Energy up 2

Once 'one' has decided who or what 'one' is then 'one' has everything at one's command for an interesting journey!

The fuel for this journey is Prana.

If you don't know what Prana is then find out quick!

According to where you look for it you may find rambling, long winded explanations - yogi's do like to waffle - but essentially, like everything else, you will only know it fully once you have experienced the effects of it.

So it  would behove you to learn to do some PRAnaYama techniques.

Now these techniques, depending on who you listen to, come with warnings.

If you go gently you should be fine.

I personally think that the only dangerous thing about Pranayama is that it may catapult you into a level of consciousness that may make you feel a little bemused, to say the least.
It may also make you more aware of yourself and the discombobulations of the mind.

Freedom as you may well know is a double edged sword!

So go steady.

There are certain people out there that may be able to show you some of the techniques.
In my opinion the greatest danger of learning anything at all is choosing the right person for you..........
Experiment.

Life is (or should be) an adventure.
Take some risks!

And

Have fun!!

Ommmmzz

energy up!

The way it works for me is that my priority is to take care of my energy.

I take care of my energy by doing Pranayama!

When I have good strong energy flowing through my system I tend to be more enthusiastic and positive.

As I prefer to feel this way I do my practice.

It's simple really
But some times not easy.
It appears not to be easy sometimes because (usually) of what I've allowed to percolate in my mind - i.e stuff!

Ommzzz

meaninglessness

Sometimes in life the relevance of meaning appears on the horizon of thought.
'What does it all mean?' has some relevance to some of us....

Once we make real the idea that what we think is a choice we 'realise' that meaninglessness has no relevance.

In other words when the mind is subdued through meditation, i.e, when there are no thoughts, meaninglessness is not and issue.
There is now just the gift of life, present moment awareness.

As far as I know the 'existentialists' were not given to practicing Yoga. Most of them painted themselves into a corner of misery and self defeat.
Some of them stated that it is all meaningless but 'we' as humans have to give it meaning.

What then?

Conditioned reality needs to be seen through. From that point there may be despair and grief at the existentialist dilemma. But then through the act of conscious effort we can move, using the Yogic techniques, into another realm of consciousness.

Then what?

You won't know the answer to that until you get there.

Om

Prana Prana Prana

When all else fails you can rely on PRanaYama to work for you.

If you oxygenate your brain it will make you feel better!

When you practice PRanaYama you are oxygenating your bloodstream.
You are changing the energy of the body and making yourself feel better.

Once you have done that you have changed your chemistry.


More oxygen makes you feel better.

It isn't complicated.
All you have to do is work through the inertia and fear that you have.

Inertia and fear do not exist at the creative level.
They are both illusions set up to keep you safe from feelings of ecstacy.

If you feel ecstacy you won't have worrying to rely on anymore.
You cannot be in ecstacy and worry at the same time - can you?

Try it!

Otherwise go and do something else that makes you feel good!

'Nothing is true!' Anon.

Om

wake up!

You do not need to be a genius to realise that the world is changing fast.

If you don't want to do a Yoga practice as a way of waking up then you'd better find some thing else fast.

Why?

Because this high speed, super fast technological advancement will not wait for you.

you can move out to an island, move back to a medieval lifestyle.
you can take drugs and party and pretend you don't care.


You do not need to advertise all the good works you are doing on facebook
You do not need to do anything at all.

But you do need to realise that you have a choice!

'Don't follow leaders, watch the parking meters!' Bob Dylan.

I repeat; You Do Not have to do Yoga, in fact you do not need to do anything at all!

Come on people ! Make a choice as to what you 'really' want to do and get on with it.

Get a life!

Om

Attach-ment-al

Attachment is an obstacle to self realisation.

Take a look at what it is you 'think' you still need.
Not in order to beat yourself up, but so that you can get some perspective on your levels of freedom.

Freedom requires responsibility.

Attachment is not freedom.

If you require the 'need' and 'aid' of anything outside of yourself, this is attachment.

