The Satsang Monthly Newsletter
The Sangha House
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The Sangha House Community |
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The Satsang Newsletter
Welcome to the latest edition of The Satsang Newsletter from The Sangha House.
This month Andy Spragg investigates how we can stop making mountains out of molehills, this piece includes a meditation.
We also have articles on the history and significance of the Winter Solstice on the 21st December and how to achieve your New Years Resolutions according to psychology.
This month's book recommendations come from Mel Spuffard, Bowen and Evans Alignment Therapist at the Sangha House. She has kindly reviewed Your Bodies Many Cries for Water by Dr F Batmanghelidj and Speedy Bosh by Henry Firth & Ian Theasby.
Sangha House member, Lynn O'Connell shares her reflections on The Real Messages at the Climate Change March in Glasgow and Warwick Lydiate has shared his thoughts on Understanding Human Consciousness.
We also have Morgan Lane discussing gratitude and Sean Toland questioning ‘What is abhyāsa (practice)?
We would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a peaceful Christmas and a New Year full of hope, love and community.
Namaste
PuddingMcPudding
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The Sangha House, not just a yoga studio |
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Mountains from Molehills – Buddhist Meditation
Andy Spragg
So the subject of this meditation came to me at 4 o’clock in the morning. We had our windows open and a storm arrived and woke me up. That time of night is the worst for letting the thoughts come. I listened to the rain lashing down and started thinking ‘leaks’. Even though I couldn’t hear anything dripping within the house, I was all set to jump out of bed. Then I thought “Stop making mountains out of molehills”. I followed my breath for a while and went back to sleep. But, it did give me a good topic for a meditation. Because, that’s what we do, all the time. Make mountains out of molehills. Before we dive in to this though, I must emphasize that of course we have to think about things, worry about things, plan for eventualities. Life is complex and sometimes we must work to find solutions to problems. But here, specifically, I’m talking about those situations where the mind creates a situation that either doesn’t exist or it makes a situation something to fear or be anxious about.
Here, with meditation, we are using these times when the mind does this, as an opportunity to learn. To see how our mind doesn’t always tell us the truth. To see how it creates and distorts. Remember, the Buddha taught us that we don’t suffer because of the things that happen to us, we suffer because of our reaction to the things that happen to us. In order to work on those reactions we have to notice how the mind is working. Essentially the minds functions can be separated into two primary types. Awareness and creation. Here, when we make a mountain out of a molehill, the create side of the mind is cutting in. So we can notice this. Looking into what is going on. Seeing how the mind is creating thoughts, seeing how they are not actually real. The stories within them or just that. Stories.
OK So let’s delve a little deeper here and see what happens with our minds and how they create these mountains. There is no doubt we have challenge in our life. But when challenged, the first thing that arises is a feeling, an emotion. This will be extremely fast and initially we may not even notice it occurring. Mind then kicks in and justifies how it is feeling. It reaches out and searches for an explanation for the emotion. Sometimes, it doesn’t tell us the truth and the cause. It latches on to a reason. It is at this point where the problem really occurs because the mind embellishes the experience, making it appear bigger, more important. We shouldn’t see this process as somehow wrong or evil. It is just human. We have evolved to do this. All those thousands of years ago, the humans who’s minds behaved in this way, survived and thrived.
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The Real Messages at the Climate Change March in Glasgow by Lynn O'Connell, long time member of The Sangha House
"Why I wept"
I joined brave little Greta, who roars like a lioness, yesterday on the Climate Change march in Glasgow.
Because I went on my own, I was fleet of foot and I talked to a huge number of diverse people on that march.
The press missed the point when it reported a ‘show’ (maybe as it always does).
I saw and spoke with:
Generations; grandfathers, parents and babes in arms quietly marching together because ‘what else can they do ?’,
Resistant parents with older children tugging on their sleeves - ‘can we buy something mummy?’ as we passed street traders peddling brightly coloured tat whistles and tat umbrellas,
Vital surfers against sewage who already paddle through a product of our foolhardiness with the planet, mobilised by the strong life force of the young,
A man bearing the weight of a giant model bird on his shoulders for 3 miles because he loves those wild things that have been here for millions of years and worries that their habitats are failing,
A swell of anger at corporations (interestingly less so at governments) who appear to have steered COP26 to their own agendas,
Resourceful people simply carrying a branch from a tree – ‘what a good idea’ - alongside ubiquitous placards stating that ‘the wrong Amazon is burning’,
And an absence of any elected leaders mingling and learning.
