Brahmaviharas

Treat those who are happy with friendliness
Treat those who are unhappy with compassion
Treat those who are virtuous with supreme joy
Treat those who are wicked with indifference

About a year ago, I was in class and Kathy mentioned these Buddhist "sublime attitudes". I wrote some of it down, then went home to Google it (completely missing the fact that they were in my Yoga Sutras!). I found nothing, punching in terms that were delivering other results. I decided to come back to it again later.

And, as life does, it came back to me at a time I needed it most. Dealing with frustration, trying hard to control and detach from emotion...it was hard to breathe! And there they were. Like a key to finding peace of mind. I read them over and over thinking, how can I remember these in the future? So, I thought I would share them with you all.

In Buddhism, this is the Brahmaviharas: the Four Immeasureables. It is discussed in Yoga Sutra 1.33: "In relationships, the mind becomes purified by cultivating feelings of friendliness towards those who are happy, compassion for those who are suffering, goodwill towards those who are virtuous, and indifference or neutrality towards those we perceive as wicked or evil."(maitri karuna mudita upekshanam sukha duhka punya apunya vishayanam bhavanatah chitta prasadanam)

To break the sanskrit down, I found this direct translation:

• maitri = friendliness, pleasantness, lovingness
• karuna = compassion, mercy
• mudita = gladness, goodwill
• upekshanam = acceptance, equanimity, indifference, disregard, neutrality
• sukha = happy, comfortable, joyous
• duhka = pain, misery, suffering, sorrow
• punya = virtuous, meritorious, benevolent
• apunya = non-virtuous, vice, bad, wicked, evil, bad, demerit, non-meritorious,
• vishayanam = regarding those subjects, in relation to those objects
• bhavanatah = by cultivating habits, by constant reflection, developing attitude, cultivating, impressing on oneself
• chitta = mind field, consciousness
• prasadanam = purified, clear, serene, pleasant, pacified, undisturbed, peaceful, calm

The Return of Weekly Words

For a while, I lost the Weekly Words newsletter by Satchidananda in my inbox. I thought it may have been cancelled. I accidentally clicked on my spam folder last week; I saw one there! For some reason, I had a spam filter on it. I removed the filter, and now here is the return of Satchidanada's Weekly Words to my inbox. I am complete again.

The Best Form of Meditation
“Some people meditate on food, constantly. Even as they are eating their breakfast, they meditate on their lunch. And while eating their lunch, they think of dinner. They have nothing else to meditate upon. Some people meditate on money: how to make money, money, money. Some people think of the body: beauty, beauty, beauty, how to make the body more beautiful, day and night. That’s also one form of meditation. But the better level of meditation is to think: Who am I? Meditate on that. That is the best form of meditation. Try to know your Self. Meditate on that. Find your Self—who you really are."

Relating chakras to Maha Gayatri

While learning the Maha Gayatri last July, Kathy talked about how it relates to each of the seven chakras.

I thought about this again recently, and decided to take a look into chakras a little bit again, as a reminder, using the book Chakras: Energy Centers of Transformation by Harish Johari and relating them to the Gayatri. The gayatri addresses the ruling planes (lokas) of each chakra as follows.

Om Bhuh
- refers to the first chakra at the root (mul) of our spine, muladhara, which is responsible for the physical plane: Bhu Loka
Om Bhuvaha
- refers to the second chakra in the reproductive region, svadhishthana, which is responsible for the astral plane: Bhurvar Loka
Om Savaha
- refers to the third chakra at the navel region, manipura, which is responsible for the celestial plane: Sva Loka.
Om Mahaha
- refers to the fourth chakra at the heart, anahata, which is responsible for the plane of balance: Maha Loka.
Om Janaha
- refers to the fifth chakra at the throat, vishuddha, which is responsible for the human plane (where great spiritual darkness ends): Jana Loka.
Om Tapaha
- refers to the sixth chakra at the third eye, ajna, which is responsible for the plane of austerity or penance: Tapas Loka.
Om Satyam
- refers to the seventh chakra at the crown of the skull, sahasrara, which is responsible for the reality or truth plane: Satyam Loka.

Thoughts on Virabadrasana

Virabhadrasana is the "Warrior Pose". There are three different warrior poses: I, II, and III. I'm not sure why they are labeled such, but in Downward Dogs and Warriors the author (Newell) states that it does not indicate an order to the poses, but the number of limbs extended in the pose. That does not really sit with me as there are two limbs extended for each I and II. I digress.

