Namaskar - Oct 09

the water element. If it is balanced, we will be
healthy, content, at ease and enjoying the simple
pleasure of being alive
all crazy and given the authenticity of this tradition a horrible name to due their gluttony in
the guise of spirituality. Balance means balance, not indulgence. So, as tantrikas we
understand we must enjoy life, good food, sensuality, sexuality (all things which increase
the water element). And, we know stupidly heroic “yogic” practices just make us angry and
dry - as does spiritual arrogance, or an anal approach to purity (i.e. inflexibility with special
“clean” diets, etc). But, we also understand discipline is an essential aspect of life, and quite
enjoyable provided one’s water element is
balanced! We know over indulgence in food
and/or sex is simply gross and disrespectful
to self and others, as is over-emoting,
having a super strong/needy ego image, or
always wanting life to be “fun.”
A proper balanced view of reality is that life
is about 70% hard work, 20% is a bit more
pleasant, a few percent might be kind of
non-descript, and a final small percentage is the ecstatic moments we all crave for constantly.
As well trained consumers we seek to find contentment in a constant pursuit for more,
better, faster, funner. We seek to be entertained! But, as those with self-reflection know,
contentment is not to be found in the fulfillment of our cravings. In fact, chasing desires
in this way depletes the water element and creates more craving.
But, through the yogic disciplines (primacy of the body) of meditation, asana, mantra,
pranayama, etc. we can make ourselves juicy and our energy will be replete. Then,
automatically, santosha will be our reality and not just some high philosophy we read
about and jive with. As yogins, we hold a constant state of awareness of our energy
(hallmark 2), so we know immediately when we are not feeling well and balanced. By
practicing where we are at (hallmark 3), we can apply whatever we need in that moment, to
come back into balance. By practicing this way we become sensitive instruments and we
know sometimes yoga means taking a nap, sometimes it means skipping a meal,
sometimes it means not caring about the rules and eating a hot dog, and sometimes it
means waking up every single morning to practice at the same time even if we are tired and
don’t feel like it.
BABIES, LIKE JULIAN, CAN BE SEEN AS THE
EPITOME OF CONTENTMENT - JUICY WITH LIFE AND
COMPLETELY IN THE PRESENT
No matter what, it is silly and prideful to try to fight, kick and scratch to be happy.
Santosha is not something you can try to be. Many of the world’s traditions might have
their ways and means to achieve this state we all want to experience. I am not here to
comment on them and I am sure they are all fine and appropriate for the people who
practice them. But, as a yogi, I am here to say that santosha is balance and balance is
santosha. One cannot exist without the other. So, let’s do whatever we must to find
harmony and balance and let’s not care what it looks like, what others think, what rules we
are adhering to or breaking, or any of those trips that do not matter. Each of us has our
natural appetites and it is up us to find them, enjoy them, live our lives to the fullest, be
kind to each other (especially those whose appetites are different than ours), and let
santosha arise all by itself. It cannot arise any other way, anyhow, so we might as well all
just relax!
Yogesvara is a student of Tantracharya Dharmanidhi Sarasvati. He
lives at their retreat center, the home of Adi Yoga, in Northeastern
Thailand: adiyoga.com. Yogi is also the co-founder of
energyofmindtherapy.com, and is running group and individual
retreats in Thailand for those interested in Tantrik psychotherapy.
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