Hello,
Wise soul.
In this audio meditation,
We will be using the ancient technique of mindfulness of breathing and delve into reflections on true yoga,
On the path of understanding our inner nature.
In this practice,
We turn to the source of all states and experiences,
Our inner consciousness.
Find a comfortable,
Quiet place where you can sit on any surface,
Preferably semi-hard or hard.
It could be a chair,
Or you can sit in a half lotus or lotus position.
Allow yourself to let go of all thoughts and simply be here and now.
Find a place where you can feel calm and comfortable.
Relax and close your eyes.
Throughout the session,
Maintain a straight spine and remain still.
This will help your mind become more concentrated and the knowledge gained will be absorbed more deeply.
Direct all your attention to your nostrils.
Remain there and only there throughout the entire meditation,
Observing how the natural inhalation occurs,
How the natural exhalation occurs.
Begin to notice your breath,
Thus sharpening your mind,
Delving deeper,
Exploring the subtlest sensations of the air touching the surface of the skin under the nostrils.
Take an even closer look.
What is happening there?
At what speed is the breath happening?
Is it slow?
Maybe it's regulated,
Fast.
Notice this and become aware.
Right now the breath is happening slowly,
Steadily.
Just now the breath is happening quickly,
Rapidly.
Just notice this fact.
This is how mindfulness develops.
In the Bhagavad Gita,
Lord Krishna imparts a similar message to the warrior Arjuna saying – set thy heart upon thy work but never on its reward.
Krishna advises Arjuna to perform his duty and engage in the battle before him without attachment to the outcomes or the material world.
This teaching promotes the concept of nishkama karma or selfless action,
Where one's focus is on the action itself and the duty to uphold righteousness rather than being attached to the benefits or possessions that may come from it.
The essence of Krishna's guidance is to live with a sense of purpose and duty while finding the divine connection within oneself.
We often overlook that our consciousness is the origin of all our experiences and occurrences.
We chase after external items and events,
Believing they will grant us fulfillment.
Thus,
Our actions in life are steered by our ego,
Ahamkara,
The self-creator,
Which is fundamentally the motivator for our deeds.
This drives our quest for contentment in life.
Often we forget that the source of all our experiences and events is our own consciousness.
We often strive for external objects and events,
Thinking that they will bring us satisfaction.
Therefore,
All our actions in life are determined by our ego,
Ahamkara,
The one that creates oneself,
Which is essentially the driving force behind everything we do.
This prompts us to seek happiness in life.
The ego,
Or ahamkara,
Drives us,
Making us seek satisfaction in the results of our actions.
This result must be good,
Because from this,
His ahamkara will feel good.
The ego,
Or ahamkara,
Propels us to find gratification in the outcomes of our endeavors.
This outcome must be favorable,
Because from it,
The ahamkara will derive pleasure.
In the Discipline of Yoga and the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali,
It is acknowledged that there is nothing inherently wrong with this.
Some argue that the pursuit of worldly ambitions,
Pleasures,
And joys is detrimental and should be abandoned.
It is vital to recognize that the ultimate aim of our existence is not merely to attain external objectives,
But to reach a state of composure,
Unaffected by external conditions.
As it is often stated,
Live in the world,
But do not be consumed by it.
An individual should pursue and satisfy their desires.
Yet,
The true measure of one's stance in life,
In their viragya,
Is the capacity to remain composed regardless of the outcomes of their actions.
If they succeed,
They do not become overly elated.
If they fail,
They do not succumb to despair.
It is in this equanimity towards external situations that true yoga and viragya are found.
One cannot defer the cultivation of detachment.
We cannot assume that we will first fulfill all our desires and then turn to spirituality,
As desires are infinite,
Like the waves of the sea,
Emerging one after another.
Consider the man who stood by the ocean for an extended period.
When asked by another,
Why do you stand here so long,
He answered,
My friend,
I wish to swim in the ocean,
But I am waiting for the waves to cease so that I can swim in tranquility.
Pursuing a spiritual life after satisfying all desires is as futile as the man who waited for a calm ocean to bathe.
Those who retreat from the world,
Shunning action and isolating themselves in caves and monasteries do not attain true wisdom.
They miss out on practical experience,
Their understanding confined to theory.
A genuine yogi engages in worldly matters yet remains unshaken by their consequences.
This practice is the epitome of viragya,
The ideal of authentic yoga and a true yogi.
Focusing on your breathing,
To the very foundation of our existence,
Inhale and exhale,
Being aware of each inhalation and each exhalation,
Allowing your consciousness to delve into the depths of your being.
As you inhale,
Become aware of the process of inspiration,
Allowing yourself to be here and now,
In the moment.
As you exhale,
Release all tension,
All expectations,
All attachments to the result.
True wisdom lies not in abstaining from action but in performing them while maintaining inner equanimity.
This is true yoga,
True viragya,
A state where we act but do not attach to the results of our actions.
So let us now,
Together,
Immerse ourselves in this moment,
In this practice,
In this process of non-doing and you may notice that even by doing nothing,
Something is happening.
Allow yourself ultimately just to breathe,
Let go of all thoughts,
There is nothing but your observation of the breath.
As Nisargadatta Maharaj said,
To find the truth,
Man must explore himself.
Continue to observe your breath until the end of the audio session,
Only then will you develop true tranquility and inner peace.
