Sunday, August 30, 2009

The Grace of Despair

Greetings Yogis and Yoginis,

This week in class we are considering the topic “Dealing With Difficulties.”

The Grace of Despair

If you have never reached the bottommost depths of despair, if you have not realized some point in your life at which you felt completely disintegrated, then you haven’t begun your journey towards God yet. But immediately upon that disintegration, when everything you value in life is gone, there should be surrender. The cup of your personality shatters, and at that moment of shattering you surrender your will completely to the unknown, whoever that is, and right there, by that very act, you have found the perfection that is God.

- Pandit Usharbudh Arya

The homework is to recognize the moments in life where you have “reached the bottommost depths of despair” and learn from your response. What does it mean to surrender your will and what is the outcome? Will you come closer to God, whatever that means to you, each time you surrender your will?

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, August 23, 2009

Growing Pains

Greetings Yogis and Yoginis,

This week in class we are considering the topic “Dealing With Difficulties.”

Growing Pains

Life is not a perpetual honeymoon. This earth is a school. Spiritual growth does not come without effort, and effort and change often means pain. I think it is meant to be that way: if there were no difficulties, we wouldn’t look for anything higher. And that would be hell because it would keep us from the infinite bliss which is our birthright.

- Brother Anandamoy

The homework is to determine where you are on your own spiritual path. Learn what kind of change and effort you need to bring to your life through your practices that will lift you up to the next level – something higher. Finally, consider what it means to move towards infinite bliss.

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, August 16, 2009

Pain As Teacher

Greetings Yogis and Yoginis,

This week in class we are considering the topic “Dealing With Difficulties.”

Pain As Teacher

Pain is your best friend. It is infinitely more honest with you than pleasure. Despite what you might think, the painful experiences you have had benefit you far more than the pleasurable ones, even though most of us spend our lives trying to duck and hide from them. But when you can center yourself and be open to look pain dead in the eye, then you have transcended the limits of your ego and this humanity. It is then that you enter into the possibility of becoming a great being.

- Swami Chetanananda

The homework is to learn how your Yoga practice helps you to center yourself. From a centered space consider facing your pain and suffering straight on. What would that look like? Finally, what does it mean to transcend the limits of your ego?

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, August 2, 2009

The Inner Obstacle Race

Greetings Yogis and Yoginis,

This week in class we are considering the topic “Dealing With Difficulties.”

The Inner Obstacle Race

Remember, Yoga practice is like an obstacle race: many obstructions are purposely put on the way for us to pass through. They are there to make us understand and express our own capacities. We all have that strength, but we need to be challenged and tested in order to understand our own capacities. In fact, that is the natural law. If a river just flows easily, the water in the river does not express its power. But once you put an obstacle to the flow by constructing a dam, then you can see its strength in the form of tremendous electrical power.

- Swami Satchidananda

The homework is to learn what your obstacles are on and off of the mat. Figure out how the two environments overlap and how work in either can impact the other. Finally evaluate how you are creating your own obstructions and start finding your power by challenging these obstructions through your practices.

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