In our busy world of work and taking care of our homes and families, it is difficult enough to find the time to exercise and practice Yoga, never mind paying close attention to what we put in our bodies.  The Yoga of Eating will teach you how to listen to your body and interpret the constant signals it sends on what it needs for sustenance and how to live.

When we begin to hear the messages from our bodies, we must learn to trust the results without expectation that we will suddenly eat less or differently.  Allowing change and trusting our self to know ourselves can appear simple, but in our world of ‘weight programs,’ diet clinics, and ‘lose weight in just two weeks’ advertisements – trusting ourselves happens less and less.

All is Connected

The Yoga of Eating is extremely well written in precise and easy language and brings to light the importance of developing a healthy relationship to the food we choose to fuel our bodies, mind, and spirit with.  While this wisdom has been expounded upon since ancient history, Eisenstein does a wonderful job making connections between our emotional states, our health and our nutritional intake.  The information The Yoga of Eating provides is more accessible than any other book on holistic eating that I have read and truly contains wisdom that can help transform your health on a whole new level.

One of the many faults of our western civilization is our constant presumption that we can somehow know intellectually what is best for nutritional health.  In reality, while this works to a very minor degree – sooner or later it fails.  Whether you choose to accept it or not, our bodies are designed to effortlessly work with all of nature and in harmony with it.  Learning to listen to the signals of our body’s and our spirit leads to the ultimate state of health.

Healing

The Yoga of Eating provides with reader with a book that goes beyond simply food.  For those in need of emotional healing, we are invited to a new awareness of how to live a vibrant, honest and fully realized life.  Rather than following the latest craze in new diets or nutritional medical labs, we are given back our ability to eat what feels best for us.  In freeing ourselves from the dogmas of diet and rigidity in our eating, we are returning to the joy of satisfying our body’s hunger and our zest for good healthy food.

A peek inside

Eisenstein has completed a remarkable work with The Yoga of Eating.  It is a book that speaks to much more than diet alone but truly addresses the Yoga of life itself.  Some of the following chapter topics to entice you some more… (Really, you must read this book!)

• Food and Personality
• The Karma of Food
• The Natural Breath
• Making it Practical
• Discovering the Right Diet
• Loving the Body, Loving the Self
• The Yoga of Cooking
• Relaxing into Change

I give The Yoga of Eating a resounding review score of (5/5)  .

Final Notes

Eisenstein’s work reminds me that every aspect of our physical journey is meant to be joyous and satisfying.  As we are multifaceted beings composed of body, mind, and spirit, all three must be brought into a state of harmony in order to fully realize our existence.  (I will speak more to this and other spiritual topics in the new series of articles, the first of which is entitled Groundwork.)

In order for us to find joy and satisfaction in our eating and our lives, we must look first to nature and understand the effortlessness in which everything accomplishes what it needs to do.  Even in the perceived effort of a cougar chasing down a rabbit, there is no worry about how many pounds this might put on, or whether it will all go to my hips or stomach, there is only instinctual effortless activity to fulfill the body’s needs.  In the act of eating the kill, there is satisfaction and fulfillment. (I apologize if my example leaves any vegans feeling ill!)

Too often, despite our adherence to our Yoga practice, our daily routines have eaten up (no pun intended) the time we often need to stop for a moment and listen to what our bodies are really trying to tell us it needs.  Try to step back for a moment and listen to what your body is telling you today as far as nutrition is concerned– pay attention to the affects of your food choices on energy levels, emotions and your satisfaction.  Eat mindfully and slowly, listening for your body to let you know when it has had enough.

Until next we meet…

Namaste.

—

The Yoga of Eating: Transcending Diets and Dogma to Nourish the Natural Self
Charles Eisenstein, 2003. ISBN: 978-0967089720

Related posts:

1. The Power of Yoga in Battling Eating Disorders
2. Walnuts for Wellness
3. Strawberries: The Heart Helping Berry

The Yoga of Breath: A Step-by-Step Guide to Pranayama
Richard Rosen ISBN-13 978-1570628894

Pranayama (Sanskrit: प्राणायाम prāṇāyāma) means “restraint of the prana or breath.”  The word is composed of two Sanskrit words – Prāna, or life force (particularly breath) and āyāma, to restrain or suspend.  When used in the relationship to our yoga practice, we can think of it as breath control.  Swami Chidananda Saraswati’s definition is much more valuable, however…

Prana is a subtle invisible force. It is the life-force that pervades the body. It is the factor that connects the body and the mind, because it is connected on one side with the body and on the other side with the mind. It is the connecting link between the body and the mind. The body and the mind have no direct connection. They are connected through Prana only and this Prana is different from the breathing you have in your physical body.

Pranayama

The Yoga of Breath covers the philosophy and its background in Hatha Yoga.  For more than a few thousand years, yogis have made use of the powerful practices of pranayama for healing and accessing higher levels of consciousness.  Unfortunately, the practice of asanas or postures has become more the norm in the western world, leaving a very valuable component out of yoga practice.  There are a number of reasons for this, including pranayama’s ability to have harmful effects if not properly taught or illustrated.  Rather than worry about possible harm, this should be taken as an indication of the strength and effectiveness of pranayama.  Hint:  Follow the instructions, take it slow and easy…You will know when you can advance in your practice.

