Beloved Yoga

The One, the Son and The Holy Breath

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Paquette) — Sun, 07 Nov 2010 14:04:00 +0000

My relatedness with contemporary Christianity is complex. My passion for the ancient languages in which original teachings were shared makes modern translations less than inspiring and some more than others. Today I consider the Trinity of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

The One
The Aramaic word that became "Father" in the famed Our Father is Abwoon. This word is a far more expansive word than Father and, in fact, may be characterized as ultimate expansiveness. The One Without a Second is my favorite interpretation. There is not much more that you can say...to even contemplate the One is to be in a state of duality. The individual "thinking" about the whole. That said, contemplation of Abwoon or the Father in the ancient sense (and in my opinion the way Jesus would have meant it) is a spiritual experience in itself. Try it. As a math teacher for a period of time I used to encourage students to contemplate infinity. Think of the biggest number, value or concept you can and then make it bigger and bigger and bigger...see what happens.

The Son
The second aspect of the trinity, the Son is typically personified as Jesus. How could it be interpreted from the standpoint of the Father being the One Without a Second? The Son may be more broadly looked upon as that which has been created from the One? In the ancient teaching of Advaita philosophy or the philosphy of Oneness from ancient Sanskrit, duality is a function of the mind. The same way the moon reflects the light of the sun, the Son is a reflection of the One. Unity is experienced through the filter and conditioning of the mind. When we achieve perfect concentration or single-pointed awareness, the glory of the One becomes known. I interpret Jesus to be a Master who was a perfect reflection of the Oneness of the Father God. He and the Father were One because he was able to transcend duality through spiritual practice and awareness.

The Holy Breath
The final aspect of the Trinity called the Holy Spirit is something I always interpret as the Holy Breath. The ancient word for "spirit" also meant light, breath and vibration. The Father is ultimate reality or Oneness and the Son is the manifestation or reflection of that unity it seems the third aspect would speak to the process through which that manifestation occurs and therefore, the process whereby we may experience the unmanifest Source nature. Contemplate the breath. If you are seeking to understand the nature of reality and of life then pay attention to your breath. Do you really think that with the elegance of the manifested Universe the Truth would be so hidden from view? So hidden that our only hope would be to put our faith into the words of men who have the arrogance to call them the Words of God? No offence to anyone but to hold up the modern-day bible and call it the Word of God is perhaps the most blatent form of blasphemy I can imagine. About the only thing we know unequivocally is that Jesus did not utter one word contained in the bible (actually, there may be two Aramaic words remaining in the entire bible so those are debatable).

The God I know, the indescribable elegance that birthed the Universe would not leave our salvation to the minds of men but rather would make it accessible to all and the path would be ultimately simple. Practice your faith...the ancient Aramaic word for faith meant, "a connection to life". Practice being aware of your breath and you will discover your connection to life, your faith and the grand simplicity of salvation will present itself to you. The Christ is here for you in the space between your thoughts extending perfect Peace and unconditional Love. What are you waiting for?

Steve

Mindfulness and the Brain

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Paquette) — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 10:12:00 +0000

I am very excited to have discovered a new mentor in the field of neuroscience and mindfulness. Dan Siegel is an accomplished psychiatrist and neurobiologist who is helping us understand the connection between Mindfulness Based Practices, including meditation, yoga, tai chi, chi gong, etc. and the brain. I continue to be thrilled to learn how effective our modern science is getting at quantifying the benefits of mindfulness practice.

By engaging in mindfulness practice our brain is encouraged to improve its functions in many different ways. There is a particular area of the brain benefitted by the practice; the middle pre-frontal cortex has nine related functions (The Mindful Brain, Daniel J. Siegel MD). Dan Siegel suggests a simple definition of the mind to be "the process of regulating information and energy flow." He goes on to suggest that these nine functions constitute a comprehensive description of mental health. Over the next few weeks, we will look at several of these functions and how they relate to mindfulness and mental health.

These nine functions include the capacity to regulate fear, express empathy, insight and intuition. They are the building blocks of conscious awareness and mental health. By practicing mindful meditation we enhance these functions and improve our quality of life. Modeling these practices for our children will help the next generation as well.

Take a few deep breaths even now, check in with the body and notice the mind. As you sit and breath with awareness, "pay attention to your intention" in the words of Dan Siegel. Allow all the processes in the mind and body to happen while you sit with an attitude of gratitude.

Be Mindful,

Steve

Spiraling Intentions

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Paquette) — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 10:04:00 +0000

Hello All,

During our yoga class this weekend we did a bit of improvising and introduced a spiraling motion throughout our postures. Energy optimizes itself in the form of a spiral. As nature is supremely efficient we see this form taken in the organization of creative energy all around us. Trees, flowers and plants all unfold themselves as spirals. Entities as large as galaxies and as small as atoms feature spirals in their organization and growth. The devastating power of the tornado is a testament to the possibilities of the spiral. Our minds and bodies are no different.

We used the form of the spiral to achieve two intentions: 1) to expand the range and scope of our physical movement and exercise by rotating the body around a central axis in both directions; 2) at a more subtle level our concentration on the external form of the spiral would improve our ability to visualize and concentrate on the spiraling movement of chi or prana within the mind-body system. I don't know about the others but I certainly felt muscles and connective tissue activated in a deeper way using this technique.

