Sensing Brahmacharya

I hope you are enjoying these short articles about Yoga philosophy as much as I am enjoying writing them.  It is helpful for me to review these philosophical points, looking at my own life and behavior, and seeing my own spiritual progress.

Brahmacharya has gotten a bad rap.  Traditionally, brahmacharya has been associated with chastity and celibacy.  EGAD!  But at the heart of brahmacharya is the idea of contolling our desires or non-lusting.  It doesn't mean that to be a good yogi or yogini you have to let go of sex.  It means being responsible with your sexuality, and forming relationships which foster spiritual growth.  Our behavior should move us, and our partner, toward Truth.

In Teaching Yoga, Donna Farhi says,

The fourth yama, sexual propriety (brahmacharya), tells us to use our sexual energy in a way that makes us feel more intimate not only with our partner but also with all of life.  When we are connected to our Divinity, how can we use another for our own selfish desires or hurt another through our inabiity to contain our desires?

By practicing brahmacharya, one retains continence of the body, speech and mind.  Additionally one sees Divinity in all beings, and in the Universe as a whole.  This allows one to move about peacefully in the world, but not have his or her heart in it, thus seeing the world as it really is.

In Light on Yoga, B.K.S. Iyengar says,

When one is established in brahmacharya, one develops a fund of vitality and energy, a courageous mind and a powerful intellect so that one can fight any type of injustice.  The brahmachari will use the forces he generates wisely: he will utilise the physical ones for doing the work of the Lord, the mental for the spread of culture and the intellectual for the growth of spiritual life.  Brahmacharya is the battery that sparks the torch of wisdom.

Your assignment is to review the history of sensual lusting in your life, and be aware of your current sensual lusting, and think about how has affected, and will affect, your body, mind and spirit.  Journal about your personal investigation.

Namaste,
Julie

A Take on Asteya

This week we look at the yama asteya, or non-stealing.

Asteya means more than simply not taking something that doesn't belong to you.  It means not desiring, or coveting, that which is not yours, while realizing that whatever is rightfully yours will come your way.  Your happiness is not dependent upon what you possess, material or otherwise.  Swami Kriyananda in Raja Yoga says,

Covetousness is like a rope that ties the balloon of consciousness to the ground, preventing it from soaring into the free skies of spiritual bliss.

Asteya is not limited to material objects.  Remember, we practice the yamas in thought, word and deed.  For example, we can steal someone's spotlight when we interrupt him or her.  If we talk "down" to someone, or speak unkindly, we might make someone feel small, only to make ourselves feel taller.  We can do these things in our mind when we think negatively of others, or if we are secretly jealous, envious or hateful.  When we think these things, our actions can follow our thoughts.  Even if we do manage to keep these thoughts to ourself, we steal our own peace.

Here is your assignment for this week.  Think about all the ways you steal, by not practicing asteya.  We all do it.  I'm not trying to insult you; I don't think of myself as a thief, either.  But what about the pen from work you put in your purse?  What about the extra napkins or ketchup packets from the restaurant you put in the glove compartment of your car?  What about the time we steal from others when we are late?  You might try journaling about these ways and note how you feel when you don't practice asteya.

Have a wonderful week.  Next week we will talk about bramacharya, or non-lusting.

Namaste,
Julie

What's the Big Deal About Satya?

Hello Friends,

Satya, the second yama, means nonlying or truthfulness and extends to the responsibility of keeping your promises.  We all know the importance of being truthful.  One of the benefits of following the yamas is peace of mind.  Have you ever tried to lie and maintain peace of mind?  It would be nearly impossible!  You can't keep peace of mind when you are trying to remember what lie you told and to whom you told it!

The yama satya is based on the idea that honest communication and keeping promises provides the basis for any healthy relationship, community or government, and that deliberate deception, exaggerations and untruths harm others.

I believe, most importantly, satya applies to your relationship with yourself.  Everything, satya included, starts with you, moving from our inside world to the outside world.  When you are honest with yourself, you remove delusion and the filters through which you see your own behavior and your world.  Sometimes it isn't easy to be honest with ourselves.  We have had years of practicing habits, patterns of perception, and beliefs which work together to color our understanding of ourselves at any given moment. These are our filters.  By practicing satya, we, over time, eliminate our filters and increase actions which arise from the truth in our relationships with ourselves and others.  We act from a place of truth, not from a place of the fears and assumptions we learned through using our filters.  Then we can think, speak and act from truth and in accordance with our highest goals and beliefs.  When we consistently practice satya, we have no reason to fear our behavior and we have no regrets.  In his book "Raja Yoga," Swami Kriyananda says it all.

