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To my guru Milena

SELF-AWARENESS (An Example)

[Caveat: high levels of ego contained herein! That’s actually the point: this is me slaying what’s left of mine.]

Dearest Milena,

This isn’t a Dear John letter; rather, it’s my Susan Collins speech. I’ve already made a decision; I just desperately want you to understand why.

This feels right.

Posting this isn’t so much a public declaration of love (as was my last post to my brother John) as it is me accelerating on the way down – kamikaze-style – while grinning!

I’m coming in for a [crash] landing.

Patanjali taught me not to give up. I haven’t abandoned my dream of changing the way the world experiences life – but I do need to accept the reality that I can’t count on my teaching skills to pay our bills.

I tried. For 2.5 years. After spending every hour and over $40,000 I have no students. [Die ego!]

In practical, business and tax terms, The Marblehead School of Raja Yoga hasn’t been a success – yet. [Still here!]

It’s not the material. It’s 100% me. I know that.

I’ve been given a gift that’s literally priceless. It’s not mine. I also know that. I can’t tell you how I relate to the joke about the guy with pockets full of $100 bills in a brothel who can’t ‘get a date’!

What happened?

The risk/reward ratio of teaching yoga (love & self-awareness) is HUGE. Given my relatively low risk tolerance (cluck, cluck) and practical situation, it’s not sustainable. I ‘touched’ half a dozen people – raised their personal level of self-awareness – and in the process discovered that I can’t do or say anything to help someone else to see through my eyes.

It doesn’t work that way.

It breaks my heart. SO many people I would gift this paradigm to! I feel as dumb and useless as Chicken Little.

But with the same sense of relief (yes) that I experienced when I finally let go of ever riding a motorcycle again, I literally and figuratively breathed a sigh of relief a few minutes ago when I realized that I can’t support us acting like Don Quixote or Friar Tuck, desperately trying to be something I’m not (talk about not being grounded….).

Like the freedom of riding a motorcycle, selfishly devoting myself to yoga (and turning my family’s lives upside down in the process – again) has been another protracted, life-altering, mid/now-late-life crisis – another in a series of adult-sized Steve Urkel moments – though this one truly has limitless potential to radically change life as we know it. This one has been an honor to play out.

Unlike the bike accidents that broke bones and machines, my teaching ‘accidents’ didn’t physically harm anyone (Patanjali’s rule #1: A-himsa = the absence of violence = love). I figured it would be a fun, helpful and productive way to spend the rest of my days. [I hear my grandfather screaming in my ear old-school style, “What kind of idiot can’t support himself who holds the secret to life?” Uhm. Hi Pops. Killing off the last bits of my ego here.]

What/who am I?

 I grew up trapped in a mental purgatory. My ‘out’ was my imagination – but beyond that, I knew I was “special” [not just short-bus special]. I can’t explain it but I’ve always known it. I’ve always felt as if I had some sort of invisible support. Shit has happened to me for which there’s no explanation other than miraculous compassionate intervention.

Clearly, from the outside it looks like I’ve lived a charmed life – because I HAVE – which just further fueled my ego.

That self-consciousness was fostered by the people who raised me (whom I love and adore, but whose job it was to find fault in others). My grandfather stopped caring much after his son (my uncle) died when I was 4. Somehow during the short time I knew Ted, I picked up some of his charismatic, rebellious energy – who got it from his father, who got it from his.

Transparency or TMI?

I’ve always been a loner. Again, nature or nurture, it doesn’t matter.

 My favorite book growing up was “Jonathan Livingston Seagull”; it’s about a small chicken-like bird who spent his life trying to fly like a killer hawk. That damned seagull was as stubborn and clever as any Irishman I’ve ever met.

As a kid, I SO wanted to be a cowboy, Batman, Rifle Man, Zorro, Green Hornet, David Carradine – a lone “can-do-everything-myself” fearless hero, fighting off the bad guys and saving the damsel in distress.

The craziest part is that I still play “dress up” (minus the kids chaps & holsters and very lethal-looking toy weaponry) to play different roles: whether it’s in faux leather motorcycle gear, or yoga pants – channeling my inner Carradine. 😉

I SO wanted a mean-ass tattoo of a heart with a dragon wrapped around it [I would have settled for Carradine’s dual forearm dragon and tiger]: something that screamed “Lady Killer” or “Lone Wolf” [when in reality, I’m a chicken with a big mouth!] It wasn’t so much fear of needles; rather, imagining my mother’s emotional breakdown (which she’d weaponized) that scared me out of it.

