The Three Stages of Yoga

We live in a three dimensional world.

Question: “What does that mean?”

Answer: “The structure of our reality has quality of dimensions – width, length and depth

Let’s look at yoga. What is yoga? Swami Kripalu said that …”Yoga is self observation with compassion.” I have always found this an interesting, valuable and useful description. It provides us with a system of duality; polar opposites; the two dimensional structure. On the one side we have self observation and on the other end is compassion.

The Master Template/Blueprint of Creation has a system of duality; Fulfillment and Desire; Light and Vessel; Send and Receive; Positive and Negative; Left and Right; Yang and Yin……….

Universe is always evolving and seeking ‘balance”. That does not mean it is always 50/50. The FIbonnaci Sequence suggests it is closer to 60/40 with an oscillating back and forth like navigating a sail boat into the wind by tacking from right to left. They call it beating to windward – first you sail on your port tack then on your starboard track.

If you have practiced yoga with me then you have probably heard me describe the three stages of yoga as:

Stage One: Right Alignment

Stage Two: Discovering and Exploring your personal “Edge”

Stage Three: Authentic Free Expression

The rest of this blog seeks to add more width, length and depth to our awareness, understanding and ongoing mastery of the practice of yoga.

“In Kripalu Yoga, asana, pranayama and meditation are all happening simultaneously.”  Swami Kripalu…

Each of the three “stages” consists of five components or phases/steps, depending on how you view them.

  1. Purpose
  2. Direction of Attention
  3. Principles of Alignment
  4. Experience of “The Witness”
  5. Desired Outcome of Practice

Stage One-Right Alignment: It’s purpose is increased body awareness. Attention is direction on physical sensations. Principles are based on anatomical architecture. The Witness begins with or through physical inquiry; You do yoga. Outcomes = purification, increased physical awareness > Strength, flexibility and stamina.

Stage Two – Playing your edge: Its purpose is focused on mental and emotional awareness. Attention is directed on thoughts, feelings, emotions and breath. Alignment principles are based on prana/energy. The Witness consciousness is developed through posture inquiry; You do yoga and yoga does you. Outcomes = strengthening of the will, increased mental and emotional awareness > clarity and honesty.

Stage Three – Authentic Free Expression: Stage three’s purpose is increased connection to Source. Attention is on expression, prana and, ultimately, bliss. Alignment is established through natural intuition. The Witness surrenders to experiences of meditation and movement. Yoga does you. Outcomes = release of the judgmental mind, increased presence of body, mind and spirit simultaneously > joy, power and wisdom.

DIVIDE AND CONQUER; ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE PART DUEX

I went to graduate school for one year. Yep, just short of of an actual graduate degree. I invested a year of my life and $20,000 for tuition and I did not get the degree. However, as we know, these kind of experiences are not for nought. My experience was a bit unique in that, I went 10 years after graduating from college. So, I had 10 years of experience out in the work arena, mostly playing the role as Corporate Director Of Training and Quality Assurance for a Hotel Management Company out of Rochester, NY.

The graduate program I enrolled was “School Psychology.” This program led to a Masters Degree and a Certification to be employed as a School Psychologist. What a culture shift from Business to Academia and Education. Let me tell you the whole story of my experience this year some other time. But, to be as concise as I can with where I am at now I will provide you with a timeline process from the psychology perspective. It goes like this….1.) Cognitive Behavior Theory Replaces all other modalities…this results in Cognitive Dissonance which leads to Cognitive Diminishment. Now watch this video…

What happens next?

Master Blueprint: Ripples

Some have declared that it lies within our choice to gaze upon a world of even greater wonder and beauty. It is said by theses that the experiments of the mystics are related to the transmutation of the entire Universe. This method, or art, or science, or whatever we choose to call it (supposing it to exist, or to have existed), is simply concerned to restore the delights of Paradise; to enable men and women, if they will, to inhabit a world of joy and splendour. It is perhaps possible that there is such an experiment, and that there are some who have made it.” HAMPOLE

Without defining it yet…..”The Spiritual Work,” at least partly, is about doing inquiry into what our world is? What do I mean about inquiry? Well, it is what the yogi does when he/she practices the art and science of yoga. Look; View: Observe; Witness; See; Understand; Master and, ultimately, Celebrate!

There are several entry points. In fact, there is, at a minimum, as many entry points as there are human souls. Let’s start to break it down and see if we can notice, observe and discover tracks or signs; Ripples..

Let’s assume for our inquiry here that we are motivated to gain wisdom into how to bring more soul into the “body’: Bring Heaven to Earth.

The Big Three:

Physical/Material Emotional/Energetic Mental/Transcendent

Now Listen to these three videos to start our inquiry……I will be coming back and editing this post to make it more complete….

Next………….

And………..

THE MASTER BLUEPRINT OF CREATION & THE FIVE LEVELS OF INTERPRETATION. Introduction

Is it time to awaken the Shaman?

When Adam and Eve first arrived in The Garden of Eden, The Light of the Creator; God; The Divine Source was not concealed. Their bodies were made of light. There was no flesh (physical/material paradigm) so the light of the soul was fully revealed. The physical and spiritual worlds were perfectly united. Death, pain and fear did not exist. Space and Time did not exist. Cause and Effect was one connected circuit, so to speak. In other words, THE WORLD was in a perfect state of perpetual motion.

Total Accountability and Total Feedback Constitute the Minimum and Only Perpetual Motion System.” Buckminster Fuller

Your physical body, whether consciously or unconsciously, is always responding to the feelings and desires of your soul. Your soul’s core mission is to accomplish the things it came down here to do. In order to achieve your soul’s core mission your conscious and subconscious beliefs, thoughts, emotions, assumptions, conclusions and the actions that come from them, must start aligning with the purpose and desires of your soul.  How do we do this? Have you ever asked your soul what it desires? Do you know? How Can we be sure?

Continue reading THE MASTER BLUEPRINT OF CREATION & THE FIVE LEVELS OF INTERPRETATION. Introduction