173. Contentrate on a Great Soul, Mahatma.
My Daily Thread
In our continued exploration of the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, we turn to Sutra 1:37, which offers another practical approach to stilling the mind. 1:37 in Sanskrit reads: वीतरागविषयं वा चित्तम्। Vītarāga-viṣayaṁ vā cittam. This translates to: “Or, by concentrating the mind on a great soul who is totally free from attachment to the senses.” Swami Satchidananda interprets this as directing the mind toward the qualities and essence of a being who has transcended worldly desires and attachments. Such a focus can help stabilize and purify our own...
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172. Mother Teresa, light us up!
My Daily Thread
In our exploration of the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, we continue to find timeless wisdom that guides us toward inner stability and peace. Let’s review some recent verses before delving into Sutra 1:36. 1:33 reminds us of the power of cultivating maitrī (friendliness), karuṇā (compassion), muditā (joy), and upekṣā (equanimity). These practices transform our relationships and help purify the mind. 1:34 emphasizes the connection between the breath and the mind, teaching us how regulating the breath can stabilize and clear mental disturbances. 1:35 introduces the cryptic notion of sensory...
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171. Supersensational perception & PTSD... ya right!?
My Daily Thread
In Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, Verse 1:35 takes us into an intriguing realm of heightened perception. The verse in Sanskrit is: विषयवती वा प्रवृत्तिरुत्पन्ना मनसः स्थितिनिबन्धिनी। Viṣayavatī vā pravṛttirutpannā manasaḥ sthitinibandhinī. This sutra suggests that focusing on heightened or extraordinary sensory perceptions can help stabilize the mind. Commentaries often discuss supernormal sensory experiences—exquisite taste, extraordinary hearing, and other heightened faculties—as tools...
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170. Prachardana. 4-7-8 Breathe!
My Daily Thread
Patanjali, the great sage who authored the Yoga Sutras around 200 CE, offers profound insights into the transformative power of breath in Verse 1:34, where pranayama is introduced. Pranayama, the extension or control of the breath (prana meaning life force and ayama meaning expansion or regulation), is highlighted here not merely as a physical practice but as a gateway to well-being and balance. Through the breath, we can directly affect our health and mental state, mainly by activating the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) via the vagus nerve. Today, we delve into a specific pranayama...
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169. Breath! Hit the brakes...
My Daily Thread
In Verse 1:34 of the Yoga Sutras, Patanjali emphasizes the power of the breath to stabilize the mind and cultivate focus. This teaching, timeless in its wisdom, connects directly to the modern understanding of how breath influences the nervous system. Jeff recalls a vivid moment during his time as a paramedic—the "Everybody stop!" episode in the ambulance. This dramatic experience highlighted the importance of calm amidst chaos, a state achievable through the conscious use of the breath. The parasympathetic nervous system (PNS), often called the "rest and digest" system, is crucial in...
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168. Bharmari Pranayama. The Kingdom of God within you ...
My Daily Thread
In Chapter 1:34 of the Yoga Sutras, Patanjali introduces breathwork as a tool for calming the mind and cultivating focus. This teaching resonates deeply in today's world, where breathwork has become a global phenomenon. Whether used in trauma recovery, by military snipers for precision and focus, or through the popular Wim Hof Method, breathwork is recognized for its transformative power. Wim Hof combines breath control, ice baths, and commitment to resilience and inner strength, demonstrating the profound connection between breath and mental clarity. Patanjali’s teachings on breathwork...
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167. Prachardhana? from the Iceman?
My Daily Thread
In the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, Sutra 1:34 offers profound insight into the use of breathwork as a means to steady the mind. The sutra emphasizes the power of working with the breath, particularly focusing on exhalation and retention, to cultivate concentration and inner calm. While the term prachardhana references exhalation and vidhāraṇa retention, this may not necessarily mean literal breath control but rather the symbolic or energetic aspect of focusing on the life force (prana). The word pranayama itself breaks down into prana, meaning breath or life force, and ayama, meaning...
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166. Prachardana. Expel the breath and confusion.
My Daily Thread
In Yoga Sutras 1:33 to 1:39, Patanjali provides a range of practical approaches to help us concentrate the mind and cultivate greater clarity. These techniques offer tools for navigating obstacles, aligning with the overarching goal of citta vritti nirodhah—stilling the fluctuations of the mind. Concentrating on a "tattva," or principle, creates focus and stability in our practice. This section of the sutras builds upon acknowledging that the spiritual path is not without challenges, and concentration helps us overcome these barriers. Sutra 1:33, which we have already explored,...
