You don’t have to be a yogi to understand the trouble egoism can cause. Ego, the individual self, tends to seek attention and see itself as separate from others. In a recent post, I described the ways ignorance shows up and creates obstacles to enlightenment. One of these ways—perhaps the most significant—is misunderstanding who we … [Read more…]
It makes sense that ignorance is an obstacle to enlightenment. But how do we know what we don’t know? In sutra 2.5, Patanjali sheds light on this issue. Specifically, the sutra describes four obstacles to enlightenment. Once we understand how we are ignorant, we can use yogic wisdom to pull back the veil of darkness. … [Read more…]
I remember my first yoga experience, a beginners hatha yoga class in my hometown. In every class, the teacher would remind us, “Our true nature is peace.” I felt it every time, for a while at least. After class, I’d feel like I’d come home to the peace that had eluded me. Then I’d return … [Read more…]
In chapter 2 of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, we learn about the practice of yoga. More specifically, how to practice. The first sutra in this section introduces three important disciplines from the niyamas that strengthen our ability to deepen our practice. Sutra 2.1 says: Austerity, the study of sacred texts, and the dedication of action to … [Read more…]
After describing the roadblocks to enlightenment in the Yoga Sutras, Patanjali invites us to consider their presence in our lives. He invites us to explore how the mind distracts us. A few symptoms, we’re told, will let us know we’re distracted. How The Mind Distracts Us When we’re distracted, Patanjali says, our bodies let us … [Read more…]
Spiritual seekers face many obstacles. In the Yoga Sutras, Patanjali names roadblocks to enlightenment and tells us how to get around them. These obstacles are listed in sutra 1.30. According to a translation by Reverend Jaganath Carrera, roadblocks to enlightenment include disease, dullness, doubt, carelessness, laziness, sensuality, false perception, failure to reach firm ground, and … [Read more…]
Chanting mantras is a powerful way to turn inward and quiet the mind. While there are many mantras, few are as well-known as the sound of OM. But what does OM mean? In Yoga Sutra 1.28, Patanjali reminds us that chanting the mantra and reflecting on its meaning are keys to enlightenment. Maybe you’ve heard … [Read more…]
As we tap into the fire of tapas and learn more about ourselves through the practice of self-study, we begin to strip away layers of ego. Eventually, we reach a point beyond our intellect. At that point, we need faith in a higher power to go further. Faith in a higher power is the fifth … [Read more…]
Since it is winter in the northern hemisphere, I’m thinking about heat. And that reminds me of the third niyama — tapas — and the idea of (figuratively speaking) lighting a fire that can transform us. As we begin a new year, it’s an especially appropriate time to focus on the third niyama. Tapas seems … [Read more…]
As we move into the month of March and transition from winter to spring, we may begin to think of spring cleaning. In yoga, the first of the five niyamas — guidelines for how we interact with the world and those around us — is purity, or saucha. Think about the first niyama for a … [Read more…]