Astronomical View of Our Embodiment
We are almost through a full week of classes. Tomorrow we are supposed to have morning class with Sunita Iyengar, another of the children of BKS Iyengar. The last two days we have had an Advanced class and Pranayama with Prashant Iyengar.
Prashant does well at the beginning of each month laying the groundwork for those that may not regularly take class with him. He encourages us to have a community minded approach to our practice of asana, including participation from all aspects of our embodiment. His definition of participation means that any aspect involved in our practice has a role of “partaking in” and/or “parting with” something. I see this as the continuous balance between action and reflection, doer and receiver, actor and observer, etc… The breath, the mind, and the body are the three main participants in doing, being doer, or being done to, but in the end, every aspect of our embodiment has a myriad of participations to explore – as vast and as varied as the stars in the Universe. Prashant took us to look at Guruji’s photos on the wall, explaining that for every physical photo, there could be thousands more ++ taken from every angle of the embodiment. He said we need to have an “astronomical view of our embodiment”. Only then, he proceeded in Pranayama this evening, will we be “bewitched” enough by our interior experience to draw away from all distractions outside.
Yesterday was a nice day of rest after practice time, and this morning there was no class, so after practice we went with some friends new to Pune out “on the town”. In South India, specifically Kerala, today is the harvest festival of Onam, so it warranted a special feast of South Indian delights. Afterward, we rested in the green gardens of Agakhan Palace where Gandhi had been held for some time during British rule. And, after a good rest, we trekked up the popular Parvati Hill where you have a grand view over much of Pune city. I am now falling asleep to the final evening of Ganapati Celebrations in the street – always complete with fireworks and drums! Ganeshas everywhere will be immersed in the river tomorrow.
I am amazed at the ability for the cats and dogs of the street to sleep so soundly amongst the chaos of this busy Indian city. And, Prashant reminds us that our cats and dogs are not at all interested in any of even nature’s most beautiful distractions – take them to Niagara Falls and find out! We as humans have the capacity to search within ourselves for that peace and quiet that does exist within. Yoga asks us to draw our attention away from all those external views and sensory delights to be curious enough to explore the astronomical views of our own internal universe.
