Mind, Please be My Friend…

Posted March 31, 2015

The last few weeks have been fairly hectic: I am planning a meditation intensive retreat, I am taking some continuing education classes, my work schedule is changing, the children have a bunch of activities, and I am a little over-extended. So working on a blog post has been demoted on my list of obligations.

But, despite all the busyness, my mind-state has been fairly steady, or ekagra. I attribute this to regularity in my practice.

In the Yoga Tradition, the mind is viewed as an instrument through which we receive information about the sensory world (manas), where we store memories and formulate opinions (chitta), it is where our sense of individuality arises (ahamkara), and where our conscience resides (buddhi)–but, not our consciousness.

The four aforementioned aspects of the mind are collectively called the antahkarana–or the inner instrument. The word “instrument” is so profound. Yoga science expounds the concept that the mind is not who we are; but, a tool, which can be sharpened, to glean a clearer understanding of who we are and what needs to be done to Realize our True Nature.

According to Yoga science, our minds becomes colored by our experiences— think of it as a dusty layer on a window. Therefore, they do not allow the truth to diffuse through. We are colored by perceptions of race, social status, gender, etc. Reflect for a moment on a baby who lacks all of these associations.

Through meditation we wipe off the layers of dust and eventually the clear mind allows the truth to shine through.

But, the mind is only capable of becoming crystalline…

What is the light that shines through the crystalline mind?

Eventually, the mind, like all good tools must be set down. Would you walk around in the house you built clutching the hammer?

Over time, with dedication, consistency, and faith, the mind is set down and total awareness of the Self will shine through.

Until then, tell your mind “thank-you” for all that it does. Do not be angry with your mind for thinking any more than you would be angry with your hand for grasping or your ear for hearing. Ask your mind to be your friend, so that you can dust the lens, and see the world as it truly is.

As always, click the links!

Discipline

Posted March 17, 2015

Filed under Poetry

Discipline is ready to love you.
It is a cool, uplifting wind
enlightening this life’s path,
putting one foot mindfully
before the other,
giving faith in each step.
This intricate dance, practiced
will one day be as tight as the drum
producing the rhythm
compelling your advancing feet.
This song of the divine
is only possible
with hard work and cultivation.
This watered and tended
garden gifts us
an abundance of nourishing food.
Since we are what we eat,
our discipline leaves us
bright-eyed and bushy-tailed
at our little corner markets,
offering freely from
baskets of leftovers
even after we’ve had
more than enough.
Embrace the discipline!
Roll up your sleeves and endeavor
to meet the very best you.
With dedication we can feed the world.

The Practice is Perfect

Posted March 14, 2015

Filed under Insights, Musings

The spiritual path is not a straight line. It is circuitous and meandering. We will all, continuously, lose and regain our “way”. The act of starting again, and again, is the path. Always have faith that you can and will do this. Then begin, again.

Do you have a Philosophy or Direct Experience?

Direct experience is the only “Real” experience.

Swami Ma Tripurashakti Bharati

Peppering the Day with Mindfulness

Posted March 12, 2015

Filed under Insights, Simple Tips

I try to avoid reminiscing–not reflecting–on the past. Reminiscing means that I there is a longing, a desire for what cannot be, a nostalgia (the root word of which is pain). During reflection, I deliberately consider a past experience, asses if I chose the best course of action, and affirm to continue or discontinue what I was doing.

It is not a lack of sentimentality, rather, I believe (and have been taught), to fully experience one’s life, you have to be awake in the moment–right now.

The highest consciousness is expressing as all of us–right now. During the state of samadhi we are able to realize this consciousness manifesting as us. However, it is not something we can do yesterday, it is a level we awaken to in the present.

My teacher eloquently expressed, you are already in samadhi right now; however, that samadhi is on this human incarnation.

The yoga sutras prescribe five efforts and commitments aspirants should cultivate to assist them in remaining fully, nondually, in the present moment: shraddha (faith), virya (positive energy), smriti (mindfulness or remembering), samadhi (seeking sustained meditation), and prajna (pursuing the highest wisdom).

Smriti is not an obsessive needling, it is a gentle determination to perform one’s actions in a way that holds to attention on the highest goal–assuming that is your goal. Smriti does not pertain to only renunciate, a layperson can practice smriti through their everyday actions. One classic way is offering all actions to where they came from–the highest source.

The Unity Offering Prayer encompasses this concept (there are many variations available):

“Divine Love as me,
blesses and multiplies.
All that I have, all that I give,
all that I receive”.

When we are in our everyday life, there is a perceived duality. Our locus of operation and the Other. Simply, consistently, “seeing” our actions as service to the Highest is a way to remind us of Our True Nature. If we really believe that there is only One, all actions come from the One. Therefore, offer cleaning the car, mowing the lawn, preparing a meal as seva–selfless service.

P.S. As usual, click the links–the one on the five efforts has an exquisite meditation practice on it!

