Yamas of Yoga...Ahimsa-Non-harming

Deva Primal chants the mantra of ahimsa

lokah samastah sukhino bhavantu

"may all beings everywhere be happy and free"

Ahimsa is probably the most talked-about of the yamas because it is easier to define it as a concrete concept. Ahimsa literally means "non-harming", but is better understood as non-violence. Of course, this is where a bot of abstract thinking is necessary.

Violence has many forms and faces; the biggest example of violence when it comes to practicing Yoga is violence toward the self. 

We're all familiar with the term "beating yourself up". In our quest to be good, we become very critical of our own moral actions. We als may push ourselves too hard when working out because we don't want to let ourselves be "wimpy" or whatever other term we might use to say we're slacking. These are two ways we hold grudges against ourselves just as we might hold grudges against others.

If you can't forgive someone for something they've done against you, or if you can't forgive yourself for something you've done, this is an act of violence because it pushes love away.

Gia My Yoga

One of the most-popular ways yogis have sought to practice ahimsa in recent decades is to not eat meat. This idea seems simple but can be tough. Not everyone who has tried a vegetarian or vegan diet has managed to avoid health problems. To have a diet that makes you unhealthy means you are harming yourself. 

We can take a simpler view of ahimsa by simply seeking to avoid being unnecessarily hurtful toward ourselves and toward others. This doesn't mean lying as opposed to truth telling, but it may mean waiting until the right time to tell someone something. We can also avoid needless expression, such as reminding someone of a mistake they are already aware that they made and that you know they are already working to correct. 

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Sources:

Gia My Yoga

Mind Body Green

Insight State

Yamas of Yoga-Satya

The second Yama of Yoga is Satya which translates in English to "truthfullness"

The famous, former US House Speaker Tip O'Neill is credited with saying:

"Always tell the truth, that way you have a lot less to remember"

Or something very similar. Of course, O'Neill was speaking with reference to politics, not Yoga. But as Yoga means the connection and union of all forces and all things in proper measure, we can contemplate the Speaker's quote quite handily.

Former House SPeaker Tip O'Neill, right, shakes hands with former President Ronald Reagan. While O'Neill was a harsh critic of Reagan, he became famous for working across the political aisle to broker successful and fruitful political compromises.

Being truthful protects us from being roiled in scandal that can come from lying; scandals can range from political issues at work to conflicts with clients in business, and problems with friends and family.

Often, what makes it tough to be truthful is the timing of a specific situation. Sometimes, it is more proper to delay the truth in order to avoid doing harm, especially in a truly grave situation. This tactic can also backfire, say, if we lie to someone and later tell the truth while also saying:

How often has someone told us: "I lied becasue I didn't want to hurt your feelings" ?

It's happened at some point, to each of us. We've either done it to someone or had it done to us, or both.

This tactic will always backfire, because you've already hurt the person's feelings by lying, and by trying to do right by truth telling at a later time, you hurt that person double fold.

It's easy to learn from mistakes involving other people, quite simply, because after making this type of mistake, people react and want to push you away. You get lonely and you feel like a schmuck and don't ever want to feel that way again.

So what does this have to do with your Yoga practice? Without digging deeper into dogmatic moral contexts, let's look inward to ourselves.

Without other people to scrutinize our thoughts and actions, it gets tougher to tell how truth telling can be beneficial or negatively consequential.

The tenet of truth is to be honest with yourself, always. When dealing with your inner self, you need only be able to forgive yourself and love yourself. There's no timing involved with that; there are no political or social situations that are at stake when we are dealing with our own selves only.

Be honest with yourself and you won't create situations of denial that cloud our ability to see who and what we really are. When we see our true selves, and act in honest accordance to that knowledge, then we don't make clouded decisions.

When we don't deny who we really are, we are better to see who we are really talking to and interacting with, and we're far less likely to speak or act in a manner that distorts the truth.

Be truthful to yourself, and you'll have less trouble seeing the appropriate boundaries of truth with respect to to others with whom we share our world.

