這節也是Pure這週的新課，是老師們不支薪、自動自發發起的課程，上週Yograj在Advanced時就預告過的，今天第一節由Julie與Elonne一起開始帶課。大部份同學都是從下午Yograj的Advanced課程過來的，大部分都是熟面孔，Yograj與Jing都到了。
Julie與Elonne擺設了一個小桌子，上面放了Rama與Shiva的圖片，點了薰香與蠟燭，還準備了一盤水果，例外發給我們三張講義，第一張先告訴我們何謂Satsang，還有與今天將進行的儀式有關的一些定義:
HELPFUL TERMS:
Satsang: This is a Sanskrit word that literally mans in the company of likeminded/spiritually-mined people. Satsang is a time when we can come together to meditate, talk, chant, ect. Coming together creates a positive, loving energy, which has a profound effect on us and on the community around us.
Yoga: Yoga means union, i.e. union of body, mind and soul. There are four main paths of yoga, four ways to attain this union. Karma Yoga (yoga of selfless service), Raja Yoga (yoga of mind control, which includes Hatha Yoga, i.e. the physical postures/asanas), Jnana Yoga (yoga of Self knowledge, he study of Vedanta, the study of Oneness), and Bhakti Yoga (yoga of devotion/unselfish love).
Bhakti Yoga: Bhakti is an expression of unconditional love. Bhakti Yoga includes such practices as puja (ritual offering of fruits, flowers, ect.), hearing uplifting spiritual stories and discussions, and singing to/about God, however you define God. A bhakta turns their emotions towards the Absolute. Through this practice, we open the heart and cleanse it of all negative emotions and impurities, like selfishness and sadness.
Kirtan: Singing of God’s name with devotion (bhava), faith (shraddha), and love (prem)
Arati: Ceremonial waving of light after Satsang
Sunday Prayers: Traditional songs sung every Sunday
Rama: Sunday is the day to honor/worship Lord Rama. Rama was the 7th incarnation of Vishnu. Vishnu is the preserve aspect of the Hindu Trinity – in the Trinity there is Sive (the destroyer), Brahma (the creator), and Vishnu (the preserver). Rama is the embodiment of righteousness; he is the perfect person (perfect husband, perfect father, perfect friend, perfect leader, etc), and he models moral behavior.
KIRTAN:
Sri Ram Jaya Ram
Sri Ram Jaya Ram Jaya Jaya Ram OM
Sri Ram Jaya Ram Jaya Jaya Ram OM (repeat)
Jaya Sita Ram Jaya Jaya Hanuman (repeat)
Jaya Sita Ram Jaya Jaya Hanuman (repeat)
所以Elonne先帶領大家唱上面這首Chanting，每次越唱越快，最後一次再慢下來。接著Julie帶領大家連續的OM。然後進行談話的部份，Julie強調這不是一節教學課，所以老師並不是唯一給予答案的人，而是希望大家都能提問而且分享。
Sylvia首先提問，她已經六十多歲了，一年前膝蓋受傷後，原本很有自信的瑜珈體位法練習無法恢復原有的水準，她說期望自己能夠快些復原，說著竟感嘆的掩面哭了起來，氣氛霎時有些感傷。加拿大來的Tom則說其實Sylvia很inspire us，因為我們在她這個年紀時，可能能做的比她還少，而且她現在還能天天來上課，很多動作都比年輕的同學做得還要好，所以也給她鼓勵。Elonne則說身體只是一件衣服，隨著年紀會逐漸衰老，所以適當的時候就該脫去，瑜珈練習最大的幫助是要讓我們以正面的樂觀態度觀賞整個人生的每一階段，這讓我想起David Swenson曾說不要跟別人比，也不要跟自己的過去比，而是要把每一天都當成新的一天，每天重新認識今天的自己，這才是瑜珈練習的意義。
我問了第二個問題，因為在進階課程中常會覺得有些同學有些「競技」的表現，或是認為某些派別比較「高檔」，這些都是我不喜歡的感覺，而我有時只想練習拜日式、有時只想練習基礎的經典體位，或甚至僅練習Pranayama，因為我希望每節課後我感覺是Relax，而不是Exhausted，但我不是不求進步，想知道這想的心情調整是否正確。Tom付和的說，瑜珈本來就是八支練習，如果只在體位法上追求進步，也是一種imbalance，就已經違背了瑜珈練習的本意，那與特技或是體操就沒有兩樣了。Elonne則說體位法可以把基礎動作做到進階，也可以將進階動作做得簡單，其中的要訣就是呼吸，Julie也說Asana的原意是comfortable and stable的姿勢，因此如果感覺疲勞，就可能失去練習的意義，因此要能了解自己身體的需求，而不是去「聽」我們的腦袋要我們去做什麼，這才能把ego放開。
