Each moment we have the possibility of being fresh and new, but very often we live of our lives from a habit pattern established in the past. Once these patterns are established the flow of human consciousness gets organized into certain repetitive patterns. The Sanskrit word for these repetitive patterns is a samskara. These are essentially habit patterns of the mind that have been practiced so much so that they run on auto-pilot, unconsciously generated the same cyclical type of interactions in the world.

There are positive and negative behavioral patterns that a person can accumulate and the choice about what thoughts, emotions and actions you take will determine whether you like will be peaceful or painful. A common analogy used to define a negative samskara likens them to lmonds implanted in the field of consciousness that when given the fertile ground of attachment and aversion ultimately bear the fruit of suffering. There are three things that are important to know about the negative samskaras. First your personal storyline, the narrative of you generally feeds the already established patterns. Second, the more you fight and struggle against them head on, the worse it gets like a constrictor snake. And third, the negative samskaras pull you down like a riptide into the sea of emotionality and you can feel like your drowning suddenly. This feature usually can be seen as a relapse, a kind of slippery recidivism that pulls you down just when you think you are past that particular issue.

In some ways the negative samskaras are like an addiction. But instead of being addicted to a substance you get addicted to a particular emotional state that leads to suffering and pain. The samskaras have a familiarity to them and even though they lead to suffering it is also somehow all you know as life. Their familiarity is also their temptation because the pattern is so well established and you are so attached to its righteousness that it actually hurts to let them go. The more you unknowingly let the negative samskaras fuel your life course the deeper they pull you into the dark spiral. The practice of yoga offers what is said to be the only way out. Instead of fighting them from an antagonistic place the practice of yoga seeks to burn through the samskaras with the light of pure awareness. This is done with actual physical and spiritual practice that cultivates the fire of purification, known as agni in Sanskrit. Once the inner agni is ignited it has the power to literally fry the negative samskara almonds until only their shell is remaining and they no longer have the ability to grow and bear their painful fruit.

When you practice yoga you are in some ways working a 12-Step program when you go deeply within yourself and make peace with all the ways that the negative samskara have harmed you and all the people in your life. Once you see the patern clearly you want naturally want to make amends for the suffering that you have generated through the familiar pattern of the samskara. The fire of purification in the practice of yoga is also ultimately the light of clarity. Once you come out of your denial and see the negative samskara’s effect in your life your heart breaks. The tender achey quality of your heart opens in that moment of realization because you see clearly how your actions have harmed those whom you love and you feel empathy for their pain. In that moment of direct revelation you yearn to go and apologize for the harm that you have caused and make a firm resolution to never repeat that same pattern again.

The best yogi is not one who is perfect from day one, but one who sees the patterns of suffering that they have contributed to and then works tirelessly to burn through those negative samskaras every day of their life. One step along the way towards living a more peaceful is to change the negative samskaras into positive ones. Maitri which means friendliess and karuna which means compassion are two important states of mind that can be actively practiced by yoga practitioners when they strive to burn through their negative samskaras. By consciously seeking to establish the flow of consciousness in friendliness and compassion the yogi is building the foundations of a healed life and a more peaceful planet. If each time you feel the tug to lash out in aggression, fall into depression or give into anxiety you pause long enough to break the cycle you might then be able to go one step further and practice a more positive, healing vibration. If each person on the planet commits to this slow steady process of awakening we will leave the planet a more peaceful place.

The lovely June

Each year when I travel to Koh Samui, Thailand to teach at Yoga Thailand, my first stop is at About Art Cafe, owned by the lovely June.  She has two of the best items on Samui – muffins and chocolate cake.  Unfortunately the chocolate cake is made by her friend and she won’t share.  I did manage to sneak into their kitchen one Saturday morning to get her world-famous muffin recipe.  Here I have translated from spoon, scoop, and cup into actual measurements.

Why are these muffins so good?
1. They taste good but healthy – we can taste the fresh ingredients.
2. They are moist but not too mushy.
3. They are dense but not too solid.
4.  They are kissed with sweetness without being overwhelming.

This first attempt I mimicked June’s recipe to see that I could do it.  My next attempt I will try to “veganise” by substituting 2 tablespoons of flax seeds for the eggs.  I will also try with other types of flour like spelt, buckwheat and brown rice.

Muffins baked by June

Muffins baked by Jessica

Ingredients
Wet ingredients
2 eggs
1/4 cup coconut oil
1 can coconut milk
3/4 cup non-dairy milk, (So delicious coconut milk works well)
Mix above together until frothy.