The subject of this blog is not only to discuss the work we do in our Beloved Yoga + Meditation classes but to also seek to apply what we practice in our everyday lives. The spiral is at play all around us. You may have noticed yourself facing similar challenges in your relationships over and over again. The events of our lives seem (atleast to me) to revolve around certain core issues and over time we are able to face similar situations from new vantage points. Perhaps our ability to grow relates to our willingness to expand our frame of reference with each new exposure to these challenges.

As you move through your day look for opportunities to practice a more conscious and less reactive response to life swirling around you. Take a breath and appreciate the play of consciousness unfolding before you and then dive in!

Namaste,

Steve

Everyday Mindfulness

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Paquette) — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 09:47:00 +0000

What is the biggest challenge to remaining mindfully present throughout our day? By now, we all know that awareness is the first (and maybe last) step in the process. Living mindfulness is like living from the inside-out. When we are not aware, we are living from the outside-in, a condition that is reinforced daily by the media and our materialistic culture. The simple truth is that we forget. I forget, you forget.....we all forget at times to be present. Before you know it we are indulging in a desire (or thought) at the expense of someone else and/or the expense of our sense of connectedness and peace.

To quote from the Karate Kid which I saw with my family lastnight, "Doing nothing and stillness are very different". Stillness flows and is continually inspired by a deep sense of presence. "Doing nothing" is inspired by fear and fatigue. The first step in practicing Everyday Mindfulness is awareness. In my experience cultivating an attentiveness to the breath is the most potent and direct path to awareness. Practice bringing your attention again and again to the breath. Relax and be present. In a moment of intensity and reaction, breathe deeply and relax. In a moment of great joy and celebration, relax and breathe. Notice how your breath changes throughout the day, when you retain the breath and when you sigh heavily. Your body speaks to your consciousness through the breath and you communicate through presence...awareness. This takes practice but can most certainly improve your mental, emotional and physical health.

Direct your attention inwards again and again and you may realize a greatness and a gratitude within that will fuel your life expression. Practice being aware of the breath and your shoulders as two points of concentration throughout the day. Sit in silence for five minutes per day, keep it simple and enjoy your Self.

Namaste,

Steve

Stigma from the Inside Out

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Paquette) — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 10:01:00 +0000

I have been working on a project that gives young people the opportunity to learn about photography including composition and digital camera technology. The idea is that we want to give them the chance to express their thoughts and feelings about mental health. They may choose to photograph examples of stresses and tensions in their life and/or they may show the contrast to that and photograph the opposite tract. For most of us, our mental health seems to float between those two extremes. Mindfulness is the practice of witnessing this "oscillation" with 'compassionate presence'.

It is amazing to consider the stigma associated with mental health as compared to our physical health. Consider the simple example of a broken arm versus an experience of stress, anxiety or depression. I will let you explore the contrast for yourself by simply imagining someone (perhaps yourself) walking into school or work with a physical health challenge and then a mental health challenge. The stigma gets even more intense when we talk of chronic mental health issues or mental illness. Stigma involves rejection of an individual or group of individuals based on a social norm. Mindfulness practices can help us become aware of these stigmata (plural of stigma) at play within our own patterns of thinking.

You may have noticed over the course of your time on this earth that it is difficult to "change" anyone. This is why I have always been attracted to Ghandi's famed quote, "Be the change you want to see in the world". The social norms surrounding mental health and what is or is not "acceptable" or conversely is "rejectable" are rooted in the habitual thought patterns of each of us. Look closely at how you reject yourself in small moments throughout the day and week. For example, when you experience feelings of overwhelm, you may find traces of shame associated with feeling that way. Of course, I pick an example that is common in my own life. What examples do you have? When do you "reject" the way you feel or judge yourself to be weak, stupid, or simply bad based on how you are feeling or what you are thinking?

Taking these "snapshots" of your mind will allow you to begin to detach yourself from those judgmental thoughts. You may start to notice a bit more space with which you can observe these thoughts and feelings. That space represents compassion and with practice that space grows and with it your capacity to be compassionate with yourself and consequently with others. Do not expect the thoughts and feelings to go away, in fact, when we speak of mindfulness....EXPECT NOTHING!

Namaste,

Steve

Faith and Patience

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Paquette) — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 13:27:00 +0000

Hello All,

I spent the past week at an international academic conference called Pathways to Resilience and met some amazing people. In one of my interactions our discussion went towards faith and patience being closely related like two sides of the same coin. I could feel a relaxation or de-stressing occur at a deep level in the simple acknowledgment of patience. It is easy to be taken away by ambition and future-orientation. While in that mode tensions accumulate and when we re-prioritize relaxation and patience there is subtle mental and physical healing that takes place.

Take a moment, close your eyes and bring your attention to your breath. Let the tension in your shoulders melt away or fall away like water from the duck's back (just saw a mama duck and her 5 babies walk by). Have you become preoccupied by some thought or plan for the future? Practice patience and faith by allowing a deep sense of trust without needing to know exactly 'how', notice the effect on your body. You may notice a softening or releasing of tension you were not aware of. I had this experience while in Halifax and wanted to share. Tension is insidiously linked to expectation (even those we are not fully conscious of). Let go and allow that tension to be released, this process will allow for greater creativity as space is created in the mind and body for the 'how' to spontaneously appear.

