1. Myths are stories with underlying truth
2. The story of shiva we talked about last week is a prehistoric story, probably not describing a real person, but likely based on some real group of people or describing a spiritual archetype. When we interpret myths we imagine we are all the characters in the story (clarifying this for a student who asked last week when Shiva lived historically).
3. Tantric philosophy dates to around 8-12th century CE, though the myth of Shiva is much older (shiva is a prehistoric proto-typical diety).
4. In the story of Durga, Mahishasura was a powerful demon who conquered Indra's army of gods in heaven. Since he couldn't be defeated by any man, the only thing that could save them was a woman who would fight him. The gods asked Shakti to manifest in a powerful form using all of their weapons and arms to fight Mahishasura. So she united all of their powers
5. In a modern context this relates to the idea of Kula. When we come together as a community we share our experience and ideas and are stronger and more intelligent. Also we take all of the great philosophical ideas and teachings we come across and integrate what works for us to create a stronger durga in ourselves. We use this invincible power to clear away the dust on the mirror of the demons who obscure our highest and best intentions (heaven) from us.
6. Durga is also a great example for discussion because our modern yoga practice is alot like her. Ancient yogis just had stories of Shiva and rituals, then around 8-9th century someone got around to writing down the tantric nterpretation and documenting some of the breathing and meditation exercises that were being practiced (also the idea of women practicing and teaching was common among the Tantric Shaivists). In the last hundred years the spiritual traditions of Hatha Yoga merged with popular gymnastics and other forms of exercise propagated throughout the world by the YMCA and other similar movements. Today what we call Yoga is a sort of Durga, a playful
expression of the divine, more powerful than any of its previous forms.
7. Students asked for twists so we're doing twists focusing on the principles we learned all this month and integrating them with the final principle, organic extension. Rooting to rise. Lengthening the spine to twist deeper.
Tadasana through vinyasa focusing on organic extension Cat/Cow then
tiger twisting stretches holding back leg, lion's breath (Durga rides
a tiger or lion, the shakti is powerful don't fall off the tiger)
Also focus in centering exercise on softening the back body, return to this throughout the class.
Surya Namaskar - High Lunge, turn to front leg, twist to other side,back to center standing splits...low cobra
Surya Namaskar - Low Lunge, twist and come up to high lunge, open arms out to sky and floor...drunken cobra
Surya Namaskar - Pvakonasana, rise up to warrior II, reverse then bow and bind...wide armed cobra
Surya Namaskar - Warrior I, pvottanasana, parivrtta trikonasana, parivrtta ardha chandrasana...updog
Shiva Twists
Utkatasana chair twists
Bird of Paradise
Malasana, Bakasana, Ardha Bakasana (talk about diversity and shri as strength of the community and each person having an individual expression of the pose)
Revolved Downward facing dog
Threading the needle sucirandrasana
Ardha Matsyendrasana - half lord of the fishes
Jathara Parivartanasana bent legs/straight legs
Supta Matsyendrasana - knee down twists
Closing: Like Durga, we combine all of the best qualities in the people we admire. We bring together all the strengths we share as individuals in the community. When we come together with other like-minded beings there's nothing we can't accomplish.
Monday, March 21, 2011
Monday, March 14, 2011
Parvati: Shining with the light of the divine
Intro: Story of Parvati is a story of reincarnation. Sati was Shiva's first love, but her parents didn't approve of the marriage. Sati showed her devotion to shiva and her disdain for her father by throwing herself into a fire and burning herself up during one of his dinner parties. She said she hoped to one day be reborn to a king she could respect.
Shiva retreated away from the world into deep mediation. Ages later the world had become overrun by demonic forces who were threatening heaven. A powerful demon Taraka lead an army and the gods determined that only a child born of Shiva could defeat Taraka. They appealed to Shakti's spirit, which agreed to be reincarnated to try and win him over.
Shakti was then born as Parvati to a royal court in the Himalayas. She was told from an early age that she was to be the daughter of a great yogi, and learning her destiny she set out to win Shiva's heart. Unfortunately Shiva wasn't interested and couldn't be bothered. The gods tried to intervene by sending Kama, the god of passion (a sort of cupid) to shoot him with an arrow that would cause Shiva to awaken, but when he was struck with the arrow Shiva blasted Kama to bits. So
much for that plan.
Parvati retreated to the woods and became an aesthetic, praying and meditating. Eventually she cultivated so much fire/tapas from her practice that her skin glowed brightly and Shiva awakened to her warmth. After this they were soon married and Shiva's life became more joyful. They created their son Kartikeya/Skanda who went on to save the world from Taraka's army. Shiva learned bliss and danced the ananda tandava, learning to enjoy domestic life and the arts.
