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As we prepare for our November 21st’s discussion session on the Bhagavad Gita, I want to send a short synopsis of main ideas in chapters 2-6 and the discussions they elicited on October 17th.
Our discussion began with a brief background of the Gita (see first blog) and transitioned us into our discussion of chapter 2: a chapter that is widely considered to be a relative summary of the entire song. In this chapter, key topics are revealed such as Samkhya Yoga, Karma, Buddhi and Jnana Yoga, and from here connections were found to the eight limbs of yoga. A prevailing theme within chapter two is that “yoga is skill in action.” We spend a great deal of time discussing what this means and how this deceptively simple phrase evokes the awareness that our practice is so much more than our asanas. Also we began a discussion of Patanjali’s Sutras and discussed shared points of wisdom between the two texts.
Chapters 3’s foundation is set within Karma Yoga and reveals Arjuna’s struggle with what is “right”: to fight in this battle (“action”= Karma Yoga) or not (“inaction”= Jnana Yoga)—these quotes are intentional…. We discussed the idea of senses from which we began a discussion on what pratyahara means in our asana practice and our lives. Other points of conversation relate to the ego and how it is the attachment to our sensory experiences that creates selfishness and lack of awareness of what is right. Other points of conversation were the gunas, how our sensory experiences affect these mental qualities, and again we found connections to Sutras; for example II.3.
In Chapter 4, Krishna explains to Arjuna, “The wise see that there is action in the midst of inaction and inaction in the midst of action. Their consciousness is unified, and every act is done with complete awareness.” Unattached to the results of their actions, the wise understand that all actions are offerings to Krishna who “dwells in every creature.” These excerpted quotes lay the foundation for the essence of the following chapter.
Chapter 5 again redirects us to the focus of Karma Yoga and the importance of action; Krishna states, “Perfect renunciation is difficult to attain without performing action. But the wise, following the path of selfless service, quickly reach Brahman.” In action, there must be awareness and selflessness. Therefore, Arjuna is understand Krishna’s answer to his question: yes, Arjuna should fight in the battle because it would be in accordance with divine law and for Arjuna to have fear in killing others shows a lack of faith in Krishna: the spirit does not die, only the body. Naturally, this was a great source of conversation with our group.
In chapter 6, Krishna reiterates the idea that renunciation and selfless action both lead to the same goal and that the wise know that the path of knowledge and the path of action are the same. To understand they are the same is to understand that Krishna is in every thing and every being; this unity is the foundation for Krishna to explain the philosophy of Ashtanga Yoga as a guide for Self-realization. We connected certain verses in the Gita to Sutras II.28-55.
*For our next session on November 21st please be prepared to discuss chapters 7-12; I hope to see you then….
Namaste!
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Pose of the Month: Samasthitihi
Pose: Samasthitihi
This can be translated as 'standing in a straight line' or 'equal standing'. This is also called Tadasana, or Mountain Pose. If we examine the two names for this pose we get a pretty good idea what it's all about: Rising up evenly from a solid foundation. Your feet are the roots of the mountain, make sure they are planted squarely on the ground with the inner ankles and big toes touching. Keep your insteps lifted. From your feet draw up through your legs. Your quadriceps will engage, lifting your kneecaps. Draw your lower belly in and up, shoulders down, arms by your sides. Extend the crown of your head up. Your spine will elongate, creating freedom in your torso and neck. Breathe evenly into the front and back of your lungs deeply and smoothly. Fix your gaze to the tip of you nose or to a spot on the floor in front of you. Try not to let your eyes wander. Work on bringing steadiness and evenness to your body. Release any unecessary tension through your smooth, deep breathing. This sets you up for engagement in all the rest of the poses of Suryanamaskara, Sun Salutations. This is where you begin to still and focus your mind through attention to your bodily engagements and breath.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Immune System Boost
With cold and flu season upon us, many of us are looking for ways to take care of ourselves and strengthen our immune systems. Good rest, wholesome food, and lots of hand washing are all good practices during this time. There are also certain asanas that can be incorporated into your daily routine as a way to further your efforts against unwanted illness. The profound effects of yoga on body and mind help support our body’s natural defenses, hopefully leaving you with fewer days sick in bed.
