On Meditation - Dhyana

Meditation is one of the eight limbs in Patanjali's astanga yoga, named dhyana.

In book three of Patanjali's yoga sutras he says:

Y.S. III.2 tatra pratyaya ekatanata dhyanam

As translated by B.K.S. Iyengar in Light on the Yoga Sutras of Pantanjali:

A steady, continuous flow of attention directed towards the same point or region is meditation (dhyana).

Mr. Iyengar says that when one is in dhyana psychological and chronological time comes to a standstill and the mind observes its own behaviour.  Mr. Iyengar also makes clear that one can be in meditation during asana or pranayama also if the attention is steadily maintained.

Namaste.
Pamela Nelson
http://www.plnyoga.vpweb.com/


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On Concentration - Dharana

Concentration is one of the eight limbs in Patanjali's astanga yoga, named dharana.

In book three of Patanjali's yoga sutras he says:

Y.S. III.1 desa bandhah cittasya dharana

As translated by B.K.S. Iyengar in Light on the Yoga Sutras of Pantanjali:

Fixing the consciousness on one point or region is concentration (dharana).

Mr. Iyengar says that dharana means focus of attention, so when one  focuses either on a chosen point or area, within or outside the body, that is concentration.  It is bringing the mind to one focal point.  If focusing on an external object it should be auspicious and associated with purity.  If focusing internally, the mind penetrates to the soul, the core of one's being. 

To get to this point the first five limbs of yoga must be practiced and interwoven together to be able to reach a true state of concentration.

In explaning this sutra Mr. Iyengar says that dharana is the art of reducing the interruptions of the mind and ultimately eliminating them completely, so that the knower and the known become one.

He says concentration can be attained even while doing asana practice, as they not meant to be just external and physical.  He further explains by saying,

"If, in performing an asana, one directs the organs of action and senses of perception towards the mind, and the mind towards the core, the external sadhana is transformed into internal sadhana.  If the limbs, the senses of perception, the mind and the discriminative intelligence are then yoked and fused with the energy of the soul, this becomes the innermost sadhana.  If one performs each asana zealously, fusing with integrated attention the parts of the body, the wandering mind and the discriminative intelligence with the soul, is this not a spiritual practice?"

Namaste.
Pamela Nelson
http://www.plnyoga.vpweb.com/

Action takes Work

To be dull is easy,

to be active requires tremendous work.

-B.K.S. Iyengar

Words of Wisdom - 5

  life without happiness

is mere existence

                                                              -Geeta Iyengar


Namaste.
Pamela Nelson
http://www.plnyoga.vpweb.com/

June - Pose of the Month - Prasarita Padottanasana

Prasarita Padottanasana - Wide-Legged Forward Bend

There are quite a few variations of Prasarita Padottanasana. I have given a few below.  Please be mindful of your own body and only go as far as you are able.  Do not strain. Despite the intense stretch to the back of the legs, this pose is meant to be restful to the body, breath and mind.  Because it has such recuperative benefits this pose is good for depression, anxiety, menopause and menstruation.

1. Restorative Prasarita Padottanasana
Props - 1-2 mats, chair, bolster

If you are practicing on a slippery floor, place one mat lengthwise and the other width wise near the wall,to the end of the first mat centering to make a T.  Place the chair on the mat in front so that it won't slip on you.
Step your feet about 4-5 feet apart and about 1 foot from the wall.  Keep the feet parallel.
Press firmly into the feet and engage the quadriceps by lifting the kneecaps up towards the hips.  Lengthen through the backs of the legs and allow the sitt bones to rest into the wall.
Lengthen the torso, keeping the spine concave and rest the head on the chair or a bolster.
Extend the arms so that the elbows can be clasped above the head.
Keep the abdomen, face, eyes and throat soft.

Using the same information as above this pose can also be done resting the forehead but without the sitt bones resting at the wall.  Keep the tailbone in line with the back of the heels and keep pressing evenly into the feet.

2. Prasarita Padottanasana I
Begin in Tadasana - Mountain pose

With hands on hips, step or jump the feet 4 1/2 - 5 feet apart.

Keep the spine concave and the tailbone in line with the heels by either placing the hands on blocks

or if you can on the floor.  Keep the hands underneath the shoulders.  Press firmly into the hands and feet.  Draw the muscle to the bone and lift up by pressing into the feet and lengthening the back of the legs and keeping the shoulders moving down the back and away from the ears.  The side body and center body lengths evenly with strain on the abdomen, throat or eyes.
It is important to gain ease in the concave back stage and can stop at this point if your legs are feeling alot of strain or you back is starting to round.

