So Hum. I am that.

The sanskrit phrase So Hum is a mantra.  A mantra is a sound, word or phrase used to focus the mind during meditation.  So Hum translates to:  I am. That.  That refers to a much bigger picture--all of creation.  At a recent seminar on meditation and pranyama, we were asked to meditate on the words So Hum, which for me immediately begged the question:  I am what?  When the exercise ended, I scribbled down these words:

So Hum

I am that.
I am what?

I'm a wife and a mother.

I am that.

So Hum.
I'm a daughter.
And a sister.
I am that.
So Hum.
 I'm a teacher.
I'm a friend.
I am that.
So hum.

Seeking peace.

Seeking truth.

I am that.

So hum

I am peace.

I am joy.

I AM LOVE.

So hum.

Sanksrit Word of the Week: Samadhi

As part of my curriculum for yoga teacher training through Holistic Yoga Therapy Institute, I am required to read the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali.  I am then further required to journal each week about a Sutra that impacted my life in that seven day span, culminating in a one page article on the Sutra that MOST impacted my life over the course of the training.

I'm at it again.  Trying to read the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali and I keep seeing the word SAMADHI.  And, it's not always alone.  Sometimes it's also joined by other words I don't understand.
For example:

• SABIA (with seed) SAMADHI
• NIRBIA (seedless) SAMADHI
• SAMPRANATA (distinguished) SAMADHI
• ASAMPRAJNATA (non-distinguished) SAMADHI
• SAVITARKA (deliberation) SAMADHI
• NIRVITARKA (without deliberation) SAMADHI
• SAVICHAR (reflective) SAMADHI
• NIRVICHARA (non-reflective) SAMADHI

So back to the beginning I go.  

What is SAMADHI?

According to dictionary.com 

SAMADHI [suh-mah-dee] is:

noun:  hinduism, buddhism

the highest stage in meditation, in which a person experiences oneness with the universe.

  

In the Yoga Journal article, titled Seeking Samadhi, Judith Lasater wrote: Samadhi is a state of being intensely present without a point of view. In other words, in samadhi you perceive all points of view of reality at once, without focusing on any particular one. 

This reminded me of my first job as a freshly minted college graduate working for a big box home improvement retailer.  Hired as a department manager to oversee the design center, I focused my attention solely on my own department.  Armed with only a degree in interior design and no real world experience, I had no concept of how my department impacted the rest of the store.  In my infancy as a retail manager, I could not see the big picture.

According to Malcolm Gladwell, author of Outliers: The Story of Success, it takes 10,000 hours to successfully master any skill.  I worked for that company for approximately three years or 6,000 hours (achieving a couple of promotions along the way) before it merged with another big box retailer; it's doors eventually shuttered.   In that time frame, I made tremendous growth as an individual and as a manager, expanding my focus to better comprehend how all the pieces of the puzzle fit together.  And while I still had a lot to learn, I'd like to believe I'd achieved some level of retail manager enlightenment.  And perhaps, if circumstances had been different, I may have even reached "master manager" status.

Twenty years later and on a completely different path, this time striving to become a certified yoga instructor, I again find myself in my infancy working toward the same goal:  Samadhi...but this time in Patanjali's terms.

Sanskrit Word of the Week: Sutra...as in Patanjali

As part of my curriculum for yoga teacher training through Holistic Yoga Therapy Institute, I am required to read the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali.  I am then further required to journal each week about a Sutra that impacted my life in that seven day span, culminating in a one page article on the Sutra that MOST impacted my life over the course of the training.

Sounds easy enough, right?

But I have a question...

Who exactly was Patanjali and and what is a Sutra? 

Okay.  So that's two questions.

Don't get me wrong.  It's not as if I have never previously been exposed to these words.  You cannot read any book on Yoga without reference to Patanjali and the Yoga Sutras, but I have no clear understanding of either and if I'm going to be asked to reflect on them, then like R.E.M. sang, "Let's begin again.  Begin the begin."

