The Return to What Is
At Home in Nature, Gould 2005, is an ethnography about the practice of Homesteading. Homesteading can mean many things to the different practitioners but at its core it is about living simply in a sustainable manner with nature, cultivating the earth and the self. A typical homestead resembles that of a small farm much like the ones the early pioneers experienced. Usually all of the structures were built by hand using predominantly local resources, by the homesteaders themselves. Independence was the motivation behind the sweat that it took to build their homes. Usually these homes resembled a cabin, very rustic and functionally designed and built. Most of these homes were heated with wood, did not have running water or electricity and were consciously designed with the simple life in mind. For many homesteaders the daily ritual, much of the year, revolved around growing the food needed to survive. This ritual of gardening was much more than a means to an end though, and could even be viewed as the core of the spiritual practice. Homesteading is the result of seeing the world as being not how it should be and asking, “how one should live?” When defining the community that is involved with this practice one must expand the commonly held definition of a community. This community spans both space and time and the members are as varied as they are numerous. This is more of an ideological community than a geographic one. Geographically most of the practitioners that were studied lived in the northeastern part of the U.S., predominantly in the Maine and Vermont areas. I feel this is an important aspect of this study to consider because it shows how very different people from the same general area came to this practice for different personal reasons but all shared the underlying humanistic reasons. It is difficult to generalize about who is the homesteader, for there is diversity, at least on the surface, within this group of practitioners. I see this practice as a great parallel of life – it seems very complicated on the surface but when one gets down to the marrow of its truth, one sees a beautifully simple reality. The characters that make up this community are not those that blindly follow or accept the status quo. These individuals can be viewed as radicals from both a social and political stance. The dominant characteristic that they all share is that they all chose this way of life. This speaks to their economic position of middle to upper-middle class citizens. For this practice of Homesteading to even exist there has to be a dualistic view of the relationship between humankind and nature. The industrial revolution appears to be the turning point for this dualistic ideology to grow into the destructive force that it is today. The study of the practitioners involved here, spans a period of time from roughly 1880 - 1996. Historical literature, that predates this period of time, was used to help form a historical perspective.
Grounded in the Practice of Homesteading – The Ritual
I think it is easy to get distracted and potentially confused by the diversity of practitioners that appears to be apparent within this practice of Homesteading. I have come to see this diversity as a form of a catalyst that binds this superficially fragmented community together. This apparent diversity points toward a common theme that must exist for such a group to share a deliberately chosen way of life. To understand this practice we must look at the cultural environment from which it arose. It is hard to pin point the exact birth date of this culturally spiritual practice, but I think it is safe to say that it has been evolving ever since humans started living in populated villages and cities. As Raymond Williams has suggested from the European context, ever since “the country” became a cultural category distinct from “the city.”59 Just as Thoreau retreated to Walden, to “drive life into a corner”61 homesteaders are called to nature because the dominant culture is misleading the way and is not answering the questions - who are we and how should we live? The leaving of the country for the city was the watering of the seed of dualism. This dualism is the perspective that allows us to even talk about nature as if it was something separate from everything else in our world. This is a practice of how life ought to be, of constructing the self through building and maintaining a small farm. It is a practice of social reform, where leading by example does the activism. Hall calls this a “Natural Religion”179, one that is not based on the hierarchical system of the traditional and institutional religions. One that can be practiced by meditating on scriptures, but also by turning to “our minds,” “the works of nature,” and “the Spirit within ourselves.”179 I believe this kind of ideology is at the core of this practice. I see the life and writings of John Burroughs as an important part of the practiced beliefs within this naturally based culture. He writes that, “God is nature …[and that] there is some sort of omnipotent intelligence underlying the manifestations of power and the orderliness that we see in the universe.”123 This is the answer to the question that mainstream society cannot see from its point of view. This is a practice of ritualizing simple living in harmony with the natural laws of nature that are God in the manifested form. Nature is the ultimate source of spiritual knowledge and theology has no value that is beyond nature’s wisdom.124
Symbolism runs through this practice like the blood running through our own veins. It is so prevalent it could actually be overlooked. I see the beginning of the symbolism in how the Homesteaders build their homes. They are usually very simple and not overly comfortable. Often the resources that are used are from the immediate area and can be viewed as gifts from God. The sacredness of the building materials can be perceived as some of the first steps towards constructing a new self. They are not only building a home but a sacred space for their spiritual practice to evolve from. This deliberate design of simplicity is the embodying of turning away from the materialistic culture of capitalism. Part of the ritualization of the daily chores of living on the homestead is much like that of the Buddhist idea of the power in “chopping wood and fetching water.” When the practitioner does these chores with a mindful-awareness that the material being gathered is sacred, it can diminish the sense of self.73 The awareness of the sacral symbolism of water is a powerful realization of the interconnectedness of everything.
The entire practice of homesteading can be viewed as a transitional ritual. The rejection of the dominant culture and retreating to nature is the separation stage. There is a bit of irony here considering that part of the rejection of the dominant culture is due to the “belief in the separation between humans and nature” by the dominant culture. This stage is commonly labeled as “going back to nature” which implies that nature was left in the first place. The physical construction of the homestead could be viewed as the beginning of the liminal stage, or at least the most categorically liminal because some of the practitioners seem to be caught in a place between liminal and incorporation throughout their practice. I guess that is why it is called a practice. I believe this is due to the underlying ambivalence that is apparent in most of the practitioners practice. This ambivalence seems to be the residue of the rejected culture that is buried deep in the powerful subconscious mind. Culture is learned and our natural state is remembered, but the unlearning of culture is easier said than done. There is also another kind of construction going on here, one that is deeply personal, the construction of the new self, the self that homesteaders believes ought to be. The incorporation stage of this ritual would be the maintenance of the homestead itself and of the newly created personal self through the daily practice of living on the farm. Another form of incorporation that some of the practitioners undertook was that of communicating about this practice with the public. Some were avid writers, like John Burroughs and Scott Nearing, and some would welcome visitors to share the gospel of Homesteading. Whatever form of incorporation these practitioners chose in regards to spreading the word of homesteading, it could be compared to other religious leaders and activists spreading what they believe to be the truth.
Growing ones own food is a deeply spiritual ritual that could be viewed as the purifying process that is required with a ritual of transformation like homesteading. Through the belief that God is nature the food that one grows is God in the manifested form. The sacredness of eating can be likened to that of the Eucharist or of communion.77 The body is the temple and this can be the reason for pure eating and living. Letting go of the idea that God is separate from us can be nurtured through the sacredness of eating. Physically on the cellular level we are what we eat, philosophically we are also what and how we eat. Ways of eating can articulate ways of living, nurturing the body and soul and the idea of what the self should consist.83 The ideology behind the diet of the homesteader is one that embraces and nurtures the connection that one has with nature.76 The sacral connection that Homesteaders have with their food is in stark contrast to the disconnect that the culture of consumers have with theirs.81 This basic disconnect of the consumers of capitalism, is the fuel that feeds the misidentification that enables the ideology of dualism to grow. There is also an awareness of the homesteaders that the energy that is put into the food is thus put into the body. The intentions that the farmer puts into growing the food is felt and affects the one eating the food.82 Vegetarianism is common to this practice but definitely not a requirement. Being vegetarian brings up the belief that it is not what you do, it is how you do it. If a practitioner chooses to eat meat it should be from an animal that was raised in a loving way, that had a good life and was taken in a respectful manner.85 If the goal of a religious practice is to attain a god realized or enlightened state, it should be founded on eating “pure holy food.” The importance of growing and eating food is also a form of dissent from the culture that these individuals are rejecting. The actual practices around food may vary within the different homesteaders, but there is a symbolic theme of cultural and spiritual resistance to mainstream culture.92 How the food is grown and eaten is one of the basic ways that the homesteaders answer the question of “how should things be?”.
