Asana, your first spiritual responsibility and the Eros of God.

The soul’s relationship to God is described in religious traditions as an erotic play between male and female divine personalities. There are many examples. Sita and Ram, Radha and Krishna, Shiva and Shakti. These human stories do not by pass the extreme sensual pleasure of a love relationship. The ‘erotic’ quality is of course in the most positive use of the word. It is the eros or utter connection; the connection of the soul to the Lord, the individual to the universe. This Eros quality is ‘eros ive’ to the soul’s obstructions (heavy like rock or soil) and allows the soul’s reunion with its source. My personal research with the dying showed me that in death there is an utter pleasure for the person merging back to their Source. They describe it in terms like delicious, exquisite, utter peace. This religious, ‘re linking’ point of view is clearly the opposite of other religious methodologies that teach the transcendence of desire as THE way. So we need to figure this out and take a personal position on what works for us.
Believe it or not, the participation with the obvious union of opposites in our own life, as simple as left to right, front to back, above to below, inhalation to exhalation, strength to receptivity, male to female, within and without IS your ancient religious, re linking, Eros, participation in the universe, you and source reality that is nothing other than nurturing, abundance, regeneration, continuity and healing. It is the soul’s relationship to God (if that language is ok for you) and it is erotic and delightful. So what is the implication? “Do your Yoga,” not just any Yoga but your Yoga, your participation in your own opposites. Elevate asana to the extreme religious priority, non-obsessive spiritual responsibility and practical means that it is. This exquisite participation in the opposites already in erotic union as your own life may very well result in the same Eros wonder, strength receiving in the outer polarity (that is with some one you love!) although it does not need to. But it will result in the certainty of your utter connection, absorption in the nurturing wonder of this total universe, arising as the sheer regenerative perfection and extreme intelligence of life that is YOU.

Yoga: The Union of Opposites, The Heart is the whole body and all its relationships, Left is Right etc, You are a flower blooming in your own garden.

Left is Right, Inner is Outer etc
Yoga is the union of all opposites. Your participation in the opposites does more than you know. Please observe that left IS right… left is literally the right, yet can be defined and experienced independently and are also utterly the same as each other. You are the whole body. Please observe that base IS the crown… you are the whole body. And please observe that your inner IS the outer. You are literally another person, a tree, a cloud, the sky, solid ground and moon and stars. You are the whole body appearing in this vast context utterly one with and dependant on everything for your Life, yet amazingly an autonomous individual as well free to steer in any direction you choose. By these simple means you know your Reality. Nurturing source reality is appearing in you as you.
You are a flower blooming in your own garden
Your first form arrived as one cell known as the heart. A spark of Life, initiated by male female, giving and receiving union of opposites, the catalyst of nurturing, your spirit took form and the source became seen. This one cell is the portal to absolute nurturing reality, mother source. Poetically it is the jewel in the lotus. She has unfolded like a flower in bloom as a subtle body, the movement of energy through your whole form. And she has manifested as your physical form. Well, you are not a flower. You are a human. But the same life beauty, wonder, intelligence is blooming as you. Indeed there are subtle structures in your body like flowers. So you ARE a flower blooming in your own garden. Rest in that. Searchlessly see the flower petals unfolding from the heart. Be in the tips of petals. Be in your skin and all ordinary conditions. Nurturing energy flows from the heart. The love prana flows from the hridaya and everything is nurtured in all directions.
The Heart, The Whole, Source of All Appearance, From Where Opposites Originate, Served and Sustained by Union of All Opposites
In Yoga there is no requirement to manipulate the body or the energy in attempt to know the source, rather it is the other way round. We start with the heart that is felt in the simple participation in the union of all opposites. The heart or “hrid” is felt as the place where all opposites are in union and the origin of all opposites, from where the life energy flows, nurturing the physical and all its relationship. Yoga starts and ends with reality participation. The hrid manifest as all life as the giving and receiving functions of life. (hri = to give, d = receive).
It is felt in the body as:
1. heart on the right (hrid, causal nurturing origin)
2. heart in the center (anahata heart chakra and all chakra, the nurturing energy flow base to crown from the hrid enjoyed as mantra and yantra)
3. physical pumping heart on the left.
There is no value system one higher than the other. Resting in one gives access to all.
They are the same originating heart reality. Intimacy with the physical is the primary means. The attempt to reduce the physical to realize the subtle or causal heart is not required and disturbs our heart and life.
Yoga is not about self-consciously trying to realize anything. That creates the false identity of one who is seeking. It is surrender participating in what is already true. We are completely nurtured. This we can depend on any time in the future. Just wait relax and be healed. If there is pain it is the healing. The nurturing is always operating and cannot be lost in the extreme wonder and intelligence of the universe always functioning to maximum degree to keep you well and happy… like a mother does!

