contemplations off the mat – Sarasvati Sally Dawson

Mar, 2023

We run to far away temples and walk up mountains to search for what we have lost inside ourselves

Going to places for the sake of it will not help you find ‘yourself’.

Travel, even a yoga retreat, will not necessarily help you find yourself. Yes you will experience new places, different cultures and maybe get new perspectives. It can be eye-opening and perhaps make you further appreciate the life you have.

But it seems that we have lost something.

What you have lost just might be found when you give yourself an opportunity to be still and quiet. It can be found when you give yourself the opportunity to meditate and contemplate the sense of who you are and how your mind creates a sense of ‘me’ and ‘other’.

Maybe you do have to get away for that.

It is not the getting away that is important, it is the opportunity to be quiet.

Maybe you will find yourself sitting in a temple. For example the Nityananda temple in Ganeshpuri is a place of chanting and devotion, and being away from your usual routines might allow you to be open enough to experience the Shakti, the spiritual energy, that is available to us all. Maybe you get a glimpse of perspective of the familiar old mind habits.

Sitting in a cave in a mountain might also allow you to be still and quiet and open to the energy of transformation, the energy that becomes apparent when we become really still and drop back from the busy mind.

Tenzin Palmo sat in a tiny cave on a mountain for many years. In the end one of her statements was …

‘The idea that there’s somewhere we have got to get to, and something we have to attain, is our basic delusion.’

Maybe taking yourself away from your usual routines and responsibilities really does help.

But it is not the travel and it is not necessarily the place that will help you find what you have lost.

What many of us have lost is the sense of inner connection.

The sense that we are really not separate, that we really are all manifestations of one big consciousness and are in this together.

There is no ‘me’ and ‘other’. That is the mind’s creation. (I know, that’s a bit of a mind bender!)

Yes there is a separate body, with a mind, that manifests for a brief period and then fades away again. Maybe as individuals we make a small difference in the world doing work we are called to do, serving in the way that feels authentic. Sitting in stillness helps us to see what that work might be, and helps us to see how we skew our view of reality by believing the mind. We believe the mind that creates ‘me’ and ‘other’, rather than accepting that it is a sort of virtual reality on our mental screen.

Being still will give you perspective on Self and reality.

It will help you see that it is not ‘me’ that has to experience the world, judge the world, manipulate the world to suit the individual. It will help you to feel the sense of one-ness and connection. That is the work of Yoga.

Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo also said:

‘When we are angry, when we are excited, when we are depressed, when we are elated, we are completely submerged in and identified with those thoughts and feelings. This is why we suffer. We suffer because we are completely identified with our thoughts and feelings and we think this is me. This is who I am.

Being still will give you perspective on Self and reality. It will help you see that it is not ‘me’ that has to experience the world, judge the world, manipulate the world to suit the individual. It will help you to feel the sense of one-ness and connection.

That is the work of Yoga.

Then… with a feeling of inner freedom, life might unfold in a way that feels easy and purposeful.

You can’t run away from yourself.

Maybe you can find that inner freedom within right now, or maybe it is time to explore within. If so, I’d love to help.

Fluff free freedom is an online course that helps you to find the state of inner freedom that comes from truly recognizing your mind for what it can and can’t do. It takes you from stressed to calm, from uncertainty to clarity, to being present and mindful and to really getting clear on living your best life. Check it out here.

You can purchase your own set of these ‘Yoga off the mat, contemplations to enrich your practice’ cards from the store HERE.

The gorgeous original picture on the front of each card is by Gayle Stone Art.

Mar, 2023

Spiritual practice is the work we do to help us see Reality

We think we know what is real, what reality is, until we realize that reality, truth and being are all intertwined and that reality is not something that we can create, it is not something we can figure out in the mind, it is simply just what is.

We have a yearning to be free.

I feel like this is a basic desire, like food, water and shelter. A desire to find our authenticity, the self we would be without the external influences and controls suggesting how we should be.