Dry ingredients
2 cups white flour
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup oats
1/4 cup toasted white sesame seeds
1/4 cup toasted black sesame seeds
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons baking powder
2 tablespoons cinnamon

Mix dry ingredients together, gradually add dry ingredients.

Going into the Thai "oven"

Flavor variations – I divided the batter up into two portions and made Banana & Date muffins.
Banana muffins:  add 1 cup very ripe mashed bananas, top with sliced banana & sesame seeds
Carrot muffins:  1 cup grated carrot + raisins, top with cashew nuts
Coconut muffins:  1 cup coconut meat (boiled slightly) + dry coconut, top with grated coconut & sesame seeds
Blueberry muffins:  1 cup blueberries in middle then put dough on top
Date muffins:  add 1 cup chopped dates, top with chopped dates
Chocolate muffins:  Use same dry ingredients, without sesame seeds, add vanilla, chocolate powder and additional sugar.  Add wet to dry and mix.  Top with chocolate chips.

Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit or 200 degrees Celsius for 20 minutes.  This may vary by oven type.

The seed for practicing this particular meditation was planted seven years ago at a yoga teacher training intensive with Ravi Singh and Ana Brett. I had just discovered Kundalini Yoga and was eager to master it, all in four days! Well, that didn’t happen, but I did learn a lot about Kundalini Yoga and meditation. All teacher trainees were instructed by Ravi to practice 40 days straight of 62 minutes of Sodarshan Chakra Kriya as one of the requirements for certification. When I heard this instruction, something in me said “yes.” I got home full of enthusiasm, and didn’t do it. I did a lot of other things, certainly beneficial practices, all of them, but they weren’t this particular practice.  Periodically, my inner voice would ask me “when are you going to start Sodarshan Chakra Kriya?” like a nagging underthought. The question didn’t present itself all the time, just on a regular basis.   Just enough to make me consistently aware that there was something I was supposed to be doing that I wasn’t doing.  My answer was always “Not today.”  This happened for seven years.

One day, however, my inner voice changed its tactics.  It started screaming insistently.  “It’s time to start.  Start June first, 2011. This is it.”  My inner voice was very specific, very insistent, and I listened. I could tell that my procrastinating days were over. I had laid a good foundation for this practice, so I started. I got my timer, queued up the music, and began.  Inhale fully through the left nostril.  Suspend the breath.  Pump the belly and chant 16 repetitions of the mantra “Wahe Guru”.  Exhale completely through the right nostril. Repeat.  Sometimes it was tedious, but mostly I just knew I was on the right track, finally.  Noticeable changes started to happen, and I felt better and better. My mind was clearer and I felt like I could do anything!  Practicing this meditation gave me access to my own innate power. Wow!  Once 40 days was up, I didn’t feel like stopping.  According to kundalini yoga philosophy, it takes 40 days to change a habit, 90 days to confirm the habit. In 120 days, the new habit is who you are, and in 1000 days you have mastered the new habit.  I decided I would increase my original goal from 40 days to 1000! So I kept it going all the way to day 136… and then…on day 137, I completed 42 minutes, with the intention of finishing that afternoon.  However, my afternoon brought much chaos and diversion, and I missed my second session.  The following morning I awoke with a start at 3AM, realizing what I had done, but by then it was too late. I had broken the cycle.  I spent a few long moments feeling bad about it, but then decided to just start all over!  That’s why I’m currently on day 74 instead of day 210.  But it doesn’t matter at all! I am where I am, and so grateful to be here and to have learned what I’ve learned and experienced what I’ve experienced through this amazing practice.

Sat nam

Kaivalyadham Yoga Institute message

Yoga undeniably has physical benefits.  Depending on the style of yoga, it may bring increased strength, flexibility and even stamina. In the USA this is an important reason to do yoga – to get a “workout.”  To the folks in India this can be close to blasphemy.  In the classical sense, yoga postures should “bestow the steadiness of body and a feeling of wellbeing at the psychological level” (Patanjali Yoga Sutras, Book II Verse 47).   If this is how we practice yoga, the rate of breathing should not increase while practicing difficult postures.  Yoga practice should not lead to fatigue and therein must be individualized for each student.  I’ve intellectually known this definition of yoga asana for a long time.   For many years I would plow through my asana practice, only focused on getting to the next posture.  This goes nowhere towards the ultimate goal of yoga as said by Patanjali “yogas chitta vritti nirodhah” – yoga puts and end to the modifications (thoughts) in the mind.  Following your yoga practice, do you feel calmer mentally?

