FIRST DIMENSION
Yoga can be seen as having three interwoven themes or dimensions. The first involves getting down on the floor and actually doing the exercises. The exercises purify and heal your body by making you balanced, strong, flexible, sensitive, energized, and relaxed. They promote radiant health. They also increase your mental stamina by training your mind to concentrate and sustain a focused attention. In combination, these culminate in the experience of stillness and peace. This is why I refer to the practice of yoga as a way of moving into stillness.
This first theme is exceedingly important because when you experience yourself in stillness and feel the peace within you, you will come upon a new awareness of who you are. This new awareness will convince you that "you" are part of a greater whole, that you are not a separate energy nor a separate consciousness. You are an individuated and specific expression of one energy, one Consciousness, one Infinite Mind - much like a single wave on the ocean is a specific expression of that ocean. Waves are not separate energies. They are individuated and unique, one of a kind, but they do not exist apart from the ocean.
Similarly, we are not separate entities somehow disconnected from the One and Only, the All. We are individually specific and unique, yet inseparable from the whole. We are individuated conscious expressions of Infinite Conscious Being, Infinite Mind, God, the Father-Mother, the one I Am, the Self. There is no "you" or "me" apart from It. We are It in specific manifestation. We are Consciousness being specifically conscious.
Ego is when the wave - you or me - mistakenly believes that it stands alone and that, somehow, it is essentially separate and different from the ocean and from other waves. The ego sense is not real, not accurate. It is not an actual energy or presence. It is imagination, misunderstanding, a false sense of Self - the result of an incomplete perception of who we are. It is a misidentification, a limited understanding of the facts based on our conditioning and the data we receive from our five physical senses only. It is thinking we are one thing when we are really something else. It's how we define ourselves prior to knowing what's really true.
It is not surprising that misidentification occurs, because from the wave's vantage point on the surface of the ocean, it does look separate. It looks out, sees other waves, and defines itself as one among many. The underlying sameness is not obvious at first glance. This is how we feel, mostly. We feel separate and distinct from one another, alone in a vast universe, with our underlying sameness not readily apparent. We look out and see "others." Separateness is what's obvious. But when the underlying oneness begins to be obvious, it will steadily become more obvious, and pretty soon there will be a complete transformation both in the way you think about yourself and the way you see your world. Your existence will then be different, more in harmony with life, because you'll be seeing yourself and the world in a new way.
We are both the wave, individual and unique, and the ocean. Both. At the same time. We are Consciousness, Infinite Mind, God, in specific expression. Because we are Consciousness in specific expression, we are each our own best contact point with that Consciousness. Your mind is your personal best entry point into the awareness of Infinite Mind, your own closest touch point with the creative God Force, which is the life of you and everything else - just as a wave's closest contact point with the ocean is itself. When you realize this, and then take the time to immerse yourself in stillness, you will experience this Godness-Goodness within you as you. As you do this, you awaken to the spiritual meaning of yoga and the spiritual essence that is the real you.
The second dimension of yoga deals with meditation and communion. This involves an enhanced way of using your mind based on your newly emerging perspective of yourself as a mind in Mind, and it is the direct result of having experienced yourself in stillness. This "new" way of using your mind is the basis for expanded thinking, for experiencing personal power, for obtaining inner guidance and insight, for intelligent decision making, and for the sure conviction of the inherent goodness of life. It involves voluntarily giving up your own limited knowledge in glad exchange for the wisdom of the whole. This is the wave asking the ocean, your mind asking Mind.
When you experience yourself in stillness - that is, when your mind is at its most focused, energetic, present, alive, relaxed, and wholehearted - you will "hear" the voice of God whispering in the depths of your being. You will recognize this "voice" - sometimes called the inner voice or little voice - as the voice of your Soul, the voice that speaks your deepest and most genuine desires.
You will then intuitively understand that the Will of God, or the intent of the universe, and the desires of your heart are one and the same. They are not at odds with one another. They do not conflict. In fact, and this is the point, they are not two. This realization, by the way, is tremendously reassuring. It quells fear and restores faith. You will then know that your mind is part of the one Infinite Mind, the Mind of God, that there is no difference, and that there really is an inner voice happy to guide and direct you throughout your life. You will also know that it is in your best interest to listen most attentively to that voice, that it is none other than your own deepest wisdom.
The third dimension is the natural consequence of having clearly experienced your truth: The more familiar you are with the creative God Force in you, the more you will see It and recognize It in others.
This is a monumental theme, and this idea has the power to transform both your individual world and the world at large. No longer will you see an evil, hostile world filled with alien and antagonistic forces. And no longer will it seem reasonable to complain, criticize, and condemn everything you see for being so blatantly imperfect. Instead, you will smile inside as you begin to see the very same creative energy with which you have become familiar within yourself as the energy and life of all things and people. All the world will take on a friendly and non-threatening glow as you see "your" energy everywhere.
