Thirumandiram & JK

Thirumandiram continues to awe me! I have traced quite a few commonly used tamil sayings in Yoga to this great book. Today, I stumbled upon an equivalent to JK's 'Truth is a pathless land'

அது உணர்ந்தோன் ஒரு தன்மையை நாடி
எது உணரா வகை நின்றனன் ஈசன்
புது உணர்வான புவனங்கள் எட்டும்
இது உணர்ந்து என் உடல் கோயில் கொண்டானே.

They who sought Him in one Special Way
Knew Him not in any way;
And thus it is the Lord
That the eight universes pervades;
Of my heart, too, a temple made.

Thirumandiram - 1722

Schooling and Dharma

I saw a few scenes from a horrible movie last weekend on TV. One of those scenes though made a profound statement about modern education.

A village had to choose a headman. After some discussions, a committee decided it should be the person who is least interested in money (interesting approach, in contrast with elections). They conduct a (partially silly?) test of throwing a rupee (which had some value in the context of a village 30 years ago) on the road and observe reactions. They decided that the shortlisted candidates would be those who pick it up and search for the owner of the money. In the next scene, the village drunkard returns it but not the most 'educated' dude in the village (who is the son of the former headman). 

Movies tend to deliberately concentrate societal characteristics and show them out of proportion. Even after conceeding that, this is an interesting perspective that we are seldom aware of! What does modern day schooling do to ones sense of dharma?

Oneeeeeee, twooooooo, ...

Standard practice: In - 4 secs, Ex - Om ; Repeat 10 times

But if student is not able to count and do the breathing simultaneously, change it as follows :):
In, Ex - oneeeeeee
In, Ex - twooooooo
In, Ex - threeeeee
...
In, Ex - tennnnnnn

கவிதை

சொல்லாதிக்கத்தில் உருவாகாது கவிதை
பொருளாதிக்கத்தில் உருவாகாது கவிதை
தன்னைதாம் அனுபவத்திருக்கும் பொழுது
தாமாகவே வெளிவருமே கவிதையானது 

சமுசாரமும் நிர்வாணமும்

சமுசாரமும் நிர்வாணமும் போகிகள் ஒவ்வாதென்பர்
சமுசாரதிற்கு வெளியே மலர்ந்தவர் வெகு சிலர்
சமுசாரத்தில் உயர்ஞானம் கண்டவர் ஜனகர்
சமுத்திரத்தின் மேலும் பள்ளிகொண்டவர் போலே!

சமுசாரம்

மௌனமும் வைராகியமும் ஒன்றையொன்று வளர்க்கும்
இரண்டையும் சோதிக்கும் சமுசாரம்

அகம்பாவம்

அகம்பாவம் வளர்ந்து அறம் அழிந்தால்
அகம் ஆகும் பாவம்

क्लेश कर्म विपाकाशयैः

The title of the note transliterated in English reads 'kleśa karma vipāka-āśayaiḥ'. The common meaning for the above words is give below.

Klesa : painful , afflicted, impure
Karma : actions
Vipaka : consequences
Asayaih : resting place , storage of traces , propensities

This is the first half of one of the foundational yoga sutras (chapter 1, sutra 24). These days, whenever I teach any adult (individuals who display a certain level of maturity and independence with which I can dialogue), I start with an exploration of the above four words and its relationship with Yoga. This sutra explores how many of our actions (individual / social) are caught up in endless cycles. It is best to see a few examples.

Example1 - Stress



Most of us can quickly identify this in us. If you are not working in a field that you truly like and if you are not disciplined enough there, you will flow through this energy and life sapping cycle often.


Example2 - Poverty



We can see this often in the world outside us. That is, only if we are alert to this. Mostly we are not for the story of our lives itself is so energy sapping for us that we seldom get to see this.


Example 3 - Capitalism / World Bank induced



If you are not keenly observing the direction in which societies and economies in the world are taking, this can be missed easily.


Whether something is a cycle or not is partly objective and partly subjective. To figure out the cycles that one finds oneself in in ones own life, it is best first to get the inputs of genuine past explorers in the path. They will be able to show a few cycles and then give us some books / resources which can help provide one an intellectual 'proof of concept'. Then, one can go ahead and explore it in ones own life to get a first hand knowledge.

When I teach yogasana, I have started to try and emphasise these cycles, especially the ones that I feel the student may not have been exposed to (provided, it is something that I have at least some basic idea about). It is one thing to intellectually understand it and another to actually experiment with it and gaining at least a certain degree of freedom from some of these cycles. This requires tremendous amount of energy and a certain degree of relentlessness in ones chosen pursuits. I feel, regular practice of asana and pranayama creates a physique and physiology that can provide this. It also provides a calm enough and focussed mind that can do this.

