Greetings Sadhakas,
This week in class we will be exploring pratyahara - the
withdrawal or the refinement of the senses.
Each of us sees the Unseen in
proportion to the clarity of our heart, and that depends upon how much we have
polished it. Whoever has polished it more sees more - more Unseen forms become
manifest.
- Jalaluddin Rumi
As your meditation deepens, there will still be occasions when you get
upset, but you will be able to watch what goes on in the lab of your mind. It's
like getting into a glass-bottomed boat, where you venture out onto the ocean
and watch all the deep-sea creatures lurking beneath the surface: resentment
sharks, stingrays of greed, scurrying schools of fear. You slowly gain a
certain amount of detachment from your mind, so you can observe what is going
on, collect data, and then set things right.
Some of the chronic problems that millions of people suffer from today
might be solved by gaining a little detachment from their minds and emotions,
so they can stand back a little when the mind is agitated and see the ways in
which it makes mountains out of molehills. Many problems simply are not real;
they start to seem real only when we dwell on them. The thorniest problems to solve
are those that are not real; yet most of us go on giving them our best efforts.
Words to Live By: Inspiration for Every Day – Eknath Easwaran
The homework is to learn to
witness your mind as you practice, practicing detachment through pratyahara (5th
limb of Yoga). 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. This needs to be balanced
with the yoga of action and with making yourself and the world a better and a
more loving place. Pratyahara is
practicing moderation at all levels, simplicity, getting by with less, and
questioning your wants. These all require
detachment. Detachment requires total
engagement and it does not mean you are uninterested. It means you can be in the middle of the mess
and still be present to reality. The
benefits of pratyahara includes the development of willpower which helps us to
not run after external objects of desire and to turn inwards, where we are set
free from the negative trappings of the world.
Pratyahara prevents the energy of the senses from flowing outwards.
Blessings,
paul cheek
Rushing Water Yoga
360.834.5994
www.rushingwateryoga.com
Serving Yoga to Camas, Washougal, and Vancouver Washington
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