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CLARIFICATION ABOUT YOGA’S TEN COMMANDMENTS

In response to a Yoga Journal post about the yamas and niyamas (classical yoga’s code of personal conduct, or “ten commandments”), I indicated that they are found in second half of Chapter 2 of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras – the chapter that stresses the importance of preparation when it comes to meditation.

In trying to make the point that they are critical to the preparation process, I indicated that the yamas and niyamas account for the bulk of the second half of Chapter 2 [specifically, they account for ~60% of Patanjali’s eight-limbed discipline; posture, breathing, concentration, and meditation each account for ~10%].

But in making the point, I gave short shrift to the first half of Chapter 2 by saying it focuses on the importance of the attitude we bring to our practice – indicating it’s hard to affect change in our behavior without motivation or intent.

The first half of Chapter 2 is arguably more important than the eight limbs themselves. [Clearly, Patanjali thought so!] It addresses the significance, causes and cure of our own self-inflicted distress; it’s 1.5x longer than the section on the yamas and niyamas; thus, 9x longer than the section on posture!

Chapter 2 begins with The Serenity Prayer. Patanjali prioritizes the importance of mental discipline, advising us to exercise a combination of acceptance, courage and wisdom to keep the five causes of our own self-inflicted distress at bay.

The primary source of self-inflicted distress, which gives rise to the other four, is failure to distinguish between our thoughts (evidence of our mind) and our awareness OF our thoughts (evidence of our consciousness). The latter NEVER changes.

Consciousness is the only “thing” known to man that isn’t affected by the vagaries of time and space. It’s literally immutable and eternal – yet without it, we wouldn’t realize we’re alive!

Our thoughts on the other hand, like our impermanent bodies, are literally CONSTANTLY changing.

Identifying with our impermanent body/mind (i.e., failing to realize that there’s a LOT more to us than we see in the mirror and hear in our head) gives rise to the other four natural causes of self-inflicted angst: ego, attachment, hatred, and fear.

Learn to distinguish between your permanent and temporary bits and I promise you’ll smile a lot more often!

God bless, Skip

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MEMORY (and Louis) LANE

A haunting memory

When I was 5, I saw episode #89 of Twilight Zone, “To Serve Man”, in which aliens came to earth promising a much better life on their planet. People queued up to make the intergalactic trip. As the ship full of human passengers took off, one woman discovered the truth: the aliens meant to serve us alright – as dinner!

That TV show from over 50 years ago has remained in my sub-conscious memory until recently. Such memories – and all their attendant emotions – can be triggered a lifetime later. Sometimes it’s hard to argue which is more powerful, our conscious “thinking” mind, or our sub-conscious “doing” mind [one thing it “does” is store our memories].

What I see

With the same clarity that I see the words I’m typing, I see life as Patanjali suggested we see it: from the inside out: as consciousness embodied, rather than as a body with consciousness. But for the life of me, I can’t help another living soul see it as I do.

As my guru says, therein lies my problem: I should be trying to see life as others do – and acting compassionately – rather than trying to “help” everyone else see their lives differently regardless of the profound benefits.

The frustration

Abandoning the desire to help others see what I see is difficult. I feel like the woman in the Twilight Zone episode who figured out the aliens’ plan – too late to save herself or her fellow passengers. Not a terrific analogy – but the hopelessness and irony are real.

Imagine a world in which what we looked, sounded or smelled like was of little concern: the exact opposite of our current state in which our essence, our consciousness, is of virtually no concern to anyone. If everyone saw life from the inside out, we’d all be more concerned about our collective wellbeing than appearances.

The benefits

Millennia ago Patanjali outlined the simple science of a) how our perpetually-functioning, dual-aspect mind works (i.e., our conscious mind is generally evidenced by our thoughts, and our sub-conscious mind is generally evidenced by our actions), and b) the life-altering benefits of realizing the distinction between our ever-changing body/mind and our unalterable, eternal consciousness.

Identifying with one’s immutable consciousness rather than one’s relatively weak, withering body/mind has very practical benefits: you no longer sweat the little stuff! Things that happen to our shell or ‘casing’ have zero affect on who and what we truly are. When we identify with the outside, every little ding and dent feels as though we’ve been injured. If we identify instead with the aspect of each of us without which we don’t even know we’re alive, life’s inevitable bumps and bruises, slings and arrows are a LOT easier to contend with.

Our consciousness is immutable: unchanging; unaffected by time, space, drought, hunger, disease, bullets, fears and desires – you name it.

“So what?” someone asked me recently.

 

Aside from the benefit of realizing that part of you is more powerful than Superman [he had to worry about kryptonite] you have within yourself evidence that part of you is immortal, essentially divine. That realization gives rise to faith, the most powerful, motivational force on earth.

