Anuyoga – inquiry  

 «Self-assertion (svayaṃvāda) on the part of either of the parties has often been found faulty. Examination (anuyoga), honesty (ārjava), evidence (hetu) and asseveration by oath (śapatha)—these alone can enable a man to win his cause» (Arthashastra, 1).

There is the word yoga included in the title. In fact, anuyoga means spiritual research and religious meditation too. More generally it indicates an “exam”, a “question”, a “solicitation” and even an “effort”. Perhaps you know that hatha-yoga is sometimes translated as the “yoga of effort” because of the obstinacy that must be put in pursuing the path.

Anuyoga is your yoga Cancer in this 2020. You should devote as much time as possible to spiritual research, or to looking into yourself. You have to dig deep, understand where the wounds are, what you can keep and what you can change and how you can die to yourself to set up a new you. If you don’t, the risk is that you will be so caught up in the breakdown of what happens to you, by the idea that the world and life are plotting against you, that you won’t see the opportunities that come before your eyes.

IN PRACTICE  

Vakra utkata-āsana, powerful pose, twist variant

Be strong on your legs, stay centered on yourself and yet open to what is happening around you.

Awareness exercise

Take an aspect of yourself that you would like to improve or change. Write down in a notebook all the episodes in which this aspect occurs. Reread it later this month.

Mantra of the month

«Look inside and outside».