Saturday, May 23, 2020

#Yoga Today #Physical Austerity


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Austerity does not mean to go without. It means to simply and purify. It means to be consciously aware of the extremes of life.

It is through the practice of austerity that an individual is able to attain that which appears to be unattainable. A person practicing physical austerity, just like intellectual austerity, must be willing to undergo hardships in order to attain happiness. Think for a moment about happiness and joy. We only know them because we have experienced unhappiness and despair, and it is because of these experiences that we appreciate the simpler aspects of life.

Think about the things you have had to give up over the last few months. Oh how you will appreciate when you can do them again. Simple things like taking a class, traveling, going out to dinner and having coffee with a friend.

The thing about austerity is that things are only a hardship depending upon how you look at them. If you are never challenged how can you grow?

Without undergoing physical hardships self-discipline cannot be attained. Without self-discipline appreciation and contentment is impossible.

The Gita a Hindu scripture points out three types of austerity:

Dull

Passionate

Calm

If you practice austerity from a place of inflexibility your life will become ridged and dull. If you practice austerity with the idea of acquiring something your life will be passionate and ungrounded. But if you practice austerity without any desire other than to achieve contentment your life will become simplified and calm. That which is attained through dull and passionate austerity will not endure, but that which is attained through calmness of being and purpose is to attain what to others may appear unattainable. It is called contentment.

When we begin to understand the nature of extremes, such as hot and cold and loss and gain, and how each can tip us off the fine edge of perfect balance we begin to see the benefit in self-discipline; to be able to remain balanced in the face of adversity without losing your inner strength. Austerity reminds us to stay flexible for life is constantly changing. It also reminds us to accept and make peace with life no matter what it hands us. Each experience in life whether easy or hard is simply a chance to attain what might appear to be unattainable – contentment and peace; and these will bring us happiness. But to achieve this takes self-discipline. Let’s get started

 

Simplify your life. You should always be moderate in all your activities. Balance your life so you don’t unduly exhaust yourself. This only leads to ill health body, mind and soul. Nothing in life can be achieved without self-discipline and undergoing some form of hardship. When you quiet the mind and balance the energy of the body you find the calmness of your soul. This is what it means to attain what appear to be unattainable. This is what it means to practice austerity.

Extend out your index finger the symbol of your ego.

Your ego can pull you in many different directions making you ridged and dull passionate and ungrounded. If you take this moment to pull your ego in, and then place your thumb on top, your higher power, you will realize that staying calm in the face of adversity strengthens your connection to your soul. Living life here you attain the unattainable.

Namaste ~ I celebrate the place where our souls meet

Doctor Lynn


http://www.facebook.com/DrLynnAnderson

Saturday, May 16, 2020

#Yoga Today ~ The observance of Austerity


Austerity is one of the observances of yoga. It means that we should observe it as it pertains to our everyday life. It should be practiced mentally, physically and verbally.

 

 
 
Yoga defines austerity as the ability to withstand hunger, thirst, and heat as well as other discomforts. It is through the ability to withstand physical, mental and verbal austerity that a person is able to attain the unattainable.  With the onset of corona virus we have all had to endure discomfort. Today let’s focus on mental austerity and how it can help us to find peace and serenity even in difficult times.
 


To practice mental austerity you need to:

Quiet the mind by lowering the level of noise within. We call this noise chitta – the useless chatter of noise that spins through your mind.

You must learn to keep your composure especially in difficult times. It is easy when feeling discomfort to lose your balance, slip off the fine edge, react and create havoc. It takes discipline to keep your composure.

Control your natural tendency to behave in a certain way – for example if you are impatient, angry or quick tempered, you must learn to recognize it and control it when it arises.

When the mind is scattered and full of idle chatter it is difficult to find a sense of focus. Austerity means to clear the mind and simplify your thoughts. In this you will discover how to attain what might appear to be unattainable. To attain anything you must have a clear focus, a steady mind and self-control.  Peace and serenity is only attainable when you become quiet, composed and in control. This leads to self- awareness and self-awareness is the key to success for with self-awareness we learn to identify those things that are preventing us from moving through life with balance, strength, flexibility and peace.

There are three things that will prevent you from   discovering self-awareness:

Greed

Anger

Cravings

It is important to note that if the intellect is enslaved by any or all of these the mind is also enslaved. It is the nature of the mind to run outward towards objects and thus away from the inner self. It is through mental austerity that the mind removes outward distraction and moves back to inner awareness.

 

To master these requires the ability to withstand mental discomfort. It takes strength to identify these things within yourself and then to do the arduous work of mastering them.

