Namaste Yoga with Dr. Melissa West

ListenNamaste Yoga 219 Hanuman Series: Hanuman teaches us to Listen to our own Bodies an Intermediate ClassThis story demonstrates Hanuman as the master diplomat, go between, mediator and spokesperson.We will begin our story with Rama trusting Hanuman to find his beloved wife Sita who had been captured by Ravana. At this time, they had no idea where Sita was. Rama begins by placing all his trust in Hanuman.Rama started by describing the details of Sita’s feet, right down to her toenails. He then gave Hanuman a ring so that Sita would know Hanuman was a messenger and not a spy. He went on to describe how Sita walked and spoke and shared with Hanuman anecdotes that only Sita and Rama would know, so that Sita would be sure that Hanuman was Rama’s messenger. It is said that Hanuman listened respectfully to every word that Rama spoke, knowing that when he saw Sita, he would recognize her. He bowed to Rama and departed to search for her.Let’s pause and look at how this story relates to our own lives. In past episodes I have explained how I believe that Hanuman is symbolic of our ego self and Rama of our Higher Self. Even in this short excerpt of the story, you see that our ego bows to our higher self. If we listen deeply to our Higher Self we will know where to go and recognize what to do.Our body is a powerful messenger that is always speaking to us. When we listen respectfully to our bodies, when we honour our bodies, we can follow its guidance. Your body is one of the most powerful messengers that continually offers you information. You can be like Hanuman and listen respectfully to every word your body speaks.As our story continues, Hanuman heads off with his monkey army and bears. They travel for a month and are exhausted and hungry. Hanuman with his keen awareness notices two birds coming out of a cave with water dripping from their wings. He told the monkeys that their must be water and food inside the cave. Inside the cave they came to a grove of trees and a woman ascetic sitting under a tree that they thought must be Sita. Hanuman observed her closely and saw that she was not Sita but asked her to tell them the story of the beautiful cave.Here we will pause again to take note of Hanuman’s skills as a master go between. First he uses his keen skills of observation and awareness to notice that this is not Sita, secondly he asks the woman to tell him more. We can use these skills too as we tune into our bodies. Awareness by tuning into our bodies and asking ourselves, what is happening now? We can notice the miracle of our body and its incredibly capacity for sight, sound, taste, touch, smell, healing, balance, digestion, detoxification. Once we have tuned in we can ask our bodies to tell us more about their beautiful stories.The woman who was named Swayamprabha was protecting the cave which belonged to, the apsara (celestial maiden) Hema. Hema’s daughter had married Ravana. Swayamprabha lavished them with food, drinks and honey until they were satiated. She was very lonely so she tried to get them to stay and marry her. All the monkeys and even Jambhavan were under her spell. Only Hanuman remembered why they were there and sternly refused insisting that he would leave with, or without his companions. Swayamprabha saw his determination and took pity on Hanuman and even though it was a magic cave and no one who entered came out alive, she took pity on them and transported them out of the cave.As we reflect on this part of the story we see how important it is to not be controlled by our senses and to keep our intention/sankalpa at the forefront of our mind. Hanuman’s companions were completely absorbed by their senses and forgot their intention. So too when listening to our bodies it is easy to become averted by fulfilling our sense organs through good food, sights, sounds that might not be for our greatest and highest good. When we remember to listen,

