Ooroo Guru

In celebration of World yoga day on 21 June this blog is a reflection on the Gurus who teach me even when my mind / body/ soul resists.  Guru in this context refers to teacher / guide.

Daily Practice

BEEP BEEP BEEP Exhale  hand reachs for alarm – the first conscious breath of the day, blessed to be able to do this autonomously and automatically.  Pranayama conscious awareness of breathing, I take this for granted until I am gasping for air.

Yoga translates to yoke, to unite with the divine  bringing a sleepy form to a bright mind engaging with a body to move as my soul wishs.

Feet on earth:  My foundation, my sole connection to earth energy. Toes not bound by shoes able to extend find space an arch to hold my weight with a pivoting ankle joint.  Pushing down onto the bed with my hands holding my weight first lift of the day.  Engaging the core bundha lock to levitate upward.

Tadasana the mountain pose my first asana standing with an erect spine on top of my mountain summit beginning of a new day on my journey. According to Simon Borg Olivier :

“the journey of yoga is to reunite the individual with his or her True Self or true nature, a state of unchanging happiness.”  Redirect to rediscover true being atma.

Cindy my dog greets me with her original dog pose stretching her spine.

Throughout the day opportunities present for a quick forward bend while tying shoe laces, triangle in a cue and lotus on a chair at the dinner table.  Yoga creeps into your life inadvertently with a shift in perspective as you discover new muscle groups, catch your thought processes and find your breath.

  8 fold path in my life

Over 2000 years ago the great sage Patanjali documented the 8 fold path of yoga.  Following is how this path is practiced in living.

The most well known stage of the path are the asana or physical poses followed by pranayama breath awareness. Babes lying on their stomach lifting their heads with hands under their shoulders – cobra asana lead by a newborn.  Watching a babe coordinate breath, suck, swallow during a feed is an example of pranayama in action.  Children show me their new yoga moves named after a space droid.

“You’ve had too much” a call to practice yama restraint as I reach for another delicious dessert my eyes bigger than my stomach.

The reminder postcard from the dentist  a niyama in the mail to look at what I should do.

Hand on the volume dial / light switch examples of pratyahara sensory control of my environment and what I seek.

Focusing and concentrating on the job – dharana in progress.

Finally Samadhi the total bliss moments the high of  an ecstatic state – remember these.

Grazie to the Gurus

Thanks to all who have shared a yoga class with me

To my teachers for your patience and guidance

For those moments in the day that remind me of our mind, body, soul connection