Welcome to the Living Practice – March
2001
Letter from the editor
Quote from the Revelation of St. John
Every Cell is a Universe by Arun Deva
Poem by e.e. cummings
Spring Equinox reported by Megan Lurie McCarver
Poem by Emily Dickinson
Springtime Fasting by Lesley Moorcroft
Website review by Dr. KEV
The Angel of Modern Art by Peg
Focus on Feet for Your Body by Rhonda Funes, Reflexologist
The Power of our Hands by Denise Levinson Ross
A Night Run in the Rain by Rick Gould
Excerpt from The Power of Now
Yoga eCommerce and eVents
Greeting Lovely Viewers!
Yogaeverywhere.com was designed to introduce yoga to the
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relationships.
This scientific system of yoga can be exemplified in all
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Quote from the Revelation of St.
John
"Behold, I stand before the door and knock.
And he who bids me enter, I will sup with him and he with
me."
Every Cell is a Universe by Arun
Deva
Atha yoga anusasanam
Yoga citta vrtti nirodha
Tada drstu svarupe ‘vasthanam
Now is explained the discipline of yoga
Yoga is to still the fluctuations of the mind
Then the mind stays in the form of the Seer
Patanjali: Yoga Sutras I: 1-3
Yoga is a path of discovery. In many ways, each one of us
that enters this path is curious as to what it will mean and where it will take
us. We enter perhaps with set goals; a search for better health or relief from
the stress that our lifestyle has placed on our state of mind. This is a search
for a specific result. It is also only a first step onto a ladder.
Every day that we come to class we try to answer our
question and then leave. The practice becomes another part of our lives, not
much different than the question that brought us there in the first place.
However, as we grow accustomed to it becoming a part of us, a sense of awareness
begins to arise. A sense of well-being starts to replace a sense of discomfort.
Perhaps we find that our health does indeed improve or that we are better
equipped to handle the situations that previously caused us great stress. We
begin to move, as Gary Kraftsow so aptly puts it, beyond the hamstrings! But
where exactly is it that we are moving?
If we are lucky it is on to the next question, beginning to
trust yoga for the answers. Our practice gets deeper. In holding the poses we
begin to find a meditative quality. What exactly is happening to us?
It is at this point that we begin to find the universe
within. Step by step. At first we find it in the little things. The connection
of the breath to the pose. The forcing inwards of our concentration. The need
to stay focused as we try to balance on one leg. Each step, taken individually,
becoming in itself a goal, leads further into the universe. In the Shiva
Samhita (II. 1-12) a whole cosmos is mapped out, revolving on its axis, the meru-danda
or spinal column, with the sun, the moon, the stars, all floating in the Void
within the body. Is this then a literal phenomenon? Perhaps, though, what is
suggested is that the universe outside is reflected in the universe within.
While Western science has searched for answers everywhere,
the Rishis, or ancient seers, believed that the answers had to be
intuitive. The Buddha stipulates, " Within this fathom-long sentient body
itself, I postulate the world, the arising of the world, the cessation of the
world, and the path leading to the cessation of the world." - Anguttara
Sutra. This belief is reflected, albeit with minor differences, in all six
Indian systems of thought, including yoga.
For our purposes as fledgling yogis, perhaps what is meant
is that our practice gets more reflective. If, as Patanjali states in the Yoga
Sutras: "Yoga is to still the fluctuations of the mind", then what
can we infer by this? Let us take the example of a pond in which children have
been jumping. The water gets all muddy and you cannot see the bottom. But after
the children have been gone for a while, the water begins to settle and the
bottom is once again visible. In a similar fashion, as the thought waves within
our minds begin to slow down, a sense of calmness begins to permeate us. If we
are lucky, we will suddenly get a moment of clarity. This moment of clarity is
like being able to see to the bottom of the pond!
How can we build upon this moment of clarity? By cultivating
our sense of awareness. At first we connect the dots by joining our breath to
our movements, then we start to color it in by expanding our movements into
deeper postures. They become three dimensional as we hold just one pose, while
practicing pranayama. As we begin to unfold our concentration into dharana
and dhyana, meditative states, this practice we have painted comes alive
within us.
Next time you are in a yoga class, begin to do this. Stand
in sama-stithi, check to see if the weight is evenly divided between the
four corners of your feet and the mound under the big toe. Are your shoulders
on your back? Is your chin slightly tucked, elongating the back of your neck?
