Accepting and Stability: Balancing Feminine and Masculine Energies

I sense I am standing in the midst of a transition. I know the seasons are changing from summer to fall. The elements are changing from fire to metal. Each day the sun rises and sets. Each moment there is birth and death. All this is happening each day. All this is happening inside of me. But this internal change doesn’t remain locked away inside of me. As my mind changes so does my physical reality. Somehow it feels more stable, more accepting. There’s that word again – “accepting”. This word came up as a message during a recent fire ceremony honoring the masculine and feminine. “Accepting” and “Stability” – these two words seem to go together nicely. They posses within themselves feminine and masculine qualities. - “Accepting” and “Stability” - each of equal importance; one balancing the other; true partners; Shakti and Shiva. Each one knowing its strength comes from working together as one. A marriage, if you will. A marriage where two individuals come together as one in balance and harmony. - “Accepting” and “Stability” – A marriage with two accepting people wouldn’t work – no boundaries. A marriage with two stable people wouldn’t work - too ridged. But the marriage of “accepting” and “stability” has the feeling of core strength and balance. It feels so effortless; “accepting and stability”. But I still sense a separation. The two need to work together to bring balance. When I remove the word “and” that is separating the two, the union happens… “Accepting Stability”! How could such a tiny word (and), go so unnoticed for so long? I realize now I have always held these two apart from one another. Just as “and” has separated acceptance from stability, so has my mind separated the feminine from the masculine. It is the union of these two that brings balance – “accepting stability” – Allowing myself to accept my own stability. To accept stability I have to allow myself to receive the gifts of the masculine! I have been so angry at the masculine that I haven’t wanted to be in union. I thanked God for the word “and”! Now I find I want to remove its powerful separating energy that has caused so much suffering, and accept the stability that has always been there. I just couldn’t see it. During a meditation a few weeks back, I asked the question: “How do I balance the feminine”? The answer I received was: “By balancing the masculine”. - “Accepting stability” - accepting the masculine.

August 27, 2009   Posted in: Brenda Kayn  No Comments

Another vision of safety

From Barb Culver:

———————————————

My image of an emotionally safe person

When I meet this person he/she looks directly into my eyes and gives a firm handshake or hug , when appropriate.  She inquires about me and the important people and happenings in my life.  She follows up my answers with deeper questions or comments that validate what I have expressed. She remembers (or asks to be reminded of) things I have talked about in the past.  When appropriate, she may relate what I have expressed to her own experiences.

She/he has a positive attitude toward life.  Her honesty is unquestionable.

When encouraged, she is open and honest about her own feelings and experiences. She doesn’t gossip about other people.  What she shares about her life and feelings is appropriate for the circumstances and people to whom she is sharing.

I Have reason to believe that this person will not repeat things I have shared in confidence.

My “safe” person has a quiet calmness and understands that feelings expressed at one time may be very different from what a person expresses on another occasion.  She is accepting and forgiving of people’s minor character flaws and idiosyncracies.

She/he is discriminate about who she shares her life and time with in an intimate way.

This person is a good steward of his own physical, emotional, spiritual and intellectual health.  His life reflects his ideals.  This person is emotionally and physically available.

I would hope to be this person some day.

August 24, 2009  Tags: , ,   Posted in: 2009 Classes  No Comments

What does a safe person look like?

In our summer session discussions about commitment and the fire element, we’ve been looking at the importance of emotional safety as a creative prerequisite.  Here is a lovely and succinct description of what a “safe person” looks like, written by and reprinted with permission of Arvilla Grazier (Thursday morning class) about one of her safest friends:
___________
1.  She exudes unconditional love, not just for me, but for others as well.  This has helped drive my emotional healing, as well as my spiritual healing ( drawing me closer to being the person God intends me to be).  She has that quality that makes me want to be a better person.
2.  She is a positive influence, not a negative one.
3.  She is open to feedback, instead of being defensive.
4.  She is willing to change her behavior, if she sees a need.
5.  She has earned my trust, not demanded it.
6.  She encourages freedom of choice,
7.  She has been consistent over time.
8.  She admits her faults instead of blaming others.
______
In looking at the above list, how many of these attributes can each of us say we truly embody in our relationships with others, not to mention ourselves?  How might we begin to cultivate a greater presence of these qualities of character in our daily practice?

