tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88001873148296315812024-03-13T22:32:33.243+05:30YogavijnanaNamaste to all! Yogavijnana means 'comprehensive knowledge of Yoga'. Yogavijnana is dedicated to spread the science of Yoga in an unbiased way by integrating concepts from both Medical and Philosophical worlds. Let us start the journey together and forever
Website: http://yogavijnana.in/-VINAY- Yogavijnanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07045945676274291912noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8800187314829631581.post-9003453062293546162017-09-07T20:01:00.001+05:302017-09-07T20:11:48.866+05:30Why do we always start the practice of Yoga Asana from the right side?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Sometimes, when
we keep doing the same action again and again, the action becomes a habit and
we forget the reason why we have been doing it in the first place!! And so, it
came as a surprise when one of my students asked me this question leading to
some introspection and ultimately this blog.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgipualbXBQA2vw-fU4wIrgrxQe8YLtpApvDhGoz8uV_FZVKaqiiVvcf0ioAo5pNblQhmgnCU3lcNE_sd0MuZYySO4-tDFkCkqjdL57r00goVKh4y2jHrEmCBiIoro-OFU25oGqJLj7G-VK/s1600/download.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="172" data-original-width="294" height="117" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgipualbXBQA2vw-fU4wIrgrxQe8YLtpApvDhGoz8uV_FZVKaqiiVvcf0ioAo5pNblQhmgnCU3lcNE_sd0MuZYySO4-tDFkCkqjdL57r00goVKh4y2jHrEmCBiIoro-OFU25oGqJLj7G-VK/s200/download.jpg" width="200" /></a><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Why do we always
start the asanas from the right? From a
cultural perspective, it is not just Yoga practice but most of the action in
India is started from the right as it is considered auspicious. We enter the temple or any auspicious place
by placing the right leg first. We start
any workshop with the right hand. Even when we want to hand over something to
someone we do it with the right hand.</span></span><br />
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
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alt="Image result for bride entering first time" style='position:absolute;
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z-index:1;visibility:visible;mso-wrap-style:square;mso-wrap-distance-left:9pt;
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o:title="Image result for bride entering first time"/>
<w:wrap type="square" anchorx="margin" anchory="margin"/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Anything done with the left hand is considered inauspicious in India
and I clearly remember being scolded by elders when I inadvertently used my left
hand for anything important. </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_1"
o:spid="_x0000_s1027" type="#_x0000_t75" alt="Image result for ardhanareeswara"
style='position:absolute;left:0;text-align:left;margin-left:91.45pt;
margin-top:284.25pt;width:131.45pt;height:81pt;z-index:2;visibility:visible;
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<v:imagedata src="file:///C:\Users\Vinay\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image003.jpg"
o:title="Image result for ardhanareeswara"/>
<w:wrap type="square" anchorx="margin" anchory="margin"/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWA4dzOGCGejQfeYvBjvmQeT8WDi4lZw6M3l4_zUBeEtvLxsQmw1fIGHVYhpTPv-fQrID1Nx1lCV50lECe0iRekp36XMo3bVXuHssqdl5URwq7CSI8PTNBPcKUtLDZj_DX5wX20Vxo38Ky/s1600/images.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="177" data-original-width="285" height="124" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWA4dzOGCGejQfeYvBjvmQeT8WDi4lZw6M3l4_zUBeEtvLxsQmw1fIGHVYhpTPv-fQrID1Nx1lCV50lECe0iRekp36XMo3bVXuHssqdl5URwq7CSI8PTNBPcKUtLDZj_DX5wX20Vxo38Ky/s200/images.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="200" /></a><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: inherit;">According to Tantra and Yogic system, there are three fundamental
subtle energy channels or Nadis within us; Ida, Pingala and Sushumna. In my
earlier blog: "<a href="http://yogavijnanablogs.blogspot.in/2013/07/reciprocal-inhibitionsecret-to-improve.html" target="_blank">Reciprocal Inhibition …Secret to improve our flexibility</a>", I have
mentioned about polarity in nature at the physical level. Ida and Pingala
represent such polarity within us at subtle energetic level. Ida is cooling,
Pingala is heating. Ida flows through the left nostrils and Pingala flows
through the right nostril. Ida is known to activate Para-sympathetic nervous
system thus creating calming effect, whereas Pingala is known to activate
sympathetic nervous system thus driving activity. Ida is feminine in nature,
whereas Pingala is more masculine. We are all made of both feminine and
masculine qualities. These are not just gender differences but differences in
attitude. Masculine is more outgoing, whereas feminine is more inward and receptive.
We all know that anything that is gentle or kind is considered as female
quality and anything that involves force is considered as a male quality. This duality
is symbolically represented in the form<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a> of Ardhanareeswara
of Shiva and Shakti, where left side is Shakti and right side is Shiva.</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
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o:spid="_x0000_s1026" type="#_x0000_t75" alt="Image result for ascending and descending colon"
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o:title="Image result for ascending and descending colon"/>
<w:wrap type="square" anchorx="margin" anchory="margin"/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Wondering what has all
this to do with doing on the right side first?!! As the right side represents
the outgoing, masculine, or activity side, it makes more sense to start all our
actions with the right side and then later end it with feminine or calmer side
which is the left side. As the primary purpose of Yoga is to calm our mind at
the end of the practice, it makes more sense to end all our practices with the
left side. </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF8ojJmrk8FO51HcJAz8NlGL-Pz80XBsCYzzgOk-CSFF82Du9RBK-8aHqbI6-MMqMfepiBdVQxW5v0Wlym_vIRfBQFDWBpL27y9nmqe0sbVclvQWrtbzJto0C3RY_QKQVobn4b3LL59olG/s1600/download+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="778" data-original-width="1000" height="155" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF8ojJmrk8FO51HcJAz8NlGL-Pz80XBsCYzzgOk-CSFF82Du9RBK-8aHqbI6-MMqMfepiBdVQxW5v0Wlym_vIRfBQFDWBpL27y9nmqe0sbVclvQWrtbzJto0C3RY_QKQVobn4b3LL59olG/s200/download+%25281%2529.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;">Apart from this subtle idea from energy point of
view, even at the at the physical level, the way the ascending and descending
colon of our large intestine is arranged in the human body, twisting on the
right enables easy elimination of waste.
Perhaps the colon too is engineered in line with our energetic system! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
If you liked the blog, please share it and help me to spread the message.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Please visit <a href="http://www.yogavijnana.in/" target="_blank">Yogavijnana </a>website to know more about us. </div>
</div>
-VINAY- Yogavijnanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07045945676274291912noreply@blogger.com01425, 3rd Cross Rd, 2nd Phase, Chandra Layout, Attiguppe, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560040, India12.9561121 77.52770559999999-12.5659224 36.219111599999991 38.4781466 118.83629959999999tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8800187314829631581.post-68074675111948472212016-07-15T15:56:00.000+05:302017-09-07T19:35:39.097+05:30Why should I come to the Yoga class on time?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 107%; text-align: justify;">Many people ask me these question: “Why do you close the door
and not allow any late comers to enter the class? Why should we come to the
class on time?” Everyone has a reason for coming late. Every reason sounds good
and valid </span><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 107%; text-align: justify;">J</span><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 107%; text-align: justify;"> “I came in early but couldn’t find parking place”, “My
vehicle did not start on time due to some issue”, “My house lock didn’t work
properly”, Some honest reasons as well: “I woke up late”, “I snoozed my alarm
more number of times than I always do” </span><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 107%; text-align: justify;">J</span><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 107%; text-align: justify;"> etc., etc.,</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 107%;">Whatever be the reason, we do not encourage late entry to the
class. Let us understand the reasoning behind it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 107%;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 107%;"></span></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie9TLAWKs8I3BPopvaG0LVTruK4iV-Q20qAasMy7AbxtprDYmUeTocJrYitLV3qEvS5TO1CQA5e4Axcsp5_WBwgnixlPE2rob2tAeTAiKXV7Q4g0ZlbIhBn8ZIFxD5Y7Ul4Oq7AUgDixw3/s200/download.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="200" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Why to be on time for Yoga class?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 107%;">Before we go further let us think about a few questions: What
is the mindset of the person going to attend an important interview or meeting?
What is the mindset of the person going to meet his/her love after a long time?
What is the mindset of a person attending a new job on the first day? What is
the mindset of a person all excited to watch a movie first day first show? In
all these cases, why do we always ensure that we are on time for our
appointment? What changes at other
times? When we want to begin something new in our life, it could be a job or
relationship, we are more eager to start and learn more. This mindset is called
“Beginner’s mindset” in Zen philosophy. When I think of all these, I feel that time
is not a physical but a mental entity.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 107%;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 107%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 107%;">Now let us ponder on what our mindset is when we come to the
class on time as against that of the one where we come whenever we feel like it.
