Patanjali begins the second chapter of The Yoga Sutras – the chapter on preparing to meditate – by listing five conditions which influence or color our thoughts and telling us how to un-color them.
He explains why un-coloring our thoughts is crucial to peace of mind: colorings or conditions which affect our thoughts influence our actions, the consequences of which further color our thoughts, perpetuating a cycle that invariably results in loss and suffering.
Patanjali identifies the root cause of the colorings as “ignorance”, herein, a lack of awareness of the intangible, immutable, essentially divine nature of our Consciousness.
In the next ten sutras, Patanjali expands upon the distinction between Consciousness and matter so we may see the difference (i.e., become enlightened), the key to breaking the cycle of suffering.
Aphorisms 2.17 thru 2.26, loosely translated:
2.17 Failure to distinguish between Consciousness and matter/cognition is the root cause of pain
2.18 Matter is multi-faceted; may be subtle, animate or inanimate; may be sensed or imagined; may be indulged or avoided
2.19 Matter comes in all shapes and sizes
2.20 Consciousness is just that: awareness; it’s perceived as, but isn’t, a mental function
2.21 Matter exists for the sake of Consciousness
2.22 Upon enlightenment, matter loses its appeal
2.23 Consciousness and matter need each other to realize their respective natures
2.24 Conflating Consciousness and cognition (a function of matter) is the source of ignorance
2.25 Realizing the distinction is liberating
2.26 Sustained liberation requires continuous recognition of the distinction
Our mind is evidenced by our tangible thoughts; Consciousness is evidenced by the intangible awareness OF our thoughts.
Realizing that distinction, and recognizing the immutable, eternal nature of our Consciousness (aka our soul or spirit) is eye-popping or “enlightening”. That realization – after a few “OMG” and “WTF” moments – changes how we perceive life and the world around us.
Without appreciating the distinction between Consciousness and matter the sutras above may seem a bit whack. “Sutra 2.21 – matter exists for the sake of Consciousness”?! That’s hard to believe when we naturally identify with our body/mind, not realizing that without Consciousness, we’d have no awareness of anything – not even our own existence!
It’s only when we recognize the distinction and interdependence between our Consciousness and body/mind, and can see ourselves as Consciousness experiencing life via our body/mind, that Patanjali’s sutras make sense.
As French philosopher Teihard de Chardin said, “We are not human beings having a spiritual experience; we are spiritual beings having a human experience.”
Incorporating our essential, immutable Consciousness into our self-image, rather than seeing ourselves only as our ever-changing, fallible body/mind, shifts our life paradigm. The biggest benefit being that the things we tend to worry, fret and stress out about take on much less significance. We begin to perceive things that happen to our body/mind as simply things that happen, recognizing that literally nothing can adversely affect the essence of who and what we truly are.
For info about private lessons or workshops in self-discovery and peace of mind see the ‘Contact Us’ page of this site.
God bless, Skip
#patanjali #consciousness #meditation
