Beka’s India diary part 2

January 13th, 2007

Vajrasati yoga teacher Beka Card writes from Southern India, November 2006, on surrender, tree planting and meditation, and the poetic side of yoga asana. Plus, can yoga make your shorts change colour?

Read Part I of Beka’s diary

Dropping the weapons
Having just completed the last web diary I fell sick – a combination of something I ate and it being the rainy season here in Southern India (a time when bacteria spreads more rapidly than usual). This meant a lot of things but, most significantly, I was having to practice surrendering, to stop fighting the way it was, to accept the situation. Often, sickness can bring with it a whole lot of other stuff to deal with – mental and emotional as well as physical. For me, many questions arose but the one in particular was, ‘Why did I come to India?’

I despaired. I had planned this trip for nearly six months and now that I was here I was sick so soon after my arrival. I seemed to get better then took a turn for the worse again – back to square one. I wanted my body to be well so that I could enjoy India and actually feel that I had arrived.

So, in the midst of my despair, I was told by a wise friend to ‘Open up to it’. It was then that I saw what needed to be done – to surrender, to throw down the weapons and simply stop fighting. I needed to accept the body and its limitations. I needed to rest.

A line from an anonymous Taoist poet comes to mind:
‘the fish in the sea whether it likes it or not, it still is’

This is to say, we are all part of the Tao, the whole, and even being sick is part of that. When we can see this clearly and know it to be the truth then we realize the futility of the fight – the wanting things to be any other way other than what they are.

Let me tell you, this is by no means the first time I have gone through this whole process and probably not the last. But I am seeing more and more that through the practice of mindfulness and the cultivation of awareness one can ‘strengthen the spiritual muscle’ or ‘build momentum’ so that perhaps at some point the despair can be caught before the fighting begins.

Despite all this, or perhaps in spite of all this, I learnt an awful lot during this period. I started reading about diet, about different foods that can aid a recovery from bacteria in the stomach. They were books about Ayurvedic diets and Chinese Medicine diets, both of which advised being vegan, no oil, no sugar, no fruit and no wheat. I applied myself to eating plenty of pulses and grains. I discovered millet - an underestimated grain which cleanses the intestines and is totally diverse – it can be eaten instead of rice and also as porridge.

I also went to see a homeopath who gave me a two-hour consultancy and prescribed a remedy to suit my personality and constitution. I had made a decision not to go to a doctor for pharmaceutical drugs and decided instead to be resourceful and work with nature. I found this to be both empowering and interesting.

I have tried to stay close to this diet as much as possible and my body feels much better for it. I can now thank the illness for this new-found way of being.

Sadhana/Practice, Quest
As I mentioned in the previous web diary, my retreat participation is, for the most part, slightly different this time in India – I am taking part in work retreats – dharma as service.

The first of these was a tree-planting and meditation retreat. The reforestation project called Sadhana forest works entirely from the help of volunteers including the two dedicated leaders of the project, Aviram and Orit. These two people really practice Brahmacharya in terms of renunciation of worldly possessions and seem to find Santosha, contentment, from this.

For the last three years they have devoted their lives to putting back an almost extinct tropical dry evergreen forest (one of very few on this planet), which the English (bless them), during the colonial times demolished in order to use the wood for their infrastructure – railways, building construction, boats and ornate furniture. It is difficult for me to find forgiveness at this point but I guess they had no idea of the damage they were doing.

It is only due to the local village temples, which are to be found in small groves of ancient trees, that the re-cultivation of new trees has been able to take place. The seeds of these trees have been used for this purpose. Without them the forest would, indeed, be extinct. These trees are and always have been sacred – the English could not touch them. Little did the villagers know back then just how sacred those trees were to become.

The land mass of the original Tropical Dry Evergreen Forest spread all the way from Sri Lanka and up the Coromandel coast of Tamil Nadu, Southern India, usually a strip of around 50 kms wide and including over 1000 species – all of which are under threat. So, having the opportunity to contribute in some small way really felt like an honour. Unfortunately, I was sick for a lot of the retreat but really benefited from the small amount of planting I did do.

It is, I think, worth mentioning that the community, above everything, practices ahimsa/non-harmfulness. All the food is vegan and no animal or chemical products whatsoever are used either on the land or on people – exemplifying how ahimsa is practiced in a tangible way in daily life. In addition, there is a subtle spirituality and awareness demonstrated daily which is all held within the sustainable structure of the project. Ahimsa, then, is the Sadhana.

