Making Time for the Sacred

Mount Kailash which is locate in Tibet is a mountain considered so sacred that it is forbidden to climb it. In the hindu religion it is considered the abode of Śiva and Parvati, his consort. People from all over the world make a pilgrimage to Mount Kailash just to circumambulate the base of the mountain which is quite an endeavor. Even though making such journeys are great and usually have a religious significance for the person doing it, we don't have to go to such an extend in our efforts to connect with the sacred. The yoga masters say that you can connect to the sacred on an everyday basis right where you are. Connecting to the sacred for most people has a religious connotation and can be hard to relate to for many. The yoga masters explain that connection to the sacred in essence means to connect to a place within each one of us where only you and whatever you hold highest can enter. 

Meditation is a way in which we can connect to the sacred inside each one of us. Seems easy enough but it isn't. The body has to be strong in every way to contain this experience. Hence the physical practice of yoga, the breathing exercise, the chanting, and many other practices. My teacher once said that as we practice yoga we are actually building a new body. A body that is physically strong, a nervous system that is also strong. a mind that becomes a golden vessel to contain the experience of our own sacredness. 

Over the years I have taken meditation courses in which we meditate for about 5 hrs a day spread out in many sessions. You may think that this is easy but after sitting in meditation for that long it is evident how strong the body, the nervous system and the mind need to be to be able to do this. It is a journey that paradoxically can make you feel tired and refreshed at the same time. It is a journey that we want to make as often as we can.

This week in addition to the physical practice of yoga we are going to place emphasis on practicing meditation at the end of class.

Look forward to seeing you class.

Blessings

Jorge Nihāl