“Study thy self to discover thy Self.” ~Yoga Sutras
In ancient yogic text when the word “self” is written with a lowercase “s” it is referring to what the Buddhists call our “small mind”, most commonly known as our ego level. The small mind makes up false stories and is the place where judgment and criticism reside.
When the word “Self” is written with a capital “S” it implies our true nature, or divine self—what the Buddhists call the “Big Mind”. Our mental stories of self (small mind) get in the way of connection to Self (Big Mind).
In order to unblock our connection to the Big Mind we must first realize the stories the small mind is telling. In doing so, we expand our understanding of ourselves and the world around us.
Essentially, we get out of our own way.
In the first book of the ancient yoga text (Yoga Sutras) it is written that “the restraint of the modifications of the mind-stuff is Yoga.” In the Sutras, “modifications” means thoughts—or what I call stories—that get in the way of achieving true inner peace.
The purpose of the physical practice of yoga is to calm the mind, so that we are able to have the space to look at the way our small mind gets in our way. Here in the west we place such a strong emphasis on the physical practice of yoga and often miss the next step, which is the study of the “mind-stuff” causing us to lose out on the full potential of yoga.
The Yoga Sutras say,
“..if we can calm our mind so we can get to the basis of all these modifications [stories], we would find unity among everything. So, by changing your mind, you change everything. If only we could understand this point, we would see that there is nothing wrong outside; it is all in the mind. By correcting our vision, we correct things outside.”
Most people I come across hear this and think “yes, I see that my mind interferes and I want to get out of my own way, but how?” Uncovering Your Stories: A Personal Exploration of Inner Shadow is the answer to that question. I designed a program that provides a safe and tangible way to explore the stories that get in the way of your inner peace. Join me and an intimate group of like-minded individuals on the same path of inner exploration. First session starts next week, Sunday February 2, 2020. I will be hosting this program five times this year. Click on the links above to find out more and register, or feel free to reach out to me for a chat.
