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yogabunny
fancy cat



Registered: 11/01/09
Posts: 11,281
Loc: Nasty Women Get Shit Done
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Yoga 101?
#12464163 - 04/27/10 09:11 AM (13 years, 9 months ago) |
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It has been suggested that I write a sort of a background/history of Yoga. There seems to be a lot of mystery, confusion and misinformation on the subject, not just on this forum, but just in general. I want to shed some light on what is to me, a magical and alchemical way of life and self discovery.
Is there anything in particular that y'all want to know about?
I will do my best to provide the most accurate information that is available to me, from what I've learned practicing for 10 years and my teacher training.
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bassfrequences
shroomslovemusic



Registered: 03/26/09
Posts: 220
Loc: france
Last seen: 9 years, 10 months
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Re: Yoga 101? *DELETED* [Re: yogabunny]
#12464240 - 04/27/10 09:26 AM (13 years, 9 months ago) |
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Post deleted by bassfrequencesReason for deletion: miscomprehension
-------------------- Knowledge is nothing without skill. Skill is nothing without attitude and commitment. Our imagination is the limit
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yogabunny
fancy cat



Registered: 11/01/09
Posts: 11,281
Loc: Nasty Women Get Shit Done
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uhhh i think you're trolling but i can't say that i fully support Yoga practice as a means to facilitate better reaction time in bar fights.
but yes, it will probably help.
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deCypher


Registered: 02/10/08
Posts: 56,232
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Quote:
yogabunny said: uhhh i think you're trolling but i can't say that i fully support Yoga practice as a means to facilitate better reaction time in bar fights.

Personally I'd just like to have a clear idea about what Yoga is, what the difference is between the Western and Eastern traditions, and I guess how one would get started with this spiritual practice.
-------------------- We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.
 
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yogabunny
fancy cat



Registered: 11/01/09
Posts: 11,281
Loc: Nasty Women Get Shit Done
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What is Yoga?
Yoga has many definitions and interpretations.
In Sanskrit Yoga literally means, "to yoke" or "union".
Personally, I feel one of the most important definitions of Yoga comes to us from the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. It goes:
"Yogas citta vritti niodhah"
It means (more or less) "Yoga is the stilling of the modifications of the mind"
The Sutras are one of many texts important to the practice of Yoga, and are the basis of Yoga as we know it in the west today. Other important texts are The Vedas, The Upanishads, and the Bhagavad Gita, to name a few. It is uncertain who Patanjali really was, but we can assume he was influenced by the Vedas and Upanishads before him. Patanjali, whomever he was, with the Yoga Sutras; summarizes the process of self study and alchemy that is the practice of Yoga by organizing them in easy to remember and pass along aphorisms. Sutra in sanskrit means suture, or thread, thus by stitching together all the threads we have a comprehensive look at how to achieve Yoga.
I mention the Sutras because they play the lead role in Yoga as we know it in the west today.
Here's a far out story for y'all:
Once upon a time there was a man called Tirumalai Krishnamacharya, a scholar of Vedic philosophy who took up the study of Yoga with Sri Brahmachari in a cave at the foot of Mount Kailash. There he studied the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, and the practices therein for 7 1/2 years. As was the custom, at the end of his practice he went to his teacher to ask what the payment would be for the years of teaching. His teacher said the payment would be for him to return home marry, have a family, and teach yoga. Sort of a shock for a man who had spent 7 1/2 years living the ascetic life a Yogi, but naturally he obliged his guru.
He married, had children, and opened a yoga school, thus becoming Sri Tirumalai Krishnamacharya. There, three very important men were able to learn from him, and they developed their own unique styles which they then brought to the West. These men are now revered in their own right as Yoga legends. His own son TKV Deskichar brought us Viniyoga, or Vinyasa. Pattahbi Jois brought us Ashtanga. Finally BKS Iyengar brought his practice of alignment and the use of props.
So, it would seem that his wise guru set in motion the events for Yoga to make it's way to us here in the West.
"Whether you practice the dynamic series of Pattabhi Jois, the refined alignments of B.K.S. Iyengar, the classical postures of Indra Devi, or the customized vinyasa of Viniyoga, your practice stems from one source: a five-foot, two-inch Brahmin born more than one hundred years ago in a small South Indian village."


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Edited by pika (04/27/10 11:27 AM)
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Chronic7
Registered: 05/08/04
Posts: 13,679
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I would like to know how Hatha Yoga came about as a Yoga method & not just a physical exercise.
Before i even thought of taking up Hatha Yoga, it felt really good to stretch and get deep into the stretch. I reckon if we listened to our bodies more we'd naturally do yoga without even having lessons.
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deCypher


Registered: 02/10/08
Posts: 56,232
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"stilling of the modifications of the mind"
so the un-modified mind is completely still? Very nice basic intro BTW!
-------------------- We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.
 
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yogabunny
fancy cat



Registered: 11/01/09
Posts: 11,281
Loc: Nasty Women Get Shit Done
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Quote:
Chronic777 said: I would like to know how Hatha Yoga came about as a Yoga method & not just a physical exercise.
Before i even thought of taking up Hatha Yoga, it felt really good to stretch and get deep into the stretch. I reckon if we listened to our bodies more we'd naturally do yoga without even having lessons.
I do believe Sri Krishnamacharya had a big part in developing the asanas into the series of postures that modern asana, or yoga is based on.
In the Sutras, Asana is barely mentioned, I think they are mentioned maybe 3 times between the 4 Padas (Books/Chapters)? The one I know off the top of my head is:
"Shtira Sukha Asanam"
"Asana is a steady, comfortable posture"
Then they are mentioned again when Patanjali lists the eight limbs: Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana, Samadhi
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deCypher


Registered: 02/10/08
Posts: 56,232
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Oh also what is the intended purpose of Yoga? IOW what incentive does one have for pursuing this tradition over others?
-------------------- We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.
 
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yogabunny
fancy cat



Registered: 11/01/09
Posts: 11,281
Loc: Nasty Women Get Shit Done
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Quote:
Mr. Cypher said: "stilling of the modifications of the mind"
so the un-modified mind is completely still? Very nice basic intro BTW!

the unmodified mind is Yoga.
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deCypher


Registered: 02/10/08
Posts: 56,232
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my modified mind is utterly blown.
-------------------- We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.
 
