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sunyata
USA
1505 Posts |
 Posted - Jul 20 2015 : 9:12:24 PM
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Very Nice. Thank you for sharing your upward spiral. |
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts |
Posted - Jul 20 2015 : 11:02:28 PM
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Thank you for reading and sharing your upward spiral as well, sunyata.  |
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Charliedog
1625 Posts |
Posted - Jul 21 2015 : 02:42:33 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by Bodhi Tree
I have relapsed one time about four years ago, and that short relapse had the quality of a downward spiral (resisting forward momentum). Basically, I was trying to drag someone along that didn't want to get dragged along. Fortunately, it didn't last long. Lesson learned.
That is a very strong lesson to learn, not easy and this takes time, when this lesson is learned it gives so much space and lightness...
Thank you for spiraling around Bodhi 
Edit: we can never ever drag someone along. We can be there, listen, support, lay out tools and  them. Otherwise it is dragging you down. Also that has to be experienced. |
Edited by - Charliedog on Jul 21 2015 02:56:30 AM |
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ak33
Canada
229 Posts |
Posted - Jul 21 2015 : 08:21:58 AM
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| Just started following this thread. I like your style man, very pragmatic but also light. Thank you for the inspiration. |
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts |
Posted - Jul 21 2015 : 4:47:27 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by Charliedog
we can never ever drag someone along. We can be there, listen, support, lay out tools and them. Otherwise it is dragging you down. Also that has to be experienced.
Well said. Thank you, Charliedog.
quote:
Originally posted by ak33
Just started following this thread. I like your style man, very pragmatic but also light. Thank you for the inspiration.
 Feel free to chime in. Cheers. |
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts |
Posted - Jul 23 2015 : 6:05:49 PM
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Blog #17: Joy and Sadness
http://ayprecovery.org/blog-17-joy-and-sadness/
Joy and Sadness are the names of two pivotal characters in Pixar's new stellar film Inside Out. They are emotions personified in the form of animated micro-beings living within a young girl's mind. Along with core memories that create foundations of personality, these emotions help operate her external movements, thereby playing a crucial role in her development.
This movie is deeply touching, and it sent me on a contemplative journey of my own. How have key emotions shaped my personality, and how do they continue to influence my path? Worthy questions. In AYP, we call this self-inquiry. We are inquiring into the inner workings of our self, and by doing so, we can illuminate the darkness.
The answers we come up with in self-inquiry are not necessarily factoids of knowledge, but rather reconciliations and rejuvenations to keep us going in a robust direction, and to make us more whole. Jesus said: "Your faith has made you whole." In the same way, our self-inquiry can make us whole, especially if we do it in a heart-opening manner.
As it turns out, joy and sadness intermingle. Joy does not eradicate sadness. In fact, sadness is equally important and valid in the grand scheme of things. I can recall shining moments in my past where this proved to be the case. For instance, in little league baseball, I played as a pitcher, and what joy there was when throwing from the mound and winning the game as a team! To play a part in winning, and to experience the camaraderie of struggling for excellence—how fulfilling!
Of course, we didn't always win, and that's where sadness came into play. Only with sadness did the picture become whole. From the losing perspective, there are tears and disappointment. It is not a celebration, but a mourning for what has been lost. But as a team, we kept going, not holding resentments against the victors, nor losing hope in our future chance of winning.
Loss is inevitable in life. It's how we cope with the loss that matters. When loss is taken in stride, with stillness as the foundation, there can be a joyful sadness, as paradoxical as it seems. In recovery, we can allow sadness to occur, and let somber emotions slide across the surface of our inner silence, without needing to shove them away, or cling to them. It is the perfect storm. We are the perfect storm.
In the film, the young girl finds solace in her sadness when she opens up her heart and asks for help. What she thought was a detrimental loss turns out to be a fantastic new beginning.
If you have suffered loss, you can ask for help by seeking out the best methods of transformation and transcendence through AYP. If we let sadness play its part, naturally and functionally, our joy will be all the more fuller because of it.
P.S. If it isn't clear enough, I highly recommend the movie.  |
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts |
Posted - Jul 27 2015 : 6:32:24 PM
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Blog #18: Personal Will Power
http://ayprecovery.org/blog-18-pers...-will-power/
So, you want to obey the will of God? Or maybe you're mischievous, and you want to know what it's like to go against the will of the Supreme Being? OK then, humor me, and let's play a little game of speculation.
