SPIRITUALITY STUDIESVolume 3 / Issue 2 FALL 2017
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S p i r i t ua l i t y S t u d i e s 3 - 2 Fa l l 2 0 1 7 1 EDITORIAL Issue content Editorial 1 Martin Dojčár Spiritual Autobiography: A Vehicle for Religious and Ethical Transformation 2 Lubomir Martin Ondrasek Working with Vāyus, Prāna and Prānāyāma in Yoga 8 Mukund V. Bhole Śrī Chakra Sādhanā 14 Gejza M. Timčák Metanoia Meets Magis at the Feet of the Guru 24 Mark Graceffo On Zazen: Sopot Talk 28 Sandó Kaisen Neural Training through Handstand – A Guide 32 Rebecca Papa-Adams Editorial In the world where unpredictability seems to dominate the global politics and determinate everyday lives of individuals, communities, and the whole nations, predictability appears to be the sign of hope for the "good", fully human life. Spirituality Studies stands firmly in the service of this hope in its various aspects. However, the question arises: How to make out of all those unpredictable events in individual and social life a story which gives sense? In the 2017 Fall edition of Spirituality Studies Lubomir Martin Ondrasek shares his search for unitive moments carrying in themselves deeper reason and discusses how to put them together into spiritual autobiography. In a similar way, Mark Graceffo tracks the lifemotives of his own life experience in his autobiographical essay. Both Mukund V. Bhole and Gejza M. Timčák in their studies point to the predictability moments within the wide range of psychological, psycho-physiological and spiritual processes and experiences related to yoga practice in its traditional form, while Rebecca Papa-Adams transfers the idea into a modern context related to yoga training and education. Consequently, Sandó Kaisen reminds us of the very essence of predictability from the Zen Buddhist point of view– the still point in the middle and, at the same time, beyond all unpredictability. Let me wish you, dear reader, to find an inspiration in your understanding of this dynamics of unpredictability and predictability on the pages of 2017 Fall edition of the Spirituality Studies Journal. ←← Cover: Himalayan Yogi Copyright © 2017 Milan Špak Spirituality Studies 3-2 Fall 2017 Publisher: The Society for Spirituality Studies Published in partnership with Monastic Interreligious Dialogue and European Union of Yoga Available online: www.spirituality-studies.org Editor-in-Chief: Doc. Dr. Martin Dojčár PhD. Graphic Design: Martin Hynek Contact: editor@spirituality-studies.org ISSN 1339-9578 Cordially Martin Dojčár
2 S p i r i t ua l i t y S t u d i e s 3 - 2 Fa l l 2 0 1 7 Spiritual Autobiography: A Vehicle for Religious and Ethical Transformation Received September 30, 2017 Accepted October 3, 2017 The purpose of this essay is to discuss spiritual autobiography in the context of the western Christian tradition as a legitimate form of religious discourse and appropriate mode of theological and ethical reflection that seeks to inform, form, and transform readers, who as a result of this process commit to the transformational task of Christianity in the world. Writing autoethnographies in general and faithful, effective spiritual autobiographies in particular is not as simple a task as may appear to those unfamiliar with the subject. This essay will introduce several important thinkers who work in the field of theology and life writing, thus providing helpful information for a deeper exploration of the issue. Appropriately for this topic, the author will share a portion of his personal story to illustrate the transformative power of the Christian narrative, maintaining that spiritual autobiography has the potential to be an important tool of transformational leadership and vehicle for religious and ethical transformation. Key words Autoethnography, spiritual autobiography, narrative writing, transformational leadership, Harvey Cox Lubomir Martin Ondrasek
S p i r i t ua l i t y S t u d i e s 3 - 2 Fa l l 2 0 1 7 3 Lubomir Martin Ondrasek 1 Spiritual Autobiography as a Legitimate Form of Religious Discourse At a time when the narrative approach in theology was not as widely accepted as a form of theological discourse and most academic theologians were reluctant to share their spiritual experiences or even use personal references in their work, the renowned Harvard theologian Harvey Cox started his bookThe Seduction of the Spirit (1973) as follows: "All human beings have an innate need to tell and hear stories and to have a story to live by. Religion, whatever else it has done, has provided one of the main ways of meeting this abiding need. (…) Recently neglected, testimony deserves reinstatement as a primary mode of religious discourse" (Cox 1973, 3). Cox then unapologetically devotes the first part of his book, "Testimony," to reflecting on his own life. Ten years later, Cox’s booklength autobiography was published under the title Just as I am (Cox 1983). In recent years, there seems to have been an increasing number of Christian theologians who are willing to share their personal narratives. Derek R. Nelson, Joshua M. Moritz, and Ted Peters edited the bookTheologians in Their Own Words (2013), which is a collection of twenty-three autobiographical essays by Christian theological thinkers – eighteen men and five women – representing diverse theological backgrounds (i.e. Lutheran, Roman Catholic, Anglican, Protestant, Evangelical). Some of these include Marilyn McCord Adams, Harvey Cox, Ernst Käsemann, Martin E. Marty, Alister McGrath, Wolfhart Pannenberg, John Polkinghorne, and Kathryn Tanner. Derek Nelson in the book’s introduction briefly examines "objections to autobiography" and "possibilities for autobiography," concluding that "despite these objections [James Wm. McClendon, Jr., Martha Nussbaum, Johann von Hofmann], we see value in narrating one’s life…" (Nelson 2013, 9). Heather Walton underscores this new trend in her bookWriting Methods in Theological Reflection, in which she writes: "One of the most interesting developments in recent theological thinking has been the extraordinary significance accorded to ‘narrative’ by conservative, radical and liberal theologians alike. This narrative turn, no doubt born of a postmodern skepticism towards abstract, propositional truth claims, is of particular importance for pastoral theologians and practitioners" (Walton 2014, 164). Walton’s excellent volume builds on her earlier important work on theological reflection (Graham, Walton, and Ward 2005; 2007). She focuses on three literary approaches to reflective theological writing: autoethnography, journaling, and life writing. Each is defined, explained, and About the author Lubomir Martin Ondrasek, M.Div., Th.M., A.M.R.S. (1972) is the president and co-founder of Acta Sanctorum, a Chicago-based Christian non-profit that works for positive transformation in post-communist Central and Eastern Europe (presently focusing on Slovakia). He holds graduate degrees from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, Harvard University, and the University of Chicago and is presently pursuing his D.Min. in Transformational Leadership at Boston University. He publishes, presents, and provides consultations in the areas of Religion, Ethics and Public Life, Church and State, Public Ministry of the Church, and New Religious Movements (Pentecostalism). He is currently working on his spiritual-theological autobiography tentatively titled Answering the Call: My Surprising Journey of Faith. His email contact is ondrasek@bu.edu.
