What If Our Religion Was Each Other If Our Practice Was Our Life If Prayer

What if our religion was each other if our practice was our life if prayer our words what if the temple was the earth the forests our church if holy water- the rivers lakes and oceans what if meditation was our relationships if the teacher was life if wisdom was self knowledge if love was the center of our being. -Ganga White What is yoga... Yoga is communion, a living prayer. Yoga is union. Through presence in practice the totality of the moment is revealed, and all aspects of being are unified, mind, body, and essence. It is a simplification, a softening presence, a surrendering to the rhythm of breath. It is a door to vast spaces of oneself and a door to that which is beyond the self. Yoga is meditation. It is a medicine, an anti-aging magic. Yoga retrains the body systems and the organs to sustain themselves with integrity and natural wisdom. Yoga is a healing path. A foundation for deep release of trauma, pain, and challenging emotional and mental patterns. It liberates stagnant energy, and is a guide back to the natural state of balance. Yoga opens the door to living a spiritual life. This ancient and vast path of spirit continually reveals deeper layers of body and mind and supports the transcendence of that. It cultivates an endless space for self discovery, unraveling the corners inside. 1 of 87 It is a path of the “beauty way” opening a space of reverence for the earth, harmonizing the energy of body and mind with the life force that moves through us, guides us and sustains us. The Body Temple We are beings of light living within a temple of the physical body. Learning to listen to the body with love, respect, and centered attention unveils the intelligence of the life force that radiates through us. As we meet the inner space through yoga and meditation, we must find the willingness and courage to embrace the wholeness of who we are; the immensity of the light and the shadow as well. Having the trust to witness and inquire about what inhibits the life force from flowing with innate wisdom, is a door to harmony and balance. The depth of the path of yoga guides the light of 2 of 87 awareness into all aspects of the self, and in that simplicity of seeing and knowing ourselves, we begin to shed, un-do, empty and clear away the stagnant corners of the temple... slowly and gently purifying the toxins of the body, releasing stuck emotional energy and polishing the mirror of the mind. As more space is created inside, as the awareness sharpens and the energy is liberated, the body becomes more transparent and the light within can shine through with vitality. Foundations of Yoga 7 principals- Intent, empty mind or undoing the mind, rooting, breathing, relaxation, connecting (opposing directions), elongating Intent (or Inspiration) The ground of our practice is held by the intention. Why am i choosing to practice yoga? What has guided me to explore this path? What is my intention for this moment? Another interesting way of approaching the concept of intention is to reframe the typical definition which is, “a purpose or attitude toward the effect of one’s actions or conduct.” We can fuse the idea of inspiration with the presence of our personal intention, so instead of approaching our yoga practice (or our life for that matter!) from a mind state of controlling our actions, we may hold our intention from a place of inspiration...what inspires us to make the choices we do? Empty mind or undoing the mind The nature of the mind is a surface dance, where the personality or the ideas of self are believed to be the truth... rationalizing, judging, controlling. In this attachment to who we think we are, one lives in the past and future and typically is busy with the mundane details of reality. This fact is not something to judge or try to escape from...it is a state of being that can be seen and accepted, and ultimately 3 of 87 transcended. Below thoughts and emotions, there is a deeper state of consciousness which may be revealed through witnessing the inner movement and resting into presence. In the spirit of meditation, the ground is created for the journey of yoga. By detaching from the mind, and in that ability to “step back” away from the familiar mechanism of clinging to thought, sensation or emotion, emptiness reveals itself. In that reflection of emptiness, of undoing, space is created inside to RECEIVE the moment. In that state of receptivity there are endless possibilities for healing, aligning with purpose, and resting into the vast and sacred temple of the body. Connection to the earth- Rooting As we connect to the lower body, we discover our relationship with the earth. How do we stand? How do our legs carry us through life? What is our connection to this great mother Earth? The alignment of the feet and legs and grounding our energy upon the body of the earth determine the foundation or our standing asana. It is a profound meeting with the earth -as we root into the ground the natural response in the body is to rise up towards the sky. Experiencing this connection is a deepening of what it means to root, to ground and to use the support of the earth and gravity to extend, to lengthen, to rise. And in that rising, it is not with effort, tension, or control..there is a natural extension of energy that arises in that experience of grounding, an equal and opposing force that extends up towards the sky, like a tree...growing deep into the earth and equally rising towards the sunlight. Grounding is a simplifying force, bringing consciousness into the form which only exists in one time and space, here and now. 4 of 87 This practice of rooting our energy affects the general quality of our life. As we consciously and consistently grow our roots into the earth, the mind and body can rest more easily into stillness. We may witness more steadiness in our presence and more capacity to meet the challenges of life with stability and clarity. By drawing the energy down away from the movement of mind, we begin to fully inhabit our body, to rest in the full space of our being, and to become more acquainted with the subtleties of our own particular life flow. Some tools for rooting within yoga practice -Rooting from the four corners of each foot with a gentle lift in the arch -Inner leg spiral -Drawing the strength and energy into the center line -Muscle engagement- awakening the lines of energy in every direction Breathing “The morning wind spreads its fresh smell, We must get up and take that in, that wind that lets us live. Breathe before it’s gone.” -Rumi Breath is the essence of yoga. It is the bridge between the mind and body, unifying the energy into a space of presence. Conscious breath gradually releases the toxins that have built up over the years, and with gentleness, kindness, and receptivity, we can allow the impurities to leave the body through the softening purifying process of the exhalation. Approaching the process of breathing with willingness and curiosity, the breath becomes a door into endless spaces of self discovery. 5 of 87 The inhalation supports extension, elongates the spine, and widens the inner body, therefore breathing in is a preparation for moving into an asana. The exhalation holds the quality of softening, empty-ing, creating space inside, so shifting into an asana or deepening that space on the exhalation allows the body to settle into the new shape with grace and ease. Inspiration “As water purifies our skin, so the breath is capable of cleaning our whole being. And what i learned was that breath is the key that can open thousands of doors- an infinitesimal but incredibly powerful laser capable of removing layers of encrustation. To experience this is very much being on the crest of an oceanic wave, a simultaneous feeling of resistance and delight. But if fascination prevails, then opening and unraveling follows. Learning no longer comes from wanting to reach a goal or fulfill an aim, but from a gradual unfolding, an effortless blossoming. The attention moves within to sharpen the inner eyes and inner ears. Any subtle response is amplified, The freedom, the intelligence of the cells can float up to the surface of consciousness and there it takes you by the hand. As you learn to move with it and not against it, there is immense beauty. As the body is allowed to find its alignment between earth and sky, the practice becomes a richly rewarding voyage inwards where gifts are always offered with generosity. Learning is not confined to daily practice- it leaps out into life. There is a constant delight in participating and in being one with what is: a fusion with the object that dissolves any question and any doubt.” - Sandra Sabatini, Breath, the essence of yoga. Relaxation - Gravity as our ally Whether we rest into stillness or work into a dynamic flow of asana, the presence of gravity is a guide, a teacher and ally. 6 of 87 The guidance of the exhalation and the awareness of the pull of the earth draws tension out of the body, simply by allowing the force of gravity to affect the density of form. It is an effortless process, a gift and great support for the unfolding of our bodies .

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