Greetings Yogis and Yoginis,
This week in class we are considering letting go.
Each day is a little life; every waking and rising a little birth; every fresh morning a little youth; every going to rest and sleep a little death.
– Arthur Schopenhauer
My grandmother, my spiritual teacher, used to tell me that the pain we associate with the great change called death arises from our innumerable selfish attachments. One day she illustrated this in a simple way by asking me to sit in a chair and hold tight to the arms. Then she tried to pull me out of the chair. She tugged and pulled at me, and I held on tight. It was painful. She was a strong person, and even though I held on with all my strength, she pulled me out.
Then she told me to sit down again, but this time not to hold on anywhere, just to get up and come to her when she called. With ease I got out of the chair and went to her. This, she told me, is how to overcome the fear and pain of death. When we hold onto things - houses, cars, books, guitars, our antique silver teapot - we get attached and tied down.
Words to Live By: Inspiration for Every Day – Eknath Easwaran
The homework is to practice letting go. Make a list of some of the things you are “holding” on to. Be honest with yourself. Let the list sit for a few days and then revisit it and see if any revisions are in order. Then choose one thing from your list to completely let go of. Say to yourself, “This moment is the perfect moment to let go.”
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, March 27, 2011
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Miracles
Greetings Yogis and Yoginis,
This week in class we are considering miracles.
To me every hour of the light and dark is a miracle, Every cubic inch of space is a miracle. Every square yard of the surface of the earth Is spread with the same. . . . What strange miracles are these! Everywhere . . .
-Walt Whitman
Once when I was giving a talk I used the word "miracles," and someone in the audience asked skeptically, "Tell us about one."
Every moment you remain alive is a miracle. Talk to medical people; they will tell you there are a million and one things that can go wrong with this body of ours at any given instant. It is only because we haven't developed the capacity for appreciating miracles that we don't see them all around us. Life is a continuous miracle: not only joy but sorrow too; not only birth but death too.
But the most precious miracle of all is to see the divinity in every creature - when we see that the divinity in our hearts is our real Self, and that it is the same Self shining in all.
Words to Live By: Inspiration for Every Day – Eknath Easwaran
The homework is to work to appreciate the little things and find the miracles in the simplest of daily activities. Next consider what it would mean if we all looked at each other as if the other was divine, as if the other was truly a miracle. How would this impact our relationships and the way we treat each other?
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 miracles.
To me every hour of the light and dark is a miracle, Every cubic inch of space is a miracle. Every square yard of the surface of the earth Is spread with the same. . . . What strange miracles are these! Everywhere . . .
-Walt Whitman
Once when I was giving a talk I used the word "miracles," and someone in the audience asked skeptically, "Tell us about one."
Every moment you remain alive is a miracle. Talk to medical people; they will tell you there are a million and one things that can go wrong with this body of ours at any given instant. It is only because we haven't developed the capacity for appreciating miracles that we don't see them all around us. Life is a continuous miracle: not only joy but sorrow too; not only birth but death too.
But the most precious miracle of all is to see the divinity in every creature - when we see that the divinity in our hearts is our real Self, and that it is the same Self shining in all.
Words to Live By: Inspiration for Every Day – Eknath Easwaran
The homework is to work to appreciate the little things and find the miracles in the simplest of daily activities. Next consider what it would mean if we all looked at each other as if the other was divine, as if the other was truly a miracle. How would this impact our relationships and the way we treat each other?
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, March 13, 2011
Reducing Self-Will
Greetings Yogis and Yoginis,
This week in class we are considering the topic reducing self-will.
Love makes everything that is heavy light.
-Thomas a Kempis
It is love that teaches us our real stature and reveals the heroism we never thought we possessed. The renunciation that might be well-nigh impossible in a vacuum can be blessedly simple when someone we love stands to gain. Turning down a second glass of wine might take some doing in ordinary circumstances, for example; but when you're in the company of an impressionable teenager, you'll gladly set it aside.
Suppose you're tempted to add to your collection of antique fire screens: hard to resist, maybe, if your aim is solely to reduce your own acquisitiveness. But if the money you save can be spent on a tent for family camping trips, it can be a breeze. You feel so good inside! A knack for quiet self-sacrifice is the very life and soul of friendship. Reducing self-will needn't be a joyless deprivation - it can be so many little acts of love, performed over and over throughout the day.