Richard Rosen’s book The Yoga of Breath provides a safe introduction for the modern practitioner of any Yoga discipline.  Profoundly influenced by the modern yoga master Iyengar’s book Light on Pranayama, The Yoga of Breath draws on the use of props and reclined positions to better facilitate progress in the spiritual art of controlled breathing.

A good teacher

A good teacher will never give an answer to you – never try to tell you the way it is.  In The Yoga of Breath, Rosen excels at providing the necessary groundwork by laying out a slow and direct roadmap to follow, while stepping back and pointing quietly down the path for answers.  For those wanting to incorporate a pranayama home practice into their routines, The Yoga of Breath is an excellent choice.

By adding a complementary practice of pranayama to your current yoga class – no matter what school you may follow – your practice will be deepened and enriched.  Your poses will come easier, and your ability to lengthen and deepen the stretch will also increase.  This also adds to your overall sense of well-being as well as state of daily consciousness.

In India

In India, Yoga is more than a philosophy; it is a way of daily existence.  Most common of all yogic systems practised in India is Hatha Yoga, upon which the pranayama techniques in The Yoga of Breath are based.  Hatha Yoga is designed to correct any blockages or improper flow of Prana within the body, allowing breath or vital force flow freely.  In truly understanding yoga, it must become a way of life as opposed to an activity we participate in a few times a week.  As a way of daily existence, we open ourselves to effortless action in our daily lives and a deeper, more profound experience in all our activities.

The Yoga of Breath gets, for its simple and straightforward information and instruction.  Certainly not as in depth as Iyengar’s works (which many find a little daunting), The Yoga of Breath is ideal for those wishing to experience Pranayama practice and results before committing themselves to more formal instructor lead studies, as well as those wanting to enrich their own practices by incorporating breathing techniques.

About the Author

Richard Rosen is a graduate of the Iyengar Yoga Institute of San Francisco and has been teaching yoga since 1987. He is a contributing editor at Yoga Journal and director of the Piedmont Yoga Studio in Oakland, California. He lives in Berkeley, California.

A parting gift…

Loving-Kindness Meditation

Sit in your most comfortable fashion, back and spine straight and aligned…If this makes you uncomfortable, lying down with your back flat is also fine.

Take a moment to center yourself on your breath, wherever you may watch it.  For some, this will be at the nose, for others, the belly…Still others will focus on the space between the breaths.

Take a look into your own heart and see whether there is any worry, fear, resentment, or other negative thought or emotion.  Allow these to float away like the black clouds they are, obscuring the light of your being.

Let warmth and friendship arise in your heart for yourself, realizing you must love yourself completely.  Surround yourself with loving thoughts and feel contentment arise within you, understanding you are on the path you need to be on.

Surround the person or people nearest to you with loving thoughts and fill those people with peace and wish for their happiness, whether physically if they are present, or in your heart and mind.

Think of anyone you dislike, or argue with, or do not consider a friend.  Open your heart in gratitude to those people as your teachers, teaching you about your own reactions.  Let your heart and love surround them too, forgive and forget, understanding that it is our perception that creates the difficulties.

Open up your heart to those whose lives are far more difficult than ours…Those who are sick, imprisoned, hungry, crippled, without friends or shelter.  Open up your heart and embrace all of them, show them love, wish them happiness.

Put your attention back on yourself…Feel contentment arising in you from making right effort, happiness filling your being from this simple act of giving you have just taken part in.  Become aware of these feelings; experience the warmth they create around you.

Namaste

The Yoga of Breath: A Step-by-Step Guide to Pranayama
Richard Rosen ISBN-13 978-1570628894

Related posts:

1. Pranayama: More Than a Breath of Fresh Air
2. The Science of Breath
3. Dolphin Breath

It has been a long time since we’ve had the opportunity to share, and I am happy to be back!  I wish to thank Charlotte first and foremost – her kind words and encouragement to return to writing for this wonderful website of hers has given me strength.  I also wish to thank you, the reader, for your open minds, comments, and opportunity to share with you.  Going forward, these articles will not always be book reviews – my hope is to broaden horizons, and I will value your input.

When last we spoke, I was heading out on a thirty day retreat in a cave in order to reconnect myself to the Divine presence in all of us, still my mind, and restore inner balance in harmony with all Creation.  Throughout the following weeks I will speak about specific experiences during the forty days I ended up on retreat, but for now I would like to talk to you about one realization in particular, as well as a wonderful book for you to read where my own words fail.

In Giving

When giving, we should strive to give naturally and freely, without thought as to return or recognition.  In reality, when we offer up a gift of time, money, food, etc… freely and from our hearts, we are engaging in communion with the divine presence within the other person.  This state of consciousness is realized in anyone who has truly found their own inner divine presence.  In this moment, we truly understand that we are one with all people, animals, our world – and ultimately all Creation.  This truth is found it all religions, but for sake of space…

¹Theirs was the fullness of heaven and earth; the more that they gave to others, they more they had.

Chinese Scripture

Let one conquer the mean man by a gift.  Charity is rich in returns; charity is the greatest wealth, for though it scatters, it brings no repentance.

Hindu Scripture

It is more blessed to give than receive…Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom.

