Dear Friends,
Namaste!
Every now and then, especially when the journey is long, it is advisable to take stock of how we are progressing towards our destination. Let’s do that today.
The best way to do that is to look at all the milestones we have crossed and all that lie ahead.
So here is what we have seen thus far:
1. Brahman, the cosmic/primeval energy or the Universal Spirit, is without limits, beginning or end, birth or death, creation or destruction.
2. The energy continuously undergoes transformation by alternating between Unity and Diversity.
3. When One becomes Many, it forgets it”self” at the beginning and rediscovers its true identity through each of the many, apparently distinct, “self”s.
4. This journey of each “self” from ignorance to knowledge (and its internalization) is called Evolution and takes place across several births and indeed species of flora and fauna (the living beings).
5. Path of each “self” is unique and in each birth at each point in time, the “self” has a role to play. The world goes on through an intricate interplay of these “self”s playing their roles.
6. This journey is predestined and each “self” has no choice but to evolve, i.e., to discover that (s)he is immortal, perfect, boundless and total happiness itself! By going from the ignorant state (which causes all grief) to the enlightened state (where we become one with Bliss).
7. Since everything happens as per God’s wish to keep the show ongoing, it we align our wishes to God’s, they are always fulfilled and we experience happiness. If our wishes happen to be incompatible (again as per His Design and Script) with God’s, they remain unfulfilled and we experience sorrow.
8. Some “self”s appear progressing and others regressing. However, all regression is nothing but part of overall progress and evolution for that “self” and appears as lack of progress only when looked at in isolation without joining the dots.
9. Yoga is a catalyst that makes the journey most enjoyable and comfortable. It also speeds up the journey exponentially. Since every (human) being is evolving, Yoga is relevant to every single human being irrespective of age, gender, religion, caste, creed, country, profession, social status, academic qualification, physical and mental state, era, way of living, dressing, eating etc. etc. etc. In short, for all of us, Yoga is the BEST way of making the MOST of our LIFE.
10. The Yoga ladder has eight steps (value system, discipline, physical exercise, breath control, sense control, concentration, meditation and state-of-perfect-bliss) and is of four major types (Yoga of Surrender, Action, Knowledge and its Internalization).
11. Yoga is not something one practises for a few minutes a few times a week. The eight limbs and the four types have to be totally integrated into our daily routine.
12. We are discussing how the Yogic Routine should be. Main constituents of daily routine are eating, drinking, sleeping, working, exercising, studying, thinking, talking, listening, seeing, smelling, feeling, relaxing, breathing, meditating, performing chores etc. So far we have discussed how we should eat, drink and sleep. We have also created the background to discuss a very important question - “How to identify our role?” so that we can align with the Script, play it to perfection and become God’s favourite. For He has given the assurance “Tesham Nityabhiyuktanaam, Yogakshemam Vahamyaham” (“I personally attend to the welfare of those who walk on the path of Yoga every step of the way, every breath of their life”). If God is taking complete responsibility for our affairs, we can only imagine how happy, healthy and progressive we will be!
The road ahead:
1. We will discuss how to identify the role assigned to us. This will teach us the trick of doing the right thing at the right time in the right place. Then we will go on to discuss the importance of relaxation, recreation, recharging, having a hobby! Subsequently we will talk about the physical exercise to be incorporated into our daily routine. And meditation as well!
2. All this will enable us to draw up a Yogic routine, customized around our individual lifestyle, capabilities, needs and wants, that we can start putting into practice on a daily basis for the rest of our lives.
3. Having laid the foundation of this Yogic routine, thence we will dive deep into all eight limbs and four major types of Yoga so our Practisekeeps becoming Fuller and Richer. This will take us closer to the destination – some of us may even reach the destination!!!
4. What afterwards? In Buddha’s words “Chop wood, carry water before Enlightenment. Chop wood, carry water after Enlightenment!!!”
This is episode number 65. Our total coverage will span 1111 articles. This jigsaw has 1111 pieces!
Will we get there?
God willing...
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