What I do like about her discussion in the book is that she suggests moving through the poses II to I to III. I tried this, and I like the flow. To mimic a common phrase of a warrior, I think the poses are "READY, AIM, FIRE". Virabhadrasana II is the READY position. Virabhadrasana I is the AIM position. Virabhadrasana III is the FIRE position.

The story the author uses behind Virabhadrasana is one of Shiva as a destroyer. After his first wife was sacrificed by her own family, Shiva became incensed. One hair fell from his head and from it sprang Virabhadra, the "personification of righteous anger and the noble impulse to defend the innocent." A warrior. Virabhadra then flew to Shiva's in-laws and destroyed everything.

Throughout the book, Newell suggests that asanas invoke particular emotions within individual people. The warrior pose may invoke strength in some people. She suggests that once you are in the pose, think about how you feel. Angry? Strong? Drained? This may give you insight to what pose invokes what energy (ie relaxed vs vigorous).

Don't meditate on your problems

Satchidanada's Weekly Words are about taking the "yogic approach" to problems. When someone has a problem, they mentally fixate on it, allowing it to take center stage in the mind. It is, in effect, a meditation on a problem. Satchidananda states, "Instead, put in new ideas, constructive ideas, and let those ideas take the place of the mental fixations. That is the spiritual way, the yogic approach. When something worries you, create opposite thoughts."

I think this is something that is easier said than done! If something really bothers you, "just" meditating on something else does not make the problem go away. If it is a problem that can be easily solved by action, then act! But if it is something that you have no control over then it is best to meditate away from it.

Satchdananda uses the example of "hating" somebody. He states, "Instead of trying to find ways to get out of that hatred, just ignore it and try to love. Think of love, love, love, and the hatred will slowly go away, automatically." Personally, I think it is best to find the root of the "hate" and fix it. Then use "love, love, love" to heal the residue of hate.

And, as always, "with regular practice of both physical and mental Yoga, for example, prayer, meditation, japa, asanas and pranayama, along with proper diet, you can easily overcome this trouble instead of worrying about it and constantly thinking about it." And blow some bubbles.

Purity via Yama and Niyama

Satchidananda focuses this week's Words on how to obtain mental purity. He states that, "when you become more established in yama and niyama, your concentration becomes easy." The reason you have trouble keeping the mind focused during meditation is "...because it has accumulated so much of worldly desires..it doesn’t want to stick to one place." Through my discussion of the yamas and niyamas in December, this was made clear to me.

There was one thing I disagreed with the way he wrote his Words. He began, "If we are going to practice Yoga continually and a little more deeply, then naturally we must have mental purity." This seems to put the cart before the horse, in my opinion. You don't need to have mental purity to achieve a deeper practice of yoga. I think that through a regular, focused practice of yoga, you achieve mental purity. But my name is not Sri Swami Jaycie. What do I know, really? :)

Investigating Pratyahara

The fifth limb of yoga is pratyahara. Summed up as "sense control", Desikachar translates it as "to withdraw oneself from that which nourishes the senses." He says it is to stop living off the things that stimulate. Once we achieve pratyahara, we will not be driven by our senses.

To me, this limb deals with addiction and the gluttony of our mind to want for more. The nose says, "smell this!" the eyes say, "look at that!" the nerves say, "get me some coffee!"

In pratyahara, we are able to disconnect from the senses and focus only on the mind. It does not mean we are asleep and our senses stop working. Our senses are still sending stimuli, but our mind stops responding--primarily because our mind has become absorbed in itself. It is important to understand, also, that pratyahara is not a state of decreased sense, but a state of increased consciousness. It is a shift in awareness from outside to inside.

One may think that pratyahara can only be achieved when you decide, "I want to meditate." But, although it is along the path leading to samadhi, there are many manifestations of pratyahara.

For example, when I think I hear my child crying, I will close my eyes and cock my head in the direction of the sound. In this, I have withdrawn from sight stimuli and focused on listening. And even in that listening, I am not responding to sounds that are not a child crying. I am focused on what sound is like a crying child.

When I teach yoga, I do not hear what is going on outside of the room. I am in a loud, bustling gym and there is soft yoga music playing. But I do not hear this. I listen to the breath of my students. I listen to my breath. This may not be full withdrawal, but it is controlling what I respond to as stimuli. As a matter of fact, when I am done, I sometimes forget to turn the music off!