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Chronic7
Registered: 05/08/04
Posts: 13,679
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Quote:
yogabunny said:
Quote:
Chronic777 said: I would like to know how Hatha Yoga came about as a Yoga method & not just a physical exercise.
Before i even thought of taking up Hatha Yoga, it felt really good to stretch and get deep into the stretch. I reckon if we listened to our bodies more we'd naturally do yoga without even having lessons.
I do believe Sri Krishnamacharya had a big part in developing the asanas into the series of postures that modern asana, or yoga is based on.
In the Sutras, Asana is barely mentioned, I think they are mentioned maybe 3 times between the 4 Padas (Books/Chapters)? The one I know off the top of my head is:
"Shtira Sukha Asanam"
"Asana is a steady, comfortable posture"
Then they are mentioned again when Patanjali lists the eight limbs: Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana, Samadhi
But why in your opinion is deep stretching a spiritual thing?
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yogabunny
fancy cat



Registered: 11/01/09
Posts: 11,281
Loc: Nasty Women Get Shit Done
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Re: Yoga 101? [Re: deCypher] 1
#12464926 - 04/27/10 11:42 AM (13 years, 9 months ago) |
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Quote:
Mr. Cypher said: Oh also what is the intended purpose of Yoga? IOW what incentive does one have for pursuing this tradition over others?
Yoga Citta Vritti Nirodhah!
Stilling of the mental chatter.
that is the incentive for adopting the practice.
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deCypher


Registered: 02/10/08
Posts: 56,232
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Doesn't meditation do that? I guess then I'm asking what the relationship is between Yoga and meditation.
-------------------- We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.
 
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yogabunny
fancy cat



Registered: 11/01/09
Posts: 11,281
Loc: Nasty Women Get Shit Done
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Quote:
Chronic777 said:
Quote:
yogabunny said:
Quote:
Chronic777 said: I would like to know how Hatha Yoga came about as a Yoga method & not just a physical exercise.
Before i even thought of taking up Hatha Yoga, it felt really good to stretch and get deep into the stretch. I reckon if we listened to our bodies more we'd naturally do yoga without even having lessons.
I do believe Sri Krishnamacharya had a big part in developing the asanas into the series of postures that modern asana, or yoga is based on.
In the Sutras, Asana is barely mentioned, I think they are mentioned maybe 3 times between the 4 Padas (Books/Chapters)? The one I know off the top of my head is:
"Shtira Sukha Asanam"
"Asana is a steady, comfortable posture"
Then they are mentioned again when Patanjali lists the eight limbs: Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana, Samadhi
But why in your opinion is deep stretching a spiritual thing?
Ok.
One thing that must be understood is that the physical practice of Yoga is not stretching, and stretching is not yoga. Yes, certain poses stretch certain muscles but it is SO much more than that.
Asana tones, strengthens, creates balance, stability and yes, flexibility.
The thing to keep in mind is that asana practice will give YOUR body whatever it needs. Some of us are already flexible, and we create strength and stability with our practice. Others are rigid, and can gain flexibility from practice.
Also keep in mind that these changes start in the body and then, with continued practice, manifest in the mind.
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yogabunny
fancy cat



Registered: 11/01/09
Posts: 11,281
Loc: Nasty Women Get Shit Done
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Quote:
Mr. Cypher said: Doesn't meditation do that? I guess then I'm asking what the relationship is between Yoga and meditation.
YES!
that is the whole point of that Sutra. ANYTHING CAN BE YOGA.
whatever it is you do that stills the constant chatter in your mind, is Yoga.
the sutras recommend certain practices but what i love about them, and that one in particular, is that it is basically saying it's all open to interpretation by the Sadahka (seeker).
running stills your mind? great! running is Yoga.
if you run everyday, for a long time, you will exerperience yoga.
there are many many MANY ways to practice Yoga.
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Chronic7
Registered: 05/08/04
Posts: 13,679
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I know its not just stretching...
Quote:
yogabunny said: Also keep in mind that these changes start in the body and then, with continued practice, manifest in the mind.
Thats what im poking at you to focus on, on why its a spiritual practice The bodily benefits of it in my experience are secondary
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deCypher


Registered: 02/10/08
Posts: 56,232
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Gotcha!
-------------------- We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.
 
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yogabunny
fancy cat



Registered: 11/01/09
Posts: 11,281
Loc: Nasty Women Get Shit Done
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Quote:
Chronic777 said: I know its not just stretching...
Quote:
yogabunny said: Also keep in mind that these changes start in the body and then, with continued practice, manifest in the mind.
Thats what im poking at you to focus on, on why its a spiritual practice The bodily benefits of it in my experience are secondary
perhaps your practice is not challenging enough then?
it's a spiritual practice because it stills my mind.
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yogabunny
fancy cat



Registered: 11/01/09
Posts: 11,281
Loc: Nasty Women Get Shit Done
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THE MANY PATHS OF YOGA (taken from The Heart of Yoga, by TKV Deskichar)
Yoga offers several methods for attaining clarity of mind, each with its own emphasis. In the Bhagavad Gita alone, eighteen different forms of yoga are named. I shall discuss the following nine: jnana yoga, bhakti yoga, mantra yoga, raja yoga, karma yoga, kriya yoga, tantra yoga, kundalini yoga, and hatha yoga.
so, yeah, it's no surprise that yoga is a confusing subject/topic
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c0sm0nautt

Registered: 05/19/08
Posts: 10,303
Loc: The Astral Realm
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Kind of weird I just learned about Krishnamacharya and Brahmachari in a class of mine today. 
It seems like most Westerners leave out the whole mind aspect of Yoga, and focus solely on the positions. I could be wrong though... never went to a Yoga class or anything.
Very interesting to learn about this though. The parallels between all the meditative traditions is astronomical.
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yogabunny
fancy cat



Registered: 11/01/09
Posts: 11,281
Loc: Nasty Women Get Shit Done
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Quote:
c0sm0nautt said: Kind of weird I just learned about Krishnamacharya and Brahmachari in a class of mine today. 
It seems like most Westerners leave out the whole mind aspect of Yoga, and focus solely on the positions. I could be wrong though... never went to a Yoga class or anything.
Very interesting to learn about this though. The parallels between all the meditative traditions is astronomical.
oh how serendipitous!
in the west the focus is most definitely on postures. i think it's because it's a palatable and approachable form of practice.
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kcobra15
Bodhisattva