First, what do you suppose the will of God is? Do we learn about it in the Bible, or from some recognized authority? Is it like gravity—measurable, constant, and invisible? Does it have a masculine undertone, full of muscular strength—maybe even force? Or is it seductive and captivating, like a feminine presence that allures its devotees into a trance of submission?
Who among us has the audacity to exactly define the will of the Master of the Universe, or to even claim that we are properly following the bidding of a Divine Lord?
I will not make any definite claims, but I will speculate a little bit. I will observe, so to speak. And maybe we can arrive at some useful conclusions.
First, let me quote one of my favorite masters, Paramahansa Yogananda—a man who was on fire for God, and who was one of the first to plant the seeds of yoga in the United States. He said: "If you continuously use your will power, no matter what reverses come, it will produce success and health and power to help people, and above all, it will produce communion with God. God does not want you to give up your own will power, which is your divine birthright as His child."
Yikes! That probably puts a knot in some stomachs, especially for those who have been trying so hard to surrender their personal will completely. But, have no fear, your efforts of self-surrender are not in vain! They can be reconciled and used for fuel as we continue to spiral into this divine mystery.
How?
Active surrender. Active surrender is a term often used—and possibly coined—by Yogani, and it honors the paradox of personal and divine will co-existing together. It leaves room for a little ego, even as we recognize and celebrate what is far beyond the little ego. Not a bad deal, eh?
When we are engaged in active surrender, there is not so much of a need to define reality in black-and-white, moralistic terms, or to worry much about hierarchical, theological stipulations. Instead, there is a joyful riding on a blissful wave, which we recognize to be our Self, both in the little sense, and the big sense. That is the union that yoga delivers, and the whole purpose of spiritual pursuits of any kind.
Take command of your personal will power by devoting it to your chosen ideal, whether that be God, enlightenment, or whatever your most magical dream may be. Yoga practices will help you get there.
Godspeed, and best of luck on your journey. |
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Charliedog
1625 Posts |
Posted - Jul 28 2015 : 01:01:57 AM
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts |
Posted - Jul 30 2015 : 8:06:51 PM
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Blog #19: Laughter
http://ayprecovery.org/blog-19-laughter/
Have you ever laughed so hard that your stomach hurt from the contractions in your diaphragm? You know, that kind of ecstatic pain where tears begin to flow because you're bursting with chuckles and reverie?
Laughter can come at anytime, especially when it's inappropriate. I have a dear family friend who is prone to uncontrollable bouts of laughter at funerals. For me, some of the best fits of laughter come when I get the opportunity to lightheartedly belittle one of my brothers or close friends. How can you not cackle at a scene from Jackass in which the stunt men dress up in football uniforms and then tackle each other in the middle of a boutique fashion store?
There are so many flavors of comedy and humor, ranging from low-class and obscene, to refined and intellectual, and everything in between. But all the varieties usually have some common denominators, such as spontaneity, surprise, and vulnerability.
Conan O'Brien, one of my favorite comedians/humorists, said:
"People will respond to something that happens in the moment much more than they will respond to the most brilliant thing that was thought of ahead of time and prepared. When we see something that unfolds naturally and is real, people love it. The biggest laughs I've had in my life are from something going off the rail, something going wrong, something not supposed to happen. And improvisation teaches us not to fear those moments—because that's where the gold is."
There's something hilarious and gut-busting when we reveal our weaknesses to others. In our imperfection lies the liberation. It is one of the greatest coping mechanisms we have: to recognize our shortcomings and surrender to the absurdity of these passing moments.
Where does laughter come into play in regards to AYP? Well, in AYP, there is much emphasis on structure and developing a daily routine. This structure might seem to contradict the spontaneity needed for genuine humor, but actually, the opposite is true. A daily routine of practices like meditation, spinal breathing, samyama, and so forth, allow us to enjoy the fruits of our labor beyond the practice sessions.
Yogani has adamantly said that the success of long-term practices will be revealed during the course of daily life, rather than during the sessions themselves. Therefore, do not be discouraged if you have a clunky meditation. You may find yourself laughing jovially a couple hours later for no apparent reason at all. That is the magic of the AYP path.