Brawn and BrainAn Intermediate to Advanced Yoga Class As a warrior, Hanuman had no equal. He used both strength and cleverness to overcome his enemy. His courage and intelligence were displayed many times during the war with the King of the Demons, Ravana. He used both brain and brawn to overcome his enemy.For example, when Hanuman arrived on the island of Lanka to recover Rama’s wife Sita, he and his army of monkeys and bears howled and growled menacingly to challenge the rakshasas to a fight. The thunderous noise filled the air and frightened the island residents who were used to a life of voluptuous debauchery and were not happy at all about being asked to fight. They immediately asked Ravana to give up Sita so that they could live in peace.The fighting had been going on and on between Ravana’s army and Rama’s army. Ravana consulted with his court astrologers and they told him that the alignment of the planets were not in his favor. Ravana thought if he could change the alignment of the nine planets, he could transform his destiny.Ravana mounted his chariot, flew into the sky and captured the nine planets, took them into his chambers and locked them up with chains. He then began a series of rituals that he believed would alter his destiny.Hanuman led his monkey army toward Ravana’s yaga (ritual) to try to stop Ravana. They found the 10 headed monster sitting beside his altar with his eyes shut chanting his mantras.Ravana 10 heads are symbolic of his huge ego. Even when each head was chopped off in battle, another reared its ugly head. The same is said to be true for us. Whenever our ego is put in its place we can find another way to make ourselves feel important.Hanuman and his monkey army stamped out the ceremonial fire and created a commotion, but Ravana was in deep meditation and was undisturbed. They had to stop Ravana, since he had kidnapped the planets, he could change the course of destiny!Hanuman came up with a plan, they decided to go into the inner chambers of Ravana and scare his wives by baring their teeth, beating their chests and growling. When Ravana heard their screams he was abandoned his yaga and Hanuman was able to free all nine planets with Ravana out of the way.Even when they had finally defeated Ravana, Hanuman had the presence of mind to approach Rama and say, “Ravana was a great scholar, even though he was unrighteous, we should take advantage of his knowledge before he dies.” Rama’s brother, Lakshmana went to Rama and asked Ravana to impart his knowledge. Ravana agreed and revealed the subtleties of philosophy, politics, economics, fine arts, music, dance, drama and statecraft before his last breath.In these stories Hanuman uses his brains before his brawn every time. There is a saying that goes something like this, Most of life’s problems are caused because of two reasons 1) We act without thinking and 2) We keep thinking without acting. Hanuman’s stories can inspire us past both these problems. Namaste Yoga 218 Photos of Yoga Poses

Healing YogaPrince Rama and his monkey army had come to Lanka to rescue Rama`s wife who was being held prisoner by Ravana, the demon king of Lanka. The battles were difficult because the monkey army was always outnumbered by the demon army. It was only the leadership of Rama, Rama`s younger brother, Lakshman and of course Hanuman that the monkeys were not defeated.During battle, Lakshman is so badly wounded in the battle it seems that he will die before sunrise. Rama was frantic. His beloved brother lay dying and the only cure was tucked away on a forested mountainside far, far to the north. Big-hearted Hanuman could not bear to see their pain.The Monkeys and Bears decide that Hanuman must leap to the Himalayas and bring back the healing herb from the Medicine Mountain to save Lakshman's life. So Hanuman leaps over the ocean, and across the whole of India, to the Himalayas.He swelled into a giant; he flew; he battled deadly crocodiles and murderous ogres; he pitted his wits against powerful gods – all to deliver the precious medicinal plant Sanjeevani before it was too late.When Hanuman arrives at first he can't find the Medicine Mountain. When he finds it at last, it is covered with herbs and he doesn't know which is the magic healing herb. So Hanuman wraps his arms around the whole mountain, pulls it out of the ground, lifts it up onto the palm of his hand and flies with it back to Lanka. On the way the sun begins to rise and Hanuman captures it under his arm so that he can arrive back before sunrise in time to save Lakshman. The healing herb is picked and given to Lakshman. Lakshman is healed and filled with energy.In Hindu mythology, Sanjeevani is a magical herb which has the power to cure any malady. It is believed that medicines prepared from this herb can even revive a dead person.This story may make us think that we need to travel to the ends of the earth to find a magical healing herb to heal ourselves. Carolyn Myss says, ``Your soul always knows what to do to heal itself, the challenge is to calm your mind.” And so the spiritual pilgrimage is an inward one. You do not have to go to the Himalayan mountains. Healing isn’t about fixing anything, it is about awakening to the knowing that we have always been whole and divine.Props Needed: Bolster, Yoga Blanket, Yoga Blocks,Yoga Poses/Asanas: Supta Baddha Konasana/Reclined Bound Angle, crocodile pose/Makarāsana, Dying Warrior Pose, Sun Salutations/Surya Namaskra, Vṛkṣāsana/Tree Pose, Mountain Pose/Tadasana, Lunge Pose/ Anjanayasana, Ardha Matysendrasana/Half Lord of the Fishes Pose, Naga MudraNamaste Yoga 217 Photos of Yoga Poses

