Become One Living
Welcome to the BecomeOne Living Podcast. While yoga maybe the entry way into a deeper understanding of self, we invite you to dive even deeper into your practice. Here we will explore the transformative power of yogic philosophy, anatomy, and mindfulness.
In each episode, we embark on a journey through the rich
tapestry of yoga, drawing from various traditions and perspectives. From the ancient
teachings of The Gita to the mystical insights of the Akashic records, we delve
into the timeless wisdom that has guided seekers for centuries.
We bridge the gap between science and spirituality, exploring
the fascinating intersection of neuroscience and anatomy with yoga. Discover
how understanding your body's inner workings can enhance your practice and
overall well-being.
We also explore cutting-edge techniques like Internal Family
Systems and Neurosculpting, offering practical tools for personal growth and
self-discovery. Our goal is to equip you with a holistic toolkit for navigating
the complexities of modern life.
We’ll share our endless hours of study and insights, providing
you with a deeper understanding of yoga's core principles and how they can be
applied in today's world. Whether you're a seasoned practitioner or just
beginning your practice, there's something here for everyone.
Delve into the world of challenging entrenched beliefs, welcoming fresh perspectives, and unraveling unnoticed habits through our podcast. Join us while we discuss a wide range of topics and how yogic principals can weave its way through all facets of life. The good, the bad, and the ugly.
Join us on this enlightening quest for self-discovery, healing,
and personal transformation. The BecomeOne Living Podcast is your guide to
unearthing ancient wisdom for modern-day living.
Subscribe today to embark on a thought-provoking journey towards a more enlightened and informed self.
Become One Living
Now The Teaching of Yoga: Exploring Sutra 1.1
"Atha Yoga Anushasanam", now the teaching of yoga. What does it mean to truly commit to the practice of yoga? In this thought-provoking episode, we explore the first Sutra. Starting with the significance of "atha," we discuss the importance of the present moment as the ideal time to begin and the necessity of practicing without distractions. We break down "Anushasanam" to reveal yoga as a holistic system that connects mind and body, advocating for a practice centered on breath and concentration rather than superficial adaptations.
Yoga is a science; it is not magical.
Attitude and commitment are the cornerstones of a sustained yoga practice. Yoga is a science of self-improvement and learning about yourself on a deeper level. True transformation happens internally and radiates outward into every aspect of your life. We highlight the importance of finding an experienced teacher to guide you on this journey, and invite you to engage deeply with the Yoga Sutras.
We would love to hear from you! Email us at becomeoneliving@gmail.com or reach out to us on Instagram at BecomeOne Living.
welcome back. We're about to record another episode of become one living. My name is dan. This is my wife, joe hi we're talking about the sutras today again.
Speaker 2:In the past last episode, or some of our past episodes we started to touch on the yoga sutras, and the yoga sutras are a guidebook that has four parts. The first part is what is yoga? The second part is the practice. The third part is the benefits you get from the first yoga sutra of the first book Atta Yoga Nushasana, atta Yoga, nushasana, atta Yoga, anushasanam. When you have the word yoga and Anushasanam, they become one Yoganushasanam. I am not a scholar in Sanskrit, though I have learned to read some of it and speak some of it. This is interpreted through me. So please, my friends, be kind and be gentle with my pronunciation.
Speaker 2:Thank you. Well, let's dive in. Sometimes, ata is simply stated as meaning now. Now you are going to learn, or I'm going to share the exposition of yoga. Anushasanam means exposition system, yoga means yoga, atta means now.
Speaker 1:Cool, you know, it's just Joe's offering here is. You know, again, she's not the Sanskrit scholar. What we want to do is like a more poetic version of what we want to put it out there for you, but then we're going to go deeper into the meaning of it. So we're not so concerned about the, the, the words or anything like that. What we are concerned about is laying out there, and one thing to note is that oftentimes there can be certain different meanings or interpretations. Right, so, atah, right, it's like presenting it softly. It's like, okay, now is time for yoga. Another way interpretation.
