How much of this yoga stuff is really necessary? chakras, nadis, anal locks, etc… This stuff makes life seem like a huge puzzle where if you dont find the exact right ingredients you wont figure life out. How much do we really need to know? I honestly feel my theory is at a much higher level then my practice, and I am not saying my theory level is high. I am just to the point where I dont really want to read much more about yoga, I think I just need to find my tree and sit under it 
just thoughts
seeker
Yoga is not about figuring life out. When one decides to practice Hatha yoga (as nadis and chakras belong to this path), one has life figured out, and one has found his/her answer, without any doubts.
And this answer is: I will never find any lasting happiness unless I find God (Brahman), the Eternal, The Omnipotent, The Omnipresent, the Ever Blissful, Supreme Love. Without God, I am prone to suffering, pain, and misery. Any temporary happines is followed by these. He is my only refuge.
So, it is this simple. No theories required, just the acception of this lonely truth.
This is the base of any spiritual endeavour, and without believeing in this, you will not accomplish much, but perhaps put yourself in peril. Without this, yoga is just healthcare, or black magic on higher levels.
If you have chosen Hatha yoga as your path, than you must deal with nadis and chakras. Find it uncomfortable or hard ? Choose another path. (Karma, Bhakti, Laya, Mantra, there are many paths) But make up your mind, and once a path chosen, stick to it by all means. The goal is the same, and noone forces you to chose an awkward path.
I feel you still do not have the right view on nadi’s chakras. These are members of the subtle body. Not physical members, but they are membrs of your soul, as your legs and arms are the members of your physical body. Just as the physical body must be controlled through postures (asana) so the subtle, vital body must be controlled, and known, made aware of, by pranayama. You don’t have problem with asanas … but you have problem with chakras and nadis. There is no enlightment without the purity of body and without the purity of the soul. The body is the temple. The subtle body also is the temple. How do you expect God to abide in it if there is filth and dust and darkness in the temple ?
Not that I’d be any better than you … I am writing these with love, and to strenghten myself, and perhaps strenghten you, my friend.
Dear Tube,
Yes, we have to be careful not to get too involved in the theory and none of the practice, that is why I always say, after you have take note of the theory, it is time to retreat within and find your truth inside, gain awareness and insight within. Ultimately our reality is not without, but within and also our truth. All these theories in yoga are therefore points that give direction. How you follow the directions, well that is up to you.
so hubert, there has never been one enlightened who did not understand the chakras, nadis? Why do you say hatha is supreme? in the hatha pradipika he states, my conslusion anyways, that there are many ways to enlightenmint, not just one. I do believe you say this in love, your posts over tmie have shown that is where your heart is. Hopefully you see my views and responses the same.
seeker
pandara,
once again you have given words of wisdom. The hard part sometimes is what theories are worth pursuing, but as you say, that is a choice that is to be made within, this morning I sat under my tree 
while sitting there I thought, maybe there is no “path” to enlightenment, only a journey
thanks guys
I did not say hatha yoga is supreme.
I did not say Hatha yoga is supreme. I said it is faster and thus, harder. By hatha I mean the eight limbed yoga, (not using the term ashtanga to avoid further misunderstanding)
And about enlightment without nadis and chakras, I don’t know what’s possible or not, but I feel they are involved no matter what -even if they are not specificly adressed.
Dear tubeseeker
The scientist says that the average wesern human nmoves 50 000 thougths daily in his brain.
When we add some thousand more to it by running to much araound all this theories Yogas citta vritti nirodha, the stiiling of the minds becomes more and more difficult if not completly impossible.
Shanti
Lars
And as you always say, enjoy the ride…while on the journey.
I remember getting lost in all the content of books and such. It helped me greatly, but there were times, more than once, where I felt like rejecting all that stuff and just figuring out truth myself by being in life, in Nature, in matter, trying to discover and truly see for myself what is reality and what is not. Trying to unfold the illusions that surrounded me and inhibit me.
I think that in every individual there comes a time in which he or she discards or has to discard all he/she has learned about life in order to truly progress, to truly transcend the teachings and experience it first hand.