The cycle of life that is witnessed on the homestead by these practitioners that live by the seasons of nature, is a potentially enlightening experience. To see death as a temporary state just as life is a temporary state, frees the practitioner from the fear of death. The fear of death comes from the ignorance of the cycle of life and not understanding the importance of creative destruction. It is the decaying matter that feeds the bounty of the garden, without death there cannot be birth or rebirth. It is the awareness and acceptance that we come from the dirt and must return to the dirt, to keep the cycle of life flowing.87 It could be said that at the core of the practice of life is the practice of death. The diminishing of the sense of self that can be attained through this practice can bolster the belief that the spiritual self, the one that is nature, will live on for eternity. There is a mixture of Christian beliefs of eternal life and those of more Eastern philosophies within the practice of Homesteading. Whatever the specific belief is, it is one that is rooted in the connection with the cycle of life that nature teaches the practitioner.89,90 The practitioner of Homesteading allows nature to be the teacher and provide the lessons of life. The practitioner’s heart felt connection with nature, gives these teachings a depth and authenticity that reach the very marrow of the bones.91
These individuals come to this practice for both self-reconstruction and for social reform. It could be said that these are actually the same reason, for what is good for the individual is good for the society of the individual.143 The economist Simon Patten, who was a professor of Scott Nearing at the University of Pennsylvania, wrote in his 1911 publication The Social Basis of Religion, that the institutional church has failed to create an authentic social religion, that has at its best expression “the teachings of Christ.” He goes on to state that Christianity became the “state religion” early on that was based on war, want and fear. This kind of religion is destined to fail to satisfy humanity’s “religious instinct”, which seeks both “joy and liberty” and “peace and plenty.”148 This cultural environment was exactly what these homesteaders were rejecting and was critical to the growth of their practice as a whole. This ideology apparently affected Scott Nearing and the movement of Homesteading in general. Scott Nearing is thought of as one of the patron saints of Homesteading, and he preached from a social religion pulpit. Personal responsibility towards society as a “whole” is critical and the effects that each of us cause with our individual choices and actions create the society, was a common theme of what Nearing had to say.150 One could say that Homesteadings roots are grounded in the very idea that the institutional church (Christianity) was directly responsible for the decay of society. The belief that “things ought to be different” is centered on this subject of social inequality and this decay. The practice of Homesteading is embodying the type of lifestyle that is individually healthy, socially responsible, and environmentally sustainable.
Returning to the Soil to Cultivate the Self – Saving the World Begins at Home
I think that the Radon House Unabridged Dictionary definition of Religion fits this practice – “A set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature and purpose of the universe…, Usually involving devotional and ritual observances and often containing a moral code governing the conduct of human affairs.” I believe that as long as the word Religion was not included in the questioning of these practitioners as to their thoughts about what definition most accurately describes their practice, they may just agree with this definition. I say this about the word religion because I think that there is so much resentment towards the traditional and dominantly accepted religions, that the concept of religion has become tainted to most of these practitioners.224
I want to revisit the potential relationship of the practitioner and death that I see through this practice. There is strong symbolism in the life cycle of the garden, and also a wise teacher to the student that has the courage to look death in the face. The hope one can get from experiencing the springtime rebirth that takes place in the garden can be a source of faith that is not based on any doctrine or word. The spiritual rebirth that one can experience through this practice of gardening and the ritualized daily existence on the homestead is a combination of feeling the interconnectedness of everything through the diminishing sense of self and the resulting sense of expansion of the self into everything. There is something about the physical rebirth of the garden mixing with the experience of the expanded self into the garden that is a magical experience and gives the practitioner a sense of calm and courage that cannot be gained by listening to a sermon.
This practice definitely falls under the individualistic category of types of religious practices. The wide variety of personal spiritual beliefs amongst the practitioners studied shows that the core of this practice is about the personal relationship that one has with nature and not about what one calls God or even a belief in a god. The individualistic character of this practice is also part of its paradoxal nature, because working on the self is at the same time working on society.
This practices functions as a religion. It fulfills the search for order in a crazy and lost world, it puts a realistic and down to earth perspective on ones worldview, and simplifies the greater questions of creation. The doctrinal question, so to speak, of Homesteading is “how should we live?” this practice embodies the answer to this age-old question.232 It answers existential questions of life through the wisdom of the universe that is available so readily through nature. Nature has always been the original source of truth, no middle god-man required. It deals with the anxiety of society at the source and ensures success through the practice of self-sufficiency, or at least drastically reduces the risk of personal failure that one can experience when one is dependent on a consumer culture to provide what one needs. This practice helps the individual realize and accept that control is an illusion and the best that one can do is gracefully go with the flow of nature. When it comes to maintaining the social order, Homesteading is the medicine that could be a part of the cure of the social order crisis that this country has been in for a very long time. This type of practice has the potential of doing away with the destructive competitive nature that capitalism breeds and is the disease of our planet. When it comes to validating cultural assumptions and values this practice is a revolutionary radical that has the courage to stand up and say, “things just aren’t right!” This is the kind of practice that the American culture will hopefully take a closer look at, because it speaks the kind of truth that not even the most insightful and progressive theologian or politician has ever had the courage to utter. Scott Nearing once said that, “Saving the world begins at home.”189 The call of social reform that the practice of Homesteading is based on is exactly the kind of ideology that the people that make up the democratic societies of the world will have to face sooner or later.180 Coping with change can be extremely stressful, especially when one is dependent and insecure which can come from being a cog in the machinery of capitalism.184 Capitalism has long waved the flag that “getting is achieving” and this is now more than ever, being seen as a false promise.218
This practice is a hybrid of both World/Universal/Large Scale Religion and Indigenous/Tribal Religion. It arguably has several human founders that have all influenced the development and growth of this practice. The short list could be; Henry David Thoreau, John Burroughs, Scott and Helen Nearing, Bolton Hall, Ralph Borsodi, etc…xxix The many books and publications that the above mentioned, have written could be seen as the written religious texts of homesteading. This is an informal organization that some of its members would deny their membership. The concern with the process of this practice is the practice. The ritualization of the process of daily life is what this religious practice is about. This ritualized lifestyle becomes the religion that pervades daily life. There is a natural conversion process that is available to anyone who has a very strong will or the means to afford this commitment financially, but it is not for everyone or the answer to all the world’s problems.165 I am hopeful that there will be efforts made to make this kind reality more available to more people, like Halls “three acres and liberty” concept. This progressive idea should be revisited with a modern perspective and an open mind. There is no official meeting place where the practitioners gather as a group as a whole. I do not know this for sure or from this ethnography, but I do believe that this culture in study is not exclusively an American phenomenon. I do believe it is spreading around the developed world, I say this from my personal knowledge of the increased interest and participation in off-grid living, which is a direct form of Homesteading. There is obviously quite a bit of ambiguity and contradictions within this practice and actually make it the beautifully diverse and promising practice that it is. One of my favorite Buddhist sayings is very appropriate here; “Not always so.” This is also a theme that runs through nature. In many ways this practice reminds me of Buddhism and Taoism. The Buddha was enlightened while meditating under a tree, not sitting in some temple or great cathedral. Words like rooted, grounded, unfolding, blossoming and flowing run through these ancient practices and most of the teachings include stories about the natural world.
