To Be In Awe

Awe is all around us. With a little intentionality, we can reclaim our sense of wonder in the everyday, ordinary moments of life. Perhaps awe, while an ordinary response to the extraordinary, is also an extraordinary response to the ordinary.

Dot Fisher Smith:
 To Be In Awe – WISDOM from a 96 year old

What gives you a sense of awe? You might imagine standing on a wide-open plain with a storm approaching, or holding the tiny finger of a newborn baby. That word, awe – the feeling of being in the presence of something vast that transcends your understanding of the world – is often associated with the extraordinary. But you don’t need remarkable circumstances to encounter awe. You can find it every day, often in the humblest places. Staring up at a starry sky; looking at a sculpture that makes you shudder; listening to a medley of instruments joining into one complex, spine-tingling melody – those experiences remind us that we’re part of something that will exist long after us. Luckily, we don’t need to wait until we stumble upon it – we can seek it out. Awe is all around us. With a little intentionality, we can reclaim our sense of wonder in the everyday, ordinary moments of life. Perhaps awe, while an ordinary response to the extraordinary, is also an extraordinary response to the ordinary. Featuring Dot Fisher-Smith. Filmed in Ashland, Oregon, USA.

The First Step on the Path to Self-Realization

THE YAMAS OF PATANJALI: The First Step on the Path to Self-Realization

“Yama” in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras represents the foundation of yogic ethics, providing a framework for cultivating a compassionate lifestyle that supports the pursuit of spiritual growth and self-realization.

Patanjali’s Ashtanga Yoga (Eight) Limbs of Yoga

We all want Samadhi. We all want Bliss. But the very first step that will guaranatee us those high states, we vehemently avoid, or at least try our best to ignore. Every change we want to see in the world, we must first perfect within ourselves. What Patanjali wanted of each Yogi, was not being “nice” and speak the truth and not hurt others, but he wanted us to develop and awaken Power through the Yamas. Are you ready for that?

In Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, Yama (Sanskrit: यम) refers to the first of the eight limbs of classical yoga, also known as Ashtanga Yoga. Yama consists of five ethical restraints or abstinences, which serve as the foundation for a yogic lifestyle. These restraints are essential for cultivating inner awareness, self-discipline, and spiritual growth.

The five Yamas, as outlined in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, are:

  1. Ahiṃsā (Non-violence): Refraining from harming or causing suffering to oneself or others, physically, verbally, or mentally.
  2. Satya (Truthfulness): Speaking truthfully and honestly, without deceit or falsehood.
  3. Asteya (Non-stealing): Refraining from taking what is not given, including material possessions, ideas, or opportunities.
  4. Brahmacarya (Moderation un the use of the Senses): Practicing sexual restraint and moderation, and avoiding exploitation or harm to others.
  5. Aparigraha (Non-covetousness or Non-possessiveness): Letting go of attachment to material possessions, desires, and outcomes, and cultivating a sense of detachment and inner freedom.

These Yamas are not mere moral codes, but rather a means to purify the mind and prepare it for deeper states of consciousness. By observing these restraints, one can:

  • Cultivate self-awareness and introspection
  • Develop emotional intelligence and empathy
  • Purify the mind and emotions
  • Prepare for the practice of meditation and concentration
  • Attain a sense of inner peace and liberation

In summary, Yama in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras represents the foundation of yogic ethics, providing a framework for cultivating a virtuous and compassionate lifestyle that supports the pursuit of spiritual growth and self-realization.

How can journaling help us with Yamas?

Thoughts disentangle themselves, passing over lips and
through pencil tips.

Michael Hyatt on Journalling

How can journalling help us with Yamas?

Unprocessed, undigested thoughts and emotions are the root cause underlying the physical manifestations of what we know as trauma, mental illness and also physical illness according to Eastern teachings. Enabling the release and expression of suppressed emotions is the start to healing. Journaling is a very powerful tool in enabling such expression and hence, initiating the healing process.

Madame Guyon on Rest Before God

Madame Guyon_ Attentive Silence as a Counterpractice for a Digital Age

https://vimeo.com/413667921

Now do you understand what Silence is, it is being Still, ceasing your efforts to make things happen…no sooner do the bodily eyes close, than the soul is wrapped in prayer… it is amazing that so great a blessing enjoys an internal converse
which external matters cannot interrupt.

