Hi all - I just finished writing this for my English class. I know it's long, but if you care to read it I'd love it. Thanks... - Namaste - -Ben **************** Ben Thompson Deborah Bayer English 111 20 November 2006 Discipline of Peace America is a place where much importance is placed on material success. To attain success, many Americans live highly stressful and busy lives. The problem is no amount of wealth is ever enough. The end result of this busy life style is a person who is restless, full of material desire, and feels incomplete. Completion cannot be bought in the material world, so where can it be found? Americans also have an obsession with physical appearance. This obsession drives some to starve themselves, others to severe depression. Wanting a different body some pursue advertised “miracle diets”; others purchase exercise machines. In all of this confusion, some stumble across something mysterious called Iyengar Yoga. Usually it starts as a way to get in shape through Asana (practice of postures for physical discipline.) Many become what can only be described and devoted to their practice and Yoga become’s a spiritual path. Iyengar Yoga not only gives the gift of a harmoniously functioning body but brings peace to all aspects of busy stressed out American’s lives. Asana gives the gift of a strong, flexible and healthy body. Today America is blessed with many wonderfully experienced teachers who are happy to show beginners a path to follow. Personal practice is a vital part of the Yogic path. The most important thing a person needs to practice is determination. Other than that, only a few blankets and a quiet airy place are necessary. People naturally struggle with practice at first as there are distractions of Yoga such as sickness, laziness, and lack of mental disposition for work. However with repeated sincere effort, practice becomes a firmly grounded ritual and joy. Practice traditionally begins with an invocatory prayer of respect to Sage Patanjali. After recitation, the head is bowed to the palms joined at the center of the chest symbolizing the connection of intellect and heart resulting in wisdom. The body of practice consists of forward bends, back bends, supine, sitting, standing and inversion poses. Describing the benefits of Yoga BKS Iyengar writes “Asanas have been evolved over the centuries so as to exercise every muscle, nerve and gland in the body. They secure a fine physique, which is strong and elastic without being muscle-bound and they keep the body free from disease” (40). Practicing teaches people to respect and love their bodies rather than cursing and wishing them to be different. Stress is reduced and contentment rises. Although all these benefits are blessings, the true purpose of Yoga is its effect on the mind (40). The practice of Yoga often results in a complete transformation of character. With time the aspirant naturally becomes interested in the spiritual aspects of his discipline. Asana is only one of Sage Patanjali’s “Eight Limbs of Yoga.” The other seven describe conduct toward the self and others, breath control, withdrawal of the senses, concentration, meditation and Samadhi. Samadhi is the ultimate fruit of practice which is synonymous with the concept of enlightenment. Unlike the other seven limbs Samadhi cannot be practiced. Rather it is what one becomes as a result integrating the first seven. Aware Yoga is much more than an exercise, a desire to know what is unknown arises in the aspirant. One of the first books philosophically curious students usually read is “The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali.” Considering himself to be an individual separate from all other things, the aspirant begins his journey toward spiritual understanding through studying the sacred texts. The ego is the component of consciousness which says “I am separate” that most Westerners identify themselves with. In a commentary on the Sutras called “How to Know God” Swami Prabhavananda uses a metaphor to describe this ignorance by writing “It is as if a little electric light bulb would declare: ‘I am the electric current’ and then proceed to describe electricity as a pear-shaped glass containing filaments of wire. Such identification is absurd – as absurd as the ego’s claim to be the real self” (18). Initially a bit alarmed by being told who he thought he was his whole life is entirely wrong, the aspirant is then happy to read on and be told he is the Atman, the individual essence that is eternal, unchanging, and indistinguishable from the essence of the universe. Identifying oneself as the Atman rather than a stressed out individual with a poor body image changes ones mental attitude. Observance of the Niyamas changes the way people treat themselves. The Niyamas are the second limb of Yoga and cover conduct towards the self. Now that the aspirant considers his body to be a dwelling place of God, he wants it to be made pure as possible. The Niyamas give excellent advice to begin the purification process. Although they have no absolute meaning, they provide a moral base to reflect on when one feels out of balance. There are five Niyamas as follows: Saucha (cleanliness), Santosa (contentment), Tapas (Austerity), Svadhyaya (Study of self and texts) and Isvarapranidhana (devotion to God.) Saucha places importance on staying externally clean, for it has a profound psychological effect. When we bath, we are not only washing away physical dirt but mental dirt. Saucha may also be applied to many other aspects of life. What is eaten must be made pure to attain internal cleanliness. Regarding diet BKS Iyengar writes “Food should be taken to promote health, strength, energy and life. It should be simple, nourishing, juicy and soothing… The Yogi believes in harmony, so he eats for sake of sustenance only. He does not eat too much or too little” (37). Americans often curse themselves with horrendously poor dietary habits, and observance of saucha turns those curses to blessings of healthy food. Swami Prabhavananda explains how Saucha can also be applied to the mind. Everyday, people experience a diet of “mental food” in there conversations and everything else that their minds process. What is talked about with others should be meaningful (144). Discussing the existence of God with everyone who is willing can be considered a very nourishing “mental meal.” What we read should also be regulated and meaningful. Observance of the Niyamas results in a calm consciousness. In the Iyengar tradition, a guru or teacher is of utmost importance. They inspire feelings of devotion in their students through love. One such teacher is Laurie Blakeney. Now both an expert and inspiration to her students, Laurie describes her teenage self as being an existentialist who was full of energy and often sick. After dropping out of her first year of college, Laurie worked nights at the Gandy Dancer in Ann Arbor and needed something to do during the