Ecstatic Yoga Workbook
Immersions Directory
Kriya Philosophy
Self Reflection Lesson
EY Kriya Philosophy
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Self-Reflection Yoga Philosophy Practices
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If the definition of yoga is “To Yoke” to become one, to merge with the highest aspect, highest vision and version of the True Authentic self, then the question is how do we do this?
Self-reflection is a powerful tool to assist in aligning with our deepest inner truth, purpose, passions, gifts and talents. Self-reflection helps us come home to our soul, our authentic vibration, our true and highest purpose for this lifetime.
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We will discuss and offer self-reflection practices to assist us in discovering a deeper understanding of all aspects of our self, bringing unconditional love to all aspects of our self, healing past wounds and hidden shame, exploring our purpose, creating inner transformation and the unlimited Self, powerfully stepping into higher and higher versions of our Self and deepening our union with our Indwelling Presence, the Atman, Soul Power and Eternal Self.
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An important empowerment principle to embrace is giving up people pleasing, gaining approval from the external or avoiding disapproval from the external. Also, allowing more and more evolved versions of our Self to emerge as we grow and experience life. Attain to be a completely different, more empowered, higher vibrational human being each and every year of your life. Know as you evolve, if those around you don’t evolve, you may grow out of some relationships. Those people you grow out of may criticize you and want you to stay the smaller person you were. That is ok, don’t take it personally nor let it block your growth and expansion.
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We will use the yogic philosophy principles below to bring to our self-reflection practices.
We suggest you get a notebook to journal responses to these contemplations and meditations.
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We search our passions and dreams, but also search where we are presently not aligned with our passions and dreams. Where are we doing things we don’t want to do, working at a job that isn’t ethically aligned with our principles, engaging in habits or activities that are not aligned with our highest health, directing our energy and attention in activities that are not aligned with our purpose, passion, intuition and heart. Living a lie can take many forms. An example may be someone who deeply wants to connect powerfully with their divine and live according to the will of the God of their understanding, however they spend all their time in the world and never take more time meditating in God’s Presence.
-8 limbs of yoga
-12 karmic laws
-Dharma, highest destiny and purpose for your life
-Journaling, automatic writing
-Inner child work & playfulness
-Healing core wounds & past hurts & limited conditioning
-Desire and Passion
-Alignment & heart centered joy
-Mirror, owning projections, responsibility
-Embracing your gifts, talents and unique vibrational contributions
-Coming home to the Atman, the Soul, the Infinite Authentic Self
Take time now to envision your dreams come true, with wild abandon. Take time to envision what expands your heart and what you love, what brings joy. Please take a few moments now to journal what excites you and brings you joy, shoot for the moon, if you miss you are still amongst the stars.
Contemplations on the 8 limbs of yoga
1 Yamas/morality
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-Ahimsa, non-violence
Contemplate on how you can be non-violent towards yourself, avoid using violent thoughts and actions toward yourself and others. How you can use harmlessness toward the self and all beings.
-Satya; truthfulness
Contemplate how you can be more honest with yourself and others. Be more honest with and aligned with your soul truths, the thoughts and actions you direct towards yourself. How can you be more honest and responsible for how you perceive others and the world. Where are you projecting stories that may not be true, but causing pain and suffering. How honest can you be in following your truth, even in those times when it may not be popular, you may be criticized. How honest can you be in each moment to live what you love and brings you joy. Live thy own self be true rather than conditioning and approval.
-Asteya; non-Stealing
Contemplate ways you may steal not just in physical possessions, but time and energy as well. How are you stealing others time and energy, and how do you steal your own time and energy. How do waste time or do things that are not aligned with your truth.
Not taking that which is not yours in regards to physical objects, time, energy, idea’s, intellectual information.
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-Brahmacharya; continence, moderation or abstinence
This can refer to sexual moderation, however it applies to moderation or abstinence in all areas of our lives. Keep everything in your life in moderation, and only you can know what that looks like for you. Abstain from everything that is not enlivening and empowering to your or your life.
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-Aparigraha; non-covetousness, non-attachment, non-craving
To be attached creates disempowering emotions like clinginess, urgency, and pushiness. To crave something is to not be free. Contemplate where you may be attached or have cravings and attain to be committed rather than attached, to be free rather than addicted with cravings in those areas.
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2 Niymamas/observances
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-Saucha; Cleanliness of body, mind and soul
Contemplate areas in your life that can be cleaner. Your hygiene, diet, thoughts, habits.
-Samtosa; Contentment
Contemplate area’s in your life where you are not content. Where you are not present, where you judge and create perceptions of conflict. Commit to powerfully choosing peace of mind unconditionally, regardless of circumstances or outcomes. As a commitment, as a choose, as a way of life. Question the truth of thoughts that arise that bring conflict. Commit to no longer waiting for contentment and peace, choosing now exactly as you are now, exactly as life is arising now.