I’ve always been obsessive. Always all-in. No moderation. I gave any/everything I ever did 110%. Everything. Good and bad. Pop’s mantra was “Be the best at whatever you do, and you’ll succeed.” I’ve lived it.

But I know I’m a much better student, employee, client (read: more YIN) – than I will ever be a teacher, boss, or therapist (read: YANG). [Die ego! Bang!]

One of my earliest adult obsessions was S&M. I was single and lived just outside NYC in the 70’s – whatever. I know which side of that game I was better at. It’s why I stopped taking karate lessons after two years: I’m not a fighter. [Bang!]

Traditional Chinese Medicine’s astrological rooster evidence supporting all this notwithstanding, I’ve always known it deep down.

A fuckin’ rooster. No wonder I “crow” a lot! I’m also crazy loyal and dependable. Who else would go to work at the crack of dawn everyday of their life? [thankfully, the donut guys!]

I was meant to spend 2016-2018 crowing about consciousness. I don’t know why and probably never will. I put my Truth out there. All-in. No regrets. No surrender.

Oh yeah. I also have a seemingly natural aversion to all-things mean and stupid. Of course there are gray areas, and Lord knows I’ve done plenty of mean stupid things over 60 years, but as a rooster I’m generally more bark than bite.

What’s a rooster to do next?

I HAVE to have some sort of outlet to express my inborn voice: my creative, curious, and clever parts. While I’ve been completely focused on sharing what I know about Patanjali’s path to enlightenment – I got no traction. [Bang! Right-between-the-eyes. Dead. Sidebar: “Told you I’m not worthy!!”]

Apparently, spiritual self-awareness isn’t something people are naturally interested in. There’s an irony! If only…… This is what’s left of the Garden of Eden folks.

So I find myself feeling like I’m at the point in “A Knight’s Tale” where Ledger’s team meets their rooster: their Chaucer; their Patanjali: the naked poet who saves them in the end. God, I love that movie. [Can’t get much more naked than I’m being here.]

How should I pay our bills? Faith alone isn’t a recognized currency; otherwise, I’d still be a 1%er – and most of the people I know who are, wouldn’t be. At some point the irony actually becomes perverse.

Roosters make good architects apparently – but while that sounds fun (and I wanted to be one as a kid), I have relatively immediate financial concerns.

In addition to taking responsibility for family, I’ve always looked out for underdogs at work – employees who didn’t have the same recognition and clout within an organization. I usually managed to piss off the people I worked for. Go figure.

Several years ago, my boss bought himself a new airplane with the first of many proceeds checks I handed him. When I suggested giving the staff a mid-year token “we-sold-a-company” bonus, he looked at me like I had a tree growing out of my neck and said, “It’s not December!” It just fostered my Robin Hood complex.

I’m artistic/creative – our kids got that from me [Damned ego!]: their whole outside-the-box, over-the-top creativity – even though they’re adopted! Crazy how powerful certain types of energy are – and that we’re not naturally aware of it!

I’m honest, hardworking, and loyal to a fault. I’d make (made?) a good dog – a yappy one!

We all need to feel as though we have purpose – THAT frankly, may be Patanjali’s deepest insight. And I haven’t felt “productive” in too long.

I don’t know what the universe has in store for my swansong (I still like the dandelion analogy – it SO fits), but I recently did an accounting project for a friend of Sarah’s – and it woke up an underutilized part of me: something about the way I’m wired – something inborn 😉 – loves precision and numeric challenges.

Frankly, that’s the only thing I did differently than anyone else who’s ever interpreted Patanjali’s outline: I looked at it mathematically.

 

Accountants make good yogis – perhaps the best – but yogis don’t do what they do for money. I’ve always said yoga should be an experience like going to church: free to all; hopefully, supported by a few for the benefit of many – unfortunately, I still have bills to pay – and Sue’s had enough stress for awhile – so I need to exercise another inborn talent for awhile – at least until we pull up stakes. Like everything, living in paradise has a price.

Thank you

Thank you for all the energy, love, support and encouragement you’ve shown while I followed my heart – the entire time, scared to death – equal parts desperately wanting to be heard and acknowledged (loved) for being truly unique and worthy – all the while not wanting to call further attention to myself!

