Love

Greetings Yogis and Yoginis,

This week in class we are considering the topic “Love.”

There is hunger for ordinary bread, and there is hunger for love, for kindness, for thoughtfulness; and this is the great poverty that makes people suffer so much.

- Mother Teresa of Calcutta

Our modern civilization is so physically oriented that when we hear the word hunger, we immediately think of vitamins and minerals and amino acids. It seldom occurs to us that just as the body develops problems when it does not get adequate food, the person who is deprived of love – or worse, who finds it difficult to love – becomes subject to problems every bit as serious.

This doesn’t mean just emotional problems, which of course are included. More and more evidence indicates that lack of love not only leads to loneliness, despair and resentment, but also contributes to the deterioration of physical health. When spiritual figures like Mother Teresa talk about our need to love and to be loved, the need is not metaphorical. She is not talking about some vague spirituality; she is talking about good nutrition. Resentment, hostility, alienation, and selfishness are deficiency diseases. You can have all of the essential amino acids, vitamins and minerals known and unknown but if you cannot love, you are not likely to remain in good health.

Words to Live By: Inspiration for Every Day – Eknath Easwaran

The homework is to consider where in your life you are being hard on yourself and not loving yourself. Then consider how you can develop more love for yourself in this area.

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

Surrendering All

Greetings Yogis and Yoginis,

This week in class we are considering the topic “Surrendering All.”

The ultimate attainment is already ours, but the experience of it comes to us only when we are in a state of compete surrender. In this case, "surrender" means the surrender of everything - every effort, desire, thought of attainment or, indeed, anything that represents the thought of any other - as we become centered instead. The person who is able to do this becomes a fountain of consciousness.

- Swami Chetanananda

The homework is to learn to let go, or surrender, through your asana practice. Let go of doing the final pose and let go of getting anything out of the practice. See where this takes you.

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

Freedom

Greetings Yogis and Yoginis,

This week in class we are considering the topic “Freedom.”

When our inner nature is truly free, we find within ourselves a wealth of treasure: love, joy and peace of mind. We can appreciate the beauty of life, taking each experience as it comes, opening our hearts to it and fully enjoying it. Realizing these qualities within ourselves is the greatest freedom that can be gained.

-Tarthang Tulka

The homework is to ask yourself: What is your inner nature? What does it mean to free your inner nature, to know your inner nature? and Why would the freeing of our inner nature lead to a "wealth of treasure?"

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