The Muscle of the Soul

Lotus wrote:So when you ask me today to write more on Yoga, for example, this is music to my ears. But only considering the Ego part, ma'am, as above clarified; and if only this is what drives me to write as is the case with most people. I really can write a lot on Yoga, and I'm skillful enough to even make you enjoy what I'm going to write—although it'd be all only about *me* and what *I* know and love and enjoy. Considering "the Other" component in this message I may write, however, I should rather ask: would you really benefit from this message? Would it really help you, increase you, add to you?

I know this was for Selina..... but yes yes yes i would definitely benefit if you wrote about Yoga, it would help me, increase me and add to me, as i really really want to learn not just how to do it, but about it, i think i put off doing it because i want to understand it rather than buy a beginners Dvd without understanding what it is i am doing and why.

Your wish, and Selina's, is my command, ma'am. In all cases, I'm no authority on Yoga I'm just learning like all of you. More later, and thanks to both of you.

Thank you Lotus, that would be very much appreciated, and of course we know how busy you are so please dont rush yourself, we will wait patiently x

Well, I must say I'll be more likely to "walk the walk" when it comes to yoga than with many - perhaps most - other things, so any discussion would definitely be valued. And I do think some Lotusine insights may inspire us more than books ever could.

Lotus wrote:(Not to mention that little secret Marilyn once revealed although most men, as arrogant as ever, missed it—never thinking that a Marilyn could've had anything to teach them really).

I meant to say before -- once upon a time long ago I thought Marilyn was completely vacuous, but she's grown on me recently, especially from reading how she created her image, particularly about her little-girly voice, and (because I currently do research on cultural constructions of women as virtuous/sinful) her combination of schoolgirlishness with sex.

And that walk...
"She's Mae West, Theda Bara, and Bo Peep all rolled into one!" - Groucho Marx

I love this interview with her:



This picture reminds me of Norman Mailer because he called Marilyn "the sugar of sex" and talked about...Marilyn being ice-creamy and delightful...well, like her, I adore ice cream, so...suddenly feel a lot closer to her

And yes, she was a lot more intelligent than people give her credit for... a quote I think you'll appreciate by her:

“Men are climbing to the moon, but they don’t seem interested in the beating human heart.”

I apologize for my lateness, Princess. I did write your post already, right away, and was supposed to send it "tomorrow or so" as promised. But then arrived Night's post so I decided to hold mine and expand on the topic. Ever since my life went crazy and I may not really be able to write again in the next couple of days. So just for now here's what I already wrote, right away about two days ago now. (Please note the following was only clarifying further why I first didn't want to write on Yoga. But I will next time, God willing, as was lastly promised).



................................

So no, there is a lot, and I mean a lot, to be said here. But without practice, that would really mean nothing. And by "practice" here I don't only mean "sitting" some certain way or "breathing" more deeply or even "meditating." Yoga needs "re-setting" your whole system and mind and even worldview. Yoga is another "way of life," different altogether. And you need to be fully and wholly dedicated to Yoga if you really want to reach its peerless, most precious treasures ever.

For example, Yoga assumes that our fundamental nature is compassionate, generous, honest and peaceful. Are we? The first word in Yoga—the first ever, out of say a million other words—is "Ahimsa." Ahimsa simply means showing no cruelty to any creature or any person in any way whatsoever. Ahimsa assumes kindness, friendliness, and thoughtful consideration of other people and things. Ahimsa implies that in every situation we should adopt a considerate attitude and do no harm at all.

This is just one of the "Yamas," and all Yamas together form only one of the eight basics or foundations of Yoga—Yama, Niyama, Pranayama, etc.


So as you see, it's not at all a topic to be "talked" about, or for the intellect to enjoy. Even "practice" shouldn't be understood here in the common sense of the word. Yoga requires—just to start—a whole different character and mentality.

And why is that? Why the trouble? Why bother at all? Because Yoga is not really about being in shape or fit or healthy, or forever youthful. This is only Hatha Yoga, the most common in the West. Rather Yoga, the Yoga of such sages as Vivekananda, or Yogananda (and I intentionally write it with a capital "Y" by the way) is rather a holy science, and the Science of Sciences. Yoga is the path that can take you literally from your human-hood to your godhood. In the last stages of Yoga, in Jnana Yoga for example (Yoga of Knowledge), or Raja Yoga (Royal Yoga), you literally become omniscient, omnipresent, and omnipotent. You do become a god on earth—again LITERALLY. But most Yogis, having gone all this way, don't waste all by directing their attention again to the world or their own personal powers. They rather take the "last step" forward; "merge" in Infinity and in complete Union with Divinity.

(Yogananda's body, by the way, remained in a state of complete incorruption for three weeks after his passing, described even in TIME magazine, up to the moment his body was buried. This event is documented by a notarized letter of the mortuary. So even the Yogi's gross body, which's nothing, becomes somehow holy itself, too holy for Nature to approach, and as is the case with several other saints worldwide).

