Настоящая защита: высшая цель йоги (2005, Тусон), занятие 1

[Говорящий 1]
This is a very famous idea in Buddhism, and also in Hinduism, yoga tradition. In Tibetan, we probably know Kemdo, which means to go for refuge, or to go for shelter, or to seek protection. In Sanskrit, it's Shalini Bhutani, I go for protection, I go for shelter.

And we wanted to talk about the idea of protection. What does it mean? Especially during the exercise, during the asanas.

How are you taking protection? What does protection mean? And what we put in a reading, it's in a notebook.

I can give it to you guys. Twenty-two. There's an ancient textbook about protection.

There's a monastic textbook from the greatest monastery in the world, and we love a simple concept, so... Anyway, there's a classic presentation, and in the monastery, we tend to debate it, and overkill it, and then we kind of forget what it means. But protection means two things, if you think about it.

Something is putting you into danger. There's a danger. Something wrong.

Something that can hurt you. So protection implies there's a danger. And then secondly, you believe that someone can help you.

You go to someone because you believe they can help you. So, seeking protection always involves two parts, right? Something is threatening you.

There's a danger. And then you think something can help you, and you go for protection. I always think of running to your mom.

The first protection you ever run to is your mom. And you run to them because you believe they can stop your big brother from hitting you. And that's a kind of seeking protection.

So that's the classic thing about seeking protection. There are four levels of protection to think about. Four levels of danger in our lives.

First level is very normal stuff, like... I don't have enough money. That's a danger.

My relationship is not working so well. That's a danger. I have some kind of sickness, disease in my body.

That's a danger. Those are like first level dangers. Normal dangers.

Second level danger is death itself and what will happen to you after you die. Where will you go after that? You know, people think...

I don't have to worry about that right now. I still got some time to go. And I've had students in these classes, so I'm not here anymore.

You know. Kamomachi, right? In New York.

Just suddenly died, you know. And it will happen. You know, it can happen.

So, the second level of danger is death itself and what will happen after that. After that, right? Where will you go after that?

You need serious protection. Not just protection against not getting dessert. After dinner, tapas, then you need consult.

Okay? Third level protection is... They call it the condition of life itself.

The condition of life itself. Meaning aging and death. You see, so really number two is where do you go after you die.

And number three is death itself. And the process of aging. You know, it's like you spend three hours here doing this and you're serious.

You're three hours older. You're three hours closer to your death. And nobody gets younger in a yoga class.

[Говорящий 2]
You know.

[Говорящий 1]
Unless you're doing it very well. Tantric. Tantric.

But that's the condition of getting old and dying itself. The last kind of danger. The last kind of problem.

Is that everybody has that problem. You see what I mean? That's...

We need to seek extraordinary protection. Which means... Number four differs from the first three in that you break out of worrying about yourself.

And you're worried about everyone. You see what I mean? I must protect everyone.

You see what I mean? Protection must go beyond my immediate financial problems. Or relationship problems.

Or health problems. It must go beyond what will happen to you after you die. It must go beyond the fact of death.

And aging. In the end, we must seek protection for everyone. Right?

We must be concerned about everyone. And seek protection. You kind of like...

It's not real protection unless you do it forever. Right? Unless you're trying to protect everyone.

You know. How would you feel if you got protected and then people in your class... You're teachers, right?

Most of you are going to be teaching yoga. So now you have a new responsibility. Very very severe, serious responsibility.

Can you protect the students in your class? Not from aging. Not from discomfort.

Not from obesity. Right? Can you protect them from death itself?

You see? Can you take that responsibility for your students? We were in a yoga class in New York.

Om Yoga. And Cindy Lee, very nice. The first chapter yoga teacher.

She offered to play us and we taught. And then she didn't come after the second night or something. And I'm like sort of dissed, you know?

Like... I'm an important teacher. And I said, well, you know.

I asked Jennifer Brilliant, her assistant. I said, you know, where's Cindy? She said, well, she had to go somewhere.

[Говорящий 2]
I'm like, yeah, I know.

[Говорящий 1]
Where? And she said... She went to a funeral.

And I said, oh, I'm sorry. Who was it? She said, one of her students.

I said, oh, I'm very sorry. I want something else maybe. And then she said...

She died during a yoga class. You know what I said? She died during a yoga class.

So... You have not... Once you've heard this detection thing.

We're going big time. The reason for this class... Like, you should sit in your next yoga class wherever you teach.

And you should look at those students. And say, I don't want this one to die on me. You know?

During my watch. You know what I mean? Like...

I got... I got plans for my students that exceed making them thin and strong. You know what I mean?

I don't want someone to die who's in my care. You see? If there is any way to save a person on a higher level.

I must do it for my students. You know what I mean? You can't.

You should look at the students in the class. And walk in. And look them in the face.

I don't want this one to die. Because I didn't teach them properly. You see what I mean?