Are your thighs moving away from each other, allowing the sacrum to descend
deeper into the pelvic cavity, grounding you? Try to do this and you find your
attention automatically moving inwards.
You find that the intelligence already exists within you.
All you are doing is bringing it to the surface of your mind. This is the
intelligence that resides within every cell that you are composed of and every
cell that you are composed of is a universe unto itself!
This self-contained cell lives in harmony with the one next
to it, building up to another self-contained universe: You! In practical terms,
what this means is that all the answers one seeks are found within. There is a
vast system of communication going on within us and by stilling the mind we can
first begin to listen and then participate in it. As we integrate our conscious
mind with this network, we begin to comprehend the meaning of the Buddha’s
words quoted below and to understand the concept of the sun, moon and stars
being within us.
At this point, our yoga practice has moved way beyond the
hamstrings, which may have been a very valid starting point! We begin to
integrate the breath more consciously into the movements and the breath itself
flows more naturally and not so labored. We begin to enter each one of those
universes within us with the breath! And we find the lines between the
universes beginning to blur. If we go deep enough, then we get to that
contemplative state where we consciously recognize that all is exactly the
same. This is Buddhi, wisdom that is actualized by experience and not
learned in some other way.
Find the universe within you and you find awareness. Find
awareness and you find intelligence. Find intelligence and you find Truth.
Whether you choose to name this Truth God, Divinity or Nirvana. This truth
already exists within every cell of your body, so start with the universe
within you so as to understand your place in the universe around you.
Sabbadanam dhammadanam jinati.
"The gift of truth excels all other gifts"
The Buddha
Pranam!
Arun
Arun Deva is a yoga therapist and teacher specializing in Ayur*yoga.Originally from India, he makes his home in Los Angeles.
e.e.cummings
Poem
I thank You God for most this amazing
day for the leaping greenly spirits of trees
and a blue dream of sky, and for everything
which is natural which is infinite which is yes
(I who have died am alive again today,
and this is the sun’s birthday, this is the birth
day of life and of love and wings: and of the gay
great happening illimitably earth)
how should tasting touching hearing seeing
breathing any-lifted from the no
of all nothing-human merely being
doubt unimaginable You?
(now the ears of my ears awake and
now the eyes of my eyes are open)
Spring Equinox reported by Megan
Lurie McCarver
The story is told of Ceres, mother Goddess of earth who was
seduced by the great Zeus and was then blessed with a beautiful daughter named
Persephone. She grew up happy amongst her sisters. However, her Uncle Hades
fell deeply in love with her. One day while she was dancing in a field of
flowers, the world opened up and Hades swallowed her into his underworld.
Ceres courageously searched for nine days and nine nights
with a lit torch crying out for her baby. On the tenth day, Helios appeared and
reported everything to her. Ceres, mother Goddess of earth, chose to abandon
her divine role until her daughter, Persephone, was returned. The earth became
sterile. Zeus ordered Hades to return Persephone to earth immediately. Sweet
and innocent Persephone, while in the underworld, ate one pomegranate seed,
which forever linked her to Hades. Zeus and Hades compromised that Persephone
would spend half the year with Ceres and half the year with Hades.
Every year, The Spring Equinox celebrates Persephone leaving
the dark underworld returning back to the earth, a time of renewal and rebirth.
Flowers bud and blossom, trees grow greener, we see more baby animals, more
butterflies and more light. Mark your calendar on March 20th, to
celebrate with us the days growing equal to the nights, and the year
manifesting warmth, fertility and light.
Megan is the founder of www.YogaEverywhere.com . She teaches several classes per week and is available to teach yoga for corporate seminars and conventions. Her specialty is introducing people to the yoga community in a gentle and kind fashion.
Poem by Emily Dickinson
A light exists in Spring
Not present in the Year
At any other period -
When March is scarcely here
A Color stands abroad
On solitary Fields
That science cannot overtake
But Human Nature feels.
It waits upon the Lawn,
It shows upon the furthest Tree
Upon the furthest slope you know
It almost speaks to you.
Then as Horizons step
Or Noons report away
Without the Formula of sound
It passes and we stay-
A quality of loss
Affecting our Content
As Trade had suddenly encroached
Upon a Sacrament.
