article from New York times http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/01/28/how-meditation-may-change-the-brain/?src=me&ref=general enjoy reading. Tirisula’s 112 Meditation techniques training coming soon in March 2011. Improve Your Brain Through Meditation.
“Lack of true knowledge is the source of all pains and sorrows whether dormant, attenuated, interrupted or fully active.” This sutra is identifying that ignorance specifically spiritual ignorance “is the source of all other obstacles such as arrogance, desire aversions” etc. To live is to experience suffering. What most do
“Pleasure leads to desire and emotional attachment” I look forward to my afternoon cup of tea. It is not so much which tea, sometimes I have coffee. I usually have a snack as well. I hold the hot cup in my hand, smell the aroma, close my eyes and feel
“Nature and intelligence exist solely to serve the seer’s true purpose, emancipation.” The “seer” atman, or atma in sanskrit, is an individual’s soul. The purpose of the soul is achieve complete freedom. The mind and the ego hold the body and soul captive. A prisoner of emotion, circumstance and ignorance.
“Pranayama is the regulation of the incoming and outgoing flow of breath with retention. It is to be practiced only after perfection in asana is attained.” Perfection in asana is when the pose can be held fully without effort yet softly with ease of body and mind. While fully engaged
I remember being in Pondicherry many many years ago, way before I started yoga or diving. As a tourist, I walked into an ashram and the first thing I saw was a massive aquarium with a chair in front of it and a sign that said “meditation.” One of the
“Or, by meditating on any desired object conducive to steadiness of consciousness, auspicious and spiritually uplifting” The sutra explains a method of calming the mind and overcoming obstacles using an object that is “desirable” or pleasing. By meditating on something that is pleasing the internal state is calmed in addition
“Or, by contemplating an object that helps to maintain steadiness of mind and consciousness.” The sutra gives another method for steadying the mind to overcome or prevent obstacles to yoga practice. During asana practice the dristi point gives us a place to settle our eyes and our mind for a
“…by maintaining the pensive state felt at the time of soft and steady exhalation and during passive retention after exhalation.” The sutra refers to a method of breath control which also relaxes the mind allowing for control of the mind, which keeps it from fluctuating. I have experienced this serene
“At other times, the seer identifies with the fluctuating consciousness.” My interpretation of this sutra is a person’s perception of events, life, etc becomes their reality. An example is reading a sad story or book and feeling melancholy afterwards or even depressed. I think the sutra is relating to events
