Amrit Yoga Institute: Recent Episodes
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Written by Gurudev Shri AmritjiThe path of yoga is more than physical movement. It is a journey from doing to being, from effort to awareness. In the article below, Gurudev Shri Amritji shares how Hatha and Raja Yoga unite to unlock the deeper healing and spiritual transformation that yoga was always meant to offer.
Hatha Yoga and Patanjali’s Raja Yoga are two profound streams within the ancient yogic tradition. Understanding how they differ and how they can be integrated will empower your journey with clarity and direction. When combined through meditative awareness, they become a complete path for healing, awakening, and transformation.
Hatha Yoga is the path of embodiment. It begins with the body, not just as flesh and bone, but as a sacred vessel of consciousness. You use physical postures (asanas), conscious breathing (pranayama), and energy-balancing techniques to purify your inner landscape. This practice facilitates improved physical health, vitality, and internal balance, preparing your nervous system to handle deeper states of stillness. As you move through postures with awareness, your nervous system shifts from stress to restoration, opening the gateway to meditative stillness.
Through disciplined practice, Hatha Yoga strengthens your body, increases flexibility, and regulates your energy flow. But more than that, it trains your attention to stay present. The stress that accumulates in your body, often silently held as tension or emotional residue, begins to unwind through breath-synchronized movement. You notice that as you move with awareness, your mind begins to settle. This is the beginning of yoga: not the perfection of a posture, but the presence that pervades it.
Raja Yoga, the “Royal Path,” is the inward ascent. Its heart lies in the inner limbs: sensory withdrawal (pratyahara), one-pointed concentration (dharana), deep meditation (dhyana), and union beyond thought (samadhi). What makes Raja Yoga unique is its focus on mastering the mind. Instead of reacting to life through old patterns and emotional triggers, you begin to witness the mind’s movements. You become less entangled in its fluctuations and in this witnessing, you experience a profound inner stillness, a taste of your timeless Self.
With consistent practice, your identity shifts from the mind-made self to the eternal observer within.
When you combine the physical intelligence of Hatha Yoga with the meditative mastery of Raja Yoga, something extraordinary happens. You begin to heal at the root.
I AM Yoga is an integration of Hatha and Raja, body and mind, masculine witnessing and feminine energy. It is not about forcing your body into shapes. It is about being fully present in whatever posture or situation you find yourself, without resistance. You are no longer trying to change or perfect the body. You are becoming conscious of the old patterns stored in your body—and releasing them by meeting them with Presence instead of resistance. In I AM Yoga, this becomes your daily practice. Whether you are standing in a yoga pose or standing in line at the grocery store, you can embody the Posture of Consciousness, not just as something you do on the mat, but as a shift in your way of being.
When you face energy blocks in your body, whether it’s physical pain, tightness, or emotional discomfort, the ego mind wants to react. It wants to fix, fight, or flee. But Patanjali says: withdraw from the ego mind. Don’t resist the edge. Instead, witness it and stay with it. Let it reveal its root in emotional memory. As you practice in this way, you stop fighting the body and instead you start listening to it. You start partnering with the female parasympathetic energy body, your Prana Shakti.
Most of your suffering does not arise from the outer world but from how your mind, conditioned by emotional memory, reacts to it. These reactions stem from unprocessed energy blocks stored in the body. Formed through past traumas, unmet needs, or habitual reactivity, they keep you trapped in cycles of fear, anxiety, and separation. Science may diagnose symptoms, and doctors may treat effects, but rarely is the root, your identification with the time-bound ego mind, addressed or understood.
Patanjali was not presenting a philosophy; he was offering a method. The Yoga Sutras are not a theoretical framework but a practical guide to transformation. That’s why they doesn’t elaborate on complex postures or advanced physical practices. In Yoga Sutra 2.46, Patanjali gives only one instruction regarding asana: Sthira Sukham Asanam: your posture should be steady and at ease. This is not about perfecting the pose, but perfecting your presence within it. The body becomes a gateway to the stillness of the mind.
This is why in Yoga Sutra 1.2, Patanjali begins by defining yoga: Yogah Chitta Vritti Nirodhah: Yoga is the cessation of the fluctuations of the mind. He is saying: when you stop identifying with the movements of the mind, especially those rooted in memory stress, you begin to access the true Self that exists beyond all thought.
If you’re ready to go beyond technique and enter the deeper purpose of yoga, join us for the Inner Dimension of Yoga Retreat: I AM Yoga® Teacher Training, Part I. Guided directly by Gurudev Shri Amritji and Nirali Lauren McCrea, this immersive experience will train you in the true purpose of yoga—embodied meditation, energetic release, and awakening through Presence.
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Integrative Yoga and the End of Emotional Separation
Written by Gurudev Shri Amritji
When you bring your integrative intention into every interaction, no matter where you go, what you do, or who you are with, you reinforce the inner work of yoga through the outer world. Every encounter becomes a mirror, every conversation an extension of your inner integration.
The yogis realized that the microcosm of the body mirrors the macrocosm of the universe. Yet the ego-mind, shaped by past experiences, reacts to the present from a place of separation. It views what is present now through the lens of what was once then. In doing so, it distances you from the timeless Presence living through your body.
Reconnecting with that Presence empowers you to meet the world from wholeness. As you share this realization with others, you help them break free from emotional memory patterns, just as you are doing. This is the deeper meaning of Christ’s words: “You shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free.” You are not the mask formed by your past. When you drop that mask, you uncover the timeless awareness you truly are.
When this truth becomes embodied, compassion arises naturally. You want to support others in their journey of release and remembrance. Through the teachings, you not only transform yourself, you become a living example that inspires others.
Most people seek love and acceptance from others to feel whole. But this work is about becoming love. When you accept yourself fully, you release the emotional stress of the past. You stop reliving memory-based suffering and begin meeting life as it is. When you expect love from others, you may unconsciously perform or manipulate in hopes of receiving it. This creates further separation. But when you meet the moment with authentic Presence, you stop reacting and start relating. You move from ego identification to integrative interaction.
In choiceless awareness, there is no separation between subject and object. You are in harmonious relationship with what is present. When you are whole within, you meet the world in wholeness. Change yourself, and your world changes with you.
Today’s tools: computers, phones, social media, are powerful instruments for connection, but more often they become channels for distraction, comparison, and emotional numbing. Instead of using them to seek validation or escape discomfort, you can reclaim these tools to build conscious, heart-centered community rooted in truth, love, and presence.
This is what it means to be free from the past; it is the realization that changes your life. And as you live from that place, you naturally become a source of light.
Only a lit candle can light another.
When your heart is lit with love and acceptance,
you help awaken the same in others.
You no longer seek love. You are love.
You no longer seek acceptance. You radiate acceptance.
You give others the permission to unmask and be whole.
This is how the lineage of Love and Light flows through you and this is how the world awakens: one lit candle at a time.
Written by Gurudev Shri Amritji
The Futility of Mental Control in Meditation
Many seekers approach meditation with the idea that they must control the mind: pushing away thoughts, silencing mental noise, and achieving a kind of inner perfection through effort. But natural law reveals a hidden truth: what you resist, persists. When you effortfully try to suppress your thoughts, you trap them in your energy blocks. They circle back, louder and more insistent.
In the meditative practice of I AM Yoga, you’re invited into a radically different relationship with the mind. Rather than resisting thoughts, you allow them. You hold the Posture of Consciousness—not just in the body, but in awareness. As thoughts arise, you become the space in which they appear and disappear. This passive witnessing, free from resistance, is not weakness; it is the strength of choiceless awareness. You do not follow the thoughts or fight them—you simply let them come and go like waves on the ocean of your Presence.
From Outer Posture to Inner Presence
In I AM Yoga, the physical posture is not the goal. You are not here to achieve external symmetry or to perfect the body. Your true alignment is with the Presence that is aware of the posture. When you shift from outward control to inward surrender, you begin to notice something profound: the mind that wants to “perfect” is the ego mind—time-bound, masked, striving. But the awareness that simply is—silent, still, observing—is timeless.
When you hold a pose, stay long enough not to conquer the edge, but to witness the ego at the edge, a shift begins. The ego-mind wants to fix, improve, or escape discomfort. But Presence just observes. In this sustained meditative holding, you become aware of the internal conflict: the male ego mind trying to dominate the female energy body. This conflict is not just physical—it is symbolic of the inner divide humanity carries.
The Inner Polarity, Male Mind and Female Energy BodyWithin you, there are two aspects of being—what the ancient yogis called the Purusha and Prakriti, the Witness and the Field. The ego-self, which functions as the subjective perceiver, is masculine in nature: it analyzes, categorizes, tries to control. The energy body, which exists in the parasympathetic, felt realm of intuition and sensation, is feminine in nature: flowing, receptive, instinctive.
But there is a split. You are born identified with the male ego-self, disconnected from the female energy body. This is why, in moments of stress or stillness, you may feel judged by your own mind. Your stiff joints, tight muscles, or body image become symbols of rejection. Not because they are inherently wrong, but because the mind does not see the body as it truly is. It sees it through frozen, emotional memory patterns—what I call Emotional Memory Stress.
Memory’s Mask, Seeing the Present Through the Past: When you look at your body, your life, or even a loved one, you are rarely seeing what is actually present. Instead, you are seeing a look-alike from your past. A frozen memory event, triggered by the now, overlays your perception. You do not see your partner—you see the echo of your parent. You do not feel your energy—you feel your judgment of how it should be.
This misperception is the foundation of suffering. The ego-self survives by projecting these memory events onto reality. The person in front of you, the yoga posture you hold, even the sound of your breath—all of it can become filtered through the unconscious memory of stress.
As long as you are identified with this subjective perceiver, you remain trapped in a loop of re-living past karmic patterns, moment after moment, unaware that liberation lies just one breath away.
If you’re ready to move beyond mental control and experience true inner union, join us for the Inner Dimension of Yoga Retreat. This immersive training takes you deeper into the I AM Yoga practice—where you’ll learn to unwind emotional memory from the body, calm the nervous system, and access a state of deep, meditative stillness through conscious movement and inner awareness.
Excerpt from Gurudev Shri Amritji | Dictation: May 28, 2025In the practice of I AM Yoga®, I say: when someone offends you and you are able to forgive them, it means you have come to a place of inner purity. You are no longer participating in the conflict or disturbance that appeared to come from the other. In truth, the one who felt offended was not reacting to the person as they are now, but to a lookalike memory event from the past that was triggered in your nervous system.
When you perceive someone as having hurt or wronged you, your stored memory-based energy blocks are activated. You are no longer perceiving what is present; you are reacting to a karmic imprint from the past. This reaction reveals that the conflict was not only with the other, but within yourself. You, as a subjective perceiver, brought a past event into the present moment and misinterpreted what occurred.
When this truth becomes clear, you no longer need to ask forgiveness from the one who triggered the event—because they did not cause it. Nor do you need to hold yourself in blame. You realize that your own perception, judgment, and interpretation were colored by unresolved impressions.
As long as you identify with your perception of the other through the lens of the past, you are seeing through a filter. You are not seeing the reality of the person or situation now. You are experiencing through the time-bound, separated ego mind—the reactive self that is not who you truly are.
We are born into separation from our true Self. The time-bound ego mind perceives through the polarity of fear and desire, craving pleasurable memory and avoiding painful ones. It functions in time, while your true nature lives in the timeless dimension of now.
When you awaken to this truth—I am not the time-bound ego mind; I am not the memory-based reaction stored in the body as energy blocks—you no longer need to forgive others or even yourself. You are no longer operating within the loop of blame, shame, and justification.
This is the deeper meaning of Christ’s words: “You shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free.” He did not say, “Forgive yourself and others to set yourself free.” He pointed to a direct realization: truth itself is freedom.
Even if someone asks for your forgiveness, it does not dissolve the pain unless the inner memory has been met and seen. This does not mean there are no harmful actions in the world. It means that the pain lives on in your nervous system as a filtered perception until it is seen through.
This is why the meditative approach of I AM Yoga is not about the ego mind trying to fix, fight, or eliminate the past. That effort only reinforces the stress. As the ancient yogis said, and as Patanjali taught: Yoga is the cessation of the modifications of the mind.
Yoga begins when you witness and withdraw from the ego mind that is shaped by unresolved karmic memory. When you are no longer identified with it, your true nature is revealed: timeless, maskless Presence.
In that moment of witnessing, you become free. You are the Seer—not the sufferer. You experience yourself as pure awareness. You can finally see the person or situation as it is now, beyond the illusion of wrongdoer and wounded, beyond the memory-based perception shaped by time.
Yoga Vidya, Germany | April 25–28, 2025We are pleased to share that Gurudev Shri Amritji was recently invited to serve as a presenter at the World Yoga Congress, held at Yoga Vidya in Germany from April 25–28, 2025. He was joined by Kamini Desai, PhD, and Nirali Lauren McCrea, who were also invited to present at the Congress.
During the gathering, and in recognition of his global contributions to yoga, Gurudev was elected as a Board Member of the World Yoga Congress, where he will serve as a representative of the United States. Kamini was also invited to join, representing Iceland.
This historic event brought together respected teachers, leaders, and practitioners from around the world to honor the diverse and living traditions of yoga. It was a profound moment for our lineage, as three generations came together to share and embody these teachings on an international platform.
We are grateful for the opportunity to witness and support this evolving legacy.
Much of what we do, we do to make ourselves happier. Sometimes we do things just to be okay.
We expend a lot of energy every day in this pursuit. So, the question is, if we are so devoted to
making ourselves happier, why do we often experience unhappiness? Why after years of this
pursuit have we not become ecstatic beings?
Our judgments about what will make us happier or more okay are based on our memories of past
experiences. We use these memories to project what will make us happy in the future. When we
try to create what we remember made us happy, several outcomes may occur. Perhaps you
remember having a wonderful dinner at a nearby restaurant. You go back to that restaurant and
order the same dish, but this time it is not as good as you remember, or the service is not as good,
or the restaurant is noisier. There is a good chance that your attempt to recreate the happiness
that you remember will not only be unsuccessful but may actually result in disappointment.
Imagine that you are feeling a little blah. You realize that the ice cream you really like is in the
freezer. You eat a bowl of the ice cream, and you enjoy it. But all too soon, the bowl is empty, so
in an attempt to extend the “happiness”, you have another bowl. However, the second bowl does
less for you than the first. This is the law of diminishing returns. You may even eat enough so
much that you feel uncomfortably full–not the experience you were aiming for.
The most extreme outcome of trying to recreate your memory of happiness (or okayness) is
addiction. Whether it is addiction to alcohol, drugs, gambling, sex or even chocolate, it starts by
trying to recreate your memory of a prior state and then doing so repeatedly to the point that
okayness is dependent on it. Even if we do not succumb to addiction, the outcomes we have been
discussing are less than satisfactory, often fleeting, and may actually lead to unhappiness.
So far, we have been talking about attempts to recreate a single experience based on a memory.
However, we spend each day trying to obtain and create all that we believe will make us happy
or okay while also avoiding all that we fear. We are busy trying to control all the factors that
appear to affect our happiness. The job is overwhelming and creates several problems. First, we
never succeed. We never reach a point at which we have all these factors just the way we want.
We never achieve the envisioned happiness and dispense with the fear. Second, this constant
struggle to control all of these factors creates stress in our lives.
Another problem is that seeking happiness is focused on the future. Seeking implies finding or
creating something that we do not have in the present. Our seeking to be happy or okay in the
future is an ongoing affirmation that we are not happy or okay now. We are practicing not being
okay in each moment. Continually practicing not being okay seems like a questionable way to
become okay. Like anything else, what we practice, we develop.
We all have conditions that we believe will make us happy. But what happens when we do
achieve one of these goal conditions? Are we endlessly happy with no more fear or stress?
Generally, we have a very brief period of positive feeling and then we go back to normal with
fears, stress and insecurity reigniting the search for what will make us happy.
Another reason pursuing happiness does not work is that the world exists in polarity—day and
night, life and death, inhale and exhale. The mind tries to split this polarity and create a duality,
endeavoring to get what it likes and avoid what it dislikes. But we never just get what we like.
We never just get one half of the polarity. For example, if you meet someone and say, “This is
the person that makes me happy, and I want to spend my life with this person”, what comes with
it? There’s the fear of what if this person dies or leaves me? Everything intended to make us
happy comes with what will make us unhappy.
So, does this discussion mean that we should not do things we enjoy? No, of course, we do
things we enjoy. The question is, what is driving our choices? It is not the choice we make that is
the problem; it is making choices to be okay or to be happier that is the problem. There is an
important difference between finishing a meal with a piece of chocolate and indulging in
chocolate in an attempt to change our sense of not being okay.
This whole enterprise of trying to be happy, okay, or relatively better is fraught with difficulties
for all the reasons discussed. So, what is the alternative? Up to this point in this article, I have
referred to you and we as the entities that are engaged in the pursuit of happiness. However, the
alternative to this unproductive pursuit requires each of us to recognize that I am not that entity.
That entity is the ego mind. I am the consciousness–conscious of the mind’s effort to seek
happiness. It is the mind that engages in the unproductive pursuit of happiness. It is the mind that
is busy trying to control all of the “happiness (and unhappiness) factors”. But if we are not the
mind, we are not trapped in this ill-conceived enterprise. We can be aware of what the mind is
telling us and not buy into it. We can let those thoughts pass as if they are the advice of an
unhelpful neighbor. By witnessing the mind, we let go of our identification with the mind. This
has two relevant effects. First, by letting go of the mind, we free ourselves from the unproductive
pursuit of happiness. Second, when we witness the mind, we know ourselves as the
consciousness, the being that is aware of the mind’s activity. And consciousness is inherently
okay, joyful, and at peace in the present.
Marty Simon (Govind) is a retired professor of education living in Colorado. He first was
in Gurudev’s presence in 1990 and became a disciple in 1993. He leads an online
meditation group in which he gives spontaneous talks on topics of spirituality in our
lives. This article derived from one of those talks.
A Youtube channel, Spirituality for
Effective Living, is under construction that will give access to talks and related articles.
