Looking back to move forward with clarity and steadiness
Dear friends,
Happy October!
As we enter into the new month of October, we find ourselves at a crossroads where the past and future gently converge. On one hand, we want to set new intentions or renew our commitment to our existing intentions for the coming month, and on the other hand we want to reflect on the month that has just passed. There is profound wisdom in the simple act of looking back before going forward.
By looking back at the previous month, we're deliberately and mindfully pausing, allowing us to harvest the wisdom, strength and growth from our journey. With gratitude, we can acknowledge our growth and personal evolution, learn from our mistakes and missteps, renew our purpose and set intentions with greater clarity.
Reflecting on my previous month, I was faced with a few challenges, which reminded me of one of Patanjali's Yoga Sutra, which lists the 9 disturbances in the path of yoga. Patanjali uses the word 'antarāya' which literally means 'that which intervenes' with our practice. They are called disturbances, antarāya, because they move, 'aya', and make a gap, 'antara', in one’s practice.
"These disturbances are disease, idleness, doubt, carelessness, sloth, lack of detachment, misapprehension, failure to attain a base for concentration, and instability" Yoga Sutra I.30.
One of the disturbances which has severely interfered with my commitment to you over the last month, is the vyadhi which means 'disease', 'ailment'. At the beginning of the month I had a minor fall, due to a moment of carelessness. Although I was able to modify my practice, the injury interfered with my ability to work and teach. While I was almost fully recovered, I suddenly lost my voice due to severe laryngitis.
Patanjali explains that these 9 disturbances will continue to happen as long as there are vrittis- fluctuations of the mind. Since the disturbances and the changing fluctuations of the mind are inseparable, the way to overcome these disturbances is to fix the mind in one object and practice with dispassion. The more control we have over our mind, cultivating calmness and one-pointed focus, the fewer disturbances we will experience and the quicker we can overcome and heal from those disturbances.
I invite you to recognise which of these 9 disturbances tend to intervene with your practice and with your intentions.
Disease: imbalance in the body
Idleness: the disinclination of the mind towards work
Doubt: the consideration and uncertainty of two sides of an issue
Carelessness: neglecting the eight limbs of yoga
Sloth: lack of effort in body and mind
Lack of detachment: mental greed
Misapprehension: mistaken knowledge
Failure to attain a base for concentration: failure to attain samadhi, the final limb of yoga
Instability: inability to maintain any such state that one might attain
Patanjali offers us various ways to fix the mind and therefore overcome the 9 disturbances:
'Practice of fixing the mind on one object should be performed in order to eliminate these disturbances' I.32
Chanting the sound of Om in a devotional mood: to become free from these obstacles and attain the goal of yoga
'By cultivating an attitude of friendship toward those who are happy, compassions towards those in distress, joy towards those who are virtuous and equanimity towards those who are nonvirtuous' I.33
'Or stability of mind is gained by exhaling and retaining the breath' I.34
May we reflect back as a way to honor our history and create a more intentional future.
May we recognise the disturbances that intervene with our practice and our intentions.
May we be equipped with the tools of yoga to embark into this new month with greater calmness,, clarity, wisdom, and steadiness.
Love,
Antonia