August 19, 2009  Tags: , ,   Posted in: 2009 Classes  No Comments

Communion/Vigil

At seven, the pattern
was already set;
the thread, which would run
throughout her life,
in place:
the white communion dress,
the white veil,
the white shoes:
cleansed of sin,
instilled with fear.

For now, she was afraid.
Her family was a constant concern.
She feared for their safety.
She worried about them.
She had absorbed the belief
that it was her job
to keep them safe.
She would do that by being
ever vigilant.

Even as she was trying
to keep this covenant,
she was trying to escape.
The conflict became:
the desire to explore;
the need to protect.

She resolved this with books.
She could go anywhere,
be anyone,
through reading.
Communion with characters and ideas
became her salvation.
It would help her to reclaim herself,
over and over again.

This was the stronger thread
which would guide her
through each challenge.
Reading would lead to writing,
writing would tell the story,
of who she was,
of who she might
become.

SKS
Spring 2009

July 8, 2009  Tags:   Posted in: Sue Scolaro  No Comments

The Abyss

It took me years to touch the bottom of an 8 foot pool.  Once I did it in this one particular pool it didn’t bother me anymore, but outside of that pool I still have issues with the deep end.  The pool that I have at home is only 5 feet deep in the middle at the “deep” end and yet after 2 years, I still haven’t touched.  I have swum back and forth in that pool but still only put my feet on the bottom of the 3 foot shallow end.  Part of my problem is my fear of drains, which the adults used to find amusing.  Now, it turns out I was right to be afraid.  Pool drains have been known to actually suction kids to the bottom of pools…very scary.  There are now new regulations about drains in pools and the covers that go on them.  I get chills just thinking about it.

 

I don’t like lakes for a similar reason.  I don’t like the feeling of having nothing under me but water, and eventually sand and whatever else.  It gives me the creeps.  I describe the feeling as similar to being afraid of heights, only for me it’s depths.  I am not fond of heights either but usually I deal with heights by staying far enough from the edge to be secure.  If I am 6 or so feet from the edge, even if I trip I probably won’t go over.  The depths of lakes are different…the idea of a drop off when I walk into a lake keeps me VERY near to shore and leaves me asking repeatedly where the drop off is so I don’t get too close.  The funny part about my fear of lakes and deep water is that I can swim.  I am not a great swimmer but I can swim.

 

Recently in our Yoga class study group we talked about how when your heart is your guide it’s like standing on the edge of an abyss.  At dictionary.com abyss is defined as:  

–noun

1.a deep, immeasurable space, gulf, or cavity; vast chasm.
2.anything profound, unfathomable, or infinite: the abyss of time.
3.(in ancient cosmogony)
a.the primal chaos before Creation.
b.the infernal regions; hell.
c.a subterranean ocean.

So maybe this is why I feel so much fear when I am not intellectualizing my life, when I don’t have goals, when I don’t have a plan.  It’s like my fear of jumping off the diving board or my fear of the unknown in the depths of the lake water.  It’s a deep, immeasurable unknown answer to an unknown question.  I think this is part of the reason it is so easy to get sucked into subconscious desires.  They ARE known.  We’ve been there before.  There’s a sort of security in staying in the space you know…like my 3 foot deep shallow end.  The floor there appears to be solid.  The problem with my 3 foot shallow end is that it isn’t just shallow, it’s very small and constricting all around.  It’s no wonder I am so stuck so often.  I have a very hard time moving out of my rut and into my fear.

The key becomes, as always, awareness and presence.  Right now, I am sitting here writing an article because that’s what I was driven to do.  My mind started thinking about the subject matter and my conscious desire was to start writing.  That’s what I did.  My subconscious crazy is saying, maybe you can write a children’s book, maybe you can write a novel, maybe you should think about taking a writing class so you can be a better writer.  My internal wet blanket is saying, “Laurie, you obviously understand the concepts but the message is hindered by your horrible writing style.”  But the current conscious desire had me actually sit down at the computer and start typing.

