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Proficiency: The Variety of Yoga Teachings andTeachers: the Inner Teacher, and How to Find Her

Yoga Teachings and Teachers: Style and Content inthe Modern Era

"Listen! the teacher of the teacher, the creativity of theuniverse,In the midst of his uncontrived audience,

According to this inner source of all contrived quintessentialteachings,Describes how everything appears,

When you have understood the united frame of reference of this core teaching,

All other frames of reference will be reflected within thiscreativity that makes everything else possible.Thus, if you know me -- the intelligence of the universe --

You will know the inconceivable truth.If you know me -- the majestic creativity within everything --

You will know and be at peace with the reality of everythingelse."

Longchenpa " You are the Eyes of the World ", translated by Kennard Lipman andMerrill Petersen, Snow Lion, 2000

Contents

Introduction

Part One: General Principles

Authentic Yoga is neither Technology nor Techno-theology Yoga Unites: Resolving Separateness, Fragmentation, and DualitIssues

Part Two: Yoga Styles and Teachings: Ways of Practice

Page 1 of 118Yoga Teachings and Teachers: Styles and Techniques

8/31/2012http://www.rainbowbody.com/asana/teachering.htm


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(Sadhana)

Balance: Reaching Sattva -- Rajasic (sun) versus Tamasic (moon)Styles: Finding Synchronization

Dissolving Edges and Barriers: Recognizing it and Moving into New Territory, No Man's Land, Wilderness, and Freedom

Part Three: Natural and Spontaneous (Sahaj) Yoga versus Willful or Forced Practice

Static Poses Versus Moving Poses: Control Vs Surrender

The Kundalini Being Modulated by the Luminous Wisdom Body

The Rule of First Impulse in Natural Yoga

Resisting the First Impulse

Prayer Dance as the Pulsation of Life: Focus

Part Four: Varieties of Yoga Teachers

Two Camps of Hatha Yoga Teachers: Structure versus Freedom

Teaching Yoga versus Teaching Asana

The Very Dangerous Radical Teacher/Teachings

Conclusion

Introduction

Yoga asana practice is a way of focusing upon the natural and intelligent innate life




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supporting energy (prana shakti) as a gathering/focal point; so that we bring thatintelligent energy increasingly into our daily lives, communing more deeply with

THAT eternal source which supports all of life. In this way the nature of its Source(in A ll Ou r R el at io ns ) is revealed as our true Self. I n this way love, clarity, peace,and healing manifests in our daily life as Sacred Presence.

Here we will discuss yoga teachings, yoga styles, and yoga teachers especially in thecontext of hatha, kundalini, and tantric yoga. Specifically we will focus on the bodypositive approaches which through simple process such as found in hatha,kundalini, and tantric yoga reveal the non-dual and transpersonal causal existenceof shiva/shakti, mother/ father, yab/yum, awareness and being, original spirit andnature, yang and yin (the Great Ultimate) as a whole -- in context of the GreatIntegrity of A ll Ou r R el at io ns -- the Great Perfection or Mahamudra.

Ha (sun) Tha (moon) Yoga unifies and Reestablishes the OriginalIntegrity of the Primary Sun and Moon Pairs of Opposites

Effective and functional practice starts off with the assumption that the human bodyis an evolutionary product of billions of years of co-evolution an ongoing act of creation in relationship with the innate intelligent evolutionary power. When theevolutionary power is seen rightly in the light of the Primordial Source, it is knownin its true form, as a reflexive, co-creative, interdependent, and ever changingmanifestation. I t is a magical wheel/ mandala and holographic open doorway.Created "things" (phenomena) and thought forms do not exist by themselvesindependently, nor do they have an inherent separate or independent identity,rather they are interconnected by the Great Web of All. I f we take the human body

outside of its primordial context and its evolutionary power, it dies it ceases tosurvive outside evolutionary processes (ceases to evolve). Human beings will ceaseto survive if their social structures and institutions continually grasp onto dead ,conceptual, delusional, and dysfunctional principles.

The human body as well as the body of the universe can only be completelyunderstood in terms of this integrative intelligent evolutionary process. We can nottake away that context without ignoring our true human nature. Without knowinghuman life, nature, and our own true nature (who we are), it is hardly likely that onewould be able to know their source, timeless identity, or anything else.

In short what appears to be the body's reality is most often a limited projectionimposed upon "what-is-as-it-is" by a biased and limited mindset (citta-vrtti). Adistinction must be made between an apparent perception, the view, and what isbeing viewed. I f we view from a limited egoic/separate vantage point, then we willnever be able to see the entire "object" from all/ universal angles. Thus normal egoicperception is not really the way it truly is, as long as "reality" is not understoodtrans-conceptually -- as a reflection of the universe's own innate creative process.

This understanding is awareness of and union with our original primordial




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consciousness. Primordial consciousness has always been integral to evolution, buthumans can not grasp that conceptually nor in dualistic terms of merelyanthropocentric frames. When primordial consciousness merges with man's non-dual perception of the universe as an ongoing and continuous reflexive pulsation,then man has reached integrity and virtue. That virtue is yoga.

Nature, and especially the human body as an intimate part of nature, is an alwaysavailable teacher in his palm of the hand capable to remediate man's state of fragmented consciousness at any time, The true nature of nature as-it-is is knownsimultaneously when we know the true original and unpolluted nature of our ownmind which is transconceptual. The human body is intimately connected to thisliving matrix and very wise. while nature has contained within it the entire story of all that is and all that has been, as well as the blue print and building blocks for thefuture.

Although human beings attempt to reduce the body and the mind to the mechanical

laws of body mechanics, neurophysiology, biochemistry, brain science, astronomy,physics, philosophy, ethics, rules, religion, and conceptually based sciences suchwinds up as a severe limitations, conceptual boxes/frames, artifice, and fabricationthat man imposes upon life, nature, reality, and the body which in turn separatesman experientially and subjectively from full participation in life, the true natureand power of the evolutionary process of co-creation, as well as primordialtransconceptual awareness.

These self imposed impositions, by the over use of the intellect to the detriment of intuitive wisdom, most often serve to block and impede the body's own wisdom

which manifests naturally and spontaneously in children and adults (in the adulthuman this is accomplished by merging pure consciousness and pure being) if notrepressed, ignored, feared, or punished.

I t is this natural expression of the primordial consciousness as the body's innatewisdom that authentic yoga elicits. The adult egoic mind has become afraid andalienated from this expression and its spontaneous expression,. I n fact the egodesires to control it. Hence natural expression has been repressed, suppressed andfeared in unnatural egoic based and arrogant societies. Despite that, within the bodythere lies a path to primordial source, just as nature reveals her creation to her

contemplative or devotee. Devotion to yoga in regard to getting the whole story,obtaining pure integrity and virtue, was known to yogis of the ages. It is the author'shope that this innate knowledge will help turn around mankind's current trend topoison and destroy nature, habitat, life, and Self.

This gets down to Integrity. That gets down to integrity with "what" and by "whom"which is pure virtue and integrity. Nature reflexively displays primordialconsciousness which illuminates itself virtually, when the obscurations have beenremoved.




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I t is a well known yogic principle that where we put our awareness we place ourenergy. For example we can place our awareness and energy into a sense organ toenhance its function. More subtly this same principle can be applied to organs,glands, and nerves through internal feelings/awareness just as conscious movementthrough muscle function can be applied through the motor cortex to stimulatemuscles and nerves. This entire process is mitigated by forces and functions of space, gravitation, the endocrines, the brain, joint reflexes, and a retinue of pastmental and environmental factors operating simultaneously in the present and inanticipation of future events. This data is available to human awareness when thehuman's awareness is operating in the zone of enhanced transconceptual awarenessso attuned.

Even within modern Western science, it has come to the notice of many brainscientists and modern neurophysiologists that not only the mental patterns of thought can be measured with cat scans, blood tests, EEG devices, and otherphysiological devices thus providing scientific proof that the mind affects thephysical body, but also it can not be ignored that the body affects mind (say intranquilizers, mood elevators, psychoactive drugs, biofeedback training, exercise,etc. I t seems clear (at least to me) that some of the ancient yogis also intuited theserelationships.

