Yoga Myth #3: "I Don't Have Time"

Our third yoga myth has to do with that monkey on everybody's back....time. We have all had times in our lives where we have prioritized the activities that are essential our our well-being. We have also had periods where we have not...and the difference can be staggering. I appreciate that getting to a weekly class may seem overwhelming and there may be real barriers in your responsibilities and/or schedule that make it seem impossible. That said, we all have the same number of hours in the day and we all have a body, a mind and a capacity for awareness that is awe-inspiring.

Take 5 and Change your Life

Spend 5 minutes in the morning and 5 minutes in the evening simply being aware of your breath. Keep your body still sitting on the floor or in a chair (even if it has to be in the bathroom), sometimes that is the only place to get some alone time. Make friends with your breath, forgive yourself for anything and everything, forgive others with the same intensity. Let go of regrets from the past and fear of the future and be simply and fully present with yourself. This practice of awareness is also yoga. Concentrate your mind and you may discover a well of bliss within yourself that offers the gift of renewal and freedom 5 minutes at a time.

Our days are busy, give yourself time to be present - I assure you that everyone in your life will benefit.

Namaste,

Steve

Yogi Jayanta

Breaking Through the Yoga Myths

I wanted to start a series of blogs that deal with the many misconceptions about yoga that may keep people from harnessing the benefits of this ancient practice that has never been more important. I have been teaching yoga for over ten years and have heard all of the excuses, well many of them. I have also seen a very serious misunderstanding of the scope and depth of yoga become the norm. So, without further adieu let's beginning Busting the Myths of Yoga.

Yoga Myth #1 - I'm Not Flexible

Not to sound cruel but this is the most ridiculous yoga myth and the most popular. This is like saying to the cleaning lady, "No! I don't want help cleaning my house...it's too dirty". Flexibility is a bi-product of practicing yoga and definitely a contributor to a younger, healthier body. Maintaining a healthy, flexible spine will ensure that you are able to continue doing the things you enjoy much longer into your life. If you consider yourself to be "not flexible" then find a yoga class and Just Do It! I know that Nike has changed their tag-line and they may change it a hundred times but they will never find a better one.

There are two other things that come to mind for this myth. First, there are many different yoga teachers with a variety of backgrounds, experience and intentions. I have seen many so-called Power Yoga classes that are presented in a way that really is inaccessible to many body-types. It is easy to blame the teacher but truly yoga is a deepening of your experience of your own mind and body. It is up to the practitioner to back off where necessary. I believe the teacher should continually remind students of this but don't count on it. The other consideration here is that the flexibility myth is not the real barrier but rather the pride of being seen by others in the class. I understand how hard this can be (believe me) I have seen pride rob me of many experiences that would have enriched my life. It is critical that we find the courage to conquer pride and do the things that we need to do to be healthy and happy if not for yourself then as a role model to the next generation.

"I'm not flexible" is EXACTLY why you need to be taking steps to rectify that. You wouldn't tell the doctor that you can't visit because you are sick. Your body is a beautiful and amazing miracle of life that can heal and adapt quickly. Once you start working on your flexibility you will be amazed at how great you feel and how enormous the ripple-effect of flexibility is positively impacting every aspect of your life.

Be flexible!

Namaste,

Steve

Yogi Jayanta

The One Minute Vacation

We all love vacations! The word "vacation" comes from the Latin word vacare meaning "to be empty or free". Taking vacations is an important part of our life. We tend to give so much of our time to our professions and our routines that to break it up a few times a year is an essential part of our mental health strategy. Taking time to empty ourselves of tension and stress, to let go of our routine and practice a greater sense of freedom is all part of the ritual known as vacation.

You know that saying, "As above, so below"? I enjoy exploring the macrocosm and the microcosm. In this case, the macrocosm is the typical year in your life that includes a summer vacation and a winter vacation. Now we can take that down into the microcosm which is a typical day. Giving yourself time twice per day to "be on vacation" is again part of a good mental health approach to life. The question becomes, how do I get to Florida and back twice per day? Or, if I live in Florida, "how do I get to Nova Scotia and back twice per day"?

