Meditation at its core can be seen as a return to ourselves. A returning to our true nature. Meditation in its deepest essence is a transcendence of all duality and all material phenomenon. It is a withdrawal into our innermost sanctuary. In meditation we are called to return to our own divinity. Meditation is an invitation to return to our Self.

The goal of Yoga is for the mind to be merged (laya) in the heart, the seat of consciousness. For this realization to be attained, the mind must be in a state of pure sattva.

THE THREE DOSHAS: VATA, PITTA, KAPHA According to Ayurveda there are 3 primary life forces in the body, called “Doshas” in Sanskrit. The Doshas are the primary forces and subtle substances behind all the physiological and psychological functions. They produce the body and aid in its function and are also causative factors in the disease process. Ayurveda is essentially nothing more than the science of the Doshas. They are the most important principles of Ayurvedic thought and practice. To learn Ayurveda, one must memorize the nature, attributes, location, function, states of excess and deficiency and factors of derangement of each Dosha. Once we have done this Ayurveda becomes simple and easy to understand as all else derives from this. The Ayurvedic term Dosha means to spoil, darken or causes things to decay (from the Sanskrit word “Dush”). When out of balance the Doshas cause disease and when in balance they serve to support tissues and organic functions. Ayurvedic treatment is based upon understanding the individual constitution involved. Ayurveda does not regard disease as existing in itself but occurring as a complication of constitutional imbalances rooted in the nature and behaviour of the individual. According to its view, disease is more a product of internal malfunctions than a result of external pathogens. The state of our internal energies determines our predisposition to external disease factors that are always present in the environment to some degree. The 3 Doshas are: • Vata – Biological Air Humor • Pitta – Biological Fire Humor • Kapha – Biological Water Humor According to Vagbhatta, one of the great Ayurvedic commentators: “Vata is dry, light, cold, rough, subtle, and agitated in qualities. Pitta is a little oily, sharp, hot, light, unpleasant in odour, mobile and liquid. Kapha is wet, cold, heavy, dull, sticky, soft and firm.” - ASHTANGHA HRIDAYA I. 11-12 Qualities of The Doshas Vata - Dry, Light, Cold, Rough, Subtle, Mobile/Agitated Pitta - A little oily, Sharp, Hot, Light, Unpleasant in Odour, Mobile, Liquid Kapha - Wet, Cold, Heavy, Dull, Sticky, Soft, Fixed Vata Dosha The biological air humor is called Vata, meaning “wind” or “that which moves things”. It comes from the Sanskrit root “Va”, meaning to blow, flow, to direct or command things. It is the motivating force behind the other two Doshas, which are considered incapable of movement without it. Vata is the prime force of the nervous system. It governs our sensory and mental balance, our sensory and motor orientation, and gives mental adaptability and comprehension. Vata (wind or air) is primarily dry, cold, light and mobile in attributes. We can see these in the drying, cooling, lightening and agitated properties of the wind. Pitta Dosha The biological fire humor is called Pitta or “bile”, meaning that which digests things. It comes from the Sanskrit word “Tap”, meaning to heat, cook or transform things. Pitta is responsible for all chemical and metabolic transformations in the body. It governs mental digestion and our capacity to perceive reality. It derives primarily from our power to digest food. Pitta (bile or fire) is primarily hot, moist and light with mobile but flowing action. We can see this in the nature of blood or the acid secretions in the stomach and intestines. Kapha Dosha The biological water humor is called Kapha, which means “phlegm”, meaning “that which holds things together” and indicates the qualities of stickiness and adhesion. Kapha gives nourishment, provides substance and gives support. It serves as a vehicle or substratum for the other two Doshas. Kapha (phlegm or water) is primarily cold, moist, heavy and slow. We can see this in the nature of phlegm or that of water confined in a limited area where it stagnates and congeals. Asana and the Doshas Asana and Vata Dosha Asana is one of the primary treatments for excess Vata Dosha., which is intimately connected to the bones that serve as Vatas container in the physical body. Vata accumulates in the large intestine and colon. From there it is transported via the membrane of the large intestine and enters into the bones. Healthy Vata or Prana from digested food gives energy and strength to the bone tissue. Unhealthy Vata or excess Vata and Apana brings about deterioration of the bone tissue. Excess Vata gets stored in the bones where it causes structural disorders as well as degeneration of the bone tissue, including various diseases such as arthritis. This excess Vata takes the form of coldness, dryness, stress, nervousness, fear and anxiety which is held in the bones and the joints. It is much like the feeling of coldness and dryness after being exposed to a cold wind. It is alleviated by warmth and touch, preferably gentle as a strong or sharp touch will make it worse. It is very difficult to keep Vata in balance without a lifestyle discipline that includes Yoga asana. Vatas should perform Asanas at least 30 min every two to three days. Remember this when you are making such recommendations for your clients. Vata Dosha always needs asana. Vatas are usually flexible when they are young as their Vata is still pranically charged. As they get older, particularly past the age of fifty, their Vat becomes rigid, making movement difficult as their bodies may become rigid, stiff and inflexible. If Vata types start a regular discipline of Yoga asanas, they can prevent many Vata problems from arising later in life. A gentle slow asana practice is advised for Vata types. Vata types more commonly suffer from stiffness owing to dryness and deficiency in the tissues. They do not have sufficient cushioning in the joints and nerves or proper hydration of the tissues. They are more prone to injury as they move suddenly and abruptly, as well as going to extremes in their practice. Vatas should focus on keeping their energy firm, even and consistent. The body should be kept calm, centered and relaxed without sudden or undue use of force. Asanas should be practiced gently and slowly, avoiding any sudden and abrupt movements. Vata types are sensitive like a flower that easily wilts. They have much initial enthusiasm, but easily get frustrated