Our mind gets into an enormous amount of preparation when we commit to be on
time. The first criteria in order to learn something is commitment. Just
reiterating to ourselves that we will be on time brings in commitment. This
opens the mind for better learning by making it more receptive and alert. It is
indeed a beginner’s mindset, just like in all the examples I gave earlier. Famous
artist Pablo Picasso once said “Every child is an artist.The problem is how to
remain an artist once we grow up”. Beginner’s mindset is like that of a child,
always eager to learn new things. Once we start learning and become more
confident we become carefree, and lethargic. This is when learning ceases. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 107%;">Apart from this, the first five minutes of the class is spent
on preparation, that is., sitting quietly, focusing and connecting with our
breath, chanting omkara and prayer. All this is helpful to get composed for the
class. Whatever be the mindset before coming to the class, this preparation at
the beginning is essential to get focus on the practice. Mind becomes calm and enables
to have a single minded focus on the practice of the day. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 107%;">Now think about what happens when you enter the class and put
your mat while everyone else is trying to get composed for the practice. Not
only will you not be able to get focused but will disturb everyone else’s
attempt too. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 107%;">Coming to class on time has to therefore become a part of our
culture such that everyone can benefit from the practice. As such, the more I
think of it, the more it makes sense to enforce the rule of not allowing any
latecomers for practice more strictly. </span><span style="line-height: 107%;">Don’t you agree?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
If you liked the blog, please share it and help me to spread the message.<br />
<br />
Please visit <a href="http://www.yogavijnana.in/" target="_blank">Yogavijnana </a>website to know more about us. </div>
</div>
-VINAY- Yogavijnanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07045945676274291912noreply@blogger.com2Bengaluru, Karnataka 560001, India12.9715987 77.59456269999998312.4764182 76.949115699999979 13.4667792 78.240009699999987tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8800187314829631581.post-61280153478089607372015-04-10T21:51:00.000+05:302015-04-10T21:52:53.497+05:30“The 2015 Good Friday Weekend Yoga Retreat” by Madhu Subramanian<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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[Note: This is the blog written by one of the participant of
our <a href="http://www.yogavijnana.in/yoga-retreat.htm" target="_blank">Yoga Retreat</a>]</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“A sadhak sees
himself as beginner every time, every practice is to him, a fresh experience.”</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“Self- responsibility ends dependency on motivation from outside.”: <a href="http://www.yogavijnana.in/vinay.htm" target="_blank">Vinay</a>, Founder
of Yogavijnana, who, together with his team, led the sadhana for a 16- odd
group of people that had gathered in the late evening at a serene place at
Madagondanapalli in Krishnagiri District on April 3, 2015. Architects,
marketing and IT professionals, seasoned Yoga teachers and also a child had
arrived from various areas of <st1:city w:st="on">Bangalore</st1:city> and <st1:city w:st="on">Bellary</st1:city> to spend the next
three days with each other doing and talking Yoga.</div>
</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmbhxWMKbjVL9Eb7p9pz9y0xIV6cqf7wKBsq-dv217fBEWm5i17Ub8gEoMfQE8xke_yRZGnUBrdgKESidUVs4PV7laxFSiAz3nvgwDlJlUxjcljCyzgt97yMBb34CK7uOi_9SHWML6gL8U/s1600/2015_04_Ramanath_Retreat_Nikaya_128.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmbhxWMKbjVL9Eb7p9pz9y0xIV6cqf7wKBsq-dv217fBEWm5i17Ub8gEoMfQE8xke_yRZGnUBrdgKESidUVs4PV7laxFSiAz3nvgwDlJlUxjcljCyzgt97yMBb34CK7uOi_9SHWML6gL8U/s1600/2015_04_Ramanath_Retreat_Nikaya_128.JPG" height="132" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yoga hall at Yoga Nikaya</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Madhagondhapally, the village in Krishnagiri District, TN
where <a href="http://www.yoganikaya.org/" target="_blank">Yoga Nikaya</a> stands is located at about 22 km from Attibele Junction on
Hosur Road. It is reached by a two or three hour drive from Bangalore. Driving
past the TVS Motors and finishing the last five kilometer stretch on a somewhat
indistinct road winding through green fields up to the gates of Yoga Nikaya, first-
time visitors may discern the fluttering orange flag on the temple tower of Sri
Obuleshwarar Temple, the small temple that stands alone a few hundred meters away,
before the retreat itself.</div>
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Set in an eight- acre<span style="color: red;"> </span>land Yoga
Nikaya was conceived as a haven and a place of retreat from regular life providing
a sheltered space amidst beautiful nature for self- development, particularly
through the practice of Yoga. Yoga Nikaya is run primarily on donations from
its visitors: school students, families, yoga aspirants and astronomy buffs
alike, charmed by the observatory on the premises or the welcoming serenity
around. Amar. S. Sharma, the resident astronomer is a founder of the Bangalore
Astronomical Society (BAS) and a willing guide to all who make their way there
to observe the heavens.<u><span style="color: red;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZohFfBXvxqMhAqE7bAQgIhab4i1khJJyV5jz3AEFxlQBaLNEfc5k-zK4_4fTp-165pVVt3GcGbqOVng6isq2SsPIcuTgu84f_QESIy8zEuOnXDwcbwixuBxMyPqx36JwhVYvqh2H3NE3Q/s1600/2015_04_Ramanath_Retreat_Nikaya_137.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZohFfBXvxqMhAqE7bAQgIhab4i1khJJyV5jz3AEFxlQBaLNEfc5k-zK4_4fTp-165pVVt3GcGbqOVng6isq2SsPIcuTgu84f_QESIy8zEuOnXDwcbwixuBxMyPqx36JwhVYvqh2H3NE3Q/s1600/2015_04_Ramanath_Retreat_Nikaya_137.JPG" height="132" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Meditation hall at Yoga Nikaya</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Yoga Nikaya itself is a cluster of cottages, halls and
dormitories set amidst a profusion of flowers, creepers and bushes bowing in
the wind. The Yoga and Meditation Halls probably form the heart of the place. The
Meditation Hall built below ground level is a cool and solemn space adjacent to
which swaying plants peep through the glass wall at sadhaks probing their
psyche and life under the benign smile of Sri Ramana Maharishi in picture. The
Observatory structure stands close to the living spaces and houses an astronomy
library, a telescope and the classic winding stairs up to the heavens. </div>
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<br /></div>
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As part of the daily schedule, meditation started at 5 am
and was continued uptil 6:30 am with a milk break inserted. This was the first
activity of the day. This helped bring the group into a receptive frame of mind
for the prolonged 6:30- 9 am<span style="color: red;"> </span>asana session.
Under the brisk, yet friendly and cheerful guidance of Vinay, every participant
reached the end of their practice feeling utterly invigorated and happy.</div>
</div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: justify;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4K10oYUKJFXmDhmk9FS1SC5NTNzT-UgbGNM5wSxP2LK8qXtWx5b3mB5n-R2n9JU92mavT2tJhqXB-iQMh1bnPhBdfbzqx4MpTPRRIYbeYGESl4D2xB5S0oKfuTSBoaUsaMFNaQi71FrXv/s1600/2015_04_Ramanath_Retreat_Nikaya_064.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4K10oYUKJFXmDhmk9FS1SC5NTNzT-UgbGNM5wSxP2LK8qXtWx5b3mB5n-R2n9JU92mavT2tJhqXB-iQMh1bnPhBdfbzqx4MpTPRRIYbeYGESl4D2xB5S0oKfuTSBoaUsaMFNaQi71FrXv/s1600/2015_04_Ramanath_Retreat_Nikaya_064.JPG" height="132" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Practice session</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Karma Yoga or community service, important hours during the day, saw the group
engaged in weeding work in the nearby field, watering plants or cleaning the
premises.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Meals at the Dining Hall at 9 30 am, 1 pm and 7 30 pm were a delicious and wholesome
vegetarian fare. The group was encouraged to use meal- times for silent
awareness although towards the end, noise rather than silence reigned for
everyone had got to know each other and had become eager to share experiences.
