Improving your life through the 8 limbs of yoga; an excerpt from Mysore, India

I wake at 4:15am to the sound of a boisterous rooster who lives just down the block. I say a prayer of gratitude for another day and ask that all beings be free from suffering and peaceful.  I slip out from underneath my mosquito net, put my feet on the floor and touch the earth with my right hand and then to my heart. I thank mother earth for her constant love and support underneath me and all around me.  I flip the switch to the hot water geezer and wait... hopefully water will come this morning.  Right away it begins a slow stream and a silent sigh of relief comes over me.  I grab my stainless steel coffee pot that has come with me to India now since 2004, fill it with locally grown coffee that i get from the man down the block, and tread up 3 flights of stairs to the kitchen where a single burner awaits me. Ten minutes later with coffee in hand, I'm sitting outside on the foyer listening to the sound of the locals on their morning walk, rickshaw engines off in the distance, morning chanting and my friend the rooster who still continues to let his presence be known.  

Twenty minutes later a slow, steady stream of hot water has filled my 5 gallon bucket and i'm ready to squat down and take a "bath".  I dry off, throw on some old cotton yoga clothes and unroll my yoga mat and rug.  I stand facing east in my room as I step mindfully onto the top of my mat looking down and spreading my toes and making sure my connection to the earth  is grounded and yet gentle.  I bring my hands into prayer position in front of my heart, press my thumbs against my sternum, close my eyes and quietly begin to chant an opening mantra. This particular mantra asks for the veil of illusion and conditioned existence to be lifted so we many see clearly and know our Self and it also acknowledges, with tremendous gratitude, all of the teachers who have come before us and worked tirelessly on their own spiritual practice to ensure I can be standing here today reaping the benefits of this ancient science of yoga.

I open my eyes as the sun begins to rise, inhaling deeply I raise my arms up over head pressing my palms together and gaze up at my thumbs.  Exhaling, I bend forward touching my hands to the earth and bow my head with humility and grace. 

The next 90 min that follow will be a steady stream of long and smooth inhalations and exhalations coordinated with many different types of body postures (asanas) that bend the body forwards and back, side to side, twisting and eventually upside down for some time.  All of this breath and movement creates a deep internal heat INSIDE the body, flushing the muscles and skin, lubricating the joints and cleansing and massaging all of the internal organs as a gentle sweat pervades the body. Each inhalation is consciously taken in slowly and deeply down into the bottom of the ribcage and lower abdomen and each exhalation begins with a steady lower abdominal contraction moving the breath back out of the body as completely as possible.  The sound of this gentle glottal breath along with extremely mindful movement through the postures instantly brings the mind into a state of calm and peace.  A state of conscious focus as we continue to bring the mind back to "the present" each time it shows signs of wandering off.  Each inhale is a gift and each exhale an offering. At the end of the practice I lay down, cover myself with a light blanket and lie very still in body and mind.  I allow the healing energy of the practice to penetrate all aspects of my being.  After ten minutes i slowly rise up, chant a closing mantra of thanks and again ask for all beings to be happy and free from suffering.   Now the REAL practice begins.

Those 90 minutes on my mat focusing my mind sets the stage for the unwavering mindfulness I ideally want to sustain all day long as I interact with many different types of people in many different situations.  Throughout the day I observe my thoughts, my feelings, my actions and reactions, my speech, my intentions, my motives, and my behaviors.  My breath is a constant barometer of feedback as to the quality of my mind and emotions, as well as a priceless tool to help get me through those uncomfortable and "sticky" moments of life, just as it does on my mat.  The physical benefits that yoga brings are clear and necessary for us to go deeper in our practices to reap the benefits of a clear and focused mind as well as healthy relationships. The postures are the foundation and springboard for our practice but they are just the beginning.  If we really want to see if our yoga is working we must look at our relationships, our relationship with everything, particularly the one we have with ourself first and foremost.  

The practice of the 8 limbed yoga path is the most special gift we can give to ourselves each and every day. It helps to set us free from so much unnecessary, often self-induced, suffering. It connects us very deeply to our true nature and from that place so many questions are answered.  And in the process we feel better, think clearer, breath easier and love more. 

All we have to do is step onto our mat in a special place, set our intention and begin with an inhalation. The rest will unfold in time and the transformation that is possible goes beyond anything I could have ever imagined. I hope you feel inspired to begin and I wish you so much peace on your journey.

Blessings from India,

Stacy