New Moon in Taurus

from Yogitoes

This Taurus new moon is the first of 5 SUPERMOONS this year... (which means it's in Perigee or closest proximity to the Earth.) SuperMoons intensify gravitational pull on land and water, generating more extreme tides and tectonic activity.

Our bodies and psyches are more strongly affected as well, undergoing wider swings of emotions and more profound realizations. In addition, this new moon ties into a very powerful EARTH grand trine. Trines represent easy flow of energy, where the wind is at our back, and a little bit of effort goes a long way.... and earth signs are all about grounding and manifestation!

So, we will be receiving extra cosmic support for concretizing our new moon visions and prayers and transforming what is no longer viable. Over the next 2 weeks the GROUND is especially fertile for planting new seeds, laying down new roots, and nurturing financial, creative, and romantic GROWTH!

Our selected yoga pose and color this month will support you in staying practical, grounded, and abundantly blessed!

OM Shanti, Peace

YOGA ASANA: Salamba Sarvangasana (Shoulder Stand)
COLOR: SKIDLESS in LOAM (bija- seed, infinite growth)

COLOR INTENTION - LOAM: LOAM is the earth. Literally, it is soil composed of sand, silt and clay used for gardening and agriculture. LOAM represents FERTILITY and GROWTH. BIJA, which in sanskrit means SEED is used as a metaphor for the origin or cause of all things. The color LOAM or brown, is the combination of several colors, mostly dark yellow, orange and red, which are representative of the lowest three chakras (solar plexus, sacral, and root chakras) further reflecting the overall sense of GROUNDING and ROOTING exuded by LOAM. Our intention in using the color LOAM during this Taurus new moon is to identify our connection with MOTHER EARTH. By "digging deep" inside yourself and surrendering to the POWER of the planet, you will find what you need to flourish and grow like the BIJA, deep within the fertile ground.

Salamba Sarvangasana
(sah-LOM-bah sar-van-GAHS-anna)
salamba = with support
sarva= all
anga=limb
AKA Supported Shoulder Stand
Begin by folding 1-3 blankets into a rectangular shape. It is important to be diligent with the folds.. think Princess and the Pea... smooth out any bumps or creases and line up the folded edges evenly.

STEP 1.
Position yourself near a wall and lie down so that your shoulders are about 6 inches away from the folded edge of the blanket. Place your feet flat on the wall hips distance, making sure your shoulders are parallel with the edge of the blanket, and you are maintaining the natural curve in your neck. Take a few breaths here...

STEP 2.
On an exhale press your arms into the ground and your feet into the wall, lifting your hips into the air. Grab your ySTRAP and loop around the wrists. Wiggle your shoulders underneath you, bringing the shoulder blades towards each other. Be careful not to roll your shoulders down away from the ears, but instead move them directly in. As you press your feet into the wall, think of releasing the sacrum towards the heels and dropping the inner thighs downward, letting the lift come from the outer hips.

STEP 3
Start wiggling the strap up the arms until it is just above the elbows, pulling the elbow towards each other and preventing splaying outward. With the backs of your upper arms flat on the ground, spin your hands so the fingers point up and the palms are flat, as high up the back as possible.

STEP 4
Begin to shift the hips over the shoulders, pushing off the wall and extending the legs straight up to the ceiling. Again feel the inner thighs rolling back and extend through the balls of the feet. Press the backs of your arms and the shoulder blades in to the mat to create a root and rebound feeling, lifting as much of your upper back away from the floor as possible. Make sure your forehead is parallel with the floor. Now, relax your tongue, your cheeks, and softly gaze toward the sternum. Be careful not to turn your head while inverted.You only want to stay in the pose as long as is comfortable for you, but generally 3-5 minutes is the correct amount of time to fully receive the benefit of the pose. To come down... on an exhale, bend your knees, dropping the thighs down to your chest and roll your back slowly to the floor, keeping the back of your head and neck down. As you roll down, imagine a strand of pearls lowering on to a glass top table, one vertebrae at a time, until your feet land on the ground.