The truth is, we do not have to go anywhere to touch the emptiness and the freedom that is at the heart of the vacation experience. Yoga and meditation are phenomenal tools to introduce us to the micro-vacation. Like a vacation meditation requires a little bit of planning like making sure that you won't be interrupted; unless of course you do get interrupted and then that interruption becomes part of your meditation. For one minute you break all routine, there are no have to's or should's, there is only space. Now, the mode of travel is the breath. Your breath is like the airliner that will carry you to your destination which is no destination at all. The micro-vacation takes practice but in 60 second segments, even you can afford it.

Close your eyes and begin to be very aware of your breathing, in and out through the nose. Sit up straight and let the shoulders fall down and away from your ears. Feel all the sensations in your body as you pay less attention to the thoughts that rise and fall in the mind. Trade thinking for feeling. Incorporate a great sense of relaxation into your micro-vacation. Enjoy yourself....enjoy your SELF.

Namaste,

Steve

Yogi Jayanta

I am always fond of exploring the microcosm and the macrocosm, you know(vacations twice per year)

Don't Just Set a Resolution...Be Resolutionary!

Most of us have realized from painful experience that lasting change rarely occurs as a result of a New Year's Resolution. Why is it that we are so often incapable of becoming the person we want to be? Too often, resolutions are inspired by fear and are set up as self-imposed expectations that reinforce the gulf between who we think we are and who we think we want to be. It is time to establish our resolutions from a deeper place; 2010 is a year of deepening. People are beginning to understand the profound nature of the present moment and will begin taking action from this place. Rather than another New Year's Resolution, now is the time to become Resolutionary.

Reaction or Resolution?

In many cases our resolution is inspired by a negative self-image adopted from society or an influential voice in our lives. For example, we compare our bodies to those we see in the media and decide the way we look is bad. The pain from this comparison becomes the fuel for our change. The resolution is not sustainable and we end up in that familiar negative spiral that reinforces the unworthiness that inspired the resolution in the first place.

Gratitude: The Power of the Resolutionary

The resolutionary recognizes gratitude as the true power behind sustainable transformation. Chis Walker told me once "Don't leave anything until you love it." This is great advice rooted in the awareness that love is more empowering than fear. Love and gratitude are intertwined. The Resolutionary uses self-love as the inspiration behind this path of living transformation. The traditional resolution is based on fear and limitation and lacks fundamental acceptance. Be grateful for the miracle of your body and and allow the spontaneous gratitude for this sacred mystery to fuel your growth and expansion in 2010.

From Expectation to Anticipation

The old-school resolution is a self-imposed expectation and expectation is the root of all evil. OK, that may be dramatic but spend some time contemplating the possibility the expectations you put on yourself and those you place on others are the heart of the suffering that creeps into your life day by day. Expectation states that we will be "happy when...". Expectation is one of the root problems with the New Year's resolution. Let me introduce a new word to replace the thorny and insidious seed of suffering known as expectation. This word frees us from the dependence on some future event to be OK with ourselves and instead brings us back to the present moment. To access the present moment there is a requirement for a deep sense of acceptance and honesty, this is the starting point for a life-altering New Year's Resolution. This new word that holds the seed of freedom and guides the Resolutionary back to the moment of now is ANTICIPATION. The official definition describes anticipation as "pre-sentiment or pre-knowledge". Anticipation brings us immediately into the experience of our resolution rather than emphasizing the gulf between where we are now and where we hope to be as is the case with expectation.

A Resolutionary Practice

In order to anticipate we must make the experience of fulfillment real in our minds and bodies. Consider this an invitation to imagine the greatest version of yourself for 2010. The Resolutionary takes time to sit in silence and practice gratitude. Give yourself the gift of 5 minutes per day to sit and breathe with awareness and simply be grateful. Let gratitude flood your body soaking every cell with liquid light. Even now, you can simply breathe with awareness, relax the body, allow the mind to be and reconnect with the Source of life, with your Beloved. Gratitude is the mystical power that fuels authentic transformation and is the direct experience of your own essence. Gratitude is the fuel of the Resolutionary, fill up every single day and soon you will be filling up with every single breath.

Don't wait for some future moment to be the highest version of yourself. The future is a fantasy and the past is over; the Resolutionary realizes their transformation here and now. May this year be full of transformative moments and big-time gratitude. To all the Resolutionaries out there, I wish you a very HAPPY NOW YEAR!!

Condensation of Thought

Hello All,

Condensation is the bonding of molecules of a substance to form a larger denser molecule and often with the release of simpler substances like water. As we pay more and more attention to the thoughts that form in our minds and the emotions those thoughts trigger let's consider the process behind thought formation.