Springtime Fasting by Lesley Moorcroft, L.Ac.
The ancient Chinese believed that the seasons have a
profound cyclical effect on us, that our bodies are influenced by the seasons,
and that we should try and live in harmony with them. For example, when winter
occurs we naturally slow down, eat and sleep more and stay inside. Spring is
the time of rebirth and renewal; it is the time to get active again.
In five element theory, the element associated with Spring
is Wood, the color green, and the organ is the Liver. In spring we naturally
eat less, it is a good time to fast and cleanse our bodies of the heavy foods
of winter. This is the time of year when our diets should be the lightest; we
should begin to go over to a diet of young plants, fresh greens and sprouts.
More raw foods can be eaten in spring, and food is best if cooked for a shorter
time, and at a higher temperature than usual, if oil is used in spring cooking,
a quick high temperature sauté method is best, and of course we should eat
less.
The overindulgence of winter, and the holidays can leave the
Liver sluggish in its attempts to circulate Qi [energy] smoothly around the
body the Qi can then stagnate, which in its milder form can lead to anger,
impatience and frustration, in its more serious forms may lead to disease.
Fasting and purification can be an uplifting experience that can enhance health
and attitude.
Springtime is the best time to embark upon a fast. Today
fasting frequently involves abundant raw fruit, and raw vegetable juices,
however many people find that this type of fast leaves them feeling lethargic
and will often cause fatigue and diarrhea. Unless one has a very strong
constitution and digestion fasting can seriously impair the metabolic rate and
may even lead to sudden weight gain once the fast is over.
For most people, a slower milder fast, with selected whole
foods can bring about a much more complete healing. The steamed vegetable fast
is one that will suit most people, especially if fasting for the first time, or
if one has been particularly over indulgent during the cold months. Steamed
vegetables are much easier to digest than raw vegetables and this fast should
not cause any of the digestive problems often associated with fasting.
Try starting with a 3 day fast, pick a time when you will be
able to get plenty of rest and sleep. At any meal use no more than three
vegetables at a time, these can be lightly steamed and eaten warm, or for
variety, blended and eaten as soup, or blended with a little water and chilled
and drunk as a juice. Drink as much water or herb tea as you need. If you feel
cold, drink ginger or cinnamon tea, or add a little ground black peppercorn to
your soup.
Some hints for a successful fast;
Chew food well before swallowing.
Never eat until the point of feeling full - however do not
let yourself get too hungry, you can eat as much of your chosen vegetables as
you need, and if you start to feel weak or dizzy - EAT, our ego often gets in
the way of what our bodies need.
Do not attempt a long fast until you have completed a series
of smaller ones.
Break the fast gradually. For a three-day fast, slowly add
more vegetables on day four, and add in animal products very slowly over the
next few days.
Do not fast without talking to a qualified health
practitioner if you have serious physical or mental problems.
Do not fast during pregnancy or lactation.
Good Luck.
Lesley
Lesley Moorcroft practices Traditional Chinese Medicine
[Acupuncture and Herbs] in Santa Monica, California. Office phone number (310)
413-0534
The Angel of Modern Art by Peg
[Written
for my father Mark K. Gould]
See the darkness
All around me
Everything
Is so unclear
You were the light
That shined so brightly
Giving me the strength
To fight
I wanted you to
Stay-
Forever
You were the center
Of my heart
Being with you
Was such a pleasure
Hearing your voice
Was my delight
In the spirit
There is freedom
In the spirit
There is life
Comfort me, now,
By being happy
Paint for me
From Heaven tonight
Focus on
Feet for Your Body by Rhonda Funes
Reflexology is a beautiful method of relaxing into your
body. It affects your nervous and musculo-skeletal system as well as your
intellectual and emotional processes. Your feet together represent your body as
an entire unit. There are also reflex points and areas on ears and hands to
help with common complaints. A Nationally Certified Reflexologist* can help you
ease back into a normal and calm functioning state of being.
For self-help regarding nervous tension or muscular pain,
make small circular movements with fingers or thumb on the arch areas of your
feet, starting either at the base of the heel or the top of the big toe. If you
can’t reach your feet, access the same location from your wrists to your thumb.
Firm pressure is not necessary. These area represents the spinal cord and
column reflexes (can’t figure it out, call Rhonda for help!)
