Pratyahara - withdrawal of the senses

Riding the bicycle back from the studio to the familiar temporary home the one that used to be for the last 16 years simply, home.
First thoughts that comes to mind, home, with him, relax, chill, eat, do what we do together. and then the realization, no, wait, it is not like that any more. I chose different, I chose to move on, I chose to end it.
Then the thoughts of it wasn't bad, it was good, comfortable, did I make the right decision. The doubts crawling in.
Then the realization of the games our minds plays with us. I can choose to let them take over and get me into dwelling on it again and again in whatever shape and angle I will let it take me or, I can choose to stop. Observe, learn from it, from whats coming in and flowing out, it is all in my hands, in my mind. I can choose what to do with it. Go back, to the old feelings, memories that accumulated or let it go and let the intelligence take over.

Few days passes, going out, coming back, busy days going and returning. The thoughts changes, memories trying to crawl back again. Observing.

Within the busy schedule, the daily life, a lot to do, need to find time for it all and then, getting tired, finding my self taking a break. Setting time aside for some quality time for my self.  Treating my self for some fun. A few hours of letting go. Nothing of importance or significance, just letting go. Followed by a good restful sleep waking up feeling as if I just had a bear like winter sleep. Nice, refreshing.

A cup of tea, sitting with one of BKS Iyengar's books: The tree of Yoga. Just a few chapters, thinking to my self, and then will continue with the chores.
Next chapter: The bark. Pratyahara.
'The Indian thought distinguishes between the mental and the intellectual body. The mind gathers information and the intelligence has the power to discriminate right from wrong and to reason clearly.'

'The intellectual aspect of the mind gathers, collects and accumulates information, but has no power of discrimination. Discrimination is known as Pratyahara. Pratyahara is the culturing and civilising of the senses of perception. In much of our life, memory supersedes intelligent. Memory is afraid that it may lose its identity, so before the mind has a chance to call upon the intelligence, memory comes in and say, 'Act! Now! Immediately!' That is known as impulse, which commonly governs our actions. You have to make sure that memory gives the right response.'

 'Memory longs for further experiences and ignites the mind, which by-passes intelligence and directly stimulates the organs of actions to go in pursuit of these experiences. the intelligence tries to measure the advantages and disadvantages to balance the memory, the mind and the organs of perception...because of past experiences of pleasure, they thirst for more and more. Thus demands and desires increase. one continues to hanker for past impressions.'

'Then intelligence with its discriminative faculty weighs right and wrong, and guides the mind not to depend completely on memory and its impressions. This act of going against the current of memory and mind is Pratyahara.'

'Pratyahara means not allowing memory to play its favourite trick.' 

 

Aparigraha

Waking up one morning in Rishikesh, India to the news that the local government is taking out the two highest currency bills out of the system, the 500 & 1000 INR (Indian Rupees). With no prior announcement, as of this day, there is no use of these bills. The old bills could be exchanged in the bank within the following two months, new bills can be withdrawn from ATM's, but for the immediate coming weeks there will be a withdrawal limit of 2000 INR per day (= less than EUR 30).

Life in India is cheaper than Europe, the average costs per day here in Rishikesh (for a foreigner) can vary between 600-2000 Rupees, including a modest room, meals and essentials. So even if you are living the most modest life, it means going to the ATM every 2-3 days.

The reason for this act is to stop fraud, money laundering etc. In this way, if one had saved at home 'black' money, there would be no way to exchange and no one will accept it.

One can imagine the long lines at the banks and ATM's since that morning. Hours of standing waiting in line, many times leaving with empty wallets as there is limited amount of bills available, banks are closing, ATM's are empty. Try again tomorrow. For more than a week now, still no change, people trying their luck every day to get some money to be able to pay there daily living.

Inevitably one will not spend money on unnecessary products and services while spending so much energy on acquiring enough money to survive, hence, a practice of Aparigraha.

Aparigraha – the fifth of the Yamas of Patanjali's yoga sutras (II,39):

aparigrahasthairye janmakathamta sambodhah
 
the translation/interpretation of the sutra by BKS Iyengar:

'Knowledge of past and future lives unfolds when one is free from greed for possessions'
.
Aparigraha is defined as without possessions, without belongings, non-acceptance of gifts.

We are so used in our modern life to buy more, to eat more, to accumulate things that many times after we get them they remain somewhere in our closets and stay there with no use. Why is that? Because we can, because it's cheap, accessible, and many times because the manufactures tells us that we need it. Need- do we really 'need' it? Or do we 'want' it? Do we really 'want' it? Or are we told that we 'want'/'need' it. A very well known marketing strategy is to make the consumer think that by buying/using their product or service, it will give an answer or solution to a problem. But does it really....?

Many visitors of India now, if they are following the path of yoga or not are all practicing Aparigraha, and learning some valuable lessons. Interesting times.

14th Arthur Rubinstein International Master Piano Competition - Final's Schedule

 

It is almost over and this is just my first post. Sometimes, it is just the way it is. There is a lot to say, but maybe too much for just the one post so I'll start with the most recent update and hopefully more will follow.

Tonight (May 29th) is the 2nd part of the 3rd part of the final.

The concert will start at 7:30 pm local time in Tel-Aviv (CET +1):

• Cho Seong Jin (South Korea) - Tchaikovsky Concerto No. 1
• Osokins Anrejs (Latvia) - Rachmaninov Concerto No. 3
• Mazo Maria (Russia) - Beethoven Concerto No. 4 

At the end of the performances the Jury will assemble for the decision making, followed by the awards ceremony. I wonder how long it will take them to make the decision. It will definitely not going to be an easy task. Good luck to the jury!

All performances are available to watch/listen live on the competition's website. All information about the competition, previous stages, competitors, jury etc can be found on their website.