Namaste

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Author and Yoga Instructor Vincent Gerbino 

The Yamas of Yoga-Aparigraha

Study the Yamas of Yoga-Aparigraha

Since the Yamas of Yoga are applicable to our whole lives, we don't worry too much about the order here. Yama number five, Aparigraha, will be one that we as humans will constantly revisit. Aparigraha means non-possessiveness. Hmm....now this is an idea that can create a few different arguments!

Possessiveness, and the seemingly-noble pursuit of non-possessiveness is always a touchy subject. We can be possessive of material things, and we can be possessive of other people.

Sometimes, when we're possessive of people, it,s a control thing, other times, we feel insecure about ourselves and use other people to fill the void. Generally, we learn to temper our possessiveness of people, and of things by observing our own mistakes. That's a necessary part of developing wisdom and enlightenment.

Possessiveness of a concept, or of a perceived conception of what is ideal is the real challenge with the Yama of Aparigraha.

Holding onto an idea, or a concept you create in your head is a different, more-powerful form of greed that is as elusive as it is obvious. Maybe we see someone else in Yoga class who can do an asana in what we call "perfect" form, with perfect meaning "like the person in the Yoga magazine.

There's nothing wrong with seeing a picture of someone doing a pose and saying: "wow, I want to do that!" But we need to remember not to be too greedy when giving our own selves credit for the effort put fourth, no matter how our pose looks.

Even more important is not being too greedy with our sense of receiving goodness...stated more simply, if your heart can't be allowed to feel and receive goodness, it means we're not giving goodness to ourselves.

What on Earth does this have to do with doing a Yoga pose, like I was just talking about? Well, let's face it: stretching in any pose generally feels good. We release stress and open the chakras and start to feel energized at the same time we start to feel relaxed.

We have to be kind enough to ourselves to let that good stuff be felt. Being kind to ourselves is the opposite of being greedy with our own affection.

The same concept can be applied to people-not being too greedy to see the good being given to us-we'll never feel it if we shut it out. We can also start to see more goodness in our current net worth, whatever that may be, and

Says spiritual teacher Deborah Adele: "An unhealthy need to acquire material things drives discontent that’s similar to clinging to things you have...whenever we become possessive, we are in turn possessed”.

Blessings!

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Sources:

Deborah Adele Spiritual Yoga Teacher and author of The Yamas & Niyamas: Exploring Yoga's Ethical Practice

The Yoga Sutras of Pantajali

How to Succeed in Any Balancing Pose

Learn to Fall

This is something I tell every Yoga client in every class, no matter what. I don't mean hold the pose until you fall over. What you need to do do is practice falling out of the pose-properly. Take a pose such as Salamba Sirsasana, or supported headstand.

The obvious, and sage advice, is to practice the pose on a wall. The wall will prevent a major accident; but many students become physically capable of getting into the pose and holding it without needing the wall, but hesitate to move away from it. The issue they have is that they have not intentionally tought themselves how to fall.

What one needs to do is practice repeatedly dropping the feet back to the floor-a.k.a. falling properly. Also, one must talk herself through the whole process of movement.

Talk yourself through the movement

Talking yourself through the process of moving into a balancing pose, and falling properly out of the pose isn't any different than doing so in any other pose. You move slow enough that your conscious mind, and your consious heart have time to "see" the movement by way of feeling it. Before even trying a balancing pose, take a moment in a more-basic pose, such as Virabhadrsana-Warrior pose.

In Warrior pose, we distribute our body weight between our feet by adjusting every muscle from the toes, ankles and legs to the torso, right up through our shoulders and arms.

Go barefoot more often

For you to have good balance, your feet need to be able to assume their natural shape. Wearing shoes conmpresses the feet. The bones are pushed together and the muscles and tendons get squeezed out of shape and can't fully function. The resulting effect is instability in your stance and your walk, which will also lead to problems of the ankles, knees and hips. Even flat sandals such as flip flops can cause some drag on the soles of the feet and result in restricted movement.