It seems that practicing pratyahra is a particularly good exercise for fidgety people. People who constantly react to external stimuli can lessen associated problems (high blood pressure, for one!) by controlling that which excites them. It should also be a good practice for people with addictions such as to food or drugs. But as with any practice, it is not easy and must be attended to every minute of the wakeful day.

Desikachar reminds us that pratyahara is a state that can occur spontaneously. You can practice the means to make it happen, but it happens by itself.

Take Care of today

Words of Wisdom. So close to what I have been writing about recently. Be present TODAY. Tomorrow will come and you can deal with it later.

“A person who worries about previous or future lives is not really enjoying the present one. I would say: Live this one well. Take care of today and you have taken care of tomorrow, because what you sow today, you will reap tomorrow. Keeping a nice fruit in the hand, you are wondering, ‘Suppose I eat this and plant the seed, it will grow into a nice tree. It will bring forth fruits. But what if I die, who will water it?’ No. Don’t worry about the past or the future. Don’t worry about reincarnation. Simply remain in the golden present."

Thank you Sri Satchidananda. By the way, nice relaxed photo!

Sahaja Samadhi

Satchidananda's Weekly Words for today: “Many people think that samadhi means you just sit like a rock, motionless, going into an unconscious state. If you stay in that samadhi, you are of no use to anybody. Sahaja Samadhi means a natural samadhi, always present. Wherever you are, whatever you are doing, your body and mind are involved in those activities, but your inner state is always the same, unaffected. Self-realization means you realize that you are the Self. You are different from the body and mind, so you remain in that state of Self and allow the body and mind to function for the benefit of humanity. You can be in the material world and still be in the samadhi state. Then nothing can affect you and you can perform your duties well."

I love this!

We talk about this all the time in class. It links directly to Kathy's assignment to list 100 things we do that is yoga. Everyday, we can attain samadhi. Just by being present, clear minded, focused. When we live moment-to-moment, our lives become easier to manage. See the beauty in our work. Work for the process of working, not the anticipated goal of finishing.

When we separate our mind and body from our Self, we can keep our Self clear and unwavering even if our minds ripple or our bodies fidget. The Self can calm the ripples and still the fidgets.

Your Mind on a Leash

This week's Words of Wisdom from Sri Satchidananda has an interesting analogy for the mind and why it is restless when we want to sit and meditate.

Mastering the Restless Mind
“When a dog is allowed to roam about, it enjoys its freedom and appears to be very content—but, the minute you tie it up, it will start howling. In the same way if, all through the day, you allow the mind to go wherever it wants, think whatever it wants, it also appears to be very quiet—until you try to restrain it in meditation. So if you are going to just try to bring the mind under your control during meditation and allow it to run, as it want, all the rest of the day, naturally you will find it very difficult. Though the mind appears to be under your control at other times, the minute you sit and concentrate, it will begin to revolt. But once it comes under your control, it becomes a very nice instrument. You will only be victorious in all your undertakings, if you have your own mind under your control."

Thoughts on Isvara pranidhana

Staying with the Divine.
When we practice the yamas and niyamas as best we can, it releases us from attachment. The desires that cause chitta vritti are cleared and make a way for us to fill the space with thoughts of Isvara. Isvara is defined as God or the Divine, but also as the transcendental, Universal Self. When one dedicates his actions and devotes his thoughts to Isvara, then bhakti (adoration, a special love) flows through him and he realizes spiritual illumination. This is the goal of Isvara pranidhana.

This is a concept that may be easy to spell out in black and white, but hardest to grasp. Desikachar simply states that if you are practicing the other observances, "let it suffice that we know we have done our best...leave the rest to a higher power."

But if you find yourself wanting to do more to go with Isvara, consider Satchidananda's explanation. In his commentary of the Yoga Sutras, he says that Isvara pranidhana is not just dedication to the Divine, but to humanity. He adds humanity because it is a part of the Divine that is tangible for us. God is not sitting, waiting for offerings from us. The universe is God, our world and everything in it is God, our humanity is God. When we dedicate our lives to benefit humanity, we dedicate ourselves ultimately to the Universe.

Kathy asked us to list 100 things we do that is Yoga. If a student has already begun to establish Isvara pranidhana, she could make a list in moment by just detailing her morning activities. Everything around us is Divine. Once you begin to appreciate this, you can choose to regard "work" in a different light. Handle everything with consideration and respect and dedicate your attention to each task you perform. Focus on it, rather than multitask your mind to think of several things at once. That makes everything we do Yoga and appreciate everything as Divine.