Mark in Fiji Nov / Dec 2009

Learn a personal Yoga practice for Life, Love and Intimacy.

This year 2009 Mark Whittwell is teaching two retreats in gorgeous Fiji:

27 Nov – 4 Dec  09     Garden Island Resort,   Taveuni
7  Dec  -  13 Dec 09    Daku Resort,    Savusavu

Transform Your life without struggle:  This is Real Yoga experienced and taught form the heart.

The retreats are suitable for everyone from beginners to experienced Yogis and Yoga teachers.  The way Mark teaches is very holistic and intuitive:  He begins his sessions with an extensive dialogue with the students, where everyone has the opportunity to learn from each other’s experience, share and question.  Mark is dedicated to help students find an actual, natural personal Yoga practice, Yoga that is right for You.

Find more details on locations and Booking from:  www.heartofyogaretreats.com

http://heartofyogaretreats.wordpress.com/

Mark says:  ”If you can breathe, you can do Yoga.”

Retreats 2009:

Garden Island Resort, Taveuni,

Fiji

27th Nov – 4th Dec 2009

The award-winning Garden Island Resort is known for its excellent diving, professional and friendly dive operation, ocean front rooms with excellent views, wonderful staff and gorgeous lush tropical surroundings.

Taveuni is known for its rich diversity of marine, bird and plant life. Because of its thriving eco-system it is one of the most significant islands in the South

Pacific.

Fiji is located in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand. It is comprised of 332 islands, of which approximately 100 are inhabited.

Accommodation

Garden island Resort has modern Ocean View guest-rooms.

The larger, more luxurious Ocean View Garden guest-rooms are newly remodeled and furnished in 2009, each with King beds and bedrooms leading out to the private porch with private outdoor Spa. All rooms are equipped with essential amenities to ensure your utmost comfort and are located right on the water’s edge giving you sunning views over the straits and to the nearby islands.

US$ 1,800.00 p/p  Ocean View Room

US$ 2,250.00 p/p  Ocean View Garden Room with Private Spa

including: daily Yoga, accommodation, meals, excursions

Daku Resort, Savusavu, Vanua Levu, Fiji

7th – 13th Dec 2009

Savusavu calls itself the Hidden Paradise – and with good reason. It’s away from the rush of commercial vacationland, bus tours and international hotel chains.

Located on Fiji’s second largest island, Vanua Levu, Savusavu is a 50 minute very scenic flight from Nadi. You’ll land on a beautiful little airstrip by the sea. Daku Resort is about 8-10 minutes from the airport. From Daku you can take a beautiful 25 minute walk a along the sea to Savusavu town – or just a three minute taxi ride.

Accommodation

All of the traditional bures (cottages) at Daku

Resort look out over the gardens and onto Savusavu Bay. Daku Resort has 5 single Ocean View bures, 2 family Double Bures and one Ocean View Family Bure.

Each single Ocean View Bure has a bedroom with a double bed and an extra single bed, with a private bathroom and covered deck. There is a bar fridge and tea and coffee making facilities in each bure, and an overhead fan.

US$  1,436.00 p/p  including daily Yoga, a massage treatment,  meals, accommodation, excursions and local flights