If there is some way to take people to a higher level. If there is a way to change the body into an ageable body. Then you have a great responsibility to do it for them.

To help them do it. You know? Now when they walk into your class it's a whole different thing.

You're not just trying to make them lose weight. Or look better. Or feel better.

You know? You don't want to be a teacher on this level of yoga. Where you find out that the reason they didn't come back was they died.

You see what I mean? Like that. Or seriously ill.

You can prevent those. Yoga can prevent those. Higher level yoga can prevent those.

That's what we're here for. That's protection. You want to give them protection.

What we traditionally go to protection in is called the three jewels. Okay? And you should know this.

Three Ratna in Sanskrit. Ratna means a jewel. Or a gift.

Comes from the verb ra which means to offer something. A gift. And three means three.

Three Ratna. Three jewels. And it's a Buddhist idea.

But like many Buddhist ideas. I think you can use it in your yoga classes. Non-saccharine.

Or you know. You can present it as a concept that doesn't. None of these ideas has to be Buddhist.

You know? I personally prefer like in the business books we do. Or Christian talks we do.

Which took out all the references to Buddhism itself. It's the ideas that are important. It's not the images.

Or the icons. You know? It's not what you call them.

It's the ideas that can save people's lives. Whether they're Christian or Hindu or doesn't matter. So.

In that context also. If you did a credit dictation. Whatever you call it.

For this course. Which I really beg you to do. And we don't give you the full manual to do it.

You're going to be required to take an additional course by. You can do it by correspondence. You can do it on the web for free.

It's a course called the Bodhisattva Vows. It's the. Is it fifth course?

Seventh. Seventh course in the ACI series. This is a list of sixty something vows.

That a Buddhist takes. They commit to be a Bodhisattva. To try to help other people.

So I'd like you to. We'd like you to study that course. And to study the vows.

Even if you have no intention of following a Buddhist path. Okay? You don't have to take the vows.

You don't have to commit to the vows. They're just a cruel kind of lie. They're just a very sweet kind of lie.

And I think they'll be helpful for your students. We ask you to discredit the evasion. Very clearly.

[Говорящий 2]
To the patient classes. That you take that course. If you're in New York.

[Говорящий 1]
You can probably take it live. If you're living in other cities.

[Говорящий 2]
LA.

[Говорящий 1]
You can take it live with people. That I have done. We miss listening to your teachings.

And maybe this is going to take you quite a while longer. Doing monologues. It's easy.

You just sit there and listen to some talks. Fill out some ridiculous homework. And it's a very beautiful kind of lie.

And it'll be very helpful for your students. But again. That doesn't mean you have to give in to the evasion.

You just have to commit to the Buddhist path. So I'm going to talk about those three jewels. Quanzhou Sun and Zara.

The first one is. The jewel that you might be. And that just means someone.

Who has followed the path. Sincerely. And reached the ultimate goal.

And they are infinitely able to follow the people. When you do this Sun meditation. You are sort of.

Pretending to be that. You're like. God.

You know what I mean. You're looking at the planet Earth. You are wishing well.

That everyone there. You're hoping you could take care of all of them. You're sending aid.

And comfort. To everybody on the planet. And at some point.

In the experience of God. You will be that. You will be like that.

You know. Your mind is working on a level beyond Earth. Your body is the same as your mind.

You can stand.

[Говорящий 2]
At the same moment of the living life.

[Говорящий 1]
And serve every person there. In any form being. You can be a dog.

You can be a next to man. You can be a dog. You can be their grandmother.

Everything. You have this power. So we believe in these things.

And we seek their help. We seek their protection. That's the.

Called the jewel of the enlightened being. That's called the jewel. Then there is the apparent one.

The apparent one is like pictures. It is literally something. Something that you have to look at.

This is enlightened being. We seek her assistance. She's the goddess of.

Composition. Music. Poetry.

And if you pray. It starts talking to God. And helping you.

So this is actually. Is not. Protection.

We're Israel. We had a full line in the ground. We went to Shabbat.

At my parents house. And we had Shabbat with the whole big family. And then the rabbi came.

Specifically to the baby thing. And we had such a good time. And his first question was.

What about images? Do you believe in images? Because as a Jewish tradition.

We can't create an image of God.

[Говорящий 2]
And. And your friend.

[Говорящий 1]
And my friend.

[Говорящий 2]
And the rabbi was his teacher. It's his love.

[Говорящий 1]
So. It's like I can't give you. You're going to lose food.

Well we believe that. They're useful. Because they remind you of the enlightened being.

But they're not. There's no beginning or end. You know what I mean?

It's not there. Right?

[Говорящий 2]
No.

[Говорящий 1]
Because sometimes people get. Out of hand. And start worshipping.

The wood. The soul. This image.

Of the enlightened being. And in some way. The Jewish tradition.

In the commandments. That's a very profound. It's just beyond most people's minds.

That. You shouldn't be attached to the corner. You know.

