A SHORT INTRODUCTION TO YOGA
DEAR FRIEND,
THE WORLD WE LIVE IN IS A CHANGING PLACE.
NOT JUST MOMENTS BUT THE SEASONS’ GRACE.
APPEARS SO NEW REPLACES THE OLD.
NEW WAYS APPEAR NEW STORIES TOLD.
WHAT WILL WE LEAVE FOR CHILDREN’S LIVES.
WILL ALL ARE HOPES BE LEFT SKY HIGH.
TO MAKE A BETTER WORLD I’LL TRY.
WE ALL MUST TRY WE ALL MUST TRY.
DO YOU EVER WONDER WHY WE ARE HERE.
HAVE YOU A WAY TO MAKE THE TRUTH CLEAR.
INSIDE US ALL TREASURE IS TO BE FOUND.
OUR CHANCE TO RISE UP FROM THE GROUND.
YOGA IS A PATH TO TRUTH, A SEED.
TO TEACH US THE UNITY SORELY WE NEED.
FIVE SHORT LESSONS ARE INFRONT OF YOU.
I HOPE YOU WILL FIND YOUR PEACE TOO. G.BRYANT 1997
INTRODUCTION
"Some will label me as of that dwindling crowd who think to find a starry height in man. They will not be wrong, but I beg them to realise they can make my dream their own reality." Paul Brunton
Yoga means "Union". It is a way of life combining physical, mental and spiritual practises to achieve union of soul and Spirit, the individual with life in its entirety.
There are different types of Yoga practise or "paths" which have been discovered to address the challenge that has faced mankind throughout history, how to live in harmony with our surroundings.
The conflicts and problems that litter our lives have one root cause and that is ignorance. Through many lifetimes we have become body conscious. By acting through the body we have identified our consciousness (our awareness of "I am") with its limited form. Therefore we wrongly perceive ourselves as being separate from existence and find ourselves suffering and manifesting dis-ease.
Yoga removes this veil of ignorance as its practice leads to finding within the infinite source of existence, our nature as an eternal soul. To be soul conscious is to perceive the underlying unity of all. It is only when we reach this state that harmony will come and suffering will end.
What follows are five short lessons to introduce some techniques of Yoga to induce relaxation, calm the minds waves, and lead one to inner peace where our true nature is waiting to be realised. Some people may be suprised to find only a small mention of Yoga postures or asanas in these lessons. Though this type of Yoga is useful I wanted to emphasise other practices of Yoga less familiar in the Western world.
It is recommended that time is spent carefully reading and understanding each lesson before practicing the various techniques and progressing to the next lesson. About one week on each lesson is probably a fair guide.
Positive results will come with regular practise. Begin by spending even a few minutes a day when you have a quiet moment, preferably in the early morning or late evening. Increase the amount of time spent practising the lessons if possible. Try to use a quiet room or area for Yoga practise and visit scenes of natural beauty as this will help. I am painfully aware that the structure of modern life makes many people believe they have no time or patience for such practise. Unfortunately it is these people who would benefit most from examining their lives.
Any effort spent anywhere, anytime will be beneficial. A magnificent voyage of discovery awaits, for those who seek shall find.
YOGA - LESSON 1.
The first lesson introduces a relaxation technique. It’s simplicity allows the awareness of our mind-body relationship to be discovered and explored. This technique shows how to regain an often lost control over our thoughts.
It is thoughts which are the basis for our feelings and behaviour, negative thinking and anxieties can take over our lives leading to disease. The high rate of nervous disorders, heart problems and other mind-body diseases indicates the need to control our often restless mind. Regular yoga practise, the science of stilling the mind, reduces the flow of negative, nagging thoughts restoring the minds balance and preventing further dis-ease.
Yoga teaches that our real nature is like a clear blue sky, which is seen in all its glory when the clouds (nagging thoughts) have passed. To glimpse such moments gives a feeling of total peace and unity with our existence. By experiencing moments of inner peace our thoughts, feelings and behaviour will be positively influenced.
TECHNIQUE A. · Sit in a comfortable position, with your upper body straight. · Put aside all strains and worries of every day life. You deserve a moments peace and quiet. · Practise breathing evenly through the nose. Focus your mind solely on the breath flowing in and out, the sustainer of all life. · To aid absorption into the exercise it may help to focus your attention on the breath either at entering the nostrils or where the breath naturally flows to in the stomach. · If thoughts appear in the mind try to remain unattached to them whilst watching the steady breath. · Breathing rate is directly linked to our emotional state. An angered state of mind accompanies short, shallow breathing. A peaceful presence is achieved by natural, deep breaths. · In every day situations if the mind becomes clouded or disturbed check your breathing rate. Breathe evenly and slowly knowing that you can gain control. · Mastery over breath is mastery over life.