and give up. They need special attention, care and encouragement. They require a gentle, warm and soothing practice, mindful of their sensitivity and volatility. Asana and Pitta Dosha Pitta types have medium or average builds. They are neither too tall or too short in height, neither too heavy or thin in weight. They usually possess a good musculature and flexibility owing to their good circulation and oily quality of Pitta that lubricates the joints. When they dedicate themselves to asana practice, Pittas become quite good at it. Still they may lack the ability of long boned Vata types to do certain postures. They can also make their joints too loose from excessive practice, which can create problems just as significant as too much stiffness in the joints. Psychologically, Pittas are aggressive and like to excel at what they do. They may take their high achievement mentally into asana practice where it is not appropriate. Pitta people are often very overly ambitious, irritable or driven. Yoga postures should be used to cool them down on both the physical and emotional level. This helps them direct their intelligence within, where they can use it to understand themselves. Pittas should perform asanas in a way that is cooling, nurturing, expansive and relaxing. They should be careful not to turn their practice into a strong workout in which additional heat is generated in the body or in which too much sweating occurs. They should avoid overheating the blood or bringing too much heat to the head. This does not mean that they cannot do a strong practice, but they should make sure to compensate for any heat created by ending with cooling postures and cooling pranayama. Pitta people often benefit from asanas that release tension from the mid abdomen, the small intestine and liver, where Pitta accumulates. Such are the bow pose, cobra pose, boat pose and fish pose. These postures allow excess Pitta to be eliminated from the body, particularly flow downward through the digestive tract. Headstands create Pitta and should not be done unless one knows how to balance out the heat they create. Forward bends are generally good for Pitta because they bring more energy to the mid-abdomen and have a cooling and grounding effect if done in a gentle manner. Backbends tend to be heating and so should be done in moderation followed by cooling postures. Seated twists help cleanse the liver, detoxifying Pitta. Pitta should come away from asana practice feeling cool, content and calm. Their minds should be clear and relaxed, their emotions at rest, with no feeling of competitiveness or irritation. Pitta should keep their body cool and relaxed while practising asana. Asanas should be practised in a surrendering manner to remove heat and tension. The mind should not be too sharp or critical. Pittas who have pushed too hard will feel irritable or even angry after their asana practice. Asana and Kapha Dosha Kapha are typically short & stocky, gaining weight easily. Kapha types tend to lack flexibility and cannot do poses like Lotus pose. Yet they are sturdy and strong and have the best endurance of all three Doshas. Kapha types need movement and stimulation to counter their tendency to complacency and inertia. They are good at keeping a practice going for longer periods of time, once they get going in the first place. Kapha’s tend to be overweight, which limits their movements and makes them sedentary. They often have congestion in the lungs which makes deep breathing difficult. They find it hard to change without some form of external stimulation. They need to be constantly prodded to do more or they will fall short in their efforts. Although, Kapha’s nature makes them steady and consistent in what they do. Once they take something up, they do it faithfully over time. Overall, Kapha requires an energising and stimulating asana practice. Kapha types are usually bulky with short bones and usually poor flexibility, for this reason it is especially important that they should not try and force themselves into positions which are not appropriate for the type of joints they have, or they can get hurt. Kapha people should not imagine themselves as tall skinny Yogis, that is not their body type and it is not possible for them to maintain that build, even if they should achieve it temporarily. Overweight in Kapha results in an accumulation of fat, particularly around the stomach and thighs. This shifts the centre of gravity downwards, causing stooped shoulders and other postural problems. With this in mind, Kapha types should learn to accept their builds and not try to force their bodies into a shape that is un-natural or unattainable for them. However, Kapha types must strive to avoid overweight, which is to hold moderate body weight, not to try starve themselves. Kapha also creates mucus in the region of the chest and then moves to different sites in the body, particularly downward. It inhibits movement through the channels by its heavy and damp quality. It increases fat along the joints and surface of the body. It builds up in the joints as an excessive synovial fluid. Such excess Kapha causes swollen glands, benign cysts and bone spurs. Many Kaphas may develop arthritis as a complication of such overweight or poor circulation. Kapha types tend to be sedentary and seldom are physically active unless stimulated or prodded to do so, particularly after childhood. More active exercise is needed for them, stimulating their metabolism and increasing circulation. However, Kapha should increase their exercise in a slow and incremental manner. As Kaphas are prone to heart disease and high cholesterol, care must be taken not to overstrain their hearts in any exercise program. (Kapha is like a frozen river: its movement is inhibited by cold. As heat is applied through exercise, the ice begins to melt, it then breaks off in chunks and moves downstream; such Kapha as it moves out of areas of stagnation, can cause problems elsewhere if it pushed out too forcefully). Kaphas benefit from exercise that causes them to sweat. Generally, Kaphas should be made to do stronger exercises than they like and must be taught to challenge themselves. Sitting asanas, like any condition of reduced movement, causes Kapha to increase. To benefit from sitting postures, which is necessary for meditation, Kapha must have a Yoga practice that is stimulating and of a warming nature. Vinyasas, like Surya Namaskar with its constant activity are excellent and stimulating for Kapha constitution. Standing postures in general are good for them, particularly combined with movement and stretching. Virabhadrasana and variations are good, particularly aimed at