How Should We Live?
This practice is based on the paradoxes that are found in nature and in life, it is about social reform and self-forming, it is a practice of retreating and engagement.229 This practice is like a mirror of truth, and what one sees depends on who is looking and how deeply they are focused into the mirror. The depth of personal inquiry and personal honesty that a person brings to this practice has a great influence on their experience with nature and thus themselves.223 I disagree that this is a practice based on romantic ideas. The romantic view that one has from the perspective of this “natural practice” was formed through the romantic writings about this practice. The romance was manifested by the truth, the natural truth of the practice. Practitioners are drawn to this life of ritual because it embodies the nature of the human spirit.230
I was drawn to this ethnography because it resonated with much of my past life experiences and the current one I am constructing. I personally have retreated to nature for as long as I can remember, because at a very young age I too thought that things ought to be different. I have rejected the mainstream culture throughout my life and have always felt the most comfortable on its fringe. I was amazed by the history of this practice and the rational and logic from which it was birthed. My entire life has been leading me to this subject and diving into it has been nothing shy of a magical experience. I can visualize the massive web of interconnectedness that there is between the cultural environment that provided the atmosphere for this practice to be and the human psychological response to this dysfunctional culture. It is hard to choose from what part of the practice that I appreciate the most because it all makes so much sense to me. The humility of the voluntary simplicity, the awareness of the interconnectedness of everything and the willingness to surrender to nature on its terms is what speaks to my heart. I see the opposites of these aspects as being the biggest threats to humankind. The humankind that sees itself as the “human race.” What are we racing for anyway? Our self-destruction?
One of my favorite quotes in the book was that of Helen Hearing; “Some day, I hope, we shall be able to live on sunlight absorbed through the skin and deep breaths of clean air.”88 I think that this beautiful idea came from her relationship with the enlightened man J. Krishnamurti. To someone that is not familiar with this concept it would sound like a vegetarians pipe dream of a world filled with gumdrops and sugarplums. This is a very old multi religious belief and this concept is not foreign to anyone who has probed deeply into the mystic world. I believe that Christ even spoke the likes of these words. This is a well know aspect of the practice of Yoga, not the American yoga culture, and embodies the idea that all we need is the love of God to exist. I plan on researching this very interesting idea, because it represents the peak of the field of Mind Body Medicine that I am heading towards.
This subject is deeper and vaster than I expected and embodies the core issues of the human condition. Considering the current state of the American cultural crisis, which seems to ripple throughout the world. I believe that this subject is more relevant than ever before. I do not think that Homesteading, in its current or past form is the answer to the world’s problems. I do believe however, the fundamentals it is based on represent the type of ideology that is required to live sustainably on this planet of natural beauty. I think this practice is about allowing the questions to remain unanswered, or at least being comfortable with two answers that are a paradox. Embracing the mystery of life can be a very telling experience, and one that builds courage. Society cannot be redeemed without religion.149 I believe this with every vibration of my heart, but the question is “what kind of religion can we all accept?” I think that the answer to this question is hidden within the question. The kind of religion that is based on natural and simple principles like; acceptance, contentedness, tolerance, patience, compassion, love and one that sees the way including the unity of diversity. If a religion is to be the savior of society it will have to be one that is aware and responsible of the effects that it causes, one that is rooted in social moral consciousness. Maybe the word religion is so tainted that we need to come up with a new word for this moral savior. Our society desperately needs a spiritual rebirth. Creative destruction is at the threshold and is inevitable. We either chose it voluntarily or wait for Rome to fall again.
I am not finished with this work. This project has been a very symbolic catalyst for the spiritual work of my life. I may be working on this for the rest of my life. There is so much more to say and question about this practice and the issues that it confronts. What do we really want from life? Can we see through the fog of cultural differences and see ourselves in each other? Do we have the courage to let go and embrace the wisdom of not knowing? Will we ever realize that getting caught in the belief that self worth comes from the outside is a deep dark pit? I consider Gandhi one of my spiritual teachers and the summary of his life is perfect summary of this practice; “My life, is my message.”
I wanted to include the fifty forth verse from the Tao The Ching by Lao Tzu. The wisdom in this twenty six hundred year old verse is timeless just like the truth in nature from where it came. While working on this paper a few days ago I picked up this book of Taoism, knowing that Lao Tzu would have some very appropriate and wise words for me and this is the page that was presented to me. Life is a magical experience, when we allow it to be.
54
What is well planted cannot be uprooted.
What is well embraced cannot slip away.
Your descendants will carry on the ancestral
sacrifice for generation without end.
Cultivate Virtue in your own person,
And it becomes a genuine part of you.
Cultivate it in the family,
And it will abide.
Cultivate it in the community,
And it will live and grow.
Cultivate it in the state,
And it will flourish abundantly.
Cultivate it in the world,
And it will become universal.
Hence, a person must be judged as person;
A family as family;
A community as community;
A state as state;
The world as world.
How do I know about the world?
By what is within me.
The Yoga Ritual
The ancient yet modernly popularized practice of Yoga, is a simple ritual and at the same time an extremely complex subject. This is a ritual practice that is done by millions of people throughout the world that spans age, gender, race, culture, political view, and religious or spiritual beliefs. The practice of Yoga can be preformed by an individual, in the intimacy of the home or as a group in a communal setting. Whenever and wherever it is practiced, the time and space of practice is that of a sacred unity. The word Yoga is derived from the Sanskrit root yuj meaning to unite or union with God. After giving this definition I think that it is important to state that Yoga means many different things to many different people. It is a very personal practice that at its core is about the personal experience one has while practicing it. I can not articulate it any better than B. K. S. Iyengar does in his book Light on Yoga, “As a well cut diamond has many facets, each reflecting a different color of light, so does the word yoga, each facet reflecting a different aspect of the entire range of human endeavor to win inner peace and happiness.” This ritual that I am writing about is the one of balancing the mind, body and spirit connection.
Let’s now take a look at one of the facets of Yoga from my point of view. I have been practicing this ritual for over two years now on a fairly regular basis and at times have practiced several times a week and multiple times a day. The physical practice of Yoga that would come to most minds is called Hatha Yoga. The word hatha in Sanskrit can be translated to meaning force as in physical force or energy. The postures that are performed are commonly referred to as asanas. There are thousands of postures and as many variation as there are people on this planet. As I have stated, this is a deep personal experience and the experience depends directly on the intentions of the practitioner. What one brings to Yoga is the foundation of the ritual experience.
