Geshe YongDong Losar: Exploring Breath, Yoga, and Meditation (#198)
Nov 11, 2024
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Geshe YongDong Losar, a Tibetan Bön lama and spiritual teacher, shares insights from his work at Sherab Chamma Ling in Canada. He discusses his new course, 'Calm Breath, Calm Mind,' emphasizing the revitalizing power of yoga and meditation in our chaotic lives. The conversation highlights how ancient practices are being embraced in the West, contrasting modern distractions with the pursuit of inner peace. Geshe YongDong also explores breath control and energy balance, offering practical techniques for emotional well-being and personal growth.
Understanding oneself fosters inner peace, making external opinions less impactful on personal self-worth and resilience.
Ancient practices like yoga and meditation provide essential tools for achieving mental clarity and harmony amidst modern life distractions.
Deep dives
The Importance of Self-Knowledge
Self-knowledge serves as a critical foundation for personal peace and resilience. When individuals understand themselves, external opinions, whether positive or negative, become less impactful on their sense of self-worth. This mastery over one’s identity fosters a sense of calmness, enabling a person to maintain peace regardless of external circumstances. Knowledge of oneself reinforces the idea that confidence does not depend on others' compliments or judgments.
Relevance of Traditional Practices
Traditional practices like yoga, breathing techniques, and meditation remain essential in the contemporary world filled with distractions. Despite the fast-paced modern life, the desire for happiness and the avoidance of suffering are universal, connecting all generations. These ancient teachings provide a grounding mechanism to counteract the chaos and constant stimulation people face today. Utilizing these traditional methods in modern contexts can promote mental clarity and inner harmony.
Exercise for Stress Reduction
Specific physical exercises can be instrumental in alleviating stress and promoting relaxation. Techniques such as deep breathing and mindful movement help release tension stored in various body areas, such as the shoulders and stomach. Neshe Yong Dong emphasizes the importance of awareness of one's body and recognizing where stress manifests. Regular practice of these exercises can facilitate a transformation from a state of overwhelm to one of tranquility.
Integrating Energy Movement and Emotions
The relationship between energy flow and emotions signifies that blocked energy can lead to negative feelings such as anger or frustration. Each emotional state corresponds to specific energy locations within the body, and engaging in targeted practices can help release these blocks. For instance, addressing emotions related to the heart chakra can foster compassion and kindness. By harnessing awareness and movement, individuals can learn to manage their emotional health and overall well-being effectively.
This episode of the Wisdom Podcast, recorded live as a Wisdom Dharma Chat features special guest Geshe YongDong Losar. Geshe YongDong is a Tibetan Bön lama, or spiritual teacher, in the Yungdrung Bön lineage, which is rooted in the indigenous spiritual tradition of the Himalayas. He lives in Courtenay, British Columbia, where he established and directs Sherab Chamma Ling, the only Tibetan Bön Buddhist Center in Canada. He teaches in many centers and universities around the world and has also founded the Bön Da Ling Center in Costa Rica.
the positive impact that traditional practices like yoga and meditation can have on someone in today’s hectic world;
how these ancient and usually secret practices are now being opened and taught in the West; and
much more!
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