Exploring The Yoga Sutras - 1

I am reading the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, perhaps the most widely revered and practiced sutras dealing with Yoga as a comprehensive guide to the mind. The Yoga I speak of here is not the western concepts of bodily contortion for health and flexibility(which is a vital part of Yoga, but only a small part, called Hatha Yoga), but is the ancient practice of Yoga as a path to spiritual enlightenment.

The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali is arguably the "bible" or canonical text of Yogic practice, to many if not all Yoga practitioners. I will choose a sutra (meaning thread or verse)  every couple of days to contemplate and comment on. I will begin at the beginning.

1. ओूपो बदुोलहेोेोलोस
Atha Yogānuśāsanaṁ.
Atha meaning now, Yoga meaning yoga of course, and ānuśāsanaṁ meaning instruction.

So basically it translates to simply this will teach you Yoga.

When I opened the book and read this it said now is the time for you to learn Yoga. The education shall commence.

Imaginaton

As I was driving today I began thinking about what it means to "imagine" something in our times today. The thought that struck me was this, can we actually create something completely our own, or in our minds do we re-appropriate images and instances we have experienced in our lives or in the media?


Is there ever a time when we can truly create something in our minds that we have no prior memory of. We can imagine a scenario whose probability is somewhere in the 1:1000000000 region, but is any of that scenario something we are completely unfamiliar with? Can we as humans create something within our conscious that has never existed there before?

Just a thought.


Current Fads
Listening. Makes Me Wonder - Maroon 5
Activity. Budgeting
Gadget. HTC Hero
Reading. The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali
Writing. Numbers... lots of them.

Cycles of Blessing and Curse

 I wanted to take the time tonight to talk about a concept I hold very dear. It helps me stay positive when times are rough and helps me stay grounded when times are great.

I believe good times and bad times in your life come in cycles (just as everything does). In my experience when something bad happens it generally shifts to neutrality then to something positive, then shifting again to neutrality and finally to strife.

I think about this most often at the two extremes. When times are rough I am able to think about this cycle and about how many times it has proven true in my life, and it helps me to wade the hardships to wait for the blessings to come. When times are good I am reminded by the cycle to plan ahead and be ready for what the universe is inevitably going to throw my way.

~Look for the cycles present in life~

Current Fads
Listening. Ana Haifa - Haifa
Activity. Making a Pendant
Gadget. Wire Cutters
Reading. The Essential Teachings of Swami Satchidnanda; The Silent Governess - Klassen; Go Ask Alice - anonymous;

Lotus Temple

We are taking a day trip to the Light of Truth Universal Shrine (LOTUS) in Buckingham, VA. The shrine is dedicated to the ideology of "Truth is one, paths are many." The shrine seeks to honor all religions of the world and universal peace and wisdom. The shrine was founded by H. H. Sri Swami Satchidananda in the 1980's as a place of serenity and universal worship. The LOTUS temple's architecture is based on a lotus flower, representing wisdom and serenity.


Every time we visit I feel like I take a step on my spiritual path. The atmosphere is one of powerful love and peace. They have meditation sessions at noon in the shrine, and they have been some of the most meaningful meditations I have experienced. I leave with new questions and new purpose after a day spent here. I look forward to our visit and hope for a fulfilling day of meditation and prayer.


LOTUS official website


Current Fads
Listening. Haifa Webe
Activity."Stumbling"
Gadget. noise cancelling headphones
News Source. CNN.com
Reading.  The Silent Governess - Klassen; Go Ask Alice - anonomous; Crank - Hopkins; City of Bones - Clare