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Spirituality is a word that means many things to many. At its core, spirituality is recognizing that we are spirit housed in a body and allowing space for spirit’s calling rather than living the push of our conditioning.
Through conditioning we are handed down a hierarchy of importance rather than what is truly important. We may believe that: profit is more important than respecting nature; our race is superior to others; or external success is more important than emotional awareness while not even realizing that it is conditioning that drives us. This capacity to separate our conditioning from who we are is the substratum of a spiritual life.
I See Patterns And Not People
As I was speaking to a friend and student from India last night, he reminded me of what I had said over fifteen years ago - that most likely if a pattern/conditioning is not disrupted through consciousness, it will continue. This consciousness can come from oneself, ones acharya or mentor, others or the body creating illness or some disruption in life.
The first step in awakening consciousness is cultivating the capacity for witnessing or Sakshi Bhava. Else we mistake and identify the pattern to be Self. And if this identity is strong then we may not be able to shake this off and vehemently protect that false identity, through fight, flight, freeze or fawn. We also start to view the world through that lens and hence feel justified in what we do.
Conditioning does not just imply rude, destructive or selfish behaviours. We can also be conditioned to put up with a lot more than needed. For example, we are also conditioned to believe in the goodness of others and I have seen myself giving people a long rope because of that conditioning. However I also see, through witnessing that, most likely, they will not shift that behaviour if that pattern persists uninterrupted. If they make no attempts to own it and make amends then it means it will unconsciously continue.
So if I see an entitled attitude that will not shift then I step back, to allow me more space for clear seeing. I have experienced many times that those who are entitled are not very happy when I bring it up and give feedback. And there are a few who also go to the extreme of going on attack or into fight mode.
The fluff spirituality is not what yoga is about and living it means having the capacity for Sakshi Bhava. I add compassion to this process. Karuna means “compassion.” Witnessing may require us to see and refine our conditioning, so we need to be compassionate with ourselves. So Karuna Sakshi Bhava is required in living spirituality.
Willingness And Capacity
The two indicators if a person is capable of a rooted, grounded spirituality are:
Willingness to look at conditioned behaviours, thoughts, feelings and reactions. These impressions from the past, colour the lens through which we view life.
Capacity to move through them. Capacity includes and is determined by our energy and circumstances.
Some are under the illusion of what willingness is. They may say they are willing, when all they are looking to fulfill is some saccharine sweet idea of spiritual escapism where everyone dances to their distorted tunes. Of course, it is a rude shock when they are weaned off the sugar water.
Some may have the willingness, yet because their life is so caught up in survival mode the capacity is not there. They may not have the energy, or prana, to actively engage that willingness. Also, each person has a baseline of prana and some may need to build it before they have the strength to engage.
So it is good to pace oneself on the path as day to day activities take up time and energy. If one keeps adding to activities that do not build prana then there is less and less for self-awareness and self-discovery.
Patanjali’s 9 Antarayas (Obstacles)
Patanjali beautifully lists 9 Obstacles or Antarayas. These are impressions or conditioning from the past that need to be seen and shifted. The trap that many fall into is either further condemnation or justification of their situation, rather than looking for solutions and retraining the body and mind. This requires persistence and stickability, not just ability.
Vyadhi: Disease of the body/physical illness
Styana: Dullness, debility; drooping state, lack of interest or enthusiasm
Samshaya: Doubt; suspicion, indecision, low self esteem and anxiety leading to self sabotage
Pramada: Carelessness, guilt, negligence
Alasya: Laziness; idleness; apathy; sloth
Avirati: Addiction or hankering after objects; non-dispassion; sensual indulgence; lack of control; non-restraint
Bhranti-darshana: Delusion; erroneous view/perception, living in illusion or wrong understanding, lack of discernment
Alabdhabhumikatva: Non-achievement of a stage or inability to find a footing; missing the point or inability to hold onto what is achieved. Usually arises due to discouraging oneself.
Anavashtitatvani: Unsteadiness; instability of mind, mental unsteadiness. Inability to maintain the achieved state and becoming disappointed due to reverting to old unhealthy states.
This is a good checklist as we can work on overcoming these obstacles at any stage in our evolution.
In the next blog, Part 2, we will see the repercussions of these Antarayas and also how to overcome them.