Just like riding a Harley: equal parts terrifying and exhilarating.

For the people I touched (or more accurately, who allowed me in) – thank you. It’s been more rewarding than anything else I’ve done – perhaps ever. It’s certainly been better than anything I could have imagined (and I’ve been cultivating and fertilizing an active imagination for 60+ years!)

I have an interview tomorrow for a part-time accounting job to keep the lights on here a little longer.

NEVER give up. ALWAYS let go.

 

God bless you Milena. You are indeed a guru. See you Monday!

Hugs, Skip

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Do you experience unwanted thoughts that cause anxiety or distress?

Do you feel guilt or fear about your intrusive thoughts?

Do you find it hard to control repetitive thoughts?

Those questions are listed among others on tests to determine the extent to which you may suffer from OCD.

Our daughter is convinced that I have OCD – and she may be right, but none of those things bother students of classical yoga. And they needn’t bother anyone else!

I wrote a blog post in 2016 entitled “Radio Head” – pointing out that the part of our mind that we “hear” is akin to a broken radio: you can’t turn it off, but you can change the channel and adjust the volume.

Bothered by your inner monologue? Replace it with something else, something relatively benign but interesting enough that you’ll pay attention to it. Hacks like reciting the alphabet backwards always work: while you’re focusing on which letter comes next, everything else (anxieties, fears, desires, intrusive thoughts) subsides as if you’ve changed the channel on a radio.

How is it that mankind has sent people to the moon, flown at speeds exceeding the sound barrier, perfected Dick Tracy’s two-way wrist communication – and yet we don’t commonly understand how our own mind works?!

The art of focusing our mind at will should be taught to everyone from an early age. This isn’t about burying your head in the sand, or covering your ears and shouting “LA LA LA LA”; it’s about learning to focus on what’s important rather than getting caught up in irksome or troubling distractions.

Wishing you a quieter, calmer, more peaceful outlook – always.

Need help getting there? You know how to find me.

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Aging, Unemployment Concerns?

Bumped into an old friend yesterday. He was working, and asked if I still was. When I mentioned that I was looking for work as a bookkeeper, he said, “How old are you?! You’re in the ninth inning [of your life]!” The implication being that I shouldn’t be concerned about working at my age (67)!

Ten years ago a friend told me to stop fretting about work as “my tracks were running out”, as if I were about to pull into the final station on the journey of life.

Yes, unless we’re living off the grid, we all need money – but a job provides more than that: a sense of responsibility, purpose, contribution, value.

Which brings me to the yoga bit: in classical yoga, there’s a concept that the last thing we need to lose attachment to before realizing our true nature is our ego (not the “I am smart, fat, old, etc.” level of ego, but the much more subtle sense of our own individuality: simply the “I am”) – because beneath that aspect of our multilayered energetic tangible self lies consciousness.

Classical yoga is about identifying with the latter: our intangible awareness rather than our tangible body/mind. As the expression goes, “we are spiritual beings having a human experience” – not the other way around.

How does that tie back to longevity and employment? When we see ourselves as “real” [yogis see our immutable, eternal awareness as “real” because unlike our temporal, perpetually-changing physical world, our awareness literally never changes – ever], we’re able to let go of attachments to the “unreal” world around us that our senses, desires and fears naturally get caught up in.

It’s no wonder that some people shake their heads and turn away from this kind of talk. Someone would have to be crazy to believe thoughts, emotions and sensations aren’t “real” (my first yoga teacher told me that over 20 years ago – and it’s taken me practically since then to understand what she meant) but if you see it, even for a moment, it can relieve you of a lifetime of stress, anxiety, worry – about things like work and death – and that kind of freedom is priceless.

Would I like to work? Sure. Am I concerned about my own mortality and that of the people I love? Of course. But without the perspective outlined above, I’d be losing a lot more sleep about those and a million other things!

May you find true peace in this lifetime. If you’re looking for it, seek out a guy revered and honored by classical yogis: Patanjali.

God bless.

Want to learn more about classical yoga? You know where to find me.

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Chair Yoga

I taught my first chair yoga class last week. Afterwards, one of the students asked, “What kind of yoga was that?!” 😉

I hesitated to answer because it wasn’t yoga at all.

