Greetings Sadhakas,
This week in class we are exploring the fifth and sixth limbs of Yoga: Pratyahara
– refinement and/or withdrawal of the senses and Dharana – concentration.
There is no
greater trouble for thee than thine own self, for when thou art occupied with
thyself, thou remainest away from God.
–
Abu Sa'id
Do you want to be
free? Most of us are held hostage in life by our likes and dislikes. We are
bound by countless little preferences in food, clothing, decor, entertainment -
the list goes on and on.
The person with
rigid tastes in one area, for example in food, is likely to have rigid tastes
elsewhere as well. He will probably enjoy only one kind of music, she will
appreciate only one style of art, and when it comes to people, he has very
definite allergies. In any case, a rigid person is conditioned to be happy only
so long as he gets everything the way he likes it. Otherwise - which may be
most of the time - he is unhappy over something.
The way we respond
to small matters reflects the way we will respond to the larger matters of
life. If we can begin to release ourselves from our little likes and dislikes,
we will find that we are gaining the capacity to weather emotional storms. Then
we can begin to face whatever comes calmly and courageously.
Words to Live By:
Inspiration for Every Day – Eknath Easwaran
The homework is to consider the fifth and
sixth limbs of Yoga: Pratyahara – refinement and/or withdrawal of the
senses and Dharana – concentration, as a way to help you observe your
likes and dislikes. As you observe see
if you can challenge some of your automatic response patterns and
rigidity. See for yourself if challenging
some of your patterns of response and rigidity allows you to approach life more
calmly and courageously.
Blessings,
paul cheek
Rushing Water Yoga
360.834.5994
www.rushingwateryoga.com
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