Come check out my class on Saturday, November 7th where I will be leading a restorative class, specifically geared towards the immune system.
Immune System Boosting Soup
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Tbsp Ginger, minced
1 Tbsp Garlic, minced
2 heads Baby Bok Choy, roughly chopped
4 Cups Vegetable or Organic Chicken Stock
1 Cup firm Tofu, cubed
Heat olive oil over medium heat in medium size saucepan. Add ginger and garlic and sautee until fragrant, about a minute. Add bok choy and stir. Pour stock into saucepan and add tofu. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer until bok choy is tender, 10-15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Immune System Boosting Soup
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Tbsp Ginger, minced
1 Tbsp Garlic, minced
2 heads Baby Bok Choy, roughly chopped
4 Cups Vegetable or Organic Chicken Stock
1 Cup firm Tofu, cubed
Heat olive oil over medium heat in medium size saucepan. Add ginger and garlic and sautee until fragrant, about a minute. Add bok choy and stir. Pour stock into saucepan and add tofu. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer until bok choy is tender, 10-15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Emily Bailet-Stoner
Sunday, October 4, 2009
On September 17th, we began a discussion on the Bhagavad Gita as a four-part specialty class. Here is a summary of what we discussed…and why.
All are welcome to join us on October 17th to discuss chapters 2-6, practice salutations, pranayama, and meditation. Future posts will, likely, be shorter (I think).
Affectionately referred to as the “Gita”, the Bhagavad Gita was written by Vedavyasa between 500-200 BCE (dates often vary) and translates from Sanskrit to mean “Song of the Lord”. Even more precisely, the song is the wisdom of the Lord Krishna. While the intentions behind our yoga practices are even more varied than the styles of yoga from which to choose, most who practice yoga seek to develop wisdom and insight regarding some of life’s most compelling experiences, challenges, and philosophical queries. This is where the Gita comes in. Commentaries and translations of the Gita outnumber those of any other scripture and upon reading it, it is clear why. These 700 Sanskrit verses illuminate a warrior’s ethical, moral, and spiritual journey in conversation with Lord Krishna, and we as witnesses can learn much.
Considered to be a part of the epic Mahabharata, the Gita takes place on a battlefield within the Kurukshetra War that occurred somewhere between approximately 1000 and 700 BCE (these dates vary considerably depending on the writer/researcher). The story goes that before this battle, Krishna lay sleeping and two warriors, Arjuna of the Pandavas and Duryodhana of the warring tribe, Kauravas, were by his side. One warrior could be granted limitless support for his troops and the other could have his chariot led by the Lord. Duryodhana sat beside Krishna’s head, Arjuna at his feet. When Krishna awoke he saw Arjuna first and asked which of the two choices he would prefer; his answer: to be led by the Lord. If you aren’t seeing a metaphor yet, here’s more: the song begins with the blind King Dhritarashtra asking his servant Sanjaya to tell his the story of the battle between the one side led by his son Duyodhana and the other side led by Arjuna. The tale begins with Sanjaya stating the names of the fighting warriors, and soon after quotes Arjuna’s request of the Lord: “drive my chariot between the two armies. I want to see those who desire to fight with me. With whom will this battle be fought?” (2.21-2.23). A warrior asking to be smack dab in the middle of a battle scene? While some scholars choose to take this story quite literally, I think we have much more room for inquiry when we approach this as allegory. This is not so much a story of a man’s external dialogue with an outside God, but rather an intimate, internal dialogue with the divine that resides within one’s soul. From this metaphorical battleground (i.e. one’s soul) we venture into an understanding of unity (yoga), dharma (the “order” of things), karma (cause and effect of actions), the gunas (mental qualities), Atman/Purusha (one’s divine soul), how to be free of materialistic needs and attachments, and so much more.