I wonder if I could try harder to live my life in the deep end.  Could I dive off the end of the dock into the deep end or swim around a buoy without worrying about getting hooked on an anchor?  It’s funny because the fear of getting hooked on the anchor has actually become the anchor that has kept me away from the deep end.  I wonder what could happen if I live through my heart, always on the edge of the abyss.  If I recognize that I can never know what will happen next and that even if I HAVE a plan it’s likely to be disrupted, where will my heart lead me?  If I learn to listen and open up to the depth rather than stick with the safe shallow water where I can see the bottom, will I delve into that darkness and feel profoundly lost or will I find I thrive in the present and find a level of comfort in the unknown?

I think for right now I will move away from the same old desires that are unconsciously haunting and try harder to pay attention to what I want now without thinking too much about the abyss, and without thinking of it as a scary place. I know that my ultimate vision is to be happy, so I have that as a guide.  Will my conscious desire lead me toward my vision?  I am curious and if I just try to pay attention to my heart and stop planning and intellectualizing, who knows what might be hiding in the depths? 

 

 

June 2, 2009  Tags: , , , ,   Posted in: Laurie Jerva  No Comments

Connection

It was in the garden
where the connection
was made.

When the bee drank
thirstily
from the yellow snapdragon;
when the white butterfly
perched
upon the coneflower,
she remembered
planting the sunflowers
in the cool,
spring soil;
scattering wildflower seeds
along the split rail fence;
waiting eagerly
for the seeds
to sprout;
anticipating each
new bloom
as it burst
through the ground;
being enchanted
by the fragile,
shell like beauty
of miniature poppies
in salmon,
delicate pink,
deep red;
the wildflowers
receding
as the sunflowers
took center stage.

Knowing these glories
gave pleasure
to all
who passed by
and now,
seeing the butterflies,
the bees,
the hummingbirds,
who benefitted
from that long ago idea
of putting seed to soil;
nurturing the garden
through heat and hail,
there is no doubt
of the
Connection.

She has made a difference.
She is part of the circle.
Not separate;
not at all.

SKS

Summer 2008

May 29, 2009   Posted in: Sue Scolaro  No Comments

Finding happiness in imperfection

My yoga practice is many things- a chance to return to the breath, a moment to refocus the mind, a space to move my body. But, most of all, it is a discovery of all the parts me I forget sometimes, or the parts I tend to see through a fog. It is through this process, of uncovering parts of me that are neglected or misunderstood, that I can begin to see myself more honestly.

With the fresh and luminous light of yoga, I have begun to identify patterns in my thinking, actions, and feelings- where my mind tends to get lost, where my ego enters in, and where I tend lose focus. In essence, my stumbling block is usually some manifestation of fear. It always arrives- in different forms and sizes- but it comes nevertheless.

As we discuss visioning in class, I can see how my fear arises again and again. Mainly this fear is a fear of failure- a loyal perfectionist streak. Perfectionism is a cruel mélange of self-loathing and fear. We do not love ourselves enough to just be who we truly are; instead there is always a sense of needing to be better, of molding ourselves into an inauthentic ideal. And we are too scared of the alternative- opening ourselves up to who we truly are and the gifts we already offer. This involves accepting ourselves for our innate strengths, as well as the parts of us that require more honesty, patience, and kindness.

During visioning, this perfectionist chatter barges into our minds, inexplicably and completely unwelcome. It hijacks the whole process of visioning- vision, focus, desire, commitment, plan, execution, feedback, evaluation- cutting to the front and demanding our attention. Evaluation and judgment come rightfully at the very end of our creative experience. Otherwise, they interrupt and destroy so many beautiful, fragile ideas and dreams.

