Tag: ashtangatampabay

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The Ashtanga Oil Bath

Maybe you’ve heard your teacher mention it. Maybe your friend’s friend swears by it. Maybe you haven’t heard of it at all, but here’s what the OIL BATH is all about.

The oil bath is a self-care practice to sooth and ease sore/strained muscles, support joint health and bring balance to the yoga practice week. Oil is applied to the entire body and then left on the skin for at least 10 minutes, up to 60 minutes and then wiped off and cleaned from the hair.

The oil bath supports supple muscles, mobile joints and a restful nights sleep, it’s a self-care ritual which is also meditative and is highly nourishing for the skin.

Here’s what you’ll need:

  • Castor Oil (alternatives are almond and coconut oil)
  • Towel which can be dedicated to oil bath
  • Sheet which can be dedicated to oil bath
  • Candle (optional)
  • 30 or more minutes with privacy

This is how I do it:

I set up in the bathroom and light a candle for atmosphere (be sure to do this before you start to use oil and never leave an open flame unattended). Then spread a sheet on the floor to keep the tile from getting covered in oil. I have my oil bath towels out, I like to use two hand towels that are ONLY used for oil bath. I grab something to drink and then get started.

To start the process, remove all clothing and groom hair. If you have long hair, I recommend having a hair tie close by to easy use.

Begin to apply the oil at the top of the head on the scalp. Massage oil into the scalp and do your best to cover it completely. Once the scalp is finished, it can feel good to put long hair up in a bun to keep it off the skin.

Next, apply oil gently to the face and neck. Try using circular motions on the face and sweeping motions on the neck. Continue to apply oil all over the body. It can be very healing to use sweeping motions over the long bones (forearm, upper arm, thigh, lower leg) and circular motions over the joints.

There might be areas which seem to absorb the oil quickly, I would recommend applying extra oil here until there’s a small layer of oil on the surface. If you’re experiencing any pain, stiffness or injury, extra oil can be applied here.

Advice and Guidelines:

  • Avoid going out in the sun after an oil bath.
  • Consult with your Doctor before doing an oil bath if you are pregnant or trying to get pregnant.
  • If your Doctor approves the oil bath, DO NOT use cator oil if you are pregnant. Instead use almond or coconut oil.
  • It’s normal for the experience to be warming. If you start to feel uncomfortably warm, that’s a sign for the oil bath to be done for the night.
  • Consider not oiling the bottoms of your feet until you’ve done it a couple of times, it’s messy and a hazard to get up and move around when you have oil on your feet. The first couple of times you might have a hard time sitting still and/or remember something you need.
  • Whatever towel/blanket you choose to use, DO NOT place it in the dryer – it’s a fire hazard. I launder mine separately and let them air dry.

For your first oil bath, I recommend leaving the oil on for about 10 minutes once it is completely applied. It usually takes about 10 minutes to apply the oil so this first time will last about 20 min from the time you start applying the oil.

When you’re ready to take the oil off, I start with the limbs. Using the designated oil bath towel, gently wipe the oil from the skin. Next step in a warm shower to rinse off the oil and wash the hair. For my hair, it works to shampoo twice and skip the conditioner. This gets all of the oil out of my hair for me and leaves it feeling soft. Your hair might need less/more shampoo to remove the oil. I do not was my skin while in the shower but you might like to use some soap.

After you get out of the shower it’s nice to get cozy and either cuddle up with a book or head to bed for some snuggly rest. Before going to bed be sure to blow out your candle if you lit one. Additionally, you might want to send a kettle of boiling water down the shower drain. Our home is from the 1950s and sometimes the drain can get a little slow. I’ve found if I use boiling water after my oil bath shower, the drain stays flowing freely!

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Why You Need To STOP Using Breath Retention In Public Yoga Classes – a plea to yoga teachers everywhere

Breath retention practices are not appropriate for public yoga classes. Regardless of what you learned in your yoga teacher training, what you have experienced while being a student, or even what you have taught in your classes for years.

Those who have studied in a class or teacher training setting with me will have already heard this from me many times and it deserves repeating because it’s essential for the health, vitality and yoga journey of all those attending public yoga classes.

There are many reasons why breath retention practices do not belong in public yoga classes ranging from medical red flags to impeding your student’s ability to gain equanimity along their spiritual journey. Breath retention is going to amplify whatever is in the body, mind and energy. If a student is experiencing any sort of imbalance, breath retention practices will exacerbate the imbalance.

