Svatantra

Sadvidya took this opportunity to invite well-wishers to participate in an open Jivana Yoga morning with the visiting Indian teachers, Ganapathi and Madhukeshwara Ārya.  The morning program included a guided Jivana Yoga practice led by Madhukeshwara Ārya, a talk by Ganapathi Ārya, introducing the concept of Freedom and Independence from a Yogic perspective.

Our early morning preparations began to the sound of the howling Sintra wind – gentle decoration and lighting of the Altar, feeding and lighting the hall’s fireplace, cooking preparations, a fresh pot of kashaya and colorful fruit bowl.  By 9am, the wind gradually fades, leaving its presence in the background as soft sunlight from the East begins to bath the garden with morning rays, allowing all those entering the space to enjoy moments of warmth and natural beauty.

The guided practice by Madhukeshwara Ārya is slow, providing space to go deeper through a growing inner focus, physical warmth and melodious breath.  Ārya skillfully prepares the mind for the concluding silence practice, offering constant reminders for our western minds to keep the breath soft, slow and deep up to the moment when we do our best to find stillness.

It is break time – warm kashaya is poured as silence turns into light morning greetings.  Meanwhile, the space is cleared, replacing cork practice mats with sitting mats as we gather to listen to Ganapathi Ārya’s talk.

First, the part which the heart favors so – Divine singing. The familiar sound of the tambura enters the ears as the mind relaxes. It is a familiar rāga which builds from within – Ganapathi’s voice carries, lifts and at peak moments, celebrates and greets those who are attending – taming and nourishing the mind.  Singing transitions into silence, silence into a humble salutation and the talk begins.

Ārya begins with a brief Introduction to the modern concept of freedom and independence.

‘Are we dependent or independent‘?

‘If we analytically see our life, Every moment we are struggling for independence. We would like to have our independence within our culture, profession, finance, clothing, food, leisure and rest – everywhere, in all transactions’  The sensitivity and complexity of our external striving for freedom is further discussed – independence of choice, action and control as husbands and wives, parents and children, as employees, among family members, ‘everywhere it occurs’ suggests Ārya.  Examples are communicated lightly, bringing out acknowledging smiles:

‘One wants veg. another doesn’t, a partner might want to go early to bed in order to wake up earlier, the other prefers differently.  How easily such instances become the junction points which grow and spread into great difficulties and challenging conflicts.  From the individual up to the national level.’