Today’s arguing and tension is being exacerbated because there are more of us (more cars on the road!), living in closer quarters, fighting – too often literally – for increasingly limited resources, and for some unfathomable reason, fighting over different opinions of God – which humans aren’t physically or mentally equipped to comprehend!!

SPEED MATTERS

Unfortunately, our bodies aren’t evolving at the same rate as our environment. While what we were born with is AWESOME, and it gets us where we need to go, it hasn’t had time to adapt – to catch up. Until and unless that happens (not in our lifetime, sorry!) our bodies (particularly our brains) are going to be under increasing stress.

There’s always been natural stress: fear of death is instinctive. However, the rate at which our environment is changing is unique in the history of our planet – some changes we clearly and literally brought upon ourselves. But stepping back and trying to see the Big Picture – its arguable that we’re in the Autumn of our collective lives!

SHOULD WE FLIP OFF TRUMP?

I don’t have the balls to flip off the President’s motorcade (those guys have guns!!) but I’m proud to live in a country with people who do, and where we’re all free to.

As my grandfather used to say, “Life as we know it in the States is a privilege – not a birthright.” People have and will continue to die to preserve our freedoms. And just like in the black and white analogy, others will continue to die trying to take those privileges away.

The trick to sustaining life as we know it here on Earth is to ALL move closer to the middle. Sorry; it’s just a mathematical fact.

IT’S UP TO ALL OF US

Enjoy your ride whether you’re peddling a bicycle for all you’re worth, or sitting on a traveling throne surrounded by servants.

Respect other people’s opinions. Chances that their opinion is the EXACT opposite of yours are pretty slim.

Beneath the surface, at our very essence (our consciousness) we are all identical – not even like snowflakes or fingerprints. Like it or not, your consciousness is EXACTLY like mine.

TE FITI

The picture of Te Fiti from Moana resting peacefully over her island is a personal favorite image of the island’s collective consciousness.

God bless.

Class schedule.

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INSIGHTS WANTED – TEN $100 PRIZES

A $100 prize will be awarded to the first ten people who respond to this blog, proving they’ve read it by posting an insightful and helpful comment or question! (You must be 18 or over!)

This entire blog is copied verbatim from a poster hanging on the wall in our school, received several years ago for renewing a subscription to a yoga something-or-other. It’s the most concise description of yoga we’ve found yet. Enjoy. 😉

“Truth is like a great mirror shattered by time into ‘hundred thousand pieces’, which enables all who possess a small fragment to declare, ‘My Religion-Truth is the true one.’” – Sufi Gibrail Kham

[The author of the following is unknown; bonus points if you know who wrote it!]:

[YOGA’s ORIGINS]

From the Indus Valley where one of the greatest civilizations of pre-history was already developing in the 4th millennium B.C., there comes to us across the barriers of time the philosophical and religious teaching of Yoga, which condenses and exalts the highest spiritual aspirations of Humanity of all times and every land.

Yoga as we know it today is probably very different from the original Yoga of the Indus Valley, having been codified and subsequently modified over the millennia. The first known codification is to be BHAGAVAD GITA (c. 400 B.C.). Then, in 150 A.D., the “FIVE WAYS OF YOGA” were codified.

Yoga survives from the Sanskrit YUK =

meaning “unite” or “bind”, linguistically related to the Latin “Iungere” or “Iugum” (yoke). Yoga “binds” and “unites” the psychic powers and faculties, balancing and reinforcing them and increasing their power. [Can you spell “M I N D   C O N T R O L”?]

THE FIVE PATHS

The Five Paths, or Ways, relate to the principal aspects whereby man externalizes his inner nature (the Self). The conquest and aim of Yoga is the obtaining of a total vision of the Self and, this being similar to the All (Microcosm = Macrocosm), to arrive at the total vision of the Infinite.

1 Hata Yoga: HA = Sun, THA = Moon; [Hata is the] union of the two breaths, the right, Solar, positive and the left, Lunar, negative. Hata also means health. To attain SAMADHI (the state of ecstasy) through the Asanas (positions) and the Pranayama (rhythmic control of the breathing) and with the MUDRA (methods of enclosing the breathing into the body).

2 Raja Yoga: [see separate section below]

3 Karma Yoga: Karma = every action has its KARMAN, which will be a prize or a punishment in the chain of existence (SAMSARA). Yoga of action, deeds and work. Carrying out one’s duty with no expectation of reward. Part of Raja Yoga.

4 Jnana Yoga: [not defined herein]

5 Bhakti Yoga: [not defined herein]

All five Paths tend towards knowledge of the Divine Essence in Man, which can enable him to overcome all sub-divisions. The Five Paths themselves and all “divided” (or apparently divided) things in the Universe are one thing.

When the One Energy which forms and acts in the All is understood, the Universe and all Universes converge in one “Point” (BINDHU), where the very Essence of the All is concentrated. The “Point” becomes zero and is center – is the Infinite (that which lies outside the center is finite). [That last bit is deep!]

