Week 3 in Rishikesh, India

by | Feb 8, 2018 | Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) | 0 comments

Week 3 Yoga Teacher Training – Rishikesh India

I have learned so many things during this Yoga Teacher Training (thank goodness because I’m in class from 7am each morning until 7 or 7:30pm each night 🙂 ). How do I stay on one topic?? So here is fair warning – I may wander and chat about a few topics this week.

The major thing I have learned is that Yoga is a lot more than just the asanas (postures). It is the path to self realisation (albeit slower than NLP, Time Line Therapy(TM) and Hypnosis).

Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras are the basis of yogic techniques and serve as a framework for integrating yoga into daily routine for a healthy and worthy life. According to the Yoga Sutras there is an eight fold path of Yoga.

  1. Yama – social disciplines of ethical living
  2. Niyama – Individual disciplines of healthy living
  3. Asana – physical yoga poses
  4. Pranayama – awareness of one’s breath
  5. Pratyhara – control over senses
  6. Dharana – deep concentration
  7. Dhyana – deep meditation
  8. Samadhi – enlightenment
  1. Yama – social disciplines of ethical living include:a. Ahimsa – non-violence or non-harming (unless in self defence)

    b. Satya – Truthfulness; honesty

    c. Asteya – non-stealing

    d. Brahmacharya – sexual restraint; marital fidelity

    e. Aparigraha – non accumulaton of wealth (material possessions)

  1. Niyama – individual disciplines to healthy living (create positive environment internally)a. Saucha – cleanliness (physical; mental and environment)

    b. Santosha – contentment (being grateful)

    c. Tapas – intense self discipline and willpower

    d. Svadhyaha – study of self; self reflection

    e. Ishvara Pranidhana – dedicating and devoting ones work to higher purpose – no egoism.

These, in a way, could be assimilated with the 10 commandments per se or the NLP Presuppositions – principles of ethical and healthy living. Knowing yourself and understanding yourself so you can improve yourself.

Yoga philosophy teaches that if you believe you don’t need to change anything you are suffering from the major Klesha (obstacle in life) which is delusion or ignorance.

In NLP terms this could be classed as Unconscious Incompetence. Let me explain as most of you associate unconscious competence with the four steps of the learning process, and it is but there is more.

Unconscious Incompetence occurs in two areas:

  1. When we don’t know that we don’t know something, because we don’t know it exists.
  2. When we don’t know that we don’t know something, because we think that we do know it. (you can’t see past your own nose ring a bell?)

Yoga philosophy knows that growing and expanding requires life long learning and self realisation or self awareness of every part of ourselves, good, bad and in between. What we do well, what needs improvement and what we do that impacts negatively. Our body carriage, our thinking, our beliefs, how we filter information, how we breath – what do you know about you?

Generally, when we learn to do something “well enough”, we automate the process and as a result of this, we stop learning. This can have it’s drawbacks because what is automated can always be updated, enhanced or modified. To do this we have to have self awareness to know when it is time to “relearn” how to do something…….ooops, I digress already :o)

The next limb of the eight fold path is:

  1. Asana – which is the physical yoga poses, the postures. This is only one-eighth of Yoga.
  2. Pranayama – becoming aware of your breathing and having control to move the life force or vital energy around the entire body. Our lack of breath understanding and control contributes to ailments and dis-ease in the body.

Pranayama is one of the 5 layers or sheaths of the human framework and itself consists of five pranas. (a) Prana, (b) Apana, (c) Samana, (d) Udana and (e) Vyana.

(a) Prana flow of energy governs the thoracic area between the larynx and the top of the diaphragm. It is associated with the heart and organs of respiration together with the muscles and nerves that activate them. It is the force by which the breath is drawn inside.

(b) Apana governs the abdomen, below the navel region and provides energy for the large intestine, kidneys, anus and genitals. It is concerned with the expulsion of waste from the body and is the force which expels the breath.

(c) Samana is located between the heart and the navel. It activates and controls the digestive system; the liver, intestines, pancreas and stomach, and their secretions. It is responsible for the assimilation and distribution of nutrients.

(d) Udana governs the neck and head, activating all the sensory receptors such as the eyes, tongue, nose and ears. Udana also harmonises and activates the limbs and all their associated muscles, ligaments, nerves and joints. It is responsible for the erect posture of the body, sensory awareness and the ability to respond to the outside world.

(e) Vyana pervades the whole body, regulating and controlling all movement and c

coordinating the other pranas.

Lifestyle has a profound impact on the pranamaya layer. Depletion of energy in a particular prana leads to the devitalisation of the organs and limbs it governs and ultimately to disease or metabolic dysfunction.

Pranayama techniques reverse this process, energising and balancing the different pranas within the body and used with Time Line Therapy can have immediate effects on your well-being.

  1. Pratyahara – having control over the 5 senses. The ability to withdraw them from the “outside” world and focus within without distraction to experience your true inner self. By having this control allows the mind to become peaceful so that good concentration and meditation can be developed. It is said that once someone has mastered pratyhara (only possible after mastering the first 4 limbs) they will never again experience distraction or need to withdraw from the world to meditate. Focus on breath is a start to learning to control the senses.
  1. Dharana – refers to concentration of the mind. Practicing dharana involves fixing the mind on a particular object – either external (image, flame, spot) or internal (such as chakra). Yoga can help master the art of dharana because it involves focusing on the breath, body or even a mantra. Regular practice of dharana enhances yoga practice by improving the ability to remain focused, no matter what you are doing. It trains the mind to remain calm and increases mental strength.
  1. Dhyana – a refined meditative practice that requires deep mental concentration. Dhyana builds upon the practices of asana (physical posture); pranayama (breath control) pratyahara (control of the senses, moving the focus inward); and dharana (concentration). This is the yoga of meditation.
  1. Samadhi – the mind’s ultimate state of being; it is enlightenment. Purely aware of one’s self and the world surrounding.

In the context of our trainings and seminars, we operate on the premise that the solution is already within. The paradox is you cannot have an issue, problem etc without already having the solution inside. So we already have Samadhi but not the key to the gates until we learn NLP, Time Line Therapy(TM) or Hypnosis or are coached using these techniques.

During my stay I coached a few people, but one particular lady was very upset that she didn’t know her purpose so I offered to work with her over the one spare hour we both had. I did a technique, that I have modified, and will be teaching in our Master Practitioner trainings from June 2018, to uncover her “purpose”. The realisations she had were nothing short of phenomenal. The change in her demeanour post session warmed the cockles of my heart. The beauty of the techniques we teach is, they are quick and effective. I’m not saying it’s the only way because being here has shown me there are many other ways to achieve these self realisations, but nothing that is instantaneous like NLP.

For years she had been searching for her purpose, because there is so much talk about having to find your purpose so you can be fulfilled. But what if your purpose is under your nose and you have modified, eliminated or grouped information that much that you cannot see it?? We filter information in mysterious ways. Do you know what you are programmed to filter in or out?

The majority of the people in our Yoga training were having or had already had major realisations, they were looking for solutions, and like everyone they were looking for them external to self. They are not there! They are already within.

If you are keen to find out more, and just want a taster of NLP before you commit to learning these techniques yourself, join us at one of our weekend seminars. Dates and pricing can be found on www.designyourlifeseminars.com.au/release-your-limitations/

Until next blog..

Be your own light.

Cheers

Cherry