Let's Talk About Sex

Penis graffiti, Vienna, Austria



Does yoga, a practice associated with celibates and monks and yogis, have anything to do with sex?    One only needs to look at Sting, a devout yoga practitioner (and certified yoga teacher), and his alleged decade-long Tantric practice to sense an answer to this - YES!

Yoga has approached the sensual in a variety of ways.  Some yogis simply don't do it.  They would rather focus their spiritual energy elsewhere.  Luckily, many of us are both yogis and sensual beings and are able to balance this in an authentic way.

What made me think of this topic was a DVD I did this week, a "Kama Sutra" session, a kind of "dancing-and-getting-your-groove-on-with-your-sensual-yogi-self" kind of program.  A Christmas present given to me a few weeks ago, at first I wasn't sure what to expect or if it would be nothing but cheesy.  But, I was impressed to see that by the end of the 45 minute or so session, I felt the way the teacher had promised, invigorated, energized and...very sensual.  

The slow shifting of the hips, the movement of the body, the curving of the back, gliding your open palms up and down your waist and legs, it was all quite...stirring.  (The fact that the teacher was a breathtakingly beautiful and exotic woman obviously and proudly in touch with her sensual self didn't hurt much either).    What I found interesting though was that not one move - not one - was overtly sexual at all.  Each individual move and instruction was innocent enough and were just variations of any number of yoga positions or belly dancing moves I had experienced in class before.  But perhaps it was the intention, the energy in which they were done...the mojo of the moves, so to speak?

Whatever it was, it made me think about being a yogi who yearns for the spiritual and who is equally a sensual human being who cherishes being in the body and enjoying love's beauties with my loving (and very sexy) partner. There is no contradiction, for yogis for centuries have declared "Tantric Yoga" to be a vehicle for spiritual enlightenment, the union of the bodies symbolizing the union of our soul with God.  Tantra goes beyond physical pleasure or lust to a genuine oneness (at-one-ment) that connects you with the divine through the love and connection you share with your partner.  Divine union through sensual connection allows us to realize our complements in each other.

Ultimately, it's about interconnectedness, trust, and love.  In most Eastern religious traditions, spirituality and sensuality do not have to be mutually exclusive.  The story of Krishna is one such example.  A playful, trickster God, he flirts with the cowgirls, but his heart belongs to his beloved, Radha.  They have a passionate, sensual love.  Yet, he is deity.  When my students' jaws drop at the idea of God having sex, I tell them the the general idea from the Hindu perspective is...why wouldn't God, if God takes human form, experience one of life's most incredible, powerful, divine gifts of love?  A gift from God her/himself...

So, take some time this week, in a place of safety and love and respect, play some Mazzy Star or Nora Jones (or Al Green, maybe? Whatever, ahem, no pun intended...turns you on) and get in touch with yo' sensual self!

Questions of the week:  Why do you think spirituality and sensuality are so often separated?  What are the sacrifices of this?  What are the benefits of recognizing the connections between the two?

Is Yoga a Religion?

Shadow of Tibetan Buddhist Wheel on marble floor, Bodh Gaya, India



The entire appeal of yoga, to me at least, is that it is much more than just physical exercise.  It is true that the discipline or school of yogic philosophy originated within the context of rich religious traditions like Hinduism, Buddhism and Sufism.  However, by and large, most yoga practitioners, both ancient and modern, agree that while very spiritually infused and influenced, yoga, in and of itself, does not fit the traditional definition of a "religion."

Even so, this does not negate the strongly infused spiritual components of yoga practice.  Many of these are directly from Hindu thought, such as karma (cause and effect), ahimsa (nonviolence), the use of mantra (prayer), yamas and niyamas (ethical principles) and much more.

There are several different paths of yoga as well as 8 limbs to Patanjali's system in the Yoga Sutras.  This "Father of Yoga" outlined a system of practice several hundred years (some argue a couple of thousand) after it began in which only one of these are physical postures (asana).  The rest are committed to meditation, ethical practice, with the last four all dedicated to our evolution of spiritual enlightenment or samadhi, our ultimate peace/oneness.  Early on, yoga claimed a rich history of development among forest rishis and spiritual seekers in India in which these spiritual principles were practiced and taught.

But these topics all deserve their own blog (and shall receive it) to explore these important aspects in more detail.  Meanwhile, let's simply contemplate the definition of yoga to find its spiritual nature.

What is Yoga?  Usually, it is defined as "union" or "to yoke" in the sanskrit.  It is a uniting, but of what?  Modern yogis tell us it's a union between body and mind.  Others say it's a union of ourselves with our true nature.  In more religious contexts, specifically Hinduism, we are uniting Atman (the inner divinity/soul) with the greater Brahman (Absolute/Ultimate Force/God).  Yoga is a vehicle to connect us, not only with ourselves, but with the Divine (God) within ourselves.  Through yoga, we remember that we are not alone, that we are part of something greater - the Divine.

