Post class reflections

Thanks for another great day in Capstone everyone.   We talked about the vrttis and then got to work on opening the shoulders and the hips.  Ya'll did a great job with the partner work and I hope your hamstrings are not too sore.

have a great weekend.

Oh,  I wanted to let you know about a great translation of the  Sutras that is  online. 

It has the Sanskrit and  English  and a word glossary  check  it  out.

Vrttis and Virabhadrasanas today

I've enjoyed reading your posts.   Today  we  will review the first Four Sutras   and then talk about  what the fluctuations of the mind are.  We'll also talk a bit  about the obstacles since those are in the LOY reading, but the main focus is on the Vrttis.

General  Yoga  plan for  today,

Tadasana
UH
Garudasana
Gomukasana Arms
Trik
Vira 2,
Vira I
Vira III
AMS
Dandasana
M1
M3
Chatush
Savasanaa

1.01	atha yoganusasanam
	With prayers for divine blessings, now begins an exposition of the sacred art of yoga. Now, the teachings of yoga [are presented].
1.02	yogah cittavrtti nirodhah
	Yoga is the cessation of movements in the consciousness. Yoga is the stilling of the changing states of the mind
1.03	tada drastuh svarupe avasthanam
	Then, the seer dwells in his own true splendour. When that is accomplished, the seer abides in its own true nature.
1.04	vrtti sarupyam itaratra
	At other times, the seer identifies with the fluctuating consciousness. Otherwise, at other times, [the seer] is absorbed in the changing states [of the mind].
1.05	vrttayah pancatayyah klista aklistah
	The movements of consciousness are fivefold. They may be cognizable or non-cognizable, painful or non-painful. Thee are five kinds of changing states of the mind, and they are either detrimental or nondetrimental [to the practice of yoga].
1.06	pramana viparyaya vikalpa nidra smrtayah
	They are caused by correct knowledge, illusion, delusion, sleep and memory. [These five vrttis are] right knowledge, error, imagination, sleep and memory.
1.07	pratyaksa anumana agamah pramanani
	Correct knowledge is direct, inferred or proven as factual. Right knowledge consists of sense perception, logic, and verbal testimony.
1.08	viparyayah mithyajnanam atadrupa pratistham
	Illusory or erroneous knowledge is based on non-fact or the non-real. Error is false knowledge stemming from the incorrect apprehension [of something].
1.09	sabdajnana anupati vastusunyah vikalpah
	Verbal knowledge devoid of substance is fancy or imagination. Imagination consists of the usage of words that are devoid of an actual object.
1.10	abhava pratyaya alambana vrttih nidra
	Sleep is the non-deliberate absence of thought-waves or knowledge. Deep sleep is that state of mind which is based on an absence [of any content].
1.11	anubhuta visaya asampramosah smritih
	Memory is the unmodified recollection of words and experiences. Memory is the retention of [images of] sense objects that have been experienced.

Fun times with Supta Virasana

I had a great time teaching class yesterday afternoon. 

We had a lovely discussion of How Yoga Works. Mostly everyone seems relieved it is a novel and "not philosophy." Unfortunately, Social World seems to leave a bad impression of philosophy in the minds of the average BIC student.    We did have one philosophy major add the class today, Veronica,  though Azem has withdrawn, mostly the students are anthropology, political science, international affairs, with some English, GTX, and fashion thrown in.

I had no intention to teach supta virasana, but I taught virasana and Megan started going into the pose, then others did and suddenly everyone was more or less in the pose, some with significant bolsterage but others not.  It was really amazing to see because they really felt an effect of a pose quite viscerally.

We laughed a lot about inner winds and channels and the like  and  then it was time to go.  Touched on pranayama at the end.

I introduced the concept of bavana and talked a bit about sheaths and organs of action and perception and we also discussed why one might want to still the vrttis.

Class Tuesday

Hi Everyone,

Please be sure that you have read  How Yoga Works Chapters 1-16 for class on Tuesday. We will spend the bulk of our philosophy discussion time with that work.  In order to prepare for discussion, please have in mind the following topics: (you are welcome to address any or all of these issues on your blog)

1. two things you like about the book thus far. Please be specific.
2. Two things you don't like about the book thus far.  Please be specific.
3. What similarities do you see with what we are doing in class (both the philosophy and yoga dimensions) with what is being discussed in the book?
4. Do you see any references to  the idea of stilling the fluctuations of the mind  or  seeing the true self  or  identifying with the fluctuations of the mind in the reading  thus  far?
5. How would you describe the captain as a student?
6. How would you describe yourself as a student?

Also,  I will give you a trial grade on your blog posts (responses to reading, practice reflection, attendance, and responses to others  this weekend). It is not a set in stone grade, it is meant to give you feedback about how you are doing based on the quality of work you have produced thus far.  I will take into account all work received by midnight Friday.

See  you in Class,

Check in later  for  class  sequence.

AMS


Here's the  pose sequence


Tadasana
Vrksasana
Utkatasana
Garudasana
Tadasana
Vrksasana
AMS
Virasana
Supta Virasana
Supta I, II, IV,
Savasana

Post class reflections

I enjoyed our discussion quite a bit.  So far this semester, I am spending more time with the philosophy discussion than I did last semester.    I particularly appreciated your willingness to share various techniques that you use to still your mental fluctuations. I was fascinated by how many of them are actually listed in the Sutras. If you are interested in reading ahead, the list of techniques occurs at 1.32-1.39.

