Pratyahara - Retraction Of The Senses

Many spiritual leaders have suggested their own paths for their followers. One such path which is very methodical and logical is Patanjali's Ashtanga Yoga. Patanjali, the great ancient exponent of Raja Yoga, wrote that the path to enlightenment embraces eight stages. This eight-limbed approach, known as Ashtanga Yoga is not to be mistaken as a step-by-step approach but a multidimensional approach in which all eight limbs are practiced simultaneously. 

The 8 fold path consist of the following:

1. Yama
2. Niyama
3. Asana
4. Pranayama
5. Pratyahara
6. Dharana
7. Dhyana
8. Samadhi

I have covered Yama, Niyama in earlier blogs and in this blog I will covere Pratyahara. I will leave it to the reader to refer the numerous documentation available on Asana and Pranayama. 

This limb of Ashtanga Yoga deals with the preparation to meditation. Pratyahara means drawing back or retreat. The word ahara means "nourishment"; pratyahara translates as "to withdraw oneself from that which nourishes the senses." In yoga, the term pratyahara implies withdrawal of the senses from attachment to external objects.

When we came into this world we came with a basic defect. Rather than being focused inward to understand our true purpose of this existence, we focused outward to enjoy the sense objects of this dream world. As I have covered earlier, desire for objects of this world is unending and is as much a cause for misery as it is for temporary happiness when acquired. Hence every scripture talks about the need to give up desires. But this is easier said than done. In this phase of Astanga Yoga we are asked to withdraw, the analogy being a tortoise withdrawing into its shell to protect itself. So, what is being said is that we should withdraw internally to protect us from the desires.

So, how do we withdraw? Does it help to withdraw from the world and go to a dark cave where the sense organs cannot find any sense object to desire? Just because I move away does not mean I have gone away from desires. Without a proper training of the mind, any attempt to withdraw can lead to serious withdrawal symptoms which may be worse than going after the object of desire. 

Can I be in this world and ensure my sense organs and action organs are prevented from reacting to objects of desire? We have read in The Adventures of Ulysses by Homer about a set of sirens singing so well that anyone listening would be suicidally prone to jump ship and go to them. Ulysses had himself tied with chains to the ship whereas his crew covered their ears when their ship passed by the sirens.  He heard them sing and was strongly tempted to jump, but was held back by the chains. Do you think such a solution will help us withdraw from the outside objects?

So, what is the way out? To understand the withdrawal process, we need to understand the out seeking process and trace backwards. When we see an object of desire like a flower, jewelry etc. with our sense organ, the eye, a signal is sent to the Mind. The mind is like a clearing house getting all these signals, but not knowing what to do. Should I pluck that flower or not? Should I buy that jewel or not? The mind goes to the Intellect for guidance. If the intellect is pure, it will make a well reasoned decision and tell the mind what to do and that in turn tells the action organs what to do. 

There is one missing element here still. Why is it that someone can get attracted to drinking by seeing an advertisement for liquor and it does not affect me in the least? Why is it that a new book attracts me whereas it does not have any impact on my friend? The question is why do we desire what we desire? The answer to that is our hidden desires accumulated over several births which have created a pattern in our Identity and since, out of ignorance of our true self, we have identified with the Ego which has dethroned the Soul, we as a separate entity are impacted by our accumulated desires. These give rise to related thoughts which create desire in the mind when sense organs sense those objects.

The intellect has for its guidance either of 2 entities. It can take the guidance of the pure effulgent Soul or the impure Ego which has dethroned the soul. So depending on what is guiding the intellect, the decision conveyed to the mind will differ.

Now that we have a model, let us come back to withdrawal. The sense organs need to move away from sense objects. The mind has to be guided by the intellect, which in turn should ensure it is not clouded by emotions of the mind, but by the effulgence of the Soul. The intellect also should sharpen its focus internally and realize that it has to unite with the Soul and not be swayed by the Ego. This completes the withdrawal process and leads a seeker on the path of Divinity. 

All the above is fine to read and admire.  But how is this put into practice? We will cover that in the subsequent step called Dhyana.

