Yoga

Yoga is fascinating. In the west, the people that are aware of yoga - not yogurt- are aware of it primarily in the form of Hatha yoga. The Wikipedia begins its description of it as Hatha Yoga (Sanskrit हठयोग haṭhayoga, IPA: [ɦəʈʰəˈjoːɡə]), also called Hatha Vidya (हठविद्या), is a system of Yoga introduced by Yogi Swatmarama, a sage of 15th century India, and compiler of the Hatha Yoga Pradipika. In this treatise Swatmarama introduces Hatha Yoga as preparatory stage of physical purification that the body practices for higher meditation. The Asanas and Pranayama in Raja Yoga were what the Hindu Yogis used to physically train their body for long periods of meditation. This practice is called shatkarma.

Since yoga and its many branches are fascinating and to the average person is unknown, I will begin a review of The Hatha Yoga Pradipika in the next post.  Stay tuned.
Related posts:

Yoga As a Tool

Yoga Is ..... YS I - 2

Yoga Sutra 1- 2 - YOGAS CITTA VRTTI NIRODHAH - The restraint of the modifications of the mind-stuff is Yoga.

Swami Satchidananda tells us that Patanjali gives us the goal of Yoga in this sutra. For a keen student this one Sutra would be enough because the rest of them only explain this one. If the restraint of the mental modifications is achieved one has reached the goal of Yoga.The entire science of Yoga is based on this Patanjali has given the definition of Yoga and at the same time the practice. "If you can control the rising of the mind into ripples, you will experience Yoga."

The following is the transliteration of each word of the sutra :

YOGAS: Yoga - union
CITTA: of the mind-stuff
VRITTI: modifications
NIRODHAH: restraint

Swami Satchidananda informs us that Chittam is the sum total of the mind. And within the chittam there are different levels. The basic mind is called ahamkara, or the ego, the "I" feeling. This gives rise to the intellect or discriminative faculty which is called buddhi. Another stage is called manas, the desiring part of the mind, which gets attracted to outside things through the senses. Swami Satchidananda gives us an analogy of this with a scenario of us sitting quietly and then we smell something nice from the kitchen. The sense part (manas) records that we are smelling something from somewhere. The buddhi discriminates, breaking down that the smell is maybe a cheese aroma, and then wonders what kind of cheese. Once the buddhi decides the kind of cheese, the ahamkara, the ego or "I" decides it should have some cheese now. These three things happen one at a time, but so quickly that we seldom distinguish between them. These modifications give rise to the effort to get the cheese. The want was created and, unless we fulfill the desire to see and eat the cheese, our mind won't go back to its peaceful condition or state.

All the difference in the outside world are the outcome of your mental modifications... The entire outside world is based on your thoughts and mental attitiude. The entire world is your own projection. Your values change within a fraction of a second... That is why Yoga does not bother much about changing the outside world. There is a Sanskrit saying, "Mana eva manushyanam karanam bandha mokshayoho." "As the mind, so the man; bondage or liberation are in your own mind." An example is given of prisoners and guards. They are both within the same walls, however, the difference is the mental attitude. The guards come to work, and the prisoners would like to get out.

So, if you can control the thought forms and change them when you want, you would not be bound by the outside world. We can make our world heaven or hell depending on how we look at it. That is why the entire Yoga is based on chitta vritti nirodhah. If you control your mind, you have controlled everything. Then there is nothing in this world to bind you.

See some related posts:

• Misconception or False knowledge YS I - 6
• Pramana - Right Knowledge YS I - 6
• How is your Mind? YS I -5, YS I - 6, YS IV - 15
• The Return to Back to Pure Consciousness YS IV - ...
• Practice as a Tool
  
  

The Return to Back to Pure Consciousness YS IV - 34

Yoga Sutra - IV- 34 - PURUSARTHASUNYANAM GUNANAM PRATIPRASAVAH KAIVALYAM SVARUPA PRATISTHA VA CITISAKTER ITI - Thus, the supreme state of Independence manifests while the gunas reabsorb themselves into Prakriti, having no more purpose to serve the Purusha. Or, to look from another angle, the power of pure consciousness settles in its own pure nature.

Swami Satchidananda states in this final sutra "The power of pure consciousness settles in its own pure nature." That means that when the gunas withdraw, finishing their job, the Purusha--having gotten completely clean--stops running around. It is settled. It is happy in its own true nature. It is no longer seeking happiness and peace from outside, because it realizes it is happiness personified.