The freedom that comes from spiritual practice is inner freedom, a feeling of ever-present love and joy within. A state where we can see that the mind creates a sense of self that is really a ‘mini-me’ and not the truth of who we are. And the very same mind thinks it knows what reality is. And maybe even thinks it can create our own reality.

However the mind only ever experiences what it creates, which is only ever a mental model.

Yes we can use the mind to move us towards change, what we put in our mind what we use to fill our mental space and take up the real estate there will shape what we do and how we see things. It is not reality itself. The mind makes up a model of reality.

Spiritual practice, at least in the way that I teach and share it, is the work we do to see how the mind works and how it plays this trick on us. We could also call it our yoga on and off the mat practice, or yoga in everyday life practice. Or as my book is titled, Yoga off the mat, freedom in everyday life.

This is the work we do to see how the mind only ever gives us a model of Reality and a model of who we are.

Once we really can see this, we realize that Reality is just what it is, and whatever we think about it makes no difference.

It just is what it is. I think that spiritual practice is to help us really perceive this, and to help us discover our divine, expansive and connected nature.

Then what?

What happens when we do feel within and discover that we can be free regardless of the external circumstances?

That doesn’t mean that we have nothing left to do!

It means that our perspective changes, we see a bigger picture, we have a sense of connectedness and wholeness, and although we still use the mind and use words like me and you and reality, we know that these are words for communication but we don’t take them quite so seriously.

And we can also feel a bubbling up of our innermost desires.

We just might be guided back ‘home’ to ourselves, and to our sense of curiosity, desire, creativity and purpose.

Fun!

>> Do you agree? Have you ever thought about what can and does unfold from your ‘off the mat’ practice?

You can purchase your own set of these ‘Yoga off the mat, contemplations to enrich your practice’ cards from the store HERE.

The gorgeous original picture on the front of each card is by Gayle Stone Art.

Mar, 2023

What was true in ancient times about your Self is also true now

The words might have changed over the years, but not the meaning. The truth then is the same truth now.

The Vedas, the Upanishads, the Bhagavad Gita, the Yoga Sutras, the Shiva Sutras and countless other writings ranging from Rumi to Eckhart Tolle talk about an altered or transformed way of seeing, that changes your experience of life.

They talk about lifting the ‘veil of illusion’ that prevents us from truly seeing and experiencing the love and bliss that we are. (That veil is the mind, that pesky intrusive thing that, although also very useful, creates images and thoughts that actually distract us from our essence, our truth.)

They also talk about experiencing our natural state of freedom, of one-ness, of union, of experiencing the creative being of the Universe. They talk of profound love and bliss, not the romantic sort of being ‘in love’, but the very state of love itself.

This same state of freedom, of one big creative being, of love is still there to be experienced right now.

It is as relevant now in our modern lives as it ever was. Probably even more relevant than ever! And perhaps even harder to experience, as the number of inputs our minds have to deal with these days has grown at an exponential rate, and so dropping back from the state of mentally processing might be even harder than ever.

The thing is, this is not something that you work out intellectually, although of course words can still help to convey an understanding or an experience.

This is an experiential project with ourselves!

An opportunity to drop back from our ever-busy mind. Not just to give the mind a break, although that is a nice side benefit.

But to really and truly experience the profound inner freedom that comes from letting go.

>> Do you agree? Have you felt even a touch of this experience of your Self that is not just the busy mind doing its thing? I’d love to know!

You can purchase your own set of these ‘Yoga off the mat, contemplations to enrich your practice’ cards from the store HERE.

The gorgeous original picture on the front of each card is by Gayle Stone Art.

Feb, 2023

Samahita yoga retreat, image of pool overlooking the beach

7 Reasons to go on a Yoga retreat

You might have heard about a Yoga retreat and wondered if it is for you.

Perhaps you are not sure whether it would be too spartan? You are thinking

‘Will I have to start the day at 5am?’

And

‘Will the place have decent amenities?’

And worse, you are wondering

‘Will I have access to a decent coffee?!’

