Greetings Yogis and Yoginis,
This week in class we are considering the topic “Peace Overcomes Enmity”.
The principle source of happiness is inner peace. Someone who has already had a practice in developing this peace, who already has a certain experience of it, will not be easily troubled by ordinary enemies. However, hatred, malice, and spite will immediately destroy this mental calmness. The true enemy, therefore, is malice. External enemies may be real enemies for a certain time, but it is quite conceivable that one day instead of harming us they may turn into friends. But the inner enemy will always be our enemy – in the beginning, midway through, and at the end; it is impossible that it will ever become useful to us.
-- The Dalai Lama
The reflection from the quote is to reflect on how your Yoga practice can help you cultivate inner peace. Then be reflective on the “enemy” inside. Notice your thought patterns and habits and how often the “enemy” comes up. Work to create different patterns and habits in your thinking that line up more with your practice of inner peace.
Blessings,
paul cheek
Rushing Water Yoga
417 NE Birch St., Camas, WA 98607
360.834.5994
www.rushingwateryoga.com
info@rushingwateryoga.com
Serving Yoga to Camas, Washougal, and Vancouver Washington since 2003
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Healing Words
Greetings Yogis and Yoginis,
This week in class we are considering the topic “Healing Words”.
Learn to speak gently and lovingly, not only to human beings but also to animals, flowers, birds, trees and the whole of nature, for this is a divine habit. He who knows how to utter words that inspire and vivify possesses a magic wand in his mouth, and his words will never be spoken in vain…….
- Omraam Mikhael Aivanhov
The reflection from the quote is to start by speaking gently and lovingly towards yourself and work to make this a “divine habit.” Then work to expand this “habit” to include all beings.
Blessings,
paul cheek
Rushing Water Yoga
417 NE Birch St., Camas, WA 98607
360.834.5994
www.rushingwateryoga.com
info@rushingwateryoga.com
Serving Yoga to Camas, Washougal, and Vancouver Washington since 2003
This week in class we are considering the topic “Healing Words”.
Learn to speak gently and lovingly, not only to human beings but also to animals, flowers, birds, trees and the whole of nature, for this is a divine habit. He who knows how to utter words that inspire and vivify possesses a magic wand in his mouth, and his words will never be spoken in vain…….
- Omraam Mikhael Aivanhov
The reflection from the quote is to start by speaking gently and lovingly towards yourself and work to make this a “divine habit.” Then work to expand this “habit” to include all beings.
Blessings,
paul cheek
Rushing Water Yoga
417 NE Birch St., Camas, WA 98607
360.834.5994
www.rushingwateryoga.com
info@rushingwateryoga.com
Serving Yoga to Camas, Washougal, and Vancouver Washington since 2003
Monday, January 19, 2009
Don’t Judge Others
Greetings Yogis and Yoginis,
This week in class we are considering the topic “Don’t Judge Others”.
Let us guard against judging others. The Yogic attitude is to mind our own actions and not to be self-styled detectives of God. When we act, one-hundredth part of our personality is expressed outwardly and ninety-nine parts are expressed entirely on other levels. So to take one detail and judge the whole personality of man from that standpoint is surely wrong. The human personality is not merely a machine that acts. A sewing machine is judged on how it sews, but man is not a machine. He has deep complexes hidden in his personality, sometimes not known to himself. - Hari Prasad Shatri
The reflection from the quote is to evaluate for yourself what it means to “mind your own actions.” The next time you find yourself being critical of another person catch yourself and actively move away from criticizing. Then consider the things you need to work on. Be compassionate and non-judgmental when looking at your own life and at the same time be consciously reflective.
Blessings,
paul cheek
Rushing Water Yoga
417 NE Birch St., Camas, WA 98607
360.834.5994
www.rushingwateryoga.com
info@rushingwateryoga.com
Serving Yoga to Camas, Washougal, and Vancouver Washington since 2003
This week in class we are considering the topic “Don’t Judge Others”.
Let us guard against judging others. The Yogic attitude is to mind our own actions and not to be self-styled detectives of God. When we act, one-hundredth part of our personality is expressed outwardly and ninety-nine parts are expressed entirely on other levels. So to take one detail and judge the whole personality of man from that standpoint is surely wrong. The human personality is not merely a machine that acts. A sewing machine is judged on how it sews, but man is not a machine. He has deep complexes hidden in his personality, sometimes not known to himself. - Hari Prasad Shatri
The reflection from the quote is to evaluate for yourself what it means to “mind your own actions.” The next time you find yourself being critical of another person catch yourself and actively move away from criticizing. Then consider the things you need to work on. Be compassionate and non-judgmental when looking at your own life and at the same time be consciously reflective.
Blessings,
paul cheek
Rushing Water Yoga
417 NE Birch St., Camas, WA 98607
360.834.5994
www.rushingwateryoga.com
info@rushingwateryoga.com
Serving Yoga to Camas, Washougal, and Vancouver Washington since 2003
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Overcoming Jealousy
Greetings Yogis and Yoginis,
This week in class we are considering the topic “Overcoming Jealousy”.
To overcome jealousy, try to adopt a more advanced philosophical perspective. Begin to see yourself as a cosmic being, not as an individual, and all personalities as manifestations of the same Self.
Learn to see every human being as you would see your child or another near and dear relative. As such, they are all deserving of great joy. The happiness of all beings is yours. The world is your family, your own limb, your own Self. In the vast treasury of bliss that your inner Self enjoys, there is an abundance for all, and more is eternally forthcoming.
