Magic, Science & Poetry: The Alchemy Of Yoga

I spent the better part of the last two days listening for, conceiving & composing this essay, for the first time. Then went, this morning, to open the file, which was saved (regrettably) on one of those Neandrethal floppy-discs (sigh) ? only to find the disc, like some solid-rock cliff-face, refusing to release its treasure. So here I am again, telling you this same story ? (but at least for you, it?s the first time, right? J) ?

Recently a friend of mine ~ a wonderful artist who spends quite a bit of time working & playing in Hawaii ~ told me the story of spending several months (one summer a couple of years ago) sleeping in an orchard, in Hawaii. The nights were mild, and so this was a very pleasant place to be: warm air, starlight, the scent of blossoming trees. One night, when my friend was particularly relaxed, and feeling spiritually & emotionally ?expansive,? there appeared to her (in a dream? on the screen of her third eye?) a group of plant devas ~ fairy-like light-beings ~ who proceeded to describe to her, in great detail, the way that each spring they would hover (like a flock of hummingbirds) among the branches of the orchard trees, creating ~ with the joyful-bright vibration of their wings ~ the energy (of love & delight & celebration) necessary for the trees then to blossom and ~ later ~ bear fruit.

Now this is an explanation (for the blossoming & fruit-bearing capacity of trees) quite different from what I would likely receive from, say, a university-trained horticulturist, yes? My friend?s (or at least the plant-devas?) explanation might be called ?magical? or even ?miraculous.? The horticultural explanation: decidedly ?scientific.? The difference, on first glance, between the two might seem quite clear, quite obvious.

Yet if we look a little more deeply we discover that oftentimes what is called ?magical? or ?miraculous? are simply those events that lie beyond the current understanding (outside of the conceptual frameworks) of those perceiving them. The other day, in a yoga studio, I noticed a potted plant whose vines were ~ with one exception ~ all growing horizontally along the shelf the pot was resting on, or else draping downward over its edges. There was just a single vine that was growing straight upward, hugging the wall. To me in seemed quite miraculous ? like some sort of ?magic? was at play, which had been accessed by that one vine, and not the rest.

What I soon learned was that vines of this sort have tiny suction-cup-like structures, which allow them ~ when they come into contact with a wall ~ to attach and climb, in the way that I was seeing. Once I understood this, that single vine was to me no longer so mysterious; its actions (of climbing) were no longer something I would call ?magic.? For now I was in possession of a ?scientific? explanation.

Similarly, there are certain magicians/illusionists (existing most famously, perhaps, in India), who are able ~ via slight-of-hand techniques and/or the chanting of mantras ~ to create the appearance of, say, a cobra ? when no such thing actually exists. Members of their audience consider the appearance of the snake to be ?miraculous,? while the illusionists themselves understand that the perception of such a snake, by the audience members, is simply a result of skillfully-applied techniques, i.e. is quite ?scientific.? (For wonderful explanations ~ in the language of western science ~ of a host of other so-called yogic ?miracles,? e.g. walking on water, check out the footnotes of Yogananda?s Autobiograpy of a Yogi.)

This story is used within Buddhism to illustrate the difference between what are known, on the one hand, as ?emotional obscurations,? and on the other hand, ?mental obscurations.? The belief in the ?reality? of the snake, and the subsequent attachment (based upon fear and/or desire) that the audience members of our story have in relation to this (illusory) appearance (of the snake), is likened to the category of ?emotional obscurations.? The attachment that the illusionist/magician has toward his own creations (which he knows to be illusory) is likened to ?mental obscurations? ~ a more subtle level of veiling, whose resolution takes the practitioner into Buddhahood.

The story is also used in a more general way to illustrate the potential we all have, as human beings, to create a kind of ?reality? which is by-and-large pleasant. We all have the potential to be ?magicians,? whose mastery of a genuine “science of mind” (i.e. Buddha Dharma) allows us to know exactly what actions (of body, speech and mind) need to be taken in order to create the ?appearance? of, say, health, happiness & the ease of well-being, for our selves, our loved ones and, ultimately, all living beings. Yet when we look around (in even the most superficial of ways), what we notice is that this doesn?t, for most people, seem to be happening. It?s as though we each were in possession of a most amazing & sophisticated “bio-computer” (the system of our physical & subtle bodies), but ~ through some ancient/new ?mistake? ~ had somehow lost the users manual!

So now what? And what does any of this have to do with a Yoga practice? As it turns out, Yoga (in its various incarnations) is not only a great way to stay in shape (via, say, an asana practice), not only a vast & extensive spiritual tradition, but is also, like Buddhism, very much of a ?science? in the sense of comprising a set of techniques which, if skillfully applied, lead to more-or-less predictable outcomes. And what are these outcomes? Physical, emotion & mental health? Yes. Inner clarity and calmness? Yes. Spiritual deepening? Yes. Yoga has also been called ~ by quite a few well-known practitioners ~ a ?technology of ecstasy? ? which, to a western-trained scientific ear, might be a strange phrase indeed. For a phrase such as this points to something within this ?science? of yoga which is decidedly wonderful, joyous, delicious in a clearly sensual way, yes? To explore this paradox more fully would take us beyond the scope of this essay ? but for now suffice it to say that ?science,? in the way that we (as westerners) usually think of it, is not the only ?ingredient? necessary for a Yoga practice which aspires to ?Alchemy? ~ to birthing something (which might be nothing) beyond the sum of its parts. There?s something more ?

