yogalila

2.35 ahimsapratisthayan tatsannidahau vairatyagah

Iyengar:  When non-violence in speech, thought and action is established, one’s aggressive nature is relinquished and others abandon hostility in one’s presence. 

I’ve certainly observed this sutra to be true in my own life.  It doesn’t always work but it works a lot.  Iyengar points out that “Peace in workds, thoughts and deeds, whether awake or dreaming, is a sign of goodwill and love towards all.”

Bryant:  In the presence of one who is established in nonviolence, enmity is abandoned.

Bryant says that according to Hariharananda “perverse thoughts sucha s violence can take many subtle forms in the mind that are not always readily visible” and recommends meditation.  I know that my own meditation practice has quieted violence in me. 

Taimni:  On being firmly established in non-violence there is abandonment of hostility in (his) presence. 

Taimni says that Ahminsa “is a positive and dynamic quality of universal love, and not a mere negative attitude to harmlessness.”

Carerra:  In the presence of one firmly established in nonviolence, all hostilities cease. 

Carerra points out that “fear breeds anger and that anger ruins our peace and clarity.”  He says that if we realize this when we see violence in others, and have compassion, this will continue to “give birth to a love and understanding so pure that it lifts the mind to a place of peace beyond any tranquility we had imagined.”

DVD Review: Jason Crandall's Yoga Journal: Complete Beginner's Guide, plus 360° Views of 35 Essential Poses.view

I’ve been curious about this 2-disc package produced by Yoga Journal, and was happy to receive a complementary copy of it for review.  The concept is appealing: 3 beginner’s practices on one disc and 360º views of 35 basic poses on the other.  The presentation of the body in space in basic poses, all the way around, in conjunction with practices instructing the poses in general sequences is a great idea.

 The practices disc includes a long (60 min.) practice and 2 shorter, targeted sequences (energizing  and relaxing) featuring Jason Crandall (familiar from previous Yoga Journal DVDs and web-vids) performing the poses by himself, with voice over.  The long practice is a general presentation touching on all the elements presented in standard basic classes: sun salutations, standing poses, twists, backbends, forward bends. The baddha konasana/navasana sequence is especially nice.  Jason’s instruction is quite good and the poses are held long enough to give the student an opportunity for exploration and muscle differentiation.  (Nice change of pace from the many cursory, flingey vinyasa releases I see these days.)

The shorter practices are fine, very brief by necessity, but not rushed.  And, although I don’t love them, it’s nice to see that they aren’t simply repeated footage from the longer session.  And  I like the clear labeling of the poses in Sanskrit and English throughout.

Although I very much like the classes Jason has presented for yogaglo.com I haven’t been that taken with his DVDs.  This one is a pleasant surprise for me.  I like the depth of instruction and attention to practice detail.

This DVD is appropriate for multi-level students.  I’ve been practicing for over 15 years and I found enough to work with in the material.  Admittedly I particularly enjoy revisiting more basic practices now and then, finding it easy enough to complicate things when appropriate.  I think some previous yoga experience would be helpful –  this one is maybe not appropriate for a beginner’s first look at yoga.  There are some very helpful cues throughout to keep the student in touch with proprioception (more or less, the sense of parts of the body in relation to each other), which helps the practice disc function as a nice partner for the poses-in-the-round.  And practice progressions are shown as the student becomes more proficcient, for example working on chaturanga from the knees toward full chaturanga.

Production Values: The photography is good: clean and crisp.  However I’m not fond of the practice disc setting (I’ve seen this set or one like it on other Yoga Journal  offerings) or music. We are presented with a diagonal view of what looks like the furniture display of a department store, without the furniture: distracting dark blue decorator wall with white window frame looking onto fake scenery.  The over-all effect is more like being cornered than looking at a corner. The music is also not particularly pleasant: an attempt at Bryan Eno without Eno (doesn’t work for me).  However those factors are really minor if you’re paying attention to your practice.

The background for the 360º is a pleasant void.

There is chaptering – not between poses, but between short sections. The 35 Poses are separately chaptered.

In short, I’d recommend this package to somewhat experienced beginners and more seasoned students who are revisiting their fundamental sense of practice. In the best of all possible worlds these two discs would function as one unite like Natasha Rizopoulus’s Yoga Journal Step by Step series (which Jason appears in as demonstrator) with its “chalk talk”.  But the quantity of material and the capability of packaging the discs separately obviously made that approach unwieldy.

Sensing anatomy: Don't Step in it.

SketchblogDayBooks:

7 x 14 in.; watercolor, ink, whatever on paper.

2.35 ahimsapratishtayam tatasnnidhau vairatyagah

Iyengar:  When non-violence in speech, thought, and action is firmly established, one’s aggressive nature is relinquished and others abandon hostility in one’s presence. 

Peace in words, thoughts and deeds, whether awake or dreaming, is a sign of goodwill and love towards all, Iyengar says.  I’ve noticed that when I do back off and become less aggressive, others do indeed also become less aggressive.  That’s in general – sometimes people become more aggressive. 

Bryant:  In the presence of one who is established in non-violence, enmity is abandoned.

Bryant says that the yogi’s sattvic mind can pervade outward, and sattvicize the minds of the other beings and that even natural enemies like the cat and mouse can be observed doing this.   He also points out the ancient stories of holy people taming wild animals (St. Francis taming a wild wolf).  His commentary mentions Hariharananda:  Dharana and meditation are needed to expose the violence in the mind.   To me, this means that violence is hard to suppress if it is there – it should be exposed and processed through dharana and dhyana (mediation)                                

Taimni:  On being firmly established in non-violence there is abandonment of hostility in (his) presence. 

Taimni points out that it is almost never “firmly established” and is very hard to master.  The student must practice the other elements of yama-niyama as they are intertwined.  He likens this to an aura that spreads outwards. 

Carerra:  In the presence of one firmly established in non-violence, all hostilities cease. 

Carerra says that yogis understand what violence causes pain in others and so brings compassion. It’s a study in psychology of what causes violence.  He also speaks of the osmosis of non-violence.  He points out from the Christian tradition a similar wisdom: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God”