Issue7_art6

))) /N THE 0ATH OF 9OGA !N )NTERVIEW WITH -AGGIE .ORTON !BSTRACT )N AN INTERVIEW -S .ORTON DESCRIBES THE EVOLUTION OF HER PRACTICE OF YOGA AS A SPIRITUAL AS WELL AS A PHYSICAL DISCIPLINE 3HE DESCRIBES THE PRACTICE OF AWARENESS OF THE BREATH AS TAUGHT IN YOGA TRADITIONS AS AN AWARENESS OF hTHE RIVER OF LIFE IN WHICH WE ARE ALL HELD OR CARRIED WITHIN THE SAME STREAM OF ALIVENESS OF CONSCIOUSNESS v 2ELIGION %AST 7EST $ID YOU GO TO CHURCH WHEN YOU WERE A CHILD -AGGIE .ORTON ) DID ) WAS RAISED IN 3COTLAND BY PARENTS WHO WERE QUITE STRONGLY #HRISTIAN 7E WENT TO THE %PISCOPALIAN #HURCH WHICH IN 3COTLAND WAS THE CLOSEST TO THE #HURCH OF %NGLAND ) WAS BAPTIZED CHRISTENED IN THE CHURCH WENT TO 3UNDAY SCHOOL AND CHURCH CLASSES AND CONTINUED IN THAT TRADITION INTO MY TEENS 2%7 $ID YOU HAVE A STRONG BELIEF OR WERE YOU JUST GOING ALONG WITH WHAT OTHER PEOPLE WERE DOING -. ) VE ALWAYS HAD A STRONG SENSE OF SPIRIT A SENSE OF THERE BEING A CON NECTION BETWEEN US ALL A CONNECTION THAT IS SOMETHING OTHER THAN WHAT ) CAN SEE ) THINK THAT ) M STILL INm UENCED BY MY #HRISTIAN UPBRINGING

ALTHOUGH MY UPBRINGING DOESN T NECESSARILY l T WITH HOW ) EXPERIENCE THE WORLD NOW ) DON T REALLY BELIEVE THAT THERE IS A SUPREME BEING 4HE NOTION OF 'OD NO LONGER l TS FOR ME ALTHOUGH IT WAS CERTAINLY VERY STRONG WHEN ) WAS A CHILD 2%7 7HAT LED YOU TO ABANDON THAT NOTION -. 0ERHAPS THE STRONGEST INm UENCE WAS THE 0RESBYTERIAN SCHOOL ) WENT TO UNTIL ) WAS FOURTEEN 4HERE WAS NO LOCAL #HURCH OF %NGLAND SCHOOL SO MY PARENTS SENT ME TO THE 0RESBYTERIAN SCHOOL 4HEY DIDN T SEE THAT AS A PROBLEM AS LONG AS THE SCHOOL HAD A #HRISTIAN CORE 4HE 3COTTISH 0RESBY TERIAN #HURCH IS VERY STRONG AND VERY PUNISHING IN MANY OF ITS BELIEFS OR >HHJ: D8ID7:G

-AGGIE .ORTON

AT LEAST IT SEEMED SO TO ME AT THAT TIME 4HERE WAS VERY MUCH A SENSE THAT IF IN ANY WAY YOU TURNED YOUR BACK ON 'OD YOU WERE NEVER GOING TO BE FORGIVEN 4HERE WAS NOT A LOT OF FORGIVENESS ) WAS PROBABLY IN MY TEENS WHEN ) STARTED TO BE NOT SO SURE THAT ) BELONGED IN THAT CONTEXT ) WAS JUST LESS AND LESS INTERESTED IN GOING TO CHURCH ) WAS DEl NITELY A LITTLE REBELLIOUS AND WANTING THINGS TO BE LESS NARROW ) DIDN T WANT THINGS TO BE IMPOSED ON ME BY SCHOOL AND CHURCH 2%7 3O THAT #HRISTIAN EXPERIENCE ORIENTED YOU TO THE CONCEPT OF SPIRIT