After dinner, discussions and short walks under the moonlight through the
meandering brick paths, it was lights- out for the group at 10 pm.</div>
</div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“Rejuvenation
through asanas, after asanas.” </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“Asanas serve as warm- ups
for themselves.” </div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Propitiating Sage Patanjali, the great compiler of Yoga, whose idol graced the
Yoga Hall, Vinay started the asana sessions. The required props were brought in
beforehand. By emphasizing experience over boot- camp rigor, Vinay invoked a
spirit of openness to organic growth into the effort in the Hall, a sense of
can- do hung all over.</div>
</div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIACjsiXd_-OwPKcmskfTNQu1CaCaWSBtlMHtdXeGTrjOLCMaKrvU7anaXzOgZ-lw3Ox9DCbn29VOyiLSwQEiSJYxHGXdoLR_vZWQrpXdZIbYSBfBR8nDKzgA_wHQp33H4_lhrxP5cYH0A/s1600/2015_04_Ramanath_Retreat_Nikaya_017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIACjsiXd_-OwPKcmskfTNQu1CaCaWSBtlMHtdXeGTrjOLCMaKrvU7anaXzOgZ-lw3Ox9DCbn29VOyiLSwQEiSJYxHGXdoLR_vZWQrpXdZIbYSBfBR8nDKzgA_wHQp33H4_lhrxP5cYH0A/s1600/2015_04_Ramanath_Retreat_Nikaya_017.JPG" height="132" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Practice Session</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Among the asanas done were Sarvangasana with wall, Twisting
with chair, Prasaritha Padothanasana and Halasana.<span style="color: red;"> </span>A
Trataka session took place on the second evening.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The group also learnt a few rejuvenation poses that were, in some cases,
complementary asanas to the ones previously executed- this was to understand
that one could relax oneself without getting down to the Shavasana (the corpse
pose) each time.</div>
</div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSeFAZC0ZVgnyRRuC7m4kBwRYIq2T_d0MPWIkeEFdHddSZQWXwp5mzhG-4pw9dS9rYf0KZLSlpeoq2L1pexz8Tn3dSiT-G3JNvTr7f_6rG5wmkMqI8pdn-DGRK20lREZu-yI6YY8wzKiR6/s1600/2015_04_Ramanath_Retreat_Nikaya_007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSeFAZC0ZVgnyRRuC7m4kBwRYIq2T_d0MPWIkeEFdHddSZQWXwp5mzhG-4pw9dS9rYf0KZLSlpeoq2L1pexz8Tn3dSiT-G3JNvTr7f_6rG5wmkMqI8pdn-DGRK20lREZu-yI6YY8wzKiR6/s1600/2015_04_Ramanath_Retreat_Nikaya_007.JPG" height="132" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Talk by Vinay Siddaiah</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Another decided highlight of the retreat was the decision to focus on helping
with progressing from intermediate levels of practice for the students, working
with them at a place where there were yet to attain perfection. Props were hung
around on the walls, their use demonstrated and followed by the individual’s
practice. Light, informa</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: justify;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmmXQxSAlUPgWaUYEpbjM5hby38OCoLE7pTTq-S6feLokWMyg9Wl7Hgu9I76rxfr6KMvawIy0zi7Lf30Yhj7lDKTBfh_uVetZBUlxU1cSOhIrufBMMPimPxc2CAXHrnO702Tr532xEJVg3/s1600/2015_04_Ramanath_Retreat_Nikaya_031.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmmXQxSAlUPgWaUYEpbjM5hby38OCoLE7pTTq-S6feLokWMyg9Wl7Hgu9I76rxfr6KMvawIy0zi7Lf30Yhj7lDKTBfh_uVetZBUlxU1cSOhIrufBMMPimPxc2CAXHrnO702Tr532xEJVg3/s1600/2015_04_Ramanath_Retreat_Nikaya_031.JPG" height="132" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Talk by Amar Sharma</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
tive talks by Vinay on the subjects of Ayurvedic Doshas
and Principles of Yoga through the day brought a broader spiritual- healing
perspective to the retreat as did the hour with Amar, whose passion for
astronomy is infectious, regaled everyone with astronomical numbers in “The
Universe” talk at the Yoga Hall.</div>
</div>
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<br /></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: justify;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQtI9vJSZtd2eAUYEf9Q1KQXh77NuW_6j_0TzGOE8wT5VAeY-Jih6z0mfqLTkQG1uYy7ggD3NeV-dDPqgcR6bdiz1qEVYUUyDv22FWIiM_oqo_c7DreyFugjVAth5gKzSpn3FO7smVuKN_/s1600/2015_04_Ramanath_Retreat_Nikaya_176.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQtI9vJSZtd2eAUYEf9Q1KQXh77NuW_6j_0TzGOE8wT5VAeY-Jih6z0mfqLTkQG1uYy7ggD3NeV-dDPqgcR6bdiz1qEVYUUyDv22FWIiM_oqo_c7DreyFugjVAth5gKzSpn3FO7smVuKN_/s1600/2015_04_Ramanath_Retreat_Nikaya_176.JPG" height="132" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Group Picture</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The limited size of the group brought in a focus that was to
the benefit of the participants. Moreover, the routine’s simplicity and smooth
execution was a result of meticulously planning by the Team <a href="http://www.yogavijnana.in/default.htm" target="_blank">Yogavijnana </a>which
was highly appreciated all around.</div>
</div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
It was a gentle, motivating retreat. The group made their
way out at around 4 pm on the Sunday on to the main road leading to Hosur Road
back to Bangalore, all sending a wish up to the blue skies above Nikaya for a
repeat of the experience soon.</div>
</div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>About the Author:</b> Madhu Subramanian is a yoga practitioner from Bangalore. She is
interested in Ayurvedic pyschotherapy and the applications of Yoga Philosophy
in the workplace.</div>
</div>
</div>
-VINAY- Yogavijnanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07045945676274291912noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8800187314829631581.post-6816254811969884102015-03-09T22:08:00.001+05:302017-09-07T19:35:49.647+05:30Benefits of Yoga Practice...Holistic picture<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Yoga is becoming increasingly
popular in recent times. We hear about many health issues being resolved by
Yoga and many benefits the practice offers. In fact the first thing a
practitioner of Yoga asks is – “What are the Benefits of Yoga practice”. I have
heard many superficial answers to this and many that focus on those benefits. Practitioners
want to know whether it reduces weight, cure ailments, improve concentration,
reduce stress etc. Yes, it does all that and much more. In this blog I have tried
to give a more holistic picture. I wrote this article for an internal magazine
of GE and sharing the same here.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKsgxrkhdhuSlAT74J_j3zyMAxvSi8BLpc0EE-AhESkvQJTTgEJ3UTZY38HVRDhOQNa_kwopTeMDm64PiR1_0NCzEcJ1OEiP7iaK9QC-GvQXZ2plWle2T0x_NEW9dcxevJCz4Qvmzu0TlL/s1600/Benefits+of+Yoga.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKsgxrkhdhuSlAT74J_j3zyMAxvSi8BLpc0EE-AhESkvQJTTgEJ3UTZY38HVRDhOQNa_kwopTeMDm64PiR1_0NCzEcJ1OEiP7iaK9QC-GvQXZ2plWle2T0x_NEW9dcxevJCz4Qvmzu0TlL/s1600/Benefits+of+Yoga.JPG" width="400" /></a>The principal benefit of yoga is
that it builds more self awareness. From this awareness, sprouts many physical
and mental health benefits as positive by-products. Most of the commonly faced chronic
physical problems such as back pain, neck pain, knee pain are due to lack of
awareness of the right usage of one’s body. Wrong posture, while sitting (especially for
longer duration), walking, running etc, is the root cause for any such pain. Constant
practice of Yoga helps in detection and correction of one’s posture and frees
the practitioner from most of the chronic physical problems.I have explained this point in detail in my earlier blog: <a href="http://yogavijnanablogs.blogspot.in/2012/01/misunderstanding-pain.html" target="_blank">Misunderstanding the Pain</a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Effective breathing during Yoga
practice helps nourish the cells with proper nutrients, making the practitioner
energetic and strong. The various movements and postures of the Asanas benefit
in toning and massaging internal organs, thereby releasing muscle tension and
improve flexibility. All this will create a sense of freeness in our physical
body. Freedom in physical body creates more freedom in one’s breath. Freedom
generated thus will directly impact in calming the mind. With a calm mind one
is able to concentrate better, reduce anxiety and stress levels and go deeper
with-in oneself, which in turn increases one’s awareness. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
This increased awareness of self leads
to questioning of one’s lifestyle thereby bringing natural changes in habits
and diet. A sensitive body accepts and rejects food as it wants without any
external force. This awareness naturally leads to normalization of body weight.
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
As famous Yoga guru BKS Iyengar said “Health
is a state of complete harmony of the body, mind and spirit.” Awareness
achieved though Yoga practice will bring this complete harmony and great
health. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
If you liked the blog, please share it and help me to spread the message.<br />
<br />
Please visit <a href="http://www.yogavijnana.in/" target="_blank">Yogavijnana </a>website to know more about us. </div>
</div>
-VINAY- Yogavijnanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07045945676274291912noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8800187314829631581.post-86980852350082372942014-06-03T17:16:00.001+05:302017-09-07T19:37:01.756+05:30Yoga tips: Should we pull up knee cap or not?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_wRMY6STbbWNp3guq1SUw0lzwsLA1juszJcp-NM9_Gj0Sj2lQbNxCL6FU1Jqx4eQqh_sgLbGS54pgRub0LrGaKPjjM9o8qkPFyrTGj_bkplR0Naezitdm5mLWu14qpS9re2n5MYeZsXJu/s1600/Seif_quadricep+muscles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_wRMY6STbbWNp3guq1SUw0lzwsLA1juszJcp-NM9_Gj0Sj2lQbNxCL6FU1Jqx4eQqh_sgLbGS54pgRub0LrGaKPjjM9o8qkPFyrTGj_bkplR0Naezitdm5mLWu14qpS9re2n5MYeZsXJu/s1600/Seif_quadricep+muscles.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">In many Yoga classes I was asked to pull-up my knee cap
(also called locking the knees), during most of the asanas particularly in
standing asanas. Pulling up of knee caps involves strengthening inner quadriceps
muscles so that knee caps move towards hips. This is considered to be very good
to protect knees. If it is supposed to be very good when why are we questioning
whether we should do it or not? I have explained how our whole body is connected in
my earlier blog <a href="http://yogavijnanablogs.blogspot.in/2012/01/misunderstanding-pain.html" target="_blank">Misunderstanding the pain</a>. Keep this concept in mind as we proceed further. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUJMHxJzCqNSanU_N4cmItyG3tr67PtZI7mdA8QpN2jqLF8RY9kp5W7PiNFuFvPIblAgha0m91yJfq1uU3nPzzpAm__rG06FRtBKoZVVn0OPEHc4H3hUJYGpur1zHmwn85kRgKRZBRfmX6/s1600/Yoga3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUJMHxJzCqNSanU_N4cmItyG3tr67PtZI7mdA8QpN2jqLF8RY9kp5W7PiNFuFvPIblAgha0m91yJfq1uU3nPzzpAm__rG06FRtBKoZVVn0OPEHc4H3hUJYGpur1zHmwn85kRgKRZBRfmX6/s1600/Yoga3.jpg" width="180" /></span></a><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Well, it may be true that it is good to pull up knee caps but whenever I
tried to do it my entire awareness was in and around my knees. My whole focus
was on keeping that pulled-up position intact. When Yoga is all about
developing complete body awareness then how can we localize most of the
awareness to one area? Is this the right area to focus on? Instead I tried to
focus on stretching the toes of my feet and pushing heel down. What this does
is it creates more feeling of connectedness with the ground. Due to which it aligns all the
bones and in the process will automatically pull up knee caps just to the
extent it is healthy for knees without hyper-extending it. By pushing the heals
down we will start working from our core and this will spread the awareness without
localizing at one point. Try this but
you may need to sensitize your feet and toes for that. For most of us because of constant
usage of shoes it becomes really difficult to control the moveme</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">nt of our toes.
