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AYURVEDA MANDALA: CoRE VITALITY & SEXUALITY
There is a preciousness inside all people, an aliveness that is so pure and so free and so good that is worth whatever it takes to discover it in yourself.
We all know this inner spark! We may call it love or freedom, bliss or the unexplainable mystery.
We were born with it… In time, this experience becomes occasional, it comes and goes depending on circumstances. However we loose touch with our own thriving.
In between glimpses, we long for this subtle memory. Consciously or unconsciously, we keep pursuing an invisible sense of possibility, sometimes getting there by chance, other times by grace, or by insistence. Or giving up…
Apparently, it seems to be related to specific conditions. Thus, we identify it with the outer situations that seem to trigger it, and start searching for similar situations…
We may have encounters, dreams and spiritual experiences that lead to a sense of “knowing” this inner space, however it is not easy to intentionally get there.
With maturity, we realize that this aliveness comes from an inner “click” independent of outer events. So, we start looking for ways to stabilize this exquisite quality.
How would it be if we could consciously live in this harmony and share a sensibility that is always available, rather than accidently stumbled upon?
Are you ready to come for a ride? To open again to this sense of aliveness that brings back the alignment of body-heart-soul? To invite it to become a stable state, rather than an evasive experience?
In ancient times, this awareness was keen for Life. Different pathways were tracked to keep reminding human beings of their awesome potential.
Ayurveda, Yoga and Tantra were originally inseparable pillars of integration and wholeness to invite, nourish, and maintain pure aliveness. Nowadays, they weave a path of remembrance that can be of support in daily life.
AYURVEDA brings back the vivacity of the body and the profound connection with its divinity. It offers a life style based on the inter-dynamic of the 5 elements within and in the environment, where the breath is our compass, where contentment arises with spontaneity…
Daily practices constantly cleanse the 5 senses, and release old imprints that may veil our original power. Simple suggestions slowly dissolve old habits, while inspiring fresh responses. The body becomes a channel for pleasure, clarity, and intelligence.
Ayurveda grounds this vitality with understanding. It offers simple ways to integrate and maintain this alignment through sounds, touch, nutrition, visuals, and aromas, as the 5 senses are our doorways to Life.
Naturally, when the body is pulsing at its maximum potential, we come to experience union with all that surrounds us – this is the gift of Yoga.
YOGA is not a doing or learning, but simply returning to effortless sensitivity. Each breath gives us the opportunity to unite with the fire of wakefulness within.
When our breath merges with life, the mind stills, dissolving the distortions of conditioning, opening to the freshness of direct perception.
As our ability to circulate light increases, it dissolves blockages. We can feel this tingling inside continuously. The body becomes a powerful river, circulating life force without hindrances.
Each moment opens to the next, without a flaw of distraction. This continuum thread is TANTRA- pure attention in the present moment.
Tantra brings the consciousness and essence of this goodness, allowing it to be lived and manifested now! It nourishes intrinsic balance: roots and wings, earth and sky.
Our sexuality represents the roots of our life force. Yet, it is rare to find someone who lives the fullness of body-soul expression as an opportunity to enhance consciousness. Even more unusual, to experience oneness with the infinity that surrounds us…
Merging with others give us the feeling of body-heart vibrating, while being alone lit the soul’s fire. We want both! But usually, this aspiration creates inner division rather than wholeness.
Our deepest instinct is mostly translated into romance and/or looseness. Either we lock our sexuality into a fixed frame in a committed relationship, or adventure into random explorations. From observation, neither choice guarantees inner satisfaction. Rather, both lead to further searching. What is missing?
The frame we choose to live ~ monogamy, polyamorous, heterosexual, gay etc… really does not matter. Transformation only happens when we make an inner shift. When we are in touch with our own source of vitality… Only then, our energy can boost into orgasmic waves. What does this mean?
When we speak about love, what are we really referring to? A fugitive dream? A possibility we have heard of, but still wait for? Romantic entanglement? A real feeling of merging with someone else, with all around?
