In 2000 after just having started practicing Ashtanga Yoga on March 1, I drove to Boulder, Colorado in August to study for 2 weeks with K. Pattabhi Jois, who I would soon call Guruji. On this trip he held about 4 conferences, 2 of which I attended (you had to sign up for them since there were so many in attendance). One of them has been held in my memory since then, when Guruji looked directly at me (and I'm sure many in the room thought he was looking directly at them) in answer to someones question about practicing in the evenings and he said "You, (pointing at me, looking me in the eye) getting up, 4am, practicing, before working. Whole life changing, whole life(doing a sweeping motion with both hands)!
So, I went home and debated within myself about getting up so early to do it. I loved the idea of it because I knew no one else I knew would ever be doing it and in many ways I love being the odd man out, in many ways I don't love it as well, but that's another tale. So it was finally my partner at the time who convinced me to give it a try, and so I did.
Boy, did my whole life change. We broke up, I moved back across the river to Illinois, I ended up leaving my full time job at a brokerage firm of 14 years and many other things. But those are not the point of this entry today.
The point is that since then I haven't had to get up that early, other than when I'm in Mysore studying with Sharath, Guruji's grandson and the heir to the head of the lineage of Ashtanga Yoga. And to say that on my trips over there my life didn't change would be an understatement. But starting Monday with a new commitment to teach a morning Mysore program at a new studio that my friend is opening, I'm also committing to getting up at like 3am to practice before the program begins at 6am and so I fully expect the changes and transformations to begin yet again.
I just got home from Mysore on February 3rd, and many, many changes have already taken place both within and without but this could very likely be a new level of this happening again. I'm not saying this with a foreboding voice by any means, but with one of interest and introspection. I'm curious what further could come about.
I've been very slowly since getting home letting go of things more and more, but also letting go of holding on to the past and by the past I also mean this morning. Not that I'm not remembering the things that happened throughout my day but that I'm not clinging to the emotions that have arisen throughout my day.
I'm moving into each situation with a fresh outlook, no judgment from a predisposed notion that may have been caused by previous experience with a person, place or thing. Not that I'm doing that perfectly, but definitely since this last trip I'm doing it much more easily and frequently. It's an interesting place to be in, one of not clinging. I know that I feel much more at ease and happy almost all the time and with that I've also been more interested in staying in touch with my family more as well as cultivating a deeper connection with just about anyone I come in contact with, making each conversation or interaction have a deeper meaning.
So, I'm interested to see what life has to bring with this new commitment to getting up super early again. In India they call this time a few hours before dawn Brahma Muhurta, the time of God. Meaning that this time there are less people, animals, well, just about everything up and about to cause vibrations or stimulation so it's easier to connect to the energy of God or what I often call source. So to practice your asanas, meditation, chanting, anything that we do to connect at this time of the morning, is much more beneficial to spiritual growth, to expansion of consicousness and just a deeper awareness of ones self.
We'll see how it goes. I'm not going to sit and watch everything strongly, that would be the watched pot doesn't boil thing in action. But I am going to be aware and notice things, hoping to make the best choices that I can to lead me in an amazing direction and to keep those around me inspired to do that same (not get up so early but to seek connection when possible).
What do you do to connect? Is there a time you find it better than others to do your practices? Do you even have practices that you do to try to connect? If so, I hope you can find new levels of connection within them as well. It's a great time of change and strong flow of energy on our planet and I believe we are all being called to empower ourselves and others. What's your belief?
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