BUT THE WAY IT WAS PRESENTED DIDN T PERSUADE YOU -. 4HAT S A GREAT WAY OF PUTTING IT )T WAS PROBABLY MY GRANDMOTHER MY FATHER S MOTHER WHO ORIENTED ME TO THE CONCEPT OF SPIRIT 3HE WAS ACTUALLY RAISED AS A NONRELIGIOUS 'ERMAN *EW 3HE THEN HAD A VISION WHEN SHE WAS A YOUNG PERSON AND BECAME A VERY DEDICATED #HRISTIAN (ER CHILDREN WERE BROUGHT UP AS #HRISTIANS AND BECAUSE OF HER CONNECTIONS WITH A *UDEO #HRISTIAN ORGANIZATION THE FAMILY WAS ABLE TO LEAVE 'ERMANY JUST IN TIME 3HE WAS VERY COMMITTED TO HER CHURCH BUT WAS ALSO INCREDIBLY GENEROUS IN HER ABILITY TO ACCEPT A BROAD RANGE OF BELIEFS AND A BROAD RANGE OF PEOPLE

PERHAPS PARTLY BECAUSE OF WHAT HAPPENED TO HER IN .AZI 'ERMANY 3HE WAS ABSOLUTELY DETERMINED NOT TO HAVE NARROW VIEWS ) ABSORBED HER SENSE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF HAVING A STRONG RELIGIOUS AND SPIRITUAL CORE TO ONE S LIFE WITHOUT BEING AS NARROW AS THE CHURCH APPEARED TO ME TO BE IN 3COTLAND *UST TO GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE SHE MUST HAVE BEEN IN HER EARLY EIGHTIES WHEN THERE WAS A CONTROVERSY ABOUT YOGA IN HER CHURCH WHICH WAS #HURCH OF %NGLAND AND SHE REPORTED TO ME THAT SHE ACTUALLY STOOD UP IN HER LOCAL CONGREGATIONAL MEETING AND DEFENDED YOGAˆSHE DIDN T PRACTICE IT BUT SHE KNEW THAT ) DID 3HE WAS JUST APPALLED THAT PEOPLE IN HER CHURCH WERE CONDEMNING YOGA AND SAYING THAT IT WAS OF THE DEVIL 3HE THOUGHT THAT WAS RIDICULOUS 7ITH HER VERY STRONG #HRISTIAN BELIEFS SHE WASN T INTERESTED IN BEING PART OF ANY OTHER SPIRITUAL TRADITION BUT SHE DEFENDED OTHER PEOPLE S RIGHT TO WORSHIP OR PRACTICE IN THEIR OWN WAY 2%7 (OW DID YOGA COME TO REPLACE #HRISTIANITY FOR YOU -. ) M NOT SURE THAT IT DID !T LEAST ) DIDN T SEE IT THAT WAY AT THE TIME ) BECAME INVOLVED IN YOGA IN TWO DIFFERENT WAYSˆON A SPIRITUAL LEVEL AND ON A PHYSICAL LEVELˆALTHOUGH ) DIDN T UNDERSTAND THE SPIRITUAL LEVEL INITIALLY &ROM A PRETTY YOUNG AGE THERE WAS A SENSE THAT YOGA SPOKE TO SOMETHING MUCH DEEPER THAN JUST MY BODY 7HEN ) WAS SEVENTEEN AND EIGHTEEN YEARS OLD THERE WAS A 46 PROGRAM IN WHICH A GENTLEMAN WHO ) THINK WAS AN

