Fate, Destiny and Karma

There are two forces in the universe, one is called karma- action and reaction, and the other is called free will. Free will is not karma; you will and it happens, the will is independent of karma. But the emergence of willpower takes time in spiritual life. As a human being evolves and becomes master of his own mind, he is able to exert his will.

- Paramhamsa Satyananda Saraswati

Fate, destiny and karma are three ancient concepts. They represent ways that people of wisdom tried to make sense of the world; of why negative events can befall good people and vice versa. We forget sometimes in our glib modern superficiality that these ancient ways of thinking are the culmination of keen observation, deep thought and contemplation. In the modern age it is acceptable to believe that the universe makes no sense, that nothing happens for a reason and that we exist for no purpose other than, perhaps, to be tortured by the meaninglessness of life. The wisdom traditions worked with a deep faith in the integrity of the universe.

Fate is an understanding in which we are primarily victims. Fate is directly related to the word fatality, and indeed, we are all fated to die on the physical, material level of our beings. In Greek mythology fate is the result of the workings of the Moirae, the goddesses of destiny. In this sense, fate is an interwoven narrative. It is the overall pattern in which we as individuals are imbedded. The cosmos is the collective epic in which we all play our respective parts. An important aspect of one’s fate, however, is character; the consistency of thought and action within the individual.

Destiny is closely related to fate and these terms are often used interchangeably. I am going to follow author shaman Alberto Villoldo, however in making a distinction. The distinction is similar to the one between karma and dharma which we will explore a little later. Villoldo explains, “The early Greeks believed that fate is spun from a certain thread, and that once it is woven into an entire cloth it becomes irreversible, while destiny is a powerful force or agency that can actually intervene in the course of your life, to reweave the cloth of your fate. I believe that destiny can also happen without divine intervention. This requires that you heal your past wounds and respond to the calling you were born with. You then can steer the course of your own life.” Courageous Dreaming: How Shamans Dream the World into Being

While fate means accepting some inevitable outcome of life, destiny means engaging heroically with your own potential. There are myriads of things that happen to us in life that we have little or no control over, however our destiny depends are ability to adapt, to adjust and to overcome these limitations. It is about finding a meaningful path in life. It requires going beyond the limitations of our conditioning. Perhaps even believing in ourselves; not necessarily as the ego-identified beings we have been led to accept but the spiritual beings that we truly are. The path of destiny is the path of awakening. It is a process of raising our level of consciousness.

Karma is similar to fate in some ways. The circumstances into which we are born are the result of the karma of previous lives. The obstacles and opportunities that come to us in life are based on our previous choices. If we remain unconscious then the pattern simply repeats, growing stronger each time. Karma is a mechanical habitual process. A tendency towards anger and violence becomes self-reinforcing, as does a tendency towards compassion and kindness. We rack up karmic debts through our self-centered actions which must be repaid at some future time. Karma can involve individuals, families, nations, ethnic groups, the human race and the planet itself. Karma and Reincarnation: The Key to Spiritual Evolution and Enlightenment  It is no wonder that the seers of old determined that the best path was to get off of the wheel of karma altogether,

An attractive aspect of the theory of karma is that it gives us some control over our destinies. Instead of being victims to a blind mechanistic process or an enigmatic God, karma suggests that we are responsible for determining the course of our future evolution. We are responsible for the quality of our thoughts and actions. The problem however is that a great deal of our thoughts and behavior are unconscious. For the most part we are asleep at the wheel of karma. The only way to master the karmic process is through waking up.

Our karma is driven by the five kleshas or afflictions: ignorance (of one’s true nature), ego-identification, attachment, aversion, and clinging to life (i.e. fear of death). As long as we are identified with our body-mind “instruments,” pushed and pulled by our attachments and fearful of death, we are bound by karma. We experience the duality of emotions: happiness and sadness, joy and grief, pleasure and pain, infatuation and disgust. However we don’t experience the transcendent joy, peace and equanimity of the soul at one with the infinite.

Based on the kleshas we accumulate karma which is stored in seed form in the unconscious storehouse known as karmashaya. These are deep memories or “impressions,” called samskaras. Our current experience is based upon the ripening of seeds of past karmas, and our current actions and reactions create the seeds for future experiences. These future experiences may not appear in this lifetime but lay the foundation for future births. As the Yoga Sutras explain, “Future effects can have happiness or sorrow as their fruit depending on merit or demerit.” Four Chapters on Freedom: Commentary on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali  Or as the Bible tells us, “As you sow; so shall you reap.”

The “Sutras” go on to point out that even good karma doesn’t  produce true happiness. As long as we are spiritually ignorant and attached to appearances we will inevitably suffer. Nothing is permanent. We can lose what we have, or perhaps grow tired of it. Cataclysmic events, such as the recent Japanese tsunami, can appear seemingly out of nowhere. Attachment in and of itself produces suffering. It is only through liberation from the karmic cycles by awakening that we can truly overcome suffering.