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3 Golden Sentences To Live Your Life Peacefully

If we look at one thing that is common for all living beings, it is that desire to be happy every moment. There is no other motivator for anyone to work, meet people, engage in hobbies etc. But how do we find that secret to happiness so that every moment of our's is filled with fulfillment and joy? Humanity has tried various means to remain happy including drinking, drugs, meditation, prayer and so on and so forth. But still, there is a craving, a sort of emptiness in our lives. Is there some way we can remember simple aphorisms/sentences which will transform us into happiness incarnate? I am sure great masters have come up with their own solutions which surely have benefited millions. In all humility, I submit the following 3 golden sentences to understand, reflect and internalize to gain happiness.

1. This too shall pass.
2. Let events happen.
3. I created this situation.

I. This too shall pass

Each of face events in our day to day lives and are affected by it. We buy a brand new luxury car and are thrilled. We lose a job and we are dejected. Do we all not know that change is a fact aof life and anything in nature is dualistic. We have happiness/sadness as two sides of emotions; we have light/dark as 2 sides of visual experience; Do we worry when day turns into night and become super happy when night turns into day? These are just natural events and by themselves have no cause to be either happy or unhappy. Similarly, in all our lives, what we assign as good or bad events will happen, whether we want or not and we have to stoically bear it by saying, "this too shall pass". Statistically, it is proven that most events tend towards a mean and there is almost no exception. It is impossible that someone is always having good events  and someone is always having bad events. For everyone measured over a period of time, they will balance out. So, while we may be very happy winning a lottery and bagging the largest contract, it is always good to temper that joy with the realization that, "this too shall pass." Similarly, we may lose a job, get a divorce, lose a loved one and be extremely sad. But even in that darkest moment, we can find succor by remembering, "this too shall pass".

Does this mean that by rote, I keep telling myself the above sentence? It will not help unless we understand the basis behind this sentence. Let's go to basics. Who am I? My readers by now know that the only reality is Brahman or Consciousness or Absolute Truth. There is nothing else other than this reality and each of us feel we exist separately due to massive primordial ignorance. IF my true nature is this absolute reality, then there can be nothing else. When there is nothing else, the dualities cannot arise. Once I know this, whenever an event occurs, it is like an event in a dream. Dream events come and go and I as the sleeper, is not affected by them.  Assume if there was some way to get inside my own dream and observe my dreams. When in the dream, I win a lottery ticket and overtake Bill Gates, my dream character will be supremely happy. But I, the observer will smile and say, "this too shall pass". Similarly, in the dream, I lose my job, then my dream character will be very sad. But I as the observer will smile and say, " this too shall pass".

Similarly, when I am the supreme consciousness and due to my "ignorance" I experience good and bad events, it is easy to be an observer and say, "this too shall pass".

II. Let events happen

If there is one major thing that bothers most of us, it is anxiety about the future. I have just given a proposal for a major deal. will I get the deal or not? I have just given an interview. Will I get the job or not? All of us, by and large, are anxious about the future. Some of us may go to astrologers or soothsayers or so-called psychic readers to know what the future will be. But will any amount of my anxiety or visits to anyone change the final result? If I have done badly in an exam, will my being anxious change anything? But in being anxious, what are we losing? We are losing the ability to be happy and enjoy life between the time an event occurs and till the result comes.Even if I have done well in a task, most of us are anxious and in effect, unhappy. I can hear people saying, no, we are not unhappy. Happiness is defined as a state of peace. Obviously, when we are anxious, we are not peaceful and hence not happy.

So, what is the way out? Let events happen ! Again , it is easy to say, let events happen. Does it mean that I do not have any personal responsibility and I am just a twig in a river, being carried around by its currents? An emphatic NO !

I am responsible for the action only. If I have to give a proposal, I am responsible for ensuring that the solution is correct, the price is correct and it fully meets the expectation of the client. Once I have put in my best and submitted, it is pointless to be anxious. Anxiety arises when there is a doubt in what I have done. As several seers have told, the Universe rewards positivity and conspires to make positive things happen if we are resolute. If I have done a good job and I am resolute about it with full confidence, there is no room for anxiety. So long as i focus totally on the task without worrying over the results, I am in a position to put in my best effort compared to another who is always worried about results. A tennis player who just focuses on his shots will easily beat another player who worries whether he will fire an ace or not.

So the golden sentence is, focus on your task and put in your very best effort. After that, let events happen.

III. I created this situation


If there is one major thing that bothers most of us is, " why did this thing happen to me?". Even though I am a better performer at work, why did I not get a promotion? Even though I sent my child to the best school, why did my child not make it to an Ivy league? Why am I stuck in this loveless marriage? So and so forth. Each of us if we are honest,  have asked some such question always, as to why I have been unjustly subject to bad events.