To make it more tangible, we can talk about love as pure energy - the force of life untamed… Can we open to our capacity to feel our heart’s radiance without the veils of conditioning and distortions?
When we are in touch with the heart’s vibrancy, there is a sense of shakiness that is real, that is inspiring and at the same time making us feel vulnerable. Do we dare?
Sexuality is aliveness, and not an act, nor an exercise of penetration and resistance, simply the inner continuum of life force vibrating without boundaries. Orgasms arise out of this spontaneous flow-overflow.
Deeper we connect with the source inside, more naturally sexuality will arise out of relaxation and inner centering, rather than excitement and search. There is no breaking through, no peaks and valleys…but expansion.
As the grounding of our physical vigor, sexuality is a magnetic theme. As a stepping-stone to spiritual discovery, it is frequently a dismissed opportunity.
At a deeper level, where body and spirit are undivided, conscious exploration of sexuality can be a profound meditation.
In this awareness, our perception opens to the light body, expanding through the subtle channels within and around the physical body.
This is the light mystics refer to… A sense of weightlessness that arises from the fact that energy is circulating without obstructions. This fluidity tends to build momentum, like a car going down hill without brakes: the steeper is the hill the faster it will go down… The same will happen when we allow light-life to circulate within without holding back~ we become pure radiance. What else is love, but radiance shining from within?
This fusion brings us full circle - living in body-heart-spirit as one flow, so that the potential of sexuality becomes the expression of our core vitality.
AYURVEDA creates the grounding for this exploration. It invites the body’s sensibility to subtler perceptions, to the inner waves. It brings awareness to the food we eat, the way we move, the choices we make for home and relationships, the smells we enjoy or feel disgust, the sounds we listen to… So our ability to vibrate with life increases steadily at all levels, in an integrated way - alone and together.
Usually sexuality is approached in this duality. Yet mysteriously, sexuality carries the potential of bringing these seemingly opposite energies together.
As an example, we can recognize the misuse of sexual power in advertisement, education, political-religious control, superficial and/or familial relationships.
Either… feeding constant objects of desire, keeping the mind ahead of what is presently happening, thus locking our doorway to delight and sensitivity NOW.
Many have realized that the habitual engagement in physical pleasure never brings a sense of fulfillment, therefore the search for the next and the next…
Or… holding back our very intelligence by controlling our feelings and emotions, encouraging a holy/moral attitude, while hoping for future compensations after death, desensitizing our deepest sense of belonging.
So-called spiritual attitudes that disregard the body’s grace do not inspire laughter, or warmth in another’s heart. Simple avoidance of what is essential does not open to aliveness or joyfulness.
How can we possibly celebrate life if we live in this inner split?
Celebration is the expression of our own richness and integrity. Once this integrity has been broken, depression takes over. We are pressed to respond to life, even though we have lost our inner alignment. It is like wanting to jump without having a ground to stand on.
How to live fully in touch with our sensitivity?
Around the world, men and women come close to connect as sexual partners with a fascination that is rarely matched by other activities. Yet, this original spark often turns into difficulties, and a rainbow of emotional reactions, that finally incite separation… and soon, another trial…
You may have already realized in your own life, that most issues in relationships arise out of activation of old imprints leading to hopes and fears. This combination makes us blind to what is real, distorting our perception of present time. We develop defense mechanisms, thus disconnecting from our own body’s receptivity. We learn very early to generate desires and expectations in order not to feel what is really touching our emotional body. Like foam that sits on top of clear waters… Time passes by while avoidance of our own depth becomes a life style.
AYURVEDA clears this foam… activating the 5 elements - Space, Air, Fire, Water, Earth as qualities of presence and expression. Daring to look deeper inside, we will be able to recognize how the elements are reflected in the ways we perceive reality, and make choices at a physical-emotional-mental level.
AYURVEDA~YOGA~TANTRA wakes the zest of love~light~bliss…
The weaving of those practices maintains a vital body, enhances emotional clarity, sparks passion, and spontaneity. Then, naturally there is no holding back, or holding on. Life flows!
Riding each breath, our defense system is disarmed, so we finally meet ourselves. At the core of this gentleness is the mystical experience of silence.
