The Joy of loosing your self on the Pembrokeshire Coast Path

Introduction

Have you ever had that moment standing on the coast path or in the Preseli Hills looking out and the mind just stops? When you lose the need to name, compare or understand. Awareness simply rests in itself.

In yoga we call these moments Nirodha – the fluctuations of the mind still.

In Advaita it is the recognition that the seer and the seen are the same. A moment beyond duality in our transactional existence

As yogis we understand everything in Nature is sacred, that nature is Divinity manifesting in all forms.

In the vast tapestry of yogic philosophy, few images are as awe-inspiring and humbling as **Vishvarupa Devata** — the Divine in its **Cosmic Form**. The term *Vishvarupa* (Sanskrit: विश्वरूप) literally means “whose form is the universe.” This concept invites us to see the entire cosmos — every atom, creature, and phenomenon — as an expression of the Divine.

For yoga students, contemplating Vishvarupa Devata isn’t just about mythology or scripture. It’s a profound meditation on **unity, interconnectedness, and surrender** — key qualities that transform our asana practice into a spiritual journey.

To contemplate Vishvarupa Devata is to awaken to the sacredness of everything — from the grass beneath your feet to the sky above your head. Every posture, every breath, every interaction becomes a way of honoring the infinite presence that flows through all.

As yoga students, we learn to see beyond names and forms, and recognize the Vishvarupa — the universal Divine — shining in all directions, within and without.

Symbolism of Vishvarupa

Vishvarupa Devata is not a deity in the ordinary sense — not an idol to be worshiped separately, but a **vision of totality**.

Here are some of its symbolic layers:

🌞 **Infinite Faces and Forms:** Represent the countless beings and aspects of life, from galaxies to grains of sand — all part of one consciousness.
🔥 **Fire and Light:** Symbolize divine energy (Shakti), the creative and transformative power that sustains the universe.
🌿 **Unity of Opposites:** Vishvarupa holds both birth and death, creation and dissolution — reminding us that dualities coexist within the whole.
🕉️ **The End of Separation:** To see Vishvarupa is to transcend the “I” and “you,” realizing that the same consciousness dwells in all.

Vishvarupa in the Practice of Yoga

Yoga offers pathways to **experience Vishvarupa within ourselves**.

**Through Awareness:** When we become fully present — in a breath, a pose, or a moment of stillness — we touch the infinite that pervades all.
**Through Bhakti (Devotion):** Offering our practice, effort, and emotions to the Divine expands the heart beyond personal limits.
**Through Jnana (Wisdom):** Studying texts and contemplating the unity of all life cultivates the vision of Vishvarupa intellectually and intuitively.
**Through Seva (Service):** Serving others selflessly is living the truth that all beings are part of one cosmic form.

Walking Meditation

My favourite way to connect to the awesome nature that surrounds us here at Cwm Connell is to take a silent walk down the Cwm to the bay. We are so used to chattering or thinking as we walk but when you resolve to be silent and to focus your awareness on the nature around you it changes everything. Take every step slowly with utter awareness of every blade of grass, every sound, every twinkle of light. Realise that everything you observe is a little miracle of nature in it’s own right. Bow your head to every little miracle and marvel at the magnificent perfection and imperfection in nature. Notice that no two trees are alike, no leaf, no flower, that everything in nature, including us, is unique, perfect, perfectly imperfect. It doesn’t take long before you feel part of the magnificent mystery that surround you – Vishvarupa Devata.

Meditation on Vishvarupa

Here’s a simple meditation you can try:

Sit comfortably and close your eyes.
Bring awareness to your breath.
Visualize the entire universe as one vast, luminous body — stars as its eyes, rivers as its veins, forests as its hair, and your own heart as part of its beating core.
Feel the oneness of all beings within this great cosmic form.
Rest in the awareness of the mantra: *Sarvam Vishnumayam Jagat* — “The whole universe is filled with the Divine.”