DIRECT PATH YOGA: THE SACRED MARRIAGE OF YOGA AND MYSTICISM.
A VISION STATEMENT

“The body is an ocean, rich with hidden treasures.
Open its innermost chamber
And light its lamp.”
- Mirabai

Many teachers and students in the yoga community are now searching for and discovering luminous new ways of deepening the body’s experience of spirit.  They intuit that it is this experience of dynamic unity that will inspire, encourage and strengthen people to meet the challenges of our time.  Many mystical teachers and students also are aware that this moment in history demands not only spiritual knowledge, but also a divinely embodied strength and a capacity for compassionate action. They are turning towards yoga as a way of discovering the new grounding inspiration that they need.
 
Direct Path Yoga is Andrew Harvey and Karuna Erickson’s attempt to fuse both these longings and aspirations.  Their new and quietly revolutionary work is born from a deep belief that the healing revelation for our time is that of the Sacred Marriage.  In most of the world’s mystical traditions the universe is conceived as a dynamic dance of opposites, the most profound of which are masculine and feminine: spirit and matter.  This electric unity leads to a wholly new level of both mystical knowledge and embodied physical energy.  Andrew and Karuna believe this is essential for the most empowered evolution of the human race.  The Sacred Marriage is the living unity of heaven and earth, heart and mind, body and soul. The inner experience of this marriage engenders a transformed human being; one who is simultaneously open to the transcendent and able to create and work for radical change in the immanent.
 
The most profound aspect of the Sacred Marriage for our time is what Andrew Harvey and Karuna Erickson call mystical activism.  They believe that only intense and deep mystical love, strength, and passion, combined with a commitment to sustained transformative action can now preserve the planet.  Direct Path Yoga, a fusion of body and soul, will enable people to find the luminous energy, calm, and power that they will need in order to help them become mystical activists and give birth a new world out of the ashes of the old.

 Andrew and Karuna believe that the unity of spirit, body, heart and mind that all human beings are longing for can be most powerfully achieved through the fusion of simple yoga asanas with simple spiritual practices.  In Direct Path Yoga: the Sacred Marriage of Yoga and Mysticism, they create an ecstatic and passionate experience of the Divine. This inspires people to taste the glory of their true spiritual nature and embody its power in the authenticity of their humanity.

  The Sacred Marriage of the essence of yoga traditions with mystical traditions is especially designed for our challenging and dangerous times.  Andrew and Karuna feel that the most profound way of staying awake, passionate, and grounded comes from this unity of body and soul.  It provides the continuous energy and stable strength that is invaluable in so tumultuous an era.  Their fusion of yoga and mysticism fulfills the longing of many yoga teachers and students for a deeper spiritual meaning to their practice, while also satisfying the desire of many mystics for a greater and deeper experience of embodiment.  It brings together the world of yoga and the world of mystical seeking and practice.  Andrew and Karuna pray that all those who open to this innovative and exciting blending of ancient teachings will become radiant with a renewed commitment to spiritual growth and service to all beings, empowered with the practices they need to sustain their lives in the marriage of love, peace, and sacred passion.