The Bible

¹Excerpted from The Infinite Way by Joel S. Goldsmith ISBN-13: 978-0875163093.  This book is not one that will do renting from the library, I’m afraid.  There is so much simple wisdom in this book that it is worth owning and re-reading over and over.

Divine Within

In realizing this within ourselves far beyond thought (although thought is a good beginning) we see our connectedness with all life…forgive me if I wax poetic!

Waves on divine water of life’s Infinite Ocean.
Always seeking outward what they already are.
The Yoga or Yoke; worn by all.

Our path of Yoga, leads there too.
In centering ourselves, quieting the mind.
The Yoke is lifted, you’ll surely find.

I realize the Divine within myself,
And therefore everyone else too
Go within; see your Self – only this will do.

Truth

In any form of Yoga, our practice leads to stillness within; a balance and harmony of higher conscious states which once fully realized become forever a part of our awareness.  Yoga shows us that we are not at the mercy of our body, but through practice and focus the body not only responds, but works with us towards achieving this peace.

I think we can agree that Mind over Matter is an accepted axiom in today’s society, but we often forget the real equation looks more like this:  Spirit over mind AND matter.  Ours is nothing more than a journey within ourselves, one day to finally make the realization we already are what we seek.  Yoga does not take us on a journey external to us, but uses silent techniques that are designed to speak to us without words, beyond thought.  Balance, fitness, flexibility – these are not goals in Yoga, they are by-products of the effects of calming the mind and learning to become aware of our true being.

The Infinite Way

The Infinite Way by Joel S. Goldsmith is not a book on Yoga, but a book meant to awaken the reader to the spiritual truths common to all major religions and philosophies.  In this way, it is directly applicable to not only our Yoga practice but also our daily lives and interactions with those around us.  Joel Goldsmith’s chapter entitled “Wisdoms of the Infinite Way” contains page after page of truths to meditate on and bring into any practice, no matter what your beliefs.

I would love to hear your comments and challenge each of you to try a little experiment…Just for a morning, or perhaps an afternoon – all day if possible:  No matter what you choose to call the Divine, try to keep awareness in all your dealings with others that they too are part of the same truth echoed in “The kingdom of God is within you.”

Peace to you all, my fellow waves on the ocean…each our own, yet part of the Infinite Whole.

Related posts:

1. A Little Gift to Share with You
2. Farewell, but not goodbye: The Tao of Pooh

Sadly, this is the last review I will be writing for the next thirty days.  I am taking a one month retreat in a small cave about one hundred and fifty miles from our home, nearly three days journey on foot from the closest vehicle access point and far away from humanity and all of its endless buzzing about.  This isn’t the first time for me – I once stayed in a small Himalayan retreat hovel for seventy days – another story for another day.

There are endless reasons why we should make time once a year at a minimum to go on retreat.  We have become so accustomed to the endless drone of appliances, television, computers, our cars…the list is infinite.  At every turn, there is something waiting for our mind to grab onto, to absorb our attention, diffuse our focus, and remove us from the sacredness of the present moment in which all things are possible.  In silence, true silence, we enter into the crucible of creation itself and have the opportunity to become co-creators of our existence in harmony with God, The Creator, and Allah – take your pick.

Endless Ocean

Think of silence as an endless ocean.  From the depths of silence bubbles creation itself, breaking the surface of the ocean of silence and becoming thought.  There is a problem however, that plagues nearly all of us.  These ‘bubbles of creation’ run into the turbulent layer at the surface of the ocean of silence, our subconscious and conscious mind.  This layer filters the bubble, often contorting and twisting it before it breaks into the realm of conscious thought; our thoughts become our actions and produce our view of our existence and our physical world.

True Silence

In retreat, the mind goes through a few stages on the way to finally shutting up:  For me, day one is usually the uncomfortable, can’t find my seat daydream day.  Day two is a deeper revisit of all of the problems that ever occurred in my life, usually negative.  On day three, my mind begins with all sorts of food cravings and ends with bitter complaint at the lack of company.  By the fourth day, the turbulent surface of the ocean grows calm, and you begin to experience a glimpse of true silence.

This silence heals wounds, brings clarity and a feeling of oneness that cannot to be put into words.  It is not meant to be:  words are nothing more than shadows of true meaning, yet we cling to them for all they are worth.  Real Truth can only be felt, intuited – it cannot exist in words themselves.

Lao Tzu:  The Tao of Pooh

Lao Tzu was trying to get the same point across when he decided to use the word “Tao” (pronounced “Dao”) to describe the Infinite.  “Tao” simply means “Way.”  Lao Tzu made the realization some five thousand years ago that just as a fish could no more accurately understand or speak of the complexities of humanity, neither can we truly know the mysteries of the Universe through any attempt to describe or label it.

Lao Tzu’s use of the word “Way” is especially important.  Lao recognized that no matter what our beliefs were or what we chose to name the Infinite, we were all on our own paths – which all lead to the same place.  In The Tao of Pooh, Benjamin uses happenings and events in the lives of Winnie the Pooh and other characters from the story to illustrate the teachings of Lao Tzu in a light and childlike manner.  As an adult, we often fail to realize the power of simplistic language, and the negative effects of too many words on our communication.