The solution: go barefoot when you can. Whenyou get home from work, get out of your shoes and socks. If you have high atrches, you'll have to build a tolorance for being barefoot and you'll feel fatigue more quickly. You might need to put on your Birkenstocks or running shoes after you've been barefoot for a while.

Going barefoot will help most directly with standing balancing poses, but will help with all balancings, including handstands and arm balances. Tight muslces on one end of the body always affect the body elsewhere.

Danica Patrick-Better Known For Yoga?

Danica Patrick maybe best known for auto racing, but lately, she's made a bigger splash doing yoga on a boat. While the boat included a crew of partygoers, Danica's yoga is as serious as her racing.

Posted viaInstagram by Danica Patrick (left, in Wheel Pose) with Katylin Sweet (right, in Camel Pose)

Maybe its that the NASCAR crowd isn't so into Yoga, and that's why Danica gets so much attention. It doens't hurt that she did her latest yoga poses for the public in a bikini. She's posted pletny of Instgram pics of her posing in, well, regular Yoga clothes. 

She was described earlier this year as "rediculously good at yoga" by USA Today, and as far as the physical practice goes, the proof is in the pose pics. Of course, any practitioner of yoga knows there's more to it, and so does Danica, when she talks of breathign exercises being essential to her yoag practice. 

“Breath is the one thing that I really do use from yoga in the race car,” she said. “When things get tense it’s in through the nose, out through the mouth. Inevitably it calms your heart rate down. It calms you down. I by all means use breath in the car, which is something that I’ve used in yoga,” 

-Danica Patrick to USA Today Sports, Ferbuary, 2016.

She'll no doubt add the Yoga helps her avoid the aches and pains that come from all the sitting and driving.....Namaste!

The Yamas of Yoga...Brahmacharya

bramacaryapratisthayam viryalabhah

"When the sadhaka is firmly established in continence, knowledge, vigour, valour and energy flow to him"

Yoga Sutra 2:38

We're talking the fourth Yama, Brahmachara. The loose definition of this sanskrit word is continence. But the words abstinence and celibacy often also comes about in when yogis talk about this.

Excess of any kind corrupts us; that's why it is called excess.

Perhaps the biggest challenge here isn't giving up things or actions. Building a daily life pattern that gives us enough of what we truly need without going overboard, or stopping to soon, is indeed a bigger challenge. This, of course, is the challenge of living our yoga practice.

For each of us, our definition of brahmacharya is going to be a bit different. The ideas of restraint and moderation shouldn't call for us to inflict pain upon ourselves. We'll be much better off in seeking alternatives to what we may be restraining ourselves from. This also means that every so often, we have to acknowledge, have and experience what we're restraining ourselves from in order to truly understand the value that is the absence of whatever we abstain from.

Many Christians give up something for Lent each year. When they rescind from their abstinence, many will have more appreciation and willingness to moderate their future indulgences. Muslims fast each year during Ramadan. Jews fast for various holidays. This idea isn't owned by any particular spiritual practitioner; all that is needed to make it valid is for the practitioner to be sincere in her or his devotion.

Other notes...

The "sadhaka" is the spiritual practitioner who has chosen a path of devotion. A "sadhana" is one's consistent yoga practice on and off the mat. Brahman is a high state of spiritual being that develops through practice.

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The Yamas of Yoga...Asteya (Non-Stealing)

We study the Yamas of yoga; the order of study depends on the student, for the most part. Don't worry much about which one you choose when you start to study the Yamas. If you are drawn to one in particular, chances are it was meant to be.

asteyapratisthayam sarvaratnopasthanam

"When abstention from stealing is firmly established, precious jewels come."

Yoga Sutra 7:35

We're talking about the the third Yama: Asteya, or “non-stealing”.

We can go really deep with this simple idea. It’s obvious why we don’t steal from others; it makes bad karma and makes us lonely as we lose the trust of those with whom we share our world.

