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SHARDS OF A MIRROR

My teacher reminded me that Truth is like a shattered mirror: finding one shard hardly reveals the entire story – and opinions are like assholes: everyone has one.

So why should anyone listen to my opinion? [grinning as I type this]

 

Here’s the thing, I would love the opportunity to introduce you to an aspect of YOURSELF that you’re naturally virtually unaware of:

YOUR consciousness

NEVER changes.

It’s eternal.

SEE FOR YOURSELF!!

 

It’s not a religious fairytale!! Find the essence of who and what YOU are and in the process, find the Fountain of Youth.

Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras is a 200-line poem that captures the essence of life on earth. It’s an empirical proof – formulated as a personal challenge or discipline – of the underlying hypothesis that consciousness is different than everything else in the known universe: it alone is unaffected by the vagaries of time and space: it’s eternal.

The boy in me thinks of Patanjali’s poem as a treasure map to one of those old pirate treasures buried deep beneath a system of wood, water, and stone gates, traps and distractions…

…but this treasure wasn’t stolen from mankind, it was gifted TO us. It’s almost too clever, simple, accurate, insightful and provable to have been devised BY us!

It’s only 200 lines long, but outlines the science, practice, and benefits of a personal discipline for living in harmony with the world around us. Simple. Not easy.

When the puzzle begins to take shape for you, and I hope it does (I can help), I hope you’re sitting down and have a long life ahead of you – for everyone’s sake. This practice can be revolutionary.

 

See your life from the inside out; see the essence of who you are; it’ll blow your mind.

Meditate; it’s good for you.

Blessings, Skip

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What’s YOUR BFD?

Please don’t judge this post based on the picture alone – though feel free to comment on what constitutes a BFD to you!

Living in harmony, union or yoga with the world is simple – just not easy.

It only requires a LIFELONG succession of conscious or “mindful” choices.

Patanjali’s Raja Yoga [The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, a 200-line prehistoric poem about uncovering our true nature] promises as difficult as it is, this is a unique case in which you’ll get out of something more than you put into it – eventually.

The benefits of practicing Raja Yoga’s disciplines are cumulative as well as holistic: body, mind, spirit (the latter two are literally invisible aspects of each of us).

HOW do we achieve this literally indescribable state of union or “being at one with” our universe?

WITH:

  • constant, prolonged practice (NEVER forgetting to see the distinction between your thoughts and your awareness OF them), and

  • non-attachment (ALWAYS letting go of things, eventually even of identification with your body and mind: your ego)

CONSCIOUSNESS

  • alone never changes
  • alone doesn’t “do” anything
  • alone simply “is”
  • alone is not subject to the vagaries of time and space (i.e., awareness or consciousness alone is not subject to karma: the infinite cause-and-affect nature of our energetically bi-polar tangible universe)
  • (i.e., it’s essentially divine!! and it’s in YOU!!)

Yet it’s existence is readily verifiable: without it we aren’t aware of our own thoughts!

Inevitably, with prolonged constant practice, you’ll realize that YOU aren’t your body and thoughts; rather, those things are YOUR’S in the same way that your hair and nails, the parts you regularly cut away, aren’t YOU, they are/were parts of YOU.

YOU – at your essence – are the awareness OF those temporal, tangible “things”, including your own functioning parts! ALL of which we each eventually HAVE to let go of (“all we have to do is die” – it’s the price of admission promised for entry to the game of life).

The “True” or essential YOU survives your body/mind. Yeah, it’s not a fairytale.

That aspect of YOU that witnesses your EVERY thought, word and deed – that part survives!

 

Don’t ask me where it goes, that’s what churches and temples are for.

Read any book on the human dying process; when death occurs naturally, we each come to this realization in the end. Raja Yogis say “DON’T WAIT!!”

