Find Stillness, By Moving!

Find Stillness, By Moving!

योगश्चित्तवृत्तिनिरोधः ॥ १.२ ॥ yogaścittavṛttinirodhaḥ || 1.2 || Yoga is the stilling of the turnings of the mind   A few years ago, when I was going through a difficult time, a friend of mine said to me ‘In order to find stillness, you gotta keep moving!’. That...
Avidyā is Bliss

Avidyā is Bliss

अविद्यास्मितारागद्वेषाभिनिवेशाः क्लेशाः ॥ २.३ ॥ avidyāsmitārāgadveṣābhiniveśāḥ kleśāḥ || 2.3 || The Kleśas are Avidyā (ignorance), Asmitā (I-am-ness), Rāga (desire), Dveṣa (aversion), and Abhiniveśa (clinging to life). अविद्या क्षेत्रम् उत्तरेषां...
The Fire Within

The Fire Within

कायेन्द्रियसिद्धिरशुद्धिक्षयात् तपसः ॥ २.४३ ॥ kāyendriyasiddhiraśuddhikṣayāt tapasaḥ || 2.43 || From Tapas (austerity), on the account of the destruction of impurities, there is perfection of the body and the sense-organs.   Tapas is a Sanskrit word usually...
The Importance of Dharma

The Importance of Dharma

सर्वं प्रियाभ्युपगतं धर्मं आहुर्मनीषिणः। पश्यैतम् लक्षणाद् देशं धर्माधर्मे युधिष्ठिर। sarvaṁ priyābhyupagataṁ dharmaṁ āhur manīṣiṇaḥ paśyaitam lakṣaṇād deśaṁ dharmādharme yudhiṣṭhira ‘The wise say that dharma is whatever is based on love for all beings. This is...
Is it Drama or is it Karma?

Is it Drama or is it Karma?

The Yoga Sūtra 2.12 क्लेशमूलः कर्माशयोदृष्टादृष्टजन्मवेदनीयः॥ kleśa-mūlaḥ karmāśayo-dṛṣṭādṛṣṭa-janma-vedanīyaḥ. The womb of karmas (actions and reactions) has its root in these obstacles (ignorance, egoism, attachment, hatred, fear of death), and the karmas bring...
Chop Wood, Carry Water

Chop Wood, Carry Water

The Yoga Sūtra 4.34 पुरुषार्थशून्यानां गुणानां प्रतिप्रसवः कैवल्यं स्वरूपप्रतिष्ठा वा चितिशक्तिरिति॥ puruṣārthaśūnyānāṁ guṇānāṁ pratiprasavaḥ kaivalyaṁ svarūpapratiṣṭhā vā citiśaktiriti|| Kaivalya is [atttained when there is] the involution of the...