Yoga is a meditative practice intended to quiet our mind and help us distinguish between mind and consciousness. The practice was memorialized in a 200-line poem, “The Yoga Sutras”, by the legendary Patanjali some 3,000 years ago.

What we did in chair “yoga” class was primarily a mix of Chinese Qi Gong and Japanese Karate warm-up exercises intended to maintain/improve the range of motion of our major joints.

The good news is the class was well received, and the students (average age 77) experienced a version of what they were expecting: a seated, low-impact exercise class.

The aspect of Patanjali’s yoga that caught on in the US in the 1960’s was the third of eight “limbs” of the original practice.

Patanjali’s eight-fold prescription for peace of mind can be summarized as follows:

The first and second elements address our behavior, which has the greatest impact on our state of mind (e.g., if we avoid behaving in a manner we’ll regret, we’ll have a clearer, calmer, quieter state of mind going forward).

The third element of Patanjali’s classical yoga practice (now widely referred to generically as “yoga”) simply addresses sitting still and comfortably to facilitate concentration.

Specifically, Patanjali said:

  • “The posture for yoga meditation should be steady, stable, motionless, and comfortable.
  • The posture should be relaxed and allow attention to merge with endlessness or the infinite.
  • From the posture there arises an unassailable, unimpeded freedom from suffering.”

Somehow those three lines of Patanjali’s 200-line yoga sutras have morphed into the ubiquitous exercise classes renowned for downward dog and warrior poses.

Don’t get me wrong; “yoga” is my favorite form of exercise, I just wish it had been called what it is, “asana” [the Sanskrit word referencing the three lines of Patanjali’s poem above] – so that it hadn’t become conflated with Patanjali’s deeply-fulfilling, life-altering holistic practice.

The fourth thru eighth elements of Patanjali’s yoga sutras address breathing (to further quiet the mind) and four progressively subtle levels of meditation.

I love all forms of yoga (well, maybe not hot or goat yoga), and every opportunity to share my passion for something that dramatically changed my life, even if Patanjali wouldn’t understand today’s singular focus and interpretation of his instructions to simply sit still and contemplate infinity.

Allan “Skip” Dowds

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Dear Steve,

Here are a few thoughts about beginning a meditation practice:

It’s simple, not easy – the act of meditating couldn’t be simpler: sit comfortably, still and upright, eyes virtually closed, breathe deeply, rhythmically, and focus. What you choose to focus on is entirely up to you.

Think big – begin by focusing on something that will easily hold your attention. Over time, as you get better at it, practice concentrating on more and more subtle things. For example, you may begin by silently repeating the Lord’s Prayer, each time visualizing the words and their meaning. Eventually you may concentrate on intangible concepts or ideas.

In between, you may focus on your breathing: following each inhalation, exhalation, noting the sensations, temperature and sounds. You may practice concentrating by repeating the alphabet backwards – or counting backwards. You might trace otherwise sub-conscious sensations throughout your body: shifting your attention from the feeling in your toes to the balls of your feet, to your heels and up, or focus on the sensation of your heart beating. These have worked for me; something entirely different may work for you – the point is to train your mind to concentrate on one thing for longer and longer periods.

Don’t eat first – for some reason meditation works better on an empty stomach; I do it every morning after I’ve had coffee but before I eat breakfast.

Don’t get discouraged – your mind doesn’t want to be still! It naturally wants to meander, imagine, remember, analyze, make lists and excuses – that’s what it does. So when it starts to do that, don’t get discouraged, impatient or upset; rather, gently recognize it’s just doing it’s thing, and bring your focus back to whatever you’ve decided to concentrate on.

It takes awhile – while you’ll hopefully notice subtle benefits almost from the start, a truly effective meditation practice takes years to develop – so start now and when you’re my age you’ll be very thankful you did! For me, the calmness I experience while gently holding my mind still extends beyond the time I’m seated – for longer periods the more I practice, such that eventually, a sense of peacefulness seems to follow me throughout the day.

Be consistent – do it everyday, same place and time. Obviously, it’s not possible every day but make the times you skip it the exception rather than the rule. For me, it’s as important as brushing my teeth – and more fun!

It gets easier – it gets easier as you get older. It’s easier to be consistent as there will be more time, and fewer deadlines and stressors in your life; and like everything else, the more you practice, the better you get at it.

