Yoga Sutra 33.1 - cultivate friendliness

The mind tends to be drawn towards the outside world.

We all face this situation every day.

Like I have mentioned in an earlier post about meditation on brain, there are many ways to practice stillness in order to become more mindful or in ease with your own being.

The most important part about this process is to first and foremost to understand what’s keeping you from concentration.

The Sutra tells us the following:

Sutra 33 Chapter 1
In relation to happiness, misery, virtue and vice, by cultivating the attitudes of friendliness, compassion, gladness and indifference respectively, the mind becomes purified and peaceful.

Maybe read that a couple of times until you start to understand the deeper meaning of these words.

Have you ever noticed, while at work or elsewhere, that your mind somehow finds it`s own way?

You are trying to focus but the thoughts in your head won’t shut up?

Specially now, with everything that’s going on in the world.

The virus is spreading, numbers of infected people explode. The economy is crashing. We seem so helpless and maybe even scared.

Fear.

The lowest vibration of all the emotions. It takes you to a level where you are not able to move anymore.

It blocks the common sense, makes us blind to our own truth.

I allow myself to make this statement: Fear is one of the main reasons we are distracted.

Cultivating friendliness in a time like this may be difficult for some of us. It is easy to blame someone else for a catastrophic event. And though I am not saying that certain countries need to radically change certain behaviors, we are all in this together and need to cultivate a global awareness if we want to continue.

This yoga sutra gives so much inspiration towards your own growth, towards a better awareness of your mind body connection.

How can I cultivate friendliness, compassion or love in the face of everything that is happening around me?

To cultivate a positive attitude because it is the only way to become free of disturbing influences.

In the days and weeks to come, when the news cycle makes you feel like there is nothing good out there anymore, remind yourself of two things that you are grateful for. A cup of tea, a good book. Anything that lifts the spirit for even just a second.

Be mindful about what you eat, rest well and drink a lot of water. Sounds basic but like building a house, we start with the foundation.

We humans need three things in order to live happy life.

Something to do, someone that loves us and a roof over our heads.

And if you are grateful for “just” that every single day, you have already cultivated gratitude.

Namaste,

Cynthia