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Faith Trumps Fu*k You Money [or Mindset Trumps Skillset]

In finance, there’s an expression for the amount of savings you need to comfortably retire from a job you can’t otherwise afford to quit: “fu*k you money”, implying that you could flip off the boss and work whenever, wherever you want – or not! Unfortunately, fu*k you money is like the pot of gold at the end of a rainbow: it vanishes before you can collect it.

Happily, there’s something more powerful, motivational and real than fu*k you money: faith. It doesn’t matter what you have faith in as long as it’s to protect and preserve something or someone else. Ironically, we naturally draw strength from devotion and commitment to others. In the worst times, faith can even trump self-preservation – that’s how powerful it is.

It’s arguable that Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras (the original Raja Yoga text) was composed to promote faith. The first half of the second chapter entitled “Practice” is devoted to one’s attitude, the cornerstone of which is faith. The subsequent half of the chapter is devoted to one’s conduct. Both are intended to foster a clear, calm state of mind in preparation for meditation. In short, your attitude – specifically, your combined level of courage, wisdom and faith (Kriya Yoga) – is more impactful on your state of mind than your conduct (Ashtanga Yoga) or said another way, “mindset trumps skillset”.

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Rule 4: Junk in, junk out

The next rule for cultivating a peaceful frame of mind after following the Golden Rule, being kind to yourself and exercising is to turn inward – literally.

Three thousand years ago, our internal organs and systems were still largely a mystery. Yogis referred to our insides as our energy body: the parts that keep us alive.

People understood the rudimentary mechanics: food, liquids, and fresh air are converted into fuel and circulated throughout our body via blood while our brain communicates with the rest of our body through a system of nerves – but the science of exactly how that’s accomplished hadn’t been verified.

People also understood the primary functions of our larger, more critical organs and system components: our brain, heart, voice box, digestive and reproductive organs, and that they’re linked through our circulatory and nervous systems; specifically, that arteries carry enriched blood in one direction while veins carry depleted blood in the other – and that thoughts are transmitted energetically between our brain and body via a separate system of nerves.

Yogis figured out that we can affect the functioning of our internal organs and systems by manipulating our diaphragm like a bellows – by controlling the rate and depth of our breaths. Your diaphragm is a large flat muscle that serves as the floor of the upper chamber of your abdomen, which contains your lungs and heart within your rib cage, and the ceiling of the lower chamber your abdomen, your stomach, which contains your digestive and reproductive organs, contents and systems.

As you breathe, your diaphragm moves up and down within your abdomen – pulled down to draw oxygen into your lungs, and pulled up to push carbon monoxide out [fun fact: its the only muscle in your body which you can pull in opposite directions]. The practice of controlling the rhythm, depth and subtleness of your breathing stimulates nerve and organ function and blood flow and is very soothing, reducing physical and mental distress.

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Self-awareness

Your body has a natural rhythm: your heart beats, your lungs breathe, and your mind thinks: heartbeats, breaths, and thoughts: singularly, consecutively and constantly.

While it’s technically impossible to stop any one of those three (let alone all three simultaneously) and survive more than minutes, ancient Raja Yoga texts tell tales of yogis surviving being buried alive for DAYS.

While the stories are likely exaggerated for entertainment or emphasis, initially Raja Yoga was purported to enable enthusiastic practitioners to virtually still their heartbeats, breaths and thoughts to the point of feigning death.

Why would anyone want to do that?! Yogis believe that it’s only at the point of virtual stillness or cessation of bodily and mental functioning that we experience our true essence: our consciousness.

Why is THAT a big deal? There’s no stress when you identify with your eternal consciousness rather than your temporal body and mind. Nothing (no attachment, fear, emotion, or action perpetuated by you, another, or Mother Nature) affects your consciousness – unlike your body and mind which are naturally, constantly changing and subject to the vagaries of time and space.

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Rule 3: Move it or lose it

The object of this part of the game is to learn to control the parts of you that protect and propel you: primarily, your arms and legs.

