Reflections By Mauna
“Taoist yoga is a theologically neutral method for preparing the dense physical and mental body to consciously receive a more powerful dose of cosmic yin and yang energies.“
SCHOOL OF THE INNER WAY
It is no surprise that the School of the Inner way found easy access to Auroville as the two have much in common.
If one can see it as such, the t’ai chi chuan of this school can become a physical means and instrument towards one’s progress in the Integral Yoga as practiced in Ashram and Auroville.
It is also good to have in Auroville, where a good number of different nationalities and cultures mix & mingle, a silent, flowing universal language that directly aims for an inner oneness, a ‘human unity’ in concreto.
Integral Yoga
– aims to transcend the human nature to eventually transform it
T’ai chi chuan
-was conceived as an esoteric practice towards achieving longevity, so as to enable the physical body to be transformed
Integral Yoga
– is based on the combination of Eastern spiritual and Western evolutionary thought; Life in all its forms evolves
T’ai chi chuan
– the primordial energy of Life (chi) continues forever to evolve around us and within us
Integral Yoga
– one of the prerequisites for practicing this yoga is equanimity
T’ai chi chuan
– by continuously and consciously moving from yin to yang, left to right, full or empty, while always being conscious of one’s central axis from where movement originates, one learns to navigate thru this dimension of duality in a smooth and balanced way
Integral Yoga
– this yoga is a yoga in life.. The division between spirit and matter has to be transcended; through karma yoga one injects consciousness into matter
T’ai chi chuan
– through one’s posture one connects ‘heaven’ and ‘earth’, and becomes firmly grounded on earth while experiencing increasing contact with the more subtle energies circulating
Integral Yoga
– through the yoga one learns to inwardly centre one’s energies and to silence the mind so as to connect to a more subtle consciousness, which is within the core of each human being
T’ai chi chuan
– the practice of t’ai chi chuan invariably brings one to an inner centring and self-establishing inner silence; one becomes a silence that moves
Integral Yoga
– recognises a cosmic inherent intelligent consciousness in all that exists
T’ai chi chuan
– says Stevanovitch “La Vie est Une Volonté.., Life is a WILL…
Integral Yoga
– recognises the Universal Shakti, which forms, evolves, nourishes, shapes Life etc etc
T’ai chi chuan
– recognise the Chi as Primordial Energy, which forms, evolves, nourishes, shapes Life etc etc
Integral Yoga
– recognises Sat – Chit/Tapas – Ananda, or Being, Awareness/Will, Bliss
T’ai chi chuan
– recognises Chi, which is linked with Awareness and Will, leading to a state of overall Well Being
Integral Yoga
– Mother spoke about the inner life of Prana (Chi), that in modern times often is cramped up in the navel centre, and must be taught to loosen up, to widen and start flowing
T’ai chi chuan
– directly focuses on the awakening and blossoming of the navel centre (tantien, hara) so that primordial energies can start circulating through the physical body
Integral Yoga
-recognises various levels of being of which one can become aware through the practice of the yoga
T’ai chi chuan
– directly works on the body axis from where Chi is guided to circulate, thus activating all levels
Integral Yoga
– the ego has to be transcended in order to become aware of one’s higher self
T’ai chi chuan
– fixation in the I-world blocks flow of deeper/higher forces
Integral Yoga
– eventually the very cells will have to become conscious
T’ai chi chuan
– the entire body has to be relaxed and open, the very atoms have to relax, so as to allow the Chi or Evolutionary Energy to do its work (of removing blockages) etc
Integral Yoga
– demands one to get away from pre-conceived collective notions so as to experience La Vraie Chose, the Real Thing..
T’ai chi chuan
– asks the pupil to experience her/himself directly, apart from her/his beliefs about himself.., so as to sense oneself deep within
Integral Yoga
– guides one to prepare for a changing metabolism and other inner transformations
T’ai chi chuan
– works towards a totally different inner organisation
Integral Yoga
– guides one towards a constant steady witnessing consciousness throughout the day and night
T’ai chi chuan
– trains one to stay with the NOW-happening, to be fully involved in the process of each split second movement as it happens
Integral Yoga
– in the early stages of the practice, remembering devices such as inner reciting of a mantra or Mother’s name are used to make the aspirant remember to come back to a central awareness state
T’ai chi chuan
– by learning the movements of the outer form, one trains the physical and other levels of the being to constantly, after each movement of reaching out to life, return to the centre, return to the centre