When you see your energy in someone else, you will have a sudden moment of recognition. At first you may be confused, not knowing why you recognize them or who they are. Then it will dawn on you. You are seeing yourself. You are seeing the thing in you that you call "you," but you are seeing it in them! It's exactly like seeing your reflection in the store window as you walk by, or looking into a mirror and clearly seeing yourself.
When you see yourself in someone else, you are seeing the Self. The term Self-Realization is actually a very accurate description of what happens when you understand the deeper meaning of yoga. Realize means "to make real." When the Self becomes real to you - and it will when you experience it within and then see it without - then the notion of a shared Self and common Source will become a conscious reality for you. You will realize that both you and "others" are simply different faces of one infinite Person, one Infinite Consciousness, one Infinite Mind or Being, God. The spiritual overtone of life will become supremely evident. You will see no difference between yourself and others.
Fear will then fade away and disappear because you are experiencing the oneness of yourself and the world. You will no longer be sensing anything in anyone else that is worthy of your fear. In fact, just the opposite is occurring. Everything you sense now confirms your new trust, your new perception, and strengthens your new impulse to relax and be fearless instead of defensive and aggressive.
Fear will fade because the deepest truth about all things and all people is that everything is made of the same energy as you. Every specific thing is Infinite Conscious Being in specific form. What is there to fear when this is what you are relating to? And love, remember, is the willingness to see this. Love, therefore, conquers fear. It makes you fearless. It exposes fear for what it is - a misperception of the facts.
The purpose of yoga is to facilitate the profound inner relaxation that accompanies fearlessness. Fearlessness is the natural attitude of anyone who understands that there is nothing to fear. Scary things seem to exist only in your imagination. Every perceived enemy and imagined threat is a misperception of the facts and therefore an illusion. When you see the true nature of things, you will see their God Essence and know there is nothing to fear. And you'll relax. It's simple. And because you are no longer fighting to save your own lift, and because others are not forced to defend themselves against your defensive aggression, everyone can relax and become more pleasant.
The release from fear is what finally precipitates the full flowering of love. In this state you will love what you see in others, and others will love you for having been seen. This is the softened perception of the world that yoga promotes.
Therefore, the apparently simple benefits that accrue from the regular practice of yoga can change your life in very profound ways. Do not underestimate the value of being balanced, centered, and coordinated, of being strong and light, of being more flexible, without pain, experiencing the subsequent feelings of invisibility or transparency, and of being more sensitive. You will not only loosen all the negative connotations associated with body-consciousness, you will gain the positive experience of your own inner stillness.
Yoga will make you sensitive to the stillness, the presence, the hush, the peace of God. This deep inner stillness is at the core of your being. It is the ground, the joy of your being. The radiant peace you'll experience is what happens naturally when the creative energy of God is allowed to flow through you unobstructed. And it's the conscious awareness of this ever-present feeling-tone, the feeling-tone of the creative God Force, Consciousness, that will guide you intuitively through life and help you make your most important decisions. Let's conclude this section with several exercises designed to help actualize all of this. Their primary purpose is to facilitate a new self-awareness coupled with the conscious experience of fearlessness and love.
With a mirror, practice gazing into your eyes. First, look into the center of the pupil of your left eye, for about a minute. Make eye contact with yourself in that one specific eye. Both of your eyes will be gazing into the one reflected eye, but it will feel as though your "energy" is predominantly coming out of your left eye. Gaze softly. Then switch eyes. Gaze into your right eye for about a minute, and feel the energy coming out of your right eye. Then stare at your third eye, the point between your eyes at the bridge of your nose. Stare softly and let your vision expand peripherally until you are able to see into each eye simultaneously. Practice being on the same visual light beam with yourself. There will be a wonderful clarity about what you're seeing when you "get in there." Look yourself in the eyes and see yourself seeing yourself. This is a very interesting exercise.
Gazing with a Friend
Practice gazing into the eyes of a friend. Sit a comfortable distance apart and then gaze into the friend's left eye as he or she gazes into your left eye. Do this for about a minute. Then gaze into the right eye as he or she gazes into your right eye. Do this for about a minute. Then gaze into the left eye as he or she gazes into your right eye - you're now visually connecting with one another - and then switch and gaze into the friend's right eye as he or she gazes into your left eye.
Now gaze into one another's third eye, the point between the eyes at the bridge of the nose, and allow your vision to expand peripherally until you are able to see into each eye simultaneously. There will be a sense of clarity and connection when this happens. You will be in the same world together, the same moment together, and you'll see each other seeing one another. When you lose the connection, again stare at the point between his or her eyes and again allow your vision to expand peripherally until you've reconnected. Attempt to sustain the connection.