For me, this spring was a spring especially overflowing with possibility. A new home, an enlarged community, job searches, and deeper studies provide ample canvases for my ideas. Yet, again and again, my perfectionist reared up, scolding and counseling me. “You would never be able to do that,” “Someone with more experience should do that,” “You are not ready for that,” or “Just stick with what you already know” “That requires too much time and money.” And, again and again, I conceded. I did not allow myself to explore my own possibilities, grow a little bit, and, simply, create.

But the floodlights are on now and she cannot sneak in as easily. I have begun my work small- tackling my perfectionist in simple ways, instead of during her violent rages. Instead of buying a new couch, my beau and I will try to reupholster the old couch ourselves. I bought a glass cake stand to display my new attempts at decorated cupcakes. I am beginning to run, without calculating speed or distance, just to be in on our neighborhood nature trails. I write more letters now on my typewriter and design my own stationary. I am even allowing myself to consider a job simply because I think it will bring happiness, fulfillment, and growth.

Each of these small, tentative victories over my perfectionist is a true gift. An opportunity to make, experience, and share some moments of happiness. But in order to receive these blessings, I have to be honestly recognize the choices before me. When my perfectionist creeps into my mind, I have an opportunity before me. I can either choose to let her conquer me- to listen to and heed all of her unending criticisms and fears. Or I can allow myself a moment of joy- to just create contentedly and freely.

We all can find ways to tame our perfectionist tendencies. First, we have to observe ourselves honestly and kindly. Am I allowing myself to explore possibilities? Or is my perfectionist dictating my thoughts and actions right now?

Then, by recognizing our perfectionist thoughts, we create new opportunities for ourselves. Can I allow myself a little more freedom to play and explore? Can I extend a little more generosity to myself and reserve judgment for later? What will I gain by ignoring my perfectionist?

And, reflect on your new choice. What does it feel like to not listen to my perfectionist? Does it feel uncomfortable and scary, or more free and natural? Remember these thoughts the next time your perfectionist waltzes in. They can be a source of strength and encouragement in the future.

Finnally, appreciate the gfit you gave yourself- the space to create without limitations and judgment.  And you offered yourself a moment filled with a little less criticism and a little more kindness and love.

 

May 21, 2009   Posted in: Anna Bender  One Comment

Clarity

If you are lucky enough
to have a moment
of sharpened focus
and clear awareness,
when the voices inside
stop vying for attention;

If, in that moment,
you see what it is
you are meant
to do;

If others are telling you
they see your light,
even though
you may not,

It would probably be wise
to take note of this,
to pay attention,
to ponder the information
you are receiving.

We are guided along the way.
Helping hands are reaching toward us.
We are not alone.

This is what I’ve been told.
This is what I’ve begun to discover.

Obstacles are set before us.
We create our own obstacles.
We like the challenge.

Still, there is a path
we are meant
to follow.
Some find it sooner
than others.

Don’t stop looking.

When you find yours,
you will know.
All will be revealed.
You will breathe a sigh
of relief.
You will say
“yes, this is it”.
You will be able
to move forward
from here.

SKS
July 2007

May 17, 2009   Posted in: Sue Scolaro  No Comments

Cleaning Out

The theme for my life the past couple of years has been digging deep, and cleaning out the “stuff” I have accumulated over the years. On a material level I’ve been cleaning out clothes, shoes, books, and magazines; on a body level it’s been muscle kinks and knots, aches and pains, and subtle body energy blocks along with old energy. I’ve been doing the same on a mental level, sorting through years worth of accumulated “stuff”: fear and anxiety, anger and sadness, ideas created by the mind that become “the world as I know it” even though they are more “the world as my mind perceives it based on my cumulative experience.” The mind-body connection has become blatantly apparent in my life the past year and a half and in retrospect, it goes back much further.

It’s interesting that I am starting to acknowledge the connections between all the messes. I am seeing how the old saying about a cluttered desk indicating a cluttered mind might actually be true. I am watching that as I sort through my mind, I am sorting through my body and the space I live in. I am also seeing how as I sort through the physical elements, I open up my mind more. I’m hoping that in time, I will see the connection even more clearly.