Next, keeping the hands shoulder width apart walk then in so that the fingers and toes are in line.

Press firmly into the hands and feet and back remains concave.  The knees continue to lift up, outer thighs roll in slightly, tailbone lifts up, shoulders move down the back and the sternum bone lifts up as in all forward bends.  Don't crunch the back of the neck.

Exhaling, allow the abdomen to soften towards the spine and release down bringing the crown of the head to the floor.  The shoulder, elbow and wrist stay in the same plane and the shoulders still move down the back, not fall toward the floor.

If the head does not easily reach the floor place the crown of the head on a block or bolster.

3. Prasarita Padottanasana II
Following the same general instructions as above first bring hands to reverse Anjali mudra ( hands in namaste behind the back) before releasing down to the floor.  Don't let the chest cave in, keep the shoulders moving back and away from the ears.

The hands can also be kept on the hips.

4. Quick Prasarita Padottanasana
Sometimes, when one feels dull the pose can be done a bit quicker to invigorate the body, mind and breath and then come into the more classical variation of the pose.
Here stepping the feet 4 1/2 - 5 feet apart, pressing the feet and engaging the quadriceps lengthen the arms up inhaling..

Then quickly exhaling bend forward with legs straight reaching between the legs.
Repeat 4-5 times, then come into classical variation.


Benefits:
Helps reduce depression, boost confidence, soothes the brain and sympathetic nervous system.
Also, energizes the heart and lungs, reduces blood pressure and can relieve stress related headaches, migraines and fatigue.
Tones the abdominal organs and can relieve stomach problems by neutralizing stomach acid.
Relieves the lower back and strengthens the knee joint and opens the hip joint.
Helps regulate menstrual flow.

Cautions:
For beginners, don't hold this pose longer then 1 minutes. 
For low blood pressure come up slowly to reduce feeling of dizziness.
Do not compress the neck.


Namaste.
Pamela Nelson
http://www.plnyoga.vpweb.com/

Stages of Disease

Disease is the disturbance in the normal functioning of the body and mind.

Paulette Millis, a Registered Nutritional Consultant writes in her book, Eat Away Illness, that there are five recognized stages that lead to a diseased state.

The first is when the proper nutrients the body requires are not supplied and the body begins to use up any stored reserves left in the body.

The second stages is the development of nutritional deficiencies.  This slows the chemistry of the body, alters it and creates a state where it is no longer functioning properly.

The third is when  symptoms begin to appear, but may not yet be recognized as such.  They may present as physical, emotional or mental symtoms.  At the beginning they could be as simple as an itchy nose or dry skin to irritability and lack of energy or the inability to concentrate.  As the cells become more and more malnourished the immune system also weakens.

The fourth stage is when one usually is experiencing more major symptoms leading to seeing doctors and having tests done to determine what is wrong.  The body is now said to have a disease.

The seriousness of the fifth stage will depend on the amount of damage the body has and whether radical diet and lifestyle changes are made.

In Mr. Iyengar's book, Light on Astanga Yoga, he says the root cause of disease is within us.  It is hidden in our own behaviour, our own habits, our characters, our nature, our mental attitude, whether good or bad, right or wrong. 

He gives an example of chocolate, saying, we like chocolate, we eat and cherish it, but we do not know when it leaves an imprint on our liver, making it sluggish or causing diabetes.  Our own behaviour and character may add fuel to diabetes.

It is only when we become aware of the danger of disease, that we embrace yoga. 
Yoga may help us to begin to question -  which bite may cause an illness? 
It is when our awareness and tuning into what our bodies need and not neccesarily want, that balance will come to the body, mind and breath.

Yoga has a healing effect on the body, mind and spirit – it is holistic healing, stimulating the body’s innate ability to heal itself.  Different asana and pranayama act on the body in different ways, affecting not only the muscles and joints but also the respiratory, digestive and circulatory, nervous, immune, endocrine and reproductive systems.  It balances the subtle energies of the mind and body, calms and steadies the nerves and dramatically reduces physical tension.

Good health means freedom from illness, absence of disease and perfect harmony in the functions of the body and mind. 
(Not so easy to do sometimes!)

In Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra’s II.16, he explains that the practice of yoga enables one to avoid the pains which are yet to come. 
Heyam duhkham anagatam : the pains which are yet to come can be are to be avoided.

So, by choosing yoga today you may prevent pains before they have a chance to begin!

Namaste!
Pamela Nelson
http://www.plnyoga.vpweb.com/