Monday, February 1, 2016

Being Present and Patanjali's Yoga Sutra 1:2

Greetings Sadhakas,

This week in class we are considering the definition of being present and Patanjali's Yoga Sutra 1:2.

The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, not to worry about the future, or not to anticipate troubles, but to live the present moment wisely and earnestly.
                                                        - The Buddha

When the mind is at rest, we are lifted out of time into the eternal present. The body, of course, is still subject to the passage of time. But in a sense, the flickering of the mind is our internal clock. When the mind does not flicker, what is there to measure change? It's as if time simply comes to a stop for us, as we live completely in the present moment. Past and future, after all, exist only in the mind. When the mind is at rest, there is no past or future. We cannot be resentful, we cannot be guilt-ridden, we cannot build future hopes and desires; no energy flows to past or future at all.

Past and future are both contained in every present moment. Whatever we are today is the result of what we have thought, spoken, and done in all the present moments before now - just as what we shall be tomorrow is the result of what we think, say, and do today. The responsibility for both present and future is in our own hands. If we live right today, then tomorrow has to be right.

Words to Live By: Inspiration for Every Day – Eknath Easwaran

The homework is to consider PYS 1:2* which states the goal of Yoga, "The restraint of the modifications of the mind-stuff is Yoga" (The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, Sri Swami Satichidananda). BKS Iyengar writes that the "Restraint of the movements of thought brings about stillness (dharana), which leads to silence (dhyana) with awareness." Is BKS Iyengar's quote a definition of being present? In light of the reading consider for yourself what your definition of being present is.

*1:2 yogah cittavrtti nirodhah

References: Light on the Yoga Sutras, BKS Iyenger  and The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, Sri Swami Satichidananda

Blessings,

paul cheek
Rushing Water Yoga
417 NE Birch St., Camas, WA 98607
360.834.5994
www.rushingwateryoga.com
info@rushingwateryoga.com


Serving Yoga to Camas, Washougal, and Vancouver Washington since 2003

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