"Back and Forth"

Back and forth. To and fro.  Left and right.  In and Out.  Feasting and fasting.  Yin and yang.  Ida and pinghala.  There is a rhythm to our steps, our breath, our life! After the plenty experienced during the holidays and family gatherings, the physical body may need to cleanse and purify.  And after an emotional overload (such as the loss of a loved one) the entire nervous system may need a thorough "housecleaning." 

One method of cleansing the nervous system performed by ancient yogis was to practice a breathing technique called "Alternate Nostril Breathing" or Nadi Sodhana in Sanskrit.  The  tubular organs called nerves allow energy or prana to pass to and from the brain, hopefully without obstruction which can cause great discomfort or even paralyze a limb or organ.  The object of this week's yoga practice is to prevent the ensuing disease caused by partial nerve blockage.  If we choose to practice this ancient wisdom, we can improve the quality of our lives so that we are able to be useful servants of God, caring for one another with our unobstructed energy flow from God.  Hold onto the good that enters and don't dance with the devil of doubt. 

• Physically---In order to concentrate on the technique of  "Alternate Nostril Breathing" or Nadi Sodhana, it's imperative to sit comfortably without distractions, in a chair or on the floor in any of the following yoga postures (asanas):

1. "Easy Pose" or Sukhasana described in the May 4, 2010 blog, 
2. "Hero Pose" or Virasana described in the May 27, 2009 blog,
3. "Staff Pose" or Dandasana described in the June 22, 2009 blog, 
4. "Adept's Pose" or Siddhasana described in the October 19, 2009 blog,
5. Or, for those with very open hips, "Lotus Pose" or Padmasana, to be addressed in next week's blog!  (Honest!)

• Once seated comfortably in any of the above postures, begin to observe the quality of each breath, and establish a natural, easy rhythm of breathing through the nose only.  After a deep, three-dimensional (ujjayi) inhalation, using the right hand only, softly curl the index and middle finger into a gentle fist and place the soft outside edge of the ring finger against the left nostril to gently close that opening.  Exhale completely through the right nostril only, and then steadily draw breath through the right nostril before closing it off with the soft outside edge of the right thumb (not using the hard edge of the fingernail.)  During this exhalation and inhalation, the left nostril is completely blocked by gentle pressure of the right ring finger.
• After a full inhalation through the right nostril, gently block it with the thumb and exhale slowly and steadily through the left nostril in order to empty the lungs completely.  Next inhale slowly, steadily and deeply through the left nostril until all four corners of both lungs are completely filled (puraka).  Then adjust the pressure to block the left nostril while opening the right nostril to exhale thoroughly (rechaka).  Inhalations and exhalations should take the same number of seconds/amount of time (sama vritti) for "equal breathing" before adding the advanced techniques with breath retention (kumbhaka) and the internal locks (mula bandha).  
• At first, be satisfied to practice just 6 or 8 rounds of  "Alternate Nostril Breathing" or Nadi Sodhana, which may take five minutes or more.  Never rush this practice!
• Mentally---Be patient with yourself, focusing your undivided attention on the quality and duration of each inhalation and exhalation in order to even out the rhythm of each cycle of breath.  One cycle begins with an inhalation through the right nostril only and ends after the second breath is exhaled through the right nostril.  Counting the rounds of "Alternate Nostril Breathing" requires great concentration, purifying the mind from all other thoughts.
• Spiritually---The spiritual symbolism of each cycle of breath becomes clear as we breathe in the life-giving energy (prana) found in the oxygen molecules, and then we exhale and release the toxic carbon dioxide (apana).  We cannot hold on to both!  We accept life with gratitude; willingly and consciously releasing and surrendering the toxic elements that are life-threatening!  We bring the Spirit of God in, exhale the enemy out!   Breathe faith in, fear out!  Wisdom in, foolishness out!  Our intent when we practice this breathing technique is to remain connected/yoked to the source of "every good and perfect gift from above" and to let all the other junk go!  

"If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.  But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering.  For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.  For let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord.  A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways."   (James 1:5-8, KJV)

"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."   (I John 1:9, KJV)

 So confess all your sins, and then practice "Alternate Nostril Breathing" to be thoroughly cleansed by the only One who is capable of a top-to-bottom, in-and-out cleansing.  

Namaste, plf  

"Loss Isn't the End"

There are many types of losses, but none more seemingly final than the death of a loved one. Losing a game or a contest only feels final, until the next game or contest.  But death is final---the end of a relationship.   Or is it?  Is that really "all there is?"   Will I ever see my dear mother again?   Is heaven for real?

