‘Out of nothing comes everything’

'Out of nothing comes everything'


 empty shelves…empty diary…empty streets…

Dear Yoga Friends,  amidst this pervasive story of lack, in a system that thrives on the scarcity model of competition over co-operation – how can Yoga help us transform this narrative of ‘not enough’ – in our body and our psyche?   

In our yoga, the breath becomes the bridge between outer and inner experience, between body and mind.  Throughout all yogic texts the breath, in both it’s functional relationship with our nervous system (think flight/fight, rest/digest) and it’s mysterious relationship between the known and unknown, becomes our key.   The following practice finds in roots in the Vijnana Bhairava Tantra (V26-27)

Find yourself a quiet place to sit or lie, undisturbed for about 10-15 minutes.
 
Soften the skin of your face.  Let your body weight rest into the ground.
  Draw your ears inside and listen to the rhythm of your breath.
Allow your breathing to become slow and easy.
If the breath becomes self-conscious , be patient.

You may choose to stay with the experience of breath moving
from nostrils to lungs or
 Rest your awareness in the centre of your chest – the heart centre
and visualise breath moving directly in and out from that place,
Like a flower gently opening and closing on the breath.
Let the mind subside.


Sliding down the wave of the exhalation
Emptying, emptying
Riding the wave of the inbreath,
filling, filling.

Notice the space at the end of the outbreath,
Relax and rest into this space, and then
Experience the smooth arising of the inbreath …
Let there be a quality of 
‘receiving’ this inhale, rather than ‘taking’.

The space, the apparent emptiness at the end of the exhale is in fact the 
Presence of everything,  a womb space out of which all life arises.
Our inherent state of fullness and wholeness contained within a void.

There may be a spontaneous arising of gratitude in your heart for all you have. 
A  feeling of contentment.

Breathe gently.
Awaken into that.


When you are ready to close the practice, feel the ground beneath you, slowly begin to externalise your awareness. 
Stretch and yawn.  Notice how you feel.
 
With regular practice you’ll be able to readily return to this felt state of remembering your fullness. From the ground of your  inherent wholeness (rather than a story of lack) choices and actions in life may become more conscious and considered, co-operative rather competitive.  As a regular practice, cultivating a heartfelt sense of gratitude (by that I mean a genuine felt sense  in the body/heart of gratefulness rather than an idea or thought of ‘I ought to be grateful’) develops a deep sense of contentment (santosha).  

It is my heart felt hope that this current time of crisis also becomes an opportunity for change….that we may be reminded of what is of true value and that, when the time comes, we will choose to re-build our lives in a way that is sustainable for both people and planet.
 

‘Everything we experience arises out of spaciousness and dissolves back into it’
(Donna Farhi)

 

Please feel free to share this for the benefit of all.  May your Yoga practice continue to support you in these extraordinary times. 
Blessings

Ali