RememberHanuman liked nothing more than to romp through the forest. In his calmest moods Hanuman would swing from tree to tree marveling at the diversity of flora and fauna he came upon. In his more mischievous, more tumultuous moods Hanuman's activities ranged from comic to somewhat destructive. He would grab elephants by their tusks and swing them over his head, and if he was looking for a little more exertion young Hanuman would life entire lift entire mountains and toss them into sky.In these forest playgrounds of Hanuman resided a handful of ascetics. Of course Hanuman's noisy stomping through the forest began to disturb the meditation of these ascetics, but the peaceful Brahmans kept their thoughts to themselves. Hanuman, however, could not resist this opportunity to stir up a little mischief. He began to disturb these godly men during their penances. Hanuman would douse their sacrificial fires, eat the offered food, and once an ascetic slipped into deep meditation Hanuman would tug on the poor man's beard until he was jolted to consciousness.Eventually these Brahmans decided they could not take it anymore. They gathered together to beseech , Lord Brahma, for relief from this young devil. At this point Brahma could no longer ignore Hanuman's behavior. Brahma knew Hanuman had to be punished, but decided to be gentle with the little lad. He had to keep in mind that young Hanuman was destined to be a great savior. Brahma chose to come to Hanuman in a dream. He waited until the child fell asleep, and then in a gentle voice spoke to him, "Child, you have not done right. Those were holy men you teased, and holy men should be respected not ridiculed. Now I punish you with a curse. You have infinite powers, child, but from now on you will no longer remember that you have these abilities. You will only remember your power when someone reminds you of it." After proclaiming these words Brahma sensed a feeling of gloom descend upon Hanuman`s young mind. So before departing Brahma added, "Child, do not worry. This curse is mild, and your destiny, mighty. You will be a great being, so sleep well." (resource for story)Fast forward many years and the wife of Hanuman`s beloved Rama, Sita, is in trouble and Rama needs Hanuman’s help retrieving her. Rama, Hanuman, Angad , Jambhavan (The Bear) and the Vanara, Sena (Monkey Army) find out from Sampati (The Vulture) that Sita was taken to Lanka. Looking at the roaring sea ahead of them, all of them are at a loss as to how to cross over to Lanka to find Sita. Hanuman is the most despondent of them all.Just when all seem lost, Jambhavan comes up to Hanuman and praises him - ”No other living creature has your strength, wisdom and radiance. -Why are you sitting quiet, not knowing yourself? You can certainly jump over the ocean.”You are as powerful as the wind; You are intelligent, illustrious & an inventor. There is nothing in this world that’s too difficult for you; Whenever stuck, you are the one who can help. -as told to Hanuman by Jambavantha That's the moment, the Curse was lifted. When Hanuman is reminded of his own powers, he is overwhelmed with enthusiasm. As Jambhavan and the rest of the entourage start reminding him about his aptitude, he starts growing in size. Finally, he takes a gigantic form and leaps across the ocean in search of Sita.This story from the Ramayan is one of those parables that is deeply inspirational.Each one of us have nearly unlimited potential, the events of the past, shape our minds in such a way that like Hanuman's curse, we forget what we actually are capable of. When all seem lost, during a moment of reckoning, all that we need are some wise words of inspiration from a friend or a mentor to remind each one of us of how much we are capable of. (resource)Hanuman’s super powers inspire us to face the trials and tribulations that we face in our lives and meet the challenges that we face with creativity and perseverance.

