Asana Kitchen Podcast

Join me and Peg Mulqueen as we discuss Yoga Sūtra 3.17: There is a natural confusion of words, meanings, and our own conceptual experience that arises when we superimpose one upon the other. But with perfect focus on distinguishing between the three, we learn the language of all beings. Basically - words matter. As does our experience, use, and interpretation. Words like discipline, tradition, modification, and even the word yoga itself. So we chose a few and attempted to dissect.

Tapas or discipline is a central aspect of daily practice that each yogi must struggle to embrace and make peace with. In this podcast I discuss the value of older, harsher ideas of tapas and the evolving new paradigm of tapas. I argue that some of the old ways of interpreting or living the spiritual discipline, though too severe or extreme, must not be forgotten, and must serve to remind new yogis of the seriousness of the obstacles that can obstruct the path of yoga. To maximize your ability to give and receive love during your brief time here in this world your discipline needs to be both strong and loving in equal measure.

I locked the doors and windows.

I grabbed the breath thief

and yelled for help.

I tied him up in an inside closet

and threatened him with OM, OM, OM.

I shut the body openings

and found out what steals

the even-breath, the truth of

Who we are.

—Lalla

One of the greatest things in the world is to work to perfect a pose or anything you choose. By perfect I mean to be involved in a process of improving, tinkering, seeking to go further in any small or large way. Ideally this creative process can go on indefinitely or at least until you feel fully satisfied with your creation. However often we fail to accurately determine when enough is enough, we lose track of how to best direct our efforts, and we cross over into perfectionism. We harangue ourselves instead of giving support, become overly attached to results instead of enjoying the action itself, judge too harshly or too soon instead of being patient or trusting, or we get stuck focusing our weaknesses instead of our strengths. In this podcast I discuss how to avoid these traps and win the freedom to get in there and try as hard, as long, and as openly as you want everyday.

In this podcast I speak about pain and creativity as an unlikely pair of opposites, a closely connected duo that are fated to coexist within me and to play off of each other in an ongoing battle for supremacy. Though often not welcome, pain is a principal ally of creativity, a main motivator of positive action, an effective catalyst for inner revolution and evolution, and an ever-present, wise reminder of constant change. Also in this talk I discuss this statement from the Yoga Vashista: “The power of creativity is always found through logic and by facing experience. The speaker is heard not the one who remains silent”.

In this podcast David discusses Shraddha or Faith as a powerful but hard won ally that helps you to remain committed to a daily practice.

Faith means belief in and commitment to the invisible spiritual dimension of your life. You cultivate faith one practice at a time by coming to your mat each day equal in times of plenty or challenge. You build a strong faith through trust in your self, your practice, and in dharma (cosmic justice) and also through loyalty to inner work, longing for sacred connection, approving of your highest visions of life, and being sincerely curious about how to open yourself up to the dawning of consciousness within your own body. To have a strong faith requires tremendous effort and devotion on your part but if you are able to catch this worthy prize you become a yogi, a powerful force for good in this life.

In this podcast David talks about how practice helps you manage inner and outer conflict.

An in-depth explanation about what constitutes goodness and auspiciousness in your yoga poses and in the rest of your life.

In this Asana Kitchen podcast, David takes an in-depth look at the word dharma.

-"What is my dharma? What does that even mean to me?"

-LONGING! - essential. find your dharma? Tap you’re longing.

-Raw desire into something tangible.

-See dharma as happening in practice & and the bigger aspect. What's my work in this asana?

-Take stock of your duties. What is your vision?

-Take stock of your body. certain flexibility, and non. skillful and non. action

-Prolonged vision quest. takes many repeated quests. withdrawing away/ simplifying. fasting from material.

-Dharma is lessening and ending suffering. How do i heal/ encounter, my suffering?

-Get into relationship with what makes you wanna fight or run away in fear.

-Find the wrong that you want to make right.

-Justice, work you come out of womb with. not specific, characteristic mark!

-What you are searching for? Your intrinsic essence - peculiarity

-Abide in your essence as seer.

-Your Ego doesn’t decide your sacred work. It comes more from a humbling and following a sense of mysterious will.

In this podcast David uses Yoga Sutra 1:33 and discusses the four different attitudes to take to go from a clouded mind to a clear mind.

"DEAR DAVID,

WHERE IS THE PLACE OF THE YOGI IN A REVOLUTION? SITTING STILL GOES AGAINST EVERY FIBER OF MY BRING BUT WHAT WOULD THE SUTRAS SAY?

.

It’s a natural human thing to want to lash out at wrong, to get mad, retaliate, and let go. It takes great power to practice restraint and to channel your anger like Gandhi or MLK. You keep your anger contained so that you can act skillfully instead of rashly. Having restraint means you can act for the long term, be consistent in your actions, and really take the steps to fight for what you believe in.

And also you’re not supposed to sit still, you’re NOT SUPPOSED TO SIT STILL. Remember what the Bhagavad Gita says, “From birth to death the human being is never even for one moment without action.” You are constantly compelled to action and so what you want to do is sit still for long enough to gather your forces so that you can act with discernment, skill, and love; act from the place of your higher Self rather than from insecurity or fear or concern for your own gain."