Speaker 2:Attas has probably 10 definitions in Sanskrit. That's in the West. What happens is we take things and boil them down so much that there's no color, there's no texture there's no depth.
Speaker 2:Yes, there's no meaning. I want to share what I feel is a beautiful way of feeling Atah, and it's the present moment. Ata means right now, right here, is a gift to be present to what is to follow. It is also seen as being auspicious. Ata is auspicious. Auspicious means in favor of you. It means conducive with success. So ata is an auspicious word, which means this is for you to be successful. This is conducive with who you are and it's in favor of you this that I am sharing with you.
Speaker 2:This exposition, this discipline of yoga, of the way the mind and the body communicate and become one. This is in favor of you. This is conducive for your success in thriving and living a life that you are consciously creating. Another way of saying that is this it signifies a beginning. Atah in the Vedic tradition signifies a beginning and a commitment to that beginning, no matter what Commitment to that beginning, no matter what. It's a decision to initiate something important and to ensure that it is complete at any cost, without distraction and without deviation. Do you hear that? Atha yoga anushasanam? Now I'm going to commit to this practice initiate the beginning and stay with it, without distractions removing me from my path and without deviating from it, without changing it and making things up. That's a lot more powerful to me than now. Now I'm going to tell you all about yoga.
Speaker 1:To me. One thing that also comes to mind is that there's no rush, there's no urgency. It's almost like any time, any time now, any time. Now is a good time for yoga. Now is a good time for yoga Any time, without rushing, there's no urgency. It's when you're ready that now is a good time.
Speaker 2:Yeah, there is no urgency, there is no rush. Now, in this moment and that moment and whatever moment, you have this blessing A-N-U. A-n-u means particle atom, oneness. If we break down the words, anu means one, the system of yoga becoming one. What I also have taken out of this Yoga Sutra is looking at it as that. This is a system. Do not be distracted by shiny objects like loud music or choreography in a yoga class. That is too creative. That takes you out of the purpose of breathing and focus. Do not add dancing and meditation In the yoga path. If we're being pure, those things good, bad. I'm not saying that. I'm saying according to the yoga sutras, there's no mention about a playlist.
Speaker 1:We've looked right, dan.
Speaker 2:We searched all week last week in the sutras to try to find where it stated that music was a good.
Speaker 1:Playlist was essential to this.
Speaker 2:And what happens is when, when we add things that we like or we want or some of my TTs say, well, I added it because it's fun. And I said well, yoga's not fun.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Okay, I'm not that bad, y'all.
Speaker 1:No, it actually is fun, but not in the way that people need. In a surface way it's it's not fun like an ice cream cone. It's actually deeper and richer and more fun and more enjoyable on the other side. Yes, it it, but it does take time, it does take commitment. You know some of the things that we've accomplished that just go under the radar screen. I mean, for one thing, for example, it's like when you get to know yourself, when you move functionally, when you deeply listen in your asana practice, deeply inward, when you're, when you practice.
Speaker 1:For me, what I found is the next thing I know is I don't I eliminate something dietarily. I mean, we live in a household where there's not an ibuprofen, there's not an Aleve, there's not an aspirin, there's not a Tylenol, and it's not a thing. It's just me and Joe. We don't necessitate us to have a Tylenol and, again, like Joe said, I don't have a judgment about somebody that needs a Tylenol for a headache. But I can assure you that the more you tune in to yourself with these rituals, the less that you even consider something beyond all of the tools that are right in front of you.