We must first break through the Western idea that thought has no substance. Our ability to detach from thought is impeded by our ignorance as to the substance of thought. The science of yoga has a word to describe the substance of thought called Chitta. Imagine thoughts as having characteristics of both a wave and particle much like light. Thoughts may travel like a wave but can also accumulate and increase in density like a particle. A "bad mood", for example, may be considered a condensation of thought. Thoughts of similar quality are attracted to one another and may condense. The same way condensation releases water, the condensation of thought releases emotion.

By observing these processes in your mind-body system you will be empowered to be somewhat detached from the ebb and flow of thought and emotion. The energy you conserve in stepping outside of the thought-emotion ping-pong match you can use to consciously design your life. The purification that results from our yoga classes releases toxins that increase thought condensation and resulting moodiness. Taking steps to release toxins is even more important this time of year. Stay tuned for a workshop targeted at cleansing mind and body early in the New Year.

We are entering the season where we tend to eat and drink too much which increases toxicity and increases moodiness. Be aware of the choices you are making and if you indulge be present for the consequences. Take responsibility for your thoughts and emotions and be vigilant about how you express them with others. We will be detoxifying our mind-body systems at the Milo Boathouse at 7 pm and then going even deeper in our meditation practice at 8 pm. Hope to see you there.

Namaste,

Steve

Yogi Jayanta

Yama #5: Non-Possessiveness

The final foundational discipline of yoga is aparigraha or non-possessiveness. Looking at the roots of the words, we again have the a which means not, pari which means away from or fully, and graha which means take, obtain or seize. From these words you can see how we arrive at non-possessiveness as a possible translation. It would be wise to keep in mind that any and all translations are mere approximations, this goes for all the wisdom literature of the world. I read recently that 50% of the youth surveyed in a Harvard study thought Jesus spoke English. Yoga teaches us to find ultimate joy and peace within and prescribes a path to attain that though we can easily fall prey to fundamentalism.

The Path of Poverty

The popular vow of poverty is related to this discipline and there is a great history of choosing poverty as a path to spirituality. Have you ever noticed the tendency we have to be possessed by our possessions? This is the mental affliction that we intend to root out with the practice of aparigraha. There is no need really to give up your possessions in order to deepen your sense of spirituality, however, we must find a way to give up our attachment and identification with our possessions. I spent many years living an unspoken vow of poverty that did more to cultivate resentment and anger than any deeper sense of spirituality.

The entirety of yoga can be characterized by the yogic axiom, "action without attachment". Yoga doesn't really seek to regulate ownership but rather the attachment to the possession. This is a very important distinction also in the process of meditation where practitioners may feel that to meditate is to push thoughts out of your mind so it is “empty”…good luck! Try instead, to relinquish your attachment to the thinking process or specific thought forms. A Tibetan Master was with his student and the latter asked, "Master, what is the difference between my mind and the mind of the Master", the teacher replied, "When thoughts arise in this mind they are like clouds passing in the sky". This is a beautiful expression of detachment.

Attachment and Aversion - Two Sides of the Same Coin

I have certainly experienced both sides of the proverbial coin when it comes to possession and material wealth. Generating large amounts of wealth as a young person was a powerful experience and having a tendency towards self-awareness I could observe the power and beauty of new-found generosity. I could also see how more wealth lead to a greater identification with that wealth. Later, joining a spiritual community that did not overtly preach poverty but certainly lived in poverty showed me the other side of the coin. Living with unresolved debt and a general disengagement from the material side of life was an expression of a subtle aversion to money. Simply the other side of the same coin from attachment. To truly practice yoga is to be fully engaged with the world but detached from the world. Easy to say but not so easy to live.

Freedom from Greed

According to Swami Satyananda of the Sivananda lineage, “aparigraha represents complete freedom from greed or covetousness.” Many Native American traditions seem to naturally reflect a certain non-covetousness. These ancient cultures can offer tremendous guidance towards simplicity in our world that seems to grow more complex every single day. I once heard of a native tradition whereby every seven years each member of the tribe would place their possessions in the center of a circle where they would then be redistributed. This is a powerful example of a practice that would help inspire the character trait of non-possessiveness.

