Walking Dharma

Speaking our truth is integral in healing ancestral trauma and allows us to cultivate the ability to express what we feel within our hearts and intuion. This episode explores how to effectively use your voice through the lense of yogic philosophy. We explore how to balance ahimsa, non-violence, and satya, truthfulness so we may speak our truth in a way that we are heard and feel empowered to be honest and in alignment with our integrity. We also explore how to balance viveka, discernment and vairagya, unattachment so we may say what we mean and mean what we say.

Yoga Sutra 2:35 and 2:36 guide our inquiry:

"In the presence of one established in non-violence all hostilities cease to exist." 2:35

&

"To one established in truthfulness, actions and their results become subservient." 2:36

Kristen shares a personal account of what inspired this episode and we dive into how to speak up and have hard conversations.

Music and podcast produced by Técnico (aka William Fayette).

This week's podcast is called,"Do It Anyway: Overcoming Imposter Syndrome."

Imposter syndrome comes from trying to mold yourself after someone else's vision, ideals, standards and definitions of what you should do, act like, look like, express and create.

It often arises when we put ourselves out there with our work, our creative energy and our self expression. Imposter syndrome is what holds many of us back from doing our work/expressing whole heartedly as we fear rejection and failure. To overcome it we must understand where it comes from, how to identify it when it is arising and then navigate the art of doing what we want to do anyways, regardless of our fear and deep seeded lack of self worth.

This episode features philosophy from the Bhagavad Gita and Buddhism. We use sloka 2:47 and 2:48 from the Gita as guiding principles in unpacking how to overcome imposter syndrome:

"To work alone you are entitled, never to it's fruit. Neither let your motive be the fruit of action, nor let your attachment be to non-action."

"Being established in yoga, perform your action, casting off attachment and remaining even-minded both in success and failure. This evenness is called yoga."

We also unpack the three types of laziness as taught by Pema Chodron. They are- comfort orientation, loss of heart and couldn't care less.

The original music at the end of the podcast is produced by @tecnicomusic (aka Karishtan) and can be listened to on Spotify here: https://open.spotify.com/album/2KxarC2rELTvT6MSufxnbk?highlight=spotify:track:0mWK6fBUfPS4hmnuGFxnOZ

This week's podcast is called,"Transmuting Anger into Insight."

We dive into anger and how it manifests, how to work with it, how to clear it and how to use it as fuel for motivation.

"Whatever arises unexpectedly, join with meditation."

"Don't be swayed by external circumstances."

"Always meditate on that which provokes resentment." - Buddhist mind training slogans

The original music at the end of the podcast is produced by @tecnicomusic (aka Karishtan) and can be listened to on Spotify here: https://open.spotify.com/album/2KxarC2rELTvT6MSufxnbk?highlight=spotify:track:0mWK6fBUfPS4hmnuGFxnOZ

This week's episode is called "How to (Actually) Surrender."

We dive into the yogic principle of Isvara Pranidhana (surrender to God) through the lense of seeing God in all of life. Yoga Sutra 2:45 says,"By total surrender to God samahdi is attained."

Surrender is often seen as resignation or giving up, but the truth is to surrender means to embrace unconditional acceptance for one's path, experiences and course of action. When we surrender to the Divine current in our lives we open our hearts to the oneness and equality that is the baseline of all existence. This perspective invites us to take a metaphoric deep bow to all circumstances, interactions and experiences as teachers guiding us towards the deepest essence of Self, the Supreme Self.

Samahdi means 'absorption' and as the Sutra infers, by total complete surrender to the Higher Power our interconnectedness is realized. Our oneness becomes tangible and through this our compassion increases, our ability to stay connected with our own Highest Self becomes steady, and our ability to walk our dharma in deep trust and total surrender to what IS becomes a reality.

This episode also dives into the Six Paramitas (Paramita = to the other shore) of Buddhism. We examine how the six paramitas allow us to trust the path of surrender, help align us to the vibration of love and serve whole heartedly.

The original outro music at the end of the podcast is produced by DJ Karishtan. It is currently unreleased. Follow us on Instagram: @walkingdharma @djkarishtan @kristencoyleyoga

This week's episode is called,"Face Yourself," and it dives deep into the yogic philosophy of svadhyaya, self study.

