Ishvara Pranidhana and Sacrificing our own Self-importance

Greetings Sadhakas,

This week in class we are exploring Ishvara Pranidhana, the fifth Niyama.

"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life.  It turns what we have into enough, and more.  It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, confusion into clarity....It turns problems into gifts, failure into success, the unexpected into perfect timing, and mistakes into important events.  Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates vision for tomorrow."

                                                                                                            - Melody Beattie

Consider Ishvara Pranidhana the fifth Niyama. Ishvara represents that living symbol of the divine that is in our hearts and Pranidhana a profound recognition of that which sustains us and gives meaning to our lives. Literally it means surrender to God.

Ishvara Pranidhana is fundamentally about a relationship to something higher than or beyond ourselves.  It may be a higher force, as in the context of traditional religious traditions, or it may be in relation to human values, such as kindness and compassion.  In either case, it will manifest in our lives as the ability to let go of the tyranny of our self-importance – whether it reveals itself as pride and arrogance, or self-pity and low self-esteem.  It will awaken in us attitudes such as gratitude and appreciation.  As a result, we will be able to simply wake up in the morning and say,”Ah, I’m alive another day.”  We will feel grateful in our hearts for the gift of this life.  We will take the time to look and appreciate the beauty around us.  In our relationships we will become open to receiving each other with respect and appreciation.       

Homework:  What does the concept of “sacrificing your own self-importance” mean to you to?   Does this sacrifice have to come before the qualities of kindness, compassion, gratitude, appreciation and respect can be cultivated?  What little step can you take today to begin or deepen your practice of Ishvara Pranidhana?

References:

Quoted and paraphrased from Iyengar the Yoga Master, edited by Kofi Busia, Kriya Yoga: Transformation Through Practice – A Western Perspective, by Gary Kraftsow.

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

Oneness

Greetings Sadhakas,

This week in class we are exploring Oneness.

We have to take the whole universe as the expression of the one Self. Then only our love flows to all beings and creatures in the world equally.

 

                                                  – Swami Ramdas

You and I appear to be separate. We differ in color, size, and shape. Differences in ideas, tastes, and prejudices mark us as individuals to be reckoned with. Beneath this apparent division, however, hidden deep within each of us is the one Self - eternal, infinite, ever-perfect. This is the closely guarded secret of life: that we are all caught up in a divine masquerade, and all we are trying to do is take off our masks to reveal the pure, perfect Self within.

In our present condition, we have forgotten we are wearing masks. Fortunately, the Self will not allow us to forget him, but keeps on calling to us. In order to find the Self, we must look deep within ourselves. When we succeed, our purpose in life will be fulfilled, and all our anger against others will melt into unfathomable love, all our fear of others into unshakable security.

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

The homework is to learn for yourself how the practices of Yoga help us experience the interconnections between ourselves and our environment. Then observe what the impact is from this experience.

Blessings,

paul cheek

Rushing Water Yoga

417 NE Birch St., Camas, WA 98607

360.834.5994

www.rushingwateryoga.com

info@rushingwateryoga.com

Patience and Learning to L O V E

Greetings Sadhakas,

This week in class we are exploring patience and learning to L O V E.

You learn to speak by speaking, to study by studying, to run by running, to work by working; in just the same way, you learn to love by loving.

 

                                                  – Saint Francis de Sales

In learning to love, we start where we are - somewhat selfish, somewhat self-centered, but with a deep desire to relate lovingly to each other, to move closer and closer together. Love grows by practice; there is no other way. There will be setbacks as well as progress. But there is one immediate consolation: we don't have to wait until our love is perfect to reap the benefits of it. Even with a little progress, everyone benefits - not only those we live with, but ourselves as well.

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

The homework is to apply your Yoga practices to your practice of Love. Just as in Asana there is always setbacks and progress. Use the patience you cultivate through the ups and downs of your Yoga practices to help you keep coming back to your commitment to Love.

Blessings,

paul cheek

Rushing Water Yoga

417 NE Birch St., Camas, WA 98607

360.834.5994

www.rushingwateryoga.com

info@rushingwateryoga.com

Ahimsa, Non-harming or Love

Greetings Sadhakas,

This week in class we are exploring the first Yama: Ahimsa, non-harming or Love.

Love bears it out even to the edge of doom.  

 

                                                  – William Shakespeare

Most of us can spend years in personal pursuits without ever taking time to know the needs of people in our own home, in our neighborhood, at work. It may be rarely that we give our energy to serving their needs. We sometimes forget that our nascent capacity for love is the greatest thing we shall ever have. To nurture it, we may have to forget our private adventures in profit and pleasure for the sake of others, but that is how love grows.

It takes a lifetime to learn to love. Love does not burst forth one morning with a display of fireworks. It grows little by little every day, by bearing with people, as Shakespeare's sonnet says, "even to the edge of doom." That is what love requires. But if we make it our first priority, no matter what difficulties come our way, our love cannot help but grow.