We also must remember this when it comes to Asteya:  Don’t steal from yourself, either.

To steal from others is disrespectful and creates mistrust and adversity.

Stealing from yourself does the same thing.

If you deprive yourself of your own compassion and understanding, then you are stealing from yourself.

If you deprive yourself of chill time, time to do yoga and so forth, then that is also like stealing from yourself.

When we do this, we end up feeling as if we are “stealing time” to relax later, and we see our actions as “being bad” because we’re “taking”, or “stealing” from ourselves; we feel like children stealing cookies, or maybe a bit more guilty, and tell ourselves we “need to grow up”, a.k.a. make ourselves into people who don’t need what we really need, which is our own understanding, compassion and downtime.

We know why it’s uncool to steal from others-let’s learn, and remember, why we also shouldn’t steal from ourselves.

What it really means to "learn" Yoga

Learning yoga is really about learning about yourself and your body. Each time you move in a yoga pose, you are learning how you personally connect with your body.

Your yoga practice is a very different way to get to know your own communication style. You also discover your body's comfort level and how it responds to your own voluntary actions. 

Moving in a yoga pose (a.k.a. "asana") inherently requires you to be very present in the moment so you can connect with all your muscles and the nerves that send them signals that them how and where to move.

Please join me for Yoga today and learn more, feel more and be more relaxed and in touch.

My classes today are at the Margaret Carpenter Rec Center in Thornton, CO at 10:15 am & 11:30 am.

My whole schedule is below, and I am also available for private instruction.

Yoga classes in Thornton, CO taught by Vincent

Monday 6:00 am Carpenter Rec. Center

Tuesday 7:00 pm Carpenter Rec. Center

Wednesday Morning 6:00 am Carpenter Rec. Center

Thursday Evening 6:00 pm* Thornton Senior Center

*this class runs monthly sessions; sign up under Adult Activities *

Saturday Morning 10:15 am Carpenter Rec. Center

**yoga Q & A from 11:15 to 11:30 am

Saturday Morning 11:30 am Carpenter Rec. Center

Namaste

New Yoga class Saturdays in Thornton

I'm happy to announce that a new Yoga class has been added in Thornton at the Margaret Carpenter Rec Center, Saturdays at 11:30 am.

Please see the whole Yoga schedule below

Yoga classes in Thornton, CO taught by Vincent Gerbino

Monday 6:00 am Carpenter Rec. Center

Tuesday 7:00 pm Carpenter Rec. Center

Wednesday Morning 6:00 am Carpenter Rec. Center

Thursday Evening 6:00 pm* Thornton Senior Center

*this class runs monthly sessions; sign up under Adult Activities 

Saturday Morning 10:15 am Carpenter Rec. Center

**yoga Q & A from 11:15 to 11:30 am

Saturday Morning 11:30 am Carpenter Rec. Center

Namaste

Why is Yoga so popular?

Yoga's popularity continues to expand among different social circles.

Yoga has also not succumbed to the constraints of trendiness like so many other popular. As popular exercise fads continue to come and go, Yoga's presence continues to grow.

So...why is Yoga so truly popular?

• Yoga can start doing yoga at any age. Students and teachers from age 20 to 90 are not hard to find
• Yoga will compliment any exercise work out. Pro football players, baseball players and martial artists are all practitioners of yoga.
• Yoga's vastness provides something for everyone.There are hundreds of yoga poses which provide different opportunities for all different kinds of people.
• Yoga brings harmony between the minds and body. Other exercise methods require the body be a slave of the mind, or the mind to be subdued by the body. Yoga requires connection and partnership between the mind and body, so the practitioner receives spiritual energy on a higher lever and at greater intensity.

Yoga in Thornton, CO Every Thursday

Mellow Vinyasa Yoga in Thornton, CO

• Every Thursday 6:00 pm-7:30 pm
• 
  
• Four classes $21.50 non-resident and just $19.50 Thornton resident
• 
  
• Once you register, your spot is yours for the full session
• 
  
• Small class in a beautiful room-class is never more than 14 people

Located at 9471 Dorothy Blvd, Thornton, CO 80229

(in the Thornton Sr. Ctr)

REGISTER NOW for February session.....

