Day 296

Thoughts: Yoga

Tonight I did yoga - peaceful, challenging, relaxing and powerful :) I know my body, mind and essence has missed yoga immensely. I feel so much more alive and connected after the class then I did before the class.

Yoga refers to traditional physical and mental disciplines originating in India. The word yoga has many meanings, and is derived from the Sanskrit root "yuj", meaning "to control", "to yoke" or "to unite". Translations include "joining", "uniting", "union", "conjunction", and "means". It is also possible that the word yoga derives from "yujir samadhau," which means "contemplation" or "absorption.

Yoga techniques are used for experiencing higher states of consciousness in meditation. There are different forms and postures that focus on body parts etc eyes, abdomen, neck, spine, sciatic nerve and even postures for migraines, weight loss, anxiety, insomnia. Yoga is whole and complete work for a whole, perfect and complete person which is every being.

Yoga provides you with the means to connect to your infinite body. The finite self is defined as the actual physical body and the experiences that we have physically. Everyone can relate to the physical body because it is a real entity that can be seen and touched.

The practice of Yoga not only works the physical body by keeping it fit while strengthening and elongating the muscles, it also helps the nervous and circulatory systems by purifying and balancing them. Our bodies have a tendency to build up and accumulate poisons like uric acid and calcium crystals, just to mention a few. The accumulation of these poisons manifests in diseases and makes our bodies stiff. A regular Yoga practice can cleanse the tissues through muscle stretching and massaging of the internal organs. This brings the waste back into circulation so that the lungs, intestines, kidneys, and skin are able to remove toxins in a natural way.

There are many different variations of yoga.

The basis for a system referred to as "Ashtanga Yoga" ("Eight-Limbed Yoga") are:

1. Yama (The five "abstentions"): non-violence, non-lying, non-covetousness, non-sensuality, and non-possessiveness.
2. Niyama (The five "observances"): purity, contentment, austerity, study, and surrender to god.
3. Asana: Literally means "seat", and in Patanjali's Sutras refers to the seated position used for meditation.
4. Pranayama ("Suspending Breath"): Prāna, breath, "āyāma", to restrain or stop. Also interpreted as control of the life force.
5. Pratyahara ("Abstraction"): Withdrawal of the sense organs from external objects.
6. Dharana ("Concentration"): Fixing the attention on a single object.
7. Dhyana ("Meditation"): Intense contemplation of the nature of the object of meditation.
8. Samādhi ("Liberation"): merging consciousness with the object of meditation.

Buddhism and Yoga

Early Buddhism incorporated meditative absorption states. The most ancient sustained expression of yogic ideas is found in the early sermons of the Buddha. One key innovative teaching of the Buddha was that meditative absorption must be combined with liberating cognition. The difference between the Buddha's teaching and the yoga presented in early Brahminic texts is striking. Meditative states alone are not an end, for according to the Buddha, even the highest meditative state is not liberating. Instead of attaining a complete cessation of thought, some sort of mental activity must take place: a liberating cognition, based on the practice of mindful awareness.

Goals of Yoga

The goals of yoga are varied and range from improving health to achieving Moksha; In Indian religions, Moksha literally "release" (both from a root muc "to let loose, let go"), is the liberation from samsara and the concomitant suffering involved in being subject to the cycle of repeated death and rebirth (reincarnation).

Tonight our beautiful class leader Regina McGowan requested that we set an intention for the class, mine was 'to love'. I have been disconnected to love lately, love for my self, my body, love for people, love for the human species, so to connect again tonight and be in a space of love was extremely rejuvenating and healing :)Always At Aum was founded in 2002 by Tara Guber and Leah Kalish and specializes in hot yoga and vinyasa teacher trainings, kids yoga teacher trainings and holds yoga classes on Gilgo Beach in Babylon, which is near both Nassau and Suffolk County on Long Island. The yoga classes at our school are by DONATION. Tara and Leah believe that people should be able to practice yoga even if financially challenged. Beautiful :)

Source:
Always At Aum
Wikipedia
The Secrets Of Yoga



Quotes:
Watch your thoughts; they become words.
Watch your words; they become actions.
Watch your actions; they become habits.
Watch your habits; they become character.
Watch your character; for it becomes your destiny. - Upanishads

What I Ate Today:

Meal 1: A grapefruit, orange and strawberry juice :)

Meal 2: A ginger tea and a piece of Apple Crumble. Created with Apples, Oats, Cinnamon, Honey or Agave, Coconut, Sultanas, Oil, Water, Spelt Wholemeal flour or Buckwheat Flour!



Meal 3: Water melon.

Meal 4: Cherries and 3 chocolate balls.



Meal 5: Green Salad. Crisp, light and refreshing! Created with baby spinach, green lettuce leafs, avocado, spring onion, garlic, coriander (cilantro), green snap peas, green chilli, cucumber and lime.



Recipe: The recipes for Apple Crumble, Chocolate Balls and Green Salad are available free on The Earth Diet website www.TheEarthDiet.Org

Exercise: Yoga :)

69 days to go!!!