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Conquest of matter - Bhoota Jayam

 
Objective 'conquest of matter' is what our civilisation is trying to do relentlessly. We may have tasted intermittent success in this but from the long range perspective, our conquest of matter seems at best a Pyrrhic victory. The rate at which our biosphere is being destroyed seems like enough evidence for that. Nevertheless, this is not the subject of this article. Instead, this article is interested in exploring subjective 'conquest of matter'.

To understand subjective 'conquest of matter', one first needs to recognise the various components of the subject. Towards this end, the traditional approach of splitting matter into the five elements (earth, water, fire, air and sky) is taken. Traditionally, the following simple explanation is given to show why the body contains the five elements.

When an individual dies, the first thing that leaves the body is the breath or the wind element. Next, within a few minutes, the body looses the heat in it. This is seen as fire leaving the body. These days, most dead bodies are immediately kept in a freezer and hence the corpse is frozen. But, if it is kept out, we can notice all kinds of fluids, i.e. the water element, starting to leak out of the body. Next, all kinds of organisms start acting on the body and the body starts to disintegrate. As the earth element disintegrates, finally the space element that is held within is also released. Thus, death is the dissolution of matter which makes up the body into the sea of potentiality from which other bodies arise.

Our mind being a function of the body, is obviously influenced by the components of the body and hence can be studied in terms of the characteristics of these elements. Thus, subjective 'conquest of matter' is in other terms is simply conquering the negative sides of these elements in ones body and mind.

In order to see the characteristics, lets go from the gross to the subtle. Earth element which can seen, felt, tasted and smelled is the grossest of them all. Some of the important characteristics of the earth element are stability and dependability. The primary reason why individuals lack this is lack of discipline. Therein, one concludes that conquest of earth is conquest of indiscipline.

Next is the element water. It comes next because it can be seen, felt and tasted but cannot be smelled. The most important characteristics of water is that of life giver. It also has a pacifying / calming effect on most people. This is usually equated with sincerity / genuineness. Thus, conquest of water is the conquest of insincerity.

Next comes the fire element which can be seen and felt but neither can be tasted nor can be smelled. The most important characteristic of fire is that of energy provider. While water can also do some work, there is nothing like fire to do intense / focussed work. Fire also provides light, which no other element can. In human beings the energy to act comes from desire and motivation. Thus, conquest of fire is the conquest of lack of motivation / desire.

Next comes the wind element which can only be felt. Wind can go places easily. It can expand / contract effortlessly. It is very difficult to block wind. These are also the characteristics of imagination / intelligence. Thus, conquest of wind is the conquest of lack of imagination / intelligence.

Finally, comes the space element. This can only be known by intuition. No sense can indicate its presence. Space elements holds you and me. It also holds the ugliest toad and the most beautiful flower. It has space for Hitler and Christ. Normally, we do not have such an all encompassing space in us. We do not accept certain kinds of people. We do not accept certain kinds of situations. Conquering this lack of acceptance is verify conquest of space.

When the characteristics of these five elements in our bodies and mind is complete, we may say one has accomplished bhoota jayam or conquest of matter. All of these apply at both the physical and mental levels. Discipline / sincerity / motivation / imagination and space are equally applicable to both body and mind. For example, the amount of space we have in our minds to accept things is dependent on the amount of space the spine has to elongate in our back, the amount of space our lungs have to expand in our thoracic cavity and the amount of space the diaphragm has to descend into the abdominal cavity.

Regular adherence to the limbs of yoga helps in this conquer of matter! One who has conquered the elements this way is verily set for great things in life. The inner voice will be heard clearly and will be manifested in the world beautifully! The individuals life acquires great depth and meaning. The ego becomes punier and punier but the ideals / values etc that the individuals life demonstrates, become more and more precious. Thus, this is probably the most important conquest that one should concern oneself with in this life!

PS: The same can be analysed in many other ways. This is a perspective that works wonderfully for me! :)

Anger Management through Yoga

Seven steps for anger management:

1. Seeing it. Seeing all dimensions of it. Seeing them choice-lessly.
2. That which has arisen will also demise and hence this will also go away. Seeing this is important.
3. Seeing your situation in perspective. Contrast it with the worst atrocity that someone whom you know has gone through.
4. Seeing the other persons perspective. If one were in their shoes, one probably would have done the same.
5. Learning to breath. Mind, being a function of the body, is most easily tuned / regulated by mastery over ones breath.
6. Practising all of the above regularly so that they come handy needed.
7. Dealing with the situation. This could even mean all out battle. But, that should necessarily be the last option.

All these being the most elementary aspects of anger management, lets now enter the more involved parts.

When one's family members fight with each other, die of preventable causes and / or waste their life in trivial pursuits, most sane individuals will feel a lot of anger. This is exactly the state of affairs in the world. It is surprising that most people are not angry about it. Interestingly, this also comes about by seeing - seeing the interconnected ways of the world, the suffering it and the apathy one shows towards it.

Practice of yoga helps one identify with the whole world as ones family. Naturally one will start feeling anger at the state of the world. This anger provides energy for action. Yoga further strengthens and tightens ones body and mind so as to hold that anger within carefully. If not, the fire which anger is will spread out and will add to the madness around. Instead, the energy stays within and the individual becomes like an engine - an engine of change. The anger is kept in and the energy is felt outside. First the individual undergoes a dramatic transformation and then the light of change spreads out.

Gradually, over a period of time, the individual naturally acts as an engine of change even without the anger.

Anger management through yoga complete!

The moon is waiting!

Bribe desirous cop

Unscrupulous unyielding

The moon is waiting!

Para & Apara Vidya

Two kinds of knowledge:
a.) Apara Vidya - That which comes from experience and skill
b.) Para Vidya - That which comes from being free from experience and grace

Can we cultivate both?