A couple more possible cycles that I have tried to grapple with personally are (exact way of describing these may need more polishing). Start looking at the cycle from 'C'.
C- Cycle causing state
A - Action in the world
R - Result of action
I - Impression (residue) in individual/world


1. Schooling


2. Image of Self


3. Physical Appearance



There are lot more I feel. Consider what happens when we get into arguments that last for a time - we get into a certain position and every further argument only reinforces our position and never brings us out of that. Consider what happens when we get home loans that gets us committed for 20 years. Consider what happens when we get used to a certain 'life style' etc!


Request to those who have gotten to this point in this article :):

If you have grappled with any such cycle in your life, do write to me about your experience. If I have some experience in it too, I can work with you and we can come up with some nice examples which can be shared with students. In addition if you have any resources (books / articles / documentaries etc) that can help in a 'proof of concept', do share them with me! If I do not have any experience in it, I would be most happy to learn the nuances of the same from you!

while (1);

I heard the last few minutes of a talk in IIT about the central being (or column) around which ones life may be built. I really did resonate with that. Sharing some further thoughts (of mine) along that line here.

1. Life vision is the central column of the mental being
2. Breath is the central column of the physiological being
3. Spine is the central column of the physical being

The above three parts are highly interconnected but it is also useful to see it as three different parts. Regular and appropriate asana practice works on the spine and makes it strong and flexible. The entire body gets nicely organised around this. Likewise, regular and appropriate pranayama practice works on the breath (and the slightly more esoteric nadis) to make the entire physiological body revolve around the breath.

When one practices this regularly, ones approach to life dramatically changes. When there is a situation in ones life which one is not able to stand, one quickly retreats into another mental state which acts as a refuge. We regularly see this in movies. When the heroine rejects / cheats the hero, the heros attitude in life changes - either they start blaming women or they withdraw into themselves and get into depression. This is a reaction in their mind as the original event was too stressful for their mind to handle. This reaction becomes a refuge. But when ones spine becomes the central column and has developed strength and flexibility, one develops the ability to face touch situations actually without running away into a refuge.

When ones breath becomes the central column of the physiological being, many physiological processes and in particular respiration, digestion and excretion become very efficient. Thus, we are left with lot of surplus energy to face life.

When one is able to face problems in life and that too with surplus energy, then chances are that one will deal with situations skilfully and successfully. Thus, staying ahead of the curve becomes effortless. Only when this happens, one is able to question how the world is and how ones life is. This will lead us to explore deeper questions in life and create a vision for oneself. Gradually developing such a central column for ones life will lead to a fulfilling and meaningful life which is away from social programming and other meaningless affairs. Lives that are not organised this way tend to be involve themselves in activities that are mostly devoid of meaning or at least such lives will not be developed to their fullest potential. The movie 'Shawshank Redepmtion' talks about how jail lives can be utterly boring and monotonous. Furthermore, it goes on to show how in order to avoid the insanity arising out of this boredom, inmates develop some mostly meaningless habits so that their minds can be occupied. This is not significantly different from how we fill most of our waking lives with activities. This is described fairly accurately by the following statement from the C programming language

while (1);

For those who are not acquainted, the above statement will get the computer to continuously do work but effectively nothing of significance gets done! How many parts of our lives are like this? Do we have the strength and motivation to do so? If not, what is it that saps all the available energy?

ஞானமுங் கல்வியும்

நமச்சி வாயவே ஞானமுங் கல்வியும்
நமச்சி வாயவே நானறி விச்சையும்
நமச்சி வாயவே நாநவின் றேத்துமே
நமச்சி வாயவே நன்னெறி காட்டுமே.

ஞானமும், கல்வியும், நானறிந்த வித்தையும் பஞ்சாட்சரமே; நா கூறி வழிபடுவதும் அதனையே ; நன்னெறி காட்டுவதும் அத்திருமந்திரமேயாகும்.

-- திருவாசகம்

ஆழ்மன ஆசை

ஆழ்மன ஆசைகளின் அசைவில் ஆட்டம்
அறியாதோர் வாழ்வு ஓட்டம்

குணவீரியம்

திரை விலகினாலும் குணவீரியம் தணியாது
தேவை தியானம் அதற்கு

योग जिज्ञासा

नित्यं योग जिज्ञासा! प्रत्यहम् योग अभ्यास!
Forever, desirous of Yoga! Daily, practice yoga!

