Anandamaya
In previous posts I have explored the outer layers / dimensions of the pancha mayas from the Annamaya to the Vijnanamaya and we continued delving deeper into Anandamaya. When we move into this realm we experience an inner joy and happiness from the soul/Purusa. This joy comes from understanding and connecting to the Self.
At the Anandamaya level there is:
Centre is Ananda - Pure, endless joy, potential beyond attachments
Priya - Affection
Moda - Happiness
Pramonda - Experience of that Happiness
Brahma - Conscious Purusa/Soul
We come from a space of Ananda (pure, endless joy) and we are born with this connect but quickly our senses take over and influence the mind with images, ideas and perceptions. All joy originates from Ananda but because of our experiences and senses we are often removed from this. We can be in a state of Ananda/biss if we realise what is impermanant and permanant and we develop a detachment from everything that is changeable, go beyond Avidhya.
Even in the state of Anandamaya we are still in a state of prakrti/ matter but the mind is sattwic, balanced and peaceful. The purpose of yoga and ayurveda is to for spiritual growth, self realisation and to go beyond prakrti /our physical state. In order to transcend the physical body we need to work with it through the path of yoga.
The human mind's purpose is to perceive the world, it's powered by the consciousness and the senses to connect to objects and transmit images back to the conscious. We are constantly recieving impressions from the outside world. This distorts our perception and colours what the conscious sees. Yoga aims to remove these layers / samskaras so that the mind is no longer coloured but becomes crystal clear, perfectly reflecting the world and projecting what is not what the mind percieves.
The mind has aniother purpose, in higher states of meditation the focus moves from a gross object, then to inside then turns inwards to the consciousness itself. It no longer reflects the outside world but acts as a mirror to reflect the consciousness and enbaling true awareness of the Self, reflected very clearly in the mind. At the Anandamaya level the mind still plays a part in perception and the Guna's (matter) still exists. There is a perception of 'I amness' which does not come from the ego rather than the egotistical definitions of 'I am short/happy/stupid etc...'. There is an experience of bliss / Samadhi and when we go beyond the conscious there are no words to describe it..
The Panchamaya's start at the very gross level and moves inwards, it deomonstrates where the practise may lead and the spectrum of how we can evolve, transcend and connect. There are several processes which enable the annamaya to fuction to enable us to return to our natural state of Ananda.
Ayurveda, the wisdom of life, looks at the anatomy as compromising of 4 components which constitue Ayu (life):
Saura - Body
Indriya - Senses
Sattwa - Body
Atma - Self
From this there are two possible states:
Svastha (Sva = Self, Stha = to stay) - Health, wellbeing, highest potential, when connected to Self
Vjadhi (Vj = Detachment/disconnected, Adhi = Source) - Dis - ease
Yoga and ayurveda helps us to move away from feeling disconnected and unsure of who we are and closer to union with the true Self in the state of Svastha.
As we have already begun exploring everything in the human body is related to natures elements. All the functions of the human body are encompassed in the gunas and dosas. In ayurveda the five elements are combined to form the Dosa's which are the building blocks of the human body, the physical, psychological and physiological structue and which can be clearly identified in the functions of the body.
Vata = Space and Air/Wind
Pitta = Fire combined with the Air and Water (oil) needed to make it burn
Kapha = Water and Earth
The Prakrti, primordial matter, also manifest in the Gunas at the mental level:
Sattwa = Lucidity, clarity
Rajas = Action, movement
Tamas = Inertia, dullness, heaviness
We will look at the affects of the Dosas and Gunas and how we can balance these through yoga in the week ahead and I will be offering specific, practical examples to implement in to your yoga course soon, stay tuned!
Interpretation of the Yoga Sutras
III 39
Udana (that which moves upwards/pit of throat to head) jayat (mastery) jala (water) panka(earth/mud) kanta kadisew (thorns/suffering) asmangah (overcome) uttrantisca (levitate)
When you master udana vayu you can overcome suffering which happens when the body is depleted from food and water and you will fly through life.
Udana vayu works on all the joints of the body, lubrication is needed as otherwise it gets depleted, dry and cracks appear however if there is too much water it combines with the earth and creates mud and we get stuck in the mind (mud) and can't move. Udana vayu is the last to leave the body, we must keep it moving as it controls prana and it is also responsible for sending toxins and impurities to be eliminated.
III 40 Samana Jayat Jvalanam
Mastery over samana, the prana flowing in the navel area, creates fire / a radiance from the body, a healthy illuminous glow and aura.
Samana vayu is one of the five vayus, which is responsible for difestion and based in the naval. It also digests our thoughts and emotions and therefore when we are able to digest our feelings and remove unwanted thoughts we are radiant, glowing and healthy.