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/N THE 0ATH OF 9OGA

!MERICAN TAUGHT YOGA -Y RELIGIOUS EDUCATION TEACHER AT SCHOOL HAD ALSO TAKEN AN INTEREST IN OPENING UP A FAIRLY NARROW SCHOOL CURRICULUM TO TEACH US THE OTHER SPIRITUAL TRADITIONS AROUND THE WORLD ) STILL l ND IT REMARKABLE THAT HE WAS INTERESTED IN THAT AND WAS ALLOWED TO TEACH IT (E TAUGHT SOME VERY SIMPLE YOGA POSTURES AND A LOT OF DEEP BREATHING AND HE DESCRIBED IT AS A SPIRITUAL TRADITION FROM )NDIA 7HEN ) WENT TO UNIVERSITY IN THE CITY OF 9ORK ) ATTENDED YOGA CLASSES FOR A WHILE BUT THEN STOPPED PRACTICING REGULARLY ALTHOUGH DURING MY LAST YEAR IN UNIVERSITY ) HAD WHAT WE WOULD CALL HERE A ROOMMATE AND SHE STUDIED YOGA 3HE WAS VERY DISCIPLINED SHE WOULD GET UP AT SEVEN O CLOCK EVERY MORNING AND PRACTICE HER YOGA BEFORE GOING TO COL 9OGA PRACTICES WITH LEGE CLASSES AND SHE WOULD SIT UP ON THE m OOR VERY ERECT WHILE SHE ATE HER MEALS 4HIS HAD AN INm UENCE ON ME 3HE THE BODY AS THE TEMPLE NOW ALSO TEACHES YOGA AND IS STILL A GOOD FRIEND 7HEN ) MOVED TO ,ONDON WHEN ) WAS TWENTY THREE ) STARTED GO OF THE SPIRIT ING TO A REGULAR CLASS IN THE )YENGAR 3CHOOL OF YOGA " + 3 )YENGAR IS AN )NDIAN MASTER WHO HAS BEEN ONE OF THE MAIN YOGIS TO BRING TRADITIONAL HATHA YOGA TO THE 7EST (E S WRITTEN MANY BOOKS INCLUDING THE CLASSIC TEXT CALLED ,IGHT ON 9OGA (E S IN HIS LATE EIGHTIES NOW AND LIVES IN 0UNE )NDIA AND HE HAS TRAVELED TO THE 7EST MANY TIMES )N ,ONDON ) STARTED STUDYING HIS TRADITION )YENGAR 9OGA AT ADULT CLASSES GIVEN BY THE ,ONDON %DUCATION !UTHORITY AND ) VE NEVER LOOKED BACK ) STARTED TEACHING YOGA IN ) HAVE BEEN LUCKY ENOUGH TO GO TO )NDIA TWICE TO STUDY AT THE )YENGAR )NSTITUTE WHICH JUST OOZES SPIRITUALITY TO ME THE WHOLE ATMOSPHERE "UT ) WOULD SAY THAT IN MY EXPERIENCE THE MAJORITY OF TEACHERS ) VE BEEN TAUGHT

BY IN THE 7EST DO NOT EXPRESS THE TRADITION IN A SPIRITUAL MANNER 4HEY DESCRIBE IT AND TEACH IT IN A WAY THAT IS MUCH MORE ABOUT THE PHYSICAL BODY -Y MAIN TEACHER IN %NGLAND MANAGED TO HOLD ON TO BEING A PRETTY STRONG #ATHOLIC WHILE BEING A YOGA TEACHER AND ) REALLY ADMIRE HER FOR THAT BUT STILL IT SEEMED THAT SHE PERHAPS DENIED THE SPIRITUAL ASPECT OF YOGA IN ORDER FOR HER TO BE ABLE TO DO IT 2%7 )N WHAT WAY IS YOGA SPIRITUAL -. 9OGA IS A WAY OF PRACTICING WITH THE BODY THAT ACKNOWLEDGES THE BODY A AS THE TEMPLE OF THE SPIRIT 4HE WORD YOGA IS OFTEN TRANSLATED AS hYOKEv OR hUNION v WHICH IS THE BRINGING TOGETHER OF BODY AND SPIRIT 4HE BREATH IS SEEN AS THE SPIRIT SO THE PRACTICE IS REALLY CONNECTED WITH AN ESSENCE WITHIN THE PHYSICAL BEINGÂ&#x2C6;AN ESSENCE THAT IS NOT PERSONAL IS NOT RESTRICTED JUST TO THIS BODY OR THAT BODY BUT IS SOMETHING THAT CONNECTS US ALL )N A YOGA PRACTICE >HHJ: D8ID7:G

