SVADHYAYA - Self Study

In order to move forward, to work towards our goals and to build the life we want, we often have to first look inward. We need to be aware of our thoughts, our actions, and perhaps our inactions. Shying away from these this can be tempting, but can potentially hold us back. The article below discusses one of the yoga Niyamas - Svadhyaya, and how we can work this practice into our daily lives in order to work towards the life we want.

The word itself is made up of Sva, meaning own, self, or the human soul, and Adhyaya, meaning lesson, lecture, or reading, and can imply the practice of studying scriptures, as well as a practice of studying the Self.

‘self’ study and ‘Self’ study….

In many pieces of writing regarding the practice of yoga, when we see the word self written with a small ‘s’, it refers to ourselves in this physical form, our ego, and who we consider ourselves to be on a daily basis. When you read the word ‘Self’ with a capital ‘S’, this is likely to refer to the true self, Atman, or the divine within us.

Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra says: “Study thy self, discover the divine” II.44

It’s probably fair to say that the more we realise what we are not, the closer we come to realising who or what we truly are. By studying ‘the self’ and recognising our habits and thought processes, we realise how much of what we do and think is far from who we really know we are.

When we listen to the ego, we often do things that don’t always align with our true beliefs or intuition. The ‘I’ or small ‘self’ is mostly concerned with survival, which usually entails getting what it wants in all situations, and proving it is indeed ‘the best’ despite what consequences that might have for us. The small self judges, criticises, fears, conditions, doubts and is essentially the cause of the chitta vrittis, or ‘fluctuations of the mind’.

By paying attention to, or ‘studying’ our ‘self’, we become more aware of the things we do that harm us, and also those which serve us and bring us closer to that process of ‘yoking’ or ‘uniting’ with the true Self.

Studying the scriptures

There are thousands of yogic texts containing fascinating, inspiring and transformational writing about the practice of yoga in all its many forms. Some of the most popular and well-known texts which are still studied today include The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, The Bhagavad Gita, and The Hatha Yoga Pradipika.

While it is advised that any sincere and dedicated student of yoga would benefit from reading, studying and reflecting upon these texts, not everyone who practises is going to be able to make time to delve into this ancient wisdom.

If we apply the practice of svadhyaha to our modern-day lives and the situations we’re in right now, ‘studying of the scriptures’ does not strictly have to mean sitting down with a huge copy of The Upanishads or chanting The Vedas; it might mean finding a book or a piece of writing that deepens your own yoga practice. Reading articles online about yoga, or a book which helps us move closer towards ‘Self-realisation’, is also a way of studying. By deepening our own knowledge, understanding and connection to yoga by continuing to read, research, be curious about yoga off the mat, we therefore cultivate our own practice of svadhyaya.

(It’s not enough to just read, though….)

While yes, reading about yoga and all its different aspects is beneficial, it doesn’t make very much difference unless we reflect upon it. When reading something about yogic practice, we can meditate upon how it resonates with us, whether it bears any resemblance to our own experiences, and therefore apply it to our own lives. Having a lot of books and information is one thing, but fully understanding and living what we learn allows our yoga practice to become more a part of our lives.

Svadhyaya on the mat

Studying our habits on the yoga mat can go a long way towards recognising our habits off the mat too. The way in which we practise yoga is actually very reflective of the way we practise life…. and a person’s physical yoga practice often reveals a lot more about them than they may think.

When we’re on the mat, there’s nowhere else to hide. The daily distractions of phones, chores, emails, and TV are no longer there to take our minds away from ourselves. We actually have to pay attention…. This can be a little intimidating at first, and a yoga practice can sometimes reveal more about where our problems are rather than how perfect we are – which as we know, is very good for destroying the ego.

Studying the breath is key

This is usually the first thing we learn when starting a yoga practice. The breath tells us how we are. A short, shallow breath held high up in the chest is often a signal that we’re stressed or worried about something, or that we’re physically pushing ourselves beyond healthy boundaries during the practice. If you notice your breath resembles this, first ask yourself why. Is there a reason to be stressed or worried? And does it matter right now?

Where do you hold tension?

The jaw, forehead, neck, shoulders and upper back are common places we tend to store our fears and worries. When you get to your mat, first become aware of what you can un-do before you begin to ‘do’ anything else. Ask yourself why this tension might be present, and how often does it arise during your practice?

What thoughts are filling your head?

If our time on the mat is the only time we give permission to ourselves to stop, it’s often also the time when our mind decides to unload its millions of whirling thoughts. If you notice your mind becomes especially busy when you come to practice, it’s not a case of ‘blocking out’ thoughts, rather it’s more useful to recognise and acknowledge them for what they are – as this will teach us a lot more about ourselves. Realising what thoughts enter our mind on a regular basis helps us become aware of many other aspects of ourselves.

Watch your thoughts, they become words; watch your words, they become actions; watch your actions, they become habits; watch your habits, they become character; watch your character, for it becomes your destiny. – Author Unknown

Svadhyaya in everyday life

As we’ve mentioned, reading anything which helps deepen your own yoga practice and move closer towards the Self can be a daily practice of svadhyaya – whether it’s ‘studying’ a traditional text, a blog, a book you really resonate with, or a poem.

