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Will Doran Yoga
Newsletter - July, 2007 _____________ <<< ☼ >>> ______________
Dear friends, Thank you for your interest in my thoughts and perspectives on pursuing the spiritual path. This past month was very busy and productive for me with a lot of new insight gained. I was too busy to write a June letter but the time was well spent and I now am able to put some of that learning down in writing. I hope the insights shared below contribute to your sense of who you are and your role in life. You are an aspect of the Divine and all of who you are is a process of that inner light revealing itself to you and the world. Shine on …. In this issue: Yoga Philosophy: Mapping the Nature of Reality Applied Yoga: Revealing the Inner Light Notices:
____________________________________ Yoga Philosophy: Mapping the Nature of Reality This past June has been a very busy and fulfilling month for me. I have had the great honor of being able to attend a masters’ immersion workshop for Anusara teachers with John Friend. At the workshop was John’s philosophy teacher and internationally acclaimed yoga scholar Paul Muller. From these two I received wonderfully clear insight and instruction that has greatly enhanced my knowledge of the subtle dimensions of yoga. I have since been integrating the experience and insights gained into my yoga classes and recent Ranch Yoga retreat. By teaching my learning has deepened and it goes hand-in-hand with my observation that the level of our awareness of who we are is growing stronger and stronger; there is a willingness on many levels for us to expand our perception of the nature of reality and our place in it. What is being revealed within us, as individuals and as a whole, gives me hope for our future. I thought I would share the core of what I have learned. Just like on any major journey it is good to know the map of where you are, relative to where you are going. So too I found that studying the lay of the yogic landscape – its evolution over time – to be immensely informative in understanding the practice Tantra that I am drawn to today. In brief, yoga has seen three major developmental stages. The first, Classical Yoga, held that there was a separation between man and God – dualism – and our world of matter is but an illusion to be seen and overcome. The second stage of Vedantic Yoga was a period of compiling immense volumes of truths about the nature of reality. These teachings brought in a change that held mankind to be part of God – non duality – but contained a belief that the relative world of matter is a lesser aspect to be transcended. Since around the thirteen century a new school of yogic teaching called Tantra evolved. It was much less of an elitist expression of yoga and had many more householders as practitioners and teachers. Tantra upheld the nondualistic view that Supreme Consciousness created all that exists and as such it is an aspect of the Divine. It holds that everything is sacred, nothing exists that is not an expression of the divine revealing itself in one way or the other. Tantra too developed several schools of thought over the centuries. I learned that the Hatha Yoga that is widely taught today is a branch of what is called the alchemical school. This holds that by mastering the awareness of our internal vital energy and learning to strengthen and retain it we can turn our bodies, and lives for that matter, into an expression of the Divine. The alchemy was learning the process of steadying the body and mind to be receptive to the presence of this vital energy and how awareness of it leads to the self revelation of our own divinity and role as co-creator beings. One of the useful tools that Paul Muller introduce me to was the diagram of the 36 Tattvas, or elements of existence. This is the roadmap of all that exists, both in the absolute and relative worlds. The Tattvas are broken down into the five levels of the absolute, the six levels of the psychical/spiritual , and the 25 elements of the relative world. From the Tantric viewpoint everything in the Universe is essentially Supreme Consciousness expressed in varying degrees of vibratory energy and self awareness. The first five Tattvas describe the realm of the Absolute; the symbolism that the sages used is that of Shiva – absolute, unrestricted consciousness – and its feminine counter part, Shakti, the energetic force of creation. These two aspects of unbound consciousness and energy have the three additional aspects of total freedom of will (Icha Shakti), total and unlimited knowledge (Jnana Shakti), and unrestricted action (Kriya Shakti). These five elements are the total expression of unlimited expansive being, without beginning or end, expressed as total freedom. We come into the picture as a result of this unlimited Consciousness choosing to implement a process of stepping down its unbound energy and unlimited awareness for the purpose of seeing what individualized consciousness could create on the road to self revelation. The sages call this the dance of Shiva Nataraj. Indeed, they hold that Supreme Consciousness (Shiva) has five roles that it performs: creation, sustenance, dissolution, concealment and revelation. We are part of this process by nature of us coming into being, acting as co-creators, experiencing continuity, and moving from the darkness of ignorance into the light of self awareness. I find this macro view of existence very valuable. It gives me an understanding that it is part of a divine plan that we move through the process of not knowing who we are into an awareness of our intimate connection to Absolute Unity. Each of us dances our own unique dance moving to our own beat of the drum of creation and revelation all at our own timing. The key point is that there is nothing that isn’t part of the total scheme of things. The clearer we get on the concept that we are intimately linked to one central consciousness the more refined our dance becomes and the more harmonious is our movement through space and time. I experience this through the synchronicities of life, intuitive knowledge, living with a compassionate heart, playful curiosity and ecstatic moments of experienced oneness. The more I let go of my differentiated mind – surrender my tenacious hold of the ego – and open to the flow of the Divine the more amazed I am at how it reveals itself to me. It is said that for every step taken towards the Lord it takes two steps towards receiving us. For me this means living an integrated life of being and expressing my highest self awareness in all moments. I open to grace, both received and shared through my contribution, and enthusiastically watch to see what beautiful alchemy unfolds. ____________________________________ Applied Yoga: Revealing the Inner Light One of the aspects of studying Eastern philosophy that I have really resonated with is how it has complimented my years of developing a metaphysical perspective on the nature of reality. That insight has taken me down a path of self discovery and exploration into the art of blending philosophical insight with the practice of being my higher self. The operative word here is "being," as opposed to seeking. With the awareness that