Two other haunting alien memories

As long as I’m confessing to being afraid of aliens for most of my life, at about the same age (5), I was also scarred by watching the “Mole Men” episode of the “Adventures of Superman” in which the world’s deepest oil well penetrated the underground home of aliens who climbed to the surface!

About the same age, I had to change the channel five minutes into the initial episode of “My Favorite Martian” when his spaceship crash-landed on earth!

Change your perspective and change your life

Every moment of life is awesome and fascinating – but ever more so when seen from the inside out. Want to change how you view life? Pick up an interpretation of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, and reach out with any questions. I’d be honored to help shed light on your path to discovering the secret to lasting peace of mind.

Blessings, Allan Dowds

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The Beginning & End of Life

[a letter to my QiGong instructor]

Dear XXXXXXX,

Regarding the key political issue behind the objection to Kavanaugh (women’s rights), from an entirely ‘scientific’ point of view, what is ancient TCM’s [Traditional Chinese Medicine’s] view on when humans are endowed with individual awareness – shen or consciousness?

I assume the presumption is that we acquire all three human aspects (jing, chi & shen) [form, energy & consciousness] simultaneously – that seems consistent with the TCM calendar calculating age from conception.

Is that same ‘scientific’ argument applied at the end of life? In other words, when do we lose our shen, the intangible aspect of ourselves?

Specifically, if a human body is no longer physically or energetically independent, does it still have shen? That answer is easy: yes! Everything is infused with shen.  If a rock has consciousness, so does a human body regardless of its condition.

While Western medicine says it’s OK to pull the plug on someone in a vegetative state, from a yogi’s point of view, someone in a vegetative state is actually, literally in the penultimate yogic state – in which their consciousness has nothing to be aware of other than itself – and the eternal aspect of each of us rests in the awareness of itself.

So from a wholly objective, non-judgmental, scientific (as opposed to heartfelt) point of view, a yogi’s position would be: no abortion; no pulling the plug.

But that’s obviously not a practical application of yogic theory. Yogis come from the heart.

Just wondering what the ancient Chinese thought about the beginning and end of shen.

Thank you, Skip 🙏

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PUBLIC LOVE LETTER

So wish you could see through my eyes.

I wish you could see yourself laugh and smile. I can’t express the feeling it triggers. It’s as close to heaven on earth as I’ve been – and you know how deeply I’ve searched.

We’re like energetic onions [sorry for the unromantic analogy]. Most people never see beyond the paper surface – let alone tap into the source of an onion’s unique appearance, taste, smell: it’s essence.

You are divinity incarnate.

I cry when I think about living without you – yet [unfortunately for you?!] you KNOW we will ALWAYS be together: you and I (as well as S & J, our parents, their parents – and infinite others) have always and will always “be”.

We are infinite consciousness living on what’s left of the Garden of Eden.

We just each “see” life from from one of an infinite perspectives. We’re here but for the blink of an eye having this indescribable “life” experience.

It stabs like a knife through my heart that I didn’t see you for who and what you are long ago – but you’ve got my attention now.

DO NOT LEAVE ME HERE! Not until you come home with a few more tennis championships under your belt. Preferably with your doctor’s permission!! I’m seconding Sarah’s house rule that NONE of us ever dies: I can’t live without you.

You are my everything.

Love, Skip (my name sounds different when you say it. I know when I’m in trouble (most of the time) but I don’t want to live without hearing you say it everyday.

Knock the fuzz off that f&cking ball!

Yours ‘til the end.

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For The Young Woman Who Waited On Me This Morning And The Old Friend I Had Lunch With

It’s simple. It just requires CONSTANT practice. Like everything else, it eventually becomes habitual; ironically, the only habit without ill affects!!

The good news is the benefits are almost immediate and cumulative. 😉

Here it is:

We have two main energetic mental operating frequencies:

Our conscious mind – is our natural mental state. Whatever we’re aware of in any given moment is what’s reflected on this aspect of our mind. It’s our “thinking” mind; it does the decision-making, the heavy calculating, and judgmental, analytical work. It’s evidenced by the “voice in our head” (i.e., words).

Our sub-conscious mind – naturally runs below our conscious mind’s radar. This part of us runs the ship; it’s our “doer”; it’s responsible for walking, talking, breathing and other bodily systems: anything we don’t literally have to consciously process to do. It’s evidenced by intuition, images, and sensations.

Guess which one’s the troublemaker.

Being mindful in any moment is a matter of consciously deciding where to direct our attention.

String enough mindful moments together and our go-to state of mind becomes the one we chose!

With every breath we have a choice to either allow our attention to stay where it settles naturally (on whatever is on our conscious mind),

OR

We can direct our attention where we want: on the conscious noisy decision-maker when we need to, and on the silent executioner when we don’t.