Registered: 05/26/06
Posts: 320
Loc: Washington
Last seen: 5 years, 6 months
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Yoga Bunny...this is awesome. I am not a yoga student (though I have tried), but I am a religious scholar who studies South Asian religion. Naturally the topic of yoga comes up all the time and most people see it only as an exercise. I thought I would throw in a couple of things:
The Hatha Yoga Tradition was (mythically) begun by the Nath Yogi Matsyendranath back in the middle ages, though what we call Hatha yoga today along with the plethora of asanas is only roughly 100 years old or so. Nath Yogis as well as their contempoararies (possibly the same people) the Rasa Yogis were concerned with creating immortal bodies through the internal alchemical production of amrita (the nectar of immortality). If you are interested in this check out David Gordon White's book The Alchemical Body.
Another great place to find the definition of yoga is in the Bhagavadgita. In this work you find krishna giving his three part division of yoga. Jnana Yoga is the yoga of knowledge and is a path of study and meditation. Karma Yoga is the path of action and involves giving up the fruits of all actions to God and thereby giving up any attachment to the ephemeral things of this world. Enjoy them while they are there, but give them to god when they are gone. Finally Krishna claims the best practice of yoga is Bhakti; the yoga of devotion. This path is one in which the practitioner gives up trying to find release themselves and instead gives everything up to god. By God's grace alone one can find liberation.
A new book just that just came out last year called Sinister Yogis by that same guy, David Gordon White, discusses the origin of yoga before the term became popularly described as a path to liberation. In folktales etc., Yogis are often the villain. They are a marginalized society who are considered dangerous and powerful. In Patanjali's Yoga Sutra, nearly 1/3 of the work is dedicated to the siddhis (accomplishments or powers) that can be attained through yogic practice. These powers of flight, soul transfer, etc. are what yogis were known for before the time of Patanjali. Often these characters are shapeshifters with a lust for power who will transfer their souls from body to body. Pretty crazy.
I might think of some more cool facts as time goes by. Right now I am doing research into Tantric yoga and the power of transgression. It is extremely fascinating. Anyways...that's my two cents. Thanks for starting this thread Yoga Bunny. There are a lot of misconceptions about the East and it is good to learn about these traditions because 1) they can be beneficial and 2) because in a global society it is good to know about other people's spiritual practices. Nothing says more about a society (in my opinion) than their spirituality.
-------------------- Om Gam Ganapataye Namah
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deCypher


Registered: 02/10/08
Posts: 56,232
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Quote:
kcobra15 said: Often these characters are shapeshifters with a lust for power who will transfer their souls from body to body.
-------------------- We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.
 
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kcobra15
Bodhisattva



Registered: 05/26/06
Posts: 320
Loc: Washington
Last seen: 5 years, 6 months
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ET = esoteric tantrika
-------------------- Om Gam Ganapataye Namah
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wellage
Strange

Registered: 01/31/09
Posts: 2,467
Last seen: 11 years, 6 months
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Light On Yoga by BKS Iyengar is a must read for all those interested.
The posture is just ONE part of yoga. And to say that asanas are only 100 years old is pretty silly. Yogis have been practicing (including forms of posture) for a looooong time. Just because it has recently been documented doesn't mean it's a modern thing.
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kcobra15
Bodhisattva



Registered: 05/26/06
Posts: 320
Loc: Washington
Last seen: 5 years, 6 months
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Re: Yoga 101? [Re: wellage]
#12465934 - 04/27/10 02:11 PM (13 years, 9 months ago) |
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Word...I meant the asanas as we know them today. Originally asana was just a comfortable position for meditation. Then they were developed further by the Nath yogis. Then the Hatha Yoga Pradipika (Sp?) came along with more development I believe. But the modern set of postures that are common today were organized only roughly 100 - 150 years ago. Thats a fact. Beyond that point I loose interest...I mean it is still interesting but I haven't picked up anything on it because my research has more to do with yoga's origins and Tantra.
-------------------- Om Gam Ganapataye Namah
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p4kSouL
Animals Are Cool
Registered: 01/13/05
Posts: 3,666
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Quote:
bassfrequences said: I dont know much about yoga but I have a relative that is a yoga teacher, and I am planning on taking weekly lessons. I am at the moment learning self defense, and I thought yoga could help my breathing so as to not loose myself and panic when dealing with stressful confruntations like bar fights, which I happen to get quite alot of. (bloody fascistes cant accept foreigners) Ive recently been in another fight (basically three on me for no reason whatsoever) and felt this panic which really didnt help at all. not like more awareness that could be usefull in a fight, but panic. anyway ended up glass on my head 5 staples, I digress...(I felt like the punches I gave one guy in the stomach had nothing behind them, as if I was a feather) Do you think yoga would be usefull to eliminate that panic and be able to anticipate and react properly?
Yoga shouldnt be used to make you a better bar fighter, but if your bouncer It can most diffidently help. That is because you are getting allowing better brain connection to your body.
Quote:
Chronic777 said: I know its not just stretching...
Quote:
yogabunny said: Also keep in mind that these changes start in the body and then, with continued practice, manifest in the mind.
Thats what im poking at you to focus on, on why its a spiritual practice The bodily benefits of it in my experience are secondary
Practicing yoga increases endricine power, whichi n tern emotionally amplifies things.
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stzacrack
Stranger


Registered: 05/07/05
Posts: 3,862
Loc: United States
Last seen: 12 hours, 50 minutes
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why don't people just investigate it themselves through either the internet or their library or one of the millions of millions of sites that can be found using a google search?
i hope that if people are really interested enough in something they'll have enough motivation to do some research and learn from the greatest source they can.
i'm not taking a shot at you, but just as i wouldn't feel completely sure that i might be able to portray any subject as well as i know many of the great thinkers who have spent lifetimes working towards complete understanding of their chosen studies, i don't expect you to be able to give each and every member of the shroomery as well rounded an explanation of yoga as any of the many gurus, sadhus, etc...who have studied the subject.
on top of that, how do you plan to completely portray each and every type of yoga philosophy there is?
here's a start for you guys everyone, you can bookmark this, it'll point you all in the right direction. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoga
yogabunny i know you could share with everyone the sources of your understanding of yoga, whether that be authors, gurus, or websites.
good luck everyone, i'm so happy to hear that there's so much interest in yoga.
on an acid trip three years ago my life changed when i decided to begin experiencing the world through such a great discipline. my path has become much clearer, and i will pray for all of you to have a wonderful experience as well.
peaceeee
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daytripper23
?


Registered: 06/22/05
Posts: 3,595
Loc:
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Cool thread idea
Yogabunny, are you doing general Q A here? I was wondering if you have any practical advice for someone with Scoliosis.
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deCypher


Registered: 02/10/08
Posts: 56,232
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Quote:
stzacrack said: why don't people just investigate it themselves through either the internet or their library or one of the millions of millions of sites that can be found using a google search?
Because it's nice to sometimes be able to do Q&A sessions with knowledgeable people, you know, like on forums and stuff.
Quote:
daytripper23 said: Yogabunny, are you doing general Q A here? I was wondering if you have any practical advice for someone with Scoliosis.
I still need to learn better reaction time in a bar fight.
-------------------- We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.
 