Swami Satchidananda takes us back to the first book, second sutra (YS 1-2) "Yogas chitta vritti nirodhah." "Restraint of the modifications of the mind-stuff is Yoga." YS 1-3 is "Tada drashtuh svarupe' vasthanam." "Then the Seer rests in its own state." The entire four books are the explanations of these two Sutras. Chitta vritti nirodhah is the practice. Svarupe'vasthanan is the experience. Satchidananda says that is why Patanjali talks about the experience at the end. "You just rest in your own true nature. You have played your games, you have gotten all your experiences, and now you are resting." By resting, Patanjali means that the true you is resting while your body and mind function.

It's not that your body and mind necessarily rest always. They have to continue to fulfill the jobs for which they were created. According to the prarabda, a momentum has been created like the wheel that has been set in motion. You gave a push earlier, and the body and mind are facing that now as prarabda. When you attain the jivanmukta state, the pushing hand is taken away, but the wheel won't stop immediately. It will continue until the momentum is lost. While the momentum continues, you just rest and watch what is happening as a witness.

Swami Satchidananda gives us the analogy of an actor. We are told that we are the witness, and then we are the actor. If we become the actor, we become responsible for our actions. When we are the witness we are not responsible for our actions because then we are not acting. So, either act and be responsible, or allow the mind and body to act and be a witness, totally free. We are further informed that Yogis do actions only for the sake of others and not for their own sake. It is the image-you or the ego-you that needs Yoga. It is to the ego or lower self, the individual self that the teaching is given.

See related posts:

• Karma Past, Present & Future - YS II - 12
• Jivamuktas Immune from Karma IV - 30
  

Santosha - Contentment - YS II - 42

Yoga Sutra II- 42 - SAMTOSAD ANUTTAMAH SUKHA LABHAH - By contentment, supreme joy is gained.

Santosha (सन्तोष), contentment, is one of the niyamas of Yoga.
According to the Wikipedia definition, contentment (also called complacence) is the neuro-physiological experience of satisfaction and being at ease in one's situation, bodymind (cf. John Money[1]), body, and/or mind.

Swami Satchidananda - "As a result of contentment, one gains supreme joy. Here we should understand the difference between contentment and satisfaction. Contentment means just to be as we are without going outside things for our happiness. If something comes, we let it come. If not, it doesn't matter. Contentment means neither to like or dislike."

An additional view of this sutra from "How to Know God - The Yoga Aphorisms of Patanjali" translated and commented on by Swami Prabhavananda and Christopher Isherwood is:

"It is well worth analyzing the circumstances of those occasions on which we have been truly happy. For, as John Masefield says, 'The days that make us happy make us wise.' When we review them, we shall almost certainly find that they had one characteristic in common." It is pointed out that it was when we lived in the depths of the present moment, not being anxious of the past or future. "This is what Patanjali means by contentment."

Also our attention is directed to happiness we get "from the satisfaction of a desire", which although being very vivid, is comparatively short in duration. For as one desire is satisfied, another one arises producing anxiety, thus a shadow that accompanies it. We are told that if we compare our memories of satisfaction versus contentment, we will see that the satisfaction wanes whereas the contentment moments remain throughout the years.

See related posts:

• The Eight Limbs of Yoga - YS II - 28, 29
• Niyama - The Observances - YS II - 32

Between Ignorance - YS II - 5

Yoga Sutra II-5 - ANITYASUCI DUHKHANATMASU NITYA SUCI SUKHATMAKHYATIR AVIDYA - Ignorance is regarding the impermanent as permanent, the impure as pure, the painful as pleasant, and the non-Self as the Self.

Swami Satchidananda says of this sutra that Patanjali is explaining what ignorance is. (The previous sutra broke down the categories of ignorance.) He is not speaking about not knowing an object, like a piece of fruit, if one had never seen it before. Swami Satchidananda is referring to last part of the sutra the basic ignorance: "regarding the non-Self as the Self." He questions what is Self and non-Self? He says that the Self is what is eternal, never changing and always everywhere as the very basic substance. In other words, whatever exists is the Self. But because of our ignorance we see the Self as different objects.

We as human beings basically regard our body as to who we are and we identify with being a man, woman, black, white, being hungry or lame. Satchidananda says that all these are conditions and qualities of the body. Like if we say we are sick, he asks who is sick? It's the body, not who we really are - the Self. And whenever we make that type of identification, it is when we identify with the non-Self (the part that changes). Any type of feelings of the mind are modifications (vrittis). Once we have understood this then nothing can disturb us in this world. Things will come and go, it is not who we really are.