 

How? When you begin consciously controlling your attention (i.e., “concentrating”, “meditating”, or generically, “being mindful”), the easiest way to redirect your attention from your otherwise noisy conscious mind, is to purposefully focus (concentrate) on whatever you’re sub-conscious mind is up to (e.g., what your body is doing right now).

Specifically, HOW?

What are you doing RIGHT NOW (I know you’re multi-tasking)? Maybe you’re eating ice cream. With the next obscenely delicious mouthful, I invite you to dial-in 100% of your attention to the sensations generated by doing just that: eating the ice cream!!

What flavor is it? What does it look, feel, smell and taste like? Are you making any noise as you enjoy it? ARE you enjoying it? Without judgement simply observe. Don’t ask the questions; rather, let the information come to you.

Sensations, memories, and our sense of being are the realm of our sub-conscious mind. This is the aspect that tastes the ice cream and remembers it!

Sitting down? Want to go deeper? What’s beneath our functioning sub-conscious mind?

Consciousness: the uninterrupted awareness OF our constantly streaming thoughts.

 

Without consciousness (perhaps gratefully) you could still read this post – you just wouldn’t be aware that you were – let alone of any thoughts, emotions and sensations triggered by it!!

Consciousness is responsible for ALL pleasure and pain – even though consciousness itself never changes. Personal opinion: there’d be no point without it.

Deeper?

Ask yourself – consciously consider – the nature of your own consciousness: the awareness OF your thoughts. And then ask yourself where THAT part of you comes from! Couple hints:

it NEVER changes;

yours is EXACTLY like mine;

you can readily verify it’s existence (e.g., you realize you’re still reading this!).

 

That’s the crux of Patanjali’s Raja Yoga: part of you (yogis maintain the most miraculous part) never changes.

Fall in love again – from the inside out. Meditate.

Happy trails. Make every breath count: the good, bad and ugly.

I’m here to help. Skip

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Meditation Relieves Suffering

Meditation relieves:

  • Dis-ease
  • Dullness
  • Doubt
  • Carelessness
  • Laziness
  • Sensuality
  • Misperception

But don’t take Patanjali’s word for it – Try It!

Bottom line: meditation takes your mind offline, giving it a much-appreciated chance to rest, relax, recharge, restore. The benefits will become self-evident in short order!

3 of Patanjali’s 196 Yoga Sutras:

1.51

Concluding line of Chapter 1 on the science behind meditation:

Patanajali: “tasya api nirodhe sarva nirodhat nirbijah samadhih”*

In a state of union with consciousness [nirbijah samadhih] no emotional triggers remain; it’s a state of ultimate serenity: the state of union or yoga.

2.1 & 2

First two lines of Chapter 2 on preparing to meditate:

Patanajali: “tapah svadhyaya ishvara-pranidhana kriya-yogah samadhi bhavana arthah klesha tanu karanarthah cha”*

Practice serenity, courage and wisdom to reduce self-inflicted suffering.

2.17 & 18

The gist of Patanjali’s Raja Yoga:

Patanajali: “drashtri drishyayoh samyogah heya hetuh prakasha kriya sthiti shilam bhuta indriya atmakam bhoga apavarga artham drishyam”*

Avoiding future pain is a matter of remaining aware of the distinction between matter and consciousness. The latter witnesses life through the former.

 

* “hardcopy” version of Patanjali’s phonetic (oral) Sanskrit

Want to get started? Sit still with your eyes closed and observe. That’s it. Simple – not easy.

Want help? It’s what I do. ❤😊🕉

God bless. Enjoy!

MEDITATION TIPS FOR BEGINNERS

 

 

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Money <> Love

I pay two people for advice: my guru and qigong teacher. They are the most insightful, intuitive people I know.

One told me that my “relationship with money isn’t grounded.”

That’s not hard to see. I’m generous to a fault – though not as much with money and things these days – and I tend to be high maintenance!

So how do I begin to ground my relationship with money? It helps to understood why, which is where self-reflection, or meditation comes in handy.

First, some background:

My grandfather (“Pops” – that’s him and his better half at our wedding in 1986) was the most influential person in my life. He set an incredibly high bar which I’ve never cleared – but that hasn’t stopped me from trying. He was generous to a fault too – but he could afford to be!!

His dad (above) was a wannabe robber baron. He ended up winning in terms of the wealth he accumulated. When Pops opened the old man’s safe deposit box and found a bunch of jewelry that people had pawned during the first Depression (along with the records), Pops simply gave all the stuff back. Yeah; the bar’s pretty high.