opening the chest where Kapha tends to accumulate, particularly when combined in a flow with Surya Namaskar, such as Surya Namaskar B. Backbends are generally good for Kapha because they open the chest and increase circulation to the head, where mucus easily builds up for them, blocking the senses and dulling the mind. Forward bends are not so good for them, unless they are caught up in emotional stress and seek some short-term calming effect. Kapha people tend to have slow digestion and a slow metabolism. To stimulate the digestive capacity, procedures that have an action on the navel region are very useful. The bow pose is one of the most beneficial postures for them because of this. To counter Kapha congestion or stagnation, the right Yoga postures combined with pranayama are excellent. Kaphas should come away from asana practice feeling invigorated, warm, light, with their circulation energised and chest and lungs feeling open. Their mind and senses should feel sharp and clear. Written by Pamela and Bettina Stuetz

दुःख “What causes Duḥkha ? In the school of Sāṃkhya it arises from within, or from external influences, or from extraordinary phenomena such as drought, storm, earthquake. However, the experience of Duḥkha is not the same for everyone. The same circumstance may not bring Duḥkha in everyone. Hence the cause of Duḥkha is association . Association implies “two”, that which is “associated to” and that which is the “cause of association.” In Yoga they are known as Draṣṭṛ and Dṛśya ; that which perceives and that which is perceived. The next three Sūtra describe them. How these two get associated is a subject matter of great debate. Suffice it to say that this mystery is the Lord’s will.” – T Krishnamacharya on Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 17

ॐ नमः शिवाय Om Namah Shivaya Om, salutations to the auspicious One Shiva benevolent deity and dissolver of the universe. Lord of Yoga tvattō jagadbhavati dēva bhava smarārē tvayyēva tiṣṭhati jaganmr̥ḍa viśvanātha. tvayyēva gacchati layaṁ jagadētadīśa liṅgātmakaṁ hara carācaraviśvarūpin..11.. iti śrīmad śaṅkarācāryakr̥tō vēdasāra śivastavaḥ sampūrṇam. Oh Lord! This entire world has its origin in you; you are its creator. This world is established in you; you are its foundation. And at the time of conclusion this world merges with you, dissolves in you. It reminds one of your gross and visible form known as the Lingam. You are the Lord of this world like you being the Lord of the Lingam. Oh Har (Shiva)! This world consisting of mobile and immobile creature (such as the animals and plants respectively) is nothing but your image, your manifestation. from the ‘vēdasāra śivastavaḥ’ by Shankaracharya SHIVA: LORD OF YOGA Shiva as Yogeshvara or Lord of Yoga, the original Adi Yogi, first Yogi, is the supreme deity of Yoga, and for the sadhaka, the spiritual seeker, ultimate resting place of silence. Shiva as Lord of Yoga is the stillness we seek in each yoga asana, Shiva is the quiet mind resting in spacious awareness. Shiva is the mystery of the divine within, that we seek to cultivate and realize through our spiritual practice. Shiva is the power of stillness, non-doing. In our spiritual practice Shiva is the great guru that guides us within to the transcendental consciousness, the supreme reality. Shiva as Rudra or destroyer is praised as the divine light of healing. In our daily lives with sorrow, suffering as well as happiness and joy Shiva is the Lord of benevolence. The Mahamrityunjaya Mantra honours Shiva as the three eyed one or Trayambakam. Om Trayambakam Yajamahe, Sugandhim, Pusti vardhanam Urva rukam iva bandhanan Mrityurmuskshiye Mámrtat Three eyed One OM. We worship and adore you, O three-eyed one, O Shiva. You are sweet gladness, the fragrance of life, who nourishes us, restores our health, and causes us to thrive. As, in due time, the stem of the cucumber weakens, and the gourd is freed from the vine, so free us from attachment and death, and do not withhold immortality. This mantra bestows on us the healing blessings and healing qualities of Lord Shiva as the benevolent deity. This mantra invokes in us the healing qualities of Shiva as the divine consciousness from which all healing proceeds. To Rudra Lord of sacrifice, of hymns and balmy medicines, We pray for joy and health and strength. With the most saving medicines which thou givest, Rudra, may I attain a hundred winters. Far from us banish enmity and hatred, and to all quarters maladies and trouble. - Rig Veda Lord Shiva as the lord of the cosmic cycle of creation, that into which the universe dissolves and from which a new universe arises, is the supreme sleep of yoga. That which cannot be named. The name Shiva denotes auspiciousness, it means "liberation, final emancipation" and "the auspicious one". Shiva is that nameless reality from which all arises and to which everything must return. TRIMURTI: BRAHMA, VISHNU, SHIVA In traditional yogic literature Shiva is often depicted as the dissolving force of the cosmos along with the creator Brahma and the sustainer Vishnu. This view however, often distorts the understanding that Shiva is the benevolent eternal return of the manifest universe. In this view of Vedic thought there is no real death but rather a continual cycle of birth arising from the formless, nameless Shiva, and the death of the manifest cosmos returning once more to Shiva. In this regard there is no birth and no death but a continual cycle, an arising and returning, from Shiva to Shiva In Yogic Philosophy the Trimurti: Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva are seen as creator, maintainer and destroyer of the cosmos. In this school of thought Shiva is seen as that force which brings about the death and destruction of the manifest universe. This often has a negative connotation, in which we see Shiva as a force to be feared. When we look deeper, we see that Shiva as benevolent deity is the mystery of life, that which is nameless and formless. In Yoga Vedanta, this is Brahman, the transcendental state of consciousness, which transcends all birth and death . "Shiva is first the original light of reality, Prakasha." - Dr Frawley As the original light, Shiva is our highest truth, our own inner guru, he is the Omkara, the first sound, and is heard in our breath as So ham and Hamsa mantra. Shiva as the original light brings rest, healing and peace, guiding us within to our own inner sanctuary. ॐ नमः शिवाय Om Namah Shivaya Om, salutations to the auspicious One By Bettina Stuetz