-Tapas; heat, spiritual austerities, fiery discipline
Contemplate about where you need more motivation, a fire under your butt to put forth the effort you need to be where you want to be in life? Where can you use constraint and effort to achieve your goals whether yoga, spiritually, school, career, relationship, health or otherwise? Where can you add supportive self-discipline in your life that will benefit you positively.
-Svadhyaya; Study of sacred scriptures and of one’s self
What teachings, books, scriptures, philosophies inspire you. This doesn’t need to include just yogic philosophy, it could include the bible, Buddha’s 8 Fold Path, new thought, etc. Choose teachings that resonate with your heart and soul, open your heart and bring balance and clarity to your mind.
The study of one Self is the greatest self-reflection we can do. We usually do this through meditation, contemplation and self inquiry.
-Isvara pranidhana; Surrender to God
Constantly praying to let go and let God, to surrender our ego’s, giving up our sense of a separate identity and replacing it with a deep immersion into Divine Grace. Take time to sit with God, get on your knees and pray for help, pray for a deeper and more intimate connection to the true Self and the God of your understanding.
3 Asana/postures
Physical body awareness & postures
Contemplate where you are disconnected to your physical body? Where do you withhold love and appreciation for your body? Where do you resist in asana practices and which poses do you love and which ones do you resist and avoid? How do you connect with your body, how much do you love your physical body?
Use the postures to reconnect in a loving way to your physical self, to your body temple and become a more empowered body temple.
4 Pranayama/breathwork
Breath practices and awareness
Using pranayama practices can help with self-inquiry in several ways.
Clears the mind
Pratyahara/Withdrawal
Withdrawal of external distraction, awareness on inner sensation
Pratyahara is a perfect practice to compliment self-inquiry because you bring your awareness inward to inner sensations, vibrations, contemplations. Enjoy basking deeply within.
6 Dharana/focus
Concentration/focus
Now is your opportunity while basking deeply within to bring your focus on a question to contemplate. You can ask more than one question, just one focused question at a time.
-What do I love to do?
-What don’t I like to do?
-What brings me joy?
-What did I do as a child?
-What makes me feel alive?
-How can I be more myself?
-What is my purpose in this life?
-How can I align my life and daily actions to my purpose?
-How can I be more playful, spontaneous, happy and free?
-How can I love myself and nurture and pamper myself?
-I am deserving of all good things, how can I show myself this?
-How can I be true to my heart, honor my truth, align with my soul?
-How can I add more joy to my life?
7. Dhyana/meditation
Uninterrupted flow of meditation
Take time after each question to sit in meditation, clear your mind, don’t force any answers just allow a space to open for that question or thought to take root inside you and look with curiosity for something new or unexpected to arise. Be in the unknowing.
8 Samadhi/union
Blissful union with the divine
Take time to simply bask in the ecstatic nectar of your being. No expectations, no contemplation… simply sitting in non-doing, allowing a deep state of inner silence and stillness to take over and simply be love, be your true nature. Bask in Divine Grace, experience the deepest most sacred aspect of yourself beyond words, stories, descriptions, thoughts, the body and this life. Experience yourself deeply.
12 karmic laws
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You can use self-inquiry on the 12 karmic laws to access what type of karma you are building and growing on a daily basis. You can inquire ways you can build more positive karma in your soul. You can inquire how to live a more aligned and joyful life and how you can add more selfless service into your life.
1 Cause & Effect
What you put out in deeds, thoughts, actions, energy and vibration you will get back. What you sow, you will reap. This law has also been called the Great Law in some Veda’s, aligning with Universal law of return and alignment. When you share, exude, and vibrate in the energy of loving kindness the fruit and vibrations of loving kindness is attracted back to you naturally.
2. The Law of Creation
You are fully empowered to create all your heart desires in your life. This power dwells within you and takes effort by aligning with the law of cause and effect… aligning your thoughts, actions, emotions and energetic vibrations with that which you desire as well as practicing Divine Action. Our Spirit is playing in a material world and in order to gain material results there are times we need to take guided actions to bring forth what we desire. We are exponentially empowered when we desire good for not only ourselves but others as well.
3. The Law of Humility
Being fully present to what is arising now, current circumstances and your humble beginnings. Understanding you are neither better than or less than any other being that exists, we all share one unified field and are equally loved by Creator Source. Knowing all power and strength come from our Divine Creator and we cannot succeed or even survive without Source, others and community. When you are present and humble knowing you are not in control, you are able to surrender to a power far greater than your separate identity allowing that power to move through your temporary form by following Divine guidance and taking Divine action in creating miracles in your life.
