Brahmacharya, “walking with the divine.” What better way to describe my recent trekking experience, as we made our way along trails high up into the heavens in the Himalayas of Ladakh? This yama has many interpretations, ranging from celibacy, to moderation of desires, to being aware and appreciative of everything around you, to wisely using vital energy and resources. These last two inspirations seemed to resonate the most at some 14,000 feet of elevation.

Past

Years back, there was a time when the same trail would be an entirely different experience: racing against the clock, plus measuring my heart rate, mileage, and speed to ensure I was maximizing my efforts to beat my personal best. The focus was more about training and performance, targets and metrics, and taking my body to its limit; and less about the joy of presence, of being aware and intimate with all my surroundings.

This time it was different. Let’s start with wise use of energy. In this case, climbing mountains at this level of elevation requires conscious breathing and mindfulness with something as basic as walking. Each step, each sway of arms, is carefully chosen to require minimal amount of effort. This time, everything around me – the bluest of skies, puffy white clouds so close I could touch them, warm breeze, wildflowers and grasses, beautiful Tibetans coming out to greet us, clear running streams, birds, rivers – all were a representation of the divine. This intimate connection with everything around me soothed and warmed my heart. And, as a rainbow appeared just over a nearby mountain, tears of joy rolled down my cheeks, feeling yet another welcoming embrace from God. As the tears dried, I reflected on the ways this happiness and peace could follow me beyond the trails that inspired, where, and how to move in such a way to leave less of a footprint and have more connection.

Present

On the mat, I noticed every detail of my breath: the texture and sound, as well as how it seemed to create paths to find the way; the manner in which the palms of the hands connected with Mother Earth while flowing through cat and cow or hovering in downward dog, at peace with whichever way the foot rested along the standing leg, my tree limbs swayed with the gentle wind. I took note of where the body was wasting energy as I struggled with that gnarley boat pose or side plank. Where can I let go?

Future

Off the mat, I’ll take this practice of using energy wisely to my relationship with the earth, trading my fossil-fueled vehicle for electric, and taking steps to use more solar for the house and other devices. As I transition out of tech to my true love, getting back to pedaling from point A to B will be a joy. Completely eliminating plastic and replacing with glass and other reusable alternatives. Need a “new” shirt? Next time I’ll consider purchasing a preowned top. Composting. The list goes on and on. I close my eyes and visualize the bluest skies and clearest streams of the mountains of Ladakh, and recall something ashtangi and teacher David Swenson once shared at one of his workshops… At the end of the day, we just want to make whatever space we come to a little better than when we first arrived… Living the yoga.

Yoga is more than just asanas. It’s a way of life.

“Do you have a rod in your lower spine?” someone asked while observing my backbend. Without a pause the samskara surfaced, “It’s those bulged discs”. As I completed the last word of my response my next thought was, “You know they’re not there anymore, in their bulged state. It’s the story, the fear of the excruciating pain and darkness that comes as they pinch nerves along the spine.”

It’s taken me many years to work through those four discs between S1 and L2 with the yoga, and there has most definitely been progress. As always there is more work to do, as evidenced by my return to the impression left by pain and suffering.

Some inspiration I’ve found helpful from Pandit Rajmani Tigunait, spiritual head of the Himalayan Institute: “It is never too late (to think of working with our samskaras and and altering our destiny). We must remember that darkness has no power to swallow light. No matter how small the flame and no matter how dense the darkness around it, it still shines—in fact, due to the contrast, it shines brighter. Similarly, the indomitable will of the soul burns on even during the downward spiral of our destiny. In deep depression we may lose hope, but we never lose faith in life itself. The will to live and the desire to find some meaning in life never dies. And if we follow our undying will we will be able to overcome the influence of our negative samskaras. All we need is patience.”

The forest offers up so much wisdom and direction. Be patient, listen to your warrior spirit and find the way. 

Everywhere

The lineage. So much more than the labels, titles and lists. Perhaps Family is a more fitting word.

We looked upon them: these servants to the student, and masters of the practice that so willingly shared their knowledge with all who attended the Ashtanga Yoga Confluence. Throughout this grand weekend, the grace of their love and teachings filled our hearts with joy. 

A few requests for Iyengar’s beautiful quote shared this morning as we began slipping out of our own skin.

From “Light On Life” – “Savasana is about shedding, in the same way that I earlier mentioned the snake sloughing off its skin to emerge glossy and resplendent in its renewed colors. We have many skins, sheaths, thoughts, prejudices, preconceptions, ideas, memories, and projects for the future. Savasana is a shedding of all these skins, to see how glossy and gorgeous, serene and aware is the beautiful rainbow-colored snake who lies within.”