When we do the appointed housecleaning of our nervous system, that devotion frees up more inner space for us to enjoy the inevitable comedy that will unfold in this wonderful life. The practices sharpen our wit, generate good cheer, and promote healthy doses of humor. It's a pretty good deal.
Laughter is the best medicine, and a trademark symptom of purification and opening. Find out for yourself. |
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sunyata
USA
1505 Posts |
Posted - Jul 30 2015 : 10:00:09 PM
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| Indeed it is! Laughter releases stress, tension and is an icebreaker. AYP makes you free and shows you there is no reason to be so uptight and take everything so seriously. |
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts |
Posted - Jul 30 2015 : 11:29:53 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by sunyata
Indeed it is! Laughter releases stress, tension and is an icebreaker. AYP makes you free and shows you there is no reason to be so uptight and take everything so seriously.
Amen, sunyata! |
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Charliedog
1625 Posts |
Posted - Jul 31 2015 : 02:42:00 AM
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| Laughing and yoga, I remember the first time my yoga teacher learned us how to do the bhastrika pranayama. I don't know what came over me, but in the end I removed myself from class, I could not stop laughing anymore.... |
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts |
Posted - Jul 31 2015 : 02:50:29 AM
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| LOL. That's so awesome, Charliedog. Sometimes the train just has to keep on rollin'. Love it. |
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts |
Posted - Aug 03 2015 : 8:24:17 PM
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Blog #20: Deep Water
http://ayprecovery.org/blog-20-deep-water/
It's been raining torrentially and flooding the streets. What better opportunity than to write about water, a sacred element deeply tied to our origins and ongoing existence.
What is water?
From a chemical perspective, it is a compound of hydrogen and oxygen. Since I'm not much of a chemist, I won't dive too deep into the chemistry. But I do find it profound to mention that hydrogen is both the lightest and most abundant chemical element in the universe at large, whereas oxygen is the most abundant chemical element on Earth. A potent combination.
Water is intertwined not only with hydrating and sustaining the body, but also purifying it. We all take a bath, and water is the primary cleanser, with soap and shampoo being secondary in the process. Besides purification of the body, there are spiritual implications with water and purity.
The ceremony of baptism uses water to symbolically wash away the sins of the Christian devotee, and to cleanse their soul so that they may receive the grace of God. As a child, I went to a Catholic school, and quite a few of my classmates had been baptized in an official ritual, yet I had not. I felt lacking, and I implored my grandmother for a solution, so she made up her own ceremony and baptized my brother and me with her own spiritual authority and blessing. Now that's good improvisation, not to mention a little radical!
In Deep Meditation in AYP, we are immersing our mind in what has been called the ocean of pure bliss consciousness. This ocean of blissful awareness purifies the obstructions lodged in our nervous system (accumulated from past actions and mental identification), and opens us up to a divine flow of love, wisdom, abundance, and countless other qualities that spring forth from the life-giving Ocean of the Infinite.
So, there is clearly an awesome connection between physical water and our non-physical spirit. Water is a sublime bridge spanning across our continuum of Self.
I've been fortunate enough to spend many hours on the water of Florida—fishing on the Gulf of Mexico, paddling inland on the Hillsborough River, swimming in the freshwater sinkholes around Tallahassee, and more.
Water and marine life are very common in my dreams at night. The other night I had a dream I was floating in a river and playing with an alligator's tail. He whipped around and stared at me with penetrating eyes, then swam off into the distance. Sharks, dolphins, fish of all shapes and sizes—these creatures populate my psyche.
I could write so much more about water. All I know is that water is mind-boggling, and that the purity of its liquid holds keys to our super-deep origins, as well as to our mysterious future.
Long live the water. |
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Charliedog
1625 Posts |
Posted - Aug 04 2015 : 03:29:17 AM
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| Bodhi, thanks for sharing, Water is transparent and transformational, like you/we |
Edited by - Charliedog on Aug 04 2015 06:50:36 AM |
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SeySorciere
Seychelles
1532 Posts |
Posted - Aug 04 2015 : 05:45:08 AM
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What I can add is that water is the most beautiful thing on earth, no matter in what state it is in - ice (think snowflakes), fluid (oceans, lakes and waterfalls), water vapor (think cloud, rainbows)
Sey |
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts |
Posted - Aug 04 2015 : 4:16:46 PM
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@Charliedog
So true. Ahhhh...transparency...
