Merci Christine Rabette, Svadhyaya@urbanOM
CO-CREATING INTENTIONAL COMMUNITY.
Atma Vidya आत्मा विद्या (Self-knowledge)
is a quintessential teaching of the Upanishads
and Advaita Vedanta.
Realising The Lightness of Self
(aka The Great Cosmic Joke ~ Why So Serious? Do You Get It, Yet? )
Svadhyaya – (self-study or self reflection)
"... the Self must be experienced as the deep basis of individual awareness, and this is possible only when the mind can grasp its own underlying nature (sva) through yogic means. Broadly speaking, we could say that all yoga leads to svadhyaya, but certain specific methods are more closely associated with it. The sages tell us that we are the Self and that to “study” it is to gradually know it. The specific techniques for gaining this kind of experiential knowledge are collectively called svadhyaya."
https://atma-vidya.tumblr.com/post/655464020423393280/iyta
Allen Crawford's "Whitman Illuminated: Song of Myself" from David Scott Kessler on Vimeo.
A FINAL THOUGHT from Yoga international
Understanding Yourself: The Path of Svadhyaya"In his own intimate way, Walt Whitman places a few final elements of svadhyaya before us for contemplation. Again, in “Song of Myself,” he avows that the Self is not running away, not struggling to keep the truth from us, not unresponsive to our efforts at Self-knowledge. Instead, he tells us that knowing the Self is the consummation of a search requiring patient and repeated effort. And most touchingly, as is the case with so many other revelations of being, he reports that the Self is nearby and filled with grace. In Whitman’s words:
"Failing to fetch me at first keep encouraged,
Missing me one place search another,
I stop somewhere waiting for you."
Part 8/8: Poetry of Perception from HarvardX Neuroscience on Vimeo.
"When it comes to yoga you want to be convinced that it’s going to do what it says it’s going to do. You also want to be convinced that the teacher you choose can actually take you to the truth. Like when you’re told a pose does this or that to the physical body, pranayama enables this or that to function better and meditation provides that elusive thing you think you need to de stress. All the benefits of a complete yoga practice coalesce in your personal experience right?
But what about the deeper meaning of yoga beyond the asana?
How can you know what that is?
Who can show you that?
Most teachers can only teach what they know.
How many teachers know themselves.
Not personally i.e what they like or dislike or what they have or don’t have.. but who they are?
When students come to meet our teacher on the ashram the first thing he asks them is,
“who are you?”
Most people answer with their name, occupation etc.
Like staring into the barrel of a gun they hope their answer is the right one.
“I didn’t ask you what you have I asked you WHO YOU ARE?”
Does anyone really know the answer to this one?
Until you’ve had the right teacher and teaching which removes all doubt. You’ll always feel like something is missing. This was me time and time again. On the mat, sitting in silence wishing and hoping that my diligence in practice would take me to the truth.
Every book I read, every yantra I created every mantra I recited surely would lead me to Moksha. Freedom. Little did I know I was digging a hole for myself.
The more I clothed my self in spiritual roles, the more shallow and empty I felt.
I cried a river of tears in ignorance.
Meeting the knowledge through both John and our teacher, brought me to tears too.
Tears of absolute wonder and joy. Going through the teachings of the Veda/Upanishads, being given example after example through the traditional metaphorical stories, I was convinced. Convinced that there is no other purpose in life other than getting to know one’s SELF.
If you like me are at a point where you’re wanting answers to the BIG questions. Todays your lucky day. Our Sundaram Online Ashram is just itching for you to dive in. We have a special 3 month intake which closes July 1st, which is also when John Weddepohl launches his next foundations in Self Knowledge Course. www.rachelzinmanyoga.com/sundaram-online-ashram
