Brain and yoga

Whether the brain is passive or not when doing asanas- it is still physical yoga. As long as we deal with the body - its physical, physiological or anything else we can call it. When the body is not under purview, and we are working only on ourselves internally, changing ourselves - are we trying to become something different.

Stress and strain

Stress and strain is how we take things in life. Physical strain can be helped by regular exercises of any kind. Mental drain cannot be helped by yoga- if we love our work there is no drain. Strain and drain is only when we overdo things. So let us not apply the principles of yoga incorrectly. Attitudes matter and this guides our life. Asanas are wrongly touted as being helpful for stress in general. One must be very clear as to what kind of stress is meant when such statements are made.

For us

For life and living- yamas and niyamas

For the body- asanas and pranayama

For the mind- to eliminate the mind and keep pure consciousness- dharana, dhyana and Samadhi

Sublimation

Mind has to be sublimated - not by the body approach but by turning our eye inward. Using the body to sublimate the mind is an endless and incorrect approach. Hence asanas cannot be used to change our mind- change has to take place on the mental plane. The will/ interest to practice asanas itself shows that the first change occurs on the psyche and not the body. No saint or world teacher in our ethos has used the body to sublimate the mind as it is not logically the correct thing to do.

The physical plane

Whatever we do with the body , it is physical - with or without awareness is the only difference. With good awareness it makes a better hatha yoga pose rather than without. Yet, its on the physical plane only . So we need to spread our awareness to a different plane- our heart. Open our heart and the world is beautiful. It does not need hatha yoga. Hatha yoga is physical, the heart is not.

Thought for the day

The mind should not be wandering in all directions indiscriminately like the fly. The fly dwells in the sweetmeat shop and runs after the rubbish carts; the fly (mind) has to be taught to understand the sweetness of the first place and the impurity of the second place, so that it may not desert the sweetmeat shop and pursue the rubbish cart. When such teaching is imparted to the mind, it is called meditation. On the other hand, look at the bee! It has contact only with sweetness; it approaches only flowers that possess nectar; it is not attracted to other places; it does not proceed there at all. Similarly, you must give up all inclinations towards sensory attraction.

Sri Sathya Sai baba

Thought for the day

The main things to be considered are not at what expense one has prayed to the Lord, or the number of years one has been engaged in it, or the rules and regulations one has followed, or even the number of times one has prayed over. The main considerations are: with what mind one has prayed, with what degree of patience one has been awaiting the result, and with what single-mindedness one has craved for Godly bliss regardless of worldly happiness and delay, with no lassitude and with constant attention to oneself, one’s meditation, and one’s tasks on hand. As far as possible, you must direct the mind to all holy things which yield sweetness and the joy associated with the Lord.

Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Saucha and contentment

Similarly the above two are internal. Clean thoughts are more valid than a mere clean body- does not mean that we keep the body unclean though. Body is filled with germs- its already dirty - in a sense. To keep our thoughts pure is more difficult and this is more needed than only asana practice.

Ahimsa and Sathya

These two are not external to us- they are internal. To think there are external is a great mistake. Not to think evil, emanates from inside - not outside. Sathya is inside- a quality. Even when we are alone we need to follow these and hence these are inside us and not outside. That is why it is said that to live a life of truth is more important. It is important not to have violent thoughts and hence it is internal. Our thoughts guide our body- not the other way around.

Thought for the day as seen in Prashanthi Nilayam

"Why does the sun rise and set everyday without delay or disruption? Why do the stars that light the sky to the delight of all eyes, hide their splendorous faces when the day dawns, and never even slyly peer to tell us where they are? Why does air always be around, giving us the breath of life?

Why do these streams and rivers roar, murmur, gurgle and gossip over rock, pebble and sand, as they meander along towards the parent sea? How is it that the billions that constitute mankind, though they are caskets treasuring images of the same entity, remain distinct from each other in appearance, achievement, aspiration and attitude?

This is the answer: Know that I am the One who has ordained that these be such and shall behave so." -Baba

Happiness is independent of the body

The bliss born out of attempting to perfect the body will not last. Happiness is independent of

the body and its issues. A cool head can be had irrespective of our body.

Value based yoga

Mere hatha yoga practice with instructions on techniques of asanas is an empty shell. Value based hatha yoga - which means the teacher should integrate the teachings of The Gita, Koran, Bible, etc which makes the class a satsang- this is what make the class worthwhile.

Thoughts of God

Constantly, sincerely thinking about God are superior to thoughts on perfecting our asana practice.

We need to try and go above the body consciousness. This is only possible by His grace and we need to make efforts for that. Merely spending hours on hata yoga is not adequate. We have to pray to Him to grant us that divine perception which takes is above the body. This sadhana is superior to body sadhana.

Patanajli did not stop at asana if he felt that asana alone would suffice- which is obviously not possible. Hence Dharana & Dhyana were given.