Theft
In our culture, we take a dim view of theft. Stealing from another is unjust but because many also identify with their possessions as an aspect of themselves, they feel violated and fearful as a …
Category: Philosophy
Possession
It’s a revealing thing that we refer to our belongings as “possessions”. (even “belongings” is revealing) The meaning is what we possess but in many ways, it is they who possess us. The stuff we …
Ahimsa – Non-Violence
Ahimsa is one of the 5 Yamas or observances, the first limb of Yoga. It means non-injury or non-violence. Other Yamas include non-theft and truthfulness, so they’re sometimes confused with ethics. For example, I was …
Brahma and Brahman
One thing that long puzzled me in Sanskrit terminology is the similarity between the words Brahma and Brahman. Some use the words almost interchangeably yet their definitions are quite distinct. Brahma is the creator in …
Brahmacharya & Sex
Brahmacharya is one of the Yamas of Yoga and key to many conceptions of spiritual practice. It is commonly translated to mean celibacy. Celibacy is thus deemed necessary for real spiritual progress. However, while a …
Yoga to Purify the Mind
Ah – one more article for the series. When we clear up the noise in the lower the koshas (the mental and emotional “bodies”), then the subtler ones and all their advantages come on line: …
Yoga Articles
Recently, I’ve been reviewing the Yoga Sutra of Patanjali, as translated by Dr. Thomas Egenes. (see the Books tab) For your convenience, here are links to the articles. True Yoga The Enlightenment of Yoga The …
The Mind of Yoga
In Yoga, the mind is a key topic. In Yoga Sutra, the second phrase is “Yoga is the complete settling of the activity of the mind.” It is not a posture or breathing exercise. Book …
Obstacle Illusions
The process of enlightenment is a very curious one. It’s not something that happens or is done because it’s not something or someone that is waking up. What awakens is already awake. But it has …
The Role of Kundalini
The ongoing exploration and discussion of ways of modelling the diverse experiences of awakening had a new round recently, based on the article Kundalini: Up, Down, or ? by Peter Holleran. It’s a fascinating overview …
The Enlightenment of Yoga
In the Yoga Sutra, the description of enlightenment sounds a lot like clear Cosmic Consciousness or Self Realization. But the “perfections” in book 3 and 4 that come with it are from another age when …
The End of Suffering
Patanjali mentions the causes of suffering in the Yoga Sutra 2v15 Suffering is caused by change, anxiety, impressions, and by opposing the activity of nature. Indeed, discriminating persons know that everyone is suffering. 2v3-11 The …