Feb 6, 2013

Create a pre-practice ritual aka jedi mind tricks by Elise Espat

Eventually it is possible that it won't matter. You'll wake up without any kind of encouragement and get on with it with ease and grace.  Perhaps you're even able to right now decide to turn the switch for complete and absolute engagement to the "on" position.  If so, now is the time to set it to "on" and leave it there.
As the senses contact the object of the senses, feelings of heat and cold, pain and pleasure occur, Arjuna.  These sensations come and go; they're impermanent.  Patiently endure them, great Prince.  -2.14 Bhagavad Gita, Swami Satchidananda
The restraint of the modifications of the mind-stuff is Yoga.  Then the Seer [Self] abides in His own nature.  At other times [the Self appears to] assume the forms of mental modifications. There are five kinds of mental modifications which are either painful or painless... -1.2-5 Yoga Sutras, Swami Satchidananda
Yes, with practice (which implies time, right?... a repeated effort?) all is coming.  But first, one has to actually practice.  Talking about it, having special clothes, reading interesting books, memorizing facts, a bit of previous experience, etc., don't count.
Success comes to him who is engaged in the practice. How can one get success without practice; for by merely reading books on Yoga, one can never get success.

Success cannot be attained by adopting a particular dress (Veṣa). It cannot be gained by telling tales. Practice alone is the means to success. This is true, there is no doubt.-2.67-68 Hatha Yoga Pradipika, Pancham Sinh
As someone who has tried every sort of scenario possible to avoid the inevitable early morning practice, I can honestly say that a daily morning Mysore practice is simply the most practical, peaceful, and healing situation I have ever experienced.  It just works. 

That said, it was not easy for me to establish...  Well, actually, it was really easy and simple.  Or at least it could have been had I been even slightly willing to give it a real chance.  For me, many things had to shift.  Each day I had to look at how I was investing all aspects of myself.  It was painful.  I had to make big and what felt like big choices and sacrifices in order to make it happen.

For a long time it was uncertain.  Each day had a question mark.  I had to write down that I would do it so that I could check it off my list.  I needed some sort of validation that I was making an effort.  This was also around the time when I didn't think it was important to have a morning ritual.

Slowly I started to notice glimpses of light shining through the darkness.  I moved toward it.  A regular morning routine started to form.  This regularity began to saturate everything else.

I've realized that it can be very helpful to do the exact same thing every single day.  That when things are simple we have lots of room for pleasant.

How to create a pre-practice ritual:

Close your eyes and spend some time daydreaming.
Imagine your teacher, another practitioner, someone you respect that is further along the path.  How do they wake up?  What do they do?  What is the environment like?  What sensations or associations does it bring?

Close your eyes and spend some more time daydreaming.
Imagine a person you love, respect, or care for deeply.  If you were creating a ritual and environment for them, how would you do it?

Insert yourself into the scenarios.
How does that feel?

Put it all together in a practical way.
Let's say you imagined waking up from a baby deer nuzzling your wittle nose.  Birds lifting you to your feet.  Cartoon flowers exploding from the floor with glitter shooting through the air.  You get the point.

You get on the internet and get yourself a deer poster.  You get an alarm clock that has nature sound options.  You get a flower bedspread and a glittery practice top.

Set out your clothes the night before.

Set up coffee/tea the night before.

An exceptional music playlist can be very helpful.

Basically, arrange everything the night before so that all you have to do is get out of bed and have the willpower to not turn around and get back in it.  Be strong!



Upcoming Local Cooking Classes to Consider

Annapurna School of Cooking
Website
Feb 9 Soup and Chapati
Feb 23 Baking
March 9 Spices
March 23 Spring Kitchari

The Ayurveda Institute
Website
March 1-3 Ayurvedic Cooking for Self-Healing

Feb 5, 2013

Local "Conference" Appendix

A few notes from our post-practice 1% Theory/Q and A on Sunday...

How long should I wait to eat after practice?
Your organs get a big massage each time you do your asana practice.  Try to be sensitive to what is really happening on the inside.  Are you eating out of habit or are you truly hungry?



Do I really have to shower before practice?  What if I don't smell?  Isn't that just wasting water?
You really ought to shower before practice.  If you feel guilty and that you are wasting water, the solution is simple -- become a vegetarian and better yet, vegan.





You can also help offset your pre-practice shower by using public transportation or riding your bicycle, using reusable grocery bags... The book and movie "No Impact Man" are pretty inspiring.  You might also find some good ideas here




Fear in practice?
As Sharath says, "No fear, no fun!"  :)



And anyway...



Is it weird that I am asymetrical?
Nope.

What should I focus on while I practice?
Pick one thing - God.  Or the tip of your nose, or your breathing, or a happy thought, or your bandhas, or the vinyasa count... Pick one thing, because it all comes back to the same thing, right? 

Ellen DeGeneres on being vegan

Because we are thinking about food...


Jan 27, 2013

Going vegetarian?

Here is a sweet video by Jonathan Mann and Ivory King that addresses some common questions...

Jan 21, 2013

Student Questions: I haven't been practicing... Should I come back?

Q: I haven't been practicing... With the holidays, and work, and life, and the cold weather I just stopped. Now I dread coming back because I think it will be too hard and also I am a little embarrassed and disappointed in myself. Should I come back?

A: Yes, of course you should come back to practice! Practice is effort toward steadiness of mind. Don't worry about completing some acrobatic feat. What is really interesting, really what it is about is just showing up. So okay, you got a little distracted. You can have a fresh start tomorrow. In terms of asanas, just start small and slowly do a little bit more each day, couple of days, weeks, or even months. It depends on how long you took off... No matter. It will probably take some time for things to feel natural again and to get into the daily rhythm and that is okay. While time off is not recommended, the good thing about it is that when you start practicing again you'll quickly realize why you missed it so much and it will probably be more difficult to let it go again when life gets stressful. No fearing, you come!

Jan 19, 2013

Should I practice if I am sick?

Yes, practice at home. 
You don't want to get anyone else sick.  Just do what you can.
If you have a fever, rest.

We are, of course, speaking of asana practice.  Yoga is 24/7.

More "should I practice if..." situations covered here.

Jan 6, 2013

Guruji in Copenhagen conference

"One day, two days, one month, two months, one year, ten years also no use. Satu dirgha kala. Life long you take practice, practice, practice. After that is totally correct, control is coming (sense organs)...sense organs is your control, mind control after one day also looking possible to God..."


Conference on Wednesday, August 16, 2006 in the yogashala of Astanga Yoga Copenhagen:


 

Jan 3, 2013

Conference Notes Archive

(Latest update 8/3/2013)


2013

March 24, 2013

March 18, 2013
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February 27, 2013

February 17, 2013

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2006

August 16, 2006





Dec 7, 2012

Last weekend in Buffalo, NY...

This photo is from the led class that I taught last weekend at East Meets West Yoga Studio.  EMW offers a daily Mysore program in a lovely space with a vibrant community.  If you are in the area, be sure to stop by.  More photos here.



Dec 6, 2012

{Local} Led Primary Series

Led primary series of Ashtanga yoga
Sunday, December 9, 2012
8:15am, arrive early
@Albuquerque Ashtanga Yoga Shala
206 Dartmouth Dr NE (Nob Hill)

More info & registration:
www.AshtangaYogaAlbuquerque.com


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