These early childhood memories floated up as I pondered my pecuniary weakness:

  • I stole some coins from my uncle’s collection and bought candy with them (I still feel guilty about it 52 years later!)
  • I stole some change from the kid who lived across the street. He had a job long before I did (I didn’t have to start working ‘til I was 15).
  • I stole a dollar bill off my father’s bureau – but I never got a chance to spend that one!

[Ask me about the time my old man tried to make me to eat a bar of soap!]

I also remembered my parents arguing about money – right before receiving a check from Pops that made them happy.

Message received: stealing money BAD; giving money GOOD.

 

As my qigong teacher says (repeatedly): it’s about balance!

What are the seven words George Carlin told us not to say in public?!?! LOL!!

Deepen your own self-awareness. Find your “why” and the “how” will come – along with renewed faith in yourself!

Meditate. Tap into the power within.

God bless us all, Skip

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YOUR SECRET SELF

If I could give one thing to every person on the planet it would be the understanding of the difference between a) their thoughts and b) the awareness of those thoughts.

Thoughts are evidence of our conscious mind. The awareness OF our thoughts is evidence of our consciousness.

Raja Yoga is a personal, experiential PROOF that our

Consciousness is divine!

 

Students of Raja Yoga eventually experience six energetically-distinct dimensions of themselves (inner & outer physical body, conscious mind, and three states of sub-conscious mind), inevitably [with pigheaded determination] arriving at the conclusion that our underlying consciousness is “not of this earth”.

Consciousness or awareness simply “is”. It’s eternal & unchanging.

 

The awareness OF our thoughts NEVER changes. It’s literally the only thing in our universe that doesn’t! Obviously, WHAT we’re aware OF (our thoughts) changes every second – but not our awareness OF them!

The ancient yogis said that no amount of fire or water can affect this aspect of us.

Does that mean the essence of who we are, our awareness or consciousness, lives forever? FOREVER?! That’s the theory: that neither consciousness nor energy can be created or destroyed.

The key to significantly relieving suffering and reducing stress is to realize that the death of our body/mind is not the end of our journey!

 

While this body/mind will inevitably run out of energy and stop working, part of us lives forever!

The eternal, intangible nature of our consciousness remains unaffected by the death of its host body/mind.

Realizing the eternal nature of our own consciousness takes the stress out of life; it’s HUGELY literally empowering and transformative – because it inspires Faith!

“Yea, thou I walk thru the valley of death….”

 

Who’s to say what will happen when this body/mind exhales for the last time?

My guess is the ancient yogis were right: the eternal aspect of each of us withdraws back into a giant pool of consciousness which:

“sleeps in rocks;

dreams in plants;

stirs in animals; and

CAN awaken in man.”

 

As Amma says,

“Consciousness is essentially divine, infilling everything, pervading everywhere, impelling all. Revealing itself as Truth, Awareness, and Bliss.”

God bless, Skip

❤😊🕉

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PROUD NEW ENGLANDER

[that’s Buddha watching over our winter garden]

I’m proud to hail from this neck of the woods.

I grew up in Vermont; went to school & met Sue in New York; and we moved here with two kids & a dog in ‘95.

Our 01945 neighborhood (2 rows of 7 houses) received more than a foot of rather heavy late-season snow today.

I just walked Penny around the block; virtually all of us are dug out; sidewalks cleared, cars dusted off – ready to go.

Not a pretty analogy, but it’s as if a giant foot kicked sand on our anthill and within a few minutes we were out and going about our business as usual.

#RespectNature

❤😊🕉

Qi Gong and Raja Yoga class schedule

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NOTE TO MY BROTHER [the open minded one!]

Do you know where I can find out what time of day I was born?

It’s a Zen thing. Apparently, not only the day, month and year we’re born – but

the actual time of day – can be predictive of one’s true nature.

 

Sounds bananas, but it’s as if humans grow and whither seasonally like everything else on the planet. Go figure.

Apparently after thousands of years of observing nature (including us), ancient Chinese scientists figured out that – just like flowers planted and blooming in different seasons have different characteristics –

times of human conception and birth influence the output. Who knew?!

 

Friggin’ fascinating. They’ve got it down to such a precise science that the time of day we’re born has a distinct effect on:

  • our bloom potential (i.e., how we’re likely to grow and “bloom” naturally baring a catastrophe), and more importantly,

 

  • how best to maximize that potential (in short, what combination of body-mind-consciousness work is most likely to restore someone to their true, balanced self?)

 

The “charting” gives the “doctor” (in this case a Zen Master I’m fortunate enough to have access to) another piece of information to work with when prescribing a personal “restoration protocol” for the student (i.e., so I can adjust my personal practice to make the most of it holistically).

Thanks Bud – for the time of day info and listening. Love you.

Qi Gong & Raja Yoga class schedule