Wednesday, April 1, 2020,
I lolli-gagged this morning and it's now 5:31AM as I type this.
Time to begin.
Wednesday, April 1, 2020 (Part II),
As stated in the first portion of today's blog update, I lolli-gagged a little bit this morning. I went through an abbreviated physical practice, as I when I'm running short on time, though good yoga discipline is to start, and end, at roughly the same time every day. My abbreviated practice is detailed below:
When I am going through an abbreviated practice series, I try to put additional focus on the other disciplines of yoga. One of those disciplines is Pratyahara; withdrawal from your five senses, and focus internally***.
DISCLAIMER*** I am but a humble practitioner of yoga and am not a source of enlightenment by any stretch of the imagination (I eat Doritos....I drink beer....I watch, and enjoy, episodes of Southpark). Having said that, I do understand Pratyahara to be the beginning stage of the non-physical side of yoga. Read about it, and interpret it as you will.
For me, and for my limited abilities, I attempt to go into Pratyahara by ceasing all thought while moving through my Asanas, or in Corpse Pose (Savasana). For most of us, myself included, ceasing thoughts is possible for only a few moments...try it now, and see how long you can get through it. Close your eyes, and make your mind still.
Before you know it, you're thinking about not thinking and are you not thinking enough to be not thinking and what's all of this not thinking supposed to be....its sort of like that one thing....OH WAIT....I'M NOT SUPPOSED TO BE THINKING?!?!? In essence, a human mind is constantly bombarded with thoughts and stimuli. It's no a bad thing, but something to be aware of.
When I do catch, and cultivate my mind for any length of time, unique things occur. Imagery, concepts, and other thoughts (that I'm not supposed to be having cause I'm focusing so much), all float through my head during, and after I attempt to move into a deeper state of Pratyahara.
For example, I did not execute a Scorpion Pose today, but some of the imagery for it popped into my mind during Pratyahara. Scorpion pose, show at right, is meant to eliminate pride and ego. The imagery of stepping on your head is meant to "to subjugate the ego with its deadly, scorpion like emotions," according to Iyengar.
In Catholic and Christian tradition, there was an apocalyptic vision given by John the Apostle in the book of Revelation. In it, he described "a woman clothed in the sun with the moon at her feet".
My brain began to focus on the imagery of "head/ego/self-importance" being stepped on and eradicated while in Pratyahara. If you ever see a statue of the Blessed Virgin, look down at her feet; very often she is crushing the head of a serpent.
If devils are real, where are they but in our own heads and hearts? Today's practice refined me, as it always does, and burned through some of the wayward devils that run around in all of our hearts and minds.
Namaste
Wednesday, April 1, 2020 (Part II),
As stated in the first portion of today's blog update, I lolli-gagged a little bit this morning. I went through an abbreviated physical practice, as I when I'm running short on time, though good yoga discipline is to start, and end, at roughly the same time every day. My abbreviated practice is detailed below:
- Prayers, meditations, breathing exercises/pranayama while seated on my mat (this usually takes about 15/20 minutes).
- Non-Yoga warm up which include:
- Curling into a ball and rolling back and forth, along my spine, while on my mat. Try this at home....it's an awesome way to work out kinks
- Child's Pose- this helps move along things in my GI tract, and helps prepare me for the controlled breath challenges that will come from my practice
- Forward bends and leg stretches. Informal versions of certain yoga poses I know
- Any other stretching of areas that feel tight, sore, or kinked-up.
When I do an abbreviated physical practice, like this morning, it usually follows the routine detailed above, with the physical/asanas listed below:
All in all, this abbreviated practice still takes about 40 minutes, from start to finish.When I am going through an abbreviated practice series, I try to put additional focus on the other disciplines of yoga. One of those disciplines is Pratyahara; withdrawal from your five senses, and focus internally***.
DISCLAIMER*** I am but a humble practitioner of yoga and am not a source of enlightenment by any stretch of the imagination (I eat Doritos....I drink beer....I watch, and enjoy, episodes of Southpark). Having said that, I do understand Pratyahara to be the beginning stage of the non-physical side of yoga. Read about it, and interpret it as you will.
For me, and for my limited abilities, I attempt to go into Pratyahara by ceasing all thought while moving through my Asanas, or in Corpse Pose (Savasana). For most of us, myself included, ceasing thoughts is possible for only a few moments...try it now, and see how long you can get through it. Close your eyes, and make your mind still.
Before you know it, you're thinking about not thinking and are you not thinking enough to be not thinking and what's all of this not thinking supposed to be....its sort of like that one thing....OH WAIT....I'M NOT SUPPOSED TO BE THINKING?!?!? In essence, a human mind is constantly bombarded with thoughts and stimuli. It's no a bad thing, but something to be aware of.When I do catch, and cultivate my mind for any length of time, unique things occur. Imagery, concepts, and other thoughts (that I'm not supposed to be having cause I'm focusing so much), all float through my head during, and after I attempt to move into a deeper state of Pratyahara.
For example, I did not execute a Scorpion Pose today, but some of the imagery for it popped into my mind during Pratyahara. Scorpion pose, show at right, is meant to eliminate pride and ego. The imagery of stepping on your head is meant to "to subjugate the ego with its deadly, scorpion like emotions," according to Iyengar.
In Catholic and Christian tradition, there was an apocalyptic vision given by John the Apostle in the book of Revelation. In it, he described "a woman clothed in the sun with the moon at her feet".
My brain began to focus on the imagery of "head/ego/self-importance" being stepped on and eradicated while in Pratyahara. If you ever see a statue of the Blessed Virgin, look down at her feet; very often she is crushing the head of a serpent.
If devils are real, where are they but in our own heads and hearts? Today's practice refined me, as it always does, and burned through some of the wayward devils that run around in all of our hearts and minds.
Namaste
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