Although Holism in not a mainstream medical paradigm, it is gaining more credencebecause of modern technological devices capable of measuring these subtlephysiological and biochemical relationships. Working on old karmic patterns suchas through conscious respiration (breathing), combined with visualizations,movement (asana), dristhi (gazes), mantra (sound energy), and the like directly can

unravel and liberate the practitioner from previously induced karmic patternswithout becoming conceptual. Artificially programmed vestigial imprints (vasana,samskara, karma) are considered a barrier in yoga thus a path toward liberationfrom old programming can help trigger our natural (pre-programmed) primarydisposition. I t is in that universal primordial and evolutionary context that yoga canbe understood as an effective tool for liberation.

General Principles

In the modern world there exists a wide variety of yoga teachers and teachings,which can be confusing especially to a newcomer. In order to avoid "seriousmistakes" including emotional, mental, spiritual, and physical injuries, it may behelpful thus to keep a few foundational principles in mind.

In order for the practitioner to have clarity in the matter of yoga teachings andteacher, one must first be clear what it is that they wish to learn. On the profoundlevel of course, after one is absolutely clear on what it is that one wants to learn, one




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has already learned it; so at first there is always some confusion (until the subjectmatter is completely learned and de-mystified). That is, when the confusion,delusion, and ignorance (avidya, ego, and spiritual estrangement is removed), thenthe practice of yoga has reached its conclusion in inseparable union, but since mostof us are still suffering from the illusion of separateness and thus can benefit frompractice, then many pitfalls on this journey can be avoided by clarifying one's intentand awareness as to the nature of the teachings (and hence teacher) that are beingpursued.

All our experiences in our life (all our relationships) form our teachings in so far wehave the ongoing opportunity to be open and continuously learn. From our owndirect experience, our world is innately informed, that is if we do not shut downfrom this opportunity. A major problem is that most people have learned andbecome accustomed to a severely limited, crippling, and dysfunctional world viewwhich dictates to us our experiences -- wherein we think we already know somethingand hence grasp onto it. Then a mismatch, duality, conflict, and confusion arises,when the innate ever present teaching/ teacher becomes chronically ignored wherewe become inured to the apparent condition that the inner teacher is notcontinuously present. When the innate wisdom and clarity is chronically absent,then people are subject to being misled, because they are looking for leadership inthe wrong places. Then false views, foreign belief systems, and prejudice dominate.Authentic yoga is designed to exorcise this dualistic conditioning/programming andbring us back to our authentic natural innate Self. he truth is that the efficaciousguide and teacher/ teaching is eternally present, but it is only that our consciousnesshas become distracted that we have ignored such. Normally we have becomedistracted, but every moment provides an opportunity to open, to learn, to pulsate,vibrate, and respond. In our yoga practice thus we learn how to surrender to andopen up to that ever-present instruction and process.

Back to Table of Contents

Authentic Yoga is Neither a Technology nor a Techno-theology (both of whom externalize and corrupt)

Man has often attempted to develop a sacred technology in which to obtain divinity,but for the most part such formulations have only reduced the sacred as well aslimited human potential. Similarly there exist many definitions of what yoga is.

There exist many different schools, formulations, and approaches to the teachingscalled yoga. So it may be easier to start by defining what yoga is not. Because of therecent fad in the West defining the Sanskrit word, yoga, as a form of physicalexercise (which is only disguised as yoga), we are best served to begin by statingwhat would be obvious to the ancient yogis, i.e., that yoga is not exercise,




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gymnastics, acrobatics, or simply a system of physical culture, nor is it merely stressreduction, albeit some of its techniques may include such elements. Yoga practicemay look like that to an outsider or Westerner, but such a view is merely ignorant of yoga's deeper potential and purpose. Although Westerners are free to think as theyplease, they do not serve any decent purpose by imposing their self deceptions anddelusions upon others by misrepresenting the ancient teachings or misappropriatingthe word.

Because of this misrepresentation a modern confusion has become created in so farthat the beginning student becomes seduced into thinking that accomplishment inyoga has to do with the goal of accumulating more technique, technical details,specifics, analysis of the separate parts, reductionist thinking, or mechanics; i.e.,such teachings that yoga can be bought or owned at best only reinforces the illusionof separateness (ego); while the true purpose of yoga ultimately lies in theharmonization and synchronization of all the diverse parts of the body, mind,breath, creation, and creator; its intimate experience through a process of unification and integration -- a unified non-dual state of subjective beingness andrealization which contains within it great peace and "well-being".

Albeit the parts are essential to the whole, and hence yoga is integrative rather thanreductionist or fragmented. Any so called yoga teacher/ teaching will create adisservice if the whole is lost sight of in the investigation of the parts, thus thisdistraction which causes dissipation and eventually dissolution of the energy, the lifeforce, and awareness can be avoided by maintaining the overall bhava (intention andfocus) of your practice -- by having the student of yoga become clear about what it isthat they desire to learn. I s it a communion with clarity, healing, love, peace, and

well being or is merely knowledge, physical skills, superficial vanities and beauty,flexibility, endurance, or physical strength and power. Even some so called non-dualintellectually and analytical oriented schools can often enhance the dualism, ratherthan to augment or affirm the experiential reality of the Great non-dual integrity.

Ordinary teachings/ teachers reduce, break down the whole into its parts, and teachthrough the process of analysis at the expense of the integrity and embracing thewhole wholeheartedly. Hence such an approach as the former, may distract bydeceiving the student that the accumulation of more facts, knowledge, techniques,and tricks will lead to success in yoga. True success in yoga is based on bringing all

the disparate or fragmented parts back together -- affirming the Great integritywhich is yoga. The former approach may work in the University to win a philosophy,theological, science, or technology degree, but it is not a functional approach toauthentic yoga. It is only possible to teach the parts within the context as beingliving examples and manifestations of the living whole. Only when the reflexive andluminous innate intelligence that lies behind the innate evolutionary power shinesthrough and is illumined and revealed in practice is yoga successfully applied. Thisguidance is always available at all times, but humans widely ignore it. Here the




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context of the integrity of all things (the bhava of yoga as inseparable love and light)is brought forth, then will yoga be accomplished. This latter natural reflexive natureof the universe which illumines primordial consciousness is the higher teaching of yoga, in distinction to teachings of philosophy or exercise.

Yoga is also not a religion, albeit some of its techniques may be included as an

adjunct to certain religious practices. Yoga as such is not the parroting,memorization of, nor conformation to foreign words, ceremonies, ritual, mudras,acrobatics, ideology, or dogma. Broadly speaking yoga simply means to join or bindtogether, to link up, to connect in union -- communion. Yoga thus acknowledges theReality, Unity, or Great Integrity of the small self and the large Self, in fact the smallself (ego) is considered to be a manufactured delusion, so that the process is thusone of destroying the programming and conditioned ignorance or obfuscation of theBig Self which is the same thing as disclosing the emptiness of the small self (theimpossibility of an independent ego). This is a universal unconditional bindingtogether devoid of bias, prejudice, chauvinistic tendencies, or limited conditions andas such goes beyond any one racial, ethnic, national, or religious boundary. This isthe unbounded practice of yoga. Authentic yoga thus can not be owned nor belong toany one church, geographical place, race, nation, or religion, but to all as it is therealization of non-dual transpersonal relationship of A ll Ou r R el at io ns .

In this universal and timeless context, authentic yoga teachers/ teachings aim atopening up the student's awareness to this "reality" (to the Sacred Integrity thatBinds Us All Together -- to Self Existing Sacred Presence) -- to bring the studentHOME. Yoga teachers/ teachings thus are always available universally at all times.

Thus one's personal practice as well as all authentic yoga teachers/ teachings are

designed to open up the student to this reality by firstly maintaining this bhava, thenby devoting and dedicating (bhakti) the practice to merging one's attention (chit)with the prana-shakti (energy) of the practice (chit-prana or shiva/ shakti). Thisbhava as the central focus invites, invokes, and brings in the authentic teachingswhich in turn can take many forms and shapes.

In classical hatha yoga (which is one of the many schools of ancient yoga) asana,pranayama, pratyahara, dharana (concentration) and dhyana (meditation) are themain tools. Thus maintaining this bhava while focusing on asana -- as the merger of shiva/ shakti, yang and yin, and the chit-prana is most fortuitous. So when

practicing, being taught, or teaching asana, we can more specifically call upon evenmore specific modalities toward this end such as opening up the nadis, by removingthe conflicts and obstructions (kleshas, samskaras, vasana, knots, imbalances,negative habits and karma) -- by reaching inner peace, inner peace is taught. Byexperiencing directly balance, purification, harmony and synchronization in anexperiential way, philosophy and conceptualization processes (inadequate to thetask at hand) are by-passed. Such a practice becomes self directed and will open upthe previously blocked pathways for an energetic realignment and attunement with




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the universal mandala as it manifests in the human form here and now. It is thisexperiential communion which should never be lost sight of in A ll Ou r R el at io ns ,rather authentic yoga not only brings this forth into the light of day, but is alsoguided by this light in practice.

