Let us begin intending (sankalpa) to celebrate life, wage peace and harmonize responsibilities of Classic-practice (Ashtanga), values of Sentient-plexi (chakras) and principles of a Bio-enviro-psychi-socio-philisophical (panache-maya-kosha) model of care! Integral responsibilities include civil (yama), polite (niyama), posture (asana), breath (pranayama), holding-tension (Pratyahara), attention (dharana), meditation (dhyana) and living-meditation (samadhi). Indispensable values are 1.) Earth/coccygeal plexus (muladhara) 2.) water/sacral plexus (swadishtahana) 3.) fire/solar plexus (manipura) 4.) air/cardiac-pulmonary plexus (anahatha) 5.) sound/brachial-pharyngeal plexus (visshuddha) 6.) light/cavernous-cerebral plexus (Jana) 7.) ether/coronal plexus (sahasrara) - into the recycle system - 8.) space/above 9.) metal/beyond 10.) electrical/connection 11.) gas/around & 12.) wooded/grounds. Inspiring principles include longevity, vitality, mentality, intellectuality & spirituality. The pleasure (sukha) of harmonizing holistic health is an intensive self-care known as Lifestyle Medicine!
The responsibilities of ashtanga consider the yamas, civil societal norms or social-restraints, one of those being Brahmacharya important to Lifestyle Medicine/Management. The specific responsibility of brahmacharya can be translated as, 'without touching' or more broadly as, 'resisting', other translations include without controlling, without addiction and celibacy, possibly accounting for the prevention of nymphomania and rape. The book, The Language of Yoga, translates brahmacharya as, "appropriate use of one's vital energy". Remembering civil codes of honor (yamas) like brahmacharya may be helpful to resisting for nothing less than safe, consentual, compassionate care!
Lifestyle medicine inclusive of brahmacharya can improve the safety of populations helpfully reducing incidents of disease. Social Distancing (brahmacharya) and coverings are protective norms in some cultures which Eastern religious (Islamic) women, during outings, utilize. Yoga Sessions helpful to acquiring a lifestyle of playful equanimity throughout the day can progress interests periodizing teachable moments when loving to learn yamas, like brahmacharya, can readily occur keeping students attentive (Dharana). Brahmacharya is a helpful teaching tool during Classic Physical (Hatha), Knowledgable (Jnana), Cultivated (Raja), Causative (Karma) and Reverent (Bhakti) Practices in learning to work/live (Samadhi) for world-peace (shanti)!
Brahmacharya a loyal lifestyle including a habit of self-care reduces symptoms of disease (dukha) increasing outcomes of ease (sukha) when pleasurable trustworthy (satya) feelings can accumulate. Research compiled by Dean Ornish's Lifestyle Medicine indicates 1.) marriage without a person's marital partner being their confidant is more successful for longevity then 2.) no marriage and no confidant while 3.) a loving monogamous relationship ultimately bound by marital confidence indicates the highest rates of longevity. Possibly a form of brahmacharya, healthy lifestyle choices and practices are encouraged such as safely holding your orgasmic plasma or that of your marital partner during coitus. Whereas marriage is normally a good sign of a loving relationship for feeling safe together, appreciating a no more than once daily practice, where-in Berkeley Health reported from WebMD stating, the happiest people are having sex once every two weeks!
Sentience paired with sapience (ojas~bindu) holding ovum/semen at the pelvic floor/perineum (mullah bandha) during orgasm without expelling or exchanging during intercourse requires a cohesive biological systematic "autonomic" functioning for longevity a biologically proficient physical body sustained by whole plant foods optimized by postures (asana). Correlating Brahmacharya with the anahatha chakra value four within the pancha-maya-kosha principles can improve civilized capillary exchange for energy (prana) begetting energy metabolizing nutrients as climaxing/exercising opens sensorineural pathways and a vie-a-vie integration for vitality (prana-maya-kosha) in an environment of subtle emotional energy sustained by air optimized by breaths enhancing power holistically. Mentality (mana-maya-kosha) sustained by thoughts (chitta) which are optimized by holding-tension (Pratyahara) cessating (unwanted) thoughts (chitta vritti nirodaha) whereby peace of mind often includes Yamas such as brahmacharya enhancing a psychologically wealthy mature mind protecting (Kosha) intellectuality (vijnana-maya-kosha). Therefore, keeping in mind brahmacharya while loving, correlating to the fourth value, is "the wealth to love and be loved, a maturity without taking anything personally and without taking anything for granted, a mindful equanimity" protects (Kosha) intellectuality, "the wisdom of freedom, the intelligence of responsible ways and the intuition of understanding" a social science sustained by hypothesis/theories optimized by attention (Dharana) to research/meta-analysis
Brahamacharya may be a warning, hopeful sign, healthy habit, moderate key and or other inclination. Yet, for spirituality sustained by prayer, talking to the universe and everything, correlating the fourth value japa known at Yoga Training (Touch) as, "an attitude of gratitude and generosity, graciously thankful to lead and follow the heart while soul searching for True-self arising (brahmin, atman, parusha)" is loving. Optimized by meditation (dhyana), listening to the universe and everything, brahmacharya as well as other classic practice responsibilities can enhance a philosophically and or theologically happy blissful spirit. Affirming the fourth chakra value within pancha-maya-kosha the modern mantra summary is, "Air Alive Live Love Survive Thrive"!
Imagine, if you will, branches on a proverbial Tree of Life and a Hindi Icon with multiple arms and legs having Classic Eight-Limbs (Ashtanga) symbolic of a yoga therapist's responsibilities allowing therapists to provide sharing blooms and gestures (mudras) of knowledge pertaining to best practices¹. One limb accommodates civility, ethics and restraints (yamas) likened to living with safe rules (vrata) that protect S/society and therefore S/self. Brahmacharya one branch/digit included on the yama limb can be known as, without being limited to, monogamy without promiscuity, civil union without addictions, loyalty without controlling that may be especially helpful when without a lifepartner for a lifestyle. Brahmacharya is literally translated as “walking in the light of God” as mentioned in The Yamas & Niyamas, Exploring Yoga’s Ethical Practice². In Tantric Practices when thinking about brahmacharya as a way to resist by appropriating the intellect (bindu) to perform (ojas) the gift of life³.
Research compiled by Dean Ornish's Lifestyle Medicine⁴ for when a person has experienced trauma found comparable longevity between marital partners and people who are one another’s confidants. Furthermore, longevity connected as a biological aspect to Bio-enviro-psycho-socio-philosophical (pancha-maya-kosha) principles decreases when a person is not married and is without a life partner - that is when having sex is as unsafe as living a life without intimacy. Practicing brahmacharya works for people who are not married and do not have a confidant in helping mitigate infection and morbidity rates by replacing intercourse with a chaste active lifestyle, not discluding an intimate no more than once daily routine for the Western Law of ‘what is in motion stays in motion’⁵ whereas energy begets energy. Engaging in sex is healthy to partners in marital bliss where as brahmacharya is effective for practitioners of self-care during abstention.
Albeit, tactile reassurance (touch) has its place while brahmacharya translated as 'without touching’, ‘hands to yourself’ and ‘safe space' is a respectful direction/redirection furthering civility. In the article, “14 Reasons You Should Have Sex Now”, as published on WebMD⁶ it states having sex one time per week lowers risk of illness, and sexual intercourse no more than once every two weeks improves happiness, while a sexual connection improves memory, but only for married people. Even the National Institute of Health (NIH), where research matters, carries the popular story, “Viagra (pharmaceutical that improves erectile function) associated with reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease”⁷. In the U.S. and around the world marriage is the gold standard, without infidelity (brahmacharya) being a safe lifestyle choice, normally a good sign of a healthy loving relationship and a way people feel safe together as coitus is a celebration of peace.
