The Yossum Process
Carl Jung wrote in his memoir that ‘a teacher does not teach his or hers chosen subject, they teach themselves.’ The YOSSUM concept is the result of my own experience in life and the teaching of it.
Yossum is a word created from the initial letters of the pillars that form our concept. YO = Yoga, S = Silence, SU = Self-Understanding, M = Meditation.
The YOSSUM concept is simple: The practice and exposure to Yoga, Silence, Self-Understanding and Meditation consists of a complete journey, through which a deep and, most importantly, lasting transformation can take place. These pillars are not new, they have been around for thousands of years. What is new is the powerful combination of them and its effect in a person’s life.
My personal experience has been that the path of Yoga asanas (postures) alone was not enough. The extended periods in Silence, although extremely powerful, still left questions answered. The processes of Self-Understanding, guided by competent teachers, were an essential part of the journey but not the whole journey. The path of Meditation was almost complete in itself, but most of us in the West do not have the necessary time to dedicate ourselves to this practice so that it can work its miracle.
Over the years, I have watched how people who were exposed to the integrated Yossum teaching have gone through a powerful inner transformation and experienced lasting changes.
YOSSUM is dedicated to bringing you guidance, support and steps to follow WHILE you live your everyday life. We encourage people to participate in one of our retreats to fully experience the four pillars, but the application of the practices in daily life is what we consider to be most important.
Usually the first step is recognition that you want something to change. The second is to be open to something new. The third step is to look for help and information. The next step, equally important and most difficult to ground, is to regularly use the tools you have discovered and see the results in the areas that matters most for you.
What is the point of only feeling relaxed while you are on your yoga mat? What is the point of only feeling calm while you are meditating? What is the point of only feeling understood while you are talking about yourself with someone ready to listen to you? The sure sign that your inner journey is on the right track is when you can experience all these states - being relaxed, quiet, calm and centered - while living your daily life and all that it presents to you.
YOSSUM also takes into consideration that there are periods in life that are more difficult to live through. Crisis happens. No matter how perfect your yoga practice is, how many hours you meditate, life will still happen to you, with its full range of experiences, from the very wonderful to the very distressing! Our experience is that, even during periods of crisis, the combination of YOSSUM’s four pillars will be able to ‘hold you’ and give you the support you need. Or rather you will be able to hold and support yourself as you will have the ground to do so.
You may be asking yourself, ‘what does it mean to practice these four pillars?’ You mind might be saying, “I don’t have the time”, or maybe “I only want to find a yoga class”. It doesn’t matter where you are at. The YOSSUM practice can start from exactly where you are, right now. If you only have the time to dedicate to one of the pillars and simply read about the others, it is perfect for now. You have already started the practice.
I hope you enjoy exploring the YOSSUM teachings, above all that it will inspire you to look inwards, and bring you more clarity to live the balanced life that we all deserve.
Enjoy the journey.
Ma Prem Kali
