#Yoga Today ~ The Vices vs Virtues

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The opposite of vices is virtues. Virtues are discovered when we follow the footsteps of our soul. This leads to the discovery of true happiness. Happiness is our ultimate birthright, bringing with it all the qualities we strive to attain during our life on earth. When we develop the virtues of compassion, patience, courage, integrity, honor, strength, steadfastness, love, discipline, devotion, creativity, peace and wisdom we experience true happiness. Happiness is not something we find “out there.” It is something we find within.

The health of our body is controlled by the state of our mind. Our mind is the storehouse of our moods and emotions, so to insure health we need to pay careful attention to what we let occupy our mind. Negative thoughts, moods and feelings cut us off from our soul, which is pure and undisturbed by the emotions, thoughts and moods that can sometimes dictate the direction of our lives. This is simply the ego trying to usurp the soul. The ego creates envy, jealousy, resentment and revenge. These are vices. So our work here on earth is to tame the ego and elevate the soul. This requires balance, strength, flexibility and peace for the body, mind and soul. Let’s get started.

 

Your ego is your earthly persona. Your job is to tame it but, not to extinguish it. The ego is a mighty force and necessary for preservation of life. It gives us our identity and allows us to succeed in a competitive world. The problems arise when the ego consciousness tries to supersede and cut us off for the soulful path. We do not need to extinguish our importance in the world. We are all important parts of the whole. We just need to remove the vices and replace them with virtues. When we do this we tame the ego and begin to live from the seat of our soul and this power is far greater than the mightiest ego.

 

Namaste ~ I celebrate the place where our souls meet

Doctor Lynn

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#Yoga Today #Karma – become the #love you seek

 

 

 

 

Hatred, prejudice and bigotry are rampant in our world and yet the opposite, love, is the greatest desire on earth. It is programmed into every cell of our being. Every being wants to give and receive love. If we feel unloved we experience unbelievable disappointment and will begin to believe we are destined to be denied the love we seek. We then become cynical and hard hearted. Karma yoga teaches that there are three fundamental fears in life. All fear and negativity comes from one of these; fear of not being loved is at the head of the list, followed by the fear of being rejected and the fear of dying.  Since we are all a part of the infinite strata of life we are all accepted and, and since according to karma we all reincarnate the fear of death is simply a fear of the unknown. If you knew by simply being kind, compassionate and understanding you would return to earth, in your next incarnation, to a state of complete love and acceptance how differently would you live your present life?

According to karma as you think, speak and act so you become. Become the love you seek and acceptance and eternal life will be your destiny.

 Fear destroys love. Acceptance creates love. When we live in a state of of jealousy, revenge, hatred, envy, resentment and malice the result is hardheartedness and a lack of compassion.  These feelings, of which none of us are entirely devoid, either express themselves openly or continue to manifest at a more unconscious level. Either way they bring destruction and ill health. Therefore remember by your very presence in the world you are loved and accepted. You have reincarnated to discover the infinite source of compassion and understanding. As you think, speak and act you become. Become the eternal energy of love and acceptance. Become the love you seek.

 

Namaste ~ I celebrate the place where our souls meet

Doctor Lynn

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We are very excited to air Dr. Lynn’s Functional Fitness on Jewish Life Television/JLTV Download the JLTV App: https://appsto.re/us/dBgqx.i.

Episode 1

Saturday, September 7, 2019, 9:00AM ET and 12:00PM ET

 

#Yoga Today #Karma ~ What is the sound of one hand clapping?

#Yoga Today #Karma ~ What is the sound of one hand clapping?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Life is like the famous Buddhist paradox or Koan, What is the sound of one hand clapping? This places us outside the limitations of the rational mind. There is no right or wrong answer to this paradox as there are really no right or wrong answers to life.  How you live your life is based upon your morals and ethics, your level of consciousness and your state of being. Like the Koan, paradoxically the content of your life is irrelevant and at the same time the content is necessary for the process of learning. It is only through the process of life that we learn. The content is simply the teacher.  For example -you cannot discover the process of love without an object of love to teach you. And what are we here to learn? We are here to learn how to bring balance, strength, flexibility and peace to our lives no matter what the content may be.

Anger, for example, will appear throughout our lives. It is not wrong nor is it right. We are presented with situations that create anger and then asked what we choose to do with them. We can be cruel or we can be kind. The choice is ours, and how and what we choose determines our karma. There is no right or wrong answer to life. It is simply cause an effect. If you act cruelly you become a cruel person.  So it is suggested that with all of life’s content we choose wisely. Life presents itself to us for the “soul” purpose of using the content of life to remove vices and add virtues.  Just as in yoga, our practice is about the process and not the poses (asana), and yet we need the poses to help us discover the process of balance, flexibility, strength and peace. Pay attention to the process of life and use the content wisely.