The Uncarved Block

The Tao of Pooh speaks of the principle of the uncarved block; beautiful, natural, effortlessly being.  Benjamin illustrates the nature of The Tao through calm and carefree Winnie the Pooh – a bear who simply IS.  When we can learn to simply BE – the same state of inner calmness we strive to achieve through Yoga, life becomes fun.

The essence of the Tao and The Tao of Pooh is the same as the essence of Yoga.  Do what is in harmony with nature and the natural way of things.  Do not strive for balance, be still instead and you will become balance personified.  As Asanas teach us to be flexible and bend naturally, so does The Tao teaches us to be flexible and bend in our lives and thoughts.  Be as a leaf blowing on the wind; content to enjoy the journey without fear or worry of its end.

Many paths

We are all on our own journeys; each of us on a separate pathway, yet walking together.  The Tao of Pooh may appear to be a strange choice for a Yoga website, but I assure you it only appears that way.  Humanity must come to learn to respect the paths of each other regardless of religion or philosophical belief system.  If you can remember that we are all looking for the same answers, each in their own way, you can enjoy and celebrate in the belief systems of those around you.  I have no permanent word for God – I know in my heart that any label I choose is truly meaningless compared to feeling the presence of The Creator.

In retreat, I hope to remember how to bend again.  I hope to feel the presence of my own infinite spirit in harmony with The Creator.  I go into retreat in order to find the stillness that eludes me as of late and the joy of the journey.  Read The Tao of Pooh; be as flexible in your beliefs as you are in your Yoga.  Learn to forget the labels we place on everything and instead simply allow things to be.

Namaste, my friends…and farewell.

The Tao of Pooh
Benjamin Hoff, ISBN 0140067477

Related posts:

1. Hello and Welcome…!

Without boring our fine audience with details, let’s just say that events in my life from Thursday of last week ‘till now have tested my spirituality and sanity at times like never before.  As I slowly emerge from the ‘battle armour’ we all put on during tough periods, I realize that my Yoga practice may have been missing something…a perspective or ‘different view.’  On a whim, I picked up a used copy of  The Pure Heart of Yoga and retreated to the closest thing I have to a cave – a six by six foot tent – to have some much needed away time.

Shell-shocked

It occurred to me as a sat reading in the dim light of the electric lantern that despite having survived the latest crisis, I felt internally scarred in some way.  A small piece of me was missing, perhaps lost in the rollercoaster ride of emotions and mental activity the last ten days had triggered.  The Pure Heart of Yoga gave me no answers; Robert doesn’t like to do that.  What it did give me was guidance and direction, which I desperately needed.  I had survived the last while…barely.  I was still experiencing a mixture of emotions and thoughts running the gamut from “it’s not worth it anymore,” to “I guess you are not as centered as I thought you were.”  The latter carried a definite hint of self-blaming sarcasm every time it entered my mind.  What I needed was to lick my wounds at the feet of my teacher – Robert reminded me I was the teacher I sought.

Calm waters

You may have learned how to do yoga, but do you deeply truly understand why to do yoga? In The Pure Heart of Yoga, understanding the less obvious benefits of yoga is like finding the calm beneath the stormy sea. Robert Butera describes the emotional, spiritual and physical processes that are experienced through performing asanas and how they contribute toward a more balanced and healthy life. The Pure Heart of Yoga offers ten universal steps towards a more balanced well-being that are adaptable to any level practitioner. Through simple language, personal stories and journal guidance designed to encourage a deeper understanding of your practice; Robert compels readers to learn more about themselves and realize the tremendous impact that yoga will have on their health physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

True beauty

Yoga is so much more than a physical activity.  It is a conscious lifestyle that ushers in profound spiritual and personal transformation.  The Pure Heart of Yoga invites you to experience yoga as the ancient masters intended it:  not as a sport or physical activity, but as an encompassing holistic way of life.  Inner stillness, true beauty and perfect awareness are not subjective forms we aspire towards; they are part of our true selves.  Based on twenty years of experience; Robert’s ten perspectives to help deepen your experience of yoga include intention, the history and archetype of the pose, breathing, form, concentration, chakras, involvement of the five senses, experiencing energy flow and meditation. A summary and illustration of twenty-three yoga poses are included in the book that help the reader realize the ten steps in their lives.  The twenty-three asanas are chosen specifically as ones to help speed you on your path to self awareness and universal awareness.

Dr. Robert Butera is the founder of the Yoga Life Institute in Devon, Pennsylvania, and publishes Yoga Living magazine. Robert graduated from Earlham School of Religion, earned a PhD in yoga from California Institute of Integral Studies, and in 1989 was certified by The Yoga Institute in Bombay, India.

The Pure Heart of Yoga deserves – especially for reminding me of what I truly am and where true guidance and knowledge reside…

Namaste, my friends.

—

The Pure Heart of Yoga: Ten Essential Steps for Personal Transformation
Dr. Robert Butera; ISBN-10: 0738714879

Related posts:

1. 4 Ways to Work with Heart Energy (Dimensions of the Heart in Yoga – Part 2)
2. Expressing the Heart’s Wisdom Through Giving (Dimensions of the Heart in Yoga – Part 4)
3. Dimensions of the Heart in Yoga – Part 1: The Physical Heart

I came across this three DVD set last week…cheap too!  Yoga For Beginners and Beyond begins with an introduction from the Dalai Lama entitled “How to meditate.”  For those of you who have heard the Dalai Lama speak before, his words of wisdom and simple approach to meditation are worth the price alone.  As mentioned in a past article, meditating before or after (or both) your Yoga practice can open a new door to deeper relaxation and a higher level of connectedness with self.  On to this three DVD set!