I AM Yoga, unlike many forms of yoga practiced primarily as a physical discipline, integrates meditation deeply into its core, offering profound mental, emotional, and spiritual benefits. While traditional yoga often emphasizes physical postures (asanas) and their benefits for physical health and flexibility, I AM Yoga takes a holistic approach that transcends the physical to include the mind, body and spirit. This unique integration of meditation with physical practice provides a transformative journey toward inner peace and self-realization.
The Unique Aspects of I AM Yoga
Meditation as a Core Component: I AM Yoga emphasizes meditation not as an adjunct but as a central element of the practice. This integration fosters a deeper connection to the present moment and helps practitioners transcend ego-driven perceptions, leading to a more profound state of awareness and peace.
Holistic Approach to Well-being: While physical yoga focuses primarily on the body, I AM Yoga addresses the whole being. It considers the mental, emotional, and spiritual dimensions, creating a more balanced and comprehensive approach to health and wellness.
Journey from Ego to Presence: I AM Yoga guides practitioners from an ego-driven state, where perceptions are filtered through past experiences and traumas, to a state of presence. This shift enables individuals to experience life as it truly is, free from the distortions of past memories and reactive behaviors.
“The real art of living is learning how to let life flow through you
without letting your fears intervene.” – Gurudev Shri Amritji
Extraordinary Benefits of I AM Yoga
Mental Clarity and Emotional Balance
Reduced Stress and Anxiety: By focusing on meditation and mindfulness, I AM Yoga helps practitioners manage stress and anxiety more effectively. The practice encourages staying in the present moment, which reduces the mind’s tendency to dwell on past regrets or future worries.
Improved Emotional Regulation: Regular practice fosters greater emotional intelligence and resilience. Practitioners learn to observe their emotions without becoming overwhelmed by them, leading to a more balanced and stable emotional state.
Spiritual Awakening and Inner Peace
Connection to the Present Moment: I AM Yoga’s emphasis on the timeless presence helps practitioners break free from the cycle of ego-driven thoughts and behaviors. This connection to the now fosters a deep sense of peace and contentment.
Spiritual Growth: The practice supports spiritual awakening by encouraging a deeper understanding of the self beyond the ego. This can lead to profound insights and a greater sense of unity with the world.
Enhanced Physical Health through Mind-Body Integration
Holistic Health Benefits: While physical postures in I AM Yoga are important, they are performed with a meditative awareness that enhances their benefits. This mind-body integration promotes overall health, including improved flexibility, strength, and bodily awareness.
Healing of Energy Blocks: The practice helps in releasing energy blocks caused by past traumas. This can result in improved physical health and the alleviation of psychosomatic conditions.
“You can only give to others what you have offered yourself.” – Gurudev Shri Amritji
Becoming a Teacher with Amrit Yoga Institute’s 500-Hour Program
Embarking on the 500-hour teacher training program at Amrit Yoga Institute allows yoga practitioners to deepen their understanding of I AM Yoga’s unique approach. This program not only enhances your physical practice but also immerses you in the meditative and spiritual dimensions of yoga, equipping you to guide others on their journey to self-discovery and holistic well-being.
Join Us on a Transformative Journey
By joining the Amrit Yoga Institute’s 500-hour teacher training program, you will immerse yourself in a comprehensive and transformative experience that goes beyond physical postures to include deep meditation and mindfulness practices. Here’s what you can expect from this unique training:
In the 500-Hour Yoga Teacher Training Program we cover the following topics:
Deep Dive into Meditation
Guided Meditation Sessions: Learn various meditation techniques to cultivate mindfulness and present-moment awareness. These sessions will help you develop a personal meditation practice that you can also teach to your students.
Mindfulness Practices: Integrate mindfulness into your daily routine and teaching methodology. Mindfulness practices will enable you to stay centered and aware, both on and off the mat.
Advanced Asana Practice
Holistic Approach to Asanas: Explore the physical postures (asanas) not just as exercises but as opportunities to connect with your breath, mind, and spirit. Learn how to perform and teach asanas with a meditative focus, enhancing their benefits.
Alignment and Anatomy: Gain a deep understanding of the body’s mechanics to teach asanas safely and effectively. This knowledge helps prevent injuries and ensures that your students get the most out of their practice.
Emotional and Energetic Healing
Releasing Energy Blocks: Learn techniques to identify and release energy blocks caused by past traumas and stress. This aspect of the training will teach you how to facilitate healing in yourself and your students.
Emotional Balance: Develop skills to help yourself and others manage emotions through yoga and meditation. Emotional balance is key to a peaceful and fulfilling life.
Personal Growth and Transformation
Inner Work and Self-Reflection: Engage in practices that encourage deep self-reflection and personal growth. Discover your true self beyond the ego mind and learn to live from a place of authenticity.
Spiritual Insights: Gain profound spiritual insights that can transform your perspective on life. These insights will help you lead a more meaningful and connected existence.
Community and Connection
Supportive Environment: Join a community of like-minded individuals who are also on their journey of self-discovery. The supportive environment at Amrit Yoga Institute fosters genuine connections and lifelong friendships.
Teaching and Sharing: Learn how to share your knowledge and experience with others. The training will equip you with the skills to teach yoga and meditation in a way that inspires and transforms your students.
Leadership and Empowerment
Confidence in Teaching: Gain the confidence to lead classes and workshops with authenticity and compassion. The comprehensive training ensures you are well-prepared to teach diverse groups of students.
Positive Influence: Become an agent of positive transformation in your community. By living authentically and leading by example, you inspire others to embark on their own journey of self-discovery and growth.
A Life-Changing Opportunity
Enrolling in the 500-hour teacher training program at Amrit Yoga Institute is more than just an educational experience; it’s a life-changing opportunity to transform yourself and others. Whether you are looking to deepen your practice, become a confident yoga teacher, or embark on a journey of self-realization, this program offers the tools and support you need to succeed.
Take the First Step Today
Embark on this transformative journey with Amrit Yoga’s 500-hour teacher training program. Whether you’re a seasoned practitioner or new to yoga, this program offers a holistic approach to deepen your practice and become a confident teacher. If you have an existing 200-hour yoga teacher certification, it can be applied toward the 500 hours.
The Amrit Yoga Institute’s 500-hour Yoga Teacher training program was designed and developed by Gurudev Shri Amritji and is Yoga Alliance Certified. Gurudev Shri Amritji stands as a trailblazer, notably recognized as the pioneering yoga Guru who introduced the inner dimensions of yoga to the West during the 1960s. With an illustrious career spanning 64 years, Amritji has laid the foundation for some of the largest yoga and health centers across North America.
Gurudev Shri Amritji’s unparalleled contributions to the field of yoga have created a lasting legacy that continues to evolve and inspire. His development of Kripalu Yoga and the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health laid the groundwork for a revolutionary approach to yoga that integrates body, mind, and spirit. The evolution into I AM Yoga, I AM Yoga Nidra, and I AM Yoga Therapy further expands the potential for yoga to heal and transform on every level.
By joining the Amrit Yoga Institute, you are not only enhancing your own practice and teaching skills but also becoming part of a global movement towards greater awareness, healing, and spiritual growth. Embrace this opportunity to transform your life and the lives of others through the profound teachings of Gurudev Shri Amritji. Contact us today to embark on this transformative journey.
Join us on a path of self-realization and growth that will enrich your life on and off the mat. Contact Nirali today to start your journey. Find out more: Amrit Yoga 500-Hour YTT
By Gurudev Shri AmritjiFebruary 24, 2024
The transformative potential of I Am Yoga extends beyond physical health to encompass mental, emotional, and spiritual wellness. It emphasizes the journey from ego-driven perception to a unified experience of the present, offering a holistic approach to living.
The reactive perception we face in people or objects in the present moment stems from the subjective ego mind, which resides in a state of self-deception. This egoic perception filters our experiences through the lens of past memory events, shaping our interpretation of reality.
The subjective perceiver, the ego mind, perceives through the look-a-like memory filter of the past. It cannot see the person or an object present now in the outer world. Consequently, the ego mind fails to see things as they truly are in the present moment; it cannot fully engage with the outer world, nor can it accurately hear or perceive current events.
Operating from its subjective repository of past memories, the ego mind constructs its identity based on attractions to pleasant memories and aversions to painful ones. This subjective perception leads to a fragmented sense of self, perpetuating conflict, stress, and separation from the timeless presence of the present moment.
When you judge others you are judging yourself. What ever you say to others is happening in your body. The time bound ego mind lives in its own unconscious body built in the form of pathological toxic memory stress energy blocks in the feeling body of the timeless presence.
The ego mind’s subjective journey results in the accumulation of energy blocks within the body, manifesting as pathological toxic memory stress disorder. These blocks serve as protective mechanisms, aimed at preventing the recurrence of past traumatic events.
However, the ego mind remains trapped in a cycle of reactive behavior, unable to perceive reality as it truly is. Each time its attention moves outward to achieve what it is attracted to or afraid of the female parasympathetic energy is withdrawn from the male timeless presence. The ego mind uses the energy of the timeless presence to solve the false memory problems that cannot be solved.
The Subjective Ego Mind Lives in Self-Deception
Consider the story of Sarah, who was betrayed by a close friend in the past. Despite moving on from the friendship, Sarah finds herself unable to fully trust new acquaintances. She perceives every interaction through the lens of past betrayal, leading to a cycle of mistrust and isolation. This is a classic example of how the subjective ego mind operates, filtering present experiences through past traumas and perpetuating a cycle of self-deception.
Liberation from Reactive Perception
Sarah’s experience highlights the importance of breaking free from reactive perception. Instead of allowing past traumas to dictate our present reality, we can cultivate awareness of our thought patterns and emotional reactions. By recognizing the limitations of the ego mind’s subjective interpretation, we empower ourselves to respond to situations with clarity and discernment.
Embracing the Timeless Presence
Imagine John, who constantly worries about the future due to past financial struggles. Despite achieving stability in his career, John remains trapped in a cycle of anxiety and fear. By embracing the timeless presence of the present moment, John can release his attachment to past hardships and find peace in the here and now. This shift in perspective allows John to live more fully and authentically, free from the constraints of the ego mind’s self-deception.
Cultivating Present-Moment Awareness
Practices such as meditation and mindfulness can help individuals like John cultivate present-moment awareness. By anchoring themselves in the present moment, they can observe the fluctuations of the mind without becoming entangled in them. This allows for greater clarity of thought and a deeper connection to the underlying truth of our being.
Journey to Inner Peace and Fulfillment
As individuals like John embark on their journey to inner peace and fulfillment, they pave the way for deeper, more authentic connections with others. By releasing the grip of past traumas and egoic patterns, they create space for genuine intimacy and understanding in their relationships. This fosters a sense of belonging and interconnectedness that transcends the limitations of the ego mind’s self-deception.
Fostering Authentic Connections
Consider the story of Maya, who spent years chasing external validation and approval to fill the void within herself. Despite achieving success in her career, Maya feels empty and disconnected from others. Through inner work and self-reflection, Maya learns to cultivate self-love and acceptance. This newfound sense of wholeness allows Maya to authentically connect with others from a place of inner abundance, rather than seeking validation from external sources.
Becoming Agents of Positive Transformation
Students of I AM Yoga, like Maya who awakened to her true nature and embodied consciousness rooted in love and compassion, become agents of positive transformation in the world. By living authentically and leading by example, we inspire others to embark on their own journey of self-discovery and liberation. This collective awakening has the power to ripple outwards, creating a more enlightened and harmonious society for future generations.
Breaking free from the ego mind’s self-deception is a journey of self-discovery, self-transformation, and collective awakening. It requires courage, persistence, and a willingness to confront the shadows within ourselves. However, the rewards are immeasurable – a life of deep meaning, fulfillment, and unconditional love. As we continue on this journey together, may we all find the courage and wisdom to transcend the ego mind’s self-deception and live authentically from the depth of our being.
I Am Yoga is an invitation to embrace the wholeness of being. It is a path that leads to the discovery of one’s true self, beyond the confines of the ego mind. This practice is a gateway to experiencing life in its fullest, most vibrant form, marked by inner peace, harmony, and an unshakeable connection to the universal essence of existence.
Enrolling in the Amrit Yoga Institute’s programs is an invitation to join a vibrant community dedicated to personal and collective transformation. Students and teachers alike benefit from ongoing support, resources, and opportunities for growth. The institute’s emphasis on holistic well-being ensures that all aspects of the individual are nurtured and developed.
Embark on a transformative journey with Amrit Yoga’s 500-hour teacher training program. Move beyond the ego mind’s self-deception and discover your true self. Whether you’re a seasoned practitioner or new to yoga, this program offers a holistic approach to deepen your practice and become a confident teacher. And if you have an existing 200-hour yoga teacher certification it can be applied to the 500 hours. Join us on a path of self-realization and growth that will enrich your life on and off the mat.
Contact Nirali today. https://amrityoga.org/500-hour-ytt-a/
The Legacy and Reach of I AM Yoga
Gurudev Shri Amritji stands as a trailblazer, notably recognized as the pioneering yoga Guru who introduced the inner dimensions of yoga to the West during the 1960s. With an illustrious career spanning 64 years, Amritji has laid the foundation for some of the largest yoga and health centers across North America.
Gurudev Shri Amritji’s unparalleled contributions to the field of yoga have created a lasting legacy that continues to evolve and inspire. His development of Kripalu Yoga and the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health laid the groundwork for a revolutionary approach to yoga that integrates body, mind, and spirit. The evolution into I AM Yoga, I AM Yoga Nidra, and I AM Yoga Therapy further expands the potential for yoga to heal and transform on every level.
By joining the Amrit Yoga Institute, you are not only enhancing your own practice and teaching skills but also becoming part of a global movement towards greater awareness, healing, and spiritual growth. Embrace this opportunity to transform your life and the lives of others through the profound teachings of Gurudev Shri Amritji.
Most people do not know that their relationship with their partner is mirroring the relationship they have with themselves. This relationship between you and yourself is built in the form of reactively built energy blocks in your feeling body in the form of attraction to pleasurable and fear of painful memory events of the past. This conflict creating, stress producing, separative memory events are built in your feeling body. Your external relationships with people, places, and life situations are perceived through the emotional memory stress built in the feeling body in the form of energy blocks. Whenever you are interacting with someone in the outer world, the subjective perceiver cannot see who is present now as it is. On the contrary the person that is present now triggers the look-a-like memory event from your past. This means you are not interacting with the person who is present now. It is your look-a-like memory event that is interacting with the person who is present.
This means the person who is present now is not for you or against you. But as long as you identify yourself with your thoughts about the person present now you are reliving the reincarnated painful, stressful, traumatic memory event from the past. This means if you are unhappy with your present relationship with your husband or wife, even if you divorce yourself from them, it does not free you from the memory event of the past that is being repeated with the new relationship.
This is why the practice of yoga of relationships focuses on how to dismantle and disengage from the toxic memory stress built into your feeling body in the form of energy blocks. When you attempt to change your external relationship as a solution to the old relationship you are changing the effect. Therefore, the cause survives and reappears in the new relationship.
The ego mind that we identify with is in subjective, reactive interaction with the outer world. That means his subjectively recreating the external relationship with others and the outer world of live situation he faces. This is why the practice of I AM Yoga® of conscious relationships focuses on transforming your relationship with yourself.
This means that when you identify with your time bound ego mind rooted in the memory blocks in the feeling body you are subjective reactive perceiver of the objective reality that is present and whole now. When you witness and withdraw the reactive perceiver you are non-reactive, choice less, responsive perceiver to the person or an object that is present now.
This means when the reactive subject perceiver vanishes the reactively perceived object vanishes. When you solve the problem within of the conflict creating relationship you are no longer the reactive perceiver you have replaced it with the timeless presence that can see the other as they are. This explains the popular statement that when you change the whole world changes with you.
— Yogi Amrit Desai
January 21, 2024
REGISTER NOWThe Yoga of Relationships: A Partners Day Retreat for Nurturing ConnectionWith Gurudev Shri Amritji, Bhavaani Deanna Gray, RYT-500, Bhairav Curt Gibson, RYT 200 and Nirali Lauren McCreaSunday, January 21st, 2024, 9:00 am – 4:00 pm ETJoin Gurudev Shri Amritji, Bhairav and Bhavaani for a day of I AM Yoga Nidra meditation, partner yoga, and soothing sounds of crystal bowls. Learn communication techniques to strengthen relationship bonds. We will spend the day cultivating loving relationships through the wisdom from the book, “The Yoga of Relationships” by Gurudev Shri Amritji.A transformational discourse by Gurudev will explore the complexities of the ego mind and its impact on our relationships. Elevate your connection in a safe space designed for shared growth and understanding. This is more than a retreat; it’s a path of self discovery and celebration of connection.Bring a partner (Partners are required to register individually, $99 per person), whether it’s your spouse, parent, adult child, sister, brother, or favorite human. Be sure to register in advanced to save your spaces.What to bring:Your partnerBag lunch, snacks and waterYoga matWe recommend reading (but not required) The Yoga of Relationships by Yogi Amrit DesaiPurchase here: (https://amritkala.com/shop/books/yoga-relationships-book/)Agenda9:00 – 10:30 am Partner Yoga and Crystal Bowl Sound Bath10:30 – 11:00 am Break11:00 am – 12:00 noon Darshan with Gurudev Shri Amritji12:00 – 1:30 pm Lunch Break1:30 – 2:40 pm Yoga of Relationships and Nonviolent Communication2:40 – 2:50 Break2:50 – 3:30 pm Yoga Nidra3:30 – 4:00 pm Closing CircleBreak down the walls of separation and embark on a journey toward conscious relationships.Lead TeachersGurudev Shri Amritji
Gurudev Shri Amritji is the first disciple to bring the sacred teachings of the Lord Lakulish (Shiva) and Kripalu Lineage to the West in 1960. Gurudev was personally empowered to give shaktipat by his Guru Swami Shri Kripalvanada. In 1970 Gurudev experienced a spontaneous awakening of the Soul Being Presence that I AM. This was reinforced by a three month meditation retreat in silence and seclusion. He emerged as a spiritual master embodying the rare capacity to transmit profound healing and transformative prana Shakti through energetic transmission. He discovered the body is the book of secrets; it is the temple of prana Shakti, and heart is the center of Shiva consciousness. Gurudev is repeatedly honored by prestigious organizations and world-renowned authorities in the East and West. You can learn more about Gurudev Shri Amritji at https://amritji.org He comes from an ancient lineage of energetic transmission and his teachings have ignited the fire…
Learn more about Gurudev Shri Amritji—Bhavaani Deanna Gray, RYT-500
Back pain from working on the computer lead Bhavaani to yoga. In 2017 Bhavaani signed up for a hot yoga teacher training to bring discipline to her practice. But what she received was so much more! She gained not only physical strength, but also mental clarity and spiritual connection. Yoga brought so much positive change in her life she was inspired to share what she learned. She knew teaching yoga was her path. She studied the the authentic teachings of yoga from Gurudev Shri Amritji at the Amrit Yoga Institute in Salt Springs, Florida. There she earned 500-hours in Yoga Alliance certifications. She is currently enrolled in the Amrit Institute’s 800-hour Yoga Therapy Certification. She’s excited to continue on her journey of transformation and hopes to inspire and support others who are on this path of self-discovery.
