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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