Namaste,

Steve

The Union of a Mind Divided

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Paquette) — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 09:44:00 +0000

It has been awhile since I have posted and it is nice to be back to the computer. Now, from Sandford, Nova Scotia where Heather, Natha and I have moved. The ocean air is deeply appreciated and the ground under our feet feels sacred.

I have been reading a book called, The Wisdom of Insecurity by Alan Watts who was a great philosopher in his own right and did a lot to interpret the teachings of Zen Buddhism and the philosophy of Oneness from yoga. In this book he makes an important point about the mind that is divided between the present moment experience and thinking processes that are rooted in the future and/or past. The integration of this 'divided' mind is a characterization of yoga.

When we practice yoga on the mat we choose to be more aware of sensations in the body while we disengage from cognitive processing or "thinking". This is a big step for most of us and an important one on our path to health through yoga. In his book, Alan Watts takes the notion of sensation much further than I normally would. He regards "sensation" as the perception through all of our senses and reveals the subtle reality that all of what we experience in our field of perception is in fact sensation. What you perceive as "other" is merely sense-inputs interpreted by cognitive process. The mind is split between this sensational experience of the here and now and the mind's unwillingness to remain present. Alan sums it up nicely,

"So long as the mind is split, life is perpetual conflict, tension, frustration and disillusion....But the undivided mind is free from this tension of always trying to stand outside oneself and to be elsewhere than here and now."

Recognizing the tension is the first step to realizing its resolution. Regular practice seems necessary for most of us to return to that sensational moment of now. As you read this take a moment to breathe with greater awareness, to feel the sensations in the body. Be where you are more deeply than a moment ago. Can you feel yourself settling in to the moment? Crossing the Great Divide can happen in a single breath. In fact, it could only happen one breath at a time.

Namaste,

Steve

Yoga for Health & Happiness

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Paquette) — Wed, 05 May 2010 10:25:00 +0000

Hello All,

Well today I get the opportunity to share yoga with some young teenagers at the local Junior High School. I am curious to see how they will receive the practice. I am expecting they will not be familiar with the full scope of yoga but more likely have only been exposed to the physical practices. I feel passionate about broadening our understanding of yoga to include the following basic elements:

1. VALUE SYSTEM
2. RELAXATION
3. CONCENTRATION
4. MEDITATION

These four elements come from the 8 limbs of ashtanga yoga which is the framework for yoga authored by the mysterious Patanjali. It is never a bad idea to explore our value system, subtle violations of our own principles can lead to stress, anxiety and depression. Basic values of honesty and non-violence need to be practiced every day. In our world these things are not always reflected and there may be encouragement for the young and old (and everyone in between) to veer from those values. Politicians, while on the public stage, are just people who often fall in to a trap of breaching basic values as a means to an end. The end, however, does not justify the means and there is a price to pay when we violate our own integrity. Returning again and again to our values will be a guiding light that will inform the decisions we make on a daily basis.

Yoga is a system to support a happy and healthy life. Adhere to your values, learn to relax your body and concentrate your mind and then practice meditation regularly. These things will surely bring health and happiness to your life.

Namaste,

Steve

From Impulsiveness to Mindfulness: Learning from our Children

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Paquette) — Mon, 03 May 2010 10:30:00 +0000

I was speaking to Natha (my 5-year old son) yesterday who continues to be my greatest teacher. He likes to suck his thumb as I did as a child and has a very strong connection with his mom's hair. As soon as she puts bobby pins in her hair he likes to play with her hair and take them out. As he gets older we are making him more aware of this habit and starting to introduce the idea of mindfulness in this context. We spoke as a family about how we have habits or tendencies that we act on and my not even notice we are doing it. Practicing mindfulness is like opening up some space between the habit or tendency and our noticing it. This is simply the process of becoming more conscious. We may still choose the behavior but atleast it is a choice and not something being done entirely without awareness.

It seems that our young people are rarely taught to be aware of their own habits and tendencies. It is a very resiliency skill to be able to notice our own impulsion. The practice of mindfulness is one of noticing our own impulses and then choosing when to indulge them and when to make another choice. My son said with some frustration, " but Daddy I WANT to suck my thumb" and we agreed that was fine but it was important to notice how that felt and even where he felt that "wanting" in his body. Parenting is definitely a work in progress but to share a sense of self-awareness with our children and grand-children may be the greatest gift we can give them. I warn you, however, these young people learn more quickly than we do so once you begin this journey with them we must be willing to accept their tutelage as well. It won't be long before they are reminding you to be mindful in a moment of stress or anxiety. Isn't that perfect! When our children are empowered to be teachers then maybe the teachers can be empowered to be like children.

