Now yoga begins. A three word sentence kicks off the yoga sutras. Three words with so many possible meanings. They continue: Yoga is the cessation of the fluctuations of the mind. Just as much ambiguity but more words. As the first chapter evolves things start becoming more specific and categorized. As for fluctuations of the mind (vritti in Sanskrit) the sutras say five exist. They are: correct knowledge, incorrect knowledge, delusion, sleep, and memory. If I had to pick one that I have the most trouble with I'd have to go with memory. Sutra 1.11 says: memory is where things once experienced are not allowed to completely slip away. Upon reading the five vrittis this one immediately stuck out to me. I have a very selective memory and it seems the majority of experiences that I recall in a given day prove to be negative fluctuations. Sometimes I sit and make present pleasant past experiences but often times previous painful events come forth into the present, having obvious mind altering effects.
The style of the sutras so far is very much question response. After reading the part on memory my question would be how do we keep the past past and the present present? How does one avoid painful or disruptive fluctuations of memory?
I think the key to "avoiding" any type of suffering, is to allow it to come, examine it and not attach to it. see it for what it is.
ReplyDelete