To the Church in Ephesus
2 “To the angel[a] of the church in Ephesus write:
These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands. 2 I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. 3 You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary. 4 Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. 5 Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. 6 But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 7 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.
To the Church in Smyrna
8 “To the angel of the church in Smyrna write:
These are the words of him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again. 9 I know your afflictions and your poverty—yet you are rich! I know about the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. 10 Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor’s crown. 11 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who is victorious will not be hurt at all by the second death.
To the Church in Pergamum
12 “To the angel of the church in Pergamum write:
These are the words of him who has the sharp, double-edged sword. 13 I know where you live—where Satan has his throne. Yet you remain true to my name. You did not renounce your faith in me, not even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was put to death in your city—where Satan lives. 14 Nevertheless, I have a few things against you: There are some among you who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin so that they ate food sacrificed to idols and committed sexual immorality. 15 Likewise, you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans. 16 Repent therefore! Otherwise, I will soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth. 17 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give that person a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to the one who receives it.
To the Church in Thyatira
18 “To the angel of the church in Thyatira write:
These are the words of the Son of God, whose eyes are like blazing fire and whose feet are like burnished bronze. 19 I know your deeds, your love and faith, your service and perseverance, and that you are now doing more than you did at first. 20 Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophet. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols. 21 I have given her time to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling. 22 So I will cast her on a bed of suffering, and I will make those who commit adultery with her suffer intensely, unless they repent of her ways. 23 I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am he who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds. 24 Now I say to the rest of you in Thyatira, to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets, ‘I will not impose any other burden on you, 25 except to hold on to what you have until I come.’ 26 To the one who is victorious and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations— 27 that one ‘will rule them with an iron scepter and will dash them to pieces like pottery’[b]—just as I have received authority from my Father. 28 I will also give that one the morning star. 29 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
To the Church in Sardis
3 “To the angel[c] of the church in Sardis write:
These are the words of him who holds the seven spirits[d] of God and the seven stars. I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. 2 Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have found your deeds unfinished in the sight of my God. 3 Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; hold it fast, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you. 4 Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes. They will walk with me, dressed in white, for they are worthy. 5 The one who is victorious will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out the name of that person from the book of life, but will acknowledge that name before my Father and his angels. 6 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
To the Church in Philadelphia
7 “To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write:
These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. 8 I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. 9 I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are not, but are liars—I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you. 10 Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth. 11 I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. 12 The one who is victorious I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will they leave it. I will write on them the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on them my new name. 13 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
To the Church in Laodicea
14 “To the angel of the church in Laodicea write:
These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. 15 I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16 So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. 17 You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. 18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. 19 Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. 20 Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me. 21 To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne. 22 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
Lust Lust is a strong passion or longing, especially for sexual desires.
Gluttony Gluttony is an excessive and ongoing eating of food or drink.
Greed Greed is an excessive pursuit of material goods.
Sloth Sloth is an excessive laziness or the failure to act and utilize one’s talents.
Wrath Wrath is a strong anger and hate towards another person.
Envy Envy is the intense desire to have an item that someone else possesses.
Pride Pride is an excessive view of one's self without regard for others.
Babylon, the Prostitute on the Beast
17 One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the punishment of the great prostitute, who sits by many waters. 2 With her the kings of the earth committed adultery, and the inhabitants of the earth were intoxicated with the wine of her adulteries.”
3 Then the angel carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness. There I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was covered with blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns. 4 The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and was glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls. She held a golden cup in her hand, filled with abominable things and the filth of her adulteries. 5 The name written on her forehead was a mystery:
babylon the great the mother of prostitutes and of the abominations of the earth.
6 I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of God’s holy people, the blood of those who bore testimony to Jesus.
When I saw her, I was greatly astonished. 7 Then the angel said to me: “Why are you astonished? I will explain to you the mystery of the woman and of the beast she rides, which has the seven heads and ten horns. 8 The beast, which you saw, once was, now is not, and yet will come up out of the Abyss and go to its destruction. The inhabitants of the earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the creation of the world will be astonished when they see the beast, because it once was, now is not, and yet will come.
9 “This calls for a mind with wisdom. The seven heads are seven hills on which the woman sits. 10 They are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come; but when he does come, he must remain for only a little while. 11 The beast who once was, and now is not, is an eighth king. He belongs to the seven and is going to his destruction.
12 “The ten horns you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but who for one hour will receive authority as kings along with the beast. 13 They have one purpose and will give their power and authority to the beast. 14 They will wage war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will triumph over them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings—and with him will be his called, chosen and faithful followers.”