Speaker 2:Yes, the less you'll consider other things than the tools in front of you. If either of us get a headache or our body hurts, we go to the tools Atah, stretching water, rest. Every moment you have an opportunity to yug yoga, yug union, to yoke two things. Now, in this moment, you can become one. Take the mind and drop it into the heart and fully be present. The practice of yoga is to realize your potential. Now, realize your potential and realize that the system of yoga that's being offered it's a system. It is a set of discipline, rules and practices to ensure self-realization and living a yogic lifestyle. And a yogic lifestyle doesn't mean you're better than anyone. By the way, yoga or being yogic I'm not even a fan of that word yogic because I'm not trying to create a division between people it's just an explanation of I live a yogic lifestyle, meaning I take the practices and I use them throughout the day, and when I don't, I remember I didn't use them and I go back.
Speaker 1:And that becomes your barometer. That becomes your measure of how good of a day you're having or how well you're feeling.
Speaker 2:That becomes the measure well, you're feeling that becomes the measure.
Speaker 1:Or how embodied.
Speaker 2:I am Right, how embodied I am. If I'm continually getting upset that someone parked in my parking spot at work, that trigger is the way in. Do you understand, if I'm going to work y'all and someone's in my spot which has been happening a lot and I'm outwardly getting mad and thinking if they weren't in my spot then life would be great. Oh, if they didn't do that then I'd be okay, right then. And there I take a breath, I draw in and I say where in yoga do I need to work more? Where do I need to withdraw and do the practices? Is it with the yamas and the niyamas? Is it breath work? And these are part of the eight limbs which we have discussed. If you want to listen to in prior podcasts, the system, anushasanam, the exposition, it is now that it is going to be explained, exposed to you, and it is a science. Yoga is a science. It is not a religion. It is not magical. It feels magical if you scientifically follow the prescribed practices.
Speaker 1:Yes, and remember, though, self-discovery in all this is an explorative venture. That requires you not to treat this like a checklist. I did this check, so this is the feeling, the benefit I'm supposed to get. It must, it's a lifestyle.
Speaker 2:In the beginning it may be a checklist, because perhaps in the beginning, right, okay, I have to do my meditation, I have to do my practice, because we need the practices. If we don't do them and we don't keep track of them, then they're not measurable. Okay, now, after a while, if it is that mechanical, then we're losing the essence of yoga, which is not the practice, but using the practice to get to know ourselves, to be able to express ourselves and co-create with what is here and universal energy.
Speaker 1:And noticing when you check out and noticing when you want to go do something you know is harmful to yourself, and noticing all those things become clearer the more you can plug these in.
Speaker 2:What is rising in the moment is to share with you this concept called the three A's. Years ago, I studied Anusara Yoga, for it feels like lifetimes, probably 15 years. I studied Anusara and the three A's were something we learned in the beginning that I want to share with you. And the first A is attitude. Why am I feeling this is significant now in the discussion of the first Yoga Sutra? Because the Yoga Sutra says Atta Yoga Anu Shasanam. Right Now, in favor of you, for your success, I'm going to explain expose these practices of yoga. And yoga is the mind-body communicating, living as one, becoming one. But guess what really matters? Your attitude. Why are you doing this? Why are you taking on yoga? Why do you want it to be exposed to you? Why do you want to learn this system piece by piece? If you don't have a why and a good attitude towards it, your willpower will fizzle out, the practices will dissolve and you will be left sitting there wondering what happened.
Speaker 2:I thought I really wanted this your attitude approaching yoga. And here's the offering in this moment. The offering in this moment Ata means you are about to begin and initiate a powerful journey in which you are committing to finish it and stay on the path without distraction and deviation, my friends, are you willing to do that? And deviation, my friends, are you willing to do that? Mic drop? I'm so curious because our attitude towards that very thing is how we do everything. Do you understand that how you do anything is how you do everything? So, atah, you have these yoga sutras and you're saying everything. So, atah, you have these yoga sutras and you're saying I'm committing to yoga, I'm, and what does that even mean? Do you know that? That's attitude? What is your attitude when you're committing to something? Are you going to falter? Are you going to stop it? Are you going to say, oh, it doesn't matter, I don't have time? How do you approach it?