This process of opening in intimacy with life may expose physical, emotional and psychological issues. Moving through these experiences is also natural, and better supported when we are in a safe atmosphere of acceptance and relaxation.
May my life and my practice be ONE…
This phrase has been an offering from a beloved friend years ago.
Since then, it has been my daily reminder. This is our invitation!
Outcome possibilities?
Waking up full of energy, living in a creative way, having a sense of inner strength that manifests in sincere communication, inspirational vision, and a fierce expression of love in heart, soul and sexuality.
These are the things that Komala and Vasumati will share with a small group in Corfu.
Komala Lyra and Vasumati Hancock will be presenting
AYURVEDA YOGA TANTRA RETREAT
Alexis Zorba - Corfu, Greece
August 23-30, 2014
www.ayurvedamandala.weebly.com
Program - Themes for each Day & Daily Schedule
DAY 1 August 23 - ARRIVAL DAY
DAY 2 August 24 - 7.30 am to 10.00 pm .
DAY 3 August 25 - 7.30 am to 10.00 pm
DAY 4 August 26 - 7.30 am to 10.00 pm
DAY 5 August 27 - 7.30 am to 10.00 pm
DAY 6 August 28 - 7.30 am to 10.00 pm
DAY 7 August 29 - 7.30 am to 4.00 pm
DAY 8 DEPARTURE DAY
DAILY SCHEDULE
7.30-9.00 ~ Yoga Tantra
9.00-10.30 ~ Breakfast
10.30-1.00 ~ Ayurveda Mandala exploration
1.00-5.00 ~ Lunch break
5.00-7.30 ~ Tantra exploration
7.30-9.00 ~ Dinner
9.00-10.00~ Evening Meditation
This schedule is a basic ground and variations will be determined according to different needs of each day.
- Participants can arrive at leisure and settle in to the venue.
- There will be time for swimming and meeting each other.
DAY 2 August 24 - 7.30 am to 10.00 pm .
- Initiation into the 5 Elements and introduction to the whole program as a process of integration.
- Experiential understanding of the link between Ayurveda, Yoga, Tantra
- Initiation into the 5 elements then we will proceed with the following theme
- EARTH ~ AWAKENING SENSUALITY
- What is intimacy with self and others?
- Grounding
- Sensuality and consciousness
- Awareness in sexuality as a doorway to love
DAY 3 August 25 - 7.30 am to 10.00 pm
- WATER ~ AWAKENING RECEPTIVITY
- Relaxation as ground for receptivity
- Hara awareness
- Relationships becoming fluid and spontaneous
- Moon energy
- Totality and surrender inspiring vision
DAY 4 August 26 - 7.30 am to 10.00 pm
- FIRE ~ AWAKENING VISION
- Transformation of conditioning and psychological patterns into consciousness
- Letting go and renewal
- Sun energy
- Manifesting vision into reality
DAY 5 August 27 - 7.30 am to 10.00 pm
- AIR ~ AWAKENING CREATIVE IMPULSE
- Karma-dharma
- Emotional issues that hold us back
- Freeing our movements and trusting intuitive guidance
DAY 6 August 28 - 7.30 am to 10.00 pm
- SPACE ~ AWAKENING LOVE AND CONSCIOUSNESS
- Connecting with the source/essence
- Meditation, silence, the power of listening
- What is veiling our potential?
- What sparks recognition of connection with source?
DAY 7 August 29 - 7.30 am to 4.00 pm
- INTEGRATION
- How to nourish and keep this remembrance alive?
- Sharing and celebration
DAY 8 DEPARTURE DAY
DAILY SCHEDULE
7.30-9.00 ~ Yoga Tantra
9.00-10.30 ~ Breakfast
10.30-1.00 ~ Ayurveda Mandala exploration
1.00-5.00 ~ Lunch break
5.00-7.30 ~ Tantra exploration
7.30-9.00 ~ Dinner
9.00-10.00~ Evening Meditation
This schedule is a basic ground and variations will be determined according to different needs of each day.