Nurturing Trust

    The superego is often equated with “conscience.” This is unfortunate, since the guidance of the early superego is often unreliable, being based on unreasonable notions of right and wrong that were learned from our parents. Though these may have been appropriate for a child, frequently they are no longer useful for us as adults.

    Calling this early superego “conscience” has often led to a tendency to mistrust that inner voice which is called “buddhi” in yoga and an unwillingness to follow its lead and let it evolve. Instead, attention is confined to a more rational and logical assessment of events. The sense of exploration, of opening oneself to new possibilities, is lost.
   
    Through meditation, we can refine the tool with which we use to look. With a quiet mind we can observe the subtle energy connecting us to each other, to the planet, and to the universe.

    In electrical theory, the less resistance you have in a wire, the more it can conduct electricity. Similarly, meditation creates a state of non-resistance in our body. What do you feel when you tune your attention into your body?

    The subtle wires (nadis) within our body channel energy (prana) to every cell. This wiring becomes stronger as we use it and allow energy to flow. Physical connections will blossom. For many cultures, the idea of life force is central to healing. Wherever consciousness is placed, chi, or energy, begins to flow.

    Within the nervous system, physical wiring patterns become established and strengthened by repetition. By placing attention within, and lowering resistance to the sensations that we are experiencing, we increase our energetic capacity.

    Our energy center, or hara, is located in the center of our belly, just below our naval. Placing special attention here and strengthening the hara promotes the flow of energy within and will promote our feeling grounded and connected. This strength in the hara is exhibited by the graceful movements we see in martial arts, in the whirling dervishes, and belly dancing. It is the gut instinct and connection to one’s energy source. It is the intuitive connection that connects all beings.

    The egoic mind, which fixates on the outer world, is what keeps us from experiencing our true nature. All we have to do is turn our attention within and practice.

​With love,