An attitude of truthfulness means to try always to see things as they are, to accept the possibility that one may be mistaken in his most cherished opinions, to entertain no likes and dislikes that might prejudice his perception of reality as it is.

We practice satya in the same way we practice ahimsa, with truthfulness in thought, truthfulness in word, or speech, and truthfulness in deed, our actions.

Most of us would agree that it is not always desirable to speak the truth on all occasions.  It could harm someone unnecessarily.  We have to balance satya with ahimsa.  Sometimes, when speaking the truth, we have to consider what we say, how we say it, and realize how what we say can affect others.  At times, when the truth would have negative consequences, it is best to say nothing at all!

This week's assignment is to think before you speak and ask yourself the question, "Is this really the truth?"  Then ask again before speaking.

Next week we will talk about asteya (nonstealing).

LET'S TALK ABOUT THE 8-LIMBED PATH AND AHIMSA

Hello and welcome to the Awareness Village Blog. I thought I would do a series on some of the points of yoga philosophy, starting with the elements of the 8-limbed path, or Ashtanga.

The sage Patanjali codified yoga practice in approximately 200 BCE in India, as the Yoga Sutras, a collection of aphorisms which, among other things, detail the eight different limbs of the complete yoga practice. The description of the limbs is collectively known as Ashtanga, meaning eight limbs in Sanskrit. (This definition of Ashtanga is not to be confused with the style of yoga practice known as Ashtanga Yoga, developed by Sri K. Pattabhi Jois and followed by his school and students.) Most people in our society are familiar with the limb called "asana." Asana is the physical aspect of yoga, also known as yoga postures. One theory says that asana was created to keep the body comfortable while the yogis sat in meditation. Asana allowed them to comfortably sit for longer periods of time.

The first limb is yama, which is comprised of the five moral restraints, ethical standards which forge a sense of integrity in the practitioner. The yamas are ahimsa (nonharming/nonviolence), satya (nonlying), asteya (nonstealing), bramacharya (nonlusting), and aparigraha (nonhoarding).

In today's blog, we will talk about the first one, ahimsa. Ahimsa is the rule of conduct that means to do no harm, injury or violence to any living being, and, obviously, no killing.

Many people choose to be vegetarian to practice ahimsa, since eating meat and other animal products harms animals.

But there is more than physical harm, violence, or killing, to the interpretation of ahimsa. Being rude, hateful or cruel harms others. So does gossiping and speaking harshly. Not keeping a confidence can be against ahimsa. Failing to relieve another's pain is a violation of ahimsa.

When you think about ahimsa, and the other yamas, think about how living beings can be harmed by way of thought, word and/or deed. If there is any thought in your mind of "oh, I shouldn't have said that" or if you "cringe" because you did something you feel uncertain about, you probably violated ahimsa. If you say anything you wouldn't want to get back to someone, you probably violated ahimsa. But,what if you have judgmental thoughts about someone? Just because thoughts may not be spoken, it doesn't mean they aren't harmful. Those thoughts may affect how you deal with someone or may affect what you say about someone to other people.

It is also necessary to practice ahimsa with yourself. For example, taking good care of your health, or positive self-talk, is practicing ahimsa with yourself. Be kind to yourself!

When we practice ahimsa, we are not at odds with anyone or any being. It is said that if you consistently practice ahimsa, none of the animals of the forest will fear you and you will have no fear of harm from the animals of the forest.

Your assignment this week (if you choose to accept it) is to think of all the ways ahimsa can be violated. What are the ways living beings can be harmed?

Next week we will talk about satya (nonlying).

Namaste,
Julie

Hello! It's Been a Long Time

Hello all. It's been a long time since I've blogged. I've not been well for quite a while, but am getting back in the swing of things.

I've been busy getting some more member pages written for the Awareness Village site and some for the Your Meditation Coach site. (See the links at the right side of this page.) I've also started writing the June 2005 Awareness Village Journal. I'll be doing the Journal at the beginning of each month and will even include links so you will be able to listen to a monthly meditation. How cool is that?

