Grow in Yoga Inspirations and Insights
"One who sees all beings in the Self, and the Self in all beings, hates none." ---Isha Upanishad
Think of yourself as the individual and you are sure to die; think of yourself as the universal and you enter deathlessness, for the universal is always and eternally there. We know no beginning and no ending to the cosmic process. Its being IS: we can say no more. Be that rather than this–that which is as infinite and homeless as space, that which is timeless and unbroken. Take the whole of life as your own being. Do not divorce, do not separate yourself from it. It is the hardest of tasks for it demands that we see our own relative insignificance amid this infinite and vast process. The change that is needed is entirely a mental one. Change your outlook and with it ”heaven will be added unto you.” – Paul Brunton
Brihadaranyaka Upanishad
(1.3.28)
Om Asato Maa Sad-Gamaya |
Tamaso Maa Jyotir-Gamaya |
Mrtyor-Maa Amrtam Gamaya |
Om Shaantih Shaantih Shaantih ||
ॐ असतो मा सद्गमय ।
तमसो मा ज्योतिर्गमय ।
मृत्योर्मा अमृतं गमय ।
ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥
Meaning:
Om, Lead us from Unreality (of Transitory Existence) to
the Reality (of the Eternal Self),
Lead us from the Darkness (of Ignorance) to
the Light (of Spiritual Knowledge),
Lead us from the Fear of Death to the Knowledge
of Immortality.
Om Peace, Peace, Peace.
"Lokah Samasta Sukhino Bhavantu" - May all beings know real happiness/true contentment
Lokah: The location of all universes existing at this moment
Samastah: All beings living in this location
Sukhino: In happiness, joy and free from all suffering
Bhav: The divine mood or state of union
Antu: May it be so
Isa Upanishad verses 3-6
The Self is one. Ever still, the Self is
Swifter than thought, swifter than the senses.
Though motionless, it outruns all pursuit.
Without the Self, life could never exist..
The Self seems to move, but is ever still.
It seems far away, but is ever near.
It is within all, and it transcends all.
Those who see all creatures in themselves
And themselves in all creatures know no fear.
Those who see all creatures in themselves
And themselves in all creatures know no grief.
How can the multiplicity of life
Delude the one who sees its unity?
Patanjali Yoga Sutra:
yogash chitta vritti nirodhah
योगश्चित्तवृत्तिनिरोधः ॥२॥
yogaś-citta-vṛtti-nirodhaḥ
When you are in a state of yoga, all misconceptions (vrittis) that can exist in the mutable aspect of human beings (chitta) disappear.
yogaḥ = (nom. sg. m. from yoga) yoga
citta = (iic.) all that is mutable in human beings; thoughts
vṛtti = (iic.) thought-wave; mental modification; mental whirlpool; a ripple in the chitta. A vritti alters perception like a misconception, or as waves on the
surface of a pond obscure or distort our view of the bottom.
nirodhaḥ = (nom. sg. m. from nirodha) to find tranquility; to control
Chitta: aligning perception with that which is true
Though we may not be aware of it. Our perceptions of the world are often in error. For example, if you’re driving to an appointment and are running late, you’re far more likely to see a world full of red lights and people driving at a ridiculously slow speed. But if you set out for an appointment and you’ve got plenty of time to get there, you’ll probably enjoy the trip. But of course the world hasn’t changed, only your take on it. When you’re running late you see the world through the “veil” of haste, and when you’ve got plenty of time, you see the world through the “veil” of enjoyment.
And the truth you perceive will be conditioned by which of these two types of mindsets you happen to be in. Perceiving the world as it actually is: this is the state that Patañjali refers to as yoga.
The purpose of yoga is to lift this veil – and thus give you the gift of truth. Only when this veil has been lifted, can you begin to genuinely perceive reality and yourself. This is an experience that can totally change your life.