Try activating them by touching, rubbing, etc.</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">So
stretch your toes, spread your feet in order to ground yourself more in to your
heels. This process will pull up the knee caps without you putting any extra
effort. But is it always required to pull the knee caps up? What if we don’t
do? Well remember that there is no one rule in Yoga. I would like to recollect some
parts of famous philosopher, J Krishnamurthi’s statement in this context “I maintain that Truth is
a pathless land, and you cannot approach it by any path whatsoever, by any
religion, by any sect. Truth, being
limitless, unconditioned, unapproachable by any path whatsoever, cannot be
organized; nor should any organization be formed to lead or to coerce people
along any particular path. The moment you follow someone you cease to follow
Truth.” Yoga is all about going in search of truth/nature/reality. So don’t get
biased by any conditions/rules/guidelines/instructions in Yoga practice. Feel
free to explore and enjoy the journey. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
If you liked the blog, please share it and help me to spread the message.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Please visit <a href="http://www.yogavijnana.in/" target="_blank">Yogavijnana </a>website to know more about us. </div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Previous related blog</span></b></div>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://yogavijnanablogs.blogspot.in/2012/01/misunderstanding-pain.html" target="_blank">Misunderstanding the pain</a></span></div>
<div>
<a href="http://yogavijnanablogs.blogspot.in/2014/01/its-all-about-journey-and-not.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It's all about journey and not the destination</span></a></div>
<div>
<a href="http://yogavijnanablogs.blogspot.in/2013/01/yoga-teacher-pushesgood-or-bad.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Yoga teacher pushes...Good or bad? </span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</div>
</div>
-VINAY- Yogavijnanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07045945676274291912noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8800187314829631581.post-31173460193758851472014-01-31T07:26:00.000+05:302015-03-26T20:45:08.610+05:30It's all about journey and not the destination<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmetMiQhlyhIrmP9MfjaFAztOQOtH6H7NnCN2Bi8g-MZjpyYzzEc2vCzXzUZVzk77h9AoehBtbSnQLmQNNN8b1OQ_qofrjwlOsACdgLwjKgzZc18RLrKNkjx96c0CPqeG9YlwxJ4r67mwG/s1600/2011_05-VINAY-Advance_Mountaineering_Course-137_1130.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmetMiQhlyhIrmP9MfjaFAztOQOtH6H7NnCN2Bi8g-MZjpyYzzEc2vCzXzUZVzk77h9AoehBtbSnQLmQNNN8b1OQ_qofrjwlOsACdgLwjKgzZc18RLrKNkjx96c0CPqeG9YlwxJ4r67mwG/s1600/2011_05-VINAY-Advance_Mountaineering_Course-137_1130.JPG" height="200" width="168" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Journey and Destination</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When I was a kid, my family and relatives used to ask for
their time pass “What do you want to become when you grow old?”, teachers used
to ask “what do you dream to become in your life” and my manager asks “what are
you short term and long term goals”. Somehow I was always not too sure what to
answer. At times I was guilty for not
knowing the proper goal of my life. It is said that everyone is born for a
reason, but how do I know, why I am born? If I was assigned the goal for my
life when I was born, I would have saved many sleepless nights thinking about
it. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Point is we are always told that we need to fix on a goal/target
and go towards it. In fact, my Yoga journey started with the same intention and
I was behind achieving the right posture. What is right is what teacher told me
or that which looked good. I was too much dependent on my teacher to tell what
is right and what is wrong. I was pushing myself to get the right asana. I
spent many sleepless nights due to extreme pain, dreaming that the process will
end soon. Thinking, when will I become extremely flexible and permanently pain
free? This never happened. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDJ5irq0nEB1G4WVaWaGt2O5Md-mYXL24VA95Prbt5tE-fhyphenhyphenvm9Pm1mec1bsm0tEgSa6wMO58kVzO9wRuNxcB8GMwIR6LZVZWqSx4ow-spiV_aAh1DWlGMxwV5T1rZCR9f5flC3o-xIPRP/s1600/2011_05-VINAY-Advance_Mountaineering_Course-137_1148.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDJ5irq0nEB1G4WVaWaGt2O5Md-mYXL24VA95Prbt5tE-fhyphenhyphenvm9Pm1mec1bsm0tEgSa6wMO58kVzO9wRuNxcB8GMwIR6LZVZWqSx4ow-spiV_aAh1DWlGMxwV5T1rZCR9f5flC3o-xIPRP/s1600/2011_05-VINAY-Advance_Mountaineering_Course-137_1148.JPG" height="200" width="121" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">During my mountaineering<br />
days</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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What changed my approach was my experience in
mountaineering. During mountaineering we were putting ourselves to such extreme
situations that looked insane at times. Still why did we do it? Initially, I
thought we were doing all this to feel good when we reach summit. We felt good,
but there were times when we did not reach the destination. During those times,
can we say we wasted precious time in our life attempting to climb? No, we
became better at climbing. So, why not focus on climbing which is the activity
in the present moment as our focus? This is something that can always get
better. Enjoying the journey was the only way I could enjoy mountaineering as it
was disturbing to think what might happen. I applied these lessons in to my
Yoga practice.</div>
<br />
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I stepped back from pushing myself to observing what I am
doing. I started observing every small things that leads to so called perfect asana.
I stopped at every step in between to see how much better I can do. Instead of
achieving perfect looking asana, my focus changed to make every action perfect.
Without worrying about what I did earlier, or how much I need to do today, I
was just observing whatever I was doing. I became experimental in my approach -
Not standing straight where I am supposed to stand, breathing fast and slow,
just to see what happens to my actions etc. My feelings became my guide,
telling how far I can go and how I am doing. It was such a pleasurable
experience and I was more connected with my practice. Is connecting mind with
our actions and being in present, not Yoga about?</div>
<br />
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I finally understood that Yoga practice is not about
reaching any destination in the form of a perfect asana but rather it is about
enjoying the journey of getting there. This approach has made a lot of
difference in my practice and even to flexibility level, which I am not interested
anymore. <o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
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-VINAY- Yogavijnanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07045945676274291912noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8800187314829631581.post-44272035924346415582014-01-15T10:38:00.000+05:302014-10-13T10:28:06.371+05:30Sense of Identification!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 24px;">Pseudomonas bacteria launched an assault on my left lung to cause Pneumonia and that lead to my hospitalization for six days. Fourth day just before I was about to sleep, I coughed to only live through an excruciating lung pain and at the end of it I almost had the experience of death for a brief period. I went beyond my individual mind and I saw my individuality. Soul made a solemn presence and that experience I would call it as the “knowledge of the knowledge”. I had a sight, contemporaneously, of the life, tussling at closer quarters with death and death scuffling with life’s umpteen lifeless identities. And “Yes” I perceived death. Life was not heedful about the potential consequences rising from the short-lived-experience-based death, but life was circumspect about the death of those hard earned identities! Life was favouring its own self, all passionately, one-sidedly, to a level, it forgot to ask whether those identities were true or not? What mattered to life were mere identities. For death nothing mattered. Fire in its association burns the quality and the quantity of an entity, without any preoccupation and so does death! I was a mute testimony to both.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 24px;"> Life as an individual, perhaps, presumptively, acutely accumulates death-denting distinctions. Mortal man’s randomly constructed, so called “immortal-identities” and “death-denting distinctions” or in simple language “identities” are but in reality, children’s sand made houses!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 24px;"> Probably or generally, dreams end meaninglessly. But, on the contrary, experiences definitively end meaningfully. My experience in the hospital, meaningfully, restored confidence about my staunch belief, that, life succinctly, is only a small cause and effect theory principle. Wherein, one’s desires are the causes to the effect called pain or pleasure. We all incessantly yearn for something and try and extract only pleasure out of it and if we attain the desired goal, we go to the extent of deeming that those trivial pleasures as happiness! In true sense, happiness transcends the limitations and drawbacks offered by pleasure and pain. Harking back, human beings are just stuck in this cycle of desiring-doing-experiencing-identifying. Desire something, do that, experience that and identify yourself with that! Such a vicious purposeless perennial life cycle! I have no qualms with people who call this process purposeful and sensible! Subject beliefs are wholesomely respected!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 24px;">If on one hand my hospital experience reassured my belief system, and made me feel fortified about the path I have chosen and toeing upon, on the other hand, it helped me to dwell deeper intellectually into the concept of identity!</span><span class="MsoSubtleEmphasis"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 24px;"> At all times, back of my mind, I have been seeking an answer to one question, “What are these Identities”, which we all form steadily, that that over a certain period we claim ownership over the same and wrap into it as if for the safest tier called Z<sup>+</sup> - security!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 24px;"> How are these identities formed? When are they formed? Why are they formed? What is that feeling of “little indisposed”, about losing them? Do identities have the huge immense potential to really protect individuals during their harder times of life?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 24px;">Let us assume that I am a dandy being. My external appearance being of greater significance to the greatest possible degree, I decide to buy distinguishingly unique attire. I here ‘desire’ to buy. Desire leads to an action. Action leads to a reaction called pleasure (if possessed as per the requirement) and pain (if not possessed as per the requirement). Rarely someone can be a super stoic person to not react to the situation and such people are out of our equation of discussion, as they are either mentally super-normal or mentally abnormal! For now, on the off chance, let me ideate that I obtained out of all struggle the best unique attire in the town, now psychologically, I identify myself with the newly gotten dress. I say with a sense of pride, “it is my dress”. I get absorbed in the dress. A sense of indivisible whole is acquired.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 24px;"> Let us now revisit those questions-<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 24px;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 24px;">How are these identities formed? At the outset, we desire and a beginning has been made!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 24px;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 24px;">When are they formed? After a desire is materialized! Sometimes, even otherwise!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 24px;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 24px;">Why are they formed? I identify with what is materialized or what is to be materialized and “formation of identification” is the evident result!