Learn more about Bhavaani Deanna Gray, RYT-500—Bhairav Curt Gibson, RYT 200
Bhairav’s introduction to yoga came at an early age, when his mother would take him along with her to the local YMCA for her yoga classes. After practicing hot yoga himself for several years, as a way to condition his body for working outside during the Florida summers’, he completed his 200 hour Hot Yoga teacher certification. Wanting to deepen the spiritual component of his yoga practice, he traveled to India for a 100 hour I AM Yoga Nidra training with Kamini Desai and Shri Amritji of Amrit Yoga Institute. After completion of this certification, he was drawn to a second 200 hour teacher training of Amrit Yoga Level 1. It was through these teachings he found the way to travel in equanimity during his practice. He also provides sound therapy using 7 Quartz crystal bowls. He is excited to reveal what he has learned with you as he continues…
Learn more about Bhairav Curt Gibson, RYT 200—Nirali Lauren McCrea
Yogacharya and Senior Training Faculty. Nirali synthesizes the power of breath, bodily wisdom and meditative awareness to experientially guide students into the heart of yoga. Finding solace on the mat as a young teen, Nirali has immersed herself in the depths of yoga for 20 years. Inspired to move to the Amrit Yoga Institute in 2009, she has extensively trained in the I AM Yoga® approach ever since. For over a decade, Nirali has helped oversee the development and reach of education offered by the Amrit Yoga Institute and has led seminars across the United States, Canada, Mexico and India. In 2021, she was awarded the title “Yogacharya” by Gurudev Shri Amritji, acknowledging her lifelong dedication to yoga and unique ability to decode and impart its practical and mystical subtleties. Today, she is the lead faculty of the Level 1 I AM Yoga® 200-hour Teacher Training, offers free weekly classes…
Learn more about Nirali Lauren McCrea
In the ordinary waking state, every thought is charged by your emotional reactions. Every perception is distorted by your anticipation and expectation of what is present. So everything you perceive at any given moment is distorted by personal biases, fears and attachments. Under these conditions, you suffer from blindness and deafness, where you cannot see what is, and your ears are deafened by your personal biases, fears and attachments.
Everything you believe that you see, hear and interact with in life is not reality. What you are actually experiencing is your reaction to reality. All reactions come from the conditioning of your past unresolved impressions and experiences. This means that every one of your reactions is related to the trauma, pain and hurt that has been experienced in the past and that is stored in your body in the form of physical tension and blockages. These blockages, working through the body, keep the body from functioning optimally. This creates agitation, restlessness and emotional reactions through the medium of the mind. This is why you are helplessly driven by restlessness in your mind, becoming a helpless victim who suffers from your own mental and emotional agitations. Thus the body and mind create a vicious cycle where they begin to feed negative energies into each other, creating constant mental agitation, emotional reaction and physical tensions, which is at the core of all human suffering.
In the system of body-mind-spirit, the mind can monitor the body. But in order to monitor the mind, it is necessary to go to the next higher level to restore the tranquility, creativity and health of the mind. For that, you must go into meditation. You cannot solve problems at the level of consciousness where the problems are created. All problems that you carry from the past are created at the body-mind level. Through the practice of meditation you are able to restore the healing interaction between body-mind.
The ego-mind operates through memory of the past and projections into the future. Problems you experience in the past invariably come up in the form of reactions to the present moment. Solutions that you call goals and desires are promised in the future. In pursuit of promised happiness in the future you don’t mind being miserable in the present. You do not mind creating stress on a physical, mental and emotional level with the expectation of being relaxed at the end. To be more relaxed at the end of the day, you don’t mind creating tensions all day long. In an effort to make your retirement years prosperous, you don’t mind making your whole working life miserable. This is how you manage to make your life miserable by relying of the false promise of happiness in the future.
Why do you have such restless minds and resist trying to find peace, especially when you try to meditate?
When you learn to pay attention to the restlessness in the mind, irritations and emotions naturally arise. You will notice the restless and agitation, especially when you are attempting to quiet the mind through meditation. The thought patterns that are obscured by everyday events become instantly more visible and prominent when you are creating appropriate conditions to notice them through meditation. When you see such restlessness of mind during meditation, it is not really that you are more restless than usual; you are simply recognizing the restlessness that is usually buried under the intensity of the countless activities you are involved in.
What is the best time of the day to meditate?
It is especially beneficial to have a specific time for meditation that you can create in consideration of your daily activities. This can change from person to person. Once you decide a specific time, you must regularly follow that time and your psycho physical clock begins to create appropriate conditions for you to avoid the usual indecision and hesitations that surround the discipline and the practice of yoga. That itself forms a very important part of spiritual discipline. Early morning and before going to bed are excellent times for meditation and are convenient for nearly everyone. Use either one or both times for meditation, but if that is not feasible because of work hours or other personal reasons choose whatever time you like. Whenever you are able to consistently meditate, that is the best time for you.
— Yogi Amrit DesaiDownload a .pdf version of this article
Prosperity cannot be measured by possessions. It can be measured only by who you are in the process of attaining them. Most people ignore what they do to themselves because they’re driven exclusively by what they think they want from the world or others. They cling to misbeliefs about prosperity that they learned from their parents or society. Their focus is object-bound – purely external. This false prosperity, created by the ego mind, is unconscious prosperity, otherwise known as success.
To enter conscious prosperity you must reconnect to yourself internally, in a conscious, moment-by-moment interaction with the external world. Very few people are fully conscious of the suffering they self-inflict in order to achieve. In fact, most successful people are essentially killing themselves with the conflict and stress they create inside while accumulating wealth and popularity outside. They sacrifice their peace of mind, relationships and health. Not everyone does this. Those who do may not do it all the time. This is what happens when the ego, separated from consciousness, is a loose cannon, unconsciously firing and backfiring.
This is why most people are perpetually in reactive conflict with other people and situations. Everything they encounter is a struggle—violence against everyone including themselves. When the mind is excessively engaged with external success and paying no attention to what is happening internally, the subconscious prana—precious life energy—hemorrhages into unconscious thoughts, emotions and actions.
You will see many successful people who are constantly irritated, frustrated, angry, fearful, insecure, fighting, withdrawing, denying, blaming, and shaming. Their prana is invested in “having” rather than “being.” As they strive to become happy they become unhappy in the process. They identify with what they have rather than who they are—using their life energy to abuse themselves, while reinforcing a separated self-image that remains in conflict within the conscious self. This is why most people retire in ill health from self-generated stress leading to heart attacks, liver disease and all kinds of troubles.
Let’s say you are entering a yoga posture. If bullied by your ego mind, you will be anxious to achieve the pose at any cost, focusing on how it looks externally while ignoring how it feels internally. In the process you injure yourself, ending up with success outside and suffering inside. But when you enter the posture of consciousness, you maintain inner harmony with external situations. In conscious prosperity, you are an integrated being in continuous response with what you are doing in each moment.
What you have cannot give you who you are. Prosperity is a manifestation of consciousness, not the other way around. You must learn to put the horse before the cart. Consciousness is the horse, and then, along the way, the cart gets filled with what you want.
Money can buy many things, even relationships, but it cannot buy your relationship with yourself. What you own cannot fulfill you because you have separated from your conscious self in the process of possessing. This is known as the insanity of humanity. If you are unhappy within, nothing you gain externally will ever make you happy.
The only way to determine what will make you happy is by going inside. Your body is much more intelligent than your mind, so bring your breath and your awareness deep into the body. Move from the thinking center into the feeling center. Then ask yourself what you really want. Become very quiet, very still, and wait for the answer. Give yourself plenty of time. You will know when the answer comes because everything suddenly becomes obvious. You will feel the energy surging from your unconscious and integrating into your consciousness with crystal-clear intention and purpose.
The moment you identify what it is that you truly want, you connect to the infinite source of power within and everything you want will follow. Then external work becomes inner work simultaneously. Once you become conscious, your ego mind is dismantled and you enter conscious prosperity. Trust that you can do this. Conscious prosperity is available to everyone.
— Yogi Amrit DesaiDownload a .pdf version of this article
By definition, sentimentality is action and thought colored by emotion rather than reason. It appears to be rational, yet is confined by personal conditioning by the past. Reason is then rooted to a person’s conditioning, rather than to reality. Therefore all perceptions of reality are conditioned by acquired dualistic perceptions. Adapted reasons simply justify personal, emotional attachments and fears.
As a result of living in a dualistic, separative consciousness, no matter how idealistic and whole a person appears to others, their belief systems are conditioned by an internal personal split. Emotional people have a tendency to become passionate and fanatic about what they believe since their belief is rooted in the past, rather than in reality and the source of integration found within. While what they stand for appears to be idealistic and integrative, invariably, dualist conflict with non-believers is created, and war may be waged in the name of peace.
The root of emotional sentimentality arises out of expectations that represent personal fears, dependency and control issues. In short, sentimentality is the result of personal attachment and fear, and is self-centered. It manifests as judgment and emotional reactions based upon separative consciousness.
On the other hand, compassion is concern for the suffering of another with an inclination to provide support and mercy. It comes from one who has attained an integrated state of being whose perceptions are not colored by the dualistic personal likes and dislikes, attractions and repulsions. This person is capable of true caring that brings lasting peace and harmony.
Great masters such as Christ, Krishna and Buddha successfully resolved all their internal conflicts. They rose above their personal preferences, fears and addictions, and acted from the deepest level of integration from within that represents the true compassionate heart.
Quite often those who are activists for peace, environmental or civil rights haven’t yet learned to resolve their own inner conflicts. Their intimate relationships with spouses, family, friends or business partners, may be chaotic and stressful. So while they appear to be strong forces for peace and demonstrate what is called compassion for victims of war and calamity, they actually live in perpetual internal conflict with themselves and others. They are unable to come to resolution in harmonious ways. This is sentimentality rather than true compassion.
— Yogi Amrit DesaiDownload a .pdf version of this article
There are two types of addictions: attaching to pleasure and avoiding pain. Sex falls into both, and that is what makes it such a powerful force. It can numb us from experiencing what is present and distort our entire perception of reality. When sexual energies are charged and in harmony between lovers, psychic disharmony is submerged. When sexual attraction diminishes, the underlying discord surfaces. At first, needs are satisfied naturally because the initial bond is based on biological energy. But then, psychological expectations fail to be met by the other. The conflict that follows is not between people; it is between expectations.
An expectation is how you think reality should be which has nothing to do with the actual reality. Meanwhile every thought you project carries life force energy. The stronger the emotion with which the thought is charged, the more penetrating it becomes. It can travel greater distances without being diffused.
When you project a thought onto something actual, you create the illusion called expectation. If you think, I prefer blondes, and then one day your lover dyes her hair red, your precious life energy is wasted in the struggle against the fact that this person is now a redhead. You have managed to turn the present moment into your enemy. There is no problem in having thoughts and preferences; the problem arises when you identify with them. Then you end up giving your lover a mask, a persona. After that, you cannot see them or hear them. Every interaction is processed through the mask that you gave them. It’s not their mask; it’s yours, custom-designed according to your own expectations.
The moment you impose an expectation, you are no longer interacting with your lover. You are interacting with your own concepts that have nothing to do with them. You are now relating not with a person but with a ghost. Instead of living in the present moment, you are carrying around a dead identity in your mind. You have constructed a ghost town, and to compound the problem, you have recruited the other person to live there with you.
It may seem you are in a relationship but really you are not. For two people to be in a relationship, each person must first be in relationship with his or her self. This is why most relationships are so complicated. When you get married, it is not a twosome but a foursome. Each of you has an ego mind and a Higher Self. The ego mind expects; the Higher Self accepts. If you are operating from your ego mind, you expect the other person to provide what only you can give yourself, which is self-acceptance. But when you are established in your Higher Self, you accept yourself completely. Only then are you capable of accepting others.
Marriage never fails; expectations do. When expectations fail, we call it divorce.
All expectations are doomed because they require an outside resource to fulfill a need that can only be sourced internally. When you expect another to make you whole, you are assigning that person an impossible task. How easily do we form an opinion about a person and then hold them hostage for violating our expectations? By blaming the other for your unfulfilled expectations, you are only victimizing yourself. Dependence on anyone or anything external disempowers you and depletes your life force, whether it’s a dysfunctional relationship with alcohol, food, sex or another person. This is addiction.
If you strive to meet the other person’s expectations, you are enabling them in their own addiction as well as your own. You are trying to feel comfortable by making them feel comfortable, but all you are doing is reinforcing who you are not and creating more stress. You are avoiding the discomfort of revealing the truth, which is inevitable. The truth always comes out eventually. You are just prolonging your suffering and the suffering of the other by not being honest about what you really want.
Whatever it is that you want from the other, you must first learn to give it. Only then can you connect to the Source of power within. Instead of asking for love, be loving. Instead of asking for acceptance, be accepting. Instead of asking to be understood; be understanding. When we drop the ego mind, we drop expectations. And what remains? The Higher Self, which simply accepts.
All acceptance starts with self-acceptance. Only when you accept yourself are you able to accept others. This is unconditional love, free of expectations. Then you no longer treat the other person as an object. When there is harmony, there is no subject or object; there is only oneness. When you accept what is as is, the object disappears and the divinity behind the mask reveals itself. Now you are in direct interaction with the present moment, in a close and deep relationship with yourself and your life. Your divinity shines through and becomes a mirror to reflect your lover’s Higher Self back to them.
Using sex to avoid psychological pain will only drain your energy and feed the underlying issue that remains unresolved. But sex can connect hearts when lovers use it as a mirror. You can reflect each other’s vulnerabilities as well as your divinity. In fact, every relationship—whether it’s a 50-year marriage or a 30-second conversation with a bank teller—will show you whether you are connected to or separate from your Source. Everyone who crosses your path is a mirror if you let go of preconceptions.
The writer Gabriel García Márquez once said, “I know my wife so well, she’s an utter mystery to me!” This is what it means to be free of expectations. Everyone, no matter how well you think you know them, is new in every moment. As are you! When we drop the habit of projecting dead memories of the past onto the present, we can enjoy an intimate relationship with all that arises as it arises, in love with the mystery of life as it unfolds.
— Yogi Amrit DesaiDownload a .pdf version of this article
Human beings are born with the unique ability to materialize their thoughts into forms. The mind is an evolutionary human gift that emerged from the subconscious. The subconscious animal body functions through instincts and is present in the physical body as the autonomic nervous system. The mind gives us the facility to become an individual creator, but it has no access to the in-born creator that is the divine potential within us.
The mind has many creative powers in the dimension of time yet it lives in separation from the time transcendent source of oneness/omnipresence within. Humans are born with the mind as a vessel for the ego to create anything in the world of time and space. Most humans live in the hypnotic trance of the collective unconscious which only knows how to create and make things happen externally in time and space. The ego mind achieves many amazing changes in the external world and it does so by using the life force/prana, the female aspect of male consciousness.
The human body carries out all its life giving functions through the male sympathetic and female parasympathetic nervous systems. In yogic systems this represents the direct expression of Shiva male consciousness and Shakti female energy. The body functions through the interaction of cosmic consciousness and cosmic energy, logical left brain and intuitive right brain –sun breath, moon breath. Pingala and ida nadi connect to the sun-moon breath which activates the autonomic nervous system. Human beings have evolved with an ego mind actively engaging the male sympathetic nervous system. As a result, the body that is the field of divine interplay of consciousness and energy has become a field of conflict creating, stress producing interaction of body-mind.
Yoga allows us to see a divine potential in the body. Subconscious polarity pervades the entire body of the universe as well as the human body. In all of creation only human beings are born with animal body, human mind, and divine potential. The subconscious body is considered to be mechanical rather than an ultimate, natural creation. The human body is created by the same cosmic male and female forces as the entire natural world. Just as the cosmic body and all that happens in it are maintained by the universal laws, so too the human body.
In the practice of I AM Yoga™ we recognize that the body is the manifestation of the divine interplay of consciousness and energy. Therefore, the creator that remains invisible becomes visible through its creation that is the body. In the practice of Patanjali’s yoga the body is treated as a temple. The practice of I AM Yoga™ is designed to use yamas and niyamas, postures and pranayama, pratyahara and dharana, as powerful mediums for the purification the body and the mind. In the practice of I AM Yoga™ the basic impurity is the stress that appears at the level of the body-mind in conflict creating interactions in love life, family life, and work life. In the practice of I AM Yoga™ self-destructive habit patterns and compulsive behaviors accommodate the stress built in the form of habits, behavior, personality, and attitude that we identify with is what holds us back from the source of oneness that god is, that love is within. This means that I AM Yoga™ cannot be based on believing in God – which is a speculative conceptual idea but experiencing the oneness within.
Patanjali’s Eight-Limbed Yoga encourages, “Yoga as witnessing the modifications of mind” which explains that the divine potential that we are is the being within us that is present here and now. Human beings have evolved to function at a collective unconscious level where the majority are confined to explore human potential through the ego mind. We are human beings – the being is our divine potential. Meditation is the access to the being that we are.
