Readings from our restorative practice 10/27/2022 REST by David Whyte is the conversation between what we love to do and how we love to be.Rest is the essence of giving and receiving; an act of remembering, imaginatively and intellectually but also physiologically and physically. To rest is to give up on the already exhausted will… Continue reading Reading from our restorative practice
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Pratyahara
A summary of my notes taken from a lecture given by Prashant Iyengar in June 2020 Our senses cannot be understood mechanically. We cannot have a mechanical view of our senses. How our eyes, ears, tongue, nose, skin function depend not just on the external object but on our subjective understanding. A camera will pick… Continue reading Pratyahara
Klesa and Karma
To live demands that we make decisions on how to act, and what to do. B. K. S. Iyengar asks, “How does a freeman act, and yet remain free?” (B. K. S. Iyengar, 2005, p. 238). Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras seek to answer this question by exploring the “Klesas” (afflictions) which are the motivations that drive our… Continue reading Klesa and Karma
The theory of re-birth according to Patanjali.
Prashant Iyengar writes that “life commences with karma” (P. Iyengar, 2013, p. 12). The process of re-birth stems from actions, their effects (karma), and natural causes stemming from the interplay of the three gunas.(Sargeant, 1994). Patanjali examines this subject throughout the yoga sutras and, in the kaivalya pada, details what determines the nature of re-birth, and how it… Continue reading The theory of re-birth according to Patanjali.
on opposites…
In gratitude for Tiffany Hambley’s post on Prashantji’s teachings. Prashant says, “Imagine a scenario where two mirrors reflect one another. The potential for refraction and reflection is endless. This is quite a different situation, he pointed out, than a wooden yoga brick and a mirror facing one another: in that instance, it can clearly be… Continue reading on opposites…
The Klesas and the feet
This is from a class taught at the Summer Intensive with Jess at Clear Yoga. Who would have thought that “Who am I?” would be the theme for a weekend Yoga Intensive!! It makes sense when we realize that within each asana are tools to allow us to investigate the different parts of our body.… Continue reading The Klesas and the feet
Avidya – ignorance
“We all sense the presence of soul in our origin and our end. Looking at the world around us, we are torn between feelings that “soul cannot be in this” and yet, “if the soul exists at all, it must be in this also”. It’s existence is to be unlimited to our notions of… Continue reading Avidya – ignorance
New beginnings, resolutions, and ahimsa.
The yamas and parighasana Every time I teach parighasana – gate pose. I get confused, bewildered looks from students as the pose moves from what you think it should be to something that you can’t believe BKS Iyengar described and explained in Light on Yoga. Life can be like this. It throws a curveball that… Continue reading New beginnings, resolutions, and ahimsa.
Notes and quotes from various lectures
Geeta on Guruji: December 13th She is tired from teaching for 5 days and giving talks. When the speech is tired, everything is tired; body, mind and breath. My mother and father have guided me throughout. Guruji was a different child. He had a way of looking, observing, watching. Everyone thought his life would be… Continue reading Notes and quotes from various lectures
Celebration days
On Thursday we arrived in our non yoga clothes and were treated to a talk by Geeta which I will write up tomorrow. Then we had a talk by the CEO of Deloitte and Touche – a successful businessman and student of Iyengar Yoga. He talked about how yoga has helped him with his position… Continue reading Celebration days