“You are the light of consciousness and also the witness of this light. You are pure awareness.” – Mooji
Weekly Focus: Purusha (consciousness / eternal Self)
Purusha is the Eternal True Self, the Pure Consciousness and Cosmic Being. Purusha is within all of us and unites us each with one another and every being on the planet and in the Universe. Purusha is unchanging, and exists beyond our physical body and reality.
Recognition of our True Self, our Consciousness, is to recognize the thread the connects us to every other human and every aspect of creation. We talk about our “Self” with a capital “S” a lot in yoga, and that may feel confusing. When we reference Self, we reference Purusha – that space that will live on, long after our body no longer encapsulates it.
Clarity for this subtle piece of ourself is challenging. It means finding the spirituality within us and seeking our inner eternal light. It is essentially what we mean, when in yoga, we discuss out “athentic Self.” Being authentic is so much deeper than simply standing up for yourself, dressing how you choose, or making your own choices, it is embracing the loving kindness within you and being open to seeing the world through this light.
Purusha reminds us that we are so much more than our physical body, as is every other being. We are a deep wealth, vast and beautiful, waiting to be explored. When we find clarity and acceptance of this space, we find peace and acceptance in life and who we are.
Here is a simple practice in self-reflection and acknowledgement:
- Self inquiry — set aside 5-10 minutes to reflect and ask yourself the question “Who am I?” You can focus this question like a mantra, repeating with your breath. Notice what comes up. Journal your thoughts after, and repeat frequently.
- Clear your mind — begin a daily meditation practice. This can start with 2 minutes a day and perhaps build up to 20. You might challenge yourself to try a month of daily meditation, and see what you observe at the end.
- Cultivate compassion — intentionally bring compassion into your daily life. When you feel yourself frustrated or upset by another individual’s actions or words, pause yourself before responding, and consider the situation compassionately. Allow compassion to guide your reaction.
Passive Pose of the Week: Supta Baddha Konasana (Reclined Bound Angle)
Supta baddha konasana is an open and receptive posture, allowing you to have a clear perspective to your true nature.
- Begin lying on the floor with the legs straight out in front of you.
- Slide the feet together so that the soles of the feet touch.
- Allow the knees to open up like a book or butterfly. Allow the heels to come as close as is comfortable to the pelvis.
- Rest the hands gently on the tops of the thighs.
- Stay in the posture for at least [7] breaths and up to 10 minutes (if using props to support). Slowly come out of the posture, taking your time, and add any needed movement to reawaken.
Supta Baddha Konasana is a lovely pose to rest in for an extended period of time. However, if you choose to do that, we strongly recommend utilizing props to support the pose! There is nothing to achieve in the pose, so utilizing props does not take away, rather, it adds so much! For a really lovely variation: lay back over a long bolster. If that is not available, roll up a firm bath towel or blanket and lay along it, make sure the head is support. You might create a gentle incline for the head by draping a second blanket at the back of the bolster or roll. Lay a second towel or blanket beneath the hips for cushion. Use yoga props on the low or medium setting to slide behind the backs of the thighs or knees to support the joints. Finally, if it is available to you, place a sandbag, or perhaps a heavy folded towel or blanket over the feet, the pelvis, or the chest, you choose! A small washcloth draped over the eyes will help you settle in. Enjoy!
Active Pose of the Week: Garudasana (Eagle Pose)
Garudasana helps connect us to our intuition, our third eye center, and our gateway to greater awareness of the Self. The posture itself requires focus of mind, helping to clear our thoughts and bring us into the present moment.
- Begin in a standing Mountain pose (tadasana).
- Steady your gaze in front of you at a non-moving point, such as a notch in the floor, or a spot on the wall.
- Shift your weight into your right foot. Begin to lift the left knee up to hip height, like Pillar Pose.
- Cross the left thigh over the right, so that the thighs squeeze together. As you do, bend the right knee and drop the hips, similar to Chair Pose. The more you sit back in your “chair,” the more helpful the balance will be.
- Take your arms wide like a “T,” cross your left arm under your right in front of you. From here, you can either wrap your hands to your shoulders and give yourself a hug or, take the full wrap of the arms as seen above.
- Hold for 3 – 5 breaths and switch sides.
Garudasana is a challenging body position that may not allow you to have the full focus of mind we are looking for in the post. If you find the balance distracting, try bring the foot of the top leg to rest on a block lightly. Rather than taking the “full wrap” of the arms, give yourself a hug so that your view is not blocked. This will allow you to look straight ahead, and fix your gaze on a non-moving point. With the arms in front, you can sometimes inhibit your gaze and make the view feel distorted, thereby throwing off the balance.
Join us in class this week to practice connecting with Purusha.. See the full schedule HERE.
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