Admittedly, at first this may require a small leap of faith: that you assume based on natural laws of probability if not faith in a higher power, that the awareness OF your thoughts (the aspect of YOU which has literally never changed – for 60 years in my case) remains unchanging after your body and mind cease to function. The laws of probability and poker players would call that a sure bet.

Your consciousness is eternal.  🤯

 

We are consciousness in form. Not visa versa. I hope you see it eventually. I hope the day you see it, that you’re sitting down, and have a long life ahead of you.

God bless, Skip

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Chapter 1 – Mindfulness with Elementary-School-Age Children

For 15 years my pet peeve has been that the term “yoga” has become synonymous with hippie exercise rather than its scientific, faith-based origins.

Deep breaths.

“Aum. All yoga is good – except maybe that one with guns! Aum.”

 

I have a new one: the term “mindfulness” has become another mainstream spinoff of Patanjali’s Raja Yoga – again, without mentioning the author or the object of his faith.

According to Raja Yoga, we have THREE parts: body, mind, and consciousness. No one seems to want to be associated with the third one!! WTH?!

I shouldn’t care. Patanjali would be delighted that his prehistoric treasure map has survived in any form, regardless of name or attribution. Though he’d be mortified at what we’ve done to the Garden of Eden.

The intent of Patanjali’s discipline is to foster Love and Faith.

 

The Yoga Sutras are a personal, holistic (body, mind, spirit) discipline that can lead to realization of the existence of God.

Right. Game changer. As in, a way to find eternal peace while you’re still here!!

Once faith buds, love inevitably blossoms – and nothing is more powerful or transformative.

 

Every breath is scientifically (if not divinely) miraculous. Give thanks to the Source of Everything for this life opportunity and experience and get to know yourself better. Meditate, the original form of prayer!! 😉

Since actions speak louder than words, in addition to setting aside time to close your eyes and express appreciation for your life, give thanks and honor whatever you call the Source of Everything (which, btw doesn’t need anything) by serving those less fortunate than yourself.

These are my notes after a quick read of the first chapter of Willard & Saltzman’s “Teaching Mindfulness Skills to Kid and Teens”:

The first chapter of the book introduces “MBCT-C” as fundamental to their approach. What’s MBCT-C? “Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Children” [that’s a mouthful]

Here are MBCT-C’s “12 points of awareness for children”. It’s a 12-class course for elementary school kids [these aren’t MBCT’s titles; I’m just making the point that Patanjali is smiling!]:

THE KID VERSION:

  1. We naturally run on autopilot
  2. You can live with awareness instead
  3. We’re not our thoughts
  4. We’re the awareness OF our thoughts
  5. Emotions affect our thoughts
  6. Thoughts affect our actions
  7. Concentration
  8. Practicing concentration
  9. Karma
  10. Non-attachment
  11. Constant practice
  12. You get out of anything what you put into it

Can you spell,  “P A T A N A J A L I ‘ S   R A J A  Y O G A”?

WANT THE ADULT VERSION? Pick up a copy of any interpretation of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras and reach out. It’s what I do.

God bless, Skip

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GET IN TOUCH WITH GOD 🤯

Evidence of the existence of God is in YOU.

Part of you isn’t described in ANY Western anatomy or psychology text – because it can’t be: it’s literally beyond description, your:

CONSCIOUSNESS.

 

The awareness OF your thoughts NEVER changes.

Without consciousness your mind would still function, you just wouldn’t realize it!

That part of YOU is eternal!!!!

Your “soul” isn’t a fairytale!!

Part of EVERYONE literally survives the death of our body/mind! 🤯

Consciousness is energetically subtler than our sub-conscious mind. Mind functions; Consciousness doesn’t; it simply “is”.

Consciousness It’s the only “thing” known to man that’s not subject to time & space (i.e., karma).

Observe. Contemplate. Meditate. You’ll see it too.

Raja Yogis meditate to “talk to God”. We practice Patanjali’s eight-limbed discipline to give thanks to and honor the Source of everything, including consciousness (God by any name).

