{"id":2987,"date":"2022-08-10T08:48:04","date_gmt":"2022-08-10T15:48:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/yasodharayoga.org\/spokane\/?p=2987"},"modified":"2022-08-10T10:25:53","modified_gmt":"2022-08-10T17:25:53","slug":"connecting-within","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/yasodharayoga.org\/spokane\/connecting-within\/","title":{"rendered":"Connecting Within"},"content":{"rendered":"

I recently listened to part of the Ted Talk hour on NPR. It was about mental health during the pandemic. It all boiled down to the need for connections and how essential that is. We are fortunate to have various technological tools \u2013 FaceTime, Skype, WhatsApp, Zoom \u2013 to connect with our family, friends and coworkers during this time of pandemic isolation.<\/p>\n

Based on my own experience of feeling very remote and isolated in the past, I have found that connecting with other people is essential. Yet I have also discovered there is another connection that is even more essential \u2013 the connection with my inner Self. That connection doesn\u2019t need these outer technology tools.<\/p>\n

The yogic tools or practices \u2013 such as\u00a0 chanting mantra<\/a>, the\u00a0 Divine Light Invocation<\/a>, reflection \u2013 help me sustain this most important connection. Using these tools with willingness, discipline and devotion, I can see beyond my little self and know that I am connected to something much bigger, to a Consciousness that can sustain me \u2013 even in a time when it is challenging to make connections with other people.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are looking for the practices to make changes and take action. We are looking for how the mind works, how the heart opens. It always has to come back to the connection within so that we can see the reflection without\u201d.<\/em>
\n~ Swami Radhananda,\u00a0Living the Practice<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\n
Go for a symbolic walk in your neighborhood \u2013 Note the various trees connected to each other. Lawns connected. Streets connecting becoming a neighborhood, becoming a city, a state, a country, the world, the cosmos. People on bicycles, in cars, walking, running all a part of the whole. Reflect on how you are a part of all of this.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
<\/p>\n
\n
Go into the triangle pose \u2013 Note how the various parts of your body are connected \u2013 internal organs as well as limbs, torso and head. My brain telling my body what to do; all systems connected \u2013 skeleton, neural, muscles, etc.
\nWhat do the three points of your body in the pose represent to you?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\u201cTrikonasana, the asana where triangles are formed with your own human body, is an excellent pose for discovering more about relationship and interconnection. A triangle, a simple geometrical form, is also a powerful symbol\u201d.<\/em>
\n~ Swami Sivananda Radha,\u00a0Yoga: A Path to Awareness<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n
Look at a series of your dreams. Review your connection to the various people in them.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\u201cThen you can see the tremendous interconnection among all beings and understand that you are not really an isolated island\u201d.<\/em>
\n~ Swami Sivananda Radha,\u00a0Realities of the Dreaming Mind<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
By\u00a0Lakshmi Originally published September 25, 2020 I recently listened to part of the Ted Talk hour on NPR. It was about mental health during the pandemic. It all boiled down to the need for connections and how essential that … Continued<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2987","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/yasodharayoga.org\/spokane\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2987","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/yasodharayoga.org\/spokane\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/yasodharayoga.org\/spokane\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/yasodharayoga.org\/spokane\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/yasodharayoga.org\/spokane\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2987"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/yasodharayoga.org\/spokane\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2987\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2988,"href":"https:\/\/yasodharayoga.org\/spokane\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2987\/revisions\/2988"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/yasodharayoga.org\/spokane\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2987"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/yasodharayoga.org\/spokane\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2987"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/yasodharayoga.org\/spokane\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2987"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}