- Swami Jyotirmayananda
The reflection from the quote is to notice the next time the feeling of jealousy comes up and evaluate it in the light of every person deserving great joy. Consider what mental work has to be done to turn your jealousy into joy for this person.
Blessings,
paul cheek
Rushing Water Yoga
417 NE Birch St., Camas, WA 98607
360.834.5994
www.rushingwateryoga.com
info@rushingwateryoga.com
Serving Yoga to Camas, Washougal, and Vancouver Washington since 2003
This week in class we are considering the topic “Overcoming Jealousy”.
To overcome jealousy, try to adopt a more advanced philosophical perspective. Begin to see yourself as a cosmic being, not as an individual, and all personalities as manifestations of the same Self.
Learn to see every human being as you would see your child or another near and dear relative. As such, they are all deserving of great joy. The happiness of all beings is yours. The world is your family, your own limb, your own Self. In the vast treasury of bliss that your inner Self enjoys, there is an abundance for all, and more is eternally forthcoming.
- Swami Jyotirmayananda
The reflection from the quote is to notice the next time the feeling of jealousy comes up and evaluate it in the light of every person deserving great joy. Consider what mental work has to be done to turn your jealousy into joy for this person.
Blessings,
paul cheek
Rushing Water Yoga
417 NE Birch St., Camas, WA 98607
360.834.5994
www.rushingwateryoga.com
info@rushingwateryoga.com
Serving Yoga to Camas, Washougal, and Vancouver Washington since 2003
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Overcoming Anger
Greetings Yogis and Yoginis,
This week in class we are considering the topic “Overcoming Anger”.
The method to diminish our afflictions is meditation. For example, if anger is our main problem, we need to engage in doing specific meditations that develop compassion and love. When we are angry we have the wish to harm, to beat, to hit, to insult. As a remedy we need to develop compassion and love, the main causes of our mental peace and relaxation.
Compassion is the attitude wishing that all sentient beings could be free from suffering. We meditate in order to make this attitude manifest, to transform our mind into the nature of compassion. Having accomplished this, we try to hold this attitude in our mind and focus upon it. However, it will probably quickly disappear and we find that we need to make an effort to develop it again. At first the compassion we generate will last only a minute, or maybe just second, but by developing it again and again it will come to last for five minutes, ten minutes, fifteen minutes and so on, gradually becoming more and more stable. By making a constant effort day after day, some result will definitely come – the hatred and anger will lessen and we will gradually find ourselves becoming more patient and relaxed.
We can also meditate on love to overcome anger. In this context, love does not refer to the kind of love we mean when we say, “I love you.” Generally, when we say, “I love you,” we mean, “I am attached to you.” Real love is the mental attitude wishing that all sentient beings have happiness. Through meditation we make this kind of mind manifest, we transform our mind into the nature of love and then hold and focus on this attitude. This is what is known as meditation on love.
-Geshe Jampa Gyatso
The reflection from the quote is to observe how you can use your Yoga practice to cultivate a meditative state. Be broad in your definition of meditation. Let it include prayer, walking contemplation, and general quietness of the mind. Build upon this meditative state and work to bring Love and Compassion into your every day life.
Blessings,
paul cheek
Rushing Water Yoga
417 NE Birch St., Camas, WA 98607
360.834.5994
www.rushingwateryoga.com
info@rushingwateryoga.com
Serving Yoga to Camas, Washougal, and Vancouver Washington since 2003
This week in class we are considering the topic “Overcoming Anger”.
The method to diminish our afflictions is meditation. For example, if anger is our main problem, we need to engage in doing specific meditations that develop compassion and love. When we are angry we have the wish to harm, to beat, to hit, to insult. As a remedy we need to develop compassion and love, the main causes of our mental peace and relaxation.
Compassion is the attitude wishing that all sentient beings could be free from suffering. We meditate in order to make this attitude manifest, to transform our mind into the nature of compassion. Having accomplished this, we try to hold this attitude in our mind and focus upon it. However, it will probably quickly disappear and we find that we need to make an effort to develop it again. At first the compassion we generate will last only a minute, or maybe just second, but by developing it again and again it will come to last for five minutes, ten minutes, fifteen minutes and so on, gradually becoming more and more stable. By making a constant effort day after day, some result will definitely come – the hatred and anger will lessen and we will gradually find ourselves becoming more patient and relaxed.
We can also meditate on love to overcome anger. In this context, love does not refer to the kind of love we mean when we say, “I love you.” Generally, when we say, “I love you,” we mean, “I am attached to you.” Real love is the mental attitude wishing that all sentient beings have happiness. Through meditation we make this kind of mind manifest, we transform our mind into the nature of love and then hold and focus on this attitude. This is what is known as meditation on love.
-Geshe Jampa Gyatso
The reflection from the quote is to observe how you can use your Yoga practice to cultivate a meditative state. Be broad in your definition of meditation. Let it include prayer, walking contemplation, and general quietness of the mind. Build upon this meditative state and work to bring Love and Compassion into your every day life.
Blessings,
paul cheek
Rushing Water Yoga
417 NE Birch St., Camas, WA 98607
360.834.5994
www.rushingwateryoga.com
info@rushingwateryoga.com
Serving Yoga to Camas, Washougal, and Vancouver Washington since 2003
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