#equanimityisyoga

As my wise partner @b.p.wcislo said: “Your biggest superpower is to be able to control your reactions”. At the end, everything can be a chaos, we can be going through a crisis or the most biggest challenge, but if we are able to not be disturbed by the outside waves, we will live in a constant state of peace. Your peace is the biggest gift you give to the world... the whole surrounding universe changes when one is at peace. #peace #equanimity #upeksha #equanimityisyoga #shanti #selfknowledge #svadhyaya #selfobservation #practicekindnessandcompassion https://www.instagram.com/luanafarayoga/p/ByQAZRbHJu3/?igshid=qon732kt9k9z

Yoga is about creating space... creating space on the body, on the breath, on the mind, in the life... El Yoga se trata de crear espacio... crear espacio en el cuerpo, en la respiración, en la mente, en la vida... Photo by @veronica.quiros.c #kapotasana #backbend #yogaasana #asana #yogaisaboutspace #rishikesh #equanimityisyoga #lifeisbeautiful #befreeandenjoy #luanafarayoga (at Rishikesh, Uttarakhand)

The first day of this teacher training I am studying currently, we have been asked to write our inspiration and intention for this course. Before I started writing I thought I had very clear my reasons: I needed to register on Yoga Alliance and this was simpler than doing all the process to validate the TTCs I have done before some years ago. But it surprised me when I started writing, something touched me inside, and suddenly my motivations changed completely... Suddenly there was a purpose, a real purpose. I am not going to share everything I've written because in this moment I rather to keep it for myself for now, however there are a couple of ideas I want to share: "I want to experience surrendering, having no control and letting go of the ideas of being right, of improving, of being better, of reaching anything, of being more flexible or advance in my practice... I want to experience and let go of the idea of success, of being recognized, accepted, approved, valued... I want to learn to let it go of the need of having things, space, knowledge... surrender embrace the oneness from inside and not from the ideas of it." This photo was taken inside of an ashram by a new friend and amazing photographer from Costa Rica @veronica.quiros.c #rishikesh #ramjhula #indianurbanphotography #equanimityisyoga #ubbhayapadangusthasana #yoga #yogaasana #asana #lifeisbeautiful #befreeandenjoy #luanafarayoga (at Rishikesh, Uttarakhand)

Sometimes we need to twist our minds so we can see from different angles. When we stay in our same ideas, that come from the same information, then there is always the same solutions, the same answers, the same directions. But if we allow our minds to create space, we might be able to see what is on the sides of the road, which will be limited if we just remain always facing forward. Again, the practice of yoga is just about creating space so we can be able to see beyond. Taking a practical example: sometimes we create our own way of doing things, for example a way if practicing an āsana. We remain there because it feels good and in some way it feels like we have found the right way of practicing it. But if we just let it go of the information of which we have appropriated and we become humble, then we might be able to sit on the chair of the student, so we may find surprises on the new information. We might create new experiences and consequently new knowledge. Beginners mind is what lays under Adhikara, which means studentship and devotion to study and learn. Let us be students and create space so we can expand! Photo by wonderful @simpleangle__ #adhikara #beginnersmind #yogaasana #createspace #asana #yoga #ganga #ganges #rishikesh #equanimityisyoga #visvamitrasana #lifeisbeautiful #befreeandenjoy #luanafarayoga (at Rishikesh, Uttarakhand)

Then the question arises: "What is the Self?" I had a philosophy teacher that used to say that we can describe everything that the Self is not, but we cannot describe what is the Self. We could say about the Self that is unlimited, so if we use words (which are limited expression), we are limiting the Self. There is a beautiful Mantra that says: "I am not mind, intellect, ego and the memory. I am not the sense of organs (ears, tongue, nose, eyes and skin). I am not the five elements ( sky or ether, earth, light or fire, the wind and the water). I am supreme bliss and pure consciousness, I am Shiva, I am all auspiciousness, I am Shiva. I am not Prana ( energy) nor five vital airs (PanchVayu), nor the seven essential material( sapta dhatu ), nor the five sheaths of the body ( pancha kosha ). I am not the organ of speech, nor hand nor the leg, nor the organs of procreation or the elimination(anus). I am supreme bliss and pure consciousness, I am Shiva, I am all auspiciousness, I am Shiva. (...)" Continues on comments. Photo by @veronica.quiros.c (thank u Vero for this sublimed capture) #ganges #ganga #maganga #rishikesh #iamthat #equanimityisyoga #yoga #lifeisbeautiful #befreeandenjoy #luanafarayoga (at Rishikesh, Uttarakhand)

"When Prana moves, chitta (consciousness) moves. When Prana is without movement, chitta is without movement." Hatha Yoga Pradipika (2:2) Photo by amazing photographer from Mumbai @simpleangle__ #pranayama #prana #nadishodhana #breathing #stillness #consciousness #chitta #yoga #rishikesh #ganga #ganges #equanimityisyoga #lifeisbeautiful #befreeandenjoy #luanafarayoga (at Ganges, Rishikesh)

We always put our attention outside. We always stick to our perceptions and judgements about people and circumstances. We prefer to think that others are wrong, or that they are annoying, they speak too much, or they look to us on a way we don't like, or they have a pretentious attitude, or maybe we find others too slow or too fast, too euphoric or too depressed. We just get very fast to our likes and dislikes without even look beyond the surface, without asking ourselves why. Without going deeper to the roots of what is each person or circumstance reflecting from us. I don't say we must like everybody, but understanding the roots of our attractions and aversions, it is easier to be kind with others and with ourselves. Yoga Sutras tell us about the different causes of suffering, two of them are the attachment to pleasure and the aversion (Raga and Dvesha). Understanding what is under our likes and dislikes, opens the doors for non-attachment and equanimity. #reflection #mirror #awareness #yoga #equanimityisyoga #lifeisbeautiful #befreeandenjoy #luanafarayoga (at Rishikesh, Uttarakhand)