"Open to All"

Love is an action verb, not a subjective emotion or feeling.  We fall into the trap of basing our relationships on fleeting feelings rather than a choice to live in love. God loves us all with no exclusions or conditions, and He demonstrated this unconditional love (while we were not perfect or loving) by suffering in our place---even unto death on the cross---so that we could spend eternity with Him.  "Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation [the appeasement] for our sins."   (I John 4:10, KJV)
Oh, if we could only love one another as purely and unselfishly!   It seems as though we try to protect our hearts from pain or disappointment by not loving purely and unselfishly.   Many of  our relationships are based on subjective emotional criteria such as how well we're treated or how much we're loved in return.  This is not living love all the time because these self-centered conditions can never be consistently maintained 24-7.  We are flawed, fallen creatures who live in the darkness of selfish love and must be reborn in order to change this dark state. 

The problem is that we can only give ourselves to love unselfishly without restrictive walls of protection if, like the lovely lotus flower, we leave the muck of the pond and journey up toward the light of pure love.  In Egyptian and Eastern cultures, this exquisitely beautiful flower with its open petals represents rebirth because it rises up out of dark and murky waters and opens to the morning and afternoon sunlight.  Similarly, if we leave our dark doubts and selfish motives to embark on the journey of faith, we can grow more and open toward the light of understanding and selfless love.  

"Lotus Pose" or Padmasana is an advanced seated posture (asana) that requires very open and flexible ankles, knees and hips.  When practicing this position our instincts of self preservation can be surrendered temporarily in order to relax the muscles and connective tissue in these joints.  With regular practice and study (abhyasa) of additional hip-opening positions, we just may become more comfortable as our range of motion in the ankles, knees and hips gradually increases in our attempt to journey toward the openness of childhood.   Be very slow and gentle when attempting this advanced seated posture, which is safe for prenatal students, but probably not for the elderly unless yoga practice began long ago.

• Physically---It is vital to warm the muscles and joints fully with several repetitions of "Salutations to the Son" (described in the April 27-May 11, 2009 blogs) and hip-opening  movements such as last week's vinyasa flow, "Lying Down Hand-to-Foot" with "full circle" range of motion.  From the lying down position, inhale to draw the pelvic and abdominal muscles up and inward to protect the spine as the torso lifts up into the seated posture called "Staff Pose" or Dandasana  (described in the June 22, 2009 blog).
• Students with very tight joints have several options---sit on a chair or a block , or tuck the corner of a blanket under the tail bone in order to position the knees slightly lower than the hips.  Bend the right knee externally (away from center) and hold the right shin with both hands in order to place the heel of the right flexed foot onto the groin of the left hip or as high on the upper thigh as possible without moving beyond your personal "edge" into pain or possible injury.  Inhale deeply and slowly through the nose only while grounding down into both sit bones and lifting up through the crown of the head to extend the spine for 3-5 three-dimensional ujjayi breaths.  Stiff or elderly students may choose to practice "Half Lotus Pose" or Ardha Padmasana over an extended period of time to gradually ease the body toward the full "Lotus Pose" or Padmasana.  
• During an extended exhalation draw the pelvic floor and abdominal muscles up and back toward the spine (the bandhas) while bending the left knee and opening the left hip externally away from center.   Then use both hands on the left shin to s-l-o-w-l-y draw the left flexed heel onto the right groin or as high on the upper right thigh as possible without experiencing pain.  Only remain in this advanced seated posture for as long as is comfortable before switching to place the left flexed foot on the right groin and then the right flexed foot onto the left groin so that both sides of the body are opened as equally as possible without the distraction of pain. 
• Mentally---At first it may only be comfortable to sit tall and erect in full  "Lotus Pose" or Padmasana (or "Half Lotus" modifications for those with tight joints) for 2-3 smooth breaths, so be sure to bring awareness into your body while focusing attention on the quality of each breath. Remember the source of each healing breath.  It may be helpful to lightly close the eyelids for pratyahara (full concentration) and bring awareness into the center of the forehead for a "Third-Eye" gaze point or drishti called naitrayoh ma dyai.
• Spiritually---While meditating in your best version of  "Lotus Pose" or Padmasana, focus on the gift of love that was openly given to you by your Creator in the ultimate sacrifice of a painful death for your sins.  Open your heart---along with the ankles, knees and hips---to returning that love with a commitment to serve others unselfishly without concern for payment in return.  Ask God to help your rebirth into a loving servant and follower of Him.  In the words of Jesus Himself:

"...Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter the kingdom of heaven."           (Matthew 18:3, KJV)        ...and then in a letter from John:

"Beloved, let us love another; for love is of God; and everyone that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God."       (I John 4:7,KJV) 

"Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ, is born of God; and everyone that loveth Him that begat loveth Him that is also begotten of Him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments."      (I John 5:1-2, KJV)