Svadhyaya in the sense of studying our selves in daily life though, requires us to really take our yoga practice off the mat….

Knowing what we’re doing in each moment requires us to pay attention, but asking the question “why am I doing this?” requires us to be aware and fully present, which is ‘paying attention’ on a whole other level. Questioning our actions is something we may often avoid, as it is usually a catalyst for change, and as humans we don’t often like change….

Again, it comes down to recognising our habits, and discerning between the ones which come largely from an ego-based place, and which ones are the result of listening to our true Self.

The practice of taking a proverbial step back and observing and questioning our actions can eventually allow us to disentangle ourselves from those aspects of our lives that are harmful towards our wellbeing. As with anything worth doing, it isn’t easy, but it’s well worth the effort and dedication.

A Self-study practice

Observe yourself as though you were watching someone else; observe the way you speak to friends and family, the way you react when plans change, the way you hold yourself when walking or sitting, or even just the way in which you get dressed each morning… it all tells the story of who and how we are in this moment.

The practice of svadhyaya requires satya (honesty) in order to view ourselves from an honest standpoint, tapas (discipline) – because taking an honest look at ourselves isn’t always something we like doing…. And ahimsa (non violence) which reminds us to look upon ourselves without judgement or criticism.

“Yoga is the journey of the self, through the self, to the Self” – The Bhagavad Gita’

Article author: Emma Newlyn

Article source: https://www.ekhartyoga.com/articles/philosophy/the-niyamas-svadhyaya-or-self-study

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Heart openers for new beginnings

New beginnings are easier done when we can approach people and situations with an open heart and mind. It is not uncommon for us to build walls over time – learned behaviours and reactions that we have developed as a way to protect ourselves. However, in order to truly build the life we want, we will often have to confront and deal with these defence mechanisms to encourage openness + to invite opportunities in. The article below discusses how heart opening asanas can help you along this journey.

Just as you can practice heart opening in your thoughts and emotions, you can also experience opening the heart space in your physical body.

For many, “opening your heart” implies receptivity to love and intimacy in a romantic relationship ring on the candy and flowers. However, everyone, including single yoga practitioners, can experience heart opening in other kinds of relationships: with caring friends and family members, pets, teachers and mentors, and with our own students.

With deep introspection and honesty, you can also practice heart opening in more challenging situations, such as your relationships with difficult people or those with whom you disagree philosophically or politically. As you visualize and practice opening your heart in your various relationships, you’re learning ahimsa, or compassion, which is number one on the list of yamas and niyamas.

Know Your Physical Heart Space

Just as you can practice heart opening in your thoughts and emotions, you can also experience opening the heart space in your physical body. Your heart resides within the thoracic cavity, which is surrounded by a bony cylinder, the rib cage, comprised of 12 ribs on the right and 12 on the left; your sternum (breastbone) in the front; and the spine in the back. The bones are held together by soft tissues, including muscles large and small; cartilage between the vertebrae in the spine, between the three parts of the sternum, and as part of each rib as it attaches to the sternum; and by ligaments, which join bone to bone. There are ligaments, for example, between each pair of vertebrae, and ligaments holding each rib onto its adjacent vertebrae. Your diaphragm, the dome shaped muscle that separates the heart and lungs above from the digestive and reproductive organs below, forms the floor of the thoracic cavity.

Ideally, the soft tissues supporting the bony cylinder remain resilient for a lifetime, so the cylinder is able to expand freely with each breath and the rib cage doesn’t become a rigid and restrictive container for the heart and lungs. You might picture a stiffened rib cage like armour: The lungs won’t be able to expand completely to receive a deep, full breath; and the rigidity may also limit blood flow to and within the heart. An immovable rib cage is also a limiting factor in Pranayama and many yoga poses, especially twists (which require rotation) and backbends (which require spinal extension), because its rigidity prevents the thoracic spine from moving through its normal range of motion. The lack of thoracic extension in backbends can contribute to lower back and neck pain caused by the lumbar and cervical spine hyperextending (overarching) to compensate for the lack of midback movement.

Conscious work with the breath is one of the best ways to improve rib cage mobility, gently stretch thoracic soft tissues, and open the heart space. Any time people feel threatened, be it by pain, challenge, or pressure to perform, the need to guard or defend oneself usually results in holding the breath or breathing in shallow, erratic patterns. These defensive breath patterns cause muscle tightness in the very areas we’re trying to open, as well as gripping in the upper abdomen, which restricts the normal movement of the diaphragm. By teaching your students to practice slow, gently expansive breathing (while avoiding aggressive action, such as pushing or forcing the breath, which generates more inappropriate muscle tightness), you’ll help them start to break up rib cage rigidity and the armor of tightly gripped chest, back, and abdominal muscles.

Simple Positions to Open the Heart

To avoid setting off guarding mechanisms while practicing breathing that expands the rib cage, it’s best to use simple, pain-free positions. To open the chest and abdomen, a wonderful position is a gentle and supported backbend. Try it while lying over a rolled blanket or towel (use a smaller roll for very tight students), placing the roll crosswise under the thoracic spine (the midback, where the ribs attach) and resting the arms in an open position, with palms up. This position gently expands the front rib cage and upper abdomen with each inhalation. Keep the knees bent and place one to two inches of support under the head to help prevent lumbar and cervical hyperextension.