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daytripper23
?


Registered: 06/22/05
Posts: 3,595
Loc:
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Re: Yoga 101? [Re: deCypher] 2
#12468043 - 04/27/10 07:46 PM (13 years, 8 months ago) |
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Drink less? O I know, ridiculous
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g00ru
lit pants tit licker



Registered: 08/09/07
Posts: 21,088
Loc: georgia, us
Last seen: 5 years, 1 month
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Quote:
Chronic777 said:
Quote:
yogabunny said:
Quote:
Chronic777 said: I would like to know how Hatha Yoga came about as a Yoga method & not just a physical exercise.
Before i even thought of taking up Hatha Yoga, it felt really good to stretch and get deep into the stretch. I reckon if we listened to our bodies more we'd naturally do yoga without even having lessons.
I do believe Sri Krishnamacharya had a big part in developing the asanas into the series of postures that modern asana, or yoga is based on.
In the Sutras, Asana is barely mentioned, I think they are mentioned maybe 3 times between the 4 Padas (Books/Chapters)? The one I know off the top of my head is:
"Shtira Sukha Asanam"
"Asana is a steady, comfortable posture"
Then they are mentioned again when Patanjali lists the eight limbs: Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana, Samadhi
But why in your opinion is deep stretching a spiritual thing?
Well, body=mind, and if your body is deeply relaxed and not tense then your mind will often follow suit. I think of yoga as my most reliable tool to deal with any physical tension. Smoking weed+doing yoga=
I've been told that the first yogis created the postures when their bodies spontaneously moved into those positions.
-------------------- check out my music! drowse in prison and your waking will be but loss
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p4kSouL
Animals Are Cool
Registered: 01/13/05
Posts: 3,666
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Re: Yoga 101? [Re: g00ru]
#12468099 - 04/27/10 07:54 PM (13 years, 8 months ago) |
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I do find it interesting how my emotions have real Physical effects on my body. Like if I have anxiety i do things, like Pant, or if im scared i tense up hardcore.
Lol in terms of weed, i have a problem. When I smoke weed I cant feel any pain so I cant tell if im fucking myself up in a asana loll. Or like stretching and hurting myself, cause I cant feel anything!!!
Edited by p4kSouL (04/27/10 07:55 PM)
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Primal Glitch
literally just vibing



Registered: 05/06/07
Posts: 4,854
Loc: 🌎
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great thread!
lots of good info so far
I've been practicing and studying yoga only a year so I guess I'll have some questions when I'm not so high
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make the changa you wish to see in the world gnome sayin'?
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Kickle
Wanderer


Registered: 12/16/06
Posts: 17,851
Last seen: 1 hour, 55 minutes
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I'm interested on dream yoga. Or any kind of meditation centered around the dream state.
What are the practices related to cultivating dream yoga? What are the goals of these practices?
-------------------- Why shouldn't the truth be stranger than fiction? Fiction, after all, has to make sense. -- Mark Twain
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wellage
Strange

Registered: 01/31/09
Posts: 2,467
Last seen: 11 years, 6 months
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Re: Yoga 101? [Re: p4kSouL]
#12468681 - 04/27/10 09:48 PM (13 years, 8 months ago) |
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Quote:
p4kSouL said: I do find it interesting how my emotions have real Physical effects on my body. Like if I have anxiety i do things, like Pant, or if im scared i tense up hardcore.
The body also affects the mind, which is where asanas come into play.
Asanas+rhythmic breathing=quiet mind
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yogabunny
fancy cat



Registered: 11/01/09
Posts: 11,281
Loc: Nasty Women Get Shit Done
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Quote:
stzacrack said: why don't people just investigate it themselves through either the internet or their library or one of the millions of millions of sites that can be found using a google search?
i hope that if people are really interested enough in something they'll have enough motivation to do some research and learn from the greatest source they can.
i'm not taking a shot at you, but just as i wouldn't feel completely sure that i might be able to portray any subject as well as i know many of the great thinkers who have spent lifetimes working towards complete understanding of their chosen studies, i don't expect you to be able to give each and every member of the shroomery as well rounded an explanation of yoga as any of the many gurus, sadhus, etc...who have studied the subject.
on top of that, how do you plan to completely portray each and every type of yoga philosophy there is?
here's a start for you guys everyone, you can bookmark this, it'll point you all in the right direction. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoga
yogabunny i know you could share with everyone the sources of your understanding of yoga, whether that be authors, gurus, or websites.
good luck everyone, i'm so happy to hear that there's so much interest in yoga.
on an acid trip three years ago my life changed when i decided to begin experiencing the world through such a great discipline. my path has become much clearer, and i will pray for all of you to have a wonderful experience as well.
peaceeee
first of all, there is only one philosophy, but many paths. i do not presume to think that i can, in my limited experience, explain all the many paths toward yoga.
i think sometimes people prefer to gain knowledge from others with practical experience. im not saying i am a guru, BY ANY MEANS, but maybe i have some ideas to share from 10 years of practice and study to become a teacher.
most of what i've shared was taught to me by my teachers over the years (most notably those in my teacher training and at the Sivananda Ashram in upstate NY), and from the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali (as translated by Sri Swami Satchitananda
Also, as someone already pointed out, asana existed long before the middle ages. However, it was perhaps around that time that postures as we know them today started to develop and expand.Quote:
wellage said: Light On Yoga by BKS Iyengar is a must read for all those interested.
The posture is just ONE part of yoga. And to say that asanas are only 100 years old is pretty silly. Yogis have been practicing (including forms of posture) for a looooong time. Just because it has recently been documented doesn't mean it's a modern thing.
Quote:
wellage said:
Light On Yoga by BKS Iyengar is a must read for all those interested.
YES!!! i could not agree more. also by Mr. Iyengar "Light on Life"
Quote:
daytripper23 said: Cool thread idea
Yogabunny, are you doing general Q A here? I was wondering if you have any practical advice for someone with Scoliosis.
yes, i am happy to. Asana is my specialty, y'all! (FYI)
me
i taught a scoliosis workshop recently.
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wellage
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Re: Yoga 101? [Re: wellage]
#12468937 - 04/27/10 10:38 PM (13 years, 8 months ago) |
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Quote:
wellage said: Light On Yoga by BKS Iyengar is a must read for all those interested.
The posture is just ONE part of yoga. And to say that asanas are only 100 years old is pretty silly. Yogis have been practicing (including forms of posture) for a looooong time. Just because it has recently been documented doesn't mean it's a modern thing.
http://www.amazon.com/Light-Yoga-Bible-Modern-Yoga/dp/0805210318
just to emphasize how much i love this book
Edited by wellage (04/27/10 11:19 PM)
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bassfrequences
shroomslovemusic