另一位加拿大來的Tracy則問到如何開發Charka的能量，不過這一點的個人體會都大不相同，Elonne說能量的提升過程是個Journey，每個人的經驗可能不同也無法複製，因此雖然Sylvia舉了她學習氣功時的例子，不過大概大家都還是蠻難體會的。
Tom的問題則是該不該成為素食者，Julie也說她被同學問到最多的也是這個問題，而幾位老師的觀點都是應以身體的需求為主來調整，而且也有量的考量，所以有的瑜珈老師並不吃素，但相較於一般人而言，量都會比較減少。Julie認為如果勉強立刻吃素而感覺精神與體力不濟，那也沒有必要。我自己因為已經在一年多前就自然成為素食者，而且我吃素後感覺精神與體力更好，所以我沒有這方面的問題，但我也同意Elonne的看法，我們雖然吃素，但也尊重他人葷食的決定，因為每個人的需求不同。
Tom還有個問題是，我們真的需要把體位法練習到像Yograj老師那樣的程度嗎？大家都哄堂大笑，Yograj老師自己笑著但沒回答這個問題。
另外大家最好奇的是每天最高紀錄上八節課的街舞老師，Julie問她除了舞蹈與瑜珈外，難道都沒有做其他的事情？她的答案真的是如此，因為她說在肢體中感覺快樂，因此即使是左肩已經有些疼痛，但她還是會push自己去做到最好。對於這個說法，大家都一時有些無言以對，Yograj忽然幽幽的說，食物對我們的身體很好，但是過多的食物卻會成為毒藥。我也說我覺得瑜珈是一種生活方式，所以我自己會想要以正面態的精神去享受人生中其他的安排，包括旅行、陪伴家人、甚至只是好好看一本書。不過每個人對於體位法的練習量可能因為年紀而有不同，我們當然也尊重她的選擇，Elonne則開玩笑的說，這位同學只要每天只上一節瑜珈課，肩膀痛就會不藥而癒了，大家聽了都笑了起來。
然後我們跟著Elonne唱誦第二章講義上的Chanting，頌讚周日的神祇Rama：
Sunday Prayers
He Prabho
He Prabho Ananda Data, Gyana Hamako Dijiye
O Lord, giver of bliss, give me knowledge.
Seegra Sare Durgunonko, Dura Hamase Kijiye
Quickly take my bad habits very far from me.
Lijiye Hamako Saraname, Ham Sadachari Bane
Take me who has surrendered unto you. Make me one of good qualities.
Brahmachari Dharma Rakshaka, Vira Vrata Dhari Bane
May the spirituality of brahmacharya be protected. Make me an observer of vows.
He Prabho Ananda Data, Gyana Hamako Dijiye
O Lord, giver of bliss, give me knowledge.
Prema Se Hama Guru Janon ke, Nitya Hi Seva Kare
Make me one who will always serve teachers with love.
Satya Bole Jhuta Thyage, mela Aapase Me Kare
Make me one who will speak truth and reject untruth.
He Prabho Ananda Data, Gyana Hamako Dijiye
O Lord, giver of bliss, give me knowledge.
Ninda Kissike Hame Kissise, Bhula Kara Bhi Na Kare
Help me to never show disrespect to anybody, and please let me never forget.
Divya Jivana Ho Hamara, Tere Yasa Gaya Kare
Let my life be always a divine life
Let me sing thy praises always.
He Prabho Ananda Data, Gyana Hamako Dijiye
O Lord, giver of bliss, give me knowledge.
接著Eloone把原先擺設好的蠟燭舉起環繞教室，口中誦唱著第三張講義上的Chant：
Om Na Tatra Suryo Bhati
Na Chandra Taarakam
Nema Vidyuto Bhanti Kutoyaamagnihi
Tameva Bhanta Manubhati Sarvam
Tasya Bhasa Sarvamidam Vibhati
Om Gange Cha Yamune Chaiva
Godaveri Saraswati
narmade Sindhu Kaveri
Namastubhyam Namo Namah
Dedication Song
Twameva mata Cha Pita Twameva
Twameva Bandhuscha Sakha Twameva
Twameva Vidya Dravinam Twameva
Twameva Sarvam Mama Deva Deva.
O God of Gods, Thou alone art my mother, father, relative, friend, learning, wealth and everything.
Kayena Vacha Manasendriyarva
Buddhyatmanava Prakriter Swabhavad
Karomi Yad yad Sakalam Parasmai
Narayana Iti Samarpayami
Whatever actions I perform with my body, speech, mind, senses, intellect, my nature or my emotions, all these I dedicate to the Supreme Lord.
