Thursday, February 17, 2011

Yard [017] : Many Men Many Minds

Dear Friends,

Namaste!

Having discussed Yoga types and limbs, we are now all set to look at people types so that we know which Yoga type is more relevant for which type of a person.

But before the discussion takes a more serious turn, let’s rejoice and have some fun over the fact that it does take all types to make this wonderful world…

Some people are really so nice

They are very kind even to mice

The problem they find difficult to beat

Is when they feed mice, others retreat


Some people’s beliefs are so very strong

They think it’s not possible to be wrong

There are a few others who are so benign

No wonder they prove, easy targets to malign


Some people are always so very afraid

Even after paying taxes they fear a raid

They ensure before time all bills are paid

And promises fulfilled even before they are made


Some people are often ever so rude

You won’t cross roads if you are really shrewd

The reason why these people leave you perplexed

Is for no reason they are so superiority-complexed


Some people are always extremely formal

To them wearing a tiepin is absolutely normal

Even when they are being extremely unkind

They would make a point to say ‘If you don’t mind’


Some people simply can’t live without action

They are difficult to stop even after applying traction

There are others who continuously brood

Before you talk it’s better to watch their mood


Some people love ever so much to cry

They let tears flow till their eyes become dry

Seldom do they let an opportunity go by

If you make them laugh, they will not enjoy


Some people are bound to laugh

Regardless of a nose-diving graph

Some people will never ever meddle

While Rome is burning, they will play fiddle


Some people are by nature so very shy

They can never be seen asking the question why

If any group you really want them to join

You should hold their hand and goad them in


You and I really don’t have a reason to worry

Unanimously we belong to a different category

There are times when we can’t help being snappy

But we know overall we are normal and happy

Of course, all this is very much in lighter vein and does not describe the human evolution as propounded in Yoga.

So what does the real human evolution path look like? What are the different people categories within the same?

Like Yoga types and limbs, people types also are hierarchical. In fact, different people types underpin the entire evolution path for human beings.

All of us tread this path as surely as natural laws apply - whether we know it or not! We transform ourselves to the next level until we reach our destination. As discussed earlier, the destination is to attain enlightenment, i.e., to acquire eternal and infinite bliss withstanding the external environment.

This evolution of our core is very gradual and subtle. It is believed that it takes several births. When the destination is finally reached, there is no traveling further and we are not born again. After getting enlightened in a human birth, we continue to live just the same way an arrow continues its trajectory after leaving the bow. When the momentum gets over, it drops to the ground. Likewise, we continue to lead a normal/natural life and in due course renounce our body never to be re-born. (“Before enlightenment - cut wood, carry water. After enlightenment – cut wood, carry water.” – Buddha).

Also, we do not have to start from scratch in each birth. We carry on from where we left in last birth – just like the closing account balance for yesterday is the opening balance for today! That’s why no two persons are alike even at a very young age…

Does this mean that each of us is destined to become enlightened and it’s just a matter of time (and number of births)? Absolutely yes!

In Yogic terminology, we have been described as “Jeeva” (literally meaning “one who lives” but also meaning “one who ascends”. There is one more category called “Avataar” or incarnation – “one who descends” – but we will leave the discussion of incarnations for later). All Jeevas progressively reach their final destination. Regardless of what happens in a particular period of the journey.

So, one may appear to be regressing towards rock-bottom or heading to hell but this is a transient phase that plays the same role that “null hypothesis” plays in proving a theorem in mathematics.

It is important to understand these basics before proceeding further but proceeding further to describe people types, their hierarchy and mapping Yoga types and limbs is what we will do in the next few articles.

Cheers!

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