Or maybe you think you are not experienced enough at Yoga and Meditation to attend such a retreat … something has sparked your interest, but you are not sure whether you are good enough or fit enough yet to commit to everything on offer.

And also importantly, you are wondering whether you will get any free time?

If you have any of these questions, you’ll have nothing to worry about with Danni’s and my upcoming retreat to Samahita on Koh Samui, Thailand.

Here are some of my observations on attending (as both a student and leader) many Yoga retreats over more than 20 years. This includes retreats to Mission Beach, Thailand, France, Byron Bay, India, Tasmania and other parts of Victoria:

1. More time to focus completely on yoga and meditation practice

Personally, I have had some of my most powerful meditation experiences.

Perhaps the discipline of daily yoga and meditation has enabled a mental slowing down and allowed this more fruitful inner exploration?

There is time to really tune in to that inner knowing.

Not to mention the opportunity to support physical wellbeing with daily asana – I usually learn something new about my self and my practice.

2. I love settling into the rhythm of nature

The discipline of group Meditation as the sun rises and sets, hearing the sounds, seeing the sights, smelling the smells. The daily rhythm has a discipline about it that is supportive and nurturing.

3. I love the relaxed pace

I love being away from the daily responsibilities, and how that leaves time to explore and focus. And not being attached to electronic devices. Not having to get back to the daily grind makes it a complete break.

While we have plenty on offer on our retreats, there is always plenty of unstructured time as well.

This of course is especially beneficial if you need to release stress and unwind.

4. Delicious and nutritious food

And I don’t have to prepare or cook any of it!

Retreats generally have fabulous food and Samahita takes it completely to another level with a focus on health and wellbeing. Food intolerances are of course taken into account too.

5. Other wellness activities

Retreats can also be a chance to pamper yourself with other nurturing treatments and activities to support wellbeing.

Our retreat centre in Koh Samui has a wellness centre with massage and other treatments available, and the beach and pool await too.

6. I emerge feeling strong, healthy and rested

I love the daily asana practice and walking – somehow I emerge from retreat feeling strong and yet also rested. Asana practice on retreat is usually a more dynamic practice in the morning and a restorative or meditative practice later in the afternoon. There are always enough options to suit beginners as well as more experienced practitioners.

7. Yogic/life wisdom

I love the access to Yoga wisdom from experienced teachers. If you want to ask questions and delve further whether it is about living a yogic life, a particular situation or how to develop your asana, you can. Or you can just let it all wash over you. It is your retreat to do what is right for you.

So there you have it, 7 great reasons to attend a yoga retreat!

Maybe you have thought ‘Wow that looks great, I must get around to that sometime.’

But the time has never been quite right. I have never met anyone who has regretted going on a yoga retreat!

And not only not regretted it, it is much more likely one of the best things you ever do for yourself.

>> Thinking about going on a Yoga retreat? Maybe now is the time to GO!!

For more information about our upcoming retreat to Thailand: https://classicalyoga.com.au/samahitaretreat/

Oct, 2022

How would it feel if you loosened the reins of control?

Having a human mind means having a desire to know and control, it comes with the territory, it is part of the nature of the human mind. We like that feeling that things are ‘under control’.

This might be to a greater or lesser degree, depending on our life situation and personality. We have a tendency to live a fantasy life in our heads, rather than our actual life.

The problem with control is that we don’t really have it.

Yes, really.

Of course we do have some degree of agency or free will in the choices we make.

> Do I get up or hit the snooze button?

>Do I go to yoga class or sit on the couch?

>Do I discipline my child or let it go?

>Do I keep a tidy and uncluttered house so as to feel more free to live my life and not be pulled down by unnecessary busyness, or is that all too hard and not a priority?

So yes, we make those sorts of choices, and maybe even some big picture choices about what country we live in (although to be fair we do not always have a huge choice) or what sort of job we want (which also becomes limited according to our education and experience).