Words to Live By: Inspiration for Every Day – Eknath Easwaran
The homework is to explore what it means to “reduce self-will”. Consider that reducing self-will is a practice; like asana, meditation, or prayer. In The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali Sadhana (practice) is defined as Tapas (burning desire), Svadhyaya (self-study) and Isvara Pranidhana (devotion to God) or together as Kriya Yoga. Sadhana is practice to reach a goal in spite of obstacles. Develop a practice to help you reduce your self-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
This week in class we are considering the topic reducing self-will.
Love makes everything that is heavy light.
-Thomas a Kempis
It is love that teaches us our real stature and reveals the heroism we never thought we possessed. The renunciation that might be well-nigh impossible in a vacuum can be blessedly simple when someone we love stands to gain. Turning down a second glass of wine might take some doing in ordinary circumstances, for example; but when you're in the company of an impressionable teenager, you'll gladly set it aside.
Suppose you're tempted to add to your collection of antique fire screens: hard to resist, maybe, if your aim is solely to reduce your own acquisitiveness. But if the money you save can be spent on a tent for family camping trips, it can be a breeze. You feel so good inside! A knack for quiet self-sacrifice is the very life and soul of friendship. Reducing self-will needn't be a joyless deprivation - it can be so many little acts of love, performed over and over throughout the day.
Words to Live By: Inspiration for Every Day – Eknath Easwaran
The homework is to explore what it means to “reduce self-will”. Consider that reducing self-will is a practice; like asana, meditation, or prayer. In The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali Sadhana (practice) is defined as Tapas (burning desire), Svadhyaya (self-study) and Isvara Pranidhana (devotion to God) or together as Kriya Yoga. Sadhana is practice to reach a goal in spite of obstacles. Develop a practice to help you reduce your self-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, March 6, 2011
Path Towards Self-realization
Greetings Yogis and Yoginis,
This week in class we are considering the obstacles we have on our paths towards self-realization.
We ought to fly away from earth to heaven as quickly as we can; and to fly away is to become like God, as far as this is possible; and to become like him is to become holy, just, and wise.
-Plato
We are all capable of flying like eagles high in the sky of love, but often we prefer running on the ground instead.
Have you seen that curious bird, the quail? We have many of them where we live. When we are driving down the lane, they won't get out of the way. They won't fly. They try to outrun the car. It is only when they conclude their number is up that they start flying. They know how to fly, but they would rather stay on the ground.
Most of us are like that. But our wings are there; we have only to spread them to experience the exhilaration of soaring into the sky and looking down to see all life as one.
Words to Live By: Inspiration for Every Day – Eknath Easwaran
The homework is to explore what obstacles you have in your path towards self-realization. This work should be non-judgmental and supportive in helping you better understand yourself. Use the skills of presence, concentration and awareness that you are developing in your yoga practice to help nurture the skills and behavior you need to open your wings.
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 obstacles we have on our paths towards self-realization.
We ought to fly away from earth to heaven as quickly as we can; and to fly away is to become like God, as far as this is possible; and to become like him is to become holy, just, and wise.
-Plato
We are all capable of flying like eagles high in the sky of love, but often we prefer running on the ground instead.
Have you seen that curious bird, the quail? We have many of them where we live. When we are driving down the lane, they won't get out of the way. They won't fly. They try to outrun the car. It is only when they conclude their number is up that they start flying. They know how to fly, but they would rather stay on the ground.
Most of us are like that. But our wings are there; we have only to spread them to experience the exhilaration of soaring into the sky and looking down to see all life as one.
Words to Live By: Inspiration for Every Day – Eknath Easwaran
The homework is to explore what obstacles you have in your path towards self-realization. This work should be non-judgmental and supportive in helping you better understand yourself. Use the skills of presence, concentration and awareness that you are developing in your yoga practice to help nurture the skills and behavior you need to open your wings.
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, February 27, 2011
What it Takes to Fill Your Tank
Greetings Yogis and Yoginis,
This week in class we are considering what it takes to “fill your tank.”