Brahmacharya is similar to without raping or pilaging the environment of natural resources when thinking (and symbolic) of the Sky [God, male, man, zest energy (ha)] and Earth [Goddess, female, woman, zen energy (ta)] as givers and sustainers of cosm. Nature teaches that when animals are safe they evenly space and spawn without bunches to graze and reproduce peacefully. Social distancing (brahmacharya) and mandates from the World Health Organization (WHO)⁸ likened to blooms and hand gestures (mudras) on symbolic limbs are wonderful best practices for civic responsibility during pandemics, like COVID-19. Holistic Health is informed by safe (vrata) practices inspired by civility (yama); noticing nature’s goodness can be a Living-meditation (Samadhi) wherein best practices, specifically inspired by brahmacharya, naturally occur.
Corresponding ashtanga responsibilities specific to the branch/digit of brahmacharya and generally to any ashtanga practice can improve awareness (samadhi). A Oneness may be more noticeable when chakra value correlations connect panchamayakosha principles to integrate, adjust and unify. The book The Language of Yoga by Niccoli Bachman lists the Ashtanga yamas, with five known examples, the fourth listed example known as brahmacharya is, “appropriate use of one’s vital energy”⁹; there is not necessarily an order to the Limbs (Ashtanga) or branches/digits as placement can occur in any order specific to a book, author and processes furthering Individual & Ultimate Truth (Vidya). Brahmacharya, as with all Ashtanga practices, is a responsibility known to correlate through Sentient-plexi (Chakra) values and connect Bio-enviro-psycho-socio-philosophical (Pancha-maya-kosha) principles.
Understanding through Chakra¹⁰/¹¹ values as well as adjusting/connecting to Pancha-maya-kosha¹² principles, Classic practice [Physical (Hatha), Mental (Jnana), Cultivation (Rajas), Causative (Karma) and Revered (Bhakti)] Ashtanga responsibilities like brahmacharya can branch or gesticulate enlightenment. A renowned psychologist/philosopher has said, “...resting in unity…can honor diversity”¹³ able to inform a multitude of best practices for honoring individual spirituality while respecting world religions revealing anandamayakosha, whereas a general ease (sukha) of responsibilities (ashtanga) cultivating (rajas) embodiment through values (chakras) and adjusting to principles (panchamayakosha) emanates, in the case of brahmacharya from an influential intermediary place, as an aura between macro and microcosms. Brahmacharya may be most relevantly correlated to the values from the bottom up, of the First Coccygeal-plexus (Muladhara chakra) the color red, Fourth Cardiopulmonary-plexus (Anahata-chakra) the color green and Seventh Coronal-plexus (Sahasrara-chakra) and the color white or clear. Brahmacharya can be understood as within an intermediary auric-field to panchamaykosha benefiting the soul source, force and essence sometimes known as veils or sheaths protecting inner bliss (anandamayakosha)¹⁴.
Brahmacharya, generally corresponds to Muladhara, the 1st chakra value correlating civil-societal-norms (yamas) and connected aurically. The Anahata 4th chakra value, specifically corresponding to brahmacharya when thought to be the 4th yama, generally adjusts from vitality for an environment of subtle emotional energy (prana-mayakosha). Sahasrara the 7th Chakra specifically correlates to the literal translation of brahmacharya adjusting deep within pancamayakosha, and outermost, to philosophical and or theological principles for protection from illusion (ananada-mayakosha) corresponding more generally to the Ashtanga limb of meditating (dhyana) upon a happy blissful spirit¹⁵. Keeping brahmacharya in mind during Modern Mantra¹⁶ dhyana through a summation to the values of 1.) Generous Genuine Gifted Gracious Grateful-groups 4.) Alive Breath (Pranayama) Live Love Survive-thrive and 7.) Recuperative Rejuvenative Restorative Tranquil Transcendent-transformation can enliven life (samadhi).