I believe that heaven is real! (Read the book of the same title and, of course, The Bible to feed your faith.) I don't have to "degrief" or "go into my pain,"  or even "integrate [my] grief into who [I am] and into [my] body," as grief counselor, Ken Druck from San Diego suggests. Although my loss hurts physically at times, I  am comforted with the knowledge that my mother has completed her time here on this earth and has followed Jesus into the next life with a new and better body.  It's new and better because it experiences no pain or suffering, and it is not bound by time or space.  (Read Chapter 7 in the New Testament Book of  Revelations.) I rejoice for my mother's new freedom!  Yet I'll never stop missing her presence until I join her in heaven with own my new body.  Until then, I choose to take care of this earthly body by practicing healthy breathing techniques, such as "Alternate Nostril Breathing," also called Nadi Sodhana Pranayama, in order to clear and cleanse my mind and my nerves.

Followers of Jesus Christ---otherwise known as Christians---believe that we will "follow" Christ in every sense of that word. Jesus lead the way in His death and resurrection to reveal our future with Him. That means that although we suffer and die, we also will rise again. This promise is made by Jesus himself found in the Book of John in The Holy Bible: "I am the resurrection and the life; he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live; and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believeth thou this?"  

(John 11:25-26, KJV)

For those who step out in faith and choose to believe the words of Jesus, death is NOT the end, but rather the beginning of an eternity of joy with the Lord and other believers! If this perspective sounds like a "happily ever after" fairytale, you underestimate your value to the Creator of all. We were created in His image and for the purpose of choosing to have an eternal relationship with Him. We are also promised a new body like Christ's that is not bound by time or space, just as when He walked through the wall of the upper room where the disciples were mourning His death because they did not yet understand the concepts of a new body with eternal life. Later the apostle Paul began to get it when he wrote this rather lengthy explanation in I Corinthians 15: 35-54, KJV:

"But some will say, How are the dead raised up? And with what body do they come? Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die: and that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body that shall be, but bare grain, it may chance of wheat or some other grain; But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased Him, and to every seed his own body....There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial...so also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption. It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised inpower;  It is sown in a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body...And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly,...In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump, for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory."

Please read and ruminate these biblical passages until next week when my blog will return to the format of describing how to yoke the physical, mental and spiritual aspects of "Alternate Nostril Breathing" in order to clear and purify this body's nervous system.  Until then.... 

Namaste, plf

"Happily Ever After"

"And they lived happily ever after" concludes many of our favorite childhood storybooks.  Unfortunately, this  euphoric outcome sends children an unrealistic message about the end of life and the ever after.  Recently I read an email from Franklin Graham that commented on the plethora of available advice on how to live, but no one ever discusses how we're to die.   

For the past few weeks I've been forced to face this very real and present issue with my 89 year-old mother.  If you've read my "Life Interrupted" blog from May 25, 2010, you may remember that my mother had a massive stroke three days after Mother's Day and couldn't speak or swallow.  At the time, my other three siblings agreed that in order to give her a fighting chance to recover we would have a gastric feeding tube inserted for a period of time.  She pulled that G-tube out three times!   We got the message.  Soon she was swallowing applesauce and other soft foods, and eventually her healthy appetite returned.  All four of us feel very fortunate to have had this very loving and Christ-like woman in our presence for an extra year-and-a-half as we prepared for the inevitable end of her life. This past summer we moved Mom into a "Board and Care" residence very near my home and I try to visit her every day to agree in prayer, but usually after completing my blog on Mondays.  

Last Monday when I would normally have been writing my weekly blog, Mom seemed very close to taking her final breath.  Because of her continual atrial fibrillation, she was experiencing chest pain and couldn't swallow the medications that are intended to slow her heart rate.  My dear mother's weakened heart has been running a marathon, sometimes beating over 130 beats per minute since Thanksgiving when she became excited about sharing this day with most of the family present.   Her physical body was dehydrated and growing weaker by the minute, so I spent most of last Monday at her bedside, and eventually called hospice.   We prayed together and I read to her from her Bible, sang hymns and prayed some more.  She kept reaching for me so I knew that she didn't want me to leave.    