Namaste,

Steve

Elemental Awareness: As Above, So Below

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Paquette) — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 10:24:00 +0000

My wife, son and I are preparing to relocate to an old country home outside of town in Sandford, Nova Scotia. We have been doing our research in an experiential sense. We have spent time in the woods outside the home, on the ancient rocky beach and in the fields (Yes, the local ticks have introduced themselves to us). Spending time outside as a family has been amazing, it really feels as though Spring has sprung. Getting close to nature may be the best reminder of the simplicity of life that escapes us in our busy days. Most ancient cultures tend to observe life as an interplay of fundamental elements: earth, water, fire, air and ether. In the yogic system we have centers for each element in the body. I have been considering the action or non-action of each of these elements:

EARTH is STABLE like the ROCK

WATER FLOWS DOWNWARD like the RIVER

FIRE RISES UPWARD like the CANDLE FLAME

AIR EXPANDS in all directions (like filling a jar)

ETHER PERVADES all and is the most subtle

As we go through our day today let's notice the interplay of the elements, the natural world is the greatest teacher offering tremendous insight into ourselves as individuals and our relatedness with others. Remember those potent words that come to us from a variety of sources but known as Hermetic Law, "As Above, So Below". By understanding the process of life that we witness in the natural world we will gain insight into our own interiority, into who we are.

Namaste,

Steve
Yogi Jayanta

Step off!

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Paquette) — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 10:48:00 +0000

The sky is bright and blue as Spring is making a comeback here in our beautiful community. The emptiness and expansiveness of the blue sky is similar to the spaciousness of mind that we can cultivate through meditation. Our days are filled and our minds are filled with thoughts of yesterday and tomorrow. As we sit for meditation we simply observe those same thoughts and step off the wheel. You know the little wheel the hamster runs around? In meditation we step off that wheel. The wheel is the story that you are running about your life, the complaints, the regrets, the thoughts of revenge. The wheel is still there, the mechanisms of the mind, the old thought patterns and habits are still there but something else manifests. A vacuum is created as we "step off" and drawn into the space of the vaccuum is a deep sense of peace. When do you experience deep peace in your life? I bet you know how often you experience its opposite. Peace is not a luxury to be felt by the unencumbered but rather the very foundation of health, the proverbial fountain of youth. Find a way to experience peace every single day and if you do a little peace inventory and find your life wanting then get to yoga class and take back what only you can give away.

We will have yoga at the boathouse tonight with Claudette as I am traveling today. She may not want me to say this but Claudette radiates peace in a way that is deep and rare. She will guide you to move your body with awareness and with the intention of peace; to strengthen and to lengthen the body within the embrace of peace; to contract your muscles and relax your muscles with the attitude of peace and finally to relax deeply your mind and body so that you may realize peace to the very core....AS the very core of who you are.

I read a quote the other day that said, "Tension is who you think you are while relaxation is who you really are."

Namaste,

Steve

Take a God's Eye View

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Paquette) — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 10:15:00 +0000

So many of us use the term "unconditional" when referring to the Divine, the Source, the God of your understanding. We have "faith" there is a Being out there who loves us unconditionally. Ironically, many faiths talk of an unconditionally loving God and then immediately impose limits on whom that God will unfold its unconditionally loving attitude. The practice of mindfulness is like "trying on" an unconditionally loving attitude.

Sit comfortably straight, pay attention to the breath and observe thought, emotion and sensation without judgement.

This could be the entire manual on mindfulness meditation. Volumes and volumes continue to be written on this ultimately simply subject and I am no exception. Our minds go to great lengths to avoid simplicity in favor of complexity.

Give yourself the gift of simplicity and practice being non-judgemental with yourself. There is a ripple-effect that will touch your spouse, children, co-workers, friends and family; even random strangers will recognize that simple presence when it is present. Try taking a God's eye view and attune your mind and heart to unconditional love. Just try it for a few breaths every day.

Namaste,

Steve

Buddha's Gift of Mindfulness

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Paquette) — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 10:09:00 +0000

Yesterday was celebrated by many as Buddha's birthday and in honor of the Awakened One I thought we could reflect on a verse of the Dhammapada.

"The mind is very hard to perceive, extremely subtle and wanders at will.

Let the wise person guard it; a guarded mind is conducive to happiness."

The mind is hard to perceive because it is the instrument of perception, it is extremely subtle in the face of the denseness of our attention and focus and it wanders faster than we are able to witness. How then, can we guard it? A guard is attentive, watchful, single-pointed. The guard holds the needs of another as supreme to their own. Be the guard of the mind today. Watch it closely. Notice the thoughts arising in reaction to the events you are perceiving throughout the day. Notice the effect of thoughts on your emotional nature. Sometimes you will not be present to the thought that triggers the emotional response, these are opportunities to root out the source which lie in our own pain and attachment.

I try to hesitate before blaming another for these reactions. This can be harder at some times than others and harder with some people than others. Usually we do not want to see the pain that lies at the heart of our reactions and the ego will do almost anything to scramble out of the way of that awareness. We practice being present on the yoga mat and on the meditation cushion so that we may cultivate the strength of presence that will allow us to remain steadfast in that trigger moment when our buttons get pushed. We practice being the guard so that we are protected from ourselves as are those around us protected from our reactive tendencies.

Be mindful this day, do one thing at a time and take it to completion. It is Friday and the end of the week so let us work with awareness and intention. I think of my desk which carries the residue of a busy week and will be mindful as I resolve things that have been left unresolved. Resolution is an effect of mindfulness and mindfulness may have never been articulated as beautifully and passionately by anyone as it was by the Awakened One, the Buddha. Thank You!