Observing the civility (yama) of brahmacharya within a polite (niyama) atmosphere unveiling anandamayakosha utilizing a string of affirmations (japa) can make an excellent meditation (dhyana). For example, without necessarily occurring in any particular order, align (asana), breathe (pranayama), withdraw-tension (pratyahara) and visualize (dharana). Imagine a beautiful red color at the first coccygeal plexus (muladhara chakra), utilizing a 1:4 ratio breath (pranayama) inhaling one second exhaling four seconds affirming (japa), “Have ahimsa, without harm, share the joy”. At the 4th cardiac-pulmonary plexus (anahata chakra) visualize the color green, inhale four counts exhale sixteen counts affirm, “Gracefully thankful for an attitude of gratitude and generosity while soul searching for True-Self-Arise (Brahmin, Atman, Parusha, Id)”. Finally utilizing a 7:28 breath count visualize clear/white at the 7th coronal plexus (sahasrara chakra) with the japa, “Dare to dream, peace is possible (shanti)”. Best practices bloom and hold forth from examples like brahmacharya realizing ways to celebrate peace for harmonizing responsibilities, values and principles whereas awareness (samadhi) keeps Azt(h)anga relevant and people/practitioners (w)holistically healthy!
Works Cited
Jaya Kumar, Swamee Sree. Classic Asthanga With Applied Yogic Sciences. Pranava Dhama Trust, Education, Research and Therapy Centre, Mysore India, 2009.
National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, www.nih.gov/
World Health Organization (Director-General 2017-present) Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus as seen on YouTube https://www.who.int. Yoga Training (Touch), ”Holistic Health: Energy System Correlations; Lifestyle, Metabolic Immune Function” by Kathryn A. Campbell C-IAYT, YA-CEP, ERYT500
Bachman, Nicolai. The Language of Yoga: Complete A-To-Y Guide to Āsana Names, Sanskrit Terms, & Chants. Sounds True, 2020.
Judith, Anodea, and Selene Vega. The Sevenfold Journey: Reclaiming Mind, Body & Spirit through the Chakras. Crossing Press, 1993.
Dale, Cyndi, and Richard Wehrman. The Subtle Body: an Encyclopedia of Your Energetic Anatomy. Sounds True, 2009.
Sat Bir Sing Khalsa, Lorenzo Cohen, Timothy McCall, Shirley Telles et al. The Principles and Practices of Yoga In Healthcare. Handsprings Publishing, Pencaitland, East Lothian, UK, 2016.
Ram Das, Harvard Psychologist. The Love Serve Remember Foundation Founder Philosopher. RamDas.org
Weisenberg, Marit. Yoga Mind Body. Kindersley, Dorling, London, UK, 1996.
Sri Swami Satchidananda. The Yoga Sutras of Pitanjali. Integral Yoga Publications, Satchidananda Ashram, Yogaville, Buckingham, Virginia 23921, 1978/2008, www.iyiva.org
Kathryn Campbell Global Yoga Therapy Conference. Virtual Silent Meditation, Modern Mantra. Internationally provided From United States, Hosted From Australia, 2021.
A celebration of peace harmonizes responsibilities, values and principles...
Five ways, without illusions, to be protected is the Bio-enviro-psycho-socio-philosophically adept model Yoga Therapists can provide. Most people have heard of body-mind, there is also body-mind-spirit and the complete model can be known as body-energy-mind-intellect & spirit. The body is physically-proficient, energy is subtly-emotional, mind is wealthy-mature, intellect is intuitively-wise and spirit is happily-blissful. Holistic health encompasses these values from longevity, vitality, mentality, intellectuality and spirituality.