Let’s get started -

Awareness is the task of exploring our vices and virtues.  Our daunting task is to uncover the elements of self that need correction and replace them with virtues. The content of our lives is a vehicle full of potential for the “soul” purpose of bringing us awareness. It is only the potential. Unless we consciously choose to bring about constructive change our lives will appear to be chaotic, confusing and disappointing. Just remember that the process of life is not about the content, but about the relationship we have with life and whether we choose to make it harmonious or tumultuous.  Choose wisely and the dramas and dynamics of life will give way to the process of enlightenment.

Namaste ~ I celebrate the place where our souls meet

Doctor Lynn

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#Yoga Today #Quantum #Physics

 

 

 

 

 

Quantum physics tells us that if we take gross matter (E=MC2) and vibrate it by the speed of light, it will change form. Everything in the universe exists as solid, liquid, or vapor. If we take water and apply heat (increase vibration of molecules) we create vapor and if we apply cold (decrease the vibration of its molecules) we create ice. Quantum physics further tells us that if we move beyond the atomic level and the subatomic level, we find pure energy, made up of waves and particles moving through the universe. These waves and particles are pure energy. They are not made of energy; like you they are energy.

The world view of particle physics is one of constant creation, destruction and transformation. So how does the concrete world come into existence?  Subatomic particles are either a negative, positive, or neutral charge. As such, they enter into the dance of attraction and repulsion. Positive, negative and neutral particles come together and form atoms, which form molecules, which form cells, which form organs, which form organisms and thus the physical world is formed. The electromagnetic charge of pure energy is the fundamental glue of the universe. This is true of the physical world and the metaphysical world of the mind and the soul. Since energy can vibrate at different levels, it is possible for it to exist in many forms. Remember water can be solid, liquid or vapor and thus you exist as body, mind and soul.

 

As we begin to expand our consciousness we will see patterns of behavior that have been dictating our lives. These forces are nothing more than energy that we have taken on for our own evolution. That is the purpose and true nature of our being. With energy you can remove things, change things and create things. That is karma and why it is said that we become the creator of our own destiny.  As we remove the veil of ignorance (maya), we discover that our purpose for being here on earth is simply to remove vices and add virtues.  We have an opportunity to discover this through the contents of our lives.   The work you do, the relationships you have, and the things you accumulate can be powerful tools for your evolution. Use the world wisely or it will use you.

When we discover how to use all the content of our lives to remove deceit, greed, anger and pride we are on the path to enlightenment. That’s soul walking.

 

Namaste ~ I celebrate the place where our souls meet

Doctor Lynn

http://www.doctorlynn.com

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#Yoga Today ~ Your Seven Layers of #Energy

 

 

 

 

 

According to Eastern thought, our being consists of seven layers of energy. The final and most noticeable layer of energy is the physical body. This layer of energy vibrates at a frequency lower than the other layers, which accounts for its visibility in the physical world. The higher frequency layers cannot be seen, but still have an effect on our physical self. All of the layers of energy are interdependent and cannot be separated. As long as consciousness exists the layers exist.  Our task is to find balance so that we stay connected to the center of our being and not the extraneous dramas, stresses and problems that are the circumferences of life.

 

The seven layers of energy are as follows. The first is the physical self, the second is the etheric self or the vital energetic self (known as the aura), the third is the astral or emotional self, the fourth is the mental self where thoughts are formed, the fifth is the soul or intellectual self, the sixth is the cosmic self (sometimes called the “pure intelligent self”), and the seventh is like the Tao impossible to name, as it is beyond name and form. It is the integration and balance of all the layers of energy that create a harmonious aura and thus a healthy body, mind and soul.  We then use this integrated energy to project our strength, flexibility and balance outward from the center of our being.  When in balance we exude self-confidence, self-esteem, happiness and peace.

When we attach ourselves to the extraneous dramas, stresses and problems that are the circumference of life we lose sight of our center and thus we lose our balance, flexibility, strength and peace. So stay connected to the center of your being and remember center everywhere circumference nowhere.

