Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Yoga Sutra 1.14

Yoga Sutra 1.14

I know I'm moving slowly through this book. I just dropped two of my college courses (don't need the extra stress these last two months) and so I should have some free time to get the reading moving pretty swiftly.

Anyways, Maehle's translation: "1.14 One becomes firmly established in practice only after attending to it for a long time, without interruption and with an attitude of devotion."

So, you can't have a bad attitude when taking on a practice, because, if you have a bad attitude, you are ultimately practicing for the wrong reasons. For example:

"This could be because:
We think we have to get our frame into shape, so that others desire us.
We think that, when we exercise postures more proficiently than 
others, we are superior to them. (The same can be said about practicing 
meditation and samadhi.)
We practice because we want to get any type of advantage over others, 
be it physical, mental, or spiritual.
To practice with devotion is to remain grateful for being able to practice at all" (Maehle 155).

I think I actually came across this at a relatively essential point one day while I was thinking and reading. I have been frustrated lately with my practice, mainly due the the limitations that I have because of pregnancy. After reading this Sutra though, I feel a bit better. It takes years upon years of practice to have any semblance of a chance to maintain a practice. Not to mention, having a good attitude will help tremendously. 

Maehle states, "H. Aranya says that uninterrupted practice means constant practice. He is not referring to one's formal practice but to mindfulness and watchfulness." So whether we are practicing on the mat, or merely practicing any other limbs of yoga, we are still practicing, and so long as we maintain a constant practice, we will become firmly established in the practice. 

Therefore, I need to have an attitude of devotion (whether on the mat or in the books) and to maintain a practice (same concept) without interruption. I think I can manage that. 


As a side note: I bought both, Pranayama the Breath of Yoga and Light on Yoga: Yoga Dipika, this evening and should be receiving them by the end of the week :). Yay! OH, and I bought a body brush to begin the daily practice of dry brushing. Come on good circulation! 

No comments:

Post a Comment