There is a passage from the Radiance sutras from the recently translated Lorin Roche version, sutra 30 that goes " Imagine the entire world consumed by flame. Stay steady, do not waver, As the fire transmutes form into light. The Soul reveals itself to itself as Radiance. "
When we practice we can invoke the alchemy of fire to do as the sutra describes. In fact I read this and think simultaneously of my inner "worlds" as well as my outer experience of the world. What would happen if it all just burned away. It's a nice practice to engage in. What would REALLY happen if it all was just consumed by flames.
In our practice of yoga we have that chance to burn if we so choose. We can see our whole practice light up and rise into a flaming inferno of change. The question is how thirsty are we for fire? Can we allow ourselves to be like dry wood and literally allow ourselves to be saturated and danced into by the sacred flame itself?
When you feel a burning sensation that come from the deeper work of physical yoga--invite yourself into the intentional flame--go there and do the work maybe even using an intention--I am opening up to flame and let yourself burn areas in your Psyche that need to burn. You can also do intentional healing, like when you feel that fire--send it to somewhere in the body that needs it. Like maybe you have a sore throat and you have fire in your core--send that fire up to your throat. The possibilities are endless. The symbolic becomes the real.
Burning is learning is a quote I like, and it follows, cremation is education. Yoga is an invitation to burn. You can of course just skim the surface, you may even dance a toe or two in the fire, but if you choose you can sit down in the fire and let yourself be drenched and consumed by the fire.
May you burn brightly.