-AGGIE .ORTON

DONE WITH THAT PERSPECTIVE ONE COMES TO BE IN TOUCH WITH SOMETHING THAT IS BOTH DEEPER AND BROADER THAN ONE S INDIVIDUAL BEING 2%7 #AN YOU SAY WHAT IT IS THAT YOU RE IN TOUCH WITH -. ) DON T KNOW IF ) CAN DESCRIBE IT )T S SO DIFl CULT TO PUT THESE THINGS INTO WORDS 2%7 $OES IT HAVE A NAME -. &OR ME AT THIS POINT IN MY LIFE ) DON T THINK IT DOES 7HAT ) M TALKING ABOUT IS NOT A NOTION OF 'OD OR A SUPREME BEING ALTHOUGH IT MAY HAVE BEEN THAT FOR ME AT ONE TIME "UT ) DO HAVE A SENSE OF OUR MANIFESTATION BEING A MANIFESTATION THAT IS THE SAME IN ALL LIFE 7ITHOUT DENYING THE UNIQUENESS OF YOU OR ME OR ANY OTHER LIVING BEING THERE IS SOME WAY IN WHICH WE ARE ALL HELD OR CARRIED WITHIN THE SAME STREAM OF ALIVENESS OF CONSCIOUSNESS 2%7 $O YOU l ND THAT THE BREATH THAT YOGA CULTIVATES IS CONNECTED WITH THIS IDEA OR THIS EXPERIENCE -. h9ESv WOULD BE THE SIMPLE ANSWER TO THAT ) WOULD SAY THAT IN YOGA THE BREATH IS WHAT CONNECTS ME )T S LIKE AN ANCHOR )T ALLOWS YOGA TO BE A MUCH MORE MEDITATIVE EXPERIENCE SO THAT IT BECOMES A SORT OF MEDITATION IN MOTION 7ITHOUT AN AWARENESS OF THE BREATH THIS IS MUCH LESS LIKELY TO HAPPEN 3O THE BREATH IS A REPRESENTATIVE OF THAT m OW OF LIFE AND IT ALLOWS ONE TO DROP BELOW THE LEVEL OF THE MORE CONSCIOUS MENTAL AND EMOTIONAL ACTIVITY OF BEING HUMAN 4HE BREATH IS THE RIVER OF LIFE AND YOGA ALLOWS ONE TO CONNECT TO AN AWARENESS THAT BOTH OBSERVES AND IS A PART OF THAT RIVER OF LIFE 2%7 /N A MORE SPECIl C LEVEL WOULD YOU GIVE AN IDEA OF HOW MUCH TIME YOU SPEND DOING YOGA -. ) SPEND SOME TIME DOING YOGA PRETTY MUCH EVERY DAY ) DO HAVE DAYS WHERE ) LAPSE OR WHERE OTHER ASPECTS OF MY LIFE ARE MORE PRESSING "UT ) WOULD ALSO SAY THAT ON THE BROADEST LEVEL ) CONSIDER EVERYTHING ) DO TO BE A FORM OF SPIRITUAL PRACTICE .OT THAT ) CAN PRETEND THAT ) AM ALWAYS PRESENT AND ALWAYS AWARE BUT ) LIKE TO THINK THAT MY SPIRITUAL PRACTICE ALLOWS ME TO LIVE MY LIFE MORE CONSCIOUSLY MORE FULLY MORE FROM THE HEART RATHER THAN MY PRACTICE BEING SOMETHING SEPARATE FROM THE REST OF MY LIFE ) TRY TO INTEGRATE IT INTO THE WAY ) ACT IN THE WORLD )T MIGHT JUST BE IN VERY SMALL WAYS BUT AT

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LEAST IN MY ASPIRATION ) WANT EVERYTHINGÂ&#x2C6;HOW ) INTERACT WITH SOMEBODY

A CONVERSATION ) HAVE WAITING IN LINE AT THE STOREÂ&#x2C6;TO BE AN EXTENSION OF MY PRACTICE OF BOTH YOGA AND MEDITATION 3O THE WAY ) LIVE MY LIFE IS VERY MUCH INm UENCED BY MY YOGA POSTURES AND BY THE WAY ) BREATHE ) KEEP RETURNING TO THE IDEA THAT MY BODY THROUGH MY YOGA PRACTICE IS A PLACE WHERE ) CAN COME BACK TO MY DEEPER SENSE OF LIFE S PURPOSE AND CONNECTEDNESSÂ&#x2C6;JUST