YOGA - LESSON 2.
Once an awareness of a mind-body relationship is found, concentration and relaxation can be greatly improved by practise of the next technique.
Three eternal laws of nature are explored, namely fixation (or concentration), suggestion (extension of will), and sensation (resulting flow of consciousness).
Fixation is a very important quality to develop. Nothing can be achieved without concentration, yet generally a persons power for sustained concentration is under developed. Concentration makes any task possible, any subject knowable.
Suggestion governs every form of activity in existence. We act under physical and environmental suggestion. Everything we learn and know comes from verbal and mental suggestion. The need to develop positive suggestions follows on from the necessary power to concentrate, thus directing our will in a specific area.
Sensation is the imprint left on the mind by the subsequent concentration and suggestion. All three must be used and developed for success in Yoga.
TECHNIQUE B. · Lie on the ground, face up with arms and legs slightly apart. Regulate breathing and feel peaceful and confident. · Divide the body into 16 zones. These are as follows: feet; shins; knee-caps; upper legs; stomach; solar plexus; upper chest; spine; hands; forearms; upper arms; neck; back of head; jaw; eyes; crown. Memorise each zone. · The exercise starts with fixation. We must concentrate on each body zone in turn. Begin with the feet and send strong suggestions as follows: " Using the power of my mind I send strong mental suggestions to relax my feet. My feet feel heavier, they are relaxing, they are relaxing." · After sending each suggestion pause to observe its effect, or sensation. Feel that under your suggestion your feet have relaxed. · Spend about 30 seconds on each body zone. · Once the feet are relaxed move on to the next zone, the shins. Repeat fixation, suggestion and feel the sensation of relaxation in all 16 zones. · Results may be slow at first, but with perseverance your entire body will be deeply relaxed under your mental command. · This technique is very beneficial for stress related conditions, and it greatly improves one’s confidence when mastered. · Remember one word a million times: Practise. Practise. Practise .
YOGA - LESSON 3.
The first two lessons should have built up an awareness of the minds power to find a degree of stillness and relaxation. However, no matter how hard we try negative thoughts often appear and can have a controlling influence upon our lives. One bad thought often leads to a multiple of others leaving us feeling and acting negatively.
The next technique is a powerful mental tool which reverses the pattern of negativity that has been affecting our well-being for too long. First of all some understanding of our nature will be helpful.
Deep inside everyone the original qualities of the soul remain, an eternal ocean of peace, knowledge, bliss, silence and purity. These wonderful qualities are seldom experienced due to the tarnish of body consciousness that has clouded the soul. Our ego, attachment, desire, and greed has led us to associate with tarnish (the body and its vices) instead of gold (the souls original qualities).
If we can tap into the soul and experience our original qualities we can remain above negativity knowing it not to be our true nature.
TECHNIQUE C. · Follow instructions for technique A and B. · When relaxed, forget the body, its attachments and desires. · Close the eyes and visualise all negativity flowing away as tarnish is removed from the soul, leaving a pure brilliant light. · Think of your original nature, the souls wonderful qualities. · Repeat in your mind the words "OM SHANTI". This means "I am a peaceful soul". · Let the thought permeate your entire being, the thought of peace must be experienced as a feeling. · Keep repeating "OM SHANTI, OM SHANTI". Let your soul feel peace again. After this exercise try to remain detached from negative thoughts not allowing tarnish to cover your souls qualities, and preventing the cycle of negativity continuing. Always remember your true nature is peaceful, knowledgeful, blissful, silent and pure. If difficulties come mentally repeat "OM SHANTI - I AM PEACEFUL"
YOGA - LESSON 4.
This lesson concerns meditation. There seems to be many different practices linked to meditation, but what is it ?
Meditation is total awareness, an unbroken flow of consciousness of our existence, our nature, our higher Self or soul.
Yoga teaches that throughout history we have hypnotised ourselves to the attachment of our physical form. This body consciousness along with the chattering ego and pull of the physical senses prevents one from experiencing their true nature, thus many deny the existence of the higher Self or soul.
It is possible to directly experience the force behind not only our individual existence but all existence, and this is meditation.
To achieve meditation or total awareness we need to watch and observe, become a witness rather than an agent to thoughts, feelings and actions.