DevotionOne of the things that Hanuman is best known for, as we learned a little bit last week with the sun salutations,  is devotion. Hanuman’s selfless devotion is to his beloved Ram and as you know, his strength came from chanting his name, “Ram, Ram, Ram.” In every temple of Ram, there is a statue of Hanuman bowing at the feet of Ram.Hanuman’s devotion is an example of Dasya Bhava. The attitude of devotion, or the attitude of a servant. This devotion took the form of choosing not to marry and have a family of his own so that he could devote his own life entirely to the service of others, and particularly to his treasured Ram. This is an example of Brahmacharya and I will speak more about this as it relates to us in every day in a few moments. Hanuman’s only desire was to serve Ram.Through his selfless devotion to his dear Ram, Hanuman gained much strength. You will remember from episode 213 that Hanuman is also known for his strength. Because of his undying devotion to Ram, Hanuman became free from all physical fatigue.Hanuman as we know, was also a yogi (see episode 212 on breath practice,  and 214 on how he created the sun salutations). One style of yoga he practiced was called laya yoga which means to dissolve into the divine. He controlled his mind (see episode 211 on taming your monkey mind) through mantras (sacred sounds) and yantras (sacred symbols). He had mastery over his senses through selfless devotion and adherence to brahmacharya and he controlled his mind through his absolute faith in the divine believing that every event in his life was a gift from the divine to be accepted without question.So how does all this affect us? What does it mean to us living in the world? How is Hanuman an example of how we should live our lives? Most of us are in relationships and so celibacy is not an option or even desirable. Even the attitude of entering into this extreme relationship of service is most likely not going to work in our culture.However, this is an allegorical story with some truths and moral lessons that we can apply to our daily lives. I personally feel that Hanuman represents our monkey mind and Ram represents our higher self. As an archetype of what it is to be a servant to the divine, Hanuman illustrates how our egos or lower selves can become servants to our higher selves or Divine Selves/Atman. Through the control of our senses, by living a life of balance and right sexual conduct (bramacharya) and living in honour and reverence to our highest good always, we can choose to think, speak, and act for the highest good. One of the greatest boons that you can ask of Hanuman is the spiritual qualities that he himself is known for. What is it that you would like to receive from today’s class?Resources: Hanuman The Devotion and Power of the Monkey God by VanamaliProps: Block, BlanketYoga Poses/Asana: Sethubandasana/Bridge Pose with Namaste Hands, Keyhole stretch, Hanuman Kneeling with Anjali Mudra, ankle stretch, toe stretch, Anjaneyasana/Lunge pose, Chest Opening Arms in Tadasana/Standing Backbend, Humble Warrior/Virabhadrasana, Yoga Mudra/Rabbit Pose, 1/2 Lunge/Modified Camel Pose/Devoted Hanuman, Cow’s Face/Gomukasana, Cow’s Face with Anjali Mudra, Kūrmāsana/Tortoise, Mantra Ram with Anjali Mudra Namaste Yoga 215 Photos of Yoga Poses