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165B. Metta - Loving Kindness Meditation Practice. (LKM)
My Daily Thread
Start by finding comfortable seat. Make a distinct change in your posture. A change that encourages a kind and attentive focus. Repeat the following metta phrases quietly in your mind. These phrases will be directed to you, someone you love, a neutral person, someone you have complicated relations with, a group (or the world), and then back to yourself. "May I(they) be filled with love and kindness." "May I(they) be well." "May I(they) be peaceful and at ease." "May I(they) be happy and free." Enjoy your practice. Let me know in the show notes how it goes. As with any...
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165. Loving kindness meditation (LKM). Metta explained ...
My Daily Thread
Springing from Yoga Sutra 1:33, which encourages us to cultivate positive attitudes like friendliness, compassion, joy, and equanimity, we find a parallel in the practice of Metta Meditation or Loving-Kindness Meditation. This practice, with roots in both Buddhist tradition and modern psychology, has been extensively studied for its profound effects on mental and emotional health. Dr. Barbara Frederickson, a researcher at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, has explored the many benefits of Metta Meditation. Her research reveals that practicing loving-kindness meditation can...
info_outlineIn Yoga Sutra 1:33, Patanjali offers us a universal method to cultivate inner peace and mental clarity by adopting specific attitudes toward different situations. This sutra, expressed in Sanskrit as:
“Maitrī-karuṇā-muditā-upekṣāṇāṁ sukha-dukha-puṇya-apuṇya-viṣayāṇāṁ bhāvanātaḥ citta-prasādanam”
translates to:
"By cultivating attitudes of maitrī (friendliness) toward those who are happy, karuṇā (compassion) for those who are suffering, muditā (joy) for those who are virtuous, and upekṣā (equanimity) toward those who are non-virtuous, the mind becomes serene."
Each of these four qualities aligns with a specific human experience, guiding us on how to approach both ourselves and others with a peaceful mind:
- Maitrī (मैत्री) – Friendliness toward those experiencing sukha (सुख) or happiness. This practice helps diminish envy and cultivates genuine joy for others’ well-being.
- Karuṇā (करुणा) – Compassion for those in dukha (दुःख) or suffering. This approach softens our heart toward others’ pain, allowing us to connect without judgment or distance.
- Muditā (मुदिता) – Joy toward those who are puṇya (पुण्य) or virtuous. Celebrating others’ successes and virtues reduces feelings of resentment or comparison.
- Upekṣā (उपेक्षा) – Equanimity toward those who are apuṇya (अपुण्य), or experiencing non-virtuous states. By adopting an attitude of non-reactive acceptance, we cultivate inner stability and avoid getting pulled into negative cycles.
Swami Satchidananda highlights the universal applicability of this sutra, urging us to remember it for daily life: “Whether you are interested in reaching samādhi or plan to ignore Yoga entirely, I would advise you to remember at least this one sūtra. It will be very helpful to you in keeping a peaceful mind in your daily life.” By anchoring ourselves in these attitudes, we transform even ordinary interactions into opportunities for cultivating peace.
The concept of Karuṇā, or compassion, resonates with practices found in Metta meditation from Buddhism, also known as Loving-Kindness Meditation (LKM). LKM encourages us to generate feelings of kindness and compassion for ourselves and others, and has been shown in studies to reduce stress and increase well-being. As you approach the weekend, perhaps try to focus on cultivating Karuṇā, or compassion, especially in situations where you encounter suffering, whether in yourself or in others.
The Bhagavad Gita also emphasizes cultivating a steady mind through its teaching of samatvam yoga ucyate (समत्वं योग उच्यते) — “yoga is balance of mind.” Patanjali’s approach in this sutra aligns with this idea of steadiness, helping us to respond with calm intention and kindness instead of reacting impulsively to each situation.
In practicing this sutra, consider making just one quality, such as Maitrī (friendliness), a single-pointed focus for the day. Reflect, act on it, and see how this concentrated intention can transform your interactions and sense of inner peace. Through Maitrī, Karuṇā, Muditā, and Upekṣā, we cultivate a stillness within that radiates outward, harmonizing our relationships and grounding our minds in peace.