I have had a chance to visit Lama Ole Nydahl lecture yesterday. Lama came to our city with the topic “Meditation in Buddhism”. I don’t have enough words to express light, happiness and aspiration of hundreds of people who came. I bought several books and carried them home as the most precious treasure I could buy.

Lama Ole is unbelievably open, real, compassionate and loving.

If you don’t know who Lama Ole Nydahl is, here’s a small introduction: he and his wife, Hannah Nydahl became the first Western devotees of 16th Karmapa, a leader of Karma Kagyu linage of Tibetan Buddhism. They have studied meditation and other Buddhist practices for several years under Karmapa’s personal guidance. After serious experience and transmissions, they got Karmapa’s blessing for teaching Buddhism in Western countries. Since then, Lama Ole travels around the world establishing new centers and spreading true values among people who is ready to accept them. There are over 450 centers established by Lama Ole and Hannah all over the world where any human being can find peace, meditate and fill life with meaning.

I had a feeling yesterday that I have found a close friend. We’ve talked about Buddhism essentials – morality, meditation and wisdom. We have discovered obstacles on the way to being happy and complete foolishness of these negative thoughts. Lama Ole gave us a possibility to accept refuge and get a blessing of Karma Kagyu linage. We have meditated together and got explanations of Medicine Buddha healing meditation. We have chanted few mantras during meditation, and the voice of several hundreds of people entered my heart and vibrated there long after the lecture was over.

Me and my significant one started doing Ngondro (preliminary practices in Vajrayana Buddhism) 2 weeks ago after getting a lung (oral practice transmission) from Lama Sonam Dorje, who is known to be the first Russian practitioner getting Lama status. We are so novice that I’m scared to write anything about Buddhism ☺ But I believe many novices are around and sharing experience is very important as we don’t live in Tibet/Nepal/India and our motivation should be supported every day and every minute.

I will write more on Lama Ole’s lecture later when I get home to see transcripts. I suddenly noticed how deeply Buddhism settled in my heart during last several months.

May all be happy, may all be free..

More to read:

Lama Ole Nydahl 2008 travel plan - check if you can meet Lama soon : )

Diamond Way Buddhism - informational site with teachings, press-releases, news and other useful things

More about Lama Ole Nydahl and Hannah Nydahl

I’m almost finished with my master’s paper and really happy to get back to posting, reading and practicing. Each tough time when we’re too busy, too troubled or too overwhelmed with emotions we get a true challenge and best conditions for inner practice.

In the book I’m reading now, “A Path with Heart”, Jack Kornfield tells about a prayer for difficulties:

May I be granted proper obstacles and sufferings on this path so that my heart could really awaken, so that my liberation and overall compassion practice could really happen.

In Buddhism troubles are considered valuable as they give unique possibility to go deeper into one’s feelings, see the origin of suffering, gain wisdom and understand suffering others feel.

Instead of treating every problem as a punishment, or meeting it with aggression, depression and complaint, - one could overstep own limitations and treat it as a challenge. Here are few advices we could all use when we meet some obstacles to overcome them and be free in every moment of life.

Read the rest of this entry »

My morning started with Google Reader (sometimes I don’t have enough time to go through interesting posts, “star” them and leave for tomorrow) and found an interesting post by InsideOwl about people dedicated to Ashtanga Yoga.

Let’s see in Wikipedia what Ashtanga Yoga actually is (so everyone understands it in the same way).

Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga in its current form was developed Mysore, India by Sri K. Pattabhi Jois by way of his teacher, Krishnamacharya. Ashtanga Vinyasa follows 8 limbs outlined by Patanjali. This style of yoga bases on Vinyasa, - dynamic chain that connects separate classic postures. Much attention is paid to breath as a force keeping your senses “inside”. The breath is linked to the movements in Vinyasas and makes the practice self-contained. Vinyasas are same important as postures, and your attention and awareness starts with your first posture and continues every moment next to it.

To my vision and experience, Ashtanga Vinyasa is one of most powerful spiritual practices people can follow today. It really makes your awareness stronger, bringing clarity and light.

InsideOwl says:

I do not know which way the causal arrow runs:

(1) ashtanga strips down the dissimulative parts of you and reveals your more inveterate quirks or

(2) ashtanga attracts intense people with uncompromising ways-of-being.

I have seen people come to Ashtanga classes, and I have seen people go. Many get washed away by a need to turn off your egocentric mind, to open yourself to deepest aspect of physical and mental practice (otherwise, you may harm your body). Physical hardness is the first factor most people cannot overcome although this judgment about hardness comes from mind, - everyone can do own rhyme, own level and own dynamics.

With practice, class by class, if you are attentive you start understanding that transformation Ashtanga brings to mind and body is very deep. There’s no need to disperse your attention to new postures when you have learned the sequence. All your senses are inside, mind is off and inner fire keeps coming from somewhere generating force you can hardly experience with calm scratching alone. Repeating Vinyasas can bring you to the new level of “being inside”, “being here and how” and experiencing inner silence.

And I think person needs to have descent level of self-discipline and a strong wish to bring transformation to start Ashtanga Vinyasa, otherwise one would chose simpler and calmer style of practice.

Anyone practicing Ashtanga with same thoughts?

Technorati Profile

Picture by twenty_questions in Flickr

I got several feedbacks from the community on personal importance of healthy eating. We discussed Overeating as one of obstacles on the way to Yoga and Health. “We are what we eat” and we realize this truth very soon if start following basic rules. I will split 12 basic rules of healthy nutrition to several posts and I hope to cover each fully, bring you essential value of each.

As a result of a habit, advertising, stress and rush in our lives, current society has altered those eating concepts our forefathers followed. In order to revive our natural feeling of food that is required by our body, we can use several simple rules. Following these rules will save and strengthen your health. I have accumulated these advises from several Yoga teachers and use them in my everyday life for more then a year, advising them to students and friends. You will notice first results in a week if your nutrition is not very healthy and in a month if it is more or less healthy (this estimation is very rough, as it generally depends on your sensitivity).

I’m not giving “how to lose weight diet”, but instead I’m talking about healthy nutrition Yoga may advise.

Read the rest of this entry »

I don’t usually participate in questionnaires or meme, but it may be one of good opportunities to let you know a little bit more about myself : )

This meme was offered by YogaMum for everyone who has drank green tea this morning (my morning usually starts with a cup of green tea and a spoon of honey)…

Read the rest of this entry »