Nowhere in the Yoga Sutras does it say that at some point no suffering will exist, rather it is that you will be able to deal with it, it won't affect you, but will be like water off a ducks back. It is the mind that creates the suffering through memory and patterns. In life we go through a serious of dips, ups and downs, and often the points of suffering can be our biggest motivator to move ahead, from the darkness to the light and cultivating gratitude.
Classification of the Asanas continued Viparita (Inversions)
Following on from exploring Pavritti and Parsva postures is Viparita which can be translated as that which is not usual, the inversions.
The main purpose of inversion postures is to remove impurities which lay dormant below the naval. When we invert the stomach which causes the impurities/toxins to fall downwards due to gravity and into the fire at the naval and then get burnt away and destroyed. The position and gravity also strengthens our breathing as we breathe longer and deeper to expand the lungs pressing against the abdomen. Inversions also bring clarity and new perspective, we literally see the world differently when we turn it on its head.
Inversions should only be done by people who have enough strength in the back. When full inversions are not possible than the prepatory postures such as Adho mukha svanasana (downward facing dog) and Prasarita Padottanasana can be used instead and provide the same benefits of detoxification by inverting the abdomen.
Asana Modifications - Back problems
In this class we continued to look at key back problems and modifications to be offered.
Spondyloythisis
It is typically the misalignment of the Lumbar 5 and Sacrum 1 and results in constant pain. It can be caused by heavt lifting, bad posture, being overweight and lifestyle. The initial treatment is to prescribe rest and relaxation such as lying on the back with the lower legs raised with a bolster. Then it is important to strengthen the uddiyana bandha and the core muscles around the spine to build support.
Neck / Cervical Spine
Many people suffer from neck strain, especially those that work allday on the computer. The first changes people can make to alleviate or prevent this include: ensuring that the computer monitor is at the correct level inline with the eyes, the elbows should rest on the table when typing rather than hanging off and the back should be supported so that the neck and shoulders are relaxed. As well as adjustments to the work environment suggest oil massage, gentle neck movements and Shitali pranayama which relaxes the whole system.
In previous posts I have explored the outer layers / dimensions of the pancha mayas from the Annamaya to the Vijnanamaya and we continued delving deeper into Anandamaya. When we move into this realm we experience an inner joy and happiness from the soul/Purusa. This joy comes from understanding and connecting to the Self.
At the Anandamaya level there is:
Centre is Ananda - Pure, endless joy, potential beyond attachments
Priya - Affection
Moda - Happiness
Pramonda - Experience of that Happiness
Brahma - Conscious Purusa/Soul
We come from a space of Ananda (pure, endless joy) and we are born with this connect but quickly our senses take over and influence the mind with images, ideas and perceptions. All joy originates from Ananda but because of our experiences and senses we are often removed from this. We can be in a state of Ananda/biss if we realise what is impermanant and permanant and we develop a detachment from everything that is changeable, go beyond Avidhya.
Even in the state of Anandamaya we are still in a state of prakrti/ matter but the mind is sattwic, balanced and peaceful. The purpose of yoga and ayurveda is to for spiritual growth, self realisation and to go beyond prakrti /our physical state. In order to transcend the physical body we need to work with it through the path of yoga.
The human mind's purpose is to perceive the world, it's powered by the consciousness and the senses to connect to objects and transmit images back to the conscious. We are constantly recieving impressions from the outside world. This distorts our perception and colours what the conscious sees. Yoga aims to remove these layers / samskaras so that the mind is no longer coloured but becomes crystal clear, perfectly reflecting the world and projecting what is not what the mind percieves.
The mind has aniother purpose, in higher states of meditation the focus moves from a gross object, then to inside then turns inwards to the consciousness itself. It no longer reflects the outside world but acts as a mirror to reflect the consciousness and enbaling true awareness of the Self, reflected very clearly in the mind. At the Anandamaya level the mind still plays a part in perception and the Guna's (matter) still exists. There is a perception of 'I amness' which does not come from the ego rather than the egotistical definitions of 'I am short/happy/stupid etc...'. There is an experience of bliss / Samadhi and when we go beyond the conscious there are no words to describe it..
The Panchamaya's start at the very gross level and moves inwards, it deomonstrates where the practise may lead and the spectrum of how we can evolve, transcend and connect. There are several processes which enable the annamaya to fuction to enable us to return to our natural state of Ananda.