Maybe it looks. Tibetan. Maybe it looks Chinese.

Maybe it looks Indian. Maybe it looks American. You shouldn't be attached to the corner.

It's the essence. You know. It's the layer of being.

Their name. They can appear any way they want. And they do.

Right? So. They're careful.

When they preach the three jewels. The enlightened being will talk to God. In any particular.

In any particular. Page. Or a form.

Or. Culture. Doesn't matter.

It's what's behind it. It's the enlightened being. It's that.

Okay? Second. Jewel.

We call the jewel. The Diamond. Diamond.

If you ask somebody.

[Говорящий 2]
What does the diamond mean? They will say.

[Говорящий 1]
It's to teach. It's to win. It's to teach.

You may have to teach it. Okay.

[Говорящий 2]
I'll try it.

[Говорящий 1]
I'll show you how to do it. And if you did it. Do it tonight.

And give it to 16 years. Yeah. I'll start.

You must write an intention. Okay.

[Говорящий 2]
So.

[Говорящий 1]
You know.

[Говорящий 2]
He's going to come here. He will give the diamond a teaching.

[Говорящий 1]
He will speak. About the teaching of the first diamond. He will give a teaching from the teaching of the first diamond.

Very profound teaching. So he will give you a teaching. Right?

That's the diamond. Right? We call that the diamond.

It's not the real diamond. Okay? That's just the diamond.

[Говорящий 2]
It's just a form.

[Говорящий 1]
What's the real diamond? What's the diamond that can protect me? Understanding the echo.

Understanding that everything in your life bounces off other people. Back to you. That's the real diamond.

Instead of. Why? That one can protect me.

That one can protect me. These two diamonds here are a diamond. They can't protect you if you have another one.

Okay. But if you have this technique. Every problem I had this week.

Was bouncing off other people. After I did it to someone else. You see what I mean?

Every problem in my life. Is bouncing back from me. And I did it to someone else.

It's bouncing back. Then your whole life changes. Then you protect.

You have protection. Right? You have real protection.

Life must get better. Because why? I don't want you to cry.

I don't want to cry. So how do you get rid of it? Stop bouncing off other people.

Okay? That's protection. That's real protection.

It goes all the way up to the level. If you had as much care for other people. As you have to buy your own life.

You wouldn't die. Death would not come back to you. You see?

If you had as much concern about others as you have about yourself. You wouldn't die. You see?

If you're giving all those things you're keeping up. You're using them more power than you can handle. You're not being yourself.

Not even. It's not even. What's the sign?

Look at the mirror in the morning. If you look at the wall. It's not even.

What you're doing is not even. You have to do more. So that's real protection.

Understanding that. How many things don't come from the head? Point out the things you don't do.

Don't come from me. Bouncing off other people. That's emptiness.

That's emptiness. So when somebody says emptiness. You can say, yeah.

It means all the stuff in this room. That's not bouncing off someone that I didn't do. And that's not a nothing, zero.

Don't do nothing with it. That's emptiness. It's not just laughing.

Or thinking about nothing. Or nothing matters. Very good.

It's nothing. It means you must do kindness. It's the opposite of that.

You must do kindness. There's nothing that doesn't bounce off other stuff. That's emptiness.

That's real protection. They say that darkness is the ultimate protection. That understanding of darkness is the ultimate protection.

That will save you. It will save you. From any.

Last protection. The last door. They call salim.

Actually that means door. I mean community. Salim means to come together.

It comes into three S's. S-Y-N. God is to come.

It comes into some kind of a S. Which means come. Help.

Come. It's a hollow word. She doesn't know what it is.

So synagogue means to come together. It's the exact translation to three of salim. Synagogue is to come together.

It's the exact translation to three of salim. Synagogue is to come together in order to build a community. Who's the community?

You are. The people who come together to struggle. To save the world.

That's the community. The people who are really interested in a higher level of the earth. The people who want to protect other people in the world.

Help them. Save them. They qualify as salim.

They are community. You are salim. That's salim.

In the traditional sense, salim might be a group of people who have taken roads. Like that. But it means in this spiritual group of people.

We are salim. Today we are salim. We are the salim.

That's only apparent salim. That's only apparent salim. People who have directly understood the energy.

People who have directly seen the energy. Are really salim. Ultimate salim.

They are the people who can really help. They are the people who can really protect. And the purpose of yoga.

One of the purposes of yoga. Open your chakras. When the prana comes from the side chakras, into the center chakra.

If you can get to a point in your asana practice where all the energy is shoved into the middle chakra. You will see a difference in your life. You will see a difference in your life.

That's the whole purpose of yoga. Original purpose of yoga. Get the prana into the sushumna.

Center chakra. And if it not gets in. You see a difference.

Then you become a real protector. Then you become a real protector. Within seven nights.

You become a real protector. So that's the biggest reason for yoga. We are working from the outside.

To happen. To get this thing to happen.