Sarva Dharman Parityajya
Mam Ekam Sharanam Vraja
Aham Tva Sarapapebhyo
Mokshayishyami Ma Succha
Abandoning all duties, take refuge in Me (the Lord) alone, I will liberate thee from all sins, grieve not (from Bhagavad Gita XVIII.66).
當Elonne將蠟燭傳至我們面前時，我們將兩手捧起迎接光與能量，並且依序將手掌放在臉頰與頭頂、後腦上，然後合十感謝。最後大家分食準備好的水果，Elonne說這代表其中已經彙整了大家能量激盪的智慧，Yograj則笑說剛從Advanced下課的同學大概都餓翻了，這倒可能是事實呢。Julie盛讚台灣的水果非常甜美"Apple taste like apple."大家聽了都笑了起來。
第三張講義上還有Symbolism of Arati 的介紹：
Lights are waved before the deity. This denotes that the Lord is Jyoti Swarupa (whose real form is light). The devotee says: "O Lord! Thou are the Light in the sun, moon and fire. Remove the darkness in me by bestowing your Divine Light. May may intellect be illumined."
Lighting of camphor denotes that the individual ego should melt like the camphor, and the Jivatman (individual soul) should become one with the Supreme Light of Lights.
Prasad is the sacred offering of the Lord. The devotee offers sweet rice, fruits, milk and other such articlesj. After offering them to the Lord they are shared among the devotees. The mental Bhava (attitue) is very important.
Don't neglect outward symblols. They are very beneficial. When viewed from the right angle of vision you will find that they play an important part in your material as well as spirtual life.
這節課原本預訂60分鐘，但卻90分鐘才結束，我相信參加這節課的同學一定都會有很多的感動。所以我回家時，很認真的告訴我先生，或許是該安排一次家庭旅遊的時候了，我想把瑜珈體位法的練習時間挪些給家人，真正用瑜珈的精神來生活，也許我的問題就會自己找到答案了。
4 則留言:
一個無神論者，或者一個基督徒，是否不應參與Satsang這些宗教儀式呢?
我希望可以把瑜珈做得越來越好，將瑜珈當作一生的修煉，但這些宗教儀式往往令我感到是否走歪了。主持人有甚麼意見?
匿名的朋友請留下稱呼方式，以便回應，謝謝。
SATSANG 根本不是宗教儀式!
「Satsang」是一種"師生彼此間就一些想法、思考、問題等交流的一種方式"(非body)。如果有想像力，就當成是"孔夫子與顏回、子路等弟子....的談話..."(集結成論語)；再來像洪光明與學生課後的談話討論…..；或與陳景圓談瑜珈經....都可說是一種類似的Satsang。沒有焚香鳴琴，沒有咖啡紅茶，也沒有精油香燭，更沒有偶像膜拜，所以這「不是宗教儀式」!匿名者不要誤解了(與atheist或Christian無關!)。
FYI：
SATSANG (sanskrit sat = true, sanga = company) describes in Indian philosophy 1) the company of the "highest truth"; 2) the company of a guru; 3) the company with an assembly of persons who listen to, talk about, and assimilate the truth. This practice also takes the form of listening to or reading scriptures, reflecting on, discussing and assimilating their meaning, meditating on the source of these words, and bringing their meaning into one’s daily life. Especially in the tradition of advaita-vedanta, satsang with an "enlightened" master is considered to be a prerequisite. Contemporary satsang-teachers in the west sometimes mix traditional eastern knowledge with methods of modern psychology.
During a satsang with a teacher students are likely to ask questions. Satsangs also may contain elements like lectures, meditations, or recitations. The purpose of a satsang is not primarily to be found in the transmission of a mental teaching, but in the experience of the presence of an "awakened" or "enlightened" being, in which students are meant to come to the same level of inner freedom through the effect of an energetic resonance-phenomen.
"SATSANG IN THE WEST"
The modern satsang masters have freed their teachings from the strict expectations of traditional advaita-teachers toward their followings. The masters assert that rituals or meditations are not necessary for inner freedom. Enlightenment is the ever present truth, that is being found beyond any conditions and spiritual states. As attachment to thoughts and to unresolved emotions are considered to be the hindrances to this cognition, many teachers emphasize the importance of accepting emotions unbiased as they are, with no attempt of changing, or dissolving them. This, the say, will take the energy away from the stories of the mind, and thus from the stream of thoughts. Others recommend to permanently "return to the moment" in order to reach the same result. Because these practices are aimed at experiencing freedom in the presence, they are not regarded as "techniques" with an outcome to be found in the future. The worldwide fast growing satsang-movement has it's roots in H. W. L. Poonja, a student of Ramana Maharshi. (Wikipedia)
我看到你整理出來的心得
好感動喔
詳細的感覺我自己也說不清
就是感動
張貼留言