Bow to Your Inner LightOn ascertaining Surya to be an all-knowing teacher, Hanuman raised his body into an orbit around the sun and requested to Surya to accept him as a student. Surya refused and explained claiming that he always had to be on the move in his chariot, it would be impossible for Hanuman to learn well. Undeterred, Hanuman enlarged his form, with one leg on the eastern ranges and the other on the western ranges, and facing Surya again pleaded. Pleased by his persistence, Surya agreed. Hanuman then learned all of the latter's knowledge.Hanuman's phenomenal concentration took him only 60 hours to master the scriptures. Surya considered the manner in which Hanuman accomplished his studies as his tuition fees, but when Hanuman requested him to accept something more than that, the sun god asked Hanuman to assist his son Sugriva, by being his minister and compatriot.Hanuman is a symbol of complete and selfless devotion to his beloved Rama. Rama was the seventh incarnation of Vishnu and the pinnacle of human perfection. It is said that Hanuman composed the yogasana/yoga postures surya namaskar/sun salutations as a mixture of all the main yogic postures combined with devotion. Namas means to bow or to adore. It was in honor of his celestial Guru, Surya, the physical and spiritual heart of our world and the creator of all life itself.Here on earth our primary source of light is the sun and light is a symbol of consciousness and self-illumination. The outer sun is a symbol of our inner sun or spiritual heart. The ancient yogis describe the heart as the only place in the subtle body that knows the truth; the practice of sun salutations is said to unleash the truth of your deeper self within your heart. When you practice sun salutations it can be a form of reverence and devotion to your own inner light. By showing devotion to the external sun, the creative life force of the universe, you are honouring the light that radiates both inside and outside of your body."As we sweep our arms up and bow forward, we honor the earth, the heavens, and all of life in between that is nourished by the breath cycle, as we lower our bodies, we connect with the earth. As we rise up from the earth, we stretch through the atmosphere once more, reaching for the sky. As we bring our hands together in Namaste, we gather the space of the heavens back into our heart and breath, acknowledging that our body forms the center point between heaven and earth." Christopher Key Chapple professor of Indic and comparative theology at Loyola Marymount University.Sun Salutations are an opportunity to express our gratitude to the sun. "All of life on Earth depends on the sun, contemplating the vitality you receive from the elements allows you to go to a deeper level of participation with the movements of the sequence." Shiva ReaYoga Asanas/Postures: Reclined Side Bend/Supta Ardha Chandrasana, Reclined Twist Series/Jathara Parivartanasana, Cat/Marjaryasana, Downward-Facing Dog Pose/Adho Mukha Śvānāsana, Sun Salutations/Surya Namaskar, Ardha Matsyendrasana/Half lord of the fishes pose, Mudra of Inner SelfProps Needed: Bolster, Cushion or Yoga Blanket, Yoga StrapNamaste Yoga 214 Photos of Yoga Poses

Power & YogaHanuman is a mystic being that is half-human and half-animal, a type of God in the Hindu pantheon known as a Kimpurusha. Kimpurusha means ‘ is it human’ referring to being superhuman. Although Hanuman is super strong, his strength came from the repetition of the powerful mantra Rama. This mantra is said to give liberation from the drudgery of mortal life.Hanuman is described as the world’s first superman. He accomplishes feats of amazing strength in his life.As we learned in episode 211, on monkey mind, Hanuman has perfect mastery over his mind, but he also has the most developed body. He is sometimes called Bajrangabali - one whose body is like a thunderbolt and whose movements are like lightning. Hanuman is so strong that he can lift mountains.Since Hanuman is so well known for his strength he is known somewhat like a patron saint of physical culture. His image is enshrined in gymnasiums all over India. It is said that one who meditates on Hanuman will attain his power and strength.Many of the physical characteristics of Hanuman also display his strength. His tail arches upwards which is a symbol of his strength, agility and virility. He wears a only a loincloth, just like wrestlers and bodybuilders. He is usually shown standing guard holding a mountain in one hand again displaying his strength.Yoga Postures/Asanas: Cat/Marjaryasana, Side Plank/Vasiṣṭhāsana, Plank Pose/Uttihita Chaturanga Dandasana, Hanuman/Lunge pose/Anjaneyasana, Dolphin Pose/Makarasana, Chair Pose/Awkward Pose/Powerful pose/Chair Pose/Utkaṭāsana, Goddess Victory Squat to Side Angle, Utkata Konasana to Parsvakonasana, Side Plank to Wild Thing Pose/Vasiṣṭhāsana to Camatkarasana, Recline Twist/Jathara Parivartanasana, Easy Pose/Sukhasana with mantra RamaProps Needed: yoga block, blanket Namaste Yoga 213 Photos of Yoga Poses