everything in the Universe is Supreme Consciousness I am gradually coming to understand that I too am an intimate aspect of the Divine. As such, I don’t have to do anything to achieve a goal, but rather, am deeply driven to reveal unto myself the knowledge of my true self identity. The process in a inward journey and an outward expression of love and kindness. Consciousness as a concept takes on a dual meaning when seen as the level of awareness of who I am and as the subject of that very awareness. As it becomes more clear to me that I am designed to move from a limited perspective of myself as a human being into an awareness of myself as being divine energy expressed through my humanity the meaning of my life takes on depth and purpose. The more I taste this awareness the more I want it, the more motivated I am to share my insights. Teaching yoga has served me in this light for as I experience the subtle dimensions of yoga – the building and flow of vital energy – the more relevant it becomes as a tool to be shared with my community. In the Anusara school of yoga a lot of emphasis is placed on the kula, or community of spirit. This community is not just the few fellow students who share studio space with each other but also includes the growing community at large that sees itself as a connected whole. I feel that there is a process of the inner light revealing itself to a larger mass of humanity. It is a way to accelerate the manifestation of consciousness within us on a larger scale. Our efforts to understand the nature of reality and our role in it adds to this growing energy of consciousness. In the process of revelation it loops back to nurture us on our journey of self discovery for light and love are a powerful force for more expansion. This expansion of the kula is an important role in which we are called to participate and experience. Our work as individuals is to get more clear about our divinity and bring in more light into the way we think, perceive and interact within the relative world. This makes the absolute world of pure consciousness more grounded into our reality and the limitless possibilities for human evolution more likely to take us into our next level of being. Individually it opens us to grace and to receive the guidance that we require to further our understanding of spirit and being human. I am optimistic for our future. I see many signs of growing consciousness and individuals stepping up to the task of expanding their connection to spirit. Our community serves us as a reality check for realization. I gather that there is a growing sense that a change for the better is at hand. Indeed, the darkness that has pushed us into various degrees of complacency and has taken away our hope is more clearly being seen for what it is. The threat of global warming and growing disgust with the Iraqi war and the greedy politicians and corporate war machine that keeps it going are starting to wake us from our slumber. These threats are serving to bring us together into an expanding body of consciousness. This provides the connection between our inner life and our outer practice for we can more easily see how interconnected we all are. A case in point is the growing practice of small investors helping third-world entrepreneurs with micro loans through organizations such as Kiva (www.kiva.org). We are more empowered now to make a difference locally and around the world by sharing our willingness to see the connections and make a difference. I see the growing awareness that yoga has contributed to our culture, and it too makes me optimistic. The level of commitment to an alternative way of thinking and being is contributing to a sense of personal empowerment and responsibility for our individual and communal health. It takes us deeper into the multi-layered aspect of our being and provides fertile ground for observation and correcting our alignment, both literally and metaphorically. The strength of inner stillness makes us less easily deluded and more capable to see reality for what it is. We are becoming more skilled at perception and seeing what is through our own eyes of discernment, rather than simply accepting what we are told. When more clarity at this level reaches a critical point the shadow of darkness spread by lack of consciousness will be dispelled by a compassionate and non-dogmatic belief system that connects us through the heart and a sense of unity. It will be a powerful force that will bring about quantum change on many levels. There is a lot of work still to be done and not everyone can dedicate themselves to the grand causes rising to the forefront. However, we the common householders can be a powerful force by the refinement of our way of being. We can hold ourselves as powerful creator-beings and nurture the higher qualities of love and compassion. We can seek to see the eyes of God in every face we meet. We can be steadfast when facing the challenges to our core beliefs and pursue life-affirming action in all levels and aspects of our lives. As we individuals deepen the bridge between body, mind and spirit we will foster wholeness, a deeper appreciation for the value of "now," and hopefully will bring in more spontaneity and joy into our daily lives and interactions of our communities. As we grow, the inner light that reflects the presence of the Divine will shine forth and there is no limit to the glorious realities we can create for ourselves. ____________________________________ Notices: Thanks Ranch Yoga Participants! Pictures of this years retreat are now available to view at www.ranchyoga.com/photos-2007.htm
My teaching schedule: Monday: 12:00 noon to 1:15 pm at Olympic Athletic Club in Ballard Tuesday: 10:45 am – 12:00 noon at Gold’s Gym on <<Aurora >> and 97th Thursday: 7:45 – 9:00 pm at Gold’s Gym on <<Aurora >>and 97th Friday: 12:00 noon to 1:15 pm at Olympic Athletic Club Saturday: 10:00 – 11:15 am at Phinney Center on <<Phinney>> and 65th Sunday: 11:15 – 12:30 pm at Olympic Athletic Club in Ballard Yoga at the Phinney Neighborhood Center Schedule has been scaled back to just be on Saturday mornings at 10:00 am. I will wait to see what interest level exists before considering starting an evening class this fall.
Will Doran, Life Coach I offer individualized support that will help you take yourself to your next level of personal health, healing and understanding our your direction and place in life. If you feel there is a part of your life that is beckoning but you can’t seem to get there – be it career, personal relationships, connecting to Spirit, or defining your life purpose and journey – I can help you move into your next stage of personal growth and fulfillment. Knowing how to get there isn’t always an easy thing and working with a trained specialist such as I am can make all the difference. If you are interested in seeing what coaching can do for you give me a call and we can set up a free trial session. Call me at (206) 789-2321 or go online to www.TheYogaCoach.com for more information. May your days be filled with peace, joy and light. Namaste, Will PS. Please feel free to pass this newsletter on to your friends. ____________________________________________
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