Find the Substrate.
🛠️ So far in my life I’ve encountered two reliable tools for creating more freedom in my being —
Writing
Practicing Yoga
When I write, the fog of disparate thoughts and sensible notions is channeled through one focal point. Letter by letter, I can observe as the formless energy of my conscious field is presented in a linear structure, and I can examine those letter-bound thoughts as objects…each with its own resonance, relative purpose, and origin.
Through articulate sequencing of thought, I can create alignment in my intellect.
When I practice yoga, the infinite number of directions my body could move is refined to one intentional expression. The postures serve as backdrops to observe the interior nature, and they challenge me to refine the underlying qualities that determine the way I ultimately move through the world.
Through articulate movement of body, I can create alignment in my physicality.
As I experience that alignment, the opportunity arises to finally “see” the forces present in my life that push and pull against it. From that space of awareness, I think we can claim the truest form of agency available to us as individuals, and gradually begin to mold ourselves towards higher and higher expressions of our potential as human beings.
Why I’ve stuck with yoga…
Yoga offers us an EXPERIENTIAL path towards deeper self-awareness that, by definition, does not require prior acceptance of any set of philosophical or religious tenets.
I find that extremely valuable.
In this epoch, the road of human experience is littered with charlatans beckoning from all directions to wayward travelers, luring them into their dens of reduction and myopia.
With yoga, the work always resides squarely on the shoulders of the one practicing, and you need not surrender your power to anyone or anything to engage with that work. It’s a practice of “arrival” — showing up to your mat and training your attention down onto the present moment — and quite logically, nobody else can “arrive” for you. Anything anyone might seek to fill that space you arrive at (in lieu of you “filling” it with your own conscious awareness) is ultimately going to be inadequate, or even deceptive & misguiding, whether they intend it or not.
The yoga community is not at all free of the aforementioned attitudes and deceptions.
In fact, I find it to be positively saturated with cheap imitations of wisdom. That is, in large part, why I’m writing this Substack. When I practice yoga, I seek to reside at the cutting-edge of moment-to-moment awareness, noticing what arises and trying to integrate those new experiences into the already present embodiment of understanding that I carry through the world. I’ve learned to be constantly rearranging the bookshelf of my being, slotting fresh perspective next to the old knowledge that has stood the test of time.
I intend to do the same with these writings. I’m not here to repeat the same old stories and repackage the established guidelines into freshly wrapped bites of stale material. Each piece is written in the same fashion as my yoga practice. I don’t usually know what word is coming next, I think as I write, and move as I breathe.
I hope that this at least ensures a quality of rawness and authenticity to these extended reflections, so that they can be of most use to others walking in the same way.
For me, yoga is a co-creative process
I’ve long thought of “yoga” as something to which we can collectively contribute.
Whether you are showing up to the practice room or not, if you’re working to create freedom in your own space, then we are on the same path. Focusing first on our own patterns, we are truly learning to rid the greater world of oppression by cultivating awareness in what ways we most readily can.
These passages are written as extended versions of the real-time reflections that my weekly vinyasa classes prompt during practice each Tuesday.
If you’re local to San Diego, you can practice with me at YogaSix in Solana Beach every Tuesday evening at 6:30pm. Message me beforehand and I’ll sign you in as a free guest if you don’t have a membership package to use.
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