Illuminated by Yoga
Yoga is a complete body-mind practice.
Observing the mechanics of the full trunk ujia breath, air moving in and out, through the nose, with a deep chesty sound (vs. shallow, sharp and tight “sniff” breathing), focussed on forehead-brow point, is pure marvellousness. The dynamic interplay of muscle with mind, listening to the sound of a large, calm in- and exhale is a unique experience of the nervous system sensations of the bodymind engaging with itself.
This is the key to understanding the illumination such yoga brings to its practitioner. Attention on whole being breathing activates the whole body into self awareness. This awareness is the seat of consciousness or the soul of yoga, and it happens via the body, breathing, opening the physical and metaphysical heart space – the thinking mind comes to this insight with the physical practice. It all makes sense, before or after the breath, but the experience itself can only take place within the entire bodymind.
The metaphysics of bodymind and spirit as yogic consciousness
In mindful yoga practice, during asana, pranayama or meditation, there is an inwardness, a being-in-the-moment that is as logical as it is mystical. The physicality merges with the energy that makes life possible: the yoga practitioner becomes aware of itself as matter within an energy field, at once material and cosmic, local, timebound, and eternal.
It is that simple, and that elusive. The thinking mind pulls us back to its limitation until we expanded our potential to intuitive logic, tuned in to extra sensory perception, in harmony with nature and its multi-dimensionality. An altered state of perception with heightened awareness opens the doors of perception beyond thinking. Reason and intellectual references remain intact; yet its context changes, a paradigm shift occurs that affects consciousness.
The Universal Life Force unites the head and heart, spirit and soul, the one spiralling into the other, muscle and bone, sky and stone. The bodymind, in the light of yoga, the union of All That Is, is literally illuminated by the light of its consciousness.
Some practices to consider for holistic, healing bodymind yoga
● Chakra Healing
● Meditation & Mindfulness
● Mudra
all coupled with deep ability of yogic breathing basics.
Hari OM,
In the Yoga that brings forth Blessings of Light Knowledge,
Johann, Muizenberg beach, Cape Town.
Photography, top to bottom:
Greg Rakozy
Joshua Earle
William Farlow