That's why "Ahimsa" is the first word in Yoga. Yogis barely "start" with what others think of as the "end," ma'am.

Also that quote from Marilyn was really amazing, Princess. I want to write more on this lovely Marilyn but.. how could I possibly write all I want to, especially in reply to you? You have a "feast" in every post, Selina. And you're the most resource-ful (bountiful) person I've ever met in my life.

However, I still communicate all I want to. Although I can't comment on every single post of yours, or theirs, I still put all my comments, replies, admiration and appreciation in such brief messages as Princess, Your Highness, ma'am or lady, or Sir. These are not free titles I give you and others here out of courtesy or decency or even respect. These are truly all the replies and comments that I couldn't articulate on time and send separately in response to all that you and others send here. These are my conclusions of appreciation, in response to the books of beauty you're all writing here. So thanks, Princess, and see you soon.

Feels a little mind blown after the Yoga post.........

God bless yoga (and yoga pants!)

Lol Pressie! only you could turn a serious discussion into a gawp fest..... love ya!

Night I was going to say the same thing... I don't have enough time to respond properly even to the Marilyn post now, but PR, not everybody wears yoga pants. No, no, that is quite out of the question to some of us!!



























...I typically practise yoga only in my underwear.

omg Selina you little Minx!!!!!



But no seriously Lotus thank you for that little taste of Yoga, i would love to learn some more if you ever have time x

Minx? *sniff* I look like I'm wearing a simple bikini...what's wrong with that? I do it in the privacy of my room, so no one sees me except the wallabies and kookaburras peering through the window...

To me yoga is as natural as swimming, you shouldn't have to be all bundled up for it. It's rather hot in Australia as you can guess so...

my serious responses come later

My Dad told me I should do yoga and this was my response:

PR ever since you described yourself under Posay's game thread, I can't stop imagining you as Reggie Watts

uh oh how did i describe myself in Posay's game thread?

lots of facial hair, unkempt hair, add beer belly + Guyanese Indian background = Reggie Watts

oh boy, you found me lol

Lotus wrote:I apologize for my lateness, Princess.

I wish Lotus of all people would know that he should not ever, not ever apologise for taking time to reply. Rather, I apologise for my own lateness in getting back to you here, and there as well, and well I feel perpetually guilty over not responding to other threads.

(But where I'm concerned of course I hope "better late than silly" is a good motto - only of course I'm usually both late and silly...)

I know what it's like to have a life gone crazy, and I hope you never ever feel obliged to respond quickly...   especially, especially not to someone who always responds so belatedly herself. That's me, and I know Night Eyes doesn't want you to feel pressured either.

(Nor does PR, which is why he's provided us with so many yoga pants memes I think )

Lotus wrote:So no, there is a lot, and I mean a lot, to be said here. But without practice, that would really mean nothing. And by "practice" here I don't only mean "sitting" some certain way or "breathing" more deeply or even "meditating." Yoga needs "re-setting" your whole system and mind and even worldview. Yoga is another "way of life," different altogether. And you need to be fully and wholly dedicated to Yoga if you really want to reach its peerless, most precious treasures ever.

I think for the moment all Night or I can do is to take baby steps. I'm very very serious and keen on Yoga, though, not just on the "exercises" but on the complete spiritual philosophy, everything.

At the moment, I feel guilty in my own life to be spending any time at all not devoting myself to my work and my studies and my family (just as I feel guilty not writing more useful stuff on here -- there's no escape for me where guilt's concerned!), so the yoga I do is, I'm sad to say, just the very basics of breathing and asanas. - While occasionally reading Swami Vivekananda. However I do take it seriously, which is why once I'm finished this PhD I'll really walk every step of the walk with every grain of being that I have.

For the moment, though,



So I am very very grateful that this discussion may be possible, at whatever pace, and to whatever extent Lotus feels happy sharing with us.

Lotus wrote:For example, Yoga assumes that our fundamental nature is compassionate, generous, honest and peaceful. Are we?

Is that a rhetorical question? Or, like Krishnamurti, are you asking us to look deeply into ourselves and question and think for ourselves where lies the truth?

I've noticed a lot of Buddhist teachers talk of it this way: we are fundamentally perfect. And I even believe that Lotus, who by the way is one of Phanty's personal heroes and mine certainly as well, has talked somewhere about us being oceans of love, guiltless, higher beings trapped in an illusion...  

Lotus wrote:The first word in Yoga—the first ever, out of say a million other words—is "Ahimsa." Ahimsa simply means showing no cruelty to any creature or any person in any way whatsoever. Ahimsa assumes kindness, friendliness, and thoughtful consideration of other people and things. Ahimsa implies that in every situation we should adopt a considerate attitude and do no harm at all.

