Going Beyond the Pose: Using Yoga as a Compass to Orient Your Life Toward Happiness

By Kathleen Nitting

Author Kathleen Nitting takes you off the mat with a contemporary understanding of yoga, offering practical ways to integrate this ancient philosophy into daily life. By delving deeper into the wisdom and science of yoga, Going beyond the Pose illustrates how these teachings are as relevant today as they were thousands of years ago.

Nitting outlines the four paths of yogalove, action, knowledge, and meditationpracticed by great sages of the past, along with contemporary yogis, in search of true joy and success. Guiding you through the paths are insights and inspiration from some of todays spiritual leaders; glimpses of those who have left this physical realm; poignant personal stories that exemplify the meaning of being in yoga; and a brave level of authenticity from Nitting as she shares her own yogic path.

Going beyond the Pose shows how you, too, can access and experience the benefits of yoga in the Living Yoga exercises peppered throughout the book. It offers an eloquent translation of Nittings journey of using yoga as a compass to orient her own life toward happiness and her passion to share this truth.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Balboa Press
• Release date: Mar 30, 2018
• ISBN: 9781504399951

Kathleen Nitting

Kathleen Nitting spent most of her professional career as a writer and editor. A personal passion for her own health and wellbeing led her to further study the science and philosophy of yoga. As a certified Vedic instructor at the Chopra Center, Nitting teaches meditation, yoga, and ayurvedic lifestyle. She lives in Carlsbad, California.

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Copyright © 2018 Kathleen Nitting.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

Scripture taken from the King James Version of the Bible.

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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

The author of this book does not dispense medical advice or prescribe the use of any technique as a form of treatment for physical, emotional, or medical problems without the advice of a physician, either directly or indirectly. The intent of the author is only to offer information of a general nature to help you in your quest for emotional and spiritual well-being. In the event you use any of the information in this book for yourself, which is your constitutional right, the author and the publisher assume no responsibility for your actions.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

ISBN: 978-1-5043-9994-4 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5043-9996-8 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-5043-9995-1 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2018902944

Balboa Press rev. date: 03/27/2018

Contents

Introduction

Chapter 1:   Yoga As My Compass

Chapter 2:   Four Paths of Yoga

i.   Bhakti (Love And Devotion)

ii.   Jnana (Knowledge)

iii.   Karma (Action)

iv.   Raja Yoga: the Royal Path (Meditation)

Chapter 3:   Nature’s Intelligence

Chapter 4:   Meditation and the Gift of Silence

Chapter 5:   Truth and Authenticity

Chapter 6:   Living a Conscious Life with Expanded Awareness

Chapter 7:   God and Yoga

Chapter 8:   Is Your Compass Off Kilter?

References

This

book is dedicated to the angels in my life. Your divine inspiration gives voice to my message.

I AM THAT

by Kathleen Nitting

I feel like I’m about to burst open.

I’m looking for space.

Nesting, gestating, I feel the impatience of what’s to come.

Glory bubbles inside.

On the wings of a bird, I free fall into the unknown.

No fear.

No regrets.

Only truth.

I burst forth with wild abandon.

I am free.

It is my destiny.

I listen to the sacred.

I marvel at the holy.

Inner truth so strong, it pulls me forward.

I slip back.

I stumble.

I surrender.

I get up.

I rebound.

The inner howl vibrates out beyond, hauntingly louder and louder.

I am silent.

I listen and I hear.

I breathe it in.

It is life.

It is all there is.

Existence.

I connect to the pulse of it.

I am one with it.

I am that.

Acknowledgements

T hank you to all those who contributed their powerful personal stories to this book. What you’ve shared helps to illustrate the true meaning of yoga. To my mom, Diane, Rhonda, Robert, Johanna, Diana, Bob, and Themba too, I am grateful.

Thank you, Joanne Delmonico, for sharing your artistry and creating a beautiful mandala as part of the cover art for my book.

A special thank you to Roger Gabriel for serving as an advisor. I am grateful for your generosity in sharing your wisdom, your stories, your humor, and your friendship. You inspired me to delve deeper into The Vedas, while challenging and nourishing the curiosity of my Pitta mind.

To my friends, colleagues and fellow instructors at The Chopra Center, it is an honor to be part of such a special global community. Thank you to the amazing teachers along my yoga journey, particularly Meret whose bright light at every class in Cape Town shaped my own practice and teaching style.

Thank you to Drs. Deepak Chopra and David Simon for their vision to bring the timeless wisdom of yoga, meditation and Ayurveda into the modern world.

To my family and friends, thank you for your love and support. I love you all.

