By Swami Nirmalananda Saraswati
I’ve always been an ocean-sort-of-gal, or at least I thought I was. As a native Californian, I grew up barefoot. Ever since I was old enough to choose where I could live, I’ve looked for a way to be near the ocean. I couldn’t always afford to be ocean-front, but living within a few blocks counts. The ultimate was when I could have a roaring fire in a fireplace with the ocean just beyond.
We all love the primal elements: earth, water, fire, air and empty space. Yoga names these mahabhutas as the building blocks of all that exists in this world. It is especially powerful where they meet — like the ocean washing against a sandy beach or crashing against the rocks. With the sunrise or sunset over the sea; when there are a few wispy clouds, you get all five elements at once:
- The shoreline — earth
- The ocean — water
- The sun — fire
- The clouds — air (when the air is holding water, you can see it — otherwise air is invisible)
- The space between the clouds — empty space
So many beautiful photographs and paintings feature these primal elements because they touch something deep inside you. Some of your favorite places have the combination of several mahabhutas, perhaps even in your own garden. Yoga explains that you love them because they are different expressions of the One, the primordial Self, which is being everything. You are made of this same substance, which is why you experience such a profound feeling in these environments. You enjoy a recognition of the shared essence. Since you are so often out of touch with your own essence, you need these external reminders. People who dream of retiring to the hinterlands and living in the midst of nature are seeking an environment that will give them constant peace and joy.
Even before I loved the ocean, I loved fire. My first experience of making friends with fire was when I was about 12 years old. One by one, I lit all the matches in a book of matches and let each burn down to my fingertips. I was enchanted and have been ever since.
The power and beauty of fire is captivating. Fire is important in many ways. The light and heat of the sun makes our planet hospitable to us. Civilization began when man tamed fire. Your own life depends on the cellular fire of digestion and metabolism. Most importantly, yoga specializes in the inner fire of Consciousness, which blazes forth in a radiant glow that transforms your experience of yourself, your life and the world. All of yoga’s practices are to prepare you for this awakening of Kundalini.
Transformation is needed because you live in amnesia, not knowing your true essence. You are Consciousness-Itself, an individualized form with a type of spiritual amnesia. This amnesia was placed in you as part of the divine play that brings this world into existence. Your job is to recover from the amnesia and recognize your true being. Yoga is the amnesia-recovery system. Beyond the poses, you need the inner awakening. This is Shaktipat.
OM svaroopa svasvabhava namo nama.h