The Essence of Yoga

Perhaps you’ve heard Patañjali’s quintessential definition of yoga? I captures the essence 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?

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

Who would we be in the absence of  thoughts and opinions about self and “others”?
How does one still the mind?
And why would we want to do such a thing anyway? 

More questions….

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.

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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The Yoga of Insight

Have you ever felt stuck in your own thinking? Unable to see past assumptions? Out of touch with the yoga of insight and pretty convinced you have the answer, and yet a small voice might remind you that there are limitless perspectives?

I suspect this is true for most of us.

In many ways, yoga practice breaks us out of the trance of our own thinking and invites us into a deeper view; to see beyond our particular self-interest and rest into something we might call wisdom.

Sounds kind of nice, right?
“How” you might ask? 

The answer is not very glamorous.  

As my root teacher Baba Hari Dass would often say, “Regular practice.”  Most find this challenging, but is nonetheless essential.  

Perhaps regular practice could look like 10 conscious breaths every time you park your vehicle, daily morning meditation, a class you can consistently go to. Swapping 10 minutes of scrolling for 10 minutes of legs up the wall. Or  a structured program could be helpful.

What may seem like an insurmountable mountain of resistance may just be a fleeting and wispy cloud through the sky of the mind, vailing the sun on the other side. The sun is perennially there, though ingrained assumptions could be blocking its light.

Yours In the Spirit & Service of Yoga,
Derik E.
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Additional Yoga Teacher Training Assignments

In many respects, yoga teacher training is a journey into the unknown.  People may anticipate a training for years and contemplate what it will be like. They consider how it will enrich their practice and what it would be like to teach yoga.  Students anticipate how their body will become more open, or the benefit of added mental serenity. These are the easy and obvious things to imagine.  People are less likely to consider the additional yoga teacher training assignments that accompany a program. And how it will impact their life outside of the studio space.

Outside study often looks like: reading assignments, written reflections (papers), lifestyle changes, student teaching exercises, or to develop a daily meditation practice.  This list of activities may simultaneously look inviting and intimidating.

One one level, we appreciate that each of these activities will help us to embody yoga.  On another level, it might bring up insecurity about how or when you will be able to complete the exercises.  In part, this is why people sign up for more advanced yoga training, they want to overcome resistance, be accountable, receive guidance and forge a new destiny.

“They want to overcome resistance, be accountable, receive guidance and forge a new destiny.”

Additional yoga teacher training assignments bridge the gap between formal study in the studio space and daily life.  Yoga is a universal method to cultivate inner peace and to achieve greater outer harmony.  All life circumstances provide an opportunity to practice yoga, not just formal time on the mat. 

Yoga teacher training comes in a variety of formats.  Some are presented as concentrated, residential, month long formats. It will be easier to complete assignments in this format, there will be fewer distractions. Others (like DYU’s program) are engineered for a typical working person with a couple of kids.Yoga training often generates a natural passion to live a more conscious life and people embrace additional yoga teacher training assignments as part of that process. I invite you to embrace all that a program has to offer and also recognize that there will be additional demands on your time beyond formal classroom content.  Ultimately, this is a core reason to sign up for yoga training.

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Yoga Teacher Through Observation

As part of Denver Yoga Underground’s yoga teacher training, students are required to attend five classes outside of the formal program.  They then submit a written reflection on their experience.  Here is an example of the process, this student learned to become a better yoga teacher through observation.

In total, I attended three Vinyasa yoga classes, one Iyengar yoga class and a Hot Power Yoga class. Overall, I learned that a clear theme for a class is essential as is the teacher’s use of language.

For the purposes of this exercise, I took a wide range of classes including a “goat yoga” class. The goats freely interacted with students during the class. The teacher renamed poses like downward goat instead of downward dog, which complemented the theme. The pace of the class was slower to allow time for a goat to crawl onto or off of a person. The class was silly and fun however I would not go there to learn about the deeper meaning of yoga.  It felt more like a visit to the county fair with some “yoga poses” mixed in. It was more amusing than enlightening.

It felt more like a visit to the county fair
with some “yoga poses” mixed in.

The goat class had a clear intent, to generate a novel experience.  Other classes presented an odd mixture of unrelated intentions. I most appreciated classes that stayed within the parameters of their stated theme.  The Iyengar yoga class I attended had a clearly defined theme. This was the first time I participated in a class deconstructed a single pose with such detail. As a prospective yoga teacher, I was reminded of the many ways people can hone in on their craft.

