In
both Yogic philosophy and practice, developing equanimity of mind is central to
the practice of meditation. Through our practice we can observe that the mind
is either constantly attracted towards the objects of the senses, or it has
aversion to them. Everything is being weighed on the scales of pleasure and
pain, lose and gain, good or bad and so on, and a great deal of energy is spent
seeking pleasurable experiences, while avoiding others that are painful. If we
become too attached to something, we may no longer even enjoy that which we
have obtained because we start to fear of losing it. This clouds the joy of
experiencing life as it is. One of my teachers puts it like this, “we eat the
banana of pleasure, only to slip on the peel of pain.” The slip isn’t in the
experiencing something, but the attachment to it in the mind. In our constant
search for comfort, or a sense of safety, it is easy to mistake the temporary
satisfaction felt by having certain experiences for the true lasting
contentment that is our very nature. My guru uses the analogy here or a thirsty
man mistaking a mirage in the dessert for water.
When we seek the view of a
mountain vista, or to stand on the shores of the sea and look out into the vast
expanse of water, we are in a very real sense, seeking that infinite peace
within. Humanity is constantly in search for this, and people of all shapes and
sizes search in the cathedral of nature for the spiritual union, even if they
don’t realize it. The joy felt in such surroundings is nature’s way of wooing
us back to the present moment. The point I want to make here is that this
peaceful, contented feeling we get when we behold something beautiful is really
whelming up from within, rather than being something is added to us, that makes
us feel this way. Remembering this in the heat of passion, joy or bliss is an
important piece of wisdom that the yogis share with us.
In the world of duality, we
experience both side of the coin, so rejecting and avoiding pain only
perpetuates it. Of coarse, this is easy stuff to talk about, but when the
rubber hits the road it is another story all together. So how can we learn to
loosen the grip of our attachments to the way we would like things to be and
learn accept the way things as they are? Well, according to the yogis, it is
only by persistent and unbroken practice in every moment of life, not just
sitting, but in all of our daily activities. When we seek knowledge of our true
nature, we must apply ourselves to that task and no matter how you slice it,
life presents us with the opportunity to practice. We are not trying to force
this process, but rather open, and relax into it, but this takes practice and
constant remembering. If we are already established in the deep peace, the need
for practice doesn’t arise, and no theoretical explanation is needed, one
simply is. Many yogis I have come to respect teach that such a one has already
gone through the needed practice. If you feel that there is more to yourself
than the fluctuating thoughts in the mind, or you have a deep sense of longing
and yearning for inner peace, this is a good signal that practice is the right
medicine for your ills.
We
may not consider ourselves to be on a spiritual path, but the path of life is a
practice, if we choose to view it that way. Those that consciously take up the
path of sadhana, or regular practice, have chosen to place a greater amount of
life energy towards this inner investigation. The great yogi, Ramana Maharishi,
would often say that the one simple and fundamental truth is that we are all
having an experience of the “I” or a sense of “being alive.” We may not know
who we are, why we are here, or how we can to be, but here we are experiencing
life in the world. If we seek to penetrate beyond the temporary manifestations
and experiences of life, and peek behind the veil, we can practice meditation
to train the mind, until quieting the mind becomes as natural as walking and
breathing. When we go about the day to day, try to remember that the
contentment that settles the spirit is not something gained from outside
oneself, from anyone or anything. That being said, the practice of yoga is not
a form of escapism, where we live on an isolated island within oneself. Let
life offer a helping hand, it is a priceless gift to be loved by another and
share the gift of being. The freedom of yoga, or union, that I am speaking of
here is the freedom to love, to taste, to touch, and experience life more
fully, without being hindered by the self generating pain of attachment that
binds us to the memories of past and our worries of the future. It is also a freedom from the self-criticism
and for the aversion to the way we perceive ourselves. We are not broken and we
don’t have to fix ourselves either. This process is one of deeper and deeper
surrendering and self-love.
The
one teachings of my guru that has stayed with me more than almost anything else
he every wrote on his chalkboard is “peace comes when we accept life as it is.”
With Thanks from
Vishnu Dass:Blog
https://vishnudass.wordpress.com/2014/02/28/acceptance
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