Gunky Funky
  • Blog
  • Projects
  • Writings
    • How and Why I Write
    • Short Quotes
    • Travel Stories >
      • Around the World >
        • Korea
        • Philippines
        • Hong Kong
        • Singapore
        • Retrospective
      • Europe >
        • London Disrupt 2014
        • London 1998 >
          • The Search for Drugs
          • The Ethics of Cities
          • The history of the London Underground
          • A Poem
        • Italy Corsica Amsterdam France
        • Paris in the Spring
      • North America >
        • Yucatan, Mexico
        • Jamiroquai in Mexico
        • Ayahuasca in Costa Rica
        • Fear and Laughter in the Pacific Northwest
        • Burning Flipside >
          • Flipside 2007
          • Flipside 2008
          • Dr Tikis Script
        • Super Bowl XL
      • Morocco 2003
      • Australia 2010
    • Technical Writings >
      • NIME 2013
      • ITT Tech Courses I Taught >
        • Java I
        • Java II
        • Software Application Programming
        • Scripting and Web Authoring
      • Software Development Methodologies
      • Home Wine and Beer Making
    • Book Reviews >
      • The Miracle of Right Thought
      • The Source Field Investigations
      • The God Conspiracy
      • Chinese Health and Healing
    • Show Reviews >
      • Phish
      • Bonnaroo >
        • Bonnaroo I
        • Bonnaroo II
      • Skerik Syncopated Taint
      • Cleveland, Ohio >
        • Galactic 2006 Cleveland
        • Ernie Krivda
        • Medeski Martin and Wood >
          • MMW 2003
          • MMW 8-2005 Cleveland
      • Toast Tour 2009
    • College Musings >
      • Ethics Papers
      • The Story of Cybil and Charlotte
      • Full Circle or Straight Line
  • Music History
  • Infinite Creator

Without Meditation, Yoga is Just Exercise Class

4/14/2015

1 Comment

 
PictureAn awesome yoga teacher of teachers!
This spring, I have been earning a Yoga Teacher Certification from Robin Bruce's course. I am  enamored by this training because it not only focuses on ease, but it also covers all the bases of Yoga. We spend lots of time on meditation, Kundalini, yoga history, the kosha model, energy work, anatomy, savasana, pranayama, and even the business of yoga! Robin recommended I sit in on a lecture from Dr. Ellen Stansell, PhD of Indian Philosophy who lectures at Texas Universities. I was so blown away by her inspiration and my further research that I had to share it with the world!

Most Yoga Studio Poses are Less than 100 Years Old!

PictureThe latest Asana (click to view)
Nowadays, Western Yoga class is based on a branch of yoga called "Hatha Yoga." Almost all of the classes at the gym fall under this category: Yin, Vinyasa, Flow, Bikram, Kundalini, Forrest, etc... All are branches of Hatha, and all are based on bending our body into different positions (called Asanas) anywhere from a pretzel to a log. People are considered 'good' at yoga if they are flexible enough to reach the craziest position, and many are discouraged by yoga because of the limited flexibility of their body. To you, I say, fret not! This is only a modern phenomenon, and it is actually only a small part of Yoga! History shows that doing all of these crazy poses is less than 100 years old! Let me repeat: MOST POSES IN YOGA STUDIOS ARE LESS THAN 100 YEARS OLD! Yes, I was blown away by this fact as well. Let's start at the beginning though, to give you context of how we got here.

The Earliest Mention of the Word "Yoga"

Picture
Just as we thought, Yoga goes back a long way. The earliest written references to the word "Yoga" come from ancient Indian texts written in Sanskrit. During the Bronze Age, a text called Rigveda mentions the word. Nevertheless, it wasn't until about the 5th century BCE with the Upanishads, where we began to get a clearer picture of what Yoga is all about. In this text, Yoga is a word used to describe "meditation practice." Later, The Bhagavad Gita gives a little more meat. In this fantasmic story about Prince Arjuna and his spirit guide, Krishna, we learn about Raja Yoga, the foundation of Hinduism. By this point, Yoga has come to not only incorporate meditation practice, but also the teachings of having a personal relationship with the universe. Nevertheless, there's still no Asana.

Yoga Sutra Introduces The First Asana: Sit

PicturePre-Lotus with elevated knees and a strap to sit up straight
Between 200-400AD, someone put together a book called Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. It takes the idea from the early texts and solidifies the concepts of Raja Yoga. The book outlines eight limbs of Yoga. One of the eight limbs is called 'Asana.' The word is directly translated into 'seat.' The idea is to find a posture suitable for meditation that is stable and comfortable. Your spine should be erect, balanced, and neutral to allow you to meditate in the forest anywhere from 12 to 20 hours per day! Some feel that this is the origin of lotus pose, where we sit cross-legged on the floor. Actually, early yogic art shows us that Asana is not quite at lotus, but a more comfortable position where the knees are elevated. Often, a strap is used to hold the body upright and together. Lotus position is a newer asana than the original.

