The most important movement we make in Integral Yoga is always towards the Mother. As we surrender to Her, the aim quite simply is to merge in Her Consciousness. We just have to remain open to Her Force. It has so many actions and contains vast and endless possibilities. When we do this, we collaborate. James Anderson, over the shared pointers and practices on how best to remain constantly open to Her Force.

Below is the experience of one of the participant from the workshop:

Opening to the Mother’s Force, a deeply experiential three session workshop, was facilitated by James Anderson in which he helped the participants to practise many ways of opening and working with Mother’s Force in order to make progress along the path of Integral Yoga. Based on his own life’s experiences, the facilitator shared a range of practices which can enable us to surrender to the Mother and gradually open ourselves to Mother’s Force so that it can heal, protect, guide, save, integrate and transform our beings and thereby leading us towards a gradual union with the Mother’s consciousness.

In session one, we experienced developing an atmosphere of silence, which is really the best way to open ourselves to the Mother’s Force. The Mother’s Force is always present regardless of our condition, but when we're still silent, aspiring, sincere, and opening to have this, we are truly collaborating with Her Work. In addition to calming the mind, there is also a need to purify the vital by emptying it of all its soils or contents, which is best accomplished by consciously throwing all our impurities and negativities into the Fire of purification, which keeps burning in our heart centre. We also did an exercise in which we identified ourselves with the stillness of a lake. The session ended with the practice of japa as an aid to hasten our mind’s receptivity to the silence.

In session two, we started with an exercise with the Mother's photo, one in which She looks very serene and happy. We then examined certain aspects of working with Mother's Force in healing certain parts of the body, bodies that are causing pain or some sort of problem. We learnt how to invoke Mother’s presence and protection to our surrounding subtle body and how to constantly remain conscious of the sublime protection that the Mother offers us in the form of Her cocoon of white light. Session ended with the recital of a short prayer to invoke Mother’s protection in the outer environment.

In session three, we did another exercise with a very penetrating photo of Mother’s divine eyes which depict (among many other things) expansiveness. We learnt how to integrate all the different parts of our being through the channel of the body itself. This practice also included being conscious of the area surrounding the bodies as well and culminated into invoking the Mother, entreating the Mother to bring forward Her cocoon of white Light to enshroud our entire body. We also learnt about staying conscious to instantaneously detect negative movements during our daily life, ‘catching‘ and simultaneously offering them to the Mother. The session ended with the recital of “The Golden Light”, one of the most beautiful sonnets of Sri Aurobindo.

Feedback

“Your workshop was wonderful. I am quite awed, wonderstruck. You radiate purity, depth, authenticity so deep, deep honesty and humility. I could feel that what you said showed that you had gone through all these processes and have been transformed…

What I have gained particularly, is in respect to working on the body consciousness. That’s a new approach for me which I had neglected and I am now going to work on the lines you have suggested. You are a fine guide, thank you James.”

“Thank you, James for holding Mother’s love so deeply into your being, and for you to establish and expand Mother’s love in our being.”

“Thank you, James, unforgettable experience of deep contact with Mother’s Force.”

“Thank you, James. It was an awesome experience for me. The first step towards faith.”

James, your talks authentic and one hundred percent experiential.”

[Enjoy most?] “The Mother’s Presence.”

“The powerful visualisation and practical sessions. I really think this works really well.”

“The field created by the group and the powerful experience.”

“The collective practices and listening to James’ experiences and insights.”

[Experience?]  “In silence you can hear the Mother’s voice.”

“Wonderful.”

“Experienced vividly the Mother’s Force.”

“Felt much peace and widening of consciousness. Was able to open more to Mother’s Force and love. An inner conviction is increasingly felt that this takes priority over everything else in life.”

[Take-homes?]  “The inner stillness is my birthright. Holding The Mother in my heart through constant remembrance.”

“Continuously keeping focus and openness to the Mother's Force. Being vigilant against adverse forces and self-healing with the help of the Divine.”

“Health benefits and closeness to the Mother’s Force. Want to continue doing the meditations”

“Methods to open better to Mother’s Force and Love.”