Lecture I.2.4 - Imagery of Rebirth Yoga

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Clemsy
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Lecture I.2.4 - Imagery of Rebirth Yoga

Post by Clemsy »

Image

Lecture I.2.4 - Imagery of Rebirth Yoga

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Read the Transcript: HERE
Give me stories before I go mad! ~Andreas

bodhibliss
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Post by bodhibliss »

Even when we want to rest in one thought, the mind goes rippling on. You can test it for yourself, put your watch down, and decide to hold in your mind one thought, or one image, for fifteen seconds. And you will find that almost immediately you are having associated thoughts - you are not fixed on one thought.

From "Imagery of Rebirth Yoga," Track 2 - "Yoga: A Definition"
Do I think my thoughts, or do they think me?

What is the source of "my" thoughts - do they originate in me, or do they have independent existence, washing in and out of consciousness, much like Breath?

Following one's breath does seem a bridge into the Stillness of mind:
And then you begin to breathe very regularly, the regular breathing, settling and steadying the thought. You are to breathe in through the right nostril for a certain number of beats assigned by your guru, and imagine that breath is going right down the spine, clearing your channel. And then you breathe out after holding breath for a certain number of counts through the left nostril, imagining the breath is coming up through the left side of the spine. Then you breathe through the left nostril and so on.

While this is going on, that breath is suffusing the body, actually changing the chemical systems a little bit, something like LSD does ...

Track 3 - "Yoga: Awakening the Coiled Serpent"
Normally, my heart seems to beat on its own - I don't directly exert influence over its speed - and my perspiration, my circulation, my metabolism, these are all processes "unconscious" to the waking me - but breathing, while generally an unconscious act, is different, in that we can rather easily exert conscious control over our breath.

Breathing is where consciousness and the unconscious intersect.

Joseph Campbell points out elsewhere that, roughly 5000 years ago, someone in India noticed one breathes differently when being chased by a tiger than when sitting on lush green grass on the bank of a languid river, watching beautiful maidens drop flower garlands into the flowing water.

In the first circumstance one is in an agitated state of mind; in the second one is peaceful, calm and serene. Naturally we believe it's the circumstances that lead to the breathing and the state of mind (who isn't agitated when chased by a tiger?)

... but what if we turn it around, and put the breathing first?

Sure enough, shallow, rapid breaths can leave us anxious and agitated, even if there are no tigers in the immediate neighborhood – while focusing on our breath induces tranquility and equanimity, leaving us open to the Stillness, the Silence beneath the rush of reality.

Breath and spirit are related in a number of mythological systems. Yahweh breathes the soul – "naphesh" - into Adam ... and another oft-used Hebrew term for soul – "ruach" - is related to breath and wind. Both "brahman" and "atman" are connected to breath ("atman" is etymologically kin to "atmosphere"). "Pneuma" (spirit), "psyche" and "anima" (soul) are also related to wind ... and spirit is buried in reSPIRation, inSPIRation, exPIRation, and other breathing related terms – clearly a common thread.

This raises all sorts of questions about the relationship between breath and spirit, between breath and consciousness, and the nature and source of consciousness.

Joseph Campbell tends to spin my brain like that. No matter how much I learn, i come away from a book or lecture with more questions than I had before - but questions of substance.

The thought uppermost in my head at the moment is that a mythic image is metaphor, but not in the sense of a simple linguistic device. Too often we read about and analyze an image - but in the instance described above - the yogi breathing in, breathing out, waking the Kundalini - the mythic image is a metaphor that must be experienced.

Am I making sense, or should I just take a deep breath ... ?

Ercan2121
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Post by Ercan2121 »

The great first text in yoga, the prime classical text is called The Yoga Sutras. “Sutras” is a word related to the word “suture,” thread, when the doctor sews you up after an operation is a suture-- that’s the same root as the Sanskrit “sutra.”
from Imagery of Rebirth Yoga, Track 2, A Definition

Beautiful introduction. This notion of sutra (suture, connecting) reminds me of Devanagari writing system that letters are not written separately as we find in Roman alphabet. Instead, they’re always connected to each other with a suture (also called sutra) passing right above each letter or group of letters (ligatures). Furthermore, separate words are also connected within a given sentence. Namely, when you want to say ‘red rose’ , you spell these two words together according to some basic rules and almost a new word is born. This makes the language very compact and wholistic and gives some idea about the logic behind. Connecting everything and making a bigger whole? Remaining centred when doing intellectual work? Talking or even thinking as if we sing or recite poetry? Creating a perception ready to relate most unexpected details? Because the logic of any language provides some cues about thinking patterns of society that designed them like a software that will connect generations and that will serve as home to traditions. According to some, Yoga was born in Indus Valley and there was a Yoga tradition there long before Vedas were written and Yoga deals with certain basic functions and mechanisms of human body.
Namely, it’s so universal that you can easily adapt these postures, breathing and meditation techniques to all myths of the world.
There’s also a yoga for all major domains of activity -a wiser way to do something without losing touch with the centre of psyche and also connecting your action to the environment –from the place you live to the movement of constellations you can watch by night. To enjoy the harmony and celebrate every little moment.
Thank you.

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