The Yoga Sutras, Part 2

Today I'd like to continue my series on some of the philosophy of yoga. Practicing only the physical part of yoga (asana) leaves out so much of the good stuff, so it's important to occasionally take a step back and reexamine yoga as a whole. Luckily, there is quite a bit of literature and ancient texts that do just that.

So in my last post on the Sutras, I began going through the Yamas, which are the basic moral guidelines for relating to others. Next up is Satya, which roughly translates as "truthfulness." Seems pretty self-explanatory, right? Being truthful with others seems like a fairly obvious guideline to practice. However, there are some nuances worth examining.

Firstly, it is importance to recognize that Satya refers to truth as it relates to our highest selves. So what that DOESN'T mean is brutal honestly. It is essential to use our understanding of Ahimsa (non-violence; do no harm) into our interpretation of Satya. We must be conscious of the impact of our words and truth-telling.

As my yoga practice has grown over the years, I have come to the understanding that being authentic and entirely genuine in my interactions with others is essential to my feelings of happiness and fulfillment. It is so important to truly understand our own deepest needs and desires and be able to communicate those needs; being truthful with ourselves first paves the way for greater honestly in our interactions with others. Listening for the whispers of TRUE SELF that we can hear sometimes, when we are still and quiet or in meditation, becomes easier when we act in a way that is an authentic representation of the true self.

In physical practice, Satya is essential in understanding what we need from asana on any given day. Recognizing and being honest with ourselves when we need more of a gentle, restorative practice- rather than just pushing through intense asanas anyway- will yield a much greater satisfaction and fulfillment from the practice.

"It is only when we silence the blaring sounds of our everyday existence that we can finally hear the whispers of truth that life reveals to us, as it stands, knocking on the doorsteps of our hearts."
-K.T. Jong

Live every day as your most authentic Self. Speak your truth. Practice radical honesty with yourself and others- see what happens!
Xx Rebecca

Yoga Pose of the Week

Hanumanasana

 When I'm teaching a class, this is my favorite pose to explain the Sanskrit name. Many of the names for yoga poses are based on Hindu deities; in this case, Hanuman, the monkey god. In an act of love and devotion, Hanuman made a literal leap of faith across an impossible distance from the southern tip of India to Sri Lanka to save the brother of Hanuman's guru. The leap could only be accomplished because of the depth of Hanuman's devotion.

Have you ever heard stories about people performing impossible feats of strength to save someone they love? A mother lifting a car to free her trapped child from underneath, a person running in to a fire to save a friend; love is an incredibly powerful force.

Hanuman made this leap of faith because his love for his guru was so strong. His leap is remembered forever in this pose- one leg forward, one leg back. An impossible leap- made possible.

Now, since we all know that yoga is not a religion (and that is a post for another day!), what can non-Hindus take from this story? What I choose to do is to imagine the story but substitute myself for the guru. Hear me out-

In every asana that we practice, we are seeking to uncover our own deepest truths. We seek to find our purest selves. So if you think about it this way, practicing Hanumanasana requires great faith in ourselves and devotion to our practice. When you trust yourself fully, anything is possible.

Step-by-step instructions:

1. Begin in a low lunge, left knee down on the mat. Slowly pull your hips back until the right leg is straight and the toes point up towards the sky.
2. Begin to ease your right heel forward, left knee back, allowing the pelvis to descend down towards the mat.
3. Make sure that your right toes continue to point straight upwards, and the right kneecap should be directly up as well.
4. The left leg should be extended directly back behind you, not off to the side. The center of the left kneecap should be against the mat. 
5. Take your time! This is not a pose to rush, and doing so has definite potential for injury. Make sure that the hamstrings have been adequately warmed, as well as the groins and hip flexors.
6. If you find that your pelvis does not make it down to the mat, you can use a bolster or rolled up blanket under your pelvis to give you support. Start with it a little higher than you need it to be in order to let your body fully relax into the support of the bolster. As you can see in the photo above, I could not completely straighten my front leg so I used the natural propping of the hill in order to make my hips higher than my feet!
7. You can bring your arms up overhead, or to Anjali mudra (prayer pose) at your heart, or simply keep your hands on the mat for support.

Avoid practicing Hanumanasana if you have a hamstring or groin injury.

A fun and challenging way to deepen this pose is to bend the back knee to bring the back foot in towards your head and reach overhead to grab it. 

What do you think about the story behind Hanumanasana? Where do you make leaps of faith in your life, or your practice?

Namaste.