Well, if there is a consolation, this feeling is not unique. Almost everyone feels the same. So logically if almost everyone feels that they have been unjustly targeted by events, it means that there is equality for all!

Assume that I have a beautiful garden with lovely roses and other flowers. Some day unknowingly, I brought a parasitic creeper from somewhere and it started growing. Before I noticed, it had engulfed the plant. This is not fiction. This actually happened to our rose plant. The point is, did the rose plant die on its own? Can I say, I was unlucky? Well, I put the creeper there. Take another example. Suppose I plant seeds of tomato, can I harvest apples? So anything that we see or experience is only a reaction to some action. Nothing happens in isolation.

In exactly the same way, any situation that I face in life is not due to bad luck or being unjustly targeted. It is because I have done something in the past and put the seed for that reactionary event to materialize. So, whenever I face any tough situation, rather than end up blaming my staff, my family or bad luck, let me tell myself calmly, " I created this situation". Does this mean that every situation is pre-ordained and I just am powerless? It is important to know that every situation is pre-ordained. But what I do in a situation is left to my own free will. During a bad situation, I can shout, rant and turn the world upside down or realize, "I created this situation" and calmly handle it.

Summary

Each of us is born to be happy. But we end up being tense, anxious or blaming someone for all our troubles. Instead if we remember and inculcate the principles in the abobe 3 sentences, our lives will be peaceful and we will be on the path to ever lasting happiness.

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3 of my books

As readers may be aware, 3 of my books on spirituality are available on Amazon.com.

I invite readers of my blog to try any of the books and give me feedback so that I can make changes in the next edition.


1. My Humble Understanding  Of Spirituality


My Humble Understanding Of Spirituality

2. Attain Infinite Bliss

Attain Infinite Bliss - A Spiritual Guide

3. The Spirit Of Spirituality

The Spirit Of Spirituality

Revival Of The Intellect

I have written about spirituality in several articles and have tried to explain that the prime purpose of our existence is to realize the wholeness of existence. One wonders whether there is any instrument which could help us in our search for that elusive wholeness. Unfortunately, no such instrument exists because the concept of universality or wholeness is beyond the realm of worldly instruments. I have indicated earlier how it is impossible for a character in a dream to know that he is nothing but the person sleeping on a bed. Before we get disappointed regarding lack of an instrument, let me introduce you to something that will partially serve as an instrument and that is the Intellect.

When we think of the plant kingdom, the animal kingdom and the humans, the thing in common is that all have a physical body. Whereas the plant kingdom may have some rudimentary emotions, the animal kingdom has more emotions and the humans have the best ability to express and feel emotions through the instrument called the mind. Now, what is it that we as humans possess that animals or plants do not have. What is it that enables us to differentiate between right and wrong? Whereas a hungry tiger will not have any qualms about killing a baby deer, what is it that prevents us from doing some such act? At the same time, whereas a pet dog being taken in a bullock cart will not feel any jealousy seeing another dog being taken in a BMW, what is it that makes us jealous the moment we are in a Corolla and see our colleague driving a BMW? Whereas a rose plant that grows in USA or in UK or in India will not even know it is an American, a Britisher or an Indian, what is it that makes us feel that we are Americans, British or Indian?  This unique capability that only we as humans have is through an instrument called the Intellect. This is not the same as intelligence. A person with phenomenal intelligence can have zero intellect and vice-verse. 

When we try and analyze who we are, we are basically composed of three bodies:

a. Gross body which comprises the physical outer layer and the critical inner functions like breathing, digestion etc.
b. A subtle body which comprises the mind which has emotions and an intellect which conceptualizes
c. A causal body which consists of the various desires we accumulate and are the reasons for our cycle of birth and death.

To understand the role of the intellect, let us try to understand the cycle of action. Will I suddenly get up one fine morning and rush to see a friend? Never! Behind the action of rushing out, there must be a desire to see the friend. Desire is an emotion in the mind which directs the body to do the action of rushing out. But what creates the desire? Desire is always preceded by a thought. The thought that I have could be of some pleasant moment with the friend followed by a thought of loneliness. Please note that the concept of a friend, concept of loneliness arise or are created in the intellect. What creates the thought in the intellect. It is that storehouse of desires or the vasanas. To summarize,

Vasanas>Thoughts in intellect>Emotions in mind>Action of the body.

