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Will Doran Yoga
Newsletter - November, 2007 ________________ <<< ☼ >>> ________________
Dear friends, Ah, to live in absolute peace and bliss! What a dream, no? Why did we come to live as humans with its abundance of challenging hardships? I have pondered this for most of my life as have many of us. The answers may be elusive but the optimal way of being while exploring the options have become more clear. It is not that having answers will stop the flow of life’s challenges, they simply point out that how we choose to live determines the quality of the experience. This newsletter is focused on looking at an optimal way of being that is an expression of balance and harmony with the highest potential of our being. In this issue: Yoga Philosophy: Equanimity Applied Yoga: Life Practices for Equipoise and Inner Peace Notices:
____________________________________ Yoga Philosophy: Equanimity The metaphors of a physical yoga practice are instructions for creating inner stability and composure in all aspects of one’s life. Our practice on the mat is both a rudimentary chance to create strength, balance and flexibility in the body as well as a much deeper and life-transforming opportunity to explore emotional stability and the creation of an even-tempered and steadfast mind while under tension and strain. This act of looking deeper into the qualities of our action produces equanimity, that state of balance and grace that is the precursor to inner peace. I love this word "equanimity" whose Latin roots mean "equal mind and spirit." To me, this is the key to achieving the ultimate meaning of life. We are given a physical incarnation governed by a mind capable of knowing itself also as spirit, and as such we follow an ingrained desire to know ourselves as being totally integrated with pure Consciousness, the loving essence of God. The more the mind recognizes its spiritual counterpart the more at peace, the more balanced, it becomes. Equally so, the more the mind fails to grasp the inner calling to create a sense of connection to the Divine the more out of balance we are and the more we suffer. I have consciously been on a spiritual path for the greater part of my life, and when I speak to people about spirituality it frequently comes to my attention that "spiritual" is a buzz word with a negative connotation. This isn’t too difficult to understand due to all the countless abuses of religious authority and pop culture capitalizing on social trends. Because of this I find it useful to look for terminology to express the process of making a mind-body-spirit balance that doesn’t rock the boat of someone not accustomed to spiritual concepts. Indeed, why loose your audience before you even have a chance to get your point across? The overall goal is not to convert one to a particular view or set of mental constructs, but rather, to introduce personal guidance tools that can be used to generate a sense of clarity, empowerment and peace. If streamlined concepts don’t do the job, working with the breath and body in a still, focused way usually does. The overall goal is equanimity, the balance of all aspects of our being. When one aspect, such as the mind, is too dominant balance is reached by bringing in more of something else. An indispensable ancient yogic tool for understanding the dynamics of balance and equanimity is the concept of the three gunas – the principal building blocks of nature. The gunas (pronounced "gun-a") are the three energetic threads interwoven into all things in creation. They are tamas (inertia, heaviness, density), rajas (dynamism, passion, movement) and sattva (lucidity, clarity, alertness, equilibrium). One can apply the concept of the gunas as a way to understand how equanimity is created; we can become alchemists blending the physical, emotional, mental and energetic dynamic aspects of life in such a way that we master the awareness of each quality’s presence in proportion to the overall outcome we desire. If we can recognize when too much inertial is moving us toward torpor, or too much activity and dynamism create over-heated passion, we can seek to bring in more of the balancing opposite quality to create harmony and balance. Equipoise comes from generating a sattvic quality of equilibrium under pressure. In this light I find that the tool of working with the flow of breath also to be very powerful towards the creation of equipoise. The breath is the bridge between body and mind that moves one into focus in the present moment. This degree of mindfulness subtly promotes spiritual connection and liberation. Whether applying this to working with the physical yoga poses and the metaphors of twisting, balancing, exploring a physical edge, or using the breath to understand energetic balance in all other aspects of relationships, understanding breath and equilibrium is directly applicable to the mastery of life. For what are the things that really tweak our sense of composure and break our state of calm? Usually they are an imbalance of negative perspectives, assumptions, challenges, fears, judgments and other such situations that threaten us on one level or another. How often can the unpleasant reaction to these be diminished if we could still our reactive mind sufficiently to choose our optimal response that brings about equanimity? If we train our minds to see that we are all in a process of refining the energetic essence of who we are we can more easily understand that we are spirit beings living human existances. What would we gain if we lived our lives constantly realigning our perspective of who we are? What if compassion and composure were constantly employed as a way to live in a state of grace, keeping happiness alive for ourselves and others? The answer is that we would gradually come to understand that all of our relationships and interactions are a never-ending opportunity to express who we are at the highest level we choose to be. We would constantly be expanding the level of our happiness – for equanimity harmonizes us with our environment and opens our receptivity to acquire more of what we desire for ourselves. It would empower us to be steadfast in our focus even while the winds of conflict and chaos attempt to blow us off course. A life that is dominated by just the body (the heaviness of inertia) or mind (racing thoughts) is out of balance, it is missing its counterpart of spirit (luminous being). I’m all for kicking back and chilling out as well as enthusiastically engaging in sensual pleasure and intellectual exploration. But I find that in order to keep a healthy balance I have to bring in a perspective of what serves my spirit as well as my body and mind. Because we are intimately connected on so many levels, we humans have to foster a perspective on the ramifications of our thoughts, words and deeds and how they form our reality. If our ultimate goal is to live with vibrant clarity, a sense of creative empowerment, and an understanding of our belonging in the grander scope of things we must cultivate the playing field of equanimity to open ourselves for to the manifestation of our