"There is no spoon", is a famous line from "The Matrix" where the hero of the movie is learning, more and more, that the world he lives in, and grew up in, isn't real. He encounters a young child quietly bending metal spoons with only the power of his mind. The child explains how he does this:
"Do not try and bend the spoon...that's impossible. Instead, only try to realize the truth....there is no spoon. Then you will see that it is not the spoon that bends, it is only yourself".
A great line, from a great movie but, regardless of how "meta" this phrase seems, there's real-world advice in what the child says. Religion teaches us that anything that can be destroyed, isn't real. This means that our bodies, the device you're reading this on, those White Claws in the fridge, and the Earth itself, are not "real".
My humble, subjective, thoughts on this (that absolutely no one asked for), could be summed up by saying that, through daily practice, you can begin to connect with the part of you that is real, that is eternal, and that cannot be destroyed. This doesn't mean that the world won't continue on whatever earthly course it's on currently; it will, and this will always be the case, but a practice does help you discern what is real from what is fake-what is important, from what is unimportant. This clarity helps you live a life with less stress, anxiety, depression, and worry.
Does it mean that the world isn't busy blowing itself to pieces and burning itself down?....no.
Does it mean that the world is actually an illusion/hologram and that everything around us doesn't exist?....no, I don't think it means this either.
Put simply, my take is that we should all remember that the Earth, and earthly things, will vanish one day (including our bodies)- the Earth will vaporize as the Sun evolves into a Red Giant (2 billion years from now), and everything and everyone on it, will disappear from history, forever. That can sound like a depressing thought, if you're focused too much on the Earth, and earthly things. Don't stop there, however....the Sun will eventually extinguish too.
My take on this realization is to keep your life in perspective. What's important while we're here?
Enough chit-chat....time to begin.
Wednesday, September 9, 2020 (Part II),
My Part I posts are always so grand. Listen to me...aren't I grand?.....so profound.....everyone will enjoy my thoughts for I am the protagonist of life....
I write my Part I before beginning my practice (this includes any prayer and meditation practice as well), and I always write my Part II posts after I've gone through my prayer, meditation, Asana (physical postures), closing sequence, and Savasana/Corpse Pose.
Generally, when I "wake up" from my practice, I re-read my Part I, and usually chuckle...who do I think I am!?!?!
To be fair, even after re-reading Part I, I wouldn't change a word of it. However, I will add that I feel more humble in nature after a practice. I would say that, even though I speak about not being obsessed with the world, I'll say that I have fluctuating success with this practice (as everyone does). On some days I'm not obsessed with the world, other days it's all I can think about...and some days are in between. The practice, and daily training on your mat, does help to shape your mind, and your body into something more refined that can discern between something that is worldly, and something that is not.
If you're a beginner, and wanting to build your practice, one of the best examples of Ashtanga Yoga Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutes) is below. This is part of my daily practice, and is an excellent way to build, and maintain, a foundation in yoga.
Time to shower up, and enter the world.
Namaste
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