▪ Editor’s Letter with Megan McCarver
▪ An Excerpt from Man’s Search For
Meaning by Victor E. Frankl
▪ The Benefits and Risks of Trying Hard
by Sam Dworkis
▪ Breathing and
▪ Yogi Tips – One, From
Evolved Beings to Householders by Nandhi
▪ Featured Pose: Savasana
(Corpse Pose) contributed by Yoga Journal
▪ Music Review by Megan McCarver
▪ A Note From YogaEverywhere
▪ Yoga Classified
▪ Past Issues of the Living Practice
Namaste Lovely Viewers of the Living Practice!
I hope this month’s eNewsletter brings you joy and
acknowledgement. If you have visited our website or have read one of our past
newsletters you know that I believe that yoga teaches us not only how to love,
but how to be loved. The practice of yoga demands attention and awareness that
focuses first on our inhale and exhale then on our feelings and our limitations
and finally on how we can love ourselves in spite of our limitations. Simply put
… we are a bunch of souls practicing in a bunch of bodies, all with the same
intention, the same heart beat and the same breath.
Often our
minds build barriers around our hearts to protect us, but these walls also
often prevent us from truly experiencing joy and vitality in our lives. My wish
is that we all learn compassion. It is only through compassion that the walls
and barriers surrounding our hearts melt. Compassion is a universal link to our
family … tour community … to our country … to each other.
I have not heard or read a better description of love than the
articulate Dr. Viktor E. Frankl and how he speaks of
love, in his book Man’s Search For Meaning. It is definitely worth the read.
Remember
that you are loved and appreciated,
megan,
An Excerpt
from Man’s Search For
Meaning by Victor E. Frankl
… A thought
transfixed me: for the first time in my life I saw the truth as it is set into
songs by so many poets, proclaimed as the final wisdom by so many thinkers. The
truth – that love is the ultimate and the highest goal
to which man can aspire. Then I grasped the meaning of the greatest secret that
human poetry and human thought and belief have to impart: The salvation of man is in love and through love. I understood how
a man who has nothing left in this world still may know bliss, be it only for a
brief moment, in the contemplation of his beloved. In a position of utter
desolation, when man can not express himself in positive action, when his only
achievement may consist in enduring his sufferings in the right way – an
honorable way – in such a position man can, through loving contemplation of his
beloved, achieve fulfillment. For the first time of my life I was able to
understand the meaning of the words “The angels are lost in perpetual
contemplation of an infinite glory”.
In front of
me a man stumbled and those following him fell on top of him. The guard rushed
over and used his whip on them all. Thus my thoughts were interrupted for a few
minutes. But soon my soul founds its way back from the prisoner’s existence to
another world, and I resumed talk with my loved one: I asked her questions, and
she answered: she questioned me in return and I answered.
“Stop!”
We had arrived at our work site. Everybody rushed into the dark hut in the hope
of getting a fairly descent tool. Each prisoner got a spade or a pick axe.
“Can’t you
hurry up, you pigs?” Soon we had resumed the previous day’s position in the
ditch. The frozen ground cracked under the point of the pick axes, and sparks
flew. The men were silent, their brains numb.
My mind
still clung to the image of my wife. A thought crossed my mind: I didn’t even
know if she were still alive. I only knew one thing - which I have learned well
by now: Love goes very far beyond the physical person of the beloved. It finds
the deepest meaning in his spiritual being, his inner self. Whether
or not he is actually present, whether or not he is still alive at all, ceases
somehow to be of importance.
I did not
know whether my wife was alive or not, and I had no means of finding out
(during all my prison life there was no outgoing or incoming mail): but at that
moment it ceased to matter. There was no need for me to know; nothing could
touch the strength of my love, my thoughts and the image of my beloved. Had I
known then that my wife was dead, I think that I would have still have given
myself, undisturbed by that knowledge, to the contemplation of her image, and
that my mental conversation with her would have been just as vivid and just as
satisfying. “Set me like a seal upon thy heart, love is as strong as death.” –
Victor E. Frakl
The Benefits
and Risks of Trying Hard by Sam Dworkis
The
majority of us think most approaches to yoga (including ExTension and Recovery Yoga) can be
mastered if we try hard enough. After all, we grew up believing that success in
sports and life is a function of trying hard. The harder we try, work, and
train; the more success we achieve.
In order
for youngsters to learn, trying hard and pushing edges is a near
absolute requirement for growth and learning. Younger bodies are designed for
trial and error and are designed to allow for injury and recovery so they may
learn from their errors and mistakes.
