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259. Kaivalya - Freedom, baby! Freedom!

My Daily Thread

Release Date: 04/24/2025

285.  Liar Liar ... show art 285. Liar Liar ...

My Daily Thread

Today we’re taking another pass at satya, the second yama from Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras. The sutra we’re focusing on is YS 2.36: satya-pratiṣṭhāyāṁ kriyā-phala-āśrayatvam—when one is firmly established in truth, their actions bear fruit. This is a powerful idea. It suggests that when we are rooted in truth, what we say comes to life. Something here touches on the modern idea of manifestation but is grounded in yogic ethics—truth as a force, not just a concept. But Satya isn’t just “don’t lie.” That’s only the surface level. The deeper understanding is about...

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284.  Established in Truth! show art 284. Established in Truth!

My Daily Thread

YS 2.36 says: satya-pratiṣṭhāyām kriyā-phala-āśrayatvam — “When one is firmly established in truthfulness, then their words become so powerful that the result of action rests upon them.” We’re back in the section of the Yoga Sutras that deals with pratiṣṭhā, being deeply and firmly established in a state of being. This time, the quality is satya, truthfulness. Patanjali says that when truth becomes our natural state—when we’re rooted in it, consistent with it—then even our words start to carry the power of truth. It’s not that we control outcomes like magic. But...

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283. A mercy that starts inside... show art 283. A mercy that starts inside...

My Daily Thread

Yoga Sūtra 2.35 – ahiṁsā pratiṣṭhāyām tat-sannidhau vaira-tyāgaḥ When one is firmly established in non-violence, all hostility ceases in their presence. Today, we return to ahiṁsā pratiṣṭhām—being established in non-violence—as taught in Yoga Sūtra 2.35. We’ve already explored how the yamas and niyamas are not just rules, but deeply personal practices—moral and ethical disciplines that offer a framework for living. Simple? Yes. But easy? Not always. They are practices for managing our lives skillfully, for creating relationships rooted in integrity, peace, and...

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282.  Ahimsa and our modern Matriarchs. show art 282. Ahimsa and our modern Matriarchs.

My Daily Thread

Yoga Sūtra 2.35 – ahiṁsā pratiṣṭhāyām tat-sannidhau vaira-tyāgaḥ When one is firmly established in non-violence, then all hostility ceases in their presence. Today, we reflect again on ahiṁsā pratiṣṭhām—being firmly established in non-harming. Patanjali teaches that this is not a casual virtue but a transformative power: when someone has deeply integrated non-violence into their being, conflict and aggression fall away in their presence. We see examples of this principle embodied in historical figures such as Mahatma Gandhi, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Fred Rogers,...

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281.  A Non-violent default setting ... show art 281. A Non-violent default setting ...

My Daily Thread

Today, we return to our study of aṣṭāṅga yoga, the eight-limbed path outlined by Patañjali. As a reminder, the eight limbs are: Yama – ethical restraints Niyama – personal observances Āsana – posture Prāṇāyāma – breath regulation Pratyāhāra – withdrawal of the senses Dhāraṇā – concentration Dhyāna – meditation Samādhi – absorption or union The first four limbs are external practices—disciplines that we can actively cultivate through behavior and intention. The final four, the internal limbs, arise naturally from the consistent and...

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280.  Desire to anger, huh? show art 280. Desire to anger, huh?

My Daily Thread

Today we continue our deep dive into Yoga Sūtra 2.34, staying with the powerful teaching of pratipakṣa bhāvanam—the deliberate cultivation of opposite, positive thoughts to replace those that are harmful or negative. This is no abstract philosophy; it's a daily practice for those on the yogic path. We begin by revisiting YS 2.33: "vitarkāḥ hiṃsādayaḥ kṛta-kārita-anumoditāḥ lobha-krodha-moha-pūrvakāḥ mṛdu-madhya-adhimātrāḥ duḥkha-ajñāna-ananta-phalāḥ iti pratipakṣa-bhāvanam" Negative thoughts such as violence, whether done by oneself, instigated in...

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279.  Desire to disillusionment... show art 279. Desire to disillusionment...

My Daily Thread

Today, we continue our deep dive into Yoga Sūtra 2.34, staying with the powerful teaching of pratipakṣa bhāvanam—the deliberate cultivation of opposite, positive thoughts to replace harmful or negative ones. This is no abstract philosophy; it's a daily practice for those on the yogic path. We begin by revisiting YS 2.33: "vitarkāḥ hiṃsādayaḥ kṛta-kārita-anumoditāḥ lobha-krodha-moha-pūrvakāḥ mṛdu-madhya-adhimātrāḥ duḥkha-ajñāna-ananta-phalāḥ iti pratipakṣa-bhāvanam" Negative thoughts, such as violence, whether done by oneself, instigated in...

