Yoga Sutras Archives - Integral Yoga® Magazine

Immersive Yoga Sutras Workshop: March 2025

Thu, 02 Jan 2025 06:03:46 +0000

Join Carroll Ann (Prashanti) Friedmann, E-RYT 500, for this “Immersive Yoga Sutras Workshop” from March 7 – 9, 2025 at Satchidananda Ashram–Yogaville in Buckingham, Virginia.

Discover the transformative power of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras in this intensive weekend immersion led by expert instructor and author of Practicing the Yoga Sutras, Carroll Ann Friedmann. This course is designed for yogis of all levels seeking to deepen their practice and understanding of Yoga philosophy.

What You’ll Experience

Sanskrit chanting to connect with the original texts
Guided journaling for personal reflection
Engaging lectures and group discussions
Independent study to reinforce learning

Course Highlights

In-depth exploration of the first 16 sutras of Samadhi Pada (Book One)
Comprehensive study of the kleshas (obstacles to enlightenment)
Practical introduction to the 8 Limbs of Yoga from Sadhana Pada (Book Two)
A copy of Prashanti’s book Practicing the Yoga Sutras is included.

Key Benefits

Gain a clear understanding of Patanjali’s core Yoga practices
Learn to apply ancient wisdom to your modern daily life
Enhance your physical and mental yoga practice
Connect with like-minded practitioners in a supportive environment

More info and registration here.

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A Journey into the Yoga Sutras

Fri, 06 Dec 2024 23:32:42 +0000

Enjoy watching/listening to Yoga teacher Rachel Scott’s podcast in which she is in conversation with Integral Yoga Publications author Carroll Ann (Prashanti) Friedman. Prashanti discusses her new book, Practicing the Yoga Sutras: A Personal Study Guide and Journal. Rachel Scott shares, “I love the Yoga Sutras, and Carroll Ann has a beautiful way of bringing the sutras off the page and into your real life through activities and guided introspection.”

Also! Join Prashanti for an immersive Yoga Sutras workshop in Yogaville, March 7 – 9, 2025. Discover the transformative power of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras in this intensive weekend immersion. This course is designed for yogis of all levels seeking to deepen their practice and understanding of yoga philosophy.

What You’ll Experience in The Workshop:

Sanskrit chanting to connect with the original texts
Guided journaling for personal reflection
Engaging lectures and group discussions
Independent study to reinforce learning

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YogaU Reviews “Practicing the Yoga Sutras”

Tue, 26 Nov 2024 22:30:54 +0000

YogaUOnline.com just posted an inspiring review of Integral Yoga Publications’ latest release, Practicing the Yoga Sutras by Carroll Ann (Prashanti) Friedmann. Yoga U founder Sarah Bell shared that what was particularly helpful in her reading of the text, was how Carroll Ann deep dive into the third and fourth padas, which can often be challenging and sometimes some of the sutras from those sections aren’t included in translations and commentaries.

Our thanks to Sarah Bell for this great review! Read it here. Practicing the Yoga Sutras is available in softcover and Kindle editions.

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Santosha – Making Peace with the Present

Fri, 01 Nov 2024 00:52:00 +0000

Photo by Abhijeet Singh via Pexels.

Contentment is a deceptively simple concept that offers tremendous benefit if we fully embrace its practice. It is referred to as santosha in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali and is not so easy to master because the habit of wanting and achieving is so deeply ingrained in us. It does not mean that we give up having goals and striving for them, or give up enjoying sensory experiences.

But it does imply that we reflect on the prevailing messages of our culture that tell us that something pleasurable is a means to happiness. This can become an unconscious belief that distorts the present moment with anticipation over the next thing to do or get, and is never enough as it is.

Contentment does mean that we are at peace with what we have now and with ourselves as we are, even as we strive to learn and grow. It does mean that we can enjoy the process of pursuing our goals, giving ourselves fully to them, without fear of failure.

I really am drawn to this idea and teaching but I struggle to practice it when my to-do list gets too big for my comfort, or when some challenging issue remains unresolved. At such times, I can’t seem to help feeling that I’ll be happier after I finish a project or after this issue is resolved. I find myself pushing my limits, working longer hours, ignoring my resolves for getting exercise and enough sleep, and or doing everything with a simmering stew of anxiety on the back-burner of my mind.