Visit the competition's Facebook page.

Enjoy!

At a festival

6 days and nights, full on, hard work, making coffee and waffles for 12 hours in a row (mostly at night), sometimes longer, standing on the legs. Almost every day also a shopping trip before and/or after the shift, more supply..

Sleeping time, hard to fall asleep, exhausted but also hyped up, in the early morning loud music, and not the kind to fall a sleep to... in the late morning sun shining on the tent, sauna inside.. 5 more days to go, can I do this?

2^nd day, after 3.5 hours sleep and some walking around; back on the shift, the shift got longer, can not leave the stand, legs are screaming, what can I do?

Too hot outside to practice, the only time available was in the afternoon...

So what is the practice of yoga? All books says yoga practice is not just on the mat. It's a way of life, it's how you operate in life and so in different situations. Yoga teaches 'Accept', 'accept and let go...' So yes, I accept, no one made me do this, it was my own choice, I knew what I was going to do and I chose to do it. So, conditions are not favorable for the mat, do what you can.

Some simple stretches outside the tent after waking up, constantly keeping in mind the posture in whatever movement doing; simple standing by the coffee machine, the waffles trolly or in line to the toilets – Tadasana. Lifting high up a 5L water container to fill the coffee machine, extending high to get something out of a box above the fridge – partial Urdhave hastasana. Bending down below the counter to get different condiments or constantly searching for supply under all counters/tables – Uttanasana. Going on a water run to fill the 5L and 10L containers, not balanced, need to add some more weight somehow on the side carrying the 5L container... keeping the shoulders rolling down and arms rotating out baring the weight...At the end of the shift, lying down in the tent - Shavasana. A few breathing exercises to calm down and try to sleep.

This was my practice for last 6 days. Tomorrow, a restorative session...body is aching, need some rest and definitely needs a practice.

End of another chapter

One end is another beginning.
It was a lovely journey, I enjoyed it so much. Not every day was as rosy but then again, should it be..?
Again routine, a different one this time, conditions not as favorable as the last, in some ways better in some less, over all, to watch it all, observe, explore, record, experience....loved it all.
Routine, how weird, can actually be nice. Same same but also different :)
Same route of morning walk, same breakfast at the forest, lunch, lunch break, afternoon walk, dinner and each day different actors, different background; the conditions around, rain/sun/wind/sunshine, power cut, no travelers, more travelers, full moon, new moon.
Life.
 

Morning walk

The morning walk, 6:30, so peaceful and beautiful. The same morning route, but different. Seasons changing.
The sun low in the sky behind the hills of the east bank of the river. The non-shiny color of the water in the river. The temples on the other side, along the river. The birds on the trees on both sides of the road. Today no Peacocks.
Birds singing, no cows, no monkeys, no dogs, no cars, no trucks, no engine fumes, just stillness, quiet, peace. Then the wind blows slightly, leftover of the night blows, before the sun comes out and heat up the earth. How nice to walk, how nice to be here...
A relaxing walk to wake up and prepare for the hard concentration of the morning's Zubin's class.

Swiss Garden

Swiss Garden

Sitting at the most farther table at the back facing the forest. Sound of the generator in front of the restaurant which is now to my back.
The crow on the tree next to me keeps crowling, maybe he's annoyed by the loud sound as well... or maybe he's just conversing with the other crows and birds on the other trees...?
It is hot today, so nice to sit in just a T-shirt while out of the sun again :)
It is different; different activities, people, season, food, facilities, sounds, practice, same place, same swiss cottage for the past 40 days but very different. Cool. Nice. Fun.
The crow just landed on a table spilling the sugar jar all over. I turned to look by the sound of the metal sugar jar falling, he saw me looking and flew back to his spot on the tree above.

Great sound of Moustachio7 in Maastricht

Moustachio7 18.08.12

Henk burned in the sun
Bouke too lazy
Tijs had a pepper before the show... to speed things up
and Jason was the only one who didn't complain about the heat...

Henk lost his voice a bit in Jeremy but was making the show with his moustache...  and the crowd went wild...

The crowd at the start

Bouke focusing on his groove was noticed by their loyal fan (me)... I didn't have the 'aauch' moment on his sound through the whole concert :)


Looking forward to the next gig next month 29.09.12 in Zeist. More details will follow so check it out soon.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Moustachio-Seven/271286876268595

The crowd at the end

Moustachio7 - funcky wacky groove

Moustachio7 on Queen'sday Amsterdam

 A great Dutch band with an international touch. 4 talented musicians bringing together different styles and groove. They are not new in town, since 2003 they are practicing regularly in DB's (Utrecht), but this year they have more gigs than ever. The next gig is tomorrow, saturday 14:30 in Maastricht. It is serious summer time in NL this weekend and I'm expecting the show to be extremely hot...







Website, Youtube channel and Facebook:
www.moustachio7.nl
http://www.youtube.com/user/Moustachio7
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Moustachio-Seven/271286876268595

Maastricht Corversplein-feesten 18-19 August info and lineup:
http://maastricht.dichtbij.nl/gastronomie/c%C3%B6rversplein-feesten-keren-terug
https://www.facebook.com/events/324057431018206/

Investilosophy - by Ofir Hirsh

This book is exactly how it is described and more; interesting views about investments wrapped in a nice adventure story. Ofir combines the investment views in the story with colorful and humoristic descriptions of the world we live in; the current financial crisis, mobile technology, nature, music, human behavior and more. The way in which Ofir builds up the plots kept me interested from beginning to end. Waiting for the sequel :)

Investilosophy on Amazon

Investilosophy page on Facebook 

The colorful painting on the cover is also Ofir's own creation. This is his first book but not his first painting. If you're interested to see more of Ofir Hirsh art collection, visit his gallery at:

http://www.ofirhirsh.com/