What I didn’t expect were such heartfelt conversations:
Elderly women telling of a lifetime of doing everything they can as individuals for sustainability, yet tired of making no difference – ‘this is our final thing’,
Citizens doing their best to be heard but not believing that they will be,
A sense of resignation that comes when you know that the high expectations of this particular COP26 are lost.
And for me, most poignantly, so many people with a real sense of sadness for what is already gone.
One man’s placard: ‘I love this earth and I am heartbroken’.
I wept all the way home.
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Gratitude
Morgan Lane
As we approach the end of the year, it's time to take the pace down a notch.
Let's be honest, these last two years have been tough focusing so much on the past and uncertain future. We can forget to actually be present and live in the moment appreciating what we do have.
Let this month be a time to surrender into our inner thoughts and feelings.
Listen to yourself and do what's right for your mind and body.
Let's be grateful for what we have done and experienced.
Sending my thoughts and love to you all over this time and look forward to seeing you all in the New year.
Morgan Lane is a yoga and pilates instructor at The Sangha House, she teaches every Monday at 4pm, Tuesday at 12.30pm and Wednesday at 9.30am.
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Tina Turner - Peace Mantra
SARVESHAM SVASTIR BHAVATU MANTRA
Om shanti, shanti, shanti, om …
We all my have heard mantras in our lifetimes. Either we are practicing yoga and meditation on daily basis and or have seen Buddhist monks, yogis and disciples recite mantras.
Mantras are well-known to be food for the soul since ancient times.
Like silent meditation, reciting mantras on a regular basis can have a very positive and profound impact on our brain activity and for that on our immediate and distant environment.
This mantra is translated from the ancient Sanskrit and it originates in Hinduism.
Sarvesham Swasti Bhavatu,
Sarvesham Shantir Bhavatu
Sarvesham Purnam Bhavatu,
Sarvesham Mangalam Bhavatu
May there be well-being and happiness in all
May there be peace and tranquility in all
May there be completeness in all
May there be success and prosperity in all
Tina Turner has partnered with Regula Curti and Dechen Shak-Dagsay to produce this beautiful mantra.
Click on the link below and give yourself permission to switch off
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The Winter Solstice - Celebrating Yule
Yule, also known as Yuletide or Yulefest, is celebrated at the winter solstice, which falls between December 20-23 in the northern hemisphere, depending on the year. It represents the transition back into the light, and a welcoming of the sun. It’s also the official first day of winter.
What is Yule?
Yule marks the longest night of the year and the welcoming of light returning to the world, as each day from this point on to the summer solstice will gain a few precious minutes of warm sunlight. It is the turning point from darkness to light. This ancient celebration was predominantly honoured in various European traditions.
People of ancient times would commemorate the solstice with candles and bonfires on the longest night as a tribute to the sun’s return. Dancing, singing, feasting, and rejoicing in festivities were an important part of the tradition, as was decorating the home and giving gifts. In addition to paying homage to the sun, Yule honours the natural cycle of rebirth, and most importantly, a celebration of hope. It embodies the idea of having faith that the dawn will come after even the longest, darkest night.
The Origin of Yule
People have observed the winter solstice, which is the shortest day of the year, as early as the Neolithic period, the last part of the Stone Age dating all the way back to 10,200 BC. Neolithic monuments, including Ireland’s Newgrange and Scotland’s Maeshowe, are aligned with the sunrise on the winter solstice. Perhaps the most famous Neolithic monument, Stonehenge, is positioned toward the sunset on the winter solstice, so it may also have been a place of worship and ritual.
Many ancient civilizations celebrated the winter solstice. For the Greeks, it was Kronia. The Romans had Saturnalia. Other cultures around the world had their own way of honouring the solstice, but Yule was the celebration of the ancient Scandinavian and Germanic people. The merrymaking of the Yuletide season usually lasted for twelve days, which was about the time it took for the Yule log to burn. The winter months in northern Europe were often a difficult time of famine, and so most of the cattle were slaughtered so they wouldn’t need to be fed. The temporary abundance of fresh meat meant it was a good time to feast.
However, the steady spread of Christianity throughout Europe quickly sought to abolish many of the “heathen” practices. Christian missionaries were abhorred by the pagans worshipping multiple deities and spirits as part of their seasonal celebrations, and they sought to convert the native people. One of their most successful methods was to learn the natives’ myths and religious beliefs so parallels could be drawn between Catholicism and pagan festivals. In the case of Yule, Christians adopted many of the Yuletide traditions (Christmas trees, wreaths, candles, mistletoe, et cetera) but redirected the purpose of the celebration to the birth of Jesus, even though many Biblical scholars believe Jesus was actually born in July or August.