Yoga explores divine potential. Human beings seek human potential. I AM Yoga™ creates a shift from doing and becoming to being non-doing presence. Human beings can explore the secrets of natural world of creation but it cannot reconnect with its creator at the core of man’s divine potential that lives as being within us.
In order to reach to the divine potential, or the superconscious state of being oneness, we must connect to its creation that becomes visible through the wisdom of the body. In the practice of I AM Yoga™ we connect first to the wisdom of the body which is the manifestation of co-creative interplay of male and female consciousness. Thus the practice of Yoga requires us to enter into the twilight zone where doing and being come into co-creative interaction. The entire practice of I AM Yoga™ is designed with specific techniques, tools, and the teachings of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras that allows anyone to practice yoga and enter into the alpha brain wave states where inner conflicts are progressively reduced and allows one to enter in progressively deeper states of doing and being in the present moment. Doing and being come together in a paradoxical oneness; how to be doing and being simultaneously.
Kripalu yoga and now Amrit Yoga I called “Meditation in Motion.” This directly corresponds with what Patanjali says on how to practice yoga and enter into integrated zone of being, but also gives a precise technique to enter that paradoxical zone where doing and non-doing happen simultaneously. Dynamic actions in postures combines with witnessing the modifications of the mind are in co-creation with deep stillness-Meditation in motion.
When your actions are action-less, creation and manifestation happen directly by consciousness rather than through the medium of ego mind. When the mind is dominating and performing the postures, all mental and emotional agitations and conflicts are immediately translated into body-mind conflict simultaneously.
In I AM Yoga™ the practice is to move from conflict-creating ego mind that dominates the nervous system and replace it for witnessing presence. That allows a release from conflicts created on mental and emotional levels that are carried in the body. Most seekers practice yamas and niyamas, asana, mudra, kriyas or any other aspects of Yoga guided by the ego-mind. Practice with the ego-mind is so wide spread that most do not know that when their attention is drifting, divided, and fragmented, the energy that follows the attention is also fragmented and divided.
Yoga a unifying experience turns into a conflict creating experience. Prana Shakti working under the influence of ego mind carries out actions in whatever manner the ego-mind is functioning. In the practice of yoga, it becomes an ego posture. Ego posture reacts to what is present simultaneously creating the same separation and conflict inside as outside. Yoga as a workout creates a completely opposite experience of what Yoga is intended: to provide a shift from the conflict creating duality of ego mind to co-creative harmonious interaction between consciousness and energy on a subconscious level.
The one and only force you work with that keeps you from yoga is your ego-mind. Why? Because ego mind lives in the dimension of time. The practice of yoga is about moving beyond the karmic impressions and memories of the ego mind’s journey in the dimension of time. The practice of yoga is not about the search for God, instead is it learning how to enter the unifying experience of oneness that is god.
In the practice of yoga, you do not need to believe in God, nor do you need to know, understand or have faith in God to initiate your journey toward the Oneness that is God. The experience of Oneness is to be vigilantly alert and aware when reactions arise from the past and create separation from who or what is present. That is why Patanjali says “Yoga is witnessing the modification of Mind.”
The enlightened saint of India, Maher Baba once said that Man minus Mind is equal to God. A Yogic lifestyle is aimed toward the unfolding experience of being by withdrawing from any doing from the ego mind. In the practice of yoga, actions in the present moment are not aimed at results in the future. You are withdrawing from the fears, concerns, and impatience that emerge in the form of reactive interaction with what is present from moment to moment. You are consciously engaged in doing with an intention for integration combined with deliberate willful action. This the entry to the posture of consciousness. You are actively integrated. In the second half of the posture of consciousness you are in action-less absorption in oneness. The first half is where doing and non-doing come into harmonious interaction. This is the experience of the underlying unity of polarity. The second half is the non-active unity of polarity.
Any reactive thinking that arises from the conditioned impressions of the past have no capacity to see what is as is. Its interactions with reality are a continuous attempt to recreate pleasurable experiences and avoid trauma and painful experiences of the past. The ego mind is restricted by the invisible boundaries of karmically created patterns that live in the form memories in the mind. Those memory walls are strongly held and rigid, like the Great Wall of China, yet they do not actually exist, they are an illusion. Those protective walls are created by the karma body of self-concepts driven by the self-image of the ego mind.
These walls are invisible to the reactive perceiver, the ego mind because they are its own creation. In the practice of Yoga, we recognize that you cannot solve the problem by the same ego mind that created it. That is why Patanjali would say that the purpose of yoga practice/the yoga practice does not begin with yama, niyamas, asana, or pranayama – it begins with witnessing the modifications of mind where yama, niyamas, asana and pranayama become the medium for connecting to consciousness through witnessing presence. The door is the witnessing power of presence watching reactive thought forms.
People do not recognize that the practice of yamas, niyamas, asanas and pranayams are used as a medium of the ego-mind. The practice is then driven by a reactive perceiver, the ego-mind that judges its personal practice though success and failure, for and against me. These thoughts arise from the self-image and self-concepts that you identify with. Those are impressions, experiences, and memories of the karmic past. You cannot fight with the shadow in the past, it has no reality.
The ego-mind has no power to remove the darkness because it represents the darkness. You cannot do anything to the darkness in a room, you cannot remove the darkness. You cannot fight or kill it. You cannot fight or run away from it – you simply know the truth that you are not the darkness of your reactive thoughts and perception. In Ashtanga yoga withdrawing [pratyahara] from the reactive perceptions disengages the ego mind from the body and is replaced by the witnessing power of presence, the light of consciousness. Meditation is the mature form of pratyahara and dharana that precedes it.
In the practice of postures, the ego as the performer was being edgy on the edge and used fight or flight reaction on the edge. This introduces conflict with the darkness that cannot be fought with, nor can it be eliminated. To interrupt the ego mind and replace it with co-creative interaction between the seer and the seen we use conscious breathing to enter pratyahara. When you withdraw from mental and emotional fragmentation your mind becomes focused and concentration [dharana] naturally happens. Concentration is like a beam of consciousness that gathers all fragmented energy. Witnessing presence allows you to continually observe the cathartic process of the past thru the body-mind.
When a Yogi withdraws from the ego mind, he does so by igniting the fire of consciousness with the fuel of prana to burns the seeds of karma to ashes in the body. This is why yoga is not simply a jump from doing to the oneness of being, but a process of learning to burn the karmic seeds stored in the body’s feeling center. Integration experienced as yoga is carried out on at the level of polarity. Polarity is the ground in which integration is carried out. The whole process of self-discovery happens as karmic seeds of the self-image and self-concepts are burned. Thus the unity of yoga must pass through polarity in action.
Every time the ego-mind is engaged by fear or attachment, it converts subconscious energy of fear and attachment into unconscious energetic blockages in the body. These energetic blocks are lodged in many levels in the body –organs, cells, nerves, muscles and joints that are all connected to the nerve ganglias –in yoga called chakra system. Thus all the conflicts/agitations created through thoughts/feelings/emotions and interactions with your external and internal experiences are stored in different bodies through which the consciousness manifests.
Yogis describe the human experience through expressing, manifesting, and experiencing life through different bodies – Annamayakosha, Prananayakosha, Mannamayakosha, Vijanamayakosha, and Anandamayakosha. These karmic impressions are personally distorted experiences of reality. These distortions created at the level of the mind are ingested and materialized in the physical body. The mind that stores them is deeply interconnected with the body. That mind becomes the victim of its own creation.
Mentally you cannot influence consciousness, either positively or negatively. The mind must use energy to reconnect with its source that is represented by the bliss body of consciousness that we are. The mind that is engaged by past impressions manifest in the form of addictions to pleasure, and fear of painful experiences of the past are created by using the energy of the mind to materialize mental manifestation into material creation. This interaction happens between mind, the subconscious energy field, and the physical body, but it does not touch the superconscious soul being that we are. No matter how many bad karmas or sins you have performed you can still return to source of loving presence that is God within you.
— Yogi Amrit DesaiDownload a .pdf version of this article
More people than ever before are ready for a spiritual dimension and depth to the practice of yoga. This is reflected dramatically in the changing themes of today’s books, magazines, professional journals, popular seminars and many systems of personal growth, psychology, philosophy and spiritual teachings.
The Widespread Therapeutic Adaptation of Yoga. As yoga has become progressively more popular, the depth of its practice has been modified and sometimes compromised in response to professional fields and specialized applications such as physical and other therapies, business, sports, dance, athletics and personal growth and healing programs. It has been adapted for health care modalities, drug and alcohol rehabilitation and even prisons. The modified versions of yoga have allowed its practical application to appeal to millions of people all over the world. The scientific validations of yoga have gained a high degree of recognition and credibility and have been widely admitted into the mainstream of even conservative business organizations and societies worldwide.
Yoga Has Changed the West but the West Has Also Changed Yoga. It is obvious, however, that as yoga has changed the West, the West has changed yoga. Now that the West is waking up to the spiritual values of life, it is ready to explore and adopt yoga in its original depth and the glory as taught by the great realized master Yogi Patanjali. There is a growing hunger among thousands of yoga teachers and practitioners to dive into the inner dimension and deeper aspects of yoga. The popular practices of yoga have fulfilled society’s need for physical fitness, weight loss, competition and relaxation and have made yoga a household word but it should not be limited to this. That is like clipping of the wings of an airplane and using it as a car. The great sages knew the power of yoga for the holistic and spiritual transformation of body-mind, heart and soul.
A Fusion of Hatha and Raja YogaIn 1970 Yogi Desai had an unexpected mystical experience. In his daily sadhana his disciplined deliberate practice of asanas took a paradoxical change and he found himself in a sudden flow of spontaneous, automatic movements in a deeply ecstatic meditative state, while his body performed unusual and unfamiliar postures. His body became extremely pliable and flexible for more than an hour. He was in bliss and into a dynamic stillness – meditation in motion. His postures were non-mentally guided by the inner promptings of prana – the early state of Kundalini awakening. This completely changed his life and his perspective on the practice of yoga.
“In 1970-71, I had become well known in the field of yoga. I was the founder of one of the largest yoga organizations in America, conducting one hundred and fifty yoga classes a week, training approximately 2,000 students each semester. I was recognized with the honorary degree of Doctor of Yoga by HH Jagadguru Shankaracharya. Yet I realized that I did not know the real depth of yoga until it was revealed to me in that awakening experience in 1970.”
He discovered he could re-enter this experience in his daily practices. He realized the true meaning of practicing Patanjali’s Ashtanga (Eight-Limbed Yoga) and that a sadhana of asana and meditation practiced separately was incomplete. This insightful understanding of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras was not merely a philosophy. Their true meaning and essence had been directly experienced. He has since integrated the core principles and values of Patanjali’s Eight-Limbed Yoga into attainable practical techniques and tools that can help any student of Ashtanga Yoga enter a holistic practice. The emphasis from the very beginning is the development of inward focus and to remain witness to all modifications of the mind that manifest as mental and emotional reactions that occur in the practice of yamas and niyamas, asana and pranayama. As a result Yogi Desai created a radical new approach to the practice of yoga, meditation in motion, the simultaneous practice of Hatha and Raja yoga.
Patanjali Yoga Sutras: A Holistic PracticePatanjali chose the word “Ashtanga” consciously, to describe the eight limbs of yoga that make up one body of yoga. The very name’s astha (eight) anga (limbs) denotes that it is not eight steps of yoga to be practiced one at a time in a linear way. The function of each limb of our body is complementary and in co-creation with all the other limbs serving the body as a whole. Each limb of Ashtanga Yoga has to be practiced holistically to continually evolve toward the ultimate experience of union called Samadhi, in which the individual soul merges with the cosmic soul. It is the experience of the union of Purusha and Prakriti; Shiva and Shakti, consciousness and energy.
It Is Not A Step Ladder Approach of Climbing One Step At a Time and Reaching the Final Step of Samadhi. Any one limb of eight-limbed yoga in the absence of the unifying power of “witness” becomes just a physical practice. Without “witness” you cannot enter what Patanjali describes as yoga. Yoga is witnessing the mental modifications of the ego-mind. It is a holistic practice. It engages all limbs on all levels through which consciousness manifests. A practitioner can cultivate anyone limb but its exclusive practice will be in conflict with the whole; it will not result in oneness. You cannot drop anyone step and enter into harmony and unity. The eight-limbed body of yoga is the holistic practice of yoga that creates a quantum leap and profound shift that connects you to the source of oneness every moment, every step of the way, not just at the end of the journey at the stage of Samadhi.
If you have an eight-stringed instrument and you tune the “Hatha yoga” strings and leave the “Raja” yoga strings untuned, no matter how accomplished a musician you are you will not get music from it. All eight strings must be in tune at the same time to get music. Only then does it become the music of the soul.
Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras Holds the Secrets to the Purpose of Yoga: The Experience Of Integration. Sanskrit scholars and philosophers have treated the teachings of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras as scriptures rather than dynamic disciplines and techniques which are designed for yoga practitioners to embody the powerful inner dimension of yoga experientially. For a yogi it is a practical guide, a manual for their practice.
Patanjali states that the purpose of the practice of eight-limbed yoga is about remaining the witness to the modifications of mind. This means that the practice of eight-limbed yoga must be accompanied with the witnessing power of meditation from the very beginning. Thus, for Patanjali, entry into yoga happens in the non-mental integrative unifying zone of “now.” This he defines in his first sutra that says: “Now the discipline of yoga.” Thus, Samadhi is the unfolding process as the seed of integration is nurtured in the unfolding journey of a practicing yogi. It results in the flowering of the ultimate manifestation of Samadhi.
Now, the Discipline of Yoga. Entering the experience of ‘now’ is not a goal to be achieved in the future. It is not an external event, situation or experience to be created and achieved in the dimension of time. Instead it is a moment to moment process where you catch yourself in your mental and emotional reactions arising out of the pre-programed body of your conditioned past. When you withdraw from the reactive thoughts and actions through choiceless, non-reactive awareness you have entered the omnipresent presence in the non-mental, timeless zone of now. This means you have entered the discipline of yoga.
Yoga is being in choiceless awareness, accepting what is, as it is with no need for you to control, manage, change or improve whatever you face from moment to moment. This frees you from reacting to whatever (physical, mental, and emotional blocks) you face. You will withdraw from the ego-mind getting caught in fight or flight reaction. Thus, his first two sutras are clearly explaining how to enter the inner dimension of yoga by remaining witness to all the passing thoughts, feelings, fears and emotional reactions, regardless of what limb of yoga you are engaged in. Your connection to the source takes only one step, choiceless awareness, and that Self cannot be accessed by ten thousand steps of the self-image.
Your soul is an omnipresent presence, the Self that you are. Now is the same as the Self that I AM. Every moment I step out of the time bound ego-mind, I Am reborn. Every experience shaped through my reactive perception is living through the nonexistent dead past. Reactively perceived events disappear upon awakening of the Self that I Am.
‘Now the discipline of yoga’ means “dying” to the ego-mind, the carrier of the dead memories of the past, and being born into the infinite source of power of the presence within. I AM, the soul in me, is an eternal choiceless witness to every object, relationship and situation it encounters from moment to moment. Thus, when I am in witness, life is experienced as a moment to moment birth and death, death of the time-bound ego-mind and birth of the timeless presence that I AM.
The Integrative Amrit Method (I AM™) of Yoga Is Designed to Provide the Master Key to Patanjali’s Non-Linear Holistic Practice of Yoga. When you learn to transition from the ego-mind as the achiever or performer to the subconscious being or chitta and prana, you enter a transformative process through meditation. In the practice of yoga, you want to create a paradigm shift from action originating from the time-bound ego-mind to be directly prompted from the innate wisdom of the body, your prana being. This was the direct experience of Yogi Desai through which he developed and designed his entire practice of eight-limbed yoga.
When you go below the mind, you move into the subconscious cosmic intelligence of the autonomic nervous system that is driven by the self-conscious ego-mind. Your pre-programmed self-image perceives the physical or emotional obstacles with a reactive choice for or against and reacts to what is present, creating more mental irritation. That choice comes from the ego-mind and disturbs the self-balancing, self-healing, restorative, regenerative, polarity-based innate wisdom of the prana body. We call it homeostasis.
Our mind and emotions that emerge from the body of our self-image are conditioned by the past and dominate our autonomic nervous system that acts only in response to what is present. This means every reaction to what is present that arises from the self-image activates the sympathetic nervous system. When one side of the autonomic nervous system is dominated through the rational, logical, left brain, both the intuitive right brain and parasympathetic nervous system becomes weaker and dysfunctional and unable to restore balance.
Unresolved interactions with reality leave their distorted perceptions and impressions in the physical, mental and emotional bodies of self-image. These mentally and emotionally induced conflicts feed the karmic body formed from all the traumas, pains and hurts that the soul experienced throughout its journey of many lifetimes. Such distorted impressions of reality live in the karma body as undigested, unresolved impurities and impressions of the past. These impurities in yoga are called rajas and tamas.
Yoga happens when you enter the now, through non-mental, meditative, choiceless awareness. Your practice of yamas and niyamas, asanas and pranayama is guided by integrative choiceless awareness. The reactive perceiver reacts to whatever stiffness, weaknesses or edge you face in your body or the fear of pain and hurt you experience in your mind. This is called your unconscious edge. You face a reactive edge in the yamas and niyamas, creating fear, guilt and self-rejection. This edge also appears during the practice of postures. If you become edgy on the edge, you are in a fight or flight reaction in your ego-mind.
Witness is like fertilizer at the root of a tree and when action comes from witness and acceptance of what is as is, the fertilized sap nourishes and enlivens all of the trees branches, leaves .. flowers and fruits of the tree. The same can be said of our self-images thoughts, behaviors and concepts which are poisonous to the tree.
Each Limb of Eight-Limbed Yoga Represents a Different Level Where There Are Impurities Resulting From the Conditioned Past Manifesting As Mental Modifications. Yamas and niyamas and all the limbs are about purification of body, mind, heart and soul. Impurities on all these levels, when removed through choiceless witness awareness in each stage of practice, progressively move you towards the deeper integration that will manifest into total integration, Samadhi. Yamas and niyamas can also be practiced unconsciously whenever you practice them as morally right and wrong behavioral patterns. When you are in a challenging situation and you feel frustrated, guilty and a failure; you are practicing violence against yourself. You are creating conflict against your failure to practice it. When you practice vairagya (non-attachment) to any end-result of action, it will prevent you from creating internal conflict.