Namaste,

Steve

Yogi Jayanta

Look for the Hook: Build Strength and Stability

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Paquette) — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 10:25:00 +0000

Hello All,

As the new season unfolds itself and the earth's creative potential transforms into new green growth it is a perfect time to bring our attention down to the earth. Too often we spend our days moving from the neck up as though our entirety is contained in the head. By bringing our attention down to the feet, legs and core we access a strength and stability that flows to every part of our life. One way to do this in our yoga practice is through something my Teacher called hooking. This is where we actively hook one part of the body into the earth exerting a force that is directed into the floor and towards the core.

A simple way to understand hooking is to place your hands on your knees or thighs while sitting in a chair and press the palms downward and simultaneously pull back towards the center of the body. You will feel your core muscles engage and even some heat generated. For me, this is a central practice of yoga postures and can be applied to any yoga style. You may remind yourself from time to time during the day to "hook-in" to the earth gripping the ground with your feet and legs. No show need be made but your attention will be brought to the earth and the qualities of strength and stability will be realized.

We will practice hooking in our postures this evening at the Milo Boathouse in Yarmouth and then we will work on the mental equivalent in our meditation practice afterwards. Bring this powerful concept into your yoga practice wherever you may be and observe the deepening that occurs. Let me know how it goes.

Namaste,

Steve

Yogi Jayanta

Posture from the Ground Up

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Paquette) — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 09:00:00 +0000

Being a "yoga teacher" is tricky business because when your role is to help guide people into a more intimate relationship with their bodies you quickly realize that your own process is one that never ends. In my own practice I am getting back to some basics in terms of alignment and structure. We often forget as we move into a posture trying to replicate what we see the teacher doing to begin with our feet. As a student you tend to watch the posture from the top down but as practitioners we must build the posture FEET FIRST. During your day today and during yoga try to pay special attention to your foot placement. Engage with the earth through the souls of your feet.

As I was playing with my son I noticed some tension in my lower back. I adjusted my posture and began applying force through my feet so that my leg muscles (start with thighs then add calves and hamstrings) were strong and active. I immediately noticed two things happen; my abdominal muscles became active and the tension in my lower back disappeared. Whether walking to the water cooler or chasing a toddler try to do it FEET FIRST and notice the difference.

Walk with gratitude today and be aware of the earth beneath you feet.

Namaste,

Steve
Yogi Jayanta

The Mad Rush in the Morning

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Paquette) — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 11:35:00 +0000

I can't help but wonder where Mindfulness plays into the "Mad Rush" in the morning that is the norm across our culture and so many places in the world. It is interesting to note that we associate the word 'mad' with the word rush. How many people start their day rushing to work, to the daycare, to school, to a meeting, to the gym, to a yoga class to wherever? RUSH, RUSH, RUSH. My son is the first to call it like he sees it, "I don't like to rush, Daddy. I don't like to rush through lunch to get to the playground and I don't like to rush to school in the morning."

It occurs to me that noone likes to rush and yet we all do it so somehow we do like the rush. That rush of adrenaline when you are late is not unlike the rush we get from a thrilling adventure. We, as a culture, are addicted to the rush. Whether rushing for a meeting or the emotional rush from a recreational activity or the rush of a fight or argument. Something about the RUSH makes us feel alive. So much so, in fact, that when we are not rushing we are typically talking about our last rush or planning for our next rush. Weekends are a rush, vacations are a rush, entertainment is a rush and everything else is....blah.

Our lives are characterized by the peaks and valleys, by the rush and the blah. Mindfulness is the practice of awareness of life itself. As we practice being aware of life happening things tend to slow down a bit. The gap between the rush and the blah gets smaller. The rush still happens but we notice it from the inside out and the blah still happens but we get to experience that as it happens. CBC has a great title with "As it Happens" how about we try atleast amidst the rush and the blah to be aware AS IT HAPPENS.

Life will always have its ups and downs, its rushes and its blahs. Perhaps in the simple act of noticing the peaks and the valleys of life we will come closer to understanding the great essence that is continuously rising and falling.

Namaste,

Steve

Yogi Jayanta

Just Do Your Job, Then Let it Go

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Paquette) — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 10:41:00 +0000

I opened the Tao Te Ching this morning for inspiration for our blog. It is a marvelous book of wisdom that can always cut a path back to the present moment. Here is the quote...

"He who stands on tiptoe doesn't stand firm.

He who rushes ahead doesn't go far.

He who tries to shine dims his own light.

He who defines himself can't know who he really is.

He who clings to his work will create nothing that endures.

If you want to accord with the Tao,

Just do your job, then let go."

A central principle of yoga is vairgya or detachment which is the process of non-identification with roles that we play and thoughts that we have. Two major examples are the attachment we have to our jobs and another would be the attachment that develops to our role as parent.

Kids can be the best teachers of detachment although the older they get the less proficient they become. As parents we are more likely to hold on to an incident where there was a behavioral problem when the child has long since moved beyond it. Children are naturally in the present engaged with their senses and in awe of their surroundings. We can emulate that child-like tendency to be simply here wherever that may be. While engaged in your work give it your full attention, when you arrive at home give that your full attention. Sounds simple....and it is!

