The 6 Qualities of Consciousness: Practical Insights from the Tantric Tradition of Yoga

By Danny Arguetty, Brauer Katie and Nato Philip

The 6 Qulities of Consciousness is a revolutionary text that applies ancient teachings from the Tantric tradition of yoga to everyday life in the 21st century. Journey through these six attributes of existence, and discover how they reside in you, as you, and all around you. Celebrate profound intelligence, unbounded freedom, ever evolving perfe

• Language: English
• Publisher: Daniel Arguetty
• Release date: Jun 1, 2015
• ISBN: 9780996299343

Book preview

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THE 6 QUALITIES OF

CONSCIOUSNESS

Practical Insights from the Tantric Tradition of Yoga

DANNY ARGUETTY

Foreword by Katie Brauer

© 2015, Danny Arguetty

All Rights Reserved

Please respect the copyright of this text by asking for

written permission from the copyright owner if you wish to

reprint, reproduce, store, or transmit any part of this publication.

Editing: Kelli Adams

Illustration: Philip Nato

Cover Design: Michelle Silver

Book Design: Danny Arguetty

Design Consultation: Rebecca Gray

Printing: Recycled Paper Printing, Inc.

ISBN 978-0-9962993-3-6

Printed in Canada

e-book ISBN 978-0-9962993-4-3

Ecological Statement:

This text has been produced with the welfare of our planet in mind. It is a testament to

our ability to economically produce high quality products with minimal impact on the

environment, preserving the well-being of the Earth for generations to come.

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Done using this book? Please pass it on, recycle, or compost.

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SRI GURUBHYO NAMAHA

SRI GURUBHYO NAMAHA

SRI GURUBHYO NAMAHA

I honor the auspicious teacher

{ myself }

I honor the auspicious teacher

{ personal teacher }

I honor the auspicious teacher

{ community }

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OM

GAM GANAPATAYE NAMAHA

Salutations to the energy of new beginnings

Blessings to the remover of obstacles

Gratitude to the gift of embodiment

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YATRA YATRA MANAS TUSTIR MANAS TATRA-EVA DHARAYET

TATRA TATRA PARA ANANDA SVARUPAM SAM-PRAVARTATE

Wherever, whenever you feel carried away,

Rejoicing in every breath,

There, there is your meditation hall.

Cherish these times of absorption-

Rocking the baby in the silence of the night

Pouring water into a crystal glass

Tending the logs in a crackling fire

Sharing a meal with a circle of friends.

Embrace these pleasures and know,

This is my true body.

Nowhere is more holy than this.

Right here is the sacred pilgrimage.

Live in the alertness for such a moment, my Beloved.

Lorin Roche, Radiance Sutras¹

ON THE

INSIDE

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foreword

intro

chit intelligence

svatantrya freedom

purna perfection

kula collective

shri abundance

rahasya the secret

the gift

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WELCOME

"Afoot and Light-Hearted I Take to the Open Road.

Healthy, Free, the World Before Me." —Walt Whitman

Curiosity is what led me to plunk myself down opposite Danny Arguetty in the café at Kripalu Center and begin a conversation. He had no idea who I was, and I had no idea who he was, all I knew was there was something deep inside, urging me to connect, wanting to know more. The conversation that began many years ago, and will no doubt continue for many more to come, has gifted me with incredible insight, been a source of inspiration and reflection, catapulted my growth, and ultimately fulfilled me with a deep sense of connection to everyone around me and to life itself.

It is rare to meet another that has as strong a desire and dedication to really be doing the work. I don’t mean paying the bills kind of work, I mean the willingness, even in the darkest of days to sit with it all, enveloped in the soup of humanness putting into practice the tools that we teach others as yoga teachers and leaders. Each time I witness Danny share his wisdom, I am blown away by his skillfulness to not only articulate information but to navigate the complexity that arises with a room full of people on a quest for deeper self-understanding. He is a master of his game.