Meditation is the key to awakening. Karma originates in the mind although we are not generally conscious of it. Meditation enables us to go deeper into the subconscious processes and to become aware of our karmic predispositions. It also helps us to develop some control over their expression. This is the true free will of which Swamiji spoke. Through regular practice, meditation leads to a transformation of mind allowing us to free ourselves from negative karmic tendencies such as greed, anger, desire, pride, guilt, fear, shame, etc. We tend to forget that the outer world is really a reflection of our own inner tendencies. It is only when we can become aware of the depths of our own unconscious minds that we can take hold of the reigns of destiny.

Karma is completely overcome in the higher stages of Samadhi in which ego-identification is dropped and one recognizes oneself as a being of pure consciousness. The emphasis on meditation, though, does not mean one should refrain from action. Action which is not based in attachment is very powerful and through it enlightened beings serve the world in ways that we can barely recognize. Each of us enters life with a dharma, a particular path of service. While karma propels us unconsciously, dharma is the conscious acceptance of one’s personal mission in life. One’s mission may seem small and insignificant; we can’t all be great leaders, famous artists, etc. However, one person’s heartfelt contribution can create a ripple effect that uplifts many people. In my next post, I will talk about Karma Yoga: the path of action without attachment. We might call it “meditation in action.”

Prayer, Meditation and Faith

Meditation is the dissolution of thoughts in Eternal awareness or Pure consciousness without objectification, knowing without thinking, merging finitude in infinity. – Swami Sivananda

Doubt is a virus that attacks our self-esteem, productivity and confidence. Faith that you and your life is perfectly unfolding is the strongest vaccine.
– Sean Stephenson

There is a saying: “prayer is talking to God, while meditation is listening.” This is a kind of facile distinction, however. It really depends on the depth of one’s meditation or prayer and, most importantly, one’s faith. The three are interconnected. We must begin with at least a quantum of faith to either pray or meditate – otherwise, what is the motivation? “Faith in what?” is not as important as trust, willingness, dedication and surrender. Known as “shraddha” in the yoga tradition, faith means being willing to extend our sense of possibilities beyond the known; beyond the recycled precedents of our egos, cultural conditioning or the opinions of others.

Of course there are numerous instances of blind, misplaced and foolish trust. We must use reason and intuition, both the left and right hemispheres of our brains. Rather than trusting some charismatic leader who may be nothing more than a convincing, self-serving salesman, we can learn to trust our own deeper intuitive judgment. Everyone goes through a process of learning from their mistakes. Meditation helps us to deepen our intuitive connection; our ability to listen to information beyond our usual linear processing. It is not so much the thoughts in our head as the subtle feelings in our body.

Ultimately, meditation, prayer and faith boil down to faith in one’s own deeper or higher nature. For the yogi there is no God separate from one’s innermost consciousness. It is difficult and shocking when we start to learn this. It arises when we begin to let go of the ego. As Paramhamsa Niranjan advises,

“Faith will only appear when ‘I’ does not exist. Faith will disappear when ‘I’ comes into existence because ‘I’ always represents the intellect, the logical dimension, whereas faith represents the universal dimension which connects a human being with the transcendental Self, without the imposition of any religious ideology, dogma or ritual. Faith is your spontaneous connection, your remembrance.” (From Yoga Magazine, 2005)
http://www.yogamag.net/

In this sense we can make a distinction between faith and belief. While faith is a process of entering more and more fully into a non-dual knowingness, belief is primarily an aspect of our conditioned intellects. We believe things because we have been taught to believe them whether we are religious or materialist. We then construct our perceptual world around those beliefs. Psychological studies show that we tend not to perceive data that doesn’t fit our personal paradigms. Either that or we rationalize it away. The majority of beliefs that we hold on a subconscious level were imprinted on our psyches when we were too young to evaluate them critically.

“Prayer,” as many of us have learned it, tends to come from dualistic beliefs. We pray to some distant God who has wields power over our world and our lives. It comes from an egoic place, often times when aspects of life seem out of control. Almost everyone knows the adage, “There are no atheists in foxholes.” Sometimes these prayers seem to evoke a positive response, sometimes it seems as if God has not heard us. If our faith is weak, we may then conclude that prayer is a waste of time. Perhaps there is a better, less dualistic way pray however.

Meditation can take us from belief to faith. In meditation we start with what is most basic to our awareness; the sensations of the body, movement of breath, the chaos of our thoughts. Gradually we settle into an awareness of the field of consciousness in which body, breath and thoughts are contained. We sometimes refer to this as the “inner witness,” or observer. With consistent practice, abhyasa, this awareness deepens into an awareness of our connection with the universal field of love, infinite intelligence and wisdom. Instead of making demands from our limited ego viewpoints, we tune into the universal conscious and allow it to work through us and our lives. Paramhamsa Satyananda explained,

“Faith is the greatest asset of man's personality. If you have faith, you have everything. Without faith, you have nothing. A good husband or wife, a nice house, and plenty of money can cause problems and give rise to doubts. Faith is not a result of external observances, it comes by constant inner awareness, not of the senses or the turbulence and disturbances of the mind, but of the soul, the atma. As you go deeper within and face the inner light, you become faithful. Where there is faith, there is power and enlightenment.” (Yoga Magazine, July 1980)

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Sex, Tantra and the Evolution of Consciousness

All life here is a stage or a circumstance in an unfolding progressive
evolution of a Spirit that has involved itself in Matter and is labouring
to manifest itself in that reluctant substance. This is the whole secret
of earthly existence.

