Our swing is between memory and concerns, the swing of the wild pendulum. The pendulum swings from one side to the other side and again back and forth; it does not re-main fixed. Where is the present in this process? In the past, where the pendulum goes, there is a point where the movement stops and the pendulum begins its return journey. In the future there is a point where the movement stops and the pendulum begins its reverse journey. The past has a point where memory stops, the future has a point where planning and concern stop. The present has no point of stopping; it is just continuous movement. To be aware of the present means stopping the swing of the pendulum so that it is not affected by memory or by concern for the future.
The stage of stopping the swing is known as samadhi in raja yoga. When we are free from memories and plans, able to focus on our stability, and make the attempt to work with ourselves, that is the present. It is a very long process and we have to rediscipline our life, mind, and efforts. They have to be restructured once again and it is a difficult process.

 

 

Stopping the pendulum
What can be an easier method? Yoga can be used as a tool to develop creativity and awareness of the present moment while deriving understanding from our memories and using the understanding to overcome the present blockages of karmas and samskaras. Having a creative and optimistic frame of mind will ensure that the future is more complete.
A selection of maybe four or five asanas and a selection of two pranayamas will harmonize and realign the energies of the body. If you do yoga nidra for relaxation, you will not allow stress and tension to take subconscious and unconscious roots; rather you let a process of elimination happen. When you eat something, the food is digested and the waste product is expelled. The same rule applies to the mind, but unfortunately nothing has been expelled from the mind; the waste product is accumulated. That is the reason for mental constipation or diarrhoea, for depression, frustration, neurosis, psychosis. All the mental imbalances occur because the accumulated toxins have not been eliminated from the mind, just as the body elimi-nates its waste.
In order to release the constipated mind, to release the bilious and gastric mind and to make it light, healthy and quiet, a twenty-minute practice of yoga nidra and twenty minutes of meditation are important. In your meditation, practise breath and mantra awareness for ten minutes and for ten minutes analyze your strengths and weak-nesses. What are the weak areas of your life that you want to strengthen this month, what are the positive areas of your life which you wish to cultivate?
Cultivate one quality per month and try to overcome one negative quality per month. It becomes possible to gradually transform your life, to develop better habits, to over-come those habits which are destructive and harmful by nature. Cultivate habits which are health and peace promoting. Rather than connecting with the problems and head trips, connect with your nature and finetune your nature. In this way you will feel that you are preparing and transforming yourself in the present, which will give better dividends in the future.

Ganga Darshan, 15 August 2006 , Swami Niranjanananda Saraswati

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The pendulum

Our swing is between memory and concerns, the swing of the wild pendulum. The pendulum swings from one side to the other side and again back and forth; it does not re-main fixed. Where is the present in this process? In the past, where the pendulum goes, there is a point where the movement stops and the pendulum begins its return journey. In the future there is a point where the movement stops and the pendulum begins its reverse journey. The past has a point where memory stops, the future has a point where planning and concern stop. The present has no point of stopping; it is just continuous movement. To be aware of the present means stopping the swing of the pendulum so that it is not affected by memory or by concern for the future.
The stage of stopping the swing is known as samadhi in raja yoga. When we are free from memories and plans, able to focus on our stability, and make the attempt to work with ourselves, that is the present. It is a very long process and we have to rediscipline our life, mind, and efforts. They have to be restructured once again and it is a difficult process.

 

 

Stopping the pendulum
What can be an easier method? Yoga can be used as a tool to develop creativity and awareness of the present moment while deriving understanding from our memories and using the understanding to overcome the present blockages of karmas and samskaras. Having a creative and optimistic frame of mind will ensure that the future is more complete.
A selection of maybe four or five asanas and a selection of two pranayamas will harmonize and realign the energies of the body. If you do yoga nidra for relaxation, you will not allow stress and tension to take subconscious and unconscious roots; rather you let a process of elimination happen. When you eat something, the food is digested and the waste product is expelled. The same rule applies to the mind, but unfortunately nothing has been expelled from the mind; the waste product is accumulated. That is the reason for mental constipation or diarrhoea, for depression, frustration, neurosis, psychosis. All the mental imbalances occur because the accumulated toxins have not been eliminated from the mind, just as the body elimi-nates its waste.
In order to release the constipated mind, to release the bilious and gastric mind and to make it light, healthy and quiet, a twenty-minute practice of yoga nidra and twenty minutes of meditation are important. In your meditation, practise breath and mantra awareness for ten minutes and for ten minutes analyze your strengths and weak-nesses. What are the weak areas of your life that you want to strengthen this month, what are the positive areas of your life which you wish to cultivate?
Cultivate one quality per month and try to overcome one negative quality per month. It becomes possible to gradually transform your life, to develop better habits, to over-come those habits which are destructive and harmful by nature. Cultivate habits which are health and peace promoting. Rather than connecting with the problems and head trips, connect with your nature and finetune your nature. In this way you will feel that you are preparing and transforming yourself in the present, which will give better dividends in the future.

Ganga Darshan, 15 August 2006 , Swami Niranjanananda Saraswati