"All the great scientists say that whenever they discovered something, they discovered it not by thinking but when the thinking had stopped and there was an interval, a gap. Into that gap came the insight - the intuitive flash, like lightning." - Osho
In yoga, or any path of living whether spiritual or otherwise, there are infinite ways of describing and intellectualizing concepts outlining what there is to do that takes us where we want to go. There are endless lineages, texts, sermons, teachings, and leaders that will tell you their way is the best and only path. Many schools will even spell out exactly what to do and why. Unfortunately these teachings bring us further away from what we already know and trust, before we are taught to second-guess ourselves. They separate us from our intuition.
Krishna Das reminds us that love is the answer. Maharaji said, "Practice like Jesus." He lost himself in love. You don't need a book of scripture or a man dressed in robes of any faith to show you how to do that. No one will show you how to do that. You have to figure out what it looks like all by yourself. That's the hard part. It's easy to be told what to do, follow directions, and hope for the best. It's practically the American dream, the deferred life plan, but we are collectively starting to figure out another option.
We don't have to completely abandon intellectualized spiritual concepts, scripture, and lineage, but we can keep our eyes and hearts wide open if we are choosing to listen and participate. Everyone has intuition and insight.
Ram Dass used to say in the 60s that we are in our bodies but we are not our bodies. Now, in his 70s, he more completely reminds us that we are not only our bodies, but we are also our bodies. When we treat our bodies well, our intuition can function more efficiently and we will enjoy the beauty of life from a state of radiant health.
When we have a strong and stable body we can live from and trust our guts. When we have a steady and open mind we are able to live from our instincts (the gut of our minds). Intellect is useful sometimes. It can even trigger intuition so we should use it for what it's worth. Intuition is of a higher level. Take advantage of both by keeping your body and mind strong and clear.
This routine strengthens your core and is designed to wake up your body and clear your mind. Focusing our minds and moving with the breath is like adding wind to the fire that is our intuition. Wake up and move from your gut. Trust your intuition and unlock anything that is holding you back. This is all practice. There is no pose and no end point. It is all the same pose, and we're already in it. Your life is your practice. There is only one of you in the world for a reason.
If we can shift our thinking to living our lives as practice we are less likely to be controlled by our circumstances and more likely to start living from our instincts. This kind of thinking also has a way of putting us a little more right here rather than always looking a few steps ahead toward our goals. Which, interestingly enough, has a way of helping us get where we want to be with much more certainty, and be able to actually enjoy it all when we get there.
If you've been following along this is part of a 4-week series. This routine is designed to strengthen and waken your core. Try it any time you need a reminder to trust your gut. Warning: killer abs may result with regular practice.