Chapter 2 – Sadhana Pada: The Chapter on Practice. Yoga Sutras 54 & 55 – Pratyhara

Pratyhara means withdrawal of the senses. It is the fifth limb of yoga and the last of the external components in the quest. The last three limbs involve the internal quests, which are concentration, meditation and Samadhi (also known as enlightenment, absorption or yoga). General wisdom is that it is hard to sit still for concentration if your mind is disturbed by negative emotions, the body is not comfortable, the breath is not steady and the mind is easily distracted

.Y.S. 2.54 Svavisaya asamprayoge cittasya svarupanukara iv endriyanam pratyaharah
Sva – their own
visaya – sense object
asampra yoge – not coming into contact with
cittasya – of the mind
svarupa – our nature
anukara - imitation
eva - like
endriyanam – of the senses
pratyaharah- withdrawal of the senses.

Pratayhara, which means withdrawal of the senses, is the fifth limb of yoga. It occurs when the mind is able to remain in its chosen direction and the senses disregard the different objects around them and faithfully follow the direction of the mind.

Y.S. 2.55 Tatah parama vasyata indriyanam
Tatah - From this
parama - highest
vasyata – mastery, control
indriyanam – of the senses

Then the senses are mastered and they cooperate in the chosen inquiry instead of being a cause of distraction. The restraint of the sense cannot be a strict discipline. It develops as the obstacles to perception within us are cleared up.

Books I Love and Recommend

Students have often asked me for book recommendations.  This is my first stab at it.  There are so many books that I love and have read and will continue to re-read.  Rather than get overwhelmed by it, I thought I'd just get started.  I'm sure I'll get reminders of books I have recommended that haven't made it to this list, yet.  But, I will edit and add to this list as I go.

29 Gifts by Cami Walker
At age thirty-five, Cami Walker was burdened by an intensified struggle with multiple sclerosis, a chronic neurological disease that left her debilitated and depressed. Then she received an uncommon “prescription” from South African healer Mbali Creazzo: Give away 29 gifts in 29 days.29 Gifts is the insightful story of the author's life change as she embraces and reflects on the naturally reciprocal process of giving. Many of Walker's gifts were simple—a phone call, spare change, a Kleenex. Yet the acts were transformative. By Day 29, not only had Walker's health and happiness improved, but she had created a worldwide giving movement. 29 Gifts shows how a simple, daily practice of altruism can dramatically alter your outlook on the world. 

My Stroke of Insight by Jill Bolte Taylor
On December 10, 1996, Jill Bolte Taylor, a thirty-seven- year-old Harvard-trained brain scientist experienced a massive stroke in the left hemisphere of her brain. As she observed her mind deteriorate to the point that she could not walk, talk, read, write, or recall any of her life-all within four hours-Taylor alternated between the euphoria of the intuitive and kinesthetic right brain, in which she felt a sense of complete well-being and peace, and the logical, sequential left brain, which recognized she was having a stroke and enabled her to seek help before she was completely lost. It would take her eight years to fully recover.For Taylor, her stroke was a blessing and a revelation. It taught her that by "stepping to the right" of our left brains, we can uncover feelings of well-being that are often sidelined by "brain chatter." Reaching wide audiences through her talk at the Technology, Entertainment, Design (TED) conference and her appearance on Oprah's online Soul Series, Taylor provides a valuable recovery guide for those touched by brain injury and an inspiring testimony that inner peace is accessible to anyone.

Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert
Readers of all ages and walks of life have drawn inspiration and empowerment from Elizabeth Gilbert’s books for years. Now this beloved author digs deep into her own generative process to share her wisdom and unique perspective about creativity. With profound empathy and radiant generosity, she offers potent insights into the mysterious nature of inspiration. She asks us to embrace our curiosity and let go of needless suffering. She shows us how to tackle what we most love, and how to face down what we most fear. She discusses the attitudes, approaches, and habits we need in order to live our most creative lives. Balancing between soulful spirituality and cheerful pragmatism, Gilbert encourages us to uncover the “strange jewels” that are hidden within each of us. Whether we are looking to write a book, make art, find new ways to address challenges in our work,  embark on a dream long deferred, or simply infuse our everyday lives with more mindfulness and passion, Big Magic cracks open a world of wonder and joy.