Simple twists invite expansion of the side ribs. Try lying on your right side, with your knees pulled up toward your chest to create a 90-degree angle at the hips. On an inhalation, open your left arm behind you while turning your head to the left. Don’t let the left arm dangle in mid-air. Place just enough support (a block or blanket) under the left arm so you feel some stretch but no pain in the chest and/or side ribs. If your midback, including the space between the shoulder blades, is tight and flat, practice Balasana (Child’s Pose) with arms overhead or beside your calves. People with stiff spines and hips may not be able to get their heads to the floor and so will need support under the head in this pose. Usually a block or folded blanket under the head provides enough height to support the weight of the head, so the neck muscles can relax.

Whether opening the chest in a supported backbend, the side rib cage in a twist, or the thoracic spine and rib cage in Child’s Pose, talk to yourself or to your students about breath patterns. Invite your inhalation to gradually become a little slower, smoother, and deeper, again avoiding any tension-producing forcefulness. Then bring your awareness to the part of the rib cage you want to open (such as the front ribs in supported backbends and the side ribs in twists). It may help to place a hand on the area so you can feel the expansion from the outside as well as the inside. Let the inhalation gently expand and open the ribs, then relax and surrender to gravity with each exhalation.

Practice breathing in each position for two to three minutes, a few times a week if not every day. You’ll be rewarded with deep relaxation, improved breath awareness, opened heart space, and if you so choose a life-altering practice of ahimsa.

Article source: https://www.yogajournal.com/teach/opening-the-heart/
Article author: Julie Gudmestad

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Tidying your to-do list for mental clarity

Marie Kondo is well known for her life changing methods of tidying and reducing the amount of clutter we have. Whilst decluttering tangible items can have a significant impact on our well-being and modd, so to can decluttering intangible items, such as a to-do list. The article below walks you through the process of managing your to-do list, following the Marie Kondo method. From this, we can hopefully live with more metal clarity and less weight on our minds. Check it out!

Your to-do list should spark joy, not dread.

Your to-do list is an extension of your mind. It’s the spare room where you keep tomorrow’s work tucked away so you can focus on what’s in front of you today.

But just like a spare room, if you don’t regularly tidy up your list, things get cluttered. Instead of being a reliable source of to-dos, it becomes a task in itself to sort through the mess and figure out what to work on next. A tidy task list does more than just improve productivity — it benefits your mental clarity, decision-making, and even your mood.

Taking a cue from Marie Kondo’s excellent The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, you can declutter your task list in the same way she tidies physical belongings: by establishing a few simple, organisational habits.

1. Before you start, visualise your destination

How can you know which tasks are worth doing if you don’t know where you want to go? How will you find the motivation to keep your to-do list clutter-free if you don’t know why you’re decluttering in the first place?

Before touching any clutter, Marie first asks her clients to envision the life they want to achieve by tidying up.

Think in concrete terms so that you can vividly picture what it would be like to live in a clutter-free space.

Or in our case, a clutter-free to-do list. Before you even start looking at your tasks, write down what having a neatly organised and prioritised to-do list would mean for your life. Maybe you want to run a successful business, get in shape, be more present with your family, have closer relationships with friends, or lead a more adventurous life.

Find a medium that lets you truly envision the details. You can describe it in words, mind map it, draw it out, create a Pinterest board, collect Youtube videos, or brainstorm in whatever form suits you.

But don’t stop there. “to prevent rebound you need to move ahead properly, step by step, as you launch into this once-in-a-lifetime event,” Marie says. “Your next step is to identify why you want to live like that.”

Why do you want to get in shape? The answer might be “to have more energy and feel more confident.”  Why do you want to have more energy and feel more confident? Maybe the answer is “to be more fully yourself and stop worrying about what other people think of you.” Ask yourself “why” 3-5 times for every item in your vision. Marie explains the importance of this step to prevent a relapse into messiness:

As you continue to explore the reasons behind your ideal lifestyle, you will come to a simple realisation. The whole point in both discarding and keeping things is to be happy. It may seem obvious, but it is important to experience this realisation for yourself and let it sink into your heart. Before you start tidying, look at the lifestyle you aspire to and ask yourself, “Why do I want to tidy?”

Keep your “why” top-of-mind as you tidy and after by creating a task in your To-do list that represents your final vision. If you have an accompanying document or image, link to it from your task or attach it to your task comments. This is your True North that will help you determine whether a task is worth doing. If you’ve written out an all-encompassing vision, break it down into several goals for each area of your life, and create a task for each.

Use your final goal to keep your tasks aimed in the right direction.

You may want to give your task a recurring due date to review the vision you set out for yourself at the start of each day.

Once you’re clear on why you’re tidying, you’re ready to start tackling the hard decisions of what to keep on your to-do list and what to let go of.

2. Finish discarding first

Think of your task list like a physical space: when it’s crammed with random stuff, it becomes too hard to find the things that you actually need.