Culturally, Yoga came from a place and time of a much more simple way of life. Its roots can be traced back to ancient India and has been influenced by Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism. I believe this is a very important aspect to consider, when describing how one approaches this ritual in these modern times and especially in this Western culture. Before I practice this ritual I focus my attention on the quality of the breath and the state of the mind. In this busy culture where most things are moving quickly and with an erratic rhythm, focusing the attention in this manner is the first step in setting an intention of practice. I also bathe and use of a neti pot, in preparation for the practice. The neti pot is a small vessel that dates back to ancient India and resembles a teapot that is used to flush the sinuses with a saline solution. This can aid with the important aspect of breathing through the nose while practicing.
Most of the practices that I have participated in usually are ninety minutes in length and have consisted of groups that range from two people to thirty people. These people do not necessarily know each other and all bring a different aspect to the experience of the ritual. The practice is lead by a teacher that could be viewed as a guide that leads one on an internal journey. The clothes that are worn are usually functionally simple, comfortable, allow freedom of movement yet are not to revealing so that to distract others. There is no written or stated rule that governs what a person wears but it is possible to wear inappropriate clothing. The space where I practice on the community level is in a room that is roughly thirty feet by thirty feet and can hold approximately fifty practitioners. It is a beautiful room that was finished with the sole purpose of this ritual in mind. The floor is made of bamboo, the walls are lightly colored and the lighting can be varied to match the energy and feeling of the current practice. When you walk into the room, barefooted to show respect for the sacred space, it is warm and inviting like a second home that welcomes you. Being barefooted can also symbolize the stripping away of one of the first layers that modern culture has developed. The simple, and at times very functional act of wearing shoes numbs our senses, decreases the balance and puts a layer between us and the ground that we come from. Removing this layer can be the first step in dissolving social-cultural roles and transitioning to the remembering of who we are.
One of the first things that are noticeable when entering this room of practice is a small altar that is at the head of the room. It consists of a small yet sturdy antique looking table with candles, a singing bowl, incense and a sculpture of Nataraja. Nataraja is a depiction of the Lord Shiva as the cosmic dancer who performs the divine dance of creative destruction. The sculpture is fairly elaborate and the general Mandala form is present. There are many facets of meaning and symbolism within this sculpture. The primary symbolism is the destruction of the ego’s control of the mind and the creation of the connection between mind, body and the spirit. The symbolism of the purifying process known as creative destruction is at the core of this ritual and this is the unity of Yoga. It is also common that offerings are made by the teacher in the form of burning incense at some point in the practice.
The practitioners use a textured soft foam mat to cushion the floor and aid in traction while performing the formalized asanas or postures. The structure of the practice varies from day to day and teacher to teacher. Some teachers use a circular pattern of how the students are arranged in the room and some use a more linear and grid-like structure. The teachers physical position is also varied and a key element in this ritual. The teacher starts the practice facing the group and as the ritual unfolds moves around and through the group. The ritual is often started with all practitioners seated in the crossed legged position eyes closed to encourage a meditative state of mind. Sometimes devotion is given by the teacher and often they remind the students to ask themselves why they are practicing this ritual. It is not uncommon to hear a teacher say that they are students as well and that we all learn from each other. The roles of student and teacher are not grounded in the sense of hierarchy and there is no projection or suggestions of superiority or inferiority. The teacher guides the students through a series of formalized movements linking the different asanas. This is done with formalized oratory, physical examples and individual anatomical alignment manipulations that are referred to as adjustments. There is much attention put on the breath of the practitioners by the teacher. A breathing technique that is commonly used is called Ujjayi and is done with the mouth closed inhaling and exhaling through the nostrils. It has an audibly recognizable sound that is similar to the sound of the ocean. It is said that the breath is the bridge to the spirit and in many languages the words spirit and breath are interchangeable. The movements of the practitioners are to be fluid, like as if one is moving through water. This fluidity is critical to calming the mind and reaching the desired altered state that is ironically the natural state. Near the end of the ritual the students perform one last asana, which is Savasana meaning corpse pose. This posture is performed by laying flat on the one’s back with the arms to the side as if one was dead. This is a deeply relaxed state and it is not uncommon for people to actually fall asleep. The purpose is to allow the body to recover and integrate the benefits of the practice. It could be viewed as the climax of the merging of the mind, body and spirit but not necessarily so. It is not uncommon for the teacher to give another offering at this point in the form of burning incense, singing or playing an instrument like the singing bowl. The ritual is usually ended as it began with the practitioners all seated cross-legged with their eyes closed. This is usually the point where I feel the diminished sense of self the strongest and actually can feel the entire room. The teacher may give another devotion at this time, usually devoting the practice to peace. The ritual is closed with the verbal exchange between the teacher and students of the Sanskrit word Namaste which means, “I honor in you the divine that I honor within myself and I know that we are one.”
Peeling the Onion
Analyzing the ritual of Yoga could be likened to peeling one hundred differently colored onions. There are many layers to go through and depending on what style or Yoga you choose to explore the layers will appear to look different, but at their most basic level they are all the same. I will attempt to cut to the core of what this ritual means to me and what I have gathered from the observations that I have made of others. At one level this ritual could be said to be the deepest way to experience life at its raw essence and at another level it is a way to feel good by working the body and slowing the mind.
There is a bit of formalism with this practice particularly with the structure of how the practitioners are physically arranged in the room, how the teacher speaks and how the specific movements are performed. The feeling of the ritual can be different when comparing the linear grid type structure to that of the circular pattern in regards to where the practitioners are in the space. The archetypal symbol of the circle can help manifest the sense of community, interconnectedness of all, and the disillusion of the concept of beginning and the end. The use of formalized speech, especially in the oratory fashion, can really aid in the feeling of being apart of the larger whole. I think this aspect of the practice is the foundation for the diminishing of the sense of individual self that is so critical to experiencing the unity within diversity that this ritual can provide. The importance of performing the set of prescribed movements in a particular style or form is not about how they look but about what is happening within the body in regards to its alignment. It is this attention to alignment that can restore the balance of the nervous system and the subtle energy centers of the body that are so critical to the healing that takes place.
Traditionalism definitely plays a role within the practice of Yoga. The teachers that I have practiced this ritual with embrace and honor the ways of the past but do not let that limit the evolution of the practice. The use and preservation of the archaic linguistic form Sanskrit, is probably the strongest aspect of traditionalism used in this ritual. From a students perspective I think that there is some value in connecting this ritual, at least for the time being, to the ancient ways and times of India because of her reputation as one of the world’s centers of spirituality. I do believe that allowing the practice to evolve and continuing the invention of this tradition is imperative for its survival and reaching its potential.
