During part one of the course on the Yogas of the Bhagavad Gita, Ram Dass explains, with some humor, his uncertainty over whether he, a Jewish former Harvard professor, was qualified to teach it. He related this to Swami Muktananda, who reassured him that the Gita would teach itself. "The Gita isn't a book about Krishna", he said. "The Gita is Krishna".
As faithful and attentive readers, you know I've been studying Buddhism. I never realized how complex it is. It's not just "Life is suffering, go meditate". No, there are The Seven Miracles of Mindfulness, The Four Establishments of Mindfulness, The Six Realms, The Seven Factors of Awakening, at least fifty mental formations, and so on.
A lot to take in, but I feel the teachings taking root. On the surface, I sometimes feel lost in it all, but lately my thoughts and actions seem to be born from comprehension. Being mindful has done wonders for my psyche. Like poetry, the Buddha is bypassing the self and speaking directly to the Self. The Gita is Krishna, the teachings of Buddha are Buddha. This is powerful stuff.
I'm not sure the above makes much sense; maybe this stuff has to be experienced to be understood. Maybe I'm too drowsy to articulate it correctly. I don't know. My larger point is that I've been feeling clearer, more tranquil, and studying Buddhism has certainly been a contributing factor. Yoga has helped. Meditation, too. Everything connects.
Had a truly transcendent yoga session today. I'm finally embracing what it's all about. I'm being more mindful, focusing on the breath, being gentle with myself at times, pushing myself at others. I'm letting the moment dictate the flow of the session. I'm relaxing into the poses. I'm being patient. I went almost 90 minutes today and could have gone longer. There aren't many forms of exercise that activate the mind, body, and spirit the way yoga does. At this point, I can't see it not ever being a part of my life. It better be for a while longer, at least, because I've got some yoga classes to take, courtesy of Spira and Janelle. I'm pretty excited.
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I wrote a song yesterday that is equally pretty and haunting. That's what I think, anyway.You might think it sounds like a roomful of teething bobcats. Anyway, I'm really proud of it and every time I listen to the rough demo I recorded, I smile. Don't worry, I'm not going to push it on you or pretty much anyone else I know - I've learned my lesson. Last time I tried sharing my stuff with friends garnered almost zero feedback. I'm not bitter - I'll be writing songs no matter what and I understand there are probably several reasons, not all of them negative, that explain why this happened- but I don't want to expend the effort of assembling and handing out material if it's not desired.
On that note, I'm going to work on some music. Have a good night, y'all!
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