Abundance and gratitude

I thought for a couple of minutes regarding which word to place first in the title of this post, abundance or gratitude.

Since I began noticing both of these in my life, there has been a huge shift in the way I perceive life. There are times when I'm grateful for the abundance in my life and there times when showing gratitude creates abundance in life. Amazing thing is, this cycle continues to feed itself. Psychiatrists talk about spiral downward of mood among the depressed, this cycle is the spiral upward. Just like the spiral downward, if you feed it regularly it continues to go upward. 

Just a small example, last weekend we went up-north for the Memorial day long weekend. We had a big storm in the Cities and two of my tomato plants died. I was sad about the plants but grateful that others survived. I decided I'll buy a couple of plants over the weekend. A day after we got back, someone I work with brought me three tomato plants that he grew since I lost mine. I couldn't believe it!! I don't recall telling him I had lost two plants. What a nice gesture by him! this small gift made my day. I was grateful for the abundance and humbled!!!

Courage

I'm back after a long time!

What is courage? Courage isn't about doing big things, but doing things that you believe in. Following your dreams, your aspirations without giving up.

Connecting to your inner self, listening to its wisdom and practicing your wisdom is courage. This can happen only when you don't feel disconnected with your inner self. As iterated in Bhagvad Gita the knowledge of Advaita - अद्वैत.  Thou art that - तत् त्वं असि

I plan to be more regular in my blogs :)

My practice of non-attachment

Since last few months, I have been doing manana (manana is a Sanskrit word for reflection, understanding, thoughtfulness, meditation) on attachment or rather non-attachment. Anytime, I'm out at the mall and something attracts my eyes, I'm able to stop myself and ask this question, "Would owning this thing make me more complete?". Of course the answer is always no and so I move on without buying it. 


I've notices a shift in my personality because of this. Last week I found that my yoga eye bag that was a gift from one of my favorite yoga teachers was destroyed. Normally, that would have made me very upset or bummed for days. I was shocked to see it destroyed but I also was able to calmly pick it up and trash it. I was happily surprised at my reaction or lack of it. A few weeks ago, my other eye bag was destroyed as well. So now I'm left with no eye bags. a year ago I would have ordered a new one right away or would have began thinking about what kind of eye bag should I get next. That thought hasn't crossed my mind yet.


When Apoorva, our son, moved out in October the first few days felt really weird knowing he will not come back at night. I again surprised myself as how quickly I was able to let him go.


Oh about the eye bag that was a gift, I threw it in the trash can of our bathroom. every time I stepped into the bathroom I was able to look at it without getting bummed. My little practice on non-attachment brought a smile to my face. Is this attachment to non-attachment? Is that even possible? I don't know.


I sincerely wish I can continue this practice and bring in to the other bigger aspects of personal and professional life.


Namaste!
नमस्ते! 

Yoga Sutra 2:7 and 2:8

Sutra 2:7
Sukha anusayi ragah सुखानुशयी राग:

Pleasure is accompanied by attachment

Sutra 2:8
Dukha anusayi dvesah दुखानुशायी द्वेष:

Sorrow is accompanied by aversion

This two stutras go hand in hand, attachment and aversion are two root causes of happiness and sorrow. Shri Kirshna has explained this very well in Bhagvad Gita (post on this later). We are happy when we get the things we want, an outcome we want when we don't get it it causes sadness and pain. We need to bring our minds (by meditation) to a state where it is neither attached nor averse. This doesn't mean a yogi doesn't feel happy or sad, she just doesn't get overwhelmed with the happiness or sadness. She is stithapragya, when she gets something she doesn't      get overly elated and when she doesn't get it she isn't sad as well. You can only create this state of mind by knowing Self (brhaman - ब्रह्मा or  atman आत्मन), realizing that you're that Self and not different from the Self. You're complete the way you are (more on my experience on this practice in the next post). This knowledge has to be constantly with you and that comes from meditation. Meditation practice connects you with that awareness.

Here's what B. K. S. Iyengar has to say on these two sutras:

2:7 
Dwelling on pleasurable experiences ignites desire and a sense of attraction, which creates attachment. Pleasurable experiences generate greed and lust, which strengthens attachment and stimulates a greater craving, as one always wants more and more. One becomes absorbed by the pursuit of pleasure, and addicted to gratification of the senses.


2:8
Pain, sorrow and misery triggers a chain of hate or aversion. Recollecting lost pleasures, tormented by desires unfulfilled, man is led to sorrow. 
A discriminating person strives to acquire knowledge so that he may strike a balance between sukha and dukha and live at the mercy of neither pleasure nor pain.


B. K. S. Iyengar has used the word discriminating person here for stithapragya.

Yoga Sutra 2:46

Sutra 2:46

Sthira Sukham Asanam स्थिर सुखम आसनं

The posture (asana) for Yoga meditation should be steady, stable, and motionless as well as comfortable.

The western exercise regime believes in "no pain no gain", whereas yoga philosophy says, "no pain no pain". The asana needs to be steady and filled with ease. I believe this applies in the real life, no matter what the situation your mental state needs to be sthira and sukha. You learn it on the mat, practice with your physical body and then apply it off the mat.

This sutra in a way re-iterates 1:2, yoga chitta vritti nirodh. Yoga is control of the modifications of the mind. You control modifications of the mind by bringing steadiness and easy in your thoughts, words and actions.