பத்மாசனம்

இதய பத்மத்தில் ஸ்திரசுகம் பத்மாசனம்
கால்மடக்குவது சிறுவர் ஆட்டம்

ராமபக்தி - யோகயுக்தி

சித்தவிகார கலக்கம் தெளிவிக்க ராமபக்தி
மற்ற விவகாரங்களுக்கு யோகயுக்தி

சனியின் அதீனம்

வாணியின் அகத்தில் சனியின் அதீனம்
அங்ஙனம் மதி ஈனம்

எத்தனை எத்தனை

எத்தனை எத்தனை ஆயிரம் விளையாட்டுக்கள்
நிலையாமையை உணராமல் இருக்க

உருவரை வாழ்வு

பத்தில் பொம்மையும் படிப்பும்
இருபதில் காதலும் காமமும்
முப்பதில் பெயரும் பணமும்
நாற்பதில் குழந்தையும் குடும்பமும்
ஐம்பதில் நிம்மதியும் ஆரோகியமும்
அறுபதில் பக்தியும் பயமும்

முன்வடிவு அளிக்கும் நடுத்தர வாழ்வு
சராசரி ஆபத்து சராசரி வரவு
உருவரை மீற தேவை மெய்யறிவு
அதுவரை உன்னை நீயே படித்திரு

Quotes from Eknath Eashwaran's FB Page

"When we get upset, it's not because life upsets us. We get upset because we're upsettable. With practice, everyone can develop a mind that's unupsettable. One of the best ways to do this is to give complete attention and respect to those around us - particularly when we differ."

"Jealousy comes into a relationship when we try to possess someone for ourselves. It is a very difficult secret to discover: that when we do not want to possess another person selfishly, when we do not make demand after demand, the relationship will grow and last. And it is something we have to learn the hard, hard way. This is the secret of all relationships, not only between husband and wife, boyfriend and girlfriend, but between friend and friend, parents and children."

"It is the nature of an untrained mind to keep moving, moving, moving. But the mind is infinitely teachable. You can make it natural for your mind not to move, but to dwell like a laser wherever you place it. That is the secret of genius, and it is the secret of satisfying relationships too."

"When your own mind is slow, you will be calm under attack. You will be in control of your own responses. Then you will not be afraid of angry people; you will be able to face them with affection in your heart, security in your mind, and a quiet confidence that you can slow down their anger. Even a belligerent person can sense that you are remaining calm, so you not only remain free from anger yourself but help the other person to calm down too."

"We do not still our minds in a week or even a year; it takes a long, long period of steady, enthusiastic effort. We should never be impressed by anyone who claims to give us complete control over the conscious, preconscious, and unconscious levels of the mind in a four-week seminar. But even it it takes a lifetime to attain this state, it is worth all our time and attention."

"It is no small thing to compose a sonata or write a perceptive novel; we are indebted to the great composers and writers who have given us beauty and insight into human nature. But I am most moved by the beauty of the perfectly crafted life, where every bit of selfishness has been carved away and what is thought, felt, said, and done are brought into harmony."

“We have to have a purpose greater than the endless struggle to satisfy personal desires.”

"The mind is conditioned to go after what it likes and to avoid what it dislikes, and so it is never at rest. If we can observe our mind with a little detachment, we can watch this process. Training the mind to be patient and calm under all circumstances, then, often begins with learning to wear our likes and dislikes loosely, casually, like a favorite old sweater."

“We need people if we are to grow, and all our problems with them, properly seen, are opportunities for growth. Can you practice patience with a deer? Can you learn to forgive a redwood? But trying to live in harmony with those around you right now will bring out enormous inner toughness.”

"When the mind is still, we can become an instrument of peace."

"Our speech has power. If we are careless in the words we choose – or even deliberately negative – we can set in motion damaging forces that are as threatening as a viral epidemic. Or we can add our voice to the harmony that underlies all life by choosing our words with care, honesty, and – above all – kindness."

“Developing a one-pointed mind will enrich your life moment by moment. You will find that your senses are keener, your emotions more stable, your intellect more lucid, your sensitivity to the needs of others heightened. Whatever you do, you will be there more fully.”

இதயத் தாமரை

இதயத் தாமரை மலர்கையில் அமைதியில்
ஆழும் புத்தியும் அஹங்காரமும்

உண்மையான ஆசனம் இதயக் கமலம்
பத்மாசனம் முதலியவை பஹிரங்கம

யோக சஸ்திரம் சாஸ்திரம் சூத்திரம்
இதயக் கமலம் தேடுவதற்காகவே

பிரம்மசூத்திரம் படித்த புத்தியும் பணியும்
சுயஒளி கொண்ட அல்லியின்முன்

இதயக் கமலம் வாசம் வீச
தானே நிற்கும் நாவு

ஆழியில் கலக்கும் மழைத்துளி அதுபோல்
இதயத்திடம் சுயமிழக்கும் சிற்றின்பம்

ஆதவனுடன் எழும் உலகு அதுபோல்
உள்ளொளியுடன் புனித குணங்கள்

இதயத் தாமரை அமர்தல் கல்வி
மற்றவை உணவிடலாம் கற்பிக்காது