Most of us who have been with Manasa for awhile or have joined the last yatra to Rishikes in 2008 would have met and known Kasia. Currently living in Kenya, Kasia continues to practice and teach Manasa Yoga. She was recently featured in an interview where she talks about her practice, her family, as well as her love for Manasa. Click on the following link to read her interview.

http://www.andsoiwhisper.com/2010/02/about-background-most-of-my-yoga.html

Latest news: On FEB 28th 2010, Kasia taught a charity class in Kenya where she managed to raise USD 500. The money raised will be sent  to Red Cross USA so that it can get to the people in Haiti.

Manasa Yoga – New Fee Structure Effective MARCH 1, 2010

Also made are some changes to the times of some of our classes to facilitate the new attendance system. Classes that are effected are mostly the ones that are back to back evening classes. Please click on link below for more information on effected classes.

Manasa Yoga Class Schedule- Effective March 2010

And same with our mindscapes too.. Sometimes so resourceful, so positive.. but then other times, not so..

In varying degrees of intensity and frequency, we all perhaps experience those times when the usual expanse of the mind seems to shrink into itself and its natural radiance swallowed by huge shadows of worry,. This muddled, stagnant state of consciousness is what scriptures term as mudha chitta.

‘Be aware.. look deep into this state’ etc are common advises to counter the condition. It might help too. However, beneath the thin veneer of a stagnant consciousness might be coursing the deep currents of various afflictive thoughts. And sometimes the introspective digging might crack the mudha state, only to have the magma of molten thoughts to flow out, which burns the consciousness bit more. This state of burning agitation is called kshipta. Now how do we consciously try to lift our awareness from these afflicted states and drive towards more wholesome and empowering states of consciousness?

There is no easy answer.. but one way is to really focus on bodily sensations.. the ancient scripture Sankhya karika points out that the three inner instruments of intellect, mind and ego always indulges in the future and past. What always remains grounded in the present is the body, along with the sense organs. So by focusing mind, ego and intellect into the body and senses, we can discipline them into being present in the ‘now’.. and then, as it deeply immerses into the moment, abidance with a more wholesome, empowering mental state can be realized.

Recently I was just outside the Temple of Fine Arts institution, waiting for a friend. The mind was really restless about certain challenges and hence decided to try to use the wisdom of the sankhya.

Attended to the eyes, and then, right there, on the cement floor was a group of ants. Found one ant which was carrying a grain or seed which was so much more than its size. It was meticulously carrying the seed somewhere. In between it stopped, and then again moved. Found the whole scene deeply inspiring. That ant became like a guru in that moment; its focus on the moment and on what it was doing was so deep.. it was really seeing that grain as its whole world in that moment, and not giving up, thinking ‘this seed is so big.. i am so small.. cannot cope with the weight’ etc. After a while it went into the grasses. Then saw the plants there. Slowly, the design of some of the leaves started to really strike the mind. The colour, the texture.. such beauty and intelligence. Remembered an ancient text which spoke of the ‘nadis’, (subtle energy channels within) as similar to the crisscrossing fibres in a leaf. Then somehow eyes fell on my palm.. and seeing the lines in the palm, it somehow looked like the same triangular leaf.. the leaf then became like a guru, directing my thoughts to nerves, to nadis, to energy..

Couldnt help but sense an interconnectedness with everything around.. a sense of equanimity

Until my friend came, forgot everything but the awareness of the leaf, the ant, the palm and the body…. mentally saluted the spiritual foundation of Temple of Fine Arts, Swami Shantanand, as well as the Buddhist temple right in front of me, and left the place..

And then at home, turned the pages of my old diary where i had written down inspiring literature so many years back.. and then I found this- some lines of a poem by William Blake- so coincedentially nice that I thought of sharing with you…

‘To see the world in a grain of sand,

And heaven in a wild flower;

Hold infinity in the palm of your hand,

And eternity in an hour’.