15 Then the angel said to me, “The waters you saw, where the prostitute sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations and languages. 16 The beast and the ten horns you saw will hate the prostitute. They will bring her to ruin and leave her naked; they will eat her flesh and burn her with fire. 17 For God has put it into their hearts to accomplish his purpose by agreeing to hand over to the beast their royal authority, until God’s words are fulfilled. 18 The woman you saw is the great city that rules over the kings of the earth.”
The word Ashtanga is comprised of two Sanskrit words, “Ashta” and “Anga.” “Ashta” refers to the number eight, while “Anga” means limb or body part. Therefore, Ashtanga is the union of the eight limbs of yoga, into one complete, holistic system.
Yama (moral codes),
Ahimsa: Non-violence, or avoiding thoughts or actions that might harm others, including nature. To practice ahimsa, try a loving-kindness meditation and send kindness to loved ones, yourself, and your community. In your yoga practice, treat your body with kindness by observing your physical limits and resting when needed.
Asteya: Non-stealing. Modern interpretations of this yama also include non-appropriation and giving. Asteya goes beyond not stealing material possessions—it is also about not stealing from the environment and yourself. Practice asteya by being mindful of your consumption of natural resources, and avoid unauthorized appropriation of ideas and cultures.
Satya: Truthfulness in words, thoughts, and actions. The Sanskrit word sat means “that which is.” Practice satya by observing reality without judgment. In your yoga practice, be honest with yourself by observing your body and honoring your limits.
Aparigraha: Non-possessiveness of material goods and people. Practice aparigraha by letting go of expectations and attachments. Drop your expectations of what an asana (pose) is supposed to look like to experience the pose more fully.
Brahmacharya: Celibacy (also interpreted as fidelity), conservation of energy, or moderation. You can incorporate brahmacharya into your life by resting when you need to. Find ways to relax and recharge so that you have the energy to do things that are really important to you. Child’s pose is a great way to feel grounded and supported in rest.
Niyama (self-discipline),
1. Saucha (cleanliness)
Saucha can be translated as ‘cleanliness’, but it doesn’t just mean physical cleanliness. For example, cultivating Saucha gives us the ability to recognise the habits we have picked up in our life that no longer serve us. If we take our ‘bad’ habits on to the mat with us, then our practice becomes a lot harder, we have to sift through the ‘impurities’ or negativity we’ve picked up before reaping the benefits of yoga.
2. Santosha (contentment)
Santosha often translates as ‘contentment’, and is often easier said than done! A very common Vritti (fluctuation of the mind) that we all experience is “I’ll be happy when/if….” We can ease this Vritti by cultivating Santosha. Santosha encourages us to accept and appreciate what we have and what we are, right now. And from there we can move forward in our life and practise with more ease and… contentment!
3. Tapas (discipline)
Tapas can be translated into ‘discipline’ or ‘burning enthusiasm’. This Niyama helps us cultivate a sense of self discipline, passion and courage. Tapas has many meanings and how it’s expressed in you can be different to someone else’s experience. But essentially it is our inner wisdom that we sometimes ignore and it’s the fiery passion that feeds our sense of purpose!
4. Svadhyaya (self study)
Svadhyaya literally means ‘one’s own reading’ or ‘self study’. Like Patanjali says “Study thyself, discover the divine”. Practicing self reflection, observation and study of the self makes us more aware of the things we do that harm us, plus the things that serve us, bringing us in closer contact with our true self. Svadhyaya also encourages us to further educate ourselves in whatever inspires and fascinates us, deepening our own knowlege.
5. Isvara Pranidhana (surrendering to a higher power)
Isvara Pranidhana is often translated as ‘surrendering to God’. It may easier to interpret this as ‘surrendering to a higher power’ or simply letting go of our expectations. Do our best, be authentic and life live fully, but let go of the story and of our expectations. Cultivating Isvara Pranidhana in our life will ease the Vrittis that cause worry and stressful thoughts and offers us a chance to feel empowered in daily life.
Asana (posture),
1. Tadasana:
Tadasana is one of the most basic yoga poses. It is relatively simple and helps you find a good spot to start from. Yoga is deeply entangled with nature and so every asana has a deep-rooted connection with nature. Tada means mountain and this asana teaches you to stand like a mountain, with the same majesty and poise. To do this asana, you need to stand straight up, feet next to each other. Leave a small gap between the heels. Your hands should be kept straight, next to your waist. Then slowly lift your toes up and stretch your ankle too. Balance your body in the posture. Slowly breathe in while pulling in your torso. As you breathe out, take your shoulder blades away from the neck. You need to stand absolutely upright and your shoulders and your ankles should be in a straight line. Then gently raise your hands above your head and stretch them simultaneously.
