Month: February 2015

Ishvara Pramidhana, Last of the Niyamas – Surrender (to a Higher Force)

| Edna

Ishvara Pramidhana implies to live a life of dedication to your God or Creator.  This brings us to the big question of our modern times – is there a God?  What about non-believers on the path of yoga?

My personal insight to this question is, that no matter how we view creation, nature, our own coming to being and where we will go after this lifetime, no matter if we call our God by many names or by one only, or if we simply refer to the Unseen force that Creates and Takes us again, as Life Force, we are bound to this Prana.  It governs the universe, the cycles of life, it is the breath we fill our lungs with and we have no choice in this regards.

It doesn’t matter if we are willing to call God our Father, our Creator.  Just by the simple act of our breath, are we in surrendering to the governing of Nature.

DSC_0098

This allows everyone with some insight into the concept of Ishvara Pramidhana.  There are things we simply do and have no need to despair over.  Like breathing.  It is an ongoing exchange with an energy that gives our bodies life, that gives us the chance to do (good) in this world.  Acknowledge that every breath, just by being, is already an act of surrendering to a Higher Force.  There are so many paths and names and ways towards knowledge and self-realization.  It is not to judge anyone on the path they have chosen to explore this lifetime.

So, when we understand we are in surrendering, we also understand that for the yogi, it means to be in constant exchange of this energy and this gives liberation from despair.  We do our part, staying enthusiastic and then surrender our deeds to the Higher Force.  It is so comforting, in a way, to have this letting go after the action was done.  It also brings a spiritual disposition of serve and makes selfish actions less.  Life becomes less and less about gratification and satisfaction.  We are depended on Nature (God) and interdependent on one another.

Ishvara Pramidhana helps to calm desires.  We are given everything we need and whatever else we are chasing after is a personal choice.  How wonderful is the out breath?  It allows for the steady sip of the next inhalation.

No matter what your beliefs, culture or tradition, or by what name you call Life Force.  It IS.  It is within every cell of your being.  Surrender and celebrate.  Serve and protect.  Love and Respect.  Let go of what separates you, embrace what brings together.  Let go of distrust and despair.  We are taken care off in the most minuteness of our cellular being.  Surrender and feel the lightness of being.

Once we see the Oneness we share, no matter how different we may seem to the eye, are we ready to surrender to a Higher Consciousness, to a Higher Love, a life of devotion towards Self, others and the Good and Preservation of all living beings that shares our world.
Once we see the Oneness we share, no matter how different we may seem to the eye, are we ready to surrender to a Higher Consciousness, to a Higher Love, a life of devotion towards Self, others and the Good and Preservation of all living beings that shares our world.

Fourth Niyama – Svadhyaya, moving away from ignorance

| Edna

photo (15)

Svadhyaya places the responsibility of learning on the shoulder of the individual.  Yoga is known as a “living philosophy” and the sadhaka (practitioner) sits at the feet of a guru (teacher).

Svadhyaya – or self-study – asks of a yogi to become a compassionate observer of Self.  To have devotion in aligning all of ones actions and non-actions to become balanced, of highest awareness and from this state of being, having a constant willingness to grow and learn and adjust to become more and more whole, more and more united from the inside out. This brings inner harmony and harmony with life and all of its experiences and difficulties.  It brings a higher understanding and a level of absorbing what is, without unnecessary illusions.  A quick and intelligent grasp of what is and what isn’t.    This process of reflection opens a gateway to living a life of divinity.  Constant reflection sharpens the intuition.  It brings a stability and fluidity of spirit.

Furthermore, Svadhyaya implies a continued effort towards self-education.  To seek the knowledge from sacred texts, from your guru, from reflecting on experiences to move away from ignorance and to gain more and more knowledge.  Experience and knowledge become the essence of your personal liberation from whatever it is that bonds or ties you down.  Svadhyaya is a never ending process with ongoing shifts in consciousness.  There is a beginning to this journey but no ending.

Learn, apply, adjust, grow.  Become more and more aware of every breath that you take, every motion you make, become completely contained and unscattered.  The asana practise is an undeniable tool in growing, with self-love as the basis, in self-awareness.  Off the mat, read with an eagerness and steadiness uplifting poetry and sacred texts.  Seek people that enhance your learning, a guru.  Love and Respect the experiences of life, even the difficult ones, Love and Respect the ones that give of their knowledge.  Honour the Ones before us, for the precious gifts of lessons learned and to be learned.

Third Niyama: Tapas – The white flame of purification

| Edna

Tapas is a Sanskrit word meaning to burn, shine, suffer pain or to be consumed by heat.  Tapas can be applied on all levels of our existence, physically – the asana practice, completing a marathon or a tedious physical task.  It can also be the determination of a student over many years, to single pointedly become an expert on his/her topic.  It can also be applied to the Visuddha or purifying of speech and thought.

All of the above processes involves a certain amount of pain and suffering.  It is when the practitioner has a burning effort to achieve his/her goal, that this element of suffering turns from a red blazing flame, to a white purifying flame. Tapas is the basis of character building and turning your own life into a life of Love and dedication with purpose and a goal.  It is the vehicle to Self Realization and then taking the current down to Manifestation again.

A burning commitment is needed to find harmony and balance in both joy and sorrows, this in itself is a practise of Tapas, until the inner flame disappears into a white light.

Tapas gives one the characteristics of being straightforward, courageous, being exquisite in simplicity, having integrity, being trustworthy and wise.

Tapas brings an unshakable will and faith in the Unseen.

Celebrate your mind body and spirit with continued effort towards turning the flame white, from the inside out.photo 5

The Second Niyama – Santosa, Contentment

| Edna

Contentment.  A difficult topic to write on when one stands at the foot of the mountain.  There are saints, special ones, that can find contentment even in the wake of illness, poverty or what ever difficulties they may face.  For an ordinary man or woman, such as myself it is an ongoing process when you still have to put many right actions into place in order to reach contentment.  As a yogi, one should not feel the lack of anything and be naturally content.

Contentment is not only a state of the mind but also a soul without yearnings and distracting conflicts.

Personally, I see contentment in direct relation to right action.  We have joy and peace when we do right and should also have it when wrong has been done towards us.

It is an ongoing process.  Without contentment, it is difficult to tap into the cosmic energies and higher thoughts.

We need a certain extent of freedom from sufferings to grow spiritually.

For one, knowing the truth about your own body and life, brings tranquility.

Therefore, I would also say, contentment is closely related to truth.

Contentment lies where the mind and heart unites and your own truth and path unfolds.
Contentment lies where the mind and heart unite and your own truth and path unfolds.