4 S p i r i t ua l i t y S t u d i e s 3 - 2 Fa l l 2 0 1 7 illustrated, enabling the reader to identify the commonalities and variations between them. Walton reminds us something that may not be obvious at first glance and is especially relevant for those considering writing their own spiritual autobiography: "The challenge to write experiences as a means of articulating faith or values is a daunting one" (Walton 2014, xii). At the same time, she provides careful and helpful guidance to those who may want to embark on the process of reflective theological writing. Those with an interest in life writing through a theological lens should familiarize themselves with Walton’s work. 2 Transformative Power of Spiritual Autobiography: Personal Experience From the moment I converted from atheism to Christianity at the age of 18, I never doubted that spiritual autobiography could be an important means for transforming the heart and mind. At the beginning of my spiritual journey was the personal testimony of the former leader of the Brooklyn’s notorious Mau Maus gang, Nicky Cruz. The book and international bestseller Run Baby Run found me thanks to my close friend, and the rest is history. Until then, I was not an avid reader; I disliked books and do not remember having read more than three voluntarily. When I was in elementary school, my mother read my textbooks aloud and asked me what I remembered. My adversarial relationship to books was one of the main reasons it took me an extra year to graduate from high school; at the time of my conversion, I ranked at the very bottom of my high school class. But I could not put Cruz’s book down and after reading it asked my Christian friend to get me a Bible. Within a few days – I think exactly three – I read the entire New Testament, accepted the Gospel message, started attending my friend’s church, and soon afterwards experienced the call to Christian ministry. In short, reading the stories of Cruz and those by and about Jesus became a transformational experience for me. Harvey Cox wrote about these two kinds of stories in his book, When Jesus Came to Harvard (2004), which again has a strong autobiographical element as it is based on his fifteen years teaching one of the most popular courses in Harvard’s history: "Jesus and Moral Life." Cox told the stories by and about Jesus to his students and several thousand came to hear them, enrolling in his classes. For about fifteen years, I belonged to a Pentecostal church, eventually becoming an ordained minister with the Assemblies of God. During those years I heard hundreds of personal testimonies and shared my own in private and public settings. Pentecostals are eager to share their experiences of God, which is one reason for its explosive global growth in the 20th century. Grant Wacker underscores the importance of "testimony" in early Pentecostalism and links this spiritual practice to ethics: "Like countless other Christians before them, early pentecostals assumed that their personal faith stories bore normative implications for others. Consequently, they devoted much of the time in their worship services – maybe a third of the total – to public testimonies about their spiritual journeys" (Wacker 2001, 58). Even a century after the powerful Pentecostal revival erupted on Azusa Street in Los Angeles and spread to all four corners of the world, testimony plays an important role in Pentecostal theology and practice. These experiences undoubtedly contributed to my desire to write my own spiritual autobiography, with the initial narrow view of it becoming a vehicle of personal conversion. I have contemplated this idea for over two decades, but other than occasional personal references in my op-eds and other writings that were mostly unrelated to spirituality or theology and a scholarly paper I delivered at a conference on Pentecostalism and later had published (Ondrášek 2013, 95–112), I have not written about my life. Regardless of the reasons that delayed this project, I am grateful that I did not write that story yet. Stories can both positively transform and misinform or mislead – spiritually or otherwise. To embark on such a project, one must be prepared intellectually, emotionally, socially, and spiritually. The idea to share my life story with others in writing – family, friends, and anyone willing to read it – never left me, together with the hope that God could use my account to bring about religious and ethical transformation. I have shared a portion of my testimony numerous times, seen its positive fruit, and was encouraged by others to put it in writing. I experienced a deep sense of assurance that this is in fact what God is calling me to do after discussing the issue with my academic adviser, Harvey Cox, in his Harvard Divinity School office in 2005. Since then, the question never was "if" but "when." I consider myself fortunate and blessed as well as a part of God’s providence that in January 2017, I was able to take a course from professor Claire Wolfteich at Boston University, who has been supportive and provided me with early guidance for this project.