What this means in the real world: When we are embodied we can have the best or worst circumstances and upbringing, but ultimately we all share the desire for that freedom from pain and suffering that Shiva represents meditating in his cave. No one wants to be miserable. So like Parvati, we seek out the divine in our yoga practice, in a religion, in some other form maybe. The path to reaching the divine is cultivation of personal fire/tapas through dedication. When we shine out a light into the world we illuminate and attract the divine to us. When the divine awakens it dances blissfully and we are drawn along in its wake towards success, prosperity, and the other things we desire in life once we are free from fear, pain, and other
restrictions.
Inner/outer spiral:
Inner spiral like parvati turning inward to reflect, so she could cultivate the power to shine out and warm shiva's heart Do inner spiral with block standing in tadasana through chatturanga vinyasa, focusing on IS/OS. Open your thighs wide, like the cave in your tadasana mountain where shiva meditates. Mountain climbers as parvati climbs to the cave.
Tadasana - Chatturanga Vinyasa w/ block
Cat/Cow, One Handed Tiger - shiva sits on and wears tiger skin, first thing parvati probably sees in the cave.
Surya Namaskar - Pvakon - cobra (imagine you have the block) shiva has cobras wrapped around his arms, representing his thoughts mastery over distractions.
Surya Namaskar - Crescent leaning way back arms wide into backbend.
shiva wears a crescent moon in his hair
Surya Namaskar - Iguana, parvati bows to shiva, trying to awaken him
Locust, the demons plague the heavens, life is hard for them
vrksasana/Utkatasana - crow pushups, parvati goes to the woods and works hard to cultivate tapas
natarajasana - standing backbend, shiva is awakened and dances the ananda tandava - kartikeya/skanda is born and saves the heavens
dhanurasana, before shiva is won over, kama brought his bow in and tries to rouse shiva but it just makes him angry
demo/partner/self - ustrasana, find a shiva or parvati to help you melt you heart in this pose, use IS/OS to firmly ground your foundation and reach a deepen backbend
bridge - one leg each side (urdhva dhanurasana level II)
knees to chest, windshield wipers
eye of the needle, happy baby
sivasana
Shiva retreated away from the world into deep mediation. Ages later the world had become overrun by demonic forces who were threatening heaven. A powerful demon Taraka lead an army and the gods determined that only a child born of Shiva could defeat Taraka. They appealed to Shakti's spirit, which agreed to be reincarnated to try and win him over.
Shakti was then born as Parvati to a royal court in the Himalayas. She was told from an early age that she was to be the daughter of a great yogi, and learning her destiny she set out to win Shiva's heart. Unfortunately Shiva wasn't interested and couldn't be bothered. The gods tried to intervene by sending Kama, the god of passion (a sort of cupid) to shoot him with an arrow that would cause Shiva to awaken, but when he was struck with the arrow Shiva blasted Kama to bits. So
much for that plan.
Parvati retreated to the woods and became an aesthetic, praying and meditating. Eventually she cultivated so much fire/tapas from her practice that her skin glowed brightly and Shiva awakened to her warmth. After this they were soon married and Shiva's life became more joyful. They created their son Kartikeya/Skanda who went on to save the world from Taraka's army. Shiva learned bliss and danced the ananda tandava, learning to enjoy domestic life and the arts.
What this means in the real world: When we are embodied we can have the best or worst circumstances and upbringing, but ultimately we all share the desire for that freedom from pain and suffering that Shiva represents meditating in his cave. No one wants to be miserable. So like Parvati, we seek out the divine in our yoga practice, in a religion, in some other form maybe. The path to reaching the divine is cultivation of personal fire/tapas through dedication. When we shine out a light into the world we illuminate and attract the divine to us. When the divine awakens it dances blissfully and we are drawn along in its wake towards success, prosperity, and the other things we desire in life once we are free from fear, pain, and other
restrictions.
Inner/outer spiral:
Inner spiral like parvati turning inward to reflect, so she could cultivate the power to shine out and warm shiva's heart Do inner spiral with block standing in tadasana through chatturanga vinyasa, focusing on IS/OS. Open your thighs wide, like the cave in your tadasana mountain where shiva meditates. Mountain climbers as parvati climbs to the cave.
Tadasana - Chatturanga Vinyasa w/ block
Cat/Cow, One Handed Tiger - shiva sits on and wears tiger skin, first thing parvati probably sees in the cave.