MODIFICATIONS WITH YOGITOES PROPS...
Before you begin, measure the ySTRAP from sternum to shoulder-head and adjust accordingly. (This is your shoulder distance.) When setting up your props to begin, keep your ySTRAP handy. Once you grab the ySTRAP, you will not need to adjust the size. Work the ySTRAP up your arms and it will provide comfortable resistance while allowing you to engage in the pose.

INTENTION:
Our intention in choosing Salamba Sarvangasana as the Taurus NEW MOON ASANA is to help further your connection to the planet, as the root your shoulders, keeping your heart grounded and lifting your feet to the sky. Perhaps take a moment to honor your feet for walking you through life and being the origin of growth as we stand on the earth. Also take some time to focus on centering and calming your mind and psyche, as this powerful new moon may produce wider emotional swings that could throw you off balance.

BENEFITS:
Salamba Sarvangasana is known as the "Queen" of yoga poses, for its calming effect on the brain and mind. As with all inversion, Shoulder Stand reverses the blood flow, stimulating glands and organs, such as the thyroid, improves circulation and digestion, and calms the brain, relieving stress, tension, frustration, and depression. This pose has also been found to help with insomnia, asthma, symptoms of menopause, and infertility. It also tones the legs, back and buttocks and stretches the neck, spine and shoulders.

CONTRAINDICATIONS/CAUTIONS:
Salamba Sarvangasana is considered an intermediate pose, so be cautious when practicing. Always listen to your body and stop if you ever feel any pain or discomfort. Use special caution if you have neck or back injuries, high blood pressure, headache or diarrhea. Mensturating women are advised not to practice inversions while on their cycle. Pregnant woman can practice shoulder stand throughout their pregnancy, provided they have a shoulder stand practice prior to becoming pregnant.

with BIG LOVE, OM LAUGHTER, AND DEEP GRATITUDE...

Yoga Defined

from Wikipedia
Picture files from the Wikimedia Commons

Yoga is a group of ancient spiritual practices originating in India. According to Gavin Flood, Academic Director of the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies it has been defined as referring to "technologies or disciplines of asceticism and meditation which are thought to lead to spiritual experience and profound understanding or insight into the nature of existence." Yoga is also intimately connected to the religious beliefs and practices of the other Indian religions.

Outside India, Yoga is mostly associated with the practice of asanas (postures) of Hatha Yoga or as a form of exercise, although it has influenced the entire Indian religions family and other spiritual practices throughout the world. Hindu texts discussing different aspects of yoga include the Upanishads, the Bhagavad Gita, the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, the Shiva Samhita, and many others.

Major branches of Yoga include: Hatha Yoga, Karma Yoga, Jnana Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, and Raja Yoga. Raja Yoga, established by the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, and known simply as Yoga in the context of Hindu philosophy, is one of the six orthodox (astika) schools of thought.

Etymology
The Sanskrit term yoga has a wide range of different meanings. It is derived from the Sanskrit root yuj, "to control", "to yoke", or "to unite". Common meanings include "joining" or "uniting", and related ideas such as "union" and "conjunction". Another conceptual definition is that of "mode, manner, means" or "expedient, means in general".

Indus Valley seals

History of Yoga
A seal from the Indus Valley Civilization, showing a figure in meditation posture.Several seals discovered at Indus Valley Civilization (c. 3300–1700 BC) sites depict figures in a yoga or meditation like posture. There is considerable evidence to support the idea that the images show "a form of ritual discipline, suggesting a precursor of yoga"[13] according to archaeologist Gregory Possehl. He points to sixteen other specific "yogi glyptics" in the corpus of Mature Harappan artifacts as pointing to Harappan devotion to "ritual discipline and concentration." These images show that the yoga pose "may have been used by deities and humans alike." Possehl suggests that yoga goes back to the Indus Valley Civilization.