"By study of spiritual books comes communion with one's chosen deity." - Yoga Sutras 2:44

Translated literally, svadhyaya means spiritual study as well as self study. At first glance, spiritual study and self study may seem like two seperate endeavors, but upon a closer look we realize self study IS spiritual study. We realize that any deity we believe to dwell outside of ourselves (somewhere far far away) is actually already dwelling within the core of our being. We just have to access it.

How do we access this indwelling divinity? There is no magic solution, but many paths to guide us towards our own divine nature. Yoga exists for this reason. Religion, initiation rites, ceremony, vision quests exist for this reason. Every moment of our day to day life exists for this reason. They allow us to access our Higher Self. All methods of awakening share one common element, and this is the element of self study- the ability to look within and dig far beneath the layers of mind and ego and labels and discover the basis of our existence. They help us 'see' the root to our patterns and then personally use these observations as teachings to inform us, guide us and ultimately enlighten us.

Self study (in yoga) is about observing our patterns, belief systems and cultural conditioning so that we may see beyond their limited confines and embrace our innate freedom. Freedom from needing to be any one specific way to receive and give love. Freedom from always trying to live up to certain expectations or images in order to function. Freedom to break through self limiting thought patterns that stop us from thinking big and living life at full volume.

This podcast examines personal and universal examples of how we can be curious humans and understand how to clear old patterns that no longer serve us and awaken to what is underneath them, luminous yet in hibernation within our own souls.

The original outro music at the end of the podcast is produced by DJ Karishtan. It is currently unreleased. Follow us on Instagram: @walkingdharma @djkarishtan @kristencoyleyoga

This week's podcast is called,'You Deserve to Take Up Space.' It dives into what it really takes to be out in the world living our truth, pursuing our dreams and thinking big in a way that is alignment with our highest truths and authentic self.

This episode is guided by several entries in the Bhagavad Gita including sloka 2:52 which states,'When your mind has crossed the slough of delusion, you will achieve indifference regarding things already heard and things yet to be heard.'

Innately we are born sensitive beings so it only makes sense that we care about other's opinions. In truth, there is no issue with this if we are willing to cultivate equal parts unattachment and equal parts willingness to learn and integrate the mirror that others can oftentimes present to us.

The issues with listening too much to other's opinions arise when we either care so much about what others think that we base all of our decisions on how to constantly people please or be invisible, or we affirm to the world that we don't care at all and lose our ability to recieve input and the subsequent growth that often comes from honest feedback. A major key to living life according to our own inclinations and heart guidance is to understand that regardless of other's opinions, we are here to share our unique energy and gifts with those who are able to appreciate and recieve them/us.

If we align ourselves with the idea - that we are here to share our gifts because we are being compelled - we are more likely to naturally align with the highest expression of ourselves and begin to create our lives based on that guidance. It calls our attention to the idea that we can do what we feel called to do in life and release attachment to the results. It is an invitation to do what compels us, to step up and face our fears and shatter every self limiting belief that ever attempted to hold us back. It's an invitation to lean into what is being channeled from within and express it freely, unhindered, authentically, originally in some way, shape or form.

The outro music at the end of the podcast “Call On,” is original music produced by DJ Karishtan. It is available for download on iTunes and Spotify. Follow us on Instagram: @walkingdharma @djkarishtan @kristencoyleyoga

Accepting Pain as Help for Purification.

This podcast episode dives into the yogic niyama (ethical observance) of tapas. 'Tapas' translates as 'to burn,' or 'to heat,' and it is the concept of accepting pain/discomfort as help for purification.

Yoga Sutra 2:43 says, "By austerity (tapas), impurities of body and senses are destroyed and occult powers gained."

Tapas manifests as our willingness to embrace challenging experiences, practices and relationships as help for purification through our understanding that we can endure discomfort and come out on the other side of it more self aware and more spiritually awakened. It is the art of undergoing 'suffering' to purify the mind and body so we may see things as they are with more clarity and sensitivity. It is the deep work of moving towards our own discomfort to learn from it, rather than continually running away from it....

A few tangible examples of tapas are: Motivating yourself to get on your yoga mat and practice even when you would rather sleep in. Embracing the feeling of being triggered when someone insults you and still somehow finding compassion for that person (rather than returning the negativity). Tapas is stepping into your growth edge creatively, even when you don't feel ready or fully confident, and offering your best with impeccability regardless of your own resistance to being seen.