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 24px;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 24px;">What is that feeling of “little indisposed”, about losing them? I don’t like to lose what is mine and it is as simple as that! Sometimes, I don’t want to lose what is not mine! For instance, I found a costly Parker pen on the street or I stole one. It is not mine, but I still don’t want to lose it as I know the value of a “Parker Pen” and also I have attached a value to the “Parker Pen”. By now, I call it as “My Parker Pen”.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 24px;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 24px;">Do identities have the huge immense potential to really protect one individual during his harder times of life? Some can and some cannot. At the end of the day it also depends on the knack of an individual to utilize the identities to one’s luxuries and conveniences.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 24px;">The above example might appear a bit too smattering in its way to comprehend identification. Let us core out to know more. Each human being dons definitively a few roles, may it be of a great-grand-son/daughter, grand-son/daughter, son/daughter, neighbour, student, customer, uncle/aunty, husband/wife, father/mother, colleague, boss, citizen, grand-father/mother Etc., in day to day life. Each of these roles becomes perfect in every respect only when he identifies himself with it in an exhaustive manner. As under a pledge towards a particular cause, if one acts with sense of fulfilment towards the role’s completion, his identification with the same goes from strength to strength. These identifications are in terms of knowing one’s own strength and thereby becoming more responsible, productive and eventually meaningful towards one’s own self and towards the society.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 24px;">If we see the previous example, it was from the context of identifying oneself with an object and the present one is in the context of an individual or with one's own self.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 24px;">However, the dichotomy of life is here, from the spiritual life dimension per se, wherein, everything is about letting go and nothing is about getting bound. To elaborate, factually, these very substantive identifications of one can entangle him with the knots called bondages.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 24px;">Now let us attempt to drive a point home through the whole activity.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 24px;">These identifications come with a tinge of peril is immensely displeasing! These identifications are those which don’t allow us to die peacefully. These identifications, for life puts into a state of recurrent rough-and-tumble with death. Life as an individual isolatedly mulls over these identifications and ponders over the arrival of death and the departure of those endeared identifications!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 24px;">If one scrutinizes, ‘Life otherwise, in other words is a collection of identifications’. With that the realness, what is so erroneous in telling what I have and a deeper connection with the same, especially if I have garnered it out of great difficulty and greater sacrifices?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 24px;">“I own a house”, “I own a plot”, “I own a car”, “I own a weapon”, “I own a costly diamond”, “I won a very intelligent debate”, “I possess costly ornaments”, “I am so and so” and “I own all that, that is better than the most people have and I am the best and perfect”. I being best and perfect is solely my radically distinctive identity and it is equal to none.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 24px;">Importantly I identify with all that I own and if I lose them, I am lost.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 24px;">Above all, “I own not to disown”.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 24px;">When I own not to disown is the existential fact of many people, how wise it is to let go or even to think about it? Let us take it up in the next blog!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 24px;">Some food for thought before I wind up- “If in deep-sleep I am unavailable to access to the most vital things I think of my life, and my own world is nullified to me, is there not a problem with my precious possessions? Its face value is not something to be revisited? What sleep does to our most invaluable acquisitions daily; death does it once for all”.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 24px;">“Let those things be with you, but you don’t be with them”.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 24px;">“Go beyond sleep, transcend death”.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 24px;">Think differently! Come with us in search of reality!</span></div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8800187314829631581.post-52720295490031137422013-07-16T16:16:00.001+05:302017-09-07T19:37:30.588+05:30Reciprocal Inhibition...Secret to improve our flexibility<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I have seen many students come to Yoga class with primary
focus on improving flexibility. In fact, even I started with the same intention
but later moved on. I used to push myself, or get pushed to become more flexible.
I went to an extent, to find some magical herbs which could make me flexible <span style="font-family: "wingdings";">J</span> Least
did I know the nature of human body. In this blog let us discuss one of the nature’s
secrets to improve flexibility. In medical terminology it is called- Reciprocal
Inhibition. Let us not get into too much of details about this medical nomenclature. </div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR6VPxeofI2dTkbadJ0OotrlchE7h4oHdUvS6SR9zrNnk6T6-V0iiPOBALDLz0YsPdZfWgmLZcgSaHFJ1WqlRXrWrM38CHF0Z5pzW9zSbofAVCp8HVaB9MDaMkCDeL5w4KWIU_UDw6znwP/s1600/Flexibility.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="165" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR6VPxeofI2dTkbadJ0OotrlchE7h4oHdUvS6SR9zrNnk6T6-V0iiPOBALDLz0YsPdZfWgmLZcgSaHFJ1WqlRXrWrM38CHF0Z5pzW9zSbofAVCp8HVaB9MDaMkCDeL5w4KWIU_UDw6znwP/s200/Flexibility.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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Polarity is nature’s nature. positive-negative, day-night, ascending-descending, active-passive and let us not forget male-female :) etc. These forces are
apparently contradictory, but essentially they go hand in hand and are harmonious. This is why I feel equality is
myth, harmony is natural. Even in our body there are such contradictory forces,
but at one given point of time, only one manifests over the other. There are forces
that energize our body and that calms us down and that is how activity and rest is perfectly harmonised.
Even to move a limb these forces act in a perticular way that some muscles contract
and some muscles expand, to allow a smooth movement. For example- To bend our
elbow joint, biceps contract and triceps expand. To bend knee joint, hamstring
contracts and quadriceps expand. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Sounds very simple and logical, right? Exactly! This is so
simple, that this action happens so fast and reflexively without involving our
mind. If we contract some muscles (Agonists) to move a joint then there are
always opposite set of muscles (Antagonists) which relax or expand,
reflexively. The more we contract one set of muscles; the opposite set of muscles expand more . This is called reciprocal inhibition in medical terminology. <b>So, the
more we want to stretch a muscle the more we need to consciously contract the
opposite muscle</b> (In medical terminology it is called Agonist-Antagonist pair). This
is the secret to improve flexibility. We can use this logic consciously in our
Yoga practice. In our practice, we need to be attentive of our breathing as well, to make optimum benefit of this concept. We need to breathe in a controlled manner, and contract our muscles during exhalations. </div>
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<b>A few Yoga asanas where
we can apply this concept -</b> <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
</div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-family: "symbol"; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><span style="text-indent: -18pt;">Paschimottanasana, Janu Sirsasana, Uttanasana,
Adho mukha svanasana or any forward bending: Consciously contract quadriceps to
extend hamstring to improve forward bending. This is the reason why in Iyengar
yoga traditional classes we are asked to pull our kneecaps up when we bend
forward. I have explained the need and how to pull up the knee caps in my blog <a href="http://yogavijnanablogs.blogspot.in/2014/06/yoga-tips-should-we-pull-up-knee-cap-or.html" target="_blank">"Yoga tips: Should we pull up knee caps or not?"</a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "symbol"; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><span style="text-indent: -18pt;">Bhujangasana, urdhva mukha svanasana: We contract buttock muscles, calf muscles to stretch your front body.</span></li>
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We cannot hasten the process of stretching, but, we can apply
this method slowly, steadily, breath by breath, every minute. Although it appears
simple, wrong application can cause complex injuries. It is advisable to
practice this under the supervision of an experienced Yoga teacher. Let us discuss
more about enhancing our flexibility in upcoming blogs. Having said this, it is
vital to make our mind flexible to comprehend that Yoga is not mere body
flexibility. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I thank my good friend, sports physiotherapist, Dr. Gladson
Johnson (www.attitudeprime.com) under whom I learnt wealth of techniques
related to human anatomy and its application to Yoga. <o:p></o:p></div>
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After all, an ounce of practice is always better than
thousands of theories! This concept is applicable across asana practice and I
would be eager to hear more from your practice <span style="font-family: "wingdings"; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span><br />
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If you liked the blog, please share it and help me to spread the message.</div>
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<b>References: <o:p></o:p></b></div>
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[1] “Anatomy of Hatha Yoga” by H. David Coulter<o:p></o:p></div>
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[2] <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reciprocal_inhibition">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reciprocal_inhibition</a><br />
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-VINAY- Yogavijnanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07045945676274291912noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8800187314829631581.post-17781233258480671822013-07-08T14:48:00.000+05:302017-09-07T19:37:16.761+05:30What is Thyaga? The concept of letting go<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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There are many instances where I have heard people say “you
need to <b>let go</b> to be happy”. What
should I let go? How will I know that? Does letting go mean I should sacrifice
everything and run to Himalayas? Should I give money/food to needy? No one
answered these questions convincingly and I realized that many use such statements very lightly. Probe a little they will be as clueless as you are :) Finally I got the
answer to my question. Let us understand the concept of letting go or “Thyaga” in
this blog. Before we start, try to introspect the questions I have raised. Remember, we learn only through enquiry. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvliA8LQjJDLD0XW23XYbZupEBp7PrhwrRCsKttNiovFjr9DMLuJvdaRI1egcZsFdNQCaSOi5ipKg9-KrXPbfJBocV5nedPfn0O2hRtFP7uEuST6XQr5N9E_zlYFyjq3Ugqz4QoXFzhyphenhyphen3f/s1600/let-it-go-bird.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="111" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvliA8LQjJDLD0XW23XYbZupEBp7PrhwrRCsKttNiovFjr9DMLuJvdaRI1egcZsFdNQCaSOi5ipKg9-KrXPbfJBocV5nedPfn0O2hRtFP7uEuST6XQr5N9E_zlYFyjq3Ugqz4QoXFzhyphenhyphen3f/s200/let-it-go-bird.jpg" width="200" /></a>Indian thought system says that we need to let go all the
obstacles in our life and hold on to those that are essential. Hmm..If we think
deeper, this sounds like a very subjective statement. What is essential to me
may not be essential to others and what is my obstacle can be some one’s boon.
