Residual Trouble

Anyone who works all day on a computer knows about the pains it causes on the knuckles and wrists know that the pain is the result of the residual stress on the hands. If not attended to in due course of time, the residual stress accumulates into more serious conditions. Usually, we take appropriate measures to maintain correct postures to minimize the accumulation of stress. In addition, we might also do some exercise to get rid of the accumulated stress. Loss of awareness when correct posture is needed and / or loss of discipline to remove the accumulated stress leads to trouble.

There is another level in which residues accumulate. Most people are seldom aware of this. Even amongst those who are aware, only a very small percentage attempt to eliminate it. It is at the dimension of our minds. Like how every action we do with our body leaves a residue in the body and hurts it, every thought we have in our minds leave a residue there and hurts us. The hurt of the thought residue could potentially be much more significant and harmful beyond redemption than the hurt of the residue in the body.

The accumulation of these residues is a complex process and the effect it has on us is an even more complex process. It takes tremendous courage and insight on the part of the individual to be aware of this and to eliminate it. This is because, by the time an individual is an young adult and is ready to observe all this, the society and his/her environs have deeply ingrained into him/her that the residue is part of his/her makeup. Even very few full grown, mature and well meaning adults recognize this. Hence, its not part of our culture to deal with it. Consequently, instead of acting in order to get rid of the residue, we live our lives actively contributing to the growth of the residue.

Consider the case of a young kid who goes to one of the popular singing competitions being aired on television these days. He is constantly appreciated any hyped up by all his friends / family and even random strangers. It is inevitable that the kid thinks of himself /herself as a unique / special person who needs special treatment. This is the residue of the thoughts that the kid has about himself as a singer. Instead of being taught to get rid of this residue, the kid is taught to build upon this residue. His entire life could probably be built on this residue leading to a complex ego who source is totally obscured in his later years. The person would always be acting out of memory, acting out of a compulsive need to enhance these residues and might never know what spontaneity is. The result would be a tortured mind that is so twisted and the sad thing is that the individual might never realize this - leading to a life that is never at total peace internally and never in total harmony with others externally.

Countless such examples may be given. When we look into ourselves, we can see the residues in us at a surface level. The deeper we go into us, the deeper we can cleanse us of our residues. The sense of identity is so deeply identified with all these residues that our true self is always obscured. Most of our residues are related to:

• Successes - Academic /Monetary achievements, Accomplishments of close kin, accomplishments of institutions (country, religion, company) we are attached to etc..
• Failures - Failed attempts at academic / monetary achievements, breakdown of some relationship, failure of institutions we are attached to etc..

When anyone says anything regarding the former, we feel nice and when the focus is on the latter, we feel depressed. Seldom do we face up to these residues and call them what they are - an illusory phenomenon that controls our lives. In Hindu terms, it is the primary contributor to the veil of maya or in christian terms, the original sin!

The sum total of all these residues is what is generally referred to as the ego. To identify all the residues and to rid ourselves of them requires tremendous commitment and awareness to every thought we have. One great thing on our side is that the residues leave a lot of symptoms. Most importantly, the residues need to be replenished and hence there will always be more thoughts to replenish them. So, if we can simply pay attention to every single unwanted / unintentional thought of ours, we can spot the residues. Once we spot them, it boils down to whether we have the courage to rid ourselves of it. It could mean being scoffed at by people we know because we might have to suddenly change our stand on many things and alter our behavior too. The question is, do we want to be socially accepted for something that is evidently false in us, or do we want to stick to what is truth and build relationships based on what is true in us?

To me, the purpose of yoga is ridding ourselves of these residues in at our various levels - the physical, the physiological and the mental. Typically, and unfortunately, most of yoga is focussed at the physical and the physiological levels. They are also important, but no where near as important as cleansing the residues in our mind. Once these are cleansed, the individual will be able to stay clear of all future suffering. Patanjali says, "Heyam duhkham anagatam", meaning "prevent future suffering".

May all of humanity find the courage to cleanse themselves of the residues in them and lead extraordinarily healthy and outrageously happy lives that is underscored by peace!