- Sri Aurobindo

From the Yogic perspective evolution is not just blind chance, but an interaction between immaterial consciousness and material energy. We are not talking about “intelligent design” as much as a process of creative unfolding. The Conscious Self has lost itself in objective, or objectified, substance and is gradually reawakening to its own nature. This is happening within and through each of us as human beings. The multitude of various yoga techniques are meant to facilitate and accelerate this process.

Human sexuality is central to understanding this process as it occurs on an unconscious, biological level. Sexual energy is at the basis of our beings. As Freud noted, it drives a substantial amount of our behavior whether we are aware of it or not. According to Tantra Yoga, sexual energy is the basis of consciousness evolution within us. It is a power which can either liberate or enslave us depending upon how we approach it.

On the unconscious, instinctive level, sex can inhibit spiritual development. It can keep us fixed and fixated at our particular stage of development. As such, when frustrated, it leads to numerous destructive outlets. The sexual inhibition almost universally enjoined by religion is a two-sided sword. On one hand, we need to overcome mindless indulgence. On the other hand, the shame and guilt that religion engenders creates its own breed of pathology. The poet William Blake wrote, “As the caterpiller chooses the fairest leaves to lay her eggs on, so the priest lays his curse on the fairest joys.”

Unlike most of our mammalian forebears homo-sapiens do not enter a seasonal estrus. Instead women ovulate monthly throughout the year and men think about sex constantly. There is a story of a man who went to see a psychiatrist. The doctor decided to try a Rorschach test to find out about his unconscious motivations. He showed the man the first inkblot picture and asked him what he saw. “A man and a woman having sex,” the man replied. On viewing the second picture he reported seeing three people having sex. Another revealed bestiality. Finally the doctor stopped. “Well, it is clear that you are obsessed with sex!” “Me?” cried the man, “You’re the one with the dirty pictures!”

A study done in 2007 (http://www.ehbonline.org/article/S1090-5138(07)00069-4/abstract) seems to indicate that we have some of the same unconscious instinctual behaviors associated with animals. It followed a sampling of lap-dancers and found that on the average they made more money when they were ovulating than at other times during the month. This belies theories that estrus has been lost or “buried” in human beings. Instead, like with many of our unconscious behaviors, we have learned to rationalize our sexuality. It is not hard to notice how many puritanical public figures end up in trouble over their hypocritical sexual discrepancies. Although we are definitely more than just “naked apes,” there is a certain amount of truth in this assessment. Of course, we now have the benefit of technology to make pornography, a uniquely human form of sexuality, available to all.

Homosexuality is somewhat of a different story although not entirely separate. The subject is beyond our scope here suffice to say that it is an authentic, if not fully understood expression of human sexuality. There is a swami that I studied with, a medical doctor no less, who claimed that homosexuality is all but unknown in India. Studies, however, show that the percentage of homosexuals in any given population is generally the same. Unfortunately, I don’t know any particulars of a “Gay Tantra.” The overall message of Tantra though is, “start from where and who you (apparently) are.” Accept yourself, tune into Divine Love and Wisdom and recognize them as aspects of your deeper being; your authentic Self.

Tantra yoga is an approach that encourages us to develop self-love, acceptance and respect. Rather than identifying with our chronically insecure egos, we can consciously identify with our sacred Self. The ego is the seat of judgment, insecurity and need to control. Rather than judging our sexuality negatively, we can learn to explore its transformative energy. This path does require self-discipline, but it is a positive self-discipline not based in notions of sin, guilt and shame. It is not a path of complete license, compulsive or abusive behavior. It is first and foremost a path of love.

Sexual energy is an aspect of kundalini, the transformative energy at the base of our psyches. Tantra yoga utilizes various means of awakening this energy and guiding it through the chakras which are centers of psychic energy within the body. This science is outlined in detail in Swami Satyananda Saraswati’s Kundalini Tantra. This work is essential reading for anyone interested in this path. There is a great deal of misinformation out there on Tantra. Swamiji’s book is true to tradition and his own experience as an awakened being. In it he lists various ways of awakening kundalini. One of them is the sexual ritual practice known as “maithuna.”

Maithuna is part of a ritual which involves five “ingredients”: meat, fish, alcohol, sexual intercourse, as well as mudra. These, however, do not have to be taken literally. They have a symbolic significance which can be experienced either outwardly through the ritual or inwardly through meditation. It is up to the practitioner and depends on his or her level of consciousness. To practice this properly requires training in hatha yoga, meditation, mantra, etc. Sexual activity is not absolutely necessary and periods of celibacy are helpful in raising one’s energy level as well as consciousness level. The practice is meant to help us grow beyond our neurotic obsession with sex.

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Maintaining Sanity in Stressful Times

"When we are no longer able to change a situation,
we are challenged to change ourselves."