Into the Magic shop by James Doty
Growing up in the high desert of California, Jim Doty was poor, with an alcoholic father and a mother chronically depressed and paralyzed by a stroke. Today he is the director of the Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education (CCARE) at Stanford University, of which the Dalai Lama is a founding benefactor. But back then his life was at a dead end until at twelve he wandered into a magic shop looking for a plastic thumb. Instead he met Ruth, a woman who taught him a series of exercises to ease his own suffering and manifest his greatest desires. Her final mandate was that he keep his heart open and teach these techniques to others. She gave him his first glimpse of the unique relationship between the brain and the heart.Doty would go on to put Ruth’s practices to work with extraordinary results—power and wealth that he could only imagine as a twelve-year-old, riding his orange Sting-Ray bike. But he neglects Ruth’s most important lesson, to keep his heart open, with disastrous results—until he has the opportunity to make a spectacular charitable contribution that will virtually ruin him. Part memoir, part science, part inspiration, and part practical instruction, Into the Magic Shop shows us how we can fundamentally change our lives by first changing our brains and our hearts.

The Biology of Belief by Bruce Lipton
The Biology of Belief is a groundbreaking work in the field of new biology. Former medical school professor and research scientist Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D., presents his experiments, and those of other leading-edge scientists, which examine in great detail the mechanisms by which cells receive and process information. The implications of this research radically change our understanding of life, showing that genes and DNA do not control our biology; instead, DNA is controlled by signals from outside the cell, including the energetic messages emanating from our positive and negative thoughts. This profoundly hopeful synthesis of the latest and best research in cell biology and quantum physics has been hailed as a major breakthrough, showing that our bodies can be changed as we retrain our thinking.

Molecules of Emotion by Candace Pert
Why do we feel the way we feel? How do our thoughts and emotions affect our health? Are our bodies and minds distinct from each other or do they function together as parts of an interconnected system?In her groundbreaking book Molecules of Emotion, Candace Pert provides startling and decisive answers to these and other challenging questions that scientists and philosophers have pondered for centuries.Her pioneering research on how the chemicals inside our bodies form a dynamic information network, linking mind and body, is not only provocative, it is revolutionary. By establishing the biomolecular basis for our emotions and explaining these new scientific developments in a clear and accessible way, Pert empowers us to understand ourselves, our feelings, and the connection between our minds and our bodies -- body-minds -- in ways we could never possibly have imagined before.Molecules of Emotion is a landmark work, full of insight and wisdom and possessing that rare power to change the way we see the world and ourselves.

The Alphabet versus the Goddess by Leonard Shlain
This groundbreaking book proposes that the rise of alphabetic literacy reconfigured the human brain and brought about profound changes in history, religion, and gender relations. Making remarkable connections across brain function, myth, and anthropology, Dr. Shlain shows why pre-literate cultures were principally informed by holistic, right-brain modes that venerated the Goddess, images, and feminine values. Writing drove cultures toward linear left-brain thinking and this shift upset the balance between men and women, initiating the decline of the feminine and ushering in patriarchal rule. Examining the cultures of the Israelites, Greeks, Christians, and Muslims, Shlain reinterprets ancient myths and parables in light of his theory. Provocative and inspiring, this book is a paradigm-shattering work that will transform your view of history and the mind.

Guns, Germs and Steel by Jared Diamond
Jared Diamond convincingly argues that geographical and environmental factors shaped the modern world. Societies that had had a head start in food production advanced beyond the hunter-gatherer stage, and then developed religion --as well as nasty germs and potent weapons of war --and adventured on sea and land to conquer and decimate preliterate cultures. A major advance in our understanding of human societies, Guns, Germs, and Steel chronicles the way that the modern world came to be and stunningly dismantles racially based theories of human history.

