Vigorous asana practice invigorate. Deep breathing during, and pranayama after, more than doubles the vitality. The resulting Prana flow to the body-brain intelligence is remarkable. Stillness and inner power is then placed at the center of whatever follows… meditation, or doing things that require doing. #asana #beachyogi #capetown #muizenberg #pranaflow

A post shared by Johann Kotze Music & Yoga (@johannkotzemusicandyoga) on Nov 29, 2017 at 10:45pm PST

P.s. The last note in my text very much refers to the choice of how to apply the energy generated by physical yoga practice, to be mindful to save some of this vitality for self-enquiry. After all a main purpose of “doing yoga” is to generate dynamic energy to undo all the doing that keeps one trapped in spinning wheel mode!

Yours in yoga,
and music
Johann
30 November 2017

ॐ

In our world there is a place for commerce, entertainment, work, leisure, religion ad sport. For those aspects of life to express in harmony, there also has to be a place for conscious contemplation, in body and mind.

Meditation is a phsycial, mental and spiritual practice.

The whole practice takes place in the body; a precise, active act of consciousness.  Through related yoga philosophy and techniques the body mind is purified of limiting thoughts and emotions. Non-duality Vedic teachings let’s us be mindful of the polarisation of have and not have, often expressed as fear and greed, which is a root cause of all suffering. Releasing life trauma and its related body stress impressions let’s us breathe in and out as we should, let’s us take making a living less serious, allowing us to take life itself more seriously, in grace and gratitude.

Yoga and meditation is an acquired condition, as the unconscious ordinary world tends to disconnect from holistic well-being. In a state of yoga we unlearn isolation and desperation, and learn how to open our hearts and minds to the world around us. It shows us devotion to life itself leads to the only place where true peace can be found: within. In surrender to All That Is. Then our inner being merges, more easily, with whatever comes our way.

Do it: learn, practice, discover

We begin to create the place for yoga and meditation in our lives when we begin to do the practice. We can learn how to from a book, a teacher in a class, online or real, join a meditation group, but is an acquired skill. It is so worthwhile a skill, because it is at once fun and meaningful, as it brings the pleasure of life to life.

Many blessings,
Johann, Cape Town
10 May 2017

Ps: The moon is a cool reflection of the warm sun. Balance of air and fire elements helps us live life affirming, balanced lives on Earth, under the heavenly skies. Meditation shows us how to be fluid and present and to surrender to and live in harmony with the forces of local nature and the greater cosmos. In yoga we don’t pray to the sun or moon, we acknowledge the Divine Presence in our own devotional presence in nature. (About Beach Yoga Meditation, as in the photographs).