I Am Yoga

I am grateful for the beautiful teachers that I have in my life. In the last few weeks I have received the most profound teaching there is from multiple teachers. Strangely showing up just about the same time. 

First, so hum meditation reintroduced to me by my mentor, healer, guide and friend. Of course this is not the first encounter with this meditation. I have intellectually known about it for as long as I've been studying yoga, but have never really considered practicing it, until now. So hum is sanskrit for "I am that". That, being all of creation, God, the source, spirit, the light. Also, the rhythm of so hum coincides with the rhythm of the breath. To practice this meditation, as you inhale, say "so" internally, as you exhale say "hum". When I practice this now, I immediately shift from the thinking mind to my body, and to my inner light of being. And I know that this was not easily accessible if I was to practice it say, one or five years ago. I can actually feel it now. 

To read more about so hum meditation, check out this article written by, my primary teacher Shiva. 

Secondly, I was able to receive the "I am that" during my own practice. However, it was my dear friend and massage therapist, who suggested that when I go to practice yoga that I try to really receive yoga in my body, to unify with yoga, rather than doing or separating myself from the practice. A few days after our session, I went to my mat and invoked the sankalpa, "thank you yoga, I love you, I receive your teachings." Finishing in the end with seated meditation the overwhelming message was, "I am yoga". Which at first was sort of a "duh", because yoga being unity, and the yoking of all layers of the Self to integrate into One. The message was profound because, this was not the common language used when practicing. Most often, my mind is thinking, "I am doing yoga," and usually still in the ego saying, "If I do this pose, than I will be better." When "I am yoga" mantra plays out, I notice my mind slows down, I am truly listening to my body, the practice becomes more aligned with what I need at the time and creative energy flows more naturally.

Thirdly, Wayne Dyer. I came across a talk he presented at Wanderlust Speakeasy last year. This was my first encounter with this amazing teacher. Its funny how simple and perhaps elementary his teachings are for the spiritually awakened. But what I am finding out is, there is a huge difference between knowing something and feeling something. When the lesson is learned and embodied than it is truly integrated and can have profound affects. Thinking positive is not enough. I need to feel positive.

Here is the link for the talk: Wayne Dyer at Wanderlust

To truly receive, we must be able to ease open the walls that we have built around us that we have used as protection. These walls once served a purpose and perhaps still do. Before releasing these protective shields, we first need to build a strong center within our Self, within our heart, before breaking open. We must be ready. It might take ten years or one. When our soul longs to reach out and interact with other souls, to reflect on itself, to experience this embodiment; the walls, big or small, need come down and we are ready to receive. When the body, the mind, the heart and spirit are ready to let go of the holding, a new world opens up. Manifestation becomes possible, abundance is prevalent, anything is possible when communing with the One or all of creation. The simple meditation of so hum is communing with the One and only, and can be very powerful.