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bewell
1275 Posts |
 Posted - Apr 18 2006 : 8:33:56 PM
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[quote]Originally posted by yogani
"... the ero/ecstatic roar refining to a vapor, and this is what gives our inner silence the wings it needs to pour out in every direction. A very delicate and subtle process of marrying these two sacred qualities that live in us -- stillness and ecstasy. Once it has happened, it is not so subtle. It is stillness in action, divine love relentlessly penetrating every cell of our being, every cell of the cosmos within and all around us."
Yogani,
Thanks for that wonderful summary statement above on the process of marrying stillness and ecstasy.
I finished reading "Spinal Breathing" today. I was at home with the whole thing when you were dealing with practices and experience, but I do a double take and some redefining when you take jabs (perhaps friendly jabs) at orthodox Christian theology. You wrote, "...no need to wait for a savior... We can practice spinal breathing and panorama and save ourselves..." It reminded me of what Wilder says in "Secrets:" "...don't worry about God's only begotten son. It is imaginary territory, a manmade structure that will only slow you down."
For me, the story of the virginal conception is a great metaphor for the sort of spiritual transformation that frees us from an identity bound up with being children of our parents. By grace, we become children of our father in heaven. We don't make it happen. At best, we do practices that make us receptive.
Likewise, in yoga, we cannot, or ought not, force conductivity and silence. We do the practices and what comes is a gift, not exactly of our making.
That's part of how I reconcile AYP and Christian tradition.
Bewell
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Edited by - bewell on Apr 18 2006 8:38:42 PM |
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david_obsidian
USA
2602 Posts |
Posted - Apr 18 2006 : 10:06:39 PM
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Bewell said:
but I do a double take and some redefining when you take jabs (perhaps friendly jabs) at orthodox Christian theology.
You may be sure they are friendly in intention anyway. I'm preparing a training course in "sensitivity" which I intend to give to Yogani some time if I can track him down. It's the least I can do in return. For now, we have to put up with the rough edges.
 (Clown-faces added in edit. Apparently the thought of ME preparing a sensitivity training course for Yogani wasn't sufficiently obviously outrageous to some so that they would know it was a joke. )
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Edited by - david_obsidian on Apr 19 2006 5:41:56 PM |
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Katrine
Norway
1813 Posts |
Posted - Apr 19 2006 : 05:39:39 AM
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Near wrote:
quote:
One thing that worries me is I dont need much rest at the end. Just a few seconds
Near - it is nice to be here 
The most important thing is that you keep meditating. I can honestly say that you have nothing to worry about. However; I can say that a thousand times...and you would still worry. This is how we are. Accept it. Keep watching your worries, but don't go on a trip with them. If you don't feed them with your "stories" they will slowly drop away. When you meditate, always favor the mantra - no matter what your thoughts (or other experiences for that matter) are.
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quote:
Till I get some concrete experiences, I wont get the confidence that meditation is working "for me". (I'm sure that AYP works, basing on my intuition and people's experiences over here)
Well....you sort of said it right there: Your intuition comes from your silence. You actually do know. Your trust will deepen, Near. Regular meditation will deepen it. I eventually found out that meditation never worked for me. On the contrary, it exposes "me". This, as it turns out, is a good thing. In meditation, I dive into silence...our true nature. This is the real. The "me" needs time to accept this. Be gentle on yourself, Near. You are doing just fine.
Nothing - nothing at all - has ever done more for the peace/love of my heart than meditation. It is priceless.
May all your Nows be Here |
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Katrine
Norway
1813 Posts |
Posted - Apr 19 2006 : 05:50:22 AM
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Yogani wrote:
quote:
I tried to put words to this in the new book "Spinal Breathing" with more clarity than perhaps in the past. Please let me know at some point if I succeeded.
Thank you for shedding more light on the sacred marriage. It is very significant that we can be having these open conversations. Collectively, we are making good progress. It is an unending celebration!
Thank you, Yogani.
I am eternally gratefull to you for making this forum a room for our outpourings 
I am still waiting for your "Spinal Breathing". I know I will enjoy it.....I will report back once it is read.
May all your Nows be Here |
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yogani
USA
5241 Posts |
Posted - Apr 19 2006 : 11:02:08 AM
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quote:
Bewell wrote: I do a double take and some redefining when you take jabs (perhaps friendly jabs) at orthodox Christian theology.
Hi Bewell:
My formative religious inspiration is Christian, and I am also a strong believer in the maxim: "God helps those who help themselves." I am not opposed to saviors and especially not to surrender to our chosen ideal, whoever or whatever that may be. Practices play a key role in this process of opening and surrendering to what is ultimately real for us, and that is the focus of AYP.
If some of my writing seems reactionary in relation to traditional religious themes, it is only because the institutions have distorted religion so badly, and we will be wise not to go along with that. Not if we expect to achieve real spiritual progress in this life. This by no means takes anything away from our heartfelt surrender to Jesus, Mary, or any Beloved One in any of the traditions of the world. That is personal, and certainly valid. For many of us, it is the wellspring of our spiritual desire (bhakti), and I highly respect and encourage that in whatever way one is most inclined. My main advice on religion is, let's make the connection that is natural for us and not sell out to the institution itself, whose goals are likely not in full alignment with our own spiritual longings. In other words, the institution cannot do for us what we can do for ourselves -- commune directly with God within ourselves, and in that way bring the divine out into full expression in the world.
There are some, maybe many by now, who believe that organized religion, with all of its terrible history of manipulation, murder and mayhem, ought to be done away with, and are making a big effort in that direction. I do not believe in that. It is just more fighting over nothing. I think that all the people within the religions should do what is necessary to bring about a rapid expansion of divine consciousness from within themselves, and then transform the institutions accordingly. I believe this is what will happen as millions rise into enlightenment in the decades to come. The religious institutions are not going to go away. They are going to be transformed, because the people within them are rising rapidly in divine consciousness. And all of this is about practices...
The guru is in you.
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Jim and His Karma
2111 Posts |
Posted - Apr 19 2006 : 5:33:04 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by Jim and His Karma
my awesome god-like spirituality.
n.b. to anyone unsure, this was intended as ironic. :)
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bewell
1275 Posts |
Posted - Apr 19 2006 : 8:32:32 PM
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[quote]Originally posted by yogani
If some of my writing seems reactionary in relation to traditional religious themes, it is only because the institutions have distorted religion so badly, and we will be wise not to go along with that.
Thanks Yogani, for you thoughtful, kind response. I'm in sympathy with everything in you have said above. I myself have to keep my distance from many of the institutional distortions of Christianity. I've dropped out of Sunday meetings because I kind of got anti-social, inturrupting sermons and stuff like that. Better for me to participate in the invisible church at this stage. Bewell |
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Babaly
USA
112 Posts |
Posted - May 13 2006 : 1:02:06 PM
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[quote]Originally posted by Jim and His Karma
Few people notice a difference in me. If I started acting all "yoga-ish", they would. But I choose not to make stylistic changes to my personality, having no compulsion to telegraph to the world my awesome god-like spirituality.*
Jim,
I haven't laughed so hard in a long time as when I read this.... thanks so much for your wit and down-to-earthness
I appreciate your point of view and honesty.
Babaly
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