It seems to me that we somehow co-create life. We play our little part, but there is a bigger picture, a bigger force working as well.

Perhaps we are a somewhat avoidant in being real with life. We play the safe game. The familiar.

So it is perhaps shocking to realise that the idea that somehow we ‘control’ life itself really is illusory.

(Sometimes it takes a big life event for us to see this, or maybe we tip-toe toward this recognition.)

However it is for you, if you invite a sense of ‘allowing’ rather than ‘controlling’, what then?

Maybe a sense of the scary unknown, the mystery?

Maybe that is somehow more ‘real’ than the ‘control’ that limits us and boxes us in?

Oh I know we are always trying to juggle and manage and control things, but don’t forget to leave some room for what the Universe wants too.

How would it feel if you loosened the reins of control a little? How would it feel to be a bit more open to the mystery and realness of life?

Consider this your invitation to let life find you!

PS: We don’t usually look at our minds in this way do we? We know we have one, but we don’t realise the full extent of how we can use it as a tool rather than being ruled by it. We rarely recognise that our sense of self, or ‘me’ is a mind-generated collection of ideas that has no actual reality. What fun it is to explore these things and to recognise that we can use the mind as a wonderful tool and not be ruled or limited by it!

You can purchase your own set of these ‘Yoga off the mat, contemplations to enrich your practice’ cards from the store HERE.

The gorgeous original picture on the front of each card is by Gayle Stone Art.

May, 2022

What would freedom look like for you?

Would it be

Lots of $money$ in the bank?
Perfect relationships?
Perfect home?
Perfect family?
Perfect job – or maybe no work at all?
The choice to do whatever I want, whenever I want?

I’m sorry to disappoint you, but this is NOT the sort of freedom that yoga offers.

>> The sort of freedom that the ancient writings and teachings point to is INNER freedom.

Okay, so perhaps there are some things on that list that look pretty good. The funny thing is that once you experience inner peace and freedom, you no longer see these things as goals and funnily enough you may even find you have many of them!

Certainly relationships become much easier when you have perspective on what it is to have this human existence. And your purpose, your work, might unfold a bit more easily as you feel into the flow of it. It may not really feel like work so much, as you realise you can be present and fully engaged in whatever you are doing.

Freedom in yoga is a capacity to drop away from the personal ‘me’ to feel a sense of expansiveness within.

Yes we still have a human life to deal with. But when we feel more freedom within, we also feel more connected and whole. Compassion and okayness are natural outcomes.

And we realise that where we are right now, and doing whatever we are doing, is where we find that freedom.

I’d love to know if YOU find freedom in your everyday life?

To me, that’s what this work is really about (I even wrote a book about it!)

*If you are interested in experiencing more inner freedom in your life, then my online course Fluff-free freedom might be just perfect for you. Find out more HERE

You can purchase your own set of these ‘Yoga off the mat, contemplations to enrich your practice’ cards from the store HERE.

The gorgeous original picture on the front of each card is by Gayle Stone Art.

Mar, 2022

An unexpected benefit from decluttering

A few years ago if someone had said this to me I would have been shocked … but thanks to my decluttering and simplicity journey, I am delighted to hear it:

‘I picked up your book Yoga off the mat’ at a street library during a COVID lockdown. I have read it slowly. I have had yoga in my life for many years and find the journey so exciting, including finding your book. Sending you lots of love and appreciation.’

It makes me smile.

Someone thought to pass on my words because they had served their purpose for them, and now someone else has benefitted.

Not only that. Another week or so later, I got this message:

‘Hi, I got your CD Shavasana at a garage sale. It’s so great, I use it 3 x a day for burn out recovery. I want to buy some for family and friends, where can I get it?‘

It really does make me happy.

To have my book in a street library and a CD in a garage sale of course confirms that I have been around for a while, (the book is over 4 years old now and the CD over 14!) but I suspect that not too many years ago I would have felt a twinge of hurt, ‘who threw away my book / CD?’

