The practice of yoga in a way that considers a range of techniques, as is the case in Mysore style class settings, is the most effective tool for living a productive and grounded life while travelling along a clear path to the ultimate goal. That is, recognition of the higher Self.
The metaphysical reality espoused and realised by the great yogin-s is more than a romantic idea, more than an academic or philosophical pursuit, and much more than a historical ritual. It is a system of knowledge that empowers the individual to understand their place as the ultimate controller of their universe. It is a series of techniques which people can test for themselves and thereby know the truth.
While yoga as a general idea is widespread and popular, a rather substantial gulf remains between physical practices and the rest of the system of metaphysical enquiry, contemplation and concentration. People tend to do one or the other and thus achieve only a partial result. It is important to know that the two can be completely blended. A physical practice can be imbued with the highest form of spiritual knowledge, and the Mysore style environment facilitates this blending in a way unapproachable by more commercialised class formats.
The popular Ashtanga Vinyasa method of physical practice is intended to be combined with more esoteric components of yoga. This book will highlight the ancient Sanskrit text called Yoga Taravali, written by Adi Shankara — one of the greatest revolutionaries, writers, and yogin-s in the history of India. The creators of the Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga system chose to wed it to this beautiful and concise haṭha yoga text.
While we have access to such Sanskrit texts and modern commentaries on them, the limitations of language result in only a partial revelation. Much study of Sanskrit is required to even begin to reveal the subtleties. In this book we will see how the complete blending of the physical and spiritual worlds is examined in the Mysore style setting.
We have a very clear opportunity and mandate to recognise the nature of reality and to play in the world in a way that awakens the intuitive and psychic faculties. It is a play that results in harmony, ecstatic experience, understanding of others, and control of one’s own fate.
As a culture, we have imposed on ourselves for a long time a sense of limitation, an ingrained amnesia of the higher realities. Sometimes a fleeting glimpse is noticed. It usually occurs while sleeping, or out of the corner of the eye, and then half-remembered or forgotten altogether.
This process sometimes requires an eerie kind of courage. It can be terribly exciting, like standing at the edge of the water and aching to jump in, but feeling unprepared.
Great fun can be had in these threshold experiences. I remember camping with my old friends, all of us standing near a rope swing with a big drop down towards the river below. None of us were going to jump, but all of us really did want to have a go. No one was willing to walk away. It was an awkward stalemate.
I was standing nearest the rope, and suddenly one of my friends gave me a big shove towards the water! My only choices in that moment were to either tumble down the embankment or jump and grab onto the rope and enjoy a big swing over the river.
I’m grateful he did that for me, gave me a push so that I had to do what I really wanted to do, even though it was scary.
It’s this feeling of an exciting threshold that we need to watch for in order to grow in a naturally joyful manner. It is the sign that we are standing near the edge of our abilities, peeking out into a greater understanding, a bigger future, ready to learn something new.
This is a call to action. In this particular life, in this particular age of humankind, we can experience and live the realities that have been heretofore hidden from view.
We have everything we need. Let’s go.
