Greetings Sadhakas,
This week in class we are exploring discriminative knowledge
(Yoga Sutras of Patanjali II:26).
Loss of
discrimination is the greatest source of danger.
– Sanskrit proverb
The greatest source
of danger to a human being is loss of discrimination, and this is the main
malady in our modern civilization, where
we have lost our capacity to differentiate between what is necessary and
useful, and what is unnecessary and harmful.
How often do we stop
and ask, "What is really important? What matters most to me?"
If every one of us
starts asking this simple question, it will transform our daily lives and even
the world in which we live. After all, we need clean air and water more than we
need microwave ovens. Doing work that is meaningful and of service to others is
more important than owning luxury cars. We need loving human relationships more
than we need home entertainment systems.
Many modern
conveniences make life more pleasant and can save time. We needn't live without
them, but when we begin to think such things are not merely useful but prized
possessions, we may gradually lose our discrimination.
In order to
understand what is important in life, what our real priorities are,
discrimination is essential.
Words to Live By:
Inspiration for Every Day – Eknath Easwaran
The homework is to study Yoga sutra II:26,
"The ceaseless flow of discriminative knowledge in thought, word and deed
destroys ignorance, the source of pain."* Patanjali suggests that developing
discernment, the faculty of discrimination, and seeing clearly what is
essential without any ambiguity leads to a lucid mind that perceives the world
objectively and positively. Ask yourself how do the practices of Yoga help to
cultivate discernment and discriminative knowledge?
References: *Light on the Yoga
Sutras of Patanjali, BKS Iyengar
and The Essence of Yoga, Bouanchaud
Blessings,
paul cheek
Rushing Water Yoga
360.834.5994
www.rushingwateryoga.com
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