Recently, with Lesley’s help, I did some major clearing of a space in my house, and in turn further clearing within myself. One of my struggles with clearing has been with the mess I make when I first start. The mess just seems huge, insurmountable. I stop and stare at it and feel the overwhelm of what I have created. As I broke down the mess in my room, I made a bigger mess. The room exploded into the hallway and the downstairs. The dust filled the air and coated us…making us all feel dirty. I pulled things off shelves, I put things back on shelves, I filled 5 garbage bags with accumulated paper. I put things I haven’t used into storage or into boxes labeled “garage sale.” I dusted before I put books back on shelves, I cleaned the floor before I moved shelves onto it. It was a messy process with a striking result.

As with this mess, when I start digging through any mess I find piles of paper that need to be sorted through one paper at a time. What is this? Do I need to keep this or is it time to sort this out and throw it in the trash? Why did I keep this in the first place? What was I planning to do with it? Does it have some value or is it just wasting precious space and creating havoc in my room? The same questions could be asked of myself when thoughts appear in my mind. Acknowledging the mess and asking myself - Why did that thought just pop up? What can I learn from that? Why is it there? Is it taking up valuable space? Is it adding to my vision or detracting from it?

In the end though, the room looks fantastic. It has never been so open and clear. I have claimed it as my own and can fully appreciate the space I have given myself.

Here’s the thing, this process was a very literal and quick version of what I’ve been doing with myself through Yoga. I remember saying last year a few times that I felt messy, physically and mentally, and I remember being told by Lesley and others in class that it IS messy and we always feel messy before we have the space and the clarity. In cleaning out the “Purple Room” I was reminded of the process. It has reminded me of the openness that is left once things are cleared and it has given me a taste of the innate beauty that Lesley swears is already in all of us. My purple room still has its dings but it is a much nicer space now than it was prior to the cleaning. So I will continue to ask questions. I will continue to work through tough stuff on the mat in looking for clarity, and letting Jesse massage the rough spots in my body so hopefully I will let go of the physical muscles and the mental muscles, and see Debra Lee for acupuncture so she can work on keeping the energy moving through my body. I will continue to explore my inner depth and “unpack” and create explosions (probably on paper) and set boundaries with my own personal space - including my purple room. I will watch and experience the mess as it’s being made and I will hopefully enjoy the cleanliness/clarity as I find and learn to appreciate my true internal beauty.

So with the process and vision in mind, I offer some pointers:

  • First and foremost, start - for me this was the hardest part but once I started, I kept going. I am seeing this as a creative process, a chance to get down and dirty and to get creative, to work through the mess…don’t let a possible need for a near-perfect outcome stop you from even starting.
  • If you have a friend who offers to help - accept it - it’s similar to having a walking buddy, someone to keep you on task and hold you to it
  • Try to keep the big vision in mind and not get bogged down in the details - sure, there are details that call out (my old saved magazines were saying - “read me Laurie, save me from the garbage”) but resist the urge to get caught up in these, they are a block; this is similar to the mental process where you have an inner critic telling you your work is garbage or what are you thinking trying to write a book or learn an instrument or do whatever you want to do but have been blocking
  • Don’t freak out over the messier mess - it is progress
  • Through the sorting process - ask the tough questions - do I need this? Can I access it elsewhere? What should I do with this? Is it of value to me? Does it help me with my vision?
  • Get rid of things you don’t need or want anymore. Find a place for things you do. I had containers with tops that I put extras of things in. I packed away “clutter” that didn’t need to be in my space.
  • Clean out the corner before you fill it in again - get all the crud off the floor before you put your bookshelf there; you don’t want that stuff hiding out under there haunting you. When the mental clutter begins, it’s good to take the time to ask the questions, pay attention and make sure that the dust is cleared out.
  • Pay attention to what you are doing - as you clear your space pay attention to the clutter, it’s ok that there is clutter and you can learn from your clutter. I have learned that I need to pay better attention to the “clutter” in my mind. There are messages there.
  • Understand that this is a process and decide when you are done
  • Finally, try not to let things accumulate, but if they do pay attention to them before they get out of hand. As I pile up magazines in my purple room, I pay attention to them and ask myself the questions - will I ever get around to reading this? Is there a better way of handling this? And really, do I need to even get this magazine or is there another way to get the information? I think the same thing goes for what I take into my mind. Do I WANT to let it in? If I DO let it in, what is it and is it helpful? Is it of value to me? Does it mean something? I can also see how this works with my body.

