a center for
personal and planetary
awakening

Mystic River Yoga
214 Crosby St.

Arlington, MA 02474

781 643 0117
info@MysticRiverYoga.com

Introduction

Our Present Moment

Spiritual Foundation

Scientific Foundation

Embodying the Practice

Collective Awakening

              Fundamentals of Awakening:

          Exploring a Trinity of Trinities

                       3 Modes of Intelligence

                            3 Bodies of Yoga

                              3 Perspectives

    It has been my experience from 30 years of teaching yoga and following the unfolding of the awakening process across the planet that it is possible to create a structure of possibilities that help clarify and guide the development of our yoga practice. Because I love trinities, I am going to use a trinity of trinities for the skeleton of the course. These are the 3 modes of intelligence that I will define momentarily, the 3 bodies of classical yoga and the 1st, 2nd and 3rd person perspectives of the human experience presented by Ken Wilber through his Integral Studies.

                  3 Modes of Intelligence

  The first mode of intelligence I am calling 'a coordinating or moving intelligence. This is the organismic intelligence, that when refined, leads to the grace and elegance of an athlete or dancer, or anyone whose body moves effortlessly. This intelligence of the animal body is always present in the cells and organs, in the living matrix of the body, but does not always reach the conscious level in the human. Unresolved emotional and physical traumas accumulate as patterns of stress and tension in the matrix leading to movement inhibition or constriction that impacts upon health at all levels of being. Most instruction in dance and athletics, as well as in most modern yoga classes, addresses this mode

  The second I am calling a psychological/emotional intelligence. This is not necesarily a cognitive development, like the ability to understand a complex math problem, but rather the ability to cultivate and sustain a relaxed, attuned focus of the mind. This involves overcoming mental dullness or sluggishness on one hand, and distraction and mental instability on the other. By harnessing the powers of concentration or absorption and the emotional energies that support them, we can then discover an interior space of unbounded silence. This skill is known in Sanskrit as samadhi and has multiple levels of refinement. Meditation instruction engages this mode of intelligence and refined practice can lead to quite extraordinary mental powers.

   The third, and most important, is spiritual intelligence and involves the capacity to be fully present to the layers of emotion and experience that create a self-sense while remaining grounded in the timeless stillness. Maturity here is enlightenment, self-realization, moksha or the state of stable awakening, where selflessness or unselfishness are the outward expressions of self, and the inner experience is that of wholeness, fullness, pure being, Buddha nature. This spiritual intelligence is the foundation of our work and this intelligence can use the coordinating and psychological intelligences on the path of deepening integration and awakening. Without it, the capacities of the first two can be hijacked by self centered neediness and actually deepen the suffering of ourselves and others. As humans, living in the world of forms, negative emotions and psychological challenges continue to manifest here. What is different is the capacity to work with these consciously and therapeutically, to continue the process of healing the planet.

                          3 Bodies of Yoga

               1st 2nd and 3rd Person Perspectives

     These three perspectives are universal and embedded in the structure of language as 1st person, 2nd person and 3rd person, I, you, and he she or it. The 1st person  is the subjective "I",  or our self-sense. For any individual, this is the center of all our experience. All actions, all experiences, all everything is centered on "I". With a clever twist of thought, this "I" sense can develop an objective sense in the words me and mine. This mental landscape of "I-me-mine"is familiar to all parents of two year olds where, in the terrible twos this sense sense in unleashed. And of course for most of us, the terrible twos live on somewhere in our psyches, often in hidden but sometimes not so subtle ways.

   But we can also see that as 'I am' transitions to 'what about me' and 'that is mine!' we can realize that our self sense extends tentacles of self identification out into the world and these tentacles introduce the next two perspectives. They are the relational perspectives of "I am" and define how I see myself in relation to the world around me. The world of sports offers a large window into these two perspectives.

    As a serious sports fan and occasional listener to sports talk radio, I find the whole concept of fandom fascinating. If you listen carefully, what you notice is that when their team is playing well, the callers say things like 'we're going to the playoffs' or 'we're #1, or other such things. However, when things are not going so well you hear multiple variations of 'they suck'. What is going on here? It seems as though we love identifying with anything that makes us feel good (like winning in this case) and creating a "we space' that includes someone or something like a team with 'me' to allow me to include you. We is a word of inclusion. I like you and want you to be part of me. Until you do not make me feel good, at which point I want you out of my space, banished to the world of 3rd person other, they them.

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   What is this all about? Although we will dive much more deeply into the "origins and implications of this I-me-mine realm " in the susequent two courses, we at least need to have the "I" out on the table for discussion at the beginning of our practice. And the cold cruel reality of my life, if I am honest, is that I am always the center of my universe, and that universe happens to be the only one that I know. But, I can use this wisely. I want to feel better. I want to learn how to relax, I want be stronger and more flexible. I want to awaken. I can use these thoughts as an impetus to begin a practice.

   If I examine my inner world carefully, I find that in addition to me, there is the vast category of 'everything else, everything that is 'not me'. We will develop sense of '"I" and everything' else further in the advanced course, but here we can divide 'everything else' into two more categories based on how "I" choose to relate. One mode of realting is opening and embracing and inclusive. I 'let you in" and you become part of my 'we' experience. This is called the second person perspective where you and I form something new together. If, for whatever reason, I do not include you in my 'we space', I take on the third person persepctive and you become "other ", he, she or it.