Healing Back Pain by Dr. John Sarno
I went to see Dr. Sarno in the mid 80's for back pain.  His theory cured me.  Because of what the medical profession has ingrained in us about the fragility of our spine, most people don't believe it will work for them.Dr. Sarno's program has helped thousands of patients find relief from chronic back conditions. In this New York Times bestseller, Dr. Sarno teaches you how to identify stress and other psychological factors that cause back pain and demonstrates how to heal yourself--without drugs, surgery or exercise. Find out:

• Why self-motivated and successful people are prone to Tension Myoneural Syndrome (TMS)

• How anxiety and repressed anger trigger muscle spasms

• How people condition themselves to accept back pain as inevitable

With case histories and the results of in-depth mind-body research, Dr. Sarno reveals how you can recognize the emotional roots of your TMS and sever the connections between mental and physical pain...and start recovering from back pain today.

The War of Art by Stephen Pressfield
I think Stephen Pressfield sums up the difficulties encountered on the path of most creative endeavors.A succinct, engaging, and practical guide for succeeding in any creative sphere, The War of Art is nothing less than Sun-Tzu for the soul.What keeps so many of us from doing what we long to do?  Why is there a naysayer within? How can we avoid the roadblocks of any creative endeavor—be it starting up a dream business venture, writing a novel, or painting a masterpiece?  Bestselling novelist Steven Pressfield identifies the enemy that every one of us must face, outlines a battle plan to conquer this internal foe, then pinpoints just how to achieve the greatest success.The War of Art emphasizes the resolve needed to recognize and overcome the obstacles of ambition and then effectively shows how to reach the highest level of creative discipline.  Think of it as tough love . . . for yourself. 

Sugar Blues by William Dufty
Even though this book was written in 1986, it is still relevant today.  I have read more recent books about sugar, but this one helps me keep my sugar cravings in check.  Lots of interesting facts about the sugar in our food.It's a prime ingredient in countless substances from cereal to soup, from cola to coffee. Consumed at the rate of one hundred pounds for every American every year, it's as addictive as nicotine -- and as poisonous. It's sugar. And "Sugar Blues", inspired by the crusade of Hollywood legend Gloria Swanson, is the classic, bestselling expose that unmasks our generation's greatest medical killer and shows how a revitalizing, sugar-free diet can not only change lives, but quite possibly save them.

Yoga Sutras 2.49 to 2.53 – Pranayama

Chapter 2 – Sadhana Pada:  The Chapter on Practice. Y.S. 2.49 
Tasmin satisvasa prasvasayoh gativicchedah pranayamah

Tasmin -  on this
sati – being accomplished
svasa – inbreath, inhalation
prasvasayoh – outbreath, exhalation
gati – movement, motion, path
vicchedah – cessation, stop
pagepranayamah – ­regulation.

Pranayama is the regulation of the incoming and outgoing flow of breath with retention.  It is to be practiced only after perfection in asana is achieved. 

Y.S. 2.50  Bahya abhyantra stambha vrttih desa kala samkhyabhih paridrstah dirgha suksmah
Bahya -  external
abhyantra  -  internal
stambha – restraint, pause
vrttih -  movement
desa - place
kala – tme, duration
samkhyabhih – number, precision
paridrstah – regulated, measured
dirgha – long in place and time, expansion
suksmah -  subtle, soft

Pranayama has three movements: prolonged and fine inhalation, exhalation and retention; all regulated with precision according to duration and place. 

Y.S. 2.51  Bahya abhyantra visaya aksepi caturthah
Bahya - externalabhyantra  - internal
visaya – region, sphere,real
maksepi – passing over, overcoming, transcending
caturthah -  the fourth

The fourth type of pranayama transcends the external and internal pranayamas and appears effortless and non-deliberate.

 Y.S. 2.52  Tatah ksiyate prakasa avaranam
Tatah – from that, then
ksiyate – destroyed, dissolved
prakasa - light
avaranam – covering

Pranyama removes the veil covering the light of knowledge and heralds the dawn of wisdom. 

Y.S. 2.53  Dharanasu ca yogyata mansah
Dharanasu  -  for concentration
ca -  and
yogyata  - fitness, suitability, appropriateness
mansah – of the mind

Then the mind becomes fit for concentration. 

