Learning Space No.6 [Kentaro Goto]

Namaste

Approximately three weeks have passed since we started sharing this learning environment with you all.

Among the participants, from that day until this very moment when you are reading this,

If anyone has been keeping their pelvic floor muscles (the muscles between the anus and genitals) tight for a while, I'd love to learn from you and become your disciple right away.

And people jump to conclusions without waiting for the news, but no one would do that.

This is because our minds have a tendency to be constantly in flux.

I would like you to take up the challenge of reading from here to the end while keeping your perineum slightly contracted.

It is human nature to be controlled by our ever-changing minds and just "live life without knowing what it's like" most of the time.

And the technique to stop the fluctuations of the mind is Yoga .

Chi Nei Tsang (hereafter referred to as CNT ) tunes into the frequency of the true feelings that lie deep within the mind, where many different voices can be heard.

You could say that it's a form of training for both of them to remember their true identities.

Stretching on a mat while panting and doing strange positions is not the essence of yoga .

CNT is not just a massage that encourages detoxification by simply relaxing and touching the stomach.

It can also be described as training to live consciously, to live with one's whole heart and soul.

In other words, both are truly places of learning.

Learning is a process until you no longer forget

During the 150 minutes of yoga and CNT , the thing we were told to do most over and over was to "focus on your breathing."

The reason why I repeated it is because we humans are geniuses at forgetting things, whether they are important or trivial.

Even if you think you understand it intellectually, you often forget to put it into practice.

It is said that there are four stages in a person's learning or mastery of something.

The first stage is "not knowing that you can't do it"

"Knowing that you can't do it" - the second step

"If you are conscious of it, you can do it" - the third stage

The fourth stage: "You can do it naturally without thinking"

In physiology, this final stage is called "muscle memory." It means that the memory is finally stored.

Just like in the movie The Karate Kid, it is only through repeated practice that one can finally master something.

By being told over and over again to "concentrate on your breathing," "pay attention to your breathing," and "breathe carefully,"

And every time I was told this, I would repeatedly notice things like, "My breathing is getting shallow," or "My breathing is getting rough again," or "Oh, I've stopped breathing."

By focusing on your breathing, you will find that your mind will calm down and you will reach a state of tranquility.

The breath we breathe is written as "one's own mind."

Taking control of your mind through breathing is a fundamental and most important aspect common to both Yoga and CNT .

Breathing meditation is a discipline that takes a very long time to master.

Of course, it is not possible to achieve complete calm in just those 150 minutes.

No doubt some of you noticed that your mind was calmer and more peaceful than usual.

Sat Chit Ananda – Eternal Blissful Consciousness

Have you ever heard the term " Sat Chit Ananda"?

In Sanskrit, Sat means truth, existence, reality or eternity, Chit means consciousness or soul, and Ananda means bliss.

In simple terms, "the soul -- the true identity of the self -- is eternal bliss."

As we were all sharing our impressions of the workshop , someone happily told me, "I just felt so happy."

This person may have been able to access this source of self, and perhaps be able to supply many times more oxygen to their entire body than usual.

Perhaps concentrating on each and every Asana gave me a sense of fulfillment in each moment.

Sat Chit Ananda is one of the conclusions and foundations of Indian philosophy.

How can we imprint this truth in our minds and bodies?

Without further ado, the answer is the meditation of breathing.

It involves honestly facing the emotions, memories, and sensations you encounter there, letting go, and going beyond your false, handmade ego.

I believe that the state of intuitive awareness that follows is Sat Chit Ananda .

This beautiful intuition is called "selfless news."

The disappearance of the false ego = "me" is bliss -- no one else calls it that, so I would encourage you to call it that.

The good news is that training never ends

So, how is it? Is your perineum tight right now?

Unlike things like how to walk or ride a bike, which you will never forget once you have learned them,

Living consciously, living with all your heart and soul, may be the easiest thing in the world to forget.

Engaging the perineum is a good example of this, and there is nothing more rewarding than this type of practice.

Traditional "highest way of life" training such as Yoga and CNT is expressed in English as " Spiritual Paths ."

It means realizing that it is not the body but the soul -- Sat Chit Ananda -- that is your true nature and identity.

It means living with that awareness.

It is certainly possible to make progress with both Yoga and CNT , but frankly, it feels like there is no end to it.

Training is not doing something in order to finish it, but simply doing it because you have to.

I hope that you can incorporate yoga practice and putting your hands on your stomach and listening into your daily life.

I couldn't be more pleased to be able to share the path to that wisdom.

By the way, tightening the perineum is called Mula Bhanda .

Mula means "root" and Bhanda means "lock".

If you want the tree of your life to grow rich and fat, make sure its roots are firmly planted.

Today, too, I want you to focus on your breathing and try to extend the time you hold the Mula Bhanda perineum.

The difficult philosophy is one of the attractions of Yoga , and I would like those who are interested to pick up the sutras.

More than that, I want people to feel the bliss of the love that flows deep within their everyday breathing, with sincerity.

A wonderful and ever-changing learning environment, and the best gift that helps me realize who I am

Endless respect for this body and mind.

Hare KRSNA