From the Taittirïya Upanishad

In the beginning this universe was not.There was just pure potential, from which was then born Being.And from Being was born the Self, which is known as perfect.

Truly, that perfect Self is the essence of existence.Truly, in tasting the essence one rejoices in bliss.  Indeed, who could breathe, who could live, were there not this all-pervading bliss?

Truly, it is this essence that bestows bliss. Truly, when a person discovers a foundation of fearlessness in the Self, in that which is invisible, 

formless, unlimited, and self-sufficient, then has he found true fearlessness.

If, however, he makes in this unity even the smallest gap, then fear is born.To all whose self is small, the form of the formless brings fear.

The Taittirïya Upanishad is one of a school of Vedic philosophy that outlines the five sheaths (kosas) of the self in order to know – intimately, intellectually, experientially - the supreme self (paramatma-jnana).  

Upcoming Classes - March/April 2005

Tues. March 22nd          Core Strength Class (Special time 6 to 7:15 pm)
Benefits: Opens the full range of motion of the shoulder joint; brings attention to the alignment of the upper body in preparation for handstand; strengthens and extends the leg muscles. 

Friday March 25th          Backbend Posture Class (12:30 to 1:45 pm)
Benefits: Lengthens the hip flexor muscles across the front of the hips (which will improve the position of the pelvis and may alleviate lower back pain); opens the shoulder and upper back muscles; improves posture; strengthens and invigorates the whole body; improves respiration; energizes the nervous system; can counteract depression. 

Tues. March 29th            Balance Postures Class (5:30 to 6:45 pm)
Benefits: Fosters a lightness and agility as well as endurance; muscle tone increases; improves coordination and concentration. 

Wed. March 30th             Twists Postures Class (5:30 to 6:45 pm)
Benefits: Maintains suppleness in spine and shoulders; can relieve pain in the neck, shoulders, and back from sitting at a computer; increases energy level; tones and massages the abdominal organs and improves digestion.

Tues. April 5th                  Seated Postures Class (5:30 to 6:45 pm)
Benefits: Stretches spine, shoulders, hips, hamstrings and groin; stimulates liver and kidneys; improves digestion; can relieve mild depression, anxiety, fatigue; therapeutic for high blood pressure, insomnia, or sinusitis. 

Wed. April 6th                    Backbend Postures Class (5:30 to 6:45 pm)
Benefits: See above.

Tues. April 12th                 Supine and Prone Postures Class (5:30 to 6:45 pm)
Benefits: Stretches the abdomen; increases mobility of the spine and hips; strengthen the back, arms and legs; stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system (responsible for breathing and digestion) and therefore can be deeply soothing.   

Meditation Articles

I recommend two articles available online. 

Here Comes the Sun by Richard Rosen  Richard Rosen, the author of THE book on yoga breath (The Yoga of Breath: A Step-by-Step Guide to Pranayama), wrote a delightful and enlightening article on the sun salutation for Yoga Journal.   As the sun returns to us, this first week of spring seems an especially appropriate time to remind ourselves about the origin of this basic yoga sequence called Surya Namaskar.   Surya – sun; namas – salute (same root as namaste which means literally “I salute you.”) 

Here’s a sample – The outer sun, they (ancient yogis) asserted, is in reality a token of our own "inner sun," which corresponds to our subtle, or spiritual, heart. Here is the seat of consciousness and higher wisdom (jnana) and, in some traditions, the domicile of the embodied self (jivatman).

It might seem strange to us that the yogis place the seat of wisdom in the heart, which we typically associate with our emotions, and not the brain. But in yoga, the brain is actually symbolized by the moon, which reflects the sun's light but generates none of its own. This kind of knowledge is worthwhile for dealing with mundane affairs, and is even necessary to a certain extent for the lower stages of spiritual practice. But in the end, the brain is inherently limited in what it can know and is prone to what Patanjali calls misconception (viparyaya) or false knowledge of the self.

To read the full article, click here. http://www.yogajournal.com/practice/928_1.cfm

The Complete Package: Meditation and Yoga by Cyndi Lee This piece originally appeared in the July 2001 issue of Shambhala Sun.  Written by my former teacher and mentor in New York City, Cyndi Lee includes this vivid episode about a frightening accident as a spark for why one practices yoga and the variety of benefits.  What she describes here echoes my own experience with yoga, though I’ve never been dumped unexpectedly into the rapids of a river.  She sets forth her ideas about how yoga can be meditation in movement and how to approach your physical practice with a sense of curiosity rather than judgments measured against goals.  She’s a wise yogini, and I encourage you to read the full article here.  http://www.purifymind.com/CompletePackage.html

Upcoming Classes

Tues. March 22nd Core Strength Class (Special time 6 to 7:15 pm)
Benefits: Opens the full range of motion of the shoulder joint; brings attention to the alignment of the upper body in preparation for handstand; strengthens and extends the leg muscles.

