My L5 and The 8 Limbs of Yoga

by Betsy

As I lie here with an ice pack under my L5 vertebrae, resting on the third day in of my bulging disc attack, I know that this is the only thing that would have stopped my forward motion. I have always been way out ahead of my body, planning and doing and creating. I am afraid that it is my MO to drive my body into the ground by overworking it. I know it is important to listen to my body and while I do hear it, I don’t always heed it’s advice. 

My body finally said “STOP!” with an exclamation point! Not next week but NOW! 

This particular injury stems from an injury I sustained to my knee when I fell off a cliff 25 years ago. Three knee surgeries later, my body is a bit imbalanced. One side is quite a bit stronger and I am prone to favoring that side, in the way that I stand, and walk and even present myself to the world. Once I saw a dog running down the street almost sideways, leading with one side of his body, and I recognized myself in him immediately. I am in a bit of a twist always, presenting my stronger side first, so, like the dog, I am a bit sideways also. 

Through all of this I have been able to sustain a deep physical yoga practice, in spite of my limitations or maybe even because of them. My practice has always been the foundation that helps me get through emotional turbulence and physical trials and tribulations. It has helped me remain calm, balanced, and at peace. I have been told by my Chiropractor that I cannot practice yoga at all for at least 2 weeks. 

At first I was traumatized but, I think what my chiropractor meant was, that I could not practice the physical part of yoga, or the asana. There are actually 8 limbs to yoga, only one of those limbs is the physical practice. It will be challenging, but I can still practice yoga, at least 7 out of the 8 limbs. The word Ashtanga , means eight Limbs and these eight limbs act as guidelines for living a life full of purpose and meaning. Here are the eight limbs…..

Yamas

This first limb is about our behavior and how we conduct ourselves out in the world. The five yamas are…

1) Ahimsa – non-violence

2) Satya – Truthfulness

3) Asteya - non-stealing

4) Bramacharya – self-restraint, esp. as it relates to sexual conduct

5) Aparigraha – non-covetousness

Niyamas

This second limb is about our own self discipline and spiritual observances

The five Niyamas are….

1. Sauca – cleanliness / purity / positive thinking
2. Samtosa – contentedness
3. Tapas – Heat/Cleansing Spriritual austerities
4. Svadyaya – Self study
5. Ishvarapranidani – self surrender

Asanas

This third limb is the postures themselves, the physical practice of yoga

which gives us discipline and keeps us focused and can help us be ready for

meditation.

Pranayama

This fourth limb is translated to mean life force extension. It is the use and

control of the breath, the prana , the life force. The breathing techniques

help us to realize the connection between the breath, the body and the

mind. It rejuvenates the body but it is also thought by yogis that it can

extend your life.

Pratyahara

This fifth limb means to withdraw from the senses. It is really about moving inward and bringing our awareness away from the external world. That withdrawl helps us see

ourselves a little bit better.

Dharana

This sixth limb means concentration and focus. All these limbs lead into each other Pratyahara helps prepare us for Dharana which hlps prepare us for meditation which comes next. We can begin to focus our attention at a single point.

Dhyana

This seventh limb means Meditation or Contemplation. And the Dhyana leads us to Samadhi whih comes next.

Samadhi

This eighth limb means a state of ecstasy, nirvana, bliss, enlightenment. This state can not be achieved by anything external, it is within us, our consciousness itself. And it can not be possessed. It can only be experienced.

So as you can see, there is much that can be practiced from a prone position. Amoung other things, I definitely will be practicing Sauca which is purity especially as it relates to thinking. .ie. positive thinking. It will require plenty of that as my hours in this bed start adding up.

Bhakti: Expression of Love and Devotion: Perfect for Valentine’s Day

by Betsy

Once you get past the whole idea of this Hallmark Card Holiday,

Valentine’s Day is actually kinda cool. It truly is a celebration of

Love. It is Bhakti Personified. Bhakti is the pure expression of Love and

Devotion. Strip away the idea of specific kinds of love and open it up to

the idea of Universal Love. Try to be a little warmer to people in all your

communications today. Let yourself be generous and compassionate to

yourself and others too! Open yourself up to the idea of receiving and

giving Love!

When it comes to your yoga practice, do a heart opening practice starting

with a mantra that is great for the 4^th Chakra, or Anahata Chakra. The 4^th

chakra governs the heart. The seed sound of the chakra is Yam,

pronounced almost like the sound Yum, which is a delicious sound to

chant over and over again to stimulate the awakening of the 4^th

chakra. Chant "Yam, Yam, Yam..." 108 times.

Balancing your 4th chakra promotes the healing of emotional

wounds and helps one let go of old issues of grief and loss, emotional

heaviness, sadness, despair and depression, and finally feelings of

being unloved or unlovable. So, linger a little longer in your Upward Facing

Dog, engaging your shoulders down the back body. Do some crescent

Moons, which are great to open and lift the chest. Reach your arms up

and lean back to find lift and opening in the heart. Ustrasana, or camel

pose is amazing too, focus on lifting up through the upper back to open

the chest. You can also lie down on the floor for a full wheel, or Urdhva

Dhanurasana. Build it from the ground up with your hands on either

side of your ears. Root down into hands and feet equally keeping your

feet parallel and rise up onto the crown of your head to prepare. From

there you can begin to straighten your arms and press the earth away to

lift all the way up into your wheel. End up with a supported Supta Baddha

Konasana (also called Reclined Goddess Pose) with a bolster under

the back for supreme heart opening. This feels amazing and also is such a

receptive position. Colour visualization can be very healing, using the

colour green which is the colour of the heart. Poetry is inspiring, especially

the poetry of the bhakti poets, Rumi and Hafiz to warm your heart at

Valentine’s day. Read it yourself or read it to someone you love. Here is

one of my favorite Rumi poems and Hafiz too.…….

THE LUTE WILL BEG 

 Hafiz

  

You need to become a pen

In the Sun´s hand.

 

We need for the earth to sing

Through our pores and eyes.

 

The body will again become restless

Until your soul paints all its beauty

Upon the sky.

 

Don´t tell me, dear ones,

That what Hafiz says is not true,

 

For when the heart tastes its glorious destiny

And you awake to our constant need

for your love

 

God´s lute will beg

For your hands.

An Excerpt from “Dance In Your Blood” 

 Rumi

Inside water, a waterwheel turns

and a star circulates with the moon.

We live in this night ocean wondering,

“What are these lights”

A secret turning in us

Makes the whole universe turn

Head unaware of feet, feet head

Neither cares, they just keep on turning.

This moment that this love comes to rest in me

Many beings in one being

In one wheat grain, a thousand sheaf stacks

In a needle’s eye a turning night of stars

Keep on walking, though there’s nowhere to get to.

Don’t try to see through the distances

That’s not for human beings.

Move within, but don’t move the way fear makes you move.

Some nights stay up until dawn

As the moon sometimes does for the sun.

Be a full bucket pulled up the dark way of a well

And then lifted into the light.

I am so small, I can hardly be seen

How can this great love be inside me

Look at your eyes, they are so small

And yet they see enormous things.