There is a long list of prerequisites for breath retention practices here. The student needs to be appropriately prepared for these intensive practices in order for them to be beneficial and not cause harm. This is why, for countless generations, these powerful breath retention practices have only been taught under the care and strict observation of master teacher to devoted student. This approach to teaching grants the teacher in-depth knowledge of the student, their practice, their health on all levels and the teacher is able to directly monitor the student so they can adapt/discontinue the practices when necessary.

However, in the average public yoga class, teachers have nowhere near enough knowledge on every single student’s physical, emotional and mental states to determine if advanced breath practices are appropriate – sometimes we don’t even know the student by name.

The American Heart Association acknowledges that mid-cycle rest (a pause in the breath at any point in the cycle) has been associated with increased incidence of arrhythmia, heart failure, stroke and high blood pressure. Sleep apnea (a condition in which the breath stops mid-cycle during sleep) is a common example of mid-cycle rest in the breath cycle and according to the AHA is experienced by 1 in 5 folks. 

“When the air flow stops, the body releases stress hormones, which over time can lead to heart disease — the leading cause of death in the United States — stroke and high blood pressure. It also can increase the risk of type 2 diabetes, liver problems and metabolic syndrome.” – https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/sleep-disorders/sleep-apnea-and-heart-disease-stroke

Why teach our yoga students a practice which will only reinforce and deepen a pattern which is known to cause major health concerns?

Without being properly prepared and monitored, breath retention practices can also trigger trauma, PTSD and re-traumatized students recovering from traumatic events. In addition to all of these risks, the student’s spiritual journey can also be compromised with the use of breath retention practices.

When studying the yoga sūtra, we learn that all humans share patterns of suffering and mental fluctuations. While all of our individual sufferings are distinct and valid – as a whole, our sufferings can be categorized into 5 broad categories.

Patañjali explains the root of all suffering is avidyā (ignorance). This ignorance breeds asmitā (not knowing ones true nature), rāga (attraction), dveṣa (avoidance) and abhiniveśaḥ (avoidance of death/change). These afflictions can certainly be reduced with appropriate practice and can be fueled with practices that are not fitting for the student.

If we teach students breath retention practices before they have done the necessary work of weakening the kleśa-s, we will unknowingly contribute to them strengthening these patterns of suffering. Students will find themselves stuck in a web of these afflictions, bouncing back and forth between different patterns and experiences of suffering. The student will then not able to genuinely settle into an experience of samādhi (mental absorption on an object, task, etc.).

Instead of teaching breath retention practices in public yoga classes, focus on helping your students find balance in their breath from inhale to exhale – without any pauses and reinforce this pattern of even breath throughout class. This approach to breathing has been proven to increase cardiovascular health, balance the nervous system, increase heart rate variability and create a foundation for a meditative experience. This will also strengthen the student’s ability to transition from sympathetic nervous system (fight/flight) to parasympathetic nervous system (rest/digest) with greater ease and an easeful transition between sympathetic and parasympathetic is a foundation for changing reactionary patterns and weakening the influence of the kleśa-s.

If we want to support yoga being a practice for any body, we MUST create an environment in which everyone can receive the benefits of yoga, this includes education on what practices are supportive for everyone and clear knowledge of practices that are advanced and not appropriate for the average Saturday morning class at a local studio.

About Jessica

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Yoga In Action

We all come to our yoga practice for individual reasons. Some seeking physical health, others for emotional and mental support. With consistent practice, many come to experience the powerful impact this practice can have on our total life experience. We might notice that our overall well-being transforms. And once we start to feel better in body, mind and heart, that impact can spill over into our personal lives and inform the way we interact with others. This can lead to an increase in meaningful and impactful connections.

However, it will not always be easy to integrate the lessons we learn on our mat. Some situations will be very challenging and we will find ourselves ruled by our previous patterns of conditioning and unable to connect to the calm and insightful teachings of yoga. These are the moments that offer us a powerful opportunity to transform. 

The Bhagavad Gītā offers us wisdom and tools for navigating these challenging moments which have the potential to lead us in the direction of profound transformation.

This epic poem beautifully paints the picture of the challenges of the human experience and offers readers a roadmap for navigating challenges and living a life aligned with their purpose.

Set on a battlefield, the main character Arjuna is facing the biggest existential crisis of his life. In the face of having to fight a war with his family, Arjuna throws down his bow and refuses to fight. His charioteer and dear friend Kṛṣṇa, is actually The Lord in human form guides Arjuna through a journey inward to find himself and answer all of his questions.