Patanjali Describes the Purpose of Yoga as Stilling the Mind. The form of stillness Yogi Desai experienced in his original experience is the cornerstone of the practice of the Integrative Amrit Method of yoga. Those principles of Raja yoga: pratyahara, pranayama, concentration and meditation must be present at every stage of yoga and not just at the end. The practice of Hatha yoga combined with pratyahara and inward focused concentration can greatly enhance the meditative aspects of Raja yoga and vice versa. There are two levels at which you practice yoga postures:
- The deliberate, external expression of physical form, alignments, press points and energetic extensions combined with;
- Pratyahara, the internal withdrawal from the endless chatter and dialog of the mind through integrative intention, breath and meditative choice less awareness.
To enter a unified state of being, what you say, think, feel and do must be brought into complete alignment. Yoga is a meditation-based practice. You must have now, what you want in the future. Yoga is not so much skillful action as it is conscious action infused by choice less awareness that brings all levels of our body, mind, heart and soul into harmony, balance and unification. Choiceless awareness means “I do not choose for or against what is present. I witness or surrender the ego-mind.” Witness then opens the door to face and embrace the present as it is. Yoga is the experience of unification that happens beyond mind and time, the experience of I Am that I Am.
Abhyasa and VairagyaAlso by “constant practice with detachment (vairagya)(creates) the cessation of identification with mental activities” (ch. 1 #12). Here, Patanjali prescribes the heart of the practice of yamas and niyamas, asanas and pranayama. The words “detachment to the end results” is significant. What exactly are you detaching from that produces cessation of mental modifications?
Constant practice (Abhyasa) refers to practice of (pratyahara) withdrawal from reactive “fight or flight” physical, mental and emotional reactions arising out of the unconscious body of self-image. When unconscious habits and behavioral patterns arise from the self-image you face on the edge; you get edgy and instantly get caught up into fight or flight reaction. This turns the unifying power of yoga postures into conflict-creative ego-postures.
Any Practice Done Through the Ego-mind Is For Seeking Relief and Freedom From External Physical Symptoms. When you practice through the non-doing power of integrative interaction with what is present, it allows you to return back to the Presence that you are, the I AM, the Soul within. Any doing as reaction to the edge that is present externally keeps you from the Presence within. This is what Patanjali calls “constant practice” and non-attachment to the end results, which is built into our practice of dynamic action, followed by deep relaxation that leads into dynamic stillness. It is a perpetual surrender to what is present and the Presence that I AM.
This form of alert awareness to the reactive edge of ego-mind turns into real self-study, self-observation. Discriminative powers of higher mind (Buddhi) are cultivated with constant practice (Abhyasa). It purifies body, mind and heart. It develops sattva guna.
Constant Practice Must be Accompanied by Detachment. Patanjali says, “constant practice with detachment creates cessation.” Cessation of what? Your reactive thought-forms. It calms you down. By doing what? Constant practice. What practice do you do so that your mind goes into cessation? Constant practice won’t get you anywhere. Patanjali says it must be accompanied with detachment. Detachment from what? You must detach yourself from who you are not in that practice. So when you practice Amrit Yoga, notice it takes you to an edge, where you just stop and say, “Do I want to go any further, or do I want to withdraw?” Most people practice fight or flight reactions on the edge. It takes your practice into the ego-posture and you still call it a yoga posture. Yogi Desai says, “I see this all over the world Everywhere I go I have seen nothing else. The edge turns into a battle ground; that battleground is all about the modifications of mind. That’s what Patanjali says you should not be doing in a yoga posture. That’s the whole purpose of doing the postures, “Yoga chitta vritti nirodlta. “
Withdrawing From Unconscious Reactive Thoughts and Actions Creates a Shift From the Reactive Perceiver to the Non-Reactive Witness Consciousness (Prana Being). When you withdraw from mental modifications you simultaneously withdraw from your time-bound karma body. When you withdraw from the reactive perceiver, your fight or flight reaction turns into a responsive interaction. This allows you to turn back into a co-creative interaction between chitta and prana. Your mind is now in a responsive interaction with prana. Your postures and pranayama are converted from conflict-creating reactive action on the edge into a responsive co-creating interaction with your prana being.
Each Time You Disengage from the Subconscious Life Force Trapped in the Unconscious Self-Image You Remove a Fundamental Block Preventing You from Fully Entering the Yoga Posture. Now begins the discipline of yoga. As you remain the reactive-free observer on the edge in the practice of posture (or in interactions in life) the mental and emotional charge that overrides the free flow of prana can now totally be focused on the felt-presence of your prana being. The same thing happens when you practice, let’s say; non-violence. You are using non-violence as your intention. How long will it take before you become violent? When you are attached to the results of any action, you become frustrated, guilty and that is a violence against yourself.
That means, in the practice of yamas and niyamas, also there is an edge. How many times have you begun to practice the yamas and niyamas and noticed that immediately your edge shows up? Notice the edge and be the witness, but if you get edgy on the edge, you’ve lost the purpose of the practice. You have become the judge and are in your ego; your ego is hurt. The ego says, “I failed.” That means you’ve stepped out of the spiritual domain which was meant for the practice of yamas and niyamas and entered into the domain of the ego, rejecting yourself, calling yourself “sinner” and preparing to bum in hell forever and ever. This is because you are not practicing what Patanjali says “remain in your inner practice with non-attachment to the end results.”
When Patanjali says that witnessing the modifications of mind is yoga, he means the witness initiates the process of withdrawing not only from the reactive modification of the mind but it is also withdrawing from the pre-programed conditioned body from which it arises.
I AM™ Yoga Is a Journey from the Self-Image to the Integrated and Undivided SelfSilence is omnipresent. Only when the mind is quiet from mental noise can it be aware of stillness. Inner silence represents outer silence. When you are practicing a posture and you come to an edge, you meet that edge with a fight or flight reaction. You want to push your way through it or back off and flee from it. This is a psychosomatic reaction represented by your unconscious, pre-programmed past. If you are alert on the edge, you will notice you are having a reaction and your muscles are engaged in defensive tightening and your mind is engaged in fearful, agitated thoughts. Behind the external posture is the invisible animating force of the ego-mind that analyzes, compares, competes and fears being hurt. Integrative Amrit Yoga cultivates razor-sharp alert, meditative, choiceless awareness to detect reactive impulses that arise from our pre-programmed ego-mind that is conditioned by the past. An intention for integration, not choosing for or against what is present, turns the ego-posture into a posture of consciousness.
Asana Practice on the Yoga Mat is Designed to Bring Up All Your Unresolved Issues. Your unresolved issues resurface as mental and emotional reactions that will distract you and claim your attention keeping you from focusing inward which is the heart and soul of yoga. Your karma body is the hidden cause that appears on the surface as stiffness, inflexibility, muscle tension, poor circulation, sleep disorders, anxiety and depression. When you face defensive stiffness in a posture, know that you are facing an edge. That edge is a symptom, an effect. The true cause is much deeper. You can fight and remove the defensive symptoms of stiffness however you cannot remove its cause – the defensive self-image that created it. That is like hiring a thief to be a policeman.
In I AM Yoga™, Pratyahara Creates the Shift from an Ego-Driven Practice to One of Meditative Choiceless Awareness. The holistic practice of Amrit Yoga allows you to be deeply absorbed and totally engaged where thinking, feeling, doing and being enter a direct experience of oneness through choiceless witness awareness and an intention for integration. Choiceless awareness encourages you to return again and again to explore your practice more deeply. This practice of the inner dimension of yoga cultivates a shift from the physical body to the center of oneness within. Instead of focusing on how to perform a more complicated posture, the focus is on deepening a connection to integrative consciousness, progressively moving more fully into dhyana while in the pose. Pratyahara initiates a shift from the willful outward, physical form of asana to an inner experience of the non-mental spiritual dimension of Raja yoga.
Pratyahara Creates a Shift From Judging Your Performance to Witnessing Your Edge. This converts your fight or flight reaction into an integrative process of conscious response and choiceless meditative awareness to bring the light of consciousness to dissolve and erase your edgy reaction. The practice of dharana and dhyana are built into the practice of asana. The practice of yoga that quiets the mental modifications is non-doing witness. The question arises: if actions are withdrawn from being performed by the ego-mind, how then are the actions performed? This is the mystery of yoga. In the Bhagavad Gita, it is called “action less action,” “dynamic stillness” or “meditation in motion.” This is a paradoxical experience where opposites happen simultaneously.
In yoga, you consciously withdraw from identification with your thought forms; you are in choiceless, witness awareness, the detached observer. You are the choiceless witness of all thoughts that are coming and going. The pranic energy trapped in the body of the self-image is released to be in harmonious interaction with the prana being within.
When You Combine Withdrawal of Ego-Mind with Witness, You Have Made a Paradigm Shift from Conflict-Creating Duality to the Co-Creative Polarity of Prana Being. This allows you to enter into meditation in motion where all your actions arise directly from your prana being. The non-reactive power of witness consciousness disengages you from the conflict-creating, stress-producing separated body of the self-image and creates an opening for you to enter the ecstatic experience of oneness within. This posture of consciousness represents the active expression and receptive intention for integration. At a level of consciousness you are fulfilled and content with who you are, who you are with and what you are doing. You are integrated, undivided and whole.
Breath: The Link Between Body and Mind, Asana and Pratyahara. As the witness you withdraw through the medium of breath. Breath is the non-mental connection to the subconscious prana body. To learn to create this shift from the doer, ego-mind to the non-doing prana being, we must use pranayama, a powerful medium to further disengage from the ego-mind. It acts as a powerful tool of the super-conscious being that we are. Our subconscious prana becomes a powerful link to connect with the super-conscious being. When combined with the super-conscious being, you rise beyond the body-mind. The mind-dominated prana body progressively quiets down, You move beyond the ego-mind and enter the union of subconscious prana Shakti and super-conscious Being. It is the union of Purusha and Prakriti, Shiva and Shakti, the ultimate yoga.
Being “Edgy on the Edge”In the eight-limbed practice, pratyahara is the withdrawal from external disturbances and the five senses and is a preliminary stage to Raja yoga. You learn to stop disturbances arising from your immediate surroundings. When on the edge, pratyahara allows you to focus your attention more fully on felt sensations in the body where you can then remain witness to the sensations and more easily enter the energy/prana body. When you are witness to these sensations that arise on the edge, you constantly withdraw from any feelings about what you are feeling in the body. You withdraw from being “edgy on the edge”. You can shift from thinking and reactive doing into a non-reactive responsive interaction with the edge. You shift into the feeling prana body, the feeling presence of the subconscious prana being.
Reaction Converts Feeling into Feelings. To attain a steady focus on feeling what is present, or the felt-presence, you must remain the meditative witness. This allows you to observe the feeling in the body, and the feelings created as reactions in the mind. Yamas and niyamas, asana and pranayama cannot be truly practiced unless you learn how to use them as vehicles to create a paradigm shift from the conflict-creating ego-mind conditioned by the past to the unconditional power of Presence.
To enter the power of the omnipresent Presence that we are (God within), we must disengage from identification with the mind that manifests in the form of mental agitations when we face the edge, whether on the yoga mat or in life situations. Thus, you disengage from the subconscious life force trapped in your unconscious body of self-image. You free the life force/prana trapped in the karma body of your self-image and eliminate the fundamental block that manifests as symptoms on the surface in the form of physical, mental and emotional health problems.
Fight or flight reactions that arise in the form of an ego-posture can eliminate symptoms but it cannot eliminate the conflict that exists between unconscious patterns and the consciousness that I Am.
Non-Reactive Presence Cultivated on the Yoga Mat Extends into All Aspects of Your Life. Your reaction to your physical edge has a beginning and it has an end. This edge is a springboard from which you can leap into formless choiceless awareness. When you are right at your edge, where you usually and unconsciously react, you can deliberately and consciously interrupt the reaction with breath, and relax. Once you have relaxed, your rationalizing, logical left brain will become free from the pre-programmed, reactive thinking driven by charged emotions.
All fight or flight reaction is an ego posture. When you withdraw and practice pratyahara, you first relax at the edge and accept it. When you accept it, you withdraw from the self-image that identifies the edge as “me.” You withdraw the ego-mind as the doer and achiever that engages in success and failure and replace it with the non-doing power of the integrated being. All thoughts of fear, pain, competition, success and failure disappear. The non-reactive presence you cultivate on the yoga mat extends into an aspects of your life, family life, business life and love life.
When the Body Is No Longer a Slave, It Becomes a Temple. Outer work addresses surface symptoms. Inner work addresses the unconscious cause of the symptoms through connecting to source. Source is Spirit. It is like the roots of a tree. When the roots are nourished, the sap of life reaches every branch, leaf, flower and fruit. So also when you enter the “stress-free yoga zone,” you nourish, energize and heal the body, mind, heart and soul.
Integrating inner work on a soul level with the practice of postures leads to the embodiment of the Spirit. The body is no longer a slave serving the ego-mind but a temple for the divine to manifest. In Amrit Yoga we practice what we call the second half of the pose, where you become still, feeling the energetic impact and listening to the wisdom of the energy body. Prana (vital life energy) returns you to your Presence. This is the leap from ego-posture to the Posture of Consciousness.
Our Only Problem in Life Is Reaction to Reality. Many people feel an inner urging to make a dramatic change in their lives. They are sick and tired of being sick and tired. They want to get out of their thoughts and be totally present, to live fully and fulfill their true potential. In their heart of hearts they want to make the leap; they just don’t know how. They try to rationalize their way into leaping but this cannot be done. Leaping takes courage. What is courage? Courage is a complete letting-go of the reactive mind you are attached to. Once you let that go, you fly wholeheartedly into the here and now. Real transformation can happen only in the present moment. When you are living your life from reaction, you are repeating the past and resisting whatever is present. This is how most humans operate. Instead of living freely in the present, they are imprisoned, continuously re-living the past.
Your body and mind act as a storage tank containing all your past reactions that you continually repeat in the present. This is the prison you have built for yourself. In order to make a quantum leap, you must practice pratyahara, which means withdrawing from your self-created, self-victimizing reactive thoughts and emotions. You cannot break out of the prison using the same reactive mind that constructed it. It is like taking your handcuffs and placing them on your ankles. You cannot leap like this. All you do is continue falling on your face.
You Cannot Make a Leap through Linear Logical Thinking Because It Came from the Same Mind that Created Your Logic and Reaction in the First Place. The leap cannot happen through the popular malpractice of yoga that focuses exclusively on the physical postures. While this limited approach might address the symptoms of reactive programming, you need an integrative, meditative practice to address the root cause of the reactive patterning. Only then can a transformative leap occur. If you don’t pluck the weed with its root, the weed grows back. What is the weed? It is the past repeating itself in the present. In order to withdraw from your reactive mind, you must create space between the reactive thoughts with which you have misidentified yourself and the Presence who observes the thoughts.
What You Want in the End Must Be Present In the Beginning and All Along the Way. In any form of spiritual discipline, what you want in the end must be present in seed form in the beginning. If you want to harvest mangos, you must plant the seed of a mango. If you are practicing yoga with unity as its ultimate purpose, you need to plant the seed of unity and let the entire process of the spiritual unfoldment of yoga be nurtured by unity consciousness until you reach the state of Samadhi. This means that even the preparatory, physical practice of asanas must be accompanied by the seed of witness consciousness in order for us to experience the integration of body, mind and spirit.
The Integrative Amrit Method of Yoga is designed in such a way that from the very first step of learning to practice Hatha Yoga asanas, to the final experience of Meditation in Motion, the deepening of integration happens throughout the entire journey, not just at the end.
The Inner Dimension of Yoga Can Take You Further and Deeper with Less Effort and More Ease Than Ever Before. This inner dimension means releasing pranic intelligence from the domination of the ego-mind. To achieve this, first, disengage from your ego-mind’s reactions when you face the edge. Second, remain the choiceless witness to thoughts and emotions that rise out of your self-image. This allows you to create an opening to the super-conscious choiceless awareness, to be the witness, the observer. If you react on the edge with the ego-mind, you are reacting to the creations of the ego-mind. It is like fighting fire with gasoline.
When the mind, imposed on by the ego is released, “I am not my thoughts; I am the witness,” you are no longer identified with emotional reaction. This is where real pratyahara happens. This is where you enter the integrative, unifying inner dimension of witness. It is the “surrender” of the ego-mind. Witness allows you to move beyond the time-bound body, mind and ego. It allows you to rise out of the conflict-creating, stress-producing mental and emotional agitation and move into the silent witness. This progressively allows you to enter the super-conscious dimension, freed from identification with the ego-mind.
Intention for Integration Is Essential to the Practice of the Integrative Amrit Method (I AM™) of Yoga. The meaning of the word yoga and the purpose of the practice of yoga is to experience integration – the oneness of body, mind and spirit. When you practice Hatha Yoga postures, there is no way to truly separate the mental component of the practice from the physical. Every act in the physical practice of a yoga posture is invariably accompanied and strongly influenced by our mental and emotional conditions, which form the internal, more subtle aspect of the yoga practice. Therefore, internal awareness has a very real and profound impact on the postures we are performing. No spiritual discipline can be complete without the internal and subtle component.
In I AM Yoga™, the Body is a Sacred Vehicle to Connects You to Your True Presence. The witness to the reaction is not the one who is reacting; it is the formless Presence that you are at your essence. A space has been created, and then you can take the quantum leap. Space is necessary to take the leap. It is like Hanuman leaping over the ocean. Without the ocean, there is nothing to reach for. When we accompany the Hatha Yoga postures with the enormous powers of mental focus and meditative witness consciousness, the practice offers us higher possibilities than we could expect from an isolated physical discipline. Not only that, but in the final stage, Amrit Yoga incorporates asana (posture), pranayama (breath and life-force control), pratyahara (internalizing the outgoing attention), dharana (concentration), and dhyana (meditation). Only such a practice that integrates body, mind and spirit is a holistic practice. If the practice of postures is not holistic, it is not integrative and it is not yoga.
