Recently I went to a meditation workshop with Sally Kempton, she has been a teacher for 40 years. The theme was 'transformation' which in practice is an integration of the wisdom of traditional yoga tantra with the insights of contemporary evolutionary spirituality and cutting-edge psychology.

Transformation is part of a continuous evolutionary cycle; alongside biological evolution there is an evolution in consciousness. (Imagine being born a woman 100 years ago and see the changes that have been made since then) If we accept that God (or whichever name you prefer to give the intelligence that guides humanity) is consciousness, then God too is evolving. There is no difference between humanity and God - they are the same nature. The personal ego is not involved, though it can become attached to it or identified with it. Transformation is a process that is happening as us not to us.

Here is the question:

'What if your choices and decisions were a critical part of the meta transformative process of humanity?' How would that guide your life?

Sally illustrates the transformative cycle as a spiral that is repeated on varying scales continuously. It begins with a wake up call, a moment of transcendence away from the small self to the impersonal self, usually triggered by an external event. It may be a realization of a need to change your life, creative inspiration, recognition of a path you want to take, or a crisis.

Next is the practice/work, perhaps in the form of meditation, inner psychological work, paying attention to well being through diet and yoga. As a result of a commitment to the 'work' comes a stage of fulfillment of reaching a higher state of evolution and well-being, but this Sally warns is usually temporary.

Finally the fall, what expands must contract, what contracts will eventually expand. This can take the form of a bad day or a major crisis until there is eventually a new wake up that takes place at a deeper level.

"We cycle through them again and again, often seeming to land in the same place, but at a deeper level of insight, awareness and spiritual maturity."

Sally Kempton created a free 28-day meditation course with Yoga Journal suitable for beginners that will be sent to your inbox on a daily basis.

Here's the link yogajournal.com/practice/2841

Beth Wood gives private yoga classes in Bucks and Oxfordshire.

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