It has really helped me to make a conscious effort to practice contentment. One way is to start my day, after my morning meditation, affirming that my essential nature is joy, and this joy is independent of anything that happens. It feels so good to assert this truth and really try to feel it, reminding my mind that nothing can make me happy or sad.

I encourage everyone to use this month to experiment with santosha by pausing and reflecting, “Can I be at peace with this moment as it is?” “Do I really have to have (fill in the blank) before I can be happy?”

This will certainly be challenging in some situations, but when we do succeed to feel moments of a natural inner contentment, we’ll be inspired to keep practicing.

About the Author:

Swami Ramananda is the Executive Director of Integral Yoga Institute in San Francisco, a certified Yoga therapist, and a founding board member of the Yoga Alliance. He leads beginner, intermediate and advanced-level Yoga teacher training programs in San Francisco and teaches throughout the world. Having dedicated his life to teaching Yoga for nearly 50 years, Swami Ramananda is highly-respected senior teacher in the Integral Yoga tradition in Yoga communities worldwide. Swami Ramananda co-developed the Stress Management Teacher Training program with Swami Vidyananda, has trained many teachers to bring Yoga into corporate, hospital and medical settings, and has taught mind/body wellness programs throughout the US and abroad. He is also a co-founder of The Spiritual Action Initiative (SAI) which brings together individuals committed to working for social justice for all beings and for the care and healing of our natural world.

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What It Really Means to “Practice” The Yoga Sutras

Thu, 05 Sep 2024 03:23:30 +0000

In this episode of the Integral Yoga Podcast, Avi Gordon (director of the Integral Yoga Teachers Association) is in conversation with Carroll Ann (Prashanti) Friedmann. She shares her personal journey with the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali and the sankalpa (vow or intention) she took to really allow the sutras to develop into a deeply lived practice. Prashanti also shares the story behind her new book Practicing the Yoga Sutras, which stemmed from a decade-long journey of chanting and studying the sutras. Friedmann recounts her initial inspiration in India, where she was taught the art of chanting. Watch the podcast here or wherever you listen to and watch podcasts.

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Who Are You? Who Are You Being? Svadhyaya – “Self-Study”

Sat, 03 Aug 2024 03:35:49 +0000

Photo by Milan Popovic via Unsplash.

Who am I really? Who am I being? These are two queries and discoveries to be made while practicing svadhyaya (self-study)—Yoga’s fourth niyama, as well as the second practice in the Kriya Yoga of Sri Patanjali. Svadhyaya includes the study of sacred texts and the practice of Self-inquiry, contemplating the nature of one’s essential being. This profound practice invites one to journey beyond the mind and senses to the truth of who we are.

As much as the ego may have served us as a useful protector when we were growing up, as adults it is a double-edged sword. The ego weaves stories often based on childhood and cultural influences that can negatively affect our ways of thinking and feeling. The ego can also seem to veil or block access to our true identity. Through the practice of svadhyaya, we learn to recognize and understand how ego-conditioning affects various aspects of our life. We may even learn that spiritual teachings can be appropriated by the ego.

By studying sacred texts that enable us to understand their true nature and by reflecting on our thoughts, actions, and motivations, we cultivate greater insights and self-awareness. Svadhyaya helps us to recognize our patterns of behavior and make conscious choices to align with our true Self rather than our ego.

So, what does it look like to embark on a a study of the “Self?” What does it feel like? Well, to me, it feels like I’ve been given a gift from the Divine—the gift of opening the door to endless possibilities and opportunities by helping me to recognize who I really am. I have learned to disconnect and cut the cords of bad habits I practiced for a long time, seeing how those did not serve me. Procrastination, was one of those habits and it is not something that want to entertain again. Before I began practicing svadhyaya, I found myself playing out a “victim” role, which was a sure fire way for me to avoid life and to downplay my dreams, keeping me from living up to my potential and making it easier to disconnect from myself.

