Stop or continue?

[Dasso17]

I recently had begun a new practice of pranayama. I feel good with it but maybe it is too intense for me..... I ask I Ching what about if I continue practicing it and the result was 30.1.5 to 33. Could someone help me with your interpretations? I will appreciate any help

 

[Freedda]

One name/title for Hex. 30 is 'Arising'. And even though I don't know much about this yoga practice - or the setting in which you are doing it, could it involve awakening or the 'arising' of energy (or perhaps memories or feelings)?

I don't think the Yi is giving a clear yes/no response here. Instead, it seems to be saying that you should pay attention to your own experience, your own body and use that as a guide as to how to proceed: continue, back off, stop, move ahead more slowly, try another approach .....

Line 30.5 could mean that this practice will awaken - or is awakeing - emotions or memories in you (gushing tears, grief, lament). It is not unlike some breathe- or body-based therapies, which are meant to awaken, or uncover trauma or 'hidden' emotions or memories. Here the Yi suggests that this is a good thing, but I think you need to treat it and yourself with compassion - which might mean you need to back off or seek advice about what's happening.

Stepping away from the Yi's response for a moment (and I say all this in a general way and not to imply anything or point fingers at you!): there is - or at times has been - a division between yoga and meditation on the one hand - and on the other hand, counseling and therapy. And at least amoung us Westerners, we often believe that we should 'just push through' difficulties and not really explore them or seek help or guidance when 'our stuff' awakens - as if to do so would make us seem weak or 'unspiritual'.

I've heard this called 'spiritual bypassing' which means that we're not really dealing with who we are, nor looking at our histories, or patterns, or pain or traumas, but instead we're seeking some sort of spiritual band-aide, which we use instead of doing the real work needed for transformation.

Which is not to say that this is what you are doing with your yoga practice, but it is something we all need to be aware of, regardless of what 'practice' we're doing.

I hope some of that is of use to you. Best, D.

 

[Dasso17]

Thank you so much Freedda for your reponse.

Your interpretation makes me a lot of sense. Very appropriate for what is happening to me. They are emotions that are emerging. And although they are strong emotions, I appreciate seeing them as it is an opportunity to transform them. However, what worries me is that there may be some relationship with some physical illness because it has coincided almost with the moment I initiate the practice although it could have another cause.

So I Ching does not give a concrete answer but rather suggests observing the experience and deciding from there? Is that so?

About your other appreciations, I agree with you. It applies for any kind of spiritual practice And the way we relate to it depends a lot on the level of consciousness in which each one is

Thank you again!

 

[Freedda]

However, what worries me is that there may be some relationship with some physical illness because it has coincided almost with the moment I initiate the practice although it could have another cause.

So I Ching does not give a concrete answer but rather suggests observing the experience and deciding from there? Is that so?

Hello Dasso, again I hope what I shared is of some use to you. I don't know if it's related or not, but people often do have 'healing crisis' when their increasing awareness, or transformation might bring up some kind of illness along with it. But I don't know how true that is for you or not.

As to how 'concrete' the Yi's responses are .... I often couch what I say in 'might be', or 'could be' and the like because I think of the Yi as giving us advice - sometimes quite specific - but it doesn't take away our free will. It seems to me that the Yi's advice becomes 'concrete' when it either rings true for us or we decided to follow it.

Also, I am offereing my best, educated (I like to think) understanding; it might be right, or it may be way off base - so how 'concrete' it is could be how right or true it feels to you.

Also, I am 'advising' you from afar, and I'm not a doctor, or a therapist, yoga teacher or shaman, so I can't really say what's happening with you - with any authority - but I can share what the Yi's response is saying to me. (There are people who use the Yi in diagnosis in traditional Chinese medicine - I am not one of them.)

Anways, all the best, to you. D.

 

[Dasso17]

Thank you so much