Kṛṣṇa peels back the layers of yoga, action, study and devotion to guide Arjuna as he is navigating the most challenging moment of his life.

This poem reveals that within each of us, a battle rages between selfish impulses that ignore the claims of justice and mercy and a realization that ultimately we are all connected in a unity that embraces all humanity and the whole world.

Arjuna is our conscious mind, which must make the choice of how we will live. Arjuna’s opponents on the battlefield represent our impulses to self-centeredness and greed. Kṛṣṇa is the divine spark within each of us, our higher Self, which is always available to rein in the horses of our feelings and thoughts and to guide us in the battle of life, if we will only seek that help.

The teachings that Kṛṣṇa offers to Arjuna are vast and multi-layered. In one of those lessons, Kṛṣṇa is educating Arjuna on is how to put yoga into action in his everyday life. This call for action is crucial. We must take action to support the collective growth and evolution of all of us. For, a choice to not do anything is in itself a choice which serves our lower self, the part of us that doesn’t want to do what is best for all because it’s hard, uncomfortable or costly.

Kṛṣṇa offers a 5-step plan to put yoga into action:

  • Keep the spiritual goal
  • Offer all actions to something greater than oneself
  • Don’t be concerned with the result
  • Be free from possessiveness
  • Be calm

These five steps offer us a map to navigating the actions we can take in every moment of our lives.

KEEP THE SPIRITUAL GOAL

We are called to always remember what our ultimate goal is – to reduce all suffering and learn to connect with our true nature.

OFFER ALL ACTIONS TO SOMETHING GREATER THAN ONESELF

By offering our actions up to something that is greater than us, we free ourselves to act for the greater good, without prioritizing our own personal benefit of that of others.

DON’T BE CONCERNED WITH THE RESULTS

This concept might be the most misunderstood concept of all. We are being called to not control the outcome of our efforts. But this does NOT equal indifference. This concept is rooted in CONNECTION and calls on us to acknowledge that we are all in a collective and shared reality and to reflect on the impact of our actions (regardless of our intention) have on others and the world around us.

BE FREE FROM POSSESSIVENESS

This concept is also intertwined with the second one – since we are offering all of our actions to something which is greater than us, we will release our urge to grasp onto acclaim, accolades or praise associated with our actions and instead allow our actions to be of service to all – instead of just ourselves.

BE CALM

We must try to always find steadiness within ourselves so we can continually return to this constant process of reflection, release and adjusting.

These are the five steps Kṛṣṇa lays our for Arjuna to put yoga into action in his life. This method can be applied to every area of our lives and will deepen our understanding of ourselves and continue to fuel our spiritual journey.

Next time you notice yourself feeling frustration, anger, fear, nerves, etc. try to analyze your experience through the lens of these five steps and see if you’re able to find freedom in a different perspective. Often, this different perspective is expansive and inclusive all at the same time and might bring a bit of ease in a challenging moment.

About Jessica

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Svādhyāya- self-study, repetition of mantras and calming the mind

The fourth of the Niyamas is a call to deepening our study of ourselves as a means to prepare the aspirant for the continued journey toward Liberation. It is with true knowledge of existence and the reality of the world of change that the yogi can finally see through the fog of human existence to the Truth of themselves, to know the Ātman (Soul, Self, Divine Within, etc.).

Svādhyāya surfaces in the Niyamas, as a repetition of one of the components of Kriyā yoga and can initially cause some misunderstanding. While the word svādhyāya gets commonly translated as ‘self-study’ there is often an important mechanic of that self-study which is often omitted. Patañjali teaches yogis to learn about themselves by studying spiritual texts, chanting, repeating mantras, etc.

Through the study of spiritual texts, the aspirant can gain knowledge on the journey ahead of them. Additionally, knowledge of the subtle layers of existence can be revealed through this continued study. When combined with chanting and repetition of mantras, the yogi will find balance in their subtle energies and gain increased clarity of the human experiences. With this knowledge and awakening, the aspirant will gain grace and ease with navigating the challenges of daily life and the human experience.

For a journaling practice today, explore how does self-study can lead to more meaningful and productive relationships? How has your knowledge of yourself grown from reading and studying spiritual texts?

For a chanting practice, you might try repeating this mantra 12 times:

Oṃ Gaṃ Gaṇapataye Namaḥ

This is a chant which invites in knowledge of our own innate capacity to overcome obstacles. It acknowledges that we each have the power Gaṇeśa represents contained within ourselves. It’s already there, we just have to awaken to our own divine nature.