So, right now, let us look calmly at whatever life is throbbing rt in front of our eyes.. if we can let go of preconceived ideas of it, and simply look, the pure energy and intelligence of it, and perhaps some underlying unity, in some deep hidden way can be felt.. and some joy will start to be experienced..

Namaste!
Manoj

Join us for two days for an intensive back bend workshop on April 17 and 18, 2010. The workshop will cover:

First day:-

• Essential anatomy
• Dissection of all major backbending asanas, in both biomechanical as well as energy considerations
• Intensive practice

Second day:-

• Essential philosophy from samkhya karika and yoga sutras
• Intensive practice using props

Details

Date: Saturday April 17, 2010 and Sunday April 18, 2010
Time: 11am to 2pm

Venue:
Studio 2 – Saturday April 17, 2010 (First day)
Studio 1 – Sunday April 18, 2010 (Second day)

Fees*:

For a single day (either April 17 or April 18, 2010):
EARLY BIRD (Register and pay by March 20, 2010) – RM110/-
REGULAR (Register and pay between March 20 to April 16, 2010) – RM120/-
LATE COMERS (Register and pay on April 17 or 18, 2010) – RM 130/-

For two days:
EARLY BIRD (Register and by before March 20, 2010) – RM190/-
REGULAR (Register and pay between March 20 to April 16, 2010) – RM200/-
LATE COMERS (Register and pay on April 17, 2010) – RM210/-

* non-refundable

It is that time of the year.. when we wish everyone a happy new year.. and let me also do the same.. here’s wishing you all, all happiness in 2010.

But, on a more thoughtful note, we should know that happiness does not come by wishing it. In our philosophy, nothing simply happens. Instead everything that happens is an effect; a result of causes and conditions, or to be more precise, karma and karma phala. (action and fruit of action).

In the year 2010, we can experience happiness as a phala (fruit or result) only if it has been preceded (in the previous years) by appropriate thoughts, words and deeds. Though thoughts are normally associated with mind, words and deeds are often seen as physical activities and not as mental operations. However, as taught in Sankhya philosophy, mind is both a deliberative faculty of awareness as well as a faculty of action. So, whether a physical action or mental action, it all comes within our term – manasa.

In the Dhammapada, through the first two verses, the Buddha clearly lays down the importance of manas in bringing about either happiness or suffering.

The first verse says,

‘All actions are preceded by the mind, led by the mind and experienced by the mind. Speak or act with a corrupt mind and suffering follows, like a wagon wheel follows the hoofs of the ox’.

And then the second verse,

‘All actions are preceded by the mind, led by the mind and experienced by the mind. Speak or act with a pure mind, and happiness follows, like a never departing shadow’.

In 2010, whether we are followed by the never departing shadow of happiness, or the ominous rumble of the wheel of suffering, will depend on how we manage our mind in the time prior to today. So if happiness follows us throughout the year, then great. Try to share that happiness.

However, if we feel burdened by suffering, let us remember that it is in suffering that we learn valuable lessons in life.. about anitya (ephemeral nature of all things), ashuchi (the inherent impurity in all things), dukha (the inherent suffering in all things) and anatma (the tendency for wrongly identifying ourselves).

So since both happiness and suffering are needed, let us take everything in our stride, in an attitude of upekhsanam (equanimity) at whatever sukha and dukha that might befall us.

A wisdom bestowing new year to all!

She then said that she is into vipassana and that she will practice mindfulness..

Understanding that she is not looking for any answers from me, shifted my gaze back into my plate to check whether anything is moving inside it.. she left soon..

She very well might be knowing how to go about practicing awareness of her predicament..  however if I was in a class set up,  i would have guided her along with the following questions.. by which her general awareness could be stretched to a state of specific attention on her emotion..it would perhaps run like,

‘What is exactly that you don’t like? Is it the rock music? Or the loudness of it? Or,  the husband? Or, is it not about the music at all?

