Immediate Life Tool – How & Why

Amidst the many uncertainties in life I often remind myself to come back to the basics.

And it does not get much more basic than breathing, or so it seems.

Breath is vital to our life-process, and often overlooked – essential nourishment, hidden in plain sight, and presumed to always be there for us. Holding your breath out for 30 seconds will quickly reveal our vital link to breath in astonishing ways.

Yoga teachers often lean heavily on breath-cues, reminding us to “take a big ol’ hit of air” as one teacher professed. 

Rarely do I hear reference to why we should be conscious of our breath; and I summarize some of those reasons below:

  • The breath is the intermediary force between your body & mind.
  • Breath regulation gives us direct access to autonomic (unconscious) aspects of the nervous system.
  • The breath provides a mirror reflection of our thoughts.
  • If you’re anxious you will breathe accordingly, same is true for all other emotions.
  • It is possible to reverse engineer the breath to tranquilize the mind.
  • A calm, smooth breath indicates mental stillness = effortless meditation.

Simple ways that we can improve breathing:

  • Breath through your nose whenever possible.
  • Use sleep tape – video here. 
  • Practice asana as a means of breath regulation. Breathe first, posture second.
  • Deep abdominal breathing is one of the most effective methods for anxiety regulation.
  • Regular practice of pranayama with trusted guidance
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Micro-Transformations in Yoga

Several decades ago, when I first went to yoga classes, the practice was closely associated with “discipline.” People talked about “discipline” the same way we talk about “flow” or  “trauma sensitivity” now. It was in the air of practice.

Discipline is an essential aspect of what the yogis call “Tapas.” Tapas are the creative friction that arises when going (a bit) against the grain of impulses; it gives rise to generative heat that opens new possibilities and develops one’s character.

However, some habits seem quite stubborn and we may like the idea of “I will meditate every morning” but it remains elusive. I have my own fantasized version of a disciplined-self that does not parallel the reality of my behaviors. Sound familiar?

Here is a rewarding middle option. Practice “micro-disciplines” in the moment. Notice moments in your day when you can choose your higher virtue.

Tending to the fire of transformation is tapas.

Consciously sitting in boredom, rather than distraction is tapas.

Saying “no” can yield tapas.

Sacrifice a bit of comfort in the moment and nudge your way into a more fulfilling direction one small and simple choice at a time.  I invite you to experiment with this in your day to day decisions.

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Yoga… in the opposite direction

Oftentimes we may enter yoga with the hope of gaining something, such as greater range of motion or peace of mind, often with success.  It is a sensible motivation.

On a deeper level, the yoga process reveals a deeper capacity to accept life as it is, independent of our predeterminations–the ability to sit in loss, gain or grief with greater equanimity–and grow wiser from such experiences.

From this perspective, yoga is a reversal. To reverse the instinct to grasp at externals and deliberately focus on shaping/managing/purifying our perception; the actual epicenter of where life experiences occurs.

It’s not so much that we experience the outside world, as we experience our own energy, in reaction to outer sources of stimulation.  Cultivating our inner capacities–a movement from reaction to response–is a great reversal and gesture towards lasting freedom.

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“Yoga Off the Mat”

What is your go-to yogic teaching “off the mat”?  

A few come to mind: “patience”, “acceptance”–that’s a big one–or “giving of oneself”, all of which read nice on paper and can be much more difficult to put into practice.

Genuine yoga practice is something we live into rather than something to “do.”  

Layer by layer yoga reveals hidden and not so hidden tendencies and invites to apply the principles of “patience”, “acceptance” and so forth to living circumstances. Asana and so forth are means to a greater end–the maturing of your character.

Overtime, no stone is left unturned.

Baba Hari Dass used to say “climbing is hard and slipping is easy.”  It takes a bit of determination to live into one’s higher virtues.  But the alternative also comes with its price.

So, what is your go-to yoga practice off the mat?

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The Story Weaver….

Perhaps you’ve heard Patañjali’s quintessential definition of yoga?

It’s quite simple, and simultaneously vast; two signature features of wisdom.
 

“Yoga is the stilling of all thought.”
 

This definition probably conjures more questions than answers and invites us to reconsider our mental space…. what are thoughts anyway?

On a practical level, I invite us to consider the mutable nature of thought, how it can seem so dense, habituated and convincing at times and simultaneously amorphous, shifting and changing in every moment. 

Who is the “me” beneath these fluctuations?

Patañjali goes on to assert that the mind occupies the surface of our being, vailing yet revealing a pathway to our essential nature. 

Who would we be in the absence of  thoughts and opinions about self and “others”?

How does one still the mind?

What get’s revealed?

More questions….

Sometimes the mental story is caked with adversity and sometimes it is not.  Yoga is the process by which we can come to terms with our particular narratives, create a bit of space, and draw closer to our essential nature.

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Sacred Spring Seeds 

Blessings of the spring season.

As the grass ripens, and the days breathe with greater length, I reflect upon the spirit of yoga through the seasons. From one perspective, the state of yoga (union) is a perennial constant, utterly merged with the essence of life-itself; an unbridled instrument of infinite consciousness.  Sounds kind of nice, right?

