On Impermanent Grounds
“As much as we would love to cling to anything solid, our very ground is in reality impermanent.”
Dearest Mysore Yoga Paris Sangha, (cliquez ici pour la version française)
As I place my feet together at the front of my mat and chant the Opening Mantra each morning at 8am, - I invite you to take Samastithi with me wherever you are.
Sama in Sanskrit means equal and Stitihi standing. This pose is also referred to as Tadasana, the Mountain Pose.
The Mount Meru, is beautifully depicted in Siva Samahita as our own midline. Our central axis where the entire universe with all its rivers, fields, planets, stars and all living beings reside.
I like to give myself the image of Mount Meru as I chant - inviting you all to take a seat at the very centre of my being, while my body stands tall and grounded as a mountain… However, at this very moment the sense of stability and mountain-ness is more difficult to access.
As everything is shaking underneath all of our feet - I find myself having to deconstruct my own illusion of stability and comfort. A stability and familiarity which I realise was never there in the first place. We are all in fact planting our feet every day on something that is constantly changing. Something which is always new and unknown. As much as we would love to cling to anything solid, our very ground is in reality impermanent.
“Yoga points to the sacred wonder of our inability to know. In our daily practice we are urged to breath into the mystery of the ever changing moment.”
Yoga points to the sacred wonder of our inability to know. In our daily practice we are urged to breath into the mystery of the ever changing moment. To find stillness not in the physicality of our body, or in our ever changing thought patterns, but at the very centre of our being. In this sacred cave of our own Mount Meru, everything and everyone else belongs - the shaky, the tender, the strong and the bewildered.
At this mysterious moment, let us all pause in Mountain Pose for a minute and take a deep breath for all of those who cannot breath on their own. And for all who are not turning away from the impermanent nature of life but who, like Mount Meru, stands firm in compassion on impermanent grounds.
We remain closer together. Do keep in touch, I´d really love to hear from you. With All my Love and Gratitude
x kia, Paris April 13th 2020
You can find my talks in our brand new Podcast Channel: Mysore Yoga Paris | Closer Together that Yotam and I have created for you.
I’m dedicated to continue to support your practice through this delicate time, creating an inner Shala where we can always meet. I will personally post resources, talks, meditations, practice soundscapes and inspiration as well as any updates on the situation in our Newsletter, in Mysore Yoga Journal, through our website, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube. We offer all our resources freely, but are immensely grateful for any DONATION helping us with production costs, and the continued ability to uphold the shala and its community through this vulnerable time for the shala.