This video of the “Cosmic Prayer” was filmed at a training course for yoga teachers. The movement sequence shown does not come from the yoga tradition but was composed by Heinz Grill along with with the words that go with the exercise. Like the sun prayer it is a suitable exercise for the beginning of a yoga cycle.
The following is a transcript of the words spoken in German by Heinz Grill in the video:
“If you are asked where the cosmic prayer comes from, or why it actually exists, then you can try to express the fact that it is an exercise which cannot work through the body, because we don’t do much with the body, rather it can only actually be effective through the dimension of consciousness. The way we develop a consciousness for the small, simple movements is what ultimately determines our progress. But the body will certainly not be hugely affected. In comparison with the head-knee pose, the shoulderstand or the sun prayer we will establish quite clearly that the cosmic prayer can only have a feeble effect. From an energetic perspective, the prana, it can only have a feeble effect. It is important that you can convey this. The cosmic prayer works through the consciousness. The result will depend on how the consciousness is brought in.
Let’s do the movements. The first movement, the beginning. Then comes the readiness, the openness, which corresponds both to our own world and to the outer world. Then comes the third movement, the flower as a picture of the ether or purity. And this becomes part of the whole cosmos, the expansiveness. And from the expansiveness the centre gathers again, that means the personal centre in the heart. And from this heart then comes appreciation or the movement back outwards. And this finally goes into a further movement outwards which is described with the term devotion, devotion which to a certain extent is a conscious drawing back, not a submissive drawing back but a conscious, totally free allowing of the whole surroundings of the cosmos. It does not mean that we accept everything, rather it means that we do not with reach into this space with our will but allow the will to unfold freely.
The mantra that goes with the seven gestures of the cosmic prayer runs:
The beginning
is to be ready
to grow to a flower
wide open to the light
turning to the centre
with appreciation
and devotion
in Sanscrit:
OM arambhah
OM siddhatayam
OM puspa bhavana pravrddhaye
OM puspam prakasasphutam
OM madhyasthitam
OM adare
OM bhaktiyam
Let’s add a spiritual dimension. A few days ago I asked you how we bring a more spiritual dimension into the cosmic prayer. How do we bring it in? Well we can become aware of the meaning of the words with their the mantra-like character, and we can express this. If we want to express it we have to make ourselves free, to a certain extent, from the body and enter totally into a consciousness of what is meant. So we do not hold on to the body but enter utterly freely into the shaping-movement. And for this it is helpful if we know what the hands represent, because it is the hands that describe all the gestures. The hands are the tools of the astral body. It we take the hands they are the direct tools of the astral body. They are the executive organs that make an outer model and actually describe the essence of things, or lead and form the essence of things. That is the hands. The hands are a direct expression for astral activity, for astral function. And we can become aware of this, that with the astral body we are constantly forming, producing, creating something. We can become as aware of this as possible when we do the cosmic prayer.
Let’s do the movement again with this additional content: we are creating the forms in a practical way. Quite simply.
A beginning.
Then a kind of openness or readiness, a kind of attentiveness.
Then from the attentiveness comes the first freedom, which represents purity, and also a growth.
Then comes a widening into the expanse and we become aware of the cosmos. A wide movement.
Then comes a uniting of left and right, above and below in the centre.
From this centre or individual position comes once again the appreciation but this time having progressed further.
And finally the devotion, which is depicted.