Preparations 4: The Spirit

I grew up in the Episcopal Church. I was confirmed, and served as an acolyte throughout junior and senior high schools. I considered entering the ministry. I earned my Boy Scout God and Country award. I certainly had misgivings along the way. One occurred when the rector told me that worshiping in the woods at scout camp was not appropriate. “The outdoors is not a church.” I left the church for good as a college freshman when some poor counsel from the same rector almost caused an irreconcilable rift with my family.

Over much of the past 40 years, religion in my life has taken the form of christenings, bar mitzvahs and bat mitzvahs, weddings, funerals. A series of life-altering events over the past four years or so brought me face-to-face with my spirit, and my soul, and sent me on a quest to integrate them into my life.

Yoga became the catalyst for that integration. The yoga that we practice at the studio is Tantra-based. In the west, Tantra has become known as the yoga of sex; unfortunately, this is a significant misrepresentation. According to Pandit Rajmani Tigunait (Tantra Unveiled) “the literal meaning of Tantra is ‘to weave, to expand, to spread.'” Our practice uses asana (yoga poses), pranayama (conscious breathing), and sound, primarily through chanting. A primary focus of the practice is to bring awareness to the absolute (whatever name one may give it), to learn to live in this life with constant awareness of the divine that exists in everything.

Yoga, then, is one of the ways in which I am preparing spiritually for this pilgrimage. In addition to practicing at the studio on Saturdays, I have a daily morning practice. That practice, which begins at 5 each morning and lasts approximately an hour, begins with three poses (Viparita Karani, or Legs Up the Wall pose; Pigeon Pose; and Supta Baddha Konasana, or Reclining Butterfly Pose). This is followed by Kapalabhati (also known as Breath of Fire or abdominal breathing) for 4-5 minutes. I conclude the practice with Agni Sara, or abdominal lifts. The practice is a wonderful way to set my pace for the day.

Prayer is another element of my daily spiritual life, and follows my yoga practice each morning. The first is a prayer of thanksgiving. I follow the Native American cycle of prayer: to the east (for all the gifts that I will receive throughout the day: challenges, opportunities, laughter, tears, touch, learnings, etc.); to the south, for all that I bring to receiving those gifts (my mind, body, and soul; my humor; my tenacity; my courage); to the west, for all the gifts that I will give throughout the day, of for all those who will receive those gifts; to the north, true north, for guiding me through the day, and granting me a place of rest at night; to the earth, for food, clothing, shelter, the water I drink, the ground that I walk on, and for nourishing my roots; to the sky for the sun, stars, moon, the air that I breath, the light of day and dark of night, for the rain and snow); and to One, that I may live this day as one. I follow this prayer with a second. Om Shanti, Om Shanti, Om Shanti. Peace to me, peace to you, peace to the world. I offer peace to each member of my families of relationship and friendship, and to each of the communities that are a part of my life.

Just as our breath affects our body and our mind, so does the sound that surrounds us. There is a science of sound that I make no claim to understand. However, I have always recognized the power of sound to affect my mind, my energy, and my emotion. In the background when I work, and on my iPod when I am “on the road,” are sounds of integration, of oneness. These range from chanting of various mantras to Gregorian chants, to the rhythms and songs of numerous other cultures around the globe. While virtually none of this music is in my language, and I understand the words of only a small percentage, in hearing it I know the meaning, the message, and the power that it conveys.

Finally, in preparation, I meditate. I am not very good at it. I am not as disciplined as I would like to be. Like yoga, meditation is a practice. I am practicing.