Dear Friends,
Namaste!
‘Subtle’ rules ‘Gross’. That’s what we have been saying. So why worry about ‘Gross’? Just conquer the Subtle and that will take care of the Gross. Let’s just make sure our Intellect is purified by removing ignorance and that will take care of the peace of our mind and the health of our body!
Absolutely true!! But how do we win over ‘Subtle’? How do we remove our ignorance, viz. our ego or false notion of ‘self’, that’s so subtle? For, ego can be very gross (“I am the wisest human being that ever lived!”) or it can be extremely subtle (“I am a human being”) as we have seen in one of our earlier discussions.
The way to win over ‘Subtle’ is by winning over ‘Gross’ first. Why? Winning over ‘Gross’ is easier. That’s why. We start any complex task by accomplishing easier parts first. We reach the top by starting at the bottom first. We learn basics in mathematics first before going on to the Pythagorus theorem.
Seeing the Truth is like seeing Alcor (the star near the Great Bear Constellation). Alcor appears so small in the night sky that it is barely visible to the naked eye. In fact, if we can spot Alcor with our naked eyes, it is said that no other test is needed to assure us that we are gifted with 6/6 vision. But even with perfect vision, especially for first timers who do not know where to look for, how is Alcor seen?
“Look at the horizon” we say to our aspiring friend. He obliges. “Do you see the top of a tree right in the middle of the horizon?” He nods. “Take your eyes upwards in a straight line and you will see a constellation of seven bright stars. That’s the Great Bear constellation.”
“Is one of the seven stars Alcor?” he asks impatiently.
“No,” we snub him. “Do you see the tail of the Great Bear?”
He meekly nods.
“How many stars does the tail contain?”
“Three.”
“Good” we continue, “Now focus on the middle of those three stars.”
Our obedient friend accepts.
“Now look juussst a little to the right of that star. You will see a barely perceptible twinkle over there. Do you see?”
When we see the same twinkle reflected in our friend’s eyes, we say complacently “That, my dear, is Alcor!”
We can well imagine what the result would be if we were to just point out Alcor directly to our novice friend without following this elaborate procedure. What did we do here? We got him to focus on the gross objects first that he couldn’t miss. Then, using these gross objects, we directed him to smaller, farther and hence subtler objects. Finally, we reached the subtlest of them all. Barely perceptible to the naked human eye. The Alcor!
And once Alcor was spotted, all the other objects lost their relevance. They did not matter. And the next time Alcor was to be seen, they were not required!
Same is the case with Truth. And Truth is so spectacular, it’s impossible to take our eyes off it once we see it in full glory!
So, saying “Let’s directly remove ignorance from our intellect. Why bother with the postures and breath control and other limbs of Ashtanga Yoga?” is futile. It’s as futile as saying “Just eat the last mouthful that gives us the feeling of satiation. Why eat the whole meal?” It’s as futile as saying “Just hit the stone with the last stroke that broke it. Why keep hammering away?” It’s as futile as saying “Just get the Ph.D. in the chosen subject. Why go to Kindergarten?”
For, we will not be able to eradicate ignorance and illusion irreversibly if we do not know how to meditate upon the Truth. We will not be able to meditate upon the Truth if we cannot concentrate upon it in the first place. Our mind will not focus and allow us to concentrate if we did not know how to control our senses that constantly distract us towards all external objects. We will not be able to control our senses if we cannot regulate our breath. We will not be able to regulate our breath if we do not assume the right posture. We will not be able to assume the right posture as a matter of habit if we do not have the discipline of practising the right posture again and again until we get it right. And of what use is the discipline if it is not founded upon a strong value system that enables us to live and let live?
As Beryl Bender Birch has stated in her book on Power Yoga, “Find your toes before you find your soul.”
Happy finding...
No comments:
Post a Comment