Ahimsa is the yogic practice of non violence, which includes physical, mental, and emotional violence towards others and the self. We create violence most often in our reactions to events and others, habitually creating judgment, criticism, anger or irritation. I have found the Buddhist practice of compassion to be an excellent tool to foster non violence in my life. Compassion is the ability to accept events as they are with a open and loving heart. It is a letting go of reacting to a situation in a conditional and negative way, and replaces those thoughts or feelings with kindness, acceptance and love. At first practicing compassion is hard, frustrating and not fun. But the key is to have compassion for oneself for not having compassion, and to smile at this contradiction.
When I first started working with ahsima and compassion, I would catch myself reacting negativity to a situation and repeat to myself “I have compassion for all sentient beings” and smile or laugh at myself. Another important technique is a meta meditation, which is described in our Yoga Tip of the Month section. We have a wonderful opportunity to practice ahisma, compassion, love and forgiveness in these difficult and challenging times. Yes its difficult work, but the rewards are great.
Peace to all,
Timothy Burgin
Founder & Executive Director
YogaBasics.com
Yoga Tutorials
Dr. Dean Ornish offers these simple yoga tutorials via either RealPlayer or Windows Media for those who feel stressed-out or disconnected.
Preparing for Parenthood With Yoga
Yoga during pregnancy can help prepare for childbirth and parenthood by increasing mental, physical, and spiritual shape.
Hospital Opens Integrative Care Center In Manhattan
Specialized Center Combines Traditional and Alternative Therapies, including Yoga.
We have added a new section to our site this month called Support Us. We have listed several ways to help support our valuable work at yogabasics.com through simply emailing your friends about our site, to financially sponsoring our site. We have also changed how our sponsors are displayed as well as our sponsorship rates. Check out our Support Us section here.
Discover the Sacred Link with Pandit Rajmani Tigunait, Ph.D. Spiritual Head of the Himalayan Institute Author/Lecture Tour August 29-December 15, 2001.
Reclaim the best of yourself. Discover the sacred link that ties body with mind, mind with soul, inner world with the outer world, and material achievement with spiritual aspiration. This sacred link is at the heart of yoga, meditation, spirituality and true healing. During this presentation you will gather the tools and means to reconnect these fragmented parts of yourself, and experience the joy of spiritual unfoldment and total well being - the goal that all traditions share.
For tickets, complete tour schedule, or information call: 800-822-4547 or visit: www.HimalayanInstitute.org
Promote compassion with meta meditation.
Use this simple meditation often to create and nurture compassion in your life. This can be practiced in just a few minutes, so try to incorporate it as a part of your daily life.
Come into a comfortable seated position on the floor or in a chair. Sit with the back flat, crown of the head lifted, shoulders relaxed and chest open. Rest the hands in the lap or on the knees. Close the eyes, deepen the breath and release any thoughts from the mind. Gently repeat the following softly out loud or in your mind:
May I be safe from inner and outer harm,
May I be happy and peaceful of heart,
May my body be healthy and strong,
May my life be filled with ease.
Then you may replace the “I’s” to “you” thinking of a specific person, a group of people or the whole planet.
Finish with a few slow deep breaths, feeling compassion, love and kindness flowing through your body. Take a moment or two before moving on with the rest of your day.
Music: Breath of the Heart by Krishna Das.
Although this new CD contains many of the kritans from “Live on Earth”, don’t let this bum you out. These tracks are longer, more developed and blissfully recorded and mixed. Breath of the Heart is not as creative and eclectic as previous CDs, but delivers straight up Hindu devotional chanting godliness. I love Krishna Das and I love this CD and the first track “Baba Hanuman” just melts my heart.
To have a listen or to buy Breath of the Heart, click here.
Books: Anger : Wisdom for Cooling the Flames by Thich Nhat Hanh.
Thich Nhat Hanh gives clear concrete instruction on how to transform the anger inside of us and release us from its suffering. He gives detailed instructions on the practices of compassion, deep listening, and mindful breathing and thinking. Thich Nhat Hanh encourages us to stop taking anger into our lives by making conscious decisions about what we eat, see, hear, and speak. Many of these techniques and exercises seem very simple and common sense, but to practice these can be quite challenging. Thich Nhat Hanh shows that the ability to transform anger into love can radically change (and save) your life.
For more info or to buy Anger : Wisdom for Cooling the Flames, click here.
Video: Basic Yoga Workout for Dummies by Sara Ivanhoe.
This is the best video I have seen to introduce brand new students to yoga. Sara has a warm, friendly and wonderful presence in this video and does a great job at explaining the essential basics of breathing and the postures. This video covers 12 basics postures and goes into a split screen to show modifications and variations of the postures and to also give tips, explanations and cautions.
For more info or to buy Basic Yoga Workout for Dummies, click here for VHS and here for DVD.
Kripalu Yoga: Balance and Bliss, November 10, 2001.
Learn simple tools and techniques to create a balanced and blissful yoga practice. Led by yogabasics.com founder Timothy Burgin. Click here for more info.
To have your retreat/workshop listed here, please email timothy@yogabasics.com
Get good karma for a few clicks:
web releaf: plant a tree for free!
the rainforrest site: donate land for free!
the hunger site: donate food for free!
working for change: free activism tools and info.
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om shanti peace