No Such Thing as A Thoughtless State: Embracing Presence Over Ideals in Yoga with Eva Košćak
Release Date: 11/27/2023
The Heart of Yoga
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Teaching at Liliana Lakshmi's teaching training, this question arises.. hear the response. In this episode, Mark explores how Yoga can provide a sense of unity and belonging amidst conflict and division in the world. He emphasizes that Yoga is not about seeking or trying to get somewhere, but recognizing and participating in the beauty, power and extraordinary intelligence that is always there, the wholeness and the harmony. Mark argues that religious seeking and presumption of separation are the root of conflict, and Yoga dissolve this illusion. He shares the principles from...
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In part one of this two part episode, Rosalind is joined by Domagoj Orlić to demystify tantra, a profoundly misunderstood spiritual tradition. As both a scholar and practitioner of Tantra, Domagoj sheds light on what Tantra actually is, its key principles and aims, and how it differs from the "Neo-Tantra" appropriated in the West. They explore Tantra's emphasis on liberation through feeling unity with the divine feminine, why ritual and initiation by a guru matters, and how Tantra can help overcome conditioning to realize inherent power. Domagoj clarifies Tantra's nuanced...
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info_outlineIn this episode, Mark interviews Eva about her journey discovering Yoga and music. Eva shares how she was classically trained in cello as a child but hated the competitive pressure. She dropped music for 18 years until finding Yoga, which helped her rediscover enjoyment and presence. A few years into Yoga, Eva spontaneously picked up guitar and started playing purely for pleasure, posting videos online.
Mark and Eva explore how yoga catalyzed Eva's musical reawakening. Yoga helped Eva let go of striving for perfection and future attainment, and instead play music for the joy of each moment. Eva discusses how Yoga taught her to receive support and gave her courage to be vulnerable sharing imperfect musical videos. She also describes realizing Yoga isn't about achieving a thoughtless state, but being fully immersed in each experience.
Eva offers an inspirational example of how Yoga provided the foundation to rediscover her musical self by cultivating presence, receptivity and relationship.
Keypoints:
- [00:03:00] Discovering yoga helped Eva find enjoyment and presence
- [00:05:00] Yoga was the catalyst that allowed Eva's musical talent to emerge
- [00:08:00] Eva learned to receive support and be vulnerable through Yoga
- [00:12:00] Eva rejected the competitive classical music system as a teen
- [00:18:00] Finding a Yoga teacher who respected Eva as an individual was pivotal
- [00:20:00] Yoga felt like the opposite of Eva's prior athletic yoga experience
- [00:25:00] Eva played music purely for enjoyment rather than future goals
- [00:30:00] Eva had to unlearn criticism and perfectionism around mistakes
- [00:40:00] Simple Yoga helped a depressed musician rediscover her artistry
- [00:50:00] Eva realized Yoga wasn't about achieving a thoughtless state
Memorable Quotes
"Yoga as a system should adapt to the individual, not the other way around."
"It's not to get to the end, to the grand crescendo of the great symphony. It's every note along the way in harmony with every other note."
"There's no state like that, that I should be striving towards. What I have right now and what I'm doing right now is it."
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