Hatha yoga utilizes asana, pranayama, bandha, kriya, pratyhara, mudra, dharana

(visualization, sound and gazes), and meditation within this context. Here it isnoteworthy to point out that the hatha yoga teacher teaches and usesteachings not only to help the student realize the Great Binding, butmore so, that the teaching is presented within the context of the GreatBinding -- not outside of it. In other words, the goal that is pointed to isalways in the present -- always present, omniscient, and inside -- non-dual. This teaching in integrity is not simply teaching by example, but anaffirmation of sacred presence -- a transpersonal gift of pure love that the yogateacher shares with the student, but does not come from the individuality of theteacher. Here the "teacher" should be very clear on where yoga teaching comes from(certainly not from the ego). Such teachings are always empowering. Thus inauthentic yoga, practice is loving and energizing -- it is joyous and spirit filled.Eventually it becomes less than effortless. I t is not hard arduous work or self torture,but rather the practitioner does not feel fatigued, tired, or drained afterwards.


Yoga Unites with the Universal Intrinsic Teacher/Teaching whichis without Barriers or Separation

Ultimately we must realize that the Universal Teachings are always accessible in thepresent now if we should recognize such. Yoga practice thus becomes a daily setperiod for this communion as an act of dedication and devotion. I n yoga theteachings come from mother/ father -- shiva/ shakti , sun and moon, yin and yangcontinuously and uninterrupted. There is no beginning or end -- both unborn andeternal on one hand and ever present in each instantaneous moment on the other --Both/ and or non-dual, but neither one without the other. Thus the goal of authenticyoga is not to be goal oriented, rather yoga brings us back home -- to the sacredeternal present here and now.

Thus we start from this universal definition of yoga as an over-riding attitude(bhava), even at the very beginning so that the practitioner (who granted has notyet completely realized this "reality" in A ll Ou r R el at io ns ) can maximize theirpractice through the process of relaxing into their natural uncontrived state, ratherthan striving for some "thing" external. I t is very valuable for "success" in yoga inorder to avoid and minimize diversion, dissipation, distraction, and other




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externalizations/projections (all of which wastes of time and energy) to at first havesome reminder, introduction, glimpse, draw toward, passionate intent to experiencethe wholistic natural state -- to deeply remember our transpersonalinterconnectedness, to be uplifted by the great web of life, to have a transconceptualinkling/feeling of what the yoga process reveals and lays bare. Hence the teachingenvironment and teacher will accentuate, affirm, confirm, and magnify thesepossibilities of great peace, beauty, wisdom, and bliss effortlessly by virtue of their

joyous being. In this sense teachers or environments which enhance such anoutcome are beneficial.

When our Heart-Mind is open -- when we are in a receptive listening state, we canlearn from everything and everybody and all the time. This is yoga. Although innateBuddhanature resides within all, we will make the assumption that this is where theteachings should lead us and that the student is seeking this universalteacher/ teaching because some degree of fragmentation and blockages have beenacquired via past conditioning (karma). Thus it is the teachers/ teachings joyous andnatural responsibility to lead the student into this state of yoga; i.e., where theuniversal teacher is omnipresent and the teaching is going on continuously. This isthe very essence of yoga -- where Siva/Shakti is continuously teaching yoga, wherethe Sat guru (universal teacher) resides, where the Adi Buddha (universal andeternal Adi Buddha or Samantabhadra) is continuously discoursing on Dharma (inthe Dharmadhatu).

So the first thing for the student of yoga to do is to be able to welcometransconceptual space by bringing a wide open beginner's mind to the teachings.One should evaluate the teachings and teacher in terms of one's own heart felt sense

without prejudice or egoic desires, jealousies, fears, or pride. Confidence is gainedwhen intellectual analysis is surrendered in favor of a deep felt sense (beyond thesenses or intellect) as to whether or not this ultimate realization is enhanced orbrought forth by one method or another. The wise student thus inquires andevaluates any yoga teacher/ teachings experientially within the yoga context, whetheror not this glimpse into the essential nature of the union of ultimate and relativereality is disclosed, unified, accentuated, and made more clear and accessible. On acoarser level one may analyze whether or not this union is being integrated intoone's own life in terms of clarity, ahimsa, love, kindness, non-harshness,friendliness, compassion, happiness, santosha, joy, healing energy, and estheticappreciation. I f the teacher does not transmit these basic characteristics such asfound in the yams/niyam, and of which are generally the spontaneous results of aneffective practice, then the student is wise to ask what it is that they wish to learnand if this teacher is capable of teaching it.

When looking for a yoga teacher or a practice, one may easily find such who areseduced by their own ego, conceit, pride, and arrogance. They are unfortunatelymore common than not. A common pitfall are teachers who depreciate the student,




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while at the same time praising the teacher, the teachings, or lineage. Then if thestudent obeys and gets with the program, such students are praised (rewarded) bythe teacher. If this dysfunctional relationship is accepted fully and quickly by theintimidated student, it helps the student relieve the pain of surrendering to theteacher/ teachings, but it may also hopelessly disempower, confuse, and furthercreate obsequiousness and dependence, leaving the student ripe for endlessexternalization, transference, and exploitation. Indeed this is the common lot of orthodox fundamental religious cults who demand faith and loyalty, while inhibitingand intimidating those who question authority, util ize critical or creative thought,and free inquiry. I nstead they lay out strict structure, dogma, ideology, readilyidentifiable boundaries, rules, while attempting to shame anyone to disobey or breakthe standards. Such systems thrive mostly because of fear, low self esteem,habituations to past intimidations, and disempowerment tendencies in general. Themore insecure and paranoid the student's world view (view of self and other), themore safety in terms of security and creditableness one will demand in externalstructure or rigid systems of external order. This fear is usually not owned, rathersuch a victim will manufacture externalized rationalizations for their need forstructured boundaries (in their fear of freedom, owning their feelings, and self expression). Spontaneity, lack of structure, and association with the wild are thusoften feared.

Too often in a paranoid and insecure society this need for a readily identifiedexternal structure, clearly defines student/ teacher relationships, and even detailedregimentation becomes confused as safety. Too often such becomesinstitutionalized, familiar, and expected because of the student's past samskaraswhich manifest as habituation, association, dependence, or a need to extendconfidence to those who exhibit confidence such as external authority/ authorityfigures who create rigid and tightly structured "known" rules. People who lack suchself confidence sublimate and project that need in subsequent craving for suchauthority as a transference security adaptation/ reaction to compensate for their ownconfusion, disorganization, lack of internal order, dissociation, insecurity, andresultant diminished sense of self confidence and self esteem to a point of becomingcompulsive. Some teachers and organizations exploit people's pre-existing lack of connection and meaning, lack of self esteem, fear, self hatred, pain, and desire totranscend (read escape from "self"). They simply move people in transference fromone lack of connection to a substitute sense of connection, community, oridentification; but still deficient in providing liberation -- a dynamic self instructinginter connection with the greater timeless spiritual community of A ll Ou rR el at io ns -- with that non-dual transpersonal Reality which is the timeless teacher.

Such people attempt to find themselves, their meaning, identity, security, and self esteem by exchanging the old order by accepting a new order of similar ilk -- anexternally ordered system. But in Reality they are merely, playing a game. They havebecome afraid to think for themselves precisely because their natural self awareness




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as an innate ability and inner wisdom has become chronically suppressed/ repressed.When such an external/ surrogate order/ structure is absent or when challenged to beauthentic, too often such insecure people feel threatened. They re-experience theirfear, insecurity, pain, and confusion, rather than see the situation as an opportunityto release it (and become free).

Authentic yoga teachers will not capitalize, nor exploit this fear and insecurity --which is really a state of spiritual amnesia or forgetfulness, but rather their teachingsmust be designed to eliminate it, through empowering our inherent innate self awareness -- by helping us to re-member -- by bringing us back into the intrinsicinner wisdom where there no longer exists any external ersatz need. Let us honorand respect such teachers.