The theme of a class, and the quality of instruction can either make one feel grounded or disoriented.  Yoga is a potent medicine. I can even create a new destiny.   Most of the time the result is positive however if the medicine is used in the wrong way, it can make someone anxious or imbalanced.

Yoga is a potent medicine.

Through this exercise, I learned the importance of language as a yoga teacher, how to pace a class, and why it is essential to have a clear theme. Overall, I learned to be a better yoga teacher through observation.

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The Peaceful Priority

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woman in dog pose in a yoga studio

 

“Why is peace unprioritized?”

I shared this question with my current teacher training students over the weekend.  They looked equally appreciative and puzzled.

You would think that the desire to live in harmony would be greater than the urge for affliction.  Yet somehow that does not appear to be the case.

Like many noble pursuits, peace can easily be dismissed as fanciful, a hangover from the counterculture movement, or even a sign of weakness. Peace is not in keeping with the status quo, a tide of stimulation usurp its place.

“Why is that?”

Years ago, when I first met Baba Hari Dass, someone asked him “how to develop personal discipline?”

His response:

“Climbing is hard, slipping is easy.” 

 

The words still ring true decades later and epitomize why peace is not the priority. It takes deliberate effort to develop positive qualities and the temptation to deviate can be strong.

The impulse to be impatient or disregard the needs of the whole may come more habitually and with greater urgency.  It takes far more energy and thoughtful consideration to create a building than it does to destroy it.

In short, cultivating peace requires dedicated self-reflection and effort – to swim against the current shortcomings and climb towards a noble pursuit. And it can be often far more convenient to choose otherwise.

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Approaches to Meditation

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There are many approaches to meditation. Finding the optimal technique is a bit like searching for a treasure in a darkened room.  The treasure holds the promise of greater inner-freedom however, and you’ll sift through less idyllic objects as you blindly sweep the floor with outstretched hands.

Fortunately, your search for the best meditation method can be distilled down to one of three primary categories. These categories range from the most passive to the most elaborate:

  1. Mindfulness.  In simple terms, mindfulness is the act of being fully present to whatever task, experience, or thought you happen to be having. This is one of the most recognized techniques because of its obvious universal application and ‘non-metaphysical’ demure.
  1. Self Reflection. Other techniques ask you to focus on a particular construct such as the fabled utterance “Aham-Brahmasmi” or “I am divinity itself.”  While the mantra itself possesses some potency, the real power of this method comes from the necessary self-reflection and the conviction that life is composed of more than ego-perspective.
  1. Kriya.  Kriya means a ‘method’ or ‘procedure’.  These procedures systematically blend various forms of imagery, colors, sounds, and associations to curate a particularly energetic and psychological reality in the practitioner.

    Unlike the universal approach of mindfulness, kriyas invoke a specific experience to suit the exact needs of the aspirant based on their current life circumstances and how they wish to evolve.  These practices, derived from tantra, are much more dynamic.

    These practices, derived from tantra, are much more dynamic.


    One may presume that kriyas entail an element of “imagination” or “pretending” to tap into an alternate reality.  The more that I’ve studied and practiced yoga, the more I’ve come to see and appreciate it’s metaphysical perspective.

    The Universe has more dimensions than length, height, and width and the vast, vast, vast majority of it exists outside of the limited field of our senses. We only see .03 percent of that available light spectrum that emanates from the sun, as an example.  I’ve come to recognize kriya as a porthole into a pre-existing plane of existence, outside of conditioned existence.

Meditation to Increase Shakti is a simple example of this kind of kriya. It also is the consummate practice for our May Meditation Series. Shakti means power or force, she is the inherent and presiding force of manifestation itself.  Without Shakti, there would be no life.

Kriya then is the systematic method by which one can enter into the awareness of this presiding force. It invokes the living presence and power of Shakti and most sublime attributes.  With continued practice, the meditator gradually assumes these qualities.  

Different forms of meditation will breed and awaken a different visceral reality.

Just as every seed contains a unique kind of plant in it – be it an oak tree or a rose bush – different forms of meditation will breed and awaken a different visceral reality inside of you.  Despite their aura of universal spirituality, different meditations will awaken a unique attribute of your soul and psyche.

When choosing an optimal meditation method, the most important thing is to get started.  Reflect on which of these three is most appeals, seek guidance, and most importantly just get started. Any of these approaches will help you to see yourself more clearly and help you discern its unique value and attributes.