The Bhagavad Gita (Gandhi's favorite text) defines yoga as "a path of freedom from bondage" while the ultimate guidebook, the Yoga Sutras, begins by defining yoga as yoga chitta vritti nirodahah, or roughly, "Yoga is the Stoppings of the Turnings of the Mind."  We must settle the choppy waters of our mind if we are to see things clearly and attain true peace.

Possibly because yoga is not a religion per se is what makes its intuitive philosophy able to blend so harmoniously with virtually any religious tradition or belief.  My "JewBu" friend always says, "Being a Buddhist makes me a better Jew."  Likewise, for many others, practicing yoga can complement and enhance their Buddhism, Christianity, Sikhism, etc.

Can you practice yoga without adhering to any of the spiritual aspects?  Well, sure.  And you could still have a fantastic class or session and feel wonderful and energized aftewards.  Compared to classical era Indian rishis, we Westerners have the luxury to practice the postures without any of the rest.  But, my goodness, is it such a luxury after all when there is so much more offered within yoga's layers than a good workout?

It is often said that you don't have to be spiritual to do yoga, but chances are if you do yoga on any regular basis, you will probably wind up a little more spiritually minded or at least curious of how to take those principles "off the mat."  And that is the ultimate goal in yoga, to achieve peace and bring it into the world.
Take some time this week to devote to your spiritual self, however you may do that.

Question:  What is something that nourishes you spiritually?

Naps nourish kitties and ourselves...



Silence

Under the Bodhi Tree, Bodh Gaya, India

Last week, I went to a local Buddhist temple for a yoga class being taught there.  When I showed up, not a single person was there.  The doors were unlocked, so I went inside, slipped off my shoes and entered the quiet sanctuary.  I sat down on a zafu (zen pillow) and faced the Buddha and let my breath quiet and deepen.  After about 15 minutes, I realized no one was showing up for the yoga class and wondered if I had gotten the time wrong or if just, with the holidays, the class had been canceled. 

I thought about leaving, but then realized I had an entire Buddhist sanctuary to myself and decided to utilize it.  The sign on the door for their daily meditation instructed you to quietly light the incense, ring the bell and begin your practice.  And so I did.   I lit the incense and candle in front of the serene, wooden Buddha, sitting in meditation with a joyful smile across his face.  I rang the bell and then rolled out my yoga mat across the wooden floors.

As I moved through my practice, I became pleasantly aware of that all I could hear was my ujaayi breathing (deep breathing through the nose).  I realized that it's very rare, if ever, that I practice yoga in complete silence.  I usually have music, or a guided DVD, or the sounds of the lake and birds if I'm outside at my dock, or even if I attempt silence consciously during my indoor practice, it is always interrupted by the barks and chaos of a puppy chasing some very vocal cats across my mat.

Here, the muffled quiet of the sanctuary reminded me of a field covered by a thick blanket of snow, that beautiful silence that we are so unaccustomed to.

In this silence, I could hear the tick tick ping of the heaters coming on and off, the creaks of the old pipes and the occasional whoosh of a car in the distance.  But mostly, I just heard my breath, in and out, like ocean waves, in this warm room, full of sunlight.   Each time I came up into a pose, I saw the Buddha and couldn't help but smile back at his own contagious grin.

There is a reason why silent retreats are so popular at centers and ashrams.  In an overly verbally stimulted world, we are constantly assaulted with sound and stimulation.  Gandhi used to take a day a week to be in silence.  I often think of doing this (how incredible would that be?) but is this even possible in our day to day world?

In the film (and book), Eat, Pray, Love, Liz Gilbert attempts to take a vow of silence at her ashram, but is thwarted by an appointment to be "Miss Suzie Creamcheese" and help other guests acclimate to the ashram environment.  Sometimes, even with the good intention to quiet ourselves and listen more, life takes precedence.

At the end of my practice, I felt a powerful sensation of strength and quietness.  I sat on a zafu in front of the Buddha, a tiny transplant branch of the Bodhi tree from India to my left. (Buddha became enlightened under this Bodhi tree 2500 years ago).  I had to smile because it was under the massive, outstretched Bodhi Tree, on the other side of the world in India, in a sea of chanting Tibetan monks that I had an overwhelming experience of intense gratitude and sheer wonder of life and God and well...everything.  Now, 8 years later and only 12 minutes from my house, I was having a similar feeling, under this little bodhi tree branch, in the silence of this sanctuary, by myself.

The Tao Te Ching says that there's no need to travel all over the world seeking, that we can find God without every stepping outside of our door, that God is within us all the time.  Very Wizard of Oz.   

This week, if you can, take a half hour, or even just a few minutes, to be in silence.  Unplug, disconnect, close the door and just be.  See how you feel.

I'll leave you with this great clip sent to me by a wonderful student this week that fits perfectly with our topic.  John Cage, in a very Zen like philosophy, said that he wanted the audience to appreciate the music and sounds that came out of silence.  So, he created this piece so that each time it was "played," the experience (what the audience heard) would be different and unique and this would be the music, the creation.   What do you think?

Question of the week:   Have you ever had an positive experience because of taking time for silence?  When has silence benefitted you in your daily or spiritual life?

Banjo enjoys the beauty of silence