The teacher I mentioned yesterday, ya, well she blew my mind again today in yoga class.

 

It’s not the first time she’s mentioned Tantra. I don’t think she talks about it for the shock value, but there’s always at least one lil gasp or two in the room when she first mentions it. The shock value comes more in its real meaning, I think, than what people perhaps initially think of.

 

Tantra, she explained (and I’m paraphrasing liberally here, so forgive me Lisa if I misrepresent you), is about surpassing our limits, sort of rediscovering boundaries or new capacities, but not by busting through them in unsafe or frantic or solely ego-driven ways. Rather, from slow, calm, steady foundations.

 

We have to know our limitations in order to surpass them.

 

The knowing comes from calm and steady observance…not striving to outdo our neighbor (on the mat, in our neighborhood, at work, etc) or ourselves.

 

The knowing comes from believing – at least partially, to start – that we are not the thoughts in our heads anymore than we are the clothes we wear, the cars we drive (or don’t), the job title we have (or don’t), the shapes we make (or can’t) with our bodies.

 

So, too, our yoga practice is much more than many of us believe it to be. More than the forms we take for an hour or so, or the slight “improvement” in attitude or behavior afterwards, yoga as described in texts and through wisdom tradition and practice is a gateway to transcending barriers, to going beyond what we thought we could. I think it’s another way of saying we can expand beyond our wildest dreams, yknow?

 

With pressure and time (see yesterday’s post), we may move beyond what we thought we could…and do so while knowing we are supported by our respective teachers/God/community/inner wisdom, you name it….getting bigger and brighter and expanding our consciousness through focused, calm, steady, time, pressure, study, and dedication.

 

What in your life is calling for a little tantra this season? 🙂 

 

*Image is stock photo from wordpress.