Excerpts from the book: “Light on Life: The Yoga Journey to Wholeness, Inner Peace, and Ultimate” by BKS Iyengar - Part 1 of 2
- Yoga, I often say, is like music. The rhythm of the body, the melody of the mind, and the harmony of the soul create the symphony of life.
- By drawing our senses of perception inward, we are able to experience the control, silence, and quietness of the mind. This ability to still and gently silence the mind is essential, not only for meditation and the inward journey but also so that the intuitive intelligence can function usefully and in a worthwhile manner in the external world.
- Contrary to what many teachers try to tell you, meditation is not going to remove stress. Meditation is only possible when one has already achieved a certain “stressless” state.
- For example, we should eat only when our mouths spontaneously salivate, as it is the body’s intelligence telling us that we are truly hungry. If not, we are force-feeding ourselves and disease will surely follow.
- Pain is a great philosopher, because it thinks constantly of how to get rid of itself and demands discipline.
- There are only two ways to confront pain: to live with the pain forever or to work with the pain and see if you can eradicate it.
- To do nothing is an action too, with inevitable consequences, and so that is not a way to escape pain and suffering either
- If we are loyal to the path we are on, our lives will get better, and the light of distant perfection will come to illuminate our journeys.
- Body is the bow, asana the arrow, and soul is the target.
- The serenity in the body is the sign of spiritual tranquility. As long as you do not feel the serenity in the body, in each and every joint, there is no chance for emancipation. You are in bondage. So while you are sweating and aching, let your heart be light and let it fill your body with gladness. You are not only becoming free, but you are also being free. What is not to be glad about? The pain is temporary. The freedom is permanent.
- To expire means both to breathe out and to die. What dies is the known I-sense, which clings passionately to its own identity and existence. In retention after exhalation, you experience life after death. The ego’s worst fear is confronted and conquered. The veil of illusion that shrouds the “me” is lifted.
- The fewer our demands on life, the greater is our ability to see its bounty.
- Freedom is about dropping the shackles of fear and desire.
- Yoga calls the body the vehicle of the soul, but as the saying goes, no one ever washes a rented car. Yoga points out that it is in our highest interest to look after this poor conveyance, at every level, from health to mind to self to soul. The conundrum of body is the starting point in yoga from which to unravel the mystery of human existence.
- Our consciousness increasingly becomes what we feed it.
- Lao Tzu, the Chinese philosopher, said, “Know yourself. Know what is good. Know when to stop.”
- Memory is useless if it brings about a repetition of the past that impedes the process of our evolution. But memory is useful if it helps to prepare you for the future and even necessary if you use it to develop.
- The practice of yoga teaches us to deal with each task in the day as it arises, and then to put it down. This might include answering our letters or returning our calls, doing the washing up, letting anger drop as soon as the moment is past. There is an old phrase “Sufficient to the day the evils thereof.” It means we should contain even disagreeable challenges of life in their appropriate place and not let them fester and pollute the rest of our time.
- By living each day presently and thoroughly, we earn a clear conscience. A clear conscience is the best preparation for a restful and peaceful night.
- Healthy bodies give strength to act; unclouded minds give stability and relief from emotional upheavals. The awakening of intelligence will help us to choose, decide, and initiate action.
- “The Will to be Free.” In spite of its attractive sound, it is, to the average person, a daunting prospect, implying as it does, penetration into the heart of the unknown, detachment, and the potential pain of ultimate self-knowledge. This requires real guts, and so we should take a moment to look at the source of our will.
- It is an obsession in our modern society to focus on appearance, presentation, and packaging. We do not ask ourselves, “How am I really?” but “How do I look, how do others see me?” It is not a question of, “What am I saying?” but, “How do I sound?”
- We shy away from such self-knowledge as we instinctively feel that its ugliness lies closer to the Soul.
- Even a painful conscience is a privilege as it is proof that God is still talking to us.
- Do not confuse Aloneness with loneliness. Loneliness is separation from the cosmos. Aloneness is to become the common denominator of the Cosmic All.
Click here to the second part of the post.
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Hello! Welcome to Sammy's MindChirps. I'm glad you are here. To me, the word LIFE is an acronym of Laboratory with Infinite Freedom to Experiment. It's more like a kaleidoscope offering amazing learning opportunities as we grow and explore various facets of life. So this blog is a platform where I share anything that I find interesting (with my two cents, of course :D). I assure that you will have some new learning when you exit the blog. And do share your feeback on the blog or anything you want me to write about in this blog by dropping an email to mindchirps@gmail.com