BY COMING BACK TO A SIMPLE AWARENESS OF THE BREATH OR TAKING NOTICE OF MY POSTURE MY FEET ON THE GROUND OR A SENSE OF UPLIFT IN MY SPINE "UT ) TRY TO TEACH IN A WAY THAT DOESN T ASSUME THAT EVERYONE COM ING INTO A YOGA CLASS IS NECESSARILY INTERESTED IN A "UDDHIST OR A (INDU PERSPECTIVE )F THEY RE INTERESTED IN THAT THEY CAN FOLLOW UP ON IT BUT THEY CAN ALSO HAVE ANY SPIRITUAL BELIEF OR NONE ) TEACH THE POSTURES OF HATHA YOGA AS A FORM OF STRESS REDUCTION AND OF CONNECTION TO SELF AND OTHERS !T THIS TIME ON THIS PLANET AND IN THIS CULTURE THAT S VERY VALUABLE ) AM ALSO INm UENCED BY MY STUDIES WITH *ON +ABAT :INN WHO INTRODUCES MINDFUL NESS AS A POWERFUL TOOL FOR CARING FOR ONE S OWN WELL BEING )T CAN ALSO BE A DOORWAY THAT LEADS PEOPLE TO A SPIRITUAL PRACTICE THEY MIGHT NOT HAVE COME TO HAD IT BEEN BILLED AS SUCH 2%7 7HAT ) HAVE OBSERVED ABOUT YOUR MANNER OF TEACHING IS THAT YOUR SPIRITUAL PRACTICE PRESENTS ITSELF IN A SENSE OF CALM AND ALSO IN A SENSE OF CENTEREDNESS WHICH CAN BE HEARD IN YOUR VOICE ) WONDER IF PEOPLE ARE ATTRACTED TO YOUR CLASSES AS MUCH TO BE IN THE PRESENCE OF THAT AS FOR THE ACTUAL POSTURES -. 7ELL THERE S THE OLD CLICH£ THAT ONE TEACHES WHAT ONE NEEDS TO LEARN 4HAT S CERTAINLY TRUE OF ME ) M INCREDIBLY GRATEFUL NOT ONLY FOR MY PRACTICE BUT TO HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF TEACHING BECAUSE TEACHING CALMS ME AND CENTERS ME AND BRINGS ME BACK TO THE CORE OF THE YOGA PRACTICE -Y PRACTICE ALLOWS ME TO TEACH IN THAT WAY AND TEACHING DEEPENS MY PRACTICE (AVING THE PRIVILEGE OF BEING ABLE TO COMMUNICATE IT TO OTHER PEOPLE HELPS ME TO l ND A WAY TO COMMUNICATE IT TO MYSELF ) M ABLE TO EXPERIENCE IT MORE DEEPLY 2%7 ,ET S GO BACK TO A BRANCH A LITTLE FURTHER DOWN THE TREE (OW WAS IT THAT YOU BECAME INTERESTED IN MEDITATION -. 7HEN ) WAS IN MY EARLY TWENTIES LIVING IN ,ONDON ) ENCOUNTERED AN ORGANIZATION CALLED THE &RIENDS OF THE 7ESTERN "UDDHIST /RDER WHICH OF FERED MEDITATION CLASSES 4HIS WAS IN WHEN THAT WAS STILL SOMETHING UNUSUAL ) WAS ALREADY AWARE THAT THERE WAS A SPIRITUAL ELEMENT TO YOGA

