Category Archives: Yoga

The 4th PHASE

A good Kripalu Yoga Teacher will start the class by describing what we are going to do, then, do it and then, describe what we did.

As we enter the 4th of 5 “Phases” in our inquiry of yoga, meditation and “maps of the territory” allow me to recap the past 14 months and set the stage for this phase and the final phase.

RECAP

In the first phase, March 2020 – December 2020 we “confronted” the mystery of the body-mind connection through the practice and study of yoga – meditation and multiple maps of the territory. Our focus was on right alignment and discovering our personal edge.

In the 2nd phase, January 2021 – March 27 2021 we began to explore a bit deeper. At least we became more aware of being in inquiry. We has awakened the mind that seeks The Way and we went into inquiry mode.

In the 3rd phase, March 28 2021 – May 17 2021 we deepened our contemplation. We went into incubation. We considered how to best utilize our awareness of the path.

Phase 4

The 4th phase, May 17 2021 – July 24 2021, is the illumination stage in the process. We have confronted, explored and incubated. Now, we must take inventory of what we have accomplished and allow the manifestation to bloom. It is interesting that the 4th book in The Torah is named ….”The Desert.” The message being that while it appears we are not making progress, that we are in a Desert, we are really making progress with our work. It is just hidden. Will it appear as a mirage? How much longer can you hang in there. We are almost there.

Phase 5

The 5th and final phase, July 25 2021 – September 29 2021 is the manifestation stage. Actually, the way I see it, is that it is more about managing the manifestation. We are always achieving results. On a moment to moment basis we are achieving results. What do we do with them? In The Torah we have reached the proverbial “Promised Land.” What is this territory and how should we be? What do we do now?

Now What?

On September 30, 2021 we start back at phase zero. But with a larger and more efficient vessel to receive The Light of The Creator. I will be setting up the retreat experience. Want to come join me?

Where Are We?

SO, I think we can all agree that the past year has yielded some kind of a “paradigm shift” in how we see the world around us and our “role” in it.

YOGA is one of the fundamental maps in our inquiry. We know our DESTINATION in yoga. The Eight Limb Path ‘marks’ THE PATH. The Eighth Limb is where we want to BE. Samadhi; Union with Source

THE FIVE PHASES

You can say Phase Zero is Awakening,

Phase One is Exploration: Inquiry.

In Phase Two “it” becomes Understanding.

In Phase Three” it” shall be Mastery.

The fifth and final phase, Phase 4 is an individual’s, direct, personal experience of Samadhi, Bliss, Celebration, Accomplishment, Gift, Fruit, Union with Source, Oneness; HOME

NOW WHAT?

What have we awakened to?

What knowledge and wisdom has occurred because of our inquiry?

I think it would be safe to say that each individual member of The Way Seekers Yoga group would answer that differently. Sure….some responses would be similar and some would be divergent.

Our mission now is to synthesize our awareness and the fruit of our inquiry into an enhanced understanding with a “blueprint” for the quest toward “The Final Correction.”

Here is what I propose.

  1. I wish to manifest a kind of Template that is creative and innovative and designed from all that we have done in the past year.
  2. Therefore, No new “maps”. We will take what have looked at and through a process like alchemy manifest this template.
  3. I need your help. I would like our Monday sessions for the next 5-6 weeks to be meditation plus a discussion on this template I envision. Our yoga sessions will evolve to mirror our process.
  4. Each week I will provide you with “pieces of the puzzle.” On Mondays I will have a 15-20 presentation for you. We will then immediately enter a 13 minute meditation sit followed by a wrap up discussion. You will have access to the work product in the form of videos (2 are already on the yoga page on choicetimes), manuals, live sessions, emails, etc…..
  5. We hit Phase 3 after Shavuot (May 17) and it is my intention to have completed the “blueprint; design plan, business plan.: Template” by this time. Then the next phase, Phase 3 is about securing all of the resources necessary to implement the plan.
  6. The template is universal in nature although it must, in the end, be practical in its application.
  7. I have brainstormed on designing a practical application for business training managers or owners of yoga studios or sales people. I have experience in training in the hotel and financial services industry. particularly in human development and sales. But, I have listened to many of you and I think, perhaps, the initial narrowly focused application could be targeted to people dealing with and living with diabetes (Both Type 1’s or Type 2’s). It could include health care workers, friends, family etc. Give me a few weeks to expand and explain my thinking to you.

As preparation for Monday night’s session please watch this 10 minute video on The Golden Ratio and The Fibonacci sequence. This is not a new map. I introduced it last summer and now is the time to review it. I want to use this to buttress my rationale for The Template.

Passover (Pesach)

Passover began March 27th at sundown. It ends on the 4th of April. This Saturday is “The 7th of Pesach.” It corresponds to the day in the Biblical story when the Jewish Nation has left Egypt and is up against the Red Sea. “It’s a Red Sea Moment” is a phrase to describe the time(s) you are up against a seemingly insurmountable wall or block or challenge or problem or situation or whatever. It doesn’t look good. Within the Nation of Israel there were four reactions to the situation they faced with the Red Sea in front of them and The Egyptian Army approaching because Pharaoh had a “change of heart” after letting them go from slavery. The first group was the biggest group and they wanted to surrender and go back to Egypt and slavery. The second group were warriors and wanted to fight the Egyptians. A third group wanted to commit suicide because they did not want to go back to slavery. The fourth group which was really one person plus Moses began to walk into the Sea. The water reached his nose and the Sea Split.

The story is like the physical/material world. The physical/material world is the 1%. If you don’t see this or believe this that is ok. Just for a moment suspend your disbelief and hold this “assumption” about the nature of things in your thought structure. The 99% is the spiritual world. It can’t be seen or proven. It can’t be forced upon some one. There is no coercion in spirituality. Most of us can only perceive the 1%. That’s ok. A matter a fact, awareness of this is the starting point. Awareness combined with humility. From this point the path must begin. Every moment is an opportunity to re-turn to the starting point.