For example- Some can argue that eating food 6 times a day is essential to
them, or wearing an expensive jewellery is essential to them. So we should define
words <b>“essential”</b> and <b>“obstacle”</b> in order to understand this
concept. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Indian thought system clarifies this point by saying that essential
and obstacles are those that act or doesn't act as means to ultimate realisation
("Nirvana", also called, “Samadhi” is a Yogic term). This ultimate realisation is everyone’s goal of life. (What is this ultimate realisation is out of this blog's scope. Read blog: “<a href="http://yogavijnanablogs.blogspot.in/2012/11/what-is-god-let-us-understand.html" target="_blank">What is God? Let us understand scientifically…</a>” to get an idea of God). For now
imagine realisation to be a stage where we have complete control of our energy.
Figuratively, we can play with our energy!!! This is the state we are talking
here. Anything which acts as a means to our goal is essential, otherwise it is
not. Obstacles are an end in itself and will not take us anywhere. We go to
temple or worship God/Guru daily because we think temple/God/Guru to be a
means to our realisation but if we think going to temple or worshiping God
itself is an end then even this act becomes an obstacle. Now the question is,
How do we know whether something is a means to my end goal or not? <o:p></o:p></div>
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Experience…We experience a state of happiness/bliss when
we do something which is essential. Now, we may question, drinking alco<span style="font-family: inherit;">hol daily
gives me happiness, smoking gives me happiness etc etc. But lets ask ourself
whether that is taking us anywhere closer to our goal. These experiences are
deteriorating our health both mentally and physically. Thoughts, feelings, desires, relationships, possessions and the sense of me culminates in to obstacles in life in the path of</span> realisation. Right experience of
happiness is the one that uplifts us towards our goal, the one that gives us fulfillment and doesn't make us regret about it anytime. These are the kinds of
experiences which we should value. <o:p></o:p></div>
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So to summarise, “<b>let
go the obstacles</b> in life which are not acting as a means towards our end
goal and learn from our experiences as to what is essential. <b>Essentials will give us happiness/bliss
and will uplift us towards our goal</b>”<o:p></o:p></div>
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I hope you understood the concept. On behalf of you all, I
would express my sincere thanks to my good friend, my philosophy teacher,
Research scholar - Swaroop Sharma, for answering my questions related to
Thyaga.<br />
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If you liked the blog, please share it and help me to spread the message.</div>
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Please visit <a href="http://www.yogavijnana.in/" target="_blank">Yogavijnana </a>website to know more about us. </div>
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-VINAY- Yogavijnanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07045945676274291912noreply@blogger.com5Bangalore, Karnataka, India12.9715987 77.59456269999998312.4764182 76.949115699999979 13.4667792 78.240009699999987tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8800187314829631581.post-83546430453309000082013-04-03T19:13:00.000+05:302017-09-07T19:38:13.126+05:30Constipation Vs Backpain, Physical Vs Physiological connection<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">In my <a href="http://vinaysodyssey.blogspot.in/2012/01/misunderstanding-pain.html" target="_blank">earlier blog, Misunderstanding the pain,</a> I explained how </span><span style="color: #333333; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">pain in any part of the body doesn’t mean that only that part of the body is disturbed. You are just getting indication from the weakest link.</span><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In this blog I will explain the relation between physical and physiological body from a unique problem I went through. Apart from this I got an insight in to how modern medicine and Ayurveda looks at the same problem. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr1nV-inHIQsEuUpPX9noEwVx_7ZpK6o1-DzQ7b919r7_yuiO3IUuKSl8FOQM5tIyLSR_u6gpRQwJAQjHfbvHllhXya1X1DATgr0e9Ftx_fSyQ8-WL7w7r-zhX3oD-tmiEvHTmBdWlJzon/s1600/back-pain-constipation-287x300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr1nV-inHIQsEuUpPX9noEwVx_7ZpK6o1-DzQ7b919r7_yuiO3IUuKSl8FOQM5tIyLSR_u6gpRQwJAQjHfbvHllhXya1X1DATgr0e9Ftx_fSyQ8-WL7w7r-zhX3oD-tmiEvHTmBdWlJzon/s200/back-pain-constipation-287x300.jpg" width="191" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: inherit; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">One day after an intense Yoga practice I got a severe back pain. This was around a year back and I was ignorantly testing limits everyday. Pain had become part of my life and I had learnt to live with the pain. But this time the pain was something unusual. I ignored it for a day but it started becoming worst. Most of the stretch pain will subside with sufficient rest but this was increasing (I explained about pains during Yoga practice in my <a href="http://vinaysodyssey.blogspot.in/2013/01/yoga-teacher-pushesgood-or-bad.html" target="_blank">earlier blog, Yoga teacher pushes...Good or bad?</a>). On day two I rushed immediately to an allopathic doctor. He said that my muscles have gone for spasm and I need to take rest for a week. Bed rest is the first few words modern medicine speaks when they hear back pain. So, next time you visit allopathic doctor only after taking sufficient bed rest so that you can rule out the obvious response :)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: inherit; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">After two days my problem worsened and on top of that I started developing severe constipation<sup>[1]</sup> problems. Slight constipation was there even before but it was not causing any problem. This time as pain never subsided I went to an Ayurvedic doctor. Somehow I believe in Ayurveda for treating such common and chronic problems. Ayurvedic doctor said because of constipation I have developed back pain. He said when bowel movement becomes difficult it starts putting extra load on the surrounding muscles which was the cause of back pain. This was a thought provoking explanation and made me think. I started analyzing my problem in greater detail. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: inherit; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">After much research and self study I understood the problem. When we overstretch a muscle it causes muscle spasm<sup>[2]</sup>. </span>Spasm means sudden contraction of muscle fibers to avoid being overstretched. This is more like a natural defense mechanism of our body. When back muscles goes for spasm they lose their flexibility or their rhythm. Back muscle rhythm is important to cause movement inside your intestine. Back muscle contraction and relaxation which happens even during walking, running etc creates rhythmic contraction and relaxation in our intestine. This movement is essential to move food inside our intestine. When this rhythm is affected it leads to constipation. Constipation will put load on back muscles which are already compressed due to spasm thus further increasing the pain. This cycle goes on and pain shoots up exponentially. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: inherit; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Constipation has many causes and what I experienced is one of the causes which gave me this understanding. This example clearly shows how our physical body is connected with our physiological functions. When we work on our physical body in Yoga practice we are working to release tension or contraction in our muscles which is influencing our physiological organs and its function. Wondering what I did? I thought of targeting the problem from both sides and I took both medicine :)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">In my future blogs I would logically explain how Yoga practice will influence you at a much deeper levels such as mental, intellectual and energetic. I hope you enjoyed reading it. </span> </span></div>
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If you liked the blog, please share it and help me to spread the message.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Please visit <a href="http://www.yogavijnana.in/" target="_blank">Yogavijnana </a>website to know more about us. </div>
</div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: inherit; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">References</span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: inherit; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">[1] </span><a href="http://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/digestive-diseases-constipation"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">http://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/digestive-diseases-constipation</span></a></span><br />
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: inherit; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">[2] </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spasm"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spasm</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></span></div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: inherit; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><o:p> </o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><o:p><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Previous related blogs</span></b></o:p></span><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://vinaysodyssey.blogspot.in/2012/01/misunderstanding-pain.html" target="_blank">Misunderstanding the pain</a></span><br />
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<span lang="EN" style="line-height: 115%;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://vinaysodyssey.blogspot.in/2013/01/yoga-teacher-pushesgood-or-bad.html" target="_blank">Yoga teacher pushes...Good or bad?</a></span></span></div>
