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.

Teachers

My teacher Stan took me to the ocean one morning a few years ago with the idea of teaching me how to surf. Walking towards the water he told me that the ocean doesn't care who you are, where you come from, if you're rich or poor, it treats everyone that enters the same. With that statement being his only spoken instruction I quickly discovered how ruthless the ocean can be and how little it really cared about who I was. For the next two hours I watched Stan glide on wave after wave while my every attempt to ride was unsuccessful and rather painful. It wasn't until we decided to leave that Stan stood by my board and gave a certain push that allowed me to ride the only wave I've caught to date.

What Stan said early that morning left an impression and the importance of finding a teacher dawned on me. It wasn't until I had the help of a master that I could experience the feeling of riding a wave. We live in a time where there are plenty of teachers that can help when the ocean starts to dominate, some better than others and some that seem to have been destined to cross our path. The teacher or in some cases the Guru may help us through this mystery of life but ultimately it is our responsibility to learn the ocean and become masters in our own right. Through direct perception we learn, through the spoken words and actions of masters we move forward in our endeavour and as time moves on we transform into something new and great. This is the essence of practice, the essence of who we are, and the fight to understand peace no matter what our life situation may be. With the right push we can all move towards peace and learn to better understand the difficulties of the ocean itself.

It's here now!!!

What is spirituality? What is this movement towards some idea of greatness or the longing for an ultimate? I believe this question has many answers both right and not-so-right but one thread that holds the idea of spirituality together is the experience of bliss and wanting to keep bliss. Bliss is the catalyst for everything, the choices we make are in some way all related to wanting this basic, natural, and sometimes hidden quality of being. There is a pursuit in every individual based on certain circumstances to achieve their concept of total freedom, a utopia created within imagination. In the depth and subtlety of who we are is the medicine that gives us the strength to endure the chaos of our environment. Spirituality is an observance, a moment when reality can be experienced for the what it is. The source that everything is born from, the essence of all that is, beyond happiness and sadness, the stillness beneath the vibration of this universe. The surface of a lake will constantly be changing depending on the weather however its deepest region will always remain still. Our exterior world will change before us including the people in our lives, the things we own, our physical body grows old but the deepest realm of our reality remains unconditioned by this morphing environment we live within. Finding and staying at this depth is worth the practice and patience required to get there.

Universe

This was a painting I did during the summer of 2005, the intention was to reflect certain ideas on an expanding universe as well as interpret the cosmic mystery the we're all floating around in.

Welcome to Ahimsa

The Yamas and Niyamas are not necessarily mentioned at day one for the embarking yoga student, the essence of asana practice is considered the initial attempt towards opening the mind for the first two limbs of Ashtanga yoga. In other words the asana practice starts from the outside and works inward, from the physical realm to an inner world, from the mundane to unalloyed peace. As the body moves, bends, and sweats the mind is pulled towards the infinity that is within. Ahimsa (non-harming) the first yama, is not simply being nice or eating a vegetarian diet but delving deeper into an understanding that we are all made up of the same atoms and molecules within the cosmic mystery that is this universe. Seeing the commonality of all pushes the mind beyond the differences of creed, sex, race, nationality, and opens a sacredness in all that is. It is the challenge of daily asana practice that leads to the experience of this unique oneness. Just as asana practice simplifies the mind, ahimsa simplifies the mind's relationship to the world.

I met Luke Jordan in Mysore last summer who told me an interesting story of his first trip to India. After his morning practice Luke went back to his apartment for breakfast to find that ants had invaded his room and were feasting on his food. In a frantic reaction Luke quickly ended the lives of the intruding ants, upset over his ruined breakfast. Later that day at conference Luke asked Guruji a question about the Yamas and Niyamas. Guruji's responded by saying, "Yamas and Niyamas very difficult, first you must practice lots of asanas, then you will know. Ahimsa (non-harming) is very difficult to master.......you kill too many ants!"

“If you only read books, you only have book knowledge. You have to have practical experience by practicing the yamas and niyamas, and asana in the correct method, with correct breathing and correct gazing, in your daily life. This is how you realize the meaning of yoga—how you realize who you are.” -- R. Sharath January 2009

1915-2009

Guruji was like a fountain that was constantly turned on, his presence in a room was the pulse of peace and his smile gave the reminder that some dimension of his being hasn't forgotten youthfulness. Though his health was a serious issue while I was in Mysore he seemed to accept the inevitability of death with a fearlessness. I always saw him with great posture, a glow to his skin and as the reality of his fading life was known by all at the shala he stayed calm. He had difficulty walking from his office to the stage but his spirit never wavered, he had something that an aging body could only fight to hold on to and it was easy to see as he would sit in his chair before the students of Mysore that all he wanted to be was a yogi and that he was in a beautiful way. I was lucky to have spent time in his shala, touch his feet, and simply watch him be who he was, a humble student of yoga.

Stan wrote me the morning I learned of Pattabhi Jois' passing saying, when the fruit ripens and falls from the tree there is little sadness. Though the absence of Guruji's body may bring tears to eyes around the world you can't help but be amazed that one man from Southern India has given the world so much through the greatness of yoga and that his practice was ripe when he left his body.

The J.W and the end of the world

After much thought and consideration as to what direction this blog should take I've decided to use my recent encounter with a Jehovah's Witness as a beginning of ramblings on philosophy and yoga or whatever else that comes to mind. The end of human civilization might not be the most exciting or thought provoking issue to examine for the resurrection of the Earth and Now blog but at least its a new beginning nonetheless and an expression of my current ideas.

My moment with the J.W was similar with every other encounter I've had with them from before, random and unusual, not everyday does a total stranger walks up to me beaming with a beautiful smile and hands over a booklet simply stating why the world is nearing human extinction. This quick interaction intrigued me, how am I to react by this person's efforts as a peace giver when they use the fear of total annihilation as a means of authority? I was delighted to know that I have yet another heads up for the end of times and a reminder of my own mortality but why should these issues be of concern for me? The booklet had a total of four pages, three pages dedicated to human misery, earthquakes, war, and famine, the last page being a beacon of hope illustrated by a happy family doing farm work. I came to the conclusion that this person wanted me to be afraid of something that I had no control over and if I wanted to survive the end of the world then I must change my way of thinking or prepare for the worst.

It's very apparent that we live in a world where life is quickly or slowly swept away by the forces of nature or devoured by the brutality of man, these are difficult facts of life and our death should not be something of great fear but something to honor. The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali addresses an affliction of the mind known as abhinivesha, which is the most subtle of the five afflictions and is experienced as a clinging to life or fear of death, even the most wise have to strive tirelessly in order to overcome this obstacle on the road to enlightenment. The difficulty of overcoming this affliction is humbling yet a good reminder to stand up strong and fearless in a world that can be seen with many uncertainties and unjustified passings. The pursuit of weakening abhinivesha is by no means easy and involves many moments of self appraisal, doubt, and sadness, though one may feel alone in this strange and mysterious world what else is there left to fear when there is no fear of death. The threat of an apocalypse cannot interfere with the purity of daily life and time is better spent experiencing the greatness of a simple moment than fantasizing what is yet to come. The simplicity of peace must become the greater pursuit and the feelings of fear must be given up. There is a choice to be had and greater freedom seems to be the path we all innately want to take.