He ends the commentary with asking who is practicing Yoga. The answer is the mind along with the body. Basically our true nature, the eternal Self does not need any practice. "So, Yoga is neither for a person who has gained the light nor for the totally ignorant person who doesn't bother to know anything." Swami Satchidananda is saying that yoga is for the person in between and to dispel this ignorance(in between) that Yoga is practiced.

Happy Return of the Light!

HAPPY RETURN OF THE LIGHT!

Though many people are running around, being with family, partying and over eating, most do not really know of the significance of what this season really means. If one is aware of the I-Ching which is defined partly from Wikipedia as “Book of Changes” is one of the oldest of the Chinese classic texts.[1] The book is a symbol system used to identify order in random events. So for the event of Christmas I will refer to the 24th Hexagram Return (The Turning Point). (Hexagram 24 is named 復 (fù), "Returning". Other variations include "return (the turning point)". Its inner trigram is ☳ (震 zhèn) shake = (雷) thunder, and its outer trigram is ☷ (坤 kūn) field = (地) earth)


If you look at the Wilhelm/Baynes translation of "The I Ching or Book of Changes" you will see an explanation of the 24th Hexagram relating to this time of year. There is a reference to the dark lines have pushed all the light lines upward and out of the hexagram, and that light line enters the hexagram from below. It is stated that "The time for darkness is past. The winter solstice brings the victory of the light." This hexagram is linked to the December- January time period. Correlations of the powerful light that had been banished (the diminishing sunlight ) is now returning, however the return is gradual, based on nature making it a natural rising spontaneously.

So out with the old, in with the new. It is also noted that in China that it is celebrated as a time of rest at the onset of the new year. The movement is gradual, like planting a seed and nurturing it or slow like a return to health after illness or a return of understanding after an estrangement. So take your time and concentrate and be still. This is where a conscious yoga practice can help you focus to be calm, still and observant.

Happy Return of the Light! Check out www.bometernally for the workshop for the new year and celebrate the sun!

Accompaniments to Mental Distractions YS I - 31

Yoga Sutras I-31- DUHKHA DAURMANASYANGMEJAYATVA SVASA PRASVASA VIKSEPA SAHABHUVAH - Accompaniments to the mental distractions include distress, despair, trembling of the body, and disturbed breathing.

All the descriptions in this sutra are symptoms of stress! We all experience stress symptoms at sometime or other and Swami Satchidananda said that the symptoms prevent concentration and meditation. He commented that we should not allow the body and mind to be tamasic or dull. The body and mind should always be sattvic (tranquil). According to Swami Satchidananda, tranquility "cannot be created all of a sudden by meditation alone". It is up to us to take care of our daily activities, movements, associations and what we eat. He states a sickly body will not allow one to sit much less allow the mind to meditate quietly. He further elaborates that weak nerves create tremors. If we keep our bodies in proper condition with the right diet, exercise, and enough rest it will not be lazy and dull.

This is why the physical yoga practice is so great! From my perspective it is the best daily activity that we can do. Whenever I practice the asanas (postures) I always feel so good afterwards. There is a saying among yoga practitioners that if something is bothering you, take it to the mat. Think about it. You physically stretch, stimulate your circulation and get rid of the blocks in the body. From my experience after the practice, my mind is so peaceful and I carry that sense of that peaceful awareness with me.

What one eats also affects whether one feels sluggish or energetic. If we don't get enough sleep we are cranky and not as alert. So be aware of any of the above symptoms you might be displaying. You might want to check out my yoga workshop for the new year. Go to http://www.bometernally.com/

Happy Winter Solstice!

How is your Mind? YS I -5, YS I - 6, YS IV - 15

The mind can be defined as "The human consciousness that originates in the brain and is manifested especially in thought, perception, emotion, will, memory, and imagination" as per the http://www.freedictionary.com/.

The mind is such a vast subject and yet it is what is used to live through our days. In the Yoga Sutras (YS) IV - 15 Vastu Samye Citta Bhedat Tayor Vibhaktah Panthah is translated as " Due to difference in various minds, perception of even the same object may vary." This is very evident in how our day unfolds. We see this everyday in the news. Because there are differences in people' s minds there are uplifting events as one helping others or stealing and/or killing others. Due to these varying emotions and wills we vote for people, tolerate situations or petition for different beliefs we have. These differences are reflected in how we live, what we wear, how we eat and what we focus on.

