Patanjali Yoga Sutra - 11

Effort with Patience

Sa tu deerghakala Nairantarya Satkara Aadara Aasevito Dridha Bhoomihi

The effort of Yoga is to watch events, people and places from the Consciousness and not through the mind. Consciousness can be likened to the space inside the home. The window with the screen are the eyes and other sense organs. To function through the mind is like viewing and interpreting the events happening outside or the actions of people moving about with the screen covering the window. The viewing happens with only that much clarity that the screen allows.

But the practice of Yoga helps us to draw the screen over the window when we need it and pull it to a corner when we want to see clearly. Yoga helps in clearing up this screen, yet retain it transparent and clean for use when needed.

This line of the Yoga Sutra says that to achieve this clarity of the mind, the practice or Sadhana should be done with attention, care and reverence, uninterrupted over a long period of time, nurturing the thought with care, practicing it repeatedly with zeal. This will help to firmly root the understanding of yoga at the physical and mental level with success.

(Picture: Wet snow over the earth through the window screen.) - Swahilya Shambhavi. (Bhagavad Gita, Vignana Bhairava Tantra, Tirumandiram, I Am That, swahilya.soulmate@gmail.com)