What I am finding by getting rid of anything I no longer need, is that my surroundings feel clearer and cleaner, and somehow I am freer to go in whatever direction feels right, without feeling too weighed down.

It is great to know that all the trips to the op shops in Mordialloc and Parkdale and the Already Read shop in Euroa are helping others too, perhaps in quite unexpected ways.

Decluttering to me is a form of ‘sauca’, a term from Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras meaning something like ‘purity and cleanliness’ and of ‘aparigraha’, meaning ‘non- grasping’. These are both behaviours that the Patanjali suggest we cultivate and I could go on about each one at length (but won’t).

Putting it simply, if our space feels cluttered we feel that as a burden, whereas having clear space around us feels lighter and freer. We really don’t need or use or even enjoy many of our possessions. For example, when looking at my wardrobe, it helps me if I remember that I can only wear one outfit at a time.

And we all know that we are constantly bombarded with ads and images suggesting that our life would be better if only we had this outfit or that furniture, this product that is going to make our complexion look dewy or that device for keeping in touch or for cooking something amazing in record time.

The truth is, we need a lot less than we think, and that does not for one minute mean we can’t have nice things, just a reminder that we don’t have to grasp at all the things that other people want us to think we need.

This is all part of a yoga journey, who would have thought?

So, over to you now, what have you learnt from your yoga journey or from decluttering. I’d LOVE to know!

Want to know more about yoga off the mat? Check out my online course Fluff-free freedom or sign up for my newsletter to keep up with the latest.

Feb, 2022

YOU are the only one who can free yourself

Yes a teacher might point you in the right direction.

But unless you do the work yourself, you probably wont get to experience the wonderful state of freedom that is available for you.

The wonderful state of bliss and connection that comes from dropping back from the busy mind.

The state of yoga that is your birthright.

This is something that takes work to realise, it certainly isn’t immediately obvious, is it?

To see the mind for what it can do and what it can’t do.

To practice being still and dropping away from the mental drama so as to experience the bliss and Shakti of being.

It is wonderful to have a mind and we use the mind in so many ways to make our way in life.

We get so familiar with it that we mistakenly think that we are the mind and that the mind is somehow what defines us.

Our work is to free ourselves from the trap of the mind.

The trap of the ego.

The trap of the mind-developed sense of self.

As this card suggests that you contemplate, you are the only one that can do that for yourself.

When you do, what is left is experience of inner freedom and bliss. Of perspective. We realise the Self as one big connected being.

We are the droplet in the ocean, so we are the ocean itself.

Freeing yourself is the work of yoga.

Oh, and when you truly get that, guess what? Then there is more work!

Feeling free within in a big step.

And then life goes on and continues to require actions, responses, interactions and so on. If you take the time and effort to keep noticing (and not just float around in your newfound bliss bubble) you will observe that life still has its ups and downs. You can observe yourself interacting. You see the effect of your interactions. You can observe your mind chatting.

Perhaps you have a new compassion for yourself and for others.

***

Much more meaning than is teased out here can be taken from these cards, this is just a starting point.

You can purchase your own set of these ‘Yoga off the mat, contemplations to enrich your practice’ cards from the store HERE.

The gorgeous original picture on the front of each card is by Gayle Stone Art.

*If you are interested in experiencing more inner freedom in your life, then my online course Fluff-free freedom might be just perfect for you. Find out more HERE

Nov, 2021

Surrender to what is

Can you be okay with how things are?

They don’t have to stay as they are, in fact there is nothing more certain than change anyway, but for this moment now can you simply surrender?

Or do you feel the need for control?

Having a human mind means having a want to control, a desire to know and be certain about things. And yet control really is an illusion. Yes we have a degree of personal agency, but the bigger picture is always just what it is, regardless of how we would like to control and manage it.

Surrender happens when you no longer question ‘why me?’

We could well ask instead, ‘why not me?’.

We can be annoyed when things don’t go the way we think they should, can’t we? Have you seen that in yourself? Sometimes it is easier to see in other people’s situations.