It is interesting to note in the Yoga Sutras how Patanjali explains the vrittis:
Vritti (plural: Vrittis), in the context of Hinduism and its yoga stream, is the name given to different tendencies which come to our mind without our conscious knowledge. In YS I-5 Vrttayah Pancatayyah Klista Aklistah it is stated that there are five kinds of mental modifications which are either painful or painless. Swami Satchidananda's commentary of this sutra is to substitute "painful" or "painless" as "selfish" thoughts and "selfless" thoughts. Satchidananda states that "The selfish thoughts ultimately bring pain." and that selfless thoughts will bring peace. Near the end of this sutra commentary he states "In our daily lives we always work with these two categories of thoughts....We have to watch carefully the moment a thought-form arises in the mind. We become analysts. This itself is Yoga practice- watching our own thoughts and analyzing them."

In YS I-6 Pramana Viparyaya Vikalpa Nidra Smrtayah Patanjali lists the five types of vrittis (mental modifications) as right knowledge, misconception, verbal delusion, sleep and memory. As you can see this all affects the mind. How is your mind?

Study your mind and stay tuned.

Yoga as Inspiration

Yoga for me is inspiration. It makes me stay positively connected to the joy that is part of my true nature. It makes me excited. It is life! The word inspiration means the act of breathing, which we definitely need to live.

To me yoga is like the water for a plant and if it does not get watered it dies. Or if you have a mirror and it is not cleaned periodically it gets dusty. Pretty soon it gets dull and not reflective, therefore one cannot see an image in it.

The mind is like a mirror and it can become dull as well. When one practices yoga , one keeps the mind clear of cobwebs and body fresh. I like to compare the body to a car. If you don't clean the air filter the car will literally stop and won't run. The same with the lungs. If we don't breathe full and deeply, we have low energy levels and become tired and lazy. Of course we know that if there is no oxygen within a few minutes the body dies.

According to Pantanjali there are eight limbs of yoga. Pantanjali's Yoga Sutras II - 29 "Yama Niyamaasana Pranayama Pratiyahara Dharana Dhyana Samadhayo 'Stavangani" translated as the eight limbs of yoga: 1. Yama (abstinence);2. Niyama (observance); 3. Asana (postures); 4. Pranayama (breath control); 5. pratyahara (sense withdrawal); 6. dharana (concentration); 7. dhyana (meditation); 8. samadhi (contemplation, absorption or super-conscious state).

As we become aware and study the many branches of yoga, we can use them accordingly. Like when one practices hatha yoga (asanas) everyday, one is tuning up the body, keeping the blood flowing and the joints lubricated. Or when one practices dhyana (meditation) regularly we can keep the mind clean. When yoga is practiced there is always inspiration and rejuvenation in more ways than one!

Stay tuned for more. You can check out http://www.bometernally.com/

Your Body is a Reflection

Most people are not aware that when we look at them we actually can see their thoughts. It is reflected in the body, mind and spirit. The word reflection can be defined as the production of an image by or as if by a mirror; to show.

Are you attracted to people who seem to radiate energy and appear vibrate? Are you repelled or don't seem to notice people whose energy is low? Looking at their body language, even unconsciously on our part, we can see the reflection of their thoughts and habits.

The other day I had a person in my chair yoga class that looked dull. Her muscles were flaccid and her energy was low. At the end of the class she stated that she did not realize certain things about her body until completing the class. Frequently I have observed that people ignore their posture, their breath, their feet, whether they are focused or not, etc.

There are students who have the appearance of a frown all the time. Some of them don't notice it until it is pointed out to them. I had a young lady in my class recently who appeared angry. We talked after class and she did say she was under some stress. She also commented that other people have told her the same thing about looking angry. I told her to lighten up, smile more often and to practice the asanas. When I saw her the following week, she appeared lighter and was smiling more and frowning less.

This is why practicing yoga postures are valuable. It helps one to wake up to their body. They start to become more aware. Then the awareness, the practice starts to be reflected in the body. You can verbally say you are practicing, however if you are not it will be reflected in your body's appearance. The body does not lie.

It's all about Energy!

I'm sure you have either stated at sometime or other that you don't have any energy. Or that your energy is low. Then at the same time on the other end of the spectrum you might have said that you are full of energy, or that you are bursting with energy. As a human being we have to have the energy to function in our life. If we didn't have that energy we could not walk, eat, take care of our bodies, much less go to school or work. In other words we could not live.