@Sey
Thank you for honoring those different forms. It's funny, I was thinking I had left something out in the blog, and now I realize it was not mentioning the various states of water, so thank you for expanding the thread! |
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts |
Posted - Aug 06 2015 : 10:48:56 PM
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Blog #21: Fire!
http://ayprecovery.org/blog-21-fire/
It burns, it rages, it illuminates—it's fire! This scintillating, scathing, scorching element demands our attention and respect whenever and wherever it's present.
Fire is what brings us warmth and light. The biggest source of fire is the Sun, which is a gigantic, nuclear furnace radiating massive quantities of heat and life force. Without the Sun, there would be no life on Earth. Just like the water of the ocean, the fire of the Sun is absolutely necessary for our existence.
The colors within fire naturally correspond to the colors of the lower chakras: red, orange, and yellow. The root, sexual, and solar plexus areas contain a strong relationship to heat. For instance, digestion is an activity of combustion which breaks down food particles for absorption into the body's broader system. Incidentally, in the AYP practice of samyama (the cultivation of miracles using sutras, or silent code words), "digestion" is a code word which can be released into silence to promote radiance of the body from the inside.
You see, each person is like a miniature sun radiating warmth and life force. We are microcosmic stars amidst macrocosmic solar systems and galaxies.
Also, just like the previous blog on water, I am compelled to explore how fire further relates to our more subtle, spiritual reality. So, how does it relate?
Bhakti! Bhakti is desire for God, truth, and direct experience of our ultimate reality and higher levels of consciousness. Bhakti is what drove me to investigate my own nervous system and the channels therein, and bhakti is the flame that shines brightest amongst all stars, even when surrounded by darkness.
In the film Chariots of Fire, which is the true story of athletes who competed in the 1924 Olympics, the main character Eric Liddell says: "I believe God made me for a purpose, but he also made me fast. And when I run, I feel His pleasure."
It is Eric's ecstatic fire that allows him to push the limits of human potential. It is his devotional flame that stirs up the embers of the world and compels him to say: "So where does the power come from—to see the race to its end? It comes from within. Jesus said, 'Behold, the Kingdom of God is within you. If with all your hearts, you truly seek me, you shall ever surely find me.'"
Seek the fire within. Learn how to tend to it, and you cannot fail. |
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Charliedog
1625 Posts |
Posted - Aug 07 2015 : 06:55:17 AM
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quote:
"I believe God made me for a purpose, but he also made me fast. And when I run, I feel His pleasure."
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sunyata
USA
1505 Posts |
Posted - Aug 07 2015 : 10:36:52 AM
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quote:
Seek the fire within. Learn how to tend to it, and you cannot fail
Beautiful. If one is not careful the fire burns as well, same applies to Bhakti. The practice of self-pacing helps one stay away from burning themselves. This is a reminder to myself as well. |
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts |
Posted - Aug 07 2015 : 12:15:45 PM
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| Yes, self-pacing, so needed. Having been burned a few times, I understand the importance of applying temperance to all practices. I think water is kind of like the coolness that balances the fire in the art of self-pacing. Thank you for the reminder, sunyata. |
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts |
Posted - Aug 10 2015 : 9:42:27 PM
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Blog #22: Earth
http://ayprecovery.org/blog-22-earth/
It's where we live. It's a big ball of matter. It's the solid ground upon which we stand as we spin on an axis and orbit around the Sun. It's Earth.
Earth is the name of our planetary home, but earth is also one of the five classical elements, which include fire and water (covered in the last two blogs), as well as air and inner space (to be covered in the next two blogs).
Of all the elements, earth is the most solid, hence its nickname terra firma, which literally means "firm land". The material of earth is durable and able to retain specific shapes for extended periods of time. The Great Pyramid of Giza, built with massive blocks of limestone and granite, is a testament to this special characteristic of resilience. While entire civilizations have risen and fallen across the span of several millennia, the Great Pyramid has stood comfortably still.