Right now, your to-do list may be stuffed with half-baked ideas, empty projects, and tasks you forgot to check off:

Discard first, organise second.

Following Marie’s system, it’s time to do a task inventory.

It’s not just Marie. David Allen, the author of Getting Things Done, believes that organising our life is actually a search for mental space: GTD is “more of a space management system.”

Do a complete task inventory

When Marie Kondo arrives at a house to tidy it up, she begins by kneeling on the floor in the centre of the living room to show respect for all of its belongings. From there, she helps her client begin the journey, considering each and every item in turn.

Take the same approach (kneeling optional) and do a full inventory of all the tasks and projects in your To do list. Depending how cluttered your to-do list is, you may want to dedicate a full day or even a weekend to this endeavour. As Marie says, “Tidy a little bit each day and you’ll be tidying forever.”

Remember, this exercise isn’t just about decluttering your to-do list — it’s about cutting away the nonessential so that the only tasks you have left are the ones that bring you closer to the life you want to live. Marie’s famous standard is “does it spark joy?” If the answer is yes, keep it. If not, get rid of it.

For your to-do list, we recommend a slightly different criterion:

As you do your inventory, ask yourself: Does this task bring me closer to the life I want to live?

If the answer is yes, keep it. It not, delete it from your task list.

You’re going to run into tasks that you want to delete, but let’s face it, grunt work is necessary for any significant achievement. Try reframing the tasks that don’t excite you. While “run every day” may feel like a chore, “try to run a 10-minute mile today” may be a more specific and motivating challenge.

Re-frame tasks in ways that make you remember why you want to do them in the first place.

Even Marie concedes that there are items you have to keep even if they don’t spark joy — like important documents.  For work like taking out the trash or doing your taxes, create a separate project called “responsibilities” and pare it down to the things that, while they don’t bring you joy, you just have to do anyway.

This is a good exercise to check in on and see how much of your to-do list are things you get to do vs things you have to do.

Let things go

You may have a tough time letting go of long-standing tasks on your list. Maybe you always envisioned yourself finishing that home renovation project yourself. Or maybe you don’t want to let go of your novel that hasn’t made it past the first chapter (or page). It can feel like giving up on the version of yourself you wanted to be when you added that task or project in the first place.

Marie explains that even unfinished tasks served a purpose. You’ve clarified what you actually care about and why:

Not every person you meet in life will become a close friend or lover. Some you will find hard to get along with or impossible to like. But these people, too, teach you the precious lesson of who you do like, so that you will appreciate those.

Letting go of old tasks and projects teaches you how to create space for what’s important to you now. As you go through your old tasks, acknowledge that there was a purpose when you added it, but it’s no longer relevant to the life you’re striving for today.

Don’t be afraid to delete tasks that are no longer relevant to the life you want to live.

If you just can’t bring yourself to hit delete on a task and banish it from your life forever, you have the option to save it in a temporary project in to-do list. (Marie would strongly disapprove: “Storage is nothing but a cosmetic solution. You must begin by discarding!” But you should do what works best for you.)

If you’re intent on saving tasks, create a project named “Maybe later” and hide it from view by archiving it. You can always come back and unarchive it later.

3. Give every task a place

Ok, you’ve got the right tasks — now it’s time to sort and organise. Similar to Marie’s rule that every physical item should have its place, every task on your to-do list should have its project. Group your tasks together in ways that are intuitive to you.

For instance, if your goal is to get in shape, you could begin with the “fitness” category and create a project with that name. Find every task related to your goal and move those tasks to the project.

Think of each project as a “room” in the life you want to build.

Repeat this for every category until your to-do list is organised into projects. For tasks that don’t fit into any of the categories you’ve identified as important, ask yourself if it still belongs on your to-do list.

Keep your projects visible

At this point, it’s tempting to start creating a bunch of sub-projects that you can hide from view (like seasonal storage), but Marie advises her clients to keep everything visible all year round. Just as seeing every physical object you own keeps you from accumulating too much stuff, seeing every project you’ve committed to can be a helpful reminder to stay focused on what’s important and not let new tasks and projects clutter up your list.

Sequence your tasks

A great way to stay in the flow of a project is to finish one task and immediately move on to the next. Take the time to sequence your tasks in a logical order before you get to work.

Rearrange tasks by dragging the handlebar to the left of each task (Web, Mac, Windows) or tapping, holding, and dragging (iOS, Android) to the right place on the list. You can do the same thing daily while planning your Today view so that all your tasks due today are in the right order.

Drag and drop your tasks into an order that makes sense for you.

Add priorities

There are some tasks that are more essential to your goal than others. Set task priorities to keep track of which is which. Here’s an example of how to evaluate a task’s priority level:

P1 — Must finish.

P2 — Nice to have.

P3 — Finish if there is time available.

P4 — Unnecessary. These may have snuck in through your task inventory. Delete them now.

Use priority levels to automatically order tasks from most to least important.

Give each task a due date

Finally, set a date to complete each task. A handy tip is to make an estimate for how long a task will take to complete, and then double it. It’s be better to overestimate and finish early than to underestimate and finish late. Give each task a due date and schedule repeating tasks with a recurring due date.

