On being the vessel

 "Kundalini Yoga is the gold with which to heal your vessel's fractures, fortify it, and make it more beautiful and precious than it was to begin with." -Luz

I know my R & B Yogis hear me speaking ad nauseum about vessels: cohered vessels and broken vessels. But I have yet to find a better analogy for the human condition and significant relationships. Just think about it, the main functions of a vessel are to pour and to hold. There are vessels of different material and are built to hold different matter. If you put the wrong material in a vessel...it may disintegrate. Put the right matter in a vessel and it will fortify it. There is matter that pollutes the vessel and that which purifies. If we look at our relationships in these terms, it provides insight into our karma (our causes) and our dharma (our purpose.) Our karma and dharma is what molds the cohesiveness of our vessel. We all are the containers of our spirits and our experience/karma. And in every relationship we all play a role as a container/vessel: pouring, receiving, spilling, emptying, holding. And it is through our relationships that we find out about our matter, the material in which we are made. And are given a chance to heal deep wounds or create new ones. Kundalini Yoga is the gold with which to heal your vessel's fractures, fortify it, and make it more beautiful and precious than it was to begin with.

There are the following types of vessels:

1) Cohered vessel: No cracks. No trauma in this life-time. Strong sense of Self. Sturdy container.

2) Broken Vessels: Cracks. Has had trauma in life. Does not do the work to heal. Filled with doubts/fears. Broken container. Spills matter. Cant hold own matter let alone other's matter.

3) Kintsugi (Vessels): Repaired cracks. Re-parents one's Self. Overcoming doubts and fears by doing the necessary spiritual work. Stronger and more precious than it was to begin with. Fortified container. 

(Kintsugi is a Japanese method for repairing broken ceramics with gold, silver or platinum. It is the repair that has made the vessel more beautiful than it was to begin with and distinguishes its fractures as a source of beauty.)

4) Vessel that holds other vessels: Cohered or repaired the vessel. Ability to hold cohered, broken and/or kintsugi vessels. Contents are sought. Sturdy vessel.

In my interactions, I like to ask my Self the following questions in order to maintain fulfilled interpersonal and significant relationships that are balanced and reciprocated: what kind of vessel am I in this particular interaction? What do I do the MAJORITY of the time: pour, receive, hold, spill. What is my responsibility as said vessel? Am I OK with this? Am I neutral in regards to my purpose? f I cannot be neutral what can I do to change it? 

There will be relationships where you are equally giving and receiving. These are fulfilling relationships that usually leave one satiated and inspired. There are other relationships where when one person is doing all the pouring. At times into a broken vessel and all the contents are spilled and not able to be reciprocated. No matter how connected that person is to Divine source, as a hue-man be-ing, it is only natural that the one in the dyad, doing the majority of the giving, will get depleted. This happens within our own families, with our significant others and even with our children.

It is vital that each vessel is fully aware of it's contents, the material from which it is made and it's purpose. This comes from Self knowledge and doing one's spiritual work on The Path. Ultimately, each vessel should be responsible for their own spillage and clean up of one's own karmic mess. Yet there will be times when cleaning someone else's mess is part of our karma and dharma. If you are a "vessel that holds other vessels," you will be called on to do clean up, repair and hold other vessels often. To keep one's self from becoming depleted and resentful, it is vital to do the following:

1) Keep your Self fortified by being diligent with self care with conscious eating, exercise and spiritual practice.

2) Keep your contents pure by using discernment in WHO and WHAT you open your Self to.  
3) Make one's boundaries clear by setting a designated space and time in which you are open and are called upon to be used as a vessel. Know what you are being called to do. 

4) Check your ego by reminding one's self WHO you serve and that your purpose is to be just that...a vessel.   

Just stuff to think about...

The vessel is only as pure as it's contents. 

Honor your vessel.  

Honor it's contents.

<3 Luz