The Niyamas

Patanjali, in his Yoga Sutras, sets forth 8 limbs to follow on the path to "Kingly" Yoga practice.  Yes, dear readers, it's a "path", which means there are lots of things to observe along your journey.  And, if you're the impatient type, I hate to break it to you, the journey never ends.  Each step you take creates another foot on the path.
For the last 5 weeks, I have been "restraining" myself.  That's what the Yamas (see lower left arm on the diagram) are all about - restraint.  The world comes at you from all directions on your journey, and you need to restrain yourself:  don't harm, don't lie, don't steal, don't lust, and don't hoard.  For the next 5 weeks, I'm going to be "observing" myself, as dictated by the Niyamas (see 2nd lower left arm on the diagram).
First up?  Saucha.  Cleanliness, purity.  Well, I took a bath each day this week, so I'm off to a good start!  If only it were so simple.  No one said the journey would be easy...

"Niyama consists of purity, contentment, accepting but not causing pain, study of spiritual books, and worship of God" - Patanjali, Yoga Sutra 2.32

Detox through asana

The purpose of asana is to achieve Samadhi - "enlightenment".  You're putting your body through the paces...pushing its limits...in the hopes of reaching some higher state.  This higher state is very dependent on where you are in your yoga practice.  For some, Samadhi means being unified in body, mind, and spirit. For others, they become intricately in tune with a cosmic consciousness.  Others claim oneness with the Divine.  Some just say they end up feeling comfortably "at home" in their natural state.  It doesn't matter what Samadhi IS for you; to each his/her own enlightenment.

Building on my post from yesterday, detoxing can help you get rid of what's bogging you down and keeping you from your Samadhi.  A clear body leads to a clear mind, which leads to a clear conscientious.  What better way to experience the world?  I ended yesterday's post by touching on the idea that detoxing can be accomplished through asana - a concept that I read about in Yoga Journal - so I thought I'd offer up some postures to get you started:

Cobra pose bhujangasana.  This is a great heart-opening posture that allows you to lengthen the front body.  It also stimulates your adrenal glands, situated on top of your kidneys.

Sage twist marichyasana.  This lovely pose feels fantastic at the end of a long day.  It stretches your shoulders and spine.  It also relieves tension by wringing out your kidneys and liver!

Wheel urdhva dhanurasana. This pose works on the ground just as well as it works up in the air, so if you don't yet have wheel in your practice, a gentle, regular bow (dhanurasana) will give the same results:  Opened heart and hips, and a nicely detoxed liver.

Wide-legged Forward Bend upavistha konasana.  This posture not only stretches the hips and pelvic organs, it induces calm at the end of the day and relaxes you to aid elimination, as well.

So go ahead and get rid of that toxic sludge that's residing in your organs - give 'em a quick wring out (it might be a good idea to drink a full glass of room-temperature water after practice to help flush things along), and you may find yourself a little closer to finding enlightenment, or at least ending your day on a positive note!

"when your mind is clear, pure, and untainted by judgments, you see things as they really are - an equal and balanced way of thinking." - Liz Lark. 1,001 Pearls of Yoga Wisdom. pg 359.

Cleansing

Well, after a heavy, philosophical post yesterday, I figured I might follow it with one that was a little more superficial.  Yes, that's a little contradictory - in fact, my claims at searching "Santosha" are themselves contradictory as anyone who knows my shopping habits can attest.  Suffice it to say, I do admit I've got a lot of things to get in check if I'm going to be honest in my yogic lifestyle.
This spring, "Cleansing" was everywhere, most likely in an attempt to get everyone "bikini body" ready.  Try the Blueprint Cleanse - you'll drop 10 pounds in 15 days.  Try the Master Cleanse - 5 pounds in 5 days.  The GOOP cleanse - you'll look just like Gwyneth did at the Oscars!  Well, I attempted the Zrii detox.  And it got me absolutely NO results.  Wish Santosha was on my radar back then - I would have been content and satisfied with my jiggly thighs and soft tummy.  Alas, I am human, and like all humans, I struggle with finding contentment and satisfaction.
I digress.  The Zrii cleanse is promoted by the Chopra Center (the DEEPAK Chopra Center), which is where I first learned about it.  The Center was offering a 7 day Zrii detox kit to kick off the spring and rid your body of accumulated toxins, excess fluid, and in the process, you "might" lose a few pounds (like 7-10!), but "we're not promising anything".
Good thing they didn't, because I didn't lose 7 pounds.  I gained 5.  On top of the 5 I had gained over the winter.  Yeah, I'm not really at my fighting weight, and my recent addiction to Liquorice Allsorts (I know, strange...but they're surprisingly yummy! Creamy, coconut-y, anise-y.  I somehow got hooked.) isn't helping.  I did the detox over the Easter break, for the most part because the literature accompanying the kit mentioned it was best to be free from distractions and have easy access to the bathroom (Hey, that sounds promising - really getting rid of that toxic stuff, eh?).  What they weren't counting on was my easy access to Coconut M&Ms and Cadbury mini eggs.
I started each day by taking 3 capsules of some greenish brown herbal blend.  15 minutes after that, I was to drink something reminiscent of old-school Metamucil (a greenish powder which was stirred into 8 oz of water) AND drink a full tablespoon of Zrii "CitrusCleansing Oil".  I gagged.  I gagged every single time I had to swallow that tablespoon, so I reduced it to half a tablespoon, and eventually eliminated it.  Well, maybe that oil was essential to the cleanse and that's why I gained weight instead of losing.
What really happened is that I wasn't being mindful - haven't been mindful - and that's what balancing your weight (and LIFE!) is about.  Being mindful about what I'm eating, when I'm eating it, and how I'm eating is a lifestyle change.  That kind of change is the one that gets results - not some quick fix 5 to 7 day detoxing cleanse with crazy ingredients that supposedly "stoke the inner fire" and increase your metabolism to lose weight.  What you're inevitably losing is water weight - which you will gain back when the cleanse is done, unless you use the cleanse to jumpstart your LIFESTYLE change.
In the meantime, if you're feeling clogged with toxins and would like to rid your body of the "ick" that's in there, try cleansing through asana.  Simple spinal twists wring out the kidneys and liver - your "built-in" detoxifiers.  Gentle backbends offer the same benefits.  Add these postures to your lifestyle changes, and you'll lose the weight AND actually detox!
Thanks for reading....more to follow!