Don’t force it – find a balance between sitting there a little longer and giving in to the voice in your head that says, “OK, I’m done”. Make meditating something you enjoy, that you look forward to. All habits occur at the intersection of desire, resources (time in this case) and know-how (this couldn’t be easier), so without desire, this won’t become a habit!

Set an intent – the mindset you approach your practice with is important. If, as originally intended, you use the time to draw closer to your understanding of God you’ll have a very different experience/result than if you practice to simply feel better. Meditation preceded prayer; classical Indian yoga or meditation is based on the realization that Consciousness – the awareness OF our thoughts (without which we wouldn’t even know we’re alive!) – has divine attributes, again preceding modern religion’s notion of our spirit or soul.

Prepare, prepare, prepare – Patanjali devotes an entire chapter of his 4-chapter text (Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, the “bible” of classical Indian yoga or meditation) to telling us how to prepare to meditate, and only three lines to telling us how to do it. Effective meditation is predicated on fostering peace of mind and body before we sit to meditate; specifically, by maintaining a positive attitude, adhering to the Golden Rule and Serenity Prayer, and to a lesser extent preparing physically – so we can approach sitting and meditating with a clear conscience, and physically prepared to sit still and comfortably for some length of time.

Science – Trying to meditate without understanding the science behind how our mind works, the nature of karma and Consciousness is like walking along the beach on a beautiful day with a paper bag over one’s head. Yeah, it’s possible, but nowhere near as much fun or enlightening. So when you have time, read the last dozen or so of my blog posts [starting with “What is yoga?”] which introduce Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras – and eventually read the sutras themselves. My go-to on-line resource is SwamiJ.com.

Anytime you have questions, I’d be honored to respond to them.

God bless, Skip

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Yoga’s Ten Commandments

Before Moses descended Mount Sinai carrying the Ten Commandments, yogis were practicing their own version: 5 things we should never to (“abstentions”), and 5 things we should always do (“observances”):

“Never” – Abstentions (i.e., in thought, word and deed refrain from):

  • Violence
  • Dishonesty
  • Stealing
  • Lusting
  • Coveting

“Always” – Observances (i.e., in thought, word and deed practice):

  • Purity
  • Serenity
  • Courage
  • Wisdom
  • Faith

The goal of classical Indian yoga or meditation, including these directives, is to reduce suffering. That’s accomplished by adherence to a largely mental discipline which ultimately results in the realization that our own Consciousness is essentially divine. That realization triggers absolute faith in the existence of “God[1]”, which gives rise to deep, lasting serenity, courage and wisdom.

How do these ten rules of conduct contribute to that realization? By fostering a more discerning, peaceful mind, to wit: enhancing our capacity for meditation and understanding. Patanjali previously pointed out the significance of karma (i.e., the perpetual consequences of every action or event). These ten precursors to the Ten Commandments are intended to guide our behavior to mitigate suffering and foster peace.

The Abstentions come first and are the most important. They address our “grossest” actions (i.e., how we interact with others) and thus have the most profound consequences and corresponding effect on our subsequent thoughts and actions. The Observances are more internal in nature.

Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, lines 2.30 – 2.45 loosely translated:

2.30 Abstain from harming, lying, stealing, lust and greed

2.31 There are no exceptions to this most important rule

2.32 Observe purity [of mind & body], serenity, courage, wisdom and faith

2.33 When negative thoughts make this difficult, foster positive thoughts

2.34 Negative, interfering thoughts arise from varying degrees of anger, greed and/or delusion and lead toward suffering; opposite, positive thoughts lead away from suffering

2.35 Hostilities cease in the presence of one who abstains from harm

2.36 To abstain from lying, focus on your thoughts since words are preceded by thoughts

2.37 One who abstains from stealing becomes rich in more meaningful ways

2.38 Restraining lust produces vigor

2.39 One who abstains from greed [i.e., avoids attachment] attains ultimate knowledge

2.40 Purity of mind & body relieve desire…

2.41 …and enhance contentedness, focus, and sensory control, facilitating enlightenment

2.42 Serenity is the source of bliss

2.43 Courage brings out the best in us

2.44 Wisdom deepens one’s faith

2.45 Faith, surrendering to something greater than oneself, makes bliss possible

Per SwamiJ.com, “The reason for practicing the eight rungs or limbs of Yoga [of which these ten rules of conduct are the foundation] is to develop attention as the tool for discriminative knowledge, which is the means to liberation or enlightenment.” In other words, the purpose of classical Indian yoga or meditation is to hone our perception so we may recognize the subtle yet vast difference between our tangible thoughts (i.e., our mind) and our intangible awareness of them (i.e., our Consciousness)!