Since the ultimate purpose of the practice of yoga is Samadhi, we must practice in such a way that our intention is to remove any sense of separation from our authentic source of power within (experienced as conflict, self-doubt, fear, blame, shame or guilt). The elimination of a sense of alienation from the Self is an integral part of each stage of the holistic practice of yoga from the very first step.
Unification Is the Ultimate Fruit of Patanjali’s Eight-Limbed Tree. In its earlier stages, how do you perform yoga postures so that they progressively unfold into the ultimate experience of integration? Amrit Yoga uses integrative intention from the very beginning of the practice of yamas and niyamas and asanas. Thus, the outer practice of physical postures is infused with the inner practice of integrative action. Amrit Yoga uses outer form that progressively nurtures the inner seed of integration. This happens because the outer limbs of the tree are growing through the life force prana, acting as a nourishing sap feeding the tree so that it grows fully and bears the fruit of Samadhi.
— Yogi Amrit DesaiDownload a .pdf version of this article
[For more on Amrit Yoga and the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, see the book Amrit Yoga and the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali.]
Posture of Consciousness The first part of the Posture of Consciousness is performed with integrative intention and deliberate action. Usually, when postures are practiced only as a physical discipline, you are facing fears that hold you back, not the body. In this approach, you are focused on learning to withdraw from fear so that you […]
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Yoga Nidra is a practice that can help replenish and re-energize our systems in real time, helping to offset the inherent risks associated with chronic, long-term stress accumulation. Not all stress is bad and can be as simple as a demand on the system that propels us into action and performance. This is what is […]
Unchecked chronic stress eventually creates the appropriate conditions for stress-related imbalances to show up in various forms, often in clusters such as anxiety and insomnia, chronic pain and immune disorders, digestive problems and brain fog. We know these combinations are limitless. Most modern treatments address the individual symptoms of stress alone, one by one, neglecting […]
(Image: Dr. Liz in full camel in 2010.) Yoga is a practice of liberation. It is not a practice of reducing stress, easing pain, eating right, sleeping, or improving mental health. Yet, yoga does all these good things. They’re side effects of liberation. I spent the beginning of my yoga career not caring about liberation. […]
by Heather Indu Arena There has been a rise in excitement and enthusiasm over the physical, mental and emotional benefits of practicing yoga. The number of Yoga studios have tripled in our local communities and Namaste has become a household word. Practitioners are reaping the benefits of healthier bodies, calmer minds and more peaceful and joyful expressions in daily life.
However, as yoga would teach us, for every positive there is a negative. More people have reported experiencing injuries during yoga classes possibly due to inexperienced teachers, or simply because they pushed themselves too hard to get into that picture-perfect yoga pose. Practitioners are finding that often their body simply can’t go deeper into the traditional poses they have been practicing. Those who are only exposed to the newer Western style of yoga based on flexibility and strength, who find they are unable to physically perform the poses, often believe that a yoga practice is not meant for them. They completely miss out on receiving the amazing benefits available to every-body. So, where does that leave yoga?
Photo by Elina Fairytale from Pexels
For every trend there is a beginning, middle and end. Is yoga approaching the end of its tenure? From the perspective of this experienced practitioner and teacher, we have only just begun exploring what yoga really is. We have viewed yoga through the lenses of our Western culture and thus adapted the practice to fit into that vision. The practice of Asana (yoga postures) which is a fundamental
aspect of Western yoga is, in reality, a miniscule aspect of how yoga was designed to be practiced. So, the question remains, where is yoga headed if it is going to survive in the West? To answer that, we must go back to the beginning. We must return to yoga’s roots in the East.
The beautiful thing about Eastern-based yoga practices are their accessibility to any-body. This means the inflexible and fragile can join the other 37 million Americans who practice yoga today to reclaim their health, vitality, and even freedom. The core difference between Eastern and Western yogic philosophies is that the Eastern style is an ancient time-tested science, and Western is a modern take on only a small portion of the wisdom and tools that emerged from Eastern yoga.
To fly, a bird needs both wings working together. A yoga practice based just on the physical body may create amazing yoga butt, but will not take the practitioner to the heights for which yoga was designed. The next generation of yoga in the West will not be a “one size fits all” system where everyone in the classroom is asked to do the same pose in the same way. We are all unique! We have unique bodies, unique life stories and unique personalities. Shouldn’t our yoga practice reflect that and be designed in such a way as to work within our own unique nature? Don’t our yoga students deserve to have a practice designed just for them and their unique needs as an individual seeking more balance and fulfillment in life? The answer, of course, is yes! And the good news is, those
types of yoga practices do exist.
There are Eastern based systems of yoga immerging in the U.S. that have matured from the one size fits all model to an individualized personalized practice which meets the practitioner exactly where they are physically, mentally and emotionally. What that means is a more natural yoga practice which demands a higher skill set from those teaching the class. These practices have two things in common; an emphasis on meditation, and feeling, and moving with one’s innate energetic intelligence. One such practice is called Meditation in Motion.
There has been a boom on media coverage about the new scientific evidence of the benefits of meditation for health and well-being. Eastern yogic philosophy knew this first-hand thousands of years ago and incorporated meditation into the practice of yoga itself. Science now also states that all things are made of energy. Right now your heart is beating based on a specialized energetic system in your body. Wouldn’t it be amazing if you could access the same energy that is automatically allowing your heart to beat, your blood to clot when you have a cut, and your food to digest, and allow you to reach higher degrees of physical, mental and emotional healing? Well, you can. And again, ancient yogis knew this secret and incorporated into the practice.
Modern day Eastern yogic practices use meditation as a tool to enter a calm state of mind which allows practitioners to access their natural energetic intelligence. Because the body and mind are connected, this is a simple yet sophisticated way to maintain balanced, healthy bodies while effortlessly stepping outside of fruitless programmed mental/emotional habits and behaviors thereby allowing new and renewed solutions in life to effortlessly emerge.
Where physical flexibility ends, physical, mental, and emotional balance and peace of mind begins. Western yoga will survive the ebb from the first wave of popularity if it matures and evolves by returning to its roots in the East. A yoga practitioner does not need to travel to India to receive the maximum benefits from the practice. They only need to be courageous enough to travel through the darkness of personal fears and limitations to the Light present at core of their own being. Eastern based yoga practices provide a personalized and individualized passage to the limitless awareness you are. The more you visit this calm and harmonious internal dwelling, the more you will see those qualities materialize in your everyday life.
Heather Indu Arena supports the continued education of the Eastern Yoga traditions as a Senior Yoga Trainer for I AM Yoga® Meditation in Motion. In addition she has created an online course called “Exploring the Yoga of Energy an Introduction to Meditation in Motion” to help yoga practitioners and teachers discover the roots of yoga in order to deepen their practice so yoga can transform their lives. Her mission is Empowering individuals to live healthy, vital, and fulfilling lives from their authentic Self through holistic education and services. For more information visit her website: healingelementsforyou.com.
How many of us have told ourselves year after year, “Starting Jan 2nd I’m going to lose that extra 10 lbs.,” or “I’ll stop eating sugar.” Maybe we even succeed – for a month or two. Then perhaps we have to work overtime and miss a few days at the gym. We go to a party and have some cake. Before we know it, we’ve slipped back into the same habits again.
Maybe we valiantly try to motivate ourselves again – some of us with negative self-talk – somehow hoping that if we get down on ourselves enough, it will get us back on track. Each year, we’re left feeling a bit more powerless – less trusting in our own ability to create real change. Recognize any of this? If so, I have a new word for you. It’s called Intention.
Goals Are Great for the Tangibles. Intentions work well for the intangibles. Let me explain what I mean by intention and how it is different from a goal. There are differences between goals and intentions, but they can both fulfill a very similar function.
Goals are very good and necessary in the world of time, schedules, planning and getting from here to there. For example, if you have a goal to travel from Orlando to Seattle, you need to set a concrete plan to get yourself from Point A to Point B in the chosen period of time. You’ll need to buy plane tickets, arrange transport to the airport, etc.
However, an intention can be a great tool when you want to work with the intangibles in life – especially when you want to move into uncharted territory – like a new relationship.
Goals Work from the Past to Project Into the Future. If you are setting budgetary goals, you’ll probably look back into previous years’ financials. Based on past data you’ll likely project the expected profit and loss in the coming year. Nothing wrong with that. However, in certain areas this can actually be a limitation. If we’re always looking to the past and projecting from the past into the future, one could argue that we are making the future nothing more than a revised version of the past. We may actually be limiting life’s potential to bring us something greater than what we planned for. And if we are overly focused on meeting our goals, we might even miss a greater opportunity that is standing right in front of us.
An Intention is Open-Ended. Intention is a very powerful tool in those areas of life where we want to leave room for life to bring us more than what we planned or expected. It is a direction rather than a destination. A direction is like going North. We’re heading that way, but we are open to meet what comes to us. We don’t know exactly what we will see or experience. We may end up in Toronto, or we may not. We just don’t know.
I think of this as meeting life half-way. You’re not sitting at home waiting for life to come to you. You are traveling in a direction, and doing your part, but also letting life meet you. In fact, no matter how much we plan and make goals, in the end, life is going to meet us as it will – not as we want it.
Creating Your Dream Job Let’s say you have a goal to get the perfect job. You might have a list of exactly how it needs to look and based on your past. You might even draw up a list of what your perfect job looks like. Nothing wrong with that – but can you see how that could relegate the picture of what you want in the future to nothing more than a reformed version of your past?
An intention, on the other hand, can act in the same way as a goal, but it is open-ended. You are moving in a particular direction – and you may even have some ideas in mind, but you are not attached to them. You are open to what life brings bring you – which could be so wild, out there and absolutely perfect for you in a way that you could never have imagined! Intention gives room for the intangible and the un-plannable. It gives room for the magic in life to meet you and to add to your life.
How to State Your Intention Whatever you want to create, use your past to inform a direction you want to move in, but instead of being very specific on exactly how it needs to look, try to leave it open ended. It really comes down to releasing the attachment to a specific outcome. I sometimes even define intention as a goal minus the attachment to a specific outcome.
For example, instead of, “I want a job as a graphic designer in a large corporation.” It should be wider and bigger. Maybe something like, “I am richly rewarded to design, create and express my inspiration to the world.” See how that leaves room? You might even notice it feels more expansive and open. That is what you want your intention to feel like. It should make you feel good. You may even feel your body positively respond to your intention when it is the right one.
A Goal Can Mean We Miss the Journey A Goal focuses on getting to the destination – let’s say your place of work. It has a specific endpoint in mind. If you need to get to work, of course a goal is useful. But the pitfall is that we can become so focused on getting there, that we end up missing what’s here.
If in the morning we have the specific goal, “I have to get to work,” it is very easy to dismiss everything between us and our goal as an obstacle to be overcome. Instead of enjoying the interchange with our kids, our partner, or the drive to work, all of these can easily feel like blocks that are in the way of where we have decided we need to be in our own mind.
If we chronically live here, it can mean that little by little, without even noticing it, we could be eroding the fulfillment we are receiving from life. We can end up missing the connection…the joy of a car ride…the scenery…all the intangibles that together make up the meaning of our lives.
If this is what we have practiced all along the way, the risk is that even when we do have time – such as when we are retired – we may still continue the habit of dismissing the joy of the moment out of sheer momentum. We may constantly look to the next thing that needs to be done or the next thing we need to get to instead of just enjoying the richness of the moment as it is.
State Your Intention in the Present Moment Even though your intention is a direction, we want to state it in the present moment – as if it is happening now. The reason for this is we want to feel our intention, which can only happen now. You cannot feel love in the future, you can only experience it now.
The more you feel what you want to create in your whole being, the more you begin to vibrate to that frequency, and the more you begin to attract that frequency to you. For example, rather than saying, “I will find love this year,” your intention could be “I open my heart to love,” so that you are feeling your heart open now.
Instead of the goal of, “I will go to the gym every day,” your intention could be more open ended and stated in the present. For example, “I choose activities that support radiant health.”
Intentions Are Reality Friendly Even though your intention is stated in the present moment, it doesn’t mean you need to do it perfectly. It is a direction – the road you are on. Whenever you get off the road or take a detour, your job is to re-align with your intention and get back on the road towards your chosen direction.
I love this because it gives room for our humanity. Goals can often hold us to impossible ideals. If we have a goal to never be defensive again, and we are defensive even one time, that is a failure as defined by a goal. But if we have the intention of staying open and non-defensive, that is a direction we are moving in.
It is like being on a highway going North. You don’t have to do it perfectly. When you find you’ve taken a detour on “Defensive Street,” you know what to do. Just get back on the highway and keep on moving in the direction you want to go.
Instead of getting down on yourself for having failed to achieve your goal, short circuit the self-judgment with intention. Learn from the detour. Figure out what took you there and why. I call this being the detective versus the judge. Each time you reflect and learn, you will stay on the highway with even more skill and ease the next time around.
When living this way, there isn’t any losing. There are no mistakes. Everything is a part of the journey. Even going South can be a part of going North if you know the direction you want to move in.
Combine Your Intention with Yoga Nidra A great way to work with intention is to combine it with subtle meditative states of being. Here you can plant the seed of your intention from beyond the mind rather than with the mind. Whatever the mind wishes, it will wash away. The same mind that decides to eat moderately, is the same mind that will say, “have some more!”
But when we go into a space like Yoga Nidra (mindful sleep meditation), we can plant an intention from a place that works from beyond the divided mind which often pendulates from one extreme to the other.
Instead of receiving the intention at the level of the doubting mind, every cell of your body receives the intention and begins to vibrate in accordance with that new intention. We become a magnet for that intention to come to fruition.
But we don’t stop there. We use that intention during the course of our day to consciously and deliberately keep us moving in the direction we want to go. We can even use it as a mantra to interrupt old habits and redirect to new ones. It becomes our North star – a point to navigate life by. Whenever we get off course, we simply reset, and course correct in the direction we want to go.
If you are not familiar with Yoga Nidra, there are free I AM Yoga Nidras available on YouTube, or try out this I AM Yoga Nidra app on iOS or Android to have it handy on your phone or handheld device any time you like.
How to Use Your Intention with Yoga Nidra If the Yoga Nidra experience you choose does not cue you, you can bring your intention into your awareness three times at the outset of the experience, at any point in the middle when you find yourself semi-alert, and at the end when you are lying on your side or seated. If you miss the one in the middle because you were too deep, don’t worry. It has been tethered into the Yoga Nidra by repeating it at the beginning and end. Your intention doesn’t even have to be words. It could be a felt sense or an image.
The beauty of working with intention is that it begins to build your self-trust. You begin to see that you are capable of initiating the shifts you choose – minus the guilt, self judgement and struggle.
Kamini Desai PhD is the author of: Yoga Nidra The Art of Transformational Sleep, Life Lessons Love Lessons and developer of the I AM Yoga Nidra app. For the past 30 years Kamini has taught worldwide, helping people master the inner dimension of their lives uniquely combining ancient wisdom with science and psychology. Her corporate clients have included SONY and Mars candy company, and The Netherlands Department of Revenue.
For more information visit www.kaminidesai.com.
Online Yoga Nidra courses are available here.
Anatomy of Energy The energy system of the body consists of the chakras and in the center of the chakras there is a central channel called the Shushumna. There are 2 sides of this energy system called Pingala and Ida and when they are in balance the energy moves to consciousness. Pingala and Ida are like a battery having a positive pole and a negative pole. When Ida and Pingala come into balance the Shushumna channel can open and energy begins to move up towards consciousness. Just like when a battery is balanced between a positive and negative pole allowing the battery to work well, the same is true of our physical body. The Pingala side, the positive side of our battery, is the active side. It is like our sympathetic nervous system, our doing and our action, that’s the positive side and it corresponds to sun energy, the energy that makes it happen. The other side of our battery is called the Ida side, and this is more associated with the negative pole. It’s our receptive energy, our moon energy, when you let go of all the tension.
How to balance the energy with Hatha Yoga Another name for sun or corresponding to sun is “ha” and corresponding to moon is “tha”. You might recognize these names as Hatha Yoga which is essentially designed to balance our inner Pingala and Ida nadis. When these two are in balance the body enters an optimal state of energy flow that puts us in the best position to experience optimal health. When these two “ha” and “tha” are in balance the Shushumna opens. All that energy that is feeding the body is now also able to make the journey back to its source nature. This is the basis for physical health and the foundation for the inward journey back to source.
Connecting to the Source Within The Integrative Amrit Method of Yoga is a way to practice Hatha Yoga through deliberate active and receptive poses. In the first half of the pose when we dynamically do the pose, we practice willfully entering the pose minus the reactive, competitive, struggling mind that would use all our energy. We enter consciously, we enter willfully, we are using the best side of the plus side of our pole. In the second half of the pose, we stop, and we feel the effect of what we did. We practice the “ha” in the first part of the pose and the “tha” in the second part of the pose where you just let go and feel the energetic effect of what you just created. When these two come into balance through the “ha”, the dynamic action, and tha, the deep relaxation, the energy begins to drop us into deeper and deeper states of meditation. We feel the effect of all that energy released after each pose and it drops us towards silence and a little bit more towards silence and a little bit more towards silence and what you’ll find after each Amrit Yoga pose is more and more connected to that silent space within, to the source within. Even though your body is in motion in this balance of “ha” and “tha” and Ida and Pingala, you’ll be more and more connected to the silent space behind. Integrated Amrit Method of Yoga, such a powerful practice for balancing our “ha” “tha”, getting our health and our spirituality in alignment.
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Kamini Desai Ph.D Author
Kamini Desai is the Executive Director of the Amrit Yoga Institute. She is author of Yoga Nidra: The Art of Transformational Sleep and Life Lessons Love Lessons. You can learn more about Kamini on her website.
Yoga as a Natural Remedy for Anxiety and Stress Yoga is not just good for your body. Every time you practice yoga, you are building your immunity to anxiety and stress. Scientific literature shows that Yoga is extremely effective for decreasing stress , making us better able to handle difficult situations, feel happier and more able to see things from other people’s point of view. Yoga decreases blood pressure, heart rate and cortisol. It is associated with positive metabolic brain changes and influences the sympathetic nervous system. Specifically it helps the HPA axis or hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis which is what is triggered when we are stressed. No wonder Yoga can be a great help in alleviating the symptoms of anxiety!
