Contemplation

Contemplation

We tend to relate to ourselves from the outside in. Our minds come in contact with the objects of the world and we identify (negatively or positively) with those objects/experiences. In order to feel alive, we become dependent upon external phenomena. We know ourselves only in relation to that which we perceive outside of ourselves – always comparing and contrasting. …

Freedom

Freedom

The fight for freedom is waged within 6 inches. Not in some other country, not with the people in your society that are different from you or have different ideas. There is a war taking place within your own mind. Your power to think is under siege. If you are not using your mind, someone else is using it for …

Overcoming the Habit of Negation

Overcoming the Habit of Negation

When one sits still and begins to examine the mind and emotions, one finds that many conflicting thoughts and feelings arise. This inner conflict is what creates obstacles to inner peace. No matter how much we try to attain peace through external means, those unsettling thoughts are always lurking underneath the surface causing inner turmoil and unrest. The Yogis tell …

Becoming Fully Human

Becoming Fully Human

My teacher would always say that we should strive to be fully human. He would say don’t worry about becoming enlightened, just become fully human. Pure consciousness is our true nature, so in reality, we do not need to strive to be spiritual. We already are the “spirit”. Becoming fully human allows us to realize our true spiritual nature. When …

Being in the Moment

Being in the Moment

In our culture, it is our tendency to look to our past to tell us who we are. We often define ourselves as the sum of our past perceptions and experiences. From the perspective of Yoga philosophy, our past tells us who we are not. Our past experiences are simply experiences, but they do not necessarily define us. We can …

Consciousness and the Process of Evolution

Consciousness and the Process of Evolution

This is an answer to a question I was asked about consciousness as it relates to evolution: It is my understanding that the mind (particularly the ego aspect of the mind) can sometimes impede the evolutionary process or it can be used as a tool to speed up the process. I think this is why humans are considered more evolved …