I wrote that one act I do that is Yoga is folding laundry. I used to loathe folding laundry. It took me away from other activities that I found more pleasurable. I would fold it quickly and stuff it into a basket. Sometimes the laundry did not make it back into drawers before I started pulling things out of it to wear. Sometimes I would not even match socks and fold underwear.

Recently, I began to change my attitude toward folding laundry. I now put my attention on how I fold each piece and place it in a specific pile (IE. older son's pants, younger son's pants, my pants, husband's pants, likewise with shirts and other items). If I grab a sock, instead of throwing it back in a basket, I place it aside and wait for the match to show up as I keep folding. The act of folding is a mantra, it is Zen. I zone out of life a bit as I work like a machine to finish the task.

Once I am completely finished, I can see it all before me, neatly organized and folded. It is actually quite beautiful compared to the disarray. An organized batch of laundry is much easier to put away and socks are easy to find when I need them. I find bhakti in the discipline of finishing the task of laundry. (Now, if I can just practice Isvara pranidhana in cleaning bathrooms, I might just attain samadhi!)

Thoughts on Santosha

Contentment. Modesty.
It is in our nature to feel happy when good things happen to us. Whether it's a promotion you worked hard to achieve, winning a prize for something you made, or being able to purchase a more elaborate home. But the elation felt when these things happen to us pass, and sometimes come with more problems: more responsibilities at work or more expensive upkeep on your new home.

Often, we work hard for something with the expectation that we will achieve it so the feeling of loss is harder when our expectations are not met. Even winning a prize for something you did fades and if you become attached to winning, you feel dejected when you do not win again. Then you find yourself looking for something else to fill the void of elation.

The concept of santosha is to accept things that happen as they come, but do not attach to them. It means to be content with what you have. When you do deeds or actions, do them without any expectations. Therefore, your indifference protects you (in a sense) from negative reactions. And, anything good that does happen is Divine.

Recently, I ordered a new coat. I have been thinking about getting a warmer coat for a while. So when I saw something on a web site having an amazing sale, I ordered it. After I sent the order, I kept looking at it and kept thinking, "Hm, I really like that coat". I found myself counting the days until it would arrive! On the day it was supposed to arrive, there is an email from the vendor: sorry, it is out of stock. I became angry. How could they do this? I thought. There were four in stock! Why did it take them a week to respond? I wanted to write a letter, telling them how bad their business was.

It took a few hours, but I finally settled down and thought: I was not meant to have that jacket. I'm sure there is a good reason. Maybe it would not fit well. I should be happy with the jackets I do have and that I have saved my money. In the spirit of santosha, I had to work through a process to detach from the coat.

As annoying as I think the song became two decades ago, Bobby McFerrin had a strong message. "Don't Worry, Be Happy." This phrase embodies the meaning of santosha. Instead of complaining or getting emotional, you accept and learn from bad experiences and move on to your next action.

The Yoga Sutra (2.42) states that supreme joy occurs in one where santosha is established. This is obvious, because if you completely detach and act without expectations, everything around you becomes a gift.

Thoughts on Saucha

Self-purity. Cleanliness.
"Beauty is only skin deep." Saucha, in a nutshell, is the process by which we learn to see the purity within.

Yoga Sutra 2.40 states that when you cultivate purity, you will have an aversion for your own body and desire to avoid contamination of your body with another body. When you have established saucha, you see how dirty your body is--even after a fresh shower. Your body continuously secretes oils and sweat to maintain its natural cleanliness. Your breath and bowels give off gases (which in high quantities are considered toxic!). Within these secretions and gases are toxins which you put in, either through the air or through food and drink. Satchinadananda states that once you realize this, you develop indifference to your body. This does not mean to neglect it, but that you learn to not adore your body. Through saucha, one can discern between external decay that needs to be cleansed regularly, and what within us that is eternally pure.

Saucha has two physical aspects: external and internal. The obvious is keeping your outer body cleansed of the oils, dirt and grime--wash away toxins. Less obvious is keeping your muscles, organs and other bodily functions clean as well, especially the lungs, blood and nerves. In addition to eating and drinking healthy foods in moderation and abstaining from other toxins such as drugs and smoking, practicing asana and pranayama provide a yogi with ways to enable saucha for the inner body.

Saucha also applies to your domain. By reducing clutter, your surroundings are kept pure. By cleaning dishes you keep your space healthy. Your food and drink should also be prepared in a clean place. And to be able to effectively practice yoga asana, pranayama or meditation you must have a space that is clean and free from distractions.

