Sutra 1.37
वीतरागविषयं वा चित्तम्॥३७॥
vītarāgaviṣaya vā cittam
Translation:
- Or, holding steady the mind, on a finer cognition that has a sensory object.- CT
- Or the concentration on subtle sense perceptions can cause steadiness of mind. -SS
- Or by concentrating on a great soul’s mind which which is totally freed from attachment to sense objects. -EFB
Vocabulary:
Key Concepts:
The list that we are discussing now is the means for cultivating a peaceful mind.
- one-pointedness, fixing the mind on one object {OM being the highest object} 1.32
- appropriate attitudes of friendliness, compassion, delight, and dispassion 1.33
- working with the breath 1.34
- one-pointedness on a supersensuous experience 1.35
- one-pointedness on a luminous and blissful cognition
- one-pointedness on a great soul
I love this one! How beautiful. Patanjali says that since sometimes it is hard for us to see our own Divinity, we can focus on someone who we believe to be noble. This is a person who has relinquished all attachments, who has realized the goal and has a pure mind. By focusing on on a pure heart our own hearts become tinged by the purity of their mind.
This sutra also speaks to the company that we keep. Have you ever had heard the saying, “If you go to bed with dogs, you wake up with fleas”? This sutra teaches that who we think of and spend our time with is important, because absorb their energetic qualities.
This also teaches us the benefit of offering devotion, pure devotion, to a guru, a teacher, a spiritual master. When we offer the devotion and service of ourselves to a teacher some of their knowledge and grace is bestowed on us, our minds become pure and free from personal desire.
Practice
1. Sankalpa
2. Prayer Ritual
3. Asana:
Practice 10X Rounds
4. Mantra:
- Use your mantra.
- Say your mantra to yourself 5 times out loud.
- Say your mantra in a whisper 5 times.
- Say your mantra silently in your mind 5 times.
*When you catch your mind engaged in an activity that you find harmful, use your mantra to reset your mind.
5. Pranayama:
Dirga Pranayam
Dirga Pranayam is the full Yogic Breath.
- Start ujjayi, create a nice long breath, balancing the inhalation and exhalation.
- Visualize in the space between the bottom of your ribs and your navel as the central point of your being.
- As you inhale feel the energetic body expanding out, spherically, in all directions. (3-Dimensionally)
- Pause-Kumbhaka- spontaneously
- Let the exhale come naturally, feel the energetic body contracting back into the body at the central point of your being.
- Kumbhaka -spontaneous pause.
- Reapeat for 5 minutes noticing the feeling of continual expanding and contracting of your being in a rhythmic way.
6. Meditation:
- Draw your attention into yourself. Removing your awareness of the objects of your senses.
- Focus your minds eye on your object of meditation or on OM.
- Practice for 10 minutes.
- When you feel your mind wander be so gentle in bringing it back. *Remember we are like infants in this journey. Treat yourself as you would your own child.
- End by touching your heart and repeating your name 3 times.
7. Reflection
Practice when you a few minutes or practice in the place of the meditation above.
Fix your mind on a pure heart.
- Sit in a comfortable position.
- Take time to still and relax the body.
- Turn the attention inward.
- Bring your hands to your heart.
- Focus here while taking some deep breaths.
- When you feel calm as yourself, what pure heart is calling to you.
- Whatever arise, who ever arises, fix your mind on this great soul.
- Practice for 5 or 10 minutes.
- Sit for a moment, let the residue of your practice settle on you.
- What qualifies a person to be consider a great soul?
- Does being mean that you have to be a fully realized master?
- What was your experience with this meditation ?