Surya Namaskar - Pvakon - cobra (imagine you have the block) shiva has cobras wrapped around his arms, representing his thoughts mastery over distractions.
Surya Namaskar - Crescent leaning way back arms wide into backbend.
shiva wears a crescent moon in his hair
Surya Namaskar - Iguana, parvati bows to shiva, trying to awaken him
Locust, the demons plague the heavens, life is hard for them
vrksasana/Utkatasana - crow pushups, parvati goes to the woods and works hard to cultivate tapas
natarajasana - standing backbend, shiva is awakened and dances the ananda tandava - kartikeya/skanda is born and saves the heavens
dhanurasana, before shiva is won over, kama brought his bow in and tries to rouse shiva but it just makes him angry
demo/partner/self - ustrasana, find a shiva or parvati to help you melt you heart in this pose, use IS/OS to firmly ground your foundation and reach a deepen backbend
bridge - one leg each side (urdhva dhanurasana level II)
knees to chest, windshield wipers
eye of the needle, happy baby
sivasana
Monday, March 7, 2011
Lakshmi: Goddess of Wealth
Intro: Lakshmi's name derived from the Sanskrit word Lakshme or "goal". She represents the goal of life which is both worldly and spiritual prosperity. She is the bride of Vishnu the preserving force of the universe, and she incarnates in the various stories as wife to the various avatars of vishnu. Because she embodies the goal, this can symbolize that Vishnu can never embody himself as a hero on earth without his goal in mind or at his side.
She represents attainment with effort. Working towards some endeavor.
Four Sun Salutations focusing on the four embodiments of Lakshmi...
1. Light, SN - LL, LL twist, HL, HL twist
2. Beauty (Shri), SN - arms clasped FB, iguana right, back to center WLFB, then iguana to left
3. Fortune, SN - War I, Parvottan, Parivrtta Trikon, PAC
4. Wealth, SN - Parvakon, War II, Rev, Warrior Seal
Uttan bind
Elephant both sides
Demo/Self - Vasisthasana + WT
Lakshmi massages her husband Vishnus feed while he sists on the shesha cobra couch - help your partner with a cobra
Partner - Lakshmi riding a peacock, have a friend help you up into Peacock
Seated meditation in lotus, square breaths, hands in Kubera mudra
Bow forward childs pose with hand upheld to receive providence
Sivasana
Closing: We practice yoga to remember that in order to be heroic, we need to keep our goal close to our heart, so we may bring Light, Shri, Fortune, and Wealth into our lives.
She represents attainment with effort. Working towards some endeavor.
Four Sun Salutations focusing on the four embodiments of Lakshmi...
1. Light, SN - LL, LL twist, HL, HL twist
2. Beauty (Shri), SN - arms clasped FB, iguana right, back to center WLFB, then iguana to left
3. Fortune, SN - War I, Parvottan, Parivrtta Trikon, PAC
4. Wealth, SN - Parvakon, War II, Rev, Warrior Seal
Uttan bind
Elephant both sides
Demo/Self - Vasisthasana + WT
Lakshmi massages her husband Vishnus feed while he sists on the shesha cobra couch - help your partner with a cobra
Partner - Lakshmi riding a peacock, have a friend help you up into Peacock
Seated meditation in lotus, square breaths, hands in Kubera mudra
Bow forward childs pose with hand upheld to receive providence
Sivasana
Closing: We practice yoga to remember that in order to be heroic, we need to keep our goal close to our heart, so we may bring Light, Shri, Fortune, and Wealth into our lives.
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Dancing with the Divine
1. John's visit to town last weekend, talked about opening to grace, letting the
divine lead you in the dance...man in cairo who said "my heart is in
the sky".
2. Talked about ripples that start in the bay area (banning plastic bags)
3. Pause for a moment before each pose to listen to your heart and
the lead dancer
All 4 DD
SN - LL/HL/Twist
SN - Pvak/bind/WII/Rev
SN - Trikon/AC/Pvott/PTrik
SN - EPRK/EPRK up+ts/EPRK fb
Bind Uttan
Virasana - Pranayama
Ardha Virasana/Krounchasana
Supta Virasana - Level II attempt backbend
Sivasana
Closing: Freedom and peace to all beings everywhere. May the ripples expand outward from all the places where people stand for their highest and best intentions today.
divine lead you in the dance...man in cairo who said "my heart is in
the sky".
