In the Ashtanga Tradition of Sri K. Pattabhi Jois, both full and new Moon days are regarded as holidays and asana practice is not recommended. Guruji explains that when the triad of the Earth, Sun and Moon are all in a straight line in space, universal energy is much stronger on these days and the possibility of injury is greater. Injury during this period is often more intense and the injury takes longer to heal.
Scientists agree, our bodies are made of 70% water and we are subject to the gravitational pull of the Sun and Moon much like our oceans. The month’s highest tides are during full and new Moons. During a full Moon, the Sun is in opposition to the Moon and planet Earth is found in between them; we see the Moon rise in the East as the Sun sets in the West at this time. Usually 14 days later, we will experience a new Moon in which the Sun and Moon are conjunct. We will not see the Moon when it is new because it is in between the Earth and the Sun. Sometimes the new moon is referred too as the dark Moon. The day after this new Moon, we will see a small sliver of the Moon after sunset.
After the new Moon, the Moon will be waxing and collecting more light from the Sun day by day until it becomes full 2 weeks later. After the full Moon, the Moon is waning, appearing smaller and smaller in visible shape day by day.
During the full Moon cycle, pranic energy (prana vayu) is dominant. This pranic energy is upward moving, towards the head and north pole of the spinal axis. This period sees an increase of internal fluid, physical energy and possible over stimulation of body and mind.
During the new Moon cycle, apranic energy (apana vayu) is dominant. Apranic energy is downward moving towards the south pole of the spinal axis. This period is decreasing and eliminating in nature. Individuals experience a loss of internal fluid, dry, stiff muscles and joints, decreased physical and mental energy and can often appear moody or lethargic. Due to this downward dominant force of the new Moon, Farmers have found this the optimal time for planting their crops. The uplifting and flowering time of the full Moon is optimal for transplanting and harvesting.
In traditional cultures, new and full Moon periods are favorable times for rituals, auspicious beginnings and endings, more intense sadhana (spiritual practice), ceremonies and important decision making. Astrologers are forever watching the Moon in their predictions and scheduling of important calendar dates to find the most advantageous times for a variety of occasions such as the signing of contracts, weddings, birth and death. Women are often much more cognizant of and sensitive to the Moon cycles due to the Moon’s direct connection to the menstruation cycle. This is the natural sacred cycle of fertility and creation itself.
Living in highly industrialized areas, human beings generally become less attuned to lunar cycles. Often, we do not see the rising or setting of the Moon if we live in an area with tall buildings. We do not rely on lunar light for night vision as our ancestors. We are frequently tuned into the cycle of a 9-5 workday and a 5 day work week more than anything.
Tuning into, witnessing and perhaps even celebrating the lunar cycles of the full and new moon is a way for us to connect to the internal cycles of our own bodies as well as the macrocosmic dance of the Earth, Sun and Moon. Where is the Moon?
A tração da lua
Na tradição de Ashtanga de Sri K. Pattabhi os dias da lua cheia e nova de Jois, são considerados como feriados e a prática do asana não é recomendada. Guruji explica que quando todos a tríade da terra, o sol e a lua estão em uma linha reta, a energia universal é muito mais forte nestes dias e a possibilidade de ferimento é mais grande. Ferimento durante este período é frequentemente mais intenso e as tomadas de ferimento mais por muito tempo heal.
Os cientistas concordam, nossos corpos são feitos da água de 70% e nós somos sujeitos à tração gravitacional do sol e da lua bem como nossos oceanos. As marés as mais elevadas do mês são durante luas cheias e novas. Durante uma lua cheia, o sol está na oposição à lua e a terra do planeta é encontrada dentro entre elas; nós vemos a lua levantar-se no leste enquanto o sol se ajusta no oeste neste tempo. Geralmente 14 dias mais tarde, nós experimentaremos uma lua nova em que o sol e a lua são conjuntos. Nós não veremos a lua quando é nova porque está dentro entre a terra e o sol. A lua nova é consultada às vezes demasiado como a lua escura. O dia após esta lua nova, nós veremos um sliver pequeno da lua após o por do sol.
Após a lua nova, a lua será encerando e de coleta mais luz do dia do sol pelo dia até que se transforme completamente 2 semanas mais tarde. Após a lua cheia, a lua waning, parecendo menor e menor no dia visível da forma pelo dia. Durante o ciclo da lua cheia, a energia pranic (vayu do prana) é dominante. Esta energia pranic é mover-se ascendente, para o pólo principal e norte da linha central spinal. Este período vê um aumento do líquido interno, da energia física e do stimulation excedente possível do corpo e da mente.
Durante o ciclo da lua nova, a energia apranic (vayu do apana) é dominante. A energia de Apranic é mover-se descendente para o pólo sul da linha central spinal. Este período é diminuindo e eliminando na natureza. Os indivíduos experimentam uma perda do líquido interno, os músculos e junções secas, duras, energia física e mental diminuída e podem frequentemente parecer moody ou lethargic. devido a esta força dominante descendente da lua nova, fazendeiros encontraram isto o momento optimal para plantar suas colheitas. Uplifting e a época flowering da lua cheia são optimal para transplanting e colher.