What is your Red Sea?. Do you want to run, fight, surrender, give up?

The Kabbalah map says that what is needed right now are two things: 1. Achieving a mental and emotional state of “Certainty beyond reason.” And, 2. The 72 Names of God; The map says to become aware of them, inquire into them and scan them.

The Yoga map tells us that we have found our personal edge. Time to explore and sustain a cognitive approach of inquiry.

The Vipassana map directs us to inject equanimity into the situation, stay aware, restrict desired or habitual reaction and watch how things change thus becoming more and more aware of the nature of impermanence resulting in less tendency to involuntary attachment resulting in less suffering and more happiness. Oye Vay!

Phase One

The current mission statement on the home page of choicetimes is:

“To guide others in the inquiry of yoga, meditation and other meta-physical “maps of the territory” with the objective of discovering, awakening and exploring the mind that seeks The Way.”

Sunday, we will be transitioning into the second of the five phases I have outlined in previous sessions. For purposes of simplicity let’s think of the time from when we first started doing these on-line zoom sessions in late March of 2020 until now The Zero Phase. Ironically, 9 months?

Remember, we are using the Five Phase Process as a map for our inquiry into yoga, meditation and other teachings. It’s only a map. It is not the territory. The move from Phase Zero to Phase One can be compared to the seed transitioning into the root structure.

As we make this move I see an opportunity to change the mission. Everyone who is reading this and will decide to move forward into Phase One has had some discoveries and increased awareness through the yoga or the meditation or the map questing or through interaction with the group; community; Sangha. Therefore, mission accomplished.

The Transition can be seen as an emergence from unconscious awareness to conscious awareness. What happens within the seed is a mystery. We can look at the seed and we can plant the seed and we can water the seed but not until the seed breaks open do we know if the seed was viable.

So, the new mission statement is:

To explore the what and the why of our awakened awareness through the inquiry and practice of yoga, meditation, Dharma study and Sangha. To experience the transformation of awareness into mastery.

In the Kabbalah map the five phases are represented within The Tree of Life. The Zero Phase is represented by the Sefirot of Keter which means crown or corona. Phase One is Chochma which means Wisdom.

Phase 1 exploration will go from Jan 3 to March 20. That is 11 weeks

Anyone who is currently on the mailing list is invited to join in Phase One starting this Sunday. The schedule for Phase One has changed:

SUNDAY 10 AM – YIN YOGA. This is a 60-75 minute session exploring the yin aspect of our physical, energy and mental/emotional Koshas (bodies or sheaths).

MONDAY 6:30 PM – SANGHA SESSION. Sangha is community. It is one of the three “jewels” of buddhist philosophy and teaching. During this session we will explore the state and potential of our group. We will embed a 15 minute meditation session in this session. We will take as much time or as little time as we need for the session. 30-60 minutes.

TUESDAY 4:30 PM – YANG YOGA. Notice I have changed the time to 4:30. I am also going to shorten it up a bit to ensure we are finished by 5:30 at the latest. 45-60 minutes.

THURSDAY 7PM – DHARMA SESSION: Dharma study is another one of the 3 jewels. Dharma means the inherent nature of things. Law or Truth. The Dharma session will replace the mapquesting concept. One of the things that really worked well this past year was to choose a book and read together and discuss during our session. We can do that, however, I want to start with more discussion on the significance of the 5 Phases and an intro to the spiritual technology of Kabbalah.

ONE-ON-ONE SESSIONS with Michael: I decided to offer this because we are in the root structure phase and I believe these one on one sessions can strengthen connection to the mission and vision. 45-60 min.

ONE-ON-ONE SESSIONS with NEDRA: Nedra is currently working on the development of several Chinese herbal soups and broths, specifically to boost immune system and lymph flow, that we want to market at some point in the future. Nedra is an acupuncturist, cranial sacral therapist, massage therapist, Macrobiotic chef and Chinese Herbalist. While most of her work is done in person, I believe she could be a potential assist to members when it comes to diet, herbs and supplements. If you are interested in meeting with Nedra I can set up zoom session for information, questions/and answers or an overall assessment. (Optional)

I know that some of you have been mostly or only interested in the yoga sessions. I understand that. And while I will offer a yoga only option, I ask you to consider becoming a full access member and at least check out both the Sangha meeting and the Dharma session.

Most people in the world “believe” that the physical world is “the 99%.” What can be seen, heard, touched, tasted or smelled makes up reality. We, as a group in inquiry, are consciously turning this perception upside down; The physical world is the 1% and the 99% is the territory is the non physical world of consciousness that we are here to discover and explore and to share with others what we find. In actuality, quantum physics has verified this perspective as being True. Science has proven that the physical world is but 1% of reality. Yet, most people cannot relate to this perspective. Science itself is stuck when it comes to understanding our reality and the workings of the universe. Science has reached its’ limits in understanding the “how” of things but has no idea on the “WHY.” Together, through the study of Dharma, the power of Sangha and the practice of meditation and yoga this group will partake in an exploration of the 99% Reality.

At this point in time, with all of the uncertainty because of the coronavirus pandemic I understand that it is difficult to make commitments. I am asking you for your support as we continue to do the work we have been doing these last nine months. What I have sought to do over the past 9 months is create a safe and comfortable space to do our inquiry and experience the benefits of the practices we engaged in. I strove to be an intuitive, gentle and entertaining guide. I am no expert or polished guru type of guy. I am a passionate seeker of undiscovered wisdom that I know has got to be there for us to find.