One of the most influential historical figures to accelerate the melding of Yule and Christmas was the Norwegian king Haakon the Good in the 10th century AD. He decreed that the Yule celebration would no longer be on Midwinter Eve, but rather the date we all know as Christmas on the 25th of December. Norwegian Vikings were required by law to celebrate either holiday with a supply of ale or face substantial fines. Over time, with the two holidays celebrated on the same day with many of the same traditions, Yule became synonymous with Christmas.
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Understanding Human Instincts - Warwick Lydiate |
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There are several excellent systems to help us understand personality types. As most readers of The Satsang magazine will know by now, my own favourite is the Enneagram. However, whatever system is utilised, it is important to realise that basic personality types can have subtle shades, which allow people of similar types to demonstrate some surprisingly different characteristics. In Enneagram thought, three such variants (or instincts) are considered, - they are referred to as self-preservation, one to one, and social instincts. Each of us have all these three, but as we shall see, not at all to the same degree. Usually, one or other of these is dominant, another one might have a slightly lesser influence, but supports the dominant, and the third is usually experienced as a blind spot that we tend not to think about very often.
The instincts themselves are easily understood and are related in human evolution terms to survival. Someone with a ‘self-preservation’ dominant instinct will tend to be motivated to invest time and energy into self-care. They might pay particular attention to physical health and well-being. They may also make sure their finances are kept in order, or might be particularly house proud. In times of crises, peoples self-preservation instincts will tend look to their own devices to see them through.
The person who has a dominant ‘one to one’ instinct will look out for a close connection to one or perhaps a few people and will invest time and attention into those relationships. To borrow a phrase from Who Wants to be a Millionaire’, such a person might get along in the world by ‘phoning a friend’. The close inner circle or perhaps single confidante is the preferred means of support in difficult times.
Those with a dominant social instinct like to feel the safety and security of the group. They will usually know their place in the group and are most comfortable in that environment. To borrow once again from ‘Who Wants to be a Millionaire’, these people will be those most likely to ‘ask the audience’ in any time of crisis. They might also prefer to have a job where social interaction or teamwork is important.
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Most Inspirational Read
Books recommended by Mel Spuffard, Bowens and Evans Alignment Therapist at The Sangha House
Your Body's Many Cries for Water
by Dr F Batmanghelidj
Did you know that ‘Thirst is the last signal for Dehydration?’
At the time of starting to read this book, I had been experiencing chronic leg pain for around 3 months!
I realised that someone who promotes water all the time had only been drinking one glass a day most days!! So I decided to up my water intake to the recommended 2 litres per day.
Within 3 days my leg pains had disappeared!! I wont make that mistake again.
The deeper I got into the book the more it all made sense as our bodies are made up of around 80% water.
I am now on a water trial to combat my slightly high cholesterol.
A fascinating and informative book although sometimes a bit technical with the scientific stuff, most definitely worth a read.
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Speedy BOSH!
Henry Firth & Ian Theasby
The Fastest, Tastiest and Easiest Recipes Ever
I love this book and quite often use it during the week as its so quick and easy. Whilst it is plant based the recipes are not only nutritious they are very satisfying, and a great sensation on the taste buds. Even my kids enjoy them.
One of my favourites is the ‘Speedy Laksa’ this was lovely and so filling.
Mel Spuffard is a holistic therapist practicing Bowens and Evans Alignment techniques with benefits including improved quality of sleep, improved mobility, a more positive outlook on life. The treatments are gentle, with relief often felt immediately.
The Bowen Technique uses gentle rolling type movements and series of unique breaks over muscle, tendon and fascia. The Evans Alignment Technique is a unique and gentle way of aligning joints to relieve muscle tensions caused by misalignments.
For further information or to book an appointment with Mel, please contact us at [email protected] or call us on 01823 428156.
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We would love to hear about your most inspiring reads so please do contact us to enable us to share with our readership. |
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Pause for Thought
Pudding McPudding
My Christmas Wish for You
My Christmas wish for you, my friend
Is not a simple one
For I wish you hope and joy and peace
Days filled with warmth and sun
I wish you love and friendship too
Throughout the coming year
Lots of laughter and happiness
To fill your world with cheer
May you count your blessings, one by one
And when totalled by the lot
May you find all you've been given
To be more than what you sought
May your journeys be short, your burdens light
May your spirit never grow old
May all your clouds have silver linings
And your rainbows pots of gold
I wish this all and so much more
May all your dreams come true
May you have a Merry Christmas friend
And a happy New Year, too.
by Ruth Kephart
May the long time sun shine upon you
May all love surround
and may the bright light within you guide you on your way
Pudding xxx
As within, so without
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‘What is abhyāsa (practice)?