Everyday relief
Yoga For Beginners and Beyond features a full forty-six routines for those relatively new to Yoga, inflexible types (like me) as well as routines designed to relieve common ailments.  From tension headaches, indigestion, and anxiety relief – all aspects of your health are addressed through guided routines on a pleasant ocean backdrop.  For those with arthritis and other debilitating issues, modifications including the use of a chair are also clearly demonstrated or explained.

The Routines

Please forgive the large list, but there are so many!  I tried to find another way to format – to no avail…

Disc #1 — Yoga for Stress Relief

• Discussion of Meditation by H.H. the Dalai Lama
• Interview With Barbara
• Beginning & Ending Your Day
  • Begin Your Day Slowly (25 Minutes)
  • Wake Up! (60 Minutes)
  • Evening Revival (40 Minutes)
  • Letting Go of the Day (40 Minutes)
  • Insomnia Issues (35 Minutes)
• Neck, Shoulder & Back Issues
  • Easing Neck & Shoulder Tension (Passive, 20 Minutes)
  • Easing Neck & Shoulder Tension (Active, Extended, 30 Minutes)
  • Lower Back Tension (35 Minutes)
  • Hip Pain (S.I. Joint) (35 Minutes)
  • Tension Headaches (45 Minutes)
• Easing Your Mind
  • Breathing Exercises to Calm the Mind (15 Minutes)
  • Restorative Poses for Relaxation (15 Minutes)
  • Deep Rest (20 Minutes)
  • Mood Uplift (30 Minutes)
  • Serenity in Stillness (35 Minutes)
  • Easing Neck & Shoulder Tension (Passive, 20 Minutes)
  • Anxiety Relief (50 Minutes)
• Stomach & Digestion Issues
  • Constipation (25 Minutes)
  • Improve Digestion (30 Minutes)
  • IBS (30 Minutes)
  • Diarrhea & Indigestion (30 Minutes)
• Credits

Disc #2 — Yoga for Beginners

• Discussion With H.H. the Dalai Lama
• AM Routines
  • Get Up and Go (15 Minutes)
  • Sun Salutation Centering (15 Minutes)
  • Breath Work (30 Minutes)
  • Gentle Wake Up (35 Minutes)
  • Extended Morning (45 Minutes)
  • Wake Up the Spine (35 Minutes)
• PM Routines
  • Short Rest (10 Minutes)
  • Breath Work (20 Minutes)
  • Unwinding Muscle Tension (30 Minutes)
  • Good Night’s Sleep (25 Minutes)
  • Energizing Evening (40 Minutes)
• Credits

Disc #3 — Essential Yoga for Inflexible People

• Short Routines: Learn the Basics
  • Sun Salutation Warm-Up w/ Chair (6 Minutes)
  • Sun Salutation Warm-Up w/o Chair (7 Minutes)
  • Standing Poses w/Chair (25 Minutes)
  • Standing Poses w/ Chair II (14 Minutes)
• Short Routines: Continued
  • Seated Poses (9 Minutes)
  • Forward Bends w/ Chair (15 Minutes)
  • Beginning Back Bends (8 Minutes)
  • Yoga Twists w/ Chair (11 Minutes)
• Extended Routines: As You Progress
  • Extended Standing Poses (40 Minutes)
  • Legs (40 Minutes)
  • AM Wake Up (45 Minutes)
  • Spinal Work in Three Dimensions (40 Minutes)
  • Stubborn Hamstrings (65 Minutes)
  • Full Routine (90 Minutes)

As you can see, the routines are quite complete.  My wife suffers from debilitating pain which leaves her unable to stand for long periods or do much physical exercise:  She has done two or three of the workouts with a chair and finds it within her bounds to do.  Yoga For Beginners and Beyond is also ideally suited for older generations who may have lost much of their elasticity and flexibility.  Seniors will also find the adaptations suitable for restricted movement or reduced activity levels.

If you are on a budget and want a single DVD set to base your entire practice on, buy this one.  Yoga For Beginners and Beyond provides great instruction as well as addressing a deeper, more spiritual component.  Listen to the interviews – they help set intention and form a backdrop from which to extend your practice in not only the physical realm but mentally and spiritually as well.

With the added benefit of targeting specific workouts to relieve so many of life’s common ailments, Yoga For Beginners and Beyond deserves a full  .

Related posts:

1. Work Yoga into Your Workday

The Secret Power of Yoga: A Woman’s Guide to the Heart and Spirit of the Yoga Sutras Nischala Joy Devi (2007) ISBN978-0307339690

“I looked in Temples, Churches, and Mosques.  I found the Divine in my heart.” -Rumi

Three Gunas

Chapter One of The Secret Power of Yoga opens with the simplest sentence I have ever read that embodies the practice of Yoga.  “With humility we embrace the sacred study of Yoga.”  Yoga is sacred because we are divine beings and none more sacred in my eyes than the feminine aspect (Yin) of nature.  The Secret Power of Yoga begins by pointing to the three Gunas (aspects of nature) that everything contains; including people.  Drawn from the Chandogya Upanishad, there is always one characteristic dominant.  Rajas is represented by activity or over activity, Tamas is inactivity; or being withdrawn, and Sattwa – a sense of balance.