Em culturas tradicionais, os períodos da lua nova e cheia são épocas favoráveis para rituals, começos e endings auspicious, um sadhana mais intenso (prática espiritual), uns ceremonies e fazer de decisão importante. Os astrologers estão prestando atenção para sempre à lua em em seus predições e programar de datas de calendário importantes para encontrar os tempos os mais vantajosos para uma variedade das ocasiões tais como assinar dos contratos, dos casamentos, do nascimento e da morte. As mulheres são frequentemente muito mais cognizant e sensíveis aos ciclos da lua devido à conexão direta da lua ao ciclo do menstruation. Este é o ciclo sacred natural da fertilidade e da criação própria.
Vivendo em áreas altamente industrialized, os seres humanos tornam-se geralmente attuned mais menos aos ciclos lunares. Frequentemente, nós não vemos levantar-se ou ajustar-se da lua se nós vivermos em uma área com edifícios altos. Nós não confiamos na luz lunar para a visão da noite como nossos antepassados. Nós somos ajustados freqüentemente no ciclo um workday 9-5 e uma semana do trabalho de 5 dias de mais do que qualquer coisa.
Está ajustando em, testemunha e talvez mesmo comemorando os ciclos lunares da lua cheia e nova uma maneira para que nós conectem aos ciclos internos de nossos próprios corpos as.well.as a dança macrocosmic da terra, do sol e da lua. Onde está a lua?Details
SATYA – The Road Sign to Virtuous Living
One full moon morning, yogi Hariananda Das was sitting on his meditation cushion. The yogin suddenly finds himself daydreaming of past events and cleaning the dirt from underneath his big toenail. He giggles and realizes that he is not being true with his meditation’s intention of being focused, still and present. Being true to himself and his practice, Hariananda Das breathes deeply, closes his eyes and begins to internally chant his mantra and work his necklace of mala beads. In an effort to be genuine, he remains virtuous in his practice.
The story of Hariananda Das might be quite familiar. Perhaps the greatest way that the yama, Satya (truthfulness) can be utilized in life is to consistently be involved with the process of self-observation. We remain vigilant towards our objective by asking, “Am I being honest with myself in my effort to accomplish the task at hand?”
While practicing asana, consistent employment of dristhi, bundhas, correct alignment and full breath ensures that the practice will be fruitful. In this process of distraction, simply recognize your digression and gently bring yourself back to the practice.
While working at your place of employment, are you doing the best job you can? What is getting in the way? Be honest to find your potential. Compassionately accept that it is a natural phenomenon for focus to digress, but it is the road sign of Satya that keeps us progressing on our path.
Concerning thought and action, it is often recommended to not be in denial of the way things are. It is wise to be responsible for all of your self generated karmas and to take ownership of for all mind – body conditions. Not observing or recognizing our shadow or dark side can be tsunami of misfortune.
Those of us who are inspired to make positive changes to the environment towards sustainability and global health might want to check in with themselves to make sure they are leaving a light footprint on the earth. Are our actions and consumption patterns in line with how we consider ourselves as an environmentalist or green?
The Sanskrit word Sat is defined as true. Sat is the root of the word Sattva. Sattva is one of the 3 gunas. These gunas are qualities or attributes of nature. Sattva guna is representative of clarity, illumination, steadiness, purity and harmony. These are primary attributes and fruit of a yogic lifestyle.
As yoga practitioners, are we being honest in our commitment to cultivating sattva as a predominant way of being? Are we practicing early in the morning to reap the benefits of absorbing the sattvic atmospheric conditions that exist at sunrise? Are we eating light, pure and healthy food? Are we really conserving and refining our sexual and vital energy so that it can be directed towards our own internal development?
When the light and clarity of sattva dawns, discrimination (viveka) between the true and the untrue manifests. Recognizing the eternal and the transitory becomes possible. The sword of viveka is sharp, cutting through ignorance, delusion and confusion.
When discussing yoga Sutra ii:36, most commentaries explain that for those who are established in Satya whatever they desire or say will come true. Brahmananda Sarasvati, (Dr. Ramamurti S. Mishra) explains, “When the mind is firmly established in truth, every action performed will receive immediate results. In the ordinary state, when a man’s thoughts contain both truth and untruth, a man will take longer to obtain success in his actions, or he may fail even if he is performing his deeds. When one’s mind is purified through meditation and untruth is removed, one’s performed actions soon begin to bring results, even exceeding one’s expectations. When a yogin’s mind is established in nothing but truth, his every word becomes full of truth and his word is a blessing to others.”
