Articles

Yoga Poetry

Eagle Pose

A yogi taught me:
entwine my arms, press hands together,
stand on one foot, bend the knee,
snake the other foot
around the bent knee,
and balance (try to balance),
looking at a single point
(picture of a rose)
I was swaying,
breathing in, out, a conscious being.
Then my hands were not my hands.
They merged with palms and fingers
of all women, men. We fell through
the air from a rocky cliff, through
the center of a rose, red-blood petals,
pollen, leaves, bone,
burdened with sweetness,
the dank smell of worms
burrowing under our roots.
I was a creature in the earth: nothing.
I knew that peace,
though I breathed in, out,
in the sun, an eagle on a rock, a rose,
standing on a foot that I no longer knew,
not swaying.

by Susan Verelon Stark
copyright 1995

inspired by Mark Sandler

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Eagle Pose
Garurasana

Power of Listening

Listening
to your heart,
Finding out who you are,
is not simple.
It takes time for
the chatter to quiet down.
In the silence of "not doing"
we begin to know
what we feel.
If we listen and hear
what is being offered,
then anything in life can be our guide.
Listen.

Anon

Yoga Philosophy

Power of Choice

This summers re-occurring theme has been "the power of choice."

Recently, we were in conversation with a child psychologist. She was speaking to the topic of "choosing" how we experience the world. Pessimists, she said, are often viewed as having a more realistic view of the world, while optimists enjoy their lives more fully.

Dr. Dean Ornish, of the Preventive Medicine Institute, recently spoke at the Chautauqua Institute. He also spoke of the issue of perception. In his example, a father and son were driving in a car. They were held up at train crossing. The father became angry "Oh great, now we will be late." The son, on the other hand, said "Oh dad, now we can watch the train together."-Same event, different interpretation.

Patanjali in his Yoga Sutras (the authoritative text of yoga technology) said in II-33 "When disturbed by negative thoughts, opposite (positive) ones should be thought of." Negative thoughts lead us to mental suffering. Positive thoughts lead to inner peace.

Not to be confused with suppression of emotions, it is our freedom of choice which leads us to mental tranquillity and physical vitality.

Common Sense Yoga

The Frog Story

I heard of an experiment that illustrated the effects of chronic stress in a most unusual way. Chronic stress (long term stress) builds over time, is hard to identify, and often denied.

Part one of the experiment involved placing frogs in extremely hot water. As you would expect, they jumped right out of the pan. This is an example of "Yikes, I’ve got to do something about this situation!!!", or acute stress. It is similar to getting your taxes ready the night before you meet with your accountant.

Part two involved placing the frogs in tepid water. They sat passively looking at each other while the experimenters turned up the heat. Finally, two frogs made an attempt to jump, but it was too late. Why didn’t the frogs jump out when they could have?

Yoga offers us tools for healthier living in a chronically stressed environment. My yoga practice helps me to feel healthier, happier and to make better choices. Are you are tired of sitting in a pan of hot water? Jump into Yoga. It works!

thank you - Carrie

Finding the Right Yoga Teacher

Recently Hatha Yoga has become so popular, that its’ everywhere. There are many fine teachers to pick from as well. How to know who is right for you? Consider these thoughts:

Know what you want, such as improved health, flexibility, inner peace, strength, mental clarity etc.

Ask teachers about their qualifications, philosophy & teaching style. Choose a teacher who is well educated & experienced in Yoga philosophy as well as Hatha Yoga.

True teachers acknowledge their own teachers. They show a commitment to their personal practice & ongoing study.

Try out classes with different teachers & Yoga styles to find what works for you.

Does the teacher exhibit inner peace, equilibrium and treat you with respect & compassion? Are you challenged mentally as well as physically?

Notice how you feel at the completion of each class. Do you feel calm, inspired & more in touch with yourself?

Good teachers will refer you elsewhere (when you are ready).

Remember- Yoga is a gift to yourself.

OM Shanti (Peace) - Mark Sandler

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