Just as important is mental saucha. Practicing yamas help control the amount of mental impurities that build up in your mind. But since we are not all perfect--and still on our path to finding our True Self--the mind gets tainted by emotions and lasting impressions: chitta vritti. To help keep cleanse your mind, practice pratyahara and meditation. Blocking the bombardment of senses and concentrating on stilling your mind gives your brain time to digest what it has already been fed. Can you imagine what would happen to your stomach if never stopped receiving food?

Although the brain is more complex and able to multitask, it still needs "down time" to process and put away information. If the information is still swirling around as we take in more, it can cause anxiety, depression or other mental problems. Mental imbalance clouds your ability to think and, ultimately, find peace.

Thoughts on Aparigraha

Non-greed, non-hoarding. Simplicity.
I see many definitions of parigraha: to hoard or collect; to take or to seize. So adding "a" (non) means the antithesis of these definitions. Some extremeists see this as the renunciations of all things material. I hope they keep their robes on.

Many may see aparigraha as an aspect of asteya. Certainly, it can be interpreted this way. But it then goes beyond just what you have (static), to how you lead your life (flow). My example of yoga mats in Thoughts on Asteya also apply in aparigraha.

Have fewer things. Take what you need, leave the rest. What you do take, return when you are finished. Live simply. Yoga experts all agree that the fewer things you have, and the less you take, not only leaves more for others who need it, but allows you to live your life easier. By having fewer things to take care of and manage--like credit cards, material goods and possessions--you have more time to enjoy meditation, asana, your family.

I am reminded of a quote "he who dies with the most toys, wins." Really? He probably died young of stress-related afflictions due to the fact he had so many toys. This is how greed can become an illness. Fear seeps in, fear of people taking from your horde. Selfishness seeps in, and people stop being around someone who is always taking but never giving back.

Desikachar reminds us that aparigrapha is also restraining from receiving gifts and exploiting others. If you agree to certain terms and conditions of employment, and then you accept a gift beyond adequate compensation, that is a form of aparigraha. We don't need more. Besides, he adds, accepting unearned rewards can bring future obligations that cause problems.

So, what do you do when offered a bonus at work? Are you struggling to make ends meet? Then that is not aparigraha. But if you have purchased material goods beyond your means, then accepting the bonus to pay off debt is aparigraha.

If you love something, set it free.
If it comes back to you, it is yours
If it does not, it never was.

As with asteya, you can overcome the challenges that greed brings by disassociation and non-attachment of the body and mind and all objects they both enjoy. When you think "I need to purchase this or that." Go a week or two without it first to see how many times you really would have used it, or found another way to accomplish your goals without it. Then you will really understand NEED versus WANT.

Thoughts on Brahmacharya

Celibacy. Abstinence. Moderation.
As translated by Feurstein, brahmacharya means "brahmic conduct". Feurstein explains that since brahman (the Supreme Being, all-encompassing spirit of the universe) transcends gender, the spiritual aspirant should emulate a genderless distinction to preserve life-creating fluids to cultivate great power from it.

Desikachar widens the definition. Literally, brahma (essential truth) and char (to move) means a movement toward the essential. He says that more specifically than just "abstinence", bramacharya suggests that we should foster relationships that move us to a higher understanding of truths. The abstinence occurs when we are lured to deviate from our goals.

In yoga, brahmacharya is recognized as a life of celibacy. Yoga Sutra 2.38 states that by establishing continence (or celibacy) one gains vitality. Satchidanada writes that the seminal fluid gives strength to the brain and nerves; Iyengar writes that the loss of semen leads to sickness and death. Ouch! Good thing I am a woman! Iyengar continues that by retaining fluid, the yogi's body develops a sweet smell.

One source (Agni-Purana, 372.9) defines brahmacharya as the renunciation of the eight degrees of sexual activity: fantasizing, glorifying sexual activity, dalliance, eying another with lust, love talk/talking in secret, longing, resolving to break celibacy, and consummating the sexual act.

Although this yama professes a life of celibacy, most yoga commentators agree that if everyone does this, then all life on Earth ends! And, contrary to complete celibacy, family life is precious. Desikachar explains that everything in life has a time. There is a time to procreate and raise a family, and after that time is over, one can devote his or her life to brahamacharya.

Furthermore, without experiencing love, one can not know divine love. Thus, sexual activity should be conducted in moderation (and for those who are bound by marriage, is it done only with one's partner). And the idea of moderation and responsible behavior should be practiced in all aspects of the yogi's life beyond sexual intercourse.