Friday March 25th Backbend Posture Class (12:30 to 1:45 pm)
Benefits: Lengthens the hip flexor muscles across the front of the hips (which will improve the position of the pelvis and may alleviate lower back pain); opens the shoulder and upper back muscles; improves posture; strengthens and invigorates the whole body; improves respiration; energizes the nervous system; can counteract depression.

Tues. March 29th Balance Postures Class (5:30 to 6:45 pm)
Benefits: Fosters a lightness and agility as well as endurance; muscle tone increases; improves coordination and concentration.

Wed. March 30th Twists Postures Class (5:30 to 6:45 pm)
Benefits: Maintains suppleness in spine and shoulders; can relieve pain in the neck, shoulders, and back from sitting at a computer; increases energy level; tones and massages the abdominal organs and improves digestion.

Tues. April 5th Seated Postures Class (5:30 to 6:45 pm)
Benefits: Stretches spine, shoulders, hips, hamstrings and groin; stimulates liver and kidneys; improves digestion; can relieve mild depression, anxiety, fatigue; therapeutic for high blood pressure, insomnia, or sinusitis.

Wed. April 6th Backbend Postures Class (5:30 to 6:45 pm)
Benefits: See above.

Tues. April 12th Supine and Prone Postures Class (5:30 to 6:45 pm)
Benefits: Stretches the abdomen; increases mobility of the spine and hips; strengthen the back, arms and legs; stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system (responsible for breathing and digestion) and therefore can be deeply soothing.

A Yoga Creation Story

From the Taittirïya Upanishad:

In the beginning this universe was not.

There was just pure potential, from which was then born Being.

And from Being was born the Self, which is known as perfect.

Truly, that perfect Self is the essence of existence.

Truly, in tasting the essence one rejoices in bliss.

Indeed, who could breathe, who could live, were there not this all-pervading bliss?

Truly, it is this essence that bestows bliss.

Truly, when a person discovers a foundation of fearlessness in the Self, in that which is invisible, formless, unlimited, and self-sufficient, then has he found true fearlessness.

If, however, he makes in this unity even the smallest gap, then fear is born.

To all whose self is small, the form of the formless brings fear.

For more on the Upanishads, click here. The Taittirïya Upanishad is one of a school of Vedic philosophy that outlines the five sheaths (kosas) of the self in order to know – intimately, intellectually, experientially - the supreme self (paramatma-jnana).

All About Sun Salutation

Here Comes the Sun by Richard Rosen is a delightful and enlightening article, chock full of information and instruction regarding the sun salutation. Richard Rosen is the author of THE book on yoga breath: The Yoga of Breath: A Step-by-Step Guide to Pranayama.

As the sun returns to us, this first week of spring seems an especially appropriate time to remind ourselves about the origin of this basic yoga sequence called Surya Namaskar. Surya – sun; namas – salute (same root as namaste which means literally “I salute you.”)

Here’s a sample –

The outer sun, they (ancient yogis) asserted, is in reality a token of our
own "inner sun," which corresponds to our subtle, or spiritual, heart. Here is
the seat of consciousness and higher wisdom (jnana) and, in some traditions, the
domicile of the embodied self (jivatman).

It might seem strange to us that the yogis place the seat of wisdom in
the heart, which we typically associate with our emotions, and not the brain.
But in yoga, the brain is actually symbolized by the moon, which reflects the
sun's light but generates none of its own. This kind of knowledge is worthwhile
for dealing with mundane affairs, and is even necessary to a certain extent for
the lower stages of spiritual practice. But in the end, the brain is inherently
limited in what it can know and is prone to what Patanjali calls misconception
(viparyaya) or false knowledge of the self.

To read the full article, click here.

Why Both Meditation and Yoga?

I recommend to you this essay, The Complete Package: Meditation and Yoga by Cyndi Lee, which originally appeared in the July 2001 issue of Shambhala Sun. If you're not aware, Shambhala Sun is a magazine on Buddhism, culture, meditation and life.

Written by my former teacher and mentor in New York City, Cyndi Lee includes this vivid episode about a frightening accident as a spark for why one practices yoga and the variety of benefits. What she describes here echoes my own experience with yoga, though I’ve never been dumped unexpectedly into the rapids of a river.

She sets forth her ideas about how yoga can be meditation in movement and how to approach your physical practice with a sense of curiosity rather than judgments measured against goals.

She’s a wise yogini, and I encourage you to read the full article here.