Untangling the Web

Imagine a singular, self-organizing energy unfolding the universe out of itself, the way a spider spins its web.

This striking analogy, deeply rooted in the yoga tradition, captures the generative force of consciousness – the source power that births the cosmos and then resides at the center of its creation.

It first appears in the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, one of the oldest yogic texts, to describe how all things spring forth from the atman, the innermost Self.

In yogic mythology, it illustrates how Bhuvaneshwari, the form of the goddess as eternal mother, emanates the universe out of her own body and then inhabits it.

Arachnophobes’ discomfort aside, it’s an elegant and vivid way to see ourselves as parts of a larger whole.

We aren’t the separate, isolated individuals we appear to be, but exist as part of an interconnected, intricate web that’s woven through space and time. Each of us emerging from, and formed of, a unified energy.

By leading us inward, yoga helps us discover the remarkable truth that this source energy is right inside of us. When informed by this understanding, the practices give us access to an ever-present inner reservoir that’s brimming with creative power and vitality.

It’s a powerful way to think about yoga as a practice of re-sourcing.

The expanded sense of identity that arises from recognizing that we are forever connected, intricately intertwined, and unfailingly held within the web of creation becomes a reliable source of strength and replenishment.

It has the power to shift the way we perceive ourselves and our place in the world.