A gentle way to ease into a chanting practice is to begin with 12 repetitions, for one week continuously. After that, you might try 36 repetitions for two full weeks. Next step could be to complete 108 rounds of the chant daily (or twice daily). See this post on the benefits of Chanting and encouragement for a consistent chanting practice.

Currently, we’re exploring each of these Yamas (mahāvrata) as well as the Niyamas and trying to understand how we can start to integrate the lessons of these guidelines in our posture practice and our daily lives. Share how you’re experiencing and practicing truthfulness today and everyday with our Ashtanga community and read what others are learning by following #yogafoundationschallenge on IG.

Through the lens of our practice, we can start to view our patterns and reactions as a means to known them and adapt/change them as needed. I encourage you to practice with extra care over the next few weeks and journal about your experience on and off the mat. This will give you an additional tool to process the ideas and concepts we’ll explore throughout the challenge.

Tag @bellapranayoga in each entry along with #yogafoundationschallenge and #bellapranaashtanga to be entered in a drawing to win:

  • Mysore Practice Rug
  • Yogi Assignment by Kino MacGregor
  • 4 oz bottle of Mahanarayan Oil
  • PLUS 10% off workshops with Ajay Tokas in July 2020

See the remaining schedule below and follow the tag #yogafoundationschallenge on Instagram to hear experiences from our community as well as share your own. Now, you take practice 🙂

  • Wednesday, February 5 – Īśvara Praṇidhāna – connection to the unknown

* About Jessica

* Upcoming Events & Workshops

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The Many Benefits of Chanting

Chanting can be a powerful and transformative practice of using sound to bring on a meditative experience. The repetition of mantra and sound aids in down-regulating the nervous system and creating space for peace and stillness to arise within. Additionally, chanting is known to have the following

  • Helps to Improve Concentration
    • Chanting helps to calm the monkey mind by giving it something to focus on both mentally and verbally. With regular chanting, your mind becomes focused on the Sanskrit words instead of everything else. with continued practice, the mind will become more attentive in whatever it focuses on.
  • Reduces Stress and Anxiety
    • Chanting can provide relief from anxiety and tension. Regular chanting allows you to experience peace from within and be less distracted while doing any form of work.
    • Chanting is a practice of meditation and helps you to learn more about yourself and adds meaning to all aspects of your life.
  • Rejuvenating & Calming
    • Tensions are a regular part of life. But too much anxiety and stress produce toxins in the body leading to harmful physical and mental diseases. And Om chanting eliminates the possibilities of toxin production by reducing stress and making you feel rejuvenated whenever you start chanting. Thus, one of the health benefits of Om chanting is that it makes you feel happy, rejuvenated and pacifies your troubled heart.
    • Regular Om chanting also helps to reduce your mood swings and thus improve your work capacity and performance. So, it indicates that with regular Om chanting practice you can improve your personal as well as professional life as well.
  • Helps Support the Back and Spine
    • Chanting, done in an upright position, helps to tone and strengthen the abdominal muscles and this can help to keep the spine healthy in everyday life.
  • Detoxifies Body
    • Chanting is a type of meditation, when you regularly perform meditation, it allows the body to function at an optimum level. This will help the body release toxins and impurities efficiently. 
    • Chanting requires breath regulation and this helps improve blood circulation and oxygen supply to the cells or the body. These are the two important physical benefits of chanting. 
  • Can Improve Functioning of Heart & Digestive System
    • Chanting can help regulate the blood flow to different body parts. Thus, it helps in stabilizing blood pressure. While chanting, the breath, respiration and heartbeat can normalize.
    • Regular practice can improve the functioning of the heart and your digestive system.
  • Helps Improve Quality of Sleep
    • You can improve your sleep and wake up pattern by chanting regularly. As the mind resides in a more peaceful state, the nervous system can reset and recalibrate. Chanting can help with falling asleep quickly, and getting sound and quality sleep.
  • Helps Promote Emotionally Stability
    • When experiencing worry, anger, frustration, irritation, etc. our work and relationships are impacted. Behavior can become irrational and impractical when the mind is disturbed. Chanting can help balance emotions and allow the mind to operate from a more altruistic place, as opposed the fight/flight/freeze state of a mind ruled by worry, anger, frustration, irritation, etc.
  • Improves Reasoning Ability, Reduces Negativity
    • A distracted mind has a tendency to think negative first whenever something unexpected happens. Regular chanting helps keep the mind calm and helps stay present/positive through uncertainty. When you are no longer ruled by your reactionary mind, your reasoning ability improves and you are able to make more grounded and meaningful decisions.