Yes, I have read about Ahimsa therefore recently have come to know the term, the words surrounding it. This step of the walk I have tried to be diligently stepping all of my life. With at least one parent who was totally devoted to yoga and Krishnamurti before I was born (at which point she became devoted to me), I was lucky enough to receive an upbringing of non-violence, non-cruelty...vegetarianism since the womb, shutting your eyes and stopping your eyes in violent movies, being good and gentle to others, being considerate. Which, obviously, is not to say that I've ever been perfect - on a - practical everyday level, despite having the fundamental perfection.





Beneath the surface of things, everything is perfect, complete, whole.
(quote whose source I cannot remember, but some great Eastern philosopher )

Lotus wrote:This is just one of the "Yamas," and all Yamas together form only one of the eight basics or foundations of Yoga—Yama, Niyama, Pranayama, etc.

These I am definitely rusty on if I ever knew much about them at all. I've read Vivekananda on ojas, etc., but am embarrassed to say that my large yoga book by B.K.S. Inyegar remains largely unopened. Thanks to you, Lotus, I will open it tonight before falling asleep, despite the fact that I prefer to do anything related to spiritual practice when I am fresh and able to process it properly.

Lotus wrote:So as you see, it's not at all a topic to be "talked" about, or for the intellect to enjoy. Even "practice" shouldn't be understood here in the common sense of the word. Yoga requires—just to start—a whole different character and mentality.

I was trying to say it is something really beyond all words and description - as most Eastern philosophers are always telling us about reality. I remember someone playfully pointing out that Lao Tzu says in the Tao Te Ching that the Tao cannot be spoken, and then goes on to write a whole book about it; Vladimir Jankelevitch, similarly, tells us at the beginning of one of my favourite books that music is ineffable, before he continues his entire monograph on the subject. So it's surely always a paradox, -- we need words to remind us that words are, at the deepest level, useless.

Lotus wrote:And why is that? Why the trouble? Why bother at all? Because Yoga is not really about being in shape or fit or healthy, or forever youthful. This is only Hatha Yoga, the most common in the West. Rather Yoga, the Yoga of such sages as Vivekananda, or Yogananda (and I intentionally write it with a capital "Y" by the way) is rather a holy science, and the Science of Sciences. Yoga is the path that can take you literally from your human-hood to your godhood. In the last stages of Yoga, in Jnana Yoga for example (Yoga of Knowledge), or Raja Yoga (Royal Yoga), you literally become omniscient, omnipresent, and omnipotent. You do become a god on earth—again LITERALLY. But most Yogis, having gone all this way, don't waste all by directing their attention again to the world or their own personal powers. They rather take the "last step" forward; "merge" in Infinity and in complete Union with Divinity.

This is why I love Vivekananda:

“There is no God separate from you, no God higher than you, the real 'you'."



"All the powers in the universe are already ours. It is we who have put our hands before our eyes and cry that it is dark."

"Never think there is anything impossible for the soul. It is the greatest heresy to think so. If there is sin, this is the only sin - to say that you are weak, or others are weak."



And looking back at this post, it sounds as if I know a lot. Intellectually perhaps I remember some things. But I really know very very little. Lotus is inspiring, teaching, breathing life to old childhood memories and sometimes dusty remembrances from my favourite books. If it weren't for this thread I would continue to be lazy.

I think this is one of the most important topics there can be, really, so I'm so grateful, again, that you could take the time to remind us of our basic goodness, our divinity, and the work to be done, Lotus.

I'm sorry I am skipping a lot of these long posts, while trying to catch up and chime in here and there, so I'm sorry if my comment seems out of place in relation to your latest posts here.

I just wanted to say about yoga- The only time I have ever properly done yoga, was here

it's the building on the top with a red roof

and of course it was amazing because of the whole experience of being surrounded by very positive spiritual people, but also the sounds of rain forest, humming birds zipping between you, the sun rising over the ocean and the temperature being perfect, not to mention the fact we were on a holiday and there was (this is only a fun remark for Selina, look away now Lotus ) super and I mean super handsome guy doing yoga right next to me

Oh yes and that place is called Luna Lodge, it's on Osa peninsula in Costa Rica- National Geographic has called it "the most biologically intense place on Earth in terms of biodiversity - Corcovado National Park where it's located that is. I'm saying that to explain why the yoga experience in there makes any other yoga experience I've ever had seem bland and boring.

My husband does a lot of yoga every day. I mean like does it for hours! Initially I tried to do some with him, but I noticed that it became addictive in a non-pleasant way. Meaning, until I did yoga, I didn't have any aches or pains and i was feeling great already. After doing yoga, I felt great too, but if I skipped a session, my body felt very uncomfortable. So I don't do it anymore.

Looks Lovely Lunar!

I was just reminded of this thread, more or less the yoga thread, when I saw this:

Lotus would probably disapprove of them, but Nighty, I thought of your son reading the below:

http://www.artofliving.org/yoga/health-and-wellness/Overpowering-asthma-with-yoga

http://www.everydayhealth.com/asthma-pictures/great-yoga-poses-for-asthma-relief.aspx

http://www.yogajournal.com/article/health/asthma-answers/