Trinity: The Three Levels of a Yoga or Qigong Practice

Yoga and Qigong practice is traditionally spoken of as occurring on three levels: the outer, the inner & the secret. These three levels of practice have similarities to what in Taoist practice are known as the Three Treasures (Jing, Qi & Shen); and also to what in Buddhist practice are known as the Three Bodies (Tri-Kaya) of the Buddha/Awakened Mind (Nirmanakaya, Sambhogokaya & Dharmakaya). [They also have a less precise but still resonant relationship to the Hindu yogic system of the ?five sheathes.?]

The outer level of practice is the most superficial (or densely vibrating) level. In qigong, it is called the level of the ?tendons? and is associated ~ in terms of the Three Treasures ~ with Jing/essence (which, among its physical substances, includes cerebral-spinal fluid, marrow & sexual fluids). In terms of an asana practice, this is the level at which one focuses on physical alignment: on creating a structure (of bones, muscles, organs, tendons) conducive to entrance into the deeper levels of the practice. This is the level at which one learns a ?form? which (like a mandala, a yantra, or good feng shui) can then serve as a portal through which the energies/insights of the inner levels of the practice can more easily flow. So as practitioners, this means learning the particular form(s) associated with our chosen tradition.

As teachers, this means offering instruction (written, verbal and/or ?hands-on?) in these forms. In terms of our relationship to the world, we?re operating primarily within a Newtonian cause-and-effect sort of paradigm. In terms of Buddhist practice, this is the level of the Nirmanakaya: the body of form (which is likened to the warmth we experience from the rays of the sun); the body that is visible to (and which appears in response to the aspirations of) ?ordinary? human beings, i.e. beings still operating primarily on this ?outer? level.

The inner level of practice is the level of light, sound & color: of vibration that is actually experienced as moving/fluid (vs. the experience of solidity that is characteristic of the outer level). In qigong practice, this is the level of the meridians and is associated ~ in terms of the Three Treasures ~ with qi/life-force (the ?substance? that flows through the meridians). In an asana practice, this is the level of the pranic body/bodies. It is at this level that one begins to work with the ?internal forms? or energetic structures of bodymind. It is the terrain of what in Taoist practice is called Inner Alchemy.

As practitioners, we begin to pay attention to the relationship between particular (outer or inner) forms and the flows of energy/awareness that they create or allow. As teachers, we have added to our repertoire of verbal & physical adjustments/instructions, the capacity also to work with our students energetically ~ to use the energy of mind/intention to offer ?corrections? directly into the subtle bodies of students. It is also skillful, at this point, to allow our verbal instructions to become less literal, and more metaphoric: to use language to create flow between what previously were more rigidly-held conceptual categories.

In terms of our relationship to the world, we?re operating now in the realm of what the Vietnamese Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh calls Inter-Being: a web of relationship, of interdependency. And things are becoming more & more Einsteinian: the principles of relativity (as well as quantum mechanics) becoming more & more operative. Co-incidence, simultaneity, and a sense of ?magic? become more prominent features of our lived experience. We begin to intuit: there?s more going on here than I had previously suspected … how wonderful! In terms of Buddhist practice, this is the level of the Sambhogakaya: the body of enjoyment; of light/color/sound as vibration (likened to the rays of the sun); the manifestation of awakened mind that is perceivable only to beings who have a certain level of attainment in their practice.

The secret level of practice is the level of nonconceptuality, and hence is, in its essence, un-knowable & un-speakable. (Yes, writing about it is paradoxical, and at best can be the proverbial ?finger pointing to the moon?!) In terms of the Three Treasures, this is the level of shen/spirit. As practitioners, this is the level at which we are ?stunned,? or ?in awe;? the level at which we have direct (nonconceptual) experiences of a vastness, a brightness, a bliss which shatters all of our previous notions of what this level (reality!) might be like. As teachers, this is the level at which we offer what in Buddhist practice is known as ?pointing out? instructions (and more specifically: pointing out the Nature of Mind). Instruction, here, takes the form of ?mind to mind? transmission (something of a misnomer, since at this point in our practice, body, mind & breath are so finely braided as to be almost indistinguishable).

Even metaphor, at this level, becomes inadequate: for this terrain, though it is the essence of everything we?ve previously experienced, is not ?like? anything else. (It inhabits a category all its own; It is the set that includes all other sets, and ~ in the moment of ?including? them ~ transforms them completely.) Ultimately, this is the level at which teacher & student are no longer two, but rather ~ at least in certain ?alchemical? moments ~ inhabit a single shared ?space? (which might be called Truth & might be called Love). And in this shared space there is the felt sensation (indescribable!) of a ?union? or ?wholeness? which in its sweetness & intensity matches (and then far surpasses) the bliss of sexual union, of the complete dissolution of ego (and hence: in Buddhist, Taoist & Hindu traditions images of sexual union are often used as gateways, as skillful means, to access this level of practice).

