Meditation and Yoga Saved My Life

  In Yoga poses we learn from our body just how much is enough.  Whether this is in downward facing dog, raised arms or warrior II, we communicate with our bodies about limits.  I love the art and meditation aspects of physical yoga.  I love to challenge my body.  I use tree pose to perfect my balance by envisioning I am on a ski bike balancing on one foot as I get off the chair lift.  This requires extreme concentration and breathing which will come in handy this winter when I embark on this new sport.  In Yogic thought I need to seek the perfect balance of what I am engaged in.  There are some things I take to excess.  For years I took food to excess and as a result I developed diabetes. Now I fast regularly and eat a diet high in raw foods.  I take alcohol to excess.  Practicing Brahmacharya will teach me to know when I have had enough.     Why do I move past the place of enough into excess.  Yogic thought tel...

  The eighth commandment given by God to man via Moses is Thou Shalt Not Steal.  It is also the third jewel in yoga Yamas ethical practice.  Since I was a child I understood the basic principle of don't take something that is not yours.  One day when I was about 10 years old, I took a notepad from a convenience store without paying for it.  I felt so guilty that I went back into the store and confessed my sin to the store owner.  Rather than punish me for my misdeed, the owner thanked me for my honesty, made me pay for the notepad and then gave me a piece of candy.  From that point on I have practiced complete honesty.  I do not take anything that does not belong to me.  If I mistakenly remove a product from the store, I go back to pay for it.  I am a generous man, but studying Astea made me realize I have been stealing from others all my life.  I recently was lent the book “Secrets of the Yamas” by John McAfee where he describes As...

  When Jesus was under trial by Pilate and asked if He was a king Jesus responded with "Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice."  To that Pilate responded to Jesus, “What is truth?”  It seems this is an age old question What is Truth?  In Satya, the second jewel of the Yamas I am  required to be always truthful.  I consider myself a truthful person.  When asked what I did last night, I tell the truth.  When asked by my doctor how much I weigh, I tell him exactly.  I report my naked weight, but it is truthful.  I am honest on my taxes.  Most importantly I was extremely truthful in my marriage.  Or was I?  Satya reaches beyond the surface truth and asks me to explore the core of my honesty.  Did I love my wife? Of course yes, very much.  Would I give up my life for her?  In essence I gave up 30 years my life through dedication, devotion and caregiving.  I set aside any personal and selfish ...

  Ahimsa - Non-violence Most people think of violence in the usual forms such as fighting, gun violence and killing.  Although these are valid and obvious forms of violence, Ahimsa has appeared in my life in unexpected ways. I remember as a young boy I was picked on frequently.  I was shy.  Those who would exploit me picked up on my energy as a weakness.  I was bullied, hit, pushed around and made to feel like a piece of dirt.  This trained me to understand that violence is an acceptable part of life.  That treating others badly is acceptable and normal.  If  you know me now you might be shocked by what I am about to write.  I was mean to my family, I acted-out, I said hostile things.  I said things in my life I can never retract.  Not only as a child, but also in the workplace and sadly in my marriage.  Now at this point you might want to say to me that this is normal and we all say horrible things.  But I now realiz...

  Yamas and Niyamas Ethical and Individual Discipline Most people when they think of Yoga they imagine physical poses or stretching exercises.  They imagine poses like downward dog or goddess pose.  Yes this is an important part of Yoga.  In Yoga we ask our body to move in ways that inspire discipline in one's life.  To take time and reflect on how our body is communicating with us.  To have a negotiation with our hamstring about how far we can stretch it until it argues with us and then to ask it to go one step farther.  This is physical part of Yoga is called Asana.  But there is more to Yoga than what we do on the mat or in my case in the chair.  There are actually eight limbs of Yoga exploring everything from the physical postures, to breathing techniques and moral codes.   I decided to better understand the ethical codes of this age old practice by reading the book Yamas and Niyamas by Deborah Adele.  In her book, Ms. Adel...

  Be still and know that I am God.       Psalms 46:10 During meditation I recite the above bible verse.  I believe during meditation and in stillness we are able to hear God speak to us.  He sometimes speaks in subtle ways while other times God catches us by surprise.  It is not like we see a burning bush such as Moses witnessed  in the desert.  Those days are long gone.  Instead we have to skillfully listen as we would to a close friend. We have to pay attention to hear His messages.  Sometimes I get them during meditation.  They become a feeling or intuition rising from the silence.  Other times such as happened today they are very loud and strong. Like a bullhorn a few inches from my ear God wanted to be heard.  Sometimes we find guidance from within, other times He sends a messenger.   During walking meditation, I focus on my steps and balance.  I speak to my feet and say, "I know you don't kno...