Make sure your to-do list “sparks joy”

Aesthetics affect our mindset. When Marie does her inventory, she shows up dressed to the nines. She has carefully picked out every part of her appearance to suit the needs of the day. She takes the same approach to the space she’s reviewing:

“Imagine what it would be like to have a bookshelf filled only with books that you really love. Isn’t that image spellbinding? For someone who loves books, what greater happiness could there be?”

Give you to-do list a style that will to put you in a positive mindset whenever you check in. To borrow Marie’s signature phrase, make your digital task space “spark joy.” Here are a few tips:

• Write clear, specific, and motivating project and task titles. For example, instead of naming your task “go for a jog”, try “take a morning jog through the forest” or “explore a new running route today”

• Add text formatting and emojis to give them life: “take a morning jog through the forest”

• Use a colour theme that matches your style or mood

• Arrange your projects in an intuitive way

• Continually let go of the projects and tasks that don’t excite you

Your to-do list is ready for action.

4. Change your mindset, then your habits

You’ve revamped your task list to be cleaner, simpler, and more aligned with your goals. But don’t expect the work to be finished overnight.

At this point, Marie has noticed that many people, lose faith — “I’m just a messy person!” But that’s not the case. Being tidy is an acquired mindset, she says.

With your to-do list, this translates to asking that essential question for every new task coming into your list: Does it lead to your vision? If not, discard it on the spot. If the answer is yes, add it to the proper spot on your lists.

Of course, unhelpful tasks are bound to sneak in from time to time. Weed them out with a weekly review so you start each week with a clearly prioritised to-do list. Discard tasks that don’t bring you closer to your goals. Organise the spare tasks that have ended up in your inbox into the right projects. Have certain tasks or projects fallen out of line with your goal? Discard those, too.

Finally, check in on your big picture goals every few months. It’s natural for priorities to shift as you grow and learn more about what tasks and projects truly motivate you.

If your goals change, update your “life vision” task to document and do a mini-inventory to re-tidy your list. Over time, the goals that stand the test of time will be valuable to you, and now you’ll have the tools to achieve them in an organised way.

We spend a lot of time in digital spaces. Luckily, we can take a page from Marie Kondo’s ideas about physical space to keep our digital environment — and by extension, our minds and lives — tidy. It’s not just a productivity boost; in a world of constant interruptions and information overload, healthy organisational habits will help you stay balanced and carve out time for the things that bring you joy, all the while making progress towards what matters to you most.

Article author: Neil Vidyarthi
Article source: https://blog.doist.com/life-changing-magic-tidying-todoist/

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What to expect from a silent meditation retreat

You may have heard of silent retreats, a concept which can seem pretty daunting to some! Removing all stimulus, including talking, in order to meditate for the majority of the day. So, what exactly is involved and why? Meditating even 10 minutes a day can be TOUGH so what are the benefits of an intense deep dive into meditation? Read the article below which details a students first time experience.

I decided to attend a Vipassana 10-day silent meditation retreat in a moment of quiet desperation.

I was 26 and was preparing for the Bar Exam. During that time, I was studying law somewhere around 10 to 14 hours daily although I knew deep inside that I really didn’t want to become a lawyer *let’s not talk about my decision-making process, shall we?*.

As a result, panic attacks slowly started creeping up on me, without anybody noticing. I didn’t see myself practicing Law, yet had accumulated such an amount of debt that changing my field of study at this point seemed financially impossible. I felt stuck. I was under incredible levels of stress.

I was in a bad place, was having silent anxiety attacks, had a broken heart, was left with a big apartment to pay for all by myself and somehow still had to hold everything together and continue to study all day, every day. Not my best year.

Then one day I heard about this silent meditation retreat that lasted 10 days, where man and woman were separated, food was excellent and … was free.

Vipassana had entered my awareness. I knew that it was exactly what I needed. ‘‘This would solve so much of my problems’’ I thought. And so, without giving it much more thought, I decided to skip classes for 2 weeks, reassured my mom who thought I was about to join a cult and packed my bags. Vipassana was calling and I had to go.

So, what is Vipassana?

Vipassana is a word in Pali, an ancient language of India, that means to see things as they really are. Long lost to humanity, this very ancient meditation technique was rediscovered by Gautama Buddha 2 500 years ago and has been passed on from teacher to teacher ever since. The current Vipassana teacher, S.N. Goenka, was born and raised in Burma and who, after studying Vipassana for 14 years went on and taught tens of thousands of people across the world with no regards to religion, culture, age, gender. Although Goenka passed away in 2013, the Vipassana teachings continue. Indeed, today, Vipassana courses, are held at 310 locations in more than 90 countries.

Is vipassana a cult?

Rest assured tribe, contrary to what my mom and friends thought when I first told them I was going to spend 10 days meditating in total silence from dusk till dawn without any distraction nor contact with the exterior world, Vipassana is absolutely not a cult.