4. The Law of Growth
Being dedicated to inner growth as a life long journey. As we grow and transform within, our outer circumstances will also transform. As within so without. Personal growth aligned with your soul purpose is important in the evolution of your soul. If you belong to a certain religion or feel spiritually drawn to embodiment, studying philosophy or therapy that is what you can pursue. Listen to your heart rather than what other’s or the majority are following. Your heart will pop books off the shelf, bring courses to your awareness and opportunities for your soul development and growth. Use this life’s opportunities and your inner guidance to grow ongoingly.
5. The Law of Responsibility
Taking responsibility is a powerful way to move through life and can supercharge your growth and transformation. Giving up victim completely and operating in an empowered way by taking responsibility for how you respond to everything that occurs in your life. The law of cause and effect tells us that the frequency we vibrate at will attract like frequencies. When we take ownership of all the circumstances of our lives good and bad, we get the opportunity to shift our frequencies when we notice we have attracted negative circumstances or people and increase the frequencies that are attracting positive and loving circumstances and people. The outer world is a reflection of the inner world always. The world you experience and how you perceive it is a projection of your own mind and consciousness. Use this to avoid being trapped in victim mentality that is toxic and low vibrational and powerfully choose to take responsibility. Give up all blame and look within and change.
6. The Law of Connection
Yogic philosophy and theology believes in the theory of oneness, that we are all connected on a deeper level. That there is one unified field or One Mind that unites all individual souls and physical beings. On this level of oneness we all exist in everything is transparent, everything is one with Source and shares all that is. That we are connected to all aspects of ourself on all dimensions and all aspects of our self past, present and future and one with all beings and Creator Source.
That to love ourselves enables us to have love for others, when we give and share love to others we give and share love for ourselves.
7. The Law of Force
This law could also be called the law of focus as it invites us to be present and single focused in directing your energy and attention rather than scattered and multi-tasking. This law believes that when you are single pointed in your focus you are more effective and create better results. It is difficult to access the indweller when our mind is distracted and going in many different directions. When we can quiet the mind and bring it into single pointed focus we can be in touch with our intuition and our Divine guidance.
8. The Law of Giving
The law of karma is about selflessness, giving to others and serving humanity and the world in your unique way. To serve another, help another not for self-gain or approval from others, but for the mere joy of giving to and helping another. When an opportunity to give and be hospitable and kind presents itself and your heart is aligned you seize the opportunity.
To be ok with giving when no one see’s, no one knows, pure giving for the sake of the kindness in your heart. God knows all the kindness you give and every act of service according to the law of karma is known and credited in your soul.
9. The Law of Here and Now
This law is all about being present, open hearted and mindful. Giving up the distractions of regrets from the past and worries about the future. When we are fully present with another, we are attentive and our love flows generously to them. When we are present we embrace the moment with clarity as it arises, our interactions with others is engaging and alive. We are living life, sharing our love and open to
10. The Law of Change
This could also be the law of evolution, as we grow in life we evolve and become higher and higher versions of our Self. If we are stuck in a pain cycle, repeating the same painful experiences, same pain different forms, faces and places, yet same underlying suffering. Same types of victim stories, same unfulfilling relationships… we are not growing. We need to upgrade and transform our thoughts, vibrational frequencies, behaviors and patterns constantly to grow into new higher versions of ourselves. If we have the same thoughts, the same grudges, the same patterns we will most certainly have the same outcomes.
11. The Law of Patience and Reward
All great things come with hard work and not giving up even when you don’t see progress. All great leaders faced challenges and had many opportunities to give up, but what made them great, what had them succeed in the end was tenacity to continue on, to have patience and faith as they traveled through the droughts and deserts of their path. To continue when there was no evidence of harvest, trusting the seeds they planted emotionally, physically, mentally through good works would come to fruition in Divine timing. This isn’t about forcing doors open, this is about following Divine guidance and keeping faith and being patient throughout the process, in the journey, before you see the evidence of your good works. The reward will come to those who persist through the ups and downs of life. We do our very best and let go of all attachment to the outcomes having faith that the reward is being deposited within our soul, that a power greater than us will bring reward, even if that is in another lifetime.
12. The Law of Significance and Inspiration
This law states our inherent worthiness as children of the Universe, that we are all equally loved and valuable. We all have cherished gifts to give that make a difference in our own unique way. That in sharing our love and our gifts we make a powerful positive impact for good in the world and universe even if we cannot see it. Sometimes the small acts of kindness, what may seem little charitable gifts of the heart make a difference. As we give in our unique and individual way we will receive back multiplied. Always know your life matters greatly and you are important to the world and any good you put out into the world, a smile to a child or elderly person, opening a door for someone, a compliment or act of service is a gift to the world and yourself. We will always get back what you give out. Maintain alignment with your truth and give truly and generously from your heart contributing positively to others and the rewards will overflow.
