PEACE LOVE YOGA: 2nd Series

Burnt To Ash

"All Inquiry is meant for one purpose; to take you experientially into the unknown as efficiently as possible. Once you get there, simply be still because inquiry has delivered you to its destination. The rest is up to Grace. Do not hold onto any knowledge that comes your way. Even the greatest revelations much not be clung to, or you will end up with a head full of memories and a heart empty of substance. The truth is ever new, existing only in the now. The highest truth is beyond knowledge and experience. It is beyond time and space, and beyond beingness, consciousness, and oneness. Just remember that all direct path techniques are meant simply to undermine, to cut away, the one who is performing them. No matter what spiritual path you've walked or what teachings you've followed, they must lead you back to no path and no teaching. A true teaching is like a blazing fire that consumes the itself. The teaching must not only consume you, but consume itself as well. All must be burned to ash, and then the ash must be burned. The, and only then, is the Ultimate realized. True Enlightenment destroys enlightenment. As long as you can refer back to yourself and say, 'I'm enlightened', you not. Enlightenment is authentic only when there is no one left to be enlightened. Even to say 'I am nobody', is one too many. There's a point when you intuitively realize that to be Free you have to give up your attachment to Freedom. You have to quit asking yourself: Is it still there? Am I okay? You have to decide to never look over your shoulder again to see if you're free or if others know you're free. You just have to let yourself burn there - no matter what. This isn't something I can help you with. I can tell you what you need to do, but you have to do it. In the beginning, teachers can help a lot. But the deeper you go, all they can do is point, and clarify, and tell you what you need to do. Only you can take this step. Nobody can push you in to this place."

- Adyashanti

No Expectations

A spirit that lives in this world

and does not wear the shirt of love,

such an existence is a deep disgrace.

Be foolishly in love,

because love is all there is.

There is no way into presence

except through a love exchange.

If someone asks, But what is love?

answer, Dissolving the will.

True freedom comes to those

who have escaped the questions

of freewill and fate.

Love is an emperor.

The two worlds play across him.

He barely notices their tumbling game.

Love and lover live in eternity.

Other desires are substitutes

for that way of being.

How long do you lay embracing a corpse?

Love rather the soul, which cannot be held.

Anything born in spring dies in the fall,

but love is not seasonal.

With wine pressed from grapes,

expect a hangover.

But this love path has no expectations.

You are uneasy riding the body?

Dismount. Travel lighter.

Wings will be given.

Be clear like a mirror

reflecting nothing.

Be clean of pictures and the worry

that comes with images.

Gaze into what is not ashamed

or afraid of any truth.

Contain all human faces in your own

without any judgement of them.

Be pure emptiness.

What is inside that? you ask.

Silence is all I can say.

Lovers have some secrets

that they keep.

(Rumi)

19.4.13

For Intermediate series students of all levels of experience. Take an indepth look both practical and philosophical into the internal evolution the Intermediate Series awakens.

Intermediate Series, otherwise known as nadi śhodana, meaning nervous system cleansing, builds upon the culmination of energy and purification within the practitioner built upon the foundation of Primary Series. With deeper backbends and forward bends as well as arm balances, the Intermediate series integrates the use of opposing forces to garner greater unity and strength, both mental and physical, opening the internal light of awareness within each individual.

In this workshop special attention will be focused on the in depth study of each posture, their relationship to each other as well as executing the proper vinyasas and transitions, with special attention to all points of Tristhānam (posture, breath, drishte) throughout the practice. In addition, there will be time taken to trouble shoot areas of difficulty gathering skills to move forward in the practice with greater intelligence and awareness.

Whether new to the practice of Intermediate Series, or an experienced practitioner, this workshop will invoke new insights and inspire your already existing practice.

Date: 11 - 12 May 3013

Time: 14:00 - 16:30

Location: Yogayama, Jungfrugatan 8, Stockholm, Sweden

To Book: www.yogayama.se

Investment: 600 sek

1.3.13

This is a great video. Very informative in regards to the nuances of the various vinyasas in the Ashtanga yoga practice explained by the well known Finnish teacher, Petri Räisänen. Not to be controversial, there seems to be few minute differences after just coming back from Mysore, but what do I know, haha. It's up for debate, nonetheless, a great tutorial.

12.9.11

Traflagar Square

So, I'm a weeeeee bit late posting about my trip to London. My blogging muscle has gotten soooo weak lately! I apologize. Some how, I've managed to blog, here and there, in the past year. As always, I've been too optimistic - stating I'd be back up to speed posting regularly soon. As you can see, that hasn't happened, yet. This go around, I'm not even going to say anything in regards to blogging, and see what happens. Seems better not set any expectations. Just know I have every intention to get it going.

