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Lacamas Life Magazine
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The Tree of Yoga The path of Yoga is eightfold The first of the eight limbs of Yoga asks that the student make a commitment to the Yamas. The yamas are universal moral and ethical disciplines that transcend creeds, countries, age and time. Sometimes considered as the great vows, they involve respect for yourself, others, and your surroundings. They are: -Ahimsa, a commitment to non-violence whether physical, mental or in deed, to yourself or other beings. This involves a commitment to abandoning hatred and anger, acting with clarity and embracing love and compassion. Ahimsa is love. -Satya, a commitment to being honest and truthful with yourself and others and a commitment to internal integrity (noting the difference between honesty and integrity) - integrity in an internal form of honesty. Integrity is to act in an honest manner when others are not around and will never know about your actions. -Asteya, a commitment to non-stealing, not necessarily material things but like time from yourself or others by being angry or mean. It’s also related to the control of desires and the reduction of wants and not taking more than you need. -Brahmacharya, Continence (responsibility) in matters related to sex and sexuality. This includes thought and action. This is a commitment to always respecting your partner, to not being goal oriented in sex, not objectifying or sexualizing anyone, honoring the power of sexual unions, and being totally present for your partner. -Aparigraha, Non-covetousness. This is a commitment to letting go of desires that are not necessary to maintain life. Excessive desires can lead to disappointment and the destruction of right conduct. This includes moderation in all areas and being happy with what you have. Not being greedy. The second limb of Yoga asks the student to commit to practicing the Niyamas. The niyamas are suggestions for purification, the great observances and guidelines for personal daily behavior. They are: -Saucha, Purity. This is a commitment to purity internally and externally. Externally relates to behavior, habits and surroundings. Internally relates to eliminating excessive lust, anger, greed, infatuation, pride, malice and envy. The commitment is to fill the mind with good constructive thoughts. To practice saucha is to understand that the process is related to intention as well as to action. The challenge is to be aware of the intention with which you act even when you do not know or understand how all that you do effects others. If you act from compassion then your actions are pure, even if just for that moment. When you have the purity of intention about your actions, whether this is during your formal practice of yoga or during other times in your life, then you are living in the spirit of purity, then you are practicing saucha. It is during these times that you are in the most pure loving relationship with others. -Santosa, Contentment. This is a commitment to being content, reducing desires, becoming cheerful and creating balance of mind. To practice Santosa you need to see the hollowness of achievement and acquisition. Contentment requires the willingness to enjoy whatever has been given you today knowing that it will change. Contentment comes from inside. -Tapas, Austerity (Discipline). This is a commitment to being disciplined in the mind and body and directing the mind towards the self within. When we bring a commitment born of love to our consistent practice of yoga we are practicing tapas. -Svadhyaya, Study the source of our actions. This is a commitment to continuing to study and learn and search for truth and self-realization and remembering to “be aware”. To practice svadhyaya is to find God in the person standing in front of you at this very moment. This deep acknowledgement of the God-sense or Self within us all is at the heart of svadhyaya. The practice of svadhyaya is whatever reminds us of the connection of each of us with the whole. -Isvara Pranidhana, Surrender to the source of our actions. This is a commitment to surrendering to the powers that be and abiding to the greater will. Isvara pranidhana is acting as best we can and then relinquishing all attachment to the outcomes of our actions. Isvara pranidhana is finding the divinity in everything and surrendering to the God within. The third limb of Yoga is Asana. Asana refers to the physical postures of Yoga. This is what is referred to as “Yoga” in the west. The regular practice of asana brings health to the body in many ways - in the physical, emotional and spiritual realms. Asanas work every single cell and muscle in the body. The Yoga philosophy suggests that it is through the conquering of the body that the body becomes the perfect vehicle for the spirit. In addition asana prepares the student for additional limbs in the tree of Yoga. The fourth limb of Yoga is Pranayama. Prana refers to life force, breath, vitality and energy. Ayama means restraint, expansion, and length. Pranayama is the science of breath involving the restraint and the rhythmic control of the breath. One has to have a consistent asana practice to be prepared to practice pranayama. At first students start their pranayama in a lying down position and eventually move to a seated position. The benefits of Pranayama are many, including building sound judgment and strong will power, strengthening the respiratory system, soothing the nervous system and reducing cravings. Finally pranayama prepares the student for additional limbs in the tree of Yoga. The fifth limb of Yoga is Pratyahara. Pratyahara is the withdrawal of the senses or the refinement of the senses. The work of practicing pratyahara is to have the perspective and discrimination to not be drawn into the foray of mind stuff about the goings on in the world. This needs to be balanced with the yoga of action and with making yourself and the world a better and a more loving place. Pratyahara is practicing moderation at all levels, simplicity, getting by with less, and questioning your wants. These all require detachment. Detachment requires total engagement and it does not mean you are uninterested. It means you can be in the middle of the mess and still be present to reality. The benefits of pratyahara includes the development of willpower which helps us to not run after external objects of desire and to turn inwards, where we are set free from the negative trappings of the world. Pratyahara prevents the energy of the senses from flowing outwards. The sixth limb of Yoga is Dharana. Dharana means single pointed concentration or complete attention. The student is asked to still the mind and to free the mind from negative mental states. In doing so the student maintains control over the mind. The seventh limb of Yoga is Dhyana. Dhyana is meditation. Meditation involves the uninterrupted flow of concentration. In Dhyana the ego, body, senses, breath, mind, and reason are all integrated. Dhyana brings a complex mind to a state of simplicity, purifying us inside and out. This creates a balanced, tranquil and serene mind leading towards liberation. The eighth limb of Yoga is Samadhi. At the peak of Dhyana one can experience Samadhi. Samadhi is a state where the body and senses are at rest as if sleeping, the mind is alert as if awake and the student has the feeling that they have gone beyond consciousness. Originally a student was asked to commit to the yamas and niyamas before they started the practice of asana. Once a student had a consistent asana practice based in the yamas and niyamas they would then move towards pranayama, pratyahara, dharana, dhyana, and samadhi. In the West most students start with asana. It is my responsibility as a teacher to share the yoga philosophy with my students as well as asanas. In class we explore how the yamas and niyamas relate to our lives and our practice of yoga. Yoga is more than practicing the asanas (the physical postures of yoga). The Yoga tradition encourages one to live their lives responsibly and with devotion to the divine (whatever that means to you). Yoga is not a religion but it can help you deepen any spiritual path you may be on. Yoga does not require you to have a spiritual path. Yoga asks you to live with awareness, integrity, and compassion for all creation. Rushing Water Yoga www. rushingwateryoga.com
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