20110415 - What has Illuminated my Teaching?

I have chosen the phrase from Light on Life by B.K.S. Iyengar, page 18 “… the path toward spirit lies entirely in the domain of nature.” It supports the philosophy that has been passing down to me, generation after generation through seven thousands of year.

Like B.K.S. Iyengar further explains, “Spirituality is not ethereal and outside nature but accessible and palpable in our very own bodies. Indeed the very idea of a spiritual path is a misnomer.” How can we move toward something that is already by definition everywhere?

In I Ching or Book of Changes, Yin and Yang “is” the ultimate gene for everything in the universe. Universe, the Tai Chi, Tai is Chinese character big with a small dot, meaning, something can either be significant as no external boundary (endless) or insignificant as no internal boundary (endless). Things that can and can’t been seen, the known and unknown.

Universe is Nature. We born from it and will return back to it. There was never a true death as “the gene” has been continuously passing on in an endless succession. Each matters in this universe are here for several roles, but each role are with two responsibilities that are inseparable as body and shadow: to assist (Yin) and to lead(Yang). Yoga practice is a tool to cleanse our body, mind and soul, which enable us see through the truth that we are indeed already in the divinity.

Our role as a teacher as the light, to assist and lead, the light bulb must be polished continuously to allow the light to shine through for Self and the others.

W.H.Y
 
Today's pick, Clarity from 7elements and Yurong from Imperial.

20110413 - Life Cycle

I have been changing my plans, and I've finally decided the following plan for this Sunday.
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Spring is birth and rebirth, both prograssions need lots of energy. Nature wakes Spring from Winter, the awakening process has to start with the right time, right direction and right pace to ensure healthy growth to complete the life cycle.


In Ayurveda Theory, spring is Kapha Dosha. The primary element for Kapha is water then is earth. These two are presenting property of wetness and cold. Chinese believe everything has Yin and Yang, another words, nothing is forever positive and forever negative, because it all depends on several factors including time.

Since I am preparing this theme for the next practice teach and I will be the first one up; my designated starting time will be on or after11am. This is the time to be considered as Pitta Dosha, which primary element is fire. Between 11-1pm is one of two periods our internal body is fully activated with transformations according to TCM (traditional Chinese medicine).

I would like to adopt the advantage from one of the most energized time periods for human body, converting the wet and cold elements from Kapha season into healthy growth energy. Therefore, the next PT is the most appropriate time to practice a representation of life cycle.

Practicing changes from sleeping state/savasana into awakening state/warm-ups including setu bandasana, matsyasana & adho mukka svanasana (birth), next into the blooming state/full expression of virabhadrasana I & ardha namaskar parsvakonasana (growth), then deceleration state /janu sirsasana & pashimotanasana(decaying), and finally deep into sleeping state /savasana(death); meditation with the awareness that this cycle continues.

Meditation: Imaging from a seed, grow into a shrub, tree or blooming into a flower, gradually fading away preparing for the winter, finally surrender to earth ; next life cycle continues.

Today is Clarity.

W.H.Y.