When we choose to make Yoga a way of life, we not only learn, but also experience, significant growth from the seeds sown along the journey. Svadhyaya enables us to experience a profound transformation as it cleanses the mind, body, breath, and spirit of toxic thoughts and actions. I began to learn how my body reacts to life’s experiences, especially when stress is involved. The breath is often able to reveal our state of mind. We get to listen and notice our breathing pattern and learn from it. For example, shallow breath is a clear indicator that there’s some level of stress felt in the body, as well as the feeling of an “elephant’s foot” on the chest that may have been triggered from holding the breath. In either situation, the sympathetic nervous system, fight or flight takes effect. Whether it is physical, mental or emotional, we tend to run away without hesitation.

The more we learn about ourselves the sooner we can heal and live in the present. We get to experience both the calming and healing effects of the parasympathetic nervous system by reconditioning our mind, discerning narratives from reality, and maintaining a daily practice that encompasses the mind, body, breath and spirit. In addition, Yoga’s foundational ethics are a great resource to help calm and ground ourselves allowing it to inspire us to live with determination and intention, stepping into who we truly are. Through Yoga practice, we develop more understanding about how to break vicious cycles of unwanted habits. As we deepen our practice on the mat through asana, we continue off the mat to work through distractions and avoid reverting to old habits that do not serve our highest good—like binging on food, movies, social media platforms, etc. or whatever that may look like for each of us.

As we engage more and more deeply with the bounty of Yoga practices—the foundation of Yoga ethics and yogic mindset utilizing Raja Yoga, asanas (physical postures), pranayama (breath practices), and meditation, we get to stay connected to a transformative lifestyle and a discipline that helps to ground us, like a live oak tree standing strong with its broad canopy and arching branches, resistant to breakage and withstanding the toughest storms. When we are steadfast in learning a discipline like the yamas and niyamas (Yoga’s ethics), we reap the benefits of the yogic lifestyle in that it is always available to us, uplifting and inspiring us. Svadhyaya enables us to cultivate stronger roots that can sustain us.

Now, I am learning to fulfill my dreams by not allowing the high tides of fear to pull me into avoidance or despair. One of my affirmations is, “Learn to live around fear and not in it.” When I feel anxiety or stress poking through, I ask myself, “What does love say? What action does love want me to take?” In this learning process, I was able to feel the light bulb turn on and experience a clearer perspective of what my vision for my life is and for my contribution to the world.

As Swami Satchidananda once stated, “The light is within. It is already there. Take your time to see it.” So, in practicing svadhyaya, I regularly ask myself: “Who am I really? Who am I being?” At the highest level of my understanding, I am the Self, pure Consciousness. On the relative level, I am an authentic, compassionate, inspirational teacher. My vision for the world is connection—to connect in a space of respect, love, compassion, and peace. It is my belief that we all have a purpose here on planet Earth. I live my life’s purpose with unconditional love, enthusiasm, and gratitude. I am a loving and compassionate facilitator of peace through my service to others. With love and gratitude, I support, uplift, and uphold those in my life, as we get to experience a harmonious community. Each stepping stone brings me closer to a life of balance, peace and joy.

Indubitably, our intimate relationship with who we are is our greatest gift and treasure. When we begin to recognize the truth of who we essentially are, we also can begin to experience this as a lived understanding, a felt understanding. So, I invite you to ask yourself, “Who am I?” and “Who am I being?”

About the Author:

Elizabeth Saranya Sostre returned to her love for Yoga and writing during the time she took ill with Stage 3 Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, in 2009. Upon learning she could not return to her career as an educator for the Department of Education, she took time to rediscover herself. As she continued her new journey, she developed interest in several healing modalities, which led her to becoming a Reiki master, Yoga teacher, life and holistic health coach, and a transformational trainer. She joined the Integral Yoga Institute family in New York as a karma yogi before the commencement of her employment at the front desk and as the Wellness Sanctuary Manager. She attended IYI’s 200hr. Teacher Training and is both excited and passionate about teaching a Hatha Yoga Level I class. Liz is currently writing a book, Deconstructing Your Past To Live In The Present.

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Spiritual Media Blog Podcast: Practicing the Yoga Sutras in Daily Life

Sat, 03 Aug 2024 03:30:51 +0000

Photo: Spiritual Media Blog Podcast.