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

The homework is to learn to make Love your first priority. Draw upon your Yoga practice to support your commitment. One way to do that is to study Ahimsa, non-harming or Love, and learn how to apply this concept in your practices and in your relationships.

Blessings,

paul cheek

Rushing Water Yoga

417 NE Birch St., Camas, WA 98607

360.834.5994

www.rushingwateryoga.com

info@rushingwateryoga.com

The Fifth and Sixth Limbs of Yoga: Pratyahara and Dharana

Greetings Sadhakas,

This week in class we are exploring the fifth and sixth limbs of Yoga: Pratyahara – refinement and/or withdrawal of the senses and Dharana – concentration.

There is no greater trouble for thee than thine own self, for when thou art occupied with thyself, thou remainest away from God.  

 

                                                  – Abu Sa'id

Do you want to be free? Most of us are held hostage in life by our likes and dislikes. We are bound by countless little preferences in food, clothing, decor, entertainment - the list goes on and on.

The person with rigid tastes in one area, for example in food, is likely to have rigid tastes elsewhere as well. He will probably enjoy only one kind of music, she will appreciate only one style of art, and when it comes to people, he has very definite allergies. In any case, a rigid person is conditioned to be happy only so long as he gets everything the way he likes it. Otherwise - which may be most of the time - he is unhappy over something.

The way we respond to small matters reflects the way we will respond to the larger matters of life. If we can begin to release ourselves from our little likes and dislikes, we will find that we are gaining the capacity to weather emotional storms. Then we can begin to face whatever comes calmly and courageously.

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

The homework is to consider the fifth and sixth limbs of Yoga: Pratyahara – refinement and/or withdrawal of the senses and Dharana – concentration, as a way to help you observe your likes and dislikes.  As you observe see if you can challenge some of your automatic response patterns and rigidity.  See for yourself if challenging some of your patterns of response and rigidity allows you to approach life more calmly and courageously.

Blessings,

paul cheek

Rushing Water Yoga

417 NE Birch St., Camas, WA 98607

360.834.5994

www.rushingwateryoga.com

info@rushingwateryoga.com

Isvara Pranidhana

Greetings Sadhakas,

This week in class we are exploring Isvara Pranidhana. Translated as surrender to God and/or as dedication to humanity.

He that loveth not, knoweth not God, for God is love.  

 

                                                  – I John

These words sound so ethereal that most of us cannot connect them with daily life. What, we ask, do personal relationships have to do with the divine? I would reply that it is by discovering the unity between ourselves and others - all others - that we find our unity with God. We don't first get to know God and then, by some miracle of grace, come to love our fellow human beings. Loving others comes first. In this sense, learning to love is practicing religion. Those who can put the welfare of others before their own small personal interests are religious, even if they would deny it.

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

The homework is to consider the fifth Niyama (the Niyamas are the second limb of the eight limbs of Yoga), Isvara Pranidhana. Translated as surrender to God and/or as dedication to humanity. Learn for yourself if the art of dedicating all your actions to humanity allows for the reflection of your own inner divinity.

Blessings,

paul cheek

Rushing Water Yoga

417 NE Birch St., Camas, WA 98607

360.834.5994

www.rushingwateryoga.com

info@rushingwateryoga.com

The Practice of Letting go of Desires

Greetings Sadhakas,

This week in class we are exploring the practice of letting go of desires.

Remember that you ought to behave in life as you would at a banquet. As something is being passed around, it comes to you. When it comes to you, stretch out your hand gently, take a portion of it politely, but pass it on. Or, it has not come to you yet. Do not project your desire to meet it. So act always in life.

                                                                                    – Epictetus

This is the nature of desire: it jumps out from the present to the future. When you have a very pleasant event planned, the desire has jumped out already to meet it. Even though this particular event will take place on Saturday, and today is Monday, half of you is already living in Saturday.

And next Monday morning, you will be at your desk, remembering the great day you had Saturday.

Epictetus says, don't ever let your desire jump out to the future, and don't let your mind wander to the past, because you will never be present in the here and now.

If, for example, you are going to the theater to see Anthony and Cleopatra, it is only when you get into the theater that you let your attention dwell on it completely. Until then, you don't think about it. And when you are watching the play, you are there completely, with no wisp of consciousness wandering to what your boss said to you yesterday about the project that is late, and no wandering to what you would like for breakfast tomorrow. You are there completely, sailing down the Nile with Cleopatra.

  

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

The homework is to look at your desires with the idea that all desire leads to disappointment.  Then cultivate the practice of letting go of desires.  Make a list of some of the desires 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.”  Continue with this practice and all that will be left is love.  

 
Excerpts paraphrased from “Living your Yoga, Finding the Spiritual in Everyday Life”, by Judith Lasater.
  

Blessings,

paul cheek

Rushing Water Yoga

417 NE Birch St., Camas, WA 98607

360.834.5994

www.rushingwateryoga.com

info@rushingwateryoga.com