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Silence Pervades

9/19/2016

Silence pervades...
I see no one for miles...
My smile curves upwards like the sun climbing up from the horizon...
There is a palpable clarity in the sea water...
Reflecting my mind...
And I am lost in the vastness...
Overwhelmed, really...When have I ever been this alone?
Small waves ripple against my skin...
Reminding me that I am NEVER alone...
Conscious permeates...in EVERYTHING...
My smile widens and my lips part to say, "THANK YOU, UNIVERSE!"
For bringing me to this moment...to this still point in time...
My private island paradise beckons me to indulge in the 1000's of miniscule seashells
That collective form the sand on "Pebble Beach".
I sift my fingers and toes lovingly into the coarseness as the Aegean Sea continues to lap at my feet.
The sun climbs higher, increasing the temperature.
As it meets with my skin it warms me passionately.
I walk into the sea...
Over smooth stones which are coated with velveteen algae...
Like carpet softening each step I take as I immerse deeper into the abyss...
I submerge my nakedness fully into the depths...
Enveloped and caressed by the Great Grand Mother to us all...
She holds me like a newborn babe with in her...
I almost cry with the joy I feel welling up within me...
Maha Bhutas, the five elements: Earth, Water, Fire, Air, Ether...
Combine to create this mythical dream...
I float into eternity and time stands still...
And yet the winds continue their dance with the trees...
The olive leaves flutter with delight in the knowing of their absolute partnership...
And the sun continues to track across the sky, burning, burning, burning, its path in the ethers...
I recline my wet body against the seashells that cradle my mid morning slumber...
There is a natural meditation that spontaneously arises in this masquerade ball...
I feel my mask melt...unveiling the TRUTH...
I am guided by my angels, guardians, pixies, sprites, faeries and spiritual ancestors...
Into an awakening of bliss...
Our True Nature revealed...
As a bird screeches...
Calling me to remember...
I am NEVER alone...
But ALL ONE...

(I wrote this almost a year ago to the day. September 21, 2015, on the Fall Equinox, while teaching
Yoga + Ayurveda retreats at Silver Island Yoga in Greece.)

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The 8 Limbs of Yoga

9/5/2016

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Many people think that yoga consists only of asana, postures and forms that we fold our body into and pranayama, breathing exercises. However, those are only two aspects of the practice. Ashtanga Yoga is also a bit misunderstood as being correlated to a power yoga style of practice. Just a a tree has roots, trunk, branches, bark, leaves, sap, flowers, fruits, Yoga also has 8 limbs that make up the full matrix of the practice. Asthau Angani, the 8 limbs comes from the Sanskrit words, Ashta meaning eight and anga meaning limbs.The 8 limbs of Yoga consists of yama, niyama, asana, pranayama, pratyahara, dharana, dhyana and samadhi.

Yama is like the roots of a tree. It sets the foundation for the practice in the way it teaches us how to behave within society. It describes a moral code in which to live by that all people can adhere to regardless of age, class, sex, race or religion. There are 5 principles under yama which consist of ahimsa, non-violence in words and actions, satya, truthfulness, asteya, non-stealing, brahmacharya, self control, and aparigraha, non-covetousness.

The niyamas are compared to the trunk of the tree and are rules for self purification. They too have 5 sub limbs or rules which are saucha, cleanliness of body, mind and environment, santosha, contentment in the life we are blessed with, tapas, austerities or spiritual practices, svadhyaya, self reflection or self study and Ishvara pranidhana which is self surrender or surrendering to God.

The most well known limb is asana, yoga postures. These branches of the tree bring the body and mind into balance. Many believe that yoga asanas comprise the yoga practice, but as we learn the depths of yoga, we begin to understand that it is only one aspect. Pranayama is the fourth limb, the various breathing exercises that are compared to the leaves of the tree. Just as the leaves bring oxygen into the tree, pranayama, aerates the body and harmonizes the respiratory and circulatory systems which steadies the mind and purifies the body.

Pratyahara, is drawing the five senses inward to begin to understand the inner workings of self more intimately. Just as the bark of the tree protects the tree itself, so too does pratyahahra draw the awareness of the senses of the outside world, from the skin to the core of the body. This withdrawal inward leads to concentration, which is known as dharana, the sap of the tree. This nectar carries the senses further inward, leading to deep levels of meditation. Meditation is like a flower which blossoms representing the an even deeper level of understanding of effort in the practice, revealing the true beauty of expansiveness and connection to ourselves, each other, the world we live in and the cosmos. From the flower comes the fruit, the culmination of the practice, the freedom of expansiveness, the joy, the bliss, the complete understanding that we are the essence of God, self-realization or samadhi.

These are the 8 limbs of yoga that should be practiced in synchronicity rather than thinking of it as a ladder to climb. It is called a practice for a reason. Each day presents us with another opportunity to put these limbs into action. We too can utilize these tools to grow strong and become beings full of awareness of the potential we all have within us. We are luminous beings and our birthright is pure joy and abundance. The practice of Yoga simply is guide to help us remember.

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Self Study
as
Sadhana

Silence Pervades

The 8 Limbs of Yoga

Karuna DiLibero

Archives

Categories

Sadhana is a daily, devotional expression

Self Study asSadhana

Silence Pervades﻿

The 8 Limbs of Yoga

Karuna DiLibero

Archives

Categories

Sadhana is a daily, devotional expression

Self Study
as
Sadhana

Silence Pervades