When you “see” the universe inside out: yourself as consciousness in form, rather than visa versa (i.e., as a child of God, Who sees thru your eyes) – I hope you’re sitting down!

God bless, Skip

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MIND BLOWN 🤯

This book by Christopher Willard & Amy Saltzman practically jumped off the library shelf at me yesterday. ❤

THIS IS RAJA YOGA!! 🕉

Step 2 of 3 anyway!

[Have you taken a yoga class in the past 20 years? You’ve taken Step #1.]

So many awesome quotes….

Kabat Zinn, 2011: “Mindfulness is paying attention without judgment in the present moment.” ❤

.…and exercises (from page 2):

Place one finger on the center of your forehead, close your eyes, and simply place your attention on the sensations.

  • Notice what your forehead feels like against your finger…..

  • Notice what your finger feels like against your forehead…..

  • Bring awareness to the sensations…..

  • Notice temperature…..

  • Texture…..

  • Pressure…..

  • Moisture…..

  • Can you feel your pulse?

  • Stay with this for a moment; when your mind wanders, just notice that and bring your attention gently back to the sensation of your finger on your forehead.

  • And then open your eyes and notice how you feel.

❤❤❤

 

They’ve adopted Patanjali’s concentration and meditation exercises to help children! The book has contributions and support from dozens of well-respected academic and mental health professionals!

link to first 50 pages

NOW – STEP #3 (YOU’RE SOOOO CLOSE!)

 

So what’s the point of learning physical and mental self-awareness and control at any age?

Ultimately? To find and develop faith in your Self [with a capital “S”]

How?

Patanjali’s advice? Never give up. Always let go.

 

The object is to identify with the aspect of you that sees through your eyes [rather than with your eyes]: your consciousness – the awareness OF your thoughts: the aspect of each of us that NEVER changes.

It requires a paradigm shift but when you “see” it for the first time it’ll blow your mind.

Part of us IS eternal.

It’s not a story.

THAT realization will change your life.

 

God bless.

Allan (Skip) Dowds, Raja Yogi

 

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DEATH CAME KNOCKING

The intent of a recent hospice training exercise was to better understand what happens as we die naturally.

 

  • The first part of the exercise was to list 24 things we love: people, places, things, foods, activities – anything – and then cut the list into 24 bits of paper. Obviously, everyone’s pieces were unique.

 

  • The narrator read a story written from the perspective of someone in the latter stages of dying (in our case, cancer was catching up with them).

 

  • There were several pauses during the story, one after each milestone: discovering the lump, the testing, the diagnosis, the prognosis, the treatments: a series of poignant experiences from which there is no recovery.

 

  • After each sad chapter, we were asked to give up one or more of the things we love [trying to comprehend never experiencing them again]. After awhile, we even lost the ability to choose and the narrator began arbitrarily taking them away.

 

EVERY breath is a gift. Don’t wait until the end of your life to realize it.

Blessings, Skip

Tap into the source. Meditate.❤😊🕉

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3 TYPES OF KARMA

We’re subject to three types of karma, or consequences:

  • Directly as a consequence of our own behavior;
  • Indirectly as a consequence of someone else’s behavior; and
  • Indirectly as a consequence of natural events (e.g., our DNA, tornados).

In other words, most of what happens to us is beyond our control; however, we CAN affect our own behavior (e.g., start new habits; break old ones) thus influencing our state of mind.

According to Patanjali, ignorance* gives rise to the fears and desires that fuel our thoughts and drive our behavior.

[* the inability to distinguish between mind and consciousness: thought and the awareness thereof.]

 

Patanjali’s Raja Yoga is sometimes referred to as Karma or Kriya (action) Yoga because it’s practiced to affect our own actions and reactions to the events of our lives – purposely to affect better outcomes for all.