EVEN THOUGH ) DIDN T UNDERSTAND WHAT IT WAS OTHER THAN THAT IT WAS QUITE >HHJ: D8ID7:G

-AGGIE .ORTON

DIFFERENT FROM THE SPIRITUALITY ) WAS RAISED WITH 3O MEDITATION DID NOT SEEM TOO STRANGE TO ME !LSO MY PERSONALITY IS QUITE AN ANXIOUS ONE ALTHOUGH ) COULDN T HAVE ACKNOWLEDGED THAT WHEN ) WAS IN MY TWENTIES 0ERHAPS ) WAS DRAWN TO MEDITATION FOR THAT REASON ALSO ) FOUND IT QUITE CALMING ) WENT TO A FEW RETREATS AND CLASSES LEARNED SOME BASIC TECHNIQUES AND HAD A VERY ERRATIC HOME PRACTICE ) READ A LITTLE BIT OF THE LITERATURE ALTHOUGH ) M NOT AT ALL WELL READ IN THE "UDDHIST TEXTS !FTER THOSE FEW YEARS IN ,ONDON ) MOVED TO A PART OF THE COUNTRY WHERE THERE WAS NOTHING LIKE THE &RIENDS OF THE 7ESTERN "UDDHIST /RDER ) WAS MORE INVOLVED IN THOSE YEARS IN POLITICS AND FEMINISM ALTHOUGH ) RETAINED MY YOGA PRACTICE TRAINED TO TEACH AND BECAME A YOGA TEACHER -Y MAIN JOB FOR MANY YEARS WAS TEACHING SOCIAL AND POLITICAL EDUCATION IN COLLEGES ) DIDN T COME BACK TO A REGULAR FORMAL MEDITATION PRACTICE UNTIL ) MOVED TO #ALIFORNIA AND STARTED LEARNING ABOUT THE MINDFULNESS AND INSIGHT TRADITION OF "UDDHIST MEDITATION ) VE STAYED WITH THAT FOR THESE LAST l FTEEN YEARS 2%7 $O PRACTICE MEDITATION EVERY DAY -. 9ES 2%7 &OR HOW LONG DO YOU SIT -. ) WOULD SAY CURRENTLY HALF AN HOUR A DAY BUT IT CAN BE TEN MINUTES

AND IT CAN BE FORTY l VE MINUTES TO AN HOUR 2%7 !ND THEN YOU GO ON RETREATS ONCE A YEAR -. ) GO ON A SILENT RETREAT ONCE A YEAR FOR A WEEK OR TEN DAYS USUALLY AT 3PIRIT 2OCK -EDITATION #ENTER NEAR 3AN &RANCISCO ) M ACTUALLY FEELING THAT THAT S NOT LONG ENOUGH ) M AT THE POINT WHERE ) WANT TO SIT AT LEAST A MONTH LONG RETREAT ) ALSO DO A WEEKEND HERE AND THERE AND ATTEND A YOGA RETREAT EVERY YEAR WITH !NGELA &ARMER 2%7 9OU SAID EARLIER THAT YOU DIDN T BELIEVE IN A SUPREME BEING 3O WOULD YOU SAY THAT YOU PRACTICE SPIRITUALITY WITHOUT PRACTICING RELIGION -. 9ES ALTHOUGH SO MUCH DEPENDS ON HOW ONE DEl NES THOSE TERMS -Y THINKING IS STILL EVOLVING AND EVEN NOW AT THE AGE OF l FTY ) D SAY THAT ) M STILL REACTING TO TWO THINGS ) M REACTING TO SOME OF THE NARROWER SIDES OF THE RELIGIOUS UPBRINGING THAT ) HAD AND ALSO TO THE UNFORTUNATE CONNOTATIONS OF RELIGION IN THIS CURRENT TIME ON THE PLANET AND IN THIS PART OF THE WORLD

