PEACE LOVE YOGA: Poland

Burnt To Ash

"All Inquiry is meant for one purpose; to take you experientially into the unknown as efficiently as possible. Once you get there, simply be still because inquiry has delivered you to its destination. The rest is up to Grace. Do not hold onto any knowledge that comes your way. Even the greatest revelations much not be clung to, or you will end up with a head full of memories and a heart empty of substance. The truth is ever new, existing only in the now. The highest truth is beyond knowledge and experience. It is beyond time and space, and beyond beingness, consciousness, and oneness. Just remember that all direct path techniques are meant simply to undermine, to cut away, the one who is performing them. No matter what spiritual path you've walked or what teachings you've followed, they must lead you back to no path and no teaching. A true teaching is like a blazing fire that consumes the itself. The teaching must not only consume you, but consume itself as well. All must be burned to ash, and then the ash must be burned. The, and only then, is the Ultimate realized. True Enlightenment destroys enlightenment. As long as you can refer back to yourself and say, 'I'm enlightened', you not. Enlightenment is authentic only when there is no one left to be enlightened. Even to say 'I am nobody', is one too many. There's a point when you intuitively realize that to be Free you have to give up your attachment to Freedom. You have to quit asking yourself: Is it still there? Am I okay? You have to decide to never look over your shoulder again to see if you're free or if others know you're free. You just have to let yourself burn there - no matter what. This isn't something I can help you with. I can tell you what you need to do, but you have to do it. In the beginning, teachers can help a lot. But the deeper you go, all they can do is point, and clarify, and tell you what you need to do. Only you can take this step. Nobody can push you in to this place."

- Adyashanti

No Expectations

A spirit that lives in this world

and does not wear the shirt of love,

such an existence is a deep disgrace.

Be foolishly in love,

because love is all there is.

There is no way into presence

except through a love exchange.

If someone asks, But what is love?

answer, Dissolving the will.

True freedom comes to those

who have escaped the questions

of freewill and fate.

Love is an emperor.

The two worlds play across him.

He barely notices their tumbling game.

Love and lover live in eternity.

Other desires are substitutes

for that way of being.

How long do you lay embracing a corpse?

Love rather the soul, which cannot be held.

Anything born in spring dies in the fall,

but love is not seasonal.

With wine pressed from grapes,

expect a hangover.

But this love path has no expectations.

You are uneasy riding the body?

Dismount. Travel lighter.

Wings will be given.

Be clear like a mirror

reflecting nothing.

Be clean of pictures and the worry

that comes with images.

Gaze into what is not ashamed

or afraid of any truth.

Contain all human faces in your own

without any judgement of them.

Be pure emptiness.

What is inside that? you ask.

Silence is all I can say.

Lovers have some secrets

that they keep.

(Rumi)

10.10.14

Warsaw, Poland. For the past three years I've arrived during the first weekend of October as the Fall coloring begins to form. A beautiful time of year. A time of transition. I've done a fair amount of work in Eastern Europe and an affinity for this part of the world has begun to form. The people understand hardship and they also understand triumph. It's interesting being in places that have experienced a fair amount of upheaval as well as healing. When it comes to the city of Warsaw I love it. Right now it seems to be a good time for the people here. There is a vibrancy emerging bringing a sense of aliveness and change.

I feel grateful to have had the chance to return to many of the places I have done workshops. Each return there is a chance to more deeply get a feel for a place and the community. There is a familiarity and at the same time always new places to discover. Meeting yogis in various parts of the world once again bring to light how our sameness is much stronger than or difference.

11.10.12

I've been on numerous planes this year. I always have to take an obligatory shot once ascended above the clouds. It's my routine. I have a deep love for travel. I actually enjoy hanging out in airports. There is something about being in a space where people are headed somewhere or returning home, including myself. Airports are great places to catch up on reading and people watching. I find so much enjoyment in it, ok, call me crazy, but it's true!

Warsaw! My first time in Poland. I taught an extended weekend workshop at Yoga Republic a beautiful space in the heart of the city. I highly recommend it. Going in, I had a vision in my mind on what Warsaw was like, and let me tell you, it was nothing I expected. Warsaw is a vibrant city with an abundance of culture a buzz with creative energy. I've been told its the new Berlin.

It really comes down to the resiliency of the people, as well, with Warsaw being leveled to the point of utter destruction, during the Second World War, you can imagine what the rebuild must have been like. Also, with the downfall of communism there has been a multitude of change and transition happening. Just a few years ago they lost their prime minister in a plane crash along with many of their top government officials. In light of that, Warsaw has been on an upswing and it's exciting to see. Truly, when a city carries on through tragedy and strife a new strength and energy emerges. I enjoyed the Polish people and found them to be warm and open, and at the same time, a sturdy steadiness seemed to be part of their innate nature. A good balance.

Pawiak Prison - Warsaw, Poland

When in a new place I always love seeing the sites, getting a feeling for what a city offers in terms of energy, culture, social structure and architecture. One thing I appreciated about Warsaw were all the trees and park areas available. I love a city with it's green space and Warsaw definitely had it's fair share. There are many new builds in the process, however at the same time, the maintenance of their green space in regards to city planning seems to be an important factor they take into consideration.