Living in the moment

Right now is the only time you actually exist. The past exists only in memory, and the future only in your mind's projection. Being "present" to the present is truly living. What does it feel like to be present? Some describe it as feeling grounded, stable, expansive, and peaceful, deeply peaceful. There is no need for judgment, guilt, anger - or even patience - fortitude, and forgiveness, as they all stem from resistance to what "is." Being present is being with life as it is and allowing it, simply because it is what it is! In being present to the eternal Now, you experience what in yoga is called Shunia, the zero point, where the neutral mind, the loving heart, and the expanded awareness exist as one.

The warrior sequence

The dance of breath, movement, and awareness is the signature of a vinyasa. In this powerful vinyasa, be mindful of the interplay of breath and movement. Pause the breath at the end of both the inhalation and exhalation. In that pause of one or two seconds, relate to the stillness inside, outside and all around.

Full warrior

The vertebrae of the mid-spine are flexed, and digestion is stimulated in this pose. Energy is also circulated throughout the middle and upper back.

1: Stand with your left leg 2-4ft (60-120cm) forward and your right foot behind you, turned out slightly. Your arms are by your sides. Your back leg is the grounding element in this pose: keep your right leg strong and maintain a lifting feeling in the left knee.

2: On a slow, deep inhalation, bend the left knee so that it is directly above your ankle. Lift your arms up close to your ears, palms facing forward. As the movement and breath end, tilt the chin up slightly and focus on the horizon. Exhale and return to the starting position. Repeat 2-3 times, then change legs and repeat.

Extended warrior

This pose strengthens the spine and legs, tones the abdominal muscles and nervous system. Keep the mind focused and the eyes gazing forward as you practice Extended Warrior.

1: Stand with your left leg 2-4ft (60-120cm) forward and your right foot behind you, turned out slightly. Your arms are by your sides.

2: Inhale and come up into Full Warrior pose: bend the left knee so that it is directly above your ankle, and lift your arms up close to your ears, palms facing forward.

3: Exhale and come into Extended Warrior: maintain a stable base with your legs while reaching your arms forward at a 60° angle. Your chest comes out over your thigh, arms still hugging the ears, and the spine and neck are aligned.

4: Inhale deeply and return to Full Warrior position as before.

5: Exhale and bring the arms down, returning to the starting position.

Warrior bend

This pose invigorates and refreshes the mind since it increases the blood supply to the brain, greatly enhancing concentration and mental capacity. Adding this forward bend into the Warrior sequence stretches and strengthens the lower and upper spine. If you have a weak back, bring your arms down toward the ground before you bend fully forward. Rise up slowly if you begin to feel dizzy or off-balance.

1: Stand with your left leg 2-4ft (60-l20cm) forward and your right foot behind you, turned out slightly. Your arms are by your sides.

2: Inhale and come up into Full Warrior pose: bend the left knee so that it is directly above your ankle, and lift your arms up close to your ears, palms facing forward.

3: Exhale into Extended Warrior: reach your arms and upper body forward so that your chest is over your thigh, your arms by your ears, and the spine and neck are aligned.

4: Inhale and return to Full Warrior position.

5: Exhale, and with your upper arms still close by your ears, bend forward in Head-to-Knee position. Reach your arms to the ground and rest them there. Continue to firmly ground yourself through the back leg.

6: Inhale and return to Full Warrior position as before.

7: Exhale and return to Extended Warrior pose, maintaining a stable base with your legs while reaching your arms and upper body forward.

8: Inhale and return to Full Warrior position. Exhale and return to the starting position. Repeat 2-3 times.

Nadabrahma meditation

Through this meditation, from Osho's book, Meditation, you learn to listen — to yourself, your partner, and everyone you meet. Ultimately you learn to listen to, and be guided by, the soundless sound of the universe.

1: Sit in a relaxed position with your eyes closed and lips together, relaxed. Start humming loudly enough to be heard by others, and to create a vibration throughout your body. Visualize a hollow tube or empty vessel, filled only with the vibrations of the humming. A point will come when the humming continues by it self and you become the listener. There is no special breathing. Alter the pitch or move your body smoothly and slowly if you feel it. Continue for 30 minutes.

2: The second stage of the meditation is divided into two TA minute sections. For the first half move the hands, palms up, in an outward circular motion. Starting at the navel, both hands move forward, then divide to make two large circles mirroring each other on the left and right. The movement should be so slow that at times there will appear to be no movement at all. Feel that you are giving energy outward to the universe.

3: After 7½ minutes, turn the hands so that the palms are down, and move them in the opposite direction. Now the hands come together toward the navel and divide outward to the sides of the body. Feel that you are taking energy in. As in the previous movement, move extremely slowly. As in the first part of the meditation, don't inhibit any soft, slow movements of the rest of your body with these hand movements. Sit or lie absolutely quiet and still for 15 minutes.

Warrior balance

This additional pose may be added to the vinyasa at the intermediate level. For extra balancing support, position yourself near a wall so that when you lean forward your fingertips touch the wall.

1: Stand with your left leg forward, right foot behind and turned out slightly, and arms by your sides.

2: Inhale into Full Warrior pose as before.

3: Exhale into Extended Warrior pose as before, maintaining a stable base -with your legs.

4: Inhale into Full Warrior pose as before.

5: Exhale and lift the heel of your right foot up and lean forward with the spine lengthened. Keep your arms up and reach out and up as you shift your weight to your left foot and lift your right foot off the ground.

6: Lift your back leg so that your body forms a straight line from your hands to your toes. It may help to point the toes of your lifted leg. Gaze ahead as you feel the extension in your torso, arms, and leg.

7: Bend your left knee and lower your right leg. Inhale into Full Warrior pose.

8: Exhale -into Extended Warrior pose as before, maintaining a stable base with you'' legs.

9: Inhale into Full Warrior pose as before.

10: Exhale and come back to the starting position to end. Practice 2-3 rounds, then rest in the counter pose before repeating the sequence with the right leg forward.

Warrior counter pose

This allows your body to stretch and relax in the opposite direction from the Warrior sequence. Practice it after each round or at the end of the set.

With your legs straddled, pivot your feet so they are parallel to each other Bend forward and rest your hands on the floor or just allow your arms to hang down. Relax in the forward bending position, yield to gravity, and let all ' tension go. Smile from the inside! Relax for 30 seconds to 2 minutes.