A Yogic Perspective on Valentine’s Day
Yogis,
Whatever you may think about Valentines' Day--a mid-February break to celebrate love, excuse to eat chocolate (my go-to), or the cynical "it's so commercial" view--it is nonetheless a thing. So many people--even the cynics-- speak of feeling emotional ups and downs. Some have high expectations of a partner's Valentine's recognition. Some are overjoyed, and some are let down. Either way, the day moves us off-center. So I would be remiss if I did not talk about this from the perspective of yoga.
Because the purpose of yoga is to wake up. The goal of yoga is to realize that you are pure awareness and pure love. So if you manifest pure love, you cannot be knocked off-center.
Many ancient texts write of yoga (asana) as preparation of the body for meditation.
Viewed from the chakra model as a journey of the mind (and practitioner) toward enlightenment.
When the mind is working through the lower three chakras, it is working in the realm of animal nature. Concerned only with survival--in modern humans: food, sex, money, and water. Once your basic needs are met, self-confidence and power, and ambition as you climb to the third (Manipura) chakra. Many people spend their entire lives in this lower realm.
However, the heart chakra is the bridge to higher consciousness. Therefore, this middle place between the lower three and higher three chakras is the seat of pure human consciousness, and you can think of Anahata chakra as being LOVE itself, in the form of devotion.
When you meditate on this place, it is said that there is a little window of light that opens through which you can enter. From there, inside, you can ascend a staircase to the throat chakra (Vishuddha), where you gain the power of speech and communication.
When your consciousness is working at the level of the 5th chakra, you only speak the truth. Here, the tongue--the flower of the heart--reflects what is in the heart. Your words are filled with love, and they will touch the hearts of all those around you.
This is living in your truth, being authentic, real, and pure love.
Consciousness can ascend and operate through the third eye, merging male and female, alpha and omega. From this place, you can enter the inner abyss, samadhi, where you become a light unto yourself, a light of life, light, and love, radiating light within and without.
Sounds doable, right?
Today is a great day to think about where you are on the chakra continuum.
I am a huge believer in the collective unconscious (Carl Jung). Today, Valentine's Day, so many people are spending time thinking about their loved ones. Doing something to show their love for one another. Jung probably was not thinking of Valentine's Day, but he was thinking about collective memory and how we each contribute to it.
So, regardless of where you might be on an emotional spectrum, stop. Get centered. Meditate on loving starting with yourself. Meditate on love being in the air today and every day. Can you feel it?
Sending you so much love and appreciation,
Hoping you all put yourself at the top of your Valentine's List.
Xoxo,
Kari