The fire of consciousness. This metaphor strikes me as unusual. In my mind, the stereotype of yoga is that it is calm, serene and passionless. I like the idea that however calm yoga may seem, there is always a fire, or at least embers.
I also definitely agree with the idea in terms of consciousness and thought. Thinking always requires fuel, like fire, the more fuel you give your consciousness, the brighter it burns. Lately, I have really connected with the idea of an embodied philosophy. I can feel the ‘fire’ burning brighter when I acknowledge and recognize my own body. In my acting work, I have noticed that I can often feel emotionally closed. By physically opening my body, even just opening my hands, I feel a deeper emotional resonance within myself. The emotional resonance feels like a warmth running through my lungs and down into my stomach and into my fingers. I would describe this feeling as the ‘fire of consciousness’.
This concept also explains why we put so much emphasis on muscular energy in our yoga practice. By activating as much of the body as possible, we activate as much of the mind as possible.
Awesome prompt, Michael. Very thought provoking.
Zak Houston 