Meditate

Posted March 10, 2015

Filed under Poetry

There is a question at the center
From which all this emanates
The story of this mark
is what these lines are connecting.
Sticks and stones of habit and bones
are woven under careful roofs thatched.
The chicken came first
because the scheme of the egg
had not yet been hatched.
The three streams converging are quite a map,
diagram upon diagram of your ship and the treacherous landscape.
A much fussed over plan spelling out the means to escape
to a question mark.
Only sheer speculation to give it shape.
Destination unknown.
Is this carrot on a string sufficient bait?
I pursue and at times lash out
hungry and enslaved by fate
But that’s really not me,
just this body on mother earth
Hurling through space.
I am the question and the mark
operating this computer that animates.
I may not know exactly what I am
but I do know I must return home to consummate.
So I embrace living for the mysterious
punctuation at the end of the sentence.
Happy to contemplate…

Lemons into…

Posted March 9, 2015

Filed under Musings

Having a 4-year-old daughter is a blessing; it’s also a science experiment. Saturday morning began with a sore throat, it progressed to a fever, then I was in urgent care being diagnosed with strep throat. After a shot of antibiotics that looked like they should have been used in equine medicine, I was in bed for the weekend.

Since I consider myself to be spiritual, as all the self-righteous do, I googled “Best Spiritual Movies”. Naturally, I couldn’t just lay in bed and peruse sacred texts. It was an opportunity to watch some old favorites…

I started out nobly enough with Cloud Atlas, into Fight Club (which is profound and eye candy), then (under the guise of watching a movie with my aforementioned 4-year-old) there was Stardust, and (when they had all gone to dinner at my mother’s house) I snuck and watched Bridget Jones’s Diary.

I tend to overwork myself. I tend to believe that if I push harder I’m doing better. Even with my spiritual practices–although I always tell my students, “you cannot fail or do this incorrectly”. I am not excusing laziness; discipline is essential for deepening our practice. But, the universe in his infinite wisdom sometimes makes you just chill out. I definitely felt immense gratitude for my clean and soft bed. Sometimes 24 hours in jammies is extremely cathartic.

Foresee

Posted March 8, 2015

Filed under Poetry

Loving freely
intertwined completely
In you there’s a better me
So effortlessly happy
laughing so easily
The best is yet to be

One

Posted March 7, 2015

Filed under Poetry, Prose

One

Looking for love
from all of the wrong
corporations
when I should be looking above.
Looking for love from the
administration,
when I should be looking within.
Falling out of love with my
fellow man
when I should be falling in.
Shouldn’t be asking so many questions.
I don’t need suggestions!
I know love’s going to win.
Stopped, dropped, surrendered,
And I’ll never stop giving in.
Already knew, just had to remember.
All is well under this powerful spell.
A perfect life for me,
conflict is done.
The truth is and always will be
that love’s already won.

The Spiritual Path is Purification

Posted March 5, 2015

Filed under Insights, Simple Tips

Recently, I was very moved by my beloved teachers words, “There is a myth circulating that to experience the truth you must first be completely, 100% purified, and that is simply not true. First seek the direct experience of the top of the spiritual mountain, and then learn to purify the subtler aspects“.

This seems like a paradox–even in contrast to the Yoga Sutras on which Swami Jnaneshvara was commenting. The penultimate treatise on Yoga begins with the expulsion: prior work must be done before the endeavor of Yoga is to begin. Furthermore, as the Sutras unfold, Patanjali recommends adherents develop a moral base before the endeavor of meditation. The 10 “Suggestions” (not Commandments) of the Sutras are yamas and niyamas. Among those we find tenets, such as: ahimsa (non-harming), aparigraha (developing greedlessness), and tapas (which means fire and austerities)–it all sounds a lot like purification to me!

To those of us (notice I say us), who grew up in the West, with a guilt-inclined (misinterpreted) Christian background, ate junk food, cursed, and were occasionally inebriated–this sounds daunting. However, again as one who speaks from experience, it should not make us feel less than worthy.

The simple, not easy, effort to adopt a spiritual lifestyle (and perhaps to embark on a path to Our Highest High) is inherently purifying. <Sigh> Again, the spiritual path is purification.

Now, I am going to share a very personal experience… But, it is important for readers to understand that everyone’s path is different. As you proceed, understand that in Sanatana Dharma (the group of traditions from which the Himalayan Tradition emerges) a Guru is not a mere person. The Guru represents the Highest Consciousness–Superconsciousness.

Many years ago, I was chanting an ancient text of Kashmir Shaivism, the Guru Gita, with my meditation group. I came across this verse, “Blessed are all the relatives, Blessed are the ancestors, Of one who serves the Sadguru; Such a soul is rare indeed“. That stanza changed me forever; such a soul is rare indeed.

What the Guru Gita is revealing is the rarity (not the perceived flawlessness) of an earnest seeker.

Knowing that rarity can spark a fire of passion, which is was one needs to obtain the Highest Realization.

As an earnest seeker pursues the path, they will begin to live more ethically–because they will come to know (not intellectually; but experientially) that they are connected to everyone and everything. This desire to be non-harming, greedless, and have temperance will come naturally–as opposed to being taught such behaviors dogmatically.

Then, of course, there is grace bestowed on the earnest seeker–but, that will be another post.

It helps to remember, you are who you are seeking.

As We regularly go inside, we steep in Our true nature. The longer the steep, the stronger the brew.