Ayurveda, the wisdom of life, looks at the anatomy as compromising of 4 components which constitue Ayu (life):
Saura - Body
Indriya - Senses
Sattwa - Body
Atma - Self
From this there are two possible states:
Svastha (Sva = Self, Stha = to stay) - Health, wellbeing, highest potential, when connected to Self
Vjadhi (Vj = Detachment/disconnected, Adhi = Source) - Dis - ease
Yoga and ayurveda helps us to move away from feeling disconnected and unsure of who we are and closer to union with the true Self in the state of Svastha.
As we have already begun exploring everything in the human body is related to natures elements. All the functions of the human body are encompassed in the gunas and dosas. In ayurveda the five elements are combined to form the Dosa's which are the building blocks of the human body, the physical, psychological and physiological structue and which can be clearly identified in the functions of the body.
Vata = Space and Air/Wind
Pitta = Fire combined with the Air and Water (oil) needed to make it burn
Kapha = Water and Earth
The Prakrti, primordial matter, also manifest in the Gunas at the mental level:
Sattwa = Lucidity, clarity
Rajas = Action, movement
Tamas = Inertia, dullness, heaviness
We will look at the affects of the Dosas and Gunas and how we can balance these through yoga in the week ahead and I will be offering specific, practical examples to implement in to your yoga course soon, stay tuned!
Interpretation of the Yoga Sutras
III 39
Udana (that which moves upwards/pit of throat to head) jayat (mastery) jala (water) panka(earth/mud) kanta kadisew (thorns/suffering) asmangah (overcome) uttrantisca (levitate)
When you master udana vayu you can overcome suffering which happens when the body is depleted from food and water and you will fly through life.
Udana vayu works on all the joints of the body, lubrication is needed as otherwise it gets depleted, dry and cracks appear however if there is too much water it combines with the earth and creates mud and we get stuck in the mind (mud) and can't move. Udana vayu is the last to leave the body, we must keep it moving as it controls prana and it is also responsible for sending toxins and impurities to be eliminated.
III 40 Samana Jayat Jvalanam
Mastery over samana, the prana flowing in the navel area, creates fire / a radiance from the body, a healthy illuminous glow and aura.
Samana vayu is one of the five vayus, which is responsible for difestion and based in the naval. It also digests our thoughts and emotions and therefore when we are able to digest our feelings and remove unwanted thoughts we are radiant, glowing and healthy.
Nowhere in the Yoga Sutras does it say that at some point no suffering will exist, rather it is that you will be able to deal with it, it won't affect you, but will be like water off a ducks back. It is the mind that creates the suffering through memory and patterns. In life we go through a serious of dips, ups and downs, and often the points of suffering can be our biggest motivator to move ahead, from the darkness to the light and cultivating gratitude.
Classification of the Asanas continued Viparita (Inversions)
Following on from exploring Pavritti and Parsva postures is Viparita which can be translated as that which is not usual, the inversions.
The main purpose of inversion postures is to remove impurities which lay dormant below the naval. When we invert the stomach which causes the impurities/toxins to fall downwards due to gravity and into the fire at the naval and then get burnt away and destroyed. The position and gravity also strengthens our breathing as we breathe longer and deeper to expand the lungs pressing against the abdomen. Inversions also bring clarity and new perspective, we literally see the world differently when we turn it on its head.
Inversions should only be done by people who have enough strength in the back. When full inversions are not possible than the prepatory postures such as Adho mukha svanasana (downward facing dog) and Prasarita Padottanasana can be used instead and provide the same benefits of detoxification by inverting the abdomen.
Asana Modifications - Back problems
In this class we continued to look at key back problems and modifications to be offered.
Spondyloythisis
It is typically the misalignment of the Lumbar 5 and Sacrum 1 and results in constant pain. It can be caused by heavt lifting, bad posture, being overweight and lifestyle. The initial treatment is to prescribe rest and relaxation such as lying on the back with the lower legs raised with a bolster. Then it is important to strengthen the uddiyana bandha and the core muscles around the spine to build support.
Neck / Cervical Spine
Many people suffer from neck strain, especially those that work allday on the computer. The first changes people can make to alleviate or prevent this include: ensuring that the computer monitor is at the correct level inline with the eyes, the elbows should rest on the table when typing rather than hanging off and the back should be supported so that the neck and shoulders are relaxed. As well as adjustments to the work environment suggest oil massage, gentle neck movements and Shitali pranayama which relaxes the whole system.
Brilliant Martha, I love to read your blog, keep it up! One of my goals is to study at the KYM too, need to save a lil' bit for that :) Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteThank you! I'm very blessed to be at KYM so least I can do is try and share what I am learning! Although the experience has equally even more deeply confirmed how truly divine Claire is and the satsang we shared :)
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