In Man, the Soul is the Infinite, while the body and all that surrounds it are finite.

RAJA YOGA

In Raja Yoga, the Asanas (positions) serve to eliminate psychic disturbances of the Physical Body, creating a psycho-physical balance which combats the mind’s inconstancy.

Asana: There are 84 hundred thousand Asanas “described” by Shiva. There are as many Asanas as there are living beings in the Universe. Their importance depends on their influence on the endocrine glands and the “Prana” and “Apana” currents.

While the Apana restrains the Prana in its upward impulse, the Prana restrains the Apana in its downward fall. The Apana is the assimilating energy which passes along the PINGALA (Sun) channel (Nadi) and emerges at the right nostril. The Prana is the energy which flows along the IDA (Lunar) channel (Nadi) and emerges at the left nostril.

The oscillations of the two energy forces create instability and restlessness. Some Yoga exercises serve to make the contents of the two lateral channels converge in the central one (SUSUMNA), thereby uniting the two energies, Apana and Prana.

[The author outlines the eight limbs, or practice portion of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras as follows:]

I. SADHANA = Preparatory basics. Discipline. Ascesis [the practice of intense self-discipline, typically for religious reasons].

A. BAHIRANGA SADHANA = Beginning of spiritual research and ascesis. Bahiranga = Exterior. That which belongs to the circle of exteriority:

1. YAMA (moral observation)

2. NIYAMA (rules of conduct)

3. ASANA (the positions)

B. ANTARANGA SADHANA = Interior research of the spirit. Antaranga = Interior. That which belongs to the circle of interiority:

4. PRANAYAMA (breathing exercises)

5. PRATYAHARA (restraining external temptations)

II. SAMYAMA = Yoga proper:

6. DHARANA (concentration)

7. DHYANA (meditation)

8. SAMADHI (union with God)

AHIMSA

 “A” = no. “Himsa” = violence. “Ahimsa” = Do not Harm.

 Violence arises from Fear, Ignorance and Selfishness.

 Only by freeing oneself from these ills, restraining them voluntarily by practicing Ahimsa, can one attain…

 ABHAYA (freedom from fear) and AKRODHA (freedom from Wrath).

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WEEKLY COMMERCIAL 11/2

Meditation isn’t easy, but neither is suffering.

Generally, our blogs are meant to be fun, informative and helpful – otherwise, what’s the point?!

But once a week we make a direct appeal to help the people you love and care about live happier, healthier and more fulfilling lives.

That’s the whole point of Raja Yoga: to reduce human suffering.

How? Students learn a series of self-awareness, control and relaxation exercises.

Who benefits most? People struggling from stress, anxiety and/or depression often manifest in some form of additive behavior, and people suffering from a lack of self-confidence or worth, or purpose.

Meditation isn’t a cure, but it helps.

God bless, Allan

Class schedule; don’t live nearby? Inquire about lessons via Skype!

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Psychic Powers, Accomplishments, Attainments

Excerpt from “The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali”, by Sri Swami Satchidananda:

Siddhis are born of practices performed in previous births, or by herbs, mantra repetition, asceticism or by samadhi.

Patanjali begins this [fourth and final] book by reviewing the methods by which the siddhis can be obtained by the Yoga practitioner. Some people attain the siddhis without even doing any practices in this life. They don’t know what they did to have these kinds of powers. That is the proof that they have done something in their past lives to merit such powers in this one. He also gives us some clues about the people who get some experiences through their LSD and marijuana. The so-called “grass” is an herb, is it not? Mushrooms could be considered herbs also.

Or siddhis come by the practice of mantra japa or by asceticism. Asceticism, or tapas, means accepting suffering willingly, thus exercising your will power and gaining control over the mind.

So, there are various ways of accomplishing the psychic powers. But normally it is recognized that all the others except Samadhi are not natural. For example, using herbs means including siddhis by the use of certain external stimuli. It’s not an “organic” siddhi. It may come and then fade away. So, siddhis should come in the regular process of Yoga, not through external stimuli.

Sanskrit:

Janmausadhi mantra tapah samadhijah siddhayah.

Janna = birth; ausadhi = herbs;

mantra = sacred speech, Vedic hymn, incantation;

tapah = consume or destroy by heat, purification by austerity, undergo penance, acceptance of sufferings;

samadhi = concentration of thoughts, intense contemplation on a particular object, absorption; jah = born, produced or caused by;

siddhayah = psychic powers, accomplishments, attainments.

 

Class schedule. Live outside the area? Inquire about private Skype lessons!

Namaste!

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INSIGHTS WANTED – TEN $100 PRIZES [OLD]

A $100 prize will be awarded to the first ten people who respond to this blog, proving they’ve read it by posting an insightful and helpful comment or question! (You must be 18 or over!)