Speaker 1:And even that is a journey toward a journey toward the light, a journey inwardly. So don't get Jill wrong, it's not that one time you fall off that you're not committed, because that also becomes a measure of coming back Each time you come back. Each time you come back, each time you come back, you learn about yourself. There are things that you must tend to. There are probably things you will have to eliminate. There are probably people in your life you will have to move away from, to become more harmonic, to become more at ease with self, and there's always the consideration as much as this is an inward journey and self-care and self-tools and all the self stuff guess what that happens to be the most universal thing there is. So when you're working on yourself, the greatest gift that you're presenting to the world is all of yourself. With that work having being done, and guess what People like you start to show up and come together with you that have a similar ideas and beliefs and feelings and journeys and passions and things they want to surround themselves with.
Speaker 2:I like to pause and go back to something you said. It's not how many times you fall off or turn away from the path, it's how many times you come back. And I have fallen, my friends so far away from the past numerous times in 30 years. It is not about perfection, it is about returning, and I've returned to the path, broken, confused irritated enraged, disappointed repeatedly over and over again, and have been broken open over and over again.
Speaker 2:That's why I'm saying what is under the reasoning for doing this? Because you will stop doing it at a point. You will think it is not that important, it will fall by the wayside. I promise you, it's happened with me. My question, though, is what will keep you coming back? What says to you hey Jodi, hey Dan, hey Tom, hey, friends, what about your practice? What whispers to you to come back home and to continue this? Where's the attitude around that? Yeah, please, that was beautiful, dan. It's not about perfection. My journey is one of destruction and death and darkness, and still returning with all of that. By the way, my path was full of rage at a point, and I still did yoga, rageful because I knew there was more to this. So please don't wait to start the practice to feel better, because I never really felt better doing yoga. I became better at feeling and processing and or releasing, and that's when I started to feel better feel better.
Speaker 1:Yes, and with the understanding and appreciation that most people are probably listening and like poking a hole in the balloon and trying to smash it down and it's really just the resistance, but having all these things go on in their head. Well, I'm of this religion and I'm of that religion and that's exactly why I say come with an open mind. And I said in the prior episode and I can't remember what I called it now but if this was called moopy doopy, then moopy doopy is what I'd be doing, so I don't care what this is called. There has been no other experience, no other offering in my life that has come my way or presented itself. That said, here are some tools to pursue and just see what comes of it. I have not experienced that anywhere else. So I want to once again honor and share appreciation with the people who are listening and saying well, this could go wrong with that, and I know that I will already not do that and I don't want to do that piece, but I would consider that piece. Well, just come with an open mind.
Speaker 1:You know, one of the reverends that we studied with was like he gets that question and you put you write it on a piece of paper and you put it in the box and it goes up before him and he says okay, he unfolds the piece of paper. How do we know that this is not a cult? And he's gotten that question a gazillion times right, and this is how you know. Because you don't have to come back, you don't have to give money, you don't have to do anything, do it for yourself and see the world around you transform.
Speaker 2:Do it and see the world around you transform. Speaking on religion, it doesn't matter the religion that you follow, because yoga is a science. I remember reading Larry Dossey wrote a great book about the soul and prayer and I wanted to study prayer, mainly for myself, selfishly, and then, of course, for others later on. And this concept of prayer as I read more and more, he said, just as we are saying, it is the practice that changes you. It is the devotion to the rituals that change you, showing up every day and saying I'm praying for Dan or I'm wishing this person well and I hope that person's well and may these people receive what they're meant to receive. By doing that every day and by being grateful every day, we change our neuropathways. Our neurology changes and we start to now see goodness in people. See goodness in people.
Speaker 1:A shift in us happens from consistency and showing up for the practices. What a powerful thing just there, right there, joe, is just for people to hear that Say okay, so my approach to people how about, instead of looking for what differentiates, you, look at what the beauty is in the other person, look at what brings you together, look at the good in them, and that just alone. You know plugging that in that approach to when you stand in line behind somebody at the counter in the supermarket. You know just approach that with okay, what if I'm looking for the goodness in this person?