In your hand you have a guide to the 6 Qualities of Consciousness, teachings which I began to inquire into and practice five years ago. Without question, since inviting these ideas into my daily life, my awareness has grown and my life has significantly expanded. While there is no magic potion for fulfillment, we can all use guidance along the way. Before you dive into the depth of this text I share some of my experiences as examples of how these teachings have shown up in my life, and how they already potentially exist in the context of your day-to-day.

As I write this foreward I am nine months pregnant with my first child and the 6 Qualities of Consciousness are ever present in each moment of this awe-inspiring journey. With my husband by my side we are first hand witnesses to the universal intelligence of chit, expressing itself through my body as it eloquently transforms to support the creation of life. I am in awe of this phenomenon, and although it is beyond what I can comprehend with my mind, it is a truth I know and feel in my heart as the essence of life doing life.

This sweet basking is often interrupted by questions from society, as well as those around me about what I will do once our baby is born. How do I feel about not having total freedom and being responsible for another? How much time will I take off? When will I go back to work? Will I have a nanny? With my husband in the Special Forces branch of the Military and myself spinning multiple plates of full time job, entrepreneur, and all around lover of work, people demand to know. While I don’t have all of the answers, I do recognize I have the choice in my expansive, empowered freedom, svatantrya, to create and weave my own path into motherhood, despite societal expectations of the norm.

From this free flow of expression emanates sweet fullness, purna, and the knowing that more growth is always on the horizon. My husband and I are in a wonderful time in our lives, both living with purpose and doing what we love, living in a beautiful home by the ocean in California, a circle of friends and family that we love dearly and new life being generated as we expand our family. There is much to celebrate yet I know that in this new phase of parenthood we will be pushed and challenged in the months and years ahead. I will be called forth to grow, to stretch beyond the confines of what is currently my normal. Rather than daunting me, I am excited, purna, is like the buffet of life, embracing that there is always more to dive into.

Having developed a belief at a very young age of I cant rely on anyone, I have to do it all on my own, the concept of community, kula is one that was foreign to me for the majority of my life. I achieved great success as a one-woman show, it was what I knew, and where I excelled. Then the day came when I realized not only was I tired and bored of doing it all on my own, I was an expert and had mastered the solo game. I was ready for collaboration and invited Danny out to California to co-teach Yoga Teacher Trainings with me. Additionally, I was presented with the opportunity to bring Yoga to people on a national level with Yoga Six. In this mission to have a positive impact on the lives of thousands, teachers and students alike I have found that in order to succeed on a bigger scale it is essential to collaborate and work on a team. Initially it was just 3, and I stumbled to get my footing, to operate in the dynamic of others, as 3 became 5, and 5 became 10 it is only recently—in the past year or so—that I have finally found my groove. Now our team has expanded to hundreds, I am not alone, and the power of kula is ever present. As a collective we are working toward a common goal, the felt sense of momentum is undeniable, and what we are creating will have a lasting positive impact for years to come. Teamwork in my profession has wonderfully prepared me to better receive support since becoming noticeably pregnant. I have experienced over and over again the power of extended community. Complete strangers offering a helping hand by lifting something in a store or putting groceries in my car. Never before have I felt more held.

