A yogi defined!

Dear All,

Last month, on a Sunday afternoon, my son broke his scaphoid bone (a carpal bone on the wrist) while playing basketball. The doctor in the convenient care refered him to an orthopedic who later sent us to an arm specialist. While discussing various options to fix the wrist the specialist explained the slow healing rate of scaphoid bone injuries due to reduced blood supply, misalignments and separation of broken pieces. I was impressed by the word “non-union” when he explained why some scaphoid injuries may not heal seamless. The path from non-union to healing is to nurture aligned (as close to reality) broken pieces.

This is Easter time (obviously, I wanted to post this before Easter.) The life, passion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ teach a great lesson: communion- a true union of mind, body and spirit. The life of Jesus is a true definition and statement of all paths of yoga. He has the knowledge, understanding and the realization of laws and was able to articulate that to the Pharisees, teachers (of the law) and the uneducated public alike (Jnana Yoga). His Bhakti to the Father was unparalleled. How many times we see him going to “talk” to his father before making any decision and do anything that would define his mission. Who is a better Karma yogi than him: everything for us (even his life!); nothing for his glory. When the lepers, whom he healed, did not say him thanks, he was not upset. He never got into “what is the point?” when he performed the rest of his miracles. The life, death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ teaches the path to the communion: deep realization, unfaltering devotion and selfless service.

When Jesus sent his disciples to fulfill his mission he said to them, “be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves” Even though serpents do not have a good “reputation” in the bible, he specifically mentioned his disciple to be as shrewd as serpents. I always think about this statement when I perform the Bujangasana. Snakes, in general, seem to sense the danger so fast through pressure variations and vibrations and are swift in U-turns (not like us. When we meet the end of the road, we tend to climb over the block to see what is on the other side). They have the real gut feeling. We teach the participants that bhujangasana sensitize third chakra, solar plexus energy center. It defines your decision making. Jesus wanted to make sure his disciples do not hang around in hostile places and unfavorable situations. He continues, in the same sentence, “Be innocent as doves.” I do not know if you have noticed what makes a dove different form the rest of the birds: its innocence and the commitment to its pair is remarkable. Have you not heard your instructors say that eka pada raja kapotasana (pigeon pose) makes you compassionate and activates your heart and sacral chakra- the energy centers for relationships, love and compassion? The origin of these asanas may be the shape one assume in these poses; these names make good sense. Jesus, in all true definitions of Karma, Bhakti, Jnana, Raja and Ashtanga Yoga is a great yogi and the disciples called him teacher; a great Guru.

(Belated) Easter wishes,

Jay