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-VINAY- Yogavijnanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07045945676274291912noreply@blogger.com7Bangalore, Karnataka, India12.9715987 77.59456269999998312.4764182 76.949115699999979 13.4667792 78.240009699999987tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8800187314829631581.post-4655530915986510942013-01-09T15:43:00.000+05:302016-07-15T22:26:17.388+05:30Yoga teacher pushes...Good or Bad?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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It is common that many Yoga teacher pushes you in to your posture in order to make you stretch beyond your normal capabilities. They do it with the intention to make you do all advance asanas soon. Question has always been raised about this method. Is it a healthy way to do Yoga? Does it cause any harm? etc etc. In this blog I am going to talk about this in detail from my studies and experience. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXcdZRjLgYKfpTIlHME87kpzgsbBa-2K0s91qvtCtlH-aX-fqfjVf5xDwSfDZ8OvsW9M-Ww6sxWBGCD6ZDYCakq3bEcMbpsyvgWLYcf5MEbQzKR-DCk5qc1MgDEsbYEDUacPuD7oU_l5Jl/s1600/yoga-instructor-pushing-student-over-the-limit-is-not-a-good-idea.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXcdZRjLgYKfpTIlHME87kpzgsbBa-2K0s91qvtCtlH-aX-fqfjVf5xDwSfDZ8OvsW9M-Ww6sxWBGCD6ZDYCakq3bEcMbpsyvgWLYcf5MEbQzKR-DCk5qc1MgDEsbYEDUacPuD7oU_l5Jl/s1600/yoga-instructor-pushing-student-over-the-limit-is-not-a-good-idea.png" width="157" /></a>Let us first understand the nature of human body. Pain is a natural feedback mechanism to protect your body from injuries. It is the warning indicator to tell you that you about to cross your limits. It is nature’s way of telling “Boss, you are doing too much, be careful!!”. Limitation can be from any part of your body: muscles, joints, ligaments etc, you first feel the pain. As I explained in my <a href="http://vinaysodyssey.blogspot.in/2012/01/misunderstanding-pain.html" target="_blank">earlier blog: Misunderstanding the pain</a>, pain in any part of the body doesn’t mean that only that part of the body has limitations. You are just getting indication from the weakest link. </div>
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When you push beyond your limits too fast, your muscles goes for spasm<sup>[1]</sup> (sudden, involuntary contraction of muscles) in order to prevent you from stretching/overloading further. Although most of the spasm relaxes in a few days, it can even be permanent. Your muscle remembers these spasms and next time it will occur soon unless you have trained rightly after the first occurrence. All these are natural defense mechanisms to protect our body. Finally, postural muscles (prevents you from collapsing in the field of gravity) act like spring in the field of gravity<sup>[2][3]</sup> and with gentle force you can keep them in completely stretched position. Let us move ahead with these concepts in mind.</div>
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Many Yoga students and teachers ignore the pain and try hard to work through the pain resulting in injuries. They say "Go beyond pain to achieve and improve in your abilities” , “Pain is merely physical, a material thing. Go beyond material world by ignoring the pain”, “I am not pushing, I am just trying to correct you”. They all tend to push you hard to get results quickly. All these statements are true but conditions apply!!. </div>
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Let us do an experiment. Sit in stretched leg position and bend forward till you feel stretch pain. When you hold that position for some time you will notice that pain will disappear and you can go a little forward to feel pain again. This initial pain is the body’s way to warn you “Boss, hold on, you are doing something new today. Let me get used to it”. This concept can be explained from medical world but it is beyond the scope of this blog. Point at which you feel this initial pain varies on daily basis. When teacher says “Go beyond pain”, this is the kind of pain there are talking about. The initial pain which you experience when you body is not ready. You can go deeper in to the posture slowly by holding the posture for long time till you reach your maximum at which point you should stop. In this approach you are being the master and trying to acknowledge the natural responses of your body. Take it slowly and steadily by having patience to hold for longer duration. I have seen many students who are so disturbed to hold the posture longer to experience all this! </div>
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Yoga teachers are not linked to your feedback mechanism and they have no clue about what you are feeling. Without the knowledge of your feedback mechanism they push you and their by increasing the chances of injuries. Many teachers even ignore your scream thinking that either you are acting or you are lazy to do more!! This may be true but it can be serious to ignore your scream. In this approach you are making your teacher the master of your body without being aware of the natural feedback responses of your body. So, being pushed by your teacher is always a strict ‘NO’. They may say “You did more last week, so why not today. Let me push you”. Keep in mind that it is not just your physical body but even your emotional pattern decides what you can do on a particular day. As I said, your body is not the same every day. Respect it. </div>
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How about teacher correcting your posture? Corrections are done to make you feel the right stretch or to release unnecessary tensions in certain parts. You feel good after the correction. After correction if pain increases, then step back and move forward in the right direction slowly by acknowledging the pain. Having said this there are some teachers who are aware of all this and try to work only with the spring action of your postural muscles. This is perfectly fine but there is a better way to do this. Yoga props used in Iyengar Yoga will enable you to be the master and work to get right maximum stretch. </div>
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One of the Yama (self-restraints) of Ashtanga Yoga is “Ahimsa”(Non-Violence). Ahimsa doesn’t just mean doing good to society and others. Follow in even in your practice by not doing violence by yourself or by someone on you. Apart from this many times it is your ego to show off because of which you push yourself or allow someone to push you. Ego is not Yoga. Understand that by getting pushed you are being detrimental to your own progress. Yoga is not a competition but a lifelong process. Go beyond you stretch pain slowly and steadily by staying in the posture for longer duration. </div>
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Do I practice this? Honestly, I used to push my students at the beginning but then I experienced the pain by being pushed. This triggered me to do self-study. Slowly I refined my method of teaching to give precise instructions to feel the right and optimum stretch without using much force. I still try to bring the lost awareness by gently tapping at the places where there is no awareness. I do this to deal with passive mind of the students<span style="font-family: "wingdings"; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span>. This is still work in progress!! English author Edward Bulwer-Lytton in 1839 coined the metonymic adage “The Pen is mightier than the sword” and now I say “Words are mightier than the force in Yoga training!!” </div>
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References:</div>
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<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spasm">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spasm</a></div>
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<a href="http://nau.edu/Research/Feature-Stories/Spring-like-Protein-Key-to-Muscle-Behavior/">http://nau.edu/Research/Feature-Stories/Spring-like-Protein-Key-to-Muscle-Behavior/</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1456055/">http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1456055/</a><br />
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I conduct <a href="http://www.yogavijnana.in/group-class.htm" target="_blank">Group classes</a>, <a href="http://www.yogavijnana.in/private-class.htm" target="_blank">Private classes</a>, <a href="http://www.yogavijnana.in/yoga-retreat.htm" target="_blank">Yoga weekend Retreat</a>, <a href="http://www.yogavijnana.in/corporate-talks.htm" target="_blank">Corporate talks</a> and more. Please visit <a href="http://www.yogavijnana.in/" target="_blank">Yogavijnana </a>website for more details. </div>
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-VINAY- Yogavijnanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07045945676274291912noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8800187314829631581.post-30527347159554945002012-11-03T21:17:00.000+05:302017-09-07T19:38:49.652+05:30Concept of God. Let us understand scientifically…<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0BLunHbVVHtfwsM6rfsvux9kO_3x_3ddOcDkt0lXKsT_MVydfGBwDnIW9TVYvDHchynUJNO9HNuFr4geXBiQPncsrk7PPgh7m-EmTsBWbqHadXiABEumIQwWb4tswTjAByYnXzQgE5PwI/s1600/what_is_god1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0BLunHbVVHtfwsM6rfsvux9kO_3x_3ddOcDkt0lXKsT_MVydfGBwDnIW9TVYvDHchynUJNO9HNuFr4geXBiQPncsrk7PPgh7m-EmTsBWbqHadXiABEumIQwWb4tswTjAByYnXzQgE5PwI/s200/what_is_god1.jpg" width="200" /></a>During early childhood days my father made me worship God regularly, but gradually this strict discipline faded away in my life when I started questioning the reason for worship. I slowly became totally against idol worship. I remember having a heated debate with my high school class teacher where he was trying to convince me to believe in such concepts. Although many tried, I never believed that some stone should be worshiped as God, but deep within I was wondering what people are doing. People say “God is all powerful, you need to surrender to him, you need to worship him daily, you need to do pooja, visit temples” etc etc, but no one were able to provide proper and logical explanation for what they are doing. The question: “What is God?”, always remained. </div>
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When I started understanding it in detail, I could make striking similarities between concept of God and the concepts had read in my physics text book during my school days. We all know the famous Newton’s law of conservation of energy which states “Energy can neither be created nor be destroyed; it simply changes from one form to another”. Wondering where is Newton talking about God here? Basically, what is called God is nothing but a generic name given to Energy and some people call it as consciousness. You are so and so but your generic name is human being, also exists animal being, plant being and so on. Similarly the highest idea of generalization is called ‘God’ or in scientific word ‘Energy’. Let me elaborate this concept little more.</div>
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Science is doing constant experiment to find the smallest particle. During my school days I was taught that it was atom and then during college I was told it was neutrons, and then it became quarks so on and so forth till it came to the recent ‘God-Particle’. From Einstein’s famous relation E=mc<span style="font-family: inherit;">2</span> we know that for every mass there is energy. So every smallest particle has energy associated with it. Science is interested in this energy and trying to understand how to control this energy so that they can get more control on the matter. Through this control anything is possible. You can change the property of matter, make matter transform in to something totally different (what science calls ‘alchemy’), transfer matter from one place to another (what science calls ‘teleportation’) etc. This is exactly what our Vedas talk about but just that they called this energy as Prana and through realizing this Prana i.e nothing but complete understanding and controlling, we can realize God. </div>