2. Vrikshasana:
This is another good starting point for beginners. Vriksha means tree and this pose makes you stand like a tree and imparts a sense of grounding. This is an excellent pose to build up balance and strengthen the muscles in your body. Try this asana if you have a sore back or achy legs. To do this, stand in an upright position. Then gradually lift your left leg and place the left foot on your right thigh. Keep your right leg firmly on the ground and maintain your balance. Slowly inhale and lift your arms above your head and touch your palms together. This will stretch the muscles in your body, help you balance and leave you with a very fit feeling immediately after you complete the asana.
3. Utkatasana:
If you are looking towards yoga for a healthy life, you need to do the correct asanas. For a beginner, the Utkatasana is a very good option. Also known as the chair pose, the Utkatasana is known to increase your willpower and strengthen muscles. It is particularly helpful for the muscles of your hands and legs. For this, you have to stand straight and stretch your arms out, without bending the elbows. Then gradually bend your knees and thrust your waist down, imitating a posture to sit on a chair. Do it very slowly, while you inhale. Your hands should slowly become parallel to the floor and your back should be in a complete upright position. At all times during the asana, the knees should stay behind the toes.
4. Bhujangasana:
Also refered to as the Cobra Pose, Bhujangasana is a very effective yoga pose. Traditionally, Bhujangasana was practiced to destroy diseases. The yogis believed the asana increased body heat and eliminated disease-causing organisms from the core. This is therefore one of the asanas that offer the highest health benefits of yoga. To do the Bhujangasana, you have to lie on the floor, on your tummy. With pressure on your hands, lift your torso and push your head back. Pull the shoulders away from the ears. Do this while you breathe in. Then, exhale as you gently come back to the ground and lie flat on your stomach.
5. Sukhasna:
Last but not the least, we have the Sukhasna. This is a relaxing pose and ideal for meditation. Since yoga greatly focuses on healing the mind and reducing anxiety, Sukhasna is an important pose that everyone must practice. To do this, you need to sit on the floor and cross your legs. Sit in an upright position and keep your backbone straight. Place your hands on your knees and breathe calmly. This will heal your mind and improve the circulation in your body too.
Pranayama (breath control),
The 8 Types Of Pranayama Breathing
1. Dirga Pranayama 'Three Part Breath'
2. Nadi Sodhana 'Alternate Nostril Breathing'
3. Shitali Pranayama 'Cooling Breath'
4. Ujjayi Pranayama 'Ocean Breath'
5. Bhramari Pranayama 'Humming Bee Breath'
6. Bhastrika Pranayama 'Bellows Breath'
7. Viloma Pranayama 'Against The Wave'
8. Kapalabhati Pranayama 'Skull Shining Breath' & 'Breath Of Fire'
Pratyahara (sense withdrawal),
Indriya pratyahara: To create the best environment for relaxation of the mind, indriya pratyahara focuses on withdrawal from the external stimuli you experience via the five senses: hearing, taste, smell, sense, sight, and touch. To withdraw from the senses, concentrate on your natural breathing pattern or turn your attention to a chakra.
Prana pratyahara: When practicing pratyahara, it’s essential to control your prana—which is the universal energy flowing throughout the body—so that you can avoid focusing too much of that energy on your senses.
Karma pratyahara: This is the control of action. Karma pratyahara is about surrendering all actions or thoughts of personal reward in favor of acting in service to humanity or the divine. You can practice this through karma yoga, which teaches that desire is limitless and happiness is attainable when it is not attached to the results of your actions.
Mano pratyahara: This final type of pratyahara is withdrawal of the mind. When you practice mano pratyahara, you not only withdraw from external stimuli, but you actively control your reaction to it and redirect your attention inwards.
Dharana (concentration),
Learn pratyahara. Pratyahara, the fifth limb of yoga, provides the necessary skills to tune out external stimulation, and it sets you up for success to practice dharana.
Find a comfortable seated position. Sitting in a relaxing position allows you to be still and focus. Tension in your leg muscles may pull your attention away from the practice.
