Addition of Niyama to Experiment A week or so into the yama Experiment, we were invited to begin another Experiment with one of the niyamas, the individual observances, outlined in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras. Ishvara Pranidhana is one of these niyamas and is often translated as surrender (or devotion) to Ishvara or God. At a very […]
Closing Thoughts It is sweet to have zero balances on my email accounts. And, these two precepts, aparigraha and Ishvara Pranidhana, led me to reflect on the loftier concepts of reincarnation, the yogic path, and naturally, Ishvara or God. Knowing my tendencies, there will be tension between dealing with day to day pressures and keeping […]
Each teacher training student at Axis Yoga completes an experiment with a specific yama (restraint) and niyama (observance). Applying aparigraha (non-hoarding) and sauca (cleanliness) to this student’s life allowed her the space to heal. And a new sense of action moving forward.
What started off as a simple experiment for a class has turned into healing. When presented with this idea of choosing a “yama” and “niyama” to see if I’d notice any changes/differences/movement the concept was exciting, mostly because I like projects and enjoy a challenge. Ultimately, I chose to take on aparigraha (non-hoarding) as my […]
During week one I turned grumpy and I suspect it was due to the fact that I was going to need to make movement in a way that I knew would nudge me to think of stuff I’ve hoarded physically and/or emotionally. I had planned to do the smaller closets with all the coats and […]
Sauca continues to be that idea that encourages me to maintain my space, my body, and my heart. The other day I realized that my car was a disaster and so I made it a point to clean it out because my normal and natural is to put things off until the eleventh hour. However, […]
Axis Yoga Teacher Training students strengthen their knowledge of the yamas (restraints) and niyamas (observances) by choosing one of each to experiment with in their own lives. By focusing satya (truthfulness) and tapas (austerity) to a very specific area of his life, this student found the benefits of taking control of how other people’s actions […]
We all like to believe that we are truthful. However, there are countless facets to this precept. I narrowed my study to the aspect of being honest, or true to myself. Then narrowed it even further to an aspect of my life that I have struggled with for years: my job. In my job I […]
I chose Tapas as my Niyama. I have seen Tapas defined as, “passion, or zeal for yoga”. I practiced sadhana every day for 15-45 minutes – first, pranayama, then meditation. I also practiced asana, when I had the time. I diligently got up between 4:30 and 5:00am on work days, around 6:00am on non-work days. […]
Axis Yoga encourages its teacher training students to understand yoga’s yamas (restraints) and niyamas (observances) through real-life application. This student explores the application of Brahmacharya (continence) in the modern American world and how it applies to his individual situation. He also finds greater overall connection of body and mind through his focus on Santosha (contentment).