“Pranayama is to yoga as the heart is to the human body.” – BKS Iyengar

The word pranayama consists of two components, prana which is energy and ayama which means stretch, extension, expansion, regulation, restraint and control.Our breath can be both conscious and unconscious. 

Fortunately our breath can be on auto pilot while we are doing other things.  But we can also control our breath.  When we are stressed, we can slow down and take a conscious breath.  If we are feeling sluggish, we can invigorate ourselves with a few deep breaths.  Our breath is an indicator of how we feel and we can influence how we feel with our breath.The breath is our primary way of interacting with the universe.  When we are born we inhale and draw the world into our lungs.  When we die we exhale our energy back into the universe.  The ancient yogis said that we were allotted a certain number of breaths and when we used them up, we used up all of our life energy and we would die.We all know that stress saps our life energy and deep breathing can calm us down.  Pranayama is a way of harnessing that life force energy.  Through the practice of Pranayama we learn to control the breath, slow it down and lengthen it to help us turn inward.As Patanjali states in these sutras, first asana must be accomplished.  The body must be fit and strong to be a good container for the breath.  But the practice of pranayama must be done carefully to not upset the nervous system.

Chapter 2 – Sadhana Pada: The Chapter on Practice. The three sutras on asana.

Yoga Sutras 2.46 to 2.48 – Asana

There are only 3 sutras on asana out of 196.  This low number doesn’t minimize the importance of asana, it just helps to put it into perspective.  Asana is just one of  eight limbs of yoga.

Y.S. 2.46  Sthira sukham asanam
Alertness and relaxation are the dual qualities of asana

Sthira - firm, fixed, steady, steadfast, lasting
sukham – happiness, delight
asanam - postures

Y.S. 2.47  Prayatna shaitilya ananta samapatti bhyam
Perfection in an asana is achieved when the effort to perform it becomes effortless and the infinite being within is reached.

Prayatna – persevering effort
shaitilya  - relaxation
ananta – endless, infinite
samapatti – Absorption of the infinite
bhyam - both

Y.S. 2.48  Tato dvandva anabhighatah
From then on the practitioner is undisturbed by dualities.  
Tato – from that, then
dvandva – dualities, opposites
anabhighatah -  free from affliction

Asana is a balance of effort and ease.  Learn to pay attention as you practice the poses.  Are your teeth gritted?  Are you holding your breath?  Or, is the breath ragged and sound like a steam engine, gushing out in bursts?  If you are not even aware of these sensations then you may be exerting too much effort and focusing too much on the physical aspects of the posture.  Again, posture is just one aspect of yoga.  Develop a curious sense of exploration about the pose and your participation in it.  Cultivate the capacity to feel as if you could be in the pose forever.  Perfection in asana is reached when effort ceases, instilling infinite poise.The final sutra on asana talks about not being disturbed by the dualities.  This refers to the qualities of opposites: hot/cold, pleasure/pain, now/later, being able to do the pose/not being able to do the pose.  It asks us to truly be in the present moment, allowing what is happening as opposed to preferring something else to be happening.  This sounds so simple in theory and yet it is really quite hard.  But, it is these preferences that cause us to suffer.The next sutras are about pranayama, or working with the life force energy of the breath.  When we are in struggle, or in fight/flight mode, or struggling with accepting things the way they are as opposed to how we want them to be our energy is scattered and it is hard to channel the energy of the breath.

Bound Triangle - Part 2: Your shoulders are part of your back, not your neck

“Perfection in an asana is achieved when the effort to perform it becomes effortless and the infinite being within is reached.”Just when you thought your Triangle Pose was looking pretty good here comes Bound Triangle; which is Triangle on steroids.  As one of my philosophy teachers used to say:  “In an ever expanding universe, there is always more.”Four Stages to Bound Triangle

1. Elongating the Torso

2. Shoulders are part of you back, not part of your neck.

3. Lengthening the Hamstrings

4. Binding – When the Effort becomes Effortless

Remember that Tadasana is the blueprint for every posture.  So, in every pose, lengthen through your spine, lift the collar bones and draw your shoulder blades towards the spine and down towards your waist.  If you are used to standing with your shoulders rounded forward, this may feel a little like you are doing a Standing Bridge Pose.We can feel this by using a belt as a shoulder harness to stretch the shoulders back.  It looks like this:We will use some variations of Triangle, Side Angle and Half Moon with the top arm behind the back holding on to a belt that help to turn the chest up. The belt helps us to feel what it is like to get the shoulders in the same vertical plane with the chest facing sideways rather than the floor.