- Victor Frankl Man's Search for Meaning


"The self is the isolated ego clinging to its small reality
& the Self is the unbounded spirit that can afford to not cling at all."

- Deepak Chopra


The world around us seems to be getting more and more unstable. Violence, natural disasters, economic crisis, high unemployment confront us on a daily basis. It’s bad enough to hear about it in the news but when it impacts our personal lives our stress level goes way up. This stress impacts marriages and families, physical and mental health. In order to stay sane and healthy we need to be able to maintain an inner balance; a connection to our inner being. This is the true purpose of yoga. As Krishna states “Yoga means perfect evenness of mind.” Or as Swami Satyananda put it, “Yoga helps you to face the ups and downs of life.”

We need to understand that yoga is more than a form of physical exercise. It is a mind-body-spirit discipline. We are multi-dimensional beings and if we limit ourselves to the physical, material level, we miss out on the deeper aspects. If we are completely focused on the external world we lose our connection with inner resources for healing and creating peace, love, harmony and well-being. Yoga helps us to turn inward to engage these resources. I know some people might ask something like, “Isn’t ‘turning inward’ selfish when there are so many problems, so much to do, etc.?” First of all this doesn’t mean retreating into a cave somewhere. It means nurturing yourself daily, which has beneficial effects for everybody around you as well. The daily practice of asana, pranayama and meditation will definitely help you to keep your mental and emotional equilibrium under stress. In addition, your ability to remain calm will help others.

We often fail to realize how much of what we perceive of the external reality is a reflection of our own minds, both on an individual and a collective level. Because we are all interconnected anger, fear, apathy, selfishness and hatred can spread from an individual to infect countless people around him or her. In the same way genuine feelings of peace, kindness, compassion, joy and optimism can spread like a soothing balm. Notice how you react inwardly to an angry expression or a friendly smile. Sometimes you can walk into a room and feel an atmosphere of peace or of hostility. According to yoga our mental and emotional fields extend beyond the limits of our skin.

Yoga is a practical spiritual philosophy. It is applied philosophy rather than scholastic verbal acrobatics. It fosters a genuine spiritual awareness which goes beyond any specific religious orientation. We really are interconnected beings whose essence is divine (although sometimes buried so deeply it’s hard to see.) There are two basic disciplines that underlie the practical application and realization of this philosophy. These are vairagya, or non-attachment and abhyasa, or persistent practice.

Non-attachment doesn’t mean emotional detachment or apathy. Instead it means detaching from our ego-centric position, desires, fears, dislikes, etc. It means being able to detach from our own perspective and appreciate another’s. It might mean stepping back from our overwhelming emotions to gain some peace and clarity. It means accepting “what is” and developing a higher, deeper, broader view moving us into the soul’s perspective.

Persistent practice might mean a regular daily yoga routine. However, it needs to go a lot deeper than perfecting your backward bend to have any real significance. There is no real yoga without meditation. The sitting practices of meditation, furthermore, are ways of training the mind to develop an awareness that we can carry over into daily life. I have had to laugh sometimes at how I could finish a peaceful morning practice and then experience “road rage” within fifteen minutes of leaving home. Persistent practice really means practicing every moment to become more aware, more present and less lost in our personal illusions and delusions.

A Three-step Discipline

The truly wise person understands that all worldly experience
involves suffering because of impermanence, mental conditioning
and inevitable conflicts.

- Patanjali  Yoga Sutras

A big part of maintaining our sanity in this world is to understand that suffering is inevitable. Things don’t always work out perfectly the way we want them to. We face circumstances in life over which we have little or no control. If we are dependent on the outer circumstances of our lives for happiness we are in for trouble. The spiritual path takes us inward to find a core of unshakable inner peace, subtle joy, love and compassion. To truly awaken to our inner being is known as “moksha” or liberation. It is liberation from our dependence on material circumstances for our inner peace and happiness. The liberated person doesn’t withdraw from life into some cocoon however. He or she draws upon this inner strength to face life and to be of service to others.

The Yoga Sutras recommend a three-step discipline for helping us reach this inner core of ourselves. It is referred to as kriya yoga, or active yoga. It is a way of actively engaging in the process of awakening. These three steps are known as “tapas,” or self-discipline, “swadhyaya,” or self-awareness and “Ishwarapranidhana,” or surrender to our Creative Source, or Deeper Self. These three steps are important keys for developing inner peace. I have experienced their benefits in my own life and consciousness (although I am far from perfecting them.)

1. Self-discipline:

The first part of self-discipline or tapas is accepting uncomfortable or painful experiences. It also means developing an attitude or sense of allowing these experiences to purify us, reduce our attachment and limited understanding. Suffering can help take us beyond ego-clinging if we are willing to not fight it. The second part of self-discipline is establishing a steady yoga practice. Yoga practice has little value if we just do it once in awhile, attending a class here or there, meditating now and then and then losing ourselves to unconscious activity. Try making a firm commitment to use yoga practice to develop yourself. It will reduce the suffering of the first part of tapas presented above. Attend classes regularly and learn the best practices for you to do on your own. Consult your teacher on how to develop your own practice.