Madame Guyon, Christian Mystic

Christian mystic Jeanne Guyon’s devotional posture centered on what some call the inward way, or the “prayer of silence,” a means of communicating with God in humility, inward simplicity, and contemplation. Her situation was couched in a context that was quite different from ours, exacerbated by ruling authorities that were skeptical of any ideas that did not strictly conform to traditional thought. Guyon was able to break the bonds of her captivity through perseverance in the spiritual practice of attentive silence. Christians and others in the digital age can enjoy similar freedom from the temptations, injustices, and distractions that may hold them captive when use of mobile media is tempered by attentive silence and the goods discovered in a place of solitude. The attentive silence of Guyon helped her develop a holy listening that is much needed in our busy world of words.

By Michel Aubert/ Élisabeth Sophie Chéron – Bibliothèque nationale de France, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=38404886

Roland Trujillo reads and discusses On Rest in the context of Spiritual Progress. Roland talks about stillness and detachment and how meditation helps the sincere seeker find this blessed state. The Universal language of silence wherein GOD is equated as “Being in Presence” Being in the present moment, being aware, being out of thought and being timeless. Mindfulness practices are also talked about from the context of the digital aga an dhow relevant Guyons work is todays stressed demographics.

Christan mystics “controversial” for their engagement with this kind of prayer of silence to silence in silence – quietutde

Minutes 0-5 Reverence of silence in daily life – respect, humility, listening, Guyon found her strength and resilience in silence – in jail and unto death

Minute 31:Powerful rendering of yoga, silence and strength.

A beautiful sharing after the video clips” Patrick sharing : silence dissipated a conflicted parking situation – no ego to take the blows when he simply decided to listen to the other, steeped in anger – allowing its full expression simply took it to rest and resolution. Emily shared the power of listening – not personlizxing – just listening
“I remembered the importance of remembering our interconnectedness – who is fighting with whom – no words needed – there is no one other than parts of “me”.

The Practical Aspects of Preparing for Formal Sitting Meditation

Yama and Niyama from the Yoga sutras remind us of what not to do – Yama (stealing, being violent, being greedy, speakin untruth) and what conditions help – Niyama (like cleanliness – personal hygiene and a clean peaceful space to sit in, willingness for self study). The importance of a comfortable yet attentive physical sitting posture (asana) with head neck and spine aligned and a check in with our body parts including the placement of our tongue at the back of our top teeth, our geza or closed eye position, the position of our legs, crossed or not, etc; Pranayama – mindfulness of our breathing, Pratyahara: checking in and bringing to rest, out 5 senses, Dharana (one pointed concentration to pull in our fragmented mind under the lens of awareness, Dhyana and Samadhi. Amidst the latter stages would be the remembering of foundation of meditation as we entered the resting space of silence wherein the strong foundation is ever present…awareness of awareness.

Remembering the Foundations of Meditation:
 Ānapānasmṛti ≈ mindfulness of inhaling and exhaling
– Vipaśyanā ≈ insight
– Maitrī ≈ loving-kindness
– Vicāra ≈ inquiry—Michael Johnson, Meditation and Yoga—
 


5 Common Obstacles to Meditation

The Buddhist tradition notes five main obstacles during meditation. These challenges distract the meditator from the meditation technique.

These hindrances sidetrack the mind away from present moment awareness, preventing relaxation and concentration.

If these obstacles disrupt meditation ongoingly, the long-term meditator may have trouble cultivating the deeper states of compassion, insight, and wisdom that meditation can provide. Quite bothersome and disadvantageous! 

The five common obstacles to meditation include:

  1. Grasping, craving, or desire: daydreaming, craving sweets, thinking about vacations, sensual desires. The mind is distracted by images, visualizations, and cravings for things that are pleasant.
  2. Aversion or ill-will: judgmental mind, inner critic, not wanting to meditate, general agitation, feeling annoyed by others. The mind is distracted by thoughts and feelings about things that are unpleasant.
  3. Restlessness: fidgeting with alignment and props, restless body, itching, scratching, busy mind, planning mind, making mental lists.  The mind is distracted by constant motion and has trouble remaining still and present.
  4. Sloth or torpor: sleepiness, tiredness, lack of motivation, foggy headedness, trouble focusing, sluggish body, slouching. The mind is distracted by lethargy or grogginess and has trouble remaining alert.
  5. Doubt: skepticism, uncertainty, cynicism, wondering whether one is “doing it right,” worry about whether meditation is valuable. The mind is distracted by apprehension and has trouble remaining committed and present.