The Fruits of Practicing the Yamas and the Niyamas – Yoga Sutras II.29 to II.45

In the Yoga Sutras Patanjali gives us the Eight Limbs of Yoga. Most yoga students have heard of these. Sometimes they are referred to as the Ten Commandments of Yoga. Patanjali not only tells us what to practice in order to reach enlightenment, but why we should practice. Here I will discuss the first two limbs. They are the Yamas and the Niyamas.

The Yamas are moral and ethical restraints in your interactions with others. There are 5 of them.

Ahimsa – non violence. To one who is steeped in non-violence, in their presence all hostilities will cease.

Satya – truthfulness. To one who is steeped in truthfulness, their words will have the power to make things manifest.

Asteya – non-stealing. Non-covetousness leads to desirelessness and this in turn brings worldly and spiritual wealth without a hankering for them.

Brahmacharya – control of sensual pleasure. One who controls sensual pleasure, and does not let sensual pleasure control them, develops vigor and energy

Aparigraha – non-hoarding. One who lives free from attachment to possessions and lives without greed, finds that all their needs are met and they reach the path of knowledge and wisdom, which is real and permanent.

The Niyamas make up the second limb of yoga; they are observances for your self.

Saucha – cleanliness, purity. With purity of body, interest in sensual pleasures or contact with other’s bodies fades and the urge towards spiritual knowledge dawns. By maintaining cleanliness and orderliness, the wandering mind is transformed which brings cheerfulness, single-focused attention and control over the senses of perception, which leads towards realization of the soul.

Santosha – contentment. By practicing contentment a joyful awareness needed to realize the inner self arises.

Tapas – effort, burning zeal. By practicing tapas one develops control over the body and the senses.

Svadhyaya – self-study with the help of scriptures or sacred texts. Self study from the skin to the Self with the guidance of sacred scriptures leads toward the realization of God, or communion with te longed for deity.

Ishvara Pranidhana – Surrender to a higher power. This leads to Samadhi, or the realization of God in whatever form the practitioner deems God to be.

Bound Triangle

“Perfection in an asana is achieved when the effort to perform it becomes effortless and the infinite being within is reached.” 

Y.S. 2.47Just when you thought your Triangle Pose was looking pretty good, here comes Bound Triangle; which is Triangle on steroids.

As one of my philosophy teachers used to say: “In an ever expanding universe, there is always more.”

Four Stages to Bound Triangle

1. Elongating the Torso

2. Shoulders are part of you back, not part of your neck.

3. Lengthening the Hamstrings

4. Binding – When the Effort becomes Effortless

This week we will work on Elongating the Torso

It is important to have good hip and shoulder mobility so that we move at the big joints first. If our hips or shoulders are restricted, then our spines will be forced to compensate. Yoga is primarily about learning to extend the spine, creating space between the vertebrae.So much of our life is spent shortening our spine as we hunch over steering wheels, smart phones and computers. Life can also be difficult so we further round our shoulders in a posture of protection. We often live in fear: of being taken advantage of, of looking foolish, of not being prepared. It is no wonder that we often can’t sit up straight and throw our shoulders back.We will work on this in class with a shoulder harness on. I have been doing this for the last week or so. It is a good stretch and warm up for any pose, but it is a particularly good body blueprint for binds which often cause us to shorten our spines.Next week:Shoulders are part of your back, not your neck

Yoga Sutra 2.29 – The Eight Limbs of Yoga

Chapter 2 – Sadhana Pada: The Chapter on Practice.

Yoga Sutra 2.29 – The Eight Limbs

This is the most well known sutra in the whole text: By the practice of the limbs of yoga, the impurities dwindle away and there dawns the light of wisdom, leading to discriminative discernment.