Tapas is the conscious effort to slough off the impressions in the mind from the external world and clarify our own awareness through physcial practices, mental discipline and spiritual understanding so that every experience we have can lend itself to self realization.

The outro music at the end of the podcast “Call On,” is original music produced by DJ Karishtan. It is available for download on iTunes and Spotify. Follow us on Instagram: @walkingdharma @djkarishtan @kristencoyleyoga

You are Stronger Than You Think...

This week's episode dives into the 'Five Strengths' as highlighted by Pema Chodron in her book The Places that Scare You. The Five Strengths are rooted in Buddhist philosophy and are powerful life changing concepts when we allow them to help guide our day to day lives.

The five strengths are essentially heart instructions that when followed allow us adhere to our dharma (spiritual path) and remain steadfast on the journey of self-awakening and helping end suffering in the world.

The Five Strengths are: Strong Determination, Familiarization with the enlightenment teachings, belief in the Seed of Goodness within all living beings, Reproach (Course Correction) and Aspiration.

We explore how to embody each of the five strengths so that we remain determined on the path to integrate the spritual teachings in order to see the inherent goodness within all of life, correct our course when necessary and keep going onwards, no matter what.

The outro music at the end of the podcast “Call On,” is original music produced by DJ Karishtan. It is available for download on iTunes and Spotify.

Happiness is a Big Cosmic Joke (Contentment is where it's at).

"By contentment Supreme joy is gained." - Yoga Sutra 2:42

Happiness is fleeting and can easily be 'taken away' by a small shift in our external circumstances. Contentment is based on a soul level understanding that there is beauty in every single moment we are alive and allows us to accept the experience we are having, however mundane, and find the joy within it.

Happiness is based on needing satisfaction by essentially getting our way all the time. Contentment is based on the fact that we woke up today and can breathe...meaning it needs no justification or reason to be, it's just there with us at the foundation of our understanding of life.

If we chase happiness, we run from misery and our unresolved issues and suffering follow us everywhere we go. The more we chase, the more we run away from something else. Even when all of our goals are achieved, all of our ambitions quenched, with a seemingly face value perfect life, we will not be able to feel happy because lasting happiness must come from the inside.

Through cultivating contentment we discover unlimited joy no matter the state of our external circumstances. Likewise, whenever we are challenged at the deepest level, we no longer run away from our own shadow because it doesn’t spark joy. Rather we find the heart to sit with our emotions and let our joy (rooted in contentment) give our anger, sadness, depression, addictions, and afflictions a great big hug, until they no longer need to grasp us so tightly.

Finding contentment is a lifetime(s) long process. It’s a path well worth taking though because it brings the kind of happiness that permeates our life the way sunlight covers the Earth on a cloudless day. The sun is shining, contentment is there. The rain is falling, contentment is also there.

The outro music at the end of the podcast “Call On,” is original music produced by DJ Karishtan. It is available for download on iTunes and Spotify.

The Art of Purfication. This week's episode explores the concept of saucha (cleanliness; purification). Saucha is the first niyama (ethical observance) as highlighted by Patanjali in the Yoga Sutras. Purification and cleanliness are an essential component in day to day life. At face value, cleanliness is obvious- bathe regularily, keep your house clean, eat healthy food as much as possible, etc., but if we dig a little bit deeper we begin to see that we can also purify our mind, thoughts, speech and intentions to align with what we want to create within our lives.

Our willingness to let go of self destructive habits and choose something better for ourselves (whatever that may be in the moment at hand) is our willingness to remain in clarity- clear about how we are feeling, clear about what will serve us and clear about what will not serve us as well.

The more we purify the layers of our being the more attuned we become to ourselves and others. This attunement allows us to dwell and act from our hearts rather than the ego which requires instant gratification. Purification is much like the river washing over a stone for many years, eventually the once jagged rock becomes smooth and polished.

The more we purify ourselves the less material desires run our lives. When we reliquish attachment to desires through purification, we find peace in every moment.

"By purification arises disgust for one's own body and for contact with other bodies."- Yoga Sutra 2:40

"Moreover, one gains purifty of sattva, cheerfulness of mind, one-pointedness, mastery over the senses, and fitness for Self-realization." Yoga Sutra 2:41

The outro music at the end of the podcast is called 'Call On' is orginal music produced by DJ Karishtan. It is available for download via iTunes and Spotify.