May 18, 2026 - Choreography
Last week, we talked about the transition between a rajasic state and a sattvic state, examining what it looks like when sattva, consciousness, descends into existence, rajas. This week, we looked at the inverse: the ascent of of existence into consciousness.
Unlike Descartes and much of the Western tradition that informs him, Hinduism takes the position not that we think ourselves into being, but that thinking is a part of being. Consciousness is a subtle aspect of existence, but it does exist. We can’t restrict ourselves to the idea that consciousness is confined to brain tissue. If consciousness is integral to beingness, as the Hindu yogis argue it is, then it stands to reason that all of material reality is pervaded by consciousness. What happens, then, when rajas makes it’s way into the subtle realm of consciousness (sattva)?
This combination manifests, some believe, as an aspect of reality called isvara (ish-vuh-ruh). Isvara is a kind of supraconsciousness, a higher consciouness that participates in material existence. The role of isvara is to direct and organize the gunas such that the process of creation, existence, and destruction continues on and on. It helps me to think of isvara as a choreographer. The three gunas are its dancers, and isvara directs them all in such a way as to ensure that they move harmoniously to the appropriate rhythm and time and that the cycle of reality continues to spin.
Where does this show up for us in our particular microcosm of reality? Our lived experience? We approached this practice from an energetic and embodied perspective rather than a psychological one. Yoga works on the premise of an energetic body that’s inseperable from both mentality and physicality. This is what we’re working with when we practice pranayama - the pranic body (prana meaning energy). The central energy channel, sushumna nadi, runs from the level of our tailbone up to the top of the head. All other energy channels flow from this channel. Sushumna sets the tone for both quality and quantity of energy in the body. It choreographs the energy flow. The more attentive we are to maintaining this energetic axis and the physical structures around it (the spine), the more harmoniously the energy will move, leading to a more graceful and coordinated existence.
In that sense, I see a similarity between isvara and sushumna. Sushumna choreographs the prana within the body, which seeks to create harmony among the various aspects of our material existence: physical, mental, spiritual, and of course energetic. To that end, we had a rich practice focused on spinal movement and pranayama. We began with:
An opening savasana, practicing sama vrtti (equal breath) to feel the flexion and extension of the spine against the mat.
Supine warm-ups including happy baby, hamstring stretches, twists, and hip mobilizations.
We transitioned to our hands and knees for some:
Cat and cow (marjaryasana and bitilasana) along with a child’s pose (balasana) with a rotation to open up the ribs and sides of the spine.
Vajrasana (thunderbolt pose) with arms raises to stretch the bottoms of the feet
We then:
Went through a bhujangasana (cobra pose) series into down dog, through table top and forward folds, feeling the effect of the breath in flexion and extension in a different position.
Articulated through our feet by raising and lowering the heels in down dog.
Went through a series of kneeling lunges to open the sides of the spine and feel the spine in rotation, which is an experience of both compressing and decompressing the spine evenly.
Grabbed a bolster for a supported cobra pose, placing the prop under our sternum to gain height and assist in opening the front of the chest and strengthening the back.
Explored side bending in parighasana (gate keeper pose), along with lengthening the spine.
From there, we entered into an extended pranayama practice. Seated, we practiced sama vrtti before transitioning into nadi shodhana, alternate nostril breathing. This breathing practice combines with a mudra (hand gesture) and has made its way into popular culture, and is well-loved for its balancing effects. We practiced a particularly subtle form (taught to an Indian master by his student, Yehudi Menuhin!) of the breath with an emphasis on calming the nervous the system.
Afterwards, we went into a restorative twist over the bolster before a long savasana. And good times were had by all.
Thank you to everyone who came. See you on the mat next time.
Saprema <3