Greetings Yogis and
Yoginis,
This week in class we are exploring Kriya Yoga.
This week in class we are exploring Kriya Yoga.
Wandering with
thee, even hell itself would be to me a heaven of bliss.
– Ramayana
For the long
spiritual journey, ongoing support, guidance, and inspiration are necessary for
everyone. We all need the support of people who share our aspirations, and to
whom we can turn in difficult times. So we should not overlook the importance
of spiritual companionship.
Meditating with two
or three friends gives tremendous support. When husband and wife practice
meditation together, they strengthen one another immeasurably. The challenges
of self-transformation become so much easier to bear when we can face them with
the support of those we love.
But if we find that
there seems to be no one to share our interest in meditation, the important
thing is to be patient - to have faith that we will eventually find the
spiritual companions that we need. Until then, we can turn to a few invaluable
books in which spiritual aspirants share their experiences. These books can
become old friends: the writings of Swami Ramdas, the Gospel of Sri
Ramakrishna, the works of Saint Teresa of Avila ,
Of the Imitation of Christ, the teachings of the Buddha, to give a few examples
out of a vast storehouse of spiritual wisdom.
Words to Live By:
Inspiration for Every Day – Eknath Easwaran
The homework is
to review the concept of Kriya Yoga as presented in Pada II of Patanjali's Yoga
Sutras. Kriya Yoga is the Yoga of action
and involves the last three Niyamas*.
-Tapas,
Austerity (Discipline). This is a
commitment to being disciplined in the mind and body and directing the mind
towards the self within.
-Svadhyaya,
(Self-study). Study the source of our
actions. This is a commitment to
continuing to study and learn and search for truth and self-realization and
remembering to “be aware”.
-Isvara
Pranidhana, (Surrendar to God). To
practice Isvara Pranidhana is to dedicate all that you do in life towards
humanity.
Apply this
concept of Kriya Yoga to your own spiritual
journey.
* Described in the second chapter of Patanjali’s Yoga
Sutras, the Niyamas establish the rules of conduct that apply to individual
discipline. Practicing and adhering to
these principles creates self purification in the practitioner.
Blessings,
paul cheek
Rushing Water Yoga
paul cheek
Rushing Water Yoga
Serving Yoga to Camas, Washougal, and Vancouver Washington
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