The paradox of contentment

Reading from Tuesday, June 16, 2015 yoga class

I went over the highlights of the Ramanand Patel workshop, The paradox of contentment, that I attended this past weekend with class today.

Ramanand is amazing.  He has a mischievous twinkle in his eyes.  He tells jokes while he keeps you in poses for an incredibly LONG time.  He loves when you laugh at his jokes.  One that comes to mind is the word, lipstick...he says I don't see any stick between your lips.  :)  

He tells you that you are a child of god in a way that you really hear it and believe it.  I love how he ends each session, with the words: "honor the lord within."

Why we act or do anything, the motivation for action, in some way involves a level of discontentment.  We want it, the world, ourselves to be otherwise, and yet we are told to practice contentment.  The paradox of knowing that when practicing yoga asana there is no point at which a pose is "perfect."  How to reconcile knowing that the pose can be improved and at the same time practicing contentment with being where you are with the pose.

When you call something a problem, it's already a problem.  The mind creates problems and the mind has to solve problems.  Life would be great if we didn't have a mind!!   :)  The mind creates another self, which is the ego.  The ego is dissatisfied. What bothers you is created by your mind.  We study because the mind forgets.  The mind learns by repetition.   Managing problems versus having problems.

There is discontentment/contentment in everything.  Look at the action and change the action.  When we are unhappy it is because we want something we don't have.  We get stuck on results.

The intrinsic quality of consciousness is happiness.  Like a baby that is fed, clean and dry.  We call it "growing up" but Ramanand says it is "growing down" because babies are pure consciousness and we lose that as we "grow up."  What happens when you are happy?  You don't want anything.  Seek joy in sharing what you have.

Life is meant for living.  It's purpose is to find out who you really are.

When you step on a soccer field, you are a soccer player, but are you really a soccer player?

What is required for pure looking:
Eyes
Light
Mind is present
Adequate distance
Consciousness

Guilt and Hurt ...they don't give joy.

Omission/Commision= Guilt
Other people's omission/commision=Hurt

The world around us causes hurt.  Guilt is what happens.  Hurt and guilt are not part of our consciousness.  They are not intrinsic of SELF.  Your ego can be hurt, your body can be hurt, but the SELF is not hurt.

The mind you use to learn about other people is the same mind you use to learn about yourself.

Qualities that everybody has inside: 
Saint/Sage
Human Being
Devils
Un-named (worse than devils)

So... don't throw food away;  be kind to every living thing; appreciate and give gratitude;  pride is a mistake, put pride in its proper place.  Mother Teresa, Gandhi couldn't do Trikonasana and look what kind of impact they made on the world.

Not everyone is ready for enlightenment.  Nobody can give you enlightenment.

Jnana Mudra

Index finger=Ego
Middle finger=Dharma(that which makes you a good human being)
Ring finger=Joy/Pleasure
Pinkie finger=Survival
Thumb=The Divine

So... in Jnana Mudra the index finger(ego) bows to the thumb(the divine) and the other three fingers extend out with the palms up.    With palms down, it is called Chin Mudra.

A drop of water falls on a rock.  One drop does nothing, but after many drops a hole appears in the rock.  Such is the power of patience.