Something else to think about: Day 4

FRANÇAIS app de traduction à gauche

The type of exercises proposed here are Chetaluma Yoga. This yoga blends "Chetna" (consciousness) with "Luma" (light), symbolizing a practice that unites thought and light. It harmonizes deep mental awareness, thoughts and visualization with the transformative power of light, energy, chi, prana fostering spiritual insight, inner strength and intellectual clarity. This "Yoga of Thought and Light" guides individuals toward higher wisdom and consciousness to empower individuals to access their inner strength and intuition with exercises that use thought to circulate light to confront the challenges of each day.

Master Morihei Ueshiba, founder of Aikido, is celebrated for his mastery of martial arts that harmonized physical technique with spiritual principles. Blending jujitsu, sword, and spear arts with profound inner peace, he transformed combat into a path of unity and compassion, emphasizing blending with opponents rather than defeating them.

Master Morihei Ueshiba, inspired by The Hierophant, would likely recommend an exercise rooted in a deep sense of respect for universal principles and connection to the Earth. This exercise would honor both the discipline of traditional practices and the flow of personal discovery, moving from a place of inner wisdom that aligns mind, body, and spirit.

Exercise: The Pillar of Aiki

1. Preparation—Connect with the Hara
   Begin in a standing position, feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent. Place your hands on your hara, just below your navel. Close your eyes and take a few deep breaths, feeling your breath sink down into this energy center. With each exhale, imagine grounding yourself into the earth, like roots growing deep into the soil.

2. Attuning with Universal Ki
   Picture the energy around you as an ocean of ki (life force). Inhale deeply, envisioning this ki entering your hara and merging with your inner energy. As you exhale, allow your ki to expand outward, blending harmoniously with the universal flow. Repeat this several times, aligning yourself with a sense of oneness and humility before the greater cosmic order.

3. The Pillar Stance
   Open your eyes, and imagine yourself as a pillar connecting the heavens and the earth, with ki flowing through your crown and grounding through your hara into the earth. Keep your gaze soft, and let the weight of your body sink downward, anchoring your presence. From this grounded position, you will cultivate awareness and resilience. Take a moment to see everything around you as energy, the E of E = MC 2. Seeing everything as energy is essential to staying centered and in your power. This practice unveils the truth that all forms—friend, foe, challenge, or ease—are simply expressions of energy. By releasing personal attachment, the fibers of your luminous cocoon (aka your body's energy field, aka you as an energy being)  align with Intent (focused will shaping reality effortlessly), allowing you to respond impeccably and fluidly to the flow around you. This clarity grants the ability to navigate both harmony and chaos as part of a unified whole, cultivating the calm power to act with purpose in any moment.

4. The Spiral Movement—Embodying Harmony amidst Chaos
   Extend your arms in front of you, palms facing each other. Slowly begin to spiral your hands outward in small circles, feeling the flow of ki. Gradually, widen the circles, letting them grow larger and more expansive. Imagine these spirals absorbing any disruptive or chaotic energy and transforming it into harmonized movement. This exercise emphasizes responding to energy rather than resisting it, maintaining balance even amidst turbulence.

5. Return to Stillness—Integration with The Hierophant's Wisdom
   Bring your hands back to your hara, and take a few grounding breaths. Stand in stillness, allowing the exercise’s energy to settle into your being. In this stillness, reflect on the principle of The Hierophant: how personal wisdom and traditional wisdom blend, giving you a sense of balance and rootedness amidst any situation.

Focus on the Principle

Throughout this exercise, Ueshiba’s teachings remind you to release personal attachments and judgments. When we move from our hara (center, umbilical region) and connect with the universal flow, we embrace a dynamic yet grounded response to life. This embodiment of balance and alignment, even amidst chaos, is the essence of aiki, rooted in reverence for all existence.

LENA GHIO   

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