Balance

At night, we become more indrawn and quiet, while during the day we tend to be active.  At the two moments when night and day are blended together; there is balance.  This quality is the reason behind most eastern traditions regarding the auspicious nature of dusk and dawn.  Our true nature lies in Sattwa, yet we spend most of our lives in an uneven push/pull of activity and no activity.  As far as the male and female aspects of our world are concerned, balance begins and ends in the heart.  Devi points to the heart as also the source of our consciousness as opposed to our minds – an important distinction.

Heart centered

Devi brings a poetic tone to the Sutras of Patanjali, combining heart centered interpretations with a more nurturing viewpoint to bring compassion to the terse adages within the Yoga Sutra.  In an age where the majority of the translations are done so literally and by men, The The Secret Power of Yoga finds balance in the intuitive, feminine perspective. The first two sutras are covered in great detail, while the third is only lightly touched upon.  Devi’s reasons for this are obvious as the third Sutra deals with Divine manifestation of power as opposed union with the Divine Self and the cultivation of spiritual practice.

Interspersed throughout The Secret Power of Yoga are practical and enlightening suggestions and practices to help bring the Yoga Sutra alive within us.  The first of which – Experiencing the Divine in Everything, points us towards transforming everything we do into a spiritual activity.  By taking stock of repetitive tasks we feel are unrewarding, we find opportunities to focus on these as practice towards our goals instead.  Devi points out one of the greatest truths; returning to a place of presence and joy is an inward transformation.  In this way all aspects of our lives can be transformed independent of circumstances through recognizing the Divine within everything we do.

The Secret Power of Yoga offers all readers an opportunity to connect with the Sutras of Patanjali in a very heart-felt and caring way.  Devi is not translating the original Sanskrit, but rather interpreting the common accepted English translation into something more alive and easily identified with.  Nischala Joy Devi has been teaching for more than thirty years internationally and is also the author of The Healing Path of Yoga, regarded as the definitive book on healing and stress management.  Devi’s certification program Yoga of the Heart® adapts Yoga to the special needs of those with cancer, heart disease and other life-challenging illnesses.  The Secret Power of Yoga may be found lacking in pure translation, but the interpretation into words that easily speak to the heart and the atmosphere of reverence Devi creates far outweigh the purist argument.  The Secret Power of Yoga receives .

Related posts:

1. What are the 8 Limbs of Yoga?
2. Manipura: Harnessing your Personal Power
3. The Heart of Bliss – Unconditional Love (Dimensions of the Heart in Yoga – Part 5)

Shiva Rea: Yoga Shakti (Two DVD set) ASIN: 1591791847

One of my New Year’s resolutions this year is to expand my practice past the half-dozen or so DVD’s I use on a regular basis and try something a little more challenging.  After quiet contemplation at the end of my last workout, I realized that one of the pitfalls of home practice is that it is easy to become complacent, satisfied with where you are in your practice and ‘stuck’ without actually being aware of it.

Flow…Serene

If you value a calming and peaceful workout, Yoga Shakti is certainly worth owning.  Do not mistake calm and peaceful for a lack of sweat and whole body burn, however!  Shiva Rea exhibits unreal strength and flexibility as she guides you through a choice of four Vinyasa flow Yoga sessions of an hour or slightly more.  Set in the Maldive Islands of the Indian Ocean and Southern India, this high quality production by Sounds True Publishing features stunning landscapes and calming, pleasing music with an Eastern flair.

Foundations

For a well-rounded sequence of Vinyasa basics, Yoga ShaktiFoundation workout was more than sufficient on the first day.  Also included are Solar Flows One and Two, designed to increase strength and build heat in the body, as well as a slower paced Lunar Flow session which is perfect for an evening practice.  Despite quite a few challenging poses, Shiva Rea shows stages of each Asana so that any practitioner including those new to Ashtanga Vinyasa may enjoy a full and rewarding workout.

As mentioned at the beginning of the review, becoming a bit complacent in your practice is something that can happen easily with home products – not so with Yoga Shakti.  Shiva Rea clearly loves her practice and brings a lighthearted energy to the DVD which is infectious.  At times, I found myself smiling despite the intensity of some of the more challenging Asanas.

Unique

One of the unique features of Yoga Shakti is its format, allowing you to form your own routine through its Yoga Matrix component.  A bit daunting at first, patience and a little time will give you your own customized routine for which Shiva Rea offers good advice on the sequencing of the thirty basic elements included.  Once used to the routines, you can choose to shut the narration off, allowing full concentration on your practice with only yourself, Shiva Rea, and the soothing yet energizing music and scenery.

The second included DVD features an interview with Shiva Rea where she provides clear and valuable tips on posture and the Asanas.  An introduction to Ujayi Breathing, underlying foot patterns, and alignment of the pelvis with gravity are also given.  Information is provided on Rea’s organization; Yoga Adventures, as well as more interviews with practitioners and their experiences.

