Sunday New Blog Times: Ashtanga Kraming!

Finally a comprehensive (full of lists the way I like it! ;-) Vinyasa Krama Blog... about time Grimmly!

Uh Oh, do we have an ashtangi crossing into Vinyasa Kraming? God bless her!

Bindy has just had a near death experience and she believes that God is for real!

My feeling is that when people talk poorly about others, what they are seeing is something they cannot admit to seeing in themselves, do you talk badly about others?

What is the deal about the 5 breaths? Asks this person who claims to be a certified ashtanga mysore-style teacher... hm.

The Yoga Confluence is building some buzz, so much so there is now a blog called "Confluence Countdown"!  Talk about commitment to the cause.

Need a Yoga Travel Agency? Rose has some great suggestions here!

I just had my first year wedding anniversary!

Last Sunday New Blog Times: How Old Do You Think He Is?

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My Fiasco At The Secluded Solitary Meditation Cave

A few years back, out of the blue I decided I was ready for solitude and a high meditative practice. I booked myself a solitary cabin with the Shambhala people in Vermont whom at the time would let you do the cave-week retreat if you had taken just seven days of their dathun program (which I had done earlier in Colorado). I think that has changed now and you need more time.  I can see why.

A Dathun is a four-week training in meditation which is completely different than Vipassana.  For example: people are allowed to talk at night, they can eat meat, smoke, and even have sex under certain circumstances.  It was a great introduction to meditation for me as it does not force someone into being a "monk" as Vipassana would.

Solitary Cabin Shambhala Tradition

The day before I left for the retreat I had an argument at work for a reason I don't recall but that at the time seemed very unfair.  I had the image of my boss in my mind the whole drive. Feelings of hatred, anger, and disappointment filled the road.  Not even Pema Chodron's recordings on the car CD could appease me. I was mad and broken.

As soon as I arrived I felt like I was in jail.  The explanations were clear, I was to be alone and walk only to a certain area.  There was the stupa that I could circumvent (if only I was not petrified of bears), and if I needed anything I could leave a note by a certain point on the path to the main hall which would be collected once a day by a mediator aid.  Food or water would be delivered to me twice in the week but I was encouraged to bring as much as I could with me to minimize disruptions.

The cabin had no electricity or heat.  I had to actually keep a fire going and use the gas stove to make simple food that would aid in the meditation.  I was also to abide by all Shambhala codes of meditation.

It had sounded great when I read about it at work, from the point of view of a stressed-out woman at the end of her wits.  Being alone seemed perfect: no other people, nobody to report to, no external world obligations, just sit down and meditate.  How great!  Is it?

There was one single detail I forgot:  MY MIND WAS COMING WITH ME.

My mind at the time, great painting I found at Goturboegon

I was barely able to meditate one hour out of the whole day for the first 4 days.  Everything distracted me, the coyotes calling each other at night, the cold, the bad food, the stove, my body which began to look weird to me, the feeling of being in jail, memories of work.

On the fourth day I was to get a visit from an adviser and knowing that she was coming helped me get a full 1.5 hours of meditation in.

"There is a nice energy here" she said as she came in, maybe just trying to encourage me because I could even sense how palpable my discomfort was.

The next day I walked to the main hall with determination, and found her: I am leaving, I said.  I cannot take this, it is bringing up everything and I cant do anything, much less do nothing.

She suggested I joined the Dathun that was on-going at that time rather than just leave, which I did.  I did not care about sleeping on a mat in the meditation hall, or being kicked out of Dathun-participants-only activities, I was among people again, out of jail! Out of my mind.

The thought of retiring to a cabin sounds good once in a while, but I believe we must remember that the renunciation we are looking for is not one of the world but rather one of our own thought processes.

Just like with Yoga-asana, we build up to it, we cannot determine when we will be ready for more advanced practices, we just need to exercise the muscles on a daily basis, and let the rest come.

Here are 7 things to renounce right here, right now, before we go all out looking for a cave:

1. Our own belligerent tendencies
2. Our anger
3. Our pain
4. Our idea that to achieve higher states of yoga we must be secluded
5. Our saboteur
6. Our idealization that being anywhere else would be better than right here
7. Our Resistance to be present with things exactly as they are right now

Last year James and I went back to Shambhala in Vermont for an "Intro to Meditation" weekend. One afternoon we had a group walk and we passed near the area of the the solitary cabins.  

Some of the group participants were talking about their solitary retreat experiences. I said nothing.  James wanted me to share my story with the group, but I was reluctant.  He was all in awe at me that I had managed such feast, but internally I knew I was a fake.  That is why I wanted to say nothing.

How To Find Time To Meditate For Two Hours Per Day
9 Reasons Why Vipassana is The Most Effective Meditation School Out There
10 Things to Know About Meditation

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Opening The Third Eye with Surgery?

What if someone asked you: "Can I open my third eye with a surgical operation?" What would be your first instinct in answering such a question? I know. Ridiculous, right?

A few weeks ago Ramaswami directed people on the Vinyasa Krama Facebook page to the commentary of the old text "Hatha Yoga Pradipika" done by a sage named Brahmananda.  Of course curiosity took the best of me and I got the edition, and then as luck always has it, became intrigued and started searching for what else might he have written.