2. Self-awareness:

Swadhyaya means self-study. It means looking into and at ourselves beyond a superficial level. In learning meditation we talk about developing the “inner witness.” This is a deeper part of ourselves which observes our usual thoughts and activities from a non-attached perspective. Through this perspective we can start to become aware of our unconscious habits of thought and behavior. We can also probe more deeply into our true nature; our true being beneath the surface of things. Meditation is key here, but also learning to observe ourselves “in action,” in our habits of work and play, ways of relating to others and to ourselves. Through practice we develop a relaxed inner vigilance; on-guard for anything which threatens our connection to deeper Self.

3. Surrender:

Ishwarapranidhana means letting go of our ego-centered attempts to be in control of things and accepting the will, intelligence and grace of a higher consciousness. It means letting go of our need to judge, criticize, condemn or manipulate. When we are willing to open ourselves to this infinite creative intelligence, wisdom and love it begins to transform our lives. Faith is needed here and we can develop it little by little if necessary. Through self-awareness we become aware of the fear and doubt within us and through practice we can release them. The ego likes to believe that it is control but how can it be? “The universe,” wrote Douglas Adams, “is a big place, perhaps the biggest.” There is a Universal Consciousness, however, working in and through everything, including us. We can attune to that consciousness through our spiritual yoga practice.

Mantra

One of the simplest yet powerful and profound practices is mantra repetition, or japa. With regular practice the mantra becomes your instant connection to that place of inner peace. It is a way of redirecting the mind, remembering our connection to the infinite. There are many mantras to choose from but you should choose carefully because you will need to adopt a mantra and work with it for an extended period of time to really feel its power. Mantras are often given in an initiation rite which deepens the connection between a spiritual teacher and a student. The guru empowers the mantra through his or her connection with spiritual energy. Mantras are not autosuggestions, nor are they affirmations. Instead mantras are verbal sound combinations which resonate within our psychic body to bring about awakening. As Swami Satyananda said, “A mantra is a grouping of sound vibrations which have an effect on the mental and psychic consciousness of man.” Meditations from the Tantras The “meaning” that we attach to the mantra is entirely secondary.

“Om” is a mantra which comes to us through the Upanishads, an ancient mystical yoga tradition. Om chanting, or Omkara, is a wonderful practice with many benefits – it helps memory and concentration, can reduce blood pressure, help one to clear away unwanted thoughts and leads to ego-transcendence and Self-realization. Many other mantras include Om as well. “Om Mani Padme Hum” is a popular Tibetan Buddh ist mantra. “Om Namah Shivayah” is a mantra of the Shiva tradition which helps to awaken kundalini. “Om Namo Narayanaya” is a mantra of the Vishnu tradition. Remember that the important thing is that the sound of the mantra resonates with you – not some intellectual meaning. Because of this, proper pronunciation is important, although many would argue that faith is even more important. Faith comes through practice, though, your connection with your guide and with your own inner being.

There are mantras that are not of Sanskrit origin as well. There are Latin and Greek mantras within the Christian tradition, Hebrew mantras, of course, which are connected with both Christian and Jewish faiths. There are Arabic mantras in the Sufi tradition as well. You want to make sure that you are comfortable using the mantra – remember you need to stick with it to know its value. You can even use an English mantra, however, we are moving more in the direction of “meaning,” or closure, rather than opening. Faith does not depend on intellect, which employs symbols to reflect “realities.” Faith is grounded in a part of ourselves which knows that we are intimately connected with the source of being. Deeper and truer than our thoughts, it is our connection with what is beyond name, form, thought or confusion.

Working With Anger and Fear

He was angry with me, he attacked me, he

defeated me, he robbed me” – those who dwell
on such thoughts will never be free from hatred.

- Buddha,
Dhammapada


In a state of extreme desire, anger, greed, confusion, pride or envy, enter your own heart and discover the underlying peace.

- Vijnanabhairava Tantra
Anger and fear seem to be the most primitive emotional drives we know. They are directly related to the “fight or flight” response in the literature of psychosomatic medicine. As functions of the r-system they have stayed with us on our evolutionary journey presumably to ensure our survival. Our reptilian ancestors (the “r” is r-system) used these basic functions without any nagging conceptual overlays to negotiate the terrain where all was “eat or be eaten.” Actually, there are four primary functions of this ancient brain within us sometimes referred to as the “four fs:” feeding, fighting, fleeing and . . . well, you can guess the next. (Call me, baby.) In other words, anger and fear are related to deep, primal instinctual energy within us.

There is no question of their value in terms of individual and species survival and propagation. I remember a time in fifth or sixth grade when I was attacked by four boys. They were out to drag me onto the middle of the playground and “pants” me. This was a popular custom of our time in which a group would drag some poor kid out into the crowd and expose him or her in front of everyone. Although, it was not truly life threatening, I felt it to be pretty humiliating and immediately the r-system kicked in, adrenaline got pumped and I was able to fight off all four of them – an amazing feat considering I was a skinny little guy. I was certainly surprised with myself.

