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Practice and Serenity

Dear Friend,


I hope you had nice and smooth start into the new year. The middle of the winter can be a period in which one may feel fatigue or gloom, but it can also be a great opportunity to introspect and spend some cozy time in the cave by the fire with our tribe, or in our case at home, with the heating on, in the company of loved ones or our self. A reminder that external circumstances sometimes appear to be the cause of our internal states, but this is very circumstantial, there are much deeper sources that truly determine how we feel that have very little or even nothing to do with what's happening to or around us, and the good news is that they can be regulated, modified, or even eliminated with good contemplative practice.

Most contemporary yoga schools and traditions consider an ancient text by the name of Yoga Sutras, a classic masterpiece about yoga, to be the foundation of teachings of yoga. It was written about 2000 years ago and is still very much relevant to the modern yoga practitioner. Well.. most of it for sure, some of it can be somewhat outdated, so it's always good to use some grain of salt when studying ancient scripture.

The most important part of this text, on a practical level, is the part describing what yoga practice should be like, what it should include, and what are the main principles that are essential for making real progress. Without studying the text we may do a practice, one that could even have some nice benefits, but we can easily miss out on the vast potential of yoga to transform us on the deepest level. Yoga can and should definitely evolve, it doesn't make sense to practice in 2025 the same way as people did a hundred or more years ago, there is much we know now about the human body and psychology that people didn't know in the past, but the beautiful thing about the core teachings of yoga is that they are universal and timeless, they touch upon profound truths related to the human condition. When we understand the essence of the teachings and remain true to them, we can adapt the way we apply them so they fit modern times and at the same time give ourselves a real chance to get the full spectrum of benefits that yoga can bring us.

Patanjali, the author of the Yoga Sutras, describes the system of yoga in a methodical way, he starts with general instructions and gradually goes into more detail. One of the most important broad principles he lays out is the concept of abhyāsa and vairāgya which are the two primary attitudes one needs to hold simultaneously during every moment of practice. These two qualities may seem paradoxical at first, and it tends to be confusing particularly for people like us who were taught from a young age specific formulas to achieving goals that usually involve ambition, competitive drive, seeking approval, or other ways that create all sorts of inner tension. However, when it comes to yoga, these attitudes don't work very well, often even leading to negative results, therefore Patanjali is prescribing these two mind states which means that learning how to resolve the apparent tension between them so they can co-exist in harmony is key for the sincere yoga practitioner. 


So what are they exactly?

abhyāsa

Refers to the attitude of enthusiasm, resilience and will, practicing in a committed and dedicated way with appropriate effort, facing challenges soberly with a positive approach and joyful curiosity. In the context of yoga it mostly applies to our efforts to still the mind, to fix our attention, to be fully present, which is the primary purpose of yoga. We may need an element of striving to cultivate these skills along with cultivating sustainable motivation that brings us to our mat or meditation cushion on a regular basis. Showing up and putting in some work is elementary, without it there is zero chance of getting anywhere or achieving anything of substance. Things don't happen on their own just cause we talk about it or wish for it or even manifest it, we need to practice with consistency, long term, and use the right amount of effort so we can progress. 

vairāgya

Serenity or dispassion, detachment from the fruits of our effort, not being concerned with any gain or loss, success or failure, achievement or lack of, being truly interested and content with the richness of every moment. This can easily be mistaken for indifference or apathy which are very different mind states that have nothing to do with yoga. When we become more established in our practice we can often get stuck in desire for certain things, particularly for expected outcomes (long term, short term or immediate), or even expecting the same benefits we had in the past to repeat themselves. We can also seek external recognition or approval of others, or hope that our yoga "achievements" will advance our agenda in some way, financially or otherwise. When we crave we are detached from the present moment and are either trapped in anticipation of a future one, or dwell on a past pleasant one we wish to revisit, we can easily find ourselves pushing too much believing that it will get us somewhere or something. When we are in that state we are essentially lost in thoughts, we then simply lose the most substantial benefits that yoga has to offer which are dependent on us being awake to the present moment, or at least gradually developing the capacity to be. 


Those who studied yoga philosophy know that the concept of uniting opposite qualities or forces is a major theme that repeats in different forms and context. One way of looking at the yoga project is as a process of resolving opposition within us and then transforming these self-distressing patterns into complimentary, harmonious, and peaceful inner states. The word yoga comes from the Sanskrit root "yuj" which means to link together. When we live with a clear perception of interconnectedness we naturally find ourself on the middle path, where there are no extremes battling for dominance, no burning ambition or drive but also no indifference or disposition. The middle path is just another way of describing pure wisdom, one that allows us to hold two (or more) opposing ideas or forces together, at the same time, with an open heart and compassion.

This kind of wisdom seems to be very scarce these days when binary and divisive points of view about everything are so dominant, and we can feel individually and collectively the negative impact of this prevalent condition.


Next time you step on the mat, whether at home or in a yoga class, take a short moment and try to give space to these two attitudes, abhyāsa and vairāgya, and then revisit them throughout the practice, asking yourself from time to time - ''am I pushing myself too hard because I want to get something, achieve some goal, or impress others?", or "am I backing off too much and avoiding useful challenges because I'm distracted, lost in thoughts, indifferent?". Every practice is a process of going a bit too far to one extreme or the other and then calibrating and recalibrating, correcting and recorrecting, balancing one extreme with the other until we feel ourselves enjoying the brightness of the middle way, and then we go on to refine it in an infinite process. This process needs to be one that we delight in, so we can really feel the fulfilment of shifting things internally in a way that is immensely self-empowering on many levels. There is so much to discover about who we are at the deepest level when we simply notice what drives us at every moment. This is one way of applying the core teachings of yoga.


If you find yourself curious about these kinds of topics - join a workshop, a retreat, or any other event on offer.


Looking forward to sharing yoga with you in February.


Wishing everyone peace and happiness,

Oren


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