day. She signed up for a Yoga class at the YMCA and remembers being inspired by her early teachers. From the start Laurie was more drawn to Yoga as a philosophy than as an excersise. She had no desire to be athletic and all the philosophy in Yoga was a blessing for her because it kept the physical aspects fascinating. Within a single year of practice, her stamina highly increased and she stopped getting as tired at work. When she began practicing daily Laurie was relieved Yoga continued to remain interesting. As time went on, Yoga became her love and passion. One day she got a call from the Park and Rec department, who told her that her teacher had recommended her to teach a Yoga class. “I didn’t want to do it because I didn’t feel qualified. However I agreed when my teacher said to me ‘If you don’t do it, someone with less talent will.’” When her classes began, she did not like it. “Teaching made me have to focus on my students, and Yoga became less all about me” she recalls, “but it did make me become serious.” Laurie stuck with teaching, and quickly became a known member of the Yoga community. She remembers being asked to attend and teach at the national convention. “I said no way” she remembers. Some other teaches contacted BKS Iyengar without her knowing and he agreed that Laurie should go. Laurie ended up teaching and Iyengar attended all of her classes. Today Laurie is an expert teacher and the director of a beautiful studio named “The Ann Arbor School of Yoga.” Located on a busy city street, the exterior is decorated with meditation lamps and a small and peaceful garden. The inside immediately gives off a sacred feeling, perhaps because the Yoga school is in fact an old church. The practice hall is spacious and has pictures of a young Iyengar practicing to inspire students. Iyengar granted Laurie permission to use the pictures in her new space. A statue of Sage Patanjali sitting on a cabinet containing Yoga chairs watches over the hall. In the basement of the school Laurie has provided a library full of wisdom for her students to study. She thinks that study of sacred texts is important, but it doesn’t necessarily have to be Yoga philosophy, anything from Buddhism to Christianity will do. “I just read a book about mormons” she says with a smile. Laurie feels that spiritual progress simply comes to a person as a result of practice. She explains “As time goes on, deeper layers are revealed.” My first memories of Yoga go back to my childhood. I remember wondering to myself “What makes stretching so important to my mom that she devotes an entire room of our small house to it?” and “Who is this Indian man in these pictures?” Of course that man was BKS Iyengar. When I was in 8th grade I fell off my skateboard and broke my arm in six places. After months of physical therapy I was for the most part healed, and needed a way to get some exercise. My mom suggested I go to the Ann Arbor School of Yoga. I doubted that Yoga could help me but I knew it couldn’t hurt. It was there when I was 14 that I first met Laurie. Little did I know she would be such a big influence on the person I am today. I can remember feeling very frustrated with myself for not being able to do what seemed like the simplest things. However, from the beginning there was something about Yoga made me want to keep going back. As my teenage life went on, I became increasingly confused and out of control. I remember being very angry and irritable. I ate poorly, seldom got any excersise and didn’t sleep enough. My body felt sick and my mind could concentrate on nothing. I knew I needed to start making changes. One day I told my high school philosophy teacher of my troubles, and he gave me books such as “Sophie’s world” and “Siddhartha” and invited me to discuss whenever I wanted. I became fascinated with spiritual ideas and began spending all of my lunch hours in his classroom. However, the book that truly made me see myself in a whole new light was “Light on Yoga” by BKS Iyengar. I began giving my best in my Yoga classes instead of just trying to make it through. I began intently paying attention to Laurie and she inspired me to start practicing. Laurie gave me a key to the school, and I was to watch it one day a week for three hours. I spent my time there practicing and reading. The more I practiced the more I wanted to read, and the more I read the more I wanted to practice. One day after class Laurie told me that my poses had gotten better over the last two months than they had over the last two years. The Yoga school feels sacred to me now. After only eight months of daily practice my life has turned around. I’m eating well, sleeping well, and feel light and healthy. What fascinates me about my personal practice is how physically intense a pose can be and how mentally calm I remain. This experience has transferred into all I do. I’m a full time college student and a part time worker. Every day I have to work hard, and everyday my mind is calm. Yoga has given me an ability to accomplish things, and I’ve never had that before. I’ve concluded I love yoga and never want to stop. Laurie truly saved me from a destructive life style. I’ll never be able to thank her enough for inviting me to share her love of Yoga. Humans are lovely beings living on a beautiful planet named earth. Sadly the earth is plagued with violence and war. War is not just something happening in Iraq, it is something deeply rooted in people. Perhaps we are powerless to stop all the fighting, but as Mahatma Gandhi taught we can be the change we wish to see in the world. Iyengar Yoga transforms deeply rooted feelings of war into light and peace. Works Cited Iyengar, BKS. Light on Yoga. New York: Schocken Books, 1966. Prabhavananda, Swami, and Christopher Isherwood. How to Know God. Southern California: Vedanta Press, 1952.
It was cool. I don't agree with everything written though, like this, "Discussing the existence of God with everyone who is willing can be considered a very nourishing “mental meal.” What we read should also be regulated and meaningful. Observance of the Niyamas results in a calm consciousness." Looking around - discussion of God is anything but leading to calmness or a peaceful mind. Also, Hinduism is becoming more secular and fascist and will move even more to the right. It will not be long before the previously perceived as peaceful religion of the Indus becomes known as supporting its own terrorists and prejudiced. Not to mention the lack of evidencial support for any god in existance. It may be semantical but if a god is not manifestly involved and visible then that god is unmanifest or not in existance.
Woopy what i read was beautiful in an astonishing manner bringing a small tear of reluctant fragmentation to the eye I wish you the best
When I used to do yoga it truly did change my life just from a couple weeks of yoga work. I'm gonna be getting back into it soon. I enjoyed your work as well as everyone else.