Love feels no burden, thinks nothing of trouble, attempts what is above its strength. . . . It is therefore able to undertake all things, and it completes many things, and warrants them to take effect, where one who does not love would faint and lie down.
-Thomas a Kempis
Without a tank full of gas, no car can drive very far. The mind, too, needs a full tank of vitality to draw on for patience, resilience, and creativity. Filling that tank every morning is one of the most practical purposes of meditation. The test of your meditation is: How long can you be patient with those around you? In the beginning, you should aim to make it at least to noon acting like the proverbial angel.
Most of us, however, even if we start with a full tank, have little control over the thousand and one little pinpricks that drain vitality as we go along: worry, vacillation, irritation, daydreaming. By lunchtime the indicator may be hovering around empty.
Then it is that you have to be acutely vigilant. The tank is nearly empty, but by sheer effort and deft defensive driving, and using the mantram, you manage to coast through to the end of the day without any serious accidents.
The more effort you make, the more endurance you gain. The next day you may find the tank itself a little larger; you start the next day with a greater capacity for love and patience than before.
Words to Live By: Inspiration for Every Day – Eknath Easwaran
Note: A mantram is a powerful spiritual formula which, when repeated silently in the mind, has the capacity to transform consciousness. Learn more at http://www.easwaran.org/.
The homework is to learn what it takes “fill your tank.” Work to notice when your “tank” is becoming low and recognize when it is time to nurture yourself. When you find yourself loosing your patience do whatever works for you to find patience, love and compassion.
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 what it takes to “fill your tank.”
Love feels no burden, thinks nothing of trouble, attempts what is above its strength. . . . It is therefore able to undertake all things, and it completes many things, and warrants them to take effect, where one who does not love would faint and lie down.
-Thomas a Kempis
Without a tank full of gas, no car can drive very far. The mind, too, needs a full tank of vitality to draw on for patience, resilience, and creativity. Filling that tank every morning is one of the most practical purposes of meditation. The test of your meditation is: How long can you be patient with those around you? In the beginning, you should aim to make it at least to noon acting like the proverbial angel.
Most of us, however, even if we start with a full tank, have little control over the thousand and one little pinpricks that drain vitality as we go along: worry, vacillation, irritation, daydreaming. By lunchtime the indicator may be hovering around empty.
Then it is that you have to be acutely vigilant. The tank is nearly empty, but by sheer effort and deft defensive driving, and using the mantram, you manage to coast through to the end of the day without any serious accidents.
The more effort you make, the more endurance you gain. The next day you may find the tank itself a little larger; you start the next day with a greater capacity for love and patience than before.
Words to Live By: Inspiration for Every Day – Eknath Easwaran
Note: A mantram is a powerful spiritual formula which, when repeated silently in the mind, has the capacity to transform consciousness. Learn more at http://www.easwaran.org/.
The homework is to learn what it takes “fill your tank.” Work to notice when your “tank” is becoming low and recognize when it is time to nurture yourself. When you find yourself loosing your patience do whatever works for you to find patience, love and compassion.
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, February 13, 2011
Detachment from Likes and Dislikes
Greetings Yogis and Yoginis,
This week in class we are considering the topic “detachment from likes and dislikes.”
Manifest plainness,
Embrace simplicity,
Reduce selfishness,
Have few desires.
-Lao Tzu
Detachment from likes and dislikes, habits and opinions, is not a sign of weakness. It is an enormously strong and positive quality. Nor does freedom from likes and dislikes mean that life is insipid for us, but rather that we are not driven compulsively by rigid ways of thinking. Even if we don't get what we want - or if we do get what we don't want - we can still function cheerfully and efficiently.
Detachment from habits does not mean that we have no habits. Good habits can be very useful to cultivate in life. But we should be able to change our habits gracefully, or drop them altogether when necessary, especially if we learn that they are harmful to us or are not exactly endearing us to those around us. If we are used to a cup of coffee every morning with our breakfast and one morning we discover that we are out of coffee, we don't say, "I can't function without my coffee," and go back to bed. We should be able to say cheerfully, "I'll have tea instead - or soy milk."