An Admonishment

At the heart of any Yoga practice lays self awareness.  Yoga Shakti features challenging Asanas that may leave even more experienced practitioners a little shaky and exhausted.  Follow Shiva Rea’s advice on the progression within the more difficult positions closely.  In Yoga, your only competition is yourself and the purpose of your practice is ultimately your own.

Yoga Shakti deserves a rating of for usability and the mildly confusing Yoga Matrix employed for setting up your own routine.  As far as the overall value of this two DVD set by Shiva Rea, Yoga Shakti certainly rates
in every other detail.

Related posts:

1. Going with the Flow of Vinyasa Yoga

The Wisdom of Yoga: A Seeker’s Guide to Extraordinary Living By: Stephen Cope (2007) ISBN 978-0553380545

With the crisis in Haiti still at the center of our attention, we are going to take another one of this author’s notorious segues off the beaten trail before discussing this beautiful book by Stephen Cope.  With your kind patience, I would invite you to our supper table last night…

We have three girls, of whom two are young teenagers and the third is doing her best to catch up with her sisters. Our middle child had missed the bus; quite an inconvenience given the one hour return trip into town to retrieve her. As usual, I had the late afternoon supper activities planned in advance with my wife and well under way when the call came.  Her reason for missing the bus; sitting with a friend in the office so she would have company while her friend waited for the phone.  I admit I was angry, and arrived at the table steaming when supper was finally ready.  Our whole family participates in a Buddhist tradition of not eating past five o’clock – it was now five-thirty and we had just begun.  Grrrrr!

The Yoga of offering food

Thankfully, my wife quietly reminded me that speaking in anger would not accomplish anything, and I should eat a little first and relax a bit before speaking.  That is her code for “stop being such a baby,” and I deserved it, I know. I sat down and growled to our daughter that I would have words with her later regarding the bus incident and commenced to eat. My first bite reminded me of another Buddhist practice which became the discussion point of our meal and ties in with not only Haiti but the real topic of this article, the book review.

There is a practice known as The Mahayana way, the Yoga of giving food.  In the Mahayana tradition, we mindfully are thankful for each bite, and with awareness make charity of our food to all of humanity, past, present and future.  In our family discussion, we talked about the people who had died in the Haiti earthquake, as well as those still struggling to survive.  When we see hunger and starvation, or a lack of anything we take for granted so easily, we need to be mindful of how fortunate we are and generate compassion for those suffering.

Compassion for others

Our middle daughter (the one who missed the bus) asked if we were going to do anything to help those in Haiti.  My reply was yes, but we were already beginning to do something to help simply by bringing compassion for others into our daily activities, including eating.  In learning to make a conscious offering of any activity that brings physical, mental or spiritual fulfillment, we move our awareness away from being self-centered and become centered on all of humanity.  These thoughts and intents generate actions that not only you will take, but actions that others will participate in as well.

My daughter’s response absolved her completely in regards to the bus:  She said that caring for others shouldn’t be only when we see it on TV and in the news, but should be a daily commitment with herself – her mind was not in the right place when she went to the office with her friend, but her friend did not want to be alone and she acted from the heart in staying with her…  My daughter then added it was wrong to do and would accept whatever punishment was coming to her.

What could I say?  The student surpasses the teacher, it appears.  What she did was not wrong, but the embodiment of a lesson we have always strived to teach our children.  In our adult lives of modern chaos, careers, relationships, family dynamics, global upheaval – awakening to simple wisdom with childlike wonder is more relevant than ever before…and the subject of The Wisdom of Yoga.

Yoga Sutras of Patanjali

Using the real life daily problems of a group of yoga students and friends, Stephen Cope brings to life the teachings of the Yoga Sutra; a text revered for nearly two thousand years as containing the complete body of the wisdom of Yoga.  The Wisdom of Yoga reveals the teachings of this difficult and enigmatic Sutra through the life stories of close friends and Yoga students, showing the principles at work in their daily struggles.

There are many whose definition of yoga is seen as a rejuvenating and invigorating series of Asanas and breathing exercises, but these physical practices are only the tip of the iceberg of an immeasurable body of wisdom and ancient spiritual science.  In Patanjali’s own words, the first two Sutras of the Yoga Sutra read: “Now the teachings of Yoga.  Yoga is to still the patterning of consciousness.” Raj Yoga (or the wisdom tradition) is brought to life in The Wisdom of Yoga as an effective tool for diagnosing and repairing the inner workings of Mind, Body and Spirit.

Eight limbs

Through Stephen Copes personal stories, readers will be able to identify similar core struggles in their own lives.  The eight limbs of Yoga (behavior, discipline, posture, breathing, sense cessation, concentration, mediation and finally enlightenment) are used to artfully demonstrate their effects in uncovering the roots of our own fears, illusions and self-deception through the lives and actions of Copes characters.  By interweaving their daily predicaments with insights from religion, philosophy, neuroscience and modern psychology, The Wisdom of Yoga. demonstrates the suitability and practicality of the Yoga Sutra and its teachings of awakening.

Stillness

One of the profound lessons of  The Wisdom of Yoga is found in the Sanskrit word Nirodha, used in the original second verse of the Yoga Sutra.  This is defined as ‘cessation’ or ‘to make still’ and is both the goal and path of Yoga practice.  Through cultivating this stillness of consciousness, we are able to see the world around us more clearly and with deeper insight, intuiting the answers to our needs and the needs of those around us.

