Last Day (for blogs) in Vienna

This will be my last blog entry in Vienna. It's a good thing there are only two more days left, though. They are doing construction on the floor below, and my pleasant little room vibrates with the drilling of the walls below. Still, I am enjoying my last few days here in Vienna. I'm so glad the clouds parted on Sunday and I've really been able to be present here. I mean, it's Vienna! for crying out loud.

I had a lovely breakfast with fellow practitioners. What a nice group of folks. It helps that I really like being in my own skin. Nice to be able to say that. Had a lovely walk to Stadt Park. My second time there. It was a glorious day, not a cloud in the sky. So lovely.

The practice: Today we learned the very beginning of the seated practice he was going to teach us. It involves correct positioning of the entire body, and the focused breathing I mentioned earlier, bringing it through the nadis on each inhale and exhale, through the 'gates,' the marmas. Today we started to learn to circulate the vayu through the nadis in the legs. Very intense work. Mental work. Focusing the mind inward to these energetic pathways and keeping it there. I was quite surprised the first time I did this. I immediately felt very clearly the vayu moving along the path of my inhale. It was very, very quick and quite defined and I felt it all along the pathway to a clearly defined point at the arch of my foot. It was quite pronounced! My thought was 'oh, there it is!' Amazing how it is so alive there, and all that is required is to just pay attention! I was surprised how clearly I felt it. Then the exhale, a different pathway back to the root of the kanda, where all the nadis begin.

He has impressed upon us the importance of absolutely no forcing, no imposition. Also, how the way he is teaching this to us is specific to this particular group. Same process with each group he teaches, but a different approach to it. We have practiced simple nadi work, inhale and exhale, through each prelude for three days. Now, we do it sitting and add the internal circulation of vayu in steps.

He also has stressed repeatedly the need to be very, very careful when approaching this work and especially in trying to teach it. You can really mess yourself up in a big way doing this work when not ready and without the guidance of a teacher. I believe him. Once I did, without even thinking, exactly what he said not to do--I forced the movement of vayu through the nadi when it felt blocked in a particular pose.

The consequence was immediate. It felt very bad. Very wrong. My immediate thought as soon as I felt this reaction was 'oh, shit, I just did what he said not to do.' And I woke up very dizzy the next morning. Another time I pressed on what I guess to be marma points where I felt blocked. I was fascinated by the level of release I felt when I did so. I did it over and over. Each time my entire chest released and the space in my lower abdomen felt cavernous and my inhale was so much deeper. I also gave myself a mild asthma attack! I guess some of us still have to learn the hard way! But it prepared me well for today, which is even more delicate. I now know clearly not to force ANYTHING! And to leave those marma points alone!!! Geez!!!

But real the point is, while this work will definitely become a big part of my own work, I won't be bringing this practice home to share. Sorry. But I believe in maintaining the integrity of the teaching. You'll just have to come to one of these on your own if you want to learn it! Or wait until Matt or perhaps Andy or Lita feel ready to teach it!

So that's it! 2 more classes, 1 more full day after today, and I come home. To sum it up, a great inner and outer cleansing coupled with deep insights and LOTS of new information to integrate. Along with a very 'revised' perception of what this work is all about. I look forward to seeing you all and sharing more of my journey here!!

Now for the last of the pictures. I visited a couple parks today. As you can see, the Viennese are careful to keep their parks well contained. Wouldn't want them spilling out onto the streets! Ha.

Once inside, quite lovely...

Check it out. A memorial statue to Schindler (for those who don't know who he is, check out the movie 'Schindler's List'):



Cool Viennese street scene...

Another shot of the opera house (otherwise known from earlier posts as Big Building:

Look familiar? TGIF's never looked like this in the states: