Erich: (Speaking to Hiromi, on the front of her t-shirt it says, "Trust The Universe")  Would you mind standing up?

Hiromi: [quizzical look]

Erich: Would you mind standing up? Yes.

And then look that way.

And then look that way. [laughs]

Then look that way.

(Speaking to the class:) I mean do you have a better plan than that? You know what I mean?

That is a great t-shirt. Yes.

Glenda: What does it say, for those of us who don't have their glasses on?

Erich: "Trust The Universe."

Glenda: Oh!

Erich: It's totally different without glasses. [laughs]

Do what to the universe?

That's good, too.

Remember, you only exist because The Universe is appearing as you. That is fundamental to what Yoga is about. Get clear on that.

The All, The Singularity, The Oneness is in infinite display.

You only exist because It is being you.

You are It in specific and unique Self-Expression.

Therefore, the way for you to trust The Universe is by trusting YOUR deepest feelings about what to do or not do.

I have said that a lot. The advanced practice is self-trust.

Again, that is one of those things that should just be emblazoned in your mind.

Self-trust is the advanced practice.

The advanced practice is self-trust.

Trusting yourself to do that which feels right is what it's all about.

If you are not doing that, what are you doing?

If you are not doing that, you are doing mental gyrations about what you think you are supposed to do. You are acting out your "current level of ignorance” is the way I usually say it.

This is such a simple concept. The primary practice involves learning to shut up. Whenever it occurs to you, shut up.

I have fun saying "Shut up" because it is so obvious what it means. For years I was reading about the quiet mind and the silent mind, and it just wasn't as obvious! Whereas shut up is like, "Oh! That's what you mean."

And it is not a pejorative thing. It's not like, "Shut up!" It's just, "Hit the mute button" every once in a while.

Because when you do — and again, this is 50 years in the making, this little concept. Because when you do, then for those few moments you are not energizing your current level of ignorance.

When you are not energizing your current level of ignorance, then The All — which is being you — has a better chance of erupting more clearly.

Then, it really makes sense to trust the universe by trusting yourself.

Trust the Universe. Trust yourself. Trust the Universe by trusting yourself. Whereas, for a long time, I was in agreement with the trust yourself idea, but, man, it just seemed like if I were to trust myself to do what my deepest feelings were guiding me to do, I would get in trouble again — and again, and again. And I don't want to keep getting slammed again and again.

But again, remember, The All is being you.

The Singularity is being you.

You trusting yourself is how you trust the Universe.

The Universe is impulsing you about how to do and be. When you hit the mute button every once in a while and remind yourself to just pause and breathe, and you put a pause in your thinking — and you just pause and breathe and relax, and pause and breathe and relax — you will find new insight and new motivation popping into your mind. And then your job, your joy — what you get to do — is live your life with renewed inspiration about what to do and how to be.

It's so cool how this works, remember.

And it's lifestyle, remember.

I must have said that 10 million times in the last year. Lifestyle. All the time. Just start getting this. "Oh! This is what Yoga is about. Listening for Online Knowing, wherever you find yourself being." Not just in the yoga room. Not just on your yoga mat. Wherever you are is where you should be accessing Online Knowing. That's Yoga.

The simplicity of it is just put the pause in there. That's called the holy instant. Put the pause in there. Practice the holy instant.

Pause. Breathe. Relax.

Because when you do, you are not energizing your current level of ignorance and new insight begins to become obvious.

Again, if I just kept saying that — all class, all year — that would be enough. That is basically what I have been saying all year. Because that is the nubbin of the whole thing. Anything else just helps describe how to do that.

Online all the time.

Think less. Listen more.

And then dare to do as you are being guided to do.

It's easy to think less. Just pause and relax. Just breathe.

And, again, when you think less, you don't go unconscious. That is what confused me for a long time.

There is the famous French philosopher Descartes. His dictum was, “I think, therefore I am.” The first time I heard that, I thought, “Yeah, that sounds right. That's pretty good, yeah.” But, he actually had it backwards.

It's more like, “I am” comes first. The Supreme I AM comes first. The dictum should read, "I am, therefore I can Know." And you Know by Listening.

I am, therefore I can Know.

I am, therefore I can Know.

You can Know by practicing the holy instant. Whenever it occurs to you, pause, breathe, and just notice, wow, you are still conscious. In fact, you are actually going Superconscious at that point. Instead of getting smaller into your current level of isolated ignorance, you are actually expanding into Superconsciousness.

But, because it is so natural, it won't feel... It will feel natural! [laughs] You know what I mean?

The wisdom of the Universe is going to feel like your common sense, not so wisdom-y that you can't get it.

It will just start feeling like, "Yes, I knew that. I knew that!" And, of course, you knew it, because the Universe and the wisdom of the Universe is what is being you.

And so, trust the Universe. Trust yourself. They are the same.

Start having more faith in the way things are playing out. The world is not going down the tubes. It is reconfiguring into the awareness of awesome Unity.

The world is not going down the tubes. It's reconfiguring into the awareness of the already-existing awesome Unity.

Yoga, remember, means yoke. The technique is yoke. Get Online.

But, the more fundamental meaning of the word Yoga is Union. It's a STATEMENT. Unity! The already-existing Fact.

See, that's cool.

It is the already-existing fact, which you can be blurred to and then think something else is happening. Or you can learn to shut up in your mind and start being attentive to the wisdom of the already existing Fact.

And then have fun going through your life being impulsed by the wisdom of the Universe.

It's weird when you don't trust yourself. It's the opposite of weird when you start trusting yourself. Whatever the opposite of weird is. It's what?

Barbara: It's nice.

Erich: It's nice, yes. Yes.

So, that is a good paragraph for today. Trust the Universe and realize that self-trust is the advanced practice. That is how you trust the Universe.

You are going to be impulsed all day long today about what to do or not do. Just relax more and feel for how you are being impulsed. It will totally feel like you are running on free energy.

And, of course, you are! [laughs] What did you think you were running on?

With Love and Pranams,
From Erich

Members get all Venice Classes delivered right to your Desktop, Pad, Smartphone or iPod just click button to subscribe. All Podcastes are now full class since Jan 2014. There is NOW only 1 podcast even though tutorial mentions 2 different podcasts