Peace of Mind

“As the mind, so the person; bondage or liberation are in your own mind. If you feel bound, you are bound. If you feel liberated, you are liberated. Things outside neither bind nor liberate you; only your attitude toward them does that.”
― Swami Satchidananda

The Yoga Sutras state that: "The only reality is the universal self, which is veiled by Maya (the illusory power). As the veils are lifted, the mind becomes clearer. Unhappiness and fear – even the fear of death – vanishes. This state of freedom, or Moksha, is the goal of Yoga. It can be reached by constant enquiry into the nature of things." Dhyana, the 7th limb of the 8 Limbed Path of the Yoga Sutras, means meditation or perfect contemplation.  Meditation allows us to meet heightened levels of awareness, to calm our mind, and to let go of our thoughts. The practice of Dharana, the 6th limb, in which we focus on a single point or task, like breathing, prepares us for Dhyana. Our thoughts cause distraction in our lives.  They disrupt our inner state of being. The fewer thoughts we have the fewer worries we have. Spiritual teacher Eckhart Tolle says that when we worry or have anxiety, it is the result of our mind creating stories. We are either recreating events from the past, or making up stories about the future. But when our mind becomes still and we let go of our thoughts, we experience peace of mind, balance and simplicity in our lives, and of course, happiness.

"Do not encumber your mind with useless thoughts. What good does it do to brood on the past or anticipate the future? Remain in the simplicity of the present moment." – Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche

When you come to your mat, bring your attention to your breath. Do this without thinking. Simply hear the oceanic-like sound of your breathing, and feel the rhythmic flow of each breath cycle.  In this space of stillness, when our thoughts cease, even momentarily, we begin to train our mind to achieve Dhyana, allowing us to connect with ourselves, and in doing so, connecting with a higher power, a higher consciousness.

In the practice of Dhyana, we focus directly on something with the intent of knowing the truth about it. "We learn to differentiate between the mind of the perceiver, the means of perception, and the objects perceived, between words, their meanings, and ideas, and between all the levels of evolution of nature." (Yoga Sutras, xvi) In other words, the layers of perception, the labels we attach to things, our feelings towards those things, begin to fade away. A flower is more than the word. It is more than its color, its scent, its shape, and the thoughts or emotions it evokes in us. Our consciousness awakens as we peel back the veils of perception and see into the object's true nature. This practice, focused inward, on ourselves, unites us with our own true nature.
The practice of yoga is about seeking out the truth. The truth about the true nature of all things, beginning with ourselves. Dhyana is described as a path to Nirvana, a practice of "stopping and realizing" (abuddhistlivrary.com). Of stopping our thoughts and realizing that we are so much more than that. We are, at our core, energetic light; energy connected to each and every object and creature in the universe. Not only are we not our thoughts, but we are also not our body. Our body is a vehicle for housing that energy. Thus, when we connect the vehicle (the body) with the mind, we begin to find that path toward Nirvana, or enlightenment.
Each day we face a challenge: to love, enjoy, and accept our life exactly as it is. We spend a great deal of time trying to change the past or control the future. Our asana practice teaches us to let go and stay in the Present. It prepares us for meditation or Dhyana, the state where only the present exists without intrusion from our thoughts. Where we are content with things as they are, for better or worse. When things don't work out the way we want, we get upset, depressed, angry, all sorts of negative emotions that affect our well being and that of those around us.  Everything works out exactly as it is supposed to, exactly as you need it to. When you stop thinking about it, you will find peace in this.

"When you surrender to what is and become so fully present, the past ceases to have any power. The realm of Being, which had been obscured by the mind, then opens up. Suddenly, a great stillness arises within you, an unfathomable sense of peace. And within that peace there is great joy. And within that joy there is love. And at the innermost core there is the sacred, the immeasurable, That which cannot be named." – Eckhart Tolle