THE LAB, An Investigation of Embodiment in a Bhakti Hatha Yoga Practice
Context
Within the systems and science, philosophy and faith of Yoga, the mystical, the alchemical, the practical, all of creation is embodied in the human experience. I dance in this container now, from the culture of the East, blessed by Ma Ganga. Seeking for the West reclamation of sacred body, sacred Mother, blessing her/us in every way. In the place called Home of the Turtles, on top of limestone, caverns and underground rivers meeting at the Caribbean shore, we share a daily practice of an ancient Way.
Carl G. Jung has recently crossed my path again reminding me that my work is still influenced mightily by his. Shiva and Shakti, in their riotous variety of manifested characters are the archetypal energies of the divine, coloring my bhakti hatha yoga practice, and what I teach. Hindu faith meets modern psychology.
And then a summary view of quantum world quips by, reminding me how I go to the inner frontiers where the mass of my matter dissolves. The space in between smallest particles separated by the distance of continents, or planets. The place of pure potential, where a story can get re-woven to create Heaven on Earth.
The Project
Manifesting our own reality is a creative act. A new project, The Lab, is another long-held dream taking fruition. Launched on August 28, 2010 some yoginis at Yoga en Akumal are asking from the body, through embodiment, THE BIG QUESTIONS about the nature of Reality. These are spurred by my desire to “prove god” and are mined from cross-disciplinary studies in art, comparative religions, new science (including quantum physics and molecular biology), Jungian psychology, and of course, YOGA!
For the next six weeks we sadhakas have committed to creating the ripple effect of change in the world through the raising of our own consciousness and vibration. Within our bhakti hatha practice we are the investigators of our own experience, each and every practice, documenting our discoveries.
These three questions related to manifesting intention anchor the project:
Creating space: Where are the reaches of my inner frontier?
How do I allow intention to create manifestation?
How do I know my personal practice is an act of catalyzing
collective transformation?
After each practice, whether in class together, in personal practices, or on the road, we are simply taking some time to write. To document in prose or poetry, picture or colors how the body is responding to these questions. At the end of the 6 weeks we’ll edit the material to see what sort of answers occurred.
Join us if you’d like. Here are some more Big Questions:
What if there is no matter?
What is ‘my body’?
Who/What/Where is your inner witness today?
What’s happening?
What happens in the stillness?
What happens in the moving?
What happens in the observation of the Breath cycle?
What does energy moving feel like?
Divine: That great big unifying principle
What is union?
What happens when we invoke the divine/ the specific deities/stories/energies/archetypes?
If yoga is about resemblances, then what are the mirrors: Shiva/Shakti
What happens when we practice presence?
Intention: Creating our Reality
Creating space: Where are the reaches of my inner frontier?
How do I allow intention to create manifestation?
What is my capacity to effect change through INTENTION?
How do I know my personal practice an act of catalyzing collective transformation?
Is it magic? Alchemical?
Transformation
What does transforming consciousness feel like?
What is asking to be transformed?
What is healing?
