The Pulse of the Universe

Inhaling and Exhaling; Expanding and Contracting; Giving and Receiving; Unfolding and Recoiling; Effort and Surrender; Ebbing and Flowing; Moving out into the world to manifest your dreams and drawing within to nourish, nurture and discover yourSelf. This is the pulse of the universe expressing itself in every moment of our lives.

We see and relate with these poles of opposites all the time. We say that something is 'more Yin' if it is deeper, more mysterious, cooling, and lunar. We say something is 'more Yang' when it is closer to the surface, more obvious, heating, expansive and solar.

In Yoga terms, we have the Ida Nadi, which is revered for its cooling, introspective qualities, and we have the Pingala Nadi which is celebrated for its heating, energizing qualities.

Regarding the Gunas (properties of nature) we have Raja Guna which is the principle of activity, motion, and passion, and we have Tama Guna, the principle of inertia, heaviness, and grounding.

In every single asana we have the side of the body that is being stretched, tugged-on, expanded, and at the same moment, the opposite side of the body is being compressed, drawn in or squooshed.

We even see this cycle embedded in the four seasons and any single day, in the arc of a yoga class, and in the expression of every single breath.

For me, witnessing this pattern over and over again makes it easier to understand the nature of impermanence, and to recognize that we are all participating in this Cosmic Dance. I see that the heat of an argument will eventually give way to the coolness required for a resolution; that an impulse to hibernate, meditate and write today will likely give rise to an urge to travel, explore and socialize in some future moment; and that the idea of a permanent resolution regarding relationships or circumstances is an impossible ideal as even our responses to situations continue to expand and contract.

We come to realize that there is a state of being that is supporting the pairs of opposites, or duality. That there is an eternal, changeless reality of which we are composed. In terms of Yin & Yang, this supporting state is called the Tao; realtive to Ida & Pingala Nadis we have Sushumna Nadi; and regarding Rajas & Tamas we have Satva. We begin to establish ourselves in this witness and from that vantage point, begin to genuinely enjoy the experience of being alive.

Here's wishing you awe, wonder and peace as you feel the vibrations of this Universal Pulse reverberate throughout your life!