He traveled from India, some attendees traveled from other countries, and I traveled
from Charlottesville, Virginia. First in a car. Then a plane. Then the BART, a local train which whooshes at high speed in a tunnel under the San Francisco Bay, an engineering feat which repeatedly amazes me. Then, finally, I took a cable car, with its old wooden slats, hand-operated brakes, and open air railings where passengers hang on. What a mix of old and new technologies. In San Francisco, the cable cars have been preserved as a highly useful technology.Maybe kind of like yoga? An old and useful thing for travelers on a journey.
About 400 people gathered to hear Desikachar speak, and I'd like to summarize his points. He began by emphasizing his reliance on his teacher, "his Master," who happened also to be his father.
Next he expressed concern that yoga is too often limited to postures. Much more than that, he says: "Yoga is inner reflection." Going on, he quoted Sutra 2.1, which defines three aspects of yoga as action, knowledge, and faith. He claimed that he has seen many students over the years begin yoga as agnostics, but that the asana and pranayama practice make them curious about a higher power, and eventually leads them to faith. And after that stage, he emphasized that asana remains a critical element in order for a person to stay healthy and clear.
Speaking about the title of the event, "The Heart of Yoga," he says that a long time ago, the highest deity decided to wait inside people's hearts. And that if we can realize that God is in our hearts, then we will be happy and calm.
I admire how Desikachar is constantly finding teaching moments. In front of this large gathering, he asked specific questions of two of his long-time students, Kate Holcombe and Chase Bossart, about their yoga journeys. Both emphasized the choices found in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, saying that this makes it very accessible for real life. Depending on one's inclinations, circumstance, challenges, or opportunities, many avenues into yoga are possible.
I hope for each of us to consider our journeys, how they turn and change, how the new meets the old, and what choices for spiritual discipline will lead us further into our hearts.
Tune in for more conference insights in the coming week!