You are made up of seven layers of energy. It is the balanced integration of all layers that create health, happiness and peace for the body, the mind and the soul. You are body, aura, emotion, thought, intellect, pure energy and something beyond name and form. This something beyond name and form is the realization that your individual soul and the universal soul is one. This unites all the layers of yourself into a balanced whole. You are not made up of energy; you are energy and how you direct that energy determines the outcome of your karma.  With awareness you will begin to realize that the dance and the dancer are one.

Namaste ~ I celebrate the place where our souls meet

Doctor Lynn

 

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#Yoga Today ~ How do you know you have a #soul

 

 

 

 

 

 

As you begin to walk the soulful path you will begin to see the world not as physical measurements of gain or loss, but as soulful pursuits. That is karma and why you are here.

How do we know the soul exist if we can’t measure it? Take a breath. What causes you to breathe? Not oxygen, but the power that causes movement and that is prana the life force that gives rise to your existence. Here you discover your soul.

In yoga the life force that vitalizes everything in the universe is called prana. It is actually the energy responsible for the movement of all consciousness in the world. What lies beneath your consciousness is a force (prana) that causes it to rise. This we call thinking. As you think so you become. Prana gives rise to the breath and this gives life to the body and the mind. When this happens your soul begins to walk its earthly life.

Prana is pure self. It is pure consciousness. This is the force that pushes the soul to reincarnate. It is the vital energy that brings everything into being. It lives in the organs of our body and unites all parts of the body into one unit. The soul gives consciousness to the mind. And so the mind begins to think. You must now work your karma. But we can’t do the work without the help of the body. That’s Hatha yoga or the physical aspect of life.  And so we are here on earth to work on finding our balance, flexibility, strength and peace; body, mind and soul. Let’s get started.

Karma exists as the manifestation of pure energy. It is the vital force behind the movement of all action and thus the resulting effect. Prana is simply the movement that gives rise to breath, but is not the breath. Karma is the energy that gives rise to your actions and thus you experience the results. Prana gives us the power to think. Karma gives us the power to act. Unlike Descartes who professed,” I think therefore I am.” Karma yoga teaches that I am therefore I have the power to think and act. Prana is pure and simple energy that gives birth to the complexities of life.  Karma is the action we apply to the experiences of life and must therefore except the consequences.  So think kindness, contentment, generosity, happiness, love and peace and you will discover liberation. And it is here you will discover your soul.

 

Namaste ~ I celebrate the place where our souls meet

Doctor Lynn

 

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#Yoga Today ~ The Troublesome Four – Envy, Jealousy, Resentment and #Revenge

 

 

 

 

 

 

Revenge is an act of wanting to conflict hurt or harm on someone for an injury or wrong suffered at their hands. You want to even the score by one-up-man-ship. Retribution in the form of an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth is the focus of revenge.

The worse thing about revenge is that it gets inside your head and hijacks your focus. Once revenge occupies the space within your head fighting it is like fighting yourself. Be careful with what you let occupy your mind; it will occupy you.

It has been said that “revenge is sweet.” The problem with revenge is that it can falsely make us feel good and powerful. It stimulates an area of the brain called the dorsal striatum which gets excited when we anticipate pleasure and reward. But studies have shown that with revenge the feeling of pleasure and reward is overshadowed by the focus on punishment. Punishment usurps our ability to focus on reward. Revenge does not make us feel better.

The desire to get revenge is mighty powerful force. If you take that same energy and redirect it towards improving your life you get the greatest revenge of all; you prosper.

To master the Troublesome Four requires balance, strength and flexibility, as well as the ability to be content and at peace with your life just as it is. Circumstances happen. You cannot un-happen them. Accept what happens. Learn from it and focus on using what you have learned to prosper. Let’s get started -

Once you know who you are (the infinite capacity to be) and why you are here (to discover this infinite capacity) envy, jealousy, resentment and revenge become irrelevant.  To master the troublesome four, be content, trustworthy, generous and objective, and remember the world is real. It is your perception (how you see things) that is the illusion. Remove the maya (the illusion), detach and observe without judgement, and you will see the world and all its events as opportunities to learn, know and master your life. Change the way you see things and the way you see things changes.

 

Namaste ~ I celebrate the place where our souls meet

Doctor Lynn

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#Yoga #Paying Your #Debts the #noble obligation

Next week - continuance of the Troublesome Four

According to Karma Yoga those souls who have good karma come their way in the form of material success and acquire more than needed should funnel their excess into noble, humanitarian and spiritual causes. We call this the noble obligation. If you have more than you need be generous and kind and give to others in need.

One of these obligations is to always pay your debts. These debts and favors that most often originate from friendship, family, social and business relationships should be repaid.