Matthew Welsh, JD, PhD, (founder of Spiritual Media Blog and his podcast of the same name) recently invited Carroll Ann (Prashanti) Friedmann to be a podcast guest and talk about her new book (Practicing the Yoga Sutras, from Integral Yoga Publications). The book combines clear explanations of The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali with prompts for personal discovery and reflection. The concise instructions and explanations offered by the Yoga Sutras are still powerful and exceedingly valuable for moving toward peace and knowledge of the Self. Practicing the Yoga Sutras also offers space for personal reflections and self-study notes.

During the podcast, Matthew and Carroll Ann discuss practical ways to apply the teachings in her book and The Yoga Sutras in your daily life. She shares insights about a specific group of sutras including samyama, abhyasa, and vairagya and how they can influence our attitudes and behaviors. She also talks about her background as the owner and Yoga teacher at Ashtanga Yoga Charlottesville and the Ivy Yoga School.

Welsh shares, “I have had my own personal Yoga practice now for close to 11 years and found her insights about Yoga and the Yoga Sutras to be practical, ways to enhance my own Yoga practice, and deepen my connection to my spiritual Self. One of my favorite parts of the conversation with Carroll Ann is talking about how to deepen your own Yoga practices by focusing on the spiritual aspects of Yoga. She provides clear explanations of how Yoga not only affects us physically, but also on a spiritual and emotional level too.

Watch this podcast here or listen on Apple podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts. Purchase the book here or any retail book outlet.

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Learning to Work Through Challenges: Tapas (Self-Discipline)

Fri, 31 May 2024 22:47:42 +0000

Photo by Karolina Grabowska via Pexels.

“God knows your breaking point. You simply don’t know your own strength.”
–Swami Satchidananda

How many times have you been a safe container for those you care about? What did it look like? What did it feel like? Challenging oneself to be disciplined or to attain a continual disciplinary practice is arduous yet revealing of ones’ efforts. As we would willingly be a safe container for people we care about, we too, get to create and hold space for ourselves.

Tapas (self-discipline) is one of the five niyamas—Yoga’s ethical practices. Tapas is a Sanskrit term meaning “heat” or to “burn.” On the spiritual path, it refers to the purification process that removes impurities, toxicities, and obstacles. It also refers to the welcoming attitude we can cultivate toward pain, as part of self-discipline, rather than the usual reaction of resistance. We don’t need to look for pain, but when it comes, we accept its purificatory qualities. Incorporating this understanding of tapas as part of our Yoga practice requires patience since daily living may at times be met with both foreseen and unforeseen challenges. It invites one to take notice of how one approaches their life and see the areas that can be worked on, areas to burn that which may plague the mind and body. One gets to become mindful and learn to shift a negative perspective to a positive one.

When I was diagnosed with stage 3 non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, I was graced by God’s healing hands. After I received chemo and radiation therapy my meditation was one with the Divine Healer and in my meditation those Divine hands were placed over the 7-inch tumor that invaded my temple nestling into the cavity of my abdomen. I completely surrendered to what I had no control over and remained committed to my unwavering faith knowing that it was the Divine’s will for my life, not my will.

When on the battlefield it is easy to retreat to place of fear and doubt but instead, I chose to meditate, write about my experience and spent time in communion with God. Having done this, I was able to access the practice of self-discipline, thus holding myself in a safe container where God poured love into my body, burning the tumor in half and draining the insidious traces of death. This cathartic experience showed me how to tap into a discipline that nourished my mind, body and spirit. It was the precursor to fully understanding the yamas and niyamas, Yoga’s ethical disciplines.

To experience the result of a sacred practice such as tapas, would be like being left on an island alone—one would get to learn to work through their fears and purge all that has been an obstruction of their mind and body, like a silent meditation pushing the mind against its own limits in exchange for peace, health, joy and humility.

When practicing tapas, there’s a sense or feeling of Divine intervention where one is being shown what’s not working or what may be lacking—sending a sign or message for one to become introspective and see how they show up in their life, how they react to others and life matters, revealing ways in which one may take things for granted. Through this awareness, one gets to cultivate tapas in a way that results in divesting oneself of impurities.

When this practice becomes a committed practice the road to freedom, peace and harmony is seen through a set of lucid lenses making one’s path clear. One then can manifest and bring to fruition their dreams as their life walk is fluidly flowing.

