On Soma

our essence as blissful awareness

The word Soma has roots in both Greek and Sanskrit; translating vastly differently from East to West.

Soma in Greek is translated as Body. Soma in Sanskrit is translated as Nectar or Amrita.

Amrita is sometimes thought of as a juice of immortality. In Ayurveda we work with the poetry of Amrita as the Yin to the Yang of Agni.

Agni is a digestive fire that ascends from below, from Earth. And Amrita is a healing nectar that descends from above, from Space. We explore this meditatively through Subtle Body awakening; opening ourselves up to the mystery, poetry, and healing potential of our imagination.

This is a tool for building Soma, which is a big concept that cannot be directly translated into Western world views or narratives. Yet, if we are open to holding a large idea in a short and intangible word, we can begin to understand Soma as the peaceful capacity of a healthy mind.

The mind is healthiest when it is in a receptive, observational, and contemplative state. Like the Moon (another translation for Soma is Moon) the mind loves to reflect what it sees. When the mind is fixed on right and wrong, good and bad, likes and dislikes, it becomes quite agitated and inflexible. But when the mind is reflective, like the glow of the moon on a calm lake at night, it becomes the light of awareness that we are always referencing during our practice.

I feel that this is a sacred and beautiful time of the year to work with these concepts in our practice. As the nights grow longer and colder, and the snowfall befalls a certain quietude on all of us, we can touch this quality of awareness on our mat, cushion, and skis. I know in my heart that our community has a deep love and appreciation of winter and the solace that comes with it. You can take this principle of Soma deeper into your life and practice by noticing how skillful you are at being reflective, peaceful, and spacious when you are doing something you love.