The last of the set of sutras that talk about God or Iśvara (1.29) says that through the repetition of the sound that represents it, i.e. the Om, we realize our inner self and get free from all disturbances or obstacles. It seems to me that this sutra expresses popular wisdom. We see how people who believe in God call upon him/her through prayers when they are facing a hard situation. Even though we do not have to believe in God or in something like Iśvara in order to be yogis or to practice yoga, the belief in something that is superior, a “special puruṣa” or a higher consciousness beyond our finite beings, can help others with a more devotional inclination, to focus their minds on a state of peace and calmness that is so precious to the yogic path.
It is astonishing how the disturbances or obstacles mentioned in the Yoga Sutras 2000 years ago, continue to have so much meaning to us in the twenty first century. As it was mentioned during class, we can see through this text how our human minds are still challenged by the same things. There are 9 obstacles mentioned in the sutra 1.30 which are divided by Iyengar in four groups:
1) physical: sickness (vyādhi), sluggishness or fatigue (styāna);
2) mental: doubt or indecision (saṁśaya), carelessness or negligence (pramāda), lazyness (ālasya),
incontinence (avirati);
3) intellectual: confusion or delusion (bhrāntidarśana), and
4) spiritual: dissapointment or not having obtained a firm ground, feeling stuck
(alabdhabhūmikatva) and instability or giving up (anavasthitatvāni).
Along with these obstacles, the distracted and scattered mind develops the states of sorrow (duḥkha), despair (daurmanasya), a weak and trembling body (aṅgamejayatva) and irregular breathing (śvāsapraśvāsāḥ vikṣepa). It seems as if Patañjali were describing the normal characteristics of many of our fellow humans (if not of ourselves to a certain extent) stressed, constantly worried, untrustful, unhealthy… This condition of the mind is called vikṣepa, which means “distracted” and is compared, in the next sutra 1.32, to the “onepointed” mind or ekatattva. From sutras 1.34 to 1.39, various practices of onepointedness are described, but just before getting into them, we find a sutra that talks about the dispositions or attitudes that start bringing our mind back to a graceful, lucid, clear and “sattvic” state (cittaprasādanam): Friendship (maitrī) to those who are happy; compassion (karuṇā) to those who are unhappy; joy (muditā) to those who are virtuous, and equanimity (upeksanam) to those who are non-virtuous. Sutra 1.33 is one of those parts of the Yoga Sutras that makes evident the Buddhist influence on them. These four dispositions are exactly the same as the four virtues that are considered in Buddhism to be the antidotes to negative mental states such as envy, violence, intolerance, anger and pride.
Taking a closer look to each of them, we could find that the first one, “friendship or kindness to those who are happy”, seems not to be something difficult to practice. And yet, Joy Devi gives a perfect example of when maintaining this quality of mind could be a challenge. Imagine that you are in the park having a picnic with a friend in the perfect spot. After the first few bites of the tasty dishes, a man sits very close to you and starts smoking; happily lying down on the grass, while the smoke is flowing directly to your nose. Just take few moments to consider what would be your immediate reaction; your emotions and thoughts towards that man. What would be the best way to act? What this sutra tells us is that before any mental dialogue dictate our actions, words and attitudes, we must let our hearts open to kindness and act from there. Usually, as Joy says, the other’s response will match the energy as well as the words we have put forth. Although even if this does not happen, we still have other resources of wisdom from which to act: compassion and equanimity, instead of judgment, anger, impatience and all the many other emotions that come to us when a situation is not as we would like. In Joy Devi’s version, “compassion for those who are less fortunate” and “equanimity to those whose actions oppose your values” are attitudes that preserve the openness of the heart and calmness of the mind (p.84). “Joy to those who are virtuous” is another one of those that seems easy to accomplish, and yet, this one addresses one of those sentiments that are easily disguised: envy. In our insecurity, we may find reasons not to acknowledge others’ talents, but we may also deflate our own virtues and put others on pedestals. “Honor for those who embody noble qualities” as Joy Devi puts it, means not only to feel happy for those who have them, but also to try to find noble qualities in everyone. “Some of us may need to become archaeologists and dig dip”, says Joy. But even when this is not possible, we still can remain calm.[1]
After this, Patañjali proceeds to enumerate various alternatives to focus the mind and achieve onepointedness:
1.34 - Through the practice of retaining the breath after exhalation. (This is a type of pranayama, the practice of channeling the life force through the manipulation of the breath).
1.35 – Through the steadiness of the mind in any object arising through the senses. (For example, focusing the mind in a specific taste, in a sound, in a visible object, or a texture, or a smell.)
1.36 – Through the contemplation of an effulgent and sorrowless light. (This is a very cryptic sutra, difficult to interpret. What is that light referring too? Some say that it is the light of our inner self, the “core of our hearts” as Iyengar puts it in page 88. It could also be referring to the practice within some yogic paths of focusing the mind in the light of a candle, perhaps as an external metaphor of our inner light.)
1.37 – Through the focus of the mind in enlightened beings. (There is also another way of translating this sutra: “Through the focusing of the mind in any object without desire.” But, in general, it is referring to the practice of meditating in a spiritual teacher (guru), a wise person, a sage, someone that is already beyond pleasure and pain, in a liberated state, free from desires.)
1.38 – Through the practice of observing our dreams (svapna) and the knowledge that comes from the conscious experience of dreamless sleep (nidrā). (In the Tibetan yoga, the ability of knowing that we are dreaming while we are dreaming, in other words, to have a lucid dream, is developed to acquire knowledge, solve problems in our lives, get messages from the subtle realm, or to solve emotional issues and prepare ourselves for difficult tasks during the waking state. There is also a yogic practice called “nidra yoga” that consists in bringing our bodies and minds to a complete point of relaxation but without falling asleep. This gives us the experience of a state of consciousness where there are no thoughts, nor objects, but just pure awareness.)
1.39 – Through the meditation in any agreeable object. (This sutra tells us that the mind has the ability to focus on any desired object. Some people find focusing in sound easier than in silence, or in an external visible object rather than in an internal visualization. Patañjali acknowledges here, one more time, the variety of paths that there are to achieve the same goal.)
The great contribution of Iyengar is that he made of the physical poses (asanas) a point of concentration for the mind, capable of bringing us to deeper layers of consciousness and, ideally, to the experience of our true self.
Westerners are usually criticized for their focus in the physical poses; but Patañjali is telling us here that it does not matter in which object you point your mind towards, as long as it is agreeable to the yogic goal and to your personal inclination, the practice of “onepointedness” prepares the mind for deeper meditations, as well as being accompanied by a graceful, joyful, loving and compassionate state. Perhaps, if there were a way to “measure” the practice of a yogi, it wouldn’t so much be how far he/she can bend in one asana, but how much, through the practice of asana or whatever the point of focus is, he/she has managed to express love, compassion, joy and equanimity throughout daily life.
Regarding this topic, I would like to share with you this short video that makes us reflect on our own attitudes towards others. I think it illustrates nicely the idea of a distracted mind in the sense we have just discussed.
I hope that your reading of the Yoga Sutras keeps inspiring your yoga practice, whatever form it takes and that you continue to be inspired in sharing your views, comments, doubts, questions and ideas with the group. See you next meeting!
[1] Iyengar interprets the last attitude as “indiference”. Although that is the literal meaning of “upekṣanam”, it does not convey the positive quality that the other three attitudes have. I personally prefer the term “equanimity”.
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