Take a moment now and consider the fact that the things in your life do not come from you but are a part of the natural abundance of life. Those things are temporary and will not survive the test of time. So too is your physical body impermanent. The practice of aparigraha ultimately supports us in conquering the deep-seated and perhaps ultimate fear of human life, the fear of death. As we practice relinquishing greed and attachment to the things in our life we also start to chip away at the attachments to the body and to our life itself. Great peace descends upon the one who is able to act without attachment. This great peace is the fruit of yoga.

Yama #4: Celibacy ?

We have been discussing the foundational disciplines of yoga known as the YAMAS and the fourth in our series is Brahmacharya and is most often translated as celibacy. This, as we so often discover, is a very limited view of a vast and powerful concept. The word Brahmacharya has atleast three distinct roots which are Brahman meaning expansion, evolution or the Absolute, char which means go, act, practice, unite with and ya meaning relating to. We may look at this as a committed practice of merging with the Absolute.

Make a Commitment Towards Growth

On this spiritual path we all must make a commitment. This commitment could take any form but in your own way, in your own time resolve yourself to this process of expansion and evolution. Brahmacharya is one characterization of that commitment. A practice of Brahmacharya is to continually direct your attention towards the Absolute or the essence of unity and one-ness. We can do this with every step, every breath, at work, at home and in the bedroom. During your day pay attention to those moments of expansion and evolution and allow your life to be about growth and transformation. Be vigilant and notice when you experience a moment of contraction…this is an evolutionary opportunity.

Relentless Forgiveness

When contraction happens due to the ego’s reaction resist the urge to blame another and come back to expansion through forgiveness, first of yourself and then of the other. The practice of relentless forgiveness is the path back to the expansion that is the subject of Brahmacharya. A simple example may be to begin noticing the more subtle reactions to thought processes happening throughout the day. Given the fact that Brahmacharya so often relates specifically to restraint of sexual activity take a moment and consider your relationship with sexuality. Where are you contracted around sexuality; in thought word and deed? You may notice a sharp contraction resulting from a sexual fantasy or memory. You may contract around the possibility of a sexual encounter with your partner or another. The sensations in your body are a language that can lead us to great realization when we pay attention.

Redirect Your Attention

Once you notice a contraction relating to something you are thinking or something you have said or done, be grateful. You may be feeling shame or anger or sadness or regret but whatever you are feeling simply feel it deeply and hold yourself with an attitude of loving kindness. Do not indulge the mind that will take that emotion and spawn a thousand thoughts. Stay with the feeling and let it move through the body. This is a body practice of forgiveness. Know that there is a powerful photon of energy that is bound by shame and guilt and by simply allowing yourself to feel the mind-body reaction you can liberate that energy and allow yourself a quantum leap in your consciousness. Be brave and know that you are not your thoughts, not your past, not the decisions you have made. You are a being of light, radiant love and unlimited power. You are an integral part of the Absolute, Brahman, the Source, the One without a second. Direct your passion, raw and powerful, towards the realization of who you really are.

Brahmacharya is a commitment. It is a commitment to take responsibility for our thoughts and emotions, to be present with shame and guilt and practice deep forgiveness for ourselves and others. It is the liberation of expansionary energy trapped in memory and fantasy. It is the passionate union with the One Being, the Absolute. It is the path to the unbounded joy and bliss of conscious living.

Yama #3: Non-Stealing +

The next step on our yogic disciplines that help to lay the foundation for a deeper yoga practice is most often translated as non-stealing (asteya). In researching the deeper meaning of this Sanskrit word I found that "steya" relates to adornment or envelopment and the "a" at the beginning is a negation. Therefore, asteya could be seen as not adorning oneself or becoming enveloped in a thought, word or deed. These translations come from Vishvananda Ishaya...thank you!

There are many externally imposed ideas around right and wrong but this is an invitation to go deeper into a very important principle of conscious living. Clearly taking something from another is inappropriate but this form of discipline is self-arising which means we practice asteya in order to preserve and protect the sacredness of our beingness not out of some externally imposed sense of morality. Taking on another's belief system or mimicking their actions is often a form of "covering up" a void that we are not willing to feel in our lives.