This will require balance, flexibility, strength and the discovery of peace that can only be found within the quietude of your soul. Let’s get started:

 

Mental austerity means quieting the mind, keeping your composure, and maintaining control even in times of discomfort. Remember if the mind is enslaved by greed, anger and craving it is impossible to find inner awareness and thus inner peace. Simply your life, find the strength to withstand discomfort, be content and at peace with life as it is and you will find the ability to attain the unattainable; whatever that may be for you.

Extend out your index finger – the symbol of your ego. The ego always tries to avoid discomfort often times using greed, anger and cravings to establish its importance. If you pull in  your index finger and place your thumb on top – the symbol of your soul ,you will be reminded that to withstand discomfort by being quiet and composed you gain the ultimate in control – self-awareness and thus attain the unattainable.– in this you are wise.

Namaste ~ may you go with health, happiness and peace.

Doctor Lynn

 

Namaste ~ I celebrate the place where our souls meet

Doctor Lynn





 

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Saturday, May 02, 2020

#YOGA Today – a Crisis ~ may bring you #liberation


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Sit quiet close your eyes breathe deep and listen:

Fear of the unknown is the greatest fear of all. We all want certainty and yet uncertainty is the one constant variable in the world. You never know with any certainty when a crisis will hit. Just remember what might be meaningful today may be meaningless tomorrow. Also remember with every loss there is a gain. The problem we face as humans is that we don’t appreciate something until it is gone.

Life will never return to pre-covid-19 just like life never returned to pre 9-11. We can bemoan the loss or embrace the gain. We have all had to endure isolation but with this the air is now cleaner and life has slowed down a bit. We can take the time to breathe clean fresh air! But still we fear illness, losing our jobs and money, and death. But remember:

To live you must be willing to die. No one escapes life without dying.  Everything in the universe must die. That does not mean we do stupid things to put ourselves in harm’s way, but as I said recently to someone who ask me if I thought about dying, “if I spend my time thinking about dying I will forget how to live.”

In this time of uncertainty fear of the unknown has paralyzed the world. But if we can accept and make peace with the fact that things happen, things go up and go down, things come and go and that life is an ever renewing source of energy ,than we can let go of fear, find liberation and not let corona virus beat us, but let it unite us.  In the worst of a crisis the compassion and kindness of humanity always springs worth reminding us that at the heart of humanity there is goodness.

Let’s do a few poses:

On your back relax and let’s move into bridge to connect the body and the mind with strength.  Roll over and move into Down dog reminding us to hold fast to our values while surrendering to the ever changing nature of life.  Plank – the strength to endure means holding to your center; and now sitting Zen.

On your back – close your eyes and relax taking deep long breathes – listen…

To the one who has found liberation and is master of his or her true self, the universe shall be dissolved into a deep realization of the true nature of life; life becomes what life does; one can influence the universe with subtle vibration such as compassionate thoughts, and thus remain unaffected by the ebb and flow of life. 

 

Come to sitting position

Humans can be brilliant but sometimes not very smart. We think we are in control when in fact something like the corona virus can throw us off track; something we can’t even see can humble us.

 An antibody means opposition -Everywhere in nature there are antibodies – otherwise life could not exist and we could not evolve. Opposition is a part of human nature; however, it often shows itself through the ego

 

Extend out your hand with the palm s up. Fold in your fingers and extend out your index finger; the symbol of your ego. The ego is sometimes argumentative, foolish and righteous –surrendering it to your higher power   reminds us to be kind, considerate and compassionate – these are more important than being right for they will bring you peace. Draw your finger in and place your thumb on top; the symbol of your soul. Surrender to it and you will be wise.

 

The greatest fear of all is fear itself.  It takes balance or coming back to the razors edge to remind us that every time we embrace fear we slip from the edge and risk hurting ourselves. Stay strong and grounded like the tree and don’t let the crisis of life uproot you.  Corona Virus -this too will pass.

Namaste ~ may you go with health, happiness and peace

Doctor Lynn




Doctor Lynn’s Yoga for Natural living ~it’s a way of life

 

 
 This is a unique yoga class that combines yoga with yoga therapy and the science of natural living (Naturopathy); because yoga is more than simply the poses (asana); it’s a way of life. Healthy tips to improve your overall health; body, mind and soul while taking you on a journey towards productive change and prosperity.

Joining me on Zoom live every Saturday morning at noon EST/ 9 PST for a one hour journey

Cost $10 per class   

For private classes, yoga therapy or specialty classes please send email to info@doctorlynn.com