Asanas to Open Energetic Pathways

Picture
Around 1500, Hatha Yoga Pradipika introduced a few more asanas as it discussed other elements of yoga. These asanas put you in a position to open energetic pathways in the body and stimulate 'shaktipat' - the opening of Kundalini serpent force in all of us. Many are under the impression that asanas were invented to "prepare the body for meditation," but signs are unclear if this was the original intention. Though pranayama and asana can make your body more suitable to sit still, none of the early asanas help your body to sit because, in most of them, you are already sitting! They have a different purpose entirely -- awaken kundalini.

Also, there is a theory that "Asanas were invented by someone spontaneously going into them during meditation." Though, I'm sure this has happened, most of the yoga asanas we use today come from a different, less mystical source.

Modern Yoga is Based on 19th Century British Gymnastics!

PictureIt's fun to do Yoga at the YMCA
In the 1800s, the British colonized India and decided that fitness would be a good thing to teach Indians. Groups like the YMCA came to the country and brought gymnastics as a form of exercise. They drew on asanas from Hutta Yoga Pradipika to develop many of the modern postures we use today. From there, things exploded through the 20th century. A later classic called "Light On Yoga" formally introduced a series of Yoga Asanas in 1966, but today many of these aren't practiced as they are deemed 'too hard' by modern teachers. All along, more and more asanas were invented. Even in the last 10 years, new asanas continue to be invented! Although people give them Sanskrit names, many came from the good ole USA in the 21st century! So, the key factor for the advent of Hatha Yoga is Western Cultural dominance, not ancient tradition! Who knew? Mark Singleton wrote a book about it.

Without the Inner Dimensions, Yoga is Just Physical Exercise!

  What is Real What is Unreal
Modern Western Culture Mind-Independent (physical reality) Mind-Dependent (not physical)
Indian Culture What is Eternal What is not eternal
PictureWho needs reality?
This differentiation about how modern culture views reality versus the ancients is key to understanding the difference in yogic philosophy.

The modern view of reality is based on shared perception of physical reality. As such, except for occasional telepathy or other strange phenomenon, we are limited to physical objects that everyone can perceive. The ancient view is open to individual experience. In this paradigm, the only thing eternal is consciousness; the physical world is transient. Therefore, meditation, introspection, and interpretation are key experiences. When you look at it this way, the two belief systems are almost mutually exclusive! By the ancient view, the things that are deemed as 'real' from a modern perspective are actually the things that fool us to miss what is actually real. The only thing real is your eternal true self. The rest is just transient layers.

Asana is the physical limb of yoga, but there are seven more limbs!

Yama & Niyama: The Ethical and Religious Limbs

Picture
The Yogasutra dedicates one limb to Asana, but two limbs to concepts that I'd call ethics and religious practice.  These limbs are called Yama and Niyama. Needless to say, there's a lot to discuss on the topic of religion and ethics, so I'm saving them for a separate blog, which I will post later. I'm already getting controversial enough in this one by saying that asana is a only a very small part of yoga, so I don't want to lose anyone here...

Pranayama: The Limb of Breath Extension

Picture
Pranayama is the limb of yoga dedicated to breathing. Yoga instructors put a lot of weight into the concept of breathing, but there are countless ways to make breathing itself into a yoga practice without asana. The simplest is to watch your breath as an observer. Other breathing exercises include "breath of fire" and breathing in and out of one nostril to balance prana. Pranayama is a whole field of yoga in and of itself! Based on the fact that the yogasutra dedicated a full limb to pranayama, it  appears to be no less important than asana!

Pratyahara: The Limb of Withdrawal

Picture
This is all about discipline of senses. In the West, we consider the five senses: sight, hearing, taste, smell, and touch. The Upanishads define 10 senses, these five plus five more "powers" of walking, grasping, excreting, speech, and sexual intercourse. While the West defines the senses as passive receivers of incoming stimuli, the ancient Indians declared that the senses are active and outgoing. So, the next time your housemate is keeping you up with bellicose laughter as he watches television and you are trying to sleep, always remember that you control how you react to your senses; they do not control you. You have the ability to disregard this stimulation entirely, and you also have the ability to acknowledge it but not judge it, such as in Sat Nam Rasayan. The choice is yours, and this is a huge concept of yogic practice that is sometimes overlooked.