Now every action causes a reaction and the reaction is what is stored in the vasana. So to complete the above cycle, we have the following perpetual cycle.

Vasanas>Thoughts in intellect>Emotions in mind>Action of the body>Vasana

We are what is called as Jiva or an entity which has forgotten that we are whole or Brahman and this is caused by the intellect which causes me , the ever supreme Brahman to think I am separate. Notice the use of the word, think. When we wake up in the morning the first thought is that I exist and then all other thoughts arise. When we were in deep sleep, we were one with Brahman without even knowing it. But the moment we wake up, the intellect creates our separate identity. It is as though the "evil" ego has usurped the "Brahman" in our identity. If we reflect on what I have said so far, it is the intellect that causes us to identify with our ego and it is the tool we have to disengage ourselves from the ego. Once we are free of ego, we are the Brahman. I hope people remember the famous equation:
Man -Ego = God.

The intellect is the only instrument in the human entity that is capable of conceptualizing and reasoning. The intellect has the option to guide the ego that it is nothing but the true Brahman. Take the example of a man in a chariot driven by horses and managed by a charioteer. The horses are like our senses and unless the horses are held by a reign they will go wherever they see grass. Similarly, without the leash of a mind, we will be drawn wherever the senses pull us. But then someone should hold the leash and prevent the horses from straying and derailing the cart. That is the charioteer. Similarly, the intellect plays the role of the charioteer which holds the mind and controls the senses so that the cart is on track. The charioteer has the option of letting the leash loose and let the cart go wherever the horses go and be destroyed or he can control the horses through the leash and guide the cart to its destination. In exactly same way, the intellect has the ability to either be totally influenced by the mind and senses and let us go astray or it can control the mind and senses and lead us to our destination, which is Brahman.

But for above to happen, the intellect has to be sharpened. Barring the rare spiritual master in whom the intellect is strong by itself, for most of us, the intellect needs to be trained and sharpened. The intellect needs to be able to help us identify the real which is Brahman and the unreal, which is this material world. It should help us be on the right path which is to attain Brahman and guide us away from the seemingly nice path of worldly objects which just cause us to be in this endless cycle of births and deaths. To strengthen the intellect, there is a recommended process:

1. Learn : Study the scriptures to understand the fundamentals of what the supreme truth is.
2. Reinforce : Reinforce the fundamentals by discussing with like minded people.
3. Reflect : Reflect upon what is being learnt and ask questions to one self and get answers by step 1 and step 2.
4. Internalize: Internalize the concepts so that they become part of oneself

As the discerning intellect grows, slowly our concept of ourselves around the material world of objects, emotions and concepts slowly starts ebbing and a sense of internal peace keeps growing. IF through regular practice, a student continues on the path, slowly attachment to the world of objects and emotions drop off and there is only that final boundary of attachment to the intellect that has to be broken. It seems strange here that the very instrument that brought a seeker so close can also cause him to lose everything and descend back to the depths from where he had risen. But giving up the intellect early can also cause the seeker to slip. There is that precise moment when a seeker has to give up the final attachment with the intellect and take that leap into the realm of Brahman. Just as a pole vaulter at a precise moment has to discard the pole that brought him high up, a seeker has to discard that intellectual pole to reach the heights of Brahman.


As readers may be aware, 3 of my books on spirituality are available on Amazon.com.

I invite readers of my blog to try any of the books and give me feedback so that I can make changes in the next edition.


1. My Humble Understanding  Of Spirituality


My Humble Understanding Of Spirituality

2. Attain Infinite Bliss

Attain Infinite Bliss - A Spiritual Guide

3. The Spirit Of Spirituality

The Spirit Of Spirituality

The Nature Of Brahman or The Absolute Truth

I invite people to buy my books on spirituality which are available on Amazon.com :

1. My Humble Understanding Of Spirituality
2. Attain Infinite Bliss - A Spiritual Guide
3. The Spirit Of Spirituality

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I have used the term Brahman in several posts earlier. Brahman is a technical term used in Vedantic literature to refer to the Ultimate Truth. While it is impossible for us to fully understand the grandeur of this Brahman, we can have some pointers to understand the nature of Brahman.

Some of the common words used to describe Brahman are:

• Witness
• All pervading
• Perfect
• Non-dual
• Free
• Consciousness
• Action-less
• Desire-less
• Quiet

Let me try to tell my understanding of these words as used to describe Brahman.

