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Inner Smile From: Barry
Subject: Practice
Date/Time 2007-01-12 04:17:21
Remote IP: 86.27.79.2
MessageGood point A. I patched that defintion together culling Michael's POV on the Inner Smile. I like the words but here is my experience.
I spent mucho years in the yoga trenches of the 80's where witness conscioiusnesss was the be all end all of meditation. We did it via chanting, asana, devotion, service. Life developed around and was strengthened by this cultivation of inner self.
Much of this practice was focus on the the third eye as the center or seat of this. I got this. It is not too difficult to open this center with time and focus. I attribute much of my abilities to observe, hold difficult space and teach to this cultivation.
This space though is cold. There isn't feeling here and as such it also supports a certain dissociation pattern that comes with modern life. Or at least my life. In this example, discomfort in daily life is met with distant witnessing. I am not saying this is how it was taught but we all do the same practices and each has our own unique response and application based on individual intention.
Now, the inner smile practice feels warm. I am engaged and separate at the same time. It is a harder practice because the areas I am smiling into are harder. Belly, chest, back, organs.
I did a practice earlier this year going to sleep with Michael's leading of his version of the Smile with the idea my application of it consciously would be easier. That experiment is still in progress. I listened to the tape again sitting up recently and found it very overwhelming.
Perhaps it is as simple that the early practices I did were at a time when I believed I needed to remain distant from body for various 'safety' reasons. Now that has changed and a fuller embodiment is what I intend. Barry- still interested in your sense of these two practices.
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