In the modern spiritual milieu of widespread confusion, crass materialism, fear,neurosis, and often personal despair, it is not unusual to see people jump onto thebandwagons of fundamentalism, externally based systems, authoritarianism,

guruism, ideology, hierarchical and strictly structured messianic cults --some of which are masquerading as mainstream religions. I t is however very doubtful thatany of these type of remedies (some of them well intentioned) will lead to spiritualliberation -- to the empowering/ activating the Universal Union of yoga as thecontinuous ongoing co-creative, non-dual, and trans-personal relationship of A llOu r R el at io ns .

Thus authentic yoga leads us into a Wholeness and Integrity where a directexperiential trans-personal relationship is established which creates as symptomsself empowerment, self confidence, and liberation and more. Surrendering to THAT

Great Integrity -- to A ll Ou r R el at io ns is thus the same as surrendering to ourHighest potential -- to Brahman (the non-dual universal Self) -- to our BuddhaNature -- to Siva/ Shakti -- to our authentic, transpersonal, and higher self. Thusthrough authentic yoga teachings/ teachers this core energy and Reality of "Self" (which is not a separate self) is gradually facilitated and brought into our dailylives. I t is on the basis of this recognition that we can evaluate an authentic yogateaching/teacher or if the teacher/ teachings may lead to the opposite; i.e., furtherinto fragmentation, externalization, alienation, separation, corruption, anddissolution.

Having said "that", the teacher/ teaching exists in every breeze, in the herbs of thefields, sea, stars, animals, cells, creeks, and breath, also we may recognize theseteachings/ teachers when they emanate in human form as well once our inner eyehas opened. Indeed a human being who has realized the truth of A ll Ou rR el at io ns and can teach it, provides a living contextual ground from which ourcontinuum of consciousness can be renewed and activated, while our karmicpropensities, negative emotional afflictions (kleshas), and past programming(samskaras) can be disentangled (rather than become further exploited and




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manipulated). Broadly speaking this is how the citta-vrtta are destroyed, through theauthentic teachings of hatha, kundalini, and tantric yoga.

Since the teachings are everywhere present continuously (depending on our abilityto be receptive), an authentic teacher, focused upon that great integrity and clarity,is not competitive about rival teachings, nor fears them, nor does he/ she discourage

freedom in their students. The authentic teacher rather spontaneously takes joy inbestowing the self empowering gifts of intrinsic awareness, receptivity, response-ability, revealing the omni-present implicate order, inherent clarity, and directexperience of the inherent emptiness of separate self as if such came from theuniversal mother, thus acknowledging the transpersonal non-dual awareness, ratherthan dualism, separateness, exclusivity, externalism, complicated goal orientedsystems where spirit and truth exist elsewhere in some distant heaven. The latterteaching is by definition not spiritual because spirituality can not exist without thepresence of spirit. When experience of spirit is present in sacred presence --confusion, doubt, and externalism is destroyed in an instant. Such is yoga as aspiritual practice.

The authentic teacher thus acts as a portal reflecting her/ his own transpersonal joyful experience, continuing their tradition, and/ or lineage and consummation ineach and every sacred gesture while communicating to the receptive student withouta desire to exploit, control, or manipulate. That teacher acts freely, without usingcoercion, without expectation, impatience, or rebuke. Some teachers do this withtonality, some with words, some with a smile, facial expression, gesture, song, touch,example, and/or with wise directions while in continual dialogue and intercourse(verbal or otherwise) with the innate evolutionary power. Always there is

recognition of the creative energy and innate power (Shakti), of that experience andpresence, while the teacher males us more conscious of it. To be aware of thequalities and characteristics of this energetic intercourse with the teacher/ teachingsat all times is a great boon that yoga affords. I t is because of the student's ownawareness of their own shakti and their resultant communion, that progress inawareness and beingness itself occurs. As such it is the awareness of shakti ineverything which eventually leads us to ultimate realization and activation in A llOu r R el at io ns , and as such it is the universal shakti of the transpersonal universalteacher/ teachings which is part of the equation in hatha, kundalini, and tantric yogaunless one becomes lost and overly objectified -- fragmented in mechanics andtechnicalities.

So such authentic teachers act as surrogates and portals (for the Adi Buddha, satguru, kundalini, siva/ shakti, the Mother/ Father, or simply Grace) for the eternaltrans-personal teachings to manifest adjusted as to time and place, language,culture, and conditions. In other words the teaching/ teacher is timeless, but itsmanifestation is always evolving as shakti evolves. Teachers can and do thustransmit shakti (as in shaktipat) but it is very important never to see this shakti as a




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personal energy, but rather as a transmission from shakti herself and hence fromSource. I f i t is personal or from an exclusive lineage then it is by definition tainted --not from the sat guru (universal eternal teacher) nor from the Adi Buddha(Vajradhara), nor from the Tao, but rather it is contrived. Such teachers/ teachingsthat claim exclusivity rather than an overall inclusivity should be evaluated wiselylest the student becomes confused. Sanatana or Eternal True Dharma (teachings)should not be confusing, but rather be self elucidating.

Thus from this shakti when it is mis-interpreted it is viewed as personal charisma of which in the context of dualism (separateness and ego delusion) such pitfalls aredifficult to avoid. Many people seek the comfort and security not only of an externalauthority figure, but also as an opportunity to bask in their shakti, but the task of thereal teacher is to reveal this shakti in all of nature -- including oneself.

As time and conditions have changed cosmically, astrologically, culturally, andgenetically so too will new teachings of Infinite Spirit manifest in order that we

become congruent (in harmony and aligned) with it. I t will not serve us to try to findeternity in the past, or in a heaven in the future, but rather the challenge is right nowin this very life -- in this very instant. As such authentic yoga has always evolved, lestit stagnate into mere memorization and conformity. I t's peak in I ndia was during thesiddha period between the 6 th and 13 th centuries AD, before the era of the barbaricinvasions (the period of alienation).

An authentic yoga teacher thus does not teach separateness and dualism, techniqueand knowledge, but because they have realized or have communed with the greattranspersonal non-dual and have realized the emptiness of separate self, they havedecided to share it. In this way the selfless motivation of the teacher becomes part of the teaching, for how could there exist anything but love, equanimity, patience, andcompassion within the sacred space of the great transpersonal non-dual?

Various advice may apply.

I t is a waste of time and energy (more than useless) to find fault in a teacher orteaching. Rather it is more useful to understand their limitations, inquire fullyinto their purport, and abandon all that is useless without suffering any residueof dismay.

Teachers/ teachings that insist on the utmost importance of their own exclusivetradition based on school, club, sect, nationality, race, religion, gender, or otherexclusivity may serve some provisional usefulness, but for the most part canlead toward even greater limitation, egoic fixations, arrogance, aloofness, andgroup superiority/ pride.

Teachers/ teachings must change over time because conditions, programming,and form changes, yet the primordial teacher/ teaching remains unchanged andfoundational. Hence there is a wisdom of merging the eternal formless into




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living form and expression. I n order to make the teachings accessible, natural,all pervasive as it is always awaiting to be acknowledged, the form of theteachings must change from previous temporal limitations in terms of languageand skilful means.

Teachers of the twentieth century as well as all the great teachers of the pastmust therefore renounce all identifications because identifications bring aboutsectarianism and rigidity to fixed ideas and limited associations, alliances,schools, sects, or clubs. The only alliance worth taking is the one with theprimordial tradition. Any associations with being part of a select or elite club,cool or uncool, superior or inferior, better or worse, good or bad must berelinquished as dysfunctional especially when a teacher/ teachings thinks of itself (identifies) with being exclusive or superior. This way teaching conformityor obedience is avoided as well as any need to deprecate anotherteaching/teacher. Avoid self aggrandizement, pride, and arrogance, ratherwelcome the creative and new!

Most human beings do not consciously recognize that they are missing their ownheart essence. That is my advice to those who may be listening.

Of course most teachers that we will encounter have not completely or continuouslyrealized or integrated such a union in their personal lives, but as their intent to do sohas become refined within the context of A ll Ou r R el at io ns that greater intent willcome forth to a certain extent. This certain extent is the criteria of how we mayfurther evaluate the effectiveness of the teacher while never forgetting that the fullteaching is always available. Hence the teacher must be related to within the contextof the eternal teachings. Some teachers will have realized and integrated it, but they

still may not be an effective teacher depending on their past karma, cultural skills,genetic history, medical and other circumstances. Intent is a very important criteria,but also the teacher's wisdom, ability, and skillful means are also factors. Indeed wewill eventually find that we can get different benefits from a myriad of teachers -- inthe continuum which includes both dream and waking consciousness.