These debts include debts to your parents as well as friends, your culture and your country. Your parents gave you life. We all have grievances with our parents, but it is important to remember that they are not perfect and that they are more than simply your parents. They are people with dreams, desires and yes, like all of us, they have their faults.

Think about your debts. Not your monetary debts, but your debts to those who love you, have helped you, and have been your friends through all of life’s ups and downs. These relationships are of the greatest value. For when you depart this world all you take with you is the love you have given and the love you received. Be noble.

 

For a noble soul it is easy to repay a debt. For an unevolved soul it is difficult to even think about repaying a debt. Debt is paid through the noble obligation to leave the word a better place than when you first entered it. Pay your debts – Be  noble.   

Namaste ~ I celebrate the place where our souls meet

Doctor Lynn

 

http://www.doctorlynn.com

http://www.facebook.com/DrLynnAnderson

 

 

The Troublesome Four

Life will present you with the troublesome four:

 

 

 

 

It will require discipline, strength, balance and flexibility to master them.  The first two are envy and jealousy. Remember to envy no one and to replace jealousy with admiration. What a person has acquired in life is not a symbol of a souls worth. Worth comes from punja or good deeds. Stop trying to control situations and other people, and trust in your own self-worth.

 

The third of the troublesome four is resentment.

Resentment is a negative state where an individual blames everybody and everything, but self for the state of his or her life. This individual feels he or she is the hapless victim of a cruel fate. Life is seen as unfair and full of disappointments. Resentment results from expectation. We expect something and when it doesn’t turn out as expected we experience resentment.  We then begin to see ourselves as a hapless victim when in fact the responsibility for our destiny and happiness has to do with how we see things and not what another person does or does not do.

Expect and you will surely be let down. With expectations happiness is falsely measured not by inner experience, but by outward appearances. In a positive state, one realizes that they are the architects of their own destiny and that the human mind, and thus the soul have unlimited possibilities. Realizing that limitations are self- imposed the individual is able to lift the veil of illusion (maya) and master one’s own fate. You can see the forest for the trees. Unreal and unfulfilled expectations are the foundation of resentment.  With unmet expectations we feel disappointed, sad and even angry. To master resentment we need balance, strength, flexibility and contentment.

 Take responsibility for your expectations. Let each experience of your life come and go without attachment and you will avoid disappointment and thus experience the joy of pure happiness. You cannot change what happens, but you can change how you view it. Let go of resentment and focus on your potential energy and you will prosper. Change the way you look at things and the way you look at things will change.

Namaste ~ I celebrate the place where our souls meet

Doctor Lynn

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#Yoga Today -The Troublesome Four

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The troublesome four are detrimental to a fulfilling and happy life. The first of the four is envy. Remember envy no one and that the material world is not a representation of what a soul is worth or valued. Many people are good at acquiring things but fail at achievement.

The second of the troublesome four is jealousy

Jealousy is a morbid emotion that looks for anything that will cause suffering.  With jealousy an individual feels threatened by the loss of control over another person or situation. It is a feeling of suspicion and mistrust. Jealousy corrodes and destroys everything it touches. Jealousy is really a feeling of being unlovable and in constant danger of losing.  It is based in uncertainty and fear.  The opposite of jealousy is trustworthiness. It means to trust in your own ability to rely upon yourself to feel loved, honored and worthy. Trust always has the advantage because trust seeks to create good will and not destroy. Replace jealousy with trust in yourself and give up trying to control others or other situations. Find your balance, your strength and be flexible to the ever-changing nuances of life. Trust yourself.

 Love yourself by focusing on your wonderful qualities. Use your trustworthiness to make the world a better place and jealousy will be replaced with prosperity. Remember this; even love focused entirely on another human being cannot bring fulfillment in the long run.  Focus on your self-worth and you will find the fulfillment you seek. Transcending jealousy we find divine and eternal love. This frees us to rejoice in the pleasures of others without envy or jealousy even while dealing with our own disappointments and problems.

Replace jealousy with self-trust and self-worthiness and the worth of your soul will shine through in all of life’s ups and downs.

Namaste ~ I celebrate the place where our souls meet

Doctor Lynn

http://www.doctorlynn.com

http://www.twitter.com/drlynnanderson

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The Troublesome Four

 

 

 

Life will present you with the troublesome four the first of which is envy.

It will require discipline, strength, balance and flexibility to master each and every one of them.

