Greetings Yogis and Yoginis,
This week in class we are considering the topic “Making Progress.”
Dynamic Tranquility
Tranquility should not be confused with passivity or apathy. It is, rather, a dynamic quality of balance and harmony. As love is the outward flowing of energy in selflessness, and joy is the experience of accepting the natural divinity of all life, tranquility is the experience we have when we know and accept ourselves for who and what we are.
We are the source of our own turmoil. The inner doubts, fears, impulses, the unconscious drives and motivations, all create an imbalance that leads to mental and physical suffering. We remain unaware of our spiritual identity and are caught in habits and patterns of the personality. The habits that make up this small self control us, and we bounce whenever and wherever the habits bounce, nearly always reacting to the world, with little capacity to consciously choose our actions in the world. When, through meditation, we come to experience directly our true spiritual identity, the personality with all its peaks and valleys no longer exerts a claim. We experience an inner calm and tranquility, a center that is secure and free of conflict. From the vantage point of this calm, unattached center, we gradually resolve our inner conflicts and unfold the subtle potentials of the deeper mind.
- Rudolph M. Ballentine
The homework is to use your Yoga practice to learn to be more accepting of who and what you are. Make the connections between how you practice and your life off of the mat. Challenge the idea that you are your personality and that your qualities are non-changeable. Work to go beyond your personality and habits and discover true tranquility.
Blessings,
paul cheek
Rushing Water Yoga
The BKS Iyengar Yoga School of Southwest Washington
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, July 26, 2009
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Controlling Nervous Habits
Greetings Yogis and Yoginis,
This week in class we are considering the topic “Making Progress.”
Controlling Nervous Habits
Look about you anywhere and you will see people taping their feet, twiddling their fingers, twisting their mouths, chewing gum, chain-smoking, pacing restlessly, indulging helplessly in dozens of nervous habits and useless actions which merely waste the life-force so that it is not available when needed. Much of this is, of course, the expression of fear, anxiety, anger and other unhealthy mental and emotional conditions.
People who practice the self-control which Yoga teaches impart a feeling of controlled energy. They are efficient; they go about their work with a minimum of effort, with no wasted energy and few unnecessary movements. They seem to get straight to the point and are always ready to take quick, forceful action when they have to.
- Richard Hittleman
The homework is to learn how your Yoga practice can help you cultivate “a feeling of controlled energy.” Work to become more aware of when you start to express your energy in a “nervous habit” and change this habitual response into an expression that is more focused and useful.
Blessings,
paul cheek
Rushing Water Yoga
The BKS Iyengar Yoga School of Southwest Washington
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 “Making Progress.”
Controlling Nervous Habits
Look about you anywhere and you will see people taping their feet, twiddling their fingers, twisting their mouths, chewing gum, chain-smoking, pacing restlessly, indulging helplessly in dozens of nervous habits and useless actions which merely waste the life-force so that it is not available when needed. Much of this is, of course, the expression of fear, anxiety, anger and other unhealthy mental and emotional conditions.
People who practice the self-control which Yoga teaches impart a feeling of controlled energy. They are efficient; they go about their work with a minimum of effort, with no wasted energy and few unnecessary movements. They seem to get straight to the point and are always ready to take quick, forceful action when they have to.
- Richard Hittleman
The homework is to learn how your Yoga practice can help you cultivate “a feeling of controlled energy.” Work to become more aware of when you start to express your energy in a “nervous habit” and change this habitual response into an expression that is more focused and useful.
Blessings,
paul cheek
Rushing Water Yoga
The BKS Iyengar Yoga School of Southwest Washington
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, July 12, 2009
Idleness
Greetings Yogis and Yoginis,
This week in class we are considering the topic “Making Progress.”
Idleness
This is an important secret of life: if you remain idle without doing something useful your mind thinks scattered and random thoughts, and wastes its energy. Your good thoughts should definitely be brought into action. A thought is like an unripened fruit that is not yet eaten by anyone. Ripening fruit means bringing a positive thought into action. She who is great, successful, creative, and dynamic knows how to bring all her good and creative thoughts into action, and how to give a shape and form to her creative thinking process.
- Swami Rama
The homework is to learn how your Yoga practice can help you “give a shape and form to your creative thinking process.” Consider how the 5th and 6th limbs of Yoga, Pratyahara – refinement of the senses and Dharana – concentration, can assist you in this process. Finally, bring one of your good thoughts into action.
Blessings,
paul cheek
Rushing Water Yoga
The BKS Iyengar Yoga School of Southwest Washington
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 “Making Progress.”
Idleness
This is an important secret of life: if you remain idle without doing something useful your mind thinks scattered and random thoughts, and wastes its energy. Your good thoughts should definitely be brought into action. A thought is like an unripened fruit that is not yet eaten by anyone. Ripening fruit means bringing a positive thought into action. She who is great, successful, creative, and dynamic knows how to bring all her good and creative thoughts into action, and how to give a shape and form to her creative thinking process.
- Swami Rama
The homework is to learn how your Yoga practice can help you “give a shape and form to your creative thinking process.” Consider how the 5th and 6th limbs of Yoga, Pratyahara – refinement of the senses and Dharana – concentration, can assist you in this process. Finally, bring one of your good thoughts into action.
Blessings,
paul cheek
Rushing Water Yoga
The BKS Iyengar Yoga School of Southwest Washington
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, July 5, 2009
Conquering Complacency
Greetings Yogis and Yoginis,
This week in class we are considering the topic “Making Progress.”
Conquering Complacency
Develop the type of personality that feels you are endlessly exploring new mystic secrets. Do not become too content with what you have accomplished in Yoga. Do not become complacent by developing the idea that you have practiced a lot of meditation and have developed a lot of wonderful qualities and have studied the scriptures. Never think that you have done all that is to be done on the spiritual path. This is a great error.
- Swami Jyotirmayananda
The homework is to consider where you are on your spiritual path. While the Yoga philosophy encourages one to have a spiritual path it is not a pre-requisite for the practice of Yoga. Wherever you are on your path consider deepening your understanding and practice of what you have already explored before exploring new ground. Finally, consider how the practices of Yoga can help you in this process of discovery.
Blessings,
paul cheek
Rushing Water Yoga
The BKS Iyengar Yoga School of Southwest Washington
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 “Making Progress.”
Conquering Complacency
Develop the type of personality that feels you are endlessly exploring new mystic secrets. Do not become too content with what you have accomplished in Yoga. Do not become complacent by developing the idea that you have practiced a lot of meditation and have developed a lot of wonderful qualities and have studied the scriptures. Never think that you have done all that is to be done on the spiritual path. This is a great error.
- Swami Jyotirmayananda
The homework is to consider where you are on your spiritual path. While the Yoga philosophy encourages one to have a spiritual path it is not a pre-requisite for the practice of Yoga. Wherever you are on your path consider deepening your understanding and practice of what you have already explored before exploring new ground. Finally, consider how the practices of Yoga can help you in this process of discovery.
Blessings,
paul cheek
Rushing Water Yoga
The BKS Iyengar Yoga School of Southwest Washington
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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