As we arrive to the fifth quality—my personal favorite and one I have a very strong connection and relationship to—sri, I feel my heart expand, a lightness envelope me and a smile rise on my face. My nickname since my teenage years has been the golden horseshoe, as I have always had a very strong relationship with possibility. Despite the logical side of things that would indicate, there is no way this is going to happen, I have always chosen to believe that anything can happen at any time for no reason what so ever. Over and over again in my life I have been the recipient of experience and opportunity that defies logical explanation. Things line up without a clear how or why and the outcome is full of awesomeness. From small things to big things, the quality of sri is undeniable in my world and I credit this flow of abundance to my willingness to do the work, stay committed to the arduous task of daily alignment in my actions, words, thoughts and feelings, and to an ongoing nurturing of possibility. A couple of months ago sri showed up in a big way for my husband and I whilst looking for a home for our growing family. We had heard nothing but nightmares of how difficult it is to get into the Southern California housing market in our desired price range. Especially with what was on our list many didn’t have hope: close to beach, home not condo, two story, three bedrooms, quiet, light, bright and a backyard with birds. Properties go into escrow within hours of hitting the market, especially with cash buyers. After no luck over several months we settled on a rental, we were about to sign the contract but that morning I woke up at 5:30 a.m. and as I looked at the MLS listing I saw our new home. I called my realtor at the crack of dawn, we were the second people to look at it and within three hours there were seven offers, with many more pouring in throughout the day. We also found out that there were several cash buyers willing to pay way over asking price but I wasn’t discouraged. Regardless of the indicators that were pointing elsewhere, I stayed connected to what was possible. I established a relationship with the seller’s agent, went and met all the neighbors, did whatever was in my power to make this happen. When I set something in motion through intention, it is always accompanied by a very distinct feeling, a very certain knowing that it will happen and this was no exception. We got the house, and as I sit here typing with the sun streaming in through the windows and the birds chirping in the backyard, I am reminded of the abundance available especially when we align, attune and believe in incredible outcomes. While sri is available to all of us at any time, it is up to us as individuals to notice where we are out of alignment and inhibiting the flow of possibility in our lives, choose to do the work, line up and set in motion life’s inherent desire to thrive.

With all I have learned over the 37 years I have been on planet Earth, there are moments where I forget it all, only to remember again in time. The remembering is not necessarily one of, I’ve been here before and done this, it is an undeniable instinctual intelligence that is embedded in my being which surfaces for the first time yet feels so familiar. Throughout my pregnancy I continue to experience this over and over, and I have every intention to rest into this quality as my child makes her debut into the world. I have no idea what I am doing, I have never done it before, but I am not afraid, nor nervous, for it all feels so familiar. The quality of rahasya, concealment and revelation, is so multi-faceted and complex, to me, it is the most intriguing quality of them all. Through relationship to myself and others, I have explored this quality in great depth. I chose to surround myself with people whom are willing, in a loving way to illuminate my blind spots, and in a reciprocal manner, they are up for it as well. The outcome is growth, growth as individuals, growth of our relationship, and a deeper, stronger connection. From my experience in friendships, intimate relationships and business relationships there is a very, very small group of people out there that are really ready and willing to be in transparency and truth for the sake of their evolution. For that reason I cherish my husband, my dearest friends, my team at Y6 and the author of this book, Danny, for all of them are lovingly supportive, whilst holding me to the highest standard. They are willing to step into really uncomfortable conversations, because they care. I have become privy to massive blind spots—some that have been hard to hear and shift—but I appreciate the insight of the existence of these limitations, because from that place of knowing I have been able to change and grow. Much like an ocean wave—the pulse arising in form, the face of the wave fully exposed, followed by the crest of the wave curling over to conceal that which was once in full view—that is the nature of life.

When I began my inquiry of the 6 Qualities of Consciousness it soon became clear which ones I had a natural affiliation to and how they were flowing with relative ease through my life. My inquiry also highlighted the qualities that I had little to no connection to, and as a result illuminated places to further engage with. Today, I can stand proudly and say I have taken on the opportunity to do the work, to take action and challenge myself in cultivating a relationship with these qualities. As a result my life is more deeply enriched, flows with even greater ease, and I feel more connected and supported than I ever have. Yet even as I have cultivated greater relationship to these ideas, I know as I enter this new phase of my existence as a mother they will continue to visit, enrich, and be an intricate part of the years ahead.

By choosing to read this book you will no doubt experience a positive shift in your life. If things are great, that greatness will magnify. If things are challenging, inspiration will spark and you will garner the tools to navigate the obstacles on your path with more skill. If you are willing to stay in the conversation, there is no limit to the blessings you will receive by reading, by being in the inquiry and by putting into practice the essence of these six inspirational teachings.