Be open to demonstrating Happy Love Day to ALL!   Namaste, plf

"Full Circle"

Many things in life come full circle---the hands of a clock, a cycle of breath, the "Salutations to the Son."  Like any round-trip there is a starting point and a returning point---ashes to ashes, dust to dust.   We humans require constant care as newborn infants, and then eventually we age to a point when round-the-clock skilled nursing care is needed.  Even the law of Karma  (meaning action) says, "What goes around, comes around."  Another example is found in the perfect golf swing that is part of a full circle made possible by the amazing mobility of our ball-and-socket hip and shoulder joints.   
Last week I mentioned an advanced seated posture called "Lotus Pose" or Padmasana.  Before the body is ready for this very open-hip position, those students who have tight hips may need to practice this week's "Lying Down Hand-to-Foot Variation" or Supta Hasta Padangusthasana to gently encourage greater mobility in the hip joints.   
According to the anatomy text that I was required to purchase for yoga teacher certification, the articular surfaces of a joint never fit together perfectly.  The better the bones fit together the more stable the joint becomes.  Looser joints, such as the shoulder, are more mobile but less stable. So apparently---to put a positive spin on it---my hips are quite stable.  Our hip joints must be stable in order to support the weight of the upper body, so the cup-shaped acetabulum or socket was created to be deep and fit snugly on the head of the femur or thigh bone.   The head of the thigh bone is covered with cartilage and the whole joint is enclosed in a fibrous capsule lined with a membrane that secretes synovial fluid  for lubrication.   Yoga practitioners of middle age may experience the limitations of a degenerative disorder called osteoarthritis, which involves the abrasion and loss of cartilage at the surfaces of joints, often with outgrowths of bony ridges at these eroded spots.   This may be experienced as a catching sensation in one or both hip joints while practicing this week's full circle rotation with mindful awareness.  Always pay close attention to what the body is experiencing during any physical position!

• Physically---After several rounds of "Salutations to the Son" or even "Cat and Cow Poses"  to warm the physical body, lie down on the back on a flat and level surface, making sure that the flat, triangular-shaped bone just above the tail bone (the sacrum) is flat on the floor to safely support and stabilize the hip joints.  Take a deep, three-dimensional ujjayi breath while opening the arms straight out to the sides, palms facing upward, and then exhale the arms to wrap around the right knee as it bends and draws close to the right shoulder with the left leg extending straight out of the hip into the flexed left foot.  Remain in this bound position for 3-5 deep and smooth breaths, using the exhalations to pull the pelvic floor, abdominal muscles and the right knee up and in toward the spine.  
• Using a belt or canvas strap on the ball of the right foot, or using the yoga toe-hold on the right big toe, on an exhalation straighten the right leg up toward the sky, and then hold for 3-5 relaxed breaths.  The left hand may be placed on the left groin as a reminder to engage the muscles of the left leg to extend out through the heel as the right straight leg is extending up and toward the right shoulder during the exhalations.  Then exhale the straight right leg to the right with the toes pointing to the right in an external hip rotation for 3-5 smooth and deep breaths.  Next, exhale the straight and extended right leg across the body to the left, pushing through the inner ball and big toe of the right foot with an internal hip rotation for 3-5 breaths in a counter-pose of  "Lying Down Hand-to-Foot Variation" or Supta Hasta Padangusthasana.
• Finally, still holding the right foot with the yoga toe-hold or a strap, begin to circle the straight right leg up to 12 o'clock on an inhalation and exhale the straight leg down to three and six o'clock in a clockwise direction, moving with the breath for 3-5 full cycles of breath.   For balance and mobility, reverse the direction of the full circle to move counterclockwise, inhaling to three and 12 o'clock and exhaling on the down-swing to nine and six o'clock for the same number of breaths.   
• Before resting in "Corpse Pose" for a minimum of five minutes, repeat  "Lying Down Hand-to-Foot Variation" or Supta Hasta Padangusthasana  with the left leg, rotating for 3-5 full circles in both directions with the breath orchestrating the rhythm of the swing.
• Mentally---As always, remain very focused on the rhythm and quality of each breath as the clockwise and then counterclockwise movement of the leg progresses, but pay very close attention to any sensations in the hip joints as each leg is revolving inside the cup-shaped socket.  Keep the eyes watching the foot of the revolving straight leg (padhayoragrai drishti) as it slowly circumscribes a full circle in the air.  Notice a difference in mobility between the left and right hip,  perhaps increasing the number of circles for the tighter hip joint.
• Spiritually---During all yoga practice it's vital to remain quiet and calm within each conscious breath in order to open the channels of communication to connect/yoke with the Lord.  "Be still, and know that I am God...."   While circumscribing your physical circles be reminded of your mortality and the "circle of life."

"In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken; for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return."     (Genesis 3:19, KJV) 

"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