An analysis of Ayurvedic & Yogic Principles for Modern Day Yoga Practice of Ahimsa: Non violence AHIMSA : THE HIGHEST PRECEPT TO ATTAIN Many students and scholars of Yoga come across अहिंसा "ahimsa", the first of the yogic "Yamas", which prepare the sadhaka for moral and ethical considerations according to Sanatana Dharma, the eternal universal law of Yoga. Ahimsa is understood as non-injury or non-violence as opposed to "himsa", violence and injury. Those high-souled persons who desire beauty, faultlessness of limbs, long life, understanding, mental and physical strength and memory should abstain from acts of injury." "Ahimsa is the highest dharma. Ahimsa is the best tapas. Ahimsa is the greatest gift. Ahimsa is the highest self-control. Ahimsa is the highest sacrifice. Ahimsa is the highest power. Ahimsa is the highest friend. Ahimsa is the highest truth. Ahimsa is the highest teaching." - Mahabharata Ahimsa, a non-violent attitude toward all life, begins with Self and ends with Self. In Yogic understanding since all is Self, one sees the oneness of all. Th e unity of Yoga the "yuj" or realization of the unity of Atman and Self/Brahman is what Yoga recognizes as the divinity in all since it sees the Self as Brahman, the one reality. Ahimsa is not only the non-violent attitude and behaviour toward self and others, but the non-violence and peaceful awareness extending to the whole cosmos, through the realization and awareness of Self as the whole. Realizing we are alive, as is the plant, the river, the mountain, the butterfly, the snake, for all are divine and of the one true reality, the Brahman. In Yoga Vedanta philosphy, Brahman is the undivided, one true reality, that which upholds all of creation, the pure consciousness as Self of all. In this article I hope to shed some light on Ahimsa from the Ayurvedic and Yogic standpoint of seeing the divine in all, and through doing so, seeing our own organic nature and connection to the cosmos, as we inherently and intrinsically are the cosmos, as the Mandukya Upanishad says: "All this is verily Brahman, The Self is Brahman." "This identical Atman, or Self, in the realm of sound is the syllable OM, the above described four quarters of the Self being identical with the components of the syllable, and components of the syllable being identical with the four quarters of the Self. The components of the syllable A-U-M" SELF & COSMOS : THE DIVINE IN ALL Leave this chanting and singing and telling of beads! Whom dost thou worship in this lonely dark corner of a temple with doors all shut? Open thine eyes and see thy God is not before thee! He is there where the tiller is tilling the hard ground and where the pathmaker is breaking stones. He is with them in sun and in shower, and his garment is covered with dust. Put off thy holy mantle and even like him come down on the dusty soil! - Rabindranath Tagore Yoga acknowledges through the Veda the unity of all of creation, there is no separation in yogic thought, but one continuous harmonious cycle of creation, sustenance and death, an endless cycle that repeats itself endlessly. All of creation is brought about through the sleep of Shiva, the endless dissolution of manifest life, and the new creation arising out of the dissolution to be manifest once more. Yoga sees the divine in all of life, the consciousness that pervades all creation as sacred, and untouched and yet divinely in life as the manifest reality. THE SACRED ORGANIC CONNECTION PERMEATING ALL LIFE Living in the Cape for one and a half years gave me the insight and realization of this sacred bond of Man and Cosmos. Man and nature, not man separate to nature, but man as arising together with nature. I had the good fortune of being able to grow my own food, harvest my own food, live in harmony with nature, watching the bees, snails, birds, ants, mice, butterflies, chameleons, snakes, wild field mice, ducks, lizards, frogs all interact with one another and their surroundings, and it gave me the understanding and insight of how we fit into this ecology. This is a sacred bond of mother earth and all forms of living creatures inhabiting this earth. Indigenous cultures know this sacred bond and connection we have with the soil, and food. Our physical bodies are of the soil and return to the soil. In this time in the Cape I deepened my understanding of this inherent connection I share with my environment, the nature surrounding me. The sacred mountains and land that nourishes my wellbeing, the stars and moon that nourishes my wellbeing, The sun that nourishes and is our father according to Yoga. Our prostrations to the life-giver, the Sun or Surya, Aditya, and the many other names given to worship the sun. Living in this way enabled me to feel this sacred bond that I share with every creature, with the rivers, the mountains, the stars. I often marvelled at the abundance of my food garden, the abundance of life itself. I would sit for hours watching and connecting with the bees, the birds, the lizards, the ants all of these creations busy in their own lives. I would marvel at the abundance of edibles, the plants were producing and through this realized that nature itself is abundance. Life is inherently abundant, and at the heart of this abundance is the wish of well-being for all . The edible plants asked nothing in return for their bounty. And because of this my connection grew deeper to my own food, soma, that I would take in to nourish myself, and because of this my heart expanded in love for this. There is reciprocity in giving and receiving. A generous love in this connection. Through this generous connection there is only a -himsa. non-violence. AT THE HEART OF NATURE IS ABUNDANCE When we realize that the inherent nature of life is to give then we have made a step toward the inclusivity of all. The nature of consciousness is to create. Permeating all of life is consciousness, the sattvic principle of harmony and goodness. "HIMSA" IN MANY FORMS "Himsa" shows itself not only as violence toward others through abuse, but through subtle invasion of the mind through greed, intolerance, disconnection from Self which leads to animosity in all its forms. Through the awareness of our intrinsic connection to nature we realize that our mother earth is truly our mother, our protector and provides nourishment and well-being. A-himsa is the highest dharma, because we innately practice kindness, as the kindness that is bestowed onto us through the whole of nature. Nature bestows onto us kindness and caring, benevolence and life. OUR CONNECTION TO SOIL History provides ample evidence that civilisations that ignored the health and wellbeing of the soil, and exploited it without renewing its fertility, disappeared along with the soil. Both ecological science and our ancient wisdom teach us that all life depends on soil.