I have recently been on a 10 day intensive meditation course known as Vipassana. In this course the first three days are spent observing the natural breath and then for the next 6 days the actual method of Vipassana is taught. In a nutshell Vipassana technique involves a rotation of awareness around the different parts of the body and the exploration of any sensations one may be having in each area. The 3 days of breath awareness serves to sharpen and still the mind enough for it to be able to focus on each and every part of the body and for it to be calm and quiet enough to observe both gross and more subtle sensations. The instructions for the technique were terse and concise with a very practical approach. We were constantly reminded to be aware of any sensations and to keep checking ourselves as to whether we were observing our sensations as they were, or if we were projecting or searching for what we wanted to feel or thought we should be feeling.
In a particularly ‘awake’ session in which I was experiencing a very subtle flow of sensations through the body – I began to realise that I was experiencing Prana. For me this was a big thing as experiences of subtler realms are few and far between. I had my awareness at my abdomen and after a few minutes observation, realised that there was a movement going on there from side to side. And then I realised that what I was feeling was the flow of Samana Prana (the flow of energy in the abdominal region). I was actually experiencing Samana without trying to. I then went on to the rest of my body trying to recall the exact stated direction of the rest of the 5 Pranas , but I soon stopped myself. Coming out of the meditation hall I saw more than ever the necessity of personal experience. I truly understood how the Rishis and Yogis of long ago had worked out the flow of the five pranas because they each had their own direct and personal experience of exactly the same thing and therefore came to their own conclusions.
The experience also made me recall my year of study at BYB (Bihar school of Yoga in Bihar, India) and how often I would take information in as verbatim. The 5 kleshas, the 10 most important Nadis, the Vrittis, the Koshas, the Pranas…. all became a semi- stress as I struggled to recall Sanskrit names, English translations, and to master the ability to give a concise definition of each one. But what for? This information helps us definitely to broaden the spectrum of our physical, psychological, and etheric makeup but we cannot stop there. So too is it a trap to do meditations and practices that aim at experiencing a certain state. As I learnt, it is in the searching for something specific, that we miss the reality and magic of the actual.
I am not good at reciting what I have just read/heard and sharing it with others. As a teacher I have often felt frustrated with this as I have felt it necessary to impart a few more of the deeper teachings of Yoga philosophy etc. Even with Asana- when we read that such and such helps to ‘speed up lymphatic flow in the ducts and improves drainage’ I feel hat I will stumble over these words if I try and mention them. However, if I ignore all of this and focus on what I myself have experienced in my Sadhana, and impart what I can of this to the pupils, then there is a flow and ‘realness’ to the class. This is not to say that a talk on Yoga philosophy or a deeper probe into the effects on the physiology aren’t useful- it just isn’t my way. I feel we must be careful that we do not project all this knowledge onto our experiences so that we miss what we are actually feeling. It’s like when we want to find our pair of scissors. In our minds we have the image of the scissors with the red handle and so naturally this is what we search for. But we are so busy with the search for the red scissors that we miss the green handled pair right in front of us.
I think this is how Satyananda yoga works. We are asked to feel the effects of our Asana, Pranayama practices etc and experience them for ourselves. Bodily sensations after a backward bend do not necessarily have to be felt in the back, and when our awareness is open enough, it broadens the possibility of more subtle experiences not only of the physical body but also of our minds and emotional states.
Relying on personal experience takes the pressure off from us feeling that we should or shouldn’t experience this or that. Rather, it helps us to rest quite comfortably in what is. ‘ I don’t feel a subtle flow of energy, I don’t feel a tingling/ vibrating, but I do feel the clothing against my skin’ etc. Without the angst and striving for what we feel we should grasp- Yoga (and anything else in life, I venture) becomes the joy and journey of personal discovery it actually is.
There is a Zen saying that I read somewhere that says something to the effect of “treat all masters, books and studies as your greatest enemy as these will only distract you from you own path.’ I think this saying does not require a militant shunning of the Guru or Scriptures but it does require a deep and mature level of discrimination as to using the teachings as inspiration and food for thought but then leaving these and getting on with it in your own way. The Buddha was once talking to a crowd of 11 000 people. Someone stood up and asked him how many paths to enlightenment there were. He looked around the crowd and said “11 000”. We each have our own path and our own understanding. May we all experience the joy of finding and following our own way.
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There must be identification of the mind, the inner nature, with the goal of life. The imposed concepts, beliefs and ideas relating to the ego structure have to be dissolved. The moment we dissolve the intellect which is identifying with the ego structure of our personality- “I am a good teacher ”, ”I enjoy teaching”- then there are no barriers for the mind to overcome. The moment we develop the idea –“I know”, we create a resistance to learning, but if we are in tune with our inner nature then every moment of the day can become a moment of learning. Experience is the best teacher, so we have to aspire for the experience and not just for the intellectual understanding.
- Swami Niranjanananda |
