Where does your body exist within space? That depends on what you mean by “your body.” Proper asana reflects alignment of our physical, emotional, mental and spiritual bodies. As we come to sense the personal requirements for a comfort, equipoise, and focus and put that information to use, we open to door to shamatha, or peaceful abiding. From this balanced state we have access to the divine nature of our being and our body not only exists within an expanded space, it becomes one with that space. This week we are working on establishing such balance. Happy meditating.
Exploration is a direct experience of something or somewhere. To explore Venice, one goes to Venice. To explore different spices, one uses them in cooking. To explore meditation, one experiments with meditation.
In this sitting, we explore the qualities of poise that are experienced in our emotions, mind, and body during the sitting. Experiencing them with mindfulness and attention will make it easier to bring their qualities into our life through the day.
Asana is a whole being process and concept. Though it begins with being about one’s posture, asana opens one to poise, composure, equipoise, and the feeling of integrity. Each of these speaks of balance, but not a type of outer balance – like balancing a book on one’s head – but inner balance, inner coordination of emotions, energy, passion, thoughts, drives, joys, as well as empty space within emotions, mind, and Being.
The experience of centeredness that can arise from sitting well expands into the experience of peace, tranquility, composure, and alertness. These, too, are expressions of integrity. In both examples, integrity has come from aligning with the inside and having that alignment move us through our outer day.
We might not realize how good balance feels because it seems so ordinary. Yet, when out of balance emotionally or mentally, spiritually or physically, it’s quite unpleasant. Consider it: when there is only the dry bones of daily tasks, we get antsy or grumpy. But, when we take note of the sky’s expanse, or the sound of the breeze, or the delight of someone’s presence, then the desert of monotony just turned into a mystical moment. And, the key was balance! We balanced the boring with the mystical.
Equally so, the mysteries of life are all around us, even in the functioning of our cells and minds. If the interest in such is primarily functional – like tinker toys – then the true mystery of life and its cosmic perfection is left out. Put it back in, and now we have awe, wonder, and balance,
The central channel is the source of inner balance in more ways than one might think. Living life bored is to not engage the chakra system for what it can offer – dimensionality and texture to life. The chakras are along the central channel. This meditation offers a gentle guided meditation that brings forward the balance of the mystical and the moment, and then brings the chakras online for a deepening.
This is a Central Channel, Step 12, meditation for all level of practitioner.
