Friday, August 19, 2011

Day 2: The Sutras

 Day 2 of the Sutra Discussions. 

Feel free to write in your own thoughts and comments regarding the Sutras.  It is more fun with a dialogue, no?

Here we go...
Pada 1.2

This is the crux of Yoga.  This is why we do Yoga.  This section of the Sutras is the most important and if you could only study one of the sections, this would be the one.

Yoga chitta vritti nirodha. 

"Chitta Vritti"-- it sounds like a new snack food.

It is Sanskrit and it means the stopping of all the bouncing around of the mind is Yoga.

It is like when I was a little bitty furball and I saw a piece of yarn I would run and pounce on it.  But then I was distracted by the fly and so followed it.  It led me to the window and I jumped up and saw the dog outside and fell of the ledge, hurt my paws and ran to my mommy.

This is like the mind when we do not practice a form of meditation or Yoga.  Most people have trouble staying true to their path in life because there are so many distractions.  Many people have a very hard time sitting still and being quiet.  They say it is the scariest thing.  And if you ask them what they are scared of, they say-- their own thoughts.  Ahhh, the mind.  It IS the last frontier.  (Spock did not have a problem with chitta vritti.  His mind was not an incessant whirling.)

So what to do with our distracted, ego-centered mind that leads us to pain, suffering and ignorance?

We practice Yoga.  And put away the balls of yarn before we start.

Om and purr,
Swami Cat





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This blog was born through the inspiration and teachings of Rev. Jaganath Carrera and The Yoga Life Society. www.yogalifesociety.com