On Purpose

I am loving everyday of my asana practice, loving the lessons and loving the experience.
Today was about purpose. But I left my pen and notebook and so Govinda's words are floating in my head and are now colored by my own remembrance.

When we talk of clarity of purpose, we must distinguish between what we see as our purpose in the material world and the spiritual world.
The material world is about improvement. We want to improve ourselves, to keep getting better.
Any kind of improvement belongs to the material realm. The spiritual world needs no improvement - it is perfect.
The lesson is in the awareness of both worlds. Although they seem to be conflicting, they are actually complementary.
The mind, thoughts, emotions, the ego belong to the material world. The material world is useful, the mind provides context and reference, they have their place and purpose. They are our tools but they are not us. We are not our thoughts, nor are we our opinions. They are only one side of us. 
In the material world, nothing is ever satisfied, nothing is ever enough. When we identify only with the material world, this causes more unhappiness.
There is nothing wrong with improving but know that there is something deeper, beyond the senses, unchanging, in no need of improvement. In the spiritual realm, we are perfect.
Spirituality requires nothing but experience, without labels or critical thought.
Often, the problem lies in solving spiritual problems with materiality. Those who have not cultivated awareness will be uncomfortable in pain.
Sometimes, when we have identified too much with the material world, we become averse to any kind of discomfort or pain and will turn to vices, distractions, anything to not experience discomfort. 
We remove experience, and therefore stunt the growth of our own spirituality.  
We must practice the distinction between the two worlds and to create more space for experience. This sometimes means removing limitations created by our own judgments and critical thoughts.
In asana practice, sometimes we become collectors...of asanas, of teachers. The mind says more is better.
We should instead ask ourselves, what is the quality of our breath? the quality of our practice?
As we practice, we will develop a more instinctual and intuitive sense, a mastery that can be applicable in other aspects of our life.

My thoughts sort of stop here. It's a wonder how these days in my journey have been unraveling. I am thinking of this morning's session and the opportune moments to speak your truth. It is liberating to do so even if the mind always makes one feel as if it is so very difficult. When words are spoken, and because they are true, they ease into reality without the least bit of drama. We just speak our truth.

I am still fascinated at how the Universe has conjured Govinda Kai in Manila in the heat of the summer season and right into wherever we are in this journey. This is how I think about purpose and the magical quality of its clarity for each being, its impeccable timing and its vast mystery. He may not have known his purpose in our lives a few months back, nor did we. I only had an old photograph back then.

The lesson for the teacher may be different for the students though they are in the same physical place and time. We do not question these things but revel in the purity of experience, deep and beyond sensory understanding. I think this is how I have integrated the lesson on Purpose today. On the material side, we have all manifested in each other's lives. Spiritually, we have all always been connected, the quality of which can only be determined by our own vibrant awareness of each other.

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Post script: During practice, my toenail scraped my wrist in one of the jump throughs. I did Reiki on it and the skin has closed completely. Somewhere, somehow, my secret wishful purpose is to be able to heal. My not so secret wishful purpose is to teach. Between them, there must be a rather fine line.