What makes me who I am

 

अदाता वंशदोषेण कर्मदोषात् दरिद्रता । 

उन्मादो मातृदोषेण पितृदोषेण मूर्खता॥

If I am a miser, it is due to my family background of miserliness.

If I am poor, it is due to my past deeds and actions (inefficient, deficient, untrustworthy and so on).

If I am given to intemperance, bad habits and sloth, it is due to the way my mother did not correct me and instil good habits when I was young.

If I am not worldly wise and a bit of a duffer, it is due to my father.

The quality of Kshamaa

Kshamaa is a great virtue to be cultivated by a Yoga Sadhaka.

Interestingly, Kshamaa in Sanskrit can be translated as forgiveness as well as forbearance. 

The insistence on Kshamaa comes from the fact that in the absence of Kshamaa we continue to hurt inside, project negative feelings around, and relate to people and situations with anger, vengeance and a sense of victimhood.

My own life and its lessons have taught me that to feel hurt and angry is a perfectly normal feeling for everyone of us. This comes mainly from disappointments and unhappy experiences that went against our own expectations and what we felt was fair to us and what we thought was our entitlement.

In Bhgavadgita, Sri Krishna defines Jnana or wisdom as becoming aware (Anudarshanam) that this life-cycle is fraught with Doshas=defects such as Janma= birth, Mrityu= Death, Jara= Old age, Vyadhi=Disease, Duhkha=Sorrow (BG13.9). Bhagavan also says that contact with this world causes heat and cold, sorrow and pleasure, but all these pass off soon and so we should forbear these experiences (BG 2.14).

So is an essential helpless tolerance of Life's difficulties and pains the only way to truth? What is our truth? What is our true nature? When we pursue the path of Atma Darshan = Awareness of our true eternal nature, we come to realise that our essential nature is an Inner bliss and contentment that cannot be shaken or broken by any external situation or interaction. 

Atman is of the nature of eternal bliss. But we are unaware of that. Therefore we identify ourselves with pain and hurt, we identify ourselves with the body and mind and become vulnerable to external experiences with people, things and situations. This bondage should be broken if we want truly to cultivate Kshama. 

My favourite source of wisdom and Motivation is the Srimad Bhagavadgita. Sri Krishna defines Yoga as Duhkha-Samyoga-Viyoga (BG6.23)

yasmin sthito na duḥkhena

guruṇāpi vicālyate

taṁ vidyād duḥkha-saṁyoga-

viyogaṁ yoga-saṁjñitam (BG 6.23)

Being situated in such a position, which is defined as Yoga, one is never shaken, even in the midst of greatest difficulty. This indeed is actual freedom from all miseries arising from material contact.

So breaking free of hurt and victimhood by stopping my dependence on external sources of pleasure and joy is the path to Yoga. 

As long as I do not have this mindset, I will be hurt and unhappy. I will have expectations which beget disappointments. And the cycle will be eternal. 

I cannot use forgiveness as a bargaining tactic in relationships. I have to forgive everyone everything every time because I can see the external cover of body and mind reacting with their own tendencies but I am established in my eternal nature of bliss. 

Atma Darshan is the key to forgiveness. Those who hurt others are unaware. Those who feel hurt are also unaware of their own inner joy. We are all sailing in the same boat of worldly existence. We need to break free within ourselves and find that inner joy and peace.

Then and then alone will we be able to forgive like the Buddha. 

Levels of Awareness

http://www.atmadarshan.net

I feel blessed to begin my day with a session of Yoga online with Atma Darshan Yoga class. Our teachers Sri. Devanand and Smt. Devashri are exemplary in their dedication, mastery of the subject, and their way of communication. Even a class of 50 connects to them easily at a one-on-one level. 

A key Fundamental of Satyam Yoga as taught is Pawanmuktasan or PM series.

The PM1 series deals with all our joints. Toes, ankle, knee, hip, fingers, wrist, elbow, shoulder and neck. We move each with levels of awareness and breath synchronization.

I have found this to be remarkable for the way it keeps me like a well-oiled pendulum clock. 

I was wondering if there is an analogy to explain how this works. It surely works at many levels, and as I unravel it, the imagery of a master of a factory or farm and a worker come to mind. 

FIRST

At the most basic level, the master is aware of the worker - that he exists. He doesn't give much attention as there are many workers in his farm or factory. He observes what work the worker does. That's it. 

SECOND 

At the next level, he makes the worker's acquaintance, what his background is and how he goes about his job. He observes his level of efficiency and gives him some feedback, positive if his work is good, advice if not so good. He will perhaps send him for some training. 

THIRD 

At the next level, he will take on himself the role of a coach for the worker. He will advise the worker how he can stand out and shine. The master wants the worker to relate to other workers and establish a synergy of efficiency. 

FOURTH

At the next level, the worker may be motivated enough to see the grand vision of the master and join in the celebration of the totality of the establishment. He really excels at this level and becomes more than just a worker but a valued part of a grand whole. 

The PM1 levels are of 1) awareness of movement, 2) infusion of breath/Prana, 3) awareness of vitality and strength of the joint, and finally 4)perfection of movement.... 

These in PM1 series roughly correspond to the levels I have listed in my story. 

Does it make sense? 

हरिः ॐ तत् सत्