This brings us to the next point, how does yoga bring about a calm mind?  In the eight-limbed classical approach, the asanas are the third limb, following the yamas and niyamas.  These are behavioral guidelines that come before the postures, meaning that these are practiced first.  The first yama is ahimsa – nonviolence.  The application of nonviolence is up to the individual but includes many behavioral aspects- being nice to everyone (not just those you like), harming as little as possible through your diet (maybe vegetarian), being kind to yourself both in thought and physical action.  This is just a start.   The other yamas are truthfulness, not taking what isn’t yours, conserving energy, and non-possessiveness.  Simply put, the yamas are behaviors that will help you to live in the world peacefully and harmoniously.

Tiwariji taking Jessica's pulse after Pranayama

Pranayama is a set of breathing techniques used to regulate the pranic flow through the body.  It can help to balance out the body and mind on a physical level.  As a regular practitioner of pranayama, I can tell you from experience that it is an amazing tool for achieving clarity of mind.   For me the focus of yoga is not getting better at postures, but being more useful to the world. When I practice pranayama I find it easier to be nice – to reserve judgements, to be a little bit more helpful, and mindful of my actions.  My time in India reminded me how important the yoga practices are.

I read an excerpt earlier this year from a book called “Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother” by Amy Chua.  It ruffled some feathers in online communities, specifically those about parenting. The author proposes that her Chinese mother’s style of parenting influenced her to push her own daughter towards success. She went on to say that Asian parents assume strength in their children, not softness or weakness. They have high expectations of their children and they encourage them to perform to those expectations. She believes that her demands and discipline refined her daughter’s abilities and supported her self-confidence.

A few months later, I read an excerpt from Tara Brach’s book “Radical Acceptance: Embracing Your Life with the Heart of a Buddha.”  In the second chapter, there is an anecdote which describes the Dalai Lama being shocked to learn from a panel of American psychologists that an epidemic of self-doubt plagues our modern American society. We are a culture that needs someone to believe in us. We are a culture that assumes weakness, that is burdened by such a profound sense of unworthiness that we suffer.  So we turn to therapists, substances, anything to make us feel strong, to bring us back to our selves.

And I hear evidence of this all the time in countless excuses:
“I can’t do yoga because I’m not flexible enough.”
“Oh, I will never be able to do that.”
“I don’t have the patience for yoga.”
And so on.

The gift of yoga is the assumption that we are strong enough. The gift of yoga says that we are intelligent enough to find and test our own limits.  We have the capacity to develop loving discipline in ourselves. We can perform feats we never thought imaginable, in any state of health, at any age.

Yoga gives us the vote of confidence we need to believe in ourselves, just like a loving parent with very high expectations.

If you were not blessed with the tough love of discipline as a child, you may find it difficult to quiet the freight train of doubt constantly running through your mind.  Calm dedication to a nurturing practice can be very reassuring in our modern culture.  If you are one of the few instilled with a balanced ego, a strong sense of Self, a patient temperament, and quiet resolve, consider yourself lucky. For the rest of us, there is yoga.

Laura Flora in Pachimottanasana

This is my favorite time of year. I love the cloak of the early-descending darkness which invites a turning inward as nature is moving into a state of dormancy where so much is happening under the surface. In the Christian calendar, the Sunday after Thanksgiving marks the beginning of the season of Advent. While I no longer practice in this tradition, this time of preparing the way for the Light that comes in the midst of darkness resonates strongly with me. For me it is a time to look back at the year gone by, to take an accounting, so to speak, of all of the blessings, challenges, opportunities (often all rolled into one) that I have experienced, to give thanks for it all, to clear out the residue, and to make space for what will unfold in the year to come. Interestingly in our culture, we have turned this time into a very external and distracted time, with shopping and parties and lots of time spent with family and friends. For many, the busy-ness, the weight of obligation, or perhaps painful circumstances past or present, make this time anything but joyful and peaceful. We run at breakneck speed through the next weeks and breathe a sigh of relief when it is all over and then we resolve to do things differently next year.

The invitation of our yoga is to make our meaning, to turn what is being presented in each moment, whether mundane, challenging, or glorious, into something sacred – something worthy of reverence and respect, highly valued and important (unassailable inviolable). How each of us does this is our choice entirely, but we start by paying attention, and by paying attention to what we are paying our attention to. Simply paying attention slows us down and turns us towards a place of quietude. What can you do to make this season sacred and meaningful for you? One of the ways that I do this is to extend the season of thanks giving by writing and sending a note of gratitude each day to someone who has supported, inspired, or challenged me in the previous year. You might decide to be more intentional about the gatherings you attend or the shopping you do, intentionally choosing how you spend your time so you can be more fully present. Maybe making time to be in nature more, paying your attention to the way the light is changing now, will help you slow down and prepare for a fresh start and new growth. Maybe you take time to look people in the eye as you shop and exchange gifts so you don’t miss the greatest gift of all, that of presence. Maybe you read inspirational words each day or commit to even a short daily yoga, meditation, pranayama or mantra practice. Maybe you simply pay your attention to your breath, to your incredible aliveness, for five minutes each day. Maybe you let go of old resentments and make peace with your past so you move into the new year freed of the residue from years gone by. So many choices! When we use our attention and intention to turn each moment into a sacred moment, then we prepare the way for that which is sacred, unassailable, inviolable, and light within us to shine more brightly. How will you pay your attention during these days?

