7fd88cf 6dc de15 0e82 5070e11cd720 GMT20240730 081604 Recording 640x360 (00:48)
All right. So we are up to Niyama number five. So the end of the Niyama. And actually I might keep going with Patanjali um because the Yama and the Niyama are the first two of the eightfold path of of um yoga that he defined. Um
So the the Niyama is Ishvara Pranidana, which translates well the two words translate into Ishvara is um supreme being, highest nature, God, um, the ultimate reality, right? So it's this bigger version of you, the highest part of you. And then prani dana.
Means fixing to or surrendering to um the highest. So basically, when you put those two words together, what you are doing is surrendering to the highest. So as you move throughout the day, it's like an ongoing practice that you partake in as you move throughout the day, is to surrender your will, your
Ego to the highest will or the highest goodness for humanity and nature and all of all of the other things out there. So um Pitanjali says that if you nail this Niyama, then there's really no need to practice the other ones, right? Like this is the one, right? That if you get it, you get it, and uh life will be sweet. Um
But I guess if you are a control freak or a recovering control freak, um, or have a mind that loves to race and can't settle and calm down and kind of trust reality and trust the flow of life, um then this isn't going to be an easy niyama for you to grasp hold of, like so, and I know this because I'm a recovering control freak.
And have very low trust in the flow of life. I must have the plan and my will will be done. Um so yes, uh the yeah, while while they say this is the only Niyama, if you nail this one, all the other ones don't care aren't needed, uh, it's not as easy as it looks or it sounds. Speaking from experience here. So um in
The Upanishads are this, which are basically one of the earliest yogic texts, the Ishvara means or was defined as a state of collective consciousness and um which indicates that that God or the highest or the supreme is the collective consciousness and represents all of us, right? And if we infuse the anasara
philosophy, the Kashmir Shaivis Shaivism philosophy, which is a non-Jew um philosophy, what that means is that um God, the highest, isn't separate from any of us, right? So that collective unconscious or the collective consciousness uh is all of us and we are all all connected uh while we're all separate, but us being separate is the illusion, right? It's just we are
A a divine play of the one going, Oh, I want to know what it's like to be uh, you know, a young female born in the 1970s to an army man that travels the world. And then I want to know what it's like to be um a young boy born in the early 2000s and the life that you can live in those different times and those eras. So it's it's the one coming to know itself.
um through our lived experience, right? ah So we've said this before, but no one has my life, no one has your life. It's completely unique, right? There's no other pool on the planet that was born to the parents you were born to at the time you were born. And there never will be another one. So so that um the Niyama
Simply is asking us to let go and surrender our will to the highest and devote everything that we do to the highest. Um, and what we have to remember is that we're surrendering to the ultimate reality of life. There's not nothing more spectacular than that. Basically, what we're surrendering to is this very moment.
this very expression of life that is in front of us. Because this is all that we're experiencing. And we're experiencing about, you know, a millimeter, even smaller than a millimeter, a nano, you know how nanos are really cool at the moment. Is it nanos? Anyway, it doesn't matter. Those really small things. Like what if you think about there's this whole universe out there.
That includes Mars and it includes Jupiter. And there's stuff happening on the moon right now and on Pluto right now that we have no idea about because it's not part of our consciousness. So that so we're seeing a really small part of life, right? And experiencing that small part of life. And so all our job is is to just embrace.
The life that we are experiencing, the reality that we are experiencing, and surrender and let go into that. Oh, it sounds so easy. Um, so we are basically um when we can make um that a dedicational practice about opening up to what is and
It tr it requires that we trust in our deepest self, our intuition, and we have the courage to express ourselves for who we are, as we are, with all of our imperfections. m And that ultimately that leads us to the freedom that we are seeking through this practice of yoga, right? Is I'm just gonna open up and embrace all of all of it that is in front of me and stop resisting and just trust.
Um, so when we're practicing Ishvara Pranidana, what we are doing is we're making offerings to the big picture of our life. And when we take and anchor ourselves into the big picture, then we can do uh what they said in um chicken soup for the soul, don't sweat the small stuff. Yeah. And we can we can focus on and we can bring a loving
Awareness to the small stuff that happens in our lives because your your attention is on the highest. It's on the big picture. And the big picture yoga practice initiates the shift in perspective that helps us remember to align with and receive the grace of just simply being alive, right? This beautiful gift that we've been given.
