The sages say that our mind can be our best friend or our worst enemy.
In yoga, we are trying for the former.
But first, we can experience a lot of the latter. Over and over. And over again.
(As Chandra says, the samskaras never disappear. They are like leopards, waiting in the wings, ready to pounce).
"Our main problem is ourselves. Our bondage lies within us, not outside. Others are not our problem. We are more our problem than all others put together. The ultimate freedom is freedom from oneself. This little human personality is the one great bondage that denies you the freedom that is your birthright."
--Swami Chidananda
"With the help of the subconscious mind you can change your vicious nature by cultivating healthy, virtuous qualities that are opposed to the undesirable ones. If you want to overcome fear mentally, deny that you have fear and concentrate your attention upon the opposite quality, the ideal of courage.
When this is developed fear vanishes away by itself. The positive always overpowers the negative. This is an infallible law of nature. This is the Pratipaksha Bhavana of the Raja Yogins. You can acquire a liking for distasteful tasks and duties by cultivating a desire and taste for them. You can establish new habits, new ideals, new ideas and new tastes."
-Swami Sivananda
Dharma says that when this happens, the mind is like the best friend, the best lover we ever had.
Ahhh I keep trying. I'm beginning to suspect that my apparent unconcern over my yogic short comings is just another form of sneaky self loathing though.
ReplyDeleteAnyway if you were in NYC I'd ask you if you wanna go see a movie tonight. Moon day tomorrow!
The Chicago band Ministry had an album called "The Mind is a Terrible Thing to Taste." I think they were on to something there (despite the attempt at humor).
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