Turns out I am not an advanced yogi as I described in the article, and this awoke his curiosity. And that is not just any curiosity. It is that of one of the gurus of the Naga Sanyasi: a mystical and dangerous ancient order of yogis and shamas in India.
So there I am, all of a sudden, in direct communication with a Baba.
Now, what is one to do in a situation like this? As in when a Baba starts talking directly to you? Take it as a sign? Leave everything behind and take up a renunciate life? You may laugh today but I wonder if my reaction could have been something like that if this was happening in the 70s or any time pre-internt where maybe he would have contacted me through a vision or something more akin to those times rather than a comment board.
I decided to just talk to him, at least to begin with. The whole thing is in the comments on this post, (the one with the 27 replies (?!) and towards the end).
He seemed curious about what the connection of an "advanced yogi" would be to the "real world", this is what upsets people the most on that post and what he asked me.
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| Sivananda meditating |
I mentioned how Krishnamacharya -who probably was an advanced yogi, we could agree- just kept working on his yoga, in his home, taking less and less students, but still in the world, all the way to his 100s. Same with Sivananda who run his ashram all the way to the end, enjoying his samadhi, yet working in the world. They had a rather strong connection to the world.
After all was said and done, in the video he sent me through Twitter (below) you can see how involved with the world his tradition is. They are initiating two new sanyasis (monks) and there is laughter, talk, food, even smoking(?)... life!
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| Tirumalai Krishnamacharya |
I did admit to Baba that I know nothing, that I am as lost as anyone else in the path of yoga or any path, but that I happen to be trusting Patanjali and his eight limbs as a path towards what I consider a worth-while goal: eternal un-disturbable peace with complete and clear discrimination.
In the conclusion of our conversation -so far-, he tells me that Patanjali's Yoga Sutras are not something to have faith on but rather a "highly crafted mirror and reflection that requires a master of his school for its use and interpretation".
I agree. Then again, I am a seeker of yoga in this time, in this country, in New York State so Ramaswami qualifies to me as a master and so does Krishnamcharaya. So I follow their interpretation. Because they offer it and I can access it.
I know nothing about the territory but I trust Patanjali does. So I follow the signs. We all do, weather we practice vinyasa or flow or power, ashtanga, Iyengar, Krama, we are in it for the sweet nectar.
We might not even know it, but it is quenching the spiritual thirst that drives our quest. The best map I have found so far is in the eight limbs, so yes, might be faith that moves me too.
Don't take me wrong, I am grateful that Baba talks to me and I respect his order and conversation, he got me thinking and understanding the reason why I do this, he got me questioning things. I can recognize a miracle when it happens.
See also:
8 Things You Need to Know About the 8 Limbs of Yoga
Baba's Book
Interesting post, Claudia. I read this post and watched the video, but still can't figure out why this ancient order of yogis is "dangerous"? Can you explain? :-)
ReplyDeleteWow, missed all this, great post and good to catch up on what's been going on over at your Elephant post ( read your work here don't tend to see the comments you get over there). Curious interpretation of the Gita from Bob, i'll go with the householder substitution at a pinch but very different idea of householder there to here no? In that context surely it's about fulfilling your duty as a householder. I think you can work on that list of seven of yours in that context up to a point. you can prepare yourself for that third stage of life.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if anyone from the meditation community would have much a problem with that list the problem with yoga is that it's a wide ranging community, those practicing for fun, health, fitness and happy to leave it at that. Then those who practice it as a lifestyle choice... but even amongst the Ashtangi's who are encouraged to read Patanjali how many are seeing the asana as a prelude to meditation rather than an end in itself.
Nice atmosphere in that video, lot of laughter as you say but if I was to run off back to my cave as a renunciate, for me, the guru would be first to go. Watching that video, they seem to be accumulating more baggage than they're giving up.
That's a hell of a barber though, not a single nick, not a scratch, respect
ReplyDeleteHi Nobel, thanks, yeah, I do not know either, that is what he says on the website, or how it is written. In the book he also tells some stories that could be considered so, or not... maybe is a marketing line... the reality is, I don't know what is dangerous.
ReplyDeleteGrimmly, yes, you can work on them until the right stage of life, I agree with that. What I liked about Ramaswami is that for example, when I asked him point blank "Say you are the president of the US, and 9/11 happens, then what?, now, it does not get more "real" than that right?, he answered, all peaceful and unimpressed as usual, "This is for yogis, not kings or presidents". And by yogis he means people who want samadhi, so I guess as you point out, in the case of the householder (all of us) that is the third to fourth stage of life... in the meantime we can prepare...
Bob even confessed after I asked him that he was just trying to spark a controversy, but I did see that a few people misinterpret and think that we would be vegetables, I do not think this would be the case at all, and yes, it all depends on what one wants out of the practice, it is a wide ranging community indeed.
:-) by the way, twitted your mudra post this morning, loved practicing it!