For information on maps and instructional video please
contact:
Rhonda Funes / Reflexology Care and Education / PO Box 16963 / Beverly Hills California, 90209. (323) 422-5400 American Reflexology Certification Board
The Power of our Hands by Denise
Levinson Ross
This month I would like to describe a simple and meaningful
art project for the family.
Materials:
8 1/2" x 11" white paper
color paper
scissors
pencil
gluestick
Project: Hands become flowers
Trace your hands onto the color paper so that you have a
total of 6 color hands. Cut them out and place them in a circle with the palms
touching in the middle. Slightly bend the fingers up to resemble a flower
petal. With the green paper, cut out stems and leaves to glue onto the paper.
Discuss with your children the meaning of our hands, beyond
a simple means of communication. Hands love in touch, creative in art, speak in
friendship (handshakes, high fives and waves goodbye) and used in prayer as
well as the gesture Namaste (the spirit in me honors the spirit in you).
Remember that quality time with your family is valuable.
Talking about family values, love and spirit is easy in a loving environment.
Share your thoughts today with someone you love. Happy Reading!
Denise is the owner of Love 2 Read personalized children's
books, which make awesome birthday presents and holiday gifts. She and her
husband Mark, enjoy reading with their daughters, Emily and Hilary everyday
day. Contact Denise to order personalized children’s books love2read@onebox.com today. Kids love them!
A Night Run
in the Rain by Rick Gould
so, i'm running at Will Rogers tonight
up the trails
just as the sun is starting to set
the rain is falling
and no one else in the world is there
i start thinking about god
(i know, it's a loaded word)
and how my perspective on life
has been influenced by my relationship
and perception of this god
as a boy, my God was a man
white, old, married (i was mormon)
he was also all-knowing and in constant judgment
of me, and of the many ways i differed
from Him
my early life was dedicated
to slicing off pieces of myself
that kept me different from Him
and everybody else around me
(who, I guess, must have been pretty busy
doing the same thing)
i gave up that definition of god
slowly
i don't know if i outgrew it
or after i'd finished slicing and dicing
there wasn't much left
(of either one of us)
so life without God started
and it was ok
but even with God dead
i had a lot of old habits
that had a life of their own within me
they took awhile to die off
i was left with what sometimes felt like
nuclear winter for insides
but somewhere along the way
out of the ashes something of me
started to grow
now, without a judge around
i gradually found myself acting out parts of myself
that before were a sure one-way ticket to hell
these parts weren't perfect, they weren't pretty
but somehow just by seeing them
i could feel a little more of my self
feeling alive
and feeling alive was the thing i was searching for
breathing, first in running,
then in yoga and meditation
began to help me observe
how my mind
from habit,
generated what seemed to be
a constant stream of toxic thoughts
i discovered that as i sat in judgment
of myself, of my thoughts, of my actions
a lot less
i gained the energy of my heart
i judged others less
and energy i had wasted
repressing thoughts, feelings and emotions
was putting me in touch with myself
god is still a mystery to me
but my experience of this energy
is a liberating one now
of opening up what was closed off
and integrating what was cut off
unconditional love is sort of a cliche these days
but love is something you don't qualify for
especially not the clearest kind
and i think this love lies within each one of us
we're made of it
and can never be made separate from it
without initiating the drive to find our way back
yoga poses and mantras
can be a great way to navigate the inner terrain
and help us find way way back to this love
but they can also be a barrier
if we think we have to wait
until we master the latest trick
and in the process postpone god, or love, or life
but what do i know?
i keep running the trails
in the dark, in the light,
rainy days, sunny days
breathing
grateful for this body
and to be alive today
see you along the path,
Rick
Rick Gould teaches yoga and meditation at Santa Monica Yoga and is a professional bodyworker.
Excerpt from
The Power of Now by Echkart Tolle
"Having access to that formless realm is truly liberating. It frees you
from bondage to form and identification with form. It is life in its
undifferentiated state prior to its fragmentation into multiplicity. We may
call it the Unmanifested, the invisible Source of all things, the Being within
all beings. It is a realm of deep stillness and peace, but also of joy and
intense aliveness. Whenever you are present, you become "transparent"
to some extent to the light, the pure consciousness that emanates from this
Source. You also realize that the light is not separate from who you are but
constitutes your very essence."'
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