"Through innumerable incarnations and rebirths man has hypnotized himself with his body" reads the opening line of his book "Fundamentals of Yoga" which I am enjoying at leisure and with eyes wide open because he presents yoga in a very "reachable" way.  Samadhi or a perfect peaceful mind that is capable of using 100% of its power is totally attainable in the words of Brahmananda, as long as we put in the work.

Brahmananda was also a doctor of medical science, trained throughout the world, including Canada and the United States. New York out of all states.  His title of medical doctor apparently brought lots of people into his office, and many of them had the question posed in the title.

His answer:  Yes!

"My answer is very clear and simple: Yes. With this positive answer people become very hopeful, happy and ready for an operation. But when I explained the real meaning of the operation, its process and cost, up to date they have seldom returned"

"This operation can never be performed in hospitals.  For ... you need a living area full of spiritual atmosphere, we need a surgeon and assistant surgeon, anesthetist and other helpers. In this operation our surgeon is eternal mind. The operating table is an easy posture; general anesthesia is produced by the power of samyamah (the last 3 of the 8 limbs of yoga), the body is magnetized ... by pratyahara (withdrawal of energy and consciousness)... then one becomes ready for this operation."

He then proceeds to give the 7 steps which I am summarizing here:

1.- Place the body comfortable posture, so comfortable that if deep sleep comes you will not fall
2.- Remove all anxieties and weakness from the mind
3.- thing that behind this body there is an eternal energy that has created all planets and it is your own nature
4.- Think about this eternal energy shining around us for a few minutes.
5.- Close your eyes and fix your attention over the whole body.  Use samyama and pratyahara. Relax your whole body, withdraw energy from every organ and fix it on the place of the third eye.
6.- Remain in this state until you feel you have no body.
7.- When in this state, nadam (high consciousness) will remove ignorance forever and you will see the dawn of eternal knowledge in the firmament of the mind. this is called the third eye, and this process it the operation.

So how do you like them apples?

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Garba Pindasana Slowly Coming Along: Thank You Summer!

They call them the 'core' poses of the primary series.  You know the ones because they look impossible in the beginning.  They are:  Bhuja, Kurma and Supta, Garba and Badha Konasana.  The stuff that will definitely get you sweating if you haven't already!

Garba pindasana, one of those 'core poses' is the focus of attention of this post because, having no meniscus ligaments due to rough childhood playing, my knees seem to not want to stay close together while in the full lotus.

The negotiation of this pose and in order to protect the knees, includes for me:

1. Separating the flesh under the shin and under the thigh of the right leg, then bending it and 'locking the knee' so that it will be protected
2. Bringing the right foot as far up the left groin as I can
3. Getting into full lotus and getting the legs as close as possible
4. Doing the sweat-dance to get the arms to slip through while still maintaining the knees close together
5. Rolling -  watching those knees so that they do not separate
6. Attempting to come up to kukuttasana, which has yet to happen, at least all at once

This is my first video ever of Garba pindasana (well I had one before but I did not dare share).  I feel it is coming, and so continuing with the theme of summer appreciation here it comes:

It is a work in progress...  If you cannot see the video click here.



Related:
9 Ways to Fail at Yoga
9 Reasons Why Practicing at a Shala is Worth Every Penny

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Summer Wonders: Kurmasana Video

Summer is hitting us really hard in the North East of the Americas (planet Earth).  For example, right now as I draft this post at 5 o'clock PM it 'feels like' 105 degrees. That is what the weather web-site tells me.  How do meteorologist get that?  Do they go outside in bunches and ask themselves: hm, to me it feels like 106.  No! no, says another one, it is definitely 107.

In any event it is so hot here that last Wednesday I was only able to keep the ritual, not the practice. Felt like I was going to die. Hard confession to admit to.

The good thing about the heat however is that practice, when it returns, gets sweaty and deep, and supta / kurmasana, at least this week, started showing symptoms of actually happening, or getting close to it. If you cannot see the video click here.

Right before practice I was reading Gregor Maehle's primary series book (always a great thing to do before getting on the mat) and realized he talks about the marichasanas being a wonderful warm up for kurmasana because they open the hips and help in the action that needs to happen for the legs to come on top of the shoulders.

So I went deeper in the marichis and enjoyed them, but cannot help but wonder if it is really the heat that is doing the bulk of the work.

This week I am dedicating all practices to the summer, with gratitude for opening the body and bringing all the necessary sweat and flexibility.  Bless!

And here is the video of the kurmasana and supta work-in-progress.  It's coming!

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Where oh Where Does Patanjali Mention Vinyasa in the Yoga Sutras?

What if someone was to ask you (very likely): Hey! where does Patanjali ever say anything about vinyasa?  Maybe even with a threatening tone or something, doubting your yoga knowledge to the point of making your serpent spine shake. What then?

Vinyasa is the linking of the breath with each movement while practicing asana or poses. It is sacred. It must happen for the practice to be effective.

And where oh where did Krishnamacharya get that from? how did he and his guru gather this tiny bit of information from the 2000 year old Yoga Sutras?

As you know sutra 2.46 is the most famous sutra in the world (make that in my world):  2.46 Sthira Sukham Asanam, or: Sitted position should be comfortable and steady.

Say it out loud, it feels good:  Sthira Sukham Asanam!

