Monday, December 10, 2012

Like salt in water


One path says dissolve into your experiences like salt in water. You dissolve into the world and the sense of individuality ceases. The other path says stand strong against the influence of the world like a diamond, and recognize that the world is in you. 

In either case, the destination is the same. The sense of separation melts. The world is in your awareness and your awareness is the world.

These two paths have been articulated in many ways, and it often the dogma surrounding them created by intellectualization rather than practice that causes some problems.

By practice I do not mean regimentation of a physical kind, or any kind.  One practice might be to read a line of poetry and pause and let the images begin to find a home in awareness.  Another practice might be getting angry and feeling where the anger is inside, then watch it shift.  Or you could create your own practice.

Practice becomes interesting when the objects of our desires become less interesting.  It is not something you can force or should do, anymore than falling in love.

Saturday, December 8, 2012

Don't be shifty



Standing, it is common to shift weight from one foot to another. This temporarily avoids the consequences of misaligned hips - discomfort in the low back. Shifting gaze frequently moves awareness from one visual object to another without fully absorbing any one object into awareness. When we see someone shifing both weight and gaze, they appear shifty.

Holding a posture long enough to recieve the karma - the results of the action - is the opposite of shiftiness. It is said while most try to avoid consequences, the yogi seeks the causes.

Asana focus - even breath and gaze, longer holds in traditional poses.