Spanda and the birth of asana

The topic of spanda has been covered here before, but I was inspired today to approach it from a different viewpoint.

In the context of yoga asana practice we all can be protective of concepts of right and wrong as teachers and practitioners. Whenever I feel myself needing to protect my viewpoint or hold on to what I think is the right way--I remember the quote "If you see the Buddha kill the Buddha" meaning that if you think you got it right then boy are you in for it :) You can truly only be right in the moment and then after that the next moment opens up and you have to evolve into it--no holding on to what was or the ideas or rightness that was that moments--each moment has it's own "rightness"

I like the quote from rumi---

"Out beyond ideas of right-doing and wrong-doing there is a field. I’ll meet you there."

I think that if we are in Spanda we can't go wrong--because we're not seeking "right" but rather living energy, spirit. From that place a practice emerges that is no longer a practice but an experience of being that living energy.

"Spanda is a Sanskrit term for the subtle creative pulse of the universe as it manifests into the dynamism of living form. Spanda can be translated to mean vibration, movement, or motion, referring to waves of activity issuing forth from an unseen Source of spontaneous expression. On a more personal level, spanda refers to consciousness as it orients through thought and intention to organize into authentic action. You may experience spanda as a desire to live according to your own innermost urging, act in line with your interest, follow your curiosity, and attend to your body's natural rhythms as they harmonize within the grander scale of natural life seasons and cycles.

Living in a way that keeps us connected to our core beliefs and desires brings health, stamina, and joy. When we lose our creative "spark" or spanda, disconnecting from our own personal expression of vitality, we lose energy, focus, and a sense of well-being and may eventually fall ill. Connecting with what drives us, feeling that presence in our bodies, is also when we are most aligned with the natural spontaneity that defines life processes." from www.spandayoga.com

I also like how in the book "Bringing Your Yoga To Life" by Donna Fahri, she says this "Every asana that has come down to us today began with an authentic inner impulse that was felt and experienced by someone at some time and then recorded so that it might be shared. Literally translated as "comfortable seat" the word asana means to relax into the consciousness of life as it manifests through the expression of each posture." (page 87)

Thar inner impluse she is writing about is Spanda. So even if you take shape in a traditional pose--the idea is not to express it the same every time, nor to mimic the teacher--but to get inside and feel the spanda and express the living energy you feel. Try it see what happens. Begin to notice the evolving shapes your body makes. As long as you are moving slow and mindfully and listening (big one here) to the feedback your body is giving you then you will never hurt yourself practicing (living) this way.

Try it in your old familiar friends and see what begins to emerge--who knows maybe you'll even create a new asana!

Peace!