My recent yoga teacher training not only upped my knowledge of poses, but also taught me some pretty deep life lessons. In this talk, I share three such lessons: nothing is difficult, a daily practice teaches you to strive, and striving can give life meaning. We also do a little posing by way of illustration.
This talk was presented at Convox 2015.
4. What is Yoga?
Desikachar:
1. To come together, unite (i.e., with the divine)
2. To attain what was previously unattainable, to progress
3. The ability to direct the mind without distraction or
interruption - focus
4. A way to create presence in every action and moment
5. The three practices: 1) asana (poses) & pranayama
(breathing), 2) svadhyaya (self study), 3) love of the
divine & quality of action
5. 3 Realizations 1. Nothing
is
Difficult
3. Striving
can give life
Meaning
2. Daily
Practice
teaches you to
Strive
7. 1. Nothing
is
Difficult
Resistance is
Futile
“Make intelligent direction of energy a
habit and learn to recognize suffering
as the temporary result of
unnecessary resistance, suddenly
everything is easier.” - Yogi Chris
8. ● Warm up
● Utkatasana (Chair)
● Tadasana (Mountain)
○ with Ujjayii & Sama Vritti
● Utkatasana
○ with Ujjayi & Sama Vritti
1. Nothing
is
Difficult
Exercise
Focusing
on the
essential
10. 3 Realizations 1. Nothing
is
Difficult
3. Striving
can give life
Meaning
2. Daily
Practice
teaches you to
Strive
11. 2. Daily Practice
teaches you to
Strive
strive, (v.)
1. make great efforts
to achieve or obtain
something.
2. struggle or fight
vigorously.
== Repeatedly doing
something difficult
with a goal
12. 2. Daily Practice
teaches you to
Strive
practice, (v.)
Repeated exercise in or
performance of an activity
or skill so as to acquire or
maintain proficiency in it.
== Repeatedly doing
something
with a goal
(of proficiency)
13. 2. Daily Practice
teaches you to
Strive
Persistence is
Critical
“It doesn’t matter if you’re
no good at it, as long as
you are at it.” - Yogi Chris
14. 2. Daily Practice
teaches you to
Strive
Every day I _____.
It makes me feel _____ because _____.
This is good/bad for me &
I should/shouldn’t continue to do this daily.
Exercise Building a Better Daily Practice
..weekly...monthly...
30 Day Challenge - 1 per day
15. 3 Realizations 1. Nothing
is
Difficult
3. Striving
can give life
Meaning
2. Daily
Practice
teaches you to
Strive
16. 3. Striving
can give life
Meaning
strive, (v.)
Repeatedly doing
something
with a goal
meaning, (n.) important or
worthwhile quality;
purpose
purpose, (n.) intention,
objective, goal
A goal / purpose / intention is a
prerequisite for striving. Striving is a
way to achieve a goal. The questions
are then: what is the goal of life and
how to strive for it?
17. 3. Striving
can give life
Meaning
How to strive:
● Pose - counterpose
● Stretch - retract
● Push - rest
● HIIT - High Intensity
Interval Training
How to strive:
● Every moment, resolve to
be present
● Every day, resolve what
to accomplish that day
● Every year, set goals for
the year
“Setting Your Intention”
18. 3. Striving
can give life
Meaning
What to strive for (to give life meaning/goal):
● something to do with the art of living
● something you have control over
● something that will take your whole life - unattainable
● something that can be repeatedly broken down into
subgoals that are attainable
19. 3. Striving
can give life
Meaning
What to strive for (according to Yoga):
Discover your best, true Self - Unite with the Divine
● Body
○ Pure eating, sleeping, cleansing, breathing (ayurveda)
○ Strength (asana)
● Mind - Steadiness, Calm (meditation), Dissolution of ego
● Energy - Balanced, Directed towards self-realization
20. 3. Striving
can give life
Meaning
“The art of living consists of
expanding our perception
of who we are to meet the
reality of who we actually
are, by...”
Existence can
be Meaningful
“probing in each direction
in turn, recognizing when
we've gone too far, &
stepping back to the point
of equilibrium at the edge
of our Self.” - Yogi Chris
22. 3. Striving
can give life
Meaning
What to strive for (to give life meaning/goal):
● something to do with the art of living
● something you have control over
● something that will take your whole life - unattainable
● something that can be repeatedly broken down into
subgoals that are attainable
Exercise A Goal for Life
23. 1. Nothing
is
Difficult
3. Striving
can give life
Meaning
2. Daily
Practice
teaches you to
Strive
Persistence is
Critical
Resistance is
Futile
Existence can be
Meaningful
Namaste
26. What is Yoga?
LuVogt:
1. A system for living that encompasses psychology,
morality, spirituality, and physical practices
2. A science based on 1000’s of years of experimentation
into what it means to be a human, and how we can be
the best human possible.
3. Your Optimal Guide to Alignment - aligning your spine,
your intentions, your path to your true Self
27. 1. Nothing
is
Difficult
difficult, (adj.)
1. Requiring considerable
effort or skill; not easy to
do or accomplish.
2. Not easy to endure; full
of hardship or trouble;
trying.
The ability to do something (well)
Strenuous exertion (of energy)
Severe suffering
28. 1. Nothing
is
Difficult
Strenuous exertion (of energy)
● Friction is the biggest energy hog
● Resistance plays the role of
friction in the mental realm
● Therefore, elimination of
resistance, via conscious
direction of energy, will eliminate
unnecessary use of energy
focus
presence - Yoga
29. 1. Nothing
is
Difficult
The ability to do something (well)
● If you can focus, you can
practice, if you practice, you can
improve
● If you have no resistance, you
have no fear of failure, if you
have no fear, you can attempt
anything
30. 1. Nothing
is
Difficult
Severe suffering
● suffering (n.) - pain or anxiety
● Both of these are mental
conditions, brought on by a
refusal to accept the world as it
is - i.e., resistance
31. 3. Striving
can give life
Meaning
strive, (ant.)
neglect, discourage, dissuade, idle, laze, repress, rest,
surrender, yield, forget, skip