Someone may ask where or how to begin the practice of tapas. Well, you may commence with small steps. If you are seeking to break a pattern of behavior for example, you can begin by repeating an affirmation such as, “With change comes the potential for better opportunities and experiences.” Or, “Today I surrender to the things I am powerless over and embrace the opportunity to experience empowerment through change.”

Another step would be acknowledging that self-discipline is a commitment, that it may take working through mental and/or physical challenges and past trauma to rebuild your confidence. Since this ethical practice takes time to learn, it is important to practice self-compassion. We are spiritual beings living in world that is ever-changing and capricious. We get to forgive ourselves for our imperfections and with our eyes and ears open, learn our lessons with genuine receptivity. Tapas may lead to transformation, again opening and/or changing the trajectory of one’s journey.

Most importantly, when you have a “welcoming” attitude rather than a “have to” attitude toward the challenges and difficulties in life, there is a sense of gratitude for the things you couldn’t see before. And, again, what you may have taken for granted such as good health, a job, relationships, lifestyle, or finances becomes more deeply appreciated. By shifting your perspective you can cultivate an uplifting and positive outlook on life. As a result, you become empowered, steady and grounded in your commitment to living a yogic life. You get to reframe how you approach your journey so that you can cultivate an attitude of gratitude for whatever life brings your way.

I hope that you feel encouraged as you read this to know that the practice of tapas can help you move—as it did for me—from a place of fear to learning to choose joy, authenticity and self-love.

About the Author:

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Integral Yoga Publication’s Newest Title: Practicing the Yoga Sutras

Fri, 05 Apr 2024 00:20:54 +0000

Integral Yoga^® Publications is pleased to announce the release of our latest book: Practicing the Yoga Sutras: A Personal Study Guide & Journal, a faithful companion to the profound teachings found in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. Now available on Amazon in softcover. Ebooks are also now available here: ePub.

Yoga has long been recognized as a powerful tool for personal growth and well-being. Author Carroll Ann Friedmann takes readers on a deep exploration of the core principles of Yoga as elucidated by Patanjali in an accessible way that helps unlock the secrets to inner peace.

With insightful commentary, thought-provoking exercises, and reflective prompts, Practicing the Yoga Sutras empowers readers to integrate these timeless teachings into one’s personal practice. It utilizes the sutra translations and definitions from The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali: Translation and Commentary by Sri Swami Satchidananda (also from Integral Yoga^® Publications) is its perfect companion study guide and journal.

In addition to being a study guide and offering a journaling experience with questions for reflection, it may also be used fruitfully in Yoga teacher training, helping students and teachers connect to each other and to Yoga philosophy. Study guides for groups are included. Readers may also learn to chant each sutra using additional material found on the book’s website.

This book is designed to take readers into a deep and very personal encounter with this text. It will support their practice of Yoga and their personal development whether they are a novice or seasoned practitioner.

Photo by Laura Dillon Rogers

About the Author:

Carroll Ann Friedmann, BA, MDiv, E-RYT500, was educated at Vanderbilt University, Princeton Theological Seminary, and the University of Virginia. She received Yoga training at the Integral Yoga^® Academy at Satchidananda Ashram–Yogaville (Buckingham, Virginia). She also studied at the K. Pattabhi Jois Ashtanga Yoga Institute with Saraswathi Jois and the Anantha Research Foundation with Dr. M. A. Jayashree and Sri M. A. Narasimhan in Mysore, Karnataka, India. She currently studies and practices Yoga under the guidance of Richard Freeman, Mary Taylor, Ty Landrum, and other classical teachers. She and her husband, Liam Buckley are devotees of Sri Swami Satchidananda and live in Charlottesville, Virginia, where they own and direct Ashtanga Yoga Charlottesville and the Ivy Yoga School.

Contact: Mira Spencer, Media Relations
media@integralyoga.org
www.practicingtheyogasutras.org

Distributed through Baker & Taylor and the book is also available wherever books are sold.