The most widely known of these images was named the "Pashupati seal" by its discoverer, John Marshall, who believed that it represented a "proto-Shiva" figure. Many modern authorities discount the idea that this "Pashupati" (Lord of Animals, Sanskrit pasupati) represents a Shiva or Rudra figure. Gavin Flood also characterizes these views as "speculative", saying that it is not clear from the 'Pashupati' seal that the figure is seated in a yoga posture, or that the shape is intended to represent a human figure. Authorities who support the idea that the 'Pashupati' figure shows a figure in a yoga or meditation posture include Archaeologist Jonathan Mark Kenoyer, current Co-director of the Harappa Archaeological Research Project in Pakistan and Indologist Heinrich Zimmer.

In 2007, terracotta seals were discovered in the Cholistan Desert in Pakistan. Punjab University Archaeology Department Chairman Dr. Farzand Masih described one of the seals as similar to the previously discovered Mohenjodaro seals, with three pictographs on one side and a "yogi" on the other side.

Ascetic practices (tapas) are referenced in the Brahma (900 BCE and 500 BCE), early commentaries on the vedas. In the Upanishads, an early reference to meditation is made in Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, one of the earliest Upanishads (approx. 900 BCE). The main textual sources for the evolving concept of Yoga are the middle Upanishads, (ca. 400 BCE), the Mahabharata (5th c. BCE) including the Bhagavad Gita (ca. 200 BCE), and the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali (200 BCE-300 CE).

Bhagavad Gita
The Bhagavad Gita ('Song of the Lord'), uses the term yoga extensively in a variety of senses. Of many possible meanings given to the term in the Gita, most emphasis is given to these three:

1. Karma yoga: The yoga of action
2. Bhakti yoga: The yoga of devotion
3. Jnana yoga: The yoga of knowledge

The influential commentator Madhusudana Sarasvati (b. circa 1490) divided the Gita's eighteen chapters into three sections, each of six chapters. According to his method of division the first six chapters deal with Karma yoga, the middle six deal with Bhakti yoga, and the last six deal with Jnana (knowledge). This interpretation has been adopted by some later commentators and rejected by others.

Yoga Sutras of Patanjali
In Indian philosophy, Yoga is the name of one of the six orthodox philosophical schools. The Yoga philosophical system is closely allied with the Samkhya school. The Yoga school as expounded by Patanjali accepts the Samkhya psychology and metaphysics, but is more theistic than the Samkhya, as evidenced by the addition of a divine entity to the Samkhya's twenty-five elements of reality. The parallels between Yoga and Samkhya were so close that Max Müller says that "the two philosophies were in popular parlance distinguished from each other as Samkhya with and Samkhya without a Lord...." The intimate relationship between Samkhya and Yoga is explained by Heinrich Zimmer:

These two are regarded in India as twins, the two aspects of a single discipline. Sa?khya provides a basic theoretical exposition of human nature, enumerating and defining its elements, analyzing their manner of co-operation in a state of bondage (bandha), and describing their state of disentanglement or separation in release (mok?a), while Yoga treats specifically of the dynamics of the process for the disentanglement, and outlines practical techniques for the gaining of release, or 'isolation-integration' (kaivalya).

The sage Patanjali is regarded as the founder of the formal Yoga philosophy. The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali are ascribed to Patanjali, who, may have been, as Max Müller explains, "the author or representative of the Yoga-philosophy without being necessarily the author of the Sutras." Indologist Axel Michaels is dismissive of claims that the work was written by Patanjali, characterizing it instead as a collection of fragments and traditions of texts stemming from the second or third century. Gavin Flood cites a wider period of uncertainty for the composition, between 100 BCE and 500 CE.

Patanjali's yoga is known as Raja yoga, which is a system for control of the mind. Patanjali defines the word "yoga" in his second sutra, which is the definitional sutra for his entire work:

This terse definition hinges on the meaning of three Sanskrit terms. I. K. Taimni translates it as "Yoga is the inhibitionof the modificationsof the mind ". Swami Vivekananda translates the sutra as "Yoga is restraining the mind-stuff (Citta) from taking various forms." Gavin Flood translates the sutra as "yoga is the cessation of mental fluctuations".