In terms of our relationship to the world, this is the level at which we understand directly that we (and all other beings) are part of a single luminous emptiness, and ~ simultaneously ~ the whole of it. In fact the term ?relationship? ceases to have meaning, because ideas & perceptions of ?self? and ?other? (?me? and ?world?) have dissolved completely. The ?body? of the practitioner has become the ?universe.? In terms of Buddhist practice, this is the level of Dharmakaya: the body of truth ~ the radiant core of the sun.

[If you haven?t already discovered Alex Grey?s collection of paintings, Sacred Mirrors, I recommend it highly. He does a wonderful job, in this book, of portraying visually these three levels of practice, as they manifest through the human body.]

Buddhist practice also offers a fourth ?body? ~ the Svabavikakaya, which points to the ultimate unity of the other three bodies. It points to the fact that once we?ve made our way through these levels, walking the path of our chosen tradition, we realize that all along all three levels were ?here? ~ but just not (consciously) available to us, in their fullness. But now, having completed the journey, we are consciously aware of all three levels, and are able to ?slide? between them, much as one would tune a radio dial. We?re able to project our awareness into whatever spectrum, whatever frequency-band, we wish to. Our existence as human beings at this point is, truly, a dance: a kaleidoscopic play of light & color; a perpetual love-making ?

Elizabeth Reninger holds Masters degrees in Sociology & Chinese Medicine, is a published poet, and has been exploring Yoga ~ in its Taoist, Buddhisst & Hindu varieties ~ for more than twenty years. Her teachers include Eva Wong, Richard Freeman & Mingyur Rinpoche. For more yoga-related essays, please visit her website: http://www.writingup.com/blog/elizabeth_reninger

Yoga in Practice: Anger Management - Part 2

The next obstacle is self-righteousness or delusion. This is the belief that you are right, even though the universal laws of morality say you are wrong. How can genocide be justified? How can one race, or religion, justify alienating another? How can innocent civilians be slaughtered for retribution?

Sorry to bring up such extremes, but self-righteousness and delusion are the tools of intolerance. Intolerance always justifies itself, no matter how many martyrs perish. If you want to control anger, please discard intolerance and judgment of others.

Very often, anger is created within the ego and is a response to imaginary threats. This is most ironic, when a full blown conflict erupts over a perceived threat, which did not really exist. So how can this violent chain of events, within the mind, be prevented? How can the ego and intolerance be controlled? - Through self-realization - also known as, ?Vichara.? This is not meditation, but a realization of ?I am.? This is rational or logical thought, but true self-analysis requires time. For mankind to grasp collective sanity is a never- ending battle, but there is another way around this impasse.

This is the path of compassion or ?Karuna?, forgiveness (Kshama), loving kindness, and friendship. Most people will respond in a similar fashion, but always be prepared to defuse hostilities with those who want to take every advantage and mistake kindness for weakness. This is another form of awareness, so be vigilant and observe others around you.

It is believed that when your brain becomes hot, you will not think logically. Drinking water and Pranayama will cool your brain. You may also want to engage in regular practice of Japa, meditation, prayer, and eat Sattvic food.

What about Hatha Yoga for anger management? In my experience, adolescent males have the greatest difficulty with anger management, but vigorous asana practice or Vinyasa helps them deal with rage and anger much better.

For two years, I taught Yoga classes within a local juvenile correctional facility. Some members of this group had serious issues with rage and anger. At first, there was some outright resistance to learning Yoga, even though they knew it would improve their lives.

Pranayama, relaxation, and meditation were difficult to teach, under these conditions, but they immediately caught on to Vinyasa. After the first two months of Vinyasa Yoga practice, many were able to relax and did meditate on their own.

? Copyright 2006 ? Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

Paul Jerard is a co-owner and the director of Yoga teacher training at: Aura Wellness Center, in North Providence, RI. He has been a certified Master Yoga teacher since 1995. He is a master instructor of martial arts, with multiple Black Belts, four martial arts teaching credentials, and was recently inducted into the USA Martial Arts Hall of Fame. He teaches Yoga, martial arts, and fitness to children, adults, and seniors in the greater Providence area. Recently he wrote: Is Running a Yoga Business Right for You? For Yoga students, who may be considering a new career as a Yoga teacher. http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html

Yoga for Great Tennis

You are on a tennis court and everything is looking good: your backhand is as strong as ever and your serve is impeccable. Point after point, you are winning the match. Inspired, you come back to the same court the next day and unfortunately, are faced with a different scenario: nothing works, every ball goes out and the more points you are losing, the more irritable you become. Sadly, this scenario is too familiar to most tennis players. If you are not a pro, you are likely to experience some degree of unsteadiness in your tennis game.

