Sunday at Noon ~ Level One Yoga ~ Starseed Yoga in Montclair

2-6-11 Consciousness.

"All this - everything - is infinite consciousness.  There is neither the perceiver nor the perceived.  This is the great silence.  This is the birthless and deathless state.  All that we call unconscious, subconscious, conscious, and superconscious are different states of expression of this infinite consciousness.  Yoga means to become united, to come together.  With yoga you can be united with whatever you want - money, name, fame, other people, property, whatever you desire.  It's all possible with yoga.  But being united with everything you like outside you won't be possible until the yoga or uniting happens within you first.  Whatever you want to see outside must happen within you.  Please remember this golden law, because what is outside?  Nothing but your projection.  The whole world is your projection.  There's nothing on the screen until you project the film through the mind.  According to the coloration of your mind, according to the shape, size, and density or purity of your mind, you see things on the screen of the world.  If you have recorded beautiful news, nice scenery, and stories, you will see a nice story outside.  If that's what you want to see outside, you must develop it within, then project it out."
- Sri Swami Satchidanada To Know Your Self  p. 55-57 

Class began with centering and breath awareness in a restorative version of Balasana (child's pose) with a bolster.  Tune into the natural flow and rhythm of your breath.  Follow the inhalation through the nose from the very beginning to the very end of the exhalation.  Feel the breath expanding in the back and you relax into your support.  Introduction and theme announced, reading shared.  Sit up on the bolster in Virasana (hero's pose) for 3 OM's to open.  Simple spinal twist, Baddhanguliyasana (upward bound hands), cross arm pose, table, cat/cow, table balance, Adho Mukha Svanasana (downward facing dog).  Vinyasa (moving with the breath) of Balasana - table - Adho Mukha Svanasana 3x.  Vinyasa of Adho Mukha Svanasana - Plank 3x.  Vinyasa of Adho Mukha Svanasana - Plank - Ashtangasana (eight pointed pose) - Bhujangasana (cobra pose).  Balasana, lunge, Anjaneyasana (lunge variation).  Virabhadrasana II (warrior II) vinyasa between reverse vira - Parsvakonasana (side angle pose) 3x. Adho Mukha Svanasana - Virabhadrasana I (warrior I) - Parsvottonasana (intense side stretch).  Balasana, Dandasana (staff pose), Paschimottanasana (west back stretch), Apanasana (knees into chest pose), Anandabalasana (happy baby pose), pelvic tilts, Setubhandha Sarvangasana (bridge pose), Halasana (plough pose), rock and roll (halasana - paschimottanasana), supine twist, Savasana (corpse pose) with guided relaxation.  Played the throat/blue crystal singing bowl to come out of Savasana.

"Don't let your mind control you.  Begin to control it by staying away from any thought that will distrub the mind.  The greatest power on earth is thoughtforce.  Before you can make your thoughts powerful, first make the mind clean."  - Sri Swami Satchidanada To Know Your Self  p. 58

Sit quietly and feel the effects of today's yoga.  End with one soft OM and peace chants.
Asato Maa Sad Gamaya Tamaso Maa Jyotir Gamaya Mrityor Maa Amritam Gamaya
Lead us from unreal to Real.  Lead us from darkness to the light.  Lead us from the fear of death to the knowledge of immortality. 
OM Shanti, Shanti, Shanti!
Lokaah Samastaah Sukhino Bhavantu
May the entire universe be filled with Peace and Joy, Love and Light.
Namaste.