Let's start by defining the word, Sutra.  According to the article, What is a Sutra? submitted by yogaphilosopher on the Toronto Body Mind website: 

The common dictionary meaning of the word ‘Sutra’ in Sanskrit is thread, string or cord. The word ‘Sutra’ as used in literary context has a wider meaning. It is an aphoristic or cryptic statement which expresses a vast idea within a few words. Some scholars opine that extremely important works were written in Sutra form so that they could be easily memorized and retained for the benefit of posterity. A Sutra is like a quick note jotted down by a speaker, on which he would elaborate when delivering a lecture.

Okay.  Got it.  That explains a lot actually.  The Sutras are composed of 195 (or 196 depending on the source) concise statements such as:

1.  Now the exposition of Yoga is being made.
2.  The restraint of the modifications of the mind-stuff is Yoga.
3.  Then the Seer (self) abides in His own nature.

...and so on until you reach 195 (or 196)....except that I'm simplifying slightly, but I don't think it matters for the purpose of what I'm trying to convey.  The bottom line is the Sutras read like bullet points.  The full explanation is missing.  It is up to the person delivering the speech to elaborate on each point.  Or perhaps in this instance, it is up to the yoga student to research and reflect upon each point and extrapolate the message into their own life.

The word Pantanjali itself is a Sanskrit proper name and many Indian scholars with that surname have been credited with writing important documents on subject matter such as: grammar, medicine and yoga.  The Patanjali I'm interested in is considered, "The Father of Yoga," for compiling his thoughts and knowledge of yoga into what is essentially considered to be "an ethical blueprint for living a moral life..." approximately 2000 years ago.

For more information on both Patanjali and the Yoga Sutras, Sherry Roberts has written a wonderfully informative article titled, Patanjali's Eight-fold Path.  Another great article titled Who was Patanjali? written by Richard Rosen can be found at YogaJournal.com.

As for me, now that I have a better understanding of Patanjali and the Yoga Sutras, I'm ready to Begin the Begin.

The first Yoga Sutra to resonate with me is in Book One, Samadhi Pada, which translates to Contemplation Chapter, verse 14:  Practice becomes firmly grounded when well attended to for a long time, without break and in all earnestness.  Based on this mindset, although I attended my first yoga class more than 4 years ago, I have only been practicing for one year.  According to Malcolm Gladwell, author of Outliers: The Story of Success, it takes 10,000 hours to successfully master any skill.  So how long is 10,000 hours exactly?  If I spent 40 hours a week, the same amount of time the average, hourly, full-time employee spends clocked in, it would take 250 weeks to reach 10,000 hours.  Breaking it down further, 250 weeks is the equivalent of five years.  Now add in the reality factor of my life. I am not a full-time yogi, but rather a full-time mom and wife so multiply by 2 and my equation comes closer to 10 years to reach 10,000 hours.  And that's okay.  I am not in a hurry.  In fact, the opposite.  I am taking my time, savoring the experience of learning, savoring the experience of  meeting new people and making new friends, savoring the journey one minute at a time.

So, while it takes 10,000 hours to master a skill, it only takes 200 hours of study to become a certified yoga instructor.  That's a big disparity, but everyone and everything has to start somewhere.  And, I think the beginning is a good place to start. I have no intention of ending my education and training at the minimum amount of hours required and most of the yoga teachers I've met have many, many years of education and teaching experience in their arsenals. 

Patanjali wrote:  Practice becomes firmly grounded when well attended to for a long time, without break and in all earnestness.  I will continue to delve deeper into the world of yoga increasing my knowledge for the betterment of myself as a person, as a wife, a mom, a writer, and as a teacher.  This, Mr. Patanjali, I declare in all earnestness.

Sanskrit Word of the Week: Karma

Yesterday, I slipped and fell.  And at my age I don't bounce well.  Crash. Boom. Bam. Splat. Owwww.  Laid out flat at the bottom of the stairs.

After accessing the situation and determining I would live, my oldest son walked back up the stairs, singing, "Kar-ma, KARRR-maa."  My younger son showed a little more concern, "Should I call an ambulance or something?" he asked standing over me.