May 13, 2009  Tags: , , , , ,   Posted in: Down to Earth Community Blog, Laurie Jerva  One Comment

Focus, Distraction, and Using Your Whole Brain

Focus comes after vision, and it’s what allows us to begin to harness the shakti (creative power) which is still only living in potential.  But what is focus?  How does it work?  How do we do it?

Focus is both a noun and a verb.  A focus (noun) is whatever is at the center of my attention or activity.  Here’s the good and bad news:  whatever is at the center of my attention, I am empowering.  So if what is working in my life is my focus, I’m investing my shakti into that and making it grow.  If what’s not working is my focus, that, too, is growing.  So step one is beginning to notice–in other words, become conscious of-what I am putting at the center of my attention moment by moment, and asking myself honestly, “Is this something that I want to grow?” Once I really understand that it is my own focus that is empowering the object/thought/feeling, I am able to start harnessing that power and directing it toward my vision.

To focus (verb) means to adjust one’s eyes or instrument such that the object becomes clear. (Think about focusing a camera lens, for example.)  In other words, to focus is to create clarity.  Sometimes I hear students say, “I don’t know what my vision is, so I can’t focus on it.”  To me, that’s like saying, “I’m not flexible, so how can I do yoga?”  It is through practicing yoga that one becomes flexible.  It is through practicing focus that one becomes clear.

So how do we actually do it?  Patanjali talks in book one of the Yoga Sutras about the issue of distraction.  SwamiJ shares this info and commentary:

1.30 Nine kinds of distractions come that are obstacles naturally encountered on the path, and are physical illness, tendency of the mind to not work efficiently, doubt or indecision, lack of attention to pursuing the means of samadhi, laziness in mind and body, failure to regulate the desire for worldly objects, incorrect assumptions or thinking, failing to attain stages of the practice, and instability in maintaining a level of practice once attained.
(vyadhi styana samshaya pramada alasya avirati bhranti-darshana alabdha-bhumikatva anavasthitatva chitta vikshepa te antarayah)

  • vyadhi = disease, illness, sickness
  • styana = mental laziness, inefficiency, idleness, procrastination, dullness
  • samshaya = indecision, doubt
  • pramada = carelessness, negligence
  • alasya = sloth, languor, laziness
  • avirati = sensuality, want of non-attachment, non-abstention, craving
  • bhranti-darshana = false views or perception, confusion of philosophies (bhranti = false; darshana = views, perception)
  • alabdha-bhumikatva = failing to attain stages of practice (alabdha = not obtaining; bhumikatva = stage, state, firm ground)
  • anavasthitatva = instability, slipping down, inability to maintain
  • chitta-vikshepa = distractions of the mind (chitta = mind field; vikshepa = distractions, diversions)
  • te = they are, these are
  • antarayah = obstacles, impediments

Comfort in knowing these are predictable: If these are the impediments along the journey, then we can feel much more at ease when we encounter them. Instead of thinking, “Something is wrong with me,” we can see that these are predictable bumps along the road of spiritual life and unfoldment. If we know that such obstacles are going to come, and that other people before us have encountered them, then we can also follow their experience and guidance as to how to deal with these obstacles.

Distractions (chitta-vikshepa) come first: These two principles (chitta-vikshepa and antarayah) are not just lumped together as one concept. They are separate, though work together. Seeing these two as separate reveals a big key to Yoga. First, one of these nine states of mind or mental impressions arises, and attention engages with them. They literally distract the attention from whatever else it was focused on at the time. That distraction comes first.

