Turn down the Volume

More than ever, I have been seeking out silence in my practice. I’ve gone through phases where I would practice to music or chant before and after movement. Now I crave silence.

As I understand it, the tools and techniques that are called yoga are meant to be a tonic in our lives. These practices were born in a time very different then ours. A time when people (mostly men) could remove themselves from the world, live in a cave or monastery, and explore their inner world in great detail. These explorations led to many revered texts: one of them, The Sutras of Pantajali. Nobody really knows if Pantanjali is one person or several people, but it doesn’t matter. The text, written between 2000BC and 300AD, remains the most comprehensive and important text we have on the practice of yoga. It is so relevant, even today, that most contemporary teacher training programs (including ours) have it in the curriculum.

How is a text written thousands of years ago relevant to us now? The sutras are essentially a guide to understanding consciousness and the inner workings of our minds. If we were to assign a goal to yoga: it is to still the fluctuations of the mind. Yes, you read that right. Even though every yoga teacher you’ve ever had (including me) says, “Don’t try to stop thinking.” That is essentially the goal of yoga. Yoga is the experience we have when we stop thinking.

Lofty. Intimidating. Unattainable. That is what my mind used to say when I pondered this. But as I evolved in my practice, I came to understand that not-thinking is a spectrum. At the beginning of this spectrum is the simple awareness of your thoughts. 

Yoga begins with your ability to know the difference between your thoughts and the observer of your thoughts.

Take a moment right now and close your eyes and watch your thoughts. Notice the words, images, and sensations that are moving within you. Notice the pull of them, like a tide pulling you out to sea. Don’t go into them; stay above and watch. Now ask yourself: who is watching?

The exploration and the cultivation of that question, for me, is the practice of yoga.

You know that New Age saying “Where thought goes, energy flows?” Cute, right? Here’s another: “What we focus on, expands.” These are catchy...and true. The more we identify with our thoughts, the more constricted and noisy our inner landscape becomes.

The more we identify with that which watches the thoughts...whoa...the more we are able to travel along the spectrum towards inner quiet and greater understanding (and compassion) of our own inner landscape.

This world is far more populated and interconnected now than it was 2000 years ago. And it is LOUD. Television, social media, family, friends, community: we are all more connected to each other than ever before. And this is magical, auspicious, beautiful, and noisy.

Yoga gives us the tools to turn down the volume. We cannot affect inner and outer change if we are immersed in the noise. Two tools we know already help enormously: yoga and meditation. How can we deepen our experience of these tools?  To truly aid in the efficacy of our yoga and meditation practices (who’s ever spent their entire meditation practice mentally chewing on a problem?), we need to walk though our lives differently. 

The Sutras offer us the Yamas and the Niyamas as a guide on how to live with the intention of quieting the fluctuations of the mind. The Yamas are what we regulate in our lives; the Niyamas are what we cultivate.

Now go grab a cup of tea or java because I want to share with you how this mama of four, living in the heart of the Bronx, practices the Yamas and Niyamas as a foundation of a modern yoga practice of getting quiet in my mind. This is useful, I promise. I’m going to approach this as I use them, in modern terms and in English.

Yamas: Things we do less of

Harming

Usually presented as non-harming or non-violence. Simply put, in thought, speech and action, we harm less, or ideally, not at all. How do we talk to ourselves in our minds?  How do we speak to others?  Kindness is the antidote to harm or violence. Practice kindness and compassion for yourself and all beings. Judge less; give more grace. Let this be a guiding principle in your life. 

Lying

This may seem obvious, right? We learn not to lie in grade school. But we still do it. And there are so many ways to lie. Exaggerating is a form of lying. I’m working on this. Many times I hear myself saying things like “I told you five thousand times to clean your room!” (No, it was only four.) How about gossip? Notice how many instances you find yourself speaking of someone when they are not there. How does that make you feel in your body?  Likely uncomfortable. So, don’t do it. Stay quiet. And if there is a choice between telling the truth and hurting someone’s feelings, say nothing. Above all, do your best and give yourself grace. 

Stealing

This is another one we learn in early on. Don’t steal stuff. Basic, yet it happens. But let's take it further. Remembering that we are putting these in the context of thoughts, words, and actions. Knowledge can be stolen when we steal other’s words or ideas. How about time? Everyone has a friend that is always fifteen minutes late. How does that feel?  You bust your tush to get somewhere on time and then end up waiting. Someone stole your time. I always try to understand that everything is connected and what I am receiving is coming from somewhere else. Acknowledging that is crucial for a peaceful mind. I also find that generosity is a gorgeous practice that is essentially the opposite of stealing. So, be generous in thoughts, words, and actions. 

Hoarding

When you read this you probably are thinking of someone who has too many things in their small NYC apartment. And, yes, that is a physical manifestation of hoarding. But hoarding is holding on to something, whether it is physical or not. We hold onto ideas and beliefs; we hold onto relationships and people. Notice when you are clinging to that which no longer serves you. Release it. Soften your beautiful fists and let go. 

Overdoing it

In the sutras, the Sanskrit word for this Yama is Brahmancharya. The more orthodox interpretation is to be celibate. But because I'm a married woman living in 2020, I interpret it differently. I consciously manage my energy. My energy (i.e. my life force) needs to be conserved. I am moderate in food and drink. I try to be moderate in most things. I try not to let my senses rule my behavior (oooh...those cookies smell so good, I think I’ll eat four). I rest when I’m tired. I don’t push through. This one, for me, takes constant attention. And when I expel my energy and end up feeling badly with an overactive worried mind, I give myself grace. 

Niyamas - things we do more of

Cleanliness

This is both internal and external. Clean your body, eat clean foods, and keep your space clean. When I don’t shower, eat fried foods and hang out in clutter, I feel bad. My thoughts are probably darker or more depressed, and it is certainly not quiet in my inner world. So, I make an effort to keep my inner and outer world clutter-free. It really helps. 

Contentment

Can we simply be okay with what is? Really and truly? Real contentment involves detachment from our expectations in life. This is hard. I always have expectations. It's like my mind is an expectation generator. But I see it. I am aware. I breathe into all those expectations and I double down on my gratitude practice. This Niyama asks us to truly participate in all life has to offer while being grateful for all experiences. When I have trouble with this (and I do), I let go of my expectation to get this one right and I simply practice gratitude. 

Effort and Discipline

The Sanskrit word here is Tapas, which is usually translated as “austerity” or “heat.” This Niyama is essentially about the effort it takes to cultivate a spiritual practice. The effort it takes to wake up early and meditate. The effort it takes to practice all of this, all these Yamas and Niyamas. Quieting your mind takes effort. It is hard to not just float off with the tide of your thinking. Our spiritual practices don’t always lead to peace; sometimes we have to travel through disappointments and setbacks. Our efforts and discipline help us to cultivate a determination towards a higher goal (such as a peaceful mind), and the endurance to continue even when results are not obvious from moment to moment.

Study

This isn’t just any study. It is the study of consciousness and self-realization. This traditionally meant scripture: the Bible, the Koran, the Torah, Yoga Sutras. But I translate this to be anything uplifting that expands my mind. This is the systematic investigation of my Highest Self as a way to elevate my mind.

Surrender

I love that the philosophy of yoga tells you to surrender to “God” or the “Divine,” but does not define that for you. Here we simply remember that we are a part of a whole. As the trees and the birds and the flowers are all a part of nature, so are we. I really work this one. Remember, my mind is an expectation generator. I am often cultivating my connection to the God of my own understanding and surrendering my efforts to that, whatever that is.  The Serenity Prayer is beautiful to access this: God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; the courage to change the things I can; and the wisdom to know the difference.