Choose an object to focus on. You can close your eyes and choose an internal object, such as your breath, a body part, a chakra, or a mantra. Alternatively, keep your eyes open and focus on a physical object, like a candle flame or a statue of a deity.
Build toward total concentration. Beginners may find it easier to start with a wide range of focus around a chosen object. Throughout your session, gradually narrow your range until you're laser-focused. If you choose to concentrate on a mantra, silently repeat it in your mind as you sit. Remember that your mantra doesn't have to be the traditional "om" sound—it can be any word or phrase that's easy to repeat and will help you concentrate.
Practice. Regular practice of dharana is essential if you intend to work your way through all eight limbs of yoga. Yoga practitioners often simultaneously execute the sixth, seventh, and eighth limbs—dharana, dhyana, and samadhi—together in a practice called sanyam or samyama.
Dhyana (meditation),
Begin your meditation practice with dharana. There are three elements of awareness that you may experience during dharana meditation: your origin of consciousness, your thoughts and feelings, and your meditating object—such as a mantra, the breath, or an external object, like a candle.
Eliminate your thoughts and feelings. As you ease into dhyana, gently set aside thoughts and feelings to better concentrate on the meditation. Without thoughts and feelings, you will be focused on your consciousness and your meditating object.
Add a mudra. Practicing meditation with a mudra or hand pose can help to focus your attention. With palms facing up, place your right hand over your left hand in your lap. Bring your thumbs together to form a triangle representing the three jewels of Buddhism, also known as the Triratna: Buddha, sangha (community), and dharma (divine law).
Practice. It takes time to learn how to silence your thoughts and feelings. In the beginning, you may only experience dhyana for a few uninterrupted moments, but with practice, you can prolong this time period. Spend more time practicing dharana to best prepare for dhyana.
and Samadhi (oneness with the self).
Samadhi brings you freedom from the cycle of karma, which is a result of never-ending desires (vasanas) and memories (sanskaras). What this means is that you will still have desires, such as hugging your children or eating food, but you won’t be a prisoner of the melodramatic cycle that karma brings. As the ego is continually concerned with what’s “me” and “mine,” your higher self knows that there is never a lack of anything because there is no separateness. Therefore, all fear subsides and what is left is pure love.
Ashtanga is a very dynamic and athletic form of hatha yoga, made up of six series or levels, with a fixed order of postures. It is rooted in vinyasa, the flowing movements between postures, with a focus on energy and breath.
Ashtanga practice
5 repetitions of Sun Salutation A
5 repetitions of Sun Salutation B
Set of standing poses, in 5 repetitions, choose 4 from below:
Set of seated poses in 5 repetitions, choose 4 from below:
Easy Pose - Sukhasana Thunderbolt Pose - Vajrasana Staff Pose - Dandasana Seated Forward Bend - Paschimottanasana Seated Wide Legged Straddle - Upavistha Konasana Cobbler's Pose - Baddha Konasana Half Lord of the Fishes Pose - Ardha Matsyendrasana Cow Face Pose - Gomukhasana Half Lotus Pose - Ardha Padmasana Hero Pose - Virasana Boat Pose - Navasana | Head-to-Knee Pose - Janu Sirsasana Revolved Head to Knee Pose - Parivrtta Janu Sirsasana Pigeon Pose (Prep) - Eka Pada Rajakapotasana Knee to Ankle - Agnistambhasana Heron Pose - Krounchasana Marichi's Pose - Marichyasana I Lotus Pose - Padmasana Compass Pose - Parivrtta Surya Yantrasana Monkey Pose - Hanumanasana |
After you have mastered these three pose sequences, your instructor will guide you through the advanced series, Advanced A
and Advanced B
Advanced C and D.
There are several key principles that underlie the practice of Ashtanga. This multiple-pronged approach promotes physical health and mental wellbeing. These five principles are necessary for a successful ashtanga practice.
Ujjayi pranayama: This specific breathing technique is used throughout the practice. The victorious breath is a slow audible breathing technique used to warm, energize and increase focus and concentration. Additional pranayama techniques are only taught to advanced students.
Drishti: A specific drishti, or focal point, is used in each asana. This helps create a more focused and meditative practice.
Vinyasa: The core of the practice is synchronizing the breath to the sequence of postures and transitions in the series.
Bandha: The engagement of the bandhas, or body locks, is encouraged throughout the class to seal in the prana energy and create core stability.
Daily practice: A six-days-per-week routine is encouraged, with Saturday as the rest day. “Moon days,” the days on the full and new moon are also rest days, and women often refrain from practicing during menstruation.
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