lotus flower

lotus flower

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

The FIRST SPOKE on the Wheel

As we sojourn through this JOURNEY OF OUR LIVES, via the YOGA SUTRAS, the first spoke of this wheel is labelled: THE YAMAS~ some interpret the Yamas as: MORAL RESTRAINTS.....others could put a different spin/interpretation on this spoke....which is neither here nor there...we're all talking about the same thing....this first  spoke, along with its partner, the second spoke, create the real foundation of the SUTRAS and this 8-Limb Path of Yoga.

Rolling through this moment, this day of our lives, what restraints do we put on ourselves, our morals?  What guidelines do we follow?  What boundaries do we establish for acceptable behavior, towards ourselves and others?  Just as the lines on the roadways give us directions and directives for when to pass another vehicle, or NOT pass, or speed limits around curves, etc. ...what morals and ethics do we honor?

Yoga provides us with 5  aspects of this 'spoke', and all 5 comprise the YAMAS...and the first yama is
labelled: AHIMSA, which translates from sanskrit to our vernacular as: NONVIOLENCE.....
We could immediately think: "No problem! I don't support violence!....this Sutra 'stuff' is easy!"
Yoga invites us to GO DEEPER....how am I violent in my thoughts, words and actions with myself & with others?................this OPENS UP  a whole new avenue on this saga of our lives.....
One we'll discuss in more detail in our next connection....THINK ON THIS: HOW AM I BEING VIOLENT with myself right now?  What thoughts am I repeating to myself, about myself?  What words am I choosing to use right here, right now?  THIS IS HOW this 'Journey through the 8-Limb class' begins...and continues...as we roll through our lives....NAMASTE'!

Thursday, April 21, 2011

WHEELIN' THROUGH LIFE!

The Yoga Sutras provide us with a recipe for living, right here, right now!  Patanjali provides us with the the 8 LIMB PATH OF YOGA, and each limb can be 'likened' to a spoke on a wheel....when all 8 spokes/limbs are functioning well, we 'ROLL MORE SMOOTHLY THROUGH OUR DAY/OUR LIVES', and when there is stress, weakness, the wheel of our lives hits the potholes on the road, the bumps, twists, turns, roadblocks in our relationships, discontentment with our decisions, upset when things don't go our way.....and the GREAT PART OF THIS JOURNEY THROUGH OUR LIVES is: learning our lessons, growing from an unfortunate experience, embracing our fears, letting go of our past, trusting in our precious  present moments as well as our futures....it can sound and seem overwhelming, yet, if we take the wheel of our own life, and explore each spoke of the wheel, one at a time, we establish strength, support, stability.....and, we learn flexibility, open-mindedness & open-heartedness....bit by bit, one roll of our wheel at a time.

 In our next blog, let's look at the first spoke of our individual wheels...and grow more familiar and comfortable with this spoke....NAMASTE'!