Well, ciao for now!

Blessings to you and yours!
Julie

Hello! There is still space in my "Trash the Resolution" coaching groups, and I am forming new groups, as well. Make this year your best year yet!

I am also introducing a new style of coaching to Awareness Village. I have used dream interpretation for many years to help people figure out what is going on in their lives. The new style of coaching I am introducing uses dream interpretation to help people identify life patterns, so they can become aware of what is holding them back, create new life patterns and get unstuck for good. I invite you to a FREE introductory coaching session, which may be done in person or over the telephone. Email me at julie@awarenessvillage.com for more information and to schedule you FREE coaching session.

Along with the new style of coaching will be a new section of the Awareness Village website, and a new newsletter, Dream Awareness Journal. You may sign up using the link to the right for the Awareness Village Journal. You will be given an opportunity to sign up for either (or both) newsletter(s).

Last night I attended another show at Watercolors by Jan Foss, the studio/gallery next door to the Awareness Village office, and owned by my friend Jan Foss. Terri Tangney was the artist of the evening. Terri uses watercolor, acrylic and pastel to create symphonies of color and light. Whether it is a water scene, a forest scene, animals, an up-close observation of flowers or leaves, or a still-life, Terri's paintings are pure magic. Terri's website is a must-see!

Blessings and light,
Julie

Hello and Happy New Year! Well, it's a new year and a new start. I've been thinking seriously about what new products and ideas I am going to introduce into Awareness Village. One thing that came to mind was to use my interpretation of the book "Awakening the Heroes Within: Twelve Archetypes to Help Us Find Ourselves and Transform Our World", by Carol S. Pearson, as articles in the Awareness Village Newsletter. (12 Archetypes and 12 Months - a match made in heaven!) So, look forward to that. Check out the newsletter page for more information and to read archived newsletters. Sign up for the newsletter with the link on this page, or any page on the Awareness Village site. I look forward to spending the next 12 months with you!

Hello and Season's Greetings to all! Happy Hannukah to those of you who celebrate Hannukah!

This has been a busy week! Tuesday and Thursday, I hosted my very first teleclasses ever, "Trash the Resolution: 5 Steps to Making Changes that Really Last". A good time was had by all, and I will be doing the teleclass again. The next two Saturdays, I will be doing the class in person in my office. I am very excited!

Wednesday, Awareness Village hosted it's first Annual Holiday Open House for the merchants in the office complex (though everyone was invited!). It was a successful evening. Several people came to share warm wishes, hot apple cider and snacks.

As Santa says, "Ho Ho Ho! Merry Christmas!"

Happy Friday! Yesterday afternoon, I went to Carson City to run a couple errands. On the way back, I started singing a Christmas carol with the radio. (If you must know, it was "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer". LOL) I must be getting into the spirit of the season!

This morning, local TV was filled with news of the holiday food drive. It reminded me to decide what I would do this year for those less fortunate than I. It doesn't have to be anything big, a can of food, an hour of time, a cash donation, or even a simple prayer. Have you thought about what you might do? If you have some ideas, please post them in the guestbook.

I am also interested in holiday traditions. Is there something special you and/or your family do during the holiday season? Please share! Ciao!

Hello all! It’s a beautiful sunny day in Incline Village, Nevada! According to the TV weatherman last night, Old Man Winter lovingly deposited 13 inches of snow here yesterday. That seems like a lot, but I’m not the person doing the measuring. I am happy, nonetheless. One of my favorite things to see is snow being hit by sunshine. It looks like someone took a bag of glitter and spread it out over the ground.

The last couple of weeks have gone very well. People have been signing up for the "Trash the Resolution" teleclass, but there are some spaces left. Email me at julie@awarenessvillage.com or phone me now to reserve your spot!

In November I went to New Orleans. I had a great time. I’ve been there several times, but this time I visited a few new places. I have a timeshare condo in the French Quarter at the Quarterhouse, an awesome place! I went to the New Orleans Botanical Gardens in City Park and the new location of my favorite restaurant, Old Dog New Trick. My friend, Matt, joined me, and it was really nice to show him around to some of my favorite places. Highlights of the trip were City Park, Audubon Park, Café Du’Monde, Central Grocery (Matt loved the Muffaletta sandwich!), walking around the French Quarter, sitting on the levy people-watching, and one of the Haunted History tours. There are so many things to do in New Orleans! You can’t be bored when you are there!