Words to Live By: Inspiration for Every Day – Eknath Easwaran
The homework is to cultivate awareness and to evaluate your habits. Part of our asana practice exposes our habits on the mat and asks us to face them, to explore them, and to possibly make some changes – at the least we generate more awareness of what we are doing. Take this “awareness” off of the mat and explore your habits without judgment and try to make some subtle changes in your patterns to better support 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
This week in class we are considering the topic “detachment from likes and dislikes.”
Manifest plainness,
Embrace simplicity,
Reduce selfishness,
Have few desires.
-Lao Tzu
Detachment from likes and dislikes, habits and opinions, is not a sign of weakness. It is an enormously strong and positive quality. Nor does freedom from likes and dislikes mean that life is insipid for us, but rather that we are not driven compulsively by rigid ways of thinking. Even if we don't get what we want - or if we do get what we don't want - we can still function cheerfully and efficiently.
Detachment from habits does not mean that we have no habits. Good habits can be very useful to cultivate in life. But we should be able to change our habits gracefully, or drop them altogether when necessary, especially if we learn that they are harmful to us or are not exactly endearing us to those around us. If we are used to a cup of coffee every morning with our breakfast and one morning we discover that we are out of coffee, we don't say, "I can't function without my coffee," and go back to bed. We should be able to say cheerfully, "I'll have tea instead - or soy milk."
Words to Live By: Inspiration for Every Day – Eknath Easwaran
The homework is to cultivate awareness and to evaluate your habits. Part of our asana practice exposes our habits on the mat and asks us to face them, to explore them, and to possibly make some changes – at the least we generate more awareness of what we are doing. Take this “awareness” off of the mat and explore your habits without judgment and try to make some subtle changes in your patterns to better support 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
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Starving our Egos
Greetings Yogis and Yoginis,
This week in class we are considering the topic “starving our egos.”
Wherever you go, you will always bear yourself about with you, and so you will always find yourself.
-Thomas a Kempis
There is only one way to get a real vacation: get as far away from the ego as possible.
Worrying about your problems all the time makes for misery with a capital M. For getting away from misery, I recommend this "economy plan": do not feed your ego and your problems with your attention. They will slowly lose weight.
When we feed them, constantly begging them to have one more helping even when they are gorged, we acquire obese problems that hug us tightly and weight us down. So if you really want a vacation, do not brood on your troubles. Do not let yourself get jealous or say uncharitable things about anyone. In other words, do not give the ego breakfast in bed; do not pack it a bag lunch; do not fix its dinner; do not give it pocket money for buying snacks; do not even give it a glass of water. Slowly, surely, the ego will lose weight, until one fine day it will be nothing but a thin ghost of its former self.
You will be able to see right through it, to the divine presence that shines in each of us.
Words to Live By: Inspiration for Every Day – Eknath Easwaran
The homework is to use the concentration skills you are developing in your asana practice to starve your ego. Recall the extra effort you often use in class to stay in an asana a bit longer than you thought you could. Use this attention to help you to become aware of when you are worrying and try to “not feed” your worry.
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 “starving our egos.”
Wherever you go, you will always bear yourself about with you, and so you will always find yourself.
-Thomas a Kempis
There is only one way to get a real vacation: get as far away from the ego as possible.
Worrying about your problems all the time makes for misery with a capital M. For getting away from misery, I recommend this "economy plan": do not feed your ego and your problems with your attention. They will slowly lose weight.
When we feed them, constantly begging them to have one more helping even when they are gorged, we acquire obese problems that hug us tightly and weight us down. So if you really want a vacation, do not brood on your troubles. Do not let yourself get jealous or say uncharitable things about anyone. In other words, do not give the ego breakfast in bed; do not pack it a bag lunch; do not fix its dinner; do not give it pocket money for buying snacks; do not even give it a glass of water. Slowly, surely, the ego will lose weight, until one fine day it will be nothing but a thin ghost of its former self.
You will be able to see right through it, to the divine presence that shines in each of us.
Words to Live By: Inspiration for Every Day – Eknath Easwaran
The homework is to use the concentration skills you are developing in your asana practice to starve your ego. Recall the extra effort you often use in class to stay in an asana a bit longer than you thought you could. Use this attention to help you to become aware of when you are worrying and try to “not feed” your worry.
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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