The Ineffable
Teaching
different in their practice. I have to remind myself that all too
often we only see what we are looking for and miss much of what lies
before us. The real practice is in allowing the experience to live
us so that we stop getting in the way.
Thoreau Quote
Counsious Evolution
How can one be totally present and accepting and still strive to be a better person or work on self-improvement? I get this type of question fairly often from students, especially when we are reading some seemingly esoteric text directly and indirectly stating that enlightenment requires complete acceptance of the moment. How can we have a "goal" of reaching higher consciousness while accepting that we're not "there" yet. If we are content to just be, why would we strive for more? Of course, the easy answer is that full acceptance is itself an "end point" of sorts...but such solipsism doesn't usually get me very far in a discussion.
Read More...Listening - Lesson 1 Subject/Object Relationship
Acquire an 8.5 x 11” piece of paper and a black writing pen. Draw a line across the page so that your piece of paper is divided into two separate spaces (it doesn't matter where you start or whether it is a vertical or horizontal line as long as it bisects the page). Now draw a circle near but not touching the line (it doesn't matter how large or small the circle is as long as it fits in one of the two spaces on the page). Place the paper in the center of a table that you can walk around. Pick a side and stand facing the drawing.
Read More...Your Greatest Resource
The tradition of New Year’s is as ancient as civilization itself. In ancient Babylon the turning of the year coincided with mid-March and the transformation of Winter into Spring. In modern times, 153 B.C., we see the figure of Janus (January) a mystical king from early Rome appearing at the head of the calendar. With two faces, Janus could reflect on the past year and consider possibilities of the coming cycle. Janus the god of beginnings and the guardian of thresholds became a symbol for the resolutions we now associate with the holiday. Although the date for New Year’s Day varies in every culture, the theme of celebration and the customs observed to ensure a fulfilling new year are universal.
Read More...Essence
The essence of life is the bitter/sweet nectar of
emptiness.
Our struggle to fill the emptiness is the root of our suffering and discontent. The meaning of life are the words themselves. And yet the meaning of a thing is not its name. Living motivation stems from the flowering of curiosity, rooted in direct observation. Ambivalence is the terminal by-product of self-delusion. The purpose of living is to express the ever more subtle metaphor of existence. Conversely life has no purpose without the creative act. Fear is a shadow cast by an imaginary being. To Love you must surrender to yourself and die a little bit everyday.
The Struggle
Nothingness: nonexistence, empty space, a void... For everyone there is a certain amount of struggle involved in living life. We all struggle at different times with issues like relationships, money, family, career, loss, addiction, health, love, etc. Often our life struggles are paralleled by resistance on our mat. In our practice, the struggle shows up first as tightness or generalized fatigue in our muscles.
Read More...Svadhyaya
Yoga can be an extraordinary tool for bringing into focus and then harnessing the fundamental energies and themes of one’s life experience. Whether we like it or not the clarity revealed while practicing...
Read More...Being Blank
As I was putting this newsletter together, I endeavored to write something eloquent and poignant to include. I made several attempts, all of which felt forced. Nothing was taking form except a fair amount of blankness. Initially my lack of inspiration was irritating.
Read More...Refining Elegance
Elegance and grace are essentially refined expressions of poise. Poise referring not to rigidity or contrived expression but rather a state of balanced suspension where one hovers in delighted anticipation. Fundamental to yoga...
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