A sculpture of a Hindu yogi in the Birla Mandir, DelhiPatanjali's writing also became the basis for a system referred to it as "Ashtanga Yoga" ("Eight-Limbed Yoga"). This eight-limbed concept derived from the 29th Sutra of the 2nd book became a feature of Raja yoga, and is a core characteristic of practically every Raja yoga variation taught today.The Eight Limbs of yoga practice are:

(1) Yama (The five "abstentions"): nonviolence, truth, non-covetousness, chastity, and abstain from attachment to possessions.
(2) Niyama (The five "observances"): purity, contentment, austerities, study, and surrender to god
(3) Asana: Literally means "seat", and in Patanjali's Sutras refers to seated positions used for meditation. Later, with the rise of Hatha yoga, asana came to refer to all the "postures"
(4) Pranayama ("Lengthening Prana"): Prana, life force, or vital energy, particularly, the breath, "ayama", to lengthen or extend
(5) Pratyahara ("Abstraction"): Withdrawal of the sense organs from external objects.
(6) Dharana ("Concentration"): Fixing the attention on a single object
(7) Dhyana ("Meditation"): Intense contemplation of the nature of the object of meditation
(8) Samadhi ("Liberation"): merging consciousness with the object of meditation
They are sometimes divided into the lower and the upper four limbs, the lower ones being parallel to the lower limbs of Hatha Yoga, while the upper ones being specific for the Raja yoga. The upper three limbs practiced simultaneously constitute the Samyama.

It details every aspect of the meditative process, and the preparation for it. The book is available in as many as 40 English translations, both in-print and on-line.

Hatha Yoga Pradipika
Hatha Yoga is a particular system of Yoga described by Yogi Swatmarama, a yogic sage of the 15th century in India, and compiler of the Hatha Yoga Pradipika. Hatha Yoga is a development of — but also differs substantially from — the Raja Yoga of Patanjali, in that it focuses on shatkarma, the purification of the physical as leading to the purification of the mind (ha), and prana, or vital energy (tha). In contrast, the Raja Yoga posited by Patanjali begins with a purification of the mind (yamas) and spirit (niyamas), then comes to the body via asana (body postures) and pranayama (breath). Hatha yoga contains substantial tantric influence, and marks the first point at which chakras and kundalini were introduced into the yogic canon. Compared to the seated asanas of Patanjali's Raja yoga which were seen largely as a means of preparing for meditation, it also marks the development of asanas as full body 'postures' in the modern sense.

Hatha Yoga in its many modern variations is the style that most people actually associate with the word "Yoga" today. Because its emphasis is on the body through asana and pranayama practice, many western students are satisfied with the physical health and vitality it develops and are not interested in the other six limbs of the complete Hatha yoga teaching, or with the even older Raja Yoga tradition it is based on.

Yoga in other traditions
Yoga is intimately connected to the religious beliefs and practices of the Indian religions.[53] The influence of Yoga is also visible in Buddhism, which is distinguished by its austerities, spiritual exercises, and trance states.

Yogacara Buddhism
Yogacara (Sanskrit: "Practice of Yoga [Union]"), also spelled yogachara, is a school of philosophy and psychology that developed in India during the 4th to 5th centuries. Yogacara received the name as it provided a yoga, a framework for engaging in the practices that lead to the path of the bodhisattva. The Yogacara sect teaches yoga in order to reach enlightenment.

Ch`an (Zen) Buddhism
Zen (the name of which derives from the Sanskrit "dhyana" via the Chinese "ch'an") is a form of Mahayana Buddhism. The Mahayana school of Buddhism is noted for its proximity with Yoga.[55] In the west, Zen is often set alongside Yoga; the two schools of meditation display obvious family resemblances. This phenomenon merits special attention since the Zen Buddhist school of meditation has some of its roots in yogic practices.[61] Certain essential elements of Yoga are important both for Buddhism in general and for Zen in particular.[3]

Tibetan Buddhism
Yoga is central to Tibetan Buddhism. In the Nyingma tradition, practitioners progress to increasingly profound levels of yoga, starting with Maha yoga, continuing to Anu yoga and ultimately undertaking the highest practice, Ati yoga. In the Sarma traditions, the Anuttara yoga class is equivalent. Other tantra yoga practices include a system of 108 bodily postures practiced with breath and heart rhythm. Timing in movement exercises is known as Trul khor or union of moon and sun (channel) prajna energies. The body postures of Tibetan ancient yogis are depicted on the walls of the Dalai Lama's summer temple of Lukhang.