The fight or flight response however doesn’t give us any room to think or to feel on a deeper level. Stress, as is commonly understood, is the accumulation of bio-chemical response to constant, unresolved fight or flight crises on a day to day basis. When the boss calls us into the office, we can neither beat her up nor run away. When we are late and stuck in traffic the energy kick from adrenaline doesn’t help. Anger, fear and desire are at the basis of duality; our “me (or us) versus them” mentality. When this mechanism enters into our intimate relationships, it portends disaster. When it becomes chronic it destroys our emotional and physical health.

Anger is more than just an instinctive reaction, though. It is an emotion that involves the limbic system, which is generally considered to be our “old mammalian,” or emotional brain and uses aspects of more recently evolved neo-cortex. The neo-cortex is where we are able to employ intellect, make plans and value decisions, etc. When we become vindictive, plot revenge or strategize for war with our enemies we are using the higher parts of brain/minds in service of the instinctual impulses of our r-system. We use our conceptual constructs to help maintain and foster feelings of anger, resentment, etc. within us. Joseph Chilton Pearce writes, “Using intellect defensively we function in an anti-evolutionary mode: Our neocortical system serves our lowest and most primitive structures.” Evolution's End: Claiming the Potential of Our Intelligence

In How God Changes Your Brain authors Andrew Newberry, MD and Mark Robert Waldman write, “. . . of all the emotions we are born with, anger is the most primal and difficult to control.” Beyond the necessary fight or flight response which might be necessary to fend off or run from an attacker, anger can become more of a chronic and habitual stance towards others and the world. We become primed for anger, not just in response to a physical threat, but to a threat to our egos, self-esteem, belief system or addictive defenses. Anger disrupts the functioning of our frontal lobes decreasing our capacity for reason, empathy or compassion. Instead of being rational, we rationalize. Instead of connecting with others we hide within our defensive fortress. We become, in the words of William Blake, “armed crustaceans eternally on the alert.”

Following the breakup of a relationship I remember turning to a tape of a talk by Tich Naht Hahn hoping for solace. Instead, of course, he talked about the need to give up our self-centered position in relationships, to extend empathy and compassion. I turned the tape off because now I was angry with Tich Nhat Hahn! Such is the nature of our ego-defensive positions. Anger defends us against realizing our inherent Buddha-nature. Neuroscience shows that anger undermines the higher functions of our brains. According to Newberry and Waldman, anger “. . . releases a cascade of neurochemicals that actually destroy those parts of the brain that control emotional reactivity.” The more that we react negatively the more we reinforce that negativity.

So, how do we start to disrupt cycles of anger within us? Meditation can be very helpful here. As we are able to develop or awaken to an inner witnessing awareness we gain the necessary perspective to see through our own mind traps. It is not enough to enter into a state of peaceful relaxation in meditation practice, however. The whole point is to develop a deeper perspective that we take into daily activities, interactions, thoughts and feelings. Self-aware presence is the key. We have to watch our habitual, automatic thoughts and we have to know how to relax and let them go on a physical level as well. Our bodies tell us first when we are starting to move into anger. Tightness, tension, restlessness are all signals of unacknowledged anger within us.

Physical yoga practices, asanas, help to release tension from muscles which have become tight due to stress. They also help to promote balance between sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems which regulate states of arousal or relaxation in the body. Meditation promotes the activity of the parasympathetic system leading to the “relaxation response.” The practices of hatha yoga and relaxation/meditation help to break the feedback cycle of mental and physical stress. However, we can’t necessarily take time to practice yoga like this at moments of stress in our lives. Regular practice can help us attune better to our bodies though so that we can recognize the stress response. Regular practice of yogic breathing can come in very handy in helping to become calm.

The meditative ability to watch thoughts, when carried over into the daily activities of life, gives us leverage for managing states of fear and anger. Our willingness to step outside of our egoic need to be right, unwarranted suspicions, etc. is important. Sometimes our thoughts and perceptions of given situations can be quite comical when we are able to view them more objectively. It is important to remember that our view of ourselves, others and the world is not really “out there” but much more of an inner construct. Psychotherapy, especially when it utilizes mindfulness training, is like a form of meditation as it helps to deconstruct world-views which lead to unnecessary suffering. If one is prone to depression, angry outbursts, panic attacks, etc. a therapist may be necessary to help in this process.

Psychotherapy and meditative yoga work very effectively hand-in-hand for many people. Meditation can take us, however, beyond the scope of therapy to find an inner peace, calm and joy – an experience of well being, wisdom and self-transcendence. Sometimes it is not explained to us when we enter a spiritual path or practice that we need to confront our psychological issues along the way. A spiritual orientation based on experiential insight, however, helps to provide inner strength and positive motivation.

(Please make comments if you are so inclined.  Let me know what else might be helpful in terms of future posts.  Thanks.)

Overcoming Depression and Anxiety through Yoga

The discipline of Yoga: Discipline means the capacity 'to be'. All of the Yoga postures are not really concerned with the body- they are concerned with the "capacity to be". To be a Yogi is to become what you can become. Yoga is the science of 'stilling' what has to be stilled... and 'alerting' what can be alerted. Yoga is a science to divide that which is not you and what is you.