Speaker 2:Dan, that was a beautiful example of attitude, of changing your attitude towards the world. That's the first A. The second A is alignment, and it's not the physical alignment that we're thinking of. It is being in alignment and living in alignment with the knowledge, your speech, your actions, and we'll talk more about that in the second Yoga Sutra. So stay tuned, we're still on 1.1.
Speaker 2:I just was called to sprinkle in the three A's and I will talk more about them perhaps in another episode. But the second one is alignment, and alignment has to do with knowledge, right knowledge, conscious knowledge, and getting the knowledge you need to align with this new attitude. Right, what is going to help you stay in alignment? Then the last A I'll share is taking action. Notice, action is last. The first thing we usually do is I want to do and our sensories take over and we react. That's usually first our humanness In this, it's attitude first. Who is reacting? What am I feeling? What am I doing? What's my attitude Then? Do I have enough knowledge and am I aligned enough to take right action or appropriate action in accordance to what I want to co-create?
Speaker 1:I love it.
Speaker 2:So these three A's to me go with the starting of a journey. Yoga Sutra 1.1 says Atta Yoga, Nushasana Atta. You are initiating a journey, learning and exposing the practices of yoga. The details are being opened to you. That's a gift as your journey starts to unfold, the journey of the mind and the body becoming one and living in unity together. The three A's work right in there so well. How can you change your attitude, or what is your attitude right now? And then, do you have the alignment and the knowledge you need to uphold that, to live that Now, with that steadfastness and that knowledge and that open heart and mind, what are your actions going to look like? Yoga?
Speaker 1:Email us your questions.
Speaker 2:Comments at becomeonel at gmailcom Dot com. Yeah, dan, you also said something a little earlier in the podcast that keeps coming up in my heart framework. That wasn't the word you used, but I'm going to say it again. Yoga is a scientific system. It is a framework to bounce off of, to dance in between friends is magical, is spiritual, it's cosmic, mystical. I mean, it is beyond words, it's grace, it's love. But the science is the science of it. Get up every day, meditate, study, shake it, move it, breathe be aware focus your mind.
Speaker 2:There's the science, and the science isn't colorful. That's where we don't want to deviate. We don't want to keep adding more shiny objects and more things. Keep it simple in the system. Keep the simple concepts in the system, and whether you do the practices or not, nobody cares. Nobody cares.
Speaker 2:And why I mean that is you're not good or not bad if you do these practices. It's not about being a better person. It's about being who you are fully Self-realization, your fullest potential. It's not about being a better person. I do not achieve every day to be a better person for the world. I achieve to reach my fullest potential and in that potential I know that will change the world. So the Yoga Sutra is the first sutra Atta.
Speaker 2:Now, the present moment is a gift and if you choose to embark in this yogic journey, may you check in with your attitude about that and may you gather the knowledge and the teacher, if you need support to keep you on the path, to check in with who has done this before you. By the way, all of my teachers have done this before me for years and years and years. I'm going to say that again. Find a teacher that has done this before you Find a teacher who has done this before you, who's followed the path for many, many, many years consistently, and have them show you the way or hold you accountable. All my teachers have been doing this for years and are my elders, because I want what they have. I want that peace, that consciousness, that love. Yoga will change your life if you participate in it and if you allow it.
Speaker 2:The Yoga Sutras are aphorisms. Aphorisms need to be interpreted and chewed, chewing on something. The word is manana. Thank you for manana-ing with us. You can follow us at Become One Living on Instagram, and you can email us at any time.
Speaker 1:At becomeoneliving at gmailcom.
Speaker 2:Yes, may you find your reason, your why for embarking on this yogic journey, and may you let no one or anything distract you from meeting your fullest potential.
