Greetings
Yogis and Yoginis,
This week in class we are exploring the fifth limb of Yoga Pratyahara, the withdrawal of the senses or the refinement of the senses.
This week in class we are exploring the fifth limb of Yoga Pratyahara, the withdrawal of the senses or the refinement of the senses.
Before us are life and death, good and evil. That
which we shall choose shall be given us.
– Ecclesiasticus
The
capacity to discriminate between right desires and wrong desires is very
precious. Right desires benefit everyone - including ourselves. Wrong desires
may be pleasing, but they benefit no one - again, not even ourselves. The
criteria are simple to state, but not so simple to apply in everyday life.
The
problem that arises is that wrong desires can be very skillful impersonators.
They put on a three-piece suit and a false mustache and present themselves
suavely as Mr. Right, the benefactor of all; if they happen to be just what we like,
that is only happy coincidence. To live wisely, we need to be able to recognize
right desires and yield to them, which is a pleasant but rare state of affairs.
But much more important, we need to be able to recognize wrong desires and
resist them.
This
can be very difficult. There are times when we have to take on the desire face
to face, like a boxer in the ring. The very attitude of resisting in the face
of a wrong desire is the beginning of good health, vitality, and love.
Words to Live By: Inspiration for Every Day – Eknath Easwaran
The homework is to study the fifth limb of Yoga: Pratyahara. Pratyahara is the withdrawal of the senses or
the refinement of the senses. The work
of practicing pratyahara is to have the perspective and discrimination to not
be drawn into the foray of mind stuff about the goings on in the world. See how
your Yoga practices can help you develop more discrimination, especially as it
relates to desires. What is the end
result when we become more aware of our desires and evaluate them in light of
their impact on our relationships?
Blessings,
paul cheek
Rushing Water Yoga
paul cheek
Rushing Water Yoga
Serving Yoga to Camas,
Washougal, and Vancouver Washington
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