Monday 10 November 2014

Disguised blessings

"Sufferings purify the soul. They burn up the gross material, sins and impurities. They give inner spiritual strength and develop the will-force, the power, the power of endurance. Hence sufferings are blessings in disguise" 
                        Swami Sivananda "Sadhana"- preface

"Sufferings are blessings- what a nonsense " you may think. "How suffering can be good? I'm not feeling blessed at all" It's very common and normal human reaction. We avoid pain and we are attracted by pleasant things. 
Why? We are thinking about it from body/emotions perspective. If we identify ourselves with body, with it well-being so of course we will avoid everything what can injure it. But...let think about suffer from the perspective of Soul. 
Soul is not suffering from physical pain, cold, loneliness. Soul is Soul in every moment. But as pure water mixed with mud  is getting dirty , Soul is getting impure if we let our lower nature to take control. So why we have to feel blessed?  
As sandpaper cleans the rust, as strong hit open coconut, the suffer cleans our soul from impurities as greed, pride, fear. Of course you can polish metal slowly with soft tissue, you can take a knife and start gently cut the coconut, you will reach your goal but it will take  more time, much more time and maybe the result will not be same.
There is a quote "What does not kill me makes me stronger" those words have very deep meaning. Swamiji said "it gives spiritual strength". If we can deal with problem, next time it will not make you suffer, we know how to act, it will be easier keep mind calm.
"Storms makes trees take deeper roots"- same meaning.
According to karma low  we are coming to this life with our personal karma which we will experience during our life. By suffering we burn our bad karma faster. We purify the Soul. It could be difficult to be happy in suffer , but we can try to stay neutral. Often we are thinking "i don't like it, how  can I be happy?", because we forget that between "happy-?-unhappy" there is also "neutral" state.  Just take this moment as it is. You have a chance to make your Soul  pure faster and you to be stronger. 

Om Tat Sat

Thursday 6 November 2014

Wholemeal eggless crepes. The easiest way for deliscious and healthy crepes

Wholemeal eggless crepes with home-made strawberry jam
Traditionaly we make crepes with white flour, eggs and milk. But there is easier and more healthy way to cook crepes: without eggs and with more nutrients. And it's still really yummy ! Don't think that healthy food is not tasty and tasty food is always unhealthy!

Ingredients:

Wholemeal flor, potato starch, milk, sugar if needed, oil to fry

Extra: jam, butter, honey, sugar, fruits, nuts....






Directions:
  • In a bowl mix the flour and starch (use 60% of flour and 40% of starch) add sugar if you like more sweet.
  • Gradually add milk. Mix proper until smooth
  • Fry on a hot frying pan as simple crepes. 
  • Keep hot. Serve with jam, fruits, honey or with whatever you like 
 Crepes are more dark because of flour and starch keeps the shape replacing the eggs. 

Version française ici

Sunday 19 October 2014

Karma

"The word "karma" from the sanscrit root 'kri' signifies action or deed, whether physical or mental (including thought).[...] Karma means not only action, but also the result of the action. the consequence is really not a separate thing, but is a part of the action. [...]
There is no such thing as a blind chance or accident. If your finite mind is not able to find the cause of an event, it does not mean that this is accidental. [...]

If there is an action, there must be a reaction. The reaction will be of equal force and of similar nature. Every thought. desire, imagination, sentiment cause reaction. Virtue brings its own reward; vice brings its own punishment. This is the law of reaction. God neither punishes the wicked nor rewards the virtuous. It is their own karma that brings reward and/or punishment. No one is to be blamed"

 Swami Vishnudevananda "Meditation and mantras"

In many languages there are the quotes about action and reaction ex. ''behave with others as you want them to behave with you"(original is from Bible , Luke 6.31). It is very commom thought, and everybody knows that if we are nice to our neighbours so they will be nice to us, if we will help them, they will be helpfull to us. But how many people know that this law concerns also our thoughts? It is not enough to smile to our neighbour if in our heart we wish to him something bad. Thought is powerfull as the action is.

Karma law is easy: good action, good word, good thought- good reward, bad thought, action or word- punishment. You can think that nobody knows our thoughts, of course word or action are hurting very easy other person, but our bad thought can hurt ourself later.

It is easier to get control on the body and words then on mental activity, but once we get control of the mind we dont need to worry about the body. Everything is starting from the thought.

Om Tat Sat

Tuesday 26 August 2014

Sivananda Yoga in Cracow (Krakow) : Odrobina Dobrej Woli

If one day you visit Cracow and you are wondering where you can find Sivananda school with English speaking Teacher- here you have answer:
"Odrobina Dobrej Woli" it's exclusively yoga school with traditional Sivananda teachings: mantras, pranayamas, asanas and relaxation. For all levels: beginners, intermediate and advanced classes, yoga for pregnant woman. Kids are almost welcome!
School is situated in lovely and peaceful place near Rudawa river with lush greenery around.
                                                      Yoga for pregnant women
                                                
Incense and candles help to concentrate and forget daily problems during class
                                                           
     Piotr (Omkar)- certified Sivananda Yoga Acharya.
    Since 2012 Piotr is teaching in International Teachers Training Courses.