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) DON T REALLY l ND MYSELF FEELING AT HOME IN A VERY PARTICULAR BELIEF SYSTEM AND A PARTICULAR WAY OF PRACTICING THAT ONE MUST ADHERE TO 3O WHILST REALLY VALUING A SENSE OF SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINE ) DON T EASILY TAKE TO WHAT ) SO FAR HAVE DISCOVERED IN ANY SPECIl C RELIGIOUS SCHOOL ) M DRAWN TO THE "UDDHIST COSMOLOGIES BUT ) CAN T SAY THEY RE SOME THING ) BELIEVE IN ) WENT THROUGH A PHASE IN MY LIFE WHEN ) WAS DRAWN TO SPIRITUAL PRACTICES WITH THE FEMINIST PERSPECTIVE ACTUALLY QUITE DRAWN TO A MORE PAGAN BASED PRACTICE ) WOULD MEET WITH FRIENDS AT THE SOLSTICES AND EQUINOXES AND WE WOULD DO SOME PRETTY SIMPLE RITUALS INCLUDING SOME MEDITATION )T S A WAY THAT SOMEONE MAY BE MORE IN CONNECTION WITH NATURE 7HAT YOU SAID ABOUT PRACTICING SPIRITUALITY WITHOUT PRACTICING A RELI GIONÂ&#x2C6;) THINK THAT S NOT QUITE TRUE ! LOT OF PEOPLE ) KNOW WOULD SAY THEY ARE SPIRITUAL AND RELIGIOUS BECAUSE OF THEIR SENSE OF COMMUNITY 4HEY HAVE A PARTICULAR SET OF BELIEFS AS WELL AS A VERY PARTICULAR SET OF PEOPLE WITH WHOM THEY CAN SHARE THAT ASPECT OF THEIR LIFE 4HIS IS A VERY HUMAN NEED )N "UD DHISM IT S CALLED THE SANGHA ) ALSO HAVE THIS SENSE ) CHOOSE TO GO BACK TO THE RETREATS LED BY THE SAME INSIGHT MEDITATION TEACHERS #HRISTINA &ELDMAN IN PARTICULAR NOT ONLY BECAUSE ) l ND THE SILENCE AND THE TEACHINGS INSPIRING

BUT ALSO SOME OF THE SAME PEOPLE ATTEND THIS PARTICULAR RETREAT EACH YEAR

AND SO THERE IS A SENSE OF COMMUNITY THERE ) LIKE OUR MONTHLY MEDITATION MEETINGS AT THE YOGA STUDIO WITH THE MONKS FROM !BHAYAGIRI -ONASTERY FOR SOME OF THE SAME REASONS ) CAN T THINK OF A SUPREME BEING WITHOUT IT BEING MY RATHER NARROW VIEW OF WHAT IT MIGHT BE &OR ME IT S MORE A SENSE OF ALIVENESS AND CONNECTION G 4HICH .HAT (ANH USES THE TERM INTERBEING 7E ARE ALL CONNECTED 4HERE IS ONLY AN INl NITESIMAL DIFFERENCE BETWEEN YOUR $.! AND MY $.!

AND HUMAN $.! AND THE $.! OF SLIME MOLD &OR ME IT S MORE A IS l FTY PERCENT THE SAME 4HIS IS NOT JUST A CONNECTION BETWEEN YOU AND ME AND OTHER HUMAN BEINGS OR EVEN SENSE OF ALIVENESS ANIMALS 6ERY OCCASIONALLY FOR SOME TINY FRACTION OF A SECOND OFTEN COMING VERY DIRECTLY OUT OF MY MEDITATION AND CONNECTION PRACTICE THERE S WHAT ) WOULD SAY IS ALMOST A VISUAL EXPERI ENCE OF THAT OF A SENSE THAT THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE ) M LOOKING AT YOU NOW YOU ARE VERY DISTINCT FROM EACH OBJECT IN THE ROOM BUT ON ANOTHER LEVEL ) HAVE A SENSE THAT THAT S NOT TRUE 6ERY OCCASIONALLY ) VE HAD THAT EXPERIENCE ON A CELLULAR LEVEL VISCERALLY ) BELIEVE SOME PEOPLE ARE ABLE TO EXPERIENCE THIS WITHOUT ANY TRAINING OR PRACTICE BUT FOR ME THE PRACTICE IS WHAT HAS ALLOWED ME TO UNDERSTAND IT 0ERHAPS THERE WAS ALREADY A LITTLE BIT OF THAT IN ME WHICH DREW ME TO THE PRACTICE

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-AGGIE .ORTON

2%7 7HAT IS IT ABOUT MEDITATION THAT OPENS YOU TO THIS EXPERIENCE -. ) DON T KNOW IF ) CAN ANSWER THAT QUESTION BUT ) LL TRY -Y MAIN MEDITA TION PRACTICE IS VERY SIMPLEÂ&#x2C6;NOT EASY BUT SIMPLE )T S A MINDFULNESS PRACTICE )T STARTS OUT WITH A KIND OF CONCENTRATION USING THE BREATH AS AN ANCHOR ON WHICH TO REST MY ATTENTION 5SUALLY ) M IN A SEATED POSTURE 4HERE IS A KIND OF DIGNITY IN THE POSTURE 7HILST ONE IS PAYING ATTENTION TO THE BREATH

