The Vibrational Connection (February 2019 Newsletter)
Pick up any Mind/Body Yoga magazine and you will invariably come across a story about how yoga saved someone’s life, or their sanity. Often this has to do with losing weight, gaining flexibility or curing some physical ailment such as crippling backache. Mostly though, the remarkable stories are those that have to do with almost miraculous recoveries from physical conditions for which there are no known cures, where life expectancy is severely limited, or a life-situation that seems to have no good resolution. These dead-end lives and situations see a subtle or sudden change or shift and the load is lifted through a committed yoga practice. Life becomes better!
This is truly the power of yoga. It is the awareness that the voices in your head, and your speaking heart are true and have some connection with the Energy of the Divine (the clarity of pure consciousness). Even if there are no cures to body, mind or spirit issues, you must fully believe that you are in control of your life and destiny, and that by steadfastly setting a direction and constantly fine-tuning the goal you can change things to the way you want them to be.
How can yoga, which appears to be mostly a physical practice, possibly change the course of one’s life? It can and will through serious commitment to being present in the moment and all that it encompasses. It is your full presence in just this moment in time, not past and not future! Never doubt what you want in your life in the long term, but start with this present moment. When you never shut your mouth, and your ears are open to every earthly and virtual vibration, you cannot be creating those transformative vibes. Sutra 1.23 in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali states ‘Ishwara Pranidhana va’ meaning stay focused on the Divine Energy (Ishwara) or (va) stay in that Presence (Pranidhana). In the following Sutra 1.24, it is suggested that this focus is unaffected by the interpretations we put on events/conditions/state of things (kleshas), actions (karmas), or results of those actions that happen when our deep down but inaccurate impressions affect our thinking (klesha karma vipaka ashayaih aparmristah purusha-vishesha ishvara). Sutra 1.25 then completes the thought: In that pure consciousness without shape or form (ishvara) the seed of pure and full potential reaches its peak and is the ultimate connection. (tatra niratishayam sarvajna bijam). The bijam (seed) referred to here is the hum of the universal primal vibration equated with the sound 'OM' in yogic philosophy. Just to clarify, the sound of OM is just the sound of vibration if it could be sounded and be audible. It is the sound of one hand clapping.
The regular practice of physical yoga without doubt and without expectations creates the groundwork and foundation upon which is built this ladder to eternity right here on earth.
Namaste,
sipra