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Tantric-Yoga Methods

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man practices meditation

Asana, pranayama, meditation, and other Tantric-Yoga methods remold your psyche from a limited understanding (avidya) to greater Self-understanding. In short, they maximize joy and minimize suffering.

To become proficient at blending these Tantric-Yoga methods requires ongoing practice, refinement, and moments of inner realization.  It’s an extraordinary journey that gradually begins to touch upon every aspect of one’s life.

Tantra is somewhat unique on the horizon of spiritual methodologies; it prescribes practices to suit the needs of the individual. Each of us is unique (and similar in ways) and our approach to yoga ought to reflect our particular needs.  

Our approach to yoga ought to reflect our unique needs.  

To accommodate the needs of the individual, Tantric-Yoga methods can be very complex and nuanced. It takes time, and some trial and error, to learn how to synergistically blend asana, pranayama, mantra, and meditation techniques.  Of course, an accomplished teacher also helps.  

Done well, the result of these interwoven practices is far greater than the sum of their parts.  Asana and pranayama practice, implemented prior to meditation, will powerfully enhance meditation exponentially. 

They support one another in an interwoven and radiant tapestry. These interconnected practices, done in support of higher realization, is one of the very definitions of “tantra”.  In many ways, the journey through Tantric-Yoga is a journey through the interconnected threads of practice.

While the variety of practices may seem disparate, there is a central thread that underscores them all; that thread is prana.  Prana is the life-force of the creation, the very force of transformation itself; our quest for greater peace and self-actualization hinges on this critical ingredient.

 There is a central thread that underscores them all;
that thread is prana.

All of the techniques interface with prana specifically.  In many ways, prana is the primary teacher that not only leads us to greater levels of self-mastery but also guides us towards the innermost teacher within us all, the Self or the Soul.

Tantric-yoga methods support us to contact this Self and in turn, the Self aids you to learn and apply the forces of asana, pranayama, and meditation optimally.  Over time, one recognizes the pranic-force within these methods and thus the cycle of continued growth carries on. One becomes more adept in their life and access Spirit more readily.

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Self Healing

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Full confession, I have had seasonal allergies for years; itchy eyes, stuffy nose, and sneezing attacks, the full deal. As a yogi – someone who places a premium on self healing – it was a point of consternation.

Historically, I’d adjusted my yoga asana practice (to include more inversions) to address it, but had minimal results. Natural supplements did not do the trick either.

This season, and last season, I decided to dedicate myself to a path of self healing and implemented simple ayurvedic remedies for allergies. Ayurveda is the ancient healing science of India that grew up side by side with yoga.

Ayurveda is the ancient healing science of India
That grew up side by side with yoga. 

According to ayurveda, allergies (along with many other ailments) stem from accumulated toxic build-up, called ama, as a result of poor digestion. The treatment is quite simple; reduce ama.  This can be done through a deeper cleansing process (called shat karma) or, more immediately, through diet.

Here are the basic guidelines I follow.  I find it easier to negate certain foods and eat what remains, which will inherently be nourishing.  Ayurveda has a lot to say about diet but here are the basics:

  • Typically it helps to have a 4-6 week dietary reboot before the actual allergy season hits.  “Prevention is Supreme” as they say in ayurveda. All the same, these simple changes will make a change, it just may take a little longer to reverse the cycle.
  • Remove sugar, dairy, gluten, caffeine, and alcohol
  • Maybe start by reducing one or two and phase others in once you see the value of the preceding changes
  • Start by removing sugar and dairy (then gluten)
  • Additionally, I find it helpful to brush my teeth immediately after eating to reduce any cravings.  You can also integrate turmeric shoots for their anti-allergy properties and for general anti-inflammatory properties.  The bitter-astringent taste also reduces cravings.
  • Dandelion greens are good anti-allergens as well, which you can probably get from your backyard.

”Prevention is Supreme.”

Changing one’s diet can be a tough pill to swallow but inevitably turns out to be worth the sacrifice.  In this case, the payoff was increased energy, eliminating allergies, and a sense of empowerment – I can heal myself through my own choices and actions.

Of course, a dedicated yoga practice will also help the cause.  Consider taking a class (online).  I happen to be offering a meditation series that you are invited to attend.

Details:

  • Wednesday and Friday, 7:30-8:10am
  • Zoom link provided upon registration
  • = Donation Based =

– REGISTER HERE

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Repetition in Meditation

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Visual representation of repetition in meditation

First, a word of thanks to all of those who extended their good wishes, food, and prayers after I broke my leg some three weeks ago.  I’m happy to say that the force of healing is alive within me and I make noticeable progress each day. In part, I attribute this healing to repetition in meditation.

