Last month we looked at the Niyamas which are codes of conduct for living and they focus on how you treat yourself. They can help us live a more yogic way of life.
For the month of May we will take more philosophy into our practice as we look at some of the wisdoms from the Buddha. Yoga is so much more than just simply moving your body into different positions. When I first started practicing yoga I used to regularly hear teachers talking about taking yoga off the mat but never quite fully understood what that meant.
Our yoga practice is an ideal opportunity to work with awareness and qualities in our practice that we can develop and find those qualities in everything that we do. I have more patience from my years of practicing yoga and find that I can respond more to stressful and challenging situations in life in more of a calmer approach rather than a reactive way. Yoga can help you to find the space to choose your response to your situations.
April – Wisdoms From The Buddha
Week 1 - A Practice In Loving Kindness
Loving kindness is what we show to others but also to ourselves. As we explore how we can be good to ourselves through our practice of heart opening poses we are able to then extend the energy outwards. We will practice a loving kindness meditation which focuses on love and compassion.
Week 2 - Yoga for Patience
Often, in this day and age we have a bad habit of wanting almost everything instantly. Being patient helps us feel more calm and peaceful and appreciating being more present. Patience can hep to deepen our practice. In our practice we can ask ourself how we can be more patient with ourself.
Week 3 - Embracing Impermanence
Impermanence is the reality of life. Embracing it in our daily activities can be the key to living life with ease and grace. In our practice our bodies are constantly moving from one shape to another. When we experience a pose that we find particularly challenging or holding a pose for a longer time it’s good to remember that the moment will pass and we often feel that sense of letting go when we do release from it and we may even start to enjoy the moment of just simply being present.
Week 4 - Yoga for Equanimity
When we cultivate equanimity, we cultivate a state of being even minded and calm. We make room for joy, pain, sorrow and challenges. We discover ways to meet life that neither opposes nor demands more from it. In our practice by simply moving and breathing with awareness we start to feel more balanced.
Yoga allows you to find an inner peace that is not ruffled and riled by the endless stresses and struggles of life.
This Month’s Music
Here’s the usual selection of music that Vicky has been listening to this month.
| Artist | Title |
|---|---|
| Nada Sadhana and Kevin Courtney | Opening |
| Clair Oaks | Atha Yogaanushaasanam |
| Sacred Earth | Breathing Space |
| Benny Bernstein | Atlas |
| Aroshanti | Stillness Of Mind |
| Snatum Kaur | Suni-Ai (Listening Meditation) |
| Suyana and Shastro | Flight Of The Swans |