October 28, 2006
Mastery Over The Senses
"Moreover, one gains purity of sattva, cheerfulness of mind, one-pointedness, mastery over the senses,
and fitness for Self Realization."
- Sri Swami Satchidananda
When we work with our bodies, our hearts grow naturally more pure. There is no shortcut around the body. When
our hearts become more pure, we smile more often. We almost shock ourselves at seeing how
exquisite the dance of self transformation becomes; our negative patterns gather less and less momentum.
Anger, lust, and greed start dwindling like dying embers in gone-cold campfire.
Only impure, undisciplined minds run from here to there and back again. The effort to chain such random
thoughts seems impossible at the mental level.
However, if we can just muster the courage to return to the yoga mat and Begin Again and Again,
and endlessly Again...
Aristotle taught us long ago that, "Practice is the best of all instructions."
Thus we learn that whenever we are brave to just Begin Again and Again, picking ourselves up from the muck
we begin to bloom in refreshed Ways unseen, unfelt just before our fall.
So,
Oh Mighty Warrior,
it is through Pain and "Failure"
we begin to purify from the inside out.
May your Practice be strong and sincere today.
om so ti,
the mountain yogi
photo 1) Bharadvajasana - a great warrior in the Mahabharata. it requires great warrior effort to fold a multi-disciplined body into this most medicinal posture...at least for me! photo; ilg archives, Snow Caynon, Utah.
photo 2) Garaduasana - 'eagle posture' teaches us to soar above our strife; gain a Higher Perspective to our perceived illusions and various dramas. photo by Marc Romanelli, White Rock, New Mexico.
photo 3) Transition during Gomukhasana. photo by Ananda, Red Fox Deck, WF Temple H(om)e.