When I look at my own body, I see plenty of elemental corroborations that reflect the broader scope of Earth's material. The hair growing on my arm resembles the grass that grows out of soil. The bones which make up my skeleton are not dissimilar to the rocks and stones which make up a mountain. My belly button could just as easily be a sinkhole connected to a vast underground network of energetic channels and living tissue.
Clearly, our personal body is a microcosm of the bigger Earth body we inhabit.
Walt Whitman wrote:
Have you ever loved the body of a woman?
Have you ever loved the body of a man?
Do you not see that these are exactly the same to all in all nations and times all over the earth?
If anything is sacred, the human body is sacred,
And the glory and sweet of a man is the token of manhood untainted,
And in man or woman, a clean, strong, firm-fibred body, is more beautiful than the most beautiful face.
In the AYP practice of cosmic samyama, we use our calm awareness to scan the body, lightly touching upon sutra locations that ultimately move us beyond our personal body, allowing us to tap into Earth consciousness, as well as the rest of the cosmos.
Yogani has written: "One hundred thousand years to cross our galaxy at the speed of light? We can meet on the other side right now, and be back again in an instant. The universe is our playground when we are reborn in the divine flow resulting from the marriage of abiding inner silence and our ecstatic awakening. We are here, everywhere, and nowhere. Free!"
So, it turn outs that the Earth and our body are more than just conglomerate masses of material; they are intergalactic portals.
Let's take advantage. |
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Charliedog
1625 Posts |
Posted - Aug 11 2015 : 05:20:13 AM
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| Beam me up Scotty |
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts |
Posted - Aug 11 2015 : 10:44:56 AM
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| Yay! |
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts |
Posted - Aug 13 2015 : 8:40:21 PM
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Blog #23: Air
http://ayprecovery.org/blog-23-air/
Today I was meditating with two dear friends under a beachside pavilion, and the sensation of the ocean breeze mingled with my inner scenery as I easily favored the mantra. The sound of waves carried through the air and touched my eardrums. Pelicans and seagulls flapped their wings and made bird noises in keeping with the rhythm of the wind. We were surrounded by air, and many spectacles in the air.
Air—it's the gaseous medium above ground (and even underground) which allows external signals to travel to and fro. It invisibly fills the empty space as we breathe in its life-sustaining ingredients of nitrogen and oxygen. It's the rich atmosphere contained within Earth's field of gravity, underneath the exospheric envelope that merges with outer space.
Compared to the previously discussed elements of water, fire, and earth, air is the most subtle and refined. Air is receptive and nurturing. It buffers the fiery heat of the Sun (greenhouse effect) and absorbs the moisture of water in cyclical processes like precipitation. Air permits the flight of organisms and mechanical objects through its expansive field, and provides resistance and density to regulate the flow of sentient activity.
One of the most ecstatic activities I've had the privilege to participate in is throwing the frisbee. The frisbee really shows off how marvelous the element of air is. The flying disc spins at a quick velocity, and how graceful that piece of plastic can look as it glides from one person to the next!
The physicality of tossing the disc can be pure joy. The technique involves the entire body, with torque coming from the hips and arms, as well as a pivot in the feet and ankles, and finally, an orgasmic release with a flick of the wrist. Once let go, the frisbee soars freely for a substantial length of time until it reaches the open hands of an eager recipient. Without the buoyancy of air, this exuberant exchange of motion could not occur.
Actually, throwing the frisbee is reminiscent of the AYP practice of samyama. Frisbee requires a flick of the wrist, whereas samyama requires a flick of the heart-mind (in stillness). There is great finesse in both techniques, and in both cases, letting go into empty space is where the magic is found. The disc zooms through the physical air; the sutras of samyama zoom across stillness. We set an intention and heartfelt desire, then release that essence into a receptive medium. Simple, but powerful!
One of my favorite sutras in samyama is "Akasha - Lightness of Air". That sutra cultivates a versatility and quickness in our being which allows us to move through spacetime all the more effectively—even artistically. Our marriage with inner silence and ecstasy will bring us closer to the miracles offered by Mother Nature. It is a divine dance.
Speaking of akasha, which is inner space, I will be covering that one in the the next blog.
Stay tuned! |
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