"rashanaworks - practice" is merging!

To whomever is reading this blog:
I'm merging "rashanaworks - practice" with "rashanaworks - process."  I'll be working on my labeling system to make it easier to find individual things should you want to focus on anything in particular that interest you - or you can just read the post for the day - which could pertain to my current physical practice or the process for which I create art or just little life stories.

See ya over there at http://rashanaworks.blogspot.com/!

Tootles!
~Rashana

Inversions and the end of a quarter

Tonight I decided to work on inversions with a little help from David.  I wanted to make sure that I give myself the opportunity to feel verticality.  I have always had a problem with inversions, mainly with getting my pelvis in the right alignment over my head.  What I felt when I was finally vertical was a lengthened feeling in my abdominal wall.  Well, actually, engagement AND length at the same time.  It was great!  Also, I think I might need to consider that my back will feel a little arched at first because normally I want to round my back when my head is going to the floor.

It was a liberating experience tonight and one of many experiences from this quarter's yoga class that I will happily carry with me into other areas of my life.

Tomorrow is technically when yoga journals are due (in my case, my yoga blog).  I suppose this could be my last post as it would have fulfilled my class assignment.  I will, however, continue to post findings, revelations, etc once a week as my yoga practice is never-ending and always developing.

So... Thank you Michael Morris for your guidance and inspiration!

Till next week...

Yoga Competition?

I know yoga competitions exist, but I really don't understand them.  To me they are completely separate from yoga practice or the yoga discipline.  I understand that proponents for yoga competitions say it is one way to get people into yoga studios to practice yoga and learn the deeper value of practice beyond asanas, but I think this is a superficial reason.  If someone is interested in learning the value of yoga, he will find himself in a yoga studio.  If he is introduced to yoga through watching a competition, he might be more interested in yoga competitions.  In other words, I think yoga competitions will breed yoga competitors, not enlightened human beings.

That's just my two cents worth.

Revisiting

Today I popped in an old yoga DVD that I used to practice called Baptiste Power Vinyasa Yoga.  It was wonderful to notice slight differences.  Baptiste's language is different than Michael Morris's, however, I found myself translating Baptiste's words into what I have been exploring in Morris's class.

For example, when Baptiste would talk about breath, specifically "oceanic breathing," my ears heard ujjayi.  When Baptiste spoke of drawing the belly in deep, I thought of muscle engagement and the Svadhistana Chakra.

The particular vinyasa yoga I practiced today was a thirty minute session that focused on core strength, so there were more "exercises" for the abdominal muscles, which I needed today.  I found it interesting that it was next to impossible for me to maintain ujjayi breathing when I moved through more tradition abdominal exercises.  It was if my mind kicked into "gym" mentality.  The other thing I marveled at was how quickly 30 minutes passed.  I have more patience and stamina in yoga then I did when I first bought that DVD.  What a happy discovery!

Self and All Else

From the Bhagavad Gita:

If a man keeps dwelling on sense-objects,

attachment to them arises;

from the attachment, desire flares up;

from desire, anger is born;

from anger, confusion follows;

from confusion, weakness of memory;

weak memory—weak understanding;

weak understanding—ruin.

I understand this.  I get where attachment to sense-objects is going.  And as I eat my ice cream, I confess that I don't think I can totally rid myself of desire for sense-objects.  I think, though, there is balance that must be considered.  For me, it is really about dwelling on the attachment.  Moderation, right?

Another reason I think balance is important, is that (for me) I am able to understand the world if I acknowledge desires; not completely give way to them all the time, but acknowledge and understand them just the same.  It's human nature to have desire.  If I completely ignore what desire feels like, I don't think I would understand everyone else around me.

It's counter-intuitive for me to think of detaching myself from everything and everyone in order to explore the idea of universal Consciousness.  However, I know that when I "sequester" myself (to borrow the words from my last post) to my room to meditate, I am detaching myself from everything and everyone in order to get in touch with my own Self.  After meditation, I am a much more centered person, more grounded and more accepting of others.

Admittedly, this week has lacked the same dedication to meditation that I had the week before.  I literally have been falling asleep while doing coursework.  Tomorrow is Saturday and I will be practicing yoga  and meditating.  I'll get back to another post tomorrow, writing about breath and whatever else comes up.

Ah, Breath!

Even though today is quite hectic, I was able to sequester myself for 15 minutes of meditation.  I went through the chakras and felt much freer today than yesterday morning.  I also worked on breath and found that too to be an easier time.  The root and crown chakras were still harder than the others, but I felt more aware of them than yesterday.

I'm closing this post with a quote from "The Breathing Book: Vitality & Good Heath Through Essential Breath Work" by Donna Farhi

"First of all the twinkling stars vibrated, but remained motionless in space, then all the celestial globes were united into one series of movements ... Firmament and planets both disappeared, but the might breath which gives life to all things and in which all is bound up remained."  Vincent Van Gogh

Guided Meditation

For the most part, I have continued my ritual of evening stretching and meditation before going to bed. Last night I was completely spent so I decided to try something new and go through a guided meditation this morning instead. Here are my findings:

1. Despite the preliminary stretching I do before I even get out of bed, I was still pretty stiff when sitting in meditation this morning.
2. I'm already in a hurry because I know I have to go to work/campus, so it was a little more difficult to concentrate or to relax.
3. There were three chakras that I felt most comfortable directing my attention. I found that the Svadhistana Chakra (associated with emotions) was comforting and warm. I easily directed my attention there. The Anahata Chakra (associated with the expansive nature of love) had quite the same effect. I also felt my eyes relax. My eyes and forehead relaxed even further when I focused my attention to my Ajna Chakra (Third Eye).
4. The Muladhara Chakra (Root Chakra) was really hard for me to access.  I kept thinking about how my feet ached.  I tried to redirect my breathing more actively towards my feet, but this was very difficult.  I wonder if the issues I have with my feet lately are a reflection of the fact that I am still adjusting to the newness of grad school.
5. I felt a little queazy breathing through my Manipura Chakra (located around the Solar Plexus).  Could it be the morning?
6. My Vissuddha Chakra (Throat Chakra) was a little congested, which is funny because I am constantly working on being articulate throughout class discussions.
7. The Sahasrara Chakra (Crown Chakra) prompted me to sit up straight again.  (While I was really comfortable focusing my attention to my Ajna Chakra, I think I let my spine round and sink.)  When the guide announced, "I know," I questioned what that meant.  I think "knowing" doesn't necessarily mean "knowing everything", but "knowing that there are things you might not know."  Also there is much to learn about enlightment.  Isn't that a life-long quest?