Begin with Geometry

Ramanand Patel's website yogirama.com contains a wonderful description of his approach to yoga study in six levels. Initially the mind directs the body into the alignment of the various postures - the geometric level. The student moves on over time to the physiological, organic, pranic, sensory and meditative levels. I was particularly struck by this comment on the pranic level: "Even as the foundation of the prior levels is held, the mind now has to learn how to let go and stop interfering with the natural ease that is inherent in a healthy body. The nature of inner alignment changes as the mind learns to be alert even as it lets go of inadvertently held tensions." In my experience many of us need to ease up a bit on the willful doing of yoga and begin to become more sensitive to the messages our bodies send us. Using our mind and will aggressively on the body is not the way to proceed. Letting go of our ideas of what our body should look like and feel like is moving in the right direction. How can the individual determine where he or she is on the continuum of willfulness to inertia? Do we do more, try harder or do less and let go? I believe yoga practice can over time tune our awareness to the extent that making these distinctions becomes easier. The use of the will that is essential to the first level becomes an interference to the meditative level according to Ramanand Patel.