Conversely,
adults are not as resilient and a price is usually paid for “pushing edges” or
for trying too hard. There are exceptions of course; some can remain physically
fit and push their boundaries even as they age. Among these are charismatic
yoga teachers who, through their experience and knowledge, encourage legions of
followers to believe that their methodology is the correct way to practice.
Students,
who can adapt their bodies to do whatever their teacher wants, stay with yoga
and those who can’t, quit. I feel badly for those who give up, but I feel
worse for those who stay but continue to hurt themselves.
Many
approaches to yoga, among them Recovery and ExTension
Yoga, are based upon established neuromuscular laws and principles and
allow everyone, physically fit or not, to “maximize potential and minimize
liability.” These approaches have nothing to do with charismatic teachers. They
are based on science and allow for the ebb and flow of normal human
physiological changes; both good and bad.
The heart
of the issue is that the immediate benefits of these approaches may not be as
immediately felt or even understood by physically fit instructors. Physically
fit people who aggressively practice yoga and enjoy its physical challenges
generally do not have the patience to slow down long enough to learn yoga’s
logic. “After all,” they say, “Why should we do less when “more” feels so
good?” And herein is the dilemma.
Younger,
more physically fit yoga instructors, especially those who themselves had
charismatic teachers; do not have a reference or a base of experience from
which to judge the efficacy of the “slower approaches” such as Recovery and
ExTension Yoga.
But when
teachers apply the neuromuscular principles and laws (such as those freely
shared in my website, www.extensionyoga.com), yoga can be taught in a way that
moves students in the direction of homeostasis; defined as, “moving in
the direction of the balance and harmony of Nature.”
By
definition, we cannot “push or force” homeostasis, but instead, we can learn to
“allow” homeostasis to occur; not through lethargy, osmosis, or
non-application; but instead by intelligently exploring and testing our
physical and emotional boundaries in a non-aggressive, non-invasive manner.
When appropriately taught, these methods can challenge all students: those who
are in recovery, those who are athletic, and everyone in between. And at the
same time, these methods can actually save students from possible pain and
injury later on.
Sam Dworkis,
MA, LMT, is author of ExTension (Simon & Schuster
1994) and Recovery Yoga (Random House 1997). He teaches individuals and small
groups in
Breathing and
The
following is an article we have written about breath and natural ways to fall
asleep. In this article, part one, we shall see what is meant by breath. The next
article, part two, posted in March’s Living Practice 2003, we shall weave
the breath into natural ways of falling asleep. Many people today have
difficulty falling asleep to high stress, depression or fast paced lifestyle. It
is our hope that these articles will help people ease into sleep so that their
lives will be happier, more peaceful and restful.
The breath
and how we breathe is very important. The breath is responsible for energizing
the body by supplying oxygen to it. When we are born we know how to breathe in
a way that ensures that we receive enough oxygen. As we age however, we begin
to harden the abdomen and no longer bring air into the lower part of our lungs.
When we observe babies we will notice that their entire abdomen moves with each
breath. This movement allows the lower lungs to fill completely. The filling of
the entire lung is required for optimum health and energy.
As we grow
we also forget the importance of rhythmic breathing and often begin to hold the
breath or take shallow breathes. This cuts off regular oxygen to the brain and
body and results in stress and the inability to think clearly. We can dedicate
two minutes of each day to focusing on the breath. During these two minutes we
should breathe evenly and deeply through the nose without holding the breath or
breathing through the mouth. Gradually, this will become a habit and we can
increase the number of two minute intervals so that we are spending two minutes
three times a day on breathing slowly and evenly.
Once we get
used to this we can apply this technique to stressful situations or use this
breathing technique to help us even fall asleep at night. Slowly, this
breathing pattern will become habit and take the place of any negative breathing
habits we might have had. Once we begin to breathe in a regular pattern we will
notice that we have better control over our emotions and we are able to remain
unaffected by situations that would have upset us previously. This is all due
to the increased oxygen supply to the mind and body. When the brain has the
oxygen it requires we can think clearly and thus do not react as quickly to the
words and deeds of others and we having the energy to cope with day-to-day situations. When the body has the oxygen it needs it is
not as tired and we have the energy to face anything that comes our way.