Earlier in the day, I had carried the clean laundry upstairs and put it away; only to find that my oldest son, when looking for a pair of socks to wear, had emptied the contents of his drawer onto his bedroom floor.  And then left for Taekwondo.  When he returned home, I calmly instructed him to not only hang up his uniform, but also to re-fold and put his socks and underwear back in the drawer.  When he finished, I checked to make sure the task was completed to my satisfaction.  After determining I could live with the results, I headed back down the stairs.  And then I fell.


My son implied my slipping was a result of the universe punishing me for wrongdoing--in this case for making him undo a mess he made.  He was wrong.  The universe was not punishing me by causing me to slip and fall.  However, the universe is punishing me for sins I committed years and years ago;  it's punishing me for disrespecting my own mother as a teenager--by providing me with my own disrespectful teenager.  In fact, it's downright LAUGHING at me.  Is it too late to apologize? 

KARMA IS A BITCH!

...Or is it?

Urban Dictionary defines Karma as:   The Buddhist belief that whatever you do comes back to you.  For example, if you do something good, something good will happen to you and vice versa.  Merriam-Webster and Dictionary.com define it essentially the same way.

Later that evening, we dropped both boys off at their Taekwondo school for a "lock-in" which coincided with Valentine's Day weekend.
Ten minutes after leaving them for our date night, my oldest son called, "Mom, I ripped my pants.  Can you bring me another pair?" 
"Sorry kiddo.  No can do," I sang, "We have res-ser-vaaaa-tions."

Yep.  Karma is a bitch!

Celebrating Valentine's Day with Metta: Loving Kindness

Some time between the year(s) 53-55 AD, the Apostle Paul was credited with writing the book of Corinthians.  One of the more well known passages from those writings is found in 1 Corinthians 13: 4-8:

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

But long before Paul wrote these beautiful words defining love, which are often recited at Christian wedding ceremonies, there was Metta Sutta, thought to be written as early as 400 BC.  Metta, in its simplest terms is defined as loving kindness.   It is a meditation focused on the development of unconditional love for all beings.  Because of its practice of loving all beings, it is also known as universal love.  The word Metta is of Pali descent which is an Indic language, closely related to Sanskrit, in which the sacred texts of Theravada Buddhism are written.


Some of my favorite concepts of Metta from the website Wildmind.org are:

• Metta is empathy. It’s the willingness to see the world from another person's point of view: to walk a mile in another person’s shoes.
• Metta is wishing others well.
• Metta is friendliness, consideration, kindness, and generosity.
• Metta is the basis for compassion. When our Metta meets someone suffering, then our Metta transforms into compassion.
• Metta is the basis for shared joy. When our Metta meets with another person's happiness or good fortune, then it transforms into an empathetic joyfulness.
• Metta is boundless. We can feel Metta for any being, regardless of gender, race, or nationality.
• Metta is the most fulfilling emotional state that we can know.
• It’s our inherent potential. To wish another well is to wish that they be in a state of experiencing Metta.
• Metta is the answer to almost every problem the world faces today. Money won’t do it. Technology won’t do it. Metta, loving-kindness toward all beings, will. 

While Apostle Paul's words, "Love is patient, love is kind...." are undeniably true so is the idea that if you project love into the universe, you will get love back. 

In a January 1981 interview with Playboy magazine, John Lennon stated, "I am no more a Buddhist, than I am a Christian..."  Released ten years earlier in 1971, the lyrics to Imagine suggest to me that John had a philosophy all his own.

"Imagine"

Imagine there's no heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today...

Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace...

You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one

Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world...

You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will live as one

So whether you subscribe to the Biblical belief of love, the teachings of Buddha and the philosophy of Metta, Imagine the world according to John Lennon, or all of the above, I wish you a very Happy Valentine's Day and much loving-kindness and peace to all!

