Zephyr Yoga Podcast

Words and their meanings have a wonderful way of painting an experience felt in the body, energy and mind. Certain words can spark a positive neurological effect empowering, motivating and even healing us. They tell a unique story within. This story we will tell is one of Loving Kindness. Using Buddhist slogans to be tender as the body, energy and mind unfold our past impressions, present circumstances and open to a more kind positive future. 

Compassion begins with the capacity to hold our own life wrapped in the arm of our loving heart. Our ability to self care through our attention of our hurt and pain, the kinder words we speak to ourselves on a daily basis and how we physically get our needs met. When we care for ourselves in a tender way, compassion will naturally awaken within us, it is intrinsic to our nature. We open to unconditional willingness to reconnect to something within where we feel safe, loved, belonging and connected to a loving presence. When we can face our own shadow side with tenderness, our empathy of others struggles becomes more potent and we can truly sense the humanity that connects us. By bravely facing the shadow side of humanity, we become the transformers of suffering alive in ourselves and others. 

To read more and to practice with Zephyr Wildman, click here. 

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Compassion begins with the capacity to hold our own life wrapped in the arm of our loving heart. Our ability to self care is supported through the attention of our hurt and pain, the kinder words we speak to ourselves on a daily basis and how we physically get our needs met. When we care for ourselves in a tender way, compassion will naturally awaken within us, it is intrinsic to our nature. We open to unconditional willingness and reconnect to something within where we feel safe, loved, with belonging and connected to a loving presence. At the same time, when we can face our own shadow side with tenderness, our empathy for other’s struggles becomes more potent and we can truly sense the humanity that connects us. By bravely facing the shadow side of humanity, we become the transformers of suffering that lives in ourselves and others. 

This practice reduces attachments. It increases our ability to let go of the Karmic ties that bind us to old unhelpful stories that keep us stuck. By giving and helping one another, even through a generous thought and feeling, we develop and expand our capacity for kindness. This simple action creates a pathway to being held by the wholeness of being. We will combine this with a mudra Buddha Smiling. Tongue, Breath and Mind more loving and kind than your normal actions.

To read more and to practice with Zephyr Wildman, click here. 

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The purpose of both Ashtanga and Kriya Yoga is to manage the unmanageability of being human, the obstructions, afflictions and the struggle of desire and karmic action we all go through. Either practice subdues the body and mind to attain the state beyond it, which is said to be serene, peaceful, joyous and always free!

Ashtanga is the earliest attempt to formulate a step-by-step approach to self-realisation and liberation from re-birth. 

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This practice invites you to abide in the heart. Using Kapalabhati & Antara Kumbhaka Pranayama that clears and purifies the energy channels to prepare for Surya and Chandra Bhedana, Sun and Moon piercing. Isolating our attention on the right and left nostril channels (Pingala & Ida Nadis) to connect to their unique qualities, then draw them together at our heart and bathe in that inner light abiding in the centre, meditating in the timeless light of now.

To read more and to practice with Zephyr Wildman, click here. 

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Samadhi is the eighth and final step on the path of practicing Yoga, as defined by Patanjali’sYoga Sutras. It is the ultimate stage in the voyage of attaining the state of Yoga. In sanskrit, sam meaning “together” or “completely,” or  “toward” and dhe, meaning “put.” Direct translations vary, ranging in absorption, total integration, bliss, liberation and even enlightenment. I have experienced it as a blissful form of total meditative absorption. It is described as a state in which the individual and universal consciousness unite and awaken as Pure Consciousness which is said to be the underlying layer of all creation in the universe. That the practitioner is no longer able to perceive the act of meditation or define any separate sense of self from pure consciousness, where one looses all self-referencing point. 

In the state of Samadhi, the vail of ignorance is lifted, one’s ego, all desires, aversions and fears dissolves in the light of it all, empty in its own form. Samadhi is the cessation of all experiences in every sense as we know it, a resting of the Self within itself, abiding in the light of pure consciousness. The goal is citta vritti nirodha – to still the mental fluctuation of the mind where the practitioner is fully conscious, undistracted and that there is an uninterrupted awareness in which is truly absorbed in ultimate truth of Grace itself as the Self. 

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In this mediation practice we will be seated in Virasana, so please use a brick or prop to sit with Sthira/Stablitiy and Sukham/Comfort. We will be preforming Bhramari Pranayama, Kapalabhati Kriya, Bahya Kumbhaka, Maha Mudra and Bandha which will evolve into point to point breathing with HUM SA Kriya. The preamble will give you more meaning and purpose to the mediation practice and the practice maps out the ability to guide the mind into a deeper state of meditation, Dhyana. 