- Vandana Shiva Indigenous cultures are naturally aware of the connection we share with the earth as a living being, the animals, the water and plants and honour this sacred connection. In Yoga philosophy, the five elements, prithvi (earth), jal (water), agni (fire), vayu (air), and akasha (ether or space) make up creation arising through prakriti. We are created, as is the earth, as are the animals and plants out of these five elements. Our connection to one another is therefore divine. "Prakriti is the latent state of substance, like the seed that holds the potential for a great tree. It is the prima materia of the world of which matter, energy and mind are manifestations. Prakriti, we could say, is the causal or original form of all substances, from which their subtle and gross forms arise." - Dr Frawley We share a spiritual connection with all of nature that has been woven through our cultures throughout our history. The land we walk upon is the very land that germinates the seeds and grows our food. The water that nourishes and sustains us is the same water that sustains all of life on our mother earth. The cycle of birth and death is rooted into the cycle of birth and death of the entire cosmos. There is a cycle of the seasons, and the planets orbit. There is a cycle of each star, from birth to death. There is a cycle of each man from birth to death. Our organic connection is palpable and at the core of our lives. AHIMSA IN THE DIGITAL AGE The connection to the land, our ancestors, our fellow animal beings, our fellow plant beings, the rocks, minerals, salts & water, is where we practice ahimsa. Ahimsa is the honouring of this connection, the movement of kindness, compassion and caring because we share a sacred and divine connection. A-himsa is the action of benevolence that is prevalent throughout the cosmos. Through the cycle of creation there is a benevolence for life. A kindness in action for life. Life does not harm itself, it seeks to promote itself. It seeks to create a safe container for the spread of life. HAVE WE LOST OUR WAY " "May the stars carry your sadness away May the flowers fill your heart with beauty May hope forever wipe away your tears And, above all, may silence make you strong." - Chief Dan George The Digital Age is an age fraught with disconnection from nature, Self and true reality. Ayurveda teaches us that the practice of Pratyahara (the severing of the mind from the input of the sense-organs) is a practice of connection to Self. Modern digital technology distances h umanity from nature by necessity. Artificial Intelligence creates a virtual reality that is separate from true reality. True reality is consciousness known as Brahman in Yoga that permeates all of creation. Virtual reality creates disconnection between people and their surroundings, the natural environment and the planet. There has been created a discord between man and nature. "Our modern humanity trapped in the illusion of information and technology needs to confront and is beginning a new reckoning with this supreme mystery." - Dr David Frawley . This supreme mystery is the stillness that pervades and is the state of unity, the pure consciousness, known as Brahman, which we cultivate and unite with through being aware. This is not the awareness of the mind, it cannot be known through the mind, but the the stillness of the spiritual heart. From an Ayurvedic perspective our modern day lives are (in most cases) a continual outward progression feeding the sense organs. Continual and constant engagement in outward sensations through media, telecommunication, technology and AI. This is the very opposite of the practice of Pratyahara in which we sever the connection between the soma or food for the senses, and move toward our inner landscape. Ayurveda recognizes that we can control the input we receive into our minds. We can control our intake and interaction with technology and digital media. When we are wholly focused on the external through talking, reading, seeing, browsing multimedia, being active with the mind in our daily lives especially in our fast paced modern lives, the feeling of connection to Self is gradually worn away. Insomnia, stress, anxiety, suicide all play a part in this disconnection to our true reality. The question we need to ask ourselves : Is this not "himsa", injury to ourselves? The spiritual connection to our organic nature being worn away by the constant use and interaction with artificial intelligence and modern technology. It is said that Krishnamacharya kept his eyes down when walking so as not to take in impressions that would affect his mind. He would advise not to laugh too loudly or gossip, as this would be considered a waste of prana. This is in stark contrast to our modern day living especially in large cosmopolitan cities and first world countries, where the emphasis is on fast pace, gratification and satisfaction. Our senses are overloaded, our minds are constantly busy. Stress, insomnia, depression is on the rise as a direct result. HAVE WE LOST OUR WAY? Have we lost our connection to the soil, our food, our water, our plants? H ave we over-industrialized our lives? We're polluting our waters, polluting our land, polluting our air. This is not a-himsa. This is a violent means of living Ahimsa is the highest dharma, the highest way of interaction in which goodness flows both ways. It is the awareness of the divinity in all, and because of that reason there is no violence, only sattva, the principle of harmony and purity. It is the sacred dance of life. Ahimsa is the recognition of consciousness in all living things, Brahman that permeates all of creation. When this is recognized there is no need for greed, for more, for better for faster. Living in true awareness of Sanatana Dharma, we each contribute lovingly for the goodness of all, because we have been created with the principle of sattva, the principle of goodness and abundance. THE DIGITAL AGE IN LIGHT OF YOGA The sadhaka (spiritual seeker) requires nothing for the inward journey but his own awareness. The digital age brings with it new technological advances but at the same time we need to be aware of the effect on our minds and bodies. Are we spending more time using technology? Are we spending less time quietly resting the mind and senses? Are we spending less time in nature? There is an entire movement of people who feel the need to slowdown, to live a simple life re- connecting to the land and the food. Re-wilding back to nature, and to our true organic nature. Industrialized plant based food systems introducing GMO (genetically modified organisms), pesticides, fertilizers and toxic chemicals & additives into our food ecology systems, through seeds and crops, synthetically produced food, and the movement toward growing plant based food in fertilized soil, exploiting and extracting our mother earth, supplying food on demand instead of with the cycles of the year, will take it's toll on our health, on our soil, on our earth. This is a "violent" way of interacting with the benevolent abundant earth that provides for all our needs. Perhaps we can ask ourselves this question: Can we re-wild back to nature, and co-create instead of destroy?. This is ahimsa in action. Compassion for all living beings. The animal agriculture industry, pharmaceutical testing on animals, pharmacological testing on animals, over-fishing, caging animals in zoos & in industrialized commercial farms, disturbing and destroying eco-systems, polluting the land, water and air, exploiting the earth is himsa - violence toward sentient beings and toward ourselves, and our mother earth. The industrial-digital age is moving humanity away from the organic nature of life toward a reality devoid of connection to our true organic nature. Practising ahimsa in our modern times is not simply being kind and generous to those we share our lives with, (although that is where we start) but it is a greater movement toward compassion for all of life, seeing all of the cosmos as one, and from this point, move toward a-himsa with every decision we make, with every opportunity that arrives. Recognizing the globalist economies and the technocratic governance and perhaps taking a step back and re-evaluating our societies, we should ask ourselves : Can we move in harmony with the cosmos? Can we move in harmony with mother earth? Ahimsa in action is this re- thinking and re-wilding. A unified approach of connection to our organic lives. “Ahimsa paramo dharma”: Ahimsa is the highest law. - Manu Smriti Mahatma Gandhi believed Ahimsa to be a creative energy force, encompassing all interactions leading one's self to find satya, "Divine Truth".. This divine truth is our true reality of pure awareness, in yoga known as pure consciousness or Brahman. When the activities of the mind are quietened and the mind merged with the spiritual heart in the hrdaya it is said that one realizes this truth. A very simple truth: the nature of awareness is to be aware. Cultivating this truth is a return to simplicity. A movement away from modern consumerism, and a movement toward true ahimsa, authentic living with a heart centered approach to all of life. Let us all return to the soil That lays the corners of its garments And waits for us. Life rears itself from her breast, Flowers bloom from her smiles Her call is the sweetest music; Her lap stretches from one corner to the other, She controls the strings of life. Her warbling waters bring The murmur of life from all eternity. - Rabindranath Tagore By Bettina Maria Stuetz .

The fie ld of boundless emptiness is what exists from the very beginning... Vast and far reaching without boundary, secluded and pure, manifesting light, this spirit (essence) is without obstruction. Its brightness does not shine out but can be called empty and inherently radiant. Its brightness inherently purifying, transcends casual conditions beyond subject and object. Subtly but preserved, illuminated and vast, also it cannot be spoken of as being or non-being. - Hongzhi "Holding Space is an opening of the Heart" Holding Space is a tender and gentle way of being present in infinite awareness, to the condition of another Being. This presence is marked by compassion and empathy. Holding another Being in a space of love and kindness, allowing their arising healing process to unfold. It is about embracing their sorrow, their joy, their suffering and their sadness with an open heart. There is no judgement in this space of being-to-being resonance. It is the essence of loving-kindness. This sacred space of healing is found in Silence. For this we need to go deeply into our true nature. "The Way is not in the sky. The Way is in the Heart" - The Buddha We have no expectations in this space. This sacred space of healing is found in Silence. For this we need to go deeply into our true nature. When we hold Sacred Space, we are non-doing. We are in the silence of the Heart. The Yogis call this inner space in the Heart, the guha or cave. In this Silence is the original unstruck sound, the original silence before creation, the silence before manifestation. This is the silence we are inherently attuned to, the very core of our essence and Being is this unfathomable, -and unknowable silence. Heart Sutra Gate, Gate, Paragate, Parasamgate, Bodhi Svaha! Gate, Gate, Paragate, Parasamgate, Bodhi Svaha! Gate, Gate, Paragate, Parasamgate, Bodhi Svaha!” Gone, gone, beyond, gone altogether beyond. Oh what an awakening! Gone, gone, to the Other Shore, attained the Other Shore having never left. The mantra of the Prajna Paramita is found at the end of a brief, but classic Buddhist scripture, The Heart of the Prajna Paramita Sutra, often called The Heart Sutra or The Great Heart of Wisdom Sutra. Many of us throughout our lives lose touch with our inner essence, our Innermost Being, and so lose our authenticity. This in turn creates conflict in ourselves and in our lives and in our relationships. When we cultivate a daily practice of Yoga (Hatha, Raja, Bhakti, Jnana, Kriya) we come closer and closer to that Stillness in which all ‘doing’ ends and ‘being’ begins. In this state we can allow others to do the same. When we are completely relaxed in our True Nature, in our True Essence, we are steady, balanced and Sattvic. We are not swayed easily. We can allow thoughts to come, we can allow emotions to appear, and be equanimous, calm and composed. There is resonance in all of life. We each resonate with ideas, people, music, mantra sounds and so forth. When we are authentic in ourselves we begin to vibrate in our True Nature. This attracts others to do the same. This is where we hold space for healing. It is when our heart is open and balanced. There are no likes and dislikes, there is no judgement. There is only peace. From this embodied Space we create a nurturing space for others to heal as well. As Yoga Nidra / Yoga Teachers we need to cultivate equanimity in ourselves first. We need to listen to ourselves and know when we are out of balance. This requires Self-inquiry, or Svadhyaya. We need to ‘Be at Peace’ with ourselves before we can hold space for others. Taking care of Yourself When we are in a healing profession, it is important to take enough time to look after ourselves. Don’t wear yourself down. Learn to listen to yourself. Take time for yourself to