Through The Wisdom of Yoga, a step-by-step path exists, laid out in ancient antiquity for awakening mankind to a greater reality and Truth.  This is not a path where you will be told what truth is, however.  It is a map pointing to waypoints of reference along your own path to the realization of your true existence and human potential.  In short, it gives the tools to find the answers for yourself.

The Wisdom of Yoga rates and is a must read in today’s modern society.  If you enjoy the physical aspects of Yoga, you have only begun to expose the tip of the depth and breadth that is Yoga.  Dive deeper and enjoy the journey.

I dedicate this offering to the people of Haiti and all of those who suffer in this world.  May your plight realize compassion in all humanity and not go on in vain.  By diminishing our number by one, we diminish the whole of ourselves.  May we all realize true wisdom and compassion for each other and all of nature’s beauty in all our activities…

Namaste

Related posts:

1. Living Life to the Fullest Stretch
2. What are the 8 Limbs of Yoga?
3. Expressing the Heart’s Wisdom Through Giving (Dimensions of the Heart in Yoga – Part 4)

Aleph-Bet Yoga: Embodying the Hebrew Letters for Physical and Spiritual Well-Being(2002) Steven Rapp.  ISBN-10: 1580231624

AND

Torah Yoga: Experiencing Jewish Wisdom Through Classic Postures (Arthur Kurzweil Books)(2004) Diane Bloomfield.  ISBN – 10:  0787970573

Welcome back!  If you missed the first part of the review last week, you may find it here.

Words of wisdom

“Yoga was given for the human race, not the Hindus… [It] is for the culturing of self and that self-culture has no barriers.” (B.K.S. Iyengar)  We often get caught up in the beliefs that our culture is right and that one is wrong – or that we hold a ‘moral imperative’ over another through our faith and religious practices.  Historically, it is a lesson that as a species we never seem to absorb.  In Torah Yoga, Diane Bloomfield seeks to dissolve the barriers between the practice of Yoga and the Jewish faith while providing clear and easily understood Asana instruction. Instructors will also benefit from Bloomfield’s methodical approach as she lays out her lesson plan in detail while approaching her seven topics for reflection thoroughly.

Torah Yoga opens student and teacher alike to both the wisdom of the Torah (the first five books of Hebrew scripture) and the wisdom of Yoga.  Each chapter opens with a central Jewish spiritual concept which Bloomfield explains in language that allows practitioners of all faiths to benefit.  The reader is then guided through a meditation and a set of fundamental Iyengar Yoga postures, illustrated by beautiful photographs.  Torah Yoga provides both beginning and advanced Yoga students with the opportunity to actualize and experience the wisdom of the Torah while heightening awareness of mind, body and spirit.

Different words…same meaning

The Jewish practice of laying on Tefillin for morning prayers involves at its core the uniting of head, heart and hands.  The deeper meaning behind this practice is echoed in Yoga as well.  The unification of mind, body and spirit to bring about a return to truth, peace and harmony with each other and our environment is a central tenet of Yoga practice and is found universally throughout the world’s religions. Torah Yoga is a must read book for anyone wishing to expand their horizons and apply the integrated wisdom of both Yoga and Jewish mysticism to their own path.

Diane Bloomfield first studied Kripalu Yoga and yoga teacher training at the Kripalu Institute in Massachusetts. She then practiced Bikram yoga for over a decade, and became a Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapist, certified by Michael Lee. Bloomfield is now a certified Iyengar yoga instructor and continues studying and teaching with senior Iyengar instructors in both the USA and Israel.

As with Aleph-Bet Yoga, Diane Bloomfield’s Torah Yoga deserves a rating of
.

A little more…

Members of the Jewish community in the United States alone exceed five million.  For instructors both new and experienced, the economic downturn we are still feeling the effects of has surely impacted your own business as well.  It is my hope that these books may inspire you to ‘think outside the box’ when it comes to opportunities you may be missing.  As previously mentioned, this could be a new beginner class offering targeted specifically to the Jewish community, or something else entirely.

The true joy in Yoga has so many levels to discuss, but I want to briefly touch on only one as it is especially relevant here:  The Joy of Awareness.  Your Yoga practice is melding your mind, body and spirit into one whole person, where each aspect of yourself may work in harmony and balance towards whatever ends you wish.  You are gaining awareness of your-self, your body and your eternal spirit.  All of this is preparation; however, as ultimately you will turn this new found awareness and harmony of self out to the world around you.  Don’t wait!  Our opportunities, business ventures, new ideas and growth on Life’s Journey begin to appear more and more frequently as your Yoga practice flowers.

Water this flower with an open mind, actively look with your mind, body and spirit at the world around you. Just as the sun, soil and rains care for all of nature’s children, you journey this path surrounded by everything you need to find fulfillment, peace and success in your life.  The key is to look with open eyes, filled with wonder at the possibilities that lay ahead.  Replace rigid beliefs with open acceptance – try these books, try others too – see the beauty, underlying wisdom and common truths contained within Aleph-Bet Yoga and Torah Yoga for yourself.

Namaste…And Happy New Year!

Related posts:

1. Two Books in Review