Such benevolent selfless loving and purified beings exist, but often we do notrecognize them without pomp and circumstance because we are not used to lookingwith clarity into the heart. Some thus dress up the teachings, in order to honor it andto acknowledge their debt to selfless teachers, but that must be done skillfully or the

corruptive influence of group pride, competitiveness, and exclusivity may arise.Some great and open-hearted beings are living treasures, gift bestowers, who havingemptied themselves have become filled. They are portals for thousands of years of yogic sadhana offering it up in an instant on the universal altar of the greacontinuum which is yoga for all earnest seekers on the path. Such is the teachings of the munis, the Buddha, the seers, the Bodhisattvas, the Ongwhehonwhe, Zaddiks,saints, and rainbow warriors who have thrown off and defeated illusion's legions.

These are very best and most treasured human teachers.




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So in this way it is valuable to bow down and surrender our imperfections -- thedelusion of separate self -- the dualistic illusion of separateness to the non-dualintrinsic authentic eternal teacher who abides within us as our true self -- as ourBuddha nature -- as our highest potential --as the dormant kundalini -- Namaste!

Now we will investigate how we can use especially asana teachings/ teachers as a way

to reveal TH A T - Tat Tvam Asi


Part Two: Yoga Styles and Teachings: Ways of Practice (Sadhana)

Balance (sattva) Between Slow, Rejuvenating, Restorative, andRelaxing Practices Vs Aerobic, Vigorous, Strong and Active

Practices:Finding Your Own Pace, Getting Out of Time, Marryingthe Left (moon) and the Right (sun)

Everyday and each moment presents itself with its unique possibilities andpotential. Every moment we have options that lead us deeper into the energy andbeauty or away from it. We can get more up "in the head" burdening ourselves withspecific details or become more integrated in the deep coursings of our innate riversof inspiration. I f we are to maximize these opportunities for healing and creativitywe must learn to trust our intuition and instinct. For instance, I may have beenenjoying a few days of very vigorous and spontaneously powerful, and strongpractice, but something is different today. Still being a creature of habit, if I were totry to "push" the practice the good way it was yesterday, as I was looking forward toenjoying the same joy and benefits of yesterday. but I will find that such a habitimposes an expectation and imposition that is untoward and limiting, Today mybody may say, no "that's pushy". That doesn't feel right. That doesn't fit. There'ssome resistance today to that, today is now, not yesterday. I f I wasn't in my feeling,sensitive and intuitive body, I would not notice.

The more I learned how to listen, watch, and expand my receptivity at each sacredmoment, the more I saw that the body needed something else that day or better"that moment" -- the more I was able to optimize the asana session from a self imposed fixed and predictable regimen into more of an exploration into a newfrontier. I t was transformed from a goal oriented willful practice into a processoriented learning session where I became more present and conscious. Subjectivelydive deeply and transconceptually into the innate wisdom (prajna) with the objectivebeing synergistic balance and harmony. Then wait for that impulse to emerge andmove you.

We have a choice in our asana practice to listen to the authentic needs of thebody/ mind (versus the neurotic or compulsive ersatz cravings) as well as the




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promptings of the deepest recesses of the heart space (hridayam) on one hand, or toforce ourselves to conform to some conceptual external standard or expectation onthe other. That is the point of this section; i.e., that we have this choice to surrenderto our highest calling (Buddhanature or Isvara pranidhana) or continual to be avictim to our past habits, kleshas, and conditioning.

Because modern man has become programmed to be out of balance because of negative conditioning where he has abandoned his intuitive powers, such hascreated a left brain dominant malaise. That creates many neurological " dead zones"where consciousness and energy has become withdrawn not only from the physicalbody, but also from the mental/ emotional and energy bodies. Consequently in orderto come back into balance the practitioner needs to release the left brain approach,and honor, cultivate, and heighten right brain abilities/qualities of receptivity,openness, listening, and feeling. Here we get to the core of what the yoga practice isall about, I ts about coming into synchronicity -- coming deeply into Self on all levels,which is facilitated by learning about ourselves, our present situation, the inter-relationships between our body parts, the mind, emotions, beliefs, breath, energy,nature, evolutionary power and the primordial source. Its about finding where thisenergy is stuck and moving it through -- reconnecting the dormant circuitry of theLong Body. The best approach (as mentioned above) is not of a doer who forces theprocesses willfully, but moreso as the purusha (witness) forming a deep receptiverelationship with the bodymind, nature, and spirit in a profound synchronicity, sothat it is this relationship which moves you. One may complain, that if we havebecome separated/ fragmented, then how could the unitive force move us. Theanswer is to ask for this as innate guidance fully and sincerely. Thus it becomes amatter of aligning with siva/ shakti as if you were allowing the bodymind toreconfigure around that already perfect relationship. That movement of alignment isnatural and sheds the negative programming as you move. When the alignment isapproximated, new energy will come into play naturally and spontaneously whichcan not be anticipated or conceptualized from the prior non-aligned dualistic state.

This ongoing inquiry, investigation, and exploration into our true nature thus goesbeyond the limitations of intellectual/ conceptual knowledge. Rather it leads us tothe unbroken continuity with our intuitive wisdom (prajna). Here the left brain canonly be a helping partner in the process when it is in synch with the right brain. Thisprocess of self realization requires an open mind, a beginners mind, a mood of exploration -- in short a right brain approach; while a biased left brain approach willonly create limitation, rigidity, angularity, and immobility. One may ask in the lattersituation what is the real motive for mastering the asana. Hatha yoga has been calledthe yoga of force only because some tantric schools of hatha yoga have developedwhich apply techniques which are both transformational and forceful in theirapplication. However the original hatha yoga is the union of the sun (HA) and themoon (THA) which is our natural conditioning before the negative programmingwhich programmed human beings to ignore their intrinsic reality -- as an intimate




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part of nature, not apart from nature and evolutionary power). The forcefulapproach only further dissuades humans into more separateness, strife, and strictego identity, rather what should be amplified is the process of moving into love,synchronicity, healing, great peace, and unity consciousness in this very life as ourlife.

In authentic yoga we are not concerned about the goal, the result, the performanceaspect -- to do the asana as an end in itself, rather it is the evolutionary process of awakening -- the evolutionary power herself as well as its source as primordialconsciousness to which the yogi is aligning. Utilizing the process of exploring theasana as a means to open up and surrender to Self, to move into a profoundsynchronicity and alignment, to mobilize the dormant circuitry and energy flowswhere the left and right come into perfect balance married in the central channelwhich forever awaits us beyond linearity, time, separation, and striving. Vairagya, asnon-attachment, is the rule and that applies to non-expectation to events as well asto non-grasping at thoughts. That leads to naturally transconceptual consciousnessand a very open, spacious, calm, and clear mind.

Here instead of "doing" the asana in performance or forceful mode, we utilize theasana as a listening tool, as an inquiry into self. We go into receptive and meditativemode attuning to the positive biofeedback loop of the body/mind alignmentenergetic dynamics. In this way the practice is about awareness more than doingsomething to the body. I n this way force and adversity is defeated, but rather anintrinsic partnership is enjoined. In this process oriented way the yoga practicebecomes self instructing as the efferent nerves fire only after consulting with thefeedback from the afferent nerves and as such the motor nerves that control

conscious muscular movements become synchronized and attuned to the innatewisdom of the body -- of the cells and dna. Here we go beyond the intuition andinstinct, but into non-dual left brain/ right brain synchronization and partnership --into true response-ability. In such a process oriented practice the inner teacher isalways entertained as it becomes essentially a teaching practice/ listening practiceversus a doing practice and thus we become more deeply connected with the energybody, the inner rhythms, their connections with the rest of life, creation, nature, andsource. Here it is the inner teacher moves and guides us as we approach the asanapractice as samyama on body, mind, breath, nature, and Source -- as a pilgrimageand a devotional practice toward param shakti.

For example, if my body/ mind is not willing to make the changes that the (left brain)conceptual mind has in store for it, it can of course be forced to obey by my will. Butthat approach is usually counterproductive as well as a potential source of injury.Although it is true that for some people, just doing the asanas even mechanically atfirst "warms them up" and gets "the energy" going which then takes over (onceawakened) to lead the practitioner in the session. But more often mechanicalapproaches are dry and miss the adventure and the juice. Where there exists




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mechanical rigidity and body/ mind separation injury and stress can occur -- that iswhere the ego rules. That is too often about control and power -- domination andforce. That doesn't feel good to me. I "could" force it, but all I would be doing is toreinforce imbalance and tension -- I would be caught up and reinforced in my owndrama rather than dharma.

