Śraddhā is essential for progress whether…..

“Śraddhā is essential for progress, whether in Yoga or any other endeavour. It is a feeling that cannot be expressed or intellectually discussed. It, however, is a feeling that is not always uncovered in every person.
When absent or weak, it is evident through the lack of stability and focus in a person. Where present and strong, it is evident through the commitment, perseverance and enthusiasm the person exhibits.
For such a person, life is meaningful.”

– TKV Desikachar

Paul Harvey (yogastudies.org)

Signs that you have real hunger and good digestion…..

Fire

Here are some signs that you have real hunger and good digestion:
There has been a complete bowel movement today
The body feels light, energetic, and ready to work after eating
The mind is clear, alert, and attentive, even after eating
The tongue is clean (like a smooth rose petal)
There are salivary secretions with fragrance in the mouth
The previous meal has been fully digested
When hungry: the stomach is grouchy and feels light
There is no odor if the person burps
There is no desire to overeat; when optimally full, hunger is easily satisfied

Vasant Lad – courtesy The Ayurvedic Institute

Relationship


meditation
“Now where do we begin to understand ourselves? Here am I, and how am I to study myself, observe myself, see what is actually taking place inside myself? I can observe myself only in relationship because all life is relationship. It is no use sitting in a corner meditating about myself. I cannot exist by myself. I exist only in relationship to people, things and ideas, and in studying my relationship to outward things and people, as well as to inward things, I begin to understand myself. Every other form of understanding is merely an abstraction and I cannot study myself in abstraction; I am not an abstract entity; therefore I have to study myself in actuality.” – Freedom from the Known 22

J.Krishnamurti

Pedestals

Posted by Michele Harney, Yoga Rathgar & Dundrum – Dublin

“As a student, notice how putting a teacher on a pedestal affects your ability to see the teacher clearly and inhibits your ability to learn. As a teacher, notice if you enjoy being put on a pedestal. How does it feel to be considered important? Is your sense of self-worth dependant on the adoration of your students?”

Thought provoking quote from Donna Farhi

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Opposites

Posted by Michele Harney, Yoga Rathgar & Dundrum – Dublin

“The moment you are truly aware of your opposites, of both the positive and negative feelings toward any situation, then many tensions connected with that situation drop out, because the battle of opposites which created that tension is dissolves. On the other hand, the moment you lose unity of opposites, the awareness of both sides within yourself, then you split the opposites apart, erect a boundary between them, and thus render the ejected pole unconscious where it returns to plague you as a symptom. Since the opposites are always a unity, the only way they can be separated is by unconsciousness – selective inattention.”
Ken Wilbur

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Yoga is a Journey to be Experienced

Posted by Michele Harney, Yoga Rathgar & Dundrum – Dublin

“Yoga is a journey to be experienced. However, that journey not only requires patience and perseverance, but also enthusiasm and respect.
In this respect, as in any relationship between people, it is necessary to consider priorities. To students interested in undertaking a home practice with its attendant fruits, two suggestions are offered.
First, think of Yoga as acquiring a new book. Before you try to fit this book into what is probably an already overcrowded bookshelf, take a decision to remove an existing book to make room for the new one.
Do not, however, try to remove a large book thus making unrealistic adjustments in the space on your shelf (and thus unrealistic expectations around the space in your life). Instead, take out a slim volume and this way, create realistic space without Yoga becoming another pressure or something else that is jammed into the already overcrowded bookshelf of your life.
This leads on to the second suggestion.
Life is often divided into agendas, two of which are headed “chore” and “reward”. Try to keep some room on the latter list for your practice in the same way that you would greet an old friend. Take time in their company and return to your everyday life rejuvenated and better able to embrace your surroundings.”
– Paul Harvey 1996

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Counter Posture in Practice

“Yoga teaches us that with every action there is both a positive and a negative effect. Anything we do in life will have both a positive and a negative effect. We must recognize what effects are positive and what effects are negative. Then we must stress the positive while we neutralize the negative. In all details of āsana, we must follow this principle.”

-TKV Desikachar – Religiousness in Yoga