Namaste,

Steve

Yogi Jayanta

Spring Cleaning with the SUN

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Paquette) — Sun, 21 Mar 2010 13:00:00 +0000

We have been enjoying some beautiful Spring weather after a long winter. Now is the time of year that we become suddenly motivated to clear and clean our environments. The same is happening on the inside and we carried that theme into a great yoga class yesterday. I have long recognized the connection between yoga, pranic healing and Reiki. During this time of year perhaps more than any other we can benefit from the cleansing practice of Kabalabati or fire-breathing as well as others.

The Fire Breath evokes the solar energy within the third chakra (abdomen) and then drives that energy upwards towards the top of the head. This process not only cleanses the respiratory system but also serves to clear toxins and impurities that are the residue of tension at the psychic level. The Fire Breath can be married with visualization and concentration to perform a type of Spring cleaning within the body.

Reiki, on the other hand, is similar but acts from the outside-in. Rei means "universal, cosmic or solar energy" Ki is the same as chi or prana and is the vital energy within and around the body. Reiki involves a deepened sense of receptivity of this cosmic energy so the individual can serve as a healing instrument of that energy. Both the healer and the one being treated are supported by this energy. While the Reiki initiations do seem to activate a more profound connection with this energy we all have access to this natural healing mechanism.

We will get more into this pranic healing process in our upcoming classes and on this blog. In the mean time enjoy the sun and allow yourself to tune a little more deeply into its life-giving power.

Namaste

Steve

Yogi Jayanta

Mindfulness: Grounding Inequity

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Paquette) — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 10:28:00 +0000

Yesterday's blog, The Tao of Youth Engagement eluded to the inequity of the doctor/patient relationship and how that can create unworthiness or perhaps it is a manifestation of the unworthiness deeply ingrained in our culture. We take such pride in book-learning to the point where simple reality goes unacknowledged. We all need to be mindful...

Teachers be mindful of the genius of every student.

Doctors be mindful of the perfect health at the heart of every patient.

Parents be mindful of the spark of brilliance in every child.

When a professional practices mindfulness, for example, in the medical setting both facilitator and patient are brought to equal ground. You may even describe the process of mindfulness as one of grounding. It is a grounding in consciousness, in awareness. It is the silent celebration of the present moment where thoughts are like clouds passing through a summer sky. These ripples in consciousness are not the object of the moment but a subtle hue in the glorious work of art that is NOW.

To give up, even for a moment, our attachment to higher and lower is relieving. To do it in a setting that has been laden with inequity is transforming. Let you day be one of celebrating simplicity. Imagine everyone you meet is perfect just the way they are and soon you will believe the same about yourself...and that is just a thought.

Namaste,

Steve

Yogi Jayanta

The Tao of Youth Engagement

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Paquette) — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 11:11:00 +0000

You are starting to see, I am sure, this blog follows my life and work. That is a wonderful aspect of writing a blog you get to write what moves you or peaks your interest maybe it comes back to a central theme (like yoga) or maybe it just spins around the central theme of the author's passion. Given the fact that yoga is all about the interconnection of all things I should be able to connect whatever moves me back to the philosophy of Oneness.

I am beginning a new journey in my profession as I work with young people, the latest techniques in supporting youth call for Youth Engagement or a Youth Centered Approach. It is ironic this is an innovative approach essentially it simply means working with youth to identify and solve problems they are facing. The same approach has become popular in mainstream business through client-centered, population-centered or market-centered strategies. This is a very exciting sign that our culture is beginning to celebrate diversity. Here is a quote from the Tao that relates to this topic:

"If you overesteem great men

people become powerless.

If you overvalue possessions,

people begin to steal."

We must all be on guard for the tendency to place one group above another in terms of importance and/or respect. We see it with doctors towering above patients, teachers elevated above students, adults above children. These attitudes are divisive and they breed greed and resentment, unworthiness and dejection. Be present this day with your own preconceptions about others, notice your tendency to judge one human being over another. Is it not the very essence of yoga to seek the spark of Light that is at the heart of every human being. Look for it in yourself, be vigilant it is a noble and life-affirming process. Once discovered you will forever recognize that light in every other human being.

Let's hope we continue to move as a culture towards sharing the table with those we serve with authentic respect for one another.

Namaste,

Steve

Yogi Jayanta

Resiliency and Mindfulness

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Paquette) — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 10:55:00 +0000

Wikipedia has done it again....

I woke up this morning with the word, "resilience" in my head so I played with it for awhile tossing the word against the back drop of my consciousness like a morning game of racquetball. The word had come up for me lately in my health prevention and promotion work as we use it to describe a primary outcome of our work with young people in particular. In our work it relates to the ability of an individual to make positive or healthy decisions in spite of the various risk factors that may be present in their lives. As a parent, to give my son the gift of resilience is a primary goal. That means that no matter what challenges life brings him (and there will be many) he will have a well of self-worth and presence deep enough that he can always come back to his center.

This brings me back to my Wiki-AHAA-pedia moment. It turns out that resilience is an engineering term (it is hazy but coming back to me) that relates to the ability of a material to bend (deform elastically) without breaking. It is interesting to note that it is described in terms of the maximum energy (per unit volume) that can be elastically stored. You can check out the definition for yourself at Wikipedia.

If we map this definition to a human being and retain the energetic connection then our resilience is the maximum amount of energy that we can store (or absorb) without losing our center-point. How then do we increase our resilience or expand our ability to be present with greater and greater stress? Mindfulness.