The “how” is less important than the “why”: this part of the game teaches body control so you can comfortably sit still and upright for an extended period of time while meditating.

The “how” is entirely up to you and depends on your age and fitness. Pick a physical activity that you enjoy: anything from walking, bicycling, swimming (there’s a reason those activities constitute a triathlon: that’s a full body workout – but one you can adapt to YOUR pace!)  Start by just getting outside for some fresh air! Move it or lose it.

If you want to prove to yourself that you CAN change and control your outer body, start with your toes. The darned things are as strong or stronger than your fingers! – yet we rarely pay much attention to them. Start by clenching and unclenching your toes into a “fist”, then use them to grip and pick things up. Make it fun and in short order, you’ll be surprised at the changes you’ll see in just your toes!

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Rule #2: Be kind to yourself

Put your own oxygen mask on first. Like everything else, your body and mind will function better and last longer if lovingly maintained; therefore, remain:

Pure – Content – Determined – Studious – Devout

Take care of your body and mind because if you don’t, who will?

www.rajamarblehead.com

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Rule 1: Practice kindness to others

The goal of Raja Yoga is peace. The rules of the game are intended to promote a clear, calm state of mind – and it starts by practicing kindness toward others; specifically, abstaining from:

Violence • Deceit • Theft • Promiscuity • Greed

In short, practice the Golden Rule: do unto others as you would have them do unto you!

www.rajamarblehead.com

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Play Raja Yoga

Play and see if you don’t feel happier and healthier!

Object of the game: mind control (to reduce stress)

Rules of the game:
1) be kind to others
2) be kind to yourself
3) control your outer body (exercise)
4) control your inner body (breathe)
5) control your thinking mind (concentrate)
6) control your sensory mind (meditate)

Player tip: learn to distinguish between your conscious mind (the part of you that’s reading this), your subconscious mind (the part of you in charge of scrolling whatever you’re reading this on), and your consciousness (the awareness that you’re reading and scrolling).

Key to success: never give up; always let go.

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Practice Letting Go

The first chapter of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras explains why yoga works; the second chapter explains how to practice it; however, there is one practice instruction included in the first chapter, which makes it unique and highlights its importance: “never give up; always let go”.

Everything in life is constantly changing due to its fundamental energetic nature; thus, we have opportunities throughout each day to practice letting go. Chose not to let life’s little disappointments like a spilled cup of coffee, or running late, or packing up and leaving at the end of a memorable vacation (all things come to an end) spoil your day.

A yoga tale: two monks out for a walk came across a woman in distress about crossing a stream. With the woman’s consent and gratitude the older monk carried her across, after which the monks continued on their way. Some time later the younger monk turned to his friend – perplexed – and said: “we’re supposed to abstain from physical contact with women, yet you carried that young woman across the stream”. His friend smiled and responded “yes, but I put her down on the other side of the stream; you’re still carrying her”.

Letting go is often difficult; hence, the other aspect of yoga’s most important instruction: never give up.

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Three Enemies of a Clear Mind

Monitoring the influences on your thoughts is central to the practice of Raja Yoga. The three enemies of a clear mind are:

1. Over-identification with your body/mind

Don’t forget your consciousness! Consciousness or awareness doesn’t exist in the same way that your body and thoughts do; rather, it’s the aspect of you that witnesses those physical and mental parts. Without consciousness, your mind and body would still function, but you wouldn’t realize what you were sensing, thinking or doing!

2. Ego

Ego is a symptom of over-identifying with your body/mind. When your body/mind is sick or hurt your ego thinks “I am” sick or hurt – and the closer the identification, the deeper the sense of distress. Ego reacts like a magnet, either attracted to or repelled by the focus of its attention.

3. Fear of dying

Fear of dying is instinctive. The good news is that there’s an aspect of you that doesn’t die in a physical or mental sense because it doesn’t exist in a physical or mental manner: your consciousness.  That said, until you can completely subdue your mind, you can’t experience consciousness – you can only verify its existence because without it, you wouldn’t know you’re reading this!