When to come :
Mon: 07:00 - 08:00 (morning starter for intermediate and advanced), 09:30 - 11:00 (yoga for pregnant woman), 19:00-20.30 (intermediate and beginners(
Tue: 18:00 - 20:00 (advanced class)
Wed: 18:00 - 19:30 (intermediate and beginners)
Thu: 19:00 - 20:30 (intermediate and beginners)
Fri: 07:00 - 08:00 (morning starter for intermediate and advanced), 09:30 - 11:00 (yoga for pregnant woman)
Sat: 10:00 - 11:30 (all levels) 

 If you have any question do not hesitate to call or to email.
for more details visit website:

Facebook page   https://www.facebook.com/odrobinadobrejwoli
Official website:    http://www.yoga.sivananda.org.pl
Adress: Krakow, ul. Zarudawie 11

Om Tat Sat

Sunday 24 August 2014

Surya Namaskar. Posture n. 12

Posture n. 12 is Namaskar position

Breathing: exhalation
Body: Hands together in front of the chest, body straight yet relaxed
Mantra:   ॐ भास्कराय नमः  Om Bhaskaraya Namaha
              (Prostration to  Him who is the cause of  lustre)

Gold is one of the the most wanted metal in the world. It's yellow, shinning and strong. Any associations? Yes, gold recalls us the Sun: warm and shiny. We decorate temples with gold, bride wears gold jeweleries, kings clothes, furnitures and plates were decorated with gold.
We want our prescious moments and people to shine! When somebody is happy we used to say "You are shining", "Your eyes are shining". And even Louis XIV, french king, absolute monarch were called Sun King, like Sun is essential to earth so he wanted to be essential to France!
We are always wondering to see the sunrise, to see the begining of the day. It's giving energy. Its very powerful time to do asanas, pranayamas or meditation.
Sources: asana photo: Complete Ilustrated Book of Yoga. Swami Vishnudevananada
             sunrise: private photo

 Om Tat Sat
            

Surya Namaskar. posture n. 11

Posture n. 11 is same as posture n.2 Urdhva-hastasana

Body: after padahastasana , first straight the knees, stretch the spine and arms forward  (keep arms and head in one line) then up.
Tips: do not bend the body back, only very flexible person can bend the lumbar spine. We practice surya namaskar in the beginning of the class to heat the body and make it more flexible for asanas, but its very easy to hurt the spine and muscles if we practise surya namaskar with force.

Breathing: inhalation

Mantra: ॐ अर्काय नमः (Om Arkaya Namaha)
              Prostration to Him who is fit to be worshipped

"The indivisible, absolute and conscious nature of the reality signifies that life on earth should be lived according to the rigid laws of dispassion towards external existence and active awareness of the Self as the unlimited being. (...) The good life which is in conformity with the nature of Truth should be therefore, free from the oppressions of hatred, lust, greed and falsehood in all their forms of manifestation. The righteous life should be lived with mental peace, self-restrain, absence of agitative activity, fortitude, faith in Truth and concentration of mental consciousness.

                                                    Sivananda, May 14 1962"

Sources:
 Mantra meaning source from http://yogibe.tumblr.com/post/37241386513/mer-ka-ba-the-12-mantras-for-surya-namaskar
text- Sivananda "A Great Guru and his Ideal Disciple"

Om Tat Sat






Wednesday 23 July 2014

Surya namaskar. Posture n. 10

Posture number 10 is same as n. 3 Pada-hastasana

Body: Keep the palms on the floor, fingertips in one line with toes. Put second feet between the hands. If you need -bend the knees. Forehead touch the knees. The muscles of stomach are relaxed. Feel the stretching of the back.
Tips: in the beginning, when leg's stretching  is not enough to put  leg between hands with one movement, you can help yourself. In the moment when the feet stops to move, catch with hand your ankle and move the feet  forward till it will rich other feet.

Breathing: exhailing
Mantra: ओम ॐ सावित्रे नम: (Om Savitre Namaha)
              Prostration to Him who stimulates



"Savitre is known as the stimulator (...). Savitre is said to represent the sun before rising, stimulating and arousing man into waking activity, and Surya is said to represent the sun after sunrise, when activity begins. Therefore, in the tenth position, padahastasana, we salute Savitre to obtain the vivifying power of the sun" 
     Integral Yoga Studio http://integralyogastudio.com/SunMantras-bsy.doc

Om Tat Sat


 




Friday 30 May 2014

Surya Namaskar. Posture n. 9

Posture n. 9 is same as posture n. 4 - Ashwa Sanchalanasana

Mantra: ॐ आदित्याय नमः (Om Adityaya Namaha)
               Prostration to Aditya's son.

Aditi- the mother of all Gods, the source of life.


Mixed action
Actions are of three kinds
Viz., good, bad and mixed.
Good Karmas make you a God in heaven;
Bad Karmas throw you in lower wombs;
Mixed actions give you a human birth.
If you rob a man and feed the poor,
It is a mixed action.
If you earn money by unlawful means
And build a temple or hospital,
This is a mixed action.
If you get money by cheating a man
And construct an Ashram for Sannyasins,
This is also a mixed action.

Swami Sivananda. Wisdom in humour

Friday 9 May 2014

Surya Namaskar. Posture n. 8

Posture n. 8 Adho Mukha Svanasana

Body: Hips up, knees and arms are straight. Pull heels to the floor and chest towards the feets. Head down.

Breathing: Exhalation

Mantra:  ॐ मरीचये नम: (Om Marichaye Namaha)
              Prostration to Him who possesses rays

"Practising Surya Namaskar, facing the rising sun, in the early morning hours 
strengthens the eyes and removes all sorts of eye defects. It produces lustre in the practitioner's face and eyes. The practitioner will enjoy good eye-sight even in old age."

    Swami Sadasivananda Salutations to the sun "Sivananda Yoga Life" spring 2011

On the picture Swami Vishnudevananda from "Complete illustrated book of Yoga"

Shubh raatri and good night or how to sleep

You see the first stars, moon is getting more and more bright...  left and right, left and right...you are still awake, no more sheep to c...