Mind Over Matter

One concept in yoga, commonly practiced through meditation exercises, is the idea of emptying the mind. Sutra seven of the Yoga Sutras states “The sources of right knowledge are direct perception, inference and scriptural testimony.” In order to find right, or valid, knowledge a person must rid the mind of thoughts. These thoughts should be eliminated altogether in a sense. The book places the analogy that all of our thoughts cannot be thrown into one single garbage pail. Our thoughts should be categorized and assembled to be removed meticulously (i.e. vegetables into the compost, paper and plastic separated).

All thoughts need to be discarded, regardless of whether they are good or bad. Holding onto good thoughts is similar to refusing to let go of your favorite shirt, even with all the stains, holes, and indefinite stench. In order to empty the mind, you must think “I no longer need this shirt” rather than “I could hold onto this shirt just in case I need it someday.”

The physical body is easier to control than the mind, making an empty mind a hard thing to come by. After controlling the physical body, we are able to control the five senses to excite awareness of the mind. Controlling our body, senses, and mind through mental modifications can change our view of the world because the world is our own projection. I agree with the idea that changing ourselves changes the world. It is easier to become liberated and change if we are the cause.

By reforming your thoughts you can reform your life. I think of the prison example in the sutras and twisted it into something more relatable: high school. During your time in high school, you are miserable because of the pointless school work, endless drama, and lack of freedom. If you continued to dwell on how miserable you were in high school, you would not be able to be happy now. Years later you look back on high school as a time you had a blast doing stupid things with your friends that taught some valuable lesson. Your perception of high school is different, even though you have photographic evidence of countless awkward phases. It is always easier to do this following events but can be achieved during the event with practice. Emptying the mind of the good and the bad thoughts allows us to just be.

What is yoga?

What is yoga?
The majority of people would answer this with "Its an exercise for flexibility and meditation". This is correct in the sense that there is a physical portion of yoga that is used as a form of practice in unifying the body and the mind.
This is practiced by connecting mindful breathing techniques with the different physical positions to get the mind in sync with what the body is doing. This mind-body connection is one of the integral values of yoga. To fully understand yoga, one must look deeper than the physical aspect and see that the true focus of yoga has so much more to do with the mind.

One of the greatest mysteries remaining in science today is the mind and consciousness. While Western scientists have only recently begun using modern techniques to explore the mind, yogic sciences have been used for thousands of years to probe and unlock the mind. In one of the first sutras that govern yoga philosophies, the main goal of yoga is to travel through the Eight Limbs of Yoga to reach the final and absolute bliss of enlightenment.

The Eight Limbs of Yoga follow the life path of a lotus flower. Its starts down at the root which is imbedded in the soil of the pond. This is the darkest point in the life of the lotus. As the lotus grows, it is getting closer and closer to the surface of the water and the sun light. When the lotus reaches the surface, it is nourished by the light and blooms.
This path is used to describe a yogis journey through their yoga practice up until the final bliss and enlightenment of Samadhi. A yogi starts in the dark, knowing very little about them self and being unaware of their true self. As the yogi practices and goes through the Eight Limbs, they are becoming more and more enlightened from each step. The yogi is at the final step of their yoga practice when the lotus of their mind blooms and they reach the ultimate bliss of life, becoming one with their true self and their mind.

The physical aspects of yoga are seen on the Eight Limbs as Asana (Postures) and Pranayama (Breathing). When the majority of people say that yoga is about physical poses and meditation, they are correct, but they do not capture yoga as a whole. Now when someone asks the question "What is yoga?" a full definition would include the physical poses and breathing, but also self betterment using the Eight Limbs of Yoga.

Following The Noble Eightfold Path

The Noble Eightfold Path in Buddihsm are eight different paths to end suffering and find happiness. They do not have to be followed in a sequence but rather it can be done when you realise you lack in any of the paths. The paths are: Right View, Right Intentions, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, and Right Concentration. 

One of the most difficult path for me is the Right Speech. According to Buddihsts, the effect of speech are not as immediately as those bodily but speech can have enormous consequences either for good or bad. Some circumstances makes people bring out the worst in them and I feel the Rigjht of Speech would be a good example in this. In my case, I tend to get nervouse or annoyed but the smallest of the situations if they don't go according to my point of view or my wants and my best way of reacting to it is the use of words. In the past I have used many words that hurted close friends and I did not even realized because of the heat of the monment. Achieving success in the Right Speech is something that would take a lot of work and dedication to me once sometimes it happens and I don't even notice it. Thankfully, not one of my wrong today ended up being the cause of a more serious action but just because it has not happened this far it does not mean it will never happened. In my Ethics Across Continents class, we had the challenge of recognizing one of the Noble Eightfold Path we have been lacking and change it for a week. The Right Speech was the one i chose and because of the stressfull week I had due to school work and personal issues, most of the days I did not succeeded with following the path, but there were days that I thought to myself, I should think this through, I should not say that. Practice will lead to perfection but again, this will take a time since is something I use as a mechanism of defense. 