Patanjali’s path to lasting universal peace:

  • Overcome ignorance to
  • Mitigate fear, desire and ego, to
  • Influence thoughts and behavior, to
  • Reduce universal suffering (ours, others, and environmental).

Influence what happens between your ears to affect the quality of your life and the world around you.

Meditate! Exercise for the inside of us.

Blessings, Skip (aka Allan)

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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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Is it Kind? Is it True? Is it Necessary?

As readily as my legs folded under me to sit and meditate for 20 minutes this morning, Amma sat down in the same cross-legged position [truthfully, her’s was better than mine!] to hug 1,000 people starting at 7pm last night.

receiving Amma's message

This was my second embrace or “darshan” (from the Sanskrit “dasana” for vision) from Amma.

We were at her event in Marlborough for almost nine hours: chatting, eating, strolling the grounds, people watching – it was a beautiful New England summer day. We eventually ended up in Section F, our next-to-final waiting spot.

I have no idea how many people she hugged last night, but when we left at 11pm, two thirds of the crowd was still waiting to move into the final queue.

On my knees for the last few feet, I leaned in and was guided/shepherded in front of Amma. It’s fascinating to see; like honey bees buzzing around a queen: dutifully, lovingly, without complaint tending to her every imaginable need.

For what seemed like 10-15 seconds she embraced me, leaning into me, repeatedly whispering the same thing. It sounded like “Medulla” (“inner”) or “Madura” (“mature”)? Whatever the message, she chose it for me.

[My qigong teacher has been telling me to “Ground. Ground. Ground!” for months. Coincidence?]

[How do I choose to interpret that? Something like, “I’m a dandelion that needs to root in order to grow from “pretty” to “purposeful”. You have to know me to get the analogy: stubborn, going through an age-related metamorphosis.]

I felt as if I had her full attention in that moment. It was enveloping, tender. I felt energized and puzzled for the rest of the evening. [The dandelion vision didn’t appear until this morning. Unfortunately, and par for the course, it didn’t come with instructions!!]

The darshan experience cost me next to nothing: a little heartburn for overindulging in the REAL Indian food(!), and a couple life lessons:

It’s one thing to talk about devotion; it’s another altogether to demonstrate it.

I’m embarrassed, but I snapped at an enthusiastic bookseller on our way out. My friends and the dear woman were startled but reacted with kindness. So this post is a reminder to myself to speak kindly, truthfully and necessarily. Words can hurt.

May you know faith and love, Skip

BTW – I started to leave without my 2 oz of water that I watched Amma bless (mine was leaking) and my guru insisted that I go back inside and get another one. It may be coincidence, but I just had the best cup of coffee ever!! ❤

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Five States of Mind

We’re each capable of experiencing five distinct states of mind.

Think of a Boston parking garage with five levels: 1, L3, L2, L1, B.

(1) Conscious Mind – this is our “normal” state of mind: the above-ground level in the parking garage analogy. This mental state is characterized by words, including the voice in our head; transcending this mental state is associated with the end of attachment.

(L3) Sub-conscious Mind – closest to Conscious Mind; thus, the energetically densest of the three sub-conscious mental states; transcending this mental state is associated with the end of sorrow – superseded by serenity as sensuality dissipates.

(L2) Sub-conscious – the middle of three energetic sub-conscious mental states; transcending this mental state is associated with the end of fear – superseded by faith as memory’s affects subside.

(L1) Sub-conscious – the energetically subtlest [quietest] sub-conscious mental state; closest to Consciousness; transcending this mental state is associated with the end of delusion – superseded by wisdom as ego becomes less energized.

(B) Consciousness – this is where the parking garage analogy breaks down; there is no real world equivalent for something that isn’t affected by time and space. Think of this level as the “X” on a three dimensional map of the parking garage [think treasure map!]! Transcending Mind altogether – union with our Self – is associated with indescribable Bliss: the state of yoga.❤😊🕉

Tap into the power within: meditate.

God bless, Skip