S p i r i t ua l i t y S t u d i e s 3 - 2 Fa l l 2 0 1 7 5 Lubomir Martin Ondrasek 3 Transformative Power of Spiritual Autobiography: Scholarly Observations There seems to be little doubt that narrative writing can be an effective tool for influencing human thought and action. R. Ruard Ganzevoort, who is one of the leading proponents of narrative approaches in practical theology, cites the great medieval theologian St. Bonaventure, who in his Breviloquium ("Brief Discourse") recognized that "the mind is more moved by examples than by argumentation, by promises more than by reasoning, by piety more than by definitions" (Ganzevoort 2012, 215). Ganzevoort, after explaining "the narrative turn" (influenced by Ricoeur’s work on narrative identity), discusses narrative approaches and their application to practical theology. In his informative chapter, he introduces the six dimensions of a narrative model – structure, perspective, tone, role assignment, relational positioning, and justification for an audience – before concluding with a critical evaluation of the aforementioned narrative methods. One of the alleged weaknesses of these approaches is uncritical acceptance of human subjectivity and ignorance of the normativity question – something that everyone involved in autobiographical writing needs to keep in mind. Similarly, Harvey Cox, writing more than seven centuries after St. Bonaventure and referring to the work of American Jewish philosopher Edith Wyschogrod, remarked, "for all their importance, neither ethical principles nor moral theories actually ‘motivate’ anyone. What motivates people are stories, narratives, accounts of situations in which choices must be made and stands taken" (Cox 2004, 25). Due to space constraints, we cannot explore here why human beings seem to be wired this way, but the fact that they are is critically important for leadership studies in general and transformational ministry in particular. As a public theologian with the ambition of becoming a transformational leader, my goal is to motivate people to action, helping them become agents of positive change in society. I view a well-written spiritual autobiography as an important vehicle towards transformational leadership. Herbert Anderson and Edward Foley, practical theologians at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, also recognize that "stories are mighty," underscoring their transformative power. The authors elucidate, adding an important new element to our conversation: "Stories are mighty, however, not only because we shape our lives through them but also because they have the power to unsettle the lives we have comfortably shaped by them. In the sense, the narrative mode itself subverts our settled social realities. Our self-interpretation is not the last word, because our stories are not just our stories. When we weave together the human and the divine, we are attentive to another story that is not completely our own, a narrative that has the power to transform" (Anderson and Foley 1997, 7). The most important chapter of the book for our purposes is Chapter 1, "The Power of Storytelling," which underscores the transformative capacity of narrative. There are a number of studies and myriad examples showing the impact of spiritual autobiographies on readers. It would probably take a lifetime for a scholar to examine the widespread effects and transformational influence of St. Augustine’s famous Confessions. Teresa of Ávila poignantly describes her experience reading this work: "When I began to read the ‘Confessions’, I thought I saw myself there described, and began to recommend myself greatly to this glorious Saint. When I came to his conversion, and read how he heard that voice in the garden, it seemed to me nothing less than that our Lord had uttered it for me. I felt so in my heart, I remained for some time lost in tears, in great inward affliction and distress" (quoted by Janet K. Ruffing 2011, 54). It is true that people can be moved but not changed, but it seems equally true that they cannot be changed without first being moved. One of the big questions, of course, is why some people are never moved by reading a spiritual autobiography and others are never changed, or, put it in positive terms, what criteria spiritual autobiography should meet to increase its probability of becoming a vehicle of transformation. 4 Concluding Remarks In this essay, I am not arguing that spiritual autobiography is the only or best strategic tool for religious and ethical transformation. I simply assert that it is a legitimate and effective form of religious discourse and for some the most appropriate mode of theological reflection that seeks to inform, form, and transform the reader, who as a result of this process commits to the ethical task of Christianity in the world and contributes to the creation of a "good society," which for me is the aim of transformational ministry. Whether a spiritual biography becomes a vehicle for personal transformation seems to depend mainly on the content of the narrative ("what?") and the way it gets communicated ("how?"). To achieve success in both areas, resulting in faithful and effective spiritual autobiography, one must not only attend to the practical theological and ethical tasks and integrate them within one’s story, but also learn the art and science of autobiographical writing (Walton 2014, Ruffing 2011, Phifer 2002,
6 S p i r i t ua l i t y S t u d i e s 3 - 2 Fa l l 2 0 1 7 Leigh 2000), which includes paying close attention to the "ethics of life writing" (Eakin, ed. 2004). In addition to the listed resources, one can learn about writing a spiritual autobiography through a careful reading of excellent autobiographies. It is difficult to select the list of the "best" Christian autobiographies, but mine would include St. Augustine, Teresa of Ávila, John Bunyan, Thérèse of Lisieux, Corrie ten Boom, C. S. Lewis, Dorothy Day, Thomas Merton, Nicky Cruz, and Billy Graham. Although quality of effort should never be judged purely by utilitarian considerations, the kind of spiritual fruit produced matters (Matthew 7:20). Ultimately, only God can transform the human heart, but God most often does so through Spirit-filled people who respond with alacrity to God’s call. Lastly, I want to mention one deeply personal reason – again related to transformation – that I feel drawn to writing my personal story and why I would ask others to consider doing the same. Anyone who delves into the field of life writing in general and spiritual autobiography in particular will quickly become aware of the manifold benefits such writing has for authors. Classical Greek philosophers already talked about the importance of "knowing thyself," and a number of Christian theologians pointed to the link between self-knowledge and knowledge of God. Aware of this connection, Heather Walton writes: "Because of the close ties between our sense of who we are and our grasp of who God is, life writing has become a key resource in vocational exploration and formation, the development of spiritual awareness, theological research and pastoral care. In all these fields it delivers powerful results" (Walton 2014, 91). John-Raphael Staudte, who defines autobiography as "a dialogue of the self with itself in the present about the past for the sake of self-understanding," adds along a similar vein to Walton, "writing and reflecting on one’s autobiography enhances spiritual growth and can be therapeutic, freeing people from outlived roles and self-imposed images" (Staude 2005, 249). I am at a point in my life in which I can sense and rationally justify the need to "stop and remember" as well as sharpen my spiritual vision, so I can see God’s purpose for my life more clearly in the near and distant future. Transformative leadership requires transformed leaders, and my underlying assumption is that writing my spiritual autobiography will be a transformative experience for me, which will bring me closer to God, the source of all positive transformation.