That, my yogis, is pretty much everything that Patanjali said about asanas or poses, which we ashtangis -led by Jois and family- take to a whole new level (as in 6 series of them!).

Now, the reason why Patanjali did not elaborate on the poses is simply because:
a) There were other texts on asanas, so people could look those up to learn about them. And
b) He wrote his work with impeccable grammar and to be memorized and passed through the generations. I still have not been able to memorize the whole thing and he knew that someone like me was in the future cards, therefore brevity was of the essence.

But still, no mention of vinyasa.  That is UNTIL, the next sutra:

2.47 prayatna saithily anantasam apattibhyam, or: Effort should be accompanied by smooth breath

AHA!

I was blessed to actually have Ramaswami himself (he studied with the big K for 30+ years) illuminate the point. This is what he said via e-mail:

"Sri T Krishnamacharya had said in his Yoga Makaranda (read it here for free) and also in Yoga Rahasya that full benefits of yogasana cannot be obtained without vinyasas.  Regarding the Yoga Sutra reference it would be about the use of breath in the practice of asanas. The interpretation of the terms in the sutras "sthira, sukha, prayatna saitilya and aananta samapatti" the four paramenters mentioned. These refer to comfort, steadiness, smooth breathing and focus on the breath while practicing asanas which is the way Sri TK taught me vinyasa practice."

In his book Yoga For the Three Stages of Life, he also says:

"... Hence the word prayatna should be taken to mean "the effort of breathing". And it should be made smooth (sithila, from which comes saithilya, relaxation).  Thus during the practice of asanas, the breath should be smooth and in my teachers' system it is therefore mandatory to stop one's practice and to rest when the breath is not smooth. shortness of breath is associated with a fragmented mind"

So there you have it!  should someone ask you with malicious intent or not, you can tell them that in Sutra 2.47 both Krishnamacharya and his guru derived the need for vinyasa:

...Just as music without harmony and melody will not be enjoyable, so also asana done without vinyasa will not confer health on the practitioner. Such being the case, how can we expect long life, strength, etc. if you do not follow the stipulated rules and disciplines. (Krishnamacharya in Yoga Makaranda)

Related:
Matthew Sweeney has the best pictures on all the vinyasas for the series of Ashtanga
Following the Yoga Sutras on How to Deal with Crappy People
Keeping it Real: 8 Things You Need To Know About the Eight Limbs of Yoga

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Sunday New Blog Times: Advanced Pranayama With The Sivanandas

Krishna tells everything that happens at an advanced pranayama 2 week course open only for Sivandanda TT Graduates.

Remember the Carol Horton article on "Yogging", Why do we blog about yoga?  Well, seems I am not the only one to have made a post response, there were one, two, three, four other contributors giving their ideas!  Aaaaannnnd I think after I drafted this there were even more.

Grimmly asks: Would I be welcome in your yoga studio / shala?  Very interesting post and comments.

A Mysore countdown app?

And an oldie, from 2002, whereby a person of Indian nationality patented cow urine for medicinal purposes, wondering how he is doing these days...

Last Week David published this video which I found very inspiring.
"...Be thankful if you have a teacher,  and if you do not have one 'psyche one into being' because the teach-ings are there...we are all trying to tap them... when we come together that is powerful"

Untitled from David Garrigues on Vimeo.

LAST SUNDAY NEW BLOG TIMES: Don't Try This At Home

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6 Ways in Which An Ashtangi Used The Practice For Open Heart Surgery

A fantastic guest-post, well, more like a letter really, by Donald. He is an ashtanga practitioner who has just undergone open heart surgery.  We are so happy he is back! Below he tells us how he avoided anxiety and how after one month, ONE MONTH, he is back to practice! Extraordinary!
----

It has been a month now since my open heart surgery and I wanted to thank you for your well wishes. I am deeply touched. I felt the presence of you spirit and prayers on that day and wanted to let you know that I’m doing fine.  After surgery, the first week and a half at home was hard. Thank goodness for narcotics! But every week now brings progress and my doctors are surprised with how fast I am healing. I attribute that to years of daily biking and my Ashtanga practice. Already I feel my heart functions better.

Back in early March when I found out that I needed surgery my first thought was that I would train for it like an athletic event. But instead I simply got bummed out. I spent nearly two months filled with obsessive thoughts, frustrations and worries. I felt that it was just my fate that something would come up to interfere with my practice. Whether it was family or friend issues, knee problems, sore back, something would keep me from the mat. I felt sorry for myself. My practice fizzled. Then early one morning (I usually begin at 5:20 AM) I stepped onto my mat, got into child’s pose and started to cry. My tears didn’t last long but over the following days the bad feelings passed.

New thoughts arose. I thought how incredible it is that my heart could be fixed. Thirty years ago it couldn’t be done. And no matter what, my experience will help the next heart patient. I will be a model to my friends. Yoga goes beyond the mat. I can use this time to study and spend more time with my wife. How good my life has already been. I could not think otherwise. Who better can get through this than me? I rallied and my practice returned to normal.

On the day of surgery I was on the mat at 3:15 am. I said my opening prayers, did the standing asanas, marichyasanas, urdhva dhanurasana, padmasana and then closing prayers. I added additional prayers of thanks for the blessings of my life. They are many. I showered. Afterward my wife and I drove off to the hospital.

