Topic Research: Yoga

• A good source to begin with and branch outwards from is Wikipedia, they often have footnotes and sources from where contributors got their information.
• Yoga Sutras of Patanjali Asana is also a Wikipedia source but talks more about the poses and some of the background of them, I will also most likely try to branch out but I think this would be a good start.
• Another good source to begin with in order to get the basic knowledge about the poses in yoga is pocketyoga.com, here they have pictures with names of the poses so even if I don't use this source I think it will be useful.
• Here they talk about the asanas and how they got their names, I think reading up on the mythology of it will help to build and create my stories

• One story that I will most likely talk about deals with the warrior poses since this is often used in everyday practices. I think that knowing the history and story behind it will be good knowledge for my story telling as well as my own personal practice
• Another pose that I'm interested in learning about (but can't do yet) is the monkey pose. Reading a bit on it peeked my interest so I am looking forward to it.
• Another potential pose and story is the corpse pose or Savasana which is probably one of the hardest ones.

                             Hanuman holding a Namaste posture

Week #5 Story: Arianhrod's Escape

Once upon a time in a far, far away land there lived a wicked witch named Abigor. This wretched witch was so evil that she was never able to marry or have kids of her own, though she so wanted to. Abigor wanted children so badly that she devised a plan to wed her sister Anya and her loyal servant Amaethon in hopes that they would have children she could take from them. On the day of Anya and Amaethon's wedding there was much rejoicing and feasting within the kingdom.. but that was about to end for the day after their wedding she threw them in her dungeon and locked them away.
Abigor knew that if she did not lock them away that they would be free to escape and disappear, taking with them their children that she so desperately wanted.


For many years Anya and Ameathon remained locked away in the kingdom's dungeon, giving birth to seven children. Though Abigor wanted a child she was never pleased and so she would send them away.


Anya and Ameathon were once again expecting a child and they grew weary and dreaded the birth for they knew that Abigor would yet again take their baby from them. Time passed and the time for Anya to give birth arrived. This night seemed special though, for outside there was fierce storm surrounding the kingdom's walls. Within the dungeon wall's Anya and Ameathon welcomed their new baby Arianrhod. Fearful that the following day Abigor would take Arianrhod they devised a plan to escape. Ameathon and Anya were able to break free form the dungeon's gates, cradling Arianhrod in Ameathon's arms they made their way past the sleeping guards. Walking out into the howling winds and rain they knew that they must act fast to get their sleeping child to safety. They followed a snake for they had an overwhelming since of trust in this snake. Approaching the Three Sister's Rivers they saw the banks flooding and knew that they must find a way to pass. As Ameathon and Anya began to grow weary and lose hope they noticed that the snake had turned himself into a raft and they hopped on. Once on the other side of the river they continued their journey to Ameathon's cousin's house where they knew Arianrhod would be safe and looked after. Finally they arriving at Ameathon's cousin's house they were able to get a better look at Arianhrod and they rejoiced for she held the signs of retribution in her hands.

                       Dark and stormy night when Arianhrod was born. Wikimedia





Author's Notes: The original outline of the story comes from Cradle Tales of Hinduism by Sister Nivedita (1907). The characters have been adapted from the original story of the Birth of Krishna and are deities from other mythologies. In the original story Vasudeva (the father) has to cross the Jumna River with Krishna, in this version Ameathon has to cross the Three Sister's River with Arianhrod, my idea for naming the river comes from Irelands five longest rivers. In Krishna's birth story only Vasudeva goes on the journey with Krishna, leaving Krishna's mother behind. Krishna is placed in Nanda's home and Vasudeva returns  to the dungeon with the baby girl that Nanda had found; she then turns into a goddess and disappears.

