Guest guest Posted August 8, 2004 Report Share Posted August 8, 2004 A very lovely young friend of mine teaches a class in Thai Yoga. She has invited me many times to visit her class. Since I am going on 64, overweight and out-of-shape, I have ignored her invitations. But this morning she was giving the class on an outdoor deck in the pines and I couldn't resist her offer. The first half-hour was devoted to pranayam and meditation. It was lovely. When they moved on to asans, I did the first few but then I realized that my physical self was not up to it. So I sat in my preferred meditation asan and continued pranayam, going deeper and deeper into meditation. I felt such joy and peace. Being able to give up the need to compete and compare myself with others. I felt that the class was giving me the opportunity to develop and expand and correct my asan of meditation. I realized that it needs work. It is not perfected. But I was filled with the joy of knowing that I can move toward that perfection. I have a beautiful photo of Shree Maa in front of my computer keyboard. She is sitting in front of Chandi Ma. To her left is Lord Shiva. She is looking at him and smiling. So much divine Love. Blessings abound in the world of this child. Jai Maa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 8, 2004 Report Share Posted August 8, 2004 ardis you always inspire me. i too have been thinking about asans. somewhere on the forum recently, i thought i read, swamiji saying, something like, the purpose of the asan is to create in the mind the orientation to discipline ... something like that? anyway, i am wondering how much you need to worry about asans at the point you are developed. would like to see you not worry if it is not necessary. no doubt, a question for swamiji or shree maa. steve , Ardis Jackson <anandamama@e...> wrote: > A very lovely young friend of mine teaches a class in Thai Yoga. She has > invited me many times to visit her class. Since I am going on 64, > overweight and out-of-shape, I have ignored her invitations. But this > morning she was giving the class on an outdoor deck in the pines and I > couldn't resist her offer. > > The first half-hour was devoted to pranayam and meditation. It was lovely. > When they moved on to asans, I did the first few but then I realized that my > physical self was not up to it. > > So I sat in my preferred meditation asan and continued pranayam, going > deeper and deeper into meditation. I felt such joy and peace. Being able > to give up the need to compete and compare myself with others. I felt that > the class was giving me the opportunity to develop and expand and correct my > asan of meditation. I realized that it needs work. It is not perfected. But > I was filled with the joy of knowing that I can move toward that perfection. > > I have a beautiful photo of Shree Maa in front of my computer keyboard. She > is sitting in front of Chandi Ma. To her left is Lord Shiva. She is looking > at him and smiling. So much divine Love. Blessings abound in the world of > this child. > > Jai Maa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 9, 2004 Report Share Posted August 9, 2004 Hi Steve, Perhaps this is what you remember about Swamiji's experience with hatha yoga. This comes from the book "Before Becoming This". Page 96 "...I went to meet another guru in another place. Among other subjects, I studied hatha yoga and asans." Page 97 "One day my Guru told me to demonstrate my hatha yoga postures in front of (another) Guru and his disciples." I was quite nervous as I had never "performed" with other people looking but I gathered courage and quite proficiently executed my routine. The other Guru was extremely impressed and said to his disciples, "See, foreigners come from such a long distance to learn our culture, and what are we practicing? We don't know our own dharma." My Guru said to me, "That was excellent. Now you don't have to practice hatha yoga anymore." I was stunned. "Why not" I asked. "Because the purpose of practicing hatha yoga is to be able to sit still for the more subtle forms of yoga." he replied sternly. "not to become a performer of stunts to impress others. That will only enhance the ego. Our sadhana is to be still in order to reduce the ego." "Steve Connor" <sconnor (AT) austin (DOT) rr.com> Mon, 09 Aug 2004 01:08:22 -0000 Re: Yoga class ardis you always inspire me. i too have been thinking about asans. somewhere on the forum recently, i thought i read, swamiji saying, something like, the purpose of the asan is to create in the mind the orientation to discipline ... something like that? anyway, i am wondering how much you need to worry about asans at the point you are developed. would like to see you not worry if it is not necessary. no doubt, a question for swamiji or shree maa. steve , Ardis Jackson <anandamama@e...> wrote: > A very lovely young friend of mine teaches a class in Thai Yoga. She has > invited me many times to visit her class. Since I am going on 64, > overweight and out-of-shape, I have ignored her invitations. But this > morning she was giving the class on an outdoor deck in the pines and I > couldn't resist her offer. > > The first half-hour was devoted to pranayam and meditation. It was lovely. > When they moved on to asans, I did the first few but then I realized that my > physical self was not up to it. > > So I sat in my preferred meditation asan and continued pranayam, going > deeper and deeper into meditation. I felt such joy and peace. Being able > to give up the need to compete and compare myself with others. I felt that > the class was giving me the opportunity to develop and expand and correct my > asan of meditation. I realized that it needs work. It is not perfected. But > I was filled with the joy of knowing that I can move toward that perfection. > > I have a beautiful photo of Shree Maa in front of my computer keyboard. She > is sitting in front of Chandi Ma. To her left is Lord Shiva. She is looking > at him and smiling. So much divine Love. Blessings abound in the world of > this child. > > Jai Maa Sponsor / <?subject=Un> Terms of Service <> . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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