And, finally, I write a special note of honor for my parents. My father was the epitome of truth, courage and integrity, a yogi in his own right. For my mother, whose love and devotion for her family is unwavering, thank you. My love for you is beyond measurement.

Introduction

G oing Beyond the Pose explores the four paths of yoga: jyana (knowledge), bhakti (love), karma (action), and raja (meditation) as they are integrated into my life and the lives of interviewees, along with great sages who illustrated and taught the same qualities. The four paths of yoga are presented in ways that are accessible and also experiential and practical, using the guidance of contemporary spiritual leaders; wisdom from notable sages who have left this physical realm; personal stories of my own yogic path; and poignant stories that touched my heart as demonstrations of what it means to be in yoga. Cited are teachings from sacred texts such as the Upanishads , The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali , the Bhagavad Gita, the Dhammapada, Tao de Ching, and the Bible. A deeper understanding of the philosophy and science of yoga comes from great teachers such as Swami Vivekananda, Paramahansa Yogananda, Jesus, Buddha, Gandhi, and others. Go beyond the pose and discover which of the four paths of yoga naturally resonates with you.

The broad sympathies and discerning insight needed for the healing of earthly woes cannot flow from mere intellectual consideration of human diversities, but from knowledge of men’s deepest unity—kinship with God. Toward realization of the world’s highest ideal—peace through brotherhood—may yoga, the science of personal communion with the divine, spread in time to all men in all lands. (Paramahansa Yogananda)

While studying the history of the ancient Vedas, I fell in love with the deeper essence of yoga, which is within all of us. The idea for the book came about when I began to understand how all the facets of yoga were benefitting me on a profound personal level as the practices were integrated into my daily life, beyond the asanas (yoga poses) and the mechanics of those poses on the yoga mat. Along with glimpses into my own journey are compelling stories that illustrate the principles of yoga. Woven throughout the book are inspirational quotes from sages, scholars, and teachers from all walks of life, offering insight, guidance, and an opportunity to discover, from within, an expanded level of awareness. Going Beyond the Pose offers a practical guide to understanding the core principles of living a yogic lifestyle, on and off the mat and outside of any religious implications.

The collection of these real-life, personal experiences I share comes from my own life, along with others from generous souls willing to contribute. As I conducted research for this book, I came upon present-day writings with similar threads of wisdom from ancient texts to help me craft practical tips and tools to gain a greater, more in-depth understanding of the science of yoga as it relates to our contemporary world. What I discovered is that this ancient knowledge is just as relevant today as it was thousands of years ago, and it is really about common sense, accountability, and an intention to connect with and live by universal and natural law. For example, if you want more love in your life, be more loving, and that includes being more loving and compassionate with yourself. If you want peace in the world, be more peaceful in your own world. Give that which you desire to receive.

Author Mark Nepo writes in The Book of Awakening, Certainly true compassion begins with the consideration of others, but the displeasure of others is no reason to muffle your love. So, while my choices of spirituality and yoga may ruffle some feathers, I write from my own experience, and it is one of truth, discovery, exploration, love, and knowing. It is from a place of love that I hope my words are received.

As Swami Paramahansa Yogananda says, Yoga requires no formal allegiance … Because the yogic science satisfies a universal need, it has a natural universal appeal.

There are a number of great men, living today in American or European or other non-Hindu bodies, who, though they may never have heard the words yogi or swami, are yet true exemplars of those terms. Through their disinterested service to mankind, or through their mastery over passions and thoughts, or through their single-hearted love of God, or through their great powers of concentration, they are, in a sense, yogis; they set themselves the goal of yoga —self-control. These men could rise to even greater heights if they were taught the science of yoga which makes possible a more conscious direction of one’s mind and life. Yoga has been superficially misunderstood by certain Western writers, but its critics have never been its practitioners. (Paramahansa Yogananda in Autobiography of a Yogi)

In the midst of advancing my studies of the deeper philosophy of yoga a few years ago, I wrote down a book idea that came from wanting to share yoga. I wanted to write about it in such a way as to bring a contemporary understanding to a science that has endured for thousands of years in other cultures. As I read Autobiography of a Yogi as research for my manuscript, I made note of how the great Swami Paramahansa Yogananda’s words, written back in 1946, summed up my concept for this book in a few short sentences: Surely the Yogavatar reached the zenith of all wonders in reducing the ancient complexities of yoga to an effective simplicity within the ordinary grasp.

Psychiatrist and psychologist Dr. Carl Jung is quoted in Yogananda’s book for his view about how yoga fulfills not only our needs as humans to seek out spiritual fulfillment but also the scientific need for facts. Jung, in a speech to the Indian Science Congress in 1937, said, By reason of its breadth and depth, its venerable age, its doctrine and method, which include every phase of life, it promises undreamed of possibilities … It combines the bodily and the spiritual in an extraordinarily complete way.