Next door to the Awareness Village office is my friend, Jan Foss’, Studio and Gallery, Watercolors by Jan Foss. Jan has been a painter for 20 years and teaches watercolor classes and workshops throughout the Tahoe/Reno area and in Minnesota, where she works with a greeting card company. She paints mostly flowers (which she is particularly passionate about) and landscapes. Her teddy bear paintings are soooo cute! She uses a watercolor technique to make the teddy bears look really fluffy, and then she adorns the finished product with a real ribbon! Check out her website!

One of Jan’s favorite things to paint is personal angel portraits. All she needs is someone’s name to develop the portrait. Before she sits down to paint, she meditates and prays. The portraits represent a deep trust in the creative process, and a connection with the source of her creativity. Who do you know who would like to have an original, one-of-a-kind, personal angel portrait?

On November 7, Jan hosted a show of one of her students, Trina Gold. Trina has done some fantastic watercolors, including some of irises and scenes from a family ranch in New Mexico. Trina and her husband also have a music studio, here on the north shore of Lake Tahoe, Big Water Studios.

Thursday, October 30, 2003 – Wow! Long time no blog! I’ve been very busy the last couple of weeks! Last Thursday I went to my first meeting of the Incline Village/Crystal Bay Chamber of Commerce. As a new member, I got a nice plaque to hang on the wall of the office and I said a few words about Awareness Village. Standing in front of all those people with a microphone in front of me was a different experience for me, one that I am committed to having fun with! I also met many very nice people and I look forward to meeting many more.

I have also converted a couple more of the pages in this website to the new template. Check out the new coaching page and the Reiki page! More new pages are coming soon!

I finished up my stint as a volunteer as a Kokanee Coach for the Forest Service. Kokanee Salmon spawn in Taylor Creek, off Lake Tahoe, in October every year. As a Kokanee Coach, I spent some time at Taylor Creek educating visitors about the Kokanee Salmon, their life cycle, and spawning. It was quite fun and I will definitely do it again next year.

Friday, October 17, 2003 – I’m making more progress on the website. The sound file isn’t working, and when I get the patience (grin) I’ll figure out why. Though I work Saturday, I’m glad it’s Friday. I don’t know if it’s years of conditioning, as a result of working Monday through Friday, or if it’s because Saturdays seem to flow so well and I get an enormous amount done. Hmm. Probably a little bit of both.

On Sunday, I am going to a Psychic Fair in Reno with my friend, Eileen. I haven’t seen her for months, though we live 45 minutes away from each other. I’m really looking forward to having some girl fun! You know how you get that busy life thing going and you don’t always pay attention to yourself and the personally meaningful parts of your life? Well, I’ve been doing that the last couple of months and it’s time to break that pattern! Cheers!

Thursday, October 16, 2003 – This morning I got the glitches worked out on the home page and even added a sound file, me welcoming all the visitors to the site! Now all I need to do is make all the other pages conform to the new site and get the Member Pages completed. It’s going to be a big job, but I’m really looking forward to it. It will be lots of fun! If any of you have any ideas on what type of member content you would like to see, please email me at julie@awarenessvillage.com.

Wednesday, October 15, 2003 – Hello! Well, I’ve done some more work on the Awareness Village home page today. It is much better, but there are still some small glitches in alignment and a photo to be added, but it is much more promising, I think, than it was before. YEAH!

On another note, last night I did my Icebreaker Speech at Toastmasters! The Icebreaker is the first of the initial ten speeches you do as a Toastmaster member. I was a little bit nervous, but it worked out pretty well and I was chosen as the best speaker of the evening. (I got a ribbon!) Now that I’ve done my first speech, I’m ready to conquer the world! (Oops, I got carried away.)

Saturday, October 11, 2003 – Hi! Julie Hodges, here! Welcome to very first entry in the Awareness Village Blog. I’ve been working on the new website most of the day today. I’m having some luck, but there are still some glitches, which I am sure I will be able to work out. It will be really fab when I get it all finished. Today is a sunny day in Incline Village, Nevada. Overnight, it got down into the 20s, but today it climbed up into the 70s. All in all, a delightful day!