Cameron asked me a question about what poses to practice at home.  Anything is better than nothing, but generally speaking you can practice what we did in class.  It will help reinforce the learning and the sequence is generally something for the arms, something for the legs, and something restful at the end. 

Have a great weekend  and I'll see you on Tuesday. 

Remember to send me your blog address if you have not done so yet.

Day Two of Capstone Plan

Class  plan  for  today.


The Yoga  Sutras   1.4

Sharing  your  observations about  How Yoga Works.
 
Main  points  about  LOY  reading, p. 27-31

Different  levels of  student   feebel, average, superior, supreme
sisya and Guru  relationship - teacher student relationship- mentor mentee relationship
sadhana and abyhasa  (practice)  what are the sorts of things that  we  practice.

How do you see these four sutras and the elements of LOY  at work in HYW. -

1.01	atha yoganusasanam
	With prayers for divine blessings, now begins an exposition of the sacred art of yoga.  (Iyengar) Now, the teachings of yoga [are presented]. (Bryant)
1.02	yogah cittavrtti nirodhah
	Yoga is the cessation of movements in the consciousness. (Iyengar) Yoga is the stilling of the changing states of the mind  (Bryant)
1.03	tada drastuh svarupe avasthanam
	Then, the seer dwells in his own true splendour. (Iyengar When that is accomplished, the seer abides in its own true nature.
1.04	vrtti sarupyam itaratra
	At other times, the seer identifies with the fluctuating consciousness. Otherwise, at other times, [the seer] is absorbed in the changing states [of the mind].

Then  yoga  practice.


Tadasana
UH
UB
Paschima B
Baddha hastasana
Vrksasana
AMS
Uttanasana
Prasarita Padottansana
Trikonsana
Supta BK
Savasana

Reflections on Day One

Hi Everyone,

I thought class went really well today.   I made some adjustments to  the sequence so it reflects what we actually did.  Please look up a couple poses in Light on Yoga.  Try to do one pose today. It will help if you are sore!

Here is a list of some philosophical concepts we covered in class.

Atman- soul
karmendrias -organs of action
koshas -sheaths of the body,  ranging from physical to bliss level
yoga as a totality - reflected in names of poses, working opposite sides of the body to bring balance
Yoga as stilling the fluctuations of the mind (1.2)
Yoga as seeing our true nature (1.3)

Be sure to look over sutras 1,1 through 1.4 along with the assigned reading for Thursday.


Also  here are two other books you can choose from for your memoir reports.

Jesus in the Lotus  by  Russill Paul



and Autobiography of a Yogi    by  Parmanansa  Yogananda

Class Plan for today

Hi Everyone,  Here's the  general  plan for  today

Introductions.  

Explaining course logistics.

Explaining the props.

Some Basic yoga poses

Tadasana
Urdhva Hastasana
Urdhva Baddanguiliasana
Paschima Baddanguliasana
Vrksasana
Trikonasana
Vira II
Adho Mukha Svanasana
Dandasana
Marychiasana I Twist only
Supta Baddha Konasana
Supported Savasana. 

Welcome 2012 Yoga Capstone Participants

Here is the course  blog.

I'm  looking forward to meeting each of  you.

Please create your own blog for this course  and send me the link so I can put it on the blog roll  for this  class.

Come prepared to do a bit of yoga on the first day  which means, buy a sticky mat to bring with you and  wear shorts and a T shirt to class.



Here is a list of the assigned course  texts.

I will send you a syllabus  through blackboard email.

List of Required Readings:

1. How Yoga Works by Michael Roach and CHRISTIE MCNALLY. This historical novel will help you make sense of The Yoga Sutra’s of Patanjali. · ISBN-10: 0976546906

· ISBN-13: 978-0976546900

2. The Yoga Sutras are available on line in many places and there are many translations of it available on Amazon. Use whatever translation you like. I will primarily use B.K.S Iyengar’s translation and commentary (· ISBN-10: 8172235429 · ISBN-13: 978-8172235420) and Edwin Byrant’s translation and commentary (· ISBN-10: 0865477361 · ISBN-13: 978-0865477360 )

Here are a couple of online links. http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/yogasutr.htm http://www.kofibusia.com/yogasutras/index.php

3. Bhagavad Gita There are many translations of the Gita available. I will be teaching from the translation by Eknath Easwaran (ISBN-10: 1586380192 · ISBN-13: 978-1586380199) but you are welcome to use whatever translation you like.

4. Light on Yoga by BKS Iyengar (· ISBN-10: 0805210318

· ISBN-13: 978-0805210316)

 This book is often referred to as The Bible of yoga practice. It contains photos and detailed instructions about the asanas we will practice in class. I encourage you to read about each of the poses we study in class and refer to the book during your home practice time.

5. Waking, Matthew Sanford. · ISBN-10: 159486845X · ISBN-13: 978-1594868450

6. Yoga from the Inside Out Christina Sell · ISBN-10: 1890772321 · ISBN-13: 978-1890772321