The exercises in each chapter entitled Living Yoga gently guide you toward shining light on how, in your thoughts, words, and actions, you may already be, without even knowing it as such, in yoga, in union with God, the divine source, or universal law. Whatever word or language resonates with you is the perfect way to describe your journey of waking up with an expanded level of consciousness and recognizing your divine nature—that you are a child of God and that you are a sacred part of creation. My hope is that you see even one small spark of your divinity by asking yourself if you come from a place of love in all you do, all you say, all you think. Without judgment or criticism, this kind of self-reflection leads to a more important question: If not, how can I? With each breath of life, we get the opportunity to navigate our lives in the direction of yoga and ultimately toward true happiness.

My goal here is to illustrate, identify, and de-mystify yoga. How can we use the science of yoga to truly reach freedom by liberating ourselves from suffering? Non-attachment is the key. Operate from the heart; always direct the inquiry inward; and challenge your own ego with less need or desire for external approval, affection, appreciation, and attention. Serve yourself through service with and for other sentient beings. With that new level of consciousness comes elevated awareness and conscious choice making. We watch bad habits naturally fall away and heart-based ones arise through love, kindness, generosity, laughter, and harmony. Spontaneous right action emerges as a result of a path toward self-realization, and we realize the fulfillment of our truest desires.

Dr. Deepak Chopra tells of an exercise to help rid yourself of an addiction. Each time you want to reach for your vice, whether it is nicotine, alcohol, drugs, or some other addictive behavior, take a moment to become aware of the choice you are making from a heart-centered space, and without judgment, say to yourself, This is the healthiest choice for me. In many cases, the appetite for that vice diminishes, and you make better choices for the health of your mind, body, and spirit. This is not done easily by just being cynical and ingesting with an attitude of, Yeah, let’s see if this works.

It is an innate awareness that will override the ego’s loud distraction if you are willing to commit to yoga practices such as dhyana (meditation), asana (yoga poses), and pranayama (conscious breath work). Throughout the book, the exercises in Living Yoga are meant to guide you toward raising self-awareness. Again, it’s called a practice, so be easy with yourself in making yoga a daily habit, just like brushing your teeth. If you only ever make a commitment to wake each day with a practice of gratitude, you cannot help but notice the positive effects it will have on your experience in this life.

My intention is to reach people at the soul level, to awaken the universal truth, to continue to expand my own consciousness, and to help you remember that these experiences are always available to you as well. And all of the experiences listed here are available to us for free.

• Develop a meaningful spiritual practice.

• Meditate.

• Practice yoga.

• Pray.

• Spend time in nature.

• Listen to some good music and sing out loud.

• Spend a few moments looking into the eyes of a newborn baby or your pet.

• Pay attention to your body when you laugh or dance with wild abandon.

• Practice gratitude daily. Be mindful of at least one thing for which you are grateful.

• Practice self-care. Replenish, restore, update, download, install new apps, etc. We do this all the time with our electronic devices, but we neglect our greatest device: ourselves and our bodies. Nourish your mind, your spirit, your heart, your physical body, your environment, and your human connections.

• Practice forgiveness.

ONE

YOGA AS MY COMPASS

I ’ll share with you how one four-letter word led to my undoing. This was not an undoing of my out-of-control, raging ego, but it was the excavation of the human condition as I knew it to be to uncover who I really am. This new awareness led to the unveiling of my pristine soul that gave me the courage to seek out the truth, choose emotional integrity, and honor my true self. That four-letter word is yoga .

The external teacher offers only the suggestion, which arouses the internal teacher. Here, celebrated spiritual leader and monk Swami Vivekananda speaks to direct experience. Whether I am practicing the physical movement in yoga, in search of understanding a particular concept, or examining my own choices and actions, I know that because of the nature of ego, I continually orient my internal compass, finding insight and truth from the internal, eternal source of my soul.

Years ago, I wasn’t as prepared for life’s curves and twists, literally and figuratively. I know this because in looking back, I see the times where I was inflexible or constricted, played the blame game, sat in the victim’s chair, full of disappointment and despair, and used a very different four-letter word. Regret is a waste of precious time. Isn’t it really just our thoughts in the form of judgment meant to punish ourselves? I am the first one to admit that those highly charged, reactive (and many times over-reactive) moments weren’t pretty at all, definitely not yoga in any form. However, they turned out to be pivotal lessons that would change the trajectory of my life and contribute