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Re: Yoga 101? *DELETED* [Re: wellage]
#12469941 - 04/28/10 03:45 AM (13 years, 8 months ago) |
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Post deleted by bassfrequencesReason for deletion: miscomprehension
-------------------- Knowledge is nothing without skill. Skill is nothing without attitude and commitment. Our imagination is the limit
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wellage
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Quote:
bassfrequences said: I'm not trolling at all! I'm not a violent person either! I try to get out of a fight before anything. Just wondering if it could help with a stressful situation when your overcome with adrenaline and panic. This is not the only reason I would like to try it. Also for anxiety, to breath properly, and reduce tension/stress in everyday life.
Read some shit! you might be interested.
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yogabunny
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Re: Yoga 101? [Re: wellage]
#12470760 - 04/28/10 10:33 AM (13 years, 8 months ago) |
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I'd love to read more in depth posts about your teacher training and especially any details about your experience at the ashram.
What made you want to teach yoga? i started practicing with a particular teacher about 3 years ago, and it was because of his profound affect on my practice that made me want to start teaching. he taught us the sanskrit names for the postures, spoke about Mr. Iyengar and the Yoga Sutras. It wasn't just pose-pose-pose-pose. with his guidance my practice became something entirely different and it made me realize that i wanted to someday do that for others.
What do you think about these "american power yoga" classes popping up in gyms all over the US? for me, they are not yoga because they increase my vrittis instead of decreasing them. i know they are really popular with a lot of folks, so obviously power yoga works for some people. Mr. Iyengar calls it yoga based calisthenics and i tend to agree.
What has benefited your practice the most? hmmmmmm probably becoming a teacher, and spending time at the Ashram. The first time I went to the Ashram was one of the most magical experiences of my life. I cried when I left. It was the first time I started to really learn about the greater Yoga philosophy that went along with the physical practice. i met the most amazing people there. really delved into pranayama, meditation and chanting. this is a day in the life of a Sivananda Ashram:
5:30am - wake up 6am - 7:30am satsang: meditation, chanting, spiritual discussion 8am - 10 am asana practice 10am brunch 11am - Karma Yoga (everyone helps out in some way around the ashram for an hour a day) 12-4 - free time, sometimes there'd be an organized hike or discussion topic 4-6pm - second asana practice 6pm - dinner 7pm Karma Yoga (if you didn't do yours earlier in the day) 8pm - 9:30 satsang 10:30pm lights out
aka spiritual boot camp 
i highly recommend this for anyone interested in really below the surface experience. I've been twice, and I met people there I keep in touch with to this day. They offer a lot of programs throughout the year in all kinds of spiritual disciplines and paths, and they have Ashrams all over the world. http://www.sivananda.org/ranch/
Have you had any realizations that changed the way you thought about yoga? i've had realizations through yoga that have changed the way i think about myself and the world
I know your specialty is asana, but what experience do you have with the other paths?
Tantric Bhakti (i just made that up by the way), but the important texts of Yoga allow for that, and I love that. Bhakti is basically devotion, offering every thought, action, to a higher power, and seeing that in everyone, thing etc., and I practice this style of Yoga from a Tantra (non-dualist perspective) aka that higher/divine force is not something outside of myself, something to attain. it's withing me and every human being and all phenomena in the world and cosmos. Through Tantra and Bhakti I am able to find Yoga in everything I do.
I would also call myself something of Jnana yogini, but then we all are who seek knowledge through study of sacred texts and books, and spiritual discourse.
Why did you set out to do yoga? What need were you filling when you first started practicing?
i first learned yoga (sun salutations) in a theatre workshop and was basically hooked. i finally had the opportunity to take classes when i joined a gym about 10 years ago, and from my first class i was in love. the gentle style of practice was a nice balance to the rigorous dance classes i was taking, and i kept up the practice because i found it very calming.
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wellage
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Thank you! Very interesting and appreciated.
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Chronic7
Registered: 05/08/04
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Quote:
yogabunny said:
Quote:
Chronic777 said: I know its not just stretching...
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yogabunny said: Also keep in mind that these changes start in the body and then, with continued practice, manifest in the mind.
Thats what im poking at you to focus on, on why its a spiritual practice The bodily benefits of it in my experience are secondary
perhaps your practice is not challenging enough then?
Why would it not be challenging enough? The bodily benefits are secondary to me because its a sadhana If anything i push the practice so it's not just a physical exercise The spiritual ramifications of Hatha Yoga far surpass the physical benefits
Quote:
it's a spiritual practice because it stills my mind.
Why is stilling the mind spiritual? Im not asking these questions cynically btw I know on the net it can come across that way...
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Middleman

Registered: 07/11/99
Posts: 8,399
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Might as well inquire into what the word 'spiritual' means.
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yogabunny
fancy cat



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i really don't want to have a debate about the word spiritual, and you're the one who is saying it's a spiritual practice in the first place. so, you tell me?? i don't even like that term very much.
to me it's just a practice, a way of life.
i do it because it makes me feel good, happy, present, aware, alive. but i do other things that make me feel that way, and for me that is also Yoga.
with regard to asana, to me there isn't a difference between the physiological and mental/"spiritual" benefits. it's all one, a practice that generates alchemy of the body/mind. however, i did not really begin to notice a DISTINCT change in myself until my body started to change shape on me. but that's just my experience. i don't think it's meant to be the same for everyone.
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Chronic7
Registered: 05/08/04
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Quote:
yogabunny said: i really don't want to have a debate about the word spiritual, and you're the one who is saying it's a spiritual practice in the first place. so, you tell me?? i don't even like that term very much.
You asked people to ask you questions about yoga that you could elaborate on, that was my question  If you feel its just a physical thing then thats fine, fair enough
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yogabunny
fancy cat



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that is not at all what i am saying.
and, i don't think i understand the question anyway.
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Chronic7
Registered: 05/08/04
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You replied saying that it stills the mind, which is Yoga, so all good, your first answer was enough  I just wanted to take a look at why stilling the mind is Yoga...
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wellage
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because you have to conquer the mind to conquer the senses to conquer desire.
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Kickle
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Re: Yoga 101? [Re: wellage]
#12471635 - 04/28/10 01:20 PM (13 years, 8 months ago) |
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Haha! I love the idea of Buddha as a conqueror. Screw William, Buddha in the house.
-------------------- Why shouldn't the truth be stranger than fiction? Fiction, after all, has to make sense. -- Mark Twain
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wellage
Strange