Kapalabhati StudyHanuman is the son of the wind God. Air sustains all living beings. Air is life. Hanuman is also called Pranadeva, God of Breath or Life. It is said that Vayu his Father taught him breath practice, pranayama, which he in turn taught to all human beings. Today we will focus on one style of breath called Kapalabhati in honor of Hanuman.Kapalabhati breath, according to Sandra Sabatini, is a cleansing breath that removes the impurities from your lungs, so that you may become lighter and clearer. It does not take strength to remove these impurities from your lungs (or your life) rather an alert focus towards what you are doing. Sandra Sabatini says that Kapala Bhati “can be as soft as a butterfly.” Once you remove the impurities from your lungs, the fresh oxygen that rides in on your inhalation is said to be incredibly nourishing to your alveoli.Bring awareness to your in breath and your out breath. Notice your lungs as you breath. Are you being nourished by your breath? What impurities or toxins would you like to release from your life? What would nurture and support you most in your life right now?Kapalabhati can clear the way. Sandra Sabatini says, whenever you are in doubt about what to do in your yoga practice, start with Kapalabhati breath. It clears away the cobwebs. Do you have any doubts and uncertainties in your life right now? Are you looking for clarity? Set your intention to ask for clarity around any issue with which you are experiencing confusion.Kapalabhati breath also frees your spine. Your body will become rooted down below and ready to receive from above. Kapalabhati will send your pelvis and legs to the ground and your spine upwards if you allow this to happen. Notice your legs and pelvis. Become aware of your spine. Allow your upper spine to be loose, pliable, flexible, giving, free, open, easy, gentle, soft, yielding, limber, bending .... with your breath.Hanuman, the son of the wind God is the breath that unites Sita and Rama Sita and Ram. Kapalabhati is said to bring things together. If you are experiencing a lack of cohesion, if one side of your body is feeling less responsive or more dull than the other, kapalabhati will help ignite your nervous system and root that part of your body to the ground. Is there any part of your life where you are looking for cohesion?Finally kapalabhati is fantastic for letting go. Let your attention move inside your body. Do you notice any tension? holding? Kapalabhati can allow you to release so many things, Sandra Sabatini says, “even a stern attitude.” Set your intention for anything that you would like to let go of during your yoga class today.Yoga Postures/Asana: Knee to Chest Pose/Apanasana Reclined Twist/Jathara Parivartanasana, Bridge/Sethubandasana, Lunge/Anjaneyasana/Hanuman poseProps Needed: Yoga Blocks Namaste Yoga 212 Photos of Yoga Poses

First Class in Hanuman Series: Introduction to HanumanHanuman is a half-monkey, half-human Hindu deity who is the central character of the Ramayana.Hanuman mind symbolizes monkey mind which is restless and never still. Yet we can have control over it. We can’t control the world around us, but we can have control over our minds. With discipline we can tame the monkey :)During our yoga practice we may think our mind is less unsettled than at other times of the day, but but with deeper reflection we see our minds are just as agitated. When we are practicing our yoga our minds are just as busy, be it with fear, boredom, making our grocery list, thinking back to an argument we had with a family member, wishing ahead for something to happen or wanting something to happen. How often do you practice your yoga wishing your body would behave differently? Bikram has been quoted as saying, “The human mind is like a drunken monkey, that has been stung by a bee.”How would your yoga practice, for example, be different if instead of criticizing each movement of your body, you accept and thank each part of your body for behaving exactly as it is. Thank you body for what you are able to do for me in this moment, without wishing or hoping for it to be different?In our book club on the membership site this month, we are reading, Bringing Home the Dharma by Jack Kornfield. He suggests the formula: RAIN as a way to tame our monkey minds reminding us that rain falls equally on all things and just as the rain outside can be nourishing the principle of RAIN can bring inner nourishment.RAIN stands for recognition, acceptance, investigation and non-identification. Recognition is the first step of mindfulness, the awareness that we are in the “stuckness” of our monkey mind. Jack Kornfield calls this a “willingness to see what is so.” In Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy we would ask the question, “What’s happening now?” With recognition we are able to move from ignorance to freedom.The second step of RAIN is acceptance, which allows us to open to the facts before us in a relaxed way. It does not mean being totally passive or a doormat, in fact it is a great act of courage to bring acceptance to a situation. It is the first step towards transformation.The third step of RAIN is investigation. Thich Nhat Hanh calls this seeing deeply. The Buddhists say that when we get stuck it is because we have not looked deeply enough. We can explore our bodies for held tension, our emotions, our thoughts, judgements and beliefs about the situation and finally we can ask ourselves to explore the truth of the experience, in other words is this a story we have constructed? Is this story causing us suffering or happiness?The final step of RAIN is non-identification. In other words we stop taking on the experience of mine or part of me. This allows us to release anxiety and inauthenticity.Off the yoga mat, we can’t choose our life, but we can choose how we respond to it. Hanuman is a symbol of the perfect mind and he embodies the highest potential it can achieve. He is the true picture of sthitha prajna (one of steady intellect) and had perfect control of his mind. Hanuman means: Hanan - annihilation and man - mind which means somebody who has overcome their ego. Yoga is both a physical and mental technique to facilitation union with the divine. Body and mind are one. Today we will practice yoga with mindfulness with Hanuman as our inspiration as the symbol of the perfect mind.Yoga Postures/Asanas: Reclined 1/2 happy baby/Ardha Ananda Balasana, Plank/Kumbhakasana, Quadruped arm leg, Opposite Elbow to knee, Adho Mukha Swanasana/Downdog split, Downdog knee to forehead, Ashva Sanchalanasana/High Lunge, High Lunge with Twist, Chair Pose/Utkaṭāsana, Parivṛtta Utkatasana/Revolved Chair Pose, Virabhadrasana Three with Garudasana arms/Warrior Three with Eagles Arms, Prasarita Padottanasana/Wide legged standing forward fold with twist,