To tease out what this ?something more? might be, let?s return for a moment to magic, and consider the distinction between (for lack of better words) ?black magic? and ?white magic.? This distinction, for me, has mostly to do with how the magician/illusionist is using power: Is his/her use of power (knowledge, energy, shakti, will) a benefit to all involved ? Is it a catalyst to ever-increasing joy, clarity & freedom for all beings? Or does his/her use of power require the ?dis-empowerment,? deception or subjugation of others? Is this the kind of ?magic? that engenders/empowers a child-like awe & wonder, a love of and trust in the universe? Or is it the kind of ?magic? which engenders fear, suspicion, a shrinking-back from our natural expanded state, our natural perfection?

My intuition is that ?magic? of a positive, empowering sort, is a necessary ingredient for a Yoga practice that wishes to access those ?alchemical moments? of freshness, joy and ~ every now & again ~ an un-speakable ecstasy. That we need, all of us, not only to become magicians (esoteric scientists) ~ to use skillfully the various mundane & esoteric technologies that are at our disposal; but also that we stand to benefit greatly by cultivating the capacity to be ?awed? (continuously!) by the kaleidoscopic unfolding of our worlds (bodies, minds) ? much in the way that an audience-member might be ?awed? by a theatre performance, or magic show ? even though they know all along that it?s ?just pretend.?

In my own journey, what I?ve noticed is that the practice of reading & writing poetry is one thing that keeps me open to ?magic? of this sort. That the use of metaphor, in particular ~ of finding similarity between things previously considered ?different,? of bridging conceptual frameworks ~ tends to keep my mind & senses alive to the magical, miraculous quality of it all ? a practice which spills over into, informs, and is itself then nourished by my Yoga practice.

That rather than being fierce adversaries, ?science? and ?magic? (with a little help from poetry) might become, in the context of a Yoga practice, best of friends ? That their relationship might in fact ignite the alchemical fire within which our Yoga practice can, at long last, learn ~ like stars upon a blossoming orchard at night ~ to shine.

Elizabeth Reninger holds Masters degrees in Sociology & Chinese Medicine, is a published poet, and has been exploring Yoga ~ in its Taoist, Buddhist & Hindu varieties ~ for more than twenty years. Her teachers include Eva Wong, Richard Freeman & Mingyur Rinpoche. For more yoga-related essays, and other resources, please visit her website: http://www.writingup.com/blog/elizabeth_reninger

Facts about Successful Yoga Teachers, Part 1

Should a Yoga teacher take money for classes? How do you define success for a Yoga teacher? Is it your contribution to the common good? Is it by producing successful teachers? Is it by technical prowess? Is it by how many students you have? Or, is it a combination of these factors?

First things first: Are you ?selling Yoga?? If you accept a fee for teaching Yoga, no matter how small or large, you are selling Yoga. If you do not like my frank approach to this issue, then teach Yoga for free. This is not a problem, and that is good Karma Yoga.

However, do not open next to a commercially aggressive Yoga studio or ashram. If you decide to do this, you will see your finances ?crash and burn? - while your students flock to the wealthy Guru down the street. Yoga students often think that free Yoga is ?junk.?

Once upon a time, I taught free Yoga too. It is not easy to explain a passion to your family, which drains your finances and challenges the quality of your life on a daily basis. If you keep teaching Yoga for free, you will lose a lot of sleep, before you live on the street, with the homeless, or finally, start charging for Yoga lessons.

It is amusing when very wealthy Yoga Gurus claim Yoga is not for making money. My answer: ?Excuse me, how did you acquire all that wealth?? Why would a rich Yoga Guru lead anyone to think that taking a payment for teaching Yoga is wrong?

This is why we should appreciate Bikram Choudry?s candid remarks. He says what he thinks and makes no secret about living a life of luxury, due to teaching Yoga. At least, he is honest about his ideas, and he is not a hypocrite.

Therefore, if you accept payments from your students, be honest with yourself. You can always use the money to help others, but you need to pay your overhead costs, eat, and sleep with a roof over your head, first.

If you still feel bad about taking money for teaching Yoga, please open a studio down the street from my North Providence location. We will regularly donate toward your meals at the local soup kitchens. I hope you clearly see my point. So, please do not listen to anyone who tells you that taking money for teaching Yoga is wrong.

Whether a Yoga teacher is rich or poor, a successful Yoga teacher does not worry about money ? the universe will supply it.

? Copyright 2006 ? Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

Paul Jerard is a co-owner and the director of Yoga teacher training at: Aura Wellness Center, in North Providence, RI. He has been a certified Master Yoga teacher since 1995. He is a master instructor of martial arts, with multiple Black Belts, four martial arts teaching credentials, and was recently inducted into the USA Martial Arts Hall of Fame. He teaches Yoga, martial arts, and fitness to children, adults, and seniors in the greater Providence area. Recently he wrote: Is Running a Yoga Business Right for You? For Yoga students, who may be considering a new career as a Yoga teacher. http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html