mahorobaasterisk

[mahorobaasterisk]

very strange to see so much vitriol towards shifting & manifesting coming specifically from pagan communities recently (and non recently tbh)

yes there is discussion to be had about preying on the vulnerable and discrimination in the community, but those problems exist in pagan spaces too??

[mahorobaasterisk]

SHIFTING WITH THE YOGA SUTRAS OF PATANJALI (1-5)

(using translation and commentary by Sri Swami Satchidananda)

Of all the activities I have used to further my shifting journey, yoga has by far been the most powerful. This applies to philosophy too, and it is especially compelling when considered that the two have the same religious roots in both Hinduism and Buddhism. Since practicing yoga, I have seen both my meditation and visualization skills skyrocket far beyond the improvement I experienced when I was practicing near daily, even though now I rarely do so more than once a week.

While engaging with the spiritual side of my practice specifically, I got quite invested in the Yoga Sutras. There are nearly 200 of these in total, and as such I will be splitting my analysis of these into many parts, which will be collected under the "asteriskanalysis" tag. I have included analyses of each of these in relation to both the multiverse and consciousness theories when needed, so I hope that whatever you believe in you will benefit from this.

"Sutra" actually means "thread," and in this instance refers to the threads that make up the mind. We all know how important the mind is in shifting, and it is my hope that understanding the intricacies and how to utilize it to its fullest potential will aid those willing to listen along their shifting journey.

1. Now the exposition of Yoga is being made.

Starting off with a very vague one, this sutra simply means that the following passages are not simply philosophy, but instructions.

Perhaps more relevant (as we are not currently practicing yoga) is the idea that, in the words of Satchidananda, "We cannot reach the goal by mere words alone. Without practice, nothing can be achieved."

This, in my opinion, relates quite simply to shifting. While shifting intentionally can be done easily and without practice, that is simply not the case for most people. It is only through multiple, sometimes even hundreds, of tries that we fully learn ourselves well enough to reach our desired realities.

2. The restraint of the modifications of the mind-stuff is Yoga.

While it sounds complicated at first, this sutra is actually quite straightforward, it is the goal of yoga, however what I find more interesting is the example Satchidananda gives in regards to the "modifications" mentioned. I will not detail the full passage due to its length, however I will summarize.

Imagine you are sitting and suddenly you smell something from the kitchen. There are 3 processes that then occur in your brain: the manas detecting the smell, the buddhi deciding what the smell is (in this case, swiss cheese), and the ahaṁkära, which decides you would like some.

More notably is the disturbance these processes cause. Now that you have exited the state you were in before, you cannot return to it until you satisfy your urge to eat some cheese. Despite this, there is effort and willpower needed to go to the kitchen and grab a piece of cheese, and while for many this effort may seem negligible in the example provided, it is extremely prevalent in the pursuit of shifting.

Reality shifting is not an easy task for the majority of people. We have been raised in an environment that firmly asserts (or at least once asserted) that alternate realities are a work of fiction. Due to this, there is lots of effort that goes into every step of the process, but most notably believing. I myself have witnesses people who have shifted many times before struggle in this regard, however the peaceful (in this case certain) state of mind once possessed cannot be achieved again without significant effort.

3. Then the Seer (Self) abides in its own nature.

This is a complex one, and it is one of the many sutras I would like to do a lengthy analysis of later, however a summary of my thoughts will have to suffice for now.

It is only when the mind is calm can you see the true Self.

This makes the most sense with a water analogy. If a pond is dirtied and the water is moving frantically you cannot see anything residing in it, however, when the water appears pure and calmed you will see the life it houses.

Simply put, you must clear your mind to witness reality. For you, this should be your desired one.

While this may seem straightforward, of course you're meant to have an empty mind while meditating, I have seen many forget this vital step. Any method of shifting works, however lots would greatly benefit from clearing their mind before jumping into affirmations and visualization.

4. At other times [the Self appears to] assume the forms of the mental modifications.

I will absolutely be posting an in-depth analysis of this sutra. The commentary by Satchidananda is beautiful and reframed my perspective on shifting entirely. I cannot do it justice, so please read the full passage here on page 48.

This sutra would take me days to properly analyze on its own, and I will do so, however now is not the time for it, as this post is already quite long. I apologize for any inconvenience, however I feel it would be a great injustice to attempt to explain it now in my current state.

5. There are five kinds of mental modifications which are either painful or painless.

This sutra details the difference between selfless and selfish thoughts, however I want to focus on the premise of developing only positive thoughts. I would suggest people to read the text itself (as linked various times throughout this post) as the idea of thinking selflessly is an inherent positive, but the only part I would like to discuss is the ending.

The method to living this philosophy is the concept of self-analysis, better known as self-study. It is stated that we must carefully watch our own thoughts and consider the implications of them, something integral to the concept of "reprogramming your mind."

For the final time, here is the link to the text I am referencing. I heavily suggest reading it, and I hope it helps you as much as it did me.