The former is masculine and the latter is feminine. The former gives one a career while the latter makes life worth living by helping one acquire great inner depth.

Archetypes of people interested in yoga sutras

Possible archetypes of people interested in the yoga sutras:
1. Complacent Outsider
2. Ultimate Insider
3. Romantic Seeker
4. Universal Philosopher
5. Bodily Practitioner
6. Mere Philologist
7. Classical Scholar

From 'Silence Unheard: Deathly Otherness' in Patañjala-yoga
By Yohanan Grinshpon

Nice list but IMHO, it seems that the author has not got the point :D

My view is that, all of the above classifications are about the quality of the intellect that is interested and not the being.. for example, sincere seeker is missing.. the deepest he gets is the romantic seeker.. much more importantly, the

yogi is missing! furthermore there are many applications of being a yogi - like being an astronomer, doctor, social activist etc which Patanjali talks about and I find a reference to any of that lacking.. so I felt he has not gone deep enough beyond looking at it through the intellect!

 

NDP - 2903 / 2904

2904

நின்றனர் இருந்தனர் கிடந்தனர் திரிந்தனர்
நின்றிலர் இருந்திலர் கிடந்திலர் திரிந்திலர்
என்றும் ஓர் இயல்வினர் என நினைவு அரியவர்
என்றும் ஓர் இயல்வொடு நின்ற எம் திடரே!



2903

அவரவர் தமதம தறிவறி வகைவகை
அவரவ ரிறையவ ரெனவடி யடைவர்கள்
அவரவ ரிறையவர் குறைவில ரிறையவர்
அவரவ விதிவழி யடையநின் றனரே!




 

Rules vs Creativity

என்னை யாரறிவார்

எங்கிருந்தாலும் உன்னை நானறிவேன்
என்னை உன்னையல்லாது வேறு யாரறிவார்?

World of desires

To deal with the adult world healthily, one needs to learn to deal with desires. For this, one has to identify all of ones desires at every level, purify them and manifest them in the world! Through this process one cultivates the skill and patience to deal with the world of desires or in other words, the world of adults!

Big fish!

Christ, in his parable of the fisherman, says the wise fisherman throws away all the small fish caught in his net but retains just the big fish! Likewise, shall we throw away all the distracting superficial desires and diligently (if needed, aggressively) preserve and cultivate our deepest heartfelt desires?

Touched by three souls in aged bodies!

Three incidents where actions of old people deeply touched me this week:
1. Was standing very tired in a crowded bus after a long day. A seat near me was vacated. An old (70+) man was standing right next to the seat and normally he would have sat there but  he gave the seat to me voluntarily with a big smile (knowing that I was tired)!

2. Was trying to board a bus. The bus started to move unexpectedly and my leg slipped slightly and dangerously. A old man standing on the road said, 'ayyo paathu kanna' (be careful my son). Was genuinely touched by the expression of love and concern on his face. Usually people are too tight to express their concern and even if they do, do not say 'kanna'!

3. The biggest thing was today. An old (80+) lady slipped in her house in the middle of the night. She could not move and was sitting on the ground in pain and blood for 5hours as she did not want to wake up her kids staying in the same apartment complex! As she narrated this, there was absolutely no sense of pain / worry / frustration / anguish or any other negative emotion in her voice. No pain at being 'alone' or any of the usual (mostly genuine) complaints of the aged. Truly, the divine is expressing itself through her! Blessed to have known her for so long!

Feels great to be in touch with such souls! :) Makes one humble and filled with gratitude.

Individuals vs Suffering

Individuals create suffering. No no wait! Suffering creates individuals. No no wait! Its both. No no wait! Its neither. Hmm.., no no wait! Its complex! My god, this is crazily insanely complex! My god, I really do not know!

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இரண்டற்ற நிலை

இரண்டற்ற நிலை உணராவிட்டால்
இரண்டென்னும் இருளின் பாரத்தால்
இறை இரண்டாய் பிளக்கும்!

இரண்டற்ற நிலை பிறந்துவிட்டால்
அன்பென்னும் அருளின் ஒளியால்
காயங்கள் வேறானாலும்
உயிர் ஒன்றாய் இணையும்!

மதங்கொண்ட வேழம்

மதங்கொண்ட வேழம் போல திரிகின்றேன்
கோடி விதங்கொண்ட வேடம் தரித்த வேடன் துரத்த
சினம்கொண்டு மோதினால் எல்லாம் அழியுமாமே!

Kaivalya from Maths

Freedom from the perennial tyranny of the mathematical mind is obtained by letting emotions flow freely!

Satyam Shivam Sundaram

When the mind is established in Satyam (truth), Shivam (masculine) is recognized inside and Sundaram (feminine) is cultivated outside! The being is developed to the fullest extent!

Lessons from impurities

Ones unshakeable impurities teaches one:

• Understanding of duality
• Humility / Compassion with respect to others
• Gratitude for the degree of purity one already possesses
• Ones lack of necessary intensity for further cleansing of oneself!

Duhkam

परिणाम ताप संस्कार दुःखैः गुणवृत्तिविरोधाच्च दुःखमेव सर्वं विवेकिनः

parinama-tapa-samskara-duhkhair guna-vritti-virodhac ca dhukham eva sarvam vivekinah!

Yoga sutras, ch 2, sutra 15

 

Literal meaning: The wise see all misery arising from the contact of imperfect mental states with consequences of external changes or actions motivated by desires or habitual actions.

Implied meaning (my interpretation): To overcome suffering, let consequences of external changes or actions motivated by desires or habitual actions contact the state of purity within (accessed by purifying ones mind)!