Unless you let go of all attachment you will not be free!

If you are attached to anything you are living in fear.

All of the above are based only upon my experience so far, and it's all 'in my opinion!

Om

real or not real?

'Sorting the real from the unreal' and 'Maya; it's all and illusion'.

These two above statements seem to get passed around the Yoga world quite a bit.
In fact it's fair to say that these two sayings are the corner stones of the Yogic philosophy.

If it is 'all and illusion'? then how can there be anything real to sort from it?

This is an interesting conundrum for 'us' deeper researchers into the nature of consciousness, etc.

It makes sense to me that when we are born we have a brand new brain. This brand new brain has certain hardwired programmes already loaded up.
For example suckling, crying, when in discomfort, and pooing when the need arises are very base chakra survival programmes.
As the brain develops physically it has new hard wired programmes switching on at appropriate times. For example crawling, talking etc.

Okay so that's the hardwired programmes, but what about input from outside?
This will usually come in the form of signals of sound and vision. What we see and what we hear will help to shape our (condition of) reality.

And it is here that we can say with some certainty that this version of reality is unique to us, and is therefore an illusion. But it is only an illusion in contrast to the one real overlying reality.

The 'one real' overlying all encompassing reality that exists, is usually quite hard to define as well. We know that the scientists are currently looking for the 'Higgs particle'. The Higgs particle is said to be the missing particle and once it is found it will complete the puzzle of all of the smallest particles known. In other words it will complete the picture of the very building blocks of the so called 'real' world.

So in defining an overlying reality per se we are still in a bit of a pickle. We are in a bit of a pickle because everything we 'think' we see is not real. A chair is merely multiple billions of tiny particles forming a shape that we call 'chair'.

So what are we to do then?

It becomes clearer to understand why some of the so called super Yogi's went into a cave and disappeared from the world for many years or even forever in some cases!

In a sense there is nothing to define reality.

But of course we all know that we do live in this thing called the world. We know this because sometimes it hurts!


Of course any of the above ideas, etc, will only becomes troublesome if we become aware of them or it.

Only some of us will become aware of it. Others will be oblivious to this and carry on living until they die.

It is not a question of higher or lower consciousness, or more or less intelligence. It is, according to the Yogic philosophy, a thing called Karma!

Where you are born, the type of environment, family, existence you are born into, is either completely random, or it is based on some yet unknown cosmic law.

'Who am I ?' is the only question that needs answering.

How can you live a deeply fulfilling life if you do not know who you are?

Hari Om!

'Ignorance is not bliss!'

Going in with Yogic technology.

Some of the time ,or most of the time, some of us, or most of us, will be thinking.
This is an existential given as far as I'm aware.
There is nothing wrong with thinking per se, but if we think compulsively and obsessively we will miss much of what is going on around us and within us at deeper levels.

So what?

Well - this is the question.

Creating space within is an art and skill that, for most of us, does not come naturally.


During my time involved in Yoga I have noticed how certain people can appear to be deeply meditating or deeply involved in Asana during a so called Yoga lesson. And that once this lesson is over they are immediately taken back to the chattering, nattering blah de blah world. It's as if they cannot even for one moment take a break from the 'need' to jabber and tell everyone everything.
Of course there will usually be a willing ear from some overly passive shanti bunny sitting nearby.

How terribly judgemental of me!

but alas this is the way it is. . . . . .

give yourself and others a break, shut up, sit still and breathe in and out through your nostrils for half an hour . . . .

Hari Om!

Yogic behaviour

In behavioural therapy there is a term called 'low frustration tolerance'.
This refers to the inability to (still) be calm when things don't go our way.

If we have a 'low frustration tolerance' we will not get very far if things become difficult. It's a bit like going to work for example, to a job that we don't really like and knowing that we 'need' this job for the time being because we 'need' to pay for some things etc. If we suffer from 'really low frustration tolerance' we will not be able to stand the situation and we will probably leave the job. This will lead to more trouble. If on the other hand we can see the bigger picture, i.e, that his job is okay for the time being, we will be able to handle it better.