 

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

[1] In yoga-speak, “God” refers to the non-denominational divine source of our intangible, immutable, eternal Consciousness.

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“Do You Feel Peaceful?”

From an interview aired on NBC 4/20/22:

Hoda Kotb: “The only thing I want in life is to feel peaceful…Do you feel peaceful?”

Prince Harry: “I don’t know how many people feel truly peaceful…”

How telling. Clearly, if these two hugely successful and beloved celebrities don’t know peace, what chance do the rest of us have?!

The good news is that each of us was born with everything we need to know true, deep, lasting peace.

A brief history of the roadmap to peace

Several millennia ago, while studying mankind and the internal and external influences on our lives, scholars in India realized that “one of these things is not like the others”; specifically, that Consciousness (i.e., awareness) is not subject to natural laws of physics; it is literally immutable, intangible and as far as we know, eternal. In other words, Consciousness is essentially divine.

That realization, “Samkhya”, became one of the six orthodox schools of Hinduism. Classical Indian yoga or meditation became another. If Samkhya is the hypothesis, yoga is the proof.

Classical Indian yoga was the bridge between prehistoric and modern religion. It supplanted our faith in something external to which we offered sacrifices, with faith in something partially abiding within ourselves: our spirit or soul which upon death returns to its source.

Not coincidently, true, lasting peace won’t be found outside oneself: not in alcohol, drugs, sex, food, or anything else you can think of. While those and other tangible distractions may provide temporary relief from what ails us, they are not viable long-term paths to lasting serenity and bliss.

An introduction to Patanjali’s roadmap

Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras is the “bible” of classical Indian yoga – a roadmap to discovering the true nature of our own Consciousness.

This blog post is the 15th in a series intended to shed light on Patanjali’s iconic text, outlining the ancient practice or “proof” that life as we know it is only possible because of something within ourselves that’s essentially divine. Once you “see” the nature of Consciousness – after a few “OMGs!!” and headshakes – you will know true peace, a sense of purpose, acceptance, and belonging which words can’t adequately express.

Will all your pain and worry evaporate in that moment of clarity and insight? Likely not, as we remain very much human, but you will certainly be better prepared to navigate life’s inevitable bumps, bruises, losses and related suffering.

Patanjali’s 200-line poem consists of four parts. The first introduces enlightenment: what it is, how to achieve it, and obstacles we may encounter. The second part prepares us to meditate; specifically, outlining how to quiet our thoughts, why that’s important, and distinguishing between our thoughts (evidence of our temporal mind) and the awareness OF our thoughts (evidence of our intangible Consciousness).

Preparing for peace

The rest of part two of Patanjali’s outline addresses five preparatory practices to facilitate and enhance the act of meditation:

  • Intro (sutras 2.28 & 2.29)
  • Abstentions & observances (sutras 2.30 – 2.45)
  • Stilling our outer body (sutras 2.46 – 2.48)
  • Settling our inner body (sutras 2.49 – 2.52)
  • Quieting our conscious, thinking mind (sutras 2.53 – 2.55)

The sutras which address our routine behavior (i.e., abstentions & observations) comprise over 55% of the section on preparing to meditate. While posture, breathing and concentration exercises are important, the best things we can do to prep for meditation involve our behavior, because – as Patanjali pointed out previously – our every action has perpetually rippling consequences (karma) which have similarly lasting effects on our state of mind.

While this post doesn’t address specific sutras, I hope the context provided here is helpful.

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

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Transitioning From Darkness

Aphorism 2.27 of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras concludes the section on transitioning from ignorance to enlightenment and immediately precedes the section on the specifics of preparing to meditate. [Herein “enlightenment” and “ignorance” are opposites: we either realize the distinction between cognition and Consciousness, or we don’t].

Loosely translated, aphorism 2.27 says, “Seven insights come to one who has [realized the difference between mind and Consciousness].”

Interestingly [frustratingly?], Patanjali doesn’t elaborate on the seven phases of awakening.

