Greetings Yogis and Yoginis,
This week in class we are considering the topic “Dealing With Difficulties.”
Using Emotional Energy
Confusion, tension, and depression all contain energy that can be used for us as well as against us. When we can calmly face our difficulties without trying to escape, without trying to manipulate or suppress our feelings, it is possible to see something that we have never seen before. We may realize very clearly that we simply do not want this pain any longer. We can then discover in ourselves the motivation to change the habits that lead us into difficulties.
We can use the energy of our emotions to skillfully cope with our problems, to rediscover the clear interplay of mind and senses that allows our energy to flow in more positive directions. Our emotions are really only energy; they become painful when we grow attached to them, and identify them as being negative. We can transform this energy into positive feelings, for ultimately, it is we ourselves who determine these reactions. The choice is up to us: we can dwell on negative emotions, or we can take their energy and use it to encourage a healthier response to our problems.
- Tarthang Tulka
The homework is to remember that you have a choice when it comes to how to deal with difficulties and that difficulties could be a blessing in disguise. Learn what your habits are when difficulties arise and challenge this habitual response and work to re-direct your energy towards a healthier response for you and the people around 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
Monday, September 21, 2009
Monday, September 14, 2009
Don’t Worry, Be Happy
Greetings Yogis and Yoginis,
This week in class we are considering the topic “Dealing With Difficulties.”
Don’t Worry, Be Happy
Discipline your personality so that you do not develop the worrying habit. You will find that when the habit infests your mind, you will worry no matter what the situation you are in. You may have thought that if you were rich, you wouldn’t have to worry about a thing. And then one day you become rich, and find your worries have multiplied along with your money.
Nothing in the world can remedy your worry except your own philosophical insight. Develop the insight that you are sustained by the Divine hand.
- Swami Jyotirmayananda
The homework is to take note of the habits of your personality that are creating difficulties. Discover for yourself what kind of philosophical insight you need to cultivate to overcome these difficulties.
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 “Dealing With Difficulties.”
Don’t Worry, Be Happy
Discipline your personality so that you do not develop the worrying habit. You will find that when the habit infests your mind, you will worry no matter what the situation you are in. You may have thought that if you were rich, you wouldn’t have to worry about a thing. And then one day you become rich, and find your worries have multiplied along with your money.
Nothing in the world can remedy your worry except your own philosophical insight. Develop the insight that you are sustained by the Divine hand.
- Swami Jyotirmayananda
The homework is to take note of the habits of your personality that are creating difficulties. Discover for yourself what kind of philosophical insight you need to cultivate to overcome these difficulties.
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
Monday, September 7, 2009
Rebalancing With Yoga
Greetings Yogis and Yoginis,
This week in class we are considering the topic “Dealing With Difficulties.”
Rebalancing With Yoga
Disease indicates that we have been making an error in terms of our lifestyle or thinking and therefore have become imbalanced. It shows that we must make some changes if we are to live a healthy, fuller and more joyous existence. Yoga teaches us that we must learn to use and value our sufferings as springboards in our spiritual evolution. Somehow we have lost our awareness of who we are and how we should lead useful and aware lives. Loss of awareness allows disease to creep in. When we are sick, we are forced by nature to wake up to our transgressions of natural laws. Regaining our awareness through Yogic practices is the key to health. The Yogic process brings about rebalance, insight, understanding and appreciation of these universal, natural laws which operate in the world we live in.
- Swami Karmananda Saraswati
The homework is to consider how it is that our sufferings can act as springboards in our spiritual evolution. What is it about the practices of Yoga that helps us understand the universal natural laws? What are the universal natural laws?
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 “Dealing With Difficulties.”
Rebalancing With Yoga
Disease indicates that we have been making an error in terms of our lifestyle or thinking and therefore have become imbalanced. It shows that we must make some changes if we are to live a healthy, fuller and more joyous existence. Yoga teaches us that we must learn to use and value our sufferings as springboards in our spiritual evolution. Somehow we have lost our awareness of who we are and how we should lead useful and aware lives. Loss of awareness allows disease to creep in. When we are sick, we are forced by nature to wake up to our transgressions of natural laws. Regaining our awareness through Yogic practices is the key to health. The Yogic process brings about rebalance, insight, understanding and appreciation of these universal, natural laws which operate in the world we live in.
- Swami Karmananda Saraswati
The homework is to consider how it is that our sufferings can act as springboards in our spiritual evolution. What is it about the practices of Yoga that helps us understand the universal natural laws? What are the universal natural laws?
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 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
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
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
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
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
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