It’s non-sectarian as Goenka explained that, "The Buddha never taught a sectarian religion; he taught Dhamma - the way to liberation — which is universal". It’s not an intellectual nor is it a philosophical entertainment. It’s not a rest cure, a holiday, or an opportunity for socializing. And it’s certainly not an escape from the ups and downs of everyday life (as I initially thought, oups !).

Vipassana is just a meditation technique that requires dedication and hard work. You will learn to observe the sensations of your body in the present moment in order to learn how to let go of cravings and aversions to ultimately reach happiness and full liberation. By learning and applying this method, you will learn to purify your mind from old patterns which in return will allow you to face life with a calm and balanced state of mind. Simply put, Vipassana teaches you to be happy. Pretty sweet hu ?

How do you subscribe?

Typically, Vipassana centres are far enough from big cities to not be in a very noisy environment, yet close enough to be accessible.

If you are a beginner at Vipassana, meaning it is your first time, you will have no other choice than to attend the 10-day retreat. Only old student can choose to attend shorter classes because they already learned the technique.

What are the 5 precepts?

During the whole Vipassana 10-days retreat, beginners will have to observe a Code of moral conduct comprised of 5 precepts, which are :

• to abstain from killing any being ;

• to abstain from stealing ;

• to abstain from telling lies ;

• to abstain from all sexual misconduct ;

• to abstain from all intoxicants.

What is the ‘noble silence’?

All Vipassana students will have to follow the rule of ‘Noble Silence’ for the first 9 days of the retreat. The Noble Silence implies the silence of body, speech and mind. That’s right, no talking for 9 days !

You’ll see, it’s like a facelift for your throat. But just know that if you have any questions, preoccupations about technical or material stuff you can always talk to the person in charge of the centre. Same goes for any question you might have about your meditation practice, in which case you can schedule a moment to talk with the teacher.

On the 10th day, you will be allowed to talk again as a way of re-establishing the normal pattern of daily life.

The schedule

Each Vipassana centre is said to have its own schedule of courses. But in my experience, (I attended Vipassana in Canada, Switzerland and Peru) the schedule is pretty much always the same.

The day begins at the sound of a gong at 4:00 am (I know, I know. It sounds horrible, but trust me, it’s not that bad) and ends at the sound of a gong at 9:00 pm. During the day, you meditate somewhere around 11 hours, with regular breaks, lunch (the food is so delicious I still dream about it) rest periods and even time to walk outside.

Also, every day, around 7:00 pm you assist to a videotaped lecture by the Teacher S.N. Goenka. During that teaching you will get information to understand better your meditation practice.

You will also laugh as Goenka is the most adorable men ever. And after a long day of meditation, his smile will do you lots of good.

When I first read about the Vipassana schedule, I was like No way I’m doing that, it’s crazy ! But in reality, I was surprised to see that it was actually easier to wake up at 4 am than my usual waking hour. Plus, this schedule has proved workable and beneficial for hundreds of thousands of students for decades. So, I guess it must be doing something right.

How much does it cost?

Vipassana is free. Yes, free. There are no fees for the course, not even for the food (which is vegetarian and soo delicious), accommodation nor teachings.

The whole experience is based on donations from old students who believe that Vipassana has brought something valuable in their lives and who now want to help somebody else to experience it.

Whenever I attend a Vipassana retreat, I always take a little time to thank the students that have come before me for allowing me to receive this beautiful experience. Without them, there would be no Vipassana.

Should you attend a Vipassana 10-day meditation retreat?

Attending a 10-day silent meditation retreat is something I wish everybody would do. I feel like the world would be such a better place if we all knew about this technique.

For me, Vipassana turned out to be something very different from what I initially thought it would be. During my first retreat, my mind brought me to a very very dark place. And I mean very dark. And while it was a hard moment at the time, I now know that is what I needed to come to the understanding that I am not my mind. I am not my body either. I am so much more. All these tools that I have gained from this experience have helped me to go through life with more equanimity. As a result, this equanimity helped me cope with not passing the bar exam a year later, it helped me with my relationships to others and to myself, it helped me with my anxiety which doesn’t have so much power over me now, it helped me with finding my Self and my purpose. And most of all, it helped me to be happy. And for all of that and so much more, I am forever grateful. So, beautiful tribe, know this, although everybody has a different experience, Vipassana remains hard for all. But it is well worth it and I deeply wish you get to learn this beautiful technique and practice it daily.’

Article sourced from: https://www.thepathprovides.com/blog/what-is-vipassana
Article author: Modern Spirituality

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Why we find it challenging to let go

In traditional meditative practices, "letting go" (also called non-attachment) means coming to terms with the fact that both good things and bad things are a constant in our lives. Life is an accumulation of experiences, causes and conditions which are always shifting and changing forms. After all, one of the only things you can count on in life is change.

When you’re suffering, you have two options for dealing with the difficult situation and emotions it brings up. You can either resist it and wish it to be another way, or you can accept your situation and change the way you feel about it.

Letting go means letting life be by allowing tough feelings to arise, letting them deliver their message and then watching them be replaced by new feelings.

Here I'll explore more about the concept and practice of letting go, and how you can experience your personal freedom in learning to do so.

