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In today’s discussion, I will be talking about the third of the five yamas – asteya (non-stealing).
Defining Asteya
The word Asteya (असà¥à¤¤à¥‡à¤¯) is derived from the Sanskrit root word "steyn" which means ‘to steal’ to ‘to rob’. The word for a thief is "steynaH". "Steyam" is the word for theft. By adding the prefix "a" it becomes ‘asteya’ which means "to not steal or rob".
Understanding Asteya
Vyasa defines "steya" or "theft" as "taking things from others while not following the guidelines provided in the scriptures. There are scriptures called "Dharma Shastras" which define codes of conduct that contain guidelines for behavior in all situations in life. Viewing someone else’s possession such as property or wealth as "mine" and taking possession of it forcefully, deceitfully, unjustly or illegally is stealing. They also preclude acceptance of gifts. "Asteya" or non-stealing is the opposite value which negates these behaviors and actions.
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Let us continue our discussion of the five yamas. In the last article I talked about Ahimsa (non-violence). In this post, I would like to discuss the yama of Satya (truthfulness).
Defining Satya
Sage Vyasa defines Satya as "speech and mind conforming to reality as seen, inferred or heard". In this statement, "seen, inferred or heard" correspond to the three modes of right knowledge (pramana) as given in sutra 1.7. "Seen" corresponds to "pratyaksha" and thus includes information received through all the five senses – touch, smell, taste, sight and hearing. "Inferred" corresponds to "anumana" which is a combination of current perception through any of the five senses with previously stored information. "heard" corresponds to the "agamas" or "scriptural testimony" or testimony from a highly trustworthy source.
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In a previous post I introduced the concept of the eight limbs of yoga (ashtanga yoga) as given in Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. With this post today, I will start discussion of the individual components of the eight limbs. We’ll start by talking about the first of the five Yamas – ahimsa (non-violence).
Defining Ahimsa
The word Ahimsa is a composite of "himsa" with the prefix "a". In Sanskrit, the prefix "a" usually signifies the absence or negation of the term that follows the prefix. The word "himsa" means violence or causing injury or harm. So, "ahimsa" means non-violence or non-injury. It is interesting to note that Patanjali does not provide a definition for any of the terms that are used for the yamas and the niyamas. I believe he must have felt that the students, due to their long training with the teacher, must already be familiar with the basic definition of these terms. What he has provided in the sutras is what one can expect to achieve when fully committed to a yama or a niyama. Continue reading »
We concluded the last 12-day pranamaya/meditation intensive on Sept 18. We had 20 participants for this session, the maximum number that the studio can accommodate. It is truly heartening to see that there is growing awareness among yoga practitioners that pranayama and meditation are very integral to the practice of yoga. Most people practice yoga purely for physical benefits. However, since yoga has the potential to impact us at various levels including physical, mental, emotional, intellectual and beyond, when we limit the practice to physical only, we miss out on all the other benefits that yoga has to offer. I have been offering these pranayama/meditation intensives to emphasize the value and benefits of these components of yoga.
The feedback from all the participants in the program has been very positive and encouraging. Even though waking up early enough to start the class at 6 AM was a challenge for most of them, they all seem to have adjusted to it within a couple of days. Here is a sampling of some of the comments from the participants:
"Wonderful!! I learned so much about the history and philosophy of Hatha yoga in 12 days …"
"I felt the energy level was high after doing Yoga and Pranayama… "
"… Subhash…you are a kind and passionate teacher and I hope to know you for many years…"
You can read all the comments on my website here.
As many of you are aware, I offer two kinds of morning programs – the 21-day yoga challenge and the pranayama/meditation intensive. Please let me know if you would like to participate in a future similar program.
At the end of the last 12-day pranayama/meditation intensive, as per our tradition, all the participants got together over a potluck breakfast. These breakfast get-togethers provide a great opportunity for everyone to socialize and meet each other in a relaxed and informal atmosphere. Moreover, we all get to sample some of the most delicious veggie dishes that everyone shares. Here are the recipes for two of the many delicious dishes that we enjoyed that day.I would like to express my gratitude to Maddy and Claudia for sharing these recipes.