ONE CALMS THE BODY AND THE MIND AND COMES TO A SENSE OF SPACIOUSNESS AND EASE 4HEN WITH THAT FOUNDATION EXPANDING ONE SEEKS TO MAINTAIN A SENSE OF CENTEREDNESS -INDFULNESS CAN BE DESCRIBED AS A MOMENT TO MOMENT NONJUDGMEN TAL ATTENTION /F COURSE TO STEP OUTSIDE THE JUDGMENTAL MIND IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE MOST OF THE TIME AT LEAST FOR ME "UT GOING BACK TO JUST SITTING ON THE CUSHION WHAT ) DO IS TO EXPAND MY l ELD OF AWARENESS TO INCLUDE THE ARISING OF DIFFERENT EVENTS WITHIN MY EXPERIENCEÂ&#x2C6;BE THEY PHYSICAL SENSA TIONS MENTAL ACTIVITY FEELINGS COMING UP SOUNDS AROUND MEÂ&#x2C6;WITHOUT BEING TOTALLY DRAWN INTO THEM OR BEING DISTRACTED INTO THE STORY OF THEM )T S THAT PART OF THE PRACTICE THAT CAN SPILL OVER INTO MY AWARENESS DURING THE REST OF MY DAY 2%7 #AN YOU SAY WHAT YOU MEAN BY NONJUDGMENTAL L -. -Y UNDERSTANDING IS THAT IN A HUMAN BODY THERE S ALWAYS A SENSE OF THINGS AS BEING EITHER PLEASANT UNPLEASANT OR NEUTRAL 4HAT S NATURALLY GOING TO HAPPEN ONE CAN T CHANGE THAT (OWEVER THIS DOESN T HAVE TO BE WHERE OUR PRIMARY ATTENTION ISÂ&#x2C6;NOT THAT MINE ISN T 2%7 9OUR PRACTICE IS NOT TO FOLLOW IT -. )T S HARD TO DESCRIBE TO PEOPLE WITHOUT SOUNDING VERY DRY AND RATHER REMOVED FROM LIFE )T S AS IF YOU RE BEING CARRIED BY THE RIVER AND YOU ARE THE RIVER WATCHING 9OU RE DROPPING DEEPER DOWN INSIDE IN ORDER TO EXPAND AND BECOME A PART OF THE WORLD 9OU RE PAYING ATTENTION IN THE NARROW WAY IN ORDER TO BE MUCH MORE ALIVE AND PRESENT 3OMEBODY SAID TO ME h*UST IMAGINE THAT YOU HAD ALL THE MONEY IN THE WORLD 7HAT WOULD YOU DO NEXT WEEK v 4HIS WAS THE WEEK BEFORE ) WAS GOING ON A RETREAT ) SAID h!CTUALLY

) WOULD DO EXACTLY WHAT ) M ALREADY PLANNING ON DOING NEXT WEEK v ) GUESS ) M BRINGING THAT UP BECAUSE OF A SENSE OF WHAT THE MEDITA TION PRACTICE AND THE YOGA PRACTICE HAVE GIVEN ME ) DON T THINK ) HAVE EVER RECEIVED A GREATER GIFT THAN THESE PRACTICES ) JUST DON T KNOW HOW ) WOULD SURVIVE WITHOUT THEM 4HAT SOUNDS VERY DRAMATIC BUT IT S ACTUALLY TRUE )T S

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GOTTEN ME THROUGH TIMES THAT HAVE BEEN VERY DIFl CULT 0ART OF THE PRACTICE IS A CERTAIN SELF ACCEPTANCE A SENSE THAT WHO ONE IS JUST AS ONE IS IS l NE 4HIS IS THE LOVING KINDNESS PRACTICE WHICH IS TO ACCEPT ONESELF AND BE KIND TO ONESELF AS A FUNDAMENTAL PART OF ONE S SPIRITUAL LIFE s

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