highest aspirations. ____________________________________ Applied Yoga: Life Practices for Equipoise and Inner Peace So what does one do to move into the state of grace that is equipoise? How do you remove the barriers to Self awareness that creates equilibrium between being grounded in your humanity and yet keenly aware that you are spirit? Like Steven Covey’s guidelines expressed in The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People I believe strongly that one must first figuratively "sharpen the saw" before cutting their way through life’s obstacles. Without clearing the decks of the misery, negative emotions, resentments and fears one cannot freely serve and enjoy others and themselves. To clear out your misery so as to keep happiness alive requires some honest evaluation of who you are within the context of who you want to be. This means letting go of the blame and responsibility placed on others for who you have become. It means taking the responsibility to recognize that once you have chosen to be the guiding force in your life you can implement the changes required to move into your optimal way of being. Release and forgiveness don’t always come easy but they are required. Indeed, the very things that have transpired in your life are the tools that you may have needed to create the insight and relative awareness of what you do and do not want for yourself. Holding on to a tool that no longer is needed only weights you down and encumbers future growth and productivity. Also, the analogy of trying to cut wood with a dull saw means that you may be a whole lot more effective if you change your strategies that may not be working so well. It may serve you best to take on some new perspectives. One of the most powerful of these is letting go of "victim mentality." The empty nature of reality holds that any given situation or condition is not intrinsically good or bad. What you experience is relative to an intricate web of cause and effect (karma) and you have always been part of the equation. Recognizing that you have always lived in a "free will zone" open to experience other’s input and actions will give you the choice to let go of what no longer serves your greatest good. The very thing that has empowered them to impact your life grants you the freedom to create something new and more in alignment with your values and personal desires. Ultimately it is the power of choice that will refine your toolset for creating equipoise and harmonious living. The same freedom you have experienced in others to influence you gives you the freedom to break from old relationships, jobs, restrictive thoughts. Form follows thought so why not direct your attention, and intention, to what you desire? Cultivating gratitude for what you have energizes its presence and attracts more of it into your life. Practicing silence and receptivity will train you to perceive the abundance that surrounds you and strengthens your capacity to accept the gifts of life that come in all sorts of disguises. When you act and speak from inner stillness you create a balance that makes it possible to look at your existence and the situation at hand in a way that doesn’t hinder the optimal from manifesting itself. These are the qualities of equipoise. The ability to remove yourself from the self-imposed limitations that keep you stuck. Breaking free from the negative perspectives and self-indulgent emotions that enslave you will open you to a new world of possibilities. Choosing to direct your thoughts and actions towards what compels you is one of the most powerful tools for creating a fully integrated and abundant life. Getting to that place of clarity is not always easy and frequently require a great deal of effort. You may find that changing patterns of thinking and behavior require practicing rituals to create a safe place for your feelings. They need to be released and replaced with new ways of being and feeling. Making a ritual of sending out peaceful thoughts around an idea, person or challenge may pave the way for positive changes or results. Catching your old patterns of speech or mental constructs will help to open yourself to the limitless potentiality inherent in any situation, person or thing. Training yourself to be still enough to make these changes of behavior is crucial and the most powerful tool to do so is meditation. Even a five-minute ritual of sitting still before entering into action may open your mind to new ideas and perceptions, as well as empower you to control knee-jerk responses. The inward journey has untold benefits that will enrich your life. The above ideas have proven themselves time and again for me when dealing with the complications of family, work and personal life. I have often felt isolated and unique in my desire for peace and harmony and I still find myself striving for the right way to shape my perspectives and voice my desires. To date, one of the most powerful tools in my repertoire is partnering with the Divine. By this I mean acknowledging that I am not separate and alone, but rather, am one of many sparks from the One Eternal Flame. I am connected to the creator and all the absolute consciousness that permeates the material and energetic world in which I exist. My thoughts go beyond my mind, they spread out into the web of consciousness and touch others shaping their perceptions as well as my own. This awareness of the collective consciousness we share is the power behind prayer. I call it partnership with the Divine for it acknowledges that I am part of the equation and I am teamed up with the divine will of God to bring all beings eventually into the light of peace and love. When I ask for help I don’t just say "please do this, please do that." I ask for the greatest good to be served. I ask for the higher consciousness of the beings I am working with to communicate with my highest self so they can work things out in a way that may go beyond my mind’s capacities to understand the big picture. I surrender to the power of love, the purest essence of the Divine, and hold the internal space for what will serve the highest good. This seems to pave a path for my efforts and deepens my sense of integration into a dimension of being that is in harmony with the ultimate goal of yoga –union– that governs my way of life. Just like the metaphor of diligently practicing the physical postures of yoga, with all my body’s limitations, aches and pains, I know that not partnering with the Divine leaves me in far worse shape. There is a rhyme and a reason to life that I may not have mastered yet but I know the course ahead of me and infusing spirit into my humanity is the clear choice to follow. ___________________________________ Notices: My teaching schedule: Monday: 12:00 noon to 1:15 pm at Olympic Athletic Club in Ballard Tuesday 10:00 – 11:15 am 7-week pre-registered series (Nov. 6th – Dec. 18th)- Space Available Thursday 7:30 to 9:00 pm 7-week pre-registered series (Nov. 1st – Dec. 20th) – Full 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
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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