When I was a child I was so enamored with my father that it was clear to me I was going to be like him, no matter what. He was a pilot in the military and so that was my automatic preferred career path. I was devastated as a young teenager when I was hit in the eye with a puck and being a military pilot was no longer an option. Still, as a young adult in university I joined the military as an Aerospace engineer which lead me to a period of deep sadness and profound lack of fulfillment. I see now how this was a violation of the asteya principle. I had taken on my father's vocation as a means to fill a void of love that was painful for me. Just like taking money when we do not feel we have enough we take on beliefs, language and behaviors because we feel we lack something in our lives. A practice of asteya would be to begin to notice the ways in which we do not feel like we are "good enough" and adopt attitudes, behaviors and belief systems as a way of compensating.

You are perfect just as you are. You are an integral part of the great consciousness continually manifesting as life itself. The spiritual path inspired by the ancient teachings of yoga begin with the five yamas. This word yama may also be translated as "death" and when we make the effort to deeply let go of old patterns and habits that are so ingrained in how we identify ourselves it may feel like a death. The absolute beauty that is your simple essence is waiting to shine through the clouds of the ego. Commit yourself to the practice of asteya by being so full and complete within yourself and your faith that you need not seek to be filled by another.

We will use our practice tomorrow morning at 8:45 at Milo Boathouse to fill up on the simple essence of life through a deep awareness of body and breath. I hope you can make it.

Namaste,

Steve
Yogi Jayanta

Yama #2: Truthfulness

Hello All,

We continue our exploration of the grounding principles of yoga known as the YAMAS. These five disciplines can provide a powerful grounding influence in our daily lives. The second discipline that follows non-violence is truthfulness (satya). This word may also be translated to be genuine, real or honest. Like all aspects of yoga the more we are able to cultivate these principles within the more effective we can be in expressing them in our relationships with others.

Let's look to the paired opposite to deepen our exploration of truthfulness. In which ways are we not honest with ourselves? One of the things that has been coming up for me is a tendency to look for a distraction in a painful or uncomfortable moment. I can imagine these distractions taking many forms from as simple as changing the subject to having a drink to expressing anger. There are infinite possibilities but as we become more aware we can hesitate and hold that "uncomfortable space" and be honest with ourselves by allowing ourselves to feel what there is to be felt.

This is a practice of compassion, of honesty and most certainly of yoga. On the mat we get accustomed to being present with sensations in the body and this training is directly related to practicing this presence with our emotional nature. We are all carry conditioned reactions based on our past, family and society; to indulge in these conditioned reactions is to avoid reality. We all have the opportunity to experience and express, more fully, the principle of truthfulness in our lives. Become familiar with the triggers that "set you off" and start to infuse a little space between the trigger and the reaction. Be courageous in your truth and be forgiving in your reactions.

Truthfulness is about Getting Real and when we take steps to be present with ourselves and with one another there is a tremendous amount of energy released into your life. What we do not see is that holding onto these conditioned reactions consumes a tremendous amount of energy. The process of enlightenment is like small photons of light being released in our being each time with choose to act with compassion and awareness.

Our yoga class tonight at the Milo Boathouse (7pm) will center on developing the skills of truthfulness by learning to be more present with our bodies, our minds and our breath. Meditation (8pm) allows us to go even deeper into the process of releasing unconscious reactive tendencies. If you have never experienced our meditation group consider joining us for no other reason than to more fully experience your own nature.

I wish you all great courage in practicing truthfulness this day in every way.

Namaste,

Steve
Yogi Jayanta

Yama #1: Non-Violence

Hello All,

Perhaps the most potent aspect of yoga is its universality and inherent secularism. Patanjali, the founder of the yogic system was very clear that this path of awakening was not ever to be tied to any particular religion, culture or creed. The eight steps of awakening known as the Ashtanga Marga (eight-limbed path) are a step-by-step guide to becoming who we are as human beings. The first step on this spiritual ladder is self-control or the five YAMAS. The first of these five points of discipline or principles of conscious living is non-violence (ahimsa).

In our yoga practice we honor those who have come before us and practiced the disciplines and realized the fruits of that practice. In looking for a model of ahimsa, Mahatma Ghandi comes to mind. He was a passionate practitioner of non-violence though dealt with some very challenging questions. Many would suggest that in starving himself and emaciating his body he was in violation of this principle though he did it for the "greater good". In small ways in our own lives it is important to strive for non-violence in thought, word and deed and it is not always clear what behaviors are having a violent effect in our lives or the lives of others.