What is Anxiety? Think of anxiety as your mind’s response to stress. Our body has a reaction to stress in the form of increased heart rate and adrenal output – so it makes sense that the mind reacts to stress too. When we are in a state of chronic stress, this can lead to chronic states of anxiety. We were built to be anxious sometimes. It is natural. But when the nervous system becomes accustomed to living in a hyper-stimulated state, the body begins to live in chronic stress, which sets the stage for living in a constant low-level of anxiety which can be set off at any time – even when we are not in a stressful situation.
How to use Yoga to Interrupt Anxiety and Stress One of the things I have found is that yoga is very useful in many ways. One of them is that Yoga poses help you develop a closer relationship with your body and bodily sensations. This makes it easier for you to sense the early symptoms of anxiety coming on sooner and interrupt them before they get too overwhelming. Often, by the time anxiety is full-blown, it is too late to short circuit it.
When you feel symptoms of anxiety coming on, the best thing to do is act immediately. If you are in bed, just waking up, and you feel the symptoms coming on – get out of bed and find a way to interrupt the bodily pattern of anxiety. It may take a few tries to find out what works for you. It could be yogic breaths, going for a brisk walk, a run or doing some yoga poses. The more quickly and consistently you can interrupt and re-direct the pattern, the more you will be able to manage it and even lessen its severity.
Some people respond more to calming poses to interrupt anxiety. Others find that in the moment of escalation they need to do something more dynamic to short circuit the event. In that case, calming poses work best to prevent anxiety symptoms from occurring in the first place.
Here’s 3 of the Best Yoga Poses for Anxiety:
Balasana: Child’s Pose
Notes and Modifications:
- Make the pose work for you so that you can remain here comfortably for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
- If you cannot sit on your heels, sit on a block.
- If your forehead does not reach the floor, place your fist (or both fists) under the forehead to make up the distance between the forehead and the floor.
- Arms may be alongside the body or alongside the head.
- You may separate the knees if there is too much compression in the abdomen.
Why does Child’s pose work for Anxiety? There are two major ways Child’s Pose manages anxiety. While all yoga poses encourage deep diaphragmatic breathing, in child’s pose, the spine is relaxed in the forward fold, and the gentle compression of the abdomen on the thighs combined with the gentle stretch in the back body – especially in the back of the diaphragm area – naturally encourages deep breathing which is essential for the management of anxiety. The compression also forces a longer exhalation which in and of itself is calming.
In addition, certain types of poses are considered to foster certain types of energy in the body. These two qualities are called “brahmana”, which build energy and vitality and “langhana” which are poses that are more grounding and calming. Backbends for example are considered to build energy while quieter and easier forward bends such as child’s pose tend to be more calming to the nervous system.
Viparita Karani: Legs up the Wall
Notes and Modifications:
- Sit sideways to the wall and swing your legs up. Adjust your body to a comfortable place.
- This pose gives you all the benefits of an inversion without any contraindications for head and neck.
- If your hamstrings are tight, you may need to move a little bit away from the wall. Adjust the pose so that you continue to feel a nice opening, but your body should not be tightening or feel stressed.
Why does Legs Up the Wall (Viparita Karani) work for anxiety? Legs Up the Wall is considered one of the ultimate “langhana” poses as easy inversions such as this one are very quieting and calming to the nervous system without putting undue pressure on the neck and head. This pose literally inverts our stance in the world – by turning our activity (standing) to receptivity (inverting the legs). This pose is the ultimate “non-doing” pose. It teaches us how to let go and recognize that sometimes life also comes to us through receptivity and grace – not just hard work and struggle. Turning our usual stance in the world upside down, the only “work” we have to do here is let go of any effort, struggle or striving. This pose teaches the body and nervous system to let go and receive! For the anxious person, this release of the need to do anything can do wonders. For those with extra busy minds, this can combine well with any breathing technique such as ujjayi breath, three part yogic breath or a simple counted breath (inhale, two, three, four…exhale, two, three, four).
Vrikshasana: Tree Pose
Notes and modifications:
- If you are just learning this pose, place your foot on the inside of your ankle so the toes can help you balance if needed.
- Calmly enter and exit the pose. If you lose your balance, mindfully place your foot on the floor and bring it back up. Make this experience a part of the pose rather than resisting it.
- The foot can be placed anywhere along the inside of the leg, except at the knee.
- Be mindful of knees and torque in the knees.
- The point of this pose for anxiety is developing the ability to maintain mindful focus. This is what creates balance in both body and mind, so it is important to approach every aspect of the pose slowly, meditatively and mindfully from entry to exit.
Why does Tree (Vrikshasana) work for Anxiety? Any cognitive therapist will tell you that being able to manage and direct the flow of anxious thoughts is key. The concentration involved in this balance pose, as well as the balancing element itself, helps withdraw the mind from unhelpful thinking through the principle of focus. The balance pose itself demands focus which balances the function of the mind.
The balancing aspect of this pose establishes a good synchronization between nervous system and muscles and particularly enhances nervous system function. When you are balancing, you are automatically focusing the mind. While the disturbed and agitated mind causes imbalances in the body. A calm mind creates a balanced body – and vice versa.
Tree pose re-centers the person who has excess mental activity through calming the nerves. Nerves in Ayurveda (the sister science of Yoga) are associated with the air element (vata) in the body. Too much vata is associated with excess stress and anxiety. Tree pose enhances concentration, memory and thought processes and makes one mentally settled and relaxed. Most people who are stressed, agitated and moving around a lot in today’s world have a vata or air imbalance. This is one of the best for counterbalancing these effects.
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References 1. Chong, C. S. M., B.S., Tsunaka, M., B.S., Tsang, H. W. H., PhD., Chan, E. P., B.A., & Cheung, W. M., PhD. (2011). Effects of yoga on stress management in healthy adults: A systematic review. Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine, 17(1), 32-8. https://search.proquest.com/docview/851708877?accountid=135943 2. Pascoe, M. C., & Bauer, I. E. (2015). A systematic review of randomised control trials on the effects of yoga on stress measures and mood. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 68, 270-282. doi:10.1016/j.jpsychires.2015.07.013 3. Yoga pose illustrations sourced from https://www.dimensions.com/
Kamini Desai Ph.D Author
Kamini Desai is the Executive Director of the Amrit Yoga Institute. She is author of Yoga Nidra: The Art of Transformational Sleep and Life Lessons Love Lessons. You can learn more about Kamini on her website.
Yoga Therapy: Working with the Psychology of the Body Often, when we think of Yoga, we envision people contorting their bodies into crazy pretzel-like positions or hot, sweaty stamina building classes. While this kind of Yoga has become popular in Western society, recently another version of Yoga has taken root: Yoga Therapy. And for good reason.
Yoga Therapy is uniquely effective because it works with the psychology of the body, helping us release blocked feelings and emotional sensations that are the true source of our suffering.
When I first discovered Yoga Therapy, I was a clinical psychologist nearing the end of a 16-year career with the Federal Bureau of Prisons. That included a work stint at the Federal Supermax prison in Florence, Co., which houses some of the country’s most dangerous inmates. I realized I was a “Type A” personality and that I had become rigid, both physically and emotionally, to protect myself. I had a propensity to keep people at arm’s length and upheld strict boundaries.
From my first Yoga Therapy session, I had a huge release and let go of so much of my rigidity. That helped me soften around life a little bit. It was really the beginning of my journey.
Yoga brings healthy balance to the body by stimulating the parasympathetic nervous system and creating relaxation that improves blood flow to the digestive system, brain and extremities. Relaxation offsets the ‘fight or flight’ response of the sympathetic nervous system – the other half of our autonomic nervous system that’s activated by threats or emergencies.
How Yoga Therapy Helps Ease Burnout and “Sympathetic Overdrive” Many of us are spending too much time in “sympathetic overdrive,” says Dr. Ina Stephens, a specialist in pediatrics and medical education at the University of Virginia Medical Center in Charlottesville, Va. who published a yoga therapy study in 2017. This chronic stress can contribute to cardiovascular disease, suppress immunity, exacerbate inflammatory diseases, impair memory, increase anxiety and fear and lead to depression and sleep disorders, Stephens said. Her study and many others have shown that Yoga helps to regulate blood glucose levels, improve musculoskeletal ailments, lower blood pressure and maintain a healthy cardiovascular system. It can also increase mental energy and positive feelings, and decrease negative feelings of aggressiveness, depression and anxiety.
The Healing Energetics of Yoga Therapy But Yoga Therapy isn’t just a blanket term for all things Yoga. The Yoga Therapy I’m talking about works on a very subtle level; the body’s life force energy. In Chinese medicine this energy is known as
Pictured: Kamini Desai, PhD. demonstrating a strap assisted stretch in I AM Yoga Therapy™ Training course
Photo Credit: Thompson Brand Images
Chi. Japanese mystics refer to it as Ki (as in Reiki). In Yoga, it’s called Prana. It’s the energy that enlivens the physical body. It’s the divine intelligence that fires the neurons and secretes the hormones. Without Prana, there is no life.
In Yoga Therapy, blocked energy (Prana) is seen as the cause of all maladies. Once that energy is cleared to flow freely, the body and mind will be restored to order. It’s different from psychotherapy (or talk therapy), which focuses on thoughts and emotions. Psychology works at the level of the ego, or the personality, which can help us achieve a sense of life mastery. Yoga Therapy not only restores the body and mind, which can help us master life, it helps us recover our true nature – the person we are meant to be. Whereas psychology is about life mastery, Yoga Therapy is about that and liberation from the ego.
Everything we experience in life is a movement of energy that is meant to flow in to, through and out of us. We experience this energy not just through our senses, like touching, hearing or seeing, but also through a sensation felt deep within our body.
Emotions are sensations that drive thoughts in our minds. When we feel angry, fearful, sad, rejected, abandoned, or even happy, we feel a sensation in our body. Recall, for example, the gut feeling you may have experienced when someone threatened your job, or when your lover broke up with you. Sensations are always there, but most of us brush them off.
One of my earliest breakthroughs occurred in a Yoga Therapy session where I adopted a pose to stretch my haunches and release the tightness in my hips. Suddenly an enormous sadness swept through me. I didn’t know why I was sad. My mind started to search for a story to help it make sense. But, by this time, I knew that thinking wasn’t the answer.
Often, our feelings are so overwhelming we shut them down. We pass off the problem to our mind, where it’s easy to get caught up in analyzing issues to death. When we avoid the emotional sensation, we block the energy’s natural flow. It begins to circle in the body, growing more dense until it gets stuck.
In Yoga Therapy, we learn to locate, feel and release the bodily sensation tied to the emotional experience. We might access it through a Yoga posture, breathing techniques, or by revisiting the traumatic experience. All can help us find patterns and traumas we experienced years, decades, or perhaps even lifetimes earlier.
Once we sit with that sensation awhile and allow ourselves to feel it, the energy is free to move and typically does so rather quickly. As we become more adept at finding sensations in the body, we expand our capacity to sit with these intense sensations. Over time, we can learn how to access and move the energy ourselves.
This is how Yoga Therapy restores our physical, emotional and spiritual balance. From shifts in our overall wellness to shifts in our perspective, relationships and reactions, the results can be “sensation-al”!
Footnote: Stephens, Ina. 2017. “Medical Yoga Therapy.” Children 4, no. 2: 12.
Article by Chitra Marie Bailey
“Chitra” Marie Bailey, Psy. D. is a senior faculty member at the Amrit Yoga Institute in Salt Springs, Florida where she is a trainer in the I AM Yoga Therapy™ 800 Hour Curriculum and I AM Yoga Nidra Professional Trainings. She has a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology and spent 16 years in her first career as a psychologist. She holds several Amrit Method certifications including I AM Yoga (ERYT-500), Yoga Nidra, and Yoga Therapy. She is a certified member of the International Association of Yoga Therapists (C-IAYT). A Yogi through and through, Marie fell in love with the Amrit Methods when she first met Gurudev and his daughter Kamini in 2009. Marie is a practicing Yoga Therapist, Yoga Nidra facilitator, and Yoga teacher. She currently lives in Chandler, AZ.
This article was originally published in Arbus Magazine Oct/Nov 2018, pg. 32 edition and has been adapted for this blog by the author.
When you are with your beloved, you really want to be with them. “Am I with you? Are you with me?” It’s better to ask than to wonder. Yet when you think about them, you move away from them. How then can you be with them? Only when you are present and feel their presence are you with them.
When you think of some future happiness together, you are moving away from them. You want to be with them—not in your thinking, but in your feeling. When you are close to your feeling, you are closer to your being. Then you are present with your beloved. In that moment you are not separate from them, and neither are they separate from you. The moment you think about your beloved and your future relationship, you simultaneously distance yourself from the loving being that you are and from the two of you being together. This means when you are separated from yourself, you are separated from your beloved.
You cannot expect anything from them that you cannot do for yourself. Coming back to yourself is the only way to reconnect with your beloved. The true source of the love between you is the source of love within you. There is no way you can be with them through your thinking connection alone.
We are beings of Oneness. In love there is no separation. The mind cannot do anything to replace the beings we are. When you expect the connection to come from your beloved, you disconnect from the source within you yourself. There is no way to come to love. When they are present in your heart in this moment, you are there with them. There is no separation between you. The oneness of being is the source of love within you—just as it is in them.
But when you are seeking love from them, you are moving away from the loving being that you already are.
How strange it is that everyone is looking for love from others without knowing who they themselves are. They can only be the giver, which cannot be demanded from the other. The door to love is open upon your being and giving, rather than demanding. Demanding simply subjects your search for love to the law of reverse effect. When you demand love and fail to get it, you become the victim of reverse effect. Instead, when you give love, you spontaneously receive the love that you give.
How blind human beings are, looking for love everywhere while not knowing that who they are is love.
How hard should you work? How far should you go until you find yourself? That is a mystery. Ignorance is blind; it cannot see. That is why when you ignore what is real, you are ignorant. When you are being ignorant, you are constantly in reaction to who or what is present. You look for to feel fulfilled in the future. For you, love is a goal.
But real love is a self-discovery.
The mysterious presence of love is not a mystery. It is obvious. But one who looks for it in the future cannot see its presence. So, when you arrive in the future, the mysterious presence disappears from your eyes, like a mirage. Such an obvious presence becomes a mystery for those who are looking ‘out there.’ For in reality, it is all in here.
Every time you think about yourself, you move away from the being presence that you are.
What appears to be a mystery to the mind is not so mystical to a mystic. The mystery cannot be unveiled in the future. It can only be unveiled in the present. Presence is so important that you cannot catch it in the future because it includes the past also. Presence is not divided.
How do you know what awaits in the future? The only place in the future where you can go are dreams and projections that come from the mind. You can make up whatever you want, but in doing so, you’ve missed being here at the same time. How do you get there and be there? There isn’t a way. But there is only no way. The way takes you away; no way brings you back. You can give wings to your imagination, but when you come down to the present moment, you need legs in order to walk. If you haven’t learned to walk, the quantum shift that gives you wings is impossible.
Being present does not take hard work. It is not the journey in time; it is not the yogic techniques. It is the knowledge of the truth of who you are that brings you back to here and now. There is nothing you can do to get there.
Yes, doing will get you what you want when you get there—but you won’t be there when you arrive. You can materialize your dreams by going out to get your goal. But the dreamer will be lost in the materialized dream if absent from the present.
Just by being with you, recalling nothing from the past about you, expecting nothing of the future for you, I get to know everything I want to know about you. Simply by being with you. There are no questions about the future for which I need answers.
What comes through the present is the way that it is. There is nothing that can be said about the future that isn’t coming from the mind. It absorbs itself in thoughts about you and about the future.
Love that I seek in the future is a phantom dream.
People are more in love with their dream of love than with love itself. They cannot see, feel, touch, or experience in the future. The love you can feel, touch, and experience lives in the present—which is why it instantly disappears the moment you think about it.
When you are in the present, you are in the presence of love.
Love is not separate from presence. In the present moment the seer and the seeing, observer and observed come into harmonious, co-created loving presence. When you are in love, you are in a co-creative interaction. This co-creating love first happens within before it appears outside. I have no plans. I have no future. I have nowhere to go, nothing to achieve. And yet, I am not lost. If I am here, I am everywhere. When I arrive, if I am not here, no matter where I go, I never arrive.
When you get there you may find what you are looking for—or you may not—but you will find yourself lost anyway. Who you are is present. There’s nowhere to be found, and everywhere you go you find yourself, or you continue to be the one who is looking for you, and are left behind.
Christ said, “God is love.” Yogis have said that you are Sat Chit Anand, translated “the experience of bliss, Oneness, and love that God is”. To find yourself, go nowhere. You already are everywhere.
The source of love is within; nowhere else can it be found. If you look for it to come from outside or the other, you will be the victim of the law of reverse effect. But you will not know it in the beginning or at the end. Do you know why? Because when you expect it to come from the other, and when it fails to come, you blame the other. That is how you never discover that the source of love is within. Love is no different than the presence—the being that you are.
The love that appears to come from the other or external resources is temporarily experienced but a permanent problem. It is permanent because you will never find lasting love from external resources. The true nature of who you are is loving presence.
Love is the unifying presence just as the presence is. Therefore, Christ said, “God is love.” This is also why the yogis have said that you are Sat Chit Anand. You are the experience of bliss, Oneness, and love that God is.
Article by Gurudev Shri Amritji
When you are fully present, the simple joy of living and interacting with life arises spontaneously from moment to moment. Your ability to be fully present and experience a deep sense of health, happiness, and wellbeing depends upon the homeostatic, co-creative balance between the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems in the body. The practice of I AM Yoga® teaches you how to reduce stress by restoring balance between these systems. Powerful Quantum Breath and meditation techniques are used to break down barriers in the body, resolving conflict between body and mind.