Considered a handbook for self-realization, the Gita offers wisdom to be practiced in every one’s life— regardless of particular religious proclivities. Its 18 chapters are (more or less) divided into 3 sections (some argue 4—or more), each highlighting a specific type of yoga. For instance, the first six focus on Karma Yoga; the middle six on Bhakti Yoga and the final six on Jnana Yoga. TheseYogas offer lenses through which to understand Arjuna’s most profound of questions and also offer in response “not a book of commandments, but a book of choices” on how to live in accord with our own state of truths: kindness, compassion and devotion (Easwaran, xlviii). Karma, Bhakti, and Jnana Yogas create the three main themes of this scripture: knowledge, action, and devotion. From this foundation we are able to ask and discover answers to questions like why we suffer, who are we, and who is God.
In addition to our discussion on the historical, philosophical, and spiritual background of the Gita, we read the first chapter together and discussed the symbolism we found and more: the conch shell as breath/prana, the battleground as the soul, and questions were raised with regard to the social stratification—in particular 2.40-2.44 which states, “When there is no unity, the women of the family become corrupt; and with corruption of its women, society is plunged into chaos.” We discussed the balanced approach of reading a text with our subjective, 21st century awareness and the awareness of an ancient societal system. We may not agree with all that the text offers, but this too is the beauty and heartbeat of the scripture; “the Gita places human destiny entirely in human hands. Its world is not deterministic, but neither is it an expression of blind chance: we shape ourselves and our world by what we believe and think and act on, whether for good or ill. In this sense, the Gita opens not on Kurukshetra but on dharmashetra, the field of dharma, where Arjuna and Krishna are standing for us all” (Easwaran, xlix).
Please feel free to email me with any questions and/or comments. I hope to see you on October 17th.
All are welcome to join us on October 17th to discuss chapters 2-6, practice salutations, pranayama, and meditation. Future posts will, likely, be shorter (I think).
Affectionately referred to as the “Gita”, the Bhagavad Gita was written by Vedavyasa between 500-200 BCE (dates often vary) and translates from Sanskrit to mean “Song of the Lord”. Even more precisely, the song is the wisdom of the Lord Krishna. While the intentions behind our yoga practices are even more varied than the styles of yoga from which to choose, most who practice yoga seek to develop wisdom and insight regarding some of life’s most compelling experiences, challenges, and philosophical queries. This is where the Gita comes in. Commentaries and translations of the Gita outnumber those of any other scripture and upon reading it, it is clear why. These 700 Sanskrit verses illuminate a warrior’s ethical, moral, and spiritual journey in conversation with Lord Krishna, and we as witnesses can learn much.
Considered to be a part of the epic Mahabharata, the Gita takes place on a battlefield within the Kurukshetra War that occurred somewhere between approximately 1000 and 700 BCE (these dates vary considerably depending on the writer/researcher). The story goes that before this battle, Krishna lay sleeping and two warriors, Arjuna of the Pandavas and Duryodhana of the warring tribe, Kauravas, were by his side. One warrior could be granted limitless support for his troops and the other could have his chariot led by the Lord. Duryodhana sat beside Krishna’s head, Arjuna at his feet. When Krishna awoke he saw Arjuna first and asked which of the two choices he would prefer; his answer: to be led by the Lord. If you aren’t seeing a metaphor yet, here’s more: the song begins with the blind King Dhritarashtra asking his servant Sanjaya to tell his the story of the battle between the one side led by his son Duyodhana and the other side led by Arjuna. The tale begins with Sanjaya stating the names of the fighting warriors, and soon after quotes Arjuna’s request of the Lord: “drive my chariot between the two armies. I want to see those who desire to fight with me. With whom will this battle be fought?” (2.21-2.23). A warrior asking to be smack dab in the middle of a battle scene? While some scholars choose to take this story quite literally, I think we have much more room for inquiry when we approach this as allegory. This is not so much a story of a man’s external dialogue with an outside God, but rather an intimate, internal dialogue with the divine that resides within one’s soul. From this metaphorical battleground (i.e. one’s soul) we venture into an understanding of unity (yoga), dharma (the “order” of things), karma (cause and effect of actions), the gunas (mental qualities), Atman/Purusha (one’s divine soul), how to be free of materialistic needs and attachments, and so much more.