My teacher says that’s evidence that (a) Patanjali isn’t the inventor of classical Indian yoga or meditation, rather, he codified what had been widely practiced for centuries, and (b) Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras are meant to serve as the basis for discussion of key elements of the practice, rather than capturing the entirety of it.

Vyasa, the earliest and most influential commentator on Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, lists the seven-fold process of moving from ignorance to enlightenment as [again, loosely translated]:

1 the causes of suffering are identified

2 the causes of suffering are removed

3 one distinguishes between cognition and consciousness

4 cognition is no longer required

5 cognition has fulfilled its purpose

6 there’s no further need for cognition

7 consciousness stands alone

Personally, I find it difficult to distinguish between the last four. If we think bigger picture, about Patanjali’s end goal of eliminating future pain and suffering, it makes sense that “merely” overcoming ignorance isn’t the end of the road. Once we realize the literally intangible nature of our own Consciousness, we’re still obligated to act in a manner that will mitigate any negative karmic consequences from our future actions. [Granted, enlightenment makes that much easier!]

Rather than getting caught up [as I have] in the specificity of the seven discriminative aspects of attaining enlightenment, if we accept that the transition is multi-faceted, then Vyasa’s identification of seven phases of discrimination may make more sense.

For example, think of the steps that addicts pass through on their way to sustained sobriety:

1 I acknowledge I have a problem

2 I accept that I need help

3 I commit to seek help

4 I seek help

5 I follow advice

6 I remain vigilant

7 Rinse & repeat

Just as an addict must remain ever vigilant of being triggered, a yogi must remain ever mindful of the distinction between mind and Consciousness so as not to fall back into old habits.

Looking to break a bad habit or two? 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

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Breaking the Cycle of Suffering

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

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Breaking the Cycle of Karma

In this series of posts we’re exploring Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, the authoritative text on classical Indian yoga, or meditation – the goal of which is to reduce pain and suffering via enlightenment (i.e., realizing the Divine nature of our own Consciousness).

Patanjali’s iconic, 200-line poem consists of four parts. The first introduces enlightenment: what it is, how to achieve it, and obstacles we may encounter. The second chapter prepares us to meditate. The act of meditating is simple but it’s what we do before we sit down and close our eyes that greatly enhances the experience and our chances of success.

Patanjali begins the chapter on preparation by telling us how to quiet our thoughts. He lists five conditions which may influence our thoughts and tells us to mitigate those potential influences by maintaining a trifold attitude of:

  • fortitude – courage, strength, determination, perseverance;
  • introspection – wisdom; remaining objective and honest with ourselves about our triggers, shortcomings, distractions, habits – constantly monitoring our thoughts, words and deeds; and
  • devotion – faith in ourselves and the virtue of seeking enlightenment

Note: here, at the beginning of the chapter on preparing to meditate, Patanjali emphasizes the importance of maintaining an attitude that fosters these specific behaviors (i.e., courage, wisdom and faith). Later in the chapter, he tells us to actually act this way [these are three of the five niyamas or yogic practices – the other two being acceptance and serenity].

Patanjali lists five conditions which may influence or color our thoughts to varying degrees:

  • Ignorance – herein, not recognizing the unique, intangible nature of Consciousness;
  • Ego – conflating mind with Consciousness;
  • Attraction – desires
  • Aversion – the opposite of attraction; loathing
  • Fear – specifically fear of loss and dying

Next Patanjali explains why un-coloring or quieting our thoughts is important: in short, because our thoughts influence our words and actions, and everything we say or do has lasting consequences – this is the essence of karma.

Aphorisms 2.12 – 2.16, loosely translated:

2.12  Colored thoughts give rise to actions which in turn generate new coloring; thus, the cycle of karma (cause & effect) is perpetual

2.13  Karma, including that set in motion before we were born, is largely responsible for the quality, duration and circumstances of our lives

2.14  The consequences of our actions may be either positive or negative (i.e., lead us closer to, or further from, enlightenment)

2.15  A wise, discriminating person seeks to break the perpetual cycle of karma…

2.16  …to avoid future suffering

There it is in a nutshell: the purpose of classical Indian yoga or meditation is “to avoid future suffering.” Personally, after almost 60 years of searching, I no longer feel empty, lost and alone. I’m no longer reliant on things or others to bring me joy. I know inner peace, bliss, acceptance, and love. I offer these insights so others may find their way “home” as well.

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

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