Our practice on the yoga mat provides us with an interior focus that serves to empower our reflective nature. This is an important step in giving us the ability to be present with our thoughts. When we can be present with our thoughts we gain the ability to hesitate before saying or doing something that may be of a violent nature. One of the dictionary definitions of violence is, "intensity of feeling or expression". As we continue on the path of yoga we invariably become more and more subtle in terms of our awareness. We learn to transmute our intense feelings and emotions without denying or repressing them. This is something that I am continuing to learn and it can be very difficult.

We all have violent habits that can be rooted out with awareness, practice and discipline. I tend to put up a wall in moments of feeling hurt. This defense mechanism is designed by the ego to protect me but invariably makes me emotionally unavailable. In moments of intense feeling this can lead to a "violent silence" that can be quite painful to the person with whom I am relating. My practice this week will be to cultivate the courage to lower that ego-based guard and be vulnerable as a path to deepening my understanding and expression of non-violence.

Take a moment and consider the role of violence in your life. Subtle forms of violence include gossiping about someone, thinking negatively about another, secretly hoping for another to suffer, indulging in gratification over another person's pain. There are infinite ways in which we may step towards the principle of non-violence. Please let me know if there is something that "clicks" for you with respect to the practice of non-violence in your life and practice.

Yoga with Claudette (thank you!) at the Milo Boathouse in Yarmouth tonight at 7pm. I will be back in town for our Wednesday class. Remember that by developing your Beloved Yoga practice you are improving your ability to practice non-violence and thereby improving the quality of your life, those around you and at some level the entire planet. Afterall, we are all connected!

Namaste: "The ONE in me greets the ONE in you",

Steve
Yogi Jayanta

The Spiral Hook

Hello All,

A bit late in the day but better late than never. My mind is on spirals today and I have often noticed the magnificent symmetry in the natural world. Everything grows in spirals. Look around at shells, flowers, plants, galaxies. Energy is optimized in spirals as illustrated by tornadoes. It is clear to me that energy centers in the body are also organized as spirals. Beloved Yoga is about continuing to go deeper in our awareness of these magical bodies and the intricate relationship between our physical body, energetic (pranic body) and the breath. Tonight I will introduce a deeper level of engaging with our bodies and breath by introducing the Spiral Hook.

As you look around the natural world today, imagine you are looking inside yourself and see all of the natural healing processes of the body reflected in the world around you. This universe is ultimately elegant and filled with consciousness. Breathe, be aware and be grateful.

Namaste,

Steve

Yogi Jayanta

Fire

Namaste All,

Today on this wet and windy day we will focus on the sacred element of FIRE. The very essence of fire is transformation. The fire of digestion transforms the food you eat into energy for your day. This is a critical process and with the work we do in yoga your digestive fire will benefit giving your body a better ability to transform food into energy. There is another digestive process that is fire-driven in the mind-body system. This is a little understood process in the West that is the digestion of psychic reactions or thought-forms. Begin to notice your reactions to stressful situations in your day, there is a residue left after those reactions. Bring that residue to class tonight and we will practice "burning" that residue and transforming it into emotional resilience and strength.

A third fire that I want to mention is that of compassion. I happened to view a video with my mother today who has worked with and fought for the rights of people living with intellectual and physical disabilities for as long as I can remember. I have always been inspired and proud of her. This video was produced by People First, an organization whose members are self-advocates for issues that are important to people living with disabilities. De-institutionalization is their primary goal. Many members of People First have lived in institutions and experienced, first-hand, the terrible abuses there. After watching this video I felt a fire activated in my body, a passion to fight for the rights of others and to protect those who need our protection from the indifference and neglect of a population often stuck in fear and ignorance. Mothers and Fathers feel this fire when there is a moment to protect your children. Through yoga we begin to understand that every human being is worthy of love, protection and compassion. Ignite the fire of awareness and so too will be lit the fire of unconditional love and that fire will bring warmth and comfort to all those with whom you connect.

Namaste,

Jayanta

Water

Hello All,

We started a series of re-minders based on the 5 elements of Earth, Water, Fire, Air and Ether and I wanted to continue today with Water. We often look at our bodies as being a single "thing" and forget the brilliant elegance and complexity that make the human mind-body system so extraordinary. Perhaps taking a bit of time to consider the miracle of your body may provide some additional inspiration to respect that and to treat your body with a well-deserved reverence.

