Day 38
The Heart of Yoga is The Heart of Many Spiritual Traditions
Black Elk - Standing on top of Harney Peak the highest point in the Black Hills of South Dakota. “The Center of the Earth” ~ photo: John G. Neihardt
The Yogi T Krishnamacharya spoke of the Hridaya (the cave of the Heart), located to the right of the physical heart where the Atma (Soul) resides. The yogis maintain that through meditation one may meet the Self in the cave of the heart.
The medicine man, mystic, Heyoka Black Elk often referred to The Heart and The Eye of The Heart with his teachings...
Black Elk prays, “that we may not see only with our two eyes, but with The One Eye of The Heart (Chante Ishta) in which we see and know all that is true and good.”
“I am blind and do not see the things of this world; but when The Light comes from Above, it enlightens my heart and I can see, for The Eye of my heart (Chante Ista) sees everything; and through this vision I can help my people. The Heart is a sanctuary at the center of which there is a little space, wherein The Great Spirit (Wakan-Tanka) dwells, and this is The Eye (Ista). This is The Eye of The Great Spirit by which He sees all things, and through which we see Him. If the heart is not pure, the Great Spirit cannot be seen, and if you should die in this ignorance, your soul shall not return immediately to Wakan-Tanka, but it must be purified by wandering about in the world. In order to know the center of the heart in which is the Mind of Wakan-Tanka, you must be pure and good, and live in the manner that Wakan-Tanka has taught us. The man who is thus pure contains the Universe within the Pocket of his heart (Chante Ognaka).”
~ Black Elk – The Sacred Pipe
Black Elk’s Spirit Journey Home
“Truly listening means we can receive from any source - from great teachers, or from an acquaintance or a complete stranger, even from an animal, a plant, a mountain” (~ T.K.V. Desikachar). In effect we can learn from everyone and everything. And of course, that includes ourselves.
However, the most important source is within us, not outside. “Learning to listen is the most important step towards being ready for meeting the ‘special source’ that resides in our heart. But it is not always easy. The more we think we know something, the less we tend to listen” (~ T.K.V. Desikachar). Somehow or other, we have seemingly lost our connection, our link, with our own heart.
~Tomas Downey – “What Are We Seeking” by T.K.V. Desikachar
“In the spiritual traditions of India, as elsewhere, the ‘heart’ refers not so much to the physical organ as to a psychospiritual structure corresponding to the heart muscle on the material plane. This spiritual heart is celebrated by yogins and mystics as the seat of the transcendental Self. It is called hrid, hridaya, or hrit-padma (‘heart lotus’). It is often referred to as the secret ‘cave’ (guha) in which the yogin must restrain his mind. In some schools, notably Kashmiri Shaivism, the word hridaya applies also to the ultimate Reality.”
~ Georg Feuerstein – Encyclopedia of Yoga
Get into your heart with Thom Yorke:
40 Day Pass Extension:
As a 40 day participant, regardless of when you joined, y’all have access to classes until February 16th.
Having trouble booking classes past February 9th?
Open a web browser, and log-in to Mindbody
Click the link below, which will take you to a sale confirmation page
Click check out, and place order and you will activate your pass extension. *note: your cart total should be for $0!
Please reach out to vancouver@oneyoga.ca if you have any trouble with this process.
Missed Malina Dawn’s Sunday Session, The Sutras: A 21st Century Conversation?
Click the link below to replay, valid until Monday at midnight PST.
*please note, due to a little technical glitch there is a part 1 and part 2 this week!
THE DIGITAL STUDIO CLASS SCHEDULE
Today, Sunday February 7th
8-9:30am PST Sunday Session:
The Sutras: A 21st Century Conversation with Malina Dawn
10-11am PST Vinyasa with Sarah Manwaring
12-1pm PST Vinyasa with Mari Dickey
6-7:15pm PST Active Yin with Risto Duggan
Tomorrow, Monday February 8th
7:45-8:30 PST Power Flow with Amy Chalmers
9-10am PST Vinyasa with Tyler Rentmeister
6-7:15pm PST Slow Flow + Restore with Ariffa Lalani
Heads up! Wrap Up Round 1: Tuesday February 9th
with Sophie Grégoire Trudeau + Ryan Leier