For many, this may seem a bridge too far, and they may be unable to relate to, much less translate such a vast vision into the clunky mechanics of day to day life. Something like a bit more peace would be a welcome start.

Which brings us to a second perspective, yoga as a means for skillfully navigating the varied seasons and contours of your unique life-curriculum.  The diverse toolbox of yogic methodologies can support our circumstances; bodily, mentally, emotionally, spiritually, with holistic grace.

This body of practice can be quite specific in their application, but the most essential guide post could sound something like “get started” followed by “as regularly as you can.” I sometimes dabble a bit of advice on prospective yogis, by saying “the best yoga class is the one that you will go to.”

With continued practice, we may find that all life experiences–desirable and undesirable–are a part of the yogic course of study; accumulating insights that guide one a more complete view of self and the very nature of existence itself.

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Deeper Tennent & Study of Yoga

Namaste May,

Like a swollen river that winds its way through mountains, and across deserts, before emptying into the primal ocean, yoga unfolds over time–leading to our essential origin.

This month, in our weekly Master Class, we turn our attention to the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, a definitive treatise on the aim and path of yoga; leading to complete freedom.

Sounds nice, right!?

The text starts with a declarative assertion: “atha-yoga-nushasanam” or, “Now the study of Yoga.”

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The first word, “atha”, means now. Indicating a possible monumental build up of  life experiences that have led to this moment.  Now, we are in a position to take up the study.

Atha also connotes that we will commence our study, a movement towards future study.

And finally, Atha also signals the eternal present. As in NOW. Yoga study is a total embrace of the perennial-immediacy that touches all of life; past, future and present.

One who awakens to the very first word of the very first yoga sutra can simply lay the rest of the text to rest. And for those who may struggle with present moment freedom, there is more to unpack.

We invite you to join in our study of the phenomenal book of wisdom.

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APRIL RECAP AT DYU

It’s been an eventful April at DYU. And I wanted to recap a few lessons and experiences….

We hosted the spring cleanse and were met with many repeat members; a growing bi-annual tribe dedicated to cleansing mind-body-soul. Their final shares at the closing potluck, glowed with warm sparks of humor and honesty.

Jeremy Wolf joined us and shared his Level II Yoga Nidra Training. I got to participate as a student. I appreciated his recurrent message of the accessibility of the witness perspective, and simple reminders of the entanglement that occurs at other times.

This month’s Master Class featured an experiential immersion into Mantra–a new topic of presentation for me. Briefly, sound is alive, it conveys powerful messages and can shape unique destinies; beginning with the messages we tell ourselves on a regular basis.

What’s more, we collaborate with our friends at the Denver Yoga Summit for a free peep-rally class in support of their upcoming fall summit. There, we were reminded of Aim as a directing force in our practice, to help guide decisions in daily life.

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The Right to Know

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This past weekend marked the “liquid-only” phase of our fall dietary cleanse. This phase is a necessary component of the cleanse and supports “the right to know”.

The liquid weekend used to loom large in my mind. Comparable to how Frodo and Samwise must have felt as they crossed the swampy plains preceding towards Mordo, filled with a bit of dread accompanied by a simple “I must”.

This weekend was different, surprisingly uneventful in fact. I attribute this to one simple principle, what the yogis call adhikara. 

Adhikara loosely translates as “studentship” thought the spirit of the term means “the right to know”. The right to know is two-fold. 

Number one, it is our human birthright and capacity to experience higher knowledge.  

Here, “knowledge” takes on a deeper dimension. It is not mundane facts but rather, direct insight into the subtle layers of creation, accompanied by the will to live in alignment with them. 

As a practical example, seeing that the source of a dysfunctional pattern has its roots in a childhood trauma. And to move towards love once again, is an exercise in adhikara.

“We have the capacity to experience knowledge with a capital K.”

The second order of adhikara–the right to know–has to to do with earning the right to know. The right to insight is earned through some regular practice or even ordeal. There are many myths that tell of the sacrifice entailed before the boon of Knowledge is bestowed. 

And so it is with seasonal cleansing. Cleansing is skill grown through repetition; fear and obstacles are important parts of the curriculum. Adikara is revealed overtime when live in accordance with our higher Self, our natural birthright.

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Yoga Off The Mat

Greetings Yogis,

Greetings Yogis,What is your go-to yogic teaching “off the mat”?
​A few come to mind—patience, acceptance, or the simple act of giving of oneself. These sound beautiful in theory, yet they often stretch us the most when life presents real challenges. 
Yoga, at its heart, is not something we do but something we live into.

The postures and breathing exercises are like a laboratory—controlled conditions in which we experiment, refine, and prepare ourselves. Daily life, however, is the true curriculum, complete with unexpected tests and assignments.

The postures and breathing exercises are like a laboratory—controlled conditions in which we experiment, refine, and prepare ourselves. Daily life, however, is the true curriculum, complete with unexpected tests and assignments.

Which teaching arises most naturally for you in the flow of life, and which ones feels like they asks more of you? Can you compress the responses down to two words? Then carry them with as a self-reflective talisman for a week. 

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