Y.S. - 2.29 Yama niyama asana pranayama pratyhara dharana dhyana samadhayo astavangani

Yama - restraints, respect for others
niyama - observances, respect for yourself
asana - posture
pranayama - breath control, energy
pratyhara - withdrawal from the pull of the senses
dharana - concentration
dhyana - meditation
samadhayo – absorption, enlighten
mentasta - eight
angani - limbs

The eight limbs of yoga are a code for how to interact with others, observances for yourself,  your physical well-being, harnessing your energy, withdrawing from the pull of the senses, concentration, meditation and perfected consciousness.

Most of people in the west think of yoga as the third limb only, the physical postures. But each of the rungs is equally important. In the next sutras Patanjali not only explains each of the yamas and niyamas but tells you what the fruits of each practice are. The promises are quite extraordinary!

Pinca Mayurasana or Peacock Feather Pose

Pinca Mayurasana

Pinca Mayurasana is an intermediate arm balance. It is taught after Headstand and Handstand have been introduced. It is easier to learn to balance in than Handstand because you have more of a foundation to ground you.  It is similar to Headstand, except that it requires more strength and stretch in the shoulders as the head is lifted off of the ground.

Pinca requires the full range of motion in the shoulder girdle, where the arms are raised in the overhead position in line with the torso in 180 degrees of flexion.  It is often a good idea to begin with shoulder stretches when warming up for this posture.   If you are tight in your shoulders, you will feel that this Forearm Balancing Pose is more of a back bend, but it is not meant to be.  There are variations where you can back bend into a Scorpion version, but the basic pose is an upside-down Tadasana on your forearms.When you begin to learn any inversion, there is a tendency to become disoriented.  All inversions in yoga literally turn our worlds upside down.  Can we stay connected when this happens?  Can we breathe and pay attention to where we are and what we’re doing?  Practicing the right angle version of Pincha Mayurasana  in the beginning allows you to get a sense of the pose while being able to remain in your center.  It also helps you build strength. 

Yoga, as defined by Patanjali in his Yoga Sutras, should be practiced without interruption over a long period of time.  This is really important when you start going upside down and balancing on your arms instead of your feet.  Pincha Mayurasana demands this of us.  In return it will repay us with a wonderful sense of strength and confidence.  With the body in an inverted position, prana circulates stimulating the circulatory system, the glandular system and cleansing the mind.  Not only do inversions help us to face our fears, they help regulate the chemistry of the mind; balancing depression and anxiety.  With consistent practice over a long period of time the benefits of this pose are endless.

There is a Japanese word, sat, the meaning of which can be described as the moment right before a performer walks on stage when the heart is racing with the knowledge that anything could happen, the moment right before creation, the moment of crisis. This is very close to the Sanskrit word Satya meaning truth. It is this moment of crisis, this moment of truth that we have the opportunity to confront our fear and to feel the most alive. There is a moment of sat before you perform any pose that scares you.  There can be a moment of sat right before you lift your leg above your head for Pinca Mayurasana.

A Lesson in How to Shake it Off

One day a farmer's donkey fell down into a well. The animal cried piteously for hours as the farmer tried to figure out what to do. Finally, he decided the animal was old, and the well needed to be covered up anyway; it just wasn't worth it to retrieve the donkey.

He invited all his neighbors to come over and help him. They all grabbed a shovel and began to shovel dirt into the well. At first, the donkey realized what was happening and cried horribly. Then, to everyone's amazement he quieted down.

A few shovel loads later, the farmer finally looked down the well. He was astonished at what he saw. With each shovel of dirt that hit his back, the donkey was doing something amazing. He would shake it off and take a step up.

As the farmer's neighbors continued to shovel dirt on top of the animal, he would shake it off and take a step up. Pretty soon, everyone was amazed as the donkey stepped up over the edge of the well and happily trotted off!

MORAL :
Life is going to shovel dirt on you, all kinds of dirt. The trick to getting out of the well is to shake it off and take a step up. Each of our troubles is a steppingstone. We can get out of the deepest wells just by not stopping, never giving up! Shake it off and take a step up.