When I first awoke after surgery I looked up to the faces of my wife of 17 years and my best friend of 35 years and tears rolled down my face. I thought they were angels! I saw what I could only describe as the divine spirit in them. I had never seen that before. Was it always there? Yes, I know that I was heavily drugged but never had I witnessed such purity than at that moment. They glowed.  Awake from my momentary death they were indeed angles.  I was awestruck. Then I threw up and fell back to unconsciousness.

I wanted to let you know that my pre-operative Ashtanga practice has already given me much.

1·         I didn’t have to take any medications prior to surgery to calm me down or ‘even’ me out. Most often patients are medicated pre-operatively. In my case my blood pressure was normal. My heart rate was low. I was not anxious.

2·         While I was in the ICU I overheard my nurse say that she never had a patient who could breathe three times the average air volume on the spirometer right out of the operating room. (For all thoracic surgery, deep breathing is a key to recovery.) I attribute my lung power to Pranayama and years of bike commuting.

3·          I was released from the ICU by early evening, about 8 hours after surgery. That’s quick.

4·         The following day while lying in bed with needles, tubes and wires coming out of my neck, both arms, chest and elsewhere, I felt that I still had a core strength and a sense of presence. In Hebrew it is called “"Hineni" and means "I am here with all of my being.” (I don’t know the Sanskrit equivalent.) I did not feel damaged. I was not fearful.

5·         I already had a plan on how I would use my yoga practice to recover and couldn’t wait to get started. I did not feel depressed.

6·         I was released from the hospital in less than three days.

Now, one month later, my body has calmed down. I am almost finished with the cocktail of heart medications that I was required to take. I am off all pain medications. My ribs and shoulder are still sore but not as much as before. I have some nerve damage in my leg where I was attached to the heart lung machine. But it is improving. I am not entirely out of the woods yet but have confidence that I will be soon. Yesterday my doctors gave me the OK to resume all my activities without limitations.

Next week I return to the mat. I will begin with Matthew Sweeney’s Moon Sequence. In a few months I will write you again and let you know how it is all going. Thank you again, Claudia. The angel in you shines brightly! -

Donald


----   We look forward to hearing more from Donald, a real warrior-yogi!


See Also:
Matthew Sweeney's: Ashtanga Yoga As It Is 
Claudia's current practice
The Only 32 Things You Need To Know About Yoga

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32 Unusual Signs That You Are an EXTRAORDINARY Practitioner

Hello world, good to see you, seems I have fallen down the side of the Earth, and one hot earth that is here in the North East of the Americas.  And so, the question of the day is: How bad do you want it? I mean really. How BAAAAADDD?

I was reading Yoga Tradition, the book that is a must read for every serious practitioner (even in 180 degree weather, yes I am exaggerating it is hot here!)  when I came upon Feurestein telling us that the Shiva-Samhita (and ancient yoga text) distinguishes four types of aspirants, which one is you?

1) The Weak:  

"unenthusiastic, foolish, fickle timid... only fit for Mantra-Yoga, or repeating Om or whatever mantra your teacher gave you"

Don't you love it when old texts just call you that? "oh you are weak!".  Like how many of us will admit to that? not me!, in which case we have:

2) The Mediocre:

"Capable of practicing meditative absorption and subtle energy... endowed with even-mindedness, patience, a desire for virtue, kind speech..."

Wait a minute now, that is "mediocre"? Hm. Okayyy then.

3) The Exceptional:

"Qualifies for Hatha Yoga"... wow, finally we get to it, but it seems the Shiva Samhita only allows for the practice of union of mind and spirit, prana and apana, sun and moon, black and white, north and south, at this level!!! which includes:

Sun and moon, just how I imagine it

"Firm understanding, aptitude for meditative absorption, self-reliance, liberal-mindedness, bravery, vigor, faithfulness, willingness to worship the teacher's lotus feet and delight in practice of Yoga"  [their capital letter for Yoga]

And last but not least you get your 4.- EXTRAORDINARY practitioners, who may practice all forms of yoga, including the Raja (or the yoga of separation or discrimination between what is real and what is not) that Patanjali speaks of.

My evil plan is to be like this

Now for this one, the, says Feurestein, the ancient text lists 31 qualities. 


31? That does not really fit nicely with the theme of my blog of having lists of 32.  Situation.  Therefore.  I am adding one people. Can you guess which one?

1. Great Energy
2. Enthusiasm
3. Charm
4. Heroism
5. Scriptural Knowledge
6. Inclination to practice
7. Freedom from Delusion
8. Orderliness
9. Prime of youth 
10. Moderate eating habits
11. Control over the senses
12. Fearlessness
13. Purity
14. Skillfulness
15. Liberality
16. Ability to be a refuge for all people
17. Capability
18. Stability
19. Thoughtfulness,
20. Willingness to do whatever desired by teacher
21. Patience
22. Good manners
23. Observance of moral law
24. Ability to keep the struggle of practice to herself
25. Kind speech
26. Faith in scriptures
27. Willingness to  generate God
28. Willingness to venerate Guru as embodiment of Divine
29. Knowledge of the divine vows
30. Practice of divine vows according to her level
31. Practice of all yogas
32. Sense of humor and reading ClaudiaYoga.com

Did you guess?  If you did and you liked it PLEASE hit the Plus One button of google plus! below

A Kick in the Butt: When You Don't Feel Like Practicing
Recommended reading in any weather:

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How Do We Resucitate the Real Purpose?