For a initial chanting practice, try repeating this mantra Oṃ 108 times, for one week continuously.

This can be the mantra you continue with indefinitely. If you could like a slightly longer mantra, you might try:

Oṃ Gaṃ Gaṇapataye Namaḥ

This is a chant which invites in knowledge of our own innate capacity to overcome obstacles. It acknowledges that we each have the power Gaṇeśa represents contained within ourselves. It’s already there, we just have to awaken to our own divine nature.

A gentle way to ease into a chanting practice is to begin with 12 repetitions, for one week continuously. After that, you might try 36 repetitions for two full weeks. Next step could be to complete 108 rounds of the chant daily (or twice daily).

* About Jessica

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Saṃtoṣa – contentment, feeling joy everywhere

The second niyama, saṃtoṣa, requires the yogi to practice contentment in all situations, in every moment. This practice can bring about clarity of heart and mind. It opens the aspirant to the vast network of connectivity which weaves the fibers of existence together.

The idea of finding peace and joy, regardless of whether the circumstances are pleasant or unpleasant can be an overwhelming practice to begin. Life consists of highs and lows and the emotions, sensations and knowledge that comes from those situations is invaluable in the experience of life. It’s a bit boring to think of a life lived without the rising and falling of the waves of a life well lived.

It’s important to distinguish the practice here, saṃtoṣa is not a practice of disconnecting from these moments and viewing them as plain, gray, stagnant components of a life free from highs and lows. Contentment is a practice of feeling the pleasant joy of existence through these ebbs and flows of life, without being ruled by the avoidance of pain or the continual lusting for joy. Saṃtoṣa is present when we see the sufferings of life as teachers, as messengers of truth and keys to where we need to grow on our journey inward and when we feel the beauty of our magical life, without clinging to it.

For our journaling practice today, try uncovering what contentment could mean to you?

How can the practice of contentment lead to a deeper experience of honesty on our journey of self-discovery and healing?

Does it feel as if this practice of contentment ask you to be disingenuous about difficult situations?

Currently, we’re exploring each of these Yamas (mahāvrata) as well as the Niyamas and trying to understand how we can start to integrate the lessons of these guidelines in our posture practice and our daily lives. Share how you’re experiencing and practicing truthfulness today and everyday with our Ashtanga community and read what others are learning by following #yogafoundationschallenge on IG.

Through the lens of our practice, we can start to view our patterns and reactions as a means to known them and adapt/change them as needed. I encourage you to practice with extra care over the next few weeks and journal about your experience on and off the mat. This will give you an additional tool to process the ideas and concepts we’ll explore throughout the challenge.

Tag @bellapranayoga in each entry along with #yogafoundationschallenge and #bellapranaashtanga to be entered in a drawing to win:

  • Mysore Practice Rug
  • Yogi Assignment by Kino MacGregor
  • 4 oz bottle of Mahanarayan Oil
  • PLUS 10% off workshops with Ajay Tokas in July 2020

See the daily schedule below and follow the tag #yogafoundationschallenge on Instagram to hear experiences from our community as well as share your own. Now, you take practice 🙂

  • Monday, February 3 – Tapas – self-discipline as a path toward freedom
  • Tuesday, February 4 – Svādhyāya- self-study, repetition of mantras and calming the mind
  • Wednesday, February 5 – Īśvara Praṇidhāna – connection to the unknown

* About Jessica

* Upcoming Events & Workshops

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Śauca – cleanliness and why it’s so important on our spiritual journey

The first of the Niyamas, śauca, is a practice of physical, energetic and mental cleanliness. Building on the foundations the aspirant has already developed in Kriyā Yoga and the five Yamas, yogis will find this practice expands beyond regular bathing and brings about clarity of thought, health and vitality. This practice includes both inner and outer cleanliness. Yogis must work to keep their environment clean, their physical body clean and their inner thoughts and intentions clean.

Cleanliness of thought can be a comprehensive practice of all the previous practices we’ve been discussing. With our kriyā yoga practice firmly rooted, and non-violence as the foundation for all our connections, the aspirant can find that practicing śauca aligns comfortably with our spiritual journey and aids in commitment to the path of self-discovery and the search for Truth.

For our journaling work today, try to identify a subtler way you can incorporate a practice of cleanliness. Maybe it involves a small shift in the food you nourish your body with, possibly a change in the media you consume today, or even a practice of joyfully removing an item of waste you see.

