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The Bearded Naked Blog
Join Matt - The Bearded Naked Yogi for weekly musings about life, philosophy and how to apply to the teachings of Yoga
to our modern lives.
The Virtues: Vidya
Over the next few weeks we will take a journey into the “virtues” of Yoga; a set of principles and practices that serve as both a compass and a guiding light for navigating the chaos of modern life. Yoga, with its emphasis on harmony, self-awareness, and ethical living, has always provided practical tools to navigate the complexities of life in the modern world - and however challenging or confusing our own path to self-development can seem, Yoga’s virtues remain profoundly r
2 days ago
The Timeless Virtues of Yoga in the Modern World
It is safe to say that since starting my teaching practice as The Bearded Naked Yogi, our world has changed. The fluctuations in global relationships and leadership, the ceaseless technology and societal challenges, and the deepening environmental concerns that dominate across the media ensure that the stresses of life grow more each day. And those stresses have an impact; on you, on me, on everyone. We live in the modern age and, for many, it is not an easy time in which to
Sep 13
The Kleshas: Abhinivesha
Arriving at the end of our examination of the five Kleshas, my hope remains that these posts have been enlightening in a way that shines a little light upon these most common aspects of the human condition. Again, we have discussed a lot in these articles about ‘suffering’ and about what that means within the context of Yoga - but let’s not get too caught up the language and words here; suffering is absolutely part of the human experience and not something to be rejected or r
Sep 6
The Kleshas: Asmita
We are well over halfway through our examination of the five Kleshas and I hope these posts have been enlightening in a way that shines a little light upon these most common aspects of the human condition. We have discussed a lot in these posts about ‘suffering’ and about what that means within the context of Yoga - but let’s not get too caught up the language and words here; suffering is absolutely part of the human experience and not something to be rejected or run from; it
Aug 30
The Kleshas: Dvesha
The Kleshas (or “Five Hindrances”) are discussed within the Yoga Sutras as the fundamental causes of human suffering. The Yogis of ancient times examined the root causes of all suffering within the human experience, deeply exploring the nature of the mind and its fluctuating vibrations in order to find the absolute truth of what it means to be human… and what it means to become your true, unhindered Self. As briefly discussed already, there is a universal and timeless quality
Aug 23
The Kleshas: Raga
The Kleshas (or “Five Hindrances”) are discussed within the Yoga Sutras as the fundamental causes of human suffering. We may all be able to offer up various situations and circumstances in our individual lives that contribute to our “suffering”, but the Yogis of old went deeper into the science of understanding suffering than perhaps even the Buddha Himself. There is a universal and timeless quality to the Kleshas that transcend time, location or social status. We all suffer;
Aug 16
The Kleshas: Avidya
The Kleshas, also known as the Five Hindrances, are an important concept in various Indian philosophies, and have a preeminent position within the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali and in the philosophy of Yoga itself. This eminence is given due to their universal occurrence within the human mind, with the Kleshas representing the primary obstacles or mental disturbances that hinder spiritual progress and cause suffering. The term "Klesha" originates from Sanskrit and can be translate
Aug 9
The Vrittis: Smriti
As we have explored the opening intricacies of Yoga philosophy and begun our examination of its profound understanding of the nature of...
Oct 13, 2024
The Vrittis: Nidra
As we delve deeper into the nuances of Yoga philosophy, it becomes evident that its scope extends far beyond conventional understanding....
Oct 6, 2024
The Vrittis: Vikalpa
As we continue our exploration of the more subtle aspects of Yoga philosophy, we are hopefully beginning to understand that there is far...
Sep 29, 2024
The Vrittis: Viparyaya
Viparyaya is the second of the canonical vrittis within yogic philosophy and is a term that translates to " misconception ," "...
Sep 22, 2024
The Vrittis: Pramana
Last week we dived head first into one of the most fascinating teachings of Yoga philosophy; the teachings of the ‘ Vrittis ’ - the...
Sep 8, 2024
The Vrittis - Understanding The Nature Of The Mind
In the profound realm of Yoga philosophy, the " vrittis " gracefully reveal to us the intricate dance of the mind's fluctuations. Derived...
Sep 1, 2024
The Spiritual Anatomy of Yoga - Sahasrara
“Wherever you go, you carry your light with you” ~ Yogi Ashokananda, my Beloved Teacher Over the last few weeks, we have shared a journey...
Jun 9, 2024
The Spiritual Anatomy of Yoga - Ajna
“Wherever you go, you carry your light with you” ~ Yogi Ashokananda, my Beloved Teacher We have reached this next blog having covered an...
Jun 2, 2024
The Spiritual Anatomy of Yoga - Vishuddha
“Wherever you go, you carry your light with you” ~ Yogi Ashokananda, my Beloved Teacher Let us take a moment here, Friends, to reflect...
May 26, 2024
The Spiritual Anatomy of Yoga - Anahata
“Wherever you go, you carry your light with you” ~ Yogi Ashokananda, my Beloved Teacher Our journey through the key principles of human...
May 19, 2024
The Spiritual Anatomy of Yoga - Manipura
“Wherever you go, you carry your light with you” ~ Yogi Ashokananda, my Beloved Teacher We continue our journey through the spiritual...
May 12, 2024
The Spiritual Anatomy of Yoga - Svadhisthana
“Wherever you go, you carry your light with you” ~ Yogi Ashokananda, my Beloved Teacher The spiritual anatomy of yoga is a vast subject...
May 5, 2024
The Spiritual Anatomy of Yoga - Muladhara
“Wherever you go, you carry your light with you” ~ Yogi Ashokananda, my Beloved Teacher The spiritual anatomy of yoga is a vast subject;...
Apr 28, 2024
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