Continuous Project, Altered Daily

Creating Space

2008-08-29T12:37:00.000-07:00

Yoga

I am beginning to notice a pattern in my learning:

First, yoga presents two (seemingly) mutually exclusive goals, such as (from Anusara alignment principles) pulling the lower ribs in and up while opening the shoulders back and down, or fanning the sitz bones back while also lengthening the tailbone down.
Then, I struggle for a long time with the two concepts, often only achieving one at a time.
Finally, in a beautiful moment of enlightenment, I learn how to open and create enough space for both to be true. I can have my ribs in and my shoulders back. Some might call this finding balance, I call it creating space.

I have been looking for examples of this pattern in other areas of my life, and lately, they seem numerous. For example, I recently had an argument with my boyfriend over something that he does that annoys me. To very glibly summarize: he thinks I'm too easily annoyed and I think he's rude, he wants me to just deal with it and I want him to change his behavior. Our conclusion was to accept that we're both right: he tries to be more polite and I try not to be so easily annoyed. We found a balance in which we're both trying. I know, I am over-analyzing a very silly fight, but it's true. If only he was trying to be less rude, then I would have my shoulders back with my ribs sticking out, and we would still have problems. If I was just trying not to be annoyed, I would have my ribs in and my shoulders forward, and we would still have problems. We create the space within ourselves for both my side and his side of the argument to be true. Yoga is again, the great practice that teaches compassion.

Compassion

2008-07-16T11:09:00.000-07:00

Yoga

"Listening begins in silence, is developed in attentiveness, and perfected in communication."

I am learning that true listening requires no reaction, only understanding and absorption. This has an interesting effect when applied to relationships. If you aren't allowed to react, but required to simply listen and understand, then aren't you naturally being compassionate?

Listening

2008-07-14T20:39:00.000-07:00

Yoga

Some notes from Carlos Pomeda's video The Wisdom of Yoga, Volume I:

The Upanishads lay out the Mukya - antaraiga - sadhana, the principal aids to liberation, or the method of achieving enlightenment:

sravana - listening: the kind of listening that excludes everything else
manana - reflection: thinking through as a cow chews to prepare the food for digestion
nididhyasana - meditation: as a swan separates milk from water in a lake, you absorb what is useful or relevant

I like this because it is a very humble and open approach to learning. How does your indoctrination into the world affect your ability to be objective, to approach new information without judgement? I find that I often react with anger when faced with ideas that I have devalued. My goal for the next four weeks is to observe my filters, set them aside and to approach all new information as objectively as I can. I'm just going to work on listening. I expect that this will have far-reaching effects, not only on my yoga practice, but quite possibly in my relationships. Will the ability to listen without judgement result in compassion?