Reading Notes: The Birth of Krishna

-Kansa was the king of Mathura and was also a tyrant
-Though he was an evil man he did love his sister, Devaki and one of his nobles/friend, Vasudeva
-Kansa arranged a marriage of the two
-After the marriage as he was driving the couple Kansa was told that the couple's 8th child would slay him
-Quickly he turned back around and took them back to Mathura
-At Mathura he imprisoned the couple and killed every child that they had
-They had 7 children
-The night that the 8th child was to come the Jumna river rose and flooded
-The couple knew and were fearful that when their 8th child Krishna was born he would be taken and killed the next day by Kansa
-At midnight Krishna was born
-As Devaki held Krishna she noticed a light in the dungeon as well as 4 arms coming from Krishna
-In one arm he held a battle trumpet, in another he held his sudarshana chakra, in another he held kaumodakim, and in another he held a lotus with a stem
-These were all the signs of Vishnu so the began to say the salutations of Narayana
-After they completed the salutations Krishna once again appeared to them as their own child, one of flesh
-They heard voices, they were told to take him to Nanda's house to exchange the baby that was just born there
-Doing as they were told Vasudeva went to the prison gate with Krishna and the gate opened
-The guards who watched the dungeon were asleep so he made his way out
-He followed a jackal to the river, there jackal showed him where to cross the raging river
-The jackal is said to be Durga who is queen of heaven and mother of the universe
-Vadudeva arrived Gokool village where Nanda lived and entered a house where he saw the newborn he was supposed to switch with his own
-The next day the whole village rejoiced when they released that the girl they had found was actually a boy
-The day of celebration is still known as Nanda's Feast and before there is always rain
-The next day Kansa went down to the dungeon to find the boy was actually a girl
-Kansa grabbed the baby by the foot but she slipped and arose as a goddess instead
-She told him that the one who would kill him was actually safe and in Gokool
-Kansa then plotted to kill Krishna before he could kill him

  

                             Vasudeva crossing Jumna with baby Krishna: Wikimedia


Source: Cradle Tales of Hinduism by Sister Nivedita (1907) 

Reading Notes: The Churning of the Ocean

-Long ago so let's assume before man
-Rishi Druvasas cursed Indra, the king of gods
-Due to this curse all of the worlds (3 at the time) lost energy and fell apart
-Daityas or asuras helped the gods flee to Brahma (also known as Vishnu) for protection
-They sought refuge in Vishnu
-Vishnu was the tamer of demons, undying god, creator, preserver, and destroyer
-They approached Vishnu who was extravagantly dressed
-Hari (also Brahma) told them to throw potent herbs into the Milky Sea, to use Mount Mandara as a stick to turn, use serpent Vasuki a rope, and to churn the ocean
-In order to do this they must have the daityas as an ally
-Hari also told them to have daityas drink ambrosia to become immortal but that they will not become immortal
-They did as Hari told them to and became allies with the demons all while following Hari's instructions
-As the gods and demons were carrying out their tasks Hari was present but hidden on the mountain top
-Vasuki spit out fire and set the demons and gods on fire but Hari instilled strength in the gods and cast clouds full of rain over them to cool them
-Up from the sea arose, Surabhi, Varuni, Parijata, the troops of apsaras, the moon that Mahadeva (Shiva) took ahold of, a deadly poison that Mahadeva drank
-The poison turned his throat blue and he was called Nilakantha from then on.
-Dhanvantari with dew of life arose from the sea
-Sri (also Lakshmi) came from the sea and the sky elephants anointed her with water from the river Ganga, she was given flowers by the Milky Sea, and celestial jewelry from Vishvakarma
-Shri then married Vishnu which enraged the demons who took the dew from Dhanvantari
-Vishnu followed the demons and shape shifted to become a woman who snatched the dew from the demons and returned it to the gods
-The gods drank the dew that was returned and were able to send the demons to Hell
-The land and three worlds were once gain in harmony and happy
-Indra created a hymn about Lakshmi and as long as it was sung she should never abandon the three worlds

                         Elephants decorating Lakshmi with floral wreaths from wikimedia        


Notes taken from: Myths of Hindus and Buddhists by Sister Nivedita (1907, 1914)