COAL PRIZE 2013 PROPOSAL:
ECO - YOGA : A PROJECT COMBINING ART, YOGA AND SCIENCE TO RAISE THE CONSCIOUSNESS ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES.
0. Summary
The proposal of this project is to create an artistic outcome in the form of seven pictures (that include a diagram and a photography) taken in seven different places and use them to raise consciousness about environmental issues. We are going to explore the question whether it is possible for a human individual to adopt to its environment practicing Yoga, using two devices, one that measures electro-magnetic waves found in a particular place and another one that measures the electro-magnetic waves of a brain of the individual while they practice Yoga on that particular place. The two outcoming measurements will be compared in one diagram and a representative picture of a certain Yoga -asana will be taken in each of the seven places.
Vrkasana, Catoira, Galicia
The cross, Santiago de Compostela
1. Adaptation and homeostasis
Even though the topic of the call for participants operates with the notion of adaptation, we could also apply the notions of resilience, balance, dynamic equilibrium, homeostasis or sustainability. They all try to explain either the current state of being adapted, the dynamic evolutionary process that leads to the adaptation or the feature that expresses the possibility of an organism to reach this state.
If you think of adaptation, the image it evokes is that the "adaptee" (the unit that will go undergo the changes necessary to adapt itself) and the "adapter" (the unit that the adaptee will adapt to) are separated from each other. The adaptee wants to copy the adapter, to mold itself to fit.
Therefore, of all the terms suggested, I prefer the term homeostasis, introduced by Claude Bernard and later by Walter Bradford Cannon in 1926. The reason for this is it explains better the process we should aim to follow.
According to the definition in the dictionary, Homeostasis (from Greek: ὅμοιος, "hómoios", "similar", and στάσις, stásis, "standing still") is the property of a system that regulates its internal environment and tends to maintain a stable, relatively constant condition of properties such as temperature or pH. It can be either an open or closed system. In simple terms, it is a process in which the body's internal environment is kept stable. Typically used to refer to a living organism, multiple dynamic equilibrium adjustment and regulation mechanisms make homeostasis possible.
The key word here is organism or system. In both cases we are talking about one unit that needs to regulate itself to adopt better to its internal and external changes. It is not copying, but evolving. Since I believe we are not separated from the nature, it would be difficult to imagine how the society should ADOPT TO the climate change and other ecological threats related to it since WE ARE the climate change and other ecological threats related to it.
This focus changes the picture. We are not facing something; we should try to balance ourselves to feel good, to be in a balanced state, using homeostasis for our entire body that is our planet itself. Since we, the human society have some kind of consciousness, we can influence this process of homeostasis that is occurring already by itself.
The question is how? There might be some futuristic and technological solutions, maybe reforms on many levels are needed for the society as a whole, but all of them are complicated and related to experts. I offer a solution on the individual level, one that is affordable for everybody and that has existed for thousands of years. I am talking about the homeostasis that an individual can reach achieving a major level of consciousness of being one with all other human beings, all living creatures and our planet itself and thus influence this process actively.
2. Yoga as UNION
Yoga (Sanskrit, Pāli: yoga) is a commonly known generic term for physical, mental and spiritual disciplines which originated in ancient India.
In Vedic Sanskrit, the more commonly used, literal meaning of the Sanskrit word yoga which is "to add", "to join", "to unite", or "to attach" from the root yuj, already had a much more figurative sense, where the yoking or harnessing of oxen or horses takes on broader meanings such as "employment, use, application, performance".
Yoga can take on meanings such as "connection", "contact", "method", "application", "addition" and "performance". But the same compound is also given a technical meaning in the Yoga Sutras , designating the "practical" aspects of the philosophy, i.e. the "union with the Supreme" due to performance of duties in everyday life.
Most commonly, the word Yoga is understood as UNION. It can be the union of our body, mind and soul. The union between the individual soul and the Supreme Divinity, the union between spiritual and material world. We are going to focus on the union between the individual and its surrounding environment, thus making the use of the specific term ECO –YOGA.
3. Eco- yoga
This term was introduced by SKOLIMOWSKI HENRYK, an eco- philosopher.
Ecoyoga is the bridge between our inner nature and the outer nature. It means to connect profoundly with our inner nature in order to be able to have harmonious relationship with our environment. It is a kind of inner peace and being in peace with the world around you, it is the Yoga of the Being in Relationship. After reflecting upon the spiritual nature of the human being we should recognize the connection that exists between wellbeing on a personal level and the general wellbeing of our planet. The Ecoyoga invites you to see the universe as a whole and make connections between the individual and the absolute harmony of the cosmos. What is inside is also outside. The macrocosm is the microcosms. We need to find a cure for ourselves and the planet.
