The Yoga Show is a coming….

The Yoga Show is weekly program designed to entertain and enlighten you, the gentle viewer, to the possibility of a lifestyle that is based upon practical, ancient wisdom.

In our accelerated, technological lives we, as a society, seem to have forgotten the “Why” of life through the distraction of “More”. More isn’t necessarily better it just looks it.

By being self-centred we have taken advantage of those around us including our environment. This imbalance in living has created a disparity that underpins the instability in our world and in ourselves. This instability is now coming back to “bite us” environmentally, socially, financially, emotionally and physically. Yoga, in it’s orthodox form, assists in finding balance.

While much of the Yoga that has come to the west is focused upon the physical. Asana (posture) practice does impart fitness, strength and flexibility from the core outward. However, when performed with deeper awareness Asana practice brings a profound stillness to the mind and calmness to the emotions. Underpin this with an understanding of Vedic Philosophy (that which underpins Yoga) explaining the nature of being, allows your life to be your own. In short, Yoga is not about being able to tie yourself up in knots and stand on your head, this comes with (a lot of) practice but to quote Swami Maheshwarananda, “Yoga is for those that wish to be happy”.

On The Yoga Show you will be treated to interviews with people who have a profound awareness of Yoga and related philosophies… delicious and easily prepared vegetarian meals… and there will be some postures too, demonstrated by our talented team of beautiful Yoginis.

Oh yes, I almost forgot, on The Yoga Show we will show you how Yoga can be fun.

So if you are an expert practitioner wanting to explore Yoga further, practice occasionally and wish to know more or are a complete novice looking for some entertainment, keep watching this space… I shall keep you posted.

Namaste’
David Leneman
(aka Yogi’D)

Exercises that take you to meditative bliss….

The initial purpose of each and every of the 840,000 Yoga asana is rather poetically phrased in the Yoga Sutras as “The sacrificial fire for the burning of neurosis”, or put simply, stilling of the movements of mind. Further to this each posture type has psychological as well as physiological focus.

In meditative postures the idea is to have level the erect sections of the body, chest/neck/head. Hence most cross legged seated postures where Padmasana (Lotus) is most revered for the stability of the interlocked legs creating a triangular base to support the erect sections. However, many particularly from the west, find these seated postures difficult to maintain. A simpler meditative posture well worth exploring is…

Shavasana – Corpse Posture

The philosophy behind this corpse posture being there is not only no movement but no desire to movement.

To begin, lie flat on your back, feet hip distance apart, arms loosely by your side, palms facing up.

Modification: should it be uncomfortable to have your hands close to your hips, move them a little outward. The idea here physically being, palms up rotate the shoulders thereby expanding the upper thoracic cavity… allowing for a little more breath in the upper lungs.

Allow your body to feel as though it is being totally supported by the floor. Scan the body from within and release any tension experienced.

Further adjustment may be achieved by:
- knifing the shoulder-blades together and then releasing them
- rotating the knees outward then releasing thighs and buttocks

Breath
Breathe freely

Benefits
Releases tension from the whole psycho physiological system
Reduces anxiety

To be or no to be? what is the way of the Yogi?

We are living within a world that is governed on the basis of isms. Isms are founded upon beliefs or systems of beliefs accepted as authoritative by some group or another… so isms are really just somebody’s ideas. Do these ideas necessarily represent the truth or are they simply someone’s perspective..?

The Buddha said that there are two great truths, primarily the ultimate truth the way things actually are and then there is ones perspective.

I believe that it is these ideas that divide us, intellectualised as qualities of intrinsic difference as opposed to the merely superficial product of circumstance.

Yoga emphasises the development of brotherhood, harmony, fraternity and equality not only towards all human beings irrespective of circumstance whether colour, nationality, age, gender or ism but towards all living beings also.

This attitude renders thinking so positive that the individual is liberated from all mental malice in doing so is also released from all the mental, psychosomatic and physiological diseases arising therefrom.