Source: Lumen Learning When you are engaged in compulsive past or future based thinking, you experience tension. If your sympathetic nervous system is consumed with excessive mental and emotional conflicts, you are introducing more tension than your parasympathetic nervous system can process or digest. When you are triggered and experiences confusion or indecisiveness, you become engaged in either external blame or internal shame. You may experience boredom or temporarily become a ‘couch potato.’ This creates a different kind of stress.
There are two types of stress: 1. natural: the need to fulfill biological hungers such as eating, sleeping, or sex without overindulging; 2. unnatural: stress that comes from the excitement of indulging in sensual pleasures such as food, sex, or alcohol.
Taking care of your biological appetites can bring a great sense of pleasure and fulfillment biologically that restores the balance, sustenance, and survival of health and wellbeing.
As people move from satisfying natural bodily hungers to desperately seeking more exciting pleasures, they create stress that prevents them from enjoying the natural joy and pleasure that come from fulfilling simple biological needs. When people excessively indulge in food or sex to experience excitement, they are building stress with each repetition of the indulgence. The more stress you build, the less you enjoy the same activity that at first provided you with pleasure.
Cocaine and heroin, for instance, increase dopamine levels in the brain. “Eating preferred foods does exactly the same thing,” Norgren says, “from the same parts of the brain.”
The Biology of . . . Appetite, From the September 2002 Issue of Discover Magazine
The more your body experiences excitement, the more insensitive it becomes. This means you cannot achieve the same excitement that you did previously. As you fail to find enjoyment at the level at which you previously experienced it, you lose your ability to enjoy. This generates a constant struggle to access a higher level of excitement. The ego-mind devises more dramatic ways to seek stimulation and relief by engaging in activities that can be hazardous to your health and wellbeing.
Once you are caught in indulgence, your addiction to stress-creating habits gets built into your routines and lifestyle. You may become manipulative in your love life, family life, work life, and social life. You constantly steer your attention towards your indulgence as the ultimate reward for the hard work that you do all day. Repeated indulgence in any form of sensual pleasure that creates stress in the body grows from pleasure, to excitement, to indulgence, to addiction, and eventually to obsession.
This is what you repeatedly see in people who have become very successful in their professional lives. Their success is no longer stimulating enough, so they seek more excitement through sex, drugs, and alcohol. Then, they become the victim of the stress they have created in the process of seeking external excitement.
If you engage in increasing your level of pleasure to excitement, you will notice that your stress rises right along with it. Such pleasurable experiences, when repeated, become addiction. Addiction begins to function outside of your ability to manage it. We often call this ‘habits.’
Every time you attempt to cope with your need for the next level of excitement by seeking external resources of excitement, your attention moves excessively outward. The energy that is needed to sustain your inner, self-balancing functions now follows your attention, which is seeking more excitement outside. Now, you are not only internally engaged in conflict but also you are seeking resolution externally to resolve your inner conflict.
Seeking love, peace and happiness from the external world creates stress that completely disconnects you from the internal source of love, peace, and bliss. When you are feeling stressed, you are deprived of feeling satisfaction and joy in living your life as it happens from moment to moment.
Natural tension and relaxation are equal and opposite. For example, when you feel hungry, a hunger ‘tension’ is created. When you eat to fulfill your hunger, the tension is completely released. But if you eat for pleasure or to satisfy emotional hunger, you will be feeding your body beyond its natural hunger. This creates more tension than the natural relaxation response of the parasympathetic nervous system can counteract.
What is emotional hunger? When you are unhappy, fearful, or frustrated about something or someone, you may use food, sex, shopping, work, or alcohol to alleviate the tension that the ego-mind interprets as ‘hunger.’ Every time you feed emotional hunger, you are suppressing emotions rather than releasing them. This creates only more stress because emotional hunger works against bodily felt biological hunger.
Often people try to release the energy of emotional hunger by not thinking about it (ignoring it), but they have not let go of the feeling of it. To release the emotions that create reactive thoughts in the mind and negative feelings in the body, you must disengage from reactive thoughts that appear in both body and mind. Reactive patterns live in both body and mind. What the mind builds into the body will reappear in the mind.
The subconscious is naturally designed to function in tension and relaxation. Bodily lifegiving functions manifest through the co-creative polarity of tension and relaxation. Our heart, lungs, muscles, and digestive/eliminative system all operate through the rhythm of tension and relaxation.
Humans have evolved from the level of the subconscious autonomic nervous system to the self-conscious ego-mind that actively functions through the sympathetic nervous system. When we sleep, which is our inborn survival level gift, we withdraw from the conflict-creating, stress-producing beta brainwaves of the ego-mind. Sleep allows us to be active in the external world during the day to take care of our sustenance and survival needs. This in turn allows us to rest at night so that the innate intelligence of the body can restore balance.
If you are physically and mentally active during the day, your body and mind rest during the night. The day acts like tension, and night acts as relaxation. Many people create excessive tension during the waking hours through indulgence in an ego-based, sensually driven search for excitement. It creates more tension than the body’s parasympathetic system can balance. If you create more tension than what can be balanced through sleep and relaxation of the body, it accumulates as stress. This is the cause of insomnia.
During the waking hours, the self-conscious ego-mind engages in conflict-creating, stress-producing interactions through the medium of thoughts and emotions. They manifest as compulsive, reactive ‘self-talk.’ When you are in reaction, you have no control over your inner dialogue. The more you are engaged in reactive self-talk, the farther you move away from not only the Presence, but also who or what is present.
The way we think in our mind is how we feel in our body. All the tension that we create mentally or emotionally manifests in our body. If our thoughts are toxic and reactive, they permeate the body. The body is where we feel the feelings created by our reactive thinking ‘about’ who or what is present. The insightful teachings of I AM Yoga® give you powerful tools and techniques to withdraw from the reactive patterns and habits that create stress in the mind. This empowers you to disband their effects in the body.
Article by:
Gurudev Shri Amritji Founder of the Amrit Yoga Institute
Can this ancient meditation technique neutralize the epidemic of stress? Stress has ballooned to an incredible $1 trillion health epidemic, according to Peter Schnall’s book Unhealthy Work. That’s more expensive than the combined cost of cancer, smoking, diabetes, and heart diseasewhich are some of leading causes of death in our society. Furthermore, it is estimated that 75-90% of all doctors visits are stress related. The reason that stress is at epidemic levels in the West is we don’t know how to stop. We need to create a better balance between tension and relaxation, doing and non-doing. Mindfulness meditation creates this balance and science is now beginning to understand how meditation changes the chemistry of the brain. Meditation can change the size of key regions of our brain, improving our memory and making us more empathetic, compassionate, and resilient under stress. It also increases production of the body’s feel good hormones, including Gaba, Melatonin, Serotonin, Oxytocin, Endorphins, Dopamine, DHEA, and Human Growth Hormone.
Yogis have known for thousands of years that mediation brings balance back to the body and mind. One of the least known and most underappreciated practices of yoga is Yoga Nidra, an ancient practice of mindful sleep. Yoga Nidra neutralizes stress at the root. This mindfulness meditation technique is the art of doing less and gaining more. And it’s so simple to do anyone can do it because it’s based on something everyone knows how to do, sleep. This art of non-doing not only neutralizes stress, but also has the power to unleash the healing potential within our own bodies.
Yoga Nidra provides a unique opportunity to discover a source of power and healing hidden within You may have entered this “zero-stress zone” before through sports, dance or intense exercise—where all doing disappears and you merge with the experience. Once the competition, dance, or race is over, you are back in the same old world. Yogis have known for millenia how to enter this dimension through Yoga Nidra, where healing and transformation happens spontaneously and effortlessly.
When you enter into the intuitive dimension of the Zero Stress Zone: * You see solutions where you saw problems before. * Your innate self-healing power rises above past memories and habits and soars into the limitless, expansive zone of spirit. * Pranic energy healing happens on a non-mental, causal level; not on a symptomatic level. Many have gradually moved from medication to meditation. * Objective clarity of perception brings understanding and communication where, in the past, there was conflict and confusion. * Move from the concept of multiple legs of a caterpillar (making it happen), to the wings of a butterfly (letting it happen); flying into higher integrative dimensions. * You are free from the dependence on external sources of entertainment for relaxation. As you discover your own source and power, self-realization happens intrinsically in all that you do. * Rejuvenate and regenerate for radiant health and well-being. * The restless monkey mind is silenced so quickly. This opens the door to enter this state as easily as a seasoned Zen master.
Students practicing I AM Yoga Nidra™ meditation at the Amrit Yoga Institute.
Photo credit: Thompson Brand Images
Your physical illnesses that appear on the surface of the body are symptoms (effects). The cause is hidden in unconscious, self-destructive behaviors and habits. You can experience the inner dimension of I AM Yoga Nidra™ that removes symptoms from the cause and restores balance. Conflicts within the self-image are the root cause for all stress-creating mental and emotional health problems. They breed anxiety, fatigue, depression, shame, blame and guilt as well as addictions to food, sex, work, alcohol, etc. Treat the symptoms and the cause will continue to survive. Treat the cause and all the surface symptoms will begin to fade and disappear.
Your vital life force is being consumed and suffocated by emotions, anxieties, fears, and frustrations. The Fountain of Youth is within. These powerful, ancient tantric techniques and Quantum Breath Meditation reverse aging and allow you to enter the innermost space of the yoga zone. In Yoga Nidra, healing miracles happen spontaneously in alpha and even deeper brain wave states.
The benefits of Yoga Nidra include: * Dismantling and releasing emotional stress, trauma and hurt built into your body. * Learning high powered breathing techniques for youthful vitality, endurance and accelerated healing through the power of prana. * Directing the life force (prana), knowing that “energy follows attention”. And drive the healing energy with attention to relief of pain, regeneration, and restoration of health and well-being. * Bringing balance in the body by releasing unresolved tension. * Activating your subtle energy field. It becomes a powerful, pulsating presence, mobilizing energy and blood flow and restoring sensitivity to blocked areas in your body. * Observing your whole body, animated with new life force, penetrating and permeating every muscle, joint, organ and cell. * Restoring your freedom to be happy, creative, efficient, and effective.
Start practicing Yoga Nidra today. This sleep-based mindfulness meditation is simple, effective and easy to practice either lying down or sitting in a chair at work. Even a short 20 minute practice can restore balance and have a huge impact on your daily experience of stress and anxiety. Check out some of the following resources for access to free meditations, events, trainings and start removing stress at its roots!
Article by Yogi Amrit Desai & Kamini Desai, Ph.D Further Yoga Nidra resources & events: “Enter the Zero Stress Zone” Tampa Event >>> I AM Yoga Nidra™ Professional Training >>> I AM Yoga Nidra™ Playlist on YouTube >>>
Wouldn’t you like to give yourself the gift of a recharge- so that you feel better and have more to give to the people in your life that you love? Stress created illnesses are at an all-time high! Our modern-day society places a lot of emphasis on our mental ability. At work we are asked to do more and better; to think fast, smart and constantly. We are spending “free” moments checking out the latest on social media. We are inundated with advertisements everywhere we look. That is a lot of information for our brains to process every day.
Dis-ease, whether physical, mental or emotional, arises when we spend more time doing than simply being. This is because the sympathetic nervous system is on constant duty and is not adequately balanced out by the relaxation of the parasympathetic nervous system. Most Westerners sleep less with more disturbance resulting in poor quality. It’s no wonder so many of us are finding ourselves out of balance and in need of a recharge.
Here’s the thing about going, going and keep on going. Your body will adapt for a while, but the moment you stop you may find yourself crashing or getting sick. That’s because the body was not designed to keep going without the balance of simply being, through relaxation. Our autonomic nervous system was designed to create balance, but our busy minds keep us on constant alert and constant duty.
We are now so socialized to be on constant duty that slowing down or stopping can actually feel threatening to the mind. Yet rest and relaxation is necessary for a healthy life. Animals work when they need to for food, shelter and procreation and then rest when they need to. They do not have the myriad of stress inducing diseases that humans experience. It’s simply our modern social attitude that has told us this is how we need to behave. Nature, however, shows us a very different view.
If we want to give our bodies and minds the rest they need, then we need to relax! Easier said than done, right? Wrong! Relaxing is the easiest thing possible to do because it is a non-doing. It’s really the mind that we need to train. For thousands of years yogis have been teaching that ones’ ability to be at peace comes from simply being, not doing. So how do we do that? Eventually we have to stop, but in order to get to that point there are some simple and very easy steps that can be taken. Make a shift from thinking about and analyzing the world around you, to feeling what is present in your body. This takes you out of the head and into the present moment.
The present moment is the only time/place that you can find peace and balance!
Go ahead and think about this for a moment. Yes, I did say think. If you are completely present, meaning you are not drawing upon memories from the past or creating an imaginary future, then in this moment you can be completely relaxed and at peace! If your mind starts to tell you all the reasons why that isn’t a true statement, just recognize it’s drawing its information from what you have learned in the past and is projecting into the future. Right now, this moment, there is absolutely nothing wrong until you start thinking about it.
Feeling what is present in our bodies is the way for us to become present, because sensations are happening right now. If you were to take one minute right now and focus your attention on the sensations and sounds of taking slow and steady yet comfortable breaths, redirecting your attention away from thinking to feeling, then you will notice yourself relaxing automatically. If thoughts become stronger than feeling, then you may find yourself tensing up again. The solution is to become good at feeling the same way you became good at thinking – repetition. There are numerous different practices that you can do to take you from thinking – to feeling – to being. And we utilize many of these practices during our 6-Day Physical, Mental and Emotional Cleanse. My invitation to you is to join us this September 10-15 or November 12-17 to rest, restore, recharge, rejuvenate and then go back into your life with a fresh perspective and new tools to maintain health and balance. Eventually we all run out of energy and need to rest.
Wouldn’t you like to give yourself the gift of a recharge so that you feel better and so that you have more to give to the people in your life that you love?
I’ve had countless cleanse participants say that the investment of time and money that they made in this experience was truly a gift to themselves and more than worth it. That is why we have so many participants repeat our cleanse on a regular basis. Dr. Brian and I hope to see you soon and support you in releasing what no longer serves you so you may embrace what does!
In Loving Service,Heather Indu Eilering
C-IAYT, E-RYT 500
Senior Yoga Teacher
Yoga & Breath Therapist
For the past fifty-three years, Yogi Amrit Desai has been totally dedicated to awakening the power of spirit and the flowering of divinity that dwells within all beings. He embodies the rare capacity to impart the ancient secrets of energetic transmission. Is teachings reveal the mystical practices of connecting to the Source of sacred energy (also known as prana or chi), commonly used in Pranic Healing. Reiki and psychic healing, etc. This transmission will empower you to connect to the infinite source of healing energy within, to heal yourself as well as help others.
Yogi Amrit Desai is a Master. His presence acts as a catalytic agent to ignite the life force within you. The intensity of the energy that flows through him is so palpable, it fills an entire room. He does not claim to be the Source of the energy; rather he reveals that it already lies hidden within each of us.
When energy is created, energy is transmitted. Faith that is commonly perceived to be the medium for healing and transformation is replaced by synergistic transmission. Such an experience can only be transmitted energetically by a Master who has experience and embodied this communion directly. This is the difference between a teacher and a Master.
How will this experience enhance the quality of my life? In the Prana Awakening or Sadhana of Prana course you will be guided to enter the experience of inner peace, tranquility and stillness. This will allow you to be open and receptive to enter the synergistic, cosmic energy field that manifests between the giver and receiver. It will open the door to the infinite Source of power of healing and transformation that dwells within you.
This experience can provide new possibilities and potentials to: * Produce powerful, transformative shifts on physical, mental and emotional levels. * Experience a paradigm shift that will be mirrored in all your relationships. * Heal unresolved conflicts of the past and live in the present. * Reconcile old traumas and hurts. * Dissolve mental and emotional disturbances and self-destructive habit patterns. * Practice Integrative Amrit Methods (IAM techniques) to easily dismantle reactions that resolve both inner and outer conflicts.
Transmission flows when synergy is created between the receiver and the giver. When a master enters the cosmic energy field, those who are open and receptive naturally and easily merge into it. This integrated and unified state of Oneness cannot be accessed intellectually, conceptually or by studying spiritual books. This mysterious, energetic phenomenon happens beyond the mind on a superconscious, non-linear dimension. The transmission is a quantum leap from the time-bound ego-mind to the subtler, more refined domain of divine love.
This transmission of energy releases and awakens the healing, dormant power of your life force trapped in the unconscious habits and behavior patterns of your personality, your self-image and initiates powerful healing processes from within. Its effects can initiate a clearing of blocked energy on physical, mental and emotional levels which can be accompanied with blissful experiences as well as the release of old, hurtful traumas.
Deeper energetic levels of awakening: * Promote emotional clearing, * Revitalizes your body’s immune system and optimizes neuroglandular functions, * Opens clogged meridians and initiates a healing energy flow; * Releases subtle energy blocks manifesting as muscular tensions and emotional reactions, * Accelerates the chakra system’s restorative, regenerative, self-healing processes.
Past participants have frequently reported that this is the first time they have entered such inner depths of relaxation and experienced an intimate relationship with the power of the spiritual life force within.
As you become infused with the energy, your Presence will attract everything that you are looking for and life will begin to manifest the miracles of synchronicity. Synchronicity is beyond the mind. It is amplified consciousness acting from a larger perspective and orchestrated by Source.
Continued practice and commitment are necessary to sustain and deepen the energetic impact of transmission. Although transmission plants the seed of consciousness, it needs to be nurtured through dedicated practice with a devotional heart for perpetual growth and spiritual unfoldment. This will continue to deepen the impact of the transmission you receive. The more often you enter this sacred zone, the more radiant life force will flow through you. Everything you have been looking for all of your life, including health, happiness, love and peace, will begin to manifest spontaneously.
The Integrative Amrit Methods (IAM) such as I AM Yoga®, I AM Yoga Nidra™, I AM Yoga Therapy™ and I AM Wellness™ programs will help you to deepen your connection to the Source of the Divine within.
Just as the fragrance of a flower spontaneously spreads everywhere as it blooms, when your energetic Presence blossoms, its love and light radiate everywhere you go and encompasses everything you do and everyone you are with. You embody the power of Presence and become an emissary of love and light to the world.