Yogic practices can tremendously help in making your tennis game steadier and stronger.

Meditating for just ten minutes a day can greatly improve your concentration during a stressful match and dristi (single-pointed gaze) would prevent your tennis instructor from screaming: ?Watch the ball!? For seventeenth time during a half-hour practice. Pranayama (breathing practices) increase the lung capacity, so you don?t run out of breath while your tennis partner is busy running you from one corner of the court to the other. Regular asana practice would make you more flexible, therefore increasing your reach on the court. Sun Salutations make the spine suppler, so if used as a pre-game stretch, they can greatly reduce the risk of injury.

While most yoga poses can be used as an aid for a tennis game enhancement, some poses are still better than others, as they target tennis-specific injuries and problem areas. These poses can be done both on and off the court and of course, if you?d like to see quick improvement, you should try to practice regularly.

Before starting your yoga practice, take a moment to center your breathing. Inhale and exhale deeply and fully through the nose (ujjayi breath.) Try to remember to go back to this type of breathing in between difficult points during your next match. You will notice the soothing and the centering effect of ujjayi when you are stressing out about a tie-break or about losing a game.

Inhale and lift your arms in prayer pose up to the sky. Exhale and fold forward, placing your palms on the floor, with fingertips in line with the toes. Then, straighten your legs, if you can. Inhale and look up. The spine is straight. Exhale and jump or step back into chaturanga, bending your elbows straight back. Look in front of you, not down. The elbows have to be very close the body, don?t let your tailbone stick out in the air. Keep the space between the shoulder blades broad. Hold the pose for five breaths. This pose strengthens the arms and the wrists, so you?d never have to use one of these annoying wrist machines again, because practicing chaturanga should eventually give you a better control of the racquet.

Inhale and move forward, lifting to upward-facing dog.
Your thighs should be a few inches off the floor. Gaze at the tip of your nose. Make sure that the inner elbow creases face forward, thus opening the shoulders. Hold for five breaths.
Up-dog is great for tennis elbow treatment and prevention. Because the pose opens up the shoulders, there is less pressure on the elbow joint. The pose also strengthens the spine, the arms and the wrists. It can improve your serve.

Exhale and make your way into a downward ?facing dog, pushing back, straightening the legs and trying to place the soles of the feet on the floor. Gaze at your navel. Spread your fingers wide and make sure the inner elbow creases are still rotated forward, while the middle fingers are parallel and pointed straight forward. This way you are preventing the tennis elbow through stretching the shoulder joint. Activate your quadriceps and hold the pose for five breaths.
Downward facing dog is one of the best pre-game stretches. It stretches the spine, the sides of the torso, the shoulders, the arms, the neck and the backs of the legs. If you practice downward-facing dog regularly, you should have a better reach on the court and you may feel lighter while running to the net. Your ground strokes can improve tremendously from all of this stretching. If you love this pose, you are unlikely to develop post-game cramping of the legs, because of the regular hamstring stretch. The serve should become very powerful from the shoulder opening.

From a standing pose, inhale and lift your right knee into the chest. Exhale and open your right knee to the right, placing the right sole of the foot into the inner side of the left thigh. Imagine energy, lifting through your left leg. Lift your pelvic floor in and up. Keep your torso straight and on the inhalation, lift your arms in prayer up above your head, with forearms being behind the ears to tree pose, vrksasana.
Keep your gaze steady at an unmoving point in front of you. Hold for ten breaths and repeat on the other side.
Tree pose is excellent for balance and coordination, necessary for tennis. It also strengthens the back and the torso muscles for a great serve and works on the leg muscles for ground strokes and volleys.

Yoga practice can make your tennis game steadier, through improving your strokes and helping your injuries. Most importantly, yoga can steady your mind, so you are able to get ?into the zone,? necessary for winning.

Anastasia Dorohova of Steady Bliss Yoga, is a certified yoga teacher, registered with the Yoga Alliance. Being a very experienced tennis player, she developed Yoga for Great Tennis program and is teaching ?yoga for tennis? workshops at various clubs and tennis camps. Anastasia produced and starred in two DVDS: Yoga for Great Tennis and Yoga for Tennis Elbow and Bad Knees. To purchase the DVDs and for workshop information, log onto http://www.steadybliss.com