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Sayaka and Pressler

I went to a fantastic concert this week.

It was the duo recital of violinist Sayaka Shoji and pianist Menahem Pressler, who has nearly 70 years of career as a professional pianist.

There’re almost 60 years disparity of age between the two.

Though I cannot tell the detailed review of the concert because of lack of my expression, the concert left a quiet, and deep impression on my heart.

Meantime, I had another feeling which is somehow related to my job.

Like Mr. Pressler, The person who keeps practicing honestly in right way never declines.

I personally think that people like Mr. Pressler will be appeared more and more in the future.

Not only in the classic music, but also in the research & academics, sports, and even in our daily lives.

It will be so much fun if the grown-up grand children travel abroad with their healthy grand parents, or playing music together.

I believe it’s possible. And I think such a world is definitely wonderful.

It is fun, no doubt, and “hope” maybe born and be taken over through such communication.

I hope Seed Training’s yoga & pilates will contribute to support your “never declining” mind & body.

Thank you Ms. Sayaka and Mr. Pressler

If you are living in Hyogo / Osaka and interested in yoga, pilates, and thai traditional massage, please check following links as well.

Seed Training welcomes your questions and bookings on yoga, pilates, and Thai traditional massage through contact form and telephone.

*You can take an initial consultation & short trial of Private / semi-private lessons (YOGA / PILATES) for free!

090-6756-5136

（I cannot get the phone when I’m having lessons, treatment, and moving. In such a case,please leave a message so that I can call you back later)

Buddhism 10 commandments and yogic Yama, Niyama

By the chance from monthly Zen meditation practice in Kyoto, I attended to Master Yosai’s 800 years memorial ceremony in Kenninji-temple, Kyoto.

It was the ceremony to officially grant Buddhism (especially Rinzai school of Zen buddhism) commandments to attendants.

The ceremony was taken place from early in the morning until afternoon, and during the ceremony, attendants swore to live life together with the heart of the Buddha in the past, present and future while observing 10 commandments in daily lives.

Since that 10 commandments remind me of the base of yogic lifestyle, Yama and Niyama (yogic ethical rules), I’d like to introduce Yama and Niyama today.

Yama（”shall not” toward the life & world）

Yama is like our promise to all the living things and the world.

As we determine the direction of our thoughts and actions along with Yama, we can relieve the root cause of suffering and ignorance, such as violence, hostility, and desire.

There are 5 yamas, according to Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra.

Ahimsa（Non-violence）
Satya（truthfulness）
Asteya（Non-stealing）
Brahmacharya（Self-control on sex）
Aparigraha（Non-possessiveness）

Niyama（”shall do” for ourselves）

Niyama is the rule of conducts for ourselves.

According to Yoga Sutra, Niyama also consist of 5 rules.

Shaucha（purity）
Santosha（contentment）
Tapas（effort）
Svadhiyaya（self-study）
Ishvara-pranidhana（surrender to the “absolute”）

Buddhism (Zen) 10 commandments

Basically, yogic life is the life of observation and practice of Yama and Niyama.

However, if they are not easy to understand fully, I’ll share Buddhism (Zen) 10 commandments so that each Yama and Niyama meanings become much clearer.

Not to kill the living things.
Not to steal someone’s belongings.
Not to disturb the clean relationships of men and women.
Not to tell a lie.
Not to get drunk and neglect your duty.
Not to speak out someone’s mistake.
Not to be arrogant and speak ill of the others.
Not to be unwilling to serve others.
Not to be agitated by the anger.
Not to doubt the teachings of Buddha and Three treasure (Buddha, Dharma, and Monks).

By listening to some of these commandments, I could feel like, “O, this reminds me of that in Yama (or Niyama)”.

I usually don’t take much time to explain about these yogic philosophies, but personally I believe that living yogic lifestyle based on Yama and Niyama brings peace and calmness to our mind. It is not rigid at all.

So, if you’re seeking peace and calmness in your heart, please practice little by little.

If you’re interested in practicing Yama and Niyama in your daily living, please feel free to ask in the class.

Gassho

If you are living in Hyogo / Osaka and interested in yoga, pilates, and thai traditional massage, please check following links as well.

Seed Training welcomes your questions and bookings on yoga, pilates, and Thai traditional massage through contact form and telephone.

*You can take an initial consultation & short trial of Private / semi-private lessons (YOGA / PILATES) for free!

090-6756-5136

（I cannot get the phone when I’m having lessons, treatment, and moving. In such a case,please leave a message so that I can call you back later)

Dvesa in yoga practice

Have you ever had feelings such as, “Oh, back bending asanas are tough…” “Hip opners are really pain…” “Inversions? No, it’s so scaring…” in your yoga practice?

And aren’t you actually avoiding specific tough, pain, or scaring asanas in your daily practice?

If so, those aversions are maybe something called “Dvesa” in yogic philosophy.

What is Dvesa?

Dvesa is “aversion to pain or sufferings” (both physical and mental), which is one of five Klesha (bindings) in yogic philosophy.

So, please remember when you met tough, difficult asanas in the class.

You might have had feelings like, “Oh, my… I really hate this!” or you might even had anger or hatred against your teacher (maybe against me, too?).

Then, we get bound with the negative feeling.

Also, if we keep avoiding specific practices, we would never be able to get out of our physical and mental sufferings. Our body and mind also get bound with Dvesa.

2 easy ways to deal with Dvesa

Personally, I used to have some difficult asanas.

But, through such experiences, I found 2 easy ways to deal with this Dvesa wisely, and kept practicing. They’re both quite common, but anyway, I’d like to share here.