resolve any arising issues you may be having before you hold a Yoga Nidra session. This allows us as teachers to empathetically and compassionately reach out and allow our student to bring his awareness to his own suffering, in his own time and in his own way. • Take a warm bath • Go for a walk • Go for a swim • Sit quietly and allow emotions to arise, acknowledge them and let them go. • Start a vegetable patch • Walk barefoot on grass • Connect with nature Self-regulation Another very important understanding comes with the idea of self-regulation. Knowing when we are not OK. How do we self-regulate our own arsing emotions as Yoga Nidra / Yoga teachers. Self-regulation has a lot to do with acknowledgement. Acknowledging our own emotions and thoughts and then being in a position to help and heal ourselves. As we’ve discussed under Tools for the Teacher, sometimes our clients or students may trigger something us. A memory may arise, an emotion that may be hard to cope with. So how do we cope with these triggers? How do we self-regulate? The most important realisation in order to self-regulate is that we need to be present for ourselves. Many of us gloss over how we feel, how things affect us, and how certain things or people make us feel. We’ve learned to get on with it. But the truth is this: we need to live in complete truth. we need to live in complete Truth When we live in complete truth, we are stable and clear. This is the quality of Sattva. Balance, Peace and harmony. You can begin a practice of noticing your reactions: How do you react in daily life? What sets you off? What triggers you? And how do you bring yourself back into alignment? Breathing through emotional disturbances is often very helpful. Always bring yourself back to a calm state by focusing on your breath. And bringing your mind back into the present moment. This is the quality of mindfulness. Hari Om By Bettina Mara Stuetz

"Pratyahara is the process of controlling the wandering of the sense organs. We can get complete command over all the sense organs by the constant practice of Pratyahara." - Sri T. Krishnamacharya Yoga in itself is a vast system that shows us how to realize our true nature which is the unchanging and incomprehensible reality known as Brahman. One of the most important things to understand is the mind and how it is the most important aspect of our Being, that we need to learn to control. In yogic thought the mind is known as the sixth sense organ, along with the five sense organs: ears, nose, skin, eyes and tongue, through which we receive and perceive impressions. Swami Sivananda Saraswati explains that the mind and the Indriyas or sense organs are connected, in that the sense organs are an extension of the mind. "...the mind is fed by the Indriyas and cannot exist without them. If you have controlled the indriyas you have controlled the mind,..." - Swami Sivananda Saraswati. In order to understand this control of the sense organs we need to first understand the term Pratyahara. What is Pratyahara? The term pratyahara comes from two Sanskrit words, namely prati and ahara. "Prati" means "against" or "away" and "ahara" means "food", “nourishment” , "anything we take into ourselves from the outside". Pratyahara therefore means gaining mastery over what we take in or gaining mastery over external influences. In yogic thought there are three levels of intake or "food". We therefore move away from that which nourishes our senses. It means by control we no longer allow the senses to depend on the things that stimulate them. THREE LEVELS OF INTAKE OR FOOD FOR THE MIND FIRST LEVEL: The first level is physical food from the five elements: water, earth, fire, air and ether, that nourish the physical body. SECOND LEVEL: The second level is the impressions that nourish or are food for the mind. These are the subtle substances such as sound, touch, sight, taste, smell. THIRD LEVEL:The third level of food or ahara is the impressions received from the people we associate with that affect us with the qualities of sattva, rajas and tamas. Through the practice of pratyhara we learn to control the "ahara" or intake of the food or impressions from the external world. FIRST LEVEL OF INTAKE : FOOD INTAKE: It is important to understand that food affects the mind. As it says in the Chandogya Upanishad: The food that is eaten is divided three-fold the gross part becomes the excrement the middle becomes the flesh and the subtle part becomes the mind - Chandogya Upanishad Verse 1.4.2 Eating and drinking sattvic (clean, harmonious, good) food that is grown in healthy surroundings without the use of fertilizers, pesticides and chemicals is important as a first step in our food intake. Also, we need to take into consideration which foods we eat according to our excess dosha(s). In Ayurveda we seek to reduce excess doshas with right diet. Therefore right food, taken according to our body type is a means to control the mind. As we understand the subtle part of the food we take in becomes the mind. We need to understand how the food we take in affects and becomes the mind. We therefore do have control over this intake as that which is external coming into the body which becomes the mind. Pratyahara, on one level, is right intake of impressions, food and all forms of nourishment. On a higher level it refers to the reactions of the mind through the fluctuations known as "vrittis" or waves of the mind. SECOND LEVEL: IMPRESSIONS: FOOD FOR THE MIND The second aspect or level when understanding Pratyahara is "that which nourishes the mind". The main aspect of Pratyahara lies in the regulation of the sensory impressions. The impressions that are food for the mind come from our five organs of sense perception: Eyes, Ears, Nose, Skin, Tongue, which in Yogic though are known as the Jnanendriyas. The word Jnanendriya is made up of two Sanskrit words namely "jnana", which means wisdom and the word "indriya" which comes from the word Indra. In Sanskrit, the senses are known as Indriyas, or the agents of Indra, the lord of the heaven. The tradition recognizes 15 senses namely five organs of action (karmendriyas), five organs of perception (jnanendriyas) and five subtle senses (tanmatras). The mind is Indra, their ruler. We perceive the world not only through our five organs of sense perception but also through the five organs of action: Feet, Hands, Rectum, Genitals and Mouth. Through these sense organs we receive the "food" for the mind. Through right intake of impressions we can control what we take in for the mind. Food for the organs of sense perception come in the form of visual, audio, what we smell and taste and touch. Similarly what we experience in our daily lives through our organs of action, feet, hands, genitals, excretory organs, and mouth nourishes the mind. We can control what we allow ourselves to perceive. indriyanam vicaratam visayesu svabhavatah I baladaraharanam tesam pratyaharah sa ucyate II2II "The senses by nature being drawn towards [the sensory] objects, their restraint by [conscious] effort is said to be pratyahara" - Chapter VII Yoga Yajnavalkya 2-7 FOUR MAIN FORMS OF PRATYAHARA: 1) Indriya-pratyahara—control of the senses; This pratyahara is focused on controlling what we allow in as nourishment for the mind. Right intake is under our own control. We can take in that which is truly nourishing us wholistically. 