So relating this to Yoga. If we find a particular posture is difficult and we cannot handle the feelings that come up when we 'do' this posture, then instead of 'not doing' this posture we'd be better off doing it a lot! In that way we can look, more or less objectively, at what happens to us when we 'do' something that makes us uncomfortable.

Another thing; 'feeling better' as opposed to 'getting better'.
This is continuing on from the last two blogs about doing yoga because you want to get rid of something, e.g, tension, stress etc. After doing an exerting class we feel better, more relaxed etc, but nothing has changed apart from that.
We will still do the same things until 'we' need to go back to another class to 'get rid of' the tension, stress etc.

On the other hand if we want to get better, i.e, improve our life, we had better become more aware of ourselves from the inside.
This is easier to do if we sit still and meditate.

Actually to say it's easy is not true.
It is 'simpler' but 'not easier' to sit still on your own and look deeply into the nature of your own mind, and therefore bring about change at the cause of your problems, i.e, how one relates to others, the world and the self, through the conditioned reality of one's own mind.

Hari Om!

It's only words . . .

Words can only go so far to describe anything.

Words can confuse.

Why does it take so long to say something so simple?

What am I saying here?

I was thinking - imagine that - I was wondering why it takes so long to say nothing.

I was actually thinking about several books I read many years ago when I was still searching for something.

Reams and reams of paper wasted in order to tell us what?

To sit still and do nothing.
Look deeply within.
Breathe calmly and quietly, if you can.
Continue o keep still.
Watch and wait.

more exertion....

So in containing the 'difficulties' we expand our ability to hold higher levels of tension/energy.
Whereas if we keep 'getting rid of it' in dynamic Asana classes we become - what?
More content, more peaceful, more happy, perhaps and maybe that is it for some people.
In this way of behaving we are, I believe, kind of medicating ourselves against difficult feelings. We 'look forward' to the class we are going to do with soandso the great yoga teacher and we miss the point entirely as to why we are doing this stuff in the first place.

And, why are we doing this stuff in the first place?
The answer to that is usually, at least initially, because we are looking for a way to feel better, to look better, maybe etc.

So the Yoga Asana becomes an opportunity to hold this uncomfortable position for longer periods of time with greater equanimity. Therefore giving us the gift of peace under duress. 

"Many are called, few are chosen".

Sweating and exertion.

Sweating and exertion has nothing to do with Yoga! (in my opinion)

The point of Yoga, if indeed it does have a point, is for transformation.

Transformation! What's that?

Well in the context of Yogic practice it is the idea that we can use energy to expand consciousness.
So if we are sweating and straining to achieve the perfect body shape or Asana shape, we are as far as I'm aware, wasting muchos energy!

One way of alleviating the effects of so called stress and tension is to do some vigorous exercise. In doing this we discharge excess energy, i.e, tension/stress and we feel better.

But feeling better is not enough, Yoga is not about feeling better, although we do, it is much more than that.

If you become attached to 'feeling good' that is all you will feel. 
'And what's wrong with that?' I hear you say.
Nothing at all.
But, (in my opinion), the attachment to feeling good requires that you 'hold' on to something.
Holding on to some thing means to have an agenda.
If you have an agenda, (an egoic based desire) you will not get the full benefit of the infinite wisdom of the infinite.
It becomes merely another 'what I want' story.

If you stay with what it is you 'think' you are trying to get away from, inquire into it so to speak, you may find out a little more about yourself.

And that is not always a reason to feel good.

Ignorance is not bliss, bliss is bliss!


So Ham.

Yogic to the core.

I'm assuming if you're on here you are involved in some way in the art and the practice of Yoga.
It has got really silly, the way it has exploded (yoga I mean) in the last ten years has spawned some things that are way too silly, (in my opinion).
Some would say this is a good thing as in, "it's all good man".
Well I say it's rubbish and it's silly and has taken the whole meaning out of Yoga!
Doing Yoga and listening to loud invasive beats! Why?
Why don't you just go to a club and dance?
Doing Yoga in a sauna! Why?
Why don't you just go to a sauna?

