A beautiful room can have
very sacred vibrations, but if
I, as the teacher, am not
living a sacred space, there
is no way that I can help lead
participants to that same
level of consciousness.
forcing of a natural process. The breath
comes when it desires to do so. This is a very
important point because I know that this type
of pranayama can be done in a way that is
not beneficial if one does not stay tuned in to
the inner flow. The breathing exercises last for
about two minutes and the rest of the
meditation is a silent one.
By the end of the meditation, there will have
likely been a shift in consciousness. When
everyone opens their eyes, it takes a moment
to adjust. No one just gets up and leaves.
Usually, they are unsteady as they lift the body
from the ground and find their legs. This is a
sign of having reached a transcendent state of
consciousness, or at least a bodiless state. And
then people finally float out of the room. I urge
students not to talk at the end of the class,
because that will abruptly bring them back to
a more worldly consciousness. It is better if
their attention stays inward for some time.
However, I am not strict about it, especially if
someone wishes to ask me something.
Sometimes before they get up, I point out
how the vibrations of the room have been
lifted, that there is a type of scintillation in the
air. They will all seem to agree. But I also
suggest that this is as much a function of the
change in their awareness, and that it is not
happening outside of themselves. They also
seem to understand this because they are
having the direct experience of the
meditative, or samadhi state.
So the sacred space we reach is an inner one.
I specifically design the class to promote a
transcendent type of consciousness. The
methodology is not conventional, but neither
are the circumstances in which I teach the
class. However, my major revelation
throughout has been that it is up to me to live
that space. If I am feeling spiritually
connected, there is a good possibility that the
participants will follow.
Charles Shahar is a clinical
psychologist by training and
social researcher by
profession. He has lived and
studied Vedanta philosophy
in India. He has also taught
yoga and meditation for
over 17 years to diverse
groups, focusing specifically
on stress management for
health care workers.
March 2019 www.yogicherald.com
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