S p i r i t ua l i t y S t u d i e s 3 - 2 Fa l l 2 0 1 7 7 Lubomir Martin Ondrasek References Anderson, Herbert, and Edward Foley. 1997. Mighty Stories, Dangerous Rituals: Weaving Together the Human and the Divine. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers. Cox, Harvey. 1973. The Seduction of the Spirit: The Use and Misuse of People’s Religion. New York: Simon and Schuster. Cox, Harvey. 1983. Just as I am. Nashville: Abingdon. Cox, Harvey. 2004. When Jesus Came to Harvard: Making Moral Choices Today. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. Eakin, Paul John, ed. 2004. The Ethics of Life Writing. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press. Ganzevoort, R. Ruard. 2012. "Narrative Approaches." In The Wiley-Blackwell Companion to Practical Theology, edited by Bonnie J. Miller-McLemore. Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell. Graham, Elaine, Heather Walton, and Frances Ward. 2005. Theological Reflections: Methods. London: SCM Press. Graham, Elaine, Heather Walton, and Frances Ward. 2007. Theological Reflections: Sources. London: SCM Press. Leigh, David J. 2000. Circuitous Journeys: Modern Spiritual Autobiography. New York: Fordham University Press. Nelson, Derek R. 2013. "Introduction." In Theologians in Their Own Words, edited by Derek R. Nelson, Joshua M. Moritz, and Ted Peters. Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press. Ondrášek, Ľubomir Martin. 2013. "Svedectvo ako forma náboženského diskurzu: osobná reflexia o Pentekostalizme po dvadsiatich rokoch" [Testimony as a Form of Religious Discourse: Personal Reflection on Pentecostalism after Twenty Years]. In Pentekostalizmus v súčasnom náboženskom a spoločenskom kontexte [Pentecostalism in Contemporary Religious and Social Context], edited by Ľubomír Martin Ondrášek and Ivan Moďoroši. Ružomberok, Slovakia: Catholic University in Ružomberok. Phifer, Nan. 2002. Memoirs of the Soul: Writing Your Spiritual Autobiography. Cincinnati: Walking Stick Press. Ruffing, Janet K. 2011. To Tell the Sacred Tale: Spiritual Direction and Narrative. Mahwah, NJ: Paulist Press. Staude, John-Raphael. 2005. "Autobiography as a Spiritual Practice." Journal of Gerontological Social Work 45 (3): 249–269. Wacker, Grant. 2001. Heaven Below: Early Pentecostals and American Culture. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. Walton, Heather. 2014. Writing Methods in Theological Reflection. London: SCM Press.
8 S p i r i t ua l i t y S t u d i e s 3 - 2 Fa l l 2 0 1 7 Working with Vāyus, Prāna and Prānāyāma in Yoga Received October 7, 2017 Revised October 12, 2017 Accepted October 13, 2017 The paper deals with the practical implementation of the terms prāna and vāyu in teaching yoga. Different yoga schools and traditions use various terms such as vāyu, vāta, prāna, pavana, samīrana, anila, māruta, śvasana, prabhañjanawhile highlighting the importance of the subject of prānāyāma and for describing the related techniques and their effects. The paper gives the different meanings and understanding of terms vāyu, prāna andprānāyāma. The author deals also with the psycho-physiological mechanisms related with the doctrines of vāyu andprāna in relation to prānāyāma. Key words Prāna, vāyu, prānāyāma, selfperception Mukund V. Bhole
S p i r i t ua l i t y S t u d i e s 3 - 2 Fa l l 2 0 1 7 9 Mukund V. Bhole 1 Introduction The computer sciences refer toBasic Input-Output System (BIOS). The bio-medical sciences refer to Sensory-Motor activity and networking in the nervous system. There is reference to the terms vāyus, prāna and prānāyāma in traditional texts on Hatha and Tantra yoga. For a novice and the beginner in yoga, activity of vāyus could be understood as neuro-muscular activity and/or psycho-neuro-muscular actions involving motor nerves and motor areas in the brain and the spinal cord. Stimulation of various receptors (exteroceptors/tele-receptors, internal receptors, visceral receptors, vestibular receptors) giving rise to sensations leading to knowledge of different kind could be understood as the activity of prāna. The concept of prānāyāma could be viewed as increasing the depth, intensity, quality and subtlety of the knowledge and the database related to the Self in relation to the spiritual (adhyātmika) yoga [1]. In modern sense of the term, the science, philosophy and practical aspects of traditional yoga education programs are based on subjectively experienced knowledge about the existence and survival of the human being and the life as a whole in different environmental conditions. Those who got this knowledge tried to communicate it to those who didn’t have the same or similar kind of knowledge. Being based on the internally aroused sensations, in the initial stages, the teachers and students encounter lot of difficulties in communicating their subjective feelings and knowledge to each-other clearly and effectively in the objective framework of the modern education systems. Different yoga schools and traditions use various terms such as vāyu, vāta, prāna, pavana, samīrana, anila, māruta, maruta, śvasana, prabhañjana while highlighting the importance of the subject of prānāyāma and for describing the related techniques and their effects. Moreover, these terms are used indiscriminately, as synonyms (Gharote and Devnath 2005) and many times in an obscure language. The terms vāyu, prāna and prānāyāma are used with different meanings and understandings in different yoga traditions and in the same tradition with reference to context as has been presented in Yoga Kosha [2]. Relevant and important matter has been summarized below. About the author Mukund Vinayak Bhole, M.D., D.Sc. is a retired research director of the Kaivalyadhama SMYM Samiti, Lonavla, India, the first Yoga Research Institute on the globe. He holds M.D. in physiology and D.Sc. in yoga, and was granted a number of distinctions for his tireless work in yoga. Dr. Bhole works and teaches in a number of Asian and European countries since the early 1970-ies. Presently he has started cooperating also in an EU project on consciousness and creativity. His main area of interest is research into prānāyāma. His email contact is mv35bhole@gmail.com.