In the yogic system, the water element is represented by all of the fluids in the body and there are many. Consider the various systems of the body that create, circulate and eliminate fluids in the body. Functions such as oxygenation through circulation of blood, systemic balancing by releasing hormones, cerebral spinal fluid, lubrication, purification, pro-creation. Place your left hand on the center of your chest with the right on top, find your heartbeat by touch or feel and take a moment of gratitude for the reality of your circulatory system. Now, consider the characteristics of the Water element and recognize those traits within your life and being. You have great resilience and ability to flow around obstacles without being obstructed entirely. Over time you can wear down tendencies and habits that do not serve you by consciously directing the flow of your life in an empowering new direction. Water sits between Earth and Fire and is the bridge between the two.

The tides that we see in nature, particularly in our part of the world, are a reflection of our emotional natures that also ebb and flow with the lunar cycle. The gravitational pull of the moon is what inspires tides and currents and our bodies are over 70% water so we too are greatly affected by these forces. Observe the physical and emotional currents of your life with compassion and awareness. Bear witness to the miracle of your body and activate your inherent ability to "go with the flow".

For those in the Yarmouth area, we will do just that tonight at the Milo Boathouse at 7pm.

Namaste,

Jayanta

“Nothing in the world is more flexible and yielding than water. Yet when it attacks the firm and the strong, none can withstand it, because they have no way to change it. So the flexible overcome the adamant, the yielding overcome the forceful. Everyone knows this, but no one can do it.” Lao Tzu

CASTLE Principles: Effectiveness

Hello All,

I hope everyone had a great weekend. To reiterate the CASTLE principles of Conscious Leadership as outlined by Lance Secretan in ONE: The Art and Practice of Conscious Leadership; Courage, Authenticity, Service, Truthfulness, Love and today's theme of Effectiveness. Regardless of how deep we enter the silent space inspired by our yoga practice we still must be effective in our area of engagement. Whether we are at home, at the office, with our children or with clients the principles help us to apply the intention of oneness in every moment of our day.

To be ultimately effective in whatever we do we must begin with awareness, simplicity and gratitude. Then, we must show up! The ego is the great obstacle of oneness. At some point we must recognize the important role the ego has played in protecting our heart. Then, in a conscious choice, honor the wisdom of the heart (and body) and wield the instrument of the mind in an effective way.

We will be practicing the art of Oneness at the Milo Boathouse tonight at 7pm.

Namaste,

Jayanta

CASTLE Principles: Love

Hello All,

Well the next step on our Conscious Leadership ladder is Love. It just so happens that today has been a contemplation of the Joy of Love in my own personal practice (related to a series of Mother Teresa prayers a good friend gave me, thank you). We have all heard so much about love and yet it is also full of attachment, conditioning and misunderstanding. One thing we can all agree on is that love is expansive. The experience of love is the opposite of contraction and tension. We often associate love with the pain of losing but the truth is that in the face of love there is only love.

Love is simple and is not a function of the mind. As you may know by now I like to call the yoga I practice and share Beloved Yoga. Hidden in that precious word is BE LOVED. A regular meditation practice may also be coined a self-love practice. Taking time each day to sit and feel unconditional love raining down on you, surrounding you, penetrating every cell until you become so full that for the rest of the day you are spilling over love. My teacher often said, "Love without looking to see who takes". I am so grateful for that example of unconditional love. If that is too tall an order than atleast notice your tendency to look for something in return for your acts of love and be gentle with yourself. We all do it!

In this very moment raise your chest forward and up and let the chin fall gently towards the chest, let the energy of the intelligence of your mind descend into the loving wisdom of the heart. Fall in love with your life and life will love you back...is that conditional? I think what really happens is you just start to notice the love all around you.

Practice loving without looking back. Be radiant because you are THAT!

Hope to love you (I mean see you) at the Boathouse tomorrow morning at 8:45am.

Namaste,

Jayanta

CASTLE Principles: Truthfulness

Hello All,

I hope your week is flowing with beauty and presence. As we continue through the Principles of Conscious Leadership we arrive at Truthfulness. This principle, like all of them, has an experience that is internal and an expression that is a bridge to those with whom you live, work and play. We all have moments where honesty is sacrificed out of fear and insecurity and those disempowering moments result in tension which becomes a knot in the mind-body system. This knot then obstructs the flow of energy in the body and also obstructs the quality of the emotional connection we enjoy with ourselves and/or individuals with whom we have been untruthful. On the yoga mat, we practice a deep honesty with our bodies by engaging in compassionate action and maintaining alignment in-spite of the mind's desire to go further and deeper. Patience is also a function of truthfulness.

