Sunday, October 4, 2009

Now is the time

Atha yoganusasanum 1:1
now at this auspicious moment in time, the teachings of yoga.

Many moments here in Albuquerque seem the be auspicious, from the people I've been meeting to the events that are slowly unfolding all seem to have been waiting for the right time. The stage is set for new teachings and the adventure into Ayurveda, the mother science of India has begun. Ayurveda, the art of daily living, the study of life in all its forms from the gross to the subtle, the pursuit of understanding yourself on the deepest and most personal levels. What could be more practical than understanding the shifts of the mind, body, spirit phenomenon on a moment to moment basis?

Patanjali begins the Samadhi Pada of the Yoga Sutras with the word atha meaning now or a good omen and yoganusasanam which is advice or instructions on use and means of yoga, the joining and union of an individual to the totality of all there is. His intention for this first sutra I feel is not a casual one but a statement for a potential moment in time that could lead to the total personal transformation that eventually leads to pure bliss. The moment when the this sutra is read or chanted, for the first time or the hundred-thousandth time the opportunity arises to understand the present moment at a true and authentic depth. Since arriving here in New Mexico I've felt a unique energy that seems both welcoming and demanding. The time is ripe for new teachings and I can feel the power of "atha" with all the challenges it entails.