Ego

"After the demands of the ego and its greed surrendered, the struggle for fulfillment of personal desires lessens; life takes on a new zest like a breath of fresh air." - Swami Sivananda Radha

18. Are You Awake

The teaching tool of one swami was to repeat the phrase "are you awake?" at certain points throughout the day. This reminded his students to remain mindful and not to slip into sleepy patterns of habit. Repeat it to yourself every now and again.

17. Fully Alert

The word Buddha translates as someone who is fully awake, or enlightened. A Buddha experiences the eighth limb of yoga, known as samadhi, meaning self-realization, or union with the divine. As you begin your day, remember that this state of mind is accessible to anyone who desires it with sincerity. Start by simply trying to be ware in every moment.

Stimulus & Response

“Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.” ~ VF

16. Stepping Into Awareness

"The distance is nothing, it is only the first step that is difficult." -mmdd

15. A Natural Step

Yoga offers a ladder by which you can climb out of everyday boundaries into jivanmukti, liberation in life. Stepping out of bed with positive intention is the first rung on the ladder.

YUJ (yoga) ~ To Yolk.. What is Yours?

"Yoga is all about relationships - your relationship with yourself, with the people in your life, and with the world around you.  This makes the yoga path a journey of connection - both internal and external." L.Lark

The Sanskrit root from which yoga is derived, yuj, means to yoke, or connect.

My yuj, or connection(s) i seek are my breath + movement.  Finding that blend of the two is my happy place.  I realized that during a 108 sun salutations.  During the salute the energy running through my body and the breath movement connection left me feeling electric.  After we completed the 108 I laid on the floor felt the energy flowing and vibrating through out my being.  It was a moment of realization for me.  Yoga is more than any label it is given.  For me it took yoga to learn to really connect.  Being able to connect helps make me be a better person/wife/mommy/friend.  These are my relationships.  Like Lark said, "yoga is all about relationships, your relationship with yourself, with the people in your life, and with the world around you."  I'm on a beautiful path

What is your yuj? Please share!

tdM ॐ

Belief :: Believe

“Any belief, whatever it is, is counterproductive in the context of the practice of yoga. One holds a belief instead of knowing. For example, you wouldn’t say you believe in your right ear, since you know your ear, no belief is required. Believing always excludes knowing. When jnana (supreme knowledge) comes through the practice of yoga, you will know. Do not be satisfied with believing.”

 ~ GM

14. Positive Visualization

Decide on an affirmation, such as "Today will be a beautiful day." Close your eyes and imagine writig these words slowly in vibrant colored ink. Let them soak in. Then write them again quickly many times in another vibrant color before opening your eyes.

This mantra practice will guide your intention to reality ॐ

Peace.Love.Friendship

”I offer you peace. I offer you love. I offer you friendship. I see your beauty. I hear your need. I feel your feelings. My wisdom flows from the Highest Source. I salute that Source in you. Let us work together for unity and love.” ~ Gandhi

13. Think Positive

A sankalpa is a phrase in the present tense to fix your mind on positive action.  Say to yourself in the morning..."I am Vibrant!" I am ready for anything that the day brings." or a personal mantra or affirmation.

12. Tapping the Heavenly Drum

Your senses tend to withdraw into your body at nighttime.  To "re-tune" your hearing in the morning, sit up ad close your eyes, press your index fingers into your ears, closing the flaps, and lightly tap your index fingernails with the tips of your third fingers for 1 minute.  Enjoy the inner drumming and reawakening of your senses.

11. Simply Stretch

Yoga teaches that since the earth moves constantly, so too should your body's energy.

10. Guided Thinking

To gain further insight into the yogic notion of unity, think about this phrase from the ancient text Yogavasistha Maharamayana: "The same undivided and indivisible space is outside and inside of a thousand pots.  Likewise the Self pervades all beings."

9. I & the Source are One

The journey of Yoga involves remembering that everything in the universe emanates from a single energy source.  Yoga asanas, pranayama and meditation bring you an awareness of this unity.

8. The Creation Mantra

Cradle yourself in the sound that yogis believe brought the universe into being by chanting OM (pronounced aum).

Take a deep breath in.  As you exhale with an open mouth, let the sound "aaa" well up from deep inyour belly, round your lips to make the sound "uuu", the close your lips to finish with a soft "mmm".  Repeat untill you feel at one ॐ

7. Unspoken Prayer

The natural sound of your breath is like a prayer welcoming you to the day.  On waking, become aware of your breathing before you do anything else.  Notice how the inhalation makes the sound SO.  The, as our exhale, notice how it makes the sound HAM (or "hum").  In Sanskrit; soham means "He am I" -  "He" refers to God, or the creative force of nature, so your breath links you with the divine.  For centuries, yogic sages have explained that this unconscious repetitive prayer (ajapa japa) goes on continuously within every living creature.

6. Respect Each Breath

"If you breathe well, you will live long on the earth" - Indian Proverb

5. Deep Breathing

Yoga philosophy teaches that we are allocated only a certain number of breaths between our first inhalation at birth and our last exhalation at death.  So the more slowly you draw each breath, the longer - and calmer - you will live.

4. Staying Awake Naturally

"We must learn to reawaken and keep ourselves awake, not by nechanical aid but by an infinite expecattaion of the dawn." - Henry David Thoreau