It could be said that invariance runs through the veins of Yoga. The set of repetitive disciplined actions that are performed with precise physical control is the medium of this practice. One of the goals of Yoga is to be mindfully present in the moment. Combining the disciplined movements with the one pointed focus of the mind actually creates new neuron-networks, that rewire the brain and reshapes the individual. Just as the close attention to detail of the monastic lifestyle can create a sense that all of life is sacred, so to can Yoga. When practiced diligently the gaps between the feeling of interconnectedness and the omnipresence of God, become smaller and smaller. These gaps I refer to are filled with the thoughts of separateness and the belief in living a temporary life. One of the goals of this ritual is commonly referred to as taking the practice off the mat or living a yogic life.
Rule governance plays a subtle yet important role in this ritual. From the clothes that are worn, or not worn in the case of the bare feet, to the unwritten rule that casual conversation does not serve the goal of entering a meditative state, this ritual would not be the transforming force that it is without some rules that are followed by all. Another rule that is generally followed is that a practitioner does not enter the practice grossly late, for this to would be distracting and change the energy and significance of the ritual.
Sacral symbolism is apparent through most of the practice. The initial gesture of removing the shoes can be very symbolic as I have already mentioned, but I would like to add that I feel that this really bolsters the sacredness of the room itself. The sacredness of the room is palpable, even to a first time visitor. I believe this is because of the intentions that have been put into this space from it origins, it was created to be a sacred place. The symbolism of the Nataraja sculpture is complex but the basic Mandala form that it has is a very strong symbol psychologically and I believe it affects us positively at the unconscious level. Carl Yung coined the term collective unconsciousness in regards to the presence of the Mandala form that spans the cultural history of humankind both through time and space. I believe that there is a lot more weight to this theory than most people think, especially with this ritual.
The act of performing is at the core of Yoga. This practice is definitely not a spectator event. This ritual is about embodying the grace of the spirit and, without actively performing the movements of the ritual, the experience is not there. Observing the ritual would change the energetic dynamics of the experience and is not usually permitted. The performance of the group directly affects the experience of the individual practitioner. The concept of a focused group multiplying the energetic field within the group and thus the energy that is experienced through the practice is palpable and talked about, usually outside of the practice itself.
Emotional releases are very common within this ritual and are very much encouraged. When a practitioner goes deeply into the different layers of being that are experienced in Yoga, the emotional body is encountered and there is usually some releasing and healing that happens. It is a well-known fact in the field of psychology that repressing emotions can cause physical damage to our bodies and is linked to many forms of diseases. This speaks to the awesome healing power potential of Yoga. The emotional releasing that can occur is a purification process that does not just happen at the metaphysical level. The release of these held emotions actually frees the energy flow at the cellular level throughout the body. I have felt and seen the physical changes that can come from the releasing of held emotions, in my own body. It is said that Yoga turns back the clock of aging and I believe that this aspect of the practice is why that happens and is probably one of the most important aspects of this ritual.
I have personal experience with the awesome power of transformation that lies within this practice. The radical resocialization that happens when a practitioner comes to the mat with the intentions of letting go of what no longer serves and opens the heart to what is possible is nothing short of a miracle. When this level of practice is embraced, the attention of the practitioner is in the present moment and is met by the field of pure potentiality where all things come from. Through this ritual I have healed myself of the addiction to drugs, sex, money and the bottomless pit of wanting. I can vividly remember the moment of being on the mat, deep into the internal journey and physically feeling a shift within me that dissolved the wanting.
Through this ritual, the diminishing sense of self and the realization of the interconnectedness of everything are potential shifts in one’s perception and experience of reality. When the practitioner focuses the one pointed attention of the mind on the breath and its connection to the movements, the doorway to the true self is graciously opened. Experiencing the true self that is beyond the Western concept of self in its totality is more like experiencing no self. I liken this to the Buddhist concept of nothing or no thing, the energy field where all things come from. The concept of the field of pure potentiality is another way to look at this. When a practitioner totally lets go of the concept of the self, this field of energy becomes accessible and our destiny as creators is realized. This is truly a magical experience where the senses are noticeably enhanced and additional senses are recognized. This can be a real challenge to deal with because it is so far out of the accepted social norms.
This Path to God
The experience that is available to the practitioner of Yoga is beyond words, just as God is beyond the human mind that has developed the words. This ritual has been likened to that of Shamanism and is believed by some to have evolved from it. The stories of Yogis in India displaying supernatural phenomenon and having psychic abilities well beyond the five senses of the Western World, lends to the potential roots in Shamanism. When I consider that we humans use so little of our brains and know so little of how they work, I believe in the magic of Yoga. It is very common for someone to be drawn to the physical benefits of this practice, which are too many to list, and then they discover the deeper side of Yoga that is the doorway to the divine, which is the true self. When a practitioner comes to Yoga like a soft piece of clay, letting go of the beliefs and behavioral patterns of the past that no longer serve the path of love, the transformative potential is truly infinite. To me Yoga is the operator’s manual for being. Yoga is practicing being the creative spiritual beings of love that we all are. It is this universal powerhouse that we call love that is the unifying force within Yoga. It is this power that can bring strangers together and help them realize that they are not strangers after all, but rather of the same universal one being. Yoga is really about embodying unconditional love, for oneself and for all of creation. I am very committed to this ritual because of the truly life transforming potential that it possesses and that I have experienced. I am training to become a teacher of Yoga so that I can help my fellow sisters and brothers of humanity learn and practice this truly empowering ritual of self-discipline and self-realization. I have tasted the sweet nectar of the divine and now I am practicing not wanting that nectar but to let it flow naturally like thick honey, at its own pace. One of the lessons that I have learned from Yoga is to be able to see the perfection within the imperfection of life. To fully accept the lessons that are presented by life is a truly transforming skill to master. I am no master of this skill or Yoga but I am a very appreciative student. Yoga is a great teacher of the beautifully simple ideology of the beginners mind, keeping a mind that is empty of expectations and open to the mystery of life. Yoga is a gift; it is a gift of gold from the divine to the divine. This is the kind of gold that you can not spend but you can give it away, for this kind of gold is made in the heart of those that have the courage to open it up and look for it. The more open that the heart becomes, the more that the gold flows from it. Yoga embodies the circle of life and has the potential of creating the unity within the diversity that this world so desperately needs to survive its misidentified self. I believe that Gandhi once said, “No culture can survive if it attempts to be exclusive.” I know that Gandhi was a believer and practitioner of Yoga and this world should revisit the teachings of his and others that speak the language of love and non-harming. There are very thick books written about this ritual that do not cover it all. I have left out way more than I have included in this paper, partly because I have not enough room and time in this assignment but mostly because I am still learning so much about the true depths of this ritual. It has been a privilege to write this, this paper has given my practice a new level of depth and has helped to stoke the fire that is required to walk the path with heart. I am very grateful for the ritual of Yoga and for the opportunity to share about it, thank you.
I want to close this paper with a poem from the Sufi poet Hafiz.
