Q - Please let me know if that works. I am teaching a six credit class in yoga now at a college and I definitely expect MY students not to stress ME by doing everything at the last minute. So just let me know what is happening.
A - Then tone your gentle and let go muscles. Namaste
Q - Thank you Mukunda. Does it sound like I am being too hard on my students? I don’t think I am … I do think time management is an important skill for adult life and when people don’t complete things that is a reflection of how they handle that area… It doesn’t mean they are a failure… but it is a reflection of what their priorities are and how that manifests.
A - That is sensible. But one needs to be realistic about students they are there to learn from you and if you perceive that as a stress. Then you are not doing enough sadhana and taking care of yourself. Your stress levels should be monitored when language like that comes out. It shows your sensors are on the caution level (remember yellow light idea?) rather than green light all up and flowing.
Q - I am more happy with how I handle that area than I was a year ago.... And as a result feel more confident and get more done... but I can also see that making time to study ( giving myself PERMISSION, actually I think is what I mean...) is a part of my life I want to build. It is a good lesson for me to see how you handle all of US!!! AAHHHH - the biggest lesson of all perhaps... oommm...
A - You guys are not a challenge. The focus for me is in keeping my relationship with Shakti and Divine strong through how I adapt my sadhana. My sadhana must reflect both my inner world and the outer world. So sometimes I give more attention to kosha one and other times more practice for kosha two. Each kosha needs attention on a daily basis. The Yoga Sutras from II, 46 onward show how to work with the signs of sattvic koshas. By persistent reading of that and reflection on the commentary on its evolution as in Vasistha?s Yoga I have found a great way to monitor myself. Each kosha must have an assessment technique. I have shown MT and ROM as kosha one techniques; leading through the experiences of II, 47-48. Watching the chakras, the nadis, the currents of sensation using Yoni Mudra and process of II, 50-51 to contain my prana is my method of kosha two that leads to II, 49 and 52. Similarly the senses which are transitions from kosha two to three are regulated by pratyahara in II, 53. The mind must be trained as in III, 1-2 via many techniques such as I, 33-39 and II, 33-36 aided of course by following the precepts (yama and niyama II, 30-45) and taking them seriously enough to form a resolution (sankalpa) to retain them regardless of life situation (II, 31).
It is basically the difference between a yoga student and a Yogini. One who is a yogin? has no difficulty doing this; it is a ?naturally arising activity? to use the language of the sage Vasistha. To others they should not bother their heads with this. They are yoga students and need to relax into that role. Striving to become a yogin? never works. It is stressful to put yourself into a role in life that is unnatural for you. Look deeply at this and see who you believe yourself to be and act accordingly without stress. Being yourself is the goal of life. Being anything other than that is stressful and does not suit such a great being as yourself. Reflect deeply and then act naturally to fulfill your destiny
Mukunda said:
“Striving to become a yogin? never works. It is stressful to put yourself into a role in life that is unnatural for you. Look deeply at this and see who you believe yourself to be and act accordingly without stress. Being yourself is the goal of life. Being anything other than that is stressful and does not suit such a great being as yourself. Reflect deeply and then act naturally to fulfill your destiny”
Finding my true nature is something I’ve been struggling with for most of my adult life. The main problem for me seems to be distinguishing between my true, authentic nature and all the social conditioning that’s built up over the years. I realize that the Gita lays great stress on acting within one’s personal dharma, even if it is done imperfectly, rather than trying to be something outside of his/her nature. But knowing this on the intellectual level seems miles away from actually knowing it in my heart of hearts.
How can one discern one’s personal dharma in the face of all the conditioning we’ve all collected? Also, how can we distinguish between the persistence of effort (abhyasa) which Patanjali emphasises as an indispensible requisite for yoga, and mere pigheaded persistence down a a path that’s unnatural and wrong for us an individuals?
Yoga is deconditioning. Being free of society, self centeredness, and values that one cannot fully support as being in their nature. To be natural and to explore naturally arising service to others is dharma. While the word implies role in life, family, and work; it also means dharma in the context of moksha, that which liberates one from self centeredness and allows selfless service to come without any stress. My guru used to say that sages are “stress free beings”. That is what results from living a life of dharma. Ones vitality increases and there is no stress as one is freed from bodily identification. Tensions dissolve not due to a physical sadhana but due to doing what is natural.
Patanjali in Yoga Sutras I, 12 cites that persistence and detachment are necessary for attainment of the full virtues and benefits of yoga. if one cannot be detached then you are showing signs of persisting in the wrong direction. Finding right direction of dharma will automatically result in kama (pleasure), artha (wealth), and moksha (spiritual blossoming). If they are not arising one is not listening or following the inner teacher. She will never mislead you, but self centeredness may be misleading you so discernment is the virtue to develop so these two other qualities can blossom into being a true yogini. namaste mukunda