Happiness is Found in the Pursuing of Purusha

Purusha, or the true self is a clear mind. "You can't see the true self because your mind is colored." (Sutra 3). According to this, the true self is a mind that is clear; one that is not colored. "But what creates these colors?" you may ask, thoughts. Your thoughts create colors or ripples which causes a distortion. However, once you stop creating thought forms, the true self, or Purusha, is seen. An important thing to know is that the true self will always

be the same, and cannot be anything but that. In Sutra 3 it says, "The true you is always the same, but you appear to be distorted or mixed or mixed up with the mind." You come to know Purusha by self-reformation, self-control, and self-adjustment. These three things are what Yoga is based on and that is how you come to know the true self. And by knowing the true self, you find happiness.

Happiness can only come from within. The moment you seek happiness from outside and not within, you will experience pain. "We attach ourselves to pleasure because we expect happiness from it, forgetting that happiness is always in us as the true self." Meaning, true happiness comes from the inner self, Purusha. Happiness is in your hands; it is in your control; you determine whether you are happy or unhappy. So, you needn't not pursue happiness. Instead, pursue Purusha. Why? Because in the pursuing of Purusha and getting to know your true self, happiness is found.

Yoga=Union

 Like many other people in our Ethics Across the Continents course, I began with the understanding that Yoga was a form of exercise-mostly used for strength and stability. I had little knowledge that the breathing exercises that accompany most of yogic practice are the basis of a very intricate science.

Yoga means "union" of the body and mind through breath (energy), as well as union with others, nature, and the divine. Yoga teaches us that in order to "be at one" with ourselves, we need to seek understanding and exercise wisdom over ourselves and our impulses. The yogic path is one that can potentially lead to better health as well as happiness in our minds, bodies and spirits. 

Yoga is prior to hinduism, beginning before 3000 B.C. 

The basics of yoga can be simplified as follows: Asana, refers to alignment principles, the energetic force, and exercise such as sun salutations. Pranayama is the part that deals with observing and practicing 3 part breaths. Dhyana teaches correct posture, breathing, relaxing, as well as sensory awareness. However the full eight limbs of yoga are: 

1.Yama-self restraints

2. Niyamas-Things to do

3. Asana

4. Pranayama

5. Pratyahara-detatchment from the world

6. Dharana-steadying of the mind

7. Dhyana 

8. Samadi-distinguished contemplation

Samprajnata samadi is accompanied by reasoning, reflecting, and rejoicing. Asamprajnata samadi is the firmly convinced practice of complete cessation of all mental modifications. This can also come through faith, strength, memory, contemplation or by discernment. Achieving ultimate samadi depends on the extent to which you practice and by total devotion to God. The keen and intent practitioner will achieve samadi very quickly. The time necessary for success further depends on whether the practice is mild, medium, or intense. 

Isvara is the supreme Purusha, unaffected by any afflictions, actions, fruits of actions of by any inner impressions of desires. In other words, he is all knowing-he is knowledge itself. The word expressive of Isvara is the sound "OM." Without you repeating it, this basic sound is always vibrating in you, its the seed in which all other sounds manifest. This is why OM represents God in the fullest sense. Its a variation of OM as Christians would see as "Amen." 

Its important to remember that Yogic practice is like an obstacle race, many obstructions are purposefully put on the way for us to pass through. Achieving full samadi is sometimes, something only possible for extremely dedicated Yogis. Purusha is not possible without complete detachment-something very difficult for most people. Its important to ask yourself : "If you eliminate all identifications of yourself, who are you really?" 

You then are able to seed that you're the same as those around you, if you detach yourself from all you identify with. 

Being a yogi is all about achieving enlightenment and liberation-but through your own methods. The more you practice the closer you are everyday to unity. 

You are the seer. 

Yoga: Unlock your mind

Before my college life at Western New England University, I thought yoga was just a form exercise mostly done by girls to stay active or to just look good.  Boy was I wrong!  On day one of ethics class, my mind opened up theories, ideas and experiences I didn't even think possible.  By reading the Yoga Sutras, I discovered that yoga was so much more than just exercise and stretching.  Yoga is about unification of the mind, body and soul to create harmony within yourself.  It is used to rid your mind of anxiety so that you can go about your life with a positive manner and to achieve your self fulfilling prophecy.
Aside from this, yoga is used to unite your mind and body with the physical word in order to create a sense of harmony that does not come easily to many.

One powerful element that yoga provides is peace of mind.  Whenever I participate in a yoga session I forget all of my troubles and I immediately feel a sense of peace and unification within myself. It's almost as if a sense of euphoria washes over me.  The highest level of achievement in yoga is known as samadhi.  By achieving this state, you have created inner peace within yourself and the outside world.  This obviously takes years of practice and dedicated efforts but it can be accomplished.  You can then live in peace as you have united your mind, body and soul.  Many people struggle with the conflict of their inner self because they are so busy with work, family and other daily obstacle.  People lack the time to just sit in a quiet place and meditate in order to clear your mind and be at peace with yourself.  Another aspect of life that many people struggle with are the mental attachment to physical objects such as our phones, laptops and televisions.  Yoga allows you to clear your mind and rid of these attachments.  We can successfully lift these limitations in our lives by doing yoga which allows us to live a more happy, carefree life.