1 0 S p i r i t ua l i t y S t u d i e s 3 - 2 Fa l l 2 0 1 7 Different meanings and understanding of the term vāyu (Yoga Kosha 1991, Gorakshasatakam1974, Hathapradipika 1985): a) Breath (svāsa-prasvāsa) – the air (wind) breathed in and out during breathing; b) Prāna – energy moving to and fro inside the body and which could be taken to any part of the body including the head and held there for shorter or longer time; c) Autonomic reflex activities involved in sustaining life (vāyavāh dashadah, pleural); d) States of consciousness (chitta-avasthā) arising out of actions, activities and behavior patterns; e) Functions of five sensory and five motor organs (jnānendriyās and karmendriyās); f) Constituent material substance of the Nature (Universe) and the Individual (vāyu as mahābhuta); g) Area of the body (from naval to nose) under the influence of vāyu (vāyusthāna); h) Nourishment reaching all parts of the body/being (oxygen or something else?); i) Muscular action (contraction–relaxation); j) Constitution of individual (vāta prakruti), humor (vāta dosha) and behavioral tendency (rajo guna); k) Vāta dosha in Āyurveda. Different meanings and understanding of the termprāna (Yoga Kosha 1991, Yoga Sutra 2007, Gheranda Sanhita 1978, Gorakshasatakam1974, Hathapradipika 1985): a) Respiration; b) Breath or vital air that moves on continuously throughout the body; c) One of the five vāyus (other four being apāna, samāna, udāna and vyāna); d) Autonomic reflex functions involved in preserving life; e) Functions of the jiva (living being), jivana; f) Nerve currents, motor impulses; g) Something (nerve impulses related with the activity of the vertebral muscles) rising up the back; h) One of the ten vāyus supposed to be residing below the kanda (bulb). Different meanings and understanding of the termprānāyāma (Yoga Kosha 1991, Yoga Sutra 2007, Gheranda Sanhita 1978, Gorakshasatakam1974, Hathapradipika 1985, Bhagavad Gita 2014): a) Pause in breathing; b) Whole process of inspiration–expiration and suspension of breath in different ways; c) Practice that leads to supreme realization; d) Alternate nostril breathing using thumb to close one nostril and the ring and little fingers to close the other nostril and to use these three fingers to close both the nostrils; e) Inhalation (puraka), exhalation (rechaka) and suspension of breath (kumbhaka) during the of yoga; f) Contemplation on different aspects of goddess Gayatri – "a" during rechaka, "u" during kumbhaka, and "ma" or goddess Saraswati during puraka; g) Raising apāna, mixing it with prāna and carrying the blend to the head; h) Simultaneous cessation of prānagati and apānagati; i) Balanced state of prāna and apāna; j) Steadiness of vital air. In the absence of proper exposure and understanding, it is quite possible that anyone will get confused and disoriented after reading these descriptions and people will run away from the practices based on these concepts. Realizing the need to present such an important subject in simplified language, an attempt has been made to present some of the above-mentioned terms in modern medical language with the intention of using them in a practical class for the novice and the beginners in yoga. 2 Simple Basic Physiological, Psycho-physiological and Physiopsychological Mechanisms Since infancy, most of our psycho-motor learning and education takes place through three types of gross body movements, which are not related with breathing in a direct way: (1) loco-motor, e.g. movements of arms, legs, and vertebral column; (2) balancing, e.g. standing on one leg or toes, topsy-turvy positions, rail-walking, etc.; (3) movement against the force of gravity, e.g. lifting the leg/arm, high jump, etc. These movements can be seen and observed by other persons [3]. The performer can see them in a mirror as is done
S p i r i t ua l i t y S t u d i e s 3 - 2 Fa l l 2 0 1 7 1 1 Mukund V. Bhole by body builders, dancers, actors, weight lifters, etc. In yogic language, indriya-prāna is used to get the knowledge. If desired and required, they can be photographed and video filmed for records, validation, verification and comparison. The performer can also subjectively feel these movements from inside the body without using the sense organs and get experiential knowledge which is totally different from the objective knowledge. Directly, these movements are not related with breathing. However, breathing can get influenced by them, if performed till exhaustion by working beyond capacity. Yoga competitions as a sport activity are based on the evaluation of these movements by the judges. Yoga demonstrations also utilize these body movements. However, working with breath during prānāyāma assumes different characteristics. It is held in high esteem in traditional yoga. Soon after birth, we start to breathe. Natural breathing is spontaneous and involuntary. It involves (1) expanding or opening type of body movements related with the phase of inhalation or breathing-in (svāsa), and (2) retracting or closing type of body movements related with exhalation (prasvāsa). The new born baby does not remain conscious of these body movements related with breathing nor other kinds of body movements nor the movement of air (breath) during its breathing. It can be easily ascertained by an intelligent baby sitter observing the baby. The medical world knows that the pressure changes taking place in the abdominal cavity due to the movement of the thoracic diaphragm are manifested as the movements of the abdominal wall observed during natural-spontaneous-involuntary breathing in resting condition. However, unlearned people are not aware of this fact. They feel and strongly believe that the air movement is responsible for the abdominal movements during breathing. This wrong belief/conviction requires to be corrected before proceeding on the path of prānāyāma. Crying of a new born baby involving breathing and most of its physical movements are involuntary and reflex in nature. We slowly learn to control, modify and use breath and breathing in different ways with or without awareness ("mindfulness"). We do not receive systematic training and education about the "mechanics of breathing" and how to work with it in an intelligent way, even though we do learn to speak, to sing and to modify and control spontaneous activities such as crying, laughing, shouting, screaming, sneezing, hiccup, coughing, etc. Commonly conducted training and educational programs involving breath and breathing by non-medical people give importance to "gaseous exchange" (O 2 –CO 2 exchange) along with various volumes, capacities, reserves, ventilation, breath-holding time and ability to inhale and exhale as completely and as quickly as possible in the shortest possible time. Modern yoga literature, teaching and research are no exception to this approach. Even the modern yoga teachers do not seem to be working with the "mechanics of breathing" in yoga classes while working with prānāyāma. 