Kenny Chesney's country western lyrics ring true, "Everybody wants to go to heaven...but nobody wanna go now."   Although my very spiritually grounded mother, who mentored many women in the Christian faith and even worked as a Christian counselor for a popular television evangelist, knows where she will go when she takes her last "breath of life,"  she still has a strong will to live.   Mother is trying her best to swallow jello and other soft foods, but certainly not enough to sustain life.  Her breathing has become a bit labored so hospice has her on oxygen to make her more comfortable in her final days and hours.  We're told that our  time is in God's hands, so only He knows the day and hour when my mother will take her last "breath of life."  (Read Psalm 31:14-15a, KJV)  Until that time arrives, I pray that I will be able to be by her side, holding her hand until she breathes her last breath and finally yokes completely with Jesus....

"Blending the Ingredients"

As the holidays approach visions of sugarplums begin to dance in my head.  My mind automatically turns to thoughts of baking and I realize the simple truth that we cannot bake a cake until we combine all of the parts into a completed batter.  The blending of ingredients results in a powerful end product that is more delicious that the sum of its parts.   

I've found this to be true when practicing yoga as well.  Simply practicing one ingredient or limb of yoga called asana by moving from one posture to another is not yoga.  It's just physical exercise--healthy but not holistic. Yet when I slow everything down to synchronize the conscious control of "equal breathing" (called sama vrtti pranayama described last week) with the lifting of the internal locks (called bandhas) and the movement into external asanas, and then withdraw the distraction of the senses in pratyahara for total absorption in dharana---now that's true yoga as the ancients intended it to be practiced!  During this three-dimensional yoga practice I feel as though I'm using my time wisely by addressing all of my issues---physical, mental, and spiritual.

The only ingredient of yoga that could conflict with Christian teachings is the next, or seventh limb  in the path of yoga called dhyana.   Because this is the stage when the mind is transformed into the likeness of whatever divinity is being worshipped, Christians must be very careful to devote their attention to yoking with Jesus Christ, rather than Buddha or any Hindu diety. This focus on Christ can be accomplished by practicing limbs five and six---the withdrawal of the senses in pratyahara and complete absorption in dharana---while reading His story from any of the four Gospel books of The New Testament before adding the ingredients of physical postures (asanas) and breath control (pranayama).  

To prepare for the celebration of Christmas try connecting with Jesus and who He really is, this week by beginning your three-dimensional yoga practice in an intermediate seated forward bend called "Seated Wide Angle Pose" or Upavistha Konasana, which was also described in the December 13, 2010 blog, but without the ingredients of "Equal Breathing" and Thai yoga massage.  Before blending the ingredients, read Saint Matthew's account of the story of Jesus found in the very first Book of the New Testament and then challenge yourself to combine these ingredients:

• Physically---Begin on a flat and level surface in the seated "Staff Pose" or Dandasana (described in the June 22, 2009 blog) and then add the element of "Equal Breathing" or Sama Vrtti Pranayama described in last week's blog until it becomes comfortable and somewhat rote.  Then at the top of an inhalation with the locks or bandhas fully engaged, transition from your seated position into an intermediate seated forward bend called "Seated Wide Angle Pose" or Upavistha Konasana (Refer to the December 13, 2010 blog.) by very cautiously and mindfully opening both straight legs out and away from center.  Exhale with the bandhas lifted and drawn back toward the spine as the sit bones  and back of the thighs ground downward and away from the flexed heels of the feet.   Extend the entire back of the body and bend forward onto a large pillow or stack of towels until the maximum resistance before pain is felt in the lower back and thigh muscles. It  For those with tight lower back and thigh muscles, it's safer to use the corner of a folded towel or blanket just under the tail bone to tilt the pelvic basin forward by hinging at the groin and not at the waist.  Some students may need to bend the knees slightly when bending forward to avoid stretching sensations near the joints and muscle attachments, but rather to focus on the center or "belly" of the muscles.   The hips may also be stabilized by placing the triad (the V between the thumb and forefinger) onto the crease at the top of each thigh.
• Now blend the ingredient of Thai yoga massage (described in the February 28, 2011 blog) by holding the breath and the stretch for an equal number of seconds before lifting the chin during an inhalation that takes the same number of seconds (puraka).  Hold that breath in (antara kiumbhaka) for an equal number of seconds as the bandhas are drawn in and upward like a drawstring.  Then exhale (rechaka) as the entire torso tilts backward with the locks engaged for the same number of seconds.  Wait before the next inhalation (bahya kumbhaka) with the locks supporting the weight of the torso and toning the core..  Continue the forward and backward leaning of Thai yoga massage for a total of three full breaths, with each segment of the breath lasting the same number of seconds.  Then begin the side to side leaning for three more full sama vrtti breaths synchronizing the drawing in and up of the bandhas during antara kumbhaka at the top of each inhalation and the holding of the stretch to the side during bahya kumbhaka. 
• Finally, inhale forward again and retain the breath in antara kumbhaka  to prepare for three full sama vrttis in a clockwise whirlpooling action that massages the muscles and hip joints, pausing at each forward leaning position for antara kumbhaka, and again at the backward leaning position for bahya kumbhaka.  Then reverse the circling action to move and hold in a counter-clockwise direction for three full equal breathing sama vrttis.    Be sure to end your practice in at least five minutes of restorative "Corpse Pose" described in the January 24, 2009 blog.
• Mentally---At first the mind will be kept quite busy as you focus on keeping the four segments of each breath equal, while also counting the number of forward and backward leans and whirlpools.  Once "Equal Breathing" becomes more ingrained and instinctive, the attention can travel inward as you add the ingredient of pratyahara by closing the eyes lightly to shut out visual distractions. Then the sixth limb called dharana begins as you become completely engrossed in praising your Creator for every breath and His gift of LOVE coming down to become man.
• Spiritually---Perhaps the most challenging ingredient to add to your yoga practice is the element of dhyana with a serious intent to be transformed into a true apostle and ambassador for Christ.  It helps to remind yourself that love came down from heaven in the form of Jesus Christ.  It's the least we can do....