Here's what B. K. S. Iyengar has to say:

Asana is perfect firmness of bidy, steadiness of intelligence and benevolence of spirit.


Performance of the asana should be nourishing and illuminative. In any asana the body has to be toned and the mind tuned so that one can stay longer with a firm body and a serene mind.


Usually the mind is closer to the body and to the organs of action and perception than to the soul. As asanas are refined they automatically become meditative as the intelligence is made to penetrate towards the core of being.


Each asana has five functions to perform:

1. Conative - conative action is the exertion of the organs of action
2. Cognitive - cognitive action is the perception of the results of that action. when the two are fused together the discriminative faculty of the mind acts to guide the organs of action and perception to perform the asanas more correctly; the rhythmic flow of energy and awareness is experienced evenly and without interruption both centripetally and centrifugally throughout the channels of the body. A pure state of joy is felt in the celss and the mind. The body, mind and soul are one. This is the manifestation of dharna धरना and dhyana ध्यान in the practice of asana. 
3. Mental
4. Intellectual
5. Spiritual

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Here's a link to the article in YJ on this sutra from Linda Sparrow

http://www.yogajournal.com/practice/893 

This is by Judith Lasater

http://www.yogajournal.com/wisdom/45

Yoga Sutra 1:27 - Aum

1:27

Tasya vachakah pranavah तस्य वाचकः प्रणव 

The sacred word designating this creative source is the sound ॐ, called Pranava.

A scientific study has shown that chanting Aum for about 15 minutes everyday increases theta waves in your brain. When theta waves are predominant your mind is quiet and peaceful. A newborn baby has the most theta waves in her brain. Chanting and meditating on Aum, brings your brain in the state of a newborn baby, no thoughts, no likes or dislikes, no stress, just being!

Theta is the border between the conscious and the subconscious world, and by learning to use a conscious, waking Theta brain wave we can access and influence the powerful subconscious part of ourselves that is normally inaccessible to our waking minds. While in the Theta state, the mind is capable of deep and profound learning, healing, and growth - it is the brain wave where our minds can connect to the Divine and manifest changes in the material world.

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Aum is composed of three syllables, a, u, m. Without these three sounds, no word can begin, resound or end in any language. these three sounds are universal, they are the seed (bija) of all words.

The letters, a, u, m symbolizes speech (vak), mind (manas) and the breath of life (prana). As leaves are held together by a twig, all speech is held together by aum. Aum is the everlasting spirit, a symbol of serenity, divinity, majestic power, omnipotence and universality.

Aum as a whole stands for the realization that liberates the human spirit from the confines of body, mind, intellect and ego. By meditating upon Aum, the sadhaka remains steady, pure, and faithful. He becomes a great soul (mahatma). He finds the presence of Supreme Spirit within, and earns the peace which is free from fear, dissolution and death.

~ B. K. S Iyengar

"Om is the one eternal syllable of which all that exists is but the development. The past, the present, and the future are all included in this one sound, and all that exists beyond the three forms of time is also implied in it"

~Mandukya Upanishad

"The goal which all the Vedas declare, which all austerities aim at, and which men desire when they lead the life of continence … is Om. This syllable Om is indeed Brahman. Whosoever knows this syllable obtains all that he desires. This is the best support; this is the highest support. Whosoever knows this support is adored in the world of Brahma."
~ Katha Upanisha

Yoga Sutra 1:2

One of my favorite sutra is 1:2

Yoga chitta vritti nirodhah - योग चित्त वृत्ति निरोध 

Yoga is the control (nirodhah, regulation, channeling, mastery, integration,

coordination, stilling, quieting, setting aside) of the modifications (gross and subtle

thought patterns) of the mind field.

Patanjali has summed up the entire philosophy of yoga in the second sutra (aphorism). This converges with the stithapragya (the man of steady wisdom) described by the lord Krishna in Bhagvad Gita in the second chapter.

This is the ultimate goal of yoga, following eight limbs of yoga prepares you for this stage. By calling it goal, I don't mean you reach there and that's it. This goal is also a journey, you reach there and stay there. It's a way of life.

Here's what B. K. S. Iyengar has to say about this sutra:

This vital sutra contains the definition of yoga. Yoga is the cessation of all vibrations in the seat of consciousness.

Restraining the fluctuations of the mind is a process which leads to an end; samadhi. Initially, yoga acts as a means of restraint. When the sadhaka has attained a total state of restraint, yogic discipline is accomplished and the end is reached: the consciousness remains pure. Thus, yoga is both the means and the end.

Wonderful!

What is yoga?

Generally, people relate yoga with asana (physical postures) but asana are 1/8th part of yoga. Here are couple of verses from Bhagavad Gita on yoga:

6-18 - When the disciplined mind rests in the Self alone, free from desire for objects, then is one said to be established in yoga.

6-19 - As a lamp in a windless place does not flicker - this is the simile used for the disciplined mind of the yogi practicing concentration on the Self.

Desire in itself is not bad, if you possess desire and not let it possess you. The benefit of yogaabhyaasa is that in that state, the mind is like a fortress that cannot be penetrated easily by internal and external desires. A yogi having a balanced attitude towards raga and dvesha slips into meditation very easily and enjoys communion with his own Self. It is difficult to collect the mind together in the face of external and internal desires, but a disciplined yogi is able to do this because he is free from the longing of all objects of desire. In this sense, he is said to be accomplished in yoga and his contemplation has been successful.