Then, they become obstacles (antarayah): However, the second part of the process is that this distraction (chitta-vikshepa), once the engagement of attention remains fixed on the distraction, then also becomes an obstacle (antarayah), which is alive and rich with its painful disturbing qualities. Thus, it is a two part process, of the distraction occurring and then being followed by its becoming an obstacle. If the first part (the distraction) did not happen, then the second part (the obstacle) would not surface as being a problem.

Distraction and disturbance: Distraction and disturbance are two different principles. Notice that there first must be distraction, and that this is followed by disturbance.

Key to the obstacles is to not be distracted: How to break the link between the distraction and the subsequent pain as an obstacle is then the key to freedom. It is suggested in sutra 1.32 that the means of doing this is through making the mind one-pointed, or focused in such a way that the distraction does not come. In turn, the obstacle does not surface. It is an amazingly simple principle; so simple, in fact, that it is very difficult to entice ourselves to believe it and to practice it. Nonetheless, the ability to focus the mind is critical and worthy of great effort to cultivate.

So what Patanjali tells us is common sense:  The only way to resolve distraction is to FOCUS.

What does it mean to be distracted?  The word “distract” literally means “to pull apart.”  What is being pulled apart when we’re distracted?  In a word, Reality.  The singular nature of Reality, its essential “Is-ness,” gets pulled or split by the human mind into parts:  This part I like, this part I dislike.  This part feels pleasurable, this part feels painful.  The stuff my ego (the “I” in this scenario) likes, it attaches to.  It wants to hold onto it and have more of it.  The stuff it dislikes, it wants to get rid of.  This is problematic on so many levels, not the least of which is that, despite all my ego’s efforts, the singular, intact nature of Reality will not budge.  It is what it is.  It’s like an unbreakable rubber band–I can stretch it and stretch it,  but it’s stays always as a single thing.  The only result of all my attempts to make it two is greater and greater tension within me.

Why does this tendecy toward splitting reality occur?  One explanation is found in our biology and the dual hemisphere setup in the human brain.  Each hemisphere handles and relates with different aspects of our experience from the other, and this creates the illusion that two opposing things are occurring, when in fact it is two ways of experiencing one single thing.

It’s like stereoscopic vision.  The right eye sees one two dimensional picture and the left eye sees another, but when the picture comes into focus, the third dimension appears.  In a similar way, yogis discovered that when the forces of the left brain (called pingala) and the forces of the right brain (called ida) were coordinated, a third force appeared (called kundalini shakti).  The entirety of hatha yoga practice–asana, mudra, bandha, pranayama–is designed to work with these forces in the body and bring them into harmony, thereby unleashing this deeper dimension of reality.

These forces of ida and pingala coordinate roughly with western ideas of the right and left brain, as well as the concept of yin and yang.  In general, the breakdown is as follows:

Pingala/Left Brain/Yang Ida/Right Brain/Yin
Analytical Understanding
Verbal Spatial
Temporal (past/future) Present tense
Partial Holistic
Explicit Implicit
Based on argument Based on experience
Intellectual Intuitive
Logical Emotional
Thinking Feeling
Active Receptive/passive
Light Dark
Conscious Subconscious
Talkative Silent
Solar Lunar
Positive (as in a charge) Negative (as in a charge)
Mathematical Poetic
Rational Mystical
Objective Subjective
Digital Analogue
Centripetal focus Centrifugal focus
Masculine Feminine
Heating Cooling
Energy directed outward-mind acting on body Energy directed inward-body acting on mind
Karmendriyas (moving, speaking, reproducing, grasping, eliminating) Jnanendriyas (seeing, hearing tasting, touching, smelling)
Handles our likes Handles our dislikes

There is a natural ebb and flow between the two forces, and yogis track this shift to occur about every 90 minutes.  Nature intends us to have a balance of activity and rest, extroversion and introversion.  The greater the integration and balance between the two sides, the more creative potential (kundalini shakti) becomes available to us.

May 2, 2009  Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,   Posted in: 2009 Classes  No Comments