1. Move gently

Bouncing, or pretending to be like people in the book or DVDs likely to cause sharp pain suddenly.

Breath deep and slow, and move slowly and carefully with the breathing. Then you’ll find your best position easily without suffering from pain.

As we breath and move slowly and carefully, our mind seem to be calm naturally. It’s so grateful.

2. Use props.

In practice, we don’t have to be like someone next to you or in the books & DVD (but make sure to follow the safety instruction).

Use props (blocks, bolsters, etc…) if you feel too much pain which makes your Dvesa bigger. If you are practicing in studio, grab props and make sthira sukham asanam (steady, comfortable position).

You can use cushions and blankets if you’re practicing at your home. You don’t necessarily have to buy yoga props.

In my opinion, yoga (harmony of body, mind, and spirit) is the state to adjust within ourselves, not to be like something or someone outside.

Don’t hesitate to grab props, and find your yoga!

Don’t do!

There’re 2 things we must not do to deal with Dvesa.

Trying to get through with vigor
Deceive yourself

These 2 things cause burn out and injury.

Please be careful.

Hope yoga practice would color your spring beautifully.

OM Shanti.

If you are living in Hyogo / Osaka and interested in learning “your” yoga, pilates, and thai traditional massage, please check following links as well.

Seed Training welcomes your questions and bookings on yoga, pilates, and Thai traditional massage through contact form and telephone.

*You can take an initial consultation & short trial of Private / semi-private lessons (YOGA / PILATES) for free!

090-6756-5136

（I cannot get the phone when I’m having lessons, treatment, and moving. In such a case,please leave a message so that I can call you back later)

Remember “Beginner’s mind” of Yoga

I had a wonderful yoga experience during my trip in Tohoku.

At the end of the trip, I joined a yoga class which my friend attends regularly.

The class which was intended for beginners, was guided by a teacher carefully, and gently. Meditation, breathing, all the asanas she taught in the class remind of me the joy of yoga, which I first learned in Canada.

Comfortability of the body…

Relaxed, calm mind…

Yes, these were the first impression of my yoga experience.

Somehow, yoga teacher’s self practice seems to tend to technic oriented (such as instruction techniques and challenging asanas).

But, I feel the essence of yoga is those comfortability and relaxation of body & mind (maybe soul & spirit as well). So, I suppose yoga teacher’s own practice also need to focus on them.

Yoga teachers have to remember our “beginner’s mind”,too.

The class and the wonderful teacher in Hachinohe remind of me that “beginner’s mind”.

Namaste.

Regardless of yoga, pilates, or thai traditional massage, I will focus on sharing these “beginner’s mind” (comfortability, relaxation, healing) with you from now on.

If you are living in Hyogo / Osaka and interested in yoga, pilates, and thai traditional massage, please check following links as well.

Seed Training welcomes your questions and bookings on yoga, pilates, and Thai traditional massage through contact form and telephone.

*You can take an initial consultation & short trial of Private / semi-private lessons (YOGA / PILATES) for free!

090-6756-5136

（I cannot get the phone when I’m having lessons, treatment, and moving. In such a case,please leave a message so that I can call you back later)

Be natural, be ourselves.

I traveled across Tohoku (Sendai~Hiraizumi~Hachinohe) in the last weekend.

At the end of the road trip from Sendai, my friend guided me to Tanesashi coast, Hachinohe.

The coast attracted me with its various faces (rocks, snow, grass…).

Since my friend offered me to take some photos, I went to the rocks.

At that moment, maybe my mind was carried away by beautifully blue sea and the sky.

I did something like this…

and this…

Actually, they are not so bad (I was even feeling good to have taken these photos at that moment)…

But, come to think of it again calmly,

The sea is sea, the sky is sky, and I am a human.

The sea and the sky are beautiful as they are, but only human beings imitate the tree, moon, or eagle, etc…

Is there any pose that we humans can be beautiful as we are…?

Well, maybe these photos are good ones. I suppose these are better than previous 2 photos.

Standing firmly on two feet.

Standing straight.

Without exaggerating, without looking down on ourselves, just putting natural selves in the nature.

Be natural, be ourselves…

In my opinion, I believe that we practice yoga asanas imitating natural objects or historical heros & sages to get back our natural body (such as posture and breathing) and mind (without exaggerating nor looking down).

I believe that is one of the ultimate purpose of yoga.

Anyway, I’d like to appreciate of my friend who guided me to such an outstanding view spot and gave me a chance to face with myself.

If you are living in Hyogo / Osaka and interested in yoga, pilates, and thai traditional massage to get back your natural body & mind, please check following links as well.

Seed Training welcomes your questions and bookings on yoga, pilates, and Thai traditional massage through contact form and telephone.

*You can take an initial consultation & short trial of Private / semi-private lessons (YOGA / PILATES) for free!

090-6756-5136

（I cannot get the phone when I’m having lessons, treatment, and moving. In such a case,please leave a message so that I can call you back later)

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尼崎市のプライベートヨガ・ピラティススタジオ

「Blog」カテゴリーアーカイブ

Sayaka and Pressler

090-6756-5136

Buddhism 10 commandments and yogic Yama, Niyama

Yama（”shall not” toward the life & world）

Niyama（”shall do” for ourselves）

Buddhism (Zen) 10 commandments

090-6756-5136

Dvesa in yoga practice

What is Dvesa?

2 easy ways to deal with Dvesa

Don’t do!

090-6756-5136

Remember “Beginner’s mind” of Yoga

090-6756-5136

Be natural, be ourselves.

090-6756-5136