As an offshoot of that healing process, I started to offer a free, online meditation course on Wednesday and Friday mornings, 7:30-8:10am. The class consists of a brief asana practice, opening mantra, followed by pranayama, then meditation proper, and a closing mantra. Admittedly, it starts abruptly to ensure we cover these synergistic practices. We don’t discuss theory so much as, well, just get started.

So, I want to give a little context and share one simple idea underlying our practice.  That is simply this, “repetition in meditation”. Repetition is integral to any discipline; whether it be learning the violin, fostering a loving relationship, or advancing spiritual growth. The journey of 1,000 begins with the first step.  And then the next step. And then the next step…. repetition.

There is a fairly well-known expression within meditation circles:

“Better to dig one deep well than many shallow holes.”

For this reason, the repetition in meditation technique I present remains the same for the remainder of the series. My hope is that we get enough of a footing on the method that it becomes a part of us – to give it a fair chance to positively shape the way we view ourselves and our world.

Adopting a single technique for forty days is a common benchmark to get acquainted with a technique.  After those forty days of repeated practice, you can adequately assess if you wish to continue, or not.  There is an overwhelming chance that you will see the benefit and want to continue, you will have seen the value of repetition in meditation.

At the same time, we live in a culture obsessed with variety, innovation, and distraction (largely for commercial purposes). Methodical repetition is antithetical to the pace of modern life (though that seems to be on hold for the moment). However, to develop mastery, or better yet, to develop mastery of your mind, body, and character it takes more than one try. With persistent effort, you will discover the benefit.  The meditation class is here to support you to develop that skill. Of course, I’d encourage you to practice outside of class as well.

“The beginner has many options, the master very few.”

The beginner has many options, the master very few.  As you develop your meditation practice, I invite you to embrace repetition.  Through repetition in meditation, gradually clear away the dust and grime that obscures the inner-mirror. This inner-mirror aids you to see yourself more clearly, to dismantle fear and anxiety and reflect greater peace and joy back upon you.  But it doesn’t all happen by itself, it requires repetition.

Dates & Times:

  • Present through May 1st, 2020
    (May extend depending on interest)
  • Wednesdays and Fridays, 7:30-8:10am.
  • Online Zoom entry-link provided with registration

= Free of Charge =

ADDITIONAL DETAILS HERE

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Reflect on our yoga practice

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Trust this finds you safe and perhaps even able to adapt to current circumstances.  In either case, it’s times like these that force us to reframe our assumptions of “normal”,  reconsider where we derive security, and reflect on our yoga practice.

Personally, meditation has always been my go-to safe-space.  I can practice at any time, regardless of outer circumstances, and find refuge. It is a friend in times of plenty and in times of need.

On March 23rd, on the eve of the stay at home order, I slammed into the concrete in a bike crash and broke my left femur bone.  Assessing the damage, getting to the hospital, going into surgery… it all felt so surreal and beyond my control. This is not happening to me?  

Then the emotions came.  At first, I held the warrior’s edge to deal with the pain and work with the medical teams.   Which gave way to grief once the initial trauma subsided and I was alone in my hospital bed at 3am.  Slow warm tears and a sense of loss.

It’s been a journey of reckoning. Throughout that journey, meditation has been my throughline, the port in the storm, my guiding compass and light. Bedridden, through the powers of meditation, I began to put my fragile self back together and ignite the flame of healing.

Adversity brings out many things in people, and in my case, it’s inspired me to share what I know and love best with you.  Meditation.  Current events make this offer even more pertinent. I hope we can all find a way to give our gifts in a time of need.

All are freely welcome. Come and reflect on our yoga practice.

Hatha Yoga Meditation Class Format:
The 35-minute class will look like this:

  • Introduction
  • Candle lighting and mantra invocation (Mahamritunjaya mantra for personal and collective healing) 
  • Dedicated pranayama practice
  • Guided meditation
  • Closing mantra (Shantipath for peace)

Taught from the serenity of my ‘yoga basement’ this class will emphasize direct practice of tantric hatha yoga meditation, more so than theory or explanation.  I will provide supplemental links and resources so you can continue the practice outside of our sessions.

Yours in Peace,

Signature of the lead teacher for the Denver Yoga Underground.

 

 

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