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Re: Yoga 101? [Re: wellage]
#12471637 - 04/28/10 01:20 PM (13 years, 8 months ago) |
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And I disagree that the physical aspects are secondary, a balanced body is EXTREMELY vital
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Chronic7
Registered: 05/08/04
Posts: 13,679
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Re: Yoga 101? [Re: wellage]
#12471685 - 04/28/10 01:29 PM (13 years, 8 months ago) |
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Quote:
wellage said: And I disagree that the physical aspects are secondary, a balanced body is EXTREMELY vital
vital for what?
(again, im not asking cynically)
Im saying the physical aspects, muscle tone, healthy body etc... are secondary to a still mind. For one very good reason, happiness, a still mind is a very happy mind Yet a nice physical appearance does not automatically mean happiness
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wellage
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Quote:
Chronic777 said:
Quote:
wellage said: And I disagree that the physical aspects are secondary, a balanced body is EXTREMELY vital
vital for what?
(again, im not asking cynically)
Im saying the physical aspects, muscle tone, healthy body etc... are secondary to a still mind. For one very good reason, happiness, a still mind is a very happy mind Yet a nice physical appearance does not automatically mean happiness 
We aren't talking about the same things.
If you don't still your body, you won't be able to still your mind.
I could care less about appearance, you can't take advantage of the "spiritual" (I don't like that term either) benefits of yoga without a healthy body.
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Kickle
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Re: Yoga 101? [Re: wellage]
#12471717 - 04/28/10 01:36 PM (13 years, 8 months ago) |
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Meditation stills your body and mind, yet it doesn't tone it. If you weren't interested in toning/muscle strength, wouldn't you just meditate?
-------------------- Why shouldn't the truth be stranger than fiction? Fiction, after all, has to make sense. -- Mark Twain
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yogabunny
fancy cat



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Quote:
Chronic777 said: You replied saying that it stills the mind, which is Yoga, so all good, your first answer was enough  I just wanted to take a look at why stilling the mind is Yoga...
because a disturbed and troubled mind cannot be present? i like this quote from the translation of the Sutras by Swami Satchitananda:
"For a keen student this one Sutra would be enough because the rest of them only explain this one. If the restraint of the mental modifications is achieved one has reached the goal of Yoga."
Quote:
Chronic777 said:
Quote:
wellage said: And I disagree that the physical aspects are secondary, a balanced body is EXTREMELY vital
vital for what?
(again, im not asking cynically)
Im saying the physical aspects, muscle tone, healthy body etc... are secondary to a still mind. For one very good reason, happiness, a still mind is a very happy mind Yet a nice physical appearance does not automatically mean happiness 

you're missing the whole point. it's not about having a tight body, of course having a nice body does not equal happiness. the physical benefits are a manifestation of the mental benefits and vice versa.
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wellage
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Re: Yoga 101? [Re: Kickle]
#12471759 - 04/28/10 01:45 PM (13 years, 8 months ago) |
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Quote:
Kickle said: Meditation stills your body and mind, yet it doesn't tone it. If you weren't interested in toning/muscle strength, wouldn't you just meditate?
If you can still your body and mind with only meditation, I applaud you.
I, however, need to take advantage of my entire PSYCHOSOMATIC being to benefit from meditation.
In my humble experience, and I know I'm not the only one, I NEED asana to progress at all. Meditation alone will not do it.
It's more than just muscle strength and tone. Balance, health, flexibility, all of those physiological things have a great effect on my mind.
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deCypher


Registered: 02/10/08
Posts: 56,232
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Quote:
yogabunny said: you're missing the whole point. it's not about having a tight body, of course having a nice body does not equal happiness.
When I'm not busy kicking sand into the faces of 97 lb weaklings, I find happiness most easily attained by strolling down the beach while allowing others to admire my massive pecs.
-------------------- We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.
 
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Poid
Shroomery's #1 Spellir




Registered: 02/04/08
Posts: 40,372
Loc: SF Bay Area
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Re: Yoga 101? [Re: deCypher] 1
#12471810 - 04/28/10 01:54 PM (13 years, 8 months ago) |
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-------------------- Well I try my best to be just like I am, but everybody wants you to be just like them. -- Bob Dylan  fireworks_god said:It's one thing to simply enjoy a style of life that one enjoys, but it's another thing altogether to refer to another person's choice as "wrong" or to rationalize their behavior as being pathological or resulting from some sort of inadequacy or failing so as to create a sense of superiority or separation as yet another projection of a personal fear or control issue.
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wellage
Strange

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Re: Yoga 101? [Re: Poid]
#12471816 - 04/28/10 01:55 PM (13 years, 8 months ago) |
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Quote:
Kickle said: Meditation stills your body and mind, yet it doesn't tone it. If you weren't interested in toning/muscle strength, wouldn't you just meditate?
If I was interested in toning/muscle strength, wouldn't I just chug protein shakes and pump iron?
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Kickle
Wanderer


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Re: Yoga 101? [Re: wellage]
#12471884 - 04/28/10 02:05 PM (13 years, 8 months ago) |
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If that was your sole interest, probably.
People can get the same benefits from such practices as yoga, though. Proper warm up and form is key, as well as good breathing.
-------------------- Why shouldn't the truth be stranger than fiction? Fiction, after all, has to make sense. -- Mark Twain
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wellage
Strange

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Re: Yoga 101? [Re: wellage]
#12471892 - 04/28/10 02:07 PM (13 years, 8 months ago) |
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Quote:
wellage said:
Quote:
Kickle said: Meditation stills your body and mind, yet it doesn't tone it. If you weren't interested in toning/muscle strength, wouldn't you just meditate?
If you can still your body and mind with only meditation, I applaud you.
I, however, need to take advantage of my entire PSYCHOSOMATIC being to benefit from meditation.
In my humble experience, and I know I'm not the only one, I NEED asana to progress at all. Meditation alone will not do it.
It's more than just muscle strength and tone. Balance, health, flexibility, all of those physiological things have a great effect on my mind.
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deCypher


Registered: 02/10/08
Posts: 56,232
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Re: Yoga 101? [Re: wellage] 1
#12471908 - 04/28/10 02:10 PM (13 years, 8 months ago) |
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And here I was thinking that I could eat Cheetos all day in my La-Z-Boy while meditating the pounds away!
-------------------- We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.
 
