Moderation

When we are firmly established in chastity, subtle potency is generated. -Patanjali

This yama, brahmacharya, is often translated as celibacy, but in modern understanding it can refer to self-restraint or moderation of all physical energies. Some interpretations consider this concept in light of removing personality conflicts and the desire to become virtuous. 

The practice of brahmacharya is not some archaic form of moralizing, but rather a reminder that, if we use our energy wisely, we possess the resources to live a fulfilling life. Applying this idea to our yoga practice, we should use the minimum energy to achieve the maximum result.

For example, we can use small muscles to do the work of large muscles, and bring our minds into the poses so that our bodies do not become fatigued. In all poses, we can lift of the pit of our abdomen in order to conserve the life force or energy. Dropping the lower belly splatters our life force out in front of us. Once conserved, this pelvic energy can be channeled up to the heart.

Reference: http://www.yogajournal.com/for_teachers/984


1. Begin by sitting on only the front half of your chair seat, but with enough of your rear end and thighs supported so you don't slip off!

2. Inhale as you roll your shoulders up, then release them down on an exhale. Repeat 4 times.

3. Inhale arms out to your sides, parallel to the floor with palms facing down. Exhale as you bring them back to the side of the chair. Repeat 4 times.

4. Inhale arms back to that same outstretched position with palms facing down and as you exhale, turn the palms facing up. Continue to turn the arms(palms up, then down) with your breath 4 times then let hands rest in your lap.

5. Take 4 deep, calming breaths, noticing your heart beat.

6. Sitting up tall, still sitting back only halfway onto the chair seat so there is space between your back and the backrest, inhale as you lift your chest, resisting at the lower abdomen. On the exhale, reach the hands behind you and rest the hands on your lower back, palms facing out. With hands behind you, continue to inhale and lift your chest, exhaling as your hands move closer together, opening the shoulders. After a few breaths you may be able to reach your hands to grasp the opposite elbow. Stay here for at least 4 breaths.

7. Rest hands back on your thighs, still sitting only halfway on the chair seat, turn both knees pointing the left side, shifting so that most of your weight is on your left butt cheek. The right knee may be pointing at the floor as you turn your body to the left. The left knee is at a 90 degree angle with left foot flat on the floor. Sit up tall using your belly muscles, hands resting on the left thigh. Take 4 slow breaths.

8. Shift your body back to center, then repeat #7 facing to the right.

9. Return to center and slide yourself back onto the seat, resting your back against the chair back now. Soften your gaze, noticing the rise and fall of your belly as you breathe for 8 full breaths.

Earth Day

Find a way you can make a planetary difference today. Check out: http://www.earthday.org/

For reflection:

We join with the earth and with each other.
To bring new life to the land
To restore the waters
To refresh the air
We join with the earth and with each other.

To renew the forests
To care for the plants
To protect the creatures
We join with the earth and with each other.

To celebrate the seas
To rejoice the sunlight
To sing the song of the stars
We join with the earth and with each other.

To recall our destiny
To renew our spirits
To reinvigorate our bodies
 We join with the earth and with each other.

To create the human community
To promote justice and peace
To remember our children

We join together as many and diverse expressions of one loving mystery: for the healing of the earth and the renewal of all life.

From “Only One Earth,” a United Nations Environment Programme publication for “Environmental Sabbath/Earth Rest Day,” June 1990


  

1. After you've reviewed instructions for all sessions, begin with your hands resting in your lap. Bring your attention to your breath, not changing it, just notice if the breaths are coming quickly or slowly, deeply or more shallow. Continue this way for at least 5 breaths.
 
2. Notice if all edges of your feet are evenly rooted to the floor. Wiggle the toes, then lift them as you rock back onto your heels, rolling both feet onto their left edges, then press into the balls, rocking over to the right edges, finally placing both feet solidly on the ground with equal pressure. Repeat that circle to the left this time. Did focusing on your feet take you away from your breath? Bring your calm attention back to the breath once again.
 
3.  On your next inhale, reach your arms wide, feeling a stretch through the front of your torso. As you exhale, bring hands to the center of your chest, palms pressed together with thumbs touching sternum. ("heart center") Repeat 3 times.
 