Is it because a particular liking of you is not met with? Perhaps you like silence, and the anger is against the breaking of that liking? Or, you want husband to listen to you, but instead he is listening to the singer?

How is the feeling of this dislike? Have you noticed the subtle transitions between dislike, irritation, anger and action? How do you feel dislike? Have you noticed how dislike is felt in the body? Which part constricts?’ And so on..

Now scenarios like this keep on happening in our life.. many times people tell me with irritation, ‘I am irritable’.. two waves are here.. originally an irritation exists as a first wave of emotion.. then an irritation at being irritated arises.. second wave.. then we want an exact answer as to why we are irritated.. an answer that will rationalize and justify our emotions.. ‘maybe, it is the premenstrual thing..  i think i am just jinxed.. maybe it is my past life causes.. have to go for a regression session’… these add third and fourth waves of further irritation…

See, these are all reflections by the mind on the emotions plaguing it..

However, in yoga, when we say svadhyaya.. svadhyaya is different from this kind of reflection.. Normal reflection wants to close the reflection quickly by looking for answers through questions such as ‘why this is happening? why me? How this could ever?’, etc. Clear answers seldom come, but almost always such questions pull us down into the problem, and leaves us identified with it.

Svadhyaya is different, as it is about observing what is happening with an open ended curiosity..

Instead of asking ‘why is this happening’, svadhyaya is about looking at the emotion, and asking, ‘what is this?’.. it is not about trying to come to a conclusion, but an open exploration.

Then, when we look at things in this kind of friendly, accepting way, rather than in an unfriendly way (‘why this is happening’ is totally unfriendly to the emotion rather than ‘what is this’), we bring a certain brightness to it. For eg, if we’re feeling sadness, investigating the emotion of sadness without any aversion to it, adds a friendly quality to the worry, making it easier to experience.  Then we don’t get identified with it. Instead of experiencing the situation as the ‘sad person’ we take the position of “investigator.”

Now, how to go about investigating? Since I have some time (40 mts before cricket match begins).. i am just trying to find a simple mnemonic code..  and i don’t know why, i finally settle into MANASA.

M: Mindfulness.. being aware of.. or recognizing the emotion

A: Attention..attending or focussing on the emotion.. awareness is general, and attention is specific awareness, really connecting to it.. being attentive of your words, expressions and actions..

N: Naming it.. whether anger.. dislike.. contentment..delight.. or whatever is the emotion

A: Accommodating.. not reacting to the emotion, such as trying to push it away in aversion.. (why am i sad.. this stupid anger..etc), nor liking it so much that you cling to it.. let it just be..

S: Svadhyaya.. investigating the emotion.. by applying the ‘what is this question.. anger is a word.. but what is this in terms of experience.. how is body experiencing.. breath experiencing..

A: Anatma  (Not-I)… This feeling is a passing process.. it is a process of mind and ego.. it rises.. and hence it will sink too.., it’s not who I am.. i am the witness.. i am free.. i am consciousness

Ok, I agree.. it is perhaps not possible to go through all the steps.. but most times just staying with first two steps itself will keep you from getting totally entangled with the emotion..

Namaste

I just wanted to share some thoughts to TTC students who are studying concepts of karma in the last two weeks. Since these are essential yoga concepts, sending to all of you.

During the lecture, when I asked the students as to what the word karma implies, they answered correctly and collectively, ‘action’!.

Again, when asked what the word ‘action’ implies, they answered ‘movement’.

And that is correct. The scripture Vaisheshika sutra defines karma as five kinds of movement- upward movement, downward movement, sideways movement, contraction and expansion. (utkshepanam avakshepanam akuncanam prasaranam gamanam iti karmani).

All kinds of action can be summed up in these movements.

For eg, right now I am engaged in the karma (action) of typing words. And as I look, my fingers are lifting upward (utkshepanam) from the key board, and then striking downward (avakshepanam). My eyes are moving sideways (gamanam) as the words display in a left to right direction. And so on.