2) Karma-pratyahara—control of action; Just as we can practice control of the indriyas we can control what we do as right action. There is right action we can follow and there is action we can avoid such as acts of desire and selfish acts. 3) Prana-pratyahara—control of prana; The Sage Yajnavalkya gives many meditations to be practised as pratyahara techniques in which prana is drawn into the body by focusing on various points in the body. By these techniques we draw in prana which stabilizes prana in the body allowing us to practice pratyahara. 4) Mano-pratyahara—withdrawal of mind from the senses. The mind is seen as the ruler or controller of the other sense organs., since it also coordinates the sensory and motor organs, When we learn to allow external influences to remain as they are without reactivity of the mind, we have mastered mano-pratyahara. AN AYURVEDIC PERSPECTIVE ON PRATYAHARA Ayurveda (the sister science of Yoga) sees many types of pratyahara as extremely beneficial, and proposes pratyhara in various forms as relaxation for mind and body which then help to withdraw and focus inward: • Sleep • Relaxation, retreats, internalization of lifestyle energy • Calming and slowing asanas and exercises. • Massage, marma therapy, patient rest • Pranayama, internalization of prana, slowing down of the breath • Pratyahara of the senses, fasting for the mind, withdrawal from sensory impressions, music therapy, aroma therapy, color therapy, • Introversion of the mind • Meditation with mantra • Yoga nidra / yogic sleep • Samadhi – pratyhara of bliss What we need to understand is the link that Pratyahara is between the first limbs and the last limbs of Yoga. It is not possible to move from Asana straight to Dharana and Dhyana / Meditation, because we need to bring under control the breath through pranayama and the senses through pratyahara. EIGHT LIMBS OR COMPONENTS OF YOGA ACCORDING TO BHAGAVAN PATANJALI / YOGA YAJNAVALKYA Bhagavan Patanjali and Sage Yajnavalkya both give us eight Limbs of Yoga as a process to realize the Self. These eight limbs are: Yama - ethical guidelines and restraints Niyama- moral behavioural codes Asana-yoga posture Pranayama-breath regulation Pratyhara-right intake of impressions, food, nourishment, control of the reactivity of the mind Dharana-concentration of the mind on an object Dhyana-meditation of the mind on that object Samadhi-absorption of the mind in pure consciousness in the hridaya (spiritual heart). In the Yoga Sutras of Bhavagan Patanjali, we understand Pratyahara as that which is connected to the external practices of Yoga, the first four practices of yama, niyama, asana and pranayama, however Sage Yajnavalkya recognizes Pratyahara as an internal practice and classifies it together with the last three, dharana, dhyana and samadhi. However in the Yoga Sutras it is clearly explained that this classification of internal and external practice is relative. What we need to understand is the link that Pratyahara is between the first limbs and the last limbs of Yoga. It is not possible to move from Asana straight to Dharana and Dhyana / Meditation, because we need to bring under control the breath through pranayama and the senses through pratyahara. 2.54 svavisayasamprayoge cittasya svarupanukara ivendriyanam pratyaharah The restraint of senses occurs when the mind is able to remain in its chosen direction and the senses disregard the different objects around them and faithfully follow the direction of the mind. 2.55 tatah parama vasyatendriyanam Then the senses are mastered. - Yoga Sutra Chapter II 54-55 This mastery over the senses occurs when the conditions are right. We move spontaneously toward pratyahara as an inward directed practice when we no longer allow the mind to react to the objects of the senses. “In pratyahara we sever the link between mind and senses” - T.K.V. Desikachar, The heart of Yoga As an example when we are totally absorbed in our breathing then pratyahara occurs quite naturally. When the mind is so intensely occupied with the breath links between the mind, senses and and external objects that have nothing to do with the breath are cut. Pratyahara occurs automatically when we meditate because we are so absorbed in the object of our meditation. Pratyahara happens by itself, we cannot make it happen, we can only practice the means by which it might happen. Even though some techniques are suggested as pratyahara techniques, again pratyahara will occur spontaneously. For example: I am in an intense discussion with someone. I am engrossed in the subject matter and forget about all else. Even though many people may be standing around me I can only focus on the person I am having the conversation with. I am so absorbed in this conversation. I don’t notice the people around me. I am quite capable of noticing the people around me but I just don’t. There could be snow falling outside, but again I fail to notice because I am so engrossed in this fascinating conversation I am having. Anything can be happening around me but I only focus on the conversation. In pratyahara, we are abiding in a state of equanimity, where the external no longer affects the internal. Whatever you see, look upon all of it as [being] in the Self, and as the Self. This is also called pratyahara by great souls who have realized [the essence of] yoga. - Yoga Yajnavalkya Chapter VII, 2-7 Hari Om By Bettina Maria Stuetz

The words Yoga Nidra in Sanskrit mean the eternal sleep of the Yogi. This is the original understanding of the term. The word Yoga is commonly understood as the "oneness", "joining", "union" and is derived from the root “yuj” in Sanskrit which means “to yoke”, or “to join” , this joining is that of the Self with the eternal reality, Brahman, the Absolute Reality of all. The word “Nidra” means sleep in Sanskrit. As a Sanskrit compound, Yoga Nidra could be interpreted in various ways such as ‘the sleep caused by yoga’, or “the sleep of Yoga”. “the sleep of yoga”