Commit yourself this day to truthfulness as a path to relaxation and presence. Be vulnerable in your honesty and honest in your vulnerability. Allow others to be in their truth whether or not you agree, that is not the point. As you offer space to others to stand in their truth you too will find the courage, compassion, patience and power to stand in yours. As always, nature is a marvelous demonstration of this principle. Truthfulness is the simplicity of being who you are and yields tremendous freedom. The flower does not try to be anything it is not, it grows, blooms and dies with grace and simplicity. Truthfulness is the essence of your heart. Be in your beauty and you will begin to see that beauty reflected all around.

See you at the Boathouse tonight for yoga at 7pm and meditation at 8pm.

Love and Victory,

Jayanta

CASTLE Principles: Service

Hello All,

I am writing you after our Beloved Yoga workshop yesterday in Mahone Bay. It was a wonderful day celebrating the body, the breath and the sacredness of life. I can't wait until we can spend a full day together in Yarmouth on Sunday, October 25...mark your calendars!

The third principle of Conscious Leadership (after courage and authenticity) is Service. Karma Yoga is the process of achieving a unitive state through the service of others. Living for ten years in a community dedicated to yoga and to the service of humanity gave me the privilege of meeting many wonderful people who were extraordinarily committed Karma Yogis. One of these special people has worked for 30 years as a palliative care nurse supporting people at the end of their lives and invariably supporting their friends and families in challenging times. She told me each and every day as she walks into her place of care she would say to herself, "It's not about me". She said this was the key to serving others and being joyful in life.

Look for small moments to care for another being today, practice empathy by being intimately aware of the person you are with. Be aware of your breath and theirs, in that order. Often when caring for another person we become emotionally attached and our ability to be unconditional is jeopardized. Take three breaths into your heart and exhale out the top of your head, imagine yourself rising above your thoughts and emotions into an unconditionally radiant space above the head. We call this ancient space, the Chidakash; the heart space above the head or the sky of consciousness.

I will share a series of movements tonight at the boathouse designed to help move us into that sacred sky of consciousness. Love the one your with without condition or expectation....you will realize the great benefit of Karma Yoga.

Namaste,

Jayanta

CASTLE Principles: Courage

Hello All,

I have been feeling my heart in a new way and have been noticing how an open heart inspires courage not by battling through fear but by gently rising above it or simply dissolving it in the face of the subtle but profound energy of the heart. The root of the word courage relates to the beautiful French word for the heart, "la coeur". When the heart is opened love and acceptance dissolve fear like the light of a candle dissolves darkness.

As we practice yoga and meditation we become more aware of our interior space, more sensitive to the blossoming of the heart and to its slamming shut in a moment of contraction due to stress and fear. In addition to allowing yourself to become more courageous through a commitment to love and accept yourself, I encourage you...(there is that word again) to inspire courage in others. This doesn't mean trivializing someone else's fear! I learned long ago that you cannot compare one person's fear with another, ever. What you can do with your growing sensitivity is create a loving space of acceptance so another person need not be so courageous because your compassionate presence eliminates the fear.

Practice compassion by breathing into your heart and imagine a space emanating beyond your body and embracing others around you. Be generous with your presence and your space, don't be quick to fill the silence but allow someone else to step into the light of the moment and receive the blessings of your heart space.

We will work on opening our hearts tomorrow morning at the Boathouse, hope to see you there at 8:45am. Oh yeah, and we will get a great workout for the body too!

Namaste,

Jayanta

Relaxation

Hello All,

A quick yoga re-minder on this beautiful Labour Day. I shouldn't have to remind you to relax on a long weekend although sometimes we try so hard to get so many things in that we lose many of the benefits of time off. Just in case you found your long weekend a bit hectic there is one sure-fire way to get some good relaxation in this weekend....Beloved Yoga at the Boathouse.

Hope to see you there. And just in case you can't make it take a few deep breaths with your eyes closed and feel your body connected to the earth. Imagine the vibration of Mother Earth moving through your feet and up your legs traveling through every part of your body and connected with your breath. Feel this wave of relaxation moving through your body and seeking out tension. Feel the blessings and healing quality of relaxation provided by the earth. Be Simple.

Namaste,

Yogi Jayanta