Sean Toland
The tools we use may vary, but personally, I believe it’s that repeated effort towards concentrating the mind. Showing up consistently, regardless of how we’re feeling. We do it whether we want to or not. In fact, I believe the most growth occurs when we really grind it out, not merely doing it when it’s convenient or when we feel inspired. Practice is 100% a discipline!
I’ve been re-reading a great book called, ‘Embodying the Yoga Sūtra’ by Ranju Roy and David Charlton. I thought I’d share some of their thoughts on the following sūtra from the samādhi pāda:
‘1.13 tatra sthitau yatno’ bhyāsah - Practice is the effort to be stable there (in a state of nirodha (stillness)).
We could say that abhyāsa is ‘the effort to put our supports in place’. The supports will help us fly. This effort is not to be done half-heartedly; it requires a steady application of will, and a persistence that is neither rigid and dogmatic on the one hand, nor lacking in vigour and purpose on the other. It is relatively easy to reach a state of clarity - but it will be ephemeral and unstable if it is not well grounded. abhyāsa is about not slipping and this often requires us to swim upstream a little, to challenge ourselves - always from a place of stability. Too often, yoga is associated with a kind of New Age airiness that can create great experiences that do not last. abhyāsa is about cultivating traits, and not simply states. Although it is sometimes not a popular message, stability and discipline lie at the very heart of the yoga tradition.’
What does practice mean to you?’
Kind regards,
Sean
Sean Toland teaches Ashtanga yoga at The Sangha House every Tuesday at 6.30pm
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Coming up at The Sangha House |
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RESTART PROGRAMME - BACK FOR 2022
Our proven programme for exercise, health and nutrition is back!
Starting Monday 17th January 2022, Restart Returns. If you are struggling with the motivation to look after your diet and exercise and healthy nutrition at the moment, this is the one for you!
Six week programme.
Live exercise classes
Nutrition advice and consultation
Motivational sessions
FUN
Each week you will have two exercise classes, one meditation session and one meeting looking at progress and nutrition.
All run by our fully qualified personal trainer.
In addition to this, you will have to our free library of classes - Yoga, Tai Chi, Exercise, Qi Gong etc.
£200 non members
£60 members
For further information please contact us at [email protected] or call us on 01823 428156.
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HOW TO ACHIEVE YOUR NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS, ACCORDING TO PSYCHOLOGY
For most of us, New Year’s resolutions are a mixed bag: whether we’re looking to get fit, become more environmentally-friendly, or just keep up a new hobby, there sometimes seems to be no rhyme or reason as to why some habits stick and others fall by the wayside almost immediately.
But there are a few things you can do to make your new routines work, based on research into motivation, temptation and achievement. Here’s our digest of the ten findings that could help make that New Year’s resolution stay around until next December.
Plan for moments of temptation, don’t just respond to them
If you’ve ever tried to give something up, even for a short period of time, you’ll know just how all-consuming temptation can be. Skipping a session at the gym, letting your screen time creep back up, or flaking on plans when you promised you wouldn’t: it can sometimes feel almost impossible not to cave.
And whilst we often put our ability to ignore these temptations down to our capacity to exercise self-control in the moment, actively planning for temptation may be better than just responding to as one 2019 study argued. Another, also published in 2019, found that more “planful” people were more likely to keep up their gym habit.
Goal progress was far better supported by proactive rather than reactive strategies of self-control, the first study found — so planning how you’re going to deal with urges before they arise may be a better way of keeping new habits up than hoping for the best when temptation strikes.
Find a sense of purpose
Having a sense of purpose can be of huge psychological benefit: you’re likely to have greater emotional well-being and to feel generally better about life, for instance.
And some research suggests it may make you better off financially, too. One 2016 study followed more than 7000 participants over nine years, finding that those with a “greater sense of purpose” had also ended up richer than those with little or none.
Of course there are structural issues at play — those on low salaries or living with debt are extremely unlikely to have got there merely because they didn’t have a sense of purpose, nor will they be able to suddenly become millionaires if one develops.
But still, the findings suggest that having a greater sense of purpose in life could be a useful strategy for working towards long-term goals.
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"The Light" Guided Meditation
Ram Dass
Guided Meditation by Ram Dass entitled "The Light"
Ram Dass guides you to a place of pure light in the middle of your chest and reminds you that you are this light – your body is just the container. But it is not enough to just see our own light, we need to see that everyone has this light within. Anytime of the day, you always can come back to the breath. Bring the breath as if you are breathing out of the middle of the chest, and with each breath brighten the light that sits in the middle.
To listen to this meditation click on the link below
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