This path to God
Made me such an old sweet beggar
I was starving until one night
My love tricked God himself to fall into my bowl
Now Hafiz is infinitely rich, but all I ever want to do
is keep empting out my emerald filled pockets
Upon this tear stained world
-Hafiz-
Ref. – Light on Yoga, B.K.S. Iyengar, Schocken Books 1966
A Look Within to See The World More Clearly
I was raised in a moderately conservative Christian family here in Southern Oregon. My father is a retired Orthopedic Surgeon and my mother is a very active watercolor artist. My parents grew up in the Midwest with conservative Lutheran values and beliefs. An example of these beliefs is; they were taught that activities like dancing were not wholesome. They were born in the thirties and a lot has changed since then, especially when they moved out West. I am the youngest of four children and was just three years old when we moved here in 1973. There were plenty of struggles between my parents and us kids, especially the younger ones. The old Midwestern beliefs just didn’t work so well with the faster pace of the West. We went to church together as a family on a regular basis while I was growing up. All four of us kids were confirmed through the Lutheran Church, which takes place at the age of sixteen. This is an educational process where you are educated in all the major religions of the world and at the end this education you commit your faith to the Church in a elaborate conformation ceremony. I believe that this education was biased coming from the Christian pastor of the church, but a good educational experience nonetheless. I do remember thinking that some of the philosophy of Buddhism made more sense to me than Christianity, I actually think this was the beginning of the end of my faith in Christianity. At the age of eighteen I stopped going to church altogether, I had lost my faith in Christianity and felt that it was not right for me to go any longer. At this point my eldest brother is the only of the four siblings that still attends a Christian Church regularly and his religious beliefs are much more fundamentalist than my parents.
Growing up here in Southern Oregon marijuana was a part of my life from a relatively young age. The first time that I was exposed to it was while I was in the fifth grade. I did not start using it on a regular basis until I was fifteen years old. Alcohol was also a part of my life at this time, and I can remember preferring marijuana to alcohol. This started the “questioning of authority” process, in my life. I could see the harmful affects that alcohol was causing in our culture, my mother started the local MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Drivers) chapter, and I was getting a mixed message of “what is.” The reality of marijuana that I was experiencing was much different than that of the reefer madness that was being marketed. At this point I remember feeling confused by the obvious lies of the predominant culture, and really didn’t know what to think about much of life.
My family enjoyed recreating in the outdoors together when I was growing up. Backpacking and snow skiing were at the top of the list. I learned to respect and appreciate the awesome beauty that Mother Nature had to offer at an early age. I actually do not remember learning to ski, I was only fours years of age when I started. I believe that growing up on a small farm and having the opportunity to recreate in such beauty, was the foundation for what would become my spiritual medium, nature. I graduated from high school and went off to college, a few of them, but didn’t find any purpose or desire to stick with it. I did however find my love and respect for the great outdoors to be ever growing and I heard a strong calling from the mountains and rivers. I felt a great peace when I was in the high snowy mountains, a natural feeling of calm and connectedness that I did not feel anywhere else. Looking back I can see that this experience I was feeling, to be the reason that so many people that have their spirituality based in the natural world seek out these types of places. Places where the confusion and games of the worldly cultures can be easily avoided. Places where the miracle of creation is staring you in the face constantly and one cannot easily deny that there is something greater than the individual. At the age of twenty-one, through the hallucinogenic experience of psilocybin mushrooms, I had a vision of clarity in regards to my path of purpose. This was a profound experience that I used as guidance for nearly a decade. Considering my beliefs at the time, this was a spiritual experience. It was not planned out, say in a ceremonial type of a ritual, but it was definitely spiritual. At this point in my life the teachings of the Indigenous People of this land made the most sense to me. I still to this day, have a great respect for their beliefs and how they interacted so sustainably with the natural world. When I was twenty-six years of age I received a tattoo on my chest that depicts the creation story in the Northwest Coast Natives culture. This symbol is very important to me and considering it is the only tattoo that I have, I believe that it shows a real conviction to the beliefs.
Well that all happened nearly twenty-five years ago and a lot has changed the way that I view everything! I was blessed by a partially disabling injury that happened late in 2001. I was at the peak of a career in Ski Patrolling, River Guiding and Rescue Instruction and had a very “I’m in control of my life perspective”. My identity was very much oriented through my vocation and my worldview was limited. I slipped and fell on an icy road at Mt. Ashland and fractured a bone called the scaphoid that helps your thumb operate. It wasn’t until early in 2002 that the fracture showed up on an x-ray and at that point the bone had died and needed bone graft surgery. As soon as the ski season was finished I had the surgery. I had a nerve block because when they cut, chisel and screw into the bone it can really hurt. Well the best thing that ever happened to me was about to take place. About a day and a half after the surgery the nerve block started to wear off, and oh my God my hand really hurt! This experience was very different from all the previous injuries that I had experienced before. There were two metal pins that were keeping the bone graft in place while it healed for 4 months. The only problem with these two little pins was the fact that they were also stuck into my thumb muscle. It felt like someone had a screwdriver stuck into my hand and was moving it around, but the punch line here was that, that someone was my mind! It didn't take me long to see the cause and effect between my negative thoughts and the tension that those thoughts created, which was immediately transferred into pain. The echo of the universe finally caught up to me and I was listening with both ears. I had no choice but to surrender, because 4 months is a long time to feel like there's a screwdriver in your hand. This was a blessing and I would have it no other way for it has changed my life and probably saved it. I was living alone in a quaint little cottage in Ashland when this awakening started. I had received several thousand dollars from the insurance company for loss of wages due to this incident. Which was a huge blessing for it gave me the time to heal and deal with "reality" melting before my vary eyes. Several months prior a couple of close friends had recommended several books to me, which I did buy and had on hand for this experience. Deepak Chopra's Seven Spiritual Laws of Success was one and Eckhart Tolle's The Power of Now was another. Deepak really helped me start to see the life that I had created and Eckhart helped me understand why I thought that myself and everyone that I knew was absolutely crazy. Well one book led to another and another.... Almost all of the books that I sought out were of the spiritual and psychological nature. I started to meditate at this point and it was like I had just woken up from a dream that had been going on for 32 years. I was reconnected to my source, the creator, for the first time in my life, at least consciously that is. I was in a state of complete observance, the surrender that I offered, helped to melt the illusion of separateness away. It was like I was watching my ego as if it were a child that new it couldn't get away with anything. The power of now that I experienced was strong and clarifying. This went on for over a year but as I got more and more back into working my meditation practice came to a stop and the fog of the monkey mind crept back in.
