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Radharani
USA
843 Posts |
 Posted - Jul 17 2013 : 9:08:15 PM
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Dear Catrynn,
What everybody else already said and yes, you seem to "get it" but ultimately "TGIIY."
I don't think suffering is necessary to AYP practice per se; yoga when done correctly feels good. Suffering or dukkha is simply a part of life, and the process of yoga does not ignore suffering, it transforms it. Yoga reduces dukkha as we work through our purification of "stuff" that is lodged in our system.
With regard to the suffering of Jesus, classical mainstream theology says that His suffering was redemptive for us, meaning that He bore our sins, suffered on our behalf. Liberal or progressive theologians prefer to downplay the idea of suffering as being redemptive. Regardless of which theology you believe, there is a spiritual practice in the Catholic/Orthodox/Anglican tradition where we "join our suffering to Christ on the cross," which is to say we make an offering of our pain to join Him in redeeming the world, as if we are helping to burn off the karma of the world. Whether or not you believe the theology behind it, the exercise itself is useful as it gives you something to "do" with your suffering by transforming it into an offering.
Again, it's not that suffering is spiritual or yogic per se; it is just a fact of life, but we can use it in our practice when it inevitably comes up. I find it helpful to think of it as purification and/or a karmic offering. |
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Anima
484 Posts |
Posted - Jul 27 2013 : 11:10:19 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by kami
It all is dependent on identification - the greater the identification as this body-mind, the greater is the suffering.
Here in yoga, we are systematically developing the ability to let go of that identification. It is a gradual process, and works by loosening up all of it from deep within and bringing it to the surface so it can be let go of. Along the way, there can be periods of intense identification and suffering, particularly when big "chunks" of stuff are brought up. They come and go in cycles until very gradually, they can be seen coming up and falling without getting attached.
Kami, your expression of “loosening” identity appeals to me.
Beings and their dreams are the stuff of nightmares and injuries. These traumas are obstructions.
Suffering is peculiar to the mind-body, as you call it. Such natural evil is immanent to consciousness. But this is only the case for individuated consciousness, i.e., the divided phenomena of bodies and their thoughts—false consciousness and false identities. The eternal soul, on the other hand, knows neither birth nor death, and is all-pervading and immutable. As the divine Lord Krishna says, “Weapons cannot harm the soul, fire cannot burn the soul, water cannot wet and air cannot dry up the soul.” Bhagavad Gita, 2.23. Thank you for sharing His song with me.
The word “trauma” comes from the Greek for “wound.” Not surprisingly, the German word for “dream” shares the same root. The word’s root is the Proto Indo-European *ter-, which means “to rub, turn; pierce.” English derivatives include: (via Latinate) triturate, trite, and detriment; (via Germanic) thrash, throw, turn.
What is always turning, but our weapons? We throw them into the world, at our foes. Would that they were triturated! Who is thrashed, but we who are armed? The detriment turns upon the bearers.
The archetypes of the tyrant, strategist, and warrior are telling here. The tyrant’s identity is that he vests himself in fortifications. Tall walls are his trappings. The strategist’s identity is that he vests himself in militia. Formations are his trappings. The warrior’s identity is that he vests himself in arms. Weapons are his trappings.
Each player seeks concretion in his role. Tyrant’s walls must be bolstered; Strategist’s formations must be disciplined; Warrior’s armor must be tempered. Perhaps only the singing waters can mollify this coagulation. What is their language, but of the heart?
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kami
USA
920 Posts |
Posted - Jul 28 2013 : 06:09:54 AM
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Dear Anima,
Thank you.
Interesting that trauma and dream share the same root! For it is only in identification with the dream that trauma can be experienced... But you say it more poetically.
Waking up is a beautiful process, not unlike our daily rousing from sleep - there can be a lag time between the dream and return to the waking state. It takes a few moments to "return to our senses", and we waver between knowing it was a dream and a peculiar draw to keep dreaming. For many of us that know (even intellectually) life and existence to be a dream, the draw/pull of vasanas to keep dreaming is not to be underestimated. And no matter how beautiful the dream, it is never all peachy. Ups and downs are a given, and if there were no downs, nobody would want to wake up.
On the other hand, once the veils have been parted, even briefly, we come to see that suffering is optional.
Much love to you. |
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adishivayogi
USA
197 Posts |
Posted - Aug 17 2013 : 02:36:51 AM
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| the sun is nourishing but can burn. if you avoid the sunlight to avoid it's intense heat you will also avoid it's nourishment |
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arti
Christmas Island
18 Posts |
Posted - Sep 14 2013 : 11:51:50 AM
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quote:
Is it really this easy
Yes it can be :D When presented with very easy something and say challenging way to obtain same which "part" wants easy and which crave challenge? :D |
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Do we need to suffer in the AYP yoga Practice?