During the day practice looking in the eyes of others. Don't be obnoxious with it, but do be interested in "going in there" and seeing them. Practice connecting with your eyes. You'll notice they are probably coming out of one eye more than the other. If they are not in the eye you are looking at, move your attention to the other eye and see if they are there. Go back and forth until you find them and then beam in on them. Connect visually. Let them see you seeing them.
You're not just connecting with your eyes when you connect in this way. You are connecting mentally. You are becoming one with that "other" one. You're being in the same world together, acknowledging one another's existence. You're looking beyond the surface identification to the real person inside, and you're learning to see the thing in you that you call "you'' in the other person. This is called "seeing the Self, " seeing your Self. Practice seeing the Self in others. Practice seeing the ocean in every specific wave.
Sit with your back straight and eyes closed. If you are unable to sit on the floor, use a chair. Be comfortable. If you prefer, lie flat on your back.
Begin with a smooth, deep inhalation. Hold the air for a moment, then open your mouth about an inch and release the breath in a l-o-n-g, s-l-o-w exhalation. Silently whisper "ahhhh .. ." for about ten or twenty seconds. Then close your mouth, breathe in deeply again, and again let the breath out in a long, slow fashion through your open mouth. Do not attempt to exhale as deeply as possible. Just soften without strain.
Do this twelve times and then be still and experience the energy you are made of. Feel what it feels like to be you. Experience yourself as the Infinite Mind that you are. This technique uses soft, long exhalations to facilitate an unusually profound inner release. The idea is consciously to let go of all muscular holding as you expel the breath and thereby relax as deeply as you can without effort, especially in the area of your throat and core. As you relax you will feel safe, cradled. And because you are feeling safe, it will make sense and be easy to relax even further. Therefore, keep letting go, deeper and deeper, level after level. Put down your emotional shield, release all unnecessary physical tension, saturate yourself with the peace-filled feeling-tone of fearlessness and safety, and experience the soothing nature of lovingness that is the energy you are.
As you sit motionless, be aware of the sensations in the area of your heart as well as your overall feeling-tone. Also be aware of the space around your body and sense how far you extend. Do you really feel a limit? There should not be the slightest hint of strain.
It is essential for your own peace of mind that you become familiar with the conscious release from fear, if only in moments. The ensuing knowingness of an all-pervading security issues forth from this deep inner release. As you consciously immerse yourself in the energetic peace of fearlessness and safety, you will experience a renewal of optimism that will clarify your priorities and aspirations. Your life will acquire new meaning as you establish the inner conviction that you live in a friendly, non-threatening, purposeful universe.
Apply this technique whenever you sense fear. Exhale and relax, then breathe in the creative life force. You will feel stronger immediately.
Sensitivity grows through use, and the way to become more sensitive is by exercising your senses. Therefore, go for a walk in nature and be as sensitive as possible. Hear your footsteps on the ground, feel your feet as you walk, listen to the various and ever-changing sounds in your environment, be aware of what you are seeing, look at everything, breathe, and savor the fragrance of the air. Be sensitive and aware every way you can. Then carry that sensitivity with you during the day. Practice shifting from thinking mode to feeling-sensing mode.
Sit quietly with your eyes open or closed and become intimately aware of your breathing. Allow the breath to flow freely in and out at its own natural pace. Make no attempt to regulate or control it. Some breaths will be deep, others shallow. Every breath will be different. All you do is remain aware. There should be no strain.
Ride the breath into the conscious feeling-sensation of "you," immerse yourself in stillness, and then mentally say, "God is Love and therefore so am I. God is all there is of me. God I am." Repeat these sentences slowly, over and over. Say them in your mind and concentrate on the feeling-sensation of you. You are the specific location of Goodness, Consciousness, I Am-ness. Be thoroughly relaxed and experience yourself deeply. Be like the wave relaxing into the ocean. Feel your truth. Experience the fact of your existence. Let go of any desire to be one way rather than another, and instead, feel what's actually so. What does it feel like to be you right now? What does it feel like to be Consciousness being specifically conscious?
Gradually
let go of the sentences and enter into the silent experience of you. The
more you immerse yourself, the more pleasurable it will be. If you lose
your focus, repeat the sentences until you again feel centered, then release
them. Dissolve the apparent separation between you and your Self, your
mind and universal Mind. Practice being wide open like space and see what
happens. Be involved. Experience the Awareness-Presence that you are and
enjoy yourself. Do this in a relaxed and attentive manner for five or
ten minutes. 