Reminder to friends, family, patrons, practitioners and other interested/voting parties the Yoga Journal Yoga Warrior competition narrows from Top 15 to Top 10. Noticing I've been grouped 5th and 3rd I hope to keep gaining ground, without losing out. Please vote for me now (sat nam) by copy and pasting into the browser at the top of the page: iamyogawarrior.com/2022/kathryn-ann-campbell Next, choose the Free "Daily Vote" tab. You can also vote monetarily $1 = 1 vote. Thank you.Share on Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=iamyogawarrior.com/2022/kathryn-ann-campbell
A proverbial Tree of Life having Eight-Limbs (Astanga) is symbolic of (a yoga therapist's) responsibilities providing or sharing leaves of knowledge pertaining to best practices. In the West, Ashtanga Power Yoga is known to be founded by K. Pattabhi Jois (1915-2009). The term Ashtanga can be recently translated as Eight-practices of Awareness, Oneness, wholeness or Holistic Health arising from the dead language of Sanskrit (Latin of the East) possibly brought in part, to the West by Crusaders being cloistered and shared by intellectual-elites/priests for spiritual well-being. Ashtanga is helpful to all the Yoga Classics including and not limited to Physical (Hatha), Causation (Karma), Knowledgeable (Jnana), Cultivation (Raja) and Reverence (Bhakti) achieved via the general scope of practices including civil (yamas), polite (niyamas), posture (asana), breath (pranayama), holding-tension (pratyahara), attention (dharana), meditation (dhyana) and living-meditation (samadhi). The eight classic practices (ashtanga) branch from generalized to specialized niche or scope practices, whereas interpreting and providing self-care or individualized care symbolic of leaves and flowers, for being alive with the fruits of yoga (therapy) is supported, rooting from the ground-up via interconnected existence and vie-a-vie from the top-down; an evolving evolution/liberation!
Hatha is the most modern Classic Yoga, having emerged during medieval times^, encompassing other Western 'styles' of Yoga Physical Activity (PA). Karma can be understood with the example of, "I breathe therefore I live", Jnana is careful Self-realization, while Raja is promotion occurring when Good for the Self is helpful to many, and Bhakti is known to it's practitioners as Love. Classic Practice responsibilities are highly correlated, think 3D views, to Sentient Plexus (Chakra) Values and Bio-enviro-psychi-socio-philosophical (Pancha-maya-kosha) Principles. Hatha can be translated as pose (ha) counterpose (t(h)a) with postural (asana) movements as medicine!
Civility, ethics & restraints (yamas) include:
the number one Eastern premise known as the Golden Rule - without-harming (ahimsa)
without-deceit (satya), without-cheating (astaya)
without-controlling (brahmacharya)
without-possessiveness (aparigraha)
Polite, morals & austerities (niyamas) include:
clean & pure (saucha) for as my mother would say "cleanliness is next to Holiness (Wholeness)", in as much as a clean body and spaces are helpful to a pure spirit and clear mind
Content & patient (santosha) having learned that "Patience is a virtue"
being & changing (tapas)
self-study & studiousness (svadhyaya)
serene-determination & faith (ishvarapranidhana) solving and welcoming the mystery of life
Sustained by whole plant powered foods is asana translated as posture, poise & pose with Classic subtle alignments are the:
holds
insteps of feet (pada bandha) supporting legs and the body
upper back (rhomba bandha) supporting chest -a Yoga Training (Touch) original*
neck (jalandhara bandha) supporting the head
hands (hasta bandha) supporting objects, arms and the body
Sustained by Oxygentionis pranayama translated as energy & breath with Classic subtle breaths drawing out the exhalation for relaxation known as:
parasympathetic
apana for bodily process and digestion
viyana being ever present, especially of the reproductive organs
sanyana are core sustaining breaths occurring when other parts of the body receive less oxygenation in emergency situations
prana is energy in from the environment
yoga breaths are polite nose only breaths, without mouth breathing
udana is a mindful process breaths to the appendages; breath to the tips of toes, fingers and top of the head
Sustained by thoughts withdrawing & holding-tension from what is not of service for noticing peace of mind (pratyahara) serving maturity, remembrance and reflection; waiting for understanding by choosing, "yogas citta vrtti nirodhah" cessation of the mindstuff according to Patanjali, the yoga patron:
without dis-ease (dukha)
feeling no evil (naturally numb)
eating no evil (plant powered)
hearing no evil (ears covered)
speaking no evil (saying nothing)
thinking no evil (no nonsense)
seeing no evil (eyes closed)
Present, intuitive & attentive; attention (dharana) for modern Hatha Yoga enthusiasts whereas somatic intelligence can be explored visualizing**** sentient-plexi (chakras) or hubs integrating body systems (skeletal, muscular, endocrine, nervous, excretory/urinary, reproductive/sexual, lymph, digestive, vascular, pulmonary and integumentary) as a working whole.