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Practicing the Yoga Sutras

Fri, 05 Apr 2024 00:01:20 +0000

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Integral Yoga^® Publications is pleased to announce this new release: Practicing the Yoga Sutras: A Personal Study Guide & Journal by Carroll Ann (Prashanti) Friedmann. The book, which utilizes the sutra translations and definitions from The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali: Translation and Commentary by Sri Swami Satchidananda, is its perfect companion study guide and journal. It may also be used fruitfully in Yoga teacher training, helping students and teachers connect to each other and to Yoga philosophy. Study guides for groups are included. Readers may also learn to chant each sutra using additional material found on the book’s website.

For eons, people have suffered from an inability to maintain a steady and peaceful mind. The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali offers a practical way to address this challenge. The practice of Yoga, and the Yoga Sutras, directly address the pain of existence, its causes, and its remedy. If our life feels just fine as-is then we are unlikely to take on a serious practice of Yoga. For almost all of us, some experience of suffering, discontent, restlessness, confusion, or a desire for a better and more satisfying life has led us to a Yoga practice. Serious Yoga practitioners still may experience pain and suffering, but they have decided to try to understand the cause of suffering and to actively search for a remedy in Yoga.

Why do human beings suffer? We may believe that there is something fundamentally wrong with us; that we carry a sinful or broken nature. We may also believe that our problems are caused by other people and their wrong actions or attitudes. Perhaps we understand suffering as the result of unsatisfactory conditions in our lives. What do you believe causes your unhappiness, restlessness, sadness, discontent, irritability, or other challenging emotions?

In the Yoga tradition of Patanjali, the cause of suffering is precise. We suffer because of the condition of our mind. In Sanskrit, the mind is called chitta. The power of the mind over the human experience is such that it shapes most of our reality. To understand this, we must first assume that basic human needs for food, shelter, and safety have been met. If so, Yoga philosophy explains that the source of our unhappiness is inside us. Our minds are filters that color our experience of everyone and everything—as such, they make up our reality.

For this reason, Patanjali’s description of suffering and his remedy centers in the chitta. Yoga is a science of the mind—a set of mental, physical, and spiritual practices designed to clean up and stabilizes the mind, bringing it into a state of clarity. The undisturbed mind is liberated from suffering.

As a set of practices, no religious system is necessary in Yoga. In fact, it can be better to come to it without strong beliefs to prejudice us against its methods. In Yoga, faith comes only as a result of experience. We come to believe that the practices of Yoga work to relieve our suffering because it is happening to us!

Practicing the Yoga Sutras is in the space between commentary and self-help guide. It contains within it the possibility of a journal. If the reader chooses to make use of the “writing bubbles” that appear after the reflection questions—whether by drawing, doodling, making notes, writing poetry, and the like—then this will become a very unique book. It is not meant to be shared with others, but to be a place for private thoughts and self-study notes. I hope that it may also be used fruitfully in Yoga teacher training, helping students and teachers connect to each other and to Yoga philosophy.

I have avoided a conversation about different philosophical schools and interpretive arguments centered around this text. I am aware of these evaluations and arguments, but did not find them to be fruitful for my purpose. Thus, you will be certain to find other interpretations of these sutras than the ones that I have offered. I don’t think that this is a cause for concern. Yoga suggests that we develop belief based on our own experience. I hope that a real encounter with the Yoga Sutras will supersede debate and override confusion.

This is meant to be a personal book. Please make it your own.

About the Author:

Photo by Laura Dillon Rogers

Carroll Ann (Prashanti) Friedmann, BA, MDiv, E-RYT500 was educated at Vanderbilt University, Princeton Theological Seminary, and the University of Virginia. From 2007 to 2012, she received Yoga training at the Integral Yoga Academy at Satchidananda Ashram–Yogaville (Buckingham, Virginia). From 2013 to present she has studied at the K. Pattabhi Jois Ashtanga Yoga Institute with Saraswathi Jois and the Anantha Research Foundation with Dr. M. A. Jayashree and Sri M. A. Narasimhan in Mysore, Karnataka, India. She currently studies and practices Yoga under the guidance of Richard Freeman, Mary Taylor, Ty Landrum, and other classical teachers. She and her husband, Liam Buckley, are devotees of Sri Swami Satchidananda. They have four adult children and live in Charlottesville, Virginia, where they own and direct Ashtanga Yoga Charlottesville and the Ivy Yoga School. They teach asana, pranayama, meditation, chanting, philosophy, and hold an annual Yoga teacher training.

