A patch. A plot. A bit of dirt.
The Earth.
Home to billions of critters and creatures.
What does ‘home’ mean to you?
Is it tied to a physical place, or an inner feeling? Perhaps both.
One may understand what home is by reflecting upon being away.
When was the last time you felt like a stranger?
From a traditional Yogic perspective, we see that life is the interplay of the elements.
A personal practice is used to cultivate balance of these Elements – within and without.
For me, it has taken decades of life to truly feel at home; in body, mind and Soul.
Our belief is that ‘being home’ is not some fanciful idea of a generous income and luxurious material possessions gotten through some cringey ‘manifestation’ secret; it is much more humble.
To me, home is found in the recognition of the way things are.
Real and raw.
Looking at life, without agenda or want, is hard.
The biggest barrier I find is the mind.
It can be a great ally, and also a right pain.
Done wrong, the mind can have your movements going against the flow of nature, but done right it can guide you into alignment with the world around you.
This is a very subtle dance, and you can tell you are in that flow state when the sense of ‘home’ is brought alive.
The path that brought me here was surprising.
It made me reevaluate everything I thought I knew.
It was pointed out to me by Swami Shivkrupanand that I had to start at the top.
The Soul.
In finding home in the Soul, my sense of home in body and mind eventually followed (it took some time; years, not days.)
This is the path of Himalayan Meditation (Samarpan Dhyan) where the essential connection to Soul is the primary focus.
The Soul is that part of us that can appraise something bigger than that persistent sense of ‘me.’
When you have a strong connection ‘higher’ things tend to work out, on their own.
For many, a stepping stone on the path to this sense of home is the witnessing of the richness of life on Earth.
The beauty that was previously obscured by a busy mind and confused emotions is unleashed.
It’s like seeing the world with a new set of eyes.
When your awareness (chitta) is clear, you see trillions of interdependent life forms swarm, swirl and dance the most breathtaking show, right before your eyes.
Seemingly, this show is without a central conductor.
To see it is to be in a state of peaceful awe.
The path of Yoga has taken me beyond a need to see one ‘being’ in control of this life, to realise that what we see, hear and feel is the glove to God’s hand.
Each of us are His fingers, able to be part of something bigger (like the action of the hand) and also somehow independant (like the single finger scratching the itch.)
The dance of form and formless is not able to be understood, poetry can hint at it, but it is a truth that is lived and felt.
If you have a robust and stubborn intellect (like me) it can take a while for that one to sink in.
When is the last time you acknowledged the beauty hiding in plain sight?
Practically speaking, the art of yoga (of which dhyan, or meditation, is the crowning practice) results in a lasting, positive shift in the way we see ourself, and the world – from this, peaceful action comes with ease.
It is deep work, and to be honest, has required more of ‘me’ than I knew I had.
This practice has helped me see that home is not a place, but an inner feeling that arises when the mind is quiet and the heart is open.
And when that inner feeling is brought alive, only then do the roots find a sense of security in the physical Earth, which you now see as one, holding you and all of life, in the cradle of Her lap.
We pray that this week you are inspired to take those steps towards cultivating your sense of home, so that you can carry it wherever you go (like a hermit crab!)
If you are interested in learning the Himalayan Meditation that brought us home, our August Soul Retreat has a few places left.
There is currently a winter special with a reduced price and a bunch of bonuses thrown which finishes soon.