Additionally, explore how cleanliness is important to your spiritual growth and development?

Can you identify subtle ways cleanliness is essential for a safe and effective posture practice?

The following guidelines can help to deepen your śauca practice through the context of your posture practice. As the body sweats during practice, it releases toxins and impurities; it also releases essential minerals during this process. Teachers suggest the yogi rub the sweat back into their skin to give the body a chance to reabsorb the minerals back into their system. It is also advised to refrain from showering immediately after practice. Try waiting 15-30 minutes before getting into the shower, this is another opportunity for the body to reabsorb minerals, which left the body during the practice.

Currently, we’re exploring each of these Yamas (mahāvrata) as well as the Niyamas and trying to understand how we can start to integrate the lessons of these guidelines in our posture practice and our daily lives. Share how you’re experiencing and practicing truthfulness today and everyday with our Ashtanga community and read what others are learning by following #yogafoundationschallenge on IG.

Through the lens of our practice, we can start to view our patterns and reactions as a means to known them and adapt/change them as needed. I encourage you to practice with extra care over the next few weeks and journal about your experience on and off the mat. This will give you an additional tool to process the ideas and concepts we’ll explore throughout the challenge.

Tag @bellapranayoga in each entry along with #yogafoundationschallenge and #bellapranaashtanga to be entered in a drawing to win:

  • Mysore Practice Rug
  • Yogi Assignment by Kino MacGregor
  • 4 oz bottle of Mahanarayan Oil
  • PLUS 10% off workshops with Ajay Tokas in July 2020

See the daily schedule below and follow the tag #yogafoundationschallenge on Instagram to hear experiences from our community as well as share your own. Now, you take practice 🙂

  • Sunday, February 2 – Saṃtoṣa – contentment, feeling joy everywhere
  • Monday, February 3 – Tapas – self-discipline as a path toward freedom
  • Tuesday, February 4 – Svādhyāya- self-study, repetition of mantras and calming the mind
  • Wednesday, February 5 – Īśvara Praṇidhāna – connection to the unknown

* About Jessica

* Upcoming Events & Workshops

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Aparigraha – non-grasping, feeling the difference between holding and grasping

Aparigraha, the fifth and final of the Yamas completes the first rung of Patañjali’s ladder toward Ultimate Liberation. This Yama requires the aspirant to practice non-grasping, to live life allowing for a state of flow to exist within all connections.

Grasping is an attempt to control. An attempt to mold and shape the outcome of our efforts and interactions into something of our own, instead of allowing what is possible to blossom. This practice of aparigraha leads aspirants away from the demands and stimulations of the outside world and guides the yogi deeper on the journey inward. The yogi will gain more control over their thoughts, words and actions and will find they are no longer ruled by the impulse to control the results of all of their connections.

Aparigraha opens students up to releasing the desire to own and allows us to let go of what is unnecessary and out of our control. Yogis are able to learn and truly embrace their own strength. Knowing they already have everything they need contained within their own hearts.

This practice leads to knowledge of the difference between committing and grasping. Commitment often starts with the best of intentions, a symbiotic connection which is mutually beneficial. Then, through a series of inevitable life events, commitment can turn into grasping and trying to control. And yet, it can seem impossible to identify the moment when a loving commitment, a gentle clasp of fingers, is transformed and suddenly a desperate, unrelenting desire to control is ruling the connection.

With discipline, self-study, connection, non-violence, truth, non-stealing and honoring of sacred energy, the yogi can start to notice when this transformation happens. The yogi will start to notice when they are attempting to control the outcome of their efforts and return to their own work of Kriyā Yoga and the previous Yamas.

For your journaling opportunity, explore ways you already know you try to grasp and control situations. Additionally, how might you change this pattern of trying to control into an opportunity for deeper self-study?

How could the practice of aparigraha apply to the time you spend practicing yoga on the mat?

How can this practice expand to include our personal relationships?

Currently, we’re exploring each of these Yamas (mahāvrata) as well as the Niyamas and trying to understand how we can start to integrate the lessons of these guidelines in our posture practice and our daily lives. Share how you’re experiencing and practicing truthfulness today and everyday with our Ashtanga community and read what others are learning by following #yogafoundationschallenge on IG.

Through the lens of our practice, we can start to view our patterns and reactions as a means to known them and adapt/change them as needed. I encourage you to practice with extra care over the next few weeks and journal about your experience on and off the mat. This will give you an additional tool to process the ideas and concepts we’ll explore throughout the challenge.

