More Naked Events

So today was a very nice day.  I got to practice teach to one of my new best friends, Rachel.  She is simply a lovely young woman and stunningly beautiful both inside and out. You can meet her on instagram. (Thehoodhippy). We were critiqued on our practice in the best way possible.  I’m stealing the methodology.  Basically you say “I noticed” and “I wonder what it would be like if”.  I need to be more technical and make hands on adjustments which is good because that’s why I came to this 300.

We had a fantastic review of the Yoga Sutras which I’ll summarize below for all the yoga geeks.  We learned about the anatomy of the hips today and then we had fun with adjustments in child’s, down dog, and lie down twist.  All it all it was super fun.

Tomorrow is our “graduation” from the Underworld Realm of the 3 realms of the Mayan tradition.  Apparently we will get on a truck and go to some farm and do a sweat lodge.  I’m down for that, but GUESS WHAT?  Yes you did guess it…it’s a naked sweat lodge.  So I guess I’ll just wear a sports bra and yoga pants.  I think I’d feel even sillier wearing my bathing suit.  Me and two other women will then get back on the truck home while the others stay over in tents to wake up and do the Mesculine cactus juice trip.  They will sleep over one more night which means me and two ladies have the entire yoga forest to ourselves for 2 nights.  I’m excited and a wee bit scared, but I don’t know why because I have fireworks and the dude on the loudspeaker to keep me company.

While they trip on cactus juice I’m going to go into town and have an Ayurvedic Consultation and a proper Ayurvedic massage.  I’m so excited.  My biggest problem is I have no intention of shaving my legs…have I mentioned the bug bites?  Let’s just say if this were Naked and Afraid, I’d be considering tapping out.  I think I have about 30 on each foot and thats with using bug spray.  I have been making a potion of Litocaine which I brought from home and Sesame oil and massaging my feet and ankles so they go numb.  I’ve got all these radically holistic yogis turned onto it now too!  Lavender Oil will only get you so far.  Tonight I took a Benadryl.  One I hope it helps with the ? itch and two I hope it helps me fall asleep in this chaos.

I’m getting used to the jungle. Today a scorpion was on my front porch and I found myself casually grabbing a stick and pushing him off.  BUT tonight there is a mammal above my head, I think, and I hope it is on the outside of my cabin and not the inside.

SUTRA REVIEW

The yoga sutras of Pantajali number 196 in total.  A sutra is a “stitch” so each sutra represents magical words that can stitch back together the fabric of your consciousness.  Pantajali was a Sage, but everyone is confused if he was a man or a group of people and also not truly sure when he lived.  I’ve heard up to 2,500 years ago.  Patajali basically has a wonderful experience of yoga and so wrote down his perspective on how to attain enlightenment in these Sutras.  The Sutras are so well done they have become the foundation for most teachings of yoga.

The first 3 sutras explain where you are going.  The last 193 are the directions.  Of the last 193, only 3 sutras mention Asana (postures) and yogis like to make a big deal out of that because our yoga practices in America are so Asana focused.  The first sutras are as follows:

1.1. And now the teachings of yoga begin.

1.2 Yoga is the stilling of the modifications of the mindfield

1.3 And the seer will see.

So in a nutshell, at some point in your life you will reach a point where you are ready to receive the teachings of yoga.  It is my opinion based on my readings the Sage was speaking to the fact most people will hit some spiritual crisis at some point in their life where they start seeking on a spiritual level.  At that point they can begin to prepare the body and mind to receive yoga.  The only reason to do yoga is to learn to control your mind.  Once you learn to control your mind, you have the opportunity to achieve a bliss state where you will become aware of the witness or seer or onlooker or Soul.  Then you will see truth.

Supporting the above Patajali devised the 8 Limbs of Yoga.  Most Yogis are aware of the branches of yoga. It’s basically a code of ethics for yogis.

• Yamas are the social code of conduct including non violence, non stealing, non hoarding, being truthful, and using your energies appropriately.
• Niyamas are the personal code of conduct including purity, discipline, contentment, self study, and surrendering to the divine.
• Asana or Poses
• Pranayama or breath work
• Pratyhara or withdrawing your senses
• Dharana is cultivating one pointed focus
• Dyana is meditation
• Samadhi is bliss

The most important of all of the above is for the yogi to be disciplined, to self study, and to surrender to the divine.  You need constant and steady practice.  In this way you will overcome the 5 reasons for your suffering which are not knowing your true self or spiritual nature, identifying as the ego, desire, aversion (I like this I don’t like that) and finally fear of death.

Sounds easy peasy!

I’ll write more on the sutras later.