2. Talked about ripples that start in the bay area (banning plastic bags)
3. Pause for a moment before each pose to listen to your heart and
the lead dancer
All 4 DD
SN - LL/HL/Twist
SN - Pvak/bind/WII/Rev
SN - Trikon/AC/Pvott/PTrik
SN - EPRK/EPRK up+ts/EPRK fb
Bind Uttan
Virasana - Pranayama
Ardha Virasana/Krounchasana
Supta Virasana - Level II attempt backbend
Sivasana
Closing: Freedom and peace to all beings everywhere. May the ripples expand outward from all the places where people stand for their highest and best intentions today.
Monday, February 7, 2011
5 Yamas for Thought - Balancing Your Energy in Life
Yama's are ethical rules or literally "deaths" that one must practice in classical yoga to attain union with the divine. The Yama's are the list of DON'Ts and the Niyamas are the observances or DO's list.
There were 10 Yamas in the Upanishads, and those were condensed into 5 in the tradition of Patanjali's yoga sutras, the text which we usually reference in modern yoga as classical yoga. We don't want to take these observances too any kind of extreme, but wish to meditate on their value in our own lives.
We contemplate the Yama's to see areas where we may curb excessive energy to better align with our highest and best intentions.
Downdog Stretch - Alternating Legs with Breath - Child's Pose = Ahimsa (non-harming, self and others)
SN - Iguana to thigh stretch twist - cobra = Satya (truth, relinquishing ego to recognize the supreme in self and others)
SN - Pvakon - Warrior II - Rev Warrior - dhanurasana = Asteya (non-stealing, includes others money, time, and enery)
SN - HL turn open to pigeon - sphinx with thigh stretch - Bramacharya (appropriate use of vital essence, avoiding gambling, addition, etc...)
SN - Pigeon up, TS, then bow forward - shalabhasana - Aparigraha (absence of avarice, honesty in business dealings)
Utkat - Mal - Bakasana (ardha bakasana)
Vrksasana - Eagle
Natarajasana
UHP - Bakasana Pigeon Balance
Dragonfly
Ardha Virasana
Virasana - Square Breaths
Eye of the Needle
Sivasana
There were 10 Yamas in the Upanishads, and those were condensed into 5 in the tradition of Patanjali's yoga sutras, the text which we usually reference in modern yoga as classical yoga. We don't want to take these observances too any kind of extreme, but wish to meditate on their value in our own lives.
We contemplate the Yama's to see areas where we may curb excessive energy to better align with our highest and best intentions.
Downdog Stretch - Alternating Legs with Breath - Child's Pose = Ahimsa (non-harming, self and others)
SN - Iguana to thigh stretch twist - cobra = Satya (truth, relinquishing ego to recognize the supreme in self and others)
SN - Pvakon - Warrior II - Rev Warrior - dhanurasana = Asteya (non-stealing, includes others money, time, and enery)
SN - HL turn open to pigeon - sphinx with thigh stretch - Bramacharya (appropriate use of vital essence, avoiding gambling, addition, etc...)
SN - Pigeon up, TS, then bow forward - shalabhasana - Aparigraha (absence of avarice, honesty in business dealings)
Utkat - Mal - Bakasana (ardha bakasana)
Vrksasana - Eagle
Natarajasana
UHP - Bakasana Pigeon Balance
Dragonfly
Ardha Virasana
Virasana - Square Breaths
Eye of the Needle
Sivasana
Monday, January 31, 2011
Shiva-Shakti
Shiva-Shakti
Shiva is the ocean of consciousness, pure potential, stillness, and bliss Shakti is the waves of the ocean, the vibrational pattern and motion of all being, and the energizing force.
Utkat SN - Pvakon - cobra: Ha-tha (Sun-Moon)
Utkat SN - Iguana - bow: Rajas-Tamas (hold to center, your Satvic true intention)
Utkat SN - HL to Warrior III - arms clasped locust: Liberating Current upward - Manifesting Current downward. When we liberate energy, upward we then broadcast it out (like seeds) out into the world, so our intentions can take root and manifest.
Utkat SN - Warrior Seal - lift one leg each side in chaturanga: Light-Dark
Utkat Mal Crow (ardha bakasana): concealing-revealing
Bend back - come to tiptoes
Shiva Twists
Vrksasana
Utthita Hasta Padangustasana
Natarajasana - demo, partner, self (with partner press front arm into partners palm for stability)
Pigeon
Ardha Hanumanasana
WLFB
Navasana
Savasana
Shiva is the ocean of consciousness, pure potential, stillness, and bliss Shakti is the waves of the ocean, the vibrational pattern and motion of all being, and the energizing force.