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As I mentioned in a previous post, I will be writing about the various aspects of Ashtanga Yoga ( अष्टाङ्ग योग – eight limbs of yoga) in my upcoming posts. The word Ashtanga is composed of two words – ashta, meaning eight and anga, meaning limbs. Ashtanga Yoga refers to the eight limbs of yoga that Patanjali has advocated in the Yoga Sutras as a means to eradicate ignorance and gain an understanding of our true identity. The eight limbs are: yamas (guidelines for social interaction), niyams (guidelines for self-discipline), asana (physical postures), pranayama (breathing techniques), pratyahara (sense withdrawal), dharana (concentration), dhyana (meditation), and samadhi (total absorption). For a brief introduction to the eight limbs of yoga, please visit here.
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At the end of the last 21-day yoga challenge program, as per our tradition, all the participants got together over a potluck breakfast. These breakfast get-togethers provide a great opportunity for everyone to socialize and meet each other in a relaxed and informal atmosphere. Moreover, we all get to sample some of the most delicious veggie dishes that everyone shares. Here are the recipes for three of the many delicious dishes that we enjoyed that day.I would like to express my gratitude to Tim, Claudia and Kristen for sharing these recipes.
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So far I have written about balancing poses which are done in a standing position – for example the Tree Pose or the Dancer Pose. Today’s post is about the Tiptoe balancing pose ( – Padangushthasana – पादाङ्गुष्ठासन, a balancing pose done from a squatting position. This is an intermediate level pose and it improves strength and flexibility in the toes, ankles, knees, hips and thighs.
When I first saw a picture of this pose on the cover of a yoga magazine, it looked like a deceptively simple pose. However, when I started practicing the pose, I realized that in addition to physical and mental balance, the pose requires strong toes and ankles as well as flexibility in the knees and hips. Like any other balancing pose, depending upon your physical and mental state at the time of practice, you may find it easier to balance on a given day as compared to other days.
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The Ardha-chandrasana (अर्धचन्द्रासन) (Half Moon pose) is one of the intermediate level one-leg balancing poses. It is an excellent pose for developing strength in the legs and especially for stretching the hamstring and the gluteal muscles.
In my own practice, I try to include Ardha-chandrasana in my routine about once or twice a week. When I started working with the pose, I started with the variation where I took the support of the elbow against the wall (described below). It was only after practicing against the wall for a couple of years that I developed the stability and balance to start practicing on the mat. Even today, I feel a little more stable and comfortable when I am balancing on my left leg than on the other side. When I practice on my right leg, I find it a little harder to bring my body into a single vertical plane. I am sure you have observed similar imbalances in your own practice. It is only with constant practice that we can bring our body and mind into good balance.
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Until I went for my yoga teacher training at the Swami Satchidananda Ashram in Yogaville, VA in 1996, I had never heard of Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. Before that my yoga practice consisted of about a 40 minute session of a few asanas which I practiced, on an average, 3-4 times a week. The only other "yoga" training that I had prior to that was introduction to Transcendental Meditation â„¢ for which I had gone to the Mahesh Yogi ashram in Rishikesh in late sixties. In the beginning I practiced meditation twice a day for 20 minutes each, as guided by the TM teacher. Unfortunately, gradually my meditation practice became irregular and I started skipping days or even weeks at a time. During my TT course at Yogaville, in addition to the asanas we were introduced to different types of pranayama (breathing) practices and meditation. After this training my own individual practice became much more well-rounded and integrated and now includes asana, pranayama, meditation and study of scriptures.
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Video DVD
Yoga with Subhash (asana and pranayama)
- Basic asana sequence (~50 min) ($18)
- Pranayama/Meditation (~35 min) ($12)
- Set of above two ($25)
Video recording of special programs offered in the past
(Links to YouTube videos will be provided)
- 21-day yoga immersion - $40
- 7-day hip opening intensive - $20
- 14-day meditation intensive - $30
- 14-day pranayama intensive - $30
- 7-day hamstring/quad intensive - $20
- 14-day Level 2 yoga intensive - $35
Payment options:
- cash, check, Zelle (use subhashmittal@gmail.com) or Venmo (use 9199269717)
- PayPal (go to bottom of page) (add $5 to the fee listed above)
Please contact me if you would like to buy.
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