As a happily married woman raising a family, the purely celibate aspect of this yama is of little importance. My happiness with my husband depends on our acts of love whether they are spiritual, mental or physical. But moderation I can certainly apply to everything in my life. Too much sex is distracting; too little causes tension.

Too much of anything can be toxic and addictive: food, drink, and other activities. Thinking, or dwelling, on things too much causes anxiety or greed. Too little of many things in our life may not be enough, also. Not enough food and you starve. Not enough contact with others you become self-absorbed.

As Desikachar writes in his commentary of Yoga Sutra 2.38, "Nothing is wasted by us if we seek to develop moderation in all things."

Thoughts on Asteya

Not stealing. Non-covetousness. Trustworthiness.
Easy, right? You may think, "oh, I am not a thief and I would never think about taking someone else's possessions. It is easy to practice asteya." Desire, greed, craving, lust--these are reasons that drive people to covet and steal. But it is not just about shoplifting or robbing a bank. Steya (stealing) has many levels of influence on people. It really boils down to usage and attachment of things.

If you make someone wait for you, isn't that stealing their time? If you plagiarize, that is stealing ideas. If you borrow a hammer from your neighbor, forget to return it, then he can not find it when he needs it you have stolen his opportunity to fix something. Once you begin to look at everything you do in terms of usage, you begin to understand exactly what it means to practice asteya.

I have three yoga mats. And I am coveting a fourth. Do I really need four mats to practice yoga? Absolutely not. One yoga mat is dirty from being used as a magic carpet outside by my son all summer (I suppose I can write that one off as a "toy" now). Another yoga mat I bought because it was cheap--but it smells bad and is too slippery to use even after trying to roughen it up. The third mat I use regularly and there is really nothing wrong with it. But I find myself coveting a yoga mat made from plant resin because it is environmentally friendly. By purchasing all of these mats away from other people that could have used them, the factories have to make more mats. I have created demand from my desire. The factories steal resources from Nature to make mats that I don't even use. So, in essence, I am stealing from Nature.

Satchidananda describes this sort of stealing from Nature in detail in his commentary of the yoga sutras. He says we breathe air from Nature, we eat food from Nature, we wear clothes made from Nature...we USE everything from Nature. We need to give back to Nature. It's not just about replanting. It's also about keeping the air we breathe or the water we drink clean; pumping waste into our resources is stealing from every living thing that needs to survive.

Satchidananda also describes stingy people as stealing money. They lock it away from other people who need it. The money sits there--eventually a thief will come along and free it. Necessity is another reason steal. Look at someone staving for food. He steals food because his body needs it. Is he the thief, or is the one who is hoarding the food the thief? By not sharing wealth, he is taking up usage that another requires to survive.

Yoga Sutra 2.37 states "to one established in non-stealing, all wealth comes." Of course! If you eliminate desires, reduce your needs and stop coveting what you don't have (which also helps establish santosha), then it is easy to be happy with what you have. And anything else that comes to you is wealth beyond your dreams.

Desikachar describes asteya also as trustworthiness. If people know they can trust you not to steal or covet, they put their confidence in you. They will want to share with you, no matter how precious the item.

To practice asteya, respect others, love Nature, and let go of attachment. Shift your attitude to let everything come and go as it will. Things will start to want to be with you--a reverse psychology.

For instance, I would like my son to sit and behave with us at the dinner table. Most evenings he protests. As I forced him to sit and eat, he would cry and throw a tantrum. Once I let go of my attachment to having everyone sit at the dinner table together, things changed. My son wiggled to get down. I said, "OK, but you must let us finish dinner. Go play." He did, but then he came back. He wanted to be with us. He crawled back into his seat, and started to eat. Peace.

Thoughts on Satya

Truthfulness. Correct.
Many resources refer to "right speech" or "verbal truths." However, like all austerities, satya can be exist in any realm including mental, verbal and physical. If you practice ahimsa, then satya comes easily for you cannot lie without causing harm, inevitably.

Mental satya is truthful or correct thoughts. It means that what you think effects what you say. So be careful of how you remember events. As time passes, the memory fades. Recalling details of what happened yesterday is easier than years ago.

It also means to be careful what you think...for instance about a person. If you stew over an issue with an adversary, you may find yourself thinking of untrue things about that person. If you dwell long enough, you may begin to think those untrue thoughts are correct, and act upon your incorrect thoughts.

