Yoga is associated with the East, with India and its cultural identities of race, ritual and religion. Its ancient Vedic roots are often misperceived as mere Hinduism, while its deeper message is a universal truth. Yoga’s non-duality philosophy, a science of Universal Life Force and intelligent creation, is a fascinating quantum metaphysics, where the universe, and everything in it, is interconnected. Such yoga asks us to understand life from beyond the limitation of the popular image of yoga, orthodox science, religious beliefs systems.

The concept of East and West and its embedded realities are but one example of the multiple duality fragments and aspects of non-duality truth. In Yoga, creation and Creator is “All That Is”, a living system of consciousness. The differences become apparent in the kind of yoga where the human bodymind is the device and temple of the practices of conscious awareness, which includes the yin-yang of duality, also on a Creator-Creation level.

Shiva, the Hindu God, may then be an aspect of “God”, more importantly a masculine aspect balanced by Shakti, a nurturing feminine power. Such a Shiva-Shakti is symbolic and functional beyond religion, with Shiva the destroyer of ignorance, and regenerator of the understanding that holism overcomes the illusions of duality. Shakti is the creative energy or Spirit that births and forms Creation.

Knowledge and understanding of the creative dualities that work in pairs – as example the masculine-feminine aspects are represented as the Ida and Pingala of the yogic Sushumna Nadi, the central channel of Life Force Prana, the spine, in the bodymind.

Knowledge, and understanding of the wisdom of non-duality helps the seeker of bliss to penetrate beyond the layers of superficiality illusions. The adept yogi practice on both levels, a duality within a non-duality. Applied to meditation practice the adept finds quickened wisdom of consciousness.

This throws much light on the practice of Yoga as Union, a holistic duality. This whole, with its ebb and flow tides of balance of dualities, is beautifully illustrated by the yin-yang representation of nature and existence.

This yoga of understanding asks us to learn from life itself, beyond religion, ritual, and intellectual knowledge. We study and we do yoga, using logic, experience and enquiry. To connect with the non-dual bliss of the whole, the spark of Divinity, we have to go within, reach out for Divine guidance, and surrender to it.

Join my Turn on your Bliss with Yoga Intensive

7 Day 50 Hour advanced yoga teacher training and yoga practice appreciation.

Please contact me with your enquiries, or to book to ensure your place.

In service of Peace & Bliss
Johann
Muizenberg Beach
Cape Town
16 June 2018

I published the below posts recently on Instagram. My “yoga life considerations” often find their way into a blog, become part of a class theme, get incorporated into a workshop manual, or go towards my new teachers training course. Main thing for me is how writing notes help me understand asana and other practices. The grand yoga goal of self-realisation is always a process of everyday self-eqnuiry into everyday yoga practices. There are no shortcuts.

Another sunrise at my studio. I published this post yesterday morning on Facebook this time after my personal early morning practice. I often type up a my “yoga life considerations” as kind of “artists way” diary: “Yoga does not deny the intellect or animal aspects of being. It was formalised to “yoke” or harness all aspects of being human – body, mind and spirit, broadly speaking. Intellectualising, exercising or spiritualising, or having any one of those examples dominating any facet of being, or denying any part of the whole is incomplete. Incompleteness is a dangerous situation, it is unpractical and unfulfilling. Human nature is not even, in the sense of “always calm”, or any such “same-ness”. The ups and downs are part of the same whole, and like planetary nature with all its aspects the highs and lows are part of a system. For the system to be in balance there has to be harmonious flow for all its elements. The wind does not dominate the planet. Nor does water, or any other aspect of the system, seek power over another part. The human bodymind likewise requires holistic balance to be healthy, therefore it must seek thoughtful and mindful synergy of its physical, spiritual, social and myriad other dimensions. This includes surrender of ego and self will. When thus in tune with its bigger heritage of magnificent being it is on the path towards realising itself.” #yogalife #yogaunion #veda #hathayoga #holistic

A post shared by Johann Kotze Music & Yoga (@johannkotzemusicandyoga) on Nov 25, 2017 at 8:24pm PST

In some forms of yoga there is deep enquiry into the nature of “yoga”. Who is doing the yoga? What are the ones that are not doing yoga doing? This reminds me of a rich time in my life when I started my current yoga life path. I was on the island of Crete, practicing yoga at sunrise. At noon l hung around the small village nearby observing the old men in the cafes, sitting on rickety chairs, talking, drinking wine and coffee, breaking bread and eating olives and tomatoes. #yogalife #om #yogalesson #satsang

A post shared by Johann Kotze Music & Yoga (@johannkotzemusicandyoga) on Nov 27, 2017 at 9:05pm PST

As a yoga teacher I often sit in various cross legged positions. And not only in classes. Yoga alters perception of who and what we are. Constant, mindful practice wears away the modifications that limit and jade our innate magnificence. Without a powerful technique of self-enquiry we fall victim to who we are not. Our illusions become reality. Yoga helps develop the will and skill to lift the veil of self will and surrender to divine will. #yogalife #satsang #yogi #meditation #easypose

A post shared by Johann Kotze Music & Yoga (@johannkotzemusicandyoga) on Nov 29, 2017 at 12:33am PST

Yours in yoga,
and music
Johann
3 December 2017

ॐ

One way to approach the Gita

Assuming you have a bit of a bigger picture understanding of yoga philosophy it may help to select a single page, randomly, or by looking at the chapter headers, searching for a key phrase that piques your interest. I chose as example the section “Way to Brahman”.  Read slowly, look up one or two key words you don’t know, remain focussed on the one page. Apply simple reasoning, and don’t be phased by the appearance of the text that is by comparison more Shakespearean than Twitter.

If the infinite way of being, or the path to ongoing spiritual communion, would lead to knowing God, and knowing that Brahman in the Gita can be an aspect of the Godhead, then one is simply to sit in meditation, focus on the heart center, and feel or express a silent or sounded OM. Thus freedom is attained. This is a liberation self where wisdom triumphs over ignorance, the light of truth that dispels the veils of the unreal.

In my consideration whether one is referencing Vedanta commentators or reading varying meanings into what Brahman exactly is there is a basic exploration of understanding self as a possible non-dual expression of soul (Atman) with Brahman as its essence.  The quest of yoga is nor scholarly nor physical practice nor in the realm of religion, but a personal quest to reveal, to oneself, the eternal light of all that is – God within.

ॐ
OM Blessings
In Music & Yoga, Cape Town
Johann

Related Chakra Blogs

●  Patanjali’s Sage Wisdom
●  OM-NIPOTENCE Chant & Divine Essence