The world of yoga is vast and as a teacher trainee, I have much to learn.  I have unearthed only a tiny portion of what there is to explore.  I owe Melissa Smith, founder of Grace Yoga and Pilates and the instructor of Thai Yoga Massage, which I recently studied through Holistic Yoga Therapy Institute for introducing me to Metta--my newest treasure.

Sanskrit Word of the Week: Prasaada: Grace through the eyes of a child.

I hate to lose.

While I'm sure most people don't enjoy finishing second or worse--last--I really, really despise it.  And, I'm really bad at it too...do not handle losing well.AT.ALL.

 In Sanskrit, the word PRASAADA means GRACE.

In English, GRACE means many different things depending on the context or situation.  It can mean:  elegance or beauty of form, courteous goodwill; or in Christianity, the free and unmerited favor of God.  In Sanskrit, PRASAADA, means the expression of a positive disposition to someone or something, which is also an English translation for the word GRACE.

Last Friday, started off with a two hour school delay, which resulted in me not being able to go to yoga.

Boohoo.

When I stepped on the scales, I weighed an additional 4 pounds; my indulgences in Dallas finding their way to my hips and thighs.

Boohoo.

The dog peed on the carpeting twice and pooped thrice, and the highlight of my day was mopping the floors and cleaning the inside of the refrigerator.

Boohoo.  Boohoo.  Boohoo.

While I could have been grateful that I slept an additional hour that morning or that the tortilla shells I ate in Texas were the best I've ever tasted, I wasn't. 

The day came and went and I had found very little to celebrate.

That evening, my youngest son played in his first basketball game. EVER.  If I had a million dollars to bet, I'd guess it was his teammates first time ever playing in a basketball game too.  Every time, his team had the ball, they would either in-bound it to the other team, pass it to the other team, or make a mistake which resulted in the other team gaining possession.  Every time the other team had the ball, they would shoot and score.
 

Too painful to watch, I occupied myself with Candy Crush Saga and Facebook status updates, from time to time sneaking a quick glimpse of the court.  His team lost by A LOT.  The exact number unknown because the scorekeeper quit posting the numbers once the game reached 15-0.

When the game was over, my son ran up to me, big smile on his face and exclaimed, "THAT WAS FUN!"

My heart broke as I realized my mistake.

While my son exemplified GRACE, I needed to ask for mercy.  Not only was I a poor sport, I barely paid attention to my son's first basketball game. EVER.

Boohoo...for real this time.

Sanskrit Word of the Day: NAMASTE

NAMASTE written in Sanskrit

After our physical yoga practice, we relax on our backs, legs splayed apart, hands by our sides, palms face up as if ready to receive an offering.  Fingers retain their natural curl. We are in the most important pose of our practice, Savasana or Corpse Pose, where the breath and heart rate return to normal and our body and systems (digestive, immune, nervous, etc.) absorb the information from the stimulation of the poses we have just performed. After about ten minutes, we are instructed to begin moving fingers and toes and then told to turn and lie on our right side before returning to our comfortable seated position.  Eyes remain closed.  We bring our hands to heart center, anjali mudra, prayer positon.  Before sending us back into the world, my teacher prays:

May I take my yoga today with me in my heart, 

keeping it open to all situations I encounter.

May I take my yoga today with me in my mouth, 

speaking only my truth.

May I take my yoga today with me in my eyes, 

viewing all beings, 

 including myself, 

 with eyes that are filled with compassion.*

When she finishes speaking these lovely words, she honors the class by saying, "Namaste".  

"Namaste," we echo back bowing.

In Sanskrit, NAMA means "bow",  AS means "I", and TE means "you".  Therefore, NAMASTE literally translates to "I bow to you." However, it is more commonly translated as “The divine light in me honors the divine light in you."

In the West, we typically only speak the word, NAMASTE before and/or after a yoga practice.  Initiated by the teacher, NAMASTE is a symbol of gratitude and respect toward her students and her own teachers and in return invites the students to connect with their lineage.

For more information regarding the use of the word NAMASTE, check out this article in Yoga Journal or this article from the Chopra Center website.