If one observes a thought we notice it appears on the screen of our mind and passes along whilst another appears like clouds floating in the sky. If we become attached to a thought and analyse or pass judgement upon it invariably this brings in a chain of thoughts from the past or future. Meditation is concerned with "letting go", living this moment in the eternal now. The key is to become like a watcher in a watchtower, let the thought clouds pass by, as surely they will if you simply observe them unattached without analysis or judgement.
Feelings and emotions are more subtle than thoughts thus require greater awareness, however with practise it is possible to take a mental step back and observe. Similarly when performing actions do so with full awareness. When you walk, just walk. When you eat, just eat. Strange as this may seem the observer (you) must become the observed.
By remaining detached and observing thoughts, feelings and actions as if part of a great drama we become aware of gaps appearing in-between these passing thoughts, feelings or actions. This gap is pure awareness of our nature in which we experience the source of all existence. This is experience of soul consciousness which dehypnotises our previous body consciousness. The qualities of the soul will be experienced, filling us with peace and contentment. When the clear sky of meditation is experienced you have arrived home.
YOGA - LESSON 5.
This lesson gives an explanation of the law of karma and indicates how it can be used practically in one’s life, the path of Karma Yoga.
The word karma comes from the Sanskrit kri meaning "to do", therefore karma means action. The law of karma states for every action there will be an equal or opposite reaction, it is the law of cause and effect. Karma in a wider sense is both the cause (action) and the effect.
We all have are own karma, the memory of past action over lifetimes has left an imprint on the soul making us what we are today. Just as our past action has led to our present position, so our action now will determine our position in the future. What you sow so you shall reap.
Pure action will lead to happiness and contentment, wrongful acts of impure nature will lead to future sorrow. People who have no understanding of this law often blame external circumstances if sorrow comes. Yet in reality we have total responsibility for our own situation, as we have created it.
An understanding of the law of karma explains why it is important to perform pure and avoid impure actions. This is the path of karma yoga.
Impure action associated with the body conscious vices of ego, attachment, anger, lust and greed needs to be eliminated to prevent future sorrow. Through Yoga it is possible to overcome these vices, annul the past debts of impure action and create a store of good karma leading to future happiness.
· When performing actions use the body as a vehicle having an awareness of your nature as a soul. Try to experience the qualities of peace and contentment whilst you undertake any task. · By acting in soul consciousness others will sense your contentment and will experience positive effects. Action which brings others soul consciousness is the highest form of karma. · Develop a attitude of serving others through your actions. This allows one to forget the ego and therefore lose body consciousness purifying the soul. · Work with detachment, lower your desire to the fruit of your action. Work for works sake without selfish motive. · Pay more attention to the means of work rather than its end. With the means correct the end must follow.
In conclusion, remember your nature as a soul and your actions will bring good karma to you and to the world.
THE LION AND THE SHEEP
A lioness is search of prey came upon a flock of sheep, and as she jumped at one of them, she gave birth to a cub and died on the spot. The young lion was brought up in the flock, ate grass, and bleated like a sheep, it never knew it was a lion. One day another lion came across this flock and was astonished to see in it a huge lion eating grass and bleating like a sheep. At the sight of him the flock fleed and the lion-sheep with them. But the lion watched his opportunity and one day found the lion-sheep asleep. He woke him up and said, "You are a lion." The other said, "No," and began to bleat like a sheep. But the stranger-lion took him to a lake and asked him to look in the water at his own image and see if it did not resemble him, the stranger-lion. He looked and acknowledged that it did. Then the stranger-lion began to roar and asked him to do the same. The lion-sheep tried his voice and was soon roaring as loudly as the other. He was a sheep no longer.
We are lions in sheep’s clothing of habit. We are hypnotised into weakness by our surroundings, and believe our consciousness is limited to our body. Yoga is a process of dehypnotism which enables us to remember our divine nature.
REVIEW
I hope the previous lessons have been of some benefit. The old maxim that "you only get out what you put in" is very true for Yoga. As sure as night follows day benefits will come to those who sincerely practise.
If you are interested in finding out more about Yoga there are many classes around the country and many excellent books which have been written about the subject. The following three books are specifically recommended:
"Principles of Yoga"- Cheryl Isaacson (introductory)
"Fundamentals of Yoga" - R. Mishra (comprehensive guide)
"Autobiography of a Yogi" - Yogananda (inspirational guide)
I run yoga classes and retreats here in Essex. My warmest feeling of love goes out to you. Best wishes for success in yoga. Peace to all beings. OM Shanti.