Tag @bellapranayoga in each entry along with #yogafoundationschallenge and #bellapranaashtanga to be entered in a drawing to win:

  • Mysore Practice Rug
  • Yogi Assignment by Kino MacGregor
  • 4 oz bottle of Mahanarayan Oil
  • PLUS 10% off workshops with Ajay Tokas in July 2020

See the daily schedule below and follow the tag #yogafoundationschallenge on Instagram to hear experiences from our community as well as share your own. Now, you take practice 🙂

  • Friday, January 31 – Aparigraha – non-grasping, feeling the difference between holding and grasping
  • Saturday, February 1 – Śauca – cleanliness and why it’s so important on our spiritual journey
  • Sunday, February 2 – Saṃtoṣa – contentment, feeling joy everywhere
  • Monday, February 3 – Tapas – self-discipline as a path toward freedom
  • Tuesday, February 4 – Svādhyāya- self-study, repetition of mantras and calming the mind
  • Wednesday, February 5 – Īśvara Praṇidhāna – connection to the unknown

* About Jessica

* Upcoming Events & Workshops

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Brahmacarya – celibacy and what it means for the yogi

The fourth Yama, brahmacarya, calls the yogi to take on a practice of total control of ones sexual engagements. In other words, the aspirant is being called to practice celibacy. This can seem like a heavy topic for most yogis as it enters into our private life and a deeper and more intimate way than the previous Yamas. Before brushing this Yama off as one that ‘isn’t for me,’ it’s important we first understand the definition of this Yama as it relates to Patañjali and the social circumstances of his time and caste. Then, we’ll delve into the subtler layers of this practice.

At the time the yoga sūtras were codified (somewhere around 400-500 of the Common Era) Patañjali was organizing these teachings as they were taught to male brahmanical aesthetics. Patañjali literally wrote these vows for male priests whom had renounced society and the householder lifestyle. Understanding the setting in which these sūtras were written, it’s a little easier to understand the strict call for celibacy from the aspirant. Patañjali called for the restraint of sexual behavior, as a means for the aspirant to not be ruled by their emotional, physical and mental impulsive responses. The original layer of commentary goes on to explain there are certain circumstances and at certain times when sexual behavior could be accepted and not seen as a hinderance along the yogi’s spiritual path. It’s possible to understand this practice of celibacy as much more than simply refraining from sex. This is a practice which is a means to allow students to increase their own life force and gain insight into life’s deepest truths.

By being conscious and mindfully intentional about our most intimate interactions, the yogi is able to gain knowledge about preexisting patterns of thoughts, emotional responses and impulsive reactions. Additionally, conscious attention to these precious and intimate connections, will develop the capacity for the aspirant to nurture and grow their reserve of sacred, vital energy.

Why is it important to nurture and reserve your sacred energy?

As you explore, meditate and journal on this Yama, try to witness your own inner dialogue about the subject matter. Are there layers of this practice which seem impossible? Layers which seem appealing? How do you connect to your sacred vital energy?

If you’re curious, Pattabhi Jois provides the following advice in The Yoga Mala for committed couples to honor brahmacarya while still maintaining their intimate connections.

  • The best time for sexual intercourse is between sunset and sunrise. Sex during the day can weaken the life-force.
  • Only those in committed relationships should engage in sex. Sexual thoughts of someone other than your partner should be avoided as well.
  • The most appropriate time for intercourse is between days four and sixteen of a woman’s cycle.
  • It is not recommended to have sex on the days of the new and full moon. Energy should be reserved on these days.
  • All sexual activity should be a balance of righteousness, fairness, prosperity, purpose, and physical and/or motional pleasure and/or desire.
  • We should always think of the higher self while engaging in intercourse. This will ultimately lead to brahmacarya and increase our life-force and connection with the Divine.

Currently, we’re exploring each of these Yamas (mahāvrata) as well as the Niyamas and trying to understand how we can start to integrate the lessons of these guidelines in our posture practice and our daily lives. Share how you’re experiencing and practicing truthfulness today and everyday with our Ashtanga community and read what others are learning by following #yogafoundationschallenge on IG.

Through the lens of our practice, we can start to view our patterns and reactions as a means to known them and adapt/change them as needed. I encourage you to practice with extra care over the next few weeks and journal about your experience on and off the mat. This will give you an additional tool to process the ideas and concepts we’ll explore throughout the challenge.