NAMASTE as defined by Urban Dictionary:

an ancient Sanskrit greeting still in everyday use in India and especially on the trail in the Nepal Himalaya. Translated roughly, it means "I bow to the God within you", or "The Spirit within me salutes the Spirit in you" - a knowing that we are all made from the same One Divine Consciousness.

 NAMASTE as defined by dictionary.com:

a conventional Hindu expression on meeting or parting, used by the speaker usually while holding the palms together vertically in front of the bosom.

*My teacher, Talei, credits Vietnamese, Buddhist monk, Thich Nhat Hanh for the beautiful, inspiring prayer she delivers at the end of her classes with slight modifications made by her.

Sanskrit Word of the Day: Me and my OM

After leading us through a meditation to slow and deepen our breathing, we would be instructed to slowly rise into our comfortable seated posture from supta baddha konasana (reclining bound angle pose).  Eyes remained closed; our attention focused inward.   From there we would chant OM three times in unison.  On her instruction, we would inhale deeply together and on the exhale would pour our souls into a beautiful harmonized Oooooooommmmmmmmm.   

Inhale together again.  Oooooooooommmmmm.  

Inhale together again.  Ooooooooommmmmmm. 

Now we were ready to begin our physical practice.

The first time I attended her class, I felt intimidated.  I had never chanted OM before.  And while I didn’t know what it meant, my biggest concern was not whether or not it implied worship of a false idol, but rather could tone-deaf me chant on key.

The OM Symbol

In researching the meaning of OM, one of the best descriptions I found came from an article posted on the website theyogacommunity.com which states the following: 

Om is a sound and a symbol which is rich in meaning and depth.  It represents the divine in each of us, as well as our interconnectivity.  It reminds us that we have the ability to move past our physical and mental states of consciousness and connect with the divine – both in ourselves and others.  In its essence, Om represents the sound of divinity in all things in the past, present and future.

For the complete article, click here.

Just as the world and all it encompasses is too vast to completely comprehend, I still do not fully understand the meaning of OM.   But when performed, the release of energy into the universe and the peaceful feeling that reverberates back can only be described as magical.

A beautiful thing I discovered from my fear of chanting out of tune is that it cannot be done wrong.  The more air you breathe in, combined with the more you open your mouth and the louder you sing, the more magnificient the sound.  Do not hold back.  Let your Oooooommmmmm out! 

 OM as defined by Yoga Journal:

Om is a mantra, or vibration, that is traditionally chanted at the beginning and end of yoga sessions. It is said to be the sound of the universe. What does that mean?
Somehow the ancient yogis knew what scientists today are telling us—that the entire universe is moving. Nothing is ever solid or still. Everything that exists pulsates, creating a rhythmic vibration that the ancient yogis acknowledged with the sound of Om. We may not always be aware of this sound in our daily lives, but we can hear it in the rustling of the autumn leaves, the waves on the shore, the inside of a seashell.
Chanting Om allows us to recognize our experience as a reflection of how the whole universe moves—the setting sun, the rising moon, the ebb and flow of the tides, the beating of our hearts. As we chant Om, it takes us for a ride on this universal movement, through our breath, our awareness, and our physical energy, and we begin to sense a bigger connection that is both uplifting and soothing.

OM as defined by dictionary.com 

 noun:  a mantric word thought to be a complete expression of Brahman and interpreted as having three sounds representing Brahma or creation, Vishnu or preservation, and Siva or destruction, or as consisting of the same three sounds, representing waking, dreams, and deep sleep, along with the following silence, which is fulfillment.

OM as defined by Merriam-Webster 

 :  a mantra consisting of the sound \ˈōm\ and used in contemplation of ultimate reality.

Daily Dose of Gratitude

In yoga, we practice SANTOSA, which means contentment.  According to B.K.S. Iyengar, "Contentment has to be cultivated.  A mind that is not content, cannot concentrate."  The yogi feels the lack of nothing (does not want) and so he/she feels naturally content.  Contentment gives bliss.