There is much more I could say about this project but if you wish to know more then please visit: sadhanaforest.auroville.org.in

The poetic side of yoga
Another of my blessings from the period of sickness and rest was coming across the book, Dancing the Body of Light by Donna Holleman. The body of light is the energy body/ the subtle body and Holleman describes techniques for moving towards connecting with this side of our existence.

Below is an excerpt from the book:

‘The technique of the asanas, with its precision, is one aspect of practicing yoga, but if this becomes the only aspect, then yoga loses half of its meaning. The other half is the poetic side, where the body loses its sharp division line between it and the surrounding space, and the asana becomes part of the unified field, the continuum of space/time in which we all have our being.’

In her writing she describes The 7 Vital Principles of Practice (for asana), which have obviously been carefully researched through her enriched self-practice:

1. Relaxation or undoing the body
2. Emptying the mind or undoing the mind,
3. Intent
4. Rooting
5. Connecting
6. Breathing
7. Elongating

These principles are really just vehicles to understanding a new way of working with the body or a confirmation of what is already there but has never been expressed so precisely or has even been forgotten completely.

Holleman has such an obvious and deep understanding of the body – both physical and subtle – and such a beautiful way of explaining things that it really is a joy and an inspiration to read. I wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in yoga asana or whose practice feels a little ‘dry’.

She reveals an expansive, creative and intuitive kind of dialogue between mind and body and her language seems to conclude and outline my own experiences in asana practice. She describes how ‘doing-without-doing’ (wei-wu-wei) should be the common thread of our practice.

One of the most inspiring things I read in her book really, finally enabled me to understand one specific aspect of asana practice which may also be of interest to you. It is taken from her descriptive piece on the 4th vital principle; Rooting:

‘By intentionally riding on the downwards pulling force of gravity with a small part of the body, we can deliberately build up its opposite force to create lightness in the rest of the body. A small portion of the body has to be ‘sacrificed’ and become heavier; this is the part which roots. Next, we use the first available joint above this rooting part to ‘split’ the force: the rooting part going down, the rebounce force rebouncing the rest of the body back up, making it light.’

Holleman also gives the most comprehensive and fascinating description of Tadasana that I have ever come across, devoting nearly three A4 pages to the pelvis alone!

So, we can see, that our ‘work’ is never done. There is still so much to discover; for this, may we be eternally grateful.

May our journeys continue to be an inspiration and to bring joy

May we find the poetry in our practice

May we share the dance with all who we meet

Unlocking the body/The magician with the keys
The body has a memory, that’s for sure. Show me one person who could honestly say they never have any tightness or blockages in any part of their body. During our lives, right from infancy and due to social conditioning, we take on habits, patterns and these manifest themselves in the body. The cells receive chemicals from the brain when we react in a certain way in a certain situation, ie, adrenalin kicking in when we get stressed. Over the course of time, the cells start to reproduce themselves already with these chemicals in them. Thus, our bodies are set (seemingly permanently) in these ‘shapes’ or ‘patterns’. However, as many of us are already aware, yoga is one way of helping us to re-pattern the body – to return it to its natural state.

Another beneficial aid to this process is in the form of massage. I had the privilege of receiving a three-hour massage and full service from a great yogi here in India. His name is Goupi, originally from France but living here since who-knows-when.

On first meeting you notice the twinkle in his eyes as he gives a short bow as if to say, ‘I’m here to serve you’. He then continues to softly chant “OM” and “Jay Ma” as you settle in and he begins to work on the body.

Most of the time I spent with Goupi he was speaking, explaining what he was doing and what he was finding (or not finding in my case). He really seemed to step out of the way of himself. For him, this truly is the practice – the Divine works through him.

At one point, he found a blockage in my thoracic spine, where four or five vertebrae were moving as one rather than independently as they should do. But, as he got to work, he soon managed to unblock/unlock the spine – CLICK! CLICK! Aahhh, Jay ma indeed!

The feeling of release and spaciousness was like being given a new body. The question is, how long had my spine been like that? Not that it was a problem, just something to look at, particularly as it is a common symptom and understanding it could, therefore, be of benefit to others.

