Zephyr Yoga Podcast Zephyr Wildman

Asana is the third limb to the eight limb path of Yoga according to the Yoga Sutras. Asana is associated with ascetic austerities that are practiced to result in the state of mind being stilled and awakened. In Yoga Sutra 2.46 it states, to practice Asana you just need two things, Sthira – Steadiness and Sukham – Comfort. Patanjali’s purpose of asana was to be steady and comfortable in the posture to meditate. Any posture. 
The next suggestion was from Yoga Sutra 2.47 which states how to master Asana. Be in a posture where there is structural integrity and a sense of ease. Then create effort by meditating on something specific, becoming more effortless. Pointing the practitioner to train the mind to rest it’s awareness on something, leading it to stillness. Stillness is the goal of the activity of practicing Yoga-Asana, stated in Yoga Sutra 1.2 Citta Vritti Nirodha, stilling the fluctuations of the mind to then enter the state of Yoga. Hatha Yogis figured out that if you created activity on the levels of the body, energy and mind, it increases one’s access to stillness, quietude and being motionless. So create effort to become effortless!
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To read more and to practice with Zephyr Wildman, click here. 
To support Zephyr Yoga Podcast, donate here.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

5th Niyama is Isvara Pranidhana complete surrender to the God head of your understanding. To have complete faith in the guiding and protective power of absolute reality behind all life and manifestation. Whatever is omnipresent, omniscient and omnipotent. Yoga is not a religion, however a ‘Spiritual’ practice.
The teachings suggests we surrender our fruits of our actions, give all of our self over to this Grace that we entrust in and we stay open to what life has to offer. Starting thinking about what you are trying to control, be powerful over? Person, place or thing? Kids, finances, relationships, work outcomes…Or better yet, what would you like to let go of? Fear, anger, envy, resentments…
Vyasa one of the commenters of the Yoga Sutras, stated that a mind that is disturbed, distracted and stupefied is not fit for reaching Samadhi. It is only reachable by Yogis who have cultivated a one-pointed and complete still mind, Nirodha. In our focused, diligent practice (Abhyasa) we refine our awareness (Viveka) to observe what arises, discerning our choices in practice. Vairagya is a practice of letting go of sensory observation, training the mind to detach from what arises, distracts or motivates the activity of the mind that prevents it from stillness. This becomes a repetition of mind to practice the art of surrendering that which doesn’t serve the practitioner in their pursuit of attaining the state of Yoga.
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This practice we will focus on the 4th Niyama, Svadhyaya: Self-study, self- inquiry, it is to observe the self, understand it and self-reflect on it. It is the study by and of oneself, along side of the study of spiritual scripture and teachings. Reading, listening and reciting mantras. Through repetition we learn, deepening the knowledge and opening to true wisdom.
Sva means own or self. Dhyaya means lesson, practice, teaching. The word literally means ‘placing it within your own’ or ‘own- ing’ the lesson, the teaching own the lesson as you focus on what is arising right here and now.
In practice we take it all in, whatever arises in our field of experience. Welcoming it all as teachers, make the understanding and experience your own, place yourself within it. This is where your light of intelligence (Prajna), discernment (Vikeka) and your intuitive wisdom (Buddhi) gathered insight into what is arising in practice in the form of thought, emotions and sensations.
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This practice is focusing on the 3rd Niyama; Tapas – Yogic Austerity. Tapas means heat of positive change. This is said to be the earliest term for the ‘austerity of Yoga’ and the endeavours of the practitioners. Tap means to burn or glow, it includes the element of fire (Agni) that is also said to be the essential element to create life, to heal, to inspire and to transform. Agni is seen to be the sacrificial fire that reintegrates what has been contaminated by being human – life experiences, judgements, bias, our opinions, our ignorance that makes us forget what we truly are and limits us to who we think we are. Tapas refers to inner heat, the desire that leads to ecstatic and creative states, so pointing the Yogi to something positive. 
Tapas usually involves having healthy boundaries with others and ourselves (Brahmacharya) and control of your senses (Indriya Jaya) through physical acts of austerity, concentration and mediation. The results are that the Yogi is left strong, filled with vitality (Bala, Virya) and it states that they are radiantly heavenly (Jyotish) they have an aura that is beamingly resplendent (Tejas).
So why do Tapas, well to fulfil our Vedic goals of life, these are the Purusarthas; Dharma, Artha, Kama, Moksha.
To read more and to practice with Zephyr Wildman, click here. 
To support Zephyr Yoga Podcast, donate here.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

To read more and to practice with Zephyr Wildman, click here. 
To support Zephyr Yoga Podcast, donate here.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.