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    Starry Nights, Tantric Yoga, and Pratyahara

    ByElizabeth

    On my previous visits to Sedona in the past year and a half, the moon has been full or nearly full each time.  Even though there was little light from man-made sources, the bright light of the moon illuminated the sky enough that the stars were outshone.  This trip, though, there was only a sliver of a crescent, and then, no moon at all.  In the absence of the moon, the stars blazed forth in all their glory.

    I recently have been contemplating how the practice of pratyahara (usually translated as withdrawal of the senses) fits into a tantric yoga path. Pratyahara is the fifth limb of the eight-limb path of raja yoga, see Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras.   In classical yoga, the aim of yoga practice is to transcend the body-mind, and the eight limbs provide the means for that transcendence.  It fits within that paradigm to withdraw from the senses to move towards meditation.  In tantric yoga, though, the aim is not to transcend or quell the body-mind, but to understand that the body-mind is an emanation of spirit and to live ever more full of the light of spirit. The senses are not something to be transcended.  Yet we still practice pratyahara on the tantric path.Why is that?

    I think that in order to remember our own light, we sometimes need to choose to withdraw from the potentially constant stimulation of our senses; we need to pick darkness and quiet so that we can better discriminate between being delighted and inspired by the senses and being bound by craving stimulation of the senses.  If we get completely bound up in the senses and seek only to get more and more stimulated, we will forget the fullness and light of spirit.  We choose, therefore, at times in our practice, to diminish outer sensory input so that the inner light can shine more brightly.  When we return from the inner light to go back to the senses, we are then better able to appreciate the wonder of what our senses bring to us.  It is not unlike how we get to witness the extraordinary magic of the stars when we take ourselves away from the light of the sun, the moon, and the city.

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    Murtis Around Town (and Dana and Seva)

    ByElizabeth

    This evening I went for the first time into the Anderson House of the Society for the Cincinnati.  I was attending an event for supporters of Casey Trees, one of my favorite local charities, which is devoted to protecting and expanding DC’s tree canopy. 

    I give because I believe it is an important part of a living practice (dana–charitable giving is a companion to seva–volunteer service).  Getting to discover this garden was an unexpected delight, but not the goal.

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    Signs Around Town

    ByElizabeth

    A friend emailed me today that her children will be home for rest of the week because their schools lost power from Sandy, and that she is counting her blessings because she and her family came through fine. My parents, who lost trees, including one that went through the roof of their house, are counting themselves well off because they witnessed how bad it could have been. In contrast, some others I know who didn’t experience any real inconvenience to themselves personally though in danger range have said they thought the storm had been “over-hyped.” (I know, being exposed to silly statements such as the latter is a peril of social media).

    Do we need to know hardship ourselves, at least a little, in order to have true sensitivity and compassion? Possibly.

    To all my friends and family challenged in the wake of Sandy or going through another challenge or hardship, please know that you are in my thoughts.

    Peace and light, E — Posted with WordPress for BlackBerry.

  • Happy New Year (and “Flow Into Grace”)

    ByElizabeth

    May your new year and decade be abundant with peace and light.  For locals, please join me tomorrow at Capitol Hill Yoga (suitably mid-afternoon for those who like to revel until the wee hours on the eve) for “Flow Into Grace” a special intention-setting all-levels flow practice, followed by yoga nidra.   Register on line at Capitol Hill Yoga or just come and register in person.  Hope to see and hear from you all soon.

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    ByElizabeth

    I have had a more stressful than usual couple of weeks at the office. While I was walking into the office, I was thinking about how the more deadlines I needed to meet and the more difficult interchanges I had to bring to the most optimal resolution, the harder it was also to have energy to give to those who are in far greater need, though I seek ways to be of service.

    When I saw the oversized half moon dwarfed by the cherry blossoms, it helped put things in perspective. Nothing I do immediately impacts life or death. A hard week does not mean much in my life as a whole, my tribulations are only so much play in the midst of the outrageous ground of all human being, human being is only one small part of life on this planet in this galaxy in this universe, and who knows how vast is the realm of consciousness. I smiled at the moon and the blossoms and thought of their beauty throughout the day.

    Peace and light, E — Posted with WordPress for BlackBerry.

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