I am reminded of a powerful moment with my T'ai Chi Master, John Milton...he did several unbelievable demonstrations of the simplicity and power of this ancient martial art. In this moment he had me (and several others) try to push him over as he simply "rooted himself to the earth". At first I sort of "pretended" to push (that is a deep and difficult personal teaching for me) but with his encouragement I really tried to push him off balance with no ability to move him at all. The amazing thing was that when I stopped pushing he remained balanced and still. Normally if you are pushing someone and they are resisting and pushing back when you stop they will continue moving in the direction of their resistance. Not John. He was not resisting me but rather connecting deeply to his center, to the earth.

This is a powerful message as we consider resiliency. I am in a field that is committed to preparing youth to "resist" the inevitable temptation of drugs and alcohol. It seems to me a worthy practice to teach youth to be rooted to their center, a center that is beyond (or beneath) any social or environmental factor. I know of no better practice than mindfulness in all its many forms to help individuals become more established in their center.

Be mindful this day of your center and which moments lead you away from that point of balance. Don't judge yourself, just breathe and gently come back to your center again and again.

Namaste,

Steve

Yogi Jayanta

Mindfulness Based Stress Relief (MBSR)

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Paquette) — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 10:48:00 +0000

Working with yoga + meditation for over ten years has demonstrated to me how potent a tool mindfulness is in addressing the epidemic of stress in our lives. Perhaps I will take a moment to sort out how mindfulness relates to yoga for those new to the blog. I have to credit the growing interest in Buddhism with the proliferation of 'mindfulness' through our culture. Mindfulness is the practice of unconditional awareness of one's perception including thoughts, emotions, feelings and sensations. Most of what we call meditation practice could be called mindfulness meditation. I find the continuous segregation of spiritual disciplines and practices a consequence of our brand-happy culture. Call me a simpleton but as far as I can tell the Buddha was a yogi as sure as Jesus was a Jew.

It is always touchy to bring up religion and especially one's view of religion but if you find yourself reacting to my belief at least be mindful of your reactions.

The point I am trying to make is that mindfulness is an integral part of yoga. Mindfulness is what sets yoga apart from other forms of physical exercise. Yoga without mindfulness is just calisthenics. Now that I am working in Prevention & Health Promotion I have been delighted to discover that 'mindfulness' has made it to the mainstream. There has been a great deal of research into the positive effects of Mindfulness-Based Practices (MBP) on mental health. There is also great evidence that shows how MBP are a great complement to traditional talk therapy in combating addiction.

Now that I have made the leap into the healthcare profession I get to use acronyms like MBSR which is Mindfulness Based Stress Relief. MBSR is the application of MBP's to address stress in our lives. I work with four practices that are inter-related but will be discussed separately in our upcoming blogs:

1. The Body Scan

2. Visualizations

3. Yoga Postures

4. Meditation

Here is an MBP for you to practice right now, wherever you happen to be.

The One-Minute Mindful Foot Scan

Here is a micro-mindfulness practice for those that can not find anyone willing to rub their feet. Sit comfortably and take a few abdominal breaths, relax the body...inhale feel the belly fill and exhale let the belly move towards the spine. Now bring your attention down to both ankles, feel what there is to feel without judgement (remember...unconditional awareness). Now move your attention slowly down the tops of your feet concentrating your attention on only the area of focus. Move towards your big toes and then feel everything you can in the big toes. Next move to the space between the big toe and the one adjacent to it, notice especially where the two toes meet. Do the same thing through each toe until you get to the pinky toe and now move across the ball of the foot at the base of the toes down the sole of the foot towards the heel. Experience the arch of the foot and then all sides of the heel finishing at the ankle again.

Stress....what stress?

Namaste,

Steve

Yogi Jayanta

Yoga+Meditation for Stress: Thought, Belief and the Space Between

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Paquette) — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 11:14:00 +0000

Those who develop a regular yoga+meditation practice soon discover the benefits manifesting in the places they need it most. Initially, the practice takes place on the yoga mat but soon we realize the practice extends far beyond into our relationships, home, school and work. One specific way to take the practice beyond the mat is through Self-Inquiry. Our last blog introduced us into the specific process shared by Byron Katie and known as The Work. Today, we will deepen our understanding of how to use The Work to target the enormous challenge of stress in our lives. There are many examples at the website, www.TheWork.com and they are so well done it seems redundant to repeat them here.

Stress is the result of an unmet expectation. The word "tension" implies there are two points that are at odds with each other. Imagine a rope and you are holding onto to one end; the other end is tied to a stake in the ground. The rope is your thought about how something should be, and the stake is your belief in that thought that is not supported in your reality. Yoga teaches that thoughts aren't the problem but rather our attachments to those thoughts, essentially our beliefs. You may have realized by now that you cannot change people. Ghandi has a great quote that is timeless, "Be the change you want to see in the world". How about, be the change you want to see at work.

For many, the workplace is the greatest source of stress so begin noticing the relationship between thoughts and your beliefs about those thoughts. Apply "The Work" to your beliefs in order to realize, experientially, that these beliefs are not supported by reality. By practicing self-enquiry, yoga and meditation we can become more aware of this connection between thought and belief. Believing every thought that passes through your head is a recipe for stress and suffering. A student once asked a meditation master about the difference between the student's mind and the mind of the master, the Master replied, "thoughts that arise in this mind are like clouds passing through the sky".

