I Have Not Been Feeling Myself Recently!

Who am I? Am I my body? Am I my mind? Am I my Ego? Am I what you think I am? Am I what I wish I was??????

The purpose of yoga and meditation is to answer this question - Who am I?

Or maybe not so much who, maybe what am I? Where am I? Or even am I? Do I actually exist or am I a dream, a ghost in a biological machine?

There is only one way to find out. Sit still, stop thinking and just experience being. Sounds simple. But when we try, we find that the mind just will not keep quiet. Like a chattering monkey, the mind just jumps from branch to branch.

Yoga practice is all about learning how to stop the activity of the mind and just sit and see if there is anything beyond or beneath everyday experience.

The many "experts" will jump in and tell you what's what. You are just a brain, just a collection of molecules, atoms and neurons? Is this true. Only one way to find out. Sit.

But how do we trick the mind into just keeping quiet for a moment, just shutting up? Even for a minute.

It is said, that in ancient times, when man was more attuned to the natural environment, four states of mind were experienced naturally on a regular basis. The four states are the waking, dreaming, deep sleep and samadhi states.

In the state of samadhi, all activities of the mind cease and the true inner nature, which is pure consciousness, is revealed, while at other times it appears as though consciousness and mind are fused together. This is known as the affliction of ego.

Without access to the experience of true identity, human beings are thrown into a deep delusion and a great deal of suffering. Not knowing the Self to be of the nature of pure consciousness, a human being comes to identify with body, mind and ego. He no longer feels himself.

We are all familiar with asana practice. In asana practice there are two elements we are working with: sthira and sukha - effort and relaxation - or steadiness, stillness and ease or peace.

These components are related to the two obstacles that stand in the way of everything - stress, disturbance, pain - also known as Rajas - and heaviness, torpor, sluggishness - also known as Tamas. We need to find a way of balancing these two impediments in order to create a peaceful, relaxed, pain-free, alert condition - known as Sattva.

Meditation is abiding in the quality of Sattva - abiding in peace and clarity.

This is what yoga practices are designed to achieve.

When the mind is at peace and the senses have stopped their craving, meditation can happen. Meditation is not effort - that is an operation of rajas attempting to control tamas - meditation is what happens after those two have been balanced.

Meditation is not effort - it is the lack of effort - it is ease - it is peace - it is what happens when the need for effort has subsided - when the mind has attained tranquility, when the body is relaxed but vitalized.

Asana is the first step - then comes pranayama - pranayama acts as the guide for the mind - it channels the mind in the right direction and then brings the mind's extraverted activities to a stop. Pranayama introverts the mind - this is known as Pratyahara.

Effort is applied to bringing the body and mind to stillness - then meditation arises out of inner tranquility, out of peace. Meditation is nothing but an extension of inner peace. When the mind is at peace, consciousness shines - this is samadhi - this is pure being - pure self - the pure inner nature.

"When the senses are stilled, when the mind is at rest, when the intellect wavers not, then say the wise, is reached the highest stage. This steady control of the mind and senses is known as yoga." - Kathopanishad

"The yogi should be one with that sensation where words turn back, failing to articulate experience."

In my heart what am I? Words fail to describe it.

~

Yoga as a Spiritual Practice
All Eight Limbs - The True Practice of Ashtanga Yoga

Sundays 9 am - 11 am EST (3 - 5 pm European Time):
October 4 & 18 and November 1, 15 & 29

How to use Ashtanga Yoga as the vehicle for spiritual evolution, peace, joy, balance, meditation and Self Knowledge/Self Realization.

https://www.ashtangayoga.nyc/workshops