Considered a handbook for self-realization, the Gita offers wisdom to be practiced in every one’s life— regardless of particular religious proclivities. Its 18 chapters are (more or less) divided into 3 sections (some argue 4—or more), each highlighting a specific type of yoga. For instance, the first six focus on Karma Yoga; the middle six on Bhakti Yoga and the final six on Jnana Yoga. TheseYogas offer lenses through which to understand Arjuna’s most profound of questions and also offer in response “not a book of commandments, but a book of choices” on how to live in accord with our own state of truths: kindness, compassion and devotion (Easwaran, xlviii). Karma, Bhakti, and Jnana Yogas create the three main themes of this scripture: knowledge, action, and devotion. From this foundation we are able to ask and discover answers to questions like why we suffer, who are we, and who is God.
In addition to our discussion on the historical, philosophical, and spiritual background of the Gita, we read the first chapter together and discussed the symbolism we found and more: the conch shell as breath/prana, the battleground as the soul, and questions were raised with regard to the social stratification—in particular 2.40-2.44 which states, “When there is no unity, the women of the family become corrupt; and with corruption of its women, society is plunged into chaos.” We discussed the balanced approach of reading a text with our subjective, 21st century awareness and the awareness of an ancient societal system. We may not agree with all that the text offers, but this too is the beauty and heartbeat of the scripture; “the Gita places human destiny entirely in human hands. Its world is not deterministic, but neither is it an expression of blind chance: we shape ourselves and our world by what we believe and think and act on, whether for good or ill. In this sense, the Gita opens not on Kurukshetra but on dharmashetra, the field of dharma, where Arjuna and Krishna are standing for us all” (Easwaran, xlix).
Please feel free to email me with any questions and/or comments. I hope to see you on October 17th.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Yoga and our Lives: A Deeper Understanding
Autumn will be teaching a recurring Saturday class in which we explore the Bhagavad Gita. I attended the class in September and I highly recommend taking it in October. If you, like me, have found the physical practice of yoga to lead you down a road of further inquiry into the heart and history of it all, then I encourage you to come and discuss this beautiful, timeless text with us. Below you will find what led Autumn to develop this class and anything you might have missed last month. Copies of the text can be purchased at the studio, on-line or in town.
Peace--Jess
I chose a specialty class on the Bhagavad Gita to explore this rich text with others who similarly want to discover the ways in which this song's wisdom can enrich our physical yoga practice and our lives. What better basis for community than a discussion of this ancient allegory of such human questions? So many of us can relate to Arjuna's struggle to understand the ethics behind some of our most poignant choices and we similarly try to reconcile our faith with life's inevitable tragedies. We can learn from Arjuna's struggles and Krishna's insight, and glean meaning to transfer to our own lives through this exploration of Karma, Bhakti, and Jnana Yogas.
Our two-hour long class begins with a discussion of the session's previous readings including the literal and symbolic, and is followed by a series of saluations, pranayama, and meditation. My intention with the class is to sit with others who would like to journey into this scripture to reveal more subtle, spiritual nuances in how we engage in our asana practice and, much like a mirror, how we engage in our lives.
While attendance at each session is recommended, it is by no means required. For our next session on October 17th, we will be discussing the text up to, and including, chapter six.
I will be posting notes from our first session on this blog. Stay tuned!
Namaste,
Autumn
Peace--Jess
I chose a specialty class on the Bhagavad Gita to explore this rich text with others who similarly want to discover the ways in which this song's wisdom can enrich our physical yoga practice and our lives. What better basis for community than a discussion of this ancient allegory of such human questions? So many of us can relate to Arjuna's struggle to understand the ethics behind some of our most poignant choices and we similarly try to reconcile our faith with life's inevitable tragedies. We can learn from Arjuna's struggles and Krishna's insight, and glean meaning to transfer to our own lives through this exploration of Karma, Bhakti, and Jnana Yogas.