Which hindrances have you faced recently? Though we tend to encounter the same hindrance again and again, it’s common to bump up against each one at some point. Though it’s difficult to completely eliminate the hindrances, knowing which one(s) distracts you from meditation most often is helpful for reducing its occurrence in the future.

Elevated Doshas and the 5 Obstacles

See how similar these obstacles are are to the elevated or vitiated states of Ayurveda’s three doshas. Here are some common irritations that arise when the doshas are agitated:

  • Vata: scattered mind, feeling spacey, restlessness, fidgety body, difficulty focusing, inconsistency, fear, nervousness, ungroundedness.
  • Pitta: frustration, anger, aggressiveness, aversion, ill-will, overthinking, criticism, judgmental mind, hot headedness.
  • Kapha: lack of motivation, sluggishness, sleepiness, lethargy, foggy headedness, lack of clarity, obstinance.

Notice how similar this list of elevated doshas is to the list of meditation hindrances?

When the doshas are elevated, they contribute to the meditation obstacles—blocking or veiling the natural sattvic state of mind that supports meditation. When out of balance, the doshas play a part in triggering or escalating the five hindrances. 

This is important to note, as dosha-balancing diet, lifestyle, and self-care techniques can radically enrich your meditation practice by reducing the hindrances and boosting a state of sattva.

  • Sattva: clarity, balance, harmony, ease, order, inner calm. This peaceful mind state supports insight and awakening.
  • Rajas: over-stimulated, frenzied, restlessness, spinning, moving too fast, hyperactivity. When disturbed, rajas puts the mind in a hectic, turbulent, overexcited state.
  • Tamas: inertia, apathy, torpor, destructiveness, lethargy, laziness. When disturbed, tamas puts the mind in a dull, ignorant, idle state.

See how similar elevated rajas and tamas are to the meditation hindrances?

Extra rajas can directly lead to craving, ill-will, and restlessness. Likewise, extra tamas can directly lead to sloth, torpor, and doubt. To cultivate a consistent and deep meditation practice, Ayurveda encourages reducing excess rajas and tamas, while actively boosting sattva.

How to Enhance Your Meditation with Ayurveda

The meditation path is meant to help us awaken to our own true nature, recognize our interconnectedness, and see clearly into the true nature of reality. Unfortunately, the hindrances are real roadblocks to that awakening—especially when meditators get stuck in a rut repeatedly wrestling with the hindrances.

Although it’s tough to fully overcome the hindrances, it is beneficial to investigate and work with the hindrances when they arise, as that builds mindful awareness, self-regulation, and presence. 

When the doshas and gunas are harmonized, the body-mind tends to experience more ease, balance, and harmony.

So, by reducing the hindrances with appropriate diet, lifestyle practices, and Ayurvedic self-care techniques, meditators have a substantially better chance of sitting comfortably, relaxing, committing to the meditation technique of choice, and enhancing concentration—thereby boosting clarity, compassion, insight, and wisdom. 
This is an excerpt from Banyen Botanicals publishings.

Read more here

What is Kapha?

Kapha is principally a combination of Earth and
Water and is the energy that forms the body’s structure, and
provides the “glue” or cohesion that holds the cells together.
Kapha supplies the water for all bodily parts and systems. It
lubricates joints, moisturizes the skin and maintains immunity. In
balance, kapha is expressed as love, calmness, and forgiveness.
Out of balance, it leads to attachment, greed, possessiveness,
and congestive disorders.

—Ayurveda teaching on KAPHA (Dr. Lad explains)-

Kapha is one of the three doshas—energetic forces of nature that compose the universe and everything in it. Considered the most “grounded” of the doshas, kapha shares qualities with the elements of water and earth, providing the body with stability and grace. Personality-wise, kapha characteristics include compassion, calmness, and resilience. (Also, many people seek out kapha-types as friends due to their loyal dispositions and tendency to give great hugs!) Excess kapha can cause the body, mind, and emotions to feel heavy, bogged down, or stuck in a routine. A kapha imbalance can happen to anyone, regardless of their Ayurvedic constitution or body type.