That does not mean that if I find myself rather unbalanced, disconnected, immobile,rigid, non-intuitive, uninspired, and left brain dominant that I do not "do" my asanapractice today. Rather once I recognize my afflictive condition the game plan hasbecome altered. I t's easy to change my approach in these situations if I view it as notgiving up or losing something that I achieved or possessed previously (mypredilection), but rather as opening up to something new, different, and more vitallyrelevant, i.e., as a re-newal and an opportunity to listen more deeply. This is thebeginning of the transition state from a willful, rigid, sterile, objectified, and"external" practice toward a free flowing dynamic, inside-out, self actualizing phaseof living and being.

Asana practice approached as a process oriented body/mind daily exploration allowsus to see what is right in front of our face, something that is transpersonal, deep,profound, and sacred beyond the sterility of left brain dominated space. Asanapractice thus becomes more of a self awareness, self realization, and spiritualtransformation healing process than merely physical or "healthy" exercise. In factasana practice can be a powerful trans-conceptual lever into the super-consciousnervous system in which all of creation is interconnected to a magnificent livingneural network or giant mainframe (the Great I ntegrity) in which the living body isboth a vital link and its holographic part simultaneously. Here there exist not only

the nadis, marmas, chakras, winds and seas, and five elements within thebody/ mind but also the meridians, vortexes, power spots, celestial spheres, stars,elements, and spheres moving in the universe outside of the body in which we areconnected genetically from the beginning of time. Here this dance is meets, unites,and is completed in the divine instant -- in the now of sacred presence -- in the Greatyantra of which synchronizes the inner and the outer with Source and as such is notseparate external or internal, but rather both/ and. This profound but simple allinclusive non-dual "reality" is often called " A ll Ou r R el at io ns " in indigenouscultures because it is intrinsic and can not be separated except in man's artificialmind constructs (frameworks of illusion).

Most of us simply do not see our real Self, nor are we attuned to the present phase of our emotional or psychological patterning, imprints, or programming; nor do welisten to (nor are we centered within) our authentic body/mind energy bodies. Toooften we find ourselves distracted, forgetting to honor the life force, lost inconceptual thinking, past predilections, dysfunctional old dramas, and so forth. Toooften we are either immobilized in fear or dissuaded in neurotic compensatorydesire to simply acknowledge the abundant untapped treasure and wealth that is




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available in the present. Too often we are preoccupied with our disease to allow forour healing. Too often we are not aware enough and thus unaligned with theintrinsic laws of nature and her loving principles of ahimsa. This is how we becomeout of "touch" and synch with the living law of the heart and become estranged fromour true nature and higher potential. Too often "preoccupied" with dissipative,neurotic, non-vital, and even pathological modalities and activities, our"therapeutic" self imposed regimens become self fulfilling death processes based onour limitations rather than our potential.

Transformation and "change" must be welcomed as grace and flow opening us up tolife, embracing Spirit and creativity -- mobilizing us rather than immobilizing,freezing, and contracting us. Thus instinct, intuition, exploration, and our feminineaspect (right brain aspect) must be allowed for and even augmented, rather thanviewed by the dominating intellect (which upholds the ego) as an uncontrolled"disobedience" of the body, emotional threat, lack of "self" control and will power,failure of the domination of mind, or ego failure. Spiritual transformation andhealing comes from surrender of the fixations of false identifications, through theempty gate wherein all illusion is dispelled.

Prana has Implicate Intelligence as it Emanates from PrimordialConsciousness. As such it is an instructor when we view it as such (insuchness).

These two extremes between a feminine, peaceful, meditative, rejuvenating,renewing, spontaneous, and relaxing practice allowing the innate intelligence of theenergies to gently harmonize, find balance and equilibrium in the body/mind, and

become synergistically aligned on one hand, and the other extreme of a male, strongwilled, self controlled, rigidly pre-planned, and detailed mechanical "asana" practiceare the very voltages of the right and left brain (the left and right side of the body)respectively that tugs at most modern practitioners. Although yoga's fruit it isrealized by harmony, balance, and synchronicity, because of our present socialcondition which represses the right brain function and feminine sensitivities thisbalance can generally best be achieved by augmenting right brain approaches.Indeed when the body/ mind split is reinforced, we go into sleep, into dormancy,estrangement, alienation, rigidity, immobility, and sterility.

Another example a left brain/ male approach to asana practice is the rigid adherenceand conformation to a repetitive and very specific sequential set of fast movingasanas even with its duration of hold and the number of breaths to be taken in eachasana preordained before the session. This sequential set is then repeated eachsession day by day with no alterations. When it is mastered then another moreadvanced and also very specific sequential set is conformed to again, etc. Granted if the practitioner is not subject to injury and the asanas are well designed for thepractitioner's unique body/mind type transconceptual energy may be activated and




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one can then be lead by the energy to some extent. However since innovation is notallowed, one is still confined to obeying the preordained sequence and exactconfiguration of body parts rather than to follow one's intuition, imagination,instinct, or to otherwise innovate.

When done in rapid sequence most people find this an exhilarating fiery aerobic

workout which may bring more fire into one suffering from disorders of kapha orunbalanced excess tamas, and thus be transformative and healing, but its overalleffects in helping achieve the goal of authentic yoga may be questioned unless thepractitioner also learns self awareness, sensitivity to the energy, and how to honorthe life energy and principle more continuously in daily affairs. The valuable affecthere is that we are increasingly listening and communing with the life force (prana)and its source, of which the breath is at best a secondary emissary. As long as thiscommunion with prana and Prana Shakti is accentuated, then the pace is correct.

It is not that such a practice requires to be judged as "good or bad", but it is wise to

inquire whether our practice is balancing, healing, nourishing, supportive, andempowering as well as invigorating, if it is to be an "evolutionary" practice for theindividual practitioner. Indeed such a practice that first activates and/ or generatesthe energy can be directed so that its intrinsic intelligence can be integrated so thatit directs and leads the practitioner into areas of even greater variegatedcustomization and relevant spheres of exploration usually reserved to the realm of innovation and intuition. I t's wise to discern the difference between the energy andheat generated by an aerobic exercise and that of kundalini, but yet there is noreason why these energies can not work in mutual synergy for certain constitutionsif allowed to do so.

Since most human beings are already overly seduced by the mechanical paradigm of incessant "doingness' in order to achieve satisfaction, is it not better to entertain amore meditative approach that emphasizes listening and self awareness more? Thefirst question we may ask is does such a practice reward conformity and inhibitreceptivity and true creativity? In other words does the practice bring thepractitioner to their core energy? For many the answer is yes, but the generation of heat, sweating, and physical exhaustion is not the same as coming into the heart oractivating the creative evolutionary intelligence. Granted many people whosemonkey mind (left brain) are over active who are made to jump through aerobic

yoga hoops for two hours usually are grateful to be focusing on the body, vacant inthe head, and exhausted. For many it is a way of surrender and "let go", but can suchan approach lead anywhere other than to reinforce the unfortunate conceptual errorthat states through hard work, individual will power, determination, sweat, andconformity to the practice -- perfecting the practice, the fruit of yoga will be won.Here we must assert that fatigue (mental or physical) should not be confused withshanti, santosha, or yogic peace, and contentment, just as an aerobic burn is not thesame as the heat of tapas or kundalini (although here a relationship can be drawn).




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So let us evaluate how our hatha yoga practice can bring us into greater balance,alignment, and synchronicity. Since modern man is already unbalanced with leftbrain (pingala) over dominance, the general yoga prescription for the current ageshould be to reinforce the right brain (ida) voltage in order to reach balance. Thismale/female polarity theme is elaborated throughout this book and especially laterin this same chapter. An important point here is that inhibition and repression of the natural instincts and intuition is a left brain (pingala) function, not a right brain(ida) function. This tension/ conflict between right and left brain causes dis-ease,while in fact right/ left brain synchronicity causes overall coemergent synergy.

later we will see how ha (left brain or pingala) and tha (right brain or ida) are unitedin the middle way sushumna). This profound balance is not found throughrepression, inhibition, denial, restriction, suppression, numbing out, or goingasleep. Aggressive behavior is also most often associated with left brain activity(pingala) and specifically hyper-sympathicotonia (sympathetic hypertonia). In thisregard it is of value to point out that the cause of aggression however is always dueto an imbalance (lack on one hand and/or an excess on the other). When balance isachieved, a strength is also accomplished and the aggressive/often defensive needvanishes as well. So we will not encourage either pushiness nor reticence -- neitherslothfulness and torpor on one hand nor hyper activity, tenseness, or hyper-vigilanceon the other. Thus yoga encourages neither tamas nor rajas, but rather sattva (purityand synchronistic balance). Here the sympathetic and parasympathetric nervoussystems are analogues of this process, but more is going on than just bodymindneurophysiology.