The healing of the Earth for the future generations to have possibilities to live forms part of your mental peace and the state of peace inside your body. Healing of ourselves and healing the Earth are parts of the same process.
4. Basic question
Is there a union between the human being and its surrounding environment that can be measured? Can this union be enhanced by the techniques and exercises of Yoga, including meditation? Can electro – magnetic fields and their resonance be the expression of a spiritual connection?
We will explore the relationship between the human being on an individual level and its surroundings, environment and “Mother earth” as a whole. We will visit seven specific places on Earth, strongly related to the cultural development of humankind. We will use measurements of electro- magnetic fields of the place and another device to measure the electro-magnetic waves of a particular human brain. Then we will compare these two outcoming lines and observe the changes. The purpose of this experiment is to see whether the waves of the human brain adapt to the characteristics of the surrounding environment or whether the characteristics of the environment are influenced somehow by the individual using millenary techniques known as Yoga.
5. The seven chakras of the Earth
Chakras, in Hindu metaphysical tradition and other belief systems, are centers of Prāṇa, life force, or vital energy. Chakras correspond to vital points in the physical body i.e. major plexuses of arteries, veins and nerves. Texts and teachings present different numbers of chakras. Their name derives from the Sanskrit word for "wheel" or "turning".
According to some beliefs, our planet Earth is a living and breathing organism and as such she channels energy from specific locations on her body just like every other living creature. The chakra centers on Earth are connected by energy circuits called Ley lines. This planetary grid system has been known and mapped for millennia. The ancients were well aware of the properties of these places on the Earth’s surface. While these locations are known as the major energy vortexes of Earths energetic body, there are thousands of other places where the energy is strong, promoting the ancients to build structures on these sites.
Visiting these sites, especially to meditate and make ceremony can result in strong connections with mother Earth, opening your own Chakra centers, and the ability to be a stronger conduct of universal energy.
There are many theories about which would be the seven major places of energy. I have chosen one to represent each culture that had developed an important system of exercises with the same purpose as Yoga, even though they receive different names. In my studies of Taiki yoga we use the essence, philosophy and exercises of all these different systems/cultures in order to create a balance, a state of perfect health, homeostasis of a human organism.
Chacra Geographical site Culture/exercise system Asana
Muladhara Egypt, Africa Egyptian vajrasana
Svadhisthana Tibet, Asia buddhism tadasana
Manipura Mexico, North America Toltecan setu bandha
Anahata Newgrange, Ireland, Europe Celtic wyda paksinasana
Vishudha Machu Picchu, South America shamanism matsyasana
Adjna Cathedral, Europe gnosticism cross
Sahasrara Pondicherry, India Hatha yoga namaste
6. QI – the universal energy that creates everything
The Hindu tradition and the modern astrophysics agree that everything is vibration, everything is energy. Everything is thus everything. Sometimes in the oriental traditions this energy is expressed by the sacred sound of OM.
Maybe we can measure this universal energy that we all share through electro - magnetic waves. Maybe we can show that we are part of everything by the use of modern devices, applying a very old technique (Yoga exercises and meditation), an idea similar to the one that Fritjof Capra speaks about in his work The Tao of physics.
7.Visibility of the project
The outcomes of the measurements (electro – magnetic field of a place and electro- magnetic waves of a brain situated in this place) will create a diagram. The different diagrams from different places will be displayed together with an image of the most representative pose (asana) of that particular place on my blog (http://blogecoyoga.blogspot.com.es/) and in different cultural institutions of contemporary art that would show interest.
The final outcome will be a series of seven images that include graphics and photography together with a short explanation aimed to explain to the public the purpose of this "experiment" and to raise their consciousness about environmental issues.
8. Artistic aspects
This unique project combines landart, new technologies and a scientific research. Its purpose is not scientific though, for that we would need a long series of experiments which I am sure are carried on by the experts of GEOBIOLOGY. It is a proposal of uniting an old, traditional technique with modern technology and science, to create a piece of art with the purpose of raising environmental awareness in a way that is understandable for the contemporary society (science).
9. Relevance to environmental and rural issues
The aim of this project is to raise environmental consciousness and at the same time to offer a tool that everybody could use in order to increase their wellbeing and at the same time to help the process of homeostasis, or if you wish, the process of adaptation of the human society to the existing environmental changes.
10. Technical aspects
Two devices will be needed: one to measure the electro- magnetic field of a place and another one that can monitor the electro-magnetic waves of the human brain. Both can be easily purchased via internet and carried along on the journeys.
No hay comentarios:
Publicar un comentario