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Hopelessness Can Be a Good Thing

On July 17, 2013 in General by Alan Finger

Some days it will be amazing — you’ll sit down and your mind will go quiet. Other days you’ll feel like you’re having a mental throw up — all your emotions and thoughts will come up. But it’s absolutely worth it to achieve the ability to sit and just be. Be nothing: no thing. That’s what meditation is all about. When you get into that state of nothingness, that’s where you can tune to the intelligence of the universe. That’s where you heal. That’s where you revitalize. That’s where inspiration comes into you.

You cannot think inspiration or hope for inspiration. You’ve got to allow it to come to you. Sometimes inspiration arrives, and your mind is so strong that you fight it and create conflict with it; you don’t listen properly. To get to that point of quietness where you can hear the inspiration of the universe, we use Svara Yoga: the science of studying the breath and how the breath moves through the nostrils. Your breath is your life and what keeps you going. If you can learn to master that life force in your being, you can begin to control how you function. It’s the most empowering thing that you could possibly do in your life.

Learning the subtle concepts and practices of pranayama (breathing techniques) allows you to control the very prana, the life current of your being. You know it’s your life current because if you stop breathing, there is no more life. When you use pranayama to make the breath flow evenly, the brain goes into neutral. When the brain neutralizes and you become still, your energy moves to where you can relate to the intelligence of the universe: the crown of your head. It is there that healing, transformation, and inspiration happen.

By Alan Finger

South African Tantric and Kriya Yoga Master Alan Finger began studying yoga at the age of 16 with his father Mani Finger and renowned swamis of the past century. Alan and Mani created ISHTA Yoga. ISHTA is an acronym for The Integrated Science of Hatha, Tantra, and Ayurveda, and also translates to “That which resonates with the individual spirit” in Sanskrit. The ISHTA style integrates breath-based flow yoga with alignment, meditation and healing bodywork. Before creating a home for ISHTA, Alan co-founded Yoga Zone, Be Yoga and Yoga Works. Alan has co-authored several books including Introduction to Yoga with Al Bingham, and Chakra Yoga and Breathing Space with Katrina Repka. Alan travels the world to share his teachings. He currently lives and teaches in New York City where he co-owns ISHTA Yoga with his wife, Sarah Finger. Learn more about Alan and Ishta Yoga Studio at ishtayoga.com.