- Osho

Feelings of depression and anxiety are something we all go through from time to time in life. Sometimes, however, they become so chronic and so severe that they impair one’s ability to function productively, maintain satisfying relationships or enjoy life at all. Although they are different and span a number of diagnostic categories, depression and anxiety are often interrelated. Feelings of sadness, irritability, anxiety or apathy can overlap or change places with each other. Along with these are negative thoughts of excessive worry and guilt, shame, low self-worth, etc. Anxiety can keep us from getting adequate sleep, interfere with mental focus and cause a sense of inner paralysis. We might even catch ourselves saying things like “I’m so stupid,” or “lame,” or “worthless.” On the other hand, we might project our feelings of frustration and anger onto others and the world around us. Depression can cause us to feel hopeless and helpless and to unwittingly create or find situations in life to confirm these feelings.

In my last post, I talked about the chronic sense of unworthiness that is common among many of us in this culture. This inner sense can predispose us to debilitating depression and anxiety. If we go beyond the symptoms, which are often treated pharmacologically, we might find this inner core of vulnerability. There may, of course, be a genetic and bio-chemical predisposition as well. Our habitual thoughts and deeply held unconscious beliefs, though, affect our bodies through the interrelated workings of psyche and our neuro-endocrine systems. In this way our thoughts and feelings can affect our immune response as well, linking stress and illness. This is the basis of the discipline which began in the sixties and seventies combining psychology and biology called psychoneuroimmunology or PNI.

Yoga is an integral discipline which works with body, mind, prana (bio-energy) and includes the spiritual dimension as well. The common interventions offered by medical science or psychology tend to leave out one or more of the dimensions of our beings. Psychiatrists tend to prescribe medications to correct an assumed “bio-chemical imbalance.” Therapists may look into our thoughts, dreams, relationships, etc. The recent development of “energy psychology” has introduced the controversial subject of bio-energy which is integral to the yogic approach. Underlying all of these however is the spiritual dimension of our beings. When we are able to step outside of our ego-identities, we discover the deeper more spacious reality of the Self. The witnessing Self does not judge or condemn and has no attachments. It is compassionate and aware, joyous and at peace.

Hatha yoga works with the body and prana to help bring about harmony and balance within the body-mind as a system. The main practices are asanas, or “postures,” and pranayama, or “breathing practices.” This physical approach of yoga is different than most forms of exercise in that it is performed with a present-centered awareness of mind and body. Asanas are performed slowly and with awareness. A recent study published in the Journal of Complementary and Alternative Medicine found that hatha yoga was more effective than walking as an exercise to promote higher levels of GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) in the blood. GABA is a brain chemical associated with mood, and receptors for GABA are a target of anti-depressant and anti-anxiety medications.

Pranayama uses the breath as a means to balance and remove blocks in the pranic energy system which underlies our vitality and emotions. Yoga conceptualizes prana as circulating through channels in the body very similar to Chinese acupuncture meridians but uses systematic deep respiration and breath regulation to enhance the flow of energy. Pranayama can also focus on the chakras, or psychic energy centers, which are situated along the spinal column. The chakras are related to different levels of psychological functioning: survival and security, pleasure and creativity, power and autonomy, love and compassion, intelligent self-expression, intuitive wisdom, and spiritual enlightenment. Severe depression and/or anxiety can mean the shutting down of the energy of some or all of the chakras.

Meditation practices work primarily with the mind. They begin with deep relaxation and inner awareness. In this sense they are also working with the physical and energetic dimension because, well, the multiple facets of our beings are all interrelated. Systematic deep relaxation can be brought about by the practice of yoga nidra. Through this practice the physical body becomes deeply relaxed while one remains conscious on an inner level. It takes some practice and many people fall asleep early on their training. Once this is achieved we can go to the practices of antar mouna, or “inner silence,” where we become a silent witness to the thoughts within us. We can also practice chidakash dharana, or “focusing on the inner space of the mind.” In this practice we become aware of the subconscious play of images within our minds. (These practices can be found in Meditations from the Tantras)  Meditation helps us to step outside of our thought processes, realizing that they are simply creations of our minds. “We are always explaining the world to ourselves, and we react emotionally to these explanations rather than the facts.” write the authors of The Mindful Way through Depression.

Meditation is a wonderful undertaking. It is a practice and process of discovering our true Self. It enables us to better see through and relinquish worn out “explanations.” It is a means of being present with “what is” without explanation, judgment or condemnation, desire, attachment or aversion. Michael Bernard Beckwith describes meditation as “an undistractible attention to that which is real, that which is forever, that which is alive.” The ego is really nothing other than our emotional attachment to and identification with our interpretations, our explanations. The ego will hold onto its worldview even if it is torturous as in the case of depression and anxiety. When ready, though, the ego dissolves and becomes more and more transparent to the Self.