 Fifteen years ago, my husband dragged me across the country kicking and screaming so he could continue his education at Arizona State University.  I am forever grateful to him for his foresight.  Since that time, life has been a giant roller coaster ride of adventure, with every curve just as exciting as the last.  It's easy to be grateful for the big, life-altering events.  The real challenge is finding gratitude in the mundane tasks of day to day life.

Today I am grateful for:

• Today I managed to get the Christmas decorations put away.  I know, I know, what was the hurry!?  Better late than never!  I love the feeling of productivity.
• The rain kept the contractor away.  I greatly/gratefully enjoyed the quietude today.
• I woke up at 2 a.m. with severe tummy pain.  I thought I was dying.  I'm glad I didn't.
• My husband will be home early today so I can go to a yoga weekend immersion.  I'm grateful to him for his support and understanding.
• So happy my son remembered to bring home his saxophone and music so I don't have to run up to the school and get it.

Daily Dose of Gratitude

In yoga, we practice SANTOSA, which means contentment.  According to B.K.S. Iyengar, "Contentment has to be cultivated.  A mind that is not content, cannot concentrate."  The yogi feels the lack of nothing (does not want) and so he/she feels naturally content.  Contentment gives bliss.

 Fifteen years ago, my husband dragged me across the country kicking and screaming so he could continue his education at Arizona State University.  I am forever grateful to him for his foresight.  Since that time, life has been a giant roller coaster ride of adventure, with every curve just as exciting as the last.  It's easy to be grateful for the big, life-altering events.  The real challenge is finding gratitude in the mundane tasks of day to day life.

Today I am grateful for:

• I am grateful that it was warm enough today to take puppy for a walk.  He is grateful too!
• I am grateful Lowes still had plenty of the clearance tile I wanted in stock.
• I am grateful I had enough strength to face my fear--the scale.  I did gain a couple of pounds last month, but I held myself accountable and for that I'm proud.  Now I just need to have the strength to stay away from macadamia chocolate chip cookies!
• School not being delayed today so I could make it to yoga. 
• Thankful I got online and read reviews for the tile I was about to buy.  Will be looking for different tile now!

Daily Dose of Gratitude

In yoga, we practice SANTOSA, which means contentment.  According to B.K.S. Iyengar, "Contentment has to be cultivated.  A mind that is not content, cannot concentrate."  The yogi feels the lack of nothing (does not want) and so he/she feels naturally content.  Contentment gives bliss.

 Fifteen years ago, my husband dragged me across the country kicking and screaming so he could continue his education at Arizona State University.  I am forever grateful to him for his foresight.  Since that time, life has been a giant roller coaster ride of adventure, with every curve just as exciting as the last.  It's easy to be grateful for the big, life-altering events.  The real challenge is finding gratitude in the mundane tasks of day to day life.

 Today I am grateful for:

• I am so, so grateful that I did not wake to frozen pipes like many of my friends and neighbors.  Thank you.  Thank you.  Thank you.
• I am grateful that even though there are things I could be doing, nothing is imperative.  Errands can wait for warmer temperatures!
• Even though I had planned to attend two yoga classes today,  I am grateful that despite my schedule being thrown off with a two hour school delay, I will still be able to attend one.
• I am super grateful that my tile guy contacted me back today and will be starting tomorrow.  The boys have been without their own bathroom for too long.
• I am grateful that my children didn't have any activities after school so they can use their time to complete their homework.

Daily Dose of Gratitude

In yoga, we practice SANTOSA, which means contentment.  According to B.K.S. Iyengar, "Contentment has to be cultivated.  A mind that is not content, cannot concentrate."  The yogi feels the lack of nothing (does not want) and so he/she feels naturally content.  Contentment gives bliss.

 Fifteen years ago, my husband dragged me across the country kicking and screaming so he could continue his education at Arizona State University.  I am forever grateful to him for his foresight.  Since that time, life has been a giant roller coaster ride of adventure, with every curve just as exciting as the last.  It's easy to be grateful for the big, life-altering events.  The real challenge is finding gratitude in the mundane tasks of day to day life.