While thinking of blog topics James asked me about why is it that we practice. The topic has been overdone in my opinion.

What surprised me was that the Pradipika itself, in the interpretation done by Swami  Muktibodhananada (red cover, 1985 1st edition) uses exactly such topic on the fourth paragraph. Nice and Early:

'Is it just to maintain a youthfully body? 

Or to obtain psychic powers? 

Or to develop potential energy? (kundalini) 

Or attain supraconsciousness (samadhi)?'

What else could you ask?  He then goes on to clarify that:

"In ancient times Hatha Yoga was practised as a preparation for higher consciousness. Today however, the real purpose of this great science has been forgotten"

He urges us to resusitate the real purpose.

How do we do that?

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Sunday New Blog Times: How Old Do You Think He Is?

How old do you think the guy next to Laruga is on the picture? Don't cheat, read only after you guess! (By the way, he is into ashtanga)

The Ashtanga Yoga Confluence is open for registration. Here is the schedule. (Thanks Loo)

Gee, see here Kiki teaching Nauli, the woman is in amazing shape and nauli seems oh-so-easy to her!

An Interview with 'stoner' Neal Pollack author of "Stretch", and whom aparently practices meditation only on days when there is no asana practice. Whatever works and keeps it real.

Rebel Certified Ashtnga Teacher Alex Medin tells his Mysore/Guruji stories: "My mind was so scattered..."

Aaannndd my Spanish blog is back in action. Bueno, tenia que contarlo no?



And for the video of the week:

Google has just announced Google+ where you can create circles of friends, you know? based on categories. It is competition to Facebook, similar yet different.

Will you be joining it?

Previous New Blog Times: Don't Try This At Home
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A Kick in the Butt: When You Don't Feel Like Doing It

Two days ago I was not ‘feeling it’:  The practice.  You know what I mean: Too early. Don’t want to. Let me do what the body wants.  Bukowski out of all people came to the rescue, and it was his poem (interspersed here) that got me through primary series:

If you're going to try, go all the way. 

Otherwise, don't even start. 

It could mean not eating for three or four days. 

It could mean freezing on a park bench. It could mean jail. It could mean derision. 

It could mean mockery--isolation. Isolation is the gift. 

It is Wednesday morning and I find myself in a fascinating literary spot in New York City. I am surrounded by cartoons of the New Yorker all over the hallway. In the wall paper.  The lobby presents me with pictures of incredible writers among the potted palm trees. Long chandeliers make me think of Mark Twain. Who wants to get on the mat?

All the others are a test of your endurance, of how much you really want to do it. 

TOO EARLY

That:‘too early’, is, of course, just a marketing line.  A chosen line that now defines what we think we are.  Until we notice them and go pass them.  There is always: Afternoon practice.

And, you'll do it, despite rejection and the worst odds. 

DON'T WANT TO

We can compromise.  Give up the practice but not the ritual.  Pull up your hair, get in the sweating clothes and stand on the front of the mat. Take that first ujjayi breath, balance the weight over the four corners of the feet, engage the bandhas and start that first sun salutation.  Go to where you can.  Never give up the ritual. See what happens.

And it will be better than anything else you can imagine.

WANNA DO WHAT MY BODY WANTS

Paul Dallaghan’s philosophy is so powerful I have made it my own: "if it ain't broken and you don't have a fever, then get on the mat". The point is that it is a daily practice for a reason.  It works only if sustained for a long time and we have to get real.  If it ain't broken and you don't have a fever, then get on the mat.

If you're going to try, go all the way. 

There is no other feeling like that. 

CONCLUSION

1) Try afternoon if morning does not work

2) Never give up the ritual: get on the mat and do what you can

3) If it ain't broken and no fever, do it!

You will be alone with the gods, and the nights will flame with fire. 

You will ride life straight to perfect laughter. It's the only good fight there is.

I find intriguing that Bukowski uses the same concept as Patanjali for the end-goal.  You will be "alone with the gods".  Patanjali could not have said it better himself. 

Happy moon day.

Related:

9 Changes to My Asana Practice Since Pranayama and I Went Steady

My Current Practice

5 Creative Summer Additions to Primary Series

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The Easiest Breathing Exercise to Calm the Mind: Nadi Sodhana

When things got stressful at work I used to go into the "client's bathroom", the one with a proper door and a lock. It was the closest thing to a "yogi's cave" near Times Square in NYC . Then I would practice nadi sodhana or alternate nostril breathing.

The client's bathroom had a full door, privacy,
and room for pranayama -this is not the actual thing though-

To my surprise problems began solving themselves without me even having to get involved.  Due to the centered energy gathered through the exercise, I was able to shut up and let things be, i.e.: in meetings when something was stressful.  Even if for a few minutes, or seconds I would remain calm rather than reacting incongruously and getting into further trouble.

That is the power of Nadi Sodhana.

Before we even begin
Pranayama practices can be started if a good a steady practice of asana is reached, meaning, if the body is in a good enough condition that the practitioner can sit with a straight back without pain and for, say, at least 30 minutes at a stretch.  