ease (sukha)
feeling sentience
accepting sustenance (plants & water)
easy subtle listening
speaking kindly
thinking well
knowing towards understanding
Sustained by prayer the optimization of the classic practice of gratitude, pleasure & meditation (dhyana) affirms God/The Universe and Everything/A Higher-Power for realizing peace (shanti) without pain/stress/dis-ease (dukha) free/relaxed/ease (sukha) is possible whereas Hatha movements, postures (asana) and or practices are medicine.
intending (sankalpa)
civil (yama)
polite (niyama)
posture (asana)
breath (pranayama)
holding-tension (pratyahara)
attention (dharana)
Holistically-aware, super-aware & living-meditation (samadhi) is a relovelution optimizing holistic health celebrating peace by responsibly reaping and sowing as tree limbs are branching and growing evolving the human body and Earth body within the circle of life; Samadhi is also known as ecstasy, nirvana.
Harmonizing
civil (yama)
polite (niyama)
posture (asana)
breath (pranayama)
holding-tension (pratyahara)
attention (dharana)
meditation (dhyana)
Classic practice responsibilities (ashtanga) can increase peace, justice and liberty or freedom by simply noticing, symbolically one tree with limbs which can broaden to seeing a forest through the trees. An ecosystem of understanding works vie-a-vie when a limb, branch, leaf, flower and fruit as well as life giving micro-organisms correlated to Hatha Yoga as nano-movements**** help the whole. Begin with thyself for the intention (sankalpa) of world peace whereas your body is your temple, the only place you have to live. Practicing Ashtanga provides a way of living peacefully (shanti), just and liberated, respecting interconnected existence!
- Yoga Training (Touch) with Kathryn Ann (Katie A.) Campbell C-IAYT, YA-CEP, E-RYT 500 A Yoga Therapy [C(h)ikitsa] General Practitioner specializing in Lifestyle Medicine, specializing in Performance and Prevention during Physical Rehabilitation and Energy Facilitation addressing Metabolic and Immune Function, a Continuing Education Provider, and Teacher with thousands of hours of experience. Yogatrainingtouch.com (2009-present), Helena Montana 59601; US
^The Yoga Tradition, Its History, Literature, Philosophy and Practice by Georg Feuerstein, PH.D., Foreward by Subhash Kak, Ph.D; Hohm Press Chino Valley, Arizona 2008; hohnpress.com
**Patanjali, The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, Translation and Commentary by Sri Swami Satchidananda, Thirteenth printing 2008, Satchidananada Ashram-Yogaville, Buckingham Vermont 23921; US
***Nischala Joy Devi at a 2020 Yoga Therapy Conference in Newport California; US
****Nano-movements taught by Swamee Sri Jaya Kumar in direct lineage of K. Pattabhi Jois founder of Power (Ashtanga) Yoga as known and practiced in the West today, having studied abroad, exploring beyond the Education, Research and Therapy Centre (2008) to Gokalam, connecting to K. Pattabhi Jois. Mysore; IN
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