I don’t know about you, but for me, the holidays bring up a range of feelings from joy and excitement to challenge and, sometimes, downright dread. And then there’s both the physical exhilaration and exhaustion that comes with holiday preparations and celebrations. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to be able to deal with all these emotions with a little more equanimity, balance and energy so that you can give your all to your loved ones (and yourself!) during the holidays?

Something that always helps me get through challenging situations is to get into my body and out of my head through yoga. Seemingly miraculously, some simple yoga movements and restorative postures immediately ground me back into my body and enable me to get out of the vicious cycle of anxiety and exhaustion so that I can be present with the situation at hand. In the Floating Through the Holidays workshops we will explore some gentle yoga movement to help move energy through the body. We’ll then bring out the bolsters, blankets and blocks and settle in to some rejuvenating and restful restorative yoga poses that will help us connect to the still and silent places that sometimes hide during the holiday season. You don’t have to have any prior yoga experience to do this practice, and it’s also ideal for those of you who could use a break from your vigorous yoga practice.

These workshops are scheduled at opportune times – the weekend of Thanksgiving to take a break from this sometimes family-heavy holiday, and a week before Christmas to give yourself an early present and break from the shopping. Think of these workshops as mini-retreats that will help refresh and enliven you during the holiday season. Your body, mind and loved ones will thank you!

This time of year compels us to pause and be aware of the bounty that graces our lives, a brief span before commencing holiday activities of family and friends, home and community. We can take a few hours for ourselves to reflect and to store up some energy and goodwill for all the sharing and fellowship that is on its way. I’m excited and grateful to be coming back to Balance Yoga again this weekend to offer two Kundalini Yoga workshops in the beautiful energy of the studio’s Mid-City oasis. It’s always a joy to be back among fellow yogis, practicing together again, learning with and from each other, and sometimes welcoming people new to the practice and to Balance Yoga & Wellness.

On Saturday, we will be celebrating the harvest of the seasons of our lives, as we call prosperity into being while recognizing ways in which we are filled with abundance. And then on Sunday, we will open our hearts through love, compassion and kindness to our potential for humility and gratitude, and we will project happiness into our auras, as we heal and bless ourselves and others.

The Kundalini Yoga practice includes chanting, music, breathing, hand gestures, body postures, relaxation and meditation, and can be done by anyone. One of the beauties of it is that while we practice together as a group, led by a teacher, each person has the experience of themselves that they need in the moment, and they always realize yet another dimension of their spiritual potential, at whatever place they are on their journey. Come and join us!

More about Bill
Bill Savage practices and teaches Kundalini Yoga, Hatha Yoga and Vipassana Meditation. After living in Thailand for 18 years and Cambodia for one, in January 2008 Bill moved home to Louisiana, where he lives among his extended family in Morehouse Parish. Bill also works as an organizational and community development facilitator with non-profit organizations, United Nations and government agencies, most recently in the areas of maternal health, HIV and AIDS, and child rights.

Click here to read more about his workshop. Click here to book online.

At Balance Yoga & Wellness we seek to help you deepen your knowledge of yoga, strengthen your physical practice, and become clearer, healthier and more balanced in your life.

To accomplish this, we offer a variety of classes in different yoga styles including ashtanga, anusara, restorative, hatha, prenatal and therapeutic yoga.  We also provide pranayama (breath practice) instruction and ayurvedic consultations.  Ayurveda, or “the science of life,” is an individualized approach to wellness through dietary changes and lifestyle.  When combined with the right diet and lifestyle, a yoga practice can become a personal journey into a balanced state of health.  View our complete Yoga Schedule to find a yoga class that suits your needs.

We welcome the opportunity to meet and work with you.  Balance Yoga & Wellness is located in mid-city at 120 S. Cortez Street on the same block as Mandina’s and the Ruby Slipper Café.  Check out our Schedule and Workshops, and please come by!   To reserve your yoga class ahead of time, click here.

Contact: info@balanceyogawellness.com; (504) 309-9618