- Dr. Jayadeva Yogendra
6th Apr 2013 – Saturday – Managing External Information
“In journalism, if a dog bites a man that is no news. But if a man bites a dog that is news.So what the journalist is interested in, is something upside down. So many good things are happening in the city, but do we at all read about it. But unusual things, bad things, they immediately catch attention. And we are fed on that. That is the way the mind works. A change should happen, but who will bring about the change, because we are involved also. See the journal of The Yoga Institute is now being printed for many years. But the circulation is very poor, as it does not have that- ‘man bites dog’ story. It is simple straight forward things related to yoga.We are afraid of that kind of news, and you don’t look for it. So it’s a very difficult thing. We may like to change that attitude, but how do we do that? How do we create a new environment, new attitudes, new values – very hard. So we go by the old. Things that excite, things that are upside down that catch our attention. Those matters are our news.”
8th Apr 2013 – Monday – Sauca
“See, when we talk of yoga, which also means talking about something spiritual, our entire behaviour should be in harmony with this. Use of the word ‘I’ should be less, rather the word should be ‘We’. You see the the Tata textile mill, where the manager has made it a point, that no one entering this compound should use the word ‘I’, They should use the word ‘We’. So you have to create an atmosphere. You see the people around, should also think in that fashion, suitable literature should be handed over. This has to become like a training. Not just occasional statements. You see in a very very small way we try to see that in this compound, there is no loose talking, no words that are indecent. This kind of little effort has to be made. We can’t just expect this to be a yoga institute and tolerate all kind of nonsense. You see even in decorating the place, care was taken. You don’t see photographs, paintings, that take us into a different thinking. We have very few of them, the museum. See you have to build up that, but it comes only when the people are all cooperating and thinking in that fashion. Even such a use of the word ‘I’ should be reduced. Not that this is a very difficult thing. It requires attention, remembrance it is very much like an Asana that you are doing. As you enter, you make it a point. You see such a use of the word ‘God’ is now a days, not common. Sometimes we feel a little ashamed to use this. Some belief in a larger process must be there. Consciously this has to be worked out and it has to be respected and that is because you have decided to improve, to change. This mentality should be there. Not that you just join a yoga institute and talk any nonsense, and make loud noises. Even speaking too much should be avoided. A certain kind of ‘ Mauna’ can be observed. Thoughts which are not necessary, are unnecessarily allowed, and others pick up.
The point is that if you are interested in yoga, if you are interested in self improvement, we have to do some work. And this work is not very difficult. It is only keeping in mind and then carrying it out, then a change occurs. People know that in this place this is the norm, this is the convention. And in the course of time, there will be a change. There are some people, some organizations, they insist. And as you enter, they are told- “Don’t use too much ‘I’ and ‘we’ and all that, and it becomes a habit. So if you want to change your mentality, small work has to be done.”
9th Apr 2013 – Tuesday – Bhagwad Gita 4.7, 4.8.
“So we have a very well known Shloka from the Gita. Whenever injustice arises, somehow, the remedy also comes. Its not that there is a continuous downpour of untruths and violence and all negative such things. Corrective comes. This is a great assurance. Very often we get totally desperate and don’t know what will happen, but correctives are there, that is the assurance. See in history, there have been people who have been very tyrannical, situations which are criminal, and in spite of that such actions have been corrected, order continues. People in India felt like that, when the Jalianwala war occurred. Hundreds of people were killed mercilessly. Many occasions like that happened in the history of this country also.”
11th Apr 2013 – Thursday – Santosh
” We discuss about Santosh – ‘contentment’. This is a very difficult virtue. Ordinarily we can be content, but when tribulations are great then it is impossible. If we can reach that stage (Santosh), then no other vice can trouble us. We’ll be happy with whatever we have, and don’t look for anything further. It doesn’t mean we are inactive or inefficient. On the contrary we are cool, level headed and act more efficient. This is the point we have to understand.”
12th Apr 2013 – Friday – Yoga Sutra 1.45
“We are discussing about Samadhi, and this whole idea is not only new to us but very difficult to understand. It is concentration, not on elephants and bulls but on subtle things going right up to the minutest atoms and molecules and all that. So when the mind is trained to look at these objects, concentrate on them, then an understanding arises – about this world, about life, and decisions are made. We have a mind which is not able to grasp these areas so we are unable to make correct decisions. We only know the table and the chair and the hundred rupee notes. So this is what this Sutra tells us. The object is ‘ Sukshma’ (subtle) and has no marked signs, no external way to know; that it is purely at a subtle range. So when the mind is that trained, then it can go into the highest spirituality. Otherwise this word ‘spirituality’ also has no meaning.”