This does not mean you can not daydream! Daydreams can be creative thoughts that help you solve problems. Just be aware of the reality of daydreams and keep them true.

Once mental satya is pure, speaking truthfully should come easily. If you always speak the truth, you never have fear that what you said was not true. Even untruths that you think will not hurt anyone, can become larger problems. Think of a "little white lie” as a seed. From it sprouts fear, as the gardener must attend to the lie for fear of being found out.

If you are not sure that your conclusion or bit of advice is correct, seek the truth behind your thoughts. Gather facts and ask questions to ascertain the truth. Do not feel foolish if you say, "I'm not sure, I'll get back to you" rather than give false information to appease someone in the short-term. The long-term consequence may be that you are more foolish trying to explain later and people may not trust your opinion in the future.

Another aspect of satya is correct action. Even if you are doing good deeds, or working toward bettering humanity, if you act untruthfully, the virtue is negated.

Here is an interesting scenario: a couple summers ago, Jay Peak was putting in its new golf course. The resort has made strides in developing the area with respect to water run-off in concurrence with environmental regulations. However, the Summer that they were doing much of the work was a very wet, rainy season. Development of the course was delayed due to the heavy rains. After one very heavy storm, VPIRG sent someone up to test the silt in the brooks around the resort. VPIRG did not alert Jay Peak administration or other state officals and published the results of their tests directly to the media. Although VPIRG's objective is to blow whistles on environmental problems so to better humanity, ask yourself "did they act with satya"?

Yoga Sutra 2.36 states that by being established in truthfulness, the results of your actions will come to you. Some mystically believe that it means once you have become "all-truthful", that all things will come to you without having to seek them. That, of course, is easy for one who has also established themselves firmly in santosha, but I'll get to that later. What this Sutra is telling us is that if we follow an oath on honesty then the truth will follow us. Once the mind becomes true and absent of lies, and right speech and action occur from it, then the True Self is reflected.

A wise person once told me, before you act or speak, ask yourself…
Is it true?
Is it kind (not harmful)?
Is it necessary?
If you answer "no" to any of these questions, you may want to rethink your words or actions.

Thoughts on Ahimsa

Non-harming, not causing pain. Kindness. Thoughtful consideration of others.
Ahimsa is sometimes referred to as non-violence or not killing, but the meaning is deeper and more fundamental than just an act of violence or to end someone’s life. To understand ahimsa (a- “not”, himsa = “harming”) one should first understand himsa.

Just as we know there are many types of love, there are many types of himsa. Himsa can be inflicted physically, mentally or verbally and can be direct, indirect or even “approved”. An example of approved himsa could be a political leader ordering an assassination, or a mob encouraging a fight with cheers. There are degrees of himsa from mild to moderate to severe. Sources of himsa can stem from anger, greed, delusion, or misunderstanding.

No matter the source, infliction or severity, the general principle to defining himsa is understanding that the intention to harm another being is wrong and harmful, not just to the intended being, but to the one causing or intending harm. Violence breeds violence. Just as a parent abuses, so the child will abuse. A great analogy of this is the ongoing conflict between Palestinians and Israelis. They have fought so long that the generation of young people growing up today only know violence.

This leads to the yoga ideal of ahimsa. By not encouraging or participating in acts of harm, it lessens the amount of harm done in the world. The Yoga Sutra (2.35) states that in the presence of one established in ahimsa, all hostilities cease. Meaning that when a hostile person encounters someone who is firmly rooted in the practice of non-harming, the intention to harm falls away.

Stories of Buddha say that in Buddha’s presence, animals ceased to kill one another. However, as is pointed out by Satchidananda in his translation of the yoga sutras, even a life consumed by the doctrine of ahimsa cannot cure all himsa. Mahtma Ghandi, Jesus Christ, Martin Luther King, Jr--these are some of the most well known, and this Earth’s strongest examples of, peaceful leaders. Even as they encouraged and preached a discipline of non-violence, each was felled by a harmful and violent act.

While we strive to learn and control the complexities of himsa, it must also be understood that it is difficult for people to disengage from himsa. Himsa is a constant, difficult human struggle. Ahimsa thus is an ideal for which to strive for a better life. Desikachar points out that ahimsa is kindness and friendliness. Ahimsa is the thoughtful consideration and attention to other people and things.

It is our karmic duty to lead our lives in a quest for ahimsa. Be aware of your actions and how they inflict harm on others. Be mindful of your thoughts and how they weave a thread of unpleasant ideas in your mind. Choose your words carefully and with the intention of love always, no matter if you encounter a friend or an enemy.

