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emc
2072 Posts |
 Posted - Feb 08 2007 : 3:02:07 PM
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"One thing everyone who does yoga has found is that the limbs of yoga
are connected, meaning, if we start in one limb, the others will be
affected, and, as we purify and open, we will eventually be drawn
into all of the limbs. It is common for new meditators to become
voracious spiritual readers (svadhyaya), lean toward a purer diet
(saucha), and feel more sensitive about the wellbeing of others
(ahimsa)." Yogani
I definitly recognize myself in the three parts mentioned in the last sentence, but I did not think it was possible that it could go in any direction. However, my experience is that only by doing pranayama and deep meditation, I develop skills in asanas without practicing. I have tried a yoga class perhaps 3 times in my life and it has always hurt enormously, so I have skipped it totally - did not like yoga at all, never! Big nono!  Yet, when I followed a friend to a class lately, I could perform almost all asanas without problems, and it was pretty advanced balance stuff.
I normally go to the gym 2 times/week and during stretching I have found my body to place itself in some asana postures going into deep breathing.  I just follow, fascinated of what my body is doing! I am much more flexible now, and the postures do not hurt.
I guess this is normal, since it is happening, although I have never
heard about it before. I thought one had to practice asanas for years to become flexible and strong enough. Does anyone recognize this?
/Neo, downloading asanas rapidly! 
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Edited by - emc on Feb 08 2007 3:08:42 PM |
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blujett8
USA
47 Posts |
Posted - Feb 08 2007 : 3:57:22 PM
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hi emc
I have found this to be true for me as well....actually, I used to have a regular asana practice, then, in the past year or two it has become infrequent...oddly, I am still making significant progress with postures when i check back in with them & I also notice myself spontaneously moving in and out of certain postures between spinal breathing and deep meditiation or even throughout the day! especially if something has really triggered me. emotionally..I'll notice myself stretching my hips or assuming triangle poses in the oddest moments....funny. |
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Victor
USA
910 Posts |
Posted - Feb 08 2007 : 7:55:04 PM
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| I had that experience some years ago and made the mistake of dropping asana practice. Now I am struggling to get it back. Pranayama certainly helps asana but only to a point. They compliment each other very well but be sure that you don't drop one when the other is working for you! |
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emc
2072 Posts |
Posted - Feb 09 2007 : 03:01:14 AM
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| Cool, blujett! And I guess that is important info, Victor, not to drop anything you already are doing that is working, thinking it is redundant. I guess in my case, it is a hint that I should start doing asanas more consistently. Right now I do not find the time for that, though, so I'll let my body continue to do its own thing. |
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emc
2072 Posts |
Posted - Feb 22 2007 : 12:28:10 PM
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Another continuing thought on this automatic downloading and body "knowing what it should do when you are ready for it"...
We have had this topic related to kechari as well... suddenly the tounge starts to stretch and behave in awkward ways (at least it seems awkward until you read about it here or elsewhere) to prepare for kechari. (I had the most embarrassing automatic toung stretch in and out last morning on the train! Phew, that was difficult to stop. I tried to bend my neck down in my sweater behind the collar when the tounge stretched outwards suddenly and with great force. And pretended to caugh when I had to sneeze and snort due to the tounge tickling behind the uvula It is quite funny to have an inner discussion with the humorous force on how to behave properly in public! )
My thought is: if it is "wired" in our nervous system, does it happen to all individuals sooner or later? My own answer must be "no" to that. My friends who are quite advanced in qi gong do not get any kechari-tounge-streching automatically, and neither do others following other traditions.
I have also noticed that when I do qi gong, my body is "before" me, doing the movements automatically.
So... is our nervous system "wired" for these physical movements in the same way as our brain is predisposed for handling a language grammar system? That is, it doesn't matter which language that is being learned - the prerequisites are there, and when you start downloading a language it just fits and develop.
Could it be so that since I still do qi gong once or twice a week on top of AYP practices, I sort of learn two languages, and my body will "know" what to do next in both traditions? That is what it feels like, but I don't know. What do you think?
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Etherfish
USA
3615 Posts |
Posted - Feb 22 2007 : 4:05:07 PM
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| I heard that asanas were originally developed automatically; that yogis bodies did them by themselves, then other people imitated them. |
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lorf
48 Posts |
Posted - Feb 22 2007 : 4:31:48 PM
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I would say it is all about tuning into different qualities of energies. Each tradition has it's own blend of energy. Connecting to the tradition in whatever way involves a tuning in to that particular energy. When doing so the movements, feelings, insights or whatever become available. Mixing several different traditions is cool but until a certain level of awareness is reached it takes time and effort to move from one quality to another. It is Qi gong OR yoga, not both. Since all (real) spiritual traditions eventually lead to the same place, at a certain point of development it is possible to host both or all quailities at the same time.
My own spiritual journey would be much faster and easier if I could stick to yoga and yoga only but I must admit it is more fun mixing all kinds of traditions..... |
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emc
2072 Posts |
Posted - May 31 2007 : 1:24:53 PM
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This is getting more and more interesting on my path. I have been writing posts before on my confusion about chosing one tradition. I totally resonate with what lorf says - its about tuning in to different qualities.
I start to understand what Etherfish points out above after my latest experience: I bought a record with native american music from a guy performing on the street, selling his songs. One song made me connect, and suddenly I found myself downloading a set of arm movements that I had never seen. The energy moved my arms and I followed the flow and memorized the movement. It lead to a huge heart opening accompanied with bliss. Now I can do the movements to that song and get the same effect again. It would be really interesting to find that guy again and show him and ask if it has any relevance to him... |
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Jim and His Karma
2111 Posts |
Posted - May 31 2007 : 10:35:08 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by Victor
I had that experience some years ago and made the mistake of dropping asana practice. Now I am struggling to get it back. Pranayama certainly helps asana but only to a point. They compliment each other very well but be sure that you don't drop one when the other is working for you!
Totally agree. Same for meditation. There are experiences so seductive that they can persuade you you don't need to meditate any more...that you have transcended the need to meditate via your seemingly deep and abiding connection to your silence 24/7. It's a terrible mistake to follow through on that (erroneous) impulse. |
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Etherfish
USA
3615 Posts |
Posted - Jun 01 2007 : 07:59:55 AM
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| Did we stop the car, get out to look at the scenery, wander from the car and get lost? |
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Jim and His Karma
2111 Posts |
Posted - Jun 01 2007 : 08:50:25 AM
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| Not personally, no. But I've met the Sirens.... |
Edited by - Jim and His Karma on Jun 01 2007 08:50:38 AM |
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Development in asanas without practice