[B]Because in the end, all that we know about yoga, are just thoughts and mental concepts.[/B] They are not real either. No-one can teach us yoga. Think about this. All that we know about yoga, everything we know about it, is just in the mind and has nothing, absolutely nothing to do with the essence that it refers to. Yoga tells us about reality, but the path of yoga, the teachings of yoga, can never [I]be[/I] that reality, because yoga is a product of the mind, after the sages gave expression to their experiences outside of the mind. They had to explain it to minds. [I]That[/I], is yoga.
I think it is always good to realize that we don’t actually need to know anything mentally in order to experience our own nature, don’t you think? Do we need permission, or acces, from any of the external sources, do we need to obtain specific knowledge about everything?.. What difference does it truly make if I know exactly where my upper left backwards trippled nadi is positioned? I don’t think God cares for any of that…
I think God cares about your courage to defy all teachings and discover yourself by yourself. We need true courage in the deepest sense of the word, to rid ourselves fo all securities.[B] That includes teachings (Yoga)![/B]
So in my opinion: Just get out there and leave the books for what they are. Come back to them when you are in need of some guideline, when you feel you are losing connection. But try to experience things for yourself even more.
I think my Yoga practice is and has always been higher than my theory. I never felt the urge to read a whole bunch of books because from the moment I started practicing, it just seemed to make sense. The person who introduced me to it simply said, “you can read a thousand books or you can just do it, doing it is the best way to learn”. I can’t agree more.
I don’t remember exactly where I read a few words that said something like this, so I am not quoting, but my recollection always makes me smile. On the inside. Not for anyone else but me. I hope my rendition makes you smile as well. My words, my interpretation as I attempt to pass it along to anyone who reads it here is this: If one wants to learn to meditate, or to experience an awakening and thinks a meditation practice may be of help, (ok I’m going to meditate 3 x’s a week, or on Sunday when I pray at church, or every morning when I first get up, or I’ll work harder at the meditation component of my yoga class) to achieve the “awakening” goal, more then likely it will not work, if one is not already awakened. And if one has already had the experience of an awakening then they don’t really need the practice… To be awake, or aware can be likened to a lightbulb on a dimmer switch. Can we turn our levels awarenness off or down?
Sometimes when I write my thought patterns switch from one topic to another so bear with me if you'd like. Honestly at times I feel like it's not my mind doing the thinking but is channeled to me when I need the information... Strange but interesting and I am thankful for my opinions, my truth in the everchanging moments of transformational bliss and AWE.
I enjoy my practices. That is why I keep at them. No matter what my physical or emotional state I get joyous results from my effort(s). My practices vary. I love the books. I love to travel to different parts and participate with previously unknown people and feel their energy in an asana class. I love a great Kirtan. I have an enthusiastic Bhakti community about 1 1/2 hours north of me in the city of LOVE, Philadelphia and a few times a year I make the drive just for chant and conversation. I play mantra on the stereo, even sometimes when I am at work at a local recreation department. and most people just ask oh, who is singing, or who is playing the drums. Every morning before I really wake up, I love the morning like I love the rain, and I am so slow to move in my sleeping space and do my early morning checking in I'm breathing and think, this must be just like the first breath I ever took. I like the simplicity I like the complicated. I get ready for a day of service... It serves me to serve others... MY GOD... there are so many ways of examining stuff. It's nice to share.
When I am working in an instructor/mentor capacity I've seen people meditating (they think, I think) with there faces so scrunched up and such a look of perplexion on their face(s) as if they are waiting and waiting for something to happen. I'm not sure, and I've asked, what it is they expect is going to happen. What exactly will an a'HA moment bring. Sometimes I just want to bop them and say, in a kind way, "yo, it's already happening... don't sit and wait...just be with what is happening, cuz it already is.", and I can't say that this conceptually, will make sense to any one of the readers on yoga forums but certainly it is interesting.
