Patanjali's Meditation Advice - Relevant today?

Last night we gathered at the studio for our first monthly meditation/study group meeting. Wonderful to share energy with other yoga teachers, meditators and seekers. As promised, here is a summary of the discussion.

Our question of the evening was: What did Patanjali advise regarding meditation, and is his advice still relevant in the complicated world of the 21st century?

First we reviewed some of the Sutras specifically addressing meditation.
1:2 - "The restraint of the fluctuations of the mind stuff is Yoga"
(The whole point of physical stretching, breathwork, going vegetarian, etc is to assist us in calming the "monkey mind". A racing mind prevents us from sleep, keeps us edgey and stressed. A cluttered mind causes us suffering and Patanjali compassionately tries to guide us away from suffering.)

1:12 - "These fluctuations are restrained by practice and non-attachment"
(As with all things in life, practice is required; discipline is necessary to get results. The definition of non-attachment sparked some lively discussion. It is not the same as disinterest. One can still be engaged or interested in something, but not invested in owning it or controlling it.)

1:27 - 32 - "The expression of Ishwara (God) is the mystic sound of Om"
(Patanjali is starting to explain mantra and why it is an acceptable method of meditation. He introduces Om as a universal vibration, the hum of the business of creation: the making, evolving and dissolving of beings and objects.)

"To repeat it in a meditative way reveals its meaning"
"From this practice, the awareness turns inward, and the distracting obstacles vanish"
(The distracting obstacles are defined in the next sutra. When attention is withdrawn from outside distractions, the power they have over us withers like my houseplants.)
"Disease, doubt, dullness, carelessness, laziness, sensuality, false perception, failure to reach firm ground and slipping from the ground gained - these distractions of the mind stuff are the obstacles"
"Accompaniments to the mental distractions include distress, despair, trembling of the body, and disturbed breathing."
"The concentration on a single subject, or the use of one technique, is the best way to prevent the obstacles and their accompaniment"
(Who wouldn't want to move away from the obstacles? And their side effects? Patanjali advises that we should stick to one method of meditation, single pointed focus, in order to be effective)

2:3 - "Ignorance, egoism, attachment, aversion and clinging to bodily life at the five obstacles to happiness, or causes of suffering"
(Buddhism offers a similar listing of traits that prevent enlightenment. We talked about how the need to earn a living encourages us to attach, practice egoism and operate in ignorance. We looked at ways that our need to control, secure and acquire leads us into suffering.)

The translation that we were using for the Yoga Sutras was "Inside the Yoga Sutras" by Reverend Jaganath Carrera.

Our meditation method was mantra using "Om Shanti"; inhaling on Om and exhaling on Shanti. Next month we decided to explore mantra meditation further by chanting out loud. Anyone have a drum they could play for us????

If anyone needed further incentive to delve into meditation, here are some links to various research studies. The world might be more complicated in the 21st century, but suffering is definitely still a huge issue.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090804114102.htm

(article on lowering stress in the workplace)

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090609072719.htm

(article on sleep study)

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2003-02/uow-usr020303.php#

(immune system and meditation)

http://www.businessweek.com/lifestyle/content/healthday/643585.html

(MS & meditation)

Next meeting: Tuesday October 26 at 6:30 pm

Stuffed Peppers & Apple Cake

It's summer's siren song. We enjoyed an amazing full moon at the fall equinox and the unique alignment of the celestial bodies inspired some serious cooking in the kitchen. Here's some inspiration to make the most of summer's bounty...


Stuffed Peppers
1. Cut the top off six fresh sweet peppers.
2. Saute 2 finely chopped onions in 2 tablespoons olive oil, slowly over medium heat.
3. Add 3 finely chopped garlic cloves, continue to saute.
4. Stir in one cup cooked brown rice, and 1 cup cooked yellow split peas (each take about 45 minutes so this could be done the day before)
5. Add salt and pepper to taste, along with 1 cup grated extra old cheddar cheese and 1 tablespoon parsley.
6. Stuff raw peppers and place upright in greased casserole dish.
7. Top with fresh bread crumbs combined with parmesan cheese and freshly ground pepper.
8. Core and quarter about 3 fresh tomatoes. Process in blender or food processor until just like juice. Don't worry about skinning them. Pour "juice" into bottom of casserole.
9. Cover with tin foil and bake for about one hour at 350 degrees.


(I went crazy and multiplied this recipe by seven, so I would have peppers to freeze. They make wonderful cold weather comfort food)

Apple Cake

Cream 1/4 cup apple sauce or butter with 1 1/2 cups sugar until light coloured. Beat in one egg and 1 tsp vanilla. In a separate bowl, combine 2 cups whole wheat flour (I love President's Choice Organic, it's so fine and silky!), 1 tsp baking soda and 1/2 tsp salt. Add dry ingredients to butter/apple mixture, alternately with 1 cup soured milk (add some lemon juice or vinegar 10 minutes ahead of time if you don't have any spoilt milk hiding in the back of your fridge). Chop 2 sourish apples into small chunks, don't peel, and toss with one tablespoon flour. Add fruit to the batter, then pour into greased 8" x 13" pan. To make a delicious struesel topping, combine 1 cup rolled oats with 1/3 cup brown sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, 1/2 tsp ginger and 1/4 tsp ground cloves. Cut in 1/4 cup butter until the mixture resembles crumbs. Distribute struesel topping onto batter evenly and bake in 350 degree oven for about 35 minutes.

Preparing for the Change of Seasons

The gorgeous warm sun is giving way to the spectacular colours of autumn. The drying winds are shaking leaves from trees and blooms from my flower beds. Light is lessening each day and the breezes are cooler. In the hectic pace of our modern world, we have lost our reverence for these natural progressions, but their presence affects our mood and our health.

In times of change, even seasonal change, we can experience a sense of imbalance. We might be a little anxious, more moody, more prone to conflict. Our skin or hair might feel dry and our joints crack more. These are all symptoms of a "vata" provocation, very common as the seasons change, or in any time of change in your life.

Use your yoga practice to help ground, warm and lubricate. Slow down your asana practice and hold postures a few breaths longer. Our class where we use light weights on the ankles in the hands together with yoga postures is an example of this technique. This builds heat in the body, stabilizes the joints and gives you a chance to mentally connect with the solidity of the earth. Cautiously build flexibility from your ankles to your neck, joint by joint, with gentle warm ups. Nurture your spirit with some cuddly restorative poses like supported savasana.

Take this time to review your place, here and now. Maybe today is a good day to start a journal, writing to yourself of your daily joys and finding gratitude for whereever we find ourselves each day.

And try to connect with nature. A hike is a surefire prescription for bliss. Short Hills Provincial Park, where we were last weekend as a family, provides a variety of scenic adventures complete with hills, climbing trees and creeks for tossing stones.