Our two-hour long class begins with a discussion of the session's previous readings including the literal and symbolic, and is followed by a series of saluations, pranayama, and meditation. My intention with the class is to sit with others who would like to journey into this scripture to reveal more subtle, spiritual nuances in how we engage in our asana practice and, much like a mirror, how we engage in our lives.
While attendance at each session is recommended, it is by no means required. For our next session on October 17th, we will be discussing the text up to, and including, chapter six.
I will be posting notes from our first session on this blog. Stay tuned!
Namaste,
Autumn
New Monday Night Class taught by Autumn Bolin
Curious about the new Yoga for Your Type class on Monday evenings from 7-8:15pm? Autumn shares more about it below....
Monday evening’s class “Yoga for Your Type” is an Ayurvedic-based yoga practice that offers an opportunity to learn about and experience the wisdom and healing benefits of the sister sciences, Ayurveda and Yoga. The main focus in one’s Yoga practice is to calm and heal the mind through the meditation, pranayama, and asana to (re)discover self-realization while the main focus in Ayurveda is rooted in one’s physiology to (re)discover self-healing. The intention of this class is to offer healing asanas with an awareness of Ayurvedic aspects such as doshas (body types), gunas (mental qualities), our energy cycles, and more. Ayurveda encourages us to identify and honor our unique physical constitutions; by doing so, we can take the helm of our health and wellness. The focal points of this class will be to balance the doshas, strengthen the condition of the body, enhance our prana, and restore balance to the mind. During this 75-minute practice, we will engage in meditation, pranayama, and various asanas with guidance regarding intention and breath to help restore one’s natural balance. The asanas will include standing, balancing, inversions, backbends, forward bends, twists, and floor poses and will range in intensity, but the physical practice will approached with gentleness to find peace in the evening hours.
*The title of the course comes from one of Dr. David Frawley’s books; I am currently in his program of study to become certified as an Ayurvedic Counselor.
Monday evening’s class “Yoga for Your Type” is an Ayurvedic-based yoga practice that offers an opportunity to learn about and experience the wisdom and healing benefits of the sister sciences, Ayurveda and Yoga. The main focus in one’s Yoga practice is to calm and heal the mind through the meditation, pranayama, and asana to (re)discover self-realization while the main focus in Ayurveda is rooted in one’s physiology to (re)discover self-healing. The intention of this class is to offer healing asanas with an awareness of Ayurvedic aspects such as doshas (body types), gunas (mental qualities), our energy cycles, and more. Ayurveda encourages us to identify and honor our unique physical constitutions; by doing so, we can take the helm of our health and wellness. The focal points of this class will be to balance the doshas, strengthen the condition of the body, enhance our prana, and restore balance to the mind. During this 75-minute practice, we will engage in meditation, pranayama, and various asanas with guidance regarding intention and breath to help restore one’s natural balance. The asanas will include standing, balancing, inversions, backbends, forward bends, twists, and floor poses and will range in intensity, but the physical practice will approached with gentleness to find peace in the evening hours.
*The title of the course comes from one of Dr. David Frawley’s books; I am currently in his program of study to become certified as an Ayurvedic Counselor.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Practicing Ashtanga outside of NAYC
Hey folks, Jess here again. I recently bought Ashtanga Yoga: The Practice Manual: An Illustrated Guide to Personal Practice by David Swenson that I have been using for my home practice. I have found it really helpful for working on the Primary Series outside of class when I don't have the guidance of Steph, my totally awesome yoga teacher. For each posture, Swenson has at least 3 illustrated modifications. In addition to that, he also lists the number of breaths that should be taken and the drishti (gazing point) for each asana. And if you are interested in learning the English translations of the asanas, Swenson breaks that down too. The Intermediate Series is included in the manual as well, which is inspiring to say the least (I keep staring at Insect pose in complete awe!). And on a final note, I appreciate that the manual is spiral bound, which allows it to lay flat on the floor next to my mat. So, if you are looking for a resource in developing your Ashtanga practice outside of class, I'd highly recommend this guide. Cheers!
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