Goupi gave me some Somatic exercises which are new to me but he believes they thoroughly compliment Hatha yoga. I shall be interested to find out for myself. He believes that the body has its own wisdom, its own intelligence and that we just need to allow this wisdom to come through then the body will always be healthy.

Svadhyaya/study of the self – Part 367!
And, finally, to the place I’ve been longing to return to – Tiruvanemalai, Tamil Nadu, Southern India. Coming here, for me, is like coming home, returning to the source.

Tiru is famous for its sacred mountain, Arunachala, said to be the manifestation of Shiva or pure conciousness. It is also well-known for its Adveita teachings. This is a particular branch of Hinduism concerned mainly with Self-Realisation. ‘Who Am I?’ is the enquiry. And what an enquiry!

Needless to say, many yogis and great teachers have come here to spend their lives and share their knowledge with others. The most prominent was Bhaghavan Sri Ramana Maharashi who, at a young age, had a Self-Realising experience and almost immediately left his family and studies behind and made his way to the sacred mountain of Arunachala, having heard so much about it from an Uncle who had visited and from books he had read. There, he went to the main temple (the equivalent of a cathedral) and before long went into a state of deep absorption to the point of not eating or taking care of himself. Others, seeing the dedication of this young man, made sure that he was looked after and sustained him through his years at the temple.

One day, a spiritual practitioner and follower of another guru came across Ramana and asked him one well-concieved question. Finally, Ramana came out of his silence. The answer he gave was said to be so deeply profound that the questioner vowed to serve him for the rest of his life. It was not long before people started to hear of Ramana’s wisdom and love and came from miles around and then from other continents to hear his teachings.

He spent his life in a simple way, living in a cave on Arunachala, most of the time in meditation. These caves are now open to the public and silence is always kept for those, like myself, who wish to meditate there. There is also a huge ashram dedicated to Ramana here where you can buy his books. One that is said to be very good is ’Self Realization’ and another that I would recommend of the same lineage of teachings is ‘I Am That’ by Sri Nisargatadata Maharashi – the bible for all spiritual practitioners.

buy Already Home: Radiant Wisdom and Life-changing Meditations by Maharshi, Sri Nisargadatta, and Teachers of the Advaita Tradition

Here there are also many ashrams to stay in (places for spiritual practitioners which are quiet and which do not allow any intoxicants of any kind and where the yamas are to be observed), Dharshan (time for devotional practice which could take the form of chanting or meditation) in the main Ramana ashram and also with many other teachers and guides, Satsang (spiritual discussions, usually questions and answers) also many times in a week and with many teachers, caves for meditation, roof-tops for yoga and the best Bhajan (devotional singing) sessions to be found anywhere.

So, why would I need to go anywhere else? And who am I? Just two enquiries I will need to sit with for a few lifetimes before possibly sharing the answers.

All I know is this: when I sit in the ashram for Darshan I am moved to tears. Why? Not because of the devotion shown to Ramana but the devotion and love that is more directly coming through – for and of something far greater – the very thing that Ramana himself shared with all who he met and continues to share. It is for the same reason that my heart opens and I feel so much joy when I sing devotional songs in this place; when they are sung with sincerity it is hard not to feel moved.

It is very important to understand that the devotion isn’t directly for the guru or the god, but for what they symbolize or reveal to us. The gurus or gods are merely channels. When we truly see this then we can understand the meaning of devotional practice – something not so easy for us westerners. Then, friends, we can begin to celebrate the light in each others and our own eyes every day and in every situation.

Right now, it is easy to see that there is an awful lot here that supports and nourishes me. Now that the body is well and I am able to move into a rhythm of quiet practice I can see the tittle-tattle of daily life, all the unimportant stuff, just falling away. As the mind becomes quieter I can more easily rest in the gaps between the thoughts, the place where nothing happens.

So now, finally, it is time to sit back in the glory of the Divine, the pure consciousness of Arunachala, and get into some not-too-serious Svadhyaya.

An Enquiry
One last thing – has anybody noticed that in the book Light on Yoga on the page where Iyengar demonstrates Supta Virasana - when he has his arms down by his sides he is wearing black shorts and when his arms are above his head they are white? The same thing happens in other poses in the book. I have tried to do the same but my Thai yoga pants just stay the same muddy brown colour. Am I doing something wrong? Does anyone else experience the same thing?

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