If you look up the word energy as a noun it is defined as: 1. capacity of intense activity; vigour. 2. intensity or vitality of action or expression; forcefulness. These definitions will in suffice for now. Check out the short video clip (3:19)on Energy that is, is energy which says we are energy like everything else is.

So what does energy have to do with yoga? According to B.K.S. Iyengar in Yoga the Path to Holistic Health 'Yoga generates energy and does not dissipate it.' He also says that 'When practicing yoga...' ; 'after such stimulating exercise, a sense of rejuvenation and a fresh surge of energy follow.' Prana is a Sanskrit word for breath, the vital life force, energy. In the Traditional Chinese culture Qi (pronounced ' chee') is commonly translated as " energy flow".

Whether one refers to energy as prana or qi, we want to keep our energy up and free flowing. When our energy is low it can affect our immune system. Low energy is also found in disease scenarios and depression. It is up to us to practice the asanas (physical postures), in addition to using the many tools we have within us, to prevent and or remove the obstructions which impede the flow of energy. By using these tools we can keep our being in optimum condition and health . We can accomplish more in our lives and be happy too.

Remember, it is all about the energy!

Tune Up

I've been searching for a title to this post for a couple of days. I knew what I wanted to talk about, but couldn't quite put a title to it. At first I thought of a 'pick me up' or a 'quick fix' as appropriate. However, the title 'tune up' described more accurately my thoughts. When one hears of a tune up, one would think of a car tune up or adjusting a machine. A few definitions of tune up when used as a verb could be to adjust a (a musical instrument) to a particular pitch ; to adjust the engine of a car, etc., to improve its performance a car, or adjusting a machine. If one looks under the Thesaurus, words like adjust, correct, tweak, fine tune are given. You might wonder does a tune up relate to always be om or to yoga, or to you?

Sometimes when I am teaching a class, I tell my students that practicing the yoga postures, or any aspect of yoga is like tuning up your body, your vehicle, your instrument. We all need tune ups in the sense that just like a car won't run at its optimum or its best unless the oil is changed; the air filter is clean; new spark plugs. If you really think about it, everyday people are plugged into ipods, cds, the radio listening to their favorite songs or vocal artists. People use songs and music to tune up how they 'feel'.

So for me a great tool yoga to use for a tune up is chanting! One of the definitions of chanting from the Wikipedia is (from Old French chanter[1]) is the rhythmic speaking or singing of words or sounds, often primarily on one or two pitches called reciting tones. Chants may range from a simple melody involving a limited set of notes to highly complex musical structures, often including a great deal of repetition of musical subphrases...

Chanting is magical. You can do it alone by yourself out loud or internally or with a group of people. My experience is that it is magnificient if one really studies and experiences it! Like the other day, I put on a chant by Alice Coltrane - Turiyasangitananda with a choir. It was off the hook (great)! I had not heard it in a long time and I was chanting, singing with the cd. From there I was singing in the shower, chanting driving to teach a class. It put me in such a great mood! It gave me a tune up!

These days listening to the news constantly can be a downer. For me chanting counteracts those effects by helping me to be focused and feeling great in the present moment! As a yoga instructor I use music that is meditative, calming or chanting in my classes. A lot of my students love it as well. This practice keeps me enthusiastic as well. It's magical in that there is no need to take a pill, drugs or a drink of alcohol. I remembered being in a group chant a long time ago and my spiritual teacher said 'if you are tired CHANT, if you feel down CHANT!'. I was tired at the time I went to the chant. I felt the tiredness leave me. I felt renewed, more energetic and happy! The chant gave me a great adjustment! It was an estatic experience.

WARNING: This tool can lead you to your inner joy in no time! If you don't believe try it for youself. Investigate for your self. Go inside your tool box (inside yourself) and use your voice to uplift yourself. It's always available and it is FREE!.

Practice as a Tool YS I - 1, YS I - 2

Practice is a tool we all utilize it to some degree everyday of our lives. We might not readily acknowledge or view the word practice as tool .

Some definitions of practice are : 'Frequently repeated or customary action; habitual performance; a succession of acts of a similar kind; usage; habit; custom; as, the practice of rising early; the practice of making regular entries of accounts; the practice of daily exercise.' Another definition is 'Practice (learning method), a method of learning by repetition'. Other examples of our 'habitual performance' or practice used everyday are brushing our teeth, walking, breathing, thinking, disagreeing, being fearful, arguing, being lazy, being a workaholic, cooking, drawing, playing an instrument etc.