This entire blog is copied verbatim from a poster hanging on the wall in our school, received several years ago for renewing a subscription to a yoga something-or-other. It’s the most concise description of yoga we’ve found yet. Enjoy. 😉

“Truth is like a great mirror shattered by time into ‘hundred thousand pieces’, which enables all who possess a small fragment to declare, ‘My Religion-Truth is the true one.’” – Sufi Gibrail Kham

[The author of the following is unknown; bonus points if you know who wrote it!]:

[YOGA’s ORIGINS]

From the Indus Valley where one of the greatest civilizations of pre-history was already developing in the 4th millennium B.C., there comes to us across the barriers of time the philosophical and religious teaching of Yoga, which condenses and exalts the highest spiritual aspirations of Humanity of all times and every land.

Yoga as we know it today is probably very different from the original Yoga of the Indus Valley, having been codified and subsequently modified over the millennia. The first known codification is to be BHAGAVAD GITA (c. 400 B.C.). Then, in 150 A.D., the “FIVE WAYS OF YOGA” were codified.

Yoga survives from the Sanskrit YUK =

meaning “unite” or “bind”, linguistically related to the Latin “Iungere” or “Iugum” (yoke). Yoga “binds” and “unites” the psychic powers and faculties, balancing and reinforcing them and increasing their power. [Can you spell “M I N D   C O N T R O L”?]

THE FIVE PATHS

The Five Paths, or Ways, relate to the principal aspects whereby man externalizes his inner nature (the Self). The conquest and aim of Yoga is the obtaining of a total vision of the Self and, this being similar to the All (Microcosm = Macrocosm), to arrive at the total vision of the Infinite.

1 Hata Yoga: HA = Sun, THA = Moon; [Hata is the] union of the two breaths, the right, Solar, positive and the left, Lunar, negative. Hata also means health. To attain SAMADHI (the state of ecstasy) through the Asanas (positions) and the Pranayama (rhythmic control of the breathing) and with the MUDRA (methods of enclosing the breathing into the body).

2 Raja Yoga: [see separate section below]

3 Karma Yoga: Karma = every action has its KARMAN, which will be a prize or a punishment in the chain of existence (SAMSARA). Yoga of action, deeds and work. Carrying out one’s duty with no expectation of reward. Part of Raja Yoga.

4 Jnana Yoga: [not defined herein]

5 Bhakti Yoga: [not defined herein]

All five Paths tend towards knowledge of the Divine Essence in Man, which can enable him to overcome all sub-divisions. The Five Paths themselves and all “divided” (or apparently divided) things in the Universe are one thing.

When the One Energy which forms and acts in the All is understood, the Universe and all Universes converge in one “Point” (BINDHU), where the very Essence of the All is concentrated. The “Point” becomes zero and is center – is the Infinite (that which lies outside the center is finite). [That last bit is deep!]

In Man, the Soul is the Infinite, while the body and all that surrounds it are finite.

RAJA YOGA

In Raja Yoga, the Asanas (positions) serve to eliminate psychic disturbances of the Physical Body, creating a psycho-physical balance which combats the mind’s inconstancy.

Asana: There are 84 hundred thousand Asanas “described” by Shiva. There are as many Asanas as there are living beings in the Universe. Their importance depends on their influence on the endocrine glands and the “Prana” and “Apana” currents.

While the Apana restrains the Prana in its upward impulse, the Prana restrains the Apana in its downward fall. The Apana is the assimilating energy which passes along the PINGALA (Sun) channel (Nadi) and emerges at the right nostril. The Prana is the energy which flows along the IDA (Lunar) channel (Nadi) and emerges at the left nostril.

The oscillations of the two energy forces create instability and restlessness. Some Yoga exercises serve to make the contents of the two lateral channels converge in the central one (SUSUMNA), thereby uniting the two energies, Apana and Prana.

[The author outlines the eight limbs, or practice portion of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras as follows:]

I. SADHANA = Preparatory basics. Discipline. Ascesis [the practice of intense self-discipline, typically for religious reasons].

A. BAHIRANGA SADHANA = Beginning of spiritual research and ascesis. Bahiranga = Exterior. That which belongs to the circle of exteriority:

1. YAMA (moral observation)

2. NIYAMA (rules of conduct)

3. ASANA (the positions)

B. ANTARANGA SADHANA = Interior research of the spirit. Antaranga = Interior. That which belongs to the circle of interiority:

4. PRANAYAMA (breathing exercises)

5. PRATYAHARA (restraining external temptations)

II. SAMYAMA = Yoga proper:

6. DHARANA (concentration)

7. DHYANA (meditation)

8. SAMADHI (union with God)

AHIMSA

 “A” = no. “Himsa” = violence. “Ahimsa” = Do not Harm.

 Violence arises from Fear, Ignorance and Selfishness.

 Only by freeing oneself from these ills, restraining them voluntarily by practicing Ahimsa, can one attain…

 ABHAYA (freedom from fear) and AKRODHA (freedom from Wrath).