Also, Swami Rama talks about "right conditions" as in for example: good nutrition, good mental disposition etc. as well as the finer details, like practicing in an airy room, with good ventilation, not to cold and not too hot, free of distractions.


All of these preparations may sound un-important.  They did to me in the beginning, but only until I realized that they are actually very important and I was deluded.  So back I went to my corner and prepared, prepared, prepared.  Not that I am a master now, but at least the foundation is right for the practice to develop.


Is it Dangerous?  
No, it is not if you pay attention to the directions. Always consider talking to a teacher for further clarifications.  However, as you will see it is pretty easy.


Is there another exercise I could practice before this?
Yes, you could practice a few rounds of Kapalbhati.  And of course, having a consistent yoga-asana practice is always recommended.


What are the Benefits?

1. Opens both nostrils, which in turns balances the mental energies
2. Balances the left and right currents of electricity within the body
3. It purifies the whole nervous system when practiced regularly and with concentration
4. Brings us into a more focused, centered state
5. Improves Concentration
6. The Hatha Yoga Pradipila says that to one who practices in this way all his nadis (or nervous channels on the body) will be purified within 3 months. How about that?  Of course they talk about practicing four times a day. Let's get started with when we need it and build from there.
7. Brings a sense of well-being. Try it, you will see.

Procedure

1.- Pre-Preparation: Make sure your stomach is empty. Then, to start you may want to lay down on your belly and breath deeply for a few breaths to relax your stomach muscles, your neck, and body in general.

2.-You can also do neti pot if you have not performed asanas before this practice, to at least try to get both nostrils to be active.  And, while at it, maybe do a few sun salutes or a few asanas to indicate to the body that work is on the way.

3.- Sit in lotus or cross legged, or in siddhasana, with a straight back. The lower spine will have a slight curve so that your pelvis will be lightly tilted forward.

Knees below the pelvis, slight yet natural curvature of the lower back
open chest, erect spine. Normal curvature of the neck.
Concentrate and relax

IMPORTANT NOTE:  If for some reason you cannot sit down straight, do not be discouraged, you can try the exercise laying down.  It may make you fall asleep the first couple of times but eventually you will be able to gain all the benefits anyway.  Thanks anonymous for the comment that showed me this portion was missing from this post!

5.- You will be breathing in slowly and in a concentrated manner, counting your heart beats as you go (or counting numbers if your heart-beat is hard to notice).

• Inhale through both nostrils, slowly, concentrated, then cover your right nostril with the thumb and exhale slowly through the left. Use the pranayama set-up for the fingers to cover your nostrils

curl your index and middle finger, you will be alternate-covering your
nostrils with the thumb (for right nostril) and ring finger (to cover
the left nostril).  Do a trial first, to get used to it.

• Inhale again through the left - THIS IS IMPORTANT, once you exhale you need to inhale through the same nostril though which you exhaled. 
• When your lungs are filled cover both nostrils for a second or two, and open the right nostril by letting go of the thumb
• If you need to swallow, do so at the end of one of the exhales
• Exhale, and pause for one second, then inhale through the right nostril.  Always in a controlled, slow manner.  Count your heartbeats if your awareness is sophisticated, otherwise count with numbers in your head
• A good number to begin would be 4 counts for each inhale, 4 for each exhale etc. Do not retain for more than one second or two when you are covering both nostrils and your lungs are filled.
• Practice for 2 or 3 minutes to begin with and use as necessary.

Afterwards

Remain sited for a while and feel the effects of it.

You can then follow up with other pranayama if you have an established practice. For example anuloma pranayama.

Would be nice to then do some pratyahara -sense withdrawal-, and focusing on object, see: practicing all the limbs of yoga in every practice.

Rest in savasana for a few minutes.

May your practice bring you peace.

See also:

Kapalbhati Pranayama Preparation - with video

8 Things to Know About the Eight Limbs of Yoga

Desikachar's Tips on How To Start Teaching Pranayama

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3 Huge Coincidences

I pay attention to coincidences, take them as the gospel. If the universe is re-arranging itself to show me something that beat all the odds of ever happening I just nod and go "I see", you are trying to tell me something! If the coincidence is HUGE then, well, God herself is talking to me.  These are three giga-normous coincidences I have had happened to me:

1) THE BAG:

It's the summer of 2006 I am at a 'wizards' camp. Yes they do exist and I went to one. Loved it too. There are about 200 people in the room when suddenly we are told to sit down, quickly.

I sit next to Tom and we meet and greet.  He tells me he is upset because he left his bag with new purchases by his hotel door and now the bag is gone.  I think he is quite silly to have done such a thing, why didn't he put it inside the room? but I say something about talking to the volunteers. We let it go.


I like what the presenter tells us and decide to buy her CD. She only takes cash which forces me to go get it in my room. As I open my room's door I notice across the hallway a bag right outside the door of a neighbour as per the description of Tom.

I go back and tell Tom: "Your bag is right there!" I just saw it.  What floor are you on? he says.  I'm on the second. Tom was lodged on the 4th.

How did I get from a dispersed room to sit down right next to him?Why did he tell me about the bag and not the person to his left? Why did I then go upstairs and saw the bag on the second floor when it was supposed to be in the fourth floor?

