Consistency and Intensity as Foundations for Harmony

Sep 27

A way that the wisdom of the seasons manifests itself is through the constancy of change. On the outside, the world around us is in flux and on the inside, our perspective on the shifting world is also transforming in subtle and dramatic ways. As the days shorten and become cooler here in northwestern Connecticut I am struck at how predictable and simultaneously unpredictable these shifts are. On one level it is obvious that in mid-September the days will become noticeably shorter, the leaves will start showing patches of orange and red, the mornings will be crisp and the evenings will descend earlier and with a distinctive chill. It is also obvious that my energy levels will change, I will crave more intense physical exercise and regain an appreciation for my own ability to generate heat and feel it flow through my body. Yet on another level I cannot anticipate the psychic changes that will occur, for although this is my 38th Autumn, it is also my first time experiencing this Autumn.

In yoga sadhana (practice) as in many rituals, the power is in both the substance of the activity as well as the repetitive consistency with which it is done. In the substance of my daily yoga sadhana I aim to cultivate a dynamism in my approach to the sequence of postures, breathing exercises and meditations that constitute it. This dynamism is an essential component of the freshness and joyfulness that I am able to access throughout my typical 90 minute ritual. I practice postures that I enjoy and postures that are frustrating, doing so in proportions that enable me to feel that I’m growing through challenges without being worn out through punishment. I know that I need to take time building up heat, focus and fluidity before immersing myself in an intense sequence and an advanced posture. I also know that I need to slow down when I am moving into an area with an old injury and to extend my exhales when opening up a tight hip or shoulder.

The quality of repetitive consistency requires a different approach from the choreographing of a personal yoga practice, it also requires an even deeper level of care. In order to maintain the type of consistency in a yoga practice that affords it to become deeply transformative, I find myself needing to dive into the depths of my psyche and understand a truth that tends to hide itself from view. It is a paradoxical truth which is veiled when I am engaged outwardly in my worldly life, yet which constantly burns like the flame of a candle in a sometimes forgotten room. It is the truth at the core of the question of free will, it is the truth of waves washing unceasingly on the shore and the moon calling me into my waking dreams. It is a truth that I cannot say or write yet one which envelops me when I am immersed in ritual, it is a source of energy that strengthens the light by which my path forward is illuminated. In order to stay consistent in my practice I find myself searching for that truth, understanding why it is so essential to me and remembering that I have a method by which to connect with it.

This seasonal shift into Autumn may cause many things in your life to fall into question, you may find yourself doubting your work and purpose, your relationships or your ability to be happy. Things are meant to be let go of when we move away from the light and warmth of summer. The fruits are to be harvested as the leaves and stocks are to be discarded so that they can be absorbed into the earth. By staying connected to the deep truth of your life, it will invigorate your will to practice consistently and by practicing consistently you will stay connected to the truth of your life. By being dynamic in the substance of the sadhana, the seasonal forces that are influencing you will be revealed and the harmony of relating to those seasonal forces skillfully can be achieved. Yet by powering ahead without reflection or by succumbing to the despair of unmet hopes, disharmony will increase.

In the morning during this time of year I wake up before the sun and have the fortune to see the early, deep blue light begin to creep across the eastern sky. I know that the day will be similar to the day before yet simultaneously infused with chaos and mystery.

Emile Sorger

Emile practices yoga as a discipline, a conversation and a celebration of being. He began in the womb of his mother as a mysterious intelligence assembled his body in a profoundly elegant and organized way. Emile's childhood was characterized by inexhaustible physical energy coupled with a very serious interest in stillness and introspection, exemplified by his proclivity for climbing trees and sitting for long stretches in their highest branch. His formal yoga training began in 2005 at Goucher College where he studied yoga asana alongside meditation and religious texts. Resolving to immerse himself in spiritual learning Emile traveled to India in 2007 to study meditation, Tibetan language and Buddhist Philosophy. It was there that he developed a profound respect and appreciation for the potential for human evolution through the contemplative disciplines of meditation and yoga. After returning, he graduated college with a B.A. in comparative religions and enrolled in Charm City Yoga's 200 Hour Teacher training program. There in Baltimore he studied under Kim Manfredi and Will Walter who were able to guide him towards a more accurate and imaginative understanding of his physical form and ability to express his insights effectively. Since then has been greatly influenced by New York City teachers Dharma Mittra, Nevine Michaan and Abbie Galvin who continued to expand his understanding of the role and efficacy of yoga beyond its obvious applications. Since moving to Philadelphia in 2012 Emile has varied his approach to encompass a broader range of physical and spiritual practices, these include over a year of dedicated training in hand-balancing with Lin Junming of the Fu Jian Circus in China as well as over two years time involved in the 3 Doors Academy, a secular meditation program that centers around personal, professional and community transformation. His classes integrate traditional yoga sequencing with contemporary mythology, music and inspiration with the aim of creating a space in which students can discover and express themselves in their particular and universal form.

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