Some
effects of reduced oxygen levels are: fatigue, stress, low immunity to disease,
lack of concentration and stiffness. Children are usually a lot more flexible
than adults because they have enough oxygen in their bodies to keep muscles
supple. Arthritis, indigestion, stiffness, asthma and many other illnesses are
related to lack of oxygen and lack of water.
If we
relearn how to breathe we can regain our health, energy and mental focus. We have outlined some of the basic breathing
exercises that can be used to rejuvenate the body and help us to relearn how to
breathe. It is important to remember to breathe through the nose as the nose
acts as a filter for toxins and also stimulates the nervous system to function
properly.
When we
breathe, we want to try to fill the lungs all the way into the lower lobe. By
expanding the abdomen we allow the diaphragm to move up and out. This creates
room for the lower part of the lungs to expand. We should be able to feel the
entire rib cage expanding as we breathe - this includes the posterior part of
the rib cage as well. We should inhale until we fill the top of the lungs and
feel a tight sensation in the trachea - at this time we know our body has been
completely filled and then we can begin to exhale. During exhalation the
diaphragm will push down on the lungs to help press the air out.
Pranayama
Breathing Techniques:
Deep Breath
… While inhaling, always remember that the body is being filled with air. When something is full it expands. When we
exhale we are emptying the body, thus, it will contract or shrink as it is
emptied. Also remember that unless otherwise mentioned, all breathing is done
through the nose. Sit in a position
that is comfortable. The posture should
be good. If the spine is not straight,
the body cannot fill to its full capacity. Sit with the hands on the ribs and tummy and inhale. Fill the tummy first and then feel the inhalation
filling the rest of the lungs. Continue
to breathe until the throat is full and then immediately begin to exhale. Exhale until the body is completely empty. Repeat
this exercise four times. This breath can be performed anytime during
the day to help you relax.
Benefits: It is very good for those who have
asthma as it helps to increase lung capacity and awareness of the lungs and the
breathing process. It also helps to
soothe both body and mind. Many ailments can be treated with this breathing
exercise because it increases the flow of oxygen to all parts of the body.
Bastrika Pranayama
- bellows breath … This
breathing exercise helps to cleanse the body of toxins and is good for those
with asthma. Exhale so that the lungs are clear. Sit straight
. Inhale and exhale through the nose rapidly and simultaneously expand
and contract the stomach in a pumping action. Start with two sets of twelve
complete breaths (count each inhalation and exhalation as one breath) work up
to two sets of twenty four breaths
Benefits: This
asana makes the ribcage more flexible and therefore, helps one to tone the body
for proper breathing. It is also useful for the cleansing of the lungs and
respiratory tract and for strengthening and cleansing the stomach, liver and bladder
and all frontal organs.
Often times people find it difficult to fall asleep. This is often
due to tension and stress, which are held in the mind and not released at the
need of the day. When the mind and body are engaged or filled with stress it is
impossible to sleep. Sleep only occurs once the mind and body are fully
relaxed. Deep breathing is one way to help the mind and body unwind enough to
fall asleep. In March’s issue we will discuss tools to help students fall
asleep. We will explore Meditation on the Breath, Sound Therapy, Journaling
and Releasing, Aromatherapy, Massage, and Color.
Venkat and Christine Machiraju teach yoga and use Vedic sciences of Ayurveda and Jyotish – Vedic astrology to help people enhance their lives. Venkat and Christine also create herbal formulas to help people move toward natural and holistic living. Please check out their line of herbal baby products, without chemicals!
Yogi Tips –
One, From Evolved Beings to Householders by Nandhi
Below are yogic
techniques as practices guided by spiritually evolved beings, the Siddhars. It is meant for a householder practicing yoga. Upon
waking up in the morning-
1. To reach the source of thoughts and extend gratitude for having 'born' into
another day, take both your palms and place them before your face. Imagine your
left hand to be the presence of your mother and the right hand to be the
presence of your father. Then, gently put your palms over your eyelids and
express your love, gratitude, respect and warmth to the two divine Gods through
whom you were born.
2. Cut into the wedges of the end of each running thought and the beginning of
each thought by seeking your Source. Try to hold the Source by then igniting
your fire by reciting your mantra. Dedicate your day to the Source.
3. Drink lots of water immediately. The art of drinking lots of water is to
ensure that the water is room temperature or slightly warm. Drink the water
without tasting it. Feel your stomach as a huge pot capable of holding large
capacity of water. Then, rub your stomach gently clockwise with the belly
button at the center with each circular motion proceeding inside to out. When
going through your bowel movements, visualize the part between your navel to the base of your spinal cord bone as in the form of
four petals.
4. Start your yogic activity with pranayama, the
control of breath to ensure that the mind is made steady and balanced as you
are about to invoke divine energy. Prefer to use a mantra which helps keep
counts as timing and to allow visualization that a mantra would extend.
5. Ensure a build up of the sacred fire within yourself to reach a 'flow'
wherein each breath flows into the next elongated breath, like the flow of
breath while singing. This is the single most important aspect of yoga.
6. Start your Surya Namaskar
(Sun Salutation) with easing into each pose very slowly and gently. Each pose
has a deep meaning and its own energy circle. Absorb the energy from each pose
while being aware of your breath. Feel the center of relaxation in each pose
through your breath connecting to the divine as surrender of the body.
7. Dedicate to the divine five elements (as a reflection to surrender) each
pair of Surya Namaskars. Sacred
earth, the body; as sacred water, the life within us; as sacred fire, our mind,
thought and thinking process; as sacred air, our breath to receive higher
wisdom of absolute void; as sacred space to then know pure joy as our true
being universal in expansiveness.
8. Imagine your body and mind now as freedom in space. This is the yogic body
ready to be set alight.
9. Begin your plunge into the rest of the hatha yoga poses holding within your
personal space of absolute equilibrium, constantly aware of the nourishing
relaxed state within you. Hold this center of relaxation as your true home to
run back to after every asana. The larger the center of relaxation, the more
tremendous energy you posses as you feel the gross energy within you transcend
into subtle energy.
10. Utilize the moment after the session of hatha yoga to meditate as the body
and mind are now ready to allow this inward divine journey. Remember to keep
your spine straight as a stack of coins one over the other.
11. The body perfection of flexibility, strength, health and rejuvenation will
follow naturally the mind, which is at peace with sparks of inspired energy
found in true yoga. Unite the divine in you and become. This is all what yoga
is about… and unfold a beautiful crisp day filled with possibilities that your
silent void fertile mind waits to manifest!
12. Know
pure yoga to be attaining your fifth sheath of true self which is overflowing
joy.
Nandhi is
a Siddha initiate who dedicates his art gallery www.nandhi.com to support projects which uphold the humane
treatment of animals. He leads a quiet life with his wife Narayani
in
Music Review
Appropriate music during your yoga practice should not
demand your attention nor should it distract you from your breath. Music to
enhance your practice should stabilize your attention and support your breath.
Here is this month’s pick for your yoga practice music collection.
Breathing Rhythms is a loving celebration of sound
vibrations. Ambient music that sings to you on a cellular level. You will love
the cello and the pan flute. I highly
recommend it for listening, teaching and practice!
Name of CD: Breathing
Rhythms
By: Glen
Velez
A Note from YogaEverywhere
We want to hear from you! Please continue to share your emails, teachings, articles and insights with YogaEverywhere and her viewers. Currently YogaEverywhere.com does not pay for articles submitted, but know that The Living Practice touches many lives each month and you will be doing great service to yoga practioners everywhere. Please try to keep submissions under 200 words and include a short biography (3-4 sentences long).
"My Yoga"
… As a novice, two years ago I called the practice "My
Yoga". I didn't even know it was called "practice". Now
it's "My Yoga Practice" because it is "mine". Practicing yoga means peace,
challenge, growth, change and opportunity to me. Free of competition, with only
myself and Spirit to move me "My Yoga Practice" means a better
life now and forever. - Sincerely, Mary Goodwin.
Please
welcome on board yoga teachers all over the world listing in our YogaEverywhere Teacher Directory. We really appreciate your
support!
Island Yoga
with Melinda is in
Yoga on
Body – Mind – Spirit
and Yoga located in Aliso Viejo, CA. Check out Janet’s lovely webpage on bodymindspirityoga.com
and her teaching availability ranging from Vinyasa
Flow Yoga instruction to yoga parties in Orange County. It’s definitely worth a
click or two.
DCYoga in located in
Attention “prego” yoga Practioners in
16 - 32 weeks pregnancy: 10.00am - 11.00am
32 weeks+ pregnancy: 11.15am - 12.15pm
Classes cost £5 per session. For bookings only Tel:
Ps. N.B. Legislation entitles all pregnant women who are employed to take time
off for ante-natal care. See www.tiger.gov.uk/maternity/antenatal.htm
or www.dti.gov.uk
Other Recommended
Websites
http://www.bodymindspirityoga.com/pages/930801/index.htm