I thought about not posting this because of the lack of parallel construction, and then decided the grammatical flaw was outweighed by the message. Just infer the word “have” before faith. 🙂
Peace and light, E — Posted with WordPress for BlackBerry.
One of the primary themes at the Anusara certified teachers’ gathering this week with John Friend has been how discipline and technique serve our yoga. In keeping with the elemental Anusara principles of “attitude, alignment, and action” (iccha, jnana, kriya), the point has not been to emphasize rules for the sake of rules, form over substance, or technique for its own sake. Mastering technique, by itself, will not bring us to the ultimate intentions of yoga: living liberated (jivamukti), experiencing the very wonder, bliss, and dance of being.
But just playing or seeking freedom for its own sake, while we are embodied in human form, will not likely lead us to the most expansive and steady experience of ultimate freedom (svatantra). It is discipline and technique with the constant remembrance of the reaon for being disciplined about how we practice and live that will take us further on the path.
It can be nice, for example to go to a class where there is little emphasis on form, and the call is just to flow and feel. For me, though, because of my physical limitations (degeneration in my spine, old groin injury, etc–these do not define my being; they just inform how I practice), I feel far freer and more able to expand how much I can play the more attention I give to the physical alignment. In such a situation, the rigorous attention to detail is not for the sake of an external idea of what is right and what is wrong. Rather, it is the constant disciplined attention to alignment that frees me to play as free from injury, pain, and fear of injury as is possible in my body.
The discipline then becomes a way of self-affirmation. It is the limitations that lead me to have to focus more on technique than if I did not have the limitations. That attention then provides a ground for a more expansive practice and a deeper appreciation for the beauty of what the practice can offer.
Sometimes, when I step back in awestruck wonder at the complexity of human society and what it means to be engaged in rulemaking in that complexity, I like to take a moment and look at pictures from India, a whole other version with much the same and much different.
I invite myself to think about being human in this time and place with this many billions of others. And then I return to my work, confident that my work is both absolutely essential and completely meaningless in the grand scheme of things. In other words, I try to do my best, but still keep in perspective stumbling blocks to completing some mission in the way first intended.
I took this photo when we stopped on the bridge to Rameshwarum. I doubt I have either the fervor or the fortitude to have gone without the safety and comfort cushion of the bus.
May you experience in the coming year, no matter what comes or life calls of you, moments of joy, wonder, and connection.
Peace peace peace.
Today, before going to Georgetown to volunteer at the Lantern, I went to the morning session of the weekend workshop at Yoga Shala with Ross Rayburn. It was delightful to practice with people from the Anusara days, and to witness how we have grown and shifted
I have not picked up a snake since junior high when I was old enough to begin working and the days playing in streams and ponds pretty much came to an end. It’s not something one forgets. And today, there was a black rat snake in the garden (Note: they are harmless and eat small rodents.)
By the time I noticed what was going on, it he snake was completely terrified from having been pulled out from under some heavy farm equipment with a rake. The goal was to bring it to the woods behind the garden, but first to make sure it did not get caught in the machinery.
I invited myself into the fray, gently and securely held the snake about an inch below its head, invited its release from below the rake, and then gave it my other arm for it to wrap around, and it hugged me around my back and to the top of the arm that was holding its head.
Someone else opened the garden gate and I went into the trees and released it into the underbrush. I doubt it helped that I talked softly to it, acknowledging its fear, and apologizing for dislocating it.
It felt like an honor to have this short dance. The musky odor was not so nice; I also appreciated it as a very cool super power.
Are you accurately aware of your limits? Do you sometimes blow past your limits to your detriment? Do you ever enlarge your idea of your limitations in a way that cuts off your ability to live as fully and joyously and generously as is truly possible?
Peace and light, E — Posted with WordPress for BlackBerry.