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Chronic7
Registered: 05/08/04
Posts: 13,679
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Quote:
wellage said: you can't take advantage of the "spiritual" (I don't like that term either) benefits of yoga without a healthy body.
Some sages who attained full Yoga didn't take care of their bodies at all
Quote:
yogabunny said:

you're missing the whole point. it's not about having a tight body
I was talking about physical benefits vs mental benefits And physical benefits include toned body, balance etc...
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wellage
Strange

Registered: 01/31/09
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Quote:
Chronic777 said:
Quote:
wellage said: you can't take advantage of the "spiritual" (I don't like that term either) benefits of yoga without a healthy body.
You don't know what your talking about
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yogabunny said:

you're missing the whole point. it's not about having a tight body
I was talking about physical benefits vs mental benefits And physical benefits include toned body, balance etc...
Please, enlighten me, sensei.
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deCypher


Registered: 02/10/08
Posts: 56,232
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Re: Yoga 101? [Re: wellage]
#12471937 - 04/28/10 02:14 PM (13 years, 8 months ago) |
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Spirituality 101
senseis duel to the death...
-------------------- We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.
 
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Kickle
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Re: Yoga 101? [Re: wellage]
#12471954 - 04/28/10 02:17 PM (13 years, 8 months ago) |
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Quote:
wellage said:
Quote:
Kickle said: Meditation stills your body and mind, yet it doesn't tone it. If you weren't interested in toning/muscle strength, wouldn't you just meditate?
If you can still your body and mind with only meditation, I applaud you.
I, however, need to take advantage of my entire PSYCHOSOMATIC being to benefit from meditation.
In my humble experience, and I know I'm not the only one, I NEED asana to progress at all. Meditation alone will not do it.
It's more than just muscle strength and tone. Balance, health, flexibility, all of those physiological things have a great effect on my mind.
IMO dynamic meditation such as that of yoga (as known in the west) or Tai Chi are easier than just sitting because the sensations are more salient. You can easily find a sensation to focus on, and it's powerful enough to wash out whatever else may be going on in the background. But just sitting provides the same opportunities, it just requires more focus. You can scan your body and focus on sensations, picking one spot at a time if that works. Just feeling your foot, feeling it while it's doing absolutely nothing at all. There are sensations there. They come and they go, even though you're doing nothing.
So if the mind chatter is intense, I find that the physical manifestations of Yoga are a delight in my day. The sensations cut straight through the rumble by being overpowering. Like LOOK AT ME, I'M STILL HERE, GET OUT OF YOUR THOUGHTS. But if there is more calm in my day from the get go, it isn't a requirement to still my body and mind. I try and focus on my breath as soon as I awaken as I'm not a morning person. I'm prone to get caught up in thoughts of "Why am I awake?!" if I don't examine what's happening in my body right away. And if I do examine it, I generally find myself surprised to find an abundance of energy and well-being ready from the get go. It's getting caught in those negative thoughts that really changes the experience.
-------------------- Why shouldn't the truth be stranger than fiction? Fiction, after all, has to make sense. -- Mark Twain
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wellage
Strange

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You still aren't feelin me.
The posture PREPARES me to meditate while sitting.
And when I sit to meditate after successfully completing a set of postures, my body is quelled and I don't have to focus on my foot to get where I want to be.
Quote:
Chronic777 said:
Quote:
wellage said: you can't take advantage of the "spiritual" (I don't like that term either) benefits of yoga without a healthy body.
Some sages who attained full Yoga didn't take care of their bodies at all
Sorry man, I don't know any sages. All I can speak from is my personal experience working with my teacher and peers.
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bassfrequences
shroomslovemusic



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Re: Yoga 101? *DELETED* [Re: wellage]
#12476042 - 04/29/10 08:16 AM (13 years, 8 months ago) |
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Post deleted by bassfrequencesReason for deletion: miscomprehension
-------------------- Knowledge is nothing without skill. Skill is nothing without attitude and commitment. Our imagination is the limit
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Todcasil
rogue DMT elf


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Quote:
bassfrequences said: QUOTE: Is there anything in particular that y'all want to know about? THANKS PEOPLE I dont dare ask anything else on this thread I think I got the wrong jist of it 
I think it was implied that she meant, "anything within my realm of experience." No big whoop! I just think it's more than a little amusing that something that is used to foster an awareness of our spiritual self would be considered for violent purposes. Not that fighting can't be an art, but just violence for the sake of it seems a bit silly.
I suggest taking up yoga for serious, it might allow some reflection on your actions, dig?
-------------------- Men look at themselves and they see flawed humans, we look at women and we see perfect GODDESSES Women look at themselves and they seem utterly human, when looking at men they see proud GODS. ~Casil
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yogabunny
fancy cat



Registered: 11/01/09
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the whole point of the Sutras, and, well, the reason there are sooo many different styles and paths to Yoga; is because we're all so different.
i don't understand why this thread devolved into an argument about why people do or do not practice asana.
it's just one way in, you don't HAVE to do it. the sutras present us with the eight limbed path of yoga but i don't believe it says anywhere that you have to follow them in order, or do them all. personally what's worked for me is many years of asana, and now i am getting more into pranayama and meditation.
some people just do pranayama, so just do meditation, etc etc et al.
it's a fact though that asana will make it easier to sit for long periods of time in meditation.
and to Chronic777 i will try one more time.
a balanced & toned body through asana practice = a balanced and toned mind.
also i want to share this with you guys. it's the first paragraph in the introduction to the translation of the Sutras translation by Sri Swami Satchitanada, written by Vidya Vonne.
"When the word Yoga is mentioned, most people immediately think of some physical practices for stretching and stress reduction. This is one aspect of the Yogic science, but actually only a very small part and relatively recent in development. The physical Yoga, or Hatha Yoga, was primarily designed to facilitate the real practice of Yoga -- namely, the understand and complete master over the mind. So the actual meaning of Yoga is science of the mind."
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Kickle
Wanderer