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Using the Yoga Sutras in Daily Life

Fri, 01 Mar 2024 05:32:02 +0000

Photo by Binti Malu via Pexels.

We all get those physical signs of stress and anxiety. We might feel tired or have random aches and pains and can’t pinpoint the source. We stretch, we breathe, and we feel rejuvenated right afterwards. But after a few days the same aches and pains are back, and sometimes accompanied by new ones.

Stress shows up in the body, but it starts in the mind. If we don’t address it in our mind, our bodies will keep tensing until we do something about it. Stress is a catch-all word. Stress is a feeling of emotional or physical tension. It can come from any event or thought that makes you feel frustrated, angry, or nervous. It’s a feeling, and feelings tend to be very personal. So the little things that stress you out can be as individual as you are.

I tend to be an obsessive thinker. I can remember times when obsessive thinking distracted me from work and studies, movies and conversations. I even told myself, “Hey, you’re sabotaging your own fun!” But then I returned to obsessing. And the stuff I obsess over is often ridiculous. Like “I let that 40 percent-off coupon from CVS expire!” And that spirals into “see ya shoulda set an alarm to use it,” or “I can’t believe I forgot!” I can ruin my whole day this way.

Enter sutra 2.33: When disturbed by negative thoughts, opposite, positive ones should be thought of. This is pratipaksha bhavana.

As it turns out, it is impossible to hold two thoughts in your head at once. That’s right, you may think you’re multitasking, but in fact, you are rapidly switching focus from one thought to another. So when I catch myself obsessing, I’ll deliberately think of something pleasant, or something I actually accomplished that day, and I’ll repeat that to myself instead. Pratipaksha bhavana works for big and small regrets. This week, when I was upset that I didn’t save on those expensive Ghirardelli chips for cookies I was baking, I replaced it with the thought that I successfully made gluten-free cookies that were healthier.

Sometimes it works right away like a charm and sometimes it takes some effort to replace the aggravating thought, (wasted coupon — cookies!–wasted coupon!) I can do this all day so I tried to amp up the pleasant thinking a little. I thought about how many people enjoyed the cookies and how good they tasted. Guess what? That was so much more fun than obsessing over the coupon, and CVS is gonna send me another one in a couple of days anyway.

I definitely feel emotionally better the more I practice pratipaksha bhavana. But what I hadn’t expected is that the more I think about lighter things, the more I don’t feel achy or heavy. I literally feel lighter.

Test it out for yourself. Watch someone tell a story about something that makes them happy and see how their body moves with the energy of that emotion. Watch when someone is speaking about something unpleasant or upsetting. Then notice those things in yourself. Your body punctuates your emotions. What are you feeling? What patterns are you noticing in postures and movements? In breathing patterns?

And it’s helpful to find out what upsets you. What patterns do you notice in your thoughts? In your emotions? When do those patterns show up? And remember that it’s definitely a practice, as is all of Yoga. We’re human, after all, which is exactly what this sutra is acknowledging.

About the Author:

Diana Diaz Dharani, RYT-500 is an Integral Yoga teacher with advanced certifications in Anatomy and Physiology, Accessible Yoga, Holistic Sound Healing,Yoga Philosophy, Healing Relationships, and Yoga for Stress Management. Dharani is a Native Nuyorican and mother who is passionately dedicated to serving marginalized communities. She serves at the Integral Yoga Institute of New York and she is also an author, specializing in personal essay, memoir and creative non-fiction. Dharani conducts workshops and retreats that combine the grounding and spirituality of Yoga with the discipline and self-reflection of writing. She currently lives and serves at the Integral Yoga Institute of New York.

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Yoga Sutras of Patanjali Video Series

Wed, 03 Jan 2024 04:47:37 +0000

Join Integral Yoga Master Teacher Nalanie Chellaram as she teaches the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. The series begins with an overview of the text and why it is such an inspiration to so many. Utilizing the commentaries by Swami Satchidananda, along with insights from Nalanieji’s own in-depth study, each video in the series goes sutra by sutra. The videos are from sessions Nalanieji conducts via Zoom and her live classes will resume in February 2024.

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