July 2024 | Sojourn
NOTE: This was originally published as part of my newsletter in May 2024. Subscribe to my newsletter to receive the next Om Letter direct to your inbox once a month.
In my early twenties I found myself going behind the scenes of the Beyeler Foundation in Switzerland and spending some time in the conservation department. They were in the process of restoring a Rothko painting and, while explaining the difficulties of conserving modern art with its frequent use of unconventional materials, they took a blacklight to the painting.
Although Rothko’s work is rather spectacular when seen in person, it’s never been amongst my personal favourites. Under the glow of the blacklight however, this painting was mind-altering… it radiated under the luminous light and turned three dimensional. There was a sense that you could reach into the canvas and travel back in time to reveal every single brush stroke beneath the superficial layer. I found myself able to imagine Rothko’s every movement - the pressure of his brush, a sudden change in direction, the decisiveness of his strokes - as he built up layer upon layer of paint on the canvas.
When the blacklight was turned off I returned to the present day - to the conservation studio, but the history of the painting in front of me still remained visible. My eyes had learned to look beyond the surface and I’m not sure I’ve ever looked at another painting in quite the same way since. Once we understand how to see beyond the superficial, life is never quite the same after. This might actually be a better metaphor for viveka (clear-seeing) than the one I proposed in class a few weeks ago while we concluded our exploration of Patañjali’s Yoga Sutras.
But where Patañjali suggests that mastering our senses means disengaging with them (vairāgya) - and recommends an internalising so complete that the yoga scholar Mircea Eliade compared the classical yogin to a vegetable - our current exploration of the Vijñāna Bhairava Tantra's (VBT for short) Yukti verses will provide a strong contrast.
The VBT, written just three to four Centuries after the Sutra’s, asks for a dynamic engagement with the doors of our perception. Its focus is on full-body spirituality - accepting every breath, every sensory experience and emotion as a doorway to a deeper understanding of the energies of life. The beauty of yoga philosophy is that it provides a rich tapestry of perspectives and practices to accommodate our individual needs. As we learn to trust our inner-most instincts we follow the path that is meant for us, which eventually leads us to a life of expanded awareness and compassion.
I hope to see you in class soon as we work our way through the VBT verse by verse or, (if the images in this newsletter have enticed you at all) join me this November for a deep sensory experience within the precious container of a long weekend retreat on Erth. It’s one of the most recommended ethical retreat centres of 2024 according to The Guardian and Conde Nast. Myself and Mali are so looking forward to being there and I do hope you’ll be able to join us. We’ve got just one private room left and the last Early Bird spot remaining so don’t um and ah for too long!
With love,
OM x
Monthly Mantra
“Many of those who are driven to this life are desperately searching for those pockets of silence where we can root and grow”
Mark Rothko
July Playlist
A varied mix that reflects this ever-changing British ‘Summer’ we’ve been experiencing
Featured Flow
Wring out any stagnation in your body with this twisty sequence on my YouTube channel
Thank you for reading - if you have any questions please feel free to reach out via email.
Copyright © 2024
Oceana Mariani
