It's always very interesting to see how no two workshops are ever alike, even if they're about the exact same topic. And because I've had the opportunity to give this talk/workshop three times this month (I haven't had the chance to give the same one this often in the past), the distinct qualities of each became easier to perceive, and it's simply amazing how each one is its own unique experience.
So, here's a new set of notes coming from the third and last group:
And one thing that I thought came up strongly for this group was -- noticing the intimacy that characterized the connection with another when one is anchored in or is coming from Presence. To this I add the following thoughts to move the inquiry along:
Notice: When we relate to another without our biases (or interpretations, conceptual overlay) -- which we discovered happens when we allow ourselves to experience another in a naked, raw way (akin to feeling someone's body heat / warmth / aliveness), we become receptive and open to a 'Something' (unplanned, unexpected) that emerges naturally from this relationship.
Notice how this is different from when we lead with our thoughts/ideas about another. Which is not to say that this is wrong, only that we tend to use this manner of relating to the exclusion of the other. The other - relating with the whole Body - is so underused that is has become a virtually foreign experience to us and, in fact, requires nothing short of a radical re-orienting and remembering from us, which is the very purpose of Practice. Also, leading with our thoughts/ideas is, in effect, leading with a 'certainty' (this is what I see, therefore, here's what I'm going to do) that tends to limit our Experience - which actually contains the very 'solutions' we seek - as it blocks us from seeing and being with what is actually emerging.
Consider how these principles/dynamics apply to other things:
When we see that this intimacy can be applied to the way we relate to other 'things,' does that help you see a another dimension of the word INTIMACY? RELATIONSHIP? Does the expanded notion of these words somehow help you move into a deeper understanding of one of the definitions of Yoga -- that Yoga is Relationship?
More to come :-)