Dhyana, meditation is the 7th limb of the 8 Limb Path of the Yoga Sutras. Meditation is a tool, to use the mind to go beyond the mind. It is the clarity of mind to abide in the timelessness of now, present in the here and now. An uninterrupted flow of consciousness toward that object. The goal of practice according to the Yoga Sutras is 1.2 Citta Vritti Nirodha, stilling the roaming tendencies of the mind. The point is to focus on a point.

To read more and to practice with Zephyr Wildman, click here. 

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Dhyana, meditation is the 7th limb of the 8 Limb Path of the Yoga Sutras. Meditation is a tool, to use the mind to go beyond the mind. It is the clarity of mind to abide in the timelessness of now, present in the here and now. An uninterrupted flow of consciousness toward that object. The goal of practice according to the Yoga Sutras is 1.2 Citta Vritti Nirodha, stilling the roaming tendencies of the mind. The point is to focus on a point.

As we did in our last session focusing on 6th Limb, Dharana, one-pointed awareness on an object to training the mind puppy to sit and stay. Watching how the mind puppy chases its tail, chews on a bone or naps avoiding practice. Our hand command to get the mind puppy to sit and stay, roll over and lie down was the point to focus on becoming more absorbed in the moment.

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Dharana is the sixth of the Eight Limbs of Yoga as described by Patanjali in the Yoga Sutras. It refers to the concentration of the mind where it becomes one-pointed, a fixed attention on an object. It is a holding or binding your attention to the object with the intention of reducing the rajasic movement that feeds, agitating the senses and mind or the tamasic boredom and apathetic state that gets the senses and mind stuck. We are looking for the middle sattvic path that cultivates mental stability and freedom from distraction. When he mind is distracted if feeds the Kleshas Avidya – Ignorance, Asmita – Egotism, Raga – Attachment, Dvesa – Aversion, Abinivesha -Fear. We use pratyahara and dharana in our asana and pranayama practice to weaken the power that the Kleshas have on us.  

Dharana is the doorway to meditation as it requires you to rest your attention on something for some time. This requires diligence and persistency like training a puppy. It requires effort, to be switched on, not off to train a mind puppy! The puppy likes to chase its tail, chew on a bone obsessively, take naps, hide, etc. We need to train the puppy, so it can be of serve and a good companion to us. So remembering that in practice Yoga Sutra 1.33 states we need to culitivate loving awareness, friendliness, joy and compassion. This keeps a trusting loving relationship with the mind puppy to practice being present. To be present, you just need two things Intention and Attention. An Intention to be present, with the effort and vigilance to turn your attention back to the presence. As the mind puppy will wandering if bore or entertaining judgements, stories, bias and act out. The Yogi needs to be receptive, sensitive and loving kind to reach the goal of practice, Nirodha, stillness to then awaken to the state of Yoga. So we practice Yoga!

To read more and to practice with Zephyr Wildman, click here. 

To support Zephyr Yoga Podcast, donate here.

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To read more and to practice with Zephyr Wildman, click here. 

To support Zephyr Yoga Podcast, donate here.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The fifth limb of Patanjali’s eightfold path of yoga, is Pratyahara. Pratyahara is an important bridge between the external focus of the previous limbs of yoga, such as asana (postures) and pranayama(breath exercises) to the more advanced practices of dharana(concentration) and dhyana (meditation). Pratyahara literally means withdrawing from the senses, to gain control over the senses to bring about calmness, peace and stillness. 

Prati meaning “against” or “withdraw”, and ahara meaning “food” or referring to anything we take in from the outside. Pratyahara also helps to provide an understanding of how much the mind is influenced by sensory input, imprisoned by the senses. Dictating our thoughts and feelings in ‘feeding’ it leading it to be trapped in the Kleshas, mental/emotional afflictions that continue the wheel of suffering. Our practice is to stop feeding the mind the things that keep it ignorance of it’s true nature, stuck in ignorance, attachment, aversion, egotism and fear. Encouraging the mind in a kind way to turn inwards and use the senses to be of service to the pursuit of practice, gaining mastery over external influences and allowing the practitioner to connect with their inner world, thereby creating optimal conditions for self-realisation. 

To read more and to practice with Zephyr Wildman, click here. 

To support Zephyr Yoga Podcast, donate here.

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