Finding bliss - Day 19 of 30 day writing challenge

30-Day writing challenge through Kale & Cigarettes (500 words)

"There is no passion to be found in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living." ~Nelson Mandela.

Now I know why this quote struck a chord in me today. I've been searching for a connection between my past description of bliss and my present lifestyle. This quote by Nelson Mandela speaks 1000 words to me. It reminds me 'What are you waiting for?' There are many ways I talk myself into believing that my dream is in the future.

I've always felt I had to Do Something and now the little voices are telling me that it's ok to not do anything now. I've planted the seeds and now it's time for me to let life come to me. How simple is that!

Accomplishing through receiving through thinking before acting

To receive. I even got a tattoo recently to symbolize this (on the left side, the Yin/receiving side). I am capable of so much more. I know it but I'm pacing myself to really get there. A lot of accomplishing is through receiving, which is thinking about it for awhile before acting.

I'm looking for kevala kumbhaka in my moments. This describes the spontaneous cessation of breath that occurs with the state of samadhi, attained through pranayama and the meditation. As eloquently put by Stuart Sovatsky in his book, Your Perfect Lips: A Spiritual-Erotic Memoir: “Kevala kumbhaka transfixed inspiration melts us." I read this book 7 years ago when I began the pursuit of my Master's degree in East-West Psychology. It was written by a professor who was celebate for 20 years and went really deep into his own spiritual sense of self before meeting and marrying his wife and writing this book (at least that's how I remember it).

Spontaneous cessation of breath = bliss

I remember this book and its meaningful and simplistic viewpoint on bliss. Those two words remind me of my breathless moments where I found bliss and didn't know how to describe it (and it didn't matter). I've been searching for the connection between my Ashtanga yoga practice—which can bring on fatigue and egoic activity—and its contented and desired state, which I do feel as well. It gets me out of bed in the mornings, but its luring voice is silenced...

Nadi Shodhana cleanses the energy passages

Kevala kumbhaka is also referred to as nadi shodhana, a cleansing of the energy passages. Nadi Shodhana happens to be the name of the Ashtanga Intermediate Series which I practice 5 mornings per week, which is known to cleanse the Nervous System. I love putting this all together. It makes me want to sit here the rest of the day with my eyes closed and smile.