I've been immersed deep in all sorts of fabulous projects - including opening Mudita Yoga Center! yippeee. Ayurveda, promoting music...and catching up with all my wonderful buddies in the city of New York.
Anyhow, I'm teaching yoga tonight at Equinox and tomorrow morning as well - 7:30 tonight at 50th and Broadway and 7 am tomorrow in Soho Equi. Sexy Equinox.
I've been meaning to blog - but life - takes one away from the computer quite often. My friend Ramona Barnes gave me a Dr. Phil book - and I have to admit that a lot of his quotes are straight from the Yoga Sutras. Truth is universal.
More later - I'll give you the Dr. Phil quote and the Yoga Sutra for comparison. Makes my heart laugh with JOY, Muditah!
Quote from Dr. Phil:
"If you know who you are, if you are secure in who you are and, most important, if you accept who you are, then it will take a lot to knock you off your balance."
And who are we?
Well Dr. Phil goes on about what people do in their heads/minds when they are insecure - they self-sabotage and wonder why everyone else is so happy and they are not. The sutras explain in great detail - all the obstacles that distract the mind.
And then the remedy - "Know who you are."
Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, Chapter 1, Verses 30 and 31
Translated by Shri Brahmananda Sarasvati, Ananda Ashram
30. Vyadhi styana sansaya pramadalasyavirati
bhranti darsanalabdha bhumikatvanava sthitatvani citta
viksepas te'ntarayah.
"The obstacles which distract the mind are: vyadhi - physical and mental disease, styana - indolence and absolute confusion about what to do and what not to do, sansaya - doubt and skepticism, pramada - carelessness, lack of interest, alasy - lethargy and laziness, avirati - awakening of worldly-mindedness, sensuality, bhranti-darsana - delusion, erroneous perception, hallucinatory experience, alabdha-bhumikatva - fall from the desired state, and anavasthitatva - instability or inability to remain permanently in that state."
31. Tat pratisedhartam eka tattvabhyasah
"To overcome these obstacles, meditate on the chief principle; that is to say, hold on to 'I-AM.'"
And Dr. Phil says, "to combat the sweaty-palms syndrome, successful entrepreneurs tell themselves...: 'Whatever happens, it's not going to change my life.'...To tell yourself this and really believe it, you have to take a step back and realize that the things you really enjoy, the things that give you the most pleasure and make life worth living, are all things you already have. A walk in the park with your dog. Some quality time with your friends. An hour in the sun - just you and your iPod. No one can give these things to you or take them away..."
And Chapter 1 of the Yoga Sutras, verse 39 says:
39. Yathabhimata-dhyanad va.
"Also, meditate on anything that pleases you and brings calmness to the mind. This Sutra indicates occupational therapy."
And Dr. Phil then says, "Confident people are calm without being aloof or arrogant. This sense of peace comes from an awareness of their authentic self, the part of you that can found at your absolute core. It is the part of you that is not defined by your job, your function or your role."
Chapter 2 of the Yoga Sutras, verse 6:
6. Drg darsana saktyor ekatmatevasmita
"Asmita, egoism or personal 'I-amness," is the false identification of the seer, the 'I-am,' with the mental faculty, buddhi, which is the instrument of seeing. Here the two blend together, and the soul or 'I-am' becomes identified with the individual body and thinking mind, even though the body and thinking mind are time- and space-bound, and the pure principle of 'I-am' is beyone time and space. The individual, personal 'I-am' here is called asmita, that is to say, 'I-amness,' which is part of ignorance or avidya."
Know thy self.
The essence of all the great teachings, in these three words - "Know your Self."
love and rockets,
Sumukhi
