New Delhi, India, 20 November 2010 - His Holiness the Dalai Lama today engaged in a conversation with renowned Indian  master Dr. Yogacharya BKS Iyengar on mind training and compassion in a discussion titled Yogic and Buddhist Techniques of Mind Training and Cultivating Compassion at the Convention Center of India Habitat Center in New Delhi.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama with BKS Iyengar and discussion moderator Rajiv Mehrotra at the Indian Habit Center in New Delhi, India, on November 20th, 2010. Photo/Tenzin Choejor/OHHDL His Holiness said happiness is generally understood as deep satisfaction; however, it is important to make a distinction between satisfaction achieved through sensorial level and mental level. The mental level of happiness, he said, can be achieved through spontaneous willingness from within as well as mind training leading to ultimate compassion. For a Buddhist practitioner, His Holiness said the ultimate goal is achieving Buddhahood by cultivating a compassionate mind and the by-product of thus practice is the ability is to achieve a calm and positive mind in one’s day-to-day life.
Dr. Iyengar known for deciphering the code of Patanjali Yoga Sutra in a scientific way and who has practiced Yoga for the last 60 years explained the seven stages in achieving happiness through yoga. He said the moment the intellect of the heart and mind meets through complete understanding of body and mind cleansing, that is when the consciousness of the egoistic self or the “I” is nullified and a practitioner experiences boundless uncolored joy. The aim of yoga, said the sprightly 93-yr-old is to achieve non-colorisation of happiness where remnants of the self is eliminated. He said a yoga practitioner treats negative emotions such as anger as separate entities and thereby brings the mind under control.

His Holiness referred to the various stages of mind as are described in Buddhist texts saying daily meditation coupled with investigation on shunyata or emptiness helps a Buddhist practitioner in achieving happiness. He said the Yoga Mandala practice in Tibetan Buddhism involves the understanding of the concept of emptiness or shunyata. Unless a practitioner has a deep understanding of shunyata, it perpetuates grasping of false realities or perceptions.

The Indian Habitat Center in New Delhi, India, venue for the conversation with His Holiness the Dalai Lama and BKS Iyengar on November 20th, 2010. Photo/Tenzin Choejor/OHHDL Asked by moderator Mr. Rajiv Mehrotra, secretary/trustee of the New Delhi-based Foundation for Universal Responsibility (FUR) if yoga aims at loosening such grasping to avoid maya or false realities, Dr. Iyengar said yoga considers ignorance or mental deficiencies as the cause of all sufferings or dukha in the world. He said living moment to moment without getting caught up in the wheel of past or memories is the path to future. In Patanjali Yoga, he explained, shunyata is known as manolaya or dissolution of the state of mind.

Speaking on the mind and body connection, His Holiness said like yoga practice that stresses on the connection between emotions and physical postures to achieve a state of equilibrium of equanimity, Tibetan Buddhist practice also stresses on the importance of mind and body connection whereby a practitioner when meditating has to focus on the correct body posture such as keeping the spine straight in order to allow the correct flow of energy to provide relaxation during meditation. He then referred to the Vajrayana school of Tibetan Buddhism where connection between right body posture and state of mind are described in detail such as dream state or deep sleep state.

Dr. Iyengar said there are some similarities or closeness between Indian yogic tradition and Tibetan Buddhist approach and suggested both traditions should work together to find a common avenue to benefit the humanity. 
The discussion was attended by Indian and western scientists among them physicists and neuroscientists, scholars, spiritual practitioners and the general public.

Click here to see the Martha Stewart's show featuring Iyengar Yoga. Original air date July 16, 2010.

The following article was originally published at www.mesotheliomasymptoms.com/yoga

_The practice of yoga combines poses, breathing techniques, meditation, and maintains its own distinct philosophy. Yoga is intended to establish a balance of the mind, body, and spirit, resulting in relaxation. Yoga’s origins stem from ancient Indian philosophy, with the earliest written descriptions of the practice appearing in Sanskrit. Yoga is derived from the word “yuj,” meaning union, and it is believed that it could have been put into practice as long as 5,000 years ago. Modern science has endorsed its use in assisting in symptomatic relief of cancer and other chronic diseases. It is a practice endorsed by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Overall, yoga can increase relaxation and physical fitness, with some cancer treatment centers providing yoga classes in addition to standard medical treatments. Due to the benefits of relaxation and physical improvement, yoga may be considered a complementary treatment. Currently, more than 100 different types of yoga are practiced in the United States alone. Most of these practices are based on hatha yoga. Hatha classes usually include gentle stretches, meditation, and restorative poses. Sometimes a mantra, a meaningful word or phrase, is used to focus the mind.

Yoga could assist patients diagnosed with cancers such as mesotheliomaas a complementary treatment. Benefits of yoga stem from the practice’s concentration on ethical standards, dietary choices, physical movements, and meditation. Implementing these practices into daily life could lead to an overall improved sense of well being in those suffering from chronic conditions, cancers, and illnesses. Yoga can be practiced at home or with teachers. Books and videos are available, and regimens can be found on television and the internet. In addition to relaxing the nervous system and improving mood, research indicates that it can lower blood pressure and heart rate, increase metabolism, affect brain waves, and strengthen the immune system. The National Institute of Health links the practice of yoga to symptom relief in: cancer, asthma, diabetes, drug addiction, high blood pressure, heart disease, and migraine headaches. When used with diet and exercise, it may reduce cholesterol levels. Randomized clinical trialsalso show that yoga can help to reduce arthritis pain and to relieve depression and anxiety.

Recent studies point to yoga as a healthy addition to medical treatments in some cancer survivors. Through achieving the balance found in yoga, a better quality of life can be established. Those diagnosed with mesotheliomamay find this especially supportive as they are generally diagnosed in the later stages of cancer. This is due to the long latency periods associated with mesothelioma. Often, the cancer lays dormant, not exhibiting first symptoms until decades after it has formed. Late stage diagnosis is sometimes associated more with palliativecare rather than curative. Complementary therapies, such as yoga, used in conjunction with standard medical treatments, could aid in patient well-being.

References:
American Cancer Society
National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine

See The Yoga Center on Charlotte Today.