There are many facets to the gem of Satya. Know thyself. Love thyself. Try to be real, that’s the deal. Satya is a guidepost to virtuous living.Details
SHAUCHA – Personal and Planetary Cleanliness
Do you remember Pig Pin, from the “Snoopy” cartoons of Charles Schultz? Pig Pin always had a dark cloud of dirt and negative thoughts around him like a grey aura. Pig Pin is an example of someone who could benefit from the practice of Shaucha. It is one of the Niyamas form the Patanjalim Yoga Sutras that is usually defined as purity or cleanliness. Schucha comes in two basic categories, external and internal.
External cleanliness (bahir shaucha) refers to keeping the body and environment clean. This includes skin, hair, yoga mat, clothes, office desk, car, clean air, rivers, oceans, etc. Bad personal hygiene habits can be unhealthy and a distraction for yourself and others.
I will never forget the time I was having trouble concentrating in a yoga class because the person next to me had terrible body odor. It was only halfway through my practice that I noticed that this stinky person was me.
Did you know that there is a swirling plastic trash vortex in the Northern Pacific Ocean that is about the size of Texas? Using bio-degradable products, minimizing plastic consumption, eating a plant based diet, recycling, buying organic produce, using solar and wind power are just a handful of ways in which we can make a contribution towards Planetary Shaucha.
Internal cleanliness (antar shaucha) involves detoxifying the body and purifying the mind. Eating a healthy plant based diet with regular physical exercise (asana) is best for cleaning and detoxifying the physical body. Heavy, oily, spicy foods should be avoided. Pure diet allows the mind to be alert, cheerful, clear and fit for concentration. If the body is not healthy, and for example, one of our internal organs is diseased or out of balance, meditation is not possible.
Buddhism and Yoga both refer to six poisons that negatively affect our spiritual heart. These poisons afflict our mind and create suffering and negative karma. Sri K. Pattabhi Jois lists these six poisons in his book Yoga Mala as: kama (lust), krodha (anger), moha (delision), lobha (greed), matsarya (jealousy) and mada (laziness). These afflictions can be minimized by practicing for a long period of time with dedication and non-attachment to results. Ultimately these poisons can be removed from one’s personal field of cause and effect only by deep and skillful meditation.
These six poisons can be symbolized as dirt that surrounds the spiritual or causal heart (not the physical heart or the energetic heart, anahata chakra). As spiritual practice deepens and evolves, this dirt is slowly washed away and the light of our true eternal Self shines forth. Fruit of successful yogic practice are qualities such as maitri (friendliness), karuna (compassion), sukkha (happiness) upekshanam (equanimity / indifference) and generosity. These qualities allow us to break the chain of negativity that persists here on planet Earth. Be the change. Cleanse and purify, rise and shine – Behold the jewel in the lotus.Details
TAPAS – Voluntary Suffering
What is Tapas? A mystery to the lazy?… a magic ingredient for the evolving yogi?….accomplished athletes, yogis and musicians know it well.
Tapas is traditionally defined as to burn or to glow or a method to produce energy…or a process which illuminates the imperfections of one’s own personality
Tapas is listed as one of the five Niyamas or observances, which one of the eight limbs of Ashtanga yoga from the Patanjalim Yoga Sutras. In many commentaries, tapas is often defined as austerity, penance or discipline. Simply put, tapas is the hard work involved in any transformational process.
A more esoteric perspective of tapas is tapas is, voluntary suffering for one’s own purification and development. This intentional suffering is one in which we place ourselves in a situation in which the heat of the moment begins to cook our entire being, physical body, mind and sense organs included.
By consistent, hard work, unhelpful or negative samscaras (habits), kleshas (root afflictions) are forced to surface in our awareness and then discarded, burned, released and purged. Ahimsa (nonviolence) and vairagyam (dispassion) have their place in ones life and practice, but we all need to do some authentic “housecleaning” to see the brilliance of jewel of the Self shine forth.
One simple example of tapas is sitting in a sweltering hot sauna to sweat out toxins. Another example is B.K.S. Iyengar’s saying, “the posture begins when you are ready to come out of it. Doing the hard work of staying in the asana even though our legs are shaking and our breath is becoming unsteady is what is required for us to develop core strength and stability.
Tapas for mental development or purification could be regarded as training our minds to concentrate on one thing for an extended period of time. This Tapasia of the mind involves harnessing the verve and inspiration to let go of our limited Self-concepts and unhealthy negative thought patterns.
In the Yoga Sutras, Patanjali begins his discussion of sadhana or spiritual practice by saying along with svadyaya (study of the Self) and isvarapranidhana (surrendering to the divine), tapas is a necessary ingredient for any authentic yoga practice (YS 2:1). Without tapas we never make it onto the mat or meditation pillow.
Thinking about yoga, planning to do yoga, talking about yoga is wonderful, inspiring and easy. Doing the work is another. Going deeper into our practice consistently to get stronger and to get clearer glimpses of our true eternal nature is hard work. To taste the fruit of our practice is a great source of real joy and peace. Learn to schedule and manage your time. Prioritize work, play, eating and practice to create a balanced, healthy and joyful life for yourself.Details