Utkat SN - Pvakon - cobra: Ha-tha (Sun-Moon)
Utkat SN - Iguana - bow: Rajas-Tamas (hold to center, your Satvic true intention)
Utkat SN - HL to Warrior III - arms clasped locust: Liberating Current upward - Manifesting Current downward. When we liberate energy, upward we then broadcast it out (like seeds) out into the world, so our intentions can take root and manifest.
Utkat SN - Warrior Seal - lift one leg each side in chaturanga: Light-Dark
Utkat Mal Crow (ardha bakasana): concealing-revealing
Bend back - come to tiptoes
Shiva Twists
Vrksasana
Utthita Hasta Padangustasana
Natarajasana - demo, partner, self (with partner press front arm into partners palm for stability)
Pigeon
Ardha Hanumanasana
WLFB
Navasana
Savasana
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Lesson Plan for 2011
January – Intentions
2nd – sub (Family Celebration)
9th – Foundation & Intentions
16th – MLK Tribute
23rd – sub (Family Celebration)
30th – Shiva/Shakti: Finding Balanced Action
February – Balance
6th – The 5 Yamas/Square Breath Pranayama
13th – sub (Family Celebration)
20th – sub (John Friend in SF)
27th – TBD
March – Goddesses
6th – Lakshmi
13th – Parvati
20th – Durga
27th – Shiva Ardhanarishvara
April – Shiva
3rd – Shiva, Brahma, and Vishnu
10th – Shiva Nataraja
17th – Hanuman
24th – Easter Celebration Class
May – Tantra
1st – Matsyendra
8th – Uma the All Mother (Mothers Day Class)
15th – Tantic Philosophy
22nd – History of Tantric Shaivism
29th – JFK/Memorial Day Class
June – Divine Consciousness
5th – The Big “S” Self
12th – Shri (Beauty/Diversity)
19th – Satya (Truth/Fathers Day Class)
26th – Swatantrya (Freedom)
July – Shakti
3rd – Moksha (Liberation/Independence Day)
10th – Kali, Shiva, and Raktabija
17th – Spanda (Dynamic Pulsation)
24th – Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutations)
31st – Invocation/Chanting
August – Grace
7th – sub (Family Celebration)
14th – Opening to Grace
21st – Flowing with Grace
28th – Mudras
September – Attitude, Alignment, Action
4th – The Three A’s
11th – Seva (Service)
18th – TBD
25th – Acknowledging Goddesses
October – Halloween Stories
2nd – Ganesh
9th – Yama
16th – Shiva
23rd – Kali
30th – Halloween Class
November – Bhagavad Gita
6th – Samskaras
13th – Krishna
20th – Arjuna
27th – The Gita
December – TBD
2nd – sub (Family Celebration)
9th – Foundation & Intentions
16th – MLK Tribute
23rd – sub (Family Celebration)
30th – Shiva/Shakti: Finding Balanced Action
February – Balance
6th – The 5 Yamas/Square Breath Pranayama
13th – sub (Family Celebration)
20th – sub (John Friend in SF)
27th – TBD
March – Goddesses
6th – Lakshmi
13th – Parvati
20th – Durga
27th – Shiva Ardhanarishvara
April – Shiva
3rd – Shiva, Brahma, and Vishnu
10th – Shiva Nataraja
17th – Hanuman
24th – Easter Celebration Class
May – Tantra
1st – Matsyendra
8th – Uma the All Mother (Mothers Day Class)
15th – Tantic Philosophy
22nd – History of Tantric Shaivism
29th – JFK/Memorial Day Class
June – Divine Consciousness
5th – The Big “S” Self
12th – Shri (Beauty/Diversity)
19th – Satya (Truth/Fathers Day Class)
26th – Swatantrya (Freedom)
July – Shakti
3rd – Moksha (Liberation/Independence Day)
10th – Kali, Shiva, and Raktabija
17th – Spanda (Dynamic Pulsation)
24th – Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutations)
31st – Invocation/Chanting
August – Grace
7th – sub (Family Celebration)
14th – Opening to Grace
21st – Flowing with Grace
28th – Mudras
September – Attitude, Alignment, Action
4th – The Three A’s
11th – Seva (Service)
18th – TBD
25th – Acknowledging Goddesses
October – Halloween Stories
2nd – Ganesh
9th – Yama
16th – Shiva
23rd – Kali
30th – Halloween Class
November – Bhagavad Gita
6th – Samskaras
13th – Krishna
20th – Arjuna
27th – The Gita
December – TBD
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