YOGA - WEST OF THE NARROWS

"THE ACTIVITY OF THE WILL IS NOT MERELY A STATE OF HOPE. Hope is a state of disunity in consciousness, a situation in which the fulfillment of the will is obstructed. THE UNITY OF CONSCIOUSNESS IS THE STATE OF THE ACTIVITY OF THE WILL."

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Do you ever notice how the trees lean toward the sun? How, despite an obstruction, a flower (or weed) will find a way to grow around an obstacle to reach the nourishing light? It is its primal duty to survive and is what is sometimes referred to as 'The Good.'

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The above quote reminds me that our will to grow and blossom is not due to disconnection and roadblocks, but rather due to unity of not just our own consciousness, but the universal consciousness. It is The Good.

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Grasping this, it's puzzling to recognize that a lot of the obstructions in the way of our own growth, fulfillment and happiness are usually placed there by ourselves. I have to wonder,

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WHY DO WE GET IN OUR OWN WAY ON OUR PATH TO FIND THE SUN & LET IT FEED US?

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Some may reason that it is samskaras, our mental patterns and habits that have built deep grooves over time and that even when we realize they no longer serve us (or maybe never did) are hard to change. Others may add it is due to asmita, or ego, that is ultimately afraid of its own liberation (or annihilation) that stalls our progress in order to protect its own existence, or maybe shield itself from bruises like embarassment, failure, and shame when things don't work out.

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Whatever the reason or logic (possibly nonsense) is to why we stand in our own way, it's interesting to consider what would happen if we got out of the way. What if we told our ego, our fears, our past experiences to step aside and let the water of our will flow directly from A to B? How much quicker might we achieve or goals or reach peace? How much more ease could there be in the process? What might this feel like? Possibly quite powerful.

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"...THE VOICE OF THE DEEPEST INTERNAL DEMANDS OF THE SELF HAS GREAT POWER, AND THERE IS NOTHING IN HUMAN NATURE MORE AWE-INSPIRING THAN THIS."

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As I work to let go of restraints and take down my own roadblocks, I encourage you to do the same; to question where, how and why you created illusionary distractions and complications. Consider what it would be like to stand in your true nature and lean into the sun.

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"JUST AS FLOWERS ARE MOST BEAUTIFUL WHEN THEY MANIFEST THEIR ORIGINAL NATURE, HUMANS ATTAIN THE PINNACLE OF BEAUTY WHEN THEY EXPRESS THEIR ORIGINAL NATURE. IN THIS REGARD THE GOOD IS BEAUTY." - all quotes are from Kitaro Nishida's - An Inquiry into the Good.

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May we both follow the sun in accordance to our true nature, and elevate the vibration of this unity of consciousness we are connected through.

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Namaste, Yogis!