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life."         (John 3:16, KJV)

"Wait, and Wait"

Life is filled with periods of waiting.  We wait to regain our strength after an illness or surgery.  We wait for someone who is late getting ready to leave or to arrive, or for a meal to be served. We wait, and wait. In this day of instant gratification and lightning-speed technology our waiting skills have become a bit rusty. Yesterday was the first Sunday in the Advent season, a period of waiting for the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ.  It marks the beginning of four weeks of waiting for the arrival of Christmas Day.  By the time December 1st rolls around we have only 24 more days to prepare for the big day---to shop, decorate, send greetings, make, bake and wrap presents, attend parties, and the list goes on and on...just like the waiting!   

This period of waiting for Christmas (or any celebration) passes much too rapidly for those responsible for all the physical preparations.  Yet for children, the wait can be agonizingly long, especially if the emphasis is on presents and Santa.  Much depends upon what we're anticipating and how we spend the time in waiting. The way we wait certainly influences our waiting experience!  Each and every day of waiting for Christmas can become a joyful celebration in itself because our God has already reached out to us and came down to earth for the human experience.  He knows what it feels like to wait, and wait.  We don't have to wait for His peaceful presence---simply stop to notice it.

If the journey is pleasurable, the destination carries less pressure and is less likely to be a disappointment.  The entire Christmas season with all its activities can be enjoyable in each moment if the actual day is just one part of the big picture. The Advent of our Savior, Jesus, has already arrived, and now, as Christians we wait patiently for His Second Coming when all of the promises in Scripture will be fulfilled.  (By the way, for those doubters, God is incapable of lying since He IS truth!)  This week let's practice waiting patiently as we breathe in faith and exhale all doubts using a yogic breathing technique called Sama Vrtti Pranayama or "Equal Breathing."  Consider this an antidote to the hyperventilation that can occur over the supposedly holy holidays!

