'Some Thoughts to Ponder'

Still in the early stages of this art of yoga foundation study, personal and shared life journey, I have some thoughts to ponder with you, which come from some reading I stumbled across in a very old book a dear friend gave me...

"Who is man's great teacher? None other than man himself. Is it not he who reads the enigmatic signs at the crossroads of life, advancing his steps from birth to birth? Are not his senses sufficient to enable him to speak his earthly tongue? Does he not come a traveler equipped for the long journey of life? What mystery does the casket of his brain conceal? And is his heart not hidden away so that none can know what treasure is contains? Like a seed yielding its possession of a mighty tree, so too does man yield the divinity he conceals. We may clothe his naked form for a while, we may strengthen his limbs with food, we may shed some earthly light on his human path, put in the end it is he who grows by giants steps, it is he who speaks the immortal tongues, and it is he who vanishes when his play is played."

(Selvarajan Yesudian, translated by D.Q. Stephenson: 1979, p15)

Introduction Day and The History of Yoga

Induction day began with a rather dynamic morning warm-up, lots of chaturanga, holding blank for 5 breaths and updogs (urdhva mukha svanasana), Danielle always manages to keep it light hearted and fun though! I was reminded, physical and mentally of the experience and concept of the muggy water settling that I had felt on my Spanish yoga retreat with Danielle last summer. After all the flowing movement we come to Pranamasana (standing prayer pose), finding complete stillness and watching, allowing the muggy waters to settle - in this moment of stillness I feel, visualise blood rushing and flowing around the inner body created by the dynamic, flowing movement, stillness gives me the opportunity to tune into the blood flow watching it slowly still, just like muggy water settling in a glass.

We then looked at the history of yoga and it is here that a real connection resides in me between yoga and art. Like all historical and cultural happenings there is a rich artistic accompaniment for the period such as, Greek and Roman Art associated with mythological figures, the Pharaohs and Egyptian art and architecture, Renaissance Art and Elizabethan Theatre. The history of yoga, dating back 5000 years (approx.) also leaves art and artefacts handed down and possibly used as a way of understanding this ancient tradition. The first yogic art appears to be the scriptures, postures and figures of gurus carved into stone...

A steatite seal of a yogi seated in meditation, from the Mohenjo-Daro region of
ancient India, ca. 1500 B.C.E.
(Linda Sparrowe: 2008,  p11)

Relief Sculpture from Hindu temple in
Sumatra depicts yogis performing asanas.
(Linda Sparrowe: 2008, p12-13)