Ok. London. Well, I mean, what isn't there to like? A million thanks to my boyfriend who generously planned the trip as a birthday present. What MORE could this particular girl ask for on her birthday? Yoga, with Sharath, mixed with great friends, and travel to a fabulous city, is a combination that is hard to match. I was in heaven, minus the rain we were blessed with.

Right away the hustle and bustle of London threw me off. In contrast, Stockholm flows at a much slower pace. Took me a while to adjust. Granted, the city had taken a hit with the riots they recently experienced. A definite wake up call, but when it comes to culture, history, arts, and diversity, it's an unbeatable city. I'm ready to go back!

As you've probably already gathered, there's something about travel that really gets me going. I love discovering new places. Even though, in many respects, London felt familiar in that it's one of the most well known cities in the world. Per usual fashion, I sunk my teeth in and took a huge bite. There's no better way to do it really. I ♥ London!

House of Parliament & Big Ben

Westminster

What about the yoga!? Yeah. The main purpose of the trip was to practice with our teacher, R. Sharath Jois. This was the first time I had ever participated in a tour. It's kinda strange seeing Sharath some place else other than Mysore. A tour usually equals a full week of led class. I signed on for a full week of led Intermediate series. Let's just say there was a whole lot of nerve cleansing going on. In Mysore, one day a week of led Intermediate feels like enough. A full week is intense. A manageable challenge, though, if taken in stride. I just love the rhythm and pacing of Sharath's classes. I have yet to meet a teacher who has the finesse as he has. I mean, it should really come as no surprise, he's had enough practice and influence from his grandfather. It's all there. Simple. Straightforward. Energetic.

I took the opportunity to really focus and go inward, surrendering to the counted rhythm, which is more challenging to maintain when practicing at home. It's an amazing litmus test. Going in, I wondered if I would totally flake on karandavasana, haha. To my amazement, I didn't. No touching. Whew! It's one of those things you can't predict in a led class. Flowing on command poses interesting challenges for the mind. There's an abundance to learn when it comes to this. To trust the energy flow. Just do. No thinking. Understanding when internally aligned, the embedded power carries the body.

As the days progressed I found myself being sore in the oddest places. The side of my forearm kept talking to me amongst others. I felt I was being re-calibrated. That's the thing, even though I've practiced Intermediate series a multitude of times, it's never the same as it is with Sharath. Of course it wouldn't be. After practice I felt stretched and challenged both mentally and physically. By the end of the week something shed. Old karma, emotional baggage, who knows. A weight lifted. Which is hard to explain, because it felt like the most natural thing. Of course this would happen. On the way back home everything culminated. I felt unknown anxiety. Sadness. Grief, that I couldn't explain. An emotional release came and went through. Somehow afterward I felt a big sigh of relief. Another level of clarity. I also felt pumped in a way. A true testament to how unbelievably strengthening it can be. Like a slow burn. A steady sizzle. As the embers of tapas dove deep inside.

Practicing back home the integration filled into the new empty spaces. My breath felt fuller. Deeper. Expansive. It's one of those things you don't realize while going through it. It's like you have to step outside to really feel what has transpired. I'm not trying to make it into some earth shattering experience, no, this is not the case. However, with that being said, I felt the profound affect on what being in his space has. Focused and clean. Underneath it all, opening to what the practice does over time. I'm thankful. It's a learning and stretching that can only be experienced through practice and practice alone. And the willingness to be in it, is key! It's not always easy.

London Tour 2011 with R. Sharath Jois

We were not allowed to take pictures inside the practice area. Somehow the above picture was taken on the last day! Tisk, tisk, I know! It's not really representative of the space we were in. We were packed in pretty good for the Friday, Primary series class that ended the week. Felt good to be part of such large sangha! As far as I'm concerned connecting with a community of practitioners becomes just as rewarding as the practice itself.

Tower Bridge

Obviously practice with Sharath was the highlight, however with London as the back drop there was much more to take in and experience. One of my favorites was our visit to Hampton Court. I always enjoyed history in school, and to walk around one of Henry VIII's old stomping grounds was absolutely fascinating. Being educated in the U.S. our history classes always had an English slant to them. It was fun imagining life "back in the day," especially as tyrannical and neurotic as Henry VIII was. What a guy!