3 Working with Vāyus, Prāna and Prānāyāma in Yoga For practical training purposes vāyus could be understood as the neuro-muscular activities which are mostly involuntary in nature and/or psycho-neuro-muscular actions which are mostly voluntary in nature. Acquiring knowledge because of the sensory activity could be understood as prāna for training and education in yoga. The three types of body movements not related with breathing and the two related with breathing are looked upon as five major or primary vāyus (neuro-muscular movements) in yoga. They are employed in daily life to carry out different actions and activities to earn livelihood and sustain life. Other types of (gross or subtle) movements are reflex in nature and they become evident when the systems come into action to overcome disturbances in our state of being, such as sneezing, yawning, belching, hiccup, coughing, etc. They are called as five minor or subsidiary or secondary vāyus in yoga. The working of these vāyus (motor activities) giving rise to knowledge (jnāna) through the sensory activity could be understood as prāna in yoga training. The knowledge acquired through the functioning of the sensory organs (tele-receptors or exteroceptors) and/or by way of feed-back from the skeletal muscles, joints, ligaments (kinesthetic perception) is also termed as prāna in yoga. It can get related with objects, events, phenomenon, etc. in the external world outside the body (bāhya ākāksha). We also get knowledge from inside the body (internal world or antarākāsha) because of the functioning of the internal organs (visceral activity giving rise to visceral awareness) and the state of the skeletal muscles (proprioceptive awareness). In yoga, breathing is recognized as the only (?) vital activity which can be easily sensed, monitored and modified by a conscious person. In traditional yoga, the training and education in relation to prānāyāma involves working with the "mechanics of breathing" rather than "gaseous exchange". It is connected with the doctrine of prānic body (prānāyāma kośa)
1 2 S p i r i t ua l i t y S t u d i e s 3 - 2 Fa l l 2 0 1 7 described in various Upanishads and with the doctrines of nādishuddhi, kumbhaka, lotuses, chakras and arousal of kundalini in Hatha and Tantra yoga. We are expected to get the knowledge about the "mechanics of breathing" and the "flow of breath" (in-breath and outbreath) through "its touch inside the body" (antah sparsha), the pathway (channel or nādi or mārg) followed by the flow of breath and the speed of its movement (gati). The whole practice constitutes getting knowledge leading to the understanding about the working of the vāyus (neuro-muscular activity) with the help internal sensory activity (prāna) and to increase the depth and subtlety of this knowledge and understanding (prānāyāma) through regular practice (abhyāsa; see Vimuktananda 1977). It ultimately results in guiding the practitioner to "self-realization" because air as breath has no form, smell, touch and the spontaneous natural breathing is involuntary in nature. The tactile knowledge is obtained from inside the body whose nerve supply is different from the nerve supply of the skin. 4 Psycho-physiological Mechanisms Related with the Doctrines of Vāyu and Prāna in Relation to Prānāyāma As mentioned above, gross or major body movements (neuro-muscular or psycho-neuro-muscular) have been postulated as vāyus [4] and the knowledge of these movements developed through the sensory activities has been postulated as prāna in relation to the practice of prānāyāma. Hatha and Tantra yoga texts also mentionminor or subsidiary vāyus [5], but not prānas [6]. The minor vāyus can be understood as reflex actions as a result of disturbances in the body functions. As mentioned above, there is no unanimity in respect of psycho-physiological functions ascribed to these vāyus and prānas in different schools and books on yoga and Āyurveda and as maintained by different experts. Modern writings on these topics can be questioned from the practical and experiential objectives to be achieved according to the traditional teachings in yoga. Therefore, slightly different view point has been advanced here for the consideration of those who would like to learn yoga by doing and experiencing. Five main vāyus (verb) – different "processes": 1. Prāna vāyu– physical, physiological and/or psycho-physiological movements involved in "taking-in" or receiving material things such as solids (food), liquids (water) and air/wind (breath), etc., and/or thoughts and feelings, etc.; 2. Apāna vāyu– physical, physiological and/or psycho-physiological movements involved in "giving-away" or "bringing-out" or elimination of material things such as solids (stools), liquids (urine, sweat, tears) and air/wind (breath), etc., and/or thoughts and feelings, etc.; 3. Vyāna vāyu– physical, physiological and/or psycho-physiological movements involved in transporting material things, thoughts, feelings, etc.; 4. Samāna vāyu – physical, physiological and/or psycho-physiological movements involved in maintaining balance and equilibrium; 5. Udāna vāyu– physical, physiological and/or psycho-physiological movements involved in upward direction against the force of gravity. Fiveprānas (noun) – different "states of consciousness / awareness": 1. Prāna and prānic activity– neural and/or muculo-neural activity giving rise to the feeling, knowledge and a state of awareness/consciousness of receiving or getting something. In short, "awareness of addition" for the Self; 2. Apāna and apānic activity – neural and/or musculo-neural activity giving rise to the feeling, knowledge and a state of awareness/consciousness related with giving away, elimination, forgetting, etc. In short, "awareness of deletion" for the Self; 3. Vyāna and vyāna activity– neural and/or musculo-neural activity giving rise to the feeling, knowledge and a state of awareness/consciousness of linear movement or circulation. In short, "awareness of linear movement" for the Self; 4. Samāna and samāna activity– neural and/or musculo-neural activity giving rise to the feeling, knowledge and a state of awareness/consciousness related with balance and equilibrium. In short, "awareness of balance (Samādhi?)" for the Self; 5. Udāna andudāna activity – neural and/or musculo-neural activity giving rise to the feeling, knowledge and a state of awareness/consciousness related with upward movement (physical plane) and/or journey (mental plane). In short, "awareness of upliftment (ujjāyi, uddiyāna, utthāna)" for the Self.