4. Lift one foot foot and circle the ankles 3 or 4 times in each direction. Repeat with other foot. Finish with both feet resting back on the floor.
 
5. As you inhale, lift hands overhead, reaching for the ceiling, again exhaling the hands back to heart center. Repeat 3 times.
 
6. On the next inhale, just lift one arm straight up. As you exhale bend the elbow so that your hand drifts behind your neck toward the space between your should blades. Your elbow stays next to your ear, pointing up at the ceiling as you try to stretch your fingers further down your back. Keep reaching for another 3 breaths, then inhale the arm straight up again and exhale it back down to your lap. Repeat with opposite arm.
 
7. You just gave yourself a pat on the back! Now you deserve a some more quiet breathing before heading back to your busy day. Reread #1, commit to those 5 breaths, then enjoy your day!

Integrity

When we are firmly established in integrity, all riches present themselves freely. -Patanjali

Integrity is the next rule for living. This theme is appropriate for Tax Day, don't you think?

Dictionary.com defines integrity as the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles; moral uprightness. How does that concept match up with your Form 1040?

We don't like to think of ourselves as "cheaters," but are there times when your moral compass might point you just a tiny bit off-course? Do you really have receipts for all the charity deductions you claimed this year?  ;)

According to Patanjali, if we can maintain moral uprightness, "all riches" come to us. I don't think he means money specifically.

Here is a great story from Michael Josephson that illustrates this concept nicely:


A master carpenter who worked for the same builder for nearly 50 years announced that he wanted to retire. The builder told him how much he appreciated his work. He gave the carpenter a $5,000 bonus and asked him if he would build just one more house. The builder owned a magnificent lot with a spectacular view and he wanted to build a dream home.

The carpenter was bitterly disappointed at the small bonus, but his last building fee would help him buy a small cottage, so he agreed to build the dream house.

The carpenter prided himself on his uncompromising commitment to quality, but his resentment caused him to cut corners, ignore details, and accept shoddy workmanship from other workers. He even looked the other way when some of them substituted cheaper materials and pocketed the difference.

When the house was finished the builder shook the carpenter’s hand and with a huge smile he gave him an envelope with a thank-you card and a folded piece of paper. The carpenter was disdainful — until he unfolded the paper and found the deed to the house he had just built.

The carpenter was ashamed that he had misjudged his old friend and betrayed his own values, and he was remorseful that the house he would live in for the rest of his life was made so carelessly.

Our character is the house we live in and it’s built piece by piece by our daily choices. Deceit, irresponsibility, and disrespect are just like shoddy workmanship. Whenever we put in less than our best and ignore our potential for excellence, we create a future full of creaky floors, leaky roofs, and crumbling foundations.

 This session will take you about 8 minutes. No audio for this session.

1. Once you're comfortable in your chair, breathing only through your nose, see if you can actually hear your own breath as it enters and then slowly leaves your body.

2. You may notice that as you concentrate on your breath, it begins to slow, each inhale and each exhale getting longer, deeper. Continue 5 more breaths this way.

3. Move your hands to grasp the outside edge of your chair seat, near your thighs. If the chair armrests are in the way, you can grab those instead. Sitting up tall, fingers holding the seat edge, inhale as you lift your chest forward, exaggerating the curve of your spine and drawing your shoulders back. ("cow pose")

 4. Still holding the seat edge, on an exhale, reverse the curve, rounding the spine as you pull your belly in and shift your shoulders forward. ("cat pose")

 5. Repeat numbers 3 and 4 each 3 more times, always slowly moving with the breath. Let your hands settle in your lap when you're done.

 6. Rest back against the back of your chair, but keep a long spine, good posture. Inhale as you straighten both knees, lifting both feet off the floor, ankles flexed so the toes point upward. Exhale them back down. Repeat 3 more times, pulling the toes toward you as the calves begin to warm up.

 7. Push about 2 feet away from your desk to give yourself some extra room. Slide the legs apart so that the back of your knees rest near the very outer (side) edges of your seat. Sitting up tall again, using the belly muscles so you don't need to lean back against the chair. Inhale as you raise both hands high into the air, reaching for the ceiling. As you exhale, sweep both arms forward and down to land on the chair seat between your knees or on your thighs. As you sweep your arms down, lean your torso forward, hinging from the hips. Repeat 3 more times.