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278.  Don't be a greedy thief! show art 278. Don't be a greedy thief!

My Daily Thread

We continue our journey with Yoga Sūtra 2.33, and now deepen into the next verse — 2.34. If 2.33 gave us the prescription — pratipakṣa-bhāvanam — then 2.34 shows us the diagnosis, the depth of the problem. Let’s start by recalling the previous sutra: vitarka-bādhane pratipakṣa-bhāvanam वितर्कबाधने प्रतिपक्षभावनम्॥२.३३॥ “When disturbed by negative thoughts, cultivate their opposites.” Vitarka refers to thoughts that are harmful, unwholesome, or negative — especially those rooted in violence, attachment, or...

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277.  277. "Stop it!" Bob Newhart, and thought replacement therapy.

My Daily Thread

We continue our exploration through the Sādhana Pāda, arriving again at Yoga Sūtra 2.33 — a powerful and practical teaching that has everything to do with the life we’re living today. vitarka-bādhane pratipakṣa-bhāvanam वितर्कबाधने प्रतिपक्षभावनम्॥२.३३॥ “When disturbed by negative thoughts, cultivate the opposite.” It’s deceptively simple yet deeply profound. This teaching lives not in theory but in everyday experience. It’s all too easy to be swept up in negative thoughts or drawn into negative...

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276. Don't fight it.  Redirect .. show art 276. Don't fight it. Redirect ..

My Daily Thread

Let's review Yoga Sūtra 2.32, which lists the five niyamas, or personal observances — and in reviewing this sūtra, what strikes me most is the elegant simplicity of the path it offers. These teachings, though ancient, are profoundly relevant today — perhaps even more so in our overstimulated, fast-paced world. Let’s revisit the niyamas through a simple lens of choice: Śauca (शौच) – Choose simplicity over excess. Santoṣa (सन्तोष) – Choose gratitude over striving. Tapaḥ (तपः) – Choose effort over escape. Svādhyāya (स्वाध्याय)...

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More Episodes

Thanks for joining My Daily Thread. Yesterday we talked about the sacred entanglement between the Seer and the seen, or Puruṣa and Prakṛti, through the lens of Yoga Sūtra 2.23 and 2.24. Today we move on to Yoga Sūtra 2.25, which marks a powerful and pivotal moment in Patañjali’s vision of liberation.

The sutra reads:

Tad-abhāvāt saṁyoga-abhāvaḥ hānaṁ tad dṛśeḥ kaivalyam
“With the absence of ignorance (avidyā), the entanglement (saṁyoga) ceases. This is the liberation (kaivalya) of the Seer (dṛṣṭṛ).”

This is one of those sutras that really lands. It’s not talking about some abstract mystical concept—it’s pointing directly to the human condition. All of our confusion, all of our clinging, our misidentification with our thoughts, emotions, roles, and even relationships—it all stems from avidyā, which is not just “not knowing,” but a deep misperception of reality. It's ignorance of our own true nature.

And here’s the invitation: Freedom isn’t something we gain—it’s what remains when the layers of confusion dissolve. When we peel back the illusions, when we release the doubts, fears, and self-hiding, what’s left is the clarity of our true being. That clarity is kaivalya—absolute freedom.

Patañjali makes it beautifully simple: remove avidyā, and the mistaken union (saṁyoga) between the Seer and the seen dissolves. You are no longer bound by the things you once thought defined you. The thoughts like "I'm not good enough", "I need their approval", "I'm only worthy if..."—all of these are just whirlpools of the mind (citta vṛttis), and they are not you.

This is not about “fixing” yourself. It’s not about adding more or achieving more. This is about seeing clearly. It’s about removing the fog so that the light that has always been there can shine through. This clarity isn’t loud. It’s quiet. It’s not performative. It’s peaceful.

Practically speaking, here’s how we begin to apply this:

  • First, notice your entanglements. Where are you attaching to roles, outcomes, or identities that aren’t your truth?

  • Second, watch your mind. Are you reacting out of fear? Are your thoughts aligned with who you really are, or are they simply old programs running unchecked?

  • Third, practice discernment (viveka). The more you distinguish between what is real (unchanging) and what is not, the more avidyā begins to fade.

  • And finally, ask the essential question:
    “Am I acting from ignorance, or am I acting from awareness?”

This sutra reminds us that we are not here to escape life—we are here to live it from a place of inner freedom. Not to abandon the world, but to move through it without being bound by it. To walk with clarity, compassion, and deep presence.

As always, let’s return to that gentle thread that runs through all our moments—the quiet awareness within. And let’s walk forward, together, not in fear, but in the clear light of freedom.