Okay then, I guess that if people have devised cunning ways to get people that would not normally get onto a yoga mat to do Yoga then fine. They can do the silly stuff till they get fed up with it and have a nervous breakthrough.
Then they will be ready for the serious stuff!

What? The serious stuff!

"Lose your mind and come to your senses".

Thoughts - emotions - feelings - action - subject - object - conditioning - reality?

Yoga - not easy . . . .

If you hear someone tell you that yoga is easy, they cannot be doing it properly!

Of course this is my opinion based on many years of struggle. The struggle I have had, I must admit, stems from my own ignorance.

Life is a mystery, it really is!

How can we possibly know what is waiting around the corner?

One of the existential facts of life, is that underneath our apparent knowing there is a chasm of meaninglessness. 'WE' that is I, me, you and everybody with half a brain has to find meaning.

It seems to go something like this;
A desire to be released from Ignorance - leads to experimentation and confusion.
Leading to deeper enquiry and possibly even more confusion.
In despair a 'need' to belong or believe in some thing may arise.
Leading to a tendency to join a group or religion or some thing.
Leading, (sometimes) to more confusion.
And then, ultimately, (if we are lucky or unlucky depending on how you see things).
We may end up.
Living in the mystery.
And not only that!
Actually enjoying it too.  

Now obviously the above is a rough outline of one possible evolving scenario. But the important thing is that YOGA, at some point along the way, may help with this ongoing journey. It is like a lifeline that you can rely on more and more as you continue to practice.

An old esoteric maxim is; 'The journey is the goal.'

Do it or don't do it, there is nothing else.

right way?

What is the right way to practice for us?

Do you want to belong to a tribe?
Do you want to do a solitary practice?
Do you like dynamic?
Do you like doing nothing?

Whichever of these you like then maybe you could try the one you don't like.
Failing that you could try doing nothing at all, especially if you are addicted (attached) to an intense and sweaty practice!

There is no right way.
There is only what you choose to do.
And what you choose to do will be based on . .... what?

Now there's another deep ponderance for you.

What are our choices based upon?
Who is it that is making the decisions as to what we 'should' or 'should not' do?

I repeat - Hatha Yoga is not for everyone.

Yogic Fallacy.

There is a sense I get, and have had many times, that the 'idea' behind yoga is for getting somewhere or becoming something that you are not already.

There is no where to go!

Wherever you 'think' you are going or have gone you may inevitably have to face to unbearable truth of realising that you have not gone anywhere.

'The beginning of awakening is disappointment'. Anon.

I am pretty certain that most of us, or at least some of us, have an agenda when it comes to our practicing, that we are going to get somewhere, anywhere, as long as it isn't where we are now. The reason I am pretty certain of this is because if we were completely happy with where we are now we would have no need of a practice in the first place, would we? So from this perspective it becomes clear(er) that we are indeed trying to change something or get away from something.

What is it?

For me it is becoming clear(er) that 'I' am usually making a judgement about where 'I' am at now, and in order for it to be better, bigger, happier I need to do something. 'I' personally, usually choose to do some Kriya's, Kapabhatti, etc.
Logically 'I' tell myself that the oxygen that 'I' get from doing this will make me feel better, and to be honest, usually it does.
But how is doing Kapalbhatti, etc, any different from having a cup of coffee to feel better? That is an important question for me.

Okay, so in some sense it doesn't matter really, just the fact that I feel better is enough, and indeed they are both temporary solutions.
But what are they solutions to?
What is it 'I' think 'I' need to get away from in the first place?

The practice of Hatha Yoga according to all the maha books on the subject seem to point to an ongoing journey through the 8 limbs of Raja Yoga. Some of these 'masters' tell us these 8 steps should be taken in sequence starting at 1 and working through to 8 and others tell us it doesn't matter.
The question is how do we decide which is the 'right' way?

And that is the question huh?

Omzzzz