Ghrana pratyahara is difficult, as one gets accustomed to the smells around one. The smells arouse different responses in one. Take the fragrance of incense, you walk in and after a while you do not notice the smell anymore. This keeps happening, with the different smells. One smells them and then they are ignored. Continue reading
Sri Swamiji said,
It should be understood that pratyahara means withdrawing the mind from the objects of sense experience, then the senses function according to the mind, and not vice versa. The capacities of smell, taste, sight, touch and hearing are withdrawn from their objects and then the senses begin to follow the mind inward and not outward. This is withdrawal of the mind from the sense activities so that the sense organs also become introverted with the mind; they imitate the mind and follow it inside.
This is his description of pratyahara. Continue reading
The world and the life created in it is subject to the influence of maya and tamas. We are all victims of maya and tamas.
Maya is illusion and is the powerful force which creates the cosmic illusion that the phenomena is real. The purpose of maya is to teach one the futility of illusion. To be free of maya one must develop an attitude of gratitude. Continue reading
I have been writing about our thoughts very consistently. Our thoughts are our masters until we are able to break free from them. They keep us leashed and our senses are their slaves. We are guided by them and they play havoc with our mind and body. We have descriptions of personalities who are either Type A or B. Continue reading
How we can we use our senses to appreciate our life? Our senses gather and respond and we notice the world around us. Our senses make us aware of the others in our world. We are not alone ever. Many of us as we age, think that we are invisible and that is because we are switching of the awareness of our senses. Continue reading
We read about seers and saints slipping into samadhi. There is a story about a Zen nun, who was returning with a pot of water on her head. The pot slipped from her head and with that accident she attained samadhi. Continue reading
We look after ourselves. We take it very seriously. From childhood we are taught to be clean. We are given instructions. Brush your teeth, wash your face, feet, hands, and clip your nails. When you bathed you were reminded by your parents to wash behind the ears, soap your neck, scrub your knees and the soles of your feet. It is embedded in our memory and we repeat it to our kids. The list is endless. Continue reading
Pungent is an intense taste. It is created from the elements fire and air. The pungent taste is one of dry, intense heat and it can be found in spicy foods and many herbs and spices. It creates a sensation of sharp and fiery heat. Body odor is described as pungent. Common examples of pungency are mustard and ginger. It is said to induce heat. It is hot, dry, and aromatic. Continue reading
Look into a mirror, it shows your reflection. If the mirror is cracked, it will reflect a cracked image. The mind of a child if it is disturbed or upset will reveal an unwholesome likeness. In order to enable the child to review her/him/self equably, we have to work on the process of one-pointedness. Continue reading
We have eight senses, and they all require prana management. Our five senses which we are familiar with are sight (vision), sound (hearing), smell (olfaction), taste (gustation), touch (tactile perception), and the three senses we are not so familiar with are vestibular (balance), prioceptive (movement) and introceptive (internal). Let us take a quick look at them. Continue reading
In these harsh and disturbed times, we can contribute by self-purification. Cleansing of our thoughts will lead to removal of negativity. I have taken the liberty of combining the teachings of the Veda with the teachings from the Bible. It is only possible for us to end the conflict by practicing detachment, and empathy. Atma Bhava love for our brethren will lead to a resolution. Good Friday is for us to seek forgiveness, not only for ourselves but for saving mother earth. Continue reading
Our individual consciousness is known as awareness. It is immortal and it is mixed with sense, body and mind awareness. This awareness is the form of ‘I am’. With this comes awareness of my body, my senses, my mind, and my identity. We learn how to purify our awareness in the sadhana of Yoga. Continue reading