There seems to be a promise inherent in it.
The Light is present as compassion as each person listens to his or her body, learning how to make adjustments independently, taking responsibility, watching when habitual drives push, demand, cajole. Turning to the Light.
The meaning of the word “Hatha” itself affirms it: “ha” meaning sun and “tha” moon.
If Hatha has to do with celestial bodies—sun radiating light and moon reflecting light—by practicing Hatha yoga, can we discover our own celestial bodies, shining and reflective?
The Light works. This reflective, symbolic approach to Hatha yoga brings people in touch with themselves at an intimate level and encourages the Light of understanding to grow.
The effects of the Light are as evident from the black mornings of January to the extended spring light of April.
Our first practice together each morning is the Divine Light Invocation. It is our wake-up call.
The Light Invocation is a complete integration of body, mind and speech. Focus is concentrated through breath and tension, the mind is nourished by the Mantra and finer feelings expressed as we open our hearts.
It is like a statement of purpose as we extend up, concentrate and reach for the Light beyond our limitations, acknowledging our connection to this Light. We start with the body, taking a stand for the Light, expressing a desire to be in the Light.
As practice progresses - light takes the form of awareness, of caring for the body, of willingness to hear whatever comes up.
After warming up the body through movement and the mind through observation, participants move into one pose with more intensity, writing down key words associated around the name of the asana.
Sometimes, they will take a personal association into the pose and see what opens up as the body and symbol work together. Or, they will take a question from the Hidden Language book and reflect, listening to the body, listening to the mind.
When we do the Light Invocation and then do the pose again, there is inevitably a breakthrough; it surprises me how consistently this happens.
The Light seems to create a fluidity so insights become brighter, more lucid and succinct. Maybe it’s because in the Divine Light Invocation, we invite the Light to penetrate the cells of the body and every level of consciousness. If the invitation is sincere, it really happens.
One student comments, “I marvel at the power of the Divine Light Invocation. It makes it almost effortless to shift focus, to let go.” Another says, “Lightness allows the body to lift in new ways. It starts in my thoughts.”
Others note the interplay of will and surrender: “Using tensing and relaxing with the Divine Light Mantra, I find I can go further with the pose without pushing or increased effort. Surrender—so gentle.”
“The combination of surrender and will, gradually stretches me toward my goal at the right rate for my body and understanding.”
Class ends with Savasana, relaxing body and mind into the Light. As the body relaxes and the mind relaxes, awareness increases—awareness of Self, not as body or mind, but as Light.
People arise refreshed, finding surrender is not so hard. We read significant reflections and repeat the mantra of the Light together.
In Hatha, we become aware that our bodies are vehicles for the Light, a Light that both reveals obstacles and also dissolves them. We carry the power of this Light into the day.
And each day during the Course, the Light grows, inside and out.
A promise manifests.
The Divine Light Invocation
The Divine Light Invocation aims at activating the healing forces latent within every one of us. It bring Light to all levels of consciousness, emphasizing the positive side of our nature and taking energy away from the negative – the resentments, complaints and self-pity we hang onto and identify with. Sort out the positive and the negative within yourself. Give emphasis to the positive, go beyond your past mistakes and future fantasies, and fill the mind with positive images. Your practice of the Divine Light Invocation will act as an efficient therapy in three main ways:
Physically: It will have a positive effect on your health because the Light is a healing and regenerating force. by thinking of the Light and by identifying with the Light you stimulate the sustaining and energizing forces within the body. By changing your habitual physical and mental posture, even for a short time, your internal processes are beneficially reactivated.
Mentally: By inviting the activity and influences of the Divine Light, you can restore mental balance and establish a sense of proportion and perspective in your affairs. Working and identifying with the Light helps to dissolve negative thought patterns by emphasizing the positive image of Light.
Spiritually: The mind is trained to understand and perceive the reality and all-pervasiveness of higher forces, of cosmic energy in the form of Divine Light. In the light of the new understanding and growth, identification with the Light is seen to be a basic truth common to all religions.
Instructions
Stand erect, feet shoulder width apart. Keep your eyes closed and focus them on the space between the eyebrows. Lift your arms above your head at the same time as you smoothly and gradually tense the whole body while you inhale. (Your arms should be kept straight and the tension maintained throughout the body.) Hold the tension and the breath. Make the following affirmation to yourself silently, (with all the concentration possible):
I am created by Divine Light.
I am sustained by Divine Light.
I am protected by Divine Light.
I am surrounded by Divine Light.
I am ever growing into Divine Light.
Then slowly lower your arms as you exhale and relax. Keep your eyes closed and use your imagination to see yourself standing in a shower of brilliant while Light. See the Light pouring down upon you,
flowing into the body through the top of your head, filling your entire being.
Now without raising the arms, keeping them at your sides, tense the body and inhale. Hold the tension and the breath. Mentally repeat the Invocation:
I am created by Divine Light.
I am sustained by Divine Light.
I am protected by Divine Light.
I am surrounded by Divine Light.
I am ever growing into Divine Light.
Slowly exhale and relax. With your arms at the side of the body, concentrate on feeling a warm glow of Light suffuse your entire body, outside as well as inside. Acknowledge silently to yourself:
Every cell of this, my physical body, is filled with Divine Light. Every level of consciousness is illumined with Divine Light. Divine Light penetrates every single cell of my being, every level of consciousness. I have become a channel of pure Light. I am one with the Light.
The Divine Light Invocation is an exercise of will, as well as an act of surrender. Be receptive to the Light and accept that you are now a channel of Divine Light.
Express your gratitude with deep feeling. Have the desire to share this gift with someone you wish to help. Turn your palms forward.
You can now share the Divine Light with any friend or relative. Keep your eyes closed and visualize him or her standing before you. Mentally open the doors of your heart centre and let the Light stream forth toward the feet of this person. See the Light encircling this person and spiraling up in a clockwise direction, enveloping the body completely. See the spiral moving high up into the sky, taking his or her image along with it. Finally, the person merges into the source of Light and becomes one with the Light. (You may even lift your head, following the spiral of Light, keeping your eyes closed.)
When the person has passed from your view, relax and silently give thanks for the opportunity to help someone in need. (You are now ready to begin over again, putting others into the light in the same way.)
Via: http://www.yasodhara.org/
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