S p i r i t ua l i t y S t u d i e s 3 - 2 Fa l l 2 0 1 7 1 3 Mukund V. Bhole 5 Conclusions Traditional yoga education puts emphasis on getting knowledge (working of prānas) of the actions and activities (working of vāyus) during the yoga practices. Practices should not be mechanical in nature. Upanishads (Nikhilananda 1963) mention the sequence as kriyā-jnāna-upāsanā, i.e. activities (kriyās-vāyus) should give rise to knowledge (jnāna-prāna) and working with that knowledge (upāsanā- prānāyāma) should lead to habit formation reflecting in behavior patterns (being and becoming). Bhagavad Gita mentions karma-jnāna-bhakti, i.e. actions (karma-vāyus) should give rise to knowledge (jnāna-prānas) and working with that knowledge (bhakti-prānāyāma) should lead to devotion or commitment in life (being and becoming). Notes Those readers who will try to practice according to the guidelines given in the text, are requested to send their experiential observations to the author of the article and/or the editor of Spirituality Studies. [1] The nature of the knowledge gained and understanding developed in "material yoga" (bhautika yoga) and "transcendental yoga" (pāramārthika yoga) is of a different kind. [2] Yoga Kosa refers to prāna on pp. 223–224, to prānāyāma on pp. 225–226, to vāyu on pp. 290–293. [3] These movements are used in playing games, sports, swimming, body building exercises, dancing, and daily actions and activities for procuring food and drinks, working with office/factory/household machines, instruments and apparatuses involve along with the activity of sense organs. It is possible to carry on with these movements while continuing breathing (controlled or uncontrolled) and/or during breath-holding. [4] Five major vāyus are prāna vāyu, apāna vāyu, vyāna vāyu, samāna vāyu, and udāna vāyu. [5] Five minor vāyus are naga, kūrma, krukala, devadutta, and dhananjaya vāyu. [6] However, the text, Shatapatha Brahman, mentions that the activity of five sensory and five motor organs (indriyas) could be experienced in terms of five prānas. References Gheranda Samhita. 1978. Lonavla: Kaivalyadhama SMYM Samiti. Gharote, M. L., and Parimal Devnath, eds. 2005. Kumbhaka Paddhati of Raghuvira. Lonavala: Lonavala Yoga Institute. Gorakshasatakan. 1974. Lonavla: Kaivalyadhama SMYM Samiti. Nikhilananda. 1963. The Upanishads. London: Allen and Unwin. Hatha Yoga Pradipika. 1985. Munger: BSY. The Bhagavad Gita. 2014. Sivkasi: Srinivas Fine Arts. The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. 2007. Lonavla: Lonavla Yoga Institute. Vimuktananda. 1977. Aparókshanubhuti. Calcutta: Advaita Asrama. Yoga Kosha: Dictionary of Yogic Terms. 1991. Lonavala: Kaivalyadhama SMYM Samiti.
1 4 S p i r i t ua l i t y S t u d i e s 3 - 2 Fa l l 2 0 1 7 Śrī Chakra Sādhanā Received June 6, 2017 Revised July 25, 2017 Accepted July 28, 2017 Śrī Vidyā is an ancient concept that has both individual and universal aspect. In fact, it is both a process and a name of Lalitā, one of the Ten Mahāvidyās. The understanding of Śrī chakra is a part of Śrī Vidyā. The model of the created universe inherent in the Śrī chakra provides also a way for sādhanā. The paper attempts to present a do-able sādhanā which, even though does not touch on pujas, gives a powerful possibility to walk on the Inner path towards the discovery of samhāra – absorption into the Source of everything. Key words Śrī Vidyā, Śrī chakra, sādhanā, meditation, mantra, āsana Gejza M. Timčák
S p i r i t ua l i t y S t u d i e s 3 - 2 Fa l l 2 0 1 7 1 5 Gejza M. Timčák 1 Introduction Śrī chakra is a very specific geometric model of the life related processes present in the Creation. It is a part of the mysterious Śrī Vidyā– the science of creation (Veda Bharati 2011). Śrī chakra is an excellent example of sacred geometry, where the principles on the basis of which it is created, have many meta-dimensions. Śrī Vidyā is a science in the non-orthodox sense and it has apparent manifestations – like temple designs (Fig. 1). One can find related hidden cryptic information also in temple grounds (Fig. 2). Śrī Vidyā related philosophy is considered more present in South India, but has a universal appeal. About the author Doc. Ing. Gejza M. Timčák, PhD. (1942) is a yoga tutor and author of a number of yoga related books like Joga 1–4 in Slovak (6 editions), Joga 1–2 in Hungarian (2 editions), Yoga 1 in German (1 edition), Personal Development Strategies in Yoga, translation of the Gheranda Samhita, Goraksha Shatakam, Aparoksha Anubhuti, Sarva Upanishad, Satkarma Sangrahah or Shat Chakra Nirupanam. On conferences and courses he had countless presentations on diverse yoga subjects. He co-authored books (e.g. teaching materials for Slovak Yoga Association’s yoga teacher courses), films (e.g. Disregarded Possibilities), and videos (e.g. Hitting the Bull’s Eye) on yoga. He is a co-developer of the Savita Yoga style, president of the Slovak Yoga Association, and chairman of the Association for the Advancement of Yoga. His activities relate also to the European Union of Yoga. He teaches yoga in various European and Asian countries. His email contact is timcak.gejza@atk.sk.