Contrary to common belief, the autonomc nervous ssystem can be strongly influenced and regulated through yoga practice. Except for skeletal muscles,which is under the control of the central nervous system(CNS), virtually all tissues insome way by the autonomic nervous system (ANS). The ANS is broken down intothe sympathetic and parasympathetic sub-systems. When these system swork inharmony, balance and health are achieved. When their dynamics are interfered with,disease and imbalance ensues. In general, perceived threat or the fight or flightsyndrome, increases sympathetic nervous system tone. This has widespreadconsequences in a chronically stressed out, competitive, and paranoid drivensociety.

In contrast, the parasympathetic nervous system is often identified with therelaxation response.

Most of the autonomic control control of various neuro-physiologic and emotionalfunctions are modulated through autonomic reflexes, that is, homeostatic control of blood pressure, thermoregulation, endocrine gland manufacture and release,adrenal cortex function, the hypocampus, hypothalamus, amygdala, etc. These alldepend on the autonomic reflex adjustment through the sympathetic and




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parasympathetic divisions. Autonomic`relexes are based onthe following strategy:

1) A peripheral sensor monitors changes within a specific system.

2) This information is relayed to a certain level of the CNS, where it is integrated.

3) An adjustment is made by the autonomic discharge to the specific organ or tissue,which will alter its activity to return physiologic function back to the appropriatelevel of balance. Integration opf autonomic responses is often complexand mayoccur atseveral levels of the CNS. In addition emotional factors such as fear, anger,hatred, love, empathy, compsassion, joy, etc., also have strong effects upon the ANSand hence also CNS. The revrse is true also; i.e., that ANS changs effected throughyoga can have strong effects upon the emotional/ mental system and energy body.Many of these functions have been proven to involve neurotransmitters such asacetylcholine, adrenaline, and norepinephrine, but since the ANS regulates thefunction of all tissues all the body's biochemistry and psycho-pharmacology are

involved including the synthesis, release, and regulation of prostaglandins,dopamine (DA), serotonin (5-HT), melatonin, histamine, glutamate, somatostatin,gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA), aspartate, glycine, and many more.

In application, if our practice is very fast, volatile, energetic, fiery, active, and light itmay or may not be balancing and thus "right" for you that day (especially if you needmore fire and rajas to find balance as long as it is not pushy, increases forcefulness,edginess, tension, or aggression in your life) to go for the burn! So on one day forsome people a practice that creates momentum and is self propelled -- anembodiment of flying animation and invigoration creating strength, endurance and

stamina that flies the practitioner through one pose after another can be mutuallysynergistic as long as it is tailored by the inner wisdom. As long as we listen to ourenergy and approach the practice with awareness so that we are moving closer intobalance, synergistic symmetry, and ultimate love, then a vigorous practice may bebalancing, harmonizing, and beneficial.

Although many in the West most of us are overly hyper, pushy, willful, andoverbearing due to cultural or conditioning imbalances, many others are overlytorpid, slothful, and apathetic, and thus can thus turn up the fire with good results.So here we must look deeply into our own practice with self awareness in order to

avoid any potential pitfalls, bias, or perversion. Some days may call for cooling,integrating, regenerating, or relaxing modalities. As we move we can inquirewhether or not the practice is feeding pre-existing proclivities and imbalancestoward chronic sleepiness or chronic hyper-ness, or is it inspired and informed? Forme, most of the time my practice is somewhere in-between these two extremes. In abalanced practice peacefulness and receptivity are not exclusive of strength andability, nor are they the same as sleepiness and sluggishness. The development of vital self awareness and insight allows us to know our individual needs and adjustour program proficiently and spontaneously moving us into a co-emergent




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synergistic harmony not only on a yearly, monthly, or daily basis, but moment bymoment integrating the nervous system, bodymind, breath, energy, and positiveemotions, with intuitive wsidom.

On some days, weeks, or months I have to learn to honor and accept one extreme orthe other, because not to do so would be a violation of the inner calling for balance.

It would be ignoring what the conditions are calling for that day. How does oneknow? By listening, feeling, being aware, and allowing the practice to unfold byitself, exploring the possibilities, and testing out the energy through approaching thesession as a process oriented exploration and learning opportunity. Sometimeswithin the same practice session our energy and thus our needs will change. I n factevery moment is a new opportunity for love.

There are many reasons why inetgartion adn transformation occurs; but the mainpoint is that grace is best entertained when we are gratefully open to what is needed-- open to all possibilities and willing to " go with" the possibility which is most

beneficent -- the one that connects us to our highest potential beyond the limitationsof our past conceptions, beliefs, imprints, and even the imagination itself. So hereaffirming our highest intent is a valuable process in itself. Surrendering to thatinnate universal wisdom is isvara pranidhana.

The question whether to move more aerobically or more slowly or to do more sunsalutations or more supine poses never comes up when the asana session is not runby the thermometer of the left brain; but by the gauge of the Heart. Here we can findbalance and resolution from duality -- between the left and right sides. Here all oursystems can become attuned and throb to the deeper harmonics of life. We are not

conceptualizing at all in our practice, butteh practice has a wisdom of its own -- itbecomes an informed practice.

For the same reason that human and animal life is not a straight-plane existence,that we are not machines, that there are seasons and cycles within nature, there alsoexists seasons, cycles, and sub-cycles within all living beings that can not be reducedby linear thinking successfully, we are interdimensional beings. There existmovements and dimensions that are beyond the gauge of the intellect which whenrecognized and honored by our deeper sensitivities allows us to embrace and mergeinto the great non-conceptual self existent I ntegrity -- into the All and Everything.

Thus allowing for the Grace of the practice to unfold naturally withoutpreconception is in itself a further and welcome gift and opportunity. Thisawareness is where authentic yoga leads us.

Thus an essential ingredient in any authentic yoga practice is awareness -- it is theprocess of becoming more sensitive and as such it is a qualified sensitivity training.It must be qualified in the sense that it is balanced, i.e., we do not become overly"sensitive" of the individual sense objects (such as known by the ears, eyes, nose,etc), but rather at the same time become sensitive to the heart -- to the throbs of the




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earth, the pulsations of the stars, the inner flows and tides so that we are able tocome into resonance, alignment, harmony, and grace -- as one with that which trulynourishes, supports, and empowers. Qualified as such, asana practice becomes a

joyful sensitivity training. As such we learn that we have become insulated, coarse,and ignorant of the subtleties of nature, of the energy, of the body, and the emotionsand then we allow ourselves with this new more subtle sensitivity and awareness toact as one in creating peace, harmony, health, and love -- in A ll Ou r R el at io ns .

Here there exists a valuable lesson in learning how to listen to, honor, respect, andrespond to the diversity of creation and pay attention to our vital participation withit in love -- in honoring the balance between left and right -- between intuition andreceptivity on one hand and intellect and will on the other allowing them to unite asone embracing the greater whole. I n this book there has been presented manydifferent possible approaches of "intelligently working" in our asana practice; butnothing will beat the customized, integrated, responsive, interactive, balanced, andkinesthetic natural approach. I ndeed this is the purpose of an authentic yogapractice -- to get ourselves attuned, in resonance, and "in touch". Indeed it is thisvery "skill" that is supposed to bleed over after the asana practice into the yoga of daily life which this Reality is expressed and acted upon.

If we introduce force, violence, abuse, stress, domination, imbalance, or tension intoour practice, we introduce a level of force, violence, imbalance, hurtfulness, andstress into our everyday life and this way introduce it into the lives of others.Authentic process oriented asana practice allows us a chance to reverse thisdysfunctional tendency. As we become closer attuned to the higher purpose of yogaas a spiritual practice, we lower the level of tension, stress, and violence in our lives

and the lives that we touch.