Each time you feel the contractions or tightening characteristic of stressful moments, explore the thoughts and your belief about those thoughts that lead to that internal reaction. Practice is the key and withdrawing your expectations of reality in favor of being with your reality. The difference is subtle but profound.

Namaste,

Steve

Yogi Jayanta

From Self-Inquiry to Self-Realization

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Paquette) — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 11:18:00 +0000

The path to Self-Realization, liberation, enlightenment, though seemingly simple is not easy. The ego literally defines itself through separation between self and other. To confront this most basic truth of your persona is to confront death. Considering this during Shavasana or our Corpse Pose at the end of a yoga class may be an avenue towards deepening that experience. The personality need not be eliminated to realize the Self but rather our attachments to the persona or the qualities and characteristics of our life need to be released.

The nature of the mind is to judge, to constantly compare and contrast the incoming information with past thoughts and experiences (memories are thoughts too). This process is continuous. Ramana Maharshi directs us again and again back to the Source of I....Who Am I? Who is the "I" that judges? From where does this sense of I arise? He leads us to the origin of ego in a relentless inwards spiral of awareness fueled by that simple and profound question...Who Am I? The basic challenge and irony of self-inquiry is that the ego-mind is the problem (atleast our attachment to it) and yet it is that same mind that poses the question and contemplates the answer to Who Am I?

Einstein gives a wonderful hint here when he said,

"You can never solve a problem from the same level on which it was created".

It is important to recognize that we are posing the question into our depths looking, listening and anticipating a response from an ever-deepening place and space. We are not asking the question in a mechanical and repetitive way nor are we "thinking" about an answer to the question. Try it in silence and let me know your experience!

Byron Katie gives a little more process to lead us along the path of Self-Realization and she is far less likely to use this term. Byron Katie talks of our ability to be happy, "it is our birthright" she says and provides a framework for self-inquiry that consists of 4 Questions and a Turn Around. I am not an expert in this method called, The Work and encourage anyone who is interested to do their own research and more importantly PRACTICE! The "Little Book", a free download and excerpt from Katie's book, Loving What Is, is a great place to start.

Here are the 4 Questions and the Turn-around:

1. Is it true?

2. Can you absolutely know that it's true?

3. How do you react, what happens, when you believe that thought?

4. Who would you be without the thought?

Turn the thought around (original thought: Paul doesn’t listen to me.)

a) to the opposite (Paul does listen to me.)

b) to the self (I don’t listen to me.)

c) to the other (I don’t listen to Paul.)

And find three specific, genuine examples of how each turnaround is true in your life.

We will continue this exploration in our next blog but I want to remind you that maintaining a physical yoga practice is an important complement to this work and any work that is designed to take you deeper. Releasing tension and toxins through physical movement will help create space that will support your work.

Namaste,

Steve

Yogi Jayanta

"Who Am I?" and the Father of Self-Inquiry

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Paquette) — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 09:58:00 +0000

I wonder how many have taken some time to consider the people and events in their lives that cause them the greatest emotional reactions. These, it will turn out, are your greatest teachers. That may seem like a bit of a stretch but on the path of relentless awareness characterized by self-inquiry everything warrants attention and the work begins and ends within. Your perception is the only thing you can control so that is where the game is won or lost.

The impetus behind self-inquiry is Advaita philosophy or non-dualism; in fact, self-inquiry is like applied non-dualism. The "two" implied by the term duality is everywhere in our lives. In any given moment in your life there is a "you" and an "other"; you are the subject and that which you are perceiving is the object. Duality is the on-going relative reality of subject-object. The suffering in your life is directly related to "the great misperception" of subject and object. The jump from duality to the non-dual perspective where the subject and the object collapse into the state of Oneness or the moment of NOW can seem elusive. Teachers like Eckart Tolle (who I think is awesome, by the way) have done a wonderful job presenting various frameworks for the process of crossing the chasm of duality. Essentially, any process or practice that facilitates the collapse of subject-object is a spiritual practice or yoga.

If Byron Katie is the Mother of Self-Inquiry (in her presence it is clear that she is the Mother) then the great Indian saint, Ramana Maharshi is the Father. He did not provide a detailed architecture of human perception nor did he create a multi-step path leading to the realization of the Oneness that he emanated in his life. Ramana Maharshi's path is the simplest and most direct of all self-inquiring systems. I will let him share his message with you in his words,

"By the inquiry 'Who am I?'.

The thought 'who am I?' will destroy all other thoughts,

and like the stick used for stirring the burning pyre,

it will itself in the end get destroyed.

Then, there will arise Self-realization."

To practice this simplest form of self-inquiry one must simply pose the question, "Who am I?" within their own consciousness. This is not to be repeated mechanically but with an intense longing to discover the very source of the I-consciousness. This practice serves to turn the mind in on itself resulting in a concentrated state of awareness that, if sustained, may lead to liberation from duality or Self-realization. Stay tuned for our next blog, "From self-inquiry to Self-realization". The next time you catch yourself reacting to someone in your life try to be aware of the fact that you are really just reacting to your thought about that person.

Namaste,

Steve

Yogi Jayanta