What I took from it:  "What you put your focus on expands".  I was at a 'wizards' camp, we were trained to look for signs from the universe.  Believe what you may but I took it as confirmation that if we are paying attention then the coincidences begin to show up a lot more in our lives.

And they did

2) THE CAR:

I come back from work one hot summer day in 2007. The train lands in Brick Church, New Jersey. I am tired, sweaty and ready for bed.  I slowly descend into the dirty parking lot, hit the beep thingy that opens the doors automatically and sit inside my Elantra.

I notice that my car is no longer shift, it is now automatic.  Not only that but the interior is beige instead of gray.

I am in someone else's car!

I lift my hands up in the air in case the police is about to shoot me and get out of the car slowly.  At that time I see a man two cars to my right also coming out of an exact car, hands in the air, scared to death.  He is about 70.  We look at each other with that quizzical look of "wtf"? We laugh it all out, get into our cars. We go our separate ways.

What I took from it: No idea. The synchronicity and perfect timing of this one (we both beeped our cars open at the exact same time) was too much.  Maybe this coincidence was trying to tell me that I was unconscious, not paying much attention.  What do you make of it?

3) THE CUTE JEWISH GUY

I am on my fourth date with James in early 2009.  I like him and have invited him over for brunch to my house. We are to meet at Borders on Penn Station but I arrive about half an hour earlier.

James had told me that his most recent book was called "The Forever Portfolio". He said it was full of autobiographical and personal stories. Gossip alert. I've got half an hour in my hands and I am curious. I sneak into the "Investment" area, eyes wide open, browsing for Altucher.

There are 3 Forever Portfolios in stock. Lucky girl.  I chose the first one on the left, open it and see this:

For a moment I get completely paranoid.  Did he get here before me? Did he plant it there?  But he is nowhere to be seen. I decide to calm down and sit down.  I start reading.  The book opens with the story of his apartment buried in ashes after September 11.  Then it is time to meet him.

I go downstairs and find him, tell him I was going to ask him to autograph a copy of his book for me but he has unknowingly already done so.  Then I show him the book.  He says: "Guess that settles it".

Later he told me he had done this to only one book a few months earlier and out of boredom.

Some people did not believe me.  they suggested I go back and look at the other two books on the shelf. Maybe they all said the same.  I did.  one said: This is the best book in the world.  The other one said: I hope you make a lot of money.

What I took from it:  James

What big coincidences have you had? and what do you make of them?

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Now I Can Be an Astronaut - a birthday story

Maybe it's because I watched about 200 episodes of Lost in one week to catch up to James, I don't know, but for a while now I have not been able to fly unless I am pickled.  And by pickled I mean a strong anti-anxiety something or other. I mean psychopharma at its best, the stuff that only psychiatrist can give you and that makes the pharmacist want to check your date of birth and ID. This stuff would kill horses and astronauts if they take too much.

I did not like the show, maybe cause of the overdose.
Of episodes.

I am not afraid of dying so much, the passing seems OK. It is the suffering slash panic that does me in.  The fear and the sweating and the realization that one may die in a bad way. That scares me. Like, what if the plane is going down AND YOU KNOW IT.

So when I boarded the plane to go visit Maxine whose 10-year birthday wish was I visit her, I took with me a bunch of pickles.  But James convinced me to take only one. I would have no memories of saying hello to Maxine otherwise when she met me at the airport.  So I tried.  Just one pickle, and a relaxation podcast on the I-pod.  It worked.

As we were to land at MIA I felt that relief you get when you see the wheels about to touch down.  I made it, I thought.

At that time the engine of the plane started sounding much, much louder, and the nose took a strange upward dog sort of turn.  We were taking off, and we had not even landed.

I imagined this is what happened.
Something was on the way of our landing.

The biggest surprise was my reaction. I started to laugh casually. Cool and controlled. I was Mary Poppins. I was peaceful and engaged in conversation with the man next to me whom I had not even noticed before in my half-pickled daze.

He told me about La Guardia and how it is best to never land there on a Friday night or Monday morning, cause the control goes cra-zy, just like it was at that moment.

I was all cheerful and sending vibes of peace to all people around me.  I was thinking about them. What?

So all this panic and when a potential plane crash presents itself I go flower power peace, how-can-I-help?  I even applauded when we landed the second time and got everyone else to join me.  Well not everyone else,  maybe 7 people.

Maxine was not really bothered to say hello with the pomposity I expected.  She is not that little 7 or 6 or 5 year old that would come running to my arms anymore.  She just said 'hi'. That was it.  I could have been triple pickled and it would not have mattered much.

So it took astronut drugs, a strange man, a birthday wish, powerful ashtanga energy, my leading a clapping session, and two landings. But I gave Maxine her birthday present. And I love her.



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9 Changes to Yoga-Asana Practice Since Pranayama and I Went Steady

Some noticeable changes are happening to my asana practice as a direct consequence of pranayama becoming a steady part of my life.  Well, maybe not just pranayama, but the whole practice: including the withdrawing of the senses, and meditation as well. They all work together.  These are the 9 most notorious changes I have noticed since the fourth limb of yoga made its presence known steadily and over time:

Taking in the air on Mari C

1.- New Lung Space.  I have discovered areas of my lungs I did not know I had and I know exactly why this happened. I read Iyengar, and he said that when he was young he was so sick that he worked especially hard at the marichasanas, the deep twists, where breathing is difficult.  Copy cat that I am I started to imitate. Could not help it, the lines from the book came alive while in the twists!