And it shifts our perspective from our narrow I, I, I, or me, me, me, yeah, way that we live life, um, and our narrow individual concerns and perspective, um, and begins to move that into the background and brings a bigger picture awareness of living a spiritual life or
The greater good for humanity or the greater good for the group that you're part of uh to the foreground. um So we are we that me, me, me attitude or the I-focused attitude um causes so much of our mind's distraction and our mind's suffering and
our
mind sense of separation from everything and everyone, right? Because it's like, well, it I'm the ego and I'm the identity and I'm separate from you and I'm separate from this other person over there. And so I'm just gonna look after myself, you know, everyone's out for themselves these days, right? But that remembering that I'm part of a collective and I'm part of humanity and we're all connected. Um and remembering that bigger picture.
Helps us release our ego desires and surrender to the just to life as it flows through us. And we focus on the sacred ground of being ahead of our own ego in Ishvara Ishvara Pranadaya. And that unites us with our true nature, with who we really are when we do that. So Ayinga, who we we met the other day in shoulder stand.
He says that through surrender, the aspirants ego is effaced and grace pours down him like torrential rain. Isn't that beautiful? And it prov it provides a pathway, right, through the obstacles of our ego toward like this divine nature of who we are. And really, when I think about the divine nature, all I think about is the highest self, like when I am anchored in these.
Virtuous qualities of being like compassion and love and peace and calm and kindness and bliss and joy, that's my divine nature, like that's my highest nature, and that is the big picture we're all working towards. Um, and but yoga recognizes even though we're all one, like we're all individual.
Experiencing the one in our own unique way, right? So we're not all clones, we're not all robots, we are all here experiencing this life, and we have our own unique relationship with the supreme or with the highest. And that is called Ishta Dvaita. The yogic concept of Ishta Dvaita is that we each have our own personal relationship with and taste of the divine.
That serves as a powerful means of yoga or unification for us. So we, you know, my experience and understanding of the Supreme will be different to yours, will be different to Eli's, will be different to Rihanna. Like it'll be, we all have a unique um experience based on the the the cultural and societal backgrounds that we have and the familial backgrounds that we have of what what.
So the supreme is.
So Ishvara Pranidaya is understood as being beyond form, but is expressed in all forms. Yeah. So that's that tantra perspective. Like it's beyond form, but it's everything. You can't go anywhere and not be in it. Um and it is often expressed as the sacred syllable om. And your Ishva Devata is the form that that vibration takes in your own heart.
Right. So your own Ishva Divata is that experience that you have in your own heart. Um, and in Sutra 126, Patanjali refers to Ishvara Pranidaya as our foremost teacher. Because when we step into this practice of offering everything to something bigger than ourselves and
Thanking the grace that flows into our lives for the lives that we're living, um then we we also cultivate this ability to listen to the voice within. And we begin to have inner guidance for all aspects of our lives. um And we remember to stay connected to this throughout the day. And it reminds us to offer the fruits of our actions to the highest.
And focus on the actions that we're taking versus the outcomes that we may achieve. Yeah. So it's we're acting just for the sheer bliss of being here in this moment doing this thing. Like, oh my I am so lucky. I get to be sitting here talking to you over the Zoomiverse. Like that is all. There's no higher outcome that I could be desiring in this moment than this. Um
And yeah. It's enough. Yeah. Yeah. This is enough. Yeah. And and when you get to that state, then because because when we're looking for an outcome, what we're really looking for is that feeling of this is enough. Right. I'm full. I'm happy. I'm excited. This moment is amazing. Yeah. And we think that the outcome will give us that feeling.
