MEMBERS OF THE HUMAN FAMILY
May 26, 2010, What instrument would you play if you could play anything? At the start of class we went around and shared what that would be in this idea that coming together as a yoga class we create a symphony of humanity at its best. I of course love that!
“These two teachings, the supremacy of the heart and the uniqueness of each human being are very important to me. They give me the fullest understanding of my membership in the human family.” Robert Muller
When we truly love we are in harmony not only with our beloved but with all living things. Love is blind in that it makes no distinctions but extends to everyone and everything. This is the idea of Bhakti yoga. You either love everyone and everything or nothing at all. The uniting of ourselves through relationship of breath in class to others reminds of the one tribe we all belong to. We are all members of the Human Family and in this family, there is no divorce.
BHAKTI MEANS LOVE
WE are all united in the highest sense “At the highest level of existence, we are all united. This supreme condition as the joyous union between Shiva (masculine cosmicness) and Shakti (the feminine cosmic principle).
Relationship is what coming to class is all about: relationship between your heart and body (a love story); relationship between your arms and legs; relationship between you and the poses relationship with you and the other students, relationship with you and the teacher.
The funny weird PARADOX of relationship is that it calls on us to be ourselves and express who we are without hesitation and let go of getting too hardened into a single position. We have this play constantly between Shiva and Shakti. On the mat we experience this in a simple but profound way when lying on our back and we do a spinal twist with our arms at a “T” position. We want to extend our arms as us and yet there are other students to navigate around and so we co-create together making space for everyone. This is the harmony of bhakti yoga, and hence the beautiful music the asanas help us create through the instrument of our bodies.
“As a student progresses on the path, he arrives at a highly sensitized condition when dealing with the world, and this becomes painful at times. The problems which thus arise cannot be eliminated, for increasing sensitivity is a natural result of finer mental and emotional development. However, the reaction to difficulties caused by this can be controlled.” Paul Brunton
This is very much true in spiritual practice. As you become more integrated and sensitive to the relationship you have between your mind and body then you become more sensitive to all human relationship outside yourself. The yoga makes us all experts in humanity. And we can use that for good: Love everyone, serve everyone or promote disconnection that serves no one and destroys us all. But I promise if you practice regularly and practice with love the choice will be easy. Love yourself, love your day, love your life! Silvia