Intelligence and Mind

Yoga makes a distinction between intelligence and mind. The specific quality of the mind is cleverness...yoga states clearly that it is not a fact of being less clever than your neighbour that makes you stupid. Stupidity is the absence of intelligence. Stupidity can be behaving in a certain way or not learning from your mistakes...Let me give you an example: Scientifically advanced nations invent many complex and terrible weapons. To do this they must be clever. Then they sell those weapons indiscriminately around the world, and the arms end up in the hands of their enemies. Is this clever or stupid?...

B.K.S Iyengar, Light on Life

Crushed

And she will crush your sand-like castles, then find you where you hid and offer you her hand like nothing ever happened, and nothing ever did.

expressed by Kirtana

Forgiveness

Forgiveness is the fragrance the violet sheds on the heel that has crushed it.

Mark Twain

The Traveller

"There was once a wise woman traveling in the mountains who found a precious stone in a stream. The next day she met another traveler who was hungry, and she opened her bag to share her food. The hungry traveler saw the precious stone and asked if she might give it to him. She did so without hesitation. The traveler left, rejoicing in his good fortune. He knew the stone was worth enough to give him security for a lifetime. But only a few days later he came back to return the stone to the woman who had given it to him.
"I've been thinking," he said, "I know how valuable the stone is, but I'm giving it back in the hope that you can give me something even more precious. I want you to give me what you have within you that enabled you to give me the stone."
-Author Unknown

Awareness

Let us not look back in anger
or forward in fear

but around in awareness.

James Thurber

Mixed Level

Parighasana - Gate Pose

For the months of October and November, I am teaching the 5:30 Mixed Level Class on Friday at the Yoga Studio. Also - if you have never been to the studio: The first class is free!

Do you know why Ganesha had an elephant's head?

I heard, so that people would have more respect for animals and also remember the story better:

The story of the birth of this zoomorphic deity, as depicted in the Shiva Purana, goes like this: Once goddess Parvati, while bathing, created a boy out of the dirt of her body and assigned him the task of guarding the entrance to her bathroom. When Shiva, her husband returned, he was surprised to find a stranger denying him access, and struck off the boy's head in rage. Parvati broke down in utter grief and to soothe her, Shiva sent out his squad (gana) to fetch the head of any sleeping being who was facing the north. The company found a sleeping elephant and brought back its severed head, which was then attached to the body of the boy. Shiva restored its life and made him the leader (pati) of his troops. Hence his name 'Ganapati'. Shiva also bestowed a boon that people would worship him and invoke his name before undertaking any venture.

Now you know!