Yoga's forgotten foundation If we wish to attain real spiritual understanding through our efforts, we have to have the basics down. If the basics are not clearly understood, there is not much hope for development, no matter how hard we strive in our practice. Probably most books and classics on yoga, despite of the tradition, emphasize ethics. Non-violence and truthfulness in action, speech and thought pop up to my mind first when thinking about the moral and ethical foundation of yoga. Most practitioners are aware of this. We all have read and heard this many times. However, it seems to me that even though the theory of this ground is not difficult to comprehend, the application is fuzzy, at times extremely fuzzy. And here's why. The spiritual scene is not unlike any other scene. Where there are people, there is also human behaviour and that can get nasty. You know, envy, grudge, gossip, bad-mouthing, backstabbing and so on. It really does get ugly at times. If you have been around for a while, you probably have heard or witnessed this taking place, more or less, in every spiritual community. I don't think there are any exceptions to it. If you think that this doesn't take place in your sangha at all, you're probably denying it. If you think this doesn't take place in your own mind, not even the least bit, you're probably denying it again. Take a look again. It is a fact that we do completely stoopid, idiotic and selfish things. That is history of the mankind, right there. We hurt ourselves and others like it's something we should be doing. And we keep doing it until we get sick, until we can do it no more, until we loose track, until we loose our health, until we loose our humanity or until we loose our lives. The scale of human awareness is so vast, extending from extremely gross and beastly mental and emotional realms all the way up Pure Lands of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. Based on our former actions, we gravitate towards that or those levels of awareness that we are mostly used to. Level of awareness, in dualistic vs. non-dualistic sense, in turn reflects to the quality of our thoughts and emotions. If you have engaged in hurting, killing, abusing or in any other kind of grossly selfish action, it is quite likely that you keep repeating the same record again and again... But, gross actions have as gross consequences. Committing bad actions has the result of making one feel bad. Yet, there seems to be some sort of a limit to what the bodymind can handle. There is no such being who can go on forever doing only bad things. This is because the very core of us is that of equanimity, harmony, trust and sharing, not that of chaos, confusion and selfishness. And it is not possible to change that. You know, at the end of the day spent wiping out civilications and creating havoc even Darth Vader cannot help feeling bad about it! I have met, taught and known persons with such extremely selfish histories that it would make most people nauseous. However, in the end, when they have been done with all of that self-based egocentrical stuff, they cannot help hearing what their heart tells them. This soundless ageless song of heart, bursting from within them, is so compelling that it is only a matter of time when it is heard and received. And it brings transformation with it. In one way or the other, one consciously and subconsciously, starts looking a way out of this misery and existential unfulfillment. One starts seeking the finite solution. One starts seeking salvation, deliverance, God, guru, dharma... And those who seek, shall find. For sure. As the grooves in our old record are so deeply engraved, we inevitably think, talk and act blindly, even if we have come across or have engaged in some dharma practice even for a good period of time. This is what this text is about. Us who have had the immeasurably fortunate opportunity to meet, learn and engage in yoga dharma, we still sometimes can not help committing in very violent and ignorant actions, whether in physical action, spoken word or in our thoughts and emotions. Sometimes we simply talk shit and pig out in hellish emotions before either the habit momentarily stops or we somehow, probably due to spiritual cultivation, snap out of it. That is just an old record playing. It happens. If you deny that this never has or never will happen in your mind, you're probably not even aware of it to begin with. It is on our own responsibility what we do or don't do about it. Karma is real, you know. What you sow, so shall you reap. Therefore, sow such seeds that will grow into existentially nourishing and truly satisfying fruits. So what to do? How to put an end to this beastly ego? This is what I have done in regards to ethics, along with many years of dedicated effort of tantric meditation and Guru Yoga, in the direct guidance of real spiritual masters.
Always, always, always, ask only for the truth which is not a fixed thing. No matter if it will kill, torture or rain thunder on you, always be willing to accept the possibility that you have done mistakes because of selfish habits grooved onto your mind. Mistakes can only be undone after you have admitted them. There is absolutely no way to not admit mistakes and still be able to attain deeper understanding. It is actually striking how often people think that way! Be reasonable. Take responsibility of your actions, speech and thoughts. This is the only way to set the course towards the true spiritual, psychological and existential understanding.
Making the declaration of wanting only the truth, rain or shine, your mind will automatically start functioning in a non-violent and sincere way and hence according to the ageless ethical teachings of the spiritual masters. Stick to it! Abide to it and never ever take it lightly, not even for a split second. If you don't take this seriously and start bending the ethics according to the whims of your mind, you end up suffering. Simple as that. I do not think morals and ethics should be followed as dogmatic rules because it leads to fundamentalism. Rather they should be studied and applied accordingly. What is even better is to study truthfulness, honesty, purity, harmony, loving-kindness, friendship, sharing and non-violence in meditation. It is better because it is in the silence of the blabbering mind, when you can recognize these ethical guidelines being the core of yourself that is without a self or ”I”. It is because of this that I often say that non-dual awareness, the love, life and peace that we truly are and everything is, is precisely the same as the ageless moral and ethical guidelines. This is why the gurus and masters who have succesfully become embodiments of non-dualistic wisdom, have taught them as the foundation of yoga and all spirituality. As they have attained this, we also can. Right here in this body and mind! Ho! With a bow, - Baba, 3.12.2014