Now, if that is karma, then what is karma yoga?

Bhagavad Gita gives four sutras defining karma yoga

1. You have authority to action only (karmany eva adhikararah te)

2. You have no authority over its fruits (ma phaleshu kadachana)

3. Do not act in a way by which you become bound by the reaction to action (ma karma phala hetuh bhu)

4. Do not ever be attached to not doing activities under your responsibility (ma te sangah astu akarmani)

In these four principles, the first and last lines stresses on the importance of action.

The last line admonishes one from refraining from actions one is supposed to do. (So you are a yoga teacher? Then you cannot be attached to inactivity in terms of pranayama, meditation, study etc, so to speak).

The second and third emphasises the importance of not getting attached, while in action. Now, talking of attachment while in action, two aspects are there.

One is, the attachment towards a desired result. Here, our action becomes tainted with the intrinsic craving towards a particular result. Even asana practice gets tainted with this desire for particular outcome. When one is tainted with attachment to particular results, generally happiness do not ensue. One also does not get a full absorption with karma or action, and then cannot experience karma yoga.

The second attachment is by way of ego. The thought that ‘I am the doer, I am the experiencer’, which accompanies all out actions. Here what happens is, this thought binds us to the action; then roll us towards the precipice of results of action; where we are left reaping and weeping over what is happening, which we only created.

This can be huge egoistic ideas, as well as simple ideas. Say, the rising (utkshepanam) of a ‘tiredness’ thought in mind. We then quickly get attached to tiredness, and say, I am the tired one. Then there is downward plunge (avakshepanam) of energy. Instead if we can see thought formations in mind as the natural karma of mind, and in that karma of mind, perceive an akarmanyam (non action) of the perceiving consciousness, then we remain free from being bound by it. (TTC students, remember the verse, karmany akarma ya pashyed..)

Now, what does this practice ultimately give you?

Karma yoga in an ultimate sense is about getting our awareness released from the cycle of karma; which is-

· Vasanas of previous births leading to current birth,

· New actions in the current birth,

· Outcome of actions and reaction to outcome of actions- ‘I like it or hate it, I want this again, I am the one who is doing it.. i am great or lousy’.. and so on,

· Formation of news samskaras and vasanas,

· Death..

· And again the residual vasanas start the cycle.

We are all trapped in this swirling circle of the above mentioned points

There is a touching story in the Mahabharata of Prince Abhimanyu. He was a valiant prince. In the Mahabharata war, the enemy army organised an army formation called chakravyuha (ever spiralling army formation). Such formations are very difficult to break into, and it can inflict very heavy damage on the opposing army. This particular formation, none knew how to penetrate it except the young prince. And break it he did. He went into the spiralling formation and waged a valiant battle. But he didn’t know how to escape it. And finally perished.

Similarly we too plunge in like Abhimanyus to situations,.into karma vyuhas (spiralling circles of karma).. to break in seems so easy and enticing. But then, once in, our awareness gets enmeshed, getting entangled deeper and deeper into the karmavyuha.. and slowly start to succumb to burning desires.. strangling attachments..and piercing repercussions..

Let us all be very aware of karma and its wheel. All of us are like warriors in the field of life. Or, shall I say, like tigers in the woods. Speaking of that, let us also shed this juicing on gossip about another person’s fall. Truly there are more tigers in the woods than Tigerwood, and let us be more aware of the thoughts in our own consciousness.. Even the Gita warns us that situations can blow even a strong man of discrimination off path, like a strong gale of wind can steer a boat off course.. so let us not be too critical, and practice more mindfulness of our thoughts.. let us be watchful for the subtle rising (utkshepanam) of desires and temptations.. let us act (karma) to put it down (avakshepanam) with proper thinking and.. if that doesn’t work, even through prayers.. and it is not about running away from people or situations.. it is mainly a reorienting and a clarity of perception which is required.. which can lead to understanding, right action and peace..

namaste