This may or may not be helpful for everyone. The process described above is not often simple, straightforward or immediate. Awakening generally requires a persistent inner struggle. Relieving the symptoms of depression or anxiety does not require spiritual awakening. Awakening overcomes the root causes of suffering altogether: ignorance, ego, craving, aversion and fear of death. Like medication, the physical practices of yoga will give relief. Meditation practice takes us deeper to the roots of our suffering. Suffering can be an impetus towards awakening however; a call that if ignored, simply returns in another form.

A last note:

If you are suffering from a severe depression with anxiety which is debilitating and/or causing you to feel genuinely suicidal: don’t look up your nearest yoga class. Instead get help from a qualified mental health practitioner. Use yoga to help with your treatment and to augment recovery. As you get further along in your recovery you can dive into yoga and meditation as a means beyond relapse. You can always, in every moment, attune to your spiritual source of being.

References and Resources:
 
The Mindful Way through Depression: Freeing Yourself from Chronic Unhappiness
The Promise of Energy Psychology: Revolutionary Tools for Dramatic Personal Change
Asana Pranayama Mudra Bandha/2008 Fourth Revised Edition
Practical Yoga Psychology
Meditations from the Tantras
Spiritual Liberation: Fulfilling Your Soul's Potential

If you are ready to begin meditation then I have posted a guided Yoga Nidra practice at http://soundcloud.com/turiyaom/yoga-nidra   More guided practices will follow.

The Tantra of Self Love

Sexuality is possible without any understanding, without any meditation. Love is possible only with understanding. Compassion is possible only with understanding and meditation, understanding and awareness.


- Osho
Love, Freedom, Aloneness: The Koan of Relationships

Love is one of those extremely fuzzy concepts hard for the mind to grasp. Today is Valentine’s Day and we are inundated with quotes on love, pretty red hearts and chocolates (which paradoxically are a general substitute for love.) But I think we all know that love is not all about red roses and such. Neither is it all about sex (which, again, is a common substitute.) Love requires understanding. In fact, Swami Niranjan states that “Understanding is more important than love.” To be real, love has to be something more than a sentimental feeling, a momentary lapse of reason or hormonally driven desire. It demands patience, tolerance, openness, a suspension of self-striving. It is a tricky and dangerous affair fraught with perils and possibilities.

Eros, from which we have derived the word erotic, is a force which dissolves boundaries. It is ultimately a doorway through which we can enter the kingdom of non-duality. Instead, of course, we have degraded it to the status of cheap pornography. Pornography, more than anything, represents the ego-bounded self locked in its cage of self-loathing. Or is that just me? Sexual encounters without love are pretty much the same – a desperate attempt to reach beyond our loneliness and alienation. We engage in the outer performance of a deeply spiritual act without any connection to our inner being. When we have that connection Mother Kundalini awakens, otherwise she might hear some muffled sounds in her deep sleep.

What is understanding, though, and where does it begin? Can we truly love and understand another when we are unhappy with ourselves? In her book Radical Acceptance, author Tara Brach refers to “the trance of unworthiness” that so many of us have fallen into. Instead of loving ourselves, we strive for impossible perfection based on unreasonable ideals. We have introjected the message that we are unlovable, even for ourselves – or especially for ourselves. Perhaps we even subject ourselves to an unending stream of verbal emotional abuse. The flip side of this, of course, is projecting our self-hatred out onto the world and others. We may turn to spiritual practice as a way to fix ourselves rather than to truly know ourselves. More commonly, we may use spiritual ideals to beat up on ourselves.

Our egoic state of self-reference is maintained by negative self-talk as much as any other reinforcement. We get to feel comfortable in our cocoons of misery. Sex, drugs and alcohol, food, gambling, etc. become our comforts and distractions while leaving us even more alienated from ourselves and others. We build relationships based on our mutual woundedness and need for self-torture. Of course, we also recognize some positive qualities in ourselves. We may try to push these into the forefront, using them to hide our secret shame and unworthiness. We can’t escape from our private self-maintained prisons, though, until we accept every aspect of ourselves with openness and compassion. We must learn to love our egos before we can surrender them. They are, after all, aspects of our deeper Self.

A mindful yoga practice can help us connect with our bodies in a healing manner. It has been found helpful in overcoming trauma, as well as anxiety and depression. Meditation takes this healing deeper – as long as we are not using it with some idea of transcending (i.e. escaping) ourselves. True spiritual transcendence is inclusive and integrative. It is not about getting rid of the “bad” parts. Mindful awareness is at the heart of the Tantric approach.

Tantra offers an alternative to those spiritual approaches which enjoin us, require us, to live up to ideals that we are not up to. It doesn’t demand that we immediately stop having sex, using intoxicants, or eating meat, etc.* Instead it is a way of bringing awareness into our lives and behaviors. It suggests that we can awaken to our true Self-nature in the midst of ordinary behaviors. However, yoga is included as a means of harmonizing and balancing our energies and developing the capacity to be aware, witness ourselves. Self-acceptance and self-transformation go hand in hand. We can start by truly loving and accepting ourselves as we learn to love and accept others. We are all ultimately expressions of the One Divine Being. We are expressions of universal Love.

*Of course there are limits.  When behaviors become life threatening, or when they threaten the welfare of children, etc. there must be intervention.  Love yourself enough to call for help.