The Three Limbs of Meditation

Meditation is so important in yoga that it comprises three of the eight limbs! Each of these limbs is a different level of meditation. What exactly is meditation, you ask? It is simply a "sustained awareness on an object of your choice." That's all! It's no magical mystery! It really is that simple. These are the three limbs of meditation.
  • Dharana (holding, concentration): maintaining awareness on the object of meditation through application of effort
  • Dhyana (meditation): effortless stability of awareness on the object of meditation
  • Samadhi (putting together): experience of oneness with the object of meditation
The best way I can illustrate is through learning a new musical work. When I first sit down to learn a new song for my Jamiroquai tribute band, I am in dharana. It takes me a while to focus on the shifting chord progressions and the notes. Sometimes, my attention drifts and I mess up and drop the rhythm or hit wrong notes. I must concentrate to learn the song. Eventually, I reach dhyana, where I no longer need the sheet music, and I just 'know' the parts. They are committed to muscle memory and I can reproduce them every time. It becomes effortless eventually. Finally, I reach samadhi with the song. At this point, I am totally immersed in it. It is no longer a Jamiroquai song; it is my song. In fact, it is me! I can effortlessly improvise within the structure, and it is totally unconscious. Dhyana and samadhi cannot be forced; they arrive spontaneously through meditation practice.

Asana is Still Awesome! (and it's pronounced Awe-sana)

PictureMadonnasana Pose
Although asana is only one of the 8 limbs of yoga, and today's Hatha Yoga is more European than Indian, it still has its place in the yoga world. Though meditation is the only thing that can deeply transform your mind, asana can deeply transform your body. Have you seen how fit most yoga instructors are? Nevertheless, it is important to bring meditation into your asana practice. As you move, focus your attention on your movement and on your position. You can make a meditation practice out of Hatha yoga with a sustained awareness on your body. As a yoga teacher, always have your students focus on something during the movement! Tell them what to focus on! Also, it is important for us to break the idea that you must sit in a specific posture to properly meditate. You can just as easily maintain your awareness on the object of your choice while sitting on the couch or lying in savasana. Now you know the history of yoga and the eight limbs! Go practice!