A year ago I had a profound experience, a type of epiphany that was the second round of waking up. I was involved with a woman that had helped open up a heart that had been shut down for a few years, my heart. I had been practicing Hatha Yoga for about a year when this happened. Hatha Yoga is the foundation of my spiritual practice and has changed the path of my life profoundly and possibly saved it. It was like all of that suppressed previous awareness came bursting to the surface through my heart and I had to listen to it and change my path to be aligned with my heart. There was no other option and I was willing to give up anything and everything to be true to my heart. This was both a very painful and at the same time liberating experience. This was the strongest spiritual experience that I have ever gone through. I now can see the perfection in the imperfection of life; I have gained a lot of patients and compassion for myself and for others, through the ebb and flow of my practice. This was the beginning of renouncing a lot of the worldly desires that I have had in my life, and an incredibly clarifying reminder of what really is important in this lifetime. A notable and important fact here is that I was making the most money of my life at this time and it wasn’t serving me well, in fact it was taking me down a dead end street. I left my high cash flowing work behind and moved into a small yurt on my eldest brothers farm in Central Point, Oregon. This voluntary shift towards simplicity has brought a new level of connectedness with the source and the creator within. It has been said that gratitude is the parent of all virtues, and I believe it to be true. If you think about it, how can you be kind or loving or any of the other important virtues unless you are grateful? Every morning and every night I focus my attention on being grateful. I thank the creator for everybody and everything in my life. I also thank the creator for the "no thing" in my life or life it self, for the gift of the breath and the beat of the heart. Living simply in a Yurt, has brought a much deeper sense of gratitude to my life. It wasn't until just recently that I have had a heat source in the yurt. The coldest night I can remember this fall was 29 degrees F inside the yurt. I was very grateful for a stocking cap and a warm blanket at that moment. I was also very grateful for the roof when I did not have the luxury of heat. Now I am very grateful for the roof and the heat that it holds in. I do not have running water yet at the yurt and pack it in weekly from my folks place. This does not seem like a big deal when I think that over one billion people on this planet do not have clean water at all. Often when I am filling the six-gallon water jug that I use, I am amazed at the miracle of running clean water from a faucet. Sometimes it is easy to forget that without water, none of us would even be here. I am very grateful for the water for it is the life force in the liquid form.
This last summer I made a commitment to becoming a Yoga Teacher. This process has brought me deeper into my spiritual practice and given me new hope for a world that desperately needs real change. Part of this training program that I am undertaking, a two-year program that I started last September, is the study of Eastern Philosophies and Religions. These areas of study have been important in my life for several years now and I feel blessed to be able to devote so much time to them. I do not follow a particular religion at this moment, but the wisdom traditions of Buddhism, Hinduism and Taoism all resonate with my heart. I have also begun to see the teachings of Christ in a new light, and see them as very different than most of mainstream Christianity. The more that I study the core beliefs of all the great wisdom traditions or religions, the more that I see, that they are all saying the same thing. The oneness of humanity that will be realized when the unity within the diversity is realized.
Points of Interest
Growing up here in Southern Oregon marijuana was a part of my life from a relatively young age. The first time that I was exposed to it was while I was in the fifth grade. I did not start using it on a regular basis until I was fifteen years old. Alcohol was also a part of my life at this time, and I can remember preferring marijuana to alcohol. This started the “questioning of authority” process, in my life. I could see the harmful affects that alcohol was causing in our culture, my mother started the local MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Drivers) chapter, and I was getting a mixed message of “what is.” The reality of marijuana that I was experiencing was much different than that of the reefer madness that was being marketed. At this point I remember feeling confused by the obvious lies of the predominant culture, and really didn’t know what to think about much of life.
My family enjoyed recreating in the outdoors together when I was growing up. Backpacking and snow skiing were at the top of the list. I learned to respect and appreciate the awesome beauty that Mother Nature had to offer at an early age. I actually do not remember learning to ski, I was only fours years of age when I started. I believe that growing up on a small farm and having the opportunity to recreate in such beauty, was the foundation for what would become my spiritual medium, nature. I graduated from high school and went off to college, a few of them, but didn’t find any purpose or desire to stick with it. I did however find my love and respect for the great outdoors to be ever growing and I heard a strong calling from the mountains and rivers. I felt a great peace when I was in the high snowy mountains, a natural feeling of calm and connectedness that I did not feel anywhere else. Looking back I can see that this experience I was feeling, to be the reason that so many people that have their spirituality based in the natural world seek out these types of places. Places where the confusion and games of the worldly cultures can be easily avoided. Places where the miracle of creation is staring you in the face constantly and one cannot easily deny that there is something greater than the individual. At the age of twenty-one, through the hallucinogenic experience of psilocybin mushrooms, I had a vision of clarity in regards to my path of purpose. This was a profound experience that I used as guidance for nearly a decade. Considering my beliefs at the time, this was a spiritual experience. It was not planned out, say in a ceremonial type of a ritual, but it was definitely spiritual. At this point in my life the teachings of the Indigenous People of this land made the most sense to me. I still to this day, have a great respect for their beliefs and how they interacted so sustainably with the natural world. When I was twenty-six years of age I received a tattoo on my chest that depicts the creation story in the Northwest Coast Natives culture. This symbol is very important to me and considering it is the only tattoo that I have, I believe that it shows a real conviction to the beliefs.
Well that all happened nearly twenty-five years ago and a lot has changed the way that I view everything! I was blessed by a partially disabling injury that happened late in 2001. I was at the peak of a career in Ski Patrolling, River Guiding and Rescue Instruction and had a very “I’m in control of my life perspective”. My identity was very much oriented through my vocation and my worldview was limited. I slipped and fell on an icy road at Mt. Ashland and fractured a bone called the scaphoid that helps your thumb operate. It wasn’t until early in 2002 that the fracture showed up on an x-ray and at that point the bone had died and needed bone graft surgery. As soon as the ski season was finished I had the surgery. I had a nerve block because when they cut, chisel and screw into the bone it can really hurt. Well the best thing that ever happened to me was about to take place. About a day and a half after the surgery the nerve block started to wear off, and oh my God my hand really hurt! This experience was very different from all the previous injuries that I had experienced before. There were two metal pins that were keeping the bone graft in place while it healed for 4 months. The only problem with these two little pins was the fact that they were also stuck into my thumb muscle. It felt like someone had a screwdriver stuck into my hand and was moving it around, but the punch line here was that, that someone was my mind! It didn't take me long to see the cause and effect between my negative thoughts and the tension that those thoughts created, which was immediately transferred into pain. The echo of the universe finally caught up to me and I was listening with both ears. I had no choice but to surrender, because 4 months is a long time to feel like there's a screwdriver in your hand. This was a blessing and I would have it no other way for it has changed my life and probably saved it. I was living alone in a quaint little cottage in Ashland when this awakening started. I had received several thousand dollars from the insurance company for loss of wages due to this incident. Which was a huge blessing for it gave me the time to heal and deal with "reality" melting before my vary eyes. Several months prior a couple of close friends had recommended several books to me, which I did buy and had on hand for this experience. Deepak Chopra's Seven Spiritual Laws of Success was one and Eckhart Tolle's The Power of Now was another. Deepak really helped me start to see the life that I had created and Eckhart helped me understand why I thought that myself and everyone that I knew was absolutely crazy. Well one book led to another and another.... Almost all of the books that I sought out were of the spiritual and psychological nature. I started to meditate at this point and it was like I had just woken up from a dream that had been going on for 32 years. I was reconnected to my source, the creator, for the first time in my life, at least consciously that is. I was in a state of complete observance, the surrender that I offered, helped to melt the illusion of separateness away. It was like I was watching my ego as if it were a child that new it couldn't get away with anything. The power of now that I experienced was strong and clarifying. This went on for over a year but as I got more and more back into working my meditation practice came to a stop and the fog of the monkey mind crept back in.
