Blink and it’s already November! Time goes so fast and life is so short, rising above distractions is vital. Actively putting time aside for our health and well-being is essential at this time of the year. The summer yoga intensive starts in a couple of weeks, a perfect time to tie the loose ends of 2014 together, and clear the way for a new beginning.
Contents:
Asanas of the Month – “Samadhi” A Video Presentation of BKS Iyengar
Article of the Month – Budgeting Time and Energy
Question of the Month – What is the Goal of Yoga?
Patanjali Yoga Sutra of the month
Quote of the Month
Upcoming Events:
Summer Morning Yoga Intensive, Tuscany Retreat 2015, Bali Yoga Retreat 2015,
Previous newsletters
Asana of the month – ‘Samadhi’ A Video Presentation of BKS Iyengar
Samadhi means a state of meditation that is profoundly deep and concentrated. It is beyond the ‘thinking’ mind, and therefore unfathomable. It is equilibrium of body mind and spirit- resulting in the unification with the divine. It is enlightenment…
This video of Iyengar, shot in 1977 shows a passionate, divinely inspired man, on a mission to share the process of Samadhi through Asana. Click here to see this amazing demonstration on YouTube.
Article of the Month – Budgeting Time and Energy
Daniela Casotti
I wonder how much healthier, richer and more full-filled our society would be if we put as much value on creating a yoga practice plan, as we do creating a career plan. There’s enough research out there to convince most people that yoga is really good for our health. It can improve our quality of life; reduce stress; help relieve anxiety, depression, and insomnia; and improve overall physical fitness, strength, and flexibility. Without health, a career plan will always be compromised. So what is more important?
The fact is, we have X amount of hours, and X amount of energy, to do X amount of tasks in one day. We put a lot of importance on budgeting our finances, but often forget to budget our time and energy. Because the world is chock-full of distractions, the jobs we set out to do at the start of the day, often multiply by the end of the day. Stressed, anxious and tired, ironically, we sacrifice our yoga practice to catch up on those tasks we haven’t done yet. No matter how eager we are to incorporate yoga into our lives, whenever the going gets tough, most of us will sacrifice our yoga practice – even though we know yoga has the capacity to focus and re-energise us.
Ancient yogi’s realised this human foible, and much has been written about it. Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, which some say was written over 2000 years ago, shed light on this dilemma, and even gave us a detailed explanation why it happens. He speaks about nine obstacles that get in the way of developing a yoga practice. They are:
1. Sickness (vyadhi)
2. Fatigue (Styana)
3. Doubt (Samshaya)
4. Negligence (Pramada)
5. Lethargy (alasya)
6. Dissipation (avirati)
7. False vision (Bhranti- darshana)
8. Non- attainment of yogic stages (alabdha-bhumkatva) and
9. Instability in these stages (anavasthitatva)
These obstacles may be triggered by:
1. Disappointment as a result of expecting too much too soon
2. Discouragement when we discover personal imbalances, and their related tension.
3. Resistance to move beyond present circumstances- development requires change.
4. Stress- so much to do in such a short time
5. Distractions, and the instability they create.
When any of the above begin to present themselves, most of us opt to either:
1. Quit our yoga practice
2. Ignore the warning signs or
3. Fight them
Patanjali cautions against all of these reactions. Instead, he recommends that we use the obstacles and their triggers as a way to deepen our practice and gain a better understanding of ourselves. He suggests we acknowledge that we are veering off track. Then put some time into centring ourselves again so we can re-establish ourselves in our yoga practice.
The following helps us to stay on track:
1. Faith and trust (Shraddha) in what we’re doing. Faith restores energy, and energy restores enthusiasm.
2. Clear intention (Sankalpa). Being conscious of long term and short term health goals helps to keep us mindful of our daily choices.
3. Contentment (santosha). A light hearted, yet disciplined outlook that isn’t dependant on success or failure. Combining poise and self-acceptance with discipline and willpower.
4. Discrimination (viveka). Understanding what’s important to the maintenance of our yoga practice and what’s not; and then having the will power to renounce the latter.
5. Open-minded study (svadh yaya) of authentic traditional and contemporary yoga literature.
Even though the obstacles and their dynamics are very clearly defined- and valuable suggestions are offered to go beyond them- when the obstacles actually show up, they are often unrecognisable. Examples like:
1. The boss wanting us to finish a job before we leave work
2. A flat tyre, or a delayed flight
3. School holidays
4. Festivities
5. We have to go overseas for work or holidays….
They all seem like they are very valid reasons to miss our yoga practice. However, Patanjali challenges us to re-examine even the most important interruption. Not just its validity, but also how long and in what way it will affect the overall flow of our yoga practice.
