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Photo: In this photo I’m pretending to be a stingray, wearing all my snorkeling sun protection gear at the “back door” of our bungalow homestay in Raja Ampat, Indonesia.
Dhyana- expanded awareness
“Travel is more than the seeing of sights. It is a change that goes on, deep and permanent, in the minds of the living.”
This quote by Miriam Ritter Beard, a women’s suffrage activist, reminds me of my own recent transformation while traveling. In June, we visited the other side of the planet and I felt shift within me. I experienced what yoga calls Dhyana. What can best be described as expanded awareness. The irony is that while the far-flung location certainly spoke to me, it was not a necessity for my encounter with dhyana. The tools for the transformation were inside me. They are in all of us humans.
I’ve shared previously that I am a city girl, and that my hubby is a child of nature through and through. To celebrate his 50th birthday we ventured to the corals of Raja Ampat. This area of the planet is known for healthy, biodiverse, thriving coral and sea life. Indeed, it takes quite a bit effort and time to get all the way out there. So once there, it makes most sense to situate yourself as close to the ocean as possible by residing at a homestay in a bungalow like the one pictured above - literally built over the water.
At most homestays there are limited hours that the generator runs. Thus, one quickly becomes accustomed to going without electricity most of the day and night. Without the distraction of electrical lights and screens, I soon adapted to the natural cycles of sunrise and sun set, falling asleep and waking up to the sound of the waves.
In the morning, when the sun is just above the horizon there is enough light angled into the water to snorkel. What a joy to wake up, roll out bed, find my mask, climb down the little ladder off the deck and into the water to commune with the multi-colored coral and the millions of sea creatures!
Friends who had visited before wisely advised us to wear all the gear for to protect the skin from sun and any stings. I am particularly grateful for this excellent recommendation because with the gear I was free to stay and play in the water all day.
Photo: I captured this moment while my hubby had taken a deep breath to dive down and examine the bright purple coral along the wall.
With so many opportunities to snorkel I noticed a pattern in my aquatic behaviors. First, I’d jump in the water and swim, swim, swim, almost like I was using the effort of the swim to get my wiggles out. Next, I’d start to ease up on the vigor of push and pull, kick and glide and notice the freedom to float. Eventually, my breath would slow and steady. My body would rest suspended in the clear, warm water.
I recognized this pattern because it is like my yoga practice. On the mat, I use yoga loosening and strengthening practices to get my wiggles out. The asanas (poses) and pranayama (breath techniques) invite me to slow down and eventually I can sit quietly in meditation.
The Roots of yoga teach us that meditation has three parts known as Antaranga Yoga. These three are
Dharana (focused awareness)
Dhyana (expanded awareness)
Samadhi (total absorption, our expanded awareness merges with the infinite)
I wish I could tell you that with 26 years of practice I have firmly established myself in all three stages but alas that is not the case.
I am well acquainted in Dharana (focused awareness).
I’ve had glimpses but not long stays in of Dhyana (expanded awareness).
I honestly could not tell you about Samadhi.
It may be that I’ve not touched Samadhi yet. I recall in a story from the ancient texts of yoga that once an aspirant reached Samadhi he did not return. Do what you will with that nugget, but for the purpose of this newsletter we now return to Dhyana and snorkeling in Raja Ampat.
We had already been snorkeling for an hour and some. I felt as if my body was resting on the water. Effortlessly hovering in space. Aware of my breath in and breath out. Aware my breath was synchronized with the gentle rise and fall of the ocean. For a split second I consciously thought “I’m in dhyana!”
I had to laugh at myself because the moment of “thinking” pulls you out of dhyana.
Therefore, I gently pushed aside the thought and purposefully returned to my breath. Hoping the focused awareness (dharana) on my breath would lead once again to Dhyana, expanded awareness.
A little later on my hubby tapped my shoulder, and signaled it was time to head back to shore. This interaction happened as we were cleaning our gear.
Me: “Wow, I’m thirsty.”
Hubby: “Yeah, we were out there for almost three hours.”
Me: (Silence…Tears filling my eyes at the realization I had been in dhyana for an extended time.)
Hubby: “It’s only a Kao-girl adventure if there is some crying!”
We laughed and proceeded to drink a gallon of water each. Snorkeling is fantastic but mouth breathing really dries you out!
We’ve been home for a few months since galivanting around the globe. While I do feel the deep and permanent change that Ms. Beard foretold that comes with travel, I must admit my yoga practice looks pretty much the same. I wade into the ocean of my spirit through mindful movement and conscious breathing. The subtle change of dhyana is more familiar. The invitation to all humans is to use our own body, breath, and mind to find and explore our own expanded awareness.
October 2024