A year ago I had a profound experience, a type of epiphany that was the second round of waking up. I was involved with a woman that had helped open up a heart that had been shut down for a few years, my heart. I had been practicing Hatha Yoga for about a year when this happened. Hatha Yoga is the foundation of my spiritual practice and has changed the path of my life profoundly and possibly saved it. It was like all of that suppressed previous awareness came bursting to the surface through my heart and I had to listen to it and change my path to be aligned with my heart. There was no other option and I was willing to give up anything and everything to be true to my heart. This was both a very painful and at the same time liberating experience. This was the strongest spiritual experience that I have ever gone through. I now can see the perfection in the imperfection of life; I have gained a lot of patients and compassion for myself and for others, through the ebb and flow of my practice. This was the beginning of renouncing a lot of the worldly desires that I have had in my life, and an incredibly clarifying reminder of what really is important in this lifetime. A notable and important fact here is that I was making the most money of my life at this time and it wasn’t serving me well, in fact it was taking me down a dead end street. I left my high cash flowing work behind and moved into a small yurt on my eldest brothers farm in Central Point, Oregon. This voluntary shift towards simplicity has brought a new level of connectedness with the source and the creator within. It has been said that gratitude is the parent of all virtues, and I believe it to be true. If you think about it, how can you be kind or loving or any of the other important virtues unless you are grateful? Every morning and every night I focus my attention on being grateful. I thank the creator for everybody and everything in my life. I also thank the creator for the "no thing" in my life or life it self, for the gift of the breath and the beat of the heart. Living simply in a Yurt, has brought a much deeper sense of gratitude to my life. It wasn't until just recently that I have had a heat source in the yurt. The coldest night I can remember this fall was 29 degrees F inside the yurt. I was very grateful for a stocking cap and a warm blanket at that moment. I was also very grateful for the roof when I did not have the luxury of heat. Now I am very grateful for the roof and the heat that it holds in. I do not have running water yet at the yurt and pack it in weekly from my folks place. This does not seem like a big deal when I think that over one billion people on this planet do not have clean water at all. Often when I am filling the six-gallon water jug that I use, I am amazed at the miracle of running clean water from a faucet. Sometimes it is easy to forget that without water, none of us would even be here. I am very grateful for the water for it is the life force in the liquid form.
This last summer I made a commitment to becoming a Yoga Teacher. This process has brought me deeper into my spiritual practice and given me new hope for a world that desperately needs real change. Part of this training program that I am undertaking, a two-year program that I started last September, is the study of Eastern Philosophies and Religions. These areas of study have been important in my life for several years now and I feel blessed to be able to devote so much time to them. I do not follow a particular religion at this moment, but the wisdom traditions of Buddhism, Hinduism and Taoism all resonate with my heart. I have also begun to see the teachings of Christ in a new light, and see them as very different than most of mainstream Christianity. The more that I study the core beliefs of all the great wisdom traditions or religions, the more that I see, that they are all saying the same thing. The oneness of humanity that will be realized when the unity within the diversity is realized.
Points of Interest
What Emile Durkheim had to say about the cohesion of a society being dependent on some sort of “link” to bind it together, hit a note within me. I see the separate belief systems of the different religions as the link that binds the societies together. I also see how these separate beliefs, create the belief of separateness that is so dangerous with human dynamics. I have heard it said and believe it to be true, that the two most dangerous things on this planet are Nationalism and Organized Religion. I see the belief in separateness as the fuel for the fight that rages with both of these. When the beliefs that link groups of people together do so through fear, things only get hotter. I believe this is why so many lives have been destroyed in the name of God and Country.
I am very interested in psychology so the work of David Hume, the philosopher of the Scottish Enlightenment, is of particular interest to me. In his Natural History of Religion (1757), he states that religion originated from “the incessant hopes and fears which actuate the human mind.” The Buddhist call this the “monkey mind” and I would think that most all religions have some term for this state which is also known as the “human condition”. Religions offer to be the medicine for this mental infliction. I would think that there would be a notable increase in the participation of organized religion over the last hundred years, due to the increase in the stress that people have put on themselves.
I think what Max Weber (1864 – 1920) brings up about the power of religious psychology in regards to what he calls the “Protestant Ethic” is very interesting. The idea that if one works hard and obtains material wealth, it would be a sign of God’s approval and thus help with the haunting “unknowable election”. This is a Protestant concept where one does not know his or her predestined place in either heaven or hell. I think that this kind of belief really is a kind of perversion of what religion is. I have questioned a lot of the intentions behind the actions, of much of the institutions of different religions. With an understanding of psychology one can start to see how much manipulation there appears to be within many religions. When the beliefs create suffering, I question the validity of the beliefs or the intentions behind them.
The Desired Destination
I am very interested in psychology so the work of David Hume, the philosopher of the Scottish Enlightenment, is of particular interest to me. In his Natural History of Religion (1757), he states that religion originated from “the incessant hopes and fears which actuate the human mind.” The Buddhist call this the “monkey mind” and I would think that most all religions have some term for this state which is also known as the “human condition”. Religions offer to be the medicine for this mental infliction. I would think that there would be a notable increase in the participation of organized religion over the last hundred years, due to the increase in the stress that people have put on themselves.
I think what Max Weber (1864 – 1920) brings up about the power of religious psychology in regards to what he calls the “Protestant Ethic” is very interesting. The idea that if one works hard and obtains material wealth, it would be a sign of God’s approval and thus help with the haunting “unknowable election”. This is a Protestant concept where one does not know his or her predestined place in either heaven or hell. I think that this kind of belief really is a kind of perversion of what religion is. I have questioned a lot of the intentions behind the actions, of much of the institutions of different religions. With an understanding of psychology one can start to see how much manipulation there appears to be within many religions. When the beliefs create suffering, I question the validity of the beliefs or the intentions behind them.
The Desired Destination
I noticed the first day that I attended this class what a perfect match it is for my life and how it will be a challenge to put aside my personal beliefs in order to fully see these religions in a fresh new light. I realize that my experience with this class is probably not of the average SOU student, due to my age and life experiences. I have been fascinated with and studying the religions of the world for some time now, but my attention has been on the core beliefs that are communicated through the doctrines, rather than the actual practice of the religions themselves. This is an exciting thing to be studying, because one of my life goals is to try to figure out how to help the unity grow that lies dormant within the diversity among the world’s religions. I think that through the anthropology approach to religions, I will hopefully understand the differences that are keeping the unity of religious ideals from being realized. I hope to get a better understanding of the “big picture” of religions and the power of their rituals. I am on a path with heart, or a spiritual path, so much of this subject is very much alive in my life and very pertinent with the direction of my studies. I am perusing an education in Psychiatric Nursing with the hope to obtain the Practitioner level of a license. I believe that the combination of teaching Hatha Yoga, and the education and skills of a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner could really help a lot of people that are suffering. Hatha Yoga can be very spiritual and is known to help balance the nervous system. I believe that the more I know about different religions beliefs, practices and rituals, the more I can integrate that knowledge into a diverse mental health practice. What I really hope to gain from this class will most likely not be realized within the time frame of this class. I am a gardener and I have the patients to “plant the seed and wait for it to sprout.” I am viewing this class as a very important seed that is being planted. This class is helping me to cultivate a scientific side to my spiritual and religious studies and I am very grateful for that.