Letting Go and Accepting

In life, the more we try to control people and situations around us — to push, pull and force things to be as we’d like them to — the worse the situation usually gets. Through introspection, we come to realise that clinging to things we don’t want to give up usually only causes unnecessary suffering and unhappiness.

What are we trying to let go of? Criticism, blaming, fear, competing, people-pleasing, anger, resentment, jealousy and shame are some of the most compelling items on the list. When we trust enough to let things come into our lives at the right time and let them go as they need to, we’re able to find more freedom, peace and comfort.

As the saying goes, "When one door closes, another opens." Letting go and acceptance go hand-in-hand.

With practice, it’s possible to accept ourselves and our lives for what they are, accept other people for who they are and maintain this attitude in each moment.

What Letting Go Is Not

To know why letting go is so important, it helps to understand what letting go isn't and what it won’t do for you. Letting go means practicing acceptance, forgiveness, open-mindedness, patience and remaining realistic throughout the process. But it doesn’t mean giving up or not trying at all. It doesn't mean feeling defeated or hopeless, or allowing others to mistreat you.

Letting go is surrendering and being willing to consciously give up control because you realise that you never really had it in the first place.

Why Letting Go Is So Hard

Ironically, it’s as hard to let go in life when we’re struggling as it is when we’re doing well. Sometimes we can’t let go of what’s familiar, even if it’s destructive or keeping us stuck.

This is because change can be scary.

We don’t like to throw ourselves into unknown territory because we think things might actually get worse. Bad habits persist because their outcomes are predictable. However, fear of change isn’t a good enough reason. It only keeps us feeling stuck, small, fearful and hopeless.

Other times we have a hard time letting go when things are going really well. Clinging is common when we fear letting go of a perceived source of happiness.

The thing is, change and loss are both unavoidable.

Seasons change, relationships end, people age and pass away, companies close, the money runs out and, over time, pleasures lose their ability to keep us happy and engaged. Pretending that we can hold on to material possessions, other people’s attention, power, prestige and youth is an illusion.

Getting Over Clinging, Grasping or Pushing

Meditation is one of the best tools we can practice to learn surrender. It helps remind us to live our lives fully by savouring every moment. It builds our ability to accept the fact that moment-by-moment everything is changing and in flux.

Nothing is permanent.

Bring to mind a difficult situation you’re experiencing and think about what you might be having a hard time letting go of. This might be easy and the situation obvious (you can’t forgive someone or get over the feeling of being let down), or it might take you by surprise. Investigate where in your body you’re tensing, grasping or remaining closed off.

Can you identify which aspects of the situation are causing you the most suffering?

• Are you blaming yourself for past mistakes and can’t forgive yourself?

• Feeling anxious about what’s to come in the future?

• Are you blaming someone else for wrong-doings while failing to consider the conditions they were under?

• Disappointed because things haven’t unfolded like you expected?

Several helpful ideas you can introduce to your meditation practice include: contemplating the end of life and your own mortality, reflecting on causes and conditions, practicing unconditional acceptance and loving-kindness and reciting mantras, which build your trust in the universe.

While it won’t happen overnight, you can learn to be accepting and compassionate with both yourself and others. With time, you can forgive yourself for whatever part you played in the past, as well as forgive anyone else involved. You can let go of fears and expectations about the future, overcoming people-pleasing and being brave enough to face uncertainty.

Make a commitment to letting Go

Letting go is a commitment to stay present in the face of whatever arises.

Change and showing vulnerability can be frightening, but both are easier when you consistently take good care of yourself. (Learn more in Love Yourself Fully: 6 Hacks to Self-Care.)

It’s not easy to let go of expectations, forgive, embrace your own imperfections and experience disappointment.

Show yourself some love during the process of letting go: give yourself massages, take soothing baths, walk outside, spend time at the ocean, write in a journal, dance, run or do yoga.

Practice mindfulness by staying open-minded; allow each moment to bring with it new feelings of hope.

Take stock of what’s around you with fresh eyes.

Remember that happiness comes from going with the natural flow of things, respecting the impermanence of all that life has to offer and embracing whatever unfolds.

Takeaway

Learning to let go allows us the freedom to create space for new outcomes.

Article source: https://www.yogapedia.com/the-freedom-in-letting-go/2/8725
Article author: Jillian Babcock

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The Yoga Yamas and Niyamas in life

The Yamas and Niyamas are an integral part of yoga and can provide a lot of valuable guidance on how to fruitfully navigate life with yourself and others in mind. The article below provides an overview of the Yamas and Niyamas, as well as detailing how they may apply to our day to day lives and how we can use them for reflection or a catalyst for change.

Yoga is a comprehensive system for wellbeing that extends far beyond asana (physical yoga postures); it is literally a way of living. Yoga is designed to bring increased awareness of not only your body but also your thoughts, through various techniques and teachings. Included in these teachings are the ten Yamas & Niyamas, which are foundational to all yogic thought.  

