A Sutra a Day: IV-21 – Mind-stuff Watching Itself

A Sutra a Day: IV-21 – Mind-stuff Watching Itself

Okay I’ve run out of steam. I can’t think of a single anecdote from my life that will illustrate the Sutra of the day. I can’t even think of anything in my experience that will even obliquely describe today’s Sutra.
However, Chip Hartranft will save the day with this great explanation of the distinction between awareness and consciousness, which has been the theme of Chapter IV with its Sutra being all about freedom. […]

A Sutra a Day: IV-21 – Mind-stuff Watching Itself

A Sutra a Day: IV-20 – Finding Serenity Against the Odds

Do you keep diaries? I did for many years. I filled up many of those blank page books; they were like my portable and private therapists, a written record of ruminations and attempts to sort feelings. I suppose you could say blogging is a modern day, more focussed way of diarising.
I came across one of my old books by accident today. (I burned a lot of the old diaries because I sorely needed to move on from past traumas.) This particular book is special. […]

A Sutra a Day: IV-19 – Blinded by Science

Source: Uploaded by user via Sam on Pinterest

 
In studying today’s message from Patanjali (as below), it seemed to lend itself well to a phenomenon to which we all fall prey – even esteemed and supposedly detached scientists – so I decided to ask my husband in as a guest blogger to describe it. So here’s Daniel:
I found this definition of science on a website:

“Science is a way of understanding the world, not a mountain of facts. Before anyone can truly understand scientific information, they must know how science works. […]

A Sutra a Day: IV-16 – Indulging Perspectives

Source: tumblr.com via Madison on Pinterest

 
One of the hardest lessons I’ve had to learn is that my reality is real only for me. Assuming that others should agree with my world view, and perhaps even adopt it, has been the cause of suffering for me in the past.
When I started teaching yoga 30-plus years ago, I was gung-ho in my interpretation of the Iyengar method. I learned from a tough teacher and I tried to be one. […]

A Sutra a Day: IV-15 – Would You Rather be Right or Be in Love?

Source: Uploaded by user via Câro on Pinterest

 
Shortly before I went away on a several week break recently, I had an argument with one of my housemates. You know how it is when you’re rushing around getting ready to go, stressed by packing, and completing those pesky chores. I was not at all in the space of anticipatory delight.
I won’t bore you with the details of the dust-up; let’s just say there was a display of anger, hurt feelings and cross words. My lower self was clearly on display. […]

Yoga Connections

Yoga Connections

I’ve been on the road (and away from my Patanjali studies) for a a week now. It’ll be another week before I settle back into my routine – i.e. early morning practice. I’ve done a little asana practice along the way, in the bedrooms and living rooms where we’ve stayed. Not quite the same, though, as my friendly green tin shed at home.
However, I’ve had the delightful experience of re-uniting with old yoga students from 25 years ago who now live in the Kalang Valley (Helen’s painting is below). […]

Summer Ripe

Summer Ripe

Northern hemisphere peoples eat your heart out. Here on the Eastern seaboard of New South Wales, it’s the height of summer; and my present location – Bellingen – is especially in full bloom.
The produce shops are overflowing with stone fruit, grapes, melons, berries and sweet corn.
Streets are arrayed with bowers of crepe myrtles, hydrangeas, frangipanis, bougainvillea, grevilea, hibiscus.
People are drawn to pack up a picnic blanket and a few provisions and head for a park after work; or take a swimming costume and beach towel, and set out for the sea. […]

A Sutra a Day: IV-21 – Mind-stuff Watching Itself

Do You Compete in Yoga?

I think I’m getting there finally, gradually – that is, being non-competive, in my yoga and in my teaching.
It’s taken a few knocks on my head along the way: years of dealing with osteoarthritis and a couple of rounds of major surgery. […]