Tag @bellapranayoga in each entry along with #yogafoundationschallenge and #bellapranaashtanga to be entered in a drawing to win:

  • Mysore Practice Rug
  • Yogi Assignment by Kino MacGregor
  • 4 oz bottle of Mahanarayan Oil
  • PLUS 10% off workshops with Ajay Tokas in July 2020

See the daily schedule below and follow the tag #yogafoundationschallenge on Instagram to hear experiences from our community as well as share your own. Now, you take practice 🙂

  • Friday, January 31 – Aparigraha – non-grasping, feeling the difference between holding and grasping
  • Saturday, February 1 – Śauca – cleanliness and why it’s so important on our spiritual journey
  • Sunday, February 2 – Saṃtoṣa – contentment, feeling joy everywhere
  • Monday, February 3 – Tapas – self-discipline as a path toward freedom
  • Tuesday, February 4 – Svādhyāya- self-study, repetition of mantras and calming the mind
  • Wednesday, February 5 – Īśvara Praṇidhāna – connection to the unknown

* About Jessica

* Upcoming Events & Workshops

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Ahiṃsā, non-violence includes so much more than you might think

To observe and practice non-violence, yogis are called to much more than simply the restraint from physical violence. Non-violence is a lifestyle and the respect for all the world and the collective journey of existence we are all participating in. In fact, Patañjali calls for an elimination of violence in thought, word and deed. That’s quite the tall order, to control your engagement with the world with such precision that you are no longer even harboring thoughts that are even remotely violent.

Original commentary on the yoga sūtras goes on to elaborate that this practice of non-violence is required every single day. We learn we can not truly embody non-violence unless it is a constant force saturating throughout our intentions, impacts and ideas.

Ahiṃsā is the tolerance and acceptance of all of the differences amongst the living creatures of the universe. As well as a respectful use and care of all non-living objects as well. Ahiṃsā is also the practice of kindness. Kindness in all of our actions, thoughts and intentions.

As we meditate on this practice of non-violence, I invite you to grab a journal and explore a couple of questions. As you journal on what comes up for you with these questions, use this as an opportunity to get to know yourself better, to see a clearer vision of you. This exploration will lead to gaining knowledge of yourself and offer you opportunities for growth and transformation.

What does it mean to you to be non-violent?

Personally, how have you identified moments in your existence where you have caused harm and what steps did you take to be accountable for that impact? How could you adapt your patterns to impact the world less violently?

Are there truly violent acts, which are considered socially acceptable? And if so, why do we accept them?

Practicing non-violence can take an infinite number of forms. It may come in the form of forgiveness, letting go of past sufferings for the sake of both you and the world around you. Or maybe it comes in the form of acknowledging the presence of the human asking for food on the street corner. It’s also possible to for our act of non-violence to be standing up and using your voice to help those whose voices are being ignored. Or it might be making choices to support the health and vitality of our planet, instead of what is convenient or familiar.

Currently, we’re exploring each of these Yamas (mahāvrata) as well as the Niyamas and trying to understand how we can start to integrate the lessons of these guidelines in our posture practice and our daily lives.

Through the lens of our practice, we can start to view our patterns and reactions as a means to known them and adapt/change them as needed. I encourage you to practice with extra care over the next few weeks and journal about your experience on and off the mat. This will give you an additional tool to process the ideas and concepts we’ll explore throughout the challenge.

Tag @bellapranayoga in each entry along with #yogafoundationschallenge and #bellapranaashtanga to be entered in a drawing to win:

  • Mysore Practice Rug
  • Yogi Assignment by Kino MacGregor
  • 4 oz bottle of Mahanarayan Oil
  • PLUS 10% off workshops with Ajay Tokas in July 2020

See the daily schedule below and follow the tag #yogafoundationschallenge on Instagram to hear experiences from our community as well as share your own. Now, you take practice 🙂

  • Tuesday, January 28 – Satya, the vast extent of truthfulness
  • Wednesday, January 29 – Asteya, understanding the scope of non-stealing
  • Thursday, January 30 – Brahmacarya – celibacy and what it means for the yogi
  • Friday, January 31 – Aparigraha – non-grasping, feeling the difference between holding and grasping
  • Saturday, February 1 – Śauca – cleanliness and why it’s so important on our spiritual journey
  • Sunday, February 2 – Saṃtoṣa – contentment, feeling joy everywhere
  • Monday, February 3 – Tapas – self-discipline as a path toward freedom
  • Tuesday, February 4 – Svādhyāya- self-study, repetition of mantras and calming the mind
  • Wednesday, February 5 – Īśvara Praṇidhāna – connection to the unknown

* About Jessica

* Upcoming Events & Workshops

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