Ahimsa is also acting in kindness to ourselves. We have a responsibility to our Self to eat. Do we abstain from food because our food comes from plants and animals of which we had to kill to consume? We have a responsibility to our Self and our loved ones to protect ourselves. Do we not defend our home if we are in danger? Each situation should have thoughtful consideration.

Practicing ahimsa may not be obvious or acknowledged by those around you, but it will have a quiet, yet profound, impact on your world. If you cultivate a harmful attitude, people will always be ready for a fight and antagonistic when they approach you. But, if people know that you are easy to get along with and will not harm them, they will come to you in friendliness and harmlessness. On this level, the translation of Patanjali's sutra is apparent.

By practicing ahimsa, you offer a non-harmful environment for those around you to enter. It may also help put at ease those who are constantly ready for a fight. If you do not react to their himsa stance, they will become more at ease and thus, hostilities cease.

Thoughts on Tapas

I've been trying to understand the concept of tapas since I started learning the eight limbs of yoga. Tapas seems to have many definitions from "asceticism" to "heat". But the meaning is more about accepting extreme discomfort to purify the body, mind and spirit.

When things such as metals are heated, they are purified. We say that heating the body causes sweat which helps expel toxins from the body. This is a form of physical tapas.

People generally do things that are pleasant or want things that make them feel good. These can become addictions when it begins to cause cravings or you begin to let them control your actions. When a person has an addiction (for me it is chocolate, but for sake of discussion let use cigarettes), they must use tapas to control the addiction. You must control your lust--don't pick up the cigarette--which brings you discomfort of the mind. It can be very difficult for some people who are "weak-minded" to control. Sometimes, they use shortcuts to control the lust, like a nicotine patch. But this is not a true form of tapas because the pleasure is still existing through the drug. To truly "burn" the craving, one must overcome the addition by enduring mental anguish.

A spiritual form of tapas--I have a harder time defining this one. I think an example of spiritual tapas would be the story of the Jews' Exodus from Egypt. Being persecuted for your spiritual beliefs, enduring the painful journey to find a home and live peacefully. For me, a spiritual tapas is just finding the time to devote to divine things, or even find a spiritual teacher! It is easy for me to just forget or do other things. I must force myself to focus on the aspect of spirituality. I wrote earlier that I am having a hard time defining God. I can not put it into succinct words, but I think I have a clear feeling of God. However, because I disagree with rules of most organized religions, it is very hard to find a spiritual leader.

I've wandered a bit from defining tapas. But, it's good to think on these things.

An Open Heart, but a Blocked Mind

Still reading An Open Heart. I am beginning to understand why this is a meditative book. It is very yoga to read...you must be clear-minded, free from distractions, completely focused and absorbed. I have found myself rereading several chapters again and again to comprehend. First, reading, then comprehending, now meditating.

I have come to Chapter 6: "The Vast and The Profound". This chapter started out well in an explanation of what exactly does it mean to have an open heart. We practice love and compassion. We extend our hearts to hone the qualities of generosity and patience. An open heart is really a mind open to compassion, love, sympathy, righteousness and intuition. This is known as "the vast."

I got troubled in the discussion of "the profound." I understand that this is found within the realm of the mind where understanding, analysis and critical perception are the ruling notions. However, I fail to grasp the understanding of impermanence; I am foggy when it comes to realizing the true state of selflessness; and I do not entirely agree with the idea that the nature of human existence is to suffer.

The Dalai Lama knows that these concepts are hard to fathom and concedes that these insights may take many lifetimes to understand. He explains that if we can dispel one basic illusion--the inherent existence of ourselves and all phenomena--then our difficulties become easier to manage. Once you understand the impermanent nature of things, you release the idea of permanence and attachment to life. And once we gain insight to or meditate on the miserable nature of life, we overcome attachment and decrease suffering.

This is difficult for me to understand because I believe that happiness is the nature of human existence, not suffering. I do agree that the miserable nature of things causes suffering, but they are merely obstacles or layers that cloud our blissful core.

Sometimes I wonder if our first life is human life--we reason, we emote, thus we chose and suffer. As we begin to meditate what is true happiness, we find ourselves unraveling mental afflictions, unsheathing our emotions. In a Buddhist view, we would actually be reborn to creatures or existences with less ability to inflict suffering, until we find ourselves a simple amoeba, swimming happily without distraction. Or a simple spark of pure blissful energy.