Dharma, highest destiny and purpose for your life
Dedicate a time in your busy life to sit with yourself contemplating honestly what your highest purpose is for this life. What is the highest Divine design and destiny of your life. What do you want to accomplish when you are done with your contract in this life.
Journaling, automatic writing
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Commit to putting aside some time everyday to be alone and flow write or what is also called automatic writing. What I love about this type of journaling is that you don’t worry about meaning, grammar, spelling or sentence structure or any of the rules of writing. You simply dump out whatever comes through your mind and let it be. Whatever thoughts arise you write down. Knowing we are not our thoughts, yet we are tuned into a thought channel, a channel of information. As you write you open yourself up to higher vibrational channels and open those channels for higher ideas from your soul to flow more easily. You can ask a question or write on a theme or idea or simple flow write from nothing.
Inner child work & playfulness
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As you dwell within and connect authentically with your inner child remember what you loved to do when you were young. What were your interests, what did you play.? How were you hurt and what shut you down? Connect with this precious little self and send her great love. Take time to replay confusing and hurtful scenes looking at it as an adult and reprogram the wounds with the higher perspcctive of an adult.
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Find ways to bring more playfulness and sponteneity into your life. Allow yourself to be silly, spend time with children. Give yourself time to put all your responsibilities aside and just have fun. Take time to reflect on what playfulness looks like for you.
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Healing core wounds & past hurts & limited conditioning
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Give yourself the gift of healing your own wounds through unconditional love. Begin to notice where you close your heart down, where you become afraid or triggered. Bring complete forgiveness and acceptance to yourself.
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We can only see our past hurts and limited conditioning and programming through self inquiry.
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Desire and Passion
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Take time to look into your heart to discover what is truly your desires and passions, not what you were taught or what others wanted for you or what is popular. Be courageously honest with yourself. What excites you? What do you love to do on your free time? What opens your heart? What would you do if you had unlimited time and money?
Self Love, Alignment & heart centered joy
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How can I love myself more, what does that look like?
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-In relationship with myself and others
-Forgiving myself and finding ways to nurture myself
-Self care, nutrition, exercise, massage, baths, reading, time in nature, etc.
-Setting boundaries, not allowing others to take advantage of me.
-The thoughts I choose to engage about myself and others
-Forgiving others, letting go of grudges so my heart can be joyous, open and free
-Living to my potential and not selling out on myself
-Doing what I love
-Setting boundaries and saying no when necessary
-Honoring my time and moving confidently in the direction of my dreams
-Consolidating my energy, not getting overwhelmed, stressed or over extended
-Putting myself first, aligning with my truth above all others
-Not caring what others think but caring deeply what I think
Mirror, owning projections, responsibility
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A large part of self inquiry is to take responsibility for our projections, heal the inner wounding with love and compassion and rooting out old programming and reactivity that no longer serves us. We are all a perfect, whole and complete child of the Universe, wholly innocent and free. However, we have hurts, conditioned beliefs, ways of being, learned patterns and programming within our consciousness that blocks the brilliant light and love of God that lives within us. Self-inquiry can help us to witness our own mind and consciousness without any judgement and bring some of the disempowered ways and wounded inner child to light… and only when we are aware of these patterns can we heal and disappear them. Often simply becoming aware of a hurt or conditioning heals and dissolves the energy.
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One of the best ways to heal our mind and the wounding within our consciousness is to notice where we are upset with others, where we hold grudges with others and use that reflection to see where we do the same to ourselves and others.
I had a huge male rejection wound that came up in every relationship, it was all about the man not making me important. I did self inquiry on where I didn’t make myself important, or where I didn’t make the man important and I began to take responsibility for my part in the situation, that I had the wound. I became free when I took responsibility for making myself important and encouraging all my relationships to make themselves most important.
Embracing your gifts, talents and unique vibrational contributions
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Take time to be honest with yourself about the gifts, talents, accomplishments, strength, love, compassion, wisdom, creativity, passion, intelligence and beauty that dwells within you. Acknowledge that you are a child of the Universe, made in the likeness of the God of your understanding, an eternal all-loving, wholly innocent awareness. Look at the impact for good your life has made for others, the example you are in the world, see how much you try and how you are doing your best.
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There is no one in all the Universe that is exactly like you, no one in all the Universe than can fulfill the purpose you have come to fulfill.
Take time to contemplate your magnificence, the gift you are to the world and life itself.
Coming home to the Atman, the Soul, the Infinite Authentic Self and ultimately Brahman.
Use time to self-reflect to dive deeply into the unmanifest Self, the unified field of oneness. Bring all your soul power back into your soul and bask inwardly, resting with all your attention within and find that sweet stillness and peace that is your truest nature.
Take time to know yourself beyond words, beyond all understanding, as a felt sense, a vibrational frequency of love that is unique to your soul. Bask in the nectar of your ever-expanding heart.