• Physically---Practicing yoga often requires that we wait, and wait.  We move the physical body slowly into different positions or postures called asanas, and then wait to experience the physical resistance signaling that it's time to stop.  With each breath we breathe deeply into all four corners of the lungs, filling them (puraka), and then we pause briefly in antara kumbhaka to wait for the energy called prana to be absorbed into the body. Then after a long and extended sighing exhalation called rechaka, we wait in bahya kumbhaka for the next breath to come to us.  The breath is never rushed but experienced as a deep, slow and rhythmic celebration of life.  When you're in your least favorite pose in yoga class, the wait probably feels like an eternity, but if it feels good, you don't mind the waiting period.  As a challenge this week, practice waiting in your least favorite pose for a minimum of one minute.  That's approximately 8-12 three-dimensional ujjayi breaths, depending on the length of the pauses or periods of waiting between each segment of each breath.  Then rest in "Corpse Pose" or Savanasana (described in the January 24, 2009 blog) to practice Sama Vrtti Pranayama or "Equal Breathing" with full concentration on a conscious breathing process. 
• Begin by counting the number of seconds that it takes to fill the lungs (puraka) and then extend the exhalation (rechaka) for an equal number of seconds.  Once the duration of the inhalations and exhalations are comfortably equal, begin to practice antara kumbhaka  by waiting to exhale for a few seconds. (A kumhba is a container in Sanskrit, and in this case it's the lungs.) Then gradually increase the waiting period until it's equal to the duration of the in and out segments. Do not try to wait for an equal number of seconds after the exhalations (bahya kumbhaka) until it's comfortable to breathe in, hold, and breathe out for an equal number of seconds.  It's best to practice either antara kumbhaka OR bahya kumbhaka separately or alternately until both breath retentions become comfortable and equal before all four segments of the breath can become equal in duration.  If the breath becomes short and choppy, please discontinue and wait to practice under the guidance of an experienced yoga instructor.
• Mentally---Keep the mind calm and focused by carefully observant of the quality of each breath.  Counting the number of seconds in each segment---puraka, kumbhaka, and rechaka---will help to keep the mind present and aware of all body sensations.  Please discontinue Sama Vrtti Pranayama  if the mind becomes unsettled or unfocused.
• Spiritually---Since each breath is a gift to be received with gratitude it celebrates and connects both the gift and the giver.   Waiting is an exercise in patience. Some form of the word wait is used hundreds of times throughout Scripture, indicating its spiritual significance.  Below are just three quotes beginning with David from his 25th Psalm:

"Lead me in Thy truth, and teach me;for Thou art the God of my salvation; on Thee do I wait all the day."           (Psalms 25: 5, KJV)

"For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside Thee, what He hath prepared for him that waiteth for Him."                                      (Isaiah 64: 4, KJV)

"For we are saved by hope; but hope that is seen is not hope; for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?  But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it."

(Romans 8: 24-25, KJV)                         So let us wait, and wait with patience.  Namaste, plf

"A Blessed Life"

A blessed life is not the same as a charmed life.  In a charmed life everything goes exactly as planned or wished (for a period of time.)  Whereas, a blessed life is one experienced with bliss and joy, but not dependent upon outer circumstances.  Therefore, we could all say we lead a blessed life IF we can only recognize the gift of divine favor that accompanies each breath we take and each talent we've been given.  (Yes, I know I've shared a similar message in earlier blogs, but its importance cannot be overstated!) 

The key to appreciating and leading a blessed life just might be to practice a mental discipline called  aparigraha in Sanskrit.  This yama or discipline sets us free from hoarding and rejects all thoughts that focus on loss or the lack of anything.  No matter how great or small our blessings are during this season when we celebrate Thanksgiving, we have something we can share with others.  It might be donating food to a local food bank or just going to work at packing boxes there.  It might be sending a meal to someone recovering from surgery or inviting neighbors to your family Thanksgiving feast.  I invite each of you to step out in faith  (no matter how little you think you have) and practice random daily acts of kindness and generosity.  Even better, pray to be a blessing to someone every single day!  As you practice the physical posture called "Elephant Trunk Pose" (more challenging than last week's "Elephant Pose") get in touch with the person you were created to be by spraying out showers of blessings on others.

• Physically---Your body will appreciate if you prepare for this week's challenging position by practicing hip-opening and strengthening postures such as "Diva Pose" (Utkata Konasana) described in the October 17, 2011 blog and "Revolved Diva Pose" (Parivrtta Utkata Konasana) from the October 24, 2011 blog.  Also be sure to have two yoga blocks or extra thick hardcover books beside your mat to use as props for this arm balancing position.  After sitting in the "Wide-angle Seated Pose" called Upavistha Konasana (December 13, 2010 blog) for 3-5 smooth and deep ujjayi breaths, fold forward hinging only from the hips, maintaining the natural concave curve of the lower back, and remain there for at least five rhythmic breaths with arms and gaze reaching toward the feet.
• To move into this week's "Elephant Trunk Pose" inhale slowly while bending the right knee and grasping the outer edge of the right foot with the left hand to bring the right thigh back and outside of the right upper arm as high onto the arm as it will go without forcing it.  Then with one block placed beside each hip, at the top of the next inhalation draw up the pelvic floor and abdominal muscles (called the locks or bandhas) and place one hand securely onto each block.  During the long and slow exhalation press both hands into the blocks while  leaning slightly forward to lift the torso from the floor.  At the top of the next deep inhalation (bringing in lots of prana!) draw the locks firmly inward and toward the back of the spine like a drawstring.  During the exhalation lift the left leg to place the left ankle onto the right one, swinging both legs up and down or side to side like an elephant's trunk.  After several (or maybe only one) slow and deep breaths, bend the elbows to release the hips slowly back onto the floor.  Rest in the "Seated Wide-Angle" for several breaths before switching sides to place the left leg onto the left upper arm for "Elephant Trunk Pose" on the left side.  Remember to rest in "Corpse Pose" for at least five minutes with a resolve to spray blessings onto others. 
• Mentally---When practicing a challenging posture such as "Elephant Trunk Pose" it's very important to keep a positive "can do" attitude while paying attention to the energy  that enters the body with each deep breath and then rises upward to create lift.  If that doesn't help, remember the yoga axiom to "Only do what you can do," and accept where you're at on any given day.  Practice with joy and it will come.
• Spiritually---Even if you're only able to lift "your trunk" during one exhalation, envision the elephant trunk spraying blessings upon everyone you meet, giving thanks for what you do have to give!