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i don't understand why this thread devolved into an argument about why people do or do not practice asana.
There was no argument intended, at least not on my end, and I really doubt on chronic's end either. And I'm sorry that it did get derailed a bit. It seemed to have sparked some defenses on all sides -- I caught myself going "Why don't you get what I'm really trying to say!?" Then upon seeing that in my own post, I deleted it and let the thread be.
Perhaps this can explain some of that though. It wasn't meant to be aggressive, although I definitely think the tension brought on unwanted effects. This wasn't the thread to question yogic identity, and for that I am sincerely sorry. I commend your efforts to get back on track 
So the actual meaning of Yoga is science of the mind
-------------------- Why shouldn't the truth be stranger than fiction? Fiction, after all, has to make sense. -- Mark Twain
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Chronic7
Registered: 05/08/04
Posts: 13,679
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Quote:
yogabunny said:
and to Chronic777 i will try one more time.
a balanced & toned body through asana practice = a balanced and toned mind.
I got that the first time, my questioning was to dive deeper into why this is As that must be at the Heart of what we called Yoga (union) Using effort to reach effortlessness Using discipline to reach liberation
I feel its almost as if the resistance & effort of holding an asana afterwards creates a 'let go' that makes meditation more supple Its like strongly holding something to the point that when you stop, you can't do anything but let it go Like when you lift weights, afterwards your arms can feel really really light, as you push push push, then totally let go... Like this asana can break/push the minds limits so when you meditate the mind is already opened up & avaialble to be as supple & subtle as the space within
Or like releasing latent energy from the spine, how bending/twisting/stretching can open up energy meridians/chakras etc... I didn't come in this thread to attack people practices, i came here to provoke us to look at why we practice and how those practices assist or hinder us To look & see that ultimately what we are is totally already unified and these practices are just to remove barriers to that intuitive truth
Rumi "you need not seek for love, only seek & find the barriers wihtin yourself which you have built against it"
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yogabunny
fancy cat



Registered: 11/01/09
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huh?
i like to KISS: keep it simple sweetie, and this was a thread to answer basic questions about Yoga in a simple way, there's enough confusion about Yoga out there.
you should study/research the koshas, if you haven't already. we briefly touched on them in the subtle body workshop in my training but they delve deeper into what you're talking about here.
also, the point of asana is to let go of effort, and that is part of what allows you to achieve Yoga by doing it. a sattvic pose is a blend of stability, flexibility and grace. from the stability you create with your foundation, the rest of the poses blossoms forth: effortlessly. now you have achieved Yoga by standing on one leg, arms raised toward the sky in anjali mudra.
love the rumi quote.
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Chronic7
Registered: 05/08/04
Posts: 13,679
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Quote:
yogabunny said:
also, the point of asana is to let go of effort, and that is part of what allows you to achieve Yoga by doing it. a sattvic pose is a blend of stability, flexibility and grace. from the stability you create with your foundation, the rest of the poses blossoms forth: effortlessly.
Thats the kind of response i was looking for from you 
To my mind, what i said in that last post was very very simple
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deCypher


Registered: 02/10/08
Posts: 56,232
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Quote:
yogabunny said: i like to KISS: keep it simple sweetie
I always heard this acronym expressed as keep it simple stupid. 
Quote:
Chronic777 said: To look & see that ultimately what we are is totally already unified and these practices are just to remove barriers to that intuitive truth
I don't really understand this; if we're already totally unified then why would we even need to perform all these practices?
-------------------- We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.
 
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yogabunny
fancy cat



Registered: 11/01/09
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because our cluttered minds and bad habits keep us from knowing/seeing/being present.
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deCypher


Registered: 02/10/08
Posts: 56,232
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Right, which would mean we're not already totally unified, no? Wouldn't reshaping these bad habits be part of the process of unification?
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Chronic7
Registered: 05/08/04
Posts: 13,679
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Quote:
Chronic777 said: To look & see that ultimately what we are is totally already unified and these practices are just to remove barriers to that intuitive truth
I don't really understand this; if we're already totally unified then why would we even need to perform all these practices?
Seeing that & fully accepting it, to the extent you feel it energetically and your mind comes to total rest, is the practice
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yogabunny
fancy cat



Registered: 11/01/09
Posts: 11,281
Loc: Nasty Women Get Shit Done
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so, since i started this thread i've been re-reading the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, translated by Swami Satchitananda. First of all, he is sooooo cute and funny. 
second of all, i wanted to share with you one of my favorite Sutras, on OM.

Tasya Vacakah Pranavah
"The word expressive of Isvara is the mystic sound of OM. [Note: OM is God's name as well as form]
I want to point out that there is an Editor's Note earlier in the text that states:
As Sri Gurudev explained in Sutra 23, God is neither "He" nor "She" nor "It", but rather the cosmic consciousness, according to Yogic thinking. The word "God" should be taken throughout the text with this understanding unless otherwise specified.
His commentary on this sutra is 3 pages long, and I am not going to copy the whole thing, but his translation is definitely worth the purchase if you want to delve deeper into Yoga philosophy....here are some important tid bits:
OM can be split into 3 letters A-U-M and from there it divides into 4 stages.
A - the beginning of all sounds, sound made when you open your mouth and produce sound U - the oo sound made as the sound moves forward from the throat through the lips M - closing of the lips
&
anagata - "the one that is always in you, even before beginning with A and ending with M, there is always a sound vibration within you that cannot be destroyed. you can always listen to that sound if you remain quiet"
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Chronic7
Registered: 05/08/04
Posts: 13,679
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Love the last quote there
"One syllable shines for ever in the Heart as the Self, who is there that can write it down?" Ramana Maharshi
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yogabunny
fancy cat



Registered: 11/01/09
Posts: 11,281
Loc: Nasty Women Get Shit Done
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i might get anagata in sanskrit tattooed on my wrist.

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klodeo
yoghurt weaver


Registered: 01/31/09
Posts: 210
Loc: england
Last seen: 7 years, 2 months
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Alan Watts on Yoga.
i love this guy
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PyroBurns
душа кофе


Registered: 10/14/07
Posts: 4,343
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Re: Yoga 101? [Re: klodeo]
#12515333 - 05/06/10 06:23 AM (13 years, 8 months ago) |
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For whoever asked about dream yoga look into Yoga Nidra. Swami Satyananda Saraswati developed a pretty good method of guiding into your sleep. Here is one of the guided audios, but I think after getting better you can do it silent:
http://ifile.it/i8rkaco/audio_-_satyanada_yoga.rar
Step one of his yoga nidra is the corpse pose, and step two is scanning the body. So keep that in mind. I actually went pretty far once and it was pretty damn weird to be sleeping but mentally sharp at the same time. Which is basically lucid dreaming but it seemed different.
This guy is also my favorite Yogi. His books describing practice are widely regarded as the best (supposedly, since I don't know any yoga teachers) and I definitely agree comparing him to Iyengar. He also understands human nature a little better than many yogis.
-------------------- Remember to cut your nails regularly.
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yogabunny
fancy cat



Registered: 11/01/09
Posts: 11,281
Loc: Nasty Women Get Shit Done
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im not particularly interested in yoga nidra, but i am glad someone is and was able to address this.
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