An alternative response is to surrender to the reality of the moment.

When we surrender to ‘what is’ we no longer ‘argue with reality’ and can find a place of acceptance, and then funnily enough we have better capacity to deal with whatever it is we have to deal with. We find a way to be OK.

‘Surrender’ is a wonderful mantra for meditation, and for life! One of the tracks on my Shavasana CD and digital recording is a Surrender meditation – you can get it right now here.

Have you practiced surrendering? What have you found?

While considering the idea of surrender, you might also be interested to read ‘The Surrender Experiment’ by Michael Singer. A book and author I have only come across in the last couple of years: https://untetheredsoul.com/

Much more meaning than is teased out here can be taken from these cards, this is just a starting point.

You can purchase your own set of these ‘Yoga off the mat, contemplations to enrich your practice’ cards from the store HERE.

The gorgeous original picture on the front of each card is by Gayle Stone Art.

*If you are interested in the possibility of surrender and experiencing more inner freedom in your life, then my online course Fluff-free freedom might be just perfect for you. Find out more HERE

Jul, 2021

You already have everything you need within

You don’t have to search anywhere else.

The freedom you seek is within. The happiness you seek is right there too.

The truth about your being and reality, which maybe you did or maybe you didn’t know was part of the puzzle, is right there as well. The truth of your path, your dharma, is within you.

How do you find out what there is to know if it is within?

You have to be quiet.

You have to quieten the busy mind and drop back from it.

Ironically, if you really want to know your path, if you really want to experience freedom within, you have to be willing to surrender the need to control and know.

When you give up all the mental habits and desires you may well find a sort of profound joy and okay-ness.

And then perhaps a glimmer of insight as to your path will bubble up and become apparent. Where you are right now is perfect for now. Sometimes it is perfect for later on too, but we all know that change is inevitable. Maybe in stillness we get a little nudge about moving in a certain direction. And if you listen quietly maybe the message gets clearer or maybe it fades away.

I have always found that projects and ideas have presented themselves, and rightly or wrongly I have tended to follow the little nudges. Some have been more outwardly ‘successful’ than others but I always grow and learn from them.

The nudges I have followed are many, here are a few:

*Do yoga teacher training (way, way back in 2001!)

*Teach meditation as well as yoga

*Teach mother and baby yoga

*Teach yoga for breast cancer

*Write a book

*Buy our house in Mordialloc (moving to the beach from the eastern suburbs where we had spent most of our married life)

*Create yoga off the mat contemplation cards

*Blog and chat about the contemplation cards

*Create an online course that takes people to a state of inner freedom

Some of these projects had a natural duration and others continue. The thing I have found is to stay open and to stay tuned in to the inner voice, so to speak.

Life presents us with opportunities as well as what might be seen as challenges. These are the ups and downs of any life. How we accept and ride those waves is up to us. Spend some time tuning into your inner wisdom and you might find that everything really is okay. You really can feel a sense of inner joy and okay-ness. Maybe even great bliss and love. That is always my wish for you.

Much more meaning than is teased out here can be taken from these cards, this is just a starting point.

You can purchase your own set of these ‘Yoga off the mat, contemplations to enrich your practice’ cards from the store HERE and postage is free in Australia. They make a perfect gift too.

The gorgeous original picture on the front of each card is by Gayle Stone Art.

*If you are interested in the possibility of experiencing more inner freedom in your life, then my online course Fluff-free freedom might be just perfect for you. Find out more HERE

Category Archives: contemplations off the mat

Mar, 2023

Mar, 2023

Mar, 2023

Feb, 2023

1. More time to focus completely on yoga and meditation practice

2. I love settling into the rhythm of nature

3. I love the relaxed pace

4. Delicious and nutritious food

5. Other wellness activities

6. I emerge feeling strong, healthy and rested

7. Yogic/life wisdom

Oct, 2022

May, 2022

Mar, 2022

Feb, 2022

Nov, 2021

Jul, 2021