This chakra and nadi system… The masculine and the feminine, Ida and Pingala… and the vortexes that are the illuminated body in this modern age are there whether we place our focus on them or not. One can shift awareness to them and shift gears between them as means to identifying and coping with challenges they may have to face. Stay rooted and hold your ground if dealing with one thing. Follow your heart if faced with another. Listen to the thoughts, the voices, that scream hey don’t do that! Feel the ache in your belly if an unfairness happens to someone you really care about… And process and move and sit under your tree… And experience the gifts… that you are about to receive… are already receiving… and have received in the past…
Ok... I have to leave to go coach 8 and unders in competitive swimming. Wish I could stay home and meditate and feel what already is happening. And unscrunch my face a bit! It does feel a little tense right now. Friday evening and 3 hours on a noisy pool deck with brominated air...Dear Earthsoul8,
I was reading your post and saying, “Me too!” and “Amen!” all along the way.
Also had the lovely experience of real friendship with you and the others in our spiritual community here . I feeling really grateful for it all.
Dear Ones:
What I have come to realize in my journey to the heart of my heart is that all of these tools of practice are only helpful in this journey if they are also respected and integrated into myself on all of the koshas. All of these tools, lessons, scriptures, etc. have all helped me on the path as long as I remained in a sattvic relationship within myself and with these tools. If I tipped just the slightest, those same holy things became stones tied around my neck. For me, it became the difference of “doing Yoga” and “being Yoga.” I have watched this situation happen with [B]everything [/B]in my life and have also watched myself trying to use my mind to stop the tipping over the edge. LOL…This has proven (repeatedly) to be the wrong tool for this job! My heart knows how though, so I try (repeatedly) to rest there.
With great respect and love,
Hi Earthsoul8,
Your post is beautiful, the essence is from the heart. While reading your post and especially what you said about meditation, it reminded me about what my own yoga teacher (Sri Durga) said to me years ago when I started with her:[B] “Meditation is not something you do, meditation is something which happens to you.”[/B]
Well, after letting go of the attitude and mind concept and will that I do meditation and just allowing meditation to happen, I had ever since the most amazing, beautiful and enlightening moments while in meditation. For some people it might not be that special, but for me every moment is always blissful, no matter what.
Until recently I never really read any books about how to meditate and what meditation is etc. Meditation has always been just a natural outflow of who I AM for me. So recently I started to read this book on meditation and after completing it, I came to the following conclusion for myself: We inherently know everything, theory, books, information etc. are placed on our paths to remind us of that inherent knowledge/wisdom, and seen in that light I read books and digest information with an attitude of I AM reminded by Spirit of that which I already know, but have forgotten.
pandara,
I know what you just said but I have forgotten it, can you send me a PM to remind me?
thanks
Neil
Because the regular practice of Hatha yoga improves your flexibility, strength and circulation, this leads to an overall improvement in the function of your organs and immune system. The improved flexibility not only creates a more open pathway for your circulation, but also your thoughts and emotions since everything is CONNECTED. Over-analyzing becomes unnecessary as you begin to feel more relaxed and peaceful overall.
I have to say that I have also seen Hatha Yoga practice [I]not[/I] improve flexibility and strength in many people, as well as cause dis-ease issues with other aspects of the emotional and physical bodies. Pitta and vatta provocations and a highly rajastic state were some of the dis-ease that presented. Some of these were due to wrong practice and some because they were Bhakti and Karma Yogis who had wrongly committed to Hatha yogasana practice as their path.
I mean no offense to you or your personal experience, it is lovely to share ones experiences here. And I also want to take this opportunity to acknowledge the often mistaken (and mostly unchallenged) belief that Hatha Yoga practice, specifically yogasana, is a panacea for all people.
With my respect,
I am very sorry to hear this Nichole. Unfortunately, those people were likely performing the asanas improperly - or they had pre-existing conditions which were exacerbated by their practice of Hatha yoga.
No reason to be sorry; we are all learning how to care for these lovely bodies of ours. That is part of the gift we’ve been given.
Wrong practice yes, mistakenly following an inappropriate path of Yoga practice for them yes, but no to pre-existing conditions, other than being a human being:), for these particular folks. The doshas are like this, nothing needs to be pre-existing, as they are always in a state of flux. And except for a few on this planet, the gunas are like this too.
Blessings,