Katie Brauer

Cardiff-by-the-Sea, California

May 2015

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INVOCATION

To Perform Every Action Artfully is Yoga. —Swami Kripalu

To give full disclosure, I have been resisting this moment for a while. To sit down, and dive into the writing process once again feels both daunting and yet fundamentally exciting. I have a love for words, concepts, and the ways in which I can communicate and illuminate the teachings and practices that have enriched my life. I still struggle, have down days, and even contemplate giving up every once in a while. Yet what I have learned through the science and art of yoga is priceless, and I feel an undeniable calling to share.

The truth of the world is that it is filled with many teachings and credos rooted in hate, inequality, sexism, racism, socio-economic discrimination, violence, greed, and unsubstantiated religious dogmas. Although just as many philosophies exist to balance, bolster, and uplift us from such life-detracting belief systems, they are usually not given as much—or any—airtime. At its essence, though, philosophy is the love of wisdom, or more precisely loving (philos) wisdom (sophia)², and it has the potential to provide a road map for a rich inner and outer life. Luckily, the 21st century has seen yoga and other contemplative conduits become increasingly mainstream. More and more people are seeing a new path emerge and are reawakening to an appreciation of deep-seated knowing. The teachings of yoga—particularly the Tantric ones—offer themselves to all who are willing to listen, without strict codes of adherence or a specified singular way to engage them. Instead, we are invited into inquiry. We are offered the opportunity to take a seed concept and sculpt it in a way that helps us enhance our vitality, energy, creativity, and heart. In the face of specific challenges as well as in the course of daily living, these teachings serve as a toolkit, helping us connect to our inherent skillfulness and empowered presence. The ancient wisdoms of yoga often sound familiar because they ultimately help us relate to our most essential humanity. They reawaken us to the intelligence of nature, help us remember our interconnected essence, and invite us into a more rigorous path—a journey of self-accountability and, if we so choose, responsibility to the greater whole. This aspect of the tradition, which is scientifically driven, is deeply potent in the sense that it offers all who delve in access to repeatable, recognizable, and reproducible results that have tangible impact. Real shifts and change happen; we can heal our physical body, awaken the vivacity of our breath, reprogram the repetitive thoughts of our mind, see life more clearly, speak from our truth, sharpen our intuitive nature, and compost the habitual patterns holding us back. While many extreme religious models base their convictions and subsequent actions on verbatim readings of texts that are scientifically devoid and compound blind faith, the tradition of yoga is more interested in a world that holds up to more rigorous scientific verification and offers clear corroborating data.

Although the practice of yogic lifestyle terms itself a science, it cannot be confined to this limited box. Every science, when taken in its entirety, is also an art form. The foundational principles that ensure repeatable results are the groundwork for what springs forth into a freedom of expression available to all practitioners. Consistency of practice, which enables us to have regular success, eventually opens the doors to ripe creative insight that fuels the whole system to expand and evolve even further. Anyone who has mastered anything, be it musical virtuosity, the skill of working with numbers, or the ability to counsel people, has invested a vast amount of time in study and practice. Yet if they remained in this mode without the real life experience of applying this practice and manifesting the art of their expression, they would be stifled. When people dive in, they experience deep fulfillment, time seems to slow down, and often there is a sweet feeling of making a contribution to something greater than only their own self-interest. In this way, yoga is truly both a science and art not only of postures, breath techniques, or access to greater lucidity; it is a science and art of living, of cultivating a vital life, and of being fully expressed. It opens the doors for us to recognize our ability to thrive as human beings and invites us into a greater willingness to ride the ups and downs as we experience the diverse flavors guaranteed on the human path.