The word practice can pertain to positive and negative habits in our life, or as two sides of the same coin. So in this post I am focusing on practice as a tool of yoga. So now I will refer to the word sutra : (Sanskrit) "Thread." An aphoristic verse; the literary style consisting of such maxims. From 500 bce, this style was widely adopted by Indian philosophical systems and eventually employed in works on law, grammar, medicine, poetry, crafts, etc. Each sutra is often accompanied by a commentary called bhashya and sometimes subcommentary called tika, vyakhyana or tippani.

In the Yoga Sutras (YS) of Pantanjali- YS I-1 is ATHA YOGAANUSAASANAM

It means " Now the exposition of Yoga is being made" as translated and commented on by Swami Satchidananda . In his commentary, he says we cannot reach the goal (yoga) by mere words alone. Without practice, nothing can be achieved.

The second YS I-2. YOGAS CITTA VRTTI NIRODHAH

The meaning here is "The restraint of the modifications of the mind-stuff is Yoga". Basically what is being said here is if the restraint of the mental chatter is achieved, or if the mind becomes quiet, the goal of yoga would be obtained. In a nutshell, it goes back to the word practice.

So when we are having a "bad "day, when things are not going the way we want, instead of letting it sap our energy, or making us unhappy, we need to practice being present. We can start paying attention to our breath. We can stretch our bodies consciously. We can practice mindfulness. We can get in the habit of using this tool day by day, until it becomes automatic and natural. And it is a tool that is accessible all the time.

Yoga As a Tool

I wrote in my journal this morning that I am grateful for my love of yoga. I am grateful for the practice of the asanas (physical postures) as a tool. It is in the practice of the asanas that the laziness, stiffness and the feeling or thought of not wanting to do things fall away. Practicing backbends, headstands, handstands, arm balances are invigorating! Just doing the Surya Namaskar (Salutations to the Sun) wakes you up and gives me enthusiasm! It is so simple to rejuevenate oneself through the physical postures of yoga.

It is also in the practice of teaching yoga that I learn alot as well. Like the other day while I was teaching a yoga class and instructing them to breath fully and fill their lungs like balloons, I was struck with a profound thought. To be aware of their breathing helps to keep them in the present moment. And as we use balloons to celebrate, in the same way by expanding our lungs (as balloons) we too celebrate the present which is the biggest party there is - life!

Again yoga to me is a great tool in everyday life and helps me to always be om! Start practicing yoga today and see for your self.

Until next time

Gratitude

Yesterday I spoke about the idea of tools we have inside of us. Gratitude can be viewed as another great tool we have within us. I am so grateful to the Divine Creator. I have found that being grateful connects me to 'Always Be Om'. With gratitude my heart opens up. Gratitude is like a magnet that draws even more positive things into your life.

I was moved by the beauty of the trees as I drove along the Bronx River Parkway. It was so amazing to see the glorious colors and the light the leaves emanate. When I look at the trees in the fall I veiw it as an analogy of how we should be, or can be. That as we grow, mature, like the trees that become resplendent in color, the leaves fall away and become bare, the tree continues to live. And in the same way the different phases of our lives are like the changing leaves, like the waxing and waning of the moon, the ebb and flow of the tides. We should be like that (the trees, or nature) knowing that we are still alive and not get attached the leaves in wanting them to stay in full bloom forever.

Later on in the day with a friend, I had the opportunity to do some yoga postures in the park. It felt so good to be among the beautiful, colorful trees. I could literally feel the light from the leaves of the trees. It again brought up that feeling of gratitude for the divine beauty. If you don't believe me , try it for yourself.

Until next time, start to cultivate gratitude as a useful tool inside of you to keep you always being present. Always be Om.

Tools that Keep Us Centered

Yesterday I spoke about chanting as a tool that keeps me centered. One of the definitions for the word tool is a thing made to help people do work. Another definition is a device that is used to facilitate or perform manual or mechanical work. The latter definition is more suited for this post on tools.
I find I (we) need a tool to stay centered. That centering I call an anchor - a source of security or stability- in life. If there is no anchor one just drifts. We are like ships on the sea and if there is no course of action, no plan, we just wonder here and there with no real purpose or destination. Just like one needs the sun, or light to see, one must have a plan, a goal or one will go nowhere.

Just as there are many tools that one can carry on a tool belt or a tool box, there are many tools that we possess inside of us. For me practicing yoga helps one to access those tools that we don't easily know about as our attention is always directed outside ourselves on material objects. In that myriad of objects bombarding us, we need to access those inner tools to anchor and guide us.

Stay tuned. You can go to http://www.bometernally.com/ and read up on yoga