SUN/MOON YOGA

welcome

"The practice of meditation frees one from all affliction. This is the path of yoga." - Bhagavad Gita

"Sometimes, my mind was blissfully still for, well, whole milliseconds at a time. At other times, meditation felt like being locked in a dark closet with a lunatic with a megaphone". - Anne Cushman

"The earth seems to rest in silent meditation." - Chandoya Upanishad

dharma: "The purpose of yoga is to quiet the thought waves of the mind." We've all heard that passage from the Yoga Sutras - the one that is most often quoted by yoga teachers. But what about when the mind refuses to be quiet? We can even use the restless mind as the object upon which to concentrate. And we can observe our attachment/aversion. Even though attachment and aversion are considered to be two of the klishas (hindrances) in yoga, they are not emphasized or given the importance that they get in Buddhism, which has many similarities to our yoga path. In fact, observing these two klishas goes hand in hand with this Sutra. A quiet mind means that we are deeply present, like an altered state of consciousness. And awareness of our attachment/aversion brings mindfulness into everyday life, also making us more present. It's been said that it's not whether we have attachments or not, but simply what we are attached to: our health, our bodies, food and shelter, life itself. Not the least of which is yogis becoming attached to our practice. The mind generates thoughts, with little rest, even during sleep. This is neither good nor bad - it is the nature of mind. However we fall completely into the trance of these thoughts. It is also an alternate reality where we live most of the time. And where we feel separate from the natural flow of life - the Tao. Mindfulness helps reconnect us to the Source.

PRACTICE: Partner yoga: If you are lucky enough to have a partner to practice with, try doing some partner work together. There are basically two different kinds (apart from the acrobatic/balancing/Contact Yoga style): partner stretch, like assisted postures, Thai massage, or Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy, in which one partner is mostly passive and held or stretched into the posture by their partner, after which they trade roles. The other kind is "double postures" in which both participate equally in a combined posture, although each may have different roles. The result is sometimes a mirror image but not always. There are books and videos from which to learn, and with experience, postures and variations  evolve - you will "feel" the next move coming in the same sense that we can begin to sense how to use props for postures, sometimes without even being shown. You can do specific postures and groups of postures at first as a place to start - structured practice. Eventually (with good attunement to your partner) you will be able to evolve more into flowing posture and improvisation. Most important is attunement - first to oneself and then extending that aura of safety and support to your partner to create a moving (or still) meditation. Have fun                                                                                                                

          - Paresh