Philosophy
"As long as you are trying to become, trying to get somewhere, trying to attain something, you are quite literally moving away from the Truth itself."
Adyashanti
The magic of yoga lies in its wholeness, as well as in the flowing interplay between polarities. Finding the golden mean between determination & surrender is the key. The connection of body, mind and heart is what is able to bring forth the experience of all-encompassing being.
The spectrum of methods and techniques in the different traditions of spirituality is incredibly wide - a precious variety is available to us.
My aim, both in my own practice and in my work as a facilitator, is to become increasingly sensitive to what, when, in what form and to what extent has a nourishing and liberating effect and where we continue to get stuck in our practice.
Essential aspects in my practice and teaching
Asana
From the beginning of my time on the mat, the effects of a physical practice on the mind and heart impressed me. Although in my experience the practice of Asana transforms itself continuously and in the past years it became less central in my life, I still experience the advantages of a connected and extended somatic consciousness. Like several single beads on a string form a necklace, in the practice of asana, the mind is strung to the present moment, movement by movement, breath by breath. For me it is never about reaching specific forms, neither about the precision of postures, but only about the present moment awareness throughout the practice and the heart qualities that are accessed through that. As a positive side effect for one’s health and vitality, bodily strength and mobility are enhanced and prevent diseases.
Kryias / Pranayama
The breath is our life stream and, because of its all-time presence, also a wonderful gateway to awakening (at least as long as we inhabit this body). Listening to the uncontrolled breath is an important part of meditation in most traditions. At the same time, the possibility of directing the breath offers itself to us as a unique tool for balancing the autonomic nervous system and the more subtle energy system (nadis). For many people it makes sense to move from a gross to a more subtle awareness and therefore cleansing techniques and breathing exercises are of great value.
Svadhyaya
In my opinion, exploring one's own being (personality structure) with all its imprints, beliefs, values and opinions is one of the most essential components of inner development. It leads us through the dark valleys of our own neuroses, fears, control mechanisms and compulsions, through the many confusions to more clarity, lightness and inner peace. The integration of our own shadow parts makes us more understanding and compassionate with the entanglements and veils of the other person. Appreciating the uniqueness of one's own being, personal abilities and resources are just as essential in my view, as taking responsibility for healing/integrating injuries on the personality level.
Meditation / Silence
Sitting in silence gave me access to my patterns, conditions and to the homemade-suffering as the result of clinging to identification, but it also revealed to me an unconditioned dimension of a non-identified, limit- and timeless awareness, that I wasn’t conscious before. My interest for a non-conceptualized consciousness got inspired by abiding in silence over a longer period of time. Out of such precious experiences a wish got born to create and provide an environment and teachings for other aspirants as well.
Some of my retreats take place entirely in silence, others only part time, to investigate how silence and a wholesome speech nourish each other.
Discovering the powers of the heart (all-encompassing love, compassion, joy and equanimity) forms the second wing alongside realising inseparable consciousness. Through the development of these two wings we find freedom where and how we are.
Daily life as a practice
Most of our life-time we call ‘daily life’, even though such a thing like daily life doesn’t really exist as soon as one is awake, as no experience ever repeats itself. If the formal practice doesn’t pierce our being and doing in this so-called ordinary life, transformation within our relationship towards ourselves and others will remain limited. Instead, we can use the numerous opportunities, which present themselves for practicing a conscious and wholesome handling in order to grow upon them. Realizing that, all of our life becomes practice and the separation between ordinary and non-ordinary life vanishes.
Inspirations
Book recommendations:
Jeff Foster: | Falling in love with were you are |
John Welwood: | Toward a psychology of awakening |
Jack Kornfield: | The wise heart |
Tara Brach: | radical acceptance |
Heather Plett: | The art of holding space |
Mark Epstein: | Going to pieces without falling apart |
Sharon Salzberg: | Metta Meditation |
Pema Chödrön: | Tonglen |
When things fall apart | |
Welcoming the unwelcome | |
Fred von Almen: | Mit Buddha’s Augen sehen |
Rupert Spira: | Being aware of being aware |
Michael Stone: | The Inner Tradition of Yoga |
Rodney Smith: | Stepping out of self-deception |
Oren Jay Sofer: | Say what you mean |
Rob Burbea | seeing that frees |
Meditation Centre Switzerland / Germany
Contact
Manuela Peverelli
life@karmacircus.com
079 304 54 08