Master Immersion Day 2

I did not post last night as I was in bed at 8:30 and I think actually asleep before Maple.I woke up this morning feeling totally refreshed and very set up for a great day. Which really is exactly what unfolded. But before I get to far into today, a short recap on yesterday.It is always interesting when one training moves right into another and because there were so many folks that both stayed on from the weekend and were just arriving yesterday, there was a mixing of energy that took a while to settle into one another. Also, the nature of the weekend was more intense than the immersion, what with the Spanda Karikas and the individuals in attendance. Very sophisticated, very refined, and a lot of experience in the room. The master immersion on the other hand is John presenting the heart of Anusara Yoga philosophy, which I totally love because it is like coming home to why I love this method so much.So we went right in to talking about the 36 tattvas, which are basically the world view for Tantric philosophy. It is so fun because I have heard this lecture so many times and seen John’s chart so many times, but every time that I do, my understanding not only penetrates more deeply, but I inevitably hear something (or many things) for the first time. I love that. We just get to keep going deeper and deeper into the same information so that our understanding is truly ever expanding. It is a living tradition.Then John asked what the 6 attributes of the Supreme are. Whenever John ask for an exact # of something, that pretty much means that there is a list that you were at one time given and should have memorized. you do not know when you will be asked to repeat the list. The 6 attributes of the Supreme are: 1) goodness or auspiciousness 2) chit (it is self-knowing 3) ananda (it is ecstatic) 4) spanda (it pulsates) 5) purna (it is fullness) 6) swatantria (it is absolutely free). Today we did a little bit more yoga which was great. It was Patrick’s, who is from Hong Kong, birthday today, so the practice centered around 35 surya namaskars in honor of him and then concluded with a bunch of Urdhva Dhanurasanas. My body felt great today, my heart flowing and my head clear. In part to this being Day 5 of intense yoga and study, but also from a great nights sleep that unfolded into one of those classic Tucson days where the sky is just so clear and so vast that you really get a hit of endless expansion. Totally perfect. Down here these days are almost a dime a dozen, but coming from the winter that we are having at home, a day like this is pure ecstasy. And it really reminded me of so many adventures that I have had in this part of the world where I have truly been enveloped and carried by this clarity. Very Sweet.John taught today on Adhikara and the 5 qualities of studentship as expressed through the 5 elements. I love this teaching, because again it honors the unique qualities of the individual without losing sight of finding balance within the universal. Then in the afternoon he talked about the 5 acts of Shiva, and Monoush, who is the man with the Murtis in the Anusara shri-tale department told a great story about Patanjali and Nataraj, and that is always fun (this particular story was masterfully interwoven into the teaching). The 5 acts of Shiva are: 1) creation 2) sustaining 3) dissolution 4) concealment and 5) revelation. Fabulous.I am having dinner with Rachel and Christina tomorrow, but I will try to post when I get home (temporary Tucson home. I have not forgotten that I live in Wisconsin where it is -15 degrees and there is over a foot of snow on the ground…. I have to say it is awfully nice not to have to put a snowsuit and boots on Maple every time we head out the door. Oh well). Tomorrow I am hopefully firming up the date that Darren is coming to Viroqua so that is exciting. Also, Geri is working on a flyer for Christina’s workshop so those should be out soon. That really is just right around the corner in June. Perfect time really because planting will be done and everyone will just be settling into the long days of summer. What better than a weekend of yoga and good company?Night, night.