❀ Think you might have a kapha imbalance or want to discover your dosha? Take this quiz: http://bit.ly/banyan-take-the-quiz

❀ Learn more about doshas on this website: https://www.banyanbotanicals.com/pages/ayurvedic-vata-pitta-and-kapha

Check out the other videos from this series:

❀ What Are the Doshas?    • What Are the Doshas? | Ayurveda Expla…   

❀ What Is Vata?    • What Is Vata? | Ayurveda Explained   

❀ What Is Pitta?    • What Is Pitta? | Ayurveda Explained   

❀ What Is Kapha?    • What Is Kapha? | Ayurveda Explained   

Ayurveda teaching on KAPHA (Dr. Lad explains)

Kapha is principally a combination of Earth and Water and is the energy that forms the body’s structure, and provides the “glue” or cohesion that holds the cells together. Kapha supplies the water for all bodily parts and systems. It lubricates joints, moisturizes the skin and maintains immunity. In balance, kapha is expressed as love, calmness, and forgiveness. Out of balance, it leads to attachment, greed, possessiveness,
and congestive disorders.

Ayurveda teaching on Kapha

What Is Pitta? | Ayurveda Explained

When fire and water combine, they create steam. Fire is hot, mobile and sharp and water is liquid and “oily. These are “pitta” qualities known to govern the workings of your body and mind. “Pitta” helps metabolize your food and metabolize your emotions as well as your experiences and thoughts. When pitta is in balance, one has a keen intellect, balanced emotions and a natural proclivity for
problem solving. 

—Ayurveda teaching on Pitta—
 
Let’s talk about pitta. In Ayurveda, pitta is one of the three doshas—energetic forces of nature that make up the universe and everything in it, including us! Pitta aligns with the elements of fire and water. It governs the digestion of food, thoughts, and emotions. When it comes to personality, pitta characteristics include a keen intellect, strong metabolism, and a big appetite for adventure. Excess pitta can cause the body, mind, and emotions to feel overheated. This type of imbalance can happen to anyone, regardless of their Ayurvedic constitution or body type.

In this video, we’ll dive deeper into what pitta means, what throws pitta out of balance, and how to identify the pitta dosha in your environment, in yourself, and in others.

❀ Think you might have a pitta imbalance or want to discover your dosha? Take tthis quiz: http://bit.ly/banyan-take-the-quiz
❀ Learn more about pitta on our website: http://bit.ly/banyan-all-about-pitta 

Check out the other videos from this series:
❀ What Are the Doshas?    • What Are the Doshas? | Ayurveda Expla…   
❀ What Is Vata?    • What Is Vata? | Ayurveda Explained   
❀ What Is Kapha?    • What Is Kapha? | Ayurveda Explained   

Ancient Knowledge Of Sri Anandamayi Ma

In recognizing the eternal unconditioned awareness that is our true self, we unlock the door to the infinite, the eternal, the divine, the very essence of timeless teachings…in doing so, we may just discover the boundless wisdom that is our own fundamental nature waiting to be unveiled.

Anandamayi Maa

Key Principles
1. Inquiry into the nature of the self
2. Embracing the totality of life
3. Awakening of subtle energies
4. Devotion and surrender
5. Living with simplicity and focus

Other quotes:
“This body has lived with father, mother, husband, and all. This body has served the husband, so you may call it a wife. It has prepared dishes for all, so you may call it a cook. It has done all sorts of scrubbing and menial work, so you can call it a servant, but if you look at the thing from another standpoint, you will realize that this body has served none but God, for when I served my father, mother, husband, others, I simply considered them as other manifestations of the eternal, and served them as such. When I sat down to prepare food, I did in spirit of divine service. Hence, I was not quite worldly, though always engaged in household affairs. I had but one ideal to serve all as Pure Awareness, to do everything for the sake of Pure Awareness..”

A history definitely worth watching, of profound awareness we are not normally exposed to (without seeking). Perhaps this is because of her gender and the fact her teachings can lead us to the ultimate freedom that already lies within each of us, under layers of self inflicted and misguided (no matter how well or ill intended) false distractions that lay over the true nature of the path of enlightened living. Consciousness REMAINS as a continuous entity. there is no transformation of consciousness. but only a manifestation of consciousness into several individual units that one calls life & universe. with rigor, one would get to the knowledge that “I am not this body” and “I am not in this world, but the world IS I “, for without my existence of “I”, the world ceases to exist. When one is pure consciousness, there is none to feel the bliss.

Silence is an expression of this universal truth.