"And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by Him."          (Colossians 3:17, KJV)  

"Who Are You?"

Have you ever said or done something that you weren't pleased about and then promptly asked yourself, "Who was that?" leading to "Who am I?"  We've all disappointed ourselves and others at some point in the heat of life's battles.  The good news is that we are not a finished product yet.  As in the story of The Velveteen Rabbit, we're all in the process of becoming something.  It has been said that we become what we love.  As water takes the shape of its container, so the mind is transformed into the likeness of whatever it is contemplating at the moment.  The clear message is, "Be careful what or who you admire and think about on a regular basis."  But the real question evolves into, "Who or what do you want to become?"  Do you want to be a higher version of yourself or a brand new creature in Christ? 

It's very difficult to consistently respond to life challenges from the place called our "higher self."  As a Christian I know that my "higher self" is only in control when I give the reigns to Christ every waking moment in an effort to become a Christ-controlled person.  Like any great work, the process of becoming Christ-like takes a lifetime to accomplish!  We may decide to dedicate our life to Christ in an instant, but the actual yoking to His Holy Spirit on a moment-by-moment basis requires an ongoing and immediate yielding of our responses as they are occurring. 

This week in honor of the animal which represents our "higher self" in India,  we'll practice the yoga posture called "Elephant Pose" as we attempt to connect to the "higher self" through our moment-by-moment yielding to God's Holy Spirit.  If the transformation seems slow and frustrating, it helps to remember that God will never give up on us!  (This variation called "Elephant Pose" is not to be confused with the more challenging "Elephant Trunk Pose", which will be targeted next week.) 

• Physically---First, take time to warm the muscles and joints with several rounds of breath-synchronized "Salutations to the Son" as described in the April 27th through May 11th, 2009 blogs.  Transition from "Downward-Facing Dog" to "Elephant Pose"  by walking the hands back toward the feet into the "Standing Forward Fold" called Uttanasana.  Then inhale deeply as both arms sweep out to the sides and the torso lifts up into the "Upward Salute" called Urdhva Hastasana.  With a long and slow exhalation, step the feet out slightly wider than hip-width and release the elbows to shoulder-height, pressing the elbows together at the end of the exhalation.  Allow the tips of the thumbs to rest between the eyebrows with a "Third-Eye" gaze point or naitrayoh ma dyai drishti.  softly closing the eyes at least 2/3 of the way to shut out visual distractions.  With each inhalation ground powerfully into all four corners of each foot while extending up through the spine into the crown of the head.  During the exhalations encourage the  bottom tips of the shoulder blades to tuck in and down while pressing the tailbone down toward the floor as the bended knees align over the toes.  Remain grounded in "Elephant Pose" for 8-10 smooth ujjayi breaths while experiencing the hips and thighs building heat and strength.  Finish your practice with 5-10 minutes in the restorative "Corpse Pose" described in the January 24, 2009 blog. 
• Mentally---While the mind is fixed on the rhythm and quality of each deep and thorough breath, and the gaze is "Third-Eye", focus on the source of each life-giving breath.  
• Spiritually---To add the third and spiritual dimension to your physical yoga practice, while holding the physical posture of "Elephant Pose" let the index fingers of your hands point up toward the source of your "higher self."  Become mindfully aware of God's promise to finish the good work which He began the moment you first believed that God sent His only begotten Son to die in your place.  It may help to memorize and think on the promise found in the first chapter of Philippians, verse 6:

"Being confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ."                                       (Philippians 1: 6, KJV)