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Karma Yoga Can Transform Us In Unexpected Ways

by Maria Kuzmiak 1 Comment
karma yoga

In the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna teaches Arjuna yoga. If you’re not familiar with the epic tale, check it out. One of the great things about Krishna’s yoga lessons is there’s a practice for everyone. Better yet, there are four—jnana yoga, bhakti yoga, karma yoga, and raja yoga. We may gravitate toward one, but they’re all … [Read more…]

Posted in: Mind, Body, Spirit, Yoga and Buddhism, Yoga Circles, Yoga Practice and Philosophy Tagged: karma yoga, yoga transformation

Self in Spirituality: What Is The Truth About Who We Are?

by Maria Kuzmiak 4 Comments
self in spirituality

I’ve always been curious about different spiritual points of view. Even though there are many, they seek similar things, like liberation from suffering, salvation or enlightenment, and choosing the right path through life. The self in spirituality — that is, the nature, importance and reality of the individual self— is one topic almost every spiritual … [Read more…]

Posted in: Mind, Body, Spirit, Yoga and Buddhism, Yoga and Western Religion, Yoga Circles Tagged: higher self, self

Attachment And Aversion: The Secret to Loosening Suffering’s Grip

by Maria Kuzmiak 2 Comments
attachment and aversion

As a younger yogi, I craved enlightenment (yes, I see the silliness in that). Like many people, I was drawn to yoga because I was suffering. When I first learned about attachment and aversion in yogic philosophy, I thought, great. If I want to be happy, I just have to stop liking and disliking things. … [Read more…]

Posted in: Mind, Body, Spirit, Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, Yoga Circles, Yoga Practice and Philosophy Tagged: attachment and aversion, peace

Search and You Will Find, But You’ll Need to Use More Than Your Mind

by Maria Kuzmiak 3 Comments
search and you will find

A few weeks ago, I enrolled in wisdom school. Among the texts we’re exploring are the 114 verses — called logions — of the Gospel of Thomas. Each logion is a saying or quote attributed to Jesus. And in one session, we based a discussion of the saying “Search and you will find” on the … [Read more…]

Posted in: Yoga Circles Tagged: search and you will find, wisdom

Egoism and Yoga: Do We Really Need to Eliminate The Self?

by Maria Kuzmiak Leave a Comment
egoism

You don’t have to be a yogi to understand the trouble egoism can cause. Ego, the individual self, tends to seek attention and see itself as separate from others. In a recent post, I described the ways ignorance shows up and creates obstacles to enlightenment. One of these ways—perhaps the most significant—is misunderstanding who we … [Read more…]

Posted in: Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, Yoga Circles Tagged: egoism, true self

Yogic Wisdom Uncovers Four Ways We Are Veiled By Ignorance

by Maria Kuzmiak 2 Comments
yogic wisdom can help us pull back the veil of ignorance

It makes sense that ignorance is an obstacle to enlightenment. But how do we know what we don’t know? In sutra 2.5, Patanjali sheds light on this issue. Specifically, the sutra describes four obstacles to enlightenment. Once we understand how we are ignorant, we can use yogic wisdom to pull back the veil of darkness. … [Read more…]

Posted in: Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, Yoga Circles Tagged: yoga sutras, yogic wisdom

Our True Nature is Peace: How to Remove The Five Afflictions

by Maria Kuzmiak Leave a Comment
our true nature

I remember my first yoga experience, a beginners hatha yoga class in my hometown. In every class, the teacher would remind us, “Our true nature is peace.” I felt it every time, for a while at least. After class, I’d feel like I’d come home to the peace that had eluded me. Then I’d return … [Read more…]

Posted in: Mind, Body, Spirit, Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, Yoga Circles, Yoga Practice and Philosophy Tagged: our true nature, peace, yoga sutras

Niyama Practice: Firing Up Our Desire to Know Who We Are As One

by Maria Kuzmiak 2 Comments

In chapter 2 of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, we learn about practicing yoga. More specifically, how to practice. The first sutra in this section introduces three important disciplines that can help us deepen our yoga practice. The disciplines are three of the five niyamas. Sutra 2.1 says: Austerity, the study of sacred texts, and the dedication … [Read more…]

Posted in: Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, Yoga Circles Tagged: higher power, niyamas, practice of yoga, svadhyaya, tapas

What is Samadhi? Exploring Classical Yoga’s Ultimate Goal

by Maria Kuzmiak Leave a Comment
what is samadhi

Near the end of the first chapter of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras describes the goal of yoga—samadhi. So, what is samadhi? You may have heard it defined in a few ways. Samadhi is a state of oneness with all that is. It is union with the divine, connection with source, a dissolution of the ego. Each … [Read more…]

Posted in: Yoga Circles Tagged: samadhi, union

How The Mind Creates Distraction and The Simple Way Yoga Gets Us Back

by Maria Kuzmiak Leave a Comment

After describing the roadblocks to enlightenment in the Yoga Sutras, Patanjali invites us to consider their presence in our lives. He invites us to explore how the mind creates distraction. A few symptoms, we’re told, will let us know when it’s happening How The Mind Creates Distraction When we’re distracted, Patanjali says, our bodies let … [Read more…]

Posted in: Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, Yoga Circles Tagged: mental distraction
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Recent Posts

  • Karma Yoga Can Transform Us In Unexpected Ways
  • Self in Spirituality: What Is The Truth About Who We Are?
  • Attachment And Aversion: The Secret to Loosening Suffering’s Grip
  • Search and You Will Find, But You’ll Need to Use More Than Your Mind
  • Egoism and Yoga: Do We Really Need to Eliminate The Self?

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