Yoga and Tantra
Tantrism is a practice that is supposed to alter the relation of its practitioners to the ordinary social, religious, and logical reality in which they live. Through Tantric practice an individual perceives reality as maya, illusion, and the individual achieves liberation from it. This particular path to salvation among the several offered by Hinduism, links Tantrism to those practices of Indian religions, such as yoga, meditation, and social renunciation, which are based on temporary or permanent withdrawal from social relationships and modes. During tantric practices and studies, the student is instructed further in meditation technique, particularly chakra meditation. This is often in a limited form in comparison with the way this kind of meditation is known and used by Tantric practitioners and yogis elsewhere, but is more elaborate than the initiate's previous meditation. It is considered to be a kind of Kundalini Yoga for the purpose of moving the Goddess into the chakra located in the "heart," for meditation and worship.

Goal of Yoga
There are numerous opinions on what the goal of Yoga may be. Goals can range from improving health and fitness, to reaching Moksha. Within the monist schools of Advaita Vedanta and Shaivism this perfection takes the form of Moksha, which is a liberation from all worldly suffering and the cycle of birth and death (Samsara) at which point there is a realisation of identity with the Supreme Brahman. For the dualistic bhakti schools of Vaishnavism, bhakti itself is the ultimate goal of the yoga process, wherein perfection culminates in an eternal relationship with Vishnu or one of his associated avatars such as Krishna or Rama.

Yoga Poses & Yoga Exercises

from YogaWiz

In Sanskrit, the word “pose” is “asana” (pronounced as “ah-sah-nah”).

Each asana helps you become more aware of your body, mind, and environment. While beginning your yoga exercises, experiment with the poses, moving in and out as you feel comfortable. If you approach the poses with playful curiosity, feeling of frustration and competitiveness will not enter your mind. While practicing your yoga exercises, make sure that you don’t feel any discomfort or pain.

Yoga Poses and breathing
Breathing is an essential part of practicing yoga exercises. You should never hold your breathe during a pose. Also make sure that your breath is never forced or strained. Labored breathing is sign that you you’re working too hard and should come out of the pose slightly. When one starts practicing yoga, one can hold for three full breaths through most yoga poses. If you feel comfortable in the pose, hold for longer, if uncomfortable, you should come out of the pose immediately.

Types of Yoga Poses
Seated poses – Seated poses are useful for practicing breathing exercises and relaxation or meditation techniques. Seated poses are also often used as a warm up or as a starting point for other poses. Performing seated poses can help improve your posture and open your hips.

Standing poses – Standing poses are often used as warm up or as a starting point for other poses. Standing poses are beneficial for strengthening your legs, opening your hips and improving your sense of balance.

Inversions – Inversions are excellent poses to perform to improve your blood circulation, quiet your mind and improve your overall health. Inversions are also believed to reverse the ageing process and reduce the effect of the gravity on your body.

Relaxation and restorative poses – It is important to take time to perform relaxation or restorative poses at the end of each yoga practice. You can use this time to relax your body and mind and allow energy released by the poses in your practice to move freely throughout your body.

Counter poses – A counter pose is a pose that stretches your spine in the opposite direction from a previous pose or returns your spine to a neutral position.

Twists – You can perform twists to stretch and strengthen your back and abdominal muscles, increase the flexibility of your spine and improve your circulation. Twists improve the functioning of your internal organs by providing them with a fresh supply of blood as you twist and release your body.

Balancing poses – Balancing poses are great for improving your balance and coordination as well as developing your ability to remain grounded in a pose.

Forward bends – Forward bends stretch the entire back of your body, especially your hamstrings. Forward bends are also often used to release tension, calm your mind and soothe your nervous system. Similar to back bends, forward bends help keep your spine strong and supple.

Back bends – Back bends are among the most challenging poses in yoga. Bending backward helps strength your back and keep your spine strong and supple. Back bends also open the front of your body, especially your chest.