Assimilating the Yoga Sutra

Last night at teacher training we began an inquiry into the Yoga Sutra of Patanjali. I've heard of it before, obviously, but I never investigated it myself. I knew it was written in Sanskrit, I assumed it contained poetry of a semi-religious nature. Turns out I was wrong. We only went over 3 or 4 stanzas -- I'm not sure if they're called stanzas -- but from what I can tell, it is a very practical instruction manual for the mind/body/spirit continuum.

I wish I could explain the reaction I had upon listening to Corina chant and then translate the meaning of the phrases. It resonated for me on such a deep level, I was practically moved to tears. I would have let them flow had I been in a more private environment. I wish I could explain exactly why I was so moved -- there was nothing rational about it. I mean, all she said was, essentially, "When the mind stops, Yoga begins." But it was like hearing that idea for the first time ever. I felt as if I engaged with it on some fundamental, cosmic level. I felt a strong sensation at the crown of my head, which I would best describe as some kind of assimilation of energy.

Now I'm really psyched to learn Sanskrit. One thing that really appeals to me is the sheer simplicity of the language. Such complex notions can be distilled into very few syllables. Each word is a poem unto itself, open to vast degrees of interpretation. I'm looking forward to the weekend of Manorama, the Sanskrit teacher. I feel lucky to have encountered her before. I attended one of her fire ceremonies at Wake Up West before one of the previous teacher-training Sanskrit weekends. I remember being deeply struck by her archetypal nature -- it's in her eyes, her voice, her sheer essence. My impression of her relates to what Corina has been saying about "planting seeds" -- from the moment I encountered Sanskrit by way of Manorama, I knew it would be profoundly meaningful for me. Yet I also knew that I was not ready to explore it completely. I knew I had to take several detours before returning to that specific path.

And so, here I am now. Now I'm ready.