And voila!, new areas of the lungs discovered. Sometimes it even hurts a little reaching into them.  The air does not 'dare' go all full in.  I wonder how much more space there is. I bet you a lot.

2.- Less Dizzy.  Dizziness has not been completely eliminated. I am one of those special low-pressure cases. However, the deep breathing and retention has trained my lungs to go slow as I come up from forward bends and there is less of the seeing double.  Now if it only worked for attempt drop backs! Oh, I long for the day, or should I say "lung" for that day... hee hee

3.- Pranayama work with bandhas informs asana.  Yesterday in particular the bandhas and the breathing TOOK OVER ME.  That is the only way I can describe it. It was as if asana was doing me, and not the other way around.

I simply observed in the very first position of asana how the tightening of the perineum was linked to the air filling the lower portion of my trunk and as the arms started to rise.

Then I felt unddhyana bandha engage as the arms continued to rise and the air filled the middle of my trunk and finally found my eyes looking at my palms and the ceiling above, as the inhale came to a stop.

And that was just the first move, of the first sun salute.  It was as if there was no me.

There was no me?

Where did I go?

Did I just say that?

Did not last long, but it was the breath that led the salutes and some of the other poses, like the prasaritas. most of the sitting poses and even kurmasana.  Wish that happened all the time.

4.- Bursts of Anger.  This took my by surprise.  Apparently there was a tornado level 100 brewing within me.  Maybe all the backbending and the pranayama fanned the fire?  What ever happened to me last Friday?  I will spare you the details, perhaps will share in another post,  the point is, I need to pay more attention at what the emotional body says because all this work seems to 'awaken' certain energies.  And they are not always pleasant to put it mildly.

I do admit that this may have more to do with the work on intermediate series. I have heard of many practitioners breaking into tears, losing weight and bursting into anger while starting the nadi sodhana series, the "nerve cleansing, intermediate series", guess is called that for a reason. Respect.

5.- Eyes Closed.  I know, not supposed to close the eyes.  I hear you, and it is true, do not imitate me.  But I feel that at certain places my eyes are just closing during asana.  It seems more connected to pratyahara (sense withdrawal)  than to pranayama really.

My eyes close because the whole system wants to go in.

Yesterday it happened in the prasaritas, the  feeling of being internally aware, inner-eye wide-open, outer eyes closed, that led me to feeling every possible nuance of the pose.  Then it happened again in some of the forward bends.  Even the light was a distraction and it felt good to connect to the body like that, to feel it, to put every iota of attention I had into it.

Preparing for Prasarita Padotanasana A

6.- Sweating.  The renewed awareness and depth of breath results in more inner heat generated during asana.  The Ujjayi breath is longer in the inhale and longer in the exhale, it is smoother, a lot more controlled, and as a consequence more heat is produced and sweat pours out.

7.- Deep Facial Muscle Relaxation.  Graduate-level relaxation of the mouth to the point where I have began to get images of my face being so out and hanging that I probably look like a 130-year-old lady with no teeth.  I know the image is my mind trying to scare me.  If relaxing the jaw was equal to seeing God earlier this year, then this goes beyond.   Great feeling.

8.- Inversions.  Breathing deeply, with bandhas, and for longer and longer periods of time is highlighting how intense it is to breathe against gravity.  The weight of the diaphragm makes the slow exhalation much more difficult, and so it becomes a challenge to tame it.

This in turn helps in pranayama where suddenly the exhalations are smoother because all the work during asana trained them and so it actually feels lighter and easier to breathe out.  Who knew?

9.- Respecting pauses.  When the breath takes over in asana practice there is no Ashtanga, no Jois, no Krishnamacharya or Iyengar that counts.  The breath, well: TAKES OVER.  And that means pausing sometimes.  Not savasana pausing. No, not like that.  But stops nevertheless for example before Utkatasana, or as directed, by her majesty: the breathing function.

If the breath needs to re-group then the body stops and let me tell you I am not about to interfere...  I dare not mess with the breath.


Also:
32 Unusual Ways to Practice Pratyahara - Sense Withdrawal
The Claudia Sutras
32 Ways to Start Paying Attention to Your Breath {Pranayama Preliminaries}






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SUNDAY NEW BLOG TIMES: Don't Try This At Home

Thank you Grimmly for extensive and thoughtfull review of the 21 Things To Know Before Starting an Ashtanga Yoga Practice.  I am honored!

Looking for symptoms of Inner Peace?

Why does halasana burn? - Funny picture

How would you feel about practicing on a "tiger-skin" yoga mat? Wait! If the tiger died of natural causes! -  Listen to Kikki's tale on the suggestions for mat Pattabhi Jois gave her.

Have you heard of the P90X Yoga?  the "get ripped in 90 days" program that sold millions of DVD copies? Here is Rose telling us what the yoga part is all about.

Carol compiles a few provocative pictures from newspaper articles about yoga over the past 100 years. Priceless.

Top 10 Little Mantras with videos

And for the video of the week.... this is crazy! Action starts at 0:28 and they are 23 crazy yoga poses you can do in a moving motorcycle. For real?


Previous Sunday New Blog Times

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