In this vein, I want to first and foremost express gratitude to the tradition that is yoga. To the sages who sat in meditation, the countless thinkers and experimenters—both men and women—who recognized original thought and brought it into the inquiry of their own lives. To those who created systems and maps of organized concepts that today provide us with greater scope and understanding; to family groups and small communities who passed on their cherished philosophies and to those open to receiving the teachings. Thank you to all who debated and championed their points of view in healthy and meticulous conversation; to the gurus who adapted and succeeded and likewise to those who fell from their pedestals, still teaching through contrast and misalignment. Gratitude to all those who have spread their version of yoga, to those who facilitated its transmission to the west, and to those who have encouraged its growth and advancement throughout the last years.

Thank you to my primary teacher Professor Douglas Brooks, a resounding and extremely influential voice in my quest to understand and live yoga. The scope of the astute vision Douglas has offered to the yoga tradition is truly breathtaking. His contributions to the development of this science and art are already deeply felt and recognized and will only continue to ripple out for decades to come. Many of the teachings to follow are inspired by and/or arising from my understanding of Rajanaka Tantra. This school of thought elegantly synthesizes previous wisdoms of yoga, providing a renewed and refreshing spin on familiar ideas while also introducing many new streams of thought into the philosophical dialogue. Douglas’s erudite exploration of these topics provides a practical framework for modern-day practitioners of all that is yoga. Endless gratitude to him, his beloved teacher Rajananka Gopalaiyar Sundararmoorthy, and the community of yogis and yoginis who have answered questions, offered challenges, and continue to advance the conversation and teachings further and further.

Immense gratitude to my loving family and friends; their constant support and belief in my wanderings, gifts, and vision are priceless. With their presence, discourse, and reflection, I have grown to be a better person from the inside out and the outside in. To all of my other formal teachers, thank you for being authentic, for showing me how vulnerability can be an asset, and for teaching me by simply living your life with rigor and grace. Thank you Sudha Carolyn Lundeen, Devarshi Steven Hartman, Ila Sarley, Dinabandhu Sarley, Ann Greene, Todd Norian, Lorin Roche, Shiva Rea, Stephen Cope, Sally Kempton and Anjali Budreski. To my two comrades in teaching and living yoga, Coby Kozlowski and Katie Brauer, I do not have enough space to write how blessed I am to have you two in my life. These brilliant, generous, kind, empowered and authentic women are true walking examples of every teaching in this book. They continually inspire me to evolve and grow and I cherish the time we spend together whether it be collaborating, asking questions, or letting our hair down to have some crazy fun!

Gratitude to all of the yoga teachers I have trained and those I have mentored. I continually learn from your dedication and am inspired by the ways you take these teachings, employ them, and transform your life. Deep appreciation for all of the inspirational beings whose wisdom words pepper this text. Their contributions in their respective fields are astounding: Tara Brach, Brené Brown, Steven Kotler, Danielle LaPorte, Bruce Lipton, Tony Robbins, Simon Powell, Martin Seligman, Simon Sinek, Neil deGrasse Tyson, and so many more. Gratitude also to all those who offered feedback and edits including Justin Satterley, Marisa Livesay, Lora Heiner, and Annie Peterson. Thank you to the amazingly skilled Kelli Adams for laboring through the final read-through, offering priceless refinements, and ensuring the text flows with ease and intelligence.

Finally, thank you to you, the reader, for being willing and open and for having a curiosity and hunger to learn more and evolve your viewpoint, knowledge base, and potential. One of the most gracious ideas offered by the Tantric path is that we choose what it is we absorb and assimilate from any text, experience, or teaching. It is up to each one of us to decide which models, concepts, and beliefs apply as we integrate them into the fabric of our own exceptional life. As I often say while teaching, Don’t believe anything I say, or in this case, anything I write. Take these ideas and see if they serve you on your day-to-day travels. If you end up with more questions than answers, know that you’re heading in the right direction.

To this majestic journey of living that twists and turns, I wish you endless blessings, sweetness, intoxication, and beauty along the way.

Thanks to Andrew Ferris for his wonderful British accent, soothing voice, and the time spent recording the audio version of this book. Endless gratitude to Philip Nato who is an