1 6 S p i r i t ua l i t y S t u d i e s 3 - 2 Fa l l 2 0 1 7 Fig. 1. Śrī chakra as a basis for Vastu Shastra temple design (Sreenivasa Rao 2017). The Śrī chakra has been in the center of interest also of mathematicians, who tried to unravel the hidden message in its geometry (Kulaichev 1984). There findings, though are more of academic interest, even if they make the design of the Śrī chakra more exact. The Indian spirituality is much centered around offerings (puja) and coming "behind" the outer manifestation through addressing the Patrons or Deities related to their various aspects and levels (Ramachandra Rao 2008, Ravi 2013). This is a devotional approach, which for Europeans who do not have the same cultural and spiritual background, is difficult to practice authentically. The interpretative explanation of the Śrī chakra, however has a great number of aspects which offer an excellent sādhanā that is not dependent on pujas. The Śrī chakra and the related sādhanā is governed byŚrī Lalitā– who is called alsoRāja-rājeśvarī or Tripura Sundarī as well as by other names and attributes (Narayana Menon 2011) –, is one of the Ten Mahāvidyās, representatives of the non-conformist aspects of the Divine Feminine. It was in the Swami Rama where the thought about transforming the Śrī chakra system of sādhanā into a set of practices suitable for western practitioners matured. The presented sādhanā structure uses elements that appear in the traditional system of Śrī chakra interpretation, but is projected into a sādhanā frame that take into consideration modern trends in yoga. 2 The Śrī Chakra Sādhanā The construction of the Śrī chakra is such that it includes nine levels. These levels represent certain aspects of creation, both on the individual level as well as on the universal level. The nine levels have their names, Patrons and Guardians, mantras and associated parts of the human kośas. Fig. 3 shows a 2D version of the Śrī chakra and Fig. 4, shows the 3D version of Śrī chakra. The Śrī chakra is composed of a square base surrounded by three "lines of protection" and with four gates, then it contains three circles, two lotus flowers – one with sixteen petals and one with eight petals. Then the triangular composition comes. There are nine triangles positioned in such a way that they form four levels of triangular "spikes", plus a central triangle and a dot in the center. The dot (which is above the level, where the sahasrāra is present) symbolizes the undifferentiated Śiva and Śakti (Tripura Sundarī, Lalitā, Kāmakalā, Parā Bhattārikā, Mahā Kāmeśvarī, Śrī Vidyā). Of the whole theory of the Śrī only the basics are discussed in order to enable the understanding of the sādhanā (practical part) and its implications. The Śrī chakra represents the Centre of the manifested universe in which we live. Technically, it does not deal with the energies and emanations that lead to the creation described in the Saundariya Lahiri (Subrahmanya and Ayyangar 1977), but deals with the processes linked to the life that is created through the burden of avidyā (improper understanding of the essence of life) and that is placed into the perceptible universe. Fig. 2. Śrī Vidyā related drawings cut into floor slabs in the Arunachala Temple in Tiruvannamalai. Visitors will rarely pay attention to them.
S p i r i t ua l i t y S t u d i e s 3 - 2 Fa l l 2 0 1 7 1 7 Gejza M. Timčák Fig. 3. A colored version of 2D Śrī chakra. It is built of a square base, two lotus flowers, five downward pointing, four upward pointing triangles and a dot. The colors are added only for clarity. Fig. 4. The nine levels and their names of the Śrī chakra shown on a 3D Śrī chakra model (Devshoppe 2017). The various elements and sub-elements of the Śrī chakra levels, possess a number of Guardian principles. The Guardian principles or simply Guardians can be understood in two ways: either as a spiritual entity inducing certain moods into the sādhaka’s (or anyone’s) mind, or as a continuum which has the possibility to induce its information content into the mind of anyone. Thus, the sādhaka learns how to avoid their negative aspects. On the lower level the Guardians have mainly a protective function – they guard off those sādhakas, who are not yet qualified for the sādhanā. Thus, the first part of the sādhanā is related to either "off-line" reflection (viparita paramarsha) on the day and reviewing how far could one discover the projections of the Guardians or "on-line" awareness of the processes in the mind and preventing identification with the moods induced by the Guardians. To aid this process, the Śrī chakra sādhanā contains also a series of āsanas, where during upkeeping the āsana, one’s mind does the viparita paramarsha– trying to remember events related to a given mood or mental state projected by the selected Guardians [1] and other practices. First, the protection of the practitioner (sādhaka) is considered, where he is supposed to have siddhis in order to protect him/herself. This is not very realistic, but everyone can have "virtual siddhis". This e.g. means that everyone knows situations, when one would like to be bigger – in order to match a life situation. Still, during the actual process, it may not be possible, due to lack of energy, but at home, when remembering the situation one may imagine that he/she grows to a size that enables to cope with the given situation. This may encourage one to work harder towards a better energy level. Below, a set of Guardian principles which govern certain mental states are given. Here only their scope of influence is enumerated: 1. Passionate longing, violent anger, insatiable avarice, dazed fascination for the world, obstinacy, tormenting jealousy, "sinful" disturbances of mind, benign inspiration towards merit; 2. Dark looking appearance (gloominess), indignation, fierce mentality, thoughtlessness, intoxication, enviousness, capacity to absorb; 3. Further, Guardian influence may cause the impulse to agitate all; chase all, fascinate all, subjugate all, driving all mad, goading all, moving around in thin air (to become ungrounded), sprouting everything (making things happen), then one may have the need of the power of great Source of everything and desire to rule all. It can be seen, that it is a demanding task to cope with them. In order to keep the attention on the above mentioned viparita paramarsha, a series of āsanas are to be learned and used for the viparita paramarsha. Three of the set of āsanas are given in Tab. 1. During upkeeping the āsana one is reflecting on the appropriate Guardian induced mood or mental process with the emphasis on whether it occurred in the past period and whether it left an imprint in our mind, with a projected effect on our present state of mind and future intentions. If yes, then the appropriate mantra given below (Sedláček and Timčák 2017) is being used in such a way that it "dissolves" the traces left behind by the selected life event. Then the sādhaka can come out of the āsana. Then a short period of relaxation comes, and one either continues with the same Guardian induced mood or mental process related to another life event, or can proceed to the next Guardian induced mood or mental process. As this process may take more than 20 minutes, one has to decide, how manyāsanas and reflections would one do each day. When the mind is able to ward off the improper reactions on-line process, āsanas are no longer needed. Filled with all bliss Bestower of all attainments Remopver of all diseases Protector of all Accomplisher of all objects Provider of prosperity Agitator of all Fulfiller of all hopes Deluder of the three realms
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