Partner Warriors In Yoga

Most times when I teach group Yoga classes, I enjoy letting the energy of the room guide me. The energy of the room inspires the opening meditation, the sequence of the class, the configuration of the mats, and the over all class. Too often people come into class with the weight of the world on their shoulders, this always translates to "I'm alone". This is when I like to adjust the mats and have them partner up a little bit. When we do Warrior Poses solo, we breathe and dig deep, but when we do it together, the stretch becomes fun and often times deeper. Especially when we extend our arms to the person in front for Warrior Two and give a little tug, it is awesome! Life is all about relationships, we coexist on this planet. While there is collective consciousness with synchronized movement and breath in yoga classes, how beautiful when we use our bodies together with touch to adjust deeper and support each other in the journey. Even if it is just a smile at the person across from you when face to face in Yoga, we take for granted how much you may have made their entire day!!! These precious moments remind people that "we're in this together", so when we hold a pose for a long time and I repeat the sequence while saying "second time is the best", it really is the best! For Instructors, it is important to be able to remain grounded so to still guide the energy of the room, especially when it is with partner work, so that the harmony maintains consistent. Thank you to the Teacher Trainees and the members of Bamboomoves who continue to enjoy the spontaneous, sweaty yoga classes that I like to teach. Love you all!

More Oneness Bliss

The ultimate experience of bliss is fully discovered at the Oneness Awakening Course. While I can share with words how amazing the weekend was, the phrase a picture speaks a thousand words comes to full truth in the pictures we took. The entire group is glowing and it is actually captured in these amazing photos. Thank you again Michael Baez for introducing us to Oneness, thank you Catherine for facilitating the wonderful experience, thank you Adam, Kenneth, Aditi and Vishal for volunteering your time to make the weekend even more incredible, thank you teacher trainees, members of bamboomoves and my dear friend Joseph for bringing such incredible energy to the room and being vulnerable and receptive to the process, and of course Bhagavan and Amma for beginning such amazing program that transforms lives and allows people to come to full self-realization.

Mouna Yoga - Embracing the Silence

"Awesome, intense, amazing, wow, loved it, we should do it more often, incredible, I enjoy chatting before and after class so it was hard, I like to talk so I just talked to myself in my mind"......just some of the reactions to Monday nights Mouna/Vipassana inspired AWESOME "silent" yoga class. It really was an outstanding experience. Students entered the studio refraining from speaking to anyone. They rolled out their mats and quietly read a handout that I prepared for them, and sat in silent meditation. With the lights dim, and tea light candles illuminating the room, I briefly explained to them how the class would progress and guided their meditation. As the class progressed the yoga poses were held longer, collective consciousness was created by unison in movement, students were receptive and present.

People fail to realize that talking to others in class, talking to the teacher, talking to themselves, even the dialogue in the mind, are the blocks from the ultimate goal of the yoga practice of silencing the monkey mind. Also, it lacks respect to other students who may be there for a spiritual experience, and it can be disrespectful to the teacher. The darting curious eyes, the frustrated reactions from coming out of poses, the verbal and facial reactions, the egos rush to advanced poses without letting the pranayam initiate (without letting the breath initiate the movement), are our vritti's or agitations, that we need to dissolve.

Below is some of the information on the handout I prepared for students to read prior to class.

Welcome to a Vipassana inspired, Mouna Yoga practice. Vipassana is the practice of mindfulness in meditation, Mouna is silence, and both are done by quieting the mind and observing the breath. Vipassana developed from a Buddhist tradition and Yoga with roots in Hinduism, both arose out of the same spiritual culture of ancient India and share a common goal: freedom from suffering. Silence requires listening, so listen to the portion of God within your heart.

1. Set your intention of compassion (Karuna).
2. Have an open heart free of judgments of yourself, others, and your practice.
3. Listen to your breath and observe your body always.
4. If you need to glance at the instructor, do so, and then come back to your own silent meditative practice.
5. Poses are to be held along with the instructor, so ease the body into the pose with the breath, and remain. If you know your body is tight, refrain from pushing. Be present and receptive.
6. Advanced variations are ONLY to be taken when demonstrated by the instructor, this is not a competition, and it is an opportunity for self-reflection, transformation, and healing through introspection. Embrace staying in stillness.
7. Changes through asana will be done with minimal verbal instruction and the “Chh” sound to inspire a pure universal mind (chitta).
8. Let your breath get longer as you get deeper in the poses, keep your shoulders relaxed throughout the practice.
9. The only sound is the Ujjayi breath, done through the nose, with mouth closed and tightening of the throat.
10. Let all reactions be silent with full intent to listen, until reactions cease.

Yoga Sutra 1. 2 yoga citta-vrtti-nirodah Yoga occurs when the machinations, vacillations, perturbations, whirling, spinning, and agitations (vrtti) of the mind-field (citta) dissolve, cease, and become still (nirodha)

Yoga sutra 9, shabda-jnanaupati vastu-shunyo vikalpah (true wisdom where the ordinary monkey mind stops its spinning is when the words and concepts cease).

“Water, if you don‘t stir it, will become clear; the mind, left unaltered, will find it own natural peace.” ~ Sogyal Rinpoché

While this was an amazing experience, I personally enjoy playing music in class, I enjoy cuing allignment and making physical adjustments, I also love the dialogue with students before and after yoga class, as it creates a beautiful sense of community. Sometimes even an instructor can work on talking less, so students can experience the healing in the silent moments of class. If you are looking for a different way to create/teach a yoga class, or practice, challenge your monkey mind and practice in silence. ~ Om Shanti