We often fluctuate between 2nd and 3rd person

our 2nd person experience of you and I, of we, revealed in the complexities of these relationships, and the 3rd person sense of 'other' manifesting as our thoughts, beliefs and actions toward any and all not included in the first 2.

Goals, Obstacles and Resources

  As a beginning student in yoga, or any spiritual practice, having a thorough understanding of the basics and applying those in practice is the key to sucess in your endeavors. New students usually begin by taking classes but often lack the self confidence or self-discipline to venture out on their own. These themes and practices will provide clear and safe guidelines to give new students the confidence to embark on the great journey of spiritual awakening and personal and cultural transformation. Of course, guidance from a qualified teacher is always helpful, but not necessary to begin to practice. As experience grows and new levels of understanding emerge, the more subtle nuances of the intermediate and refined themes can be explored

   A spiritual practice has two expressions. Formal practice refers to the performing of a specific discipline, for a specified amount of time, on a specified or flexible weekly schedule. A musician practices his or her instrument. A yoga student devotes a period of time to practice postures, breath exploration, meditation and self-inquiry, and this course offers instruction in these disciplines.

  There is also "life practice". One of the distinguishing features of a spiritual discipline is that it is directly transferable and relevant to all aspects of our lives. A yoga student approaches all dimensions of life as 'grist for the mill' and looks to use all relationships and experiences as an opportunity to become a more loving, compassionate and creative participant in the world.

    In organizing a practice, there are three components to be considered: goals, obstacles and resources. The goals for a beginning student are simple. First, we need to understand what our path or practice involves, both formally and in life. Our foundational spiritual practice, simultaneously simple and extremely difficult, is known as mindfulness, or mindful awareness. In general mindfulness requires us to remain alert, present and open, moment by moment, to whatever arises in our lives, and to not 'get lost' in less-than-mindful mind activity. Here we will start with mindful aattention to the immediate senseations of the the embodied self as we explore various yoga poses and movements. Secondly we need to develop the self- confidence and self-discipline to begin and sustain this practice and also begin to understand the obstacles that tend to prevent us from succeeding.

   What are the obstacles standing in our way? The primary obstacles to mindful awareness are mental dullness and mental distraction, the two primary mind states that are less than mindful. Dullness is laziness, sluggishness, resistance to growth and change; inertia of rest as Newton would say. It is a psychological and emotional heaviness where energy and information do not flow freely. It is a diminishment or repression of our vital energies stemming from many possible sources.

    Distraction is essentially the opposite. It can be restlessness or inability of the mind to settle down and focus. Or it can be the inability to focus on what is truly important in the moment because something else has hijacked your attention. Just recently, there was a major accident on the Boston subways system. A train driver was text-messaging his girl friend while driving through a tunnel, did not see red traffic signal warning him to stop, and his train crashed into another train stopped on the tracks in front of him. We live in a time of multiple technological distractions. Cell phones, ipods and blackberries are powerful agents of communication and information flow, but they can also be a source of accidents and death when they distract us from what is going on around us. Mindfulness practice is seriously needed in modern times

   To help overcome the obstacles and accomplish our goals, we can also find resources to support us. In this embodied approach to awakening and yoga, our primary resource is the body, in all of its wisdom and complexity. The body carries billions of years of accumulated wisdom in its cells, its structures and patterns of energy flow and we will tap into this again and again.

   Buddhism offers three more general resources of spiritual practice, the triple gem of Buddha, dharma and sangha. Buddha is the awakened one, one who has entered upon the spiritual path and has discovered the truth of himself. Buddha can also stand for the mother, the protector and nourisher, the one who hold us in her embrace whenever we feel lost, abandoned or weak and confused, or our teacher, mentor or guru, whose own dedication and devotion serve as a model for our own unfolding.

   Dharma is the teaching. Whether the written texts, sutras, commentaries, and collective wisdom of the sages saints and students, or the oral transmission of instructions in the classes, workshops and retreats, dharma is our second resource. We are blessed in modern times to be almost overwhelmed with teachings. From books and audio cd's, to video and internet instruction, to the hundreds and thousands of teachers around the planet, we have a vast array to choose from. Like eating at a buffet, just take a small amount onto your plate at a time, eat slowly and digest well.

   Sangha refers to the community of like minded beings also in pursuit of the spiritual goal of awakening. Relationships are crucial in self development and awakening. Spiritual practice/awakening is not a solo pursuit, so to find a community that will encourage and nurture your aspirations.

  The path of Yoga is the path of integration. Using a relaxed and sustained attention combined with visualization, imagination, and enhanced perception, we begin to explore ourselves, our relationships and the underlying wholeness of the Kosmos.

   Please use the collection of practice themes to help kick start your practice if you are a beginner and to nurture your practice as your experience grows. In addition to there being 3 levels of practice, in each level the themes are divided into 4 trinities, each highlighting an area of practice from the general to the specific and from the personal to the relational, and each seeking a healthy balance between stability and flexibility. Good luck and happy practicing.