The Yamas (restraints) & Niyamas (observances) may be thought of as moral guidelines that help us move deeper into our own authenticity and can support the leap towards a more meaningful life. The Yamas and Niyamas are the first two limbs of the eight-limbed path, which is a step-by-step path towards the realization of yoga, as described in the ‘Yoga Sutras of Patanjali’. They are the most concrete places to start, as they relate directly to how you behave outwardly in the world and inwardly toward yourself. Incorporating these principals into your life can have a profound effect on your yoga practice and your peace of mind. Rather than trying to integrate them all at once, choose the one or two that resonate the most with you. You may find that by simply focusing on one, the others begin to fall into place.

YAMAS

Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra lists five Yamas, or moral restraints, which apply specifically to how you behave outwardly toward other beings.

Ahimsa (Non-Violence)

Freedom from Harming. Minimise the amount of harm you are causing to yourself and others in thought, word and deed, by becoming aware of the ways in which you may bring suffering to others. Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra says “When you are established in ahimsa (non-harming), others will stop harming you.” You will be a space for gentle love and kindness.

Satya (Truthfulness)

Truthfulness. Before you speak, ask yourself, “Is it true? Is it kind? Is it necessary?” Satya includes right speech and truthful communication, as well as skilful listening. When approached with a piece of gossip, be a discerning listener. When truly practicing satya, one’s words and deeds are all in alignment with one another. Don’t think one thing and then say something else. Being truthful does not necessarily mean being as blunt as possible. Practice ahimsa as well, by telling the truth in the most skilful and constructive way possible.

Asteya (Non-stealing)

Freedom from Stealing. Do not take what doesn’t belong to you. Do not take that which you haven’t earned. This applies to material things, as well as respecting others’ time, energy and hard work. If you’re always showing up for appointments 10 minutes late, you are stealing another’s valuable time. If you take credit for someone else’s idea or hard work, that is not practicing asteya. Asteya also means balance between give and take. For some people, this may mean taking what is needed more often.

Brahmacharya (Moderation)

The yogic path discourages overindulgence in many things, including food and sex. Obsession with these things may cause you to lose touch with what is truly important in life. Brahmacharya is often described as moderation, specifically sensual. In classical yoga, brahmacharya refers specifically to sexual moderation. Never use sexuality to dominate or manipulate another being. Being faithful to your partner would be a form of brahmacharya. Don’t be too hard on yourself, everything in moderation, including moderation.

Aparigraha (Non-hoarding)

Freedom from Grasping. Develop sensitivity to what you really need. Don’t take so much that others don’t have enough. Don’t be possessed by your possessions. As long as you are lusting after the next great thing, you will always have a sense of lack, which leads to suffering and a feeling of separation. If there is something you want, take the necessary steps to make it happen. Let go of your attachment to the outcome.

NIYAMAS

Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra lists five Niyamas, or observances, which apply specifically to how you conduct yourself on a more personal level.

Saucha (Cleanliness)

Cleanliness and purity can be practiced on a number of different levels. A clean environment and living space: clear clutter, keep belongings organized and practice good feng shui. A clean body: clean diet, good hygiene, well kept appearance. A clean mind: consider the amount and the quality of the information you are inputting on a daily basis and be selective about the books and magazines you read, how much time you spend online and what television shows and movies you choose to consume. Clean company: spend time with people who uplift your spirit and inspire you to be your best and set clear boundaries if you have toxic people in your life.

Santosha (Contentment)

Look to yourself and your own innate goodness for happiness; that is the only place you will truly find it. Santosha also means being present. Rather than wishing for things to be different in your life, accept and appreciate the reality of what is. Do you really need things to be different to be happy? Choose to be happy now. Cultivate santosha by making gratitude a daily practice. Notice the moments you are happy, even if they seem to be few and far between. Keep a gratitude journal. Count your blessings. Remind yourself often, “I have enough. I am enough.”

Tapas (Self Discipline)

Transform yourself in the fire of positive change! The term tapas means “heat” and it refers to the discomfort that comes with breaking habitual thought and behavioural patterns to effect positive transformation in your life. If you have ever tried to break a bad habit, you will know that process is often accompanied by physical discomfort. You also recognize that the discomfort is a necessary step toward the change you are seeking. Having tapas is rolling out your yoga mat and doing your practice, even when you’d rather stay home and watch TV and eat chips. It’s pulling an all-nighter to finish an important assignment to the best of your ability. Or holding an uncomfortable yoga pose for those last three difficult breaths because you know it will make you stronger.

Svadhyaya (Self Study)

Be aware of your actions as they are happening. Reflect on them later. Use your reflections to make positive changes to your actions in the future. Taking time to reflect quietly on your day through journaling or contemplation is a wonderful way to practice svadhyaya. Studying of yoga texts and scriptures is also said to be a form of svadhyaya, as you are studying the highest self.

“The person practicing svadhyaya reads his own book of life, at the same time that he writes and revises it.” - B.K.S. Iyengar, Light on Yoga

Isvara-pranidhana (Surrender)

Give your life force energy to something higher than yourself. This is devotion and surrender for the small self to the higher self. We practice isvara-pranidhana every time we dedicate or offer up our yoga practice to someone else. This has a powerful effect on your practice. It creates new sense of purpose when your practice is infused with intention and energy. Isvara-pranidhana also means letting go of doubt and making room for faith.

 
Author: CorePower Yoga blog

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