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Because of the same concept there is nothing called non-living thing in our ancient science. Every non-living thing has energy but just that it is manifested in different ways. Just like energy comes in different forms-Kinetic, potential or electrical, chemical etc. Like every living being even non-living things die, just that its life span cannot be experienced fully in our life term. Think of all basic science lessons on erosion of stones, friction between materials leading to its destruction, rusting or oxidization of metal, etc all these concepts give us just a glimpse of the life cycle of non living things. Ultimately even they disintegrate and go to the earth. When we say it disintegrates and goes to the earth we are saying matter is transformed or energy is transformed from one form to another.</div>
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Energy is everywhere, and similarly Prana/God is everywhere. Energy cannot be seen but just be experienced/felt, just like God. Now we know why many people say, rather very lightly “God is within you”. All that they are referring is Prana/Energy which is there in everyone. Some people know how to get good control on it where as many people doesn't If you can completely control the energy within you, you can control any energy because eventually everything in the world is made up of tiny matter and by controlling energy you are controlling the tiny matter. People whom we call ‘Yogis’ are nothing but the Vedic name for our modern day scientists. </div>
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Day-by-day what science is explaining is the concept of Prana or God in our ancient texts. Finally science community realized it recently and aptly named the latest discovery as ‘God Particle’. Whether this is the end? Frankly even they don’t know. On a positive note, through this, people are getting some insight and understanding of our ancient texts. What Newton and Einstein explained is nothing but the age old concept recorded in Vedas around 5000+ year back. Just that they used right terms to explain modern community. Similarly this blog is my attempt to explain “What is God?” using right terms for modern community <span style="font-family: "wingdings"; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span>. </div>
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I hope you enjoyed reading it. I would like to thank my good friend, my philosophy teacher, Research scholar - Swaroop Sharma, for giving me this concept of “God as Energy or consciousness”, through which I could relate back to science to understand it better. </div>
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Still, why do people go to temple? Why they do idol worship when they have God within them? This is a topic for another blog <span style="font-family: "wingdings"; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span>. Again I will try to bring out scientific reasons for this to the best of my knowledge.<br />
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Related Blog post<br />
<a href="http://yogavijnanablogs.blogspot.in/2013/07/what-is-thyaga-concept-of-letting-go.html" target="_blank">What is Thyaga? The Concept of letting go</a><br />
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-VINAY- Yogavijnanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07045945676274291912noreply@blogger.com23Bangalore, Karnataka, India12.9715987 77.59456269999998312.4764182 76.949115699999979 13.4667792 78.240009699999987tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8800187314829631581.post-44450830560750567132012-01-23T20:30:00.000+05:302017-09-07T19:39:05.597+05:30Misunderstanding the Pain<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">One of my good friends in Intel approached me to get some Yoga tips for his back pain. He was undergoing severe back pain on the left side of his body and as always I asked him to practice Yoga without focusing just on his back. He was looking for just a point solution for his back and Yoga which I asked him to practice for his entire body did not sound like a solution for him. I have seen that most people don’t understand the anatomy and bio mechanics of our body well and end up in looking for point solutions without much success. So why should we practice Yoga for whole body to get relief from back pain? Let me explain in laymen terms. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">To understand this let’s go to some basic physics. Imagine the scene of a train accident (Photo graph of which you normally see in newspaper). When two trains collide head on you might have noticed that sometimes the bogies in the front will be intact whereas bogies at the back will be ripped off from the chain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The force produced will move among all the bogies of the train and the weakest link will be ripped off. This same law of nature will hold good even in our body. So everything in our body is connected and always the weakest link is affected most. This whole science of applying mechanical physics concepts to our body movements is called Bio-Mechanics. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Does it mean that our back is the weakest? Can we just make this weakest link strong? How did it become weak? What are the forces we are talking about here? Gravity is the main force. Our whole body is supported and works within the field of gravity. At any point of time there is a force and counterforce acting on any body part. Even when you stand straight there are different parts in your body which will work against the gravity to make to stay in the position. Think of it as a mechanical device made of shafts, levers, nuts, bolts etc. and is working in a field of gravity. Any mechanical device to work smoothly should be in a good condition. Any device which is not used or not well used for a long time will cease to work after sometime. Similarly our body has to be used and used well to work properly. Any form of exercise is built around the basic concept of using our body well.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Am I not simplifying too much by comparing such a complex living being to a mechanical device? In fact, I am. Our body is intelligent enough to remodel itself constantly depending on the usage. Body will even spend time and energy to strengthen any part which is not used well. Why spend energy on something useless? This is an automatic process and is called body intelligence. For example if you are slouching on your desk at an angle to read this blog, only one side of your body is bearing all the weight and is getting worked. That means only some muscles (main building block which causes movement by controlling the joints. They will be on the bone connecting two joints) are getting compressed and stressed to balance your weight in the field of gravity. When any muscle is constantly compressed your body is intelligent enough to make it short as there is no need to keep it long. Compressed muscle means restricted range of motion and less flexibility. So our habit will influence our body parts which will change constantly and can potentially restrict the range of motion.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Remember our body is a chain and is always in motion. When a compressed muscle during motion receives the load which it cannot handle it will transfer the load to the next muscle in next locomotive chain. For example/- when muscles in your hips become stiff to accommodate the range of motion it will transfer the weight to muscle controlling knee joint which will take some load and rest is transferred to the muscle in next joint. So our body is taking a different form to accommodate the range of motion required for an activity. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">How so? Let us understand this with the help of lego blocks. In the pictures below, let us assume Red blocks is your trunk, Blue blocks is your thigh bone and yellow blocks is your lower leg bone, Red joins blue at hip joint, blue joins yellow at knee <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitu5uWAeIr050oeW2P_HdgSHaXnwfFXVLF-H65I70HVYWaAp7VEwuOzDDj6MrILAF5-HnHTw-yAK4g71GWwqScZp_yNR7Y0Gghfi945EQvARESQj4VLAIxlNVXjZjb_TP28PDR7EDolNa1/s1600/2012_01-VINAY-Article+Shoot_20.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="170" nfa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitu5uWAeIr050oeW2P_HdgSHaXnwfFXVLF-H65I70HVYWaAp7VEwuOzDDj6MrILAF5-HnHTw-yAK4g71GWwqScZp_yNR7Y0Gghfi945EQvARESQj4VLAIxlNVXjZjb_TP28PDR7EDolNa1/s200/2012_01-VINAY-Article+Shoot_20.JPG" width="200" /></a>joint. Muscles are not shown here but imagine them to be present at every joint connected to bones on either side. If all the muscles are in full range of motion when you stand straight, then each muscle will move to take a position which will not stress any joints. That means your joins will exactly overlap on each other as show in first diagram. Let us assume muscle on your hip joint is compressed or tight and cannot move to its full range. So it will pull thigh bone to an angle. This in turn will make your lower leg bone to move in opposite direction to balance you on the center <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2Haq580oPVZQ6xDXiSQypD60fEXicvb1UqmxAXM9uHOWdUgcVqE0WIrTfnozg_grjJu_77bFr4e9GzBpZUM_25DTjjM4eXJElPRUP2vOYCHdbHb4vZcZYxpVeThpowYBkSbL0wslMOWHV/s1600/2012_01-VINAY-Article+Shoot_17.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="131" nfa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2Haq580oPVZQ6xDXiSQypD60fEXicvb1UqmxAXM9uHOWdUgcVqE0WIrTfnozg_grjJu_77bFr4e9GzBpZUM_25DTjjM4eXJElPRUP2vOYCHdbHb4vZcZYxpVeThpowYBkSbL0wslMOWHV/s200/2012_01-VINAY-Article+Shoot_17.JPG" width="200" /></a>of gravity (as shown in second diagram). This mechanism as I mentioned will be controlled by your body intelligence. This will put undue stress on your joints which are not designed to take extra load constantly. Although body intelligence will make you feel comfortable through some correction but the undue stress will degenerate your body quickly and they give up one day. First indication of this is through pain. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">That means when you have pain in your back, you have disturbed somewhere in the chain. Similarly any pain in any part of the body doesn’t mean that only that part of the body is disturbed. You are just getting indication from the weakest link. This is where Yoga comes in to picture. Yoga, through various asana will give you the range of motion required for your body and gradually you will be aware of postural disturbances that you can correct. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;">Posture detection and correction is one of the main benefits of Yoga. With this explanation I was able to convince my friend. I hope I was able to convince you as well</span><span style="font-family: "wingdings"; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;">. </span><br />
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Please visit <a href="http://www.yogavijnana.in/" target="_blank">Yogavijnana </a>website to know more about us. </div>
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;">Related other blogs:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><a href="http://vinaysodyssey.blogspot.in/2013/01/yoga-teacher-pushesgood-or-bad.html" target="_blank">Yoga teacher pushes...Good or Bad?</a></span></span><br />
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-VINAY- Yogavijnanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07045945676274291912noreply@blogger.com5