September 2009 I started a journey that when finished will see me changed into a qualified yoga teacher, all being well, it is my intention to succeed in this journey. “It is good to have an end to journey toward, but it is the journey that matters in the end.” (Ursula K. LeGuin), it’s a quote that often emerges into my mind at certain times, and this is naturally one of those times. Why do I say this, because I never started this journey with the goal of becoming a teacher, although by becoming a teacher it will be nice to be in a position to share yoga with others. The key driving reasons were for personal development, and to deepen my knowledge and understanding of yoga first and foremost for myself. As I say it was always good that I could share with others what has so profoundly enriched and changed my life numerous ways, namely yoga and what better position to start teaching yoga from than a more deep understanding of yoga and myself.

It is now time to evolve this blog site into a more professional and “yoga teacher” style website, but I shall still blog on this site, but the content will be organised differently, it will all still be there, but I might review and rework my posts and articles. I will write with yoga students in mind more than just friends and interested people.

So expect to see changes and fluctuations in this websites while the evolution progresses.

Every moment you have is an experience, how you view the experience is possibly more important than the experience, although the experience is vitally important.

Make the best of everything you have that comes your way, and the people you know and meet along the way. Enjoy everything you can and humbly accept the rest.

Life is about understanding, transformation and embracing ourselves as we are in the world as it is. Starting from this point we move as we are into what we will become.

This is why I find the tools of yoga so practical the more I learn how to use them in my life. Harmony and balance, a dynamic interplay of forces, each force requiring a continuous re-adjustment to maintain balance.  Try balancing something on your finger, like a spoon and once you find the point of balance , you will notice it requires minimum effort to continually maintain it’s position. Yoga for me is about learning where this balance point is, and how to maintain it.

As we continually refine and hone our ability to develop and maintain this balance we release more energy, and effort becomes effortless, we can do as we need, thereby allowing us to make the most of who we are, how we are and what we can do becomes spontaneous and more enjoyable. We become less attached and less adverse to what comes our way, although we will still have likes, dislikes and opinions, we may see them for what they are, transitory interactions rippling through who we are. This process of course shows much about who we are, and this is why I like Swami Vivekenanda when he says “Experience is the only teacher we have”.

Yoga isn’t just about sitting or standing on a mat and putting your body in odd positions, although these are very powerful and effective. The yoga tradition has so many other tools available that it caters for people of all dispositions and backgrounds.

Copyright © 2009 Russell Smithers

Trying to understand the true nature of reality – that which is beyond the immediately obvious – is like trying to understand nature (planets, sun, stars, people, hills, animals, rivers) when you have only ever existed inside a box, having never seen the outside world.

Until you break free of the box and see the vast outside world, you can never hope to realise the vastness due to your ignorance. You are limited by your senses, but once you have broken out of the box and witnessed nature for yourself you no longer need to believe, for you know it to be true.

It is in the same way as someone born in a box becomes free of it by breaking through to the outside world, that we, like a box within a box, are born from one box (our mothers womb) in another box (the world), and yet we take this box (the outer world) to be all there is. Where did the consciousness come from that animates the baby, is the world not a box to be broken free from?

Copyright © 2008 Russell Smithers

Sometimes people find themselves reacting or not acting in the most appropriate of ways. This will affect the person, other people and the general situation. Many wise people may recognized these negative behavior patterns and want to change. Unfortunately it’s not always obvious how we can change. Yoga like Ashtanga for example is holistic and in time with good teachers, dedication and regular practice we change ourselves.

Affirmations are like mantras, they are a tool that can target a specific areas precisely and quickly. They are effective in changing the way we react so in the future we can act more appropriately. Affirmations help us move toward the light, first because our intention is to change, and secondly because we take the time to make the changes. So as meditation helps us have greater control over our minds, and asana practice helps us meditate, so affirmations are like using our mind muscle positively, we are what our thoughts are essentially, change our thoughts and we change ourselves. Control our mind, and we control ourselves.

Affirmations are a way to state how we want to be or act before we are able to act or be the way we would like too. The effect of using affirmations is to modify our selves repeatedly until we are changed; and work like pills you take regularly until the problem disappears. Unlike modern medicine that normally masks symptoms, affirmations change the core so positive behavior emanates more naturally, with ease and eventually without effort, we become what the affirmation is.

The following is an example of an affirmation I have used in the past;

“I am calm, positive, objective and understanding in all situations. I let people finish what they are saying, digest and then respond positively and appropriately. I respond with understanding and care for the person I am talking with so we both benefit positively. My response takes into account the wider picture and the important details.”

We use an affirmation by repeating it a number of times a day. We could decide to repeat it 10 times in the morning, and 10 times before we go to bed. There are many variations on this, depending on how quick you want to resolve a problem, or how big the problem is. Essentially it’s up to the person to decide. It might be I need to change when and how often I use the affirmation. We stop using an affirmation when it feels like the medicine has worked it’s magic.

Should you wish you learn more about affirmations, please use the links below;

1. www.jbactors.com/actingreading/actingencyclopedia.html
2. www.hypnosis.edu/glossary/a.asp
3. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Affirmations

Copyright © 2008 Russell Smithers

Looking upon the flock of birds in the sky, a thought or two cross my mind, what are these thoughts, well they are questions really.

Why is it that birds in a flock can move harmoniously in the sky?
Why is it that a group of birds can be as one?

Why are supposedly intelligent animals, us humans, apparently incapable of working in harmony together? At least that’s what the stories in the news, and the way I notice people behaving to each other seem to show me.

Is the only difference that people in society see themselves as separate to others and the environment, and the birds do not?

After all, the environment that supports the flock of birds also supports the people.

It would seem that the greater number of individuals who work together, the greater the harmony there will be.

The birds are free, are we?

Copyright © 2008 Russell Smithers