Today I am grateful for: 
    

• After two weeks of sleeping in, I am grateful for an easy start to the day.  Both kids arose without complaint and with positive attitudes about returning to school.
• I am grateful to have been up early today to witness the beautiful sunrise.
• I am excited and grateful that school is delayed by two hours tomorrow due to cold temperatures.  I was beginning to feel left out by the excitement of the Blizzard of 2014 that my friends in the North are experiencing...plus I get one more day to sleep in!
• I am grateful that my youngest son didn't whine about going to baseball practice tonight and I'm grateful that this is the last month of agility training until the season starts. 
•  I am grateful to my husband for agreeing to pick said child up from baseball practice so I didn't have to go back out tonight.

Sanskrit Word of the Day: Shanti

Shanti means Peace. 

 

as defined by Urban Dictionary:

The sanskrit word shanti means peace. It is a common word used in buddhist mantras and closing of buddhist ceremonies and prayers.

"Om shanti, shanti, shanti" Peace individually, collectively and universally.

 

As I was researching the meaning of the word Shanti, I learned that T.S. Eliot used it in a poem he wrote titled, The Waste Land.  The 434 line poem was originally published in 1922.  The part that features the word Shanti, (spelled Shantih) is the very last stanza of the poem and is excerpted here:                              

                                    I sat upon the shore

Fishing, with the arid plain behind me

Shall I at least set my lands in order?

London Bridge is falling down falling down falling down

Poi s’ascose nel foco che gli affina

Quando fiam uti chelidon—O swallow swallow

Le Prince d’Aquitaine à la tour abolie

These fragments I have shored against my ruins

Why then Ile fit you. Hieronymo’s mad againe.

Datta. Dayadhvam. Damyata.

                  Shantih     shantih     shantih

 

To read the poem in its entirety:  Click here.

Sanskrit Word of the Day: YOGA

Often when a person thinks of the word YOGA, they think of the physical practice and picture a yogi (someone who practices yoga) twisted in a pose that seems only a contortionist could perform.  There are many ways to practice yoga and many variations.  This entry is not intended to address the question, "What is Yoga?"  but rather define it and gives its actual translation from Sanskrit to English.  I will tackle, "What is Yoga?" in several future entries, as the subject matter is large and there are many perspectives to consider.  In the meantime, here is a great article from Yoga Journal which answers a lot of basic questions.  If you have any curiosity about Yoga, I highly recommend you check it out.

YOGA

as defined by B.K.S. Iyengar 

selected excerpts from Light on Yoga:

The word YOGA is derived from the Sanskrit root yuj  meaning to bind, join, attach and yoke, to direct and concentrate one's attention on, to use and apply.  It also means union or communion. 

Yoga is a timeless pragmatic science evolved over thousands of years dealing with the physical, moral, mental and spiritual well-being of man as a whole.  It is the true union of our will with the will of God.

Yoga is one of the six orthodox systems of Indian philosophy.  It was collated, coordinated and systematized by Patanjali in his classical work, the Yoga Sutras.  In Indian thought, everything is permeated by the Supreme Universal Spirit (God) of which the individual human spirit is a part.  The system of yoga is so called because it teaches the means by which the individual can be united to, or be in communion with God, and so secure liberation.

YOGA

as defined by Oxford Dictionary

noun:  a Hindu spiritual and ascetic discipline, a part of which, including breath control, simple meditation, and the adoption of specific bodily postures, is widely practiced for health and relaxation.

YOGA 

as defined by dictionary.com

1.  a school of Hindu philosophy advocating and prescribing a course of physical and mental disciplines for attaining liberation from the material world and union of the self with the Supreme Being or ultimate principle. 

2.  any of the methods or disciplines prescribed, especially a series of postures and breathing exercises practiced to achieve control of the body and mind, tranquility, etc.

3.  union of the self with the Supreme Being or ultimate principle.

and last but not least...