Witness

To understand this concept, let us imagine a movie hall. The white screen is the medium on which the projector throws images and we see the movie. What if the screen was not there? There would be no movie. Does the screen get affected in any way by what is projected on it? Absolutely not! Else imagine the effort in cleaning up all the blood after a gory movie or the number of tissues that it would need to wipe tears during an emotional scene!

In exactly the same way, Brahman is the silent witness behind every action of ours at the body/mind/intellect level. It is not impacted by any of our actions, but without it providing a base, we would not be able to perform any of our actions.

All pervading

To understand this concept, we should think of space. Can we point to a particular place and say that is where space is. Yes, space is there in the largest building as also in the smallest crevice. It is all pervading, yet cannot be seen or felt. Only when there is an object, it seemingly appears as though space is divided.

In exactly the same way, Brahman is all pervading and is the only reality. Whenever there is an object, it appears as though Brahman is divided. But in reality, Brahman is all pervading and undivided and is the only reality.

Perfect

To understand this concept, let us assume we are in a dream. Now, where do characters in dream come from? They come from me. As more and more characters come in the dream, is anything form the real me taken? Also, assuming that I am also in the dream and I get killed in the dream, does anything get taken away from the real me? Nothing happens to the real me because of whatever happens in the dream. I am perfect.

In exactly the same way, though this whole universe consisting of illusory objects arises from Brahman, Brahman perse is perfect. Nothing gets added to it nor is anything subtracted from it in the process of creating this universe or by anything that the universe does.

Non-dual

I described earlier that Brahman is all pervading and we took the example of space. Now, can we have multiple spaces? Please do not think of the space in a big building as different from the space in a crevice. Space is the same. There are no multiple spaces.

In exactly the same way, Brahman is unique and only one. It appears as though there are multiple entities or life forms only due to our ignorance and identification with the ego. The soul that seemingly appears different in each life form is one and the same as the Brahman.

Free

When do we lose our freedom? Obviously when we are in bondage! Forget the bondage due to imprisonment for a crime. I am talking here of the bondage due to desire for physical objects, emotional objects or intellectual objects. So long as we have a desire for these, we are bound and not free. But why do we get these desires? It is because we see another living entity as separate from us and if my neighbor has a better BMW I get a desire and am bound; If his wife is more beautiful, I get a emotional desire and am bound. If my colleague gets a promotion, I have an intellectual desire and am bound.

But, as described above Brahman is the only reality and is non-dual. So there is nothing for Brahman to compare and desire. Without desire there is no bondage. without bondage, Brahman is totally free!


Consciousness

We are what our thoughts are. Thoughts leads to desires which lead to action. Without thoughts we do not exist. When we are fast asleep, are there any thoughts? None absolutely. When I am in deep sleep state(no dreams), do i know whether I exist or i am alive? If I knew I existed or that I am alive, I would not be in deep sleep. However, what is the first thing or thought that arises when I wake up. It is that, " I am" or I exist. I am conscious of the fact that I exist and then other thoughts start. This awareness principle that I am is provided by Brahman. Only the moment, a name gets added to the "I Am", by saying, "I am Jim or Joe or Rama", the ego has taken over.

Brahman is just the consciousness principle giving ability to have thoughts, desires and actions. Brahman, by itself does not have any thoughts.

Action-less, desire-less and quiet

This flows from the above characteristics of Brahman. Since Brahman is non-dual and has no thoughts, there are no desires and hence no action. Here lack of action should not be taken to mean sloth or laziness.

Why is our mind not quiet? It is because of desires or if we get what we desire, the fear of losing it. Our minds are constantly agitated. No wonder, the drug companies make a fortune selling sleeping drugs or anti-depressants. Imagine a situation where the mind is totally quiet and experience the bliss. Since Brahman has no thoughts, desires or actions, it is totally quiet and is in a action-less quiet, serene condition of ultimate infinite bliss.

As readers may be aware, 3 of my books on spirituality are available on Amazon.com.

I invite readers of my blog to try any of the books and give me feedback so that I can make changes in the next edition.


1. My Humble Understanding  Of Spirituality


My Humble Understanding Of Spirituality

2. Attain Infinite Bliss

Attain Infinite Bliss - A Spiritual Guide

3. The Spirit Of Spirituality

The Spirit Of Spirituality