1 Comment
Gerald Cook link
12/23/2020 12:26:22 pm

Thanks for this blog post

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    RSS Feed

    Russ

    Spin the World Around

      Contact Me

    Submit

    Categories

    All
    Ahaucha
    Airbnb
    Alaska
    Alto Sax
    Amazon
    And Fire
    Android
    Aparigraha
    Around The World
    Around The World Travel
    Asana
    Asia
    Asteya
    Astral Projection
    Audiotrip
    Austin
    Austin Silent Disco
    Authority
    Ayahuasca
    Ayahusca
    Baritone Sax
    Best Travel Blog
    Bhagavad Gita
    Bikram Yoga
    Binaural Beats
    Bitches
    Boulder
    Bramacharya
    Budget Travel
    Burning Flipside
    Burning Man
    Cajun
    Caning
    Caribbean
    Celtic Cross
    Central America
    Cheltenham
    Chicken Adobo
    China
    Chinese Food
    Christmas
    Cleansing
    Colorado
    Columbia
    Conspiracy Theory
    Coronavirus
    Corona Virus
    Costa Rica
    Couchsurfing
    Covid-19
    Crazy Dance
    Create Your Reality
    Daejeon
    Dave Brubeck
    Debate
    Denali
    Dharana
    Dhyana
    Dim Sum
    Disco
    Dmt
    Double Sax
    Dr. Tiki
    Earth
    Editing
    Emperador Light
    Empire Of The Sun
    Ethics
    Europe
    Facebook
    False Dichotomy
    Fantasy
    Fela
    Fela Kuti
    Flikr
    Flipside
    Fluoride
    Food Courts
    Forgetting
    Free
    Free Will
    Funky
    Galactic Signature
    Gangnam Style
    Girdwood
    Goenka
    Groceries
    Guided Meditation Treks
    Guru
    Gymnastics
    Hatha Yoga
    Headphone Concert
    HEB
    Higher Self
    Hinduism
    Holiday Lettings
    Honey White
    Hong Kong
    Imgr
    Incline
    Inside Job
    Instagram
    Ios
    Ishvarapranidhana
    Jamiroquai
    Japan
    Java
    Javascript
    Jazzfest
    Job Search
    Jp Sears
    Judgement
    Juice Cleanse
    Jungle
    Kali Uchis
    Karma
    King Crimson
    King Super 20
    King Zephyr
    Kiss And Tell
    Korea
    Kundalini
    Labels
    Lamma Island
    Later
    Latin America
    Law Of One
    London
    Lucid Dreaming
    Manifestation
    Mark Sandman
    Materialism
    Mattress
    Meditation
    Melting Pot
    Memoir
    Memorial Day Weekend
    Mexico
    Michael Jackson
    Middle East
    Mindful Travel
    Mobile Clubbing
    Monterrey
    Montreux Jazz
    Morals
    Morphine
    Mrt
    Music
    Music Is A Meditation
    Music Tutorial
    Nacpan Beach
    Napsan Beach
    Nature Sounds
    Neurolinguistic Programming
    New Age
    New Interfaces For Musical Expression
    Nice Jazz Festival
    Nime
    Niyama
    Octopus Card
    Okcupid
    Old Flavours
    Oppression
    Out Of Body Experience
    Palawan
    Personal Growth
    Peru
    Philippines
    Photographs
    Photojournalism
    Piano Tutorial
    Pintrest
    Pittsburgh
    Platform
    Podcast
    Pranayama
    Pratyahara
    Prince Karma
    Psychedelics
    Puerto Princessa
    Pyropolis
    Quarantine
    Racism
    Reddit
    Reincarnation
    Religion
    Retreat
    Right Thought
    Rigveda
    Samadhi
    Sanskrit
    Santosha
    Satya
    Savasana
    Saxophone
    Saxophonics
    Science
    Seoul
    Sex
    Shaman
    Sheet Music
    Silent Disco
    Singapore
    Singapore Sling
    Singlish
    Skerik
    Sleep
    Smart Phone Development
    Smartphone Travel
    Social Network Platform
    Software Development
    Soju
    South America
    South Korea
    Spin The World Around
    Spirituality
    Startup
    Steelers
    Steemit
    St Lucia Jazz
    Supermarket
    Svadhyaya
    Swift
    Synervoz
    Take Five
    Talk Radio
    Tapas
    Tarot
    Techcrunch
    Telepatia
    Tenor Sax
    Tensorflow
    Texas
    They Live
    Tinder
    Topo Chico
    Travel Blog
    Travel Book
    Travel Guide
    Travel Hacking
    Travel Technology
    Tripadvisor
    Tripping Balls
    Trip Review
    Truth
    Tsa
    Tumblr
    Turkey
    Turnmeup
    Twitter
    Upanishads
    Urban Mattress
    Video Blog
    Vipassana
    Vomiting
    Waterfalls
    Wawa
    White Supremacy
    Whole Foods
    Wind
    Writing
    Xchox
    Yama
    Ymca
    Yoga
    Yogasutra
    Zombie

    Archives

    June 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    August 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    October 2020
    April 2020
    July 2019
    August 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    December 2017
    July 2017
    March 2017
    January 2017
    August 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    July 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    February 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    October 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013

    Copyright (c) 2015 Russell Eric Dobda
Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • Blog
  • Projects
  • Writings
    • How and Why I Write
    • Short Quotes
    • Travel Stories >
      • Around the World >
        • Korea
        • Philippines
        • Hong Kong
        • Singapore
        • Retrospective
      • Europe >
        • London Disrupt 2014
        • London 1998 >
          • The Search for Drugs
          • The Ethics of Cities
          • The history of the London Underground
          • A Poem
        • Italy Corsica Amsterdam France
        • Paris in the Spring
      • North America >
        • Yucatan, Mexico
        • Jamiroquai in Mexico
        • Ayahuasca in Costa Rica
        • Fear and Laughter in the Pacific Northwest
        • Burning Flipside >
          • Flipside 2007
          • Flipside 2008
          • Dr Tikis Script
        • Super Bowl XL
      • Morocco 2003
      • Australia 2010
    • Technical Writings >
      • NIME 2013
      • ITT Tech Courses I Taught >
        • Java I
        • Java II
        • Software Application Programming
        • Scripting and Web Authoring
      • Software Development Methodologies
      • Home Wine and Beer Making
    • Book Reviews >
      • The Miracle of Right Thought
      • The Source Field Investigations
      • The God Conspiracy
      • Chinese Health and Healing
    • Show Reviews >
      • Phish
      • Bonnaroo >
        • Bonnaroo I
        • Bonnaroo II
      • Skerik Syncopated Taint
      • Cleveland, Ohio >
        • Galactic 2006 Cleveland
        • Ernie Krivda
        • Medeski Martin and Wood >
          • MMW 2003
          • MMW 8-2005 Cleveland
      • Toast Tour 2009
    • College Musings >
      • Ethics Papers
      • The Story of Cybil and Charlotte
      • Full Circle or Straight Line
  • Music History
  • Infinite Creator