Envy is a widespread feeling today. We think of it as being present only in the business world, but it also rears its ugly head along the soulful path. Secretly individuals may wonder how far the other soul has gotten and whether he or she has already reached a higher level of being. This of course creates conflict as an unhappy soul may wish to inflict misfortune onto others. This conflicts with the guidepost suggestion of doing no harm.

Envy means to feel inferior to others and to desire that which you have not earned. Just remember the material world is not a representation of what a soul has earned, is valued, or worth. Don’t get confused by what appear to be material success. Many people are good at acquiring things, but lack in the ability to achieve success. To achieve requires effort, courage and skill, and with this comes realization and fulfillment. Envy no one and a calm sense of peace will sooth your soul. The opposite of envy is admiration. So admire others and then seek to become your own unique aspect of those qualities.

Remember the material world is not a representation of what a soul has earned, is valued, or worth. Don’t get confused by what appear to be material success. Many people are good at acquiring things, but lack in the ability to achieve success.

 Be content with what you have, take pleasure in your life, count your blessings and then reach out for more as a peaceful and content soul. Everything you desire will be yours; for through your sincere effort you will have earned it. Just remember life becomes what life does. Treat others with admiration, avoid envy and the treasures of life will come to you.

Namaste ~ I celebrate the place where our souls meet

Doctor Lynn

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Food the Essence of Life - Above all else pay attention to your health because you are what and how you eat!

 

 

 

 

 

 

There is a branch of yoga called Anna- Maya- Kosha which simply means to pay attention to what and how you eat because you are what and how you eat. If you begin and continue to practice Anna yoga you will see yourself making healthy choices as you strive to maintain balance and vitality. This is because Anna is the pathway of knowledge leading to an understanding of the importance of the essence of food and our health. Knowledge removes ignorance and when ignorance is removed we make wiser choices. This means we learn to be in balance with nature. Everything in life moves from birth to death and our health is determined by the choices we make in-between. Nature provides everything we need to both survive and to thrive.

Perfect health is not about aiming for restrictions and self-denial, but rather the extinction of physical, mental and soulful imbalances. This means that all things should be approached with moderation, which includes diet.

When you realize the inner temple of your own body, you understand the totality of the universe. This simply means that through balance and moderation we reach an understanding of the unification of the opposing forces of the universe; matter and spirit. These two forces bring about an interaction of self-conscious awareness, which produces illumination. We call this conscious self-awareness. Just remember: you are what and how you eat.

Although most in the West overeat, eat a poor diet and rarely if ever fast, a traditional ancient yoga diet does not necessarily work in our modern day culture. When considering a diet it is important to look at many lifestyle factors. We must take into account that although the ancient scriptures are full of  spiritual advice and prescribe a lifestyle of health and balance, evolution, change and different cultures create the need to expand our consciousness and approach to the essence of the foods we eat.

In fact modern dietician might disagree with all the dairy and fat in the ancient yogic vegetarian diet. Less dairy and fat are usually promoted in a Western healthy diet. However, eating less and exercising more is also promoted. Very rarely do we see fasting promoted for health and in most cases I would agree. Fasting is simply starving the body of life supporting nutrients.

Good nutrition is not about cure, but about life enrichment. This means that although we need foods to help rebuild and heal the body, the Anna yoga approach is a focus of life enhancement and wellness by increasing the life force energies through the choices of foods we eat. If we eat healthy the body-mind finds vitality, strength and balance and this is what is needed to keep us on our soulful path. It has been said that nature provides all that humankind needs to stay healthy and fit.  Therefore, whole natural foods should provide the basis of a healthy diet. You are what and how you eat.

 

Disciplined eating is considered one of the basic moral observances or niyamas and one of the basic abstinences or yamas, which are two of the eight basic stages of the practice of yoga. Yoga teaches us to take care of our body-mind so as to do no harm to both the internal and external environments. Food can uplift or pollute our being. Only a body that is strong and steady and a mind that is clear and sharp can serve our soulful awakening. Therefore Anna yoga teaches that we should observe what we eat, abstain from harming the body with impure foods and take responsibility for our dietary needs, and the health of our entire being; body, mind and soul. You are what and how you eat

 

The body is your vehicle. The mind is your GPS. Your soul is the driver. Without a well running body and a clear sense of navigation it is impossible to make the journey. Take care of your body and your mind. They are the instruments of the soul. Just remember that all of life exists in relationship to and by coexisting with everything else that exist. Nothing exists in isolation.  You are what and how you eat!

(if you would like to know more about the yoga of eating see my book Anna Yoga – because you are what and how you eat) http://www.doctorlynn.com