Posted: August 29, 2009 at 11:53 pm
by: Amy Twain
We know that Karma Yoga is mentioned in the Ishavasya Upanishad and the Bhagavad-Gita, but for so many students outside of India are quite unfamiliar with it. If you ask a class filled with students about the definition of Karma Yoga you will be quite lucky to get an answer. Karma Yoga is oftentimes translated as, “selfless service,” like giving to others with time or money or charity work. Karma means “work or action” so it really requires effort. And Yoga means a lot of things. We could always hear the meaning of Yoga as: unity, union or a calm or tranquil state of mind.
Karma Yoga is oftentimes overlooked by some of us. In most Hatha Yoga teacher training programs, we tend to emphasize or highlight it, but then move on toward the ideas of physical mastery. But physical mastery alone does not deliver or guarantee complete and total happiness. As a matter of fact, happiness truly occurs when the practice of Yoga becomes part of our daily lives off the mat. Still, karma is often referred to as negative. Bad luck is bad karma, yet good luck or good fortune is oftentimes thought of as an inner effort within our own control, which could happen because of our own efforts.
Our actions would have a positive or negative result. The theory or law of karma is complex, yet it is easy to grasp or understand. An easy and simple way in order to test this theory is to observe carefully and experiment in the happenings of our daily lives. Notice how many individuals out there who wait for somebody to greet them first? Then these people may feel unhappy, lonely or miserable simply because nobody even said hello to them. Now, this is “karma in practice.” But if the same individual were to greet every person that they meet, by giving them a warm smile, bowing, waving or through a firm hand shake, all of the energy will be positive.
The results or outcome of taking the initiative with just a mere friendly greeting would be a state of happiness. Then many people would respond in a similar manner, naturally. As we go through or experience our daily routine of our work and begin to socialize with other people, we may cause some small changes with our attitude or behavior toward others. As we go further, how many people actually listen to one another? Listening to other people also makes them happy and grateful. The mere effortless act of listening emphatically definitely costs us not even a single cent, but it truly makes everybody happy when we listen to them.
All that it requires is to give a little of our time to someone else. There is really no need to wait for the other person to make the first move or somebody else to be friendly and approachable first. When we create and initiate the positive action, we are setting the wheels of karma in motion and the end result is to find our own happiness.
Posted: August 7, 2009 at 4:43 pm | Tags: chi, Taiji
In your practice of Taiji, it’s best not to force or strain anything in one’s posture, nor to be collapsed or limp. The ultimate goal of Taiji practice is to achieve and maintain a state of Wuji. Wuji translates as “no extremity”, but it’s good to think of it during practice as having all forces inside and out, mental and physical, in balanced harmony. This is not something you do. It is something you reach, and continue to refine for the rest of your life.
Early in their practice, many students (myself one of them) see their teacher’s demonstrations, hear his instructions, and eagerly try to move their posture into the proscribed “proper” alignment. It is true that when your tailbone naturally drops and the crown of your head floats upward, that your spine and torso will release tension. Also, when your weight and balance rest easily through the centers of your feet and into the floor, and your ankles, knees, and hips gently bend and soften, the release in your torso becomes complete and sinks through the lower body into the ground. Your Dantien (your physical and energetic center) can then fill and pump Chi (vital energy) through the body.
All that being said, your body has learned, through the course of your life, some way of standing, walking, and moving about. It’s not going to change just because your Taiji instructor says it’s a good idea. I had practiced for years before I realized that the body can not and will not be forced to change. It has to be slowly and methodically convinced. Feelings of discomfort during this process are natural. It takes time for your body to let go of old habits and relax.
If you try to force your body into postures, your joints, tendons, muscles, and connective tissues will come under stress. The body reacts in one of two ways: by generating tension to protect itself, or worse, injury. The opposite isn’t much better. If you slouch, collapse on your structure, or allow limbs and torso to be limp, you’ll create postural imbalances, overstretched and weak muscles and tendons, worn out cartilage, and again, injury. At best, you just won’t benefit much from your practice.
Taiji philosophy is to seek a balance of Yin and Yang. Yin and Yang are symbols representing all opposites in the universe; but for our Taiji practice, let’s consider them as soft and hard, or tension and relaxation. With this in mind, remember that when your teacher instructs you to seek a certain physical structure, or posture, this is a guide toward proper alignment, not a rule. That means that reaching harmonious alignment is a journey. Take it step by step. Listen to what your body feels. Listen to your teacher’s instructions, and gently apply just enough energy intention to stimulate changes in your posture.
If you apply observant awareness, gentle intention (which is movement of internal pressure, or energy through focus), and patience, your body will strengthen where it needs to, stretch where it needs to, release, unify, and you will find that state of Wuji.
The rest of your practice will be to challenge and expand your ability to maintain this state. Indeed, all of life does. Remember, everyone’s body (and mind) has its own pace of adaptation. Don’t become frustrated, or compare your progress to that of others. This is your journey. With diligence, patience, and learning through guidance, you’ll find your Taiji.
Posted: August 2, 2009 at 12:12 am
revisiting the whole twitter thing. what’s the point? not too sure. anyone willing to shed some light?