 8. Close the knees together, let your hands settle in your lap, and lean against the backrest. Return to the quiet breaths that we started with today. Keep listening for 10 more breaths, then return to your day continuing to pay attention to all the sounds around you.

Truthfulness

"When we are firmly established in truthfulness, action accomplishes its desired end." Patanjali, Yoga Sutras

The second of the yamas, or rules for living, is an obvious one, but tends to be a slippery concept. We all agree that telling the truth is a desirable virtue and yet, how often do we attain that 100% honest mark? In order for these rules to be effective, we need to be sure that we apply them to ourselves before finding success in applying them with others. If you are not honest with yourself, how can you possibly expect to be honest with your spouse, or your kids, or your friends?

Think of a statement that you *think* about yourself nearly every day. Pick an easy one, like "I have got to stop eating so much so I can fit in my clothes" or "I have to get to bed earlier to get rid of these bags under my eyes." Then apply the 4 Questions below and see where it leads you.... Try the exercise again with a tougher question, for example: "I hate my job" or "My family is intolerable." Have fun but be honest!

This theme reminds me of Byron Katie's 4 Questions that you can apply to any statement: Read more at http://www.thework.com/thework-4questions.php

Is it true? (Yes or no. If no, move to 3.)

Can you absolutely know that it's true? (Yes or no.)

 How do you react, what happens, when you believe that thought?

Who would you be without the thought?

Then turn the thought around to examine it from every angle, especially the exact opposite angle. For example, if you are working with the statement such as "my boss disrespects me," flip it around in order to consider the alternative "I disrespect my boss." Then apply the four questions again.  Another way to investigate this thought is to just flip the verb. For example, "my boss disrespects me" could become "my boss does respect me."

Then find at least three specific, genuine examples of how each turnaround is true for you in this situation. To understand the "turnaround" process, click here: http://www.thework.com/thework-turnaround.php


1. Be sure you read through "prepare for each session" instructions before you begin. Today's practice should take only about 8 minutes.

2. Get comfy in your chair, legs uncrossed, hands resting in lap, take a deep breath as you soften your eyes, meaning: take in your peripheral vision vs. a hard stare, eyelids relaxed.

3. As you inhale lift arms over head, reaching for ceiling, palms may touch, return hands to center of chest (heart center) with palms pressed together. Repeat 3 times

4. With palms still touching, inhale, then with an exhale gently push hands more firmly together, releasing the pressure on an inhale. Repeat 3 times

5. Interlace your fingers so palms face down, elbows pointing away from your body. Gently move elbows away, creating resistance in interlaced fingers. Take a breath and release slowly.

6. Keeping fingers interlaced, straighten arms sending knuckles away from body. Arms should be at shoulder height, parallel to the floor. Breathe and notice the muscles in the your arms and shoulders. If you have flexibility in your wrists, you may want to try turning your palms out, interlaced knuckles facing your body, arms stretching long. Continue to take slow breaths.

7. Release your fingers and bring both hands to your right thigh, fingers pointing to the right, inhale as you sit up tall, shoulders back and spine long. As you exhale, begin to turn your head to look over your right shoulder, continuing the twist through your torso, seat staying planted to chair. Inhale again, using the exhale to twist just a bit deeper. One more breath as you twist, then return to center. Repeat twist to left then return to center once again, hands resting on lap.

8. Push your chair back from the desk about 2 feet. Use an inhale to reach your hands over head once again, exhaling as you slowly lower hands onto knees, hinging at the hips leading with chest toward your knees for a forward fold. Inhale as you slowly lift torso back to sitting upright. Repeat 2 more times.

9. Slide your fingers of both hands under your right thigh, lifting it a few inches from seat. Keeping knee bent and spine straight, use the hands to move the thigh in circles to open the hip joint. Switch direction after 4 or 5 rotations. Rest the right thigh and move hands under left leg, repeating same movement on this side, 4-5 rotations in both directions.

10. Let hands rest in your lap, relaxing your eyes once again, focusing on slow deep breathing, silently repeating: "in" with each inhale, and  "out" with each extended exhale, for at least 10 complete breath cycles. Enjoy your day!