Intermediate ClassBeing an advanced yogi and advancing in your yoga practice in my opinion has less to do with complicated extreme asana. Instead it is about being able to listen inwardly on a deep and subtle level. Ganga White, author of Yoga Beyond Belief and I agree on this point that awareness is much more important that attaining more and more exotic postures.Instead your yoga practice becomes an opportunity for you to listen to your own body, thoughts, emotions, energy and spirit. It is a time for your to gather and develop the tools for self-therapy and self-healing to keep your body in balance. Remember, that balance is not a state of arrival, rather a constant process of adjustment from moment to moment.As you advance in your yoga practice it is a matter of refining more than attaining. Ganga White suggests asking yourself these questions: “Am I gaining a greater understanding of my body? Am I learning how to heal myself? Am I learning subtler and different ways of using the poses and how each asana affect my body to produce different results? Am I gaining an understanding of the energy fields in my body and how these energy fields flow? Am I beginning to get some control of my own autonomic nervous system and some of the unconscious processes of my body? Am I less rigid in my beliefs and less fixed in particular systems and structures? Am I alive and awake in my practice, constantly questioning and willing to vacate my position - figuratively and actually? Am I questioning, not only of others but of myself? Is my mind becoming more open, compassionate, more peaceful?”I would add some of my own. When students come to me complaining that a practice is not difficult enough, I would ask them, “Are you aware of and connected to your breath in every asana?” Some other questions to consider, “Is my spine lengthening in each asana? Am I connected to a sense of grounding in each pose? Am I energized or exhausted by my yoga practice? What is happening at the level of my organ body in my yoga practice? What kind of information can I gather about myself emotionally in response to this asana?”These are the guideposts of an advanced practice. So the next time you rigidly ask your body to contort into a yoga posture without ahimsa or compassion, back up and question the intention of your practice. Today we will back up and practice simple shapes with the mind of an advanced yogi.Resources: Ganga White: Yoga Beyond Belief Sandra Sabatini: Breath Namaste Yoga 210 Photos of Yoga Poses

Namaste Yoga 209 Benefits of Yoga Series

Namaste Yoga 208 Benefits of Yoga Series Purification

Namaste Yoga 207 Benefits of Yoga Series: Balance

Namaste Yoga 206: Benefits of Yoga Discipline

Namaste Yoga 205: Benefits of Yoga Series Mental Training Intermediate Yoga