Clarifying Yin Yoga by Bernie Clark
Jason Crandell recently spoke about yin yoga on a Yogaland Podcast where he was interviewed by Andrea Ferretti [See episode 147.) Several people have approached me to comment on his talk. The talk lasted about one hour, and Jason made many strong assertions, each of which I would love to take 20~30 minutes to go …
Second Noble Truth
When thoughts arise (and they will) silently whisper ‘breathing’ and simply let the thought fade into quietude, while you ride the vibrant, untainted life force entering your system anew on the next fresh in breath… Awareing easily replaces thinking when we are fully present. Continue this awareness practice many times throughout today.
All Pervasive Suffering
Become a detective of your own mind states today, and when distasteful or difficult events arise, immediately observe inward and notice if you are meeting the event with an open mind and heart, or more often, if you can feel some grasping, some tension of separation, some ‘selfing’. No need to judge yourself if this …
The Suffering of Change Is Not Inevitable
The suffering of change relates with this inevitable polarization between hope and fear, craving and clinging. To begin to free ourselves from these ancient human tendencies, we will first need to acknowledge these feelings when they arise, and relate to them in a new way, one that is not so addictively compelled to stick to …
The Suffering of Change
Take 5 minutes to review the serendipity in your life right now. Appreciate those dear to you, family and friends, who will not always be around. As you bring to mind each person, send them the wish that they too live with the recognition of ubiquitous change and be appreciative of this transitory existence, however …
Exploring the Suffering of Suffering
Begin today to be especially interested in noticing when something goes wrong by pausing as it does and seeing if you can meet the feelings directly, as they are pulsing in your body. Without doing anything externally, simply track the myriad of sensations moving through you until they subside, however long that is. Then take …
The Suffering of Suffering
Observe yourself today and when something does not go as you expected it would, or should go, notice how you react by checking in with your body. What emotions can you detect pulsing through you? Do you hear yourself saying anything to yourself? It is very important not to try and control your feelings, as …
Investigating Suffering
Today, become especially aware of this aspect of existence, both your own and others’. See if you can observe and acknowledge any gross or subtle suffering you feel or witness without turning away and without embellishment, just the raw truth of it, in your belly. Allow the difficult aspects of life to be held with …
The Fourth Mind Changing
Recite the Four Mind Changings together and then sit in a brief Meditation. Take a few moments after to reflect on how you feel after this, versus before. Life is precious — I am extremely fortunate to have the privilege and leisure to learn and practice. Everything is Impermanent — this ephemeral existence is not …
Compassion Practice
If you can, take 5 minutes for a compassion practice. Imagine the essence of your natural goodness as an orb of white light at your heart. With each in breath envision bringing into this light all the dark clouds of any destructive patterns of body, speech or mind that you have experienced lately, while saying …
The Second Mind Changing
Contemplate your own ever changing metamorphosis by observing all your dynamically changing feelings in one day. Start now, being aware of how you are feeling just this moment and see if you can detect when this feeling changes and becomes another feeling. At the end of the day reflect back on this moment and retrace …
The Preciousness of this Life
With this initial mind changing, there are two questions to contemplate: What are some of the other privileges I have that are easy to take for granted. Recognizing the tendency humans have for complacency, what am I doing with this precious life? Take 5 minutes in a yin pose while considering these inquiries, and write …
The 4 Mind Changings
Thinking about appreciating this precious human birth Thinking about death and impermanence, that the opportunities we have now with this precious life are not going to last Thinking about the laws of karma in relation to cause and effect, and how our choices and our behavior intimately affects what we experience Thinking about how suffering …
The Three Jewels
We all need helpful influences in this life journey, all the way through. Write down what your current ‘jewels’ of support are? Ask 3 different people today what theirs are? Reflect on what arises when you ask yourself and others where they access their inspiration, and what protects and fortifies you/them, especially when challenges arise?
Our World View & The Four Noble Truths
One common way of understanding the Buddhist view is in four statements, called the Four Noble Truths, which have depth teachings embedded in each of them. Life has suffering. Suffering is caused by our grasping habits, fueled by ignorance of our awakening nature. With the Buddha as an example, (and many others as well), anyone …
Habits of Mind & Our World View
Our world view is a synthesis of what we learn and how we interpret what we perceive to be happening personally and globally. When we are limited by operating out of our coarse mind only, we easily mis-perceive our reality and the world at large, impeding access to our holistic intelligence and causing perpetual confusion …
Mindfulness Practice
Sit now and practice Mindfulness of breathing for 6 minutes. Stay interested in self observation to detect any subtle pull to think about or want to do something to modify or escape the rawness of simple unmediated attention on the neutral object of breathing. With loving kindness toward this temperamental human mind, aspire to meet …
The Spirit of Loving Kindness
Even when we do not appreciate someone’s behavior, still, learning to remember that they too are of the very fabric of love, however unskillful or delusional our experience of them may be. This inner perspective can initiate more skillful response, even when it needs to be wrathful and direct. In this way, we can orient …
Loving Kindness Meditation
Set your motivation to practice this now for your own and others benefit, as the value of aligning your heart and mind with loving kindness will spread naturally to others… Relax into your body either laying down, or sitting, with the eyes closed. Relax deeply into each out breath and let go of all your …
Why Dharma Drops?
The desire to be happy is natural and universal. Yet happiness based merely on stimulus can never offer lasting joy, since when you remove the stimulus you extinguish the happiness. Look to the more reliable realm of true well being which is to be found in being aware of simple quiet presence where we pause …