Asana practice is also a time of self healing, health maintenance, preventativemedicine, and a proactive affirmation of the life energies within and around us. It isa joyful opportunity to increase this communion everyday. How far can we go? Inone sense we are all working out a possible infection, a heart disease, a possiblestroke, potential cancer, diabetes, disequilibrium, degenerative disease, tensiondisease, a restriction, limitation, conflict, contraction, corruptive process, etc. Howdo we become more sensitive to the body, mind, breath early warning symptoms andsubtleties before the gross manifestations of "serious disease" call our attention

more grossly to a dysfunctional dynamic that we have been ignoring up to now?How do we stop hurting ourselves -- causing suffering and grief? How do we learn tohonor life, evolution, and healing and purify our the conditioned modalities of stress, tension, self hate, self destruction, and pathology? How do we learn to stopdissipating our body/ mind energies and concentrate them in harmony with andopen up to the spark of life? How do we come into love and synergistic harmony atall times is the question that yoga poses?




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How do we learn to take on this self responsibility? How do we ramp up our healingpower and regenerate depletion? How do we clear the pathways and increase thebody/ mind's innate wisdom to function, create, love, play, and heal? How do wecome into self actualization? How do we bring this increased awareness,communion, and consciousness into our everyday life so often filled with sufferingwith the vagaries of diseased, uncentered, spaced out, angry, grief stricken,dysfunctional, neurotic, greedy, anxious, driven, and insecure people? How do weutilize our asana practice to help us continuously be mobilized, empowered, inspired(in spirit), and provide inspiration as embodied vehicles of love (rather than fear anddisappear) twenty four hours a day?

Authentic asana practice is a learning experience, not something that we "do" toourselves. I t is 99% awareness and receptivity and 1% "doing". Thus it requires aninnocent inquiry into what is -- what is illusion and what is reality; and as such it is ameditation leading eventually into to Self awareness as it is discloses what waspreviously unconscious and thus the unveiling of ignorance occurs by revealing theunderlying matrix of the infinite. Through increased awareness and sensitivity thatis effected by an authentic yoga practice, we become freed from old unconscious anddysfunctional modalities that have imprisoned and limited us. This is a keyprinciple: Yoga practice brings awareness and alignment into our life. It is not a casewhere we seek knowledge in order to accomplish the pose, but rather the posesaccomplish a shift in conscious awareness and transconceptual experientialenergetic/spiritual alignment.

As mentioned earlier, if we are stuck in a pattern, we can set aside different phaseswithin any one asana to ask the bodymind complex what wants to relax and what

wants to move. The inquiry can begin with "what wants to stretch and what wants toengage"? What needs to open and what needs to energize? Do we need to bringpeace, calm, nurturing, and soothing medicine to this part of the body or to theoverall system today or do we need to bring it to new undiscovere territory, awayfrom slothful habits, and stagnation into a more rajasic and fiery state in order tobring about balance/ sattva? Conversely, do we need to settle down and ground thebodymind and connect our energy to the base in order to eneter into sattva. Do weconspire with teh breath and heart as guides in this process? The inquiries areendless, but ultimately all we have to do is invoke and access the inner universalwisdom and allow it to decide and expres itself. Hence we cultivate, through self study and Gnosis, by bringing awareness to the body/mind areas which havebecome forsaken, disconnected, abandoned, and forgotten. As we bring awarenessto an area, we at the same time open up a psychic/ energetic channel (nadi), andhence eventually the area becomes open and energized. Where there once was ablockage, numbness, and unconsciousness, now there is healing energy andconsciousness (cit-prana).

Mostly when we are healthy, the nervous system is working in harmony and in




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moves it. This way we are moved transconceptually. Rather than to fall victim to thecommon goal oriented trap of attempting to master the asana or breath (there thetail is wagging the dog), we go to the real master, the primordial wisdom forguidnace and communion.

Previously when younger I used to teach asana to open up the body. Later I used to

say to use the breath and energy awareness to open up the body; while using theasana practice as a modality for increased energy awareness. Even later Iencouraged people to use the asanas to open the breath and the prana flows-- to effect the spontaneous arising of the bandhas, mudras, asanas, breath,pranayama, pratyhara, dharana, energetic alignments, meditation, and communion,all as one movement -- one impulse -- one passionate embrace and prayer dance.then I encouraged asana practice as an awareness tool -- as a method to get in touchwith primordial space and the evolutionary energy. But now I am saying to engagethe asanas as spontaneous movement again, to simply watch it happen by itself assilent witness. Allow teh evolutionary energy to happen by itself without any willfulinterference, control, or need to modify it. Do not inhibit. limit, or repress it.

In this awareness practice we have focused on the built-in intelligence that allowsactivation and relaxation activity to express itself in a wild dance which leads byitself to balance and symmetry through transconceptual innate wisdom. Althoughpush/ force (activation of the agonist or prime mover) and relaxation (of theantagonist) can happen simultaneously in perfect equilibrium, coordination, andtone or it can happen sequentially at appropriate times, but really there is muchmore happening. Here, the release of the energy blockage and the inrush of newenergy occurs simultaneously with a sublime alignment while the body merely

reflects that, reflexively.

For most people, it is more beneficial to open, depressurize, and relax more in thecase of an over dominant, tight, tense, or contracted activators; then new energy canrush in and be utilized for regeneration and restoration. This releases stress andpressure and opens the heart. For many beginners all we need to do is relax more --to let go and relax the entire system -- the antagonist extends and softens allowingthe pulsating motion to occur and the energy to flow. At other times we may findbenefit in leading or directing the movement with more focus, fire, devotion, andintent (with increased intensity) on the subtle sensitivity of the life energy, being

careful not to force, push, over activate the agonist, or forget to release and relax theantagonist. In this way we can move out from a "resistive" dead zone area withincreased vigor and power -- with burning loving intention "response-ably".

Perhaps there may be resistance in the form of fear or anger in the antagonists or aweakness and imbalance in the agonist. Then we can simply acknowledge theresistance, noting where in the body and mind that it is manifesting, but alsocontinuing to breathe into and through it. I n a balanced practice the efferent and




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afferent nerves and muscles are acting in synchrony as mutual simultaneoussynergists. Here the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous system are acting inunity and synchrony. In this way there is no contradiction between the so calledstrong and active approach versus the so called soft or passive approach -- onemoves or better is moved appropraitely in teh moment, by the moment, as themoment thouglessly but with full witness consciousness.

Yoga is designed to transform our old patterns and melt then down. Synchronicityand symmetry occur simultaneously when the sympathetic and parasympatheticnervous systems are also perfectly balanced and working synergistically. Theantagonist muscles are the ones that lengthen, relax, stabilize, and are stretchedwhile the agonist muscles are those that are asked to work (usually through acontraction or a pulsing), engage, and pull (in order for the antagonist muscle tostretch).

In the Western malaise most human beings are already suffering from stress related

disorders -- a hyper-tonified sympathetic nervous systems (hyper-sympathicotonia),so a balanced asana program for many may best emphasize the lengthening,softening, and relaxation aspect (the activation of the parasympathetic nervoussystem and Ida nerve) over that of active and vigorous aspect (usually associatedwith the pingala or sun psychic nerve). This chronic "disease" of hyper-sympathicotonia (sympathetic hypertonia) is the cause of a typical unconsciouscomedy in Western yoga classes wherein if there is an imbalance or a lack of "stretch" or openness on the part of the yoga student, the teacher will subconsciouslychose to focus on strengthening the agonist muscle rather than relaxing theantagonist muscle group. the matra here is to soften and melt.m Melt the hard

headedness and hard heartedness. Shake loose the armor and transferconsciousness to the energy light body while allowing that liquid lumionos force tolead us.

As indicated above, in some cases both a strengthening of the agonist and arelaxation of the antagonist is beneficial, but it would be more efficient if yogateachers were able to forego their sympathetic nervous system, efferent nerve,rajasic, or pingala bias in lieu of a more right brained, energy awareness, meditative,and kinesthetic approach emphasizing receptivity, release, and awareness itself --listening as one moves and then "respond" to the intelligent feedback that the breath

and energy provides. Because nothing can move until empty space is created for itand that space is best described as a fluid continuous softness or openness which isinherently belongs to the idea of the right brain or feminine, and hence here one caneasily "get in touch" with the inherent teacher within, as shakti.

In other words, it would be highly beneficial for most Westerners to use asanapractice as an awareness practice, a tool for self discovery, an exploration into Self --a communion in which we allow ourselves to relax and release tension and pressure.




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That will allow the body/ mind vessel (adhar) to become energized, healed, and insynch with the prana and the source of prana -- allow for the alignments of body,mind, spirit, breath, and nature to occur allowing for the inner wisdom to becomeactivated or "kicked-in", while defeating the tendency to treat asanas as an end initself. The agonist striated muscles are under the wilful c

variety of yoga teachings and teachers

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