The Nature of Impermanence

Margaret — Mon, 17 May 2010 23:50:56 +0000

As Buddha said, impermanence is the nature of the human condition. This is a truth we know in our minds but tend to resist in our hearts. Change happens all around us, all the time, yet we long for the predictable, the consistent. We want the reassurance that comes from things remaining the same. Yoga philosophy offers an alternative to these tendencies. It is to embrace the powerful truth: the power of living in the unchanging, eternal present.

We can even look to our yoga mat to watch the attachment pattern play itself out. We often find ourselves attached to a never-ending process of “improvement” in our asanas. They do improve quickly at first—in the beginning, we are on a honeymoon of discovery; we grow by leaps and bounds in ability and understanding. After a couple of decades, however, our poses change much less. Oftentimes, we can no longer practice certain poses because of age or injury, yet we feel agitated because we assume that the poses of our youth should be the poses of our middle and old age.

What gives life its juice is the ability to mourn anything fully and simultaneously know it doesn’t ultimately matter. In other words, we can live to the fullest when we recognize that our suffering is based not on the fact of impermanence but rather on our reaction to that impermanence.

Source: Yoga Journal

The Eight-Limb Path of Yoga

Margaret — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 18:01:28 +0000

In Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra, the eightfold path is called ashtanga,which literally means “eight limbs” (ashta=eight, anga=limb). According to the Yoga Sutra, our pain and suffering is created by the misperception that we are separate from nature. The realization that we are not separate may be experienced without effort; however, most of us need guidance. Patanjali’s Eight Limbed Path provides us with the framework we need. These eight steps basically act as guidelines on how to live a meaningful and purposeful life.

Yama

The first limb, yama, or moral restraints, deals with one’s ethical standards and sense of integrity, focusing on our behavior and how we conduct ourselves in life.

The five Yamas are:

Ahimsa: nonviolence

Satya: truthfulness

Asteya: nonstealing

Brahmacharya: moderation

Aparigraha: nonhoarding

Niyama

Niyama, the second limb, has to do with self-discipline and spiritual observances. Regularly attending temple or church services, saying grace before meals, developing your own personal meditation practices, or making a habit of taking contemplative walks alone are all examples of niyamas in practice.

The five niyamas are:

Sauca: cleanliness, purity

Samtosa: contentment

Tapas: heat, zeal, austerity

Svadhyaya: self-study

Isvara pranidhana: devotion to a higher power

Asana – Postures

Pranayama – Mindful Breathing

Pratyahara – Turning Inward

Dharana – Concentration

Dhyana – Meditation

Samadhi – Union of the Self with Object of Meditation

Margaret Gamboa Yoga » Philosophy

The Nature of Impermanence

The Eight-Limb Path of Yoga