It is also important to realise that there is a portion of everyone’s nature that opts for the comfort and security of status quo. This often makes current circumstances appear to be non-negotiable. However, if we are willing to accept that practicing yoga isn’t always comfortable, and new insights may emerge that are sometimes unpleasant, when the obstacles come up we will be ready for them.
When the flow of our yoga practice is disturbed, Patanjali suggests:
1. Question ourselves honestly.
2. Consider what’s involved before committing. Practicing yoga once or twice a week, and then letting our practice grow organically is far more productive that making ourselves practice every day and then burning out.
3. Budget time and energy to include yoga practice.
4. Be prepared to admit that we may not know what’s ahead of us.
When life becomes too busy to think philosophically, ask yourselves how committed are you to freedom. That usually puts things into perspective for me, and then I can budget my time and energy accordingly.
Question of the Month – What is the Goal of Yoga?
Daniela Casotti
Everybody has their own goals for coming to yoga. However, according to the teachings of Patanjali, the goal of yoga is “yogah chittavritti nirodha” (sutra 1:2) – developing a peaceful state of mind where mental fluctuations that cause misconceptions no longer stress us out, or distort our vision.
Yoga techniques are used to rise above all distractions, be they on a physical, mental or spiritual level. According to Patanjali, these distractions are the cause of all turmoil, and alienate us from our true self. Yoga techniques have been developed to restore, re-align, and unify body, mind and spirit with our true self. “Then, when the veils of impurities are removed, the highest, subjective, pure, infinite knowledge is attained, and the knowable, the finite, appears as trivial” (Chapter 4 Sutra 31. Light on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali; BKS Iyengar p262).
Patanjali Yoga Sutra of the month
Our article of the months looks at the 9 obstacles that get in the way of practicing of yoga- why they appear and what to do when they appear. Patanjali, in the following sutra, tells us how to prevent the nine obstacles from surfacing in the first place.
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Chapter 1 Verse 32
tatprati?edh?rthamekatattv?bhy?sa?||32||
“Adherence to single-minded effort prevents these impediments.”
BKS Iyengar. Light on the yoga sutras of Patanjali Pg 8.
Quote of the month
“I’ve never said I’m immortal. I do believe in correct language. I’m eternal; I’m not immortal. ”
Edward Gough Whitlam
Upcoming events
18 Day Summer Morning Yoga Intensive
Maurice McCann
When: 1st – 20th December, 2014
6 – 7.30am every day (except Sun 7th and 14th)
Where: Yoga Room, Burleigh Heads
Price: $295
The Summer Solstice Yoga Intensive not only celebrates the change in season, and the longest day of the year, it gives us the opportunity to bring 2014 to a neat completion.
This 18 day intensive is designed to systematically challenge and develop perceptions of alignment, while building strength, stability and stamina.
Book now! Places are limited. Call 0438 837 244, or email
2015 Tuscany Yoga Retreat
Maurice McCann and Daniela Casotti
When: 31st May to 12th June, 2015
Where: Montecatini, Tuscany, Italy
Price: Share € 2,490, Single € 2,790
You can find all the details at our website. Click here.
Words can’t express the beauty of this retreat. Take some time out to look at our retreat photo gallery and there are more photos on our facebook page.
There are limited rooms with ensuites, book now to secure one of these.
A non-refundable deposit of € 250 is due at time of booking. Balance is due by 1st May 2015.
An early bird discount of € 100 is available for full payments received by 31st December.
Contact the Yoga Room for further information on 0438 837 244 or email.
Click here to see the Brochure
2015 Bali Yoga Retreat
Maurice McCann & Daniela Casotti
When: 15th – 27th June 2015
Where: Nusa Lembongan & Sideman, Bali
Price: Early Bird* $1,990 Shared or $2,250 Single
Full Price $2,090 Shared or $2,390 Single
*If booked and paid by 31st December 2014
For more information click here.
To view the serenity of the environment and a glimpse of the gentle Balinese spirit go to our photo gallery
Any questions please contact the Yoga Room on 0438 837 244 or email.
Daniela and Maurice
Yoga Room Burleigh Heads
www.yogaroom.com.au
info@yogaroom.com.au
+61 438 837 244