Click link below or call (303) 255-7850
For online regitry, enter "vinyasa yoga" in key word field

Register Online Click Here

Namaste!

-Vincent

Yoga is like anything else we do....progress starts when we stop making excuses

 

 

Progress can't be made as long as we keep making excuses. 

 

          Progress in life often depends on trial and error. 

 

Pick four or five Yoga poses and keep doing them. 

 

          Pick from the many poses that exist, and choose a few that make you feel good. 

 

 You are a competent judge, so trust yourself. No one knows you better than you do.

Yoga and Power....

When you are able to completely let go of the need to control your world and to control others, the you have attained absolute power.

Prevent Your Resolution From Failing This Year

Why New Year's resolutions fail.....

       Why they don't have to.....

              Why you should go to Yoga this Saturday.....

New Year's resolutions were made to fail, or so the saying goes. There's a lot of truth to it, and it's mostly true due to the fact that most resolutions are born from guilt.

We feel bad because we're doing something, or because we're not doing something. So from our guilt, a resolution is born.

Maybe we start going to Yoga, but even though it's good for us and makes us feel good, we lose motivation.

Soon, we give up on our resolution, and so we carry nothing to the next year except guilt.

Hold it right there....

       Stop judging yourself.

              START loving yourself.

If you don't show yourself some respect, you can't change or transform anything about yourself.

As long as you think you are not worthy of feeling good, then lasting changes can't be made, and transformation can not happen.

I found myself able to do so when I started doing Yoga. I became a Yoga teacher in order to share. Share your compassion with yourself, and you'll be better able to share with others.

Resolved in 2016-you are worthy of change that will make you happier because you are worthy of being happy.

Virasana (Hero Pose, Iyengar version)

In Yoga balance means many things...

In my Yoga classes, I often say that "balance is no accident".  It is the perfect meeting of equal, opposite forces that meet each other at the same point.

Bringing your life into balance is just like bringing your body into balance. You have to apply force in certain places, and you have to let go in other places.

Tree pose (Vrksasana) provides a perfect example. Use the pose as a Google Map for life balance....here's how:

In Tree pose, we have to tighten the inner thighs (at the hip sockets especially), the buttocks, and then pull in the lower abs. At the same time, we have to let the abs be loose enough to lengthen so we don't hunch forward. We also have to steady the standing foot, but not too much; we need to let ourselves wobble in a stable fashion while we find our stance.

Sounds a bit like navigating through life, doesn't it?

In life, we have to stress certain things, but, we must have a loose-enough connection so that things can keep evolving. A loose connection doesn't mean a careless connection, it actually means having the discipline to connect strongly without overdoing it.

In Yoga, as in life, which is Yoga, balance means many things.

Yoga For Positive Changes

 Every person who starts doing Yoga and sticks with it reports some manner of positive change within themselves. It goes way beyond the physical accomplishments, which are really just a reflection of the emotional growth that a yogi experiences.

If you're thinking of trying yoga and want to make changes in yourself, here are three things to remember:

• You are a cool person as you are. 

• Changes you seek are to improve on what's already positive.

• Transformation really means finding hidden things you were born with.

Our culture balks on celebrating the self. To love yourself, to show yourself compassion and understanding, is still a new thing. Because this idea is still elusive, we think it is egotistical. Yet it is our lack of self appreciation that is often the cause of egoism, of the desire to adorn ourselves with material things, seek recognizably-high status in society and control over others.

When you get to know yourself from within, you connect with your own traits and become whole. True emotional and physical balance makes you a well of positive energy that feeds goodness to you and all those you connect with in life.

Yogini Or Shahar, author of Freedom Yoga, has more cool things to say about this. Take a look if you have a moment. I totally agree with her.