Fresh and juicy conversations on making yoga a part of your daily life
I'm delighted to introduce our first Christchurch yogi, and our first Anusara teacher. Anusara means “flowing with Grace,” “flowing with Nature,” and “following your heart", and it was founded by John Friend in 1997. It's a style of hatha yoga with an uplifting philosophy, epitomized by a "celebration of the heart," that looks for the good in all people and all things. That goodness and that delight shines forth clearly in Katie's answer to the questions below. She may be … [Read more...]
In Buddhist practice, the three jewels of life - or the three refugees - are what you turn to for support, for guidance, and for friendship. These are: The Buddha nature - the ideal or highest spiritual potential that exists within all beings. The Dharma - the teachings of Buddha, or the path one walks in following the teachings. And finally, Sangha - the community of other spiritual folk walking that same path, albeit in their own individual way. While these are Buddhist concepts, … [Read more...]
This was the easiest sadhana (daily spiritual practice) I've done. Simply sitting cross-legged and repeating four lines (in English no less!) over and over. May I be filled with loving-kindness May I be well My I be peaceful and at ease May I be happy I finished yesterday, with a twenty minute meditation. Yet this morning, getting stuck into work, I couldn't wait to do my meditation. So I did. Day 41. This may just be a daily practice for me until... well who knows? … [Read more...]
This practice was inspired by many things. A conversation with friends after a heart-opening Bhakti practice about the nature of the spiritual path. An understanding that opening the body was all very well, but unless the heart also opened, essentially meaningless. A desire to experience more equinimity, more joy, more bliss, more love. And a book called A Path with Heart. … [Read more...]
Perhaps my biggest discovery this year has been the power of sadhana. I started my new years with a Forty Day Sadhana of Sodarshan Chakra Kriya. It took me a bit longer than forty days to finish it, as I missed a day at day 35 and had to start all over again... but boy was it powerful when I finally finished. I was super excited when I started my next sadhana - all about accessing infinite energy and prosperity. Unfortunately, I had to stop that one at Day 15 because I discovered I was … [Read more...]
Is your heart closed, or open? Do you feel yourself as a separate entity, or do you feel yourself to be a part of a whole? Do you see other people in a judgmental, critical way... or do you see them through eyes of love and compassion? If your heart is closed... are you ready to open up to a new way of being? … [Read more...]
