Author Archives: DonBothell

IN THE PRESENCE

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imagesYoga Nidra as presented in this book was taught by Yogi Amrit  Desai. If you feel it would be interesting or helpful to spend some time with a self-realized being, a true yogi guru of the Indian tradition, you might consider a pilgrimage to visit Yogi Amrit Desai. Known to his followers as Gurudev, he was a pioneer helping to bring yoga to America. He founded the Kripalu Yoga Center in Lennox, Massachusetts in the 1970’s. Once the center was established and thriving, politics surrounding misinterpretation of morality at different levels of spiritual development, threatened destruction of the resource. Amrit Desai selflessly walked away from his creation that it might continue to spread the message of yoga.

The Kripala Yoga Center continues and prospers, albeit without its original inspiration, and Gurudev maintains a peaceful presence  at the Amrit Yoga Institute in Salt Springs, Florida surrounded by those who appreciate the importance of the guru as a spiritual resource. Amrit is a lively man in his eighties, and with amazing vital energy and amiable goodwill, he makes himself available to those who want to share his presence. It is an important part of spiritual education to be around such a teacher, to see how exceptional, yet human, they are and to observe the people around the guru, to see how they relate to each other and to their teacher.

 

Weight Loss Through Yoga, Jewel in the Lotus        page 119

UNDERSTANDING BEYOND OUR RANGE OF PERCEPTION

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Fractal — Weight Loss Through Yoga, Jewel in the Lotus

Fractal — Weight Loss Through Yoga, Jewel in the Lotus

…yoga tradition believes the universe is mirrored in each of us. Nature has a working set of solutions that is used on ever greater or lesser scales for everything, as our recent appreciation of fractals demonstrates. To understand something on a scale within our perceptual range allows us to imagine solutions to questions above or below that range.

Weight Loss Through Yoga, Jewel in the Lotus        page 8

ASANAS III

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Because asana quiets the mind, it is preparation for meditation. Indeed, it can be a form of meditation. It fosters awareness of the mind’s functioning, the body’s state of wellbeing, and the mechanics of breath. Asana helps us reconnect with the vast wisdom that controls and directs body function, the same wisdom that wants to bring our body into healthy balance.

weight loss through yoga

weight loss through yoga

ASANA

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Moving into and holding various configurations of the physical body as part of the practice of yoga is called asana. When people in the West think of yoga, this narrow range of the total discipline commonly comes to mind. In Sanskrit, ‘asana’ translates as ‘seat’ or ‘seat next to the teacher’, expressing the need to be comfortable in the body before other learning can commence.

weight loss through yoga

weight loss through yoga

Asana practice improves health, strength, flexibility and balance. The lymphatic system of the body needs movement and the flexing of muscles to propel lymph fluids through the body. All the components of the body need to be exercised to maintain optimum function. Without stimulation they tend to atrophy.

MEDITATION and the ENERGY OF ATTENTION

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MEDITATION

MEDITATION

The energy of attention stimulates latent apana. Because of the sexual nature of the pelvic prana, sensual arousal might occur. Just observe and accept. There is no need to censure the experience. Enjoy the meditation in observer consciousness.

After a set number of breaths, the attention moves up to the first chakra. If the meditator has time, he or she can relax into the experience and allow attention to percolate up to the sacrum on its own. The first chakra is awash with the color red. When initially meditating, all the aspirant needs is to be aware of is the color expressed through each chakra. With practice, all that will be necessary is to touch the front of the body over a particular chakra and the color associated with it will appear before the mind’s eye. Relax into the hue, feel it as much as visualize it. The shade of the color may vary from meditation to meditation and can be an indicator of the influences the person is presently under.

WEIGHT LOSS THROUGH YOGA, JEWEL IN THE LOTUS    page 60

ENERGY OF ATTENTION

ENERGY OF ATTENTION

MEDITATION

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You are being let in on a big secret. This shouldn’t be a secret, but it is: ‘enlightened’ and ‘relaxed’ mean the same thing. They are synonymous. We are easing into liberation of the full expression of ‘Self’. If you had the capacity to fully let go, you would literally fall into the full perfect expression of your being. Since enlightenment is so infrequent, the ability to completely relax appears to be very rare.

Asana is helping us to be at ease in our bodies so the body is no longer a distraction. Pranayama is helping create the necessary energy and balance. Now we can start to relax. We can meditate.

MEDITATION —weight loss through yoga, page 101

MEDITATION —weight loss through yoga, page 101