And sometimes it will and sometimes it won't. But hey, the big secret is that you could just be like going, wow, look at what life is blessing with me with right now. Oh, isn't this awesome? Yeah. How amazing and how lucky am I that grace is pouring down on me. Um, the lights in my house, the house that I live in, the clothes that I'm wearing, the da-da-da-da-da. Like
Wow, this is awesome. and Ishvara Pranidaya, when we kind of take that perspective, brings um every action, connects every action to its source and connects every action to its highest. Um, and that's when you start anchoring into that bliss of just being. And I've done um some study with
with
Tony Robbins, which he's not definitely not a yogi, right? But he I the other day I was in some training and he's got a pretty phenomenal life. He's created a pretty phenomenal life. And he's and someone said, Well, how did you create it? And his first answer was grace. Yeah. And then he said, Of course, I've worked very hard as well, but he's surrendered.
To the highest, yeah, through his own practice. Like grace has poured down on me this wonderful life that I'm living. And he understands that um his will is nothing compared to the higher will that he's in service of and his actions are dedicated to. So it's quite interesting to just see how how yoga infiltrates even the business world. Those business people.
So that's Ishvara Pranidaya, surrendering the me, me, me to the highest and and dedicating every action and just recognizing that um there's a sacred ground of being and you're a special part of it. Um and connecting to that. Any questions? You should have taught that one at the start.
We would have just I mean there's uh there's quite a lot in that. I hear what you're saying. like those things like don't sweat the small stuff. Mm. And I suppose that comes from experience, the experiences you have, doesn't it? Uh yeah. To be able to deal with, you know, things. Yeah. Absolutely So it's a bit like being in the witness state watching people.
I guess is it? Yes, it is. It is. But I think with the Ishvada Pranidaya, you're adding an element of awe and sacredness to the moment, right? Like you're recognizing um the sacredness of this gift of this moment of being alive, right? And that somehow life lined up.
Yeah. Even if you're a recovering control freak, you know, like you thought you made life happen, right? Is actually like behind all of that. Like life has has brought you to this place. So yeah, there's this witness state of being able to detach and and know that you're not your thoughts and you're not the narrative that you're providing the moment. And then when you get to that point of realizing, well, if
I'm not my thoughts. What what am I? And then you realize, well, I'm my true self and I've surrendered now to my true self. And my true self sits here in awe of the magic and the sacredness of this moment.
Like, well, I'm waking up excited. You know, like, woo-hoo. Yeah. Um, and moving through the day um and getting to the end of the day and just thinking, wow, what a blessing. We did it another day. I guess it's about controlling those thoughts and thinking those things, isn't it? Yeah, yeah. Absolutely. And um, when we were away uh, you know, with my family and uh one of one of the with the people
With saying, I'm really worried about this thing that might be happening next year. And I was like, well, when when when is when might it be happening? And they're like, February. And I said, so it's July now. So why don't you stop worrying about it? Because you've got eight months, right? How about you just settle into the magic of this moment and be appreciative of this moment?
And let whatever is going to happen in eight months figure itself out and be surprised when you get there. There might have been another recovering control freak. Maybe not as recovering as Nietzsche. Glad to have you there. Yeah, yeah. no, I probably sounded crazy. Like, what is she talking about? Oh, she'll get it. Yeah. Yeah, one day. One day. One day.
So it's just that surrendering everything to the highest as you move through life and then recognizing that it's all just an act of grace, not your own will that's moving you through life. So um we've done the Hamza meditation before. Um sometimes it's so ham, it depends on the tradition. So you can do it both ways soham or hamza.
Um means I am that, right? So when we do the the hamsa or the so hum, you're reminding yourself that you are the highest. You are um intra in interconnected. So we uh the way that Carlos taught me is hamsa. Um the way that other teachers have taught me is so ham. I'm gonna go with Carlos's teaching because he's he's the um
Tantric guy. So when we breathe in, it's harm.
And when you breathe out it's sah.
And we just repeat that mantra over and over and we'll do that for the next ten minutes with our eyes closed. How does that sound?
Righty, shall we begin? Taking a comfortable seat, closing your eyes.
Focus on your breathing.
And as you take the inhalation, just remember the mantra ham. And as you exhale, the mantra sa.
And to deepen your breath.
And when you're ready, just begin to open your eyes and bring your hands together in front of your heart.
Our ability to surrender to the highest we bow namaste.
